PoV Thom Merrilin
Thom slowly returned to Morgase's rooms after seeing the Aes Sedai and her Warder out of the Palace. The pair did not miss a step when Thom told them he would not be returning with them. The Aes Sedai gave a barely there nod and they went on their way.
Thom's mind returned to the conversation between the Aes Sedai and Morgase, the conversation that hadn't been much of a conversation to begin with. The Aes Sedai said what she wanted to say and asked what she wanted to ask and went on her way.
The Aes Sedai kept Morgase off balanced from the first spoken word.
I missed something when the Aes Sedai first spoke with me about what was happening to men like Owyn and the death of the Amyrlin, I had been too emotional and preoccupied, but Morgase did not miss it.
After all, what fear would Moiraine have had to drag all of it in front of the White Tower, if this had been just a factional struggle amongst Ajahs, and she was careful never place full blame on the Red Ajah either.
The much rumoured but vehemently denied the Black Ajah, then.
She suspected or even knew about the Black Ajah from the very beginning, she thought she had a measure of them, but the death of the Amyrlin convinced her otherwise.
Thom reached Morgase's rooms, the doors were still open, with candle light spilling into the hallway. Morgase remained in the same seat as before, and seemed to be in deep thought.
Thom entered the room and closed the doors softly behind him. And strode towards Morgase and swiftly poured two goblets full of wine and offered one to Morgase, once she took the goblet, Thom plopped down in the seat the Aes Sedai previously occupied in a loose sprawl and said, "So?"
"An impressive woman. How much do you know of her?", Morgase asked in turn.
"I learnt the name years ago, when Taringail married Tigraine, that she could channel and went to the Tower to become Aes Sedai. After that, not much else. I heard somethings about her without knowing they were about her. I heard some three years ago that Lan Mandragoran had become Warder to an Aes Sedai. And that Lan and his Aes Sedai are wandering around in the Borderlands, fighting against any Trolloc raids they come across, sortieing into the Blight and killing hundreds of Trollocs and dozens of other Shadowspawn. But, well, those stories weren't all that different from what is already said about the Uncrowned King of Malkier. So, I thought some battle crazed Green Sister bonded him", Thom took a deep sip from his goblet and continued, "I should have paid more attention, cultivated more reliable contacts in the Borderlands. Anyway, it took me half a day to realise Moiraine Sedai and her Warder Lan are, Moiraine Damodred and Lan Mandragoran. All I know about Blue Ajah is that they are the wanderers of the Aes Sedai and that they are schemers. An image Moiraine certainly fits. That's all I know."
Morgase snorted and Thom detected a hint of bitterness in it, and said, "The Blues choose Causes and they fight for them. And they are wanderers and schemers alright. They are the sixth largest Ajah, but they are the Ajah from which highest number of Amyrlin's are chosen. And the Red Ajah collectively hates the Blue. Some individual Red Sisters might not, but as a whole though, Red Ajah has been nurturing that hate for two thousand years. If Elaida and the Red Ajah learn it is a Blue's design that aired their dirty laundry for all the world to see, I cannot imagine what that would do to the White Tower."
Thom hummed at that, and asked, "Think the Cause she chose has something to do with what she hinted at?"
Morgase started at that question, and slowly answered, "She talked about having a faction. If some from her faction are working from inside the Tower and she and some others are working from outside the Tower, perhaps. One can never be quite sure with a Blue. There is always another scheme, every time you think a Blue failed at something, years later you learn that previous failure was just a step in a more elaborate scheme or that it was a distraction while the Blue achieved some other objective or something. As I said one can never be sure with a Blue."
Thom thought on that and thought on it some more and asked, "Are you going to do what she asked then?"
Morgase snorted again and this time the bitterness was crystal clear in her voice as she answered, "What other choice do I have? Add oil to the fire by outing her involvement. No, I will keep anything that identifies her out of the testimonies I send to the White Tower. You are set on going with her then?"
Now it was Thom's turn to snort bitterly as he answered, "She says she has some ideas she wants to try to help Owyn. And she says having people who care about Owyn near him will help. She has my throat in her hand, she just hasn't decided to squeeze yet. I can't stay in Caemlyn anyway, having a man who could channel as relative might be a blow to reputation a nobleman might be able to weather, but a Gleeman turned Court Bard like me can't. I have no doubt there are already rumours flying about the city that I am a man who can channel. Having me around would not do you any favours either."
Thom could see Morgase stiffen at that last part, no doubt her temper was roused at the thought of her having to lose him because of rumour and reputation, but it is what it is.
Morgase exhaled heavily, releasing her temper and said, "I would still like to hear from you, from time to time. If you are going with her, I would like to hear what she is doing too."
"You will, Morgase. I already instructed Basel to pass on what I write to the Palace, alongside what my network outside the city send. And I already handed over my network in the City to Lini, as you instructed", Thom answered.
Morgase downed her goblet of wine and said softly, "Spend the night with me."
"Of course, my love."
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The next morning Thom spent with Morgase and her children. He had grown to love those three little ones in the past few years. Leaving them would hurt almost as much as leaving Morgase. He played their favorite songs, told their favorite stories and entertained them with juggling, fire eating and tricks of sleight of hand. And settled down Elyane and Gawyn for their afternoon naps. Only Galad seemed to understand that this was goodbye.
There were tears in the boy's eyes he refused to let fall. Thom hugged him and extracted a solemn promise from Galad to take care of his siblings, then he kissed Morgase softly for one last time and he was out of the palace.
In another hour he was out of the city itself alongside, an Aes Sedai, her Warder, his nephew and his nephew's wife.
Thom looked back one last time and etched the sight of his city in his mind and wondered when he would be back.