04 March 2003 (10:54pm)
Taeadra strolled idley down the streets of Tar Valon paying no particular attention to anything. She’d arrived early in town to stop by the dress maker’s shop she loved so much but had finished there long before she thought she would. One advantage of using the same shop is that they always knew what you wanted. Not that Taeadra varied much in her appearance, but still it was nice.
She was to meet Raeyn and Zania at The Bear and The Boar at mid day for a meal. It had been far too long since the three of them had found the time to get together, and she was really looking forward to this day.
Glancing up into the sky she could see the sun was nearly at the midday point and began her stroll to the inn. On the way she passed a merchant selling roses and couldn’t resist buying a few. She bought one each of them, in their favorite colors of course then continued on to the inn.
When she arrived at the inn, Zania and Raeyn were already there waiting at a table. She walked up to them and gave them each a hug and their rose, “It has been far too long since we have done this ladies! We must not let time slip by like this again.” Tae smiled warmly at both of them and took her seat…..
Taeadra
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04 March 2003 (11:04pm)
Raeyn had arrived at the inn early for lunch, and was suprised to find Zania Sedai already waiting.
Hugging the other woman, Raeyn exclaimed, “Light woman, how long has it been since we last spoke outside of the Hall?” Both laughed, and sat down to conversate.
Raeyn questioned Zania on the Red Ajah’s trip away from the Tower, and how this would effect others, and her feelings on the Hall’s meeting while they were away. Some arguement ensued, but it was of the friendly, bantering sort between good friends and long-time aquantinces.
The door swung open to admit Taeadra with roses in hand. “Did she meet a suitor in town on the way out here? Raeyn mused to herself, but was suprised to find that the dark red rose was for her. Another round of hugs insued, and then the threesome sat back down.
The innkeeper herself came and took their orders, reassuring them that all would be of the uptmost quality and general wishes for their health and enjoyment of their time in the inn. While waiting for the meal, they conversed on various fripperies, and general catching up.
Twirling the rose between her fingers, Raeyn looked up from the table and smiled at Taeadra, “When I saw the roses, for some reason I thought you might have taken on a lover, Taeadra! But then, how many sisters actually do nowadays?”
Raeyn Sedai
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05 March 2003 (11:42am)
“When I saw the roses, for some reason I thought you might have taken on a lover, Taeadra! But then, how many sisters actually do nowadays?”
“Light Rae!! Me a lover….well, that’s not a half bad idea.” Tae’s eyes danced with mischieviousness as she spoke, the idea of a lover had never entered into her mind in all the years she’d been at the Tower, though it had never stopped her from admiring men. “But do you think I could find one that wouldn’t be intimidated by White fringe on my shawl?”
They all shared a laugh at that comment, Tae had not been known for her….warmness but rather for a typical White attitude. Of course that wasn’t really who she was, it just served her purposes most times to act that way. Truth be told, the only ones who had ever seen anything but a cold, calm Aes Sedai behind her eyes were the two women sitting here with her.
Taeadra
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05 March 2003 (6:25pm)
Zania sat back and laughed at both Raeyn and Tae. She had missed both of them since things have gotten so hectic in the Hall and in her own ajah. Her smile slipped a bit when she thought about Arad Doman but she refused to let herself think about more.
“Hmmm a lover….. Raeyn you might have just planted an idea in Tae’s and my head.” She chuckled over the looks she received then called a serving woman over to them. “Wine please….and bring the jug.” She turned back the the other two women, “Since we are still waiting for our food we might as well drink a bit.”
Zania
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05 March 2003 (11:18pm)
“Perhaps just a little,” Raeyn murmured to Zania as the other woman poured out a round of drinks, “I try not to drink too much.. it seems to affect my Gaidin quite a bit as well, so.. I wouldn’t want to do that to Matalina.”
Taking the glass with a smile of thanks, she looked up at the other two women, “Lovers, eh? That could be a novel experience, I’m sure. Since I’ve been at the Tower, though, I do have to admit that I gave up any foolish girlhood fantasies of finding a man that could deal with having an Aes Sedai as a lover. Still, perhaps some among the Gaidin..” She trailed off as the food was brought.
Raeyn
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06 March 2003 (10:28am)
Taeadra took another sip of her drink, perhaps she would go easy on the drinking too. After all the last time she and Mariasha had got drunk they had done nothing more than pass the hangover through the bond to each other…though it had been a fun night.
“Hmmm….the Gaidin huh? There are quite a few of them that I would be willing to….entertain.” The smile on her face was filled with mischieviousness, “As a matter fact, I met one young Guard not long ago who was, well, shall we say, not bad on the eyes at all!!!”
Even Tae couldn’t believe the things she was saying, after all she had dedicated her life long ago to the Tower and the idea of having a man in her life was as far from her mind as leaving the Tower would be……but she had to admit…the idea of a ‘trist’ was intriuging………She took another long drink of her wine and thought on that…..
Taeadra
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06 March 2003 (5:28pm)
“A cute Gaidin, you say?” Raeyn chuckled, “Anyone I might now?”
Taking a small sip of her wine, she gestured with the cup in her hand, “Now, I’ve often wondered whether or not some of the other Sisters bond men because they are hoping for a bedmate, and not because of generic stereotyping that a male would do better in protecting… Out of respect I haven’t asked around, mine you, but still…” she stopped dead in the middle of her sentence as she finally noticed the wine had slopped out of her glass, and onto the cuff of her dress.
With a rueful grin, she picked up a napkin and began dabbing as best she could, “At least the wine matches the dress… But yes, do tell of this cute Warder, and if he has any friends!”
Raeyn
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06 March 2003 (6:22pm)
Zania giggled over Raeyn’s clumsiness then refilled her cup. She liked to hear the different stories about other Aes Sedai and their warders although she hide it well. She never regreted her ajah choice but then she did not limit herself to some of her fellow ajah sisters ideals either. With a laugh she leaned in , “Yes Tae and do give a description so next time I am in the Yards I will make sure to know him.” She smiled ruefully and took a sip of her wine.
*Now how many cups has that been two?* She thought as she waited for the tale about the Warder.
Zania
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07 March 2003 (1:09am)
Tae’s eyes danced over the rim of her wine glass as she looked at the other two women. Though no one else would have been able to see it, she knew that neither of them would miss the slight blush in her cheeks, they had known her far too long not to miss it. “A description you say? Well, light ladies I must admit I not soon forget his face. He was tall, and very young…newly raised to the Guard when I met him, black hair, brown eyes…he was from the borderlands if I remember my classes from our Novice days.” She was smiling now at the memory of that meeting, she’d been harsh on the man, but then there were few she wasn’t harsh to. “Had I not been so busy teaching a bit of discipline to an Accepted who had thought it funny to put horse dung in my slippers, perhaps I could have got to know him better…alas I’m afraid that as usual I let him get away.”
The three of them shared a laugh knowing that Tae did not let anything get away from her unless she intended it to be that way….
Taeadra
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07 March 2003 (6:50am)
Raeyn listened raptly to Taeadra’s discription of the young man, and chuckled, “So, an handsome man of the Borderlands, and a trouble-maker? Sounds like the sort of thing that one like us would need!” She had to supress a flurry of giggles… they had been less than perfect students and models of excellence when they had been Novices and even at the level of Accepted.
“I wish I knew of some hansome men to discuss,” Raeyn spoke with a bit of a wistful sigh, “I spend more time than any of you locked up in the Tower, and sometimes it feels like I leave the Tower every couple of years. Still, there is so much to be studied…” she trailed off, and shook her head of regrets, “I think we should go and meet this young man that Taeadra speaks of. And perhaps, if the Light shines on us, he will have some friends!” She did giggle then, and took a sip of her wine.
Raeyn
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07 March 2003 (7:25pm)
Zania gulped down her cup of wine and smiled over Taeadra’s description. She remembered the few Warders that she had known over her years at the Tower anc could not remember one that she had actually taken a liking to except for one. The thought of him made her blush a bit then she smiled.
“Well Tae, he certainly sounds handsome. We should go and see this Warder. And I feel Raeyn has has good suggestion about asking around for his friends.” She giggled with them then stopped suddenly and looked at her cup, “I think maybe I had bit too much of this.” She paused for a moment,”oh Light where is the jug I need a refill.” She pounded her cup on the table and grabbed the jug for more.
Zania
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12 March 2003 (7:19pm)
Though she tried to keep her face straight, she found it very difficult to do so and before long a wide smile had broke out on her face. “A Warder and his friends…Raeyn, I knew keeping your head buried in those books would pay off for us someday, that sounds like an outstanding idea.” She winked at Rae to let her know she was only joking, sometimes Taeadra’s humor was not well recieved by others, but the two women here knew her well enough by now. “However, we should at least eat first, I hear the food here is exceptionally good.”
Tae motioned for one of the serving girls but was surprised when the innkeeper herself arrived at their table to take their meal order. The innkeeper, Marawin she said her name was, nodded curtly to all of them as she lef their table. Soon after another jug of wine was brought over by one of the serving girls. Tae poured herself another another glass and had a drink of it before speaking again. “I can honestly say that when I asked you two here today I did not think it would lead to conversation as….interesting as we’ve already had.”
She felt like she was an Accepted again planning one of their many trips to the Warders Yard…….
Taeadra
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13 March 2003 (12:08pm)
Taking another glass of wine, Raeyn smiled at the other two women at the table, “Yes, this has been most interesting… almost like old times.. To think, that was what.. almost a hundred years ago?” Her smile broadened for a second, then she stared down at her glass.
Taking another sip, she mused almost to herself as she studied the surface of the wine, “Where does the time go, my sisters? One day we’re novices-to-be, gaping at the first site of Tar Valon, and the next we’re Aes Sedai, doing whatever calls us..” she looked back up, smile back on her face, and with a small laugh spoke, “But now, I am starting to sound as if I were a White sister like you, Taeadra! Still..”
She slipped back into silence as their meal was brought to the table. As Taeadra had promised, the food was excellent, and Raeyn began to eat her meal with much relish.
Raeyn
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15 March 2003 (12:43pm)
Conversation slipped into silence as their meals came and they began to eat. The food was absolutely wonderful and Tae knew she would be back here again…and again. It was nice to be away from the Tower…away from the tedious tasks she often set herself about.
“You know this really does remind me of times long past….light…long past at this point.” Tae still could’t believe that it had been nearly a hundred years since the three of them had been wearing the striped dresses…the time had just gone by so quickly. So many things had changed, yet so many things had remained the same. Raeyn was as Brown as she had ever been, each time she saw her friend in the Tower it was with her head buried in a book, or with ink smudges from head to toe…just as she had been when they had first arrived her. And Zania…Zania was still just as she had been, a typical Red in so many ways, yet there were times when Tae would look at her and still could not believe she had chosen Red..that wasn’t entirely true, it had seemed they all had known from the beginning that Zania would be Red Ajah.
With their meals nearly gone, Taeadra ordered more wine for them and they each sipped on another glass, how many they had had so far she couldn’t tell, but it was enough that she was feeling..well a bit more wild than usual. “You know Raeyn, when you mentioned going to try and find this Warder at first I was thinking it might not be the best idea. But now that I have thought on it some more I think it is an excellent idea. I’d like to see that face again….and well, perhaps persuade him for a little more?!” A nervous laugh escaped her, she could not believe she had just said that…yet…it seemed right, it seemed far over due for her, “So what you say we go and find him and hopefully some friends too.”
Taeadra
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23 March 2003 (12:19pm)
Zania feeling a bit mischievous gulped down the last of her wine then stood. “Well what are we waiting for? Lets go and have a bit of fun with your Warder friend…and his friends.” She laughs then waits for the other two.
Zania
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24 March 2003 (6:38am)
Standing up next to Zania, Raeyn shot her a slightly concerned look, shrugged it off, and was helping the beforementioned pull Taeadra up along with them. Settling with the innkeeper for their meal, they were soon thereafter off….
Raeyn
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This story continues in Three Sitting Ducks (Att: Damian and Luke)