After the Breaking of the World (Cecily & Mainsnoires)
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		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Solos =&gt; Topic started by: mainsnoires on 06-05-2010, 17:41:49</h2>
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				Title: <strong>After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>06-05-2010, 17:41:49</strong>
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				&lt;This story takes place a couple of years before the Dragon reborn/Rand Al'Thor coming) <br><br>Four shapes were standing in circle in the large room. Burning torches were providing a dim light, not sufficient enough to see their faces. There were grey columns supporting the ceiling, so high above them that it was out of sight and in the darkness. The flames of the torches were crackling, dancing, echoing in the room before one feminine voice was finally heard.<br><br>"So, where is he ?"<br><br>"It is unsure yet, but we know he has not declared himself as the Dragon...Unlike others who have awaken to the Saidin and grew within this power for the same time, he is not tainted with darkness yet..." a male voice replied. <br><br>The same voice added:<br>"I don't see why you have such great interest in him. What makes you believe he'll accelerate the destruction of the seals ? Did you have a vision or a dream ? Or has he awaken another kind of desire within you ?"<br><br>"He is right" a third voice said. Another male. "Will he be strong, powerful enough ? Don't you think that we're taking an unnecessary risk in coming out of our hiding for him ?"<br><br>"Oh, he is strong enough." the woman replied "..in guiding him, we are serving the Great Lord and helping his rebirth. I saw it. Our Lord spoke it to me."<br><br>"Then why didn't he start to gather an army around him ? Why didn't he declared war on the White Tower or tried to take over Andor ? I believe he is not of such importance. I think we.."<br><br>The Forsaken was interrupted by the woman who first talked.<br><br>"He is the first one to be that strong in the Saidin since we awoke. You all can feel, sense him growing. We cannot ignore this fact and not try to use him. He has not declared himself but the White Tower know of him. What he has done already attract the attention of the Aes Sedai on him. They will try to cut him off from touching the Source..the "Gentling" like they say.."<br><br>"How do you know this for sure Kamarile ?"<br><br>The woman crossed her arms under her breasts, making them bounce slightly. She took one step forward in a sensual slow move. She put the tip of her toes to the floor only, allowing her dress to fall between her legs thus uncovering her right thigh and the rest of her leg. She had blonde hair that she styled in elaborate, bejeweled ringlets, and a voluptuous body that she preferred to clothe in revealing gowns. She smiled answering to the rest of the Forsaken assembled around her.<br><br>"I am aware of every decision made within the White Tower.."<br><div align="center">------</div><br>Run, run, run.<br><br>It is what the villagers told him. An advice for what he had done after he helped them. At first, he thought he could avoid channeling to get rid of the "beasts" that had been attacking this isolated village. But when he found himself not in front of an animal but of a Trolloc, he had no choice than to use the Saidin. Of course, villagers who had accompanied him during the "hunt" had escaped, running away in front of the deployment of the power. They had warned the rest of the village and were ready to get rid of him when one voice spoke louder than the others. The leader of the village took a decision.<br><br>He would not be allowed to stay, but since he had helped them, he would not be attacked or tracked down. For a moment...for as long as the leader's authority on the rest of the village would hold. He told him to leave and be as far as he could before rumors escaped his control.<br><br>And now, a storm was coming. Grey clouds had been building up in the evening sky, and within them he could see lightnings accompanied by the sound of rolling thunder a few seconds later. The storm was still in the distance, but he considered it as a bad sign for the time coming.<br><br>Brand Ma'el Thorim had been traveling on his horse across the land of Andor, his brown cape floating in his back. He was tall, 6' 5 and to support him the horse he has chosen needed to be strong and resistant.<br><br>Brown hair falling in his neck was hidden underneath the hood of his cape, and green eyes were looking in front of him at the forest not so far away and where he hoped to find shelter. He was well built, wearing a brown leather armor and green colored clothes underneath. Brown boots and gloves gave him the allure of an experimented warrior. His forearms tensed, the muscles showing as he guided his horse and asked him to go faster. In his back, a long two-handed sword was visible, the handle ending above his head.<br><br>Run, run, run. <br><br>His instincts were screaming in his mind, he felt a sudden urge to be far away from this forest. That was how the one power was manifesting at times. In fact, Brand was a channeler, he knew well that some couldn't stand his presence, some feared him, some hated him. Yet most of his power he managed to control. he could resonate with the Saidin and call onto it. Despite the dark,muddy barrier he had learned to go through, he was able to reach a state where pain no longer existed, where he was stronger and faster. Where all seemed more clear, more real. Where is senses were increased and where he felt more complete than ever. He didn't understand how wrong that could and why it made so many people run after him, be terrified at what he could do. He knew about the Age of Legends and the successive wars caused by male channelers. Legends they were called. He was not like them.<br><br>He forced his horse to go faster, the forest seemed so far away at that moment.<br><br><div align="center">&lt;Meanwhile in the Forest&gt;</div><br>"This is a waste of time, we are more likely to find the Amyrlin Seat walking about than this rumoured man." A woman, plump and scowling said, a tinge of frustration in her voice.<br><br>"Do not be so impatient, Jisei, we will find him yet." Another woman said, thin and rather wise looking. If it were not for the strange agelessness of her skin that the Aes Sedai received, she would have been well past her middle years.<br><br>The four women continued to ride through the Andoran countryside, each propped up on well-bred horses with concealed, fat purses. The four Red Ajah were on an assignment to scour the Andoran countryside for a rumoured man who could channel, who was on the loose. Apparently he had not declared himself the Dragon Reborn yet and had not raised an army, but their mission to capture and gentle him was no less serious. If such a man did exist. Gossiping villagers had a tendency to throw around outrageous accusations...<br><br>But Sirena did not believe it was a mere rumour. There was an instinct within her that told her that something was amiss -- she believed the rumours, but surely if there was a man that could channel, there would be more tales of widespread destruction and insanity like there usually was. There were few tales of that that were convincing, however. Something was not right.<br><br>The young woman sighed and shook her head. If this man had not stirred up more rumours, credible ones, it seemed unlikely they could find him. Nonetheless, Sirena and her three Red sisters had managed to track down the town that seemed to be at the heart of the initial rumours, and work their way from there.<br><br>Twilight was approaching, and Sirena knew they'd have to set up camp soon, but Genin, the eldest of the group, was the leader and would be the one to decide that. It seemed like Genin had been Aes Sedai forever, yet the woman still kept the same fervent Red conviction to hunting down men that could channel. Sirena admired her greatly.<br><br>Sirena was a young woman that had been raised to a full sister only a year and a half ago. She had managed to do so at such a young age by showing such promise when brought to the tower when she was but a girl. Born with the spark in her, Sirena had a thirst to learn. A thirst quenched only by vengeance. As a girl, her town in rural Altara had been ravaged by a False Dragon. So many were killed in her humble village...the Aes Sedai came and gentled the man when it was too late. They saw the spark of the One Power within her and brought her back to Tar Valon for training. Her family was all dead, so there was no need to stay behind.<br><br>So now her life was dedicated to her Ajah and hunting down those wretched men that could channel. Monsters, all of them. That is what brought her here -- most women would not like journeying out in the country on a rumour, but Sirena did not care. If she was able to take down the man herself, it would only bring her more pride and respect.<br><br>Snapping out of her reverie, Sirena heard the women agreeing on a small clearing in the forest. No inn for tonight, although she knew only Jisei would complain about that. Even if this was merely a rumour, they had to keep a low profile. They were dressed in country garb, plain yet well-crafted wools. Sirena did miss her sleek silk dresses back at the Tower, and her strip designating her Ajah, but she would make do.<br><br>They made camp, and eventually had a small fire with some tea. The Reds were serious and deadly, but they were friendly with each other. Sirena was very focused on her mission, but managed to relax by the fire. Eventually the three other Reds fell asleep, with Sirena on first watch. Caution was always imperative.<br><br>She sat there contemplating where this channeling man could be, and then a pair of Trollocs leapt out of the wood.
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				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>07-05-2010, 16:22:20</strong>
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				Ta'veren. <br>The Ta'veren is someone around whom the Wheel of Time weaves all surrounding life-threads. Without knowing it a Ta'veren can cause the change of someone's destiny, only by being physically close to that person. <br>There was no way for Brand to realize that his existence had been a reason sufficient for the gathering of a group of Aes Sedai in the very forest he was about to enter. For the same reasons, he couldn't know that he had been the center of discussion of four servants of the Dark One, even if they were far away from Andor. <br>His instincts had been screaming to run away, to go into this forest...and now, at the very moment his horse went past the first line of trees, the thunder and lightnings in the evening sky had grown stronger, annunciating that events had been set into motions. At the first branch of tree hitting his frame, enemies had found the group of Aes Sedai. Had he not come into this forest, maybe his nature of Ta'veren would not have influenced the fate of the women of the Red Ajah.<br><br>The deeper he entered the forest, the more branches were slapping the feet of his horse and his legs, eventually his arms and chest. The forest was quite dense and Brand decided to calm his horse until a walking pace. Only then Brand started to feel how things were not right. His mount was very nervous and neighing. Was it because of the storm ? At least, beneath these trees, they would be protected from the rain, there was no real reasons for the horse to go crazy like this.<br>&nbsp;<br>While approaching the forest, and before entering inside, he had not seen the smoke produced by the fire the Aes Sedai had lit, it was too faint to be perceived or smelled. But now, he was approaching their camp, and the smell of burn increased. Finally, it reached Brand's nose and he halted his horse. In the distance he now could hear screams, the sound of metal against metal and even loud inhuman growls. It was deeper inside the forest that these sounds were coming from, but Brand had no doubt about what was happening.<br>It was a battle...and judging from the inhuman sound he had perceived, it involved creatures of the Dark One. He had come across a Trolloc hours ago, but there, it seemed to involve more than only one of these beasts.<br><br>He hesitate during long seconds before taking any decisions. When another scream echoed throughout the forest he pushed his horse at full gallop. In order to use his two handed sword with only one hand, and so stay on his horse, he needed to channel and weave threads of spirit, earth and water together. He will do it in a way not as academic as an Aes Sedai would, but seize the Saidin brutally. Go through the mud, the dark and the stench surrounding the source of male power using his willpower. Doing so, it will immediately alert the women of the Red Ajah, but Brand had no idea it was Aes Sedai he was going to try to assist.
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				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>07-05-2010, 21:37:24</strong>
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				The Trollocs did not hesitate at all when she wove a ball of fire that struck the first interloper in the face. It fell to the ground, howling and grabbing at its flaming skull.<br><br>"Trollocs!" Sirena screamed. <br><br>The three other women scrambled out of their blankets, with even stone-faced Genin looking slightly frightened. Nonetheless, Sirena could see the glow of Saidar around all of them, and coils of fire and other strange substances of the One Power came streaming from them.<br><br>They just keep leaping from the forest, jumping over their fallen comrades without even a glance. They had murder in their eyes, and lust for it. <br><br>The first to fall was Jisei, taken down by one of the dozen Trollocs in the clearing. She screamed in anguish as its scythe-like sword slashed through her chest.<br><br>"Retreat, Sirena and Nalun!" Genin bellowed as a huge wall of wind came up between the three remaining Aes Sedai and the Trollocs, like a hurricane, knocking the monsters over and pushing them backwards.<br><br>Sirena tripped over a stone, but kept fleeing. She turned back to see Nalun running behind her, tears in the woman's eyes, and Genin wavering. The barrier was about to break, and the woman stood there, unmoving.<br><br>She wanted to scream, to tell Genin to run, but she could not get anything out of her mouth. It felt so dry, and she was so afraid. <br><br>Sounds behind her told her that Genin's barrier of wind had been broken, and she was dead. The Trollocs kept running, after the two remaining women.<br><br>Sirena kept running and running, her boots ripped and her feet bleeding, but she did not stop. She heard another scream, from Nalun, and it only spurred her on even further. Tears were in her eyes now, too. She did not even know she could move so fast, but she did.<br><br>And then she heard the sounds of a horse. And felt something...strange, and unfamiliar. <br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>10-05-2010, 16:08:47</strong>
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				The effort to reach for the Saidin always surprised him. It first felt as if he was drowning in a pool of sticky mud, invading his mouth, preventing him from breathing. It was a sense of repulsion that he needed to fight, while his soul was screaming, while his mind was begging him to stop trying to break this barrier between him and the male side of the True Source. Like someone holding his breath for too long, his lungs were burning and his eyes fluttering. And then, all of a sudden, it was over. The saidin, warm and strong, was flooding within him. He gasped, all his senses sharpened. He could hear the sound of footsteps in the forest, of heavy boots crushing the grass and dead branches. He could hear the sound of Trolloc's hooves, and of his horse. His mind raced forward, ahead of the rest of his body, until he heard lighter steps running before the horde of creatures he believed to be followers of the Dark One. He too had heard screams and dead bodies hitting the ground, he had smelled the scent of burning flesh..chaos had invaded this forest.<br><br>There were so many creatures present! The fact he had not seen any signs of heavy troops before entering the forest struck Brand. They have been hiding cautiously or he would have seen a camp from the distance. <em>Ambush</em>, he thought. This had been an ambush.<br>His eyes were the last to attune to the power he had summoned. Now he could clearly see the shapes of Trollocs on his left side. The beast's shapes were blurry, disappearing then reappearing amongst the trees. They were running fast and Brand needed to ask his horse to increase his speed in order to move ahead of them. <br>Earth, water and spirit were manipulated and their threads weaved around Brand and his horse. <br>He had planned on channeling only to give him enough strength to unsheathe his two-handed blade in one hand, but the spell had been extended unconsciously when he thought of "asking" his horse to go faster, giving the animal more strength as well.<br><br>Brand let go the bridle of his horse for a few seconds, his left hand grabbed the point of his sheath in his back and moved it up, the sheath went almost to an horizontal position, while his right hand wrapped around the handle of his sword. It allowed him to unsheathe his blade in a flash. Then, still galloping, he guided roughly his horse on his left, one hand on the bridle, the other wielding his sword. The point of the blade was touching the ground, drawing a thin line in the earth. Zigzagging to avoid the trees, Brand shook his head, making the hood of his dark cape fall in his back: he may need a peripheral view from now on. <br><br>He appeared in Sirena's back, behind the Trolloc the closest to her. Behind Brand, more Trollocs were closing in, and some growled loudly as they had him in sight. The warrior's sword rose high in the air, above the Trolloc's head, before moving down, slicing through the beast's helmet, skull, continuing its course in his back, almost cutting him in half. The pain in Brand's arms, due to the shock of steel against bones, would come later. As long as he was in communion with the Saidin, he was able to ignore the physical pain, cutting it off of his mind. With the Trolloc falling dead on the ground, there was no one between him and Sirena.<br>He kept approaching from her and yelled:<br><br>"Your hand!" <br><br>He leaned forward and released the bridle once more, his left hand down, palm offered.
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				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>10-05-2010, 22:20:00</strong>
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				A woman could not sense the Saidin being used like she could Saidar, but there was a prickling feeling in the back of Sirena's mind as she ran as fast as she could, quite thankful that she had worn the divided skirts after all. The Red had naturally clung on to Saidar as she fled, ready to unleash it if any Trolloc got too close or in sight. However, she was so utterly terrified that she was not sure if she could focus hard enough to actually employ the Power correctly if they got too close.<br><br>The sound of a horse amplified, as if it had gotten closer. <em>It could not be a Myrddraal, they are supposed to be entirely silent.</em> She could hardly think on that further when a man with a giant sword came bounding up behind her, slicing a Trolloc nearly in half! Sirena could not even try to regain the Aes Sedai calmness that she was supposed to possess; she was teary-eyed and looked completely terrified. <br><br>Sirena did not need to be told twice. She ran towards him, both of her dainty but deceptively strong hands grabbing onto his. Even if this man could slice a Trolloc in half and did not look too scared may not save her from this ambush. Trollocs were cowardly creatures, but surely a man and a woman would not scare the remaining dozen or so away. <em>And there may be a Myrddraal lying in wait somewhere...</em><br><br>Sirena gulped and the tears continued to drip from her eyes. She felt like she had a chance now, with this odd stranger that held a dangerous air about him, but they were not safe yet. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>11-05-2010, 19:42:51</strong>
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				He observed Sirena approaching and to help her saddle on Brand blocked his upper body while riding and pushed on his legs, his heels in direction of the ground, in order to make his horse slow down. Behind them, the screams and yells of the Trollocs had increased enough to echo throughout the forest, making animals flee, birds take off and even branches of trees tremble. It was as if the Dark One was screaming through the mouths of every of these creatures, as if His breath was in their neck.<br>Brand was a warrior who had some experience with the scenes of war, and so he knew that keeping his calm during desperate situations was a key for survival. But this night, he could bless the Light for being under the influence of the Saidin and bathing in the serenity that was provided through the link with the male side of the True Source. Or he would be panicking. And so would his horse...his mount would be uncontrollable if he had not channeled weaves of power around him. <br>It was both a luck, but also a curse as it seemed that nothing could reach his mind.<br><br>"Take my hand, squeeze it tight and don't lose your grip!"<br><br>He said to Sirena. Both her hands wrapped around his offered palm, and from that single contact, from the tension of her forearms he could feel the state of shock inside the woman. Her face had the marks of her escape through the woods, tears have rolled down her cheeks and were still filling these eyes that Brand was staring at.<br>His green eyes focused on her the entire time needed for her to grab his hand, not caring of the horde of bloodthirsty creatures in their back. When he felt her weight on the other end of the connection they just created he lifted her from the ground without any apparent effort.<br><br>This specific use of the Saidin, to enhance his strength, was the first type of spell he mastered. He was now accustomed to the use of this impressive physical capacity, but others were maybe not so used to see such a thing possible. As strong as a couple of normal men, he manipulated her as if she was weighing nothing.<br>His other hand stayed down, the point of his sword once more touching, digging in the earth. <br>He put Sirena in front of him, and moved slightly back to give her enough space on the horse.<br><br>The horse had come to a walking pace and Brand's face moved up only once he made sure the young woman won't fall from her sitting position. His breath was in her neck and she could feel him straightening suddenly in her back, before he whispered:<br>"By the Light..."<br><br>On his horse, ahead of them and visibly waiting for his prey, a Myrddraal, was waiting. Swordmaster, wearing a dark cape and dark armor with overlapping scales, without eyes but able to see the life nonetheless, he was holding in one hand a sword which was equivalent to Power-wrought blades, infused with the soul of at least one human sacrifice. The fear was emanating from the Shadow's Battle Lord, and despite his concentration, even Brand's heart accelerated upon this sight. It was the very first time he saw a Myrddraal.<br>The Shadowspawn moved his sword in the air, its point aiming at Brand and Sirena on their horse.<br><br>"It seems like he won't let us go freely now.." Brand said to the woman in front of him. "Hold the bridles and send the horse right at him..whatever happens just keep the horse moving forward..."<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>15-05-2010, 05:32:32</strong>
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				Sirena could similarly sense the presence of the Dark One as the creatures chased after them. She knew it not the Dark One himself, but his presence in these creatures was so strong, she could actually <em>feel</em> it in her flesh. The Red was surprised that the horse she was sitting upon was so calm when it was under attack from Trollocs, but the man riding the steed did seem to be quite the skilled rider. Perhaps that was it.<br><br>His incredible strength was something that piqued her anxiety. This man...the faint aura about him, the strength, the calmed beast. It was not something that a regular man could do. He had to have been a man that could channel, possibly <em>the</em> man that her party was hunting. Did he had something to do with this ambush and had set it up to occur like this? It did not make any sense, but she knew if she tried to kill him then, she would die, too. Questions could be asked later. Once they escaped. If he could channel, which she knew he could, they must be able to escape this disaster.<br><br>His breath prickled the back of her neck, and she shivered. Embracing Saidar always enhanced the senses, and knowing she had a man right behind her that could channel was horrifying. Yet not as horrifying as what just emerged in front of the duo.<br><br>One of the many powers of a Myrddraal was the ability to inflict unimaginable fear on anyone that looked upon it. Sirena froze, staring into its eyeless face, totally terrified. She had never seen one of the Halfmen before, and it was so overwhelming. Somehow, she heard what the man behind her said - the man that could <strong>channel</strong>! - and nodded meekly. <br><br>Sirena took the bridles and clutched them tightly, sending the horse bounding for the Myrddraal. Her knuckles were white as she tried to concentrate, to keep the horse steady. All of her faith was put in the man behind her, a stranger. She still hung onto Saidar, in case she had to use it against either the man or the Myrddraal, but most particularly the Halfman. She was young, but with so much promise, and had not learned very much of how to fight offensive, at least not under this sort of pressure...<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>17-05-2010, 23:39:49</strong>
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				The warrior stood straight in Sirena's back. His chest was barely touching her back, except when Bram was breathing. Only then, his chest was waving an moving enough to brush the Aes Sedai's frame.<br><br>Did she said something ? Did she agree with what he asked ? He didn't hear anything...<br>In the depth of his mind, he felt as if he had "ordered" her to do what he said. But he didn't know Sirena, she had been pursued by the soldiers of the Dark One and Brand had not considered yet why a horde of Trollocs commanded by a Myrdraal wanted to kill her. Simply, he hoped he had not sounded to brutal to her...in fact, the terror now reigning in the forest could very well made Sirena change her mind.<br>She could suddenly prefer to change the course of the horse, made it turn around, run at the Trollocs in their back, rather than facing the Myrdraal who was aiming his sword at them. Indeed the Myrdraal 's aura of fear could subdue your mind and make you do the greastest of the mistakes.<br><br>Not sure of what she was going to do, Brand could only hope for the best and put some faith in Sirena. The Myrdraal's move was their only chance. He had designed him and Sirena as their personal ennemies. He wanted a duel. The Trollocs will obey him and let the warrior and the Aes Sedai for the Dark One battlelord and him only.<br>He sighed of relief, almost smiled, when Sirena made the horse rush at the Myrdraal. From a voice that seem very distant to his own ears, Brand whispered:<br><br>"Good, closer..."<br><br>He moved both hands on the handle of his large sword, and kept it on their side, the blade's point directed to the ground,<br><br>"..closer..."<br><br>He slowly lifted the sword up, and behind. He focused on the Saidin, channeled weaves of earth and air inside the blade he was wielding, making it more solid and dense, replacing every molecule of oxygen by the metal of his sword.<br><br>"..closer.."<br><br>At this point, they were going to move along the Myrdraal's side and Brand and the Dark Lord Shadowspawn moved their sword at the same time.<br><br>Both swords described an arch in the air, a lateral move from behind to the front, aiming for mortal or undead flesh.<br>The two swords collided and produced a flash strong enough to blind anyone looking at the impact of the blades. Behind her, Sirena could feel the force of the blow by the way Brand's body shook on the horse. His arm trembled violently and his upper body waved, moving backwards to the point he could fall from the horse.<br>He was still holding his sword and a shriek of pain echoed suddenly in their back. The horse had kept running and as their vision became clear again, the Aes Sedai could see Brand 's sword broken in two. The Myrdraal was holding in their back a broken sword as well. The piece of Brand's sword that separated from the rest of his weapon was protruding from the Shadowspawn's chest.<br>Brand was about to fall to the ground, apparently unhurt, but unable to keep his balance, he was heavily sweating and the Saidin had sudenly gone away from him.<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>18-05-2010, 00:02:37</strong>
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				Sirena was too focused and terrified to say even a word to the man, but by the determined look of her, she was going to obey as well as she could. She simply wanted to survive and bring back the news of a Trolloc ambush to the Tower. This was no coincidence, even she knew that. If only she could escape and question this man...<br><br>She wanted to close her eyes as the horse got closer to the Myrddraal, but Sirena found herself unable to do so, staring at the wretched eyeless figure. Sirena could hear the man behind her whispering, and while her mind could barely comprehend what he was saying, she felt better knowing that there was someone else with her. Someone with a huge sword...and could channel.<br><br>As she saw the horrifying sight of the Myrddraal dying, kicking and squirming as if it would not accept death, Sirena took action. The man behind her was falling, and she would not let any person, especially not a man that could channel, into the hands of Shadowspawn. She wove weaves of Air that pushed him back up onto the horse, and tied them around herself, thus literally tying the man to herself.. She briefly considering tying the weave to the horse instead, but the steed had just braved a Myrddraal and Trollocs, so she did not want to terrify it further. <br><br>Sirena let out a relieved sigh. They seemed to have escaped the Shadowspawn. For now, anyway. She grumbled as she felt the man behind her, closer than she would be comfortable with, but if she untied the weave he could fall off the horse and break his neck. There were still many questions. "Who are you?" Sirena asked abruptly.
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				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>18-05-2010, 19:22:31</strong>
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				The shriek of pain was accompanied by the fall of the Myrdraal from the dark horse he was riding. The Neverborn had half Brand's sword embedded in his chest, just under the base of his neck. It was protruding in the Myrdraal's back who was now trembling on the ground, as if he had been hit by a lightning. The Dark One Battlelord's death was long to come, and the link the Myrdraal had with the horde of Trollocs who had awaited their Lord to behead these mortals, was slowly fading away.<br>In fact, thanks to a pervert bond between them and Trollocs, the intelligence of the Myrdraals allowed them to organize troops, and make Trollocs obey a strategy. This time, the Myrdraal had planned to ambush the Aes Sedai and make the eventual survivors flee, right into his direction. "Luckily" enough, Sirena had met Brand before falling in the Myrdraal's claws, and it is the both of them who managed to defeat the Shadowspawn.<br><br>The Myrdraal was still holding his broken sword in one hand, and finally his agony came to an end when he stopped spasming on the ground. In the same time, the Trollocs he had under his command disbanded, growling, screaming in the back of Sirena and Brand.<br><br>The warrior had suddenly lost his hold onto the Saidin. Maybe it required too much efforts for him to gather strength for himself, his horse and change the material of his sword, all in the same time...maybe it was the taint of the Dark One that got stronger when his sword, filled with Magic, entered in contact with the sword of the Myrdraal...but the result was the same.<br>Brand was falling from the horse. He was holding his broken sword with both hands, but all his muscles were screaming with pain. He was heavily sweating, panting, and all the sensation that he could ignore when he was in harmony with the Saidin, came all back brutally.<br>His eyes fluttered and almost rolled back in his head under the force of this emotional strike and he felt moved, almost propelled forward. His muscular chest laid against Sirena's back, and his palms opened, leaving his sword fall freely on the ground. It took him several minutes to recover, and he stayed there, barely stand straight, his head above Sirena's head -due to the fact he was taller than her- and he could feel her hair brushing his neck while they were moving away from the forest.<br><br>Above them, the storm has calmed. The dark clouds, thunder and lightnings seemed to disappear in the night.<br>Finally regaining his senses, Brand heard her question, and the tone she used. It was the tone of someone used to get the answers she wanted, of someone used to give orders...not of someone living in a village or traveling the lands.<br>He frowned, realizing that she was not touching him at all, rather he was pressing his chest against her back. He could feel her body waving as she was breathing, and their closeness even allowed him to take in the perfume of her hair, and of her skin. He replied with a hoarse voice:<br><br>"I'm the one who helped you to run away from Trollocs and a Myrdraal, Lady..." whatever had maintained him on the horse could not be his doing. He was quite tired and the Saidin seemed so far away. So it was her...That meant she was able to channel, didn't it ? <br>His green eyes followed the line of her shoulder, and the lines described by her chest. He didn't find any signs of her belonging to the White Tower...in addition, he helped her, and she prevented his fall and a certain death. He sighed.<br>"My name is Brand Ma'el Thorim. Who are you ?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>19-05-2010, 03:11:30</strong>
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				It was disturbing to see the Myrddraal thrash and squirm even after it was clearly dead. She heard stories of Myrddraal 'denying' death when killed, some of them even taking hours to stop writhing, but seeing it in person made it even more scary. She was glad when it was over and the pair of them were riding off into the distance, to safety. Temporary safety.<br><br>Sirena had never been close to men. After having her village ravaged by a False Dragon, the Reds had discovered her in the ruins of the village and taken her off to Tar Valon. Many of her mentors and role models had been Reds, and it seemed only natural to join their Ajah. The fact that she was simply trained to want vengeance against male channellers made it an easy decision, and men were never something she had bothered with after her village was destroyed.<br><br>So feeling the man behind her did cause Sirena some discomfort and awkwardness. She could feel his chest rise and fall right against her back, and the sound of his breath above her. It was strange. She had never sat so closely to a man before. <br><br>"While I appreciate your help, I also prevented you falling to your death," Sirena said icily, although she was glad he hadn't seen her cheeks redden that the man dared to point out that fact. She was still very ashamed that she had not been able to defend herself when the Trollocs attacked. <br><br>"My name is Sirena Sedai. I am intrigued to have met the rumoured male channeller of these lands. I have many questions to ask of you." Her hair had flown free of the tail it had been tied up in, the long, wavy auburn locks flying in the wind. Her hazel eyes were intent on the road ahead of her despite the man behind her. She had no idea where she was going to go. "My comrades are all dead, you needn't worry of them coming after you with their claws out." <br><br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>19-05-2010, 18:49:35</strong>
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				Brand's arms were hanging freely on his sides, the shock of his sword against the Myrdraal's one had made his muscles scream, and hurt. Ligaments or bones were intact, but it was as if his hands and forearms were numb and that the pain had chosen to live there forever.<br>He opened and closed his hands slowly, groaning slightly, until he could feel blood running once again in his body and reach the tip of his fingers.<br>He listened to the cold voice of Sirena, pointing out the fact that she too saved him from a certain death. Indeed, if she had not prevented his fall, the Trollocs would be feasting on his flesh. The warrior gave her a smile, even though she couldn't see him since she was focusing so intently on the road ahead of them. He answered :<br><br>"I know, thank you for doing so..I guess we're equal."<br><br>He moved his hand finally up and allowed his palms to rest on her hips in order to maintain his balance. She finished talking and mentioned her name, and as a reflex, Brand's body became stiff in her back. <br><em>Sedai</em>, he thought, <em>Sirena Sedai...</em><br><br>The sudden tension resonated throughout his body and reached his hands who pressed a little more strongly against Sirena's frame. Aes Sedai..what he knew about these women were only rumors of legendary fights and victories against the Dark One's beasts or servants. It explained very well why Trollocs and a Myrdraal had been after her and tried so fiercely to kill her. The battles that the Aes Sedai had won had never been easy ones, and even them had lost Sisters. More importantly, it was the Aes Sedai who were in charge for pursuing male channeler. Him. <br>What was happening in the White Tower to the men able to manipulate the Saidin was not known..again it was only rumors, the men that the Aes Sedai managed to capture and bring to Tar Valon were irremediably changed, in their very core.<br>He kept his hands on Sirena's hips and listened to the last words she had said, about how she was "intrigued" and how he was out of her Sisters "claws".<br><br>What did he really expect ? She had called on the Saidar to prevent his fall, she could channel, and was not a wilder. Could he believe her ? She said she wanted to ask him questions, but what he had heard about the Aes Sedai was that they did not tolerate a man able to channel to be free and wander the lands.<br>All of a sudden her hair was free and blew around her shoulders. He felt her auburn locks moving against his chest, almost reaching his face and brushing his skin. He bit his lips as he first liked their closeness, but now, with the wave of Air maintaining him against her back, and what he knew Aes Sedai may do to him, he was feeling like he was in danger. He tried to stay calm and see what possibilities were left for him to react. It was beyond his actual capacities to escape the waves of Air she had created to keep him on the horse, or to summon the Saidin again...his hands were only slowly coming back to life. He felt trapped..<br><br>"I am sorry for your loss." he said, talking about the dead Aes Sedai that had just fallen fighting the Trollocs.<br><br>"You mentioned claws, does that mean that the rumors I heard were true, Sirena Sedai?" unvolontarily his tone was turning cold, and his hands left her hips, "It is not questions that you have for me...what do you have in mind ? Are we already going to Tar Valon ?"<br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>21-05-2010, 01:06:45</strong>
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				Equal. The concept seemed strange to Sirena. Her three Red comrades were dead, and she had an inkling that it was connected to this man. Other Aes Sedai have been reportedly killed by minions of the Dark One, but it was quite rare. There had to be more of a reason than simple coincidence. That, she would have to investigate later. <br><br>Sirena flinched and blushed slightly at the man's touch, his hands were very strong, and even if she kept the deadly calm Aes Sedai exterior, she could not lie to herself and claim she wasn't scared. He could channel, and he was very large physically. She could do little if he attacked her while riding. Hopefully he would not do something so foolish. Sirena would continue to intimidate him slightly, but perhaps her Ajah could remain secret, for now.<br><br>Sirena hated the men that could channel as much as her fellow Reds, but she felt that compared to some of her Sisters, she was more lenient. Mainly because she was intrigued by them. Sirena also preferred to follow the law of Tar Valon, to bring the men to the Tower and have the decision done there, while many of the Reds would have simply killed or gentled him immediately.<br><br>"Thank you. I suppose if the Trollocs had not brought such terror in us we could have survived, but..." Sirena sighed. She should not be telling the man this, especially when she was still very ashamed of it. If she had been able to embrace saidar sooner, perhaps her Sisters would not be dead. <br><br>"The rumours? Men that can channel are outlawed, and some Aes Sedai are tasked to hunt them down and bring them to the Tower for justice. Men that are capable slowly begin to go insane from the male half of the True Source, and usually proclaim themselves the Dragon Reborn and cause chaos in their wake."<br><br>"You needn't worry where we are going." Sirena said sharply, on purpose. She saw a decent spot for camp, close to a small village and far enough from the Trollocs. This man's horse had covered a lot of ground in such a short time, but she could feel it tiring. "This should be a sufficient spot for the night."<br><br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>25-05-2010, 19:34:08</strong>
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				Maybe he has been using a tone too aggressive but the way fate has played with himself had put him on edge. Was it excusable ? Not so much, she had seen her sisters dying one after the other, she had ran for her life only to find herself "saved" by someone she considered an outlaw.<br><br>"Outlaw... Insane...while I did nothing..." Brand repeated between gritted teeth. <br>Apparently even if he had not -yet- broken any laws and on the contrary did his best to help whoever he saw in need, and that included Sirena, he was born with something in his blood enough to make of him a threat, an outlaw.<br><br>He swallowed and tried to calm down, still sitting in Sirena's back, his chest laid against her, maintained by the weaves of air she had created. Yet now, he was starting to recover his senses, and the hurt he felt in his flesh was fading away. With a cold voice he replied to the Aes Sedai, still not touching her anymore with his hands, as a sign of a certain mistrust.<br><br>"Kings or Queens, great Knights and warriors have succumbed to ambushes. It is not your fault, if that is what you think, I'd get this off of my mind. I am sure that your sisters would be pleased to know you survive. Grief or mourn the ones you lost is not a sign of weakness..it shows you're human..."<br><br>Was he lecturing an Aes Sedai at this very moment ? He closed his mouth and kept silent until she stopped the horse. He simply nodded when she indicated the aera she had decided to stay for the night.<br>She represented Justice for the bad he may do one day, in time she will betray him won't she ? And he will have to stay that night with her ?<br><br><div align="center">---</div><br>"He has what ?..."<br><br>The golden haired woman was sitting on a throne, at the top of stairs made of dark stones. Torches burning were providing the large room with enough light to allow the Forsaken to see the man with one knee to the ground and keeping his head low. She leaned back in the large throne and crossed deliberately slowly her legs.<br>If the man didn't dare look up, he could very well hear the sound of her dress brushing her skin, the thin fabric of her robe moving along her thighs. He knew she was doing it to tempt him and have him look at her. Even if it was a brief moment, this desire threatened to overwhelm the man.<br>Kamarille, or Graendal, was temptation for men personified. She placed her elbow on the armrest of the throne and put her cheek inside her palm, smiling at the darkfriend, Kamarille waited, sighing in order to make her breasts wave, another signal for the man who still kept his eyes down.<br><br>"He came upon the Trollocs and killed the Myrdraal, one of these sorceresses escaped with him."<br><br>"Oh..really. Well we should kill that Aes Sedai then, shouldn't we ? We don't want him brought to the Tower and cut off of the Source. If he killed a Myrdraal so soon he is more promising than I thought. Sooo...should I do it myself or will you do it ? You remember the herb I gave you, the Forkroot, and how to use it ?"<br><br>"Yes My Lady.."<br><br>"Hmm I like you calling me that way, it gives me shivers..." the Forsaken added with a luscious smile, that the mortal once more could only imagine. Looking at her now, he knew what would await him. A night enjoyable at first, but that may very well kill him in the end.<br>He swallowed with difficulties.<br><br>"Yes My Lady." Oh, that was a mistake he did right there. He close his eyes as he heard the Forsaken standing up and light steps approaching from him.<br><br>"Tomorrow, this Aes Sedai will be a souvenir. Come here now, I have a sudden desire I cannot refrain..."<br><br><div align="center">---</div><br>Brand tried to slid off of the horse if Sirena allows it, and so f she dispelled the weaves of air. There was something that bothered him now he was thinking of it. The Warders. Where were they ? Aes Sedai were supposed to have guardians to help them during fights. Maybe they had all died as well.<br><br>"I'm sorry for the loss of your Warders too Sirena Sedai. I guess this night has been quite hard. I can share something to eat with you, if you feel like eating that is. There's a blanket behind the saddle you can use if you want too. I'm starving."<br><br>The coldness of his voice had not gone away. He was understanding her, and her pain, but ever since he realized he could channel, he tried to avoid the Aes Sedai for the reasons she had said earlier. Being brought to the Tower and being confronted to whatever fate the sorceresses had in store for him, while he was not insane nor a menace, was making him nervous. In addition, Sirena was cold as ice, at least on the surface, he had not seen any signs of compassion or else. He felt sorry for her, but this encounter was something he always tried to avoid. What will he do now ?<br><br>"I will not go to Tar Valon." he finally stated. <br><br>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>25-05-2010, 22:36:08</strong>
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				When one embraced the True Source, either <em>saidin</em> or <em>saidar</em>, all of their senses were heightened. It was no surprise that Sirena could hear Brand's mumblings, even when riding a horse into the wind. She merely frowned and continued to make the unreadable Aes Sedai facial expression that she had taken so much time practicing. It was odd to think that one's minute expressions were so important in Aes Sedai life, but they were. It was difficult for Sirena Sedai to learn, for she had such a temper and many emotions, but she tried to stay mysterious and unreadable. It was easier that way.<br><br>In Amacidia, any women that could channel was breaking the law. Sirena assumed that any man would meet a similar fate - no doubt harsher because men that could channel would eventually go mad and tended to destroy everyone around them. Generally, the White Tower were the enforcers of the unspoken law against men channeling, but many nations did not tolerate it, either. Most did not want Aes Sedai interference and simply hanged the men before the Reds could find him.<br><br>Sirena was young. The strange Aes Sedai agelessness made it difficult to know how old a sister was, but Sirena showed very few signs of it. Her thirst for vengeance and learning had raised her to the shawl by her twentieth birthday. It helped that she had been carted off to the Tower as a mere child and had the Reds' full support. It would not surprise her if this man was older than her. He certainly was treating her as if she was a child with a skinned knee.<br><br>She turned her head slightly to give the man an icy glare. Sirena was not hurt...she did not feel guilty. No, she would not allow herself to feel such emotions. But yet, what if she had embraced <em>saidar</em> sooner? Would the situation have ended more favourably? If she had not held back her temper she would have boxed his ears right there.<br><br>Sirena dismissed the weaves of Air that had bound the man to her, effectively allowing him to dismount. However, she did notice that he seemed to be less tired out. All that exertion of the Power, and he had already recovered somewhat? Sirena cursed her luck. Why could she not have found a man who was not so powerful? While she was a young member of the Red Ajah, she had seem them block men before, as if putting a wall between them and the True Source. Sirena attempted to copy the weavings, making them as intricate as she could, using mostly Spirit, to cut off this man from touching saidin. It was rare for men to break free of the weaves from Reds, but usually it was more than one woman maintaining it. Regardless, Sirena thought herself strong - he could not possibly try to batter his way through <em>that</em>. <br><br>The mention of Warders simply caused her to roll her eyes skyward. Perhaps it was good that she did not appear to be one of the Reds, but this man was likely ignorant that the Red Ajah did not use Warders. Usually those at the Tower picked her out easily as one of the Reds by the icy look on her face, as well as the determination and fury. Sometimes it got confused with the cold, arrogant calmness of Whites, but Sirena was not very calm, no matter what she tried.<br><br>The offer of food was tempting, but Sirena could not tolerate him <em>telling</em> her that he would not go to the Tower. <em>Telling</em> her, as if he had a choice! Men were such fools. <br><br>Sirena called upon the Power, creating thick coils of Air aimed right at Brand. The strong gust would slam him against the tree behind him, effectively pinning him. "You are not one to be handing out rules now, are you, boy? Our destination is none of your concern. If you do not cooperate with me, you will not live comfortably." Sirena brought on a thin weave of Air, this one smacking him quite effectively on the rear. Treating men like the children they were often convinced them to behave.<br><br>Of all Earth, Fire, Water, Spirit and Air, Sirena was always most fond of Air. It was the most practical at convincing those to obey. Although, singing one's clothing was quite effective, it was simply a little...hazardous. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>31-05-2010, 19:55:03</strong>
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				The proximity between him and the Aes Sedai had disappeared when Sirena had dismissed the weaves of Air maintaining him on the horse and his chest brushing her back. He had slid off of the horse, and stood a few steps away from her while speaking, until she channeled once more.<br>He felt a shiver running along his spine, and the hair in the back of his neck raising as if a cold gust of air was caressing his neck.<br>He frowned and observed the woman's reactions, he had mentioned Warders and she had slightly closed her eyes, looked away less than a second. And that was it. No signs of sadness or of shock while it was known that the bond existing between an Aes Sedai and her Warder was very deep. So deep that when one felt something, the other was feeling exactly the same..when one was in pain, the other would be in pain as well. When one would love, the other would resent these feelings too.<br><br>Something was not right with Sirena, he was about to speak and ask her when he felt the same effect along his spine than before. It was the Aes Sedai channeling, but Brand didn't know yet that the closeness of a female channeler glowing with the Saidar would have such an effect on him.<br>Before he could speak he found all the air in his lung expelled.<br>His boots left the ground, and his massive frame was tossed backwards, above the ground, until his back hit the trunk of a tree. He tried to move but he was totally immobilized and maintained in that position, arms slightly parted on his sides, against a tree.<br>Of surprise, his eyes grew wide, before anger started to boil in his veins. His previous thoughts surfaced, she had not lost a Warder, or the mere mention of that disappearance would have brought tears in her eyes, if not more. Now she was lecturing him, like a young boy.<br>His head shook under the sudden sensation hitting his rear, and his eyes stared at the Aes Sedai, as if he had stripped her off of her clothes, as if he could see through her and directly in her heart, in her soul.<br>He spoke, his voice trembling with rage:<br><br>"You have not lost any Warder, Sirena Sedai or you would have showed signs of sadness, for the least. I have connected a few dots thanks to your reaction, I see the true you through what you are actually doing...judge, jury and executioner..."<br><br>He believed he could not call on the Saidin so soon, but the fact she had unleashed the Saidar against him in order to immobilize him and treat him like a boy who was going to be punished and brought to the White Tower, to people who will prevent him from hurting others, gave him that strength again...<br>Him!<br>A warrior, someone who helped an entire village to go through Trolloc's attacks, who helped her and saved her from a Myrddraal, Him...<br><br>"Let..."<br><br>He felt once more the barrier between him and the male source of the One Power...made of mud, fire and fear, of acid and tears...Without much hesitation, he threw himself against that spiritual wall and felt the closeness of the Saidin more and more...but this time there was another layer added in order to separate him from the Saidin. Another barrier that he had never felt before, something strong..unexpectedly strong.<br>Under such a rage, the Taint had not created a barrier as strong as this was. He closed his hands in two fists, growling.<br><br>"...me..."<br><br>In his mind, he pictured the wall that was separating him from the Saidin, while him, Brand, was bathing in the Taint, the dark mud forcing a way to enter inside his mouth and nose...he started to hit that wall with his hands. It was as if he was scratching with his nails the trunk he was pinned against, in order to cut the tree apart, but he didn't care. He was burning to get free of Sirena's spells.<br><br>"...go..." <br><br>The effort was intense but inches after inches, he had the sensation he was able to weaken that wall, he just needed to force his hand through, and touch the Saidin, to be free from her. His eyes opened again, and he looked at Sirena.<br><br>"Let ME Go ! it's my last warning..."<br><br>What Brand didn't know, was that he was starting to drown inside the Taint. His nose started to bleed, but he couldn't catch that sign yet, he was too focused on reaching for the Saidin.<br><br><br><br>&nbsp;
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				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>31-05-2010, 23:14:49</strong>
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				Warders were unnecessary, or so the Red Ajah said. Men were weak, for they could not wield the Power without going insane. Women who could not wield the Power, or could and did not see how dangerous those men could be, were fools as well. The Reds felt they had no need for a Warder -- the Power was strong enough to obliterate a dozen at a time, if wielded properly. Sirena had been indoctrinated with such facts, and believed them with all her heart. Yes, this man was a monster, and she would deal with him and show him his place. On his knees at the White Tower, where thirteen sisters would gentle him -- cut him off from saidin for life.<br><br>One that had not bonded with a man like an Aes Sedai and her Warder could not comprehend it at all. Sirena certainly did not, either, nor did she care even the slightest bit. The thought of that bond both terrified and repulsed her. At least nobody could force a woman to bond a man. <br><br>Sirena gave him a smug smirk as he claimed to know what she was up to. It did not matter if he thought she was Red, but when he called her an executioner, her eyes narrowed at him. Sirena believed in Tower law fiercely; she would never execute a man who could channel as anything but a last resort. No, she planned to bring him to the Tower, where he'd be judged by other Aes Sedai, and gentled. Probably not killed, but most gentled men died soon after. They simply gave up on life. "I follow Tower law closer than you'd ever know," she glowered.<br><br>As he gritted his teeth and gave her a rebellious stare like men always did, Sirena grunted as she felt him probing at the shield she had woven, like a wall between him and the True Source. She could feel him <em>pounding</em> on her shield, and stood there calmly, giving him an icy stare. He would not be able to pass through; it was impossible. She had spent years refining her ability in the One Power. He was a mere man. Yet, the Red sisters did occasionally say that men were stronger in the Power than women, but she could not believe it. It seemed impossible.<br><br>Yet, somehow he was pushing very hard with sheer will, as if he was pulling saidin towards himself, through the shield. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she attempted to hold the shield. Even with all of her effort and training, he was beginning to break through, somehow...yet she noticed the blood dripping from his nose. Was he trying to draw on too much of the Power and was in danger of burning himself out? The records of men doing that were non-existant; men and women were so different in the Power, it could be different...for all she knew, he could explode and kill her with him in the process. "You are going to still yourself...if you continue..." Sirena's knees nearly buckled at the effort to hold onto the shield, however slim it had become. Her face was still icy and calm, but her eyes gave away her fear. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>02-06-2010, 15:52:42</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Her voice reached his ears but it was muffled, as if he was underwater and her voice was distorted by the liquid surrounding him. For that reason, it required some time before he could comprehend her words.<br>Tower law, she said.<br>Whatever happened there for the men able to channel was something he didn't want to discover. Her tone and the look she gave him, finished to comfort Brand with the idea that in her eyes, his fate was already decided, written, before it even happened.<br><br>But he helped her.<br>With no ulterior motive, he prevented the Dark One's creatures to send their claws in her flesh, tear her apart and eventually feast on her like it had happened with the rest of the Aes Sedai who accompanied Sirena.<br>This was how she was thanking him ? Mocking him, lecturing him, laughing at him, chaining him and bringing him to the White Tower...<br><br><div style="text-align: right;"><em>Yes. It is how she is, like all her Sisters.</em></div><br>Who just spoke ? Brand asked himself. That voice was so much clearer than Sirena's, it made the warrior's eyes grow wide. Her voice was muffled while these words he just heard were crystal clear. Brand turned his head on his sides, until a certain point since Sirena was maintaining him immobilized, but he saw no one. <br><br>A sinister laugh echoed in Brand's mind, slow to fade away, but he didn't get any answers. <br>He was so close to going through the barrier Sirena had created to keep him from touching the Saidin, he had his mind so focused on that desperate attempt, that he didn't realize the voice and laugh were coming from the Taint itself, the taint he was sinking into. His face slowly moved down, his eyes looking to the ground and at his feet, his hair was partially hiding his face so that Sirena won't see his eyes or the bleeding from his nose anymore.<br>Looking down, Brand finally caught the few drops of red liquid that fell at his feet. Was it his blood ? certainly...it was why Sirena said he was going to kill himself if he continued. He murmured these words to the Red.<br><br>"Well dieing here or later in your Tower, the result is the same for me in the end..."<br><br>He was starting to slid down the trunk Sirena was keeping him against with the weaves of Air she had summoned. Actually, it was these weaves that were maintaining him on his feet. He felt as if he had broken the bones of his hands by punching against the barrier Sirena had made. As if his knuckles had exploded after hitting brick and stone too hardly and painted them with blood. Panting, he realized that the thickness of the barrier inside his spirit had greatly diminished but the pain in his hands would keep him from scratching, or punching that barrier again. Of course, this was a result of an internal fight between his will and the spell casted by Sirena, in reality, if the pain was there, no bones were broken, and beside his nose bleeding, he looked unhurt.<br>Brand smiled and raised his head so he could see the Aes Sedai again. Instead of mentally hitting the barrier she placed with his bare hands, he gave it a headbutt, reproducing the gesture in the reality. It won't hit the woman since she was away from him, but it did contact the wall she wove with great strength. A single crack in that wall and Brand will be able to surround himself with the Saidin.<br>If he succeeded, glowing with the male side of the One Power he will at his turn try to create weaves of Air to surround Sirena and lift her up, pulling her toward him and against his frame.<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>03-06-2010, 00:17:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Embracing either half of the True Source heightened ones senses, so Sirena could easily hear out what the man mumbled with the help of saidar flowing through her. Why could he not get it through his thick skull that he wasn't going to die? He would be gentled and live a comfortable, if guarded, life at the Tower until he died. That is how it always had been. <br><br>That smile terrified her. Her eyes could not hide her overwhelming fear as she felt her hold on the shield weaken; if she tried to draw on anymore of saidar, she would still herself - or worse, die. <br><br>His smash at the barrier did not merely crack it. It shattered entirely. Her weaves of Air disappeared from around his body as Sirena crumpled to the ground. She still held onto saidar, but she felt like she had gone a week without sleep and had been running that entire time, whilst being beaten all over. She could do absolutely nothing to stop him from weaving his own flows of Air around her and lifting her towards him. Nonetheless, Sirena squirmed around and tried to somehow escape that way, and also tried to repel them with saidar, but it was no use. She felt like she could barely channel a breeze if she tried. "Let me go this instant!" A man that could channel...immobilizing her with saidin. This could not be happening. "This...this is unacceptable!" Her voice quivered. It was difficult to keep her cold, serene face that all Aes Sedai did -- she felt like she was about to faint from exhaustion and fear. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>03-06-2010, 19:51:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Suddenly the sensation within Brand's body changed. He felt as if he was falling from Charybdis to Scylla. A few instants ago he was drowning, intoxicated by the Taint that was worming its way inside his soul, he was convinced he had broken the bones of his hands, of his fingers, after punching so strongly the invisible wall Sirena wove, and he had heard someone talking, laughing at him.<br><br>And now, while all seemed lost, in a last desperate attempt to reach the Saidin, he felt the wall that he had fought against, shatter in thousands and thousands of pieces. He breathed in deeply the Saidin as Sirena's spell vanished. Taking in the air as if he had hold his breath underwater for too long, Brand found himself free of his moves. His senses were at their peak, and he was able to ignore the exhaustion he was into.&nbsp; <br>He straightened, leaning his back against the trunk he had been magically bound to. His hands were on his side but he could move them again, and he wiped with the back of his hand the blood that had rolled from his nose and fallen on the side of his chin.<br>From his entire height, he could command and see the weaves of Air he has channeled. Brand made his shoulders roll, his athletic frame, all his muscles, finding a second life, his tall frame dominating the Aes Sedai who was forced to come to him.<br><br>He could see the weaves of Air wrapping around Sirena's body, around her ankles, her wrists, her arms, her throat, like invisible ropes that were holding her in the air and bringing her to him.<br>He moved one hand up, and opened his palm wide suddenly.<br>It forced the weaves of Air to extend and spread Sirena's arms, and legs apart, as if she was bound on a cross, right in front of him.<br>She was not as tall as him, and even there, maintained in the air, her feet unable to feel the grass anymore, she was still petite compared to the warrior. Brand took one step forward and stood before her. His head lowered so he could see her face, the leather of his armor squeaking slightly under the moves of his muscles. He moved his hand closer to Sirena's face, the tip of his fingers on her cheek, eventually pushing some of her auburn hair on the side.<br><br>"You're in no position to command anymore Sirena Sedai."<br><br>His fingers kept tracing down, on the side of Sirena's neck, and followed the line of her right breast, caressing her soft flesh, until it laid on her right hip. <br><br>"I can see it in your eyes...you look at me differently now Sirena."<br><br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>04-06-2010, 01:58:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sirena had drawn upon saidar so deeply that she had nearly felt pain, and yet he had defeated her. Anymore, and she would have stilled herself. Thankfully, she had not; stilling herself with a man that could channel right in front of her would humiliating. At least this way, she could defend herself...but being bound by Air and too exhausted to channel a dribble was not exactly reassuring. Perhaps once she had time to rest, she would be able to get ahold of him again, and...<br><br>It was too difficult to think of that, being splayed in front of the man as if she were a piece of meat to be inspected. Her limbs were stretched far enough to hurt ever so slightly, as if it were a reminder, and it was also incredibly uncomfortable and humiliating. How dare this man treat an Aes Sedai like so. Sirena tried her best to look at him defiantly and icily, yet it was as if being bound in saidin had melted her cold exterior. Tears welled up in her pretty, big eyes, and while she looked defiant, she looked more petulant than stoic. <br><br>With a mixture of Cairhienen and Saldeaen blood from her merchant parents, Sirena inherited the reddish auburn hair and hazel eyes from Saldaea, and her pale skin, short stature and the darkness of her eyes from Cairhien. She loathed being so petite; although she certainly did make up for it in her attitude. However, now she could not do that. She could not bludgeon those into respect and fear for her, for she was at the mercy at a man who could channel. Even hovering in the air, she could see his height. Only then did she really notice the size of him; he clearly had physical strength, too, which would make any possibly escape or recapture difficult. <br><br>She shivered at his cold tone and touch. It outraged her that he dared to touch her in such an inappropriate manner, but shouting at him would probably only encourage the fool. "I certainly do not. You are still the same...now release me. I <em>cannot</em> hurt you," Sirena said the word bitterly. "I am not afraid." Sirena said through gritted teeth, but the fact that she bothered to point it out spoke volumes. She was scared. Even scared, she gave him a glare. One could be angry and terrified at the same time. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>07-06-2010, 16:08:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brand's hand stayed gently on her hip. He had approached her enough to clearly see a few signs on Sirena's body, on her skin, that were contradicting her words. His green eyes slid down and stared at her face for a while.<br>Her eyes had filled with tears, yet she was able somehow not to cry or beg him for letting her go. She was not exploding in apologies either. The details of her face, of her skin and body suddenly hit him. Thanks to his hold on the Saidin, his perception was altered, and unlike before, he was not in the heat of the battle, but in the presence of a very charming, defiant, woman.<br><br>A woman who didn't have any feelings but hatred, suspicion and fear for him. The full lips of her mouth trembled under the rage, sweat had rolled down her neck due to her effort to capture him, and her tone was confirming all these emotions.<br><br>Her breasts, under her robe, were waving and his look focused on them more than it should. Not excessively ample, but more than desirable to the warrior's eyes. Brand's free hand moved, and in return the weaves of Air wrapping around Sirena's body, were moved. The spell casted by Brand made Sirena's face gently move up and approach his own face. What happened next, he had no real explanations for.<br><br>The hand on her hip moved up, leaving the Aes Sedai's side, and with the back of this hand he tried to wipe her tears away. Then, the tip of his finger will touch Sirena's face, under her chin. Lifting it slightly.<br>Brand pressed his mouth against her. His lips tasting hers, he slightly opened his mouth and tilted his face so it would angle with hers, and allow his tongue to caress Sirena's lips softly before finding a way in. Stealing that kiss while she was bound may infuriate her more, but it was a way to get paid back. Or was it for another reason ?<br><br>His tongue looked for hers and tried to caress hers, to swirl around hers and asphyxiate the Aes Sedai.<br>Soon, the hand holding the weaves of Air will move down, like the hand supporting Sirena's chin. The spell maintaining her tied in the air will fade away, as the kiss would extend until it totally disappeared and Brand let her go. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>17-06-2010, 21:00:01</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sirena tried not to scream when she felt his penetrating gaze upon her face, and on her entire body. She did not need her saidiar enhanced feelings to be aware of that. She was repeating to herself inwardly, <em>I will not beg, I will not beg, I will not apologize, I will not grovel, I will not cry.</em> The latter of which seemed to be impossible to stop, but she was trying. Being captured by a man who could channel, especially as a Red, was a crying matter. Hopefully none of her sisters would find out that she had cried when he rendered her entirely useless. Sirena Sedai would kill to hide that secret.<br><br>She felt utterly exhausted. Had he not suspended her with Air, she surely would have crumpled to the ground and been barely able to move. Being awoken in the middle of the night, running in skirts from Trollocs and nearly stilling herself while attempting to shield a man was hard enough. <br><br>Sirena was no fool, and noticed him looking at her pert breasts. Her cheeks reddened in outrage and shock. She knew that many considered her a beautiful woman, although she had no care for any of that nonsense. Men were a lot of fools, for they could not channel, and the ones that could were madmen that had to be killed or gentled. Those of the Red Ajah seldom made friends of the other ajahs, either. She was about to scream at him when she suddenly felt the weaves shift around her body and his lips brush against hers.<br><br>It all happened so fast. He gently caressed her fury-reddened face, and kissed her. Sirena tried to jerk her head away, and to scream, but she could not do either. Sirena desperately tried to close her mouth and to repel his advances, but she was frozen in terror. A man had just kissed her. A man that could channel! It was insanity. Feeling his tongue wriggle its way into her mouth caused her to attempt another scream, all the while attempting to squirm her head away from his -- it was all futile. <br><br>It seemed to go on for an eternity, a torturous and confusing eternity, until Sirena was released from the kiss. And released from the weaves of Air. She fell to the ground unceremoniously, landing on her rear and wincing. She glared at him, but she was too weak to stand up, much less attack him. Her hands were wrapped around her throat as if he had tried to choke her. Sirena remembered that she hadn't kissed a man in years...since before the False Dragon destroyed her town. It was an unfamiliar sensation that he had forced upon her. <br><br>"Do not do that again..." Sirena said firmly, yet her voice sounded weak. It was obvious she could not stop him if he tried it once more. She tried feebly to sit up, but she couldn't. If she hadn't a man in front of her who could channel, she would have fallen to temptation and fallen asleep. But she couldn't do that. Even if she was at his mercy, she had to continue watching him. "What are you going to do now?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>21-06-2010, 16:34:44</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				<em>No ! No ! NOOOO ! KILL HER ! Kill her ! kill her ! kil...</em><br><br>The voice filled with hatred had suddenly come back when the lips of the warrior's mouth brushed the full lips of Sirena. It was clear that the use of the Saidin at such an extent made Brand grow stronger and in turn had made his soul come closer, touch if not drown inside the Taint the Dark One had placed within the Male Side of the True Source.<br>Brand never imagined he could weave again after their encounter with the Myrdraal. To defeat the Dark One's warrior, he had made a great use of the Saidin, he had succeeded in killing the creature of the shadows, even if his sword had exploded. He had been drained by this fight, physically and mentally, and so when Sirena imprisoned him by channeling waves of Air, and when she managed to cut him off the source, Brand had no much hopes to get free.<br><br>It was without counting on his pride, and anger. He had heard this voice twice now. Once when he was pushing against Sirena's barrier to touch the Saidin, and just now when he was kissing her. But as the kiss was going on, the voice was fading away...<br><br>The taste of the Aes Sedai's lips lingered and made all the fibers of his being tremble. He was releasing her from the spell he had casted against her, but his hold on the Saidin was still there and strong, making that sharing moment -even if he forced the kiss on her- much more intense. <br>As intense as the fire now burning in his entire being, the fire that was the desire to extend the kiss, to touch the woman and find peace in her arms. It was that kiss that made the voice go away. And nothing else.<br>Kill her, it said, but it was another feeling that was growing inside Brand's soul now. All the contrary than the desire to kill her. The muscular frame of the warrior dominated Sirena, the hands of Brand put on her hip and under her chin. <br><br>He observed her after the kiss was over. His hands and arms moved on his side while she was falling on a sitting position and cursing at him. The red of her face, a sign of her anger and shock, made him smile. Quite an unexpected reaction after he had so furiously spoken to her and hit with all his power against the mental barrier she had woven in his mind. <br>Back then, his actions were driven by anger and the Taint he was drowning into. But now...after that intimate contact, the effect of the Taint had been cleansed from him.<br><br>He observed the weakened Aes Sedai once more, now his senses were clear again. There were traces on her skin, her legs were scratched and hurt by the branches and stones she had run onto while the Trollocs were after her. Tears have been rolling down from her eyes and the she was trying to catch her breath.<br><br>"What will I do ?" he repeated, his voice visibly changed, not showing any sign of anger or aggressivity anymore. He approached from her and crouched, the back of his hand wiping the traces left by her tears on her cheeks. <br><br>"A fire. I am going to make a fire. We will rest and we will talk."<br><br>Brand straightened and turned around, his keen eyes searching through the forest and despite the poor light offered by the moon during this night, he managed to see branches of different sizes he could use for making a fire to warm both of their exausted body. He knew the moment he'll let go the Saidin that the aftermath of all what happened during the last hours will wash over his body. He needed rest, like Sirena needed. <br><br>It took him a few instants to gather the wood, and channel fire to make the branches burn. He didn't look at Sirena meanwhile. If she wanted, she could take advantage of that time to try and escape, but Brand doubted she would. There was another reason he didn't look at her. The taste of her and the fact she had, unvolontarily, pushed away the Taint, was a shock to him. These feelings inside him would not find any echo but her hatred. He knew that, he had seen her eyes filled with fear and anger.<br>He approached from his horse and softly tapped on his neck. Taking the saddle off and to the ground, he glanced at the Aes Sedai. He didn't speak, only listened to the cracking sound of the fire. He allowed his horse to freely walk and find grass and approached from her. Sitting next to the fire but as far as he could from her he finally spoke.<br><br>"Sirena, I won't hurt you. You have to tell me what happens to men channeler in the White Tower. I heard rumors...are they true ? Men like me, are turned into puppet and then die...is that true ?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>22-06-2010, 19:53:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It was befuddling that the man's raging anger towards Sirena somehow faded after he forced himself on her. Sirena could certainly not understand herself, and was not in the position to ask. She would never want to talk about this incident again - her capture, or the kiss he forced on her. The latter especially. Yet, she did find herself relieved that he seemed more relaxed. At least he was not going to kill her, or torture her, or...do more than kissing. Yes, it was definitely a blessing in disguise. <br><br>Nonetheless, Sirena was relieved to be out of his arms. She felt safer, even if it was only a smaller amount. She so wanted to stand up and box his fool ears, yet she was as exhausted physically as her ability was in the One Power, for today. He seemed fatigued, too, yet he was still able to weave and move around; which was dangerous and terrifying. Why was he stronger than her? It was not fair and it made no sense. <br><br>She glared up at him when he asked the rhetorical question, simply staying silent and rubbing her arms unconsciously. They were quite sore and scratched, but she did not want to admit pain, especially around him. <br><br>A fire? And talk? Perhaps the madness had already fallen upon this wretched man. All men were wretched, men that could channel the most, and this man at the top of the list. She decided not to stand up or speak when he went to get wood for the fire. Perhaps if he thought she was harmless and exhausted - which she was, in truth - that he would decide not to shield her. And if he did not shield her, then she could try to gain the upper hand once she was rested, and attack him when he least expected it...<br><br>When he channeled fire to ignite the wood, she flinched slightly, but only a bit. Even after hunting men that could channel for a few years now, Sirena still disliked the thought of a man channeling, and seeing one do it was even more horrifying, particularly because she could do nothing to stop it. Not yet, anyway. Yet...he simply asked her a benign question. Aes Sedai were bound to the three oaths, one of which was to tell no lie, but sisters always found ways to sidestep it. Lying to him on the topic seemed unnecessary, though. "That is a load of cow dung. Men are brought to the White Tower to be tried, and are gentled. A little snip, and cut off from the One Power, from saidin, for life. That way, they are not a danger. They live in the Tower, under our protection, usually with some light guards." Sirena said it all truthfully, without a malicious word, yet her eyes still shone with anger and hatred. <br><br>Yet, she decided to leave out the most unpleasant part of the process: men that were gentled tended to only live a few years afterwards. It was not the process itself that killed them, really, but being cut off from the One Power, all of that ability and power, for life, usually led men to simply give up and live without a purpose. It was the same way with women that were stilled, whether it was an accident, or the rarer times when it was ordered by the Tower. It was said to be an unpleasant and depressing way to die. Yet, Sirena did not understand why the men gave up. They were still men, idiots, yet they could no longer channel - they were no longer equivalent with Darkfriends, so why did they not simply be glad they were saved and move on with their lives? Perhaps there was a larger smidge of White in Sirena Sedai than she thought, with such overly rational and logical thoughts. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>01-07-2010, 19:34:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brand's horse was stepping away. He could hear the animal's step, on the grass, branches cracking under its weight, fading in the distance. As if the animal wanted to leave the two of them alone and free to discuss.<br><br>Brand leaned his back against one tree and listened to the Aes Sedai. The flames that were separating casted dancing shadows on each of their frames. The fire was giving to their skin a changing color from dark to orange. Brand frowned while taking in the revelations Sirena was making.<br>He knew that women like her were bound to an oath, one of the promises Aes Sedai had to respect was to never say a word that was untrue. He had no reasons to doubt her.&nbsp; If it was not because of what he saw in her eyes, he would not have asked that question.<br><br>In fact, because of the Saidin running in his body and soul, he could see the slightest change in Sirena while she was speaking. If she had lied, she would have eventually moved her eyes in another direction than his face. But she had kept her look onto him. Her breathing could have accelerated, or the muscles of her hands could have tensed...None of these signs, that could alert him on the fact she was no telling the truth, were visible.<br><br>Only anger and hatred in her eyes did make Brand question her further.<br><br>"I am not crazy. I am capable of reasoning and see what is good from what is bad, if not, then, why would I have intervened and killed the Myrdraal ? Answer that ? You mention that once gentled channelers like me are not a danger anymore. Why then keep them in your White Tower ? If they are of no danger anymore, why don't you let them go back to a normal life, with the family they may have ?"<br><br>This was not really making sense for him. If being cut of the Saidin for the rest of his life was the equivalent of losing his arms and legs, already quite a sacrifice in his mind, living in Tarvalon under "light guard" unexplainable...<br><br>"...By the Light, this doesn't add really well Sirena.."<br><br>Telling out loud his reasoning could eventually make her realize he was not only well built and muscular, but able to deduce elements from their talk. And...that he was not totally insane.<br><br>"I see such hatred and defiance in your eyes, while I tried to help you..."<br><br>She will without a doubt try to subdue him, his will, again. He needed to make sure she won't attack him..Cutting her from the Saidar, or stilling her was beyond his knowledge or strength at this moment. His instincts guided him on something different. Shielding her by a trigger only him will know about. Could she resist the weaving he was about to do on her ?<br><br>He rose and approached from her, closing on the distance separating them until he crouched before her. He channeled weaves of Spirit for her Mind and Soul, then the Earth and the Water for her Flesh and Life. The weaves were connected with one other, to form the spell he would use against Sirena. It needed more to be active. It needed to be said.<br><br>"Should I die, you will lose your hold on the Saidar, Sirena Sedai." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>04-07-2010, 18:07:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Even without a grasp on saidar, Sirena could sense the tension in the air. Her own gritted teeth, the horse whinnying away, and Brand looming over her rather intimidatingly. The fire crackling was an eerie background to the silence all around them, and Sirena found herself trying to loose herself by staring into the fire, just like she did as a child when she wanted to avoid punishment. Hopefully this man would not notice her reluctance.<br><br>Yet, that fiery spirit of Sirena was not gone at all. She rolled her eyes skyward when Brand proclaimed himself as sane, and even going so far to claim that he was a good person. How could a man channeling saidin be capable of such a concept? It was simply impossible, as the other Red sisters had taught Sirena. <br><br>"Perhaps the madness has not completely overwhelmed you yet, but many men are delusional about it, anyway. It will come. You likely only killed that Myrddraal out of insanity, or because you feared that it would take you, too, or..." the thought produced a glare towards Brand, "Or, you simply wanted to save a party of women you thought were innocent and weak so you could reap the rewards." That was what she had been taught about men, and the thought simply disgusted her. It seemed unlikely that an entire gender could be so corrupt and idiotic, yet Sirena believed it, along with most of the Red sisters.<br><br>"It is a tradition to keep the men that have been gentled in the Tower. They have committed grievous crimes, and if set free, often people from their homeland will attempt to murder them..." The thought did confuse her slightly, however. What about the men that had not yet gone mad? Usually if they did not die on the way to Tar Valon - which was rare yet swept under the rug usually - they were still held there. Sirena tried to come up with an explanation. "They are still a danger. We keep them around to...protect them, and sometimes study them, although that is usually left to the Browns..." Sirena did not know why she felt compelled to spill all of this information to the man, nor why she felt like she had something to prove about the wonderful Tar Valon and Aes Sedai. How could he claim that it was senseless? Tar Valon had reasons for everything it did, and they were not to be questioned!<br><br>"It does make sense, and I will take you there whether you comply or not! You must be gentled!" Sirena suddenly screamed out, glaring at the man so maliciously it looked like she would surely leap at him and attempt to claw his eyes out. She would have protested further, but she felt a chilling feeling over her entire body, and she vaguely knew what that meant. Brand was not only channeling, he was weaving something <em>on</em> her! Sirena tried desperately to reach for saidar, knowing that the man did not know how to shield her, yet her exhaustion had overwhelmed her and she could not grasp it. <br><br>The weaves were all invisible to her, yet Sirena knew that it was something beyond simple bonds of Air. She tried to stay calm and simply glare at the man who had crouched right in front of her sore and drained body, yet it was difficult not to tremble in rage and terror. When it seemed like the weave had been tied, and he spoke, Sirena felt herself truly close to fainting, dark spots dancing across her vision. "Wh-what did you do? Reverse it this instant!" Sirena had no idea what he had done, or how he had learned it, yet men that could channel often made the most obscure things with no training. <br><br>How had he done this? Would she be stilled when he was gentled, too? It was all so overwhelming, yet Sirena found herself losing control of her temper, and suddenly she found herself leaping on top of the man, her small hands balled into fists and attempting to punch him, and her legs trashing about in a rage, attempting to kick him as well. <br><br>Sirena Sedai had lost every trace of Aes Sedai control and reserve, and was reduced to a furious girl attempting to beat up a man, as if she were back in her small village in a tavern brawl. Yet, Sirena found it very oddly...satisfying, almost liberating, to use her fists instead of the One Power. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>12-07-2010, 17:20:45</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				From Brand's position, he could see Sirena's eyes, and read inside them what was the reflect of her soul. She seemed convinced by the fact that it was a necessity to gentle all Men, without exception, without trying to understand them, or without trying to even know if the Taint has breached their soul, making them insane or not.<br>Still, his questions and reasoning seemed to have confused her for a few instants. That lead Brand to think that, even if she was telling him the Truth like all Aes Sedai were bound to, she was eluding a few aspects of the Gentling.<br>To the first part of her answers, Brand will only offer her a smile. He thought:<br><br><em>Reap the rewards she said, this Aes Sedai really despise men and have the worst opinion on them, maybe even men unable to weave the One Power...</em><br><br>He had completed the weaving of Air, Earth, Spirit and Water, binding Sirena's fate to his, when malicious eyes glared at him. Then, Sirena jumped at him, her body, suddenly filled with an impressive strength, burst and hit Brand's chest. Totally taken by surprise, the warrior lost his balance, and from a crouching position, fell hardly on his back. He bounced on the ground, landing once more on his back, but with the young woman on top of him this time.<br><br>Her small frame was unable to cover him fully, yet the warrior could feel her body writhing against him, her legs batting against his legs, and her small fist punching his chest relentlessly. <br><br>"Hey !!! hmmm ! Ungh ! HRMMM"<br><br>She was not really hurting him, even if he had not been holding the Saidin, his physical strength could overcome hers. She was using all she had though, and her nails scratched the skin of his neck once, making long red lines from the crook of his neck, down to his chest. In addition, her legs, moving quickly, could hit him in his groin if he didn't make her stop somehow.<br><br>"By the Light !" <br><br>Brand moved his hands and tried to grab each of Sirena's wrists before rolling over her. The warrior will then try to pin her fists down on each side of her head, then to place his frame against hers to maintain her to the ground, his legs positioning between hers, forcing her legs to spread so he would be totally leaning on her, despite her clothes, and she would not be able to kick him in the groin, her thighs pressing on the side of his thighs.<br>He spoke to Sirena, his face very close to hers.<br><br>"The elements I wove and bound to you...only I can undo them..-he was not exactly sure of how he did or will free Sirena, but his instincts would guide him-... if I die, you will lose your hold on the Saidar... If I am gentled, you will lose your hold on the Saidar too... that is what I did to you.... either way, if something happens to me, you will not be an Aes Sedai anymore."<br><br>Their closeness created an excitement Brand could not, or did not want to, control. Behind his pants, and against her intimacy, the warrior's manhood started to pulse and grow. He could feel her soft flesh against his, even though both were covered with mud or dry blood, he could not deny he was attracted by her. Her small breasts pressed against his large chest made only this excitement rise to a higher level.<br><br>Reap the reward, she said. In that position, he could very well take her. He could very well make her talk, and not elude any answers. Lust could be his ally.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: After the Breaking of the World (Cecily &amp; Mainsnoires)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Cecily</strong> on <strong>14-07-2010, 22:39:20</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Aes Sedai hierarchy depended mostly on a sister's strength in the Power, which was correlated to their time spent as novices and Accepted. Sirena was strong in the One Power, unusually so, and she had spent little time as a novice and Accepted. However, age was also an important factor in the hierarchy. Sisters never asked about age, but one could tell when another was more experienced and wiser than she. Sirena was powerful than most of the Reds, yet she was very new to the shawl. She had not had the privilege to take part in a man's gentling, and she truly did not know very much about the process. Oh, how she wanted to learn, and the Red Ajah promised her that she could participate soon if she caught a man, yet the time had not yet come. Ironically, if the capture of Brand had gone according to plan, he would likely be the first man she had ever gentled.<br><br>It felt wonderful to punch and attack this intolerable man. It had likely been the most enjoyable moments she had experienced since the pride she had of being raised to the shawl and accepted into the Red Ajah, a dream since she had first been sent to the White Tower. Aes Sedai were always expected to say cold, calm and collected, and Sirena Sedai had definite problems keeping ahold of her temper, and releasing it all on this man was truly wonderful. Yet...it came to a halting end as her slim wrists were roughly grabbed and he pinned her.<br><br>Sirena was not one to give up, however. She writhed and flailed, once even attempting to bite at his face if he got too close! Yet it was all futile. She suddenly felt the weariness and exhaustion creep up on her once again, and her strong attacks diminished to weak squirms. The fire in those pretty eyes still stayed, however. <br><br>As he explained what he had done to her further, tears welled up in her eyes, and she bit her bottom lip. She looked conflicted whether to burst into tears and cower and attempt to attack him once again. All sisters shivered at the thought of being stilled, to be cut off from the One Power and saidar for life, to never feel the sheer joy and pleasure of holding it. How had this man been able to figure out such an intricate weave, to still her if he died or was gentled? While she naturally suspected it to be a lie, Brand seemed very serious and skilled in what he had done, and she would not risk testing it, either. <br><br>Just as she was about to open her mouth to shout at him, she felt...something, pushing against her body. She had no idea what it was, until she realized how close she was to this man. Men were pigs, and this one was surely no different! Her cheeks went red with shyness, and redder with shame when she realized the girlish feelings she was experiencing. She was Aes Sedai, not some witless chit! She squirmed around weakly, as if that could somehow help her escape, and even whimpered. "Ge-get off of me! I am Sirena Aes Sedai, of the White Tower and the Red Ajah..." she trailed off with more titles and then trailed off with mumbling, then murmuring. Those tears had now escaped her eyes, and while she finally looked entirely afraid, she still bore through his soul with those angry eyes. "You have me beaten, so get off..." Sirena grumbled a little more calmer, yet she still had to hold herself back from bursting into fits of weeping. The Red Ajah would not approve of what had happened, surely less so if he did not...remove himself from her body. 
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		</dl>
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