A Not-So-Blind Date [Attn: Tia Tomosan]

[Bella]

[subtitle]Brynmor Brook Gaidin[/subtitle]
Bryn was waiting in the Traveling Yards for a woman who didn't even know he was waiting on her.

He was a little nervous about the reaction and knew that if he were to be dismissed, he would end up facing the wrath of yet another woman--the one who had directed him here--and he wasn't sure which worried him more. No, that wasn't true, he knew whose favor he was more willing to risk.

But he was here, and hoping for the best. He wore his fancloak, was armed with his various weaponry, and his pack for travel. He had not brought his horse, since he knew he could borrow one if needed later on.

Assuming he wasn't sent away before the trip began.

He stood in that casual pose that made people think he was perfectly at ease and where he was meant to be, even if internally he was doubting the moment. His blue eyes scanned the area every few moments, not for threats but for a very specific Green...

When he saw Tia Sedai approach, he shifted his body to face her. She drew nearer and spotted him, and he could see--or maybe just projected--the curiosity in her gaze. With a small, crooked smile, he held up his hands. "Your kin sent me," he said by way of instant explanation. "They knew you were headed for the Citadel and thought you could use an extra sword-arm."

[Roan]

Tia Sedai

Removing the mantle of “Mistress of Novices” was a bigger relief than she expected. It wasn’t that she minded her time leading the learning ranks, but it did prevent her from traveling outside of the Tower much. There were some who suggested she’d been spending a bit too much time at the Citadel, but she was a Green. Her kin wouldn’t dare suggest she spend more time back at the Tower. Most understood her reasons for heading to the Citadel, and that was enough.

It had been less than a week since she turned over the duties and responsibilities to Tamsin Sedai, a Brown who looked more like the Mistress of the Kitchens than Mistress of Novices. She seemed to pick up on her duties pretty quickly, something Tia was grateful for as it meant she could focus on planning her next trip to the Citadel.

Leading Storm by the reins, Tia made her way to the Traveling Yards. She wore light leather armor, and had saddle bags attached to the back of her saddle that held other clothes and necessary provisions. Storm nudged her shoulder as she caught sight of a familiar face and almost paused mid-step. Fortunately, she had a decent center of gravity and didn’t stumble.

Piercing eyes seemed to lock onto her as she closed distance, and before she could say anything, Bryn spoke, “Your kin sent me. They knew you were headed for the Citadel and thought you could use an extra sword-arm.”

Tia couldn’t help but roll her eyes, but she laughed softly, “By kin do you mean my mother, or Memma?” She held up a hand and shook her head just as she asked, “Nevermind. I’m guessing it was both. I told Memma since she’s the Captain General. I’m guessing she likely told Mother.” Storm gave a soft whinny, as if laughing at her. The Green gave her horse a side-long glance, “Who asked you.”

The horse gave another whinny. Tilting her head slightly, Tia offered a warm smile, “Well far be it for me to be the one to send a poor Gaidin to face the wrath of my kin. I’d be happy for you to join me, Bryn, though you should know I don’t know how long I’ll stay out there. I have to admit I’ve been a bit eager to head back out since the Amyrlin made me Mistress of Novices, and essentially hobbled me to the Tower.”

[Bella]

There was a surprising sense of...relief that she had not sent him away. He had not thought himself nervous about it, but he apparently had been and now it was alleviated. He smiled slightly and inclined his head in acknowledgement. "I appreciate your consideration for the intact state of my hide." His blue eyes danced.

Turning slightly, he gestured for them to walk together to the Gateways. The horses they each held the reins of walked sedately on the outside of each, putting the pair side by side.

"The length of time is not a concern. I am at your service for as long as you might have need of me," he said easily. He had been advised already that this might be the case, so he had made the appropriate arrangements for any duties and obligations he had. "I can only imagine how much...freer you must feel now. It must be...difficult for Greens to maintain such roles, at least in that aspect."

[Roan]

Tia Sedai

Tia laughed softly, “Given one of the first things I did after turning in my resignation was plan this trip? Yes, it is quite a relief. Don’t get me wrong, there was something special about being Mistress of Novices. To help guide our young women along their path to the Shawl? It was an honor, but being so bound to the Tower was hard.”

The Green gave a wry smile, “A certain Captain General has been Mistress of Novices more than once. She somehow seemed to balance being a Green with the duties required, though I suspect she wasn’t quite so tied down as I seemed to be. Perhaps there is a bit of balance I could learn from her.” How many people talked of balance when referring to Miahala Sedai?

There were reasons working at the Citadel appealed to Tia. She felt as if she was making a tangible difference in the fight against the Shadow. Her initial trips were to give her a bit of time and space with Jaryd. Tia knew she couldn’t avoid that conversation completely, but she wasn’t quite ready for it yet. She needed the sweet taste of freedom from the Mistress of Novices mantle.

Her previous trips to the Citadel, she tended to work with the Gaidin and Ji’val posted there, and planned on doing the same this time. Her kin had other ideas, and as she held the intense gaze of the man opposite her, she didn’t really mind. She found herself smiling warmly towards Bryn, “Shall we go see what kind of trouble we can get into at the Citadel then?” Looking beyond him, she gave the Blue Aes Sedai present a nod, and a Gateway formed behind the pair of them.

[Bella]

Now that Bryn knew Tia wasn't upset about how he had ended up accompanying her, he couldn't help but be amused at how it had come about. It was the first time he had ever escorted an Aes Sedai because her mother and great---whatever Miahala Sedai was had requested it of him.

The Sha'hal line was not the only family strain in the Grey Tower, he knew, but few were quite so...widespread and prolific. As he was learning, and had this growing feeling he would learn more about.

"If the Citadel is good for anything, it's finding trouble," the Gaidin agreed with a small, crooked smile. As he watched the Aes Sedai form the Gateway, he mounted up. Holding the reins would only bind one of his hands and get in the way of his range of motion should there be a threat on the other side. He looked at her, nodded once, and then rode ahead.

It was the duty of the Warder to do so, and knew she would follow shortly thereafter should he not return with some form of warning. He crossed over, ignoring the shiver that ran through him as it always did going through a Gateway, and saw now threat on the other side. So he waited.

[Roan]

Tia Sedai

Tia mounted up when Bryn did, but she held back as he rode through the Gateway. As she waited, she realized she didn’t really know what was an appropriate length of time to wait before crossing the Gateway herself. After what she hoped was long enough, she rode through. When she saw all was well on the other side, the tension she felt in her shoulders dissipated.

When Traveling to the Citadel, the Gateway opened up fairly close to the Citadel, but it was still a ten minute ride away. Things were usually quiet in such close proximity, but it was the Blight Border, so the chances of things going sideways was ever present. It seemed a bit silly to some to get their horses completely tacked up for a short, ten minute ride, but there was always the chance that the ten minute ride would need to be done at a full gallop if a band of Trollocs happened along.

The Green flashed a warm smile to Bryn as she scratched Storm’s withers, “I think the Citadel’s unofficial title is ‘Trouble-seeker’s Paradise.’ I think most of my Green brothers and Sisters who venture out here do so for similar reasons. While I dream of a world where places like the Citadel aren’t needed, it does kind of give us Greens a focused purpose, I suppose.”

[Bella]

"And the Gaidin, do not forget," he said with his crooked smile. "While I would share your dream of a world where these places would not be needed, I am too much a realist to think about it too much. I don't believe, with the hearts of mankind being as they are, that such a world will ever be possible."

It was not that Brynmor was a cynical man. He had his cynical moments, of course, who didn't? But he didn't make it a way of life.

However, he called himself a realist and that was true. He had known too much of the world and the people within it, those good and those aligned with the Shadow and those without the Shadow that were just...bad. He could not have too much optimism; he had simply seen too much, and experienced too much.

He bore the scars given him by a "just bad" man.

"The Greens and the Gaidin, however, do gain much from the place. From training when we're younger to purpose and missions when we are ranked." His blue eyes seemed to dance in the day's light as he met her eyes. "I think it's more...the place that gives us something to do so we don't cause trouble at the Tower because we're bored." He grinned crookedly.

[Roan]

Tia Sedai

Tia laughed softly with Bryn’s last remark and found herself not quite willing to look away from his blue-eyed gaze, “A place to keep us Greens and Gaidins from causing trouble at the Tower? I would hazard a guess you are not the first person to suggest such a thing, though I doubt we’d find anyone who’d confirm your suspicions. Can’t have us Greens and Gaidins getting bored, can we?”

When Tia did finally look away, it was to look up the road as she scratched at Storm’s withers. The pair had begun walking not log after she cleared the gateway, but with the road clear, there was no reason to rush the walk. She had been a bit apprehensive about her return to the Citadel and the thought of having a random Ji’val or Gaidin assigned to work with her. She knew it was a good experience for the learning ranks and younger Gaidin, but knowing Bryn would be by her side? The turn of events pleased her more than she expected.

It was just past High as the pair traveled the short distance to the Citadel proper. Tia glanced towards the sun, and then looked back to Bryn, “Assuming there are no urgent fires, my guess is we’ll get the lay of the land when we arrive, and if there is anything that requires our attention, we’ll tackle it first thing tomorrow. It means we could have a bit of a quiet evening.”

Tia paused only for a moment, and flashed a wry grin, “Of course, I could have just ruined our chances for a quiet evening by making such a bold statement. If I haven’t, and it is indeed a quiet evening, would you care to have dinner with me?” He may be acting as her Warder on this excursion, but she didn’t want to just presume he’d join her.

[Bella]

Bryn was surprised at the...warmth that suffused him when she asked.

He had escorted many Aes Sedai and Asha'man over the years. Some of them he had liked, and even enjoyed the journey with. Some of them, he had just counted down the moments until he could return them safely to the door of their relevant Ajah Hall. He never groused too much, though, because he knew it was all part of his duty.

Tia was something else, though. And he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Many simply presumed he would follow them everywhere, since he was there as professional bodyguard. Others invited, but he accepted that as simply politeness.

This, he wasn't sure. But the invitation made him smile and he took a moment from surveying their surroundings to give that smile to her and incline his head. "I would be pleased to do so," he assured her. "After all, I am here to make sure you remain safe in all situations. I wouldn't want an errant turkey leg to cause you any ill, now would I?"

[Roan]

Tia Sedai

The wry grin turned into a smile before she started laughing, “I certainly wouldn’t want an errant turkey leg to cause me any ill, and you can’t trust pesky turkey legs, can you?” As her laugh trailed off, she shook her head, “Though in all seriousness, I’m hoping your services to keep me safe do not need to come into play because of homicidal fowl.” She couldn’t help the grin she flashed him as she held his gaze a bit longer before looking back to the Citadel.

They were just coming up on the main gate to the Citadel, and the guards along the wall were watching them as they closed in. One of the guards at ground level flashed a grin to Tia, “Welcome back, Tia Sedai. I’ll send someone to make sure your room is ready.”

She cocked her head, “My room?”

The man laughed, “Yeah, well, we knew you’d be out sooner than later once you resigned. Tommy over there heard you liked the room you were in last time cuz of the view. No one was in it, so we asked the quartermaster to hold it for you. There’s a fire goin’ in the hearth to get it warm. The Commander is in his office if you’re lookin’ for him.” The guard followed them in as they entered the courtyard.

Tia dismounted, casting a glance over her shoulder to Bryn, “I think chatting with him should be our first stop.” She took Storm’s reins in one hand as she unbuckled her saddlebags from the back of her saddle and slung them over a shoulder. Just as she did that, two stable hands approached and offered to take their mounts.

Relinquishing the reins, Tia waited until Bryn had passed his horse off to the other stable hand. Part of her wanted to get the ‘business’ sorted so they could get it out of the way. And do what exactly? It’s ages before dinner she thought to herself.

The Green Sister felt a sense of. . .excitement or giddiness that was not exactly Aes Sedai-like. Whether it was nerves at being back out here, or anticipation about dinner, or a combination of everything, she wasn’t sure. Taking a deep centering breath, she looked back to the Gaidin and nodded towards the Commander’s office, “Ready?”