Was that a dream? (Veria Retro RP...Manifestation of a talent)

[Nephitess]

IC: The door flew open and smashed against the wall. The loud crash caused an accepted next door to yell a curse in the direction of the sound. A very angry girl stomped in and flung herself on her bed. With a wave of her hand she shut the door with a thread of air.

 

Veria sighed and rubbed her temples. She had a slitting head ache and did not know what to do about it. She had been to the yellow sisters multiple time now and they did not seem to know what the problem was. They told her to get more rest… but she was doing that. By the light it was frustrating. She could not study properly….and she was falling behind. What was she going to do?

 

Veria rolled over and cried herself to sleep.

 

[Nephitess]

Veria woke up the next morning with the sun shining in her face. There was no warmth to the sun that touched her though. She opened her eyes and say up. She was still wearing her clothes from the day before… At that thought her clothes changed to breeches and a shirt. Veria’s eyes shot wide and suddenly her clothes changed to novice whites. What under the light was happening??

 

She stood up and walked towards her dressing closet and found her accepted dresses there. She picked one up and it immediately disappeared from her hand and back to its place in the closet. The door to the closet suddenly closed as well. With a mutter she moved away from the closet and towards her wash basin… maybe she was still half a sleep and dreaming while awake.

 

She stood in front of her wash basin and poured some water in the bowl…she was about to wash her face when the water disappeared. 

 

“blood and bloody ashes:” she cursed

 

Looking at herself in her mirror she saw her face…. Her eyes she a little swollen and red from her crying last night. And her clothes kept changing….Why where her clothes changing…? Was she dreaming? Was she hallucinating? Either way she was going back to bed…

 

Veria climbed back into bed and covered her head with the blanket. She fell back asleep within moments.

[Nephitess]

IC: At once she knew something was not right. She was walking along the hallway and the darkness was following her. Each step she took she felt like something was watching her from the cover of the following darkness. It gave her chills up the spine.

 

Veria walked faster in an attempt to lose the eyes. She stepped quickly around a corner….but felt the eyes still. She dashed through a door and into an empty room. She looked around and saw an odd sight. There was a table there set for dining. The candle flames flicked in and out of existence. The doors to the room kept opening and shutting…. The glasses of wine emptied and filled repeatedly. It was a dizzying thing to look at.

 

Then the door opened and stayed open for longer than usual. Then it shut. It was then she felt the eyes again. She almost screamed in frustration. She was not really scared… just disoriented and frustrated at not knowing what was going on.

 

Was this another dream…hallucination…was she losing her mind? She decided she needed to escape from whatever this was. She started to pinch herself to see if that would wake/pull her out of this dream.

 

Then she was opening her eyes…the sun was shining. This time she felt the heat. She was sweating and she felt a pain on her forearm. There was a red mark there…she had been pinching herself. Sitting up she rubbed her head and wondered what was going on. She looked around and found that things stayed where they where and her clothes where not changing. Things felt real and solid. This was a good sign.

 

She got up and cleaned up. She needed a bath so she gathered her things and went to the baths. Drawing the water and setting up the bath was almost refreshing and real after her dreams of the night before. This had been happening to often for her taste. She was so tired after nights like this. How was she to get any sleep with dreams like this? She got in to the bath and forgot about it in her bathing routine.

 

a quarter hour later she was out and dry. She decided to head to the MON’s office and talk to her. Maybe she knew something? Veria did not know.. but she was going to find out what was wrong with her. Arriving at the MON’s office door she knocked and waited to be let in. 

 

Veria heard a “come in!” from the other side of the door so she entered the MON’s office. The MON’s office always gave her the feeling she needed to confess her wrong doings. Shaking that off, Veria sat in the offered chair.

 

“How can I help you child?”

 

Veria opened her mouth to speak but yawned instead. She tried again…

 

“That yawn is why I am here Larindhra Sedai. The problem is this…I sleep but am extremely tired all the time. At first it only a little bit of weariness…but it has become worse. This has been going on for a about 4 months. I have gone to the infirmary to see a yellow sister and it has not helped. I have recently though noticed the mornings I wake up and am so tired it is hard to move…I have had very vivid dreams. It feels like the dreams are taking all my energy! I come to you to see if there is anything advice you can give me.”

 

Veria hoped she did not sound crazy or was making excuses…she really hoped the Larindhra Sedai could help her. 

 

 

[Elgee]

What was she to do about Veria? She had asked the child’s teachers to lighten her load, and even taken away some of her labour duties, but still Veria became more haggard looking by the day. Obviously, the child wasn’t sleeping well, but she could find no apparent cause for it. Novices often became homesick and depressed, but surely Veria, as Accepted, was long past that stage? Nor could it be the despair that took some when they realised they would never gain the Shawl. She had hoped the girl would confide her troubles to either her Mentor or herself, but that had not happened thus far. It seemed she would have to take a more direct approach.

 

She rose from behind her desk, but was interrupted by a knock before she could take a step. Settling back in her chair, she called for the person to enter, hiding her surprise at who her visitor was. “Come in and sit down, Veria.” The Wheel wove in mysterious ways, sometimes. “How can I help you, child?”

 

The story that unfolded sounded almost the same as many she had heard from novices and Accepted countless times before. Almost. Something tugged at the back of her mind … something she had read a long time ago, when she had just become the Mistress of Novices and had made a study of all the Talents she might encounter amongst her charges.

 

“Veria, before I can offer you any advice, I need to ask you a few questions. Please think carefully and answer me as fully as you can, yes?” She waited for a nod before continuing. “These dreams that you are having … does it sometimes feel as if there are invisible eyes watching you? Also, do things move about? For instance, a hairbrush will be here one second, and there another. Or doors will be open, then closed. Does any of this sound familiar?”

 

Larindhra Reyne

Mistress of Novices

 

[Nephitess]

IC: When The mistress described the odd happenings in her dreams, Veria almost fainted dead away. How could she know this? Was she the one doing it? No... that was stupid suspicious and she threw that thought out of her head. Then it hit her...The mistress must have heard of this before! She must know something about her condition, it one could call it that. 

 

"Yes Mistress...that is exactly what happens. in my last dream I walked into a room. It had a table set for eating..table cloth, dishes set, food and glasses of wine filled. But as I looked around..the food would disappear and reappear...same with the wine. The glasses would empty and fill on their own. And...the reason i went into the room was to escape the feeling that something was following me."

 

Veria took a breathe and asked..."what does all this mean?"

[Elgee]

Larindhra tapped a finger against her lips, deep in thought. She did not want to get her hopes up, or that of the child, but the description Veria had given sounded very much like what she had read about in Corianin Nedeal’s notes. That had been many years ago, though, just a few years after she had become Mistress of Novices. It had been pure luck that she had found those notes, hidden as they were in the mathematical section of the library. Only her need to have at least a passing knowledge of the subject had driven her to that section – it would not do for the Mistress of Novices to look like a complete ignoramus to her charges. She had debated long and hard about what to do with the notes, and the ter’angreal with it; eventually she had kept it locked up in her bedroom. She reasoned that if the Talent of Dreaming ever manifested in someone, it would be amongst one of her students – and now it seemed that she could be right.  A good thing, then, that she had kept it close to hand – she would have to refresh her memory. Well, no time like the present!

 

Rising, she motioned for Veria to follow her. “Come with me, child. I think I know what it is, but I need to make sure.” She led the way to her rooms, where she bade Veria to wait in her study while she fetched the box from her room. She was pleased to see that the papers were still in good condition, as she skimmed through them. She hesitated, but eventially passed most of the notes to Veria – some of those notes were too disturbing for an Accepted to know about; at least, not until she was very sure there was no choice.

 

“You can read those through in a moment, Veria, but first let me give you a very short overview.  Some people, when they sleep, can enter … the simplest explanation is: a reflection of this world. It is called Tel’aran’rhoid, or the Dream World. Everyone can end up in this world, not only people who can channel. Most people enter it briefly and unknowingly, during their normal dreams. They are unaware that they have entered this world. Some people, however, have a talent which is called Dreaming. These people have the ability to enter this world willingly and are aware of it. They know it is not a normal dream. Now, what happens in Tel’aran’rhoid does not affect the waking world, even though it is very real while there. One exception to this is anything that happens to the Dreamer herself. If she is injured there, or worse, killed, she will also be injured or dead in the waking world.”

 

Larindhra picked up the ring and showed it to Veria. “This is a Ter’Angreal. Anyone can enter this Dream World, if they go to sleep wearing this against their skin. There are some who can enter it without that aid, we believe. You, child, might just be one of those people. I think the only way to be sure, is for me to wear that tonight and try to find you in the Dream World.”

 

 

Larindhra Reyne

Mistress of Novices

 

[Nephitess]

IC: Veria rose when Larindhra motioned for her to follow. Veria's curiosity was perked when the Mistress of Novices said  “Come with me, child. I think I know what it is, but I need to make sure.”

 

Was it something dangerous? Was it a talent that could be manifesting in her? Veria was both excited and nervous. She was also tired and just wanted to sleep, but if a bit of extra work would solve this puzzle then so be it. Veria set her mental shoulders and was ready for what ever was to come.

 

A few minutes later they arrived at the Mistress of Novices' quarters. They entered and Larindhra asked Veria to sit awhile she went into one of the rooms. Veria looked around the room and took it all in. The room was beautiful..the pictures and mantel decorating suited the Mistress of Novices perfectly. The furniture was comfortable and Veria could see it was done with fine craftsmanship.

 

It was only a couple of minutes later and Larindhra was back carrying some papers and something else Veria could not see in her other hand. She sat down across from Veria and  started to speak. Veria's eyes almost fell out of their place and she fought hard to keep her chin from dropping to her chest. The Mistress of Novices spoke of a world of dreams...Tel'aran'rhiod..and how people could enter it with out even knowing. Veria was stunned to hear that Larindhra Sedai suspected SHE could be one of a few people who could enter this dreamworld unaided.

 

Seems like I might have a whole new course of study to pursue...

 

the thought was a rueful one for Veria was not one to study such intangible things as dreams. She preferred subjects such as law, geography and cultures. She could almost be a gray in training with her subject choices...be she had not yet chosen an ajah to aspire to yet.

 

“This is a Ter’Angreal. Anyone can enter this Dream World, if they go to sleep wearing this against their skin. There are some who can enter it without that aid, we believe. You, child, might just be one of those people. I think the only way to be sure, is for me to wear that tonight and try to find you in the Dream World.”

 

Veria snapped her attention back to the Mistress of Novices when she heard the word Ter'angreal..

 

“Find me? I understand that you say this ring with help one enter the dream world..but how will you find me if I am there? Have you used this Ter'angreal before....”

 

Veria covered her mouth in surprize...

 

“I am sorry Larindhra Sedai...I did not mean to be rude..I am still a little shocked and very curios at the same time.”

 

Veria looked down at the papers in her hands...she had barly registered they where there until know. Her hand ran over the flowing script...she hoped the Mistress of Novices would forgive her rudeness... 

[Elgee]

“You are not being rude, Daughter,” Larindhra gave Veria a kindly smile. “It is quite understandable that this will come as a bit of a shock to you. To answer your question – yes, I tried the ring, many years ago. I only used it a few times, but I do not have the Talent and as far as I can understand from the notes, it is even more dangerous for someone like me than it is for someone with the Talent.” She shuddered as she recalled some of her narrow escapes, fumbling around with no real clue as to what she was doing.

 

Pulling herself together, she addressed Veria again. “I learned a few things, such as to … move yourself to where you want to be. What you must do, is picture yourself somewhere and … I’m not sure if you move there, or if the Dreamworld moves around you, but either way you end up where you were visualising. Just be extremely clear in your mind where you want to go! You don’t want to end up right on top of a viper, or something like that.” She eyed Veria sternly, until she saw that the girl was taking her seriously.

 

“Now, I’m reasonably confident that once you go to sleep, you will enter the World of Dreams of your own accord.” She pointed to the notes in Veria’s hands. “Those say that Dreamers tend to do that, until they learn to control their ability. So what I want you to do then, is to imagine yourself in my study – that’s the one place both of us know well. I will also do the same, and hopefully we will meet each other there.”

 

“But, and this is very important, you must read those notes before tonight! If you have any questions, I will be available most of the day to try and answer them. That reminds me – give me a list of all your classes today, and I will send notes to your teachers explaining that you are excused until further notice.” She looked gravely at the Accepted. “This takes precedence over everything else, for the moment.”

 

 

Larindhra Reyne

Mistress of Novices

 

[Nephitess]

Veria smiled back at the MON and was happy to know she had not over stepped herself. She listened as  Larindhra spoke. Visualizing was the way to “travel” in this world of dreams..Tel'aran'rhiod...Veria shuddered in spit of herself. She nodded her understanding when Larindhra told her the study of the notes in Veria's hands was paramount at this time.

 

After being dismissed, Veria went to her rooms. She walked in and looked around her room. There was a dresser and drawers for her clothes on the wall to her right. Under the window directly in front of her was her wash basin and pitcher on a old but beautiful stand. In her window Veria had a plant...it was growing and starting to crawl up the window sill. It grew like a weed...Veria smiled. She had a soft sopt for plats and growing things. Her bed was big enough for two people and had a wooden head board shaped into a sun and set against the opposite wall from the dresser. On her floor was a small rug placed by her bed, it had geometric shapes and was multicolored. She also had a desk set against the same wall as her bed but the almost touched each other. On her desk was a pile of books and papers from her studies. Shutting the door she hung her cloak on the peg behind the door.

 

She sat down at her desk and looked at the notes with out touching them for a moment. She felt like she was going to be embarking on a journey but did not know the destination. She admitted to herself she was scared. The world of dreams...a place more dangerous she could not fathom...and she was going to go there. She shuddered again at the thought. Veria touched the top paper...and took a breath...she needed to be ready for anything. She needed to gain control of her fears. If she was going to be any kind of good Aes Sedai she had to learn to move forward with confidence. If she had not learned that yet..she surely would need to now. Opening the bundle of notes she took the first on and started reading.

 

That night Veria readied herself for bed...wearing a shift and combing out her hair. She got into bed and and lay there for a few minutes. She took deep breathes that relaxed her. Remembering what Larindhra had said about visualization, Veria tried to keep the image of her room in her mind. She wanted to appear there and not someplace she did not know.    After a while she drifted off to sleep...

 

She opened her eyes and looked around...she was in her room and in bed. Was she in the world of dreams...she was not sure yet. Sitting up in her bed she noticed her shift changed to her accepteds dress and them to a cream colored dress and back again. Veria nodded to herself..she was there and her visualization had worked. Getting out of her bed she thought Now only if I can keep my clothes from jumping around I'll be alright!

 

She visualized her clothes as her normal accpeteds dress. She looked down and her dress had changed accordingly. She smiled to herself, this was not hard after all. She closed her eyes and started to think about the MONs office. She pictured the desk, the wall hangings, the door and book shelves. She even pictured Larindhra Sedai sitting at her desk. After a few moments she she had the picture firmly in mind she opened her eyes and she was there...

 

[Elgee]

Larindhra stared down at the fragile papers hidden in the bottom of the box. She was still unsure whether she should have given Veria the original, instead of the copy she had made so many years ago. The copy contained everything written about Dreamwalking and Dreaming, but she had left out most of the Dreams themselves. Some things it was better for an Accepted not to know. For sure, she did not even trust most of the Aes Sedai with that knowledge. Yet again she debated showing them to the Amyrlin, at least. But Dreaming wasn’t true Foretelling, was it? Corianin herself had said so. No … she hadn’t a vestige of Dreaming or Foretelling herself, but something warned her that the time was not ripe.

 

She would have to refresh her own memory before tonight, and the best way to do that would be to copy the notes again. Rising, she strode to the door and stuck her head out to call the novice stationed at the Ajah entrance. “Go tell whomever is on duty at my office that I will be in my quarters all day, and only to disturb me for urgent matters. And make sure the message is passed on to all who replace her. When you’re done, please get word to the kitchen that I would like my lunch and dinner sent here.” Dismissing the girl, she returned to her desk and settled in to her task. Copying the notes took her until well past dinner, which was hastily swallowed and hardly tasted. Finished at last, she started to put the originals back in the box, then hesitated. In the end, it was fear that the original notes might disintegrate from age that decided the matter for her. Pulling another few blank sheets of paper towards her, she started to copy the Dreams on them.

 

It was close to bedtime when she was done at last. She wove a Fire Trap around the box and hid it in the back of her closet again, before washing up hastily. Dressed just in her shift, she held the Ter’angreal at arm’s length before at last settling it around her neck and getting in to her bed. The Ter’angreal nestling between her breasts made her skin crawl, but breathing evenly helped her calm down enough to drift off to sleep.

 

She was standing in her office. Why was the light so strange? Twisting slightly to peer out the window, she felt something bump against her chest. She looked down to see what it was, and nearly jumped as she saw she was dressed only in her shift. It took her a few moments to realise what was happening. Of course, this is the Dream World, and I’m here to meet Veria! Flushing slightly, she imagined herself wearing a dressing gown. Suddenly she was seated in her chair, and her gown was flickering. What under the Light? She tried to hold the image of herself standing by the window and wearing the dressing gown, in her head, but she fluctuated wildly between that and being seated behind her desk in one of her normal dresses. Nausea gripped her, and panic started to shatter her Aes Sedai calm. Something was wrong! Just as she was about to rip the Ter’Angreal from her neck, Veria popped out of thin air to stand in front of her desk, staring at where she would normally be seated. Pieces of the puzzle clicked into place in her mind. Relief and fury washed through her in equal proportions, but calm shattered. “You imagined me sitting here, didn’t you? NEVER do that, you silly child! You do NOT imagine other people’s actions! The Light alone knows what THAT could cause!” Shaking, she sank back into her chair. How under the Light was she going to teach the girl what she so desperately needed to learn, when she herself had nothing but the same notes, and no Talent?

 

 

Larindhra Reyne

Mistress of Novices

 

[Nephitess]

OOC: OMG... that was great! You had me laughing as I read. :D

 

IC: Veria's eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw the struggle and fear in Larindhra's face. She let go of the image she had of the Aes Sedai in her mind and the woman's image became stable.

 

I tirade that came once the Mistress of novices was able to speak was scalding. Veria blushed a scarlet red and her dress turned into novice whites and she was holding a wash bucket and mop. Realizing what happened she made the mop and bucket vanish and her dress became an accepteds banded dress again. She could see that there were perhaps no lasting affects of what she had done..but she new she should apologize.

 

“Larindhra Sedai I am so sorry. I think I begin to understand what Corianin was talking about when she spoke of watching ones thoughts. Are you ok?” 

[Nephitess]

OOC: *bump* No rush just did not want to loss the thread. LOL

[Elgee]

Larindhra hmphed and tightened the sash around her waist. Firmly. It came to her that she could have just imagined herself in a dress. Light, she was so unskilled in this! It was like being a novice again, with all the fears and uncertainties of not knowing what you were doing. Squaring her shoulders, Larindhra lifted her eyes from her sash … her eyes nearly popped. Where had Veria gone? For that matter, where was she? Her eyes traversed the small cell like room she was standing in. Something about it seemed familiar … of course! She was back in the room she used to occupy as a novice, almost two hundred years ago!

 

She closed her eyes, muttered a prayer, and imagined herself back in her office. Slowly opening her eyes, she was relieved to see Veria standing before her, though the girl looked a bit startled. “Well … yes … it seems you really have to watch what you’re thinking around here,” she muttered. “At least I’ve learned that you can move around by just thinking of something … though that could be fraught with danger.” Larindhra felt distinctly unsettled, and not at all sure how to proceed, but long years of being an Aes Sedai had instilled in her the ability not to let such emotions show. Or to admit to too much ignorance, either.

 

“Right. We can start by practicing moving about a bit. Let’s both imagine being in the kitchens. Hopefully we’ll both end up there. Close your eyes and try, Veria.” Larindhra followed her own advice, and almost instantly found herself in the Tower kitchens. Well, that had not gone too badly, she thought in relief as Veria popped up a little way from her. “Well done! Shall we try a few more places?” They practiced moving around the Tower for what seemed like half the night, until eventually both had run out of places to think of.

 

Back in her office, Larindhra stared at Veria thoughtfully. No Aes Sedai liked admitting to ignorance, but sometimes there was no other option. “Veria, it is obvious that you have the Talent, but how you are going to study this further, is beyond me. No-one else in the Tower has the ability or any knowledge of it, as far as I know, and I’ve reached the limit of my knowledge.”

 

 

Larindhra Reyne

Mistress of Novices

 

[Nephitess]

IC: After a few hours of Moving around the tower, Veria and Larindhra Sedai Settled back in the Mistress of Novices office. They had been all over the tower, one time they even poped into the dungeons...that was a bit creepy and made Veria shiver with the memory. Maybe it was just the place.. but Veria felt like there was more eyes watching there. Of course there seemed to be the feel of watchers all the time in this strange place...but in the dark depths she could not help but feel the presence more.

 

The movements from one place to an other...felt strange. It felt like the Dream moved around her not she moving to the place she thought of. All in all the whole experience of being here made her want to learn more. She actually felt eager. This Tel'aran'rhiod was a fascinating place. She was definitely going to do as much study as she could. How she was not sure...but there was Corianin's notes and other books in the library to be sure.

 

As her mind settled on Larindhra Sedai's office She opened her eyes and Larindhra Sedai was there waiting. She had a thoughtful look on her face and then spoke..

 

“Veria, it is obvious that you have the Talent, but how you are going to study this further, is beyond me. No-one else in the Tower has the ability or any knowledge of it, as far as I know, and I’ve reached the limit of my knowledge.”

 

Veria nodded but was a bit disappointed. She had hoped that Larindhra Sedai would know more. But as The Mistress of Novices had admitted her self..she did not have the talent. HUmmmm...what to do?

 

"Larindhra Sedai...May i have your permission to study this in the ways I can. I will read all the book i can find and the notes you gave me. When I plan to come here I can let you know, your guidance is always welcome. Also if it alright with you I will search out someone who knows of this dream world. A tutor would be most useful." 

 

Veria almost willed the woman to say yes...but she waited to see what the Mistress of Novices had to say.

 

 

 

[Nephitess]

*bump*

[Elgee]

Larindhra tried not to let her frustration show, but it was a difficult feat. As Mistress of Novices, she was supposed to be able to teach her charges everything they needed to know, or at least provide them with teachers who could. But how was she supposed to do this when the last person with any personal experience on the matter had died hundreds of years ago?

 

Well, she would just have to do her best. “Veria, I will help you as much as I am able, even if only by discussing your experiences with you. You have my blessing to do whatever research you need to in the Library – I will inform the Librarians myself, and ask them to help you too.”

 

She hesitated, fiddling with the sash on her dressing gown. She had a fair idea where the young woman would have to look for teachers, but it was a dangerous endeavour. “The only other advice I can give you is to practice. And of course, the most obvious place to find others like yourself, would be in the World of Dreams. But child, be careful – be very careful!” She fixed her gaze firmly on Veria’s, to make sure she understood how serious the matter was. “Now, let’s both return to our bodies and get some real sleep.” She gave the young woman an encouraging pat on the back, then willed herself back to her sleeping body.

 

 

Larindhra Reyne

Mistress of Novices

 

[Nephitess]

Veria giggled in spite of herself. What a wonderful thing to have this freedom.  She spoke her understanding of the Mistress of Novices warning...but her excitement was palpable.

She wanted to fly around this world and play with it in every way she could imagine. But she also knew that she had been there to long already and she needed “real”sleep as Corianin Nedeal called it in her notes. Veria imagined herself slipping in to her body and she was there dreaming with a smile. She did not wake until the sun shone in her eyes the next morning.

 

OOC: Thank you sooooooooooo much Elgee!! This was great. *snugs*

[Elgee]

OOC: My pleasure, hon  :D