Among the witches (Eqwina)

[Swani]

Levana Edenye pulled on one of the itchy, white dresses she had been given the previous evening before being installed in a small room. A woman she could not remember the name of had written her name into a book and then sent her off with another woman, dressed in white with multicoloured stripes around the hem. They had taken all of her belongings, to be stored till she had finished her training. Suspicion nagged at her, more likely they had burnt her clothes and kept her small valuables for themselves. She yawned and stretched. She had only slept a few hours and was awake already, feeling threats from every corner of the room. The fact that she was here, in the White Tower itself, the base of the evil operations of the Aes Sedai, was beyond unbelievable. The thought was ridiculous! She was the daughter of a good Amadician merchant and niece of one of the Children of the Light, it made no sense that she, of all people, should find herself in the White Tower, and forced to wield the One Power!

 

She shuddered and then grabbed her hairbrush, counting one hundred strokes until her long curls fell softly about her shoulders. She would have to be careful in this place. It was obvious to her that the Aes Sedai had somehow compelled her mother and aunt to have her tested, so they could bring Levana to the Tower and train her. Not only would this work as blackmail against her family, it would also be an opportunity to use her, Levana, in a plot to pull down the Children of the Light. She was convinced they would do whatever they could to darken her heart to become a Darkfriend like themselves. But she would not fall into their traps! If she could, she would send a letter to her father, begging him to come and get her out of this place. But she knew he would do no such thing, being brought into the Tower in the first place, even against her will, was enough to disgrace her and label her as a Darkfriend, and her father would never want to be associated with someone like that, even if it were his own daughter.

 

Levana was pacing the floor, deep in thought, when there was a knock on her door. Lumps of ice gathered in her stomach, and she opened to find one of the women with multicoloured stripes around the hem. If she remembered correct, the stripes meant she was an Accepted, a rank higher than a Novice like Levana.

"I am to bring you to Eqwina Sedai of the Yellow Ajah. Follow me."

Levana considered telling her she'd rather stay in her room, that she was not ready to meet anyone yet, but thought better of it. She was curious, now, and she wanted to tell the witches she would not be one of them.

She followed the Accepted through the Tower, the place was huge, and she had to admit it was a wonder anyone could build anything like it. In the end they stopped outside a door. The Accepted knocked and then spoke to someone on the other side. A few moments later the woman opened to let in Levana before disappearing. Levana gave a short curtsy and then looked up at a woman she had never seen before.

 

 

OOC: Hope this looks okay :-)

[Eqwina]

Eqwina sighed as she paced the length of her room and back. Yet another novice would be making her way to her rooms, and invading her space! She could have said No, but it was crucial she maintained her normal routine now more than ever.

 

Her bracelets jangled as she chewed on her fingers nails; still pacing the length of the room. The silver bracelets lining her arm sufficiently covered the brand on her arm but they made her right side cramp with pain. A simple weave she had learned in her novice days let her know of the approaching girls. She released Saidar and took a seat at her small table by the window.

 

Eqwina beckoned the girl to enter, not rising until she was already bent in a deep curtsey. She had to resist the urge not to sigh, yet another girl that would tower over her by a hand or more. “Welcome child, I am Eqwina Sedai of the Yellow Ajah, please take a seat” Eqwina could not be sure but she thought she had seen the girl scowl as she rose from her curtsy.

 

Eqwina was in no mood for small talk but she was supposed to make this child more it home. She was hard pressed to keep the boredom from her voice but she thought she managed it; if only by a hair. “Tell me, did a sister escort you hear or did you come alone?” Silence was the only response to her question and anger boiled. ”You will answer when an Aes Sedai speaks child, or learn the price of failure” Eqwina’s eyes were daggers but she forced her voice to an icy calm. “ Now tell me about yourself child”

 

[Swani]

Levana gritted her teeth and held her head high, she would not be a meek little mouse in front of these women. If she didn't keep her eyes open they'd probably stab her from behind before she could react. She only scowled at Eqwina Sedai as the woman tried to chat as if this was an innocent tea party. It was not. Levana knew they'd try their best to corrupt her into a sinful relationship with the Dark One. This must be them trying to soften her, make her think they were really nice, and when they'd gained her trust they would step by step turn her to the Dark. But she knew what they were up to, and refused to fall into their trap.

”You will answer when an Aes Sedai speaks child, or learn the price of failure. Now tell me about yourself child.”

Levana looked into Eqwina's steady gaze and tried to read what the woman was thinking, but she did not show a flicker of thoughts. She took a deep breath and decided it would probably be best to reply. Let them think she would play their evil game.

"I am Levana Edenye from Amadicia. I come from a well connected and respectable family. My father is a merchant and my uncle is one of the Children of the Light. I am only here because I was tricked into being tested by Mareen Sedai of the White Ajah while visiting my aunt in Caemlyn. She also took me here against my will, making sure I never had an opportunity to escape from her."

 

She shut up after her little speech and stared into Eqwina's gaze, knowing well that the Aes Sedai might not like a Novice who challenged her the way Levana was prepared to do. 

[Eqwina]

Difficult children of all sorts had passed through these halls over the years; and every one of them seemed to think they were the first. This girl was far from the first to make claim that she had been kidnapped by Aes Sedai. Soon enough she would see the error of her ways and learn to walk the straight and narrow. Perhaps Eqwina could begin the process for her right now.

 

The minutes ticked by in utter silence as Eqwina simply stared. Her arm was throbbing and her eyes squinted slightly with the pain, the slight twist to her eyes only made her appear angrier than she truly was. TICK….TICK…..TICK the heavily gilded clock on her mantle ticked away second after second and still Eqwina didn’t speak. She had found that suspense was a great tool and could break even the coolest of people.

 

TICK…………..

TICK…………

TICK………………………….TICK………

Music filled the air and the chimes with in her clock announced high just as the Tower bells began to chime.

“A fanciful tale child and one you seem to believe, but I suggest you keep it between us unless you want me to take you to the Mistress of Novices straight away.” She let her words sink in, and unconsciously she rubbed her arm. “Now…tell about yourself child. Leave nothing out.” Eqwina settled back to wait for the bile that would surely spew from this child.

 

[Swani]

Levana glared at Eqwina, anger boiling inside her and she gripped the arm of the chair till her knuckles were white from the effort. Most of all she wanted to shout at the woman in front of her, to tell her she had no wish to be in this place, that she wanted to go home, to Amadicia so she could visit the capital, Amador, and find a wealthy husband who would provide for her wellbeing while she produced children in exchange for a comfortable life. That's what her father and mother had raised her to believe in. Aes Sedai were witches, Darkfriends, they were evil creatures doing the will of the Dark One. Her uncle had made sure his younger brother taught his children the preachings of the Children of the Light. Levana longed back to the safety of her childhood.

 

Instead, she had somehow ended up in the most evil of place, the White Tower itself, where witches dwelt. She was here to train to become one of them. All blood had left her face, and the cold sensation of fear that had bloomed tightly in her chest since she left Caemlyn spread till it filled all of her. The effort to stay calm made drops of sweat run down her cheeks from the temples.

 

Concentrating on keeping her voice level, she spoke again, weighing her words carefully. She knew the woman in front of her was dangerous, and she had no wish to die yet.

"Like I said, I come from Amadicia. My mother and I were visiting my aunt in Caemlyn. My aunt took me to an Inn where an Aes Sedai tested me to see if I could Channel. I did not do this of my own choice, and once it was established that I can, indeed, Channel, I had no say in the matter and was forced to come with her to this place. Could I choose, I would return to Amadicia at once, but they say that I need to learn to control the One Power before I can leave, or I'll end up doing much damage and possibly kill myself and others. I don't know if I trust this information, it might be a ploy to keep me here till I succumb to whatever methods you use to make young women stay. My uncle has often told my family about the dangers presented by the witches from Tar Valon. If I stay here, I can never go back to my home and I cannot get the future I have been prepared for, my own people will see me as a dangerous creature, a Darkfriend to be destroyed."

 

The last sentences of her speech turned into a hoarse whisper, as she imagined the handsome, young Child who had accompanied her uncle the last time she met him. The man had been a realization of the romantic novels she read, strong, handsome, and with a promising career in front of him. A single tear wound it's way down her cheek, and she looked away from the Aes Sedai, staring at some object she didn't recognize, finally realizing that all ties to her past had been effectively cut the moment her name was written into the records of the Novices.

[Eqwina]

ooc: sorry this is so short but I am still getting back into the swing of things after my vacation  ;D

 

ic:

Eqwina stared at the girl for a moment, feeling no emotion over the child’s tears. She kept her voice pitched low, barely audible and sounding more like a whisper. But there was an edge to her voice that made her words cut like a knife.

“It is good that know there is no going back; cry your tears now, accept your fate and move on. You will be a happier person for it”

 

Leaving the girl sitting where she was Eqwina went and poured two glasses of a lightly spiced wine. Forcing the cup in front of the trembling child, Eqwina pressed it lightly against her lips. “You can drink this of your own accord Levana,…. that is the choice I would make; But if you desire to be difficult then there are ways of forcing it down”

Eqwina arched her brow and stared down at the girl waiting for her to take the cup. “I would hate to make your life any harder than it is going to be, but rest assured I will if I must” Shaking hands took the cup from her and Eqwina allowed herself a small smile. Everyone had their limits, and once found breaking them was no challenge.

“That is much better child, it is better not to resist”

Eqwina was well aware that she was doing nothing to sooth the girl’s fears. Children such as this one were always a challenge and many times it was best to over awe them at first and pick of the pieces later.

 

“So far your days have been very much your own, as of first light tomorrow that will change. I want you here in my rooms before the sun crests the horizon. That gives you tonight to come to terms with what you will be. I expect when I see you here tomorrow you will be ready to learn? What else can I do for you dear?

[Swani]

ooc: NP!

 

 

Levana gulped the wine down, buying time to think. This woman, Eqwina, scared her and she had a sinking feeling she had better do the witch's bidding. For now. Thoughts flied quickly through her mind. She knew she was surrounded by Darkfriends, and that escape was all but impossible from this place. The price of freedom would be tough, and chances were she had to wait till she was an Aes Sedai herself before she gained it. Possibly the only Aes Sedai who wasn't a Friend of the Dark. She shuddered as if Eqwina's sitting room had suddenly turned ice cold. She could not trust anyone, but would have to give the impression of trust so they didn't suspect her mind. Would her father and uncle forgive her if they knew the hazard she was going through?

 

After swallowing the last drop of wine she looked up at the Aes Sedai. The woman's words were sweet as honey, but Levana could detect they were at least partly false.

"I will learn, Aes Sedai," she whispered. She had no choice, her time would come later. For now she would let them think they had broken her, but she would not bend. Not inside.

"I think I should probably head for the Novice quarters soon, I heard I would be taken for a tour to learn where the most important places of the Tower are. If you give me leave, Aes Sedai."

She placed the empty cup on a table nearby and bent her head in mock submission. She would not be broken!

 

ooc: btw, I'm thinking of converting her to the dark side of things later *s*