The adventure of novicehood begins

[poetstorm]

((OOC: Hope I’m doing this right! ^^}}

 

Caillean still couldn’t get over the amazing vastness and splendor of Tar Valon, and then there was the tower. Light, she had never seen anything like it, and stories did it no justice. In fact she has been so awe struck and so overwhelmed by everything that once she had gotten distracted and almost became lost in the crowds of people going to and fro. And to think that only a month and a half ago she was excited to be going to Whitebridge and to see a big city. Caillean almost laughed at herself. Now this, this was a big city.

 

Eventually she found herself entering the tower. Girls in white dresses scurried back and forth in quick steps curtseying often along the way. Perhaps they were servants, but Caillean found it odd that their servants were all girls. Her wide eyes wandered from person to person and hall way to hallway examining tapestries hanging on the walls, and the faces of those that passed her. A hand on her shoulder startled her. They had stopped in front of a door. Caillean looked up expectantly at the woman who had brough her here as butterflies began fluttering in her stomach once more. She wasn’t quite sure if actually being her excited her or completely terrified her. Maybe it was a bit of both.

 

“We are here child. The office of the mistress of novices lies behind that door. Remember what I told you. The life of a novice is hard, and the life of an Aes Sedai is even harder in some ways. Be diligent and work hard and you will do well. Good luck to you.”

 

She smiled for a quick second, one of few times the woman ever let emotion cross her face. But it was a comfort to Caillean. Discarding decorum for a moment she turned and hugged the woman. “Thank you…for everything.”, she said as she let her go and picked up her things again. She held tight to her small bundle, wrapped up in Jorin’s gleeman cape. The Aes Sedai took her leave quickly blending in with the crowd and Caillean was on her own.

 

She had never felt so small standing there alone with a white knucled grip on her only possessions, but there was also a feeling like she was on the verge of a great adventure. I just need to think of this as an adventure. What would Jain Farstrider do? What would Brigitte do?, she thought to herself. They wouldn’t stand here trembling outside the door. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves she reached out and knocked on the door.

Edited February 15, 2011 by poetstorm

[Amadine]

"There, there child" Valeri soothed. Stroking her hair Valeri encouraged her, "Come now child, i know you miss your mother, but think of how far you have coming in your training. Already you can embrace the One Power at will."

 

Sometimes Valeri truly felt that fourteen was just too young, especially for girls of outlying areas. Their upbringings seemed so much more shelted than those of city girl. This one was feeling incredibly homesick just now.

 

The child sniffled and dried her eyes, "Now child, go on down to the kitchen. Mistress Laras is baking honeycakes today, tell her i said you may have two, then back to your lessons."

 

The child smiled and rose from her seat. Valeri opened the door for the lass just as someone knocked on it, she bade the crying Novice farewell and took in the appearance of the weary child standing in the doorway.

 

Smiling she spoke, "Good morning child, I am Valeri Sedai, won't you come in? You may take a seat there." Valeri indicated the chair place in front of her deak that the sobbing Novice had vacated just moments before.

 

Taking her own seat behind the large ornate desk she said, "What brings you to the White Tower child?"

 

Valeri Kinaea

Mistress of Traditional Novices

[poetstorm]

To Caillean's surprise the door opened just as she was knocking and a young girl around her age left with tears in her eyes as if she had been crying. She gave the girl a brief friendly smile, wondering what had gotten her so upset. Then Caillean's eyes focused on the woman standing before her. She had the same ageless looking face marking her as Aes Sedai. Reminding herself of her manners she dropped into a curtsy. She was suddenly and acutely aware that there was dust from the road on her shoes and the bottom of her skirt, and her hair was a windblown mess.

 

"Good morning child, I am Valeri Sedai, won't you come in?"

 

Caillean followed the woman into an office that was ornate yet cozy and sat down in the single chair on the other side of the desk. Her mind was running a mile a minute and she felt slightly breathless from anxiety but she managed to keep it from showing except for perhaps a tighter grip on the armrests than was really necessary. Light, I'm actually here. This is really happening. Do I really want to go through with it? I wonder what my parents would think of me if I really became Aes Sedai... A myriad of thoughts ran through her mind in that second.

 

"What brings you to the White Tower child?"

Well Ma'am...I mean Valeri Sedai, I'm here to learn to...channel and to help people." she still wasn't completely comfortable saying that word. Caillean absentmindedly picked at her skirt as she continued on. "A very kind sister found me when I was lost in Whitebridge and one night she was telling me about the white tower and decided to try something. She did something with a little stone or crystal, and amazingly it lit up! When she explained to me that I lit up the stone myself I was so surprised! And here I am."

 

Caillean could still remember that night. Cold and in the rain she had been so grateful when the woman paid for a night at the inn since they already had someone to perform. And as they sat together over warm stew Caillean had asked about what it was like to be Aes Sedai. One thing led to another and seemingly for lack of something better to do, the woman had decided to test her. Truthfully she had admired the woman, her calm and grace, the ay she always seemed to know the answers and was sure of herself, and the way she did little things to help people. If I could become more like her I think I would like that., she thought. Bu the stories often had a different opinion of Aes Sedai.

Edited February 20, 2011 by poetstorm

[Amadine]

As the lass explained who she was and how she had come to the White Tower Valeri set about making tea. Just as she carried the teapot and a pair of fine Seafolk porcelain teacups back across her study and set them on the desktop the child said, "She did something with a little stone or crystal, and amazingly it lit up! When she explained to me that I lit up the stone myself I was so surprised! And here I am."

 

Valeri lifted the teapot and poured tea for each of them. As she set a teacup in front of the girl Valeri replied, "Ah so you have been tested, that is good. This is a fine Saldaean blend of tea child, you must be tired from your journey. Take a moment to enjoy your tea."

 

Valeri lifted her own cup and inhaled the heady scent. It always did remind her of home. She sipped the tea then leaned back in her chair, "Now you seem keen to join us in the White Tower child, but first you must tell me your name." Valeri smiled, potential initates often forgot to introduce themselves in their excitement of being inside the White Tower.

 

"Now then child, have you any questions about the White Tower or becoming a Novice before we continue?"

 

Valeri lifted her cup back to her mouth and sipped.

 

Valeri Kinaea

Mistress of Traditional Novices

[poetstorm]

Caillean gratefull acepted the teacup, feeling its warmth at her fingers and breathing in the wonderful scent. "Thank you Valeri Sedai." She took a second to breathe in the aroma then took a sip and felt the warmth spread nearly down to her toes. There was something about hot tea that made you feel more relaxed.

 

"Now you seem keen to join us in the White Tower child, but first you must tell me your name."

 

Her cheeks flushed pink when she realized she hadn't even properly introduced herself. My first day here and I've got wool for brains! "Oh, how silly of me! My name is Caillean Windham ma'am. I'm from a village not far from WHitebridge in Andor." She was so far from home surely they would not know of the smaller towns and villages. Whitebridge seemed to be the best landmark.

 

"Now then child, have you any questions about the White Tower or becoming a Novice before we continue?"

 

Oh Caillean had plenty of qestions. But the problem was she knew so little that she wasn't even sure where to start. "Valeri Sedai, what is it like to be Aes Sedai? Are you glad you chose to become Aes Sedai? And is it scary to channel? Oh, and is it true that Aes Sedai could actually fly in the age of legends?" The questions just came rolling off her tongue. She still felt uneasy even saying the word "channel". The idea both frightened and intrigued her at the same time that she was ghoing to learn. And then there were all the amazing legends that she found so interesting and exciting. How close were they to real life?

 

Realizing she had babbled enough questions to try anyone's patience she stopped herself and took a sip of tea, looking up expectantly, and a bit sheepishly at the Mistress of Novices.

[Amadine]

"Valeri Sedai, what is it like to be Aes Sedai? Are you glad you chose to become Aes Sedai? And is it scary to channel? Oh, and is it true that Aes Sedai could actually fly in the age of legends?"

 

Valeri smiled at the barrage of questions bubbling from Caillean's lips. "To be Aes Sedai is to be in control at all times child," Valeri replied mildly, "Yes i am glad i became Aes Sedai and not channelling is wonderful not scary. And apparently so, perhaps you shall find time someday to study the small collection of works in the futture the White Tower Library has on the Age of Legends."

 

Reaching down into the desk drawer Valeri withdrew the Book of Novices. The aged leather creaked as she open the large book to the latest entries. Smiling at Caillean she spoke, "Caillean, can you tell me your full name, place of birth and age."

 

Valeri entered the details as Caillean spoke. She finished the entry with the flourish of her own signature. Setting the pen down she looked up to Caillean, "Welcome to Tar Valon Caillean Windham, Welcome to the White Tower Novice Caillean."

 

Valeri fetched out a pair of Novice dresses, shifts and the other essentials a new Novice would need. She finished a small wooden token from a jar on her desk and handed it the lass seated before her. "Take this to the seamstresses and they will measure you and sew you further items as you require them."

 

"Now, is there anything further you'd like to know before i have someone show you to your new room?"

 

Valeri Kinaea

Mistress of Novices

 

(OOC SO sorry for the delay Poet)

[poetstorm]

((EEp, forgot all about this. Hope it's OK to finish this post out. ^-^ I want to re-activate Caillean and get her raised. :D))

 

Valeri Sedai seemed so confident in her answers. It rather helped to settle the butterflies that seemed to have taken up residence in Caillean's stomach.

 

 

"To be Aes Sedai is to be in control at all times child,"

 

 

Caillean couldn't help but hope that someday she would feel that sense of security and control. But this was the first step. She watched silently as her name was entered into the novice book, feeling almost as if every letter written tied her more and more to the White Tower. What was done was done, and light willing Caillean promised herself she would do her best to take this path as far as she could go.

 

It was a rather difficult thing to realize that she would have to set aside all of her personal posessions, especially her flute, to don the simple white dress of a novice but she did so without comment. It would not be forever.

 

 

"Now, is there anything further you'd like to know before i have someone show you to your new room?"

 

 

"No Valeri Sedai, thank you for your kindness.", Caillean responded with a deep curtsey. As she was escorted out the door, her journey was only just beginning.

Edited November 24, 2011 by poetstorm