[pfsb] the mirrors of the wheel

[blue_ajah]

The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills, and all things are part of the Pattern. There is little that she can do now but wait, guard against events worsening as best she can, and watch.

As a result, Moiraine is in the bar this evening, musing over her thoughts with a cup of tea at hand and a slender, leather-bound journal open to a blank page before her.

Comments

[blue_ajah]

She listens fiercely, trying to commit his words to memory. "Not an easy thing to bear," the Aes Sedai murmurs, when he is finished. "Far from it. But it may be that there is hope in it, too, from what you have said."

[bialy_wilk]

"That's the problem."

The world is ending. He can accept that. What he dislikes is that line about the Elder Blood; about the world being reborn under a new sun. "Everyone wants to be part of the new world. But to do that, they've got to get their hands on a bearer of the Elder Blood."

[blue_ajah]

"Your potential student." It is not a question. "Do they have allies? In addition to you?"

It is also not a question that the witcher Geralt will have aligned himself with this individual, whoever they are. Not any longer.

[bialy_wilk]

"Some old friends. Not sure about anyone else."

Like, for example, this mysterious elf Ciri seems to have been traveling with.

[blue_ajah]

On the surface of matters, it sounds as though that might be far from enough, but Moiraine knows better than most how very few people can still shift the world entire. She nods.

“Then Light willing, it will be enough. Especially with what may be found in places like this.”

[bialy_wilk]

"We'll see," is his less than optimistic response. "I'd prefer an army, if one were available."

[blue_ajah]

"One might be, if needed," she returns, dryly.

[bialy_wilk]

"Hiding one somewhere behind your skirts?"

Possible, but unlikely.

[blue_ajah]

Without missing a beat, she replies, "This dress might hide many things, but I do not think its skirts are so full as all that." Her tone is just as dry as before.

"But stranger things have been known to happen. The Dragon Reborn was a sheepherder from a remote village, when first I knew him, and came to lead an alliance of armies from all across the world. Your student may find similar influence, in time. The Wheel weaves."

[bialy_wilk]

"Mm."

She's not wrong. And in fact he knows one perfectly solid way to get an army. "Just depends on what she has to give up to get one."

[blue_ajah]

Moiraine nods. "There is a saying in the Borderlands that 'death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain.'"

She, he says. She does not pounce on this information, although she makes note of it.

"They have many sayings in the Borderlands."

[bialy_wilk]

His voice is desert-dry. "What, that one not universally applicable?"

[blue_ajah]

A faint smile curves her lips. "I would say, rather, that Borderlanders have a predilection for creating axioms."

[bialy_wilk]

"Nice for them to be known for something so harmless. I know a bard who'd want to hear all of them."

Not that he's seen Dandelion in years. "Not so sure about that first one, though. Duty isn't part of a witcher's line of work."

[blue_ajah]

Laughter flickers in her dark-eyed glance to accompany that faint smile. "I would not say that is all they are known for. I can think of at least one bard myself who would have several opinions on the matter."

Moiraine considers him, tapping one finger lightly against the glass. "Is it not? Well, then, perhaps another saying would be more appropriate to the situation, and that is 'when the price is high, that is how you know it is worth paying.'"

[bialy_wilk]

"Sounds like something someone rich would say," he points out. "But as it happens, the question of cost is a moot one, for the moment. Will be, unless or until she's found."

[blue_ajah]

"Not all prices are paid in coin," she counters. "Some of the most important are paid in other ways."

Her eyebrows rise at his revelation. "She is missing?"

[bialy_wilk]

"And you can be rich in other ways, too, or so I hear." He shakes his head at her.

"I told you. She's on the run. Has been for years."

[blue_ajah]

"So it is said," she agrees, before she narrows her eyes at him, considering.

"That she was being hunted, yes. One might think that would be a good time to seek to shore up support before being found, rather than waiting until that point. I sought to clarify."

[bialy_wilk]

"Sure, if you have a way to hide from the hunters," he points out. "She's been running from them because they can find her if she's in any one place for too long."

[blue_ajah]

She tips her head forward, acknowledging his point. "Do you happen to know how they are able to locate her? Sometimes these methods of seeking can be blocked."

[bialy_wilk]

He shakes his head, the expression in his golden eyes turning wry. "Something to do with her power. If she uses it, they know where she is in moments. For a while they kept a close eye on the people she's close to. Waiting to see if she'd come to them."

[blue_ajah]

Moiraine nods. "But they are not able to detect her when she is not actively using it? If it is similar to how such things work in the world where I was born, it is possible to invert and mask such use."

[bialy_wilk]

"That, I don't know," the witcher admits. "I think not. But it's just a guess."

[blue_ajah]

She picks up her glass once more and takes a small sip. "One of the benefits of this place, I have found, is the chance to learn new approaches to problems; even new skills to use in dealing with them."