Lain blew at his bangs, keeping in a small chuckle. Tyanna was looking at him out of the corners of her eyes, eyeing him like a frightened rabbit that might bolt off the edge of a cliff. He had discovered another, lesser-known side affect of the bond. Mood swings. A wry smile on his face, his heard her answer, then felt his face fall slightly. No Yellows... that she knew. She couldn't possibly know all the Yellows. Could she? Irrational thoughts. He would find a Yellow. Or such.
The Aes Sedai looked at him, seeing that he truly wanted no longer to die. Or at least not until another mood sets in, he thought with an ironic smile.
In his peripheral vision, he saw another person. He turned slightly so he could see her more easily. She was a Sister- no other would look so in control, expecting to be obeyed. He had been embarrassed by his mistake before, all sense blinded by his impending doom. She considered them, her head cocked to one side. Especially him. He felt slightly uncomfortable, seeing how she evaluated his battered and scarred body in such a business-like fashion. He ignored her, turning his complete attention back to Tyanna. If she wanted to speak, she could well approach on her own.
Facing Tyanna, he spoke calmly. "Thank you anyway, Aes Sedai. I will probably find someone soon anyway, spending as much time as I do around the Tower," he joked, still watching the other Sister from the corner of his eye.
xxxx
Tyanna was watching Lain so closely she had not noticed another sister come onto the balcony. The only thing that had alerted Tyanna to the presence of the sister was the way Lain was looking at something behind her.
Calmly Tyanna turned around. The hem of her dress flaring as she turned. Tyanna watched the Aes Sedai closely as she cocked her head. A knowing feeling started to creep into Tyanna's mind. It seemed that she should know who the sister was.
"Thank you anyway, Aes Sedai. I will probably find someone soon anyway, spending as much time as I do around the Tower," Tyanna heard Lain say as she turned away from the other Aes Sedai. If she wants something she can come over to us. Why does it feel like I know her? Tyanna thought.
"That's alright, Lain. When you start practicing again, you won't have as much free time. What kind of weapons can you use?" Tyanna said with a smile fixed firmly on her lips. She had always had an interest in weapons. It had come from living so close to the blight and her father been a soldier fighting against the blight everyday. She always wished to know more about weapons. That was why she had chosen the green ajah, after all. If it had not been the green ajah, it would have been the yellow.
xxxx
Dasa stared hard now, not at the man, but at the sister. A feeling of recognition crept in. Why? She was still friends with her friends from her novice and Accepted days, and most of them had chosen red. But a green. She, being an ever forward and blunt person, strode up to the people. "I know you." She had stopped directly in front of them, arms folded, chin high, staring into the other sister's eyes, trying to be intimidating. She waited for her words to register.
xxxx
Lain tore his eyes away from the other Sister as Tyanna asked him a question. "What kind of weapons can you use?" she asked with a smile on her face. Surprised, his looked again at her.
"Weapons?" he asked, his eyebrows raised. Tyanna inclined her head, a barely perceptible nod. "Well, I can use a sword," he said, "And I can... used to be able to use a longbow. Mostly, I use a crossbow now." He began ticking off fingers, pursing his lips and looking into the distance, eyes glazed slightly.
"Daggers, throwing knives, staffs, and spear," he listed, then added as an afterthought, "a little sword breaker as well, but not much."
He looked at her again, forcing his eyes to focus. "Why, Aes Sedai, if I may ask?" Her response was cut off before it began by the Sister, unwatched by him, strode bluntly up to them.
"I know you," she stated, bordering on rudeness for any other than an Aes Sedai, and maybe even now crossing the line. She stood in front of them, her arms crossed and her chin held high, staring into Tyanna's face. Lain watched with interest, wondering how Tyanna would react.
xxxx
Tyanna was still stood looking at Lain. She had completely forgotten the other sister stood not to far away from them. Tyanna could not begin to figure out why she recognized the Aes Sedai. Tyanna listened to Lain tell her about what weapons he could use.
She's a red. How can I know someone who is a red. Everyone I knew as accepted chose the green ajah only one accepted that I've known has chosen a different ajah, Tyanna thought as she saw the red sister walk towards them. Tyanna had no time to answer Lain as the red sister spoke.
"I know you." The red sister said to Tyanna as she stopped directly in front of them. Who's she trying to intimidate. I am not a novice who will run and cower at the mere sight of an Aes Sedai. I have been in the green ajah for six years. Tyanna thought as she raised her head. Proudly Tyanna looked directly into the woman's eyes, not showing any emotion what so ever.
"I know you but I do not know how." Tyanna said with complete calm in her soft voice. Tyanna did not take her eyes off the red sister for a second. She still could not put her finger on how she knew her but she did somehow.
xxxx
Dasa could see that her imperious stance on the confrontation of this green had backfired. She felt that her mere two years in the shawl were meager in her standings, she was walked thoroughly upon in her ajah. Her face flushed with the thought, but she kept up her proud gaze. "Perhaps we should walk, and discuss this knowing of strangers." She waited for the Aes Sedai's answer, wondering if she had gotten herself into something very much deeper then she thought.
xxxx
I'll give her credit even though her stance has backfired she keeps at it. Tyanna thought as she kept her head raised but smiled softly. "Perhaps we should walk, and discuss this knowing of strangers." The red said to Tyanna.
"Perhaps we should." Tyanna said as she looked towards Lain. She did not want to leave him not now. She felt concerned for his safety. Woman, you can't be with him all day. He'll just get sick of you. Tyanna thought as she kept her face calm.
xxxx
Lain watched the Aes Sedai's exchange with eyebrows raised. He was being asked to leave? Aes Sedai were so roundabout- if she wanted him to, she could very well ask.
"Perhaps we should..." Lain was even more surprised by Tyanna's response. If that wasn't the most vague answer he had heard in all his years at the Tower, he didn't know what was. Besides, Tyanna looked too unsure about Lain's sudden change of heart to suddenly leave, so soon after so much had happened. He decided to test this.
"I'll just be going now," he murmured, loud enough for them both to hear, while backing cautiously away. If they wanted him gone, perhaps he would go to the Practise Yards. But if they didn't, they would speak up. At least, he hoped it would be so...
xxxx
Tyanna stared at the Red sister with complete composure. Tyanna's eyes stayed fixed firmly on the Aes Sedai in front of her. What she wants to say she can say it here. I do not have anything to hide. I do not know where I have seen her before, Tyanna thought as she saw Lain out of the corner of her eyes. As she continued to watch the Red sister Tyanna could not help but feel concern for Lain. He must think we want him to leave. I don't know about her but I certainly don't.
"I'll just be going now," Tyanna heard Lain say to them. Is this a test? she thought as she took her eyes away from the red sister to look at him fully. As her green eyes fell on him she saw that he was backing away from them.
"Lain, you can stay here. Whatever the Aes Sedai has to talk about she can say it in front of you." Tyanna said with a warm tone to her voice as she spoke to Lain. I hope I passed the test, she thought as she calmly and proudly looked at Lain.
xxxx
Lain looked calmly at Tyanna, one eyebrow raised and an approving smile- small as so not to attract attention- on his face. So. Maybe she had been at the Tower longer than he thought. At least, she could hold her own against a Red. None other than a Red could have shown such cold, almost hostile indifference towards him. Moving back towards the pair of channelers, he noticed Tyanna looking at him triumphantly.
Well done, Aes Sedai, he thought. "Thank you, Aes Sedai," he murmured. He would have called her Tyanna Sedai, but even a little less respect from a veteran Gaidin- for that's what he now appeared to be- might appear to give the Red the upper hand.
Clasping his hands behind his back, he stood straight, the perfect image of the poised and ready Warder, and stared into the distance. Perhaps the Red would be more forthcoming if he didn't appear to be hanging on to their every word. His thinking stilled as the first words were uttered.