"So this is The White Tower." (fin)

[Arie]

     Aubriana looked upon the towering white stones, visible from miles beyond the river and impressive bridges, and tried not to cross her arms. Her hands to her side flex ed a little, trying to force her demeanor to remain collected as she had been taught. The was her first visit to Tar Valon, and she hoped that it would be a quick visit. A year, maybe two, and she would be able to return home to her family. Already she missed her brother and sister, but her duty was to her family first and it was because of that duty she would train and learn history with the White Tower to continue the positive relations between Andor and the White Tower.

 

She arrived with only the simplest of items in a single trunk, expecting to spend some of her family money on clothing that would allow her to learn more about the culture in Tar Valon. She turned to the coachman, who had traveled with her, "Keep my things here. I will send word where to take them once I have settled." Looking to the Tower, it wasn't like the Andorian palace, but it was quite large. For all of them. "Good luck, Aubri." A head peeked out and a head full of blonde hair held in a loose braid. Ilania had insisted on accompanying her on the journey so that it would not be so lonely or boring. "Thank you." Aubriana smiled at her friend. "I will send a messenger if I can not return." Waiting for Ilania to leave the coach to embrace her. "I do not know how this works, but if I can return, I will. But if not." 

 

"See you in two years." Ilania smiled warmly, though there was obvious sadness. 

 

"May it only be one." Aubriana returned the smile, and they shared one last embrace before Aubriana picked up her skirts and started to ascend the stairs. 

 

It did not take long for her to be directed to the office where the Mistress of Novices was located. All initiates were to pass through her doors for testing. It was standard practice, or so she had been told. Expecting to fail, she would be put in a room where she would be given a basic class structure and access to the White Tower Library to learn from those willing to teach, and the White Tower was full of people willing to impart their wisdom, especially the Brown Ajah. Reaching her destination, Aubriana pulled up short of knocking. What if she was just sent home? What if she passed their test? 'There was no reason to weigh thoughts on what if'. She mentally scolded herself and with a quick mental reset she steeled herself and knocked twice upon the door. 

 

*knock knock*

 

 

Edited March 3, 2018 by Arie
never leave a 4 year old alone with your computer browser open...

[Guest]

OOC : just so you know there are a couple of words missing in the first § ^^

 

Valeri closed down her book. She would have liked to finish her paragraph before turning her attention to the one who had dared to disturb her reading but she didn't like to make people wait, may they be Novices or Aes Sedai.

 

"Come in," she said, her voice like the steel of a sword, cold and sharp. With a thread of Air, she pulled the door open and a girl appeared a couple of feet in front of  her.

 

This one didn't seem to have set foot on the White Tower's grounds before. She looked young and inexperienced in the matters of the world. Maybe this was the first time she had traveled outside of her home-town? Doubt seemed to be written all over her face, making the Mistress of the Novices what she could be doubting about.

 

Brushing invisible specks of dust on her sleeve, Valeri channeled once again. This time to place the precious tome back on its self. The newcomer didn't seemed to be afraid by the One Power. It could be a good sign.

 

"Well," she made a small pause. "What have we here?"

 

Her eyes went back to the girl, inviting her to introduce herself.

 

OOC : you don't have to re-write your bio. You can sum it up in a couple of words *nods*

[Arie]

11 hours ago, Chaelca said:

OOC : just so you know there are a couple of words missing in the first §

OOC: ?? Not sure I see what you see. ;)

 

 

Perhaps a part of her was used to kinder teachers. Perhaps the boisterous tone of her father had been too gentle, and her mother's teachings not nearly so stern. The words of the Aes Sedai that beaconed her brought Aubriana pause. A hesitation that was swiftly mended by her feet that somehow knew that this woman, this Aes Sedai, was no one to disobey without thought. Thoughtless action brought her into the office of the Mistress of Novices, obeying without a word, though Aubriana's mind fought to still hold it's opinion and not appear mindless. Having seen an Aes Sedai float a cup of tea before at court, the movement of the book on the desk and otherwise didn't unsettle her as it might some, but it was odd to see and she watched the movement anyway - like a deer in a hunter's sight line.

 

No. She was that deer, not like one, who was caught in the gaze of this woman. Swallowing a little hard, she found her breath as her left hand put her hand into the pouch on her belt to pull out the letter her father wrote. She stepped forward and held out the letter, sealed with her family crest, for the Aes Sedai to accept or not. Her nose started to tickle, her feet firmly planted until bidden otherwise, and Aubriana never felt so uncomfortable in her life!

 

"Aubriana of Andor, from the House of Daivon. I am here to petition training from the White Tower. To learn of history, courts, and cultures." She said. Not entirely sure what else to share. The letter said it all. It was very simple. Just a year -or two- of teaching and she could go back home. That's it.

Edited January 25, 2018 by Arie

[Guest]

Ooc :  I have something like 

"If the .... different." on the last sentence. It doesn't really matter to me, though.

 

***

 

Valeri paid attention to the way the newcomer moved. Her hand went into the pouch on her belt without wavering. She pulled a letter out of it. Probably some kind of recommendation. The Mistress of the Novices sighed. She hoped that the girl without her was not one of these nobles' offspring who believed that they would be treated better than the others because their parents demanded so.

 

"Aubriana of Andor, from the House of Daivon. I am here to petition training from the White Tower. To learn of history, courts, and cultures," the girl said. And Valeri fought not to sight. This one was noble born... but, interestingly, she didn't behaved as a haughty goose.

 

"Welcome, Aubriana of Andor," the Saldean Aes Sedai nodded. "I have not encountered many girls who came to the Tower only to learn about history, courts and cultures."

 

She opened the letter, careful not to break the seal. Strangely or not, Valery hated to break those. They were like jewels to her. Little things to be collected.

 

"Have you been tested by an Aes Sedai? We like to know what the abilities of visitors are."

 

[Arie]

Ooc: I have no idea. Walked away from my comp and light only knows what my son did on my keyboard. Cleaned it up anyway. 

 

 

She stiffened at the Aes Sedai's tone, questioning her very intent to be here. Was it not tradition among the more noble of Andorian Houses to send daughters for training? The Queen an Aes Sedai herself? Perhaps her family was misinformed or some amount of truth lost from when her grandmother first came here.

 

"Forgive me, Aes Sedai. None from my family have been sent to the Tower since my grandmother was a girl around my age now. She came to train in hopes of gaining favor with the Queen of her time. My mother was not born Daivon, and I am the next in line. Family tradition was to at least learn from the Aes Sedai of the White Tower to build and maintain a strong foundation of respect between our house, Andor and the White Tower." She paused, her voice almost taking on a lecturing tone much like her tutors. She tried not to let her cheeks rise in heat, but even still she felt a slight shame for speaking so... habitually.

 

"My family has no talent with the One Power. I have not yet been tested but I do not believe myself capable of passing your test."

[Guest]

"We will see to it, but all in due time."

 

Valeri's back straightened. This one was honest. She was not afraid to say that her family had no talent with the One Power. It was commendable.

 

But even if the Mistress of the Novices was impressed, she couldn't treat the newcomer too favourably. Such a young girl couldn't be treated as a Tower guest. It would give wrong impressions to the Initiates. On another hand, Valeri wasn't sure she could submit the girl to the hardships of Novicehood.  She would have to be creative.

 

"You will be tested, just like all the other girls who come to the Tower. I will see to it."

 

The Saldean nodded to emphasize her words. "In the meantime, you are to make yourself at home in our of our Novices ... rooms. One will be readied for you."

 

Before Aubriana had the time to react, Valeri rang a bell. A Novice knocked at the door a couple of seconds later, ready to please the Mistress of the Novices' wishes.

[Arie]

 

Relief washed over her, and the calm settled in her shoulders, a weight that she didn't mentally notice until it was lifted. She could stay. She could learn. And when it was all over she could return home. She was nervous about this 'test' that the Aes Sedai kept speaking of but this one Aubriana felt that it was one worth failing. She did not want to be Aes Sedai. They lived for a very long time and word had it that they were never able to return to their families. Not for many many years after most had grown old.

 

She stood there thinking this over when the Aes Sedai shook her little bell and a girl in a plain white linen dress entered, curtsied deeply enough that Aubriana was sure it hurt her ankles given the poor posture. The girl obviously was trying but not very good at it. 

 

"Yes, Valeri Sedai?" Said the novice. 

 

'Ah! Valeri Sedai. She did have a name.' Aubriana thought, with a spark to her eyes at this information. This Aes Sedai seemed to like to regain some of her power by alluding to mystery or by retaining knowledge over her charges. Something Aubriana made note of should their paths continue to cross. She stood there silently, waiting.

[Guest]

Valeri gave her orders. The Novice was a nice girl but known to be a bit thick. To be on the safe side, the Aes Sedai repeated everything twice and made the girl repeat what she had understood. 

 

"I am to ask the servants to prepare a room next to mine," she said. "But before leaving, I have to give them the paper you are going to give to me. It is important that they read it. I have to wait near them, and see to it that the paper is read."

 

"Thaaaat's it," the Mistress of the Novice nodded, fighting not to roll her eyes. She quickly scribbled a couple of words on a paper that she handed to the Novice.

 

The girl made a deep curtsy. "As you wish, Valeri Sedai," she said before turning towards Aubriana. "Please, follow me, I am Elysandra." The smile on her face seemed to indicate that she was happy to have been given a task of importance.

 

The Mistress of the Novices let the girls introduce themselves to each other. She waited a polite minute before dismissing them both.

 

There was a book she wanted to finish ...

[Arie]

 

The interaction between the Aes Sedai and the Novice fascinated her. But it also made her question just what role a Novice had in the tower and just how much she appreciated not having to lose her dresses for the linen white and being talked to like a... half-wit. They continued the chat before eventually Valeri Sedai turned to her. Aubriana gave her a quick look before averting a full on eye to eye stare. The novice turned, and Aubriana looked at the other girl realizing that the dismissal from the Aes Sedai came in the form of a Novice directing her to follow. A quick sideways look at Valeri and Aubriana knew there was nothing else here. Test? The Aes Sedai spoke of a test. Did she already pass it?

 

Aubriana nodded to the other girl and followed, waiting for the door behind them to close before even introducing herself. "Aubriana." That was all she offered and she instead listened to the novice ramble on as if Aubriana too was also Novice. But she wasn't. Was she? She wasn't given a white dress... 

 

"Would you think it is alright if I say good bye to the coachman and my friend outside in the courtyard.?" 

 

Elysandra paused, midway through her chatter not realizing that Aubriana wasn't even listened - interrupting her mid sentence. "Most likely not. We can send a clerk to send them on their way. It is best not to wander and there are many things to show you before the day is done. It is already past noon bell."

 

Aubriana nodded, keeping the disappointment from her face. Today was odd at best but over and over again she told herself 'just for a year or two. only a year or two. That is all'.