[Retro RP] Introduction (Atn: Knitting Circle Players)

[Telcia]

Telcia sat quietly as the carriage rumbled to a stop. She wasn't certain exactly how to approach these women despite Livia's many instructions. She'd heard of them... those who had come together outside the Tower but never had she figured them to be so organized as Livia had hinted.

 

What exactly would they want of her? Would they ask anything at all? Livia had instructed her that it was likely they wanted information, with all the changes in the world and worries... surely she had knowledge to help them about the Dragon, the Tower, the men in the black coats...

 

She wanted to be included, oddly. It hadn't been something she wanted right away. Truthfully, the idea of another circle of women sitting around with their power and self-importance didn't appeal after so much time as a mother, merchant and wife. Still, something always seemed missing since she left the Tower and she prayed that perhaps this would fill the void.

 

The farm seemed simple enough on the outside. Women worked in various places around the grounds, none of them using the Power that she could sense. It reminded her of the turnip farm she, Melanie and Jeleane had been sent to as girls. But still, something lingered in the air as the carriage stopped. An unease that she never felt at the Tower. A worry. Fear.

 

Of course that stopped the moment Livia patted her leg and said encouragingly, "They're women, not snakes. Come on." She chuckled in reply and followed her companion out into the grounds.

 

Livia had said that not all of the Knitting Circle would be here today. Perhaps only one or two to talk over tea with her for this first meeting. That felt a little less formal admittedly but somehow she felt like she was lacking a shawl and ring just the same.

 

Towards the two story house they walked briskly, lifting skirts to avoid mud and animal waste. Her hair, pinned up smartly, and make-up soft and unassuming. Truthfully she hoped that maybe she could fade into the background here in some way... but the way everyone was looking at her, she seriously doubted that.

[Wayfarer]

Frowning at Helena's instructions, Sera lowered her stave as the woman disappeared back inside the farmstead. It seemed that the Aes Sedai that was coming to visit, Telcia Dyfelle, was approaching in her carriage. Helena had to attend to something else so it was left to her to meet the Aes Sedai and escort her to the dining room. Looking at her stave wistfully, she twirled it about once before walking over to the nearby water barrel. Letting her stave drop to the ground, she was glad she had already rolled her sleeves up as she ducked her hands in the water and washed her hands and face as quickly as she could.

 

Wiping her face so only a sheen of moisture remained, Sera shook her hands clean as she made her way into the farmstead through the back to the kitchen. Glad to see that the tea was already brewing as she took her shoes off, Sera nodded to herself as with satisfaction before heading towards the front door. By the time she had made her way out to the front and put her shoes back on, the carriage was already pulling up so she instead waited and watched, curious about the Aes Sedai who had been allowed to see the Kin. It was rare for an Aes Sedai to be allowed to do so, needing to be retired from the Tower and even then it wasn't often one was approached. The Kin who had found her, her mother, she had been such a woman with an ageless face to mark her so.

 

So, there they were, Livia and Telcia picking their way up the muddy path towards her. Walking towards them with an ease made possible by her slightly higher skirt they met halfway and came to a halt as they regarded one another. Blond hair, blue eyes, she was short and petite yet there was a certain air about her that she couldn't place. The ageless nature of her face wasn't it, that was something Sera had become used to from a very young age. Nervous perhaps, but that didn't feel entirely accurate. Maybe it as just because Sera didn't know her, she spent most of her time with her fellow kin as it was easier that way and she was rarely needed.

 

Blinking as Telcia greeted her, she paused then looked to Livia in turn who was someone she knew. Of a height, the woman's olive skin was a stark contrast to her own which was a pale gold. Livia had always had a gentle humour when dealing with her, and Sera had always appreciated that, especially since she had only been in Ebou Dar the past few years. Especially when it had come to learning how to use a knife and fork, so different from the sursa that she had always known.

 

Holding her gaze for a moment, Sera turned towards the farmstead and led the way back. Holding the door for the other two, Telcia was already following Livia's example with her shoes so she simply took her own shoes off and placed them next to the other sets. Leading the pair to the Dining Room, a simple affair with sturdy tables and chairs. Pointing to one of the tables, she left them to seat themselves as she checked on the tea, with any luck it would soon be ready. Then when Helena finished whatever she was doing and came, she could perhaps return to her stave work. As interesting as a new Aes Sedai was, she wasn't accepted yet and she would wait to see what her elders thought first.

 

 

Sera

Kin

[Arette]

It was always good to return to the Farm and Livia had enjoyed the ride. Telcia had been surprisingly quiet and she guessed even nervous. But it might just work to their advantage to have her on a bit unsteady footing. Aes Sedai were self-assured women and even if those who were allowed to meet the Kin had been carefully screened, they had their attitudes toward wilders and wash-outs of the White Tower. Still, Telcia had a fairly open mind and Livia was certain that this would work out. Otherwise she wouldn't have risked her position and recommended Telcia to Helena. The path toward the Farm was muddy and the Ebou Dari raised skirts came handy. Midway they were received by a Kinswoman who Livia greeted warmly. Sera couldn't speak but Livia did quick introductions making sure that she told Telcia's name first since it emphasized slightly who was in her opinion the more respected one of the two of them. All three couldn't walk side by side on the fairly narrow path so she took a place beside Sera and left Telcia to the rear with a smile and a nod of encouragement. She wanted to make sure that the wife of Iussi wouldn't think that it was a show of superiority, just convenience.

 

She spoke on the way back to the house to Sera mentioning that Telcia was a Domani despite her light hair and skin. Telcia had told her that the unusual colouring for a Domani went down on her mother's side, the Alainin. Livia also shared a few anecdotes of what Jelene and Jamal had done and even if Sera was naturally quiet, she showed that she appreciated the gesture. All three women took their shoes off before entering the house and Livia wondered what Telcia made of the simple furnishings. She took in the former Red Sister's slight frown when Sera pointed them to sit and realized that she must think Sera was being deliberately rude for not saying anything. Livia explained to Telcia's benefit that Sera could not speak with words and went on to converse with her. It was possible if you just worded your questions so that she could nod or shake her head and her body language was very expressionate. She was quite subdued around Telcia for not being accustomed to being around new people but Livia knew her well enough to be able to read her. She also knew which topics interested Sera and kept to those. She heard of Sera's training with the staff, herbs, gardening and healing and the discussion seemed to loosen her up a bit.

 

They enjoyed their tea and biscuits and Livia couldn't help but think whether Helena was keeping them waiting on purpose or did she really have some matters to attend to. She also tried to guess who would be the other Knitting Circle members at the meeting but she would find out soon enough.

 

Livia Messala

Kin

[Telcia]

ooc: Since some parts of the west rps with the seanchan didn't occur now due to changes (as I'm to understand) I will ommit Telcia's former knowledge of ageless faces being something to do with the Oaths which Kit had indicated she suspected due to the Seanchan's women not having it. So feel free to point and laugh at the silly aes sedai when it comes up her in out loud voice eventually. :)

 

ic:

The silent girl didn't make Telcia feel any more relaxed. A channeler, perhaps she was one of these Kin, but she was silent as a grave. How very strange! She appeared to be quite young yet so clearly she hadn't been a channeler very long, her ageless face hadn't settled upon her.

 

Glancing to Livia she followed the woman's lead carefully and was certain she wouldn't allow herself to speak out of turn or spook these already secretive women. Likely they were worried she might bring the wrath of the Tower upon them and have them all shipped back for Novice training.

 

Honestly though, if they had appropriate teachers as Livia said they did, Telcia wasn't sure that was the best option. In truth, with the Black Ajah running about and all the fast approaching conflicts in the world including Tarmon Gaidon... perhaps a secondary stronghold of Light-Fearing Channelers wasn't a bad idea. Let the shadow focus on the Tower of Ivory and ignore the 'wilders' of The Kin until it was too late.

 

The though made her smile around her tea cup for a brief second. Livia, burn her, noticed and seemed to be puzzling over what might have made her smile. An Aes Sedai smiling, to some, was as reassuring as the Dark One himself smiling... happily Livia knew her a bit better than all that. Still, good tea wasn't enough to normally make Telcia smile with satisfaction as this most recent thought had.

 

"A beautiful day for the trip." Telcia remarked quietly to Livia as the girl exited the room to check on something else, presumably. "At least it's not drizzling again." She glanced towards the window, remaining silent for a moment, her thoughts traveling to her family only briefly.

 

"Hopefully Iussi doesn't spend the afternoon feeding the children sweets." She remarked gently. "They'll be no living with them tonight if he does."

 

She was just about to ask what was taking the women so long when she stopped herself. Silently she scolded herself, for not the first time, and went over her mantras again. She wasn't an Aes Sedai. The world needn't rush on her account any more. She was but a simple merchant woman, mother and wife. No one rushed for such people as her, not any more.

[silhouette]

It had been a long time since Helena Mahin had dropped what she was doing in order to rush to someone who was seemingly higher up in the order of things than she was. She vaguely remembered the White Tower, a place where she had lived now almost four hundred years ago. Aes Sedai all around, expecting the world to tremble when they sneezed. Shaking her head with a smile, Helena once more thanked the creator for giving her the opportunity to leave the White Tower and it’s pompous inhabitants behind. She would not have to forget about her tasks just because another one of those self-important women had come knocking on her door.

 

This was why Sera was now tending to them. A task that was perhaps a little too much for the silent woman, but at least her silence would mean that the Aes Sedai could not force answers out of her. Former Aes Sedai, she reminded herself. And if the woman had sought answers, surely Livia would have provided her with them. She sighed as she finished her letter to her fellow elders within the city. It had been a risk, not to tell all of them that Telcia Dyfelle was coming to the farm, but one that Helena was willing to take. The conservative faction would just turn her out, and that would be a shame. Now was the time for the Kin to come out of it’s protective shell, Helena was sure of it.

 

But that didn’t mean she would run for this former Aes Sedai, no matter what she would mean to the Kin in the future. She took her time brushing her dark auburn hair, and took even more time straightening her dark blue skirts and pale blue blouse. “Not a day past thirty and five.” She muttered as she glanced in the mirror. Her aging had slowed from the very first day she had begun to channel, and over the past four hundred years her aging had crept onward, instead of stopping as completely as it would have if she had taken the oaths.

 

When she first saw Telcia, she noticed that the other woman had indeed taken the oaths, for there was no way of telling how old she was. No doubt a little older than two hundred, if Livia was right about her being retired from the White Tower. Helena nodded to Livia, and walked over to Telcia, offering her hand to the former Aes Sedai. “I am Helena Mahin.” She introduced herself. If she was right about Livia, Telcia would already know what Helena’s station was among the Kin. She took a seat opposite to Telcia. For a moment she was silent, wondering what it was the woman expected of the Kin. “I trust that Livia has told you that you are to keep whatever knowledge you have or gain here about the Kin to yourself?”

 

~Helena Mahin

[Telcia]

Telcia rose smoothly when the higher ranked woman entered the room and nearly did not hide her shock at the woman's aged face. There was time readable by her eyes and skin and... Light! Were they lead by a woman so young; but no, how could that be? She should have ended her aging by now.

 

“I am Helena Mahin.” the woman offered her hand and no titles, just a welcome & so Telcia responded in kind. "I'm Telcia Dyfelle, thank you for your invitation to visit." She extended her hand, the one her Serpant Ring should have sat on still, and shook the other woman's with just as much firmness as would be polite for the social situation.

 

“I trust that Livia has told you that you are to keep whatever knowledge you have or gain here about the Kin to yourself?”

 

Brushing a stray hair from her face, she hadn't been using weaves of air to keep her appearance perfect as she use to since arriving in Ebou Dar, she smiled. "Of course." She knew they'd be concerned both from Livia and from her own logic. Only the insane didn't have a fair to middling respect/fear for the reach & influence of the White Tower... even all the way in Ebou Dar. One Sister, with the right application of political savvy and power, could make life very difficult for a group such as this & perhaps bring a good many of them back for training.

 

Of course, she had no such intentions.

 

"I'm to understand that until you and your Circle decide anything with regard to myself, even my husband is not to know anything more than he must to keep him from inquiring further about my visits to this farm." She nods slowly & glances about herself and towards a window that looked out onto the yard. "I do grasp the need for secrecy. Especially now that I've seen this with my own eyes. Truly impresssive Mistress Mahin, impressive indeed! A simple guise for a very necessary thing, I should think."

 

Looking back to the woman. "Livia has told me a few things about what I could expect here but I think you'll find that she's left me with some questions though. Perhaps, intentionally. I hope in time to have those answered. I confess some unschooled excitement over the idea of being able to teach others & learn new things myself, once more. It's been far too long."

 

Sipping her tea, and making sure not to come off as she if she was dumping too much information onto the woman all at once she finished; "But I'm prattling on." She chuckled briefly & softly. "I'm sure you have much more you require to know about me." Nodding she added; "I think you'll find that I have few taboo topics despite what you might guess about a woman in my position so please, don't hesitate to ask whatever you require."

 

ooc: Wrote this in a rush, hopefully it's not too big of an info dump. I just wanted to give you enough material to make a good post with. LOL. *hugs*

[silhouette]

Helena resisted the urge to fidget with her dress. Patience was not one of her virtues, and now, when there was so much to ask and so much to learn, she felt that she had no patience left. Still, she didn’t want to appear rushed, or perhaps even rude by interrupting the former Aes Sedai and asking her a bundle of questions within the first moments of their meeting. There would be time. So she waited, listening to Telcia as she rambled on about why she was there, and what she thought of the Kin so far. Helena resisted the urge to beam with pride. They had done well, over the years. The Kin had grown and become a home to many like her, who were not wanted in the White Tower, or who did not want to be allied with the White Tower.

 

“Ah, I have much to ask of you.” She said, smiling at the Aes Sedai. “Much more than you could possible answer within a few hours, but perhaps if this meeting satisfies us both, we can arrange another one.” And perhaps she could allow Telcia to teach some of the Kin some weaves that they didn’t know yet. Perhaps. She would have to get the full Knitting Circle together for that. She was quite sure that this time she would have enough votes though. Times were changing, and the need to stay hidden at all times diminished with the White Tower’s need to become stronger, to defend itself against the Shadow. The Kin could help them in that, and Helena hoped that in taking this former Aes Sedai under their wing, the Kin would make it’s first step to becoming a strong and equal ally to the White Tower.

 

She heard the shuffling footsteps before Suan appeared in the doorway. “There you are.” She said, smiling warmly at the woman who had been her companion for so many years. “Telcia Dyfelle, I would like you to meet my fellow Elder, Suan Nerinna.” Though Helena didn’t look at Suan’s face, she could tell that the other woman was smiling. “Do join us, dearest.” She said, nodding towards and empty seat. “Perhaps two minds will come up with more sensible questions to ask a former Aes Sedai than one.” Then she turned to Telcia again. “Can you tell us a little about how you came to be with us now? You understand that we see very few retired Aes Sedai here, and we’re curious about the circumstances under which you left the White Tower."

 

~Helena Mahin

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

She tucked a single stem of hair behind her ear after it fell from the loose bun that swept most of her hair on the top of her head. Less than thrilled with the rest of the council's idea, despite her disposition, Suan Nerinna disliked anything that revolved around the Tower. Especially Aes Sedai. However, even her own logical and forward thinking mind could not easily dismiss that this woman, Telcia Dyfelle, was unlike the other Aes Sedai and could be an asset to the Kin ranks. Council or not, misgivings or not, Suan was unpleasantly surprised herself by actually being curious of this particular Aes Sedai. She could feel the potenctial, the raw ability in this woman and respected the girl on it. But Suan's misgivings on the White Tower left her more than bitter, even after 600 years.

 

But why would the Tower be so willing to loose such a gem that this girl quite obviously possesed? It left much to wiegh on her mind as she carefully watched Helena from where she stood in silence. A wonderfully shielded room, and Suan would have gone un-noticed. Perhaps Helena also echoed her own misgivings of the White Tower. This would not surprise her as even her own need for the woman's touch left her heart broken when they were apart. With a smile she entered with the greeting and took a seat beside Helena. The smile never, as always, wavered from her face. Soft and welcoming, Suan rarely expressed little else unless a situation warrented it. Appearing young she played the part of being young quite well.

 

Her attention changed from the thoughts in her mind to the woman and the company in front of her. Awaiting the answers from the Aes Sedai as her own hand seeked the leg of Helena, hoping the two of them could relax a little while questioning the Aes Sedai. They were, after all, twice the girl's age at the least.

 

 

 

Suan Nerinna

KIN

[Telcia]

Telcia looked down into her cup and found she was staring for a long silent moment at the reflection which rested there. Her sapphire eyes were younger in the image so much so that she might have placed an age to them for the first time in longer than she could recall, the edges of a mischievous and brilliant smile brushed them to sparkling and the sun colored her skin a closer shade to her Domani heritage. The girl in the cup wore white, she was new… she was pure; and here she was again; another beginning. It wasn’t real, she hadn’t turned back time on herself, but in her heart it felt as if she finally had.

 

If she hadn’t thought the women would think less of her she might have cried with joy. This was the moment she’d lived through everything for, she could feel it in her bones. Finally, after a lifetime of fighting the will of the Pattern she was flowing with it and not against it. It seemed impossible, for the handful of times she’d shared her story with anyone it seemed that no one had ever asked her for it. These women, perhaps out of fear or morbid curiosity wanted to know… they were eager to hear. Some part of Telcia dared to dream that there might be a hint of compassion or pity behind those faces for her situation; not that she required it now.

 

So strange, to think that now that it was freely given, she no longer required it.

 

“My tale is almost unbelievable even to me and, I’ve lived it. There are a good many shocking things which I shall admit to both about myself and the White Tower. I shall count on your discretion in these things except to those who absolutely must know about them. Lives of good people both in the tower and outside of it are still at risk… some of whom I still maintain contact with despite the many questionable events I’ve been involved in.”

 

Before they could speculate on the nature of her departure she began to clarify, “I assure you that the Tower is not hunting me and I am in no way wanted for criminal acts… but I dare say if the newest woman to the Stole heard my name spoken in the walls of her Ivory Tower in the next lifetime,” Telcia chuckled in equal parts softly & wryly considering her words… ‘her Ivory Tower’… Sirayn’s Ivory Tower. How ironic things should have gone this way for her and her most successful protégé. Not only had the young, once wide eyed girl achieved her goal of being as famous and glorious as Arie Tarou, she had excelled the burnt out green’s legend. It was an act that Telcia never thought possible.

 

“Well, let’s just say it might be far too soon for her liking despite the fact that I held her to my breast as a daughter through tears of her novice and accepted years.” Her smile faltered remembering little Sirayn in those years, how close they’d been, how they might still have been if things had played out differently after the discovery of the Arches. Still, how much more would she have given up making herself what Sirayn and the Sisters of the Tower wanted when now, she was what the Pattern required?

 

“Shall we start at the beginning then?” She looked up to meet her new companion’s faces. “Or shall we cut to the quick of it? The short answers are these: I am a Red Sister who despite the many warning to the contrary, took a husband from among the Tower Guard. My husband is now a gentled male channeler. Both my marriage, a taboo, and my husband’s lamentable condition, proved tragic to my once successful and historically noteworthy career as Sitter in the Hall of the Tower.”

 

Perhaps some might have considered that the end of it, that was enough for most women to crawl under a rock and die quietly; but not Telcia. “I hid well an error of mine for some time, an error that has proved to be the greatest of all my acts in this world. You see, even before my husband’s condition could be discovered, my bride’s night was interrupted as from our ship on the river we spotted shadowspawn marching on Tar Valon. We raced back to warn the Amyrlin, knowing our duty all too well, and were successful in saving many lives. We fought for two days outside the city and both of us took our share of wounds but in the din of battle, I understandably did not think back to my night with my husband. Tea or preventatives were the last thing on my mind when people were dying. And so it was I became with children to add to my already considerable list of things the Tower would eventually take issue with.”

 

Again, this was enough for most… but there was still more. She hated revealing this truth but this, of all the things which occurred, was the salt in the wound that had set her at odds with so many even in her own beloved Red Ajah.

 

“However, all of these things were not enough for the Tower to turn me away. Talented women of the Tower have raised children in the walls and I am not the first to have a husband in the Tower’s history no matter how many traditionalist sisters felt I should have been ashamed. No, what set agitation to rage for the Sisters of the Tower was petty vengeance and fear of which I and my family are the victims of both.”

 

“A series of laws were passed by Sitters while others were out of the Tower. Advantage of allies was taken and what started as small slights grew until they became so abhorrent to all sides that the Tower itself… I regret… has all but shattered.” She let the weight of the unbelievable statement settle. She let the women remember and take in that she was sworn on the oath rod and couldn’t lie. She let them take it in and before they could react she continued.

 

“They changed Tower policy on male Channelers before my husband showed the signs and once he did he was the first and, I pray, the last to undergo the Tower’s new ‘study program.’ He was not allowed the gentling he or I begged for. He was given no mercy or consideration for his service or blood shed… not for his cooperation or even the fact that his family would need him once I was exiled into Andor … cut off from the Tower by order of the Amyrlin Seat without even an hour to say my goodbyes to my soon-to-be confounded Sisters let alone my desperate and lonely husband.”

 

“You see, as the sides argued for and against the gentling of my husband, I stood in the Amrylin’s presence and foretold the coming of the Dragon and her gentling for keeping the truth of him from the Hall of the Tower and the World.” She gauged the women’s faces for emotional reactions trying to understand how they felt about all this. “The Amyrlin and her Keeper insisted that my knowledge was a threat and they sealed me to the flame… an oath of deepest secrecy which could not be lifted until the truth was known. With this they gave to me some coin and sent me into exile immediately. I went straight from her office to the stables and into Andor. My sisters thought I had abandoned them in my shame and so even after my return to the Tower not once, but twice, my name never recovered even in my own Ajah. I wasn’t just untraditional now… I had been labeled by many, a traitor.”

 

“For nearly two years I lived in a village and learned the art of farming and helping the local wisdom. I raised my children as best I could, a former noble who barely knew how to get her hands dirty,” she forced a smile. “but I managed. My children, Jelene & Jamal, made each day bearable without my Sisters in the Tower. I felt like I’d lost so much but each day I realized just how much I’d really gained. So, I suppose you can imagine just how terrible I reacted to my children being kidnapped.”

 

“The village was besieged and during the chaos they disappeared. We buried the dead and searched for weeks for the children before the local residents began to suggest to me they were dead. I couldn’t give up though. I was mad with my desperation. Hearing a new Amyrlin Seat had come to power, and at the advice of a Sister who was also exiled, I returned to the Tower to seek it’s mercy again and find my husband. Sadly, he wasn’t there… an equally long and distressing tale. Needless to say I stayed and tried to rebuild my name as my fellow exiled Sister searched for my children and I sent out every resource I had ever gained to the task of finding them and my husband.” She shakes her head.

 

“A lot happened then. A window reopened for me, a way to rebuild my name as a Sister. A series of events that might have made me what I had once been… I nearly took the opportunity. I’ve known nothing else for more than two centuries now. But then my husband appeared one day and word came about my children and I had to make a choice. Abandon my husband to whom I gave oaths, abandon my blood… my children whom I gave more than words to, or leave the Tower. At the time I felt it was a question of who I was most loyal to. I’m sure they see it that way still.”

 

“However, the world is a cold place full of grays… the most difficult truth for a woman of a great white tower of light, is to know that there exists a whole world between them and the blackness of the Shadow. The world is full of lives that I’ve come to learn a great deal about and in the end, I feel, I’ve made my choices under the guidance of the Light… even if it is at odds with what the White Tower gave to me as truths. To stay would have only served my pride and while leaving meant giving up the chance to stand with the Tower in Tarmon Gaidon… it meant standing true to who I really am for the first time in too long. This, I’ve come to accept, maintains the deeper truth of what it means to be a Servant of All. I can only hope the Creator and, perhaps your Circle, can agree with my assessment.”

 

Telcia felt the years heavy on her now as she looked into the cup again, the tea shook as she did herself, and it appeared she had wrinkles and looked as old as she was in years. “Admittedly, there is much more to the tale… some even more startling than I’ve already shared: shadowspawn threats, discoveries of dark and ancient truths, so much more… but at the heart of it, simply put; I am retired because even if I were inside the Tower walls, to most I am little more than a resource and a loathsome one at that. But… perhaps here…” her voice trailed off.

 

“Does this answer your question of how I came to leave the White Tower?”

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

Ooc: goose-bumps, my dear Dee... pure goosebumps... (I should be going to bed but..

 

Ohh, can't anybody see

We've got a war to fight

Never found our way

Regardless of what they say

 

How can it feel, this wrong

From this moment

How can it feel, this wrong

 

--"Roads" - Portishead

 

Ic:

 

Suan and Helena had an intricately odd relationship that was undisputed nore demanded an explination within their peers. And as Suan held Helena's hand under that table of that ever room as this once very proud Aes Sedai poured out her story Suan felt her heart plummet to a depths that were not normally touched and she felt for the woman. There was a sense of passion, emotion in the Aes Sedai's words that made her so much more than what she hoped to achieve. The Tower was a foolish game of politics and self achievement and the Stole on the Amyrlin's shoulders a jesters hat of bells. Telcia Sedai showed more compassion.. passion and conviction for what she believed in than those twice her age within the Kin.

 

Telcia Dyfelle was truely unique amoung her peers and it did not take that power, what they all held, to make her that way. For this, Suan Nerrina would gamble her Eldest seat to keep the child within their ranks. She felt no doubt that helena mirrored her resolve as well.

 

"It is an answer that I suspect we shall have to accept." Spoke Helena as Suan looked carefully into the Aes Sedai's eyes, the deep blues reflected against her own. Suan released the hand between her causing Helena to pause in her speech.

 

"Do not mistake us for one too young to see the Pattern that you have woven around you, Telcia Sedai." Suan spoke, her eyes unleaving of the woman's gaze. "You are still considered young amoung us, but your actions prove to us that you are more than capable of becoming part of us, however your obvious lack of formality for authority comes to question. You may have left the Tower on more than one occassion but not of your own free will, nor without a powerful persuassion to keep you in line.

 

"I am not unfamiliar with the ways of the Tower, the rules and bindings. Their oaths. We also have such proceedures to gaurantee that we say hidden from the very society that you are leaving behind. Now, we can have you swear on the Oaths that you are forced to live under, but clearly, unless you agree with us, you will not abide by them regardless of the Oaths you take. What guaranteee can you give us that you will not compromise generations of secrets?"

 

She eyed the woman, betraying none of her resolve. She wanted an honest answer, and it was not the Oaths that would restrict or force her to say what Suan wished to hear.

 

Suan Nerinna

Kin