The Grey Tower

He had vacated his corner now, the drink and the merry atmosphere getting the better of his caution and worry. It had been inevitable he knew, he was far too easily led astray. He smiled to himself and put an empty glass down onto a passing tray. He didn't take another just yet, he didn't want to go overboard. He'd leave that for later, perhaps. Mostly he was weaving his way around the crowded dance floor, every so often seeing someone he knew. They were usually with someone else already - Alric and Andraste together was not what he would have expected.

Good man Creases, get yourself some fun for once. Enough of books and tactics he told himself as he let them be and paced slowly onward.

"No Fiona though, nor Brawn" he told himself, wondering if the Princess was trying to brow beat the giant into talking to him. They had not met since the Citadel and he knew that the Green was not one to not correct something that was out of place.

He shrugged and noticed that Ravak and Mia were moving now, down towards the dancing. He stood for a while and simply watched them, seeing their joy and their losing themselves in the enjoyment. He reached sideways and plucked another glass from someone passing and swilled it slowly. Brandy this one, very nice. His head tilted and turned, seeing Tia locked in conversation still and as he turned to walk once more he saw Paks with another lass, like as not sweet talking her for an evening of fun.

He eventually came to settle himself in a new place, this time about a third way around the side of the room and this time with a chair that he eased himself into and leaned it back onto its back to legs, one foot hooked under the table for balance. He debated with himself on whether to dance. He had no partner but that wasn't a problem. Still he had caught snippets of conversation as he had walked. Gaidin being propositioned for testing reasons. He shook his head to jingle and chuckled to himself.

"Aes Sedai never do anything without reason, true enough" he muttered to himself.

He wondered if the newer ranks would change that. They seemed so different. More idealistic perhaps than the older ones. Maybe they would change over time. Hundreds of years was a long time after all. He'd be long dead before they had lived a quarter of their lives. He hoped that they would not change. He loved the Tower but if they were to one day go out into the world, save it and then rebuild it, then they would need to be more open and less political. People needed to relate to trust, he reasoned.

He wondered if he would change further over time also. So far he had proven relatively immune to change but he was beginning to wonder. He leaned back a bit further, sipping upon his new drink and watched the dancing. Graceful, energetic, filled with passion of all kinds. Yes, they should do this sort of thing more.