In need of Guidance ((ATTEN: Carra))

[Siera]

Liri had had a few Dreams now, dreams that were different than normal, ones that actually came true. She was sure by now that she had a talent for Dreaming but she had no idea on how she was going to handle it. She had no experience with this and no idea what she was suppose to do with the Dreams. Should she tell the people should she not? It was all so confusing to her. But Liri had known about her mentors ability for quite some time now and although foretelling was different from Dreaming, it was the same idea so Liri was hoping that her mentor could help her.

The way to the basements had actually become quite familiar to Liri, she had been down there often enough and she was hoping to make it home so really it should be familiar. Since it really was only Carra and Jaryd in the basement Liri never really bothered to knock, both of them knew her and Carra knew of her plans to aspire and with their seemingly relationship Liri just assumed Carra had told Jaryd; either way her belonging here was just a technicality away.

As Liri entered she noticed that Carra's chair was empty, which was strange. Generally if Carra was here, she would be found in her chair. But Liri had some time so she sat for a moment and waited. It hadn't even been a few minute when Carra walked in the door carrying a plant. Liri smiled remembering her first encounter with Carra, she had been helping her bring plants down here, it seemed like a lifetime ago.

If Carra was shocked by Liri she didn't show it, she just put the plant down and came over to where Liri was. "I know I maybe shouldn't be here, but I had some questions for you. I know you have your talents..." she said being vague on purpose, she wasn't sure where Jaryd was and if he knew but she wasn't going to accidentally tell Carra's secret to someone else. "I am sure now that I have a talent for Dreaming. I've had a few Dreams now where days, or even months later the exact thing I had a dream about happened. How did you learn to interrupt what they mean? And what do you do when you see something life changing for someone else? DO you tell them or leave it up to fate?" Liri really didn't expect hard answers from Carra but she hoped that Carra would be able to give her some guidance.

[Carra]

Carraidhin It wasn't unusual to see the future Red in the Red Quarters anymore. It was starting to be second nature as it had been when Lirivien started as her personal secretary when she was a Novice and Carraidhin a newly appointed Keeper. Now Carraidhin avoided the general public of the Tower since stepping down as Amyrlin Seat. She needed the space to relook at her goals and separate herself from the smirks of those that assumed she failed in her term. How she hated berating the uninformed. A perfectly good waste of time.

Now, she spent more time behind her personal desk in her personal quarters writing and pouring over letters. Avoiding a certain other Red. He was pestering her about goals and how the Ajah was marketing to others -whatever that meant- and Carra was still trying to figure out who SHE was without the Shawl or Stole. Carra just needed time. More time then Jaryd seemed to have patience for. Not that it surprised her remotely.

"Come in." She said. Wasting no time in putting up a ward against eavesdropping - placing a lingering touch of fire to warn those that attempt to break through it - Carra eyed her former student. Although still an Accepted Lirivien was far more ready for the Shawl then Illyria felt she was. Which was her job, not Carra's so she respected the decision.

"Our gifts likely differ. While neither of us have control, mine are often in cryptic poetry while Dreaming is more like seeing visions? Have you been able to decipher what the difference is between Entering Ter'Aran'Rhoid and Dreaming? I've not talked to another Dreamer to help in that way, although I know the skillset isn't too far removed from my own."

[Siera]

Lirievin Tesiva Liri was glad to see the Carra seemed to be doing well. She had been through so much, becoming Keeper then Amyrlin and now she was simply an Aes Sedai. It was a lot of adjust to and Liri understood why her mentor had needed so much time to herself recently. Carra had barely even been as Aes Sedai when she was raised to Keeper so she barely had had time to figure out where she fit in the grand scheme of things.

Liri waiting for Carra to sit down before sitting down herself, it seemed proper etiquette, even though she knew Carra wouldn't be super strict on that. But Liri didn't want to fall into bad habits, she was hoping to be raised soon but that didn't count for anything until it happened.

"I can tell the difference, Entering Ter'Aran'Rhoid I am free to move around and although things are moving everything is generally stable. Dreaming is totally different. Sometimes there's a fog, or it will feel hard to move. I'll see things that I didn't think of, which doesn't happen. I also... feel more? It's hard to explain, but I'll get a feeling in my gut that something bad is going to happen."

"But other times it's different. I still know something is off but I will feel like I'm led to a certain spot and see something play out, and then it will play out the same way in the waking world. Those are harder to figure out but I still have little to no control over what I am seeing and that seems to be how I can tell the difference." Although she may have sounded frustrated, she really wasn't. The talent itself was interesting and Liri knew it would be useful but part of her worried. What should she do with this newfound information? Could she change it? Should she change it? Changing one thing could have a ripple effect and change a hundred other things. This was just all too much for her to take in at the moment and she really still wasn't sure if she wanted this ability.

[Carra]

Carraidhin She eyed Liri thoughtfully as the Accepted explained what she saw. "That is a little different. It sounds that the fog of your dreams is similar in how sometimes my foretellings are just.. vague. Sometimes they are obvious. Other times they are not. The study of prophecies helps, but Dreaming could be a different manifestation around individual choices and intent."

Carra thought over many of her foretellings. Most she had written away but did not share. Carra hoarded her talent and used it like a private eyes and ears that touches beyond most comprehension. THe percentage of them that she understood was lost, but on occasion she had a instinctive feeling of who it belonged to and would send them a letter privately. It gave her the level of privacy she craved while also ensuring that the Pattern and all it's misgivings were satisfied. It had been years since she had completely blanked out from a foretelling.

"Have you started writing these dreams down? Perhaps if there are any common factors it would be easier to study them when they are fresh in your mind."

[Siera]

Lirievin Tesiva Liri nodded as Carra spoke, her assumptions about Liri's Dreams were basically what she had been expecting. It was hard to explain them but she was glad that Carra at least somewhat understood and Liri hoped that by telling Carra maybe they could work together and maybe, just maybe Carra could help Liri get some of this straight; if nothing else it would be nice to have someone to talk to about this stuff.

"I had a very vague dream only a few nights ago and I wrote that one down in point form, but the other few I haven't written down but I do remember them. I can't see a common thread anywhere. In one I had a Dream where the Tower was bursting with Novices only to see numerous Novices enrolled the next day. The second I had a Dream where I went to the Yards and saw a young man get hit on the head during a practice spar and weeks later I saw the same thing happen. The weirdest just happened a few days ago and it was in three sections. One I saw a girl, an Accepted here actually and I knew she was in danger, then I saw her older but still with the feeling that she was in grave danger. The last part I saw her with a young child, and although nothing happened I felt like the child was hers and somehow i knew that the child was going to be her saviour. I don't know exactly how I knew but I could just feel it in my gut. I don't know if yours are similar, but I just don't know what to do with this information. I ended up running into the Accepted and telling her... but should I just leave everything to fate?"

[Carra]

Carraidhin There it was. The fear of being too helpful, or the fear of not doing anything. It was a gift that would weigh heavily on those of soft hearts. Carra was hard and cold, but Liri was everything Carra could only have hopef for. Sean had done his damage but Liri was far from being broken. Not broken like her.

"That is the tricky part, Liri." Carra leaned back in her chair, showing a relaxed pose even if it was far from the truth. Carra learned that people responded better to human postures... and it was starting to become instinctive. "Share to much could change things, while not speaking up could be the one things that keeps it from happening. The value in the Oaths is learning how to speak in half truths. Where the truth you speak is as you say it but is just as cryptic as a foretelling. It is the Aes Sedai way. Horrible that it is."

"You will need to learn to trust your judgement. Err with caution. In the case of this Accepted, I would keep an eye on here. Befriend her if you can. And as things unfold learn to give council without sharing what you know. At least, not until you can see what will happen." It was wise council, not one she would personally take. Spies and secrets were her currency but Lirievin had her own skillset that allowed her to be far more... involved. "So long as you guard your own heart and keep your emotions under control I believe you will be fine."

[Siera]

Lirievin Tesiva Everything Carra said made sense and Liri knew that but she knew she would find it hard to help those you needed it. She always found it hard to not step in when she could change something, but sometimes bad things had to happen to get to bigger and better things. Liri knew that she would not be who she was if Sean had not captured her, and although she avoiding talking about what had happened, she would probably do it all again. She was a stronger person after that and she wouldn't want her life any other way.

Even though Liri knew Carra gave good advice, Liri knew she would take it and not follow it line by line. Although Carra knew she mentor meant the best and she was knowledgable Carra and Liri had different ways of dealing with things, Carra kept more to herself whereas Liri could be more personable; she didn't hide or cover things.

But now that she at least had a starting point, Liri felt a little more confident about working with this talent. "I know very very few people know about your talent. Why did you keep it secret?" Liri paused for a moment. She really didn't need to know why, and she wasn't even sure if Carra would tell her why. "And by that I mean, was there a reason you never told anyone? Should I tell anyone else about my talent? I don't think it's something someone can take advantage of, seeing as I can't control what I see but I don't know if there is anything else I should be worried about...you are the only one I've talked to about it so far." Although Liri liked to be honest and she didn't go out of her way to keep any other talent a secret she also didn't feel a need to tell the entire Tower and this talent seemed a lot more sensitive then Entering Ter'Aran'Rhoid.

[Carra]

Carraidhin "In truth, when I was raised to Aes Sedai I had a foretelling between coming out of the test and before declaring my Ajah. It was fairly obvious what my talent was at that point that there was little point telling people. It is different than keeping a secret. My talent isn't common knowledge so much as I had worked very hard not to be used by the Tower for my gifts. Perhaps it was why they wanted me to be Keeper. Amyrlin Seat. To control me." The slip of the smirk tugged at her lips. "One could say that their lack of control of me and my gifts is a shame to itself and that is why the knowledge isn't shared more often. There are others with the same gift that are much more willing to be puppets."

"While my talent is more visual, a foretelling is something I speak, you have the security of your talent being more hidden. One doesn't talk much of dreams let alone the Talent for Dreaming. Which is likely why until you speak up about the Talent chances are very few people will ever learn about it unless you speak of it." There was no envy in her voice. Perhaps Carra would not mind the control over her talent - although she had gained much over the years - but the mere fact that she had something in her complete hands and not the Tower's was its own victory to herself. They may hold her Oaths but they do not hold Her or her Talents.

"Are you thinking of looking for a teacher?" The pain of the thought couldn't be hidden completely. Carra never did speak of Amadie since her death. Not even once.

[Siera]

Liri nodded as Carra spoke taking in what she had to say, she valued her mentors' knowledge and even though they handled things differently any advice as to where to start would be good. But the more Carra talked about her talent the more Liri realized that yes, their talents were similar but they still were very different. Carra's advice still did help though, even as she was talking Liri's brain was already thinking.

As Carra has said Liri could be a little more discrete with her talent, seeing as she would only have them at night and therefor unless someone was sleeping with her, no one would ever find out that she could even Dream. Liri knew that there may be times when she would use that to hide her Dreams, she knew she would be more transparent with her Dreams. Liri understood and respected the decision Carra had made but what worked for Carra wouldn't work for Liri.

But as Carra talked about being used for her Talent that did worry Liri as she knew she eventually wanted to do something in the Tower but she wanted to earn that right because she was good at it, not because she could be used. But she would have to get over that and even if she was raised in hopes of being used, she would not allow anyone to use her. She would prove that she was worthy of the job.

When Carra asked if Liri wanted a mentor, Liri first reaction was to think of Amadie. For so long she had wanted a mentor and she had been lucky enough to get Amadie's notes but Liri always thought about just how useful it would have been if Amadie had been there to help her. But as far as Liri knew Amadie didn't have a talent for Dreaming. "I would like a mentor, I don't know of anyone else with this talent but even having someone to talk to with a similar talent would be helpful." She tried to be careful with her words as she knew Carra and Amadie had been close and Amadie was the first person Liri knew with similar talents to her own so she wasn't sure if that's who Carra had thought of but either way she wanted to be careful

[Carra]

Carraidhin She gave a simple nod of her head. "I will keep my eyes and ears out to see if I can help you find one. Dreamers are rarer still than Foretellers, and I have to say that not one comes to mind that is still within the Tower walls." Carra gave Liri a sympathetic smile, genuine though it was it still was hauntingly cold despite how she felt for the Accepted. "Was there anything else? Some kind of dream that you needed help with? Or are you just trying to find a way to process the information?" It was not often that she inquired, but the genuine desire to help still felt tainted with the need to manipulate Lirivien's skills and talents. A Foreteller and a Dreamer in such a small Ajah like the Red... there was a great deal of power there. Power that Carra did not want to see lost to the Tower. She would need to take Lirivien out of the Tower as soon as she was raised to teach her a new kind of independence.