Mystery of the river blossoms

Chapter 3: Ann ti spiat (One to help)

"You two broke the curfew. Is there a specific reason as to why you did that? Darian? Yareli?", Siuan asked with a strict voice. Both teenagers stayed quiet, their heads lowered. Liandrin was at the door, enjoying the lecturing infront of her. When no one of the teenagers said anything Siuan sighed deeply. "Darian.", the boy looked up, gulped. "I will tell Andere on your misbehaviour. He will decide on your punishment.", she said calmly, yet authoritive. Darian nodded, excepted that he had fucked up and took the punishment that Andere would give him. Whatever it would be, the young warder would face it on his feet. Siuan nodded once at Darians obedience. "Depart in the light, young warder.", she dismissed him. Leaving only Yareli and Liandrin in the room. Silence filled the room until Siuan spoke again. "Leave us, daughter.", she ordered the red Aes Sedai. Liandrin, who wanted to stay originally, just bowed. She wouldn't disagree now with the Amyrlin Seat, why should she risk getting into trouble as well? Or even getting a punishment? No, that would not happen. "Good night, mother.", she plainly said before she left the room as well.
Moments of silence pass, Yareli didn't dare to look at Siuan. She felt aweful. "Now. What where you thinking?", Siuans voice was much softer now and Yareli looked at her. She felt sheepishly guilty. "I just wanted to go on a walk.", she whispered, what an aweful explanation. "Siuan, I lost track of time. I promise. I didn't mean to make you worry. I-", Siuan had stopped her with a hand gesture and stepped closer, placing a hand on Yarelis shoulder. "Blossom, I am not mad at you. Do you understand? But... you need to tell me what happened. Why do you have a cut on your lip, first of all? And why was Darian with you?", Yareli gulped. She was not sure on how to explain everything, yet she didn't want to lie to Siuan. So for a few moments she stayed quiet, trying to find words. Siuan watched the girl infront of her, seeing how uneasy the teenager is. She lifts the hand from the shoulder, using the One Power to heal the cut on Yarelis lip. "There. Better?", she smiled softly at the girl, hoping she would open up eventually. "It's not Darians fault, if then punish me. He only.. He broke the curfew because he was worried about me. Darkan said you even asked him where I am. And he got worried, so he went looking for me.", Yareli said with the strength left in her. She would take on the punishment for Darian. He didn't do anything wrong, he was just... yeah trying to find and protect her. Siuan tilted her head slightly, what Yareli did is a noble gesture. She really saw the deep friendship connecting the two teenagers. "And you lip?", Siuan asked again, her voice still soft. Yareli looked down, thinking on how to answer. "I.. I wasn't watching where I walked. And scratched myself on a branch of a tree. You know how deep they sometimes hang. It's not a big deal. Really. But uhm.. thank you for healing it.", she had decided to not tell Siuan about the weird encounter with that man who had helped her. Maybe it was just a coincidence and surely there would not be a need to go into that further, right?
Siuan sensed something was off but did not ask further. "If you say so.", the Amyrlin sighed. "Now, you go to your room. The most direct way, if you please.", Siuan ordered Yareli, addressed just nodded and turned to leave. "Good night, Siuan.", she said at the door, closing it quietly. The Amyrlin sat down as she was alone. Darian had taken the punishment with nobility, she had not expected anything else. Yareli on the other side... Siuan feared the girl would start acting on her heart, not her mind. She took the letter from Moiraine back out, reading it again. Darkfriends were more frequently visited, according to Moiraines observations. What if Tar Valon also had Darkfriends already within the city? She rubbed her temples, how did all of this happen without being noticed? And her dreams also did not really fit into all of this. The Dark one is weak, they really need to find the dragon reborn. Exhausted and overthinking Siuan got up again and walked towards the window, watching the sleeping City beneath the tower. Everything seemed peaceful from above here.

As Yareli was walking back to her room, she started to get lost in her own thoughts again. Did Siuan notice anything? Hopefully not. And hopefully Darian wouldn't get such a hard punishment...
"Yareli, isn't it?", the girl stopped in her tracks and turned around, seeing herself across from Liandrin. "Uh, yes. Why?", she replied confused. What was that now? Liandrin talked to her? For what reason? "Just asking out of interest. You live here for a while now. Just wanted to get to know you.", Liandrin said plainly and stepped a bit closer. She had crossed her arms behind her back, a faint smile on her lips.
"Get to know me?", Yareli asked more confused. Why would an Aes Sedai, except Moiraine, want to get to know her? Okay Moiraine knew her already but that didn't matter right now. Any other Aes Sedai had simply accepted that Siuan had decided that Yareli could live in the White Tower without being a channeller. And now Liandrin wanted to get to know her? "Yes, you see, I try to make a friend with anyone in this tower. And you seem to need one.", the Aes Sedai used the words good, carefully chosen. Yareli remembered what Siuan had said to her. Everyone, especially Aes Sedai, had their own agenda, their own goals. "Oh, I'm good. I have friends in here.", she said with a small chuckle, hoping to get to her room now. "You mean the young warder? What was his name again? Derek..."
"Darian.", Yareli corrected Liandrin. "Ah yes, Darian.", the Aes Sedai smiled and Yareli couldn't help but find that smile weird. She crossed her arms subconsciously. "You see, one day you're on your own. And Darian will decide against you.", Liandrin spoke plainly, looking at her hand where she wore the Ring. "He won't. He is my friend.", Yareli tensed up a bit, how dare this woman question her friendship? Liandrin laughed quietly, grinning. "Oh you are way too young to understand what I am saying. Girl, he is a male. And any male at some point wants something you cannot provide. So he will drop you. Leave you alone.", she explained further. "No! Stop saying that! He is my friend! He would never do anything to hurt me!", the girl countered back a bit louder. Yareli was pissed, how dare she? Liandrin on the other hand just chuckled at the teenage girls small outburst, then turned to walk away. Yareli was confused and slightly angry. Yet she decided immediatly to go to her room after Liandrin had left.

She entered her room, slammed the door shut with a loud noise. Then took of her coat and threw it in one corner. As she stood infront of her mirror to undo the bands on her top, she grumbled over what Liandrin had said. This... bloody... She stopped herself from cursing as she knew Siuan never liked that if she did. Something about negative mindset, she always said. She undid the knots and took the linen top off, taking then her trousers off and slipping into her nightgown. In bed she overthinks a bit before sleep hits her exhausted body.

In the ethereal dance of shadows, darkness takes on a life of its own, twisting and contorting into grotesque forms that encircle Moiraine like malevolent serpents, their coils tightening with each passing moment, threatening to suffocate the very essence of her being. Amidst the swirling mists, a figure shrouded in mystery emerges, her once alluring beauty now marred by the stains of ambition and malice. With each sultry whisper, she lures Moiraine deeper into the labyrinth of her deceit, weaving a web of treachery that threatens to ensnare the unwary. And yet, another figure lurks in the shadows, a sinister presence cloaked in darkness, his movements akin to a predatory dance, his eyes ablaze with the fervor of chaos and destruction, promising a tempest of unimaginable devastation, reaching for Yareli.
In this, each element converges in a symphony of dread and foreboding, painting a portrait of despair upon the canvas of the her mind, where the boundaries between reality and illusion blur into a maelstrom of torment and uncertainty.

Yareli jerked up, sweaty and out of breath. The nightmare. Again, only that Moiraine is now part of it. The girl got up, grabbed a woolen cardigan and stumbled out of her room. She needed to tell Siuan. In haste the girl did not see the amber coloured eyes that had watched her from the mirror.

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Quick and fast I wrote another chapter for you. Hope you like it!