Her companion was unusually silent as Meriana guided her mare toward the Grey Tower, just now visible on the horizon. She didn’t blame her. Meri didn’t know how long Aureli had been a part of the White Tower. To have to leave your home for a new one had to be difficult. Even though it was her decision to leave, she still missed her own family and friends back in Saldaea. She would miss her father laughing off her mother’s insecurities. She would miss her mother fussing that she needed to act more like a lady. She would miss her older brother coming over every now and then to give some news on his own family. The farmgirl had even given thought to going back, but she needed to find out more about her connection with wolves. And she also had an Aes Sedai to deliver. Well…she used to be Aes Sedai. Aureli still acted like she was one, though.
“Aureli,” she said tentatively. The woman could get testy about the strangest things.
After a moment, the other woman said, “Yes?”
“I know you are… er… were Aes Sedai. And, I’ve tried to keep from asking you so many questions,” she said with a laugh. She glanced behind her to see her companion riding behind her. The last time they had shared a saddle, Aureli had been nearly dead, and Meri had been exhausted from digging her out of the ground. Now, the former Aes Sedai gave her an attentive look.
“Hm…well, you did save my life,” her companion said with a smile. “And you have also helped me, by bringing me to the Grey Tower. Ask away, and I will do my best to answer. I owe you that much. But, understand that sometimes I cannot answer fully for your own safety.” The tone in her voice changed at that last bit, but she did not have to be told twice.
Meri remembered the peril she had found the Tairen woman in when they first met. She did not want to know what had happened, and she would not ask. Not yet, anyway. “Well…I’m curious. You look perhaps a year or two older than me, but you have gray in your hair. How old are you?”
Aureli shifted behind her. “I’m so old that my arm rotted off before you found me.” That made Meri laugh, and the other laughed as well. The woman was taking far too much advantage of being able to lie. One of the first things that she had learned about her companion was that she was born with only her left arm. “Truly, though…I am over two hundred years old.”
Meri was silent for a moment as she rode forward, the city of Hama Valon becoming a bit more visible. “Blood and ashes…” She believed the woman who sat behind her.
“I was Aes Sedai for a number of years before the taint was cleansed from Saidin. I remember when the Black Tower was in its infancy, and when the Grey Tower was founded. I would warn you, though…it is considered extremely rude to ask a sister her age in the White Tower. I am not sure about the Grey Tower, but if you’d like to swim away from a school of lion fish, keep that kind of curiosity to yourself.”
They shared another laugh, but Meri became quiet for a while. This next question would be difficult, and she wasn’t sure how to ask it.
Aureli
“Aureli,” she said tentatively. The woman could get testy about the strangest things.
After a moment, the other woman said, “Yes?”
“I know you are… er… were Aes Sedai. And, I’ve tried to keep from asking you so many questions,” she said with a laugh. She glanced behind her to see her companion riding behind her. The last time they had shared a saddle, Aureli had been nearly dead, and Meri had been exhausted from digging her out of the ground. Now, the former Aes Sedai gave her an attentive look.
“Hm…well, you did save my life,” her companion said with a smile. “And you have also helped me, by bringing me to the Grey Tower. Ask away, and I will do my best to answer. I owe you that much. But, understand that sometimes I cannot answer fully for your own safety.” The tone in her voice changed at that last bit, but she did not have to be told twice.
Meri remembered the peril she had found the Tairen woman in when they first met. She did not want to know what had happened, and she would not ask. Not yet, anyway. “Well…I’m curious. You look perhaps a year or two older than me, but you have gray in your hair. How old are you?”
Aureli shifted behind her. “I’m so old that my arm rotted off before you found me.” That made Meri laugh, and the other laughed as well. The woman was taking far too much advantage of being able to lie. One of the first things that she had learned about her companion was that she was born with only her left arm. “Truly, though…I am over two hundred years old.”
Meri was silent for a moment as she rode forward, the city of Hama Valon becoming a bit more visible. “Blood and ashes…” She believed the woman who sat behind her.
“I was Aes Sedai for a number of years before the taint was cleansed from Saidin. I remember when the Black Tower was in its infancy, and when the Grey Tower was founded. I would warn you, though…it is considered extremely rude to ask a sister her age in the White Tower. I am not sure about the Grey Tower, but if you’d like to swim away from a school of lion fish, keep that kind of curiosity to yourself.”
They shared another laugh, but Meri became quiet for a while. This next question would be difficult, and she wasn’t sure how to ask it.
If Aureli had been completely truthful with Meriana about her age, she would have told her that she had lost count of it. It stopped seeming important to keep the exact number after a number of years past one hundred. Now, all that seemed important was finding Kalipha and making her pay. She had to use the old rosebud technique she had learned all those years ago as a novice in order to quell the anger that began to well up in her. She had to be calculating and cautious in order to enact that. Her first act would be to be Healed. It was not lost on her that there was nothing waiting for her to embrace when she assumed the rosebud. It was not as devastating as it had been at first. Besides, that tower was her new start. She would find what she needed there. She wondered what sort of place had both Aes Sedai and Asha’man working together.
She focused her thoughts on the young woman in front of her. Meri’s brown hair was pulled into a bun, and had small blue blossoms in it today. Her savior had a sword on her hip, and she thought perhaps a few knives. She was not sure if she knew how to use either, though. Looking past her again, the city seemed much closer, and Aureli had been expecting more questions. She did not necessarily want to answer, but she wondered what Meriana was thinking. “Is that the only question you had for me?”
Meri jumped a bit, and her head turned to the right to glance behind her. She blinked her eyes, then turned her head back to the road. “No, there was another question, but… it is difficult to ask.”
Aureli hadn’t been expecting that. Most people are bubbling over with questions when they met an Aes Sedai, but Meriana had met an Aes Sedai who had been buried alive. Perhaps it wasn’t so unusual that she would be hesitant then. “Ask it any way you wish, Meriana. I will answer, if I can.” She tried to make her voice conversational, like they were longtime friends, but her tone sounded more like a teacher comforting a student.
Meriana tapped her fingers against the reigns for a moment as she considered.
“If it is troubling you that much, ask it now before we reach town.”
“I, um…” The usually confident young woman sighed, then scratched her head in thought. “Before you were… captured, perhaps right before…” That was a difficult time to think about for Aureli, but she decided to listen, anyway. “Did you… offer healing to a wolf?” Aureli froze, and she felt the color drain from her face. “It was an older one, lots of gray in its fur.”
“How did you know that?” The question was automatic, and so was its harsh tone. Had this girl had something to do with her capture? Was taking her to the Grey Tower a trap? Had she not learned from her last encounter? Now, she was completely defenseless. No Warder, no Saidar. Just her and her desperation never to let that happen again.
Meri shook her head and held up a hand. “Don’t worry, it’s… it’s actually how I found you. I’m… not sure what to make of it myself. The night I found you, I had started to feel the presence of… wolves. They started running in one direction, and the thing that made me follow them was… it was an impression they gave me…I think. Someone had healed one of them, and now they were in danger. Then, I followed them, to help. We started digging, and…”
“And, you found me.” She thought her savior was sparing her quite a few details, but that seemed to be where the story was going.
Meri nodded and sighed. “I don’t know if I’m going crazy or what under the Light is going on.”
“I have heard of something like that,” Aureli said, trying to reassure her. “But I don’t know anything about it. Surely someone in the Grey Tower will.”
The young woman seated in front of her seemed to relax a bit. “Maybe this is where the Pattern is leading me. Perhaps I’ll find what I need at the Grey Tower too.”
Meriana
She focused her thoughts on the young woman in front of her. Meri’s brown hair was pulled into a bun, and had small blue blossoms in it today. Her savior had a sword on her hip, and she thought perhaps a few knives. She was not sure if she knew how to use either, though. Looking past her again, the city seemed much closer, and Aureli had been expecting more questions. She did not necessarily want to answer, but she wondered what Meriana was thinking. “Is that the only question you had for me?”
Meri jumped a bit, and her head turned to the right to glance behind her. She blinked her eyes, then turned her head back to the road. “No, there was another question, but… it is difficult to ask.”
Aureli hadn’t been expecting that. Most people are bubbling over with questions when they met an Aes Sedai, but Meriana had met an Aes Sedai who had been buried alive. Perhaps it wasn’t so unusual that she would be hesitant then. “Ask it any way you wish, Meriana. I will answer, if I can.” She tried to make her voice conversational, like they were longtime friends, but her tone sounded more like a teacher comforting a student.
Meriana tapped her fingers against the reigns for a moment as she considered.
“If it is troubling you that much, ask it now before we reach town.”
“I, um…” The usually confident young woman sighed, then scratched her head in thought. “Before you were… captured, perhaps right before…” That was a difficult time to think about for Aureli, but she decided to listen, anyway. “Did you… offer healing to a wolf?” Aureli froze, and she felt the color drain from her face. “It was an older one, lots of gray in its fur.”
“How did you know that?” The question was automatic, and so was its harsh tone. Had this girl had something to do with her capture? Was taking her to the Grey Tower a trap? Had she not learned from her last encounter? Now, she was completely defenseless. No Warder, no Saidar. Just her and her desperation never to let that happen again.
Meri shook her head and held up a hand. “Don’t worry, it’s… it’s actually how I found you. I’m… not sure what to make of it myself. The night I found you, I had started to feel the presence of… wolves. They started running in one direction, and the thing that made me follow them was… it was an impression they gave me…I think. Someone had healed one of them, and now they were in danger. Then, I followed them, to help. We started digging, and…”
“And, you found me.” She thought her savior was sparing her quite a few details, but that seemed to be where the story was going.
Meri nodded and sighed. “I don’t know if I’m going crazy or what under the Light is going on.”
“I have heard of something like that,” Aureli said, trying to reassure her. “But I don’t know anything about it. Surely someone in the Grey Tower will.”
The young woman seated in front of her seemed to relax a bit. “Maybe this is where the Pattern is leading me. Perhaps I’ll find what I need at the Grey Tower too.”
Meriana dismounted Feather and helped Aureli down when they arrived at the Gates of the Grey Tower. The other woman still hadn’t regained all of her strength from her months at the hands of enemies. She settled her horse for a moment while she looked at the city behind her. It wasn’t as grand as she had heard that Tar Valon was. Her companion didn’t talk about her storied former home a lot, and she didn’t prod. Light, you’ve been in the company of a woman over two centuries old and you wasted all those opportunities… She had never been interested in the stories of Aes Sedai, really. Their Warders on the other hand… they had some thrilling tales.
“Welcome to the Grey Tower.” Meri turned around when she heard the words spoken by a gruff man. Aureli turned her head and motioned for her to follow as the Gates opened.
The Saldaean girl moved to follow her friend, but stopped when the guard said, “Leave your weapons at the Gates, Mistress.”
Rounding on the guard, Meri wanted to make a retort. She wasn’t especially trained in the sword, but she knew a few things… Still, a fortress like this… Reluctantly, she took her sword and sheath out of her belt, handing it to the guard. He made a motion with his hand, and she took the knives out of her sleeves and boots as well. She left her name with the guard, then went to follow Aureli as a stablehand took Feather to the stables.
The Tairen woman lifted a thin black brow. “Are you sure you’re not here to train here as a Warder?” she asked sarcastically.
Meri shrugged. “I hadn’t considered it, but… maybe.”
“Light, maybe one of these days, you’ll learn to think ahead of yourself a bit,” the Tairen grumbled as they walked toward the Tower.
“What did you say to the guards to get them to open the Gates?” she asked ignoring the jab. Even though she was a good half a foot taller than the other woman, at least, she found herself having to run a few steps to catch up with her. She needed help getting down from Feather’s saddle, but now she had been granted permission to seek what she wanted. Still, if Aureli’s legs decided to give out before they arrived at the Infirmary, Meri would like to be there to catch her.
“I told him that I was coming here for Healing, and that you are my escort.”
“Well…you’re mostly healed up from when I found you, but you still look like you could use some more work.”
Aureli cut her a glare. “I keep telling you that I require more Healing than that.”
“I know, I know…” Meri said with a wave of her hand. “Something about your connection to the One Power. It was a poorly-timed joke.” As the two walked in silence, the young woman looked at the people walking around.
There were all kinds, but she noticed that a large amount of the men walked around in black coats, while a large number of women walked around in white dresses. Others wore their own clothes, but the uniforms were immediately recognizable. She watched as a pair of people wearing color-shifting cloaks walked by, deep in conversation.
Before she realized it, she had followed Aureli all the way into the Grey Tower.
Aureli “Welcome to the Grey Tower.” Meri turned around when she heard the words spoken by a gruff man. Aureli turned her head and motioned for her to follow as the Gates opened.
The Saldaean girl moved to follow her friend, but stopped when the guard said, “Leave your weapons at the Gates, Mistress.”
Rounding on the guard, Meri wanted to make a retort. She wasn’t especially trained in the sword, but she knew a few things… Still, a fortress like this… Reluctantly, she took her sword and sheath out of her belt, handing it to the guard. He made a motion with his hand, and she took the knives out of her sleeves and boots as well. She left her name with the guard, then went to follow Aureli as a stablehand took Feather to the stables.
The Tairen woman lifted a thin black brow. “Are you sure you’re not here to train here as a Warder?” she asked sarcastically.
Meri shrugged. “I hadn’t considered it, but… maybe.”
“Light, maybe one of these days, you’ll learn to think ahead of yourself a bit,” the Tairen grumbled as they walked toward the Tower.
“What did you say to the guards to get them to open the Gates?” she asked ignoring the jab. Even though she was a good half a foot taller than the other woman, at least, she found herself having to run a few steps to catch up with her. She needed help getting down from Feather’s saddle, but now she had been granted permission to seek what she wanted. Still, if Aureli’s legs decided to give out before they arrived at the Infirmary, Meri would like to be there to catch her.
“I told him that I was coming here for Healing, and that you are my escort.”
“Well…you’re mostly healed up from when I found you, but you still look like you could use some more work.”
Aureli cut her a glare. “I keep telling you that I require more Healing than that.”
“I know, I know…” Meri said with a wave of her hand. “Something about your connection to the One Power. It was a poorly-timed joke.” As the two walked in silence, the young woman looked at the people walking around.
There were all kinds, but she noticed that a large amount of the men walked around in black coats, while a large number of women walked around in white dresses. Others wore their own clothes, but the uniforms were immediately recognizable. She watched as a pair of people wearing color-shifting cloaks walked by, deep in conversation.
Before she realized it, she had followed Aureli all the way into the Grey Tower.
The Grey Tower was different from the White Tower, this was certain. Aes Sedai and Asha’man walked as equals, and she even felt the Warders were equals as well. It was a Warder trainee who had pointed her toward the Infirmary. She had not told a soul exactly why she was here, just that she needed to be seen by a Yellow. Aureli looked just like a slip of a girl who hadn’t eaten in weeks, wearing clothes that were far too big for her. Even if she was not this emaciated, these garments would be too big. Meriana was over half a foot taller than her, easy.
She certainly didn’t look like an Aes Sedai anymore.
The Tairen noticed something as she walked through the Grey Tower. Some Brothers and Sisters had a pin that obviously denoted…something, while others did not. She even noticed what seemed to be a new Ajah as she saw a Sister stroll by in an indigo shawl. Aureli decided not to ask until she was Healed and made it known that she wished to join the Grey Tower. Certainly they had a process for something like this.
As the two ascended the stairs, she wondered about the girl behind her. Meriana had saved her life, but the power that allowed her to do that was a mystery to both of them. Aureli knew hardly anything about wolf’s connection to man, but she had heard that there was one, a rare occurrence. She wished she could have sicked wolves on those that had captured her, but no. They would pay another way, and she would start with Kalipha.
She had given thought to taking another name, to hide herself from her enemies, but when an attending Dedicated asked for her name, she told him, “Aureli Yenda.”
“What is it that you’ll be seen for today?” he asked in a procedural voice.
“I need an Asha’man skilled in Healing to mend my connection to the One Power,” she said matter-of-factly.
The young man’s pen stopped over the page he had been scribbling on. He looked at her, or rather her expression. She had ascended the stairs, and there was not a drop of sweat on her brow. The Aes Sedai trick of not being affected by temperatures was not related to the One Power. If one was attentive enough, one would recognize her for what she had been. “Ah,” he said, tapping the paper with the other end of his pen as he looked around for one. “Give me a moment, Aes Sedai,” the Dedicated said in a professional voice as he left to find someone.
Aureli waited patiently, Meriana behind her, not sure what to do with herself. I like this place, Meriana, she thought, rather than spoke. She needed to maintain her placid demeanor for the time being. I think the Pattern led us here.
She certainly didn’t look like an Aes Sedai anymore.
The Tairen noticed something as she walked through the Grey Tower. Some Brothers and Sisters had a pin that obviously denoted…something, while others did not. She even noticed what seemed to be a new Ajah as she saw a Sister stroll by in an indigo shawl. Aureli decided not to ask until she was Healed and made it known that she wished to join the Grey Tower. Certainly they had a process for something like this.
As the two ascended the stairs, she wondered about the girl behind her. Meriana had saved her life, but the power that allowed her to do that was a mystery to both of them. Aureli knew hardly anything about wolf’s connection to man, but she had heard that there was one, a rare occurrence. She wished she could have sicked wolves on those that had captured her, but no. They would pay another way, and she would start with Kalipha.
She had given thought to taking another name, to hide herself from her enemies, but when an attending Dedicated asked for her name, she told him, “Aureli Yenda.”
“What is it that you’ll be seen for today?” he asked in a procedural voice.
“I need an Asha’man skilled in Healing to mend my connection to the One Power,” she said matter-of-factly.
The young man’s pen stopped over the page he had been scribbling on. He looked at her, or rather her expression. She had ascended the stairs, and there was not a drop of sweat on her brow. The Aes Sedai trick of not being affected by temperatures was not related to the One Power. If one was attentive enough, one would recognize her for what she had been. “Ah,” he said, tapping the paper with the other end of his pen as he looked around for one. “Give me a moment, Aes Sedai,” the Dedicated said in a professional voice as he left to find someone.
Aureli waited patiently, Meriana behind her, not sure what to do with herself. I like this place, Meriana, she thought, rather than spoke. She needed to maintain her placid demeanor for the time being. I think the Pattern led us here.
