Ripple Two: Serpent in Shawl
written by Eya Grenwyne (NPC), Drelle Tai’shar, Tan’qui al’Taya and Caden Ives

A knock on the door.

Her light grey eyes looking up from her book, Eya Sedai of the Green Ajah looked upon the wooden doorframe. She stopped playing the curls of her blonde hair at once. Who could this be?? Surely her promised swordsmen hadn't requested an audience with her? Such occasions were carefully planned in aspect of time and place by her, as a precaution. Since she held the highest rank in the Grey Tower between the four of them, she held the best sway and could be more perceptive when it came to threats of discovery. It was true that rank among those serving the Great Lord of the Dark weighed heavier than her own title, but it was arranged in that way out of convenience.

Dressed in her deep green dress with a two long slits, she put down her book on the side-table next to her massive armchair. While she made sure her green-fringed shawl was fell just right over her shoulders, she spoke up in her Andoran accent. "Enter."

Drelle nodded to herself and the commands given her as she left the room of the dead man. The sight didn't shock her, and she was there much earlier than anyone else. Whatever compelled her to go in that room that early in the morning, she didn't know, but she knew who to see. A Dark Sister. And she knew just the woman..

She strode down the Green Halls, ignoring calls of friends, and those of other Aes Sedai, saying she was sent on a mission to deliver a message to a Green Sister. Knocking on the door in a tap-tap pause tap-tap pause pattern she knew the Sedai would recognize, she waited a response. When she heard the softly spoken, "Enter" she tapped once more next to the handle and walked in, meeting the woman's eyes. They had never met before, but Oberon had told her what to say, "Eya Sedai. I am sent here to see you about punishment for my poor behavior." The words, coded, would tell Eya that she needed to shield the room against eavesdropping, so that she would say what she came to say. What she was sent to say.

At first, Eya Sedai thought the girl was some other Novice who wanted to know about the Green Ajah and its cause.

Yet when she spoke those so-very-meaningful words, her mind sharpened to a dagger over a breath. "Is that so?" she said and she prided herself to keep her voice flawlessly placid. And with that statement, she grasped saidar and wove a web against eavesdropping. Content that it was firmly in place, she regarded the grey-eyed girl with silver hair in a tight braid.

"I need your name and the name of your contact. Then you may tell me what business brought you here."

Eya Sedai did not like to take risks when it came to her own liability and the safety in the world of lies she lived. Still holding the Source, she formed sharp tentacles of Air rising from behind her armchair. They were poised to impale the young girl if she faltered at their secret rituals and codes. Had Eya been discovered, and her visitor was a bait to lure her out, she would say a farewell to the Grey Tower in a way that would hurt its heart. "Speak up."

Drelle tilted her head to the side, her eyes focusing inward for a flash of a second as she tested the Ward with a bit of earth. Nothing. Good.

Meeting the woman's fathomless eyes, she smiled a predatory smile, eyes like mirrors, and said, "You may call me Drelle Tai'Shar for now. You would know my contact. Oberon has.." she paused for dramatic effect, "..fond memories of you.. and your scar.." She smiled, knowing of the scar that Oberon left on all his 'victims.' A tiny, heart shaped cut on the inner thigh of the left leg. A mark of ownership.. slavery..

"I will call you child, and nothing more, for you are little else," said Eya, her cold anger honing her vowels, "My past with Oberon is just that ... the past. I own allegiance to another now. One who stand higher with the Chosen. What little you may know of me, forget it, for it matters none now."

She remained seated, but she wanted to draw blood from the Novices pretty neck. Her memories from the past with Oberon was none she wanted reviewing again. She had risen above slavery a long time past, and she now had her own subjects. Maybe she should take this tall wench into her care, and teach her where she stood in regard to the layers of command seeping through their like-minded in the Tower.

Leaning forward, her arsenal of Air tentacles still coiling around her chair ... which made it look like an eerie throne ... she spoke again with her halcyon-sweet voice, "It would be a pity to soil that Aiel carpet you are standing on, so speak your part and be gone. What bri..."

She got no further than that, for a heavy knock on the door resounded in both their ears. Eya never looked away from the Novice while she picked apart the weave she had made the of the tentacles with. They shivered and flexed, their edges wavering. That something the Grey Tower considered to be extremely dangerous yet something she had learnt at an early stage. True it was, that she weren't more than above average in the Source, yet she knew waves enough to make up with it, knew things that came from the Chosen themselves. The last flows came loose and her creation shimmered out of existence. "Wait in silence, child."

She turned her attention to the door and let the ward disappear, and spoke up. "Enter."

Drelle watched dispassionately as Eya made a big deal out of dismantling the Weave she had put there. Inside, she laughed at the woman. With the release of her Power, and the bolster of the Power slowly being granted her with the white eyes to accompany it, she could crush this woman without a thought. But she had to save that to kill Oberon. Then she would be free. For now, she would do as this woman told her, but would make sure that it was clear that she answered to no one in this world.

She kept her back to the door, watching Eya calmly with eyes like silvered mirrors. She heard that it was a disquieting thing indeed to look into her eyes. Others had once told her that they saw themselves in those stormy grey depths, not the woman behind them that they sought.

"Enter." The door opened, and Drelle tilted her head slightly in that direction, but nothing else. She was like an alabaster statue, standing there, not moving, not speaking, just watching Eya.

Tan'qui hurried through the hallways, and after a lot of asking he finally found the door leading to Eya Seadai's room. He raised his hand, and knocked firmly on the door.

All kept quiet. Tan'qui waited for some time, and raised his hand to knock on the door again, then opened the door halfway, and stepped in.

What he saw there, made the hairs in the back of his neck stand up straight. Drelle was there, together with an older woman, an Aes Sedai. The two women looked like two cats on the brink of a fight. It made him wanting to run back, but instead he stepped forward.

"Eya Sedai? I was told to tell you that Ranno al'Din, Clavil Fon'har and Jhedan Stormfoot request to meet you in your study by noon. It has something to do with the murder of a young Drin'far'ji, it seems."

He kept waiting, but his feeling of unease growed. Drelle had changed so much lately. What is she doing here? Why is she with this Aes Sedai? And why are they looking at each other like two dogs fighting for leadership? Eya is the Aes Sedai, so she's the leader.

By the Soldiers last words, Eya had to fight to keep her posture. "A murder?" she raised her hand and beckoned for the young male channeler to enter. "These news have not reached me, Soldier. Tell me what you know."

Her grey eyes travelled the over the tall blonde man, and suppressed a rueful smile. The Soldier was certainly easy to look at, and had the circumstances been a bit different, she would most likely take a closer look. However, the news of a new dead in the yards meant that her foresworn had failed at their orders. They were not to draw any more attention! Things were much to risky as they were for her own liking. "And what's your name, child?"

The handsome little toy seemed to know this young Drelle, for he cast her quite a wary glance of recognition. Could it be that the upstart had already toyed with him? If she had, Eya might take him under her wing just to get some more information about her?

Tan'qui tried to ban all emotions from his voice as he told her everything he knew about the murder.

He couldn't resist, however,looking at Drelle and wondering what she was doing here. And longing for her, though he knew it couldn't be.

"Most interesting," said Eya Sedai, masking her growing anger. They couldn't have done it! "It's terrible that one cannot feel safe behind the battlements anymore. Isn't this the last of many such incidents?" She folded her hands and contemplated these news. Yet not like the Soldier thought she was. What would this mean to the plan? Could they go ahead with it? Was she the last one to hear? Would her accomplice already have moved ahead without brining her word of it? Maybe h would not have time for it? Would she do her part now as well? The only real conclusion she could make, without speculation, was that she had many things to do.

"You have done well, Soldier. I will make sure the Master of Soldiers hear how well you have served the Green Ajah. Maybe I'll even seek you out when you climb a little higher in our hierarchy. Tell me what is your name?" she asked, smiling to him the best and warmest she could given the time.

She utterly ignored the young woman by her side, not wanting her to get a word in between. She had set her mind. She wanted to toy with this young man ... if not only as a distraction from all the grave matters she would have to deal with this day. And the young like-minded by her side would not get anything from him from this day ... she would make sure of that.

Tan'qui felt all warm inside due to the Aes Sedai's smile, and a light blush crawled up to his cheeks. "Tan'qui, Eya Sedai, Tan'qui al'Taya". Not knowing if it was a hint to leave or not, he kept standing there.

"Well then Soldier Tan'qui," she said and quite causally ... innocently ... ran two fingers over neck, "You should return to your assignments now. I might check up on you quite soon though. You are dismissed." Taking note of the tall blonde man's behind when he walked out, she smiled ruefully. He is even easier to look at than faithful Ranno.

And then ... when he had left ... her whole demeanour changed. The ward snapped in place and Eya stood tall, yet not quite as tall as the young woman. Her eyes had now turned blank, dead in their stare. "Tell me what you want and be gone. As you might know. This day must proceed as planned. Speak, child."

Eya's arms were at her sides, in contradiction, she held some nasty weave ready in her mind to form if the girl tried anything foolish.

Her eyes watched Eya while a smile toyed about her lips throughout the exchange. She could tell the Sedai found Tan'qui very pleasing to look upon. Drelle didn't blame her, though she thought it would become quite amusing should the Sedai think she fancied what belonged to Drelle. Impassively, she watched the transformation come over the Sedai, then sat back with a "devil-may-care" expression into the waiting chair.

"I am to act as a direct link to one with much power outside the Tower. Now," she said at the slight hint of irritation to pass the other woman's face,"that is not to say that you probably don't have your resources, and influence without him, but he will add to your power. He has lived a long time, much longer than either of us combined and doubled, and has amassed much more than we could hope to in our lifetimes in way of power and influence." She leaned forward, and met the woman's dark, empty holes of eyes with her own silvery-white ones, "I know Oberon better than anybody currently living in this world. He is here," she tapped her skull, "in my mind, always. There is nothing that I know that he does not, and the opposite is true as well. Indirectly, I have power over much outside this tower, though I might be merely a Novice here.

I believe it might be useful to both of us to form an alliance. Then, when Oberon has outlived his usefulness, I will kill him." They both knew that doing so might, in return, kill her too, but it was worth it. She stood, once more the proper Novice, "If you are finished with me, Mistress, I have other things to tend to." She smiled vapidly, all previous traces of intelligence and wit cleverly hidden behind a wall of amiability and airheadedness.

After the door shut, Tan'qui leaned to the wall, resting. He could still feel the Sedai's eyes on his back, and the tension he felt in the room was taking the better of him. He felt chilled, and suddenly he noticed he couldn't hear anything from the room.

I probably should go and tell Sagone about this. No, not yet. He won't like this, but I'll have to talk to Drelle first. What was she doing there? And how is she doing? I hope she's okay.

He walked over to a little corner with a chair and a small table. There he sat down, covered by plants so he wouldn't be seen too soon, and watched.

The possibilities the Novice suggested at made Eya Grenwyne's mouth water.

She dropped the ward against eavesdropping then, when they were done talking about the delicate matters. "Well then, I shall not keep you from your assignments, Novice," she said in reply, not letting any form of smile touch her lips. "yet your presence is required in my study this afternoon. Then we can work out which punishment suits your slights against the Green Ajah best. Now be gone before I decide against it."

Watching the back of the Novice as she left her chambers, Eya allowed herself to nurse the thoughts of killing her later that oh-so-eventful day. The girl had undoubtedly high ambitions ... speaking of seizing Oberons influence for her own as an example ... and someone like her would hardly want to share them. Sighing, Eya decided that the day would prove to her how much she needed an alligence. Had her associate in the black coat moved ahead in response to the threat the drin'far'ji's death had created, she just might need another channeler close by her side.

It fully depended on the outcome.

Walking over to the high, arched window with stained glass, Eya Sedai could nto wait till noon when she would receive the answers she needed. And if her three foresworn proved to be behind Luantar's death, she would make them die screaming for their incompetence.

Drelle made quite cler to convey the look she wanted the Sedai to see, and hoped against hope it worked. She had no interest in Oberon's power once she killed him. She merely wanted to kill him. Then, should she live, she might want to eventually settle down into Tower life. She had an inkling she would be of considerable power and importance in the far off future. Lyn was, and Lyn came to the Tower a nobody too.

As she strode out of the room, she looked around for Tan'qui, her heart considerably lighter, and the..hunger.. yes, hunger for more was put at bay at the sight of his glorious smile. Perhaps the Shadow won't have me after all..

He heard the door opening, and stepped forward. He couldn't resist a smile at seeing Drelle step out of the room. She looked ... lovely ... in the way she walked. Her silver hair shined, like she polished it.

"So there you are. Did you have any fun with Eya Sedai?" he asked, knowing it couldn't exactly be called 'fun'.

On impulse, she took his warm hands in hers, smiling down at the marvelous differance between them. She grinned up at him, "Getting into trouble is always fun, my dear." Behind the smile, she was thinking fast. Oberon had been quiet all day and that wasn't like him at all. Nope, not a bit. I'm here child. Don't think you can escape me so soon. We'll see just how strong you think you are. I'll be waiting for you when you think you are strong enough to defeat me.. The voice chuckled and her blood ran cold for a moment, but her smile never faltered. She was getting used to hearing him. Hearing him taunt her from wherever he was...

Brrrr. Her hands were cold, two icecubes in his hands. She smiled, but seemed .. away .. for a moment, like listening to some one else. He could feel her grip tightening for a moment. Not HIM again!?

"I hope so. What were you doing there? I mean, I didn't exactly expect you to be there when I walked in. And it seemed she wasn't to happy with you, too." He smiled, to show her he was just curious, he didn't mean to interrogate her.

"Doing? Me? In there? Oh.. I got caught doing some rather unsavory things to the Greens. It just so happened that I picked the wrong rooms to be caught in." She grinned mischieviously, "She caught me in her rooms, looking through her files. Shame on me." The little white lie slid easily off her tongue. She knew how Tan'qui would react should he know the real reason for her being in that office, "We had a disagreement on whether or not that was deserving of Farm or Kitchen duty. I don't care either way, but I was amusing myself with getting her riled up." She gave him another crooked grin, "How about lunch with me today, Tan?" She looped her arm through his and gently tugged him away. She could almost feel that wicked woman's eyes on her back as she strode away, though the door to the Sedai's room was closed.

As she walked away, her mind was picking over the entire conversation again and again, looking for a chink in the Dragon's armour. She could hopefully enlist this woman's help in defeating Oberon. Drelle didn't much expect it, but it would make killing him that much easier.

"Lunch? Why not? I'm free around lunchtime. We're shall we go? I vote for a quick visit to the kitchens and then to... I don't know. My room?" He almost had said "gardens", but he still felt the pain and questions from their last encounter there. He didn't want to relive it all again.

"Well, beautiful, what will it be? You go for quick or slow?". He gave her a smile, knowing she probably wouldn't understand what he just said. It didn't matter. She probably wouldn't like any of that type of comments anyway, plus he didn't understand his thoughts himself either.

She grinned impishly up at him, the last several hours forgotten in the warmth of his return smile. Still smiling, she tilted up and planted a very soft, but very sure kiss on the corner of his mouth, "Lets just get lunch and figur it out from there, eh, gorgeous?" SHe almost giggled. Almost. But that would be too undignified.

Bah. She giggled.

He felt the tingle of her soft kiss on his mouth. It made him feel warm, and remember his original feelings for her. She giggled, but looked as though she didn't want to. " Allright, on to the kitchens it is." He choose a route, and accelerated his steps. Their talking about food made him aware of another feeling. He was hungry!

Suddenly, he stops. "Almost forgotten!"
He turns to Drelle, looking for the right words to apologize.

"I'm sorry Drelle, but I have to go somewhere else first. Sagone Asha'man is waiting for my report."

He didn't want to go, but he had to. It was his duty.
"I have an idea. Why don't you go get some food, and then I will go to Sagone's room and report to him, and after that we can meet again ... somewhere else. What do ya think?"

As you enter the Asha'man's study after futile knockings on a door already ajar, you find the place in disarray, as if he was just there. Even the candles on his desk are still burning. You close the door and decide to wait.

Because of the look of his study, you wonder if he is not in the back chamber. When inside there, you hear the door to the previous room open again and footsteps signal that there are people walking around. From the back chamber, a thin wooden door stops you from seeing the people intruding in the Asha'man's study, but the conversation turns out to be well worth listening to...

The conversation that follows can be found here: Chapter Three: The Dawn of Blood

Chapter Two: The Martyr's Letter
~Ripple One: All But Pride Mended
~Ripple Two: Serpent in Shawl
~Ripple Three: A Shadow in a Black Robe
~Ripple Four: Seekings
~Ripple Five: The Twin Archers
~Ripple Six: Aftermath
~The Final Ripple

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