It was perhaps no longer than an hour past midday as Aran made his way into Tar Valon proper. After a rather 'exciting' jaunt in Cairhien, he was finding that the calmer streets of Tar Valon were welcome. That wasn't to say that they weren't busy, or noisy, but they were alot safer. In a city of Aes Sedai, one couldn't be too careful, especially with the chair that sat in the Tower that made most people think twice about any planned wrongdoing. All in all, Aran was glad to be back.

 

If someone had asked Aran what he was doing, there would've been very little surprise at his response. He often went to different establishments to have a drink or three and a chat with anyone about. It was not below him to cheat with cards either, or to play with loaded dice. In fact, there were very few things below Aran, metaphorically and literally.

 

If he were asked specifically where he was going, his answer would have raised the eyebrows of at least one person. The Rose's Thorn was a place he'd only been to once or twice, usually after he'd started drinking somewhere else and he couldn't remember staying there long. That was possibly how this visit would turn out, depending on the innkeeper's mood.

 

And it was the innkeeper that motivated Aran to visit. Seiaman Kera, once gaidar to Sirayn Sedai of the Green Ajah and now retired to innkeeping. Not that the woman had let her training slip, he'd heard about the trouncing she had given Corin Danveer. Another incident that had involved Sirayn Sedai, though her part in it he knew little of. Perhaps he could learn more today, if he was to have any luck.

 

Arriving out the front, the sound was rather subdued from the other side of the door. Most people must have finished their midday meal, if the wheel was weaving him any good fortune, Seiaman would be available to talk and he wouldn't have to wait long. Opening the door, he let himself into The Rose's Thorn.

 

 

Aran

Tower Guard

ooc: alright I'm here. Sorry for the wait, mate. fyi, the description of the inn is http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2359&highlight=

 

ic: The last of the lunch crowd stepped out of the Inn and Seia went to wiping down the bar counter while the newly hired tavern wench rounded the plates and coins. Her mind went over the secret arrangements once more; it was not long now before she'd find herself in a new sort of training. In the past week, the word assassin being applied to her gave her pause but after meeting a few more Darkfriends through the circle, she liked the notion even more. It'd be the best way for her to raise through the ranks of the Darkfriends, to become closer to the Dark Lord, and to finally get Sirayn once and for all. She'd have the power to say what Sirayn could have.

 

Her thoughts were interrupted with the door opening, admitting a young man into the Inn. Seiaman stopped her cleaning and leaned back against the wall behind her, crossing her arms over her chest as she observed him. He was young but already had the walk and the way his eyes swept across the room and met hers, she would have no difficulty placing him in the ranks of the Tower Guard. More these days, she felt pity towards the fools who shed blood and sweat daily to protect its channeling occupants. They were merely tools in the great game, the pawns in the chess game.

 

"Get you something?"

Aran had picked Seiaman out the moment that he walked through the door, one eyed women were a rarity wherever you went. Taller than him by a few inches, dark brown braids streaked with grey, she still carried herself with grace of the warder she had once been. She would have been pretty when she was younger, now she carried too many scars for that. Not that that would stop Aran if he was of a mind, then again different things interested him when it came to women.

 

But that wasn't why he was here, and taking a place at the bar it wasn't long before she'd fixed her single light green eye upon him and asked him what he wanted. Smiling at her, Aran leaned forward slightly as he spoke. "Oh, I suppose a bottle of wine would be fitting. A decent one mind you, and perhaps you'd share a cup or two with me? I thought we might talk for awhile."

 

As Seiaman was getting a bottle the question came as to what they would talk about. His smile unwavering, Aran replied. "Well, I've been having difficulty with an Aes Sedai of late, Sirayn Sedai. I know you were her gaidar once, and I was wondering if you could help me understand her. She doesn't seem to trust me very much, or anyone else. If I could understand that, maybe future meetings with her might not be so... tense? Not exactly the word for it, but its the best I can come up with."

 

 

Aran

Tower Guard

Seiaman turned towards the wine shelf, letting her finger tap each wine bottle, going over the inventory in her mind. "Talk of what?" Her words floated to the newcomer and he was quick to reply. And Sirayn's name sent a strong jolt of warning and suspicion throughout her mind and soul but outwardly, she showed no notice. She found a wine bottle that was decent enough - sweet in taste but very potent. Usually it was the depressed ones that wanted this bottle, to drown their pains and misery very quickly. Seiaman had never met anyone who finished this bottle. She turned around and placed the bottle before the boy for his approval and he gave a quick nod. The young ones were not usually very discriminate when it came to liquor. Especially unbonded Tower Guards, which she could surmise from his character already.

 

She opened the bottle and took out two goblets from underneath the counter. "You are quite the youngling to believe that one such as I would be quick to reveal all." She slowly filled the goblets with the wine. "Especially to one who remains unnamed." Seiaman met his gaze as she pushed the goblet towards him. "For all I know, you could be a darkfriend pretending to be a Tower Guard or even actually a Tower Guard," she paused as a jagged dagger appeared in her other hand, "And working in cahorts with the enemies of the White Tower."

 

Seiaman watched him closely without appearing to do so. She had learned the ways a Darkfriend reveals their loyalties when accused - to the unwitting fool, they miss the hidden cues in the words of denial. If he was a Darkfriend, she knew she'd have to eliminate him. There would be no competition when it came to Sirayn. The woman would be hers. Completely hers. "If you are not one of those filth that I would very much love to gut and serve for supper, then what are you?"

Aran smiled as he lifted the goblet to his lips, breathing in its aroma subtlely subtlely before swallowing. Seiaman certainly hadn't been stingy, but she was being heavyhanded. Aran could finish the bottle, if he had enough time to spread it out in. If he did it too quickly he was quite sure he'd be around the back spewing out of every hole. An experience he'd had at least once in the past and was certainly in no hurry to repeat.

 

She was also rather aggressive in her defensiveness. From anyone else it would have seemed strange, but after having spoken to Sirayn and Corin the level of suspicion seemed to be the norm. If it had been how they treated each other, it was little wonder that there was distance between all of them. Had her other Warder, Losyn Ashern, been the same? Were all close to her so troubled? It would have been too easy to pin it on just Sirayn, and besides, Aran hadn't decided to involve himself to play the blame game.

 

All of this passed through Aran's mind while he wore an easy grin that touched his eyes. It was amusing after all, it seemed that no one trusted anyone anymore. Putting down his goblet, Aran's voice conveyed his amusement as he spoke. "Yes, I'm all that is evil. Ooooooo." Waving his fingers infront of him, Aran chuckled before he continued. "It doesn't strike you as incongruous to ask a person if they're a darkfriend while menacing them with a dagger?"

 

Pointing at it, Aran's grin didn't waver as he spoke. "You should really put that away, its not very polite. Not a very clean weapon either, jagged edges are nasty. But, as to your question. I am Aran, a Tower Guard, not a darkfriend last I knew and intrigued by Sirayn Sedai. The wheel has woven my thread with yours so that I might have the chance to learn more etc etc etc. Can you put that blade away now? I'd almost think you didn't trust me." At the last, Aran's grin turned impudent.

 

 

Aran

Tower Guard

Seiaman watched as the boy kept an apparently easy smile on his face, his eyes darting to the dagger once or twice. But he didn't exhibit nervousness. An older Tower Guard. The younger ones often were on the edge and jumpy, getting into fights right and left in order to grow confident in their skills. He brushed her accusation (or suggestion, depends how you look at it) with sarcasm which made Seiaman grimace. Not old enough. He spoke quite well with a large vocabulary which gave her the impression he did not come from the poor and his etc etc etc basically confirmed that he was spoiled and used to getting his way without even bothering to fully explain anything.

 

"I don't trust you." Seiaman sheathed her dagger. She shook her head at the boy. "I can't decide if you're just being plain stupid by asking around about Sirayn Sedai. Or just so wet behind the ears, you have no idea what an Aes Sedai of the White Tower is capable of. Well, Aran, you might as well finish your drink and leave as I don't give sustenance to young boys who desire to teach a hard woman about desire and love." Her exterior was still calm and wary but deep inside, she very much wanted to hurt this boy to the point where he stayed away from Sirayn.

"Oh, oh oh, oh! Oh.... I'm so wounded." Hand to his heart, Aran's mock hurt only lasted the final syllable before his grin came back. Didn't Sirayn ever have anyone around her who knew how to joke, relax and/or not attempting to play mindgames with everyone they met? If Aran didn't have the stupidly ridiculous level of patience he did, then he would have done something precipitous out of frustration. As it was he just forged on ahead because that was just what he did.

 

"As attractive as Sirayn Sedai is, that wasn't quite my intention. I was actually more interested in her sword arm or rather lack thereof." That definitely got a look from the woman. Whether it was a sign that violence was imminent or just curiosity, Aran wasn't sure but he was confident either way. And plain speaking was something he was good at after all.

 

"You see, after she lost her swordhand she refuses to train her other. Basically she's treating herself like she's a helpless cripple when she isn't, and thats something that needs to be fixed. I thought that you being her ex-warder you might be interested in helping me get her back to training so she is able to defend herself with more than the power if she ends up in trouble again. Of course, seeing how stubborn she is and unyielding she is to reason, she needs a good shove. Unfortunately, I have nothing to shove her with. Thats where you come in."

 

The grin slipped as Aran continued. "If you still care about her, then help me help her. Or help her yourself, but either way she needs to pick up a blade again and to learn that being short a hand doesn't make her an invalid. That much I would think you would agree with no?"

 

 

Aran

Tower Guard

Seiaman rolled her eye at the boy's retort. She rarely had the patience for sarcasm but he launched into his explaination and she listened. Especially when he mentioned Sirayn's missing hand. But the more he spoke, Seiaman's frown deepened. She knew exactly what he was talking about - Far Madding. Forkroot. Dreadlords. Black Sisters. The possibilities were limitless and those who worshipped the Dark Lord was very capable of creating opportunities. "So... let me get this straight with you. You're attempting to dig up some dirt to convince Sirayn Sedai she needs to practice her skills with the sword?"

 

Aran took a nod and another sip of the wine, which she noticed he had been drinking slowly. She shook her head. It had been a heated discussion between herself and her former Aes Sedai for nearly 2 decades - Sirayn felt she had enough protection. The bloody woman even went off by herself more than once to prove that point, not only to spite Seiaman but to prove to herself that she was... well.. self-sufficient. Even after the whole incident with Solin was over, Sirayn refused to learn how to use a sword with her only remaining hand. Which made Seia train twice as hard to learn how to fight with only one eye. But ultimately, they both failed.

 

Seiaman shook her head again, "You are pursuing a lost cause. I cannot help you, even if I could - I wouldn't. Do not underestimate Sirayn Sedai; she is capable of far more than you believe her to be."

Well, putting all the cards on the table and tossing the dice had pushed things past the more suspicious stage Seiaman was in. That wasn't to say that Seiaman wouldn't be suspicious still, no it would be too easy to simply win her over now and it seemed unlikely to win over one of Sirayn's people so easily if at all. Still it was progress and Aran would take what he could get.

 

Which looked like it wouldn't be much as Seiaman shook her head and proceeded to tell him it was a lost cause. Hardly, he knew it was possible, the simple and underlying rule of all people was that they all had a breaking point, and they all had buttons that could be pushed to get them to do what was required. It was simply a matter of locating them and knowing where and how much to push. Aran would get Sirayn one way or another, all it would take was time and some luck.

 

"I have little doubt she is quite capable, no doubt more so than I know." Aran grinned easily. "But she could be better, and not so afraid of her disability. You might not let a missing eye hold you back, but thats where she is at the moment. She's still back there and needs to push forward, but if you don't wish to help that is your decision."

 

"But tell me, why did you leave her service then? Its rare for a warder to leave their charge except by death or infirmity. You're still rather lively, and I'd need some coin to cross my palm before I dared to call you infirm." The last was said with the easy humour that was Aran.

 

 

Aran

Tower Guard