The Power of Three [Attn: Roan]

The World outside the Grey Tower is a vast place.
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Bella
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Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: The Power of Three [Attn: Roan]

Post by Bella » January 16th, 2019, 9:22 pm

Lysira observed the interaction with thoroughly masked curiosity--that was, she was very curious and was listening closely, although no one would be able to tell it from her actions or expression. Anyone looking at her might think her entirely disinterested in the company at her table and the goings-on all around them.

Naturally, that was as far from the truth as could be.

"No, not at all," the Aes Sedai replied with the inscrutable amusement that so many of her kind seemed to have. It was somehow grating on her just now, but she hid that as well. She was here as Gaidin, and that was to serve. She would restrain her emotion where they were meant to be for now, and try to understand them better next time.

After a few moments, their drinks and food arrived. Lysira began to eat, pacing herself so she didn't get sick but not wasting any time either, since all soldiers knew to eat when food was in front of them.

"The market will already be closed by now," the Red went on after a little while. "Our best bet will be to start right here. The patrons and the staff. We can see if they have noticed anything and take note of what has been going on in the area. The staff may be able to tell us what other travelers have said."

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Roan
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Re: The Power of Three [Attn: Roan]

Post by Roan » January 19th, 2019, 6:59 pm

Bastian drained his spiced cider before he turned his attention to the hot stew in front of him. He glanced to Andra, “I’m not the best at mingling, but I will do what I can.”

“Would you like another cider, sir?” one of the servers happened to be passing by. She leaned over, placing herself between him and Lysira, and smiled warmly at the large Gaidin as she picked up his empty mug.

Bas raised both brows as he watched the woman, and gave her a small smile, “Yes, thank you.”

As the woman walked away, he realized both Lysira and Andra were staring at him. “What?”
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Bella
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Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: The Power of Three [Attn: Roan]

Post by Bella » January 26th, 2019, 8:58 pm

Andraste smiled with amusement at the big man obliviousness. How could one as handsome as he was not realize the effect that said attractiveness had on the women--and probably a few men--around him? Then again, that obtuseness was part of what added to the allure, she was well aware.

Andraste, you fool, focus. You haven't spent this much time fawning over a man since you met Belenus, she chastised herself inwardly.

"I don't think mingling will be required at all," Andra said easily, exchanging a knowing look with Lysira. "I think you just need to speak with the serving girls and flash that smile. They'll likely tell you all."

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Roan
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Re: The Power of Three [Attn: Roan]

Post by Roan » January 26th, 2019, 9:13 pm

“What do you mea. . .ah,” Bastian replied as he realized what Andra was hinting at with her reply. It wasn’t that Bastian was oblivious. . .well, no he was, but that wasn’t to say he wasn’t experienced in the ways of love. Not that he was an expert, either. He laughed softly and looked down into his bowl of stew, “I can be a bit slow sometimes.”

The man ate a bit of his soup before looking back to the two women with a side-glance and a smirk, “Once I finish eating, I’ll see if maybe I can get them to open up.” He looked to Lysira, knowing she’d make sure Andra was safe, “Are you two going to stay down here, or head up?”
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Bella
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Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: The Power of Three [Attn: Roan]

Post by Bella » January 26th, 2019, 9:32 pm

Lysira still felt that odd nagging sensation in the back of her mind, but she did her best to ignore it. She saw the wisdom in Red's suggestion, after all, because it was impossible to miss the look that the serving girls--even the ones not waiting on them--were giving the Gaidin. Well, impossible to miss unless you were, apparently, said Gaidin.

'I think this will be more effective if we are not here,' she signed pragmatically. 'Once we are done eating, we will go to the room so you can dig for information.'

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Roan
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Re: The Power of Three [Attn: Roan]

Post by Roan » February 2nd, 2019, 2:06 am

Bastian nodded, “Sounds like a good plan.” He took a sip of his drink and scanned the room, noticing at least two of the serving women were looking his way. He might have blushed, though his darker complexion. . .and his beard hid any color that might have found its way to his cheeks. He cleared his throat before tucking into his stew.

Lysira and Andrast finished about the same time as he did, and as decided, retired to their room upstairs. Once they were gone, Bastian leaned back against the wall and rested a leg along the bench he just shared with the other Gaidin. He thought he’d have to actually get up and mingle, but it didn’t take long for one of the serving women to approach with a jug, “More mulled wine sir?”

Bastian flashed a warm smile, “Please.” He set his mug down and studied the woman who stood in front of him before tilting his head, “I haven’t been back to Kandor in quite some time. What news is there to share?”

The young woman gave her best charming smile as she leaned in while refilling Bastian’s mug, “A Kandori coming home? I am a lucky girl to be serving today and have the fortune of serving you.”

Bastian smirked slightly, “And my lucky day to be here. Now. . .what news is there?”

The woman almost looked crestfallen that he changed the subject so quickly, but she looked around to make sure the barkeep was busy, then sat next to him, “The truth of it? Things have been a bit. . .off for the last few months. Ever since the Logan twins were found dead about four months back.

“We’ve had issues with bad crops and a lot of our farmers have lost cattle to something vicious,” the woman explained.

Another serving girl walked by, “You talking about the weird things, Jess? Don’t forget the sounds coming from the hills northwest of here.” She leaned down, “You better stand up before Dar sees you. You know he hates you flirtin’ with the men folk.”

To be continued. . .
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Bella
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Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: The Power of Three [Attn: Roan]

Post by Bella » February 5th, 2019, 7:26 pm

Andraste and Lysira seemingly made the decision to head upstairs at the same time, without any sort of discussion. They knew that it would be far easier for Bastian to gain information from the serving girls if the women traveling with him were not in sight, so they made themselves scarce as soon as their food was eaten.

The tiny Gaidin was all but inscrutable, but Andraste just had this...gut feeling that something was going on behind those disconcerting obsidian eyes.

Sometimes there was a time for privacy, the Red knew. And sometimes words unspoken could get you killed. She was going to follow her instincts on this one and try to figure out what was going on, because that sense was telling her it was more the latter than the former in this particular situation.

Once they reached the room, Andra let Lysira precede her to double-check the room. Once it was cleared by her, Andra entered and set a ward. It wouldn't do anything to anyone who entered, but it would let her know when someone did. Sometimes it was the simple things that did the trick.

"I appreciate you and Bastian attending this trip with me," the Aes Sedai said casually as she unbuttoned her outer jacket and pulled it free to the blouse beneath it. She glanced back at the small Gaidin. "I understand some of your signs, but anything more complex may need to be written down."

Lysira nodded, moving to the one desk in the room that sat underneath the window. She sat, switching her gaze between the Red and the view outside.

"You two seem to work very well together," Andra went on, just as casually, as she sat on the edge of the bed to unlace her boots.

This conversation was a little harder to read than most, of course, since a prolonged silence meant literally nothing here. There were only prolonged silences between her words. It could be no other way...and she didn't realize how odd that was until she was actually speaking with Lysira one on one.

'Yes,' the Gaidin signed, slowly and carefully so Andraste could follow. 'Work. Well. Together.' If Andra had hoped to discern anything from the small woman's body language, however, she was out of luck.

With her boots off, her feet felt much better. She set them neatly against the wall and then sat further up on the bed, putting her back against the headboard. She considered and contemplated the woman before her, determining that another tact was required. Perhaps if she opened up a little about herself first, it would help.

"I don't get back home as often as I should," she commented, taking a slow breath. "Obviously, I couldn't while I was a Novice and an Accepted, but I probably wouldn't have even if I could." She smiled a little wanly as she met Lysira's now-curious gaze. "It would have been too painful, you see.

"I only ended up at the Tower because I channeled after my husband, and our lover, were murdered in front of me."

The inscrutable Gaidin was suddenly...well, scrutable.

Lysira now wore an expression that Andraste was very, very familiar with. She would have to say that eight or nine times out of every ten where she revealed her marital arrangements with someone, they wore that look immediately afterwards. Early on, it annoyed her. Then it made her sad, since everything did then. Now, it amused her.

"You heard correctly," she said. "I had a husband, and there was a young woman who traveled with us and was lover to us both. We shared our lives together, as much as if he were my husband she were my wife." Andra's smile was rueful and warm, full of love and sorrow, as her own dark eyes drifted to the ceiling. "He was my sun, and she was my moon."

She might have been lost in reverie had there not been a stamp of a boot on the floor.

That brought her attention back to Lysira, who needed Andra's gaze to 'speak' to her. The Red was a little embarrassed for forgetting that, but she watched intently now. 'That...is...done?' the Gaidin asked, still signing slowly with small words. The question of it was implied with her expression.

"It is," Andra agreed. "It was done by us, and we met others who did as well. Many not quite so...open about it as we were, but it is more than common than you think."

To be continued...

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Roan
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Re: The Power of Three [Attn: Roan]

Post by Roan » February 9th, 2019, 11:33 pm

Both serving girls had to see to other patrons, but Jess came back to Bastian’s table, “Thea is right. . .there were some odd noises coming from the hills northwest of town. It’s not far from the Logan farm and where the girls were found dead. A group of men searched the area, but didn’t find anything. Noises seem to come and go. We’ve gone weeks at a time without hearing anything, and then it’ll start up again.”

The barkeep, Dar, called out, “Last call!”

“I have to get back to work. Are you going to be in town long?” Jess asked.

Bastian gave a wry smile, “Likely not.” He drained his mug and handed it to her, “Thank you for the information.” He bid her a good night and headed upstairs. It sounded like he and the two women would investigate the area near the Logan farm. It seemed like something was certainly off. He wondered what Andraste would make of the news.

Coming to the door of their shared room, he knocked, not wanting to barge in, just in case either woman was indecent.
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Bella
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Posts: 5615
Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: The Power of Three [Attn: Roan]

Post by Bella » February 18th, 2019, 11:55 pm

By the time Bastian knocked on the door, Andraste and Lysira were sitting side by side on the bed with their backs to the headboard. They were both fully dressed, although their shoes were off. The Gaidin's weapons were leaning right against the wall next to where she sat, not in hand but in easy reach.

The conversation had been...enlightening to the tiny warder, to say the least, and she felt like her mind was about to overflow. With her age, training, and experience, she didn't realize there were still so many things where her gaze had been narrow...so many things to learn.

When there came the knock, her hand dropped to rest right about her sword. Just in case, she didn't bring it up, but she could do so in an instant if needed... Andra stiffened slightly and called out to ask who it was. When they heard the big warder's voice, they both relaxed and Andra said he could enter.

It wasn't until he was fully inside and clearly not with anyone else or under any duress did Lysira bring her hand away from her blade.

"Welcome back, Bastian," Andra said with a small smile. "Find anything interesting?"

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Roan
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Re: The Power of Three [Attn: Roan]

Post by Roan » February 23rd, 2019, 2:02 am

Bastian’s lips twitched into a slight smirk as one of his brows arched slightly, “You could say that. Two of the serving girls were all too eager to speak to me. I think both of them were told off by the barkeep because they kept lingering too long to talk to me. Neither of them seemed to care.” He closed the door behind him and removed his belt that held his two axes, slinging it over the back of the chair before he eased himself into it. The chair protested the size of its current occupant, and he didn’t exactly fit, dwarfing the piece of furniture.

The large Gaidin proceeded to tell Andra and Lysira what he learned, taking his time to make sure he shared as much relevant information as he could, leaving out the things that were surely things of a wild imagination. When he finished, he looked between Andra and Lys, “I think our search should start northwest. . .near the Logan farm, adn go from there.”

He tilted his head, “So what have you two been talking about?”
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