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Raise to Accepted The Frist Arch A blinding light flashed somewhere to Noa's right as she stirred in her bed. She opened her sleep-filled eyes slowly and gazed at the sunlight filtering in from the balcony of her rooms. "Rise and shine, my lovely Noa. Today is a big day for you. The Suitors are downstairs now, and your father and brothers are grilling them each with questions and orders. Let me dress you quickly, and you can put a stop to them." Yunjin Onosaki, her mother's favorite servant, was grinning from ear to ear. The old woman had served House Yuritasa since her mother Noriko had been a babe. Noa begrudgingly got out of bed and entered the wash room off to the left and cleaned up. As she washed, she started common small talk. The Suitors were already here? Why had Yunjin been so late to awaken her? She had needed her Ôbeauty sleep.' Her mother was allowing Caspian men to have their own version of the Questioning put to these noble men? Ghealdenin males have their customs, while Saldaen women have theirs. It was true. While Noa had been born here, Davrom Caspian had come from Ghealdan long ago. He had met Noriko while in Andor, and they lived in Father's homeland for a while. The entire family had moved to Saldea long before Noa herself had even been imagined, much less conceived. The young Caspian female had actually been an accident, her parents had apparently partied too long at a friend's party one eve years ago before coming home for the evening. Things happened when people got drunk, even noble couples. That was why she was six years younger than the twins. Her parents had not planned on any other children. It took a the better part of two hours to prepare her. She was placed in Court attire and her hair was done up in a typical custom of Saldaen nobles, even though most of her family practiced Ghealdenin traditions. This was to make her look more presentable to the nobles of this land. When finished, she ws escorted to the top of the stairway where she would be expected to enter in all of her pristine glory, whatever glory that was. She came down the stairs slowly and elegantly. She had always been a fan of the better groomed aesthetics of noble Court, and she was always more than happy to look her best. However, she had no desire for the Great Game like her brother Daivon. Today, she would have to use what lessons he had taught her to survive with the wolf pack of men more interested in attaining a trophy bride. While House Caspian was small in Saldaea, she was the heiress of House Yurista, her maternal House. Her mother was the lone surviving child of the current Head of the House, and by custom the entire House's estates and worth would pass to House Caspian. Stephyn, the oldest son, had no interest in Noble politics. Daivon would be given House Caspian's current estates and had a strong tie to the rest of House Caspian in Ghealdan, and that left all of House Yurista to Noa. It made for a prize wedding gift to any man who married her, as they would inherit the House upon the death of her Grandfather. If they had male children with her, it would solidify the ownership of the House as well as their own and improve the standings amongst others of the noble sort. She entered the room and saw some twenty-some men strong, all dreesed their best and eager to please the Caspian family. Her whole immediate family was there, as was her grandfather Toshiro. He, too, wanted to make sure the right House married in to his own. As she headed down the banister, her grandfather smiled at her. Noriko and Davrom looked so proud. Daivon stood in silence, studying every move placed as he always did. His name isn't Daivon any longer. Call him Sydias. Fear him. She wasn't entire sure where that thought had come from. I shouldn't be here, I was already married. Who was I married to? Why do my own thoughts betray me? I am only nineteen name days old! She stepped off the last step and on to the landing. "The way back will come but once. Be steadfast.\" She shook her head slightly, clearing her thoughts. Why did this all seem so wrong? Today was supposed to be a happy day, an important day. Instead, she felt dizzy and uncertain. She already had met all of these Suitors. Some were worthy of her hand, others were not. Of them, she had already made a selection. Today she was to announce her choice. She had discussed the issue previously with her father, who was quite pleased. She had picked Kamimaga Noritso, a handsome man of only five years her senior as opposed to many of them here twice her age. "You all know why you are here. Today, I must choose who I would like to be married to. I have made my decision." "Darling Noa, you should hold your answer a while. There is but one more Suitor for you to meet. He is a long time friend of mine from the Black Tower, and he is dying to make your acquaintance and win your heart." Davrom said this with a hint of despair in his voice, and the entire room turned eyes to the elder Caspian. Grandfather looked like he was ready to take Daddy's head. Footsteps sounded from down the Hall, and shortly thereafter entered a short, stocky Cairhienin. "Let me introduce you to Artyr Valtorro, the final Suitor." RUN! Once again, she wasn't sure where that thought had come from, but she was all too willing to listen to it. Her training in nobility stayed her feet though, and she just barely shied backwards a step or two. Hopefully it would only come off as surprise rather than repulsion. Off to her left, an archway appeared. It was barely large enough for her to walk under, and it gleamed ever so radiantly in the light of the foyer. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast. Without a second thought, she turned away from her family, her Suitors, and the life she knew and she dove through the Arch, painful memories of Artyr bringing tears to her eyes as she did so. The Second Arch Bitter cold nipped at Noa's pale skin, and she gathered her wool coat closer to her as she rode forth. The rest of her party was close behind her, an assortment of Blue Ajah members that were being led by Lochtevius al'Denn Asha'man. They were heading into Aringill to follow up on reports of rogue male channelers terrifying villagers near the city. It was rumored that the men had been trained in the Black Tower, but turned out from that locale for an unknown reason. The Black Tower itself had deemed researching this occurrence as unworthy of the Weapons of the Dragon, and therefore focused on "more important duties." The Grey Tower had received word as well, and figured this would place the already rocky inter-Tower relations between the White, Black, and Grey Towers on worse terms. A handful of newer Blues and Greys had disagreed, deciding that their presence would strengthen the standing of the Grey Tower in the East and force the other two Towers to reconsider their stance on the Tower near Elman's Creek. The male channelers, who likely never made it past the rank of Soldier, were spending this winter committing petty crimes of thievery and vandalism. The only reason this became of interest was that they were using the One Power to do so, causing an already shaky opinion that the people of the world had of male channeling and the cleansing of the Taint to falter. The Grey Tower's Justice Ajah and Mediating Ajah wanted to take the men into custody, offer them a chance to restart their training with them, and repair the fragile relations they had in this government-lacking land. The clearing exploded with arrows sailing through the air. Some were common arrows, but there were many there made of weaving fire into an arrow shape. They soared through the space betwixt the Grey Tower party and the as of yet unseen attackers. As they fell from the sky, the first wave took out a handful of horses and wounded a good number of the party. The male channelers were upon them. Man and beast on both sides of the clearing made known their anger and agitation as volleys of arrows were returned by the Warders in the Grey Tower party. Shields went up to deflect as many of the arrows as they possibly could, but some still found their way to their marks. Noa, the only trained Healer in the lot of them, dismounted her horse and made her way around to the wounded to see what she could do for them. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast. Noa ignored the sound in her head, and she began weaving the threads for a delving. She took the first downed woman's head in her hands and focused the weave to settle into her. She saw a severe burn on her thigh from a flame arrow, no severe damage to the muscle or bone. The tissue around the wound was dying and would need to be Healed fast to prevent scarring and stop the bleeding, but it could be done without too much strength of either woman. "Hold the Source if you can. I can Heal you, but could use your assistance. You know the drill." She began to make the weave for traditional Healing, when she saw a strangely familiar arch appear a short distance ahead of her. She hesitated a moment, staring at it. An explosion to her right brought her back to reality. "Sister Noa? Noa? I'm holding the Source. Can you get on with it? I could be useful if I were on my feet." The woman was saying. "Right." Noa said. She continued her weaves and began to settle them upon the Aes Sedai's frame. She managed to soothe the burn and began the process of repairing the skin when the voice came to her again. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast. She saw the arch was still there in front of her, but something told her she was meant to go through those arches that exact moment. She looked at the wound, still far from being Healed, and she winced. She shrugged off all of her training, all of what she was. She let go of the Power and made a run for the arch. "Fool girl! It will scar now! And I am too injured to stand and fight!" "Then lay there and die. I'm not meant to be here." She hollered back to the Aes Sedai as she dove through the arch, knowing full well she had betrayed her people when it mattered most. The Final Arch "Welcome, sister. The Great Lord is pleased with your progress. You will make him, and all of us, very proud." Noa stood to her feet and gazed around the room. Everyone was wearing black cloaks and masks, all save for one man. Kihaku Kage looked on with pride at the woman before him. "I have waited long to welcome you as a sister of the Black Ajah. Your talents in Healing and Unweaving, as well as your position within the Blue, will do us well." Suddenly, several members of this circle let their masks fall. Some she recognized, others were strangers. Terrah's list! Some of these people were on her list! Noa was shocked and pleased. She now had faces to go with the names, and a great deal of proof of their guilt. The Grey Tower would be proud! "The slaying of Ralthos Asha'man by your hand solidifies your stance with us. You are now welcome here." The lot of them chanted. What? By my hand? Light, what have I done! She wanted to scream, wanted to run. Her hands were shaking, and for the first time she noticed what she held: a dagger bathed in blood. Upon the floor before her lay the slain Asha'man of the Brown Ajah; naked, bound, gagged, and blood still warm. She doubled over and vomited. The way back comes but once. Be steadfast. "That happens often the first time you end a life. You will get used to it, Life Ender. Your weaves of Death and Torture will mirror the Healing weaves you already know. And then you'll never have to get dirty with another's blood again unless you have to. That is, unless you find you enjoy it. Would you care to wash up, daughter?" "Thank you." She breathed. What was she doing here? She had to get back to the Tower. I never left the Tower. This meeting, as well as every other one I've attended, has happened in the unused Halls for the past year and a half that I worked to gain their trust. I'm a mole, planted into enemy territory. Now I am a murderer. She wiped herself up in the wash tub provided, the water ice cold. "Now what?" "Now what?" He mocked her. "We go back to being what we all pretend to be: members of the Grey Tower that walk in the Light." A small closing ceremony was done, Noa chanted some lines that some muscle memory she did not remember having uttered, and then drank some wine from a community chalice. Then, just like that, the crowd veiled up and parted ways. Most of them Traveled out, some walked right out of the three doors and back into the adjacent halls. They ducked into other rooms to change and to delay their timing, and Noa followed suit. She had to get to Mother and warn her! She had to warn the entire Tower! When finally free enough to wander about un noticed by either Black Ajah, Darkfriend, or random individual on the side of the Light, and once she was back in her own clothes and the black cloak was tucked away in secrecy, she made her way towards the Amyrlin Seat as swiftly as she could run. The way back comes but once. Be steadfast. That same disembodied voice she heard earlier came back to her, and she saw an archway appear out of the corner of her eyes. She knew that she had to warn the Tower of these Sisters and Brothers who had betrayed everyone. She knew she had to admit her guilt for killing Ralthos Asha'man. She knew where her allegiances lie. Yet something gnawed at her conscience. She had to go through that arch. Somehow, going there would make everything better. She may be a traitor, she may be a killer. She may even no longer be the mole that she had planned to be if she stepped through that arch, but at least life would be better. She pulled at her hair like a mad woman unsure of reality itself, tears welling up in her eyes as she made a run for that arch and dove through. |
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