What it means

[Matalina]

Aeronwy had been in the Mistress of Trainees office when a request came for a helpful hand. The Mistress of Trainees looked at Aeronwy and smiled as she sent Aeronwy off to find out what it was she was to do. It wasn't a horrid thing, really, but it was unexpected. An Aes Sedai needed extra hands to help her carry things while out in the woods. While she could have taken a Novice or Accepted, she had requested a Tower Guard or trainee.

 

Aeronwy was glad to be going out of the tower with the Aes Sedai. She would do her duty well. She had to get use to this after all. Aeronwy knocked on the Aes Sedai's door in question. With a call to enter, she did so. Aeronwy dropped a quick curtsy. "I'm Aeronwy Zillah, the Mistress of Trainee's sent me to assist you on the journey today. I hope I can be of help."

 

Aeronwy hoped it would be a grand adventure.

[Mystica]

"Don't worry, Lellwyn, I will get the plants you need. You just concentrate on your patients, you'll have your hands full with them from what I've seen passing through the infirmary." Carina followed the Yellow sister to her door and watched her leave the Brown quarters with hurried steps. Lellwyn was one of those other sisters that had quite a brown streak in her but ultimately had chosen for a more hands-on approach of her interests. It was a good thing, really, Carina felt. The Tower needed the diversity of the various Ajahs and their individual focus. Only so could all necessary elements come together to form a healthy and balanced unit.

 

She wrote a note to the Mistress of Trainee, requesting one of the Tower Guard trainees to assist her in her work. Normally she would have gotten one of the Accepted, but she felt obligated to contribute to the Tower Guard every once and a while. The Light knows those men and women serving as Guards did quite a lot for the sisters, so it was only right that the sisters did something back. Offering a variation in their training was a very small way to do just that. Sending a novice with the note off, she started her preparations for the trip. Lellwyn had been on the edge of her nerves, not being able to go herself and had repeated the things Carina had to watch for five times.

 

A knock on the door brought her back to reality and she bade whoever it was to enter. A young woman, dressed as a Tower Guard trainee, entered and announced she was sent to assist Carina. She blinked a few times, looking at the clock on the wall next to the door. Where had the time gone?

 

"Very well, Aeronwy." She replied to the girl, "Let me get my cloak and bag and we'll be off." Rummaging in one of her cupboards her voice was barely understandable as she asked the girl some questions.

 

"Have you any experience in the woods, Aeronwy? What about your knowledge of plants and herbs? It won't matter if you don't know anything, but it will help for me to know what I have to work with. Ah!" Dragging out a shaggy looking bag, she started to fill it up with books, small empty bags, a notebook and some pencils.

[Matalina]

Aeronwy wasn't sure what she'd heard from the sister until she spoke directly at her, mostly questions about her knowledge. She waited with the sister packed her bags. Was she suppose to carry these? Is that what she was here for? Aeronwy tried not to frown but when prompted to reply Aeronwy smiled. "I've been a survivalist for many years. My mother was herbologist and alchemist, my father a Hawker. We survived off the land. I know my way around the woods and a good bit about the plants near my home, and what Mother grew. I'm not sure what I can do around Tar Valon, but I'm sure I can assist you."

 

Aeronwy wasn't sure how much assistance she'd be able to offer since she didn't know the surrounding area despite knowing what her mother taught her. She wondered what her role would be, would it be all carrying things, or actually helping with the duties the Aes Sedai was about. Aeronwy wasn't sure what her perception of a Warder or Tower Guard was. She wasn't sure what it was suppose to be. All she knew it seemed to be a glamorous life and she wanted to help serve.

 

Aeronwy took the bags handed to her. They weren't all heavy but the Sister has more than enough with her as it was, she didn't mind assisting. Though she was pretty sure she had the bulk of the books - strength training at it's finest. Aeronwy followed a discrete distance, she wasn't sure what the protocol was for such things. There was so much to learn. So much to learn.

[Mystica]

Carina listened to the woman outlining her experience and background and nodded while she clipped on her cloak. "Good, your skills and knowledge will come in handy." Handing her the majority of the bags, she opened the door and they headed off towards the Tower's stables. "We're headed towards a forrest between the Black Hills and the Mountains of Mist. Our mission is to seek and collect a number of plants for Lellwyn Sedai's medicinal studies." They passed a stream of novices and accepted, bobbing curtsies at Carina and eyeing the warder trainee curiously while trying not to be seen doing any such thing. Leaving the Tower by one of the side entrances, Carina noticed that Aeronwy kept up while at the same time keeping back. The girl was obviously sensitive to showing proper behavior. Carina hoped it wouldn't mean she would be too intimidated to have a normal conversation. It would take them about two weeks to reach their destination.

 

"It's fortunate you know so much about life in a forrest, Aeronwy" She said conversationaly, "We'll be able to forage instead of having to take our food with us, which will leave more room in our bags to carry the plants back to the Tower." They reached the stables where a groom had already readied her stallion, Sorei, and for Aeronwy she had prepared a frisky mare. "I take it you know how to ride, Aeronwy?" Carina asked, hoping the woman had some decent riding skills.

[Matalina]

"That would be good. I do miss a good hunt." Aeronwy waved off the mare that was being offered. "If it's all the same with you I'd rather take my own mare, Anna." Aeronwy set to saddling the mare and heard the familiar cry from above. Jack was waiting in the beams. He looked almost excited as he saw Aeronwy mount her horse. "I think Jack is excited to be going on a trip too." She motioned to the merlin falcon up in the rafters. "He'll be a good help proving us some meat. I hate to be a bother, but can I stop by my room to grab my things, if we are going that far, I will at least need my bow and more for other protection just in case." Aeronwy had no delusions of being well trained, but her bow would come in handy for hunting, and stopping the rogue wolf or two. She knew she wouldn't be able to do alot of defending and wondered aloud, "Would it be prudent to bring someone of more skill with us, just in case we are caught off guard. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself in a fight, but I've never protected anyone before."

 

Carina shrugged it off. "I'm sure the Mistress of Trainees wouldn't have sent you if she thought you would need help." Aeronwy nodded. "I'll get my things quickly."

 

Aeronwy hurried to her room in the barracks and grabbed her bow and sword with a quiver full of arrows. She donned her cloak and grabbed her travel pack with a change of clothes and some soap. There was much to think about and she didn't want to forget anything, but she knew she would, she always did, maybe there would be a town on their way and Aeronwy would be to get anything they forgot to bring.

 

Aeronwy smiled at her new companion, "I'm sure I forgot something we may need, but we can make do if necessary." Aeronwy mounted Anna and Jack flew in circles above them. Aeronwy smiled at the familiar sight. Carina Sedai lead the way out of the gates, but once out of the way of the tower and a good ways from the city Aeronwy urged her mare closer to her companions, it didn't make do to act like a servant now, it was going to be a long journey. Aeronwy whistled and Jack flew to her shoulder and nuzzled her cheek. She was content.

[Mystica]

Carina watched as the bird settled on Aeronwy's shoulder. It was a beautiful falcon and the Brown was happy to see her companion having such a good relation with the animal. With her own affinity towards forrest creatures and horses, Carina had a slightly higher trust in people that did good with animals. Foolish, perhaps, considering the Dark One used certain animals as well, but there you have it.

 

They rode at an easy pace and she was happy to see the girl moving to join her instead of remaining behind the whole trip. "That's a fine looking falcon, Aeronwy. How did he come to be your companion?"

[Matalina]

Aeronwy smiled at the question. "I trained him from birth. My father ran a bird of prey training facility for nobels and hunters. I helped train many of them, but I've always had my own that was completely my responsibility. Jack is my third bird of prey. I suppose when Jack is too old I'll have to go home and get another fledgling to train, hopefully I'll be able to do that then, I know my time is better spent training with my weapons." Aeronwy smiled. "But Jack can be a weapon too, we've never trained them in such a way, but I wouldn't see the difference between training them to hunt animals to attacking humans and shadowspawn." Did Aeronwy just find her calling?

 

"What types of things are we looking for? I've never been this far east before so I'm unfamiliar with the plants. Perhaps a little studying on the way could help me be of more help to you." Jack fluttered off into the sky, he preferred to fly. Aeronwy watched as he took flight. Anna whinnied.

 

OOC: I figure one more post from you about the studying and then we can fast forward a bit to a night camping out and provide some other Epiphanies for Aeronwy hehe.

[Mystica]

OOC: sounds good to me :)

 

Carina nodded at the suggestion that the bird could be an asset in tight situations and she certainly could see the benefits of having one along. Still, when people became too used to relying on certain things (or people) they tended to let their own guard down compared to the vigilance they would have when they were used to relying on their own skills. She kept quiet though, not wanting to dismiss the woman's excitement and Carina did not know how long Aeronwy had been in her Guard training yet. There was almost as much for them to learn as any novice.

 

"We're looking for five different types of plants" Carina responded to the question. She floated one of the bags to her hand and rummaged in it without bothering to check on where Sorei was going. The stallion knew where they were going and needed no guiding, though they usually kept up appearances to avoid questioning looks or open inquiries. For Aeronwy it looked probably that the stallion was following the pace and direction it was already walking in, so Carina did not see any danger in it. She took out a book from the bag and then floated it back to it's place in the saddle bag. Handing the book to Aeronwy, she continued "the five plants you find on page two hundred and forty three are the ones we are looking for. I haven't seen them myself yet, but the research is clear that they are quite common in the forrest we're headed."

[Matalina]

For the next few hours Aeronwy looked at the book Carina provided and they discussed the items on the list. They were new to her, her mother hadn't taught her about them. She asked questions about their purpose and what they were suppose to be used for and what things to look out for that might grow with them. Many good plants lived with in plants that were bad to you. It was a symbiotic relationship.

 

The pair's shadows started to grow long and Aeronwy started looking for suitable camp sites along the side of the road. She knew what to look for, she'd done it many times before coming to the Tower. Aeronwy remembered spending most of her life in the woods after leaving home, she felt much more comfortable there. Why had she decided to come to the Tower again? Glory, adventure, service? Aeronwy was happy doing what she was doing now.

 

Aeronwy nodded to a clump of trees that would serve as adequate protection from the elements. "I think we should set up camp over there. It's getting late and we should probably try to find something to supplement our meal out here. I can set a trap for a rabbit for tomorrow, but I doubt we'll catch one tonight. Some of the plants in the area are likely edible, we might fight a new delicacy here in the woods."

 

Carina nodded, she didn't mind the idea of stopping, Aeronwy thought, she also wondered if Aes Sedai got tired as quickly as other people. But she didn't help with camp. Aeronwy wondered if this was part of being a Warder, or was she just letting her do the work for some other reason. Aeronwy thought things weren't as glorious as she had thought in the Tower. It was a lot of work training, and the stories never told you about the day to day stuff while out on an adventure. Aeronwy wasn't sure this was for her, but she wasn't about to quit either. She'd have to see how far she could go maybe it would get better.

[Mystica]

They had a nice ride, talking about the plants and made good progress. They didn't come across many travelers on the road and those that did were polite and discrete, giving a Sister the pass of the road before continuing on their path. She informed Aeronwy that the purpose of the plants was yet to be determined, but the Yellows seem to think that they had quite a number of medicinal powers which they wanted to study. Some Yellows, she should say, for quite a lot of them found herbs and plants beneath their dignity, but she kept that to herself. The woman was a trainee, not her warder, after all. Those that wanted to study them had made a habbit of studying herbs and plants and distribute that knowledge to the wisdoms and wise woman around the world to help them improve their craft in healing people. Sisters could not be everywhere at once, after all, even if some people seemed to think they could.

 

Carina had long since been informed of what was expected of trainees from the Tower Guard who accompanied an Aes Sedai and though she found it difficult to stop her itching fingers to help out, she knew it was essential that they learned all aspects of being a Guard and of what would be part of their lives if they ever became a Warder. Many young men and women joined the Tower Guard with grand dreams and fantasies about epic battles and legendary heroics, only to be discouraged by the rather mundane aspects of the life. She didn't enjoy killing that youthful enthusiasm, but she knew it was absolutely essential to temper it with a more down-to-earth insight. Enthusiasm killed more men and women than stupidity.

 

She nodded as Aeronwy suggested the campsite and was pleased to notice that the woman indeed seemed to know what she was doing. She was obviously well trained in these matters. True to her intentions, Carina did not help with setting up the camp but instead too position on one of the logs and emerged herself in the books. The camp was set up in short order and Aeronwy moved with the practiced air of someone who knew what she was about.

 

"What made you decide to become a Tower Guard?" Aeronwy asked when they were sitting around the fire, eating their humble dinner.

[Matalina]

Everyone seemed to be curious about that for some reason. Everyone wanted to know why she joined. And in her honest opinion now she really didn't know. It had a lot to do with what she saw in an inn one day. An Aes Sedai and her Warder in the inn at a table, they looked like they'd been through an adventure. Aeronwy spoke to them briefly before hurring off to her place in the stable with Anna and Jack. She didn't have the money to say in a room proper, and she actually had felt more comfortable with her companions anyway.

 

"I honestly don't know." It was a spur of the moment decision, one that she would follow through. "I know I'm here to learn to be a better warrior. If I stay to become a Tower Guard or a Warder then it happens. I just want to learn to be better. Sure the stories make being a Warder a good adventurous profession and it may have been a reason for my prompt decision, but I'm here to better myself."

 

Aeronwy didn't know what she wanted to hear, but it was the truth of the matter.

 

It was getting late. Aeronwy spoke hoping she wasn't being too presumptuous. "It's getting late, we should probably get some sleep if you want to go at dawn." Aeronwy didn't waite for an answer as she laid down and looked up at the night sky. This was definately an eye opening experience.

 

OOC: If you want you can fast forward to their arrival at the place you want to start looking.