09-11-2021, 03:29 AM
Letto found herself muttering in silence as she strode down the ante hall of Gilyard Manor, her Aes Sedai stubbornly fuzzing their bond for Light knew whatever reason. Now was not the time to play around with such things. Now was the time to be cautious and aware. What if someone grabbed Vivienne while her back was turned? Oh, the woman could take care of herself – but even Aes Sedai could be kidnapped. Light! The Dragon Reborn had been kidnapped by a group of Reds if the reports were to be believed! One surprise sack over the head and a Channeler was as good as crippled.
Something was off. Letto could feel it in the air. Oh, things smelled the same, but at the same time… What was it? The doors to the main hall swung open and two guards marched out, positioning themselves to the side. Letto felt her spine relax slightly, the swagger coming back into her step. The fewer oddities the better.
A liveried servant followed the soldiers and came out to meet Vivienne and Letto, the fellow giving them a respectable bow.
“Vivienne Sedai, Letto Gaidin, the High Seat Lord Lamorach Gilyard will see you now,” the servant spoke in clear tones, their pinched nose pointing up towards the ceiling.
“How very gracious,” Vivienne replied calmly as she came to stand next to Letto.
The servant bobbed another bow and lead them through the double doors. The room was vast, a gilded chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling that loomed overhead. Dark tiles peaked out from the large red carpet that covered the floor. Polished walls of hawthorn glistened as the last light of dusk streamed in through the large oval window that was set at the back of the room. Lord Lamorach Gilyard sat bleary-eyed upon his high seat and a hulking guard stood a pace or two behind.
Letto had never seen the guard before, but then again, she hadn’t seen many of the men that formed rank outside the manor. Her eyes fixed on the man as she and her Aes Sedai walked stately up to the High Seat. The man stared back, unblinking. Letto found gooseflesh rising across her limbs as she found herself unwilling to blink in turn. The closer she got to the man, the worse she felt. Whatever was causing her unease about the manor, this man surely had to be involved.
Vivienne coughed lightly and Letto broke eye contact with the man, jerking her head towards Vivienne, who was giving a curtsey and greeting for the High Seat of House Gilyard. Letto felt abashed and gave the Lord a respectable bow. She allowed her gaze to settle on him instead. The man truly had been deep in the drink. He barely even seem to notice that they had entered the room. Spittle dribbled from his sagging lips and his eyes slowly scanned the room before coming to settle on Vivienne. He brightened slightly, lips closing into a smile.
“Ah, Vivienne Sedai, so good to see you,” Lamorach said slowly with a slurred tongue.
“I thank you for welcoming us into your fine manor,” Vivienne replied truthfully.
“What can I do for you, Vivienne Sedai?” Lamorach spoke after a pause, his head then turning slightly towards the man behind him. Letto let her own gaze follow up towards the guard. He did not look at Lamorach, he stared at Vivienne. Letto’s hand itched for the sword at her hip.
“Much has happened in Camelyn and Andor since last we met. Surely a High Seat would have need of an Advisor in such times,” Vivienne said warmly, clearly doing her best not to look at the guard behind Lamorach.
“Right you are, Vivienne Sedai,” Lamorach replied simply, his eyes fixed on Vivienne – although he seemed to look through her.
“I am sure there are matters I could advise you on,” Vivienne went on immediately, trying to lead the man to invite them to stay, “Surely, there is much that weighs on you.”
“Ah, but you are right. It was so kind of Lady Marne to send me an Aes Sedai to advise me,” Lamorach replied, his head again drifting back to look at the guard.
That had most definitely not been reported to Vivienne by her eyes and ears. The Tower had quietly thrown some small support behind Marne, the Tower always did. The rebel Aes Sedai did not follow suit with Marne, but then, the Daughter Heir had sided with the rebels. So why should they have? Still, this wrecked any plans that had been laid. How could they take Lord Lamorach into custody with another Sister there to ensure support for Marne?
“Ah, if I may ask, Lord Gilyard? Which one of my sisters have taken up service in your household?”
The bond seemed to blossom awake inside Letto’s mind; Vivienne finally having undone whatever she had done. Fear and panic welled up to bursting in the back of Letto’s mind. Her head whipped to the side and found Vivienne’s arms crushed to her side, the skirts of her dress pressed tightly to her legs as if held by an unseen rope. Her mouth was pried open and spittle started to trickle down the side. Panic overwhelmed fear as Vivienne’s eyes bulged.
Letto’s sword was drawn in an instant. The guard is an Asha’man. I knew something was off. He’s shielded her! He’s-
A door at the back of the room banged open and a red-shawled woman stepped out, a rictus of a grin spread across her face. Letto was thrown off of her feet by a huge lash of wind. She felt her body soaring through the air before crashing into the wall behind her.
Something was off. Letto could feel it in the air. Oh, things smelled the same, but at the same time… What was it? The doors to the main hall swung open and two guards marched out, positioning themselves to the side. Letto felt her spine relax slightly, the swagger coming back into her step. The fewer oddities the better.
A liveried servant followed the soldiers and came out to meet Vivienne and Letto, the fellow giving them a respectable bow.
“Vivienne Sedai, Letto Gaidin, the High Seat Lord Lamorach Gilyard will see you now,” the servant spoke in clear tones, their pinched nose pointing up towards the ceiling.
“How very gracious,” Vivienne replied calmly as she came to stand next to Letto.
The servant bobbed another bow and lead them through the double doors. The room was vast, a gilded chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling that loomed overhead. Dark tiles peaked out from the large red carpet that covered the floor. Polished walls of hawthorn glistened as the last light of dusk streamed in through the large oval window that was set at the back of the room. Lord Lamorach Gilyard sat bleary-eyed upon his high seat and a hulking guard stood a pace or two behind.
Letto had never seen the guard before, but then again, she hadn’t seen many of the men that formed rank outside the manor. Her eyes fixed on the man as she and her Aes Sedai walked stately up to the High Seat. The man stared back, unblinking. Letto found gooseflesh rising across her limbs as she found herself unwilling to blink in turn. The closer she got to the man, the worse she felt. Whatever was causing her unease about the manor, this man surely had to be involved.
Vivienne coughed lightly and Letto broke eye contact with the man, jerking her head towards Vivienne, who was giving a curtsey and greeting for the High Seat of House Gilyard. Letto felt abashed and gave the Lord a respectable bow. She allowed her gaze to settle on him instead. The man truly had been deep in the drink. He barely even seem to notice that they had entered the room. Spittle dribbled from his sagging lips and his eyes slowly scanned the room before coming to settle on Vivienne. He brightened slightly, lips closing into a smile.
“Ah, Vivienne Sedai, so good to see you,” Lamorach said slowly with a slurred tongue.
“I thank you for welcoming us into your fine manor,” Vivienne replied truthfully.
“What can I do for you, Vivienne Sedai?” Lamorach spoke after a pause, his head then turning slightly towards the man behind him. Letto let her own gaze follow up towards the guard. He did not look at Lamorach, he stared at Vivienne. Letto’s hand itched for the sword at her hip.
“Much has happened in Camelyn and Andor since last we met. Surely a High Seat would have need of an Advisor in such times,” Vivienne said warmly, clearly doing her best not to look at the guard behind Lamorach.
“Right you are, Vivienne Sedai,” Lamorach replied simply, his eyes fixed on Vivienne – although he seemed to look through her.
“I am sure there are matters I could advise you on,” Vivienne went on immediately, trying to lead the man to invite them to stay, “Surely, there is much that weighs on you.”
“Ah, but you are right. It was so kind of Lady Marne to send me an Aes Sedai to advise me,” Lamorach replied, his head again drifting back to look at the guard.
That had most definitely not been reported to Vivienne by her eyes and ears. The Tower had quietly thrown some small support behind Marne, the Tower always did. The rebel Aes Sedai did not follow suit with Marne, but then, the Daughter Heir had sided with the rebels. So why should they have? Still, this wrecked any plans that had been laid. How could they take Lord Lamorach into custody with another Sister there to ensure support for Marne?
“Ah, if I may ask, Lord Gilyard? Which one of my sisters have taken up service in your household?”
The bond seemed to blossom awake inside Letto’s mind; Vivienne finally having undone whatever she had done. Fear and panic welled up to bursting in the back of Letto’s mind. Her head whipped to the side and found Vivienne’s arms crushed to her side, the skirts of her dress pressed tightly to her legs as if held by an unseen rope. Her mouth was pried open and spittle started to trickle down the side. Panic overwhelmed fear as Vivienne’s eyes bulged.
Letto’s sword was drawn in an instant. The guard is an Asha’man. I knew something was off. He’s shielded her! He’s-
A door at the back of the room banged open and a red-shawled woman stepped out, a rictus of a grin spread across her face. Letto was thrown off of her feet by a huge lash of wind. She felt her body soaring through the air before crashing into the wall behind her.