New Beginnings {Atten Taei and Arath}

[TaiDashan]

Evanen swung the door to the room inward and entered a little hesitantly, what if someone were already there? Would they be upset at being intruded on? The door stopped suddenly with a thunk and a loud squawk followed by a splash. A loud squawk? Suddenly Evanen saw the girl behind the door, one hand in the bucket next to her. Her other hand was rubbing the top of her head over a scowl.

 

Evanen's hands flew to her mouth with a gasp. "Oh I am so sorry!" She cried, wondering whether to run and help the girl up or to stay away since she seemed a little upset. Her desire to help the girl won out however and she dropped her belt pouch to go help. "Here," She said, offering her hand. "Let me help you up. I am such a clumsy fool!"

 

The girl had obviously been scrubbing the floors, as made apparent by the bucket and brush, when Evanen had rudely hit her with the door. Once to her feet, Evanen stuck out her hand again after wiping the water from it on her white dress. That would surely leave a mark...

 

"My name is Evanen, Evanen Phaedrein."

 

Evanen Phaedrein

Novice of the White Tower

Nervous

[Arath Faringal]

Rochel scrubbed furiously at the floors in her room, imagining with each viscious rub of the brush a face underneath it of someone who irritated her.  The list was getting to be quite long really.  The novices who snubbed hers simply for being Domani, the nobles who down played her for only being a merchants daughter, the accepted who insisted on bossing her around as though they were so much better than her, the Mistress of Novices and her bloody slipper, the Aes Sedai and all their bloody flaming rules ... the list was endless.  It helped pass the time though as she scrubbed.

 

It was the rules that got her the most.  The rules that didn't make any sense.  Like cleaning her room so often.  She barely had time to sleep here, let alone do anything else, and yet she was forced to clean it as though a flock of sheep had recently passed through.  She was convinced that she would scrub clear through the floor boards before she ever made it out of here.  And they'd probably make me replace the floors myself if I did, she thought miserably.  She began scrubbing the last section of the floor, behind her door.  At least it's better than being in the kitchen scrubbing the burnt pots.  Though I'll probably have to do th-

 

Without warning the door banged open, slamming into Rochel's back and knocking her forward.  With an indignant sqwauk she tried to catch herself and with a loud splash, her hand landed in the bucket.  It did little to lessen the impact of her head against the wall.  Muttering under her breathe, and trying very hard to control her lanuage in case it was an Aes Sedai who had intruded upon her, Rochel shakliy crawled out from behind the door.

 

"Oh I am so sorry! Here, let me help you up. I am such a clumsy fool!"

 

Only to eager to agree, Rochel allowed the other girl to help her up.  She carefully pressed a hand against the top of her head, wincing at the slight pain.  She hoped it wouldn't give her a headache later.  She had another channeling class, and she really didn't want to miss another one.  Some of the sisters didn't bother with sending her to Larindrha Sedai for the slipper.

 

Abruptly she realized that the other girl had stuck her hand out.  "My name is Evanen, Evanen Phaedrein."

 

"Rochel Dion," she muttered, quickly gripping Evanen's hand while rubbing her head with the other.  "Did you have a message or ...?"

[TaiDashan]

"Rochel Dion," The girl muttered. "Did you have a message or ...?"

 

Evanen's eyes widened as she realized what was implied. "Oh! No, I am your new roommate apparently. You do, um...live here right?" Her heart sank. Here she was meeting her new roommate for the first time and already she had bungled things terribly. "Larindrha Sedai brought me here and told me these were to be my rooms. I didn't know someone already lived here." She blurted in her nervousness. She went to twist her grandmothers ring, a nervous habit of hers, but realized that it wasn't there.

 

The girl seemed angry, Evanen supposed she would be too if she had been made to scrub the floors like a tavern maid and had some wool-headed lummox slam a door into her. She figured she ought to help the girl finish although the floor looked freshly scrubbed. "Did you do something wrong?" She asked, motioning to the brush and bucket. "I could help you finish, I kind of owe it to you." She added before the woman could answer. Rochel looked at her for a moment without speaking. She looked as if Evanen had said something shocking and funny at the same time. Finally she explained that it was something expected of all Novices.

 

Evanen's cheeks flushed in embarrassment.To hide her crimson cheeks and the tears threatening to spill down them, she whirled to the empty bed behind her. Tossing her Belt pouch down, she pulled out her Ivory comb attempting to regain her composure. As she pulled it through her blond hair she tried out her voice, finding it surprisingly steady. "I guess I should probably do my part then to help scrub the floors. I really am not doing so well on first impressions am I...I truly am sorry."

 

Falling silent she continued to pull the comb through her hair, carefully wiping her tears with her sleeve.

Evanen Phaedrein

Novice of the White Tower

Feeling Miserable

[Arath Faringal]

Rochel felt as though she had been slammed by the door again.  A roommate?  There were hundreds of unused apartments in the novice quarters, and Larindrha had stuck her with a roommate?  What was this about?

 

"Did you do something wrong?"

 

Rochel was wondering that very thing.  What had she done to deserve this?  Suddenly she realized that Evanen had been referring to the floor scrubbing.  She bit off a laugh.  "I've done any number of things wrong since I've been here, but no.  This ... foolishness ... with the floors is something required of all novices.  It builds character, or some such nonsense.  It keeps us busy more like.  A novice who has a moment to sit and catch her breathe obviously doesn't have enough to do."

 

She wondered for a moment if she had just shoved her own foot in her mouth somehow, as Evanen turned an amazing shade of embarassed pink and turned away to comb her hair.  "I guess I should probably do my part then to help scrub the floors. I really am not doing so well on first impressions am I...I truly am sorry."

 

Rochel paused, considering for a moment.  It would be terribly easy to dump the rest of that particular duty on Evanen, even though there was only a small amount left to do.  But doing something like that inevitably came back to haunt you.  "No," she finally, grudgingly, said.  "You're first day here is supposed to be ... well, you'll have plenty of chores to do tomorrow.  You'll probably get stuck scrubbing this floor tomorrow, or scrubbing pots in the kitchens.  Or you could be sent doing the light knows what for any random Aes Sedai you see."

 

Stalking back over to her cursed bucket, Rochel scooped up the brush and tackled the last bit of the floor, making sure to lean against the door this time.  "Besides, I'm almost done anyway."

 

There was silence for the next couple of minutes while Rochel furiously scrubbed away at the already spotless floor.  "Good enough," she announced quickly, tossing the brush back into the bucket with a soft splash.  "Now then, Evanen was it?  Where are you from?"  She supposed if she was going to be stuck with this girl she had better at least try to get along with her.  Even if it did involve small talk.

[TaiDashan]

Rochel paused for a moment, obviously considering, before denying the offer of help. "You'll probably get stuck scrubbing this floor tomorrow, or scrubbing pots in the kitchens.  Or you could be sent doing the Light knows what for any random Aes Sedai you see." She said.

 

Her tears and blushing under control, she put her comb into her belt pouch safely next to her grandmother's ring. Turning she watched as Rochel finished scrubbing the floors and announced it was 'good enough'. "Now then, Evanen was it?  Where are you from?"

 

"I'm from Whitebridge, my family begged the Sister to take me away when they found out what I did was channeling the One Power." she said, a touch sadly. "And whats this about building character? It sounds like a good excuse for Aes Sedai to not have to do anything." Evanen said doubtfully, plopping down onto the bed. "Where are you from?" She figured if she was going to room with this girl she might as well get to know her better. Plus, she truly was sorry for thumping her with the door.

Evanen Phaedrein

Novice of the White Tower

Making Friends

[Arath Faringal]

"I'm from Bandar Eban, in Arad Doman."  Rochel flopped down onto her bed and stared at the cieling.  "My mother always wanted to be Aes Sedai but failed the testing.  So she insisted that I be tested too when we passed through here with our trade caravan.  She was thrilled."  She tried hard not to grimace.  "So here I am, more often than not elbows deep in a bucket or a pot, wondering when I'll learn anything useful."

 

That grated on her nerves more than anything else.  The endless chores, and the extremely limited amount of useful learning they recieved.  You could only learn so many calming exercises before you felt like pulling your hair out and strangling the teacher with it.  Rochel couldn't stand any of it.  What good was it to spend so much time learning impractical things?  Why bother teaching something if it didn't have a useful purpose?  Nine times out of ten, the things she was expected to learn seemed to fall into the 'useless' category.

 

Lifting her head slightly to look at Evanen, Rochel asked, "So what do you think about the Aes Sedai?  Do you like them, hate them ...?" It would be a good idea to get an idea of the other girl's point of view before sharing too much more with her.  It wouldn't do to bad mouth an Aes Sedai in front of her if she would run off to the Mistress of Novices to tattle .

[TaiDashan]

Evanen marveled at the distance Rochel must have travelled to get to the Tower. She had never been farther than the outlying area's of Whitebridge and Arad Doman seemed very far indeed. She listened as the girl told of her mother's desire to be Aes Sedai and her insistence that Rochel be tested.

 

"So here I am, more often than not elbows deep in a bucket or a pot, wondering when I'll learn anything useful." Evanen grimaced at that. Laara Sedai had told her that she would be doing chores to build character, but scrubbing pots and floors didn't sound very useful. It sounded more like an excuse for Aes Sedai not to get their hands dirty.

 

"So what do you think about the Aes Sedai?  Do you like them, hate them ...?" Her question hung in the air for a moment as Evanen considered for a moment, playing with her hair.

 

"Well," She began hesitantly. She wondered if Aes Sedai could use the One Power to listen in. "I think that wielding the One Power is a little scary but that it could be a good thing and anyone who can use it should have some form of respect..." She sat up, throwing caution to the wind. "But they seem to be too haughty to me. Always acting like they are the creator's gift to man. Larra Sedai was nice enough, but most of the others I have met just seem...well...stuffy." She flopped back onto her bed and sat in silence for a moment.

 

"Rochel?"

 

"Hmmm?" came the reply.

 

"If we ever do become Aes Sedai, lets not be like that ok?" She asked. If Rochel replied it was lost on Evanen as the door opened, startling her.

Evanen Phaedrein

Novice of the White Tower

Startled

[Taei]

The wide halls of the White Tower went by Kasi unnoticed as she marveled over the fact that she had promise with the One Power. All her dreams seemed to be coming true. After saying goodbye to her grandfather and the life she knew you would have thought that Kasi would have been glum, but her spirits had never been higher. Just standing in the hallways of the fabled White Tower of Tar Valon seemed to sweep her up in a magical elation. It was as thought the walls themselves had absorbed some of the One Power and were using it to protect those inside.

 

As Kasi trailed the Novice that led her through the hallways she hardly noticed anything specific. It all trailed together in one magical memory for Kasi. Destiny has smiled on me at last and my place in the Wheel of Time revealed. I will be Aes Sedai and will do my part in the world. The promise was to herself, but also to a destiny that she was ready to meet head on.

 

When they abruptly stopped it snapped Kasi out of her reverie and for the first time she realized where she was. The hallway was much smaller than the others, but still quite grand, the multitude of doors suggested that there were once many more occupants than were currently housed inside. There were a few white robed Novices and the occasional glimpse of the banded dress of an Accepted here, but the lack of traffic in the hallway spoke of too much space for the occupants.

 

With a confused look Kasi just stood there dumbstruck. The Novice sighed, opened the door with a thud and left. Kasi walked in only to stop just inside the door and share bemused glances with the two other women in the room. Hearing one of the women grumble under her breath Kasi eyed the three beds and frowned for a second. "Well, I guess we're to be roomates." Why in the world cram us in like sardines when this place is almsot empty? With a shake of her head Kasi chose to make the best of the situation no matter the cost. Her faith in Aes Sedai was still strong as ever. This test wouldn't be the breaking of her, nor anything else they could dish out. Awaiting a response from the other two in the room Kasi set her saddlebag down at the floor just beside one of the beds.

 

Kasi Duvan

Novice of the White Tower

[Arath Faringal]

Stuffy.  That did seem the word to describe most of the Aes Sedai Rochel had met.  She usually used more colorful words in her own descriptions, but it did seem a good one.

 

Rochel was just about to respond to Evanen when the door flew open.  She didn't know what part of her had been so alert, but the moment the door began to move she bounded to her feet, ready to drop a curtsy and hating herself for it.  To her relief, it was only a pair of novices who stood at her door, one of whom stalked off immediately.  The other, however, walked in with her saddlebags as if she owned the place.

 

"Well, I guess we're to be roomates."

 

Rochel made a strangled sort of sound in her throat.  What had she done?  Why was she being saddled with two room mates in a single day?  With a loud sigh, Rochel flopped back down onto her bed and studied the newcomer.  She was tall.  Maybe taller than Rochel, which was unusual.  And whe almost looked like an Andoran noble with her coloring, but it was hard to say.  Rochel certainly hoped not.  Nobles were right up there with Aes Sedai.  Useless wastes of time as far as she was concerned. 

 

Not trusting herself to keep from saying something foolish, she simply muttered, "I'm Rochel," and gave a half hearted, non-commital wave.

[TaiDashan]

Evanen forgot herself for a moment until Rochel bounded up. She got to her feet as well, cursing herself for a fool. She had been so worried that it was an Aes Sedai coming through the door, that she had forgotten that they were required to curtsy. It simply would not do to hear an Aes Sedai hear you calling her...stuffy.

 

Entering the room there were 3 beds. One on the right hand side that Rochel occupied. The bed Evanen had taken, pushed perpendicular to Rochel's against the far wall, and then against the other wall an empty bed. The girl set her saddlebags on the ground to the left of the door and announced she was to be their roommate. She stood there as if waiting for something so Evanen stood and smiled at her.

 

"My name is Evanen, I just got here today too!" She motioned to Rochel. "You can thank her for the spotless condition of our room." Feeling rather awkward she sat back down on her bed with her hands in her lap and grinned warmly at the girl again.

Evanen Phaedrein

Novice of the White Tower

Waiting...

[Taei]

The woman on the bed to the right of the door sighed and flopped down on the bed with a wave of her hand, giving her name as an introduction. She seemed none too pleased to see Kasi, but that might have to do with having to share the room with two roomates. Rochel was tall, almost as tall as Kasi, which wasn't that common. She appeared to be Domini, but as more guarded than any Domini that she had ever met. This might be an interesting arrangement. Giving her a small smile in response she turned to the other person in the room.

 

The woman who stood on the opposite side of the room was more cheery. "My name is Evanen, I just got here today too!" With a motion at the woman sitting opposite her she continued, "You can thank her for the spotless condition of our room." She then settled back on the bed and folded her hands in her lap, smiling warmly at Kasi. Evanen was short compared to her roomates, but that didn't seem to bother her at least.

 

Kasi noted that the bed in the middle was going to be hers. Well, at least I chose the right bed to put my stuff near. "Nice to meet you, Rochel and Evanen. I'm Kasi Duvan." Settling herself down on the third bed she looked from one to the other. "Anything you all want to know about me feel free to ask. I'm not really sure what else to talk about." A silence descended on the room.

[Arath Faringal]

"Anything you all want to know about me feel free to ask. I'm not really sure what else to talk about."

 

Rochel almost laughed.  "I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to learn everything about each other.  Even everything we didn't want to learn about each other.  We'll probably be sharing this room for a few years yet."  A miserable thought.  Now she wouldn't even be able to scream and cry out her frustrations in private.

 

Not wanting to seem overly rude, Rochel sort of just picked up the conversation she'd been having with Evanen before their new roomie had arrived.  "I suppose there are a few things we should figure out first.  How important are rules to you?  There are thousands of them here.  And what is your opinion of the Aes Sedai?  Do you love them, hate them ...?"

[TaiDashan]

"Anything you all want to know about me feel free to ask. I'm not really sure what else to talk about."

 

Evanen nearly laughed, she didn't know what to talk about either. She was about to ask what kind of things she did at home for fun, in some lame attempt to get the conversation going when Rochel spoke up first.

 

"I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to learn everything about each other.  Even everything we didn't want to learn about each other.  We'll probably be sharing this room for a few years yet." Anything Evanen was going to say flew right out of her head. A few years?! She had not thought about how long it would take to become Aes Sedai, in truth she had not thought much of anything yet. Light, how long would she be here? The years stretched onward in front of her. Hurriedly she shoved the thought aside before she burst into tears again.

 

"I suppose there are a few things we should figure out first.  How important are rules to you?  There are thousands of them here.  And what is your opinion of the Aes Sedai?  Do you love them, hate them ...?" Evanen gulped back the tears and gratefully focused on Rochel's question. She was right, it would be good to find out what this girl thought before speaking her mind. She would hate to find out what punishment would mean if scrubbing floors and pots was merely expected.

[Taei]

"I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to learn everything about each other.  Even everything we didn't want to learn about each other.  We'll probably be sharing this room for a few years yet." Years? Well, it will be worth it to be Aes Sedai in the end. Of that Kasi was sure. How she was going to survive until then was another question, especially with how cold Rochel seemed to be. Hopefully she's just upset at getting two roomates at the same time, hopefully.

 

"I suppose there are a few things we should figure out first.  How important are rules to you?  There are thousands of them here.  And what is your opinion of the Aes Sedai?  Do you love them, hate them ...?" Kasi had to work hard not to stare at the questions. How important are rules? What's your opinion of Aes Sedai? Do you hate them? Kasi felt like she'd been set down in a foreign land. Where she had come from Aes Sedai were respected and known for helping if needed. Her mother had needed the help of and Aes Sedai when Kasi was about eight years old. Her mother had fallen and broken several bones in her chest. It has made it hard for her to breathe and the Aes Sedai had said that she most likely would have died without the healing that she had been given.

 

Straightening up to her full height Kasi tried to word her response appropriately. "Well, rules usually exist for some reason or another. I know that with cooking all the rules that you're taught are to keep you from harm or from making mistakes that others have already made. I'm sure there must be a reason behind them, whether it seems like it or not." A deep steadying breath and then Kasi continued, "As for my opinion of Aes Sedai, they have my utmost respect and have since I was small. They will continue to have it. They are just like us, if older, and I would hope that people would treat me with respect, unless I do something to not deserve it anymore. If you want respect, you have to give it." Kasi looked at her roommates awaiting their responses. By the light, I hope that I'm not rooming with two who hate what we're trying to become. Even the thought of that was just illogical to her.

[Arath Faringal]

Rochel had to fight back a smirk as Kasi drew herself up, stretching for height.  She expected a haughty speach about how rules are important and how they should consider themselves lucky to study with the Aes Sedai.  She wasn't disappointed.  Or rather, she was terribly disappointed.  It would figure that not only would she be saddled with two room mates, but one of them would be an Aes Sedai boot licker.  Now she wouldn't even be able to come back to her room and vent after putting up with Aes Sedai foolery all day long.

 

"It was only a question, so don't raise your nose at me.  Light knows I get enough of that from the Accepted.  Everyone comes to the Tower with their own opinion.  The Tairen's usually don't like Aes Sedai, while the borderlanders adore them.  There was an Amadician novice when I arrived who was convinced that the Amyrlin is the Dark Ones sister."  Rochel tried hard to moderate her tone, and keep the conversation casual.  It just wouldn't do to set Kasi against her from the start and have her running to the Mistress of Novices any time she even thought about bending a rule.

 

"From what I've seen, most Aes Sedai would not have you think that they are 'just like us'.  I don't know how many times I've been told off by my 'betters' for acting above myself.  We are in no way equals with them.  Light, we're a good ten years away from getting any respect from anyone at all.  No respect from anyone at all, but if your curtsey is just a hair too shallow ..."  Moderating her tone never really was one of her finer talents. 

[Taei]

Raise my nose at her? Kasi snorted at the idea. You're entitled to your opinion, but don't try and act like I'm being snotty about it. Of all the nerve. "First off, they are just like us. And had sat here one day, no matter how long ago that was, with the same thoughts in their heads. And secondly, I always have respect for others that return respect and for my elders. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I need to take a walk right fast." Getting up from the bed and gliding over to the door with a grace to match an Aes Sedai, Kasi exited the room and into the hallway.

 

Of all the ideas. Treating me like I was haughty. And being against what she herself would become. The idea was slightly amusing, but more disturbing to Kasi. She started to wonder if this really was the place she was meant to be for the first time since getting here. Walking through the corridors she made sure to remember which turns she made, because like it or not she would have to find her way back. Okay, Kasi. Get yourself together. It's going to be one of many obstacles to come and you're going to have to learn how to deal with it someway. Just have to figure out how.

 

Suddenly there seemed to be a different feel in the air in the hallway. It was more alive somehow. Curious Kasi followed the feeling and found a doorway off to one side that opened to the world. Heading towards the opening she smelled the fragrance of flowers and herbs. A garden! Maybe that will help put me in the right mindset. As she followed the paths around she put her mind to identifying what she could. Many things she couldn't put a name to, but she filed their details away for her to research later. With the wonderful herbs to be had around here, meals must be wonderful! Feeling her spirits restoring Kasi started to feel better about the tower in general once more.