Etiquette-ication

[keyholder21]

ooc: Sorry that this is kinda blah writing. I'm at work right now, so not giving it the focus it needs, but I wanted to have something out here for you :).

 

Also, is there a link where the bell schedule in the White Tower is described? If not, could somebody post something like that for us N&As? I forget what bells are when, etc. If I have it wrong in the post, I'll go back and change it as soon as I know!

 

----

 

Miahna closed the book in front of her and stifled a groan. It was very apparent to her that she would not be going Gray. Reading about a minor turf war that had happened between two Kandori houses hundreds of years before she had been born did not interest her. In fact, her eyelids felt heavy and she’d only been awake for two hours. This was the first class since she arrived at the Tower that the Arafellin hadn’t found intriguing. Despite the difference in freedom from novice to Accepted, there were still a few classes that were non-negotiable. This, unfortunately, was one of them. Do people actually enjoy this stuff? Sliding the text across the table, Mimi pulled her notebook to her and flipped through the pages from the lecture. It was slightly less boring, but her eyes still glazed over.

 

After staring into the bookcases for another hour, Miahna gathered her things to leave.Forget it! I’ll have to come back and try another day, this is obviously not working for me. She replaced the books on the bookcart and left the library. Light hit her in the face, streaming in through tall windows. Though it had been overcast earlier, bright sunshine now reigned over Tar Valon. Of course it would have to turn nice when she had foregone a trip to the city to work on her paper.

 

Sighing, the tall Accepted walked briskly down the hall, the tiny silver bells at the ends of her braid chiming in the sudden rush of air. Though the hallway by the main library had been silent, the hallways near the novice and Accepted quarters were alive with sound. Novices scampered to and from various activities, some of the newer white-clad girls hitching up their skirts to run. Miahna shook her head and smiled wryly as they dashed off, remembering how busy her days as a novice had been. She was just as busy now, but there was something about making your own schedule that made it seem less demanding. Plus, she wasn’t assigned near as many chores now as she had been in the beginning. Ever since she was little, her mouth had gotten her into trouble and that hadn’t changed when she became a Tower initiate. Only after nearly a decade of practice had she managed to keep her thoughts to herself. Mostly.

 

She pushed open the door to her room and grabbed a large book off the small table at her bedside. If she couldn’t work on her paper, then maybe she could work on something else. Let’s start with something easy. Flipping open the book, Miahna embraced the Source and wove several dark gray strands of Spirit into an exact replica of the shield drawn in the book. Smiling, the Accepted applied it to her wardrobe much in the way she imagined it would be applied to another woman. She flipped the page and began to work on the next weave of Spirit when a knock sounded at her door.

 

Raising an eyebrow, Miahna shut the book and let go of the Source, sighing as the bliss of Saidar left her. Who would know she was in her room? She replaced the book on her nightstand, stood up, and opened the door. A raven haired Accepted stood there, a small smile playing about her lips. “Miahna. I’m glad I found you. I’ve been instructed by Valeri Sedai to tell you that you are to report to Carina Sedai this afternoon for a lesson in etiquette.” She moved her lips as she finished the phrase ‘it’s about time’ under her breath.

 

Mimi bit back her retort – see she could hold her tongue! – and thanked the other Accepted. Closing the door as firmly as she could without being rude, the Arafellin returned to her bed and the book. It had smarted not to say anything in response; that girl was as haughty as haughty could be. I know she’d run right back to Valeri Sedai if I had made a retort though. Perhaps the lesson would be good for her. She could ask the Brown about Aes Sedai serenity and how to keep her composure. Surely that fell under etiquette.

 

Another knock sounded against her door. Frowning, Mimi opened it to find the same raven haired Accepted standing there. She was still smiling her little smile. “You missed the rest of the message. This afternoon at third bell.” Turning on her heel the girl walked away slowly. Third Bell! That was just a few moments from now. Gritting her teeth, Miahna grabbed a notebook and rushed out the door toward Carina Sedai’s rooms. Light I hope I’m not late!

[Mystica]

OOC: I hope I come across lots of such 'blah' writing. You're almost making me self-conscious about my limited abilities. lol Concerning the bell, you might want to ask the MoN that. I must admit, I haven't seen such a list yet myself and think most players just post whatever fits their story.

 

---

 

Carina looked at Valeri incrdulously. Etiquette? She was to teach etiquette? Since when was she considered knowledgable in that? The Blues were more adept on those things, spending so much time around nobles and rulers and what not, what with their causes and such which usually landed them smack dunk in the middle of some political mess or other. Valeri just raised an eyebrow and Carina sighed. "Oh very well," she exclaimed, "but I do hope that this one will show a bit of interest in her lesson. The last one you sent to me spent five minutes yawning and the rest of the day scrubbing floors!"

 

'Etiquette' She breathed to herself as she marched down the hallways, her face such a thunderclowd that servants, novices and accepted alike scurried out of her way, dropping curtsies much deeper than they should. 'when did I turn from a potential Ranger to a teacher of etiquette?' Well, she might as well get it over with.

 

"You child, come here." She pointed out a random girl, who approached while gulping visibly. Eyeing the Accepted up and down, Carina instantly got a nasty feeling with her. "Go find Miahna and have her report to my quarters at third bell sharp." Her usually friendly manner completely out the window, she made no attempt to ease the girl's mind and continued her way up to her rooms. With any luck, she might just finish up her research on those intriguing black-furred squirrels.

[keyholder21]

Ooc: Oh no! I didn’t mean to do that. I guess I just felt blah because I posted it immediately after finishing – didn’t have a chance to go back in and swap words out and stuff to make it sound better haha.

 

--

 

The bell was sounding just as Miahna arrived at Carina Sedai’s quarters. She knocked on the door; the knock sounding firm despite her rapidly beating heart. It had been years since she’d cut that close to the time. Her first year as Accepted had taught her that, at least in class, on time was late. A meeting with, or for, an Aes Sedai, however, meant being on time – no earlier and no later - a Sister certainly didn’t want you barging in on something that was private. She certainly didn’t want you tardy either, however. Resisting an urge to wipe her hand across her brow, Miahna stood at the door, taking deep breaths to calm down her furious heart.

 

She heard a voice beckoning her to enter. The tone sounded familiar and all of a sudden something clicked in the Arafellin’s brain. Carina Sedai. Though she hadn’t been able to consider it at the time, the name had been nagging at her. She realized, opening the door to the Brown sister’s room that this had been one of the Aes Sedai who had openly answered the questions of novices and Accepted many years ago. Miahna had sat on the lawn and listened as this Aes Sedai and two others had opened up to the curious Tower initiates and answered their questions truthfully and candidly. In fact, Mimi remembered it vividly. It was a rare occurrence and hadn’t happened again in all her time at the Tower. Listening to women that had been around and Accepted longer told her that it hadn’t happened ever before that either.

 

Miahna almost smiled at remembering the friendly Brown Sister. It tugged at the corners of her lips, but she managed to maintain a straight, serene face as she entered the room. It wouldn’t do to approach an Aes Sedai smiling, nevermind the Sister’s normal manner. She would wonder what was so amusing and it would be difficult for Miahna to explain. Plus, it just wasn’t proper for an Accepted. Though there was an advantage to being bluntly honest, Mimi could see how that would interfere with, well with being an Aes Sedai.

[Mystica]

Carina schooled her face to perfect Aes Sedai serenity, hiding her annoyance and irritation at having to teach this lecture of all lectures. It wasn't the girl's fault, after all. Those squirrels were particularly interesting and she'd much rather spend her time continuing her study on them. She planned a trip to the forrest they were reputed to dwell and see if she could observe them in their natural habitat as well as bring some with her for closer studies.

 

'Right, etiquette" She reminded herself for the umptieth time. "Come in Miahna and take a seat." The Arafellin girl did as asked while Carina observed her body language. Perhaps there was something she could teach this particular Accepted. "I have had a talk with the Mistress of Novices and it would seem that you are in need of some lessons in etiquette. While this is not particularly a strong interest of mine, it is important for any sister to know how to properly behave in any circumstance." She embraced the Source and had two cups and the teapot, hot from the fire, floating towards them, pooring as they moved to her desk, and placed a cup before each of them.

 

"Let's see what I have to work with. Why don't you start by summarising what you know so far on the topic of etiquette."

 

She sat back and took a sip from her tea, meanwhile scrutinising the girl before her with undreadable eyes.

[keyholder21]

The Aes Sedai invited her to take a seat and Miahna did so promptly – perhaps to show herself that she could behave when she needed to, perhaps as a slight affront to the Mistress of Novices. While the Arafellin knew the reasons that she was taking this class, it didn’t mean that she had to like that she was taking the class. The Aes Sedai in front of her didn’t really have anything to do with it though, so Mimi tried her hardest to look interested as she sat across from the woman.

 

Mimi grimaced slightly and quickly as the Aes Sedai mentioned that Valeri Sedai had sought her out to teach Mimi about etiquette. Those bratty girls need someone to tell them that they are living in a fantasy world. Real life is tough and scrubbing the floors is going to be the least of their worries! Her mind raced furiously and she considered trying to explain herself to Carina Sedai. That would just be an obvious reason of why I need the lecture.

 

The Aes Sedai floated a cup of tea to Miahna’s outstretched hand, and the Accepted took it with a nod of thanks. It was not the superlative Saldaean tea that Valeri Sedai drank, but it was strong and had a good flavor. The Aes Sedai also hadn’t added any honey, sugar, or cream, for which Mimi was also grateful. Tea wasn’t tea with all the superfluous sweets people liked to add in.

 

The Brown leaned back in her seat, and posed a question. "Let's see what I have to work with. Why don't you start by summarizing what you know so far on the topic of etiquette?" Her face an unreadable mask, the Aes Sedai sipped her tea and waited for Miahna’s response.

 

Oh great. Miahna took another sip of her tea before looking into the Aes Sedai’s firm eyes and answering her question. “Apologies, Carina Sedai, but I do not know much. Most of what I know, I know due to the White Tower. I didn’t grow up in a city, in a palace; I grew up in an old farmhouse in a tiny village.” The Accepted paused, remembering the home where she grew up and her brothers and sisters. Blinking away unbidden tears that trembled at the corners of her eyes, she drew a breath and took another sip of tea. No water dripped down her cheeks, but she felt the embarrassment of the tears anyway.

 

“What I know is to treat those you respect honorably, to not chew with your mouth open, to cover yourself decently, to do what you say you’re going to do, and to raise a child to be someone you would be proud of. I don’t know if any of that is etiquette, but I suppose that’s the code I’ve learned to live by.”

[Mystica]

"And a good code it is," Carina nodded as the girl finished. "For common people" She added. "As Aes Sedai, however, you will be expected to handle yourself in every single type of situation and with every kind of person, regardless what strata of society they belong to. You will encounter peasants, fisherman, warriors, city folk but you will also receive invitations to noble houses, rulers and royal gatherings. Aes Sedai know how to blend in perfectly in each situation while upholding the highest standards as representatives from the White Tower. After all, it wouldn't do for a sister to shame herself, and consequently the Tower, in front of a king or queen and their entire audience, would it?" She smiled relaxedly, the thought of that being completely ridiculous.

 

"The tricky part is to find the balance between what's required and your own personality. Never forget that channeling does not alter someone's personality in the slightest. You will encounter many more sisters still once you gain the Shawl and with it many different characters who each behave different, on the surface, yet at the same time all will guard the image of the White Tower to ensure it's position in the world. Ours is a symbiotic relationship, sister to Tower." She noticed the bewildered look on Miahna's face and laughed slightly. "Don't worry, Miahna, all this will become clear in due time. I take it you remember your cultural lessons from the various nations?" Miahna nodded thoughtfully, though a bit hesitantly too. "As you have undoubtedly learned, each nation has it's own culture and typical behavior. There are a variety of speach, traditions and formal settings. Even the welcoming of a person can change from place to place. For our next session, I want you to review the nations Andor and Cairhien and be able to give me a summary of their culture." Getting up Carina motioned for Miahna to follow her and they moved to the balcony where a small table was set for dinner.

 

"Now, table manners are generally the same everywhere, especially for an Aes Sedai. Only the material and level of elaboration may differ depending whether you are eating in a farm or a palace. This table is set for a palace dinner. Can you identify the various objects on it and deduct their purpose?"

[keyholder21]

Miahna started to smile at the Aes Sedai’s approval of her code, but hurriedly dropped the corners of her mouth as the Aes Sedai finished her statement. For common people. The phrase rattled around in her head for a minute. I suppose that’s what we were, though our situation was far from common. Still, I don’t think I would have been able to survive at Rilanne’s estate with their fancy dresses and dinner parties. Mimi glanced down at her calloused hands. One glance at the Aes Sedai’s soft, beautiful fingers, told the Arafellin that in addition to her code, her hands were of common stock as well. She looked up as Carina Sedai continued. She spoke of how Sisters needed to know how to engage all levels of people – kings and queens, fishermen and warriors, city and country folk – and that she was the representation of the White Tower out in the world. In that way, I am more like a Kitchen scullion than an Aes Sedai.

 

The Brown Sister’s voice took on a lecturing tone as she explained about personality, gaining the Shawl, Aes Sedai acting on behalf of the Tower, and more. Mimi tried to keep up, but her brain didn’t seem to work as fast as Carina Sedai’s on this topic. Her emerald eyes grew round as she listened to the woman in front of her.

 

Carina Sedai seemed to notice her confusion and gave a small laugh. Assuring that the Arafellin would understand the speech eventually, the Brown took a different path. She assigned Miahna a paper on the cultures of Andor and Cairhein before motioning for the Accepted to follow her to the balcony opening at the back of the room.

 

This high up, there was a slight breeze. It swished around the hems of Carina and Miahna’s dresses; it rippled the ends of the Arafellin’s braids and the ends of the tablecloth. Though it was a bit chilly, Mimi welcomed the crisp air: it carried the scent of the river and enveloped her with more vigor.

 

Carina Sedai moved toward the table and waved her hand in front of it. "Now, table manners are generally the same everywhere, especially for an Aes Sedai. Only the material and level of elaboration may differ depending whether you are eating in a farm or a palace. This table is set for a palace dinner. Can you identify the various objects on it and deduct their purpose?”

 

The Accepted stared down at the table and blinked. She’d never seen a table that fancy. Who needs it set up like this? All you really need is a plate, fork, spoon, and knife. Maybe a bowl if you’re having stew… She glanced at the Aes Sedai, glanced at the table, and then back to the Sister again before answering.

 

“I notice the normal dinner items, Carina Sedai. The large plate, upon which to eat your dinner. The utensils are standard to eat with, though I don’t know what the large spoon and forks are for. I can deduce that they must have a special reason to be on the table. Perhaps certain foods are only to be eaten with a certain utensil? For that matter, I’m sorry, but I’ve no idea what the small plate is for. To the side, underneath the utensils is a towel to wipe your mouth, though I’ve never seen such an expensive one. The bowl is probably for stew. I know at least one of the glasses is for a drink, not sure what the other is used for, nor why is shaped differently – is that an important distinction?” Gazing down at the table, Miahna realized how truly clueless she was about how to behave in these wealthy affairs. It hadn’t ever been necessary, so she’d never learned. She had taken care of her parents and the housework so that her siblings had the chance to learn this etiquette business and have a chance to better themselves. When she’d pictured a fancy dinner, it had always been Tessa or Jenelle in the expensive dresses, Kagan, Cale, and Rolland in handsome suits. Her life had always existed solely around the farmhouse.

 

Obviously that had to change. Taking a deep breath, Miahna shut away the farmwife.

[Mystica]

Carina watched the girl more than she listened and her heart went out to her as she showed more and more signs of distress and uncertainty. If not for the noble family in Malkier taking her on to educate her all those years ago, she very much would have been in the same state. This type of ignorance was never laughed at, sneered at or belittled even by the most cruel of sisters, for the vast majority of the sisters had come from a very similar, or worse, background. Carina smiled at Miahna and motioned her to take a seat at the table while she seated herself opposit.

 

"Like most that came before you and undoubtedly most that will come after, you have part of it right, child." Carina spoke with a friendly, open and matter-of-fact voice. "Always remember, Miahna, only a fraction of the human population can learn to channel and only a very small portion of those are from noble background. There is no reason for shame here. So long as you are willing to learn, that is." Her eyes locked with the accepted's for a moment.

 

"The large plate at the bottom is not used for eating. It is a holding spot for the smaller dinner plate itself. It's purpose is two-fold, it protects the table cloth from spillage and indicates to the servants where to position the dinner plate. Some people prefer their plate close to the table edge, others prefer to have some room between the edge and their plate. By changing the position of the holding plate, they don't need to touch the actual dinner plate which is usually hot and moving it across the table cloth could increase the chance of spilling." She picked up the two glasses and raised the big, round one first, "this one is a water glass and this one," she raised the other one, "is a wine glass. Both will be filled, but you don't have to drink both or finish them. Should you finish either, however, the servants will automatically refill them. If you have enough, you simply make sure that you keep some in the glass to indicate you're done." She replaced the glasses on the table and picked up the large spoon and fork, "these are not to eat with. Sometimes the dish is such that you will get portions of it in different bowls and the idea is to take what you like and place it on your dinner plate yourself. These are for that purpose. The rest of the utensils follow the course of the meal, going from out to in going from entree to desert." She tapped the bowl with her finger and continued, "the bowl is filled with a scented water and used to clean your fingers after the meal."

 

She waited to let Miahna absorb it all and asked her to go over the items again, repeating what she had learned. The girl did not need a single correction. She had a very good mind. Carina smiled encouragingly. "From now on, you will dine with me every session of your lessons in etiquette and the table setting will be different each time. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be able to hold your ground in any circumstance." Her words were not fully out of her mouth as a knock came to the door and Carina called whoever it was to enter. Three servants entered, followed by two kitchen maids pushing a trolley on which food items were displayed. The servants positioned themselves. One took place behind the chairs of Carina and Miahna, the third took position next to the trolley after dismissing the maids. Their faces were clean of expression, blending in to the environment perfectly. Carina nodded at the man standing next to the trolley and he in turn nodded to the two man behind their chairs, who instantly and soundlessly stepped up to the trolley and picked up a small plate. They placed the plate on the plate holder in front of the women while the third man, obviously in charge, poored the wine and water.

 

 

OOC: I thought this might be a nice touch to teach Mimi the various table settings while discussing other etiquette issues.

[keyholder21]

ooc: I love it :)

 

 

---

 

Miahna welcomed the friendliness that Carina Sedai was displaying. Rather than snickering at the Accepted’s obvious unfamiliarity with proper etiquette, the Aes Sedai put off a vibe of understanding. Though gentility was not something that came particularly easy to Miahna, she was certainly willing to try her hand at it. If it was indeed something that she needed to know as an Aes Sedai, then she would not let these lessons be a waste of hers, nor the Brown’s time.

 

Taking the seat across the table from the Sitter, Miahna rolled her shoulders and let her body relax. Novice and Accepted training thus far had impressed upon the Arafellin that she must always put her best face forward in front of Aes Sedai, that failure was no option and that everything must look easy. To the contrary, the Brown Sister explained that most of the women in the Tower struggled with something when they arrived, many with this same lesson.

 

Locking her eyes with Miahna’s for a moment, Carina Sedai then launched into the explanation of the set table. A blush crept up the Accepted’s cheeks as she listened to how wrong she’d been. The large plate was a placeholder instead of the dinner plate, the larger utensils were for portion control, and the bowl was for cleaning your hands instead of stew…which seemed ridiculous and a tad rude to Miahna. What happened if your fingers were filthy, did you still use the water? She crinkled her nose at the bowl and glanced back at the Aes Sedai.

 

At the Sister’s behest, Mimi repeated the uses for every item on the table exactly. Pleased, Carina smiled across the table at her. The Accepted responded with a smile as the Aes Sedai continued the lesson, “From now on, you will dine with me every session of your lessons in etiquette and the table setting will be different each time. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be able to hold your ground in any circumstance."

 

Servants rolled a food cart in and positioned themselves around the women – one behind each dinner participant and one next to the cart. The men served the dinner silently before returning to their assigned places. Noticing Carina suggesting her onward with her eyes, Miahna picked up the furthest fork and lifted a bite to her lips.

 

The food was exquisite – much better than the food she ate in the dining area downstairs. Not that the food served to the Tower initiates was bad, it was actually very satisfying, but those meals were slop in comparison. The meat practically melted in the Arafellin’s mouth and the potatoes held such a succulent flavor that she had to hold back a sigh of contentment from escaping her lips. She wanted to taste it all, to shovel it into her mouth, but she reined her reflexes in and methodically took small, polite bites. Shouldn’t there be some kind of small talk? Miahna thought as she chewed. Her green eyes flitted around the balcony as if looking for something to talk about. Oh bloody flaming Light, I’ll just ask! Taking a sip of water, the Accepted cleared her throat quietly and broke the silence. “Carina Sedai, pardon me for interrupting the meal, but should I be talking in some fashion? I’ve heard some of the other Accepted - women from wealthier families – discussing what they call making ‘small talk’ at fancy functions. Is that something that would be necessary at a dinner like this?”

[Mystica]

"Under normal circumstances, yes. You will notice noble ladies engaging in small talk at dinner as well as other social gatherings, as it is considered polite for a noble woman to at least appear entertaining and interested in her dinner partners and social company. However," Carine grinned at Miahne with a mischievous glee in her eyes, "there are certain benefits to being Aes Sedai. As you undoubtedly know, there are quite a number of mysteries surrounding the residents of the White Tower to the outside world. An image we have maintained for three thousand years and one that offers a variety of benefits. One of which is that Aes Sedai are not expected to behave like normal noble women. While we are expected to know the rules of engagement in any society, Sisters are considered beyond and outside worldly society and as such are expected to have an air of mystique around them. This can work to our advantage, like at dinner parties." She laughed slightly, "No one will expect a Sister to engage in small talk, so you will be perfectly fine projecting an air of silent observation until you are addressed by others."

 

The waiters replaced their entree with the main course. A fine collection of roasted beef and deer with spring vegetables and young potatoes. The mistress of the kitchens had really outdone herself today and Carina made a mental note to send her compliments after the girl's lesson was done for the day.

[keyholder21]

The Accepted nodded as Carina Sedai explained that Aes Sedai were outside the normal restrictions of noble women. It made sense, really. The Sisters of the White Tower were unlike any other women in the world. They were free to make their own destinies, a luxury that a farmwife would never have. For the first time, Miahna felt truly happy that she’d left Arafel and come to the White Tower. While her guilt would return eventually, the Accepted reveled in her newfound freedom of the heart. She used her thumb to wiggle the gold Great Serpent ring on her left hand before returning her attention to the Brown Sitter.

 

The Aes Sedai laughed slightly when mentioning small talk, as if the very idea was preposterous. Instead of taking the laugh as an affront – which she may have done before the lesson – Miahna merely chuckled along with the older woman and sipped her wine. The burgundy liquid had a fruity aroma and tasted very elegant. The Arafellin could imagine the King and his court, or the Amyrlin drinking this wine as they grazed on their own dinners.

 

Mimi found that the wine soothed her nerves and that she actually felt the part of a noblewoman as she held the glass in her hand. She finished her glass and, she hoped, daintly placed the empty glass next to the nearly full water glass. The servant behind her chair moved forward and refilled her wine, the red liquid swirling out of the bottle until the glass was just under half full. The Brown Sister smiled at her in approval as Miahna picked up the fork on the end again and resumed eating the delicious food.

 

As they finished the main course, a question occurred to the Accepted. Swallowing her last bite, she took a small sip of water before posing it to the Sitter. “Carina Sedai,” she began, “you mentioned that nearly ever county, and perhaps even city, set a table differently. Which setting are we using for this meal?”

[Mystica]

Carina indulged the young woman in her wine, though it was not usually allowed for even those of the accepted to drink it unwattered. She had a feeling about this one and would be very surprised if Miahna were to take her drinking too far. She listened to the question and shook her head slightly before the girl was finished.

 

"Not every country, child. The difference in table settings is seen between the different layers of society. You will find most noble dinners to be laid out like this table, regardless the location you are. This is true for the general setting of a social gathering of nobles as well. The similarity in this comes from a long history of mingling between nobles from various nations, which has ensured a more or less similar approach to entertaining though each nation may give it's own touch to it in the details. Where one nation may use delicate porcelain, another may use crystal. But in essence, the setting will be the same. The further down the social ladder you go, the more differences you will meet between nations."

[keyholder21]

ooc: It's shorter than I would've liked, but here is a response :).

 

---

 

Gathering her notes, Miahna left the library and set off toward the Brown quarters. Though she had opposed the idea of etiquette lessons in the beginning, last week’s lesson had changed her mind considerably. The Sitter was very pleasant company, and she had kept the lesson interesting by providing a hands-on experience. It was something that the teachers in a non channeling class rarely did, and Mimi was glad that Carina Sedai had included that. The Arafellin was a kinesthetic learner and it did her wonders to actually do what was being discussed.

 

The hallways were bustling, girls clad in white dresses and women clad in banded dresses swept down the hall at a moderate or hurried pace. As she left the initiate quarters, the colors, styles, and fabrics of the dresses changed considerably. Aes Sedai generally wore more delicate materials, a variety of luscious colors, and styles worn all over the world. One would think that two decades or more in the starch white dresses Accepted and novices wore that the women would become used to the ‘inbetween’ style of the initiates. Instead, it seemed that each woman returned to the style of the country of her birth – or perhaps only one that she liked better.

 

Arriving at Carina’s door, Miahna knocked promptly. She heard a voice calling for her to enter. Smiling, Miahna entered and dropped a curtsy proper for a Sitter. The Brown sister smiled back at her and motioned for her to take a chair. Mimi obliged, this time taking the overstuffed chair as the Sitter watched her from the couch. It appeared that the Sister had been reading a large book, as it now sat on the cushion next to her. Tea sat on the table, two cups steaming with the bold Saldaean blend.

 

The Aes Sedai picked up a cup of tea. The Accepted took this as the beginning of the lesson. “Before we get started with this week’s lesson, Carina Sedai, I wanted to let you know that I have prepared a paper for you on the cultures of Andor and Cairhein. As I’m sure you know, there was plenty of information to find in the Library.” Mimi smiled once more and set the paper on the table. “I don’t think I missed anything significant, but please let me know if I did and I will rewrite the report with more pertinent information.” Taking a sip of the tea, Mimi almost sighed in delight. It was a rare pleasure to have actual Borderland tea. She would get spoiled if the Brown kept preparing it for her visits.

[Mystica]

ooc: sorry took so long, was a bit busy.

 

---

 

Carina had prepared a new dinner setting for today's lesson in etiquette with Miahna but she received the girl in her sitting area in front of the fireplace first. She watched her student settle herself in the chair and listened to her report. Nodding her aproval, she placed her cup on the table and sat back, loosely placing her arms on the chair's armrests. "Very well, Miahna. I will look over your work by our next session. Just put the paper on the table." The girl did so and Carina continued.

 

"You should already know the proper ways of conduct within the White Tower, so we'll not get in to those. Instead, we will address the manners of dealing with people that are hostile or unwelcoming to Aes Sedai. Name the ones you know and tell me how you would deal with them if you had to today."

[keyholder21]

The Accepted nodded as the Brown began to teach. She was, of course, correct that Mimi knew the ways to conduct herself in the White Tower. After all, if she didn’t, she wouldn’t have remained inside its walls. Taking another sip of her tea, Mimi prepared her response for the latter portion of Carina’s statement.

 

“What I know, Aes Sedai, I only know through books. The people of Arafel, at least in my village, were fond and in awe of Aes Sedai. Of course the home of the Whitecloaks, Amadicia, does not care for women who can channel. They are down right hostile. I suppose my reaction would depend on whether I was receiving them here, or they were receiving me there. Although I don’t think they would be very polite about that…I suppose I would treat them politely, but distantly. I wouldn’t want to incite a riot, but I must keep my composure and the air of command lest they decide they can command me.” Mimi paused, swallowing another bit of the dark liquid before she continued.

 

“I’ve also read that Tear and Far Madding do not care for channelers – Far Madding is even set inside a stedding, yet they do not trust channelers. I think I would be slightly warmer for these two places, though still remain aloof. You must be friendlier, so as not to tip the scales, but again, a Sister would need to maintain the sense of power that she carries with her.” Miahna cut her green eyes over to Carina, searching for correction or approval. Her stomach rumbled and she smiled ruefully, bringing the teacup to her lips to finish off the warm beverage.

 

ooc: Edited to add ooc. So I was reading back through the requirements and apparently I glossed over the fact that the class needs to be rped to completion. Don't have a problem with that, of course, I was just curious as to how much more will be in the class - again no rush, just curious.

Edited November 3, 2010 by keyholder21