The start of a new life~ Atten: Amadine

[jozan]

Liana held tight around the reins and glanced over at the Aes Sedai that was riding beside her, whom would take her back to the Tower. She was a good rider but now she was just too nervous and a bit excited to come to the tower. This was her first time alone outside the capital without any guards to keep her company, now only the Aes Sedai and her warder kept her company on their journey. The journey of a lifetime, to become the first lady of the house Alore to be an Aes Sedai, if she did well that is. Liana knew her temper could get the best of her if she wasn’t careful.

 

The journey would take them over the plains of lances and then they would after a few hours see the first small village close to the great city of Tar Valon, with its shining White Tower. Gleaming in its glory, where she would be trained to become an Aes Sedai in the next 20 years or so. She both looked forward to it and not, she had no idea what would happen to her in the tower, if she’d even make it past novice before they fail her.

 

Leirin Sedai tilted her head a little when she glanced back at Liana ”Don’t worry, child. I am sure you will do fine, and meet many new friends. The tower isn’t so bad when you get settled in.” The Aes Sedai said with a soft voice. Her warder smiled at her with a warm and gentle smile, as if to tell Liana not to worry about it. His face was quite handsome for an old man. He had a few wrinkles and scars, and brown-whitish hair hanging down his broad shoulders. He looked like any veteran soldier would, but his gracious movement and that stillness about him, made even the most veteran soldier look like a heavy feeted and sloppy recruit. Which made Liana laugh to herself.

And Leirin Sedai, well she was a fine woman in her early thirties. Her long silk blonde hair were knotted into a bun at the back, and her slender body was as gracious as fitted to a queen. Her brown eyes shined with wisdow of several years of life experience far beyond that of a simple woman. And then there were her agelessness which made it near impossible to tell her age. Liana knew if she was able to get raised to the shawl, she’d look like that after a while, and her mother wouldn’t be able to recognize her.

 

When they finally arrived at the tower gate a short man came forth and opened the gate for them with a broad smile, which he turned toward Liana and she gave him a faint smile back. This was all new to her, and she wasn’t sure what to do.

Leirin Sedai followed her down to the Mistress of the Novices chamber, where she would be inlisted into the novice book. She was getting slightly more nervous, and started fingering her silk woven blue dress, which her mother had given her on her 15th birthday. Leirin Sedai knocked three times on the door before a responce came from inside the chamber ”Yes, you may enter.” And Leirin gestured for Liana to go on.

 

Liana Alore

 

White Tower's new traditional novice~

[Amadine]

The knock on the door roused Valeri from her reverie. She smiled fondly at the memories and spoke aloud, "Yes? You may enter."

 

The door open to reveal a lass in her late teens, in some countries she'd have been married off and had a couple of babes by now. The jet black hair hid her face as she curtsied deeply. As she rose and the hair fell away from her face Valeri smiled at that unmistakably Saldaean nose.

 

"Come in child," she said warmly, "You may sit there." Valeri indicated the chair opposite her own and turned to take a second cup off the tea tray behind her. She poured the second cup and pushed it over to the raven-haired girl.

 

"I think perhaps you may enjoy this, it's a Saldaean blend. One of my favourite reminders of where i too grew up. Now perhaps you could tell me what brings you to the White Tower child?"

 

 

Valeri Kinaea

Mistress of Traditional Novices

[jozan]

The mistress of novices poured her a cup of tea with a Saldean blend, which she thought Liana would enjoy. Liana smiled warmly and took a sip of the tea and felt the warm tea going down her throat. She was both happy and a bit surprised that the mistress of novices were also from Saldaea as her, it would make it easier for Liana to talk with her. The woman asked her why she had comr to the white tower. "My mother wanted me to get tested, so there'd finally be an Aes Sedai in the house of Alore. I did, and it turned out that I can learn to channel. So, therefore Leirin Sedai brought me along as she went back to the tower." Liana said with a serene and steady voice to the mistress of novices. "May I ask you something?" she paused for a brief moment before continueing "Is it possible to send letters to my mother, to let her know that I am okay." she tucked a bit at her dress and took another sip of the tea that had now gone a bit lukewarm.

[Amadine]

"May I ask you something?" the child seated before her asked, Valeri inclined her head and the lass continued, "Is it possible to send letters to my mother, to let her know that I am okay?"

 

Valeri smiled, "Of course you may write your mother child. Perhaps you might tell me your name?" Valeri gently, "Obviously you are of the house of Alore, but what is your first name dear?"

 

"Did the Aes Sedai who escorted you here explain the rules of the White Tower? What being a part of the White Tower means for you for the rest of your life?"

 

Valeri Kinaea

Mistress of Traditional Novices

Edited May 10, 2012 by Amadine

[jozan]

"Of course you may write your mother child. Perhaps you might tell me your name?" Valeri gently, "Obviously you are of the house of Alore, but what is your first name dear?"

Liana plucked at her dress because she was a bit nervous, she had never been to the white tower before and never met an Aes Sedai. Well, before she met Leirin Sedai of course. She still sat on her chair plucking at her fine dress "I am Liana Alore, Aes Sedai. I have come from Maradon, the capital of Saldaea. This be my first visit to Tar Valon, and the shining Tower." She slightly glanced at the Mistress of Novices and spoke again "Leirin Sedai? She was very kind to me, and told me what she could on the journey here. And I am ever thankful for her telling. But..." She took a deep breath and paused while pondering a thought in her mind, wondering if she could or even should ask it. Then she took courage and said "She did not allow me to bring with me something of my father's, and did not tell me why I could not." Tears started rolling down her cheeck as she could barely hold her self from crying "He died protecting me and my mother...f-from the..." She just couln't bare the thought of losing her father. Whom had loved her more than his own life apparently.

 

Father...why did you have to die? Why couldn't you just stayed behind and protect us. It's not fair, why do I have to lose you. What did I do to deserve this. Her thoughts made her start weeping in front of the Mistress of Novices, but she just didn't care and just allowed the tears to come forth. "I hate him!" She said with anger while tears rolling down her left cheek, she was now curled up on the floor.

[Amadine]

Valeri was well accustomed to tears, but the sight of this child sliding to the floor with sobs racking her entire body was heart wrenching. Valeri spread her skirts and knelt on the floor. She gathered the distressed girl into her arms and held her until the tears subsided.

 

Smoothing Liana's hair, Valeri reheated the tea she had set out previously with a thread of fire, then stood, pulling the child gently to her feet and then guiding her to the chair once more. She stirred and extra teaspoon of honey into the child's tea and set the cup in her still trembling hands. "Drink this dear, it will help to soothe you."

 

"When you are ready, dear, we can continue our conversation." Valeri lifted her own cup and sipped her tea.

 

Valeri Kinaea

Mistress of Traditional Novices

[jozan]

Valeri Sedai helped her up from the floor and into her chair again, but Liana was still trembling though she had stopped weeping now at least. Liana took a sip from the warm cup of honey tea, which the Aes Sedai had previously given her, and tried to re-calm her. When she trembled less and had a steadfast voice she spoke up “Leirin Sedai told me as much as she could during our journey here, but she didn’t mention how my nobility would affect my life when I’m raised to the shawl. But, I’m certain I’ll go back to Maradon if there’s ever any need for the One Power against the trollocks.” Liana said with a pretty steady voice while she was thinking of her lonely mother as she was the only child in the family. Unless her mother had re-married and would get children to give her comfort while Liana was gone.

 

That was something she had been pondering about on the journey here, and would probably think about a lot during her novice life. After all she would live on long after her mother was long gone, and buried alongside her father in Saldaea.

 

“I heard from Leirin Sedai about the different Ajahs in the tower, and I heard that the green Ajah is the battle Ajah. That seem like where my path is taking me when I get raised to the shawl, to the green and the frontier in future battles against the shadow. That way I can honor my father, mother, and my country by fighting against the shadow.” She said while holding her hands together in her lap, and her voice was firm and the tone was crispy.