Lovely Temptation [Attn: Cat]

[Craig]

Elia Darrow [subtitle]Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.[/subtitle]

It could not have been a more glorious day if the Grey Tower was being pillaged by a rampaging horde of Trollocs. Everything had once again aligned in her favour. Years before she had planted a small seed in the frosty heart of Illyria Malkom, and a few days ago it had bloomed beautifully. The precise words Elia didn't care to remember, but she knew what it meant: she was First Seeker now. The Seanchan was going to retire back to her studies, leaving Elia to take charge of the Indigo Ajah. It wasn't quite the Amyrlin Seat, but it would more than suffice for now.

Elia took to her new role like a duck took to water, if for no other reason than she was in command of two Ajahs now. She already had the experience of keeping a henhouse from pecking itself apart, and the Indigos were less likely to kill one another over disagreements. All in all, it was a smooth transition.

The Shienaran beauty returned to her old ways quickly enough. Recruiting for the Ajah was an ongoing war for survival, not that the Indigos were anywhere close to the smallest Ajah. At least the benefit of looking for new Indigos was that she could be open about it; one didn't freely talk to people about the Great Lord of the Dark. And keep their heads. So she kept her eyes open for new faces in fresh uniforms and dresses to entice.

Sitting in the avenue between the Blue and Indigo Ajah Halls, Elia spotted a pretty little thing in a black suit. He strutted by in a cloud of self-importance. She could read plenty from that gait alone. "Soldier," she called out. The man turned to face her. She beckoned him over with a crook of her finger. "You are new here, aren't you child? My name is Elia Sedai, First Seeker of the Indigo Ajah. Have you been told much about the Ajahs?"

[Cat]

Tristram

It could not have been a more depressing day. Tristram had received a letter from his mother to tell him that his son was sick, and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn’t just leave the Tower and go to him. Leaving the Tower, for whatever reason, was forbidden for first ranks. He couldn’t go without an escort, as if they thought he was some child who’d get himself hurt or run away, and Tristram would be damned if he’d go along with that. Oh, the sickness was nothing to worry about, his mother had said, but he couldn’t help but, and his inability to visit only added to his frustration and agitation and feeling that nothing was bloody happening.

He all but stormed through the halls, on his way back to his own quarters to go and waste the free time he had by staring at a wall. Free time would have been useful had he something to do to fill it. He wanted something that was more than just books or homework.

A voice made him stop and turn, and he had to hold back on a frown at being called ‘child’. Again. Did he look like a bloody child? He made himself smile, though – the Aes Sedai who had spoken was rather pretty and nice to look at, even if that one fact didn’t quite make up for the insult – and sketched a bow, before he let his gaze run over her, not bothering to hide it. She could interpret it however she wanted. He had nothing to hide, and he certainly wasn’t going to act like a child in response. It was a shame, really, that someone with her looks was an Aes Sedai.

“How could you tell?” he said. “I was rather hoping I’d blend in and not stick out like a sore thumb. Are my clothes still too black? But, no, I’m going to have to confess that I haven’t been told too much about the Ajahs. I only know what I’ve read. I’d love,” and he emphasised the word, because truth was he probably felt the opposite right now, “for you to tell me more, if you could.”

[Craig]

Elia

Nothing escaped the sister's eye. She saw that unabashed assessment of her figure. A brave one, are we? Elia smiled warmly. And did I detect an attempt at charm? She much preferred the nobles that tried to please and ingratiate themselves over the ones that raised their noses in disdain. The latter were more fun to break into tiny pieces, but she didn't need to do much work with the former.

Elia returned the favour, giving the soldier an appraising look of her own. "Your clothes look just black enough," she stated mildly. And you're not the only one that can give a person a mental dressing down. Not that she was about to bed a soldier; she had standards. Patting the space on the bench beside her, she drew the man in just as enticingly as she used to when she was still a novice. The only difference was now it was because she didn't like looking up at anyone.

"Well, let's start with the most important Ajah, shall we? The crown in the diadem of Hama Valon: the Indigo Ajah. If there is a question or subject that has anything to do with the One Power, then it is the Indigo Ajah who are best placed to answer it." She capped that with a winning smile. "We like to speak to all of the new novices and soldiers who come to the Tower. One part of the work we do is to help people find their particular niche when it comes to using saidin or saidar."

Elia needlessly smoothed her silver skirt over her knees. "Has anyone spoken to you about Talents yet? Or have you exhibited any discernible strengths when it comes to certain things related to the One Power?"

[Cat]

Tristram

Tristram smiled as he took the indicated seat, settling down beside her. The smile was still somewhat forced, but not completely, a hint of genuine amusement in it as he pushed a hand through his hair and let his gaze wander back to the Aes Sedai. The most important Ajah, was it? He wasn’t sure whether he agreed, but it certainly told him something about her character and how he should act in response. There was no hint of humility or modesty, no trying to be unbiased or letting him form his own opinion. There seemed to be only confidence.

He’d been determined not to show any ignorance when it came to speaking with people from the other Ajahs, to show that he knew what he was talking about, and that he was only coming to them to reaffirm what he already knew. It was how he approached most things, but it seemed like a different tactic would work here. Sometimes it was better to suck up and ingratiate himself. Yes, Aes Sedai. No, Aes Sedai. Your words are pure gold! He couldn’t say that he was much in the mood for it, his thoughts still straying to the wellbeing of his son, but even he knew that he couldn’t just dismiss himself. Outside, he might be a High Seat, but here he was a Soldier and he didn’t completely know the Aes Sedai’s personality yet.

His eyes flicked to her hands brushing down her skirt, before he made himself look back up with some apparent effort. He didn’t blush, though, didn’t act like he’d been caught out, because that would imply that he was embarrassed, nervous, and he wasn’t going to be any of those things.

“That’s very gracious of you,” he said with a smile and without a hint of sarcasm. “I hope I’m not wasting your time. I can’t say, though, that I’ve heard anything about Talents, and, well,” he shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t think I’ve been here long enough to show any strengths for things. Accidentally blowing things up, perhaps? Does that make me an instant Green? I hope not.”

[Craig]

Elia

"There are no doubt times when all of the Ajahs wish to blow things up, so I don't think that will threaten your choice of Ajah." Ah, men. They did like to show off. Earth and Fire made for pretty effects, but there wasn't anything she couldn't do with the other three elements to rival a man.

"Talents are something that the Indigo Ajah keeps a record of. They are works of the One Power that stand apart from the rest of what a person can weave. Some are rare gifts that some people can intuit, and others cannot even learn. Others are about having a special finesse or strength in a complicated or important area of channelling. Maybe you've heard about people who can listen to the wind and sense weather before it comes. Or you know of someone who always seemed to get their own way, even when the people they're speaking to should say no. Well, both of those are examples of Talents, Tristram."

Elia's beaming smile faded a little. "But unfortunately this is not my area of expertise. My fellow Asha'man within the Ajah would be more than happy to help you discover what Talents you may possess. All I could show you is what some of my own Talents allow me to do, if you are interested?"

[Cat]

Tristram

Despite himself, and despite his current mood, Tristram found himself listening with some interest. He hadn’t actually put all that much thought into the One Power and what you could do with it, especially when it came to these Talents. Right now the fact that he could actually embrace saidin and touch the source was enough for him. Oh, he wanted to do more, always more, but the fact was he could channel was the most important thing right now. He’d come here with the fear that he wouldn’t have the ability to learn.

It would be nice, though, to find out that he did indeed have some kind of Talent, something that not many others could do. The thought of being unique, of being able to control something more than anyone else, and using that to garner interest and influence was an appealing thought. He wanted to stand out. He wanted people to come to him. He wanted them to look to him first. The hunger was almost reflected in his eyes.

He looked away, focusing them on the wall opposite as he tried not to think too much about the possibilities that came with finding a Talent, before he glanced back at the Aes Sedai. He smiled, the smile turning into more of a grin as he leant back, still casual, still calm, seemingly dancing between interested and not. He wasn’t quite ready to get on his knees and beg her to tell him more.

“I always thought,” he said, “getting your own way was down to charm or beauty, and not the One Power. A man will do anything for a beautiful woman, for example. Sometimes just to get another smile. But.” He paused, his grin dropping as became suddenly serious. “I’d be very interested in seeing.”

[Craig]

Elia

There was no mistaking that look. Elia Darrow had seen it so often, she was surprised when others were blind to it.

Ambition.

Elia recalculated. All of the words he had spoken were recast in a different light. The tone of the conversation had shifted.

Maybe I am recruiting for the Black Ajah after all.

She chuckled at his compliment, giving him 'another smile'. So she was the 'beautiful woman', and he the 'man'? Well she already knew she was beautiful. But what was the 'anything' he would do for her, and what did he desire in exchange? Elia drew herself in a little closer to Tristram, resting an elbow on the back of the bench. "Well, let's see now..."

The light of saidar started to fill Elia. The temptation of the glass rose angreal in her hairline called to her, but she resisted. This was a delicate weave, requiring finesse far more than raw strength. In addition, she didn't want every nearby channeller wondering why someone was using so much Spirit. Not many weaves only used Spirit, and this one was the worst of them.

Silver threads flowed from the Aes Sedai, crisscrossing in a fine mesh netting that formed a cap over the soldier's head. It was invisible to him, of course, being made of saidar. "If you feel your skin tingling, that's just me channelling," she said reassuringly.

The woven cap descended into Tristram's skull, nestling itself around particular parts of his mind. She could use it to draw out intense pleasure or to inflict extreme pain. That was at the blunter end of things. The more subtle abilities were of far more interest.

"So Tristram," she cooed, "I'm going to show you how one of these Talents work. The One Power can be just as persuasive as the charm or beauty of a woman." She tweaked one of the threads in her weave, stretching the cap over one aspect of Tristram's mind. "Let's start with something simple. Tell me a lie."

[Cat]

Tristram

Tristram tensed ever so slightly, wanting to ask why she was channeling, even as he felt his skin start to tingle. That alone was confirmation that he could touch saidin. He’d been around Aes Sedai for much of his life, but he had never felt anything before when they had touched the source. It had him wanting to seize saidin and wrestle it into submission. Just in case. He didn’t know why, but these days it didn’t take much for him to want to embrace the raging torrent. Somehow, he managed to resist.

He couldn’t see anything. Of course he couldn’t, because saidar was and always would be invisible to him, but there were no shining lights, no raging storms, no… no… balls of fire. There was nothing to show him that anything was happening, any Talent, and for a moment he wondered if she was just teasing him. His skin, though, was still covered in goose-bumps. Something had to be happening.

A spark of irritation swept through him, and he took a breath, forcing himself to be patient. What else did he have to do? But he’d never been fond of being left in the dark, and the temptation to seize saidin rose again, but he managed to suppress it.

Instead, he turned to look back at her, raising one eyebrow, a look of suspicion on his face. What did a lie have to do with any bloody thing? He thought about saying no, but then if he wanted to find out about these Talents he needed to humour her. He opened his mouth, ready to say that he was ugliest man in the whole of Andor, crap in bed, the worst at everything, but nothing came out. He frowned, trying to say something else, but even thinking a lie was difficult. The words just wouldn’t come. They got stuck, refusing even to appear.

His eyes widened ever so slightly as he looked her, a mix of wonder and something else. It wasn’t awe exactly, but more of a desire, a desire to know what she had done, and, underneath that, a desire to be able to do it himself. He could feel the fear at not being able to say something he wanted to - at being somehow stopped from lying.

“What did you do?” he finally asked. “I… I…” Saying those words was perhaps even harder; actually admitting there was something he couldn’t do. “I… can’t.”

[Craig]

Elia

Oh light, the fear in those pretty brown eyes was so exquisite to behold. She could see the cogs whirring away within his head, asking himself why oh why can't I lie? There was such a marvellous pleasure at bringing out so much distress from such a tiny thing. Light, it's not like had forgotten how to breath or how to speak.

The smile on Elia's lips danced from friendly to amused and back again. "No, you can't," she stated simply. "This is just a small trick that some wilders find themselves learning by accident. They come to realise that throughout their life, they've always had a way to nudge people. Daddy's always buying them gifts, or they can always talk their way out of a fight. Maybe the girl of their dreams, who seems so disinterested in them initially, suddenly can't do anything but put their hands on them." She bit down on her lower lip. "Ah, the innocent follies of youth."

The web of saidar shifted. It was challenging to manipulate the weave without seeing it, but Elia had enjoyed plenty of practice. One thing that did frustrate her was not knowing exactly what her victims felt. Was a calming caress? Did it make the hairs on the back of their neck prick up? She moved the silvery strands to other areas. It was time for the next question.

She engaged him with such a tenderness. "Why don't you tell me something about yourself, Tristram? Something earnest. Something deep..."

[Cat]

Tristram

He didn’t know what she was doing, but he wanted her to stop. He had been shown enough; he didn’t need to see more. The fear became stronger, mixing in with all the other different emotions until they were impossible to distinguish from one another. It was overwhelming, hard to fully comprehend. He tried to fight it, though, not really knowing what he was fighting. He should have – could have – just got up and walked away, but the thought didn’t even cross his mind. His gaze was transfixed on hers, unable to even look away.

This was more than just influencing Daddy to buy someone a gift, to get the girl of your dreams to love you. He was aware of it and yet he wasn’t. There was nothing that he could pull at, claw at, tear away and make it stop. He couldn’t even stop the thoughts… or make them happen. He didn’t even know which of those it was. It was just… happening.

He couldn’t tear his gaze away from hers. His skin continued to tingle, the hairs standing on end. She was still channeling.

He bit his lip, trying to resist, because although he wanted to tell her his deepest, darkest secrets that wasn’t right. He never told anyone anything. There was nothing to say about himself. Nothing he cared to say, at least. He only ever let people see what they wanted, not what he really was.

His hands tightened into fists, but he managed to smile, his eyes suddenly intense. Something earnest? Something deep? That only made him smile more. “I won’t even spare a second thought about killing you if you don’t stop,” he said slowly. “I’ve done it before, for less, and I’m quite happy to do it again.”