Azalia's Arrival [attn: MoN]

[Jay Solace]

Azalia would be happy to say good-bye to her new Aes Sedai acquaintance.  The only topic of conversation they could seem to settle on was uncomfortable silence.  She seemed like a very sweet woman and called herself a Brown Ajah, though the only brown she wore were her boots.  The problem was that this Aes Sedai was only interested in, well, everything actually, but while it all went in, nothing came back out.  She was quick to ask questions, and scribble up a swarm of notes, but whenever Azalia had a questions of her own, the Aes Sedai got all slippery and evasive.  After a while Azalia , who could take conversation or leave it, took to just smiling and nodding while she did whatever small chores and errands the Aes Sedai needed doing, as their horse and cart rolled over mile after mile.

 

The possibility of better company couldn’t stop Azalia from being apprehensive.  That tower was mighty gorgeous but it kept insolently growing larger and larger and it had seemed plenty huge enough when this little horse and cart  had still been miles away.  The thing was threatening to fill up Azalia’s whole world. 

 

Well, that’s what it’s about to do, isn’t it?

 

At that thought, Azalia chuckled to herself and switched the sprig of straw she was chewing on to the other side of her mouth.  Azalia tried to take her mind off the monolithic tower now and again by watching the bustling streets of Tar Valon.  Whitebridge, her home town was of a fair size, and when they had passed through Caemlyn it had made Whitebridge seem small and quiet by comparison.  Azalia was fairly certain that TarValon had room enough for Whitebridge, and Caemlyn together with plenty to spare.  Still, one throng was like another, really.  When you had neither room to stretch on a busy street in a small town nor a busy street in a big town, what was the difference?  Well, in Tar Valon the difference was in the variety.  The White Tower seemed to attract all kinds. Even a farm-girl like Azalia could recognize most of them; Whitebridge was an oft-used thoroughfare, but it unusual to see so many different nationalities at once.

 

For the thousandth time Azalia wondered how her brothers were doing without her to care for the, She wasn’t a very womanly woman by most standards but she still had more sense than all the men in her household put together.

[Jay Solace]

Written with Quisalas Selene

 

 

Selenessin was on entry duty again today and it was something she always enjoyed.  While learning and helping out were both steps towards her goal of helping people, here she actually could help people.  She had a ready smile and a soothing voice for each person she spoke to, and her kindness seemed to be just the thing to set at ease many of the people nervous about visiting the tower.  She saw a young woman saying goodbye to a woman who clearly had the ageless face of an Aes Sedai and when the woman looked up into the Tower and made eye contact with her, Selene curtsied to the Commander of the Tower Guard whom she was making pleasantries to and moved towards the pair.

 

Azalia might normally like to think of herself as nonchalant, but every person has limits!  She was a brittle bundle of nerves.  She always felt a little odd in dresses, she preferred trousers for most things,  and she constantly fidgeted with the thing.  Honestly, what woman spent all her time straightening their dress?  Azalia spotted a chipper, perky young lady with a sunny face coming toward her.    Azalia reached for her like a drowning woman for flotsam.  "Hello, there!  My name is Azalia."  As she spoke Azalia found herself thrusting her hand out for a shake.  She paused and, with a nervous grin, dropped a quick curtsy instead.

 

Selene smiled and curtsied deeply to the pair of them, although her head was bowed in the direction of the Sister specifically.  "Evening, Aes Sedai.  Hello Miss.  I am Selene, is there anything I can do to help you both?"

 

The Sister nodded absently and murmured "Yes, yes, child.  Please do be taking this girl to Larindhra Sedai.  She is to see the Mistress about being enrolled, she do have the gift to learn to channel.  I have a letter here somewhere..."  The Aes Sedai's green eyes sharpened into focus as she tucked a hand into each of her several pouches and searched through the papers that were cluttering them. "Ah yes, here we are."  She handed the letter to Selene and then moved off towards the libraries with an air of detachment.  One would wonder at the fact that the woman never bumped into anyone, but novices and accepted scurried out of her way and the woman somehow maintained the presence of mind to step around any other obstacles, though she likely never saw them.

 

Selene smiled at Azalia and took her arm.  "This way, Miss.  I'll take you to see the Mistress of Novices.  Did you have a pleasant trip to Tar Valon?"

 

"Pleasant enough, but a might quiet for my taste," Azalia responded after giving the Aes Sedia a good-bye curtsy.  "Selene?  That's a lovely name.  Are you.... training to be an Aes Sedai too?" Azalia quietly fell into step as Selene lead the way.

 

The halls of the Tower were richly decorated with tapestries, vases, and statuettes from all over the world.  The high ceilings were arched and almost seemed to glow as light from gilded sconces and elaborate hanging candelabra reflected against the pure white stone.  Few people, even kings and queens, could walk along the Tower hallways without being moved by their beauty.  Fancy, Azalia mused as she only briefly took in the monumental decor.  While they did impress her, she just chalked it up to what happened when you had not only a single magic-casting woman, but a whole society of them.  By and large, most of her attention was focused on the white-clad Selene who was caught somewhere between the ordinary girl Azalia felt she was and one of the mythic Aes Sedai.

 

They walked along the twisting corridors as Selene answered Azalia.  "Thank you, Azalia.  Your name is very pretty, I've seen azalea flowers before, they're very lovely.  I am training to be an Aes Sedai." She smiled at the girl.  "I think I'm very close to becoming an Accepted.  That's the step between Novice, which is what I am now and you will be after you see Larindhra Sedai, and a full Aes Sedai."

 

[Jay Solace]

 

Written with Quisalas Selene

 

 

"Amazing.  I really can't put my mind around the concept of being an Aes Sedai yet."  Out of habit, Azalia's hand was lifting up  to pluck her usual bit of straw from her mouth, as she did whenever her thoughts grew deep, only to find that it was no longer there.  She'd dropped her last peice to the ground before entering the tower; it had seemed uncouth. "Who were you, before you came here?"

 

Selene smiled softly as she let her eyes grow unfocused for a moment, thinking about who she was.  "I was me.  I still am."  She turned her gaze to Azalia and smiled to let the girl know she'd not been offended by the question.  "I was raised on a horse farm, my parents bred and trained horses and I grew up practically on top of them.  They live just north of Four Kings still."

 

"Horse farmer, eh?"  Azalia grinned one of her biggest grins.  "I'm a farm-girl myself.  My father's a swineherd.  Actually, the farm's recently passed to my eldest brother.  I've met the odd fellow from Four Kings, before," Azalia lifted one hand and clapped it cheerfully on Selene's shoulder, the one farthest from Azalia, giving her a shake and a half-squeeze.  "They always seem to be rather bright and flirty fellows.  Mind you,  my family has raised a few horses from foal to horse as yours might have brought up a squealer or two for winter festivals but I know that's not the same."

 

Selene startled initially at the touch, most in the Tower were rather reserved in physical affection, but she smiled after her initial start.  "Bright and flirty?  That's my brother, alright.  He's a Tower Guard now.  He came with me to Tar Valon."  Her voice may have gotten just a touch wistful at the mention of her brother, it'd been a long time since she had seen Jasine. "Swineherd?" Selene turned and looked Azalia over again.  "Where is your family's farm? You have the speech of an Andoran, but with those grey eyes you must have been very sought after as being exotic back home." 

 

Selene took up a lock of her own pale blonde hair in one hand and waved it absently. "I even had a girl tell me I must be adopted with my hair, but Mum's hair was blonde when she was a little girl.  Mine just never went brown like hers did."  She nodded her agreement to having raised the occasional pig.  They had, in fact, just about always had a sow that they would breed to the Al'Aree's hog and then raise up the litter for meat.  "We never did the butchering, though.  That was what Master Thalor in Four Kings was for."

 

"My da's farm was just outside of Whitebridge.  We raised them, slaughtered them, and tanned the hides, why I even..."  Azalia caught herself.  Not every soul was able to deal with the particulars of raising swine.  "...did a lot the chores, myself."  She finished lamely.  "Sought after?  I don't believe so.  I got my share of looks and winks, I suppose but I don't think I was what most of the men-folk thought of when they pictured their dream girl.  As for my eyes - I guess, they are kind of special but a lot of my immediate family have them the same color so I tend to forget about them." Azalia chuckled bit more and let the other girl go from her half-hearted hug, choosing to lock her hands together behind her back, instead.  "But I love your fair hair.  It's very exotic. It makes you feel sunny."

 

[Quisalas Selene]

 

Selene smiled brightly and it was her time to hug Azalia.  It was nice to find someone in the Tower who was so openly friendly and relaxed and, and, real.  Really real, like dirt and trees and pigs are!  Everything about Aes Sedai was preparation for a life of false fronts of secrecy and that detestable mask of serenity.  Selene liked smiling, it made her feel good, and it was nice to think about being friends with Azalia, who just might have the stuff to stay real even while she was trained to present the look of Aes Sedai.  "We're here, this is the Mistress of Novice's office."  She pulled back from the hug, brushed off the shoulders of Azalia's dress, and smiled encouragement.  "Larindhra Sedai is quite fierce, she has a hard job whipping all of us into shape - sometimes literally.  But if you are polite and respectful, she will not find fault with you.  Curtsy when you meet her and when you leave, anytime she stands up." She paused for a heartbeat, thinking. "Never call her Mistress, she is an Aes Sedai and you should address her as that or as Larindhra Sedai.  But I wouldn't use her name until she's given it to you.  You'll do fine, I'll be right here when you come out and I'll take you up to your room when you're done here.  Good luck!" 

 

With her advice done, Selenessin stepped over to the office door and rapped smartly on it.  When Larindhra called for her to enter, she only stepped in for a moment.  After convincing the Aes Sedai that she not in fact there to ask if she could diaper babies in the Infirmary, and no she was not in need of extra work, and no she had not been set a penance by anyone, she finally managed to explain that there was a new girl who was to become a novice outside and handed the woman the letter.  She managed to keep her tone patient and deferential with the woman, even if she did roll her eyes when she turned to the door and was safely out of sight.  A moment later she stepped back outside and held open the door for Azalia to enter.

[Jay Solace]

Azalia put her arms around Selene and gave her a squeeze.  She was fairly certain that she had just made a friend, an actual girl friend!  It was easier than she'd thought it would be.  She had really only hung around with boys in he past.  "I'll mind my manners.  Swineherders know all bout whips."  She flashed Selene a wink and a smile. "Thank you!" Feeling much more relaxed after her encounter Selene, Azalia straightened herself out and entered once she was bade to do so.

 

The room was posh enough that Azalia would have whistled through her teeth under other circumstances.  As it was, she felt it was smarter to curtsy with abject politeness to the rather fierce looking woman on the other side of that massive desk. "Good evening, Aes Sedai.  My name is Azalia Switt daughter of Sconner Switt and Rosetta Hillson Switt of Whitebridge in Andor. I've - I've been told that I have the ability to learn to Channel and I've come to pursue the teaching of the White Tower, if such will have me.  It is an honor to stand before you, Aes Sedai." 

 

Azalia curtsied again for good measure.  She wasn't intimidated, not yet anyway,  a life time of bullying creatures eight times your size that could cheerfully skin you with their teeth didn't dispose one to easy intimidation.  But Master Switt didn't waste his time raising idiots (Well, maybe her brother Dodd) and she'd be a fool not to recognize who was in charge here.  She didn't feel like getting lashed for impertinence by this woman. Not tonight anyway.

[Elgee]

Larindhra was quite glad at the interruption until she saw who had knocked on her door. “What now, child?” She asked in an exasperated voice, tossing her quill down on the table. “If you’re here to ask me for more chores, or to change diapers in the infirmary, I swear I will set you to scrubbing the chamber pots for the next 4 months!”  It wasn’t that she disliked the child. In fact, she liked her very much! Light knew, Selene had even managed to turn Jasmyne into something resembling a human being.  It was just that the child was ... persistent beyond human endurance.

 

Selene tripped over her own words, assuring Larindhra that wasn’t what she was there for. “You haven’t been given a penance, have you?” Larindhra would be surprised if that happened; most Aes Sedai and Accepted were quite fond of the girl. Again Selene assured her that was not the case, but that she had brought a new novice to see her. Now if she’d kept her mouth shut in the first place, this whole conversation could have gone much quicker, but one got into the habit of not giving Selene a chance to talk, if at all possible. Either that, or be prepared to wait some time for a chance to get a word in edgeways. Larindhra took the letter from Selene and read it quickly. “Thank you, Selene. Send her in, please.”

 

After some of the tears and tantrums she’d had to endure lately, this girl’s polite words and actions were a balm to her nerves. “Welcome to the Tower, Azalia. Have a seat for a moment while I enter your details in the Novice book.” She gave the girl an absentminded smile as she wrote her details up, then moved to the store room to get her some novice whites. Handing those to Azalia, she gave her a much warmer smile. “Try those on once you’ve washed up. If they don’t fit perfectly, the seamstresses will adjust them for you and see that you have another set. Bring me anything that you want kept safe. You will be assigned a Mentor to help you adjust to life in the Tower, but in the mean time you can ask Selene any questions you have; knowing her, I’m sure she’s waiting outside to take you to your room,” she added in a wry tone.

 

“Selene!” Larindhra’s mouth twitched and her eyes sparkled with mirth as the door was opened hastily. “I’m sure you’re eager to show Azalia to her room and help her settle in. Just remember that she might be tired after her journey, so don’t go talking her ears off now! Off you go, children.” 

 

Larindhra Reyne

Mistress of Novices