100 bloody wastes of my time ... Attn: Pia

[Arath Faringal]

Rochel hurried down the hallways of the Accepteds Quarters, not wanting to be late to her lesson.  She'd already learned that tardiness was treated much more harshly for an Accepted than for a Novice.  In fact, everything seemed to be more harsh.  And to think that she'd imagined Acceptance would bring a little more freedom!  Yes, she could choose her own studies now, but everything else was far more ... brutal.  Though come to think of it she hadn't had much of that freedom yet ...

 

Soon enough, Rochel found herself in the Grey Ajah quarters, banded skirts swishing as she approached the door of Pia Sedai's rooms.  She'd not yet had a lesson with the woman, but everyone said that she had infinite patience.  Rochel certainly hoped so.  She'd been known to stretch thin the patience of more than one instructor in her years at the White Tower.

 

With more than a little apprehension, Rochel knocked on the door.  She hadn't been told exactly what this was for, only that the Mistress of Novices wanted to see her for an important lesson.  She wondered what exactly Pia had heard from Lavinya about her that would warrant a lesson like this.  Frankly, the thought was a little disturbing.  Lavinya's trickery was the only reason she was wearing her banded dress right now.  Surely a Grey would be ... less manipulative?  Rochel grimaced at that rediculous conclusion, then winced again as she heard a call from within.  Pushing open the door, Rochel cautiously entered the room and dropped a perfectly acceptable curtsy.  "You summoned me, Aes Sedai?"

[Lavinya]

Pia hummed quietly to herself as she worked through the pile of reports on her desk. She liked things to be orderly, and keeping up to date on all the happenings with her charges gave her a satisfied feeling. She took her role as the mistress of novices very seriously, giving herself wholeheartedly to the task of guiding the tower's future Aes Sedai. None were beneath her notice, and thanks to her network of secret informants among the initiates, she was always well informed. Not that she would ever use her knowledge for malicious purposes; Pia had the girls' best interests at heart, above all else.

 

Nothing pleased her more than to see a girl work hard and ascend through the ranks. An Accepted who reached the shawl was her ultimate goal. From the day a girl was signed into the novice ranks, Pia set about guiding them to their arches. She was gentle but firm, and very lenient, in her opinion. Reaching Accepted was a different story. While she remained what she hoped was an approachable mother figure for the girls, she was much harder. Aes Sedai had to be hard, and they must learn that lesson as soon as possible. The testing was difficult, no less risky than the journey through the three arches. She wanted all to succeed. And for that reason, she had summoned her newest Accepted, Rochel.

 

Hard working she knew, though with a burning streak to flout authority, according to Lavinya Sedai. Amusing to Pia, since she knew full well that Lavinya had been much the same, indeed still seemed to take a perverse joy in behaving inappropriately and goading others. The knock that sounded on her door drew her attention back from her reports, heralding Rochel's arrival. "Enter, child," called Pia as she stacked her papers and placed them neatly in a corner of the desk, shifting them until they were square with the edges. A tidy desk kept her mind equally clear.

 

Smiling warmly, Pia waved Rochel into the room, moving from the desk to seat herself primly on one of the chairs in the sitting room. "Yes Rochel, please close the door and sit down." The girl did as she bid, taking the chair opposite Pia and quietly resting her hands in her lap. Yes, this one had learned much in her years since discovering her ability, though her eyes seemed to burn with apprehensive curiosity. "No doubt you are wondering why I wished to see you." Pia smoothed the skirt of her simple dove grey dress over her knees. She was not a woman to be flashy or vain, her dark hair twisted into a neat knot at her nape, her dress devoid of all but the simplest of embroidery.

 

"You are Accepted now, and while you have more freedom to direct your studies, there is something that all of you must learn - the one hundred weaves you will perform in your final testing to become Aes Sedai. Yes, one hundred. And you will learn to perform them all perfectly, in the correct order, or you will fail and be turned from the Tower." Pia's lips twitched a smile. "Since that is not an option, you will begin learning now, and will practice them continuously."

 

"Many of the weaves do not have a practical application, but that is not the point. The aim is to be able to continue channelling regardless what may come against you. You will learn to keep a cool head and not be swayed by your surroundings. Some weaves are difficult, some are simple. Now," Pia sat forward on her chair and embraced the source, letting the sweet river flow through her and fill her with it's light and joy. "Embrace the source, and watch. I will demonstrate each weave for you once, then you will attempt it. Do not be afraid of failure at this point, child, but pay close attention and do your best." With that, Pia began to weave threads of the power.

 

 

Pia Tovisen

Mistress of Novices

 

OOC: Feel free to make up some weaves, I'll follow your lead :)

[Arath Faringal]

Rochel felt her jaw fall open in disbelief as Pia spoke.  How had she forgotten about this?  As a novice she'd heard of these one hundred weaves.  She'd thought they were perhaps the most foolish thing she'd ever heard.  Thankfully, Pia seemed to take her surprise for the number of weaves, not their uselessness.

 

Without stopping to give Rochel even a chance to argue, Pia began to weave.  Rochel had no choice but to quickly embrace Saidar and watch.  The first weave didn't seem overly complex.  Mostly air, woven in a fairly tight spiral, and threaded with touches of fire.  Once complete, Pia pulled on both ends of the weave and it collapsed into a tight ball which made a small popping noise.  Rochel frowned down at the weave.  She actually hadn't expected it to do anything at all.  But all of that for a tiny pop?  She already knew a vastly simpler weave that did the same thing.  Nevertheless, she set to work duplicating the weave.

 

It wasn't bad for a first attempt.  She thought it looked right ... almost.  Something was a little bit different though ... she couldn't put her finger on it.  Oh well, she thought.  I'm sure I'll be corrected on it.  Giving her weave a final tug just as Pia did, Rochel listened for the tiny popping sound.  The weave collapsed into a ball, though much smaller than Pia's had been.  And it gave off a roar like a thunderclap.  Rochel fell out of her chair in surprise.  Pia only smiled, removing the air plugs from her ears.  "It was too big.  You did two extra spirals of air.  Try again."

 

Two attempts later, Rochel finally finished the first of her one hundred weaves.  She should have felt satisfied when her weave gave off a soft pop, but she just felt frustrated.  Were they all going to be like this?  Overly complex weaves that had no useful function, and unpredictable side effects with the slightest variation?

 

The second weave was no better.  This one was mostly water, though there was a fair amount of air in it as well.  The form the weave took on reminded her of a star.  It was much more complicated than the first weave.  Rochel watched intently as Pia carefully wove, then grimaced as the finished weave collapsed, leaving a tiny puff of mist in the air.  "That's all it does?" she said angrily, blurting the words out before she had a chance to think.  "Why?"

[Lavinya]

Pia maintained her hold on Saidar as Rochel worked, following her weaving but keeping quiet. She tried hard, but there was no hiding her growing frustration. Was it merely due to her fumbling? Rochel didn't strike Pia as particularly focused on perfection, and most novices became accustomed to failing weaves repeatedly early on in their training. Pushing aside the thought, Pia moved onto the next weave, her threads of air and water lacing together with well practised ease. When it was weighted just right, it fell in on itself to release the mist, and apparently pricked the bubble of Rochel's irritation so it burst out in a flurry of angry words.

 

The Mistress of Novices was a reasonable woman, or so she believed. She was certainly gentler and kinder than many of her sisters, but that did not in anyway make her a push over. The look she sent Rochel was hard and filled with authority. Her frustration was understandable, but forgetting that she was addressing an Aes Sedai was unforgivable. "You will watch your tongue, child, or you will find yourself scrubbing floors along with the novices after your lesson is through. Earning the great serpent ring does not make you Aes Sedai, and you do be wise to be remembering that." Pia clicked her tongue in agitation, more at her own slip into her native Illianer turn of phrase than for Rochel's oversight. She had been Aes Sedai for close to two hundred years, yet still her heritage appeared on her lips when she found her temper begin to rise. Her old mentor, Garla would likely turn in her grave to think she had failed in removing the accent entirely.

 

Moderating her tone, Pia continued, "There is only so much that you can be told before your testing. What I can tell you is that you will have to perform these weaves under great stress. What if I was to teach you how to create exploding fire balls, and in your testing you faltered. Wouldn't it be wiser to discover you were lacking when you fumbled creating mist, rather than have you burn down half the White Tower to discover it?" Pia raised an eyebrow at Rochel. "I have always encouraged Accepted to question more than novices, to learn the why as much as the how. But do not cross the line into insolence," Pia warned, as again she created the weave for the frowning Accepted. Light, but the Domani initiates seemed to be the surliest, for all their pretty movements and simpering expressions.

 

"Try it again, you have more to learn yet this day."

 

Pia Tovisen, MoN

[Arath Faringal]

"But I-" Rochel cut off as Pia simply arched an eyebrow.  "Yes Aes Sedai.  I apologize for my outburst."  It was good to be able to lie.  She'd miss that, if despite her attitude she still managed to reach the shawl.  

 

Settling into her seat she began to replicate the foolish little weave.  Several minutes later she finally managed to copy Pia's weave.  More or less.  At least it produced a little puff of mist.  Rochel suspected that she had missed something though, and a single glance at the Mistress of Novices confirmed it.  With a sigh, Rochel began again.

 

I still do not understand why the testing has to be like this, she thought bitterly.  What does it prove, other than the fact that one can memorize a long series of needlessly complex weaves?

 

When she finally completed the mist weave to the Aes Sedai's satisfaction, Pia wasted no time in moving on to the next.  And the next.  And the next.  As she began the sixth weave, a complex braid of air, fire, and spirit that produced a swarm of tiny lights that danced light fireflies for just a moment, Rochel's patience was running thin.

 

"Pia Sedai, what are any of these weaves good for?  I've seen far more simple ways to do almost every single one of them.  The only one I haven't seen anything similar to is this last one, but for the life of me I can't think of any time I'd want to do that either."  With a supreme effort, Rochel managed to keep her tone under control.  A voice suitable for asking a perfectly reasonable question.  Her face hurt from keeping an experssion of disgust and exasperation at bay.  "It seems strange to me that to become an Aes Sedai, potentially one of the most useful people in the world, you have to go through all of this ... uselessness."

[Lavinya]

Pia tried not to hiss in vexation. This was something she encouraged in her pupils after all, questioning and understanding the why rather than blindly following direction, though the light knew there were occasions when she'd much rather the girls accept her word and say no more on the topic. She understood the need to know, of course. It was what she stood for, as a Gray. Debating and discussion, knowing the full history before making a decision. Negotiations required open speech, not authoritarianism. Her intent had been to simply teach the weaves today, not answer an uppity accepted's demands for information. At least Rochel had moderated her tone.

 

"Alright child, I can see this will be a difficult lesson unless I can ease your mind." Pia released her hold on the source and folded her hands in her lap. "Why is it, do you think, that we work novices so hard with chores, forbidding them to channel to assist their efforts? Discipline," she answered herself. "From the day a girl is signed into the novice book, she is trained to become an Aes Sedai, and an Aes Sedai must be disciplined. I do not need to remind you I'm sure of some of the horrors that can occur because a girl is not controlled enough to let go of the source, or prevent herself from drawing too much of the one power. The same goes for refusing to bend to authority. An Aes Sedai is much like a soldier in some ways, and must know the importance of following orders without question, for the good of the whole army."

 

"Aes Sedai does not mean Servant of Myself." Pia raised a brow at Rochel. "Being a servant of all sometimes means that you will have to do things you do not want, things that you may believe are pointless. Your personal opinion does not always come into the equation. However," Pia smiled reassuringly, "I can understand your sentiments on these weaves." Was that surprise or disbelief on Rochel's face? Pia wasn't entirely sure. "Yes, these weaves have very little practical application. However, there is more to it than teaching you pointless weaves. This is not a time wasting exercise, I assure you."

 

"Imagine this, if you will. An Aes Sedai finds herself face to face with a fist of trollocs. Undisciplined, she begins to throw fireballs, but is soon overwhelmed with panic and loses not only her concentration but her hold on saidar. Could you imagine the terror of such a situation?" Pia was silent a moment as she let Rochel contemplate her illustration. "Now, imagine the same Aes Sedai, who has spent countless hours practising weaves that she can form practically in her sleep. She passed her testing, keeping her cool and her focus despite the great duress under which the testing is performed. When faced with that same situation, the sister already knows how to channel despite great distraction and fear. She stays calm and fends off the threat without ever hesitating or for a moment losing saidar."

 

Pia looked steadily at Rochel. "Now, please, do you still think this is entirely uselessness?"

 

 

~Pia Tovisen, MoN

[Arath Faringal]

Rochel fought to keep the irritation from her face.  Oh how she fought!  As the Mistress of Novices spoke, she had the great misfortune of bringing up almost every single point that had grated on Rochel's nerves from the beginning.  The endless chores, being forbidden to channel without constant supervision ... all of it.  Nobody had ever satisfactorily explained to her the relationship between scrubbing floors, and releasing Saidar.  Only vague mutterings about 'building character'.  Nobody had ever explained what that was supposed to mean either.

 

She wasn't quite sure what to think when Pia agreed with her about the weaves.  But when she thought about the Aes Sedai's words, she realized there had been nothing of agreement in them.  She simply understood what Rochel was saying, not agreeing.  Sliding around the truth while implying understanding ... yet another thing that Rochel couldn't stand.  Often, she had contemplated what might happen if instead of swearing to 'speak no word that is untrue', she simply swore to be honest.

 

As Pia Sedai's lecture wound down, Rochel thought carefully about how to respond.  "I understand a need for discipline."  Even if I don't understand how scrubbing pots is supposed to teach it.  "But I don't understand how these weaves are supposed to teach discipline.  If I learn all one hundred, it does nothing but prove that I'm intelligent enough to memorize them, and stubborn enough to ... get through them."  She had almost said 'put up with them', words she was sure she would have regretted miserably.

[Lavinya]

"You don't think it takes discipline to set aside your own feelings and opinions in order to master these weaves?" Pia's voice held her amusement and slight exasperation. "You are too focused on the tiny question of the validity of the weaves I am teaching you, when you should be looking towards becoming an Aes Sedai. Life does not become a sudden breeze, just because you attain the shawl. Everything you have learnt since the day you were signed into the novice books is preparing you for the day you become Aes Sedai. And I mean more than just your classes - learning obedience, discipline, respect. Working hard, cutting ties to your old life...what are a few insignificant weaves in light of that?"

 

"Now, you can complain about how pointless these weaves are until you are as old as me, or you can master them now and perhaps one day you will understand what I have been trying to teach you." Pia embraced the living waters of saidar without preamble and nodded to Rochel to do the same, momentarily ending the argument. Pia had always been a strong advocate of open discussion, but unfortunately there came a time when one must simply obey and hold their opinions in peace.

 

Slowly, for Rochel's benefit, Pia began to lace threads of air and water, laying the strands just so, adding a final rope of spirit and tugging them tight, sending them spinning so that a small whirlwind was visible for a few moments before petering to nothing. Pia waited a moment before repeating the wave. "Now, you try, and once you have managed it I would like you to give me one reason why you should learn that weave." Pia smiled wolfishly and waited.

 

Pia Tovisen, MoN

[Arath Faringal]

Rochel wisely held her tongue as Pia began to show her the next weave.  She'd been about to ask just how old Pia was, as if considering the offer, but knew that it would not end well.  The Mistress of Novices had already given her far more leeway than most other Aes Sedai would have, and it was best not to press her luck.  At least not too much further.

 

Observing carefully, Rochel watched the threads of air and water meticulously woven together, fighting to maintain concentration on yet another useless weave.  As the finishing touches of spirit were added, the weave spun into a tiny whirlwind before quickly vanishing.  Surpressing a sigh, she obediently watched a second time before embracing Saidar herself.

 

"Now, you try, and once you have managed it I would like you to give me one reason why you should learn that weave." Rochel wanted nothing more than to slap that grin off of Pia's face, but knew she would spend the next year howling if she did.  So she settled for a mean little glare, before jumping into the weave.  After a failed first attempt which somehow dropped a considerable amount of water on the floor and all over her skirt, Rochel managed to duplicate the little whirlwind.  Now came the hard part.  After a few moments of silent thought, Rochel gave her answer.

 

"Well, if I ever am raised to the shawl, I imagine that I'll somehow end up teaching these weaves to almost every Accepted in the Tower.  And it simply wouldn't do for a Sister to look foolish in front of an initiate."  There.  Sufficiently defiant enough to suit her own purposes, and probably true enough that Pia wouldn't be able to deny it.

[Lavinya]

Rochel was clearly irritated at being browbeaten, and her reply was all that was disgruntled and rebellious. Pia couldn't resist; she let out a short bark of laughter. No doubt any other Aes Sedai would have whipped the Accepted until she couldn't sit for a week, but Pia did not believe in corporal punishment with her initiated unless strictly necessary, especially with Accepted. They should be able to discuss rationally and understand the error of their ways without the need for a humiliating spanking.

 

"Serves me right for wording the request so, I suppose," she said with a rueful smile. "You should know by now my patience is longer than that, Rochel." Pia tilted her head to the side and contemplated the scowling girl. "Why is it you find it so hard to simply accept that which you're told? Do you believe I would deliberately mislead you, child?" Rochel shook her head, no. "I did not imagine you had any aspirations towards the White Ajah, but your determination to rationalise and demand a logical reason for doing what you must is starting to make me wonder."

 

"Another reason, if you please. And while you're at it you can clean that puddle. In fact, I want you to use one of the weaves you have learned today to do so, modifying it as needed." When Rochel didn't leap at the task straight away, Pia encouraged her. "Go on, I will ensure you don't make too much further mess. And don't forget to answer the question."

 

 

Pia Tovisen, MoN

[Arath Faringal]

"Why is it you find it so hard to simply accept that which you're told? Do you believe I would deliberately mislead you, child?"  Rochel was the daughter of merchants.  And she was the only girl among four brothers.  AND she had spent the several years of her life living among Aes Sedai who manipulated the truth into whatever form they wanted.  Rochel never accepted what she was told at face value.  As for deliberately misleading her ... isn't that what Aes Sedai did?  But Rochel lied, with a small shake of her head.  Light, she was going to miss being able to lie!  

 

"Another reason, if you please. And while you're at it you can clean that puddle. In fact, I want you to use one of the weaves you have learned today to do so, modifying it as needed."

 

Rochel froze.  What she had just been asked to do went against everything that had been beaten into her as a novice.  Using the One Power to assist in a chore?  Deliberately modifying a weave she had been showen to achieve a different result?  Experimenting with the Power?  As much as Rochel hated the rules around the White Tower, she did find herself agreeing with the experimentation rule.  The incident in her first year with the light globe turned fireball had given her a healthy respect for the dangers of experimentation.  It had also fueled her frustration that nobody ever explained why things worked the way they did.

 

"Go on, I will ensure you don't make too much further mess. And don't forget to answer the question."

 

More than a little nervous at the prospect, Rochel thought back on the series of weaves she had just learned.  Which one would be best for manipulating water?  Her immediate thought was for the weave that had made the mess in the first place, but it hardly called for any water at all.  She really no idea how it had happened in the first place.  After another moment of thought, she decided on the second weave.  The star shaped one which made the little puff of mist.  It had to draw water from somewhere, so what if she used that one on the puddle?

 

Carefully, nervously, she began to weave.  The star shape of the weave began to emerge, but this time Rochel drew the points of the star down into the water puddle.  She also made the weave significantly larger.  More than a litle apprehensive, Rochel placed the final threads into the weave, and let it do its work.  To her surprise, the weave immediately began to suck up the puddle from the floor.  And then to her even greater surprise, the weave collapsed and emitted  ... a cloud?  A heavy white mist lingered in the air just above their heads.  Afraid that it might start raining on them, Rochel quickly wove air and pushed open a window, then another flow of air to draw the fluffy white mass outside.

 

Standing at the open window for a moment, Rochel watched as the outside breeze quickly dispersed the little cloud, and she began to wonder what else that weave might be able to do.  What if she used it on the river for example?  Just how big of a cloud, or maybe a fog, could she make with it?  Though she doubted she'd be allowed to try it any time soon, it was fun to speculate.  At least until she remembered that Pia Sedai was still in the room, and was waiting for the answer to her question.

 

Shutting the window and returning to her seat, Rochel thought about how to word her answer.  If there is a reason, she thought, other than simply doing what I'm told, I can't think of it.  It isn't to encourage creativity, since all one hundred of them have to be done exactly right.  It isn't to learn new skills, since none of the weave as they are do anything useful.  And since nobody will ever tell me a reason why anything is done the way it is, I have to assume that nobody actually knows, and it's simply because that's the way it is.

 

Finally, she settled on an answer that seemed good enough, even though she didn't quite believe it herself.  "Patience.  As an Aes Sedai, depending on the ajah anyway, one might have to deal with a great number of people and situations that don't make any sense at all.  It would be important to have the patience to deal with things in the ... proper way, rather than doing something that might be much simpler but leave someone upset."  She doubted that Pia bought a word of that, especially coming from Rochel, but at least it sounded like she was making an effort to be compliant.

[Amadine]

*bump*