Fanfic:A Return From Exile

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A Return From Exile
Author(s)
  • George Prochaska
Character(s)
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Daimenin awoke to a loud crash. Leaping to his feet with a snarl he took in his surroundings fully, already holding Saidin to his fullest. A surprising amount since he still held the sa'angreal he had "borrowed" from his previous captors. Sharans were particularly aggressive towards men who could channel, even more so than the westlands so it was no surprise to find a male sa'angreal just left out for anyone to find in the Sh'botay's Palaces. Daimenin was doubly surprised to find the Sh'botay himself didn't know it for what it was. But then the man had never been trained to channel Saidin, not until Daimenin had arrived at his doorstep anyway. Daimenin had traveled to Shara after his long time friend, and secretary, Morrielle had turned up missing one day. Daimenin had foolishly rushed headlong into this strange place few had even heard of much less visited. Foolishly believing that he could handle anything that Shara could dish out with little effort. After all how often did the Ayyad come in contact with a fully trained and capable male channeler? Shara seemed to him then a place easily navigable and easily overcome. The last place any male channeler in his right mind would choose to go. Daimenin had not told anyone in the Tower before he left, who would have believed him anyway? But after he had been discovered and captured by the Ayyad he wished that he had. If only he had told someone or left some kind of clue of where to look!

No matter now, what was done was done. They had not killed him or Severed him after all as he had originally feared. Instead he had been bundled up inside a large trunk shielded and forced to drink fork root tea for what seemed like weeks until they finally arrived at the Palaces. He was taken to the Sh'botay for a meeting, well actually it was to meet the head eldest Ayyad, a woman named Mishiel who despite the ageless life of a channeler still looked old enough to have met Artur Hawking himself if he would have traveled this far east. Mishiel was the real power of Shara, no one who had met her would think otherwise. Luckily for Daimenin she had a soft spot for Male Ayyad even at her advanced age. Daimenin, an expert student of Da'es Daemar, noticed all of the tell tale signs of true power struggle. Even at her age, or perhaps because of it, Mishiel was something of a Legend among the Ayyad. No one living could remember not being in awe of her very presence. Mishiel had assigned the task to all of her Ayyad to be on the look out for male channelers of any age. Apparently the Ayyad had discovered some method for detecting men whether they held Saidin or not, that or they could see through inverted weaves of Saidin. Daimenin prayed to the Light that it was the former. Mishiel had been most interested in learning from Daimenin of the westlands and for his part he had been more than happy to tell her. He kept from speaking of the White Tower, or the Grey, and no mention whatsoever of the Black Tower for fear of his own life. Though the old woman might have a curiosity towards male channelers, there was no reason to press the boundaries of his newly found luck.

He relaxed his broad shoulders and walked calmly over to the small man lying at the feet of the fire. Looking up at him was the saddest face that the Ghealdanin carpenter had ever seen. Morrielle was obviously horrified that he had woken his master so early in the morning. He knew that the Indigo would do nothing to him for such a thing, but he was still deeply upset at having done so, especially today of all days. Daimenin however, smiled his broad smile and offered a huge hand to his one time secretary. The short little Sharan man had still not grown accustomed to a silent Daimenin al'Donai even if he had gotten over his surprise at seeing Daimenin in his home village of Shara with the Ayyad Head Mistress. Mishiel had been rather upset at hearing of his connection to Morrielle, but Daimenin managed to convince her not to have him put to death right there on the spot. Instead he was gathered up and brought back to the Palaces with them for an unofficial interrogation. Eventually Mishiel had come to understand that Daimenin had not lied to her about the westlands, it might have been easier to make her see this if he could have mentioned the three oaths, but that would have raised the subject of the Towers and, as luck would have it, he had been able to avoid raising the subject somehow. Mishiel agreed to let Daimenin leave Shara on the condition that he swear an oath of silence on the Ayyad Oath Rod, no doubt another of the Nine rods of Dominion of which the oath rods in the Grey and White Towers were reputed to be from as well. Seeing no other way out of his captivity Daimenin agreed to her demands. Now as he stood looking out over the Aiel Waste Daimenin shivered. Not from the cold for even this early the morning wind was already hotter than a Ghealdanin summer, but from trepidation. He was returning to his beloved Grey Tower after years of absence. Just what sort of changes would he find, and how would the Hall respond to a mute even a former Ajah Head returning with such a story as they might never believe? He wove the strands of Spirit and a gateway rotated into existence in front of him, a hole in the air, which led to a darkened room full of wooden furniture and small figurines. No time like the present, He thought as he stepped through and turned to unweave the gateway. He took one last look at his long time friend and confidante before the hole closed. When he had finished unweaving the threads Daimenin released Saidin and took a look around his rooms. At least no one had moved in since his departure, there was that...