09-06-2016, 07:44 PM
Fate's sultry laughter was the embodiment of saidar itself. Or so Jai imagined it would be. All the more typical was his in return: a grin ever slightly more sophisticated than his ordinary smirk. As much sarcasm as he threw her way, some was returned. It was a nice game to play and a far cry from the inexplicable honesty Fate walked up on. And interrupted.
Thankfully, as Fate hoped, taste had returned. Slowly, yes. But over the course of the previous evening the flavor of lamb transitioned from tender and bland to succulent and roasted. The wine from smooth and dull to creamy and rich. Jaslene's cobbler held up to its promise, blending gooey warmth between flakey pastry served at the end of the meal. The table-company was as welcome a distraction as the home-cooking. If not more so. The clapping of shoulders of long-separated friends not at all thinking too highly of themselves to share a tight hug reunited a trio of lads that grew up together. Each now set in their life's purpose and providing successfully for a family. At least, for two out of the three.
Mikel having come from shift in the Tower, ate the meal in the remnants of the Guard uniform. And he did have a sword. Jai couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the former scrap of a boyhood friend walk in like he knew how to use it. Though Jai looked elsewhere when Mike was welcomed home by his wife. Jon, whose books were now rearranged thanks to Jai’s scrupulous eye, was going to find himself in much better straights as a business owner. It was his voice bellowing above his sister's who explained the interesting ingredients punctuating every dish as they came from the kitchen. Children bearing a variety of surnames roamed in and out of the presence of various levels of supervision. Adults lingering at the table, leaning on elbows and swapping stories, pitched jokes that became all the more tender-hearted and hilarious as empty bottles of wine accumulated among the group. Their sizeable party went through a case of rather expensive wine procured from a dusty rack and unlikely to be missed from the Kojima's collection. Jai would have given up ten times the cost of that case if it meant buying a few hours to feel normal again.
And like everything else, the respite had an end. One of his brothers finally posing the question everyone wanted to ask but none drudged up the courage to utter until a mountain of pulled corks displaced the table's centerpiece. Evidence of lowered inhibitions. So Jai? Are you going crazy?” Like puncturing a water skein. The night quickly deflated. And as these things tend to do, once the dam was broken, a flood of brave questions followed too fast and from too many directions for him to really answer any of them. No, he wasn't going crazy. At least, he didn't think so.
'Where in the Light have you been?' Everywhere.
'What does an Asha'man actually do, anyway?' Whatever he's ordered to do.
'What is it like to channel?' Can't describe it. 'Will you try?' No.
'Do you know the Dragon Reborn?' Seen him, never talked to him. Don't want to talk to him.
But Jaslene's tender voice was the final stab in the throat.
'Have you ever killed someone?'
When he didn't answer either way, Jai knew everyone knew. It was all honorable and noble to kill Darkspawn, human and inhuman alike. But to kill another person because they are your political enemy and not at all allied to the Dark One was a concept unknown to borderlanders and these good people of the neutral Tar Valon: his friends and family. The Foxes, the Basinthes, the Kojimas. Friends knit as tightly as any family and half intermarried already. When he left that night, he knew they all saw him differently. Like he walked in some shadow as constant as the uniform he wouldn't relinquish. He could see it in their eyes when he buckled that beautiful sword back to his waist. Upon final leavetakings, he felt their focus sink to the Black Tower's gifts at the collar like some inescapable scarlet branding.
And alone in city-cast, dim light of their front door, Jaslene's hug felt nearly like it had the day he left her; the day he should have asked for her hand. There was a final hint of resistance when they pressed on one another. Jai hoped it was due to a married conscious and not disgust. Either way, the embrace felt like a final goodbye and it had taken every scrap remaining from an already eroded judgement to not do something stupid. Like stroke her cheek and kiss her affectionately. If he had, and she returned it, to part again would likely sting more than if she slapped instead. It may wane at times, but Jai had some control.
Now, following that warm and fuzzy, happy memory, he found himself slapping stones with someone who could handle the game. An Aes Sedai of such high caliber he should be blushing and bowing not jabbing and smirking. Yet, for some reason, he preferred the latter.
"I won't deny it,"
expression of the Light's honest truth lit him, "There was weeping."
He nodded slowly, impressing upon the nearby Accepted the staggering extent of Fate's demonic manipulations.
"She blinded me too. You'd think a blindfold would have been easier?"
Stone flicked, he winked Fate's way without fear of retaliation. In fact, it would be welcomed.
But her news was met with a dose of reality. Responsibility and work, all that an Aes Sedai was required to accomplish. Well, Asha'man had the same restrictions. It turned a curious leaf. Without Fate as escort, he doubted her land-handlers would be pleased with random visitors waltzing in asking for a Razor.
Speaking of escorts, it seemed he was going to have the pleasure of Nythadri's company for some time longer. And it would be a pleasure. As such, he symbolically stepped out of the line of fire glaring between the two women. Fate's superiority demonstrated. Nythadri's? Glancing her way, there wasn't much to read. Then again, her slate wasn't a major departure from the last few minutes. That was, pretty blank. She'll fit in with the Sisters when she gets there. Which, according to Fate's treatment, was a while off if anything a man of the Black Tower could extrapolate.
Fate left and like most things in life, Jai found himself walking a path he never expected. This time, the company was decidedly nicer, and came with a few jabs of her own. He didn't mind. In fact, Nythadri was ironically animating.
"You think I'm going to turn that down?"
He was human. A living, breathing, heart-beating human after all. And it wasn't like he could court just anyone. That was just a bad idea, courting some down to earth girl. Not one Jai was eager to pursue one.
He was eager, however, to see what waited at these so-called traveling grounds and strolled with confident purpose toward it. Specifically toward whoever waited and where ever their gate would take him today. No anxiety accompanied them. He was in control of his own two feet, could go or not go. And was never defenseless. Alone yes, but not defenseless. He glanced at the woman beside him, confident coolness radiating from her as strong as if she were embracing the Source. They were by most judgement about as opposite as a pair could come. One, a figure of white and color, capped by the harshness of a beautiful winter, natural yes, but still brutal. The other, shadow and legendary drama draped his shoulders like a billowing cloak, flashing a friendly smile at those feminine faces lingering on his they passed on the way. Few stuck around long enough to find the desire for a second glance though. Nythadri and Jai were more alike than even they realized.
Setting fascination with her aside, and he was fascinated, he still walked alone. He made no effort to hide lingering looks of his own when Fate was around. It'd probably be a bad idea to level eyes on an Accepted for too long. Even if she was more intriguing. So he watched where they were going instead.
But if he had to bear her judgement over his selection in women, she should get to enjoy the fun.
"Wavering are we?"
Perhaps the ajahs were not appealing? It wasn't his business, but if she wanted to abandon this life, Tower strings might remain, but she had freedoms he didn't. Besides, Jai was not the golden teacher of noble dedications. If she asked his opinion, he'd tell her to leave if she so wanted and live it up out there.
But he didn't want an answer. Just to demonstrate a point. There were stronger curiosities.
"Didn't learn with Tumenn Darthane, did you?"
A well-known, Cairhienin-born bard with Nythadri's coloring; wavy dark hair, light eyes, pale skin; was taken out of circulation by a pair of Black Tower 'recruits' some time ago to be forever preserved by the slowing of channelers. Now he was one where the black turned staggering good looks and into a figure of sheer flawlessness. On top of that, the guy added some much needed life to many a quiet campfire with his stories set to music. At least, they did until he took a crossbow to the throat. Legion camps were never quite the same after his pyre cooled.
Any skilled player with callouses built up from memory after a noviate's delay might have learned from the hand of one used to High Chant and silver fingers. Like most, it was a long-shot, but coincidences seemed to be building up lately. Might as well see how far they go.
Thankfully, as Fate hoped, taste had returned. Slowly, yes. But over the course of the previous evening the flavor of lamb transitioned from tender and bland to succulent and roasted. The wine from smooth and dull to creamy and rich. Jaslene's cobbler held up to its promise, blending gooey warmth between flakey pastry served at the end of the meal. The table-company was as welcome a distraction as the home-cooking. If not more so. The clapping of shoulders of long-separated friends not at all thinking too highly of themselves to share a tight hug reunited a trio of lads that grew up together. Each now set in their life's purpose and providing successfully for a family. At least, for two out of the three.
Mikel having come from shift in the Tower, ate the meal in the remnants of the Guard uniform. And he did have a sword. Jai couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the former scrap of a boyhood friend walk in like he knew how to use it. Though Jai looked elsewhere when Mike was welcomed home by his wife. Jon, whose books were now rearranged thanks to Jai’s scrupulous eye, was going to find himself in much better straights as a business owner. It was his voice bellowing above his sister's who explained the interesting ingredients punctuating every dish as they came from the kitchen. Children bearing a variety of surnames roamed in and out of the presence of various levels of supervision. Adults lingering at the table, leaning on elbows and swapping stories, pitched jokes that became all the more tender-hearted and hilarious as empty bottles of wine accumulated among the group. Their sizeable party went through a case of rather expensive wine procured from a dusty rack and unlikely to be missed from the Kojima's collection. Jai would have given up ten times the cost of that case if it meant buying a few hours to feel normal again.
And like everything else, the respite had an end. One of his brothers finally posing the question everyone wanted to ask but none drudged up the courage to utter until a mountain of pulled corks displaced the table's centerpiece. Evidence of lowered inhibitions. So Jai? Are you going crazy?” Like puncturing a water skein. The night quickly deflated. And as these things tend to do, once the dam was broken, a flood of brave questions followed too fast and from too many directions for him to really answer any of them. No, he wasn't going crazy. At least, he didn't think so.
'Where in the Light have you been?' Everywhere.
'What does an Asha'man actually do, anyway?' Whatever he's ordered to do.
'What is it like to channel?' Can't describe it. 'Will you try?' No.
'Do you know the Dragon Reborn?' Seen him, never talked to him. Don't want to talk to him.
But Jaslene's tender voice was the final stab in the throat.
'Have you ever killed someone?'
When he didn't answer either way, Jai knew everyone knew. It was all honorable and noble to kill Darkspawn, human and inhuman alike. But to kill another person because they are your political enemy and not at all allied to the Dark One was a concept unknown to borderlanders and these good people of the neutral Tar Valon: his friends and family. The Foxes, the Basinthes, the Kojimas. Friends knit as tightly as any family and half intermarried already. When he left that night, he knew they all saw him differently. Like he walked in some shadow as constant as the uniform he wouldn't relinquish. He could see it in their eyes when he buckled that beautiful sword back to his waist. Upon final leavetakings, he felt their focus sink to the Black Tower's gifts at the collar like some inescapable scarlet branding.
And alone in city-cast, dim light of their front door, Jaslene's hug felt nearly like it had the day he left her; the day he should have asked for her hand. There was a final hint of resistance when they pressed on one another. Jai hoped it was due to a married conscious and not disgust. Either way, the embrace felt like a final goodbye and it had taken every scrap remaining from an already eroded judgement to not do something stupid. Like stroke her cheek and kiss her affectionately. If he had, and she returned it, to part again would likely sting more than if she slapped instead. It may wane at times, but Jai had some control.
Now, following that warm and fuzzy, happy memory, he found himself slapping stones with someone who could handle the game. An Aes Sedai of such high caliber he should be blushing and bowing not jabbing and smirking. Yet, for some reason, he preferred the latter.
"I won't deny it,"
expression of the Light's honest truth lit him, "There was weeping."
He nodded slowly, impressing upon the nearby Accepted the staggering extent of Fate's demonic manipulations.
"She blinded me too. You'd think a blindfold would have been easier?"
Stone flicked, he winked Fate's way without fear of retaliation. In fact, it would be welcomed.
But her news was met with a dose of reality. Responsibility and work, all that an Aes Sedai was required to accomplish. Well, Asha'man had the same restrictions. It turned a curious leaf. Without Fate as escort, he doubted her land-handlers would be pleased with random visitors waltzing in asking for a Razor.
Speaking of escorts, it seemed he was going to have the pleasure of Nythadri's company for some time longer. And it would be a pleasure. As such, he symbolically stepped out of the line of fire glaring between the two women. Fate's superiority demonstrated. Nythadri's? Glancing her way, there wasn't much to read. Then again, her slate wasn't a major departure from the last few minutes. That was, pretty blank. She'll fit in with the Sisters when she gets there. Which, according to Fate's treatment, was a while off if anything a man of the Black Tower could extrapolate.
Fate left and like most things in life, Jai found himself walking a path he never expected. This time, the company was decidedly nicer, and came with a few jabs of her own. He didn't mind. In fact, Nythadri was ironically animating.
"You think I'm going to turn that down?"
He was human. A living, breathing, heart-beating human after all. And it wasn't like he could court just anyone. That was just a bad idea, courting some down to earth girl. Not one Jai was eager to pursue one.
He was eager, however, to see what waited at these so-called traveling grounds and strolled with confident purpose toward it. Specifically toward whoever waited and where ever their gate would take him today. No anxiety accompanied them. He was in control of his own two feet, could go or not go. And was never defenseless. Alone yes, but not defenseless. He glanced at the woman beside him, confident coolness radiating from her as strong as if she were embracing the Source. They were by most judgement about as opposite as a pair could come. One, a figure of white and color, capped by the harshness of a beautiful winter, natural yes, but still brutal. The other, shadow and legendary drama draped his shoulders like a billowing cloak, flashing a friendly smile at those feminine faces lingering on his they passed on the way. Few stuck around long enough to find the desire for a second glance though. Nythadri and Jai were more alike than even they realized.
Setting fascination with her aside, and he was fascinated, he still walked alone. He made no effort to hide lingering looks of his own when Fate was around. It'd probably be a bad idea to level eyes on an Accepted for too long. Even if she was more intriguing. So he watched where they were going instead.
But if he had to bear her judgement over his selection in women, she should get to enjoy the fun.
"Wavering are we?"
Perhaps the ajahs were not appealing? It wasn't his business, but if she wanted to abandon this life, Tower strings might remain, but she had freedoms he didn't. Besides, Jai was not the golden teacher of noble dedications. If she asked his opinion, he'd tell her to leave if she so wanted and live it up out there.
But he didn't want an answer. Just to demonstrate a point. There were stronger curiosities.
"Didn't learn with Tumenn Darthane, did you?"
A well-known, Cairhienin-born bard with Nythadri's coloring; wavy dark hair, light eyes, pale skin; was taken out of circulation by a pair of Black Tower 'recruits' some time ago to be forever preserved by the slowing of channelers. Now he was one where the black turned staggering good looks and into a figure of sheer flawlessness. On top of that, the guy added some much needed life to many a quiet campfire with his stories set to music. At least, they did until he took a crossbow to the throat. Legion camps were never quite the same after his pyre cooled.
Any skilled player with callouses built up from memory after a noviate's delay might have learned from the hand of one used to High Chant and silver fingers. Like most, it was a long-shot, but coincidences seemed to be building up lately. Might as well see how far they go.
Only darkness shows you the light.