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Re: A Child's Plea (Attn: Bella/Natlya Gaidin)

Posted: September 30th, 2020, 3:58 am
by Jack
Alanshir watched the woman calmly, though a barely contained rage hid below the placid surface. His steel eyes were hard as the actual metal, and he kept a tight rein on saidin.

The young, pale woman for her part did not show any concern for her predicament beyond continuing the struggle. The thousands of invisible blunt needles merely irritated the skin beyond most human endurances.

Instead, those lifeless eyes seemed focused on the pair in front of her, as if pondering how to escape and kill them. Only once before had the Grey Asha’man encountered a Soulless -- so rare were they -- and he had been more fortunate than some of the others in the diplomatic camp between two bickering families on the borders of Cairhien and Tear.

Twenty people had been killed before Calisye’s mother’s Warder had spotted and killed the Shadowspawn.

And then the Gaidin asked her question and the young woman smiled faintly, her eyes flickering with dark humor.

“The Great Lord of the Dark sent, come to claim the prizes tasked to me to hunt,” the woman said simply, a mocking smile on her lip. “The girl, the boy, the Asha’man as a last recourse and any who protected him.”

Alanshir coughed slightly as if to dispute the first comment but otherwise said nothing. If he were to speak further, he might have lost control of the rage hammering away at the edges of the Void containing saidin.

The woman laughed, a mirthless sound devoid of any humanity. She cast a sideways look at Alanshir before focusing back on Natlya.

“I was also sent by one who does not want the Asha’man’s mission to forge peace with minor houses of two bordering nations who could see Tar Valon rise high,” she said. “The child’s poisoning and death was meant to lure him to this place ... a means to an end but nothing more. Your Asha’man’s death would have sent a demoralizing message ... I was sent merely to ensure those who interfered were executed and then kill the Asha’man.”

Her dull, lifeless eyes fell back on the Gaidin and her smile deepened. “And had it not been for you ... Would you be his Gaidin, but if so, what good is a Warder who failed to protect she whom was so dear from the Sean...”

Alanshir twisted his fingers ever so slightly and the needles pricked the woman briefly enough to stop her train of conversation.

“I’m sorry about that small sting, but we’re focusing on you, not the Gaidin,” the Grey said as the needle points dulled again. “Please refrain from saying anything about her ... and she isn’t my Warder. The mother of my daughter gave up on me ever bonding one.”

Steel eyes looked at the young Gaidin and added with some humor, “Though had she seen the way the Gaidin executed her defense with such a ... creative weapon, she might have insisted on this one ... and I might have considered.” His eyes then shifted toward the Soulless. “You, on the other hand, she would have killed on the spot by now -- Alyse Payete of the Green Ajah would not take kindly to her daughter being threatened.”

His eyes glittered harshly. “And my son’s mother would do worse to you. My wife may be the embodiment of Cairhienin nobility at its ... finest, but when it comes to our child ... let’s just say your Old Grimm’s wrath would pale in comparison.”

The Soulless laughed again. “What empty threats and why such empathy for a failure of a Warder ...”

Alanshir smirked and glanced sideways at Natlya. “She dispatched your partner quite easily and she didn’t even know who I was. I’d say that was contrary to the word ‘failure,’’ he murmured. “As to empty threats ... as I said, she who is my wife is Cairhienin and our son is the future of her House and the one soul she loves more than anyone or anything else in this world.”

His steel grey eyes locked on the creature and he smiled mirthlessly. “The Hall surely has use of you, child, in the information you might still yet possess,” he said. “She who is my wife would kill you without a second thought and I would be inclined to let her slip into your cell.”

Before he could turn the questioning back over to the Gaidin, a commotion erupted as Walden returned with a very irritated Sebastian. The disgruntled servant in grey livery was demanding why he was being dragged to the Infirmary -- just after Alanshir turned his back to the pair.

“You -- you brought me here,” he heard Sebastian hiss. “You prevented me from disciplining the girl, prevented me from making an example in front of that nanny, you chi ...”

Whatever insult Alanshir’s aide might have spoken died on his lips as the Asha’man turned. “Sebastian, manners,” Alanshir admonished. “I told you never to speak that flaming word while in my employment. It’s crude, offensive and ... well, just very unoriginal.”

The servant’s jaw dropped like an anchor and tried to find words, but the Grey cut him off with a raised eyebrow. “As to attempting to ‘disciplining’ my daughter, Alyse would not approve, but she is not here, so ... “ He glanced briefly at Natlya. “Cali seems attached to this Gaidin, so I’ll let her decide how to properly discipline you.”

Alanshir again turned his back to his aide, save to nod slightly to the bound Soulless. “But in the meantime, you can explain your involvement in her mess,” he muttered, just as he wrapped a gag of Air around the woman’s mouth. “She gave up a lot of information, including details only I would know ... or those my aide would know.”

By all logical conclusion, Alanshir might have expected his aide to delay or bluster, but then Sebastian had never been disciplined.

It proved only too true a few seconds later when the alarmed man’s face suddenly darkened and darted forward toward the Asha’man, a concealed knife suddenly drawn. He was beyond Walden’s reach ... and into Natlya’s ...

Re: A Child's Plea (Attn: Bella/Natlya Gaidin)

Posted: October 20th, 2020, 9:52 pm
by Bella
Oh, you have got to be kidding me!

There was just enough time for that thought to rush--loudly and quickly--through Natlya's mind as she saw the very first seconds of this latest killer jumping forward. It took literally no time at all to realize that the only thing between that blade and this Asha'man was the lithe, highly-trained body that belonged to her.

It didn't take any time since she had already know the exact position of every body and piece of furniture in the room.

Nat shifted a step forward and to the left, her right hand shooting out and grabbing the offending knife-hand. In a single smooth motion, the momentum from that let her twist around. As she did, her left elbow was out and up. It slammed straight into Sebastian's cheekbone and noise, sending a resounding CRACK through the infirmary.

The turn continued, dragging the bleeding man with it and off his feet. She was on top of him in a moment, pinning his arms with her knees and pressing her forearm against the back of his neck.

Re: A Child's Plea (Attn: Bella/Natlya Gaidin)

Posted: October 20th, 2020, 11:05 pm
by Jack
A hundred weaves were already racing in Alanshir’s mind the second he saw his traitorous aide lunge at him. One was already on his fingertips ready to be spun when he saw that Warder move.

He didn’t hesitate in stepping back slightly, already well aware of the damage the woman could do with so little effort. The Asha’man’s hazel eyes danced with ... amusement at the third attempt on his or someone he cared about’s life today.

And felt a bit irked that he was already further in the Gaidin’s debt.

What amusement and irritation Alanshir felt, however, paled in comparison to a relative appreciation for the red-haired Gaidin’s restraint and admiration of a simple grace in executing her attack.

The Grey Asha’man was handy with a knife but he was better suited to either simple battle weaves or intricate illusions. His greatest weapon was the spoken and written word — as blunt as he could be, he could still play the Great Game of Houses.

The resulting crack made him smile slightly. Without Healing, that broken nose would take a long while to mend. Even as the Gaidin tackled Sebastian to the floor, the man’s knife skittered across the sterile infirmary floors and came to rest at Alanshir’s feet; the Grey calmly picked the weapon up, examining it. The blade was coated in a light sheen — poison was his guess.

With a cluck of his hand, the Grey casually sauntered forward and knelt eye level with the Gaidin. And the Asha’man quickly thrust the knife down ... its tip striking tile a half-inch from the man’s face.

“You’re fortunate, Sebastian,” he said simply. “She’s letting you live. You’d be nothing but bone and ash.”

The man tried to speak under the pressure of the Gaidin’s hold but only grunts came out. And a wheezing sound as he breathed through a broken nose. “I must say, the pool of recruits from which the Shadow draws from must indeed be shallow. Understandable, of course, given most of the Black Ajah and Dreadlords were killed by Miahala Sedai and Caden Ives, or by Saphire en’Damier -- well the entire en’Damier clan really — or by Jerid Walker and Lysira Viathene. No one to show you the ropes.”

His eyes flickered toward the Gaidin and he shrugged. “Really, I’m grateful for that. Stupid mistakes make it easier to weed out the stragglers.”

“You’ll pay for ...” Sebastian croaked.

“Sebastian, hush now. Save your strength for when I question you later. Or someone else. And for what it’s worth, the two families reached accord just before I was summoned here. One has a second-born daughter, the other a first-born son; both headstrong young adults who show so much potential for bringing about positive change where it’s needed.”

“Oh, and as of now, your services are no longer needed.”

A second later, the pommel of the dagger collided with Sebastian’s face, rendering the man limp.

“That’s for my son and daughter,” he said before standing. He retrieved a cloth from a concealed pocket and wiped the knife blade clean of whatever poison coated it.

It wasn’t too long before a nondescript Aes Sedai appeared flanked by a small entourage of Tower Guard. Alanshir only nodded toward the still struggling woman bound against the wall with brief orders to clap her in irons and carry her to a deep, dark cell guarded by Wards.

He motioned to the now-unconscious former aide as well. “Put them in separate cells,” the Grey said simply.

Alanshir turned his hazel eyes to the Gaidin as she stood and nodded respectfully.

“A shame with that one,” he muttered. “He really was adept at recordkeeping and oddly enough, knowing where to get the best Ghealdan chocolates.”

Alanshir’s expression grew more serious.

“I find myself owing you more thanks, Gaidin, and another favor owed,” the Asha’man said. “A favor for the kindness you showed my Calisye and for that of ensuring my son’s safety ... and my own.”

He smirked ever so slightly, though it faded when he cast his eyes back to the area of his son’s bed.

“I do have a bottle of Mayener cider should you ever care for some,” he murmured. “But begging your pardon, my immediate concern lies elsewhere.”