The Wheel of Time belongs to Robert Jordan, I just play here.
Chapter 6
For days he had looked for Delana. He had briefly considered speaking to the Amyrlin about Sheriam's reaction to the Grey, but he had dismissed that idea. From what he had heard, the Amyrlin could not question a Sitter without definite proof, and she would first want to know more from Sheriam. He was not sure what would happen if she were pressed into talking, but he did not think it would be pleasant. Instead, he decided he would confront Delana himself. Unfortunately, that turned out to be difficult. Delana shared her tent with one of the other Grey sitters, Kwamesa, who spent almost all her time in the tent, reading. He had looked into their tent once, pretending to look for Verilin, the third Grey sitter, and Kwamesa's half of the tent would not have miss-stood a Brown. Books, scrolls and papers were all over the place. He briefly wondered if she was up to something, too, but Sheriam never showed any reaction to the younger Grey. It was probably just his bad luck that she was doing some serious research that kept her in the tent almost all the time, except when the Hall met -but at those times Delana was away, too.
He often walked around the camp now, on any errand he could think of. Sheriam was a little surprised at his activity but she felt mostly pleased. No doubt she was happy he was not pining away.
Finally, one morning after the Hall had met and he had followed Delana at a distance, he got the chance he had been waiting for. Kwasema, who had walked with Delana on the way back from the Hall, ducked into the tent only to emerge again immediately with two thick books and a big stack of papers. She walked off to where the Browns had pitched their tents. Looking at the items in her hands, Jahar expected she would be gone for a while. And Sheriam was on the other end of the camp, discussing something with Lord Bryne. She would not be close enough to notice what tent he was in. He seized Saidin.
He had considered simply to confront the Grey. Even if she did try to channel he would feel the tingling in his skin, and he was sure he could shield almost any sister in the camp with little effort, even after they already held the Source. But he did not dare take any chances. Halima had been Delana's secretary and she might well have tricks up her sleeve he could not handle. As he ducked into the tent, she stood with her back towards him, sorting through some notes of some kind, and he slammed a shield into place around her. He also wove a ward around the inside of the whole tent, keeping all sound inside. "Delana," he said.
Delana jumped and turned toward him angrily. "What is this?" she demanded. Only a split second later her expression turned to horror, then right back to anger again. Of course, she had not been able to feel the shield until she tried to embrace Saidar, but her reaction told him she had found it now. "Are you mad? Release me immediately!" she raged.
"First tell me what you have done to Sheriam," Jahar said calmly.
"What? I have done nothing, I don't know what you are talking about. Now I don't know what goes on in this Black Tower of yours," she spat the words, "but here we have certain standards. You can not barge in and shield a Sitter of the Hall! Release me right now!"
"I think you know exactly what I am talking about," Jahar said. "Sheriam is scared half to death every time she sees you, and I am not releasing this shield until I know why. And put a stop to it." He saw her eyes dart to the tent flap before she moved. Delana's dash for the door was cut short at a single step as he caught her in flows of Air. "Nice try."
She frantically shook her head as she struggled, visibly afraid now. Still she tried to appear indignant. "I told you I have done nothing! I am Aes Sedai, I can not lie."
Jahar slowly shook his head. This is what he had been afraid of, that she would deny everything. He had no time to argue or question her for any length of time. Kwamesa would return, and others might come in to talk to a Sitter of the Hall. But before he had left the Black Tower to join the Dragon, several of the Asha'man who were married had figured out a type of bond. A few of the more possessive among them had then added another weave, which made them able to control the women they bonded. He did not relish bonding Delana -light, he did not even want to touch her- but he thought he could adapt those second weaves to be used by themselves. He channeled Spirit and wove a net into the Grey.
Delana's eyes opened wide. "What are you doing?" she asked anxiously. He did not answer her question, concentrating on his weaves. There!
"What have you done to Sheriam?" he asked again.
"I made her sp.." Delana started, then broke off. She was sweating now, but she had gotten a determined look in her eye. Carefully, Jahar pulled his web of Spirit a little tighter. "I made her spy on the Amyrlin for Halima," she said before he could even repeat his question.
"How?" Jahar asked.
"Sometimes I used compulsion, or I beat her with the Power," Delana replied.
Jahar snarled. "And what did you do so she can not talk about it?"
"I put a Lock on her. Halima told me how to do it. She can not say or do anything to betray me." Delana almost fell over her words answering him.
"Release this Lock. Now," Jahar demanded.
"I can't!" Delana answered, anguish in her voice as she could not do as he said. "I would have to see her, and I would have to channel."
Jahar swore. "Who was Halima?" he asked.
"She was also called Aran'gar," Delana said. "I do not know what other name she had, but she was one of the Chosen."
"And why were you helping her?" Jahar asked next.
"To serve the Great Lord and the Chosen."
Jahar heard a gasp and a thump from behind him and he jumped. He turned, holding Saidin ready, to see Kwamesa and Janya, a Brown Sitter, standing just inside the tent. One of the books Kwamesa had carried lay on the ground where she had dropped it. Light, he had been concentrating so hard on his web of Spirit -touching someone's mind with the Power was very tricky and he had after all never done this before- that he had not noticed the sisters entering. Careless, but no helping that now.
Kwamesa slowly took a couple steps toward Delana, shock on her face. "What Ajah are you?" she asked Delana.
Delana shook her head, wordlessly.
"Answer her," Jahar commanded.
"I am Black Ajah.," Delana said.
Kwamesa gaped at her for a moment, open mouthed, then suddenly flew at her, hitting the bound sister with the book she was still holding. "You trolloc spawn, I will kill you!"
Jahar took her by the arm and pulled her back. He did not use the Power. He was much stronger than she was, and he did not want to scare her.
"Don't kill her. We need to get more information from her," he said. Kwamesa nodded slowly, her initial shock ebbing away, and he let go of her arm.
Janya now came up to them. "What did you do to her, how did you find out?" she wanted to know.
Jahar told her what weaves he had used. She frowned. "Compulsion is an ugly thing, but her confession is valid. If she were not Black she could not have lied and said she was, and if she were able to tell a lie then that, too, would be proof of her alliance. Now, why were you here, how did you know?"
"That is something I would answer to the Amyrlin only," Jahar said. He was afraid Janya and Kwamesa would hear more than he would have liked them to, already.
Janya frowned, then straightened. "We will have to inform her immediately anyhow. Can you make her come along without making trouble? It will attract unwanted attention if the Amyrlin has to come here."
Jahar looked at Delana. "You will come along and not try to escape, nor attract notice in any way," he instructed her. She nodded eagerly. He released the flows of Air that held her, and she slowly moved, testing if she really could. Then Janya led the way out of the tent.
In the Amyrlin's tent, the Amyrlin was leaning over the table pointing at something on a map to Siuan next to her. They looked up as the four of them came in.
"Mother, we have something important to tell you," Janya said. Even though Jahar held the shield and the web of compulsion, Janya had taken charge. "If you will excuse us," she added to Siuan.
Siuan nodded and stood up, grabbing her cloak. "'Please ask Sheriam to come here," Jahar told her. Siuan looked startled at being asked such a thing by him, but she nodded. As soon as she was gone, he felt the tingle of someone channeling. Of course, one of the sisters had woven a ward like he had used earlier.
"Mother, this... this filth here is Black Ajah," Janya spat out.
The Amyrlin looked startled, but not surprised. "How did you find out?" she asked.
"He did," Janya answered, pointing at Jahar. "His methods are not really according to custom, but they are effective."
The Amyrlin looked at him questioningly.
"I used a form of compulsion on her," he explained.
"The compulsion does not change the validity of her confession, Mother," Janya said, explaining as she had before.
"So you are a Black," the Amyrlin said to Delana. The woman glared at her defiantly.
"Answer her," Jahar said. "Answer all questions any of us ask you," he added, pre-empting any further attempts at being stubborn.
"Yes, I am a Black," Delana said.
"I can not say I am surprised, but I had no proof," the Amyrlin said. Then, to Jahar, "Thank you for doing what we could not. However unconventional." He simply nodded in acknowledgement.
The Amyrlin went back to questioning Delana. "Who else is a Black?"
Delana once again looked anxious as she said, "No one I know. Halima -Aran'gar- was my only contact after the Tower split." The Amyrlin sniffed. "In the Tower I knew Asne and Joiya before they left. I don't know any others, believe me!"
The Amyrlin looked disgusted. "Just our luck, no trail to follow." She turned back to Jahar. "How did you know about her?"
He shifted uncomfortably. "She has been extorting information from Sheriam. And she put something she calls a Lock on her so she could not talk about it or show anything. But I could feel it through the bond," he explained. "She says Sheriam has to be in the room with her for her to remove this Lock, and she must be unshielded."
The Amyrlin and Kwamesa looked worried at that. He turned to Delana. "You will undo the Lock when I let go of the shield. You will release the Source as soon as you are done. You will not try anything else or even think of anything else," he instructed her. Delana nodded vehemently.
"We will hold ourselves ready and keep an eye on her, but she will do as you say," Janya said.
It was not much later Jahar felt Sheriam approaching. She entered the tent and stopped dead as she saw Delana and took in the scene. He felt a physical pain from her at the shock of being confronted suddenly, and yet not being able to show any outward signs of fear. He was next to her in a flash, steadying her. "We know, and she is going to remove this Lock," he told her quietly.
The Amyrlin looked at Janya and Kwamesa, then nodded at him. "Go ahead."
Jahar released the shield and felt Saidar being channeled. The Black sister had a look of concentration on her face for a brief moment, then he felt the change in Sheriam before any of the others reacted.
"She is done," Janya announced, and Jahar re-shielded the Black.
Sheriam blinked, looking as if she probed for something. Then she ran to the Amyrlin, pulling away from him, and dropped to her knees. "Mother, I am sorry, I spied on you. She caught me unawares, and I could not stop her. Light, I am sworn to you but I had no choice, believe me," she stumbled over her words.
The Amyrlin looked startled at her reaction, then reached out a hand and laid it on Sheriam's arm. "I know, and I also know you could not help it." She glanced at Kwamesa who was looking at Sheriam with a frown. "And I will not have any other comments unless anyone here thinks they would have done better," she added. Kwamesa looked taken aback. "Get up, Sheriam. Delana and her 'secretary' have been able to get close to more than one of us," the Amyrlin continued.
Jahar had taken a step forward when Sheriam shook loose, but then kept back. Now, as Sheriam slowly got up he steadied her again. The Amyrlin looked from them to Delana and back. "We must question her further, but we all need a moment to ourselves. I also want Siuan to be here, and we will have to bring her up to speed. Can you re-do this compulsion at any time?"
Jahar nodded. "Yes, Mother." He was not even sure the weaves would dissipate immediately if he let them go. "Then if Kwamesa and Janya can hold her shield, and bind her on that chair over there," she pointed, "You two be back here in an hour."
Delana sat on the chair without protest. Jahar felt the Aes Sedai channel, and Janya said, "We have her." Jahar nodded, released his weaves and went with Sheriam to their tent.
Once inside, Sheriam sank down on the edge of her cot. She put her head in her hands, then looked up at Jahar. "Thank you," she said, her voice trembling.
"I am your Warder now," Jahar answered.
He walked over to the table, poured a cup of wine, and brought it to Sheriam. She accepted it thankfully. Then she started to tell him how Delana had shielded her when she came to see her on her rounds of all the Sitters. This time it was his turn to hold her as she falteringly told her story.
Chapter 6
For days he had looked for Delana. He had briefly considered speaking to the Amyrlin about Sheriam's reaction to the Grey, but he had dismissed that idea. From what he had heard, the Amyrlin could not question a Sitter without definite proof, and she would first want to know more from Sheriam. He was not sure what would happen if she were pressed into talking, but he did not think it would be pleasant. Instead, he decided he would confront Delana himself. Unfortunately, that turned out to be difficult. Delana shared her tent with one of the other Grey sitters, Kwamesa, who spent almost all her time in the tent, reading. He had looked into their tent once, pretending to look for Verilin, the third Grey sitter, and Kwamesa's half of the tent would not have miss-stood a Brown. Books, scrolls and papers were all over the place. He briefly wondered if she was up to something, too, but Sheriam never showed any reaction to the younger Grey. It was probably just his bad luck that she was doing some serious research that kept her in the tent almost all the time, except when the Hall met -but at those times Delana was away, too.
He often walked around the camp now, on any errand he could think of. Sheriam was a little surprised at his activity but she felt mostly pleased. No doubt she was happy he was not pining away.
Finally, one morning after the Hall had met and he had followed Delana at a distance, he got the chance he had been waiting for. Kwasema, who had walked with Delana on the way back from the Hall, ducked into the tent only to emerge again immediately with two thick books and a big stack of papers. She walked off to where the Browns had pitched their tents. Looking at the items in her hands, Jahar expected she would be gone for a while. And Sheriam was on the other end of the camp, discussing something with Lord Bryne. She would not be close enough to notice what tent he was in. He seized Saidin.
He had considered simply to confront the Grey. Even if she did try to channel he would feel the tingling in his skin, and he was sure he could shield almost any sister in the camp with little effort, even after they already held the Source. But he did not dare take any chances. Halima had been Delana's secretary and she might well have tricks up her sleeve he could not handle. As he ducked into the tent, she stood with her back towards him, sorting through some notes of some kind, and he slammed a shield into place around her. He also wove a ward around the inside of the whole tent, keeping all sound inside. "Delana," he said.
Delana jumped and turned toward him angrily. "What is this?" she demanded. Only a split second later her expression turned to horror, then right back to anger again. Of course, she had not been able to feel the shield until she tried to embrace Saidar, but her reaction told him she had found it now. "Are you mad? Release me immediately!" she raged.
"First tell me what you have done to Sheriam," Jahar said calmly.
"What? I have done nothing, I don't know what you are talking about. Now I don't know what goes on in this Black Tower of yours," she spat the words, "but here we have certain standards. You can not barge in and shield a Sitter of the Hall! Release me right now!"
"I think you know exactly what I am talking about," Jahar said. "Sheriam is scared half to death every time she sees you, and I am not releasing this shield until I know why. And put a stop to it." He saw her eyes dart to the tent flap before she moved. Delana's dash for the door was cut short at a single step as he caught her in flows of Air. "Nice try."
She frantically shook her head as she struggled, visibly afraid now. Still she tried to appear indignant. "I told you I have done nothing! I am Aes Sedai, I can not lie."
Jahar slowly shook his head. This is what he had been afraid of, that she would deny everything. He had no time to argue or question her for any length of time. Kwamesa would return, and others might come in to talk to a Sitter of the Hall. But before he had left the Black Tower to join the Dragon, several of the Asha'man who were married had figured out a type of bond. A few of the more possessive among them had then added another weave, which made them able to control the women they bonded. He did not relish bonding Delana -light, he did not even want to touch her- but he thought he could adapt those second weaves to be used by themselves. He channeled Spirit and wove a net into the Grey.
Delana's eyes opened wide. "What are you doing?" she asked anxiously. He did not answer her question, concentrating on his weaves. There!
"What have you done to Sheriam?" he asked again.
"I made her sp.." Delana started, then broke off. She was sweating now, but she had gotten a determined look in her eye. Carefully, Jahar pulled his web of Spirit a little tighter. "I made her spy on the Amyrlin for Halima," she said before he could even repeat his question.
"How?" Jahar asked.
"Sometimes I used compulsion, or I beat her with the Power," Delana replied.
Jahar snarled. "And what did you do so she can not talk about it?"
"I put a Lock on her. Halima told me how to do it. She can not say or do anything to betray me." Delana almost fell over her words answering him.
"Release this Lock. Now," Jahar demanded.
"I can't!" Delana answered, anguish in her voice as she could not do as he said. "I would have to see her, and I would have to channel."
Jahar swore. "Who was Halima?" he asked.
"She was also called Aran'gar," Delana said. "I do not know what other name she had, but she was one of the Chosen."
"And why were you helping her?" Jahar asked next.
"To serve the Great Lord and the Chosen."
Jahar heard a gasp and a thump from behind him and he jumped. He turned, holding Saidin ready, to see Kwamesa and Janya, a Brown Sitter, standing just inside the tent. One of the books Kwamesa had carried lay on the ground where she had dropped it. Light, he had been concentrating so hard on his web of Spirit -touching someone's mind with the Power was very tricky and he had after all never done this before- that he had not noticed the sisters entering. Careless, but no helping that now.
Kwamesa slowly took a couple steps toward Delana, shock on her face. "What Ajah are you?" she asked Delana.
Delana shook her head, wordlessly.
"Answer her," Jahar commanded.
"I am Black Ajah.," Delana said.
Kwamesa gaped at her for a moment, open mouthed, then suddenly flew at her, hitting the bound sister with the book she was still holding. "You trolloc spawn, I will kill you!"
Jahar took her by the arm and pulled her back. He did not use the Power. He was much stronger than she was, and he did not want to scare her.
"Don't kill her. We need to get more information from her," he said. Kwamesa nodded slowly, her initial shock ebbing away, and he let go of her arm.
Janya now came up to them. "What did you do to her, how did you find out?" she wanted to know.
Jahar told her what weaves he had used. She frowned. "Compulsion is an ugly thing, but her confession is valid. If she were not Black she could not have lied and said she was, and if she were able to tell a lie then that, too, would be proof of her alliance. Now, why were you here, how did you know?"
"That is something I would answer to the Amyrlin only," Jahar said. He was afraid Janya and Kwamesa would hear more than he would have liked them to, already.
Janya frowned, then straightened. "We will have to inform her immediately anyhow. Can you make her come along without making trouble? It will attract unwanted attention if the Amyrlin has to come here."
Jahar looked at Delana. "You will come along and not try to escape, nor attract notice in any way," he instructed her. She nodded eagerly. He released the flows of Air that held her, and she slowly moved, testing if she really could. Then Janya led the way out of the tent.
In the Amyrlin's tent, the Amyrlin was leaning over the table pointing at something on a map to Siuan next to her. They looked up as the four of them came in.
"Mother, we have something important to tell you," Janya said. Even though Jahar held the shield and the web of compulsion, Janya had taken charge. "If you will excuse us," she added to Siuan.
Siuan nodded and stood up, grabbing her cloak. "'Please ask Sheriam to come here," Jahar told her. Siuan looked startled at being asked such a thing by him, but she nodded. As soon as she was gone, he felt the tingle of someone channeling. Of course, one of the sisters had woven a ward like he had used earlier.
"Mother, this... this filth here is Black Ajah," Janya spat out.
The Amyrlin looked startled, but not surprised. "How did you find out?" she asked.
"He did," Janya answered, pointing at Jahar. "His methods are not really according to custom, but they are effective."
The Amyrlin looked at him questioningly.
"I used a form of compulsion on her," he explained.
"The compulsion does not change the validity of her confession, Mother," Janya said, explaining as she had before.
"So you are a Black," the Amyrlin said to Delana. The woman glared at her defiantly.
"Answer her," Jahar said. "Answer all questions any of us ask you," he added, pre-empting any further attempts at being stubborn.
"Yes, I am a Black," Delana said.
"I can not say I am surprised, but I had no proof," the Amyrlin said. Then, to Jahar, "Thank you for doing what we could not. However unconventional." He simply nodded in acknowledgement.
The Amyrlin went back to questioning Delana. "Who else is a Black?"
Delana once again looked anxious as she said, "No one I know. Halima -Aran'gar- was my only contact after the Tower split." The Amyrlin sniffed. "In the Tower I knew Asne and Joiya before they left. I don't know any others, believe me!"
The Amyrlin looked disgusted. "Just our luck, no trail to follow." She turned back to Jahar. "How did you know about her?"
He shifted uncomfortably. "She has been extorting information from Sheriam. And she put something she calls a Lock on her so she could not talk about it or show anything. But I could feel it through the bond," he explained. "She says Sheriam has to be in the room with her for her to remove this Lock, and she must be unshielded."
The Amyrlin and Kwamesa looked worried at that. He turned to Delana. "You will undo the Lock when I let go of the shield. You will release the Source as soon as you are done. You will not try anything else or even think of anything else," he instructed her. Delana nodded vehemently.
"We will hold ourselves ready and keep an eye on her, but she will do as you say," Janya said.
It was not much later Jahar felt Sheriam approaching. She entered the tent and stopped dead as she saw Delana and took in the scene. He felt a physical pain from her at the shock of being confronted suddenly, and yet not being able to show any outward signs of fear. He was next to her in a flash, steadying her. "We know, and she is going to remove this Lock," he told her quietly.
The Amyrlin looked at Janya and Kwamesa, then nodded at him. "Go ahead."
Jahar released the shield and felt Saidar being channeled. The Black sister had a look of concentration on her face for a brief moment, then he felt the change in Sheriam before any of the others reacted.
"She is done," Janya announced, and Jahar re-shielded the Black.
Sheriam blinked, looking as if she probed for something. Then she ran to the Amyrlin, pulling away from him, and dropped to her knees. "Mother, I am sorry, I spied on you. She caught me unawares, and I could not stop her. Light, I am sworn to you but I had no choice, believe me," she stumbled over her words.
The Amyrlin looked startled at her reaction, then reached out a hand and laid it on Sheriam's arm. "I know, and I also know you could not help it." She glanced at Kwamesa who was looking at Sheriam with a frown. "And I will not have any other comments unless anyone here thinks they would have done better," she added. Kwamesa looked taken aback. "Get up, Sheriam. Delana and her 'secretary' have been able to get close to more than one of us," the Amyrlin continued.
Jahar had taken a step forward when Sheriam shook loose, but then kept back. Now, as Sheriam slowly got up he steadied her again. The Amyrlin looked from them to Delana and back. "We must question her further, but we all need a moment to ourselves. I also want Siuan to be here, and we will have to bring her up to speed. Can you re-do this compulsion at any time?"
Jahar nodded. "Yes, Mother." He was not even sure the weaves would dissipate immediately if he let them go. "Then if Kwamesa and Janya can hold her shield, and bind her on that chair over there," she pointed, "You two be back here in an hour."
Delana sat on the chair without protest. Jahar felt the Aes Sedai channel, and Janya said, "We have her." Jahar nodded, released his weaves and went with Sheriam to their tent.
Once inside, Sheriam sank down on the edge of her cot. She put her head in her hands, then looked up at Jahar. "Thank you," she said, her voice trembling.
"I am your Warder now," Jahar answered.
He walked over to the table, poured a cup of wine, and brought it to Sheriam. She accepted it thankfully. Then she started to tell him how Delana had shielded her when she came to see her on her rounds of all the Sitters. This time it was his turn to hold her as she falteringly told her story.