In Kandor long ago there ruled
A king of strength and fame;
From Shienar to Tear was known
The greatness of Rayame.
And known too, beside the tales
Of glory and of power;
The greatest treasure of the King,
Three daughters fair as flowers.

Fair of face, and sweet of voice,
Golden-haired and green of eye;
Three maidens lovely as the moon
That shimmers in the sky.
Ayame, the eldest; Zara second,
Mayari last-born;
Sisters in beauty as in blood,
Golden as the dawn.

Ayame, when she came of age,
Journeyed to the Tower;
As a novice served her time,
Learning the One Power.
Time passed, and sisters came to her,
Spoke as if with one voice;
�Before long you�ll be one of us;
Now you must make your choice.

�Which Ajah�s yours? Which will you choose?
Red, Yellow, Green or Gray?
White, Blue or Brown? The choice is yours;
But make your choice today.�
Ayame laughed and answered clear;
�There�s nothing to decide;
Tarmon Gaidon�s not far off,
And with the Greens I�ll ride.�

Zara walked a different path,
To power and to glory;
Love led Saldaea�s King to her,
�Twas like a fairy-story.
He swept the princess off her feet,
She stole away his heart;
That day they swore before the Light
Ne�er till death to part.

In Maradon Queen was she crowned,
Her husband by her side;
Saldaea and its people cheered
Their King�s enchanting bride.
Well-loved the pair throughout the land,
And their rule wise and fair;
With Rayame�s daughter as their queen
Saldaea felt no fear.

Mayari, youngest of the three,
Cared not for crown or shawl;
Cared not for power on the land,
Nor queen�s or Sister�s rule.
She listened to the wild winds
That blew east from the sea;
Heard the cry of gulls and ocean�s call,
And knew her destiny.

And one night Mayari slipped away
From Kandor and her home,
Left her gowns and jewels behind
And as a wanderer roamed.
At length she reached the ocean�s shore,
Watched as the rakers moored;
When the Sea People sailed that day,
Mayari was aboard.

Now look, you people, at these three,
Mayari, Zara and Ayame;
Read of how their paths diverged,
How different they became.
Read now of where those paths have led,
Where now each sister stands;
And learn why their tale�s known
Through far and distant lands.

Through the Tower�s halls with grace
Walks Aes Sedai Ayame;
Her shawl no greener than her eyes,
Her hair a golden flame.
From her snow-bound palace rules
Zara, Saldaea�s queen;
Her crown no brighter than her hair,
Her eyes like emeralds green.

For Ayame seek in Tar Valon,
Proud Sitter for the Green;
Fair Zara seek in Maradon,
Saldaea�s gold-crowned queen.
Two different paths the sisters walk,
Their lives on different plans;
And yet though they rule separate spheres,
Their kingdom�s still the land.

But young Mayari can be found
On wild, storm-tossed seas;
Watch for the ship that seems to fly
Upon the winds she weaves.
See where she stands, upon the prow,
Her hair a golden banner;
Eyes green as the ocean depths,
A free and wild manner.

�Come, Stormbringer,� Mayari calls,
With laughter pure and clear;
�Bring your storms, and bring your winds:
Think you I feel fear?
Whatever you can throw at me,
Wind, or waves, or rain,
I�ll match it all, and overcome;
The ocean�s my domain.�

And so they chose, and so they live,
Three sisters far apart;
But though distance separates them,
They�re together still at heart.
And the tale of their choices made
Is told on land and water;
And bards will sing forever more
The song of Rayame�s daughters.

Raina's Hold / Raina's Library / Raina's Library - Poetry