Shadow hunched over, his honed back shoulder bristled under the heavy wooden yokes of the stockade compared to the average male, the stocks appeared to a little bit small for him.  Staring at the ground it was then he spotted the green beautiful fringes of silk. He groaned inwardly, a noble woman wouldn't have bothered to have to come torment him... an aes sedai on the hand certianly would! this wouldn't have been the first time he would be a captive to scathing remark... he was disgrace to the tower, no self respecting sedai would ever pick him.<br/><br/>Relunctantly he glanced upward... his eyes widened, it was Ilia! She said nothing. Shadow wasn't sure what was worse, harsh scolding or the nothing... she didn't say award, she simply walked away... and Shadow dropped his gaze, he wanted to die.  IF only he had been able to keep his damned mouth shut! now she was gone forever!  Now the turnips had a better chance of being picked by her than he did.<br/><br/>---<br/><br/>Just when Cadre Caulen had thought he gotten rid of the Aes Sedai shenanigans he settled back in his office chair with a nice warm cup of honeyed tea enjoying the sunlight from his new sunroom.  IT was then a woman in green silk gown interred the room... the newly raised Aes Sedai... trouble! Caulen smiled innocently, he hadn't believed Moe or Shadow had been actually out carousing for a second... they had probably escaped and run off somewhere and he was about to get an ear full for it.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="color: #40FF00">"How long has Shadow been in the stocks?"</span></span></span><br/><br/>For a moment Caulen felt slightly relieved hearing that Shadow hadn't caused any more trouble...and then he frowned as took another sip of his tea... unless... unless they where sneaking back INTO the barracks and needed a good cover story.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">"Oh..erm roughly midnight."</span></span>Caulen replied doing his best to stay as vague as possible.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="color: #40FF40">"I'd like him released."</span></span></span><br/><br/>Caulen's eyes bulged, and turned his head spewing the hot tea into away from her... this was second Aes Sedai to barge into his office... the first was for Moe... oh light he was in some hot water now! IF he didn't choose his words properly it would be him in the Stocks!<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">"I'm sorry...um.. "<br/>"Ilia. "<br/>"Ilia Sedai, but he must be made an example of."</span></span>he explained hurriedly.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="color: #40FF00"><br/>"An example of what?"</span></span></span><br/><br/>Caulen jaw dropped, he owl in moon light... he glanced about spluttering it was then pouted to the roof!<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">"They fell through my ceiling on their way to go carousing."</span></span>his insisted, pleading ignorance... surely these Aes Sedai shouldn't be so cruel! he was just an aged old warder! he didn't want any trouble he was just there to train cadets and be helpful!<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="color: #00FF00">"They?"</span></span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">"Moe was with him."</span></span>Caulen said hurriedly.<br/><br/><br/><span style="color: #00FF00"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">"Well, I don't recall seeing Moe out there with him. Don't you think 12 plus hours in the stock is enough time to learn a lesson?"</span></span></span><br/><br/>Beads of swet pulled on Caulen's forehead, as he struggled to find the right answer... the one she was steering him toward, perhaps it was trick? though found himself quickly nodding along!<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">"Well...I suppose Ilia Sedai"</span></span>he agreed, the moment Ilia Sedai left, he sank back into his chair with sigh of relief .<br/><br/>---<br/><br/><span style="color: #00FF00"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">"Carousing?" </span></span></span><br/><br/>Shadow was stunned to see Ilia return! well Ilia Sedai now... he gulped. It was amazing what the silk green dress and showl did to put on edge! This was the same Ilia! the same accepted about to get birched on the bottom in the library! Light she really was an Aes Sedai! green too.<br/><br/>His eyes wondered back downward longingly looking at the food in the basket. He hadn't been hungry, not when Luna showed up, but... now... surely Ilia was torturing him.<br/><br/><span style="color: #40FF00"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">"Tell me, why should I let you out?"</span></span></span><br/><br/>His dulled dark eyes suddenly sparked to life as he lifted his head glanced up at her...  he clearly had not expected any such thing or had not expected her to give him a second chance...or even the chance to plead for one.  Shadow wanted to say, because Luna was batshit crazy and Moe wasn't the sort of warder out in the field, he just wasn't battle Ajah material surely they knew that! And why in the blazes were they going North? Tarmengaden was the other direction!<br/><br/>Shadow let out a long agonized sigh... he couldn't exactly pretend he couldn't talk... Ilia knew his secret... and well... she was Ilia Sedai now, you just didn't ignore Aes Sedai.  That green gown... it fit her well, and the last thing he wanted was to be tormented ... what supposedly were weaves of air! he wasn't sure how it all worked, but he witnessed and received  more than his share a few invisible swats on the bottom from invisible switch while marching... they just couldn't ever prove anything, they just sang a little less louder in the early morning run around the tower perimeter.<br/><br/>"I have no excuse, Aes Sedai," Shadow replied in a low voice, he wasn't about to admit to anything. "Can I carry anything for you, back to the tower, Aes Sedai?" he ventured... that was as good of an apology his pride would allow himself to muster.