”But m’lady! It’s not pope for sole women to travel these roads.”

Meron Da’vorin was looking at her, beads of sweat pearling on his forehead. The stout man , who had the look of a blacksmith rather then an innkeeper, did not like the idea of a woman and two girls travelling unaccompanied.

The woman in front of him tilted her head softly, dazed eyes looking into his. Even though her clothes were of a plain cut in hues of brown and green her dress was made in silk and had some nice details and a bit of embroidery on the hem. Her long, curly brown hair was held up with a few delicately placed combs, but what was most striking about her, even with her absentminded eyes, was her ageless face.
Even so, the innkeeper could not recognise the brown sister in front of him for an Aes Sedai.

Mika knew what had happened, why his eyes showed genuine concern. Meron Da’vorin had met his wife when he still lived in Shienar, they stayed there until Allinda became pregnant and then moved here to raise their child in a calmer environment. While their intentions were good, it had helped them little, as one day while Allinda and their daughter Elise were out walking, they were ambushed. By the time they were found a week later, they were both stripped naked, abused and had died of injuries. It had changed Meron tremendously and he did not wish for it to happen again.

“We will be fine master Da’Vorin” Mika said, her voice and face an example of perfect Aes Sedai serenity. “But thank you for your concern” her voice was a bit softer now, a hint of gratitude touching it. She put her hand softly on his wrist, and with that one glance down the innkeeper finally knew and realisation deemed on his face while he opened his mouth already to apologise to the Aes Sedai, but Mika was faster. We do have to be on our way though, so please see to it that our horses are brought here. The stout man bowed – a lot deeper now then before- and hurried of to get someone to bring their horses.

A few moments later three horses left the village, on their way to Katar. “Will we too be able to make gateways later?” Evally asked, still a hint of wonder in her voice. Her older sister Emily perked up slightly by interest. “You might.” Mika said, answering the young girls question. She had found Evally playing in the ruins she was researching. That had been more then a year ago, and even now the girl was slightly too young to go to the Tower for training. Luckily a few days before Mika got the message she met Emily, her older sister, whose spark was only slightly less strong then Evally’s.
“In time, if you are willed enough to learn, you certainly will be strong enough for it. But a lot will depend on where your talents with Saidar lie.”
“talents?” the girl asked, wide-eyed and still in awe that she was going of to become an Aes Sedai.
“yes, Talents” Mika said, “but that is not yet so very important, there are a few things you should know first.” her voice started taking on a lecturing tone as she started explaining the basics of the One Power.

A few hours later they reached Katar, a city which Mika knew from quite some visits; a city from whence she could make a gateway to Tar Valon, a gateway home.

While Mika let the girls have their supper in an inn, she walked of for a moment to visit one of the agents to let the old woman know she would not be around for long anymore and that any messages for her were to be sent back to Tar Valon where they in turn would be handled.

Once business was handled, and the soon-to-be novices filled with a last meal outside the Tower for years to come, Mika led them outside the city and wove a gateway to Tar Valon, to the Traveling grounds.

Goading the gawking girls along, Mika handed over the horses and set pace over the tower grounds towards the White Tower; first to put their names in the novice book and then to visit Kathera, her head of Ajah.

"You see where Lian's guard is failing him. He neglects that he provides too much an opening for his enemy when he does his flying kick. This will be a disadvantage if your enemy has weapons. You might sneer, because you have the True Source to save your skins, but that is not always the case. In a battle there will always be instances where you will be too tired to draw from the Source, and thus has to rely on your physical means to overcome an enemy. An Asha'man has to be prepared for all occassions, he does not lower his guard simply because the surroundings seem too peaceful or there are no Trollocs attacking him. As children of the Dragon you must be ready at all times, vigilant and brave. That is one of the meanings of becoming Asha'man."

Edeleas could not help but give the faintest hint of a smile at Asha'man Degaaz's speech. The Doon m'Taal had taken things very seriously the moment they had found out their Rei was murdered right underneath their noses. Every combative class now given by these warriors of the Black Tower held a constant reminder of being alert and ready at all times. Edeleas thought it was strange, but then in human nature regret always did come later. The security of the Black Tower had been increased threefold, most particularly around the Reis of the Shen. Laridian had once grumbled about the 'overtly excited hounds' tailing him, asking Edeleas what was the point in having five brothers tail him almost everywhere. Edeleas murmured about general concern, but Laridian only got more annoyed. He always loved his bars and inns and dances and girls, Laridian. Edeleas did not comment anymore when Laridian started his rant all over again. The last thing he needed was an ear problem.

Degaaz was speaking again. He had unsheathed one curved sword that was famous for Arafellin Blight guards. The bells braided into the Doon m'Taal's hair chinkled oddly as he walked around in front of the Dedicated sitting on the ground, watching him closely, clutching their own weapons close. "Now we will show you the advantages of having double blades in a combat. For this I have specially asked for the Master of Soldier's participation. I am sure you know his reputation for the said weapons. Asha'man Edeleas?"

Nodding slightly, the Dieb Cha rose, his wakizashi already unsheathed and clutched in either hand, the blade in his right pointing forward and the other pointing backward. He joined Degaaz in the middle of the opening, while some of the Dedicated started whispering behind their hands. Some of the boys looked highly doubtful, others were plain awe, while others exchanged interested smiles. The Dieb Cha were not known as warriors in the Black Tower. But these boys were sorely mistaken if they thought Edeleas was defenseless without the One Power.

"You see how Asha'man Edeleas is handling his swords." Degaaz went on as he paced around the blonde man, pointing at the way he held his swords. "The pointing right blade is of course used for attacks, while the retracted left blade is used for defense, support and also for attack. The advantages of being a double blader is that you have considerable defense all the while dealint out double the offense. But this type of fighter is not without disadvantages, as what we will show you later." Finally the taller Arafellin stopped pacing and readied his sword. Edeleas did not move. "Watch closely."

Degaaz charged with a shout, and Edeleas succesfully blocked his movement in the blink of an eye. Surprised gasps came from the watching Dedicated - most of them did not even catch what Edeleas did. The next thing they knew was that Edeleas' right blade blocked Degaaz's scimitar, while his left blade was already making a dent into the Doon m'Taal's neck.

"Good one." Degaaz grunted. "I did not see that."

Edeleas bowed and stepped back, just in time as the eleventh toll sounded, signalling the end of the class. The Dedicated gave disappointed moans. Degaaz was smiling. "Well, I am sorry we had to cut the pleasure short, but there is always the next time. You are dismissed." There was a slight commotion as the Dedicated rose and made their way toward their next class. "Edeleas, can I have your presence again next time?"

The Dieb Cha nodded and walked away, deftly sheathing his swords as he went. He had no class today, so he'd been happy to help. It was such a relief that his penance was already finished. Soon he found himself in the Tower Grounds. He paused in his tracks as he saw two young girls gaping openly at the Towers. The younger one even dared point at him openly. Edeleas raised an eyebrow and tried to look for the Aes Sedai who was with them...until his eyes fell on Mika.

"Ah..." he said.

"and do they really live forever, and is it true that they can't be beaten, and that they can dissapear in plain sight? " Mika looked at the young girl, her eyes dazed as usual, and inwardly blinking about where the girl had the energy and inspiration for these questions. Before she could even open her mouth though, Evally was already firing of another blast of questions, most of them concerning warders, as they had just passed the training grounds and they had seen the gaidin and Gaidar train.

A shiver ran over Mika's spine. when they passed the training grounds, it had been but pure strength of will that had kept her from stopping dead in her steps. While Evally had started firing of her first salvo of questions, Mika had suddenly caught sight of the faces of two of the training men. One of them a Gaidin, the other an Asha'man, though as both of them wore but loose breeches for training and their bare chest, it was impossible for anyone who did not know them to tell the difference. Two names ran trough her mind, and with them, memories of pain, unstoppable pain, which had been just as real as it was not.

David... Simon... she tried to think but her mind refused to go further, the pain blocked it... pain that had been hers for many years. pain that she had put aside, that had, in a way, led her to choose a different path in life. I'm sorry she whispered to them in her own mind. though she could not really say why. after all, this seemed to be for the best; she clenched her teeth and bit back tears that were welling up, tears that should not be seen in the eyes of an Aes Sedai. Tears for what she remembered.

She had been sitting in a room, lit by a few lanterns on the walls and braziers holding pokers, in front of her stood a yellow sister, no, a black sister; her back turned towards her as she faced the three men hung on the dungeon wall: David, Simon and Edeleas. Her three warders. She had been useless; tied up and shielded, and had been forced to watch and feel all three of them die before she could step out of her last arch.
In that arch she had been of the green Ajah, as she had always pictured herself before, fighting the shadow with all that she had. But , even though she would never admit it out loud, that arch had put such a fear in her that she had taken a completely different path, a path where she did not have to watch and feel people she loved die. she was a coward.

"and fight brigands and trollocks and thieves an..."
"there's no such thing as trollocks Evally." Emily cut in sharply
"yes there are! old Devon told me so and he.."
"how would old Devon know he's never even..."

To Mika it all was becoming too much, she had not expected ever to see those faces again, and her mind needed some calm right now, not some quibling kids.
"I thought you two were here to become Aes Sedai?" she asked, her voice a semblance of utmost calm to anyone who did not know her.

The girls grew silent and looked at her, surprise on their faces. "Yet both of you have been squabling like chickens eversince we entered the tower grounds." her voice had an edge of severity to it. "novices are to be silent."
It helped... both of them became silent. Emily, the oldest had a red flush of embaressement on her cheeks and Evally's face was creased in deep tought, or so it seemed.

Suddenly, while still gawking around Evally suddenly raised her arm to point at a figure clad in black, a figure that made Mika's heartbeat rise and her breath hasten slowly. It had been yearss, and still the man had that effect on her. "who is that?" the girl asked her voice in awe as she realised he was different from the gaidin.

"that." Mika said, as her feet led her inevitably towards the emerald eyed man "is an Asha'man. and you are to show him proper respect with a curtsey." she said, feeling as if she needed to fumble for words. If possible the years had made him look even more matured and real.. as if he had become what he was destined to be... the only thing that still seemed odd, was the coldness in his eyes. and it pained her to think of what he had to have been trough to have grown eyes so cold.

"Asha'man Edeleas" she greeted him formally as the two girls tried to make some form of curtsey. "It has been long since I last saw you out on the tower grounds like this." apparently having no destination considering the way you seem to be loitering about.

"Asha'man Edeleas" The Brown greeted him formally as the two girls tried to make some form of curtsey. "It has been long since I last saw you out on the tower grounds like this."

Edeleas ran his cold eyes over to them, first focusing on her young face, then running over the girls. His deadened orbs never failed to make young ones quail, the girls did. The one who so dared pointed at him shuffled on her feet nervously and had the decency to drop her gaze. These children obviously had a lot to learn, and if they did not understand the meaning of rank and respect in the Towers, they would surely meet Cayana's disciplinarian side. The Green Mistress of Novices and himself had very much similarities; they never disciplined if they could help it, but Edeleas was harsher and stricter by some points. The boys he was handling were far too stubborn to be gained away by warnings and conversations. Some of the boys drove his patience to the extreme that he had to use a whip to make his point understood.

The Dieb Cha tilted his head slightly, his right hand running over one of his wakizashi hilts slowly. "I had come from a sparring class, and I have nothing better to do. My next channeling class isn't due until the sixth toll of the evening. Late, but that is the only schedule Laridian was able to put up for today." He answered rather calmly, while others would see that as Edeleas being highly cheerful. He looked at the girls behind Mika again. "Novices for the White Tower, I expect?" he said. "No greater pleasure than seeing the number of channelers increase, especially in my and Cayana's perspective. Would you object if I accompanied you?" he asked softly.

The Brown agreed, and soon Edeleas was walking with them into the White Tower. Mika and the girls walked ahead of him while he kept behind, a sort of an escort. It had been very long since he went into White Tower premises, and the Greens they met along the hallway did not fail to throw him disappointed looks. So the news of my Bonding has reached their ears after all? Edeleas wondered vaguely. Why the Greens fussed over him he could not even care about. Let them fuss until they died. They were silent for a while, but the younger girl kept looking at him. Finally Edeleas decided to teach her one of the few things a girl must learn foremost if she wanted to avoid punishments and the rough side of Cayana's tongue.

"You do not look at your superiors as if they are part of a circus, girl. That is extremely rude, and the Aes Sedai and Asha'man do not take rudeness lightly." Edeleas said as soft as he could, but he put enough edge in his voice as a warning.

The Dieb Cha tilted his head slightly, his right hand running over one of his wakizashi hilts slowly. "I had come from a sparring class, and I have nothing better to do. My next channeling class isn't due until the sixth toll of the evening. Late, but that is the only schedule Laridian was able to put up for today” Mika nodded softly, harshly beating down butterflies that started fluttering about as if she were still a novice.
"Novices for the White Tower, I expect? No greater pleasure than seeing the number of channelers increase, especially in my and Cayana's perspective. Would you object if I accompanied you?" he asked softly.

Dispite all the effort Mika put into keeping her composure straight, she could not surpress a slight smile as she answere that she’d love that.
Instead of walking next to her though, he kept behind a bit. In the meanwhile Mika’s mind raced. She had to go to Kathera, but then again, Edeleas was theMaster od Studnts, and a very busy man, she might not have another time to talk to him, especially not if Kathera gave her a nasty assignment.
But what to talk about? It has been years since our last chance meeting... and well.... She frowned slightly as she walked trough the halls, completely unaware of the sisters dissapointd looks and the young girls stares. The last time she was in the tower, she did not stay all too long, but she did manage to walk into Edeleas, after all those years... and he had acted strange.. very strange. He had not recognised her untill she practically threw hersef at his feet and then he’d scooped her up and kissed her.

And then he’d left. And so had she.

"You do not look at your superiors as if they are part of a circus, girl. That is extremely rude, and the Aes Sedai and Asha'man do not take rudeness lightly."
Edeleas’ voice pulled her out of her thoughts and with a confused blink of her eyes she found Evally to be looking at the ground shifting her feet. “I’m sory Master Edeleas,i di... i didn’t mean it...”

“Asha’man Edeleas is right girl, you should be on your best behaviour. Mistress Cayana Sedai does not like gawking novices and can be very severe with the swich.” Suddenly she saw that both girls were shaking now, the youngest quite a bit more then her lder sister.
“but it’s ok for now. Right asha’man Edeleas?” she lookd at the man in black and saw the two girls turning their heads towards him as well. Well Evally still looked at the ground, but she had turned to him at least.
“for now” he said, and they started walking on in silence. And this time Mika kept an eye on the girls for their behaviour.


The door to Cayana’s desk was open, as usual, but Mika gently rapped it anyways, bringing up Cayana’s eyes to her. “Mika, it has been long since i saw you, what brings you here?” Mika smiled softly; she could still remember the days that she’d been in here weeping from the switch after having pulled another prank, or weeping because of her family. But once she’d grown up, she’d been a good, hardworking girl, and Cayana knew it.
“I have found you two girls who wish to be writtin in the novice book.” She said, her voice slightly pleasant as she herded the girls in.

A while later Mika left the office again, this time without the girls. Edeleas still stood there, and all of a sudden she realised that the hall was empty –which was quite rare in this part of the tower-.

She cleared her throat a bit and reached for words, hoping that her cheeks would not heaten. look at you woman! You still act like a girl t Bel Tine! You have things to discuss with this man, don’t fuss over it and don’t turn into a green!

“Edeleas”, she said softly, a small sft smile on her lips again. “there area fe things I would like to talk to you about... but i don’t like talking about those things in a hallway, so would you care for a bit of chilled wine in my appartments? If they have brought some up that is” the last part was joined with a slightly brigter smile, which partially came because of the fact that she'd managed to keep her composure the entire time.

“I’m sorry Master Edeleas,i di... i didn’t mean it...”

“Asha’man Edeleas is right girl, you should be on your best behaviour. Mistress Cayana Sedai does not like gawking novices and can be very severe with the swich.” Suddenly she saw that both girls were shaking now, the youngest quite a bit more then her elder sister. “But it’s ok for now. Right asha’man Edeleas?” Mika looked at him, and Edeleas saw the two girls turning their heads towards him as well. The youngest was still looking at the ground, but she had turned to him at least.

“For now.” Edeleas said, and they started walking on in silence. And this time Mika kept an eye on the girls for their behaviour. It did not take them long to reach Cayana's door. Edeleas contented himself by leaning on the wall and folding his arms across his chest as Mika led her Novices inside. They were in Cayana's office for quite a moment, and Edeleas leant on the wall patiently, suspended easily in the Void, his thoughts and emotions empty as he let himself float around the internal darkness he created for himself.

"Ah! Edel, fancy running into you here!"

Annoyed that he had been pulled out of the Void rudely, he looked up to see a Green sister named Marishcka standing before him, her rare golden hair braided with trademark Arafellin bells. She was a beautiful woman, Marishcka, probably one of the most attractive in the Green Ajah. Her hair was honey-colored and wavy when unbraided, and it hung to her narrow waist. Her eyes were of the most startling blue, her lips thin and pinkish. She already had four Warders, and she was one of the more resolute Greens who refused to believe that he was already Bonded.

"Marishcka." Edeleas said in a bored voice. "What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if I could borrow you for my channeling class tomorrow?" Marishcka said, smiling sweetly at him. "You're one of the best Delvers the Tower has got, and I thought a little hands on experience for my Accepted and Dedicated would be in order. Won't you come teach with me?" She extended her right hand as if to take his, but he refused to give it. The Green's hand dropped to her sides.

"All right." Edeleas nodded. Marishcka beamed at him.

"Tomorrow, ninth toll of the morning, Edel, don't forget." She walked up to him and planted a kiss on his cheek before gliding away, her hips swaying tantalizingly. Marishcka behaved more like a Domani than an Arafellin, but all Greens more or less behaved like Domani anyway. Edeleas resumed the Void as if there had been no interruptions, but he was only several moments into that sanctuary of emptiness when another pulled him out of it.

“Edeleas”, came Mika's voice. “there are a few things I would like to talk to you about... but I don’t like talking about those things in a hallway, so would you care for a bit of chilled wine in my apartments? If they have brought some up that is”

Edeleas straightened up and uncrossed his arms, letting them fall to his sides. The girls were no longer with her; probably still being oriented by Cayana inside the office. He nodded and waited for her to lead the way. "All right." was all he said. Mika started to walk, and he fell in behind her once more, his eyes focused at the back of her head. He wondered what could she want of him now.

Mika nodded softly as she started walking, waiting for but a mere momen before seeing the man let her lead. “All right” the man had said cooly, still that bored, cold glance in his deep green eyes. Mika’s brow creased in thought as she walked on, heading to her bigger apartments. Like most browns she had two apartments, one in the brown halls, and other, smaller near the library, just for the comfort of it.

But comfort was not on her mind. Instead she went over things she had gone over time and time again. A girl at Bell Tine indeed she thought sourly. The man behind her had stalked her mind the nine years she had been an accepted and befoe, however nice confort Nhadnay could bring. And then she had been Aes Sedai... she had tried putting the feelings aside, but then when she finally met him again, she had been flooded with those feelings all over again. The only things that had kept herfrom acting without thinking and do irriversible things was the deep reasoning she’d been going trough before, the pain of her arches.... and of course that manuscript she’d found while on a mission for Kathera.

She looked over her shoulder at him, a delicate brown curl coming loose and falling over her shoulder. Edeleas just looked forward, hardly seeming to notice her, nor the green sister smiling lushly. Mika just eyed an eyebow at the woman, light the girl should be in accepted dress still, with that weak strength, however much she seemed older then herself.

Shaking her head slightly, Mika looked forward again, catching just a glimpse of Edel’s eyes. He had seen...both her as the green... and a lot more... he was not anymore the dazed young man she’d known. Now he was an asha’man, grown up and dangerous. As should be expected if he held this position..
You’re just talking with him about your idea... if you are to do this you will need his help... his knowledge. You’ve gone trough this often enough. And made your choice.

Outwardly nothing changed in Mika, but still she felt as if she walked a bit straighter as she entered the brown halls. At least none of the browns seemed to be oggling him here.

“welcome to my apartments” she said softly as she opened the door and stepped in, happy to see the room had been cleaned regularly and that the curtains were drawn open and light spilled into the room. What brought a smile on her lips however was that her saddlebags already were there as well as a pitcher of wine.
“Can i offer you something, I am afraid i don’t know what it holds though” she said with a small grin as she put down her own bag that she always took with her. It held her journals, her notes on her most important research.

The visitroom was quite simple, a few basic sofa’s and a low table between them, a stones table set a bit further away and a little cupboard next to the door leading to her bedroom and wash room as well as to a tiny room, usually fit for a servant, but Mika occasionally used it to Travel. On another wall there was a door leading to her study, still locked now.

The woman led the way to her apartments. Which meant Edeleas had to walk through a number of Ajah halls before reaching the Brown's. He'd had to pass the Green Ajah halls again and be tormented by all the women's smiling and hungry eyes. Eyes he could ignore, much less all their smiles, but some of them simply didn't know how to give up. At least nobody kept sending in notes asking if he were un Bonded still. He had wasted enough time over those lame pieces of paper. He never bothered to read them; just burned them all with a flow of Fire whenever one arrived. Burning things with the Power was certainly helpful.

The woman, Mika - looked over her shoulder at him. Edeleas ignored her. She was a curiosity. Though he could remember Marian and Kathera vaguely, he could not, for the life of him, remember her. True, he'd kissed her and confirmed that they'd been lovers in his blurry past, but nothing else came back. He wasn't going to actively seek for that either. All his energies were focused on his double agent role. How to keep living long enough to return to the Light. And only then would he turn to other problems like her.

They had finally entered the Brown Ajah halls.

“Welcome to my apartments.”

He stepped inside after her. Plain, but clean.

“Can i offer you something, I am afraid i don’t know what it holds though”

He nodded. "Anything would be great."

He watched her move around. He had to be direct to the point then.

"What is it that you need help on?" he asked.

Edeleas nodded and accepted her offer for wine, making her walk to take the pitcher from the tray.
She was not yet halfway there though when he suddenly decided that the niceties were over and bluntly spoke up.

"What is it that you need help on?" he asked, looking her hard in the eyes. Those eyes held nothing of what they once had held. They did not even say anything of what had ever happened between them.

Well at least this time he remembers me… but then again. He’s looking at me with eyes that could just as well be seeing a fisher gut a fish…

The thoughts lasted but a very brief moment…. Just about the time that it took her to change from her usual 4bird eyed4 look to one of recognition, a delicate, and very brown way of telling him that she had already forgotten about those things… a way to show him she was merely another alienated brown.

A pang of guilt entered her, as she felt bad for using this handy mask even with him… but then, with the decisions she had made before…

“yes… well” she said in a startled voice, befitting the change on her face. “What I needed… help on” she said a bit softer then.

“Edeleas… how long have you been Master of Soldiers now?” she asked him and nodded as he answered her. “thought as much” she mumbled softly.
“So that means that you already have quite a knowledge about all the students of the black tower. And probably know more then most Asha’man about the former students too. Especially the al dieb cha’s.”

She hardly waited for him to answer her question before continuing; trying to form in words what it was that she had in mind.

“see…. I would like to do… well try… something big, something special. Something that would combine the strength of the White and Black tower together… and I will need strong channelers to aid me. As well as channelers with a talent for Travelling and maybe ter’angreal creating or some other valuable talents…”

She put a finger on her lip and tilted her head, her voice growing a bit softer, as she started talking to herself. “is there no talent called aligning the matrix? That should be very useful in equalizing the levels of equity and distance.”

She reached out to her notebook and then realized that Edeleas was still sitting in front of her. “oh ehm…” she said, half frozen in reaching for her notebook. Sometimes, far too often to her own liking, Mika actually was like one of those typical dazed browns. But usually only with the few things she was so passionate about.

“Yes… well” she said in a startled voice, befitting the change on her face. “What I needed… help on”

Edeleas remained silent. Browns and their absent-minded manner...but then I cannot really point fingers because of the Shen I'm in. I wish she'd cut to all of the bloody hesitation and get straight to the point...

“Edeleas… how long have you been Master of Soldiers now?”

A confused expression took over his handsome face for a moment. "More than ten years." Yes. He stiffly remembered how the bloody M'hael had dragged him unceremoniously out of his Shen quarters, gave him a sneer and told him that he was going to take care of the sniveling kids from then on. Bloody M'hael. Bloody idiotic children.

“So that means that you already have quite a knowledge about all the students of the black tower. And probably know more then most Asha’man about the former students too. Especially the al dieb cha’s.” the Brown went on.

What is she...? He didn't reply to that. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to. The answer to that was pretty obvious...

“see…. I would like to do… well try… something big, something special. Something that would combine the strength of the White and Black tower together… and I will need strong channelers to aid me. As well as channelers with a talent for Travelling and maybe ter’angreal creating or some other valuable talents…”

Edeleas raised an eyebrow.

She put a finger on her lip and tilted her head, her voice growing a bit softer, as she started talking to herself. “is there no talent called aligning the matrix? That should be very useful in equalizing the levels of equity and distance.”

He felt a pang of annoyance as she reached for her notes and seemed to forget he was there. However she was quick to realize this and turned to him with a slightly apologetic tone. It irked him, everything of this. He wanted to fling the goblet he was holding if that kept her senses sharp.

"Get straight to the point and don't waste my time." He snapped. "I haven't got forever to stay here." He said, shaking his head, making his golden locks dance.

The look her old friend shot her was one that she would have never believed of him in the past, but now, with those cold eyes, it almost felt right with him, as if darkness had consumed him inside and he was nothing more then a hollow shell, layered with anger.
"Get straight to the point and don't waste my time." He snapped. "I haven't got forever to stay here." He said, shaking his head, making his golden locks dance.

The words cut, deeper then Mika could have ever imagined, as if he once more denied knowing her, and she felt a lump of ice in her stomach, as well as a ball in her throat, but she refused to let her eyes tear.
“buried from the light” she whispered softly, the words of the Aelfinn sounding in her head like a soft wind blowing trough the march of death. For just a brief second her face displayed bone deep sadness, sadness for her friend whom had been wronged like this. Bone deep sadness for him, who would be her warder, but who had suffered so much that even the light seemed to have abandoned him.

But the look only lasted that mere flicker of a second, and was immediately replaced by a serene, though slightly cool, Aes Sedai face. “right” she said softly, trying to keep her voice from breaking. But light she wanted to hold him, hold him and somehow ease him. Stroke his hair so he would calm down, lay with him, just lay and softly caress him, make all his tension and pain flow away… so that somehow he would be himself again. And not this… shell.

Instead she forced her arms to stay at her sides, away from gently caressing his face and spoke up, taking care in keeping her voice calm and collected, as her eyes were looking straighter in his now.
“I believe I can find a way to re-make the ways” she said bluntly, however awkward she felt about it; she had not dared to let anyone know this because of the possible reactions of disbelieve. After all she believed she could do a feat only done in the age of legends before her.
“but for that I will need, probably during a longer period of time, quite some assistance of other channelers, male and female both. And preferably with the talents which I specified before” she added, almost as an aftertone.


What is it with you? she asked herself while her eyes were locked to his. Once those emerald green eyes seemed to sparkle, seemed to reflect the light and turned his face into a joy to look at. Now however they seemed cold and felt as if they absorbed life. how can I know what happened to you? How can I help you? Why can’t I just feel what you are feeling, share your pain and lighten it… who did this to you? Please tell me. Please… remember the past. Remember who you were.

All the while the lump of ice had not unfrozen, and neither had the ball in her throat gone away, making it a miracle that her voice had been steady still. She wanted to reach out and touch him, to take some of his pain. Never mind the ways, for all her study and work on the subject, this shell, this man, was still more important to her then any of it.

He watched her intently, keenly, keeping his silence as much as he kept all of him to himself, afraid to be damned, afraid of everything else. While he displayed ruthlessness and fear to almost everyone to behold, Edeleas knew he was faltering inside. He was losing hope, losing hope to return to the Light, to be what he once had been, to be that vibrant man again. He wanted to know how it was to smile again, to laugh simply because he was happy and had been humored. Everything was a mask, a constant struggle to keep up the shell he was showing to the world, praying and hoping that it would hold, that it would not break - that it would remain so until he could have the hope of salvation.

Sadness. It was evident on the Brown's face, but if flickered off as if it had never existed, ethereal, ghost-like. Edeleas had no wish to know why she was sad, though he guessed that he had some gist of it. The Edeleas this woman remembered was the one he was seeking to come back to. One he desired so much to become again, but one that had slipped from his fingers because of his own stupidity.

He should stop dwelling on such thoughts. They make him off-guard.

With great effort, Edeleas turned his thoughts to what this woman was proposing instead. He tried to remember...her research and what some details of it that she had told him in their earlier talks. She had to have considerable talent in the making of ter'angreals for whatever she had in mind to work. Edeleas did not have such Talent, which was a pity, but he could lend her his strength through Linking or whatever else she might need. If he could talk to Laridian then maybe he could also arrange for her some choices on the private angreal stores of the Shen.

“I believe I can find a way to re-make the ways”

Edeleas stared. The Ways? She intended to re-make the ways? He gave a soft nod. "That is interesting." He murmured. What could the Towers benefit from such reconstruction? If the Towers would benefit from it, then the Shadow had to stick its filthy nose in its business. But it was too early to see the whole of the iceberg just yet.

“but for that I will need, probably during a longer period of time, quite some assistance of other channelers, male and female both. And preferably with the talents which I specified before”

The Master of Soldiers spread his hands. "Now you are getting straight to the point. Let me see." He ran over a mental list of all of his boys. Several names came up. Talents with ter'angreal making, aligning the matrix, travelling... Ter'angreal makers were rare even now, and the same went with his boys who had potency in Aligning the Matrix. Travelling was no problem, he could provide her with thirty Soldiers and eighteen Dedicated, all sharp on Travelling. "I can provide you help. I can refer some ninety Soldiers and eighty Dedicated who have the Talents you require."

He looked at her. "But it is such an ambitious project, I am getting interested." Well he had to be. The Shadow would expect him to see if there was a catch. "What else do you need?"