To understand the White Dress... (Attention Adair and MoN)

[TaeaDawn]

Aramina walked with Adaira through the Tower, nodding slightly to sisters she knew and paying attention to those she saw interacting. In the back of her mind she was always categorizing such things, calculating and thinking of what it could mean to her and her purposes.

 

The young girl was following quietly and Aramina noticed the way she watched the others. "The girls in white are novices." She said with a small smile. "Those with the banded hem have reached the position of Accepted. They have more freedom in studies and less chores. It is a long process, that which you are about to begin, but in the end I think you will find it worth it. Your first introduction to the world of the White Dresses, shall be your meeting with the Mistress of Novice."

 

She knocked on a door as they stopped. She didn't know anyone who hadn't spent some time in the Mistress of Novice's office and few Sisters cared to remember their time there. Aramina hadn't been the sort to prank and rarely stretched the rules but she had spent her time there as well. After Natalie's death her studies had suffered and the Mistress of Novice had tried everything to get Aramina to turn back to the living. It had been a thankless task and in the end it had been up to Aramina to chose to come back and move forward. And move forward she had, at a rather astonishing pace once she had set her mind in motion.

 

She gave Adaira another smile. "I think I'd like it if you came to visit, from time to time, Adaira." She said. "I'll be here if you need any help, but I would like to know that you are well also." She said as she waited for the Mistress of Novice to answer the door.

[Lavinya]

Whack! The sound of bells tinkled faintly, in contrast to the birch as it whistled through the air and connected with the desk with a loud thwap. The novice seated before the wooden desk jumped at the sound, her eyes wide with fear and trepidation. Faerzyne did not relish the task of punishing the wayward, despite what the girl’s believed. But it was a task she had to fulfil, nonetheless, and she always made certain to do a good job of it, lest she see the perpetrators again soon after their initial visit.

 

Cool hazel eyes surveyed the now quailing novice, her lower lip trembling at the thought of the irch being applied to her more tender flesh. It had been the first time Faerzyne had had the duty to deal with this girl, caught out of her room after curfew. Inclined to believe her story of simply losing track of time in the library, Faerzyne had refrained for birching the girl, or even giving her a chore. On this occasion, a sharp scare out to do the trick. Whack! the birch struck the wooden desk again, and the frightened novice shrank back further in the uncomfortable chair. “I don’t need to tell you the importance of curfew again, do I child?†She asked, a wry twist to her mouth. The girl shook her head hurriedly, and Faerzyne nodded briefly, causing the bells in her long braids to tinkle once more. “I thought not. Now off with you child. I do not want to see you in this office again, understood?†The novice, now pale with fright scrambled out of her chair, mumbling apologies and curtseying, even as she dashed to the door.

 

With a sigh, Faerzyne returned the birch to it’s place in her cupboard, before moving to sit behind her desk. Closing her eyes briefly, she felt a tingle as one of her wards was breached, the resulting knock causing her to open her eyes. The day was young, and already it was proving to be a testing day. “Enter.†She called, following the command with a weave of air which opened the door, much to the obvious shock of the girl who stood on the other side, accompanied by a Green Sister. Not clothed as an initiate, an outsider, or petitioner perhaps. Waving them in, Faerzyne nodded to Aramina as appropriate, and regarded the girl with a smooth, though not unkind face. “My name is Faerzyne Grigory, and I am the Mistress of Novices here at the Tower. How can I help you?â€

 

~Faerzyne, MoN

[Alarwyn Liande]

Adaira almost had to run behind Aramina, so fast she walked. It seemed the Aes Sedai was just as eager to get this done quickly as she was. The hallways and the floors were all decorated with different coloured tiles, the colours of the Ajahs. She could see a young woman coming out of one of the doors and dashing to the other direction than they were coming. A moment later they stopped by the same door the woman had come. Knocking, Aramina frowned at the door and Adaira couldn't help but think what kind of a room (or a person) waited them on the other side.

 

Suddenly Aramina Sedai turned towards her and smiled a little. "I think I'd like it if you came to visit, from time to time, Adaira." she said, "I'll be here if you need any help, but I would like to know that you are well also." Adaira smiled too and thought that it would be a relief to know at least one person in this huge, complex society inside the Tower, and she had promised to help her too.

 

“Enter.†a voice said on the other side of the door and it swung open. There were no-one there opening it, though, the only person in the room was a woman sitting behind a wooden desk. “My name is Faerzyne Grigory, and I am the Mistress of Novices here at the Tower. How can I help you?†Adaira glanced at Aramina Sedai. She wasn't sure at all what to say and besides, it wouldn't be proper to speak before Aes Sedai.

 

OOC: *pokes the thread* not dead yet? :P sorry for the delay... *sigh*

[TaeaDawn]

(OOC: Not dead! I let Kristen know you were cause in tests so no worries here! Trust your mentor :P))

 

Adaira looked at Aramina and she understood suddenly the girls reluctance. Obediance was a good quality in a novice and understanding her place a better one. She looked to Aramina now because she didn't understand the protocol. Aramina looked at the Mistress of Novice and nodded out of respect.

 

It was slightly disconcerting to be in this office. Aramina was still considered young by many and she remembered her trips to the office, seldom as they had been.

 

"Sister, I found this child in my travels. We have travelled far together and I have tested her myself. She is ready to be entered into the Book of Novices." She said.

[Lavinya]

"Sister, I found this child in my travels. We have travelled far together and I have tested her myself. She is ready to be entered into the Book of Novices." Faerzyne turned her eyes upon the child with renewed interest, before waving the pair towards the chairs seated before her desk.

 

So the girl had already been tested. This meant she had to know, somewhere deep down inside of herself that she would be accepted within the White Tower. That she would learn to channel, to the best of her abilities. Still the girl shifted in her seat, as if she couldn’t quite believe that she would be asked to stay. Faerzyne decided to relieve her from the tension that was building. She opened the book of Novices which was still in front of her. “So you’ve been tested already. How fortunate.†She picked up her pen, and prepared to write. “Let’s see about making your stay here a bit more permanent then, shall we?â€

 

She didn’t have to look at the young woman to see that there was a change in the tension that had kept her in it’s thrall. “Can you tell me your full name again?†As the girl replied, she wrote it down in the book. Another life sealed to the Tower, for better and for worse. “And your place of birth and raising?†again she wrote, making Adaira's stay more certain with every letter, every curved or straight line. “And finally your age.†She finished with a dot behind the age, which felt as heavy and important as any signature from any high lord or lady. “Welcome to the White Tower.â€

 

~Faerzyne Grigory

MoN

[Alarwyn Liande]

Adaira watched the hand writing the questions down with something close to awe. Her name would really be there, written with black ink in that big book with all the other women who had come to the Tower and been tested acceptable. Maybe even Aramina Sedai's name could be found on one of those pages.

 

“Welcome to the White Tower.†Faerzyne Sedai said with a little smile, and looked up at Adaira. She could see that the Aes Sedai was clearly evaluating her and what probably wondering what she would become. But then, she was wondering that herself. They hadn't talked much with Aramina Sedai about what would happen when they reached the Tower, so she didn't quite know what to do next. As little as she liked it she couldn't do much else but wait for the Aes Sedai to tell her what to do. Well, I guess I'll be doing a lot of that for the next few years. But I'm here! I'm actually here, in the White Tower and studying to become Aes Sedai myself! Adaira couldn't help smiling a little.

[TaeaDawn]

Aramina felt a little satisfaction as she watched Adaira's name being written in the book by the Mistress of Novice. Finding new girls that could channel seemed to be harder and harder as the years went by and it seemed even harder to find girls that were worth keeping around. Something about Adaira made Aramina think she would be one of the Sister that you could count on in the end to do what needed to be done.

 

As Faerzyne Sedai finsihed up Aramina could see the look of expectation on Adaira's face. She almost smiled as the girl looked up at her. "I'm sure once Farezyne Sedai is done with you, you'll be taken to your new quarters." She said, giving the other Aes Sedai a look that she hoped asked forgiveness. It was the Mistress of Novice's place to take care of the child, but Aramina had brought her this far and the girl looked to her for answers. She'd learn better of it soon enough.

 

[Lavinya]

OOC: Sorry about the late reply... :?

 

Faerzyne smiled slightly as Aramina seemed to pass the child back onto herself. Indeed, she was the mistress of novices, but her time was too valuable to be spent escorting every initiate to their quarters. "I believe we are done here." She said softly, standing and moving towards the large cupboard where the novice dresses were kept. Retrieving two, she handed them to Adaira. "These are yours now child, you will keep them clean and well mended at all times." She commanded kindly, before resuming her position behind the desk and casting her gaze over to Aramina.

 

"I trust you will guide our newest novice, Aramina Sedai, and take her under your wing?" It was not so much a question as a statement, knowing full well the sister would not refuse. After all, the girl seemed comfortable with her already, it made sense. "I shall leave her in your capable hands, sister." Continued Faerzyne, with a nod of dismissal.

 

Head down, Faerzyne picked up her pen and resumed her work as the two took their leave, not looking to see if Aramina Sedai was happy with the arrangement or not. Either way it was no concern of Faerzyne's now, what was her concern was the pile of paperwork in front of her. With a short, long suffering sigh, Faerzyne dove back into the monotonous task.

 

~Faerzyne, MoN

[TaeaDawn]

"I trust you will guide our newest novice, Aramina Sedai, and take her under your wing? I shall leave her in your capable hands, sister."

 

Aramina looked at the Mistress of Novice a moment before realizing that she had been dismissed. She wasn't normally slow on the uptake, but she had just been saddled with a Novice in a way that she had never intended to be. Mentoring someone through the process meant time and energy spent on that person's behalf and there were only two people's goals that she worked towards, her own and Sirayn's. Wasn't it enough that she was divided between the two? Of course, those goals were quite often close to the same mark, but Aramina hadn't been prepared to have this thrust upon her without so much as a by your leave.

 

There was no use arguing with the Mistress of Novice though so Aramina nodded her head towards the Aes Sedai that no longer registered their presence and backed out of the room, motioning for Adaira to follow her.

 

"Well then, since Faerzyne Sedai has put you in my hands, we had best get you settled into a room so you can unpack and get situated." She said, walking down the hall towards the Novices Quarters. It didn't take long before they were there and Aramina had guided her into a room. Just outside the door Aramina stopped her. "Would you prefer to unpack now, or shall I show you around the Tower?" She asked. She couldn't decide herself what she would prefer. A long soak would be nice after her travels, but then again she could wait until after a tour with the girl so there would be no interruptions later. After all, she would be expected to find her way around on her own in the morning and Aramina wasn't about to let her go running about lost.

 

((Wasn't sure if you had roomies or not yet so I stopped them outside your room. Let me know if you want to Rp them doing a tour or you can finish it off yourself, saying they did one :P)

 

[Alarwyn Liande]

As they left the Mistress of Novice's room behind them, Adaira was still a bit dazed. Now she truly was a novice, with white dresses and everything. Dragging her saddlebags with her she followed Aramina Sedai down to one of the corridors leading to the first floor and the Novice Quarters. There the corridors were bare of all ornaments, walls painted white and only the Ajah coloured floor tiles bringing some interest to the place. Behind a closed door she could hear woman's laughter and on the other side, where the door was wide open, she could see a girl maybe a little younger than her sitting on the bed and reading. Finally Aramina stopped before one of the doors. "Would you prefer to unpack now, or shall I show you around the Tower?"

 

"I think I'd like to make a little tour around the Tower, Aramina Sedai," Adaira said with a smile. "I think my unpacking can wait alittle while, and I'd feel more comfortable if I knew the Tower and it's surroundings better. I think I need to change into the white dress, though." Gathering all her belongings into one hand, she opened the door and stepped inside.

 

Inside the room she could see it was made to accomodate three persons. There were everything three; three beds, three washstands, three little closets and even three water pitchers. All of them were more or less missmatched, but none of them were broken or in bad shape. Choosing the bed on the far right, she put her bags at the foot of it and started changing her clothes. She knew Aramina Sedai didn't like waiting, and besides, she was impatient to see more of the Tower. So far, the room looked empty so she didn't think anyone would touch her things while she was gone.

 

The white dress she was now wearing was of good quality and probably wouldn't tear easily, but it wasn't even near as fine as she was used to. But then, all the other girls she had seen used the same kind of dresses and they didn't complain, so she wouldn't start now. No, not now when Aramina Sedai was waiting and probably just wanted to get rid of her. Adaira had noticed the slight look of vexation on the Aes Sedai's face when Faerzyne Sedai had given her a new burden, Adaira's mentoring. She could only hope to be worth of the time and attention Aramina Sedai had given her already.

 

Combing her hair quickly and hastening to the door Adaira realized that she had no idea where to go and what to do after the tour. I guess I'll find out, eventually... Now it was time to see a little more of this new home of hers.

[TaeaDawn]

"I think I'd like to make a little tour around the Tower, Aramina Sedai," Adaira said with a smile. "I think my unpacking can wait alittle while, and I'd feel more comfortable if I knew the Tower and it's surroundings better. I think I need to change into the white dress, though."

 

Aramina waited patiently for Adaira to change into her White Dress. As patiently as she could for someone who had planned on dropping the girl with the Mistress of Novices and heading back to her own room for a bath. Light, but it felt good to be back home, she thought as she sat outside the girl's room. She remained still as she waited, not allowing any sign of anxiety or anticipation to cloud her visage. When Adaira came out, Aramina began walking, knowing the girl was at her side. "The Libraries are off this way, a place you'll be spending a large amount of time." Aramina said as they walked towards that section of the Tower. "The Brown Sister keep the Libraries in good condition and woe be the Novice or Accepted that doesn't take the condition of their books as a sacred thing." She said with a small smile.