A New Chapter - Opening The Book {Atten MoT}

[TaiDashan]

OOC: Looking for some direction, first post in the Div. Go Here for his Bio and Here for his arrival in Tar Valon. Just in case you would like some backround.  ;)

 

IC: D'Ashan nervously reached over his shoulders one at a time, and adjusted the Scimitars on his back. He had left the stables behind and his confidence with it. The wide stone yard stretched out in front of him,and steel rang on steel as men practiced with assorted weapons. Not for the first time, he thought to himself that he was a fool. The previous nights headache fading along with this morning's experience almost heated his cheeks in embarrassment.

 

I am a fool, but i have made up my mind. He sighed heavily. It was time to be about it despite his hesitation. He truly did not know what to expect. Shaneevae Sedai was not exactly forthcoming about things, and truth be told that hadn't really been his focus right at the moment. This time his cheeks did heat as he blushed. Whatever was to come his way, he had come here to learn. He would do what he was told when told it, and he would learn every scrap he was thrown. Sherrhianna had mentioned the Mistress of Trainees and whoever she was, he figured that was as good a place to start as any. Looking around he attempted to decide wich way to go first, and who to approach. They all looked busy and quite scary. Shuffling his feet slightly he berated himself for his childish unease.

 

Get on with it you wool-headed idiot! He thought to himself gruffly. His apprehension be burned, standing around all day was not going to get him started.

[Talavin]

OOC: Since this has been sitting for a while...

 

IC: In a way, the Warders Yard was beautiful. It wasn't beautiful in the way that the Tower was beautiful, or the Tower Gardens were beautiful, but it had it's own beauty. It was amazing that in such a comparatively small strip of land, so many different peoples and cultures could be found united under one banner. Unlike other armies or fighters, the Tower Guard and Warders were from all over the world, and they all gathered together, forgetting their differences, to serve the greater good.

 

Arath didn't often get a chance to appreciate his home; he always seemed to be doing something or the other with never a moment of rest. Now that he finally had a break in the routine, Arath was in almost a chipper mood. He had just gotten off of "guarding" the front entrance to the Tower, and was still dressed in his ornamental armor and impressive red cloak. He made a rather impressive image, although it would have been far more impressive if he weren't about a hand shorter than most of the men around him.

 

When he saw a trainee standing around doing nothing, Arath nearly sent him off to Thera, but when he saw the textbook "lost" look on his face, Arath had to hide his smile. It didn't seem like so long ago that he himself had the same look. He was sure that eventually the trainee-to-be would find his way, but Arath was feeling friendly enough, so he approached the young man.

 

"You're looking a bit lost, do you need some help?"

[TaiDashan]

OOC: Thank You! Was starting to think i smelled or something..  :D

 

IC: Just as he had steeled himself to wander around making a fool of himself to those that knew better, a man walked up in impressive garb. His red cloak hung behind him and his armor gleamed in the sun.

 

"You're looking a bit lost, do you need some help?" Relief flooded through D'Ashan at the man's smile. Finally someone had come to his aid, and seemed friendly to boot. His journey had not been a pleasant one and nothing had gone as expected. D'Ashan recalled the Inn and what had been said, the drinking to forget and the following morning. His cheeks heated slightly, and he kicked himself for blushing so easily. Bowing to the man respectfully he spoke.

 

"I am D'Ashan, I come looking to learn to be a Gaidin and serve the White Tower. Shaneevae Sedai told me of a Mistress of Trainees that I was to see. Unfortunately I seem to be a little lost." He smiled back at the man and hoped he had not sounded the fool he felt.

[Talavin]

As he had suspected, the young man was in fact looking to become a trainee. Arath smiled slighty, thinking that D'Ashan would perhaps be a little less excited when he had to run his one-hundred welcome laps. Briefly Arath wondered if Thera even assigned those anymore. He hoped that the would-be-trainee enjoyed his last few moments before he was trained into oblivion. Apparently D'ashan knew an Aes Sedai by name- it wasn't frequent but not uncommon either that an Aes Sedai snagged a youth they thought would become a good warior.

 

"I'm Arath, a Tower Guard. You'll be wanting to see Thera, she's the current Mistress of Trainees." Arath motioned for the youth to follow him before he set off in the direction of Thera's office. It seemed like it had been forever since he last spoke to Thera. Breifly Arath found himself regretting his buisy schedule. As a Tower Guard, when he wasn't on a journey guarding an Aes Sedai who had yet to find a Warder, he was guarding the walls. It had been a while since he last sat down and chatted with any of his friends.

 

Out of the corner of his eye Arath saw D'Ashan gawking at his surrounding, but he didn't bother to point anything out. He knew that if Thera accepted him, then the first thing she would do would be to give him a tour of the Yards. It wasn't too long of a walk when they found themselves at Thera's door. "Alright, here you are. Just knock and explain yourself when you are invited in." Feeling a streak of mischief, Arath decided to play a harmless prank on the almost-trainee. "And whatever you do, don't say the word 'iron'"

 

Chances were that D'Ashan wouldn't need to say iron, but he would be thinking about why he wasn't allowed to say it. Perhaps it wouldn't fluster him at all, but as nervous as he already was, Arath thought it might have some affect. He waved goodbye to D'Ashan and went on his way, whistling cheerfully.

 

OOC: Just change the title so that you have "Attn: Thera" or something like that in there and Eqwina should come around

[TaiDashan]

The man's smile continued as he spoke.

 

"I'm Arath, a Tower Guard. You'll be wanting to see Thera, she's the current Mistress of Trainees." A Tower Guard? D'Ashan wondered if he should bow or salute or something. The man did not seem to expect it and instead motioned for him to follow.

 

Following the man's lead, D'Ashan couldn't help but stare wide-eyed at his surroundings. The place was massive, containing hulking stone buildings and men everywhere training with this weapon or that. The site was spectacular! He noticed his mouth hanging open after the first few steps and snapped it shut, refusing to let his cheeks heat once more. After a short walk the two passed under some trees and came to a stone building that managed to look as large as an Inn while somehow being somewhat small.

 

"Alright, here you are. Just knock and explain yourself when you are invited in, The man's face went serious even though his eyes still showed warmth. and whatever you do, don't say the word iron ."

 

D'Ashan looked back to the man from the door he had been gazing at nervously to see if he was joking but he had already turned to go. Don't say iron? Why in the world not? It made no sense but the man had been helpful so far. D'Ashan gazed after the man's retreating form and wondered why in the world he should refrain from saying a word as simple as iron. Giving up he shook his head and stepped up to the door. He hesitated with his fist poised above the door. What if she told him to leave? What if she laughed at his desire to learn? It did not matter he decided, He would take what came and do whatever it took to learn. He had heard they were hard as a hammer on new trainees. They had to be in order to make them what they would become. D'Ashan was a little afraid, but he was determined to take what came. He wanted it that badly. Firming his resolve he prepared himself to knock loudly.

[Eqwina]

From her position by the weapons rack Thera saw Arath with a young man who could only be a young recruit. The fact that they were crossing the yards to her office only made it certain. Putting up the sword she’d been polishing Thera went and sat behind her desk and waited. Through the door she heard Arath’s warning to the boy and stifled a laugh, it was true that some people never changed. Before the boy could knock on the door Thera bellowed enter in her gruffest voice.  It was always fun, and often helpful to put the new ones on edge, it made them more malleable.

 

“Enter! And be quick about it or you’ll spend the day neck deep in the privy with only your gloves as a cloth.” The door crept hesitantly inward and a young man stepped through looking scared and unsure.

 

“Ah, so they’ve sent me more fresh meet have they? Well have a seat and get to tellin’ me why you’re here.” She pointed to the ladder back chair in front of her desk and leaned back to wait. The children’s stories were always an interesting part of her day. Though itt still amazed her what fool notions crept into their heads about Aes Sedai and Warders, and often money and fame. Wouldn't they ever learn that there was always a price?

 

[TaiDashan]

OOC: WOOT! A post! Yay!  ;D

 

IC: D'Ashan blinked with his hand raised to knock as a voice from inside called for him to enter.

 

“Enter! And be quick about it or you’ll spend the day neck deep in the privy with only your gloves as a cloth.”

 

How under the Light had she known he was standing there? That voice had brooked no nonsense and he did not have time to stand about wondering. Slowly he pushed the door open and stepped inside. it was brighter in here than he had expected, and he blinked as he gazed around the room briefly. He almost jumped when his gaze came to rest on the woman sitting behind the desk.

 

“Ah, so they’ve sent me more fresh meet have they? Well have a seat and get to tellin’ me why you’re here.”

 

She pointed at the chair in front of her desk and leaned back, looking at him for all the world like a hungry wolf. D'Ashan gained his wits slightly at the question of why he was here, and sat in the hard wooden chair. Leaning back stiffly, he reached up to ease his twin scimitars behind him so as not to tangle in the chair. He wasn't sure he should have continued wearing them, it seemed rude. Ruthlessly taking his fluttery stomach by the scruff of the neck so to speak, he swallowed and looked the woman in the eye. He had come to learn and he would do whatever he was told and take whatever came, be it under the Light, to do so. He would not let this woman's fierce demeanor deter him. His voice came out much more clearly and steady than he had expected.

 

"My name is D'Ashan and I assume you are Mistress Thera." At her short nod he continued. "My reason for being here is simple. I have come to learn more of battle. This world is a confusing, often dangerous place and to find my place i wish to learn," Shaking his head softly he paused. The thought had not occurred to him until now, but once it did he gave it voice. "I know that I may not be cut out to be a Warder," His gaze locked with hers once more in determined defiance and he almost blushed again at his own boldness. "but I will never give it one hair less of my all in doing what it takes to learn." The silence stretched for a moment but D'Ashan did not mind. It gave him time to collect his thoughts.

[Eqwina]

Idly Thera kicked her foot and sat with a kind of wicked smile on her face. It often seemed that her smile put them more off balance that her frown. Perhaps it was the odd combination it made with the intensity of her eyes. 

 

D’Ashan’s story wasn’t unique, though he seemed more honest than most. Few would walk in her door wearing weapons and then deny their own self worth. Standing she walked around her desk to lean on its front edge, only a few inches from the new recruit. She eyed him up and down, taking in every detail and filing it away. In a quick motion she reached up and unsheathed his swords. It was a dangerous maneuver with someone more skilled, but Thera didn’t think she had

anything to fear from this one.

 

“Well made, and a decent weight. You can find better, but not bad.”  Standing up she went to lean the scimitar’s against the weapons rack a few feet away. “Now let’s see if I will be giving those back to you shall we? Tell me what you know of your weapons and what experience you have? After all I can’t allow you to wander around my yards with weapons if you may accidently cut off your own foot.”  She smiled at him again, and this time her voice was not as rough.

 

[TaiDashan]

The woman, the mistress of novices, sat and looked at him with a wicked smile on her face. D'Ashan had told her what she wanted to know and now was going to wait for the next question. To his surprise she stood, walking around the front of her desk to face him and leaned back almost casually. A fool would call it casually. Her eyes traced him up and down and he suddenly felt like a horse being weighed and measured. He would not be surprised if she knew all of his secrets after that gaze. Suddenly with a move like lightning she reached up and pulled his scimitars from his back. Shock warred with awe that she could do it so well and he clenched his hands tightly in his lap to keep them from trying to stop her.

 

“Well made, and a decent weight. You can find better, but not bad.” walking a few paces and leaning them against a weapons rack she continued. “Now let’s see if I will be giving those back to you shall we? Tell me what you know of your weapons and what experience you have? After all I can’t allow you to wander around my yards with weapons if you may accidentally cut off your own foot.” D'Ashan felt a twinge of regret. He had only acquired them on the road from Arafelle but he had become familiar with their weight. What was done was done however and he had promised to submit himself.

 

"I grew up in Arafelle," he began. He knew he looked from Mayne, his birthplace but let her think as she may. His accent should prove him true. "I fought with knives for a long time, got used to them and even was taught to use them with great skill." he paused and looked at her briefly before continuing. "Before setting out on my journey, I spent some coin to buy those," He nodded to his blades, "and then more for a man to teach me their use. On my journey here I have practiced and become familiar enough not to," He grimaced then as he quoted the woman, "cut off my own foot."

[Eqwina]

Thera laughed and shook her head. “No doubt you will find that you and I have different definitions of what qualifies as great skill, but once you prove to me you won’t cut off your own foot you can have back your blades.”

 

Taking a seat at her desk she pulled out her roster book and opened it to the current page.  “In case I have not made myself your name is going into the books, at which time I will not let you leave until I am done with you.” Very few trainee’s ran away, but a few names were scratched out of the book each year as they took their training and went on their way. It was not an option she offered and she never made leaving easy on the ones that tried. Jotting him name down in a precise and careful hand she sanded the page and closed the book.

 

“You are mine now D’Ashan from Arafelle, until the time I see fit for you to be raised to the Tower Guard, I trust that I will have no trouble out of you and we will get along just fine? There are just a few rules you need to learn. One. Never lie to me. Two. Obey your instructs and myself without delay and Three. Never and I do mean Never under any circumstances are you to leave Tar Valon without permission. If you do that it will be the hot irons and pinchers for you. Repeat those back to me so I know you heard.” Leaning forward on her desk she arched an eyebrow and waited for his response.

 

[TaiDashan]

D'Ashan had to try hard not to stiffen when the Mistress of Trainees laughed at him.

 

“You are mine now D’Ashan from Arafelle, until the time I see fit for you to be raised to the Tower Guard, I trust that I will have no trouble out of you and we will get along just fine? There are just a few rules you need to learn. One. Never lie to me. Two. Obey your instructs and myself without delay and Three. Never and I do mean Never under any circumstances are you to leave Tar Valon without permission. If you do that it will be the hot irons and pinchers for you. Repeat those back to me so I know you heard.”

 

D'Ashan simply sat and gazed thoughtfully at Thera for a moment. She arched her eyebrow and leaned back to wait, appearing content to allow him silence. Using it to gather his thoughts he paused before speaking. He had learned his lesson about dishonesty and he was sure he could obey without delay. He all but blushed as he realized he was delaying now. Well, he had not officially begun and he supposed that it was ok.

 

"Rule one, never lie to you. Rule two, obey without delay or question. And rule three, do not leave the city without permission on pains of hot errr..." he stumbled over the word iron, the man had said he was not supposed to say it, and for some reason the woman's eyes glinted with mirth. "on pain of torture." he finished slightly flustered.

[Eqwina]

Thera chuckled inwardly as he stumbled over the word iron. The kind thing to do would be to set him straight, but where was the fun in that?

 

“That wasn’t quite word for word; perhaps I should make you say it again just to be sure? “ She arched an eyebrow and smiled, but then shook her head. “But I won’t, I have no desire to waste any more of my day and I am sure you don’t want me to waste yours. Especially when you could be spending your last free day learning the yards and trying to make friends.”

 

Gesturing out the window she pointed to the barracks closest to her office. “When we’re done here you’ll go find an empty bed in that bunk house right there, and tomorrow you can report to me which room you’re in. Your training will begin before light tomorrow and end when your teacher says you’re done. You’ll have three meals each day and free time once in awhile to study what you wish or visit the city. A few other things to want to remember..stay away from the Tower except for the Library, the Infirmary and the Kitchens. And whatever you do stay away from the Novices and Accepted, they will get you into more trouble than they are worth. Any other questions before I shove you out of the nest?”

[TaiDashan]

“That wasn’t quite word for word; perhaps I should make you say it again just to be sure? " He thought she was going to until she shook her head. “But I won’t, I have no desire to waste any more of my day and I am sure you don’t want me to waste yours. Especially when you could be spending your last free day learning the yards and trying to make friends.”

 

Friends? D'Ashan hadn't even thought of that, the road here had been long, and mostly alone. It would be nice to meet friends and- Suddenly the realization sunk in. She was going to let him stay and learn! He burst out in a foolish Grin as Thera waved a hand to the window.

 

“When we’re done here you’ll go find an empty bed in that bunk house right there, and tomorrow you can report to me which room you’re in. Your training will begin before light tomorrow and end when your teacher says you’re done. You’ll have three meals each day and free time once in awhile to study what you wish or visit the city. A few other things to want to remember..stay away from the Tower except for the Library, the Infirmary and the Kitchens. And whatever you do stay away from the Novices and Accepted, they will get you into more trouble than they are worth. Any other questions before I shove you out of the nest?”

 

Sherhianna flashed through his mind a step after Shaneevae Sedi. He had met two women who could channel in less than a few days time and now he was going to be trained to be a Gaidin. Well, a tower guard for now, but that was just as good in his eyes. Suddenly he realized he had been sitting there grinning like a fool while she waited for an answer.

 

"Just one Mistress," he asked, still grinning. "How long does one generally stay at the Yard before reaching the level of a Gaidin's skill?"

[Eqwina]

"How long does one generally stay at the Yard before reaching the level of a Gaidin's skill?"

 

Thera only shook her head with a rueful grin and gave the answer she gave to all that asked. “That if different for every man and woman who enters here. Your dedication to your training and your ability will set the course for you. Just remember this..No one is raised before I am sure they are ready.”

 

"Now get going, you have a lot of work to do before the morning." Let him make of that what he will.