§ Second Story – Nine Years Ago §
She could still remember her first view of the city. It had been from the north road, and she was on Flame-Dancer, the bay her father had given her for the journey. Kimera's first thought as they came into sight was that the city was made of snow. It was so white and pure. The streets of Tar Valon were laid out in a beautiful mosaic, centering in on the Tower, and the shadows of the mountains came up from behind adding depth to its brightness. One mountain in particular, Dragonmount, cast a shadow long enough to reach the center of Tar Valon, touching the foot of the tower itself.
They had ridden together over the bridge and for the first time Kimera could see the different buildings, if that's what they should be called. All of them were made of the same white stone, carved into different amazing shapes. Seashells, trees, animals, and fanciful creatures all took shape in the stone, seemingly about to come to life. It had been enough to take her breath away.
The bells chimed the tenth hour, causing her to start, and ending he daydream with a clang. "OW!" Gingerly she backed out of the cauldron, rubbing the back of her head. Slowly Kimera gets to her feet, tossing the scrubbing sponge into the nearby basket. "It hardly seems fair, to be punished for expanding my education."
"You know the sisters don't mind us studying Kim, but how does thrashing the boys on the practice yard equate with study?" Marie couldn't help but smile at her friend and roommate's disheveled appearance. The plain white dress was stained with dirt and vegetable debris. "Besides you have three bells until class and you know Sheriam Sedai will expect you to look presentable, and not like you just came from scrubbing pots."
"Especially if I spent my entire morning scrubbing pots, and anyway it's not my fault those boys don't know one end of a practice sword from another. Even the master at arms said they could use a few extra hours on the practice field after the little bit he saw." She stretches, resting her hand against the curve of her spine, to ease the muscles of her back. "I can't help it that I need to do more than just sit around a classroom with my eyes closed, juggling balls of light in the air. It's not like I challenged anyone to a duel in the east gardens, I just went to the practice field to practice. Isn't that what it's for?"
"The practice area is where the young men in training to become Warders are to hone their skills. Certainly it is not a place for a girl who hopes to someday wear the shawl to be making a fool out of herself." Kimera winced at the voice behind her, knowing it could only belong to one person. Turning slowly before raising her eyes, Kimera meets the icy blue gaze of Lilandran Sedai. She lowered her eyes quickly bobbing into the expected curtsey.
"Good morning Sister." The girls chorused. Kimera continued, as she already knew was expected. "I am sorry for my actions this morning Sister."
The red sister answered with a sniff, straightening her shawl, which was patterned with vines, and fringed in a deep scarlet. "As well you should be. However that is not why I am here. You are to meet me in two bells in my chambers Novice. You have thirty minutes to bathe and change into a clean dress. Do I make myself understood?"
"Yes Sister." Giving another quick curtsey, Kimera straightened before turning and hurrying out of the kitchens. Lilandran was far from done in the kitchens, as she fixed Marie in her sights. "Not a word of this to anyone."
Marie's eyes darted around the strangely empty room looking for help and finding nothing. She curtsied nervously, almost falling, keeping her eyes fixed to the floor at the Sister's feet. "No sister, I'll never tell."
Lilandran smiled in satisfaction. Somehow it made Marie feel like a rabbit caught in the gaze of a wolf. "Good there may be hope for you child." Absently she patted the young girl's head as she swept past her and into the corridors beyond. Taking a shaky breath Marie also leaves the kitchens, putting her thoughts of the morning's events into a dark corner of her mind to be forgotten.
It didn't surprise Marie in the least when later than night she heard that Kimera had run away. Kimera may have been brave, but Marie couldn't think of anyone who would willingly face Lilandran alone. Thankfully the red sister had been put in charge of the search for the wayward novice, so Marie didn't have to worry about seeing her again anytime soon. It could take forever to catch a runaway, and if she learned anything about Kimera in the past two years, it was how resourceful she could be.
♥
Floating… she was floating in a sea of nothingness. It was warm and safe, and if she tried she could almost hear the voices of the people she loved, people who had been lost to her for one reason or another. She wanted to find them, but a part of her self kept her from going towards them, instead wondering how she had gotten there at all She just couldn't remember.
Her thoughts were fragmented and slow, focusing randomly on scenes from the past few days, more like she was watching someone else's life. She could see herself in the training yard sparring with the boys who hoped to be warders someday, the lecture from Sheridan Sedai and having to scrub pots in the kitchen as penance, and Lilandran Sedai's orders to meet in her chambers.
Kimera had washed and changed in record time. She knew she was early as she rushed down the hallways toward Lilandran Sedai's rooms. The hallway, the entire corridor, was unfamiliar to her as it was the heart of the Red Ajah's territory within the tower and a place she had never come to before. The mosaics on the floor were edged with red, and the tapestries depicted scenes from the group's long and varied history. Mainly they were scenes of famous red sister's subduing men who could channel and bringing them to judgment. She didn't like this part of the tower at all, and promised herself that when the time came she would never choose the Red.
After what felt like forever she found the door to the Sister's room. Kimera rapped on the dark wood twice with her knuckles, and was answered by the order to come in. She stepped inside the richly furnished apartments and waited, standing on a small rug. She kept her eyes down, studying the intricate pattern of interwoven roses in varied shades of red. Lilandran appeared from a side room, her pale dress adorned with small pearls along the neckline. "Welcome child, I am glad to see your time in the kitchens has improved your ability to follow a Sister's instructions."
"Yes Sister, I am grateful for the instruction." The words were hateful in her mouth. It wasn't like her to hold her temper, quite the opposite, but now was not the time to make a show of it. Kimera absently rubbed her temple; she could feel the beginnings of a headache behind her eyes. She swallowed softly, it wouldn't do to ask Lilandran for help, she would just have to wait until she was dismissed, then she could go see Sister Amaranth in the hospital wing.
"Come and sit child, you look as if you're about to fall over." The imperious voice she was so used to had changed, becoming almost caring in tone. "Here sit by the window, perhaps some fresh air will do you some good." Lilandran Sedai grabbed her arm gently but firmly and steered her into a chair at a table she must have missed when she came in. She felt light headed, could she be coming down with a cold or something? Gratefully she sat back trying to catch her bearings. The room seemed to be moving slowly, she had to close her eyes before it made her nauseous.
She heard the door open and close, a man's voice breaking into her consciousness. It sounded like her father. "Is she ready?" Lilandran snapped a reply but she couldn't quite make it out. This wasn't natural, Kimera struggled to open her eyes to move, something, but she was helplessly falling into the darkness.
♥
The journey had taken over a week using the Ways; Lilandran didn't want to consider what it would have been using conventional methods. As if she could have in any case. Most of the fools had no idea that the Senchean even existed. No matter, she would drop off her little present to them and be on her way. The spell had held beautifully, and the girl had stayed asleep for the entire journey, just as her Mistress had promised.
The tower thought Kimera had run away, and in ten days time Lilandran would return to the Tower and report that she had been unable to find her. It was a pity, she mused, that this one had to be removed, but there was no way the Black Ajah could allow her to come to full strength, not when turning her had been proven to be impossible. Shinearians, sworn to the Light from birth practically and the most stubborn race of people she had ever had the misfortune to meet. No matter. She reached up removing the key leaf from the pattern and placing it in position to open the door. They were waiting for her. Three Sul'dam, 'holders of the leash' stood waiting with a pair of Damane, or 'leashed ones', beside them. The third Sul'dam was waiting with an empty leash coiled at her belt, a greedy, expectant look on her face.
There were no words spoken as with a wave of her hand she signaled the Warder forward. Filthy custom, keeping a man around for any reason sickened her, but she had to admit on occasion they did prove useful. He carried the unconscious girl to the waiting women, and she watched in satisfaction as the collar was slipped firmly around the girl's neck. Lilandran knew they ached to do the same to her, but their Lord would not allow it. Still it would be unwise to depend on such a thing. Carefully she backed into the waygate, her borrowed Warder close behind.
As the doorway closed, she thought again… "Such a pity." Then dismissing the whole thing from her mind, she began the journey back to Tar Valon. There was much more to be done, if the Dark Lord's return was to be assured.
♥
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