An Errand of Mercy [Attn: Dedicated Jaren Marle]

Mar a'Mael: The House of Hope. A place of learning and service for the citizens of Hama Valon. Three buildings - the Museum, the University, and the House of Children - make up the House of Hope.
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Bella
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Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: An Errand of Mercy [Attn: Dedicated Jaren Marle]

Post by Bella » April 6th, 2017, 5:52 pm

Of the various reactions she'd had to such a declaration, the one he gave her was among the better ones. His expression and his tone lacked judgement or censure, and not even much by way of confusion. At least, not in any negative sense. She had encountered many shades of replies, although the Tower people she had told seemed...more accepting.

Perhaps it was an effect of having so many different nations and sorts of people collected in one place, leveled into roles and jobs that had nothing to do with those origins and histories.

"It's not rude," she assured him warmly. "It is a natural curiosity about a situation that is not...remarkably common. I had never really had of something like it myself before us, although we did meet some others who lived as we did. It was rare and precious to us, in the years that we traveled together." Her smile was wistful.

"Yes, a great deal of communication," she said with a soft laugh. "A lot of love, and a lot of patience and understanding." She paused and collected her thoughts. "I married Belenus first. He was... He was such a gentle man, so kind, with such laughter. We both had been friends with Chandra before we wed, and it sort of all...just happened.

"Well, it just happened at first with a lot of wine around a fire, but it all just worked. No, it wasn't always easy, but we loved one another and we made it into the life we wanted." How I miss them, she thought, but at least she could think that now without the knife to the chest it had once been.

Elan
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 450
Joined: December 6th, 2016, 10:29 am
PC: Jaren Marle, Asha'man
SC: Mael Akashi, Asha'man
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QC: Valentin Akashi, Soldier
Location: Finland
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Re: An Errand of Mercy [Attn: Dedicated Jaren Marle]

Post by Elan » April 16th, 2017, 8:30 am

Jaren
Jaren had never been in a committed relationship of any kind, and as lovely as it sounded, he had trouble imagining what life like the one Andraste had used to lead must be like. Truth be told, sometimes he felt a little apprehensive about the idea of a relationship at all. He’d never even wanted commitment — to give or to receive — before; what if that meant there was some fundamental flaw in his character and he couldn’t be… whatever it was that people needed to be to make a relationship work.

He was probably overthinking it.

“Sometimes the best things just… happen, I suppose,” he said, smiling faintly. And sometimes losing them also just happened, he thought, though he didn’t say that part out loud. He was sure Andraste didn’t need the reminder — and he didn’t want to much think about the possibility, either.

He looked around; he’d not been paying attention to where they were going for a while there, but a quick assessment of the surroundings told him they’d not accidentally walked right past their destination. Then again, Andraste was probably not as easily distracted and would have noticed.

A pair of Asha’man were busy clearing the rubble off a damaged building — the museum one, if Jaren was right — a little ways away, using flows of Air to move the chunks of stone, while a third one was channelling Earth to fortify the structure so that the parts of the building that were still standing didn’t come down on their heads. It was satisfying, somehow, to see the Power being used in such mundane yet important ways. It was not all flashy explosions or dramatic Healing of otherwise fatal wounds. That was only one of many such scenes being played out all around the city. Damage had been done, and it needed to be repaired.

A flash of red among the workers made Jaren take a double-take, nearly missing a step, but when he stopped to look he couldn’t see it again. “Huh,” he said, shaking his head and giving Andraste an apologetic smile. “I thought I saw… somebody.” He chuckled. “Why he’d be out here, I’ve no idea. Must have been my imagination. Anyway, ah, since you’ve been here before, I’ll just… follow you, alright?”

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Bella
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PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
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QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: An Errand of Mercy [Attn: Dedicated Jaren Marle]

Post by Bella » April 17th, 2017, 2:58 pm

Andra eyed him curiously for a moment and was sorely tempted, glancing at where he had been looking, to ask who it was he thought he had seen...but that seemed too nosy. It wasn't her business, so she let it drop as he continued on about not knowing his way to where they were going. She nodded her acknowledgement and they started walking again.

"So," she said as they started walking again, feeling that the conversation about her past was at a good point for dropping. "How have you been enjoying your time as Dedicated so far? Feel better than the turn as Soldier?"

Elan
"Lord of Chaos"
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Joined: December 6th, 2016, 10:29 am
PC: Jaren Marle, Asha'man
SC: Mael Akashi, Asha'man
TC: Delaine Taborwin, Novice
QC: Valentin Akashi, Soldier
Location: Finland
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Re: An Errand of Mercy [Attn: Dedicated Jaren Marle]

Post by Elan » April 24th, 2017, 7:13 pm

Jaren
It had almost certainly not been Jaryd among the workers, but the thought of the Asha’man made the day that much brighter, and— Jaren had to shake his head slightly at the direction his thoughts were going. Surely he wasn’t this far gone? But the memory of Jaryd’s smile, the way it lit up those warm dark eyes, was enough to make Jaren smile and he wasn’t really interested in pretending these feelings weren’t there…

Jaren blinked, tuning back in to what Andraste was saying. “Oh. Hmm. Yes? I guess?” He gave a short, mildly self-deprecating laugh. “I’m only half-time Dedicated, at the moment, though. Like I said, I’m up to my eyeballs in laundry or worse things, the other half of the time.” He gave the Accepted a sideways glance, trying to decide how much to explain. The learning ranks had little to entertain themselves besides gossip, but clearly Andraste hadn’t come across the Legend of the Laundry Dedicated yet.

“…Remember that ball that ended on a bit of a chaotic note?” he went on, running a hand through his hair. “I, uh. I stepped on the Amyrlin Seat’s toes. Figuratively; I wasn’t dancing with her or anything.” That was one rumour he didn’t want to accidentally start. “But anyways. Figurative toes were stepped on, she demanded justice, and I’m stuck doing laundry and mucking the stables and things like that five days a week, for a year.” Not that there was a full year left of it, anymore, of course. There was still plenty enough, but with every passing day, the time left on his penance grew less, and eventually he would be done.

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Bella
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Posts: 5615
Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: An Errand of Mercy [Attn: Dedicated Jaren Marle]

Post by Bella » April 27th, 2017, 5:41 pm

How could anyone forget that ball? Hearing what Jaren had to say, however, she realized that she had gotten off lightly...all things comparative. Then again, everyone had gotten off lightly compared to the poor woman who had ended up dead and suspended from the chandelier. That was a thing never to be forgot either.

Still, Andra's dark eyes widened. "A full year?" she repeated in shock. That must have been one hard-footed step! Then again, when it was the Amyrlin... Aes Sedai could be notoriously prickly, and Andraste had to imagine it just got worse the higher in ranks.

Curiosity hummed in her to know just what he had done that was so terrible to the woman, but she resisted. He had told her this much and if he wanted her to know any more than that then he would have said. "That sounds fairly awful. I'm sorry to hear it, Jaren," she said with all sincerity, touching his arm briefly.

Elan
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 450
Joined: December 6th, 2016, 10:29 am
PC: Jaren Marle, Asha'man
SC: Mael Akashi, Asha'man
TC: Delaine Taborwin, Novice
QC: Valentin Akashi, Soldier
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: An Errand of Mercy [Attn: Dedicated Jaren Marle]

Post by Elan » May 1st, 2017, 4:50 pm

Jaren
Jaren shrugged, a little awkwardly; at this point, he was more used to ridicule — mostly from the Soldiers he was stuck doing laundry with — than sympathy. “Well, sure, it’s not fun, but what can’t be changed, must be endured… or something.” He made a face as he heard the words coming out of his mouth, then flashed a slightly sheepish smile. “And that just made me sound terribly old. Anyway the bottom line is I’ll live.”

In truth, he wasn’t nearly so indifferent to the penance on the days when he was up to his knees in horse dung in the stables or when he was tired enough to fall asleep where he was standing at the end of the day, but he’d be damned if he let anyone see him complain. A year was a short time in the end, and spite was a powerful motivator. Ninya bloody Evoneigh could demand that he be punished, she could make Jaryd assign as much penance as she liked, but he would not be defeated. Especially as Jaren was not truly the one she’d wished to punish with this; Jaryd had all but admitted as much, and Jaren could read between the lines what the Asha’man hadn’t said out loud. Well, Jaren would keep smiling, and the year would pass.

“But other than my unfortunate circumstances,” he went on, “I’m happy enough. I’ve been studying Healing, and…” He chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m seriously considering the Yellow Ajah. And by 'serious consideration' I mean it feels all but inevitable. Not what I’d have expected, say, a year ago or so, but…” He looked sideways at Andraste and smiled. “Sometimes things just happen. Anyway, what about you? With regards to Ajahs or just in general.”

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Bella
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Posts: 5615
Joined: April 14th, 2015, 11:28 pm
PC: Miahala Darrow Sedai
SC: Lysira Viathene Gaidin
TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: An Errand of Mercy [Attn: Dedicated Jaren Marle]

Post by Bella » May 2nd, 2017, 9:17 pm

Andra remembered their conversation when they had first met in the laundry room--and the poor man was stuck doing more of it!--and about the Ajahs they wished to pursue. They were both entirely uncertain of what direction they wanted to head at that time, but time had a way of changing many things.

No, time had a way of changing everything.

If he did not wish to complain or speak on that all further, then she wasn't going to press. She offered him a smile. "I'm glad to hear that you have found the path you feel called to," she said. "I think it's good to have some direction. Me?" She paused thoughtfully, thinking back to her experience in the Arches. "I've started to seriously consider the Red Ajah, in fact." A soft laugh. "A bit opposite of your direction, I think?"

Elan
"Lord of Chaos"
Posts: 450
Joined: December 6th, 2016, 10:29 am
PC: Jaren Marle, Asha'man
SC: Mael Akashi, Asha'man
TC: Delaine Taborwin, Novice
QC: Valentin Akashi, Soldier
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: An Errand of Mercy [Attn: Dedicated Jaren Marle]

Post by Elan » May 4th, 2017, 7:12 pm

Jaren
“The Red Ajah?” Jaren repeated, his face lighting up with a grin. “That’s wonderful! Jaryd will be pleased to have you, I’m sure!” And… he realised a moment too late that there was supposed to be a title there somewhere. Honestly, this was not a slip that happened often, he was usually more careful than this, but evidently he felt too comfortable with Andraste to keep watching what he said and how, and, well. He could either try to scramble to correct himself — which would, frankly, just draw more attention to the slip — or forge on.

“And you did say you were drawn to the more action-based Ajahs,” he went on. “That hasn’t changed, then. I suppose it is a bit of a different direction than mine, but it takes all types…” A small, self-deprecating smile. “Or so Asha’man Maever assures me. I’m inclined to take his word on it, if only to preserve my own sanity.”

Andraste might have the fire, the drive to go into the beating heart of the Shadow and cut it out with her bare, delicate hands — much like Jaryd did. Jaren didn’t envy her that fire. He remained convinced that he could do whatever was required of him, not excluding getting his hands dirty, but at the end of the day there were those more qualified to save the world. All he really wanted was to keep his loved ones safe. He had no idea how he was meant to do that — Jaryd had his duties as a Red; Tristram wrestled with his own demons and it was anyone’s guess who was winning on any given day; Erin was an Aes Sedai of the White Tower, for Light’s sake! — but somehow he would.

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