To Tie Up Loose Ends [Attn: Craig] COMPLETE

[Jenny]

Follows from the MRP thread, Act 1: They See Me Emmond

Emmond noticed the way Elia's voice took on a slight Cairhienin accent as she held up the book on Tel'aran'rhoid, and felt a wave of amusement. No doubt that the Shienaran beauty had picked that up from the Mistress of Novices. He smiled warmly at her and nearly laughed out loud when her cheeks flushed even redder.

"Mirin, turn off the lamp," he said. He took a seat next to the young Indigo sister and leaned over the Accepted laying in the bed. "What is her name?"

"Jalisa Andomer," said Mirin. Her tone was flat. Emmond turned to look over his shoulder. The dark-haired woman was frowning at the lamp, her slender fingers fiddling with the latch that held open the cover. He seized saidin and channeled a thin thread of Air to flip the latch and plunge the windowless room into darkness.

With his senses enhanced by the Power, he heard Mirin hiss quietly through her teeth. Lovely. He laughed under his breath as he reached through the dark to touch Elia's arm. Her skin was soft, and her Great Serpent ring was smooth to the touch. He ran his thumb along back of her arm.

"I do not need the ter'angreal to enter the World of Dreams, Elia. Sleep and I will find you. And Mirin, please stay and keep watch," he said.

He leaned back into the chair, his hand still brushing Elia's arm, and closed his eyes. Slow, deep breaths, in and out.

-----

"Elia! It is just a dream!"

"But it's so...."

"ELIA!! NO!"

He stretched out with his hand though his reach fell short. With all the force he could muster, he strained to bend the world to his will.

-----

Emmond leapt out of the chair with a shout and hit his foot against the frame of the bed. Pain shot up his leg. He cursed. His skin prickled and a globe of light appeared. Mirin rushed to him, her eyes wide with alarm, but he shook his head.

"Elia," he said, hoarsely. "Delve her." What the bloody hell was that? He had walked in dreams for decades, yet he had never seen anything like the nightmare that had chased them. Jalisa was awake now and screaming her bloody head off. Emmond seized saidin and used weaves of Air to tie her to the bed. Then he wove a ward of silence to shut out the noise. He tied the weave and her cries abruptly stopped, leaving the room eerily silent. The back of his neck prickled. He spun around, almost expecting to see those eyes. There was only blank, stone wall. I'm awake, he reminded himself, barely suppressing a shudder. He glanced at Jalisa. Oh Light, I hope that I am not going mad.

Mirin bent over the younger Aes Sedai. The prickling on his skin grew stronger. Emmond watched her, chewing his lip worriedly. Elia. Young, bright, beautiful Elia. So talented. So useful. Emmond recruited his people carefully. Each was introduced to the Shadow only after years of observation. And once they joined the Black Ajah, he watched them jealously. His people.... my people. Elia had been nearly paralyzed in the nightmare that had swallowed them. Emmond hoped that her mind had not been damaged beyond repair.

Suddenly, her eyes opened, revealing a lovely shade of green, darkened by the lamplight. The prickling stopped.

"Is she well?"

"Yes," answered Mirin. "A little tense, but unhurt. In both body and mind." She shot him a meaningful look, and Emmond let out a breath that he hadn't realized he was holding. He moved to kneel before Elia.

"Can you stand?"

She nodded. He helped her to her feet.

"Go rest, Elia," he said. Her forehead crinkled.

"Wait. Don't we need to talk about what happened?"

She glanced at Mirin. Emmond felt a twinge of irritation.

"We can talk later," he said, firmly. "You need to rest. Now."

Almost, he thought she was going to refuse. But then she pulled away and walked to the door. As soon as the door closed, Mirin moved forward. Emmond wrapped her in his arms, trying not to tremble. How did she remain so steady? They stood quietly, finding comfort in each other's warmth.

His thoughts turned again to the nightmare. Dreams must be interpreted, but most were fickle and lead the interpreter astray. He did not understand the eyes nor the wings nor the fire. But he remembered the crumbling tower in the distance, a mere glimpse seen through a cloud of smoke and lightning, and he knew what that meant.

"The Tower is in danger," he whispered.

Mirin tensed. "We need to tell the Supreme Council," she said. Emmond nodded absently. She did not know that he was part of the Supreme Council and the leader of the entire Black Ajah. It was a secret well-kept by weaves of disguise and voice modulation.

"Yes. I will tell them. And we must prepare to fight."

"What? Fight?! Emmond, this is not our fight! We fight for the Great Lord, and Him alone. We must flee. The Great Lord is the only one who -"

He cut her off. "Spare me your false piety. The Great Lord will not help us. We fight, not for the Tower, but for our survival. You will send messages to those of your heart to prepare for war. Tonight." So much needed to be done. So little time.

"Emmond." Her voice trembled faintly, finally betraying her fear. "I don't want to fight."

Too late, he remembered that Mirin had never seen war. He cupped her chin tenderly.

"We will fight whether you like it or not, my dear."

[Jenny]

After the MRP. Follows from, Act 2.2: Cloak and Dagger Mirin

The building was crowded with people both living and dead, and in all degrees in between. It could be difficult to tell apart the living from the dead, and so all were brought here for identification or Healing.

Mirin pushed her way through the crowd. Her silk dress hung in bloody tatters and the ragged edge trailed behind her. She had just woken from her injuries and found herself in the arms of Ravak Gaidin. Of all the people in the Tower, it had to be that bloody red-headed Shienaran warrior. She didn't have any real reason to be angry - in fact, she should probably be thankful that he and his sister saved her life - but the mood seemed to fit the occasion. Despite Ravak's strange and annoying protectiveness, she had argued her way out of her sickbed. It had not been very difficult. The Gaidin had agreed that there were many others who needed the bed, and she had stormed off as soon as she could walk without becoming dizzy and falling over her own feet.

Her quarry was difficult to find. After questioning a few brothers and sisters of the Grey Ajah, she realized that no one had seen him since the to'raken had breached the Tower walls. So she began to search among the injured with a terrible feeling of dread.

She did not love him. She did not even like him. There were times when she hated him. But she needed to find him to reassure herself that even in all this horror there was one piece of certainty that she could cling to. The Black Ajah had both costs and benefits, but Emmond never failed her.

When she had searched all the rooms and all the halls and looked in every single bed - twice - she finally walked outside to the area where the dead were kept. Mirin did not cry often, but tears of frustration began to fall. She did not want to search among the dead. Not only did she fear his death, but also she did not want to see the young women lying lifeless among the bodies. They should not have been caught in the fighting - yet there had been novices and Accepted found in the rubble. They were her students, and her responsibility. She had failed each and every one of them, and there were too many for her to bear.

I will think of it another day, she thought. First, she needed to find him.

The dead were laid out in long rows. Parents wailed for their children; children cried for their parents. Families gathered around their loved ones, while others searched alone. At the edge of the field, a man sat on the ground, staring emptily into the distance. Mirin paced the rows and looked into face after face. Hours passed. Slowly, her anger and frustration faded into numbing despair. Her knees gave away and she, too, fell to the ground. She cradled her head in her hands.

A shadow fell over her. "Missus? Missus... oh, I'm so sorry, Aes Sedai. I didn't mean to startle you. Are you looking for someone?"

Mirin looked up into the face of a kindly, older man. "Yes," she said. "A man. He looks like he's in his thirties, maybe forties. Dark hair and dark eyes. He is Andoran and tall, and may be carrying a sword, and knives."

She watched him hopefully.

He shook his head. "That could be anyone," he said. "Is there anything distinctive about him?"

He has a mole on his left earlobe, she thought, and then grimaced at her own foolishness.

"He's missing a finger. The little finger of his left hand," she said.

He blinked, and then pointed across the field at the man sitting on the ground. "You may want to talk to him," he said. Then he lowered his voice. "Make some noise when you approach. He cannot see. I hope you find who you seek, Aes Sedai. If not, please let me know. I am a burier and will be working here all day."

He helped Mirin to her feet and tipped his hat to her before walking away. Mirin stared after him, confused. Why was he sending her to a blind man to help her search for Emmond? It made no sense.

She turned to look at the man he had pointed at and frowned. She took one step toward him and squinted, shading her eyes from the sun. Then abruptly, she broke into a run.

[Craig]

Ravak

Ravak scowled as Mirin defiantly marched away, after having forced her side of the argument through. She looked nothing like the Mistress of Novices, nor even an Aes Sedai, with the way the blood-red silk was torn and distressed. Just a bloody difficult woman, he thought, turning away. Rav had hoped for an explanation to any of a variety of questions. What was Mirin doing in Hama Valon? Why was she alone? Did she send up that blue flare? Who had injured her, and why did they not kill her? Who was Emmond? At least Rav could reason out why Mirin had been calling for Betrys, and her mother. He glanced back after the Cairheinin, but she was already lost to the crowd of bodies that moved around. Of course, Mirin did not have to answer any questions, but it was frustrating how little gratitude she had shown. He gave himself a rueful shake, then started to make his own way through the crowds.

The Gaidin's scowl didn't lessen as he moved through the building, but it took him a while to recognise that the emotions he felt wasn't solely coming from himself. The bond seemed softened somehow, but Elia's anger and frustration was coming through nonetheless. He looked up, and noticed that he was inadvertently heading straight for his sister. Rav made himself stop, his boots scuffing against the wooden floor. This was going to be another problem. It was hard to muster up any sense of offence from being bonded against his will, when that very act had saved his life, but it was still that case that Elia had bonded him. Rav had never played at the overprotective brother role. Even if he was the taller and broader Darrow, Elia was the eldest, if only by three minutes. Elia was also the smartest, and the more charismatic of the two siblings. In that light, it was hard to justify any sense of needing to play bodyguard. Of course, the bond changed that. The Grey Tower was still under attack, and both of their lives were at immediate risk. If this battle ended with only Elia's death, it would have destroyed Rav. With the bond, that destruction would be quite literal instead of just metaphorical.

Rav's vision refocused, and a pair of malachite green eyes stared back in the distance. Elia looked worse than before, her dress even more bloody as she pulled a sheet over somebody's head. Resignation flowed around the anger and frustration. Maybe I don't need to worry about either of us surviving. Rav trusted Elia explicitly, and now he could feel her emotions...

A wave of warmth and tenderness and love seemed to come from nowhere, and he smiled in response. With a nod half to himself and half to his sister, Rav began to pick his way past the beds. He had almost died today, and no matter what tomorrow brought, he needed to sleep. With his hands resting on the pommels of his swords, Ravak Gaidin stepped outside into the glare of a burning sun, with a silent prayer that this would not be his last sunset.

[Jenny]

A few days later Mirin

Life is so unfair, thought Mirin as she watched Jalisa rocking back and forth on her bed. Even after the Seanchan attack, even after all the blood that had been spilled to miraculously save the Tower, the Accepted had not gotten better. The mercenaries deserved to die. The Seanchan invaders deserved to die. But Jalisa did not.

Yet it had to be done. Jalisa was wasting away. She had been losing weight since she refused to eat. She tried to bite whomever fed her and whimpered miserably like a caged animal when held down with the Power. She had also begun to self-harm and her arms and legs were covered in sores and scabs that she constantly picked at. It was inhumane to keep her alive.

There was a knock on the door, then it opened to reveal a sister of the Indigo Ajah. Mirin was ready - as Jalisa lunged for the door, she wrapped the girl with threads of Air and held her away from attacking Elia.

"Good morning," said Mirin, mildly. "What a pity that we have to put her down like a rabid dog. Thank you for coming, Elia. I can't lift her myself but I didn't want to frighten anyone who hasn't already seen her. Can you help me hold her? Good."

Elia pinned the girl down with threads of Air. Mirin reached deep into the pool of saidar and drew out threads of all five powers. Fine, delicate threads - this weave was a small one and required absolute precision. Fire, Earth and Spirit wrapped in a tangled web and laced with silky traces of Water and Air. Not as complex as Compulsion, yet much harder for Mirin to weave. She did not use it often. Only a minute passed, yet time seemed to stretch and slow. Finally it was done.

"I'm sorry Jalisa," whispered Mirin. She tied the final knot. The weave settled over Jalisa's body and disappeared. The young woman gasped - her eyes rolled back into her head - and then her body fell limp.

[Craig]

Elia

Ravak's presence numbed to a dull awareness as Elia muted the bond. She needed a Warder, and as he hadn't yet asked for the bond to be severed, he was a stand-in. It did play on Elia's thoughts that should anything 'untoward' happen to her, their parents would lose both children in one fell swoop.

She pulled her shawl up around her shoulders. Since the invasion, the people of Hama Valon needed something to rally around. Aes Sedai proudly displaying their shawls and Asha'man with their coloured cords; that was a beacon of strength. They had not been cowed, would not be cowed by such an attempt to wipe them from the world. It was important that the Grey Tower rebuilt itself quickly, so that Hama Valon could recover in suit.

Elia mentally shook herself. She was thinking like an Aes Sedai, not like... well, a member of the Black Ajah. This would be an ideal moment to strike. No, the moment to strike would have been during the attack. Had the Amrylin or the M'Hael or the Mistress of Arms died? No, in spite of the situation that had played out. Even the Hall was unscathed, as far as she could gather. What use was the Black Ajah when it sat on its hands and did nothing whilst outsiders - and other servants of the Great Lord - sought out their own rewards.

She ran her hands needlessly across her dress. She was resplendent in a dark blue silk dress, accented with dark ivory lace around the collar and cuffs, in the Cairheinin fashion; the irony of whom she was about to meet was not lost on her. Moonstones were arrayed in her bright hair by a fine netting of gold thread. Was it a little ostentatious? Perhaps. But you couldn't fault a woman for wanting to look her best.

The Sitter came to a stop in one of the seldom-used corridors under the Tower. She gave a perfunctory knock, then opened the door. Inside, as expected, stood Mirin Sedai. What Elia didn't anticipate was Jalisa attempting to leap at her just as the glow of saidar enveloped her in trappings of Air. The crazed Accepted was held back, comfortably out of reach. Mirin had clearly been waiting for her, and expecting this was Jalisa. Elia glided in around the Accepted, closing the door behind her.

"Good morning," Mirin said in a placid tone. "What a pity that we have to put her down like a rabid dog. Thank you for coming, Elia. I can't lift her myself, but I didn't want to frighten anyone who hasn't already seen her." That seemed like an understatement. Elia had delved quite literally into Jalisa's madness, and even she was taken aback by the physical transformation that had come to pass. Goosebumps prickled along Elia's skin at the thought of what had happened with Emmond. Tel'aran'rhiod was one domain the Shienaran was happy to avoid.

"Can you help me hold her?" Mirin continued, just as calmly as before. Without really thinking about the request, Elia embraced saidar and took over control of the weave from Mirin. "Good." Elia adjusted the weaves, moving Jalisa back onto the bed, and restraining her there. If the girl was sane, she could have embraced the Source herself and tried to fight back. Her eyes rolled back into her skull, her jaw working soundlessly. Even with all of the death that everyone had witnessed in the last week, this was a new horror. For what it was worth, Elia maintained a stoic visage.

Saidar was spun into being by the Mistress of Novices like a master seamstress. Elia told feel the different elements of the Power coming together, but the weaving was too tight and minuscule to follow with the eye. That pricked at Elia like an biteme on her skin. Whatever it was took a long time to come together, then the ball of saidar vanished into Jalisa. "I'm sorry, Jalisa." It was barely a whisper from Mirin, but it was audible with the Power. The effect of the Blue's weave was immediate. Once more Jalisa's eyes rolled backwards, but with a gasp of pain. The Accepted strained against her bonds for just a moment before falling limp.

Elia took a measured step forward. Jalisa's chest had seized its rhythmic moving of inhalation. Whatever Mirin had done, it was a great deal more pleasant than any of Murdock's wicked concoctions. Elia unravelled the bonds of Air that held the Accepted's now dead form, but held onto saidar.

The Indigo rubbed her chin, unaware of the mock imitation of her Warder. "I can't say I'm entirely pleased by this outcome, but the girl was mad." The events of the night when they - when she and Emmond - had attempted to delve into Jalisa's mind still haunted her. "I still have questions about that encounter in Tel'aran'rhiod." For the briefest of moments, her eyes flashed with fury. "I half anticipated that Emmond would join us."

[Jenny]

Mirin pulled a sheet over the body and glanced back at the Indigo sister. Did Elia know what had happened? Mirin felt thankful that Emmond had not come. It was nearly impossible to drag him out of his rooms or persuade him to accept visitors. His temper ran thin and from the way Elia's expression had shifted, her questions would have certainly sent him flying into a rage. Surprisingly, Mirin found herself to be very patient with him. Something about nearly dying had caused a shift in her outlook. The little things didn't seem quite so important any more.

In the past, Elia's questions may have roused some irritation. Now, Mirin only looked at the Indigo sister with mild surprise. What sort of questions did Elia want to ask?

"Did you want to see him?"

[Craig]

Elia

The Indigo hadn't had the same amount of time to plan her line of attack against the Mistress of Novices as she had with Murdock. Nor did she hold any sway with Mirin like she did with the Keeper. Elia focused on the feeling of saidar within her, augmented by the angreal she had hidden on her. If they came to blows, it would be that angreal that made the difference; Mirin was far stronger in the Power normally.

Green eyes glanced down at the raven-haired woman. She chose a careful tone. "No. I merely thought with... our relationship that he may have come to oversee things." Elia took a moment to survey the Accepted's body again. It was a foolish assumption that something so minor - Light, when did I start thinking of death as minor - would be of interest to Emmond. That thought didn't soothe her frustrations any.

"I imagine he has more important business to get on with." Elia made very certain that her comment sounded like an observation instead of a question. The danger for Elia was not knowing how close Mirin was with Emmond. Did she feel the same ties of loyalties and fealty as Elia did towards her mentor, or was their relationship solely through their joint status as Friends of the Dark?

"Are you thinking of taking her body out of the Tower by Travelling?" The Indigo asked, trying to sound like the obedient follower she was. Oh how that grated, being left to run errands and dispose of problems without an inkling as to why. But the way out is through. She just didn't want it to be through decades of indentured servitude to Mirin and Emmond and whomever else. Especially when they do nothing!

[Jenny]

Light, if Emmond heard the words coming out of Elia’s mouth, then heads would be rolling. Mirin’s jaw tightened and she focused on her weave of saidar. She twisted threads of Fire, Air, and Spirit. A thin line split the air and spun open, allowing the morning light to stream into the cell.

“Yes, let’s move her. Can you lift her? Here, let me help. On the count of three..."

They stepped out into the broad, grassy plain that had been chosen as the cemetery for the Seanchan attack. It was a few miles outside of Hama Valon. The grass laid trodden flat with the steps of a hundred boots; the smell of death hung in the air. The buriers tipped their hats to the Aes Sedai and took the wrapped body without question.

Mirin picked up her skirts as they walked back to the Traveling gate. As soon as they were out of earshot, she turned to Elia. Grey eyes held a cold glint. “Are you are unsatisfied with your work, Elia? If you would prefer oversight, that could be arranged. Though perhaps not with Emmond. He was injured in the attack."

The sky brightened as the sun continued rising in the sky. Her expression softened as she considered her options. A small bubble of worry was worming its way through her gut. Something needs to be done about him, she thought. He could not be as reliable was he once was, yet he was too valuable to ignore. She imagined herself taking his place. Did she even have the capability - or the time? Emmond, much like herself, did not write notes and held his secrets close. His information network was a mystery to her. And he worked long hours. Doubtlessly, Mirin would not be able to devote the time alongside her duties as Mistress of Novices.

Change was coming. Blood had been spilled and wolves were circling, ready to pounce. Questions ran through her mind, questions that had persisted ever since she had found Emmond sitting alone in the field of death. What would happen next? Who would seize the reins? Where were the members of the Supreme Council - and what would they do?

What if she was ordered to murder Emmond? The thought made her blood run cold. She did not want to kill Emmond - she didn't even want to try - and most likely she wouldn't succeed. Even blind, he was still much too dangerous to challenge. At least not alone. But there had already been hints of unrest. Liliandra of the Yellow Ajah had approached her in the infirmary and heavily implied that perhaps Emmond should be put out of his misery. Mirin's lips twisted in distaste. There was something sick about the Yellow sister, but Mirin kept her suspicions to herself.

The best case scenario would be to transfer power bloodlessly with his cooperation. Yet this would be extremely difficult as Emmond would certainly resist.

She took a deep breath. "His injuries are mildly concerning. There may be some change in the near future," she said.

She watched the Indigo sister out of the corner of her eye. Elia's expression remained a portrait of Aes Sedai calm. The girl had wanted power, and so Mirin had taught her Compulsion and brought her into the Black Ajah. Yet she would not be surprised if Elia remained unsatisfied. There had been too much anger earlier in the cell, and Emmond's disability certainly provided opportunity for Elia's ambition.

[Craig]

Elia

A chill ran through the Shienaran when Mirin mentioned oversight. As far as Elia understood, Mirin was already overseeing her duties within the Ajah. If that wasn't the case, then maybe there were more eyes watching her than she expected. But whom? A knot of worry began to form in her stomach. It could literally be anyone. She'd already been surprised by the stations of the Great Lord's agents, both high and low. There was no feasible way to conceal her entire scheme from everyone. Maybe no-one had seen her in the library with Murdock, but people would have known they were both in the library at the same time. How close a watch did they keep? Did they monitor all of her meetings and appointments? No, I can't think like this, or I'll be scared of shadows. The bitter imagery of that thought was not lost on her.

A second chill ran through her, but it was not an unpleasant one. Emmond was injured? That almost seemed too convenient to be coincidence. But why would Mirin mention it? And "There may be some change in the near future." Was Mirin not-so-subtly hinting at Emmond's impending demise? A rush of jealousy surged through her; she couldn't let Mirin get the upper hand! She'd already given her key bargaining chip to Murdock, and he may not come aboard if Mirin seized control first. Elia didn't want to serve the woman who had dragged her into this mess for perpetuity.

Elia thought about what to say next to the Cairhienin. The Indigo was still resolved into affecting change within the Ajah, but things had progressed beyond that now. It was also an opportunity to get out from until Mirin's yoke. Perhaps a chance for Murdock too? Elia brushed him from her mind. No, he was just a crazed librarian when it came down to it. Dangerous, but still just a basement dweller. But herself and Mirin were women of ambition. How to curtail Mirin enough to get ahead, yet keep her on side?

"You sound unsatisfied," Elia ventured, "and that sounded like a challenge against Emmond. Is there something I should know, or prepared for?". This was a gamble, but if she was competing against the Mistress of Novices, risks would need to be taken. Mirin was more experienced at every facet of being an Aes Sedai, a Darkfriend, and using Compulsion. Elia's admiration for her teacher had to be pushed aside. Anyways, it was Mirin who had broached the subject of Emmond's fragility; arguably she was the one taking the risk, speaking out of turn against him. "I can help?"

[Jenny]

Mirin gritted her teeth. Did she sound dissatisfied? Mirin would rather describe herself as scared half-witless, though she hid it well. She rounded on Elia furiously, her pale cheeks flushed with a hint of color.

"Ambition is all well and good, but to challenge Emmond? What under the Light are you talking about, girl? Have you gone daft? There is nothing, absolutely nothing that you need to prepare for - except for His return."

"But in fact, yes, you can help," said Mirin. Her lips twisted into a malicious smile. "No more fiddling around in the Vaults. Only as much as is necessary to keep up appearances. Emmond needs a helper and you clearly have too much time on your hands if your mind is running down these sordid paths like a headless goose. So. Report to his quarters after midday. He will be expecting you."

They stepped through the gateway and back into the cell. It took a moment for Mirin's eyes to adjust to the darkness. She went to the door, and then paused.

"And, Elia. Please take care of the lamp on the way out."

The expression on Elia's face was priceless. Mirin laughed to herself as she swept down the hall.