Reeling in the first catches.
The next afternoon Sheriam made sure to have a sizeable stack of Elaida's papers left on her desk when Egwene left her study for supper. Siuan also made to leave, but Sheriam stopped her.
"Would you help finish this up?" she asked.
Siuan scowled. "Do you mean to be at it all night?" she said, frowning at the papers.
"Only these," Sheriam said. "I feel I might be on to something related to the Red Sitters." That was a sore point, the Red Sitters who had all disappeared from the Tower. Sheriam wondered if Egwene had named Duhara to Siuan as a Black as well. Whatever the reason, Siuan's interest was piqued, or perhaps she simply did not want to leave Sheriam at the work alone. Grumbling, she sat down and picked up some of the sheets off the stack.
Shortly after, Sheriam felt the Call rod grow warm and she knew Mesaana was on her way. She stood, ostensibly to put a few papers on another stack but really to be able to move more quickly. Siuan looked up, but her attention was on the door, and Sheriam knew Mesaana and Bryne were near.
Indeed only a few moments later there was a brief knock, her door opened and Lord Bryne was led in by Mesaana, who had disguised herself as an Accepted. Sheriam greeted him neutrally.
"You wished to see me?" Bryne asked, and even though that question puzzled Siuan, it did not matter because it was as far as he got. The moment Mesaana closed the door behind her, she had embraced the Source and put a shield and bonds of Air on Siuan. Sheriam too struck out with the Power, weaving Spirit, Air and Water into Bryne the way Mesaana had taught her the previous night. The General fell and she caught him in bonds of Air before he could hit the floor. Then she quickly wove a Ward around the room, while Mesaana opened a gateway and pulled Siuan through. She followed with Lord Bryne, into the same room at the inn they had used before.
Mesaana's disguise changed into that of the tall blonde even as she walked to the head of the table, pulling the struggling Siuan effortlessly along and depositing her on the bare wood.
Sheriam registered the shock on Siuan's face, but paid it little mind as she put Bryne down in the near corner and tied off the bonds of Air securely. Then she took her place next to Mesaana, in the circle which was rapidly being formed by the other Black. They had already been waiting in the room, together with the Myrddraal who also came forward and took up position among them.
Mesaana linked and Sheriam could feel the Chosen's power, strong and steady, far more so than any of the others in the circle. Then Mesaana wove flows of Spirit, back and forth through the Myrddraal, drawing more and more of the Great Lord's essence until the original flows were pulsating and swirling with dark power. Shaping the turbulent flows into a net, Mesaana let it settle into Siuan, while simultaneously she reached out with a separate flow of Earth, Water and Fire and made a short cut, almost at the point where one would make the cut during a Stilling, but parallel to how Saidar would flow if Siuan hadn't been shielded, rather than across it.
Even as the net sank into Siuan, her struggles against the shield and bonds of Air ceased. Mesaana wove more flows, Spirit and Air and Water to bend the Oaths and re-shape them into the new Oaths to the Great Lord, but Sheriam thought this was more of an extra failsafe than true necessity. And it was easier to warp the Oaths than to break and re-weave them. With both the Great Lord's essence and the Oaths in place there was no room for doubt, and Sheriam was not surprised when Mesaana released the Shield and the bonds of Air without hesitation when the Turning was done. Mesaana dismissed the other Black as well as the Myrddraal with a wave of her hand.
Siuan sat up, slowly as if unsure she would indeed be able to. She raised one hand to her head, checked on Bryne with a glance. Then she looked at Sheriam.
"So you are of the Black."
What was it about people in stressful situations making them state the obvious? Sheriam nodded.
Siuan took a few deep breaths. "I am glad of the turning, even though I know I shouldn't be." She shook her head. "What a pile of fish guts!"
Sheriam looked at Siuan, stunned by the woman's stupidity and lack of control more than by the curse itself. She opened her mouth but could not for a moment think of what to say.
Mesaana reacted quicker. She channeled, striking Siuan across the back with repeated lashes of Air, lifting her off the table and slamming her down on her knees onto the floor. She held her down, still lashing her.
"You can act like that in the Tower, for now -in fact we want you to behave as if nothing happened- but in front of me, or any of the Black, you will watch your language and show proper respect," she snapped.
"Yes, High Mistress," Siuan replied hastily, gasping. At least she had enough sense to answer promptly now, and she used the correct form of address.
"When we get back to the Tower we will wake Bryne. You will use compulsion through the bond to make him believe he just walked in. Then go about your business as usual. Sheriam will visit you in your rooms tonight to give you further instructions."
"Yes, High Mistress," Siuan replied again, and Mesaana released her. Mesaana re-assumed her disguise of Accepted, then opened the gateway back to the Tower. Sheriam picked up Bryne and they were back in her anteroom. Channeling Water, Spirit and Earth she woke Bryne, who jumped up from the floor in alarm, then halted as Siuan used her compulsion. He shook his head, looked disoriented for a moment.
"You wished to see me?" he asked.
"I did, but it is later than I thought," Sheriam replied. "Perhaps our business can wait until tomorrow."
Bryne nodded. "Tomorrow it is."
-0-
Later that evening Sheriam traveled directly into Siuan's rooms. Siuan listened carefully to the instructions Sheriam gave her, but she clearly had trouble keeping her place. She was still abrasive in her manner and several times seemed to bite back curses at the last moment. The breaking of the Tower had done good for many Aes Sedai, had taught those from better families who had rarely left the Tower to do with less, it had taught them to stick less to traditions and old habits and to accept change and do whatever necessary. But Siuan hadn't needed those lessons, coming from a poor Tairen fisherman's family. She'd had to learn to watch her language and mind her manners as a novice, had been able to learn well enough to be Amyrlin, but it seemed she'd forgotten half of it in the time she'd been on the run. And the fact that Egwene let her get away with it didn't help.
Sheriam went over the plans for the next day as quickly as she could without getting careless about the details, then opened the gateway back to her own room. Even when they had both been Accepted and she had considered Siuan a friend, the lack of manners and control of Siuan had sometimes irritated her. And yet she had considered her a friend, once. She turned around.
"I have used you, but you were my friend when we were novices and Accepted. You must clean up your act. Egwene lets you get away with a lot, but Mesaana will not. What you got this evening is nothing, you do anything like that when Bryne has been brought under control or once that no longer matters, and you will regret it."
Without waiting for an answer, or checking to see whether Siuan took it as a warning or a threat, she turned once more, stepped through and let the gateway close behind her.
-0-
The next morning, Sheriam was awakened by a startled novice, her face as pale as her dress.
"Sheriam Sedai, you must come, there has been a murder," the girl squeaked. "Lennah Sedai has been killed."
Sheriam started, too. A murder, in the White Tower? That was very rare in itself, and those times it had happened, it had been the Black Ajah who was behind it. None of the Black had orders to kill this time, and if Lennah had stumbled upon something she shouldn't have, then Sheriam thought she'd have heard about it from one of the Black rather than from a novice.
She quickly got up and pulled on her dress. Then she followed the novice through the Tower to the Grey's quarters.
Several sisters were already there, Andara stood looking grim, while Dagdara and Therva just came out of Lennah's room. A number of guardsmen stood around guarding the door, Chubain with them. Egwene arrived seconds later, led here by another novice, Gawyn trailing behind her.
"There was nothing we could do, Mother," Dagdara reported. "She must have been dead some time, since late last evening."
"How?" Egwene demanded.
"She was stabbed, likely while she slept. There is no sign of any struggle, no sign she even woke up."
Egwene started. "Stabbed? Were there any signs of channeling?"
Dagdara shook her head. "None. She was not killed with the Power."
Sheriam frowned, puzzled. She hadn't thought it was the Black, but she had still expected some kind of channeling, had thought perhaps it was Alviarin or one of the others who had ran off rather than facing the Oath Rod. If she had gone against an order from Mesaana, she wouldn't come within a hundred leagues of the Tower, but few people who couldn't channel would dare try to kill an Aes Sedai, and in the White Tower at that!
"Still it has to be the Black Ajah," Egwene said. "They know the Tower and could Travel in, who else could get in here?"
"Anyone masquerading as a servant, I'm afraid," Andara remarked. "Or even a novice, although that would be more noticeable after curfew. No one knows all the servants, or takes much notice of them."
"At least that we can ward against," Egwene decided. "Sheriam, make sure wards are placed on the gates at night, and on the entrance to each Ajah's quarters. And get Nisain to see if she can find any residue in the room or nearby."
"Yes, Mother," Sheriam replied.
She'd put Black sisters on this task, even if she didn't suspect the Black had anything to do with it, it would be better if the Black couldn't run into the wards on any other errands. And she would pick those who would place strong wards, when someone who could not channel dared attack an Aes Sedai, that could not be tolerated.
"Chubain, ask your guards if they remember who came and went last night," Egwene continued.
Chubain frowned, started to protest.
"I trust your men would have stopped anyone clearly suspicious, but perhaps something comes to mind in retrospect, anyone who was in a hurry or just left the grounds at a very late time," Egwene said, staying his protests.
Chubain nodded, gestured to one of his men, telling him to wake the men who were on duty last night.
Sheriam too sent out the required orders, and returned to her anteroom.
-0-
Not much later, she left her desk again, and made her way to the angreal store room. Siuan remained behind, working on Elaida's papers. She passed Gawyn, who was as usual hanging around in the hall. They had considered taking Egwene at the end of the day, like Siuan, but Gawyn was the most important reason they had decided to make their move earlier in the day. He followed Egwene around everywhere, even guarded her door at night even though she had protested against that, and he would be likely to become a nuisance if Egwene was held up late. But during the day he did not try to enter, knowing that there was Tower business to be done that he could have no part in. And he was not yet her Warder, he would not feel warning when Egwene was taken from the Tower.
As she walked through one corridor, it suddenly bent sharply to the left, then led to a hallway near the kitchens, and she blinked, confused for a moment that she would take a wrong turn, even if she had been gone for some months. Then she realized it was one of those instances where the Tower itself had warped. She turned back and took another way, the alternate route as familiar as ever, but it was unsettling even so.
Down in the lower levels of the Tower, she found the sisters who guarded the angreal and ter'angreal store rooms. A guard of four sisters, only one a Black, and the room was Warded to detect Travel. It made no difference, as Keeper she was allowed access to any of the angreal and ter'angreal she might want, and neither did she need to give a reason for what she took. In this case, unlike with the dream ter'angreal, the guards would report the fact that she took the long, fluted rod known as Vora's sa'angreal, either at the end of their shift or they might even make note and send a written report of it after her immediately. But Siuan would be the one to receive it in her anteroom and if any of the Sitters heard of it and considered it worth enquiring about, it would still not be important enough to disturb the Amyrlin when she was in a closed meeting with her Keeper for just a brief while. And after that it no longer mattered, Egwene would back up any reason as to why it was needed.
She pushed the long, thin rod in a pouch under her skirts -something she also would've done if she'd retrieved the sa'angreal for legitimate reasons, it would rarely be prudent for every sister she met in the halls to wonder what she or Egwene wanted it for. Thus she returned to her anteroom without a hitch. No urgent messages had been delivered in the short time she had been away, nor was anyone in the Amyrlin's study with Egwene, so she channeled into the call rod, alerting Mesaana.
Mesaana walked in almost immediately, again in her disguise as Accepted. Sheriam handed her the Sa'angreal, and Mesaana slid it up her sleeve. Sheriam took her own angreal out of her pouch and held it hidden in her hand.
"Ready?" Mesaana asked.
Sheriam nodded. "Ready."
"Keep everyone out," Mesaana told Siuan, as a confirmation of their earlier instructions.
"Yes, High Mistress," Siuan replied quickly even as she knelt. At least for once she managed to respond properly.
Sheriam knocked on the inner door leading to Egwene's study, opened it and led the way in.
"I have several new reports for you," Sheriam started, to keep Egwene's attention on her.
Mesaana followed, but while Egwene glanced at her, she did not pay as much mind to an Accepted, instead looking at Sheriam to see what she had and why she had brought anyone with her. Perhaps if she'd had more time, Egwene would've realized she had never seen this particular Accepted before, but Mesaana didn't give her that long. Like yesterday, the moment she closed the door, she grasped the Power and struck out with the shield. Egwene was strong and quick, but against Mesaana with the powerful Sa'angreal she did not stand a chance. Shock registered on her face, for only a moment since Sheriam also embraced Saidar and used the stunning weaves she had used on Bryne. Just to be sure. Egwene slumped forward onto her desk.
Sheriam wove the room ward and the gateway, then took Egwene in bonds of Air. Mesaana held only the shield. They stepped through into the inn's back room and immediately Mesaana linked with the Black sisters who were there. Sheriam too joined the circle as soon as she'd let the gateway close and put Egwene on the table. Mesaana smoothly took the bonds of Air as they linked, and only when the circle was whole and the Myrddraal were in position did Mesaana split the flows further, to change her disguise and start the turning. The Chosen wove the weaves just like the day before.
In spite of all their precautions, the angreal, sa'angreal and the Well she carried, Sheriam was glad when the essence of the Great Lord settled into Egwene. According to those who had the Talent to see, only the Dragon, Mat Cauthon and Perrin Aybara were ta'veren, and yet there was something uncanny about Egwene and Nynaeve as well. Unlike the Great Lord, there were no records of the Creator granting special abilities, longer life or other gifts to anyone except in a handful of the oldest Gleeman tales, from Ages older than the Age of Legends. But when it came to these girls, it seemed as if someone or something was on their side. Perhaps not helping them directly as the Great Lord had warned Mesaana of Verin's betrayal, but twisting even the most carefully laid plans against them. Whatever it was, it wasn't strong or quick enough this time.
Mesaana finished the Turning, weaving the flows that re-shaped the Oaths. This time she did not immediately release the shield. Mesaana had told her she was not been completely sure how the Turning worked, but she suspected it was still possible for Egwene to blindly lash out against any one of them if she woke in a panic and had no idea what she was doing. Just like the Oaths did not prevent one from speaking a lie if one did not know it was one; the way Egwene had spoken of the Tower being cleansed of the Black was only one example of many. So as she finished the weave and dismissed the circle, Mesaana woke Egwene and let go of the bonds of Air, but held the shield in place.
Egwene woke with a start, veering up to a sitting position with a wild-eyed look. Sheriam, still linked with Mesaana, could feel her push against the shield. It had been a good precaution!
Mesaana responded calmly, holding up one hand in a gesture to stay Egwene. "Easy now. I am Mesaana. Anything we're going to do to you, we've already done, and you will not be harmed as long as you follow my orders. I will release the shield, do not try to channel."
Egwene frowned, tilted her head as if she tried to feel what had happened inside her, but the initial panic was gone from her face. Then she quietly slipped off the table and knelt.
"High Lady," she said.
Sheriam looked on in approval. Egwene might be of a simple background too, she was raised far better than Siuan. The girl could be just as stubborn or more so, but she had manners and when it came down to it, she knew her place.
"The proper way to address me is High Mistress. We will take you back to the Tower where you will remain in your position, but you take your orders from us from now on," Mesaana told Egwene, even as she let the shield wink out of existence.
"Yes, High Mistress," Egwene said. She replied quickly enough, even though her voice shook.
"Get up. We will return to your study before you are missed," Mesaana said. She also released the link, and Sheriam took hold of the Source herself, seemingly only a trickle after the link with Mesaana and the sa'angreal.
Egwene got up and slowly shook her head. "So Verin was right," she said quietly, even as she followed the two of them through the gateway Mesaana opened. "And Siuan, too." She visibly started. "Siuan!"
"She was taken last night," Sheriam said. "She will not be a risk. Bryne however might be, and you will have to send them both away. Compulsion only goes so far without being noticeable."
"Good," Egwene nodded, then gasped. "I.. I can't believe I just said that! But I am glad she's been taken. I.. it's hard to believe the change runs so deep!"
Mesaana looked satisfied. "It works well, even better than I remembered. This will make it easier on all of us."
Egwene looked hesitantly at her desk and the ornate seat behind it.
"You may sit down," Mesaana told her. "Times are turbulent enough, never know when something will come up that will send someone rushing in here in a panic." The Chosen sat down on one of the chairs across from the Amyrlin's desk. At least Egwene had provided chairs again, Elaida had all chairs but her own replaced by hard wooden stools. Sheriam too sat down.
"The hunt for the Black will be called off, not officially of course but it will be stalled indefinitely. The letters to the various nations' leaders have already been permanently delayed," Mesaana glanced at Sheriam, "And the sisters assigned to the search will all be Black. Of course you will hand us the book Verin gave you. Did you give anyone any names from Verin's list, other than Siuan?"
"The journal and the code are in my sleeping quarters, I will retrieve them," Egwene said promptly. "I told Meidani about Alviarin, and instructed her to tell Saerin and the others who had been hunting the Black. To Siuan I only named Sheriam and Moria."
Egwene glanced at Sheriam, then quickly looked away when Sheriam threw her a hard look, not able to meet her eye. Sheriam took a deep breath as she forced herself to keep her calm. She was upset, hated what Egwene had almost done to her and she could not forget the fifteen Black sisters who were killed on Egwene's orders. On the other hand, they had all known that just being Black Ajah was punishable by death, and no Amyrlin could have done different. The most important argument was that it was simply not practical to punish Egwene. No doubt some of the Black would demand revenge and if they still did when everything was over, well, Sheriam might agree. But for now, Egwene was far too valuable as a figurehead, and any harm done to her was more risk than it was worth.
"Saerin is someone to watch, even if she knows no other names. A request to join the hunt of those who fled has been on my desk since yesterday afternoon," Sheriam remarked.
"I will deny her request," Egwene said readily.
"Hm, Saerin," Mesaana mused. "She didn't do too bad leading the defense against the Seanchan raid, even though she is not a Green. Call her in here at High today. She will be useful in the Last Battle."
"I will send her a message," Sheriam said. "And if we take more, we should take Silviana as well. The novices and Accepted can be guided from the outside, we've had to do so for the past months, but it is much easier done by the Mistress of Novices."
"See that she is here when we return with Saerin," Mesaana decided.
Sheriam acknowledged with a nod.
"Then there are those who have been working on the ter'angreal and cuendillar. Cuendillar, while valuable, really is not top priority. You will instruct them to focus on a number of specific ter'angreal which I will describe to them, and I hope with some instruction they will be able to copy angreal also. Their work will be given as the reason why we have this," Mesaana indicated the white sa'angreal. "And I do in fact want them to look into making replicas, while of course we keep ready access to it."
"Silviana will be of help with that. Several of those who have had good results are Accepted and novices," Sheriam said.
"Very well," Mesaana said. "Get those who remained in the Tower on it also, I want every sister strong enough to learn checked for particular Talents in the area. I mean to control the entire Tower before the Last Battle, but a few more rods like this, or even half as strong, will be a great advantage."
"I will send out the order," Egwene replied.
"And then Siuan and Bryne. As far as the Hall of the Tower is concerned, Bryne will be sent to the various rulers to start a combined campaign against the Seanchan. A quite sensible and believable cover after the raid. In truth, he will be put in charge of the Warders and other non-Channelers who are not in the Tower. The Black who had to leave the Tower are spread over two locations right now but they can Travel and meet up. Most assuredly, Bryne must be away from here, for the time being. Call him in as soon as I have gone, Sheriam will handle the gateway."
Again Egwene nodded.
"Then I have covered the most important points. I will come for the taking of Saerin and Silviana, and also every morning and evening. If anything comes up in the meantime, anything at all, you check with Sheriam before making a decision," Mesaana finished, getting up.
"Yes, High Mistress," Egwene replied as she too stood and made a deep curtsy.
With a slight shimmer, Mesaana changed her Mask of Mirrors and assumed the disguise of Accepted again. She put the sa'angreal on Egwene's desk and left.
"I will tell Siuan to get Bryne. Give him the cover orders; he will need to retrieve his bags and hand over command of his men who are to remain here, and it will be best when he does so with as little compulsion as possible. The orders regarding the angreal and ter'angreal will go out after Silviana's taking," Sheriam said.
Egwene nodded quickly. "Yes, Sheriam."
An Amyrlin who had been disposed for whatever reason had always been exiled, but Egwene was young and there had never been a situation like this before. Perhaps if Egwene minded her manners she might be able to remain, with her strength and Talents she would be an asset for the Tower as long as she knew her place. And yes, she was thinking of the Tower again, but it would be their Tower now. She went out of Egwene's study into her anteroom.
"Has anyone been in?" she asked Siuan.
"Romanda was here," Siuan replied. "She demanded to see the Amyrlin, and was quite unhappy to be kept waiting. She said she will be back later. Also several reports were brought in, the White and the Green have decided on their Sitters."
Sheriam glanced at the reports, noted with satisfaction that Velina had kept her position as Sitter, but it also annoyed her Siuan had obviously read the papers. It was a good thing Siuan would be sent away.
"Get Bryne, we have our orders for him," she snapped.
Siuan finally seemed to notice she'd gone to far. "Yes, Sheriam," she replied and left in a hurry.