01-24-2020, 06:15 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-27-2020, 08:54 PM by Natalie Grey.)
She pulled the cowl loosely over her head, glad for the drape of shadows. The knot of feeling in the corner of her mind was strangely exposing, and a little uncomfortable considering she barely knew the woman, but for now she resolved to ignore it. With a gesture from Talin, Kaori began leading the horses; a large gold bay and a deep-chested piebald alongside the arch-necked black mare. His eyes appeared dark caverns in the gloom, and she could not see much of his features, but the light caught the edges of his smile as he passed the reins. Eleanore hovered by her shoulder, shifting a little closer, and received a nod from him. With Talin’s blessing he did not appear to hold a grudge, and like any seasoned soldier Eleanore accepted that the man -- the same one who not moments before had been perfectly prepared to try and kill her -- was for the time being an ally.
Nythadri glanced briefly up at her, not quite sure yet how much that proximity was going to grate. Eleanore had said the oaths to the letter, apparently in earnest -- and the Light knew they would hold her either way -- but she was careful not to pick through her emotions as she ran her hand along the horse’s neck. It seemed fair, given the circumstances. Ahead Talin had already mounted the bay, controlling his frisking with her knees, and the spotted rear of Kaori’s horse began to disappear into the shadows. “Hurry, please,” Talin urged, and for a blessing it actually sounded like a request rather than an order. Apparently relief to be away made her palatable. For the moment at least.
“You’re afraid,” the woman behind her observed in that melodious voice, to which Nythadri scowled. She could feel the waft of amusement as she belligerently lifted herself into the saddle unaided. The mare sidestepped a little, until Eleanore, laughing low, steadied her head. The traitorous creature nuzzled into her, chuffing pleasantly.
“It’s a monster, that’s why,” Nythadri said, offering her hand. Not yet quite sure how she was going to bear the weight without sliding right off; or, worse, spooking the damn horse. Light. But it seemed Eleanore didn’t need the help, and Dove bore them both without complaint. She stepped nimbly after the other horses, keen not to be left behind.
“Regular blight-spawn,” Eleanore agreed mildly.
Their pace was slow through the whispering grasses. Nythadri guessed they were south of the city now that she had time to squint at the scenery without the threat of bloodshed, but she had little indication of which direction they travelled. Thunder rumbled overhead. The rain still only spat haltingly but thick cloud suffocated the sun, or maybe it had already set unseen. It seemed dark enough now.
She used the time to catalogue the day’s events, relieved the horse seemed to know its own way without any prompting from her. Talin’s gate had been hasty, barely given time to grow wide enough to admit them before she’d thrust them through; not the sort of smooth exit she imagined the Yellow would have planned for. The neat arrangement of horses and the Warder awaiting their arrival belied that. Eleanore’s presence could not have been the catalyst for that rush, either. But the bell had tolled, one Nythadri had presumed to be for the novices. And then Talin had panicked.
“You owe me a new pipe. I think I left it on the bench,” Eleanore said from behind.
“Very well,” Nythadri murmured, only half listening, and perturbed for the disturbance to her thoughts. It felt like wading through mud as it was.
“And I would prefer you call me Elly. Only my mother ever called me Eleanore, and she’s long since in her grave.”
A vicious remark about being called a baby Aes Sedai sharpened itself on her tongue, but she resolved to hold it. The Warder shifted behind her, chest rumbling a brief grunt, so perhaps she caught some essence of the sentiment anyway. Light, that would take some getting used to. A sigh deflated her lungs, not for the chafe of the bond, but for the realisation that she owed this. Duty did not always sit easily on the mantle of Nythadri’s shoulders; she would shirk what tradition did not suit her, and easily, but the woman was tied to her now. And not entirely to her will, whatever she might claim in an effort to soften the dig of the snare.
“We can’t go back,” she said softly. “You understand that, Elly. Whatever Talin did, and whatever she has pulled us into, we are implicated now. Until we know what it is, it’s safer to assume we might be considered enemies of the Tower.”
“You trust her?”
“I did.”
A low laugh. It seemed this one had an odd humour, but it was not unpleasant. Nythadri felt her own lips twist a wry smirk. Cruel circumstance or otherwise, she realised then it might very easily have been worse. Something steadfast radiated from that knot of feeling. A ruse of bravado, most like; else something more familiarly reckless. It was a comfort, anyhow.
No one would have noticed an absence yet; there was still time to smooth this problem away. Maylis had said Elly planned to return home, so perhaps none would remark upon her sudden leavetaking, or blame Razmira’s snub for the cause. How long Nythadri’s disappearance could remain undetected was another matter. Kabryn had invited her to visit his Aes Sedai that evening, but Maylis might think nothing of it if she did not show. Unusual maybe, but not suspicious in itself. By morning that might change. An enemy of the Tower? Ice bled in her stomach for that worst case fear. Elly’s palm rested briefly on her shoulder, and belatedly she realised the emotion must be swarming their bond. She let her breath loose, watching the dark shapes of Talin and Kaori ahead. We will fix this.
Nythadri glanced briefly up at her, not quite sure yet how much that proximity was going to grate. Eleanore had said the oaths to the letter, apparently in earnest -- and the Light knew they would hold her either way -- but she was careful not to pick through her emotions as she ran her hand along the horse’s neck. It seemed fair, given the circumstances. Ahead Talin had already mounted the bay, controlling his frisking with her knees, and the spotted rear of Kaori’s horse began to disappear into the shadows. “Hurry, please,” Talin urged, and for a blessing it actually sounded like a request rather than an order. Apparently relief to be away made her palatable. For the moment at least.
“You’re afraid,” the woman behind her observed in that melodious voice, to which Nythadri scowled. She could feel the waft of amusement as she belligerently lifted herself into the saddle unaided. The mare sidestepped a little, until Eleanore, laughing low, steadied her head. The traitorous creature nuzzled into her, chuffing pleasantly.
“It’s a monster, that’s why,” Nythadri said, offering her hand. Not yet quite sure how she was going to bear the weight without sliding right off; or, worse, spooking the damn horse. Light. But it seemed Eleanore didn’t need the help, and Dove bore them both without complaint. She stepped nimbly after the other horses, keen not to be left behind.
“Regular blight-spawn,” Eleanore agreed mildly.
Their pace was slow through the whispering grasses. Nythadri guessed they were south of the city now that she had time to squint at the scenery without the threat of bloodshed, but she had little indication of which direction they travelled. Thunder rumbled overhead. The rain still only spat haltingly but thick cloud suffocated the sun, or maybe it had already set unseen. It seemed dark enough now.
She used the time to catalogue the day’s events, relieved the horse seemed to know its own way without any prompting from her. Talin’s gate had been hasty, barely given time to grow wide enough to admit them before she’d thrust them through; not the sort of smooth exit she imagined the Yellow would have planned for. The neat arrangement of horses and the Warder awaiting their arrival belied that. Eleanore’s presence could not have been the catalyst for that rush, either. But the bell had tolled, one Nythadri had presumed to be for the novices. And then Talin had panicked.
“You owe me a new pipe. I think I left it on the bench,” Eleanore said from behind.
“Very well,” Nythadri murmured, only half listening, and perturbed for the disturbance to her thoughts. It felt like wading through mud as it was.
“And I would prefer you call me Elly. Only my mother ever called me Eleanore, and she’s long since in her grave.”
A vicious remark about being called a baby Aes Sedai sharpened itself on her tongue, but she resolved to hold it. The Warder shifted behind her, chest rumbling a brief grunt, so perhaps she caught some essence of the sentiment anyway. Light, that would take some getting used to. A sigh deflated her lungs, not for the chafe of the bond, but for the realisation that she owed this. Duty did not always sit easily on the mantle of Nythadri’s shoulders; she would shirk what tradition did not suit her, and easily, but the woman was tied to her now. And not entirely to her will, whatever she might claim in an effort to soften the dig of the snare.
“We can’t go back,” she said softly. “You understand that, Elly. Whatever Talin did, and whatever she has pulled us into, we are implicated now. Until we know what it is, it’s safer to assume we might be considered enemies of the Tower.”
“You trust her?”
“I did.”
A low laugh. It seemed this one had an odd humour, but it was not unpleasant. Nythadri felt her own lips twist a wry smirk. Cruel circumstance or otherwise, she realised then it might very easily have been worse. Something steadfast radiated from that knot of feeling. A ruse of bravado, most like; else something more familiarly reckless. It was a comfort, anyhow.
No one would have noticed an absence yet; there was still time to smooth this problem away. Maylis had said Elly planned to return home, so perhaps none would remark upon her sudden leavetaking, or blame Razmira’s snub for the cause. How long Nythadri’s disappearance could remain undetected was another matter. Kabryn had invited her to visit his Aes Sedai that evening, but Maylis might think nothing of it if she did not show. Unusual maybe, but not suspicious in itself. By morning that might change. An enemy of the Tower? Ice bled in her stomach for that worst case fear. Elly’s palm rested briefly on her shoulder, and belatedly she realised the emotion must be swarming their bond. She let her breath loose, watching the dark shapes of Talin and Kaori ahead. We will fix this.