"Child, find a chair, as quickly as you can." The Asha'man instructed. Once the youth rushed off in search of a chair, Riven wrapped an arm around the Aes Sedai's back, and steadied the woman. He understood how she felt, that feeling when the reality you saw was shattered by the reality your peers knew. He knew the look in her eyes, when you realized that the life you had lived was dead and gone, to be replaced by something new, and different.
He was once of a very select group of people in the world that could understand. He felt his gut twisting in knots, at the sight of the woman's misery. He himself had known the end of one life, and the beginning of another.
"There was once an Aes Sedai who had been thought lost, while she had been experimenting with the arches. She had missed much, as the years passed her by. As lost as she had been, confused, heart broken at the reality she had faced. she had found a new beginning, and had made a new life for herself. In fact, "he added, "she had returned, and had helped strengthen a weakened White Ajah. Eventually, she had one day found herself wearing the seven striped shawl of the Keeper of Chronicles. She had served dutifully, during the foundation of our new city, Hama Valon. Eventually, she had been appointed as the Amyrlin Seat, and had served as such for a few years."
He carefully left out the fact that the woman's lack of vigilance had allowed corruption to grow on every level of the Grey Tower's hierarchy. Corruption that was only now corrected, several decades later.
The child eventually brought a chair, which Riven helped his once savior to sit upon. He rested his hand upon her shoulder, as his thoughts drifted towards the woman's supposed companion, Amadeo Asha'man. He hoped there was someone there, when the man realized the reality of his new life.
He was once of a very select group of people in the world that could understand. He felt his gut twisting in knots, at the sight of the woman's misery. He himself had known the end of one life, and the beginning of another.
"There was once an Aes Sedai who had been thought lost, while she had been experimenting with the arches. She had missed much, as the years passed her by. As lost as she had been, confused, heart broken at the reality she had faced. she had found a new beginning, and had made a new life for herself. In fact, "he added, "she had returned, and had helped strengthen a weakened White Ajah. Eventually, she had one day found herself wearing the seven striped shawl of the Keeper of Chronicles. She had served dutifully, during the foundation of our new city, Hama Valon. Eventually, she had been appointed as the Amyrlin Seat, and had served as such for a few years."
He carefully left out the fact that the woman's lack of vigilance had allowed corruption to grow on every level of the Grey Tower's hierarchy. Corruption that was only now corrected, several decades later.
The child eventually brought a chair, which Riven helped his once savior to sit upon. He rested his hand upon her shoulder, as his thoughts drifted towards the woman's supposed companion, Amadeo Asha'man. He hoped there was someone there, when the man realized the reality of his new life.
