12-22-2021, 08:49 PM
The first day he met Nythadri, he warned her of Daryen’s plan. Following what felt like a lifetime of events later, Jai begrudgingly accepted the truce with the Seanchan. Wars started and wars stopped. He could sleep at night with that reminder. Well, mostly sleep at night. Better if he pushed his body and mind to their limits every day, starting with a training session with Trista from dawn until she’d beaten him into submission. It was amazing how good she was with the sword. Jai told himself that he didn’t hold back because she was a woman. But then again, Jai only lied to himself (allegedly). Maybe he did hold back because of who she was. Maybe Jai’s obsession with executing the perfect forms made him vulnerable. Trista once said that she could always count on him to not deviate from what was taught. Light blast her insights. Even when he tried to be sloppy and improvise the forms, all he did was end up on his back all the swifter. It meant one thing, against an opponent who did not know his weaknesses, he almost always triumphed. Against someone who knew him well, he was as good as dead.
The Seanchan truce he lived with for the past few months. But old wounds ripped open when High Lord Sivikawa’s entourage unloaded upon Bandar Eban. Damane were mostly kept out of sight, out of respect for Daryen’s way of life, but Jai knew they were there. It was what he was trained to do, sniff them out and exterminate young girls like they were an infestation. He felt the eyes of the sul’dam on his back when he crossed the yards. He heard their whispers and saw their motions. It was a matter of time before they learned to collar male damane. He told Daryen as much. And all this time, Jai worried endlessly that Daryen was going to be their prized slave. But instead, according to the supposed truths spouted by this Sea Folk Aes Sedai, it was Trista herself to be the trophy on display.
He searched the Aes Sedai and their surroundings as if some sort of prank was being pulled, but in his racing heart, he believed that Kekura Sedai believed what she said. He closed his eyes momentarily, imagining the tree trunks around them. He’d counted them endlessly. Counted the branches splaying apart from the main trunk. Memorized the patterns of woody division. Compared one tree to the next, seeking growth patterns. But their roots dug into his brain and took a gripping hold. His head wanted to break apart. Numbers swirled and the lines of branches splintered like black lightning inside his lids.
He’d seized saidin in almost the exact same slip of control as that first time in the Tower the day he met Nythadri. Light where was she? Where was she when he needed her? He wished he could reach out through the void and snag the edge of her dress, or graze the dark velvet of her hair, just long enough to make her turn and look. To settle him with a glance. The trees were shaking, though Jai didn’t feel it. The last of the leaves were released. Rain shivered from their branches. He could feel the roots diving deep, the stone of Dru’s headstone, the pillars of the mausoleum. One yank of the power and they would all come crumbling down. How ironic, that the Asha’man warrior of the Dragon Reborn would be the one to literally destroy their family’s past.
But the tremors passed without event. Dru’s fate wasn’t for Jai. He’d not come so far and survived so much to end his life without making the sacrifice worth something. He’d at least take out a legion of shadowspawn. Maybe walk into Lord Sivikawa’s quarters and rend the Seanchan to bloody pulps, sit down, and add to the mess with a slash of the wrists. That would be worth it. Daryen though. Daryen would suffer. Nythadri would suffer. He couldn’t do it to them. And this was on the word of what? One random Aes Sedai?
Jai’s anger was redirected. To her. “You are wrong. Dar– King Daimon would never do such a thing,” he said.
Her response was simple. “When it happens, and it will happen, find me here. If the Hall calls upon you, they may want your testimony. I’ll do everything I can to prevent that from happening,” she said. When it was clear Jai wasn’t coming to take the note she offered, she laid it on the ground and departed.
The rain returned when the Sister left. What bubble she’d woven to halt it was twice-fold unleashed now. All the better since Jai’s tears were washed away by the storm. Finally, he grabbed the paper and disappeared through a gateway.
The Seanchan truce he lived with for the past few months. But old wounds ripped open when High Lord Sivikawa’s entourage unloaded upon Bandar Eban. Damane were mostly kept out of sight, out of respect for Daryen’s way of life, but Jai knew they were there. It was what he was trained to do, sniff them out and exterminate young girls like they were an infestation. He felt the eyes of the sul’dam on his back when he crossed the yards. He heard their whispers and saw their motions. It was a matter of time before they learned to collar male damane. He told Daryen as much. And all this time, Jai worried endlessly that Daryen was going to be their prized slave. But instead, according to the supposed truths spouted by this Sea Folk Aes Sedai, it was Trista herself to be the trophy on display.
He searched the Aes Sedai and their surroundings as if some sort of prank was being pulled, but in his racing heart, he believed that Kekura Sedai believed what she said. He closed his eyes momentarily, imagining the tree trunks around them. He’d counted them endlessly. Counted the branches splaying apart from the main trunk. Memorized the patterns of woody division. Compared one tree to the next, seeking growth patterns. But their roots dug into his brain and took a gripping hold. His head wanted to break apart. Numbers swirled and the lines of branches splintered like black lightning inside his lids.
He’d seized saidin in almost the exact same slip of control as that first time in the Tower the day he met Nythadri. Light where was she? Where was she when he needed her? He wished he could reach out through the void and snag the edge of her dress, or graze the dark velvet of her hair, just long enough to make her turn and look. To settle him with a glance. The trees were shaking, though Jai didn’t feel it. The last of the leaves were released. Rain shivered from their branches. He could feel the roots diving deep, the stone of Dru’s headstone, the pillars of the mausoleum. One yank of the power and they would all come crumbling down. How ironic, that the Asha’man warrior of the Dragon Reborn would be the one to literally destroy their family’s past.
But the tremors passed without event. Dru’s fate wasn’t for Jai. He’d not come so far and survived so much to end his life without making the sacrifice worth something. He’d at least take out a legion of shadowspawn. Maybe walk into Lord Sivikawa’s quarters and rend the Seanchan to bloody pulps, sit down, and add to the mess with a slash of the wrists. That would be worth it. Daryen though. Daryen would suffer. Nythadri would suffer. He couldn’t do it to them. And this was on the word of what? One random Aes Sedai?
Jai’s anger was redirected. To her. “You are wrong. Dar– King Daimon would never do such a thing,” he said.
Her response was simple. “When it happens, and it will happen, find me here. If the Hall calls upon you, they may want your testimony. I’ll do everything I can to prevent that from happening,” she said. When it was clear Jai wasn’t coming to take the note she offered, she laid it on the ground and departed.
The rain returned when the Sister left. What bubble she’d woven to halt it was twice-fold unleashed now. All the better since Jai’s tears were washed away by the storm. Finally, he grabbed the paper and disappeared through a gateway.
Only darkness shows you the light.