Stranger in a familiar land

[Helena]

Talin Sedai

"It seems you are accustomed to being the one in charge." She observed it thoughtfully and not with any real indication of offence. Even kings bowed to the weight of an Aes Sedai, and this man was on his deathbed and beholden to her generosity. Surely he must consider the balance of favour even if he was prideful. Although perhaps he simply assumed she would continue to care for him because she should. Realistically the Oaths only prevented Talin from causing harm with the power, of which she had no interest in anyway. They did not bind her to the act of saving a life though. Nature would be cruel here, but it was still nature. Another Sister would not have been able to aid him at all.

She considered these things quietly while he stared at her. But time was on Talin's side, and she only waited. She would answer his question, but only once he had given some indication that tractability was possible. If they could not find even that much between them then it left her with an interesting quandary. She had no moral objection to his death. However, she had a keen interest in the process of his healing. For that she was willing to bargain.

"I want to know there will be no recourse for my actions," she said. "I believe you have enemies who may not be pleased to discover you live, and perhaps once your health is restored you might prefer they continue to believe you dead. That would leave me in an unfortunate position.”

It was one of the reasons she had dismissed his identity. She could not betray what she did not know, after all. Afterwards she shared with him the date, and watched the significance sink into his expression.