Well, it's been quite a while! I worked on these first four chapters over this summer, so hopefully they are a little better. I'm going to try to write more, but it's been a while since I read the books and I'm pretty busy, so I won't promise anything.
I do not own the Wheel of Time or any of its characters. They belong to TOR and Robert Jordan.
Edesina kept her face clear as she sat on the bench for Sitters of the Yellow Ajah. To her left, in the middle, sat Suana herself, and to Suana's left sat Selita Toranes . After the death of Romanda in the Last Battle, Suana had approached Edesina and told her that she would be joining as a Sitter, without really explaining why.
Edesina still wasn't sure what to think of the Last Battle. Most of her time had been spent in Mayene at the hospital, since every Yellow was needed. Sure, many had gone to the Field of Merrilor to Heal those who wouldn't survive long enough to make a trip to Mayene, but Edesina had purposely stayed away. She didn't want to be anywhere near the Seanchan.
She loathed the Seanchan. They had put that Light-cursed collar around her neck and forced her to channel against her will. She remembered every whip, sting, and burn her sul'dam, Gera, had afflicted her with. Yes, she hated the Seanchan, and wouldn't have trusted herself to be within a mile of them… partly because she was afraid of being collared again.
She didn't know what to think about the two former sul'dam she, Teslyn, and the loathsome Joline had brought with them. Bethamin and Seta had been eager to learn for some reason, and Edesina suspected Matrim Cauthon's hand in it. He was Seanchan now, though Edesina was actually fairly fond of him, but…
Looking up, Edesina saw with shock that Cadsuane had been brought in already. She couldn't remember standing up. "Who comes before the Hall of the Tower?" Saerin asked for what must have been the third time, due to Cadsuane's response.
"One who comes at the summons of the Hall, obedient and humble in the Light, asking only to accept the will of the Hall." At the end of the sentence, Cadsuane glared around as if to tell them that she had not come at the summons of the Hall. She had come because it was necessary.
"Who stands for this woman?" Saerin asked as every woman redressed. "And pledges for her, heart for heart, soul for soul, life for life?"
Adelorna, Rubinde, and Yukiri stood, each saying, "I so pledge." The rest of the ceremony went smoothly and quickly. When it came time for Sitters to stand in support, Edesina stood at the first calling. She didn't want to overstep her bounds, after all.
Fourteen of the twenty Sitters remained seated (Saerin was speaking, and didn't participate), with almost smug looks on their faces. The six standing, including Edesina, all shuffled slightly, as though embarrassed. Cadsuane was obviously holding back her anger, and knelt down to their feet and begged to be allowed to serve with a face that was too smooth, even for an Aes Sedai.
At the second calling, only four Sitters remained seated; Suana, Yukiri, Lelaine, and Selita. Two of the Yellows, that would cause dissension from the Green, and maybe scorn from Cadsuane. It did not matter. With all the work ahead of them, petty feuds would be ridiculous to pursue.
Everyone stood up at the third calling, and Saerin met Cadsuane at the Amyrlin Seat, buttoning her bodice up carefully.
"You are raised to the Amyrlin Seat!" Saerin declared, Edesina and the other Sitters joined in, "In the glory of the Light, that the White Tower may endure forever. Cadsuane Melaidhrin, the Watcher of the Seals, the Flame of Tar Valon, the Amyrlin Seat!" Edesina did not understand why "Watcher of the Seals" was still included. The seals had been broken. Perhaps it was just a way of showing solidarity with the past.
Cadsuane turned as she reached the Seat, then sat with a grim smile. The women arranged themselves in order of age before Cadsuane, with Saerin at the end. Edesina was second in line, behind a Brown whose name she did not know. She curtsied deeply, asked Cadsuane for permission to serve, then kissed Cadsuane's Great Serpent ring and stepped away. Edesina noticed Cadsuane's smile grow larger as the line progressed, almost reaching her ears as Saerin finished the ceremonial ritual.
With the smile still on her face, Cadsuane's declared Vasha Dosmani to be her Keeper. Slowly, her smile faded as the issues of now began to be addressed. Barasine, a Red, asked right off, "What are the plans for the Red Ajah? Will we just waste away, if this nonsense about saidin is true, what in the Light will we do?"
"Saidin has indeed been cleansed. The Red Ajah will still deal with male channelers, though obviously not in the way they were previously ordained to do," Cadsuane answered. "I will speak to the Red Sitters soon about your Ajah's future, as I would like you to agree before we make any formal declarations to the Hall."
The Red Sitters nodded. Suddenly, Edesina had a burning question. "What about the Seanchan. What about our sisters being treated like dogs down in Ebou Dar, Amadicia, and Tarabon? What can we do about that?"
Cadsuane smiled again. "I have recently encountered two former sul'dam that you, Joline, and Teslyn delivered to us. I have a plan regarding the Seanchan, though it will be long before it will be put into place. Suana, Rubinde, I would like to speak with you about this issue soon as well." This statement made brows crinkle. Why would Bethamin and Seta matter? Edesina wondered. And why would she need to talk to Suana and Rubinde about it? Surely they can't be thinking… No, that's impossible. But Edesina couldn't shake that thought.
"What are we going to do about the reduced Aes Sedai population?" Yukiri asked. "So very many died in Tarmon Gaidon."
"We'll have to deal with it," Cadsuane told her sharply. "Honestly, there is not much we can do regarding the channeling population."
Seaine spoke, "Actually, Mother, there is something we can do. Egwene al'Vere let any woman of any age who could channel enter the Tower. It was the reason the rebels had so many novices. It was truly remarkable how many older women could channel. Many of them were unnaturally strong."
Cadsuane seemed to ponder this. "This practice will continue. I myself am fairly old, so I will give the other older women a chance to prove themselves. You will need to make that a formal proclamation, Vasha. I've had enough ceremony for today. We'll meet again soon, in a week. Any closing statements?" No one said anything. "We shall meet in a week."
Edesina walked out alone, thinking over the meeting. She couldn't think of any other explanation for Cadsuane's plan. If she wasn't sending sisters into Seanchan, what else she could be doing. And if she was planning that, why would she tell the Hall so blatantly? Cadsuane was known for her subtlety and commanding air, so stating something so obviously would most definitely be a way for her to show that that was not the plan. This thought comforted Edesina. She had almost forgotten the danger as she wove a gateway to her apartments.
A surprised scream greeted her just as the gateway stopped rotating. She rushed through, still holding saidar, looking around worriedly.
A servant was lying on the ground clutching the back of his ankle and foot. Edesina could see the blood leaking through his hands, and acted swiftly. She wasn't familiar with the new way of Healing, so she laid the old weaves of Spirit, Water, and Air on his foot, hearing him exhale sharply as his energy was consumed. After standing up, he began apologizing vehemently. "Don't be silly, boy. It wasn't your fault. I knew this was the time you cleaned my apartment. I had other things on my mind. Here, take some coin for your trouble," Edesina said, fishing out three gold crowns from her coin purse and dropping them in his hand.
"Thank you, Aes Sedai," the boy replied, beaming.
Edesina allowed herself a smile as well. "You're welcome, now along with you." As the boy left, Edesina felt pride in her Ajah. If she hadn't been a Yellow, she might have had to take the boy to someone else, a great shame. Healing was the greatest thing of the Power, despite what others might say. She could imagine a world where Healing wasn't possible, where even the smallest injury could fester and kill. It would be a terrible existence.
The sun was setting, she saw as she glanced out the window. She put on her dressing gown and got in bed, eager for her Healing session with the public coming the next morning.
Meidani was preparing to go to sleep just as a someone started rapping on her door. After telling them to wait, she deliberately took time to put on her gray dress slashed in green, of Saldaean cut, which somewhat hid her famously large, embarrassing bosom. She used the Power to curl her hair, then made sure her annoyance would not be displayed on her face.
She opened the door and saw no one, then, just as she was beginning to swear, she heard someone clear their throat. She looked down and saw a young boy. "I'm sorry Aes Sedai, but Serancha Sedai sent me to tell you that she needs to meet with you as soon as possible."
Meidani smiled at the boy. "Thank you. Go inform her that I will be up shortly." As the boy walked away, she noticed he was trying to crane his head around to look at his ankle which, now that she noticed, was freshly pink, as thought he'd been Healed. Meidani scoffed. She'd never had any skill in Healing, and didn't think it very useful. Being Gray, she could just talk her possible adversaries into agreeing with her without needing to put something right after conflict.
About ten minutes after sending the boy away, she walked over to the Head Clerk's apartments. After hearing her voice call enter, she walks in and is greeted by the sight of Serancha sipping tea.
"Hello Meidani," Serancha says, setting down her tea.
"Hello, Serancha," Meidani replied smoothly. "Why have you summoned me?"
"You know you have been an interesting character in the Tower lately, Meidani. You were seemingly glued to Elaida when she was Amyrlin, but you threw yourself to Egwene when she was declared Amyrlin. Many might see this as suspicious, especially since your support has not been thrown to our new Amyrlin," Serancha didn't take her eyes off of Meidani.
Meidani thought quickly. "Elaida was the Amyrlin. Egwene was the Amyrlin. Whoever is the Amyrlin, I must support. I have not had time to show my loyalty to Cadsuane as much as the previous two."
"Yes, but perhaps you got ahead of yourself. Perhaps, before the Last Battle, you supported Egwene before Elaida's capture." Serancha knew. There was no doubt to it.
"When I came back to the Tower, I had… alternative motives for attaching myself to Elaida," she said, giving Serancha a meaningful glance.
"Ah, yes. I thought so. How useful it must have been to have a Gray who knew Elaida as well as you. Perhaps the rebels weren't as foolish as we loyalists thought."
"Perhaps you were the foolish ones," Meidani whispered.
The Head Clerk glared at her. "Enough talk of the past. We cannot change it. Neither of those women is the Amyrlin any longer. I have called you here to give you a task. You have never been an advisor to a monarch, I understand."
"I have not, Serancha Sedai." Meidani kept her eyes to the ground.
"I will train you, then you will choose between Elayne Sedai or Perrin Aybara and his wife Faile, the new King and Queen of Saldaea."
Meidani looked up, shock openly displayed on her face. "Why me?"
Serancha was smirking, but only slightly. "They all have bold personalities, and if you are brave enough to take on Elaida, these options will seem like child's play."
"Why should Elayne Sedai have an Aes Sedai advisor when she herself is Aes Sedai?
"Because she does not rule her people as an Aes Sedai. She rules them as a queen. She may be more knowledgeable than a queen who cannot channel, but she is still a queen."
Meidani nodded. "When would you like me to begin?"
"We will begin tonight, then continue on every second night for two months. Perhaps you will be ready then."
"Yes, Serancha Sedai."
The two worked long into the night.
Rafela opened her gateway in the designated Traveling area in the part of Malkier that would hold the rebuilt city of of the same name. She stifled a yawn as she walked through her gateway with her Warder, Mahiro, down the path towards the tent city erected to hold builders. The number of Ogier present amazed her, though with the turning of the Age, something like this really shouldn't seem strange.
Lelaine, the First Selector, had sent her to oversee the reconstruction and planning of the city. She had not been happy about it, but it had been necessary, of course. Other sisters would be assigned with her, but she would lead them as they help build with the circles of men and women. Unlike many others, Rafela had quickly adapted to the Asha'man. She could empathize with them. They only wished to serve a purpose, which was what the Blue Ajah was focused on. The Reds had begun to think of themselves as responsible for the Asha'man, but Lelaine had made it clear that one of the Blue Ajah's main objectives was the integration of the male channelers into the world, though she wasn't completely comfortable with it. The driving force behind the endeavor was more likely to rival the Red Ajah, which would undoubtedly be given much attention as their purpose shifted, but Rafela would not be the one who called out the head of the Blue Ajah about it.
After asking the guard at the start of the encampment for directions, Rafela and Mahiro set off for Lan Mandragoran's tent. "Mahiro, how do you feel about being assigned to the Borderlands?"
"I'm pleased, Rafela." This conversation seemed to be very formal. "I've heard that Kandor is also rebuilding, though Prince Kaisel will be here in Malkier."
"Ethenielle did not die, did she?" Of course she hadn't, Rafela would have heard about it. She was just trying to appear as a conversable Aes Sedai, rather than a cold-hearted one. Spending almost a year among people with them being to scared of you to speak just wouldn't be bearable.
"No, she did not die," Mahiro replied. "She is tired and weak though, and prefers staying in the remaining section of the Aesdaisher Palace rather than out galloping across these lands." She could sense his displeasure through the bond. Both Arafel and Kandor had pledged allegiance to Malkier, though Saldaea was holding out. Sometimes Rafela forgot that Mahiro was also a Kandori lord.
Rafela reckoned that one day, their would be four major powers in the world: Andor; Seanchan; the Aiel; and the Borderlands, united as Malkier. The smaller countries would just fade away. Of course Tar Valon would fit in there as well, as a part of Malkier and Andor. The Aiel didn't want Aes Sedai, and the Seanchan wanted them in a rather unpleasant way.
The King of Malkier's tent lay in the heart of the camp. It was a large thing, big enough to fit thirty of those things the Seanchan called s'redit inside it. Another guard announced them as they entered. Lan was looking over plans with two Ogier and several men, including Prince Kaisel, while a woman stood back, sitting in a chair. On second glance, Rafela saw the Great Serpent ring and sensed her strength. Light, she was strong! Of course, it was Nynaeve Sedai of the Yellow Ajah, Lan's wife and Queen of Malkier.
Nynaeve stood as Rafela entered with Mahiro, and walked over to greet them.
"Sister," the woman said, bowing her head in greeting.
"Sister," Rafela replied similarly, but with a deeper head bow. Mahiro did a full bow from his waist, touching the hilt of his sword. Borderland customs. The Aes Sedai shared a knowing smile.
"What brings you here?"
"The Blue Ajah wishes to have someone to permanently oversee the reconstruction of Malkier, and I have been chosen."
Nynaeve's hand twitched, as though to go to a braid, although her hair was much to short for that. "I am here," she simply said.
"The Yellow Ajah will have need of you. You are an excellent Healer, we all know. Many will want to learn, or at least see, your Talent."
"Regardless, every moment I am not needed with my sisters, I will be here."
Rafela hesitated, this was not going so good. Lelaine had expected this; Nynaeve was known for her short temper. "I would be… pleased to serve under you while you are present, if you wish it, Nynaeve."
Nynaeve considered the offer, then said, "I suppose that would be fine. If I grow to trust you, I could be confident that this place isn't being run down while I'm gone."
Rafela offered another small smile, which Nynaeve partly returned. "Come on, the men are busy planning for once. I'll take you and introduce you to the other channelers that will be in service."
"You have many?"
"Oh yes, a great deal of Borderland raised Aes Sedai and Asha'man have informed us that they will be visiting periodically, though none will be here full-time, like you. Follow me."
The pair walked away, Nynaeve informing Rafela of the extensive plans.