While Your Lips Are Still Red (Attn: Kasi)

[minisamus]

The doorway before Saline graced a new champion. Kasi Duven.  At 5’11, the novice made an impressive sight. Her presence buoyed more so by the exuberance and confidence of youth. Looking up as her new student walked in, Saline fixed her eyes on her and almost wished she had not been found. It was a terrible gift. Desperate as the Tower was for initiates, Kasi tore apart scars best left unopened.

 

. . . Lillian. Somewhere in Tar Valon was a strengthening cup of tea with her name on it. But now was not the time.

 

Saline saw the pain on Lillian’s frightfully whitened face as she walked away from Kasi the first day they met, and the White Sister had been quiet ever since. After considering how unsettling the sight of Kasi was, Saline had decided to let Lillian talk of her own accord when she was ready rather than try and push answers out of her.  Even so, there were Sisters who suppose Whites had no feelings, no emotions and ought to operate as such. They only reckoned that because they hadn’t talked with Lillian, or they would have seen Lillian’s sunshine smile.

 

It was friendship that saved Lillian when Taei Mirel died, and she had chosen the White Ajah not to hide from her feelings, but to surrender to her emotions in order to gain a measure of self. Without the emotional backing for logic, there would be no ethics for simply doing the right thing. It was not a popular philosophy, but seemed to work for Lillian. All Saline could do while Lillian mulled over chapters from her past was to be near, waiting to pick up the pieces and make it alright again.

 

Well, that was not all she could do. While Saline was the girl’s mentor, it had been a few days since they last talked. She could only recall all too well telling the other how an aunt Kasi had not known and would never know had died during her testing. Wishing Kasi far away had been one factor, but since Saline knew distance would not keep the girl safe, she wanted the girl to have a chance to spend time with roommates and meet other novices before teaching her anything about Saidar.

 

“Please have a seat, Kasi.” Gesturing to the cushions all over the floor, Saline waited until she had picked one and settled into it before continuing. “While you’ll be getting a thorough and varied education here at the Tower, the main reason for why you are here is because you can tap into the Source. I’m not sure how much your roommates told you about it, so I’ll just tell you some basics and we’ll cover the rest as we go.”

 

“The One Power, or Source, drives all creation. The wheel moves because of it. The pattern grows because of it. Its nature is mysterious, but we know the Source is divided into two halves. The male half is called Saidin, and the female half you have the ability to use is called Saidar. This is its symbol” Saline said, drawing the white and black seal, “yet despite the black, white contrast, the Source isn’t good or evil in itself, it’s entirely dependent on the person using it. In fact, both sides used the female and male aspects of the Source for good and evil depending on the wielder during the War of Power, or War of the Shadow, and it was only at the war’s end that only Saidin was used."

 

At this point she hesitated, then added, "The general for the Light Lews Therin Telamon bored the Dark One away with his Companions, the male Aes Sedai. Latra Posae Decume opposed Lews Therin’s plan, and reached an agreement with every female Aes Sedai on the side of the Light to not support Lews Therin’s plan. This agreement was later known as the Fateful Concord, which kept the female Aes Sedai out of the attempt to seal away the Dark One and the Forsaken. In response to the Dragon Lews Therin Telamon and his companions the Dark One tainted Saidin with his touch, out of spite for those who dared to seal him.”

 

"However, moving on from that subject, we use Saidar and do not have to fear for going mad. Our first concern is showing you how to use this power. It is an integral part of you, and would not respond to force as one could use a sword or fork. To control it, you must first learn some self control. Let’s start with an exercise that teaches you how to focus your mind.”

 

Wondering if Kasi would find the exercise confusing, or run into a block, she then said the three familiar words she told all her students. “Close your eyes.”

 

Saline Wastrel

Sister of the Red Ajah

[Taei]

The last few days had been rather confusing for Kasi. That she had once had an aunt wasn't as much of a surprise as how people seemed to react to her presence in the tower. While it made it more difficult sometimes Kasi was determined to get through it. While it would have been nice to have known her aunt it wasn't the sort of thing that Kasi could dwell on. What's done is done. The wheel weaves as it will.

 

That her mentor was someone with a personal history involving her aunt might prove... eventful, to say the least. Taking a deep breath she entered the room where she had been told to meet Saline Sedai. “Please have a seat, Kasi.” Looking at the cushions Kasi chose one that was a light blue with a design in silver thread upon it. Blue was one of Kasi's favorite colors and the cushion was opposite her mentor. No matter who she was to learn from Kasi was determined that she would learn, no matter how difficult. Kasi settled down and awaited further instructions.

 

“While you’ll be getting a thorough and varied education here at the Tower, the main reason for why you are here is because you can tap into the Source. I’m not sure how much your roommates told you about it, so I’ll just tell you some basics and we’ll cover the rest as we go.” The mention of Kasi's roomates made her want to sigh. I will become Aes Sedai, I will!

 

“The One Power, or Source, drives all creation. The wheel moves because of it. The pattern grows because of it. Its nature is mysterious, but we know the Source is divided into two halves. The male half is called Saidin, and the female half you have the ability to use is called Saidar. This is its symbol” Kasi watched Saline draw a circle with a line cutting it in half with the top portion curving to the left and the bottom to the right and then coloring in one half of it to make it black. “yet despite the black, white contrast, the Source isn’t good or evil in itself, it’s entirely dependent on the person using it. In fact, both sides used the female and male aspects of the Source for good and evil depending on the wielder during the War of Power, or War of the Shadow, and it was only at the war’s end that only Saidin was used."

 

"The general for the Light Lews Therin Telamon bored the Dark One away with his Companions, the male Aes Sedai. Latra Posae Decume opposed Lews Therin’s plan, and reached an agreement with every female Aes Sedai on the side of the Light to not support Lews Therin’s plan. This agreement was later known as the Fateful Concord, which kept the female Aes Sedai out of the attempt to seal away the Dark One and the Forsaken. In response to the Dragon Lews Therin Telamon and his companions the Dark One tainted Saidin with his touch, out of spite for those who dared to seal him.”

 

"However, moving on from that subject, we use Saidar and do not have to fear for going mad. Our first concern is showing you how to use this power. It is an integral part of you, and would not respond to force as one could use a sword or fork. To control it, you must first learn some self control. Let’s start with an exercise that teaches you how to focus your mind.” Kasi was already aware that you can't force the ability to use the power. If you could she would have been using the source years ago. She used to pretend that she was Aes Sedai and could do things just with the power of her mind, it never worked.

 

“Close your eyes.” Kasi gave Saline a questioning look, but at a nod from her she complied and closed her eyes. I have to trust. I have to be. I have to do. Setting her resolve once more she awaited the next step, halfway expecting the woman to make a fool of her rather than train her.

[minisamus]

What would Kasi have thought of her mentor had she opened her eyes and seen Saline frowning? Not in the angry sense, just puzzled. But she had not seen the teacher frowning, for Kasi had kept her eyes closed. It had only taken a nod from Saline for her student to obey, immediately. As for the frowner Saline, she didn’t know what she had expected. More struggle, maybe? The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills, Saline Wastrel and you had best get used to it she thought this very firmly, as though with enough repetition she would feel convinced. The conviction that it was only the quiet before the storm however, kept Saline here. She had one month before her delayed trip to the borders, but it would have to be enough time to get Kasi started on her learning. After all, a mentor was somebody Kasi could go to, not supposed to be the primary teacher. Lillian would take over once Saline was gone. She had hoped the White would be protective enough of herself, too.

 

But the present moment required Saline’s attention. The Taraboner smiled, letting the happiness into her voice as it became lilting yet lulling “now, I want you to imagine a rosebud. Think only of the rosebud. In your imagery it is opening, slowly. The scent is lovely” As Saline went to work making a nice cuppa tea she remembered how difficult it had been for her to touch Saidar at first and added, “it is only through welcoming the blooming that the power will become a part of you. Feel the sun upon your petals. Let go of everything else on your mind. Don’t even worry about your goal. There is nothing except your rose blooming. All you need to know is that the rose is yours.”

 

On and on she went in this vein for some time until two cups of Tremalking tea were drunk already, and at last the glow surrounded the girl. Setting down her cup with a chink Saline poured another cup as Saidar flickered out again.

 

Saline’s words were gentle as she shook the girl, whose eyes were wide “the rose is yours."

 

"Here," she slipped the other the bracing cup of tea, "How did it go?”

[Taei]

Kasi sat with her eyes closed and heard nothing but silence for a little while. If that woman is just doing this to make me look like a fool.... When Saline talked again her voice was happy which shocked Kasi for a moment, but she refused to let the woman see her surprise. "Now, I want you to imagine a rosebud. Think only of the rosebud. In your imagery it is opening, slowly. The scent is lovely." Then there was the small clicking sound of china as thought from a cup and saucer. She's pouring tea?!? It irked to be squeezed in at tea time, but she was determined that she would learn, no matter what the cost. There must be a reason for the exercise, she knew that the woman would teach her whatever her personal view of Kasi.

 

“It is only through welcoming the blooming that the power will become a part of you. Feel the sun upon your petals. Let go of everything else on your mind. Don’t even worry about your goal. There is nothing except your rose blooming. All you need to know is that the rose is yours.” It shocked Kasi to realize that Saline sounded sympathetic with her. Setting her mind to the task at hand Kasi started the exercise.

 

A rosebud, opening up tot he sun. A rosebud, opening up to the sun! Kasi wanted to sigh with frustration. Over and over she had tried this. Finally she stopped trying, just did the visualization over and over and didn't think about it at all. Suddenly it was like something opened up inside Kasi, she was washed over with such an enormous feeling of joy and life that it made her want to cry. Such a wonderful feeling, something that she never wanted to lose, but it shocked her so badly that she let go of the source.

 

When Saline shook her Kasi realized that she had been staring at the Aes Sedai wide eyed in shock. "The rose is yours." Trying to find her composure Kasi shook her head and tried to find words to describe the most wonderful feeling that she had ever experienced. No wonder people can loose themselves in Saidar. "Here." The Aes Sedai put a cup of tea in her hand, "How did it go?"

 

Trying to find her words once more Kasi just stared at the tea for a moment. "That was, uhm, I don't know the words." Taking a sip of the strong tea she tried to get what she wanted to say together as Saline watched on patiently. "That was Saidar wasn't it." At a small nod from the woman she continued. "It felt like joy and warmth and sweetness. So much of it that you feel like you want to hold onto it forever." Taking another sip she looked up at her mentor, this time with a question. "How do you not use it all the time?"

[minisamus]

"Yes, well done. Whether or not you end up binding yourself to the Tower you will learn to control your ability with Saidar. It is dangerously addictive, more so than any wine. To that point," Saline smiled, pleased by Kasi's question. It had hit the mark. "making nice segue to how we're going to do just that. Now that you've consciously touched Saidar, we're going to work on your control so you'd be able to reliably touch it whenever you need to tap the Source. After that we'll explore some weaves, although I would not touch Saidar unless I have a purpose for manipulating the pattern with it. In the meantime you and I will be meeting here each day for this exercise. Some instructors prefer to isolate the student's body in rigorous conditions to help them focus but I like cushions and my knees way too much to kneel in the cold courtyard for an extended amount of time. But like the imagery, your environment doesn't matter so much as the discipline involved to clearing your thoughts and concentrating on the rose. It is an exercise similar to that of the Spring meditative state in weapons training, and soon you will learn to welcome your release and togetherness. Were you startled by how messy your mind seems? The adult mind is far more complex, and without clearing our thoughts we would get distracted by the smallest things. It may be alright for people, but as Aes Sedai it is not something that can be forgiven. Although the mental exercise of rose blooming is grounded in theory, this is not memorisation, unless memorisation of the muscles is a form of that and, thus the only way to master control is by rote."

 

Saline would have been perfectly fine airing her own opinions regarding the importance of control but her experiences with Saidar reminded her how taxing those beginning lessons could be.

 

Still smiling Saline suggested "I know you may not be used to other people in your room but try to get a solid night's rest. We'll be doing this mental exercise to help you learn self-control for three hours every day."

 

The suggestion was well-received.

 

A week later saw Saline and Kasi on their respective cushions. She perched on a brown one while Kasi had kept to her silver threaded light blue nest. Saline was glad to see the ease with which Kasi was able to touch the Source. Her control was still erratic, but its frequency and duration was a marked improvement with the practice they had put in each session. To Saline the exercise was as natural as breathing. And she was glad to see Kasi was getting it.

 

"Remember when you asked the first day of lessons about how we stave off the dangers of Saidar, Kasi? Well, to-day when we do the rose blooming exercise together I'm going to alter the instructions a little. It is a technique for staving the dangers of the Source. Left to its own devises, Saidar becomes an addiction. It doesn't matter the length of that interval you go without without, the relapse can come in the next breath or in several months. When the longing comes the desire to fill yourself with its power never fades. You won't be escaping, you know, though you can discipline yourself with tricks such as pushing and pulling."

 

Saline gave a minute for Kasi to take it or leave it before she asked "ready?"

 

OOC: Love it! Using the tea sounds as a distraction was awesomely amazing. I am enjoying myself :D

[Taei]

Kasi had never realized that using the One Power could be exhausting. Three hours of the exercise that Saline had taught her to open herself to Saidar and anything other than a sound night's sleep was impossible. It completely wore her out. It was worse than a whole day of scrubbing pots, or anything else that she knew of. A whole week of these exercises and Kasi would have loved to have had a mid-day nap, but that would never happen. Having settled more into how things were done in the Tower, Kasi knew that the road ahead of her was bound to be exhausting. Chores, classes and training with Saidar. More and more piled on as she advanced. The thought of it made her want to cry but then her determination would grab ahold of her again and she'd steal herself up to face another day.

 

Kasi had become rather attached to the room in which Saline had her practice these lessons, actually. The pillows that covered the floor were lovely and the smell of flowers spoke of the garden nearby. It was a very quiet place, very different from where Kasi spent most of her time. Bringing her attention back to the matter at hand Kasi sat down on her usual pillow, light blue with silver thread, and waited for Saline to start her instruction for the day.

 

"Remember when you asked the first day of lessons about how we stave off the dangers of Saidar, Kasi? Well, to-day when we do the rose blooming exercise together I'm going to alter the instructions a little." Alter the instructions, this must mean we're finally getting somewhere. Kasi smiled at the thought that she was finally making progress. "It is a technique for staving the dangers of the Source. Left to its own devises, Saidar becomes an addiction. It doesn't matter the length of that interval you go without without, the relapse can come in the next breath or in several months. When the longing comes the desire to fill yourself with its power never fades. You won't be escaping, you know, though you can discipline yourself with tricks such as pushing and pulling." Kasi found the thought that there was something that Aes Sedai had to work to resist kind of jarring. She knew that they were the same as her, even if they were a lot older, but she still had a somewhat skewed perspective of their abilities. So, they struggle with something everyday, too. She took small satisfaction from the fact that the Aes Sedai had faults as well, but she refused to dwell on anything that wouldn't help her reach her goal of becoming one of them.

 

"Ready?" Kasi nodded enthusiastically and replied with, "Yes, I'm ready." Excitement flowed through her as she awaited the next step.

[minisamus]

Saline was much pleased when the novice touched the Source right away. The rose was Kasi's. But here Saline changed her instructions "your rosebud is open, but I want you to hold the sunlight there, no don't release it! Feel the sun . . . There, it has just struck the petals, good, no more. A cloud slowly covers your sun, masking its warmth. The sunlight fades, nowhere as golden as before. Your grasp on Saidar is weakened, the joy lessened. Push with all your strength the sun away from your rose, reject your longing to the point where there is barely connection . . . control is not as easy as it sounds, I know."

 

Three hours of practice later, Saline concluded the lesson. "Thanks Kasi. I'll see you at dinner, okay?"

 

At the side-table Saline poured into a glass raw spirits mixed with soda-water. This done, she retired to an arm-chair in the dining room and put her feet up, sipping her drink in front of the fireplace with relaxed enjoyment.

 

She had reached this point in her meditations, when she was aroused by the sound of the door opening. Somebody came into the dining room and, lowering her feet, Saline perceived that it was Kasi hurrying toward her armchair.

 

Saline waved the novice to the side-table. There had been one dish in particular that proved very good. The sight of Kasi was enough to make her smile. Saline had been very proud of the way the novice carried out the task assigned her at the beginning, and after Kasi dined they would begin their next lesson. Passing the other a breadbasket, Saline drained her cup and imparted. "Water can be drained, but it is also possible to draw water from the humidity in the air. We do not create, per se, rather we work with what we have. Attend." She took a single thread of water, making it expand until water began filling her glass. Then placed a handkerchief on top. "Adjust what you have in terms of how you set its weave, and this could easily be applied in the soaking and drying of a handkerchief, to squeeze moisture from laundry. Of course" she added "the use of Saidar is not permitted on your chores without prior permission. Now you try wetting this handkerchief."

[Taei]

Kasi was famished, but she made herself pace her eating. Eating too quickly would just end up with her being sick. The rolls that she was handed were delicious sweet rolls fresh from the oven by the taste. There was various greens that appeared to be from various corners of the world and perfectly roasted meats. There was also sweet berry juice which went very well to wash it down. I must remember to ask the cooks for their secrets, some of these dishes are purely amazing! Before she knew it Kasi had downed all of the food left. Finishing washing it down with the juice she looked up at Saline Sedai, blushing slightly at her manners while she was eating. Seeing that Saline had just finished her drink at least made it so she didn't feel quite as bad about it.

 

Kasi watched the demonstration in silence. Seeing the weave of water and watching the result from it. Committing every bit to memory. The bit about not using it for chores took her aback at first then she had to stifle a giggle. I wonder what poor soul tried that particular trick. "Now you try wetting this handkerchief."

 

With her stomach full calm was easy for Kasi to achieve, unlike at some of the lessons they had in the past, going through her exercise to touch the source she managed to do so quite easily this time. With a small smile Kasi took one thread of water which she had saw the other woman do, and then tried to wet the hankerchief. At first there was nothing. Kasi tried harder, still nothing. Okay, Kasi, calm down, just think of it moving to the napkin, drawing the water into it. Should be simple, right?

 

Kasi saw the water level start to drain from the bottom of the glass and she was ecstatic. Far too ecstatic as she didn't pay attention and had started drawing water from around it too, making the napkin start dripping water back into the glass and onto the table as well. Shocked she dropped Saidar and immediately moved to clean up the mess. "I'm so sorry. Oh, my! I didn't mean to draw so much. I..." Feeling the heat rise in her cheeks Kasi decided that silence was probably best at this point as she continued to try and clean up the mess that her carelessness had made.

[minisamus]

Remembering the disastrious time Rory tried to make a cake for Darienna Sedai Saline waved off the mess, smiling at Kasi's expression as she tried to make things aright.

 

In the days that followed, the teacher-student pair set up a routine around mealtime. They were meet for two repasts a day, light one in the mornings with tea that Kasi learnt to heat up or cool down as was called for, and fresh rolls from the oven that were indeed made by Saline. Her culinary experiments, in fact, were what made her enough of a player in the Tar Valon kitchens to hobnob regularly with women like Laras and Rossa, and thus come to know the insides and outs of making tea so intimately. By the time she became an Aes Sedai she had somehow obtained seeds of the species grown in the southwest of the westlands, which were populated by the Amayar, or as Rory had once so bluntly put it, "pottery-making hippies". Whether Laras arrived in Tar Valon with the precious seeds in her pocket--bought in the westlands for a hefty price and preserved through travel--or whether she somehow obtained them from one fo the sailors who came and went from Tar Valon in the early years, she never let on. Nonetheless, landbound merchants had seen a wild demand for the tea grow in the recent years. An ounce of Tremalking tea nowadays was worth more than its weight in gold, and seeds were virtually nowhere to be found. The tea itself, drunk by Amayans in the place of water, was used largely for ceremonial purposes elsewhere.

 

"You're ready. From now on, I am no longer your mentor but your friend, Kasi. As a token of my gratitude to to have spent time with you, I have gotten you a plant." Saline handed over the precious teaplant and said "remember my door will always be open for you."

 

Another reason Laras and Saline had in common were the agricultural experiments they conducted in the fenced-in lands that belonged to the Tower.

 

Ooc: Congrats! :)