Welcome to Gaia! ::

Catching the inflection in his voice, Katerine turned to look at him from the corner of her eye. She knew that he would not be thrilled with the news, but there was just no easy way to break it to him. If she avoided the situation he would surely know something was amiss. Besides, she was straightforward by nature and didn't like to bandy words like some of her sisters.

The rest of the walk to her rooms was in silence. It seemed to be weighing down on her for she had not waited for Nine to return and had bonded Skiiy. Katerine knew she could always bond Nine too, but she had to make sure that he was willing after learning of the situation. She believed that she could explain it to where he would understand. Then the familiar door was before her and Katerine turned the knob. The wards she had set dissipated and she set the shield down near her writing desk.

She took a seat in a chair near the fireplace. Katerine sat straight and proper in the chair and channeled Fire, creating a nice blaze. Gesturing toward a chair, Katerine indicated for Nine and Skiiy to have a seat. Although this was personal business between her and Nine, Katerine thought it would be best to let Skiiy stay especially if Nine still wanted to be her warder. She wanted Skiiy to know if he was to have a fellow warder. Once they were both seated, Katerine's blue eyes fixed on Nine.

"I'm glad to find that you have arrived back in good health. I know it is difficult for you to understand why I bonded Skiiy, but I needed to continue in my search. The Foretellings were getting stronger and becoming increasingly harder to control. I couldn't possibly return to the city without a warder either.

My offer of bonding you is still there though. I will probably be the only Blue to have two warders, but I would not mind."

: Azalea's facial expressions flowed easily now (though not compared to a normal individual); she had been friends with Mercury for long enough to be able to show some emotion. A look of mock surprise spread across her features, "I don't know what you mean; I nearly always got the angreal I wanted...sometimes it was just by questionable means. But those younglings wouldn't have appreciated them as much anyways, it didn't take much to convince them that they should give them to me." She tapped a finger to her lips and then bit it, calling to mind a few stressful memories. "I must say, hiding all of my treasures was quite a task! Some I hid in my room, others about the Tower grounds...An annoying little Novice found one once and almost turned it in, luckily my Eye found it before she could waste it." Realizing she was getting off topic, Azalea shook her head to clear her thoughts. "What was it you asked...? Oh yes! What does it do, you wonder? I must say - I wonder the same thing! All I know is that it is strong - Or should I say they are strong, one really cannot tell. All I can find is that they - it...whatever - are in Cairhien and there is quite a presence with them...They are..." She closed her eyes and clutched the Eye harder and harder until her white fist was flecked with splotches of pink from exertion. The ter'angreal felt icey cold against her flesh. "It is either one strong item or there are many of them. They are in the middle of Cairhien...That is all I can tell until I get closer." Azalea opened her eyes again and they appeared to be slightly dilated, she was silent for a moment, giving her mind a few seconds to rest. "Shall we bring anyone along? It is up to you, I don't know very many people from the Tower. As long as they are few, smart, strong, and tolerable, I am fine with anyone. Perhaps an Aes Sedai skilled at swordplay? Or a smart Sedai with a strong warder?" :

When Skiiy spoke, Katerine lifted her head to regard him. She nodded her head at his points and was rather happy to find he was open to the idea of having another warder around. As he left, she followed him with her eyes. She had almost completely forgotten that he was the Master-at-Arms. That made asking Nine to be her warder a good thing in more than one way. After Skiiy had left, Nine lifted his head and created a fire bird.

Katerine watched with interest as her former student created a large pheonix out of the fire and then a life-like cat from air. She did not know that he also had a strength in Air. It amused her a little because her major strength was Air with Water running a close second. The thrashing animals brought her back to Nine's hand and watched as the two shapes became indistinguishable, forming a two toned circle. Transfixed by his accomplishments, Katerine didn't look at his face until the colors disappeared.

Jade green eyes met with golden which put a smile on her face. His words also touched her deep down. Rising, Katerine glided over to Nine put her hand on his.

"I never expected to see this much improvement, but I am glad that you have strenghtened so much. I would love for you to be my warder now, but you have to be comfortable with the situation. Skiiy has given his stance on the issue and does not seem to have a problem with it. I will understand if you decline though."

Katerine knew Nine would probably not decline the offer, but there was still that small chance that he might. She kept her green eyes locked with his golden ones as she waited for his response. If she had been less composed, the hand that still rested on his would have been shaking, but Katerine was managing to keep it still.

((NEKO: Hells yea dude, maybe an angreal or two!))

"Decline? Why would I? I mean to keep my word and I'll do it weather or not there is another man protecting you with me. Besides, I know of your adventurous side, so I wouldn't venture to say that you haven't the need for two Warders, well, perhaps not the need, but the use, if anything."

He hoped that his humor was welcome, he had not much time in the past year to joke.

His joke caused Katerine to giggle a little before she composed herself. The relief that came with his answer was welcomed too. Pulling a chair up next to him, Katerine took a seat.

"Need and use can go hand in hand. I think need has become more the case though with my Foretelling. They just come upon me without a warning and you know what that does."

She paused and looked into the fire for a moment. Then she turned back to Nine with a smile on her face.

"Nine, would you like me to bond you here, or wait until a later date?"

Riles Ravon sat outside Cairhein, setting up his tent.

He had made it too late to the gates, and the guards had roughly turned him away. Thrown him out acutally. But tihs wasn't new to the Illianer, he has always been an outcast, and will always be.

Shrugging off his coat and shaking his head, Riles lifted the poles of his tent, wondering what the city would be like. Amazing things had been said about Cairhein, about wide thoroughfares, gleemen, Illuminators. It was all too much for his tousled brown head to take.

A small fire burned brightly beside him, the night would be cold, and he needed all the warmth he could get out of the fire and his meager posessions. Tomorrow He promised himself I'll rent a room and have some warm food. Maybe some ale.

He finished the tent and went to bed with that thought on his mind.

((I can't use the power, I have a non-Power based talent, it's a lot like air, but based around physics and inner energy. So, an angreal wouldn't help me much, but if there was some way to get my gunblade working and I was given a couple of bullets, I'm sure I could work out some sort of equivalent...))