Black Stain In The Tower (attn MoT Thera)

[Kalthandrix]

With a sign of relief, Vykor released the weave that held together the Gateway he had used to cross the thousand or more leagues from Tear to within a days ride from the shining walls of Tar Valon. Never before had he ever thougth to actually Travel to the seat of Aes Sedia power, especially since he had learned that he could wield the male half of the One Power, but here he was and more than ready to get underway.

 

Weaving the gateway was always difficult for him, though the M'Hael had said he was more than powerful enough. It was a complex bit of weaving though and not something he could do without his full attention. Normally he would have just Skimmed, but Nihthelm, his leggy Tairen stallion as black as the shadows he was named for, did not like the place between realities. So he Traveled and put up with the headache he knew he would feel once he exited the Void and released saidin. He did so once he knew that the calm of the Void was not only contained to the center of the Flame.

 

"Nothing to do but get the work done," he murmured to himself, a favorite saying of his grandfathers when the man would find someone sitting about with a task half done. He missed home...but fed those feelings of longing into the Flame of the Void and mounted. With luck, he could meet up with the road in an hour or so and make it to the cities gates before night fell.

 

He rode easily, coming upon the road as he had expected, but once on the hard-packed surface, he let Nihthelm quickened his step to a quick canter while he reviewed his story.

 

It was a good bit of fiction, a mix of truth and shadings of half truths that he had put together over the last couple of weeks. No one would ask if he could channel, or he assumed they would not think that an Asha'man would have the stones enough to knock on the door of the Aes Sedia and ask to be let in, but it was best to plan for the improbable in case your opponent was wilier then you expected.

 

He had everything he needed - Letters from "friends" and a journal of his supposed travels, cloths of good material and a fine cut, several purses of coin and letters of credit to draw upon more if needed all packed into his saddle bag along with the rest of the gear and tools a man might need when traveling. Tucked into a pocket of his high necked coat - dark blue wool with embroidery of the moon phases marching up both arms done up in light blue and white thread - was another letter for the people at the White Tower to gain him admittance to train with their Warders. And finally, his ever-present, worn leather satchel and sword worn across his back in the Shienaran style. Those were the important items. Everything else could be made or purchased again.

 

The road he sped along was empty and he made good time, so it was that he found himself riding into one of the bridge towns before he knew it. The Tar Valon Road, at least as it was called in Caemlyn though he supposed it had to be called something else this close to the White Tower, cut through the small town and led him straight to one of the lacey bridges that connected the small island that was Tar Valon to the rest of the world.

 

Guards manned the bridges and a short line of people and animals were queued up to await the guards approval to cross. No one else was riding, so Vykor dropped off his mounts back and waited along with everyone else. People passed the guards with ease, the men on duty were not shirking their duty and looked over each person or group with a keen eye, but they knew that only a fool would willingly set foot in Tar Valon with a desire to make trouble.

 

"What's your name a purpose in entering Tar Valon today, goodman?" one of the guards asked Vykor when it was finally his turn.

 

"Vykor al'Tem," he stated, "I have traveled here to seek training with the Warders, if it pleases the Light." He was a little surprised when his response did not even make the guard quirk an eyebrow in interest. Perhaps seeking such training was not as uncommon occurrence as he thought it would be.

 

"Head to the White Tower and make your supplication at the gate, Goodman al'Tem. Cause no problems and you are welcome in Tar Valon." The fellow then waved at him to move long, already turning his attention to those folks behind Vykor.

 

Finding the White Tower was no a problem as it was the highest landmark for miles around after the smoking peak of Dragonmount, and could be seen shining above every other structure in the city. He looked around and tried to not let his awe show through too much, but the Ogier -crafted buildings were more than simple structures. Each as a piece of art wrought from stone and pleasing to the eye.

 

The press of people in the streets was not all that heavy and everyone flowed easily long in the traffic, so it was with a good hour or so before dusk that he arrived at the gates of the White Tower. More guards there listened to him and he was allowed to wait to the side of the gates while someone called the Mistress of Trainees was informed of his desire.

 

He was used to waiting. Crops and wool do not spring up to harvest overnight, grandfather always said and so he cooled his heels and waited to see where he would be allowed to take his next step.

 

[Eqwina]

Thera ran her fingers through little Lyss hair as she read her one of the passages from The Travels of Jain Farstrider Even at little over two the child seemed fascinated by his tales, a worrisome thought for a new mother. Though the little child was not her flesh and blood Thera already felt the pangs of motherhood, and the growing dread that one day her child would not need her.

 

Frowning at the loud knock on her door Thera kissed the child and passed the book off to Maria, her daughter’s wet nurse. Buckling on her sword she went to open the door. It was a young guard from the gates. New enough raised to still be afraid of the Mistress of Trainees so much so that he delivered his message with his eyes struggling to meet hers and a shake in her voice. At hearing of the arrival of the new recruit she growled. She had been in hopes that her assistant Dragar would handle anyone new today, but he was teaching a class and so it fell to her. She sent back word to have the boy brought to her office and ran back to give Lyss one last kissing before rushing across the yards.

 

Her desk only had a small stack of papers when she arrived, not unusual for this time of day. Setting down to work through them she waited on the new trainee to arrive.

 

OOC: Sorry this took so long. I a not usually around on weekend, plus this weekend was loooooooooooong  :D

[Kalthandrix]

"Hey ya. Goodman al'Tem!"

 

Vykor heard someone call the name he had given the gate guards and looked around. He had been absorbed in watching the passing throngs of people and scratching Nihthelm's ears as the great black beast nuzzled him to try and find where he was keeping the little sugar cubes he so loved.

 

"Looks like it is time for the show, boy-oh," he murmured to the horse and took up his reins and walked over to the gate. As soon as he drew near, one of the guards pointed him out to another. The one he spoke to stepped forward and said, "You’re looking to meet with the Mistress of Trainees?" Vykor only had time to open his mouth before the other fellow continued. "Well then, come along." and set off at a brisk walk.

 

As Vykor crossed the gates and set foot into the fabled grounds of the White Tower, he half thought that alarms or some kind of warning would begin to trumpet the presence of a man that could channel and that the Sisters of the Red Ajah would boil out of the White Tower like fire ants after someone had kicked their hive. It did not happen of course, but he could not help the feeling even when it encroached upon the awe he felt at seeing the Shining Tower his close.

 

I wonder if the Black Tower will ever compare? he thought idly. 

 

He set aside awe and worry and hurried to keep pace with the guard. It was only a short time later that he was instructed to leave his horse and gear with a groom that came to lead Nihthelm away and he was left with the option of protesting or running after the guard once more. He did leave the great black horse, though he did not run after the other fellow...well not really. It was more of a really fast walk to catch up to the man.

 

Doors and corridors passed in a blur, but he did not see many other people in the hallways they passed by or though except for a few men and woman in servants livery. And then the fellow was rapping upon a door smartly. He waited for the length of a breath and then opened the door and stepped aside to allow Vykor to enter.

 

And enter he did and upon seeing the woman sitting behind the desk he made the best leg he could and said, "I am Vykor al'Tem, mistress. I was told that I would need to speak with the Mistress of Trainees if I was to train at the White Tower with the Warders."

 

[Eqwina]

Untangling her fingers from her red-gold curls Thera looked up at the young man who entered. She sat her papers aside and capped her ink bottle, taking her time sanding the page and making sure it was just so. When she finally looked up the man was still bent over, making leg, but beginning to look a bit strained. 

 

“You may enter Vykor, and take a seat.” Turning back to her papers she put her writing case away and field the papers in their appropriate. Knowing that silence was a powerful tool in making an impression, Thera walked over to fill a water cup, just one, before returning to her desk and folding her hands on the table.

 

“So you wish to train with the Warders?”  She studied him with all the scrutiny of a blacksmith with his steel. Taking in his clothes and dark blond hair, and making note of the scar that ran near his eye. “By the look of that scar it appears that you need training. Only a fool would let a blade so close to his face.” She could already see the explanation of the scar wanting to come from the boy and she held up her hand to forestall him. “Your history is of very little interest to me. Unless of course there is something you wish to confess?” Quirking an eyebrow she wait, letting the moments pass to minutes while she searched him for any sign of nerves. “No? Then I wish to know why you want to train with the Warders and what you intend to do with said training.” Taking a long drink of her water she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms beneath her chest to wait. 

 

[Kalthandrix]

His eyes slid around the room, observing and locking in the details. An organized woman from the looks of things, and not an Aes Sedai if she wore a sword at her waist.

 

"A fool...maybe, but I was actually kicked in the face by a horse as a boy, Mistress," Vykor replied coolly. She was obviously trying to bait him into something, or so he assumed, but he maintained his calm. As he takes a seat, he takes the sword and scabbard from his back and leans it against the arm of the chair he sits in. He knew that he should at least try and present a bit more of a facade of a country lord come to the grand city, but meeting upon meeting with her, he found that his pride would not allow him to scratch gravel. He was who he was, even if he was lying about the details a bit.

 

"Well, I have learned what I can from those I have met and of course from my uncle who fought in the Aiel War. With the rewards won from those times he has been able to secure some lands in the Black Hills under his banner and I believe he would like to bring order to more of that region so long abandoned by lawful rule. As such, he has sent me here to see if training with the Warders will enable me to return to help protect what he has wrought." The truth, in part.

 

His uncle had fought in the wars and come home with coin enough to help the family’s struggling farm and even expanding upon it over the years. He also remembered many conversations between his father, uncle, and grandfather about the poor condition the lands were in, what with each village having to see to their own protection from roving bandits and the like. And he would of course use the training to protect what his uncle and family had build by being there with the Lord Dragon, fighting in the Last Battle with the One Power and sword in hand.

 

[Eqwina]

She arched her eyebrow at him explaining his injury, even after she’d bidden him to stop. Apparently this one would have a stubborn streak she thought to herself as he unfolded his tale.

 

Over the years she had learned that there were many reasons to lie and to hide your past, at least in the eyes of those that came here. For some it was a legitimate attempt to start a new life, for others it was second nature to lie, and to still others they lied for a reason known only in their own heart. She had learned to detect a lie, if not the cause behind it. In most cases if the story seemed passable she let it stand, and that was what she would do this day. There was no doubt in her mind that the boy lied, but only time would tell which path it would take him down.

 

“Noble of your uncle to want to bring out to such a chaotic place.” A small smile played at Thera’s lips. “Perhaps he will even be granted a title for such a feat, and you with him for your newly gained skills?” She leaned into her desk and pulled out a large book. It was not as large or as full as the one she used to record trainee’s as they came, but it was hefty in it’s own right. Every year men came, not to swear their lives to Tar Valon and the Aes Sedai, but to learn from the best. They were allowed to come and go as they pleased, but while they trained they fell subject to her rules.

 

“Since it seems you have no intention of staying and serving the White Tower you will not be enlisted as a trainee, but do not think that means that my rules do not apply to you as well. It simply means that you will not wear the uniform or receive the pay. You are still expected to obey all the rules of the trainee’s and if you are caught breaking them you will be put out. Do you understand?” 

 

[Kalthandrix]

“Well, as for staying. I doubt that the White Tower would really want one such as I…fool that I am, of course,” Vykor said with a slightly sardonic smile. The wench was cheeky that was for sure, but would more than likely soil herself if she knew she was signing up a man that could channel. He did not know if she was trying to elicit a rise out of him, but he would not hook himself upon her barbed comments so she could see how he danced upon her line.

 

“As for the rules, I will follow the rules as well as possible, upon that you have my troth. I seek only to learn and am used to a hard discipline from my instructors.” Light but that was the truth. Training in the Black Tower was hard enough to kill or burnout those who could not take it, so he doubted that this could be much harder than that, even if they worked with live steel everyday.

 

“I have been given a letter of introduction from my uncle if you require and have coin to pay to the training I receive as well as for lodging and such. Will I be allowed to take rooms on the ground or will I have to seek shelter at a local establishment? I have to trouble bunking down in a barracks, but would not want to put other whom will be pledging to the White Tower out of a place.” 

 

[Eqwina]

"You will not put anyone out. You will have a room in the barracks, but you will not be forced to share.I will take the letter of introduction, though it is not needed."

 

Scanning the page she lay the paper down on her desk and studied the man in front of her. There was arrogance to him that she couldn’t like, but she had already agreed to admit him. Writing his name in the book she left the letter of admittance with it. After she’d sanded the page and put it away she folded her hands on her desk and gave him an appraising look. “Letters of introduction are all very well, but I will have to see your skills to best know how to focus your training.” If there had been an embellishment to his prowess she would soon learn. Standing the led the way to the door and held it open for him as they stepped out into the yards.

 

“This way.” She led them to a clearing behind her office, and picked up to practice lathes. “Shall we see what you can do?”

 

[Kalthandrix]

Practice lathe in hand, Vykor did not swing it about, but let the heft of it settle into his hand and feel the weight and balance of the thing.

 

“Shall we see what you can do?” Thera asked and he knew that his training would start much like his first days in the Black Tower - with a sound beating to drive thoughts of skill or arrogance from the pupil. So his rely was a simple, "Of course," and he formed the Void and the Flame in his mind, calming thoughts and becoming one with the practice weapon, the ground, and the woman standing across from him.

 

There was a decided lack of flare or flowing, sinuous movement as he stepped through the forms, but he attacked with every bit of skill that he had. Low Wind Rising began by cutting at her low to high in a diagonal slash that began on her left , which then allowed him step into The Heron Spreads Its Wings and take a swipe at Thera's neck. He put a bit more into the horizontal strike then he intended but brought it back around with out swearing aloud. The practice weapon came back into line with a small loop that Vykor managed to make look like a semblance of Tower of Morning - a long vertical slash that would open a man from stem to stern before placing his right hand upon the hilt and powering the lathes back down in two-handed version of The Courtier Taps His Fan. It exposed him and he knew it, with both arms raised over his head like that but it was what came to him in the split seconds he had to try and think of his moves and the one that would need to follow.

 

A wealth of welts were sure to be his reward for the day, coat or no coat.

[Eqwina]

Thera hardly moved as her newest student attacked. She brought her sword in front of her body and used it only to defend. For several moments she allowed him completely control of their ‘duel’, if only by the nature of standing still. She waited patiently for the opening she knew he would give. All inexperienced had one and she would find his. In the end exposing this weakness would only make him better.

 

She saw it…He set himself up for The Courtier Taps His Fan as in a flash Thera thrust at him with Kissing the Adder A killing blow in most cases, but she did not put her full force behind it and the result was her student struggling for breath while he held on to his sword. The flowed right into the The Rose Unfolds Striking his sword arm and then used Cutting the Clouds to slap at his wrist.  Her strikes to his arms had not been soft and already she could see the bruises forming, but she did not stop. Her young opponent was still standing and facing her with sword raised, in spite of his injuries. It showed that he had heart and endurance, both would serve him well here.

 

She switched from her attack to The Creeper Embraces the Oak slowly moving her blade up and down, constantly changing its threat. She did this to see his reaction time, and how well he could counter an attack. She executed a slow version of Dandelion in the Wind and Vykor stumbled back avoiding the killing blow. It had put him off balance, but he did not seem ready to quit….

 

[Kalthandrix]

Vykor, still slightly gasping for air and with his hands barely able to hold the hilt to his practice weapon, staggered back from Thera and the Void popped like a pricked soap bubble.

 

He had not felt so helpless in years, not since he had learned to channel the male half of the One Power, and burned with the desire to...what? He pulled himself together and tried to even out his breath and get his thoughts back under rein. For a brief moment when he had been almost sure Thera had been trying to kill him with the Light cursed "practice" weapon, he had the urge to channel saidin and blast his with a weave of Fire that would have left nothing but ash behind. No swordsman...or swordswoman for that matter...could contend one on one with someone wielding the Power, but to do that and for a trifling matter of a few bruises and welts would not only have made him a murderer, but he would have lit a signal fire that would have called every Aes Sadia on the island to come and kill him.

 

A few even breaths freed him of such stupidity and he was once more able to assume the calmness that was the Flame and the Void. She was testing him, he knew, and he could no more beat her with a sword than a babe could overwhelm a Trolloc. So he resolutely clasp the hilt of the bundles lathes and focused on defending himself from her viper-quick strikes.

 

[Elgee]

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