Giang

[x_Matrim_Cauthon_x]

Melthin almost wanted to laugh. She still insists on playing this little game of being superior to me? Oh well. I suppose I shall have to play along for the time being. "We shall begin after I have Agni and Rudra formed and completed. Try to not show me too many weaves until then. I may think of ways to counter them. As for what I was saying before..." He continued walking yet put two fingers on the bridge of his nose, an odd habit he was beginning to see every time he tried to simplify his thoughts. "Imagine if you will two knitting needles and what they have already completed. In that there are holes. now replace the needles with ourselves and the knitted material with our weaves. After a careful analysis, every weave seems to have at least one hole that can be used to change it. Thus making a weave of air able to freeze water or having it kindle dry leaves and twigs. Just simple little things. The more complicated the weave, the more holes. Yet...there are a few that do not have them. Traveling weaves being one example. Most likely Traveling was perfected long ago and was passed down in its perfected form instead of its original weave."

He continued to ramble as he thought about the many weaves he had seen and after implementing the knowledge he had just gained to the memories, revealed the holes and how many. "My puppetry weave for example had three. Once I realized that they were needed to have the puppet operate on its own, I simply added them and tied off the final product. And more surprisingly, they weren't very large additions either, just small nets of earth, spirit and fire to cover the gaps. I had originally thought it would have exploded or burst into flames but all of those worries vanished as soon as the weave was tied. It had an odd glow, akin to a golden sheen as it was tied off. Perhaps it is a sign from the power that shows those who know this trick that they have indeed done something correctly. Or it could have been the moonlight striking my glasses oddly. I will not know until I reweave and try it again."  

[Color Me Fubar]

Kiae pursed her lips at the man's words, ideas streaming through her mind as quickly as they ever had. She knew she was acting superior, but it was the only way she knew how to behave around the man for the moment - besides, it sometimes helped her to think, as strange as that was.
"Perhaps that sheen occurs when a weave has grown more powerful, or is at a certain stage of power," she mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I have seen that happen several times, to weaves myself and other Sisters have used. That is definitely an area worth exploring further."

She paused, and then decided it may be worth trying to be friendly again. If they were going to work together, there was no use being standoffish. "You know, I would have been a Brown," she admitted suddenly. "But their habits of cutting themselves off from people just didn't seem the right way to go about learning, even if it does seem attractive at times. And I had an adeptness for Healing anyway, apparently," she continued, with a brief sigh that sounded almost regretful.  

[x_Matrim_Cauthon_x]

Melthin absorbed the words she had said for later speculation. His mind still was reeling at how many possibilities there could be. Yet he was brought out of his grandeur illusions by her tidbit of information about what she wanted to be. "And they made you into a Yellow because of it. Or, perhaps you chose it for some odd reason. Sadly I can see why Esole is a Green above all else. I fear I am going to have either a lecture or boxed ears by the time she dismounts and finds me." He just laughed at it like it was a small joke instead of being any actual pain and injury to him. "Anya would have run the entire way with her knife waiting to give me a new scar for being away from her for so long. She would spout lines like 'How do I know you haven't been drinking or with another woman?' or something along those lines. I think she was just trying to make sure everyone knew that I was hers. She almost put a sign on me."

He looked to her and coughed a few times before moving away from the subject. "In the beginning, I took to the Brown's way of things because every time I saw someone I saw either scheming Aes Sedai or more people who were going to be corpses. I secluded myself until my grief was for the most part passed, to where I could function in normal society without trouble. It is a nice thing to be able to study without any interruptions. No one to talk about nonsense while you’re reading something that could make your newest test a success."  

[Color Me Fubar]

"I'm surprised at how similar we are," Kiae admitted after a moment, sounding a bit sad at her introspection. "I've had a lot of grief in my life and the only way I seem to be able to move beyond it is to bury myself in some study or another. I began hunting the Order because of such a reason." She looked and shook her head in regret. "And I sometimes wish I became a Brown, if only to get a rest every once in a while. But I was told that if I became a Brown, I would drive everyone crazy once boredom hit me," she added with a laugh, glancing over the mention of his wife without comment. She was unsure what to say to something as personal as that, and so said nothing.

"Andurael was almost as protective," she remarked. "He refused to let me out of his sight unless I ordered him to go scout out the town or something like that. I did it mostly to get a break," Kiae admitted. "I wish now I hadn't," she murmured sadly, her gaze dropping. "He was the best Warder I could ever ask for."  

[x_Matrim_Cauthon_x]

"As am I. On different terms we might have made quite the team. Yet as circumstances are now, I am afraid I already have a faithful sidekick as well as a woman I care for. Such a shame." A small smirk played on his face as he tried to imagine the two of them breaking every aspect of life and explaining all things possible. It would have been fun. Or disastrous. Or disastrously fun. He looked back over to the marionette and pondered how adding weapons to the arms and legs of the puppet might change the weave or the handling of the puppet itself. So much research and so little time.

((Sadly short >_< will try and post more next on the next one))  

[Color Me Fubar]

"Well, as much as I dislike Esole, you're a lucky man to be her Warder," Kiae admitted grudgingly. "And she's lucky to have you as one, so it balances out. I suppose I took Andurael for granted too often, so it's my punishment." Her face settled into something that resembled regret before she shrugged, fingers playing absently with her skirt. "It would be very convenient to have a Warder who could channel, after all," she sighed.  

[x_Matrim_Cauthon_x]

Melthin almost wanted to laugh at the hilarity that was playing out in his mind. She gets her wish and bonds me then I have two women down my throat.I could play off Esole's jealousy. If she indeed does get jealous. Or If I give Kiae what she wishes I will be beaten within an inch of my life for what Esole would consider a betrayal. He took in every possibility and weighed the chances before he said anything in response. He was a man with very little time to waste and could care less about whether she would be surprised by his next words.

"Then bond me already. Its what your so obviously hinting at after all." He looked back to her, his face oddly bored and his glasses lit-up by the light of the moon once again. By his side stood The marionette as it also turned it's head to stare its lifeless eyes at her. "There is a hole in your life and you wish to fill it with something more then just hope. If this is true then bond me. It is your choice Kiae Sedai." He adjusted his glasses and his cloak as he wondered what she would do. Part of him was rather excited at the possibilities of what another bond would give him besides a link to Kiae.  

[Color Me Fubar]

"Excuse me?" she asked, startled. "I apologize, but I don't hint at anything, Melthin. Besides, Esole would probably kill me," she added ruefully, shaking her head. "The misunderstanding is my fault, but Bonding you had never even occurred to me. You strike me as a one-woman man anyway," Kiae added, smiling slightly.

She shrugged, the sudden possibilities playing in her mind. She really didn't plan on Bonding the man, partly because of his own ties to Esole, and the only thing that attracted her to the idea was the possibility of a link. And the fact that he at least knew his place as a Warder, unlike other men she knew.  

[x_Matrim_Cauthon_x]

Melthin chuckled a tad before he turned back around and continued on his way back to the Tinker camp. "Forgive me for suggesting it then. Blatant words from memories long past can be misunderstood so easily. However the offer shall stay open for as long as I survive." Perhaps I pushed too far. Perhaps a simple apprenticeship would be sufficient. But it wouldn't be as effective as a bond. Either way its no longer my decision to make.

As they finally came upon the camp, He reconnected to the weave on the marionette and dispelled it. Don't want the whole camp to think they've gone mad. Going over to the marionette and slinging it across his shoulders, he looked back at her and shook his head. The idea not being a pleasant one. "Hurry along now. I do not like to waste time when things are finally becoming clear. I shall give you 2 nights to decide on either being my Apprentice or the Bond. Until then I shall not bring it up again." He turned from her and began off to Rowiyl's hut, a small smile on his face. I have set wheels in motion. I can almost feel them turning.  

[Color Me Fubar]

"Your apprentice?" Kiae repeated the word with a dismissive laugh, appalled he had even used it. "I've lived far longer than you have. Believe me, any words of supposed wisdom on this matter will be coming from my lips, not yours, child." She snorted, adjusting her cloak to protect her from the wind that was picking up.

"If it ever comes to it, I'll use a Bond to teach you some more manners than Esole has, make no doubt about it," she informed him sharply, eying him with a look that could slice an arm off. "If Andurael, or even Anthenor, was around this would be a lot simpler," she groused, taking a seat near the trees. "Being able to link would provide invaluable assistance in hunting this damn Order. But to Bond that arrogant b*****d! It's unthinkable!" She grimaced at the thought, determined to postpone that day for as long as she could.  

[x_Matrim_Cauthon_x]

((what a favorable response! XD ))

Melthin now indeed let himself laugh loudly. "You don't have to be so agitated Kiae. I was merely joking. The day I take an apprentice is the day I am on my deathbed. Perhaps if Andurael was here, you would be in more of a cheery and playful mood. Excuse me for misjudging your current state of mind." He set the marionette down to adjust his cloak and then looked out to the woods like he was listening to something. He began walking past her and stopping to listen again. Was that the call of a Borderland White-crown elder? As he adjusted his glasses and listened, a thought came into his mind that he decided to act on.

"Perhaps some time apart will give you a chance to store some witty combacks for later but now I must part for I have just thought of something that could help us. Take care of Rowiyl's marionette for me For you will not want to follow me for this experiment." With that he walked into the woods once more, his ears focused on that one certain 'hoot' in the distance.  

[Color Me Fubar]

She narrowed her eyes at his last remark, taking up the marionette easily and using weaves of Air to rest it on the steps of Rowiyl's wagon. "I don't know if he thinks to bait me or not, but I can't let him off that easily," she told herself, wrapping herself in a weave she had created to mask her presence, glad that men couldn't sense saidar weaves around them.  

[x_Matrim_Cauthon_x]

As he rushed, the hooting became more frequent and louder. Its close now. This should prove to be helpful in future expedition. He started to slow as he neared the area he thought the hooting was coming from. "The White-crown Elder, a very rare species of owl only found in the borderlands and in very few spots in the Mountains of Mist. Odd how one would be here for some reason." He threw out a weave of air, pulling what it had ensnared in front of him. What he saw made him want to scream that he had failed in keeping his weave a secret. For in his weave of air, a White-crown Elder Owl was, death wounds and all while it moved its head searching. A strangely familiar weave laid over it.

Is this puppetry? Does this mean that they know the puppetry weave as well? If so then how much do they know and how far can they stretch its limitations? This indeed does hamper me far to much. I could become a target if they think I know too much. With out much effort, he dispelled the weave on the owl and cast his own without tying it off. "If that’s the case then why animate something as usele-" He stopped mid sentence and smiled evilly. "I see. A useful sentry and scout, clever. Perhaps I have underestimated the darkfriends in this sense. I shall have to employ the same if I am to stay on top." His mind trailed while he looked at the Owl, the creature standing on the ground staring its new owner. Little did he know that someone was watching.

((We need another darkfriend. One that either knows the puppetry weave or......GAH HEADACHE! >_< -runs away to take some aspirin-))  

[Color Me Fubar]

(What if it was a darkfriend who was simply using weaves to control it, not really like the puppet weave? PM me for discussion.)

Kiae frowned, recognizing the bird enough to know that it wasn't supposed to be in this part of the country. She created a weave to try to sense any enemies nearby, but it was to no avail. She had met enough Darkfriends that could mask their presence to put little faith in her weave, however, and remained alert, deciding to remain hidden for the time being.

She could tell Melthin was disturbed by something, and hissed silently to herself at hearing his words. "If he believes I'll let him return to disgusting actions as that, he is very wrong," she thought grimly, hands clenched into fists at her sides.  

[x_Matrim_Cauthon_x]

He tied off the weave and clicked his tongue, the bird flapping up and landing on his arm. Melthin was thankful that the wound was old and not still bleeding. It would be very bothersome if I had gotten blood on my good clothes. With a glance to his surroundings, he smiled and spoke to anyone around him. "I see that whoever you are, you have made good progress yet I am sorry to say that you are still a novice in the field of my mastery." As he saw that no one had revealed themselves, he looked at the bird again. "Find your old master." The bird took off to his left and dissapeared, yet to Melthin's ears, it sounded like it landed rather close.

He smiled wickedly as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and stared in the direction the bird had flown. "Well what are you waiting for? I am not a patient man and I will not be kept waiting to know who my follower is." Part of him still wished he had kept the marionette with him instead of leaving it to Kiae to take back to Rowiyl. He searched his mind for ideas on what to use in case he was challenged. There has to be another corpse out there somewhere. If not then I will have to make one. Why did I let that woman have my main weapon of choice. Light blasted fool.