The Grey Tower

Tia Sedai Riahana

[subtitle]The Narrative[/subtitle]
Although they hadn't planned on it when they attacked, Impending Doom had visited upon the remaining Whitecloak army in that moment and became...less impending and more just doom. Bodies lay in piles everywhere. There were a couple that were children of the Tower, and they would be born home. The rest...were filth that the Captain-General would've incinerated if she could spare the energy.

Lysira Gaidin took off from the group with little more than a nod from Miahala. Among the best trackers in the Tower, if anyone could find Riahana and Gareth--or at least find them a good trail--it would be the one once called Mouse.

In the meantime, those who stayed behind to wait helped the injured. No one would be left behind again. Sadira returned to the Tower with the lot of them, although especially Alrim Gaidin. This was a fact noticed, briefly, by the woman's mother but was also a fact that would not be brought up by the Green.

The remainder was Miahala and Ravak, Tia and Bryn, and Haeden, while waiting on Lysira.

Her news would dictate the next steps this powerhouse group took, but Mia knew in her heart that it would take unbelievable odds to make her say they would wait another moment before pursuing her family. She had not been lying when she'd said she would burn everything between here and there if she had to...

[subtitle]Miahala ni Sha'hal t'Darrow[/subtitle]
The waiting was something akin to torture. The Captain-General knew that it took time to track anything properly, and who knew how far they had gotten? It all impacted how long it would take Lysira to find where they had gone to. She resisted the urge to pace like a wild dog in a cage, but the looks her husband kept sending her told her that the bond was on fire.

When Lysira finally came back, Mia just barely restrained herself from jumping on the woman for more information.

'They did not get as far as I suspected they would have. Whether in arrogance or impatience, I don't know,' Lysira signed quickly, knowing Mia's impatience. 'There is a farmhouse that they have taken over. It looks rundown, so I think it was abandoned to begin with. A small number guard the house, but far more are guarding the barn.'

The implication of that was clear: Riahana and Gareth were being kept in the barn. Miahala just prayed to the Creator that they were both still alive...

"Lead the way," Mia said shortly.
* * * When they got closer, Lysira brought them to the top of a small rise and pointed the situation out.

There were two men standing outside the farmhouse, with one walking a circle around it. There were five standing at each side of the barn, guarding each of two large doors. They couldn't see inside, but the situation was fairly easy to discern. They watched for a short time to see if there were any more wandering patrols, but they didn't see any.

"Lysira," Miahala began outlining her plan. "Take out the guards at the house. We can assume there are more inside, but if the guards go down fast enough, they won't get the call out. Get the wanderer too, if you can. Tia and Brook, take out the guards at the front and then guard for any coming out of the house. Haeden, Ravak, and I will circle around the back, dispatch those, and enter the barn."

She gave it a few moments to see if there were any comments, but everyone was focused. Lysira would wait until Mia and her husband and son were closer in position, then she'd let loose.

For once, something went to plan.

Lysira sighted the wandering patrol when he was at the back of the house, and an arrow through the throat assured his silence; his placement assured the guards at the front door didn't see him. Two arrows fired in swift succession assured their silence. They knew that the guards at the barn, if they moved just a little to one side, would see them and so Tia and Bryn had to move fast.

The blades of Ravak and Haeden, though bared, didn't have much blood to taste that day. Miahala fought with the One Power but she managed to lash a cluster of razor-edged Air through the guards before they knew what was coming. The Aes Sedai would not be denied, and no one would stand in her way.

Entering the barn ahead of her, the redheaded and blond Gaidin got their chance to take out a few more Whitecloak scum and once they had, Mia rushed in to find her kin. To her great and grateful relief, they still lived.

[subtitle]The Narrative[/subtitle]
When all was said and done, fourteen Children of the Light lay slain around that farmhouse. The one who had seen fit to torment Riahana and orchestrated the entire thing somehow managed to escape, but they did not have time to pursue. Gareth was heavily drugged, and Riahana was in a bad state.

Miahala was spent, and Tia had no gift for Healing...so a Gateway was opened and three Gaidin had to carry the giant of a Yellow back into the Tower, while the Captain-General and Tia helped Riahana...

And so, the Captain-General managed to gain her kin back, whole if not hale, and did not start a war...

For the moment.

Spoiler: show

OOC: Thank you to those who wrote along. Hope you had fun. <3