The Grey Tower

Liri was so excited, for the first time in forever she was allowed out of the Tower. Although her time as a Novice hadn't been the most fun- filled with lessons and chores, she knew she would appreciate the memories. If anything she was thankful to have been given a great mentor. Although their relationship had started off unsure Liri knew she had found someone who could turn into a treasured friend. Liri looked up to Carra and wanted to make her proud.

Walking down a path from the Tower Liri grew most excited that closer she got. If was weird to be out of the Tower but the weirdness quickly melted as a sense of freedom fell over her. Liri took her time getting there, stopping to smell flowers, or listen to birds. Of course flowers and birds were in the Tower but things were always greener on the other side.

As she entered Hama Valon Liri over his with an overwhelming amount of smells, she had no idea where to even start. There were Inns and bakeries, clothing shops and stores with little trinkets. Excited at the prospect of so many stores Liri walked into one of the Inns, the sign outside said Band of Brothers. Walking in she took a seat, she couldn't seem to wipe the smile off her face. A heavy set women bustled her way over, "Hello Deary, what can I help you with?" She said quickly not really looking at Liri.

"I'm Ok. Just enjoying the being in Town." she replied. Moving her head up the women took into Liri. "Freshly raised to Acceptedhood?" She asked even though the answer was obvious. Liri didn't reply just nodded. She hadn't met to be so obvious her excitement has just gotten teh best of her. "Well, let me grab you a treat, on the house." the lady said bustling away.

Liri couldn't sit still in her booth. She wanted to look around and see everything. The women came back and gave her a small plate with some sweets on them. Liri eat them slowly wanting to savor every bite. Liri smiled, she was more grateful then she would have ever thought for her free time. Just as she was about to leave the women (who Liri now guessed was the Innkeepers wife) came over with a glass of tea.

"That there Warder over there asked me to give this too you. He must know how excited you are to be out and about but with no money. Some men really are sweet" she said trailing off as she walked away.

Liri smiled over at the Warder the Innkeeper had pointed too. She raised her glass up and took a drink. It tasted amazing! Liri had not tasted anything quite like it. There was a slight kick at the end but it just added to the drink. Finishing the drink off quickly Liri got up to leave the store. She really wanted to go look at some trinkets.

As she walked out of the Inn Liri felt herself getting tired, the day must had worn on her more then she anticipated. So quickly she walked into the first shop she could find so she could take a look then go back to the Tower. Liri wandered around the end of the shop, she heard the door open and saw the Warder enter, but didn't think anything off it.

Liri had almost finished a round of the shop when tiredness came over her, she would have fallen to the ground, but the Warder caught her. She smiled weakly at him as a thank you. Hearing the bustle the Shop Owner rushed over, she seemed to be a sweet older lady. Liri could feel consciousness slip away but she knew the shop owner asked the warder to get her back to the Tower and asked Liri if she was comfortable with that, feeling confident in the Warder holding her Liri nodded. Within seconds of leaving the shop Liri lost all consciousness.

The Ghost Locating a Warders Cloak had been easy. Getting the blood of the Warder off it was a little more challenging. He was surprised by the material having not touched it before and so washing it out enough not to give alarm proved to be interesting but worthwhile endeavor. With it he was able to get into pretty much everywhere either without being seen or without question. Although he had to admit the Whitecloak he was gifted from a Child was much harder to clean. Blood stained horribly.

He had followed his quarry for a few years now, more so in passing but over the past few months she had grown in importance to another of his goals and if he was ever going to get her attention then he would need to make a more obvious move. Having made vows to never break a promise, he was quite put out that she broke hers.

Well, not this one. She didn't know who he was which made her even more delectable. Without the promise of a purse, a vow was being bent but his conscience couldn't be more clear. With a slight of hand, a few drops and it was only waiting. His charismatic smile peaking out from the shadows of the Band of Brothers. No one would think to question a Warder. Gaidin, as they were called when unbonded. Silly, this Grey Tower to just hand over the cloak without the bond. Not that the Aes Sedai with the Gaidin of this cloak was much of a challenge. Green, and unskilled in the world. That she was separated and broken from her dead Warder may have made it easer but who was he to not take advantage of such a weakness.

The girl left, to wander the markets and stores, he followed at his own pace like a watchful puppy following a hopeful mistress. Newly raised, if she was studying with Aramisa then for shame that she could not taste the sweetened leaf in her brew. Perhaps that was a secret that she had not shared with her Tower.

When the girl swooned, he moved in gracefully to help her. "Allow me. I will take her to the Tower." All the agreements and the unusual trust in her eyes just brought a smile to his lips. It did not matter that she didn't know him, but she trusted him for this cloak anyway. "Come, little one. Let's go." Like a father to a daughter, he carried her with ease.

Only, He did not take her back to the Tower. The pathways leading up were forked with paths that lead elsewhere, and after some turns, he brought her to his saddled horse. Propping her on the horses back, he climbed up after her and a flick of his wrists was off. Leaving the Grey Tower and Hama Valon behind.

Lirievin Tesiva Awaken Liri's consciousness slowly started to return, her vision was fuzzy at first but within minutes it cleared up, but it was soon apparent that there was nothing for her to look at. Liri could tell she was in a small room, but beyond that there were no furnishings or even windows so she could estimate the time of day.

Liri didn't even try to move, although lying on her side with her arms tied behind her back wasn't comfortable. She knew more then to move her feet as well, she could feel something- rope perhaps, tied so tightly around them that she couldn't move them at all. Knowing she could not move Liri tried to assess herself, her head was pounding making any concentration hard, her entire body felt sift and sore, like she'd been riding too long on a far trip, but her back and butt were worse then the rest.She couldn't see her arms, but she could feel a scrap on her arm, beside that soreness that seemed to be the only issue there. She legs felt fine but her right ankle hurt- a lot. She knew something must have been injured. Liri tired to move her head, but she must have been past out for a while and had a large kink in her neck so she had to move slowly to not cause large amounts of pain.

Liri thought about calling out, but she had no idea if anyone was even around to hear her. Without much more thought, Liri fell asleep.

Waking up again, Liri panicked when she didn't recognize where she was, but then she remember assessing her injuries. She still couldn't remember how she got here. She had no memory of travelling, and nothing of being tied up like a hog. She tried to think back but her head was still pounding so it was hard. She had a vague memory of leaving The Grey Tower.. she must have been going to the city. But what happened then? I must remember SOMETHING.. anything... She thoughts trailed off as she fell back asleep.

Waking up the third time she felt less of a shock, she was getting use to the room she was being held in. She had no idea how long she had been here, it couldn't have been long as she didn't feel overly hungry but she could also feel the hungry starting to eat at her stomach. Her thoughts went back to wondering why she was here. She had been good as a Novice, staying out of any sort of trouble. She did spend a lot of time alone and as as she could tell she had not made enemies out of anyone. The only person who she spend a lot of time with was Carra, and she really couldn't see her mentor doing anything like this to her. Sure, she could not be the nicest at times but Liri rarely had to deal with that side of her. Liri had always been proud to be able to say Carra was her mentor. Carra was unapologetic, stood up for what she believed in and when she decided to fight she fought hard. I only hope I can show an ounce of her strength those were Liri's last thoughts before she drifted off to sleep again.

The Ghost The missive has not been lost. Preparations are being made and information will be gathered by the fortnight. Gather the Daggers. Penning out words, he added in some phrasing mixed with code for his brothers, folded up the parchment and slipped it into his satchel on the desk. Coins resting inside, faced with a design that could not be could in any denomination. They were unique, mailable, and distinct. They rested with the rest of his possessions; charcoal, parchment, a seal and a candle. Clothing were in another satchel, but mostly he stole what he needed and replaced it with gold, silver or copper. His value came from being unseen. He closed the clasp of the satchel and set it aside.

The sounds from the room beyond telltale signs that his prey was now awake. She was little and nothing in this game, but could be something more. He needed to know how much more and how far he could push Aramisa, but he would have to play it carefully. He needed her on his side and she was making it clear that she did not want to side with him. He could still see her clearly in his mind, the way she walked, the way she scowled. Never a smile on her lips. She was perfect.

Standing, he gave himself a bit of a brush off of dust, the room not the cleanest and dust floated in the air as specks caught the rays of sunlight. Opening the door, he walked in to see the pitiful girl. She was pale, with dull sunlit hair and her dress now gray and brown. Only the banded stripes of 8 gave color to the otherwise unremarkable room. He walked over, catching the look in her eyes but ignoring it completely. He didn't care who she was, what she felt or even if she held any value. The water was spiked with forkroot which kept her from channeling precious little and it was all he cared about. That and that she meant something to Aramisa.

"Don't take this personally, dove." He kicked out her legs away so she would sprawl on the floor with her hands still tied. A foot of pressure on her ankle that she had been dropped on when he pulled her off the horse. He had meant to be a little more careful but then the damage was done and he had assessed that it was broken then. May as well use it to his advantage. At least for the screams, and she did scream rather prettily.

"It's not you that I'm after.. just a much bigger one. You just so happen to be a key." Flicking a dagger, he keeled next to her. The smile sweet and kind. "Try not to stay too quiet?"

Dignity Returned Liri groaned as she woke up. She had no idea how long she had been here but it seemed like it had been a while. A lot of her soreness from the first day had gone away but her ankle still hurt as much as it had the first day. She knew there was a serious injury and guessed it was broken but she tried not to focus on her pain. The more she detached herself from it the less pain she felt.

She hadn't been awake long before the man- she no longer thought he was a Gaidin, came into the room. She had seen him a few times before but always passed out from pain before she ever saw him leave. He called her dove and had he have not been leaving her in excruciating amounts of pain Liri probably would have found it endearing. It wasn't long after he entered the room when he brought out the dagger again. Screams came out of her throat before she could even think about stopping them. Then everything faded to blackness.

She awoke again with a start. She had been having a pleasant dream, she had been somewhere far away from here, where the sunlight shone upon her and she could smell fresh flowers. Shaking the dream away Liri tried not to think too much about pleasant things. She had no idea when she would get out of here- or even IF she would get out and she didn't want to get her hopes up. Again, her captor walked in interrupting her thoughts, with his dagger out. She knew was was going to happen and wasn't at all surprised when her vision faded to black...

The next time Liri woke up she had had no dreams but this non-stop pain was killing her. She always tried to have her spirits high but she couldn't take it anymore. Tears streamed down her face and she was sobbing so loud her entire body shook. She didn't want to be in pain anymore! What had she done to deserve this? Was it revenge for her Arches and all the people she had left behind there? She had been crying so hard she didn't even heat her captor come in until she felt the cold metal on her arm. By now she was just to it and just let the darkness take her.

When she awoke again Liri almost felt ashamed in herself. She had felt so weak crying in front of him, and she knew he felt powerful. She still had no idea how long she had been here but she had guessed a few days by now. But if she just kept crying she knew that would only give more power to him, and she felt she had to keep as much power as she could. She wiped off her face as best as she could, if was time to stop drowning in self pity and handle this with as much dignity as she could.She thought back to her mentor- she was the strongest person Liri had known. Carra wouldn't have moped around and done nothing, she would have stood up for herself and gotten out of the situation. Liri didn't think she was as strong as Carra but she could try. Liri tried to move around so she wasn't lying on her stomach anymore and got into a sitting position. She kept her back straight and held her head high. It wasn't much but always she was feeling less ashamed. She knew she had to do something different when he came in. He did seem to enjoy her screams... maybe that's what she would stop. If she didn't scream would he enjoy it? Liri wasn't sure but it was worth a try.

The next time he stepped into her room, Liri was sitting with proper posture. She didn't even bother looking at him. She flinched when he brought out his dagger, and even though she tried to hold back her screams, some still came. There were stifled, so that was an improvement. Liri continued this the next few times he paid her a visit. She screams became less and less- that didn't stop him from coming but Liri hoped he felt less satisfied about it. Still Liri knew there was only so long she could keep this up, she was slowly loosing blood and the pain was getting to be unbearable. If this continued much longer Liri knew the thought of taking her own life would cross her mind.

Carraidhin Glaisne Got lost in a promise
Of a love I never know
Shadows chase me far from home
I remember when my heart was filled with gold
And you know
I've been burned


The breath held within her burned through her lungs as the voice she came in became lost to a scream behind walls of stone. The night stars twinkling through the windows on the other side of the room, at least a week of dust settled in the room and she could not help but feel fear to the core of her heart. The image in her dreams of her screaming echoed in her hears, the softness of her steps lost and silent as she stepped out of the room. Click, the door closed as the only audible sounds she could hear, but still the screams raged in her ears. The pitch of pain, the loss of hope, a remembered memory.

Carraidhin was still dressed in her night clothes, the elegant robe over the night gown with it's long sleeves and length. When not dressed in her Amyrlin or Aes Sedai finest it was still easy to see her as a Novice, or even Accepted for all the youth in her face despite the agelessness that had settled in. The halls empty and silent save the whispers and nuances of the night, and an Accepted that snored three doors down. Where was she? The dream, the foretelling, it could not be something already passed!

She went to the next door and gave a firm knock. Loud enough that made no mistake that she was going to be polite this. The girl that opened opened the door, rubbing her eyes. At first the words were incomprehensible but as the girl looked at who actually stood at the door, the curtsey nearly made her fall to the floor. "Mother?"

"Lirievin. Where is she?" The words were harsh, a command that threatened an edge of desparation. Even still the stone held and Carra's voice did not crack.

"I.. I have not seen her, Mother. Not for days now." She said. "Our paths do not..."

But Carra had moved on, knocking on the next door. Again, the girl did not know where she was. the third door yielded the same result. Days. They had not seen her in days. The quiet Accepted that slept in that one room, had not been seen in days. Carra cursed herself, swearing oaths upon herself feeling that it was her own fault. To have taken so much of the girls time that she might not have made friends. But Lirievin was newly raised. Her friends must be all still Novices.

"Children, Daughters. Rouse the others and start searching." She pointed to the first that she had woken. "What is your name, child?"

"Sylvianna, Mother. Sylvianna Tornei." Her curtesy was much better even if Carra made no note of the change.

"Do you remember what Lirievin looks like?" The girl nodded firmly, "Go wake Illyria Sedai, let her know that one of the Accepteds may be gone. And then go run to the gates of the Tower and ask the guards if they have seen a girl of Lirievin's description leave. Be swift child, and run like the Light." The girl gave a firm nod, picked up her night skirts and ran.

Knock after knock on the doors rang and filled the Accepted quarters. Knock. Knock. Voices as they woke up their fellow ranks. And still, the screaming in Carra's head continued and fear crept into her, deeper and more fervent, that maybe, just maybe... that screaming will never go away.

Carraidhin & Jaryd Friend
Jaryd sat in a chair in his office, his feet propped up on the window ledge. Although his gaze was fixed on the enormous full moon that hung over the Mountains of Mist, his eyes didn't see it- his thoughts were elsewhere, lost in a miasma of past, present and future. What odd twist of fate had led to him being chosen as M'hael?

Jaryd was distracted by his thoughts by a shout in the corridor. He let the front legs of his chair thump to the ground and stood, his wiry body carrying him across the vast office to the door in the blink of an eye. Outside, he caught a girl wearing novice white by the sleeve as she flew by him. "Tell me what happened," he said.

She froze, staring up at him, then out poured a confused mess of words. Something about a search for an Accepted named Lirievin who had vanished. *Why does that name sound familiar?* The girl babbled a bit more, but then added "Mother went to her study, but she ordered me to-" *What in the Light?*

Jaryd let the novice go, and turned his step towards Carra's office. What could possibly cause Carra to be up at this hour, let alone directing a search? He knocked perfunctorily on her door, and then entered. The zing the doorknob gave him barely registered- what mattered was the woman he caught pacing inside. "What happened?" he asked again.

Carraidhin looked up from her pacing, the ever present screaming in her head, to see the first and the last person she wanted to see. The telltale confusion lost with what may have looked like tears on her cheeks. "I.. Fa..Jaryd." She still struggled with the idea of calling him Father. Tower traditions be damned.

Carraidhin bit a hand to her lips, and closed her eyes. She needed to take a breath, breathe in and out. "He took her. I don't know how, or where. But she is gone and light only knows what.. or why." Her mind raced. He wasn't in Caemlyn. He wasn't in Cairhien. He wasn't at any spot that she could think of.

Jaryd blinked, his normal urge to smile at her fumbled words lost in concern and confusion. She had been crying...Light, *Carra* had been crying! "I assume you mean Lirievin?" He asked, closing the door behind him. "Who took her? How-" he hesitated, hoping he wouldn't seem to be questioning her sincerity, "how do you know?"

Jaryd channeled, Fire to heat the water in her teapot, Air to pour some into one of the cups on the tray she always had nearby. He then pulled it towards him, and delivered it to her by hand, cautiously touching her shoulder as he placed the cup in her hands.

Carraidhin felt shame, realizing just how much her little secrets and how her past had caught up to her. Blinking back the tears that felt so very foreign to her, she could see the scar tissue on his cheek from that first... that first hint. Instead of all the oaths, swears and rage, Carra could feel the cold break through her.

Carraidhin accepted the cup, carefully. "I had a dream. It woke me. If felt like a foretelling, but it wasn't. I do not think it was a dream either. It was like she.. she was trying to find me."

Carraidhin took a sip of the tea, letting its warmth fill that void yet it remained. The cold fear mixed with the realization that she CARED brought its own kind of dread that she was not entirely sure how to handle. "At first I didn't believe it. But when.. she was not in her room."

Jaryd thought about that in silence for a moment. "Amadie once told me that when two people feel strongly about one another, their dreams can....attract in some way," he said. She had been talking about something else entirely, and the rest made no sense to him, but that part stuck out. "I feel like she knew more about it than she was telling me," he added.

Carraidhin could feel herself start to shake. Having used Saidar enough to feel tired, not even the tea could calm her nerves. She needed to sit but felt too restless to rest. "Maybe. She knew many things about this, but I think because she learned on her own it may have translated differently. But.. it is possible."

Jaryd hesitated a moment, then took Carra's hand and led her to a chair. If she remained standing, he feared she might fall. "Regardless, Liri IS missing," he said quietly, "and you seem to know who took her. What...." he paused again, and in the brief silence he knelt in front of her to be on level with her face. "What can I do to help?" He asked finally.

Jaryd had never seen his friend so shaken, so torn open. He desperately wanted to know what or who could possibly want to hurt her so badly they would steal an Accepted, and how she could know that she had been abducted, rather than merely running away, but somehow, he wasn't certain now was the time to ask.

Carraidhin the tea had done nothing, but his hand warmed her and she had not expected that. Was that she was desperate for touch or comfort or was it something else entirely? Pushing the feeling away, Carra collapsed into the chair with less grace then expected of her rank.

She looked up, his face concern, real. Here. Setting the useless tea to the side, she could not help but start to reach for his face and pull back. What could she tell him. How angry would he be with her? Would he hate her too?

Jaryd watched Carra carefully, realizing that she had never before asked for help from anyone....not even Amadie, whom she had held most dear. The likelihood of her breaking that silence now without a push seemed unlikely, but it felt so unkind to question her. But...something terrible was happening, or had happened, to an Accepted...one of their daughters.

When she reached for him, he captured her hands, and looked her in the eyes. "I need to know what's happening," he said. "I need you to let me help you."

Carraidhin's breath froze, her body stiffened as he grasped her hands. She wanted to pull away, needed to pull away, but she couldn't. She couldn't tear herself away and for the first time Carraidhin felt defeat. What walls that were left that had crumbled trying desparately to find Lirievin fell away to him. With her hands still in his, she leaned forward and rested her head on them. Her body shook as she breathed in. Breathed out.

"He was here before. Shadowing me since I left Caemlyn. Not this whole time, but for years he would come in, watch. Leave. I never knew of his time here, but only of his passing. He made sure I knew. A gift, a word, a phrase spoken by someone that passed by."

Carraidhin sat up, look up but not at Jaryd. Not at anything. "Sean was always the jealous type. I had hoped in my arch that it would be the last time I saw him. But he has hunted me, believing I am someone that..." might have been. Her voice broke away.

Jaryd froze, shocked beyond words as Carra folded forward, composure gone. He tightened his fingers around her hands as she spoke, her voice wavering from attempts at regaining control. The Void slammed into place against the anger her description evoked; when he spoke his voice was cold, though his hands remained gentle. "He sounds like a monster."

The words rolled off her, but a part of it stuck. Monster. "I once made a promise to him. I broke that promise, and now he's coming to collect. Who is the monster then?"

Jaryd arched a thick eyebrow. "I suppose it would depend on the nature of the promise," he said, a tinge of his normal flippancy returning to his tone.

"I do not recall Carraidhin Glaisne being listed as the queen of the world prior to joining the Grey Tower, and therefore I find it difficult ot believe you broke a promise so large that you deserve to be harassed and tortured for it."

Carraidhin would have broken in a smirk, but she was so deeply raked in guilt for her own actions that it only made her sigh.

His next words, however, nearly did. Carraidhin Glaisne. Sean would break that open, and if she told someone.. anyone...

"No." She said carefully. "Carraidhin Glaisne was not."

Jaryd heard the shields going back up in her voice, and sighed. *Someday, you have to learn to keep your tongue in your mouth,* he told himself. "What kind of promise did you make, then?" He asked. "And why would you make it to someone who would kidnap an Accepted to make you suffer for breaking it?"

Carraidhin spoke again, "It doesn't matter. It was a childish promise. Now Livierin is gone. He took her because I threatened him. I approached him perhaps last summer, and told him to leave me be. He had been obsessed and now... He isn't what he was. Like me, he changed. Sean never could channel, but he is trained in the martial arts. He must be at least very skilled in daggers."

Jaryd extracted his hands, then pushed back on her shoulders until she sat upright again. "It does matter," he said quietly, "because you made a promise to someone who is apparently very dangerous, not entirely sane, and willing to do whatever it takes to get back at you." He paused for a second, a thought occurring to him.

Carraidhin leveled a look at him. "You will think it's silly. It really was a stupid promise."

Jaryd lifted his fingers to his face. "I got this scar from a....shadow." he said slowly, ignoring what she last said. "A shadow that came out of nowhere in the night, and bested me at my own weapon."

Carraidhin visibily winced.

Jaryd sighed. "Silly promise or not, he's taking it seriously. If that was him in the Gardens that night, I count myself lucky. But he has Liri, now..."

Carraidhin struggled, surprised a little that he didn't just jump up and yell at her. "Yes. And I don't know where he took her. He could not be far, but he isn't in Hama Valon. He would have left a better hint. Or any hint." She said miserably.

A thought occurred to her, and she reached and grasped his arm. "What do you know of the.. renegades? Or assassins. You used to be part of the underground, did you hear of any undercurrents of some kind of group of assassins that might pull from... people like us?"

Jaryd let the silence go on for a moment too long as he struggled to find a response to the realization that she did not know where this Sean person was. Her next question caught him off guard; it was his turn to wince.

Jaryd sat back on his heels, one hand still wrapped around hers, the other touching his lips thoughtfully. The version of his life that he told the Grey Tower and its people had been significantly cleaned up- that she had caught that there might be be more to his story of carefree gang life told him she knew more about his lifestyle than she let on.

"The Rahad was a warren of rival gangs and groups," he said slowly. "I created my own, but there were many that already existed, and many that came into being long after mine was established. Some did make killing people a...special art....and those types frequently terrorized the rest of us, and then would abruptly vanish."

He pursed his lips. "I thought I was so grown up, but I was so young. It never occurred to me to question where they went. I always assumed they were caught by the Guard, or died, or left to find a more....entertaining...location."

Carraidhin gave a small nod. "The same in Caemlyn. It was always the.. feircest of us that would vanish." She was just trying to survive.

He gave her a curious look. "'Us?'" he inquired. She looked away, and he shook his head. She would answer someday- he knew that now, somehow. "It is entirely possible that some or all of the ones I knew may have joined others of their ilk elsewhere. Together, they would be...quite formidable."

Abruptly, he realized something rather curious. "Neither of us are assuming any of them are Darkfriends," he said.

"At least, I am not...."

Carraidhin gave a nod. "They aren't. Or, at least I was lead to believe that they weren't. He might be, but it was a different kind of... power?" No, that wasn't right.

Carraidhin gave his hand a squeeze. "I would know if you were." The smile, gentle and tired.

Jaryd laughed. "I meant I am not assuming they are Darkfriends," he clarified...and before he thought or could stop himself, he touched her face, gently brushing tendrils of hair damp from hidden tears away from her eyes. "I am YOUR friend, Carra," he said quietly. "I always will be. Even if this Sean person burns the world down."

Carraidhin felt his hand on her face, and her eyes closed as if a lone blink, and that look. Carra felt completely drained, but his eyes spoke something more than just his words and it ignited a fire. "Thank... you." The words a whisper, hesitant and foriegn, but no less sincere for it. "We have to find her. To find her we need to find him. And when we do..." The we unintentional, "I will kill him."

Jaryd tucked Carra's reaction to his touch away for examination at a later time -hopefully a happier later time- and nodded. The "we" did not escape his notice, but for once, he did not comment. Instead, he stood, pulling her with him. "Death sounds like an appropriate fate for that one," he said. "But we have to find her, first. Do you suppose that...if she found you in a dream, you could perhaps find her?"

Carraidhin paused, thoughtful of his suggestion. "I.." He didn't know. The ter'angreal hidden away from when she was a Novice... one that she never felt necessary to return. Carra was not a dreamwalking, but she had learned how. It was the easiest way to talk to a few of her informants, in an obscure sort of way. A system of teltale signs found in specific places.

A system of telltale signs found in specific places. But could she find Liri that way? Was it.. could it be that easy. "I don't know. I think.. maybe."

Jaryd smiled. "We both know someone who might know," he pointed out, "all she really needs to know is that an Accepted is missing and might be in danger."

Carraidhin looked thoughtful, as her habitual mask floated over her body, not even realizing then that she let go of his hands. "Yes, we do."

Jaryd looked toward the door, trying to ignore the flash of disappointment he had felt when she let go. "That's our first stop, then."

Carraidhin not even recognizing the lack of warmth for what it was, rubbed her hands over her night clothes and robe. A quick rub of her face, "Let me wash up and then we will go." Standing, she walked to another room, wondering if she has missed something but the hope of finding Liri weighed heavier and the need to find her took over completely.

Lirievin Tesiva Wandering, Dreaming Liri woke up with another start. She didn't know what had happened in her sleep but she swore she could still smell fresh flowers, and feel grass around her ankles. It wasn't long before pain brought her back to reality. Nothing in her room had changed, well nothing but the marks on her skin. It seemed every time Liri woke he came to pay her a visit so Liri did her best to adjust her position so she could sit with her back straight. Even though she was spending more time sleeping Liri felt drained, she had no energy and even moving her arm took a lot out of her.

Liri sat and waited for him to enter her room, but he never came. Liri had a glimmer of hope thinking that he had left, but after he had spend all this time kidnapping and dealing with her Liri knew better then to expect him to just up and leave unless she had died. Sighing Liri let herself slump a little. She just felt so tired, all she wanted to do was curl up with a blanket and sleep for days.

She did get half her wish as she drifted off to sleep. Liri thought she had awaken when she saw her room again, the marks on her arms were still there, but her hands and feet were not tied together. Liri cautiously moved around the room, it seemed different. Probably because you're in a Dream she thought. Closing her eyes Liri thought of the Tower Gardens, oh how she would love to have a dream there instead of the room in which she was trapped.

When Liri opened her eyes again Liri found herself exactly where she was imagining- the Tower Gardens. She blinked in surprise a few times. Maybe by sleeping so often she was getting use to controlling her Dreams. Either way Liri was happy to have a moment of release from her prison. Liri didn't know what exactly to do first. She knew she wouldn't be there very long, and she wanted to make use of it. Lying down in the grass at first Liri couldn't believe how comfortable the grass was. It was so soft on her skin. She got up quickly and went over to smell the flowers, the scent wasn't strong but she could still smell it.

Feeling like she was being watched Liri looked over her shoulder to see a women standing there. She was of average height with curly brown hair. Liri had never seen anyone in her dreams before so curiosity got the better of her as she walked towards the women. As Liri got closer she noticed that the women even looked like an Aes Sedai. "Weird" she said aloud. "I've never had a dream like this.." She trailed off not really sure what to think.

Amadie Laine, Blue Aes Sedai Lies and Nightmares Amadie set her teacup down with a soft sigh, her brown eyes meeting Jaryd and Carra's by turn. They were all the same age, and yet...she felt so much older. Carra's face had finally been touched by agelessness, but Jaryd still looked like the boy who had thrown her in a pond. She loved them....and they were not being honest with her. They were not lying -the Oaths prevented that- but the truth they told was incomplete. She could see it in the way they moved, hear it in the words they chose. "You aren't telling me everything," she said quietly.

"Many of the details are sealed to the Fang and Flame," Jaryd replied, his eyes shifting to look at Carra. Amadie's eyebrows furrowed for a moment. There was something about that glance that she had never seen before. Concerned. Caring. Protective? What in the Light have I missed while I was away? "Please forgive me, we cannot risk breaking that seal yet...not even for you." Carra jerked her chin- a gesture of agreement or annoyance, the Domani woman wasn't sure.

They are quite the pair, Amadie thought, bemused. She remained silent for long moments, stirring her tea with a tiny silver spoon while she thought. when she spoke, her voice was calm and cool- Aes Sedai to the core. "Tel'aran'rhiod is dangerous," she said, giving Carra a knowing look. "The manner in which I will find Lirievin must be done blind. There is no possible way for me to prepare for any dangers that may be there when I find her." Jaryd opened his mouth, but she cut him off with a sharp hand gesture. "I will look for the Accepted," she said quietly. "I cannot knowingly abandon her to danger now that I know she may be in it, no matter what that danger may be. "

She stood, and turned away from the table. She took a breath, mentally distancing herself from her friends...and then cementing that distance with the formality of her tone when she spoke. "Father, you may make yourself comfortable anywhere you like. Try not to break my china," she smiled at him. "Mother, I think it would be best if you came with me. It may be that time will be of the essence." With a nod, the Amyrlin followed her into her bed chamber.

...

The half-light of Tel'aran'rhiod entranced Amadie every time she came there. She appeared, as she usually did, in the Blue Ajah halls. She wore a blue silk dress in Domani style, with her hair piled high on her head. She had come a long way from her first chaotic trips into the World of Dreams; her costume did not change, her surroundings did not shift. She moved forward, and they blurred; when she stopped, she stood in the courtyard. She paused, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. Something is not right.

She looked around curiously. Everything seemed as it should. The constant shifting of transitory objects around the courtyard could not be more normal, and the sky, which reflected the darkness of the waking world despite the fact that the light remained omnipresent, was clear and calm. "I'm imagining things that aren't there," she said out loud. And if I don't stop, I'm going to drop myself into a nightmare, she chided herself silently.

With that, she closed her eyes and focused on Lirievin. She had met the Accepted only briefly as a novice, but she had always had a good memory for faces. I need to find this girl, she thought, projecting her will onto Tel'aran'rhiod with all her strength. I NEED to find her.

Shift

She opened her eyes. She stood atop a hill overlooking an utterly unfamiliar forest. Leaves shifted around her feet, and she thought she heard the distant sound of wolf's song. That no longer disturbed her as it once had, but even here, in this peaceful place, the feeling that something was wrong hung over her like a shroud.

After a moment spent trying to find something -anything- to identify where she stood, she closed her eyes again. Lirievin. Where was she?

Shift

The Tower Gardens were not at all the place Amadie expected to be when she opened her eyes. She blinked, disoriented, and when she opened her eyes she realized she wasn't alone. A battered girl in a dirty Accepted's gown stood before her, looking as confused as Amadie felt.

"Weird, I've never had a dream like this," the girl said, meeting the Aes Sedai's eyes. Amadie's lips twitched upward, and then froze. The girl in front of her was Lirievin. Not a figment of her imagination. Not a nightmare. And...she wasn't disappearing, either. The girl can Dreamwalk? Curious.

"You aren't...dreaming...in the traditional sense, child," Amadie said, trying to make her voice as soothing as possible. The wounds the girl bore were shocking in their number, severity, and variety. In the waking world Amadie would have been unable to do anything to help her, but here....she focused her thoughts on Lirievin's body clean, whole, and painfree. The Accepted straightened, and gave her a confused, but relieved, look. She would be comfortable for a little while, at least. "This place is called Tel'aran'rhiod. Be wary- if you die here, you will never wake. I will explain the rest once you have returned to the Tower," the Domani woman added.

Before she could continue the air around her turned to liquid fire. As the heat pressed around her, she heard a man's maniacal laughter, as if from a long distance away. For a single moment the excruciating pain of burning consumed her, and then she forced her will on the nightmare, bidding it be gone. It vanished, and she shook herself. Her hair would be ruined, but she lived.

"Carra needs to know where you are." Again something changed. This time she watched the water in the fountain rise before her, shatter into a million tiny shards, and hover. She had only a moment to think one horrified word: No! before they flew towards her, shredding her dress and skin alike. She screamed, concentration lost as the shards flew around her in a maelstrom of bloody destruction. She glanced up and saw the Accepted staring at her in horror, and abruptly remembered where she was. Cold resolve returned, and she banished the nightmare with two firm flicks of her hands.

The pain of the cuts was almost unbearable, and she could feel blood trickling down her back and legs. Desperate, she reached for the Accepted. "Show me where you are- take my hand and think of the place!" As her fingers touched Lirievin's, the world turned upside down and they were both falling...falling...falling...into an endless deep blue sky. For an endless moment they fell, and then the world shifted again.

Something is so very bloody wrong.

Lirievin Tesiva Finding Home Liri was startled when the Aes Sedai actually spoke. So she wasn't in a dream. THe Aes Sedai continued speaking, telling her she was in Tel'aran'rhiod. Liri had heard of it, but she hadn't done a lot of research. All she knew was that Tel'aran'rhiod was the world of Dreams. She must be a DreamWalker if that's where she was. I wish I'd know about this before, I could have escaped that room long ago for relief she thought to herself.

Liri Straightened in shock then relax when the Aes Sedai seemingly took away her pain. She had grown use to the constant feeling of pain so she hadn't realized just how much pain she was in until it had all disappeared. She looked up to the Aes Sedai grateful for the relief she had provided.

It was then when things started started to shift. Fire and Pain were around, Liri didn't have much time to think before she saw the fountain shatter and shards flew towards the Aes Sedai in front of her cutting her back and legs The Aes Sedai mentioned Carra and Liri perked up. Carra Sedai was looking for her? She still had no idea how long she had been gone. The Aes Sedai took a few steps towards Liri, touching her hand. Liri had to take them to the place where she had been captured. But she didn't even know where that was. How was she to get there?

The world seemed to be falling and Liri closed her eyes thinking of home, where her parents had kept her safe. When she opened her eyes she saw that she was standing in their kitchen. Strange she thought. But they weren't there long before, out of the corner of her eye Liri saw something falling again. Grabbing the Aes Sedai's hand Liri thought of her room back in the Tower. Again, upon opening her eyes Liri saw that she was back in the Tower, in her room. Everything appeared to be ok so Liri felt she had a moment to rest. It seemed whenever she thought of a place she would be there. So Liri pictured the room in which she was stuck in. She found it quite easy to do so, it wasn't as if they room had changed. The same bland yellow tinged walls, and a hard floor. Her eyes opened and there they were Liri looked over to the Aes Sedai.

"This is where the man has been keeping me." She said, her voice dead of emotion. "I'm sorry I don't really know where it is. I fell asleep or something and when I awoke this is where I was. I'm sure just the room doesn't help much."