The Aes Sedai was in no mood to play at games.
The errands she had sent her Warder on months ago had left her without him at her side for that long. And, for just as long, the leads she had a handful of ruffians following --- loyal to her by smile and coin alike -- had lead her to a moment where a Warder at her side would have been best.
She stood at the mouth of an alleyway, at the western side of RhyDin. A short blade's grip was within her hand while her other glowed with the power of the Once Source. There was no knowing what that night's path could lead her into, and despite knowing that to have seen any Aes Sedai weilding both such weapons at once would have bee laughable within the great Tower in Tar Valon, she did so anyway.
The darkest shade of blue had been worn that night and nothing at all lighter; not even her chatelaine or coinpurse was on her person, lest the noise of either one of them give her away before she was ready.
Slender fingers curled and recurled against the dagger's grip once again before she took conscience effort to steal herself for what might come. The growling heard could have been beast by the sound of it, but it was in the form of a woman that lunged at her. Growl turned to shriek as the Aes Sedai's hand touched the side of the ethereal woman's face and brought to it a burned rememberence.
Valucia yanked her hand back, but refused to let go of the magic that the moment called for. Her other touch was already in motion, a blur of it the brought the tip of steal through leather and flesh to skewer against bones of the woman's ribs.
But despite preparing for that moment, she was not fully successful. Before the feral female dropped to the filthy, alleyway stones, she had been able to reach for the Aes Sedai.
Valucia Sedai screamed and her eyes flared with anger to have known the pain put upon her, to have not guarded herself more closely. Anger turned to sadness as she bore witness to the woman's death. There had not been others there to help her with Stilling her and the madness that was known in her land had touched this one before her.
The feral woman's eyes glazed over, then grew cloudy with death.
The wall behind Valucia was reached for, to steady herself. In the shadows, she could not see the damage that had been down, but the moonlight was there where the other woman's hand had fallen against the stones; it held within its dead grasp its own blade, curved and surrated.
A curse left thinned lips of the Aes Sedai and called out for one of the youths that she had employed to have found the encrazed woman. "Dravis! Dravis!"
The boy came out from behind the corner of a dark-windowed building. "Lady!" His leather shoes slapped against the ground and hurried across the street. The hour was late and very few would be found roaming any street at that hour, let alone one so far from the inn.
By the time Dravis reach her, Valucia's knees were growing weak. Without Raytheon within the realms, the bond was too thin to do her too true and good, to heal her as hastily as she needed.
"Such a good boy, Dravis." The pain in her side, below her ribs and at the swell of her right hip was searing and felt on fire. "Dravis...go to the inn. Look for the one known to guard the door there at times. A rather tall and broad-shouldered man with black hair. Tell him...tell him that I am in need of him. Go!"
That she had to send for anyone at all to carry her from that place and back to the Red Dragon was unfathomable to her. Yet, she was doing so. She had no idea if there had been poison on the blade, or if just the make of its steel was enough to put her in that much pain.
But she was without Raytheon and her knees had finally given out. Soon, on the edge of consciousness, she heard two sets of running footfalls; one smaller and lighter than the other by far.
As the quiet, tall man lifted her up she heard Dravis tell him, "Careful with her now! Hurry!"
Valucia then knew darkness, but it would be dreams and fever to wear her thinner over the next dayful of time.
----
Dravis
http://valuciasabet.webs.com/photos/Dravis.jpg
Guido (How Valucia sees him)
http://valuciasabet.webs.com/photos/Guido%20-%20guard%20of%20the%20RDI.jpg
The errands she had sent her Warder on months ago had left her without him at her side for that long. And, for just as long, the leads she had a handful of ruffians following --- loyal to her by smile and coin alike -- had lead her to a moment where a Warder at her side would have been best.
She stood at the mouth of an alleyway, at the western side of RhyDin. A short blade's grip was within her hand while her other glowed with the power of the Once Source. There was no knowing what that night's path could lead her into, and despite knowing that to have seen any Aes Sedai weilding both such weapons at once would have bee laughable within the great Tower in Tar Valon, she did so anyway.
The darkest shade of blue had been worn that night and nothing at all lighter; not even her chatelaine or coinpurse was on her person, lest the noise of either one of them give her away before she was ready.
Slender fingers curled and recurled against the dagger's grip once again before she took conscience effort to steal herself for what might come. The growling heard could have been beast by the sound of it, but it was in the form of a woman that lunged at her. Growl turned to shriek as the Aes Sedai's hand touched the side of the ethereal woman's face and brought to it a burned rememberence.
Valucia yanked her hand back, but refused to let go of the magic that the moment called for. Her other touch was already in motion, a blur of it the brought the tip of steal through leather and flesh to skewer against bones of the woman's ribs.
But despite preparing for that moment, she was not fully successful. Before the feral female dropped to the filthy, alleyway stones, she had been able to reach for the Aes Sedai.
Valucia Sedai screamed and her eyes flared with anger to have known the pain put upon her, to have not guarded herself more closely. Anger turned to sadness as she bore witness to the woman's death. There had not been others there to help her with Stilling her and the madness that was known in her land had touched this one before her.
The feral woman's eyes glazed over, then grew cloudy with death.
The wall behind Valucia was reached for, to steady herself. In the shadows, she could not see the damage that had been down, but the moonlight was there where the other woman's hand had fallen against the stones; it held within its dead grasp its own blade, curved and surrated.
A curse left thinned lips of the Aes Sedai and called out for one of the youths that she had employed to have found the encrazed woman. "Dravis! Dravis!"
The boy came out from behind the corner of a dark-windowed building. "Lady!" His leather shoes slapped against the ground and hurried across the street. The hour was late and very few would be found roaming any street at that hour, let alone one so far from the inn.
By the time Dravis reach her, Valucia's knees were growing weak. Without Raytheon within the realms, the bond was too thin to do her too true and good, to heal her as hastily as she needed.
"Such a good boy, Dravis." The pain in her side, below her ribs and at the swell of her right hip was searing and felt on fire. "Dravis...go to the inn. Look for the one known to guard the door there at times. A rather tall and broad-shouldered man with black hair. Tell him...tell him that I am in need of him. Go!"
That she had to send for anyone at all to carry her from that place and back to the Red Dragon was unfathomable to her. Yet, she was doing so. She had no idea if there had been poison on the blade, or if just the make of its steel was enough to put her in that much pain.
But she was without Raytheon and her knees had finally given out. Soon, on the edge of consciousness, she heard two sets of running footfalls; one smaller and lighter than the other by far.
As the quiet, tall man lifted her up she heard Dravis tell him, "Careful with her now! Hurry!"
Valucia then knew darkness, but it would be dreams and fever to wear her thinner over the next dayful of time.
----
Dravis
http://valuciasabet.webs.com/photos/Dravis.jpg
Guido (How Valucia sees him)
http://valuciasabet.webs.com/photos/Guido%20-%20guard%20of%20the%20RDI.jpg