Summoned (open)

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Roan
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Re: Summoned (open)

Post by Roan » February 6th, 2018, 5:51 pm

Tia Sedai
Stilled.

The word seemed to echo throughout the Hall, and it resonated within Tia. Not only had she been stilled, but Liaran had been tortured, which changed everything. The woman Liaran attacked had already done her harm. For the Grey Tower Sedai, she exacted revenge on a woman who violated her.

Could Tia have held back had she been in Liaran’s shoes? Likely not. How can you have compassion for a person who treated you as less than human?

The situation Liaran Sedai survived. . .it was what the White Tower had put before Tia, Andra and their Brown Sister when they were captured and thrown in the cells. Before they could come to harm, though, they were rescued.

So was it justice or vengeance Liaran exacted on the White Sister?

How would the Grey Tower treated one of their White sisters? Surely better than Liaran had been treated, right? Or was Tia so blindly naive to think such things?

In Tia’s mind, Liaran was no murderer, but a victim. Did that justify taking another woman’s life? Perhaps not, but then they were in the throes of war with the White Tower. Would the White Tower Sedai have given Liaran the benefit of the doubt? Likely not.

It was a sticky situation, but if it came to it, Tia would speak in support of Liaran. How could she not?
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Alianora
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Re: Summoned (open)

Post by Alianora » February 8th, 2018, 1:48 am

Liaran Sedai
Her words seemed to hang in the air, and the Hall was silent. Some time passed before Liaran could bring herself to continue. "They took me out of the city, afterwards," she said,"and let me go, but at first...I collapsed, and I couldn't make myself move." She had no words to describe the initial shock she'd felt, but she clearly remembered staring into the Erinin and wishing she could throw herself in. "Somehow, I got to my feet, so I could try to walk home, and that's when I heard someone calling me. It was the Warder who'd been traveling with me, who hadn't stopped searching for me since I was...taken." Shame filled her voice as she explained,"That person brought me home." Her head dropped slightly, and Liaran stared at the floor.

From somewhere above her, the Grey Sitter spoke. "I have no further questions for you," she heard. "Is there anything you wish to say in your own defense?" Liaran blinked up at him, not quite understanding. There was no excuse for what she'd done, and she had known that before she'd ever set foot in the Hall. The Aes Sedai shook her head slightly, blinking again and answering the question quietly. "I cannot defend myself," she said, "because I know that I was wrong. I killed a woman for no better reason than that I was angry with her and allowed that anger to overcome me. It makes no difference that she...hurt me. I had no right to take her life." Liaran's head bowed. "I accept the will of the Hall."

Finally finished speaking, she was dismissed to her own seat, and expected that the Grey Asha'man would leave to join the rest of the Hall in sentencing her. Instead, he turned to face the crowd that filled the stands. "Is there anyone who wishes to speak on behalf of Liaran Sedai before the Hall convenes?"

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Bella
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Re: Summoned (open)

Post by Bella » February 10th, 2018, 12:07 am

"If it pleases the Hall, I would speak."

Haeden stood up. As he did so, he looked at Liaran, uncertain of whether she would look at him or not. Please forgive me, but I cannot stay silent any longer. He didn't expect her to thank him for what he was about to say, but he sincerely hoped that she would not hold it against him that he had to say it.

The Grey Asha'man looked at him and nodded. "The Hall recognizes Haeden Ives Gaidin. Speak your piece."

The Gaidin took a deep breath, speaking clearly and calmly. "I appreciate the Aes Sedai's discretion," he began, looking at her again for but a moment before returning his gaze to the Greys and the rest of the crowd, "but I was the Gaidin who traveled with her when she was taken by the White Tower. It was my failure that allowed it to completion."

If he had been smarter...quicker...stronger...maybe he could have stopped them before they'd taken her away.

"Any soldier can tell you and any Yellow can confirm that enduring trauma such as torture can change you, and that is what Liaran Sedai faced at the hands of the White Tower and that particular Aes Sedai. That mitigation cannot be ignored. Further, we were in the midst of a declared war with Tar Valon. I do not believe that should be ignored either."

He wished he had a little more of his mother's eloquence, but it felt like his father's brashness and coarseness of words came through instead.

"However..." he went on, lowering his head slightly. "She would never have been in the position to see her tormentor--would not have a tormentor in the first place--if it weren't for my failure. If there should be punishment for the deed, I would say it should fall upon me."

You would say what?

His own words surprised him. He looked inwardly and asked himself if he realized that execution was on the line here...and yet he did know that, and did not want to take his words back.

Even though he had been relieved that she did not hate him for his failure, he knew that all of this was because of that...and he did not want to see her punished for what he earnestly believed were his failings. Now, he could not look at her. He did not want to look at anyone after voicing this. "I've said my piece," he said, his voice lower than before as he sat down.

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Roan
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Re: Summoned (open)

Post by Roan » February 11th, 2018, 8:29 pm

Tia Sedai
Tia was surprised when Haeden first stood up to speak, but less surprised when he came to Liaran’s defense. In Tia’s mind, none of them should have been there that day. Liaran Sedai thought differently, since it was she who admitted to the killing which caused the hall to gather in the first place. Liaran was a Blue right to the core, from what Tia could see, and the Blue Ajah was lucky to have her.

The Green’s mind was brought back to the present when Haeden suggested he should be the one to take whatever punishment was deemed appropriate for the Blue. Given they were talking about a charge of murder. . .

Uncle, what are you doing? she thought to herself.

Before Haeden had a chance to sit down, Tia stood, “I would like to address the hall on behalf of both my Blue Sister and Haeden Ives Gaidin.”

The Grey Asha’man looked to her and nodded, “The Hall recognizes Tia Tomosan Sedai, sister of the Green Ajah.”

Tia realized she had no idea what to say now that she was standing, and cleared her throat as she looked from Liaran to Haeden, “What I see before the hall are two people who both claim guilt for actions taken during war.

“The Gaidin has a valid point. While Liaran Sedai was at the White Tower and killed the White Sister, we were in the midst of a war. The woman she acted against violated her in a way. . .none of us can fully comprehend unless we were in a similar situation,” Tia began somewhat tentatively but gathered steam as she spoke.

“Of those of us gathered here, myself and two other sisters came close to suffering the same fate. We did not because of rescue efforts by our fellow Sisters and Brothers and Warders of the Grey Tower. Whether she was meant to be there or not, Liaran Sedai was one of those who helped us escape, saving us from a fate she had to endure.

“It is not for me to pass judgement on her, yet I dare say I may well have done the same had I been in her shoes, and who here would not? It was a time of war. I think punishment for her or for her Gaidin would be a miscarriage of justice. I, though, am no Blue and leave it to those with more experience than me to make such judgements. I stand with my Blue Sister and the Gaidin, though, and would strongly suggest this trial be dismissed,” she said.

Clearing her throat once more, Tia finished, “That is all I have to say.”
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Alianora
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Re: Summoned (open)

Post by Alianora » February 12th, 2018, 10:47 pm

Liaran Sedai
Liaran did not see the point of asking for the input of those outside the Hall, and wondered why the Asha'man had invited it, when her guilt for what she had done was so obvious. She sat forward in her seat as Haeden was called upon to speak, hoping the trial had not been too difficult for him and wishing he'd had the sense to stay away. Her eyes were drawn to him as he spoke, and though she also wished he hadn't felt it necessary to explain that he had been the one with her, she knew that that decision was not hers to make. Still, she was worried about the impact her trial had had on him, and the last point he made proved to Liaran that she had good reason to be concerned for him.

It hit her like a physical blow, and the Aes Sedai shifted herself slightly backwards in her seat. Her wide, dark eyes fixed on Haeden, though the Gaidin was no longer looking up. No. NO! Not the most convincing argument ever, but those were the words in Liaran's mind. Both hands wrapped around the blue fringe of her shawl. How does he still not understand what he did for me? How can he possibly believe that he should die in my place? She had thought she'd made herself clear when she'd spoken to him not long ago, but it appeared that that was not so. Would she have another chance to see him before her execution? Liaran had no idea, and was powerless to do anything except hope that she would.

She did her best to cling to that small hope as others spoke up in her defense, each one a new shock to her. Liaran had known as soon as the Asha'man spoke that Haeden would speak for her, but had truly thought the Gaidin would be alone in doing so. It particularly surprised her to hear Tia, a Green Liaran hardly knew, say that the trial should be dismissed, and even more so that Tia was not the only person to say such a thing. She had come here expecting condemnation, not support, and the reactions of those who spoke to defend her were not at all what Liaran thought she deserved.

The greatest shock of all came from the last speaker, Micara Sedai, one of the former White Tower sisters who had spoken earlier of having seen her during the war. The woman, sounding almost angry, claimed that what had been done to her by the White Tower had been unlawful, that she should have been given a trial for the charge the White Tower had accused her of, and that for those reasons, the woman Liaran had killed should have been punished for her actions. It was nothing that had ever occurred to Liaran, and by the time Micara Sedai had finished speaking, she felt so overwhelmed that she could hardly think.

The Hall met after that, and Liaran remained where she was. She looked towards Haeden again, wondering if her execution would bring the man any sort of peace. She had to hope that it would, since there was little else she could hope for. Only a short time passed before the Hall returned, the Grey Asha'man calling her to stand to hear the verdict.

Liaran obeyed, releasing the edges of her shawl as she stood. The Aes Sedai straightened her back, forcing herself to look directly at the Sitter as he began to read. "Liaran din Chelai Morning Star, Aes Sedai. The Hall of the Tower declares that you are innocent of this charge against you. You are free to go."

She remained where she was, certain she had not heard correctly, for that could not be right. Liaran looked around her, waiting for someone to come and tie her hands, to take her to a cell to await her death, but instead, the crowd was filing out of the Hall, as were the Sitters, and it slowly began to sink in. Innocent. For whatever reason, and she did not understand what that could be, the Hall had found her innocent. Liaran blinked, then slowly turned to depart the Hall, hardly able to believe that she would not die, but live.

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Bella
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Re: Summoned (open)

Post by Bella » February 13th, 2018, 11:16 pm

Others spoke, and then it was time for the determination.

Haeden felt like his stomach hollowed out, and he wished that black hole would just swallow him up so he didn't have to feel the anxiety growing within. He hid it behind his stoic mask, but he felt it and could not rid himself of it. He was...scared. Scared of what they might do to him. Scared of what they might do to her.

The man did not want her to die for his mistake. She did not deserve it. She did not deserve execution, or punishment.

He was not the only one to believe that, either. Judging by all those who had spoken. Even one of the deceased's own Sisters from Tar Valon, and that was a word that carried weight.

When she looked at him during the intercession, he looked back and held her gaze for as long as she held his. He wondered at her thoughts, and even wondered at his own. He wasn't even sure that he knew what he felt or thought, not fully, but it was confused at the very least, and much of it was fear. A feeling not helped by the return of those who would render judgement.

"Liaran din Chelai Morning Star, Aes Sedai. The Hall of the Tower declares that you are innocent of this charge against you. You are free to go."

It felt like all the strength fled his knees, entirely unbefitting the dignity of a Gaidin, and he was glad that he was already seated so that he didn't need to fight to remain upright. With his hands folded and held up by his elbows on his thighs, he lowered his head to his clasped fingers and breathed out a long slow breath to calm his raging mind.

As those around him started to file out, Haeden abruptly launched himself to his feet and hurried out of the stands. Liaran hadn't moved yet, but he knew the door she would depart for it and he headed there. He would wait beside it all day if he had to, but he wanted to speak with her, now that he could.

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Re: Summoned (open)

Post by Alianora » February 26th, 2018, 11:05 pm

Liaran Sedai
Liaran's feet moved slowly as she headed towards the door. She had no desire to linger within the Hall of the Tower, but her mind was still trying to accept that she would be allowed out of it to walk free. She knew that she should be relieved, but instead, the Aes Sedai just felt numb. She had been so certain that her trial would end in her own death, and now that she knew it would not, the Aes Sedai didn't know how she could stand to live with everyone knowing what she'd done, and what had been done to her. Though she kept her head up, Liaran carefully avoided looking at anyone else as the crowds left. There were very few people she thought she could manage speaking to right now, and she didn't want to encourage it. What she wanted was to go directly to her own rooms, and perhaps not come out for days.

As she drew closer to the door leading from the Hall, Liaran saw one of those few people standing there. Though she didn't feel much like talking, she did want to see Haeden. Liaran lifted the blue silk of her skirts slightly off the floor, enabling herself to move a little faster to where the Gaidin stood to the side of the door. Looking up at him, Liaran spoke. "Haeden, are you all right?" As the words left her mouth, she knew it was a stupid question, but she was worried about him, and didn't want him to suffer as a result of her trial and the hard memories it had brought up for them both.

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Re: Summoned (open)

Post by Bella » February 27th, 2018, 2:46 am

When she finally emerged, his feet took him a step closer but then he stopped himself. He didn't want to overwhelm her, and he was sure she was close enough to it after all of this...but then she hitched up her skirt a little and hurried toward him. And he suddenly felt a strange relief about a worry he hadn't been fully conscious of.

However, words failed him for a moment...and then her question shocked him so much that they failed him again.

Finally, he laughed softly, sheepishly, and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine," he assured her quickly. His fingers twitched with a strange urge to take her hand, but he definitely fully restrained that. "I'm...much relieved. And I'm very glad to see you." He smiled at her. "Are you all right?"

Alianora
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Re: Summoned (open)

Post by Alianora » February 28th, 2018, 3:17 am

Liaran Sedai
Liaran smiled back, but at first she couldn't speak. Her instinct was to claim that she was just fine. It was the answer she would have given to nearly anyone else, but when she thought about it, Liaran realized that she had no desire to respond to Haeden with that sort of polite untruth. She trusted him more than that. She moved a little closer to him so that he would be able to hear her.

Very quietly, she said, "I....don't know. What I did was wrong, and....I was certain the Hall would execute me for it." She'd been so sure of that that she'd given no thought to the possibility of going on with her life after the trial, and Liaran didn't know how she was going to manage it. Liaran looked around nervously, trying to make sure she wouldn't be overheard before she could keep talking. "I never thought I'd be allowed to live, and..I'm not sure what to do, now that everyone knows what I'm capable of doing,..and why." She looked down briefly, frustrated that this bothered her so much. She'd never used to care what anyone thought of her, but for whatever reason, Liaran hated knowing that what she'd been through was likely to become part of the gossip that flowed through the Tower in the days ahead.

She looked back at Haeden and wondered what he was thinking. Had she said too much? Liaran couldn't tell by looking at him. She blinked, and glanced at the door, wishing to leave this place for the safety of her own rooms so that she could try to understand what had just taken place, and attempt to rebuild the life she'd once had.

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Bella
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Location: New England

Re: Summoned (open)

Post by Bella » March 4th, 2018, 5:22 pm

Haeden felt even more uncomfortable in the shadow of the Hall of Sitters than he had realized, and it made him itch between the shoulder blades.

"Shall we walk?" he offered, gesturing down the hall. In the direction of escape. He began to speak again as he left the choice of walking with him or not open to her. He kept his voice low, but as soothing as his generally rough manners could manage. "Try to worry less about what others think of you.

"Many in the Tower have made mistakes or done wrong. When it was true evil, done in cold blood and without remorse, it is one thing, but that is not the case with you. The Hall saw that. And those who heard your story will understand it too. You have no judge in this place as harsh as yourself, Liaran.

"But you are free, and you may live your life now. And it is your life, no one else's. So it should not matter too much what they think. I learned that from my mother and my father, you know. I can assure you that Miahala Sedai bows to no one's opinion, and she is well-respected in this place. Even with all she has done."

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