It's not science unless you write it down (Attn: Jenn/Katrie)

[Locke]

Alric Aurella

The smell of old parchment, books as far as the eye could see. Sitting in an alcove in the Tower library took Alric back nearly a decade. He’d been a different man back then. Much younger, he’d yet to experience the horror or the thrill of war. He’d been apprenticed to a renowned scholar in his home city, Mayene. His master had the patronage of the great Lord Gais Tayron. The library at his estate hadn’t had nearly as many books. This library dwarfed even the Palace Library. As a young apprentice, he’d spent hours reading in such nooks, before spending long hours at night debating philosophy with his fellow apprentices.

Alric pulled himself back from the past, to his book, about the even more distant past. Medwin Karrat’s treatise on how Artur Hawkwing managed to conquer the entire continent. The book seemed to repeat a lot of legend as fact, but it was on the reading list. As he read, something skipped across the top of his book. He turned to see where it when something stuck his temple. He turned to see a tiny marshmallow tumbling to the floor. Somebody thought they were funny. Snapping his book closed, Alric shot to his feet. He’d find this prankster. He was busy studying and somebody thought it was grand to launch marshmallows at him. Soldier Alric didn’t hunt the pankster, no this was Captain Aurella. Back straight, face like a thunder head, he strode forward, checking the aisles for hiding students. He knew a thing or two about dressing down a recruit, it didn’t matter that he was also a learning rank.

There was giggling coming from behind one of the shelves. The fool hadn’t run. He turned the corner, already beginning his tirade, “Alright, do you bloody think this is a jo—“ He froze, eyes going wide and dark skin going slightly green. He didn’t know what he’d expected but not this. It wasn’t a giggling Novice, it was young woman in a fine dress. She was carrying what looked like a tiny siege engine. If Alric knew anything about anything, he’d guess she was an Aes Sedai, but what Aes Sedai giggled like a mad woman while launching marshmallows at Soldiers?

[Jenn]

Aikaterine Torellion

This was worth every layer of skin she had lost, every moment spent with her fingers glued together, every second of aching fingertips she had endured. Almond shaped sabled eyes watched as the second small piece of sugary fluffy confection soared through the air and smacked the Soldier right in the head. Success!! It took every ounce of willpower she had not to punch her fists up into the air to celebrate.

Katrie clapped her hand over her mouth, muffling her giggle of absolute glee. She wiggled a little from side to side and then quickly left the area, taking the miniature trebuchet with her. It had worked! It had worked! She hurried past empty chairs and tables before ducking behind a set of thick shelves full of books. The tall Cairhienin collapsed into the nearest reading chair and kicked her feet up delightedly.

She stared down at the contraption held together with glue and tiny levers... and well that counterweight that was actually the mashed together remains of many unfortunate paperclips... the Power really did come in handy sometimes. Oh, where were her notes when she needed them? The pretty Aes Sedai frowned for a moment, tapping at her lips. She would have to think on a larger scale... perhaps instead of launching small marshmallows, she could launch -

“Alright, do you bloody think this is a jo—”

The words stopped. Katrie blinked, first at having her thoughts so summarily interrupted and then blinked again at the way the dark-skinned man gaped at her. His shock of black hair reminded her, oddly enough, of Jaryd. Her head tilted to the side ever-so-slightly as she studied him, a grin spreading across her face as she realized that this was the Soldier she had hit with the puffy projectile! He was staring at the small siege weapon nestled in her lap.

“Hello!” she greeted happily. “Isn’t it amazing? I built it myself,” she said proudly. “Just a moment though... I need to get my notes.” Not that he had actually opened his mouth, but it was better to be clear than to be considered rude. A small silvery slash rotated open at shoulder level and she stuck her arm through, her hand patting along the desk located in her rooms. She supposed she could have walked back to the section of the Tower that housed the Brown Ajah but this way was quicker. Why have the Traveling Talent if she couldn’t make it to work for her? She withdrew, extracting a worn leather folder from her rooms to here. Mindful of the edges of the Gateway, she pulled away completely and then let the flows go.

The Soldier still hadn’t moved a muscle. “I’m Katrie. What’s your name?” She smiled. “Would you like to look at it?” she offered, holding out the trebuchet towards him.

[Locke]

Alric

What the bloody— Thoughts weren’t coming right. This entire situation wasn’t right. “I’m sorry, Aes Sedai,” he awkwardly mumbled. She was Aes Sedai right? Aes Sedai glided around looking mysterious and haughty. They didn’t giggle while clutching tiny siege equipment. She seemed proud of it though. Alric was still desperately waiting for his brain to catch up when a tiny silver line split the air, it rotated open to revile a window into an office. She reached through and grabbed a notebook.

His flailing thoughts latched onto the goose bumps on his arms, definitely a channeler then. No Aes Sedai would let an Accepted or Novice run around wearing a fine. So yes Aes Sedai. Just a very strange one. “I’m Katrie. What’s your name?” She said, still beaming with pride,

“Alric Aurella, Soldier,” he replied in a dazed sounding voice.

“Would you like to look at it?”

Unsure what else to do, he accepted the contraption and settled down on the floor across from her. Looking it over, he realized it was a trebuchet, a gravity powered weapon that used a counter weight as opposed to tension to launch projectiles. Simple in design, but deadly on the battle field. This one was a bit rough though. The woodworking was a little rough and the counterweight was an odd metal blob, probably melted with the Power. If he’d built something like this in his father’s shop, he’d have had to rebuild it again and again, with his father gently offering critiques and encouragements until it was right. There was an adage he’d learned in the army though, If it looks stupid, but it works. Then it’s not stupid. This little trebuchet had managed to hit him in the head from quite a ways off. The design was impressive, even if the construction was a little lacking. He looked at the raw state of her hands. Maybe a bit more than a little.

“Um, Katrie Sedai?” He asked as the ability for coherent speech slowly returned, “Why did you build a trebuchet?”

[Jenn]

Katrie

Mindful of her sore thumb and fingertips, slender copper fingers began gingerly sifting through the contents of her folder. It wasn’t difficult to find the set of notes she was looking for; the papers were pockmarked with tiny burns and studded with little globules of dried glue. It gave them a very distinct look though, she thought happily. Katrie glanced up distractedly at her name, answering with a soft hum of sound.

“Why did you build a trebuchet?”

Her head tilted to the side as she considered this Alric Aurella’s question for a moment. “I wanted to see if I could,” she answered simply, and then waved the folder in her hand gently from side to side. “I read about them in a book... a book on siege weapons, that is, and I was fascinated! I’ve never seen anything like them before. I did my own research and even made my notes with my own diagrams. See?” She beamed with pride as she thrust the papers she was holding at the Soldier’s face.

“I know it’s not perfect.” The pretty Cairhienin acknowledged as she withdrew her hand. She frowned a little, her expression turning thoughtful. “They’re not meant to be this small and having a counterweight made of melted paperclips isn’t exactly ideal, but now that I understand the basic concept of it, I can make a larger one... and - wait!” Katrie peered at him curiously, sitting upright in her chair. “You knew what this is! You said ‘trebuchet’ not contraption or something else. That’s exactly what it’s called. How’d you know??”

[Locke]

Terric

Fair enough, Alric thought to himself. His circle of friends in Mayene had undertaken all manner of academic challenges, for those very reasons. Well that and bragging rights. On a dare, Alric had once written a series of essays defending Tear’s claims on Mayene. It was a sickening task, but nobody doubted his rhetorical acumen afterwards. Hopefully the essays were still locked in a box in his father’s attick in Mayene. He’d quickly switched to debating much less contentious topics such as human morality. Ladies of the court and their wards tended to find such philosophers rather intriguing.

He handed the mini trebuchet over as he accepted the notes. The papers were a mess, covered in glue and burns of all things. Her notes and diagrams were incredibly thorough.

“I know it’s not perfect,” she acknowledged. “They’re not meant to be this small and having a counterweight made of melted paperclips isn’t exactly ideal, but now that I understand the basic concept of it, I can make a larger one... and - wait!”

She wanted to make a larger one? Hold on, why is she looking at me like that? There was this eager glint. What had he said?

“You knew what this is! You said ‘trebuchet’ not contraption or something else. That’s exactly what it’s called. How’d you know??”

“I was a soldier before,” he said slightly suspicious. “Damodred’s armies used them from time to time when we had a wall that needed killing.” Usually he’d have no problem telling war stories, but the Aes Sedai’s wide eyed interest was unnerving him. Had she even blinked?

[Jenn]

Katrie

It took a heartbeat for the name to register.

“Damodred?!” Katrie echoed, scandalized. “Oh no, you can’t trust anyone from that House!” Her nose wrinkled and she pulled the miniature trebuchet closer to her. She couldn’t reach her notes though, and watched the Soldier warily for a moment.

“They are sneaky and they are unreliable. I mean, we Cairhienin had a good thing going with the Aiel. And then a Damodred went and ruined it for everyone else by cutting down a giant special tree.” She tossed her head and scowled a little. “And now suddenly we’re all Treekillers or some such and it’s not fair. I didn’t cut down the bloody tree! I quite like trees. I even climb them from time to time. In fact, the only tree I’ve ever cut at was one that had fallen across the road. It was dark and too large to move. So it was faster to go through it than around. And it was only a section, at that.”

She gestured broadly, her finger jabbing into midair at Alric as she continued with growing exasperation. “And those Aiel are a prickly lot! I wasn’t even alive when that whole war of theirs happened, but you can be sure they would kill me as soon as I stepped foot into their Waste. Which is entirely disappointing, because I’m perfectly wonderful and charming and pleasant once you get to know me. But no. No. Because of that one Damodred, we are all just suddenly tree murdering savages.”

The Aes Sedai leaned forward, brown eyes glittering in the light. “You will give me my notes back,” she said, her hand stretching out towards him. She held her palm out expectantly. “You might be a decent sort, but I avoid those associated with House Damodred on principle. They tried to poison me several times when I was younger.” And those were only the times that Papa could confirm. Who knew how many more attempts there had been?

[Locke]

Alrc Aurella

Alric could feel his back stiffening with each word. He wasn’t some kind of Damodred man. His own feelings on the house were rather mixed. That didn’t mean he enjoyed hearing some civilian speaking so disparagingly of his former comrades, nor suffer her implied insults towards himself. Even if she was Aes Sedai. Unclenching his jaw, he said, “I haven’t worked for house Damodred in over two years.” Dropping her notes into her hand, he added “Ma’am.”

Biting off each word, he continued in a measured tone, “I understand, you have had difficult times with House Damodred, so have I.” It was the voice he’d always used when he’d wanted with to shout down a senior officer. He continued, “I was a conscript. I didn’t choose to work for them. That said, please do not disparage the men I served with. Especially not the men who served under me. Some were conscripts like me, others joined of their own will. We fought Tear, we weren’t involved in house struggles.”

Alric let out a slight breath, his temper ebbing, “As for House Damodred itself. In my opinion, fighting in the army said house raises is different from being loyal to that house. Most of House Damodred itself can take the short road to Shayol Ghul for all I care.” He pushed down the memory of a burning inn as he said this. The screams took longer to fade though. “I was conscripted, then lied to. My master and I were supposed to become scribes. Instead six years later, I was commanding a pike company, and my master was dead of a Tairen arrow. The only blood member of House Damodred I ever cared for was their heir, Gustavus. He was a man of honor and the best military commander I’ve ever seen. He’s dead now, so I guess it doesn’t matter does it?” He stood, feeling drained. He didn’t need this. He’d done the best he could with a bad situation. Turned it into some of the best years of his life. He’d been tossed out on his ear after the War. A war he’d fought for her countrymen. Some Damodred lackey he was. He turned to leave, feeling exhausted.

[Jenn]

Katrie

Difficulties. That was putting it mildly and not at all correctly but... Katrie felt her indignation fade quickly at the brief glimpse she got of Alric’s expression as he turned away. He looked... sad, almost. She chewed on her bottom lip, rubbing the too smooth tips of raw fingertips together for a moment.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly, “about your Master.”

The sound of papers rustling came as she shuffled her notes into some semblance of order, arranging the pages so they were all nice and uniformly stacked... even if some of the sheets were upside down. Somberness weighed her words down and the Aes Sedai glanced away briefly before she addressed the Soldier’s back.

“I am from House Riatin. You can bet House Damodred didn’t particularly like me much either.” One side of her mouth quirked upwards. The only thing worse than a rival heir was one that did not fit the idea of a proper Cairhienin highborn. “I’m fairly certain they dislike me more. In fact, most of my own House probably dislikes me more.”

Katrie shrugged a little, then frowned. A war with Tear. Dax was from there, though he enjoyed the kinship to the land of his birth about as much as a kick between the legs. She’d never heard of a single House going to war with another nation. With each other, well... that came as naturally as breathing to most of the other nobles... but with another country?

“I wasn’t aware that House Damodred fought against Tear.” Her head tilted to the side. “For what purpose, I wonder?”

[Locke]

Alric Aurella

Alric paused, she sounded apologetic. It wasn’t something he’d expected to hear from an Aes Sedai. He’d lost his temper as well, and would need to apologize. House Damodred, and Cairhien in general were complicated subjects. For many people apparently. He sat back down, adjusting his black coat. “I’m sorry for losing my temper, Aes Sedai.”

So she was a Riatin, that explained the reaction. He’d heard his share of anti-Riatin sentiment in the army. Her curiosity stopped him, before he could slide into a retrospective funk. “I only just arrived in Cairhien when the war kicked off,” he said, sitting up straighter. Someday he’d have to call it more than just the war but he’d not paid attention to what the historians were calling it. It was still his war. “From what I gathered, it was probably a trade thing, or some mater of slight. That was probably the spark that kicked it off, but the animosity was there for ages. We were even aware of it back in Mayene. And no, it wasn’t just house Damodred, it was a coalition of houses. Riatin and their vassals didn’t go to war to fight alongside the Damodreds. Damodred ambition probably sparked the fighting in part at least. So it makes sense.”

He studied the Aes Sedai before him. Dark hair and coppery skin, as opposed to the pale skin of Cairhen. She acted even less like a Cairhenen noble than she did an Aes Sedai. She had no reason to claim to be from House Riatin. He wanted to ask more, but the whole thing seemed to be a touchy subject. Everything seemed to be touchy at the moment.

Looking for a less contentious subject than drama between great houses, he asked, “Katrie Sedai, what do you know about Blocks?”

[Jenn]

Katrie

The corners of her mouth lifted as she listened to the Soldier speak. No, House Riatin wouldn’t have gone to any kind of war sparked by House Damodred, not unless their own interests were being gravely threatened... and even then... there would have been minimal commitment and dedicated resources, and... Katrie wrinkled her nose and rubbed absently at her forehead. She didn’t want to think about Cairhien.

Slender fingers eased away from her precious notes and the miniature trebuchet; if she had gripped any harder and she would have broken the frame, the Aes Sedai realized ruefully. Alric... seemed to be nice enough. He mentioned Mayene. Was he from there then? Her head tilted to the side as she studied him. He certainly would’ve been treated like an outsider by many Cairhienin, noble and common alike, no matter if he had fought for Damodred. That might have made things worse, in all honesty. She sighed, suddenly feeling tired.

Her focus sharpened at his question. Katrie set her things off on a small side table, frowning a little. “Blocks?” she repeated, looking at him curiously. “Like... wooden blocks? Stone blocks?” That was such an odd question. “Children can play with them. You build things with the stone ones...” her voice trailed off at the strange expression on Alric’s face. The pretty Cairhienin’s frown deepened. Obviously he meant a different kind of block than toys or for building then. But what? What other blocks could he be - Her brows lifted. He was a Soldier! Of course!

“Oh!” she exclaimed. “You mean a channeling block!” She shifted a little in her seat, pleased that she had discerned his meaning. Her face fell a little. “I’m afraid I don’t know much about it. I... there is a trigger, isn’t there? Some specific state or set of circumstances that will let you access the Power? Otherwise you can't so much as sense the Source, much less touch it?” Warm brown eyes were intent on his. “Why do you ask?”