Waters of Home (Attn:Elia)

[Craig]

Elia

A shiver of nervous energy ran through Elia as Danos' lips pressed lightly against her forehead. She knew she could have a heady effect on men (and sometimes women), but never like this. Nor had she ever taken to someone so quickly, but the tall Andoran was charming and sweet. His words echoed her thoughts. "I act as if I've known you forever, but it's been moments. Lead the way boan; I will follow." Elia raised her green-eyed gaze, the side of her head still pressed against his chest. But where should we go? And how much privacy do we need? She squeezed against him adoringly.

"I highly doubt Mirin Sedai or Ravak Gaidin would approve of this." Elia blinked, and her head twisted to face the opposite direction. The man that had spoken was a Dedicated, the silver sword pin on his collar distinguishing himself from the Tower's Soldiers. He was also tall, although he was using a cane to walk with, which took something away from his towering presence. His face was hard and angular, not too unlike a Gaidin's, and at least similarly disconcerting to look at. But his glower didn't quite hold that same penetrating quality that Ravak's did. Elia separated herself from Danos. Standing a little ways apart, she did what little she could to make herself seem tall against the Dedicated. However, knowing how to appear confident was one thing. Finding the right words to say were a completely different thing altogether.

The whip-cord of Spirit still hovered nearby. Elia held onto it tightly with an underlying anger, forged solely from the interruption brought on by this tall Dedicated. And it was anger more than rational thought that drove her words, although she kept her voice even. "Ravak Gaidin is my brother, so unless you wish to entangle yourself in a mess that has the Master of Training on my side, you may wish to rethink what you saw, Dedicated." She punctuated the final words by wrapping the Dedicated up in a flow of Spirit, driven from the whip of saidar. She was vaguely aware of what she was doing, although she knew what she wanted. Go away, Dedicated! You saw nothing untoward! Working the threads of the One Power based on instinct rather than any formal learning, she drove them straight at him, lancing him through with a beam of silvery-white light.

Spoiler: show

OOC: I originally wrote this thread in a way that inferred that Elia was naturally gifted in the ways of Compulsion. I've edited the above, but the original text is below.

Elia

A shiver of nervous energy ran through Elia as Danos' lips pressed lightly against her forehead. She knew she could have a heady effect on men (and sometimes women), but never like this. Nor had she ever taken to someone so quickly, but the tall Andoran was charming and sweet. His words echoed her thoughts. "I act as if I've known you forever, but it's been moments. Lead the way boan; I will follow." Elia raised her green-eyed gaze, the side of her head still pressed against his chest. But where should we go? And how much privacy do we need? She squeezed against him adoringly.

"I highly doubt Mirin Sedai or Ravak Gaidin would approve of this." Elia blinked, and her head twisted to face the opposite direction. The man that had spoken was a Dedicated, the silver sword pin on his collar distinguishing himself from the Tower's Soldiers. He was also tall, although he was using a cane to walk with, which took something away from his towering presence. His face was hard and angular, not too unlike a Gaidin's, and at least similarly disconcerting to look at. But his glower didn't quite hold that same penetrating quality that Ravak's did. Elia separated herself from Danos. Standing a little ways apart, she did what little she could to make herself seem tall against the Dedicated. However, knowing how to appear confident was one thing. Finding the right words to say were a completely different thing altogether.

The whip-cord of Spirit still hovered nearby. Elia held onto it tightly with an underlying anger, forged solely from the interruption brought on by this tall Dedicated. And it was anger more than rational thought that drove her words, although she kept her voice even. "Ravak Gaidin is my brother, so unless you wish to entangle yourself in a mess that has the Master of Training on my side, you may wish to rethink what you saw, Dedicated." She punctuated the final words by wrapping the Dedicated up in a flow of Spirit, driven from the whip of saidar. She had no idea what she was doing, working the threads of the One Power based on instinct rather than any formal learning.

[Chris]

A good Far Madding man knew that a woman was more than capable of speaking up for herself and getting her point across, often much better than a man. That she was an Accepted as well told Murdock that this particular redheaded trainee had some training under her belt and wasn’t going to be as easily cowed as a Novice in her position might. Not that that bothered Murdock, he was quite used to the idea that at the Grey Tower, men were just as able as women when it came to giving orders and expecting them to be followed. Not to mention that he had helped raise four headstrong daughters, so all in all he was quite happy to adopt the grumpy fatherly role.

The Accepted thought much of herself if she honestly thought her connections meant she could break the rules. If there was anything Murdock disapproved of, it was this notion that some people could do things others couldn’t based on their birth or their familiar connections, and the way his eyes narrowed ought to have led to some very stern words being thrown the Accepted’s way about propriety and not caring who she was related to.

But they never came. Murdock was thinking them, because he was going to mention something about how Ravak Gaidin would definitely disapprove, probably moreso because his sister was involved, but then the next moment that slipped from his mind. They weren’t stood next to one another now and it was a bit of a breezy day, so it was quite polite of Danos to give the Accepted his jacket. What was a hug between friends, anyway? Maybe his eyesight wasn’t what it used to be and they’d just looked a little more cosy than they actually were.

“My apologies Accepted,” he said in his deep, quiet voice. “It must be the sun in my eyes, or some old memories at play.” Because the thought of Giselle still lingered, it always did, because he wished she was around for him to kiss, like he used to. Like he thought he saw. I must be losing my mind, he thought, but he had to have been exaggerating things. “I would recommend caution though, just in case an Aes Sedai or Asha’man were to see. You know how they can never be wrong.” He bobbed his head at the pair of them, and hopefully they wouldn’t see how confused he was at this whole encounter (sadly, the puzzlement was etched softly onto his face, an echo over his polite demeanor). “Light shine on you both.”

He had some business of his own to attend to without worrying about trainees he really had nothing to do with. He set off again with his steady limp, and unless either of the trainees stopped him he would put this incident to the back of his mind, at least until later.

[Damien]

Danos

Danos had been so lost in Elia's companionship that it had come as a surprise when the man had spoken.

Turning sharply his immediate reaction was to step between the man and Elia, but then he noticed the cane, and the man's stern visage and height.

Memories of the incident at the infirmary came back, Danos once again recalling the way his flesh had felt flayed from the inside, and he shivered despite himself.

Elia then stepped forward and in the space of a few heartbeats, Danos could see the man shaking his head. With a muttered apology, Murdock left them alone, and Danos watched after the tall man as he walked away. Light, I wonder if he let us off because he still feels bad about the Healing going awry, thought Danos, grateful for their luck.

Danos could tell Elia was as surprised as he was, and with their luck intact, Danos maintained a chaste distance from the beautiful Accepted. "Are you okay Elia?" He asked softly.

[Craig]

Elia

Elia watched the departing Dedicated's back with open awe. Had that actually worked? The problem was, she wasn't entirely sure what it was that had worked. Is Ravak that intimidating, even for Dedicated? Somehow that seemed unlikely, but then she knew she saw Ravak differently, and he had to treat her differently too. I know your secret, brother.

Normally that should have given the Accepted a sense of wry delight, both at having a secret over him and knowing what the secret was. But that whip of saidar, the weave she had struck out at the Dedicated with... that must have been the reason behind his sudden confusion and leavetaking.

"Are you okay, Elia?" Danos looked as surprised as she felt, but his tone conveyed a level of concern. Quite right too, they had been reckless. Or have we? Was this just... all me? Oh, Light!

"I have to go," the beautiful Accepted said abruptly. "I-..." She didn't know what to say. She wasn't even sure what she had done. Did I do anything? Did I convince that Dedicated to go? Did I convince Danos... Wide malachite eyes looked up at the Drin, doubt mixing with regard. She wanted to stay, or more to find somewhere to go with Danos, but only if he actually wants to.

It was that misgiving that made her turn and leave without another word. Her slippered feet moved first at a walk, then built up speed until she was at a near run, taking the oft-travelled route back to the Tower. She still wore Danos' jacket, but she was unaware of that. Panic and fear of what she had done gripped her. All Elia knew was that she needed help...

Spoiler: show

OOC: I originally wrote this thread in a way that inferred that Elia was naturally gifted in the ways of Compulsion. I've edited the above, but the original text is below.

Elia

Elia watched the departing Dedicated's back with open awe. Had that actually worked? The problem was, she wasn't entirely sure what it was that had worked. Is Ravak that intimidating, even for Dedicated? Somehow that seemed unlikely, but then she knew she saw Ravak differently, and he had to treat her differently too. I know your secret, brother.

Normally that should have given the Accepted a sense of wry delight, both at having a secret over him and knowing what the secret was. But that whip of saidar, the weave she had enveloped the Dedicated up in... that must have been the reason behind his sudden confusion and leavetaking.

"Are you okay, Elia?" Danos looked as surprised as she felt, but his tone conveyed a level of concern. Quite right too, they had been reckless. Or have we? Was this just... all me? Oh, Light!

"I have to go," the beautiful Accepted said abruptly. "I-..." She didn't know what to say. She wasn't even sure what she had done. Did I do anything? Did I convince that Dedicated to go? Did I convince Danos... Wide malachite eyes looked up at the Drin, doubt mixing with regard. She wanted to stay, or more to find somewhere to go with Danos, but only if he actually wants to.

It was that misgiving that made her turn and leave without another word. Her slippered feet moved first at a walk, then built up speed until she was at a near run, taking the oft-travelled route back to the Tower. She still wore Danos' jacket, but she was unaware of that. Panic and fear of what she had done gripped her. All Elia knew was that she needed help...

[Damien]

Danos

Danos stood there in shock, watching as Elia fled down the path. He was stunned, unable to decide what to do as he fought warring emotions within him.

Part of him wanted to chase Elia, make sure she was okay. But he knew from experience that often a woman needed time to process, time apart, especially if he had done something. Light, with her brother being the Master of Training, she's probably terrified that Murdock will say something. I should have mentioned he probably feels he owes me, thought Danos concerned.

As Elia turned the corner, he was no longer sure where she would have been headed anyways. With concern weighing him down, and his sudden impulsive moves still fresh in his mind, Danos went to the practice grounds.

Hopefully some unarmed practice and work on the Ko'di would help calm the storm in his mind.

[Craig]

OOC: I think that's the thread over . Elia's story continues in Confessions of a Broken Mind.