A Mostly Normal Lunch (Attn: Alianora)

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Welcome to the Gardens: one of the most tranquil areas of the Tower Grounds. Birds sing in the trees which line the wide paths between beautiful flower beds and serene lakes. There are benches to sit and listen to the waterfall, and there is neatly trimmed grass to lie on and rest. Novices and Soldiers as well as Warders in Training can be seen, sweeping the stone paths as Accepted and Dedicated study from books and relax under leafy trees.
Jack
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 470
Joined: May 25th, 2015, 9:01 pm
PC: Malcym Ashe

Re: A Mostly Normal Lunch (Attn: Alianora)

Post by Jack » November 20th, 2020, 5:38 am

Malcym Ashe Mal watched the Asha’man’s body language very carefully as Catasina spoke. The drin was very sure he would follow through on his word regarding the penance. The Asha’man had once been the Master of Soldiers in the Tower’s history -- and very effective at it.

But the Asha’man gave nothing away, not one twitch, nor blush or look of sympathy or kindness.

And from the expression Catasina exhibited, it was clear the Novice really wanted to give the Asha’man a piece of her mind. When she looked at him one time, he gave the barest of nods, as if to warn that it was a bad idea.

While he might have channeled, Malcym was still technically a drin and the Asha’man’s ability to issue commands limited. While Catasina’s punishment was not in his domain, she was still a channeler and a Novice and thus had a little more leeway -- well at least until the Mistress of Novices likely demanded his hide for her saddle.

Even as he watched the Asha’man and the Novice, he felt anger threaten to overtake him once more. Rage flowed through him as he listened to Catasina recall the details of what some of the men had said. More than anything he wanted another turn and whacking Camden’s corpse with the bloody cudgel.

He also observed Liana Gaidin spare a comforting look at the Novice and provide a consoling pat on Catasina’s back. Otherwise, she maintained her supportive but firm grip on the girl.

And those grey eyes fell on him again and he met her gaze as she asked her question. Before Mal could even formulate an answer, he heard a sigh from the Asha’man, as if he had not heard everything.

“I’m afraid there is little you can do ...” the Asha’man said as he raise a hand ...

“The men who attacked us were ... or are Shadowsworn,” Mal said.

The Asha’man’s hand lowered and his eyes were on both of them. “That’s a very serious accusation Malcym, and a very serious detail you left out, Novice,” he said sharply. “Are you sure?”

Mal’s eyes darted back to the Asha’man. “Well, when one them utters the name ‘Great Lord,’ it’s pretty obvious he’s not talking about some upjumped sellsword pretending to be a noble,” Mal said harshly. He took a step forward at the Asha’man, hands clenched.

“And as far as the Novice leaving it out, I’d think she’s earned the right not to think of or hear it when men were threatening the things they were,” he said.

He was very aware now of the Asha’man, the rustling of the wind, the smell of blood ... and the fact that Liana Gaidin was whispering to the Novice.

“Best not say anything, lass, at least not right now,” he heard the Gaidin whisper to the Novice. “Those two have lots of issues to work out ... though the sad fact is the Asha’man could chew him up and spit out the bones without blinking.”

The words passed through one end and out the end for Mal.

“It’s still not enough, Malcym,” the Asha’man said, “and you could have misheard ...”

“ .... Nothing, Asha’man, I misheard nothing. When people are threatening to harm and kill the person you’re in love with, one tends to listen to every little word they say in the hopes that you can kill them first. And if you think that I might be hearing things”

Again he could hear the Gaidin whisper, but the words were almost background noise. “You could do much worse than him, lass,” he heard the Gaidin whisper. “Though, you might have to keep a certain ego in check.”

The Asha’man cocked his head before raising a hand. “Captain, progress?” A Tower Guard officer was quick to respond, holding a bloody sword by its hilt. Malcym’s sword.

“The drin will be taken into custody and secured in the cells, Asha’man,” the weathered veteran said. “As far as dead men go ... a Yellow Asha’man will be on his way soon to examine and secure them ... as to this, the weapon that killed one of the lads ...”

The Guard Captain removed a cloth and wiped the blade clean before handing it hilt first back to Mal. The young soldier blinked before accepting his father’s sword.

“Asha’man, sir, it’s fair to say that the drin acted in self-defense and in defense of the Novice,” the officer said. “A shame he’s a drin, could use good soldiers on the walls.”

“Thank you, Captain,” the Asha’man said. The officer nodded and retreated, even as Mal sheathed the sword. The best course at the moment was to present as little threat to either the Asha’man in front of them or the Gaidin behind Catasina.

“So good enough for me,” the Asha’man said after a moment. His eyes darted past the Novice toward the young Gaidin. “Liana, does this Jessa fit the definition of ...”

“Flaming bloody right she does,” Liana said without hesitation. “I’ve led a few drills and spars where she’s been involved and I’ve had to restrain her on occasion. She’s mean as a snake but very cunning ... unless it comes to some things. She did crush a mouse one time who chewed through her boot.”

Mal cast a look in the redhaired Gaidin’s direction and saw her shuffle slightly. The Asha’man must have noticed it, too.

“And ...”

“And she’s Alred Gaidin’s protege,” Liana said. “But he’s not the type that fits any mold of Darkfriend. Stern, yes, even heavy-handed, but he’s trained some of the best young Gaidin in the Yards in recent years, several who bonded to Greens who cleared out quite a few nests of Dreadlords. He even trained me. Of course, he doesn’t forgive failure, especially for those he’s grooming to eventually take his place ...”

Liana paused and her dark green eyes fell on Mal. The drin wasn’t exactly comfortable being scrutinized by a Gaidin nearly a shoot shorter and a few years older than he was.

“Malcym, how many times did you beat the Ji’val in sparring?” she asked.

“Four in the past five weeks, out of twenty,” the Gaidin said, grimacing at the memories. “I’d win one, and then the next few spars would end in bruises.”

“Liana, that doesn’t prove anything ... “

“And I ended up first in a tracking exercise, Asha’man, Gaidin,” Mal said after a few seconds. “Jessa Sember arrived several minutes after I did in the forests near Hama Vala. That happened just a week before ... well, the shovel incident.”

Liana shook her head. “That would explain a lot. Alred is one of the finest trackers in the Yards, and he designs some of the best tests for young Warders-in-Training. They’re designed for a select cadre and ... his protege not coming out on top would earn her his disapproval. And his approval is something not to be scoffed at.”

The Asha’man sighed. “And if she’s as cunning as you claim, involving the Novice makes sense. But pranks are one thing, this ...” He waved his hands at the surrounding area as trainees were being yanked away by Tower Guard.

“Father, she’s a Darkfriend, she sees threats to her success and was embarrassed by someone in front of someone who judges sternly,” Liana said. “She sees a potential threat and she’ll go for the throat. And that ‘throat’ in this case, would be our young Novice here, given how much these two seem to be connected.”

Mal’s face was red. Light, but did he know how to put his foot in his mouth. What Catasina must think of him now ...

The Asha’man nodded, his eyes now focused on the drin and the Novice.

“The answer to your question, Novice Catasina, is simple,” the Asha’man said. “Malcym will be reporting to the Master of Soldiers and for the fitting of a new uniform. You will be escorted back to your room and will be met by Nyoma Sedai of the Yellow Ajah within a day. She needs a new assistant and you will do until I can figure out something that will ensure both of your safety. Liana will be assigned to protect the Aes Sedai beyond her Warder provides because of concerns for the Aes Sedai’s safety, and after your assignment ends ... Liana will continue to shadow you.”

“As to your immediate problem with the Ji’val, well, she might find herself at the Farms for a few months, which should give you some reprieve while I figure out what to do with her ... “

“Slip a knife between her ribs and be done with it,” Mal said suddenly, bluntly. “I’ll do it myself ...”

Mal was cut off by the sudden smack to the back of his head by the Gaidin. She’d moved from the Novice to him without a sound.

“You’ve no proof, Malcym,” she said harshly. “Kill her and you’ll surely be hanged.”

The Asha’man nodded. “Liana is correct. Either of you lay a hand on her and she could use it against you. But for now, you’re both to attend to your orders ... in well, about two hours..”

He pointed east, toward what was known as a secluded spot. “Liana take them there and then grant them some privacy ... for two hours.”

The second the Asha’man turned his back, the Gaidin’s iron grip seized either learning rank by the shoulder and shoved them in the designated area. It was a fast march ...

...and then they were in a secluded small glade and Liana looked straight at the Novice. “Lass, should the day ever come you want to handle a knife, find me. It might be hard and sweaty, the training, but you’d benefit.” The Gaidin leveled a harsh look at Mal. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

And then she vanished into the Garden’s woods. Mal could hear it and smell her ... and then he knew they were alone.

Mal didn’t hesitate. He was quick and he lightly hugged Catasina before pulling apart from her ... but arms still holding her.

And he simply waited as he looked at her. Waited for whatever came from her.
Jerid Walker Asha'man
"We all suffer. It's how we move past it that defines us."

Alianora
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 997
Joined: May 2nd, 2016, 8:32 pm
PC: Liaran Sedai, Blue Ajah
SC: Amaranie Sedai, Indigo Ajah
TC: Kalyan Rihera, Yellow Ajah

Re: A Mostly Normal Lunch (Attn: Alianora)

Post by Alianora » November 22nd, 2020, 1:31 am

Catasina do Moerin a'Mathira, Novice
Catasina was still looking at Mal when he spoke of their attackers being Shadowsworn. Her hands dropped to swing at her sides, and she paled to a shade not much deeper than the pure white of her dress. She watched him with a silent question in her mind. How could you possibly know that? Her gaze darted around the area, taking in all the bodies. The existence of the Shadow, and people who served it, was a fact she had known, but never given much thought to before now. Spending most of her time inside her home or within the familiar walls of her town, Darkfriends were little more to her than threats issued by her nannies when she was younger, monsters that would get her if she didn't go to bed. The knowledge that the attackers had been Darkfriends, and targeting her, made Catasina tremble.

She was still shaking when the Asha'man spoke, and the insult of his words about her pierced through the fear. Catasina raised her head and glared at the man, though she was quick to look away. I did not leave out anything! she objected, if only to herself. She might have dared to say so, if Mal had not spoken first. Color returned to Catasina's face, and she stood still again as she tried to make sense of what he said, feeling as though there were something that the Drin and the Asha'man knew that she just didn't understand. She did her best to try to follow their conversation, grey eyes darting back and forth between the two men, until something Mal said caught her attention.

".....threatening to harm and kill the person you’re in love with...."

He couldn't possibly be talking about her. Her parents did not love her, nor did her sisters.....this man she hardly knew, no matter what he'd done for her, surely could not. Catasina turned her head to look at him anyways. Maybe I misunderstood, that's much more likely...... Then her confused thoughts were cut off as the Gaidin whispered to her.

"“You could do much worse than him...."

Catasina had to agree, though it surprised her to hear it from the Gaidin. Her parents' marriage had been set up by their parents, and she had always known the same was in her distant future. To consider instead, someone she at least liked, worked well with, and who had just shown his willingness to fight for her was far more appealing than that. She couldn't take her eyes off Mal, and missed much of whatever was said after that. Her mind simply would not stop repeating his words. In love with, in love with, in love with..

She finally got it to be quiet once the Asha'man started talking about what would happen next, and how he thought to keep them safe from anything Jessa might try. The Yellow didn't interest her, but Catasina could see enough sense in the idea of staying near an Aes Sedai, in a busy area, that she couldn't find any reason to complain. She looked at the man with wide eyes, however, when he told the redhaired Gaidin to leave her and Mal alone for two hours.

Not so very long ago, Catasina had been scolded by an Aes Sedai just for looking too long at an especially attractive Soldier as he'd passed by her in the hall. She knew the rules Saxa Sedai had about relationships, and she knew the Asha'man had to know them too. Why would he want us to be left alone together? She was curious, but not enough to dare ask the man, especially when time with Mal was what she wanted most at that moment.

Her attention was back on him by the time the Gaidin took hold of each of them and walked them to where she wanted them to be. Then she was gone, and Mal was hugging her. That surprised her, but she liked how it made her feel cared for, and when he moved away, she put her arms around him and stepped closer, laying her head against his chest.

"Thank you," was all Catasina could say at first. "Thank you....you defended me, and I'm so grateful." She didn't move, but looked up at him through her eyelashes. "You shouldn't be punished for what you did, either, " she muttered. "The Asha'man and the Gaidin should have been praising you instead." For a few moments, the novice stayed still and didn't speak. Then she gathered her nerves and lifted her head, tilting it back to try to meet Mal's eyes.

"What you said earlier, did you mean it?" she asked him quietly. She had to ask, but Catasina didn't know what she hoped for him to say. He can't love you, it's just not possible, she reminded herself. After all, when her own family didn't, how could anyone else?

Jack
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 470
Joined: May 25th, 2015, 9:01 pm
PC: Malcym Ashe

Re: A Mostly Normal Lunch (Attn: Alianora)

Post by Jack » November 22nd, 2020, 5:42 am

Malcym Ashe Time had slowed to a halt for Malcym Ashe as he watched Novice in his arms, looking for any small reaction from the Novice. Any sign of reciprocation or ... slim chance she might want to run.

Right now, all his senses were attuned to her, to her heartbeat, the sound of her breathing, the scent of the grass stains on her dress. It was as if the world had dropped away and Catasina -- and the small glade they now stood in -- were all that remained.

The Novice’s reaction made the young soldier blink in surprise and his heart skipped a beat, and all he could do was hug her tightly. Mal hadn’t really considered anything of the sort, even possible. After all, their two worlds must have been completely different. Besides, there was every chance her House could arrange for her marriage.

He could have hoped otherwise and gone on feeling the way he did ...

... but her words fanned those seeds of hope.

“I couldn’t let them harm you ...” was all he could muster at first. His silver-blue eyes stared down at the woman in his arms and he briefly stroked her hair.

Of course, her next words regarding the Asha’man and Gaidin made him smile very faintly, wryly.

“I believe this short time we have alone is the Asha’man’s praise,” he muttered. “I gave up months ago trying to understand his motives and moods ... and even the stories around him could never really explain his actions ...”

He trailed off, not really wanting to focus on that particular element at the moment.

Mal’s heart skipped another beat when Catasina asked her question and for a short moment, all he could do was look into those deep grey eyes of hers. His silver-blue eyes danced with a hundred different emotions until he raised a hand to touch her face, caressing it briefly ... and then pulled her into a soft, fiery kiss that lasted but a short moment. His heart began beating faster, his mind blurred ...

And he pulled away, his eyes opened as he looked at the Novice.

“Very much so, Lady Catasina,” he murmured. “I have no words to explain it, but I’m in love with you, had been falling in love since the first moment we began hatching our first plan ... I noticed every detail you paid attention to, the intelligence, even the awareness you seem to have when even a stray hair needs to be tucked back into place.”

His face reddened slightly, usually not one to be put on the spot. Most occasions where he had to acknowledge his emotions ended with his foot in his mouth and making light of the situation.

“I believe it’s because you ... I saw you were in danger was the reason that sparked my first time channeling, and if means I must become a Soldier ...”

A serious look entered his eyes as he gazed at Catasina. “I don’t know what the future holds. All I know is that when I look into it, you’re staring back. You’re all I can see, in this world or in dreams,” he said honestly. He lowered his eyes then, looking more toward their feet.

“And I also know I could never walk in the same world as you. With few exceptions, Murandian society wouldn’t welcome it. I am ... or was a soldier sworn in service Murandy’s throne. You’re a noble who will go on to do great things, and raise your House higher when you are raised ...”

Mal bit his tongue, mostly to keep himself from speaking more. Instead, he kissed Catasina’s forehead and met her gaze again. “I get a sense you want your own path, my Lady,” he murmured. “More than anything else, I love you for that ... I just love you ... I realized it the second I mentioned leaving this Tower in the hope you’d be safe because I knew it’d rip my heart out ... and if you don’t say something now, I’m going to keep talking and to be honest nothing good comes of it after a while other than making myself look the fool ...”

He finally fell silent, heart beating, and perhaps for the first time in months, completely open, emotional.
Jerid Walker Asha'man
"We all suffer. It's how we move past it that defines us."

Alianora
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 997
Joined: May 2nd, 2016, 8:32 pm
PC: Liaran Sedai, Blue Ajah
SC: Amaranie Sedai, Indigo Ajah
TC: Kalyan Rihera, Yellow Ajah

Re: A Mostly Normal Lunch (Attn: Alianora)

Post by Alianora » November 22nd, 2020, 11:09 pm

Catasina do Moerin a'Mathira, Novice
When Mal kissed her, Catasina knew without a doubt that he had meant the words he'd said. Her realization left her stunned, unable to do anything but enjoy the thrill it sent through her. By the time they pulled apart, however, guilt came creeping in. She became very aware of the truth that she was not in love with him, nor did she love him, and worse yet, Catasina wasn't sure if she'd ever feel that strongly towards anyone. She liked Mal, and maybe she wanted him to kiss her again, but more than that.....she just didn't know, and couldn't identify how she felt besides the guilt and a vague nervousness. She looked up at him, trying to untangle the complicated knot of her own emotions, then let go of him and stepped back to create space between them.

The novice opened her mouth, then closed it again. What am I supposed to say? She looked down, tugging at a fold of her skirt that did not need adjusting and pushing back strands of black hair that had escaped from her braid earlier. Her grey eyes remained on the ground beneath her feet as Catasina struggled to find the words to explain herself. "I like you, Mal," she finally managed, "and....I'd like to spend more time with you, to get to know you better, but I can't......I'm not...." Her voice trailed off. How can I possibly explain to someone so sure of what he feels that I don't know what it's like to love another person?

Catasina closed her eyes, worried about what she might see if she let herself look at Mal again. "I mean......my parents never wanted me." she whispered. "They never meant to have a third child." She shook her head, feeling awkward. She'd never had reason to speak of this to anyone. "I wasn't mistreated, my needs were always met, but I never had their love either. And my sisters....they ignored me sometimes, and made fun of me whenever they could be bothered to notice me." If she didn't fight it, Catasina could still hear their taunts running through the back of her mind. Useless.....worthless ....pathetic.......should never have been born....

Tears shone in the grey eyes, and Catasina wiped at them with the back of her hand, feeling terribly self-conscious. Somewhere in trying to explain why love was a difficult concept for her, the confident, well-bred lady she always was before others had disappeared, replaced by the ghost of a lonely and desperate child.

"I don't know what love is like," she finally got out, "and I know I can't expect you to just wait for me to figure it out when I can't be sure of anything....except that I'd like to be closer to you." Catasina kept her head down, unable to hope that what she could honestly say she felt for him would be enough.

Jack
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 470
Joined: May 25th, 2015, 9:01 pm
PC: Malcym Ashe

Re: A Mostly Normal Lunch (Attn: Alianora)

Post by Jack » November 25th, 2020, 5:16 am

Mal wasn’t one to bare his soul all that often and profess his emotions to other people. Very few people could accomplish that, and often people were met with such snarky remarks instead when they tried to get under his skin.

Often, Mal used what most people perceived as narcissism or cockiness. And as such, it provided an armor thicker than the chain-and-scale he had worn while still a soldier. Years ago, when he had a family ... things might have been different. But not now.

When Catasina delivered her first words, what might have been a sharp knife or piercing arrow turned out to be but a slight punch in the gut. Part of him knew there was every possibility that she might not return his affections, at least not on the deep level that haunted his soul.

He sensed smelled the uncertainty, the ... was it sorrow? It wasn’t bitterness; otherwise, it might have stung.

And then the dark-haired Novice, who had begun to adjust her hair again, almost instinctively ... provided her explanation. And he very nearly flinched. He’d heard of noble families favoring some children over others or parents disagreeing with their children’s decisions in life to the point of disowning them.

Never had he ever heard of any parent or sibling so callously ignoring or showing no affection for a child. Since Mal could recall, he’d been surrounded by it. His mother, his sister, his half-brother. Even his stepfather had shown affection beyond what might have been necessary and loved both him and Amberlee.

But when he now looked at Catasina as she revealed that little part of herself ... and then he couldn’t help but think how she might have managed to stay intact and ... he couldn’t think of any proper word ... instead of something twisted such as what Jessa was now.

Because she is stronger and capable of feeling something more than hatred, contempt or rage ... he thought to himself.

"I don't know what love is like and I know I can't expect you to just wait for me to figure it out when I can't be sure of anything....except that I'd like to be closer to you." Mal heard those words seconds after he saw the tears trailing down Catasina’s face.

Mal didn’t hesitate in crossing the small distance between them. Once more he drew her into an embrace and after a few seconds, lifted her chin with a finger. He leaned down and kissed the salty tears away -- kissed her eyelids, kissed her with the same conviction as the initial expression. This one lasted several seconds longer before he broke it.

His silver-blue eyes looked at her and he smiled softly. “Catasina, I don’t ... I never expected such affection in return,” Mal said after a while. “Most people would think it insane given the short time we’ve known one another ... would confess it takes months or years ...”

Mal paused, his eyes still on the Novice as he reflected on his own words. It had taken a Tuatha’an caravan to embrace that side of him ... a side he thought had long been closed off. But since meeting Catasina, it was like discovering an old friend long thought dead.

He kissed her head softly and murmured, “Just know I’ll be there, walking with you when I can as often as I can ... just know there are people who love and care for you. Just know ... you’re not alone.”
Jerid Walker Asha'man
"We all suffer. It's how we move past it that defines us."

Alianora
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 997
Joined: May 2nd, 2016, 8:32 pm
PC: Liaran Sedai, Blue Ajah
SC: Amaranie Sedai, Indigo Ajah
TC: Kalyan Rihera, Yellow Ajah

Re: A Mostly Normal Lunch (Attn: Alianora)

Post by Alianora » November 26th, 2020, 11:13 pm

Catasina do Moerin a'Mathira, Novice
With her eyes still closed, Catasina remained unaware of Mal's movements until she felt his arms go around her. She leaned against him, smiling faintly at the touch of his lips against her skin. When he pulled away from kissing her, the novice sighed and wrapped her arms around him. She had not thought that he would hold her like this after what she'd just admitted, and she blinked up at Mal, startled by the words he spoke to her. Her grey eyes were wide as she opened them and looked into his, shocked by his calm acceptance of her feelings. Far more accustomed to being judged critically and always found lacking, Catasina didn't know how to respond.

She clung to Mal, eyes drifting away from his while she thought about it. "Thank you," she finally managed, immediately feeling stupid for having said it. Looking back at Mal and meeting his eyes again, Catasina took a deep breath and made herself continue. "I thought you'd be disappointed with me, or maybe upset.......and I don't want to hurt you." The last statement, while absolutely true, was something Catasina hadn't realized she felt until she heard herself say it. Never before had she cared much about the impact her words or actions had on anyone else.

She realized then that she did care for Mal, more than she ever had for anyone, even if she did not feel for him what he felt for her. She smiled up at him, relieved to know he was not going to turn away from her. She had always hated being alone, and to know that she would not be, after a lifetime of being ignored and rejected, meant more to Catasina than she could say. She needed that, she thought, now more than ever, after the threat they'd just faced together. That was not something Catasina wanted to think about, not now or anytime soon, but once the thought had come to her it would not let her go. The novice shivered and tried to pull Mal closer to her.

Jack
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 470
Joined: May 25th, 2015, 9:01 pm
PC: Malcym Ashe

Re: A Mostly Normal Lunch (Attn: Alianora)

Post by Jack » November 27th, 2020, 4:01 am

Mal smiled softly at Catasina’s sincere words. They were enough for him, enough to fuel him. If there was one thing life had taught him it was that emotions were complicated, love more so than most.

It was an unknown and hit harder than most fevers, but was just as infectious.

And when he looked at Catasina, into those grey eyes of hers, he knew he wasn’t wrong in his feelings for the Novice. Every instinct in his body and mind screamed that he was right.

He had a perspective from his old life, one in which he was happy and content, even if the one he shared it with came from different worlds. But those days had since gone, etched in memory and put to rest.

Mal felt Catasina’s arms tighten around him. He responded in kind by drawing her closer and kissed her head softly. Their lives had just grown more complicated. It had been one thing when Jessa had been just a no-good Ji with a thirst for upping the ante in pranks; but now things were different on every level.

He could channel, so scrutiny would fall greater on him and he had killed two fellow trainees in defense of Catasina and himself. Movements might become restricted, more eyes might fall on them both ... but he would be burned if anything tore him away from the woman he held in his arms now.

For now, there was every possibility of safety, but it was emphareal. There was no way to tell how long the Asha’man would stay in this Tower, no way to determine when Jessa would strike again ... or who her true master might be now that it was almost a certain she was a Darkfriend ...

... but for now he didn’t care.

Almost on instinct, he gently guided both of them to a comfortable sitting position on the Garden floor.

“We’ve a few hours alone, my Lady,” he murmured, still holding her. "As you wish, we can talk or you can rest and I'll watch."
Jerid Walker Asha'man
"We all suffer. It's how we move past it that defines us."

Alianora
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 997
Joined: May 2nd, 2016, 8:32 pm
PC: Liaran Sedai, Blue Ajah
SC: Amaranie Sedai, Indigo Ajah
TC: Kalyan Rihera, Yellow Ajah

Re: A Mostly Normal Lunch (Attn: Alianora)

Post by Alianora » November 29th, 2020, 2:30 am

Catasina do Moerin a'Mathira, Novice
Once they were sitting on the ground, Catasina brushed at her skirt, trying to remove any dirt that might have gotten on it. She would not have chosen to sit down here, but there wasn't anywhere else to sit that she could see, and she didn't feel like standing again, either. The novice pulled her legs in close to her chest and rearranged her skirt to make sure it covered her ankles, trying to keep as much of it out of the dirt as she could. Then she settled against Mal, one arm around him, and laid her head on his shoulder.

It was peaceful, and she felt safe, but Catasina couldn't convince herself to rest. She closed her eyes for a short time, then opened them again, unable to stop thinking about what had taken place earlier, and what it all meant for her future. Is someone going to be following me around for the rest of my time in the Tower? She didn't think she'd mind much, but the idea that she was now in need of such protection, for Light alone knew how long, was one that left her feeling just a little scared.

She had thought herself intelligent and capable, but none of her lessons over the years had taught her anything about how to handle a Darkfriend who was looking for revenge. She wouldn't know one if she saw one, would never have thought of that as a possibility if Mal hadn't mentioned it. And just how did he know that? she asked herself. The question had occurred to her earlier, but she'd had no opportunity to ask him then.

Catasina scooted closer to Mal, for once not stopping to worry about the effect her movement would have on her dress. She voiced her question softly, needing to be sure that only Mal could hear what she said. "Earlier.....you said Jessa is a Darkfriend.......how did you know?"

Jack
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 470
Joined: May 25th, 2015, 9:01 pm
PC: Malcym Ashe

Re: A Mostly Normal Lunch (Attn: Alianora)

Post by Jack » December 6th, 2020, 1:48 am

Malcym's mind was on two things: Catasina's presence and her safety and thoughts about the future. As a drin, his course had pretty much pertained to one of two paths: earning the fancloak or leaving the Yards.

And Mal been prepared to do that because of the woman now in his arms. He knew Jessa enough to understand she would focus on her main target, on him, and that the Novice would be left alone, to char her own safety.

But that option was gone, now, thanks to the discovery that he could channel. He remembered the words his sister had implored the morning she had left.

Come back with me, she had signed. Leave this place because it brings no good.

Mal had weighed the decision then … hesitated … and perhaps would regret it later.

For now, however, Mal's concern was how he and Catasina would have to deal with this new problem in front of them. How he would be able to remain close to her, especially if he know had to contend with rules applied by the Master of Soldiers and Mistress of Novices, as opposed to those set down by the Warder Council.

His thoughts lost track when he felt Catasina draw closer, and his arms instinctively tightened around her. Her question made him smile bittersweetly.

“One of our attackers mentioned two words, 'Great Lord,' when he talked to Camden, the group's leader,” Mal murmured quietly. “All five of them trailed behind Jessa and her small cadre when they could, but they always seemed to gravitate toward Jessa. And Camden had a thing for Jessa … and Light alone knew I could smell her on him more than once when we sparred as part of training...”

Mal kissed Catasina's head and sighed quietly. “My sister and I didn't get the same stories as our friends, or the nobles we grew up around. Our mother raised us on stories of this place, the Grey Tower of Hama Valon, of Amora en'Damier, twice Amyrlin and her scions, of the fierce Miahala Sha'hal of the Green Ajah, Sigmund the Mighty, the Lord Caden Ives, a disfigured and harsh Warder with the purest heart. We were raised on the stories of the Battle of Lights, the Tower's rivalry with what was the White Tower of Tar Valon, its wars with the Seanchan Empire ...”

His smile faded. “Of Jerid Walker Asha'man, the man who came to our rescue. His stories could fill more books than the legends of Jain Farstrider, if they were all known. He's one of the oldest living Asha'man, nearly as old as Miahala Sedai … and one who, according to stories, caused fear in those who served the Shadow.”

Mal's silver-blue eyes flashed. “Those were the stories that introduced me to Darkfriends, and my mother was very insistent on the fact they exist. What they are capable of doing, that they could be everywhere …”

Mal looked at Catasina. “And from the first moment I spoke with Jessa, after signing the trainee rolls, I knew she wasn't what she presented herself to be like. She was polite at first, but she … smelled rotten, disingenuous. People around her were afraid. She invited me and some other trainees out for drinks one night …” Mal blushed. “And tried to bed me. She might appear attractive on the surface, but there was … something rotten beneath the surface, something wrong. I begged off and returned to the trainee barracks.”

Mal closed his eyes. “Everything screams Darkfriend when you look at her, or know her. The problem is she doesn't want to get her hands dirty, and so employs others.”

He didn't say anything, but his arms briefly tightened around Catasina when he thought about it. Had Jessa come herself with a small group of Ji, things would have ended differently.
Jerid Walker Asha'man
"We all suffer. It's how we move past it that defines us."

Alianora
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 997
Joined: May 2nd, 2016, 8:32 pm
PC: Liaran Sedai, Blue Ajah
SC: Amaranie Sedai, Indigo Ajah
TC: Kalyan Rihera, Yellow Ajah

Re: A Mostly Normal Lunch (Attn: Alianora)

Post by Alianora » December 11th, 2020, 3:09 am

Catasina do Moerin a'Mathira, Novice
Listening to Mal talk, Catasina felt very small and stupid. The phrase 'Great Lord' meant nothing to her, and neither did the names he spoke, tales of people she had never heard of before. How could I? she asked herself with some bitterness to the thought. I never had anyone who could be bothered to waste time telling me stories. The novice sighed in frustration and laid a hand on Mal's arm, unable to understand what anything he said had to do with Jessa.

How he'd seen her for what she was became no clearer as he went on about how he'd seen right away that there was something wrong about the woman. Catasina couldn't recall noticing anything off about Jessa, not until after the incident with the berry juice, and she wondered to herself if she should have. That Mal had seen through the Ji so easily, and she herself had not, made Catasina feel a little nervous about the days ahead of her. She shivered and leaned against him, wondering, Are there others out there, people I'd never have reason to suspect? After what had just happened, Catasina was fairly sure she knew the answer, and it scared her far more than she wanted to admit.

She lifted her head so she could look at Mal, grey eyes bright with alarm. "I don't understand how you saw through her so fast," the novice muttered, embarrassed. "She seemed just like anyone else to me, at least until she dumped that berry juice on us." Her nose wrinkled at the memory, then she went on. "I've never had much reason to think about the Shadow until today," she said. "I knew of its existence, that there are those who serve it...but I was always taught that if I walked in the Light I had nothing to fear from it. The danger was never real to me...and it is, now."

Catasina shuddered and laid her head on Mal's shoulder again, comforted by his closeness to her. She didn't know what to do, had never faced anything even remotely like this. She thought with some annoyance of the skills she'd once thought she had. She was gifted with embroidery, could sew well enough for a woman of her station, was decent at dancing and wrote a fine hand...none of that would do the least bit of good against a Darkfriend with a grudge against her, against them.

She sighed again and asked plaintively, "Mal, what are we going to do? The Gaidin can't just keep watching me forever. I....don't think we'll ever be safe unless we can find proof of what she is, and I don't know how we'd even begin to try."

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