Outside the gates of the Black Tower, a gateway forms, a silvery-blue line appearing, and then snapping into a gateway.  A young man steps through it, his dark red hair unmistakable, his blue-gray eyes cold within the Void.  As the gateway closes behind him, Rand strides toward the gates purposefully.  At least he didn't open it in the middle of the practice yard this time.  The aura of menace around him is palpable to the male channelers.  The Lord Dragon is clothed in black, save for the embroidery on his sleeves, and the glimpse of a white silk shirt beneath his black coat.  His boots slosh through mud from a recent rain, his steps purposeful, his expression grim.  [Rand]

The sensation of such a large amount of Saidin in the general vicinity of the front gate, where Telir just so happens to be at the moment, turns the young man's head. Within his features not a hint of curiosity can be found,  though reflective dark brown eyes do hunt down the man who has appeared through the silvery doorway of the One Power. The palpable aura of menace that accompanies all men who hold the freezing fire of Saidin would be felt from the young Dedicated, if one were close enough to him for such things. He draws a long breath as he turns towards the tall, red-haired Lord Dragon, his long black flaring out slightly behind him. The silver sword of Dedicated and silver shield of Aethan glint from off the young man's collar as he begins his brisk walk towards the Dragon, his coat rustling about his ankles. The sense of menace has vanished before he approaches the taller ex-farmboy, emotion flooding back into his features before he halts suddenly a few paces away from Rand. Telir's boot heels click together audibly as his right hand rises, balled into a fist, to thump softly against his chest, over his heart. The young man's head bows towards the ultimate leader of the Asha'man, "Lord Dragon."  [Telir]


Tiernan tells you, 'And you can blame Tethys for some of your mistreatment.  She did not make a good first impression.  Or rather, her first impression was one that made us all very paranoid.'
You tell Tiernan, 'Fun.  I didn't know she was here already, that's why I told Tarem that Aalaryn is acting on her own.  And I'm not upset or mad, in fact it was some of the best rp I've been part of in years.'
Tiernan tells you, 'She's not here already, she's in Caemlyn.  She met me at an inn and was... VERY Red.  >:)'
Tiernan tells you, 'But I'm glad you're having fun.'


Still holding on to the torrent of Saidin coursing through him, Rand continues to stride toward the gates, his jaw set firmly with a resolute expression, cold eyes scanning the area with a sort of flat scrutiny.  As on his previous visit, that sense of menace remains strongly wrapped about him, Saidin not leaving his grasp for a moment, as if he is reluctant to loose his hold on Saidin.  As Telir moves to meet him and gives his salute, Rand finally slows his steps and comes to a halt, nodding to the Dedicated almost imperceptibly.  "Dedicated," he says, his voice quiet, devoid of emotion.  "I am here to see the woman."  He doesn't even acknowledge her as an Aes Sedai, and speaks the words as if he were asking to see a strange creature on display at a circus, though like a man who is skeptical of what he will find, and whether or not it will match up with what he expects.  There is no doubt about which woman he is speaking of.  [Rand]

Telir does not raise his bowed head, nor allow his right hand to fall until Rand has acknowledged his presence, though his head ducks into a single quick nod as the Dragon states his intention. The Dedicated turns, taking  the remaining steps between the approaching storm and the gate that leads into the Farm. The young man's right hand lifts, his palm placed flat against the black metal gate, pushing them open so that the tall, red-haired man may pass through them without troubling himself, "I will lead you to her, Lord Dragon." Though he does not bow, per se, his head does incline showing his deference.

Rand steps through the gates as they are opened, and nods to Telir, Saidin still firmly within his grasp.  While he seems determined and purposeful, there is still a sense of weariness lingering about him, in spite of the Void.  He falls into step beside the Dedicated, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword, the red and gold dragon head on the back of his hand gleaming in the light of the day.  "Any sign of Taim, yet?" he asks the Dedicated as he allows the other man to lead him to where the Red Sister is being held.  His cold gaze sweeps over the grounds of the Black Tower, as if he could see through the buildings, searching for the man.  This is the third day he has asked after the M'Hael.

Telir closes the gate quickly once the Lord Dragon has passed through, his strides made longer than usual to catch back up with the taller man, until he falls into step beside him. The young Dedicated's right hand lifts slightly, though only to fall once more into the voluminous pocket of his long black coat. At the sound of Rand's voice, Telir's head turns, his dark eyes tilting up slightly to watch the man's face, despite the fact that he will get nothing out of it. His head shakes slowly, the twin tendrils of hair swaying back and forth in his gaze, "I am afraid not, Lord Dragon. I have not seen the M'Hael recently." His head turns, once more looking ahead and towards a small building set just away from the other main buildings of the Farm. Telir's head inclines, gesturing towards the windowless building as his steps shifting him off in that direction, "She is being held there." Once the pair draw a closer, the forms of two black-coated men can be seen standing outside the door, their arms crossed over their chests. Both wears the small silver shield of Aethan, yet only one has a second pin on his collar, the silver sword of Dedicated.

Rand merely grunts in acknowledgement of Telir's statement regarding Taim's absence.  He says nothing more on the matter, his emotions unreadable, features impassive as he remains wrapped within the Void.  When Telir leads the way to the windowless building, Rand studies it for a time, and if he has questions, he doesn't voice them to the Dedicated.  He nods to the two black-coated men on duty, and then waits to allow one of the other men to open the door.  In spite of the fact that he'd been informed the woman was shielded, the Dragon draws on even more of the One Power anyway, the sense of menace around him growing and growing until it might be uncomfortable to be anywhere near him.  The Pattern itself might recoil at the strength of Saidin flowing through him.  "Open it," he says, through gritted teeth, his gray eyes hard as they fix on the door.  [Rand]

Telir inclines his head towards the pair of men standing guard to either side of the heavy wooden door that closes off the small building. Emotions fade from the young man's face as he takes a step forward, placing him in front of the Lord Dragon. The young Dedicated plunges himself into the freezing fire and molten ice that is the male half of the One Power, his own aura of menace suddenly enveloping him, though he draws only lightly upon the Source. A flow of air, little larger than the size of two fingers together presses against the thick wooden door, causing it creak on its hinges as it swings inward. The young man takes the first step into the room, his hard boots crunching softly against the packed earth that makes up the floor. Thin flows of air and fire twine around each other, encompassed within an orb of spirit. A sudden spark within the small orb creates a floating light about the size of a child's toy ball. The orb floats an arm length away from the young man, casting shadowy illumination into the corners of the room. The young man's flat, baritone voice sounds out as he turns, his back facing towards a wall, "Rise, Aes Sedai." His head turns slightly, looking with flat, almost reflective dark brown eyes towards the Lord Dragon, "She is here."

It had been a very long and trying night for Aalaryn.  She kept it together when they brought in the coffin, but just barely.  As the night carried on the more restless she became; the combination of the small windowless room and the coffin enough to drive her into the corner.  As the door is opened the Red starts, blinking  several times as light is once again introduced into the dark room, shakily she draws herself up to standing.  [Aalaryn]

As Telir enters the room and spins his orb of light, Rand draws on delicate threads of fire and air, spinning them into a glowing sphere of his own, which he allows to hover just over his shoulder, providing extra illumination for himself.  The added light might make it difficult for Aalaryn to see, having been kept in darkness for the night, and with it hovering so close to his face, it might make it hard to look directly at him.  Once Telir has gotten the Aes Sedai to her feet, he murmurs to the Dedicated, "Stay close."  He steps into the small windowless room then, his light following him.  He pauses just past the threshold, and lets his eyes take the Aes Sedai in, features impassive and gray eyes cold as a winter morning sky.  He merely studies her for a time, before letting his eyes roam over the little room.  He takes notice of the coffin, but his expression never changes as he lets his gaze flick to Telir momentarily, before finally turning his attention back to the Aes Sedai.  "I trust you slept well, Aes Sedai?" he inquires, his voice flat and emotionless.  [Rand]

Telir inclines his head briefly towards Rand as he ordered to stay, the twin tendrils of hair bobbing slightly before his emotionless features. His voice remains lifeless as he takes a single step forward, his hard boots crunching softly against the dirt of the floor, "Yes, Lord Dragon." The young man's brows lift faintly onto his forehead as his dark, reflective brown eyes turn towards the Red Sister, though not hint of curiosity can be found, the movement simply an affectation.

Aalaryn lifts her hand to shield her eyes, the light is blinding causing her to blink repeatedly.  Two voices, one somewhat familiar but one is new, reach her ears, "No.." the Arafellin shakes her head slightly, "I have not slept."  With the hand not shielding her eyes she attempts to smooth her skirts and hair so that she is at least presentable.

The red-haired young man standing in the doorway with his brilliant sphere of light studies the woman with narrowed eyes as she responds.  "Pity," he says coldly.  "I should think you would have found it considerably more comfortable than a locked trunk, and being beaten within an inch of your life every day," he adds flatly, stepping further into the room.  His glowing ball of light moves through the air, and he attaches it to one of the walls and knots it off there, so that he doesn't have to concern himself with it any longer.  "Do you know who I am?" he asks menacingly, stepping closer to the woman, towering over her as he gazes down at her.  With the light not so close to his face, she might be able to see him better now.  The dark red hair, the cold blue-gray eyes, the fine black coat with its golden dragons embroidered on the sleeves.  The red and gold dragon heads glittering on the backs of his hands, one of which comes to rest on the hilt of his sword.  [Rand]

Telir remains standing behind an off to the side of the Lord Dragon, his hands resting comfortably within the confines of the voluminous pockets of his long black coat, shadows playing down his form from the soft illumination of his own orb of light. His impassive gaze remains centered on the richly-clad Red, though he does not bother to interrupt. His feet are spread almost a shoulders width apart, his knees slightly bent to give him an easy stance to hold for however long this might take.

Aalaryn would step back if she truly could, but she's got no where to go.   The light being placed upon the wall as a sconce does help, she can finally focus upon the tall red-haired man before her.  The Red takes a moment before answering, perhaps to bring whatever calm she can muster to herself at this time.  "No, though I did hear someone call you, Lord Dragon just now."  She lowers her hand that she was using to shield her eyes to her side, slowly she does not want to make any threatening moves.

Rand nods slightly, and lifts a hand to run it through his red hair in an unconscious gesture.  "They tell me," he says, letting his hand fall to his side again as he finally speaks again, "that you interrupted a rather important event when you were discovered snooping around.  What are you doing here, and what do you want?" he asks bluntly, turning back to her.  "And none of your slippery Aes Sedai talk.  I want straight answers, and immediate answers.  It's obvious to me that you don't realize that your very life is in danger, so let me make it plan for you: if you displease me in any of your answers, you will find yourself stilled and shipped back to Tar Valon at the very least.  In a locked trunk, if I have my way."  His gray eyes fix on her coldly, the Void giving him a sense of unsettling, cold detachment.

Telir takes a long breath as he takes a single step forward, his dark eyes never leaving the Red, "I would answer his questions, my dear." His head turns slightly, those dark brown eyes turning to Rand before flicking back towards Aalaryn, "I sense our Lord Dragon is in no mood for games." A faint grin touches the left corner of the young Dedicated's lips, the soft glow from his orb glinting off the silver sword and shield pins attached to his collar, "And I would hate for you to break our little agreement." The small grin that has crept onto his lips holds no warmth, only the chill that can be found floating in the emotionless embrace of the Void.

Aalaryn draws in a quick breath, the idea of being stilled does not sound appeasing to her, neither does the trunk for that matter.  "I am aware that I interupted something of great importance, I am truly sorry for that as it as not my intention," the Red is not mincing words, "I came to learn of your Order, to hopefully make ammends for past transgressions.  I do not wish to be anyone's enemy."

Rand lifts his hand from the hilt of his sword, and folds his arms in front of him as he studies the Aes Sedai, looking for any sign of deception in her words.  His gray eyes bore into her as she speaks, and when she finishes, he seems to mull it over for a time.  "So you thought it wise to simply march in here and start demanding answers?" he says, a trickle of scorn leaking through the deadpan tone of his voice.  "Now that you are here, we cannot let you leave.  This location is a closely-guarded secret.  So there is only one thing you can do to save your life." He states, his gaze never leaving hers.  "If you truly do not wish to be anyone's enemy, will swear fealty to me.  You will swear to obey, and that you will commit no aggression against me, or the Asha'man.  From this point on, my goals will be your goals.  You will swear this, and hold true to it as you hold to the Three Oaths.  If you are not Black Ajah," he adds coldly, not flinching from the word as any Aes Sedai might.  "In which case, I have very little reason to trust you at all, or your word."  His dilemma is becoming more apparent, and his lack of trust in any Aes Sedai is obvious.  [Rand]

Telir casts the Lord Dragon a sidelong glance as he pretty much truncates the exact order of operations that Tiernan and himself went through with the woman only the day before. He does not voice whatever opinion he might have, however, something about discretion being the better part of valor. The young Dedicated draws a long breath, his chest expanding slowly only to be released after the beat of a heart. His impassive gaze returns to the woman, his head tilting faintly off to the side as he continues to study her and the movements that she makes.

Arafellins have a strange sense of honor, this is pretty well known.  Even though Aalaryn has just managed to stand up she drops to her knees on the dirt floor.  "I swear to you," she speaks as she lifts her gaze to meet Rand's, the gesutre is out of respect not defiance, "I will commit no agression against you, or the Asha'man.  I wish to help, and I will do so, your goals are my goals as well, Lord Dragon.  Please, accept my vow of fealty."  Her words spoken she remains there, on her knees, in silence.  [Aalaryn]

If Rand is taken aback at how easily the Red Sister swears to him, he doesn't show it, his features remaining impassive within the void.  His eyes merely follow her movements as she drops to her knees and utters the words.  He seems coldly thoughtful for a time, and states, "You forgot to swear to obey me," he observes flatly.  "That is part of the oath I require.  If you will not swear to this as well, then I have no use for you," he says dismissively, glancing at Telir in what might be a signal for the Dedicated to be ready for something.  [Rand]

"I swear to obey you, Lord Dragon.  I truly wish to make ammends," The Red had to take a moment to compose herself, she's still considerably scared.  "There is a delegation of Red Ajah somewhere in Caemlyn, I do not know if they have made contact with your Asha'man as of yet, however.  I do know that they plan to 'demand' answers."  [Aalaryn]

The Dedicated gives as little reaction to the the Red kneeling as Rand, opting instead to remain passively watching the proceedings. His head turns slightly, catching the Lord Dragon's glance. He does not give any verbal conformation, instead giving a single small nod that scarcely causes the twin locks of hair before his face to move. His lips twist slightly at the mention of a Red delegation in Caemlyn, the movement is quickly smoothed away, drifting away into nothingness as soon as it appeared.  [Telir]

When Aalaryn speaks the words he had been hoping for, Rand finally allows himself to relax, perhaps just a little.  After all, she is merely one shielded women, and he is the Dragon Reborn.  But he tenses again at the news she has just given him, and he glances at Telir again with a slight frown.  The expression on his face is still merely perfunctory and devoid of true emotion, merely an unconscious reaction to the news.  Finally, he turns his attention back to the kneeling Red, and gestures with a hand for her to rise.  "I have received a report regarding this delegation," he states flatly through the emptiness of the Void.    [Rand]

"I have little trust for Red Sisters," he states evenly.  "If they wish to speak with us, they will have to earn the right.  You," he says, turning the topic smoothly back to the matter of the Aes Sedai immediately before him, "will remain here.  I am going to release your shield, but you will not channel without permission.  We can sense when a woman channels, so we will know," he adds flatly.  "I will leave it up to my Asha'man to decide what to do if you disobey me in this.  Also," he addds, glancing at the coffin, "I think this is a fitting bed for you for now.  A reminder of what will happen if you prove to be a darkfriend, and break your word.  The word of an Aes Sedai is supposed to be as good as her Oaths.  If you break it... I will know who you really serve, and this will be the means by which you return to the White Tower," he says, gesturing to the coffin.  "It will not need a lock," he adds coldly.  [Rand]

Telir's head turns slightly, his dark eyes once more on the Lord Dragon. His right hand escapes the confines of the pocket of his coat, lifting with wide-spread fingers to rake through his dark hair. As his hand falls it balls into a loose fist, hovering just before his mouth as he allows a small cough to escape as if clearing his throat. He allows a moment to pass, giving Rand time to say what he needs to say, before he allows his own flat voice to sound in the room, "Not to interfere, Lord Dragon." The worry that might accompany someone speaking to what is easily the most powerful individual in the world does not touch the Dedicated, though perhaps he would not be so forward if it were not for the embrace of the Void, "In our..." the young man's eyes flicker towards the kneeling woman, his left brow arching faintly onto his forehead, "interview yesterday, we extracted oaths from the woman."   [Telir]

His hand falls once more, slipping into the comforting confines of his voluminous pocket, "That she would obey all commands without hesitation, or question and would take no aggressive nor subversive actions." His head turns once more, centered the full weight of his piercing brown eyes upon the woman, that single brow still cocked onto his forehead, "If she were to break one of these oaths I have given her my word that I will personally hunt her down, severe her, drag her through the Farm in nothing but her skin before killing her." Though his head does not turn this time, his dark eyes return to the taller male channeler, "I hope you find this appropriate as I would be sending her corpse dressed with a lovely red bow to her Sisters."  [Telir]

The bloody coffin.  She -hates- that thing.  "I understand, Lord Dragon."  Slowly Aalaryn rises to her feet, neglecting to brush away the dirt and dust from her dress.  As Telir shares his promise with Rand the Red draws her hair over one shoulder in attempt to smooth it though it's mainly a distractionary thing for her to keep her calm.  [Aalaryn]

As Telir speaks up, Rand turns his attention to the Dedicated, and smiles grimly through the nothingness of the Void at his description.  "Well now she has sworn them to me personally," he states, his voice flat in spite of the grim smile.  He pauses for a moment, and seems to look inward for a time as he listens to the rest.  "Then we are of an accord.  I have no use for dark friends.  At least, until I can find a way to turn them back from the Shadow," he adds, eyeing Aalaryn.  "You can send her back in that coffin, just as I've said, if she breaks one oath."    [Rand]

He turns toward Aalaryn fully then, and still holding Saidin, he studies the shield that has been placed on her, including the knot that was tied.  He nods to himself slightly, and then he spins gleaming threads of spirit into a razor, flattened to a sharp edge.  It slices through the cunningly-tied knot, causing the weave of spirit separating her from the True Source to dissipate like so much mist.  Aalaryn would be able to feel her access to Saidar restored.  Then the little ball of light he had created vanishes as well, leaving only Telir's glowing orb to light the room.  "See that she has some comforts," he tells Telir, glancing at him.  "A bath, fresh clothing, food and drink. I don't want her mistreated.  But I know you will do what needs to be done."  [Rand]

Aalaryn breathes a sigh of relief, the shield is gone and she can feel the connection again to saidar.  For the first time since her arrival she seems to relax visibly, even if it is a bit.  It is like he gave her back her security blanket.

Telir inclines his head as Rand responds, "Of course, Lord Dragon. I was merely taking precautions." The young man takes a single step back, his long coat rustling against the ankles of his hard black boots. His features fall into the bland nothing of the Void once more, those reflective, dark eyes centered on the woman. He allows his floating orb of light to remain, giving them all at least something to use to see the room. He draws a long breath before the last order is given, his head turning to regard the tall man before he gives another single nod, "As you say. I will see to it."

Rand nods briskly to Telir.  "I'll be in Cairhien if you need me, putting my school in order," he adds.  "I expect to hear something about Tear soon."  Then he glances at Aalaryn one last time before he turns sharply, and makes his way out of the small building.  He heads through the gates of the Black Tower, and the men of the Black Tower will feel a strong channeling as he weaves another gateway.  He steps through it, and is gone.

Telir drops Saidin as he leaves. He comes back later bringing amenities...to be decided when I have more time.