((One more chapter after this...Oh, by the way, I do not own any part of
the Wheel of Time))
Jacqueline asked the Sitters a question, and they nodded reluctantly. She cleared her throat before addressing everyone there. What seemed like the whole Tower was standing around, waiting to witness her being stilled, and there would certainly be more for her execution. She spoke, in a clear, carrying voice.
"Everyone here, I would like to say a few last words before I am stilled, as I certainly will not be up to speaking before my execution. First of all, I want to say that I tried my very hardest to help this world. I gave up my life as a teenager to try to feed everyone and keep you alive. And I succeeded. But with my own life, I failed. I want you to know how badly I wish I could just admit to being a Darkfriend and have all of this over. But I cannot. Ironically, I am bound by an oath not to lie, and I cannot admit this. You will think what you want to think about this, but I want you to at least listen when I say that I am no Darkfriend. I have given everything I have to fight the Shadow, but it was not enough. I am sorry." She paused, letting her words sink in, before continuing. "I would like to wish some of you luck and happiness. All who have believed me and helped me, I hope that you move on and achieve greatness in this corrupted world. Those who did not...well, I hope that you realize your wrongs before it is too late for this world. My Warder, my true love, Faolan, I hope that you can get over this without dying, and I hope that you can find happiness in the future. And Kella, my oldest friend, my betrayer, my greatest enemy, I hope you rot alive in your master's prison." She turned abruptly and stalked back over to the Sitters.
There were murmured whispers at her last sentence. Kella, face red with anger, turned and walked away in a huff. Others began to feel sorry for Jacqueline, thinking that perhaps they were wrong. But the Sitters, those who mattered, went on with the punishment. "Jacqueline Black, we will torture you before you are numb from the stilling. Rise, child, and we will deliver to you the punishment you delivered to Kella." They waited silently for her to stand.
Jacqueline did not stand. Her voice was quiet when she said, "I will not receive the punishment that I gave Kella. Kella was Compelled only to tell the truth, and no harm was done to her by me. I Healed her back in my rooms. But her punishment is still far worse than any you can give me. She is cursed, her soul given to the Dark One. She will die a death far worse than my own, and she will serve him still in death. I will at least have the peace that comes with a mortal death, and I will be happy then. Torture me, punish me all you want, and I will scream, but I shall be happy when it is all over." Without another word, she silently stepped up to the flows of Air that she could see. She stood on a platform of it while they lit a fire. Her hands and feet were bound by it. Then she was raised into the air, above the fire.
As the fire was lit, Jacqueline giggled a bit insanely. Her eyes sparkled, filled with many emotions. When it began to burn and the strikes began coming, she cackled. Embracing saidar, not just a normal amount, but through a s'angreal ring, she struck out identical blows towards all of the Sitters, except stronger by tenfold. Her eyes burned with a feverish light, of determination and madness. She had a crooked smile on as she cut the flows holding her up, and doused the fire with Water. She hopped down, painful welts spreading across her body but otherwise unharmed.
Jacqueline knew it could not last, that women that could channel surrounded her, but as the fire was lit, she was pushed over the edge. She didn't care if she lived anymore. She just wanted her revenge, to teach these women a lesson that they would never forget. She sprinted over to Faolan, and he embraced her one last time. They waited to be caught together.
The Keeper of the Chronicles, Keena, was just a bit than Jacqueline, roughly 25 years old. She, too, had been raised from the Green Ajah. Jacqueline wasn't very close with her, but she knew her as a very capable and powerful woman. Upon seeing Jacqueline's escape, Keena sprinted over towards her, pulling a dagger from up her sleeve. She had been of the Battle Ajah for 5 years before being raised to Keeper, and she knew how to fight. She smiled grimly and eyed everyone around them. "Are you ready to fight to escape, or do you just want to stir everyone up?"
Faolan answered for her. "We will fight, but we have no chances of escaping. No, we don't want anyone dead, because that will just firm the idea in their minds that she is of the Black Ajah. Let's just punish them, get back at them for what they will do to us." Already, a group of Aes Sedai was coming towards them. All three of them were ready to fight, Keena with her dagger poised and saidar embraced, Jacqueline drawing vast quantities of saidar through her s'angreal, and Faolan with a sword he seemed to have drawn from out of nowhere. There faces grim, they began the punishment.
Jacqueline's eyes lost their mad look and came back into focus. Her face was grim, but she struck each painful blow with a small laugh. She was certainly teaching them. Upon getting hit by a solid block of Air, she carefully wove a strong shield, inverted it, and placed it around the three of them. Safe inside her shield, she hammered blows of solid Fire to each side, strong enough to knock them unconscious but not kill.
Aes Sedai, Novices, and Accepted alike began to retreat, none able to break her shield and none wanting to get hit. The Sitters were all getting up and had finally surrounded themselves with a strong shield. There faces were full of rage as they marched forward. Abruptly, Jacqueline's shield simply shattered. Disbelief battling fear on her face, she dove towards the ground, pulling her Warder and her Keeper with her. They were just in time. White-hot bars of light landed where they had just been.
Faolan, shielding his eyes with his hand, pulled Jacqueline and ( ) out to the side. They ran quickly through the gates back towards the Amyrlin's rooms in the Tower. All three knew that there had to be someone as powerful and deadly as the Forsaken in that group of Sitters, and none wanted to get in her way. Perhaps, Jackie thought ruefully, one of them was one of the Forsaken in disguise. She sighed and shook her head sadly as they entered her rooms. Now, everyone would be completely convinced that she was a Darkfriend, and there was absolutely nothing she could do to prove it otherwise.
A loud knock came on her door, and she calmly stood and opened it, saying in a light, pleasant voice, "Why, hello, Sitter Painie. I'm very pleased to see you. Please sit down." She beckoned to a chair.
Sitter Painie, the young Aes Sedai that had first called her a Darkfriend, stalked over to the chair, but rather than sitting down, she stayed standing and growled, "Enough with the pleasantries. You defied us. You will be stilled and executed, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. And then, who do you think will become the Amyrlin Seat?" There was triumph in her eyes. "The Black Ajah will take over the Tower, and we will rule the worlds as immortals! It will all be thanks to you."
Faolan stared at Painie, aghast. "That is not fair. You accuse Jacqueline of being a Darkfriend then admit being Black yourself? You should be the one getting stilled, not her!" He grimaced, thinking that he probably shouldn't make this one mad.
The Black Sitter cackled then said sweetly, "But why should I get myself stilled? No, everyone will be quite convinced that the corrupting Black Ajah will be rooted out of the Tower with the Amyrlin's execution." She smirked then added, "Any who think otherwise will be accused of traitorism and be executed themselves. And we will take over. It is a flawless plan where we win every way." She grinned evilly, a nasty light in her eyes.
Jacqueline growled audibly. "You will not take over. I have resigned myself to being executed, but I will not die for nothing. I will win, and you will pay. You'll see." She stepped towards the door. "I assume that you are here to lead me to get stilled?"
Painie nodded. "Yes, follow me. Everyone has woken up, and they are all waiting there, most quite upset over your...actions. It is a great mood to conduct this in." She stepped out into the hall, plainly pleased by the way events were playing out.
Jacqueline followed, forcing herself to look resigned and saddened. It really wasn't very hard. But she had won one triumph; she wasn't to be tortured. It seemed that they had forgotten all about it, just as she'd hoped they would. Now, she beckoned for Faolan to follow her. "Keena, get away from here. Escape before they remember about you. They want me, not you. Go!" The words were quiet, but they were full of emotion.
Keena shook her head. "I am staying with you. I will die, if need be, but I will not run away. I will fight." With Jacqueline's reluctant nod, she joined the group outside the room. At that time, both Aes Sedai found that they had been shielded.
Jacqueline asked the Sitters a question, and they nodded reluctantly. She cleared her throat before addressing everyone there. What seemed like the whole Tower was standing around, waiting to witness her being stilled, and there would certainly be more for her execution. She spoke, in a clear, carrying voice.
"Everyone here, I would like to say a few last words before I am stilled, as I certainly will not be up to speaking before my execution. First of all, I want to say that I tried my very hardest to help this world. I gave up my life as a teenager to try to feed everyone and keep you alive. And I succeeded. But with my own life, I failed. I want you to know how badly I wish I could just admit to being a Darkfriend and have all of this over. But I cannot. Ironically, I am bound by an oath not to lie, and I cannot admit this. You will think what you want to think about this, but I want you to at least listen when I say that I am no Darkfriend. I have given everything I have to fight the Shadow, but it was not enough. I am sorry." She paused, letting her words sink in, before continuing. "I would like to wish some of you luck and happiness. All who have believed me and helped me, I hope that you move on and achieve greatness in this corrupted world. Those who did not...well, I hope that you realize your wrongs before it is too late for this world. My Warder, my true love, Faolan, I hope that you can get over this without dying, and I hope that you can find happiness in the future. And Kella, my oldest friend, my betrayer, my greatest enemy, I hope you rot alive in your master's prison." She turned abruptly and stalked back over to the Sitters.
There were murmured whispers at her last sentence. Kella, face red with anger, turned and walked away in a huff. Others began to feel sorry for Jacqueline, thinking that perhaps they were wrong. But the Sitters, those who mattered, went on with the punishment. "Jacqueline Black, we will torture you before you are numb from the stilling. Rise, child, and we will deliver to you the punishment you delivered to Kella." They waited silently for her to stand.
Jacqueline did not stand. Her voice was quiet when she said, "I will not receive the punishment that I gave Kella. Kella was Compelled only to tell the truth, and no harm was done to her by me. I Healed her back in my rooms. But her punishment is still far worse than any you can give me. She is cursed, her soul given to the Dark One. She will die a death far worse than my own, and she will serve him still in death. I will at least have the peace that comes with a mortal death, and I will be happy then. Torture me, punish me all you want, and I will scream, but I shall be happy when it is all over." Without another word, she silently stepped up to the flows of Air that she could see. She stood on a platform of it while they lit a fire. Her hands and feet were bound by it. Then she was raised into the air, above the fire.
As the fire was lit, Jacqueline giggled a bit insanely. Her eyes sparkled, filled with many emotions. When it began to burn and the strikes began coming, she cackled. Embracing saidar, not just a normal amount, but through a s'angreal ring, she struck out identical blows towards all of the Sitters, except stronger by tenfold. Her eyes burned with a feverish light, of determination and madness. She had a crooked smile on as she cut the flows holding her up, and doused the fire with Water. She hopped down, painful welts spreading across her body but otherwise unharmed.
Jacqueline knew it could not last, that women that could channel surrounded her, but as the fire was lit, she was pushed over the edge. She didn't care if she lived anymore. She just wanted her revenge, to teach these women a lesson that they would never forget. She sprinted over to Faolan, and he embraced her one last time. They waited to be caught together.
The Keeper of the Chronicles, Keena, was just a bit than Jacqueline, roughly 25 years old. She, too, had been raised from the Green Ajah. Jacqueline wasn't very close with her, but she knew her as a very capable and powerful woman. Upon seeing Jacqueline's escape, Keena sprinted over towards her, pulling a dagger from up her sleeve. She had been of the Battle Ajah for 5 years before being raised to Keeper, and she knew how to fight. She smiled grimly and eyed everyone around them. "Are you ready to fight to escape, or do you just want to stir everyone up?"
Faolan answered for her. "We will fight, but we have no chances of escaping. No, we don't want anyone dead, because that will just firm the idea in their minds that she is of the Black Ajah. Let's just punish them, get back at them for what they will do to us." Already, a group of Aes Sedai was coming towards them. All three of them were ready to fight, Keena with her dagger poised and saidar embraced, Jacqueline drawing vast quantities of saidar through her s'angreal, and Faolan with a sword he seemed to have drawn from out of nowhere. There faces grim, they began the punishment.
Jacqueline's eyes lost their mad look and came back into focus. Her face was grim, but she struck each painful blow with a small laugh. She was certainly teaching them. Upon getting hit by a solid block of Air, she carefully wove a strong shield, inverted it, and placed it around the three of them. Safe inside her shield, she hammered blows of solid Fire to each side, strong enough to knock them unconscious but not kill.
Aes Sedai, Novices, and Accepted alike began to retreat, none able to break her shield and none wanting to get hit. The Sitters were all getting up and had finally surrounded themselves with a strong shield. There faces were full of rage as they marched forward. Abruptly, Jacqueline's shield simply shattered. Disbelief battling fear on her face, she dove towards the ground, pulling her Warder and her Keeper with her. They were just in time. White-hot bars of light landed where they had just been.
Faolan, shielding his eyes with his hand, pulled Jacqueline and ( ) out to the side. They ran quickly through the gates back towards the Amyrlin's rooms in the Tower. All three knew that there had to be someone as powerful and deadly as the Forsaken in that group of Sitters, and none wanted to get in her way. Perhaps, Jackie thought ruefully, one of them was one of the Forsaken in disguise. She sighed and shook her head sadly as they entered her rooms. Now, everyone would be completely convinced that she was a Darkfriend, and there was absolutely nothing she could do to prove it otherwise.
A loud knock came on her door, and she calmly stood and opened it, saying in a light, pleasant voice, "Why, hello, Sitter Painie. I'm very pleased to see you. Please sit down." She beckoned to a chair.
Sitter Painie, the young Aes Sedai that had first called her a Darkfriend, stalked over to the chair, but rather than sitting down, she stayed standing and growled, "Enough with the pleasantries. You defied us. You will be stilled and executed, and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. And then, who do you think will become the Amyrlin Seat?" There was triumph in her eyes. "The Black Ajah will take over the Tower, and we will rule the worlds as immortals! It will all be thanks to you."
Faolan stared at Painie, aghast. "That is not fair. You accuse Jacqueline of being a Darkfriend then admit being Black yourself? You should be the one getting stilled, not her!" He grimaced, thinking that he probably shouldn't make this one mad.
The Black Sitter cackled then said sweetly, "But why should I get myself stilled? No, everyone will be quite convinced that the corrupting Black Ajah will be rooted out of the Tower with the Amyrlin's execution." She smirked then added, "Any who think otherwise will be accused of traitorism and be executed themselves. And we will take over. It is a flawless plan where we win every way." She grinned evilly, a nasty light in her eyes.
Jacqueline growled audibly. "You will not take over. I have resigned myself to being executed, but I will not die for nothing. I will win, and you will pay. You'll see." She stepped towards the door. "I assume that you are here to lead me to get stilled?"
Painie nodded. "Yes, follow me. Everyone has woken up, and they are all waiting there, most quite upset over your...actions. It is a great mood to conduct this in." She stepped out into the hall, plainly pleased by the way events were playing out.
Jacqueline followed, forcing herself to look resigned and saddened. It really wasn't very hard. But she had won one triumph; she wasn't to be tortured. It seemed that they had forgotten all about it, just as she'd hoped they would. Now, she beckoned for Faolan to follow her. "Keena, get away from here. Escape before they remember about you. They want me, not you. Go!" The words were quiet, but they were full of emotion.
Keena shook her head. "I am staying with you. I will die, if need be, but I will not run away. I will fight." With Jacqueline's reluctant nod, she joined the group outside the room. At that time, both Aes Sedai found that they had been shielded.
