Sana's Arrival in the Yards (Attn: Rosheen)

[TaeaDawn]

Sana's Arrival in the Yards

 

Something felt wrong. Even in his sleep, Sana felt the wrongness of his surroundings. Bone tired weariness made him unwilling to open his eyes. It was too quiet, too quiet for the road and he was certainly too comfortable to be sleeping under a wagon or the stars. With a deep breath, he opened his eyes and stared for a moment at the ceiling. Right. The White Tower. His memory came back in a flood; his family coming in to Tar Valon to visit his sister who was a Tower Guard, his refusal to see her and decision to gamble away his money at the taverns, the last night when his winnings had been too good and someone, a couple some ones actually, had followed him and decided to take a little of his good fortune with them.

 

He signed as he sat up and took another deep breath to stop the floating feeling in his head. He was weak from the healing. He remembered hearing them say that he would be weak. He had been beaten by the footpads and had been pretty bad off when they brought him to the Tower. The Sisters said if it hadn’t been for their intervention his broker fingers might never have healed correctly. He was just happy that he’d been unconscious before that bit of pleasantness had happened. In the end, he had woken in the Tower, his mother and father at one side and an Aes Sedai on the other.

 

Aes Sedai. He was a light blinded fool sometimes. His whole purpose in Tar Valon had been to stay away from the Tower, away from his sister. It was convoluted really. He adored Rosheen, had idolized her in his youth. Years of not seeing her, of feeling left behind and unworthy of her presence had put a stamp on that though and now he resented the choice she had made.

 

A light blinded fool indeed. Even in his power-induced weakness, he remembered his sister sitting at his side at some point, talking lightly as he roamed in and out of awareness. He hadn’t come to see her and she had still taken the time to see him. He wasn’t sure if he felt relieved that she still cared enough after his own selfish resistance to see her, or if he felt angry that she went against his wished. Alright, so he hadn’t seen her to tell her he didn’t want to see her, but he thought the point had been well made. Actually, he knew that answer. He was relieved that she wanted to see him, that she was still concerned. And as much as he had tried to avoid it, it left him with only one thing to do. He had to go see her now.

 

He got up slowly, his body well and healed but his strength still waxed and waned as fickle as the moon and her many faces. He had been given a small room until he was healed, a fact her remembered vaguely. He remembered his parents there, watching him. Remembered hearing reassurances that he would be fine where he was and they shouldn’t be concerned. But they weren’t here now. Odd. He’d have to investigate later. Right now, he owed Rosheen a small debt and he intended to pay.

 

Dressed and feeling a little stronger just from the movements, he exited his room. Completely lost, he came across a young woman who, after a few moments of conversation escorted him to the Yards. He watched for a while, taking in the sights of the Guards and Warders. He saw some obvious students, some obvious teachers, and a lot of in-betweens. He knew how to hold a sword, that much was true, but he’d never be the match to some of these men and women. He’d always had a fascination with warriors. His father swore it was because he was born on Arafel soil, that it seemed to imprint itself on his mind. His mother always sighed heavily and said it was his sister’s influence. Whatever the case, Ursana had always felt in awe of the Borderlanders and their way of life. So different from his own, so sad at times, and yet they lived life to it’s fullest, knowing that the Shadow came knocking on a regular basis.

 

He was starting to think about heading back and trying to locate some food when a familiar face caught his eye. Rosheen. Not the girl he had known, but a woman now. He didn’t realize his lips had parted into a smile or that his feet had started moving until he was closing the distance between them. He took a deep breath as he stopped, a few feet before her. “Rosheen?†he asked, not sure of his welcome or his own feelings about the matter.

[silhouette]

The past few days had been pretty hard for Rosheen. First the arrival of her parents, which was not followed by a meeting with her little brother. It always chafed a little when Sana refused to see her. She had felt the weight of that on her shoulders when she met up with her parents in Baerlon, and she felt it again now, when they had come to Tar Valon to trade. Her father’s apologetic shrug, and her mother’s quick comment about how she would get to see him more if she joined them again… It had been tempting. It was always tempting. Tar Valon was home, but she could easily imagine herself joining the caravan again, picking up the trade of her parents. At least she’d get to see her little brother again.

 

And then Sana had come in, injured. She had expected him to waste his time around the docks, or the market squares, doing whatever it was that rebellious kids did. When she heard that he had been gambling, she had had to admit to herself that Sana had grown as well. No longer a child, but not quite a man yet either. She sat next to his bed for hours and hours, telling him about her adventures, everything she had gone through to get where she was now. Her friends at the yards, the training, the Aes Sedai. How she had missed him, and how she was sorry for leaving. She talked and talked until there were no words left, and she sat beside his bed in silence.

 

Her parents had left on the third day, claiming that there was urgent trade waiting for them. Her father took her aside, and told her how they didn’t intend to return for a few weeks at least. Rosana didn’t agree completely, saying that the yards were no place for a young man, but Urseen ahd put his foot down. Ursana was to stay with Rosheen for a while. Even Rosana had to admit she couldn’t stand seeing the coldness that had grown between brother and sister, and she had accepted Urseen’s claim that some time together would heal the wounds Rosheen’s departure had left between them. They left, and Rosheen found herself waiting for her brother to recover. There were so many things she wanted to show him, and she prayed to the light that he would accept her as his sister once more.

 

She still spent a lot of time by his bedside, but as always, life went on in the yards. Rosheen found herself picking up her training where she had left off, working on the things she still had to learn. She was just about ready to take a break when she heard a hesitant voice behind her say her name. She turned to find her brother looking at her, his lips curved in a smile. Without thinking she stepped forward, wrapping her brother in a tight hug. “Sana!†she exclaimed. “Sana, you’re well.†She laughed then, stepping back a little to get a good look at her little brother. “Well, not so little anymore, eh?†she joked. She was able to look him straight in the eyes now, without bending. Things had certainly changed. “How do you feel? Are you hungry? Can I get you anything?†questions poured over her lips in rapid succession as she looked at her brother, amazed by how different they looked.

[TaeaDawn]

He had always told himself that time had more than lightened the connection he had with his sister. It had severed it. Standing in front of her, hearing her voice again, seeing the warm look in her eyes, he knew that he had been lieing to himself. When she embraced him, he found himself hugging her back, amazed at the feel of her.

 

“Sana!†Sana, you’re well.†She stepped back then, looking at him. “Well, not so little anymore, eh? How do you feel? Are you hungry? Can I get you anything?â€

 

The questions, fired in rapid succession made him smile larger. "I'm feeling OK." he said. "Not quite hungry and still a little weak. It was strange waking up in the White Tower alone. I wanted to see you though. I wanted.. I wanted to thank you. I don't remember much, but I know that you were at my bedside while I was sick. Thank you."

[silhouette]

Rosheen was relieved to hear that her little brother was feeling better. “You had me so worried…†she muttered. Then she grinned. “and not just me either. You should have seen mom. She spent her days either pacing, or shouting at dad. She blamed him for teaching you how to gamble.†She walked over towards the barracks. “We should probably sit down there… give you a bit of a rest, and get some food into your stomach.†They continued chatting until they reached the mess hall. There Rosheen left Sana for a moment to get him some food. Moments later she returned with a bowl of soup and a few breadrolls. “There you go… eat.â€

 

“So…†she started again, not entirely sure how her brother would take the news that their parents had decided to leave him here for the time being. “I guess you’ve noticed by now that our parents aren’t around.†She started slowly, choosing her words carefully. “Dad said you’ve had some problems deciding what you want to do with your life, and he thought staying here for a while would do you some good. They’ll be back in a month or so to see if you’re ready to come with them though.†Right that moment a group of trainees bustled by laughing and joking with each other as they prepared for yet another team exercise. Rosheen smiled apologetically at her little brother. “You could always enlist for training if you get bored.â€

[TaeaDawn]

“Dad said you’ve had some problems deciding what you want to do with your life, and he thought staying here for a while would do you some good. They’ll be back in a month or so to see if you’re ready to come with them though. You could always enlist for training if you get bored.â€

 

They left him? As comfortable as he was feeling with Rosheen at the moment, all current doubts and resentment put aside for their first encounter in years, he couldn't believe what she'd just said. He looked at his sister, searching for signs of laughter, or a joke. All he got was a seemingly nervous smile when she mentioned him getting bored.

 

He took a deep breath to try to think his way through the hurt that he was feeling. Just dumped off on someone else's doorstep? Rosheen's doorstep? She was the one that had left him years ago. Why would his parents think that abandoning him here with her was going to change anything? "A month?" He asked, his anger barely contained and not at all concealed. "They'll come back for me in a month? Sounds a little too familiar. Like 'i'll visit all the time' or 'i'll send word to you'. You weren't too good at keep those promises Rosheen. I don't suppose a month is much time in the grand Pattern , but I know when i've been left and I don't suppose i'll see our parents again when the month is out."

 

He was being harsh, with her and with his parents, but he was hurt and he didn't care. He'd spent too many nights as a child, wishing for Rosheen to come back to him. To have his parents leave without a word was too similiar for him. Had he really been that hard to deal with? Sure, he found the life on the road a bit monotonous at times, but he'd always tried to find ways to pass the time without trouble. He'd been good at his job and had taken pride in his family's train.

 

He couldn't think this thing through, couldn't see through his emotions right now. He looked back at his sister, but couldn't quite look her in the eye. He didn't want to know if he'd hurt her with his words. He didn't want to be the one to hurt her and he was too afraid that nothing he said would hurt her, that he didn't matter enough to her anymore. "So, I suppose they told you to keep an eye over me and make sure I behave like a good son?" He asked quietly. Not knowing what else to do, he ripped a roll open and began eating as he waited for her response.

[silhouette]

For a moment Rosheen was torn between grabbing her little brother’s shoulders and shaking some sense into him, or just throwing her hands in the air and giving up. What did he know about… stuff. She crossed her arms, taking a moment to calm herself. She really didn’t want to upset Sana any further, and she could understand that he was upset because their parents had just left, but… some of the things he said really did sting. “Yeah, well… this time the promise didn’t come from me, remember? This is our father saying he’ll come back in a months time, so if he doesn’t you can take it up with him. Besides, there’s nothing keeping you here. You could always go live on the streets for a month, for all I care.†She winced, knowing full well that that came out a lot harsher than she intended.

 

She rubbed her forehead in a nervous gesture. “I didn’t mean that. It’s just that… Light, Sana, it’s been hard to get away from here. There’s always stuff to do, and more to learn, and people to protect. And it’s not like I haven’t tried to see you when I did get the time. I rode out three times, once to Arafel, once to Cairhien and once to Andor, and I only caught up with the caravan once. You’re a pretty elusive bunch when you want to be.†She hoped that three attempts at visits in three times as many years didn’t sound as hollow to him as it did to her.

 

Sana was still chewing on the bread as if it had to pay for Rosheen’s absence during the years. She sighed again. “Look, Sana, I’m glad you’re here, ok? Even if you don’t want to be here. I missed you a lot, and there were days when I just wanted to give up, and go home because of it. But I didn’t because mom would never have stopped mocking me over it, and dad would have been disappointed. He was the one who told me to go here in the first place. I bet he figured that if it was good enough for one child, it might be good enough for the other as well.†She smiled faintly. “So what do you say? Do you feel like sticking around for a while?â€

 

Ooc: Sorry for the delay

[TaeaDawn]

Sana took a deep breath as he listened to his sister. He knew she'd come out the one time and he'd refused to see her. What did that say about him, really?

 

He didn't like the way his thoughts were turning. He thought about walking away, but where was he supposed to go? A solitary room in the White Tower? He might be thankful of their healing but he didn't like being in anyone's debt. And no one in their right mind assumed an Aes Sedai wouldn't exact payment in a way that you didn't expect. He put the bread down and looked at Rosheen.

 

Her words had come out harsh but no worse than his own. He wondered as he watched her, if there was a way to breach the gap between them. He'd always loved Rosheen. He'd just been hurt by her choice. What was there about being a Tower Guard that had kept her so long? What had taken her allegiance from her family and turned it away? He didn't doubt that she found it worth it. If she hadn't, she would never have stayed. Which meant that he just didn't understand the cause that she had adopted.

 

He had a choice here, that was true. He could walk away again, refuse to be a part of Rosheen's life. He could probably find a way to support himself for a month and then wait for his Father's caravan. Once he was completely rested from the healing, he could probably try to find them, knowing the trails they always took.

 

Or he could stay. He could stay with his sister and learn what she had to teach.

 

He looked down at his hands, thinking for a moment. It meant swallowing his pride, accepting that he had been wrong not to try to see her all these years. Was he strong enough to admit to that? No, he wasn't.

 

"Rosheen, I think..." He paused. Was he? What goaded him was that what he wanted more than anything right now was to have Rosheen smiling at him. Right now, sitting across from her in this strange place, surrounded by people that knew her and respected her, knowing that his family was miles away, what he wanted most was to make things right with her. He wasn't strong enough to accept all the wrongs he'd done her, but his love was strong enough to try anyway. A month wasn't enough time, but perhaps he could find a way to delay his father until things were fixed here. "I think I should stay. If Dad's coming back in a month, maybe I could learn a thing or two here. It wouldn't hurt to learn a weapon, one less hired hand to pay." He shrugged. "You think I could learn enough to make it worth the while?"

[silhouette]

A half smile half grin curved Rosheen’s mouth as she reached across the table, grabbed her little brother’s head, and planted a firm kiss on his forehead. “We’re going to have so much fun!†she exclaimed, drawing a few eyes to them. She coughed and sat back, blushing slightly. “Well, I think you can learn a lot here. Even if you don’t stay for more than a month or so. The people here are really efficient. In a months time you’ll at least know how to hold a sword, and how to do basic attacks. That’s enough to get by if you want to help keeping the caravan safe.†Rosheen was half babbling about the things he would learn. “But the best part about being here is that you’ll get to work with some of the most amazing people. You’ll be on a team with other trainees, and you can learn from them, and they can learn from you. It’s all so much fun.â€

 

She saw that Ursana’s smile was beginning to falter a bit. “Of course I missed you a lot during the first months I was here, but… well… you know mom. She would have been impossible to live with if I’d returned to the wagon without learning to fight. She would have been right in that case, and can you imagine how insufferable she would have been? I would never have heard the end of it.†She shook her head slightly, thinking of the stubborn streak she had definitely inherited from her mother. “and after that… well… I figured that I might as well finish my training. That was done after two years, but then there was more to learn, and more to learn… and the things I’ve seen in this world, and the people I’ve worked with… it really is amazing, Sana.â€

 

She rose from her seat, and offered her brother a hand. “So why don’t we get you enrolled?†she said, still smiling. “We have a new Mistress of Trainees. She rules over all the trainees and all the things that have to do with the trainees. She’s from Kandor, and spent years and years fighting on the blight border. You ought to hear some of the stories she has to tell. They’re great. She’s fought more trollocs than most of the Aes Sedai combined have ever seen in their life.â€

 

ooc: Sorry for the delay, test-week was upon me.

[TaeaDawn]

Sana was surprised at her initial lunge across the table and the kiss smacked across his forehead. He smiled though, glad that his sister's impulsiveness showed that perhaps he had said the right thing here. He listened to her talking about all the things he could learn and though it sounded exciting, part of him hoped she would be as excited to spend some time with him. Then she started talking about their mother and he had to agree. She wouldhave been impossible if Rosheen had come back without finishing the training.

 

As she pushed herself away from the table, Ursana watched her. “So why don’t we get you enrolled?â€

 

He listened again as Rosheen talked about the Mistress of Training and he couldn't help but smile at her. "Well, if you think they'll let me sign up, let's get it done. Besides, i'd like to know I have something to look forward to besides staring at the walls of the White Tower in my future." He said, following her.

 

((OOC: No problem. Hate tests. Even years out of school I still hate them :P ))

[silhouette]

It wasn’t a fully positive response, but Rosheen would settle for it. For now, at least. If she knew her little brother as well as she thought she did, his opinion of the yards would improve for the better soon enough. Sana liked people, after all. Especially females, and there were plenty of those around in Tar Valon. He’d soon notice that being a Tower Trainee would give him an added attraction factor. She glanced at him as he walked next to her. Not that he really needed it. Her little brother had grown into a handsome lad while she was gone. She felt another twinge of regret as she reminded herself of the time they could have spent together, if she had decided to stay. “Water under the bridge.†She muttered, ignoring the look Sana gave her. She was happy here, with a goal to strive for. Sana would be happy here as well.

 

Soon enough they found themselves staring at the door to the office of Ginae Auvriani, the Mistress of Trainees. She knew that Lyv was thoroughly intimidated by the woman, and that Aran didn’t think all that positive about him, but for once she wasn’t really interested in the opinions of her friends. The woman reminded her of their father in some ways. She had a businesslike manner, but she knew when to be warm and when to be stern. “You’ll like her.†She said, smiling reassuringly at her brother before knocking on the door.

 

“Enter.†Came the call from inside. Rosheen opened the door, giving Sana a little shove so he would go in first. It wouldn’t do to be shy now. “Peace.†She greeted the elder woman. Ginae was not from Shienar, but she had served there long enough to appreciate the formality of Rosheen’s greeting. Bright blue eyes moved over to Sana, looking him over completely. “Peace.†She returned the greeting, arching an eyebrow at Rosheen, silently asking her to explain the presence of the young man in her office. Rosheen urged Sana to sit down in one of the chairs in front of Ginae’s desk. “Ginae, I would like you to meet my brother, Sana. He would like to train with us.†Ginae looked at Sana again, as if she was weighing him. Finally she nodded. “Very well. Why don’t you tell me something about yourself, Sana?â€

[TaeaDawn]

Sana had no idea what to expect as he was pushed into the office, but he moved anyway. His sister was still a puzzle to him in some ways and her greeting to the Mistress of Trainees surprised him more. He took a seat when Rosheen indicated that he should and waited on the two women.

 

“Ginae, I would like you to meet my brother, Sana. He would like to train with us.â€

 

She looked at him for a moment, her eyes looking for something that he didn't understand. “Very well. Why don’t you tell me something about yourself, Sana?â€

 

Sana shrugged lightly. "There's not much to tell really. Been travelling all of my life with the family Caravan. I was happy with it to, but after an... incident in Tar Valon I found myself a guest of the White Tower." He figured it was best to get it all out now. He didn't want her to think he was holding anything back, but if she wanted actual details she'd have to ask.

 

He looked sideways at Rosheen for a moment, trying to decide what to say next. He wasn't ready to dedicate his life to anything really, but he was ready to dedicated some time to his sister and if that meant spending a year in the Yards, he'd give it a shot. For her, for the bond they used to share and the one he hoped they could rebuild. He was still hurt, still angry even if he recognized it as childish, but the emotions ran deep and true. Time would see them healed or see them parted. He had to try though.

 

"After a little time to think, I decided it might be time to set down a couple roots and see if they can grow here. Rosheen seems to be happy here and I think I could be too." He looked at Ginae again. "I just want a chance to try. If I stick a sword in my foot everyday for a week you can kick me out and I won't blame you." He said, giving her a warm smile.

[silhouette]

Ginae took her time to take in the physical nature of Ursana Tahn Sakhr. He didn’t look a whole lot like Rosheen in colouring, and yet she could still see clearly that they were related. She smiled at him. “I doubt that will be a problem. As far as I know, Rosheen is the clumsy one in the family…†Rosheen blushed slightly at that. It was true, of course, but to hear it from the Mistress of Trainees, a Grand Master… Well, that didn’t make it any less true, if a bit embarrassing. “Yeah, I’m sure you’ll spend only half as much time in the infirmary as I did. Fayth is thinking of setting up a room for me there.†She grinned at her little brother. “It’s the combination of tightrope walking and wielding a pole armed weapon. I think I hold the record of most broken wrists, fingers and ankles.â€

 

Ginae opened one of the books she picked up from a shelf behind her. “Well then, let’s get you enrolled. We’ll see how it goes. Rosheen has liked training here well enough over the years, and I’m quite sure that you’ll start to feel the same way about it soon. It tends to be in the genes, after all.†Ginae smiled, thinking of her own family. That was a little different of course, with them being borderlanders, but at times she had seen Rosheen train and fight with the grim determination of one. Apparently their parents had been right. There was too much borderlander in them for them to even enjoy a peaceful life as traders. That was true for Rosheen at least. They would find out soon enough if it was true for Ursana as well.

 

“I need your full name, place of birth…†she glanced up at the two siblings, remembering that Rosheen had never been able to tell exactly where she was born. “Or the general direction of your place of birth at least, and your age. As soon as I have that I’ll get you a mentor and you can get yourself moved into the barracks.†Rosheen looked a little disappointed. “I can’t pair you two up, Rosheen. It’s best for Ursana if he learns his way around the yards under another Tower Guard, one who isn’t biased because of a family relationship.â€

[TaeaDawn]

“I need your full name, place of birth…or the general direction of your place of birth at least, and your age. As soon as I have that I’ll get you a mentor and you can get yourself moved into the barracks.†Rosheen looked a little disappointed and the Mistress of Training explained to her. “I can’t pair you two up, Rosheen. It’s best for Ursana if he learns his way around the yards under another Tower Guard, one who isn’t biased because of a family relationship.â€

 

Sana understood the need for that. He wished Rosheen could be the one to train him. It would give them more time to get to know each other and she would at least understand where he came from. A lot of people took to outsiders as strange and stupid and dangerous. It seemed like everyplace they stopped, for every handful that trusted the trading family, there were one or two in the bunch that were willing to point fingers and blame them for whatever was wrong in their world. That would certainly be one thing he'd be glad to leave behind. He just hoped his mentor was someone he could like.

 

"Well, my full name is Ursana Tahn Sakhr. I do prefer to be called Sana though. My birthplace is..well.. somewhere along the road in Arafel. That's about as close as I can place it. Age, 16." He said in a clear concise voice.

 

He winked at Rosheen then. "Just think of it this way. When my mentor is thumping me good, you get to come around and laugh about it instead of trying to tell me what to do." Another reason this might be a better idea. He wasn't sure if he could truely spar with his sister. Oh, there were plenty of times when he was so angry with her that he wanted to just smack her, but it's not something he'd ever do. It wasn't something he wanted to make a habit of now, even if he could. His sister seemed to be really well liked and respected here. Which probably meant she was very good at what she did. He smiled a little wider at her, a little bit proud of what his sister had become.

[silhouette]

Rosheen grinned at Sana, who seemed to be more understanding of the situation he was in than she ever could have been. Then again, Ursana had always been just a little more relaxed than she had been, from what she could remember. Rosheen believed in getting her way right here and right now, while Sana was more of a ‘The wheel weaves as the wheel wills’ kind of person. She could learn from that.

 

~

 

Ginae watched the exchange between Rosheen and Ursana with a smile, before writing Ursana’s information down in the book. She had had a little brother herself, when she grow up in Kandor. When she left, he was already quite good with a bow, and an excellent rider. Feeling a little nostalgic she decided to write to her parents as soon, to see if all was well on the blightborder. She shook herself slightly, reminded of her current location by a soft cough from Rosheen.

 

“Very well. Consider yourself signed up, Ursana.†She said, smiling at the siblings standing in front of her. “Rosheen, you can show him to his new room. Oh, and if you run into Sovald or Lyv, tell them they’re his new mentor.†Rosheen laughed at that. “He gets two? I’m sure he won’t be that clumsy.†Ginae shook her head, realising she had to be a little more clear. “Lyv is busy right now, so she can’t take him straight away. Sovald can, but he’s leaving in about a month time. So after Sovald leaves, Lyv will be his mentor.†Rosheen nodded, and said her goodbyes to Ginae.â€

 

~

 

Walking out of the office of the mistress of trainees, Rosheen clapped Ursana on the back. “Wonderful. You’ll like Lyv, she’s great. Sovald is a little rough around the edges, but I’m sure you two will get along just fine. You just need to get past his stern borderlander attitude.†Rosheen grinned at that. Despite the fact that they both had a borderland named as their place of birth, Rosheen and Ursana were about as far from traditional borderlanders as possible. “Well then, let’s get you to your room.â€

 

 

Ooc: I don’t know if we were still continuing this, or if you’d given up all hope that I’d ever post on this… ;) Where should we go from here?

[TaeaDawn]

Rosheen took him to his new room and he began settling things in. She had duties to take care of after all so she let him to himself. Both of his mentors were pointed out to him as he was walking through the Yards, but both seemed to be in the middle of something so he just made a note of who they were so he'd know them when they showed up.

 

Sitting on his bed in the barracks he heard others around him, joking, talking, he heard the sound of practice lathes hitting and blades being drawn. It was a busy place, something entirely different than the way he had grown up. The sounds were unfamiliar and he laid back on his bed, trying to get accustomed to the sounds and the four walls around him. Could he really do this? He could be in four walls for the rest of his life? Could he do it for a couple months, until he breached the gap between himself and his sister?

 

He lay back listening for a long time with these troubling thoughts running around his head. Eventually, his day's exhertions took control and his body's need for sleep after his long healing overtook him. Instead of peaceful dreams of the road that he was used to though, nightmares plagued him. He dreamed he was in the middle of a battle with only his walking stick. No one seemed to notice him and the battle raged around him. In the center, there was a light, something that drew the forces around him, for good and bad. He struggled to find it, to see what that light came from but he was battered and knocked aside time and time again. He kept fighting to see it, and just as he thought he could make it out, he woke up with a start.

 

The evening bells were chiming in dinner. He forced himself out of bed, the nightmare forgotten already. Running a hand through his untamed hair, he headed out to see if he could make his way back to the kitchens to join the other trainees for a meal.

 

((OOC: I think we're done here :P))