Rain fell softly on the tiled rooftops of Tar Valon. The morning haze was slowly being swept away and replaced instead with a gentle drizzle that promised to keep up all day. The paved streets were relatively quiet, the weather driving anyone who did not have the necessity to inside and out of the wet. Vaaran stood patiently at the open doorway looking out into the courtyard as a carriage pulled up.

The tall Andoran was the major domo of his master’s recently acquired manor. Ahdam Baraka had recently moved his household north into the fabled city of Tar Valon, and was busily seeking out new business ventures in the Borderlands. As the carriage came to a halt Vaaran unconsciously straightened his dark red coat, which suddenly seemed uncomfortable.

 

His master had hosted many types of people over the years. Wealthy merchants, powerful generals and influential nobles, but none of them really compared with the two women stepping out onto the mosaic tilted floor of the courtyard. These women were Aes Sedai, and they were a completely different breed of human being. The two of them were wrapped in deeply hooded cloaks against the rain, and Vaaran signalled to two men who held up shelters over the two women to further protect them from the weather.

As they approached Vaaran drew himself up, trying not to seem too intimidated by the two women.

“Greetings Sedai, on behalf of my master, Messer Baraka, and welcome to his home. If you would please follow me?”

 

Servants took their cloaks as Vaaran guided the two of them through the manor to the dining room. The entire house was recently refurbished. The floors were Tarien mahogany, and the tapestries that lined the walls had come from Tarabon, depicting scenes from nature, a waterfall here, a mountain there. The padded furniture had been freighted up from Far Madding at great expense. Alcoves dotted the stairways at regular intervals, each one of them holding a delicate item of Sea Folk porcelain. All told the manor was designed to project a sense of opulent wealth to anyone who saw it.

 

Vaaran led the two Aes Sedai upstairs and towards the back of the house. An indoor garden was overlooked by a stone balcony, and it was here that a large table and chairs had been set up. Each chair was richly upholstered, and the table was laid out with Illian lace and Andoran silverware. Two lamps, each one moulded as a dancing youth, cast a gentle glow over the table. Rising from his seat at one end was Ahdam Baraka.

 

The tall Domani was clean shaven, with his thick black hair piled over one shoulder. He wore a black silk overcoat with a high collar, richly embroidered and with white lace spilling out the sleeves. His dark eyes settled on the two women, and Vaaran saw a rare smile break over the soft face.

“Sir, may I present the two Aes Sedai.”

 

Ahdam spread his ringed hands and bowed his head low, “Greetings, and welcome to my humble home. It is ever a pleasure to host such noble persons as those of the White Tower. Will you please have a seat?”

 

Wrapping her small hands around one of Corwin’s Eqwina pressed the note firmly into his hand. Straining for every inch of her height she stretched up on tip toe and brushed his cheek with a kiss, whispering quietly for his ears alone. “Your task is important or else I would not send you away my friend, be safe and come back to me.” Releasing his hand she turned away as he left, already putting Corwin from her mind. They had let it be “known” that they were involved in a love affair, those vile rumors helped to hide other more devious deeds.

 

Checking her reflection in the mirror Eqwina smoothed her cream silks over her hips and smiled. It looked wicked even to her, closing her eyes she pictured a time a hundred years gone when she was happy in Nevin’s arms. Opening her eyes she smiled again at her reflection. This time the effect was not so chilling. “That will do” she said to herself letting the smile fade to her usual stern mask.

 

Today’s task was important, if mundane. Eqwina had always preferred to work alone but when the opportunity presented itself to make contact with a merchant inside of Tar Valon she had leapt at the chance. Besides she and the Brown sister shared a darker secret.

 

Gathering her oiled cloak Eqwina draped it across her shoulders and glanced one last time at her reflection. She slipped quietly out into the hall, her velvet slippers making very little noise on the Yellow tiles. As she passed into the main part of the Tower Eqwina picked up her pace. Tar Valon andThe Tower might be her home, but often she felt very confined within its walls.

 

A steady drizzle had fallen over Tar Valon; the dark clouds making a promise that the rain would continue all day. Crossing the yards quickly Eqwina saw the carriage she’d ordered.

 

The footman smiled and bowed as he opened the door. Deep within her cowl Eqwina smiled back and allowed the young man to hand her up into the carriage. With the oiled curtains drawn tight the empty carriage was dark, which suited Eqwina just fine. “Shut the door, I’ll wait inside.” The fool Brown had probably gotten her nose stuck in some book. typical Eqwina muttered.

 

 

((ooc: I'm working under the assumption that Raeyn would be one of Eqwina's heart as another of the Surpreme Council, and the oldest Black Sister in the Tower :D  Also, sorry on the delay, I'm crap lately -__-))

 

 

Staring at the mirror, Raeyn sighed resignedly yet again.  “Why, of all people..” she started, cutting off in a tight-lipped glare at her reflected image.  Fine dark-golden silk slashed with dark brown velvet in the skirts sheathed the Brown Sister; it was one of the few dresses she owned in the style of Andor, but one she relied upon when dressing to impress.  Her normal wardrobe was fairly boring; plain if well-made velvets and silks with little to no adornment in the style of her native Saldaea made up the bulk of her clothing.

 

Still, having to dress up was the least of Raeyn's irks this evening, nor her reason for delaying the meeting planned for the evening.  She was quite looking forward to meeting this Master Baraka, truth be told.  No one outside herself and the most senior members of the Ajah's Council were aware of the size of the Brown Ajah's network of Eyes and Ears, but they worked assiduously to expland said network whenever possible.  And having a well-off merchant actually based in Tar Valon was too good an opportunity to turn down.

 

No, it was knowing who her companion on this visit would be for the evening that had the Brown Sister procrastinating.  There were very few in the Tower who stood above her, <i>very</i> few, and tonight would be spent the only one of those who mattered.  Eqwina was an extremely diminutive woman with a fierceness about her that had nothing to do with their darker affiliations, and caused Raeyn to have a grudging respect for the other woman in spite of her 'cover' Ajah.

 

Regardless of that though, the aged Sister was never really comfortable having to bow her head to anyone... and it really had been quite the shock to return to the Tower and find out how many hand bungled in and out of the job.  This woman who was Head of the Yellows though... perhaps she stood a chance of doing a good job in service to their master.

 

Shaking herself, Raeyn patted down a hair and strode to the rack near the door.  She decided to make due without her shawl, but took down a finely-woven dark brown raincloak.  Settling it about her shoulders, she went downstairs to meet her Sister.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Unsurpisingly, she found Eqwina waiting for her in a carriage downstairs.  The rain was picking up as she settled herself in across from the other woman.  “My apologies for the delay, Eqwina,” Raeyn shot a quick smile to the other woman as she leaned back.  Eqwina nodded and murmured a greeting before resuming her brown study of the interior of the carriage.  <i>”Just as well,”</i> Raeyn thought to herself, <i>”Much too rainy and much too short a trip to really worry about watching the city go by.”</i>

 

In short order, the two Sisters found themselves pulling up to a stately manor.  Nodding a her in polite greeting to the waiting footman, she allowed him to take her cloak and guide herself and the other Sister to his waiting master, Ahdam Baraka.

 

<b>”Greetings, and welcome to my humble home.  It is ever a pleasure to host such noble persons as those of the White Tower.  Will you please have a seat?”</b> the young master spoke warmly, bowing as appropriate.

 

Raeyn eyed Eqwina as they sat; she would follow the other Sister's lead... for now.

 

 

 

 

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