Seonin's Three Arches: To Walk Her Own Path Seonin
Seonin stared down at the little slip of paper that held her summons to the Mistress of Novices. Less than a day had passed since her passage through the Three Arches. Her banded dress of the Accepted still held its freshly ironed creases, and the Great Serpent ring weighed strangely on her finger. Her friend Avyra had assured her that these summons were nothing unusual – that every Accepted was summoned to Mirin Sedai’s office to select their upcoming coursework – but Seonin still felt uneasy. After all, had any other Accepted ever accused the Mistress of Novices of murder?
She recalled an image of Mirin Sedai surrounded by a bright blaze of saidar and holding a knife dripping with blood. Although the events in the ter’angreal were not real, Seonin could not shake the sense that something was deeply, deeply wrong. There were few facts that she could trust. One, that Aria Sedai had been murdered by a darkfriend within the Tower. Two, that this darkfriend still lived. The omens were there – a single wilted blossom in a field of healthy flowers, the falling of leaves though it was the middle of summer. These were symbols of treachery. The question was simple: Who?
Her heart pounded. She approached the door and knocked thrice.
“Enter, child.”
Seonin tentatively pushed open the door, and then curtsied to the dark-haired woman sitting behind the desk. “Mirin Sedai,” she murmured, politely.
“Sit.”
Then Mirin embraced the Power. Seonin began to tremble as the flows of Water, Air, and Fire worked around them in a latticed web. At least it was not a weave of Spirit, thought Seonin. She did not know what she had seen in the Arches, but instinctively she sensed its evil. Again, she reminded herself that the events within the ter’angreal were not real. They could not be real! Surely Mirin Sedai did not study forbidden weaves!
“A weave to shut out eavesdroppers,” said Mirin. Her voice was calm in its crisp Cairhienin accent. Seonin swallowed nervously. No one would hear if she screamed! Her eyes flicked toward the riding crop hanging on the office wall. Though Seonin had never been sent to the Mistress of Novices for punishment – she had been a model student – she had heard stories from other novices. Mirin observed her silently. A small smile crossed her lips.
“Relax, Seonin,” she said. “I simply want to discuss some private matters with you. Yesterday, you accused me of murder. Rest assured that I have heard worse coming from women’s lips as they pass through the ter’angreal. It is not an easy test. That said, I have a task for you. While your belongings were being moved to the Accepted’s Quarters, I found this.”
From behind her desk, Mirin pulled out a slim booklet. A Handbook on Clinical and Experimental Psychology, edited by Arianne Seladrin Sedai. Seonin had last seen that book lying on her desk. It was a gift from Aria Sedai. She had tried many times to read it, though its subject matter was too advanced for her.
They went through my belongings? Seonin froze.
“The things I tell you must not leave this room,” said Mirin. Seonin nodded stiffly. Terrible thoughts raced through her mind. Light, did she find Aria’s letter? And the list?
Mirin continued. “This book was a culmination of years of effort.” Her voice flattened. “In fact, I wrote most of it.”
What? Seonin watched numbly as Mirin flipped open the book. At the bottom of the first page, there was a long list of contributors. Seonin wondered why she had never bothered to look at that page. She had always flipped past it without a second thought. To her astonishment, she saw Mirin’s name among the names of many members of the Yellow Ajah.
“But you’re a Blue sister,” she sputtered.
The corner of Mirin’s lip twitched. “I was not always a Blue sister,” she said. “For a while, I worked closely with Aria Sedai. It was… very difficult for me when she died.”
Seonin absorbed this revelation.
“Then why aren’t you listed as an author?” she asked.
Mirin sighed. “Politics and pride,” she said. “They are ugly things. I was an Accepted. Aria wanted a publication. I needed tutelage. She wanted my work. We had an agreement. But enough about the past. I also found this.”
She turned over the back cover and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Seonin nearly fainted. The secret letter from Aria! Oh Creator help me… She wanted to melt into her chair.
“This is a very dangerous letter,” said Mirin. Her pale eyes glittered oddly and Seonin shivered. “It is rather amusing to find my own name among the accused. But others may not be so forgiving. Better to erase it from existence.”
Mirin channeled flows of Fire and Air. The letter burst into flame. Seonin gritted her teeth.
“That was mine,” she said. “You had no right to destroy it.”
“Would you rather be dead?”
Seonin paused for only a moment. “Yes,” she said, insolently. “There are some things worth keeping, even if they are dangerous.”
Mirin sighed. “I had hoped that rooming you with Avyra would strengthen your backbone. Unfortunately it seems to have loosened your lips instead."
Seonin bristled, but kept her mouth shut as the Aes Sedai stood and came around the desk. Then as she listened to Mirin’s next words, her mouth dropped open.
“Your task, Seonin, is to bring me Aria’s murderer.”
-----
The Keeper of Archives spent much of his free time in the Library. And so that is where Seonin went. She carried Aria's book with her. As she walked, the dust parted before her feet. When she glanced outside, leaves swirled in strange patterns. A black bird flew by the windows, thrice. She saw the omens of treachery everywhere, but did not think much of it. It was to be expected. After all, she was hunting a murderer.
The librarian gave her an odd look when she asked after the Keeper. "He does not like being disturbed, child," he said. But Seonin persisted. Finally, when she said that she bore an important message from the Mistress of Novices, the Brown brother caved. "He likes sitting in the back corner," he said while pointing out directions. "If he's not working in the Archives - where you are not allowed - then this is where he will be."
Tall shelves loomed over her as she went deeper into the depths of the Library than she had ever been before. She nearly became lost as she turned corner after corner. It reminded her of the trial of her third Arch, and Seonin hurried along, trying not to summon those memories.
The man was seated exactly where the librarian had said. Seonin paused and took a deep breath. She could hardly believe this - she was about to speak with one of the most powerful men in the Tower! Just yesterday she had been an obedient novice and model student who worked hard and never complained. Just yesterday she had woken up without any expectations for the day after. And now...
She stepped forward to tap the man on the shoulder. Then, she dropped a deep curtsy. As she spoke, she fiddled nervously with the sleeves of her banded dress.
"Keeper? I am, uh, Accepted Seonin Namendar Seladrin and I come with a request for you. Four years ago, a few Yellows wrote a report on deaths in the Tower. Specifically on the deaths of Asha'man and Aes Sedai. It was written by... ah, well, I am not looking for the report itself, but for a list of the people who have looked at the report. And I, ah, need your permission, if you please, Keeper. And to keep this secret, as well. No record of my request, please."
She recalled an image of Mirin Sedai surrounded by a bright blaze of saidar and holding a knife dripping with blood. Although the events in the ter’angreal were not real, Seonin could not shake the sense that something was deeply, deeply wrong. There were few facts that she could trust. One, that Aria Sedai had been murdered by a darkfriend within the Tower. Two, that this darkfriend still lived. The omens were there – a single wilted blossom in a field of healthy flowers, the falling of leaves though it was the middle of summer. These were symbols of treachery. The question was simple: Who?
Her heart pounded. She approached the door and knocked thrice.
“Enter, child.”
Seonin tentatively pushed open the door, and then curtsied to the dark-haired woman sitting behind the desk. “Mirin Sedai,” she murmured, politely.
“Sit.”
Then Mirin embraced the Power. Seonin began to tremble as the flows of Water, Air, and Fire worked around them in a latticed web. At least it was not a weave of Spirit, thought Seonin. She did not know what she had seen in the Arches, but instinctively she sensed its evil. Again, she reminded herself that the events within the ter’angreal were not real. They could not be real! Surely Mirin Sedai did not study forbidden weaves!
“A weave to shut out eavesdroppers,” said Mirin. Her voice was calm in its crisp Cairhienin accent. Seonin swallowed nervously. No one would hear if she screamed! Her eyes flicked toward the riding crop hanging on the office wall. Though Seonin had never been sent to the Mistress of Novices for punishment – she had been a model student – she had heard stories from other novices. Mirin observed her silently. A small smile crossed her lips.
“Relax, Seonin,” she said. “I simply want to discuss some private matters with you. Yesterday, you accused me of murder. Rest assured that I have heard worse coming from women’s lips as they pass through the ter’angreal. It is not an easy test. That said, I have a task for you. While your belongings were being moved to the Accepted’s Quarters, I found this.”
From behind her desk, Mirin pulled out a slim booklet. A Handbook on Clinical and Experimental Psychology, edited by Arianne Seladrin Sedai. Seonin had last seen that book lying on her desk. It was a gift from Aria Sedai. She had tried many times to read it, though its subject matter was too advanced for her.
They went through my belongings? Seonin froze.
“The things I tell you must not leave this room,” said Mirin. Seonin nodded stiffly. Terrible thoughts raced through her mind. Light, did she find Aria’s letter? And the list?
Mirin continued. “This book was a culmination of years of effort.” Her voice flattened. “In fact, I wrote most of it.”
What? Seonin watched numbly as Mirin flipped open the book. At the bottom of the first page, there was a long list of contributors. Seonin wondered why she had never bothered to look at that page. She had always flipped past it without a second thought. To her astonishment, she saw Mirin’s name among the names of many members of the Yellow Ajah.
“But you’re a Blue sister,” she sputtered.
The corner of Mirin’s lip twitched. “I was not always a Blue sister,” she said. “For a while, I worked closely with Aria Sedai. It was… very difficult for me when she died.”
Seonin absorbed this revelation.
“Then why aren’t you listed as an author?” she asked.
Mirin sighed. “Politics and pride,” she said. “They are ugly things. I was an Accepted. Aria wanted a publication. I needed tutelage. She wanted my work. We had an agreement. But enough about the past. I also found this.”
She turned over the back cover and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Seonin nearly fainted. The secret letter from Aria! Oh Creator help me… She wanted to melt into her chair.
“This is a very dangerous letter,” said Mirin. Her pale eyes glittered oddly and Seonin shivered. “It is rather amusing to find my own name among the accused. But others may not be so forgiving. Better to erase it from existence.”
Mirin channeled flows of Fire and Air. The letter burst into flame. Seonin gritted her teeth.
“That was mine,” she said. “You had no right to destroy it.”
“Would you rather be dead?”
Seonin paused for only a moment. “Yes,” she said, insolently. “There are some things worth keeping, even if they are dangerous.”
Mirin sighed. “I had hoped that rooming you with Avyra would strengthen your backbone. Unfortunately it seems to have loosened your lips instead."
Seonin bristled, but kept her mouth shut as the Aes Sedai stood and came around the desk. Then as she listened to Mirin’s next words, her mouth dropped open.
“Your task, Seonin, is to bring me Aria’s murderer.”
-----
The Keeper of Archives spent much of his free time in the Library. And so that is where Seonin went. She carried Aria's book with her. As she walked, the dust parted before her feet. When she glanced outside, leaves swirled in strange patterns. A black bird flew by the windows, thrice. She saw the omens of treachery everywhere, but did not think much of it. It was to be expected. After all, she was hunting a murderer.
The librarian gave her an odd look when she asked after the Keeper. "He does not like being disturbed, child," he said. But Seonin persisted. Finally, when she said that she bore an important message from the Mistress of Novices, the Brown brother caved. "He likes sitting in the back corner," he said while pointing out directions. "If he's not working in the Archives - where you are not allowed - then this is where he will be."
Tall shelves loomed over her as she went deeper into the depths of the Library than she had ever been before. She nearly became lost as she turned corner after corner. It reminded her of the trial of her third Arch, and Seonin hurried along, trying not to summon those memories.
The man was seated exactly where the librarian had said. Seonin paused and took a deep breath. She could hardly believe this - she was about to speak with one of the most powerful men in the Tower! Just yesterday she had been an obedient novice and model student who worked hard and never complained. Just yesterday she had woken up without any expectations for the day after. And now...
She stepped forward to tap the man on the shoulder. Then, she dropped a deep curtsy. As she spoke, she fiddled nervously with the sleeves of her banded dress.
"Keeper? I am, uh, Accepted Seonin Namendar Seladrin and I come with a request for you. Four years ago, a few Yellows wrote a report on deaths in the Tower. Specifically on the deaths of Asha'man and Aes Sedai. It was written by... ah, well, I am not looking for the report itself, but for a list of the people who have looked at the report. And I, ah, need your permission, if you please, Keeper. And to keep this secret, as well. No record of my request, please."
