Courtyard, The White Tower, Tar Valon

Marble tiles gleam from a straight path which leads from the Gates of the
Tower to the wide double doors which announce its entry point. Soft grass
and well planned patches of flowers can be found to either side, with the
occasional shady tree. Accepted and novices sit on stone benches, some
practicing their Power to the dismay of uneasy petitioners passing through.
To the side there is a stable, near the fenced entrance to the clearly
visible yard where shirtless boys go through sword forms through the day.

Guards take the weapons of those wanting to enter, though the Gaidin spread
about the courtyard, seemingly about their leisure, look ready to pounce on
any men who "forgot" a dagger at the gates. Aes Sedai pass through on
various errands, some nodding to acknowledge bows or curtsies. The
atmosphere is busy, but calm.


Espiria sighs softly, having just had a very good cry from something from
the looks of it. She still sits with her arms wrapped around her as she
stares toward the ground.

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Neelkan heads out of the practice yard, his shirt is
pulled open completely, torn along the front as if something got caught on
the fabric and tore it pretty good. There's also a reddened slash along the
visable skin along his chest, not too bad, but it probably does hurt a
little. He's holding his right hand as if it hurts, and what's visable,
there appears to be a very, very nice bruise formed there along his
knuckles and the back of his hand. He looks to not be in a very good mood
either, quite... ruffled is a good way to call the state he is currently
in. It takes a few moments as he's heading in the direction of the Tower
before he notices you, and when he does he pauses for a moment, then heads
over. He waits until he's right behind you before saying, "'ey 'ere, Espi."

Espiria heaves a deep sigh, glancing behind her and to you before her red
rimmed eyes go wide as saucers. "Neel! What in Light's name happened to
you?" She moves over taking a hold of your arm and in the mood she's in
'no' is /not/ an option, "Here..for goodness sake, sit down before you fall
down." She seems very troubled, but she shoves it away for now.

Neelkan, of course, tries his best to wave his uninjured hand and push you
away, "Espi, I'm fi--" but then you grab onto his arm. He suddenly grumps
loudly and jerks away a little. Unseen, there's another very, very nice
bruise forming on his arm. But he just tries to hide it as he doesn't want
help from a girl. He nods after a little and moves to sit down like you
'requested'. "A'right, a'right. I'm sittin'. 'n.. uh.. it was just a
sparrin' session is all." One that obviously got a little carried away....

Espiria sighs softly, looking at the hand as she frowns, "This isn't good,
Neel. You have to get those fingers fixed or your not going to be able to
hold a weapon in them." She sighs softly, biting her lip a bit. "Let me
deal with it Neel? Please? I..I couldn't stand to see someone else in pain
right now." There is a definately pleading tone to her voice and in her
eyes.

There's a pause, then Neelkan nods. "Go f'r it." He offers a warm smile,
then holds his hand out for her to fix. He doesn't really mind healing all
that much, when they ask. Some of the Yellows didn't ask. They just
grabbed, healed, and pushed him on his way. He would have rather they just
gave him bandages sometimes. And you... you he would probably forgive if
you didn't ask anyway...

Espiria smiles gently, sighing with much sadness behind it as she gently
takes your hand. She knows that she shouldn't be doing this without someone
around, but..things the way they are..there's little time. She focuses on
the hand, embracing to delve the extent of the damage. "Just what I
thought. This shouldn't take long, Neel. Then...I need to talk to you about
something else." She starrts with the worst of it, taking the pain away so
you don't feel her manipulating the bones beneath. Yup...this would hurt
otherwise. It takes a few moments, but the purple starts going away. The
the aches of the bruises you have elsewhere too. She found those when she
delved you, so might as well clean it all up instead of just part. Even
with what she's doing, the stiffness will remain for awhile. Stiffness in
the fingers too and as she backs off, having done as much as she could she
tells you as much, "I'd give that hand a day to finish healing and then
work with it so your fingers don't stay stiff." She sighs, releasing your
hand and the source before she closes her eyes.

The bruises are along his arm, his hip bone, and one would have formed on
his chest eventually. But the one on his hand was the worse. Neelkan flexes
his hand as soon as you're done even though he probably shouldn't, and yes,
it's still a little stiff, but it doesn't hurt as bad at least. And he's
glad to have the rest of the bruises gone too. That hip one would have
ruined his sleeping, not that he sleeps all thet great as it is... "Thanks.
So... what is it ya wanted t' talk t' me 'bout?" Oh, he has a good idea
what happened, but he's going to play dumb.

Espiria sighs softly, biting her lip so hard that if she doesn't let up it
may just bleed, but the pain keeps her from crying again. "It's happened,
Neel." She sighs, looking over to you with a seriously sad frown. "Just
alittle bit ago..."

"Espi..." Neelkan forgets his own problems for a few moments and puts an
arm around you, pushing you against him. It's obvious that the spar wasn't
that long ago, and there is a little sweat smell still on him, as well
as... tears? Yup. His shirt already got used as a hankerchief today... "I
figured 'at's what happened. Look. E'erythin's gonna be a'right. Remember?"
He leans his head in close as he whispers that last part, pressing the side
of his head against your hair slightly. Yeah. This probably is making a few
people look over at them oddly. But get over it. What are they going to do?
Send her to the MoNster?

Espiria sighs softly, shaking her head. "It...was horrible Neel. Mother
came for her in the dining hall. Had..me..and Cyli Sedai link up with
Drusilla Sedai to...to shield her." She winces, shaking her head. "And...to
tie up her Gaidin. They..are in the cells now and Wyntere is sheilded." Why
is it that every time that it gets into a personal conversation about the
AS. Wynt in particular that, Espi always forgets the 'Sedai' addition?
Maybe because she looks at them more as family ad less as AS. "It was..so
hard to just stand there and do that. To..watch her face fall..to see the
sadness of betrayal in her eyes as she looked at Mother." She shakes her
head slowly, resting there gently in the arm around her shoulder. "Mother
was right though..she didn't have a choice. She had to do it publicly.
Everyone knows how much Mother cared to Wyntere and if she hadn't...Mother
would probably have been the next one aimed for." She sighs, "We have so
/much/ work to get done. And so little time to get it done. We will have to
work really hard..to find the one that's behind it all."

Sedai addition? Neelkan almost always forgets the Sedai addition, unless he
doesn't really like the person, oddly enough. It's those he cares for and
respects that get the 'first name treatement'. He holds you closer, as
tightly as you'll let him, and even closes his eyes and presses his face
into your hair for a few moments. Ahem. Bad Neelkan. He pulls out of that
and says, "I know, 'n we'll work really hard, 'n we'll get 'er out. Just ya
wait." And he's going to personally give the woman/women responsable a
black eye. And a broken nose. And kick them in the shins. And make sure
he's there to watch as they get stilled and hung. And he can't believe
Kaomi had you do the shield as well. But he understands she had to. Cyli
Sedai though, hmm? Interesting.

Espiria sighs softly and nods, "Yes..." She glances around for a moment,
frowning slightly. "I don't think we should be talking out here though. You
never know who's listening." She sighs, biting her lip. "But..I think I
will definately speak to Mother tommorrow about something. She didn't
believe it, Neel. I could tell she didn't. The evidence must be really
big..for her to have to face Wyntere..and have her locked up." She shakes
her head, leaning away from you as she feels a bit strange. "I'm worried
that whomever is behind it..is watching and we can't let them know what we
are up to. This is the..Black Ajah we are talking about and they are
ruthless.... They wouldn't hesitate to kill any of us who are still looking
and say..Wyntere did it. She set something time delayed or some such drivel
and then drum up the evidence to prove it."

"A'right. Let's not talk 'bout it 'ere 'en. D'ya know anywhere 'at's...
safe?" Somewhere they can go all alone, with no prying-- oh Blood 'n ashes.
Neelkan has more important things to worry about then getting to spend time
alone with you! Grrrr. He actually growls at himself for even thinking
about that for a moment. He has to focus on helping save Wyn!! There's a
pause, and he wonders, "D'ya think 'ere's any way 'at Redd might be able t'
help? The poor kid's on his last straw, 'n I'm not sure how he's goin' t'
handle 'is if he doesn't feel like he's doin' somethin' useful." And
Neelkan had the bruises to prove the kid was going off the deep end.

Espiria rubs her chin a bit, glad to have something useful to think about.
A place. Safe place. Hmm.. She darts her eyes over to you though, blinking.
"Redd? Something's wrong with Redd?" She bites her lip, frowning.
"Lovely..." She widens her eyes though, smiling. "Oh..Wait. I know. He
could help a great deal." She smiles brightly, "Do you know where he is? I
need to talk to him right away.":

Yeah. Something's wrong with Redd. He went totally psycho and nearly tried
to kill me. But Neelkan isn't going to say that. Instead he pauses for a
moment before saying, "He's in our room. I put 'im in his bunk 'n waited
'til he went t' sleep." Cried himself to sleep more like it... "He's prolly
still 'ere. 'r if he's not, he'd've gone t' the Practice Yard. What can he
help with?" He starts to stand up, offering an arm so that you can get up
as well.

Espiria sighs softly, nodding to you as she takes the offered arm and gets
to her feet. Hmm..this might take a bit of work to get right. She glances
over to you as she starts moving at a good pace toward the barracks.
"Well...I figure we need someone who is still small enough to get into
places where others won't see. Or..be places where he can be ignored. Kind
of hard to ignore you, Neel." She giggles, moving along with you into the
Yard.

"What does 'at mean!? I blend in perfectly well!" Neelkan yells with a
hrmpt as he walks you into the Practice yard.


Barracks Room #41, White Tower, Tar Valon

Redd lies on his bed, on his stomach, head turned away from the door. If
he's awake, no one can tell.

Peeking inside the cracked down, Neelkan checks to make sure none of the
other roomates are present, but it appears it's just Redd, so he pushes it
fully open and leads Espi in, making sure the door is closed behind her.
Whew. "'ere it is. Not much..." Four bunks. One on either side, with a top
one and a bottom one. It's obviously that Neelkan's is the top bunk on the
one opposite where Redd is, just from the way the covers hang off it and
there's clothes laying around, and his fan is up there. Nope. Not the
neatest boy in the world. He heads over to see if Redd's up, "Redd?"

Espiria hurries inside, glancing around for a moment before she makes a
face. But she stays quiet for the moment, motioning toward the door and
sealing the room off with a ward. "There..now if we keep our voices low,
noone will hear us." She glances over to the bed, seeing Redd laying there
all sprawled out as he is. She heads over to him quickly, smiling at neel
before she sits down next to him and shakes him just a bit. "Redd.... It's
Espi. I need to talk to you. It's very important."

Redd doesn't seem to respond at first, but when it is Espi's voice he
hears, he opens his eyes slowly and looks at her. "I'm sorry..." He says
slowly.

Frowning lightly, Neelkan backs off to move over near his bunk, leaning
against the wall lightly. "I'll just be o'er 'ere." He comments to both of
them, knowing that he can't seem to get through to Redd today, so he's
going to let Espi have a go.

Espiria shakes her head slowly, smiling at Redd. "There's nothing to be
sorry for, Redd. There's nothing you could have done for her. And yes..I
knew you were there, but I had my hands full at the time." She sighs,
shaking her head. "Do you want to help Wyntere Sedai clear her name? I need
to know..and I need to know now, Redd because we don't have much time with
this." She notes that he's not looking so well and glances over to Neel, "I
see you gave as good as you got, hmm?" She pats Redd gently on the
shoulder, "Come on...sit up. let me take care of those bruises. Then..I
want you to think carefully because it's really really important..that you
tell me."

Redd frowns as he sits up. He looks to Neelkan for a second, the look
probably saying, 'why did you tell her' but he doesn't say it. "All I can
ever do is watch..."

Looking absolutely innocent, Neelkan mumbles, "I barely touched 'im." And
honestly, he didn't tell her. Not in so many words. But he's not going to
say anything like that. He's just going to lean and watch. (Take on Redd's
role?)

Espiria sighs, "And don't glare at Neel. He didn't say a word to me. How
else would you both have almost exactly the same wounds in so short a time.
I saw both of you earlier today..and I saw you Redd not more than an hour
ago." She smirks. Nope she didn't need to be told exactly, she figured it
out all on her own. A woman. Gosh.. She takes Redd's hand gently in her
own, sighing softly as she embraces and deals with the worst of the pain
first of all, leaving only achieness behind and heals up the bruises. After
she's done, she leans back and releases his hands, "Not this time Redd. I
need you very badly because right now it's very possible that Wyntere Sedai
is going to get stilled. And if you aren't familiar with the term it means
that she'll be striped of her Sisterhood...shawl taken away and her closed
off from the One Power forever." She pauses here to let that all sink in,
"Now..we all know she didn't do it and we know that someone must have
framed her. Planted all the evidence that Mother had with her to force her
into arresting Wyntere Sedai."

Redd blinks. "She can't be. She didn't do it." He looks to Neelkan again,
this time it isn't in accusation. "And Mother still is going to?"

"Redd, listen t' what Espi's sayin'. We're not gonna let it happen, but we
need t' find out... we need t' find out who really did it in order t' free
Wyn." Neelkan says with a shrug. He reaches up and runs hands through his
hair. He doesn't know how they're going to do it, but they're going to have
to. Somehow. Because if they don't... well...

Espiria sighs softly, biting her lip. "She has no choice, Redd." She
glances over to Neel and motions toward the door for a moment. Maybe an ear
open for anyone going by would be good too? Not exactly the best of
subjects to be speaking about. She turns back to Redd, "Do you know what
the Black Ajah is? Do you know who they are..or have you heard the
stories?" Her eyes stay on Redd even as her hand goes to his hand again.
She remembers how scared she felt when she first heard them mentioned. But
she's wondering if Redd even knows what they are. He might.... Espi's there
either way.

Redd shakes his head. "No... what is that?" He turns his eyes to Espiria,
giving her his full attention as of now.

Moving a little closer to the door, Neelkan sticks an ear against it to
listen. Nothing but the normal sounds that one might here, so he just
listens to what's going on outside, and inside as well.

She takes a deep breath, shivering for a moment. "They are Aes Sedai who
have turned toward the Dark. They hurt..they even kill using the One Power.
They don't think about anything except that they want to do and if anyone
gets in the way, they get rid of them." She glances over to Neel for a
moment, then back to Redd. "These...foul creatures don't care who they
hurt. And they are very good at making things up..planting things...framing
people for things they did not do. Even forcing people to say things
against someone if it gets them what they want. In this case..It's to hurt
Wyntere Sedai. To get her stilled. Maybe they feel she has done something
against them... Or maybe she might. Regardless, they have framed her..and
made sure that there is no denying that it points to her." She sighs,
shaking her head. "We don't have much time..and it will be very dangerous
Redd. If the one who is of the Black Ajah..finds out..."

Redd grows visibly angry at that. Something completely new to Redd, and he
blinks in reaction, forcing it back. "They need to be stopped." He looks
Espi in the eye, then frowns and turns away. "Do you think I could do more
than watch?"

"Redd, watch 'n look 'n find out who really did it is pretty much all we
can do. Until we find evidence." Or at least that's how Neelkan understands
it. And when they /do/ find the evidence... "'en I'm gonna personally pound
the bloody Black 'til she sees stars." Ahem.

Espiria chuckles and nods, her hand going out to touch Redd's face and turn
it back toward her. "I wouldn't be here Redd if I didn't need you to do
more than just watch. I need you, Redd. I needd your help in this. I need
everyone that knows she's innocent to help." She glances over to Neel,
"Since she's been arrested, the one who did this will grow careless because
noone will be watching her. She will make mistakes and we will be there to
catch those mistakes." She sighs softly, "I need to know if you want to
help because it's going to very dangerous. We are going to need to start
searching places. I think we should start with the basement. The storerooms
and such because anyone can hide anything in there and the chance of it
being found isn't high because noone goes in there." She grins and glances
over to neel, nodding one. If she had her say in things and it wouldn't
alter history, she'd use a good stiff batch of balefire on her and watch
her burn. Ahem. But she won't say that. That's the older part talking who's
seen more pain and suffering than most care to. She looks back over to
Redd, serious again. "Will you help us..."

Redd looks at Espi as his head gets turned. There is a single tear forming
in his eye. "Would she become even more careless if she thinks we believe
Wyntere to be guilty?" That is Redd's way of saying he is going to help.

Letting out a breath upon hearing that the young boy is going to help,
Neelkan mumbles something about bloody healing side effects and moves over
to his cot, abandoning his post by the door. If someone was so interested
on listening in on his room, they would have gone there already. He pulls
himself up and lays down with a grump. And the rest is silence... (At least
he doesn't snore, right?)

Espiria glances over to Neel, smiling softly. "Sleep well, Neel. We have a
long day ahead of us tommorrow." She sighs softly, turning back to Redd.
"No..I think that would make her suspicious. She knows noone believes it,
but the evidence is there and noone can deny that. Except us that is." She
sighs for a moment, "If your duties alow it, I'm going to need you..and
Neel and anyone else i can round up to help to start searching downstairs.
In the basement. The storerooms we start with and if we don't find anything
there..then we move to the room on higher floors."