Earth and Fire and Spirit, A 4th Lesson in Saidar (CLOSED)

[Oddpositions]

[[OOC: as mentioned before, these lessons were done with @Lih-Lyh via messaging. First post is Lih and second post is me.]]

 

 

A covered basket on her table this morning. Lillian drew off the cover and picked up one of the rosebuds inside.

 

“Ok, last lesson and you’re good to move on. We’re going to cover earth, fire, and spirit. Also any other questions you may have for me. Earth has many uses. We can detect mineral ores in the earth, help plants grow during terrible weather, form battle weaves, etc. Today we will be helping a rosebud bloom."  

 

 "This class begins with imagining yourself as a rosebud opening to the sun, and it ends with helping an actual rosebud do the same. These rosebuds are so tightly closed that it’s hard to tell what color it is inside. Please observe.” Lillian drew on the power and teased three threads of earth, wove them to create the weave she laid on the rosebud. Her movements were deliberate and slow. 

 

 "Now.  Take one rosebud.  Just one.  Then, try the weave for yourself. Water and air is a little easier for most women, since we tend to be stronger in these elements. Please let me know if you need help.”   

 

"Fire. Before we work with fire, there’s one rule you need to know.  You must never draw the heat out of a fire using Fire.  We use either Water to douse it, Air to snuff it out, or Earth to smother it.  But never use Fire to draw the heat out. You will be hurt.  Ok?"

 

"Good.  Let’s practice lighting a candle. A single thread of Fire is all we need.  And just a small one.” Lillian’s candle lit quickly. "All you need to do is wrap that one little thread around the wick.  And to douse it, the same move is used with Water. Please try the water first, then light it again with fire on this candle."

 

“Lastly, we come to spirit. It’s less an element for action as one for the mind. We can set wards with it - those protecting our dreams while we sleep, those against eavesdropping. It's necessary for Healing. For shielding another channeler by cutting them off the source. Most weaves with spirit are too advanced for you to try today, but I can show you. an example.”

 

Deftly, Lillian wove a keeping weave onto Vivian’s beautiful rose. “This is called keeping. Now this rose will always be full, its color never fade."

 

“Great, now you’re ready to move on from basics. You know something of the nature and history of saidar, and the five powers. I must remind you that though you have a few handy weaves in your arsenal; you shouldn’t try to channel without permission. If you do the weaves wrong, you could hurt yourself and others. If you’re caught channelling without permission I believe the mistress of novices still keeps a switch in her office and is not shy to use it."

[Oddpositions]

                It had been a few months since Viviane had begun taking lessons in Saidar. Most of the lessons were given to her by Lillian Sedai. A Sister of the White Ajah. She was very easy to talk to and didn’t waste much time when it came to teaching. Viviane greatly appreciated that. She had never had any formal schooling in Camelyn, but this is how she had expected it to go. Granted she had assumed students in Camelyn didn’t have to scrub chamber pots or turn the spit in the kitchen for hours on end…

 

                No, the students in Camelyn probably only focused on their studies… Something Viviane dearly hoped an Accepted was able to do. She should be one soon. If Lillian Sedai was to be believed, this should be one of Viviane’s last classes as a Novice. Oh, she had never said so outright, but she had that look in her eye. Any day now, Viviane expected to be called by the Amrylin Seat to be tested for Accepted… Something no Accylon woman had been called for in hundreds of years.

 

                Light! I am almost there! Mother will be thrilled once I have earned the ring! Just a little while longer now…

 

                Viviane walked into Lillian Sedai’s study and seated herself across from her, as was rote now. There was a basket on the table. Curiosity panged at Viviane, but she knew better than to ask. Lillian would reveal it’s contents soon enough.

 

                True to Viviane’s expectations, Lillian Sedai drew a rosebud from the basket and began the lesson.

 

                Watching with a fascinated expression, Viviane absorbed every bit of information that Lillian Sedai offered to her. Viviane even gasped as she watched Lillian’s rose bloom. The woman made everything appear effortless.

 

                I hope someone thinks the same as me one day… I have so far to go before I am truly an Aes Sedai… But look at her. This woman commands attention. I hope- no. I will command that same attention one day. I will be Aes Sedai!

 

                Viviane greedily snatched up a rosebud from the basket, hoping that Lillian Sedai did not notice how quickly she did that. An Aes Sedai was in control of her impulses, and a Novice was to emulate an Aes Sedai no matter what.

 

                Opening herself to the Source, Viviane was flooded with the Power. She still wasn’t accustomed to the feeling yet. Every time this happened, she felt the urge to arch her back and curl her toes in, it felt so good; but no. She had to remain in control. It didn’t take long for Viviane to pull out three threads of Earth. Hanging on to them was another matter entirely.

 

                The threads of Earth seemed slippery to her. It was almost as if they did not want to be handled, yet she had no choice. After a few moments, which seemed to drag on into eternity, Viviane was able to tame the threads and steer them to her will. Once she had the threads in hand, the weave all but fell into place. The rose in her hand bloomed almost instantly, revealing a rose that was as blue as the sky.

 

                I didn’t know that roses came in such a hue… Perhaps it is a sign? Maybe I am destined to pick the Blue… Oh, this is too exciting!

 

                Viviane tried to hide her pride in the feat but failed. Without missing a beat, Lillian went on to the next element: Fire.

 

                Never draw fire from heat? How odd… I wonder why… If we can pull other threads from their elements… Perhaps fire is too volatile, creating an explosion from too much energy? Another trip to the library is in order, I think…

 

                Viviane wrapped the wick with a thread of water, that element seemed to come to her most naturally. The candle went out immediately. Viviane smiled, which quickly faded away when she tried to pull on fire. It was the same as air. The threads were there, they just did not want to cooperate. Where Earth felt slippery, Fire was hot. Every timeshe tried to harness the threads, she felt a light heat somewhere on her body.

 

                Strange.

 

                After a few moments, as with Earth, she was able to coax the Fire into doing her bidding. Deftly and slowly, she wrapped a single thread of Fire around the wick. The candle did not light immediately, but eventually, it did. Viviane was holding her breath the whole time, convinced she could not make it work. She sighed relief as the light danced along the wick.

 

                Lillian Sedai brought the lesson to a close, explaining Spirit and some last minute warnings. Viviane was done with her basic lessons, she knew a few weaves, and most importantly of all, she felt a sense of accomplishment in what she was doing. For too long, she had assumed she was good for nothing and destined for obscurity, yet her time at the Tower was proving otherwise.

 

                “Thank you, Lillian Sedai. I hope that you continue my Accepted lessons. Your style of teaching is very easy for me to follow. Perhaps when, and if, I am raised to Accepted, you may tell me about what it means to be White Ajah. I admittedly know very little about the White and I would not remain ignorant, given the choice… But I overstep myself. Thank you again, Lillian Sedai. I must be off to Kitchen duty now. I hope the day fares you well.”

 

                And with that, Viviane was off to her chores with a new spring in her step.