Fanfic:The Sickening Smell of Violence
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Felix rushed through the library, letter in hand, his coat flitted around him as if he was in a strong breeze. The speed of his walk got him more than a few glares full of ice from the Brown Ajah sisters and brothers that kept the library in order. All residents of the Grey Tower knew that it was frowned upon to rush through the halls, the library was even worse. None commented on the young Soldiers speed, the time spent to stop the man and figure out the rush would take valuable time from the research and teaching the Brown Ajah specialized in.
Felix sighed a breath of relief while he leaned against the wall outside the large wooden doors to the library, he had felt the stares, intensely. There was nothing he could do about the speed of his movement, he was given explicit instruction. “Get this letter to Gaidin Gaius immediately, no dallying, no stopping for a drink of water. NO breaks!” Vera Sedai was not one to disobey, for a Brown she was intense. With a frenzied realization that he had been doing one of the few things the sister had said not to do he took off at a jog to make up lost time.
He started walking after five minutes of jogging through the halls, the Aes Sedai and Asha'man may only give him looks for walking fast but if they caught him running he would be scrubbing dishes for a fortnight.
The young soldier pushed past one gaggle of Novices as he entered one of the spiral staircases that led to the lower levels of the tower, he did not want to work in the library for a month for Vera Sedai. The browns always came up with such boring and prosaic work when you upset or disobeyed them. He set a fleeting and taxing pace for himself. Around and around he went, he passed many of the Ajah quarters, a myriad of color as he rushed past stopping only for a sister or brother of the tower.
He slowed as he passed the kitchen and dining hall as a particularly repugnant smell wafted past his nose. Thinking that the smell might be rotten food he stuck his head into the dining hall to try to identify the smell, distracted by the scent he forgot his task and walked around the hall. He followed the scent to the windows on the far wall. The thought passed through his mind that the last time he had smelled something this distasteful was when a Trolloc had gotten past the gate in Sheinar. The smell was almost metallic similar to blood but more gruesome.
The only thing in sight out the window was the Warder Yards, the yard usually did not smell this horrendous. There was always the scent of sweat, and unwashed bodies but nothing like this, those scents you would expect. One of the cooks slammed a pot down in the kitchen, the noise jolted Felix out of his speculations and reminded him he was in a rush. He ran as he left the dining hall, he could hear one of the cooks yell for him to stop running before he got himself in trouble as he went through the arch to the center stairs. The stairs were taken two at a time by the tall soldier and he landed with a plop when he hit the ground level.
Almost there! Felix thought as he started walking again, through the door to the Warder Yard he went. The smell hit Felix like a shield to the face when he stepped through the door. Again he smelled the repugnant metallic scent. A slight problem dawned on Felix, he had no idea who Gaidin Gaius was nor what he looked like. He would have to ask around and that took time. He took a deep breath through his mouth and entered Ko'di. The void would help his control but would not keep the scent out, He just needed to focus.
The Soldier walked into the yard and approached the first group of Drin'far'ji he saw. “Do any of you know Gaidin Gaius?”
One of the Drin in his grey training uniform with a long scar down his cheek replied, “I don't know no Gaius, but you can ask the Gaidin on the other end of the yard near the training yard.” “Thanks so much”
Without a look back Felix started across the yard, he tripped over a large rock in the gravel pathway almost falling on his face. Months of Sword practice was the only thing that allowed him to keep his balance. He looked around to make sure no one saw the slip. Once he was satisfied that no one was interested in his shame he continued along the path, weary of any more large rocks.
The training yard was a cleared area that Felix was all too familiar with. He was particularly familiar with the ground in the training yard. A group of Gaidin and Gaidar were watching a fierce duel between a Gaidar with no weapon and a Dedicated wielding a sword. The Gaidar seemed to be winning by the ground she took.
Felix approached the closest Gaidin and asked, “Do you happen to know a Gaidin Gaius, sir?”
“You are talking to him soldier, what can I do for you?”
With a sigh of relief Felix continued, “Sir, I have a message for you from Vera Sedai.” He handed the small white parchment tied with a brown ribbon. Anxiously Felix started talking, “I'm guessing it’s very important, Vera Sedai instructed me to make all haste or else in the delivery.” The feeling of haste started to wear off and he noticed that the smell was especially repugnant right here at the training yards, more so than any other place in the Grey Tower. “Sir, I don't mean to bother you but what is that smell?”
The question caused Gaidin Gaius to look up from his reading and stare almost questioningly at Felix. “What smell in particular child? The yard smells just like it always does.”
“I don't know how to describe it, almost a metallic rotting smell. I know what the yards smell like, this is different and I smelled it when I was in the dining hall and looked out the window. The smell is coming from the yard but unlike anything I've ever smelled.”
The Gaidin's bushy eyebrows rose ever so slightly. “That is odd, I have a reply for Vera Sedai. Tell her, the horses and I will be ready by the time she is ready. Also don't forget to tell Vera Sedai about this smell, I think she would be interested in it.”
“Yes sir!” Felix said with a salute before turning to leave.
The young soldier started back quickly, heading from the library. He walked slower than when he headed for the yard thoughts racing through his head. I wonder why Vera Sedai would be interested in the smell, maybe I'm sick. No that can't be it, Gaidin Gaius would have me go to the infirmary to see a Yellow Ajah member if he suspected I was sick. Maybe I am sick and Vera Sedai has seen this sickness before and will make me drink some horrible concoction to cure it. Or maybe somebody has been using Saidar in the training yards when they weren't supposed to and created something only Channelers can smell. Hmm, I'm being silly, none of those things make sense.
Even with the slower pace Felix was still making excellent time to the library, he had to dodge and weave around novices in their white dresses and other soldiers in their black uniforms when he passed the Ajah classrooms because classes from the last period were just letting out and everyone was headed for lunch, like Felix should have been doing if he hadn't been roped into delivering the messages. The scent had ruined his appetite so it was just as well that he wasn't going to lunch. The scent had lingered in his nose and mouth causing a slight gag every time he passed a window and more of the scent drifted in.
He arrived at the Library just as Vera Sedai was walking through the large wooden doors. “There you are child, where did you run off to?”
A look of perplection crossed Felix's face when he replied, “I was delivering a message for you.”
“Oh yes right right, hmm. Was there any reply from Gaidin Gaius child?”
“Yes Vera Sedai, I was told to tell you that the horses and Gaidin Gaius will be ready by the time you are ready.”
“Oh good good, now I wonder where we were going.” Vera Sedai mumbled as she walked off.
Felix followed her and called out, “Vera Sedai, Vera Sedai there was more to the message.”
“Yes child calm yourself, why did you not say so before. Now what is it and be quick about it.”
“Yes Vera Sedai, the message was for me to tell you about a scent I smelled in the warder yards.
“A scent what is this rubbish, I'm much too busy for your games child. I would hold my tongue if I were you, that is if you don't like extra chore duty. Maybe extra library work, or scribe work we could always use more scribes. Hmm, where was I going. Oh yes.” She turned and walked away.
Felix decided to just walk with her and describe the scent and try to explain the situation. “Vera Sedai I'm not joking Gaidin Gaius told me to tell you. I smelled a disgusting scent it’s a metallic rotting smell and it’s only in the warder yards, it’s particularly strong at the training yards where there was this spar going on. I swear I'm not joking.” The last few words came out as a plea.
Vera Sedai slowed her walking and turned to Felix, with a look of shock. She recovered her composure quickly, so quick that if Felix would have blinked he would have missed the look. Oh light, I must be dying to shock a sister so!
“Oh Vera Sedai, I'm not sick am I? I really don't want to be sick, I hate the infirmary it smells so, well it smells better than this. Ugh there it is again” He spun and saw the window, he ran to the window and looked out, they were over the yards again. “Vera Sedai do you smell that, it’s what I was talking about and see its coming from the Warder Yards.”
“Child there is nothing I can smell. I believe you though. Hmm, I have not heard of anyone having this ability in years. It is extremely rare and some would rather we not know of it.” She paused for a minute in thought before continuing, “child you are a sniffer. You can smell violence, oh it will fade when the violence ends and it dissipates but you will smell any and all violence. It is a rare gift, I am surprised you have not heard of it. I have read of many sniffers over the years in the employ of kings and magistrates in the borderlands. Charged with the tracking of murders and thieves. By the look of you, you hail from the borderlands. Sheinar I would say but of Malkier heritage. Does no one speak of them? Well be it as it may I am in a hurry, we will speak more of Sniffers when I get back. I will send for you upon my return.” She finished speaking and continued to walk down the stairs towards the stables.
Felix stood in shock at the suddenness of so much information thrown at him in such a matter of fact tone. He was stuck with this smell, this ability for life. Cursed to smell violence!
