Janine's Initiation

[Jaydena]

Jaydena stepped from the office of the Captain General and motioned for Janine to follow her through the Halls. Her feet fell silently on the white tiles with their green borders, and green handled swords inlaid in each tile. She didn't wait for Janine, or check to see if she was following. The girl would learn quickly that she wasn't as important as she thought she was. Walking steadily she approached the very end of the Green Ajah Quarters. She opened the door to one of the recruit rooms and motioned for the recruits inside who were busy moving Janine's things from her rooms in the Accepted's quarters to leave the room. They left with sympathic looks to Janine and Jaydena smiled quickly at the young ladies. They were all doing very well in their tests to become a Green Sister. She walked all the way into the room and shut the door behind the newest recruit. Turning to the girl she looked over the room, it wasn't much, but hopefully she wouldn't be here very long. She smiled at the young woman and spoke again, "Your things are being moved here by the other recruits of the Green Ajah. No one must know that you are not truly a green sister and this ensures that. I hope you will go through your things and if anything is missing let me know. Though we have never had that happen there is always a first time for everything. You shouldn't be here long if you apply yourself Janine, I know this seems horrible, but I can tell you that each and every Sister in these Halls went through it and you will be able to as well."

 

She looked around the room and wondered what the new recruit saw in this let down from the a full sisters room. The walls were bare, no tapestries or paintings for a recruits room. There was a small rug on the floor, a washbin and pitcher, a small bed and a wardrobe for her clothes. She did have her own bathroom thought it was much smaller that a full sisters. All full sisters had a suite of rooms with kitchen, office, bedroom, two bathrooms, and enough bedrooms for several gaidin. They also had a combination living room and dining room. This excuse for a room was not anything like what Janine would have when she moved up to Green. Turning her attention back to the woman she said, "We will now go on a tour of the Green Quarters where you will go before all the Sisters who are currently in the Tower and meet them. In the next few days we will start the Battle Weaves and other things you need to need to know to become a Green. When I deem you worthy I will bring you before the Sisters of this ajah for your second petition. You will go before the Sisters and people who speak for you, you will also give your reasons for being Green."

 

Jaydena eyed her, "I would come up with better reasons than last time child." She smiled and then continued, "You will also do a midnight vigil where you will spend the night with one green sister of your choosing and talk to her about being green. You will have the night to think about everything, it's a night of contemplation. Now before we go and meet all the other Sisters do you have any questions that your would like to ask me?" She nodded at the woman and waited to see if you had any questions. Despite the girls rough start with the Sitters and herself she had a feeling that this one was more than ready to be molded and reformed in the image of a Battle Sister...

 

Jaydena Sedai

Head of Ajah

Sitter

 

[Quibby]

Janine's rage had settled from the fiery inferno that desired to consume the world around her to a wintery chill.  She had no illusions that Jaydena Sed- that Jaydena didn't know, and she really did not care.  A quiet, logical part of her mind was certain that the woman had seen more than her share of these reactions.  Very well, then.  She could play their game, but none of them would ever be able to make her believe that she was less than Aes Sedai.  The Oaths had been spoken before the Amyrlin Seat, the Oath Rod in hand.  The thought made her smile slightly.  "Only one: how am I supposed to address you?"

 

OOC: Short post, sorry.  I plan to have her contemplate the rest while being shown around the Green quarters.

[Jaydena]

Jaydena glanced around the room at everything in boxes as she waited for Janine to reply. She remembered this day for herself like it was yesterday. Light it had happened before this young woman was born and most likely her parents but still she could remember it. She had stood her with Mandi Sedai and she had been so angry, so resentful of the years she had put in to be part of this Ajah. She had known for several years before being raised to Aes Sedai what Ajah she would choose. Then they had lied to her and crushed her heart. Though they had not crushed her spirit, that was something that wasn't possible, just as it wouldn't happen to this woman. Glancing back at Janine she saw a smile cross her face as the young woman spoke,  "Only one, how am I supposed to address you?" Jade smiled and then spoke, "You will address me by my name, Captain General, or Sister. The fact is that I am your Sister under the oath rod and under the roof of the Tower. You just don't officially belong to an Ajah. You can address everyone else in the same way as you speak to me, though my position as Ajah Head dictates that you show a more respect to me than other members of the Ajah." She arched her eyebrow and then continued, "It won't take you long to be raised if you focus on your goal Janine Sedai." She smiled softly and then motioned for the woman to lead the way out of the room as they began their tour.

 

Jaydena opened the door to the room and led the way out of the room. She walked down the Hall and began speaking as they entered another room, "This is known as the the Green Ajah Vault, probably one of the most sacred areas of our Ajah. When you become a member of the Ajah and believe me you will, you will gain a key to this area."

 

She led the way into the main sunken seating area, around the deep seated couchs were glass walls. Inside the walls were cubbys, inside each cubby was a portrait of the deceased or missing battle sister and a few of her prized posessions, including pictures of her gaidin. Leading back into the hallways were large portraits of Sisters, she had painted quite a few of them herself. Turning she spoke, "The Vault is a place were we come in contemplation of those we have lost in this battle against the Shadow. Sisters of the Battle Ajah rarely die in their sleep. We will all die and if we are lucky we will do so fighting for the greater good such as these women did. When we die we earn a place within the Vault." She nodded respectfully and led the way out of the room and to the next area. Into the large room with it's high ceilings. "This is the Hall of Swords Janine, your second petition will take place here. We hold ajah meetings here and have large gatherings in this Hall." She led the way out of the domed room and toward the first Sisters door. Knocking on it she waited for the woman to open it. When she had she said, "This is Janine Alastarn, she is not yet Green but she is sealed to us." Stepping back she waited for the two to converse... 

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

Head of the Greens

Sitter for the Greens

 

[Quibby]

Janine Sedai...  That was a new one, and no mistake.  Janine was taken aback by the nearly-casual statement, but it did serve to cement one thing in her mind: she was Aes Sedai.  That in turn cemented other things into place.  The Accepted that she had befriended- if that was the proper way to describe the relationship of mild tolerance she had for those around her- were now beneath her.  The novices were several steps below that.  Aes Sedai of other Ajahs were her equal; there was something about this that implied that it wasn't known outside the Ajah.  Only the Greens, the Sitters, the Keeper, and the Amyrlin were above her now.  And the Greens only temporarily.  That was a reassuring thought.  Respect, on the other hand...  Janine had spent more time in the Mistress of Novices' office over 'due respect' than she had for anything else.  One of the worst whippings she'd received had been shortly after uttering the sentence, "I respect people, not titles.  Put me in a class taught by somebody I can respect, and there will be no problems."  Light, but it was going to be fun teaching that to these people.

 

Shock and anger having clouded her mind, Janine did not fully take in the decor of her room until she was halfway out the door behind Jaydena.  Then, all the half-noticed details struck at once.  Okay, maybe I'm a step further down than I realized, Janine thought, losing half a step as her mind sorted through all the details again.  Quarters fit for a glorified Accepted.  Wonderful.

 

Jaydena's voice cut through Janine's mild confusion.  "This is known as the the Green Ajah Vault, probably one of the most sacred areas of our Ajah. When you become a member of the Ajah and believe me you will, you will gain a key to this area."  A vault, eh?  That meant one of two things, and considering the Green's moniker of 'Battle Ajah', either was just as likely.  Janine followed Jaydena into a small room, couches set in the middle, surrounded by glass-closed cabinets.  Inside each appeared to be a picture, along with a few trinkets.  A memorial, then.  Janine felt an uncharacteristic pulse of sadness as Jaydena explained the purpose of the room.  With a sinking feeling, she realized that she would be in here, as Jaydena said, to remember fallen sisters.  And one day, they would do the same for her.

 

She was staring into her own grave.

 

It was a relief when Jaydena led her out of the tomb and into the next room on the tour.  "This is the Hall of Swords, Janine; your second petition will take place here. We hold ajah meetings here and have large gatherings in this Hall."  The airiness of the room was quite the contrast to the last room.  Janine had to fight the urge to take deep breaths.  No doubt that Jaydena had noted her discomfort, but there was no need to press the issue.

[Jaydena]

Oriella Distung checked her dress in the floor to ceiling mirror she had had put into her quarters and nodded in satisfaction. She loved fashion and the other wall lined in wardrobes bulging with clothes only proved that point greatly. She smoothed her hands with their perfect moon shapped nails over the shiny purple fabric. Her seamstress had picked out this fabric and told her that it would pull off the slight violet tint in her blue eyes and make her blonde hair shine. Hair that was still blonde, not dyed to look that way, and not white as some Aes Sedai had. She had never seen a fabric quite like it, one moment is was blue, the next purple, and the next it was green and every color in between. It might have been much like what fabric was like in the Age of Legends when they had angreal that made this kind of clothing. She grinned at the thought and then slid her feet into a pair of purple slippers. Today there was a new Green, the news had spread through the Hall like wildfire and soon she would be at her door. Her room was clean and presentable and she looked as well as she could, considering she hadn't been to pick up her kohl for her eyes. She had been so busy as of late with everything in the Tower, being involved in Ajah politics and so much more. She had been helping with teaching classes as the Mistress of Novices needed which she found very fufilling.

 

Walking through her quarters she smiled as she looked around, they rooms were lovely with lots of floral prints and bright colors. Everytime she came to them they mad her happy. She was one of those Aes Sedai who loved cats and she had four inside her rooms. They were all curled up somewhere inside the room. The white cat with it's blue eyes who she had named Pearl walked over and rubbed her head against her leg. Oriella petted her for a moment and then heard a knock at her door. She walked over and opened the door as Jaydena Sedai spoke, "This is Janine Alastarn, she is not yet Green but she is sealed to us." She nodded at the girl and then spoke, "Hello Janine, my name is Oriella, I am pleased to me you. How are you my dear?" She laughed and then continued, "I'm sorry you are probably not doing well, at this moment as I remember how I felt at the time, but all I can say is stay positive and work hard Sister. We all had to go through this and we all proved ourselves and have gone on to fight many battles. Do you have any questions?"

 

Oriella Distung

NSW Green by Jaydena

 

[Nephitess]

OOC: I'll be next. :)

[Quibby]

OOC: Sorry, not very good at creating Aes Sedai on the fly.

 

IC: It was a short walk, rather surprisingly, from the Hall of Swords to Jaydena Sedai's next stop.  It was a door.  A part of Janine's mind, which finally seemed to have caught up with the situation and had actually managed to get ahead a bit thought, Goodie, goodie.  The meet and greet part of the tour.  The thought was almost enough to make Janine giggle, though she managed to control herself.  It wasn't that she did not want to know these people; she really did.  It was that the cold part of her mind that had caught up with events also knew that she would probably not remember names.  As Jaydena knocked, Janine straightened up.  It was time to meet her sisters.

 

As the woman inside the room opened the door, Jaydena said, "This is Janine Alastarn.  She is not yet Green, but she is sealed to us."

 

The Green who answered was unfamiliar to Janine.  She wore a rather striking dress that seemed to change colors as Janine watched it.  It was rather intriguing.  In a friendly voice, she said, "Hello, Janine, My name is Oriella, I am pleased to meet you.  How are you, my dear?"  The look of mild irritation that flashed across her face at the question must have been noticed, as the woman laughed suddenly.  "I'm sorry you are probably not doing well, at this moment as I remember how I felt at the time, but all I can say is stay positive and work hard Sister. We all had to go through this and we all proved ourselves and have gone on to fight many battles. Do you have any questions?"

 

Janine hesitated for a second, feeling as if she was expected to have questions.  None came to mind, however.  Once things settled down in her head, though, there would probably be several.  "I'm afraid not at the moment, umm... sister-" That was going to take getting used to.  "-but if anything does come to mind, I will be sure to ask."

 

As they made their goodbyes, another sudden realization struck Janine.  As soon as she had a free moment, there was somebody she had to track down.  However, that would have to wait, as the tour was moving on.

[Jaydena]

ooc- No worries hun, there isn't a time limit on this one.

 

Oriella Distung smoothed her hands over the beading on her dress while keeping her eyes trained calmly on the girls face. She remembered her own day as though it was yesterday. Anger didn't begin to describe the emotion she felt that day. Oriella had been ready to kill everyone in sight when she found out all the work she had put into this had been for naught. She had become something little better than a glorified Accepted. It had taken years for her to realize why she had needed that time and why it had helped to shape her into the weapon she was today. She could go from rubbing elbows with Kings and Queens to helping people in the street, and then to wiping Trolloc blood off her faces after a fierce battle. The tools it had taught her were not something she would have learned otherwise.

 

She looked back at Janine who had seemed to hesitate before speaking, "I'm afraid not at the moment, umm... sister-but if anything does come to mind, I will be sure to ask." Oriella nodded at the girl and they said their good-byes. She shut the door behind Janine and pondered on how she had felt. It had taken some time for her to get past the anger and contemplative emotions that Janine was obviously feeling but it wouldn't be long before Janine gained her footing again, at that point she would either channel her anger into becoming a full fledged Green, or she would pout as other did, or another option was she would just accept what happened and get started on being the best she could be. The emotions that she had seen ran the full course of emotions and they would have to wait and see what the future and the wheel weaving would bring for this newest recruit of the Green Ajah...

 

Oriella Distung

NSW by Jaydena

[Jaydena]

Jaydena watched the scene before her and smiled, Oriella could always be counted on to calm a situation down, she was really quite a political machine and they were so blessed that she had spent years as Sitter. As she watched the two she realized they were nearly done speaking, Janine didn't have any questions or she did but was to angry or upset to ask them, either way they were done at this room. Jade let the way down to the next door and knocked, speaking as soon as the door was opened to the sister. "Hello Sister, this is Janine Alastarn, she is not yet Green but she is sealed to us, as our newest recruit." She stepped back as she waited for the two to converse...

 

Jaydena Mckanthur

[Jaydena]

Jaydena watched as the two talked and they soon moved to another room, and than another. It took some time but finally they had reached all the rooms and she took her to the last door. "This is my own quarters Janine, anytime you need me, you can reach me here, or at my office. If I am not in one of those two places than someone is bound to know where I am at. When I tell you I am here for you that is not an exaggeration. Anytime, night or day you can come to rant at me or to cry on my shoulder. You wouldn't be the first to do so or the last. Being a Sister of the Battle Ajah is never easy, we want your friends die, our gaidin, our Sisters. We train harder than any Ajah and get the smallest thanks for it. The Greens are often looked at as the whores of the White Tower and let them think that my dear. We know that we are the only thing between their rears and total death or enslavement by the Shadow. Let them think less of us and underestimate us, we aren't a bunch of silly headed twits, but they can be silly enough to think that about us, it gives us an advantage against those Sisters. You may not be a Green today Janine but you will be some day soon and I hope you keep these words in mind during all those days to come. Until those days, I will see you on the training field bright and early tomorrow. We begin our Battle Weaves tomorrow, one of the first steps on your journey to being a Sister of the Greens, and you will get there Janine, I see that in you." She smiled at the woman, and opened her door. Jade turned back and spoke once more, "See you on the morrow my dear, and eat well tonight, you will need it tomorrow." Shutting her door she headed off to her desk to write more reports...

 

Jaydena Mckanthur