Tia Tomosan
He feared her judgment? Tia found herself feeling more than a little surprised at his admission, and perplexed as to why he’d fear she’d think less of him. Yes, they were Aes Sedai and Asha’man, but they were also human. Sometimes those a person cares about come before duty, no matter how honor-bound a person might be. Tia doubted she could put the Tower before her family, or before Jaryd, for that matter. She would put her life on the line for any of them, without question, and without hesitation.
Looking around his chambers, Tia shook her head, “I can’t imagine your chambers being so sparse. I certainly can’t imagine them without the scent I think I shall forever associate with you going forward.” She gave him a wry smile as she took a tentative sip of tea, testing its temperature, “You honor her memory well these days. . .from what I can see, at any rate.”
The events from earlier in the evening were anything but forgotten, though the Green found herself much more at ease than she had been when she first knocked on Jaryd’s door. Not all that much time had passed, but the man had a way about him that put her at ease. Perhaps it was a mix of the incense and his calming color scheme?
Giving a noncommittal shrug, Tia replied, “I will be fine, I’m sure.” She didn’t feel sure, “It is just. . .the realization of the responsibilities that come with the Shawl. Killing the beasts that serve the Shadow are one thing, but killing another human being is something altogether different. Given where I come from. . .who my kin are, it should not come as the surprise it has, but I don’t think I contemplated killing another human being before tonight. Naive as it sounds, when I’ve thought of the Shadow, I think of the beasts, and in their own way, the men and women who serve the Shadow are not any better than the beasts.”
Pausing to take another sip of tea, Tia met Jaryd’s dark gaze, “I give you my word, I won’t dwell on the events of the evening, but I do need to think them over, and reevaluate my. . .world view, for lack of a better phrase.” She set her cup down, “Tell me about your evening to help distract me from the various thoughts running through my mind. I heard the ball was interesting in its own right?”