PoV Siuan
The White Tower is seething.
A month after Thom Merrilin levied accusations at Elaida of breaking the Tower Law, in the open court of Queen Morgase Trakand, things spun out of control in unexpected and dangerous ways.
It would be a serious understatement to say Siuan is growing nervous, "We have dangerously mistimed this", Siuan sent Moiraine despondently.
"They still haven't picked the Amyrlin?", Moiraine asked.
"No, the Red Sitters, just today, publicly and unambiguously refused to ratify any candidate that is produced before the Hall", Siuan answered, "Elaida should have been here by now, but somewhere on the road to Tar Valon from Caemlyn, she disappeared. My network is looking for her. Light! Every Ajah's network is looking for her, seemingly even the Reds. I couldn't find the two others who participated in the now infamous Gentling either. The Hall tried to force the matter by questioning other Reds. Every Red Sister summoned before the Hall flatly refuses to answer any questions. Twenty Red Sisters were birched by the Mistress of the Novices in the past month, as punishment for refusing the Hall's demands."
"Hmmm, don't worry too much about it. The Hall will work out some deal, eventually. We got what we wanted. The pogrom against men becoming public knowledge. The Red Ajah put under scrutiny. I am sure there are at least some Reds who did not partake in this travesty, they are probably already putting pressure on their leadership from the inside. The other Ajahs just need to continue to put pressure from the outside, and the Red Ajah would bend or break eventually," Moiraine sent and Siuan could feel her unconcern.
Siuan felt her frustration spike at Moiraine's nonchalance, and she growled in her throat before sending, "You are not here to see what I am seeing, to pressure the Reds, even for the Hall to make a deal with Reds, the other six Ajahs need to work together. And they aren't. The first week was as you said the other six Ajahs were working together to corner the Reds, but then everything changed. The rivalries between Ajahs flared up like you couldn't believe. The Greens started blowing up at the Blues that we treat them like junior partners in our alliance, the Yellows started complaining that the Browns are useless and the Browns retorted against the Yellows that the healers who can virtually heal anything staying cooped up in a tower are worse than useless, the Greys are trying to mediate and are failing. And the White's grow more open with their disdain for other Ajah's illogical and emotional behaviour, as they see it. None of it as simple as what I said, but you understand, a hundred little fires started in hundred different places, now everything is starting to burn down. I can feel the White Tower starting to crack."
"The unstained tower, broken, bends knee to the forgotten sign", Moiraine sent musingly.
"What?", Siuan asked baffled.
"Its a prophecy in the Karaethon Cycle. It can be interpreted in such a way that the White Tower is destined to break", Siuan's nervousness nearly peaked into full blown panic at those words, but Moiraine near instantly sent soothing feelings and continued, "I am not saying that's what's going to happen. It was just one way the prophecy can be interpreted. The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills, Siuan. I am sure you already thought of this, but the flaring tensions are probably Black Ajah doing, to buy time, so that they can cover their tracks."
"Yes, I thought of it, I am on the lookout for who is starting these fires", Siuan sighed as she continued, "It's hard. I am too used to taking whatever comes out of a Sister's mouth as truth, often it is a half-truth or a misdirection or an implication without any confirmation, but at least I know its truth, and I can work out what the full truth is from that seed. But a Black Sister can probably lie and its incredibly hard to look at an ageless face and stop to consider, whether if it is lying."
"Be vigilant, Siuan. And as we discussed, do not make any moves, keep your head down", Moiraine said.
Exasperated, Siuan sent, "I am not the one who poked this hornet's nest! Have you decided on what you are going to do with Thom Merrilin yet?"
"No, the man could be put to many good uses and he would obviously keep Morgase informed about what I have him doing and what I am doing. Not something I am entirely opposed to either. It would take some months yet for my return to the Two Rivers, I will decide by them whether to cut him loose or bind him tighter to our cause. Now, go to sleep Siuan", Moiraine said and Siuan can feel the other woman's tiredness through their bond.
Siuan sent, "I will" before letting herself give into the exhaustion she has been feeling.
-xxxxxxxx-
Siuan broke her fast with Leane Sharif in the other Blue's rooms. She has grown closer with the tall, willowy Domani, in the past year, even with Siuan's efforts to keep some distance with any Aes Sedai in her paranoia about the Black Ajah.
"Is it just me or the Greens blowing up on us like this baffles you too?", Leane asked idly.
Siuan sighed and answered, "No, not just you. Our alliance with them has been solid for centuries. Amyrlins raised from Blue Ajah have enjoyed significant favor from the Greens and we have returned the gesture when a Green Sister is raised Amyrlin. The Sitters from our Ajahs have worked well together in the Hall. I would almost say that Reds have reached some private accord with the Greens, if not for how unlikely that is."
Leane let out a soft laugh at that absurd thought but grew sombre immediately after and said, "The Hall is meeting again, once again in a sealed session. I don't know what they hope they would accomplish, Reds have really dug in their heels this time. I couldn't find one Red Sister not wearing her shawl outside of Red quarters in the last week, and they always move about in groups. I heard some Sisters in other Ajahs were denied entry to Red quarters as they tried to meet with some Red Sisters they were friendly with. I still don't understand why Elaida did what she did, and what other Reds are rumored to have been doing. Reds always paraded around any male channeler they caught. What need was there to do any of this?"
Siuan chose her words carefully as she answered, "Who knows? The Sisters who could answer that question are not talking," including me, "As for the Hall, we can hope that they make Red Sitters concede."
Leane hummed and said, "Go into the city with me, today? The Tower's getting a little stifling for me."
Siuan assented and they finished their breakfast and strolled out of her rooms and with Leane's warder, Anjen falling in behind them.
Siuan once again thought of bonding a man as her Warder, but dismissed thought quickly. Not unless she can be hundred percent certain the man isn't a Darkfriend, and that certainty is not easy to come by. Anyway, I have a Warder already.
Just as Siuan and Leane reached the Tower entrance, they stopped dead in their tracks, at the sight of a dark eyed, grey haired woman, clad in well cut and sturdily made but very out of fashion green silks strode towards them, no not towards us, towards the door. And a very bedraggled looking Elaida followed behind the woman.
Siuan and Leane exchanged a look as they unconsciously cleared doorway and had the same thought.
Cadsuane Melaidhrin has returned to the White Tower.
A/N: I am not happy with this one. Somewhere along the way, it seems I lost the right tone for writing Siuan.