08-16-2021, 11:18 PM
Sibling kings to Aes Sedai Sitters may be able to come and go from the White Tower as they pleased, but their tower brothers were another story. That left few options for him to travel quickly to Tar Valon. Jai rode into the city on horseback. After walking a good two miles to the outer riverbank villages, and found himself turned away in the front hall of the Tower. The last time he smashed down the gates, it was also after dark, and it was seeking the same woman, but he knew better than to test his luck running the same gag twice. And unlike before, he had no idea where in the whole sky-scraping monolith to find Nythadri Sedai.
He frowned at the guardsmen that blocked his path. Without novices of accepted on duty in the front hall, only the brawn were awake. Impatient, Jai turned hesitantly to go, only to catch a familiar face out the corner of his eye.
“Sorry bout that last time, soldier. Nothing personal, you see.” He smirked just as the guardsman realized who he was. “Glad to see you weren’t sacked though. It wasn’t your fault at all. Not like you could have stopped me anyway,” he mocked a fake bow and departed just as others halted the shamed guard from following.
Jai found the nearest inn that was decidedly not one that belonged to Jaslene Foxsus. No point reopening every wound he had, but as his head hit the pillow for a few hours before sunrise, his mind was abuzz with questions.
Light! Nythadri Sedai. What Ajah was she?! Ajah?! She was Ajah’ed, then. How could she not say so? Did she have a warder? Oh light. Maybe she didn’t want a warder? Even some of the Reds had channeling gaidin these days. White? Maybe it was worse. Maybe she did want a warder, but one that was definitely not Jai. Granted, he was already bonded by someone else. Probably wouldn’t be too much of a problem to be doubly shackled. Probably wouldn’t split his fragile mind into any more pieces. Surely she couldn’t keep going on about that mixed up responsibility of celibacy and her life not being her own. Greens took lovers. Surely they had a solution to the issue of unwanted responsibility? It shouldn’t worry her now, would it? Not that Jai doubted he could even sire children. He’d have heard about such a thing happening by now? Surely. Somebody. Somewhere would have written. Then again, how does one track down an Asha’man: ‘Dear blonde haired tall channeler. Care of Black Tower?’ Bloody impossible.
The first tingles of sunlight woke him. He’d not even taken off his jacket upon crashing in bed. Only his boots and only because he’d stepped in horse shit somewhere in the city and was too tired to clean them the night before. A few slaps of Saidin was all it took to make them gleam, and he left an extra tip on the counter for the hassle of the mess, and hurried to make his triumphant – ahem – return.
The morning crew let him pass the gate this time, but a far worse adversary faced him in the front hall. An Accepted. He didn’t know her name, but all the charm in the world didn’t seem to phase her. Bloody Accepted miniature Aes Sedai.
“Nythadri Sedai. I just want to talk to her. That’s all,” he repeated like it may get a different answer this time.
“She can’t see you now,” the Accepted responded. After his first request, she’d left the hall for a few minutes, and ever since her return, that was the only response.
“Why?” he asked, growing short.
“I can’t say.” She responded.
“Can’t say because they won’t let you tell me or can’t say because you don’t know?”
“I can’t say,” she said again.
Jai swiped his hand through his hair, frustrated and seriously considering storming the tower a second time.
After a minute, he got an idea. He almost hated to say it, but it was better than leaving empty handed. “Fate Sedai,” he said.
“She can’t see you,” the Accepted responded again.
“Blood and bloody ashes, who can see me?” his voice rolled off the walls. The chatter paused momentarily with his outburst.
That was when an unexpected voice responded: “I can.”
He blinked upon realizing who it was.
He frowned at the guardsmen that blocked his path. Without novices of accepted on duty in the front hall, only the brawn were awake. Impatient, Jai turned hesitantly to go, only to catch a familiar face out the corner of his eye.
“Sorry bout that last time, soldier. Nothing personal, you see.” He smirked just as the guardsman realized who he was. “Glad to see you weren’t sacked though. It wasn’t your fault at all. Not like you could have stopped me anyway,” he mocked a fake bow and departed just as others halted the shamed guard from following.
Jai found the nearest inn that was decidedly not one that belonged to Jaslene Foxsus. No point reopening every wound he had, but as his head hit the pillow for a few hours before sunrise, his mind was abuzz with questions.
Light! Nythadri Sedai. What Ajah was she?! Ajah?! She was Ajah’ed, then. How could she not say so? Did she have a warder? Oh light. Maybe she didn’t want a warder? Even some of the Reds had channeling gaidin these days. White? Maybe it was worse. Maybe she did want a warder, but one that was definitely not Jai. Granted, he was already bonded by someone else. Probably wouldn’t be too much of a problem to be doubly shackled. Probably wouldn’t split his fragile mind into any more pieces. Surely she couldn’t keep going on about that mixed up responsibility of celibacy and her life not being her own. Greens took lovers. Surely they had a solution to the issue of unwanted responsibility? It shouldn’t worry her now, would it? Not that Jai doubted he could even sire children. He’d have heard about such a thing happening by now? Surely. Somebody. Somewhere would have written. Then again, how does one track down an Asha’man: ‘Dear blonde haired tall channeler. Care of Black Tower?’ Bloody impossible.
The first tingles of sunlight woke him. He’d not even taken off his jacket upon crashing in bed. Only his boots and only because he’d stepped in horse shit somewhere in the city and was too tired to clean them the night before. A few slaps of Saidin was all it took to make them gleam, and he left an extra tip on the counter for the hassle of the mess, and hurried to make his triumphant – ahem – return.
The morning crew let him pass the gate this time, but a far worse adversary faced him in the front hall. An Accepted. He didn’t know her name, but all the charm in the world didn’t seem to phase her. Bloody Accepted miniature Aes Sedai.
“Nythadri Sedai. I just want to talk to her. That’s all,” he repeated like it may get a different answer this time.
“She can’t see you now,” the Accepted responded. After his first request, she’d left the hall for a few minutes, and ever since her return, that was the only response.
“Why?” he asked, growing short.
“I can’t say.” She responded.
“Can’t say because they won’t let you tell me or can’t say because you don’t know?”
“I can’t say,” she said again.
Jai swiped his hand through his hair, frustrated and seriously considering storming the tower a second time.
After a minute, he got an idea. He almost hated to say it, but it was better than leaving empty handed. “Fate Sedai,” he said.
“She can’t see you,” the Accepted responded again.
“Blood and bloody ashes, who can see me?” his voice rolled off the walls. The chatter paused momentarily with his outburst.
That was when an unexpected voice responded: “I can.”
He blinked upon realizing who it was.
Only darkness shows you the light.