Pacts & Promises [attn Halvie - Green Ajah Political RP]

[Sirayn]

ooc: 999 NE, post Dumai's Wells, prior to the resignation of our current Ajah Head ... buzz me if the plans we made over chat are presenting any difficulties; otherwise, take it away!

 

: : : : Late though it was, and the prickle of stars glittering like scattered diamonds in the ink black sky above bore witness that it was indeed late at night, sleep had not yet stolen in to claim her … nor, she suspected, half a dozen similarly intentioned sisters still busy in the dark watches of the night. No, these shadows provided a haven for those who preferred to keep their affairs closed away from watching eyes, and Sirayn counted herself among such; it was after all a gentler excuse for her wakefulness than to mention certain memories which troubled her dreaming moments. These latest days had been filled with such portent that anyone must have seen chaos coming. As for students of that greatest of games, the stirrings among their sisters were as an open book, and she had read enough to know that she needed to bring her plans to completion immediately. Much work still remained to be done before everything should fall out … and the Light send it be as she had guessed; as she had laid her plans so precisely to take into account; for the smallest mistake could mean ruin.

 

: : : : Such were the dark thoughts which troubled her this night. Part of her had waited keenly for these coming moments all her life, ever since she had accepted that because of her lowly origins, her isolation, and the crude approach which had been all she knew until she discovered intrigue … she was not welcome in these hallowed halls; and so closely waited her best chance at recompense that the excitement of it would have trembled through her bones, had she let it. Fear: that was the consequence of how important this whole scheme was to her. Bitterly she knew the face of failure, but this once, surely, if her wit and cunning and the complexities of ambition, anger and determination could stand her in good stead … perhaps she could achieve what she had been waiting for these many years.

 

: : : : In these grim days the success of her scheme was more essential than ever. Though she hated the thought with all the force of her will, she was beginning to suspect that her son had taken a lot more from her than her strong left hand and the remains of her pride … perhaps, just perhaps, she was finished as a soldier. That left hand had drawn steel as surely as it had crafted the colossal chaos which had made her name on the field. Now left only with the weaker, a poor substitute to signify the remnants of her freedom, it was anyone’s guess whether she could recover even a half of those now lost skills. So long and so hard she had placed her whole identity in being a soldier, one gifted part in a gigantic machine, that the idea of being restricted to paper and pen and the myriad difficulties of administration frightened her more than she liked to admit … but where lay the alternative? In being a ruined shadow of herself? Holding on to something which might be denied her forever?

 

: : : : It was no choice at all, but if she could have had that moment back, bloody and horrified in a dark cave far below the earth, she would have done a lot worse to her son than give him a swift end. He had known what he was doing to her much better than she had allowed herself to accept. How he would have laughed. Maybe as a scholar and a boy he might not have understood what it was to be Battle Ajah, a soldier for the White Tower, but he recognised suffering when he saw it … and the thought of his warrior mother confined to a desk all day ordering others to go out and do her dying for her, when she had sworn to herself no others would die as Seiaman had; trapped amid unfeeling paper work, far from the chaos and the keen delight of battle; that would have amused him indeed.

 

: : : : Dismissing this line of thought, somewhat with difficulty, Sirayn set herself to the task she had reserved for this silent night. Hours ago in more business like hours she had written to her young sister to be prepared for her visit, some time after the dying of the light; it was for the benefit of one Halvie Sedai that she lasted through the night hours, always a hard time for her, in order to keep her appointment. It was anyone’s guess how much Halvie had suspected by now. If any of her sisters could have sensed the currents and whispers which lay through their silent halls, she would have put good coin on it being Halvie, that strange, devious young woman with her secret interests in matters nobody like her should have been intrigued by. However, whether Halvie could analyse and apply that information … that was another matter altogether; and a task in which many older sisters would have failed.

 

: : : : It had taken her less than a minute to decide what Halvie would want from this exchange and exactly how far she was prepared to grant that wish. Death. No doubt the child still had her fascination which she had disclosed so unwisely all those years ago. Secrets they all possessed in some number, but Sirayn was most reluctant to divulge anything of what she knew on this topic … nor would she unless she had to. There were other incentives she could offer Halvie, after all. Only a fool would have thought that Halvie would obey her for anything less than good promises, worth as much as coin to women bound by those blasted oaths, but she still reckoned herself canny enough and reserved enough to wring the best out of this deal. That much, of course, remained to be seen.

 

: : : : Silent as a shade in these well known halls Sirayn wound her way onward; her steps whispering across flagstones marked with vivid green symbols. Over the years a sister changed rooms on numerous occasions as more advantageous ones became open. A subtle but none the less present ranking was obvious in where one’s quarters were placed; with those most favoured being placed closest to the Banner Captains, whereas those youngest and least distinguished being far away next to the entrance, while new recruits of course occupied those quarters at the door. So many years since either of them had stayed there. Pulling a white knitted shawl about her casually against the chill Sirayn arrived at the correct door, tapped once, entered hard upon that signal. The quarters before her she spared no more than a single glance; it would not do to demonstrate too much curiosity, although it was not often she visited these rooms.

 

: : : : Drawing all her dignity around her she graced her opposite number with a brief inclination of her head. “Halvie Sedai.†It took her a moment to calculate whether anything further was necessary between them; some semblance of an apology for keeping her up so late would have been due toward an older sister, or somebody of markedly higher rank, but for a younger one … not. There was no reason to be discourteous, but all the same, she had no intention of granting Halvie any more leeway than the other already possessed. She shut the door quietly behind her thus sealing in their words: “I’ve come, as my note informed you, to discuss some matters which may be of importance to us both …†careless, she took a seat, never interrupting her speech; her tones remaining serene as still water, “for the moment, perhaps we will talk about ambition.â€

 

: : : : Fraught with many complications that word alone most likely warned the other woman. If it did, let it be so; she might get to see a little of what Halvie had learned over the years since they last spoke in great depth. Discretion. Perception. Judgement. Those were the three instruments of an intriguer’s game, and each one fundamental to success; it remained to be seen if she had instilled an understanding of those same values into Halvie during her initiation. “Ambition.†She gave the word a twist of irony this time. “A dangerous quality, is it not? Or so many would have you think. I, myself … feel that a little bit of ambition goes a long way; but perhaps it may lead one to great height, if one possesses the necessary other qualities to temper it. Tell me sister … if I may be so bold as to ask ... what are your ambitions?â€

 

Sirayn Sedai

Sister of the Battle Ajah

 

~’*’~ The moment her eyes caught sight of the crisp slip of paper, she had known the urge to burn it. Steady hands had lifted it up yet held it at roughly an arm’s distance, tilted at various angles in golden light, as though attempting to identify some unknown trap about it. Halvie disliked notes, especially those she had never anticipated. They were bound to be the harbinger of something not exactly suited to her taste or at best merely did not fall within her sphere of influence. She loathed being pushed aside like a little rag doll, deemed negligible, trivial. It wasn’t half so bad these days, but it still happened. Resentment still grew though she had vowed it would not affect her daily attempts to grasp more power, but it was hard. It was a disease, a heady alcohol, addictive. And the past decades did little to dissuade its advancements, which in turn eroded her personality. She already agonized over a multitude of past scenes, careless words that had slipped away together with other matters she had executed; all potentially suicidal. Her slate was no longer clean; a myriad of events had blown up spectacularly before her stunned eyes, but she was young yet in comparison to others. Aes Sedai who still stood above her and it was purely stubbornness to usurp their position that saw her enduring each complicated day in the Tower or volunteering for precarious missions beyond the Shining Walls. But it was not enough. It was never enough. She needed assistance, much as she was loath to admit.

 

~’*’~ Cursed were the light rays of the day, when her tension & paranoia heightened amongst walking, living people. Always she strove to look into the future, shift through the increasing pile of administrative work hurriedly yet thoroughly enough to be able to absorb its more crucial contents. The merit of gaining an extra branch of eyes & ears contacts from a fellow Aes Sedai did not cut her much slack, far from it. There remained too much to weigh in the information forwarded to her, too much lingering uncertainty. Another painful lesson in relation to misinterpreted material, a shameful recollection she shoved right back into the darkness where it belonged. She had been asinine child, to assume easily that all knowledge handed over would mostly be true, had placed too much confidence in her abilities to secure a solid deal, a loaded arrangement. Light curse her former naivety!

 

~’*’~ High up in the belfries came the ringing resonance of polished bells, clear even in the dead of night. Once again, Halvie found herself approaching the door of her quarters with a certain measure of reluctance. She ought to leave her room and let the older sister stew in mixed confusion & outrage; it might later prove interesting, even expedient. But no, that was a simple fallacy. She was too intrigued to be able to walk away and had she a shred more courage, would admit to being too fearful to do so. Her hands began twirling a curved blade in the air with almost meditative motions, its cutting edge making silvery slashes against the mostly shadowy room. Fingers pressed firmly against the intricate grooves worked into its handle, as she contemplated her stand in current political matters. Unstable at best.

 

~’*’~ Anxiety ran high nowadays, whispers & rumours sweeping through the halls in the wake of many a grim event. Now if ever would be the moment to sneak further up the echelons, if only she knew how. Her relatively young age disqualified higher aspirations though it had never hurt to try, until now. Now heads would turn at the slightest oddity, inquisitive hands would meddle in areas they normally would not because… because everyone knew that they were facing the beginnings of a whole new ball game. The fall of Tear had been shattering news, confirmation of the existence of the Dragon Reborn even if the Tower would not openly admit and more ominous, of the advancements of Tarmon Gai’don itself. Time was running out for all of them, and she for one hated it. Her position was not entirely secure; she was still placed too far below for much major power play – the same old worries.

 

~’*’~ And there was the other Tower that stood when it should never have existed, holding untold numbers of mad channelers. It was a terrifying prospect that such an… institution of sorts could have ever been conceived, let alone carried out. Halvie knew better than attempt to approach its terrain unassisted, alone… though won’t it be a feat, to be able to tie a string around them? Powerful children who would easily succumb to her political manoeuvres, yet the idea of being surrounded by the tainted side of the One Power was enough for her to sick up. She could not send another in her stead, especially when there remained no person whom she trusted to deliver a notable job on her behalf; no, the White Tower folks would be too busy planning her downfall as opposed to assisting her gain leverage within the ivory tower. Her other spies, she felt, did not possess enough discretion and lack of ambition either; spineless whores she’d rescued from poverty’s lethal hand. Those were the folks Halvie aimed at, acting the benefactor & saviour to those poor, uncultivated souls in another guise, tying them strongly enough to her before revealing the Green Serpent ring. The reaction during those revelations… they differed drastically according to personalities. Halvie smiled ruefully at several tender memories; she’d been overeager sometimes.

 

~’*’~ She burned the remaining missives on her table, clearing cluttering objects to present a neater look. A tidy pile of paper lay in the middle, ink & feather by its side; ready to be used. All the books had been stowed away along the bookshelves that lined the walls; a growing collection though sadly, she had yet to read most of them. There simply wasn’t adequate time when so many other matters demanded her attention. Standing on the hearth, Halvie manually added more logs to increase the blaze, to dispel the gloomy impression the room emitted. There was hardly a need to allow Sirayn to wonder of her inner turmoil, of the kind of environment she lived in day by day when alone. It angered her to consider the older sister intruding upon her private haven simply because she requested it so, but had seen no other way to deter her arrival except by plain refusal. And such an action would most definitely do more than raise several sardonic eyebrows.

 

~’*’~ The harsh knock upon wood came just as she reached a hand to draw back the curtains, a brief glance at a starlit sky before wrenching green eyes from the heavenly vista. Halvie drew in a sharp breath to sooth her speeding heart before hurrying to the front of the room. The door opened by itself much to her indignation, admitting a woman of a dignified stature; proud, serene, and eternally confident. Many days had passed since their last meet and certainly, it had been nothing like this. She stiffened her spine as Sirayn took initiative to take a seat, eyes barely narrowing an inch. There had been no need to further emphasise her lack of standing!

 

~’*’~ Always would come the mixed feelings when she was in contact with the opposing Green; she had figured it to be awe in her younger days, mixed with envy, a strong desire to please and gain favour. Now she accepted it to be hatred, animosity so intense it frightened herself to the core. The woman had everything she wanted, a higher position, better contacts, quality work, successful missions… too numerous to list, far too painful to ponder upon. Every time the woman returned in exaltation Halvie had had to choke back on dismay and often, she would find herself stalking the halls with fury written into every line of her pale, drawn face. The odd insomnia would then descend to further distress her, driving her near mad with frustration at times. She wanted so much, knew she deserved that little, but didn’t know how to achieve it. Always just a mile too further, a little above her abilities, a little late in receiving the latest updates. It was always so. And when she did do something right… she would remain too stunned to do anything further. Then, others would come to takeover, placing her glory mantle upon their shoulders while she stirred in regret. Too often was it so, but she vowed that vengeance would soon come for them.

 

~’*’~ Words slid over her as she intently judged the true intention of one she considered to be a nemesis, noting the familiar sophistication in which Sirayn phrased her sentences in, with such ease. Bitterness. Exactly what had she given away to the sister all those years ago, as a child barely out of her mother’s embrace? The scenes used to be so distinct but it had faded, until only sentences here and there remained and now, that memory had fragmented into words that made no sense when pieced together. A frustrating jigsaw puzzle and Halvie faulted only herself for having lost her journal all those years ago, and wonder as to where it was now, should it still exist. No excuse to have lost it in the first place; Halvie struggled for an equally cryptic retort. It was unnerving to be playing a war of words with so experienced a player. If only Sirayn was an ally instead of an opponent, she of all would ensure a steady ascendancy… but dared she trust a cripple?

 

~’*’~ “What is your definition of ambition, Sirayn?†she asked coolly, opting to remain standing where her shadow fell half on the seated sister. “What is worth the sacrifice for ambition?†She clasped her hands firmly behind her back, fingers twining slowly around her dress to keep from tearing out skin. Tension had to be released somehow, before she stuffed up. “The lives of people, to destroy or reconstruct or dare we consider, take away?†A sneer crept its way onto her closed facade, twisting her features momentarily. “Is that ambition to you, Sirayn Sedai, o’ beloved warrior of the battlefield? And dare we consider how far has it brought you?†Halvie allowed her gaze to fall carelessly upon the missing limb, a suggestive smile on the verge of breaking out.

 

Halvie Sedai

Sister of the Green Ajah