"I bet people would line up for miles to ask." Avyra was trying to buoy his spirits, but it rang far from the truth. There were always channellers looking at the Gaidin and their students as they trained, but that was as far as it got with Ravak. Maybe it was because of his reputation earned from his absence, or from his former association with the Keeper of the Chronicles, or the fact he was desk-bound by the Mistress of Arms and his own title. It could be because he was young, because he was very young for the duties placed on his shoulders. The beard added some years, but Aes Sedai had keen eyes.
"What is it like, when you had it?" Rav frowned down in confusion, then thought back to what he had heard. The bond. That made him think of Elia, his 'bondmate'. His sister's presence was only the dullest of sensations at present, and he had to concentrate hard just to feel that. This pairing was completely different from his time with Kaia. He scratched his beard. He'd have to ask Elia to release him soon.
Avyra was waiting for his response.
"I give a little sermon every time someone comes to me about being bonded," he started. "Mention how it's the most important decision you'll ever make. It's not... not a decision you reckon you'll have a second pass at." He brushed at his shirt self-consciously. "It's completely exposing yourself to another person. Completely. You can't hide your emotions, your true emotions from your bondmate. The everyday diplomacy you enact with other people simply doesn't exist. Even if most Aes Sedai can't lie, everyone knows there are ways to bend words to your will. With the bond, even that is impossible. It's entirely unfiltered, all the time. You have to settle into an odd sort of bluntness, because lies as seen for what they are. You develop a new way of talking to one another, because so much can be left unsaid. It is exceptionally intimate. I say you will always be closer to your Warder than to your lover."
"And that's just one aspect, knowing what the other person is feeling. But those feelings can affect you too. If they're angry, you get angry. If they're sad, you get sad." He grinned at a fond thought. "If you get drunk, oh, they start acting the fool. You have to recognise that your health is their health, and vice versa. I assume you've heard about what happens when an Aes Sedai or Asha'man dies, or a Warder dies. Imagine feeling yourself die, but keep on living. Imagine losing half of yourself, but being forced to go on." His voice was cold. "When you bond, you are placing your life in their hands. They are entrusting their life with you. It is sacred." He offered a self-effacing smile. That had been quite sermonesque, and entirely without intention. At least I didn't mention anything about Kaia. That would have been an irredeemable oversight.
"I'm sorry if I went overboard on that. It..." Rav sighed. "It is my reason for being, after all. I feel incomplete without having someone in here." He tapped his temple, then rubbed at his eyes. "I think we're almost here," he said, intentionally looking to switch subjects.
"What is it like, when you had it?" Rav frowned down in confusion, then thought back to what he had heard. The bond. That made him think of Elia, his 'bondmate'. His sister's presence was only the dullest of sensations at present, and he had to concentrate hard just to feel that. This pairing was completely different from his time with Kaia. He scratched his beard. He'd have to ask Elia to release him soon.
Avyra was waiting for his response.
"I give a little sermon every time someone comes to me about being bonded," he started. "Mention how it's the most important decision you'll ever make. It's not... not a decision you reckon you'll have a second pass at." He brushed at his shirt self-consciously. "It's completely exposing yourself to another person. Completely. You can't hide your emotions, your true emotions from your bondmate. The everyday diplomacy you enact with other people simply doesn't exist. Even if most Aes Sedai can't lie, everyone knows there are ways to bend words to your will. With the bond, even that is impossible. It's entirely unfiltered, all the time. You have to settle into an odd sort of bluntness, because lies as seen for what they are. You develop a new way of talking to one another, because so much can be left unsaid. It is exceptionally intimate. I say you will always be closer to your Warder than to your lover."
"And that's just one aspect, knowing what the other person is feeling. But those feelings can affect you too. If they're angry, you get angry. If they're sad, you get sad." He grinned at a fond thought. "If you get drunk, oh, they start acting the fool. You have to recognise that your health is their health, and vice versa. I assume you've heard about what happens when an Aes Sedai or Asha'man dies, or a Warder dies. Imagine feeling yourself die, but keep on living. Imagine losing half of yourself, but being forced to go on." His voice was cold. "When you bond, you are placing your life in their hands. They are entrusting their life with you. It is sacred." He offered a self-effacing smile. That had been quite sermonesque, and entirely without intention. At least I didn't mention anything about Kaia. That would have been an irredeemable oversight.
"I'm sorry if I went overboard on that. It..." Rav sighed. "It is my reason for being, after all. I feel incomplete without having someone in here." He tapped his temple, then rubbed at his eyes. "I think we're almost here," he said, intentionally looking to switch subjects.
