The Wheel of Time belongs to Robert Jordan, I just play here.
Chapter 15
The next morning, just after High, Nynaeve came charging into the anteroom. She would have rushed straight on into the Amyrlin's room if Sheriam had not stepped calmly in between her and the door. Outwardly calm, that is. Jahar respected Nynaeve for her part in cleansing the Taint, but the way she still acted around the Amyrlin like they were in their Two Rivers village always put Sheriam on edge.
Nynaeve stopped smoothly, as if she had never intended to go right on in. "I must see the Amyrlin," she announced.
"I will tell her you are here," Sheriam replied just as smoothly.
Of course, the Amyrlin did tell her to show Nynaeve in, and Sheriam went in as well. As Lan followed Nynaeve, Jahar slipped in after Sheriam. Nynaeve frowned but did not say anything.
"Egwene, it's Alivia," she addressed the Amyrlin instead. "She wants to go after the Seanchan and I do not think I can hold her back much longer. We need people to go there and report on them, but if I let her go alone she will do something stupid the first time she runs into a sul'dam who has held her leash. I've been trying to find someone to go with her, but I do not know who. Any one of the Kin or the Sea Folk I do not trust to stay hidden if they see one of theirs wearing a leash, and those sisters who are in Caemlyn I can not order to go on a mission like this. I hoped you would have someone you could send along with her."
"Do you think anyone will be able to hold her back?", the Amyrlin wondered.
Nynaeve nodded. "She has half a head of sense, she knows she can do more by scouting for us than the little bit she could do in an attack by herself. But she was leashed for a long time, and she hates the sul'dam, I do not dare send her alone."
The Amyrlin frowned, nodding slowly. "I understand. Does she know how to weave the Mirror of Mists?", she asked. Sheriam gasped in surprise, started to say something, but the Amyrlin and Nynaeve ignored her reaction.
"Not yet, if I taught her that she would be gone in a flash. The only thing that is holding her back so far is the fear she will be recognised and re- captured," Nynaeve replied.
"If she were disguised and hid her ability to channel, with her knowledge of the Seanchan she could gather a wealth of information for us. Damer and Corele have Travelled in the Seanchan held areas but they do not know the Seanchan well enough to pass for them, to risk getting too close. But yes, I can understand you do not dare send her alone." The Amyrlin paused. "Even using the Mirror of Mists it will be dangerous because of the consequences of getting caught. I am not sure if I could order anyone to take that risk." She looked uncomfortable, and unconsciously raised one hand to her neck. "I can ask for volunteers, but I am not sure who would go among the Seanchan with a Seanchan damane."
Sheriam frowned as the Amyrlin looked at her, questioningly, but she too did not come up with any suggestions.
"Pevara," Jahar said, as he suddenly thought of the short ex-sitter.
The Amyrlin looked startled. "I know she was a Red, but." she started and trailed off as she saw Sheriam nodding thoughtfully.
"I've only spoken with her once but she seemed the type who will do what has to be done. She's been a Sitter, she should be able to hold Alivia back when needed, and she will jump at the chance to go if she is allowed to leave here," Jahar said.
The Amyrlin looked at Sheriam, questioningly.
"The Reds mingled little with anyone outside their Ajah even in the best of times, but I do believe she will be a good choice. She's.. different from the other Reds," Sheriam replied.
"And she is strong enough to Travel," the Amyrlin said. "She should be able to learn the other weaves."
Sheriam frowned again, and this time the Amyrlin did respond to her silent question. "It was necessary to keep some weaves from becoming public knowledge. It still is. The Mirror of Mists and hiding the ability to channel can be miss-used quite easily, but those who go among the Seanchan will have to learn."
"If you say so, Mother," Sheriam answered, but she was clearly irritated she had not been told before.
"I will teach you, and those who need to know. Some time when everything is over I will tell you why I could not show you before," the Amyrlin promised, and for some reason Nynaeve threw her a shocked glance at that. "But I can not tell you now. Would you get Pevara in here?"
Sheriam nodded and left, Jahar followed her.
Pevara was surprised when Sheriam came for her, and even more so when she heard what for. She was extremely correct in every way, bowing deeply as she entered and listening quietly as the Amyrlin told her what would be expected of her. Yet she could not hide her eagerness, at being able to do something useful again and at being able to leave the White Tower and her unhappy position here. She glanced briefly at Jahar out of the corner of her eye, and he gave her a nod, just as briefly.
As the Amyrlin and Nynaeve started to show Pevara the Mirror of Mists, and Jahar saw what it did -at the Black Tower, few weaves were known by their original names as none of the men knew what anything used to be called- and idea began to form. If they could do something similar, that would be the answer to getting into Taim's palace. Taim had servants and all kinds of other non-channelers in there all the time. Of course, the weaves were complicated and there was not even a guarantee a similar thing could be done with Saidin. Most things seemed to have a male and a female equivalent, but there were exceptions, and more than a few things they had simply not been able to figure out yet. Either way, he would speak to Logain about it.
When Jahar got to the Black Tower, Gabrelle was there with Logain.
"She is in on it," Logain said as Jahar asked. "And Toveine is in the Crafts Town. What do you have?"
Jahar explained what he had learned. "If we could figure out that Mirror of Mists, someone could go in. Servants are always in and out of the place," he said.
"It is a good plan," Logain agreed. "I will have to get some people working on those weaves."
"I could channel it, if Jahar can get Sheriam to teach me," Gabrelle put in. "In fact, I should be the one to go into Taim's palace."
Logain looked at her in surprise. "You?"
"Yes," she nodded. "A man could get in, no doubt, but men are always doing the carrying and heavy chores. I could serve Taim and his visitors his wine, go through his papers while cleaning the room, check his pockets while brushing his coats."
Logain raised an eyebrow at her. "Did you do that here too?" he asked, but he grinned as he spoke.
Gabrelle smiled back. "I tried at first," she admitted. "But Taim won't convince me to stop it like you did." She grinned at him again.
"Could you do it with your Oaths?" Logain asked her, turning serious. "Taim knows Aes Sedai, something as simple as him asking your name could be dangerous. He won't fall for any of that 'you can call me' business."
"I could call myself Aby," Gabrelle said.
"_Aby_?" Logain asked with another grin.
Gabrelle blushed a little "It's what my little brother called me when he was still too little to pronounce my name. My family picked it up long enough I could give it as my name without lying. I could get around just about anything else he would ask me, too. No one speaks much with a servant anyhow. I am also the only one who would not be missed, anyone wondering would assume I'm in Tar Valon, and anyone wondering there would assume I am here."
"All right. Jahar, would Sheriam show Gabrelle the weaves?" Logain inquired.
"She will if I explain her why," Jahar replied.
"Let's do it," Logain decided.
Gabrelle left with Jahar to Travel to Tar Valon. Sheriam was not too happy to teach those weaves to anyone, but as he explained the situation she did admit it was necessary. Before the evening, Gabrelle returned to the Black Tower.
Chapter 15
The next morning, just after High, Nynaeve came charging into the anteroom. She would have rushed straight on into the Amyrlin's room if Sheriam had not stepped calmly in between her and the door. Outwardly calm, that is. Jahar respected Nynaeve for her part in cleansing the Taint, but the way she still acted around the Amyrlin like they were in their Two Rivers village always put Sheriam on edge.
Nynaeve stopped smoothly, as if she had never intended to go right on in. "I must see the Amyrlin," she announced.
"I will tell her you are here," Sheriam replied just as smoothly.
Of course, the Amyrlin did tell her to show Nynaeve in, and Sheriam went in as well. As Lan followed Nynaeve, Jahar slipped in after Sheriam. Nynaeve frowned but did not say anything.
"Egwene, it's Alivia," she addressed the Amyrlin instead. "She wants to go after the Seanchan and I do not think I can hold her back much longer. We need people to go there and report on them, but if I let her go alone she will do something stupid the first time she runs into a sul'dam who has held her leash. I've been trying to find someone to go with her, but I do not know who. Any one of the Kin or the Sea Folk I do not trust to stay hidden if they see one of theirs wearing a leash, and those sisters who are in Caemlyn I can not order to go on a mission like this. I hoped you would have someone you could send along with her."
"Do you think anyone will be able to hold her back?", the Amyrlin wondered.
Nynaeve nodded. "She has half a head of sense, she knows she can do more by scouting for us than the little bit she could do in an attack by herself. But she was leashed for a long time, and she hates the sul'dam, I do not dare send her alone."
The Amyrlin frowned, nodding slowly. "I understand. Does she know how to weave the Mirror of Mists?", she asked. Sheriam gasped in surprise, started to say something, but the Amyrlin and Nynaeve ignored her reaction.
"Not yet, if I taught her that she would be gone in a flash. The only thing that is holding her back so far is the fear she will be recognised and re- captured," Nynaeve replied.
"If she were disguised and hid her ability to channel, with her knowledge of the Seanchan she could gather a wealth of information for us. Damer and Corele have Travelled in the Seanchan held areas but they do not know the Seanchan well enough to pass for them, to risk getting too close. But yes, I can understand you do not dare send her alone." The Amyrlin paused. "Even using the Mirror of Mists it will be dangerous because of the consequences of getting caught. I am not sure if I could order anyone to take that risk." She looked uncomfortable, and unconsciously raised one hand to her neck. "I can ask for volunteers, but I am not sure who would go among the Seanchan with a Seanchan damane."
Sheriam frowned as the Amyrlin looked at her, questioningly, but she too did not come up with any suggestions.
"Pevara," Jahar said, as he suddenly thought of the short ex-sitter.
The Amyrlin looked startled. "I know she was a Red, but." she started and trailed off as she saw Sheriam nodding thoughtfully.
"I've only spoken with her once but she seemed the type who will do what has to be done. She's been a Sitter, she should be able to hold Alivia back when needed, and she will jump at the chance to go if she is allowed to leave here," Jahar said.
The Amyrlin looked at Sheriam, questioningly.
"The Reds mingled little with anyone outside their Ajah even in the best of times, but I do believe she will be a good choice. She's.. different from the other Reds," Sheriam replied.
"And she is strong enough to Travel," the Amyrlin said. "She should be able to learn the other weaves."
Sheriam frowned again, and this time the Amyrlin did respond to her silent question. "It was necessary to keep some weaves from becoming public knowledge. It still is. The Mirror of Mists and hiding the ability to channel can be miss-used quite easily, but those who go among the Seanchan will have to learn."
"If you say so, Mother," Sheriam answered, but she was clearly irritated she had not been told before.
"I will teach you, and those who need to know. Some time when everything is over I will tell you why I could not show you before," the Amyrlin promised, and for some reason Nynaeve threw her a shocked glance at that. "But I can not tell you now. Would you get Pevara in here?"
Sheriam nodded and left, Jahar followed her.
Pevara was surprised when Sheriam came for her, and even more so when she heard what for. She was extremely correct in every way, bowing deeply as she entered and listening quietly as the Amyrlin told her what would be expected of her. Yet she could not hide her eagerness, at being able to do something useful again and at being able to leave the White Tower and her unhappy position here. She glanced briefly at Jahar out of the corner of her eye, and he gave her a nod, just as briefly.
As the Amyrlin and Nynaeve started to show Pevara the Mirror of Mists, and Jahar saw what it did -at the Black Tower, few weaves were known by their original names as none of the men knew what anything used to be called- and idea began to form. If they could do something similar, that would be the answer to getting into Taim's palace. Taim had servants and all kinds of other non-channelers in there all the time. Of course, the weaves were complicated and there was not even a guarantee a similar thing could be done with Saidin. Most things seemed to have a male and a female equivalent, but there were exceptions, and more than a few things they had simply not been able to figure out yet. Either way, he would speak to Logain about it.
When Jahar got to the Black Tower, Gabrelle was there with Logain.
"She is in on it," Logain said as Jahar asked. "And Toveine is in the Crafts Town. What do you have?"
Jahar explained what he had learned. "If we could figure out that Mirror of Mists, someone could go in. Servants are always in and out of the place," he said.
"It is a good plan," Logain agreed. "I will have to get some people working on those weaves."
"I could channel it, if Jahar can get Sheriam to teach me," Gabrelle put in. "In fact, I should be the one to go into Taim's palace."
Logain looked at her in surprise. "You?"
"Yes," she nodded. "A man could get in, no doubt, but men are always doing the carrying and heavy chores. I could serve Taim and his visitors his wine, go through his papers while cleaning the room, check his pockets while brushing his coats."
Logain raised an eyebrow at her. "Did you do that here too?" he asked, but he grinned as he spoke.
Gabrelle smiled back. "I tried at first," she admitted. "But Taim won't convince me to stop it like you did." She grinned at him again.
"Could you do it with your Oaths?" Logain asked her, turning serious. "Taim knows Aes Sedai, something as simple as him asking your name could be dangerous. He won't fall for any of that 'you can call me' business."
"I could call myself Aby," Gabrelle said.
"_Aby_?" Logain asked with another grin.
Gabrelle blushed a little "It's what my little brother called me when he was still too little to pronounce my name. My family picked it up long enough I could give it as my name without lying. I could get around just about anything else he would ask me, too. No one speaks much with a servant anyhow. I am also the only one who would not be missed, anyone wondering would assume I'm in Tar Valon, and anyone wondering there would assume I am here."
"All right. Jahar, would Sheriam show Gabrelle the weaves?" Logain inquired.
"She will if I explain her why," Jahar replied.
"Let's do it," Logain decided.
Gabrelle left with Jahar to Travel to Tar Valon. Sheriam was not too happy to teach those weaves to anyone, but as he explained the situation she did admit it was necessary. Before the evening, Gabrelle returned to the Black Tower.