The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires & FLN826)
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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 25-03-2010, 20:43:43</h2>
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				Title: <strong>The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>25-03-2010, 20:43:43</strong>
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				((Freeform; based on the Wheel of Time by R. Jordan))<br><br><br><br>Tar Valon. This city is in fact an island, on the Erinin river. White walls heading to the sky surrounded the city and had protected its inhabitants for eons against the attacks of the Dark One's servant. It was the largest city of the known world. And in its center, where all large avenues were converging, there was the White Tower.<br><br>The Tower's height, is above the limits of the surrounding walls, and from its highest level it is thought that one can see the Dragonmount...<br><br>"...the Dragounmount....the place where the last Dragon Reincarnated-Lewis Therin Telamon-, died, insane after he had lead armies to defeat and seal the Dark One in his prison called Shayol Ghul. Still, Telamon couldn't prevent the Dark One to taint the male half of the One Power, the source of Magic. Shortly after the defeat of the Dark One, the Dragon lost his mind and killed his beloved queen, everyone who carried a drop of his blood, and everyone he loved thus becoming known as the Kinslayer. Behind these walls of our White Tower, my Daughters, not even Telamon, in his madness could defeat us, Aes Sedai. Our task, is to prevent this madness from happening again..."<br><br>The Amyrlin Seat, the supreme authority among Aes Sedai was wearing a shawl with all the colors of all Ajah, clans amongst this order, corresponding to a certain philosophy. She was Deane Aryman and was repeating the same talk to every new generation of Aes Sedai. The women listening before her had succeeded in all their tasks, and were given during that ceremony one ring, the Great Serpent ring, sign of their new life. Sitting on her left and right, the leaders of each Ajah, were observing the scene. Quiet, some were stern and others were smiling, but all had an aura of power visible within their eyes. Yet, none of them was greater than the Amyrlin. <br><br>Slender, of remarkable beauty, raven haired and blue eyes, Deanne was a rose with sharp thorns. She was staring at the new Aes Sedai before her. The color of Deanne's eyes was matching the color of her robe, and no age could be given to her.<br><br>"You will leave the white dress, and choose your own path, your Ajah, and you will make the swears with me now."<br><br>The woman stood up from her seat, at the top of a few marches, in the great hall of the White Tower. As soon as the Amyrlin moved, young novices walked along the women who were about to become Aes Sedai, giving them the ring corresponding to their functions, and shawls of different colors. Deanne rose one hand in a very delicate move, allowing all to see her own ring she was wearing. Then the Amyrlin spoke, in a soft but dedicated tone:<br><br>"Speak no word that is not true,<br>Make no weapon for one man to kill another,<br>Never use the One Power as a weapon, except Against Shadowspawn (Darkfriends also qualify), or To save her own life, or her Warder's, or the life of another sister"<br><br>The tension of the ceremony decreased suddenly when Deanne smiled at the women assembled. <br><br>"You are now Aes Sedai. My daughters... until you can choose your own Warder, we will assign some to you for your protection...In these times, some may have to leave Tar Valon soon for several purposes."<br><br>Only now that the ceremony was almost over, the newly accepted Sorceresses will see the leader of each Ajah move from their seats. Each leader will approach to congratulate one new Aes Sedai. While remarks were done and smiles were exchanged, the eyes of Deanne darkened, a sign of the burden of her position. There was already someone she had to send away from Tar Valon.<br><br><em>The retrieval of this artifact, of this Sa'angreal, was crucial...if it was falling in the hands of shadownspaw, or worse...</em>Deanne thought.<br><br>Without noting it, the woman had moved one hand under her chin, and was tapping on it with one finger. She was before the Aes Sedai she wanted to see. The young woman had chosen the Green Shawl, the green Ajah.<br><br>"May I have a word my Daughter..." Deanne said, eventually interrupting the young sorceress.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Daeva</strong> on <strong>26-03-2010, 01:29:00</strong>
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				It was a moment of great pride and accomplishment, to sit there and know that you've come so far, that all your hard work and devotion was coming to fruition. Brianna felt the pride, the approval, but mostly at this moment, she felt bored. She was anxious to put all of her training to use, see some of the world, have experiences without the every watchful eyes of the White Tower. <br><br>She had places to go and things to do, and she would manage it on her own, without the aid of a Warder shadowing her every step. She was going to be a free spirit and do her work with grace and charm, but in her own way. Brianna had always had an inkling to do things as she saw fit. She could and did respect the structure of her training, it would and could be dangerous without it. But rules were meant for those who were ordinary and plain. A free spirit such as her couldn't be bogged down with structure.<br><br>Finally the speeches were done, the lecturing was over and it was time to collect their new robes and being the next phase of their lives. She had taken her oath and had vowed to live by it. But living by her words wouldn't preclude her from adventure and fun. She knew some of those who provided her with instruction over hate years frowned at her desire for more excitement, she knew there were those who didn't think she should be completing her training yet, that she wasn't ready or prepared. Brianna was going to prove them all wrong.<br><br>She'd just taken hold of the green robe she would don going forward. So lost in her thoughts and plans, she'd barely heard when someone was speaking to her. Recovering quickly however, she turned to face the older woman.<br><br>"Of course mother"
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>26-03-2010, 15:01:56</strong>
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				Deanne's approach had not been unnoticed by the rest of the assembly, and now that the solemnity of the ceremony was fading away, whispers were turning to full spoken words and started to spread within the large room. The closest women near Brianna looked at the Amyrlin with surprise as she had addressed the young Aes Sedai, and after a slight bow of their heads -to which Deanne answered with a benevolent smile- they started to walk away, leaving room for the two women to discuss.<br>The fact that the Amyrlin in person wanted a few words with Brianna was enough to make the rest of the sorceresses understand that a private matter was going to be discussed. Maybe Deanne was going to give Brianna advises...or maybe was she going to lecture her ?&nbsp; <br><br>"You have chosen the green Ajah, I see ..the Aes Sedai who taught you Brianna told me how you reached a great control of the Art and how a powerful sorceress you may become...She believed you might choose this shawl...She will be pleased to hear your choice..."<br><br>Deanne moved slowly until she stood on Brianna's left side. After giving another circular look at the room, she added:<br><br>"You have qualities and strengths that are above the norm Brianna. It's why I want you to accomplish a first quest... not only for our Order, but for the good of "all"...will you walk with me ?"<br><br>In this instant, Deanne was being a true Aes Sedai, she had not spoken untruth words, yet she has kept for herself details about what Brianna will have to do, until she judged the young Aes Sedai ready.<br><br>Hoping that Brianna would accompany her, Deanne started to walk towards one of the several doors of the Great Hall of the White Tower. The door she had chosen would lead them to an anteroom. Richly decorated with tapestries, painting representing the previous Amyrlin, a desk and several chairs, there was also a man waiting in this backroom.<br>Tall, well built with brown hair and brown eyes, that man was not wearing any armor or blade. His clothes had colors of brown and green. He was not shaved, had his hair in a mess and his eyes closed, as if he was meditating..upon the entrance of Deanne, incredibly enough, the man - a guard certainly- yawned...
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Daeva</strong> on <strong>26-03-2010, 19:47:37</strong>
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				In her experiences in the past, being singled out to speak privately had never led to anything but criticism or the demand to be better. It seemed that as hard as she tried, it never seemed quite good enough. That was only part of what fueled her desire for change. <br><br>"I don't know that I chose the green Ajah, it was the one that called to me most, I don't think I had a choice" <br><br>It was true enough, she'd known long before she was given the choice what direction she would go in. Brianna was pleased when she was told that she had qualities that put her above. It was something she had always known and felt, but to have it acknowledged was something she hadn't been expecting. <br><br>She followed Deanne through the doors into the ornately decorated room. There was nothing about the decor of the White Tower that wasn't pleasing, that is, until she saw the man standing taking up space in it. To Brianna's eye, he was out of place there, his clothing wrinkled and hair tousled. Was he actually asleep? Her green eyes looked at him sharply as he yawned when they approached. Surely she was not brought back here to meet with this one.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>26-03-2010, 20:36:23</strong>
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				Deanne smiled at the young woman who was willingly following her and answering her questions.<br>"The Green Ajah is one who fights fiercely against the Dark One. It stands ready to battle for the greater good at any time. This is in part why I have chosen you Brianna. The fact it appealed to your instincts is a good thing, because we will need the Green Ajah when the final battle will begin, and none of the Aes Sedai who had chosen this path should have done it with the faintest doubt in their mind."<br><br>Deanne had kept walking in the backroom and had pulled a chair away from the desk. Before sitting on it, she will give a look at the guard who was yawning again. Any other would certainly have already felt her wrath. Indeed, the Amyrlin was a noble person, able to keep her calm in any kind of situations, be them of political tension or in the midst of a battle. But she was known to be demanding a lot from the ones following her. A few of Brianna's friends -novices then- had been feeling her anger for only laughing and speaking gossips in the halls of the White Tower. There, Deanne moved her head and looked at the guard with a curious intensity. She sighed before sitting.<br><br>Having not allowed Brianna nor the guard to move or sit, both would have to wait for her approval.<br><br>"Brianna, I asked you to come because I need your help. A Ter'Angreal, an artifact of great power who was kept inside the White Tower, has disappeared. It is missing. Only a few Aes Sedai know about this, yet it is possible one of us took it away. You know of what Ajah I refer to...I cannot trust a lot of people if my hypothesis is right...the ones belonging to that Ajah are snakes in hiding..."<br><br>Deanne leaned her head above the desk, moved her arms so her elbows would rest on the desk and her chin would be held on the back of her hands. She looked at the man, then to Brianna again.<br><br>"Meet you Warder Brianna, Alric Pasael."<br><br>The man finally opened his eyes, visibly surprised before frowning. He looked at Brianna, then at the Amyrlin seat, still frowning. His voice would echo like a thunder rolling in the room.<br><br>"This is why you asked ME to come Deanne ?!!!"<br><br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Daeva</strong> on <strong>27-03-2010, 18:54:20</strong>
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				Though she felt smug at the idea of being given such an important task, Brianna knew this was not the time to show that and rather accept the assignment with a certain amount of humility. As she listened to her talk of those that had chosen a path that some said would lead to destruction, her eyes kept drifting to the man who seemed to be oblivious to their presence. She couldn't help but wonder why Deanne didn't send him away or say something to him for his complete lack of manners, as she normally would have done. <br><br>Brianna couldn't believe her ears when Deanne declared this man who looked no better than a street urchin was to be her warder. And he had the nerve to look offended by this? She didn't need a warder, she would accomplish her task on her own and if she were ever so inclined as to take a warder, it wouldn't have been the likes of this man. Her eyes narrowed as she looked him over as if she were appraising his worth. She didn't want him, she didn't need him, however she had a feeling she was about to be stuck with him.<br><br>"I don't believe I'll need the aid of warder, I think I'm fully capable of doing as you've asked on my own"<br><br>While she had the utmost respect for Deanne, she wondered where her senses were when she made the decision to foist this man on her.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>27-03-2010, 22:07:50</strong>
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				Frowning, Alric's face shifted from the Amyrlin to the young sorceress, back and forth. His look lingered on Brianna when she stared at him... at first looking down, his face moved up following the curves of the young Aes Sedai, her legs, hips, chest, before sinking in her green eyes. As she spoke, Alric's eyes narrowed more. She seemed as surprised as him, and that made him change his state of mind. No, Brianna had not wished this to happen either. It was all Deanne's idea.<br>If Brianna was able to read his mind at this very moment, she would be surprised to read he was just having the same thoughts than her. Why in the name of the Light him and her ??<br>Alric approached from the desk, until he stood on the opposite side from where Deanne was sitting. Until now she had stayed silent, her chin on the back of her hand, and was showing no emotions to the Warder nor the Aes Sedai.<br>Alric moved his hands and flattened them on the desk.<br>"Deanne, this is a bad idea. See, she doesn't need a Warder...I heard what you said, yesterday again she was a novice...I can't..."<br><br>The Amyrlin finally moved her head up and spoke, very calmly.<br><br>"I am not sure you have heard what I have said on the contrary, Alric. Only Aes Sedai can access the room where our artifacts are kept. In this chamber, no Warder, no Apprentice, or novice like you said, can enter. If the Black Ajah infiltrated the Tower and stole us...I cannot trust anyone anymore...but the most promising young Aes Sedai, barely accepted, and you, a lone Warder. Brianna, you cannot...will not succeed alone, unprotected....you're in need of a Warder. I hope you understand only you two can do this now..."<br><br>Alric sighed and straightened, he turned and faced Brianna. He scratched his beard with one hand.<br><br>"You said you don't need a Warder...if it's a babysitter you want, it won't be me...."<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Daeva</strong> on <strong>29-03-2010, 03:07:11</strong>
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				"A babysitter? If it weren't for those like me, those like you would be irrelevant and useless. I certainly don't need a sitter, I don't believe I need a warder either, but if you are going to be foisted on me, the least you can do is be civil"<br><br>Actually, she thought, the least he could do was make himself more presentable before he had come here. The seriousness of Deanne's words however, cut her outburst off before she would allow it to get away from her. Someone inside the tower had stolen the item in question, someone who was thought of to be trusted. It was true enough that it could have been any number of women, for not a single one here would look at another thinking they a wolf in sheep's clothing. <br><br>While she didn't believe that she would fail without this man to protect her, she was in no position to argue with Deanne about it. She had to look at this an opportunity to excel, to put herself above the others and truly shine. She was more than ready for the challenge ahead, she was confidant, capable and she ready. The last thing she would allow was this man to hold her back.<br><br>"If I must have a warder, than I will accept your judgement on this, but he doesn't quite look up to the task if you ask me."
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>29-03-2010, 16:30:55</strong>
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				Brianna's sudden outburst made Alric stand still, unmoving, the eyes locked on hers. He was surprised by her nerves and at first couldn't answer. <br><br><em>Civil ? Not up to the task ?? </em> he thought. <br><br>He bit his lower lip and held his tongue not to answer her but if Brianna looked in his eyes, she would definitely feel how cold Alric had turned and the distance that existed now between them.<br><br>The words of the Amyrlin were slowly entering his mind and her talk was making sense.<br>The Aes Sedai, even if their order was divided in several paths -Ajahs- were serving the Light. Only one Ajah betrayed and decided to serve the Dark One, as a secret order. The Black Ajah. The sorceresses within this Ajah would never exhibit a dark shawl, on the contrary, they were like double agent for the Dark One. Yet, it was believed that this Ajah had been defeated long ago and that no members had survived. Apparently, Deanne was now believing otherwise, even worse, she believed that black sorceresses were inside Tar Valon. The choices left for the Amyrlin, in such an atmosphere of betrayal, were very limited. Alric stayed silent, still looking coldly at Brianna. This allowed Deanne to intervene again, she offered a smile at the young Aes Sedai:<br>"Yes child, you need a warder. Our enemies are well prepared, I fear, and if we go by pair, a channeler and a protector, be aware that the Black Ajah -Deanne whispered these words- follows the same principles..."<br><br>She sighed once more and looked at both Alric and Brianna. "You two can only trust each others, until we know more of who, and how the Ter'angreal was stolen, do not trust anyone else. The artifact was kept in the Chamber of Remorse. I believe you two may know where this chamber is. You should start there."<br><br>"I need my equipment first.." said Alric, and with one look at Brianna he added, "we may have to make a detour through my room... Brianna Sedai."<br><br>He gave her her title, after speaking her name, to make sure she would understand that he was upset.<br><br>"It won't be long..." bowing his head to Deanne, the Warder approached the door of the Antechamber, slowly opening it. As soon as the door moved on its hinges, a heavy weight made it open fully and a dead corpse, the one of a woman still wearing the white robe, fell to the floor at Alric's feet and inside the antechamber.<br><br>The woman was an Aes Sedai whom formation was incomplete, and so was still a novice. She had been stabbed and a crimson stain was visible in her back, still expending.&nbsp; Alric's eyes followed the fall of the dead body, and when his head moved up again, he will see in the doorway, like Deanne and Brianna, two men, with pale gray skin, wearing dark clothes and holding in their hands short blades.<br><br>"Gray men !" said Alric before the men took a step forward, inside the antechamber where all were. Gray men, also called Soulless, were servants of the Dark One, perfect assassins able to escape human's eyes. And while the gray men made a second step inside, they literally faded away, losing substance, in front of the eyes of Brianna, Alric and Deanne. They had turned invisible, but were still there.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Daeva</strong> on <strong>30-03-2010, 04:01:58</strong>
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				Looking over at Alric, she noted the cold glare they held towards her, and while she was loathe to admit it, she felt uneasy about it. Perhaps she had spoken too much too quickly, but holding opinions to herself was not something she had ever excelled at. For a moment she felt a twinge of guilt for being so quick to judge, but it passed quickly. Maybe she was one hundred percent right on her opinion of him and now it would seem she would have the time to find out. <br><br>They were getting ready to leave and get whatever it was he needed when the door opened. Brianna couldn't help but scream when she saw the body fall through it and the grey men standing there. She'd heard the stories of them, but to see them up close like this was enough to make her blood run cold. It was all she could do not to panic on the spot, but if she couldn't hold it together here, in the face of an emergency, then she had no business holding the title of an Aes Sedai. <br><br>In a moment, Deanne had grabbed both her&nbsp; arm as well as Alrics. "You two must go, now. Everything here will happen as its meant to and those here will do what we must. You have your own work that needs to be done. Go"<br><br>Go? Just like that? How could they just go? How could they leave with so little information or direction? Suddenly she felt a good deal less sure of herself and her abilities. What if she failed?&nbsp; What if she let everyone down who was counting on her? She looked to Alric, suddenly realizing it wasn't just for protection, perhaps it was for strength, but she feared she'd just burned that bridge and wasn't sure how to proceed.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>30-03-2010, 16:05:14</strong>
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				The two assassins had faded away right before his eyes, but before they did, Alric, naturally, had stepped between the Gray Men and the two Aes Sedai, Deanne and Brianna, offering them his back. His entire attitude seemed to have changed radically. He had straightened, his right hand had moved on his side to close around the handle of his sword...only that it closed on emptiness, since the warder was not armed. The tension of his muscles seemed to be extreme and his eyes were scanning the room, in search of any signs the Gray Men would leave and that would betray their presence.<br><br>Brianna's scream made his face move and focus on her for a few instants, enough to see her regaining her senses and composure. He couldn't help but admire her for that effort, in his experience, men or women crossing the path of the allies of the Dark Ones would desperately flee, run for their life, or collapse on their knees trembling. Of course, Aes Sedais were not common people, they were trained in the Art and for some Ajah, battles and scenes of death were their fate. But her, Brianna...not but a moment ago was a Novice, just like the woman who was now laying dead at his feet. Not but a moment ago she was enjoying an official ceremony with her friends. And now, she was asked to retrieve an artifact of great importance, she had just learned that some of her friends, "sisters", could be member of the Black Ajah, and had witnessed the appearance within the White Tower of the Dark One's assassins.<br>Anyone else would be traumatized. But there she was, keeping her calm and composure.<br><br>While these thoughts were making their way in Alric's mind, he felt the hand of Deanne wrapping around his wrist and heard her words. He nodded at the Aes Sedai's leader and turned around. Soon the hand Deanne had hold was free and wrapped around Brianna's hand.<br><br>Not waiting much for her to approve or not, Alric dragged her without ceremony out of the antechamber, leaving Deanne alone.<br>Had the Assassins heard their suspicions ? Had they heard what their mission would be ?<br>Luckily, Deanne had not revealed much, Alric and Brianna only knew where to start, the Chamber of Remorse.<br><br>"They are no match for the Amyrlin" he said to Brianna, speaking about the two Assassins who had disappeared. "I believe they could have run away and they may report what they heard to their...master or mistress...they are not clever enough to draw plots on their own, or to have entered here without help...we need to hurry."<br><br>He had kept his hand wrapped around hers, and gave her a look from time to time, yet he always kept walking with her.<br><br>He would guide her through corridors and halls, until approaching his room. Only there he would release her hand and without hesitation open the wooden door leading in his apartment. That room is very empty. A desk, with a couple of chairs, a bed, and a window allowing the light to enter. There was a basin filled with water in one corner of the room, and a wardrobe. No other decorations, painting or curtains, not even sheets on his bed. Still not waiting but hoping she would come in, Alric would take off his shirt and toss it on his bed, revealing how built he was, but also an unique but impressive scar under his left shoulder blade.
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Daeva</strong> on <strong>31-03-2010, 18:28:24</strong>
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				Brianna's head was spinning as she was half led half dragged through the halls. It was all she could do to keep from fainting from the shock of what had just occurred. Things like that weren't supposed to happen here, they were supposed to be safe here. She took barely a moment to see the change in Alric. He had gone from irritated and put out to alert and prepared. The change was enough to make her rethink her words about his not being up for the task. <br><br>Once they reached his rooms, she entered it and took a moment leaning against the wall to steady herself and her breathing calmed down. She was surprised by how spartan the room was and wondered why there were no personal touches about the room, only the most basic of furnishings. She tried not to stare when he removed his shirt, but wondered about the scar. If they were to spend any amount of time together, she'd have the opportunity to inquire about it she was certain. <br><br>After a few moments of silence, she walked over to the wash basin and splashed a bit of water on her face, still dazed from the shock of what had happened. Could they really just leave? Just walk away? Was this item of that much importance that she was supposed to turn her back on those here who might be in danger? Brianna already knew the answer, Deanne had tasked her with something she deemed important enough, and she would see it through. <br><br>"Is leaving now, in the midst of this the right thing to do?"<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>01-04-2010, 16:55:14</strong>
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				Alric approached from the wardrobe. It was closed until now and he stood facing it for a few instants. Hesitating. He had heard Brianna's breathing, and took advantage of this silence to straighten, he made his shoulders roll as if opening the wardrobe -something he hadn't done yet- would require all his strengths. As if a beast, thirsty for blood, was hiding inside the wooden and massive furniture...as if he was bracing himself in order to look and face a terrible thing kept inside.<br>Hearing Brianna refreshing herself, and then talking, Alric answered:<br><br>"We're not running away. It is not what you should think...Brianna Sedai. We're not abandoning the White Tower to its fate. Deanne's orders were clear, we have to find the Angreal. Why is it a priority? because by doing so we will find who is behind all this...Gray men are just puppets, the armed hand of the enemy. We're going straight for the head."<br><br>Decided, the warder's hand would grab the doorknob of the wardrobe. Opening it in a swift move, if Brianna looks in, she will see Alric's sword. In its sheath, decorated by a drawing representing a Heron. Carefully folded, a cape, the warder's cape, able to change of color depending on the environment and a brown blouse. Still not looking at her, Alric quickly grabbed the blouse and put it on. The sheath and the belt soon came along with it, buckled around his waist. Finally he took the cape and turned around. He stepped towards her and gave her a smile.<br>"The Amyrlin believes in you, that counts. Now, you, are you ready ?"<br><br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Daeva</strong> on <strong>02-04-2010, 15:35:18</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Was she ready? Was he kidding? Brianna doubted she'd ever felt less ready for anything than she did right now. All of her earlier cockiness and readiness died out the moment that girl had lost her life and fell by their feet. Suddenly it was real, not something she'd studied, not something she'd heard stories of, but it was real and she was expected to do something she didn't feel ready to do. For some reason though, when Alric told her that Breanne believed in her, it helped to bolster her a bit more.<br><br>"I think I am. No, actually not yet. I think perhaps I should apologize for what I said earlier, I know I insulted you"<br><br>She hadn't actually apologized, but after what she'd seen, Brianna believed that he would be more motivated to help protect her if he didn't despise her. Brianna wasn't good at being humble or making apologies, mostly because she never felt it was warranted on her end, but she also had learned the value of others opinions. <br><br>"Can we start fresh before we begin? I imagine its going to be a difficult journey and, well what do you say?"<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>02-04-2010, 19:07:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He halted a couple of steps away from her and watched her while she spoke. Slowly, his left hand moved and stay put on the handle of his sword. The weight of his arm made the sheath move and clink against his leg. <br>He caught in her eyes a flash of doubt, fear. All the way he had dragged her in this room, he had not focused much on her. He had spoken to her of Deanne, of her new "mission", of enemies hiding in the White Tower, of being unable to trust anyone..and didn't measure the impact of these words on her. He saw her regaining composure after they saw the gray men, and the dead young woman -who was a Novice like her until today- and assumed she could take in these words, resuming facts and which could be words spoken from a soldier to another on a battlefield. Only now he could see that this was too much. Without the bond usually established between the Warder and the Aes Sedai, he couldn't feel how she was deep inside, and neither could she...That bond allowed a Warder to always know the location where the Aes Sedai was, even at great distance. And vice versa. It allowed them to be more efficient during a battle, in knowing what the other would need before any words were spoken out loud. This bond could turn into something even deeper.<br><br>She had finished spoking, and was waiting for him to answer. Alric, kept his brown eyes on her, and for a few instants stayed silent. Only two or three seconds, before his face moved and looked at the room. Looking at the empty walls, he seemed to realize for the first time in months the environment where he was living. Maybe bearing again the sword and holding the cape awoke him. <br><br>"Take a seat Brianna..." he approached from the unique table of the room, took one glass in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. He poured some in the glass and held it to the young woman waiting for her to take it, he leaned his back against the table and added.<br>"We both started on the wrong feet. I apologize too, about the babysitting thing."<br><br>He knew the urge to visit the Chamber of remorse, a chamber from where the angreal had been stolen...at least to know what that artifact, that angreal was able to do, but before doing that, like she had just said, they needed to start fresh.<br><br>"I am not your Warder Brianna. Not in the ways the Aes Sedai choose them. It is Deanne who asked you to accept, but your true Warder will be the one you chose, and you only. The one you'll create a bond with. Not someone imposed to you. But...I will protect you and believe in you. Until this is over, until we bring back the angreal and reveal who did this. If you do not want to call me your Warder, it is fine, Alric will be enough."<br><br>He hoped that this would ease her mind or opinion about his Order. He was far from the image she could have of a Warder, others were shaved for example while he had let a beard grow. Others were maybe more joyous, and seemed to have less anger within, but his attitude came from a reason, in his past, that he wish she never knew about. <br><br>"Did you know the young Aes Sedai killed by the Gray men ?" That could explain her shock, and he had not considered that possibility. "If you knew her maybe...we can say a few words and..."<br><br><strong>"How touching that would be..."</strong><br><br>A third voice, lowly spoke those words...a male voice while no one else was in the room.<br><br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Daeva</strong> on <strong>06-04-2010, 03:31:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				People rarely surprised Brianna, she almost always expected the worst and was hardly ever disappointed. So when she had expected that Alric would be as crude as his appearance suggested, she found she was surprised by her misjudgment of the man. He wasn't speaking to her as if she were simple and he wasn't coddling her in fear she might not have the strength to handle what they had just experienced. She appreciated that more than he knew. She had always just assumed that warders felt they had to protect the weak and she resented perception.<br><br>As he'd said, he was not her warder, he was charged in this task as much as she had been and had the same lack of choice in the matter. Honor and pride would allow neither of them to turn their backs. His apology as far as she could tell had been sincere, but then, her own had been as well. Perhaps, just perhaps she wasn't as ready as she would have liked to believe. <br><br>Again Brianna found herself surprised when he'd asked her about the young girl who had fallen before them. She had known her, though only in passing. The fact that she had been taken before she'd had a chance to begin her true life weighed heavily on her mind, though she doubted a few words in afterthought would make a bit of difference. It was a kind gesture all the same. <br><br>"How touching that would be"&nbsp; the voice said. There was no one in the room with them, no, there was no one in the room that they could see. They had been followed, and all of Brianna's training and preparations went right out of her mind. She could fight this, even something she couldn't see, if only she could catch her breath enough to do so. She wouldn't fall like the young girl downstairs, she wouldn't fail before her journey even started and she wouldn't show fear for then she would lose all. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>mainsnoires</strong> on <strong>06-04-2010, 16:32:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The voice echoed against the walls of Alric's room followed by silence. The warder's eyes stayed on Brianna's face before he slightly turned his head to look behind his left shoulder. The fact that the voice had resonated inside the room was making difficult any attempt to locate where the man who had talked was standing.<br>Alric was in front of Brianna and leaning his back against the round table of his chamber. The main door of the warder's room had been closed after they entered, and it was still closed. Gray men were invisible, but unable to walk through walls or doors, that left only one way for them to use in order to enter here. Alric turned around and started unsheathing his blade. The sound of the steel against the sheath was worth any words he could say, it was showing his determination, and made the situation even more dramatical.<br><br><strong>"Have you said any words on her dead corpse as well ? I thought Warders were supposed to protect these sorceresses...through some kind of bond..."</strong><br><br>Alric's ample gesture to unsheathe his blade stopped suddenly. Half the length of the sword was visible. How was that possible ? how did the gray man knew ? <br><br>"He is not a mere gray man..."<br>He finished taking his blade out and took a few steps back to stand between Brianna and the window of his room. The unique window that allowed light to enter, and that was opened. Refraining the insults that were inside his throat and that he wanted to spit at the servants of the evil one, Alric held his blade with his right hand, his left hand approaching the basin filled with water not so far away from Brianna.<br><br><strong>"You two have no ideas in what you have stepped into...Already your Amyrlin is a souvenir...the artifact you and your Tower kept hidden is the only cure for this plague we will unleash..."</strong><br><br>The gray man or whoever was speaking through him had given them informations, more than what Deanne had said. But, at that moment Alric didn't care much about the artifact. What their enemy has told before has lit a fire that was consuming his mind. He took with his free hand the basin filled with water and threw it in the direction of the wall in front of them. With the use of only one hand, the heavy basin's course stopped quickly and met the ground...but the water once contained inside, spread to the floor all around the warder and the Aes Sedai.<br>Alric's eyes focused on the floor, until he heard the splash of a foot on the water and saw the traces of boots, of someone approaching. He then rushed forward, describing an arch from high to low with his sword...first it seemed that the sword was tracing the air, but then a red line appeared, followed by the shape of the gray man whom chest had been cut by the point of Alric's sword.<br>The gray man fell on his knees, before landing on the side, splashing the water and coloring it with red.<br>The sound of feet walking in the water was soon heard again, close to Brianna. The warder heard it and turned around to look at the Aes Sedai a few steps in his back.<br>That sound was soon followed by the materialization of the second gray man, standing behind Brianna and holding a dagger covered with dark liquid, under her chin. <br><br><strong>"where were we...ah yes, I kill her if you move..."</strong> the Gray man's free hand wrapped around Brianna's chest, right under her breasts, lifting her up and backwards.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Dragon's lament (Mainsnoires &amp; FLN826)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Daeva</strong> on <strong>08-04-2010, 04:09:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Brianna heard the entire room go silent as if the world had started to move in slow motion. This would not happen, she would not fail, she would not fall. Alric had been bothered by something the gray man said, but she could barely hear it over the sound of her heart beating in her chest. All of her training, all of her skills, she knew she had to call on them now or they would both die. <br><br>She felt the arm reach around her and she was very much aware of the sharp point being held to her neck. Closing her eyes she took several deep breaths, noting that the man had made a mistake, and she could use that to her advantage. She would either die by his dagger when she made the attempt, or they would get free. <br><br>"He's not going to kill me, we wont let him"<br><br>They would only have one shot at this, no, she would only have one shot. She could do this, this is what she had been born to do, what she had spent her life preparing for. Would she be so weak as to fail at the first challenge to come her way? She reached her hand out to him, if the man or being that held her had known what she would do, he would have held her arms down and not given her this chance. It was only an instant, one blurred instant before Brianna and Alric fell to the ground, and when they looked around, they were just outside the tower by the gates. It was the only place she could picture in her mind. <br><br>When she stood and brushed herself off she looked at Alric in silence before she squealed in delight and practically knocked him over when she threw her arms around him. Never had she truly believed it could have worked. She released him when she realized what she was doing and took a step away. <br><br>"That was....I never thought...I don't know how...." <br><br>Sitting down hard on the ground, Brianna just basked in the moment.
			</dd>
		</dl>
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