A Calling [Attn: Lugh]

The World outside the Grey Tower is a vast place.
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Bella
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A Calling [Attn: Lugh]

Post by Bella » October 4th, 2018, 3:01 am

Isla stood over the small dining table in the quarters she shared with Beron in the Halls of the Yellow Ajah.

Spread out on the table before her was a large map, which she was poring over in between consulting a pair of letters that she had unfolded to one side. Map, letter, map, letter... Each letter had cryptic clues as to where a specific Whitecloak camp had set up shop. Word was that they hadn't moved from that location in a while, so they were rather entrenched, even though she knew from experience that those units were supposed to be mobile.

She also knew from experience that they just as often were not. Some mid-level commander, high enough rank to look down on common soldiers but too low-ranked to actually be important, would decide that he didn't like hoofing it all over the countryside and so would just make everyone and everything come to him.

However, since these camps were not "official" locations, they were not always easy to find. It wasn't like the strongholds that the Whitecloaks maintained in several areas where pretty much everyone knew they were there. This was different, and it took a lot more effort to track down. It was, naturally, one of these camps that helped a few recent "guests" of the Children of the Light. Guests that would be questioned, tortured, then killed.

If Isla didn't move fast enough.

There was a grave and not inconsiderable risk that these people were already dead, but she knew that she had to try. She had many years of her own life still to atone for, and her goal was to spare as many others from as much of what she experienced as possible.

A lofty goal, she knew, but one should always aim high.

Beron would be back from the Yards any time now, she knew, and then they could finalize their plans to depart in the morning...

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Re: A Calling [Attn: Lugh]

Post by Lugh » October 4th, 2018, 4:42 am

Beron
Beron made his way up the stairs that led to the Yellow Ajah’s wing, and the quarters he shared with Isla. He nodded politely to the Novices who were scrubbing the stairs, his boots slung over his shoulder to keep the worst of the mud off the floors.

He had been working with Aethan for much of the afternoon, continuing the training he had received from Miahala Sedai. The ambush on the approach to Tar Valon stilled bothered Beron, both because of the fact it had happened; and because the ambush had given him a frank view of his own progress.

Beron paused for a moment to allow an Aes Sedai and her student to move down the staircase, and the distraction brought him out of his recollections. There had been little answer on the ambush that he had heard of; and when they returned from the attack Isla had once again spoken with the young man who worried for his sister. Since then she had poured over naps and any information she could find with an intensity he had only seen in the Infirmary.

In fact, as he swung open their door, he could see her looking over the maps as they lay spread out on the table. He could see she was marking the map and spotted a fresh letter in her hands, they would need to work on cultivating eyes and ears throughout the region if this became more than a one off rescue. And as Beron placed his riding boots down, placing his sword and dagger on the sturdy workbench, he realized that he fully expected to be tangling with the Whitecloaks for a long time.

“Sorry I was longer than I meant to be. I got caught up doing some ax work and lost track of time,” Beron said as he noticed the unopened kitchen tray, “It wasn’t until the Drin working in the stables mentioned supper that I realized how late it was. Still both animals look in fine form, and I have a spare mount picked out as well.”

Beron opened the trays, knowing the smell of food might tempt Isla to eat, and taking a step closer looked over her shoulder at the letters and the map. He noted with that many of her markings were very similar to the Saldaean army ones, and he again deferred to her experience with the inner workings of the Children of the Light. As a Saldaean he could hardly imagine a mobile force allowing itself to become bogged down and stationary, “A new letter I see. We should definitely see if we can begin you’re own network from the writers. Although that will have to wait, do you still wish to leave tomorrow morning?” Beron asked as he looked over the maps, tracing her sketched path with his fingers.
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Bella
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Re: A Calling [Attn: Lugh]

Post by Bella » October 11th, 2018, 2:48 am

"Yes," she replied, half-distracted as she still stared down at the tabletop. "I've waited too long already. If his Dream was indeed prophetic and his sister is a channeler as well, then every day further is one day closer to her being found out. If that happened, there is very little time before she is..." She hesitated and gave herself a small shake to pull herself from the memories before they reached her.

When she turned to look at him, she blinked as though she had only just realized he was there. It was a disorienting feeling to realize just how focused she had been.

Isla smiled sheepishly. "Beron," she said, leaning forward to give him a quick kiss. "What time is it?" She blinked again and looked around the room, her gaze falling on the tray. "Oh. Is it dinner? I lost all track of time." She rubbed her forehead.

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Re: A Calling [Attn: Lugh]

Post by Lugh » October 11th, 2018, 3:45 pm

Beron
Beron smiled when Isla leaned forward to offer him a quick kiss. “Oh. Is it dinner? I lost all track of time,” Isla said as she rubbed her forehead, no doubt feeling strained after staring at the map for so long without pause.

“It is yes, and looks like the Kitchen made extra. No doubt the Mistress of Kitchens noticed neither of us made it for lunch,” said Beron with a smile as he thought of the formidable woman who oversaw the cooks and servants that fed the Grey Tower. He waved Isla away from the trays, and gently guided her to the comfortable chairs in their quarters. A soft kiss on her hair, and a gentle knead of her neck to help fight the stiffness helped settle him from a busy day spent preparing for the worst the road could throw at them. As she patted his hand, he chuckled when his stomach growled and he brought their food over a tray balanced in each hand.

Once Isla began to eat, Beron did as well and he enjoyed a few morsels before he sat back and waved his hands towards the map, “Looks like the last letter helped you pin down the location. I have the mounts arranged, the supplies for the ride ahead of us are secured and will simply be loaded into the saddlebags. I did not know if you were thinking to stay to the wilderness the whole time, but I was able to get some coinage for our trip,” he paused then as a sharp spike of concern stabbed through the bond. Gently leaning forward, he tossed the purse onto the small ottoman in front of him, “I remembered what you said about the Whitecloaks and how they will look for Grey Tower coins. It took two Drin’far’ji all day, and I suspect my purse bought a drink or two as well but the purse is filled with coins from several of our trading partners. No coinage will tip them off. As well, I took the precaution of acquiring a sword as well.”

Beron could remember the surprise on the Armoury clerk’s face when he requested a sword from the bundle collected when they had collected the dead White Lotus. The sword was no where near as good as his Grey Tower steel, but he knew that such a fine sword was likely to mark him as Gaidin, as surely as if he wore his fancloak.

His fork scrapped against the plate, and he realized that he had cleaned his plate while speaking with Isla. He could see she had barely touched her food, her mind sorting through all he had told her, adding his preparations to those she was juggling in her mind. “Isla,” Beron said as he knelt beside her chair, taking a knee after placing his plate back on the tray, “There is nothing more to be done. The Wheel weaves as it wills, and you are enough of a soldier to know that no orders can forsee every twist of the battle.” Taking her hand in his, he stroked her palm softly, “I have faith that we have prepared as quickly as we were able. If his dream was true, I pray to the Light it came in time to save his sister. But there is nothing more to be done, even though I can see you worrying like a Captain who has just earned his knots. For tonight, rest if you can. I will rise before dawn and prepare everything, you can wash away my fatigue with a Weave so say the word and I will spend the night preparing; but you cannot wash your own fatigue away. You need to rest love. Light knows we have hard riding ahead of us.”
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Re: A Calling [Attn: Lugh]

Post by Bella » October 12th, 2018, 2:11 am

Turning to face him as he knelt beside her, she took a long, mindful breath and then let it out slowly. She focused on his presence, and how he soothed her. Her father had always said she let herself get too wound up too easily, but it was hard not to when it came to things like this. After all, she knew just what this girl would face at the hands of those monsters...

What a difference a few years could make.

"I will rest, my Gaidin," she said softly. "I just can't help but worry that I've missed something, and possibly something critical. We are about to put our lives on the line for the sister of a young man we barely know... I want to be sure that it's all for a good purpose, and that it's done smartly, and that I don't risk us, I don't risk you, recklessly."

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Re: A Calling [Attn: Lugh]

Post by Lugh » October 12th, 2018, 7:08 am

Beron
"I will rest, my Gaidin," Isla said softly. "I just can't help but worry that I've missed something, and possibly something critical. We are about to put our lives on the line for the sister of a young man we barely know... I want to be sure that it's all for a good purpose, and that it's done smartly, and that I don't risk us, I don't risk you, recklessly."

Beron nodded at her words, weighing them and knowing there was little to say. Standing for a moment, he looked to the table and back to Isla, and as she rose, he followed her to the map for one last look. “We’ll check it over once, then sleep.”

————

The next morning found Beron gently lifting his arm off of Isla, the pair of them having finally fallen asleep on the divan as Isla had read the letters and explained her thoughts. Beron had shared some of his own insights from lessons he had attended at the Grey Tower, but he ultimately knew Isla was the one with history when it came to the Whitecloaks. And as he slipped the blanket back onto Isla, he knew this mission would weigh heavily on her until the young woman was safe, especially if that young woman could learn to channel as well. The other truth he had to admit to himself as he watched her sleep, was that he had fallen asleep with her in his arms simply to enjoy a night’s tenderness before whatever the road brought.

Quietly, not wanting to wake Isla as the stars were just beginning to dim from the dawn; Beron dressed and grabbing his gear silently moved through the door, and down the hallways of the Yellow Ajah. The Grey Tower never truly slept, but this early there were few people awake; so Beron waited until he had brushed and saddled his gelding, and Isla’s mare before waking the stable’s Drin. A few trips to the Kitchens had their saddlebags filled with food, and as dawn truly broke Beron was glad to find all was ready.
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Bella
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Re: A Calling [Attn: Lugh]

Post by Bella » October 21st, 2018, 1:38 am

Isla awoke to an empty room.

She shifted slightly, becoming aware within her mind before she was aware within the room. The bond, that ethereal sense of Beron she carried and cherished, was not as close to her as it had been when they had finally fallen asleep. Opening her blue eyes, she saw she was on the same sofa and there was a blanket over her.

Pushing herself up, she rubbed her eyes and brushed errant, ragged locks of hair away from her forehead. Isla could feel him, feel his focus, and knew what he was up to, and yet...

As she looked at the empty seat beside her, a faint melancholy sigh escaped her lips. She didn't even fully understand the source of the emotion, other than she liked waking up beside him as they had done on a few occasions. There was something else to it, though she didn't fully grasp those parts. She also knew that this morning was not the time to try and decipher it.

So, she got up and got herself ready. She washed quickly, brushing and braiding her hair in a utilitarian way. Much like she had back in the days when she was a soldier. Isla had no idea what they might face when they rode out, so she chose the most pragmatic of clothing: riding breeches, blouses and vests, riding boots and simple cloak.

Once she was packed, she headed out to join Beron in the stables.

And just like she knew she would, she found him with both the horses ready and all of their supplies settled. She smiled to see him, and to think of how much she had come to rely on him. "I see that you got started without me," she said with a teasing edge to her voice. "Letting me laze about up there while you do all the work."

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Re: A Calling [Attn: Lugh]

Post by Lugh » October 21st, 2018, 7:50 am

Beron

Beron had been finishing up, and he smiled as he felt Isla approaching. As he was triple checking a strap, he heard her teasing, "I see that you got started without me. Letting me laze about up there while you do all the work."

“Well I was often told at the farm, a rested maid is one who can dance later,” Beron’s teasing stopping when he saw her standing there. Her often loose and messy curls were tucked away neatly into a braid, and his quick glance took in her riding breeches, blouse and vest. He coughed when he spent a little long noticing how different she looked in the breeches, her strong legs in good riding boots. Light, I need to get her riding more he thought to himself.

“I suppose it’s a good thing I left my fancloak upstairs. We’re a matching pair,” Beron said as he showed her the plain and unadorned weapons he had acquired. Holding the reins while she mounted, he took one last look towards the Grey Tower, imagining the couch and blanket for a moment. Then swinging into the saddle, he nodded to Isla. “When we get back, we’ll see if Bastian wants to wear out the dance floor; but for now you better take the lead milady,” he said with a nod, his eyes shaded with humour.
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Bella
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Re: A Calling [Attn: Lugh]

Post by Bella » October 25th, 2018, 11:02 pm

Isla led the pair away from the stables and to the Traveling Yard, which wasn't all that far away considering how often a trip to the stables led straight up to a Gateway.

After speaking briefly with the Aes Sedai manning the Traveling Yards that morning, the silver slash appeared and the forest clearing appeared on the other side. A shiver ran through her as she recalled the last Gateway they had gone through, straight into that ambush... It didn't help that this place was not too far from what remained of Tar Valon...

She suppressed those feelings, however, because they had a mission. She looked to Beron and nodded, knowing he would go through first.

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Re: A Calling [Attn: Lugh]

Post by Lugh » October 26th, 2018, 6:19 am

Beron
Beron followed as Isla led them away from the stables and to the Traveling Yard, the earlier departure they had planned paid off when the arrived to find the Yard essentially empty..

As Isla spoke briefly with the Aes Sedai who would be providing them with the Gateway, Beron took a moment to check the draw on his sword and axe. He felt tense and stared hard at the silver slash that appeared, before spinning to reveal a forest clearing on the other side.

Shoving nerves and memories of the ambush they had recently endured into the Void, he waited for Iska’s nod before riding through. Crisp morning air, the sound of leaves in the trees suddenly enveloped Beron and he took no more than a heartbeat to adjust his eyes before riding for the edge of the clearing. There was no sign of distrubance as he scanned the grass and brush near the edge of the trees, although he circled twice to be sure. The major drawback of a Gateway in his mind, was the distance the silver slash could be seen from. Seeing the path that led out of the close knit birch, he leaned in the saddle to look for broken ends and other scout signs.

Seeing it was clear, he returned to the Gateway and waved Isla through. Once the pair had settled their horses, Isla nodded to the Aes Sedai and the Gateway disappeared. They were truly on their own now, and Beron realized he was both nervous and accepting of that fact. As terrible as the ambush had been, it had also helped him realize just how strong Isla was. And so once he was certain she was ready, he rode forward onto the path.

The land here should be sparsely populated, and he hoped the clearing’s trees had kept any patrols from spotting the weave. Otherwise they risked running into an outlying patrol, or even bandits. That was a shocking thought given how close to Tar Valon they were, but all reports had the city still mired in trouble.

As the path began to move through the edge of the woods, Beron stopped Isla before their clothing or shapes could be clearly discerned. “I won’t be long,” he said softly as he handed her his reins , smiling slightly as the bond shared a stab of impatience. Still as Beron made his way through the thinning brush, he didn’t want them to pop out of the woods and encounter a wagon or merchant caravan. Sitting where he could observe the road, he once again weighed the risk of travelling on a route more likely to have others bound for their own destinations. Cross country would be safer, but also slower and if they did encounter a patrol there was less explaining their presence away.

Nodding his head in satisfaction that the road was clear enough their arrival would likely go unnoticed; he made his way back to Isla. “Looks good, I didn’t see any dust or movement on the horizon. We should make good time today if the weather holds,” he mentioned to her as he swung back into his saddle.

The day passed well into the afternoon before they stopped to water their horses, a sandy bank of the creek clearly used by many travellers given the smooth wood of logs cut nearby. Cautious of the fact that this would be a well known spot to locals, Beron had ridden forward first and inspected the sight before Isla joined him. Now she was filling their skins, while he held their mounts and watched the road ahead. “Thanks Isla,” Beron said as she handed him a skin, the creek water cool even through the stitched skin. Washing the road dust felt good, and he dabbed a handkerchief on his neck against the sun.
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