Return to Yellow (Attn: Anyone who feels like it)

[Lia]

Her stomach grumbled loudly, even though the hunger still didn't sink in. The skinny Sister had left her loyal horse, Amelynea, to the stables to the gentle care of the grooms. On her two and half year absence Miliane Sedai had grown very attached to her middle-sized brown mare, and it felt almost a little strange to leave her so far away from her. On her travels, the inns where she had slept had never been far from stables and some nights she had spent under the starry sky laying next the her steed.

The bags she was carrying were heavy, and there was still some way to her chambers where she could start making inventory of everything she had brought with her. Miliane wondered where she could place the book she had written. Surely some fellow Yellows would be interested in her results... Would the Infirmary or library be a good place to store it?
Hmm, she wondered, perhaps it could be good to put some Accepted or Dedicated into copying it...

Miliane Sedai didn't have time to think about in what state her quarters where at the moment (she had not sent any word about her arrival so in all likelyhood no one had done anything to them in months...), she was just excited about sharing her book and samples.
She began to dream about sending a servant bringing her some water for a cup of tea, which would be wonderful to drink while she would begin her sorting.
So it was no wonder why Miliane was not paying any attention when she was approaching the Yellow Halls.

(OOC: Feel free to jump in!)

[Dan]

Riven Trimak

These halls, a place of healing for the mind and body, was a place the former M'Hael was growing far too familiar with. The scent of herbs and alcohol strong within the Yellow Ajah's wing. He ignored the learning ranks, who were clearly surprised to see him walking around. Ever since settping down as M'Hael, he rarely made public appearances within the Tower.

Walking these halls always brought memories of the people he owed his life to. From those who used herbs, to aspirants who assisted their superiors. From the few Asha'man and Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah. He thought of the former First Weaver, Daric Asha'man, who had often helped him before he had mysteriously disappeared. And long before him, the woman who had first saved his life, Miliane Sedai.

He offered her thanks above the others, who he also felt gratitude for. Were it not for her, he never would have lived to have met the women he had loved in his long life. Would never had fathered his children. Matrim, Kaelyn, and his dear Isabel, who the Shadow had taken from him.

Clearing his mind of old memories, he focused and began paying closer attention to his surroundings. He sought the office of a new healer, since Alaina Sedai had retired from Tower life. His file had been passed onto a younger, much younger Aes Sedai. Now, if he could only recall the directions to the woman's new office. He sighed, irritated at all the fuss. He appreciated that the Yellow Ajah monitored his health, their knowing of his lack of general appetite. It was all thanks to his lover, Jenna of the Green Ajah, that the bloody Yellow Ajah knew all about his eating disorder.

They were not willing to allow the former M'Hael to waste away.

The Asha'man stopped suddenly, confused about what he just saw. Turning around, he looked upon a young Aes Sedai walking the opposite way. Why did she appear so very familiar? He frowned, trying to remember that face. He felt as if she should know who that was, but it was impossible.

[Lia]

It was strange how different the Halls looked like only after a couple of years absence. The smells were the same as always, though, even if the faces were not. Miliane Sedai stopped for a moment to straighten her back, as the luggage was getting heavier with every step.
Back at the stable the groom (another new face among the rest)had looked at her warily, but had said nothing when he had noticed her ring. He had been perfectly courteous and offered to get someone to carry her bags for her, but nonchalantly even if not too prudently the Sister had refused the offer.
After all, her cargo was precious and how far would she REALLY have to carry them?

Miliane wiped her forehead, a thin film of sweat was beginning to form there, and brushed some of the dust from her dress. She noticed a young-looking Soldier, another new face to her world, walking nearby, probably going to attend his class or to study in the library or something. She didn't know the current schedule of the trainees, and at the moment didn't really care about it either.
He would be perfect.
She cleared her throat as she tried to speak, apparently the way home had made her throat dry. Light, a fresh cup of tea with goose-mint and Andilay root sounded like a better idea by the minute.
Probably out of some instinct the boy stopped and turned around to face her. At first he looked slightly annoyed, like he had just been rudely pulled out of his thoughts, but noticed Miliane's ring almost immediately and his attitude changed.

"Thank you, child," Miliane said with soft expression, "could you take my luggage to my quarters?" Even though her words were polite and in the form of a question, no one could mistake it as something the boy would have a choice in.
"I have to see a maid before I begin my work," she continued.
"Of course, Aes Sedai" the boy answered. "But I apologise, I don't know where you are living."
"Oh, that is fine," Miliane said warmly. "I'm sure someone in the Halls can point you to Miliane Sedai's quarters. Now, excuse me..."
She didn't notice the Soldier's puzzled expression, and didn't relly pay attention to the older gentleman in the Hall.
Now, where would she find a maid....?

[Dan]

Riven trimak

"That woman has been missing for nearly a century." The old Andoran Asha'man said aloud, as he slowly approached the woman. Hearing his words, the child she had been talking to stopped, and stared silently. Only the sound of his back boots hitting the polished tiles of the floor broke the uncomfortable silence.

The Asha'man wore black pants that hung over his boots. He wore a blue dress shirt underneath his black Asha'man's coat, cut in the current Andoran style. He kept his hands still, sheer force of will stopping himself from clenching his fists. The sight of the woman caused his heart to race! She looked so much like the Miliane Sedai he remembered!

But it could not be her, that was not bloody possible! Riven scolded himself for thinking such a thought. His own existence was not possible, having been killed in battle decades before. If he could be reborn after being slain by the Reaper of the Yards, then the woman who had saved his life so long ago could truly be here. He concentrated on his breathing, as he steadily approached the woman.

"That woman, Miliane Sedai, has been missing for so long, impossible to find!" He exclaimed, his Asha'man's calm in tatters. "Believe me, I've invested much time and effort, used a great amount of resources trying to find that woman." The former M'Hael said, slowly gaining control of his beating heart.

Facing the woman, Riven was unsure as what to think. He could not remember his savior's mannerisms, but he could remember her appearance. This woman, could it really be? Her hair, longer then he recalled, but it was the same color he remembered. Narrowing his steel grey eyes, he remembered the scar.

"How?" He asked. Riven ran his fingers through his dark, greying hair.

[Hedwig]

Ravell neared the end of the hall. She slowed her steps and walked close to the wall, her head slightly bowed and her pace measured, trying to look inconspicuous. She had been studying the pattern of movements within the Tower for some time now. There were main hallways and secondary ones. The main were wide and short with many turns, while the secondary were narrow and long, which despite their length, provided shortcuts to different parts of the Tower. They were also hardly used by anyone other than servants and the casual novice or soldier, which was perfect for Ravell's plans.

She wanted to know the place by heart, every nook and cranny, to know where every lantern hung and how many windows and doors there were. But the Grey Tower seemed endless. She was already done with the first two floors, including a good part of the basement (that one seemed like a labyrinth) and had been pleased to find a hidden staircase where she hid whenever someone was close. So far, she had not been caught, but you never can tell when something could go wrong.

Though she was still in a secondary hallway, her nose could already pick up the scents of various herbs. She closed her eyes for a couple of seconds, taking a deep breath. It reminded her of home. She realized her mistake when she reopened them and almost ran into a serving woman hauling a laundry basket in front of her. "I'm sorry," Ravell whispered, but the woman ignored her and continued down the hall without a word.

She dismissed her, as well, and approached the corner silently. Hopefully, her observations were correct and the Yellow Halls were empty and this time of day. Each Ajah Halls seemed to have at least an hour of the day when its occupants were busy doing one thing or another, but the main halls were always empty.

Before she could take another step, though, she heard voices. A man and a woman. Great! Now she had to go back to her room. She could return tomorrow. But her curiosity got the best of her and she stood her grounds, trying to listen.

[Lia]

Miliane blinked as she heard the mans voice behind her.
What in the name of Light...
As the man continued to talk and stood in front of her, looking at her so intently, she shook her head.
His words were not sinking in.

"Surely.... surely this is a joke..." she managed to say, and licked her dry lips.
But the horrible cold feeling at the bottom of her stomach told her that there was nothing humorous about the situation.
The poor soldiers looked like his jaw could hit the floor any moment, and his eyes bounced wildly between the two senior channelers.
"M'Hael, where would I carry these then?" he asked, sounding terrified.

Miliane heard the words. She had never seen the older man before, and two years for a man she had never met even briefly suddenly being raised to M'Hael didn't ease the feeling of something gone terribly wrong.
Wait...? Did he say he had spent a lot in order to find her? Why?
She narrowed her eyes. Now that she looked at him, there was something... familiar about him. She felt like she should recognise him, but couldn't put a finger on how even if her life depended on it.
But it looked like, judging from the behaviour of the poor boy, that it was a safe bet to assume the man indeed was M'Hael of the Grey Tower, even if that fact would make little sense to Miliane. Perhaps he had left the Black Tower as an Asha'man and joined them while she had been away? But why then would he personally have tried to find her? And why did she feel like she should know who the man was?

Now that she thought about it, perhaps she should have been more diligent in informing her whereabouts while she had been traveling. But surely she could not have been expected to keep a constant correspondance with the Tower?

"I'm sorry... M'Hael, but I'm afraid I do not know who you are. Or why you would have tried to find me, Thiada Sedai knew that I was working in order to gain more knowledge in herbcraft. I thought it would be enough to inform the First Weaver of my ajah." she paused.
"For my knowledge my travels took two and half years..." she paused again. "I don't understand," she said, now fear finally creeping to her voice, "I'm fairly certain I would know if almost a century would have passed..."

[Dan]

Riven Trimak

"M'Hael, where would I carry these then?" Riven heard the boy ask. He shifted his cold gaze, and looked at the boy for a brief moment, which the boy probably felt was like an eternity. How could the boy make such a mistake? He had abdicated, setting the stage of Hama Valon to face the future under the hands of younger, bright minded successors.

"I'm sorry... M'Hael, but I'm afraid I do not know who you are." The woman said. The former M'Hael shifted his gaze, looking upon the woman who had saved his life, so very long ago. "Or why you would have tried to find me, Thiada Sedai knew that I was working in order to gain more knowledge in herbcraft. I thought it would be enough to inform the First Weaver of my ajah." After a brief moment of pause to gather her thoughts, the Yellow Aes Sedai continued. "For my knowledge my travels took two and half years..." she paused again. "I don't understand," she said, now fear finally creeping to her voice, "I'm fairly certain I would know if almost a century would have passed..."

"Miliane Sedai," Riven said softly, "the Grey Tower has seen several decades since you were last seen within these halls." He took a long, steadying breath. "Have you not noticed the changes surrounding the Grey Tower? How Elman's creek has been absorbed into our young city, Hama Valon?"

When the Aes Sedai had been here before, Hama Valon had been but an idea within the mind of Amora en'Damier Sedai, the woman being the Amyrlin Seat at the time. The small village had been absorbed, as walls had been created. Riven himself had helped design the city, including the House of Hope, where many of the land's orphans were brought, to offer them education, and a chance at a brighter future.

"The Grey Tower has seen several Amyrlin Seat's, several M'Hael's. You have missed much, Miliane." He said softly, far too softly. It was her, he was confident of that fact. He felt a cold pit in his stomach, as he saw the woman react to his words. So many emotions flashing through her eyes.

[Lia]

The world was spinning around her, the words were not sinking in.
This... this was impossible!
She didn't hear the boy muttering terrified "I apologise, Riven Asha'man", or at least the words didn't register to her.

"Of course I noticed that Elman's Creek had changed," she whispered. "I wasn't paying that much attention it... I... I... assumed you" meaning the people of the Tower, not the As'haman in question. She waved her hand to try to signal the Tower in general, "used the One Power to help in constructing all of this and was interested in hearing about the process."
She shook her head.
"I mean, such a feat wouldn't..."
She shook her head again. Something like that hadn't been done since the Age of Legend to her knowledge, if she didn't count the miracles Dragon Reborn had done.
A bit of hysteric merriment was creeping to her mind, the whole situation just felt so unreal.
Just to stay sane, she held to the last remnants of the Aes Sedai - composure.

Even though everything she heard sounded ridiculous, impossible; she couldn't help but to accept the man wasn't lying to him. But how could that be?
The cold grip clutched her stomach tighter.

Why was the man speaking so softly for her, though? Judging from the way he had looked at the poor Soldier, he was not a soft one usually. And hadn't he said he had spend a lot in order to find her?
It was easier to get hung on that detail.
Trying to focus, Miliane straightened her back and looked at the man again. Why did she feel like she should know him?
"I feel mortified, but I don't think I have met you before... Asha'man," she said, remembering now the boy's reaction, "why would you have tried to find me?"
She paused.
"I do feel like I should know you, Riven Asha'man."
Riven? She was certain she knew the name.

[Dan]

Riven Trimak

"A little over eight decades ago, a young man from the streets of Caemlyn left home, in hopes of finding a better future than the one he faced within the slums he had known as home. He was young, inexperienced, full of hopes and dreams." The old Asha'man said softly.

"Outside the walls of the Andoran capital, the boy saw for the first time the reach of the Dark One. For the first time in his life, he had seen a trolloc, whom had decided to smash the hopes and dreams out of the youth. A club, the trolloc smashed the youth's head. THe young man collapsed, and was left for dead."

Riven shuddered, remembering so little of that time. In his past life, and his present one, he could only remember fleeting moments of that encounter. He remembered the gates of Caemlyn, he also remembered the smell of blooming flowers, and fresh horse shit. The Asha'man pushed those thoughts within the flames, embracing the void.

"That day, a young man was brought to the Grey Tower, near death. You saved his life, healing the injury, and watching over him for a few weeks. During those same few week, you were also taking care of an injured woman, who had once been Cora Calle of the Blue Ajah."

"The life you saved, it was mine." He said, his voice lacking warmth. While the void helped steady his emotions, it did little in making others feel safe, comfortable. He closed his eyes, and let out a deep breath.

"for better, or for worse, you saved my life. When you disappeared, it took years for me to earn the Cord, to become First Selector, to become a father. When the Yellow Ajah clearly became concerned for your well being, by then it had been a few years had passed since they had received your correspondence, they sought other Ajah's in helping them seek you out."

"The Blue Ajah, under my leadership, had utterly failed to find you."

Riven let go of the void, once he noticed that his cool demeanor was not helping the woman, who was clearly upset. "Miliane, where have you been?"

Where had she been? The woman still appeared as she had then, newly earned agelessness gracing her features. Nearly a century gone, and she still looked in the prime of her life! While Riven, who had once been at least a decade younger, was feeling the firm reach of old age.

[Lia]

Miliane listened to the Asha'man without blinking. She remembered the case the man as talking about. Once she had dealt with the situation with the boy and Cora Calle - Miliane refused to add the title Sedai to the name of that woman, she had left for her travels. All that had went on with that... woman had shaken Miliane enough to want some distance to the Tower and others. The years spent researching had been a perfect excuse for that.
The mere mention of Cora's name made her eyes harder.
That didn't change the fact that the situation was getting more and more unreal.
This man couldn't be Riven, the boy she had Healed. Yet how else would he know the story?
And she saw the resemblance.
"Riven?" she whispered. It touched something in her heart to know someone had remembered her so long, spent that much energy in order to find her...

She tastes bile in her mouth, and felt like vomiting. The hunger she had had had made way for nausea. The horror and disbelief turned into nausea and back again.
She couldn't understand how this had happened. Her mouth was dry as the Aiel Waste.
"I... I need to sit," she muttered.

"Miliane, where have you been?"
She shook her head.
"I don't understand. I can't..."
She paused, shook her head trying desperately collect her thoughts and regain her composure.
She was quiet for a few moments.
"The only thing that... could have done this was an Arch we..." she said, "me and Amadeo Asha'man found."