[complete] Pieces of Me (Attn: Marla)

[Jenn]

As the scream died in her throat, flawless emerald eyes glared pure murder at the poor servant girl that cowered before her. The petite Domani felt the icy burn of shame wash over her, but there was nothing else she could do. The girl had to get out... had to get out before she was inadvertently hurt somehow. That was all that mattered right now.

Kaia marshaled the entirety of her stubborn willpower, forcing aside the need she felt to drink down whatever foul herbal concoction it was that they had placed inside her cup. The motion was clumsy but it had the intended effect as she threw the cup, and whatever was inside of it, across the room. The sound of porcelain shattering was as exquisite as it was satisfying.

She could not quite make herself form the words she needed, but the meaning was clear enough. The servant girl scurried away, no doubt with more fuel to throw on to the fire of rumours about the Lady Kaia. It hardly mattered though. The green-eyed woman was exhausted. That small act of defiance had taken everything she had and she was not sure how she was going to keep fighting. She sank down, her petite frame lost among plush pillows and satin sheets as she curled into a ball to keep herself from running to the dark stain on the wall and carpet and trying to lick up the slowly drying contents of the broken cup.

She wanted to weep even though she knew no tears would come.

Kaia buried her face into the nearest pillow, the pressure forcing the soft surface to yield in much the same way that the hidden fingers inside of her mind forced her to yield. They curled and flexed, silky and soothing. Insidious. Subtle. It was never painful. They whispered to her, these unseen fingers, they cajoled and caressed, and even though she knew she did not want to do the things they coaxed her to do, she found herself doing them anyway. Her moan was swallowed by the feathered mattress.

Compulsion.

She was certain of that now... for all the good it did her. A sharp, bitter laugh escaped. She had had... years to ensure that her guess was correct. She even knew who it was. He was brazen enough to show his face beneath her husband's roof as a regular visitor. She knew his face – but she could not even think too long about him, much less name him. She guessed it was because he had to frequently reinforce the weave that had invaded her mind, leaving her jittery and paranoid afterwards. That meant it had not been left tied off and therein lay her hope... a slim chance for her to break free.

She was disappointed that he was not Estius... Creator knew the man was not brave enough to actually face her now, but she was willing to wager her soul that the rat-faced lackey was connected to the Asha'man in some way. Unbidden, her rage spiked, the surge of emotion so powerful that it left her nauseated and dizzy. She clung on to the goosedown duvet as if her life depended on it.

Estius... her ex-bondmate. The Asha'man mongrel that had started all of this. Asha'man Estius Daylin. Kaia drew in a ragged breath, letting her fury revitalize her. She permitted herself a smile, but there was nothing soft in the emerald depths of her eyes. They were cold and sharp. The expression was completely gutted by her disgust, devoid of any trace of joy or warmth.

As an Aes Sedai, Kaia had learned what it was to be betrayed.

As a woman bound, her shackles unseen, Kaia was learning what it was to hate.

She had never murdered that man.

But her then bondmate had. He had. Estius had... and he had called her there where it had happened through the bond. And when she had realized what he had done, he had put his fingers into her head.

She had been falsely accused, put on trial, and Stilled on a lie.

All of that knowledge remained hidden and encased within her skull, but she had fought back against him then in whatever limited capacity she could, as she fought back against his lackey now. She could not say when the switch between the two had happened, but both men were skilled enough with Compulsion to use it against her. The worst part was knowing that no one else could see it. No one else knew. Kaia rubbed her cheek against the satin, finding a moment's comfort in that. But she knew.

Hatred, rage... it was all she had left. But they had served her well. They would continue to serve her until she was freed, or until she was dead. And since dying was not on her short list of things to accomplish, that left her with the solitary option of freedom.

Rat-face came soon after, the fine hairs across her arms, the back of her neck, and body lifting in an almost static effect to his presence. If only her will could be made manifest, he would have died terribly where he stood. He said nothing as he loomed above her, dressed in the livery of a page with her husband's colours. Kaia wasted no effort in moving or speaking, the baleful green eye visible through the curtain of raven hair the only acknowledgment that she allowed him to have. The Light grant that one day she would see him dead, she thought viciously.

The world blurred, bland grey closing in until it was all she could see. She knew what it meant, but still she was determined to stay conscious for as long as she could. Kaia managed to elicit a hiss of annoyance from rat-face, the faintest hint of a smirk changing the shape of her face. The world was pulled out from beneath her and she tumbled headlong into dreamless darkness.
* * * * * The tiled floor was cold against her bare feet, curled toes finding by feel alone the place where the fine seams met as they made up a small section of the smooth floor. Kaia did not remember tossing aside the duvet or the sheets, nor did she remember standing…yet there she stood, clad only in a damp silken shift, fully illuminated by the fast waning moonlight that flooded in through the floor-to-ceiling windows. She was shaking enough that her teeth clacked against one another though she was not cold.

She could not say what woke her, only that... something was different... something had changed. The petite Domani spent several minutes studying her surroundings through narrowed eyes, but she could see nothing out of place. Her thoughts were oddly lucid, sharp and coherent with a humming sort of intensity. It gave her pause.

Then, like a bolt of glory sent down from the Creator Himself, the realization struck her. Her mind... felt clear... Kaia sat down abruptly, missing the enormous bed completely. She would up landing on her backside, grunting a little from the impact. The fingers... Rat-face's fingers... they were gone. She scarcely could let herself believe it. Her mind was clear. How? When? She had to be sure she was not dreaming...

“Ow!” she exclaimed as she pinched herself, hard, repeating the motion again just to be certain she was awake. A frown turned down full lips. She pinched herself again. There was going to be a bruise on the back of her hand but Kaia did not care in the least. Where was Fenton? Light! Where was Reen?! That sent her scrambling up, the petite Domani sprinting out the door...

...only to run headfirst into a servant out in the brightly lit hallway. She cursed, squinting. The other woman was plump and middle-aged. Kaia thought she recognized her, but her recollections were frustratingly hazy. “Where is my daughter?” she tried to moderate her tone, wincing a little as it came out as a demand.

The servant tutted, reaching up to pat at Kaia's cheek like she was nothing more than a wayward child. “At the Grey Tower, my lady. Don't you remember?”

Green eyes blinked. She did recall something vague about that. Her necklace – that was right, she had given her black stone necklace to Reen. When? It did not matter. Her child was safe, for the time being. “Where is... Fenton?” The petite Domani could not quite bring herself to say 'husband', feeling girlish awkwardness stain her cheeks.

“Oh, at some party or another. You know how it goes, my lady. Now come, you'll catch a chill standing out here with nothing on but that!”

Kaia permitted the servant to lead her back to her rooms, the older woman saying nothing of the rumpled mess of discarded bedding. Soon, every possible lamp and candle in the room was lit, and the reflection from the myriad of mirrors and windows was near blinding.

“I feel as if I'm waking from a dream,” Kaia whispered to no one in particular, her green-eyed gaze sweeping over the room. The servant woman dressed her in a heavily quilted robe, all but shoving her feet into a pair of slippers that were so lavish that it made her literally an inch taller. Inwardly, the raven haired woman fretted. What if Rat-face came back? What if...? What if...? Then you kill him, the thought grazed her mind and she could not have agreed more. She clenched her jaw as she committed herself to that outcome. He would not channel against her person again.

“Is there anything I can get you, mistress?” That was asked diffidently.

“I am a little hungry,” Kaia replied with convincing hesitation. There were several items that she had caught sight of that she could utilize as a weapon, if worse came to worse, but she had no desire to make a grab for them while the servant was still hovering nearby.

Her answer delighted the servant woman and she bustled around, chattering excitedly. Apparently, that meant that Kaia was much improved from whatever malady she suffered from. Malady... yes, she supposed that was true. Compulsion was the worst kind of malady. Estius would soon pay for his mistake as well, she vowed. He would come to regret not killing her outright when he had the chance. For now, she had to ensure that she would remain safe. She would need information... how long had she been imprisoned by her own mind?

“I would like to see Fenton when he returns. No matter the hour.”

“As you wish, my lady.”

----------

((OOC note! Time wise, this all happens after the events of this string. As such, any references made will be vague and if changes need to be made retroactively, they will be. ))

[Sunny]

Jaryd sat against the side of a wooden building. Before him lay an open space, where makeshift seats of boards and slabs of rock had been arranged in rough lines facing a wooden platform. The platform, at least, seemed to have had some thought put into its construction. A man with a flute sat to one side of the stage, playing a painfully shrill tune. On the stage, a troupe of people in tight colorful clothing girated with no apparent rhyme or reason while the small crowd that had gathered booed or clapped by turns.

As he had hoped, the Asha'man had gone largely unnoticed in the chaos of the Foregate. Caked-on mud and a gaudy stolen coat provided enough of a visual distraction that most did not notice his oddly youthful face or the wounds that covered his body. He had dropped vague allusions to a bad trade deal, and that had satisfied the curious, and also explained away the unwieldy satchel he carried iwth him. His unfeigned stumbling gait caused some consternation among the better-hearted of the folk around him. He accepted their help and their food with murmured gratitude, then moved on before they asked too many questions. Most of all he listened intently to the flow of conversation around him, sifting through for the information he needed.

For some reason, the most popular rumor about the explosion in the City did not involve channelers at all. Instead, the common folk of Cairhien seemed convinced that the Aiel had set the fire. Why hostile Aiel would burn a specific lord's manor to the ground and not take the entire city with it did not seem to cross their minds. That a Lord was inquiring in the Foregate regarding handsome, wealthy, young strangers caused quite a stir, but no one thought to connect the shambling beggar standing nearby with those questions.

It had only taken a few hours for Jaryd to become thoroughly disgusted by his surroundings, and in the two days since, it had flowered into anger. He had grown up in such squalor, the familiar reek of the canals of the Rahad wafting through his room as he tried to sleep. However, in Altara most of that poverty came about because the nobles were too busy squabbling to care for their people. Although he found that revolting in its own way, negligence could not be classified the same as direct and purposeful alienation. The Sun Court knew exactly what it was doing. The poor could not enter their city, and the rich only came out when it suited them to be amused by the antics of those they collectively viewed as little more than animals. They survived on scraps, and lived for the rare occasion of the King's Bounty.

His cold rage countered the cold, and his determination countered the bone-deep exhaustion of channeling too much. Why didn't I go back to the Grey Tower and rest there? He would have received Healing there, and rested in a warm, clean bed instead of on frozen mud. Katrie's accusing brown eyes floated through his mind, and he sighed. Although he had had Durent's assistance in the destruction wreaked in the Sun City, he knew that the Grey Tower would be unlikely to allow him to return there in the foreseeable future. It had been far too long since he had made that promise to Aikaterine; it was time to honor his word, even if that meant spending three days in the muck.

---

The next morning Jaryd woke feeling stiff and grumpy, but the exhaustion had faded, and his wounds had begun to heal. His ribs still throbbed with every stray movement, however, and he knew without being told that they were more than simply bruised. With any luck, he and Kaia Riatin would be standing together in the Yellow Ajah Infirmary by the end of the day, and could both be Healed of their hurts.

With the sun still hidden behind the horizon, the Altaran gathered his possessions and sought privacy. He found it in a warren of narrow passageways between low buildings. He washed his hair, face, and hands in snow he melted with the barest thread of Fire, then changed quickly. His body welcomed the familiar folds and airy caress of his native Altaran fashion, as well as the thick black coat he pulled on over it with the sword and dragon pins on the collar, and a blood red rendition of the ancient symbol of the Aes Sedai stitched over his heart.

Thus properly clad once more, Jaryd strode through the Foregate with the deadly grace of a cat, his head high and his shoulders back. The people who had jostled or ignored him in the preceding days bowed or curtsied and scrambled to get out of his way, their faces painted with fear, loathing, or respect. when he reached the tall arch into the inner city, the guard took one look at his ageless face and opened the gate, bowing deeply.

Jaryd filled out the necessary paperwork in silence, then left the gate behind. The Void kept his troubled thoughts at a distance, though he knew he would need to consider the problem of the Foregate again. Instead, he turned his attention to finding House Riatin. Thankfully, being one of the largest palaces in the city it didn't take a whole lot of finding, though it did take a decent amount of walking. By the time he reached the massive archway that lead into the Riatin estate, the sun had risen at least a hand into the sky.

"Take me to Lady Kaia," Jaryd told the guard at the front door, his Void-influenced voice like falling ice chips. The guard gave him a startled look.

"My Lo- Asha'man," a portly woman in a servant's uniform appeared from the shadows, and sketched a curtsy, correcting her form of address as she noticed the symbol on his chest. "If it would please you to follow me, I will take you to a pleasant waiting space. Lady Kaia is at tea with Lord Fenton and will attend you at a-"

"No," Jaryd interrupted, his fingers wrapping around the black stone that rested in his coat pocket. "Go immediately and tell Lord Fenton and Lady Kaia that I said 'I don't believe in jealousy.'"

The servant and the guard looked at each other, but then the woman dipped another curtsy. "As you wish Asha'man. Might I have your name?"

"I am Jaryd Kosari, Asha'man of the Red Ajah and the Grey Tower," he said calmly. He heard a hiss, and then rapid foot steps down a hall to his left. He sighed inwardly as the servant turned to depart. The problem with being M'hael for any period of time was that while the Tower's own learning ranks might have forgotten his face in his absence, the political gamesters of the Great Houses certainly knew his name. The news that he was in Cairhien would be all over the city within hours, along with endless speculation and gossip about his purpose. It's a good thing I won't be here to endure the repercussions.

[Jenn]

Her hips were wider than she remembered.

She stared into the mirror, eyes of perfect emerald green glaring back out at her from the polished reflection. Kaia could count on one hand the things she saw that were different about her body. They were physical changes, things that she doubted anyone else would notice – much less care about – but her. But the point of it was that she did; she both noticed and cared. And it was not even because of her vanity. Whether from unblemished youth, her Stilling, or some combination of the two, the Pattern saw to it that her beauty had remained suspended, untouched by Time.

Stilled. Suddenly, the emptiness came to life, threatening to crash over her and envelop her with... nothing. Bile rose in her throat, a small part of her quailing in blind, cowering panic. But she had been Aes Sedai once. Light willing, perhaps she would again... if she could prove her innocence. She had survived her Arches – she had survived her test for the Shawl. She had fought against what felt like a lifetime of Compulsion. And she was still here. The petite Domani crushed the emptiness and threw it away. She didn't have time for self-pity. Focus, she reminded herself sharply. She inhaled deeply and the ever present ache dulled enough that she could resume her thoughts.

She was upset because she could barely remember experiencing those changes as they had happened to her body. She knew why the line of her stomach was no longer flat and why the area around her belly button yielded softly when she pushed and poked in at it. She knew why she bore a small area of faded discoloured stripe-like scars across her lower abdomen. She knew why her breasts were larger and heavier than she remembered. Yes, she even knew why her hips sat lower and wider, making it strangely awkward for her to sit like she once had.

Kaia did not regret any of these changes – she had been gifted with Reen. But she could not recall that time with any kind of clarity. And that was what infuriated her. Estius had taken much from her... and it was high time she started to take back what was rightfully hers. She needed answers, information, allies. Jaelle would be able to help find answers... and information. The Andoran redhead excelled at information gathering. Hopefully no one at the White Tower had intercepted the coded message borne by innocent messenger pigeon.

The last item would prove to be the most difficult. Allies in Cairhien were in short supply. She could not decide whether or not to trust the man she was married to. Fenton would probably be the first to tell her that blind trust was foolish. Currently, he was about as useful as a hot cup of kaf in the Blight. By now, he had to be aware that she was different... that whatever complex web of lies and plans he had spun were unraveling and yet he carried on as if nothing had changed. What was his angle? She wasn't as naive as to believe that he actually loved her, but perhaps he had never been involved with Estius and her predicament. But a small nagging voice kept asking how could he not have know? And she couldn't answer that satisfactorily.

She felt... afraid. Barely a full day had passed since the fingers in her mind had mysteriously disappeared, but she was adamant that she would not be caged again. She needed to escape this gilded prison in order to find Estius and answers – revenge – and to do so, she required some kind of plan. But she couldn't simply just leave House Riatin. In order for a clean break, she would need a course of action... and the aforementioned information and allies.

“Bajad drovja!” she muttered under her breath, stamping her feet a little in annoyance as she turned away from the mirror and yanked on a dressing robe. She tied it off, her steps dragging as she trudged gracelessly across her room to remove the barricade she had erected in front of her door. She grunted as she shoved the small armoire to the side. Light but she hated Cairhien and the Great Game. She straightened and undid the latch, sighing softly. “You may come in now,” she called out half-heartedly. As the gaggle of female servants poured through the doorway and descended upon her, Kaia tried not to glower.

----------

Three days later, she was no closer to her answers, any information, or any allies. Instead, she sat at morning tea with Fenton (she still couldn't bring herself to think of him as her husband) in some asinine ritual that involved what seemed to be an inordinate amount of stirring and silence. Those dark eyes of his missed nothing and yet he sipped at the strong tea as if nothing in the world was amiss. She had tried to engage him in conversation but he had merely patted her hand and dismissed each attempt. If she could've gotten away with it, she would have happily upended the tea pot onto his lavishly dressed noble lap.

She was dressed as impeccably as Fenton was, the silk damask of her dress so rich and dark that it shimmered between navy and violet depending on the light. Jewels sparkled from her throat and fingers, while pretty gems winked from her earlobes. Kaia did not understand that – who was going to see them? All this finery was lovely, but it was also heavy and uncomfortable.

Kaia very nearly jumped to her feet and cheered when the door burst open to admit the plump middle-aged woman from several nights ago that headed the maids that were Kaia's personal flock. Belira... yes, that was her name. The petite Domani forced herself to stand slowly. Red-faced and clearly shaken, the message that Belira stammered out did not qualify as coherent: Jaryd Kosari, Asha'man and Red Ajah...? But all Kaia needed to hear was Grey Tower and the phrase I don't believe in jealousy. She was running out of the private solar room, paying no heed whatsoever to Fenton's voice. Near the entrance... That was where she had to go.

Reen. Her Reen. My Reen...! Light, Light, Light, Light, Light... That repeated itself over and over again until the word itself lost all meaning. Her feet took her where they willed and somehow, she found herself skidding to a halt in front of a man clad in black with the ancient symbol of the Aes Sedai on his chest blazing in red. Jaryd Kosari... Whatever else she might have thought, her mind listed to the side as her gaze met his and for a dizzying moment, a sense of overwhelming, overpowering familiarity gripped her. The Wheel stopped weaving, the sensation so compelling that it left her breathless. She could follow the path of that the surge of recognition had left, Kaia feeling strangely hollowed out in its wake.

“My daughter, is she...?” Her voice trembled, a similar tremor shaking through her body.

“Aikaterine is alive and well.” The words were cold and emotionless... the part of Kaia that was still functioning recognized the Void. Asha'man Jaryd's voice though... it rolled over her, crashing against the shores of her very sense of self. She knew that voice. Ebou Dar. The second Arch. Creator shelter me... She gasped, her hand shooting out to brace against the wall as the world resumed spinning, taking her along with it. Kaia could only nod weakly, hoping that the Asha'man thought it was relief and not... something else.

She knew she should say something but she couldn't. Shock had stolen her voice away. She couldn't look away. Neither could he. Their gazes remained locked together, the moment becoming a quarter of a minute, then half a minute, then a full minute and still dark eyes lingered against green. Neither of them so much as blinked. It wasn't until Fenton's voice sounded that whatever force held Kaia and Jaryd's gazes together finally broke.

“It is my honour to welcome you into my home, Asha'man Jaryd.” Every inch Lord Riatin, Fenton's words were laden with double meaning that even Kaia could taste from where she stood. “I never forget a face,” he said rather pleasantly. “Are you acquainted with my wife?”

Kaia kept the sudden urge to laugh in check, her own voice as bland as she could possibly make it. “Perhaps I met him in a Dream.” The emphasis she put on the word did not go unnoticed by Fenton and the dark eyes hardened imperceptibly. If the Asha'man noticed, he made no indication that he did. Kaia didn't care... she had never expected, in her wildest dreams, that Jaryd Kosari actually existed. “Reen is alive and well.”

Fenton nodded. Then in a move that made Kaia itch with suspicion, he nodded again. “I shall excuse myself then. I am certain my lack of understanding of say-dar and say-din” – he said them that way to aggravate her – “will only hamper whatever business you have here in regards to my daughter and my wife. Please, you may use my personal study for the duration of your visit.”

The petite Domani gnashed her teeth together silently as Lord Riatin left. Fenton's personal study indeed. The place was probably bedecked already with hidden spies that would watch and record every single gesture made, every single word spoken. She felt a little thread of satisfaction however as she dared another glance over at Jaryd. Fenton had never gone against a channeler before. Green eyes met dark ones again and that breathless spinning sensation came again. Shaken, she gathered her wits together and closed the distance between them. She spoke quickly, her voice low.

“If you know how to weave a ward against eavesdropping, I suggest you do it now.” Suddenly, the sounds both dimmed and amplified around them. Raven brows lifted. Impressive. “Make the ward slightly opaque as well, just enough so that our faces are obscured. This is Cairhien,” she answered Jaryd's unspoken question. “Any spy serving a great House will be skilled at reading lips as well.” At his indication that he had done so, Kaia visibly relaxed and shook her head. “I apologize for that. Come, Fenton's private study awaits.” Full lips twisted a little, but as they began to walk, her expression changed to one of concern.

“You're hurt.” Her glance was sidelong as they walked together.

“It's nothing serious.” There was something... some hint of emotion that moved beneath the icy surface of his voice.

“If you say so.” Kaia's small smile showed that she didn't believe him, but she left it at all. It wasn't as if she could Heal him anyway... The warmth in her eyes faded and she had to swallow in an effort to maintain her composure.

Fenton's private study smelled of tabac smoke. When they were seated on the white velvet couch, near enough to one another to still be encompassed by the Asha'man's ward, Kaia watched him as he openly studied her.

“I never thought I would see an Asha'man bound by the Three Oaths. The ageless face on a male channeler.” Her voice held a small note of wonder. She shook her head, her mood darkening. “You have questions.” She was not particularly skilled in Daes Dae'mar, but it didn't take an expert to deduce that.

He actually grimaced a little before his face shifted into neutrality again. He took something out one of the pockets seamlessly blended with the black of his coat. Kaia felt herself soften as he held out his palm to her, the black stone necklace with the simple gold chain that she had sent with Reen cradled in the his hand.

Jaryd read the look on her face accurately and he shook his head. “Aikaterine gave this to me, so that you would recognize it. I am here on her behalf. Where did you get this?” It was asked roughly, though not unkindly.

The petite Domani sighed, slender fingers going to rub at the bridge of her noise. She was so tired of double meanings and pretty flowery words. So she answered bluntly and honestly. “This is going to sound... crazy, but it's the truth.” Green eyes went to look into his. “You gave it to me. I got it from you... or... a different version of you.” She sighed again, her shoulders slumping a little. “You were in my second Arch. And...” she made a gesture in the vain attempt to make things less... painfully awkward. “You gave this necklace to me... right before I had to leave you behind. Alternate you? I don't know how it's possible but that necklace came out with me. The Aes Sedai confiscated it for further study. No one could explain what had happened. No one could explain why. I'm sure it was tested and examined... but it was deemed safe and for some reason, they returned it to me. I didn't think I'd be allowed to keep it. I've worn it every day since... well, and then I gave it to Reen.”

Hesitantly, she reached out to touch the black stone, her look curious as green eyes narrowed slightly. “Why do you ask? Why did Reen send you?” What in the Light had her daughter gotten herself involved in this time?

[Sunny]

Jaryd had expected a wait of some length, given the caliber of person he had chosen to visit so precipitously. However, only minutes after the servant had disappeared, a vision of blue damask and delicately coifed black hair flew around a corner and came charging down the hall, only to pull to a breathless stop before him, breathing heavily as her green eyes caught on his. His dark eyes caught on her green, and the outside world ceased to exist for the barest fraction of a second. He noticed the curve of her lips, the pink that colored her cheeks, the graceful curl of her lashes. What in the Creator's name....? He could feel his heartbeat through his entire body, thrumming once, twice, three times.

"My daughter, is she...?"

Jaryd came back to himself, actually shifting in his boots to plant his feet more solidly on the ground as he grasped for the Void. "Aikaterine is alive and well," he said carefully. He noticed as if from a long distance away that Kaia's breath faltered as he spoke; she caught herself from falling with one quickly outstretched hand, and stood quite still, her gaze locking on him again. This time the sense of familiarity overwhelmed him; he lost the Void and normal thought for long moments. He wanted nothing more than to reach for her, an impulse so strong he had to press his hands hard against his thighs to remain still. Although the petite Domani bore a strong resemblance to her daughter and the same regal beauty that Amadie had possessed, he had certainly never laid eyes on her before.

“It is my honour to welcome you into my home, Asha'man Jaryd.” The male voice broke their reverie, and Jaryd turned to lay cold dark eyes on Lord Riatin. As soon as he saw the man, he understood the odd tones in that statement. “I never forget a face,” the shorter man said in a pleasant tone, and Jaryd quirked an eyebrow up ever so slightly in amused acknowledgment. “Are you acquainted with my wife?” Jaryd started to respond, but Kaia interrupted him with a comment about Dreams that caused a visibly negative reaction in the Lord. The Asha'man filed that information away for later consideration, even as Fenton departed as suddenly as he had arrived.

Jaryd stared after him for a moment, then turned to find Kaia's green eyes boring into him again. She took a step toward him and his breath caught; some primal instinct screamed, and he slammed the Void down around him. “If you know how to weave a ward against eavesdropping, I suggest you do it now.” Though she wore no ageless face, the words were those of an Aes Sedai- practiced, aware, and unwilling to negotiate. He kept his smile inside -oh, if only she knew- and reached for saidin, forcing that tumult into a complex web of Spirit and Air that blanketed them in privacy. He paused, considering, and as if reading his mind, she suggested he also hide their lips. He added threads of Fire and Water, a faint silver mist materializing in the air around them. He nodded to Kaia, seeing a flash of old grief in her eyes even as she turned and spoke lightly -though clearly annoyed- of their destination.

When they set out, his ribs twinged; after a quick reassurance, she led the way forward. Once settled on a couch in Fenton's study, he found himself examining her again. She wore a typical Domani dress -how that much make the worthies of Cairhien squirm!- in a beautiful deep blue. In her haste to reach him, some stray hairs had worked their way loose. He still could make neither head nor tail of the intense connection he felt to her. Sitting as they were, however, he realized that the stones he wore were humming ever so slightly.

“I never thought I would see an Asha'man bound by the Three Oaths. The ageless face on a male channeler,” she said. He remembered abruptly that this woman had been Red, and tensed. Was she of the variety who believed he should die for the sins of his forebears? Her behavior thus far did not seem to say so. “You have questions.” The direct comment took him aback; even after the last few minutes, he had expected some amount of politicking with this formidable woman.

He made a face then reached into his pocket and pulled Katrie's stone necklace from his pocket. “Aikaterine gave this to me, so that you would recognize it. I am here on her behalf." All true, though phrased like that, there were certainly many different ways to interpret it. When had he become so adept at twisting words? "Where did you get this?” The story that spilled out of her then shocked him to his core. He stared at her in unfeigned disbelief, then rejection, and then total consternation as she continued. I gave it to her? Well there's a twist! She explained about the Aes Sedai confiscating it -of course they had- and then that they had given it back. That made less sense, but then, he supposed that if he could sense no resonance, then perhaps the White Tower could not, either...and they knew significantly less about ter'angreal than the Grey. "Why do you ask? Why did Reen send you?" concern tinged her velvet contralto.

"I know her as Katrie," he said with a laugh, "and I met her outside a tavern in Hama Valon." He described their interaction in crisply factual terms, though he could not hide the touch of embarrassment that colored his voice when he spoke of breaking the door down to get her, especially not when he saw Kaia's eyes widen in disbelief at his odacity. He omitted only why he had been so interested in her necklace; that he kept in until he had worked up to the point where he had asked Katrie again about the necklace.
At that point he reached inside his shirt, pulled the cord over his head, and unceremoniously dropped the stone in Kaia's hand next to Katrie's. The two hummed palpably now, but otherwise did nothing. He quelled a touch of disappointmnet, amused at his half-baked idea that something special might happen.

"As you can see...they are exactly the same. Except....you got yours from a shadow-me in a ter'angreal for what reason I cannot imagine, and I got mine from a woman I loved, after she died in a fire I thought I had caused." Pain contorted his voice; he still could not speak of what had happened without feeling the grief and confusion all over again. Why had Kaia seen him in her Arches? Why had he given her that stone? Why had the Arches allowed her to return with it? Surely such an oddity meant something. His wrists itched, a mute reminder of his own marks from that test.

"The problem is that although I spent many years thinking I had killed her, the woman in question is not actually dead. About ten years ago, she tried to kill me, while in the service of a truly horrible man...a man trained to fight channelers." He realized too late that an inference about Kaia and the Red Ajah could be pulled from that statement, but what was said could not be unsaid. "I captured her, but my companion was dying; I had to leave her behind in order to bring my- companion," he realized abruptly that he did not want to tell Kaia he was bonded, "to safety. When I returned, she had disappeared."

He released a long, shuddering breath. "When I saw your daughter's necklace, I could not help but think- to hope- to fear-" he scrambled for words, unable to verbalize what he had thought. "As you said. I have questions. I had hoped to find answers. Instead, I only found more questions." His face broke into a wry grin as he spread his hands in unwilling acceptance of his plight.

"That...doesn't explain why Katrie sent you to me," Kaia commented after a long moment of silence, but her emerald eyes pierced into his soul, and he knew that she would be revisiting his story soon enough. A mother has priorities, I suppose, he thought.

"Certainly not," he agreed affably. "After we spoke, I swore to find you and bring you to the Grey Tower. I know someone who can Heal you, Kaia Sedai."

[Jenn]

The world spun and spun again before her eyes, Kaia acutely aware of the way her chest rose and fell. Her thoughts were equally as disjointed, spiraling freely and without control. How under the Light had Reen extracted that kind of promise from Jaryd – an Asha'man and the former M'Hael at that?

Spin.

The Grey Tower. To be Healed. Katrie. Fenton hated it when Reen called herself 'Katrie'. A ghost of a smile touched upon Kaia's lips.

Spin.

Jaryd had called her Kaia Sedai. What had Reen told him? How much? Everything? But not everything... because most of it was a lie. Estius.

Spin.

Beneath the layer of thick damask, Kaia suddenly felt hot even as the blood drained away from her face. She opened her mouth, but slowly closed it again, having nothing to say that would make any sort of sense. She watched one of her own hands unfold and lift out of her lap, purposefully reaching across the distance between herself and Jaryd for the black stone nestled in his palm. The petite Domani saw herself pick up the necklace by the plain gold chain while her other hand shifted and dropped the same black stone and its cord back into the curve of that same upturned palm. The Asha'man was watching her, but she wasn't ready to address him yet. Her fingers were steady as she donned her necklace again, her heart giving a peculiar sideways bump and skipping a beat as she abruptly remembered who had given it to her and who was sitting next to her now. The stone hummed against the hollow of her throat, the sensation against her skin reminding her of static.

Spin.

She took a steadying breath, not realizing just how much she had missed the weight of the black stone around her neck. It was as familiar as it was comforting. Kaia permitted herself a small shaky sigh and took another breath before she felt ready to face Jaryd again. She forced herself to look into eyes so dark they were nearly black. He seemed... pleased with her reaction. Pleased that he had managed to evoke a reaction from her at all? She would have shaken her head at his antics... but he wasn't the same as the shadow him from her arch. But she... knew him, didn't she? Where did this overwhelming familiarity come from? She could sit here... content simply to be near him, she realized. The world shifted yet again, this time snapping back into focus with the same splintering shock of a dislocated joint popping back into place.

“So.” One corner of her mouth lifted in a lopsided half-smile, her voice quiet. “You know.”

“I know,” came the simple answer along with one of his little grins.

It... was actually a relief, not to have to hide it. Or hide from it. A raven brown lifted at him, Kaia unable to stop from poking him back, just a little, for his comment earlier. She didn't think Jaryd's comment was meant for her but... it was too easy. “While I freely admit that many of my former Sisters were indeed awful, simply being trained to fight other channelers doesn't make one horrible, does it?”

His eyes widened before she was rewarded with another laugh. “No, it does not.”

Kaia smiled, letting the moment fade naturally before moving on to... the Grey Tower and the possibility – she had to keep thinking it as such or she would be undone – of being Healed. The hope that surged up from within her was torture, but it paled next to the rage that set every single one of her nerve endings on fire.

“You know as much as Reen knows... but you don't know it all.” Her fury intensified into a raging inferno, barely contained within her small frame, and she could tell by the way that Jaryd shifted against the white velvet of the couch that he sensed it. “And you need to know, before...” - it was so difficult to think it, even more difficult to say it, but she made herself say it - “...before you promise me any Healing. I don't know if you will believe me. And quite frankly, I don't care whether you do or don't. But you will believe that I speak the truth.” Flawless emerald orbs were sharp enough to draw blood.

“I swear by the Light and by my hope of salvation and rebirth that what I am about to tell you is the truth, to the best of my recollection. I swear on my daughter's life that it is so.” She had nothing else to offer but this vow, this promise. Kaia knew the story about her trial and Stilling... she was a murderer... and it wouldn't take any stretch of the imagination to jump to Darkfriend. Or worse, Black Ajah. She was none of those things. And despite her words of not caring whether Jaryd believed her or not... she wanted him to believe her.

“I had originally planned on joining the Yellow Ajah. I had the Talent for Healing... the way that uses all five Powers. After my Arches and my test for the shawl... things obviously changed. I had changed. I picked Red, and it upset Sisters in both Ajahs.” Blunt, honest, unembellished. “I saw the same people in my test for the shawl as I had in my Arches.” She paused here, having to glance away from Jaryd. “I suppose I can admit freely now that I was looking for” - you - “them. The Red seemed the best way to do that.” Kaia spoke as matter-of-factly as she could, but she couldn't keep her voice from shaking as her green gaze drifted back to Jaryd's near-black one.

“I met and eventually bonded an Asha'man from the Black Tower, Estius Daylin. He was willing to work with me. He had wanted a more intimate kind of partnership but I was not interested. That was that, I thought... until one night, during our travels, he became jealous and took offense to the way some random male passerby was looking at me. We were just outside of Andor. Estius never spoke of it but I felt it all the same. I should have been more careful. A week or so later I felt him needing me through the bond and so I went... only to find that he had killed that poor man.”

Kaia sagged back a little against the couch. This is where... things became unbelievable. “I didn't realize that Estius knew Compulsion. But he did something to me, and it felt like fingers crawling around in my head. He... it was because of him that I was put on trial for murder and Stilled.” Her voice broke a little and she shook her head vehemently. “I didn't do it! I didn't kill anyone! And... I don't remember how I got to Cairhien. I don't... remember... it's like a blur, a haze. I have vague recollections, like trying to read a book through a veil of smoke. The only constant thing was the feel of fingers in my head. I didn't see Estius again. I can't pinpoint when the fingers... changed, but I'm willing to wager my life that the man who kept me under Compulsion followed Estius. I don't know why... I don't know for what purpose, but I do know that Estius is patient and he had something planned.”

She gave a little wave of her hand. “I didn't break my Compulsion. I was only ever able to resist, for a little while. Four days ago, the fingers in my head... simply disappeared.” Kaia suddenly sat up straighter, remembering the way Jaryd had moved... stiffly... like he was favouring old injuries. Four days ago. Fenton's strange comment about never forgetting a face... The strange bizarre fire at some nobleman's estate that was said to have been caused by the Aiel, of all things...

Seated across from one another as they were, Kaia and Jaryed stared at one another for a long moment, neither Asha'man or former Aes Sedai flinching away. “Four days,” she commented softly, stunned by the sudden need to reach out for him. “Is also not enough time for ribs to fully heal.”

[Sunny]

"So. You know."

The Altaran smiled. What else could he do? It had been many years since he had feared and hated saidin; now he could no longer imagine his life without it. To even think of living that way made his stomach twist; if he had to, and someone offered him the same chance he had just offered this Domani woman with a face too young for her years, he did not know if he could hear it with the same quiet grace as she. "I know." He thought back. Had Katrie said it was a secret? He couldn't remember. Perhaps it was just as well that he had shut out all intruders.

He knew that could not possibly be all. Surely she had questions? To his surprise, her green met his black -jolt- and she said, lips still curled in that wry smile, "While I freely admit that many of my former Sisters were indeed awful, simply being trained to fight other channelers doesn't make one horrible, does it?”

Dumbfounded, Jaryd simply stared at her for the merest fraciton of a second before he realized how quickly she had turned his own comment against him. "No, it does not," he said with a chuckle. He had grown too used to the mortified stares of those who could not believe the irreverence of the one they had chosen as leader; the last thing he had expected was to be needled by that deep velvet voice, and yet somehow...he felt awake.

The mood shifted, however, as Kaia gathered herself. “You know as much as Reen knows... but you don't know it all.” He could hear the anger in her voice, feel it throbbing in the air, could practically see it rippling off her body. What in the Creator's name? He shifted and hovered at the brink of reaching for saidin, uncertain whether she directed her rage at him or another. A moment later his concern dwindled as she spoke of wanting his belief. Although stared at him as if to bore holes through his soul, he found himself drawn to her. “I swear by the Light and by my hope of salvation and rebirth that what I am about to tell you is the truth, to the best of my recollection. I swear on my daughter's life that it is so.” His eyebrows flew up to his hairline. Only a Darkfriend would break such an oath.

A Darkfriend like Marisa? He silenced the thought. He did not know for certain that Marisa had sworn her soul to the Dark One. She had attacked him. That did not necessarily mean... again, he silenced his thoughts. The woman whose necklace he wore mattered littled compared to the former Red who sat before him. Somehow, that thought felt like it bore more weight than had intended it to. She told her story and he listened intently, though as she spoke he had to lean back and press his hands against his ribs in a vain attempt to quell the burning agony of his ribs.

The Yellow Ajah? He dismissed that. He knew many Yellows. Talent or not, even with as little as he knew of Kaia, he knew she would not fit there. Yellows could be intense, they could be strong-willed, they could be beautiful. And yet.... he laughed at his folly. As if he had the right to decide where another person belonged! Although she did not speak it clearly, it did not take a genius to understand that she had seen men who could channel in her raising tests. The way her eyes slid to the side, and her Ajah choice...it all made sense. Remembering his own tests, he found himself wondering which men she had seen.

When his companion spoke of Estius, fingers of remembered anger and hate tightened around Jaryd's heart. The injuries of his recent fight flared up in response to the tension he felt, and he grit his teeth against a hiss of pain. He knew that name from his time in the Black Tower. Knew it; loathed it; cursed it. He had nothing good to say about the Black Tower in general, and even less to say about Londane, Estius, and their cronies. Someone with a Talent for Healing like Kaia's would have been exceptionally valuable to the Black Tower. Someone with that Talent who also had claimed the Red Ajah would have been immeasurably useful. Surely Kaia had not been so enamored that she didn't realize she was being played? For some reason the fact that Kaia had suffered such a monumental lapse of judgment bothered him. How in the Creator's name had Estius convinced her...?

As with the rest of her story, it didn't take long for the pieces to click into place. Compulsion. He felt a cold shiver roll up his spine. No channeler liked to admit that such a thing existed, let alone that there were those who actively practiced it. Did he Compulse you from the start, chalin'dar? Is that why you bonded him? He abruptly and savagely needed to know, the questions jumping to the tip of his tongue almost too quickly to stop. He caught himself, sensing in her voice a pressing need to speak that trumped his curiosity. If there had been any chance of him disbelieving her after her phenomenal oath to honesty, it had long faded by the time she waved her hand. No one, not even the most masterful of Bards, could fake the aching terror and grief that hid behind those green eyes.

“I didn't break my Compulsion. I was only ever able to resist, for a little while. Four days ago, the fingers in my head... simply disappeared," she said. Abruptly she sat up ery straight, her eyebrows snapping together as she looked him up and down. Her eyes lingered on the arm he had wrapped around himself, the hand pressed against his side with fingers curled in. He tried to relax, but then her attention snapped upward and he knew it was too late. “Four days,” she said, her voice soft and wondering, “Is also not enough time for ribs to fully heal.”

He met her gaze, dark eyes serious, yet caring. "Four evenings ago I attended a 'small gathering of friends' in House Jintan," he said steadily. "It was meant to be a political gathering- noteworthy merchants, nobles, and those they wished to curry favor from. There were four members of the Grey Tower in attendance, all with one goal. There were also a Black Tower Asha'man and a White Tower Aes Sedai who were serving," he took a deep breath at the memory, "a Dreadlord."

Her eyes widened and she drew back in horror. "And you-"

"We killed them all," he said flatly. She flinched. "Not without cost. My companions received worse than I, or they would not have allowed me to stay as I am. I promised Katrie I would find you, and once I found myself in Cairhien I could not go back to the Tower without doing as I swore I would." His voice grew rougher with each word. He had killed before, but that had been Jaryd the guild leader, who crawled along roof tops and taught discipline with his fists. Not Jaryd the Asha'man.

"But you should have gone back, gotten Healing!" He could hear her distress. She knew what he should have done, and yet she could not hide that she was glad he had not.

"My ribs will heal, Kaia," he said. "I fought that Dreadlord because that is what I was born to do, that is why I chose the Red Ajah. That...that is no longer important." He took a breath and bit his lip, suddenly uncertain how to proceed. She quirked her eyebrow at him, and he sighed, realizing he had no choice.

Body protesting sharply, he leaned forward to take the former Aes Sedai's hand, cupping it between both of his with delicate care. "What I did not tell you," he said carefully, eyes steady on hers, "is when I met Katrie." He felt her stiffen. "She had just come to Hama Valon...five years ago." His chest hurt, and not from his bruises. "I made her a promise then, but because I thought you simply a stilled Aes Sedai tinkering in politics, I thought it would not matter so much if I attended to other matters that the Tower thought more pressing." Her eyes were huge and green, he thought he might drown in them. "What would a few years matter in the greater scheme of things, I thought, if you were given the long life of a channeler once more?" Derisive sarcasm threaded through his words. What would it matter indeed?

"I did not know...did not realize...that you had not only lost saidar, but also lost your freedom. There is little I can do to make up for the time my choices cost you, but-"

Before he could finish, he felt something touching the outside of his Ward, brushing the threads of Spirit away and tripping the alarms he had built into the flows. Too quickly for him to do more than look up in surprise, the door opened and Lord Fenton walked in. He didn't say anything, but his eyes swept them with carefuly moderated curiosity. In that moment, Jaryd became sharply aware that he and Kaia had leaned in, their faces mere inches from one another, and that somehow his fingers had entwined in hers. How...?

He carefully disentangled his hand, and straightened to give the Lord a courteous nod. "I believe I have told you all I can at this time," he said carefully, looking at Kaia.

[Jenn]

Whatever Kaia thought she saw reflected in Jaryd's eyes dissipated like mist beneath the blazing sun as he spoke quietly of what happened at House Jintan. She recoiled in horror. A Dreadlord! Her mind reared in blind panic and for a moment she couldn't breathe. Had Rat-face been the Dreadlord? Or the Asha'man? Estius? Was he here? And the Aes Sedai... White Tower... Dead though. The Dreadlord, the Asha'man, the Aes Sedai... all dead. The man with the ageless face seated next to her made clear to point out that the Aes Sedai had been from the White Tower...

Light and he was still hurt! The petite Domani felt hot needles pierce through her heart. If she still had saidar she could Heal him... make it better... but she didn't. And she couldn't. A bubble of breath, a spasm of pain in her chest, and she had to look down at herself to make sure that there wasn't simply a gaping hole in the middle of her body.

But Jaryd was still telling his story, his promise to Reen, and suddenly, she felt his hands engulf one of hers. Was he seeking comfort? Or trying to give it? It failed on both counts as Kaia went utterly still, each of his impassioned worda shattering through her like a careless rock tossed through leaded glass.

I thought you simply a stilled Aes Sedai tinkering in politics...

She barely heard what he said next. Did it even matter? Five years. Five years. Kaia stared at Jaryd's face without really seeing it. Part of her wanted to lash out at him, but it wasn't his fault. No. He hadn't known. Reen hadn't known. No one had. And that was exactly how Estius meant for it to be. She wanted to howl. She wanted to sob. She felt as if she was dying, her skin too tight, her body too full with torment and anguish. She felt as if she was fading away, her soul empty and barren without the glow of the Power. She wanted to choke the life out of Estius with her own bare hands and watch the light fade from his eyes. She wanted so very many things.

And yet, if it were not for Estius' machinations, she would not be here. That thought was as unwelcome as a knife between her ribs. Kaia shook her head slowly, trying to exert her will and some kind of control over her wild thoughts. But she couldn't; mental teeth firmly clenched around that idea, it continued right on straight to its desired conclusion. She would not be here, in this exact moment, her hand cradled between Jaryd Kosari's hands, a man that she had thought only existed in half-remembered memories... if it were not for Estius.

"I did not know...did not realize...that you had not only lost saidar, but also lost your freedom. There is little I can do to make up for the time my choices cost you, but-"

Flawless emerald green orbs latched on to near-black and she started to breathe again. He was so close. So near. She wanted everything, even though she knew she shouldn't. Jaryd's sorrowful face filled her vision. There was that scar across his cheek... she had run shaking fingertips over it... Kaia squeezed her eyes shut, the pressure causing tears to burn behind her eyelids. No, she hadn't. In the Arches she had. She was losing her mind.

She heard the distinct sound of the door unlatching and footsteps. Her eyes flew open and Fenton was there, watching, as calmly detached in the action as he was with everything else. Jaryd abruptly leaned back, his hands leaving hers. "I believe I have told you all I can at this time," was all the Asha'man said, his look carefully moderated as it lingered on her. By the way the ambient sound returned to normal, she knew that he had dropped his eavesdropping ward. She shoved everything away, her face expressionless as she returned Jaryd's long look. It did not go unnoticed by the Lord Riatin.

“Asha'man Jaryd,” Fenton began pleasantly. “I thank you for coming to inform us of our daughter's well being. My wife has been worried about our only child. As you can undoubtedly see, however, she is not well. And – ”

“I feel quite well, husband.” Kaia's voice was velvet perfection. She was not some invalid to be coddled, nor did she need him to speak for her. She stood in a single graceful motion, directing her most dazzling smile in Fenton's direction. The corners of his eyes tightened, the petite Domani only noticing because she was actively searching for it. “But I thank you for your concern.” She turned to Jaryd then, apologizing silently even as she gestured for him to stand.

The Red -Red!- Asha'man stood without incident, and by the cold that filmed over the expressive black eyes and his ageless face, she knew that he had assumed the Void. “My offer still stands, Lady Kaia.”

The Grey Tower. To be Healed. The hope that surged up was sweeter and more bitter than anything she had ever tasted and she found that she couldn't speak.

“How is your partner, Asha'man Jaryd?” Fenton was more than capable of filling the silence, his tone mild, polite, with just the right amount of interest. A ruse, a misdirect, a barb, an insult, always maneuvering within Daes Dae'mar. It didn't take any stretch of the imagination to see that Fenton did not like Jaryd. “You were both quite enamored with one another at the party, if I recall. I trust he is well?”

As if from deep within a dream, Kaia found herself glancing between the two men. She felt the world drop out from beneath her. Jaryd... had a partner already? What...? What had she felt then? Had she merely imagined it all? The Altaran's posture and expression told her nothing.

Fenton was every inch the Cairhienin lord, but there... just beneath the surface of his eyes, something simmered. Not jealousy – Lord Riatin did not believe in jealousy, his skewed world view something he had unfortunately passed on to her Reen – but an Asha'man outranked the Lord Riatin, even one bound by the Three Oaths, by the simple fact that one was a channeler and one was not.

“He is well.” Jaryd's words were as ice and steel, carved out from the depths of the Void.

She wanted to laugh and scream and flail about. She couldn't take much more. She felt as if she was being torn apart. Kaia clung to the two things that offered her sanity respite: Reen and being Healed. Nothing else mattered right now. Nothing else could matter.

“I will go to the Grey Tower,” she said clearly. “I want to be Healed.” And here was where her voice broke and she felt a shudder roll through her. “I want my daughter.” She stared Fenton down, unapologetic and unafraid. Part of her dared him to refuse, dared him to stop her, but... when nothing came, she couldn't help but wonder if he had prepared for something like this too, somehow. It didn't matter. She ploughed on ahead. She would deal with the consequences later.

“As you wish, wife.” Deceptively mild and accommodating, it made her already tender skin ache further.

Green eyes swung to Jaryd. “Please wait just a moment for me.” That... hung in the air between them, the weight of her words nearly tangible. Kaia didn't have time to wonder at it. He... didn't... wasn't... No more, her mind begged. Please, no more... She brushed past Fenton, the faint scent of tabac smoke clinging to his clothes. She wondered if she'd ever be able to tolerate the smell again. There wasn't much she had to pack, but she needed to remove all these jewels...

To her surprise, Belira was already in her rooms, waiting for her. The servant woman was grinning from ear to ear. Kaia eyed the woman curiously; surely news didn't travel that quickly, did it?

Her question was answered when the stout woman leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, “I didn't want to assume, but I'd hoped!” A merry wink followed.

Kaia stared at her, dumbfounded. How...?

“Well, don't just stand there, my Lady!”

And then the petite Domani didn't have time to stare as she was practically hauled along and in far less time than she thought possible, Belira had her out of the ridiculous finery and stripped of all pretty baubles save for the black stone necklace that nestled in the hollow of her throat. The dress she wore was plain by the standards of Cairhienin nobility, but the pale purple dress was of fine silk and intricately embroidered with gold and silver thread.

“Don't forget this, my Lady!” Belira shoved a vaguely square bundle into her hands, a knowing look on the rounded face. “You arrived here with it, you did... items that belonged to your sister and all. Important things.”

“My sister...” Kaia frowned a little, her confusion unfeigned.

“Oh, yes! The sister that likes the blue flowers so much... oh I can't remember her name now. But you two were very close. Don't you remember?”

The petite Domani couldn't help the short laugh that sounded then. Yes. She still remembered her Blue Sister. Light bless that meddling insufferable Andoran redhead. Whatever was inside was important, indeed. “Kee,” she answered after a short pause, the false name rolling easily from her tongue.

“Yes! That was it!” Belira's eyes glittered and she grinned again.

“Thank you.” Kaia spoke softly. “I... you've been very kind to me and Reen.”

“Oh, my Lady... don't you worry about me.” A jovial laugh. “I'm sure we'll meet again. Who knows, once you're all a high and mighty Aes Sedai again, you may not even recognize little old me.” Another knowing little look, then a gentle push out the door. “Now go. Say hello to your girl for me!”

Clutching the bundle to her chest, Kaia hurried back to the private study, finding that neither Fenton nor Jaryd had so much as moved a muscle. She stepped up next to Jaryd, green eyes going to rest on Fenton. “I will return, should you want our arrangement resolved.”

Ever gracious, Lord Riatin inclined his head. “I look forward to it.”

It was difficult, even knowing what she did, not to reach for Jaryd's hand. Instead, she gazed up at him, her heart crowding up into her throat. Her quiet words were for his ears alone. “I'm ready.”

[Sunny]

The insane urge to laugh swelled in Jaryd's throat as he stared at the small pale-skinned man who had chosen to intrude on them. That he chose to name Durent as Jaryd's partner told the Asha'man that the lord knew perfectly well that the two were not actually lovers. His machinations were transparent- barbed insults intended to unbalance and provoke. If this man thought he could manipulate someone who had spent five years wrangling the Hall of Sitters, he was a fool.

“He is well," he responded to the query, his inner suspicions hidden behind the cold wall of the Void. Why, would Fenton attempt to needle him? What could possibly be in it for him, that he would be so blatant? Unless it wasn't Jaryd he wanted to distress, but rather...someone else. The Red's face darkened, the pieces clicking together in his head as he glanced from Fenton to Kaia. Though she held herself perfectly erect, and her face remained Aes Sedai calm, there was something in her eyes, the way her gaze flicked from him to Fenton, that told him all he needed. Why would Riatin want to hurt his wife of all people?

“I will go to the Grey Tower,” Kaia said suddenly. “I want to be Healed. I want my daughter.” Her voice broke on the last words, and she locked gazes with Fenton. Jaryd, standing to the side, watched the silent exchange, eyebrows raised. Fenton had not known what news Jaryd bore, and the Altaran found it very curious indeed that the nobleman barely twitched at Kaia's decision.

"As you wish, wife." Fenton's words were all courteous attention and affable agreement, but Jaryd noticed that his knuckles stood out white on his clenched fists, and his face momentarily contorted as if he had tasted something unpleasant when Kaia broke eye contact.

Kaia took her leave of them, with an odd inflection to her request for Jaryd to wait that he did not entirely understand. He had made a promise; he would not leave without her. More than that, however, he felt a draw between them, an inexplicable need to be near her that simultaneously baffled and frightened him. They say that some threads of the Pattern can be woven closely together for long periods before they converge. Even if they never meet, it is argued that they can still influence each other by their very proximity, he thought, remembering a passage he had read as a Dedicated. Perhaps it is so for us. It was such a presumptous notion he nearly laughed aloud.

He looked up from his thoughts to find Lord Riatin staring at him, his eyes colder than the dead of winter's heart. That chill brought him back to the present with a jolt. "This will be hard on her," Fenton said conversationally, his voice dripping with false concern. "I'm not sure you understand what you are asking of her, Asha'man."

"For someone who has never channeled, the loss of the True Source cannot be fathomed. I assure you she will transition back to being Aes Sedai quite well," the Altaran said calmly. "Nothing will be allowed to stop her." His gaze grew pointed, and his voice held heavy meaning.

Riatin waved his hand indolently, dismissing the statement. "It would be extremely unfortunate if something were to happen to my wife." The inflection seared away any lingering possibility that the man actually believed Durent and Jaryd to be lovers. "I will take every precaution to assure that she remains safe on her journey." The unspoken words hung between them: Nothing would happen to Kaia, but the same safety had not been extended to Jaryd.

"No harm will come to her while in my care," Jaryd said, thankful for the Void that kept his voice frosty and even, "or had you forgotten what I am capable of?" The insinuation was all it took; if Fenton had not previously put events together regarding the party and subsequent chaos, he did then. He bowed to exactly the degree proper for a nobleman to an Asha'man, and then fell silent, his eyes brooding and distant.

After some time in which neither Jaryd nor Fenton moved or spoke, Kaia returned. She had changed, and he found he preferred the new gown. It suited her better, somehow, in its classic simplicity. She seemed perfectly at ease, save for the fact that she clutched a neatly-wrapped parcel to her chest like a child might hug a toy. She walked to stand beside him, and as she drew near he fought the overwhelming urge to put his arm around her shoulders, to offer comfort- how? She is married, and I barely know her!

She and Fenton exchanged brief words, which he chose not to listen in on. Then she looked up at him, her green eyes alight with joy, and some other emotion he could not read. "I'm ready," she whispered. Jaryd grinned down at her, as relieved to finally depart as she was. She smiled back, but abruptly she flinched and she looked away, pulling the bundle closer. Somehow he knew it had to do with their proximity. Did she feel the same pull as he?

Rather than allow himself to get lost in another maze of thoughts, Jaryd seized saidin, the glorious inferno raging around him as he forced it to his will. It picked up on his anger, doubt, and confusion and thrashed. One flow of Fire, that's all it would take, it seemed to say. Just one. He contemplated that temptation from within the Void, then dismissed it. He could no more kill Fenton with the One Power than he could turn back the clock. Instead, he pulled threads of all five Powers together, focusing the flows on the space just before him. They formed into a rough rectangle, and then a light of brilliant light appeared. The line seemed to rotate open, rather than widen, to show- nothing. Inky darkness filled the gateway. At the foot of the door, however, a platform hovered. It was just large neough for two people, and appeared to be made of dusty cobblestones.

He gestured to Kaia. "After you," he said quietly. The Domani woman wasted no time, and he suspected she had Skimmed before by the confidence with which she planted her feet on the floating disk. He joined her a moment later, crowding close to her to avoid standing too near the edge. As soon as the gateway closed, he felt the platform move beneath his feet, though no wind touched his face.

"Where are we?" She asked curiously, taking a step to peer over the edge of the platform. "What's down there?"

He instinctively placed his hands on her upper arms to pull her back, and was shocked at the tingle that traveled up his arms at the contact. "As far as anyone has been able to tell, we are between the threads of the Web of Destiny," he said quietly, forcing himself to loosen his fingers, to let his hands drop back to his sides. He did not want to. "No one knows what happens when you fall. The current theory is that you simply continue falling forever or until you die of starvation, whichever comes first." She shuddered, and moved closer to him.

He studied her, then, as he had not been able before, cataloging every tiny detail of her face. The soft curl of her eyelashes, the curve of her lips, the delicate arch of her brow, currently quirked in bemused curiosity. Her emerald eyes that matched him stare for stare, but still with that touch of unease that he did not understand. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. He realized he had lifted his hand as if to touch her face, and hastily shifted it to adjusting his collar.

A moment later the platform came to a stop, and another gateway rotated open. Carra's presence in his mind abruptly came into sharp focus, and he shook his head, masking the bond with Spirit. He and Carra would have plenty to discuss- later. For now, he had business to attend to. Once they were both through the gate, Kaia glanced around her with veiled curiosity. "My personal parlor," he said cheerfully. "It's the one place in the Tower I know will always be safe to open a Gateway." The door in the air closed, and after a quick check on his Wards, he released saidin and the Void.

"It seems...dark," she said carefully. He laughed.

"The Grey Tower was originally built like a pie, with a slice for each Ajah," he told her, as he walked toward the door. "When Carra created the Red Ajah, there was no section for us, so we currently live in the basement."

"The Red Ajah lives in the basement." Profound incredulity.

"It's better than being beholden to another Ajah, or having no quarters at all," Jaryd said with a shrug, "but I do miss having windows." He closed the door behind them, and led her up the long ramp into the Tower proper. The conversation about the Red Ajah continued until at last he drew up next to a door marked with the ancient symbol of the Aes Sedai in gold. Kaia cut off mid-word at the sight, her back straightening and shoulders going back as she stared at it.

"Are you ready?" he asked quietly. She glanced at him with wild eyes, and this time he did reach for her, his fingers brushing her cheek. She caught his hand, squeezing it tight as she drew a deep breath. Then she nodded sharply, turning to face forward once more, his hand still crushed in hers. They pushed the door open together, and strode through the long rows of beds within, toward the work area on the opposite side. A blond figure who loomed a full head taller than Jaryd stood at a work space there, focused on something in his hands.

Jaryd lead the way, Kaia's hand still clasped in his. When they drew near, the other Asha'man looked up, gray eyes meeting black with muted curiosity. "Gareth," Jaryd said, carefully pulling Kaia forward, "This is Kaia Ariasca Riatin, once an Aes Sedai of the White Tower. She was stilled by that Tower for a crime she did not commit, and has suffered...a lot...in the years since then." He squeezed her fingers, then let her go. "Can you Heal her? I will stand surety until she has re-sworn the Oaths."

---

OOC: I think in reality it would take way more than a trip to the infirmary to make this happen, but Jenn and I are both really ready to move on to other fun stuff. *cringes at word count*

[Bella]

As the steps drew too near to mistake, Gareth looked up and watched Jaryd Kosari approached. The Red Asha'man was someone that the Yellow knew of, but didn't really know. His pale eyes shifted from the man to the woman, this one he knew he didn't know. Was she someone from the Tower, he wondered. She wasn't at all familiar to him.

The explanation wasn't long in coming, and the explanation surprised him more than their appearance before him.

Heal a Stilling? he thought with no small amount of shock, and even uncertainty. He looked at the woman, Kaia Sedai, and then back at Jaryd. The large man slowly inclined his head. "I am willing to help," he said, his voice rumbling like two mountains shifting against each other. His demeanor was serious, quiet. Turning his eyes to Kaia again, he spoke directly to her.

"I am pleased to meet you, Kaia Sedai. I am Gareth Asha'man." Formal introductions may not have been required, but were proper. "I will be honest," he began. The irony of the statement was not lost on him, of course. "I have not Healed a Stilling before, but I know the theory of how it is accomplished and I have the necessary skill."

He paused thoughtfully, looking around the half-filled infirmary. "I fear now may not be the best time, however. Can you meet me again first thing in the morning? It will be quieter then, and myself more rested and prepared."
* * * With morning's light pouring through the single window of the infirmary, Gareth was already present when they arrived. It was indeed quieter, as he had predicted. He knew this place better than any other in existence, excepting perhaps his wife's arms, and so he could predict it quite well. The quiet was better for this sort of thing.

After seeing them off before, he had finished his shift and then returned to his quarters. Before going to sleep, he had read up again in his books about the theories on this matter. Although he did already know it all, he wanted to be doubly sure. This was no small matter he had been asked to attend, after all.

Gareth greeted them with a nod and then gestured to a private room off the main infirmary hall. There was a bed and two chairs, and he motioned Kaia to sit on the bed while he took one of the chairs, leaving Jaryd to the other. He inhaled slowly and seized saidin, outlining words and knowledge in his mind. The One Power and all five elements hovered just at his fingertips.

"First I am going to Delve you," he explained, "to find the place of the disconnection." The fine mesh filament of Spirit wove itself together and he allowed it to settle over her, focusing on her mind. He was not asked to do anything more, and so he left her bodily sovereignty to herself. He sought through her and after a time, for the brain was the most complex part of a human, he found was he sought.

It was, in essence, a gap. Like there had been a cord in place that had been forcibly cut and not left two wandering extensions behind.

Into this gap, he delved more deeply. Probing and exploring, trying to understand every intricacy of it. Gareth had to resist the urge to work too far, for he was fascinated by the brain and it's multitude of powers and could get lost in such fascination, if given half the chance. He instead forced himself to focus on just the work at hand.

As this space yawned widely before him, he almost felt the pain in himself; trying to imagine what it might be like to be severed from the power, and to no longer know it. Would he even still have a purpose in life? He would, but it wouldn't be the same.

Now that he could see and comprehend the problem, he pulled all five powers together. He felt as though his own head was beginning to ache from the concentration, but he was determined. The powers wove together like a coil of snakes within her mind and then, almost instinctively it seemed to him, each five found the edges of the gap--they touched and connected, bridging the two together.

It felt almost like it resisted holding at first, but he exerted his will. The edges of this "rope" of the Powers together fused with the dangling ends of what had once been her ability to channel, and almost felt as though it lit up before him when it solidified, connecting them into a whole once more.

OOC: In the interests of time and moving y'all forward, I hope you don't mind the liberties I took and the condensing. <3

[Jenn]

Can you meet me again first thing in the morning?

Kaia was fully aware of her circumstances, even if she did not care a whit for them. She was somehow, miraculously, at the Grey Tower. Reen was here. Jaryd Kosari was real. And he had brought her here to be... Healed. Her chest constricted at the mere word and she had to fight for her next breath.

She had no power here, nothing to vouch for her save the word of the former M'Hael, a man whom she had met once in memory, yet was as real as she was. Left upon the mercy of the Grey Tower's goodwill, she had been expecting to be put through questioning of some kind, a test of sorts, to ascertain whether she was a danger or a threat. Had this been the White Tower, even without her past and reputation, it was what her former Sisters would have done. Instead, Gareth had taken Jaryd's statement at face value... had even accorded her the honourific 'Aes Sedai', even though she no longer bore any right to it.

As it stood, Kaia was not about to refuse, or argue, or do anything but acquiesce to the request of the Asha'man Gareth – who was Yellow Ajah no less, and seemed more mountain than man. Another male channeler bound by the Three Oaths. That was going to take some getting used to. She wanted to laugh, but that seemed inappropriate. What would her former Sisters think about that, she wondered with no small amount of vicious glee.

There were no words to describe the way she felt. She did not think it would be possible, even if she knew where to begin. She clutched on the small little package that Belira had given her, her rock amidst this storm she tried to weather.

She allowed herself to be led away from what had to be the Grey Tower's Infirmary. It looked different than the White Tower's one... but one thing remained the same: the smell. The sterile scent of disinfectant and cleanser both were unmistakable. Her thoughts stuttered and jumped every which way, scattering in fragments and stray images. Cairhien. The White Tower. Reen's face. Fenton. Estius. Tar Valon. Jaelle. Kavi. The thought of her baby – not so much a baby now, Kaia recalled with a sad sort of clarity – sister made her sigh. Jaryd glanced over at her, but she pretended not to notice.

First thing in the morning. A full afternoon, evening, and night before she could embrace... The petite Domani inhaled quietly. She could not think it, even now, even with the reality that she might channel again within her grasp. Her situation had been explained, and the outcome agreed to, but it had not happened yet. Kaia knew better than to hope too much – but the solid proof that her most secret, wildest hope existed was walking beside her. Emerald green orbs glanced over, a quick furtive look out of the corner of her eye to the swarthy Altaran. She could not help but feel that there was still some powerful connection that coursed between them, even if... well, even if Jaryd would never be interested in her the way the second Arch had shown.

The ache that gnawed at her chest was nearly as strong as the gaping emptiness left behind by her severed connection to saidar. Kaia was not prepared for the way that surprised her. And what had she thought might happen with Jaryd, if anything? She could not answer that.

She held her shoulders back, head high, as Jaryd led them through what seemed to be the heart of the Grey Tower itself. Courtyards and gardens... hallways that were reminiscent of the White Tower's halls... and then glass. More glass than she had ever seen, rising up to reflect and refract the mid-morning sun in such a glorious way that it made the Shining Walls of Tar Valon seem... lackluster and colourless. A genuine smile of delight touched her face and before she could register what she was doing, the petite Domani had turned to face Jaryd, an answering grin on his.

“It's beautiful,” she said softly, green eyes touching against almost black ones.

“Yes, it is,” he answered just as quietly, the barest hint of emotion moving beneath the surface of his voice.

“Jaryd...” For a moment, the bustle around them dimmed as their gazes locked. Kaia barely had time to wonder where this intense feeling of connection came from, before her elbow was roughly jostled and her eyes broke from his. The world returned, busier and noisier than before. “Thank you for telling me about the Grey Tower's Red Ajah,” she said instead. “I have more questions for later, if you don't mind.”

“Of course.” The answer was amiable and cheerful, but the words sounded a little forced. Or perhaps it was merely something she imagined. “Let me show you into the guest quarters. You'll be calling that home, at least until you're Healed and have re-sworn the Three Oaths.”

If it had been anyone else... Kaia took a steadying breath and nodded, forcefully relaxing the thread of hostility that had stiffened her spine. Jaryd had not said it to hurt her. She tilted her head ever-so-slightly to the side. She wanted to see her daughter. But she did not think her demands would be met kindly. Patience. “Lead the way.”
* * * There was a flash of amusement in her eyes as she leaned against the doorway to stare at the Gaidin lounging nonchalantly nearby. Kaia had expected Wards; she had probably tripped half a dozen of them just by opening the door and stepping out into the hall. What she had not expected was there to be a Gaidin stationed nearby, undoubtedly to keep an eye on her. For her safety? Or to keep her from wandering about until she had sworn herself to the Grey Tower? She couldn't say that either of those possibilities upset her; she would have done the same in Jaryd's place. More, probably.

The way the Gaidin was looking back at her... She chuckled inwardly, mildly flattered by the sentiment but ultimately disinterested. At least his superiors would find no fault him for not giving due diligence to his assigned task, his blue eyes watching her very very seriously. He was broad shouldered, tall, rakishly handsome – his black hair a disheveled mess on top of his head. His nose had been broken once or twice before, but that only added to the effect of the cocky grin that lurked at the very corners of his mouth.

The distraction that he provided was a welcome respite from the apprehension and impatience that plagued her – there was no way she would find sleep tonight. She had this notion of tearing through the Tower until she found her Reen. And... that would not end well, for either of them. It galled, being kept away from her daughter. One day. One more day. Patience. Her thoughts rolled to the departing gift that Belira had given her. Was she prepared to find out what was inside? After she was Healed... She couldn't focus, couldn't concentrate enough right now. The shake of her head was barely perceptible, her departing look towards the Gaidin one of amusement. She retreated back into the guest room fit for royalty. She supposed that having ties to House Riatin still had some merit. The door closed firmly behind her.
* * * Yet again, the kindness and consideration that the Grey Tower showed her came as another very unexpected surprise.

The private room just off the main Infirmary hall was as comfortable as it could be, given the circumstances in which it was used for. Kaia sat on the bed, her feet swaying several inches above the floor. Asha'man Gareth sat in the chair closest to her, while Jaryd took the seat farthest away. For a moment, their gazes locked and suddenly, irrationally, she wanted to throw herself into his arms and never let go. She gave herself a disgusted mental shake and put that thought as far away from her mind as she could, yanking her attention elsewhere. The mountain made into a man. Asha'man Gareth. The Yellow. The one who was about to attempt to Heal her. Wild green eyes watched him from a perfectly serene face.

She couldn't sense when he seized saidin, but she shivered as she felt the barest touch of something brush against her mind. It was whisper-faint, like the gentlest of breezes on a balmy spring day... The petite Domani forced her hands into her lap, her fingers gripping on to the silk of her skirts with white-knuckled intensity. She was trembling, she realized belatedly. Reflexively, she gritted her teeth against the intrusion into her mind and tried not to flail and beat back the soft touch that felt too much like fingers inside her skull. It wasn't Estius. It wasn't Ratface. It was Gareth – an Asha'man bound by the Three Oaths. A Yellow. And he's going to Heal me, she reminded herself harshly.

She could feel... her brows drew together and a grimace marred the perfection of her features. What could only be described as a prodding finger pressed lightly against the emptiness that felt as if radiated outwards from her mind, into her chest. She kept her eyes fixed on the dark blonde hairline, her breathing unsteady even to her own ears. Kaia battled down the ridiculous urge to cry, struggling to maintain some semblance of composure and dignity. It felt as if the Asha'man Healer traced the edges of the ragged, gaping hole, and she could do nothing but follow along. Gareth gave the breach dimension and form. To her surprise, it had a shape... it was finite.

And then... a surge of ice that seared, then warmth that froze, and suddenly the emptiness began to fill. Kaia gasped, unable to stop the noise from escaping past her lips. There was pain... discomfort... some primal instinct fighting against the torrent. On and on the sensation went, drawing out until time stopped, the petite Domani trapped between heartbeats, suspended in pure ecstasy, braced for pure torture. Then a flash of blinding light flared behind her eyes and she felt her awareness being jerked into the present moment. The breath left her body all at once and she felt herself slump, her grip against the edge of the infirmary bed weak and ineffectual.

Green eyes swam with bright spots, dazzled by the colour. She felt her lungs draw breath, once, twice, and soon her vision cleared. The room was silent, save for the sounds of three people breathing, and the faint whisper of silk sliding over copper skin. Forcefully drawing on every ounce of courage she had, Kaia bit down on her bottom lip and for the first time in roughly two decades, she opened herself up to saidar. Part of her expected nothing to come. Part of her knew she would die if it hadn't worked.

The warmth that answered her was deliverance and salvation; it was the Light itself. She came to life again, and it was glorious. Tears spilled unheeded down her cheeks as she kicked her feet in utter delight, the overwhelming emotions dissolving into pure joy and laughter. She was crying, but for the first time in her life, she didn't care. She didn't care who knew, or saw. Kaia pushed herself off the bed and onto her feet. Later, she would remember the occurrence with hot embarrassment, but it seemed like the right thing to do as she attempted to crush Asha'man Gareth's torso in a rib-creaking hug.

“Thank you,” she said, over and over again, repeating the words so many times that they ended up garbled as her tongue finally tripped over them.

She released the mountain made man, and found herself face to face with Jaryd Kosari, his face split in a grin that stretched from ear to ear. He took her hands gently into his, his fingers twining together with hers. “Welcome home Sister. We have waited long for you.”