Murder and mayhem.
The next day started quietly enough, her breakfast for once uninterrupted and no surprise visits. Sheriam knew the Black was busy with the Hall, and she herself took Rubinde, who had two Warders, with aid of Egwene. Then she started her list of those who had been taken. Mesaana had immediately agreed to let her have the Bookstrap, had clearly enjoyed putting it to this use.
Of course it didn't last. Irna burst into her anteroom at Trine.
"There has been another murder. Kateri, she must have been killed last night. Poor Kat, I knocked on her door last night but got no answer, so I went and took Ferane instead."
The Black sister was clearly distraught, almost in tears. She must have been close with Kateri, she would be to have gone to her quarters the previous night. Many Black sisters had maintained the friendships they had made as novices and Accepted, and more than likely Irna had even looked forward to taking her friend so she would no longer have to keep this one big secret from her.
Sheriam felt uneasy as well, although for a different reason. Last night, that meant the killer had struck morning and night of the same day. He -or she- was getting bolder.
"If there was no answer, she was likely dead already," Sheriam told Irna. "And if it was anything like the others, it would have made little difference unless you had found her within minutes of the attack."
Irna bit her lip, then nodded.
"Tell the sisters on the investigating team what time you were there. They are turned," Sheriam had checked with Dagdara that morning, "but give another reason for your visit anyway for Gawyn and the guards' sake."
Sheriam wondered if she needed to go to the White's quarters herself, but she still didn't know what to look for, hadn't seen anything remotely useful in the other three cases. She decided it wouldn't do any good. Now she was sure the sisters who were on the case wouldn't go and hunt the Black, there really was no need.
"Tell Nisain and Gawyn to report to the Amyrlin as soon as they are done at the scene," she instructed.
Irna acknowledged and left.
Before long Nisain and Akkarin arrived, but they had little to report. Like in the other cases, there was no residue of anything except a basic door ward, Kateri hadn't been killed with the One Power and hadn't channeled in defense either.
It was a little after the two residue-readers left before Gawyn came to see Egwene. His face was grim and he looked slightly annoyed when Sheriam followed him into Egwene's study. He didn't particularly distrust her -fortunately Egwene had not named her to Gawyn as she had to Siuan- but he still would rather have spoken to Egwene alone. When his scowl produced no result, he started with his report.
"Kateri was stabbed like the others, and she never had a chance, several wounds were deep enough to kill immediately. There were some books knocked onto the floor, but the struggle must have been brief, perhaps she only swept them off the desk as she fell. She had no time to call out or, apparently, to channel, at least that's the one thing I could get out of the sisters investigating. It really would help if they shared more of their information with me."
"There isn't much to share, the One Power is not used in these murders," Egwene pointed out. "If they find anything useful, I will make sure they let you know. I want this assassin stopped, we all do."
"That may be so, but I wonder if the sisters investigating the murders know what it takes to catch him. Kateri herself must have been sitting at her desk with her back to the door, not a good thing when an assassin is on the lose. You should at least stress that this killer can strike within their rooms, tell them to be alert even there and use stronger wards."
"I will do that," Egwene assured him.
Sheriam approved. The Black were still doing well taking the other sisters, and as long as she stressed that the assassin was likely someone who couldn't channel, the difficulty in taking sisters for the turning shouldn't be too great. And she did not want to lose any more sisters, Black or any other Ajah!
"I did find a few things of interest. Kateri's lock was forced, it showed small scratches. Of course anyone who could get through a ward would hardly be stopped by a lock, any regular thief would have been able to pick that, but it is all the more reason not to feel safe inside ones own rooms. Also there was a small scrap of black fabric, just a few fibers. It's not certain it came from the assassin, but it was silk, too fine for one of the servants to wear, and none of the sisters wears black."
Perhaps soon, Sheriam thought briefly. But he was correct, none of the sisters currently wore black, just like none had worn red at Salidar.
"It might be an indication it's someone who hides and moves by stealth, rather than one who goes around posing as one of the servants, a guardsman or any other cover," Gawyn continued. "Although I would not suggest fully trusting anyone. It is a theory only, and it's not even certain our assassin uses the same methods every time."
"Still it is something," Egwene said. "Would a Gray Man wear silk?"
"He might, depending on his status in the world before he gave his soul to the Dark One," Sheriam replied. And depending on the status of who employed it, she rather thought a Gray Man sent by Graendal would be wearing silk and other fine materials. But while Graendal's tastes were common knowledge and the murders alone would've been enough reason for her to gather more details about Gray Men, she would rather err on the cautious side. No reason to make Gawyn wonder where she got her information, however briefly.
Gawyn nodded grimly.
"There is one more thing. None of those killed had a Warder."
"Of course not, the assassin wouldn't want to alert the Warders," Egwene said.
"So maybe they should have had one. Egwene, you should have more Warders."
Sheriam frowned, what was he getting at?
"What do you mean?" Egwene asked.
"The Last Battle is less than a month off, and yet there are many sisters without a Warder. Too many. Some never had one, others had one but never took another after he died. You can't afford this."
"What are you suggesting, that I should command the Aes Sedai to bond Warders?" Egwene asked incredulously.
Sheriam shook her head, that would be folly.
Gawyn must have heard the tone of Egwene's voice, even if he was watching her and hadn't seen Sheriam's reaction. But he was unfazed.
"Yes," he stated.
"Gawyn, I don't have that kind of power," Egwene replied, trying to laugh it off.
"Then get the Hall to do it," he said.
"You don't understand what you're suggesting. Bonding a Warder is a very personal, a very intimate decision. No one should be forced to do it," Egwene pointed out.
"The choice to go to war is 'personal' and 'intimate' also," Gawyn argued. "Yet all over the land, men are called into it, like it or not. The Last Battle doesn't leave us much room for 'personal' or 'intimate' feelings, it will come and staying alive is more important than those feelings.
"In the Last Battle, every Aes Sedai is going to be of vital importance. There will be waves of Trollocs and Myrddraal, every sister will be worth a hundred soldiers in the field and every sister Healing will save dozens of lives as well. A Warder helps keep them alive. You owe it to the sisters and to all of the world to provide them with the best protection you can. During the Last Battle and before."
Egwene frowned and hesitated, seemingly at a loss to think of ways to counter those arguments. Sheriam had less difficulty, while his arguments seemed to make sense to him, they were typical male arguments. Typical Warder arguments, even if Gawyn himself wasn't bonded yet.
"In the Last Battle itself, a Warder is as likely to be a liability as an asset," Sheriam pointed out. "If it were only Trollocs and Myrddraal we faced, that would be different. But there will be channelers on the other side too, those of the Black who escaped and the Light only knows how many others. The Warders can not defend against their attacks, instead we will have to defend them. And you know how the death of a Warder affects a sister. Warders are useful when traveling on the road, and in battles fought with regular weapons, but not so much in a battle fought with the One Power. During the Seanchan raid, Warders were of little help, ten out of twenty-six taken by the Seanchan did have a Warder."
"But most Warders weren't with their sister in the Tower at the time," Gawyn said. "Several were taken before the Warders could reach their sister from their own quarters. In the Last Battle, they would set out together from the start. And it would discourage the assassin we have within the Tower."
Sheriam shook her head in disgust. No doubt Gawyn would charge headlong into a battle fought with the One Power to defend Egwene, just like any Warder would. Just like Arinvar and the other Warders had insisted on guarding the Dragon, who could have killed them all before they could even have drawn their swords, if he hadn't been shielded.
"Your concern is noted, but a sword will not protect against the One Power, like it or not that is a fact. It should be up to each sister to decide whether she wants the protection you can provide against the physical attacks from Trollocs and Myrddraal, coupled with the risk of losing her Warder in the midst of the battle, or whether she chooses to rely on the soldiers to keep the Trollocs away, with less personal protection but no distraction if any one of them falls. As for the murders, yes, it does seem those with a Warder are safe from this particular assassin, but we still hope to catch him or her soon. The Warder bond is for life, we can't tell sisters to bond a Warder to guard themselves against such a temporary threat."
"I wonder if that is what Kateri would say if she could go back in time," Gawyn shot back.
"Gawyn," Egwene looked shocked, but Gawyn refused to back down.
"Well? She's dead, Egwene, and she wouldn't be if she'd had a Warder."
The young man should be put in his place, it was all too clear he wanted Egwene to bond him and more than that, but he was not her Warder yet. But it ought to be up to Egwene to call him back, she should be careful not to overstep her authority. Her official authority. Only when Egwene did not counter, Sheriam spoke up again.
"Or she might have simply woven a far stronger ward on her door, placed her desk so she could see who came in, or spent the evening with a friend," Sheriam said sharply. "The point is, she could have prevented her death in other ways, without tying herself to a Warder for the next fifty years or more. Unfortunately, there is no way to send a message back in time, so this kind of speculation is useless and unnecessary."
Gawyn glared at her, looked as if he wanted to speak, then with a gesture of frustration turned to Egwene.
"Fine, so an order to bond a Warder is out. Will you at least get the word out that the four sisters were likely chosen because they had no Warder, and suggest taking one might be a good idea? That way each sister can decide for herself."
"Gawyn, I'm sure everyone knows all four victims had no Warder, and they can draw that conclusion for themselves. The practice of bonding a Warder for protection is hardly unknown even if not everyone chooses to use it," Egwene assured him.
"Just like anyone should know not to sit with their back to the door when an assassin is on the lose. Some things need to be said, Egwene."
The problem was, he had a point. There really was no reason not to at least make the information official, and to add some words of advise.
"We will include the fact that none had a Warder in the announcement we make today, but there will be no pressure to bond. Or no more than the murders themselves provide," Sheriam said.
Egwene looked surprised, but she too had to realize that not mentioning this fact at all would be hard to explain. She quickly recovered. "Yes, we will do that."
Gawyn nodded briskly. He started to turn towards the door, then stopped. His eyes rested on Sheriam for just a brief moment, then he focused on Egwene.
"And you? When will you take me as your Warder? You can be missed least of all, allow me to protect you."
It was more than just the Tower Gawyn was thinking of, that much was obvious. Perhaps he would follow her, when he found out. But not now. Egwene might be distracted, far less confident and decisive when facing Gawyn than any of the Aes Sedai, even the Hall, but she could handle this much.
"No, Gawyn. I can not. I am the Amyrlin, the entire Tower Guard and all of the Warders do in a way protect me, and I from my end can not afford to be more concerned about any one individual when it comes to that. I can promise you I will use a strong ward on my rooms and I will not sit with my back to the door."
Gawyn must have realized pushing further was no use. "Yes, watch yourself, Egwene, if you will not let me do it," he said softly. Then without waiting to be dismissed, he turned and left the room.
Egwene let out a long breath as she shook her head.
"I guess it makes it easier I can't bond him just now, because I really don't know what I would do otherwise," she confessed.
"You really must be more forceful with him. Warders are protective, that is their job, but they tend to be too good at it. Give him too much leeway and he will stick to your side like a burr, never letting you out of sight. Many men are like that and Warders are worse," Sheriam told her.
For just a moment Egwene looked at her, then recognized the advise for what it was, not an order.
"Thank you, Sheriam," she said.
With a brief nod, Sheriam went back to her anteroom, leaving Egwene at her desk.
-0-
The Red surprised her by submitting two new Sitters before Dinner. They did not specify which of the three absent sisters would be replaced, and Sheriam wasn't sure what this would mean if, for instance, two of those now missing returned at the same time, but they would deal with that if and when it happened.
They had chosen Barasine, a strict but generally fair woman, and Memara, who was really a Black. Apparently Memara's failure to get anywhere with Tenobia was not serious enough to keep her out of the Hall -Sheriam had found the report noting the Red/Black sister had been sent by Alviarin to bring Tenobia under control, an assignment of course for the Black more than for the Tower, but Tenobia had left her behind soon after, and Memara had returned to Tar Valon when it became clear following Tenobia was not going to do any good.
Regardless of successes, failures or alliances, Sheriam sent out the orders for Barasine to be taken, and Memara to be secured. She picked Saerin for the task, while not originally a Black, the Sitter was reliable and the Black sisters were already quite busy.
For the Black lost no time now that they had a larger place. Reports came in all day of sisters taken and others secured. Sheriam checked them off on her list. If the Tower was buzzing with activity, and some sisters weren't quite able to appear unfazed, most would attribute this to the Dragon's visit of the previous day. And indeed some of those not yet on her list, those with Warders or simply not taken yet, wore similar expressions.
The most bothersome was the insistence of some of those not yet turned -and with Warders- to join the patrols guarding against the killer. Finally she put Adelorna and Hattori on the last shift, starting after midnight. The day's turnings would be done by then, few could be approached without drawing attention at that time anyhow.
-0-
The next day the turnings continued. Nesita was taking the Red at great speed, and reports from her and others came in at a steady stream. No murder had been done that night, and the night patrol had not disturbed the Black.
Just after Dinner, Nynaeve entered her anteroom and greeted her.
"Egwene has requested to see me," she said, almost moving as if to walk on in.
Sheriam looked at her calmly. "I will let the Amyrlin know you are here. She is very busy," she said pointedly.
Nynaeve frowned. The woman did have a problem with authority. Always had, even when she had just arrived at the Tower. Well, they would deal with that soon enough.
Sheriam went into Egwene's study.
"Nynaeve is here," she said, even as she channeled Fire and Spirit into the Call rod.
Egwene sighed.
"You are concerned about her," Sheriam stated.
"Yes," Egwene said. "I'm afraid she won't be able to accept authority much better than Siuan, with her temper and all. Well you know her. And with Moghedien… How far can she go before her Healing is less important than her behavior?"
"Tell her that," Sheriam said. "She does have half a head of sense on her."
She hoped she was right, she was not beyond bringing someone in line, but no doubt Moghedien's methods were excessive.
Mesaana arrived.
"Nynaeve is here," Sheriam told her, and Mesaana looked pleased.
The Chosen took the sa'angreal, changed her appearance, to that of a novice this time. Nynaeve hadn't been gone from the Tower that long, she would know the Accepted, but new novices arrived a dozen a day, literally.
Sheriam took out her own angreal, Nynaeve was too strong to take lightly. Then she went back into her anteroom.
"The Amyrlin can see you now," she said and stepped aside, allowing Nynaeve to pass before following after her. Nynaeve looked back at her with a frown, irritated at her following, but that was alright. It meant she took even less notice of Mesaana's presence.
The next instant, Sheriam heard the indrawn hiss even as she noticed the flows Mesaana lashed out with, the stunning weaves of Earth, Water and Air. Nynaeve fell hard on the floor, even as Mesaana followed up with the shield. The Chosen rushed in and pulled the belt off Nynaeve's waist. Then, more calmly, she took the ornate bracelet and ring the young woman wore.
"Darkness within," Mesaana cursed. "Where did she find that? A Well, an angreal, and Detectors. That could've gone a lot worse if someone who didn't know the set had tried to take her."
"I'm sorry, High Mistress. I had seen her with those, she even wears them in Tel'aran'rhiod, but I didn't know what they were," Egwene said, looking rather pale.
"No matter," Mesaana said dismissively. "You couldn't know. Let's get on with it."
Egwene opened the gateway, and Sheriam went back to her anteroom when Mesaana and Egwene had taken Nynaeve through. In spite of the brief scare and the strange way Nynaeve, too, seemed almost ta'veren at times, she was no longer worried. There were multiple circles at Malkier, and the turning would be done quickly.
Very soon Mesaana and Nynaeve emerged from Egwene's study. Mesaana looked satisfied, showed no sign of anything untoward happening. The Chosen was disguised as Accepted again, now Nynaeve knew who she was.
"Tomorrow immediately after Breakfast you will report to me on Al'Thor, Elayne and anything else that might be even remotely relevant," Mesaana instructed the young woman.
Nynaeve knelt. "Yes, High Mistress."
"Sheriam, I would like you to be there also. It may take some time, reschedule any appointments before Trine."
"Yes, High Mistress," she too replied.
With that, Mesaana left. It was up to Sheriam to brief Nynaeve further on the status of the Tower.
Nynaeve got up from her kneeling position but she curtsied deep. "Sheriam Sedai," she said, far more correctly than when she had first arrived.
"Sit down," Sheriam told her, and Nynaeve did.
Quickly, Sheriam told the young woman what quarters she had been assigned, and then brought her up to date on what had been done here.
Nynaeve responded quicker and more correctly than she and Egwene had feared the woman would. So she did know how to behave when really necessary.
"Now I know you came here ready to take the test for the Shawl, but after this it will be understood if you would rather wait a day or two," Sheriam finished. "It is a strenuous test, you must be sure you are up to it."
"I am. After this…," Nynaeve shook her head but looked determined. "Or even if it is worse, I will pass, I have to. Myrelle can not hold me off then."
So that was what she wanted. Or at least part of what she wanted, for there were others also who did not yet see Nynaeve as a full sister, but her feelings for Lan had been clear to all who cared to look. Sheriam considered. Not all the Black's Warders were Friends of the Dark, if the turning itself was done and would not alarm him, there was little immediate risk. And he would be a valuable man to have under compulsion, far more useful when Nynaeve held his bond than when Myrelle did, who had other Warders and would be more difficult to take.
Sheriam nodded. "I will let the Sitters know. They will decide who will judge your test and summon you, likely before evening."
She did not know who would do the testing. There would be at least one of the Yellow, and Sedore was more likely than Romanda, but even if it would be Romanda it was not up to her to interfere. The Hall chose, and while she could override their decisions now, she would not use that authority unless really necessary. Either Romanda or Lelaine would make it difficult for Nynaeve, but many of them had had to face a difficult Sitter. In her own case, it had been Tsutama, who had come up with some very nasty tests and had voted against her after all that. No, Nynaeve was on her own for the testing, just like Sharina had been on her own within the arches. At least there was no concern about what Nynaeve might see.
"Thank you," Nynaeve replied, almost too eager. Did she realize the impact the compulsion would have on Lan? In spite of how useful the Warder might be, she felt she had to caution the young woman.
"You may not want to thank me later," she said. "You will have to fuzz the bond at times, and more than that, since we can not turn those who can't channel, you will have to compel him. For the Last Battle and before. That will be hard on any man, but with his background…"
"If I don't do it, someone else will have to," Nynaeve said. "Or he may even be killed."
Sheriam nodded.
Nynaeve's face was anguished but her voice was steady. "Then I will do it."
Nynaeve hesitated as if she wanted to say something more, but did not. Should she ask? Sheriam knew Nynaeve liked to act on her own, but the turning was reliable and whatever it was wouldn't hurt their cause. And the younger woman had shown good sense in her behavior here. She'd let her prepare for the test and whatever it was would come up tomorrow at the woman's full briefing, if it was important.
-0-
When Nynaeve had left, Sheriam went back to her work, the reports and requests that came with running the Tower as any other time. She denied a request to replace some older horses of the guard -grain and fodder was dear, and they could use gateways now, the old horses could be sold without being replaced. Which reminded her to send out more sisters to refresh the Keeping on the stores, it kept failing and there were weevils in much of the grain. She held some hopes the Keeping would hold this time, for the random bubbles of chaos seemed to lessen, not a single report of those had come in all day.
By evening, Sedore reported Nynaeve had passed her test, and against all custom had Traveled off to see Myrelle. Well that was to be expected, and did not worry Sheriam. Nynaeve might be difficult at times, but she had shown sense that afternoon, and her abilities were great. On the whole she would be an asset to the Tower. Unlike some others. After Sedore had left, Moria came to see her. The Black sister made no effort to hide her anger once the door had closed behind her.
"Lelaine is impossible and I'm not sure she can be trusted," she started off.
Sheriam waited. She did not point out that the turning was absolute. Moria knew that and if she still didn't trust the Blue Sitter then she would have reason for that.
"First it was her Warder. I told her to use compulsion on Burin, and she argued. She had not kept a secret from him in many years and he would follow her no matter what. In fact she had tried to join the Black, she said, and she demanded to know why I had ignored her hints, and whether the Warders had also ignored Trevin, who was her Warder back then, when he had tried to find a Black sister."
Sheriam breathed in sharply. Lelaine had had her Warder ask around to find a Black? The woman had taken a ridiculous risk! "Thank the Great Lord you didn't recruit her."
Moria sniffed. "Only a complete fool would have, even without knowing about Trevin. She was much too obvious."
Sheriam nodded. When she had been raised to the shawl, Lelaine had seemed nice enough on the surface, but she had never trusted her, hadn't really understood how Siuan could be such close friends with her. She may have curbed the dangerous level of her ambitions when she had first reached her position as a Sitter, but it was always present. And more recently, when Lelaine and Romanda had become pitched against each other, Sheriam had had her feelings about the Blue confirmed.
"By then I'd had enough of her insolence," Moria continued. "I slammed her down on her knees and lashed her, and I explained that one didn't argue in the Black like one might in the Blue, and also that she was not accepted into the Black just by the turning alone. She did use the compulsion when I let go of her, but Sheriam, the look she gave me, pure hatred. And to top it off, she proceeded to promise me she would make name for herself in the Black although she would submit to my orders 'for now'."
Sheriam shook her head in disbelief. "She really did?"
Moria nodded. "But what concerns me, I think she has the typical outsiders view of the Black, expecting promotion to be by clearing those higher up out of the way."
That of course was a common misconception. Most of the Black reached their position primarily over the backs of those of other Ajahs, and even then most of the backstabbing was done in figurative sense only. To actually kill those in the way, well, it had been done, and within the Black itself, but it was very rare, and those who did either had to be very strong or would quickly regret it. When a sister used murder to get ahead, the next person up was hardly likely to wait idly to see if she had reached the summit of her ambitions. Only a few at or near the very top had killed their predecessors and gotten away with it.
"She couldn't possibly think that would work," Sheriam said, but it was a way of expressing her astonishment rather than a literal statement. Lelaine probably did.
"I told her it didn't work that way, but I could tell she did not believe me. And the turning may not stop her, she is deluded enough to think that if she gains position, even at the cost of others, it will benefit the cause."
Great, just great. As if one assassin on the lose wasn't enough, now they'd have to worry about Lelaine? That wouldn't do.
"I will call her in and try to get through to her," Sheriam decided. "If she truly cannot see reason, she will have to be dealt with."
"Thank you," Moria nodded. She made no issue at being passed up in the ranks of the Black herself. Perhaps she was a bit envious, but few would envy her too much for her position so close to Mesaana.
The hour as late but that made it easier to do what had to be done, less chance of people still coming in to see her or the Amyrlin. Sheriam had delegated several of the more routine tasks to Egwene, but many things she preferred to keep in hand herself, and the more sisters were turned, the fewer asked to see Egwene in person. She summoned Lelaine after Egwene had left for supper.
The Blue Sitter came quickly enough, but this was likely as much because it suited her than out of a sudden, more general obedience. Sheriam saw no need to ask Lelaine for her side of the story first, she trusted Moria's report. As soon as Lelaine had entered, she locked and strongly warded the outer door, ensuring no one could come in or hear the Sitter's screams.
"Fuzz the bond," she told Lelaine.
Lelaine frowned. "What is this about?"
"Moria told me you seemed to have some difficulty taking orders, and it seems she was right. Fuzz the bond, now," Sheriam snapped.
Lelaine squinted. "Done," she said, her apprehension not hiding a touch of sullenness.
"On your knees," Sheriam ordered.
Again Lelaine balked. "Sheriam, I did compel…"
That was enough. Sheriam channeled, simultaneously shielding the woman and slamming her down. Then she lashed her with flows of Air.
"Now, where to start. You will not question my orders. You may be a Sitter but you are a Sitter for the Blue, you are not a Black. You will take orders from the Black, whether it is me or Moria or Jalila or Mariyanna. If you want to get anywhere, anywhere at all, you can start with showing proper respect."
She held the lashes of Air until Lelaine replied. "Yes, Sheriam."
Then she released those flows, but she did not yet allow the woman to get up.
"Insubordination and independent action will not be tolerated. The Black has always had quite a bit of influence on who sits in the Hall, it is safe to say we now control it. I imagine the Ajahs' choices will stand as long as they act sensibly, but go too far out of line and I will see you replaced."
"I understand, Sheriam." The reply came quickly enough, but Sheriam was watching closely and she agreed with Moria's assessment. Lelaine either didn't believe or simply didn't want to accept the facts, and would likely continue to plot and manipulate as she had always done, as she could have done if this had been a dressing-down by the Amyrlin or one of her fellow Sitters. But she didn't know what to do right then to drive the point home, not without getting excessive for Lelaine's transgressions so far, and that would only reinforce the Sitter's ideas about the Black's level of violence.
"See that you do," she told Lelaine as she released the flows holding her down and shielded.
Even by the way Lelaine left her anteroom, Sheriam knew this was far from over. The way the Sitter walked out, head held high and sweeping into the hall with a swish of her skirts, showed suppressed anger rather than any kind of acceptance or submissiveness.
-0-
Sheriam sighed and went back to work. She would eat later, she still expected Mesaana for her evening visit and she would need a few more relatively quiet days before she was caught up.
Soon Mesaana came in. She used the Accepted disguise she wore most often coming here, and she looked pleased. As soon as she entered, she took a number of small, thin rods from a velvet pouch.
"Improved Call rods," she said with a satisfied smile. "These work in a group, there are seven of them. By channeling slightly different weaves, you can call each of the other six rods, and it will turn color to match the rod that was used to call it."
She demonstrated, and Sheriam was impressed.
"We will each have one of course, Egwene will get one, I'm sending one to the Aringill house and one to the farm. Also there will be one in Malkier, that leaves the last. I am not sure whom to give it to, I will keep it for now," Mesaana said.
Sheriam nodded, she did not have a suggestion for the last one at this time. After testing out the different weaves and noting which of the rods would go where, she put her own Call rod in her belt pouch. A very useful item indeed!
There was little else to report as Mesaana had been in that afternoon for Nynaeve, and Mesaana was just about to leave when there was a knock on her door. Sheriam opened it to find Nynaeve, Lan in tow. Sheriam looked at the tall Warder. His face was grim but he said nothing as he followed Nynaeve in.
Nynaeve curtsied, then knelt as she saw Mesaana. Nynaeve had looked calm as she entered, but she looked more concerned as Sheriam wove the ward and Mesaana motioned for her to rise.
"What do you have?" Sheriam asked her.
Nynaeve scowled. "He was riding for Tarwin's Gap. I knew that, and I knew I would have to call him in. What I did not know was the size of the group he had already gathered, at least three dozen armsmen, not including the servants and drivers."
"Where are they now?"
"Near the Arafel border, in Kandor," Nynaeve replied. "He rode from World's End. I knew he would ride to the far north and he was reluctant to gather followers, but it appears he found some."
"I did not find them, they found me," Lan pointed out. His voice was calm but his eyes were hard.
Nynaeve pulled her braid. "A fine point. Regardless, there are more than fifty men camped up there, all ready to defend Tarwin's Gap no matter what the cost. I don't know what to do with them."
"They could be useful. Can you bring them in for us?" Mesaana asked, looking at the tall Warder, but Sheriam shook her head before even hearing his answer.
"They are loyal to me because of who I am and where I was going. If they knew I was controlled by the Shadow, the moment they find out… they are Borderlanders, they fight against the Shadow and they wouldn't follow their own mother if she went to the Dark One's side," Lan replied. A dark scowl in the direction of Nynaeve told them he wouldn't follow her either, if he'd had any choice in the matter.
"A group that size is no serious threat, only dozens gathered on the long ride from World's End. What will happen if we leave them there?" Mesaana asked.
"They will remain there for a day or two, then ride on for Arafel. There will be more men joining there, we were not far from the Silverwall Keeps, and Arafel and Shienar have many more men with Malkieri heritage than the western Borderlands. Even if I am not actually there, they will tell people I rode with them and they expect my return, and people will take up arms who otherwise would remain to defend their own homes." Lan replied.
He answered each of the Chosen's questions promptly, but he kept scowling and Nynaeve had a look of intense concentration on her face, her braid grabbed in her fist.
"We can't have that. If you can not control them, they will die."
"They are not afraid to die, they will fight no matter what. We expected the odds at Tarwin's Gap would not be much better," Lan said flatly.
"I will take care of it," Mesaana decided. "Nynaeve, you will show me where exactly they are camped."
"Yes, High Mistress." Nynaeve's reply also came without hesitation, but her voice shook and she looked sick.
"Have him sketch the camp for me. It will take me about an hour to gather those I need."
"Yes, High Mistress," Nynaeve replied again.
Sheriam felt for her, this would take a strong compulsion. Any other Warder might at some point see the necessity, after the Last Battle was over. But this was al'Lan Mandragoran, uncrowned King of Malkier, and unless they found a way to turn the Warders, he was not likely to forgive Nynaeve for what she had done and would still do.
"I will send for you," Mesaana said, and dismissed her. Nynaeve knelt before leaving, Lan following closely behind.
"Get some supper quick, and be back here well within the hour. I will use Egwene's study and need you to keep anyone else out," the Chosen instructed, and Sheriam acknowledged. Mesaana did not seem to need her assistance for Lan's group, and Sheriam did not ask how she would deal with them.
-0-
Nynaeve led the way to the Yellow's quarters. The rooms assigned to her were spacey, empty still. She hadn't yet had time to unpack her single bag, let alone to procure anything in the way of her own furnishings or other personal items. There were the basics, bed and desk and a single chair. But no rug and even the linen was borrowed from the guest quarters of the Tower.
The only thing she had ordered immediately after her test was a second bed. The servants had been shocked at that request, unusual for a Yellow, but she had been firm and she noted with satisfaction that it had arrived, and was neatly made. In the study, but that was alright. She wanted him nearby, couldn't allow him too far out of her sight, but after what she'd had to do today, sharing a single bedroom wouldn't be comfortable. Might never be, she realized with a stab of pain.
"Fight it, damn you, Nynaeve," Lan bit at her.
He was fighting her, had been since the moment she had told him what had been done to her.
"I told you it can't be fought off or reversed."
"You've Healed Stilling, and the madness, both were thought to be impossible. They want you to believe it can't be undone."
"I want to believe it can't be undone. And if I find it can, that it can be reversed, I'll try to find a way to block that rather than use it."
Lan let out a sigh of frustration, turned and hit the back of the chair with his fist. Nynaeve felt his emotions rage, anger and a pain so deep it almost made her cry. There was no time for that though. She reached for her pack and dug through it, taking out writing implements and paper.
"Make the sketch," she ordered, at the same time pushing the order home through the bond. It met resistance, a wall of resistance. But it was like the wall of a tent, it gave when pushed and when she pushed harder, it parted.
The resistance faded from Lan's mind and he sat down at the desk to do as he was told. However he was hesitant, slow. He stared at the paper in front of him, an this time it was not because he was fighting her. She could still feel the struggle, but that was deep now, a soft stirring that could only just be felt. But the level of compulsion she had used was a distraction to him. She felt his confusion, an inability to concentrate on the matter at hand. He drew a mark in the middle of the paper, hesitated, made another mark and shook his head, crossing it out again.
This wouldn't do, she would have to take a different approach. Nynaeve thought of the different types of compulsion she had seen and used, then wove the flows putting a story into his head. Instead of sketching the camp for an assault on his own men, he was now warned of just such a plan, and Egwene and Lord Bryne needed to know the situation to help thwart the attack. It was a matter of bending the truth and Lan's mind easily accepted this version. He took a new sheet of paper and sketched the site and the immediate surroundings quickly and accurately.
It was a weave outside the bond, the bond could be used to force one to accept orders but not for a complete deception. Nynaeve felt bad about deceiving him in this manner, but it was effective.
He was done quickly, before they were summoned, and Nynaeve moved around her new quarters restlessly. She didn't like waiting idly but she could not think of what to do. She'd taken a few items from her pack, her brush and comb, but had put them back when she realized she didn't even have a dresser yet on which to put them. Tomorrow she would have to go into town to make some purchases, or see what the servants could dig up for her. It seemed a crazy thing to think about under the circumstances, but she needed some items, a chest for their clothes, a dresser with a mirror and a wash bowl. She'd been on the road so long it felt strange to realize she now needed to furnish a room of her own, might be here for a long time. Even those sisters who spent a lot of their time away from the Tower generally kept a room here, or would that change when their numbers grew? There might not be so much room in the future, with over a thousand novices in the Tower and more coming in each day.
Well, likely as not she would remain here now. It wasn't feasible to return to the Two Rivers now she was Aes Sedai, and the one other possible future she had seen for herself -literally seen, inside the arches during her Accepted test- was off now, too.
Of course the entire future depended first on the outcome of the Last Battle, but she felt fairly confident of that. More so, to be honest, than she had before. Rand had done great things, such as the cleansing of Saidin, but he'd also had near misses. And she knew the Shadow had great numbers of Trollocs and Myrddraal. To strike at Shadar Logoth was one thing, to strike in the heart of the Blight, even with a number of armies supporting him, was quite another. Now, with several of Rand's supposed allies on their side, odds would definitely be in their favor.
But she was getting ahead of things. First things first, she had always said. Concentrate on the matter at hand so she would make no mistakes.
Only a little later there came a knock on her door. Nynaeve opened it and saw Saerin there.
"The Amyrlin has requested to see you again," the Sitter said. "You and Lan."
Of course she would have to give an innocent reason here in the open. Nynaeve nodded and gestured to Lan, who followed without protest. She had kept the compulsion in place, a compulsion like this could be read but not just in passing.
Saerin said little as they made their way through the halls, and they walked briskly. Mesaana had seemed reasonable enough but Nynaeve still felt it would be unwise to keep her waiting.
Sheriam was in her anteroom and wove them on immediately.
"Go right on in," she said.
Nynaeve didn't know what to think of Sheriam. She'd been nice enough, showing genuine concern earlier, and yet she had joined the Black of her own accord, was Head of the Black now. Clearly a lot she thought she'd known about the Black Ajah was wrong, she had thought they were all like Liandrin and Chesmal.
But even Liandrin's group had some sisters who were nice enough on the surface, like Marillin who went out of her way to rescue sick and injured animals. She Healed strays and she had been known by the Tar Valon children to help all their pets, when other sisters would tell them to scram with such trivialities. When Nynaeve had hunted the woman she had thought it was just pretense, nothing but a clever cover, but now she realized Marillin's kindness towards animals and their young owners had been genuine enough. Something she should have realized before; if it were only a cover, the Black sister wouldn't have kept it up after they'd left the Tower and she was exposed as Black Ajah. Marillin had continued to Heal strays and pets even when it was a risk rather than a cover.
Saerin opened the door to Egwene's study and went in, Nynaeve following. Egwene herself wasn't even there, but a small group had gathered around her desk. Mesaana, Atuan, Karale and Marris, and a Myrddaal in full, dark armour. A Myrddraal, here in the Tower!
Nynaeve immediately strengthened the compulsion, but it took some effort. She frowned at the strain even as she knelt for Mesaana. Lan made a cordial bow and nodded to the Myrddraal, too little for the Chosen but Nynaeve didn't know how to make him kneel while what he saw was the Amyrlin and Lord Bryne.
Lan put the map on the desk.
"The camp," he said.
Mesaana watched him, then put her hands on him and read the compulsion. She gave Nynaeve an appraising look.
"Clever. Rise," she said.
"Thank you, High Mistress." Nynaeve bowed deep before she got up. Such a level of obedience did not come naturally to her, but she realized quite well the necessity.
The Chosen looked at the sketch, the Myrddraal next to her, but it was clear Mesaana intended to lead the attack herself. She pointed to some features marked on the paper, asked Lan for details. Soon she motioned Nynaeve over to her.
"Show me the camp. A small Eye at a height of thirty feet will tell me where to Travel while being all but unnoticeable from the ground."
"An Eye?" Nynaeve had never heard that before.
A flash of irritation crossed Mesaana's features, but disappeared just as quick. Then she explained, and after the Chosen had cautioned everyone to silence, Nynaeve opened the tiny gateway high over the camp.
Without a sound, Mesaana looked down on the group of men, wagons and tents, then the Myrddraal did the same. Then still without a word, Mesaana gestured for Nynaeve to close it and she let the Eye wink out. Gladly, because it took almost all her concentration to keep the compulsion on Lan. Making a Myrddraal appear like Lord Bryne while at the same time keeping him sharp of mind was quite a feat.
The strain must have shown on her face, for the Chosen looked at her intently.
"Tell Sheriam I will return soon, then get some rest. I will see you in the morning."
The order took Nynaeve by surprise, she had thought and feared she would have to take part in the actual assault. But she quickly recovered. Kneeling briefly she thanked Mesaana and left the Amyrlin's study, Lan closely behind her.
-0-
Less than an hour after Nynaeve and Lan had emerged from Egwene's study, after showing Mesaana where the camp was, Mesaana returned, together with Saerin. The Chosen was clearly satisfied as she walked by, but Saerin was pale, and in this case Sheriam was glad her duties as Keeper made it more sensible for her to remain in her anteroom.