The New Beginning (Attn MoN)

[Arani Lepenque Aes Sedai]

Only the previous night, Visen, Naremi and Neres had arrived at Tar Valon.  But then, it was midnight, and they were almost falling over themselves in drowsiness.  Their brothers, accompanying them to Tar Valon before they themselves went to the Black Tower, used some of their money to rent 2 rooms in an inn.  Tired till they could take no more than a few mouthfulls of food and sips of drink, they trundled the way up the steps to their rooms, which were some of the best here, for the innkeeper had guessed that the girls were brought here to be taught to control their channeling.

 

The next morning...

 

NAREMI'S POV

Naremi awoke to the cries of the birds sailing over the city of Tar Valon.  She had fared the best of the three girls as she was more used to the hardship and weariness of travel and adventure.

 

Suddenly remembering where they were after yesterday's long hard travel, she sprang up and ran over to the window.  There was the White Tower, dazzling her with its brightness of reflected white light.  Beside her, she could feel her sister, Visen, and her cousin, Neres, standing beside her, gaping like a goldfish.  Even Naremi, more used to strange sights than the other 2, was speechless for the magnificance of the Tower.  Finally, Neres stutted out the word.  Wow!  The White Tower!  At last.  We're going to learn how to channel.  Woot!  The girls raised up a cheer of happiness.  They were there at the White Tower at last

 

VISEN'S POV

Visen, after eating her breakfast, walked down the path with her sister Naremi and her cousin, Neres, towards the White Tower, and destiny.  It had taken some convincing to convince her brothers that they would be just fine in the city, and would not get lost, for the White Tower stood up, visible to the land miles around, its dome disappering into the clouds.

 

At the great door, an Aes Sedai, distinguished by her ageless face, stood up at the sight of them.  Well well, whom do I owe the honour of meeting, three WILDERS?  Her smile was mocking, and her eyes chill enough the freeze fire.  Naremi stood straight, eyes flashing angrily at the tone of the Aes Sedai's voice.  Visen touched her arm, gently speaking in her ear.  No, Naremi, you'll only get us into trouble before we're even enrolled in the novice book.  Let Neres do the talking.  And she raised an eyebrow at the Aes Sedai.  Unless you want the Aes Sedai to turn us away before we're even at the Mistress of Novices' office?

 

NERES'S POV

Neres noted that the Aes Sedai's face grew chiller with every word that Visen spoke.  With a sigh, she intervened before the situation grew out of hand.  We're not wilders.  Our grandmother is Estean Namell, once Accepted of the White Tower who was put out for breaking down in the test to become Aes Sedai.  Wilders, by your definition, are woman who start channelling without any guidance.  Our grandmother tested our family for the ability to channel when we were 15, and the three of us tested true, and she sent us here to learn how to channel properly.

 

The Aes Sedai did not seem impressed.  Estean Namell, you said, she was a wilful girl.  Is she still alive?  I was once her friend, and looked up to her for her great ability.  She was a disappointment when she failed the testing.  Sniffing, she continued, I hope you pass, and I will do anything it takes to see you do so.  Or I will skin you alive!  Oh, and by the way, my name is Ashera, Ashera Sedai to you.  If there was any doubt that she would do so, it disappeared when Neres met Ashera Sedai's  eyes.

 

NAREMI'S POV

Naremi was in a bad temper after Ashera Sedai's  scorn, and tramping up stairs did not help either.  They walked through corridors, where Aes Sedai stared, up the stairs, where they bumped into several Novices, and Accepted, carrying pails and buckets of water for their chores.  Ashera too seemed to be in a bad mood, and she assigned punishments for every single wrong that they seemed to make.  Novices squeaked and ran when they saw her, and Accepted curtsied and hurried off, always glancing back, they noticed.

 

Then, Ashera stopped in front of a door labelled, Mistress of Novices, knocked and went in, sparing a last glare for the 3 of them

[Jaydena]

ooc- Novice Quiz not passed, will edit this when it is. Please do not respond James

[Arani Lepenque Aes Sedai]

OoC: James, you can post.  DL Andrea has given permission for me to RP

[Jaydena]

The Quiz has been passed and this player is now free to rp at will. Have fun rping!

[Wayfarer]

Hearing a knock at the door, Darienna looked up to call whoever it was to come in when she saw the door was already opening.  Frowning slightly as she leaned back in her chair and puffed on her pipe, she was surprised to see Ashera taking such liberties with her office.  People did not just waltz in and out of her office without care, she did not tolerate it from anyone and most knew better.  She would have to have a discussion with Ashera on the matter.  A discussion that would have begun immediately if not for the three girls that filed in after the woman.

 

Three?

 

In a case like this, Darienna wasn't inclined to completely trust what her senses were telling her.  Reaching for the drawer to her left, she fished about in it with one hand even as her other reached across her desk for the Novice Ledger and pulled it infront of her.  She would be inscribing at least one name, if not all three of them.  A puzzle, but she wasn't about to argue with providence if it saw fit to provide the White Tower with three new Novices.

 

That was, if they passed the test they were set.

 

"Come in, come in.  I see that you have brought three new possibles, sister, its a shame that we are short a seat for the third."  With only two seats available, the message was clear, the seats were not for Ashera to use.  Finding the gem that she wanted, blue in hue and wonderful for simplifying the task that was ahead, she turned to the three even as two sat down.  "I'm assuming that the three of you are here to become Aes Sedai, but I wish to test you to verify your capacity to channel first."

 

Tossing the gem in the space between them, a thread of air caught the item and held it suspended above her desk.  Tying it off, she fed a slight thread of spirit into the gem, a soft light within it beginning to stir as she spoke.  "How this will work is this.  One of you will stare into the gem at a time, your ability to channel is confirmed when the gem flashes a pale blue.  Then the next of you will try.  As each of you is to try, I want you to tell me your name."

 

"Begin."

 

 

Darienna Ceradin

Mistress of Novices

[Arani Lepenque Aes Sedai]

Neres POV

Neres sat down on the chair next to Visen as Darienna Sedai drew out a blue stone and wove Spirit around it.  She had progressed the farthest in touching Saidar and could now see the flows woven, then she heard Darienna tell each of them to concentrate on the blue gem.  She found that unnecessary at the moment though.  Taking a deep breath, she said  My name is Neres Yoshan, the others are Visen and Naremi Yoshan respectively.  Our grandmother was Estean Namell and she was once an Accepted here.  She tested us for the ability to channel, and we tested true.  Do you know her?

[Wayfarer]

Frowning as the girl that was called Neres decided to disregard her instruction, the errant thought that this girl might have spoken to Tirzah and Lucrecia crossed her mind.  Maybe it was the fate of all girls that came to her with their sisters, perhaps their presence was distracting or otherwise disabled their more basic manners and ability to interact with people in a normal fashion.  Generally when someone asked you to do something, you did it before you asked your own questions.  Or you at least asked while you followed the instruction.

 

But, at least the girl took the trouble to introduce herself and the others.  It was at that point that Darienna realised that she had been somewhat remiss in her own manners.  A rare slip on her part, but there it was, she had forgotten to introduce herself and explain who she was and what they were doing.  A rare day, perhaps it had been too long since she had last dealt with a new students.

 

Sighing as she took a long draw from her pipe, Darienna closed her eyes and opened them again slowly to help her re-orientate herself before she spoke calmly.  "I should have introduced myself, my apology to the three of you.  I am Darienna Sedai, the Mistress of Novices.  It is my duty to oversee the education of all Novices and Accepted within the Tower, and to test new prospectives such as yourself."

 

"I have to admit, three such as you at once is quite rare.  So, you will have to forgive me once more that I must insist that you all take this test.  Once that has been done, we may discuss Estean Namell."  Gesturing to the gem that floated in the air, Darienna spoke to Neres.  "Since you were first to speak, then you shall go first."

 

 

Darienna Ceradin

Mistress of Novices

 

OOC:  Mind pming me what info you have for Estean Namell?  Cheers :)