When In Doubt, Go With Blue

The Lives We Live

You didn't sleep much, big surprise. You knew Moiraine was asleep because your Warding was gone again. She'd tried that once before after her... attempt, as some sort of apology. You, of course, had a nightmare and she had had to do it again and hadn't slept. You were used to not  sleeping so this was fine. You still read minds while warded so it wasn't like you could truly rest. You used the time for other purposes. One night, you'd charted the stars, finding new constellations in hopes of finding one you knew. Another, you washed your only outfit. You avoided Moiraine, of course, and hardly spoke two words to her. 

So nighttime was your time. You'd tried connecting to Farah's mind, checking in, communicating!, but no luck. You wished you had a book to read, hell, your cell phone. You were bored and scared to sleep. So after solving the cat's cradle and every variant you could think of with a spare reign rope, you huffed boredly. 

"You're safe to sleep with us," Lan assured you. He smiled when you jumped, then continued on. "Can you not sense I'm awake?" he asked, almost curiously. You didn't know he had that color. 

You looked over at him sitting up against a tree, watching the outdoorsy surroundings. "The more tired I am, the less I notice. And you two are... hard. I know there's a town that way," you nodded with your head, "who's main source of income is selling Zort beet, whatever that is. There's a young couple eloping from that town we roomed in. But you two are... plotting the course. This trail until the leaves turn a Dark chevron, then left for days, then we'll be able to see the truly terrifying tall structure. But any skimmable thoughts are locked away. Sometimes, I can sense the mood of them, but that tells me nothing."

Lan paused, not used to receiving a whole answer from anyone other than from Moiraine. Should he tell Moiraine? Had you shared it in confidence? No, you would've said; of course he would tell Moiraine. "Three night you've spent unwarded. Last night, no one would've prevented you from leaving us." It wasn't a question, but it was his bid for an answer. 

You stared at him, thinking. Sure, when you'd first encountered them, you were going to run because you'd feared you would hurt them, but in the face of a power like the one you really feared, you were desperate to lose your fear. You needed a teacher, a guide, someone who understood what no one else did. You looked at Moiraine. You'd have to talk to her. You'd have to trust her. 

Lan nodded once. 

A yawn cracked your pursed lips and you slumped sideways to lay on your bed roll. Once your head hit the pillow, you were out. 

Lan smiled. 

*

You were half asleep on your horse's back, following the blue and grey blurs with rousing eyes re-bleared with each blink. Another downside of your sleep condition: when you finally did sleep in, it wasn't enough. 

Going on five days in this new land, you were running out of patience. You may as well have been speaking to the dead for all the answers you got. You mimicked your guides and hardly spoke. This new world would have to be understood on your own, so you spent hours in the mob of voices. Strange names and concepts, you relied on their memory to explain. You were coming into your full Mind Fairy power, but had made no progress with your curse. You had half a mind to ditch the pair for your own way home. They gave you the opportunities. Did they really trust you so or was it continually a trap?

Moiraine fell back to trot alongside you. "What does it mean?" Unbeknownst to you, the purple faded from your eyes as you looked over at her. "Your eye color. It changes with such ease," she marveled. 

You supposed both worlds had their wonders. "What did you mean by the Tower?" 

Moiraine had quite the poker face. It was so good, you'd believed the woman couldn't hear your questions at one point. You'd eventually stopped asking them; she certainly may not. But she slipped her mask on at your deflected questions, clearly not pleased with the non-response. 

You pulled a fake pout, having to bite your cheek to keep from smiling. "Aw... Is it no fun when someone isn't up front with you?"

Lan hid his smirk with his back still to you both, leading the way. He knew many even Aes Sedai despised her conversationalist skills and it seemed you had a blunter way to show it. Moiraine would have glared at him had you not been placed between them. Instead, she took a deep breath and began to explain. "The White Tower is where my kind - our kind - reside. Any nonviolent or trustworthy channeler is welcome in the Tower. Your eye color."

Satisfied, for now, you also spilled some beans. "There are 6 potential eye colors for 6 different elements. Mine is the Mind."

Moiraine kept pace with you, continuing to have a proper Quid Pro Quo. "Why did you chose the Mind?" 

You frowned over at her, trusting the damn horse. "I didn't. You're born with your first element. Did you chose to... channel?" you asked, trying to find why she said that. 

"No, we're born like this. When you graduate from the White Tower, you choose your Ajah."

Color. That was why. "You chose Blue." you concluded. 

The pair looked at you abruptly. As you connected worlds, they guessed you wouldn't know much. They didn't think you would have such deduction skills. But, then, you were a mind reader. Moiraine would drape you in a Blue Ajah if it was the last thing she did. But she didn't answer you. 

"What does your Ajah mean, then?" you asked, not yet certain her Ajah was her blue garb, her ring,  - hell - the man she traveled with. It could've been the way her clothes were stitched for all you knew. And she didn't tell you, riding ahead to catch up with her boy. Offended, you pulled your horse to a stop. You abruptly dismounted and picked a direction. 

The horse ran between the witch and her Specialist, freaking both out. Lan chased down the steed, leaving you to Moiraine. "What is the matter with you?!" the brunette demanded, turning her much-faster-than-you horse around. She cut you off, towering over you like this. 

You laughed at the irony of her demand, trying to go around the barrier

Moiraine moved her horse to block your path. 

Your furious eyes were their normal color as you glared up at her. She almost wished it was that unfamiliar, magic color, but soon came to the conclusion that these were still lovely. These expressed emotions, she could see your anger. The magic color was distracting. "I have dealt with this affliction my entire life. Sleep, no sleep, love, torture. I can take it, and I will, alone if necessary. But I won't take half-truths and games. If that's who you are, who your people are, I don't need it! I've got enough problems on my own!" Your eyes glowed for the half second it took you to nod your head to the side, and Moiraine's eyes flashed purple as well, her hands pulling the same way as your head. The horse moved from your path and you charged on. 

Moiraine awed at her temporarily lost free will. You could've done much worse to her, she realized. The woman dismounted fast, running with the steed to catch up. "I know!" She cut you off again, this time on even footing. "I know . My people can't tell anyone not us everything. I just met you; it's dangerous." No longer avoiding her, you took in her appearance. Her hair was brown, and wavy when cared for, like when you'd first met. Due to conditions, it was currently mussed but not terribly. You couldn't tell if her eyes were grey or green, but her blue clothes made them seem blue. One hand anxiously gripped the reins, the other limp at her side. 

You were noticing her too much. "I've been here a week. I don't want to know everything; that's far too much. I need to know anything. I'm calling you two the closest classification I think you can get to in my world. I'm going on faith, following you two on a beast I have no experience with, hoping you're not evil or some crazy person with no more idea than I have about me!" You were babbling hysterically. 

Moiraine suddenly wrapped you in her arms. She, like usual, didn't know what to say, so she just held you while you let out... everything.