He felt so much older than four years could possibly account for. The Oaths had done their work on his face, however, leaving it ageless and smooth. The twinkle of mirth in his eyes had faded as well, and the youthful smirk that had hidden in the corners of his lips had fled. When he looked in the mirror, he no longer recognized himself in the sober, determined man that gazed back.
What a time it had been. He and Carra had fought hard to break free and lead the Tower as it needed to be lead. Every meeting with the Hall had been a skirmish in a larger war, every movement and verbal exchange planned in advance for best effect. Their united front eventually drew sharp notice; the Hall made a noticeable effort to separate them, which they pointedly ignored. The bond certainly made countering those machinations that much easier.
Yes, they had worked hard. They had spent endless long nights researching, reviewing, discussing, planning, and –yes, arguing- over their next step. They each had their strengths, and together they had made progress. Together they shook the foundations of the Grey Tower, forced its sisters and brothers to re-evaluate their positions, and built a new future for its learning ranks.
And yet…even as they made progress with the Hall, their own discomfort with their positions grew. He could feel it in Carra when she looked at him across the Hall while the Sitters argued, her pale eyes as sharp as the corner of his mind she inhabited. He could feel it in himself, when he flexed his fingers against his teacup rather than lash out at the person lecturing him. Their true talents were lost in the offices they held; they had a greater purpose, and with every passing day, the call of that destiny grew stronger.
It wasn’t until a few months ago that it hit fever pitch. To his initial surprise Carra brought it up first, and they had railed against the restrictions that their positions placed on their duties as Reds. After that initial conversation, their planning took a different course than before, as they discussed when they would resign and how, what the Hall might do and how they could prepare for each possibility. Time had passed quickly as they laid the groundwork for their plans, until finally…finally, tonight it would all come to fruition.
Jaryd’s lips curved in a grim smile as he turned away from the lights of Hama Valon, and strode out of his office. In the corridor beyond, Carra met him with a face that betrayed nothing of her inner state. He took her arm, and they walked in silent lock step to the Hall of Sitters.
It was nearly time to reclaim their freedom.
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OOC: I think Carra needs to post at least once, and I need to post once more (because I want to write my own resignation, man...
), and then Trent and Bella can take'er away.
