Ordinary Chore Attn: Miahna

[minisamus]

Hair on the head is so beautiful, but why does hair which is no longer part of our bodies seem so horrid?

 

She was in crumpled novice whites, cleaning on the 22nd floor, scrubbing a wall of the corridor.

 

The noise of the bell drowned out Rydia’s sigh. She was feeling more than a little irritated, and still carried with her the sleepiness of having just been roused out of bed. Being tired made tower life a little more difficult than normal. She had been overdoing it on classwork and novice activities lately. Having to force herself in lessons was one thing, but for a chore . . . she found that time spent regrettable.

 

She jumped around, her unkempt hair showing her lack of sleep. In addition to the cleaning tools, Rydia was holding a big complaint because she was hoping to sleep until noon on her free day.

 

At least the hall was warm. The water was icy cold though. She wished she could heat up the water with saidar, but did not have permission to do so.

 

She slowly became aware of the sound of soft slippered steps falling in from behind.

 

“Did the browns send you too?” She asked, cleaning the brush in a bucket of clean water. “I can change your water if you do not know where the lavatory is.”

 

She turned, not at all expecting the multicoloured hem that greeted her eye. Morning light seeped through the windows, outlining the accepted’s face. Rydia couldn’t make out her expression but, did not honestly care. Her split-second glare swept over the young woman with braids, before she went back to work on the wall.

 

“Never mind. I’ll try to finish up quickly so we can both pack up and go back to bed." Rydia said, cross and tired as she closely examined the area she had just cleaned.

 

She found another hair.

 

“Aaaah,” she said.

Rydia Burgess

Novice of the White Tower

[keyholder21]

Her day had begun well enough – Mimi had risen out of bed at the same time she always did, scrubbed and dressed herself in the same amount of time she always used, replaited her hair and replaced the bells in the normal time, and left her room with the intent of studying in the Library as she often did on her free day.

 

Once in the halls, however, things had turned decidedly different. Instead of the normal stream of women going to and fro, Miahna found a group clustered in the hallway. The group spread from one wall to the other, making it very difficult for anyone to get by. Frowning, the Arafellin tried to push her way through with claims that she “just wanted to get to the Library!” It was no use though, the group wouldn’t budge. Still frowning, the Accepted altered her course and pushed to the middle of the group. Let’s see what all the fuss is about.

 

Her eyebrows climbed nearly to her hairline as she found two women – girls really, by the way they were acting – in the middle of the circle. They both looked worse for wear as they wrestled on the ground, screaming insults and pulling at each other’s hair. The collective crowd gasped as the thicker of the two grabbed her opponent’s wrist and bit down hard, making the other woman yelp and let go. Rather than end the fight though, the raven haired girl dove for the thicker’s feet, tackling the woman to the marble floors.

 

Miahna took a deep breath and then strode to the middle of circle. “That is enough!” She stated loudly. The group of other Accepted and novices, thankfully mostly novices, looked at her sheepishly as red crept into their cheeks. At least they know that they’ve been wrong. Pushing back an errant hair, the Arafellin opened her mouth to chide the younger women when she heard a cool voice from behind.

 

“That is quite enough.” The voice said sternly. Every set of eyes leaped from the Accepted to what Miahna assumed was an Aes Sedai behind her. Turning, she found her assumption correct, though it wasn’t Valeri Sedai as she would’ve thought. A stately Brown stood there, her hands crossed over her bosom and her face a thundercloud.

 

After dressing down the group and sending the lot to Valeri Sedai’s office, the Sister motioned for Mimi to join her. She explained that it had been a grand idea to stop the women, however, she could only imagine what had been ready to come out of the Arafellin’s mouth. “Stopping the group is within the realm for Accepted – chiding or punishing the group need only come from an Aes Sedai.” She gazed intently at Mimi as she continued, “As you had not yet done either, I will not punish you in this regard. However, I will give you practice at managing people and situations. There is much to be learned by supervision.” She ushered Miahna forward and walked alongside her as she issued her instructions.

 

“There is a novice on the twenty second floor. I don’t think you need to know why she is there, but ...she will give you some practice as how to properly oversee a potentially escalating situation. Are you done with these?” Taking the books out of Miahna’s hands, she turned around and walked down the previously packed – now empty – hallway toward the Library.

 

You sure you’re not a Gray? Giving me this kind of assignment? Miahna thought toward the retreating Aes Sedai. Rolling her eyes, the Accepted turned to the nearest staircase to haul herself up to the twenty second floor.

 

Regaining her breath, Mimi glided down the hall as she’d practiced, until she found a girl in novice whites on her knees muttering to herself. She looked down; the girl looked up. “Did the browns send you too?” She asked, cleaning the brush in a bucket of clean water. “I can change your water if you do not know where the lavatory is. Never mind. I’ll try to finish up quickly so we can both pack up and go back to bed.”

 

Go back to bed? I don’t remember ever sleeping this late as a novice, let alone as an Accepted! Clearing her throat, the Arafellin moved to the other side of the novice so she could see her more clearly and crossed her arms. “I don’t think there will be any ‘going back to bed.’ I was sent up here to supervise you.” She resisted the scowl that threatened to twist her mouth down and slid down the wall to sit on a dry patch of floor. “So, while you’re scrubbing – what did you do to get yourself, and me, sentenced here?”

[minisamus]

". . ."

 

Rydia frowned.

 

As far as she knew, there wasn't anything that deserved punishment apart from the time when she turned in a late assignment because she had fallen asleep before completing it . . . But she had already gone to see Valeri Sedai about that. Rydia's frown deepened, remembering.

 

What are the aes sedai playing at this time? Really, they're already past that age for games.

 

When is the hunt going to end? That thought flashed past her. She felt like a hunter who had turned into the prey.

 

Rydia's gaze moved down from wall tiles to the accepted sitting. She peered with marked impatience.

 

Ah, this is a headache.

 

Why was she being supervised for such a (tedious but) simple task?

 

And why did the accepted think it was due to something Rydia had done?

 

Irritation rose in her.

 

It wasn't dissatisfaction so much as anger.

 

Rydia was angry.

 

"Nothing," Rydia said, moving to the left to scrub at a particularly stubborn bit of the floor so she didn't have to look at the accepted anymore.

 

Then, "Ah!" Rydia stepped back and almost slipped on a wet spot on the floor. The other caught her wrist, helping her back to balance "careful."

 

"Thanks" Rydia muttered "I'm Rydia. I don't know what I've done, but could it have been something to do with you? I hear they give newly raised accepted a hard time."

 

Rydia Burgess

Novice of the White Tower

 

Ooc: Hope the slight NPC with the fall is alright. There should be some continuation to the conversation in the chore after all, so I think an introduction might be in order x]

[keyholder21]

Ooc: Not a problem to have Mimi catch her – I would’ve had her do so :). Not sure where you wanted (if you had an idea heh) the conversation to go, so I just whipped something off the top of my head. If you want to change it, that works too!

 

---

 

Mimi sat against the cool stone wall, staring at the novice as the girl scrubbed the floor. The Accepted’s fingers twitched to help the girl, but she resisted. The Brown had sent her to supervise, not to help, as ridiculous as it was to have Miahna watch a novice scrub a floor. Apparently the Aes Sedai didn’t have anything better to assign her. If breaking up the group was the right thing to do, why am I stuck up here ‘managing’ this girl? Mimi rolled her eyes and breathed a deep sigh.

 

“Nothing,” the novice said in response to Miahna’s question. The Arafellin quirked an eyebrow at the girl’s sullen tone. She had to have done something… Opening her mouth to respond, Miahna abruptly closed it and lurched to her feet. Nearly falling herself, Mimi caught the girl as she slipped on the wet stone.

 

“Careful,” she muttered, releasing the girl’s wrist and relaxing her shoulders. It probably wouldn’t have been anything that a Yellow couldn’t fix, but it had still made her nervous. Maybe that’s why she’d been sent up here to supervise.

 

"Thanks" the girl muttered back. "I'm Rydia. I don't know what I've done, but could it have been something to do with you? I hear they give newly raised accepted a hard time."

 

Mimi frowned. Could it be a test for her instead? “Nice to make your acquaintance Rydia, I’m Miahna. I suppose it could have something to do with me, although I don’t think so in this case since you were here scrubbing before I was sent up here. Even before the reason I was sent up here, probably.

 

It looks like you’re nearly done, although that spot you’re working on right now seems particularly stubborn. Let me heat that water for you.” Embracing sweet Saidar, the Accepted channeled a tiny lick of Fire into the bucket, until it was warmed to a comfortable temperature. “Cold water can’t do any good for you, nor for stubborn dirt. I’ve had my fair share of scrubbing floors both before the Tower and once I arrived here. Tell me, how did you come to be at the White Tower?”

Edited November 8, 2010 by keyholder21

[minisamus]

Miahna thinks I've done something.

 

Though it was a staggeringly hard opinion had to accept, Rydia's head was lowered and she did not argue. She just kept her head down, scrubbing at the same spot. Her body felt heavy, as though she were feeling all of her exhaustion at once. She recalled the aes sedai leaving the room with her skirts swishing after waking and assigning Rydia to this task. Was it really something she had done?

 

At least her back was still turned so the accepted couldn't read her expression. Rydia wasn't sure what expression she was wearing at the moment, but it probably wasn't very nice to look at.

 

Do students only get chores when they're being punished, even the accepted?

 

Rydia was angry that the free day had failed her expectations. Of course, one reason was that she held too much expectation, to want to sleep past noon. Normally she'd just laugh off the chore, but not today.

 

Then the accepted spoke again, and Rydia sensed more than saw the thread of fire wrapping around the bucket of water.

 

"Thanks." Rydia pondered, pondering in her confusion at the act of understanding and kindness how to respond. She did like warm water.

 

Finally she knew what to ask.

 

"Um. You mentioned before there was a reason for you to be sent up here?" Picking up the brush, and feeling very thankful for the warm water in the bucket to use this time, Rydia continued to work. She was feeling better about the situation already. Plus, there was only half a wall left to clean. "Also, please tell me that accepted no longer have to scrub floors and walls! How can it possibly help with discipline and character?" Even using a brush, her knuckles felt dry and raw from the soap. One could not have beautiful skin this way . . .

[keyholder21]

Mimi stood, leaning against the wall as she channeled the water warm. The girl murmured a short thanks as she redunked her brush. The Accepted almost heard a contented sigh at the feel of warm water versus the icy cold that it must have been. Who would give this child a bucket of cold water to clean a grimy floor? She frowned, recalling Rydia’s suggestion that this was a punishment for Miahna rather than the novice. Of course that wasn’t the case, but was the girl really assigned this task when having done nothing? From what the Arafellin could recall, the floors in an out of the way area of the Tower were usually saved for novices or Accepted that deserved a meaningless chore.

 

"Um. You mentioned before there was a reason for you to be sent up here? Also, please tell me that accepted no longer have to scrub floors and walls! How can it possibly help with discipline and character?" The novice said frustratedly, pushing the brush against the water hard, bending the bristles with the force of her irritation.

 

Mimi gave a snort at the girl’s last statement. “Sorry to tell you, but Accepted have all that the novices do and more, it’s just more obvious why we’re given certain tasks. As for the discipline and character, well, I think that depends on the woman.” She scratched her cheek as an itch blossomed on the right side of her face and she stared at the wall as Rydia finished her cleaning. “All that said, I’m still trying to think of why the Brown sent me up here – I had been on my way to the Library.”

 

The Accepted nodded, satisfied, as the novice stepped away from the wall and it sparkled in the growing sunlight. “You did a good job Rydia, if this was all that was requested of you, I don’t see any reason that you couldn’t go back to sleep after you return the bucket and sponge.”

[minisamus]

" . . . Ha" Rydia replied. She lifted her head and saw Miahna standing over her, nodding.

 

They had the same reason for being here. A chore. Rydia cocked her head as she calculated the intent behind the accepted's presence. Though she didn't know Miahna's intent, she was sure the accepted had some sort of purpose. Or maybe the aes sedai just felt like sending the accepted here to supervise a mundane task? No, but even Miahna said the reason was usually more obvious for the accepted.

 

The plan seemed obvious. To gather more information about the accepted, and then assess the situation once again to see if anything will get cleared up. Coming back from returning the bucket and cleaning brush, Rydia called the other as she was preparing to leave the room.

 

"Shall we go together? Now that I'm no longer sleepy I could use some time in the library for studying too."

 

What was the worse that could happen? Miahna could refuse, but refusals were nothing regrettable.

 

Rydia Burgess had never let refusal stop her from getting her way before, and wasn't planning on letting it get to her this time.