So you think you can Channel, huh? [attn Tai'Dashan]

[Kara_J]

Deanne yawned widely and stared out of the window at the rain pelting down outside. She was mildly glad that some stupid Aes Sedai hadn't collared her to run errands outside, unfortunately that also meant she had to do a class with her new charge instead. At first Deanne had felt all puffed up with pride and authority when she received the note from Larindhra stating that the bearer was to be her new mentee but, as all good feelings do, they quickly dissipated as she realised she was meant to teach the stupid cow things - on top of her already hectic schedule of learning. Why couldn't they just leave her to her own devices?

 

Deanne stretched and frowned to herself as she idly examined a hand that had only just recovered from the trip to the kitchens to wash yet another evenings dishes. Honestly, who knew that Carluny Sedai would be so sensitive about her moustache! All Deanne was trying to do was offer advice. Some people had no gratitude.

 

She drummed her heels against the floor as she waited ever so (im)patiently for Evanen to show up. In her minds eye, Deanne was picturing how the lesson was going to go. The girl would arrive, sit meekly, apologise for taking up so much of Deanne's precious time and then proceed to gasp with wonder and awe at all the weaves Deanne demonstrates. Deanne smiled to herself, it was a wonderful scenario and she had every faith in her teaching abilities. She could just see Evanen following her around everywhere afterwards in a perpetual state of hero-worship.

 

Yes, this class was going to go superbly well and Larindhra will of course be delighted and maybe even up her grades a little.

 

 

Deanne

 

The Worlds Best Teacher

[TaiDashan]

Evanen so far, had had her first day of chores and curtsying and was starting to get a feel for what Rochel had been talking about. Learning was one thing, but all these chores! Grumbling to herself quietly, and hating that she did so quietly less she be overheard, she brushed her hair and straightened her white dress. Already she had been set to scrubbing pots and warned to keep her skirts clean lest she have additional work heaped on the already growing pile.

 

She was supposed to meet her Mentor, Deanne today. She hoped to the Light that this girl was not as haughty and pathetically mimicking as all the other Accepted she had come across. Seemed that when a girl finally was raised, she seemed to think she was Aes Sedai then and there! Some of them were truly deplorable.

 

Checking her skirts one final time she walked through the halls, repeating the instructions to find Deanne's room in her head. This was punctuated by a curtsy to the few that she saw walking the halls. She had not had more than a brief chat about what the One Power was let alone what she was to do to even use it. Apparently Deanne was going to be teaching her this.

 

Her skirts itched and she was altogether uncomfortable. Oh it was not because she had to meet someone new, she was almost looking forward to that. It was more an issue of being unaware of Saidir and what it meant for her. So far she had, supposedly and unknowingly, burned down a barn and done other, scary and horrible things. Frankly the One Power scared her, and what little knowledge she had gained did little to dissuade her of the notion.

 

Arriving at the appointed door, at least she hoped it was the appointed door, she tapped lightly and took a deep breath waiting to be let in. Inside she heard the soft tinkling of bells as someone crossed the stone floor, and the door was yanked open. A girl about Evanen's age, but roughly a hand taller stood there expectantly. Her hair was dark in long braids, in stark contrast to Evanen's honey curls spilling down her back. Her eyes were hazel to Evanen's blue.

 

"Hello," She said, smiling warmly. "I'm Evanen and I suppose you're Deanne?" Her grin faltered for a moment as she realized the other girl might be someone different. Maybe she had found the wrong room? Her grin slipped the remainder of the way off her face as the other girl studied her for a moment.

 

Evanen Phaedrein

Novice of the White Tower

No Longer Grinning...

[Kara_J]

Deanne studied the girl in front of her. She's quite pretty I suppose. Deanne thought grudgingly and sniffed. "You're late. I've been waiting simply ages!" With that she flounced out of the room and spoke over her shoulder at Evanen. "Follow me, we'll use one of the empty classrooms. There's no way you're going to learn to Channel in my room. Hurry up, I haven't got all day!"

 

Setting off at a brisk pace that she'd never have thought of using if she hadn't got a novice to impress, Deanne headed off towards the classrooms. Reaching them, eventually, she found one that wasn't occupied and, after a brief check, wasn't required for a good while. Pushing the door open she went in and sat on the front desk, indicating that Evanen should take a seat in front of her.

 

"Right, now I'm going to teach you how to Channel. By the end of this lesson you should be able to embrace the Source and distinguish the different Elements." Deanne began with confidence.  "Now, tell me Child," she continued in her best Aes Sedai voice (she'd been practising) "How much do you know about the Source and about Saidar and Channelling in general?" Deanne waited impatiently for Evanen to tell her what she knew. This lesson was going to be a doddle - if only the stupid child would hurry up! I wasn't this slow! Deanne thought, entirely untruthfully. "Well??" She demanded, after only a few seconds had passed, though to Deanne it felt like hours. "Come on Child! You're never going to reach Accepted at this rate!"

 

Deanne Heillan

 

Patience? What's that?

[TaiDashan]

"You're late. I've been waiting simply ages!" Evanen, narrowly avoided frowning at the girl. She might be a few minute late but definitely not that late. "Follow me, we'll use one of the empty classrooms. There's no way you're going to learn to Channel in my room. Hurry up, I haven't got all day!"

 

Evanen did frown this time, at the girl's retreating back. Not only did she seem somewhat impatient, but somewhat rude as well. As she and Rochel had discussed, it seemed as if every Accepted thought themselves Aes Sedai already and tended to treat the Novices accordingly. It infuriated Evanen to no end! Still, she really should try to be nice to the girl, after all, she was trying to teach her about Saidir. After a short walk, they ended up at an empty classroom. Well, it was more a short walk for Deanne and a jog for Evanen just to keep up.

 

"Right, now I'm going to teach you how to Channel. By the end of this lesson you should be able to embrace the Source and distinguish the different Elements" Elements? She thought. She was thoroughly confused. "Now, tell me Child,"She said, regaining that haughty air again that Evanen despised. "How much do you know about the Source and about Saidar and Channeling in general?" Before Evanen could even spit out two words, Deanne blurted out, "Well?? Come on Child! You're never going to reach Accepted at this rate!"

 

Evanen took a deep and calming breath and put on her best smile. "I don't know really anything about it Accepted. Other than the One Power turns the Wheel that weaves the Pattern. I am sure you have a vast amount of knowledge on the subject. Please share it with me. I would be most grateful!" She would be nice to this girl if it killed her. Light, she had even paid the twit a compliment! That would show her to be so rude! Her grandmother had always told her to "kill 'em with kindness."

 

Evanen Phaedrein

Novice of the White Tower

Grinning and Bearing it...

[Kara_J]

Deanne's eyebrows arched. This girl knew nothing?!? Even I knew more than her! She sniffed loudly. "Well there's no need to be sarcastic! Any more of that attitude and I will report you to the Mistress of Novices!" Deanne glared to make her point.

 

"Now, I shall speak and you shall listen and remember. I will test you at the end." She nodded for emphasis, her braids swinging as she did so. "The One Power is divided into two parts. The male part, Saidin and the female part, Saidar. The male part is tainted by the Dark One and sends those that Channel it completely mad. The female part is not tainted, and only a select few can Channel it. I shall focus on Saidar, you don't need to know much about Saidin at present." Some other mug can teach you that. Deanne thought privately. She rose and started to pace in front of the class, without being truly aware of it.

 

"Before we get to actually Channelling, you'll need to know the basics, since it appears you don't know even that." Deanne sighed deeply and, taking on a singsong lecturing voice, she began. "There are five elements that make up the One Power. They are as follows: Air, Earth, Fire, Water and Spirit." Deanne ticked them off on her fingers as she spoke. "Men and Women have different strengths in these Elements. Men tend to be stronger in Earth and Fire and Women in Air and Water. Spirit was equal in both, though there have been exceptions." She paused in her pacing and spun towards Evanen. "Have you followed that or am I going too fast for you? Repeat back to me what the elements are and who are stronger in what."

 

Deanne waited for Evanen to answer with her hands on her hips and chin raised.

[TaiDashan]

"Well there's no need to be sarcastic! Any more of that attitude and I will report you to the Mistress of Novices!" Apparently despite her best efforts, sarcasm had peeked through her tone. She nodded with her best expression of meekness whilst rolling her eyes mentally.

 

"Now, I shall speak and you shall listen and remember. I will test you at the end." Evanen truly listened as the girl began about the One Power. If she was ever to learn anything of what she had done, what she apparently could do, she would soak up every bit of knowledge anyone could offer. anyone. Deanne rose and began to pace, seemingly without realizing it. The girl made mention of her lack of knowledge and sighed dramatically.

 

"There are five elements that make up the One Power. They are as follows: Air, Earth, Fire, Water and Spirit." She marked them on each finger as she spoke. Evanen found herself doing the same and murmuring to herself. Although it was completely subconscious,  repeating things silently was a way Evanen had of memorizing things.

 

"Men and Women have different strengths in these Elements. Men tend to be stronger in Earth and Fire and Women in Air and Water. Spirit was equal in both, though there have been exceptions" Again she was murmuring to herself, memorizing what she was being told. Men were stronger in Fire and Earth, women in Air and Water. That made sense and it seemed that Spirit, the very life essence was shared equally. That made sense as well. With a start Evanen realized she was murmuring as Deanne spun to face her. She must have thought she was being contrary because she quickly asked Evanen to repeat what she had just said.

 

"Yes Accepted, I am following you." Evanen replied confidently. "Earth, Fire, Spirit, Air and Water. Men are stronger than Women in Fire and Earth, women in Water and Air. Spirit is spread fairly equally between the two." She smiled at the girl to show her she was indeed listening and that she would like her to continue. She would learn about the One Power if it killed her...

 

Evanen Phaedrein

Novice of the White Tower

Listening

[Kara_J]

Deanne was certain that there was far too much smarm in the girl's tone and that smile looked false too, but she decided she'd ignore that...at least for now. She sniffed pointedly and replied.

 

"Very well then."

 

She perched back on the table at the head of the classroom. "You cannot Channel straight away, you have to prepare yourself. you have to open yourself, surrender yourself to Saidar and then you can begin to weave the Elements. You will find that your strength in the different Elements will increase in time. In some of the Elements you may not be able to do more than the most basic of tasks, like lighting a candle, or maybe snuffing it out." Deanne decided that a demonstration was in order as she spoke so she embraced Saidar and channelled a small weave of Fire to light a candle in one of the sconces, then used a small pinch of Air to snuff it out.

 

She smiled at Evanen. "Most Aes Sedai are only strong in two Elements, a few are strong in three...it is rare indeed that someone is strong in more than three. Myself, I am more than capable in Spirit and Air, and surprisingly Earth and Water too. Fire, however is my weakest by far." Her mouth grimaced as she nodded towards the candle that she had lit. She never did like admitting that she was weaker in some things. But, experience and several visits to the Mistress of Novices had taught her that exaggerating her abilities was not to be countenanced and Deanne just knew that if she'd done it this time she'd find herself on the wrong end of a slipper.  "That was just about my limit. I could, perhaps, do a little more but not much."

 

Deanne sighed and continued. "Now, how do you feel about starting to learn to embrace Saidar...or do you feel you need some more information?"

[TaiDashan]

“You cannot Channel straight away, you have to prepare yourself. you have to open yourself, surrender yourself to Saidar and then you can begin to weave the Elements.”

 

Evanen frowned, she did not remember too much of that night with the fire but she was certain she had not done any kind of surrendering and she had most certainly not done any preparing. Could Deanne be mistaken? Maybe it was different for everyone? The girl looked at the candle on the wall, and suddenly it went out.

 

"Fire, however is my weakest by far." she said, grimacing at the candle. "That was just about my limit. I could, perhaps, do a little more but not much. Now, how do you feel about starting to learn to embrace Saidar...or do you feel you need some more information?"

 

"Oh I would love to try!" She said honestly. "You mentioned preparing yourself to embrace Saidar. Could you show me a bit about that? Honestly I don't remember much about the times i did channel but i certainly don't remember that."

[Kara_J]

Deanne frowned. How could one possibly Channel without surrendering to embrace Saidar?

 

"you must have done something like that to have been able to Channel. I'll teach you the method I was taught. It works best if you are comfortable. Stand up, sit down - whatever makes you comfortable and pay attention." She waited somewhat patiently for Evanen to sort herself out and then began.

 

"Begin by closing your eyes and breathing evenly" Deanne waited for Evanen to comply and continued in a softer voice  (truly if anyone could have seen her then, they'd have had to go for a lay down! She looked and sounded totally different to the spoiled brat she usually was) "When your breathing is even and steady, imagine a rosebud in your mind. Visualise every petal, see all the contours and curves of the bud. When you've got that in your mind, become the rosebud. Visualise yourself opening up to the sunlight and drawing it down into yourself."

 

She waited patiently for Evanen to follow her instructions and watched carefully for the tell-tale glow around her. Deanne was feeling quite excited that she may be able to actually teach someone to Channel and she was surprised to find that she was actually beginning to enjoy herself.

 

[TaiDashan]

"you must have done something like that to have been able to Channel..." Deanne said with a frown.

 

Evanen thought back to the night of Romarlata's death, casting her mind back to that night. It was painful but in order to learn she had to go through some unpleasant experiences. She ran through the night in her mind, the news of her beloved grandmother's death and the way she felt. The grief, the pain, and finally, giving in to the crushing grief because there was nothing else she could do. There was something there that she had not remembered before, but before she could think on it, She realized Deanne was speaking.

 

Shifting slightly where she sat, she closed her eyes. Slowing her breathing, she formed a rosebud in her mind. She felt every curve, every soft petal. She could almost feel her the velvet petals curled tightly into the bud of the rose. She had always had quite the imagination and this was no difficult task for her.

 

"When you've got that in your mind, become the rosebud. Visualize yourself opening up to the sunlight and drawing it down into yourself."

 

Evanen imagined opening up, the petals unfurling, reaching for the light....

 

She frowned... She could feel the light but there was no warmth, no substance to it. She started again. Once again the light felt empty, hollow and lacking substance. It was not more felt than air when standing still. Nothing seemed to be happening and she wondered if she was doing it wrong. Her eyes popped open.

 

"I don't understand. Was something supposed to happen?" She asked. Her voice grew soft and confused. "I felt the light, but there was no warmth to it, no matter how i tried to imagine it." She looked at Deanne. "I did just what you said. Did I do it wrong?"

[Kara_J]

Deanne frowned when the girl opened her eyes without the glow of Saidar around her, and her expression darkened further as Evanen spoke.

 

"Well you can't have done! You should be holding Saidar now." she sighed in exasperation, her earlier feeling that she was enjoying herself was rapidly evaporating.  "Try again! Become the rosebud, feel the petals opening, draw down the sunlight and embrace Saidar. It's easy!"

 

She gestured impatiently to Evanen to try again. "Go on, you're not going to get anywhere if you just stare at me!"

 

Deanne

Patience? What's that?

[TaiDashan]

Evanen's patience broke at the constant, insufferable attitude of this snotty Accepted. She had had about enough of her attitude and although she was trying to be good, she could only stand so much.

 

"I did try, and trying again won't work! Just to prove it to you I will try your stupid method again." Instantly Evanen regretted the words and wished she could call them back. As soon as they left her mouth she snapped it shut along with her eyes. She felt bad for lashing out but she was frustrated and scared. If it was so easy, why couldn't she do it? Could the sister have been wrong about her ability?

 

She pushed the fear aside and tried again. Still, nothing. Opening her eyes she looked somewhat sheepishly at Deanne. "See?" She asked quietly. "Nothing..." She felt miserable and stared at her hands in her lap.

[Kara_J]

Deanne gaped as the hitherto polite and quiet Novice suddenly snapped at her. "Well! I'll be talking to the Mistress of Novices about your attitude as soon as this lesson is over!" Deanne snapped back, conveniently forgetting that her attitude was much the same.

 

"Now you'd best sit there and keep trying. You'll not get anywhere in life or in the Tower for that matter if you give up at the first hurdle." Said Deanne imparting the wisdom hammered into her from her own teachers.

 

Deanne sat on the edge of the table and glared at Evanen until she shut her eyes - whether to humour her or actually try to surrender, Deanne didn't know or, for that matter, really care. This lesson was turning out to be a disaster. The Mistress of Novices was sure to blame Deanne for the lack of progress.....maybe Evanen needed a bit of a scare to wake her up a bit.

 

Deanne smirked as she wove an Illusion. She figured that if Evanen couldn't surrender to Saidar she wouldn't be able to see the Weaves. She checked the girl had still got her eyes closed and pictured a Trolloc in her mind and managed to weave an illusion to that effect. She was quite impressed with it, truth be told.

 

Then she let out a small shriek (she didn't want to alert the Aes Sedai to her little prank) and waited for developments to happen....

 

Deanne

Smug

 

 

[TaiDashan]

Evanen fought down the already turbulent emotions bubbling up inside her and tried yet again to understand what was required of her. She could imagine the sun, with all of it's warmth, but no matter how hard she tried she simply could not pull that warmth into herself. The rosebud, the petals, the opening, the light. Nothing. She was starting to get frustrated. With herself, with Deanne, with Saidar, with everything.

 

Suddenly the semi-calm was broken by a small shriek. Her eyes flew open at the startled sound and looked at Deanne, eyes wide with fear. "What on earth-" Her voice faltered as the beast (for that was all it could be called) turned to fix its all too human eye on her. The thing was like something out of a nightmare! Tall, taller than most men, the thing was covered with dark hair and what looked like leather armor. It was like nothing she had ever seen! Its cruel tusks rose out of a beastly snout, dripping with drool. It started to move forward, but try as she might, Evanen was rooted to the spot with fear. Her throat had slammed shut like a vice and all that could come out was terrified whimpers. Deanne seemed to be as frozen as she was, looking at her out of the corner of her eye. Evanen's thoughts raced. There must be help coming. How could such a thing be here without Aes Sedai here to help them already?!

 

Fear and Frustration swirled around her tightening into an ever tighter spiral. like a raging twister it spiraled through her. It all happened within seconds but felt like ages. Suddenly Evanen knew she was going to die, Deanne and her were going to die here, and she was too terrified to do anything about it. Maybe now she would see Romarlata again...

 

NO!!!  Suddenly something in her mind screamed in defiance. A gout of flame erupted from the floor stones beneath the monstrosity and it was consumed as if made of vapor. It was several moments before she could speak. "D-d-deanne" She chattered, "W-what, what was that? T-t-t-hank You!" Relief washed over her and she almost sank to her knees. Deanne must have finally come to her senses and destroyed the beast. She had saved their lives. She would truly have to be nicer to the woman. Evanen started to shiver uncontrollably and wrapped her arms around herself to steady the shaking. She had to try hard not to begin weeping.

 

Evanen Phaedrein

Novice of the White Tower

Scared Half To Death

[Kara_J]

Deanne tried hard not to smirk as Evanen opened her eyes and stared at the apparition in the room with them. She had really impressed herself with that illusion, even if she said so herself. And, it appeared, that it had the desired effect on Evanen too.

 

Deanne watched her out of the corner of her eye as she pretended to be scared out of her wits. Then suddenly it was Deanne's turn to get a shock as a gout of flame erupted from the floor. She was so shocked that she released the Weave and the illusion evaporated. Deanne stared at Evanen, to stunned to speak and it took a moment for Evanen's words to register.

 

"Me?!" she practically shrieked "I didn't do a thing! You Channelled!" she paused trying to get some semblance of dignity back. "You actually channelled" she continued in a softer voice and, in a very unfamiliar fit of compassion, she went over to Evanen and gave her a hug. "I think you have a block. I think that you can only channel when something scares you. Don't be frightened, whatever it was has gone now, and at least we now know why the rosebud method wasn't working." Deanne said suddenly wondering how they were going to explain this to the Mistress of Novices....

 

 

Deanne

Wondering what to do now...