Ripple Seven: Vengeful Assassain
written by Sinon Clegine (NPC), Amora en'Damier and Neilan Davram

Slowly, Sinon Clegine looked up from his crouching position in the darkness.

As he blinked away white hair from his pale and red-rimmed eyes, they focused upon one man standing in a shaft of light entering from the single window high above. In the charcoal uniform of a so-called sa'ji'alantin and with a black cloak over his shoulders, the small man looked taller than he really was. Somehow, he looked dressed for a journey... Sinon knew nothing about the gaunt man, but he was always in the company of the assassin's past student... Ranno al'Din. This time, however, he was alone. The eyes of the Sea Folk man were shadowed by the falling light, and his features took the image of a skull more than ever before. "I have a new name for you," he said, following the ritual needed to employ the Clegine Twins.

Sinon was silent. Unlike many others, he was not intimidated by silence in conversations. He considered and turned the issue on his head, took his own time to answer. "A new name I won't take. Imprisoned my brother is, and set him free first I must. Hear the name then we will."

By his answer, the dark man's face contorted in rage, his fists clenching by his sides. "No, mercenary. You failed to kill Jolartin Votashen, and he knows his life is threatened. He will be too cautious to approach now. Because you failed, I give you a chance to make amends. There is another who needs your attention."

"My answer you have," retorted Sinon, his face the absolute contrary of the sa'ji'alntin's, "tell Ranno that sorry I am."

There was a long pause then, and then the words came. "I'm afraid that Ranno al'Din is dead. And she whom I will name is his bane. Her name is Amora en'Damier of the Blue Ajah."

*****

Crouching on his chosen balcony, Sinon adjusted the grip of his jade-handled crossbow.

From his position, he saw everything that went on in the Blue Ajah's courtyard. After he had fastened the real hemp string of his weapon, he removed the bracing string when it was in place. With his finger, he tested the string before he cranked it back. After he had cocked it, he looked out over the yard while he produced his bolt. This particular one was heavy, one which would carry much more force. It owned a pyramidal tip with a square base, and leather wings wound around the shaft to make the bolt rotate in flight. It was the same type he had used to penetrate the Asha'man in the library's shield of air. Compared to a bow, the force provided by a spanned crossbow allowed for heavier projectiles.

He would wait the whole day if it was needed. As the sniper of the Twins, his patience was boundless. No sign of his prey yet.

This was the first time he worked on his own for a long time. His brother had always been by his side as the moving, stalking and tireless hunter. Yet this was a personal issue of his. Sinon had taken one single student on in his life. Besides his brother, Ranno al'Din had been a friend. Friends were few in a mercenary's life. No matter how little they knew about each other, they had been united as men of the crossbow. And it was Ranno who had contacted them for the job to kill Jolartin Votashen. He had made their access to the Grey Tower possible. While he placed the heavy bolt in the bolt-channel he swore, Live on your memory will. And your death avenged.

The bells rang for noon, their sounds hollow to his ears.

The unusually abrupt storm passed and noon light returned. It filtered through white netted curtains that had been drawn closed during these dangerous times. Who knew who was watching? The lack of daylight was compensated for with antique torches that burned blue. They cast a soft glow on all their eiry blue light touched, as if sunlight filtered through the surface of a lake. The torches were remnants from the Old Blue Hall she had built before the Tower fell and she had lost, almost, everything. Ironic. That day the Tower crumbled took him from her, yet the blood of her late husband flowed in another. It was, almost, as if the Pattern had returned him. Almost. It had never gone out of its way to ease the pain of its threads.

After half-healing the Ji'alantin her body required rest. Yet Amora Sedai did not appear to be resting. She was unruffled like a swan sitting in the cool shade. The irridecent blue of her dress flowed over her knees like a stream over a waterfall. Her ring-studded hands were folded over her lap. The warm glow of fire flickered over her. Her emerald eyes took in all that was Neilan Davram Drin'far'ji. Considering. The en'Damier livry had replaced his traditional trainee uniform. Deep sapphire blue lined with silver. All who saw Antar Jia'alantin and Neilan Drin'far'ji would know they were associated with her, and in that association, mutual protection. She was well aware that the situation, for Neilan, must be uncomfortable; and that if she were to attain her goals he must feel at ease with her.

In ajoining quarters designed for her Warder, Beatrise Sedai healed Antar Ji'alantin. There were several layers of meaning to his placement there. As a potential Warder, on the surface and in truth, it was only fitting that he and Neilan take that space. But boy would also rest for a short while, apart from her own domain, giving the Aes Sdai and Neilan time to speak alone. She waited until Leanna's son had finished his mid-day meal and Nalia came to clear the dining table by the windows.

The question was still open. Why had the boy changed his mind? At first he had denied her generous offer. However, something had caused him to make the wiser decision. Perhaps that answer would come with others, the same she had solicited from other potential Warders in the Yards. It fit too well to be denied - there was a Pattern to this. Presently she plunged into understanding.

She called him from the armchairs circling the hearth. "Come, sit with me." Amora Sedai's long ivory fingers laced together. "That is, if you seek meaning."

When he complied Amora Sedai then gestured to Nalia who brought with her a shallow glass of mulled wine and offered it to the boy. Then when Nalia closed the study doors behind her, Amora Sedai broke the silence. Her purposfully arched eyebrows raised in question, her head tilted slightly.

"Who are you?"

Neilan stared down at his new uniform, his fingers brushing over the sapphire colors, as if he could make the color fade away. He was afraid to venture anywhere with the livery of the en'Damier House decked upon his body. Light, what would his mother's reaction be? Even though Kylara practically lived with this woman, she didn't don the House colors!

Neilan licked his lips, deciding to change his train of thought to Antar. The boy was getting Healed, thank the Light. He wondered how long Antar would need to rest. He wanted to ask him a thousand questions, and he was sure he wasn't the only one.

He looked up at Amora Sedai, who sat in a chair, and Neilan wondered if that was her way of relaxing. She certainly didn't seem to be resting to his eyes though.

She called him from the armchairs circling the hearth. "Come, sit with me." Amora Sedai's long ivory fingers laced together. "That is, if you seek meaning."

Neilan swallowed and moved slowly across the room and took a seat in one of the armchairs. The fire from the hearth felt good, the heat soaked into Neilan's bones. He dared not refuse the bit of wine that was offered, but he was careful only to drink a little.

"Who are you?" she asked and Neilan's eyes widened in surprise at the question. She knew! But, why was she asking him? She was the one with the answers.

He stared into the fire for a long time, contemplating the questions to ask the older Aes Sedai. He had a thousand, but he knew he needed to pick his words carefully.

"I was hoping you could help me answer that question." he finally stated softly. He paused for a moment, then turned to look at Amora Sedai. "Mother and Kylara refuse to speak about the past. I want to know where my father is. Who is he? I know that you and Mother have a past." His eyes returned to the fire. "I don't understand anything about it, but I figured you had to know who my father is."

His cheeks darkened slightly, as he thought about his original quest to find his father and how the novices looked at him funny and sent him to the M'hael. He remembered the shocking look pasted across Ashfalcon's face and what a fool he had made of himself.

Neilan tore himself away from the past memory and looked at Amora, his blue eyes begging to know the truth. For all the world, he looked so much like Leanna, yet his father was embedded deeply in him.

"Ah, you seek your liniage." While she was shocked that Leanna had kept her son in ignorance she did not let it show further than that one gesture of arched eyebrows. There was no rebuke at his question, only a slight, calm, mysterious smile. Her melodious tone mirrored prophecy, reflecting the present upon the past. "I will tell you your liniage . . " for what it is worth.

"You are the son of Leanna Lisette Demodred Sedai and Jaisen Davram Asha'man, my late husband." Amora Sedai added casually. "Brother of Kylara Liselle Davram Sedai, half-brother of Kayla Davram en'Damier, Saphire en'Damier Sedai, and Kadar en'Damier." Her emerald eyes guaged Neilan's reaction carefully. She told no more, and no less, than he had asked. Although the elder Aes Sedai was well aware that her answers only spawned yet more questions. And those would come in due time.

"But you are not your liniage. What you are is not what has been given to you, or denied. You seek the right answer, but ask the wrong question.

Her wide almond shaped eyes were level upon him.
"Is there anything that you can call your own?"

She repeated the first, and asked the second question.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

OOC: This thread is continued here: Chapter 4, Ripple Three: Continued Hearing

Chapter Three: The Dawn of Blood
~Ripple One: Alive
~Ripple Two: Captured
~Ripple Three: Trapped
~Ripple Four: Questions
~Ripple Five: Your Mission
~Ripple Six: Task Presented
~Ripple Seven: Vengeful Assassain
~Ripple Eight: Echoes

Return to the Ripples Intro