Friendship (Attn: Matty)

[Craig]

Elia

The First Seeker looked very stiff all of a sudden. Her eyes widened, revealing concerned malachite orbs that flickered in thought.

Oh, blood and ashes... She hadn't even considered how she was going to manage everything that was to come. Saidar had already started to become slippery, but she'd never needed the Power to control the Black Ajah. Her disguises were simple, using clothing and her talent to mimic accents. You can't pretend away a pregnancy. Peace.

Elia idly scratched at her throat as she contemplated the rest of the Keeper's words. A thought was snared in her mind and she attempted to pull it loose. "You don't care about the Black Ajah?" It was more rhetorical than anything else, but her next question wasn't. "What do you plan to do once you do find your wife and daughters? The Black Ajah doesn't often let people go." If ever, she thought. Oh, regular Aes Sedai and Asha'man may vanish into retirement, but not a Black. Not so far as she was aware.

[Chris]

Murdock Her deflection was most telling. You didn't think that far ahead. Perhaps she should have kept her legs closed, but then the Darrows did not seem very good at that. Murdock would have offered to remove the issue for her, but people got overly sensitive when it came to children, and as a father himself it wasn't as it Murdock was immune to that feeling of love even before the pregnancy became visible. Funny how you could fall in love with an idea even before it became real.

Murdock's own planning ahead was not all that great. Did it matter what his Ajah was, as long as his wife and daughters were safe? Not really. "I wasn't planning on retiring early," Murdock assured Elia, wry amusement on his face. "I doubt the Browns or the Yellows would look kindly at my studies if they knew the full truth of it. I'm afraid you're stuck with me until the bitter end.

"But you ignored my question," he pressed, not really the sort of man to let a sleeping dog lie. "I asked what you planned to do about your burgeoning pregnancy and ruling the Black Ajah. I also asked what you plan to do about these other channellers who have allied with our cause." In all likelihood she hadn't thought that far ahead, and hormones were going to make her incredibly uncomfortable to be around for some time, but Murdock wouldn't object to seeing her a little uncomfortable. These were real issues she was going to have to deal with after all, and it was no skin off Murdock's nose if she messed up.

Apart from the fact that she would be replaced by some stranger, someone less tolerant than Elia for Murdock's experiments and contributions to the Black Ajah. "You're going to need some help with this aren't you?" He leaned back in his seat, arms behind his head, giving the woman a somewhat amused look.

[Craig]

Elia

Elia held herself extremely still, but inside she squirmed like a worm on a hook. She had entered the Keeper's chambers all prepared to die, but this was far worse. She didn't have definitive answers to the Far Maddinger's questions. But there had to be ways to hide a pregnancy; illusion and inverted weaves sprung to mind. As for the Black Ajah, she already commanded them without a great amount of physical presence. But as to the rest, she had nothing.

There was another faction of Darkfriends (and channellers at that). What they were doing, she didn't know. Where they were based or operating, she didn't know. Who's orders were they dancing to, she didn't know. The absence of facts was a vacuum that threatened to suck her and the rest of the Black Ajah into... what?

Murdock's gaze weighed heavy upon her. Slowly she moved to look at his bemused face. It was intolerable to look at. How could he care so little about politics when he played Daes Dae'mar like a Cairhienin? If not for her need for his assistance (and oh how that admission stung) then she would have tried to wipe the smile from his face. Or just his head from his shoulders.

"Yes," she begrudgingly admitted. "Yes, I need support." She wouldn't add "your" into the mix, because even that was a recognition too far. She needed help and it just so happened Murdock was here, nothing more. If Emmond hadn't vanished into the æther, then she would be looking for his aid instead.

"I can deal with the Black Ajah." She made herself sound confident, but Murdock looked even more amused after that affirmation. I'll bloody work something out! she seethed. "It's the rest that I don't have a solution to. Whoever these people are, they are not on 'our side' as it were. They care not a jot for our Black Ajah, and I doubt the Grey Tower ranks high in their estimations."

Elia sat back into the chair in a feigned look of calm, but her voice was too strained when she asked her next question. It hurt her deeply, seeing just how far the mighty had fallen. "So, can you help me Murdock?"

[Chris]

It ain't Maever is it? Having Elia admit she needed help was music to Murdock's ears. He didn't care that he was the one who was doing said helping, the fact that she had to swallow her pride and admit it was a salve over a burn Murdock didn't even know he had. Let the woman realise she was not invincible. Viadulo was a perfect example of that. Oh, and now she had two unborns to consider as well. Still, it was nice that she tried to pass her doubts off as being strong and confident, as if Murdock didn't see through her to the real woman that had been left behind after Viadulo.

Her request for help felt like more of a demand, but Elia was jarred enough that Murdock did not balk at it like he normally would. Instead, the Brown gave a languid shrug of his shoulders. "You can deal with the Black Ajah?" he repeated, and he did nothing to hide his amusement at that. "Very well. I can assist with efforts to overthrow this group of scientists in training. For a price," he added, and his grin broadened at Elia's expression. "Oh, you didn't think I was doing this out of the kindness of my heart did you? If you want me to spend valuable time and resources on something like this, then I am going to need something in return. A trinket, really."

The Far Maddinger sat up straighter, gesturing to the cane he had leaning against his chair. "My cane isn't very good," he complained. "They keep breaking. I need a new, sturdier one. You can find someone with skill in the creation of Cuendillar, no? That's an Indigo sort of thing." His tone was light, and he was still smiling, but he was not joking - his eyes said as much.

"If it's any consolation, I know exactly what we must do. We need to lure out our experimenters, get them to realise we are looking for them. To prod at the nest will make them shift - they will be far easier to spot then. I will have my eyes and ears on potential nearby towns. I know what to look for and will be able to work out their new location with ease, I am sure of it. It will take time and no doubt you would rather not encounter these naughty people until your precious bundles of life are born, but by the time that business is out of the way I will have a plan. We will strike their core, and they will join us... or we will remove them from the board. I believe their experiments will not harm the Great Lord's cause, but I would not have them interfere with ours. Their location and their future plans will determine whether they can be tamed, or if we have to tear them apart. More lackeys for you, wouldn't you like that?"

[Craig]

Elia

A cuendillar cane? It was a strange fee to extract from the First Seeker, and likely not even one that would cause her much difficulty to acquire. It was possibly a test, to see if she would kowtow to his request. Or maybe he just wanted to put the boot in on reminding her that he wouldn't do something for nothing. Well, on either front he would be happy. Even after whomever forged the heartstone stick for her realised to whom it was bestowed, there would be little gossip made of it. Keepers had to be buttered up on occasion; it was no less sure of the Indigos than any other Ajah.

Elia lightly sniffed at the end of Murdock's musings. More lackeys? Not if they're the sorts of people who want to make Shadowspawn out of Dedicated, or cripples out of Aes Sedai. She'd happy put those lot to the question or into a Trolloc's cookpot. But what the Shienaran said was "Well that depends, doesn't it?" She chose not to elaborate further; Murdock was not an ally, just a... mercenary? That was the term for those that worked for payment, and he was working for a payment, wasn't he? Elia sniffed again. A Black Asha'man for hire. Peace how she hated the thought of that. A damnable shame that she had no other options other than him for this task.

"I will acquire your cane for you," she intoned quickly. "It may take a little time." She would hop when someone said frog, but at her own pace. "'Til then, keep your eyes and ears open." And pray for both of us that you see them coming before they strike. The Shienaran rose from the chair. The conversation seemed to have reached a natural ending point, and there was a bargain Elia very much needed Murdock to keep. Had he ever outright lied to her, or did he just play around with mistruths? She began to turn to go, but she stopped herself short, facing back towards the Asha'man.

"Murdock?" Elia waited until she was certain she held his full attention. "Thank you."