08/14/2000

Entrance Hall, White Tower, Tar Valon

The floor forms a beautiful mosaic of color as the seven colors of the
seven Ajahs are employed in tiny tile work to form the flame of Tar Valon
in all of its glory. Though it appears white from a distance, one needs
only bend down to see the fine artistry that went into employing those
colors in just the right way to create such an illusion. Seven that make
one, a fine metaphor for the Aes Sedai, and the first thing a petitioner
would see.

Women wearing great serpent rings, their faces young whatever their real
age, stride through the area, sidestepping petitioners, white-clad novices,
and striped Accepted, for the most part calm and aloof. Novices run
through, to grab petitioners or on their way to lessons, either one, wheras
the Accepted comport themselves with better decorum. Usually, these days,
it is tattered refugees, in grimy clothing, that finds itself huddling
within these fine white walls. As often as not, they cannot be helped,
whatever titles or sad stories they brought with them when they came.

More often than not the denizens of the Tower look straight over the heads
of these pathetic souls, staring straight south. As though they could see
the enemy over the horizon straight through the perfect white Ogier
stonework, and somehow eliminate it with a gaze, a glare, a frown. As if
some answer to the growing corner they find themselves backed in will
present itself from beneath the tangled hair of one of the refugees. Heads
tilt upwards with determination and perhaps a hint of anger, then, and
often times will disappear in a swirl of cloak and hemline.


Denn'ryiel enters the Hall from the common wing, walking by herself. Of
late, her rose colored dresses have been put aside for grey, and her new
shawl is over her shoulders instead of the vest she was used to wearing.
She looks a little tired, and starts for the stairs.

And Neelkan exits about the same time out of the infirmary, his hand
finally unwrapped but still a little reddish. They didn't want to waste
energy healing something so minor when it could just have salves put on it.
Not that the argued much. He rubs on the skin lightly, even if they told
him not to, and notices a certain White Sedai. It's almost difficult for
him to spot her now. He'd gotten so used to the rose dresses and the vest.
But he starts in that direction after her, "'ey Denn!" Then he pauses and
says with a grin, "I suppose I'm 'pposed t' call ya 'Denn'ryiel Sedai' 'r
somethin' now, 'eh?" And bow too. Bad trainee.

Denn'ryiel turns as her name is called, and smiles as she notices a certain
trainee. She laughs as she makes her way to greet him when she what he has
to say. "Who said I /wanted/ you to call me Denn'ryiel Sedai. Denn was fine
a week ago, it's still fine today." She looks up at the skin on his hand
and reaches over to touch it carefully. "It looks good... no scar, I
think."

"A'right. Denn it is 'en." Neelkan says with a playful grin, lettng her
touch his hand. No scar. Just a little red along the back of the hand.
Darker in a few places then others. It's healing though, so they let him
take the bandage off. "Ye'h. It'll be fine. Told ya it would." He reaches
out with his right hand (the uninjured one) and cups hers lightly, giving
it a small squeeze, "So ya don't feel no different yet, 'en?"

Denn'ryiel shakes her head. "No, not unless it's just the way everyone has
been treating me differently. I guess I should have expected that though,"
she says, with a frown. At his hand gesture she smiles a little more
sincerely. "Are you free at the moment?"

"Ye'h. Most the Gaidin're real grumpy t'day, so not many of the students 'r
gettin' lessons." It's because of the defeat, obviously. It upset the
course of things a great deal. Neelkan doesn't seem all that bothered by it
at all though. In fact, he seems as cheerful as ever. Which is odd, because
he's usually grumpy. "Did ya need m' f'r somethin'?"

Denn'ryiel shakes her head. "No... I was inquiring for more selfish
reasons, I'm afraid. I haven't really gotten a chance to speak with you
since... this happened, and the battle. But if you'd rather go elsewhere, I
understand. I doubt there was much ale on the battlefield or in the
infirmary," she adds with a grin.

"No. No ale. But 'en I'm startin' t' get used t' not havin' any," Neelkan
says with a small laugh, moving his hand up to grip her elbow gently, "If
ya wanna talk, 'en we can talk." There's a pause, then he adds after a
second though, "Not 'at I don't wanna talk t' ya. I just..." Feh. "Let's
talk. Where to, Denn?" He finally finishes with another grin.

Denn'ryiel chuckles at Neelkan's trouble with words. She's usually the one
stumbling over her own tongue, and likely will be later. "Someplace where
we don't have to yell to make ourselves heard," she suggests, gesturing
with her eyes to the crowd carrying on their conversation around her.
"There's usually a side corridor or two free in the Common Wing," she then
proposes.

"Common Wing it is, Denn'ryiel Sedai." Neelkan says, giving the title with
a grin and a playful wink. He's kidding. Really. It's just like if he would
call any of his non-sedai friends 'Accepted' or 'Trainee'. It's not really
a big deal to him. He starts towards the Wing, expecting her to be nearby
him.


Common Wing,White Tower, Tar Valon

Marble white tiled floors are scrubbed down to a perfect shine. The
footsteps of those who pass through this hall create an eerie echo. People
speak in soft voices, but there is very little noise beyond this soft
murmur, for loud voices earn glares from Aes Sedai, and nobody really wants
those.

There is a staircase leading down, though from the bored Accepted guarding
the door it looks as if not everyone is allowed access to them. Various
doors lead off to other parts of the Tower.


Denn'ryiel gives Neelkan an annoyed glance at the title, even though she
knows he's only kidding. It doesn't take too long to find an unused
corridor, where the voices of those passing to and from the Dining Hall
aren't too loud. "Thanks," she says, to start off. "I know your time is
important."

"My time is important?" Neelkan raises his eyebrows as if she'd just said
something that sounds silly to him. "Don't worry 'bout it. I'd rather spend
m' time with friends 'en havin' some Gaidin teach m' stuff I a'ready know."
He's rather hoping they start teaching him things he doesn't know soon. But
he's content to let them think he's a fast learner for now.

Denn'ryiel chuckles. "Then I should hope they don't get to anything new
soon, since I see you rarely enough now as it is." She raises her hand as
if to touch him on the arm, but then realizes what she is doing and lowers
her hand. "I jest, though. I'm sure you will be a Gaidin soon. From battle
experience alone, soon I imagine."

"I dunno. I don't really think 'ey're in 'at much of a hurry t' get m'
through the program." Neelkan says with a shrug, glancing off down the
hall. "I'm startin' t' wonder if 'ey let m' go t' the battle 'cause 'ey
thought 'ey might be rid of m' finally." He chuckles and glances back with
a grin, "I really dunno though. I'm not really in all 'at much of a hurry
now."

Denn'ryiel is standing in one of the side hallways off the common wing,
chatting with Neelkan. The woman is wearing grey dresses now, and her shawl
in place of her vest. "Now? Why is that? Did they give you a command at the
last battle?" At the battle Denn was present for, there wasn't much
difference between Neelkan and the Warders.

"Not really. Only real command 'ey gave m' was." Neelkan clears his throat
and does his best imitation of Raeth's voice, which isn't very good,
butchered badly by his own voice and accent, "'Get outta 'ere!'" Not an
exact quote either. He chuckles and shakes his head. "I don't know. I
actually offered t' go, but if 'ey hadn't wanted m', 'ey prolly would've
said somethin'. But it don't matter much."

"It was likely," comes the Amyrlin's musical voice as she glides into view
-- sans cane -- "the only command of any worth given in the entire fray."
She stops to consider Denn'ryiel, then nods. The shawl suits her. She
should have done that sooner.

Denn'ryiel turns her head as if she had known the Amyrlin was coming the
whole time. Of course, she's completely surprised, but at least she's
learned not to make that obvious anymore. She gives the Amyrlin a curtsey.
"Mother," she greets, respectfully. She becomes aware of Kaomi's eyes upon
her, and tries not to flush. "My apologies... I was just asking Neelkan
about the battle."

Unfortunately, Neelkan doesn't do so good at covering his surprise. He does
jump, but he does glance over quickly to raise his eyebrows at the voice
and the woman behind it. "'ey Kaomi." He's not going to make any comment on
it being the only good command given, mainly because he happens to agree.
But that is better left for another time. "It's good t' see ya." Yes. He
treats the Amyrlin like any other friend. And a rather good friend at that.

"Do not apologize." The Amyrlin says, soflty, chiding. "You are Aes Sedai
now. You may speak to whomever you choose, about pretty much anything you
choose." Within the boundries of the law, but that goes without saying. "I
am glad I found both of you. It is not the battle that is on my mind at
this point in time. It is done with, and there are better military analysts
than I to pinpoint what went wrong. No, it is a dead novice, one Niglite by
name."

Denn'ryiel nods her head once, with a quiet "Yes Mother," in response to
her correction. Most Accepted have worn deep ruts of normal behavior when
they reach the shawl that they have to crawl out of, and Denn's ruts have
worn deep, created over more time than anyone else's. "I have heard only
rumors about Niglite," she says, with a frown. "A Sedai spoke to me once
about the murder, but that is all."

Espi seems to have a single purpose in mind. That of getting something to
eat since she enters at a good pace. She does stop to smile at everyone,
bobbing a deep curtsey to Mother and including Denn now in that since she
is AS now before she offers a grin to Neel. Once she's done that, she
continues on toward the Dining Room.

Glanceing over at the mention of a dead novice, and trying not to give much
recognition of the name, Neelkan nods lightly and responds, "I've heard
rumors too. Dirty business. Girls shouldn't have thin's like 'at happen t'
'em." He may not be the most woman loving person on the planet, but the guy
has morals, and keeping women safe are one of them. He pauses as he happens
to see Espi pass by, eyes widening slightly, then he nods and grins in her
direction. Weird she would come by just when Kaomi mentioned Niglite.

Varcel comes walking into the Wing quietly, though not stealthy, a
thoughtful expression on his face.

"Which Sister, Denn'ryiel?" The Mother asks curiously, tilting her head.
"And what did she say?" She does not ignore Neelkan, nor the other two, but
it is this which mosts interests her right at the moment. She smooths her
stole, thinking.

Espiria pauses as she listens to Denn speak of the sister who spoke to her
and Denn the other day. She frowns gently, shivering for a moment as she
lingers just by the exit. Cyli should never have said what she did. Who
knows how many she has thrown into a panic about.. She can't help but
shiver again. Regardless if it's true or not, it's still a terrifying
thought.

Denn'ryiel blinks and brings a hand to the side of her head, closing her
eyes for a moment. "I... I don't remember. It was a Yellow, one I'm not
sure I've seen before. She stopped Espiria and I as we were walking. She
said..." She swallows, but then, the two people she would probably trust
most are in front of her. "She stated that she believed it was the work of
the Black Ajah," she says, careful not to let her voice drift from the
corridor. "She mentioned the Ajah by name, not by innuendo."

Know what Neelkan wants to say here? 'What's the Black Ajah?' but he
doesn't. Thankfully. He actually turns thoughtful, and frowns slightly.
Black Ajah. Black Ajah. Why does that seem to tug on something in his head?
Hrm? Hmm? Feh. He doesn't know why, so he stops trying to figure it out and
glances towards Espi again, only to see Varcel a little ways behind her. Oh
good. They're going to talk. Just like he told her she should do. So... why
does he look grumpy all of a sudden? Must be the Black Ajah mention. That's
all.

Varcel struggles to maintain his normal solemn look, and just barely
succeeds. The Amyrlin here, talk of the Black Ajah. Oy, what next, the
Creator arriving on pigback? He continues on his way, bowing to the Amyrlin
as he passes her general area.

Kaomi seems unruffled by that particular mention. She nods to Varcel and
murmurs to Denn'ryiel, "I have different teams of people working on
different parts of the investigation. I do not want people going alone
because we do not know whom we are dealing with." For sure. "I would like
you to take a few people of your choice...Neelkan is fine, if you take
another...and begin a search of the Aes Sedai quarters."

Espiria sees that things are well in hand and she would rather not listen
to talk of the Black Ajah again. It left her feeling...cold inside for some
reason. She blinks, hearing that Denn is going to begin investigating as
well. Good..maybe the person will be caught soon then. She hopes. Then
maybe life will go back to normal..or as normal as it can be for her
anyway. She turns, heading into the dining room.

Denn'ryiel looks surprised by the way Kaomi takes her news. She nods once
to the orders, however. "Of course, Mother," she says, turning to look to
Neelkan. A look indicates that she does indeed wish for Neelkan to
accompany her, though since she didn't give the request voice, the trainee
can still make excuse.

Hmm!? Neelkan blinks and kind of half-stares at the Amyrlin. She wants him
to help with an investigation. He nods lightly after a moment and says,
"Sure. I'll help." Little does the Amyrlin know, that with the help of
Espiria he's already done some investigating... but she need not know
/that/. Right?

Kaomi truly would not be a bit surprised, and often the world at large is
shocked by what does and does not anger her. Considering the matter dealt
with, she nods to Neelkan and moves to continue on her way.

Neelkan lets her go with a nod and a smile. Not quite the proper bow that
he should be giving, but as far as he's conserned, she is a friend and even
people in high stations should be treated like a normal human being
sometimes.

Passing down the hall, making surprisingly little sound on the echoing
floor even for a Gaidin, Yannick walks almost unseen and unheard, already
passing the group until bits of conversation tug at his attention. Not to
mention the most recognizible face in the Tower. He stops and draws nearer
quietly, listening for the time being.

"Gaidin." The Amyrlin says, nodding politely to Yannick. "Peace favor your
sword." She smooths down her stole, thinking for a moment.