knock knock....knock knock knock (ATTN MoN)

[craftyreader]

Two days after her testing, Elody was on her way to Tar Valon with Adina Sedai and Olin.  Her aunt had taken her leave of Elody as soon as possible, not wanting to spend any more time with the Aes Sedai than was absolutely necessary.  She had barely been able to get her aunt to take a letter to her father, explaining what had happened, before her aunt left for Mayene.

 

During the trip to Tar Valon, Elody had many chances to speak with the Aes Sedai.  Adina was kind, and allowed her to ask as many questions as she could think of.  She gave Elody instruction on what would be expected of her at the Tower – behavior, lessons, chores. 

 

After several weeks of traveling, they trip ended at the gates of Tar Valon.  Elody was dumbstruck at the sheer size of the place.  Nothing she had ever seen could compare to this.  Adina cleared her throat and told her that this is where they would be parting company.  She was sure to see her occasionally while in the Tower, but for now they both had things to accomplish.

 

Just coming down the wide white steps was a young woman in a white dress with a banded hem.  Upon seeing Adina, the girl curtsied and greeted the Aes Sedai.  Adina requested that she escort Elody to the Mistress of Novices office, to be entered into the book.  Giving the Elody a quick hug, Adina turned and went up the steps, disappearing into the Tower.

 

The Accepted did not bother introducing herself, she just casually looked her over before heading back up the steps.  Looking back, she saw Elody just standing there and stopped, stamping her foot, a slightly perturbed look on her face.  When Elody started walking towards her, she turned and started up the stairs again.  Elody barely managed to keep up, and was sure she would constantly be getting lost in this huge place.  She was trying to remember the different corridors they were traveling down, but they all looked the same to her eye.  All of a sudden, the Accepted stopped in front of a door, and spoke to her.  She instructed Elody to knock on the door, and then to wait.  Feeling her task had been accomplished, she turned on her heel, going back the way they had just come. 

 

Turning to face the door, Elody took a deep breath, and rapped on the door.  Leaning in slightly she listened for any noises coming from inside the room.  Fearing she hadn’t knocked loud enough, she raised her arm and knocked again, this time a little bit harder.

 

[Lavinya]

Pia Tovisen comforted the whippet of a novice seated in front of her as best she could. Her position as overseer of the White Tower initiates meant she often handed out correction and punishments, yet there were times when she also offered a shoulder to cry on, for those in need. It was disconcerting at times, Pia herself had never been one prone to tears or 'female' outbursts of emotion, yet to some of these girls, she was the closest thing they now had to a mother.

 

Offering the sniffling girl a handkerchief from her pocket, Pia patted the girl's back lightly, from where she was kneeling in front of her, silver skirts swishing softly as she moved. "There now child, dry your tears." She said softly, soothingly. The girl nodded, dabbing at her moist cheeks. She had been in the office now for some time, crying with homesickness, though now at least it seemed she was feeling better, her sobs subsiding. Pia could hardly recall the words she had spoken to soothe her, but they seemed to work as the girl mustered a shaky smile.

 

"Thankyou, Aes Sedai." The girl managed as Pia stood, awarding her with a smile as a tingling sensation passed over her, a sure sign that one of her wards had been set off. As if on cue a knock sounded on the door. "Off with you now girl." Said Pia gently, leading her to the door. Opening it, the novice dropped a curtsey and scurried past, leaving a bewildered looking girl in her wake. Not clothed as an initiate, the newcomer had the appearance of an outsider, a petitioner perhaps.

 

The girl merely gaped at the impressive Aes Sedai, her mouth slightly agape before she closed it with a click. Pia smiled, and it softened her severe features, giving her a more motherly appearance. "Please, come in." She invited, allowing the girl to enter first, closing the door behind her with what must seem an ominous click. Motioning to a straight backed chair in front of the heavy wooden desk, Pia took her own seat behind it. "My name is Pia Tovisen, and I am the mistress of novices. How can I help you today child?"

 

~Pia Tovisen, MoN

[craftyreader]

After straightening her skirts for the millionth time, Elody looked up to see the door opening and saw a girl in white rush out of the office.  Her face was tear stained and she looked miserable.  Inwardly she groaned wondering what exactly she had gotten herself into, and if it was too late to back out.  What sort of place was this that had girls crying?  Out of everything Adina Sedai had told her about the White Tower, she left this out.

 

Looking at the woman standing in the door, Elody realized she had said something...by the way she was standing, it was probably telling her to go into the office.  Stepping over the thresh hold, she looked all around the office.  It seemed to be well appointed, and she was sure her Aunt would approve of all the tasteful decorations.  In front of a large desk, Elody noted a rather rickety and uncomfortable looking chair. The door's click made her jump slightly, but also brought her attention back to the woman she was here to meet.  Adina had said that all girls coming here had to go through this part, and that all would be well.

 

"My name is Pia Tovisen, and I am the mistress of novices. How can I help you today child?" heard Elody.  Taking a deep breath to relax herself, Elody curtsied the way she had been shown before speaking.  "Ma'am, my name is Elody Yates, and I was brought here by Adina....Adina Sedai.  She told me that I could learn to channel here?"  Relieved she got her introduction out, she sat quickly , folding her hands in her lap.

 

 

(ooc: sorry its taken me forever to respond)

[Lavinya]

So the girl had already been tested. This meant she had to know, somewhere deep down inside of herself that she would be accepted within the White Tower. That she would learn to channel, to the best of her abilities. Still the girl shifted in her seat, as if she couldn’t quite believe that she would be asked to stay. Pia decided to relieve her from the tension that was building. She opened the book of Novices which was still in front of her. “So you’ve been tested already. How fortunate.” She picked up her pen, and prepared to write. “Let’s see about making your stay here a bit more permanent then, shall we?”

 

She didn’t have to look at the young woman to see that there was a change in the tension that had kept her in it’s thrall. “Can you tell me your full name again?” As the girl replied, she wrote it down in the book. Another life sealed to the Tower, for better and for worse. “And your place of birth and raising?” again she wrote, making Elody‘s stay more certain with every letter, every curved or straight line. “And finally your age.” She finished with a dot behind the age, which felt as heavy and important as any signature from any high lord or lady. “Welcome to the White Tower.”

 

 

Pia Tovisen, MoN

[craftyreader]

Elody felt as if she was sitting in front of her Aunt for the first time again.  She was being sized up, measured, her future potential being weighed.  It was a small comfort that it was to her benefit instead of her Aunt's.  The moment soon passed and the Mistress of Novices opened a large, finely bound book.  Listening to the Aes Sedai, she nodded her head when it was mentioned that she had been tested already.  If by tested she means I stared at a little blue pebble for a few minutes while nothing really happened.

 

As she picked up the pen, Elody was asked to repeat her name, place of birth and age."My name is Elody Yates, I am from Mayene, and I am 19 years old."  She watched as the pen slid across the page, firmly establishing her on the path her life was to take from today forward.  At last she could relax.  The fear that she would be laughed out of this place was gone.  True, she was further away from home than she had ever been, and would not be back for awhile, but this was a new start.  For Elody the hardest part of today seemed like it was over.  Her name was in the book, and she had officially been welcomed into the White Tower.  She had not disbelieved Adina Sedai, but had not become fully vested in this new possible future.

 

As Pia Sedai welcomed her to the Tower, her face broke out into a huge smile, her first true one in ages.  "Thank you, Pia Sedai." 

[Amadine]

*bump*