Meeting new roomies [attn Rossa & Moa]

[ajd]

A strong, cold, wind drifted through the air around the White Tower, rustling the dying leaves on the trees, often picking them right off the branch and letting them fall gently to the ground. The autumn chill was starting to settle in, and every day brought colder temperatures. Winter was drawing closer and closer, and Ellinielle dreaded the freezing temperatures, and the snow that would accompany them. Right now, however, it was not snow she was worried about, but rain. Dark clouds loomed overhead, confirmation of stormy weather to come in the very near future. She walked as quickly as she could across the garden, yet still tried to maintain at least some composure. It was hard to do, with the wind blowing her hair, and she was shivering from the cold it brought.

 

Getting caught in the rain was not something Ellinielle wanted very much right now, especially in her current mood. She had been picking weeds for hours, a chore she had been dismayed to receive. She had been very quick about the work in the beginning, but after a little while, she had grown tired and slowed down. As soon as she had glimpsed the rain clouds, though, with quite a few more weeds to go, she had quickened her pace immediately. She had finished just in time, too, with the rain clouds ready to burst very shortly. She had raced off as soon as she was done, heading for the novice quarters.

 

Elli reached the end of the garden, and stepped inside through a carved wooden door. She thought she knew how to get to her room from here. Having only been in the Tower for a week, she had not yet memorized the hallways. The first few days, she had had to ask for directions a number of times.

 

As she walked through the halls on her way to her room, she passed several Accepted in their banded dresses, and fellow Novices in plain white, just like Elli herself, as well as Aes Sedai. It was still cold inside, yet the Aes Sedai showed no sign of being affected by it. When she passed one, she curtsied as best she could, then kept on walking. She hoped she knew where she was going. The halls were starting to look vaguely familiar, but that could just be her imagination.

 

Ellinielle let out a sigh of relief as she rounded a corner, to find that she knew exactly where she was. From there, she walked for just a couple of minutes, this time sure about where she was heading. Soon, she was in her small room, where she had lived the past week. Though being a novice had been…tiring…she still felt a small sense of being at home when she was here. Right now, she was tired and hungry after the days work. Ellinielle threw herself on top of her bed, and let out a long sigh. She didn’t even want to think of the dirt stains in her dress that she would have to take out. Apart from the work involved with being a novice, she still felt a sense of wonder that she would someday be Aes Sedai. She did feel a bit lonely at times, though, having not made any friends except Vera. It had only been a week though, and she knew she had years yet to make friends. Many years.

 

 

~Elli

OOC: I'm going on vacation for a week starting Saturday, and I won't have access to a comp.

[Winter Mist]

~Rossa~

 

It had been a little therapeutic, meeting with her new mentor. At least now Rossa knew she was not alone and there was one person in the Tower she could talk to if needs be, although the more people that knew about her past and her plans for revenge might make it difficult to carry out. Already she had told the Mistress of Novices of her recent troubles and also her mentor, Aleanda Sedai, and she felt no real desire to tell anyone else, preferring instead to bottle it up and hide her feelings from the world. If she threw herself into learning so she could gain the prestige attached to being an Aes Sedai, she could restore pride to her family name, and from there begin to track those that had destroyed her life. The screams still haunted her, just as the heat from the flames had.

 

She stood outside the door she had been deposited in front of; her mentor, Aleanda Sedai of the White Ajah had had to leave after seeing Rossa safely to her room. Her possessions made a meagre display wrapped up in a small cloth sack and consisting of a hairbrush, a few coins and the carved figures she had made on her journey to Tar Valon. Nothing else. The dress she wore was the only other possession, and that would soon be changed for the standard white dress that all of the other novices wore. So at least tonight she would have a bed to sleep in rather than rolled up under a hedge in her cloak, being rained on and used as a mattress by nocturnal creatures. The number of times she had woken up with scratches, thankfully faded now, and her dress had to be patched using the needle and thread a seamstress had given her in exchange for a little work done. The door wouldn’t open itself, she realised, even though the last one had, thanks to the Mistress of Novices.

 

Hands now free from trembles grasped the handle and pushed it open, expecting to find her own room with a bed and maybe some other luxuries as she had been accustomed to in her own rooms in Altara. At the very least Rossa had expected to see softly furnished curtains, rich carpets and furniture, books lining shelves in the room as befitted such a renowned centre of learning as the White Tower. She was not prepared for the sparse furnishings she saw, not to mention the other girl sat in there. Surely there was some mistake? She was not expected to share, was she? Well, everyone had to make sacrifices at some point or other in their life. She could hear her mother laughing at her, telling her how she should be grateful she was not dead like her brother, sisters and her parents. There was time for that later.

 

The on the bed was wearing the same white dress Rossa had seen a lot of the younger girls wearing, and appeared to be extremely tired although she had lifted her head to see who had entered the room. Most likely if it had been an Aes Sedai the girl would have leapt to her feet and be halfway into her curtsy by now, the same way she herself would have done, but this place was still confusing. She would have been lost past the first corridor if she had had to walk it alone. Not knowing whether she would have to curtsey to everyone, Rossa performed one anyway, and looked at the girl that seemed to be her new roommate.

 

“Good day to you. My name is Rossa Venye. I understand from my mentor, Aleanda Sedai, that this is to be my room.â€

[Millybee]

Vera’s short, little body moved steadily away from Moa in the direction with which they had both came from. Moa’s dark eyes watched as Vera walked down the hallway, thanking that she would have a moment or two alone with herself now, to take in what had happened since she had arrived at the Tower. Thinking back to the meeting with the Mistress of Novices, Moa had taken in every detail of the room and its holdings with the utmost scrutiny. She wanted to remember everything. This was a dream come true.

 

Sure, she would have lots to do within the next years becoming Accepted and eventually a Sister, but she was ready for it. This was the adventure she had been waiting for her entire life. Moa sighed softly, seeing as Vera had disappeared from her sight quite a while ago, and she was just standing in the hall staring at nothing. In fact, she could have swore the group of novices that just walked by looked at her and laughed at her quietly behind held up hands. Moa sighed again. Oh well. It will be just as it was at home, everyone laughing at her behind her back. Well, I am not here to fit in with anyone, anyways. I am here only for myself.

 

Tucking her two novice dresses under her arm and her backpack over her shoulder, she turned around slowly, taking in every detail of the quarters around her. So, this is where I will be staying for the next ten years? Moa laughed to herself. As if I will actually be here instead of doing a million other things trying to reach my goal. She was ready for it, though. She smiled and walked towards the door.

 

Moa reached for the doorknob, resting her hand on the handle ready to turn it, but suddenly she stopped. From inside the room, she heard the muffled voices of two women; no, two girls talking quietly to each other. Moa’s brows knitted together, her mind reeling with questions. I have roommates? But, I was thought I was going to be alone. I didn’t know I was going to have roommates. Moa pondered the idea of it. Back home, she never quite fit in with anyone, being an only child, estranged from the rest of the children by what they called ‘weirdness’ and ‘spookiness.’ No one really liked her much, except for her mother and father, but even they paid her little mind, always thinking of the tavern before her.

 

Holding onto her dress carefully, she leaned against the door, listening to the two girls talking to each other. Laying her ear against the door, listening intently, she couldn’t help but notice another group of novices laughing behind their hands at her display. Finally not being able to take the scrutiny any longer, she did what she always did when she was at home. She spun around, her hand still on the door handle, ready to spit words out at the novices with such fury that she saw red in her eyes. How dare they! Opening her mouth to rant, she accidentally put too much force on the door handle, sending the handle down and the door flying inward, the weight of her own body adding speed to it. Her dresses flying outward, her eyes wide, she fell backward into the room, her body smacking the ground. From outside, she heard the novices roar with laughter. Moa lay on the ground, stunned.

 

Realizing the novices were laughing at her still, she quickly got up into a kneeling position and grabbed for her novice dresses and her bag. Snatching them from the ground, she crawled back into the room, trying to shut the door as quickly as she could but the door kept getting caught on the bottom of her dress. This only caused the novices to laugh harder. Finally wrenching the door free of her dress, she slammed the door shut on the laughter from outside. With tears in her eyes, she sat against the door taking deep breaths. Looking up, the two girls stared at her as if she had sprouted two heads. She knew they would begin with their own laughter soon enough.

[ajd]

Ellinielle’s head shot straight up as the door to her room opened unexpectedly. She did not know who would want to see her, but whoever it was could have at least have had the courtesy to knock first. Really; bursting into a room unannounced! Who could it be, though? She was tired and she did not think she could conjure up the patience to deal with anything bothersome right now. She just wanted to rest for a little while! Was that too much to ask? She knew she couldn’t, though, and had not really expected to get much rest in the first place. Oh well. She just had to deal with the matter at hand, tired as she was. But who was at her door?

 

Elli’s question was answered soon enough. Striding through the door came a young girl, with long, dark brown hair and brown eyes. She wasn’t wearing the novice white, but a different dress. The girl stopped dead in her tracks when she entered the room, a look of surprise in her eyes. At what? Perhaps she had not expected anyone else to be in the room. That would explain the lack of a knock before entering. But why would a young girl just walk into a novice room not expecting to see anyone? That’s when it hit Elli. Maybe this girl was a new novice. But that would mean…a roommate! Maybe. The girl curtsied, and Ellinielle was positive that she was unsure how to act. When the girl spoke, though, Elli’s suspicions were confirmed.

 

“Good day to you. My name is Rossa Venye. I understand from my mentor, Aleanda Sedai, that this is to be my room.â€

 

Either the Aes Sedai had really messed something up, which was impossible, or Elli had just laid eyes upon her new roommate. She didn’t know whether to be excited or not. She was definitely surprised; she had thought that she was going to be alone. This could either be a really good thing, or a really bad thing. Her roommate…Rossa, so it would seem…appeared to be nice enough. Certainly very polite. She hoped they could get along…she certainly didn’t want to spend ten years sharing a room with someone she didn’t like. That was a scary thought. Nothing she could do about that if it happened, though, so she did the only thing she could do. She sat upright and introduced herself.

 

“Nice to meet you, Rossa. My name is Ellinielle.†Elli paused. She had never been very outgoing, and meeting new people had always been an uncomfortable experience for her. When she continued, she said “It appears that…well, I guess we are roommates now?†Ellinielle phrased it as a question, unsure of what to say. It was an odd situation. “I…†at that moment she was cut off as the door flew open. It was more surprising this time, for the girl who had opened the door lay on the ground as if she had fallen. Elli could hear a few novices laughing in the hall outside. The fallen girl noticed, too, and immediately grabbed her bag and a couple of novice dresses that had apparently fallen with her. Once she had them, the girl, who Elli assumed was a new novice, tried to shut the door, but it kept getting caught on her dress. As she scrambled to get the door free of her dress, Elli glanced at Rossa. Her roommate appeared to be as surprised and confused as she herself was.

 

The girl finally freed her dress, and the door slammed shut, cutting off the laughter of the novices outside. Once it was closed, she sat up against the door. There were tears in her eyes. Elli felt sorry for the girl, though it could not be seen through the baffled expression on her face. Without changing her expression, Elli said “Can I, erm, help you?†She had already guessed at what the sobbing girl’s purpose was in her room, though she doubted that life could be so coincidental so as to bring two roommates into her life in the span of a few minutes. Could it?

 

 

~Elli

OOC: I won’t be able to post again for about a week and a half, so just go on without me :D

[Winter Mist]

~Rossa~

 

Well, this was unexpected. At first it had seemed she was to share with the girl sat on the bed, the one that had introduced herself as Ellinielle, and now another girl practically fell into the already small room and got up before slamming the door home. Leaning against it, she took deep breaths and her eyes turned luminous with unshed tears. Ellinielle wore a mirror for Rossa’s feelings, puzzlement and a touch of confusion as to why they were sharing with not one, but two other novices when all had been under the impression that they were each having their own room. Silently she cursed herself with language unbecoming of someone of her status that she had shown any expression at all, but her Altaran heritage meant that sometimes thing slipped that she did not want to show, escaping the tight control she kept on her usually stable temper and sometimes leading to inappropriate moments. Her mother had tried to remedy her of that though…

 

The other novice, Ellinielle, had greeted the other girl, subconsciously taking charge of the situation. Obviously, she had been here longer than the two later arrivals to the room, as she seemed to know what to do and how to go about doing it. Maybe she had worn novice white longer, but it still rankled a tiny bit that her own rank counted for nothing now. She had to keep her status in the outside world a secret from the Tower, and yet if she forgot for one moment the person she was, her goal to avenge her family would never come to fruition. She could mask it, but she could not blot it out completely; it would alter her in ways that her relatives would never forgive her for. Some of the servants might yet have survived… Abstract thoughts kept pestering her, allowed to return now that her calm had been rattled and compassion rising for the sobbing girl. She felt her own tears at the corner of her eyes and dug her fingernails into her palm to suppress it. No! She could cry at night! There was no need to suggest a hint of weakness – the name of House Venye demanded it.

 

Pain and a throat thick with grief choking her, Rossa started forward, her own dress looking dull and tattered in comparison to the pristine white Ellinielle wore. She extended a hand towards the potential new roommate still crying on the floor and began speaking in a calm voice, hoping to reassure her.

 

“I’ve just arrived myself, so I know how you feel.†Her fingers closed around the other novice’s hand and gently helped her to her feet, straightening and offering a supportive smile, at odds with the selfish thoughts of how little room she would have to herself. “My name is Rossa. Are you a new novice as well?â€

[Millybee]

Moa sat against the door, taking deep breaths. In through the nose… Out through the mouth. Moa always used this calming technique whenever an episode hit her, which seemed to hit her about once a week in her life back at home. Her eyes rimmed with tears and her throat swelled with the concentration of not letting those tears fall. I will not cry anymore for the sake of others. No more will I succumb to their hideous laughter and insulting words. The rant inside her head that she repeated over and over again seemed to only make the tears harder to hold back.

 

It was not until a girl from across the room spoke to her before she realized there were others in the room witnessing her humiliating parade. As soon as Moa heard the girl’s voice, she braced herself for the laughter and insinuating comments that would surely follow. Instead, the girl’s voice from across the room merely said, “Can I, erm, help you?†Nothing seemed to follow the comment, no laughter, no giggling, no witty words; just a question. Moa sat still, unsure how to respond to the girl’s comment.

 

After what seemed like an eternity without words, another girl walked from the opposite side of the room towards Moa, “I’ve just arrived myself, so I know how you feel.†Moa finally looked up from the spot she had glued her eyes to on the floor. Moa looked the girl straight in the face, her brows knitted together slightly as if unsure whether or not she could trust the girl. As always, Moa took in every detail of everything she looked at, and looking at this girl now, Moa noticed first the girl’s long dark brown hair. Looking into the girl’s matching brown eyes, Moa noticed an almost indefinable will there, a power to the girl that seemed unrelenting. Moa nearly forgot about her own embarrassing display looking into those eyes.

 

“My name is Rossa. Are you a new novice as well?†the girl said at Moa’s silence. Moa pulled her eyes away from Rossa’s and looked back down at the ground. No laughter? Why are these girls being so nice? At the thought of the other girl, Moa’s head pulled up, looking at the other girl across the room, eyeing her suspiciously. The girl had dark hair as well, but hers had more of a flare to it, a flash of red. The girl’s sharp blue eyes seem to bore into Moa’s soul, eyes that seemed to have seen things most people shouldn’t and never would. The girl merely stared at her, waiting for her answer to Rossa’s question.

 

Looking back at the ground, Moa lifted her slender hand to the top of her head, ruffling the bright white strands, sighing to herself. Well, I can not just sit here and pity myself all day long, can I? With that thought, she took a deep breath and looked back up at Rossa and answered softly, “Yes, I am a new novice. In fact, Vera Sedai just dropped me off at my room, which I am to assume is here. My name is Moa Nachiman†Looking uncertainly at the two girls, Moa waited for how they would respond to having what seemed like a third roommate to an unbelievably small room.

[ajd]

Ellinielle stared at the teary eyed girl sitting against the door, waiting for an answer to her question. Should she have been a little more comforting? She felt extremely sorry for the girl, having been embarrassed like that. Nothing for it now, except to wait for an answer. The answer, however, did not come. The girl looked as if she didn’t know what to say. The sobbing novice was relieved of the question, however, when her other new roommate spoke.

 

“I’ve just arrived myself, so I know how you feel.â€

 

Rossa spoke in a calm, comforting voice, and stretched out her hand as she did so. The teary girl looked a bit confused as Rossa helped her to her feet. Why confusion? Perhaps it was the same reason Elli herself was confused at the moment; one moment thinking you were all alone, the next minute having two new roommates with you. If she was going to have to share this room with two other people, it was going to get very crowded. There was hardly any space as it is.

 

“My name is Rossa. Are you a new novice as well?â€

 

Her first new roommate spoke again, after her second new roommate simply stood silent at the door, staring at the ground. Elli stared at her, waiting for an answer to Rossa’s question. Suddenly, the girl looked up from the floor, and met Ellinielle eyes with her own. All Elli did was stare back, though, and waited intently for the girl’s answer. The long awaited response finally came, after the girl managed to jerk her eyes away from Elli’s and stare at Rossa.

 

“Yes, I am a new novice. In fact, Vera Sedai just dropped me off at my room, which I am to assume is here. My name is Moa Nachimanâ€

 

Elli’s lips widened into a bigger smile with every word. Vera Sedai was this girl’s mentor, or so it would seem. What a wonderful surprise! Her new roommate, which Elli now knew was who she was, had the same mentor as her. She didn’t know why that was exciting, but it was. The girl looked at Rossa and Elli, now, waiting for an answer. Uncertainty was clear on her face. Elli replied in a voice she thought was comforting. “Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Moa,†she began. “Vera Sedai is your mentor? She is mine also!†The second part was spoken very quickly, and in a bit of a squeaky voice. She was having trouble keeping her excitement down. 2 new roommates in one day! Now that was unexpected. Elli resumed staring at Moa, this time with a wide grin on her face. She still had not reasoned out why she should be so excited. Maybe it was simply because the first part of her day paled in comparison to the events of the past few minutes.

 

Calming herself, and suppressing her excitement down to a controllable level, she waited for a reply, all the while thinking about how life would be like with two roommates. It would be extremely cramped in the tiny room, but she would just have to get used to it. What a day!

 

 

~Elli

OOC: I’m back! I’m a little bit tired, though, from packing/unpacking/waking up early, so this isn’t the best I’ve ever written. If you notice any parts that don’t make sense, tell me and I’ll edit :D

[Winter Mist]

~Rossa~

 

Moa Nachiman. The name was vaguely familiar, although most of the surnames on the continent had some ancient meaning. One day, Rossa would like to study where all the different surnames had evolved from – be it relating to a job or a title, a personal affectation or even the location of the family or settlement. It interested her. There was time for such musings later. Given that Ellinielle had already chosen her bed by dint of her having been on it when Rossa had walked in, they would need to choose one of the other ones each. Whichever one she got did not bother her in the slightest. After that interview with the Mistress of Novices, all Rossa wanted to do was to climb into bed and not get out for at least a day. She sighed.

 

The other novice, Ellinielle, was bubbling excitedly over the fact that they seemed to share the same mentor. Was that some strange Tower protocol that two or more people with the same mentor instantly became sisters? If so, Rossa did not know how she felt over this sudden twist. Surely, there were more people than her with the same mentor, yet she did feel a pang of jealousy over the fact that she was not sharing a room with one of them. Or maybe it was akin to jostling for supremacy in a bid to become the most favoured sibling, and from there playing some sort of game of succession, in which case Rossa felt glad she was not yet entangled in it, in a way. She had a feeling she was going to have more chance to use her skills accrued in the Great Game here than she ever had done in her rudimentary incursions into life at Court. All preparations went out of the window when the Game started though, and now she was neck deep in it. A thoughtful expression settled on her face, wondering what else was going to be different to her imaginings.

 

“Nice to meet you, Moa.†She bit her lip. Rossa did not want to divulge any information about her past, lest the tears catch up with her again, so to divert attention from that she started putting her meagre amount of belongings on one of the other two beds. It was going to be crowded in here! Again, she was thankful purely to have a bed for the night.

 

“Since we’re going to be roommates for a while, we should get to know each other.†Hopefully if she started asking questions, it would divert the others’ attention long enough to not have time to ask her. It was worth a try, anyway. Her thumbs twiddled nervously in her lap; a habit that had not surfaced since she was a nervous six-year-old girl that had accidentally dropped a plate. She had thought the habit had been taught out of her, but obviously it hadn’t, surfacing as it had just now. She willed herself to calmness.

[Millybee]

Moa batted her eyes slightly, clearing the tears from her eyes. Just then, the girl sitting across the very tiny room said in a very excited voice, “Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Moa. Vera Sedai is your mentor? She is mine also!†Moa looked at the girl again and saw a brightness to her eyes that did not seem to be there a moment before. Oh great, Vera put me in a room with another one of her mentors. Why would she make a move like that? Even though the idea of having someone close who would share almost exactly the same things as she herself was a little comforting, Moa still could not help but think Vera did this on purpose. Moa would figure out soon enough the motive behind this. Moa still did not trust the woman.

 

Moa replied with a tiny smile on her face, “Hmm, it would seem so. Then maybe we will have quite a few classes together.†The girl seemed to be about the same age as Moa, and she also seemed to also have a sadness about her not much unlike Moa. Maybe being stuck with her wouldn’t be so bad after all. Moa’s spirit lifted a little by the thought.

 

Turning her head to look at the other novice, Moa saw Rossa’s lips pursed together and her brow lowered slightly as if she were thinking intensely. “Nice to meet you, Moa,†Rossa said when she saw Moa looking at her. Moa nodded slightly to show her answer.

 

After an awkward silence, Rossa spoke again, as if to clear the room of the bitter stillness that seemed to fill it. Light, have we already been through so much at our young age? “Since we’re going to be roommates for a while, we should get to know each other.†Moa looked back at Rossa and nodded again. Yes, questions would be a good way to start this little room up.

 

Her eyes still wet from the tears she shed slight before, Moa spoke first, “I guess I will begin.†Looking across the room, she said, “Well, I guess we could start with you telling me your name. I am afraid that I did not catch it earlier.†Thinking back to earlier, Moa’s face brightened slightly, blushing to the roots of her hair. She barely held back the wave that seemed to want to crash over her by letting loose a tiny whine-like noise from the back of her throat. She just wanted to be able to have a normal conversation, just once, but it did not seem as if the Light was willing to grant her as much.

 

OOC: Not very good, but I didn't have much time... sorry girls :p

[ajd]

OOC: Girl and guy, you mean :D

 

“Nice to meet you, Moa,â€

 

Rossa spoke, and Ellinielle suppressed a sigh as an awkward silence fell upon the tiny room. That happened often, it seemed, when you meet two new people under strange circumstances within a few minutes of each other, and find out that you are going to be spending a lot of time together over the next few years. Maybe it wasn’t going to be so bad as she had originally thought it would be, with three people cramped into the unbelievably tiny room. Moa did have the same mentor as her, after all, and she thought her roommate was right about having many classes together. She thought she would have to ask Vera something though; if she had placed Moa in the same room as her on pupose, perhaps knowing that it would make things easier.

 

“Since we’re going to be roommates for a while, we should get to know each other.â€

 

Rossa said, breaking the silence with the to-the-point statement. She’s right though, Elli thought to herself. It would be very hard to live with the two girls if they knew nothing about one another. Elli waited for Rossa to start, since she had been the one to bring it up. She was startled, however, when it was Moa who spoke up first.

 

“I guess I will begin.â€

 

Elli thought it was strange…Moa, who Elli had originally taken as the kind of person who would not speak first in a conversation, had in fact just spoken first in a conversation. First impressions can be wrong indeed. Rossa, on the other hand, seemed to be trying to keep the attention away from her. Elli was wondering why that might be when Moa continued.

 

“Well, I guess we could start with you telling me your name. I am afraid that I did not catch it earlier.â€

 

Moa was looking straight at Elli, and as she finished talking, Elli thought she noticed the girl’s face start to colour. Pity swelled up inside Elli for the girl. Her eyes were still wet from the tears she had shed a few moments ago, when she came crashing into the room. Elli thought it would be best if she did not mention that little incident. “Ellinielle Iridin. You can call me Elli, if you want.†Elli smiled sweetly, and continued. “I’ve only been at the Tower for a week, myself, but in all honesty, I didn’t expect to have two roommates.†That came kind of close to mentioning Moa’s entrance, so she quickly changed what she was saying. “I am from Ebou Dar, but I didn’t live there long. Where are you two from?†Elli smiled again, and hoped that the tension in the room would dissipate a little bit after her question.

 

~Elli

[Winter Mist]

~Rossa~

 

So, she was sharing a room with someone else from Ebou Dar. She had the same complexion as herself, with similar features, yet it was impossible to tell if the girl recognised her. Well, it was unlikely, given that her sisters were far more attractive than Rossa was and her time in the city itself had been spent largely at the Court of the Tarasin Palace, and whenever they had travelled the streets of the city it had always been in the family carriage, with deep red velvet curtains to shade the presence of those that rode in it. That was Ellinielle. Rossa wondered if she had known her, or known of her at least, before coming to the White Tower, but for now she did not want to reveal any more about her past than she had to. Tears were still too close to the surface, even though a sort of numbness had settled in now and she thought she had cried herself out in the Mistress of Novices office. Still, there wasn’t anything to be done about it, other than harden herself to what lie ahead and attempt to not cry. She cleared her throat.

 

“I am also from Altara, from just outside the city.†It was absolutely true. The family House was situated within a two-day ride of the city walls if one pushed their horse hard. Rossa tried to lift her gaze to meet that of her new roommates, but was unable to sustain it for longer than a couple of seconds before returning it to the floor. Light, she’d have to get over this! Hopefully they would mistake it for shyness, and then she could “open up†to them given time. Rossa doubted that she would get close enough to either of these two to reveal all of her plans, yet they would see her tears and her tantrums. She also doubted there would be any happy times ahead for her. It was a given fact that she would not be able to conceal absolutely everything from the pair of them, as she would likely spend so much of her life with them that they would know when there was something wrong, maybe even knowing when she was struggling with this or that and close to giving up. Rossa vowed to not tell them about her plot for revenge. It did not concern them and might get them into trouble, and she had no wish to bring anyone into this that she did not have to. If two people knew a secret, it was no secret; that was one of the first things Rossa had been taught about the Great Game. Onwards, she plunged.

 

“I have nothing back there though. This is my life now, or at least I hope to make it so.†Her voice broke halfway through the second sentence, throat thickening with more unshed tears. She needed to get the conversation to something she could handle, or she knew she was going to break down again. Both the other girls looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to continue, but it was a long time before Rossa opened her mouth again.

 

“If you both need more space for your belongings, I do not have many. I did not have long to gather much in the way of possessions and so if you need the cupboard space it is yours. Feel free to share it out between yourselves, I will be able to put mine in my belt pouch at all times.†Let them read into that what they wanted. She knew the truth. Forcing a smile to lips unused to it lately, Rossa folded her hands at her waist and waited for her companions to continue.

[Millybee]

Rossa’s body language screamed tenseness, anger and fierceness. Moa could almost feel the room heat up with electricity from the emotions that Rossa seemed to be going through. Of course, nothing on Rossa’s face or her body blatantly said these things. Moa could feel them; they were practically leaping off of Rossa.

 

“I have nothing back there though. This is my life now, or at least I hope to make it so,†Rossa said with what seemed dryness, if there ever was such a thing. Moa looked at the young girl and pitied her. What could make a young girl so angry? Thinking back to herself, Moa answered her own question with life events that had happened to herself. Being made fun of and talked about her whole life could lead a person to become very angry and upset, just as she herself was. The hard life of a young woman could make it hard for any young girl to travel through. Moa had barely begun hers and already she knew the hardness of what it life could mean.

 

Other emotions seemed to go through Rossa, although Moa could not really pin them down. “I have nothing back there though. This is my life now, or at least I hope to make it so,†Rossa went on. Again, sadness seemed to be laced throughout her words. Moa knew exactly what the girl meant because Moa’s own plans were to leave the life she lived behind, to, hopefully, open up and experience a new life here at the Tower. It was not going nearly as well as she thought.

 

“If you both need more space for your belongings, I do not have many. I did not have long to gather much in the way of possessions and so if you need the cupboard space, it is yours. Feel free to share it out between yourselves, I will be able to put mine in my belt pouch at all times,†Rossa said. Moa’s brow furrowed as a tint of deviousness seemed to enter Rossa’s words. Moa was keen on noticing when a girl was being devious. Years of being lied to, made fun of and mocked sharpened Moa’s senses of such things. She wondered what the girl had really meant by it.

 

“Well, it was nice to meet you Elli,†Moa said, smiling at the girl across the room. Moa had not had a chance to actually say anything to Elli since Rossa seemed to want to talk. Turning her head back to Rossa, Moa said, “I do not have much either, except for my novice dresses here and my bag.†Closing her hand tightly on her bag, not much bigger than a nice sized kettle, Moa could not imagine what would happened if she lost it. She shuddered to even think on it. “So, I will not need your cupboard space either, it seems. I usually keep my belongings close by me as well, so more than likely I will not even use my own.â€

 

The tenseness in the room was nearly unbearable and Moa could not think of a reason for it. Of course, it seemed the girls were going through tough times, Elli seeming the less tense and easy going, but Moa knew that if they were going to be able to sleep together at night then they had better start calming down.

 

Taking a deep breath herself, Moa said, “Well, I suppose I could tell you ladies how I came to be at the Tower. Since it seems we will be together for a long time, years even, maybe we should open up a bit.†Moa eyed the girls wearily, then walked to the bed on the opposite end of the room from Elli’s.

 

Throwing her bag on top of the sheets and gently laying her novice’s dress down, she continued, “I come from Tarabon, Tanchico to be exact. I was, well, I guess you can say I was “discovered†by an Aes Sedai at The Great Circle. My parents did not care much that I came. In fact, I do not think they cared at all.†Moa sat heavily on the bed, putting her head into her hands. The emotions Moa had from her parent’s reaction was still buried deep within her mind, and she had not had the time to really think over what had happened. It was to be expected, but still, their reaction hurt her more than words could ever explain.

 

OOC: Sorry for the late reply... Seems I am getting more posts to do than what I should :? .... I'll try to be better next time :p

[ajd]

Light, the tiny room she was going to be sharing had gotten quite tense there for a few minutes. Luckily Rossa had noticed too and changed the subject. Elli had never been very good at dealing with tense situations with other people. Shelf space, however, was something she could definitely deal with. There was something else in her suggestion that her and Moa and Elli could share the shelf space, but Elli could not place it. No matter though, it was not very important.

 

“Well, it was nice to meet you Elli,†Moa said when Rossa finished. Elli nodded, and returned her roommates smile at the same time. The girl turned to face Rossa and continued. “I do not have much either, except for my novice dresses here and my bag,†she said. At the mention of it, Moa gripped her bag. It seemed to Elli almost as if she was being very…possessive, of it. As if she was afraid she would lose it right then and there. Strange. After a second, Moa continued, saying how she would not need any cupboard space either. That means that Elli would be able to use as much space as she wanted. Useless, of course, because she did not have much more than either of the other girls.

 

It was strange, also, that the tenseness was still lingering. There appeared to be no reason for it, except that perhaps each girl recalling her past was causing it. This time it was Moa that attempted to rid the room of the apprehension whilst changing the subject. “Well, I suppose I could tell you ladies how I came to be at the Tower. Since it seems we will be together for a long time, years even, maybe we should open up a bit,†the girl said, eyeing Rossa and Elli. Not the topic Elli would have chosen first for relaxing, but it might help.

 

As Elli and Rossa waited for her to continue, Moa walked over to the bed on the opposite end of the room from Elli’s and put her belongings and the dresses on it. Her roommate then continued, saying “I come from Tarabon, Tanchico to be exact. I was, well, I guess you can say I was “discovered†by an Aes Sedai at The Great Circle. My parents did not care much that I came. In fact, I do not think they cared at all.â€

 

Pity swelled up inside Elli. How could any parent not care what happened to their daughter? Well, her own father hadn’t made the most thought-out decision ever, and that had ended up leaving her alone in the world. Tears almost came to Elli’s eyes, but she fought them.

 

Looking at Moa, Elli felt a strong urge to go and give her a hug. She could not imagine having parents that didn’t care at all. She constrained herself though…she hardly knew Moa, and hugging might prove to be awkward. So, Elli settled with just talking. Granted, it did take her a while to decide on what to say.

 

“Moa, just remember that we,†Elli looked at Rossa, indicating who she meant, “will be here for the next few years, as you said.†Elli paused for a few minutes to think of what to say next, and then continued. “I know life can be hard sometimes…believe me, I know…but just remember that if you ever need to talk, I’ll be here.â€

 

Elli smiled, at Moa and for another reason. It was the first time she had done something like that…no shyness at all, just out in the open. And it felt good.

 

 

~Elli :D

OOC: SO sorry it took me so long to write this. I'm taking an LOA now, too. Don't know how long though, sorry.

[Winter Mist]

~Rossa~

 

Years. They would have years and years and years. She was consigning a large part of her life to some studies that may or may not help with her vague plan to avenge the death of her family. The thought made her sadder than ever, and tears started bubbling up through the thin façade she had so carefully tried to keep in place. The grief, the pain … it gripped her heart like some armoured fist and her shoulders shook in convulsive sobs. “I … I’m sorry…†She couldn’t keep it in any longer. Tears rolled down her cheeks, landing with a splash in her lap, staining the grey fabric of the dress she still wore from the journey a darker grey. Company or no, she had to let it out, and now felt like a good time to do so. Everyone else had given her stories – now it fell to her.

 

“My family are dead. I told you I come from Altara, but I have nothing there now except the ruins of my House name. Now, I am an orphan with no future other than finding those that killed my parents and sisters … and my brother … and would have killed me too except I escaped.†Wracking sobs shook her body, her throat constricted with grief and pain, but it needed to come out. She remembered a time when one of the servants had died and his wife had gone mad from grief. No. Rossa would not end up that way. She would not be sedated at all times on some concoction from a red-belted Wise Woman because she could not control herself. That was not her style. Tears fell, but Rossa did not feel alone. She imagined the concern painting the faces of the two novices sharing a room with her now. Barely knowing them it would not be right to impose on them so much, even though all she wanted was to be held and comforted, but life was like that. You had to move on. Her mother and father had both told her take what you want, and pay for it. Rossa wondered what they had done to pay such a high price of their lives and those of almost all of their children’s, and suppressed the thought angrily. They would not have done anything wrong, surely? Stubborn familial loyalty! They’re dead…

 

Plop…

 

Still tears fell, until the storm of her weeping passed over like a cloud moving on after rain. Her face must be a ruin of grief, but it didn’t register. Nothing did. Finally having enough courage to continue, Rossa spoke.

 

“Someone set fire to our house … one of our rivals, it had to have been one of our rivals. No one else would have done such an awful thing.†Downcast eyes studied her lap, embers fanned to sparks that lit her eyes up to a polished dark bronze shade. “It’s not fair … I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…†Rossa trailed off uncertainly, making a gesture that took in everything. She was sorry. What must they think of her now?

 

OOC - sorry for the delay in replying to this :) Starting a new job has made it difficult to do anything lately, but I'm back :D

[Millybee]

Moa felt her courage and self slip from her fingers as the tears fell. She was sobbing, her breaths sounding like little moaning sounds that any woman would make on the verge of a breakdown. The other girls in the room evaporated with the overwhelming, cascading pain that fell through her hands. Why, all of the sudden she would have this type of reaction with two strange women, Moa would never know. Maybe it was the Light making history and giving Moa an open door with which to glide through.

 

Finally, through her sobs and cries, she heard Elli speak, “Moa, just remember that we will be here for the next few years, as you said.†Moa’s sobs lightened a bit with the words of the girl from across the very tiny room, but Moa could not stop the tears from falling. “I know life can be heard sometimes. Believe me, I know, but just remember that if you ever need to talk, I will be here.†Hearing the girl’s kind tone and assuring voice made Moa want to cry all the harder. Her tears still came.

 

All of the sudden, Moa heard a similar sound from Rossa. Looking up from her hands, Moa realized that Rossa was in the exact position as her: sobbing and crying with all her might. “I… I’m sorry,†escaped Rossa’s lips through the weeping. Seeing the girl as such made Moa’s fears and wants go away for a bit, and Moa’s tear streaked face concentrated on Rossa as the girl poured her life story.

 

Moa merely let the girl explained what happened to her with such a ferocity that Moa knew that her and Elli were the first to know. How the girl could have kept something like this in for as long as she could made Moa’s own heart hurt with the grief.

 

“Someone set fire to our house. One of our rivals, it had to have been one of our rivals. No one else would have done such an awful thing,†Rossa said as soon as the she calmed down a bit. Moa could feel the anger seeping from Rossa’s body and Moa could also feel a little bit of fear in those words. “It’s not fair. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…†Rossa said as she realized all the commotion that happened.

 

Putting her hand through her short hair, Moa looked at Rossa with determination in her eyes, “Rossa, I am so sorry for what has happened to you. I could not have imagined how it must have felt for this to happen to you.†Moa was determined to make the girl feel better, and she couldn’t explain why. She felt as if a bond have formed between her and the other girl with herself, and Moa was shocked at how differently it felt to actually feel something real with another person before.

 

OC: Hey girls, look at the Secret Whisper Hole in the White Tower Dv site. I want to explore more with our characters and was wondering if you wanted to do something more with this as well? Look there ;)

 

Also, I am SOOO sorry for the late reply. I am working full time and going to school full time and I have very little time on my hands, but I am trying as best as I can.