A Choice Made (Attn: Mistress of Novices)

[Raeyn]

Milandra paced back and forth in her chamber, and tried to decide what her course of action would be for the nth time.  "Mistress Larindrha said I could channel," she spoke aloud, pausing momentarily in place, "That doesn't mean that I have to be an Aes Sedai.  I could try to figure it out on myself..."

 

She trailed off, tapping her foot while her brain processed.  Milla had heard the same tales as most people pertaining to those who pretended to be Aes Sedai.  The real Sisters didn't take too kindly to pretenders, she recalled, though she couldn't believe some of the details of the stories that got around; they didn't match the image of regality and refinement that filled her head when she thought of the denizens of the White Tower.  It just sounded so much more exciting than being a banker; being a banker meant a lot of not going anywhere, and trading correspondence.  Not that she knew much about Aes Sedai, other than they could channel the One Power, and stay in palaces, and all sort of exciting things.  "Perhaps I could meet a prince instead of a merchant," she thought with a smile, "At least it would be something more than this life.

 

Having made up her mind, she called in the servants.  She explained that she wanted her things packed up, and her best gown laid out so she could make all haste to depart across town.  While Milla was waiting, she crossed the house to her mother's study, and presented her case, "Mother, as you know, I was tested and it was found that I am able to channel.  I think that it is only prudent to go to the Tower and become an Aes Sedai."  Her mother smiled, but acquiesced, "You know that you can do with your life what you see fit to do, little Milla."  She reached over to stroke her daughter's long hair before continuing, "Not so little any more, though - are you sure about this?"  Milandra nodded, feeling more certain about this than anything else in her life to date.  "Very well then - I shall make sure that the carriage is ready for you; I presume you'll be leaving immediately?" "Mmhmm," the girl nodded.

 

Her mother gave her another hug, and assured her that there was ever a place for her at home should there need be.  Milandra smiled, but barely heard the words - she had the future to face!

 

Like all things, it took a bit of time to get her things loaded onto the carriage for the trip to the Tower.  Milandra tried to not be fussy; it wasn't the servants' fault that she had so many things that she had to take with her!  After all, everyone knew that Aes Sedai wore the finest gowns and could match the style of royalty, so her lesser silks would hopefully pass muster to start with.  In time, however, the carriage was moving, and she stared out the windows at the city that was her home; her eyes tried to drink it all in.  "I might have to go far away soon, and I'll miss home," Milandra thought to herself, enjoying the slight breeze blowing past.  The sound of the crowds, the marvelous buildings; it made her homesick even as she was still home.

 

Soon, she was dismounting before the Tower; her family's servants were scurrying to offload her trunks and bring them into the foyer.  Leaving them to their tasks, Milandra stood there uncertainly; was she supposed to wait to be greeted, or was she supposed to find her way through this strange place alone?  Her answer came in the form of a woman in a white dress asking her what she wanted of the Tower.  "I've come to be an Aes Sedai," Milandra explained politely to the woman before her, "Larindrha Sedai tested me and said that I could learn to channel."  Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but it seemed the other woman smirked as she replied, "If you'll follow me, I can take you to the Mistress of Novices."

 

Mistress of Novices?  She was here to be an Aes Sedai; what was a Novice?  And who was going to get her things for her?!

Edited September 14, 2010 by Raeyn

[Lavinya]

Countless times Pia Tovisen had glanced at the sun already, and before the day had ended, countless more times would be added to that. She sighed softly, and inclined her head a little, fighting a sudden urge of weariness. The Mistress of Novices stifled a yawn, and turned her attention on the book of Novices again. Everything was recorded in there, after all. Everything that mattered at least. Last night another Accepted had ventured into the rings, and passed through them free of everything she had been before she became who she was now. In her fine handwriting Pia made a note of the raising in the book of Novices. Today the girl would choose her Ajah, and her fate would become truly entwined with that of the Tower. Her choice was no secret to Pia, the way very little that happened among the novices and accepted of the White Tower was a secret to her.

 

She closed the big book after she was done. The book looked a little old, but the preservation wards that were set on it worked well. It seemed as though it would never get full. Pia had once paged through it, and found her own name, as well as that of the Mistress of Novices before her. It was interesting to learn how long some of her sisters had been here, and how long they had taken to get themselves raised. Wistfully Pia peered at the sun again, only to find that it hadn’t moved a bit. The day was still young, and she would be tired and aching by the time it was done. Not that the work of the Mistress of Novices ever truly ended. There were wards on the door to the office that told her people were waiting in front of it. The wards would wake her, even if someone tried to sneak in when the night was at it’s darkest.

 

Just as she thought of the wards, a tingling sensation crept over her skin, telling her that someone was about to knock on her door. Soon enough the sound of knocking followed. The sound of a knock often told her a lot about who wished to enter. This was the hesitant knock of someome who came to her with a request. Pia took a moment to school her expression into something a little less depressing than the look of fatigue she had had. “Enter.” She said, her voice calm and low as usual. The door opened as she channelled a thread of air to it. To whomever entered it might seem as magic. The young woman was dressed in clothing that suggested she was not of the Tower. Yet. Things might change soon. “My name is Pia Sedai. I am the Mistress of Novices at the White Tower. How may I help you?”

 

~Pia Tovison

Mistress of Novices

 

[Raeyn]

Bowing politely, Milandra stepped into the room.  "Greetings, Pia Sedai.  I am called Milandra; my family call me Milla.  I'd met Larindhra, erm, Larindhra Sedai at a ball in town recently.  In the course of conversation, the Tower naturally came up, and I asked her to test me on a whim."  She chuckled nervously, "Imagine my surprise when she found out that I could learn to channel; I didn't even know it could be learned!"

 

She looked around the small room, and spying a chair, Milla closed the door behind herself and sat down.  It was a cramped room in her opinion, and there were many items about to invoke her curiosity; why the slipper, and why the placement of the mirror?  She shook herself, and turned her attention to the other woman again. 

 

"I hadn't thought about what I was going to do with myself," the younger woman confided to the older, wondering if anyone had fetched her things up behind her, "I could have stayed in the banking business like Mother and Father, but... I guess the chance to do something different is hard to turn down."  She stared at her hands; she was feeling a bit uncomfortable with that silent, staring countenance. 

 

Milandra knew she was babbling to fill in the void, but it was better than enduring uncomfortable silence, "So, when do I get to become an Aes Sedai, and is someone going to bring my things up?  What is a Novice anyways?  Larindhra have time to say much, since there were many people who wanted her attention."  She paused for a moment, suddenly struck by a thought, "Hopefully my garb is good enough for an Aes Sedai; I packed my best silks, even better than this one."  She realized her hands were dancing along her blue-clothed knee, and she willed it to stillness, and her mouth to silence.  "Light, she's going to think me a blathering idiot, whomever she is.  Someone important, obviously, but whom?"

Edited September 14, 2010 by Raeyn

[Amadine]

Pia arched an eyebrow as the slip of a girl sat in the chair in front of her large desk and smoothed her blue silk dress over her knees. She was nervous. Pia could gauge the emotions of those who sat before her, it was a skill she had almost perfected during her years as Mistress of Novices, and if that skill had not told her the fact that the girl was babbling would have.

 

“Why child,” Pia replied gently, “you will not become an Aes Sedai overnight. A Novice is an initiate of the White Tower. During your years as a Novice you will learn the nature of Saidar, the One Power, and to control it. You will spend more years still as an Accepted, before - Light willing - you become an Aes Sedai.”

 

“Your silks will not be necessary for the time being and can be packed away in storage, you will be provided with everything you require, though you may retain a few keepsakes if you wish.”

 

Pia watched the girl before her carefully, a myriad of emotions was being played out upon her face. "Have you any questions I can answer before we make your stay in the Tower more permanent child?"

 

 

Pia Tovisen

MoN

[Raeyn]

"Y-y-years?!" Milandra stammered; incredulity was splashed across her face for a moment.  Almost as quickly, it fled with a sigh.  "I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that it takes time," she mumbled downwards towards her lap, "Mother and Father always said that it took time to learn anything, but still..." She trailed off, only to jerk her head upwards in alarm, "I can’t wear any of my silks?" she exclaimed, almost jumping out of her seat, "What am I supposed to wear if I cannot have my silk – am I to wear rags?!"

 

Milla opened her mouth to issue further complaint on this matter, when the woman before her looked at her.  It was the merest lift of the eyebrow above a piercing, questioning stare, but it was enough to quell her desire to complain. "Interesting," she thought to herself as she issued a wavering smile to the Aes Sedai, "How does an ageless, expressionless face manage to emote so strongly?  She could give my parents lessons on conveying only what they want people to see…"

 

Speaking slowly, Milandra raised her eyes back to where she could respectfully address the older woman, "So, I cannot wear my silks; might I ask why?  Why does the training take so long?  I’ve already had an education fit for nobility; what is there to learn still?"  She picked up speed as she continued on, "What is so great about being an Aes Sedai that I should consider surrendering my things and… Light, what does it even mean to be an Aes Sedai?!"  It was all she could do to not throw up her hands in frustration; Milla didn’t want to be rude to this important-seeming woman, but she was totally confused.

Edited September 14, 2010 by Raeyn

[Amadine]

Pia waited, one eyebrow casually raised, until the child had finished her tirade. Oh she has tried to be respectful, but Pia could see this child was far too used to getting her own way, and expected that Milandhra would be spending quite a bit of time in her office over the coming years.

 

Now child, she soothed to begin, we would not allow you to wear rags. You will be provided with Novices dresses to wear for the duration of your stay. As I said before, Pia did not like to repeat herself, but she was more lenient with the new arrivals, you may keep some things with you, just a few keepsakes, and the rest will be stored for you until such time as you become Aes Sedai or leave the Tower.

 

A thorough education prior to coming to the White Tower can only be of benefit to you, child, however there are many aspects that you will cover here now, that no scholar outside of the Tower would include. The most important one of course, is to channel. Learning to control Saidar is a long and difficult procedure, but you will learn more of that when your lessons begin.

 

The girl appeared to have calmed herself with Pias words so the Mistress of Novices took that chance to flip open the large Novice Book which still sat before her on the desk. She took up her pen, carefully loading it with ink from the inkwell positioned precisely on her desk. She looked up at the girl and smiled as she spoke, Please tell me your full name, place of birth and raising, and finally your age.

 

As the girl before her spoke, Pia carefully entered the details into the Novice Book, sealing her to the Tower for life, for better or worse. She finished with a dot behind the age, which felt as heavy and important as any signature from any high lord or lady. Welcome to the White Tower.

 

Rising from her seat Pia went to the large cupboard in the corner of her office and from within she pulled a pair of neatly folded Novice dresses, a belt and belt pouch and a pair of soft slippers, all in pristine white. Crossing the room to wear the child sat she said, These will see you through the first few days Milandhra, until you can visit the seamstress to make you up some more. She held out the small white pile to the girl seated before her.

 

Pia Tovisen, MoN

 

(OOC: you can finish this from here, or I can reply again, just add an OOC comment at the bottom if you'd like to continue)

[Raeyn]

Biting her lip, Milla listened intently to what the Mistress of Novices had to say. For one who only knew silks and fine linens, the thought of wearing less was about as appealing as rolling through brambles. "I bet it's so the poorer girls don't feel bad about having decent garb," she speculated, "But why don't they just give them some proper clothing? Surely there's no need for us to be in garb of poorer quality than your average household servants wears..."

 

She had to admit to herself that she was desperately curious as to what could be learned at the Tower besides channeling. Her parents had assured that she had an education as good as any noble could; they had hoped to find suitable marriage prospects for herself and her siblings amongst their numerous social contacts. In fact, she was due to debut after her next naming day, when she would be judged a woman in fact. "Something tells me that wouldn't happen if I were to become a Novice. Though Samri was able to debut late after coming back from her studies in Illian; I guess I could find out about doing the same when I'm done here in... however long it takes." Light, she might even manage to snag a prince; being an Aes Sedai should make her marriage prospects just that much more attractive!

 

Feeling much better about this option, Milandra felt much calmer, and even smiled at Pia. When asked for her details for the other woman's book, she recited them clearly and at a pace that made for easier copying. She had to surpress a grimace at the bland white clothing she was handed... but a little discomfort would be worth it to see what was on offer.

 

[[OOC - not bothered about carrying on. Just wanted to make the req, was all! <3]]