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They rode into Tar Valon by the Ostrein Bridge, the guardsmen waving them through as soon as they saw the Great Serpent ring on Moraine's finger. Though the city had seemed like a prison during her years of training, the sight of it now clenched at her heart. She knew that Siuan's note was true, and the White Tower was home for her, more so than the Sun Palace had ever been.
She glanced at her companion. The beauty of Tar Valon was enough to move kings to tears when they first saw it, but predictably, Lan showed no expression on his face. He had confessed to her that the Amyrlin Seat had summoned him once, the Lord of the Seven Towers and Diademed Battle Lord of the Malkieri, when he had come of age. But he had ignored the summons, choosing instead to ride into the Blight with a company of Shienarans to repel the latest Trolloc raid. Sometimes, Moiraine wondered whether Siuan was right. Only fools ignored a summons from the Amyrlin Seat.
At the thought of her friend, Moiraine unconsciously urged her horse into a trot, Arrow dancing a few steps ahead of Lan's stallion. Though Lan had proven himself to be steadfast companion, and her partner in her battle against the Shadow, she missed Siuan more than she could say. She wanted her wit and her sharp mind, needed to bask in her courage and confidence. She knew now that Siuan felt the same fear that sometimes overwhelmed her, but their relationship was such that they lent strength to the other, urging each other through a mission that sometimes seemed futile. And it had been a fruitless few years, searching for women and children on her list using the barest hint of information, which even if she was successful in finding them, had all come to naught so far.
Lan pulled level then, glancing over at her, the question obvious in his actions. Moiraine had a sudden thought about the jumble of emotions that he must have been feeling through the bond, and she smiled ruefully, shaking her head. But she wasn't forced to explain as they entered the White Tower grounds then, where grooms and servants rushed out to meet them. To Moiraine's surprise, the Tower's Master of Arms was standing with the attendants. "Master Coulin...?"
Coulin bowed to her, his deference exactly correct. "Moiraine Sedai. Honour to serve." But his eyes were fixed on Lan, and when he spoke again, there was a tone of satisfaction in his voice. "Al'Lan Mandragoran. Dai Shan. I heard you had joined us."
But Lan shook his head as he swung down from his horse. "Malkier is dead," he said harshly. "My name is Lan Mandragoran. I am a Warder, sworn to the Flame of Tar Valon."
Coulin nodded, but if anything, the satisfaction in his voice grew. "Moiraine Sedai, I will take Lan Gaidin to our quarters, if it pleases you."
"Of course. Lan, my apartments are in the Blue Ajah quarters, if you have need of me." He nodded to her, and Moiraine watched as he left with Coulin. A serving woman was standing by patiently, with two younger girls who were carrying Moiraine's bags. Once the upper servant saw that she was ready, she curtsied to her, more deeply than Coulin had done. "Moiraine Sedai... if you will follow me?"
All the Tower's servants were excellently trained, and the woman moved assuredly to Moiraine's apartments in the Blue Ajah quarters. But once they reached their destination, Moiraine paused outside Siuan's door as the servants moved into her rooms to unpack her bags and pour water for her to wash. She half-lifted her hand to knock, but stopped again. Surely Siuan would be in Cetalia's apartments, working with the head of the Blue Ajah's eyes-and-ears. And she should definitely wash first, and change out of her travel-stained garments. But she lingered for a few moments more, almost aching with the need to see her friend.
The door to Siuan's room was suddenly flung open. Blue eyes widened at the sight of Moiraine. "I... I thought I heard someone in your rooms..." Siuan's voice sounded strangled and cut off.
"I just got back."
The servants in Moiraine's room finished at that moment, the younger girls brushing past her while the upper servant pulled her door shut. She curtsied to Moiraine once again, before herding the other servants away. But she could feel all of them goggling at her and Siuan, and she groaned inwardly, knowing that they would be gossiped about in the servants' quarters that night.
Siuan must have realised it as well, for she pulled her into her rooms, shutting the door firmly behind her. Moiraine felt a brief tingle and saw a momentary flash of blue light as Siuan channeled a ward around her room, before wrapping her in a tight hug. "Light... I've missed you, Moiraine."
Moiraine relaxed for a moment, taking comfort from the strong arms around her. But it was only for a moment, before she pulled back to study the other woman intently. "I got your note at The Scroll and Quill, not four days past. What's wrong?"
Siuan sighed then, tangling her fingers in hers as she led her into the sitting room. Moiraine sat down on one of the chairs beside the fire, while Siuan settled in front of her, still holding her hand. She seemed reluctant to break their physical contact. "It's Cetalia. She's dead."
Dark eyes widened. Moiraine had only met Cetalia Delarme once, but the woman had seemed like an inexorable force, rolling over even Siuan like she had been of no consequence. "Light Siuan, how? The Black Ajah?"
"It smells like the Whitecloaks. But rotting minnows and silverpike all smell the same in the sun. Cetalia got a message and went to meet with one of her agents in Shol Arbela. She must have thought he was trustworthy, but he slipped a knife between her ribs when he got the chance. The mob tore her assassin apart once they realised he killed an Aes Sedai, and they found a bag of coins from Amadicia on him. But Moiraine, you know how rare it was for her to leave the Tower; she wouldn't even leave her rooms for our welcome when we were raised Aes Sedai! Someone had to know she was the head of the Blue Ajah eyes-and-ears to lay that trap for her. And the only ones who know are Aes Sedai."
"And of the Blue Ajah." Moiraine finished, the sadness clear in her voice. Merean Redhill had been a Black sister, so she knew there were Darkfriends amongst the Blue. But she herself couldn't imagine betraying the blue-fringed shawl. They were committed to causes and justice, to saving the world. The Dark One only wanted to destroy it. Moiraine knew she was biased, but it felt like a betrayal by a Blue sister was worst than a betrayal in any other Ajah. Then she shook her head, it was no time to be sentimental. "But why would they want to kill Cetalia, Siuan? Why show their hand now?"
But instead of answering right away, Siuan was looking at her with a small, fond smile. "I sometimes think that Cetalia chose the wrong person to be her assistant. I might be quick at puzzles but you've always been quicker than me to see what they mean politically."
Moiraine blushed, a compliment from Siuan had always meant more to her than a compliment from her teachers. "I've just had more experience in the Sun Palace."
"Perhaps." With a sigh, Siuan finally let go of her hand, as she stood up and moved closer to the fire. "Moiraine, I've been asking questions about Cetalia. And I found out that she and Tamra had been close, before Tamra was raised to the Amyrlin Seat. I know that the Amyrlin is meant to be of all Ajahs and none, but I think Tamra was using the Blue's eyes-and-ears to get information to and for her searchers. I mean, if we had the idea, of course the Amyrlin Seat would have had it before us!"
"But Tamra's dead. All her searchers have been killed. Cetalia couldn't use any of the information that she gathered."
"Some... some of Cetalia's private documents were passed on to me. She used a cipher, and damn that fangfish of a woman! Trying to understand it was like untangling a net which had been left in the Sea of Storms for a year. Even then, Cetalia was too secretive to put everything to paper." Though her voice was gruff, Moiraine could detect a glimmer in the other woman's eye, and she knew Siuan must have been mourning Cetalia's death. Her friend took a deep breath then, before collecting herself again. "But I think Tamra entrusted Cetalia with what information she could about the Dragon Reborn, in case she died before he was found. She knew Cetalia barely left the Tower, so it was safe to leave it in her hands. And Cetalia was meant to pass on that information when the time was right."
"And it might be now. Sierin's reign has been unpopular, and it's likely that the next Amyrlin will be raised from outside the Grey or the Red," Moiraine said musingly. Then Siuan's words suddenly dawned on her. "Siuan... what do you mean that Cetalia's private documents were passed on to you?"
Siuan smiled bitterly, picking up the poker and jabbing viciously at the burning logs in the fireplace, causing sparks to jump and dance. "I'm now head of the Blue Ajah's eyes-and-ears. So much for seeing the world."
Moiraine got to her feet and went to her friend. She wrapped her arms around her waist, pressing her cheek against the other woman's sturdy back. "It won't be forever, Siuan. We're both amongst the strongest in the Tower now, and no one can tell us what to do. You can get your own assistant and train her to replace you."
"No, Moiraine! Don't you see? We are the last people in the world, on the side of the Light, who know that the Dragon's been reborn. The fate of the world depends on us. Our search is more important that our petty desires." Siuan turned around then, still in the circle of her arms. "That is why I called you back. Everyone has forgotten that we know about the Dragon Reborn because we were Accepted when Gitara had her Foretelling. But if they see us still working together, they might begin to suspect. We can't be seen together anymore."
Moiraine had been expecting this, had been subconsciously preparing herself for it. But the suggestion voiced still hit her like a punch in the gut. And she could see her anguish reflected in the other woman's face. She wanted to scream and cry, to deny what Siuan was suggesting. But all she could do was steel herself, and nod. "This is what it means to be a Blue," she said softly. "Too busy saving the world to save ourselves."
"There's more." With a sigh, Siuan turned back to the fire. Her posture was slightly hunched, like she was embarrassed. And that was another shock for Siuan never seemed to feel embarrassment. "I'm going to get my name brought up in the discussions for the next Amyrlin."
"What?! Light Siuan, you've only been Aes Sedai for five years. The Amyrlin Seat is usually a Sitter who has been in the Hall for fifty years, and she would have been wearing the shawl for a hundred years before that!"
Siuan waved her hand impatiently. "I know I won't be elected. This time. But I want the Sitters to start thinking of me as a viable candidate. When the Dragon Reborn reveals himself, he will need a White Tower who will prepare the world for him, for Tarmon Gai'don. The next Amyrlin to be elected may reign for twenty years. We've got that time, the boy needs to be found and if saidar is anything to go by, saidin won't manifest in him until he is a young man. But I need to start working now so that the Hall will elect me when the time comes." She turned back to her friend, her blue eyes intent. "But even though we can't be seen together, we will continue to work together in secret, Moiraine. I will continue to pass information to you through our network."
Moiraine nodded. "And I will send you messages with news on my search."
Siuan reached out then, taking her hands again. She seemed to be marvelling at their contrast. When they first met in the novice quarters of the White Tower, it was Siuan who had rough hands, calloused from her years of working a fishing boat with her father in Tear. But now, five years of doing nothing more strenuous than lifting a pen had softened her fingers, paling her sun-darkened skin. Instead, it was the Cairhenin noblewoman who bore marks from her years on the road and in the saddle. Siuan lifted her head again, and looked at her. Her eyes seemed deep and sorrowful, as if she already saw a life not lived. "And maybe someday, when this is all over and there is still a world for us to enjoy..."
"Maybe." Moiraine smiled sadly. "The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills, Siuan."
Edited by Velvet, 31 May 2010 - 04:14 AM.
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I agree with Fang; I'm really liking Moiraine and Lan both so far. What a great start! I can't wait to read more. 
