[Herarn] The Games we play (Attn: Mia)

[Bruce]

Herarn moved about in seemingly erratic movements but they flowed together beautifully when you considered that Herarn was tossing around about a half dozen Warder Trainees who were having a hard time keeping up with the large, muscled Aielman. Save for his boots and pants, Herarn was stripped to the waist. Herarn dodged, parried, and maneuvered strikes at him well enough, but other times he just absorbed a blow to his body by tightening the muscles in anticipation of the blow.

Around the training ring were another dozen or so who seemed to be toweling off and catching their breath. “Come on, if I was a Trolloc I’d be eating your livers for a mid-afternoon snack! I’m playing around, but if you don’t start getting serious I’m going to punish the lot of you for wasting my time.”

He tossed a couple Trainees around careful not to be too rough. After all he wasn’t out to do them real harm. Suddenly one of the larger Warder Trainee’s grabbed him about the waist and went to throw him back into a suplex, but everyone seemed surprised when Herarn stopped it by catching himself on his hands. From there everyone stopped to see who was stronger but Herarn didn’t play that game for too long. Instead he tucked one arm and twisted his body about forcing them to fall on their feet.

Hooking the other man’s leg with one of his own, Herarn grabbed the booted foot and started to twist it painfully to the side causing the man to break his hold on Herarn’s waist. The second Herarn was free he released the foot before kicking the man out of the ring. “Alright gentlemen, I think I’ve played around long enough.”

With that he started on each Trainee until they either yielded, fell out unconscious, or were knocked free of the ring. As the last man was tossed, physically from the ring a man approached the ring and took off his fancloth cloak before entering the ring.

What happened next could only be described as physicality. Both men traded blows, locks, and throws but in the end the large Aielish man got caught in a reverse armbar with the Gaidin pressing both knees into the elbow joint threatening to break it if Herarn didn’t yield. Since Herarn really didn’t like how broken bones felt being healed, he yielded.

The two men got up and bowed respectfully with one another before Herarn was seen to by one of the Yellows on duty on the Yards. He shivered noticeably as the bruising on his face and body faded away to nothing more than faded yellow momentos.

He sat down heavily on the hillside overlooking the training yard as the Gaidin took over and began to formally teach the class. He made sure to point out specific trainees and worked on them with what they had done wrong. Herarn had little to do for the next four hours as he had finished all of his own assignments and the only thing he did have was a One Power Basics class to teach later.

[Bella]

Miahala Ives Sedai It had been a long time since Miahala had walked through the Training Yards.

She had not trod upon this hallowed ground once since her return to the Tower because it was too painful. In every corner of the yards, she saw ghosts. Ryne danced across that corner, tall and lean, with the angles and leather band of his Malkieri heritage. Darien with that dark topknot and his piercing eyes. Toseth, so young and yet brave enough to stand toe to toe with her. And Caden... Oh, Caden. The Freak of the Yards, the scarred visage terrorizing every trainee within ear shot and many who weren't.

And then Ryne II, the walking image of his father. In life, and now in death. Haeden... When are you coming home, my son? She was desperate to see him, but no one knew where he'd traveled to. He didn't even know she was alive again. Bring a piece of your father home to me.

Today, though, she had forced herself to return. These yards were painted with her history, and given that most of that history was dead, it felt like it was painted in blood...but she would not be controlled by her fear, nor her sorrow. Miahala had survived. She had even survived death. She would not be conquered by anything. Thus she had chosen to come to the Yards and work on throwing some knives and piercing the veil this place wrapped around her.

Now that she was done, she walked the edges of the Yards and absorbed the energy of the place. The young trainees and the experienced Gaidin and Gaidar who molded them, along with the occasional channeler thrown in for color. She couldn't help but catch sight of one notably tall man making quite a mess of the trainees, tossing them about like clothes. Aiel, if she had to make a guess, and she allowed herself a pause to observe. Something about it recalled to her previous occasions she had been witness to.

She saw him leave the arena and head off to see the Yellow who manned the field to take care of those in training. Mia turned her attention back to the Gaidin and his class, before she decided to let her feet follow her curiosity to the young man who had found a seat on the hillside. She approached him, walking with the purpose of her age and the lack of hurry of her rank.

"That was quite a display," she commented simply. In her black breeches and pale green blouse and leather boots, her faintly grey-streaked auburn hair braided down her back, she may have blended in with the Gaidar but for the fact that her face was so purely ageless she looked like a living (maybe) porcelain statute with piercing blue-green Saldean-shaped eyes. The only visible marring of this ivory veneer was the faint scar upon her cheekbone.

[Bruce]

Herarn snorted without looking up, “Not really, most of them haven’t seen a real Shadowtwisted let alone a Shadowman nor battle. Many of these still have wet ink on their fingers and delusions of what it means to be gaidin or gaidar. I help the Training Masters teach some of the recruits and in turn I learn from the Training Masters when I have need. Occasionally you come across an upstart noble who needs to be disavowed of his previous rank but don’t wish to have him in direct contact with the person doing it. So I knock a head or two get glared at for a couple weeks until they learn that a Shadowtwisted doesn’t care about your heritage.”

“Just that you scream and squeal on their weapons and bleed red when injured. But they are Leafblighter’s Get and are killed to the last in the Three Fold Land. We Dance with them and some awaken from the Dream.” Said Herarn wiping his face with a towel before seizing saidin and channeled Air and Water.

One of the rules of the One Power was that you couldn’t affect yourself directly with the One Power, but that didn’t prevent oneself from cooling the air around you and seeping the water away from your skin until you stopped sweating profusely. Pulling on his shirt, he stood and came nearly face to face with her from where he stood on the side of the hill in comparison to where she stood on the path.

Blinking at her rapidly for a moment, he bowed sharply and respectfully, “Forgive my rudeness, Aes Sedai. I should have turned to see who I was speaking with. I got caught up with watching Lionel Gaidin teaching Unarmed Combat to the new recruits. I freely accept any punishment I have earned and shall see to it immediately.”

Herarn was kicking himself. He hadn’t heard the swish of skirts or the rustle of fabric nor the sometimes overpowering perfumes that a lot of Aes Sedai wore about the Tower. Now that he was paying attention, like he should have from the beginning he could smell the perfume but it was subdued and subtle. The fact that she was wearing breeches and what appeared to be riding boots explained why he hadn’t heard the swish or skirts or the rustle of fabric.

Trapped by his own complacency. He felt like a Light blasted maroon.

[Bella]

Amusement flashed through her like lightning. Not that she showed it, of course, because that would just be improper and quite contrary to the exterior she had built but she couldn't help but be amused at him all the same. A small wicked streak that she hadn't sensed within herself for a while reared itself and considered toying with the moment, but she decided against it. Still, she enjoyed feeling it even if she didn't let it have any freedom.

"Yes, you most assuredly should have paid better attention," she declared, inscrutable behind her Aes Sedai mask. "It's a lack of observation that would not have pleased the Gaidin trainers." She arched one auburn brow slightly. "However, you are fortunate in this moment that it was me and not another. Handing down severe punishments for a moment of inattention resulting in no harm was not on my list of things to do today."

Was that humor in her voice or not? She did nothing to further reveal it and let him wonder. "The name is Miahala Sedai." He looked too young to have heard of her, given the length of her absence, and she somewhat hoped for that. Although she had been wrong before.

[Bruce]

“It was not a lack of awareness, Aes Sedai. I was aware of your presence before you got within twenty feet of me. But there were things that are absent that made me think you a Trainee. I did not hear the swish of skirts which would have indicated a Novice, Accepted, or most of the Aes Sedai that I have had the honor of meeting. Nor did I smell the rich fragrance of perfume that seems to pervade almost all Aes Sedai. You lacked the crisp rhythmic step of an Asha’man or Gaidin. Nor did I sense any malice to indicate you intended me or anyone in the vicinity any harm.” said Heran as he straightened.

“May you find shade this morning, Miahala Sedai. Might I inquire if I can be of any assistance to you during your visit to the Yards?”

Herarn was not one to unnecessarily brown nose. It had earned him more than one punishment since coming to the Grey Tower. They wanted him to abide by the Three Oaths, so he told the truth. And sometimes the truth offended or hurt. He wasn’t looking to brown nose at all, he felt he owed toh for his lack of respect and he offered himself as an aide should she require it. But he wouldn’t bother explaining ji’e’toh. He’d learned a long time ago to just do what he could to try and repay toh when he felt it was due. Because the only thing he’d do would confuse anyone he tried to explain it too.

There had been a number of Brown’s who had cornered him during his time as a Soldier trying to ‘codify’ ji’e’toh so that it could be taught. But there were just too many exceptions and seeming inconsistencies that ultimately they gave up trying to learn. Then he’d been cornered by two Grey’s who had wanted to learn about it to assist in dealing with the Aiel. They had grown even more confused about it than before he’d started.

But truth be told even after having been among the Wetlands for almost ten years, he still didn’t understand some of their customs. Such as the fact that women didn’t own all the property. That people did not seek permission from the Roofmistress to enter her domain. That they didn’t have a Roofmistress was even more confusing.

[Bella]

Miahala listened. Perhaps contrary to the image of the Green Ajah, she was quite adept at being still and listening. Many a thing could be learned that way, after all. Open and active listening; the art of forming opinions based more on direct observation than pre-formed assumptions. And as she listened to the young man before her, she couldn't help but think (with a small thread of amusement), His ego is in good repair. Not many would dare to argue with an Aes Sedai.

"Quite so," she said lightly, "but I never doubted your awareness, only your observation. You were aware of me, but formed your opinion based on assumptions. Such as all Aes Sedai wear skirts and heavy perfume, when you will find that this is not always true. As you have just found out. Be glad that your assumptions led you incorrectly only about my rank and not about my intentions." She paused briefly. "But no, thank you, I do not require assistance. I'm..."

She paused again, for a few heartbeats as she glanced slightly over her shoulder. "I am quite familiar with the Yards of the Tower." Once upon a time, she would have said she was 'comfortable' with them, but that was a lie today. And thus, she could not speak it.

[Bruce]

Herarn nodded as he put his coat back on and adjusted his pin so it didn’t dig into his neck. “Then if there is nothing else, Miahala Sedai? I will be about my business. I have classes to attend and a couple chores to handle before dinner.”

Bowing respectfully, he left once dismissed.