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[blue_ajah]

She is upstairs working this evening, alternating between several projects in order that she might remain able to view each with clear mind and focus.

Moiraine has just set aside a journal open to her notes on the loosening of the Pattern and its effect on the dead of her world -- and now, perhaps, another -- and turned again in her anthology of poetry to a particular work, marked with a blue silk ribbon.

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[blue_ajah]

"I have not myself spoken with Paul of late, nor have I yet encountered Kim Ford," Moiraine replies, "but I have encountered two others of the world where war has begin-- of Fionavar."

She looks thoughtful, and taps a finger against her teacup.

"The one, Jaelle, calls herself the High Priestess of Dana. The other, Galadan... is intriguing."

[gramarye1971]

'I have met Jaelle, as it happens.' Merriman's brow furrows in consideration. 'The other I have not met -- "intriguing", you say?'

That word, in Merriman's general experience, usually does not translate to "nice".

[blue_ajah]

"Intriguing," she agrees, but there is nothing of coldness or distaste to her tone -- only of introspection.

"He is of the andain, he says, which would appear to be the children of unions between gods and mortals, and he is their leader."

Moiraine smiles slightly at some thought, and glances up at Merriman.

"He is very skilled at Daes Dae'mar, I believe-- and he seems to have very great respect for Paul Schafer, who he called Mornir's chosen."

In the next moment, her smile is gone again, and her expression is one of absolute seriousness as she says,

"He also knows the tale of Arthur Pendragon, and would seem to have rather less respect for you... or rather, for 'Merlin.'"

[gramarye1971]

He listens without comment to her description and explanation, though one eyebrow goes up in a deliberate arch at her last comment.

'That is not an uncommon sentiment,' he murmurs, rather flatly. 'I can think of any number of reasons as to why that might be so, depending on which variation of the tale he knows. And not all of those reasons would be misguided ones, either.'

He taps his fingertips together, still with the same flat expression on his face. 'Though interestingly enough, a number of variations on the legend have Merlin as the child of a mortal woman and a demonic being, with the infernal realm as the source of his power and visions. The child of a god and a mortal, as it were.'

[blue_ajah]

"Really? Now that is very interesting indeed."

There is a pause, and then Moiraine continues,

"He informed me that 'Merlin' was never the great advisor or strategist that he believed himself to be, and spoke of a mistake that led Arthur to the slaughter of children."

Her gaze is level, and steady upon his.

"From what I know of you, and what you have indicated of Arthur Pendragon, it seems unlikely that he is acquainted with the tale from your world. Perhaps there is hope to be found in that."

[gramarye1971]

Merriman closes his eyes briefly, concealing whatever expression might have been visible in them.

'The Mayday massacre.' It comes out as more of a sigh than anything else. 'Not present in every version of the tale, but one of the more defining moments in many of them. If that is the story he knows, then I am not so surprised that he would not think highly of Arthur's advisor -- or indeed, of Arthur himself.'

He really does want to hope that the difference in the stories will be enough to prevent the summoning. But there is a voice in the back of his mind that will not be silenced, cold and dry and sounding very like his own.

You were fortunate then. And yet for all that...you will not be so fortunate now.

[blue_ajah]

Several seconds pass in silence before she says quietly,

"Is it a true telling, then?"

There is absolutely nothing of judgement in her tone or manner; in fact, her demeanor and expression are perfectly neutral, now.

[gramarye1971]

'In my world, it is not.'

He says it with perfect calm, though the slight lift of his chin and a barely perceptible squaring of his shoulders lends the gravitas of a proclamation to his words.

'The prophecy was there, true enough. The child born of his father's great shame, the child who would bring about his father's downfall. But the Dark would have rejoiced in the slaughter...and the troublesome thing about prophecy is that it generally manages to find a way to circumvent any attempt to avoid unpleasant outcomes.'

For just a moment, something of his actual age -- and a long weariness -- shows through in the depths of his gaze.

'The child lived,' he concludes in the same flat tone as before, 'as did all those of his generation who might otherwise have not. And the prophecy came to pass, as it would have come to pass with or without outside interference.'

[blue_ajah]

"Such is often the way of prophecy, that any attempt to either bring it to a conclusion or to prevent it entirely might well have effects other than those intended."

There is dark certainty apparent as she says this, but then her tone gentles somewhat.

"But do not lose hope, Merriman, for it seems clear that whatever world Galadan and the others are from, the tale of Arthur Pendragon there is not the same-- as it is not in mine, come to that. Similarities between the worlds are one thing, but altering the fate of another world entirely to affect one's own?"

The Aes Sedai shakes her head.

"It seems unlikely, to say the least. Perhaps not impossible, of course, but unlikely."

[gramarye1971]

He nods, considering her words.

'That is what I hope as well. If the difference is great enough, perhaps that will be sufficient. But it seems that we will not know for certain until Miss Ford's vision and subsequent summons comes to pass.'

For good or ill.