Weave as it Will

SANCTIMUS

Walking down the steps towards the dungeon in the basement of the Fortress of the Light, Sanctimus shook his head. He knew the woman that they were keeping down here couldn't be an Aes Sedei because if she was she would have been long gone by now. This was unless the rumors of something that could subdue an Aes Sedai were true but he didn't put much stock in those rumors.

Reaching the bottom of the steps he heard a scream and knew that someone was down here torturing one of the dark friends and if he wasn't careful his presence might be noted, if that happened he would be put to the question if he succeeded in his plan and if he didn't then there was no doubt that he would be put to the question.

He saw a man ahead and as he got closer he recognized the man as one Zarrus Akar a Child of the lowest rank and one who shouldn't have been down here torturing a prisoner even an alleged Darkfriend but this would make it easier than if it had been one of the questioners. He walked towards the child but before he could say anything Zarrus turned at the sound of footsteps not from where Sanctimus had come but from farther in and Sanctimus saw even though Zarrus was not in a position to see that someone or rather two someones had escaped the cells. Moving quickly and on instinct Sanctimus pulled one of his knives and smashed it against the Childs head watching as he crumpled to the floor.

Looking back down the hallway he called out to the escaped prisoners. "You may quit trying to hide or sneak or whatever your doing and come out where I can see you"

Jore snatched his hand away like it was sitting on a viper when the Aes Sedai turned back to look at him. Her face was quite suddenly that of every Aes Sedai he had ever heard of. Expressionless, and yet full of knowledge and an underlying steel, and her eyes... they made him shudder.

He breathed a silent sigh of relief when she turned away from him silently. He hadn't been able to look at her so he had stared at the floor instead, when she had taken her eyes off him it had been like a huge weight had been lifted. Then quite suddenly another one pressed down him as she slipped his coat off and shoved it back at him. Just where was he supposed to look?

What she wore covered all the bits it should but it still wasn't decent, and walking along behind her starring made Jore feel even more disgusted with himself. He was already having enough trouble, did she have to and make it worse for him?

Slipping his coat back around his own shoulders and following behind the Aes Sedai silently Jore strained his ears for further sounds of life, all that he could pick up though was a dull thump, followed by another, louder dull thump. He frowned as he tried to figure out what the sound could be but before he had a chance...

"You may quit trying to hide or sneak or whatever your doing and come out where I can see you" a voice called and Jore froze dead in his tracks.

The Children knew that they had escaped... he looked behind him worriedly, sure he would see them pooring in behind to cut off their escape, but there was none there. Yet. But there would be, and he was weaponless except for...

He shook his head violently. "Always looking for an excuse." he hissed at himself mentally. "Any reason at all... what's the matter with you?"

Shrinking away from his own accusation he watched the Aes Sedai instead. What was her idea.. surely she would think of something, Aes Sedai always did....

ALIDA

She paused when she heard another’s footsteps. One man. Was he foolish or just unlucky? A sudden pain seared through her side, and she brought her hand around to rest on it. Her face showed no sign of pain, but inside she burned with a desire to cry out. The fear of screaming prevented her from opening her mouth with a quick response to the newcomer. It clouded her mind for a few moments. The man behind her did not speak. Did he intend to let her deal with this interference? She did not expect him to go up against a Child alone or without a weapon. That would be a heartless hope. She would have to use saidin.

It hurts. The red-haired woman turned back to look down the corridor as she fully stood. Running would do no good. She had to face whoever stepped down here with them. No pain would be brought to the man. She could not bring pain. A protective spirit formed within her. The man she was with could not be harmed. Not while he was with her. Somehow it felt as though she was no longer human. No longer really human. Not like this man or any other. Could never be.

Ignoring the pain, she spoke up, “I will not be the one to step forward.” Her voice was calm, level, and held no note of emotion. Ignoring pain was becoming natural. Perhaps there was a benefit to this torment she continually endured here. Perhaps. No matter. Whether or not there was any benefit, she knew there would be lasting consequences. What would happen when she returned to the Tower? How would her peers treat her? It was pitiful. “Come forward. I will not try to harm you.” I do not want to. I cannot.

Her voice held a small softness, low but differing significantly from her previous tone. This body of mine is weakening. It felt like a dead weight now, but it was also numb. The coldness of the stone floor did not affect her nearly as much as it had.

SANCTIMUS

Sanctimus closed his eyes and thought for a second before deciding on what to do. "It is not you who will harm me nor is it I who will harm you, the people who will harm us are those of my superiors who find out what I have done, I have come to help you escape because I do not believe that Aes Sedai are dark friends nor do I believe that you are Aes Sedai, this would be because a true Aes Sedai would not have been captured by mere Children of the Light, therefore you must not be Aes Sedai, and if you are you were either very weak when they captured you or are very weak in general." taking a breath he then continued on.

"I would like to think you are Aes Sedai and that you were just weak when they captured you for the simple reason that if you are not then I will be forced to protect you all the way to wherever you are going...so what say you? Will you come out and come with me to escape? Or will you stay there and make me have to figure something out?" He spoke sincerely the entire time for he was not lying and he would not lie about something like this.

Jore listened to the exchange between the Aes Sedai and the Whitecloak in shock. Children of the light offering to protect Aes Sedai? What under the Light did the man think they would do, believe him? Jore would no more trust a Whitecloak to protect a channeler then he would trust a snake not to bite him if he waved his hand at it.

"You can't trust this man Aes Sedai." Jore whispered softly, urgently, moving slightly closer to the woman so he could keep his voice to a whisper. "Whitecloaks do not protect channelers, no matter the cause. He'll lead us straight to our deaths. If we can find our equipment, my bow, I can get us out of here unseen. Sneaking through shadowy stone hallways is easier then sneaking through a forest full of dead leaves and twigs. We'll be gone before they even know we're out of our cells."

He does not understand. Though a fool she was beginning to think him, she knew he could not have had a real opportunity to learn, at least not enough to make such a discernment. Her hands tingled. They burned. So did her feet. The cold stone floor was becoming warmer. If she did not begin moving again, her own body heat may just make her yelp in pain. It was hard enough already to contain herself, and now that she had more distractions, more men, it was even more difficult than she would have expected. My mind is not clear right now. She knew that, and she was afraid she would make a rash decision and get them all in trouble. (Of course, she was sure she was in for a talking to when she returned to the Tower.

“Leave behind your weapons,” she cautioned. You can understand my unease. She hoped he did. She glanced at the man in whom she had momentarily placed her trust, the one she planned to help escape. They may not need this other man, but he would be useful. She would shove a mouthful of something into the man’s mouth and tie him down like a young calf if he tried anything—but that was only an idea. A thought. She had no intentions of harming anyone. “We do not need him to protect us,” she said softly, voice even. “We do not need him setting off alarms either.” Leaving him behind was a sure way of opening up an invitation to the Whitecloak guards, though she was not entirely too worried about it, as long as the man was telling the truth. The most he could do in that case would be to follow.

None of this meant she trusted him. Her eyes said that much, but her body was still growing weaker standing there, and she was in a hurry to keep moving. For a moment, she felt drowsy, nearly stumbling, and then she was all energy again, for a few seconds. She took a step in the direction they had been going, eyes requesting that they start moving. He could do as he wished with the Whitecloak if there was need for action, and she could care less if the other man followed. They just needed to get out of here, and quickly. They had already dawdled long enough.