Fanfic:The Fragile

From Grey Tower Library
Jump to: navigation, search
The Fragile
Author(s)
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.




Elia sat in Ravak's private study, scratching at Tai'shar's neck with one hand, and holding open a book with another. It had been six days since the incident in her quarters, and she was just getting back to full strength. Instead of practicing weaves in the Channelling Yards, she had a free hour, so she decided to drop in on her brother. He had to leave, so she found herself in the company of Snowflake and Tai'shar. Snowflake was curled up in front of the fireplace in the office, whilst Tai'shar seemed content getting attention and scratches.

She found a book on Tel'aran'rhiod on his desk. Elia knew precisely why Ravak would be interested in the World of Dreams, although the Accepted had her own interests and curiosities about this other world. Did it have anything to do with what happened through the Arches? The World of Dreams was an odd mirroring of the real world, which is also what the Arches showed. If she ever wanted to create a ter'angreal that could save those trapped inside the Arches, Tel'aran'rhiod may reveal some of the answers she sought.


Gervan Asha'man muttered into his beard. "There was a cat around here that would have been good to study." The Indigo brother's hands moved over a collection of objects laying on dusty shelves. This part of the Vaults clearly hadn't seen many visitors as of late. Eireil Gaidar, Gervan's Warder, stood idly nearby. She was tall and lean, like a long dagger, and silent. Elia had heard no more than three words out of the Atha'an Miere, and all of those in answer to her bondmate's questions.

"Oh, I've had a thought. Come along child!" Gervan was already making his way deeper into the room, so Elia followed, closely matched by Eireil. Elia found it impossible to tell what the woman was thinking, but the way she stalked so close made Elia very uncomfortable. What Gervan led her to was quite a surprise. It was a huge object of muted grey crystal, in the shape of Avendesora. At least, the trefoil leaves inferred that was Avendesora. It was a hand or so taller than the red-haired Shienaran, and its branches must have stretched out half again the height. Whether it was a ter'angreal or not, it was a beautiful piece of work.

"Now, this is related to Tel'aran'rhiod in some way. I've been told you can examine ter'angreal, so go ahead and examine. Just don't do anything with it, mm? Good child." Gervan wandered away. Elia felt Eireil's eyes upon the back of her neck, but she refused to turn round to verify that fact. Be all looming and threatening. If her own brother gave her the chills, she didn't want to challenge a Gaidar that she wasn't related to.

Saidar filled Elia, the familiar rush of warmth sweetly filling her. Her senses sharpened. She could hear the Gaidar's breathing behind her, and further off Gervan was rustling some papers. Flexing her fingers as if preparing for to write, she wove a simple strand of Spirit. With it, she inspected some of the nearest leaves. Elia immediately felt something thrum through the link, a reverberation that came off from the entire tree. So, the ter'angreal is all of one piece? It was huge! What purpose did it have in relation to Tel'aran'rhiod to justify this size? Heeding Gervan's warning, she was very gentle with her continued investigation. She felt the presence not just of this ter'angreal, but what she assumed was the ter'angreal in Tel'aran'rhiod. Two trees seemed to co-exist in the same space, but one felt ephemeral. She knew that what she was feeling was impossible, as her eyes told her there was only one tree, but she felt two and was able to divine the two apart.

She added a thread of Air in with the Spirit, and felt a resistance. Slowly adding a little bit of pressure, then a little bit more, she pushed against the force. The ter'angreal seemed to work against her, her flows shifting around instead of focusing in on one place. There was a sensation of-

Something grabbed her shoulder, and pulled her away with a twist. All of a sudden she was staring into the Warder's brown eyes, sharp and intense, but not threatening. Before Elia had a chance to complain, Gervan appearing in a jog from around the side of a shelving unit. "Oh good, oh good child. I thought for a moment." He paused, regaining his breath. "Maybe we shouldn't have started you off on that one. It's quite dangerous, it appears." He held up a sheet of paper, although from this distance and with his hand waving, Elia couldn't read any of it.

Eireil let go of her shoulder, now that the warning had been given, and Elia gave her a grateful nod, followed by a slight bow to the Asha'man. "Thank you, Gervan Asha'man. I..." She peered at the crystal tree, wondering what the danger was. "I think I've had some insight as it stands, and I don't wish to take up any more of your time. Thank you." Gervan made some noise that could have been anything, but he allowed her to leave, Eireil watching her as far as the doorway. The Accepted had a quiet respect for the Warder now.


Back in her room, Elia looked over some of her notes, plus another copy of the book Ravak had been reading. She sketched out some ideas for ter'angreal, with detailed notes and comments about the materials to use, the shape of different weaves, how the feeling of the ter'angreal may be important. She smiled, contented at her work and at her progress. Glancing at the golden ring on her finger, the ter'angreal that did nothing, she wondered if she could complete her next project without the need for Healing.