Suddenly, Erishar remembered how he had felt as a soldier, then Dedicated speaking to Brothers and Sisters of the Grey Tower. He had not meant to make it seem as though he was forcing the Accepted to reveal her problems, but that must have been how it had felt to her. He listened as she struggled to reveal her dreams, how she had seen what would have been coming. Only after it had happened, and after someone she knew had met the Mother's Last Embrace did she feel as though she could have done something. It must have been horrifying for her to simply have such a dream, much less experience it in the waking world. He was no dreamer himself, but he had heard of the Talent. It seemed almost inscrutable to him.
Unfortunately, he knew that if Amaranie had come forward with her dream, she likely wouldn't have been believed. Or, action from the Hall would have only prolonged the incident. He hadn't been in the Grey Tower when Ninya was revealed to be a darkfriend, but he could tell that the episode had done a considerable amount of damage. He was just glad that Abby had come through it unscathed, to help Torianin. Erishar locked eyes with the Accepted. She wanted him to believe that she was unworthy. She truly believed herself to be unfit to be there.
He hesitated and felt along his bond with Torianin for a moment. She seemed at peace. He sent a feeling of comfort toward her, to ease any doubts she may be having. Erishar's own doubts were disappearing as he thought on this Accepted's problems. He knew what he must share, but it was not his story. "Amaranie," he began, taking any pretense he may have had out of his voice, "You will never know if you could have done anything. You may not have been believed, which would have sent her agents after you. Or, you may have triggered a lengthy trial, which would have still put you in danger. If this is a Talent that you have not yet mastered, gathering the evidence you needed would have stalled justice and still yet put you in her path." He paused. The Asha'man knew that he was speculating too, but his scenarios were more likely than hers had been. "Rather than wish for something that would never have been, I think you should study your Talent, so that when something like this happens again, you will be ready. And..."
Narrowing his eyes, he siezed Saidin and wove a quick ward against eavesdropping. He left his bond with his Aes Sedai open, though. He would not hide anything from her. "Should you ever meet Torianin, my bonded Aes Sedai, I ask that you do not let on that I spoke of this mission with you, but I believe the story surrounding it will help you. Shortly after she bonded me as her Warder, Torianin adopted a young girl from the city. She had been captured by a darkfriend and abused, treated as a slave. Her captor had been put to death after a trial. For years, Abby was afraid of her own shadow, she had a stammer, she had difficulty opening up to others, even though she is a polite and friendly child. Torianin knew who was to blame, but he was gone. She could do nothing. But, his wife and partner in his crimes was still alive and at large." He sifted through his thoughts, thinking of which details he should omit. "After a time, she found the woman, in Far Madding. Neither of us could channel there. She had bonded another Gaidin by this time, and we struck up a plan. Torianin was able to see justice done on the woman, but she had guards. One of them beat her second Gaidin to death..."
He was silent for a moment. Even though he had not spoken to her, he knew what Torianin was thinking. "I know she still blames herself for his death. She worries that Abby might secretly hate her as well. She believes she could have prevented his death, if we had waited, if we had a different plan...But, there was nothing to be done. She tried her best, as you did. The dead would not want us to stop and give up because they are gone. They would want us to continue on and learn." He felt like he had rambled on, but if anything, he knew now that he would likely have to see Torianin whether she wanted him to or not.
Unfortunately, he knew that if Amaranie had come forward with her dream, she likely wouldn't have been believed. Or, action from the Hall would have only prolonged the incident. He hadn't been in the Grey Tower when Ninya was revealed to be a darkfriend, but he could tell that the episode had done a considerable amount of damage. He was just glad that Abby had come through it unscathed, to help Torianin. Erishar locked eyes with the Accepted. She wanted him to believe that she was unworthy. She truly believed herself to be unfit to be there.
He hesitated and felt along his bond with Torianin for a moment. She seemed at peace. He sent a feeling of comfort toward her, to ease any doubts she may be having. Erishar's own doubts were disappearing as he thought on this Accepted's problems. He knew what he must share, but it was not his story. "Amaranie," he began, taking any pretense he may have had out of his voice, "You will never know if you could have done anything. You may not have been believed, which would have sent her agents after you. Or, you may have triggered a lengthy trial, which would have still put you in danger. If this is a Talent that you have not yet mastered, gathering the evidence you needed would have stalled justice and still yet put you in her path." He paused. The Asha'man knew that he was speculating too, but his scenarios were more likely than hers had been. "Rather than wish for something that would never have been, I think you should study your Talent, so that when something like this happens again, you will be ready. And..."
Narrowing his eyes, he siezed Saidin and wove a quick ward against eavesdropping. He left his bond with his Aes Sedai open, though. He would not hide anything from her. "Should you ever meet Torianin, my bonded Aes Sedai, I ask that you do not let on that I spoke of this mission with you, but I believe the story surrounding it will help you. Shortly after she bonded me as her Warder, Torianin adopted a young girl from the city. She had been captured by a darkfriend and abused, treated as a slave. Her captor had been put to death after a trial. For years, Abby was afraid of her own shadow, she had a stammer, she had difficulty opening up to others, even though she is a polite and friendly child. Torianin knew who was to blame, but he was gone. She could do nothing. But, his wife and partner in his crimes was still alive and at large." He sifted through his thoughts, thinking of which details he should omit. "After a time, she found the woman, in Far Madding. Neither of us could channel there. She had bonded another Gaidin by this time, and we struck up a plan. Torianin was able to see justice done on the woman, but she had guards. One of them beat her second Gaidin to death..."
He was silent for a moment. Even though he had not spoken to her, he knew what Torianin was thinking. "I know she still blames herself for his death. She worries that Abby might secretly hate her as well. She believes she could have prevented his death, if we had waited, if we had a different plan...But, there was nothing to be done. She tried her best, as you did. The dead would not want us to stop and give up because they are gone. They would want us to continue on and learn." He felt like he had rambled on, but if anything, he knew now that he would likely have to see Torianin whether she wanted him to or not.