White(open to the WY and WT divisions)

[DhaiMon]

His first sight of Tar Valon was the White Tower. White, and pure, it reared into a crystal-clear, blue sky. White, where the ominous looking pile of Dragonmount was black. As white as bone.

Trying to shake off dark thoughts, Ibram looked down at the snow-covered ground in front of him, rumbling past as the wagon he lunged on steadily moved towards the city. White as bone. A wintry gust rose, straight into his face. Cold as death...two years has it been, and still...As quick as that, the thought faded away.

 

The other guard snored away beside him, a scarred fellow that claimed to have seen "the witch's den" more often than he cared to count. The wagondriver remained silent as ever, intent on his reins and horses. The sight of the Aes Sedai's city was grandiose to Ibram, putting to shame what he had seen of Caemlyn, where he'd enrolled as a merchant's guard for this trip, even this far off. Gazing into the distance wasn't what he had come here for, though. He propped his spear in front of him, checking the point's edge. Soon, now. Drawing his belt-knife, he did the same there. After weeks of travel, he would finally reach his destination, at last have a meaning to his life again. He had drifted for too long.

 

Reaching beside himself, he found the bundle of his meager possessions. For the last couple of years, he had never traveled with too much more. The spear, the knife and the iron-veiled helmet bulging inside his bundle- they were all that he had left of Tarabon. Along with his memories, and dreams. And nightmares.

 

The landscape drifted past, the merchant's train rattled onward, towards the closest town at one of the numerous bridges that arched toward Tar Valon itself. Anywhere else, the town would have been noted for its size. The Great City's sheer presence dwarfed it, though. The Shining Walls glimmered in the sun, almost too bright to look at. The White Tower, already imposing from far, far away, was even more intimidating this close. The train rattled through the town, not stopping once. Master Eben meant to do as good a time as was possible given the weather, and he wanted to be in Tar Valon today, now. So did Ibram.

Crossing the bridge, the column was halted by guards, who demanded to check Master Eben's papers and asked about what his business was in Tar Valon. Smooth and quick, the guards were satisfied, and waved the train through.

The City's noise woke up the guard beside Ibram, who muttered about a "man needing his good night's sleep" and stretched himself erect, resting a hand on the sword at his side. Ibram took the buildings' sheer beauty all around him in silently, the sounds, the many different people and even the smells. The City not only looked clean, it almost smelled clean.

In what seemed to be a marketplace, the train came to a halt.

Ibram shouldered his bundle of belongings, took a firm grip of his spear and jumped off the wagon. He marched to Master Eben, who was directing the unloading of his goods.

"The contract, it is fulfilled, good Master." Grudgingly, Ibram was handed his coins. "Light and the Tree's shade on you", Ibram murmured, despite the man turning his back toward him, attention back to his craft. Without further ado, Ibram turned and walked off.

Getting off the train was only the first step. Now he would need to find the Warders- he doubted he could do that on his own, not in a city of this size. Seeing what seemed to be the sign of an inn ahead, he started there, quickening his pace. Inside the inn, there didn't seem to be too many people at this hour, large as it was. Not wasting any time, he strode to who seemed to be the innkeep, and asked:

"Good Mistress, the Warders, where do I find them?"

 

 

 

OOC: Eqwina, it's your call whether you happen to be the innkeep herself or just one of the patrons. Same goes for your motif to be there, of course. :D

All others, jump in wherever you like. :)

[Eqwina]

Eqwina’s eye popped open and she found herself looking North, as if she could see through the stone walls and out into the city. Corwin had entered Tar Valon, the question was to what purpose? Ever since she’d banished him he’d stayed close to the city but was careful never to penetrate deeper than the bridge towns. But he was here now, she was sure of it, the feel of him was too close for anything else.

 

Dressing quickly she choose out a dress so dark green it was almost block, and didn’t bother with her shawl. She did put a slim silver dagger at her waist, it would do no good unless she caught him by surprise, but the steel added some illusion of safety. Saidar should have provided all the comfort she needed, but killing with the Power in Tar Valon would set off red flags in the Tower and start a hunt even she did not want to face.

It was easy to follow him once she was out in town, the bond led her right to the Inn and when she entered she could feel him in the room above. ‘An interesting choice’ she thought to herself as she sought out the Innkeeper. The room was near empty and she was easy to spot, standing speaking to some young man. Not caring if she interrupted she stepped into their conversation causing both jaws to drop. “Good evening, Innkeeper. Can you tell me, are all your rooms rented?”

 

The woman stuttered and stammered, half curtsying and mumbling “honor to serve Aes Sedai”. You would think a woman who owned an Inn in Tar Valon could show more proper respect. Eqwina’s lips thinned as she listened to the Innkeeper chatter on. “Thank you Mistress, your information has been quite helpful” Reaching into her belt pouch she pulled out a gold mark and pressed it into the woman’s hand. “For your trouble.” She said with as close to a smile as she’d worn in weeks. “I will take a table and a meal if you have one.” Once again the woman was all curtsies and insistence that “the Aes Sedai” could have anything she required. The Innkeeper herself bustled into the kitchen to retrieve the meal.

 

Eqwina turned to find a table with a good view of the stairs and almost ran head first into the young man. Apparently he hadn’t moved an inch since she interrupted their conversation. “Knocking down an Aes Sedai is a good way to get yourself hurt child.” He didn’t say a word and Eqwina barely suppressed a sigh. “Well, since you seem set on blocking my path, perhaps you have a name? ”

 

Waiting for his answer she took in the boy, noticing the spear he carried, and his dagger. So he was a fighting man, or at least thought himself one, and a traveler. It could create interesting possibilities, if the occasion required.

“Obviously you are new to this city. What’s your name child, and from where do you come?”

 

OOC:Didn't really have a plan for this post :) Its just what came out. So we'll see where it goes.

[DhaiMon]

"Tarabon, I come from, Mistress Sedai." He bowed. Deeply. "The name, it is Ibram Mizra, Mistress Sedai." He hoped he was as steady as he seemed to himself, as steady as he had been when he got officially conscripted into the Expedition.

An Aes Sedai.

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The question he had put to the innkeep had earned him an amused smile from that one. "I presume you mean the Tower Guards by that, not the good Gaidin, young Master." Ibram half understood what she meant by Tower Guards- the Aes Sedai's own army, they; even though most stories and tell-tales that involved those accredited most of the Aes Sedai's accomplishments to the prowess and selfless devotion of their fearsome Warders and their own command of the One Power, what he had heard during his time soldiering about the Guards had put them well above most if not all other soldiery between the Ocean and the Dragonwall. He guessed that it made sense enough that not just everyone could come and join the legendary Warders' ranks, and had to start within the Guards first. He was at a loss about just what the woman meant by...Gaidin?

That seemed to show. But just as the innkeep was about to speak, doubtless to sue him for not knowing what was likely most obvious here in the City of Cities, a woman glided in on them, tinier than most every other woman he had come across. Barring the few Cairhienin women he'd seen in Caemlyn and other places.

There was something very...queer...about the woman's face, but the innkeep's naming of who this woman was pushed aside any thoughts he had about that. Aes Sedai. He felt almost numb, now that he was directly in front of one of these women, that could make thrones crumble and destroy Treeblighter's servants and his deluded followers by the score. This woman, you will serve. His first time seeing the noble that was the Campaign's commander had at first set Ibram off balance as well. Study your future superior, your future officer. Any other time, he might have mistaken the woman for a highborn lady of wealth and power: Her drilling, clear green eyes spoke of that, as did that jewel dangling onto her brow, the fine knife-sheath... He let the innkeeper's stammering wash by his ears, and did not listen to the Aes Sedai's instructions too closely. They were not instructions for him, but for someone else. He stood still, attentively, waiting for orders.

The order came- after the sister bumped into him. For one so small, she did indeed possess strength. Has she used the Power? Swaying a little, he tried to comply as was fit enough for a spearman.

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An Aes Sedai...Light's truth, he was not too certain anymore whether he didn't rather look the scared soldier-boy instead of someone who had slain two men and deserted his comrades. For the right cause, he had deserted. He could not fail here, now.

[Eqwina]

“Ibram, it sounds like a fine name for a young fighting man.” Eqwina put on her most open smile, the one she used with the sick and invalid that came to the Tower to be healed. It always worked to put them at ease and it was such a rare sight on her face it worked on others as well. It was only a flicker, but her eyes darted to the stairs and up, to where Corwin lay on his bed..waiting.

 

“I have only traveled once to Tarabon, perhaps you would like to sit tell me about your home and why you have journeyed all this way to Tar Valon. For one such a long way from home it can be good to talk things out.” Something in his stance told her that the child would not refuse her offer, but if he did she would have to use other more “persuasive” measures to make him stay.  Her Warder was an unpredictable man in all but one aspect of his personality. Eqwina had always been able to count on his jealousy to make an appearance, and it was always at its hottest with young fighting men. Before she could stop it a bubbling laugh, sounding only slightly wicked, escaped her lips and she was forced to plaster another smile on her face.

 

“Do not look so afraid boy, I may be Aes Sedai but I do not bite.”Light only knows what fool stoires the boy had in his head about Aes Sedai. Sliding her arms through his she half dragged the shocked young man to the table that had been pointed out to her and pushed him towards his seat. “If you don’t learn to use your feet better you’re not going to be of much use to anyone.” Sitting herself so she could keep one eye on the stairs and the other on her new caught prey she prodded the child into conversation.

 

“You will learn that I do not like to repeat myself” Eqwina said quietly. “ So why don’t you tell me why you came to Tar Valon and about your home.” Her emerald green eyes sparkled with intensity, barring down on the boy; willing him to speak.

 

[DhaiMon]

“Ibram, it sounds like a fine name for a young fighting man.” Eqwina put on her most open smile, the one she used with the sick and invalid that came to the Tower to be healed. It always worked to put them at ease and it was such a rare sight on her face it worked on others as well. It was only a flicker, but her eyes darted to the stairs and up, to where Corwin lay on his bed..waiting.

 

“I have only traveled once to Tarabon, perhaps you would like to sit tell me about your home and why you have journeyed all this way to Tar Valon. For one such a long way from home it can be good to talk things out.” Something in his stance told her that the child would not refuse her offer, but if he did she would have to use other more “persuasive” measures to make him stay.  Her Warder was an unpredictable man in all but one aspect of his personality. Eqwina had always been able to count on his jealousy to make an appearance, and it was always at its hottest with young fighting men. Before she could stop it a bubbling laugh, sounding only slightly wicked, escaped her lips and she was forced to plaster another smile on her face.

 

“Do not look so afraid boy, I may be Aes Sedai but I do not bite.”Light only knows what fool stoires the boy had in his head about Aes Sedai. Sliding her arms through his she half dragged the shocked young man to the table that had been pointed out to her and pushed him towards his seat. “If you don’t learn to use your feet better you’re not going to be of much use to anyone.” Sitting herself so she could keep one eye on the stairs and the other on her new caught prey she prodded the child into conversation.

 

“You will learn that I do not like to repeat myself” Eqwina said quietly. “ So why don’t you tell me why you came to Tar Valon and about your home.” Her emerald green eyes sparkled with intensity, barring down on the boy; willing him to speak.

 

 

"I..."

The woman pulled him along like a sack of oats. Her smile was disarmingly sympathetic, and seemed to grace those weirdly disturbed, fluid features of hers too rarely. Her laugh was doubtlessly meant to mock him, mock his stupidity and his being a stupid, ignorant oaf in general to her.

She had a right to that. She was Aes Sedai, after all.

 

The stairs, he wondered, somewhere in the solidly cramped mass of his thoughts. Why does she eye them, the stairs?

 

He looked back as he was dragged along by this woman which could command kings to come and beg to follow her on her knees...Why did she look the stair's direction? Was she expecting someone?

 

Pushed into sitting. He loosed his grip on his spear and knife-hilt somewhat. Not too much, though. He felt decidedly uncomfortable where he sat. Which was not the chair's fault.

 

 

“You will learn that I do not like to repeat myself”

 

Quietly. No non-sense.

 

“ So why don’t you tell me why you came to Tar Valon and about your home.”

"Mistress Sedai, me...I came to Tar Valon to join the...Warders?" It slipped out of his mouth before he had fully formed the sentence in his head. "Me, I mean...Mistress Sedai, from Tar- dove-brained idiot me! -from Treeleaf I come, Mistress. In the militia, and in a campaign, I served. Campaign, it didn't go well, see..." No lie there. The poor girl...he could still see her in front of his eyes, ofttimes, clearly, her beauty...and those pigs, they...

"Disrespect I did not mean, Mistress, course meant to join Tower Guards, I..."

 

He rambled. He rambled like some Tree's shade-forsaken, fly-brained ox. A headless, worthless dog.

 

But then, what was a man to do in front of an Aes Sedai?

[Eqwina]

Eqwina smiled and shook her head slightly. “Yet another young man with dreams of being bonded to an Aes Sedai.” She said quietly and almost to herself. It seemed to be the only reason that young men ever came inside Tar Valon’s walls. The boy stumbled and stuttered his way through a story that didn’t make much sense, but Eqwina continued to smile and encourage the young man. When his mouth finally clicked shut she could see that his nerves were about spent.

 

“I can take you to the Tower and show you where you need to be, when I am done here of course.”  Her eyes cut to the stairs again, as if she would not feel Corwin the second he moved.  “Until then we can have a pleasant conversation over a meal.” Motioning for the innkeeper she ordered the meals and mulled wine before turning back to her prey. “I would not be too anxious to bond an Aes Sedai if I were you. It’s a commitment for life and few sisters take that promise lightly. There are some men who find that they cannot be held by a leash, however light.” Her eyes flashed with the anger she was feeling at Corwin, causing the young man to start back in his seat. 

 

“Oh never fear, you have many years before you have to deal with any problem such as that.” If you live that long she thought to herself.

She had to choose between sending the boy as a sacrifice to Corwin, and just letting him be. At this moment her curiosity was paramount and she was dying to find out after so long away why he returned, but could this child be of more use? Looking him over again she couldn’t decide, perhaps she could let him decide his own fate.

 

“Tell me Ibram, why do you want to serve Aes Sedai?”

 

[DhaiMon]

OOC: Mh...hope it won't be too bad if I should fall back to brevity in this here intro-thread? ;)

 

IC: Straight to the point. Straight into the face.

 

For a moment that felt like the long nightmare of his being an armyman, Ibram was silent, still. He calmed down, visibly, mentally.

 

His grip on the spear loosed. He lifted his hand off his knife. Placed it onto the table.

 

The girl had run away after he had released her hand. She had not said a word to him all their flight long.

"Your name, girl", he had cried after her, feeling the tears of shame and sorrow slide down his cheeks. Sorrow at all the horror he'd seen. Done to this girl, this beautiful gift of the Creator... Not stopped by him. Stopped too late.

The girl only looked back shortly...Horror? Grief? Loss? What was the expression in those dark, mysterious eyes, that pulled at his soul, made him feel like a wretch despite standing up at last to all the...sickness...he had seen? Sickness of Treeblighter, done by men. Men that claimed to serve the glory of the Tree of Man.

 

He owed that girl. He owed himself, his own ruin of a conscience. He owed those this.

 

Whenever he mused over that in a tavern, lost in his thought, nobody would stay near him, for some reason. He was left alone. Rarely did he need to employ his spear to fend someone off that wanted a brawl. In his whole life so far, he had only killed two men. Two men with whom he had joked and laughed in front of campfires before that. They had shown their face.

 

Finally. Ibram lifted his eyes, looking into those of the Aes Sedai.

"I wish to serve against the injustice of Man. This injustice, you're fighting, Aes Sedai." He finally had picked up the formalities the innkeeper had babbled when ambushed by the Aes Sedai. "You, you're the only ones truly fighting it, every inch of path, you're fighting it, Aes Sedai. I wish to have part in that fight. To serve you, I wish."

 

He slid into silence. Maybe he would one day see this girl again.

"The wheel weaves as the wheel wills", the noble commander of the expedition had commented coldly, when he had inspected the dirty work done by "his men" in some lone village, somewhere in the Almoth Plain.

 

Maybe, for once, it would grant Ibram what he wished for. Maybe he would see his father again, or at least his graveyard. Maybe, one day, he would see this girl again, who had had the same, loving eyes of his mother, even in her greatest fright visible. His dear mother, maybe he might see her again, and cry on her shoulders because he had finally understood her grief.

For now, and for however long that might last, he wished to fight the good fight, though.

 

OOC: Your new avatar is scary. Positively scary. ;)

[Eqwina]

OOC: Back to the Tower we go!

 

IC:Eqwina was growing bored of waiting out Corwin, and bored of having to pretend to care what the young fool in front of her was spouting. She only heard a few words of his explanation, but it was enough to know that he was a Light lover and would be of little use to her.  Usually she did not give up on potential prey so quickly, but Corwin had her driven to distraction and her new secretary was proving to take up more time that she’d first thought.

 

“…To serve you, I wish."

 

Turning her full attention back to the child she looked over at him with a small frown. “Serve me you say? Perhaps you will one day……, for now I think we should get you to the Tower.” Her voice was faraway and sounded almost distracted as she paid their bill, still staring at the stairs. It was of no use now..Corwin had left the Inn; obviously by a back staircase and out through the stables. Worse yet he had masked the bond, leaving her unable to sense his presence. The idea of him lurking in the dark was enough to make Eqwina reach for the Source, but instead she pushed the boy out of the Inn ahead of her and into the dark.

 

“Keep your eyes open child. We are not safe in the Tower yet.” With one hand on her belt knife she set a quick pace back to the Tower  grounds.  She kept one eye on the boy in front of her and another on the dark alley’s they passed. Whatever Corwin’s intent it couldn’t be good if he didn’t want her around. Killing her was the most likely choice, she’d certainly given him reason enough, but would he do it knowing what it meant for himself?

 

“Stay close to me child, I wouldn’t want you to get lost.” Ibram seemed to have no idea what was going on, no idea that a threat walked the streets and no idea that the Aes Sedai intended to use him as a sacrifice. He might get his wish to serve Aes Sedai this very night.

 

OOC: I would take offence to that, but I know you only insult to hide your true feelings of awe and worship! ;)

 

[DhaiMon]

OOC:

OOC: I would take offence to that, but I know you only insult to hide your true feelings of awe and worship!  ;)

Insult?

Mon amour, never that! :P All hail your dark glory, Lady of the Tower! *mock mock*

 

Stupid French. *rofls*

 

IC: “Serve me you say? Perhaps you will one day……, for now I think we should get you to the Tower.”

 

Ibram was baffled. Was the woman dull? Was an Aes Sedai this dull?

Ibram never claimed to have been too great a fan of letters. He'd tried to pick up some works that were about this during the time he'd been drifting aimlessly around, haunted by his dreams and memories.

 

They were not his world, though. His spear was.

 

This woman seemed clearly...tense...if an Aes Sedai could ever be called. She kept looking at the stairs. She was expecting someone. Someone she'd rather not meet.

 

“Keep your eyes open child. We are not safe in the Tower yet.”

 

Ibram was immediately alert. Granted, he found some oddity in that- the City, not safe?! -but questions would have been for others. He'd stood guard at night quite a few times in Treeleaf before joining the army. Regretting the boredom of it, since nothing happened there. Since seeing the wolf, as seemed to be a saying even among Cairhienin sellswords, he knew better, though. He had seen the "true" wolf.

 

Drill made him wary, looking this way and that.

 

Where's your unit, then? Back, flank, around the corner? Some malign voice mocked him, somewhere, very small and very low in his head.

Come to think of it, that voice was right. He was trained to fight in formation, rely on the rest of his squad. That had been the extent of militia training, all that was needed to defend a well-fortified town.

 

Was that enough when clearly the enemy was inside the walls, though?

 

He did not give in to fear. Instinct made him keep a firm hold on his weapon. Warily looking this way and that.

[Eqwina]

The streets of the city seemed even quieter than usual as they walked towards the shining walls. It was silly to think of an Aes Sedai not safe in these streets, but with Corwin near who could say what he intended. Every footstep beside their own made Eqwina glance around, and grip tighter to her outward serenity. They passed a patrol of Guards and she very nearly gave them order to start a search. She had the utmost confidence in her Warder’s ability to avoid the patrols, but if she drove him from the city she may never know why he’d returned.

 

The large open square around the Tower came into view and Eqwina relaxed, if only by a hair. Corwin was not unknown and most knew by now that they had bonded, he could enter the Tower armed and no one would think it strange. So it was, once they were inside the gates she kept as close an eye as she had outside. The young man on the other hand was another story, he gapped at the tall towers and the racks of weapons scattered through the practice yards. Laying a hand on his shoulder she stopped him short. “It’s here that our ways part young master, I wish you luck with Mistress Thera and it may be that you and I will meet again.” Pointing him in the direction of the Mistress of Trainee’s office she glided off towards the Tower her eyes cutting every direction. For the first time in many years the Light held some fear for Eqwina, and she hurried through the Shadows.

 

[DhaiMon]

"Queer woman, she", Ibram muttered, watching the Aes Sedai glide through the shadows.

 

He knew better than to disobey her. Or question her.

 

Suddenly, it came to him that he had donned his helmet. Instinctively. He did not even notice it, once the Mistress Sedai had commanded him to go. Command it was.

 

He stuffed the helmet away, into his bundle that still hung down his back.

 

 

To Mistress Thera, he was to go then?

 

The White Tower certainly did have its share of splendour, even up close, that he saw: Fine steel, much of it. And battlements and fortifications that not only looked fit for palaces, but seemed to be build according to one goal: Defense.

 

Compared to that, Treeleaf's walls had been a sad, pig-headed joke.

 

He did not know where to find this "Mistress"...Or why he wasn't sent to a captain instead.

 

He had heard about woman captains before, though. In stories.

Some of those, they made meanest men look like toothless piglets.

 

He let that slide for now, and looked around for someone to ask for directions.

 

 

OOC:"...through the Shadows..."

Beautiful. You make Liandrin look like a scared little girl.

Same goes for all "official" Black Ajahs we've seen so far. :D

[Sieve]

Kennar watched the little witch (Eqwina) walk away from the man.  She had met him at the inn and escorted him to the yards.  Could this be another recruit?  If not then what was he?  He would have to watch the man.  Watching her had not been easy though, not today at least.  Something had the little witch on edge.  It was evident by the way she continued looking about as if she were aware that someone was watching.  She seemed to peer into every shadowed area that they passed.  Fortunately he was very familiar with every nook and cranny around the Tower and could blend in with others when needed.  That had proved a little difficult as the streets seemed less crowded today.

 

Stepping from his vantage point in the yards he walked hurriedly in the direction she had gone as if on urgent business.  He was purposely dressed in plain clothes so as not to give any indication that he had anything to do with the Tower.  He was just one of the hundreds of servants in Tar Valon about some menial task.  He moved with a purpose, most did that when they were carrying out a task for an Aes Sedai or on some kind of Tower business.

 

Kennar was focused on his task when the man hailed him.  The Great Lord take the man, Kennar was going to lose the little witch.  He could not just brush him off, not without raising suspicion.  He had a very forgetable face, most would not recall him training in the yards though he was not about to take any chances.  Well perhaps he could at least learn something about this fool. 

 

Kennar looked at the man as if noticing him for the first time stopping in his tracks as if being pulled from his thoughts.  Walking over to the man he spoke "The Light illumine you good Sir."  He offered the man a warm smile then stood there drywashing his hands looking as meek as a kitten.  It was easy to pull off meekness since the man had a militant look to him, quite impressive actually.  The man was of a height with him though that was the only similarity.  Aside from the lack of the mustache the man had the look of a Taraboner about him. 

 

As he got closer Kennar murmured something about an Aes Sedai having his hide loud enough for the man to hear.  Drywashing his hands again he spoke quietly  "My apologies Master, how may I help you?"     

[DhaiMon]

 

"Tree's shade upon you, good Master, you would-"

 

"The Light illumine you good Sir."

 

Ibram had just been about to go look for someone to get going with his signing in. And getting directions. It caught him off guard that this fellow seemed to come out of nowhere, all friendliness and smiles. Just when the Mistress Sedai went off.

That was...weird. If even an Aes Sedai was on edge, then she had reason. Very good reason. He could recall some very suspiciously friendly fellows coming up to the gates of Treeleaf at night. They were sent away out of sheer principle. They had been as non-descript as this fellow, mostly, claiming that they had lost track of the hour and failed to make it in time. Daylight was still there, but Ibram could not shake that off.

 

First impressions are important. Something, it is off about this one.

 

It was of no matter. The man seemed to be all too eager to be gone, eying the way the Aes Sedai went. Mumbling something about an "Aes Sedai having his hide".

"My apologies Master, how may I help you?"

 

"Me, I won't stop you then, good Master. Just tell me: Where would I find the Mistress Thera? The good Aes Sedai, she told me to be on my way to her to sign in for the Guards."

Ibram remained in a neutral stance, loosely holding his spear one-handed, his other hand behind his back, away from his knife. Only because the man's appearance seemed somewhat suspicious did not necessarily mean too much.

But he hoped that he could somehow get word to the Aes Sedai that this someone seemed to have followed her. Patiently, he waited for an answer.

[Sieve]

Something about the man said he was not as much of a fool as Kennar first thought.  He would do no good by asking the man questions, he would be suspicious of that especially after Kennar made as if he was on an urgent mission.  "Ahh you are looking for the good Mistress Thera.  A tough woman I hear but very kind, very kind indeed."  The Great Lord take her, Kennar hated the puffed up wench.  She was too full of herself by half at least. 

 

"Yes, if the Aes Sedai directed you to see her you best be about it.  You will find her in that building right there."  He pointed to the building that served as the office of the Mistress of Trainees.  This brief conversation was over.  "Excuse me but I must be on my way, may the Light illumine you and see you safe through your training."  He said politely then hurried off.  That man would be trouble if given the chance.  Most paid no attention to the commoners and servants though this one did.  He was more suspicious than he should be. 

 

As soon as he was out of sight of the man he looked for the little witch, she was nowhere to be seen.  She would expect him to be in her quarters when she returned so he hurried to the Tower using the servants corridors so as not to be seen.  What had the woman been about?  In his business knowledge was not only power but a way of staying alive.  Pushing the tapestry aside he entered the hallway then hurried into her room.

[DhaiMon]

 

"Ahh you are looking for the good Mistress Thera.  A tough woman I hear but very kind, very kind indeed."

Ibram did not need to be a juggler of words to hear the lie there. At the very least, it was the complete counterpart to what he had heard of woman commanders.

What that might tell of the like or dislike of this fellow as far as the woman was concerned, Ibram did not dwell on too long. You did not need to like your superior to obey them. He had learned as much during his campaigning.

 

"Yes, if the Aes Sedai directed you to see her you best be about it.  You will find her in that building right there."

 

Ibram's eyes followed the direction the man pointed to, and nodded. That was all he needed to know.

"Tree's shade and seed", Ibram said curtly.

He made his way to the "office", letting the man's "excuse me"-ing slide past his ears. He hoped that Mistress Thera would listen to his telling of some suspicious fellow stalking a sister. He did not know the sister's name, however he hoped that his description would help there.

So he strode towards the office, spear in one hand, his other on the knife-hilt. Relaxed. A soldier's saunter, a soldier who was about important business.

[Eqwina]

Thera paced the length of her office, 15 paces from the racks of swords to the table that contained her wine. There and back, again and again; each time counting her steps. She’d paced that line often enough to know the count, but the steady repetition always helped her to clear her mind.  Lately the yards seemed to bustle like a stirred anthill, and Thera was feeling the pressure. There were more trainees on the books this year than ever in memory, that its self was a blessing wrapped with concern. But more importantly she thought about her duty and the sudden increase in her opportunity to fail. With so many kids it was hard to know each and every one as well as she should. Slamming her fist into her hand she stalked to her desk and flopped down in the chair. Rifling through the papers on her desk she pulled out the files of the most recent enlistee’s and began pouring over their pasts. It would take more of her hours, but then duty was always more onerous than you could want.

 

Taking a break to get a drink and rest her eyes Thera pondered over the idea of an assistant, someone she could trust. Laughing and shaking her head at the very idea she went back to work. “Really! I would be the laughing stalk of the yards. A Mistress of Trainees that can’t handle her charges.” Turning the page she read out loud to herself.

 

“Andrant Cauthop, age 19, hair brown, eyes blue. Weapons. Short sword and…” A knock at the door stopped her retinue. “Come!” she bellowed and began setting her papers aside.

 

[DhaiMon]

 

Ibram stepped inside, somehow reminded of his drilling-time by the sound of that command:

“Come!”

It was obvious that this time, this was a woman, though.

 

He had asked people that happened along the way where he was to go exactly, and now he had found the room. And found the Mistress Thera. A hard woman. A hard voice for a hard job. The room told as much. A rack of weapons on one side. A tidy, spartan table on the other. Tidy, so that track could be kept of records.

A better show than the militia sergeant's study in Treeleaf, it was.

 

"Light and the Tree's shade and seed in your favor, Mistress Thera." Ibram made the best bow, leg or whatever a nobleman would call it as he could. "Ibram Mizra, the name is. My wish, it was to enlist myself in your rolls. Directed I was to your person for this.

From this, aside, something else, there was: Someone seems to be following one of the sisters. Very small, that sister, Cairhienin, I think. That sister seemed to be...troubled...about something. This someone's bearing too bright, I found."

 

He tried to stand attentively and relaxed at the same time. He hoped that "humble" was still fit for his stance there. "Humble", and "experienced".

 

Well...

"Uhm...Mistress Thera, me, I did not ask their names, I did..."

So much for that.

 

Sow-brained fool me...

[Eqwina]

Thera eyed the new young man up and down. "Sit!" She point to the chair in front of her desk and waited until the child was seated. "So you have come to enroll in the Yards?" Pulling out the large book which she kept in the bottom drawer she flipped it open to the most recent page. "And you were sent by an Aes Sedai? A rather grand way to arrive." her smirk was only have concealed.

 

“Ibram Mizra” she said out loud as she jotted his name in the books. Lightly sanding the page she closed the book and folded her hands on her desk. Her eyes were intense and she simply stared at the boy without blinking. “If it were not so late I might have made you work a little harder to be admitted, but since I also wish my bed its done.”

 

“More fool you if you didn’t think this through before coming here. Now you are mine and will remain mine until I am content that your training is complete. The rules of the Tower are simple, obey me or any of your teachers. Stay clear of the Tower except the Kitchens, Library, and Infirmary and stay away from all the Novices and Accepted. Train hard and respect your teachers and you will do fine. You will find an empty bed in the Bunkhouse A and report to the Yards first thing in the morning. Any Questions?”

[DhaiMon]

 

"Sit!"

There was a sharp edge to the woman. She was used to command.

Not the harsh bellow of the bannerman in charge of Ibram. Rather, it very much reminded him of his dear mother's sharp, cutting cries when he'd done something stupid as a young boy. His earliest memories were made up of such, mostly.

That was before his father had gone missing, whom he had barely known.

His dear mother....he hoped he would see her again.

One day.

 

"So you have come to enroll in the Yards?"

The woman lifted a heavy book as if it were just so much paper. Easily. Ibram was used to the weight of something as handy as a spear, but he doubted he could have lifted the thing this easily. In the militia, the instructor had pointed near all his charges to the spear. "Spears, they won' make 'e famous as swords. But lads, them spears, they do take down some nosy nobleman." The man had barked a laugh at that, his face contorted by wrinkles. Wrinkles earned by laughing more often than not. "And you were sent by an Aes Sedai? A rather grand way to arrive." The woman smirked. She was in charge, he was not.

That much was plain.

And she was right. He had not gone to war. He had blindly stood by while mindless pigs had slaughtered their way through people that were lucky if they could pick up a butter-knife in their defense.

 

“Ibram Mizra” All business as usual, the woman noted down his name. In a precise and quick way, far as Ibram could judge.

“If it were not so late I might have made you work a little harder to be admitted, but since I also wish my bed its done.”

 

That made Ibram shake himself awake. Was he that blind to not have noticed the waning light?

Near enough dark, in here, at that...

 

 

 

Her remark was all too right...A sister would have her reasons for looking past her own shoulders. Reasons that were not those to concern men.

 

“Any Questions?”

"The one who will train me, who will it be?"

 

He hoped that did not sound too boyish.

 

OOC: The things you do for numbers...muhar. ^^

Thanks, ma'am. :D

[Eqwina]

"Your training will be handled by many, myself included. Anything else?"

[DhaiMon]

"Your training will be handled by many, myself included. Anything else?"

 

Another thing dawned for Ibram at last:

He did not enroll here to be a merchant's guard or anything. It was no mercenary company.

 

He had caught a glimpse of what seemed to be men on watch duty. They all were quite much the same type of uniform. The same type of armor.

 

He took a short look at the spear he had propped beside himself, at his bundle, which he laid on his lap, feeling for the forms of his helmet, and drew his belt-knife.

 

"This...this equipment, good mistress", he began, hoping to not sound too fond of the things. They might have been given to him by the lord commander's armory, yet they were of fine make. They were the last things he had left of Tarabon.

 

"Will I be allowed to keep it? With it, I am familiar."

 

He sheathed his knife, drew away his hand from the helmet, and put a thumb to the point of his spear.

 

"Far too familiar, maybe.", he said, in a low voice, almost absent.

 

Looking at the spear's point, he almost thought that he could still see the blood and gore on it that he'd taken out of his two countrymen. How he'd stared at that later on, when he had been all alone and tried to get away from the place as quickly as he could, pushing aside at first his thoughts of the nameless woman.

He had speared them for the right reason. He hoped he could claim as much of the things that were to come.

[Eqwina]

“When the time comes that you are to be raised to a Tower Guard, a time of my choosing.” Thera added. “Then you will wear the same uniform that everyone else does.” Standing up she started walking towards the door and gathered Ibram up with a look.

 

“I am sure you have 100 questions you could ask. For tonight go..find a bunk and rest. You will need it in the days to come.”