She stood up, stretched, and paced on the cold stone floor. The sturdy boots she'd worn for traveling were gone, as were her bag and Great Serpent ring, presumably taken by whoever had brought her here. It frustrated her that she hadn't been able to see more of them. Not only had she not been able to see her captors, but since she'd been brought here, Liaran had not seen a single person. Hands shoved food through a slot in the door, but other than that, she could have been entirely alone. She supposed she was meant to be frightened by the isolation, and was less than pleased to admit that she was.
She walked from one wall to the other, then back again. In such a small space, it did not take more than a few steps either way, but Liaran had to do something, anything other than sit and wait for any other signs of life. While she paced, she did her best to try to keep her mind off her situation. In particular, she wondered where Haeden had gone. Liaran was relatively certain that he had not been brought here as she had, but what would he think when she couldn't be found anywhere in the house? She hoped he'd have the good sense to return to the Tower and report what had happened, possibly send help. As much as it frustrated her, the Aes Sedai wasn't sure how she'd ever get out of here without it.
Liaran turned again and let her mind wander somewhere else. For a time, she lost herself in planning out the weaves she would teach to some of her more advanced Accepted students. If she had been able to write them down, the Aes Sedai thought she would have had a year's worth done by now. She didn't doubt she'd forget most of it by the time she was free, but the work kept her mind occupied, and that was what was most important. She was startled out of her plans by the sound of the door creaking open.
Her head turned sharply, black curls flying. It was not just the slot in the door that had opened, but the door itself. Liaran's stomach churned, but she stood up straight, looking directly into the blue eyes of the woman who entered. The blonde was only slightly taller than Liaran, and her green dress suggested that she most likely belonged to the Green Ajah of the White Tower. The woman frowned, seeming displeased, but Liaran did not let herself look away.
Time passed, and the woman finally broke the silence. "So you're the wilder we caught in Cairhien, pretending to be Aes Sedai."
Liaran had been frustrated and slightly angry at her imprisonment earlier, but that was nothing compared to what the woman's words brought out in her. "I am Aes Sedai," she snapped. "Liaran din Chelai Morning Star, Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah of the Grey Tower." There was a slight emphasis to the last two words, though Liaran hadn't intended it. She was proud of the place she had chosen to call home.
The woman smiled. It was the sort of smile that might have been directed at a naughty child. "Foolish girl," she said. "Would you like to know what the White Tower does to women who lie about being Aes Sedai?" She went on to explain that since she could channel, Liaran was being given two choices. She could either sign the novice book and work towards becoming Aes Sedai in truth, or she could be beaten, stilled, and removed from the city.
To Liaran, both choices sounded equally horrible, though she thought she knew what she was expected to do. Sign the book like a good girl... she thought, disgusted. She would not do it! But the other choice was too terrifying for her to even contemplate. The blonde woman turned, opening the door. "Choose wisely, girl," she said, before leaving Liaran alone in the room with her racing thoughts.