A Glimpse of Red (Attn: Leala)

[Jenn]

Kaia

“Are you certain, Kaia Sedai?”

The petite Domani made an irritated gesture with her fingers, the serene mask absent as she directed a little scowl towards the Shienaran Gaidin. The expression as well as the mild annoyance held very little actual heat. She knew that it was just the way he was, but sometimes Ravak's formality was a little much.

“Yes I am certain. It is not like anything that will happen is some great mystery or secret. I will be answering whatever questions Accepted Torianin has about the Red Ajah. Perhaps even offer a hands on glimpse of what we do. Besides which, you are my Warder, so your presence is perfectly fine and understandable.”

And if I have to tell you again, I am going to box your ears. she let that thought fuel the pulse of emotion she sent through the bond and though Ravak's answering feeling was quickly stifled, Kaia chuckled, just a little, at the rare flash of amusement from him. She could not help but feel inordinately pleased about that. Always so serious, dear boy, even when you don't have to be.

Kaia stretched along the second awareness in her head as she fussed over the arrangement of chairs, the bond directing her up, up, to where Jaryd was in his offices. The Asha'man was prickly, no doubt wishing he could stab his way through the mountain of paperwork that never seemed to end. She brushed against his mind and a surge of warmth responded, the Red Aes Sedai letting the smile of delight sit openly on her face for several long moments. Then, it was back to the task at hand.

She did not know the Accepted personally; from the information she had been given, Torianin's past was complicated indeed. Seanchan. And a former damane. The petite Domani mentioned as much to Ravak, emerald green eyes sweeping over the second study room that she used for purposes just such as this. She deliberately did not let herself linger on the thought of being collared, focusing instead on the things in front of her. Two comfortable armchairs facing one another, a large teapot with three cups arranged on the table, Ravak situated across said table from the armchairs, near the wall. He had even brought a book with him, but from this distance Kaia could not make out the lettering that denoted the title.

She grasped a silken fold of her red slashed skirts and twitched at the fabric absently. “I was thinking we could help make her feel more at ease with tea. I seem to recall a certain someone commenting on my lack of manners in that regard before our trip to Fal Moran.” Her eyes met steel blue, white teeth flashing into view at the Shienaran's answering mild look.

“I would prefer to keep my buttons buttoned this time, Kaia Sedai.”

She made a little gesture with her fingers, managing to keep her face still even as laughter bubbled through the bond. “That won't be necessary this time. The Accepted should be arriving shortly.”

[Leala]

((OOC: I'm not really sure about the layout of the basement, so if something is off, let me know and I'll fix it. ))

Torianin walked down the steps toward the Grey Tower's basement. She knew that the Red Ajah was the newest of the Ajahs, and she also knew that their quarters were in the basement. She found that odd, but she wouldn't let that deter her from her choice. The Red Ajah, she had learned, held a mission in finding justice in cases that involved the One Power. But there had to be more to it than that. So, she had approached the Head of the Ajah to pose some questions to her. Her purpose for coming here was to make the world a better place, and she felt that the Red Ajah may help her do just that. Time would tell, though.

Coming down into the basement, she saw that the Red Ajah had cleaned it up and made it so that it was fit for visitors and the inhabitants there, however few they were. She saw Kaia Sedai and a man that she assumed was her Warder sitting in chairs as she entered. She made sure her back was straight and that a polite smile was on her face. She was not meeting with her as a student, or as an assistant, but she did not want to seem standoffish either.

When she reached the foot of the stairs, Torianin dipped a curtsy to the Aes Sedai and Warder. "Thank you for taking the time to see me, Kaia Sedai. I very much appreciate it." She straightened up again and calmed the nerves that started to build up within her chest. This is just an informational meeting, she told herself. Her breathing evened out and her heart beat at a normal pace again. It was likely that she was just nervous, because she hadn't had a conversation with this woman before. It would be fine.

[Jenn]

“Accepted Torianin,” Kaia responded with a nod, allowing the faintest hint of a smile to curve her lips. “I am pleased that you are considering the Red Ajah. Come, sit.” The petite Domani gestured to the chair facing opposite of her, green eyes watching the way the girl moved, her thoughts carefully veiled and calculating; Seanchan. A former damane.

It was not simply curiosity that sharpened the emerald gaze, but it was still far too early to come to any definite conclusions. Behind her, she knew that Ravak feigned disinterest, the book open between his hands, but he felt focused, alert.

She waited until the Accepted had settled herself, the raven-haired Aes Sedai indicating the pot of tea in between them. “Cream? There is also honey and sugar. Or would you prefer your tea plain?” Ravak liked his plain. That hadn't come as any true surprise, though the Aes Sedai would have initially guessed that the dear boy would have taken it sweetened with honey as well.

The Red poured out a cup, embracing saidar for a brief moment, long enough to float over the hot tea to the Gaidin on a small platform of Air. She busied herself preparing her own cup, adding liberal amounts of cream and sugar. Dainty coppery hands slid the porcelain back towards herself before she leaned back in her chair, curious as to what the Accepted would do. Torianin could make her own cup as she preferred, if she desired any, and she could do it while answering Kaia's questions.

The perfect velvet of the raven-haired woman's voice rolled out between them, floating around them. “Before we begin, I would like you to tell me what you think you know of the Red Ajah. What is it that you believe we do? What it is about us that appeals to you?”

[Leala]

Torianin graciously accepted the tea, adding a small amount of honey with no cream. Even though she had finally slimmed down to what she had been before she had been collared, she was still careful with what she ate. Taking a sip of the tea, she leaned back into the chair, but made sure that her posture was in check. She pulled her thoughts together as she thought on this question. The Red Ajah was the smallest in the Grey Tower, but there was a lot of talk about them, because they were also the newest. There were rumors that were obviously not true, and there were things that made her stop and think. However, there were certain things that stood out. Pulling her cup away from her mouth, she saw the small dregs at the bottom and had to stop herself from finding an omen in it.

"I have not heard much about the Red Ajah that can be verified, but the thing that drew me to the Red Ajah was the fight to find justice where the One Power is concerned," she said, pleased that her voice sounded confident and even. "I have been volunteering at Mar a'Mael lately, and I've found that I enjoy helping out where I can, but I believe that my purpose would be more aligned in stopping the misuse of the One Power. Misuse of any power is terrible, but the misuse of the One Power is especially egregious." she paused and sipped on her tea a moment longer. "It speaks to my past as well. I was a damane for five years before I was rescued. There are damane that claim that they willingly obey their sul'dam, and likely, I would have been among their number, had my sul'dam not mistreated me. I don't believe that they willingly obey, whether they say so or not. The relationship between a sul'dam and damane is not a natural thing, as is claimed. That is just another tactic to keep damane in line. I have heard of other cases like this since coming here, and I want to be a part of something that stands up to that abuse."

[Jenn]

Kaia

Kaia listened as Torianin spoke, the mask of perfect serenity keeping the petite Domani's thoughts from showing. Collared. Light. There had been no collar for her, but she had been trapped too, unable to escape... No. Not here. Not now. She would not think of that now. Fear, anger, disgust welled up within her, and it took significant effort for her to push those unhelpful emotions away, the two constant presences in her mind reacting to what she was feeling. She sent back reassurance and mentally reordered her thoughts.

What this Accepted had endured... it was not something the Aes Sedai would wish on anyone. Green eyes were steady as she nodded. “Your desire to stop this kind of abuse is admirable. I... do not know how one would go up against the entire Seanchan Empire, but I am sure there are ways to achieve what you wish to do. Even if it is by freeing one collared woman at a time.” Kaia stirred at her tea before taking another sip, a hand reaching down to brush at the lace and silk that draped over her knee.

“Do you have any questions for me, Accepted? You may certainly ask them of me at any time, but once we head out into Hama Valon, there will be much to occupy your attention.” Full lips curved up in amusement, green eyes level on the former damane. The Red Aes Sedai waited, half expecting Torianin to pose a question about how the Red Ajah differed from this or that Ajah. Every other Dedicated or Accepted that had come to her had had one. Kaia did not really expect this time to be any different.

[Craig]

Ravak

Twenty-three namedays did not change the fact that Ravak felt like a little boy listening in on a conversation he knew he shouldn't be privy to. Still, he did have a cause to be here, as Kaia Sedai's Warder, although he would not be too open to reciprocating the offer. Having an Aes Sedai accompanying him and a new Drin around the Yards would just seem strange. Plus, he didn't wish to give over any impression that the Gaidin were beholden to Aes Sedai or Asha'man.

Rav had met and spoken with Seanchan before. They couldn't have easily passed for people come elsewhere from this side of the Aryth Ocean, not with those drawling accents. It made listening and understanding them a bit of a chore. Torianin was different however. Damane. Rav knew from having it explained to him how channellers were treated in the empire of Seanchan, but he couldn't quite imagine it. The bond between himself and Kaia Sedai was one thing, and he knew that could be used to control him. The treatment of damane was far beyond the pale. His jaw was set in a rictus grimace for a while before he noticed. Part of that was from Kaia's own feelings washing over him. The Warder leaned forward slightly, hard eyes watching his bondmate for any sign of actual unease from having to face a former captive of a foreign empire. He was always looking for threats, even here in the Tower, and he would happily and readily carry off this slip of a girl if needed.

The feelings of reassurance from Kaia did little to assuage his concern. There was a sliver of irritation at that. The red-haired Shienaran knew it was directly at himself, not at Torianin nor Jaryd. He didn't quite understand it, but he recognised it. She was the one that kept calling him 'dear boy', as if the cloak on the back and the pin on his shirt wasn't evidence enough that he was no mere boy. Boys just played at soldiers with wooden sticks; it was two steel blades that rested by his side.

Ravak's attention turned to Kaia's words suddenly. "Even if it is by freeing one collared woman at a time." He was only vaguely knowledgable about the threat the Seanchan Empire posed, and knew it was dangerous that he didn't know more about that threat, but this idea chimed a chord inside him. Freeing collared women. That surely had to fall under the purview of the Red Ajah, making an indentured slave out of one that should be Aes Sedai. He wondered what that crime would smell of. Despite himself he sniffed, enough to pique Kaia's attention through the bond, although she sat with a serene look of amusement on her face. There was nothing beyond Kaia's scent to detect, of course.

The Gaidin dropped his eyes back down towards the book, neither woman having actually seen him watching them. He had some questions of his own for the Accepted, but this was not his office. She was not his student, and he was not her Master. Plus, if he ever started to meddle in Kaia's affairs, she would undoubtably start meddling in his. Rav settled back into the chair, reading nothing and watching everything else.

[Leala]

Torianin was surprised at herself for not cringing at the thought of taking on the Empire. That was not her immediate goal, but the damane and sul'dam dynamic was not a thing that needed to be kept in this world. She realized after coming here that the world had changed dramatically on this side of the ocean, while the Seanchan Empire fought and struggled to keep it the way that they thought it should be. It was easy for her to accept the customs of this place, but she knew of at least one former damane here that did not feel the way that she did. She took a mental note to find out more about the girl, then realigned her thoughts.

Now was her chance to find out about the Red Ajah. She had heard a lot of things, and she apparently had found a basic understanding of their mission, but there must have been more. The orange-haired Accepted was certain that each person had their own interpretation of their own respective Ajah, and here she had the Head of the Red Ajah in front of her. She took a sip of her tea as she sorted through her thoughts. "If I may, Aes Sedai, what does the Red Ajah mean to you? What more can you add to my interpretation?" she asked. She hoped it wasn't too broad a question, or even too personal a query. But, this was the first time she had been able to sit down with someone from this Ajah. General feelings and rumors were not enough to satisfy her curiosity. She thought back for a moment about a rumor she had heard soon after coming here, that the Red Ajah had hunted male channelers before. That person had quickly been corrected, saying that it had been the wrong Red Ajah, likely the ones from the White Tower. She wondered what they did now that Saidin had been cleansed.

[Jenn]

Kaia

Kaia felt the tightness in the bond, the wary concern, and she gave herself a mental shake. Reassurance both flowed to and from the Aes Sedai and the Gaidin and she chided herself for letting that much of herself slip through to the Master of Training without realizing it.

She went still at Torianin's question, and another spike of concern came, this time from both of her bondmates. Light. She squared her shoulders and let her gaze fall onto the Accepted.

"The Grey Tower's Red Ajah, to me, is a fresh start. A way to move forward. To combat the Shadow. To deal with those that abuse power. To end suffering. To help make the lives of people better." The contralto of her voice was level and her words were measured and even. "I was once an Aes Sedai of the White Tower. I was Red Ajah there. It was not pleasant. I think many of my former Sisters joined because they disliked men, or had been slighted by one." She made a curt gesture with her hand. "I do not know if they did not wish to believe that saidin had been cleansed or if they simply did not care. Many of them thought the Black Tower was an affront to all that was good in the world. I felt as if we were going about everything all wrong.

"As you can imagine, things did not go well for me during my time there. Due to machinations beyond my control, I ended up being Stilled and put out of the White Tower." Not the entire truth, but truth enough. "Ironically, it was a Red Asha'man from the Grey Tower that brought me here. It was another Asha'man - a Yellow - that Healed me. I learned that the Red Ajah had been created here and that they are very very different from their White Tower counterpart. There is purpose to the Ajah here, one that I wanted to be a part of. It was because of abuse of power and abuse of the One Power that I was Stilled and I very much wish to see occurrences like that ended."

The Aes Sedai felt Ravak's surprise; while what had happened to her was not a secret, neither was it openly spoken of or discussed. Kaia smiled a little, letting the feeling travel through the bond as well. She did not shy away from it. Others rarely asked; the Accepted had, however indirectly, and so the Red answered honestly. It was personal, for her, and she was not ashamed of that fact.

Green eyes became hard and she looked at Torianin. "There is danger in what we do and in how we do about doing it. You must have a care not to become the very thing which you fight against. Do you understand?"

[Leala]

Whether or not any cues were given in Kaia's response to Torianin's question were noticeable did not matter. The Accepted felt for a moment that she had pried too deeply, but she reminded herself that the First Questioner did not have to answer the way that she did, with such a personal answer, if she did not want to. She would respect the dark moments of this woman's past and not press further. Kaia's next words were the ones that struck her as the ones that needed to be heard the most. There would be danger in going this path. She had faced danger before, but this would be different. This would be of her own choosing, but this was a conversation she had had with herself before. The purpose of coming to the Grey Tower was to better world, and the world was in sore need of help. If that path led her down a dark road, then she would adapt to it.

"I understand," she said, nodding solemnly. "I will do my best to forge ahead on the path that the Grey Tower has set and help forge it still." Something in her wondered if that sounded too cryptic, but just as she had respected Kaia's past, the Aes Sedai seemed willing to respect Torianin's as well. "I am ready," she indicated. "That is my only question for now." She gave Kaia a polite smile, to show that she was willing to go.

[Jenn]

Kaia

Kaia's look was steady as she lifted herself gracefully to her feet. She did not need to look to know that Ravak had also risen to his feet, the book that the dear boy had been pretending to read set down onto the side table. The Accepted rose as well, and the Aes Sedai nodded briefly to the younger woman.

"I will meet you by the main gates in an hour. Be sure you change out of those banded whites into something less conspicuous." Her voice was pleasant.

After the Accepted left, she turned to find that her Warder was looking at her warily. Kaia returned the look with an arched eyebrow, brushing against the second knot of emotions in her mind. Jaryd answered with a similar sensation, his touch lingering. "Yes, I know. I will be changing as well. You'll have to try to blend in as well."

The Gaidin scratched at his beard. "Why this particular merchant? There are others you could have picked out."

She made her way through the doorway that lead to the study she shared with Jaryd, her delicate steps taking her towards her private rooms as she spoke over her shoulder. "This one did not seem too horrible." Ravak followed her right up to the door. "I am not trying to coddle the girl but I don't want to frighten her away either," she waved her hand absently. Amusement flared up between them, Kaia grinning. "Besides, I like jewelry."

He shook his head a little, the muscular frame doing little to keep her from sensing the laughter he did not share.

----

The Red Aes Sedai was clad in greys and browns, the muted colours failing to disguise the fine silk of the Tairen cut dress. Ravak led the way, and Kaia glanced over to the Accepted that walked next to her without Serpent Ring or banded hems. Though their pace was leisurely, the Shienaran felt alert and focused.

"Torianin, I would like to know what your thoughts are on why I had you change out of your uniform. Why do you think I had you do such a thing?"