Warm welcome

[Arette]

It was well past midnight but Arette and Calvin were still trying to find Stavros house. They had actually stopped at a shabby dock tavern and Calvin had went in to ask instructions. It had taken him a while since people in the Perfumed Quarters weren't welcoming of outsiders. After some talking he had finally managed to convice them that he had a word for Electra from her son and they had gotten the directions. Having to cajole for the information and even thinking of Con hadn't exactly lightened his mood and Arette's hands were starting to go numb from having to hold both the girls who had grown alot in the past months. Thank the Light they were still sleeping.

 

She had known that the Perfumed Quarters were jokingly called that because they stank so badly but she still hadn't been quite prepared for the odor. Beside having to stop to rest her arms, she had actually retched from the horrible smell. Most of the houses lining the narrow streets looked also shabby enough to collapse any moment and she was certain the darkness hid alot of other ugly details. She had never seen anything this miserable in her life and this was where Con had spent his childhood. No wonder he hadn't been eager to discuss it with her. She honestly couldn't have understood. And now their daughters might end up living here. No, she wasn't going to think about that now. First they needed to find the bloody house and get in and have Con reunited with them.

 

The maze-like alleys had her completely lost but Calvin was more awake thanks to the Bond's special abilities and hadn't lost his sense of direction. Finally he stopped in front of a house that was actually built from planks and not some random wood. It looked old and in need of repair, but it was still in much better condition than the neighbouring places. This had to be it. Everyone would be asleep given the late hour and her stomach tied on knots when she thought of the welcome they would receive. She had no idea how much and what Con had told to them of her. But they had no choice. Holding Cina ackwardly in her wooden arms, she knocked firmly on the door.

 

She could hear silent sounds of activity from the inside and a candle was lighted before soft footsteps approached the doorway. Every practiced speech vanished from her tired mind and she swallowed nervously when the door was opened slightly and she could see a grandmotherly woman peering outside. This had to be Electra despite her looking older than her age, she could see the resemblance with Con. "What be this about and who be you?", she asked quietly holding the door ready to be closed on her face.

 

"I'm... Are you Electra Stavros?", Arette managed to stammer. The woman merely nodded. "I'm terribly sorry for intruding so late, but we really had no other place to go. I am Arette Nenatiar and I am betrothed to your son Con... these are our daughters", she motioned over Cina and toward Rana on Calvin's arms. "And my Warder. I... please, we were had to leave Andor and..." Electra didn't let her finish her rambling explanations.

 

There was a long silence as Electra studied the woman standing before her. A very long silence as her grip on the door tightened as it did on the candlestick she was holding. The gall of the woman, yet at the same time she was holding children, grandchildren if she was to be believed. Con had never sent word of such a thing, was this some ploy? Aes Sedai might be sworn to truth in stories but for the woman that had hurt her son she had no belief. This Arette had lied to her son, used him, and now she was here on her doorstep? And she was betrothed to him now? Ludicrous. "You do be coming to my doorstep and do be asking for my help after all you do be doing? They no be Con's, I know exactly what you did be doing for him and you no be coming under this roof." Stepping back, she went to close the door.

 

The woman was going to shut them out after calling her daughters bastards. Light, Con had to have told her everything. She had imagined this situation too, it had been the worst of all scenario that she hadn't wanted to dwell on. Desperation quickened her reflexes and she got her foot between the door before it closed. The woman rammed the door a few times painfully against her foot, but she pushed it finally open with her shoulder. Her exhaustment was burned away with anger and urgency. She snatched the candle from the woman's hand and shoved Cina on her arms shedding light on her face.

 

"Hate me all you want, but you will not leave children out in the night. I can sleep in a ditch or anywhere, but your granddaughters will stay under your flaming roof. Look at her and tell me she is not your blood." Con had said that Stavrosi features bred true and that all the cousins looked like they could be siblings.

 

Not even looking at the child, Electra snatched the candle back off Arette. How dare she presume to force her way into her home! Her face quickly colouring with anger, her voice was already beginning to rise as she railed at the intruder. "How dare you! Con told me full well you would never marry or bear his children, and now you dare to come in her and try to make a liar of him?! Get out!" Turning about to the figures that had been but silhouette's, the pair stepped forward with pieces of wood in hand. "I want her out of my house now!"

 

"But, sh-"

 

"Rae while you're under my roof you'll do as you're told. No I don't care if she's an Aes Sedai or the Queen of Eharon! Get her out of here right now!" That settled it as the pair stepped forward and reached for Arette to quite literally haul her outside.

 

Poor Cina was thrusted back on her arms and all the tossing around arouse the girl abruptly. Her scared wailing joined the general ruckus. Arette could sense Calvin poised to interfere any moment and as she turned to call him sharply to stay out of this when the pair grabbed her arms. Outraged she gave them the most shriveling and commanding Aes Sedai stare she could manage. "I will walk out myself. Take your hands off me." They cast a momentary questioning look at their mother but it was enough for her to wrench herself free forcefully by wriggling and poking them on ribs. She headed to the door.

 

"I am not going anywhere. I will be waiting outside for as long as it takes", she announced over Cina's crying before she sat beside the door and began to solace the child. She was feeling quite desolate and hopeless, though. If that wretched woman really would not let them in, she had no idea where they could go. It was not simply possible to sit outside their house until Con came even though she was very tempted to do exactly that. It would draw entirely too much attention and they needed to avoid it at all costs. Maybe some inn, but they would run out of money eventually even if it was in the Perfumed Quarters. Going to Helena was not an option either since she could be a Black Sister even though she didn't want to believe it. All she could do now was hope and pray for Con's mother to cool her temper or maybe stay with some of his other relatives. Cina was calming down and she just sat there holding her and waiting what would happen.

 

Striding over to the door with a vigour that she was not normally possessed of, Electra slammed the door shut as she muttered to herself. Light, but how could that woman dare have the nerve to turn up at her doorstep! Quickly ordering her two sons to go back to bed, she strode back to her own room, and went back to bed herself. Glad to see that Danae hadn’t woken at least, Electra was careful as she rearranged the sheets that the girl had kicked off so she was warm then quickly went to sleep herself.

 

Rae on the otherhand returned to his room to find his sister Illia wide awake and wanting to know what was going on. Telling her wasn’t the best idea because that resulted in a small argument between the pair that was carried as quietly as could be. After perhaps ten minutes, the pair emerged from their room quietly and made their way towards the front door.

 

Opening it to find the woman Arette sitting by the door with her warder standing nearby, Illia was barely able to make out details. It didn’t matter though, what Arette had or hadn’t done, what mattered was there were a pair of babies left out in the cold. "Shh... Do be following me and no be making a sound, quietly now."

 

Wrapped in her own and Calvin's cloak Arette had taken Rana to her also and both of the girls slept on her lap. She needed to know that they were close and this way they could share warmth. She was loathe to channel but if they really had to stay here for the night, she would need to use a fire weave to provide them some heat. Illian was south but the nights were still cool enough to give them a cold. Calvin and her had a short but brief conversation in low voice. He wanted them to leave somewhere else, anywhere else and she had stubbornly declared that they would sit here until something happened and that was the end of it. He knew that she could teach mules something of resolve once she made up her mind and even though she could change her mind the next day when she realised her course wasn't the best one, tonight it was hopeless.

 

She didn't know how long time passed but the door opened and two figures emerged, a female and a male by their silhouettes. The woman, bless her, was going to let them in. More greatful than ever in her life, she obeyed the order to be silent but stopped the woman by taking her hand and squeezing it with emotion. She had to express her thanks somehow. They tiptoed through the main room of the house where the family cooked and dined and she counted four doorways without doors. Light, there was no privacy in the house. They all seemed to have inhabitants, Arette noticed before the pair guided them to their own small quarters. From the breathing in the beds she made out that there was a child in each. It was so dark inside that it was impossible to see almost anything until their eyes got more used to it, so she embraced Saidar and channeled the slightest amount she could, creating a small faintly glowing ball of light on her palm. The pair gasped but got soon over it and they arranged the bedrolls and all the clothes she and Calvin had on the floor as beds for him and Con's kinsman. The kinswoman and her were to take the beds and she had to reluctantly hand Rana for her to sleep with since they didn't want to wake up any of the children. She could see recognition on the young woman's face and from the way the man looked at the girls, he also believed them to be Con's children. Still it was Electra who she had to convince since she doubted that these two would openly stand for her. It was her last thought before plummeting to sleep the moment her head touched the hard pillow.

 

Arette Nenatiar

Exiled Brown Sister

Mother of Cina and Rana

[Arette]

It was so light when Arette woke up the next day that it had to be close to the noon. She was disoriented for a while, not knowing where she was when it all came back to her. She was at Con's mother's house. And where were her children? She sat up and looked for them but the room was empty save for Calvin sitting on the other bed. The bond carried worry, but the girls had to be alright and in good care or he wouldn't have let them out of his sight. She became aware of the noise she had waken up to, angry female voices shouting at each others. "It's the mother and the woman who let us in, Ilia", Calvin enlightened her. Electra was obviously railing at Illia for daring to bring her in, and Illia will be ripping on her mother for daring to leave children out in the cold. Light, she had to go in there and stop them or this could escalate beyond her and things would be beyond repair. She was not used to arguing and everytime she had, she had hurt those she loved and she could let herself be the cause of the same. And at the same time she just wanted to stay and hide under the bed. She didn't want to confront Con's scrary mother. But she was an Aes Sedai and there had been even more forceful women in the White Tower. This couldn't be worse than facing an angry Sitter. Only this was personal and Electra would not stop at digging up all her past misgivings.

 

Donning her dress hastily and barely letting Calvin do her buttons, she combed her fingers through her hairs in attempt to reach a semblance of decency. She told him to stay there and entered the battlefield. The men were nowhere to be seen, probably fishing and the children did some chores or enjoyed each others' company on the floor. They didn't seem to pay much attention to the arguing pair. A young girl who couldn't be even ten was playing with Rana and Cina and even though they occasionally looked wonderingly at the loud women, they were calmed down by no one else reacting. Light, was this so common place here that they didn't care anymore? The girls seemed satisfied and didn't even notice her. What could she say to the women to make them stop? It seemed that Electra wasn't going to give her the chance since her attention turned toward Arette.

 

"You!" The tone was scathing as Electra turned to the woman who had snuck into her house. Aided by her own daughter and son no less, Rae was going to get an earful when he came home. "My daughter here do be taking pity on you. Seeing as I no be deciding who do be sleeping under my roof or not anymore, you may stay." The last was more for Illia's benefit who winced. "You be paying your own way and you be doing the same chores as everyone else. The only reason you do be staying is because Illia here do be thinking your children be worth the trouble. Despite the fact they no be Con’s, they do be deserving a roof regardless of you."

 

Even as she turned and made her way to the kitchen with an agitated stride, Illia was grinning. She hadn’t been sure whether she’d be able to wear mother down, but she had managed it. Gesturing for Arette to come over to the table, Illia took a seat as she spoke. "Don’t worry, she do be coming around eventually. Rae do be saying that Aes Sedai no be able to lie, do this be true? Do your daughters really be Con’s?"

 

Preparing herself for the storm, it was much milder than Arette had expected. She nodded at her remark of paying her share and doing chores. She was not going to be a leach that gave nothing in return. And thanks to Willamina she could actually be of help now and not on the way when it came to running a household. Electra's last remarked earned her a hard glare and she was about to retort angrily but the woman was already on her way and Arette had no desire to speak to her back.

 

She was uncertain of what she was supposed to do know but Con's sister gave her the cue by calling her over to the table. She highly doubted that she and Electra would ever more than tolerate each others, but even that would be a victory. And Ilia knew her mother. Her question, though... Light, she didn't believe it either after all. Maybe this was her punishment for stealing nine months of time with their daughters from Con. She doubted that he could have come to them and have been with them - nor wanted to - even if he had known earlier, but then it at least would not have been her fault. "He is correct. Aes Sedai swear Three Oaths enforced by the One Power and one of them is to never speak a word of lie. And of course they are Con's children. Do you really think that I would have dared to come here otherwise? He is also..." Her throat constricted as she was about to speak something Rasputin had told her and she had sworn not to. After clearing her throat a few times, she was able to continue with better worded sentence. "I believe that he will be here soon too."

 

"But Ilia... I haven't had a chance to thank you for what you did yesterday. And now arguing with your mother. I am really sorry for being the cause of that. I can't even express how greatful I am for letting us in." She allowed some of her fear for their future to surface and show outward. She could be placing the Stavrosi in danger too by being here so they had the right to know. "I tried to tell your mother, but she wouldn't listen. You all need to know though and then decide whether you can allow us to stay. Promise me that you will tell it to your mother and brothers too." Ilia took a moment to make her decision but finally nodded. Relieved, Arette continued. "I know that the lives of my daughters are in danger. The village where we lived at has already been attacked once by darkfriends and they kidnapped two children. They were the boy and girl of my Sister who lived with us then and Con and I helped her get them back. We couldn't stay in Andor anymore and we might have been followed here by some very dangerous people. If you let us stay, we need to keep a very low profile until Con is here. I don't want to risk anyone else."

 

Shock was plain on Illia’s face, it was an incredible story that she was being told and to be honest she wasn’t sure she believed it all. Well, wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for the oaths, Rae had been right. Nic had mentioned it before too when he’d come back from Tar Valon though she had just been a child then. Of course, she had only seen her brother Con once before, when he had come home and made peace with father. But his children, if they were in danger then they had to be hidden, and that meant that if there were people looking for her they couldn’t be allowed to see her. "You be needing to be staying inside then, out of sight and nobody be noticing you. No trouble then."

 

From Ilia's look she took Arette seriously and that was good for the people after her daughters weren't to be trifled with. Light, Aginor himself... Her suggestion, as sensible as it was, did carry a small problem though. "I know and that is what I intend to do. I'm just worried that this house might be too small for me and Electra and I really do not want to cause any kind of problems. And this might be just temporary until Con gets here." The way she said his name, like it was something precious spoke clearly of her feelings for him. But that moment Cina finally noticed that her mother had woke up and crawled at her demanding attention. Arette lifted the girl to her lap jumping her up and down and kissing her lips exaggeratedly audibly until she giggled. She smiled at Ilia. "Anyway, there is nothing more that I can do for the matter now than lay low and I'm fairly certain we managed to loose our tracks well." She trusted Rasputin to know what he did. "For a while I am going to try to not worry. Now, as much as I would love to speak with you and get to know you better, we could as well do it while working on the chores that need to be done today. I really want to pull my weight and also my Warder Calvin can help with things in the house." She thought that they might need someone to help with repairing the house, but Ilia would have to be the one to bring it up. "I think that we might need to dye his hair dark since the lighter colour might stand out." Oh he would just love it, she thought grinning.

 

They set to work and Arette's task was to sew and fix clothes. She felt bad for Ilia since she couldn't help with the hardest work like fetching water and firefood. They didn't get to even exchange too many words since Electra called Ilia to help in the kitchen. There was no men's work to do in the house, so Calvin was just told to entertain the children. Spending time with children was something he enjoyed but the bond told her clearly that he was miffed for not getting to do real work, especially when the house was in need of repair. But Arette was determined that they would do what they were told and not stir the fragile peace and she was not going to accept it from him either. She focused on her needlework and putting her mind to what her hands were doing helped her to forget all the problems for a while.

[Arette]

They had been in Stavros house for three days and Arette had started to feel almost home. She was getting in in stages, though. She and Electra avoided each others as much as they could and even though Ilia was friendly, she was still reserved with how much she gave off of herself when they chatted. Rae and Leonidas were neutrally polite but the jury was still out with them. Arette didn't want to take any risks and thread carefully to avoid intruding or stepping over her borders. At least the youngest three children seemed to genuinely accept her even when they knew that the rest of the family still regarded her a stranger. Young Matthias went with the men to the boat already at tender age of ten - too early in her opinion, but they didn't exactly have the choice - and imitated them. Rana and Cina enjoyed living with other children and getting attention from so many adults. Arette had seen even Electra holding Rana once for a moment. The girls absolutely adored their cousin Danae who was only a year older than them and had grown suprisingly quickly fond of the older girls Mia and Hala who looked after the smaller children. It would have been quite idyllic actually if not for the lack of privacy and the food. Stavrosi ate fish and other fruits of the sea every day and Arette had never really found fish to be her to taste, a dislike that had just increased during her first week as an Accepted when she had had to work with spoiling fish. But it was food and she ate without complaints.

 

The only member of their little family who wasn't enjoying themself was Calvin and in Arette's opinion he had an attitude problem. He had decided that he would averse being there and therefore everything was negatively coloured for him. He wasn't even trying to get to know the family and learn to like them. The only ones he spent time with were her, the girls and the other children. Arette was knitting woollen stockings for Leonidas and playing a catching game with her feet with squealing and laughing Rana, Cina and Danae when Calvin approached her and asked if they could discuss alone. She had been anticipating the talk but she had hoped that it wouldn't come. She let down the knitting with a sigh and had to console the girls by twirling them around a bit and promising to be back soon before she could accompany Calvin to the room where they slept.

 

"I really think that it's time for us to move from here, Arette", he started without beating around the bush. She wanted to argue immediately but held her tongue and let him state his reasons. "I know that you want to wait for Con here", the bond flashed with distaste "but are we really safe here? And are they safe?" Ooh, he knew her so well and pulled the guilt string that always resonated so well with her. Feeling the first hint of doubt Calvin pressed on. "How long can you stand being sheltered inside with these people who don't like and who call Rana and Cina bastards? And speaking of the girls, if you don't leave now, they will live here in the Perfumed Quarters for the restf of their lives. Is that really what you want for them? When Con comes and you are still here, he will stick to his family like a glue. And when the girls are sixteen or maybe even seventeen, they will marry some fisher boy and spawn a herd of children and die in childbed or become old before their age. I just can't bear it."

 

"We were so happy in Fernhill, Arette. We had actually our own space and nature there and even though it was simple life, the living standards were so much better. That's the kind of life the girls should be living. If you're gone from here, he will come to you. Do the right thing and save the girls."

 

Arette blanched at the horrible future Calvin painted for Rana and Cina and she couldn't lie and say that it hadn't crossed her mind when Ilia had listed the relatives and she had calculated the ages when her sisters had given birth. But she would grow the girls smart and they would know all the options that were available for them. And it would be their choice not hers, she would just give them the foundation. That was a lesson she had learned from the horrible mistake she had made with Kit who had been like a daughter to her. Still he had gone too far this time and the real issue was not his genuine concern for the girls but his desire to keep them.

 

"Calvin Coshere, I have never heard anything this insulting in my whole life." She poked him angrily on the chest and then did it again since it had been so extremely satisfying to see him wince. "How dare you to look upon your nose the Stavrosi, their life style and everything they have worked so hard for. They took us in when they wouldn't have had to and decided to let us stay even after learning about the danger. And this is how you show your gratitude. The most pitiful thing is that you sprout this drivel because jealousy poisons you. You never liked Con and that blinds you to all his good qualities and now you fail to see what's good in here too. The Stavrosi may not be rich in cold but they have love in abundance to give and that's the best gift for the future of the girls I can give. I'm not going anywhere with you since your green heart will sour their lives too."

 

"You're the one who is blind, Arette", Calvin almost shouted. "Why can't I make you see it? You used to be a bright once but you've become a lovefool who will let the lives of her children go down the drains in this sink hole called Perfumed Quarters. Con never did anything good for you. He hurt you and still you crawl back to him eager to have him step on your heart again. You're glutton for punishment, woman, but Rana and Cina will not stay here."

 

Shrieking with outrage that he would dare to even hint at taking the girls without her consent, she smacked him audibly on both cheeks with all her might. "You're not the same man man I bonded, Calvin", she hissed. "The only reason I'm going to give you one more chance is because Rana and Cina love you. You disgust me."

 

Calvin laughed mockingly. "Your judgement fails you as usual, Arette. You prefer a slum in Illian to a decent village and a stupid lout like Con to all the good men out there."

 

Electra had been retrieving a cloth from her room when she’d heard the mutterings. Padding on quiet feet near the doorway to the room where that woman and her follower were, she wasn’t even aware of the colour suffusing her face as her fingers tightened around the cloth she’d retrieved. How dare he say such things! But Arette wasn’t tolerating it, she was doing the exact opposite. Not even the smack she heard seemed to dissuade the man though, and the moment her boy was called a stupid lout that was the end of it.

 

Storming into the room, her tone could have gutted fish as she screamed. "If my home isn’t good enough for you, get out! Its our food and our shelter you’re taking and if you don’t like it, go elsewhere! But you so much as set a foot outside with my grandchildren and you’ll be at the bottom of the harbour! You! Come with me." Grabbing Arette by the arm, Electra showed a surprising amount of strength as she pulled the Aes Sedai out of the room.

 

Arette flushed absolutely crimson when Electra entered the room. She had been so absorbed with the quarrel that she hadn't realized that everyone could hear them. She was mortified for Calvin's behaviour and she would make him apologize and really mean it. She was certain that he would do it for the girls but it wasn't enough for her anymore. He really seemed like a different person to her now. A second shock came when Con's mother called Rana and Cina her grandchildren. She had never expected her to admit it so quickly. When the woman took her arm, she followed Electra meekly expecting to get a tongue lashing herself. And she deserved it. An Aes Sedai was supposed to keep her Warder in line and she had allowed Calvin's sulking and outbursts to last for too long. Now they all were suffering from it.

 

Electra's room was their destination and before the woman could begin her tirade that she would soon calmly accept, she had to plead for Calvin. Light how it galled right now. "Electra, I apologize for him. He is... not himself", she finished weakly. There were no excuses for his behaviour. "He will do the same himself once he just calms down. Please don't throw him out. The girls love him and he is the only person who has never left them. And no matter how he is now, he is my family." She sighed tiredly. "He will have to accept some things and if there is anything left of what he was, he will."

 

"He be a fool and you’ll no be going and apologising for him. Now sit." Pointing at her bed, Electra waited for Arette to do so before she continued, her voice much softer than when she had confronted that man. "Family or not that man do be needing more than a smack across the face, but that no be why I’m talking to you. Your children be Con’s, I be hasty in what I be saying before." If the words were forced, they didn’t sound it. "They be my grandchildren and as long as you do be here in Illian you be having shelter under my roof. But you no be leaving this house, not for any reason at all. And if that man be known to travel with you then he no be either. But if he do be so much as raising his hand against one of my children or their children, he be wishing that his father no be kissing his mother."

 

As Electra pointed Arette sat not knowing what to expect. She tried very hard to not smile happily when Con's mother acknowledge the girls, she didn't want to appear insolent. She settled for merely nodding. The nodding became more vigorous when Electra established that neither she nor Calvin would be going anywhere. "He would never go that far and if he will cause any kind of trouble, I will make him regret it myself." She paused, thinking what to say next. She didn't want to break the truce by rushing things. "Are you... are you ready to discuss about Con with me yet?", she finally asked hesitantly.

 

"Discuss?" Electra looked at Arette as if she were daft. What did she mean discuss? "There no be anything to discuss, the moment Con do be getting here he do be marrying you. My grandchildren do be having a father and mother both. The pair of you do be sitting down and the Creator so help me the pair of you will be sorting out what went wrong. But if you do be hurting him again not even the Creator do be saving you." Dark and flinty eyes regarded Arette for a moment before they softened again. "Illia do be telling me that Con be coming. How long?"

 

Arette almost squirmed under the look Electra gave her. It shouldn't have surprised her that Con's mother would want to marry them instantly for the children, but that would not the only reason why they would be saying the oaths. She shivered slightly when she thought what Electra would do if she and Con ever argued. She very much hoped that they never would and that she would have changed enough to not get provocated by anything. She wanted to answer Electra's question straightforwardly but it was one of those things Rasputin had told her and that she couldn't speak about.

 

"Believe me, I don't want to hurt him ever again", she said fervently. "And he and I have already spoken through what went wrong. I think we both understand now why I did what I did and in that light it should never happen again. And it might relieve you that if we hadn't encountered Whitecloaks with orders to escort him back, we would be married already. As for when he will be here... my best guess is within a month." She smiled brightly. "And he should be staying for good." The joyful look faded when she remembered that she didn't know whether he was alright or not. He had been Questioned after all. "He... you should know that something happened to him that made him leave. There was a connection between us, a thing of the One Power, and it broke a little over two weeks ago. He suspected that he would be Questioned and I'm sure that that was what broke the Trace. But he should be traveling here now and I don't think that he ever wants to see a Whitecloak again."

 

"Questioned?" There was a silence after that as Electra thought on it. She felt cold at the thought of her son being in the hands of those who bore the crooks upon them. Whitecloaks were rarely welcome in the nation, let alone the city itself. The Whitecloak war was remembered, and she had lost several of her cousins who had gone to fight. Realising that she was squeezing the cloth again, she forced her fingers to relax as she spoke again. "I do be needing an extra pair of hands in the kitchen, come." At that, she turned and made her way out. She needed to occupy her hands. Not even the words of marriage that came from Arette were enough to stifle the worry that she refused to give rein to.

 

Understanding well the need to do something after unpleasent news like that, Arette followed Electra to the kitchen. She regretted concerning her this early, but it would have been an ever bigger shock if Con really was hurt when he returned. Worry couldn't be eased with words, but she at least believed so strongly that she would see him soon that it had to count for something. As she began to peel potatoes and chop vegetables, she spoke as if thinking out loud. Since Electra didn't quiet her, she was at least listening. She remarked how Con had gotten even better with the sword and would have been rewarded the heron mark of a Blademaster if he had stayed in the White Tower. Oh, and he had grown a beard and it fitted him very well once you just got used to the idea. He had the ability in him to make lasting and loyal friends and all his men would follow him without questions - so certain had he been of them that he had taken them on a mission with him to rescue children of another Aes Sedai. They could be well trusted to guard his back. He was especially close with a Whitecloak named Brandeis, a competent fellow also, whom they might actually meet soon since Arette suspected that he would also leave the Whitecloaks and accompany Con this far at least. And not that he would be followed this time, but Con could be subtle when there was need. He had after all managed to keep the Tower Guards from catching him and avoiding the White Tower was no small accomplishment. So there was really no reason to worry about him. He could handle himself in all kind of situations. She wasn't certain if she had convinced Con's mother but her monologue had at least carried them over the dinner preparations.