A cheerfully dreary morning (ATTN Carra)

[Dan]

Calder Selm

The chill morning was cold, yet somewhat refreshing, the Soldier admitted to himself. Sitting there, on a bench outside the main entrance to the Grey Tower. His fingers picked at the wood, untrimmed nails tearing off pieces of cracked paint. He leaned back, and stared at the sky. The cool air felt nice on his shaved scalp.

He sighed, as contentment lead to boredom. Nani had not awakened yet, so he was afforded a break from her pain and misery. But with no class until the next bell, which was quite unusual! He was unsure with what to do with himself. It seemed to him many felt the same way, with the regular routine broken from the Dark Ones foul touch on the Tower.

"Bloody good enough time as any." He blurted, as he stood from the bench. He walked away, leaving behind a small pile of paint chips under the wooden bench. He entered the Tower, and crossed the foyer. He saw workers everywhere cleaning, and replacing damaged tapestries and art. It seemed the broken vases had all been taken away.

Even though he was not particularly a fan of art, he felt the loss, as many who called this place home did. He had liked that painting of the Stone of Tear. It had not been the most accurate, but it had reminded him of the place he had called home.

"Bloody farts of Evil…" He swore softly under his breath, as the bundle of chaos known as Nani Hatherton awoke within his mind. "What was i bloody thinking…"

[Carra]

[carra]Carraidhin Glaisne[/carra] Carra had a pile of parchments in her arms when she came across the soldier that sat at the bench with a dark cloud over his head. She knew of him, there were precious few that she watched from afar that she felt might fit well in her Ajah, and Calder Selm was one. Only he let his emotions rule in ways that she thought was counter productive to her Ajah's purpose. He had much to learn but could be a very valuable asset.

Maybe.

"Solder Calder." Carra barked, and she watched him snap to attention. At which she dumped her pile of parchment in his arms and took to only carrying the ink and quills she had purchased. The desk she had ordered last week should already be waiting for her in the Red Ajah quarters. "You appear to be lacking things to do. Follow me." And the little Cairhien red haired Aes Sedai walked into the Grey Tower expecting the boy to follow.

[Dan]

With a bunch of bloody scrolls in his arms, his bloody jaw hung loose. He could tell by a cursory glance that a few were old, so he held them all carefully. Holding onto his burden, his mind was torn in far to many directions. Far too much was happening, far too early in the morning. An unexpected free period, a nice breeze with cloudy skies. The halls were barren, in comparison to the week before, even to him that was a depressing sight.

He was not in the mood to deal with depression things. While he had the urge to seek out Nani, and learn what this new relationship meant with her, he also felt like telling the pretty wench walking ahead of him where to stick those bloody scrolls. But the wench, who appeared a fair bit younger than he was, caught his attention. Red hair, confident, kind of cute. And strong, that, he could tell easily!

He stood there, hesitating, debating between dealing Nani, and dealing with a woman who was not a wench, but actually an Aes Sedai. He sighed, and rolled his eyes. He really did not want to deal with the Gaidar so early in the morning. Nor did he want to deal with the new Master of Soldiers in a case of disobedience and insubordination. The Master of Soldiers, a man Calder knew he could not fool. Besides, he owed Seth anyway, and he really did not want to tempt the man into asking for a return favor.

Shrugging, he decided to follow the woman. It was the safer bet. Besides, had he not returned to the Tower to learn? What harm was there in helping this woman. As he began following her, he kept his face still as he appreciated the sway of her hips. He sighed again, scolding himself. He would never learn anything if he did not at least attempt to behave like a Soldier.

He ignored her swaying hips, following not the woman, but the Aes Sedai.

When did Aes Sedai start wearing red?

[Carra]

There were tapestries where there had not been any before. The large room started to feel more lived in then just a bare stone room with windows that only opened to more stone. Carra didn't think of them as windows, but features in the wall, now decorated with candles that did not melt.

It was a large hall, almost like an enclosed courtyard in the center of the Grey Tower, underground from where all the other Ajahs called home. A place far away from everyone but connected through catacombs and forgotten nooks and hallways. They entered and to the right was a kitchen that now had one cook with a few dedicated serving girls that also worked occasionally to clean the hall.

Carra walked in and directed the soldier to a lone desk to the left, centered along the wall between a few seating area's at the end of the room where a large fireplace welcomed any guest, and an empty space void of furniture. It was obvious how little the small Ajah had to decorate. It was the shawl on the far high back chair that really give any indication about who lived here. Like all Ajah's her tassel were red, a dark blood-like red that was 8 inches long. Carra felt the length was symbolic with an inch for each Ajah. But after that her Shawl was different. Made of a light grey, off-white fabric, the white flame of the middle, there was scrolling of hand embroidered flowers that trimmed up the shawl. The unique part was that Carra made sure every other Ajah color was in her shawl, from brown to yellow to even indigo and blue.

"You may set the parchment here." Carra pointed to a side desk, while reaching over and pulling out a scroll that was not sealed and handed it to the Soldier. "Deliver this to Ashaman Zander, and then return here after." Carra took a seat, and pulled out some parchment and set her quill and ink down to start writing more letters. She looked up at the Soldier.

[Dan]

Following the woman, he lost any urge he may have had, any impulse to do something that would most likely be deemed questionable. These halls, he knew them, so very well. Nesir, Malak, agents of the Black Ajah. These had once been their halls. His eyes narrowed, and his lips puckered in displeasure. He had once been made a fool in these halls. They had taken an arrogant young man, and tried breaking him.

Perhaps they had broken him, for he was not the same Calder Selm who had once been brought to Hama Valon years prior. But he had to remember, these halls, much like him, were the same yet were not the as they had once been. Where there had once been dust, mold, and spiderwebs, there now were lamps to be found. Lamps whose light glowed upon art, decorations. This place, once reserved for dark secrets, held something far different. Something that he found strangely appealing.

"Deliver this to Ashaman Zander, and then return here after." the woman said, as she sat down behind a desk. So lost in memories, and thoughts, he had not realized they had arrived here, wherever here was. He did not answer the woman right away, as he looked around the room.

"I can't do that, Aes Sedai." Calder replied bluntly after a few moments."Zander Kilgas, the former Keeper of Archives, has not been seen in Hama Valon in quite some time. If he's back, i have no bloody clue where." He added. He then cringed, seeing the look, or perhaps it was more accurate to say the lack of a look upon her features.

[Carra]

The Red blinked at him a little and then with a sigh, Carra embraced Saidar and allowed a trickle of fire light the scroll up into flames. "It would seem that someone wished to play a poor joke on me. You have my gratitude on the honesty." She didn't want to admit that she was fooled but then it would be a serious mistake for her to assume that she knew everyone that once was or still is part of the Grey Tower. She had only been in the Grey Tower for only 3 years, and a handful of months.

"Tell me then, Soldier. Who do you feel would be a good ally in the Green Ajah? Asha'man or Aes Sedai. The Keeper of Chronicles withstanding."

[Dan]

"Allies in the Green?" The Soldier asked in return, feeling confused about the sudden topic. He slowly drew in a deep breath, thinking first as to why she would even ask such a question. While he did not know any members of that Ajah personally, he knew a few by extension. But why would she even want to know?

The why became obvious after a moment of thinking about it. Residing within the halls where the Black Ajah tended to frequent when conducting their business, she was in a vulnerable place. She needed connections with other Ajah's, and friends, and who better than the people from the Ajah of War? He looked at the woman, curious as to why she would ask him, of all people, about that specific topic.

"Zander Kilgas," he said, bringing up that man again. "He would have been someone worth knowing. He was, afterall, once the bloody Keeper of Archives." He also remembered a rumor about the man having once been considered for M'Hael, but that was just that, a rumor. The things people gossiped about while drinking, even years after the rumor began. It was also said that he had been the lover of the M'Hael's daughter. But everyone knew the M'Hael had no children.

"I think i might have seen him, when i returned to the Tower. It was around the time the en'Damier family returned to Hama Valon. He was seen talking to members of the Blue Ajah, during the festivities."

Looking around the room, he knew the man was of no use to the Aes Sedai. He was not here, and was of no help to the Aes Sedai. She most likely wanted to know about members of the Green Ajah who were still in Hama Valon. But that was a difficult question to answer, since the ones he did know of were gone.

"This is probably not going to help either," he confessed, "but another person that I could personally trust would have been the former Master of Soldiers, Landrin Asha'man. The man was fair, and honestly, he was quite helpful in…" He was going to say accepting him back after running away, but he was tired of always giving answers to questions he did not want asked. "He helped me find a class schedule that fit what i wanted to learn."

He had also been friends with the M'Hael, or so people claimed.

The things guards and staff gossiped about when drinking...

[Carra]

Carra tapped on her lips with the feathered quill thoughtfully. She knew who Landrin was and she only had half-hearted jokes for him thanks to a few Soldiers not following rules. Although it was not entirely to the fault of his own deeds or misdeeds. She may have to rethink how she felt about him if she wanted to gain allies in the Tower. It was not like their paths crossed for her to truly know or understand the man.

"Alright. I shall draft something up then. But in the mean time," Carra pulled out a second scroll and handed it to the Soldier. "This is for Laela Allette of the Blue Ajah. You need not speak but while you are there observe what you can and then return here."

Carra picked up the quill and started writing her letter to Landrin. Thoughtfully wording it to leave it both ambiguous but interesting.

[Dan]

Calder Selm

The Soldier stood there, quietly, with scroll in hand. His gaze rested upon the Aes Sedai at her desk, and felt keenly her lack of attention. He had to admit, the dismissal stung, much like a bee did when it felt like needlessly ending it's own life. He tapped the scroll a few times in his opposing hand, debating telling the woman he had no idea how to find her.

But that was not her problem, it was his.

He left the woman's office, and made his way towards the Blue Ajah quarters. He had never met the woman, but he had briefly met her daughter. He guessed the woman must look like an older version of Kaelyn, or somewhat similar. Thinking of Kaelyn, he smiled. The girl was a pretty thing, nice too.

It did not take long to find the Blue Ajah's halls. The decorum was pretty obvious, with blue paint, tapestries, and boring documents framed along the walls. A pretty boring place, he had to admit. At least the Green Ajah had weapons along the walls, and replicas of favored weapons above the doors of their personal quarters.

Eventually, he found the woman's door. Finding it in thanks to being scolded by an elder Aes Sedai irritated with a mere Soldier wandering their precious halls unattended. He had not felt like a bloody child in years! His anger simmered, over the incident. He felt no better, when repeated knocks found no one within.

What was he to do now? Walk in and leave it upon her desk? Not knowing what else to do, he did just that. He hastily walked in, placed the scroll upon the woman's side table within her anteroom. He swiftly escaped, not knowing that three armed Aes Sedai had entered her quarters, answering to a discreet Ward he had triggered. Three Aes Sedai who found the scroll, who were distracted enough by it to leave one rogue Soldier debating if he should return for more punishment. Or if he should head for his next class, far earlier than intended.

[Carra]

Carraidhin Glaisne Took the boy time to return and Carra suspected that he either got lost, couldn't say no to another request, or he dawdled on his was back. In that time Carra had completed her letters and was now sitting at the table bench with a meal of salad, with some meat and a small loaf of bread. Tea was also at the table, kept warm with a small candle instead of Saidar. Across the table was a plate of bread, cheese and some slices of chicken.

When he showed up Carra indicated for him to take a seat. The food was for him if he wished it but if not Carra wasn't going to force it on him. All of it would keep, except the bread and she knew a few birds that will eat it if he didn't. A pile of scrolls beside the table was also there waiting for him. One for each of the other Ajah's. 6 left to deliver to.

"I trust that Laela Allette wasn't around when you delivered the message?" She kept her face from changing as she asked. He seemed surprised that she knew this. "When you are ready there are more there for you to deliver. The names are on the outside of the scroll so you don't need to memorize a list." She glanced up and looked at him thoughtfully.

"What do you think of being a Soldier, Calder? Have you found it difficult, or easy?"