Introduction (Shadow Child)

[Taya]

OOC: This is me playing my new novice, Kharal Tesehan. :)

 

IC:

In the shadow of night she slipped away, taking advantage of the others' blinding panic to depart unnoticed. With chaos erupting around her ears she somehow stayed quietly calm at her centre. Years of torment had produced a girl who was able to set a particular goal in her sights and focus on it alone, not caring about any incidentals that would have distracted someone ordinary.

 

The house burned in her wake, but she knew only the roaring sound of the fire, refusing to look back at it as she walked. The further she walked, the clearer the air became, and soon the only traces of woodsmoke were those rising from her own garments and hair, where it clung stubbornly. The past faded into the night, and scenes from the last few nightmarish days went with it, melting into a void where memory could not survive.

 

She carried with her a spare change of clothes and food that she had been storing. She had no prized possessions, cared not for anything but surviving.

 

She went north.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Kharal Tesehan hefted her small backpack further up her back and slipped her knife back into the pocket she had sewn into the skirts of her dress, trying to regain her usual control. She was jumpy, she admitted that much - the merest sound gave her pause, and the more ominous type never failed to set her on edge. But this time she had overreacted, imagining a threat where there was none. She thought perhaps she was particularly on edge today because she had finally reached her destination. Tar Valon seemed to have come upon her quite suddenly, somehow - the sight of it felt like something of a shock to the system. After all, her entire life had recently become about staying on the move, never keeping still. She'd dodged trouble in numerous forms, and had settled into a sort of rhythm - the rhythm of one who is endlessly fleeing. But the running had to stop now. She had reached the end of the road.

 

The time had come for Kharal to face her future, to step onto whatever path she was meant to follow. She had very definite ideas about what path she wanted to walk, but her determination was not borne of any logical deduction. She did not expect anything to go smoothly - she had seen too much in her life to think that way. As a child she had learned that trouble was an inevitable part of her life: whether it sought her out or she stumbled upon it, it always seemed to find her in the end. The result of such a childhood was that she had been honed into a searingly determined being, adult beyond her years and yet curiously detached.

 

It was quite indicative of Kharal's nature that she remained detached from the noises and activities around her, focused on her destination, while walking the streets of Tar Valon. It was a magnificent city, a place she'd never really imagined she'd see in her lifetime, and she could admire its beauty and wonder particularly from an analytical point of view. But she didn't have the inclination to dawdle. She marched on, oblivious to the cries of hawkers and prophets and artists on the street corners she passed.

 

She allowed herself a small smile of satisfaction as the White Tower finally came into view – a smile that quickly melted away. She was crouched in the shadows by the side of a building across the way, a building whose mouldering walls gave off a not entirely unpleasant scent. She let the smile fade and ducked out into the alleyway again, making a determined beeline for the Tower courtyard. The entire Tower was so immense that it was hard to see where the entrance was.

 

In short time she stood in the square in front of the immense series of steps that led to the Tower entrance, trying and failing to contemplate what might lie ahead of her here. This was her future. This was the path she wanted to walk. This was where she belonged, whether they knew it or not.

 

She took her first step forward and headed for the stairs.

 

She walked quite some way around the outer Tower corridors before someone halted her by calling out. The voice she heard was emotionless and almost cold. Kharal turned and found herself looking up only slightly at a woman in a white dress with bands of colour at the hems.

 

"What do you do here?" the woman, who looked about forty, demanded.

 

Kharal drew herself up and said flatly, "I want to be Aes Sedai. Where do I go?"

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

What seemed like a long time later, after spiralling up many staircases and padding down many hallways, Kharal and the woman stopped outside a door. The woman raised her hand and knocked on the door, eyeing Kharal with an unreadable expression all the whie.

 

Kharal ignored her, wondering instead just what lay behind the door they were facing.

 

 

Kharal Tesehan

Not-so-weary traveller

[Kara_J]

Larindhra looked down at the pile of files on her desk and rubbed her temple wearily. Why is it, when we have the least number of Novices enrolling for years, I manage to have four times as much paperwork? She asked herself grumpily.

 

A knock on the door was all the excuse she needed to push it to one side and out of her mind. "Enter!" she called clearly.

 

An Accepted opened the door, ushered a determined-looking young woman in, curtseyed and left without a word.

 

"Yes?" Larindhra asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

Larindhra

Mistress of Novices

Unknowingly about to receive more paperwork

[Taya]

A moment after the irritating woman in white knocked, Kharal heard a clear female voice call out from inside: "Enter!"

 

The white-clad woman opened the door, and before Kharal knew what was happening she had been gripped firmly by the arm and steered into the room. She wouldn't quite say she had been pushed, but it seemed a near thing upon reflection. She shrugged it off inwardly and took in her surroundings, noting that she was standing in a rather ornate room the likes of which she was certainly not accustomed to. Then again, this was Tar Valon, and the journey she had taken earlier through the city had opened her eyes to the true meaning of grandeur. She supposed the inside of the White Tower should not only be equally as awe-inspiring, but should in fact be more so.

 

Here and now in this room, Kharal watched as the woman who had led her here curteseyed to another, undoubtedly the owner of the voice that had ordered them to enter a moment ago. Kharal was expecting the two to exchange some more words, but nothing else was said. The white-clad woman rose from her curtsey and departed immediately. Not a very friendly person, Kharal thought matter-of-factly, but she didn't much mind. The truth was that she preferred unfriendly people - the other kind made her far too uneasy.

 

She was alone with the other woman now, and in spite of herself she could not help feeling impressed...even slightly cowed. This woman was one of status, and Kharal recognised the gulf that stretched between them - she sensed it in every part of her being.

 

Kharal was not the sort of person to be intimidated, however. It would never have occurred to her to drop her gaze, shuffle her feet or clasp her hands before her in any of the typically nervous ways other girls her age might have resorted to. Rather she met the other woman's pointed gaze with unabashed and unintentional boldness, and did not flinch even when the woman arched her brow and said: "Yes?"

 

Kharal replied simply, "I am here to become Aes Sedai. What do I need to do?"

 

 

Kharal Tesehan

Soon-to-be Novice

Of Tear

 

OOC: Thanks for the post :) Kharal doesn't really use polite conversation, but she doesn't intend to be rude either. She's just rather matter-of-fact without knowing it. Hehe.

[Kara_J]

Larindhra studied the young woman stood before her, noting the way she stood and the way she met her gaze matter-of-factly. Larindhra had seen a lot of young women, through the years, who had stood in that same spot and demanded that they become Aes Sedai. Some had made it, most hadn't, despite their determination and ambition. Tower life was hard and 'demanding' was an understatement.

 

She nodded nonetheless and indicated that the woman take a seat at her desk.

 

"Right, let's start with the basics. I first need to know whether you've been Tested to see if you can Channel. If you have then we can get you entered into the Novice book right now and get you assigned to a Mentor, if you haven't then I shall test you. What's your name, child? " As she spoke, in a crisp, no nonsense voice, she readied the Novice book and lifted the gem she used for testing out of a drawer with a flow of Air. 

 

Larindhra

Mistress of Novices

[Taya]

Kharal was bade to sit, and did so immediately, glad that they were getting straight down to business. She had worried that the admissions process would be long and drawn out. All she wanted was to get on with things. She had never been one to dawdle, and she did not have a great deal of patience, even if to the outside world she appeared to be entirely calm at most times.

 

As Kharal settled into her seat, the woman said, "Right, let's start with the basics. I first need to know whether you've been Tested to see if you can Channel. If you have then we can get you entered into the Novice book right now and get you assigned to a Mentor, if you haven't then I shall test you. What's your name, child?"

 

Kharal was not sure which part she was supposed to answer first, so she decided to start by answering the original question. "I have not been...Tested," Kharal said, having picked up on the capitalisation of that word and now wondering what precisely was involved in said 'Testing'.

 

The woman nodded coolly. "And your name?"

 

"My name is Kharal - K-H-A-R-A-L." The woman asked for her 'family' name, and she flinched inwardly. Family? The word made her uncomfortable. She said simply, "My second name is Tesehan," and spelled that one out too. The woman appeared to be writing in a large tome that she had opened to a page quite far in, and Kharal assumed her name was being recorded there. How does she know I can channel already, if she hasn't yet Tested me? Or maybe all visitors are recorded, even if they do not get to stay and learn.

[Kara_J]

Floating the Gem in between them with a flow of Air, Larindrha began to speak in a low, calm, steady voice. "Now Kharal, focus on the Gem in front of you, let nothing distract you. Keep your eyes and concentration on the Gem." She kept a low monologue going and was soon rewarded with a small flash of light in the Gem. Lowering it to the desk she smiled at Kharal. "You can learn to Channel, child. Congratulations!" After putting the gem back in the drawer, Larindhra wrote a brief description next to Kharal's name in the book.

 

"Where do you hail from and how old are you?" She asked and wrote down the offered information. "We need to get you in Whites. Follow me."  Larindhra led Kharal to a small side room where she sorted out a few dresses that looked they might fit her. "Try some of these on and find one that fits then rejoin me in the office and I'll take you through the rules and find you a mentor." Leaving Kharal in the anteroom, Larindhra returned to her office to see who she could pair the novice up with.

[Taya]

The test came next. Larindrha Sedai had removed a Gem from her drawer, and to Kharal's astonishment it was floating in the air towards her. It eventually stopped, hovering between the two of them. The Aes Sedai began to speak in a a low, steadying voice. "Now Kharal, focus on the Gem in front of you, let nothing distract you. Keep your eyes and concentration on the Gem."

 

Kharal unconsciously pursed her lips in concentration as she stared at the Gem. There was nothing much that could distract her except the woman sitting opposite her, but somehow she found the Gem quite mesmerising. She stared at it and let it fill her mind, only faintly aware that Larindrha Sedai was still speaking.

 

Kharal blinked when she saw the Gem light up for a split second, a flash of light emanating from within it. Larindrha Sedai lowered the Gem and it soon rested on the desk in front of her. The Aes Sedai was smiling at Kharal. "You can learn to Channel, child. Congratulations!" Kharal's spirits soared very briefly, although the only sign of this was a temporary lightening of the shadow in her eyes. She had told herself all along that she would not be rejected, but there had nevertheless been at least some spark of concern about what might become of her if she was.

 

Larindrha Sedai put the gem back in her drawer, and then scribbled in the Novice Book. She then asked, "Where do you hail from and how old are you?"

 

Kharal flinched, but Larindrha was looking down at the book and seemingly did not notice. Kharal said, "I hail from Tear. I am fifteen." She didn't bother to say that she wasn't entirely sure this was correct. She had calculated her birthdate by approximation, and was almost certain she had got it right. But she had never had her estimations confirmed.

 

Finally Larindrha Sedai closed the Novice Book and said, "We need to get you in Whites. Follow me."  The Aes Sedai and Kharal moved to a small side room where the Aes Sedai selected some dresses that she seemed to think would fit Kharal correctly. "Try some of these on and find one that fits then rejoin me in the office and I'll take you through the rules and find you a mentor."

 

The Aes Sedai left her to try on the dresses, which she did one by one. The second dress she tried on seemed the best fit, although there was an odd pocket of fabric that didn't seem to sit properly. One of them was too small, which surprised Kharal - she wondered if there had ever been smaller novices than her, and figured there must have been. She was short and petite, but she had seen smaller people in the world.

 

When Kharal returned to the Aes Sedai's study, the woman was perusing what appeared to be a list of names.

[Kara_J]

Larindhra looked up and nodded in approval at Kharal. "Take a seat child, whilst I find you a mentor." She pursed her lips as she worked her way down the list. Eventually she came to a name and suppressed a sigh before penning Kharal's name next to the entry in the book.

 

She looked up and felt sympathy for the young girl in front of her. Larindhra could only hope that this girl wouldn't be affected too much by her new mentor. She shuddered at the mental image of two of them simpering or bawling, whichever helped more, around the Tower. Taking a deep breath, she pasted a smile on her face and put as much confidence in her voice as possible.

 

"Kharal, your new mentor will be Deanne Heillan. She's an Accepted, but you should treat her as if she was an Aes Sedai." Inside she mentally winced - Deanne would love that! But, those were the rules. Maybe this new girl would be a sobering influence on the girl....she could only hope.

 

She quickly penned a note to Deanne and sealed it with a smile, remembering the note she'd sent Deanne with not so many years ago. Handing it to Kharal she spoke kindly. "Take this and report to the Accepted outside, she'll take you to your quarters and show you where to find Deanne. Give Deanne this note and I wish you the best of luck in your future at the Tower." With Deanne as your mentor, you'll need it! She thought privately.