Rory's Celebratory Bash Part not-so-one!

[Sam]

So far so good, the Novices and Accepted had filed from the room like silent spectres into the halls.  Assuming no one had been caught, as no alarms had been raised, she focused more on her personal mission for this evening; her shared personal mission. Hendra, a new Novice was with her, as was Estel Sedai (a bizarre alliance best left unannounced, lest it crumble like a dream. What the rest were doing, or where they were, your guess is as good as hers.

 

Saline had looked ill and begged leave and despite Rory’s wishes she could hardly say no. It wouldn’t be the same without her, right enough; if she were unwell enough to enjoy the night’s festivities it would be a miserable experience and Rory didn’t want to inflict that upon her, it would be unfair and unpleasant for everyone involved.

 

The three slunk, their current objective well known and not too distant. The only true concern would be the hall monitors. The chance of running into one was not great; if they weren’t careful with their use of the saidar they would radiate enough power for some serious moth on light-bulb metaphorical action.

With Saline gone, and Hendra all but untrained, Estel Sedai’s participation was necessary. Rory herself lacked the strength to do solely what she had intended. Nothing major, only melting a few classrooms to their ceilings—not the whole classrooms; the tables and chairs!—which was the only method she foresaw that carried no risk of unintended injury. Granted, it would be a heck of a mess to undo.

 

Being caught was one of life’s little certainties, something to be forestalled; held at bay, for as long as one was able. In the end, she would find herself seated, knelt, or crawling at the feet of Darienna Sedai—whichever the Mistress of Novices preferred on the occasion—so why worry about? It was this thought more than anything else that emboldened her course. It would have been nice if Saline stayed....

 

Her hand was cold and consciously she did not associate the loss of warmth to the loss of a warm hand. Her fingers massaged her palm to compensate, a gesture unseen by her focused companions, and unimportant to anyone save herself anyway. Or maybe not so unimportant, at least by the looks she was receiving. They had reached their destination. She had not noticed. That was quick. Excellent. She would stop doing that. One day. 

 

OOC: I'm kind of assuming by this point that you're all sorted in what you're wanting to do, so go forth and do so! Whether or not you're caught is entirely up to you. Some of us will be; namely, me!

 

 

[Lih-Lyh]

What was that about? She felt at a loss for explanations, and asking had been the hardest of ordeals. Somehow in the moment when Rory pressed herself and Saline into that doorway her feelings for the Illianer had been changed. Really changed, moved to the point where she became so conscious of the other’s hand and closeness it seemed like she could see through Rory’s eyes, looking at all the initiates around them. And whenever Novices came near, nearer to Rory, Saline would feel a jealous stab as Rory paid attention to the young women.

 

Uncertain how to take this change, Saline pondered how she could swoop for Rory’s attention. She did not know how to move Rory, as the other had moved her. Should she bring Rory down, turning the other in, pushing her away, a small whining hound? Or scream, shout at Rory until she left, huffing and confused? Should she just publicise her feelings here by kissing Rory, in front of their peers, embarrassing her roommate? She never imagined she’d be feeling this way, not toward her roommate.

 

How had she come to this? After all, Rory’s a roommate, she’s just a roommate. And Saline’s had many roommates before, for longer periods of time. Unbridled Aeveryn, Sweet Zaynab, Fiery Syara, Bubbly Rosetta; in very many ways Rory was just one more mischievous partner.

 

Could feelings really change so fast, in a matter of minutes? When she stepped back to think them over, they appeared to be the feelings of someone else, for someone else, such as a smitten character in her storybook. It was but a fantasy, and she ought to put the thought from her mind. Besides, if she had let out her feelings for the Illianer, the awkwardness that ensued may ruin a friendship.

 

Why would that affect her? She shouldn’t be in this position; she’s always been the distant one, the Mentor, so mature, so cynical at times. Saline had been in control, and tonight she simply was not. She was scared, scared of her feelings. This heightened awareness reminded her of the first touch of Saidar, but without the added sweetness. Instead of being a Mentor, she did not know how to cope with her feelings, an unsettling experience.

 

Act cool, breathe, and don’t do anything rash. Keep breathing.

 

It would undoubtedly hurt if Rory was not interested, yet if Rory had given her any indications that she felt for Saline similarly, that would scare the Taraboner more. Her regard for Rory would be from afar, and she could live with this secret, but if she had known it was reciprocated, she’d turn tail and hide. Rory’d be falling for the wrong sort of person, and Saline wouldn’t want to know her former student’s feelings.

 

She excused herself, pleading a touch of the headache before backing away and forced her legs to pace slowly out of the room.  Once out of sight her strides widened until Saline began running, blinded by the tears the wind teased out as she made her way through the halls.

 

It was the pink door that drew her attention from within, and slowly the fact dawned on Saline her whereabouts. She was in the Green Quarters, in front of Kaylan Sedai’s rooms. Scrabbling in her pouch for a piece of charcoal she kept for her art lessons, Saline grinned and marked in elegant script the following phrase “Seven with one blow!” ending the exclamation with so many flourishes to supplement the glorified expression from her storybook it was almost illegible. Satisfied with her work she put the charcoal on the ground and moved unto the Red Quarters with an air of premeditation as she reasoned, well why not? After all, her final assignment was to, ‘make your own weave’.

 

In the dark where the Red Ajah slept was an area full of compartments and partitions but nothing could keep Saline from infiltrating the classroom she had been under the pressing tutelage of Jagen Sedai for the past few months. Considering it a pleasure as she embraced the Source, and knowing the Sister’s hatred of rats, she decided to make the illusion (for where in the Tower could one find rodents?) count, setting the last spirit thread in place before tying off her weave of a good half dozen shiny, repulsive vermin. They looked real enough for her to be smoothing her skirts carefully, though she grinned with mirth at the prank’s completion. And all she had to do was to lie in ambush, somewhere with a good view of the Red Aes Sedai’s face in the morning, prepared for anything, ‘cept rats in the Tower.

 

[Siemba]

This is utter madness...

 

So thought Sial Daemoa as she and her new aqquaintance Tirzah swept out of the Blue Quarters. She had been mildly surprised that the other woman knew Rorys Accepted friend, the one that had added to their plan before skidaddling, but hadnt had a chance to question it as everyone had begun to leave. It was never a good idea to openly question someone you didnt know very well, from Sials experience, but then her experience with other people was based on home. This was not Maerone and Tirzah was definatly not Cairheinin.

 

Cairheinin or not, it was nice to have the other woman there. Sial was too independant to get lonely often but she had felt the nagging for company under her suspicion for the other Novices. Up until now. She had an ally! She could have skipped. Not just because Tirzah seemed so geniune but because it was a bit like having her uncles around. Sial knew that was a bizzare comparison for someone she had only just met but it was the closest thing she could think of that covered Tirzahs general air of bold good-naturedness.

 

The dark haired Novice let her short-maned friend lead the way. She had no idea where the sheds the Accepted had spoken of were. She didnt know where exactly they could free these chickens either but she had thought of the chooks-location could be Tirzahs choice. Something she decided to voice once they had seperated from the main stream of pranksters.

 

"Tirzah? Do you have a location in mind for operation chicken?" She didnt realise that she had taken on the other girls military phrasings, but even if she had, she probably would have said the same. Forplanned or not, they were part of this scheme now and the scheme was as good as a war on serenity.

[ashara]

OOC: Bold good natured uncles! *laughs* Brilliant!

 

Sial’s company was something she could get accustomed to easily. She would have to make sure that Lucrecia met her too, for Tirzah had the keen suspicion, just as she had had with Alwyn, that the two would get along famously. There was certain quirkiness around Sial’s mouth at this moment that made her quicken her pace, and she laughed at Sial titling her brilliant notion as ‘Operation Chicken.’ Oh, she would have to write a story on that one day, or maybe get someone else whose pen flowed better than her mouth to do so instead for her. “Since we’re doing this military style…” She began and trailed off quickly, letting her actions speak for her. Eyes darting from either corner with exaggerated care, she turned back towards Sial with a nod. Things were clear, for now. Stepping closer, still grinning, she spoke once more.

“Saline’s suggestion was a good one, if you ask me. There is a chicken shed not far from here, that she had shown to me while retelling…a story. Maybe I will get a chance to tell you that tale someday, but that is for later, and entirely dependent on our plans tonight being successful.” She said the last with mock seriousness, and went on. “Let me show you what I’m talking about.” Pulling Sial by the arm, she began stealthily. Tip toeing where necessary, pausing when she heard a scuttle(even though they were probably just some rats, Light illuminate its holy Tower.) and occasionally reinforming Sial of their proximity to the shed. The sky was an inky black when they stepped out, dark beyond desire as it blinded her steps, and her pupils dilated in every hope that some light from Creator knew where would stumble in. They should have taken candles, for she was not familiar with the One Power enough to feel comfortable channelling, nor did she really want to be.

 

As she had rightly said, a few turns and soft sprinting got them where they’d wanted. The chicken shed. It was not large, but it was what they had been looking for. Pushing open the wooden frame of the door gently, she stepped in, and pulled Sial with her. Straw was everywhere, straw and feathers. And chickens, of course. Turning to face her ally, she smirked. “Well, I think this would be just right.”

~Tirzah

[Siemba]

Sial had grinned rather wickedly at the shadow that was, from the clucking, the chicken shed and let her friend lead her in. She was more caught up in this than she had intended to be but if you were going to get in trouble, why not do it in style? It wasnt just that though. It was nice to be doing something that wasnt technically legal with an ally. It reminded her of swiping apples with her brother and their urchin friends as a child. Except instead of apples, it was live chickens, and instead of urchins, it was her tomboyish new friend.

 

"I think you might be right. Its ideal!" she whispered to Tirzah, trying not to giggle. "Now how are we going to get the buggering chickens to...to...wherever we are letting them loose? Did that woman-Saline?-did her story involve shutting up chickens without wringing their necks?" She shifted her shoes on the straw. It was decidedly squishy and distinctly fragrent. Maybe a source of another prank...but there was no way she would be hefting chicken dung into the White Tower. Not tonight, anyway. Not when the chickens could make some more once they let them loose. "Tirzah? Where shall we let our poor feathered prisoners free? It probably should be a room somewhere, theres sometimes cats in the corridors and they wont like that." She giggled very quietly. "Can you think of anyone who might like waking up to fresh eggs?"

 

She crouched very slightly, reaching toward a chicken. "Here, chook, chook, chook..."

 

Sial Daemoa

[Guest Estel]

It felt odd trailing after a lowly Accepted after having spent the last ten or so years leading them around and generally in the direction of the Mistress of Novices’ office.  Ironically, their destination lay en route to Darienna’s busy office and for the next five minutes Estel laughed silently as she reflected that Rory could well be leading her to the Mistress of Novices’ room.  Most odd considering the Illianer’s second day and the reversal of the tables.

 

As they wandered away from well-beaten track to the Mistress of Novices’ room, the Blue’s thoughts wandered to how the other girls were doing on their own missions scattered all over the Tower.  Chickens?  Estel winced remembering her Acceptedhood and finding herself victim to the Saline’s vengeance.  Speaking of whom, it was decidedly odd that the girl was skipping out because she was “sick”.  She certainly hadn’t looked sick to Estel before in her room.

 

Inevitably, the what-ifs reared their ugly head.  What if they were caught?  What would Darienna do with a pranking Aes Sedai?  Likely set her some sort of ridiculous penance and words of “Estel Sedai’s return to Acceptedhood” and complete abandonment of decorum would spread across the Tower like wildfire.  Blood and ashes, Estel wouldn’t be all that shocked should the Blues attempt to disown her if she were caught.  Was that even possible?  Or would she be made to either take a really early retirement or “suspiciously disappear”?

 

Just as her courage began to wane for fear of mortal repercussions, they arrived at their first classroom.  Estel grinned over at the nervous and wary Novice beside her.  “If all else fails and Darienna does walk in, we can always try to explain this off as extra lessons.  I don’t suppose you ever had a block, Hendra?”  The girl nervously shook her head.  “Damn.”

 

In they went and Estel wasted no time in weaving a ward of silence around the room.  Should one of their weaves slip and send something crashing to the ground, it’d be better for all their hides if it didn’t wake half the Tower.  “Just like an Air Weaves class, eh Hendra?”  Fixing the papers and other paraphernalia on the teacher’s desk in place, Estel was the first to flip the desk over in Air and send it shooting towards the roof where she welded it in place.  “One down... a hell of a lot more to go.”

 

Talking was seeming to calm her nerves.

[ashara]

“I know just the person. Her name’s… Darienna Sedai. We can figure out more on that once we actually have chickens though.”

Sial’s unbridled enthusiasm was proving to be contagious, for as her giggles grew louder, Tirzah found her own interest in the task deepening too. Friends always had influence yes, and this Sial, who she could not yet call anything but acquaintance was having rather a large impact on Tirzah’s smirking face. She grew, excited. She wanted, havoc. The thought of having all the Aes Sedai present in the Tower waking up to all the pretties that they would sculpt at night was a pleasant thought, and if it was going to allow her to target the Sisters who were specifically part of every Novice’s terror guide, then not only was she going to take the chance, she was going to clutch it for as long as she could.

 

Laughing at the fellow Novice’s attempt to sway the chicken her way, Tirzah took advantage of the pea-brained chicken’s momentary considering of her comrade. Dashing forward before either could react, in a rare, rare moment Tirzah sprang faster than she had ever before, and caught hold of the chicken. Admittedly, she had fallen over while doing so and was now covered head to toe in feathers, and other things she’d rather not take into consideration. Soothing the squawking chicken by stroking it gently, she grinned at Sial. “One prisoner down, how many others do we need? Oh and, I don’t know how many others we’ll be able to snag like that. That was uh…based on quite the impulse.” Frowning as a sudden thought occurred to her, she turned towards Sial, still clutching the chicken. “Do you see anything in here we could use for a large net?”

 

~Tirzah

Sial's Ally!

[Siemba]

Darienna...oh, blood and ashes! She cant be serious! But Tirzah apparently was serious and Sial had no intention of suggesting otherwise. It was becoming more and more obvious that they would be caught. Well, if that was going to be the case whatever they did (after all, even breaking curfew was punishable) why not do it in style?

 

Sial applauded Tirzahs unexpected chicken wrestling. The other Novice was on the floor, cradling a most surprised bird that was making dwindling noises of protest."That was brilliant! Are you a professional chicken catcher?" She giggled and looked around. Or tried to. It was stupidly dark. Apparently chickens did not have their own candles. She didnt know exactly why that surprised her but, illogically, it did. Bloody idiot, how would a bloody chicken light a candle?

 

In the little light that there was, Sials slowly adjusting dark eyes picked out a shadow in the corner. For a moment she froze, but after realising that it was not a living shadow, she picked her way over to it and gave it a poke. Burlap. A pile of burlap sacks full of something. She kicked one experimentally and a noise like dried peas rattling came from the sack as it slumped heavily to the floor. She frowned, not that you could tell in the dark, and hissed to the other woman."Tirzah! Oi! Over here! I think we might have something..."

 

Squatting, the Cairheinin fumbled for her belt pouch, or more specifically for the little folding knife that it carried. It was sharp-ish-and she flicked it open with a thumbnail before jabbing the sack and catching the slow trickle of contents that dribbled out into her palm.

 

Corn. Lots and lots of dried corn kernels.

 

Sials devious little mind was way ahead of her voice. Use the corn to keep chickens occupied, tackle them into sacks, take them to Dariennas study with some corn, schuck corn everywhere, let the chooks free! She giggled and stood up, sprinkling her handful into a mass of shocked chickens. "Look, we can give our new feathered friends a little party!" Her giggle was a bit more wicked than was probably proper.

 

Sial

Aqquaintence to a chicken catcher ;D

[ashara]

Devious, she thought, commending Sial’s rapid thinking. Fate had an odd way of connecting threads together in a tangle, and as she watched almost luminous corn spill out of Sial’s hands, Tirzah acknowledged that the one she was now successfully entwined in was going to be occupying, to say the least. Tirzah was laughing too, because as she watched emotion flicker and flash on the fellow Novice’s face, it wasn’t hard to draw out just what she had in mind. If there was one thing Tirzah had found she had in common with Sial, it was for the impish nature that graced them both, as well as the love of mischief that was clear in the twinkle in Sial’s eyes just as much as it was in her smirking mouth.

 

“Take that dirty grin off your face woman!” Tirzah declared vehemently, as she rose from the dust laden ground, with her arms tight around the chicken’s plump frame. Noticing Sial’s surprise, she grinned wider than she had before, and began to suspect that by the next morning, her cheeks would ache after all the stretching she would do this night. “Looks like that only deserve faces such as mine, or an incomparable victory!” Moving closer to Sial, she took a few of the seeds her offering hands held and gave them to the chicken in her arms, who was now clearly resigned to its fate. The surprise treat brought a grateful series of clucks and quick, experienced vanishing of the food present in her hand. “Oh you like that, do you?” Content that Sial’s theory was playing out as she had hoped, she looked up at Sial when she spoke. “Looks like this is going to work just fine. Now, about that unmatched victory…”

 

Their chickens now caught, their steps pattering on the halls were eerily loud in Tirzah’s mind. So close to the study, they needed every inch of stealth they could procure. Devious, training her thoughts down the path held a tinge of familiarity for Tirzah. Recollections flurried to mind in rapid sequences as she pondered, of times spent with her twin as they brought down the house of one lady who had dared to snub, or ‘decorate’ the horses of a lad who had chosen to reject, or on the other hand, been a little too zealous, a little too fast. Lucrecia had been particularly vengeful in the last one, seeing as no lad was going to be overly eager around her anytime soon. No, only women seemed to flock to her side, she thought with twitching lips, as the blue gaze of a young Aes Sedai emerged in her head. “We will prolly get caught, punished, humiliated and all sorts of other pretty things, I reckon.” Tirzah said evenly, looking sharply at Sial to see if there was any reaction to her statements. When she found that the other was still smiling, she continued. “However, the Mistress of Novices always did welcome loving students, and I say we go for it! At the worst, I will take the blame and say that I bullied you into it, though how your pride will take that, I’m unsure.” Winking at that, she moved on. “Are you ready for this?”

 

~Tirzah

 

[Siemba]

"Of course, dear," Sial said mockingly with a grin. The two Novices were already on good enough terms to poke fun at eachother without worrying about causing offence but, then, they had been from the start. "The quicker we can put down these bloody chickens the bet-ow! One of these trolloc-kissing little buggers just pecked me!" She shifted the burlap sack containing several fidgiting chickens and readjusted her grip on the sack still full of corn. "Keep your beak to yourself!" She said over her shoulder at the bird filled sack, then turned her attention back to Tirzah. "You'll say nothing of the sort. If we get caught, I'll get walloped regardless of wether you bullied me or not, thought I doubt she'd believe you anyway. In fact, she'd probably think I bullied you into saying you bullied me. But maybe thats too simple...perhaps she'll think I manipulated you into thinking I was bullying you into saying you bullyied me or maybe that you knew a confession would be to simple and so was going for a confession that she wouldnt belive because it was too simple-"

 

If nothing else, the fact that she could think up such an elabourate network of schemes while dragging sacks of chickens and corn in the dead of night with someone she had just met betrayed Sials origins. "If we get caught, at least it will be for a bloody good prank!" They appraoched the corridor of the Mistress of Novices office-not a moment too soon, Sials aching arms said loudly. She grinned at the other woman and winked. They were too close to be chatting now. Sign language was not noisy though. "After you" she mouthed with a grin, gesturing at the door.

 

Sial Daemoa

Naughty Novice

[ashara]

Sign language. Now here was something that made the boggle worthy situation ten times more ridiculous. It was brilliant yes, mouthing and rapid hand gesturing replacing loud giggles as they unleashed havoc on the room. Touching the handle lightly at first, the prodding from Sial made her grin. Firmly placing her hand on handle, Tirzah pulled the door open. Wincing slightly at the slight creak the door shuddered out, she glanced around furtively. Apparently, the coward in her emerged best at the dead of the night, when no others were around.

 

Slipping in to find her surrounded by nothing but the dark, Tirzah stuck her head out once more and motioned for Sial to enter. Once they were both inside, she shut the door more gently than she had opened it. Turning towards Sial, she was about to mouth something about a job well done when she realized the manner in which Sial was standing. Draped in nets that held flustered chickens, Tirzah decided that she had never seen a more intriguing chicken shed. And it moved too. Deciding that she’d keep such a comparison to herself, she rushed to help her comrade, relieving her quickly of the weight.

 

Whispers. Something she only resorted to when there was no other way, and as they both stood struggling in a somewhat awkward position, she realized grudgingly that this was just the kind of moment that fit into the category. “Trust the bloody Mistress of Novices to leave her office in the splendid dark. I bet she’s tossing in her bed as we speak.” Moving one inch towards the left, she tried to picture the room, well lit, as best she could. She had been inside it a few times now, but it was always the very first time she had been pushed in that clung to her mind, presenting vague sketches and outlines of what was where. She would be truly lucky if she didn’t walk into half the things by the end of the night, but then again, if she did, it would be Darienna Sedai who would be unluckier. The thought made the whole situation of groping around in the dark a whole lot pleasanter.

 

“How do you want to go about this? Simply…leave them where they feel most at home?” As odd as it was to grin in the dark, Tirzah did so. “Do you think one of us should channel a small ball of light to make things easier?”

 

~Tirzah

[Siemba]

“Trust the bloody Mistress of Novices to leave her office in the splendid dark. I bet she’s tossing in her bed as we speak.” Tirzahs whisper seemed magnified to Sial, in the silent gloom of the office. Perhaps it was the darkness, but how could darkness affect a sound? Even the chickens seemed to find the otherwise silent room oppressive; bundled into sacks as they were, they were now quiet, clucking softly at eachother only occasionally.

 

Sial had never been to the Mistress of Novices office as far as she could recall. Perhaps the silence and the dark and the impending reality should have sobered her thoughts and made her back out. Tirzah, however, sounded perfectly everyday and, along with the general insane sense of hilarity, backing out was the last thing on the Cairheinins mind. “How do you want to go about this? Simply…leave them where they feel most at home? Do you think one of us should channel a small ball of light to make things easier?”

 

Sial fought a giggle with some effort and put down the sacks she was carrying. Corn spilled out of one in the darkness and a chicken gave a hopeful cluck from inside one of the tied bags. "You fix the lights, I'll let our feathered friends out to play" she grinned with a silent laugh, and went to free the chickens. It took her several attempts to suceed and not just because of the dark; concentration wasnt easy when you were on the verge of cackling like a fishwife full of ale.

 

Sial Daemoa

Novice with Chickens

 

(OOC: Sorry about the lateness of this reply!)

[Sam]

Why Estel Sedai was spending all of her time talking with Hendra Biddle was beyond Rory, especially when one realised Hendra was not responding to many of the questions. In fact, she had gone very, very silent; perhaps she was tired, or perhaps she needed a kick in the shins. Well, a kick to the shins was out of the question, no tell-tale yelp would be derived from any of Rory’s actions.

 

Having Estel Sedai with her was a blessing in disguise—wasn’t even disguised really. Her presence enabled Rory to spend her time setting up buckets of tar, feathers, flour and that type of thing. Estel Sedai was much stronger than Rory and didn’t really even need help from Hendra to accomplish some spot welding. Just as well, as Hendra was being typically useless.

 

This was great, come morning the tower would be a riot and no one would be able to pin it on Rory as, in truth, her role had been a very small one; never mind that she had been the brilliant, nay genius mastermind behind it all. The only thing that could have made the night better was the inclusion of Saline but she had looked sick and Rory didn’t want to make it worse. Ah well, she would tell Saline all about it in the morning.

 

As fun as all of this was, Rory had always admired how devilishly strong the Library doors looked. Wouldn’t they be fantastic reversed or taken down or something equally delicious? Why yes, yes they would. The demons on their pedals began to spin the cogs of her imagination and she fair leaped over to Estel to share he wonderful idea. Hopefully the others were having as much fun as she!

 

OOC: Estel, decide Rory is out of her mind and take off. That way she is solo when caught by Lillian. I'll start winding it down to a close as soon as I've spoken with the chicken thieves.

[ashara]

Lucky for her that she had previously acquired match sticks from the little gathering in the Blue quarters, because otherwise she would’ve been stumped. She gulped some air in her relief, again one of the many unnatural things she had found herself doing in this somewhat unnatural state. When she had proposed that one of them could perhaps channel a little  bit, she had most certainly not meant she herself. Why, she had discovered her block only a few short weeks before and seeing how her white dress was definitely just a white dress with no hint of the ability to magically transform into wondrous-comfortable-breeches and a shirt, the dangling hope that she could successfully have channeled vanished promptly as well.

 

Still, her pride forbid letting Sial know this little fact and besides-the gluttonous desire to shake the pipe-puffer Sister’s room into disarray was too great to waste any second of their time explaining the undesirable. Retrieving it after a short fumble, the matchstick produced a loud hiss as it ran down the box’s length. A small, pale light splashed across the room, making the fuzzy outlines become a little thicker and easier to move around. It was obvious that this was a task that Sial and her would need to do together, so she moved a little closer to the Novice who had turned away to get ‘The Deed’ done.

 

“You lead, I follow with necessary lighting. Or is it the other way around? Anyway, we should get this done soon.” Nodding, she nudged Sial playfully as she once more, tried to picture Darienna’s expression as she rose with the sun, to find her room somewhat…occupied. “Do you think the others are done with…whatever they were doing as yet?” She asked, as she waited for Sial to choose where the first steps of chaos lay.

 

~Tirzah

Unoriginal with the lighting, but I'm tired. :p *excuses self.*

[Siemba]

Sial was oblivious to Tirzahs block but she couldnt miss the matches. Surely she isnt scared to channel without an Aes Sedai? Ive done it loads of times and not got caught and besides, we'll be in enough bloody trouble as it!Whats the point fussing over little things like splashing the Power around? Its not like shes a coward, is it? Although maybe she thinks we've pushed our luck enough without getting channeling involved... The Novice pushed one sleeve further up her arm as she opened the chicken bags and the birds flapped free in a flurry of feathers. Dumping one still-closed grain bag on the floor by what looked like a desk in the gloom, Sial turned to Tirzah with the other.

 

"I dunno. Wonder what the others are doing? They cant be doing anything like this though, not unless theyve taken a bloody dairy into the Amyrlyns office or something-Hey, thats an idea! Does the White Tower have cows?" She grinned. She had meant that bit as a joke. Playing a prank on the Mistress of Novices was one thing. Filling the most feared woman in the worlds office with cowpats was a step too far...for tongiht, anyway.

 

Sial held one bag of corn to her accomplice. "Here! I'll swap you this for a match or two. Where did you get them? If we get caught, at least it wont be for channeling. The best pranks dont need saidar." She sounded amused and more confident than she was. In reality, she was decidedly glad at the matches. She had channeled illegally in her room often enough without being caught but practicing tame tricks like lighting candles in the night alone in her room was a league apart from bouncing lightglobes around an Aes Sedai's office (as anyone who had ever accidently collapsed an Earth weave in the dead of night by mistake could testify). Not only that but the Cairheinins attitude to her control of the Power was pessemistic even now, after weeks and an actual degress of control. As far as she was concerned, any day now someone was going to realise that her ability with saidar matched that of a particularly second rate teapot and say Eqwina Sedai had made a mistake in bringing her here and send her packing. She had not yet even considered what she would do if she ever became Aes Sedai, or even Accepted, so openly channeling was not high on her to-do list.

 

Taking a lit match from Tirzah, Sial picked up the other corn back and split the rpoe by fraying it with a match. She burned her knuckle in the process. Dropping the burned out match and stamping it under her shoe, she absently put her knuckle in her mouth. You didnt spend years poking around chimneys without getting at least mildly acustomed to burns and bashes so Sial started sprinkling corn without delay.

 

The disgruntled chickens perked up immediatly at the rattle of corn. Under the faint glow of Tirzahs matches, Sial could make out the feathery shadows flapping and squabbling. She took handfuls of corn and threw it randomly into the gloom, to the delight of the chickens and the disgust of the furnishings. One said furnishing, a chair, got its vengance when she fell over it in the gloom. "Buggery! Who put that here?" She got up, rubbing her shin and looked at Tirzah. In some ways, the matches made the dark seem darker and coloured flecks floated at the corners of her vision as she carried on throwing corn liberally around the room. Sial snorted with surpressed, slightly hysterical laughter. "Imagine waking up to this lot. I hope the Mistress of Novices was raised on a farm. We'll have done her a favour and made her office feel like home."

 

Sial Daemoa

[Wayfarer]

Swinging the door open to reveal herself and a fairly bright globe of blue light sitting in the palm of her free hand, Darienna smiled as she looked at the pair who had turned to her in shock as they shielded their eyes from the light.  Why it had ever struck them as a good idea to enter her office in the middle of the night in an attempt to prank her, well, that she could understand.  That they had thought to do so and not get caught was another matter, the Mistress of Novice's office was a tempting target for those who wore the white and the rainbow band and they had no idea how lucky they were that Darienna hadn't made her usual preparations.

 

Sial and Tirzah, Darienna had expected better of them.  Not that she hadn't expected them to be above pranks, most succumbed sooner or later, but that they had allowed themselves to be caught so easily.  Sial had shown a certain aptitude for subtlety and planning which was lacking tonight, and while Tirzah hadn't displayed those traits yet, Darienna would not have expected her to loiter about nearly so long at the scene of the crime at least.  But, that was their own doing, and it saved Darienna tracking them down at least.

 

Stepping insde as she closed the door behind her, the sound of clucking chickens was enough to cause her to shake her head as she spoke with a light tone.  "Not quite home, but your thoughtfulness is noted Sial."  Levitating the orb to the middle of the room so it distributed the light evenly and tying it off, Darienna reached into the pockets of her night robe to withdraw her pipe as she walked over to her desk, ignoring a chicken that quickly flapped by her.

 

Sweeping the chicken feed off her seat, Darienna made herself at ease before she opened one of her drawers to retrieve some tabac that she stuffed in her pipe and lit with a small thread of fire.  Puffing contentedly as the tabac caught alight, Darienna smiled at the girls who were still watching her in various states of apprehension, though they no longer had to shield their eyes from the light.  It might have been a touch incongruous for them to see an Aes Sedai sitting in her office with a serene composure while chickens clucked and scuttled about.

 

"This is a touch crude don't you think?  Of all the things that you could have done, you chose chickens and to throw feed throughout my office?  And you got caught.  The White Tower needs bright girls who, if they are going to get themselves in trouble, at least have the good sense to not then get caught red handed.  It doesn't present much of a challenge discovering who the culprit is when you're found at the scene of the crime.  Now I'm go-"

 

The word dying on her lips, Darienna cocked her head slightly as if listening to some far away sound before getting to her feet.  As she headed towards the door, Darienna casually waved her hand at the office.  "I expect the chickens to be back in the bag and the office clean by the time I come back, then we're going to have to figure out what to do with you, and whoever else is running about tonight."

 

At that, Darienna left the room, closing the door behind her and leaving the pair to their new task.

 

 

Darienna Ceradin

Mistress of Novices

 

OOC:  You're going to have fun chicken catching :)  Let alone making sure no corn or mess is left by the time she gets back.

[Siemba]

Sial opened and shut her mouth a few times but no words came out. She had time to share a bewildered and distictly alarmed look with Tirzah before the Mistress of Novices started talking, and if the Cairheinin had felt wrongfooted before, now she felt like someone had cut her legs off at the knee without her noticing. How in the name of the Dark One does she know my name?! Ive never had anything t do with..oh, but I suppose the Mistress of Novices has to learn names...but even so! Bloody bleeding woman! And whats with the pipe?

 

It rankled that she had the nerve to call the plan crude. Sial, personally, thought the plan was rather ingenious. Or it had been until they were caught. Well, maybe. It also rankled that the woman left off before Sial had even had the chance to lie. She had had it all worked out too, and various different scenarios ranging from setting up another Novice to claiming the chickens were in the halls and the clucking had woken her up and then Tirzah had been woken up too and they had chased the birds all over the Tower then finally bribed them in here which was why the corn was everywhere...

 

Maybe that wasnt so believable, especially with Darienna having heard some of their comments. But even so!

 

Sial looked rather hopelessly at Tirzah, noticing that her friend looked distinctly chickened in the new light. What do we do now? Do you think we could do a runner before she gets back? Looking down at herself, the 19 year old noted that she looked worse for wear too. She also found herself remembering, now that there was work to do, how tired she was and that it was the dead of night. Sial didnt know quite how to react.

 

What she did was laugh. It was probably inappropriate and distinctly hysterical but Sial had always been a nervous laugher as opposed to sobbing under stress. She looked at Tirzah and laughered harder. Blood and ashes, we are so dead Tirzah. Better kiss your buttocks goodbye, because when she gets back I doubt either of us will be sitting down for a long time...

 

Sial Daemoa

Starting to Scheme

[Guest Estel]

Thank the light for decent strength in Air.  It made things like lifting entire classrooms upside-down possible.  In under a quarter of an hour, chairs shot up to the ceiling and stuck there like the wads of paper and spit she had used to shoot at Aes Sedai and Accepted alike when she was still a Novice.  Light, Estel Sedai.  Even almost ten years after gaining the shawl it sounded ridiculous!  However, now was not the time to be reminscing, she should be living in the present.  The forgotten rush of adrenaline reaplaced the paranoia of being caught.  Questions like "what will happen if I get caught?" and "is this really worth it?" dissipated and were replaced by visions of shocked Aes Sedai.  A quick glance over at Rory split a grin across Estel's face.  The morning would be quite amusing indeed and she had no intentions of missing it.

 

Now that the classroom had "decided" to defy gravity, Rory blabbered on about another scheme involving the library doors.  The Blue's mind was too busy remembering some personal grudges to pay much attention.  Aramina, maybe Lavinya, any Red whose room she could break into- with the exception of Carise, and maybe even Serena!  Too bad she hadn't taken more time to prepare, skuns made wonderful alarm clocks!  She's had to use that on someone other than Serena, the Saldaean might still remember when she and Elyith had pulled something similar on Aerilyn.

 

"Take care of it yourself, Rory." Estel waved her hand absently before practically sprinting out of the room and in the direction of the Red Quarters.

[Jagen Sedai]

Jagen's thoughts were concentrated on a rather dark subject as her feet came upon the red and white tiles of the Red Ajah quarters. She was thinking about going to see Nieda and Sefera, a couple of other Reds, about the sisters at the Black Tower. They couldn't just stay there after all. Someone had to rescue them--and what was the Amyrlin doing about it? Jagen was young enough she could pass for not being a sister. If only she could infiltrate the Black Tower--was it even really possible? She didn't see why not; after all a man couldn't sense a woman's ability to channel anymore than a woman could a man's.

 

She sighed softly, trying to let the concern of it slide off her shoulders--as she slipped her shawl off too, she opened her door and walked into her main room, looping her shawl over a chair. She moved to sit down when something scurrying across the floor caught her attention. Blinking, she stepped again, this time warily, eyes watching. What had that been?

 

And then she saw it again--right in front of her, a rat! Then three! She gasped, a hand going up as she backed away, at first unsure what to do. "Rats?!" She frowned and embraced the Source. "Rats in the Tower?!" Her expression turning to anger and annoyance, she wove some air to try to trap the thing. And then she suffered a second shock; it disappeared. The Red Sister wove again, around the other two and then a forth, fifth, and sixth. She shook herself. It was an illusion. But who--what was that? She had heard something then. Another rat? She started to walk to her foyer and then stopped as quickly. Her eyes narrowed, her lips turning to a pout. "Come out of there, whoever you are." Weaving air, the door on her foyer came open.

 

Inside crouched Saline. Jagen raised an eyebrow. At first she didn't know what to say. As an Accepted she had never dared entered a sister's room unless the sister knew she would be there. It was all a matter of respect, of course. Yet this one not only walked into her rooms without her knowledge, she was there to play a prank! Jagen raised up her hand and motioned her to come forth. "Saline... I'm not sure if I'm disappointed or not. Am I pressing you too hard?" she teasingly asked with a small grin on her face. Even after she would deal out an initial punishment for her pupil, the worst was yet to come for this poor Accepted.

[Lih-Lyh]

Not the first time Saline turned thankful for being small, although there were some padding to spare as she cramped out of hiding to face the music. Whether it happened from sleep deprivation or the tedium in the unearthly hours of the early dawn, Saline was not certain. Somehow she had fallen asleep waiting for Jagen Sedai and when she woke there was the creepy feeling of somebody channelling nearby. Well it was the Tower after all, yes she had determined that, as every morning for the past decade and a half she woke to the Tower, but this was not her room, nor was Rory flicking pebbles at her. Disorientated she did not think of peeking until much later; if she had been more awake she would have realised she had not meant to stay too long in the foyer - she would have near sufficated! Her bones creaked and must have alerted the Aes Sedai of her presence.

 

Rats. The huge grin receded as frantic plump hands clenched her pockets in dismay at her discovery. The fact that she was caught in the Sister's chamber did not look good on her record, and she missed seeing Jagen Sedai blow her top! Idly a part of her mind wondered if Jagen Sedai would rather send her to Darienna Sedai than deal with the prankster herself. Why did she suspect the latter. No, this does not look good. Caught in the act and time to face the music. The Accepted was too frightened to do anything, not even bothering to crunch herself lower and wish for a hole to crawl into, aside from staring at the Red in fascination; she had never seen the Sister without her veil and shawl firmly in place, signifiers of status and how Jagen of Tarabon identified herself. Turning her head she caught a glimpse of the fancy lace looped about the tall back of a chair, and reverted her eyes, fidgeting. This laxed attitude, as well as the crisp glitter of Jagen's teeth made her bottom uncomfortable. They were so close Saline could smell breakfast on the other's breath, and a sudden bout of hunger regained control of her face as an Idea struck. Flashing the elegant Red Sister a bright smile she leaned and tried to summon some sort of genuine tenderness into her widening eyes, her own Taraboner lilt perking right backatcha. "Morning, Jagen Sedai! Just checking in your foyers for some vermin. Wouldn't want them getting into your bacon, would we."

 

Something was sure to hit the fan, and by Jagen Sedai's uncovered smile, it was not the Aes Sedai.

 

OOC: No need to be gentle.  :D

[Jagen Sedai]

Jagen actually held her smile at the Accepted's words. She liked her attitude, an attitude that would become useful as an Aes Sedai--but unfortunately it was sadly misplaced. Jagen was Aes Sedai after all, of the best Ajah in the Tower, and she demanded some respect, especially from an Accepted--especially from weak little Saline, who had to be pushed hard to succeed, and even then she failed in some areas.

 

"Stay right there." The Red sister walked over to the chair where her veil and shawl were. She put on both calmly and sat down, facing the young woman. "You break into my room and play a prank on me--a Sister. Then you say something you think is funny? Just what is it you are trying to accomplish, Saline? How old are you and where do you think this will get you? Do you think training to be Aes Sedai--do you think being Aes Sedai, is a game?" She would duel out a punishment, yes, but first she wanted to get inside the girl's mind.

[Lih-Lyh]

A quiet smile, yet louder than the noisiest of flashy grins. Gone was the brazen smile, the hair twisting that would have immediately launched into action if Jagen Sedai disappeared, and in her place a servant of Light supplanted a mere boy. True, everybody might have wanted to be seen and heard, if they weren’t accountable for what came out impulsively. All Saline wanted at the moment was to run, and it took all her concentration to remain still as her feet twitched to carry her off. Keeping calm was harder than it sounded, and it sounded arduous.

 

For a half moment she might have gotten away with it, actually related to, perhaps even amused the Aes Sedai. However, amusement derived from thinking fast on one’s feet was not the same as making the other laugh, seldom had any clever word puns inspired mirth beyond the fond smile. Just as she marveled at the sight of a, could it be, fondly smiling Jagen without her veil, the Red Sister whipped her veil up, disconcertingly Aiel-ish before the Dance, and added the shawl to reinforce the notion. Well, the recently raised were never far from their shawls, ‘cept for a few, and Jagen Sedai was not among their numbers. Although younger, she conducted herself in much more traditional fashion than other new Sisters, whose images were not always as consistent as their Ajahs would prefer.

 

Despite instructions for her to stay, Saline flinched. Violently she suppressed the imagery of sprinkled itchweed on that veil, it was best to be safe although the Aes Sedai definitely could not read her mind. Jagen Sedai’s smile had been Acknowledgment, and covering the smile meant Reckoning. Whilst the tradition of pranking was a fine pasttime for the Tower initiates, they were also expected to own up submissively when caught (in hopes of a lighter sentence). Jagen Sedai wasn't thick or absentminded, and the woman certainly recognised the illusions when she saw them squeak then disappear. No, no, the thing to do was to answer the question that was asked of her, yes she felt discontent that Jagen Sedai would pressure her to the cutthroat block, where the Testing for a similar shawl, though perhaps nowhere as lacey, would scar her for ages. But she must answer what was asked of her, as an Accepted it was the choice she made to get the serpent on her hand. Otherwise the Aes Sedai might not think she was taking this training seriously. She was taking her lessons seriously, it was just . . . couldn’t people not take it so seriously all the time? Many had tried to get inside Saline’s mind and failed, most of all Saline herself. Something was out of sorts, and in this time of dire need for smart thinking it was suddenly more interesting to wonder why she had etched 'seven in one blow'. Gnaw on that for a while.

 

Almost a relief instead of confronting Jagen Sedai, who was for her own good . . . like that age issue Jagen Sedai asked. A rhetorical question considering the Aes Sedai’s age though she was sure Jagen Sedai was fairly new, even the youngest were over the half century mark, but she was near the spectrum of forty years old! Never mind comparing herself to Estel Sedai, although they’ve started off together, Estel Sedai wielded more power than Saline could ever dream. If she squinted a bit Jagen could have been the Lady Wastrel, admonishing her child on the latest mishap in the manor. To quell her playfulness, no, but its aims were to instill a measure of decorum and self discipline into Saline’s routine: willfulness would not be viewed in a kindly light.

 

Another person might have let Saline drink tea and give her a cookie if she improved but not Jagen Sedai. Jagen drank tea while Saline wove, and Saline never did well enough for a pat in the back, although she was passable in rare incidents. The Red was always careful with showing their respective statuses, and Saline actually liked the other for it. Interestingly enough she had always likened teaching to role-play, as mentors and their students bought into the system. Then again did not other factors blur the boundaries? When she mentored, her students’ questions awed her, and made her explore more as she tried to explain. So much of what shaped her was picked up around her. It felt right, but she didn’t know the how or why of it. There was no socializing in this façade, like the polite mask of Saline’s smile, no placating in Jagen’s patronage, as any Reds condescending to an Accepted was an honour. She did not know why she feared the other, only that she was frightened, dismally uncomfortable, therefore she sought to be in the company. Partly it was a game, but then again, the depth of her discomfiture stirred deep.

 

Still answer she must.

 

“Well. Aes Sedai,” the honorific being a rather good stall, “er, I don’t know about Sisters playing games as I’m still one of the oldest Accepted here but,” moving on quickly as her woeful pace of progress had always been a sticky spot with her teachers “I’ve always wondered if being Aes Sedai is any fun.” Asking questions proved time again to be a good distraction from oneself, “I mean, sure there’s a lot of power and controlling others involved, but do you ever been asked to take control? How are you sure it’s always the best decision to make for another, is it really for their own good?” Hang being around Rory too much, she had picked up the other’s insubordinate talk, albeit the notable lack of Illianer grammar. Better try and soften the words, “no, no, I retract, that was rebellious of me.” Eep! Did she say that aloud? “Ah, I’m a nervous rambler, sorry.” Saline smiled and decided to stop talking. Neither Earth nor thickened Air, words became a force stronger than physical bonds, and though she longed to run Saline stayed. Words made her realise this wasn’t about the prank, or getting out of trouble, so much as, why was she working to become an Aes Sedai, allegedly the most powerful organisation since the Breaking?

 

The serpent stared back, its playful glint telling her to go for it. “Aes Sedai, what is Daes Daemar? Is it not a Game that draws strength because people believe you?”