New Spring: The Novel

in so easily. The glow of saidar surrounded Tamra, and she touched the Oath Rod with a thin flow of Spirit.

Moiraine closed her hands around the Rod. It felt like glass, only somehow smoother. 'Under the Light and by my hope of salvation and rebirth, I vow that I will speak no word that is not true.' The Oath settled on her, and suddenly the air seemed to press harder against her skin. Red is white, she thought. Up is down. She could still think a lie, but her tongue would not work to utter it now. 'Under the Light and by my hope of salvation and rebirth, I vow that I will make no weapon for one man to kill another.' The pressure grew abruptly; it felt as though she had been sewn into an invisible garment, much too tight, that molded her from the crown of her head to the soles of her feet.

To her chagrin, sweat popped out on her forehead, yet she managed to keep her face calm. 'Under the Light and by my hope of salvation and rebirth, I vow that I will never use the One Power as a weapon except against Shadowspawn, or in the last extreme of defending my life or that of my Warder or another sister.' That garment shrank to still greater snugness, and she breathed heavily through her nose, clamping her jaws to keep it from becoming a gasp. Invisible and utterly flexible, yet oh, so tight! This feeling that her flesh was being compressed would fade, but not entirely for a whole year. Light! She wondered how Elaida had enjoyed taking that last oath, with its mention of Warders. The Three Oaths remained unchanged whatever Ajah you intended to join. Thinking of that helped, a little.

'It is half done,' the Amyrlin intoned, 'and the White Tower is graven on your bones.' But she did not complete the ceremony. Instead, she took the Rod and placed it in Siuan's hands. Moiraine fought down a smile. She could have kissed Tamra.

There was no sweating or gasping from Siuan. She rendered the Oaths in a clear, strong voice, never so much as blinking as each settled onto her. No physical hardship could faze Siuan, who had never wept until after Elaida was gone, had never shed a tear until they left Merean's study. Siuan had the heart of a lion.

'It is half done, and the White Tower is graven on your bones,' Tamra said, replacing the Oath Rod on Aeldra's cushion. 'Rise now, Aes Sedai, and choose your Ajah, and all will be done that may be done under the Light.'

However much equanimity Siuan had shown swearing the Oaths, she moved no less stiffly than Moiraine as they rose and curtsied formally to Tamra, bending to kiss her Great Serpent ring.

Together, they walked toward the Blue sisters. Slowly, with as much grace as they could muster, and not holding hands; that would never have done, not now. Like any Accepted, they had often discussed which Ajah they might enter, arguing merits and faults as though they knew more than the surface, yet for the last year or more, those discussions had been merely to prove a choice already made. The Blue sought to right wrongs, which was not always the same as seeking justice, like Greens and Grays. 'Seekers after Causes,' Verin had called Blues, and the capitals were there to be heard in her voice. Moiraine could not imagine belonging elsewhere. Siuan was smiling, which she should not have done. But then, so was she herself, she realized, and she could not make it go away.

Once their direction became clear, the sisters from other Ajahs began making their courtesies to the Amyrlin and departing, first the Yellows, then the Greens, gliding from the chamber with their Sitters leading the way in regal procession. The Browns left, and then the Whites. What set the order, Moiraine did not know, but once the Reds were gone, the last, Tamra glided from the chamber after them. What passed here now was for the Blue alone. Aeldra remained to watch.

The three remaining Sitters gathered around as copper-skinned Leane, willowy and as tall as most men, bent to lay the blue-fringed shawl around Moiraine's shoulders and Rafela, slim, dark and pretty, performed the same office for Siuan. Neither had the ageless face yet, but they wore dignity like cloaks. The Sitters were dignity incarnate.

Stout Eadyth, with white hair spilling to her waist, kissed Siuan lightly on both cheeks and then Moiraine, each time murmuring, 'Welcome home, sister. We have waited long for you.' Anlee, grave-faced and graying in green-slashed blue and almost as many rings and necklaces as Gitara had worn, repeated the kisses and the words, and then Lelaine, whose solemn expression broke into a smile as she spoke. Lelaine became a great beauty when she smiled.

'Welcome home, sister,' Leane said, bending once more to kiss Moiraine. 'We have waited long for you.'

Aeldra also kissed their cheeks and spoke words, then surprisingly added, 'You each owe me a pie, made with your own hands. It's customary among us for the sixth sister who gives you the welcome kiss.'

Moiraine blinked and exchanged glances with Siuan. Was the ceremony done so abruptly? A pie? She doubted Aeldra would be able to eat hers. She had never cooked anything in her life.

Eadyth clicked her tongue and adjusted her shawl along her arms. 'Really, Aeldra,' she said firmly. 'Just because these two have chosen to step beyond the bounds in so many ways is no reason for you to forget your dignity. Now.' Long blue silk fringe swung as she raised her hands. 'I charge you, Leane Sharif, escort Moiraine Damodred that the White Tower may see that a Blue sister has come home. I charge you, Rafela Cindal, escort Siuan Sanche that the White Tower may see that a Blue sister has come home.'

Gathering Aeldra, Eadyth led the other Sitters from the chamber, but it seemed the rest of them were not entirely done.

'Custom is a precious thing that should not be allowed to wither,' Rafela said, eyeing Siuan and her each in turn. 'Will you proceed to the Blue Ajah quarters clad in the Light, as ancient custom required?' Siuan clutched at her shawl as though she never meant to remove it, and Rafela added hastily, 'And in your shawl, of course. To show that you need no protection beyond the Light and the shawl of an Aes Sedai.'

Moiraine realized she was clutching her own shawl in identical fashion, and made her hands relax, stroking the silk softly with her fingers. The Three Oaths had made her Aes Sedai, yet she had not felt Aes Sedai until the shawl was put onto her shoulders. But if she was required to go out in public wearing nothing else?! Oh, Light, now her face was turning hot! She had never seen an Aes Sedai blush.

'Oh, do give over, Rafela,' Leane said with a quick, reassuring smile shared between Moiraine and Siuan. She had been Accepted with them for a time, and by the warmth of that smile it seemed their friendship might be taking up where it had left off. 'A thousand years ago, women came to be raised clad in the Light and left the same way- everyone here would have been-but the only part of that custom left is keeping the hallways clear until you reach the Ajah's quarters,' she explained briskly. Leane did everything briskly. 'I doubt anyone but a few Browns even remembers the custom. Rafela is half mad with trying to bring back dead customs. Don't deny it, Rafela. Remember the apple blossoms? Even the Greens don't remember what battle that was supposed to commemorate.'

Strangely, though Rafela had reached the shawl a year before Leane, she only sighed. 'Customs should not be forgotten,' she said, but without any force.

Leane shook her head. 'Come along. I know you must want your breakfast, but that has to wait on a few things, including this walk. Which will not include all of the public corridors,' she added, cocking an eyebrow at Rafela. 'Nor will we stop at each Ajah's quarters calling for them to come out and see a sister of the Blue.' Shaking her head, she herded them through the doors, channeling briefly to swing them shut. 'I've never been so embarrassed in my life. You should have been the one blushing, Rafela. Verin told her she had such a sweet voice, she should take up singing. One Red came out to tell us to stop caterwauling and go away. And the Greens! Some Greens have a? rough? sense of humor.' Whether or not Rafela had blushed then, color tinged her cheeks faintly now.

How rough had those Greens' sense of humor been, Moiraine wondered. At least Rafela's blushes made her stop worrying about her own. Of course the sisters would present a different face to each other than they did to those who did not wear the shawl. Which she did, now. It made her feel inches taller, even if Leane did tower head and shoulders above her. The other woman had shortened her stride, yet Moiraine still had to trot to keep up as they climbed back up through the basements to Tower corridors empty of life save for them. The hallways were seldom crowded, but the absence of people made them seem cavernous. Imagining the Tower completely empty became all too easy. It would be, one day, if matters continued as they were.

'Is the ceremony done with this walk?' she asked. 'The Blue Ajah part, I mean. May we ask questions?' She supposed she should have asked that first, but she wanted the sound of voices to chase away ill thoughts.

'Not completely done,' Leane replied, 'but you can ask whatever you like. Some questions, though, can't be