Kira's New Home (Attn Leala)

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Kira didn't know what to expect when she arrived at Tar Valon, but she didn't expect it to be so...amazing.  While walking through the city, Kira tried to keep her mouth from hanging open.  Coming from Ebou Dar, she was used to large cities, but this one seemed different.  Maybe it was because the city was new, or maybe it was the massive structure in front of her - the White Tower.  It dwarfed the Tarasin Palace.  As she approached, she glanced at the Aes Sedai next to her.  Her name was Elsia Sedai of the Blue Ajah.  She had brought Kira to Tar Valon with her to begin training.  The Aes Sedai had a smile on her face.  She looked as if she was returning home.  Kira thought about it and she assumed that she was coming home too.  She tried to emulate the Aes Sedai in both her smile and mannerisms as she entered the Tower.

 

Upon entering, Elsia Sedai called over an accepted and said, "Child, could you please take Kira to the Mistress of Novices.  She is new here."  Turning to Kira she said, "I hope to see you again sometime.  Listen to your teachers and Aes Sedai and you will do well.  You are about to meet the Mistress of Novices.  Her name is Valeri Kinaea, but of course you will call her...?"

 

"Valeri Sedai," Kira answered.

 

After saying good bye, she followed the Accepted.  Upon reaching a door, the Accepted knocked on the door.  Kira took a deep breath and waited to see what would happen.

Edited January 12, 2013 by WolfbrotherKronos

[Leala]

Valeri stood up after seeing a former novice out of the Tower.  the poor child had tried her hardest, but she just didn't have enough potential to even reach Accepted.  But they had worked with her well enough that she could use her ability without harming herself or others.  The girl had grown attached to her, though, and it had been a sad farewell.  Truly though, all these girls were like her children.  Anni had been gone for a few minutes, and now Valeri had time to make some tea.  She used Air to poor herself a cup when there was a knock on the door.  She held the pitcher with one flow of Air and opened the door with another, and she was glad she had asked for two cups.  She always did, just in case.  But here was an Accepted escorting a novice to her door.

 

"Thank you, Henya," she said to the Accepted.  "Come in, child.  Take a seat.  I was just fixing some tea, if you would like some.  Please take a moment and tell me how it is you came to the White Tower today."

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Kira could barely stifle a gasp as the door appeared to open by itself.  Of course she understood that the door was opened by the One Power and excitement filled her as she realized that she would learn how to do things like that.  She entered the room and saw the Mistress of Novices holding a pot of tea with the power as well.  The words her mother had spoken to her the day she met Elysia Sedai echoed in her mind - to be the charming girl she knew how to be.  She was raised to be polite and this woman definitely deserved her respect.  She executed a deep curtsy and said, "Hello Valeri Sedai, I am Kira Tuvunenia from Ebou Dar.  I would love a cup of tea.  Thank you for offering."

 

She then took a seat as requested, smoothing her skirts in her lap as the Aes Sedai passed her a cup.

 

After taking a sip of tea, Kira responded to Valeri's question. "My parents own an inn in Ebou Dar.  I worked there as a serving girl.  Some time ago, my mother told me an Aes Sedai was staying at the inn and had asked food to be delivered to her room.  I was instructed to do so.  I delivered her meal and came back when requested to take the dishes down.  She asked me about current happenings in town and I answered, but the conversation drifted to me.  She would later tell me that I reminded her of herself and asked if I would like to be tested to see if I could learn how to channel, and well, the rest is evident as I am here."

 

Kira took another sip of tea and waited patiently for the Mistress of Novices to respond.

[Leala]

Valeri nodded as she listened to the girl's story.  It was very straight forward, and she answered promptly.  That was good.  And since an Aes Sedai had brought her here, that meant she had been tested.  "Ah, so you have been tested for the ability to channel.  That is good."  She took a sip of her own tea before returning to the conversation.  "Kira, I must know that you are willing to take on the life of a novice.  It is a hard existence.  You will be required to study hard, learn your lessons both about the One Power and other subjects, obey any request from an Aes Sedai or Accepted, and if you are caught without anything to do, something will be provided for you to do.  If you are caught breaking any rules, you will be sent to me, and I will decide your punishment.  I do not want to seem simply a judge to you, however.  If you find yourself missing home and in need of some comfort or guidance, I am here for that as well.  But the White Tower takes its rules very seriously, and for good reason. Are you ready to take on this new title of initiate of the White Tower?"

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Kira solemnly listed to Valeri.  She had been told that life at the Tower would be difficult, but hearing it a couple of times made her hesitate.  She would also miss her family and probably wouldn't see them again.  Kira's thoughts went back to her last time with her parents when her mother had told her that she was more than a serving girl.  She had a chance to make a difference.  She knew that she wanted that chance.

 

"Valeri Sedai, I had a conversation with my mother shortly before I decided to come to the tower.  She told me that I was more than a serving girl.  I think she feels that I can make a difference and do something in the world.  I'm finding I believe those words more everyday.  I look on my life in Ebou Dar and felt completely empty.  I felt like I had no purpose.  Here I think I will have that.  I will miss my family, but have accepted that I may never see them again.  I know this journey will be hard and that I have my own flaws that need to be worked out, but in the end I'll be stronger.  I know too that I will not be alone here.  I will have people to help me.  It will be hard, but that is what will make me become who I am.  I want to be an initiate and hopefully, one day, Aes Sedai."

 

Kira surprised herself with her words.  It was not often she thought that way.  She thought maybe her time with the Blue had made her grow up a little.

[Leala]

Valeri smiled and nodded at the girl's words.  Not only did she have good reasons to want to enter the Tower besides those stories everyone was told, but she had als considered some of the negative prospects of enrollment  "Good.  Keep those words close to you.  You will likely need them in the days to come.  Motivation and discipline like that will come in handy."  She stood and took down a monstrous book.  Sitting at her desk again, she flipped the pages until she found the next blank entry.  She reached over and took her pen, dabbing it in the ink.  "This is the Novice book.  In it, you will fid entries of every novice to enter the Tower since its opening, mine included.  Now, child.  I'll need your name, age, and place of birth."

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Kira watched the Mistress of Novices bring out a large book.

 

Wow, that is a very large book, thought Kira.

"This is the novice book. In it you will find entries of every novice to enter the tower since its opening, mine included. Now, child, I'll need your name, age, and place of birth."

 

Kira's thoughts went to the book. Wow! That book must be ancient.  It would be interesting to see what the names in the book.

 

Second thoughts began to creep into Kira's mind.  She was now to the point where she could still go home to Ebou Dar.  Here is really where she had to choose.  She thought about it in silence, weighing each decision carefully.  She could stay here and never see her family again, or she could go home and live out her life as an innkeeper most likely.  She saw the Mistress of Novices look up in expectation, waiting for Kira to answer.  Kira looked down, thinking carefully.  This decision had seemed so easy before, but now at her last chance, it seemed daunting; however, deep down, she knew what she would choose, just as her mother did when Kira left.

 

Finally, looked up at the Mistress of Novices and said "my name is Kira Tuvunenia," Kira paused and spelled her name for the Mistress of Novices. "I am 15 and was born in Ebou Dar."

 

Kira watched as Valeri Sedai put the information in the book.  There was no turning back now.  She promised herself that she would one day be Aes Sedai.

Edited February 7, 2013 by WolfbrotherKronos