Arachne

[Wayfarer]

It was a rare occasion that Lillian dragged her feet, and despite the circumstances she didn't permit herself the luxury. It had only been a month and a half since her return to the Tower, she had been the perfect model of obedience. After her return from the Farm she had been watched, of that much she was certain. So she gave the watchers exactly what they wanted to see, she worked harder than she ever had before and her manners were exquisite. Over time the watchers would drift away, certain that she had learned her lesson not to disobey the dictates of the Tower. Nevermind that her disobedience had stemmed from a moment of duress, that the moment had passed and there would be no chance of a similar occurence again.

 

Yet as picture perfect as she had been, there had been a particular laxity on her part. It had been her mentor, Halvie Sedai, who had collected her from the Farm. Despite how Halvie Sedai treated her over eight years, Lillian had always remained faithful to her. She still was for that matter, and after a year on the Farm she had come to certain conclusions about her mentor. They weren't ones that she could prove by any means, even though she had tried to very discreetly. Nine years now and she still knew very little of Halvie Sedai's past, and it was there that Lillian had hoped to learn something of her mentor and to understand why she had reacted to Lillian the way she had.

 

Her parents funeral, at its end Halvie Sedai had confronted her. What she had needed more than anything was a hug, a shoulder to cry on, any support at all from the woman who she had given eight years of faithfulness to. Instead she had spurned her, turned on her, railed at her for her behaviour and had lashed Lillian with words almost as cruel as the loss of her parents. You are as dead as those corpses there, Lillian Tremina, and we both know it... Eight years of faith repaid with that, that had been something Lillian had struggled with.

 

It had taken Tylia and Tessa to help her with it, and it had been Tessa's words that had helped her rethink what had occured. She wouldn't have reacted like that for no reason, no, there had to be something else behind it. Halvie Sedai had offered nothing in that respect, in fact it was as if it had never happened at all with the way the subject was never brought up. Halvie Sedai would never tell her outright, so the only option had been to investigate for herself. To try and discover more about Halvie Sedai's past.

 

There had been nothing, scraps that were scraps of scraps, the barest whispers that betrayed that Halvie Sedai had existed in the past but nothing more. Of course, she was limited in her means of inquiry, but even then it was as if Halvie Sedai barely existed. Nothing to draw from, and that in itself was unsettling. If one had the time, one could find out the last names of most Aes Sedai before they took on their shawls. Nothing, perhaps if Lillian had a chance to look in the Novice roll she could find something but as it was she didn't have access to it.

 

Halvie Sedai's door. Knocking, there was a pause before she was invited to enter. Entering, she closed the door quietly behind her. Crossing the room towards Halvie Sedai, she took the seat she was offered. There was a time where she would have offered a friendly, if polite greeting. That had ended the moment Halvie Sedai had turned on her, instead there was nothing that she had to offer Halvie Sedai except when it was asked of her. Not until she understood Halvie Sedai better, as much as she wanted to... No, she would wait until she knew more. She wouldn't be gutted twice by the woman she called mentor.

 

Eyes downcast, hands folded in her lap, Lillian betrayed nothing with a face empty of emotions. A balance of subservience and rebellion, she waited for Halvie Sedai to speak.

 

 

Lillian Tremina

(Retro) Novice of the White Tower