Aalaryn, Kiziel, and Tiernan - School's In Session
Tiernan lets his grin slip a little as Kiziel turns the subject back to the Red. Inhaling deeply, he stands upright and jerks his head toward the door. "Alright," he agrees, still with a residual grin on his lips. "I think they'll let me in without any real fuss." He then saunters out the door, one glance behind him to check that the Souvra is accompanying him. Making his way across the Farm and out to the burrough the Aethan call home, Tiernan keeps a generally amiable grin on his face, but his green eyes flatten very slightly as he approaches the two guards on the door behind which their 'guest' has her 'accomodations'.
"Afternoon, gentlemen," he says in greeting. "She being any trouble?" The two Dedicated shake their heads and one says, "Not since the Dragon Reborn came in this morning." With a simple nod, the Rahien says, "Good to know. Asha'man?" he asks as he turns his focus to the ranking member of the channeling army. "Would you care to meet the Red?" His arm gestures broadly at the door, a clear expectation that no one will stop the tall, pale Souvra from entering the little chamber. [Tiernan]
Walking along beside Tiernan, Kiziel is in his full uniform, pins sparkling bright on either side of his collar, with his hand resting on the narrow sword belted at his side. His expression is, perhaps surprisingly, one of curiosity, with a light smile upon his lips. He nods in response to the Rahien's question, striding forward and opening the door to step inside. Once there, he gives the small room a quick glance around to be sure nothing is too out of the ordinary, and then steps to the side to allow his Dedicated companion to join him. [Kiziel]
A bath can do a person wonders. Aalaryn looks much more like a normal person now that her finery is elsewhere. The Red has positioned her stool under the power wrought light and is sitting beneath it. Folded atop the coffin's lid is a second set of clean clothes, not unlike what she is wearing. It appears one of the women at the farm gave her some clothes but also a needle and thread for her to adjust their fit if needed. The Arafellin seems to be working on mending the hem on her secondary skirt. All of this is so much like being a Novice, two dresses, responsible for cleaning and repairing them, no channeling without permission. Irony at its finest. [Aalaryn]
Stepping through the door after Kiziel, Tiernan stops at the threshold and looks seriously at the Aethan guards on either side of the entrance. "Black first, understand?" The two wardens nod, catching the resolute Rahien's meaning. Satisfied, the young Kandori steps into the room and swings the door shut behind him, gaze scanning the little room to take in the changed details. "Asha'man Kiziel Navaran, this is Aalaryn Rouskova." His typically gregarious tone is gone, replaced by formality, and both the other two people in the room will note that the young man remembers the Red's full name, but deliberately leaves off any of her former titles. [Tiernan]
Despite the somewhat grim surroundings, Kiziel's faint smile does not go away - though the look of curiosity surrounding it intensifies a little. The pale skinned man takes in the surroundings with a glance, noticing that the Rahien had not been exaggerating when he described what they gave the Red to sleep in with a nearly imperceptible shake of the head, before allowing his gaze to take in the woman on the stool. He studies her for some time, green eyes taking in several details, before saying simply, "Hello Aalaryn. I'm Kiziel Navaran, of the Souvra Talon." [Kiziel]
Aalaryn sets down her sewing as company arrives, the skirt isn't going anywhere. She rises from her seat as she is spoken to. "Well met, Master Navaran." Her hands rest at her sides and she looks from Tiernan back to Kiziel curiously. "Forgive my boldness but, what does Souvra Talon mean?"
Tiernan clenches his jaw tight as Aalaryn leaves off the title he very specifically provided to her, and when her gaze passes toward him, she will see the well-defined set of his jawline quite severely tensed. Despite that irritation, the Rahien lets Kiziel handle his own business, and neglects to correct her. Getting to be the spectator to a second round of questioning, the handsome young Dedicated moves to the same spot at the back of the room where he stood the last time.
One could not ask for a better opening, and the way the smile on Kiziel's lips widens just a little shows it. The Asha'man settles into a slightly wider stance, feet about shoulder width apart as he regards the Red, tone slightly lecturing. "Asha'man are divided into Talons, much as Aes Sedai are into Ajah. The Souvra - that means 'Mind' in the old tongue - are mine. We're... well, we're somewhat like your Brown Ajah, but we have more of a focus on practical knowledge." The Asha'man nods his head towards Tiernan. "I believe Dedicated Laoranth brought me to you in the belief that I could study you, and learn much." [Kiziel]
For the first time she's spoken to like a person and she gets a nasty look. "I see," however her tone remains pleasant, "How should I call you?" After all she doesn't want to be rude. As Kiziel mentions 'studying' her she grows quiet and folds her hands at her waist. [Aalaryn]
It is a testament to Tiernan's regard for the tall, pale Asha'man that he manages to crack a sincere, if small, smile as Kiziel begins speaking to the captured Aes Sedai as though she were any other student. The other man's assumption brings a nod of confirmation and the Dedicated leans back against the wall, tucking his hands in his pockets, then lifts his left leg to plant the heel of his boot beside his right knee. Reclining against the rough stone wall, the tension in Tiernan's face begins to relax into a neutral mask - one that is, for him, abnormally devoid of emotion for being outside the Void. [Tiernan]
Shrugging his shoulders gently, Kiziel says simply, "Kiziel will do. Though it's Asha'man Navaran, if you want the formal term. I'm not..." He grins a little ruefully, "I'm not terribly good at formal, I'm afraid." The Asha'man pauses there for a moment, glancing over at Tiernan briefly, noting his blank expression, then looking back to Aalaryn, "Would you mind telling me what orders you're under? I'd like to make use of you, since you're here, and I understand Aes Sedai Oaths are rather binding, so I'd rather not accidentally tell you to do something you can't and have you... I don't know, go mad, or something." [Kiziel]
Aalaryn nods in response, "I was to remain shielded at all times while I am here, but the Lord Dragon removed the shield that I had. I am to obey any orders given to me by the Asha'man and the Lord Dragon, without hesitation or question," Yes, very much like being a Novice, "I am not to do nothing that could be even slightly conceived of as aggressive, or subversive or I will be sent back to Tar Valon in nothing but a pretty red bow in a chest, or the coffin. The Lord Dragon said, upon removal of the shield, that I am not to channel without permission. And that his goals are now my goals as well."
Tiernan seems content to let Kiziel handle this conversation on his own terms, so despite the relatively pleasant banter and the Asha'man's grin, no attempt to sway the tone of the meeting is made. The Dedicated does cock a tiny grin of his own as his superior clarifies the terms of Aalaryn's continued existence. With a loud scrape of bootheel against rough stone, Tiernan's boot slides down the wall it was perched against and lands on the floor with a 'thump' as the Red imparts the new tidbit of information about what the Lord Dragon had her swear to. One eyebrow rises in mild surprise. What he says to Kiziel, though, is stated quietly, with a hint of revelation. "That sounds a lot like the fealty oaths for..." from being Aalaryn, where she cannot see, he jerks his head to indicate something located in a slightly different place.
Giving Tiernan a quick glance of confirmation, Kiziel returns his gaze to Aalaryn and nods his head quickly. "Excellent. That shouldn't interfere with anything at all that I have planned." The Asha'man pauses there, considering the Red before him for a moment, then turns back to Tiernan and asks, "Do you know if the Aes Sedai is needed for anything specific today?" He chuckles quietly, then notes, "We should have a sign out sheet. Like at a library." [Kiziel]
Aalaryn glances back to see where Tiernan has moved to, after her first meeting with the man she's never quite sure where he's going to end up standing, hopefully not directly behind her. No luck in seeing him as she doesn't want to physically turn about and be rude. As a sign out sheeet is mentioned, be it in jest or reality, she sighs softly. First a prisoner, now she's a book, or a ter'angreal, a thing to be studied and returned.
Tiernan shakes his head in answer, raising his eyebrows in another small smile for Kiziel. The smile turns into a grin and he chuckles silently at the suggestion. As he answers, the young Dedicated's voice regains some of its usual geniality and vigor. "She's all yours, Asha'man. Test away. I don't think anybody but the Lord Dragon himself will gainsay you, and he's already had his turn." Eyes darting to the door, he adds quietly, "Though I would recommend discretion if you're leaving this room with her." He takes two steps forward to come up behind the Sedai, this time just to run the pad of his index finger softly down the side of her neck. "You know how covetous some of them can be."
Nodding his head at Tiernan's words, Kiziel lets out a quiet chuckle, "No, you're probably right." He considers for a moment, tilting his head to the side a little as he thinks, and then stating simply, "I think that what I have in mind for the day can be done in here, but..." He glances towards Aalaryn, asking her quietly, "Have they let you out of here since you've arrived?" The Asha'man's voice sounds genuinely concerned, though he doesn't make any comments at all about the rather intimate way Tiernan is apparently making himself familiar with her - either to gainsay him, or encourage him. [Kiziel]
Aalaryn's lips form into a frown at Tiernan's touch. He's gone from nice to ice too many times and the way he touches her neck is far from appropriate. Kiziel's words bring her attention back from anger. If she can move away from Tiernan, even a few steps, she will. "Yes, one of the women here took me to a bath earlier."
Tiernan lets her move away, his grin pulling tight as though holding back a laugh while his eyes drop to the ground for a second in amusement. He puts his arms behind his back and clasps one hand around the other wrist, standing at a casual parade rest, his coat open to the clean white shirt beneath. Looking back up to Kiziel, his expression isn't proud or wicked - merely amused. "They should have been seeing her fed and watered, as well, Asha'man," he says evenly, informatively.
Nodding his head at Aalaryn's statement, Kiziel's expression is tinged with relief, smile widening a little at the Dedicated's addendum. "Oh, good. Well then..." Giving another quick glance to Tiernan, the Asha'man's face goes blank as he slides into the Void, letting his emotions burn away in an instant. His pale green eyes focus again on the Red, and his voice is suddenly cool and even as he commands, simply, "Embrace Saidar. Not much, just enough to be able to weave. Create a sphere of Light." He gestures with one empty hand towards the power-forged illumination already in the room, "Like that one." His gaze flickers back and forth between his fellow black coat and the Aes Sedai, and even as he commands the Black Tower's guest to grasp, he follows suit, filling his frame with an impressive quantity of Saidin - enough to bring the building down, should he feel the need. [Kiziel]
Oh, channeling? She can do that. "Very well," Aalaryn smiles, she can touch and -use- saidar! The Aes Sedai opens herself to saidar, the golden nimbus surrounding her. She lifts her right hand and gazes at the palm, as she slowly draws her fingers towards her on her right hand she weaves a thread thin flow of fire before adding flows of air and shaping it into a sphere. As she shapes the sphere of light she moves her hands as if she were shining an apple between her hands. "Do you wish for me to tie it off or maintain it?" she asks as she lifts the completed sphere up with a separate flow of air. [Aalaryn]
Amusement vanishes in the blink of an eye an instant after Tiernan watches the friendly Asha'man's face drain of its smile, following suit by covering his mind in the protective layer of the Void. When Kiziel invites their 'guest' to embrace, shock lights up the smooth surface of that unassailable fortress, but does not make its way inside. Instead, even before Kiziel does, in direct response to the order given to Aalaryn, Tiernan slams his will into Saidin and pulls his full capacity of its raging force into him. Skin prickling as she follows the simple command, the Kandori weaves out a solid, heavy shield of Spirit made razor thin and only vaguely blunted, holding himself prepared to force his way between the Red and the One Power at the slightest hint of need. [Tiernan]
The gaze Kiziel directs towards Aalaryn as she forms her little sphere of light is one of cool intensity, clearly focused on what she's doing, but just as clearly without affecting his emotional state. When the skin at his arms pricks up suddenly, the Asha'man's brow furrows, but he says nothing. Instead, he shakes his head in response to the Aes Sedai's question and commands. "No, release the flows." He pauses there for a moment to allow her to obey, and then forms flows of his own: Air, in a simple hemisphere before him, hardening into an invisible hemisphere as he asks, "Do you feel anything different?" [Kiziel]
Aalaryn nods in compliance and her flows of air and fire dissapate and the small orb of light disappears. "Only saidar, unless I should release that." She inclines her head quizzically, "Should I feel something, Asha'man Navran?"
Tiernan continues to hold his shield hovering in readiness to disconnect the captured Aes Sedai from Saidar. He is utterly still, barely even seeming to breathe, as he watches her, paying almost no actual attention to the study being conducted by the Souvra. From outside the room, one more pulsing cloud of menace rises as one of the two guards grasps Saidin - potentially to hear what's happening inside the room. Instead of waiting to see if he can hear something, however, the man cracks the door open by an inch and quickly looks inside. To his credit, he is being as silent as he can be so as not to interrupt, but also cautious, what with the feeling of impending destruction eminating around the two blackoats within the room, and the hair-raising sensation of the previously-shielded Red.
Shaking his head slowly, Kiziel gives the Aes Sedai slow answer. "No, no, I don't... think so..." The Asha'man pauses, then commands, "Make another sphere of light. And then tell me of your purpose in coming to the Black Tower." The pale man nods at Tiernan as the man walks to the door, instructing him this time, "Dedicated, step outside for just a moment if you would." He gives a nod and a glance down to his forearms, where the hairs are only just now starting to settle back down. "Let me know... what you find." [Kiziel]
Aalaryn goes back through her small ritual of weaving her sphere of light - a thread thin flow of fire coupled with flows of air. "I wished to learn," once she has the sphere shaped in her hands she lifts it up with a separate flow of air and maintains all flows until instructed to do differently, "about the Asha'man, how saidin feels when it is used from your point of view." She looks at her own orb of light for a moment, smiling, clearly pleased with her shaping as fire is one of her weakest flows, "I also hoped to make ammends, things have been handled poorly of late and I do not agree with the current 'mission' of the Red Ajah. I much prefer our previous calling."
Tiernan moves to the door slowly, his green eyes leaving the Red only to look at Kiziel blankly. He holds that look for a long moment before actually leaving the room, letting his shield vanish from sight and the flows of Spirit dissipate as he shuts himself outside with the Aethan wardens. Speaking with them quietly, the Rahien briefly explains what is happening inside and checks to make sure no one... undesirable... is taking an interest.
Nodding his head slowly as Kiziel again feels the goosebumps on his arms, the Asha'man commands simply, "Release the flows." And then he pauses, thinking. "How did you intend to find out how Saidin feels from our perspective? And which mission was it you did not agree with?" He stops there, then glances back over his shoulder, asking as he does so, "Oh, and what was your previous calling as an Ajah?" The Asha'man releases his own weave, allowing it to drop but not pushing Saidin from himself, the torrent of ash and fire still flooding his form. [Kiziel]
You tell Kiziel, 'since you're studying her there's some things you would notice. she's not slept since she has gotten here, while she's bathed and eaten she looks tired, even with the ageless face. She avoids looking at the coffin completely. She's claustrophobic so being in the room and being ordered to sleep in the coffin, you get the picture. She doesn't want to break her oaths so she stays awake by walking in the room or now mending her new clothes.'
Kiziel tells you, '*nodnod*'
Aalaryn releases the flows yet again and the orb winks out. She looks to Kiziel, giving him her full attention, "I had hoped to converse with anyone who would be willing to speak with me and share, Asha'man." Moving her hands before her she folds them at her waist. "The Red Ajah was initially tasked with finding and handling any miuse of the Power, not with finding men with the ability. That only happened after the breaking of the world, I am certain that it was deemed as a 'misuse' but it soon became every Red's passion to hate and distrust men and gentle any man who could touch saidin."
Tiernan stays outside, talking quietly with the Wardens, during this brief exchange. The sense of menace from beyond the door dwindles as the one guard who had grasped Saidin releases it, but Tiernan's firm hold on the chaotic maelstrom remains intact.
Opening the door behind himself, Kiziel gestures for Tiernan to join him once more, apparently having decided that this was sufficient time for whatever purpose he had asked the man to step out for in the first place. He turns then to Aalaryn, nodding slowly. "That's... a far more palatable approach to things for most of the men here, I suspect." He pauses just briefly, and then asks, "What information did you hope to learn about Saidin?" [Kiziel]
You tell Kiziel, 'I just got a phone call, I have to leave in 15 or so minutes to help my mother in law, so the action I will do (she'll faint) is my emote out of rp for the moment, I'm sorry.'
Kiziel tells you, 'That's fine'
Kiziel tells you, 'RL happens :)'
"Well," beads of sweat have been forming on the Red's forehead, "I know what saidar feels like to me - warm, safe, sweet - but not what saidin feels like." Aalaryn sways slightly and takes a step back, her hand reaching for the wall. "I'm sorry.." She takes a moment to straighten herself up, her lack of sleep is beginning to take its toll, "I had also heard rumor that the taint is go.." The Red slumps to the ground, her grasp upon saidar is released. The woman has fainted. [Aalaryn]
(OoC)-> Aalaryn says, 'as I told Kiziel I just got a phone call, I have to leave in 15 or so minutes to help my mother in law, so the action I will do (she'll faint) is my emote out of rp for the moment, I'm sorry.'
(OoC)-> Kiziel says, 'We'll take it from here. Go to RL stuff.'
(OoC)-> Tiernan says, 'I just walk in the room and women faint.'
(OoC)-> Aalaryn says, 'and any rp that follows this I would -love- a copy of'
Tiernan does not look back even as the door opens, but apparently either catches Kiziel's beckoning gesture out of the corner of his eye or simply assumes he is welcome back, because he immediately takes one step backwards before turning again and walking forward into the cramped little room. His handsome face is blank and lifeless as ever, green eyes dulled and flattened by the Void, displaying none of the effect of Saidin pumping viciously through his veins. He shuts the door behind himself just in time to see Aalaryn start to fall and, in a potentially surprising gestures, weaves out three thick ropes of Air. Flashing swiftly around her knees, hips, and shoulders, the Rahien swirls the weaves about her form to gently lift, shift, and hold her before she actually crumples to the floor.
(OoC)-> Aalaryn says, 'aww, what a gentleman'
(OoC)-> Tiernan says, 'Nope, mean and vicious.'
(OoC)-> Tiernan says, 'Going to to all kinds of naughty things to your helpless body.'
(OoC)-> Kiziel says, 'Bah, you've got her willing already. Just tell her to do it and she has to, right?'
(OoC)-> Kiziel says, 'Why wait for her to faint?'
(OoC)-> Tiernan says, 'Quiet, you'
(OoC)-> Aalaryn says, 'hes a sucker for her nynaeve impresison'
(OoC)-> Tiernan says, 'Mostly, if she hits the ground with her thick skull it might damage the floor.'
(OoC)-> Tiernan says, 'Just worried about our property.'
Perhaps it is the Void, or perhaps it's what he's observed of the Red since he arrived, but Kiziel does not seem surprised when the woman faints - thus, it is not just Tiernan who weaves Air to catch her. The Asha'man's flows take the shape of a hemisphere behind her, such that even as her body begins to fall and is caught by the Dedicated, she is caught and cradled by an invisible cushion. The pale man glances towards his Rahien companion, and states simply, "I don't think she's slept since she got here. Is the coffin necessary?" He glances around a moment, and then adds, "In fact, is the whole show necessary? I think I've got something that can keep her in line, even if you don't trust her oaths." [Kiziel]
Tiernan clenches his jaw tight as he whips his flows of Air away, letting Kiziel's little bowl support the Red's unconscious form. The sense of radiating danger from around the Rahien winks out as he violently shoves Saidin away and the light in his green eyes returns with the eviction of the Void from around his mind. Running his hands through his hair, the Kandori rubs the back of his head quickly as he sighs out in frustration. "I don't know, Kiziel. The Lord Dragon didn't seem to mind it." Glancing over at the coffin with its spare bundle of clothing resting on top, he takes a seat on the vacated stool and folds his hands together.
"Too much about all of this stinks to me. The other Red, the one I met in Caemlyn? For all we know, this is some elaborate ruse. This one," Tiernan nods his head toward the prone, floating form of the captured Red, "just buckled like she was made of rotten wood." Dropping his gaze to his hands, the Rahien's voice goes quiet. "I can't make myself think about being locked in a trunk for Light knows how long, to be so helpless in the hands of my enemies, without wanting to run screaming like a little girl until I can't run or scream any more." Drawing his introspective gaze back up to the Asha'man, he says, "They did that, and far -far- more. Is any of this any worse?" [Tiernan]
The bowl of Air supporting Aalaryn shifts slightly, tilting backwards and carrying her unconscious form with it until she is curled up parallel to the ground, her body supported in what is likely a surprisingly comfortable position - or would be, if she were in any condition to appreciate it. The Souvra ties the flows off carefully, ensuring they'll last for at least the next day or so unless sliced, and then he likewise pushes Saidin from himself, dropping the Void soon after. When he speaks, his voice is quiet, and gentle. "She wasn't one of the ones who did that. Holding that against her is like..." He searches about for a moment, looking for a suitable comparison. "It'd be like holding the entire Asha'man responsible for the actions of those who went mad. Some might do it. We don't." [Kiziel]
Tiernan starts shaking his head almost immediately after Kiziel begins talking, but he waits for the man to finish before voicing his protest, his words coming out a little breathy in frustration. "You don't know that, Kiziel. You can't possibly know that. Or that she wouldn't have been if she'd been in that situation." His voice, still quiet, becomes firmer. "The difference is that they -aren't- mad. Crazy, sure. But not mad. No one stopped them, no one stepped forward when they stuck the Lord Dragon in a box and nearly forced madness on him." Tone rising from a deep well of anger, he continues. "Half of us had to go well out of our way - and had to slaughter so many people - just to get him out of that bloody box and bring him home. That blood is on all their hands, Kiziel."
Sighing heavily, Tiernan's shoulders slump a little and he looks down at his hands again, calm restored. "So no, maybe she wasn't there. And maybe she would have even protested, though I don't believe that. But she was a part of that machine, a cog that made the whole thing turn." He tilts his head to look up askance at the tall Asha'man. "I don't really think she has anything to tell us that will be useful from the Aethan's perspective. Telir wasn't very impressed by her, at least. She might prove useful to you, and that would be great. But she's not a friend, she's certainly not an ally, and I don't believe for a second that - even if she could be trusted - she would be regarded as anything but a traitor by the White Tower. So you tell me, Asha'man. Is it necessary?" [Tiernan]
Listening calmly to Tiernan's words, Kiziel regards the other man with his pale green gaze, waiting until he has said his piece. And then he smiles, the expression gentle on his features as he states simply, "That's why we're better than them, Tier. Perhaps you're right, and in different circumstances she would've been the first in line to box the Dragon Reborn. Perhaps she would've been in another box, beside him, for kicking up such a fuss. We don't know. But it shouldn't matter. She's given us an Oath of obedience. It makes sense to make use of her - her potential importance as a person aside, the actual benefit of having an obedient Aes Sedai is too real to ignore - but I don't think she needs to be kept in a coffin." The Asha'man considers for a moment, then nods to the door, opening it and stepping outside to begin walking back towards his lab, gesturing for the Rahien to follow him. [Kiziel]
(OoC)-> Tiernan says, 'Oath-y question'
Kiziel nods.
(OoC)-> Tiernan says, 'She's bound to obey, and I commanded her to sleep in the coffin.'
(OoC)-> Tiernan says, 'Which is why she didn't sleep.'
(OoC)-> Kiziel says, 'Right.'
(OoC)-> Tiernan says, 'So... now that she's asleep, not in the coffin...'
(OoC)-> Kiziel says, 'It wasn't voluntary, though'
(OoC)-> Tiernan says, 'OK, so she won't wake up all headachy or half dead or whatever'
(OoC)-> Kiziel says, 'Just as an Aes Sedai can inadvertently tell an untruth, by virtue of not knowing the reality of things, if she doesn't know she's doing something against her oath, she's not adversely affected'
Tiernan nods sagely.
(OoC)-> Edur says, 'Like Jezz, pretty much all the time. ;)
Tiernan throws back his head and cackles with insane glee!
Tiernan pays Kiziel the same respect and listens carefully to the other man's rebuttal, then simply sighs heavily once again, glancing back at the prone form of the Aes Sedai. He pushes himself off the stool by leveraging against his knees, then calmly turns to the door and strides out of the room. "She'll be sleeping a while. Let her," he says coolly to the Aethan on guard as he yanks the door closed behind him. The walk back to Kiziel's lab is a quiet, thoughtful stroll.
The rest of the walk to the practice yard is done in relative silence, as the Asha'man appears to consider something. Once there, though, he says simply, "I think I've got an idea that should be a decent compromise." And then his face blanks as he drops into the Void, smoothly seizing Saidin and filling his form with it, beginning to radiate a cloud of intense menace as he walks towards the constantly heated pool of metal maintained by weaves of Fire in the back of his lab. "She might not like it much, but I suspect she'll deal with it better than she will with being cooped up in a tiny room without light, and told to sleep in a coffin." [Kiziel]
Tiernan strides into the lab behind Kiziel, still thinking quietly, though he does look up at the older man as he begins radiating the sure sign of his mastery over Saidin. Closing the door behind him, the Kandori remains unVoided and unSaidined, watching the Souvra curiously. After clearing off a small space on the edge of one sturdy table, Tiernan hops up to sit on it, letting his booted feet swing randomly beneath him. "What's that?" he asks simply.
Spinning forth flows of solid Earth, Kiziel rapidly constructs the framework needed for the first step in his project. Soon, rising from the molten pool in a small shower of sparks, a simple circle appears. About the size of a circlet - or collar - it's thin enough to be almost delicate, beginning to cool the moment it's moved away from the heating sway of the tied off weave. "I'm going to confine her to the Black Tower's grounds. Maybe to a smaller radius - that way the Black Tower itself might be out of bounds, but even if she is somehow given an order that she interprets to mean she needs to go back to the White Tower, or go fetch her friends from Caemlyn, she can't leave the area without checking with us first." The Asha'man spins forth a simple flow of Fire as he finishes, slowly draining the remaining heat out of his little metal circle and funneling it back into the molten pool. [Kiziel]
Tiernan fixes his gaze on the circlet of metal as it rises and forms and begins to cool. At first narrowing curiously, at Kiziel's explanation, the Kandori's eyes widen and his eyebrows rise. "Uh..." He looks at the Asha'man expectantly, but continues without waiting for further word. "What, are you going to ward a collar on her? Just keep her leashed here?" For someone who was just arguing the necessity of a small room with a coffin for a bed, Tiernan seems a little strangely unnerved by the Souvra's contruct.
Kiziel simply nods his head, not giving the Souvra a direct response. The flow of Earth maintaining his little circle is replaced by one of Air, holding it aloft in a gentle mesh, while an additional weave, Earth again, courses through it, smoothing the metal and polishing it to a dull shine. And then the Asha'man reaches out, testing carefully to be sure the heat was properly drained from the construct, before grasping the little collar and turning, setting it on the table behind himself. And then he turns and again uses his accelerated means of forging metal to cause a shape to rise out of the molten pool. This one, however, is far simple: a tightly woven mesh of Earth causes a simple spike, like what one might use to hold down a tent, to rise up from the red hot morass, dripping little droplets of molten steel as it sloughs off spare metal. Again the Asha'man spins forth Fire to drain the heat from the spike at an accelerated pace, and soon he has his second fabricated object to go with the circle. "It'll get her outside. A collar places it where she can't see it to weave at it and find holes in the Ward, but where any Asha'man can remove it from her with ease should *we* decide to take her off Black Tower grounds."
Continuing to watch Kiziel form up the collar and then the spike, Tiernan furrows his brow. For quite a while, his green eyes slowly move back and forth between the two creations, his expression pensive. "She could still channel at a collar," he says, almost idly. "It wouldn't be wholly precise, but she could still see her own flows and be able to tell where she was directing them." This argument is given more as an intellectual point of order rather than a statement of contention about the concept as a whole. On that point, Tiernan seems to still be making up his mind. [Tiernan]
Kiziel nods his head almost absently as this second piece of metal gets the same once over with Earth, smoothing away any imperfections to leave it dully polished, before he sets it beside what will soon be a collar. And then he leans down over the two of them, crafting a tiny and intricate mesh of Earth, the flows hair-thin but spun with a precision equaling that of the most complex weave. When he is done, a simple but elegant icon of an Eye - the same one on the Souvra pin at his collar, in fact - raises itself from the metal of the collar. A second weave duplicates the effect on the spike, marking both with the same raised symbol. "Weave at it, yes, but not with enough precision to slice the Ward without setting it off. It's not a foolproof means of keeping her here, Tiernan, it's a compromise. It gives her space larger than eight by eight to move around in, but lets us know roughly where she is without having to babysit her." He pauses, before adding, "Though the Aethan may wind up doing something like that anyway - I'll talk to Telir and see how he feels about it before dismissing her guards."
Tiernan tilts his head as Kiziel marks up the collar and spike with the precise, intricate symbol of his Talon, a grin finally making its way back onto his face as he plainly admires the craftsmanship. Mention of Telir brings a chuckle on top of the grin and as he nods, his chin drops to his chest in quiet amusement. "Yeah," he says, smiling slyly, "I'm sure he'd be thrilled to let that feather in his cap go to you instead." The rascally sarcasm drops away, but the grin remains. "You might also want to check how they want to handle her meeting the other Sedai. Chances are better than fair they'll run into each other at some point."
Kiziel shrugs his shoulders gently, picking up the two objects he's now forged, and pushing Saidin from himself with some force. He drops the Void and sighs, quietly. "Hopefully he won't be too put out. Still, I'm sure he'll be able to see the utility of what I'm doing...?" The last part is said as half statement, half hopeful inquiry, as though looking for agreement from his Rahien companion. With the spike in his left hand and the Collar in his right, the Asha'man turns and begins walking towards the door to his lab once more, this time planning on heading back the way they just came, to where the Aes Sedai is still sleeping.
A short shrug is Tiernan's only response to the hopeful Souvra's comments on the Aethan Dedicated who is, at least presently, nominally in charge of the new visitor to the Black Tower. Sliding off the table after Kiziel moves past him toward the door, the Rahien slips his hands into his pockets and saunters off after the tall Asha'man. "Are you really sure about this?" he asks quietly. "Just letting her walk around the Farm? Not just from her, but from... you know," he gestures to the grounds of the Black Tower generally, "walking around the Farm?" Though he is not overly concerned with Aalaryn's personal welfare in particular, the possibility for disruption is not necessarily a minor one. [Tiernan]
A frown purses Kiziel's lips for a moment at Tiernan's words, and he nods his head slowly. "You're right, but... I also don't think keeping her locked in a box - even if it's bigger than the one the Reds had the Lord Dragon in - is the right answer either. This gives her a reasonable measure of freedom, without us having to babysit her. And when she does, inevitably, run into the others, she won't need to tell them that she's being treated like an animal. It's not like we can order her to lie on our behalf..." As the pair approach their destination, Kiziel nods in response to a pair of thumped salutes from the Aethan guards, and then gestures for the Rahien to precede him into the room. [Kiziel]
(OoC)-> Aalaryn says, 'okay so anything I should know of? (skimmed the backscroll)'
(OoC)-> Tiernan says, 'You're sleeping in a comfy little bowl of Air.'
(OoC)-> Aalaryn says, 'nice, eronomic, green, safe for the environment. get your asha air beds today.'
(OoC)-> Kiziel says, 'One of our more family friendly Black Tower Products<tm>'
Tiernan sighs again and opens the door, stepping inside and moving in to hold the door for the Asha'man. Giving it a little shove to swing it closed, the Rahien moves across the room to the sleeping Aes Sedai, saying once more, quietly, "I don't like it, Kiziel." Beyond that, he ceases his arguing. Instead, he leans down, looking at the Red curled up in the cushion of Air and reaches out to give her shoulder a squeeze. A relatively gentle squeeze at first, increasing in pressure only if she proves difficult to awaken. Once signs of life can be seen, he takes two long steps back and stands silent vigil over round two of her encounter with Kiziel.
Waiting for his companion to finish waking the unconscious Aes Sedai, Kiziel gives the woman a slight smile, the look on his face trying to be encouraging, though he's not exactly good at it. In one hand he holds a polished circle of metal, in the other what looks like a small tent spike, both gleaming dully in the light given off by the glowing sphere above. He does not speak yet, instead waiting until the woman rises - or at least, until she achieves consciousness - to address her. [Kiziel]
It is unknown to the Red how long she had been out. If she could have seen the caring displayed as she fainted she would have been truly touched. As Tiernan gently squeezes her shoulder Aalaryn stirs, opening her eyes and blinking several times. She looks at Tiernan for a moment as if she is trying to remember who he is then suddenly - she sits up. Then it hits her, she was asleep.. but she was floating? Light! She's going to get beaten or worse. "I.." she stammers, "I'm sorry." [Aalaryn]
Tiernan shakes his head from several paces back and shrugs. "You're not in trouble," he says coolly, though aside from that mild assurance, the Rahien keeps quiet. Hands sliding once more into his pockets, pushing open the length of his stark black coat, he looks toward Kiziel and nods, both to direct Aalaryn's attention in that direction and to hand over the spotlight to the Asha'man.
Now that Aalaryn appears to be at least somewhat aware of her surroundings, Kiziel speaks, his voice quiet. "Stand up for me, Aalaryn. And hold still for a few moments." His tone is almost kind, but the moment he finishes speaking, his expression blanks with the Void, and Saidin again comes to his call. The amount of the One Power he pours through himself is relatively minor, so the cloud of menace emanating from him is mild, rather than the intense aura he gave off before. While waiting for the Aes Sedai to follow her orders, the Souvra steps forward, glancing quickly towards Tiernan as he does so, but then directing his gaze again at the woman before him. He stops moving when he is quite close to her, easily within arms reach. [Kiziel]
Aalaryn's eyes move from Tiernan to Kiziel. As asked, the Red stands up and then for a second glances down, realizing just then that she was sleeping without touching the ground. The power must have been used. She looks back up and towards Kiziel. "I am sorry, that was.. I didn't mean to.." she gives up trying to speak as she's already embarassed from fainting.
Tiernan meets Kiziel's gaze, but shows no real reaction to it. There is a faintly disgruntled look in his otherwise neutral expression, just a hint of disappointment around the eyes and a fractional sneer on his lips betray the Rahien's feelings. The faintest of sighs lifts and lowers his shoulders, so quick and quiet that probably only Kiziel will be able to tell it was anything other than a breath. No further words of encouragement leave the Kandori's mouth at Aalaryn's further apology.
Voice cold with the Void, Kiziel says simply, "As Tiernan said, you're not in trouble. In fact, I came here to offer you at least a little more freedom." And with that, the Asha'man raises up the hand that holds the dully polished ring of metal. Tucking the spike into one of his pockets, for the moment, he spins a tiny thread of Earth through the little band, neatly parting it in two places with a quiet pop. Then he reaches his hands up and places both halves of the metal on either side of Aalaryn's neck, before channeling again. This time he spins forth two distinct weaves of Earth, one on either break, and the two halves of the collar again become one - this time seamlessly joining around the Aes Sedai's neck. Whatever her reaction to that, the Asha'man adds quietly, "Hold still, just a moment longer." And pulls out the small spike, holding it across his open palm near the woman. [Kiziel]
Aalaryn doesn't move to get away from Kiziel, even if she wanted to she's got no place to go. "A collar?" No sooner than the words leave her lips does the Asha'man encircle her neck with the creation. She lifts up her hands, reaching toward her neck as it is fastened in place by the Power. She's not even trying to school her expressions and reactions anymore, curiosity and hurt can be read on her face and in her eyes. She opens her mouth to speak but decides against it and remains silent. However if she can touch the collar without being stopped or pain, she would.
Tiernan inspects Kiziel's handiwork more intently than is strictly necessary, but it does keep his eyes focused on something other than the Red as the collar slips around her throat and binds itself together behind her neck. Though the young Dedicated looks calm and relaxed, apparently content to simply be present, the even neutrality remains faintly disturbed. As Aalaryn reaches up to test the seamless metal choker, his green eyes slide down to the spike in Kiziel's hand.
The second part of Kiziel's weaving comes next, and this one is far more complex. He spins forth an intricate mesh, primarily of Spirit, but with Earth and Fire laced throughout liberally, the flows looping back and forth between collar and spike. The weaving takes him a minute, this time, and when he is done, he ties the whole thing off tightly, with an intricate knotting that takes nearly as long as the original construction of the weave. Only when that is done does he nod to himself in satisfaction, stepping back, spike still upraised. "I'm going to do what I can to get you a little freedom. You look like you've been cooped up in here far too long. Unfortunately... you'll need to earn quite a bit more good will before we can let you go on simply your Oaths. The Asha'man have had too many bad encounters with Reds in the past for that." [Kiziel]
As the Souvra speaks, he pushes Saidin from himself, dropping the Void before going on to explain in a more normal voice. "That collar is Warded. Step too far from this Spike - call it a hundred yards - and it will begin to heat up. That's your warning. Keep moving, and it will get hot enough to kill you. Try to cut the flows, and it will get hot enough to kill you." He pauses, and then adds, almost as an afterthought, "Also, as an order: Do not try to remove this collar, or the weaves, or move the spike on your own. If the Asha'man desire it off of you, we will do so ourselves." With that, Kiziel looks back towards Tiernan, asking, "Are there any other modifications to her orders you can think of right now?" [Kiziel]
Aalaryn listens to the instructions given by Kiziel about the spike and how the collar will act. She turns her head slightly and finds that it's not restrictive to movement even though it's still not the most pleasant idea of what to wear. Her attention moves to the spike in the Souvra's hand before returning to the two Asha'man before her. "Thank you. I understand that I have a long road ahead of me."
As Kiziel weaves his intricate Ward and equally complex knot, Tiernan's expression becomes studious and mildly impressed. A single, shallow, satisfied nod is his final reaction to the completed Ward, but when the Asha'man begins speaking to Aalaryn again, the vaguely dissatisfied twist to his otherwise non-emotive expression returns. Kiziel's question receives a blunt stare and a few moments of heavy silence, then he grinds his teeth once, the muscles lining his well-defined jawline flexing noticeably. With his gaze still on the tall Souvra's pale green eyes, he says evenly, "The coffin." [Tiernan]
Kiziel nods his head at Tiernan, glancing back towards the coffin for a moment, before looking to Aalaryn. "I'll see if we can get you a bed. You do not need to sleep in the coffin." He gestures towards the space behind the woman, where his weave of Air will likely persist for at least another day, if not a week. "You can use that for now." He pauses a moment, then glances towards the door. "The Aethan outside will continue to guard you for now - I need to speak with their superior - but I'll ask them to let you out of the room for at least long enough to see the sky. I'll return soon, and then you're going to teach me everything the Reds use to fight male channelers. There will be further research after that." The Asha'man gives a little smile there, just a little one. "We're... we're not all bad, Aalaryn. But you're right. You have a long, long road ahead of you. I'm going to give your leash a little play. Don't use it to strangle yourself." He nods towards Tiernan then. "And please don't convince my friend that I've made a mistake here."
Aalaryn visibly wilts when the coffin is brought up by Tiernan. She shakes her head and folds her arms across her chest, not in defiance but in more of a self comforting manner. Kiziel's words yet again take her full attention. He's taking the coffin away! "Thank you!" she reaches out to take the Souvra's hands, her expression clearly relieved.
Tiernan remains mostly impassive - other than his vague, hard-to-define discontent - as Kiziel gives his new set of instructions to the Aes Sedai. The last line of his little speech causes the Dedicated to look off to the side and briefly close his eyes, though not quickly enough to hide their querulous roll, not that anyone is looking at him to catch his disbelieving response. When Aalaryn gets all happy and gratified, Tiernan keeps his face turned away as his nostrils flare and once again his jawline flexes. Seething in silence, the Dedicated just stands, hands casually tucked into his pockets, not gainsaying his superior - his friend - on this decision.
Seeming quite surprised by Aalaryn's actions, Kiziel never the less allows her to take his hands, a faint flush tingeing his cheeks for a moment. His expression is serious, however, when he looks at her. "Aes Sedai, I am doing something against my nature here: I am putting myself and my companions in some danger. Though I, personally, believe that danger to be quite small, and think that we should not allow ourselves to become monsters in the course of our actions..." He trails off for a moment, and then steps back, pulling himself free of her hands. "If it turns out that by becoming monsters, we avert catastrophe to the world, we will all do what we must." The Asha'man nods his head once more, adding simply, "Have a good day, Aalaryn. I will speak with you again soon." And with that, he turns, nodding to Tiernan and gesturing for the man to come with him as he leaves the little room. [Kiziel]
"I understand." Aalaryn moves to compose herself once again, she remains standing however out of respect. Even if she is a prisoner she will act as if she is a guest and proceed with manners and proper respect. [Aalaryn]
With one very swift glance to the collared Red, Tiernan moves his feet with a graceful, but decidedly quick, gait. He actually manages to strike a decent balance between leaving immediately if not sooner and remaining relatively composed, but it is clear the Rahien is more than glad to follow Kiziel out of the cramped little room and its viper of a tenant. His long steps take him across the threshold and a few paces away from the door before he slows again. [Tiernan]