Seeing Red (ATTN Kaia)

[Prew]

As he passed through the courtyard of the Red Ajah, the fragrances of a myriad variety of flowers, mostly red of course, tickled Fen’s nose. He glanced nervously at the Aes Sedai who was his guide, he hadn’t caught her name… had she even offered it? As they began to descend the stairway that led to a subterranean level a gaggle of Novices, heading up the stairs, passed Fen within touching distance. He instinctively shied away from the as they giggled. Were they making fun of the nose, burn them? Women in general made him nervous, and groups of them, whispering and laughing… it was almost more than he could take sometimes. But never mind that now, he was here for a reason; to interview a member of the Red Ajah.


The Mistress had again filled his dreams, teaching him of the various Ajahs. It was her recommendation Was that all it was, or was it an order? that he explore the possibility of declaring for either the Red or the Green. So here he was,slowly walking down the ornate stairway, admiring the intricate wall hangings, while trying to check his nerves. It wouldn’t do for an Aes Sedai to see his hands shaking!


His guide led him from the stairs to a study in the basement. Why here? Aren't the Ajah quarters all above ground? he wondered. He glanced about but saw little that he would later recall, busy as he was trying to maintain his composure. At the door to what appeared to be a study, the Aes Sedai knocked once and then announced:

“Fen Garlan, Dedicated, here to see Kaia Ariasca Riatin Sedai.” Fen swallowed once as the door opened and he was ushered in.

[Jenn]

Kaia

With enough lamps and saidar-wrought orbs hanging from the walls and filling up every spare surface she could get away with, Kaia could almost forget that she was now residing in the basement of the Grey Tower. She understood the why - the way Jaryd had explained it made perfect sense, but the actuality of it was another matter entirely... Light, I'm doing it again. The petite Domani sighed at herself. She sounded ungrateful, even in her own head, and that was not her intent. In truth, she was anything but.

Flawless emerald green eyes took inventory of the work space that Jaryd had been gracious enough to share with her. Kaia had no idea if this was a temporary arrangement or not; she couldn't shake the feeling that the Red Asha'man was not entirely motivated by altruism, but again, she could not fault him for taking precautions. Still... it was not an unpleasant thing. Kaia throttled down a slightly hysterical laugh at her careful, precise thoughts. Light. As it was, the Altaran was going to tease her about what she had done to her little corner of the room, most likely some amused comment or other about burning down the tapestries around their ears. She chuckled quietly under her breath.

She was brought out of her thoughts by a distant knock on the door two rooms over, Kaia alerted to it by a soft chime going off in her ear. She was pleased; she had set wards for that very reason but it had been so long... It was good to know that she still remembered most of the things she had learned. Odd though, that it would be to the rooms that had been designated hers – she had only been here for a short stretch of time.

The work space was left behind, her pace brusque but even as she slipped through connecting heavily warded doors that she locked behind her. She reached her study room in time to hear: “Fen Garlan, Dedicated, here to see Kaia Ariasca Riatin Sedai.” being announced through the thick wooden panels. Her brows lifted at the staggering formality. And a Dedicated? To see her? Whatever for?

Curious, Kaia opened the door, not quite prepared for the nod from another Sister not of her Ajah, and the prompt bow of the boy that must have been none other that this Dedicated Fen Garlan. The sight of the unrelieved black and the silver sword pin made her skin crawl, several long heartbeats passing before she was able to remind herself that Estius was not here. She said nothing of it however, thanking the Aes Sedai she did not recognize with a soft murmur. Green eyes took in the boy – he was not much taller than she, and unremarkable in every way... scrawny, with his nose protruding out in a very prominent manner.

She allowed him to enter, studying him. The black stone around her neck felt warm, reassuring. “What brings you to me, Dedicated?”

[Prew]

Fen

He hadn’t been sure what to expect, this being his first time to venture further than the classrooms of the Tower itself, unless, of course, one counted his trip to the room containing the Three Arches, but it certainly wasn’t a sojourn to the basement. By the Shadow, why was the Red Ajah located down here, away from all the others? And why had his Mistress insisted he investigate?

As the door opened Fen’s breath caught in his throat as he noted the woman who motioned him to enter. Beautiful could not begin to describe her, with those shockingly green eyes, made all the more prominent by her hair, black as a darkfriend’s soul. She did not yet have the ageless look of an Aes Sedai, but appeared to have the body of a woman in full bloom. Not that Fen was very knowledgeable in such matters; his interactions with the opposite sex had been kept to a minimum prior to his arrival at the Grey Tower. As such he could barely guess at her age.

Affecting the subservient tone that had served him well before coming to Hama Valon, before Seth Asha’man’s class had instilled a newfound confidence in him, he bowed slightly before addressing the woman.

“Thank you for seeing me, Kaia Aes Sedai,” stepping into the room he noted the doors at the other end of the room. To private quarters, no doubt; she resides down here? What sort of Ajah is this? Keeping his thoughts to himself, he continued, “I am recently raised, you see, and I was instructed to begin an investigation of the different Ajahs, for when… if, that is… I earn the Dragon pin. I was given to understand yours is the newest Ajah so I thought it proper to begin with Red.”

Fen paused to read her expression, though being Aes Sedai she probably would give away nothing, before he added, “I perhaps presume much to think you are seeking more members, but if you are, I would be honored if you could tell me more about the Red Ajah.”

[Jenn]

Kaia

Flawless green eyes regarded the Dedicated for a long moment, Kaia calculating and measuring in equal turns. He did presume much to think that the Red Ajah was seeking more members... yet he was not wrong. Light, but this was not something she had anticipated. As far as she knew, the Red Ajah at the White Tower had been the largest one there. Now... well, the Red Ajah at the Grey Tower was the newest and the smallest. They were in the basement, she thought with a small, inward sigh.

There was nothing for that now, she supposed. One thing at a time. Kaia nodded at Fen and let her expression relax into a smile. “I would be pleased to answer your questions, as best as I am able to.” She made a small gesture with her hand, stepping away from the door and permitting the black-coated man entry into the study. She didn't close the door all the way behind him, leaving it slightly ajar. Old habits... not that she expected anything dangerous or life-threatening to occur with the Dedicated, but it made her feel less... anxious.

Kaia indicated to several chairs that Fen might take, settling herself down opposite of him. “Before we begin,” she said slowly, “you should know that I am a relative newcomer to the Grey Tower and the Red Ajah.” She didn't go into detail; if the Dedicated didn't know who she was by rumour and reputation, then there was no sense in offering up that information needlessly. “I may not have all the answers you seek, but there is another Brother whom I can bring into our discussion, should the need arise.”

There came the tiniest thread of guilt as she mentioned that; while she knew that Jaryd enjoyed discussion and the topic of the Red Ajah in general, Kaia could not shake the feeling that she was somehow lacking... if she had to call him in for help. She wanted to snort at herself. When had she started indulging in such useless thoughts? There was no shame in admitting that she did not have all the answers; Jaryd would not judge her if and when she asked for help.

Her velvet contralto rolled out into the silence of the room, her look steady as she regarded the boy – young man – across from her. “So ask your questions on the Red Ajah, Dedicated Fen Garlan, and I shall do my best to answer them for you.”

[Prew]

Fen

Taking one of the proffered chairs, the one which seemed least comfortable, Fen hoped he was giving the impression of a man who spurned luxury. “I am a relative newcomer myself, Kaia Sedai, not just to the Grey Tower but to my… ability as well.” By the Shadow but she was beautiful, Fen felt as if he could swim in the pools of her deep green eyes. Get hold of yourself, man! Afterall, his interactions with women in general was limited indeed. The Novice from his Persuasion class was nice enough, but her vacuous blathering the one time they had met in the gardens decided for him whether there would not be another such meeting. Other than that, his experience was limited to his mother, who had dominated him, kept him apart from the other children in Mosra, filled his head with ideas of his superiority, and to the Mistress who haunted his dreams. Now she was truly beautiful… Stop that! You aren’t here to moon or compare.

“Oh, I am sure you will be able to more than adequately answer my questions,” he smiled, crossing his legs languidly in an attempt to disguise his nervousness. “Let me begin by admitting that, even in a small Altaran village such as Mosra, word of the Red Ajah is known and feared; at least the one from the White Tower. Man haters, seeking out males who can channel in order to gentle them. That is why I was surprised to learn of a Red Ajah here, in a place where male channelers are accepted and embraced. So I suppose my question is,” he paused for emphasis, “what is this Ajah’s purpose in the Grey Tower? What does it contribute that other Ajahs don’t?”

[Jenn]

Kaia

Kaia took several moments to compose her thoughts, choosing her words carefully as to how she wanted to answer the Dedicated. Should I perhaps tell him that I was a Red at the White Tower? A fraction of a second was all it lasted, but she could not deny that there had been an inappropriate surge of amusement. She shook her head at herself. She had already decided against divulging such knowledge – there was no purpose or gain to it.

“The reputation of the White Tower's Red Ajah is unfortunate, it's true. Doubly unfortunate that it is also mostly accurate. Many of them do despise men, and often times their... zeal,” she said as tactfully as she could, “is misguided.” The petite Domani made a curt gesture with her hand. “The Grey Tower's Red Ajah is thankfully different. We are the newest and smallest of the Ajahs. The question of our purpose will have different answers, depending on which of my Brothers and Sisters you ask, but I see it as this: the Red Ajah exists to deal with those who abuse their power, or is a threat to the Grey Tower. And yes, that includes channelers.”

She smiled pleasantly, spreading her hands as she spoke, her voice warming. “Many of the other Ajahs, even the Green, have very specific focuses in terms of how they deal with other channelers. Not so for the Red. We do not act as counters for only Dreadlords – the weakest channeler with barely enough strength to pass the Great Stair to that of even a Forsaken, and everything else in between, would be something that we Reds would be expected to deal with. That is something we offer that the other Ajahs do not.”

Kaia waved her fingers vaguely. “That isn't to say that dealing with channelers that abuse their power is all we do. We also deal with abuses of power of the perfectly mundane nature as well. It is something that I know some of my Brothers and Sisters feel very passionately about.” Green eyes looked into the Dedicated's eyes. “There are other less glamourous things that come with any Ajah, naturally, such as paperwork and the like, but... does that satisfy?”

She didn't mean that in a literal sense, but she couldn't form the words the way she wanted them.

[Prew]

Fen

As he listened attentively to the Aes Sedai explaining the purpose of the Red Ajah a part of Fen’s mind was trying to puzzle out the logic behind his Mistress’ suggestion he seek it out; if he could trust his dreams. Since rising to the rank of Dedicated he was beginning to have doubts. Could the Mistress be simply a creation of his imagination, something buried deep in his subconscious that only showed itself while he slept? The taint was gone, that he knew. No sickly feeling accompanied his grasping of saidin. Surely he was safe from the madness as well. But what if he wasn’t? What if, unbeknownst to the Tower, male channelers might still lose their minds?

Uncrossing then recrossing his legs, Fen shook loose of those thoughts and turned back to attending to what Kaia Sedai was saying.

“Paperwork I understand as I used to run a small business,” he offered, “And the idea of dealing justice to those who abuse power, even if it is not the One Power, appeals to my moral sense of rightness. But I have heard that it is the Blue Ajah that deals with justice. Does the Red Ajah forego courts and trials? Does it dispense its own justice?” his eyes narrowed as he leaned forward, “That, I think, would be fitting.”

If the answer he received was the one hoped for his next step would be to ask about the process of pledging to the Ajah. Would he need wait until he wore the Dragon pin, or could Dedicated declare for an Ajah? He simply did not know.

[Jenn]

Kaia

“Have a care, Dedicated Fen Garlan, that you do not become the very thing that you wish to fight against.” Kaia made no outward move, still reclined in her chair, but her voice was suddenly hard, the warning unmistakable. She had no wish to berate the boy, but she did not like the way he leaned forward, eyes narrowed. He had to be made to understand the gravity of what she spoke of next.

“Being Red Ajah is not about punishing others in order for self gratification or revenge. You must always be careful, consider every possible option, angle, every scrap of information at your disposal to ensure that you are not lashing out in anger. Our power is a tool, not something to be toyed with when whim or fancy suits you.” Kaia found herself repeating similar words that Jaryd had used, fondness entering her thoughts at the thought of the Altaran. “Sometimes ending the problem is more important than punishing the perpetrator.” A heavy moment of silence as she arched an eyebrow at Fen. “Do you understand?”

The boy nodded.

She spread her hands, gaze weighing as she made and kept eye contact with the boy seated across from her. “As an Ajah, we will be judged on our actions. If we wish to be different from the White Tower's version then we must always strive to be better. In the end, what we sow will only come back to hurt us and the rest of the Grey Tower. And that will not be tolerated.”

The petite Domani straightened in her chair, her expression becoming thoughtful. “You asked how we are different from the Blue Ajah. It is true that they are have their own causes and chase after their ideals for justice... but they are also willing to let hundreds of innocent people suffer and die beneath the yolk of a corrupt and unjust noble, so long as it fits into their plans and their agendas. And they will let things stand because 'the Wheel weaves as It wills'...” Kaia made a curt motion with her hand. “I do not share such a belief. If the solution to that problem is to remove that noble from power, then that is what I shall do. As to the how – that would also depend on how the situation unfolded.” She smiled then, letting her hands fall back into her lap.

She allowed silence to envelop them, watching the Dedicated for several long minutes. She wanted her words to have impact, wanted the young man in front of her to seriously think on what she had said. Would he still have more questions? Her head tilted to the side ever-so-slightly as she waited patiently.

[Prew]

Fen

Fen felt properly chastised. He had let his emotions get the better of him. The thought, the possibility, that he might mete out his own form of justice, not just against those who had wronged him in the past but against all those who took advantage of their positions, their power, had been tantalizing. But the Aes Sedai was correct, of course, weren’t they always? Caution, attention to detail, and cool calculated action, devoid of emotion, yes, he could understand that.

Sitting back in his chair, arms in his lap, he assumed the look of a man who understood exactly what he was being told. He waited, letting her words hang in the air as if he was solemnly contemplating what she had said. At last he spoke:

“Yes, Kaia Sedai, I realize now that I appear too eager,” eyes downcast, voice soft, “Please understand that it is just that… well, I hate to see those in power abuse it, to cause, as you say, the suffering of hundreds because of their corruption. But I also see now the need for an attitude totally devoid of prejudice, no personal motivation except the desire to see justice served.”

Fen rose from his seat, straightened his coat, and offered a half-bow to the Domani woman. Her beauty now but an after-thought in his mind as he reviewed the information she had imparted.

“I thank you for taking the time to see me, Kaia Sedai. You have more than answered my questions. In fact, I don’t see the need to investigate any other Ajah. The Red seems best fitted for me. I hope, once I achieve the Dragon pin, there will be a place for me here.”

[Jenn]

Kaia

Kaia didn't answer for several long moments, her face serene perfection as the boy bowed to her. Does he truly understand? Or is he only saying what he thinks I wish to hear? Perhaps that was unfair of her, but those two questions came up far too frequently in her thoughts since she had joined the Grey Tower's Red Ajah. Most of those she encountered were one of three things: suspicious of her; afraid of her; or outright disliked her. There were those rare individuals that reacted to her with all three, evident even beneath the veneer of civility.

It was not a new thing, but it was... disappointing.

Green eyes took in the Dedicated, and she softened a little. Being Red Ajah was not easy; there were dangers, certainly, but she found herself battling against Ages old fears and prejudice more than anything else. Suddenly, fiercely, Kaia was grateful that Jaryd was there with her in all of this. She and Altaran had found ways to turn the Red Ajah's reputation in their favour – would Fen be able to do the same, should he decide to join?

She rose gracefully to her feet, directing a nod towards the boy. “There is no need to decide now, Dedicated Fen Garlan,” was all she said. There were some things that he would have to figure out and deal with on his own. It would not be a kindness if she held his hand through all of it. “You may yet change your mind when the time comes. Earn your dragon pin, and what will be done under the Light shall be done.”