Strolling down the hallway, Raeyn mused on her most recent meeting with her counterpart in the Red Ajah, Zarinen. Of course, the woman had no idea that Raeyn knew her position as the Highest, but what she didn’t know benefited both of Raeyn’s Ajahs in their business.
Still, it was prudent that a Sister Raeyn had an established history with was running the Reds… even if that woman was somewhat madder than she had been in the past. Regardless of that fact, it had been a fine conversation, and the Brown Sister felt that both parties were happy with the end result. So it was with good spirits that Raeyn made her way sedately down the corridors of the Tower. She was enjoying herself, and very happy to actually have any time to be leisurely!
She was crossing the Tower’s main antechamber when something drew her up short. Stopping quickly, she allowed her attention to be diverted by a Warder carrying a smaller person deeper into the Tower. A gasp almost escaped her lips – that was Matalina, her former Warder!
“No, no.. it’s Cari now, not Matalina,” she thought to herself as she waited a moment before following. She continued to walk at a sedate pace, and allowed herself to assume a mask of deep thought in order to prevent others from stopping her to speak. While she GREATLY disliked that stereotype against her Ajah and its Sisters, she had to admit to herself that it was a useful tool on occasion.
It wasn’t too long before she realized where the Warder, “Kyn or something, I think; one of the Green’s Warders, was carrying the prostrate form. Nodding to herself, she drifted into an adjacent corridor and picked up her pace.
Normally, she avoided the Yellow Ajah like the plague, but she had a great need to go into their nest this day. In her head, Raeyn shot a small prayer of thanks to the Great Lord that she had been around the Yellow quarters a fair amount lately to talk with her fellow Black, Eqwina, about matters in the Hall of the Tower. And because of that, no one looked twice when she knocked on Eqwina’s door and dashed in as soon as the First Weaver opened the door.
“Eqwina,” she started, pausing for a second to open herself to Saidar and weave a ward against eavesdropping, “We appear to have a problem.” Striding towards an available chair, Raeyn plopped down. She had heard the stories about all the murders in and around the Warders Yard recently, and seeing her friend being carried into the Tower had told her almost immediately who was the responsible party.
Taking a deep breath, Raeyn explained everything she could about the ongoing matters. Her former Warder’s insanity, the multiple personalities, the trail of murders around the Yards. “You’ll probably be getting called down to the Infirmary soon to check on her, I would think,” Raeyn said in conclusion, “And we can expect there to be a trial of sorts. I think that we might have to use our pull to be a part of that trial, and see if we can get her freed.”
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20 October 2008
Raeyn nodded and rose from her seat, “You can always claim to know that I have an interest in murders and murderers or something; I’m sure you can think something up to make it seem most reasonable to get me down to investigate your charge.”
Heading for the door, she turned back to the Yellow Sister, “At least, I can only guess you’ll be heading down to the infirmary soon?” A curt nod in reply, which Raeyn returned a touch more politely, “Excellent. I think that, perhaps, we should meet again to discuss where to go from here. If you would like, perhaps we can meet in one of the more isolated gardens for a chat later? I’ll leave that up to you; you know how to get a note to me if you need to.” She was, of course, referring to the secret hiding places the Black Sisters used around the Tower to drop notes to each other; she had no doubts that Eqwina would make use of such for this, which was technically work of their true Ajah.
Dropping the ward, Raeyn dipped herself in a curtsy before departing; she might not like this woman that much, but she was the one the Chosen had placed over her. And in matters of the Heart, the proper courtesies must be observed.
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06 November 2008
After leaving Eqwina’s chambers, Raeyn wasn’t that sure what to do with herself. “If I go down to the Library, I’ll end up getting cornered by someone or another for hours. If I go back to my chambers, I’ll probably end up getting distracted by some bit of Ajah work or another,” she mused with a frown as she strode down the corridor, ”And I don’t even know how long Eqwina will be with Matalina, erm.. Cari. It could be minutes, it could be hours, and I don’t want to keep her waiting.”
Down another spiraling ramp, down another hallway, and suddenly her nose decided her, ”Oh yes, almost lunchtime. I can stop for a bite, and then check the normal spot. If the message isn’t there by then, I can go gamble on not getting cornered in the Library!” Pleased with her decision, she assumed a thoughtful mask and found herself a corner table to enjoy her repast in.
With her appetite sated, Raeyn made her way up and across towards her rarely-used chambers in the Tower proper. The corridor was clear before her, and a quick glance back showed it clear behind. Smiling, she approached the tapestry of Queen Esmerelde of Shiota reading a treatise on the War of Power as written by scholars in the courts of Coremanda. Checking the hallway again quickly, she reached behind it, and found a note waiting. “Good,” she thought to herself, turning the corner to enter the Tower-bound Brown quarters properly, ”At least I didn’t have to wait that long after all.”
She smiled, and entered her sparsely-used Tower chambers. Once inside, she quickly opened the note and scanned the contents. Nodding to herself, she crossed to the fireplace and opened herself up to Saidar. Channeling a fine flow of Fire, she quickly set the note alight before laying it inside the fireplace, where it quickly burnt to nothing. Nodding again, she began the trek to where Eqwina indicated they should meet.
Raeyn found Eqwina sitting alongside a fountain in one of the more secluded Tower gardens. Curtsying slightly, Raeyn eyed the notepad questioningly as she made herself comfortable alongside her fellow Black Sister. “I take it your findings were much as I said, then?”
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11 November 2008 (6:07pm GMT)
”Patronizing child!” Raeyn thought furiously as Eqwina reached over and patted her on the head, “As if I were some pet of hers! But then, we cannot pick our Sisters…”
Taking a slow, calming breath, she kept her face smooth and fixed in a mildly curious expression. Long years as a Sister gave her better facial control than almost anyone else in the Tower, and she used it to her advantage as often as possible. Why, she sometimes felt as if the emotion she portrayed, most times, were exactly what she wanted whomever she was speaking with to read. Not that anyone in the Tower was quite that adept, no matter what they thought of themselves, but it never hurt to have a little confidence in oneself.
As for Eqwina, it was well ‘known’ in the Tower that they were friends. Of course, this was the furthest thing from the truth; they both mutually disliked each other, and were quite content with that on a personal level; there was too much bad blood between the Ajahs they headed openly for it to be otherwise. Still, the pretension to friendship had served them well in the past, and seemed that it would serve well in the near future too…
Tapping her chin briefly as in thought, Raeyn replied slowly, “Yes… I have read a fair number of texts pertaining to the subject at hand. I think, however, it would be best if I pretend ignorance of the ongoing… troubles… until such time that you are approached by whomever the Yard has appointed to organize the trial. I think it obvious that they will come to you for evidence, as the Yellow currently presiding over M… the prisoner.” Nodding to herself in satisfaction, she rose, “At that time, you could, perhaps, ‘recall’ a conversation you have had with me in the past,” she paused to smile, “And recommend me as a resource for defense of the aforementioned. That is, if that suits you?”