[panfandomsandbox] change is in the wind

[blue_ajah]

She sits at the table near the fireplace, sipping tea and reflecting on what she has learned in recent days.

In the world where she was born, the Dark One is also known as the Lord of the Grave, and is the one who holds power and sway over the dead -- and to an extent, death itself. Fortunately, Moiraine is experienced enough with Milliways to not draw instantaneous conclusions.

(The lessons learned from Anthy Himemiya will remain with her for the rest of her life.)

It had helped that she had seen nothing of intentional evil or the mark of the Shadow as she knows it when she had studied Harrowhark while channeling. It is nonetheless something that requires consideration, in case action of some sort becomes necessary.

The Aes Sedai has much to think about.

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[we_bring_hell]

"She is lying," Harrow says plainly. "She is involved in some kind of conspiracy. She has already broken a serious taboo of necromancy by her manipulation of her cavalier's corpse, and I am unsure how she even managed that, for so long, with a intra-orbital journey. In front of eight other necromancers."

"It may be unrelated, but it concerns me deeply." Harrow has her own secrets, and is perhaps a hypocrite here. Is definitely a hypocrite here. "I don't know who else is strong enough to do what was done to them, and I don't know how she is strong enough to do what I know she has done."

She drums her fingers on the table. "Earlier today," she says slowly, "Protosilaus the Seventh was supposed to duel the Eighth. He was waiting for the match. I... probed the magics supporting him from a distance. The theorem collapsed immediately."

"Whatever she is up to, it is about to unravel, and I... I am afraid."

[blue_ajah]

"You must be very careful, Lady Ninth," Moiraine tells her.

"In the world where I was born, I have known those in the service of the Shadow who hid in plain sight among those who were believed to be their colleagues and even friends, and they were some of the most dangerous of all."

[we_bring_hell]

"That is what I am afraid of," she says, with some relief at being taken seriously.

"She has been friendly where I was solitary, and kind where I was harsh, and gentle where I was brutal. She is beautiful. And so I fear she has more than half-seduced Gideon away from me, who I foolishly did not include in my plans from the start."

"If she is all she seems then... Fine. Good for Griddle." Her face gives the lie to this, but she goes on. "But the gentle invalid she pretends to be did not stab a man through the chest and seamlessly manipulate his corpse for weeks without a qualm."

If I am monster and a liar, at least I wear my monstrosity on my sleeve.

"Murderer or not, she is not what she pretends."

[blue_ajah]

The Aes Sedai considers all of this for some time.

Finally,

"Why was Protosilaus supposed to duel the Eighth?"

[we_bring_hell]

"Protosilaus punched the Eighth necromancer--or rather, Septimus used him to punch the Eighth necromancer. Oktasiron was trying to summon the spirits of the Fifth."

This is probably even better evidence than, 'she keeps flirting with my cavalier'!

"It was ambiguous--Oktasiron appeared to have possibly hooked a bigger and more dangerous spirit than he intended, and it was having a deleterious effect on Septimus. But it was suspicious. And of course the creature demanded Protosilaus duel his cavalier for satisfaction, because the Eighth are always scrupulous about propriety when it's in their advantage to be."

This is unfair; the Eighth are scrupulous about propriety when it's in absolutely no one's advantage too.

[blue_ajah]

"And when they were to fight," she observes, "you tested the weave, and Protosilaus collapsed, leaving Dulcinea without a cavalier - is that correct?"

[we_bring_hell]

"Just before the Eighth cavalier arrived," she says. "He was alone; I had a few moments to examine the body before I was interrupted."

[blue_ajah]

"I see."

The Aes Sedai gives a very slight sigh. It may be no more than a matter of a young woman's jealousy, but in the Great Game that itself can be a powerful weapon - and in this case, there may be more at stake. She would be remiss not to mention it.

"Lady Ninth, is it accepted, or even possible, for a cavalier to switch House allegiances?"

[we_bring_hell]

"Formally changing House would be quite difficult," she says. "It happens in the case of marriage, but even if things had reached that pass--which I doubt highly--there is no one in Canaan House to officiate."

"I was thinking more of insubordination. We are in a lawless place, and Gideon and I..." She studies the tabletop. "Have a tumultuous past. If it came to a necromancer's duel between Septimus and me, I... don't know what she would do."

"She has proven her willingness to sacrifice. But I do not believe her loyalty stems from House propriety. She is her own creature. If she thought I was wrong..."

[blue_ajah]

"Then it would seem best for matters not to reach the point of a necromancer's duel," she says, very simply. "Do not allow yourself to be led down a path that you would prefer not to walk."

[we_bring_hell]

"You are correct," she admits heavily. "I appreciate your insight."

[blue_ajah]

It is little enough to offer, the Aes Sedai thinks.

"I would also suggest," she says, gently, "that you continue to consider where your advantages may lie. For one thing, how many keys remain to be discovered? You have two, I believe you have said?"

[we_bring_hell]

It as much help as an adult has offered Harrowhark since the day she came home to five nooses.

"Yes," she says. "I believe one or two at most remain, of the eight trials I know. I know someone has completed the challenge that was most intuitive to me, what I believe must have been the black key of the Ninth, and some of the others show signs of having been at least worked, perhaps solved."

While she was counting doors! Frustrating.

"I know the Seventh has one in addition to the one she assisted us with. Palamedes must have at least two, and I suspect even three. He's smug enough." This is base slander of a very kind young librarian.

"The Second and Fourth have not even claimed the facility key. The Third... lurks, rather than partakes. The Eighth avoids me with a religious fervor. I didn't even know he had a facility key until he told the Fifth about it."

Grimly: "The Fifth died in the entryway."

[blue_ajah]

"I see."

Her dark-eyed gaze is very thoughtful.

"Palamedes is enamored of Dulcinea, you said. Do he and Gideon themselves appear to be in any conflict?"

She is rapidly reaching a conclusion, but must be certain before she speaks.

[we_bring_hell]

"No. He has been remarkably civil. I must say she has given Gideon far more encouragement. Septimus told me she had never met him before Canaan House."

"I believe he has conceded the field, but since we are confined together, he holds himself to being chivalrous and sentimental." Harrow drawls the word 'sentimental' with a lot of contempt for someone so obviously bitter about the first part.

[blue_ajah]

Moiraine nods.

"Be cautious in your trust, Lady Ninth," warns the woman who escaped the White Tower's plans to place her on the Sun Throne and who - with her Warder and the aid of the Amyrlin Seat - secretly pursued her cause for over twenty years. "But do not fail to give it where it is warranted."

"Whether or not you trust him, it would seem that Palamedes may be a strong ally. Together, you would hold at least four, perhaps five, of the eight keys you have indicated are known to exist. If you form a partnership of sorts with him as well as Gideon your cavalier, you may help to prevent a conflict between them, or for that matter between any of the three of you, that would make you less strong torn apart than aligned, leaving Dulcinea with the strings in her hands alone."

[we_bring_hell]

Harrow lets another one of those tightly-hoarded breaths. She has trusted Palamedes, and pilloried herself for it a dozen times; Moiraine's endorsement of her course of action eases her heart.

"We have started down this path. I had thought to initiate an exchange of our notes from the studies. Your advice gives me greater certainty in this."

"I have not seen Camilla the Sixth in action," she muses. "She is not a duellist, but that only reflects that the Sixth does not participate in the social milieu of the Lunar Houses. The Sixth has a reputation for being academics, but it would be a blessing if while Palamedes pored over his books she had studied the sword as avidly."

[blue_ajah]

"Perhaps, once Gideon is recovered, she and Camilla might spar," she suggests. "Such training activities may often be clear indicators of skill, and in Gideon's case could serve to allow her to discern any weakness that she might need to be careful of."

In either herself or another, as it happens.

[we_bring_hell]

"Oh, she would love that," Harrow says, with a narrow little smile.

She means Gideon, but they probably both would.

[blue_ajah]

Moiraine inclines her head to Harrow in silent acknowledgement.

[we_bring_hell]

Something goes click in Harrow's head, and she makes a decision.

"I have one other mystery. It may not be anything important, but it... vexes me." She flips through her journal. "After the second experiment, I had to wear Gideon's overcloak back to our room. I found something in her pocket, a scrap of paper she had removed from the first study without showing me."

She finds what she is looking for, copied painstakingly in clear rather than coded.



"The reason why seems obvious. The initials of the Second House pair who shared that study ten thousand years ago were G and P."

[blue_ajah]

Moiraine studies the bit of writing, then looks up at Harrow.

"Is Gideon a common name among the Houses, then?"

[we_bring_hell]

She shakes her head.

"I have never heard of another." She swallows.

"Gideon Nav was a foundling to the Ninth," she says. "Nav is a Niner arithmonym, but Gideon came from her mother. A year before I was born, I am told, a shuttle crashed, and a woman in a hazmat suit jumped out with an incubator strapped to her chest. She screamed the name three times before she died."

[blue_ajah]

The Aes Sedai stares at her.

"That seems an event of some portent," she remarks, finally. "Certainly an unusual one, at the least."

[we_bring_hell]

"Yes," she says.

What else is there to say?

She stares at the table. "Moiraine Sedai, I would not lie to you. But there are secrets of my House I... cannot tell. Not... not right now."

She raises her head and meets Moiraine's eyes with her starless black ones. "Will you accept an omission?"