Korsik edit 18 dec 2023:
1-8 qps, depending on length and quality.
Potential +1 qp: if part of a series: x
Total: 6 qps, bonus for including ingame events
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Darkness engulfed the hidden passage in the tower as dampness clung to the air around her. Embracing saidar, weaves of fire and air coalesced into a ball of light, dim enough not to give pause, but bright enough to see as Chloro descended the spiral staircase. She could feel Finan at the stables seeing to the horses, something he did daily due to the nature of Chloro’s work. One never knew when they would have to leave the comfort of the Tower for places unknown. Her pace slowed as she reached the bottom of the stairs, another dead end.
Reaching up she ran her fingers along the right wall close to the seam and pulled slightly when she felt a protruding piece of marble. Silently the wall swung open leading into the corridor just west of the guest room used to receive dignitaries. Such an ingenious little, short cut for talks and bargaining without the other Ajahs knowing what was going on. Then again, she could just as easily have met a darkfriend lurking in the shadows of it. The way the mind questioned even the simplest of things when the dark could be involved.
Stepping out into the hallway she scanned to the left and right with her exotic gray eyes, seeing only a guard facing the other way to her left and no one to her right. With the grace befitting her title she exited the passage, the wall closing quickly without a sound. One day she would delve it for a ward against sound, who ever had first woven it had to have been white at heart.
Using the mental trick thinking of the space one inch in from her belly button, cold and wind fled from her senses as she emerged out onto the tower grounds. Keeping close to the walls, she moved to the entrance without a gate and narrowly escaped notice by her sisters on duty should a wounded person be brought in. Releasing saidar the light ball dissipated as she moved into the streets of Tar Valon, lamp light illuminating the path towards the stables. Her robe billowing slightly in the cold wind as she entered the stables and smiled warmly at Finan brushing down his pinto-colored stallion. The animal had been trained with the finest in Kandor as a warhorse, and had come in clutch, in several situations.
Speaking in a soft friendly tone she looked at Finan.
“I think I will take a ride, perhaps towards the sister standing watch west of the road toward Rhahime. With so much happening of late, I need to clear my head.”
The stocky muscled Finan nodded though his eyes held a glint of knowing her words might not mean exactly what she said. Dutifully he pulled down her saddle and began dressing her pale destrier. The war saddle he placed on it confirmed he knew she was up to something though the bond stayed quiet. Once the animal was ready, he heaved a sigh and moved back to his horse, the pinto-colored stallions saddle already down and on a post to be equipped at a second’s notice. She raised on an eyebrow seeing it, the man had been bonded to a Gray to long if he knew to be ready that quickly.
Picking up the reins of her horse she had not yet named, Chloro slowly walked the destrier out of the stable and mounted it in a swift graceful motion, her blue suede riding boots nestling into the stirrups as if they were a second home. A quick look back at Finan and she rolled her eyes watching him pull out the armor for his warhorse as if he expected more. The man had learned to much for her liking, though his quick thinking had prevented two assassination attempts at court already.
With a click of her tongue and loosening of the reins, horse and rider began to walk slowly towards the western bridge of the shining walls. The animal had been a gift for her service after smoothing over the bonds between Andor and the Tower. Morgase would not have actively severed bonds, but it was enough to panic several of the non-politically inclined Ajahs. One day she would focus her efforts on seeking peace among the Ajahs, but that could not take place till every darkfriend in the tower was stilled and executed. Till then she would continue with the work Alison, Kitara, and herself had begun. They had others within the tower that vetted the Novices and Accepted, but few could believe a full sister would turn to the shadow. The three of them knew otherwise.
The western bridge was quiet, even for this time of night, many people due to the gathering of tinkers chose to either come by boat or via Cairhien. Tinkers were known for many things, the most know of stealing children and mending pots. She could understand the poor people that followed the way of the leaf. There were just as many sayings about Aes Sedai, some far worse than stealing children. At the crest of the bridge, she stopped for a moment to look at the river.
A brief memory flashed through her mind of the ship from Kandor docking in north harbor decades ago and her mind nearly exploding from seeing the grand city and white tower. They had many beautiful places in the north, but none could compare to the white shining walls and the bastion that was the White Tower. Her childhood had been filled with stories of heroic woman and the men who protected them defending the people from the hordes of darkspawn and dreadlords. Perhaps those stories were still told in the army camps of Kandor, one day, light willing she would find out for herself.
With a deep breath she nudged the horse on descending towards the western shore and inclining her head to the guards on duty. They showed the Aes Sedai much respect, and she tried to repay it when she could. How many of the men on tonight had been turned away from Gaidin training. Only a handful were selected out of the hundreds that came to try their hand at protecting a mighty Aes Sedai.
The crunch of hooves in fresh snow brought her back from the deeper parts of her mind. Woodsmoke and perhaps roasted rabbit could be smelled on the air indicating the camp was close. If the gossip of the maids was to be trusted, a yellow would be at the camp tonight. Which yellow would be the better question, Jenda had been gone a long time, and Penzei spent most of her time in the north. Whoever it was, would not be someone important, a sister weaker in the one power perhaps. The watch was more ceremonial at this point, to the rest of the tower that is.
Fire light flickered as she nodded to her sister Rayceen from the tree line and slowly walked her horse into the camp. Rayceen was very young, the shawl had been on her shoulders two years at most. The watch was a good place for her, probably getting her away from the higher profile yellows that pulled rank at the slightest bit of inconvenience.
Stopping close to a makeshift cabin, Chloro dismounted landing softly in the snow. Jacalb, Racyeens warder, perhaps twenty-seven at most looked to Chloro then back to the rabbit roasting over the open flame. Where was the third, there were always three at this post. As if summoned youngling Hodvar stepped out of the cabin and nodded at Chloro. She did not like the petulant youngling, often thinking he could schmooze his way to the top.
Pushing down her revile for the youngling, she walked over and greeted Rayceen with a peck on both cheeks. “It is good to find you well sister, how goes the watch? Have there been any strays from the gathering to the south?”
Jacalb spoke before Rayceen could, “no Chloro Sedai, it has been quiet tonight except for horse traffic to the south.”
Chloro nodded and stepped back from her sister, the crystalline circlet on her left ring finger starting to grow cold from the elements. “You simply must tell me how you have been these past……”
Chloro’s mind went blank as her body was flung several feet towards the tree line, the scream of air and saidar filling her ears. Her ribs throbbing, she raised her head looking towards the fire and sobered from her flight in an instant. Her eyes widened, and heart raced as she registered exactly what was happening.
-Story line discontinued due to current mud events.