”A woman’s work is never done,” Raeyn mused to herself. She sad in one of the Library’s backrooms, studying a stack of reports and chewing idly on the back of her pen. She had been drafting various letters concerning Ajah and personal matters, and was perversely glad to have the chance for even that!
Raeyn’s ‘pleasure’ at being able to handle her own affairs stemmed directly from the Brown Sister’s frustration with the Hall of the Tower. With the recent chain of disappearing or dying Amyrlins, it fell on the Hall to manage the affairs of the Tower and Tar Valon. ”It would help if the Hall would quit putting flighty young Sisters bent on foolhardy adventures up for the Amyrlin Seat… We need someone with sense as Amyrlin; perhaps a Red Sister.”
Sighing softly, Raeyn bent her head back over her work and continued to write.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Some time later, Raeyn carefully tucked her letters into a stiff folder. As she began to gather her things, the Brown Sister thought on her plans for the day, ”I shall run all of this back upstairs. I’ll seal everything and weave the normal traps, and then take them to my normal courier, Seth. Perhaps I’ll even have a nice meal in town before I come back!” Smiling, she smoothed down her dark brown velvet skirts one-handedly, and exited the small room.
Raeyn’s smile widened slightly when she saw one of the Sisters on duty. Sada was one of the newer Brown Sitters in the Hall, and was still very enthusiastic about it all, in spite of getting stuck on some of the most thankless tasks. Waving, Raeyn walked up to the counter, put down her burdens, and turned to the delicate Taraboner woman.
Before Raeyn could say anything, the other Sister on duty butted in. “Raeyn,” she started, gesturing across the room, “There is a Blue Sister… Rossa, I think she said her name was… looking for the texts on Keepings. I sent her to where they should be here in the Library, but I just remembered when I saw you – don’t you have them at current?”
She bit back an oath and replied, “Yes Maia, I do. I’ve been doing some research on the matter, and it’s still ongoing… and I had things that I needed to do today, at that.”
At this point, Raeyn noticed the aforementioned Blue Sister approaching. Suppressing a resigned sigh, she waited as the other woman walked up to the counter.
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07 June 2008
“I am looking for texts on Keeping Weaves and was informed you could help me. Would you know of such pieces?”
Blast, blasted, and blood and bloody buttered onions.
Eying the Librarians and her folder, Raeyn stifled a sigh and turned her attention on the Blue Sister, “Hello… Rossa, isn’t it?” The other woman nodded, and Raeyn continued, “I actually happen to have them up in my chambers, as I was doing some research on the matter myself… not that she bloody needs to know about it! I’m loathe to let them out of my possession right now, as this is very important work…”
The Sister, barely a girl, really, appeared the soul of serenity to non-initiates of the Tower, but Raeyn had been an Aes Sedai long before this child had been born, if not her mother’s mother! The Blue’s eyes tightened slightly; her hands curled very slightly before relaxing back onto the counter. Yes, the child was had a muley streak, but then, didn’t most Blues?
“I understand you must be busy, Raeyn,” the child started, her eyes narrowing slightly, “But if at all possible, I have a great need in this.”
“Great,” Raeyn thought as she ostentatiously reached for her folder, “Bloody Blues when you don’t need them are always pests with their need, need, need and causes… I might as well let her have access to the material in the vague hope of getting anything done today!
“If your.. need.. is so great, Sister, then you may accompany me back to my chambers to peruse the materials avaiable,” Raeyn spoke, keeping her voice pleasant and kindly, “Follow me, please.”
Not checking to see if the Blue Sister was following, Raeyn glided towards the back exit to the Library. room, Raeyn lowered herself into one of her few comfortable work chairs, “Pull up a stool Rossa, and let us see what we can figure out for your.. research, I would surmise?”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The back way quickly lead the two Aes Sedai up to the Brown quarters above the Library, and Raeyn’s chambers within. Opening the door, Raeyn smiled and motioned the younger Sister into the room before shutting the door behind them. She tossed the folder on the nearest table and headed over to the corner where the books on Keepings and other weaves were laid out. Gesturing to one of the many stools in the room, Raeyn lowered herself into one of her few comfortable work chairs, “Pull up a stool Rossa, and let us see what we can figure out for your.. research, I would surmise?”
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27 July 2008
Raeyn quirked an eyebrow at the other Sister. Rossa had appeared to go into a sitting coma; the Blue Sister’s hands kept drifting to her belt pouch for no discernible reason. Shrugging to herself, the Saldaean woman patted her hair briefly while eying the pile of documents scattered across her desk.
Several untidy stacks spread across the large wrap-around desk. Everything was loosely heaped by subject of interest; papers and folders stuck out untidily from the heaps. The only other organization past that was that some of the folders were colored for various subjects… not that the Brown Sister could remember half the time what she had put in what color!
Thankfully for the other Sister, Raeyn did remember that the green folders were for her research on weaves, and that the folders to the top of the stack would more than likely be about Keepings. ”That is, unless I was researching something else since then… bloody, I’m getting as muddle-minded as a fluff-brained Novice from Far Madding.” Still, she stood and grabbed the top half of that wavering stack and took it back to her chair. A quick scan confirmed that what she had before her was indeed what she wanted.
Turning to the other Sister, Raeyn could help but widen her eyes at the still catatonic-seeming Blue. Rossa must have felt the older Sister’s eyes upon her, for she shook herself and finally answered the question Raeyn had posed minutes ago, “Yes, it is for my research. I am wondering whether we can work weave-based locks into barrels. A trigger system to enable food to be kept, sealed, for as long as the weave lasts – be it the duration of a harsh winter for a few years.”
Raeyn gestured to the pile of books she had pulled over, carefully taking her own personal notes and putting them to the side. She herself had been researching such weaves on orders from the darker side of the Tower.. but this child obviously didn’t need to know that. Rossa looked over at the Brown Sister, ”Do you think it would be possible? Do you think we could help people live longer, doing what I have in mind?”
Furrowing her brows thoughtfully, Raeyn stood and walked across the room to the fireplace. Servants had laid wood for a fire since she’d left her chambers, and she took advantage. A quick weave of Fire took the kindling, and shortly a merry blaze was burning. Her eyes flicked across the miniatures on the mantle; the images of her long-dead parents and siblings lined up neatly between various artifacts. Her hand twitched towards the one of her father before she remembered herself; it wouldn’t do for anyone to know of the pain she still felt at his loss more than two hundred years on.
Shaking herself minutely, Raeyn turned back to the other Sister. “Possible?” the Brown let a small smile twitch across her lips, “All things are possible, if the woman weaving is willing enough.”
Crossing back to the table, Raeyn leaned over and picked up one of her folders. Flicking through it, she pulled out a page covered in notes. She laid it in front of the Blue and tapped it, “Here is some theory on the matter I had been working on; a matter of Spirit, you see.” Embracing Saidar again, she demonstrated the weave she had been tinkering with. “I don’t know if this will work as of yet; my research and study on it is still in progress. As for the weave lasting, that would obviously be a matter of the Sister weaving it being able to tie off her weaves; by all accounts, it should last forever if it’s tied in place.”