EVENT: The Eldest and Noamal discuss their longing for home, and 
possibly moving on from Tar Valon.
DATE: May 26
LOGGER: Marith

Ogier Grove: Tar Valon City, Tar Valon
Trees of every variety tower above you - leatherleafs, firs, oaks and elms. 
Even the tallest of those is dwarfed by the mighty Great Trees, trees as tall 
as many of the towers in the city, with trunks larger than some houses. Having 
neither the haphazard appearance of a forest, nor the tame look of a park, the 
Grove seems the very ideal of nature, the most perfect woods imaginable.
In the still tranquillity of the gloaming, it is possible to forget that the 
city around the Grove even exists. You can barely see the sky above the dense 
green foliage of the trees, and the grass beneath your feet is like a springy 
living carpet. At the outer edge of the Grove is a low wall carved with endless 
spirals that enchant the eye. An opening in the wall leads north, back into the 
noise and bustle of the city.
                                                                              
Contents:
First Tree

Noamall arrives with Marith.

The Eldest's ears flutter about back and forth, "I have been thinking.." She 
begins, glancing over at her fellow Elder, "That it is about time that we be 
moving on." Her comment is casual, as if the notion was a matter that she has 
been thinking over long and hard.

The male Elder nods his head slowly in consideration, his ears twitching a 
touch. Even though the two walk in slow steps, their long legs carry them a 
distance with every thump. "Matters with the Tower are solved then?" he asks 
quietly, already knowing the answer. Not one to rush into his words.

"Not as of yet. I am still waiting word from the Amyrlin. However, I do not 
wish the Longing to set in, even if we have not been long gone from the 
Stedding." The Eldest responds, worry touching her eyes. She has led such the 
sheltered life, hardly ever leaving the safety of the Stedding. It is a wonder 
how she managed to get the courage to help in Tar Valon.

"Not for a time yet, for most," Noamall responds after long moments of thought. 
Both those large hands join behind his back as they walk. He being a Trader 
before an Elder, and a Hunter before a Trader, knowing some of what happens out 
here with the humans. "We have done well here, considering the larger party 
that was brought. Some long for home only because they miss the Stedding, yet 
is it home that we are going?" The question sounds as though there might be 
other places for them to go. That Marith had been considering.

Marith glances sidelong toward Noamall, her eyes taking in the other Ogier 
carefully. After a brief moment or two she nods, "Yes. It is. However only 
briefly. I wish to stay there a few days, get the feel of home, then move on. I 
had intended us to be to other places by now, but I fear our stay has been 
prolonged by the Amyrlin's busy schedule. If I do not hear from her within a 
day or two, I may simply write a missive." She pauses, then chuckles half 
heartedly, "If I can find paper and writing untensils large enough to use, yet 
small enough to deliver."

A deep erruptions starts at Noamall's throat and escapes through his lips in a 
chuckle. You'd think the Elder would almost keel over, as his shoulders bend 
forward with the laughter. It takes time for him to compose himself, the Elder 
in no rush as though he could live for another two hundred years. Nodding at 
that, he turns to Marith with twitching ears. "A compromise will be reached, as 
there will be with the Tower. At least one would hope. It is good to come here 
and let ourselved known, it seems that even the Tower forgets matters between 
Ogier and Aes Sedai."

Marith looks up into the air a bit, as if her eyes were thoughtfully studying 
the sky, and the stars with it. She takes several long moments before 
answering, before nodding faintly. "Indeed, perhaps, though I wish they would 
answer more speedily. Normally, I praise slow decisions, but upon this 
particular matter haste is needed."

Of course, when the Elder talks of haste, she speaks of months and years. 
Noamall nods in response as well. "This is a slow decision, even in comparison 
to Elder Lomaran. High Ones knows he will takes years observing one tree before 
deciding whether to sleep beneath it." A light chuckle escapes Noamall, 
apparantly he made a joke. "The Tower is usually quicker then this. Perhaps the 
answer they intend to give us is not one they wish to stand by?"

"All I have asked for is an audience. The Amyrlin does not yet know what it is 
I wished to speak about." Marith's ears twitch back and forth in a worried 
manner, "Yestereve I went to the Tower, asking one of the novices to take a 
message to the Amyrlin, or someone who can give it to the Amyrlin. I only pray 
by the Trees that she had done as I asked. She seemed rather timid and shy in 
my presence."

Noamall nods in thought, slowly considering. "The Aes Sedai are odd in their 
ways. They must fear something, or else they would not avoid us. Not to speak 
of our importance, Elder Marith, but the few times an Elder wants a word with 
any leader, they are usually heard." A faint not again, as though agreeing with 
his own words. "If if ignored, at least heard."

"I have not traveled far from Maotai, as you know, and very little have we had 
important leaders to the Stedding. In the Stedding that may be so, but I am as 
unfamilar with teh laws, customs and traditions of other nations as they are 
with our own homes and lands." Marith responds, her thoughts and words spoken 
carefully. "It is not as if they are part of the Stedding, Stump or Council of 
Elders."

You would almost think there is a touch of anger in Noamall's tone. Almost. 
Perhaps the hint of his erratic youth a century ago. "They should still see 
you. Unless the Tower is entertaining all the Queens and Kings of the nations, 
and their noble Houses, they should see you. And even though, the Tower could 
find time among all their guests."

"Easy Noamall..." Marith's voice answers, soft and almost musical, like a brush 
of wind against the air, "Perhaps the Amyrlin has other matters to attend. I do 
recall hearing some misunderstanding between the Tower and the Children of 
Light not far off from here." The Eldest has not yet heard that the Children 
have left Tar Valon - having not returned to Alindaer village since all was 
completed except once.

Much older now since the last time he had lost his temper, the Elder settles 
for a shrug and a humph that sends bellows of air forward. A light rumble 
escapes Noamall's throat as they walk onward. "Amrylin or not, she would do 
well to serve a few days as Novice." Now that comment would not go by with the 
typical Elder, no doubt. Perhaps that is why Noamall usually takes time to 
think before he speaks. "Where is it that we will go after returning to the 
Stedding?"

Marith gives a small shake of her head, ears twitching at Noamall's comment 
about the Amyrlin, "I do not know...." She murmurs quietly, a soft rumbling to 
most. "Perhaps as the Tinkers go, with the breeze?" She suggests, though there 
is a touch of humor to her voice.

Another rumble of air, this time likely more in laughter, escapes Noamall's 
throat. "Yes, Marith. The day you go with the breeze, unplanned, will be the 
day I will see you dance once again as you did in your youth."

The humor seems to fall a bit, perhaps reminded about the last time she had 
danced, "I no longer dance..." Marith comments quietly, turning her eyes 
skyward again. Her ears flicker quietly in the night, as a thoughtful pause 
occurs, "Perhaps south....? To Caemlyn. I have longed to see if the Grove in 
the city exists. Or, to the north? I have never met the Queen, yet our Stedding 
harbors an amassador there."

Perhaps the Eldest had been serious of going places without plan? Noamall's 
eyes go wide with surprise. "I do not think I'll much enjoy Caemlyn. You'd 
think the Tower were difficult, the Nobles there will have us building 
monuments before the year is over. Much prefer anywhere but the south." Another 
smile appears, as his wide-eyes look to Marith as though to insure it is her he 
still speaks with.

A brow quirks in Noamall's direction, "We would be going on a cultural exchange 
visit. We would /not/ be going to do more building. I think we all have had 
more than enough of that here." She shakes her head a bit, holding out a hand 
to stay further commenting from Noamall, "Mind you, this is not a decision I 
will make alone.... I wish to know where others might go, and I think Cairhien 
would be far worse than Caemlyn - at least from what I have heard from snippets 
in the street about the Cairhienin nobles housed here in Tar Valon."

Noamall seems to be almost eager at something, with just the way his ears 
twitch. "You are right, of course. In comparison, I'd prefer the quieter ways 
of the Andorans. Yes, yes, Andor would do fine. Though I still remain hesitant 
about Cairhien, it can not be that bad? Better then the Blight, to be certain. 
I do think by travelling these ways we do well to educate and culture others. 
So many stair at us as though we are monsters."

Marith appears to miss a step as Noamall mentions travelling the Ways. Her own 
eyes widen, "You /want/ to travel in the Ways...?" None in Maotai have actually 
ever travelled the Ways during the last Eldests reign.

"I heard the Andoran party travelled here through the Ways," Noamall notes 
quietly in thought. Oddly, he too looks for the stars, eyes going a little 
wider. "They lost a human, but they did manage to voyage here." One large 
shoulder lifts in a shrug. "It is a part of us, the Ways. Perhaps a lost part."

Marith shakes her head a bit, "The Ways were created by Male Channelers, not 
us, Elder Noamall." The Eldest answers in a quiet, rumbling voice, "They may be 
a part of our history, but they are not part of us, as the Stedding."

Noamall nods slowly to Marith's words in thought. "True, true..." he nods 
slowly as his voice trails in thought. Another few large steps as they walk 
through the night, causing thuds that bring attention to them. "I will prepare 
our group for the departure. They will be happy to hear we are returning home. 
We will decide on the rest. Though I am curious, Marith, why the sudden need to 
explore? I'd be the last to complain, of course, but from what I know, you've 
kept within the Stedding for much of your time."

Due to time, the conversation was cut short...