Chapter XX - The Black Ajah
While Taija couldn't spy on Elaida and she quickly realised that a minor noblewoman was unlikely to get any information out of aes sedai who spent their lives hiding their affiliation from each other, she did have other options.
She started to shadow aes sedai at a distance in the more public areas of the Tower, carefully trailing them with inverted webs of eavesdropping. That had limited success, so Taija started to take bigger risks. She often noticed wards against eavesdropping around rooms and could only assume that was where the truly secret conversations were taking place.
Of course there was no such thing as an unbreakable ward. She could easily demolish them, but the real trick was breaking a ward without the person who spun it realising. That was why some nights found Taija standing in a corridor, biting her bottom lip with concentration and hoping no one came across her as she oh so carefully broke through a modern aes sedai's best attempts at secrecy.
A few nights of spending an hour with the girls before heading over to teach Siuan and Leane told Taija that they were quick learners. Far less obnoxious than the two aes sedai too.
That being said, the first night Egwene had excitedly told her that she wanted to learn to Travel. It hadn't taken Taija long to disabuse her of that notion. Irritating as the two girls were, she had no desire to see them burn themselves out or accidentally spread themselves across several dimensions trying to spin webs they weren't ready to handle.
Instead Taija had spent time going through basic exercises with them. The teaching methods of this time were safe, she had to admit, but both slow and so very crude. There was a fundamental lack of elegance to the webs they produced, small inefficiencies, hand gestures slowing them down. Unimpressive.
"Can you both make a ball of light?"
"Yes of course we can, look I can make three!"
"Good, I want you to forget about the ball. First I want you to focus on making the letter "E" out of fire, in as fine flows as possible."
Initially there was some confusion about Taija's slightly different terminology for channeling. She'd half realised that they called webs weaves now and talked about threads, but really it was quite obvious what she meant.
Over the next few nights she had them repeatedly practising forming and manipulating the finest flows they could. Her exacting standards always demanded more, better and quicker. Despite herself she was a bit impressed at how fast the girls picked things up. Obviously she could tell they'd never be as strong as she was, but they clearly had a lot of talent nevertheless and even in her time would eventually have been among the upper echelons of aes sedai on strength alone.
It was a tiring life, spending her evenings training the girls and then Siuan and Leane before getting up early to Travel out of the Tower to train. Further chunks of time disappeared into eavesdropping on aes sedai and trying to speak to as many people as possible.
Taija's main source of relaxation was her time spent in the library. Books were reassuringly simple and easy, unlike espionage, and she found she was learning more and more about this time, although she was of course conscious that what was described in a book didn't necessarily correspond with reality.
While she was in the library Taija also found herself spending more and more time chatting with Bennae. She was a veritable treasure trove of knowledge and was able to point her to useful texts from memory. She was also just plain nice.
Bennae seemed to find Taija and her views fascinating too. She'd ask her what she thought of books she'd read, debate with her about historic opinions and events and just chat about her own life. It seemed that once she'd decided Taija was a friend, or at least interesting, she was far more open than most aes sedai. Perhaps she was just lonely. If she was, Taija could certainly sympathise.
Bennae was also kind enough to find Taija a copy of the Prophecies of the Dragon that was unrestricted, although she didn't hide that fact that she thought it was odd that Taija wanted to read it.
The prophecies had clearly gone through multiple translations and she lacked the context to really understand them, but Taija read them nevertheless. One worrying thing that stuck in her mind was the mention of the Dragon Reborn being marked with herons. She remembered Rand showing her the heron burnt into his palm. Probably a coincidence, but…
Taija did find herself occasionally slipping up and getting odd looks from Bennae. There was the time when she absent mindedly said that that wasn't at all how elections worked in the Hall of the Servants. Or the other time when she'd muttered that Akash's laws of momentum were only a useful approximation. In both cases she'd made excuses about having seen a book in Caemlyn, which Bennae had gracefully accepted.
The biggest slip up Taija felt she'd made was with the Prophecies of the Dragon when she asked if there was a copy in the original language as she was sure some of the translations were off. Bennae looked at her strangely and asked how she could speak the Old Tongue so well. Taija laughed it off as a joke, but it was definitely an awkward moment.
Still, despite the hiccups, Taija was very reluctant to miss the cup of tea that she found herself sharing with Bennae each day.
After two or so months of teaching the girls, Taija was surprisingly pleased with their progress. She could see how exhausting their days were and they often struggled through her additional lessons, but they were determined and pushed themselves past whatever limits they thought they had.
After the most basic exercises, she had them combining subtle strands of different elements, forming beautiful patterns visible only to a female channeler. They were already at the point where they could write their names in small flows of any element and they were getting faster as they went.
Taija would never tell Siuan and Leane, but she suspected the girls' fine control was already approaching theirs. It was a wonder what proper teaching and a talented student could do together.
She also no longer needed to quell their grumbling about the lessons not being what they wanted. Now they were enthusiastically telling her about how they were progressing even faster in their normal classes and how much the control they were learning was helping them where before they'd just have put more power into whatever they were trying to do, limiting their progress to the slow rate of growth of their strength in the Power. Of course the extra lessons were helping with their strength too.
Taija also found the girls were bringing her information, trying to subtly help with her own hunt for the Black Ajah. Of course they were much less subtle than they thought and she did her best to discourage them. Anyway, none of it had been especially useful for her hunt, although sometimes it could be useful for other reasons.
"Taija sedai!" The words spilled out machine gun fast from excitement or worry, "Elaida was asking me about you again today. She cornered me and wouldn't let me go until Elayne said I had to go to class!"
"Calm down Egwene, speak normally and don't shout. Firstly, was she asking about me or Lady Alfreda?" Taija suppressed her own worry to present the girl with a calm facade.
"Sorry Taija sedai, she was asking about you, uhh you you not the Lady."
"Alright, well we know she has a bit of an issue with me, but that's not something for you to worry about. You're not going to tell her anything, are you?"
"No, of course not, but I didn't think she was going to let me go this time. If Elayne hadn't been there she might have made me talk!"
Elayne jumped in, her worry for her friend trumped by her desire to defend someone who seemed to have been some kind of family friend, Taija wasn't sure about their relationship but they were certainly familiar. "Elaida would not do that!"
"Girls!" Taija interrupted before they could start to squabble. "I'm sure Elaida wouldn't do anything unpleasant to you Egwene, she's just worried and, if she did, well don't worry." She smiled. "You're my student now, she'd regret it. Briefly." Taija knew she wasn't the most intimidating looking person out there, but both girls shivered slightly at that.
The webs making up a ward against eavesdropping weren't particularly complex as such things went, but they were relatively fine, draping around whatever they were protecting in colourful drifts, at least to Taija's eyes.
Her own flows had to be incredibly precise. Fire, air spun around a tiny core of spirit in threads barely visible to the naked eye. She brushed them carefully across the ward, it was a delicate balance between feeling it out for weaknesses and pushing slightly too hard and warning the aes sedai inside that something was attacking their ward.
Taija had grumbled about the crude way modern aes sedai channeled, lack of proper training meaning they replaced finesse with power, but at least here it was to her advantage. It would be infinitely harder to do this against a ward she'd spun. Actually, it might make a good training exercise for the girls at some point.
When Taija's probe found one of the tiny imperfections in the web that made up the ward she gently started to slide it in. Achingly slowly and precisely, the slightest twitch or loss of control would disrupt the ward enough to alert the aes sedai within.
Taija knew, well had known, people who could have done it in seconds, but it took her nearly half a minute of tense focus before the conversation inside sprung to life in her ears.
The first time she did it it had just seemed to be gossip, nevertheless she'd listened and found out far too much about someone named Alanna's sex life. How did she have time for it all if nothing else? The second time Taija had heard politics, some dispute between far away lords. The third time had been the same.
Much of what she heard was interesting, but nothing that could point her to signs of the Black Ajah. Over the weeks Taija did make note of some interesting tidbits though, ones that might lead to something worth more investigation.
She heard a green she thought was named Asne speaking with someone she didn't recognise about taking a package to Falme and needing to arrange horses. She'd have dismissed it, but they also mentioned Liandrin in passing, the only aes sedai she knew for a fact was black.
Another night she heard a conversation between two greens, Careane and Eliza? Elsa? These two seemed to turn to the subject of the Dragon Reborn. They didn't mention Rand, but they spoke in careful terms about how when he was found he would have to be turned. It certainly seemed suspicious. However, modern aes sedai did seem to have an obsession with forcing everyone towards their way of thinking.
It was the third interesting conversation that caused the most trouble. That night Taija failed to find any green sisters to spy on, but took the opportunity to eavesdrop on a pair of reds instead. While she was unimpressed by the greens and suspicious of them, she really struggled with members of the Red Ajah. They seemed the most haughty and dissociated of the aes sedai and she'd heard them say some genuinely unpleasant things during her eavesdropping. While it wasn't evidence of them being darkfriends, given this time's bigotry against male channelers, it didn't leave her feeling well disposed towards them.
Taija found herself listening to Javindhra Doraille, who she thought was a Sitter for the Red Ajah, and Duhara B… she couldn't remember, didn't really care either.
"I tell you, the woman is losing her grip. She has never been the best choice for her position, but recently…"
"I fail to see what you are suggesting. Elaida's rantings are neither here nor there, the woman has always been one to see conspiracies where there are none."
Taija leant forward slightly, straining to hear more.
"Come on now you cannot be telling me there is nothing to it. She is attacked by some wilder claiming to be an aes sedai. Liandrin dead in Fal Dara and then the Amyrlin assuring the Hall about this 'Taija'".
Taija jerked at hearing her name and her flow flexed. Only a minute movement, but it was enough.
"Wait, someone is listening" She heard rapid movement towards the door. Fuck! She immediately released her eavesdropping web and stepped back against the wall as quietly as possible before quickly spinning an inverted web to make herself as close to invisible as possible.
The two aes sedai looked at each other before stalking carefully down the corridor looking left and right, the light of saidar around both of them. As Javindhra's eyes passed unseeing over Taija she silently relaxed a touch.
After a minute they came back together outside the room.
"Nobody?"
"No, I saw and heard nothing. Perhaps you imagined it?"
"Hmm no, I know what it feels like when someone probes a ward you're holding. Be ready, I will try something."
Javindhra gestured with her hand and a wall of air blasted down the dim corridor towards Taija.
She briefly consider letting it hit her, but it would reveal her position either way so just before it touched her she lashed out with a sharp web of spirit and fire.
Javindhra squawked as the flows snapped back into her and Taija was already moving, letting the illusion around her dissipate and rapidly spinning several webs.
"Who…" Duhara barely had time to start speaking before Taija slammed a shield between her and the Power and tied her up in air. She never even had time to realise she was in a fight.
Javindhra was a bit more on the ball and fire briefly speared from her outstretched fingers towards Taija before she swept her feet from under her, caught her on a cushion of air and shielded her in one smooth combination. It was lucky lucky both of them were relatively weak even by the standards of this time's aes sedai.
Unfortunately Taija now had to decide what to do with them. She doubted they recognised Lady Alfreda, but she also had no doubt they'd be able to find her if she let them go. They'd seen her assumed face now after all. Oh well. It seemed they'd just volunteered to be the first involuntary test subjects for her Black Ajah clean up program.
No one seemed to have heard the sound of the brief confrontation, at least she couldn't hear any shouts or running feet, so she had a few seconds to think, but she couldn't stay there in a corridor with a pair of trussed up aes sedai for long. They were both squirming in their bonds of air, furiously bulging eyes staring at Taija.
Fine, it was going to be embarrassing, but she was going to have to make this Siuan's problem. Quick webs of earth and spirit, carefully spun around the captive aes sedai's eyes and ears ensured they wouldn't see or hear anything they weren't meant to.
A thought brought a gateway through to Taija's own room, inverted obviously, and she gently floated the women through. For now they were only suspects and it would be wrong to make them any more uncomfortable than she had to. A quick twist tied off the webs on them and, with them safely stowed on her bed, Taija spun another gateway to Siuan's bedroom.
A few minutes of explanation and Taija had a very grumpy Amyrlin, still in her bed clothes, sitting in her office when she brought the two red sisters through another gateway.
Taija placed them in front of Siuan and moved behind them so that they couldn't see her, then at a gesture from Suan she removed the block from their eyes and ears.
Blinking in the sudden light they both looked up at the Amyrlin's stern face.
"Mother!" Gasped Javindhra, "what is the meaning of this? Have you stooped to kidnapping Sitters in the corridors of the Tower? When the Hall hears of this they will…"
Siuan cut her off with a look. Taija was somewhat impressed at how intimidating she could actually be. It was surprising she'd never tried to use that look on her. "The Hall will not be hearing about any of this daughter. For now at least." Her voice hardened further, "do you know what you have nearly done? Interrupted one of the most important operations the Tower has undertaken with your blundering! I am minded to order you to do penance for the next decade!"
"How dare you! I have been assaulte and instead of searching for the perpetrator you sit there threatening me? What kind of 'operation' would justify that?"
Rather than speaking Siuan channeled and a flow of air plucked the binding rod off her desk and floated it to her hand. Both aes sedai went quiet at the sight of it.
Siuan channeled a simple flow of spirit into it and then said, "I swear to speak no word that is not true." She paused. "I am not a darkfriend. Which of you wants to go first?"
Duahara broke her silence. "How dare you! This is the greatest abuse of power by an Amyrlin since since… You cannot dare to suggest that either of us is a darkfriend! We have sworn the three oaths, we are aes sedai!"
Javindhra had looked like she might protest, but somehow the vehemence of Duhara's ranting made her change her mind. Instead she looked sideways at her before looking back at Siuan. "Very well mother. I will do it, but we will be having words when I have."
Siuan nodded, "of course daughter." Taija released the air holding Javindhra in place and spun another web muffling the frantic rant coming from Duhara at the same time as Siuan floated the binding rod on another flow of air.
Without hesitating, her eyes on Duhara, Javindhra took hold of the rod, paused for Siuan to channel spirit into it and repeated the oath. "I swear to speak no word that is not true. I am no darkfriend."
Siuan stood and smiled, looking down at Duhara who'd started to thrash wildly against Taija's web of air. "Thank you Javindhra. Welcome to the hunt. It seems that the first fish has already slipped into our net."
The rest of the night was a bit of a blur and Taija knew the three of them would be exhausted the next day. Siuan gave Javindhra an abbreviated explanation of the Black Ajah hunt, brushing over Taija's involvement and side stepping her questions about her. Taija could tell she was hurrying things along to avoid giving Javindhra the opportunity to question her more, with promises to speak further when there was more time. Before Javindhra left she promised Siuan that she understood the seriousness of the situation and would not seek to bring it before the Hall.
Siuan retreated to her bedroom to summon Maigan and Anaiya and Duahra's shield was quickly transferred to them before she was bundled off to a storeroom somewhere with mutterings about the 'Chair of Remorse'. Taija decided she didn't want to ask. What she wanted most of all was bed.
The next few days were particularly tense for Taija. Siuan canceled some of her regular training sessions and when she did have them, both her and Leane seem worried and exhausted behind their aes sedai serenity. When Taija asked about Duhara she was told that she still refused to reswear her oaths and denied being part of the Black Ajah, demanding that they follow Tower law. She could tell that they're getting increasingly unsure about whether Duhara was even black or not.
It was on the fifth day that Taija got good news. Duhara had finally broken and agreed to swear on the binding rod. She had to first unswear her existing oaths, as Taija had expected. What was a surprise was Siuan telling her that apparently it was excruciatingly painful to so.
Unfortunately the blacks seemed to use a cell structure so Duhara could only name two other black sisters. Both were social women so it would be difficult to abduct them without anyone noticing, especially with there already being talk about Duhara's sudden "departure" from the Tower. However, Siuan seemed as happy as Taija had ever seen her, entirely confident that now that they had names they could start to roll up the Black Ajah step by step. She also seemed a bit more relaxed around Taija, which was nice, although they still clashed during lessons.
Apparently Duhara had sworn a fourth oath to obey Siuan and been ordered to keep everything a secret and help with destroying the Black Ajah. Normally Taija would be disgusted at that, but as a darkfriend Durhara should consider herself lucky that she hadn't been executed out of hand. In fact Taija offered Siuan a couple of suggestions on additional oaths, including one not to unswear her current ones without Siuan's permission.
Despite the good news, Taija was a little worried because that evening when she'd arrived for her regular lesson with Egwene and Elayne she found no one there. She'd waited with increasing irritation, but they hadn't come.
The next day Taija kept an eye out for them, but saw no sign of them and again there was no one there for the lesson in the evening.
On the third day she took the opportunity to ask after Egwene at her regular training session with Siuan and Leane.
"The idiot girl has run away, not just her, but Nynaeve and the Daughter Heir of Andor too."
"The Daughter Heir? Do you mean Elayne?"
That got Taija a sharp look, "and how exactly are you on first name terms with her?" Siuan made a frustrated sound, "no do not say anything, it does not matter and I do not want to know, I should expect it around you. I have bigger problems. The three most powerful initiates we have seen for centuries and they have gone. If Morgase finds out before we hunt them down she is going to cause no end of problems for me and the Tower. When I get them back they are going to only wish they were dead." Taija tuned her out as she launched into a fish metaphor.
Taija didn't think it was very likely that they both ran away. Novice life was clearly hard work and they certainly felt it, but they didn't seem unhappy. She couldn't see why Nynaeve would go either, although she didn't really know her.
While she didn't say anything to Siuan, Taija started mulling it over in bed that night. Why would the three strongest students at the White Tower just up and run? It was a very convenient story and she'd heard that novices sometimes did run away, but here they had no reason to and Taija actually felt she knew two of them well enough to have some idea of how they were feeling. It was all deeply suspicious. Powerful channelers, associated with Siuan, political consequences for the Tower…