Bringing the Rain, attn: Bella

[Alianora]

Liaran Sedai

It wasn't long before Haeden arrived, accompanied by what Liaran assumed was his horse. "Good morning, Haeden," she said with a smile. Beside her, Midnight, the one she'd borrowed this time, was still eating, just as though she hadn't already been fed that morning. She glanced at the horse and hoped she'd stop soon. In her mind, Liaran ran through the details of her trip, trying to decide if there was anything else Haeden needed to know before she opened the gateway. "I guess....I told you where we're going and what I need to do there, but....I don't know how long I'll have to stay." She'd been too nervous to think of this when she'd asked him to go, and hoped it wouldn't be too much of a problem for him.

Liaran looked at him anxiously before continuing, "I think it will take a few days, at least. If I don't work slowly, anything I do could bring disaster somewhere else." She stopped herself from talking anymore then, realizing that she was only trying to distract herself from the fear she felt. The Aes Sedai looked at her horse again, relieved to see that Midnight had finally stopped eating, then up at Haeden, still patiently waiting.

They should have all been ready then, but somehow, Liaran was still hesitant to actually begin the process of weaving the gateway. Frustrated with herself, she spoke quietly to Haeden. "I'm....afraid to leave the Tower," she admitted to him. "I know it's ridiculous of me." Saying so didn't make Liaran feel any less scared, but it helped her remember that she'd asked what needed to be done, that she wanted to do this and work through her fear. She reached for saidar then, watching as the silver slash of a gateway opened in front of her. Liaran held it open, waiting for Haeden to proceed through it.

[Bella]

After assuring her that he had no issues with it taking as long as it would take, and that he understood the delicacy of her task, he mounted up and drew his sword.

Haeden did not believe there would be any threats waiting for them on the other side of this Gateway, but he also did not believe in being foolishly unprepared. Some Gaidin might lead their horses through, but he had practically been born on one. He could find well from the saddle, and it allowed him to cover a lot of ground quickly.

Nudging Ivy in the sides, he rode on through...

...after experiencing the usual subtle chill up and down his skin at passing through a Gateway, he was on the other side and instantly looking around for any dangers. However, as expected, he saw none. He urged Ivy a little ways ahead, to get out of the way of Liaran and her steed, then turned to wait for her and keep a watchful eye on their surroundings as she did.

[Alianora]

Liaran Sedai

Liaran waited for a short time before leading Midnight through and letting the Gateway go. She had opened it not far away from the town, but the distance was enough that they would have to ride. She looked at Haeden, who'd been waiting for her. "It shouldn't take us long to ride to town," she told him. "I think we should stop at the inn first, then I suppose I need to let the mayor know I've arrived." She was not looking forward to that, but it was necessary. "After that I should have time to start working." With her plans laid out, Liaran reluctantly mounted her horse for the ride to New Braem.

Midnight was a fairly calm horse, but Liaran still had trouble staying put in the saddle. As always, the ride was less than pleasant for her. Not only did she dislike riding, but what Liaran saw of the countryside around them was concerning. The grass was more brown than green, and patches of it appeared dead. They passed other areas where no grass grew, with nothing to see but dry, cracked soil. She didn't like what she saw, but it made Liaran glad she'd come, as it was clear that the town and its surroundings did need some help.

Soon enough, they reached New Braem, and by that time, Liaran's legs were beginning to ache. She would have liked to get off the horse then, but made herself stay in the saddle until they came to the inn where they'd be staying. Only then did she get down, leaving Midnight tied to a post outside while she went in and arranged for their rooms.

It wasn't long before Liaran came back out. "Our rooms are upstairs next to each other," she said to Haeden. "Just let me know when you're ready to leave."

[Bella]

When they reached the inn and Liaran dismounted, so did Haeden. He tied Ivy to the hitching post and then followed her up the steps, though he saw she didn't go far so he loitered at the door. If something happened, he'd still be there, but he wasn't hovering around her either, since he didn't imagine she'd prefer that.

"It won't take long," he assured her with a small smile and a nod. "I'm going to make sure the horses are settled and then put my things in my room."

True to his word, he was quick. As a warder with a mission, he would not be separated from her for too long unless he was thoroughly sure she would be safe. And while he didn't sense danger here, he had no reason to believe it was perfectly safe either. He saw the horses to a stable-hand, and then his saddlebag to his room, and he was back by her side.

"Shall we?"

[Alianora]

Liaran Sedai

She smiled and nodded, and then they were off again. New Braem was a decent sized town, but it was nowhere near the size of the city of Cairhien, making it much easier for Liaran to navigate its streets. It wasn't long before they were standing before the door of the mayor's home. Liaran swallowed nervously, working hard to force back the memory of the last time she'd been invited inside a stranger's home. The Aes Sedai lifted her head, straightened her back, and made herself knock on the door. She let herself look at Haeden as she did, reassured by the sight of the Gaidin standing there.

The door swung open to reveal a grey haired man not much taller than Liaran herself. After introducing herself and Haeden as representatives from the Grey Tower, they were invited inside. Liaran had expected that, and knew there was no appropriate way to refuse. She hated how vulnerable she felt at that moment, and pulled all the dignity she could gather around herself before stepping over the threshold. She held the door open for Haeden to follow her if he chose. Liaran hoped he would, badly wanting him to stay beside her here, but even if he was acting as her Warder, it just wasn't in her to insist that Haeden follow her. If he wanted to remain outside and guard the door, she'd let him, and there would be no protest from her.

[Bella]

There was no bloody way he was staying outside.

Haeden had resolved within himself that he would only be parted from her side if she told him, in very firm terms, that she wanted him to go away. She had requested his presence here as her temporary warder, and after how things had gone last time, he would not fail again. He would not besmirch the honor her request put upon him.

More than that, he simply wanted to do right by her. He did not believe he could do so staying outside, and so it wasn't even a consideration.

He eyed the mayor as the man spoke to the Blue, though from behind a face so stoic that his observation would not be obvious. Then she stepped forward and held the door open, and he was immediately behind her. One step behind and to her side, that was where he placed himself as they followed the mayor inside.

The pair were escorted into a small but well-appointed sitting room. The furnishings did not speak of great wealth, but they did have an understated elegance that to Haeden's tastes--which tended toward the austere--seemed to speak of good taste.

Liaran was invited to sit, and once she had, Haeden positioned himself to the side and back of the chair. A silent presence to protect and comfort her, and be imposing to anyone else. He knew there was nothing he could do about the weather or the task here, but he would do his duty well.

[Alianora]

Liaran Sedai

Though they were in an entirely different country, the house still managed to remind Liaran of that other house in Cairhien. She looked nervously around her as they entered the sitting room, grateful that Haeden had not wanted to remain outside. As she settled herself in the indicated chair, Liaran took a deep breath and forced herself to show the outward composure of an Aes Sedai. She sat up straight, reassured by her awareness of Haeden standing behind her chair. While she knew her nervousness remained concealed, she still couldn't help hoping that the conversation would be short, so she could move on to actually beginning her work. She turned her head to look at the mayor, listening to what he had to say about the weather problems New Braem faced.

A short time later, Liaran was relieved to leave the mayor's house behind her. Nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, and she was pleased with how well she'd managed to keep her fear under control. She felt more confident in herself than she had in quite a long time, and this was reflected in the smile she gave Haeden as they walked. "I'd like to start working on the weather now," she told him. "When we rode in, I noticed a small hill just outside of town, and that's where I was planning to go, if you don't mind." She could have done her channeling in the town square if she wished, but it was much easier when she could see farther. "I will try not to keep you too long while I work," she continued, "but until I know more of what I need to do, I can't promise that."

[Bella]

It wasn't just Liaran who breathed a small sigh of relief when they left the mayor's house without any incidents. Although he stifled this outward expression, he couldn't help but realize just how much tension had grown in his shoulders while they had been standing there. But it had come and passed without issue.

"You do what you need to do," he assured her, "and I will follow without complaint. It is important work you'll be doing here and I won't get in the way. I'm just here to make sure that all remains well while you do it."

Haeden was glad to be here, doing what he had been trained to do. Not just that, but he felt like it was what he'd been created for. It ran so deep through his veins. This was his calling--to be out in the world with a channeler, assuring her safety so she could do important things to better said world.

And he was glad to be here for Liaran.

Leaving the horses in the stable, he followed her on foot toward the edge of town and toward the hill she had mentioned. Everywhere they passed, it was clear to see the troubles that led to them being here. "They clearly need the help," he commented as he looked around.

[Alianora]

Liaran Sedai

New Braem was a decent sized town, but not so large that they couldn't reach its boundaries without riding. As they walked to the hill she'd noticed, Liaran observed that the conditions in the town itself were not much better than those she'd seen on the ride in. Dust blew through the streets, and hardly any plants grew. She nodded at Haeden's comment. "I'm glad I chose to come here, to make myself useful again...and that you're with me," she told him.

Finally, they reached the hill just outside town, and Liaran climbed it. The Aes Sedai turned in a slow circle to get a better look at the surrounding area. As far as she could see, the sky was a bright blue and the relentless sun shone, but while she looked around, Liaran saw some rainclouds off to the west. She stopped searching then and turned towards them, knowing that she would need to divert some of them from their present course to come towards New Braem instead. She gave Haeden a slightly nervous, shaky smile, then looked back towards the distant clouds to focus entirely on her work.

The Aes Sedai reached for saidar, pulling Air into threads as thick as she could manage, then lacing them with much thinner threads of Water. These stretched into the sky, and though they were nowhere near the clouds Liaran had seen, her flows of Air would shift the currents just enough to redirect some of the clouds as they moved. When she'd finished with these first threads, Liaran pulled yet more Air to weave between them. The effect for those who could see it was of a net made almost entirely from Air, hanging in the sky above her. Since her weaves covered a relatively large area, the wind they had created was only a gentle breeze that blew Liaran's hair back from her face.

She studied her work, letting the wind blow around her to judge whether she needed to make it any stronger. It wasn't long before she decided against it, nodding in satisfaction before tying the weaves off. She would have to come back and adjust it in the morning, but for now, Liaran knew from her years as a Windfinder that the soft wind would continue overnight, slowly drawing the rain clouds where they needed to be.

Her feet swayed from side to side beneath her while she worked, though Liaran wasn't quite aware of her motions. She'd rarely worked with the weather from land, and it just felt wrong to her to be completely still while doing so. With her net in place to bring the wind, Liaran next wove several nets of Water, much smaller than the large one of Air. The added moisture in the air would encourage the formation of rain clouds over the next few days. There were no clouds of any kind in the blue sky above her, and Liaran finished this day's work by adding some. She used mostly Air for these before weaving in very small amounts of Water and even finer threads of Earth. The clouds that appeared as a result of her weaving were the white, fluffy sort that contained no rain at all, but that was as Liaran had intended. Rain clouds would form as she continued at this task. The Aes Sedai sighed, tied off the final threads, and let go of saidar.

She had placed only a few clouds, but they were there, and the wind that now blew shifted her skirts around her legs. They were minor changes, but Liaran was pleased with this start to her work. The Aes Sedai looked away from the sky, blinking, and her shoulders dropped slightly. Liaran had known that hours of channeling would tire her, but she hadn't done this sort of work in a while, and had forgotten how exhausting it could be. Her head turned to look for Haeden, knowing he had been waiting for her.

[Bella]

Sometimes, Haeden wished he could see Saidar.

No, he wasn't wishing to be a woman, as he had no trouble with being just as he was. Not to mention, he was perfectly contented to avoid moon cycles and pregnancy and childbirth... But he still wished at times that he could see what the Aes Sedai around him could do, since it seemed he was more often with the female channelers than the male ones.

It was clear that something was at work in the sky, and he could feel the slight changes in the air against any exposed skin. He could feel the wind picking up at times, and there was that moist prick to the breeze that hinted of a rainstorm.

There wasn't much for the Gaidin to do while she worked, but he didn't mind. It pleased him to see her doing something she was meant to do, both as an Aes Sedai helping and as a Sea Folk working with the weather. It just seemed...right, and it made him glad that he could be here for it.

When her body shifted and she finally turned away from the sky, he saw her shoulders slump a little and he watched her closely. She turned, looking for something, and he realized she was looking for him.

There was some small part of him that was...happy for that, though he didn't listen to it or fully understand it. No, he focused on what he was here for, and that was to act as her warder for this trip. He closed the distance between them in nearly an instant, right at her side--close enough if she fell, since he'd seen channelers exhaust themselves before, but not close enough to crowd.

"You should rest now," he said gently.