milliways_bar | (no subject)

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As the air parts, she simply appears near her preferred table. Moiraine is carrying an anthology of poetry again this evening, and has a small notebook as well.

The Aes Sedai settles at her table and opens her books, with an idle glance around the bar.

[Summary: Elaine brings tea at Dream's request and is convinced to take a short break, in which she and Moiraine discuss Elaine's family and background, with great canon similarity identified, and then move into feminism and finally discussion of their worlds. Morpheus appears, and Moiraine thanks him for his consideration, and then they are simply cute together for a while. Later, she and Roland discuss Cort's arrival and whether or not Roland should tell him things about the future; at some point later, Peter Pevensie asks her to Heal Caspian (although the healing is rejected in Caspian's thread). Afterwards, she returns to her table and is joined by Bran, who discusses poetry with her-- and is stunned by a plotty revelation. Meg drops by and tells Moiraine that she'll be joining the ranks-of-pseudo-immortal-mortals after her own death, and this is still under discussion, as the thread is slowtimed. Finally, Nita Callahan introduces herself and asks for help with a problem that concerns Asmodean, which immediately gets Moiraine's full attention... (Say it with me, folks: slowtimed.)]

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"I am permitted to take short breaks, and I believe I am due for one at this time. I would be honored to join you."

Moiraine gestures to an empty seat, then, and waits while Elaine settles herself.

"How are matters with you, Elaine?"

She pours a cup of tea from the pot and offers it to the other woman.

Elaine takes the cup. "I am well. I enjoy being a barmaid and being here in Milliways. I have been here for nearly nine months."

She pours a second cup for herself and takes a sip.

"That is a a not-insignificant period of time, I think."

"It does feel like a long time. And sometimes it feels like the blink of an eye. I do sometimes feel...enclosed, but I consider this is my second chance to have a life of some sort, and so I am lucky." She sips her tea. She is not used to this beverage, as it became popular a considerable time after she lived.

"Your second chance?" Moiraine tilts her head, considering Elaine.

"You have died, then?" Her tone is calm and matter-of-fact.

"Yes, I did. I loved someone who did not love me and when he left me I pined until I died. I was also beset by melancholy quite often. I was a lonely person."

Elaine tells the story fairly matter-of-factly. She's told it many times, and she tries not to hide the truth, even from herself.

"That would seem unfortunate indeed."

The Aes Sedai's tone is calm, but dark eyes are weighing Elaine thoughtfully, and her glance lingers on the young woman's hair for a notable moment.

"Did you have no family that you were close to?"

"I had my brother, Lavaine. He took care of me when he could, but he was a knight, and often taken away from home. My father was busy with matters of his lands and holdings, and my other brother did not like me very much at the time." There is no blame in her voice, for all of that is done and over with. "I also had a nurse, whose ideas about discipline and learning were rather..." Elaine's brow furrows as she searches for words. "primitive, even for my time."

One eyebrow rises slightly, and her gaze remains fastened on Elaine.

"It sounds from your description as though your family was well-connected, however; are you nobility, Elaine?"

"My father was a baron, and oversaw many lands. Our holdings were not terribly large, but as the lady of the house, I had charge of most of the household. I also worked with them, for we did not have many servants."

She sipped her tea. Elaine was well-aware that her family and her life had not been at all the norm amongst her peers.

Moiraine nods, and does not show any sign of surprise.

"Did your House have a sign? I do not know if you would call it such; a symbol, perhaps, which might be carried on a banner?"

"The shields that my brothers carried were pure white, as were our banners. Our family name means 'white' in French."

Elaine is enjoying the conversation, and even though her life was painful, she enjoys recalling the small details about her life at home.

"I see." She looks thoughtful.

"And now you serve here." It does not seem judgmental.

"Yes, but I have other things I do as well. I am learning swordplay and a form of martial art...and I draw and grow lilies and other flowers in the greenhouse. I am greatly appreciative of the permission to use the space."

Moiraine tilts her head, looking at Elaine.

"Lilies?"

Elaine nods, smiling softly. "My favorite flower. I used to grow patches of them at our estate back home. I shall bring you one if you like, the next time I see you."

"I should like that, I think."

Moiraine sips her tea, and there is a flicker of calm amusement in the dark eyes.

"There are similarities between the worlds sometimes, I have found; you remind me, to a degree, of someone else I have known."

Elaine smiles. "I hope she was a pleasant person, then. And yes...I have met several from different times but that seem to have the same events...or even the same people that I knew...but many years beforehand."

"Mirrors of the Wheel, I might call such a thing, in my world."

There is something still amused about her glance.

"She was, and still is, pleasant in her way." A pause. "She is also Aes Sedai, as I am."

Elaine tilts her head to the side enquiringly. "What is an Aes Sedai? Can you tell me?"

"It might be considered a sisterhood, of sorts, made up of those who can channel the One Power, drawn from the True Source, which is the force of creation itself, the same force that turns the Wheel of Time."

Calmly said, in a near-academic tone.

It takes a while for that to translate in Elaine's medieval mind. "You...channel power for the good? To what end? I mean...what do you do with it? I hope I do not offend you with my questions."

"I am not offended, Elaine." She sips her tea. "I have used it for many things, as it happens; I suspect that I have become known for Healing, here."

Elaine nods. "Healing is a great gift. I have knowledge of herbs, and I did help nurse at one time. It was highly gratifying to me to help someone become well again."