To fill our pockets (attn: kyn and mot)

[Matalina]

It was their ulitmate goal to make money and their current plan was to become Warders. Balyn thought it was time to become men.  It was more than just the money now.  It was about honor and duty and all that.  But it was always about the money.  When you grew up with nothing it was almost always about the money or rather the lack there of.  But now they were going to make their own way in the world.  At least Balyn intended that to be the case.  Him and his brother had walked a very long way to come to the gates of the White Tower.  They had no coin in their pockets and were extremely hungry and probably looked alot worse then they felt.

 

Balyn and Dagen found the first person they could and Balyn exclaimed, "We are here to train, can you show us the way?"

 

Balyn wasn't sure what would happen next, but he was sure that they were doing the right thing.  It was always the right thing to improve yourself and your standing within your family.  Balyn and Dagen were off to do that.  Make their family proud of them!  It would be an grand adventure something to tell the grand children and to write in glorious tales for gleemen to recite - the Tales of Balyn and Dagen, he could see it now...

 

Balyn

 

(OOC:  Dagen will post after Kyn so as I'm not writing multiple posts in a row)

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn was again hanging out in the yard, waiting for some trainees to finish their run as part of their fitness training when two young men approached him. Kyn turned his head to look the pair of them up and down. They were travel worn, hungry and tired and he knew what the next thing to come was. They're going to ask about training. They always seemed to do that, the more worn and hungry the more likely it was they wanted to train. he had turned many away, recognizing that they were merely after a warm bed and three meals.

 

We are here to train, can you show us the way?"

 

Kyn took a second look over these pair, having been about to dismiss them to the stables or such. But the way the boy had put it made him pause. He wanted to ask Do you know what you ask of me? because for many trainees they didn't finish the training, some died, some left. Even after the training, life was not easy, there were always risks involved with being associated with the Tower. "Tell me what you are looking for? What is your reason for wishing to be trained?"

[Matalina]

Dagen looked to his brother upon being asked the question.  They could tell the truth that they wanted to fill their pockets with gold as they had seen before or they could put on a more honorable front.  Balyn shurgged giving Dagen the whole decision.  It wouldn't be an easy one either.  He didn't stammer but he waited until he knew what his thoughts would be. 

 

"We are here to be Warders.  Nothing more and nothing less."  It was not a lie.  "We want to have a part of what they are, what they stand for and the benefits of becoming one."  Again not another lie.  "We know that the path will not be simple and that training does not mean we become a Warder."  He looked up and smiled. "But we can try, if we fail we gain the honor of knowing we tried."

 

Dagen was proud of himself.  None of it was a lie and it actually made him feel proud after saying it.  It was something to be, it was more than what they were and if they failed at least they tried.  Honor and Duty now meant something, maybe that was a sign for them.  Dagen looked over at his brother who was beaming proudly, he too felt the same about Dagen's words.  That was good, they would do this with for the honor and the money.

 

Dagen

 

OOC:  You are missing a closing italic I'm pretty sure I only answered what you intended for them to hear.

[_Kynwric_]

OOC: Yeah, I type most of those in as I go and I missed a /. Thanks.

Answers were bang on.

 

IC: Kyn arched his eyebrow and listend to the other young man answer. "Tried. That is a dangerous word. Sometimes it is used as a crutch for those who do not want to succeed. Sometimes it is used as an excuse for those who made a half hearted attempt. No, I do not like that word, tried. Either do, or do not, but never merely try." He looked each of them over again. "I suppose you need to see Mistress Thera, be entered in the rolls and told where to bunk. But first, what is it you think a Warder does? I mean you speak as if you know, I wonder what you expect from the Tower?"

 

[Matalina]

Dagen looked to Balyn but Balyn had already opened his mouth to speak.

 

"A Warder is a warrior.  A protector.  A friend."  The last he said with uncertainty, while the pair had looked close enough he was not sure friend could be used in that type of relatioship. "We came upon a Warder and his Aes Sedai at home.  We didn't get to speak to them personally but we did watch them from a distance."

 

Dagen was glad his brother had not mentioned the purse of gold they had carried, it would not look good if they had only been paying attention to the gold they persued.

 

"They are of honor and duty and we wish to learn those ways."  Dagen added to his brothers comments.  "We don't expect anything except the chance to try."  He know the man didn't like the word try, but there was nothing else they could do but try, if they were not found worthy by an Aes Sedai to be a Warder it was not from their lack of trying.  "We will put our hearts and backs into becoming something worthy to be called a Warder someday, but it is not up to us to decide if we are Warder material.  We can only try to be what an Aes Sedai wants for her protection."

 

Dagen

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn hummpphed and nodded. "Close, close enough... in my opinion, and you will find a many. A Warder is a guardian of his Aes Sedai, he does what he must to make sure she lives. Friendship is not necessary, but it certainly makes life more pleasant, honor is not always a part of it either. We like to be honorable, but duty. Duty is our crux. If there is something a Warder can never forget it is his, or her, duty." He emphasized the last word with a gravity of his experiences. "Can you explain to me an Aes Sedai's oathes? What hardships would you expect from having to hold to them?"

[Matalina]

Balyn and Dagen staggered, they had no clue what their oaths were.  "We are sorry sir, but we do not know much about Aes Sedai in particular. We only come to be a Warder.  We have alot to learn right now.  We know this and we are willing to try, but we are not literate and things like that aren't passed on to the likes of us.  Our parents have never met an Aes Sedai.  We will work hard to learn these things.  But right now we do not know them."

 

Dagen paused hoping that it was not a prequesit to know these things. "Can you please show us the way?  We really would like to start learning these things sooner rather than later."  At that moment Balyn's stomach decided to make it's presence known. 

 

Balyn grinned. "And maybe some food afterwards would be grand."

 

Balyn and Dagen

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn shook his head with a small laugh. "You do indeed have a lot to learn. You'll need to visit the Mistress of Trainees before you can see about a meal." He pointed to a doorway. "In there, ask for Thera Gaidin and you'll be on your way as soon as she decides."

 

OOC: Of course you know Thera's LoA right now.

[Matalina]

OOC:  I know.

 

Balyn and Dagen nodded. Dagen cautiously walked up to the door that they had been  instructed to go to and he knocked.  He was not sure what to expect or when things would get started but Balyn was looking very peekish and his stomach would not stop rumbling.  He only hoped that they could get throught his with out Balyn or himself exiling themselves from the tower.

 

An enter came from the door and Dagen opened it softly. "I am Dagen Caine and this is my brother Balyn.  We have come to enroll in training if you will have us."

 

Dagen

[Eqwina]

Thera was humming quietly under her breath and polishing her sword. The work load had been light today, so much so that she’d allowed herself a few extra hours in bed with Jasine. They had talked about their future plans and just held each other, enjoying the rare moment of quiet in their lives. 

 

The knock came as a bit of a shock, but it was a welcome interruption. In truth her sword did not need a shine; it had simply been for something to do. Standing just long enough to slip it back in its sheath she sat back down and bellowed enter at the door. Her caramel brown eyes took in both boys at a glance, before she motioned them to sit.

 

“Brothers are you? Well I am sure your mother loved both of you running off at the same time. So you want to enroll in the Yards, well that’s a common statement in this room, can you tell me any more about why? Or did you just get a wild hair and flee a boring life at home for adventure, money and fame?” Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she watched the boys faces drop. Did they really think they were the only ones lured by money and fame?

 

[Matalina]

Balyn blinked "Money and adventure yes ma'am, but we don't want to be famous."  He smiled at his attempt to be funny. "But we know there is alot more to it than that.  Warder's are people we can see our selves being. Sure the money is great, but our journey here gave us lots to think about too.  All those stories about Warders make them seem so grand, but they were people just like us once.  Someone had to teach them, someone had to give them a chance. We are hoping you will give us that chance."

 

Dagen just nodded. They both hoped that they could join, it would crush their hearts if the failed in this simple matter.  Failing to be a warder was one thing but to fail at the attempt to become one was a whole nother ball game.

 

Balyn and Dagen

 

OOC:  sorry for the major delay.

[Eqwina]

Thera smiled wryly and shook her head. “Well it does my mind good to know you are not after fame. True fame usually only comes after dying in some heroic way and your heads are far too young and far too mischievous to end up on a pike.”  They would learn, they all always learned…eventually

“Since your heads will remain intact for now, let’s see what we can do about getting your names in the role and finding you bunks. After that will be the tour, in less of course you have any questions for me?”