Fanfic:The Cleansing/Part One

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The Cleansing/Part One
Author(s)
  • Alexandra
  • Sarah
Character(s)
Harp-icon.png This is a piece of fanfiction.
Only the original author(s) or Librarian(s) should make content changes to this page.




The Amyrlin Seat stood patiently with one hand crossed over her narrow seven striped stole, which hung heavily from her shoulders, and the other around the Flame Staff, glowing brightly. She walked with it today to demonstrate for all who saw that the Flame was alive and well, only momentarily bothered by pests. The Light would banish darkness, even in its smallest forms. Around her circled the Keeper of the Chronicles, Sigmund Gaiden, Beatice Sedai, and Zaria Sedai. But the Amyrlin's piercing emerald eyes were cool and utterly composed on the one who approached her, even through a field of rats with broken backs. The sight did not seem to phase her.

"Are they all eradicated?" She asked, her voice somewhat elevated by virtue of the Staff and for the benefit of any onlookers. To the nearest healer, "Have any of the children come down with illness delivered by the vermin before or after evacuation?"


Zuri Kiyori flipped her long dark red hair behind her, wishing once more that she hadn't lost her ribbon in the morning's hustle. She had been startled from her bed like everyone else a full hour before the usual time they rose, and told to evacuate their quarters. Zuri had changed into her banded Accepted's dress as quickly as possible and had even managed to run a comb through her hair and wash her face before her area was forced to leave, but it had not been enough time for her full morning routine, and she distinctly felt the lack of it. As Lembirt had drilled into her head, careful dress and appearance at all times were vital if one wanted to command any sort of respect.

Almost immediately after the learning ranks' wings of the Grey Tower had been cleared, Zuri had been whisked up by Salara Sedai to test for any outbreak of sickness amoung her fellow learning ranks. As always, when dealing with an infestation, there had been a few cases right from the start that had warned the Aes Sedai, but Zuri and any other Accepted and Dedicated skilled in healing had been snatched up immediately to carefully sift through the long lines of learning ranks, quarantining those who were already infecting, and clearing those who delving proved to be clear of the disease. With such long ranks of young men and women waiting to proceed with their lives, they had been hard pressed to file them all through in the morning, but by the middle of the day, all the ranks had been sorted, and only twelve people had been forund to be ill.

The halls of the learning ranks were cleared out completely, except for a contingent of Aes Sedai and Asha'man who were dealing with clearing the infestation. They were all well within the quarters still, but Zuri and her companions ramained at the door. They had not yet been dismissed from their task.

A moment later Salara Sedai came from one of the back wings and called Zuri's name. Zuri moved towards her with the alacrity all Accepted had ingrained into their souls by the time they attained the ring.

"Accepted Zuri. We are not finished here in the back, but someone must bring the Amyrlin an update. Go and report to her. She is waiting down the Hall."

With that Salara Sedai glided back down the Hall, leaving no explanation as to why she was not making the report herself. Zuri hardly expectyed one. Aes Sedai rarely revealed their reasons even to other fully raised members, never mind Accepted. Strightening her dress as best as she could, she started to walk in the direction of the Amyrlin Seat. Zuri knew exactly where she was, but had been fearing coming close to her since the first moment she was in sight. Despite months at the Tower, she had never spoken to the Amyrlin Seat, and was quite nervous to do so now. She could feel sweat forming across her back and under her arms, and she tried to use her simple rosebud exercise to calm herself as she approached the other woman.

The Amyrlin, of course, was backed by her entire entourage. People said she was never seen without it. Zuri curtsied very low out of respect, feeling even more worried now that the moment was actually upon her.

Are they all eradicated?" Amora Sedai asked, her voice somewhat elevated by virtue of the Staff and for the benefit of any onlookers. To Zuri she said, "Have any of the children come down with illness delivered by the vermine before or after evacuation?"

"Yes, Mother." Zuri said in a clear, cool voice, not allowing it to waver despite her nerves. "A dozen of the learning ranks have been quarantined for illness and are being treated in the Infirmary. Salara Sedai asks me to report that they are almost finished eradicating the vermin in the quarters of the learning ranks."

She bowed her head low and waited for any further instructions or a dismissal.


Chyane stepped out of her room, holding her skirts up and gingerly stepping past the vermin. They seemed to be everywhere, but she tried her hardest not to cringe. She would probably have to help clean these up later... how she hated still being a novice.

Looking down the hall, Chyane saw Amora surveying the mess of dead rats, and a moment later Zuri, now and Accepted, approaced her. Lembirt, Zuri, Lagon; all raised now, and her still wearing the novice white. Hoping to not be seen, she turned the other way and walked towards the cafateria for lunch.


Knowing he has some kind of ability in Healing, no matter no little, Vashan wanted to help out. But having been evacuated along with the rest of the Soldiers from their well, there wasn't much he could have done. He couldn't feel any sickness coming on, so he knew he wasn't infected and was perfectly healthy. It was the Dedicated and Accepted who helped most of the Novices and Soldiers to evacuate. Most of the Aes Sedai and Asha'man were dealing with the problem.

Rats, the Dark One's spies. Horrible creatures. But despite himself, Vashan tried to recall some information he had read about the construction of the Grey Tower. Upon the Grey Tower grounds, powerful wards were placed in order to keep out and repel any type of the Dark One's spies. They will certainly not repel Darkfriends but any ravens, rats that tried to sneak into the Tower Grounds will be turned away. That was what the warding was supposed to do. Vashan trusted that his information about the warding was correct and that there was an infestation within the Tower meant that someone deliberately brought the rats into the Tower. He considered the possibilities.

But bringing in such large amounts of rats, how is that possible? That would certainly attract notice surely. The rats were given an opening within the warding to sneak in... But that doesn't make sense, how could someone make a hole in the warding without someone noticing? Unless the rats were raised within Tower grounds from the beginning... He shivered. What about the why? Rats are small and fast, they love dark and old places… They might be used to gather information. An unpleasant thought struck Vashan. They wouldn't...

He needed to talk to Accepted Liana, so she can convey a message to the Amyrlin Seat. Several times he had seen her around the Tower, he had remembered her face. Vashan looked for her as he walked. Where in the Light are you Accepted? Desperately trying to find her without success by himself, he dared himself to talk to a few Dedicated and Accepted if they had seen her. But none of them knew where she could be, they were too busy with their own duties to notice someone else. She might be helping with the cleaning up process. That’s why she isn’t here. I hope what I know it’s not of any significance.

Vashan turned the corner of the corridor he was in and came face to face with the party that surrounded the Amyrlin Seat. An Accepted was talking to her; Vashan couldn’t tell who the Accepted was with her back to him. When he approached, the Accepted had just finished talking.

“… eradicating the vermin in the quarters of the learning ranks."

I should talk to Amora Sedai directly and… You Light-blinded fool! Now you want to talk to her directly? You either talk to the Keeper first or one of the people she trusted first. Since he had met Zaria Sedai before, Vashan knelt formally in front of the Amyrlin Seat, besides the Accepted. “The Light illuminates the Amyrlin Seat during these trying times.” He kissed the Amyrlin’s ring and then a slight moment of hesitation was evident before he continued. “Mother, may I be granted permission to talk to Zaria Sedai in private please?” Vashan hoped she would catch onto his meaning about talking with Zaria Sedai in private.

The unpleasant thought itself was nothing major, but if it was true, then the possibilities resulting from his thought would be numerous, even though some might be considered an emergency and some just trivial, but the results were unpleasant. Vashan being rank of Soldier did not have intimate knowledge of the details, but he had read enough that the result would be unpleasant. Enough of unpleasantness already! That thought, was also unplea- No, the thought was in fact, horrible to even consider.


Amora watched the novice who had begun to approach her turn right towards the nearest stairwell. Her gaze lingered on that distant point as she listened to the healer's report. "Yes, Mother." Her voice was clear but had not quite attained Aes Sedai calm and the Amyrlin realized then that had been an Accepted sent to report to her. Perhaps Salara had intended to give the girl a chance to be recognized.

The Amyrlin glanced downward at the petite unnamed young woman. It was immediately apparent that the girl's dark red hair was loose, frazzled, and unwashed. Her dress seemed as if it had been worn the day before, unpressed as it was. She had a tired look about her slanted Saldean grey eyes. Amora's own appearance was purposefully arranged to present a strong image to all those who encountered her; but she conceded that with the evacuation the children could not be reprimanded for negligence and reflecting the pride of the Tower poorly. "A dozen of the learning ranks have been quarantined for illness and are being treated in the Infirmary. Salara Sedai asks me to report that they are almost finished eradicating the vermin in the quarters of the learning ranks." But the girl remained composed enough, considering the circumstances and her lack of experience.

The Accepted bowed her head low and waited. At the same time, the young Soldier Vashan approached and knelt to kiss her ring.

“The Light illuminates the Amyrlin Seat during these trying times.” He hesitated, for Amora Sedai had been about to relay orders. She waited, and he said, “Mother, may I be granted permission to talk to Zaria Sedai in private please?”

Amora feigned a frown as if both irritated and puzzled. But truth, she knew exactly why the child had asked to speak with Zaria. He obviously had something to report.

"You are dismissed, briefly, daughter." She was speaking to Zaria. "But return when you have concluded your business."

Then, before continuing with the girl, Amora turned to Beatrise Sedai and ordered as previously intended, "I want all holes and cracks plugged and nests neutralized. Arrange wards and then have the staff scrub this place to a shine from ceiling to floor. Have the children sleep in empty apartments of the Ajah Halls if you have to until it is done. I won't have the Tower spied on under my watch."

"As you say, Mother." Beatrise curtsied and bowed her gold-spun head. She quickly went her way to deliver orders.

Then back to the bowed Accepted, more softly this time. "Now, who was overcome and how serious are the illnesses, child?"


Zuri's eyes narrowed slightly the way they always did when she was working something out. IT had seemed strange to her that the Soldier had stepped so boldly up to the Amyrlin Seat and then begged an audience with an Aes Sedai as if he were the one in the more powerful position, and not Zaria Sedai. That was odd. The Amyrlin Seat seemed equally puzzled at his request, but she had not seemed puzzled by his approach, which was just as bold. Perhaps they had some sort of connection of which Zuri knew nothing about. She would have to ask Lembirt his opinion when next she saw him. He was much better at reading politics than she and he would likely know what was going on much better than she herself had managed to do.

When the Amyrlin voiced her next question Zuri was ready. This was something she was more used to: making reports on the sick.

She spoke in her clear firm voice once more, "Three Novices, one Accepted, five Soldiers and three Dedicated were infected. Most of the cases are minor, and were simply quarantined for study and to prevent a spead of the illness, but two cases...both soldiers, are quite serious and seem more advanced than the others. They have been quarantined and are being kept even from the other victims, Mother."


The Amyrlin Seat nodded, she had heard half of the report she had ordered. She was impatient to hear the information she had asked for. And if those children were on her list . . well, they would need special attention.

"I also asked who was afflicted, child, not just their numbers and ranks. What are their names?"


Zuri almost blushed at the Amyrlin's words. She had been as specific as she could, but she probably should have explained to the Amyrlin that those were all the details that she had. Zuri did not know every Novice and Salara Sedai had not given her a list of names, nor had she taken time to note names when she was quickly sifting through all the learning ranks and seperating the infected out from the rest.

"I am sorry, Mother." Zuri said, as calmly as possible, "but I do not have that information. If it pleases you I will go to the infirmary and obtain it for you."


"See that you do. However, I am not remaining long enough to receive their names here. I shall be in meetings until after Low. Write a detailed report of what you told me and any other pertinent information. This time, include names. Have it in the Keeper's hands by Early tomorrow." That was considered a generous deadline, given the circumstances, but all of the work the child would have to make up today had to be considered as well.

Amora glanced at Crysthia pointedly, as if to make her aware the she expected it from her first thing on the morrow.

Amora's attention flickered to Zaria, who was returning alone. Again, the Amyrlin feigned irritation. "Have you finished your business with your assistant?" That was meant to mask Vashan's true involvement as well as reward him for coming forth (the children always scrambled for higher positions that kept them out of dishwater during chore times). She also intended to keep him closer. As of that moment, he WAS Zaria's clerk.

Zaria had come as close to an Aes Sedai came to appearing surprised. "Yes, Mother." She added, "He will know his place in the future."

"Good." The Amyrlin commented, as if that settled a disruption. Then she remembered the Accepted still standing there and what she had been about to say.

"What is your name, child?"


Zuri listened to the Amyrlin Seat's requirements very carefully. She was not about to make a mistake on her first mission for the Amyrlin Seat simply by being innattentive during the instructions. The Amyrlin's timeline gave her more than enough time to bring her the information. It would take barely twenty minutes to gather the information, and Zuri's workload was not too high today. She assented quietly and was prepared to leave, before the Amyrlin asked her one last question...one that surprised her.

"What is your name, child?" she asked cooly.

"Zuri Kiyori, Mother." She said simply. Even had there been titles attached, Zuri knew by now that once you came to the Grey Tower those things were left behind. Your simple name, and only your name remained.