Fanfic:Aliana's Great Stair
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This is a piece of fanfiction. Only the original author(s) or Librarian(s) should make content changes to this page. |
The Yellow Ajah
Aliana looked up at the warm sun as it beamed down from the sky. The sound of a woman franticly calling to her for help called her from the deep trance of her surroundings. "It's my son!" she said once Aliana was able to calm the woman down. "He was climbing a tree and he fell. He's hurt! Please, do something!" Aliana nodded slightly, "I will do what I can. But you must take me to him and please...calm yourself.
A child's reaction is commonly heightened by their parent's reaction." Aliana moved quietly alongside the frantic mother. No emotion played upon her serene face. Upon entering the yard she moved to the boy's side, ignoring the mother who was yelling and crying worse than her son. . "Shhh, it will be all right." She assured the young boy as she carefully examined his outward appearance.
Only a few cuts and bruises marked the boy's body as hurt. Satisfied with that she began to delve. Finding that one arm is broken she carefully opened herself to the warmth of Saidar. Slowly she began the meticulous process of weaving the sheet of Air, intertwining it with Spirit, Air and Water, wrapping the weave around the break in the boy's arm.
"There. Now don't be climbing anymore trees till that's healed." Aliana smiled then she looked up to the concerned mom, "He'll be fine, just give him time and make sure he rests." Aliana stood and moved quietly from the yard. As she passed through the garden's arch the world faded from around her and she finds herself once more upon the yellow step.
The Green Ajah
The clamor of armor and voices shouting to one another filled the air. The haze of evil and death hung like a thick wet blanket. "What can you do to help us?" Spoke the nervous Lord beside her. Her face was stone still and motionless against the pending news as she spoke. "I will do what I came to do." Opening herself to the warmth of Saidar she quickly made the weave for Quicksand she had learned long ago as a novice. Quietly she cast it out before them so that the majority of the trollocs would be caught within it.
One by one the trollocs got stuck in the quicksand. When the pit was full she dissipated the weave leaving the trollocs trapped in the earth, easy foes for the soldiers and lessening in the number of attackers. With the weave successfully complete the Lord gave the order.
All the soldiers charged forward, swords drawn. Aliana called once more upon the One Power to unfold within her. Weaving a thick thread of fire she spun a large ball of fire and flung it from herself into the middle of the enemy. Without releasing Saidar she drew upon her own strength, forming smaller flames and begun to fight.
The battle raged on for what seemed like hours, every man fought with every ounce of strength they possessed. Aliana looked over to where one of the generals was fighting a trolloc. She gave a start as a second trolloc ran towards him. Her feet carried her faster than she had originally thought ever possible. "DOWN!" she yelled. The general looked at her and ducked as Aliana sent a small fire ball from her to draw the trolloc's attention then using a razor thin strand of Air she brings the weave down across the trolloc's throat and sent his head rolling. Somewhere someone yelled "They're falling back!" and then men heard "Watch them run" over the sounds of the battle. Aliana turned to watch the evil run and the world once more faded from about her.
The Blue Ajah
The staircase faded from around her. Opening her eyes she found herself in a tavern. The smell of that night's special, cooked lamb stew, hung in the air. A girl's playful yelp pieced the air of the tavern as a rowdy patron slapped her on the butt. "Can I get you something?" Asks a servant girl. Realizing she was standing in the middle of the room, Aliana nodded and followed the girl to a table. Quietly she ordered a bowl of soup and the girl turned away.
A deep purple bruise on her arm peaked Aliana's interest, "Wait...Are you well?" She asked. The innkeeper gazed over and watched her intently, irritated by Aliana's care for the girl. The girl nods quickly and hurries away with only a quick, "It's nothing." as a reply. As the girl returns with Aliana's order the innkeeper speaks curtly to her. Hearing his curt words to the girl and seeing his disrespectful scowl towards herself Aliana rises. "Sir have you no respect for others? How can you treat these girls as you do? They are the reason you make money, you should treat them better."
The man scowls once again at her, her anger towards the man rising with each passing glance. With careful and learned control she does not allow the man to see her anger. "They are MY girls, I'll do what I wish with them." The patrons have all turned now to the two, serving girls eyed Aliana cautiously. "A woman should know her place!" He raised his hand to cuff the nearest girl for staring, as if to emphasize his words. Before he can make contact Aliana has embraced Saidar and bound the man. "You'll not hurt one more woman!" The man's eyes grew large upon seeing he has challenged the wrong woman.
Ali took a small pouch from her belt she tossed it to his fee. "25 silver pieces for the place. That is more than you'll ever deserve. Now...Get out of here. Gather what things are yours and leave town." She released the binding and the man grabbed for the purse and ran. The serving girls and patrons stood in silent awe, having never seen anyone stand up to that man before. Finally Ali took a second purse from her belt she handed it to the girl who served her. "The place is yours and the other girls. Run it well and honorably." As she stood and left, the inn fades from around her.
The Indigo Ajah
Once again Aliana found herself in the staircase. She looked down, seeing only the blue step beneath her feet. Aliana took a deep breath the stepped up onto the indigo step ahead of her. As her world faded back into being she found herself standing in the common room of an inn. A young man stands before her, hands twitching nervously as he takes in Aliana's appearance and then finally spoke. "If you are...what you say you are...maybe you can help." He nervously asked for Aliana's help, explaining his situation.
An audible sigh escaped him as she finally agreed. Upon reaching their home Aliana could sense the boy's presence. Approaching quietly, her face emotionless in the light she spoke. "What is your name?" The younger boy looked up, his eyes frightened. "Allec...Ma'am." "Well Allec, at least you have manners. Come here to me." She stood motionless as the boy rose and moved towards her. Her skin tingled as she felt the One Power's presence gripped by the unlearned young boy for so long. Carefully she slipped past his grip of the One Power and cut him off from the Source. She turned to his older brother. "Get him some food and bring your mother to me."
After a long talk with the mother Aliana finally got her to agree to allow her son to go to the Grey Tower to receive training that will help him. Aliana stood and smiled to the mother, "Things will get better and in time he will be better than he was in the recent past. Have faith and trust." The mother nodded nervously and thanked Aliana for her help.
The Brown Ajah
As Aliana stepped onto the next step her world fadded from around her. Aliana tugged at her own brown shawl as a fellow Aes Sedai, her own brown shawl hung loose about her shoulders, confronted her. "There is something I would like you to do. We have reports of an extremely elderly man in the Black Hills, who is said to have great knowledge of the past. Since you will be passing through that area, we ask that you find this man, and record what he knows. He may have books or papers that could be added to the library, or he may have his knowledge from sort of oral tradition. Whatever you find, please do you best to preserve this knowledge."
The woman faded away, and Aliana realized that the words she heard are memories of a meeting held days earlier. Now Aliana stood in front of an old and weatherworn shack, it's wooden sides and thatched roof in desperate need of care. The door creaked as it open, and a voice calls, "Who is it?" "It's Aliana Sedai." The door opened more and an old man peered out. "Ahhh yes word had reached my ears that you were coming. But such a young one...I had no idea. Please come in." Aliana entered, the man continued to ramble. "What can I do to help those at the Grey Tower?"
He motioned for her to sit and she did. "We were interested in the knowledge you retain of the past. Hopefully we can add any knowledge you have to the library." He rose slowly and made his way to the shelves, gazing over the spines, reading the book's contents. Finally he returned to her. Several books were piled high in his arms. "These have just been collecting dust and when I am gone there will be no one here to read them. They are my gift to the Tower."
Aliana stood and took them from him. "Thank you. Your knowledge and generosity is greatly appreciated. Though I was wondering if you had any knowledge of the past that was not already written." He nodded silently. "Yes...I do actually." He poured himself a cup of tea then offered Aliana one as well. She accepted and as he poured her cup he began. After several hours he smiled to her. "Well, I guess that's all there is in this old mind of mine." Alian rose quietly, the books and notes in her hands. "Thank you. I am sure the Brown Sisters will want to read this as soon as I return." Aliana stepped through the door of the old man's shack and the world faded once again from around her.
The Grey Ajah
Aliana counted the different scenes she had explored...yellow, green, blue, indigo and brown. "Five down two to go." She said to herself. Aliana took a deep breath and lifted her foot, placing it on the gray stone ahead of her. Soon it was all gone, it had fadded once more into another time, another place. The soft clicking of beads could be heard as the Grey Sister shook her head and spoke, "We can cannot afford a war between Andor and Cairhien," She paused as if tired by the news she carried. "But I've not been able to solve their problem." For several moments the two talked. Their world balanced upon a hair thin line, but if she was successful she would have saved more lives than just the six facing trial. In the end Aliana nodded, "I will see what I can do."
Aliana went to meet with the Andoran representative and the Cairhienin General. "Gentlemen. Thank you for meeting with me. I feel I may be able to find a solution to the problem at hand." She paused only momentarily to make sure she had their attention. "A hearing will be held to determine the innocence or guilt of the three. The jury will consist of members of the Grey Ajah and the head of the Grey Ajah will serve as judge. General you will provide a defense council for each man charged and you Sir will provide for each man a prosecutory council. Please provide a written statement to me stating your position and desired punishment if they are found guilty. If found guilty of the charges the Aes Sedai will sentence them with a combination of the two punishments you submitted."
Both men seemed stunned at the idea, then realizing no other peaceful resolution could be made they began to nod. "I thank you once more for your time gentlemen and I look forward to reading your statements." They rose and left the room as Aliana let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding. With each passing second the room faded from her sight.
The White Ajah
The final step lay before her. Soon all her formal training would be done and she would be fully raised. She'd be able to take a warder and visit her family. "Family." She said to herself. Her stomach twisted into knots as she thought of home. "Focus Aliana! It's not over yet." She spoke into the white luminescent torches beside the white and final step. "Light grant me strength." She whispered as she placed both feet on the final step.
She sat before a woman, a large desk separated the two. Loose papers were strewn haphazardly about the desk and pile upon pile of scrolls littered the floor and shelves. "I need your advice old friend." The woman's gray hair and wrinkles could fool anyone into thinking her an old and frail woman. "Here is the situation I am faced with." For long moments the woman behind the desk spoke of the murderer who claimed that the Wheel of Time forced him to commit the horrendous act of murder.
Aliana listened intently to every detail the woman had to say. After several hours she turned to Aliana and asked, "How do I answer him?" Aliana shook her head. "How indeed" she thought to herself. A man commits murder and expects to be set free, because the Wheel deemed he would kill the man? Then the answer came to her and she couldn't help but smile softly. "Then perhaps the solution is easier than we are making it. Someone once told me long ago as a novice, 'Do not make the problem harder for you.' Therefore while he has broken tower law and killed a man he should pay with his life. Perhaps he should not be hung, but spend the rest of his days in the Tower dungeon?" The woman nodded, it seemed both logical and just. The gray-haired Lady smiled, and then she faded away,taking the world with her.
