The Grey Tower

It felt strange to let the Dedicated speak for her, but she kept herself in the role of Aes Sedai to a warder, even if he was not her warder; he was in a temporary fashion for this trip, so she did not argue even if her innately independent streak felt it odd. The hesitation on the part of the guard at the gate was...not surprising. She was used to that reaction, and knew that she--so very obviously Saldean and an old Aes Sedai--and Herarn--so obviously Aiel--made a strange sight all on their own. Add in the implications of their presence...

"Review the defenses and the surroundings," she told him levelly, "but stay close. One of the guards will bring you to see me and Commander Marwen when you're done." She waited until he acknowledged her and then departed before she steered Seren on the familiar track. It had been two decades, but she could still recall it easily.

There was another attending guard at the door of the commander's quarters who looked like he had been born around the same time as the Green Ajah itself and possibly fought in the Trolloc Wars... Clearly he was living out his retirement as a doorman for the militia, but on the Blight Border, everyone fought. His brown eyes lit a little as he saw her and then her brows rose slightly. She recognized him and dismounted. He stepped forward to take Seren's reins but smiled at her. He had less teeth than she recalled.

"It's a miracle of the Creator to see that your thick head has not yet been sheared from your shoulders, Jan," she said with unmistakable warmth and familiarity.

Jan laughed, the sound equally warm but a little more hoarse. "Marwen told me he sent for a heavy hitter, but he would not tell me who and now I see you ride upon our soil like a ghost from the past." The word 'ghost' bit at her deeper than she let on, and he chuckled. "He is inside and as surly as a goat." His eyes crinkled with evil humor at her expense. "I'm sure he'll be happy to see you, though. Good luck." He winked at her.

"You're a surly old goat, Jan," she returned easily. "He bloody well better be happy to see me, or I'm going back to the Tower."

Even without the rumbling of earth or blood on her daggers, the presence of this old comrades-in-arms made her feel like a warrior, like a solider, again. She liked the feeling. Reveled in it. Wrapped herself up in it as surely as any blanket in existence, and it was more comforting even than her babe-hood quilt over a century before. (She certainly remembered this feeling much better.) Jan saluted her and then led Seren off to the outpost's military stables. She watched him for a moment and then gazed around her.

The outpost had grown since she'd last been here, making it more like a city (although not quite a city proper) than twenty years ago. It was still primarily a militia base, but she saw a few hard-eyed civilians. Perhaps some were family to the soldiers, others workers who helped keep this place up-and-running and the soldiers in top form.

She stepped up the three wooden steps to the door and knocked.

"Who is it?!" shouted a coarse voice from the other side.

Instead of replying, she opened the door and stepped in. "You should treat me nicer than that, Annan," she said, her voice slightly pointed even as the corners of her mouth curled up.

Annan Marwen stood with his back to her, staring at a table with a map so large that she could see it from here. His back straightened and she watched his steel grey haired head lift. Then he started laughing. His voice was hoarse from years of shouting commands, but it still held the same rich timbre she recalled. Turning around, she saw that what lines her Aes Sedai face had not gained had been found by him but strength still radiated from every inch of his body. His face cracked in a smile.

"Miahala Jolstraer Sedai," he greeted. Even with the warmth of his smile, he bowed his head formally to her. "Peace favor your blades and mine this day, for I am honored to have you in our presence once again."

She smiled. It was a small expression, but sincere. She would rather a little more informality, like with old Jan outside, but she understood and accepted it. She returned it with a small bow of her head. "Peace favor your sword, Commander Marwen. It is my honor to reply to the call of aid of an old friend."

With that out of the way, he strode forward and pulled her into a quick embrace, pressing her unarmored chest to his armored one and making her feel every inch of it. But she returned the affection and then they stepped back. "Word reached me years ago of your death and we were all most dismayed, then word reached me of your return to the pattern and I almost could not believe it. Had the first news been in error?"

Her smile became sad. "I'm afraid not. By all accounts, I was...dead. And yet here I am. No one understands it."

Like most long-time military men, and particularly a Borderlander, he took it in stride and nodded. "We are glad to have you back with us, and I am glad you replied to my call. I thought perhaps you would like to return to the field of battle after your...absence, and we have need of some more powerful assistance."

Miahala nodded and walked with him to the table. "I have brought another channeler and fighter with me. He will join us shortly."

Marwen's brow lifted slightly. "A new warder already?"

"No," she said with a faint, wry smirk and shake of her head. "But someone I thought could help. He is looking over the outpost's defenses and the area now and will be along after." She paused. "In the meantime, what is it that has come about and made you call on me? It's hard to imagine a threat so dire that a commander of your experience and soldiers under your command could need my help..."

[OOC: Will do more in next post when Herarn joins them. Didn't want to run off into a novella in this one post...]

Herarn took his time walking the walls as if he owned everything his eyes rested on and most of the older men had enough sense to leave him be. They recognized the uniform of an Asha'man and most recognized an Aiel on sight. After making the rounds of the walls twice, he slipped off the side of a wall and placed a few strategically placed wards. These were killing wards to be activated in the event that the pressure got too heavy and they needed to alleviate pressure.

The wind shifted and a foul smell drifted across his nose. The smell was similar to that of unwashed bodies and rotted meat. He immediately replaced his cadin'sor and pulled the veil up. He allowed his instincts to guide him to the origin of the smell only to have five Trollocs ambush him. He hadn't been surprised, their smell had given them away and the first died as Herarn ripped it's throat out while stabbing another Trolloc in the stomach.

Leaving the impaling spear behind, he dropped the others in time to cross his arms in front of his head to parry an overhead chop from one of the Trollocs. Were it not for the Power forged metal that made up his bracers, he'd have lost both arms and his life. As it was, his hands went numb from the power of the blow. He fell away allowing one of the remaining Trollocs to do a powerful swing that killed the one he had just parried. As he fell away, he grabbed the spear out of the belly of the injured Trolloc and with a jerk opened him from navel to chin.

He turned to see the other Trolloc charging towards him intent on running him through with a polearm. Sidestepping the charge, he grabbed the Trolloc by the head and pulled him over his shoulder, snapping it's neck in the process.

He heard the snap of dead wood and on instinct twisted around, throwing a knife from his belt. Even as the blade left his fingers, he cursed as he saw a young man, barely a man stepping around the rock the Trollocs had been hiding behind. Herarn went to seize saidin but the blade diverted wildly as the boy looked at the knife in shock. Herarn felt the unmistakable pulse of saidin in use.

The boy could channel!

Herarn reached up with a bloody hand and lowered his veil. “What is your name, son?”

The young man bristled, his topknot quivering in the process. “I'm not your son. And my name is Daiki.”

Herarn nodded. “You're to follow me back to the fortress. We're going to be having a long little chat.”

“I don't take orders from you.”

Herarn said nothing as he bundled the young man up in flows of Air before he searched the Trollocs picking up five tokens, three of which bore different insignia.

Heading back to the fortress, he ignored the young man's curses until they grew annoying and he simply gagged the man with a flow of Air. At the gate, he said, “I need someone to guide me to Commander Marwen's office and Miahala Sedai.”

“I'll take you personally, sir. Should I send for the healer?” asked the Guard.

Herarn gave him an odd look.

The guard touched his cheek to indicate there might be blood or an injury on Herarn's face. Herarn shook his head. “No. None of this is mine.”

Soon enough Herarn was being shown to Commander Marwen's office. Stepping inside, he set Daiki down. Looking at him, he pointed at a chair and said in a tone that rang with the confidence of command, “Sit! Make me repeat myself and I'll spank you like an insolent child.”

He released the flows of Air the bound the man. Turning to Miahala Sedai, he said bluntly, “Miahala Sedai. I shored up the West Wall with flows of Earth and placed some emergency killing Wards. I've also warded off that gulley on the Northeast corner of the fortress. Anything gets within a hundred paces that bears the taint of Sightblinder and they'll fall over dead. I also encountered a few unexpected 'guests'.”

He dropped the bloody talismans on the bare table so as not to mar any documents that the Commander might have out.

“With respect Commander, half of your men should be in bed and the other half should be in the training yard. You have guards who are slapping themselves to stay awake, other guards are skittish as colts new to the saddle, and some who are little more than boys in armor. What in the name of the Light is going on here?” said Herarn bluntly. He was not disrespectful, just direct.

“And as for this young one, he will be returning to the Grey Tower with us when we leave. He has the spark.” said Hearn thumbing Daiki.

“What?” said Daiki, jumping to his feet. “Burn me, I'm not going anywhere with your savage Aiel.... ouch! By the Light what was that?” asked Daiki reaching for his sword as he felt a sharp blow across his backside.

Herarn glared at him and said, “You were told to sit. Now you will remain seated and silent unless spoken too. Further foul language will result in me finding a bar of soap and I will physically scrub your mouth out. You will be returning to the Grey Tower. As much for your own good as those around you. I doubt you'd enjoy the Wasting sickness that many Wilders die from without formal training. It is an ugly and painful thing to experience. Once you've learned how to channel consciously and the Tower decides that you are no longer a danger to yourself and those around you, you may choose to leave the Grey Tower or continue on to become Asha'man.”

Commander Marwen looked at Herarn with a raised eyebrow before looking at Miahala Sedai and said, “Is he always like this?”

“Yes.” said Herarn in response.

The warmth that had been on Mia's face while talking to Commander Marwen had melted away by the surprising entrance of her attendant for this trip. It was certainly a development that she hadn't anticipated, but then when does one ever anticipate these things. Deciding to leave their new traveling companion out of it for a moment, Mia looked at Herarn as Marwen also did.

"I'm afraid you're right, but it's certainly not by choice," the older man said. "The crown has been...reallocating troops for some time now, judging this outpost to not be of as much value to Shienar's defense of the Blight Border as others. What you see here is what I have left to defend this little patch of ground with."

Herarn bit back a few choice oaths. He instead took a deep calming breath and let it out slowly, it mustn’t do to show that he was shocked, surprised, or even agitated. “It is my belief that giving even a single speck of space to the Dark is foolish. I can have at least a hundred Aiel Spears here inside of fifteen minutes, more if the Car’a’carn does not have them busy Dancing the Spears elsewhere. Given Miahala’s permission to depart for Cairhein or Caemlyn. A quick trip to the Grey Tower could provide more channelers. I can call on my Warrior Society and Clan if nothing else. But any Aiel who denies the chance to Dance with Sightblinder’s forces, is no Aiel... or they are Gai’shain”

“Forgive my bluntless, Commander. I come from a forthright people who speak what they mean. Given the Three Oaths, honesty is one I rarely have issues with. Framing it in such a way to be non-insulting… that is what tends to get me in trouble. I know not what manner of assault Grassburner’s forces intend but I don’t think they’re going to test the waters. My Blight Lore is rusty, but three of those tokens are from major Tribes within the Trollocs and they don’t work together unless Fades force them too. Throw in the other two and we have at least four clans generating a raiding force that could level this fortress.”

Herarn was not one to be pessimistic, but when one dealt with the Shadow, it was always best to overestimate and be over-prepared.

“Of course, I could always be overly dramatic and expect the worst. But with respect, I am fresh and worth at least a dozen of your more senior warriors. If Miahala Sedai does not wish for me to depart for reinforcements, then I ask that you give me the North Wall and let those who need rest get it. Seeing an Asha’man standing guard will ease some of the stress and the nerves of the younger men.”

Turning to Daiki, Herarn said, “Come here, child. We must make arrangements for you to Travel to the Grey Tower to be enrolled in the Soldier’s Book.”

He then related to both Miahala Sedai and Commander Marwen what had happened and how he had discovered that the boy could channel.