Mission of Mercy (attn: channeling learning ranks)

[Bree]

Makenna was thoroughly chastened and appalled at herself. She couldn't believe the lack of self control she had demonstrated in allowing herself to weave so carelessly. It was stupid. It was wrong. It was thrilling. She would never be allowed to learn the weaves she was going to need or be given the freedom she would need if she kept getting lost in her weavings.

Bundling herself together, she followed her teachers and they went through the shimmering Gateways into the very different atmosphere of Cairhien. She listened as they were told the logistics of the plans for their stay. When and where they would eat and how they would go about providing treatment and care to the children and needy of the outer city.

Makenna found herself recalling the hard summer when the village lost a half dozen young mothers in child birth. The older women and the surviving younger mothers had banded together and worked to feed and nurture those babies and their older siblings and their grieving fathers. Makenna had been there with her circle of friends and her daughter and daughter-in-law in the middle of the action. She had scheduled the girls and the food and the children to play together. She had even seen to sending the village healer to check on the general health of the children at regular intervals.

This was a less light hearted venture but it seemed that it may come to much the same type of work. There were hearts and health to be seen to. She could not help but wonder who she would meet and what their stories would be.

[Bree]

Rissara Sedai had arranged the small group of volunteers as best she could. Their first task had been establishing a permanent base of operations in the Foregate. That base was complete with a Traveling tent from which she, and the others who came and went to help, could reach the Tower or other places of supply without the need for traveling a distance by horseback each time for the safety of any who might be loitering about. The night was muggy and the air was heavy like a wet blanket wrapped about her even thought it was cool. The effect was unpleasant and she channeled where she sat on a stool folding bandages. Weaving the flows of Air and Spirit just so, she formed a small spiral that turned slowly and moved the air around her just a bit. It was like fanning oneself with a piece of paper but it left her hands free.

One of the novices who had been joining her on this mission brought another basket of clean bandages to where she sat and took the stool next to her. "Aes Sedai." The novice was older. She had been a grown woman with grown children before learning to channel. The hair at the sides of her head, just above her ears was beginning to show a few strands of grey. But that only meant that she was 40 years old or nearing it before she first touched the Source. She was but a child. Rissara watched the child take the stool opposite her and begin to fold the cloths from her basket. The movements of the child's hands were practiced from obvious years of folding linens and diapers and clothing in her own home. Rissara knew little about this particular novice but she had watched her going about her tasks. No matter the task, menial or imperative, this Makenna did it to the best of her ability.

"Thank you, Makenna. How did your time with the children in the kitchens turn out?" Rissara had reached a pile of long bandages and was rolling the strips into useful sections.

Makenna nodded and continued to fold efficiently and quickly. "The smallest of them are beginning to look stronger again. The Head Cook there has organized them into pairs, assigning older "brothers" and "sisters" to the small ones and giving charge of infants and toddlers to the ones old enough to carry them when need be." Makenna nodded approvingly at the arrangement. "It is working well there and in other areas, like making sure they have clean and warm clothing and shoes and a place to sleep."

Rissara nodded. "Tomorrow, we will go out among the crowds and look for those too old or infirm to find us. We will bring them back here to our new infirmary and do what we can for them. We will only be using Healing on the ones who have deep infection or will otherwise not heal without it. I am sure there will be one or two. You will need to watch closely and learn." Rissara nodded and then said, "Once you have finished with this, you may Travel back to the Tower and take your rest. Arrive an hour before breakfast tomorrow. We will need to start early." Rissara finished rolling the last of her bandages and picked up the basket. Striding away, she left Makenna to her work.

Makenna was stunned for a moment. She had been chastened and reprimanded for daring to learn and practice that particular weave when preparing to make the journey for this trip, months ago. Now it seemed that Rissara Sedai had intended for her to practice the weave and take herself home. Of course there would be supervision, there always was in the Traveling tent. Makenna pondered it and decided that it must have been a reward for a job well done here. She finished her chore and deposited the basket of linens and bandages in the storeroom and then made her way to the Traveling tent. Once there, she nodded to the Accepted and Dedicated on duty and said, "Rissara Sedai bade me Travel. I will appreciate your supervision."

The two younger channelers of higher rank exchanged raised brow looks and then shrugged and nodded. Makenna stepped forward in preparation and began to weave the flows as she had seen and practiced only once before. The weaving was slow and halting and the Accepted was bouncing on her toes wanting to give instruction and pointers. But finally the vertical slash appeared and rotated into the Gateway. Makenna mopped a few beads of sweat from her brow and nodded to the two watching before stepping through. The sudden change in air pressure and temperature sent a shiver through her bones and made her gasp. Letting the Gateway close behind her, she all but skipped to the dining hall for dinner before bed.


OOC: please post as if your characters have received instructions specific to yourselves in the overall mission of seeking out the infirm and providing them with treatment or Healing.

[Kevin]

Taylin's instructions had been simple, to help where she could; while maintaining an eye on her charges. She handed out previsions and clean water, she even gave a polite smile here and there. However, this wasn't exactly her favorite thing to be doing. She'd come as much to get out of the Tower as she had to help the people here. She kept an eye out particularly on the Dedicated there with her, so that she seemed half distracted in her duties. The Novices, she stayed close to, in case anything out of hand should happen, but it was with him in sight when she was able to manage it.

Waiting on each Novice to do what they'd come for, she passed the time by helping, and directing under the Aes Sedai's supervision. The sun would move across the sky, and she was thankful to have her cloak. There was a Traveling Tent set up, and she wondered when they would be returning home.