The White Tower ~ Tar Valon Southern District
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		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Cynadea on 31-08-2015, 00:59:45</h2>
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				Title: <strong>The White Tower ~ Tar Valon Southern District</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cynadea</strong> on <strong>31-08-2015, 00:59:45</strong>
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				<div align="center">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/4/44/Tar_Valon.jpg)</div><br><div align="center"><span style="font-size: 14pt;" class="bbc_size"><span style="font-family: times new roman;" class="bbc_font">The Southern District of City Of Tar Valon</span></span></div><hr><div align="center"><table class="bbc_table"><tbody><tr><td>The district contains:<br><ul class="bbc_list"><li type="disc">The South Port</li><li type="disc">The Ogier Grove</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table></div>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The White Tower ~ Tar Valon Southern District</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>03-09-2015, 12:52:24</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/c/c1/RedAjah.jpg)</div><strong>Character name:</strong> Theraeve Valaim (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=234819.msg11557599#msg11557599)<br><strong>Position:</strong> Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah<br><strong>Bondmate:</strong> n/a<br><strong>Tag:</strong> Open<br><strong>Time:</strong> Afternoon, Saven 6th, 990NE<br><strong>Place:</strong> An alley in the Southern District<br><strong>Warning:</strong> n/a<br><hr><br>Theraeve's awareness was certainly not at its peak under the current circumstances, but as far as she could tell, Rhoven had finally backed off and abandoned the notion of taking her to the infirmary. What was she even doing, where was she trying to go? She had no idea, but the curious looks from people on the street who weren't being nearly as subtle as they seemed to think were already starting to piss her off. One little boy, maybe seven or eight years old, made the mistake of pointing, so Theraeve shot him back a glare so frigid that it sent him cowering behind his mother's skirts.<br><br>A sudden cough sent barbs of pain bursting through her chest as she wiped away at the blood on her face with her sleeve, prompting her to dip into the first alley that she crossed in search of some privacy. Leaning against the beige stone wall, Theraeve staggered deeper into the narrow space between two buildings where dim shadows reigned, providing some cover from the sun. She tried to settle herself for a moment, just long enough to weave an air bubble around herself that would contain the sound of her voice, but Saidar's flows crashed against her like waves breaking upon jagged rocks, causing the attempt to fizzle instantly.<br><br>Instead, Theraeve had to resort to biting down on the side of her own hand to muffle an anguished cry as her back slid down against the wall until she was seated on the ground. It was only a matter of time until the aftereffects of her sparring match gone wrong caught up with her. Grimacing with one side of her face, she hastily undid the leather girdle from around her waist, tossing it aside carelessly before tugging the bottom of her shirt out of her trousers and pulling it up to inspect the damage underneath.<br><br>Apparently, her guard still needed some work on the left in particular, because that whole side was dotted with dark crimson bruises which would be turning purple soon enough. That was in addition to all the other bruises scattered around her arms and legs, and the one around her right eye, and of course her busted lower lip. And yet somehow, all of that hurting brought her a certain level of satisfaction too, like she knew it was well earned, especially after the unacceptable offense that she'd just committed for reasons she still didn't fully comprehend.<br><br>Tilting her head back against the wall, Theraeve closed her eyes and tried to rest there for a bit, although it only took a few minutes before she realized how her throat was parched and her tongue seemed to be burning up in her mouth. Not without some difficulty, she eventually pulled herself up and began walking towards the alley's opposite exit which would lead her further south, to one of the several taverns located around the docks. The walk wouldn't be too enjoyable, but what was a little more discomfort now in exchange for the promise of as many stiff drinks as it took to obliterate her short term memory and ability to feel or think?<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The White Tower ~ Tar Valon Southern District</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Vergil Tanner</strong> on <strong>03-09-2015, 15:58:45</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/f/fd/Valdar.jpg)</div><strong>Character name:</strong> Galvren Valynar (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=234819.msg11585469#msg11585469)<br><strong>Position:</strong> Valdar (Newly Risen)<br><strong>Bondmate:</strong> Open<br><strong>Tag:</strong> Theraeve Sedai, mentions Rhoven, Shayella and Kalain. <br><strong>Time:</strong> Afternoon, Saven 6th, 990NE<br><strong>Place:</strong> Southern District, near The Harbour.<br><strong>Warning:</strong><br><hr><br>Galvren squinted in the afternoon sun as he surveyed the bustling streets of the Southern District of Tar Valon, his face twisted into a partly annoyed, partly worried grimace. Call him a country bumpkin, but he'd never liked large crowds of people; during his first year or so in Tar Valon, they had made him uneasy due to their sheer size and power, so many people in such a small space, all squashed together like sardines trying to travel in eight different directions, bustling and shoving and shouting to be heard over each other, with any inexperienced traverser being unable to truly tell where they were going or how close they were to the edge of the cluster of people going about their business...there weren't <em>supposed</em> to be that many people in one space, surely, and it felt somehow wrong that the people present in the streets were only half the population, the rest being inside the thousands of buildings or out of the city for some reason...there were just too many people all trying to do their own unique things, oftentimes getting in the way of other people trying to do a slightly different thing, the noise and heat and sheer overwhelming numbers making the inexperienced country lad inside Galvren recoil at the sheer size and apparent endlessness to the crowds...he was from a small village with only maybe a hundred residents, and even that had felt like a lot at times given the relative size of the settlement, but these crowds made his home town look deserted by comparison which made him extremely uneasy...there were more people on the streets in any given district than there were in Harlons Bridge and the nearest three villages combined! How could there possibly be so many people in one place? And as he understood it, Caemlyn and Tear and the other big Capitols of the world were often times just as busy, if not more so, <em>at the same time!</em> Truly, the size of the human population was staggering when you considered it for any noteworthy length of time.<br><br>But Galvren had gotten over that relatively quickly - honestly, it was either "get over it" or stay in a permanent state of overwhelmed shock and awe, which wouldn't be useful as a Warder - and come to despise crowds for an entirely different reason; whilst he retained his dislike of so many people in so cramped a space, the Warder inside him was repulsed at the idea of so many potential <em>threats</em> in one area. With so many people doing so many different things and attempting to go in so many different directions, it was almost impossible to spot any meaningful pattern in the crowdgoers dress and mannerisms, and with so many people to keep an eye on, the chances of missing something and letting somebody suspicious get too close or being shuffled off to one side accidentally and losing their way or having people subtly surround them and close in, using the crowd as a hiding place until the last possible minute were far, far higher than if the street was completely or even just relatively empty. Further, if you were trying to chase or follow somebody and they slipped into the crowd, the chances were good that you would never see them again, especially if the crowd was going the same way or were dressed in a similar way...then your chances of discerning who among them was your quarry would be next to nothing. This was a problem for any Warder; you needed to protect the Aes Sedai, but you also needed to let them go about their business as they saw fit. And if that business included crowds...well, that was one giant security risk. Don't get him wrong, crowds could be useful - for pretty much the same reasons he hated them - but they could also be extremely dangerous and inconvenient. Take now, for example: he had been following somebody as closely as he could, but every time he attempted to catch up in order to speak with them, the crowd conspired against him and allowed her to increase the distance once again. And at that very moment in time? The crowd had obscured his vision for long enough that his intended company had somehow escaped his gaze. Despite how much he looked around, he just couldn't see her anymore, which infuriated him no end.<br><br>He had come out of the infirmary that morning in a relatively good mood; so far as he was aware, there were no complications with the injury he had sustained on his shoulder from the Gaidin test, he had gotten to speak to Shayella Sedai - a friend he had amongst the Yellow Ajah - <em>and</em> he had been flirted with by a cute volunteer nurse. As far as starts to the day went, that one was pretty high on the list of "good ways to begin your day." Yes, not having an injury at all would maybe have been preferable, but then, he wouldn't have gotten to speak to Shayella Sedai or been flirted with, so the Wheel Weaves, as they say. But that day had been quickly soured when he decided to, on a whim, wander past the training grounds to see what was going on and whether there was anything interesting that he could at least watch, even if he couldn't get involved...and whilst there was indeed something interesting happening, it was not exactly something he particularly enjoyed. The good news was that Theraeve Sedai - one of his oldest friends at the White Tower, and one with whom he shared a "unique" relationship - had apparently returned from her business outside Tar Valon, and was getting back into the habit of visiting the training grounds to practice her technique, specifically her unarmed combat skills, since she deemed that as her "speciality," as she put it. He remembered keenly some of their hand-to-hand sparring matches - he was amongst the few Valdar and Gaidin who didn't hold back on her, partly because she'd know if he did and partly because he knew that she wouldn't hold back against him and if she thought <em>he</em> was...well, he wouldn't walk away with <em>just</em> a bruise; some of his more serious injuries occurred when sparring Theraeve Sedai - and could vouch for her skill...there weren't many individuals who could match her in that regard. <br><br>The <em>bad</em> news was that she had apparently utilised that infamously sharp, treacherous tongue of hers on the Master of Arms himself, and had reportedly instigated an unarmed duel with him, as confident as she was in her skills....or, perhaps since to his knowledge Theraeve Sedai had never met the man before, she simply didn't know who she was dealing with. Either way, he arrived just as the sparring match was ending with a decisive victory for The Master of Arms - as you might expect; he was <em>supposed</em> to be the toughest Gaidin in the city, the person who trained all the other Warders in weaponcraft and unarmed combat - after what was - if he gathered correctly from the crowd - a surprisingly close match. Nobody was surprised that he won, of course, but they were surprised that an Aes Sedai - who were generally not known for their talent in fighting without the aid of <em>Saidar</em> - could potentially provide a "match" for the person responsible for training all of the Warders currently in the city, and a good many of them who were know bonded and off in the world somewhere. <em>Galvren</em> wasn't - she had beaten him soundly enough enough times for him to have learned never to underestimate her - but the point still remains....unfortunately, that wasn't where it had ended. Theraeve Sedai had never been one to handle failure particularly well, but even Galvren was surprised when she ended up leaping to her feet, assaulting her opponent from behind, then storming off into the crowd. After a brief glance at Kalain - who was already getting plenty of attention from the watching Warders, trainees and even a few Yellow's who had wandered over to investigate the disturbance - to ensure that he was getting the attention he needed, Galvren had opted to set off after Theraeve Sedai. He couldn't offer anything in the way of meaningful aid to the fallen Master of Arms, but he could <em>definitely</em> do something about Theraeve Sedai's foul mood, if he was lucky. He did almost catch her when she shared a few sharp words with Rhoven, but she set off afterwards in such a hurry that Galvren ended up having difficulty keeping up. Had he been at full strength he could almost certainly have caught up quickly, but what with his still-tender shoulder and the instructions he had to keep it as still as possible, he couldn't risk bumping into anything or moving too quickly...so a brisk walk was the best he could reliably do.<br><br>See, he and Theraeve Sedai had a....unique...relationship. Despite being of the Red Ajah - who, he had found out upon arriving in Tar Valon, were stereotypically very distrustful of males and generally scorned their company altogether -&nbsp; his initial interactions with her had been extremely friendly and positive. True, she had just saved his village from a group of criminals led by a newly "Snapped" Male Channeller and his first interaction with her was one of fawning, overawed gratitude, but the point remained. She had been gracious and humble in accepting his thanks, and had even stayed in the village for a few days to ensure that they had no more trouble from the other escaped criminals before heading back to Tar Valon. But that wasn't the whole story. Officially speaking, of course, it was; she saved his village, he was inspired and decided to travel to Tar Valon for training to become a Warder. Whilst that was true - his second extended interaction with her began when he approached her to ask if he could accompany her to Tar Valon - it wasn't the whole story, since he and Theraeve Sedai tended to leave out the fact that the evening before they left for The White Tower, they ended up...."enjoying each others company." Yes, in <em>that</em> sense of the phrase. Galvren wasn't ashamed of their liaison - quite the opposite, in fact; he and Theraeve Sedai got on extremely well, she was a strong willed and attractive woman and he liked her rather a lot, despite her oftentimes prickly nature - but he understood how it would look if word got out that a Red Sister had "enjoyed" the company of a male, especially one who then accompanied her to Tar Valong to undergo training as a Warder. Even if what got out wasn't representative of the truth, gossip didn't care about the truth. Much safer and easier to keep it to themselves....of course, keeping it to themselves didn't mean it was a one off thing. <br><br>Soon enough, them either meeting up or Theraeve Sedai intercepting him and dragging him off for more "company enjoyment" became a rule rather than the exception, and their friendship pretty much developed along the lines of "friends with benefits," more or less. It was inconvenient at times - intimacy with Theraeve Sedai tended to be <em>extremely</em> rough which, whilst not a problem, did lead to some mornings where he could barely move as training <em>began</em> - but it was always enjoyable and they always seemed to get along, more or less. Theraeve Sedai wasn't as warm and cuddly as Shayella Sedai may have been, but she was still loyal, kind at heart when it came down to it, and surprisingly easy for him to talk to, especially considering that she was a Red. Of course, she was always the one in control - he didn't think he personally could even <em>imagine</em> Theraeve Sedai submitting in any way - but he liked strong women, so that wasn't really an issue...but her love of rough play did lead to a somewhat awkward situation only a couple of months previous. She had to leave for an assignment - one that she had just gotten back from, apparently - and had elected to have one more "ride" with Galvren before she left. Everything was going as it usually did - hot and steamy, with plenty of scratching, biting and hair pulling - when she placed his hands around her throat and ordered him to squeeze. He hesitated but ultimately obeyed - as he said; she was the one in charge, and he'd gotten into the habit of doing as she said - and restricted her breathing while they "went at it." She disappeared soon afterwards, leaving him to try to process what had just happened...and he couldn't. He'd never done anything like that before, and the memory of it made him intensely uncomfortable, even more so considering that he couldn't exactly talk to anybody about it...the feel of her throat beneath his fingers, the pallor her skin took as he stopped her breathing, the thought that he might have....he shuddered just thinking about it. He tried to ignore it at first, but it soon bubbled up in the form of a semi-regular nightmare where he accidentally squeezed too hard...and that told him all he needed to know; he was <em>not</em> ok with what she wanted him to do, and he promised himself that he would never do it again, even if she ordered him to. <br><br>That being said, she was still a friend and he was still concerned about her; she had taken a fair beating in that sparring match from the looks of it - he had never seen her with such an obvious injury on her face, which meant that she had obviously taken a few sharp, nasty knocks - and he had never known her to lose her temper so completely that she would attack a sparring partner from behind, of all things. If nothing else, Theraeve had a strong sense of justice and honour, so that act alone was by far the most alarming thing in that whole mess, and the thing that made Galvren actively worry about Theraeve's wellbeing. He means, Theraeve <em>Sedai's</em> wellbeing. He needed to remember to keep that honorific at the end of her name, at least in public. If anybody was worthy of his respect above most others, it was Theraeve Sedai. He wouldn't be standing there today if it weren't for her. And now....now, he'd lost her in the crowd. He had thought that he had been catching up with her, but apparently not. That was the problem with Tar Valon; so many nooks and crannies that people could slip through, so many buildings they could enter, so many side streets they could take...it was impossible to follow somebody who didn't want to be followed, or somebody who got out of your sight for more than a handful of minutes. He grit his teeth in annoyance and stopped where he was, forcing a few irritated-looking people behind him to pause and go around him. So....he'd lost Theraeve Sedai in the crowd. He could give up and go home? Not likely. He hadn't seen his friend in a good couple of months, <em>and</em> she evidently needed help whether she acknowledged it or not, even if it was just a case of helping her bandage her wounds. He wouldn't find her in the crowds now that she had apparently disappeared, so...he could try and predict where she was going, couldn't he? She was in the Southern District, heading towards the Docks...if he knew Theraeve Sedai - and he did - she would likely be looking to drown her sorrows in the cup for an afternoon. She seemed to be in a bad mood, and whenever she got overly angry or upset, she would always go to the drinking section of the harbour. Which establishment in particular was a more difficult question to answer, but it gave him somewhere to start looking.<br><br>So, he made his way to the taverns in the next street over, doing his best to weave through the crowds as quickly as he dared without moving his shoulder more than was necessary. A few times something caught hold of it or somebody bumping into him or he twisted the wrong way, eliciting a pained grimace from him and a muttered curse - whilst not broken anymore, his shoulder was still a bit tender to the point where the wrong contact could send a lance of pain through his body...not a long lasting one, but definitely a sharp, noticeable one - but for the most part, he was able to navigate the crowds relatively easily and without incident. And, apparently, he made it onto the next street over just in time; just as he was turning onto the main road that ran down that particular line of buildings, shops and street-stalls, he caught sight of a familiar shape in very familiar garbs slipping out of an alleyway and turning to head down the street in the opposite direction. It may have been his imagination, but she seemed to be moving a little slower than she had been a few minutes previously...perhaps she was starting to find the crowds difficult to traverse as well? But no, this was Theraeve Sedai...she wouldn't be slowed down by anybody. Perhaps she was more hurt than she let on? Or perhaps she was simply distracted? He didn't know. Either way, he needed to catch up with her before he lost her again, so - pain in his shoulder be damned - he gritted his teeth again and surged forwards, breaking into a light jog. Whilst the activity didn't particularly do anything to his breathing rate, the sharp stabs of tender ache that radiated from his shoulder did, eliciting a few sharp intakes of breath as he struggled to catch up with the still-moving form of Theraeve Sedai ahead of him. <br><br>Thankfully for him and his shoulder, he caught up with her relatively quickly, soon arriving just behind her, allowing him to slow to a more normal walking pace. He looked her up and down, making certain that it was in fact her - telling people apart from a distance, from behind, in a crowd could be rather difficult - and when he was certain, he increased his walking pace a little to pull up beside her, though he made certain to keep a respectful distance between them. This was partly due to not wanting to appear too cosy with her, but to also avoid taking her by surprise; injured or not, she would still have that brutal right hook. He winced a little just thinking about the last time he caught that on his cheek...he had a black eye for a week. He turned his head to look at her, bending his neck in a respectful bow, though he made certain to keep half an eye on the path in front of them, just in case...now that he was in the presence of an Aes Sedai, he needed to have his head on a swivel, just in case. He wouldn't deny that in the early years of his training, he had held a secret hope that he might be Theraeve Sedai's Warder when he graduated, but he knew from the start that was unlikely, if not impossible; Red's were famous for never taking Warders. Still, she was a friend <em>and</em> an Aes Sedai, and he was <em>her</em> friend and a Warder. It was his duty and his honour to protect her if necessary. Besides, keeping an eye on everybody in a given area was an excellent habit to get into as a Warder. There was no sense in dropping his guard for any reason. "Theraeve Sedai," he began, attempting to get her attention, "It's good to see that you're back in the city...I hope I'm the first to say 'welcome home.' It hasn't been the same around here without you." <br><br>He offered her a hesitant, tentative-but-genuine smile. Despite the incident in the training grounds, it <em>was</em> very good to see her again. Honestly, he'd kinda missed her...he didn't have many "old friends," and despite the fact that they had to keep it largely a secret, she could always be relied upon in a pinch if you could contact her. That was a rare enough trait as it was, and when you threw into the mix her willingness to have fun despite her rank....well, she was always a lot of fun to hang out with if she was in a decent mood, and even if she wasn't, she would at least make the effort, which is more than a lot of people did. Of course, you could never tell what might happen when Theraeve Sedai was in a bad mood, so caution was advised. She might greet you back, or she might yell at you and storm off. Either/or. He was hoping that the fact that she knew him personally and - hopefully - liked him would at least stall her getting angry at him for a bit. He looked her face over as non-obviously as he could, though she probably still noticed. He'd have to at least try to be a little delicate about what he said next, but...well, there was no point in dancing around the subject. Theraeve's "Nonsense Detector" was second only, perhaps, to Shayella Sedai's, and with him at least, she was always able to tell when he was avoiding a subject or had some ulterior motive. The curse of her knowing him for so long, he supposed; he was never really able to keep anything secret from her for long. Not that he'd ever wanted to, of course, but the point was that it was probably better to get straight to the point. Dancing around it would likely only annoy her further. <br><br>"I, um...saw the tail end of what happened at The Tower," he began carefully, "and I thought I should, you know...offer to keep you company....if that's ok, of course." He was nervous. He always got nervous when Theraeve Sedai was in a bad mood...how could he not? She was <em>scary</em> when she was angry. "Are you....ok? Are you injured at all?" Despite his caution and uncertainty, there was genuine concern in his voice. No matter how secret they had to keep it, she was still his friend and he was still worried about her. Not only did she do something so utterly out of character - at least as far as he knew - but she stormed off without getting medical attention and, now that he's up close, he can see that she's more injured than he initially thought. He wouldn't talk about the incident directly unless she brought it up, and he definitely wouldn't ask for information that she didn't want to give, but the least he could do as her friend was ask if she was ok and show concern for her. If that got him yelled at, then so be it. For him, at least, compassion, loyalty and concern for your friends came first. And right now, he was worried about her in more ways than one. Even if she got angry at him and berated him for whatever reason or even if she just clammed up and refused to talk about anything, he would be damned if he was going to pretend that he wasn't concerned about her. It just wasn't something he was prepared to do at this point in time, regardless of what might happen. Better to get in trouble doing the right thing than get away with doing the wrong thing, as his father always said, and regardless of the outcome, standing by your friends when they needed it was always the right thing to do. And right now, Theraeve Sedai obviously needed company, whether she wanted it or not. It was the least he could do to offer his own; when push came to shove, she was a friend...and it was as simple as that.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The White Tower ~ Tar Valon Southern District</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>RedMoon</strong> on <strong>04-09-2015, 05:06:13</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/f/fd/Valdar.jpg)</div><strong>Character name:</strong> Rhoven Bryce (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=234819.msg11565549#msg11565549)<br><strong>Position:</strong> Valdar<br><strong>Tag:</strong> Theraeve, Galvren<br><strong>Time:</strong> Afternoon, Saven 6th, 990NE<br><strong>Place:</strong> Alleyways, following Theraeve at a distance<br><strong>Warning:</strong><br><hr><br>Predictably, Theraeve made his life as difficult as possible by wandering through alleys in rougher parts of town, if any part of Tar Valon could be considered 'rough'. Few criminals would dare to prey upon the inhabitants of such a clean and organized city. Even if they didn't fear the guards, just the presence of Aes Sedai was enough to keep most of them out of the area. Of course, there were worse things than mere criminals lurking about, as both he and Theraeve knew from their work for the Amyrlin. Normally, he would just display his sword and march through the streets, and everyone would get out of his way. This time, however, he didn't want to wound Theraeve's pride further by revealing his presence, so, he kept himself out of sight, moving naturally through the crowds and shadows, keeping an eye on the sister from afar. He never had problems tailing people, in the forests or the cities. With the Red Sister moving the way she was, things were at little easier. She likely couldn't outrun him were she in the best shape of her life, and now that she was crawling along like a wounded animal, it wasn't a challenge.<br><br>The Valdar didn't see much need to intervene, until someone approached Theraeve. His good eye narrowed, and his hand went to his blade. It was obvious from the way the other man moved that he was trained, dangerous. He nearly drew his blade and set upon him before he recognized that it was a fellow Valdar, someone he knew from training. He had given Galvren some tips with the bow before... Well, everything. Relaxing slightly, he faded back a little further, content to let things play out. With two Valdar watching over her, Theraeve was likely to get back home safely, so there was no need for him to approach. He could probably go home, in fact, but, he had an obligation, even if it was a self-imposed one. He would watch over quietly for a time.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The White Tower ~ Tar Valon Southern District</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>05-09-2015, 22:53:55</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/c/c1/RedAjah.jpg)</div><strong>Character name:</strong> Theraeve Valaim (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=234819.msg11557599#msg11557599)<br><strong>Position:</strong> Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah<br><strong>Bondmate:</strong> n/a<br><strong>Tag:</strong> Galvren<br><strong>Time:</strong> Afternoon, Saven 6th, 990NE<br><strong>Place:</strong> Alley on the side of the Laughing Peacock Tavern<br><strong>Warning:</strong> n/a<br><hr><br>Driven by her instincts, Theraeve intentionally traveled through the seediest parts of the city and down the darkest, most isolated alley that she could find, though even those parts were hardly that bad compared to most places. She didn't even know what she was expecting or hoping to happen. Maybe for some of the Darkfriends hidden in Tar Valon to mistake her with easy prey and try their luck on her so that she could vent her anger and frustration without having to feel guilty about it. Or was Theraeve really wishing for a confrontation that she wouldn't be walking away from? Either she didn't know or she didn't really care.<br><br>It didn't end up mattering, though, because her walk to the nearest tavern was largely uneventful other than having to shove aside a few people who were plodding ahead too slowly for her liking. She earned herself a few dirty looks, but there must have been something about her unkempt appearance and less than rosy disposition which dissuaded anyone from attempting to have words with her about it. Well, almost anyone.<br><br>Like a serpent coiling to strike, Theraeve's body tensed up momentarily when a man caught up to her and almost casually slipped into her personal space, but it obviously didn't take her long to recognize one of her few friends, if he could really be called that. Inhaling, she held her breath slightly before breathing out heavily through her nose, the tension in her muscles hardly even relaxing. In case that wasn't a clear enough signal of her displeasure at being stalked, especially because she'd failed to notice, Theraeve also countered Galvren's congenial greeting with a rancorous sideways glance before going back to staring straight ahead.<br><br>His mere presence was enough to upset her, causing the blood in her veins to start running hotter than it already was. Did that even make sense? He was one of the few people that seemed to genuinely care about her and appreciate her as a human being. She'd let him see behind her veil, at least to some extent anyway, but still his loyalty or respect had never faltered. They'd trained together, confided in one another on the few occasions when one or both of them didn't immediately pass out after an evening of very animated fun, and Galvren had always been more than good to her. If Theraeve ever needed to put her life in another's hands for whatever reason, his name along with Shayella's were the first two that sprung to mind. So why did it bother her so much that he was here with her now?<br><br>Because he made her feel differently than anyone else. They'd had some type of connection, a magnetic pull of sorts ever since that fateful day roughly eight years ago when she'd protected his village from that group of bandits, including the male channeller which she'd been tasked with bringing back to the Tower. Theraeve hadn't thought too much of it at the time, but it had only grown stronger after she'd brought him back to the Tower and they'd gotten to know each other more intimately. With everything he knew about her, she felt naked and disarmed around him. Vulnerable. The sex had been supposed to help her forget about her demons, and yet it felt like their time together was beginning to have the opposite effect of drawing her issues to the surface instead. The only solution that Theraeve had found, which in reality was more like delaying the inevitable, was to ramp things up so that their time spent together was too wild and feral to worry about anything else.<br><br>"I'm fine," she curtly dismissed his concerns, hardening her jaw and furrowing her brow. Then, right as they were passing the corner of the Laughing Peacock, she grabbed Galvren by the front of his collar with both hands and brusquely hauled him off into the alley without so much as a warning. "Shut up and make yourself useful," Theraeve growled hotly, pulling him past a stack of empty barrels before slamming his back carelessly against the wall. Ignoring any protests, she arched her body forward and threw herself against him, keeping him pinned with her elbows on his shoulders and her breasts mashed against his chest while she tilted her head to the side and tried to force her tongue past his lips. There wasn't so much as a hint of romance about it, her advances were purely just impetuous, bordering on spiteful.<br><br>Half a second later, Theraeve dropped one of her hands down between them to grope at his crotch, as if to roughly and impatiently check if he was hard yet before she began tearing at the laces of his trousers. Her heavy breathing was broken up by strained groans as the pain in her side flared up, but Theraeve didn't care about that just like she didn't care that they were practically out in the open, she just used it as further fuel to be consumed by the fire raging in the pit of her stomach.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The White Tower ~ Tar Valon Southern District</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Vergil Tanner</strong> on <strong>06-09-2015, 01:03:39</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/f/fd/Valdar.jpg)</div><strong>Character name:</strong> Galvren Valynar (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=234819.msg11585469#msg11585469)<br><strong>Position:</strong> Valdar (Newly Risen)<br><strong>Bondmate:</strong> Open<br><strong>Tag:</strong> Theraeve Sedai, mentions Rhoven, Shayella and Kalain. <br><strong>Time:</strong> Afternoon, Saven 6th, 990NE<br><strong>Place:</strong> Southern District, near The Harbour.<br><strong>Warning:</strong><br><hr><br>Honestly? Thereave Sedai's reaction didn't surprise him for a single moment. For as long as he had known her, Theraeve Sedai had kind of despised most company that you could care to mention for a variety of reasons, and always appeared to have a prickly and rather fickle nature; despite the fact that he was probably one of the closest things to what she could consider a "friend," she didn't exactly act like it in front of most people. Oh, when she was in a good mood she would be relatively polite and chat with him in a warm, friendly manner and they would have an excellent time together....followed, most likely, by an "excellent time together." In the early days in particular, Theraeve Sedai would mostly be smiles and warmth and teasing flirtation, only occasionally broken by bouts of ill temper where anybody who approached her would be subject to her scarily varied range of deathglares and the extremely sharp, merciless side of her tongue. But over the years, it seemed to Galvren that her temper had become more and more short, her general average disposition becoming harsher and more aggressive...and that extended to her tastes in the bedroom, as well. Before it had just been hair pulling and scratching and biting and very rough, powerful ruts against the wall, but...well, he'd already related that whole "choking" thing. To each their own, of course, but the change in her demeanour had been distressing, to say the least. Oh, he had still maintained his good relationship with her and he had no illusions about the fact that she still valued him and still actually liked him as a person, and despite her dour and aggressive personality shift, she was still the same noble person underneath; as much as she attempted to disguise that part of her for whatever reason beneath her harsh exterior, she still had a heart of gold and was perhaps one of The Lights most devoted and honourable followers. He didn't care what anybody else said about her; she was brusque, yes, but she genuinely cared about people no matter what she said, and that trait in and of itself was rare. Yes, he was bias; she had saved his village, after all...but as of yet, he had seen nothing to contradict that side of her. That was why her attack on Kal from behind had been so shocking; precisely <em>because</em> she was righteous, honourable and caring, it was utterly contrary to her usual principals.<br><br>And thus, he didn't take offence when she fixed him with one of her savage glares and curt, dismissive one-word responses. She was prickly, yes, and fickle...but the very fact that she even treated him with a look at all was sign enough that despite her aggression, his company was - at least on some level - if not welcomed, then tolerated. If she honestly didn't want him around, she would either have ordered him to "Blight Off," as some would say, outright ignored him or even just punched him in the face and kept walking. The fact that she did neither was, in actuality, very encouraging...and that was where the whole "didn't act like a friend" came in; to outside observers, when she was in a bad mood she would frequently hurl all kinds of abuse at him, but it was simply that that showed how good their relationship was; she knew she could throw any hurtful words or looks at him that she wanted, and he wouldn't give up on her. Similarly, he knew that no matter what she fired in his direction, she didn't actually mean any of it and, inevitably, they would end up either venting her frustrations away in a very...carnal...fashion, or they would end up talking out what was bothering her over drinks. Or both. Mainly both, in actual fact, though it could just be that the "both" were the times that were the most memorable, so he had some recollection bias. Either way, they were close enough that no amount of harsh words were about to sour their relationship. You couldn't take much of the venom that Theraeve Sedai had very seriously; she had, as far as Galvren had gathered, been through a lot and was <em>dealing</em> with a lot. And if you couldn't stand by and grant patience to your friends...you weren't a very good friend. Did it sting a little to have such a baleful glare directed at him after two months apart? Of course it did. Did he let it bother him? Hell no. <br><br>The very fact that all he got was a glare and a blunt, dismissive brush-off answer showed that she was not, in fact, ok...and as much as she might have hated him for it at that moment, she would appreciate him persisting later. Most might have just left at that...not Galvren. Their relationship was different than that. She would be harsh and brusque, he would persist...and even if she didn't talk about what was bothering her, she would eventually - even if she didn't admit it - feel better for the company. Galvren knew her well enough to know that, at the very least. So, instead of simply peeling off and leaving her to her own probably miserable thoughts, Galvren sighed softly and opened his mouth to respond in some way; he had to break through the stiff, on-guard, brutally brusque outer shell she had before he could actually get anywhere in the conversation, and the only way to do that was to persevere and make it clear that he was going to stick around whether she wanted him to or not...but he never got the chance. Before he could even utter a single syllable of whatever he was about to say, he felt her hands closing around the collar of his shirt and a sudden powerful, rough, authoritative force pulling him sharply away from the main street and down what appeared to be a narrow, dingy side alley that backed onto one of the larger local taverns. Ordinarily his Warder instincts would have spurred him into action to repel the perceived attack, but as soon as his left arm shifted as if to move into position, he felt a sharp stab of lightning quick pain that forced him to wince and pause his actions long enough to be dragged elsewhere...and besides. Even in Theraeve Sedai's injured state, considering that she was a far better unarmed fighter than he <em>and</em> he only had one working arm...she would likely have been able to manhandle him regardless of what he actually wanted. Besides...as unhealthy as it may have been for a Warder, he was <em>used</em> to Theraeve Sedai doing things like that, so his automatic defences were, by conditioning, just a bit slower than they usually would have been...she always ended up taking charge, and by that point, even his body had become used to automatically submitting to her whims.<br><br>Case in point: despite the inappropriate time and location, despite the throbbing ache in his shoulder, despite the fact that she was half beaten and bruised herself, despite the fact that he knew on some level instinctively that she was doing this as an unhealthy distraction to avoid confronting whatever was eating her up inside, his body <em>almost</em> ended up just going along with what she was attempting to do. He <em>knew</em> what was likely coming from the sudden proximity of her body, the sudden tone in her voice, the dark, aggressive, primal look in her eyes that she always got when she just wanted a hard, rough rutting, and his body responded as if by itself; his heart instantly picked up several notches in its speed, his blood roared through his system, his skin heated up several degrees and even his manhood began to stand at attention...after eight years of her impulsive "sessions," after eight years of pretty much following whatever she wanted to do, after eight years of seeing that dark lust in her eyes...it was all it took to get his body, at the very least, ready and raring to go. He knew it wasn't specific lust for him, just lust in general, but somehow in some odd way, that made it all the more enthralling and thrilling; that he was just being used as some kind of disposable sextoy for her satisfaction was...well, it excited him, and he had no idea why. It was terrifying when he first discovered it, of course, but now? Now, he had gotten used to it, even if he still didn't understand it. It was just part of who he was. He got a thrill and a satisfaction out of knowing somebody lusted after him specifically, of course...but still. Being her toy did, at times, feel just as exciting, even if it meant that he wasn't all that enticing to her. In the early days, he had entertained the notion that she liked him <em>specifically</em>...but being somebodies friend and being attractive to them were two entirely different things, and sometimes it felt like she only used him for her "intimacy" because he was a warm, willing body who could be relied upon to follow her instructions...but he didn't mind. It was how she was, and if she ever decided that she didn't need him to cope with anything any more, then he would be ok with that. She was his <em>friend,</em> so her wellbeing came before everything else.<br><br>Which brought him screaming back to reality, even as his body attempted to seize control and force him to go along with what was happening; he focused sharply for a few moments, watching where she was dragging him. He lifted one of his hands - his right one; his left wasn't about to do anything productive, what with being tied directly to the movement of his left shoulder, which was already smarting from his sharp movement just a few moments ago - in an attempt to grasp at her wrist to stop her, to push her away and refuse to go along with this stalling tactic, to refuse to be part of her distraction until she was honest with him about what was going on...yes, sometimes she needed distraction, but she <em>attacked somebody from behind,</em> and not an enemy. An <em>ally.</em> That needed investigation, it needed discussion...it did <em>not</em> need a distraction rut, and as much as he was used to following her instructions, sometimes to be a decent friend, you needed to know when and how to say "no." He opened his mouth, just about to tell her that he wasn't going to be party to her delaying tactic, that he was there to talk and to make her feel better rather than distract her, when all of those thoughts fled his mind in one sharp, stabbing moment. She slammed him back into the wall, sending a shockwave of pain through his body, emanating from the back of his shoulder; though the bolt had hit the front, it had shattered the bones and the entire area of his shoulder was still extremely tender...not to mention, the entire movement of his body and the sudden arching of his back forces the muscles in his shoulders to move in an unnatural and rapid way, agitating both the bruise and the still-sore bones, forcing a sharp groan from his lips. <br><br>But he could have dealt with all of that; he'd gotten through worse waves of pain in some of his more intense sessions with Theraeve Sedai, and as a Warder he was trained to withstand levels of pain that would cripple a normal man, to grit his teeth and power through no matter the cost...no, he could have dealt with being thrust against the wall, even if it did make his brain spin for a moment as he attempted to get his bearings after such a sudden wave of pain. Already the ache had dulled to a throb after that sudden, rapid stab of sensation....it was what followed immediately after that <em>really</em> sealed that moment as one of the worst of his adult life. He knew what was about to happen, of course - he had had that kind of shove from Theraeve Sedai before - but it didn't really register in his brain until a split second after it happened...she pushed herself up against him roughly, her entire body crushing up against him in a barrage of uncaring brutality...ordinarily he would have loved the sensation, he would have revelled in feeling her beautiful, soft, fit, ageless body forcibly moulding itself to his own somewhat more rigid and hard form. Even if he was planning on pushing her away, he would have felt aroused and excited and intoxicated by her proximity, he would have felt a sudden need to do exactly what she wanted, how she wanted it, regardless of the consequences. He would have felt that familiar, overwhelming torrent of lust for her and her dominant ways, would have felt exuberant at the thought of being used and abused for her pleasure...he would have breathed her in, allowed his hands to sink into her waist as she did whatever the <em>hell</em> she wanted with him and he would have begged for more, if only it meant that he got to feel her close for longer. She was his first, after all, and was his oldest friend and - if he was honest - his oldest flame. Nothing as naive and idealistic as love, of course, but definitely affection. He would have felt all of that and more...but at the moment she shoved herself up against him, he felt nothing but <em>pain.</em><br><br>It wasn't her beautiful body that was the problem....it was her aggressive, sharply thrust-forward elbows, the ones that stabbed directly into his shoulders in order to keep him pinned that forced him reeling. If people bumping into him earlier had made him wince, if the shove into the wall had elicited a groan, <em>this</em> was even worse. As soon as her elbow stabbed into his left shoulder, the network of overlayed, interconnected bruises that covered most of his shoulder beneath his bandaging&nbsp; exploded into life, the ever-present ache and throb replaced by a searing agony that flooded his entire body. The pain started at his shoulder, obviously, the entire bruised area suddenly feeling like it was on fire, as if it was about to burn through his skin and melt his bones, as if there was a torch being pressed directly against his skin, branding him, burning him, disfiguring him and then pressing forwards regardless, through his muscles and bone and out the other side of his back, thin tendrils of agony spiking up his neck and down his chest from the edges of the sore spots. The pain quickly spread, however, swiftly covering the entire upper half of his torso as the pain spilled out from the already overloaded nerve endings into the ones neighbouring them, then the ones next to those, then the next, his entire upper body now becoming a network of mind-shattering pain. His vision went black and it took his pain-racked brain a moment to realise that his eyes had screwed themselves shut as his body arched away from the wall as his back stiffened in response to the searing agony being directed up the spine...but that only put his shoulder closer to the elbow. He felt something against his lips but couldn't in his current state recognise what they were as a sharp, agonised cry of pain split the air between them.<br><br>Something wriggled into his mouth, something that he felt he should recognise, but the stabbing needles and fiery brands on his shoulder and in his head were too omnipresent to truly get any coherent thought out of them. His hands - pinned largely in place by Theraeve Sedai's aggressive lust - seized the first thing the could find - what felt like slim, toned handholds which were, in actual fact, Theraeve Sedai's lower sides, just above her waist - and <em>pushed</em> as hard as they were able, attempting to get the source of agony away from him as soon as possible. The effort of moving his left arm so forcefully sent spots dancing in Galvrens vision, his sight exploding from pitch black into a blinding white collection of dots and circles which quickly went fuzzy as his eyes lost focus, then returned, then lost it again, but the pressure on his front retreated. He attempted to take a step away from the wall, as if to remove all contact with his arm, but found his legs suddenly extremely weak. His knees buckled and he fell to one knee, reaching out with his right hand to steady himself. He felt bile rising in his throat, but fought it down, biting down on his lip <em>hard</em> to stop from crying out again. As it was, he had risked their discovery...he needed to minimise the risk of being heard above the general hubbub of the crowd. As it was, he couldn't hear any feet approaching to investigate...that, at least, was a good thing; at least no civilians would find them in such a compromising permission. He grunted a little. So....<em>that</em> was why Carella Sedai and Shayella Sedai had suggested he avoid unnecessary contact with his shoulder. Perhaps he needed to secure a sling or a cast to at least make it obvious that his shoulder was injured from now on. He felt his sword - the one he was required to carry at all times - weighing down on his side, but he ignored it. After getting his balance back a little, he lifted his right hand up to his left wrist, supporting it in place where it automatically curled into his chest protectively as he slumped to one knee. <br><br>He swallowed a few times, attempting to rinse his mouth of the taste of needing to vomit, and took several deep, steadying breaths through his nose. Yes, he and Theraeve Sedai were constantly utilising pain in their sex life, they both enjoyed it, they both kind of got off on rough play, but <em>that?</em> That was something else. There was <em>nothing</em> pleasant about <em>that</em> pain. He blinked a few times in an attempt to rid his vision of the swaying, swimming, fuzzy dots that it had collected, with only partial success; at least he could see shapes other than circles, now. With the pressure of Theraeve Sedai's elbows gone and the presence of the wall removed, the stabbing agony that had lanced through his body was now just a dull, tiring, sore ache. He groaned a little, then shook his head. Still painful....still agonising...but bearable. His entire body felt stiff and throbbing and achey and sore, and not in the good way...but he could manage. At least now the pain wasn't such that he couldn't even <em>think;</em> it was temporary, momentary pain from the pressure of having his bruise so directly struck....one that he was in no hurry to repeat, of course, but it was already fading back into its usual dull throb. He would probably need to return to the infirmary as soon as possible to get it double checked again, and it would likely feel stiff and sore with occasional stabs of pain when he moved for the rest of the day....but at least it was bearable now. He could <em>handle</em> this pain. <br><br>He opened his eyes, and lifted his head up to look at Theraeve Sedai, standing only a few paces away from him. He was breathing heavily, and now that he could think clearly again, he recognised the damp presence of a layer of sweat on his forehead. He grit his teeth, then attempted to get to his feet. He stumbled a little, then fell back onto one knee. Ok...so...knees were still weak. Baby steps were in order, apparently.<br>"Theraeve....Sedai..." he said, between panting for breath, "Please....tell me what's going...on..." Despite everything he said...this was not like her. She was only this aggressive and reckless when something was <em>seriously</em> wrong. He might not know what...but he had known her long enough to be able to discern her moods. And right at that moment, he didn't feel inclined to humour her avoiding the question. He might not have shown it often, but he <em>did</em> have a spine. He was easy going, <em>not</em> a push over. "And with all due respect...don't....say 'nothing,' because we both know that's Trolloc Shit." He was still respectful enough to use her honorific, but....well, he was too caught up in the aftershock to really speak with the usual deferential attitude he usually did. He also tried to make a point of never cursing, but...well. When the situation fits. He knew Aes Sedai couldn't "lie" with their oaths, but they could definitely find ways around it, particularly if they answered a different question with an answer designed to sound like it was answering an entirely separate one. He looked at her again, restraining himself from wincing a little. "You know...that I won't...breathe a word of what you say....to <em>anybody.</em>" He lifted his right hand up to his shoulder, as if to protect it, his breathing slowly returning to something akin to a normal pace. "So <em>please,</em> trust me; What's going on?" He grimaced, then allowed his face to soften a little. In a smaller, less confrontational voice, he added, "I'm...I'm worried about you, Theraeve. Please, just talk to me." His tone was much, much more tender than it had been even when he had greeted her in the street; out there, he had had to retain the illusion of professionalism. Here? They were in relative privacy, and honestly, he was too worried about her to actually consider due caution right then. It was not the voice of a Warder addressing an Aes Sedai, a Bodyguard addressing a Superior. It was the voice of a concerned old friend, with just a touch of intimate affection. He knew Theraeve wasn't always comfortable with that tone, but he didn't care; they both knew that she was <em>not</em> ok, and he wasn't about to pretend that he didn't care. And we wasn't about to accept "I'm ok" or "nothing is going on" as an answer, either. Sometimes she genuinely needed a distraction rut...and others she needed to verbally vent. Now was one of the latter, and they both knew it. The only question was...would Theraeve Sedai <em>accept</em> it?
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The White Tower ~ Tar Valon Southern District</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Lithium</strong> on <strong>07-10-2015, 19:04:46</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/c/c1/RedAjah.jpg)</div><strong>Character name:</strong> Theraeve Valaim (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=234819.msg11557599#msg11557599)<br><strong>Position:</strong> Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah<br><strong>Bondmate:</strong> n/a<br><strong>Tag:</strong> Galvren<br><strong>Time:</strong> Afternoon, Saven 6th, 990NE<br><strong>Place:</strong> Alley on the side of the Laughing Peacock Tavern<br><strong>Warning:</strong> n/a<br><hr><br>Too concerned with what she wanted, what she convinced herself that she needed, Theraeve ignored Galvren's pain and discomfort at first, bullheadedly pressing onward with her not so tender affections. It might take some persuading, but she knew that he always gave her what she wanted, never refusing her. That was something that Theraeve took for granted as she continued to fight him, attempting to hold him in place while she worked on getting Galvren's body into the mood, knowing that his mind would follow shortly thereafter. <br><br>Although they'd had sex in at least a couple of locations where there was some small chance of being discovered before, doing it there in that alley would have meant taking it many levels further, since there would have been practically no chance of <em>not</em> being noticed. Theraeve couldn't bring herself to care. She was already on a downward decline, the humiliation from her actions at the training grounds still hovering over her like dark storm cloud, adding to her previous issues and making her feel permanently marked. Part of her figured that it would be easier to self-destruct entirely than to try putting the broken pieces back together.<br><br>Theraeve didn't stop throwing herself insistently at Galvren until he forcefully shoved her away, causing acute pangs of pain to flare up suddenly in her sides and lower abdomen as she stumbled back, gritting her teeth hard and almost snarling through them. The rejection from this man whom she thought of as a friend cut deeper than she could have ever anticipated, only compounding the notion that there was something deeply wrong with her even further. Theraeve's knee-jerk reaction to that inner-anguish was shame and anger, which she of course directed towards the only target in sight. <br><br>"What in the <em>Light</em> is your problem!?" she hissed out harshly, nostrils flaring a bit as she breathed more heavily now after their little scuffle. It was only, as Galvren rested on one knee that she finally realized that he was in pain, actual physical pain. "Fuck!" Taking another couple of steps back so that her back was pressed against the wall of the alley opposite from him, Theraeve leaned against it and brought both hands to her face, slowly sliding them up so that her fingers combed through her blond hair as guilt rose up and above her other emotions.<br><br>She should have understood sooner, but she understood now that Galvren wasn't rejecting her, he was just genuinely concerned, meanwhile she was behaving like an ungrateful chit. Talking may not have been what she wanted, but she couldn't fault him for caring all the same, nor could she deny that she owed him some form of an explanation, especially now. That would definitely require a few stiff drinks, however. <br><br>"A great many things are going on," Theraeve replied to her friend's question as broadly and evasively as possible, though her expression softened somewhat, and she stepped forward, offering a hand to help him back up. Without another word, she would guide him out of the alley and into the tavern - more gently this time - where they could find a small table in the emptiest corner of the establishment and speak in relative privacy.<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The White Tower ~ Tar Valon Southern District</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Vergil Tanner</strong> on <strong>08-10-2015, 00:37:44</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/f/fd/Valdar.jpg)</div><strong>Character name:</strong> Galvren Valynar (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=234819.msg11585469#msg11585469)<br><strong>Position:</strong> Valdar (Newly Risen)<br><strong>Bondmate:</strong> Open<br><strong>Tag:</strong> Theraeve Sedai<br><strong>Time:</strong> Afternoon, Saven 6th, 990NE<br><strong>Place:</strong> Southern District, near The Harbour.<br><strong>Warning:</strong><br><hr><br>Anybody else might have flinched away or recoiled from Theraeve Sedai's harsh reprimand, especially in that very specific tone of voice that every Aes Sedai seemed very good at producing; that is, one of both scorn and surprise, as if utterly shocked at your incompetence and childishness. An Aes Sedai's social power relied in large part on not only being the smartest and most capable person in the room, but also ensuring that everybody else knew it, too. If somebody is under the impression that you know more than them and can do more than them and are just generally more worldly and capable...well, they tend to treat you with a little more deference and respect, and with an Aes Sedai, respect and deference was everything. But Theraeve Sedai...well, she had an extra edge of anger that was almost certainly threatening and almost apocalyptic in its tone, as if promising imminent violence on the worthless, light-burned <em>cur</em> who had dared to defy or inconvenience her. And indeed, once upon a time, Galvren may well have shied away from such a voice as fearsome as it was, apologising profusely for his impertinence or any offence that he had caused, but now? Well, now that he knew her better, he knew the difference in her tones, and that was not the voice of somebody who was going to hurt him. She was more <em>hurt</em> than angry, he could tell, and hurt he could soothe...as soon as he explained that it wasn't anything to do with her, that she had just hit a part of him that was extremely tender and bruised, she would understand and she would hopefully cool down. An angry Theraeve Sedai was much more difficult to deal with than an upset one, at least in his experience. Hurt could be soothed and bandaged and treated, but anger? Anger had to be <em>endured,</em> with the hope that you didn't get swept away. She would calm down from anger, too, eventually...but when Theraeve Sedai got angry, truly angry, you had to let things take their course before you tried to calm her. At least, in Galvren's experience; it was entirely possible that there was a way to calm her down if she got truly furious, and he just hadn't discovered it.<br><br>Either way, it seemed that Galvren didn't need to prepare for either of those moods; even as he steadied himself and gradually managed to stop the world from spinning around his centre of vision, he heard a muffled curse from Theraeve Sedai shortly after her outburst....and then nothing. Was she simply cursing his incompetence or ineptitude and awaiting his apology? Or did he - the sickening thought suddenly occurred to him - actually hurt her in more ways than one with his aggressive shove? Ordinarily, you couldn't move Theraeve Sedai anywhere she didn't want to go, and as he understood it, that sparring match had become extremely brutal in the damage done to both combatants, so...maybe he, too, had managed to catch hold of a bruise or a cut or even - his stomach sank at the thought - a broken bone as he shoved her? That would explain the sharp, hissed reprimand and the curse, of course...his stomach plummets even further, a cold feeling spreading in his chest. Did he end up hurting Theraeve Sedai? That would be very, very bad...Light Burn Warder/Aes Sedai etiquette, she was his friend, and if he had hurt her....but no. No, if he had hurt her, he would know about it for certain. For one, he wouldn't still be slumped on the floor clutching his shoulder, he would be sprawled on the floor. So then...what was going on? He opened his mouth as if to speak, as if to answer her enraged query, but she beat him to the punch, speaking again in response to his questions as if nothing had happened...and he did mean that. Whereas before her tone was hurt, annoyed and indignant, now her tone had softened significantly. Though it was a non-answer, the softer, warmer, more friendly and "normal" tone - though not quite there, it was notably more accommodating than her tone up until that point had been - was comforting at the very least. At least, he thought, he hadn't harmed or offended her overly much....he breathed a sigh of relief. At least it seemed like he was getting somewhere.<br><br>He braced himself to attempt to stand - after a brief bout of dizziness that stalled him for a few moments - then glanced up....to find Theraeve Sedai bending down a little and offering her hand. He grimaced a little at a fresh wave of discomfort and throbbing pain from his shoulder then, without hesitation, reached up with his good arm and clasped her wrist, pulling slowly to help him get back to a vertical base. You didn't reject help when it was offered, after all, and if he was reading Theraeve Sedai right...then it was an olive branch. A "peace offering," as it were, as if she was agreeing to talk rather than trying to force him into an ill-advised public tryst. And whilst he had rejected her advances (for obvious reasons), he was not about to reject her help in getting up and getting stable. They were, after all, friends, and friends didn't disrespect friends without good reason. He swayed a little as a fresh bout of dizziness hit him, but it was only momentary and he managed to retain his balance, quickly getting used to being back on two feet. He blinked a little in order to clear his head. "My gratitude, Theraeve Sedai," he said quietly, following her gentle tug back out towards the main street. As they exited the alleyway and turned in towards the tavern - they didn't rejoin the main footfall traffic,&nbsp; Theraeve Sedai instead pulling him in through the doorway of the inn/tavern that she almost rutted him behind - he glanced at her cautiously. "Are you....ok, Theraeve Sedai?" he murmured, only loud enough for her to hear; you never knew who was listening, even in Tar Valon, and somebody overhearing the wrong thing....well, it could cause more than a few issues later down the line. He may not have been the best at politics, but he was good enough to know to be careful what you said in a public place. <br><br>They stopped and slipped into a small two-person alcove at the edge of the floor, set into the wall. He eased himself in gingerly, making certain not to move his bad shoulder any more than was necessary, the arm still held along his chest protectively. Once he was settled, he looked across at Theraeve Sedai, his expression now more than a little sheepish. "I...apologise if I hurt you in any way, Theraeve Sedai," he said, more than a little contritely, his speech reverting as if by reflex to its formal, respectful pattern that he always used when apologising or showing deference to somebody. he didn't often use it with Theraeve Sedai when in private, but...well, this time it felt appropriate. "You just....caught me by surprise, and caught a sensitive area." He pressed his tongue to the inside of his teeth worriedly. "So....you said that there is a lot going on...may I ask if you need to talk about it? You seem more...perturbed...than usual." He had to choose his words carefully, but there was not really a delicate way to put it. She seemed more shaken up, more aggressive, more prone to outbursts of anger than she was the last time he saw her, and it was worrying him. He looked at her, concern etched into his expression. Yes, they were technically not supposed to be friends, but....well, how could he not care about somebody he'd known for almost a decade? It didn't matter how long the timespan between their meetings grew, he would always care about Theraeve Sedai, and that would never change. And right then? It was no exception. Something was eating at Theraeve Sedai, and Galvren fully intended to find out what it was and offer whatever help he possibly could...no matter what.
			</dd>
		</dl>
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