There were few people that were invited into Aramina's quarters. What few might invite themselves often found that Aramina had ways to escort them directly back out without a single moment of rudeness or a drop of inpropriety. Aramina was simply a private person. She had no friends and few associations outside her Ajah. What the people she had met outside the White Tower thought of her often amused Aramina because she showed what she needed, and in most cases her eyes and ears knew her to be a kind and affectionate person. It was only in these halls that Aramina's true colors showed, her passion in life held completely in the thrall of the Tower and it's benefit.

 

There were times, however, when she realized that greatness might be helped along from the outside. To truely steer the course of events, one needed power. Power, at least in the Tower, required the help of others. To that end she had made certain overtures to other Sisters, people that she felt were of like mind. Today was one of those days. Nothing monumental would come from the days' conversation, but hopefully it was a start to something that could be bigger, a foot in so to speak.

 

Her letter had been sent and responded to as she expected. Her fellow Sister would be arriving any minute now. Aramina took a look in the mirror and nodded at her reflection. Her creme dress with mint embroidery was much lighter in taste than she usually prefered and in fact was one of the few light colored dresses she owned, but she felt the change would be fitting today. Her hair was pulled back into elaborate curls, leaving a fair trail of curls down her back.

 

She turned away from the mirror and looking into her quarters. Her desk was neat and well organized with a few open books and scrolls scattered between it and the bookcase behind. Beside the door was her sword, always quick at hand should she need it. In front of the fireplace was her favorite armchair with it's match, tea set and waiting for her guest in between. A closed door behind them led deeper in to what would be her warder's rooms, if she had ever bonded. One of the few Green Sisters who had yet to do so, Aramina's rooms were mostly filled with items from her travels that she preferred to keep far from view. They were also warded so she would know if anyone tried to go in.

 

A knock at the door pulled her attention away and Aramina put on a smile as she went to answer the door. "Sister, thank you so much for accepting my invitation." Aramina said as she let Aleanda Sedai into her rooms.

 

Aleanda walked with a steady pace through the corridors of the White Tower. She'd come from the library and had to go all the way to the Green quarters as she had received an invitation from Aramina Sur Dulciena, a Sister of the Battle Ajah. Aleanda had known Aramina back when they were both Accepted. Aramina always seemed like she rather kept herself compagny than have someone else around. Though inspite of that Aleanda had never had anything against this woman, and had always had a good impression of the woman.

 

Aleanda was pleased she had received the invitation, as she had always seen the importance of having contact, associations or even friends outside her Ajah. Together with those, and the information they profided, Aleand could reach the highest and practise the most influence. Though she would never have enough influence as she might wished for.

 

The letter Aleanda had received the other day hadn't included much about the subject Aramina wished to discuss with her and Aleanda felt the need to know, and was almost curious to know what it was Aramina would like from her. She would try to help and perhaps that way strengthen the bond between them, perhaps even between their Ajahs though she didn't believe Aramina practised that much of influence in her Ajah. Though she could be wrong. Next to that her own influence left much to wish for either.

 

When Aleanda reached the Green quarters she knew where to go, and headed for the right door. She knocked with her left hand on the door, as her right hand was full of papers she had needed in the library. Taking them over from her right hand with her left when the door opened. "Sister, thank you so much for accepting my invitation."

 

Aleanda answered by making a little curtesey "Aramina, I could never refuse to accept an invitation by you, now could I." Hearing such thing from a White Siter was something totally diffrent then hearing it by someone from one of the other six Ajahs. A White made it always seem so serious as they just didn't who emotion. Aleanda followed Aramina and walked into her room.

 

Aleanda Antori

Aes Sedai of the White Ajah

A pleasant enough beginning, Aramina thought as she led Aleandra into her quarters. The White Sister was someone she had felt was approachable enough to talk to, someone who might help her in the future if need be. Aramina sur Dulciena wasn't the type to make friends. Anyone she knew had a purpose in her life and that was always to further her own goals. Not that she necessarily gave off that impression, but she knew well enough that people though of her as cold enough to be...well.. a White Sister. Of course this particular White Sister was showing a bit of warmth and Aramina returned her smile.

 

"Please have a seat." She said, directing them to the two chairs in front of a fireplace. The hearth was cold now, but the stonework was beautiful and the posessions upon it were pleasant to look at. It was a comfortable place to sit and talk though so Aramina poured two cups of tea, offering one to Aleandra before she sat and took a sip of her own.

 

"You must be curious as to why I asked you here." Aramina said with a small smile as she lowered the cup. "In truth, I have noticed a trend that I don't like among the Ajahs. This distance between Sisters of different Ajahs seems wrong to me. I was thinking the other day that it would helpful to take some of my own concerns and see what a Sister of another Ajah might think, what we might come up with together with our different set of views playing together, instead of just on my own." She said.

 

"I was hoping you might be amendable to that. Just an open conversation about what troubles lie in the world and the solutions that two different minded Sisters might come up with. Is that something that might interest you?" She asked with a polite smile. She didn't think she was wasting her time here. In fact, she hoped that this conversation would last for some time to come, with the White Sister bringing her own concerns to Aramina as well. In such small ways, bridges were sometimes built over the widest rivers.

 

Aleanda took a seat in front of the fireplace. The Green Sister's room was a cozy room. Aleanda liked it. Taking the tea from Aramina, Aleanda wondered again about the reason why she had been asked for this meeting. Would it be because of a special issue this Green Sister would need a White's point of view on? Or was it just for chit chatting about the new dress the Amyrlin had worn the other day? As Aaramina took a seat herself she gave answers on the unsaid questions.

 

Aleanda listened to what Aramina had to say. Her explanation about the reason of the invitation. Aleanda agreed, the distances between the Ajahs had grown. A pity in Aleanda's eyes as well. Aleanda had talked with many Aes Sedai from the Tower about 'troubles that lay in the world.' Some of those conversation had not always worked out very well, but this one would. Aleanda knew this woman wasn't always the one that seemed to be the most friendly, but Aramina had a clear mind and when you knew her better she would turn out to be one of the most unkind Sisters. Not by far.

 

"An open conversation about the world's troubles is something I was hoping to have with you," Aleanda said to the Aes Sedai in front of her. "You see, talking and discussing with people that don't always share my point of view and my way of thinking is something I do with pleasure. It makes us think in different ways. Understanding someone else's arguments, even though you don't agree with them, makes you wise. Makes you able to predict what someone might, or might not do." Aleanda took a sip from her tea before she went on.

 

"There can be thought of many reasons why the Ajahs grow apart. Times are changing. I agree with you it's a pity they do, I hope we can get our Ajahs together a bit more, as I'm supporting most of the Green Ajah views. But the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills." Aleanda had thought about that last saying many a times. She wasn't sure if she'd really believe in that, though it were dangerous thoughts and she wouldn't not discuss such thing with every random Sister.

 

Aleanda Antori

 

OOC: I'm not sure what you want to talk about. If you've not gotten any other (better) idea, discussing the Ajahs growing apart might work?

Aramina took a sip of her tea as she listened to the White Sister. She nodded at her words. "Yes, times are changing. I see the signs of the Last Battle wherever I look. In fact I see it within our Tower. If the splitting of the Ajah's isn't a sign, I don't know of any other. We have always gone our separate ways, but I believe it has always been in a familial, sisterly way, the way a relative might move out from under your roof, but live next door for you to continue to know and live with. Now I see factions, working against one another and trying to plot for their own power."

 

She took another sip. "A distressing thought, don't you agree? Do you see a cause for this, some relation to the troubles of the world? Or has the Tower itself been locked away so long from our common brethern that we are becoming obsolete?"

 

Aramina agreed with the words Aleanda said. There was no denying it. Only someone blind or foolish would deny. The sad part was, however, Aleanda could point to some people who were blind, foolish or both. Aleanda knew that was and would be said by either her and Aramina wasn't something all sisters were keen on to hear. Aleanda knew she had shut herself from these views on the White Tower herself as well. Blind she had been, though on her way to where she was now something had opened her eyes.

 

The tea Aramina had gotten was a nice tea, Lea took another sip before she tried to answer Aramina's questions. "Distressing, for sure. As cause I can only say that the mentality of us, Aes Sedai, could have been better. These days we all have our own solution, better than the solution of our sisters that have a diffirent solution. But who's to tell what solution is better? Only time can tell, only the Wheel can tell. But we should cooperate again, like the Aes Sedai did in the past, in the far past." Another sip Aleanda took to moist her throat.

 

"What happens in the outside world, is frightening us. You, me and our other sisters. We won't admit it, but it does. It might be a reason why we want to do things so eagerly we forget to think and talk. Instead we say that others are wrong and we are right." Normally Aleanda could carefully read other people's faces and tell their feelings, though she couldn't quite read Aramina's face. "Or do you think I'm not quite right?"

 

But before Aramina could answer that question Aleanda had her mouth open already to talk more. "You asked about troubles of the world that might be a reason for the Ajahs to drift off, but can't there be any troubles in the Tower that are the cause for suspiciency toward those you live with under the very same roof?" This time Aleanda did keep her mouth shut and wait for the reaction of the Green Sister, hoping she hadn't said too much or things she should not have said.

 

Aleanda Antori

Aramina nodded as she listened to the White Sister. "Indeed. I don't know that you can lay the Ajah split at the foot of the Tower itself or the outside world, without laying at the either as well. Perhaps in that we are simply a mirror of the world. Our Ajah's are countries that ban together in time of need, only to be at each other's necks when necessity is over."

 

She took a sip of her tea, thinking about it before she continued. "It is up to Sister's like us to find a way to put an end to it, but there are few Sisters who truely wish to end it. I think most are simply willing to continue as things are, using what they can to their advantage."

 

Aleanda sipped her tea while Aramina spoke to repsond to it after the Green Aes Sedai had finished. "Indeed, indeed. But I wonder when really the necessity is over. To me, it's always necessary to stand, as Ajahs, together. I'm not from the Blue Ajah, but we all serve some greater cause. We don't win if we only do thing that are in our own advantage. Yet there are too many examples of that. The question is what we can do about the Ajahs floating away from eachother. Perhaps you, and me are not like many others and off course, I don't want to be the innocent Aes Sedai in this because I've done things that were in advantage of my own personal goal, yet my believe is that through conversation between Ajahs the White Tower can reach much more than it's reaching now."

 

Another sip to moist the throat before going on. "Countries should talk more either. I wonder how you look upon this, but I think wars are foul and by talking one can reach more than by swords and spears and other kinds of violance. Not always wars are inevitable, especially not if you're dealing with very violent people. But if everyone would hear the other out and let them finish their sentences the world would be with less wars. Or don't you agree?" Aleanda looked at Aramina and waited patiently for a responce while thinking she might have said the wrong thing in front of a Green Aes Sedai unless this Green had only chosen Green for the right to have more than one Warder, which she was sure Aramina had not chosen this Ajah for.

 

Aleanda Antori

Aramina nodded as she listened to the other woman's words. "I believe you are right in that Sister." She said. "Wars are inevitable when you have so many people looking for their own ends. I believe many of them could and should be averted though." She motioned across the room to a bookcase. "Those books are mostly about war and stratgey, but we of the Green Ajah, battle oriented as we are, would be willing to put aside blade and blood if it meant for a peaceful world. We fight for the Light and we await the Last Battle. We don't revel in these wars of men. It is Shadowspawn and Dreadlords that we seek to fight."

 

"But i'm afraid our Ajahs will align themselves no easier than countries, perhaps harder since our own memories are too long to forgo slights and convinced injuries at one another's hands." She thought about it for a moment. "And the Hall is little better. It would almost seem that a small group of sisters would be better off to see to making amends. An informal meeting of sorts that would be willing to put aside Ajah pride for the sake of the Tower itself. If such a group could exist."

 

Aramina sur Dulciena

Aleanda agreed. "For the light indeed." How much Aleanda would like to believe it, she could not believe that the Tower was being walked by only Sister who walked in the light. Her reason, her thought told her that that was impossible. Every person, whether they were Aes Sedai or farmers, could be seduced by the Shadow. Or they could not see how the light was able to win the Last Battle. Yet it were very dangerous thoughts and if they reached the wrong people, Aleanda would not be happy.

 

"Thinking such a group excists would probably be a little naive yet things can change and hopefully the Hall will be a little better in making amends when the time of the Last Battle arrived." Aleanda paused and took a sip of her tea which was getting a little cold unbothering Aleanda since this way it was calming her thirst better. "Do you think the Last Battle is coming soon? In our lifetime or beyond? Personally I just hope it won't come soon yet. I don't believe we're ready though I'm afraid that if it waits too long the Ajahs will be too far away from eachother." Aleanda wished she didn't believe this, but denying it wouldn't make it any better.

 

Aleanda Antori

Aramina sighed lightly as she looked into her room for a moment, trying to organize her thoughts on her next response. "Is the Last Battle coming?" She shrugged. "I can't answer anything more than my feelings on it, but I believe it is, and in our lifetimes. I could wish it were never coming, that it was just a silly story that village women tell their children to scare them, but wishing won't make it true."

 

She set her tea cup down then stood up. "The Last Battle comes a step closer every day. The forces of the Shadow grow stronger and those of us that fight for the Light seem to find less and less cohesion every day. I believe the Last Battle comes and the Ajahs will remain as divided then as they are now. The question remains, when we all fight the Shadown with our entire being, how can we not stand together?" A dark thought and something she wasn't sure she should voice so she kept her own answer to herself. They remained divided because even in the White Tower the Shadow could find minions to do his work.

 

Aramina sur Dulciena