Fanfic:Keeping the Amyrlin

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Keeping the Amyrlin
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<Carraidhin> Scene Setting:

That seemed to be a sign for the cheering to begin although Carraidhin knew that because it was made by her, there was hesitancy in the applause. People begun to move restlessly but Carraidhin simply stood there and waited until she got her quiet again. "As my Keeper of the Chronicles, I name Virya Fandin."

The surprised Blue Sister was lifted up on a platform of Air and people roared their approval if more quietly than when they had thought to be allowed to party already. "In honour of this day, all Accepted and novices are absolved of penances and punishments." That got a small cheer from the white clad girls.

Once settled safely on the ground and back, Carra moved and placed the Blue Stole on the new Keeper of Chronicles, giving her room to follow her back into the Grey Tower as they returned into the Tower. Carra leading Virya to her new office.

Virya hid her surprise with pursed lips. For all that her Dreams had shown her what Carraidhin would become, she had never expected to be pulled into the history that she dreamt. She followed the new Amyrlin Seat, still frowning. What was the girl up to? Yesterday, she would have sworn that the Red had never heard of her. "Congratulations, Mother."

Carraidhin tried not to cringe too much at the new title. "And the same to you, Daughter." She said with ease. "It would seem that the week is full of surprises for us both." It was then the hint of a smile touched the edge of her lips

Her frown deepened. Virya had no use for Aes Sedai wordsmiths, and she had expected better from this girl. "As you say, Mother," she responded, curt and unamused. "Why have you chosen me as your Keeper?" She was too old to stand on ceremony, and this whole business had already left a sour taste in her mouth. Carra belonged as the Head of her new Ajah, not the Amyrlin Seat, and Virya could hardly see what advantage she might bring as Keeper. She was sometimes radical and often disliked within the Hall. Any number of Sitters would have been a much more viable choice than her.

Carraidhin 's curl of her lips stilled, the tone of the Keeper was enough to push away what humor Carra had felt. "Why did you stand for me? You have been rather clear in your support for the Red Ajah. It would be foolish to think I had not notice your subtle hand."

Her eyes narrowed as she regarded the other woman. "I stood for you because the other option was your exile." For all that she dreamed of her, Virya did not trust the girl, and held her tongue about her Talent. "The Hall should not have chosen you. They have made you the Amyrlin Seat, and left your Red Ajah adrift and motherless."

As they reached the Keeper Office, Carra pushed open the door and caught the Keeper's eye. "If you believe that an Ajah will die without someone in it, they you have missed the point of there being an Ajah." And she entered the door. "Come in and close the door." Leaving the easedropping weaves for the lower ranked woman in the room.

She did not respond to the Amyrlin's jab, simply closed the door and wove a quick ward. It was silliness to have her complete the weave; she was considerably weaker than Carra, and her wards thus offered less protection. But Aes Sedai were often silly in such matters, valuing displays of power over sense. "The only clear purpose your Ajah had was what you gave it," she said finally, resisting the urge to give her new stole a good, angry tug. "And you do not have the experience necessary to be a strong Amyrlin Seat. The Hall will count on you to be weak." They would try to use her. Virya suspected that they were in for a rather nasty surprise

Carraidhin took a seat and settled in, keeping the stole around her shoulders even though she would rather set it aflame. "Yes, that is true. But just because an Ajah has a Cause does not mean that Cause is always the same."

She took the best reply that the Blue could relate to, as Blues were all about causes.

Carraidhin spoke, "As for being used by the Hall, I would think that they would have learned through my years as the Keeper that I will only be pushed so far." Her mind remembering letters and inquires that had warmed her seat by the fire.

A look to the Blue Keeper, "That, and I now have an ally. We could be allies, or we can be enemies."

Virya let all her complaints about the sudden raising go. The girl would not hear reason, at least not now, and the better thing to do was to look towards the future. "I have always been your ally," she told her, voice dry. She had overlooked the girl's life since she had been a novice. "But if you cannot take my criticism, then I do not think we will be successful partners."

Carraidhin could not help but feel the woman was mocking her, but she let it go. "Very well. If you wish my opinion had I the choice I would have preferred Exhile. If the Pattern had left me be I would have turned and walked away from the Aes Sedai Raising test."

Carraidhin continued, "And while we are on the matter, i care very less about what the Hall decided or how you feel about reasons for choosing the Red Ajah. Frankly the only one that has asked me on my purpose is the Dedicated Jaryd. Now, that puts you on very shaky ground to judge my raising up if you have little idea of what I left behind."

"The Pattern will never let you be." The words slipped out before she could stop them. But it was true; Carra had taken over her Dreams, pushing away whatever else Virya might have foretold. The Pattern had plans for Carra, and it was strange to realize that there was also a direction for her, one that she could not escape.

Carraidhin grew silent, a whisper. "No... it will not."

Carra made Virya want to laugh. Did the other woman think that she did not understand her Ajah? Virya had known before Carra had, before the girl was even an Accepted, that the Red Ajah must be.

She did not need to ask the purpose of the Red, not like some faceless Dedicated. It was strange to see Carra pushing her away so quickly; did the other woman not say, only a few moments before, that she had known of Virya's support? She knew the blame lay on both of them; they were both far too prickly to work seamlessly together.

Virya sat down across from the other woman, tired of waiting for an invitation. She had never been one to stand on ceremony. "I have watched you since you were a novice. I have placed useful, helpful people in your path so that you might learn." Virya stared hard at her new Amyrlin Seat. She had not wanted to speak of her Dreams, but it seemed so necessary now. Carra would not take her help unless she understood, and she desperately needed Virya, even if she did not yet realize that. "I have been Dreaming of you for years. I have known since you were a novice that the Red Ajah must exist, and that the Pattern would force it into existence if you did not. I have known since you became Keeper that you would someday be Amyrlin Seat, no matter how foolhardy such an appointment may be." Carra was expressionless. Virya realized, with distinct amusement, that she would soon find that extremely irritating. "I may not know your path, but I have always known your future."

Carraidhin spoke carefully, "I know. To some extent I had known." Foretelling had its way of sharing this with her, much like her choice of her first Keeper. There will be others, but Virya was the first.

"I choose you for a reason, because the Pattern felt that you would serve me best. Teach me best. I am not above reproach and advice, but let me worry on the Red Ajah. I do not doubt it will stay empty for long."

Virya considered the other woman, and nodded with great satisfaction. It was a start. Her cause had always been to teach, to make the Grey Tower into a place of learning that was flexible, that yielded when it needed to. Perhaps teaching an Amyrlin Seat to be Amyrlin would be her life's work. "Then I will teach you." Her voice was excited now, no longer acerbic. "What do you know of the Sitters of the Hall?"

Carraidhin settled more in her chair, having taken the one meant for guests. As this had been her office yesterday morning, it was strange for her to sit and see things at a different angle. "On a personal level, very little. Professionally, I am aware which ones will unseat me and which ones were really behind who put me here."


[End Scene]