Can one conceive absence without first knowing fullness?

[Raeza]

Summary: Catisune visits the Hall of Inferences to bring Raeza a book as a gift. The two spend some time together, first discussing Sitter business and then pondering a philosophical question about feeling the absence of something.

Note: Some sensitive Sitter business has been redacted from the record to preserve its confidentiality.

POV: Raeza
Characters: Raeza, Catisune

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Hall of Inferences of the White Ajah
The oval room is entirely filled by a single immense table, ornately
carved chairs with white leather cushions placed around it at equidistant
intervals. Behind each chair sits a large blackboard, smeared with chalk
dust accumulated over many years. Slender soaring windows pierce the high
walls, stretching to the distant ceiling. A large arch to the north leads
out of the chamber, heavy wooden doors swinging on cast-iron hinges.
[ obvious exits: N ]
Door north: door
A chair made of red oak rests next to the table. [2]
A young girl in a plain white dress stands here.
A silver-haired Aes Sedai sits here, reading.
A White Sister walks by, deep in thought.
Carlinya Sedai stands here, pale of skin and cold of manner as the white fringe on her shawl.


Catisune has arrived from the north.

Catisune bumbles into the Hall of Inferences, all scratchy russet skirts and a vague air of
discombobulation.

Raeza looks up suddenly, with a very slight start.

Catisune smiles as she spies Raeza, and the gesture turns the corners of her large, watery eyes.

Raeza says 'Hello Catisune.'

Raeza says 'You startled me. My mind was filled by recent, concerning reports.'

Catisune strides across the Hall of Inferences toward Raeza. She stops just shy of her.

Catisune says [REDACTED]

Raeza says, "Indeed," in a low voice.

Catisune's eyes flash hot for a brief moment [REDACTED]

Catisune closes the carveddoor.

Catisune scurries to close the door she left agape. She returns in quick strides.

Raeza tilts her head slightly. [REDACTED]

Raeza says [REDACTED]

Catisune says [REDACTED]

Raeza paces back and forth slightly.

Catisune's voice is flinty, steel wrapped in velvet.

Raeza says 'Perhaps, perhaps not.'

Catisune manages to step closer to Raeza. She rests a hand gently on the other Sitter's elbow.

Raeza looks up at Catisune's watery eyes.

Catisune says 'Perhaps not.'

Catisune holds the gaze for a moment longer than is strictly necessary.

Raeza says 'But [READACTED]

Raeza says 'That is an understatement.'

Catisune nods, the censorious bun atop her head swaying.

Catisune says [REDACTED]

Raeza says 'Indeed. [REDACTED]

Raeza says [REDACTED]

Catisune's lips quirk ever so slightly.

Catisune says [REDACTED]

Catisune tilts her head, ever the bird.

Raeza looks towards Catisune with a bit of amusement on her face for the first time.

Raeza says 'Somehow I doubt the initiates would enjoy it all that much.'

Raeza offers a slight smile.

Catisune studies Raeza's smile as one might a work of fine art. She finally says 'I brought
something for you.'

Catisune gives you a book on the philosophy of poetic form.

Raeza takes the book and examines the cover.

Raeza says 'Hm. It is as though it were written for the two of us to read together.'

Catisune says 'Is it?'

Catisune cants her head to the side once more.

Catisune says 'I have heard your thoughts on poetry, of course.'

Raeza says 'Well, it is the PHILOSOPHY of poetic form, after all.'

Raeza offers a slight smile.

Catisune shares the smile like a secret.

Raeza opens the book and examines the first couple of pages.

Catisune says 'For one who professes to disdain poetry, you do know your way around an anapest.'

Raeza says 'Well, I might have done some reading about the metrical structure of language at some
point. Not from the perspective of beauty of course, but to understand how it works.'

Raeza shrugs her shoulders slightly as she thumbs through the book.

Catisune says 'One might argue that understanding how something works could lead to a perspective of
beauty.'

Raeza looks up and says, "Ah true. I was thinking recently about how the golden ratio is such a
beautiful mathematical concept."

Raeza says 'Perhaps you could explain some aspects of meter to me some day.'

Raeza says 'I would quite like that.'

Raeza offers a slight smile.

Catisune's smile widens by several degrees 'Of course.'

Catisune's eyes linger meaningfully on the book in Raeza's hands before her attention rebounds to
the present.

Catisune says [REDACTED]

Raeza says [REDACTED]

Catisune says [REDACTED]

Catisune says [REDACTED]

Raeza says [REDACTED]

Raeza says [REDACTED]

Catisune purses her lips tightly -- like a coin pouch.

Catisune says [REDACTED]

Catisune says 'I am sure [REDACTED]

Catisune somehow manages to imbue a tiny thread of disdain into her last statement despite her
implacable features.

Raeza holds her hands up, [REDACTED]

Catisune nods, that bun nearly slipping its constraint. It hangs on, but barely.

Raeza says 'Oh, Sister, your...'

Catisune says 'My?'

Raeza moves her hand towards Catisune's bun.

Raeza says 'Your hair is coming a bit... undone.'

Catisune closes her eyes.

Catisune says 'Is it worth saving?'

Raeza moves around and begins gently replacing the hair into its fastenings.

Catisune does not open her eyes as Raeza performs her ministrations.

Raeza says "Oh, I think it is," with the slightest bit of amusement.

Raeza says 'There. It is done.'

Catisune opens her eyes.

Raeza backs away slightly looking at her work.

Raeza says 'Not as nice as it was. But, it hasn't fallen down.'

Raeza offers a slight smile.

Catisune pats her head idly with one hand 'This will suit.'

Catisune says 'But do not think me coarse for my unkempt beauty regimen!'

Raeza says 'I am hardly a paragon of haircare.'

Raeza chuckles politely.

Raeza says 'I was just telling Lexiane how tempting her bald look is. For its practicality.'

Catisune says 'Few could pull it off.'

Catisune assesses Raeza once more as if appraising a jewel's value.

Catisune says 'But you could, I think.'

Raeza arches an eyebrow.

Raeza says 'But then I could not wear my favourite hairpin.'

Raeza frowns slightly.

Catisune lifts her hand to adjust the pin in Raeza's hair, perhaps before she realizes what she's
done. She withdraws it quickly.

Catisune murmurs 'It does suit.'

Catisune says 'I hope I did not overstep.'

Raeza says 'Not at all.'

Raeza says 'It is good to have some... company. These quarters can be so lonely sometimes.'

Catisune manages to thread her arm through a crook in Raeza's.

Catisune says 'You need not want for company.'

Raeza says 'There was a point when I spent most of my time alone in these Halls. Theorising. Without a
bother.'

Catisune says 'I like bothering you.'

Raeza says 'You are not a bother.'

Raeza offers a slight smile.

Catisune says 'Then I shall try harder.'

Raeza says 'It is just intriguing how you may not realise you want something until it comes along.'

Raeza looks out into space pensively.

Catisune says 'Can one conceive absence without first knowing fullness?'

Raeza says 'An intriguing question.'

Catisune says 'Such questions befuddle the mind. I am lucky for my close acquaintance with a
philosopher.'

Raeza says 'I sometimes wonder what it would be like to have a sixth sense. One we cannot know because
we do not have it.'

Raeza says 'It is like that, is it not?'

Raeza says 'We could not possibly know all the experiences we are missing.'

Catisune says 'It is difficult to contextualize a lack when one is unaware of it.'

Raeza says 'Or indeed, someone who cannot touch the Source will never know what it is like to touch
it.'

Raeza says 'And would never feel the anguish that we would face if we were stilled.'

Raeza says 'Having known it.'

Raeza says 'That is very much the emptiness and fullness you refer to, I think.'

Catisune murmurs 'Poor Martine' as her attention drifts back to Raeza.

Raeza says 'Martine?'

Catisune says 'A sister of the Brown . . . once.'

Catisune says 'Now a cautionary tale.'

Raeza rubs her chin slightly, seemingly trying to recall something.

Raeza says 'Did she study objects of the Power?'

Catisune nods, and her bun retains its shape admirably.

Raeza says 'Ah yes. I have a faint memory.'

Catisune turns abruptly.

Catisune says 'Sister, I must depart.'

Catisune turns back.

Catisune leans forward impetuously to squeeze Raeza's arm once more.

Catisune says 'Call on me soon?'

Raeza turns and says, "Oh. Uh, yes of course. Perhaps we can take a stroll around the gardens?"

Catisune says 'A date, then.'

Raeza offers a slight smile.

Catisune's eyes flash once more.

Catisune takes a little longer than is strictly necessary to drop her hand, clutched as it is at
Raeza's elbow.

Catisune strides toward the door, all business and russet skirts.

Raeza says 'Light protect you.'

Catisune opens the carveddoor.

Catisune leaves north.

The carveddoor closes quietly.

[Aloisa]

Awarded Raeza five rpqps and Catisune three rpqps. Please see a silver-haired Aes Sedai