Roomies (attn Vivian)

[Lyanna]

The fresh crispy smell of clean sheets was everywhere around her, and for a moment Irina relished in it - allowed herself to drift with just her eyes closed, imagining that she lay there in her own selfdesigned world where the grass was purple and the sky was perfect. She had done that often as a child: she’d be able to close her eyes and completely shut herself down, confine herself in her selfmade world where everything was perfect and nothing was out to get her.

 

She’d had to - if only to preserve her sanity.

 

Life on the streets of Tear had been hard, and every day had brought another atrocity that before long would be replaced by another. At times she had felt as if her senses had numbed down to a dull buzz long ago, as if nothing could really get through to her anymore, but then they would find one of their friends raped, or worse, dead under a bridge somewhere, and the world would come crashing in again. It was on those days that she hid away in the small basement below the abandoned townhouse that she had made her own, and closed her eyes and drifted.

 

A bell disturbed her reverie, and unwillingly Irina opened her eyes and focused on the cracks in the ceiling. You would think that the White Tower, with all its grandeur, would take better care of the inner structure of the building. But apparently Novices were little more than elevated servants and their lodgings did not need as much redecorating as for instance those of the Accepted or - Light forbid - Aes Sedai. It was better than anything she had ever occupied though, even though she had to share. The bed on the other side of the room was empty yet, but undoubtedly it would be filled before long.

 

Tomorrow would be the first day of her new life - or so the Mistress of Novices had called it - and while Irina had nodded and smiled happily, inside she had known that life was continuous, and usually dealt you the same cards over and over again. It had been hard before, it would be hard now. But as always she would survive and place herself on top of the situation. At least this could be the onset of a much better way of life.

 

The bell sounded again, and Irina knew time for supper was pressing close. When Nyssa had shown her around, she had explained most of the rules and regulations around here, and some Accepted had even given her a written list. Obviously they were used to having to spell things out here - but in Irina’s case that would never be necessary. Her memory was fenomenal, and that selfsame Accepted had informed her that there was a rumor the Browns already had their eyes on her, convinced she had the makings of an excellent Brown. But Irina had indicated immediately that they should not think they could pin down Irina that easily. Of course the Accepted had been sure that stubbornness would be eradicated before long, but Irina didn’t call it being stubborn. She was just so very used to making her own decisions.

 

After she’d put on her shoes and fastened her purse at the white belt around her waist - nothing in the world would convince her to leave her small belongings unattended in the unfamiliar room - Irina walked through the door and firmly closed it behind her. The well before her was filled with unfamiliar faces - girls giggling and shouting at eachother, straightening dresses and rushing off to the dining hall. Without saying a word, Irina followed them across the white and glistening tiles, blending in perfectly. Maybe when she came back, her roommate would be waiting for her.

[Lannie]

The door closed with a very final sound behind her and all Vivien wanted was to cry her eyes out. If this was to be her room then she was already going nuts with cabin fever. Was this all? And... she had to SHARE? There were two beds in the very sparse room and there was some evidence of the room already being lived in, even though it was far and between.

 

So, another person. In this confined space. Vivien sat down on one of the beds and dropped the two white dresses next to her. She buried her face in her hands and considered her options. Apparently she was not to leave the Tower and her family was to be informed about her current predicament. Oh, how unpersonal. How undignified. She had not even been allowed to say goodbye to them, although Elyssa Sedai had said that Vivien could write them letters if she wanted. It was not enough, though. There was the staying in this place forever part that unsettled Vivien immensely and she didn't think she could do anything against it. She could not even go into Tar Valon! How would she survive being confined like this?

 

She was supposed to get changed into the white dress but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She'd also been told to take the beads out of her hair because they were too colourful, but she'd decided immediately that she would not do this. If they wanted colourless, they could get colourless. She took the white-and-yellow beaded bracelet that she'd been wearing forever off her wrist and broke the seal, letting the beads spill on the bedspread. They glittered a bit in the light. Vivien smiled down sadly upon them and took the blue beads out of her hair so she would replace them with the white ones.

 

If she would have to live here for now, she'd make sure she wouldn't lose herself completely.

 

But only until there was a way out or a loophole. Surely she should be able to find her way back tonight or tomorrow night. Her father and the rest of their travelling group would leave when the moon turned, they'd said. That would be next week, Vivien knew. So she had a week to find her way back to them, undetected.

 

And that was how her new roommate found her; sitting on the bed, dressed in bright colours and braiding white beads into her blond hair while contemplating on how to get out of this life and the Tower.

 

Vivien smiled at the curly-haired girl with the hazel eyes (and also, dressed in white) that entered the room. "Hi there," she said with a slight shrug and a slight smile. "I guess I'm your new roommate. My name's Vivien..."

[Lyanna]

A Tinker ...

 

It was the first thing that crossed Irina's mind when she looked the girl up and down. The uncertain smile on the novice's face, the way she was braiding the white beads in her hair, the fact that she had not changed into her white dress yet which lay forgotten and crumpled on the bed beside her ... It told Irina much and she wasn't sure she liked it. At the same time she was very relieved she'd kept all her valuable belongings on her person (not that it was much) for everyone knew that Tinkers stole like the ravens if you gave them a chance.

 

"Hi there, I guess I'm your new roommate. My name's Vivien..."

 

Irina regarded the new girl coolly while she walked further into the room, hanging her pouch and belt on a peg where she could keep an eye on them.

 

"Right. I think you'd better get dressed in white quick, before your mentor or anyone else for that matter catches you in those clothes. A Tinker I presume?"

 

She sat down on the bed opposite Vivien and considered her options. She could make this girls' life quite unbearable for Vivien didn't look very streetsmart, and for a while it sounded very attractive in Irina's mind. It would be a way to overcome the drudgery that the stay in the Tower would certainly be in the first few years. On the other hand, she was not sure how bullying was looked upon within the Tower. Rivalry was encouraged, that much she'd already gleaned from her lessons with Nyssa Sedai, but outright picking on? It probably would shed a less than favorable light on her and that outweighed - for the moment - the fun she might have in making Vivien's life quite miserable. That didn't mean she'd have to be cordial right away though.

 

"My name is Irina and I've been here for a while already. Since we are obviously going to share a room, I think it is smart if we establish some rules. There are only two things you should remember. The first is, don't touch any of my stuff. The second is, never forget the first rule. Okay?"

[Lannie]

She has bold eyes, Vivien couldn't help thinking as her roommate fixed her hazel eyes on her and they made eye-contact. Not very friendly, either.

 

The curly-haired girl hung her pouch and belt on a peg and then turned to Vivien in an almost off-hand and uninterested matter. "Right. I think you'd better get dressed in white quick, before your mentor or anyone else for that matter catches you in those clothes. A Tinker I presume?"

 

Vivien decided that she did not like the girl's tone of voice especially how she emphasised the word Tinker, even though she offered sound advice. The girl sat down next to Vivien and continued without waiting for an answer. Many people seemed to be doing that today and she didn't like it one bit. Whatever happened to respect to other people and letting them have their say?

 

The girl said, still eyeing her with that sharp, piercing look: "My name is Irina and I've been here for a while already. Since we are obviously going to share a room, I think it is smart if we establish some rules. There are only two things you should remember. The first is, don't touch any of my stuff. The second is, never forget the first rule. Okay?"

 

"Don't worry, I won't touch your 'stuff'," Vivien promised, catching herself just in time from rolling her eyes at her roommate. Stereotypes, stereotypes. And this Irina sure knew how to embrace them and distrust on principe. Light, they surely were off to a splendid start! "As for your question, yes, I am with the Tua'athan. Thank you for your advice, I'm about to change into the white dress. Apparently we're to look as if we're mourning someone's death all day here, I might as well go along with it." She sighed. "Anyway. How long have you been here? You must be unhappy that you suddenly have to share your room now or did you have any roommates before me?"