Dora Farlee meeting the Mistress of Novices (ATTN: MoN please!)

[Seleevan Khar]

*Stepping down from the ramp connecting south port to the "Red Mahogany". She was wearing a bronze coloured simple dress that hid most of her traveling boots, well, actually her only pair of boots to talk about. Dark brown cured leather, it was a simple thing, going halfway up to her knees. The Bonze skirt was covering a pair of underpants that she loved, because not only did they keep her leggs and other parts warm, a very important notion for her, but were compfterble beyond belief. She actually had two of those, she had gotten an extra from the seamstress two shops away, as a going away present. The woman had seen her grow up and since her own children had far too long left the nest, Dora was the new sweetheart in her life. In the cold winfs of this autumn afternoon she didnt want to freeze, and the underpants helped a lot to achieve this goal. The dress itself was a bit thin, and went right up to her neck.

 

She Walked down, her dark green bag thrown over her shoulder and held by her left hand. There was not mutch packed into it, an other dress, some underware, stockings, a bottle of the finest Brandy her mother could find and some Two Rivers tabac her father had given her. She had a letter in there too, one she could read if she was homesick, little written from everyone in the famile, and she had its match right above it, written by friends. Good wishes, inside jokes, sendings of love and good luck.

 

In her right hand, she was armed with her tabac pipe. She had lit it with fire from one of the lanterns inside the ship, and she now took a sip, letting the warm smoke fill her lungs, and exhailed. It was calming her down actually, it NEEDED to! She felt like stabbed with five knives in her chest and stomack, her toes were trying to dig themselves through the hard leather soles of her boots and she quenched every urge to shake her right leg, to the tunes of "Goodman Pricket's Pipe", the song she was trying to think about instead of reality.

 

Reality scared the Light out of her. She was standing on something the sailors called the South Port of Tar Valon. Her view was surrounded with towers higher then any in Caemlyn, but the one witch had taken her with ave and dread was the one in the middle of her focus, the Wite Tower. She wanted to become a tree so she could have her feet root where she stood. The white Tower, home of the legendary Aes Sedai. The women that could channel the One Power. Stories of good and bad, tales and legends were spun about these women, unfortunetley most bad, but she had strongly resented most of them. There is no chance that the queen of Andor would have an Aes Sedai advisor if she was a darkfriend or shadowspawn or greedy powerhungry puppetmaster. The queen was a smart woman, even if she was an upnosy blue blooded hawk. If there would be ANYONE Dora would bow to, it would still be the queen. She had earned that respect from the young woman.

 

But the fear was still strong. No mom or dad to ask fro advice, or sister and brother to talk her fears out. She was alone now, all alone in a city larger then Caemlyn, in a city with no land of its own just the power of the Aes Sedai in their tower, a tower she would have to get into real soon. She thought about gathering some strenght... "Goodman Pricket's Pipe" didnt help, she needed something else. She leaned down as she gently let the bag onto the ground, and started looking it through.

 

Her thoughts came to her travel here. The Bottle of Brandy had been a bit looted since she had found her way to Aringill, and her father and brother put her onto the "Red Mahogany". The moment she got her small cabin, she had oppened it and took a sip to calm down her nerves, and didnt leave the cabin mutch after that. The first time she did, to get some air and a view of the landscape she felt herself nearly thretened. There were whispers amongst the crew about "bad luck" and "Aes Sedai girl". They knew she was going off at Tar Valon, and their gazes did not make her feel the good mood she wanted. She wished to talk to them, but their eyes were a bit thretening. For the first time in her life, she felt this was something she cant mend and she better just let it slip and get to the damned place in one peace, preferably dry and not thrown into the river Erinrin.

 

She had just found the bottles side with her fingers, standing beside the ramp to the "Red Mahogany", half crouching with her arm into her bag when she realised a woman in an expensive dress was standing before her speaking to her. This might have had been the second or third time she was spoken to, but with her thoughts so rampart in her head, chaotic even, she had not heard it at all.*

 

"Come again?"

 

*the woman standing in front of her raised an eyebrow, and Dora looked her over well. She seemed cold, because she wore an ornate shawl around her neck, and her dress was rather well made. Surely she could have gone to be misstaken to a noble in Caemlyn, but Dora would not be fooled! For women like Aes Sedai, only the best would be acceptable, and surely the woman was working for them as a servant. Surely, no Aes Sedai in their right mind would walk around as if their necks were freesing? Surely there was some One Power tricks to mend that problem. And seeing as she surely was a servant, Dora would not be rude. She was in the serving business too, after all, at least untill this point.

So, she decided it would be best to act as if they were equal... thus, her previous question to what the woman had just said. She stood up, her bag at her feet, her pipe in ther right hand, smoke slowly raising from it, and a bottle of fine brandy in the left... standing in front of the Mistress of Novices...*

Edited August 18, 2011 by Amadine

[Amadine]

(OOC: apologies for the delay Atia - also i edited "red shawl" to "ornate shawl" as Valeri has no Ajah)

 

Valeri stood at the docks, pulling her shawl closer about her shoulders to hold back the breeze. It wasn't so much as cold as it was a bit fresh. With some restraint Valeri waited, without tapping her foot, while the deck crew of The Red Mahogany readied the ship for disembarkation.

 

Several other passengers appeared and made their way up the gangway and headed off into the city. Frowning Valeri began to think about asking the shipmaster where her newest charge was. Farila had been quite adament in her letter that Valeri meet the child as she got off the ship. A "bit of a free spirit and scattered" had been Farila's exact wording.

 

Just as Valeri lifted her hand to beckon the shipmaster she spied a young girl in her middle teenage years heading towards the gangway, her eyes lowered, one hand clutching a bottle, the other holding a lit pipe and a travel bag. She reached the gangway and stopped, looking up at Valeri the child dropped her bag at her feet. Was that, no it couldn't be, but yes, it was. A bottle brandy in that child's hand! .

 

"Dora Farlee?" Valeri asked, though the question was not necessary, Farila had been quite specific in her letters.

 

The child appeared to be quite transfixed, studying Valeri with narrowed eyes, "Dora?" Valeri said a bit louder.

 

"Come again?" the child replied. Instantly Valeri raised an eyebrow as she took in the would-be-Novice. This one had some lessons in speaking to Aes Sedai to learn apparently.

 

Dora straightened under Valeri's cool gaze, and she lifted her chin and looked at Valeri, quite self composed.

 

"Welcome to Tar Valon Dora. I am Valeri Kinaea, the Mistress of Novices. I have come to escort you to the White Tower, won't you come this way please."

 

Valeri waited for Dora to lift her bag and began walking back towards the city along the docks as the child trailed after her.

 

Valeri Kinaea

Mistress of Traditional Novices

[Seleevan Khar]

(OOC, thanks! and no worries! Was just worried something might not be good, thats all.)

 

"Oh bloody Socks, I-i mean..."

 

*Was all she could force herself to say between the staring and the gaping. She is an Aes Sedai? LIGHT! Her cheeks reached the colour usually indicating that the baked chicken was done, and she didnt feel a lot different either. Oh Light! She felt she was rude, that she did. Even if she felt that people should be equals, whatever land or heritage they came from, she got a rather strong urge to bow. Or Curtsy, or whatever else that people did at situations like this.

 

Finally, she nodded, wuickly putting the bottle of Brandy down into the sack, hoping she didnt see as she turned to leave, but at this point, she kinda felt she was violating some law of some kind. Why did she feel so bad? She is an adult woman, who knows what she needs when she feels like an ant in the lions den. She took a deep sip from the pipe after throwing the dufflebag over her shoulder and hurryed after the Sister.*

 

"Y-ye-yes, I a-am..."

 

*Oh blood and ashes! Its back. Light and creator allmighty, can someone make a larger fool out of themself? As she hurryed after the Aes Sedai, she took two deep breaths and continued.*

 

"Dora Farlee. It is a ho-honor to meet you Aes Sedai."

 

*She tried to mend the situation with some nice words, but she knew it might just be a lost cause. At least she tried, as she followed the Aes Sedai to the tower, she stopped just once to bend her left knee so she could smack the pipe against her footsoles, emptying the ashes.*

Edited August 18, 2011 by Atia

[Amadine]

Once the pair reached the Tower, Valeri lead the way to her study. Dora was trailing along behind her. This was to be an interesting journey for this lass. The child was toting a bottle of brandy in her bag and had been smoking a pipe most of the way to the Tower.

 

"Come in Dora, you may sit there." Valeri indicated the chair positioned before her large ornate desk. Valeri went to the tea stand under the window and filled the teapot with fresh water from the pitcher, she added a large spoonful of her favourite Saldaean blend of tea, then channelled a small thread of fire to heat the teapot. Taking the teapot in one hand and scooping up a pair of teacups in the other Valeri went back to her desk and sat down in her own chair.

 

"Would you like tea Dora?" Without waiting for a response Valeri filled both cups and pushed one over in front of the lass. Lifting her own teacup she said, "Now Dora, why don't you tell me about yourself and how you came to journey to the White Tower?"

 

Valeri Kinaea

Mistress of Traditional Novices

[Seleevan Khar]

*Right before getting into the tower, she leaned to the gate and patted out the ash from her pipe against the soles of her traveling boots. Then she just realised she was on the steps of the White Tower, littering its marble flooring... And frowned. She was so damned nervous she wasnt thinking strait! LIGHT!

 

Following the Mistress of Novices, she was oogling the grandeur decoration and just sheer size of the interior to the legendary white tower. She was shocked. It was even more magnifiscent then what she dreamed off, and she had dreamed of being in the Royal Palace of Andor. She was chilled by fear. Way over her head.

 

As they entered the Mistress of Novices studdy, she sat down where she was told to sit, dropping her bufflebag on the side and listened intently. She guessed she would be told a lot of things now, but Noooo... she was asked. Oh light... She is to bore this ACTUAL Aes Sedai with the tale of her life? It isnt long either...*

 

"Well, uhm, I am Dora Farlee, doughter of a tavernmaster. I worked for my father as a cook before Gania Sedai tested me. Its no long story Valeri Sedai. I am just a commoner like everyone else. And as for the jurney, I got here by ship from aringill, as Gania Sedai instructed. She made the test, the game with the gems? She said I could become a novice and an Aes Sedai, if I can. I want to be an Aes Sedai Valeri Sedai."

Edited September 4, 2011 by Seleevan Khar

[Amadine]

Dora's tale spun out, "Well, uhm, I am Dora Farlee, daughter of a tavernmaster. I worked for my father as a cook before Gania Sedai tested me. Its no long story Valeri Sedai. I am just a commoner like everyone else. And as for the journey, I got here by ship from Aringill, as Gania Sedai instructed. She made the test, the game with the gems? She said I could become a novice and an Aes Sedai, if I can. I want to be an Aes Sedai Valeri Sedai."

Daughter of a tavernmaster, well, that explained a lot. Valeri nodded. "Yes you have the ability to channel Dora, but there is a long road of learning to become an Aes Sedai. First you become a Novice, then an Accepted and then when you are judged ready an Aes Sedai. Many come without the determination required to see it through. If you have the determination then i have no doubt that you can become an Aes Sedai someday."

Valeri reached in the desk drawer and lifted out the aged leather-bound tome that was the Novice Book. "This is the Book of Novices Dora. Once your name is entered here you are sealed to the Tower, until we deem that you are ready to leave. A Novice must study hard, work diligently and follow directions without delay. There are many rules for a Novice's own safety. Are you prepared to follow those rules Dora? If you are, we can add your name to the Book and you can begin your new life today."

Valeri Kinaea

Mistress of Novices.

[Seleevan Khar]

*She smiled. She still didnt fully get the thing about respect towards Aes Sedai. She knew how to talk to them, from stories and such, but it was mostly that you had to call her "Sedai". Dora was no child from the gutters, but she did lack refinement.*

 

"Hah! Wouldnt be here if I didnt Valeri Sedai. Where do I sign?"

 

*She reached for the quill and snapped it away with nearly shaky hands. She sounded cool, composed maybe, but her bodylanguage spoke differently. She couldnt look into the womans eyes, didnt dare to. She was looking at the quill, the ink, the book, her hands, the table, WHATEVER ELSE but the woman. She knew, if she DID, she would start stutter. The woman would see the nervousness in her eyes, and Dora would know the woman knew, and that knowledge would fail her words.

She dipped the quill, and waited for the Aes Sedai, a creature from the books and tales of gleemen, to reach her the book with the page where she has to sign...*

[Amadine]

Valeri smiled and put of her hand. "You need not sign child, i will fill in the details."

 

Dora appeared reluctant to hand back the quill but did so after a few moments. "Now Dora, can you tell me your full name, place or birth and current age please."

 

As the lass recited the details Valeri carefully penned them into the Novice Book. She finished the entry with her own signature and set the quill back on it's stand. Closing the Novice Book Valeri looked up at Dora and smiled, before speaking the words that bound her to the White Tower, "Welcome to Tar Valon, Dora Farlee. Welcome to the White Tower, Novice Dora."

 

Valeri rose from her chair and fetched out a bundle of Novice whites from the large wardrobe that stood in the corner of her study. Dresses, shifts, stockings, slippers, belt and pouch. Everything Dora would need to begin her new life a Novice with the White Tower. She set the bundle on the edge of her desk beside Dora and fished a wooden token from a jar on her desk. She placed the token in Dora's hand before retaking her seat.

 

"These things will see you through your first few days Dora, but take the token to the seamstresses and they shall measure you and make you shifts and dresses to fit properly."

 

"Have you any questions before i have someone see you to your new room?"

 

Valeri Kinaea

Mistress of Traditional Novices