Ranine's Arrival (Attention MoN & Cema)

[Oregon]

Except for the lingering fatigue from the Healing, Ranine felt as good as she had in days. Stifling a yawn, she had to admit she was tired, but she didn’t intend to admit it to the snotty young woman in the banded dress. The Aes Sedai had called her something –Accepted perhaps? – and Ranine idly wondered if she would someday be similarly garbed.

 

Not for the first time, she wondered if it would kill the Banded-Dress Woman to smile a little. It wasn’t her fault that the Aes Sedai had decided Ranine needed an escort to the Mistress of Novices! This place was very large, after all, and very confusing.

 

Everything was happening too fast and, frankly, she was a little bit scared. Ranine had known no more of Aes Sedai than she had heard in gleemen’s tales, and those mostly over the past year (her father did not approve of such things as gleemen), until her arrival in Tar Valon a week ago.

 

She had taken ill almost immediately upon setting foot in the legendary city, and had spent more than one night huddled in the alleys behind inns or stables and anywhere else she could keep out of the rain. Her cold had steadily worsened, slowly at first, then dramatically over one feverish night.

 

When she awoke the next morning, it was in what appeared to be an infirmary – she would later learn that it was in the White Tower. Sun streamed through a window; it appeared the storm had broken in the night and, with it, her fever. She was exhausted and hungry, but otherwise quite well.

 

After a thing she understood even less than the Healing – a testing of some kind involving a small stone which seemed to glow faintly, just for a heartbeat – the presiding Sister informed her that it was possible for her – Ranine! – to learn to channel the One Power. Shock passed quickly into the realm of skepticism, but she suspected that Sister must know what she was about – they didn’t hand out those shawls like candy, after all.

Ranine was tired, and hungry, and not eager to go back to a life of drifting from town to town earning enough to subsist on when she could – and stealing what she needed when she could not.

 

Plus, she was forced to admit that – of late – even when she could’ve earned her way, the taking just seemed much – well – easier. With a sniff, she admitted that the life of a petty criminal appealed to neither her senses of glamour or pride. The life of an Aes Sedai on the other hand…even if she knew next to nothing else about Aes Sedai, Ranine knew that they had both power and importance in spades.

 

Forcing her thoughts back to her immediate surroundings, Ranine was bewildered that the White Tower could be so big as it appeared. She had spent time in many towns and villages south of the Borderlands – some quite large, she had thought – but nothing had prepared her for the sheer scale of the White Tower and, indeed, Tar Valon itself. They had been walking for ten minutes and still the building went on as if it had no ending!

 

People moved purposefully through the halls of the Tower: petitioners seeking an audience with the Amrylin Seat, girls bustling around in white dresses, young woman (and some not so young) wearing the mostly-white-but-banded dresses of the Accepted, and austere women who could be none but the Aes Sedai themselves.

When the Accepted finally stopped, Ranine was deep enough in thought that she nearly ran straight into the other woman.

 

“We’re here. You may go inside now.â€

 

With nary a goodbye, a good luck, or even a sneer, the nasty woman left Ranine standing alone in the hallways of the Tower.

 

The Mistress of Novices. Ranine turned the title around in her mouth. She couldn’t imagine why you would voluntarily ascend to a position that entailed working with clueless girls who came in from the street unless you were a sadist. So it was with a sense of trepidation that she knocked soundly on the heavy door.

 

“Come in!â€

 

Ranine blinked. She wasn’t sure what she had expected the Mistress of Novices to say, but it was reassuring – in a way – to know that even Aes Sedai still spoke like regular people on occasion.

 

Even though her heart was pitter-pattering so quickly that hurt her chest, Ranine did her best to affect a calm façade. They said imitation was the surest form of flattery; Ranine hoped they were right. She resolved to speak to the Mistress only when she could be sure that her voice would not break, even if it meant taking a couple extra seconds to find her composure.

 

With a deep breath she stepped through the door and into a different world.

[Guest Estel]

Faerzyne massaged her temple in a vain attempt to ease the sudden headache that had inconveniently decided to invade her skull. With a pained sigh she turned her aching mind back to reports of Novices’ misdeeds and shortcomings. She hadn’t gotten more than five minutes work done before a knock at the door distracted her. Wincing, she called for them to come in. That was the thing about this job, she could never get much work done before she was interrupted. Fool Novices always managed to get in trouble just as she was starting to get something done.

 

An Accepted led a frightened young girl into her office. The girl was trying to put a good face on it but her eyes gave away everything. Faerzyne smiled warmly, trying to comfort her. “Hello, I am the Mistress of Novices. I suppose you’ve come to become a Novice? What is your name child.â€

[Oregon]

Within seconds of entering the Mistress of Novice’s chambers Ranine decided that its occupant was probably the most impressive woman – nay, most impressive person – she’d ever met. Not without a trace of irony, she noted to herself that the previous owner of that distinction – the Yellow Sister who’d Healed and tested her – had held the title for lest than twelve hours. Idly, she wondered if this was a trend that was likely to continue as long as she remained at the White Tower.

 

Ranine blinked, momentarily astonished at her mind’s capacity to wander - especially given its current circumstances. The Aes Sedai was speaking to her.

 

“Hello, I am the Mistress of Novices. I suppose you’ve come to become a Novice? What is your name child.â€

 

Remembering her promise not to speak until she was ready, Ranine swallowed in a – mostly vain – attempt to coax some moisture back onto her tongue.

 

“Yes, Faerzyne Sedai. If it please you, I do.â€

 

There. It wasn’t so hard to speak to the Sisters of the Tower as some stories she’d heard had purported. Even so, she was dimly aware that her words had entered the world with no more eloquence than the barely audible – and perhaps incomprehensible – squawkings of a sickly hatchling.

 

A moment’s silence filled the room – a room which Ranine reluctantly acknowledged that she’d best familiarize herself with now, given her propensity for getting into trouble. It wasn’t that she was a born troublemaker, it was just that on the occasions she did break the rule, her reach always exceeded her grasp – like the time that she’d tried to make off with a horse that had turned out to belong to the retainer of a Cairhienen lord. The number of shirts she’d had to scrub to settle that score still made her knuckles raw just to think about. If she could just content herself with what was attainable, she’d much better off.

 

Suddenly aware of the scowl on her face, and the fact that she had missed everything the Mistress of Novices had just said, Ranine felt her face go hot. The tight smile occupying Faerzyne Sedai’s face gave lie to the hope that Ranine could bluff her way through her lapse in attention.

 

“Do you weary of Aes Sedai teachings already, child? If so, I fear your stay at the tower will be a short one.â€

 

“A thousand pardons, Aes Sedai.â€

 

Ranine was shocked at the level of snottiness her voice managed to give to what had been a good intentioned apology. Give her a shovel, Ranine rued, and she’d probably dig her own grave. Chastising her tongue’s cruel betrayal, she stammered out a few more – hopefully meek – words and wished with all her heart that the ceiling would just crash down and put her out of her misery.

 

“I…I do not know where my mind went. Please forgive me.â€

[Guest Estel]

Faerzyne’s face darkened and her bells jingled as she gave her braids an angry toss. This would certainly not be their last meeting. “May I suggest you do not create a habit of mouthing off to Aes Sedai, child. Few are as lenient as I.†Dry as her voice was, it still managed to hold an icy edge which seemed to work quite well with impressing upon Novices the grievousness of their acts.

 

“As well, few Aes Sedai enjoy having to repeat their questions. Now, for the second time, what is your name?†Finally, having acquired that tiny bit of information, Faerzyne motioned for the girl to sit in the chair on the opposite side of the desk. Her irritation slowly disappeared. It was not in her nature to stay angry with frightened Novices whose lives were about to change. Or at least, possible Novices. "Have you been tested yet?"

 

Ranine indicated she had. "Alright, I need your full name and place of birth."

[Oregon]

A brief cloud passing over Faezyrne Sedai’s face, and a quick toss of her braid was the only outward sign of the Mistress of Novice’s irritation. Her voice betrayed the rest. At least, Ranine thought it did. She still wasn’t sure of Aes Sedai voice inflections.

“May I suggest you do not create a habit of mouthing off to Aes Sedai, child? Few are as lenient as I.â€

 

Keeping her face down, Ranine murmured a quick acquiescence. The Aes Sedai seemed willing to continue with the interview – almost as if nothing had happened, although Ranine refused to believe that the older woman had forgotten her insolence, unintentional though it may have been.

 

“…As well, few Aes Sedai enjoy having to repeat their questions. Now, for the second time, what is your name? ...I need your full name and place of birth."

 

“My name is Ranine Alsufai. I come from south of Shienar – in the free lands.â€

 

Ranine wanted to tell the Mistress more of her story, but staunched her enthusiasm. The woman had doubtless heard similar tales a thousand and one times. No sense in making it a thousand and two.

 

She swallowed her fears for what she hoped would be the last times and waited for this most impressive and serene woman to pronounce her judgment.

[Guest Estel]

The Grey repeated the procedure she had done so many times. Ranine gave her birthplace and name without hesitation so Faerzyne had no reason to doubt her story- there was the occasional Novice with a shady background, though they usually got caught up in their lies and the truth came out. However, what was grating on the Mistress of Novices’ nerves was that the girl would rarely answer all her questions. Was she trying to make herself an enemy of the woman- besides the girl’s mentor- who could make the next fifteen to twenty years of the girl’s life like living in the shadow of the greate Shayol Ghul itself?

 

“Again, I repeat.†she growled through clenched teeth. “I do not enjoy repeated myself, have you been tested?â€

 

When she finally managed to get that answer out of her, Faerzyne took a deep breath which only partly released her irritation. “Your mentor is Cemarillinin Sedai of the Green Ajah and for your own benefit I ask you treat her with your utmost respect...†she left the sentence hanging, letting Ranine deduce Faerzyne’s displeasure.

 

ooc: I'll PM Ata

[Liitha]

ooc got pm where bussy where ment to go back and post as soon as i setled something and then flew out of my mind so so sorry

 

Cema looked at the note she had just been handed by a novice who had had way to much hurry to get away in her mind, but it where of no essence now. She had a new mentee the other girl would have to wait for later but she noted behind her ear to check around or rather have some other do some checking later.

 

Puting the note down on her desk she looked briefly in a mirror and tugged away a loose strand of hair before leaving her rooms. So the tower had a new intiate now, time would show if it where a girl who could come through their ranks or one of those who failed, though she had yet to have a mintee who failed.

 

She walked through the hallways in her own thougths, untill she could descend the stairs to the Mistress of Novices office where she knocked once on the door. As she heard the reply to enter she opened the door and looked at Faerzyne, the woman had become an intiate not long after Cema had been raised to the shawl, but by all reports the now gray sister where doing well.

 

Cema's eyes shifted to the girl siting in a chair infront of the desk of Faerzyne, her eyes measuring her. "Good day Faerzyne, I am guessing this is the girl" it wasnt as much a question as stating a fact. She wherent sure what but something seemed to have gone down in the room, cause as she entered there had been a sligth displeasure to be traised in the face of Faerzyne. Well time would show what the new novice where made of.

 

"If you are done with her, then I'll take her off your hands." Cemarillinin nodded to the other sister and motioned for the girl to follow.

 

"So tell me child, what is your name and where are you from?" she walked towards the novice quarters, the girl had as was custom goten a new set of dresses handed out that she would need to lay away in her room, as well as change before Cemarillinin showed her around. The sooner she got into the white and used to her new station the bether.

[Oregon]

Sparing only one more glance over her shoulder for the Mistress of Novices – for now, call it a hunch, but she suspected that they’d meet again! – Ranine turned her full attention to the woman who, more than any other, would shape her development over the coming months.

 

“Cemarillinin Sedaiâ€

 

She turned the name over in her mouth. It was an awkward, foreign sounding, name to her uncultured tongue. One more thing to get used to, she supposed.

 

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.â€

 

Following her abysmal performance with Faerzyne Sedai – she’d squandered that woman’s good will nigh instantly – Ranine was determined to handle this introduction correctly.

 

“My name is Ranine Alsufai. I am from…south of Shienar, in the free lands. A small farm.â€

 

Not for the first time – or the last – she wished she would have had the presence of mind to give the Mistress of Novices a different story. She couldn’t bear anyone knowing where she was from. Or about her father. Living a lie wasn’t so hard. Sometimes it was easier than living the truth.

 

Ranine started. Blood and ashes! Again her mind had wandered. What had Cemarillinin Sedai said? She knew her face was as red as a rose, and she could only hope that the Aes Sedai’s temper was less thorny.

 

Mercifully, upon being asked to repeat herself the only sign Cema Sedai gave of any displeasure she might be feeling was a momentary downturn of the corners of her lips. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she pay attention? She knew she was about to start crying. This was all too much. Too fast. Why had she let the accursed woman Test her at all?

 

It was all she could do to hold back tears. Her breath came in . What was wrong with her? This was a good life.

 

The Aes Sedai questioned her as they walked, and Ranine answered only by rote.

 

“Yes, Aes Sedai.†“A very small farm, Aes Sedai.†“Very poor soil, Aes Sedai.†“About a year ago, Aes Sedai.â€

 

Breathing in, she tried to regain her composure. Again and again, but her breath came only in rasping starts.

 

The Sister was asking if anything was wrong, Ranine tried to answer but the words failed to come out. Now she was blubbering. Tears streaming down her face, as if she’d never cried before.

 

What a scene she was making, the rational side of her brain chastised. Wasn’t she embarrassed, it asked. Just moments before, mouthing off to the Mistress of Novices, and now she couldn’t even answer a simple question about where she’d lived without sobbing. What a shame, it sneered.

 

She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, but she brushed it aside and ran – blinded by her own tears - away from the hand and away from anything.

 

ooc: yikes...sorry about taking forever to reply. i'm a slow poke sometimes.

[Liitha]

Cemarillin continued the march tuking away the facts she where told by the girl to the back of her mind, she would check it later.

Then something struck her as wrong and she turned her head and she asked if the girl was ok. She saw the girl having some sort of panick attack or something breathing hard and tears streaming down her cheeks.

 

Cema put her had on the girls shoulder and where about to sugest they went to the yellows if she felt ill. Her hand where brushed off and then the girl ran. Cema seased the source on will and by rutine, the air waves where quickly woven and flew from her hand entraping the girl midstep halfway down the corridor.

 

Slowly and resoluted she walked down and infront of the girl now traped in airtreads. "You will not do that again." she looked at the girl as she stated as much. "You are now an intiate of the tower, if something is wrong you may seek my advice as I am your mentor but i expect you to behave as is expected of all intiates. Now if something is wrong we can go down to the yellows or if it lays in here.." she put two fingers to the girls forehead, "we can continue up to my quarters and talk. If nothing is wrong we will continue to your rooms so you can change and put away your things, then I will show you around the tower, it is your choise."

 

Cemarillinin removed her fingers and waited, she would not let the girl down untill she had showed herself calm again, she had once herself been in the tower unwillingly. The thing was the tower didnt easily fail or give up, and their numbers where ever dwindeling they needed every girl with the strength to pass the tests, including those who needed to be thougth where to find that strength.

[Oregon]

Hanging in midair, regaining her composure, Ranine had time to collect her thoughts:

 

First, running from Aes Sedai is probably one of the ten most fruitless things that you can attempt; as well try to run from an earthquake. Second, she would've expected to be more upset by hanging in midair. Third, she was no longer crying. This last one surprised her a bit (although not half so much as the fact that she'd been crying in the first place).

 

She tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, only to be reminded that she couldn't move her arm. Her breathing was slowing, and the sobs were almost gone. She knew she must look the fool, but she smiled weakly at Cemarillinin Sedai.

 

"I...I think I'll be okay. You can let me down, Aes Sedai. I won't try to run again."

 

She felt the bonds loosen, and deposit her gently back on her own two feet.

 

"I had a momentary...a moment of homesickness." The words slid out of her mouth easily enough that Ranine wasn't sure that they weren't mostly true, "I won't run again, Aes Sedai. I...the world's slowed down a bit here in the past few seconds. Thank you."

 

Somehow, it didn't feel absurd in the slightest to be thanking a woman for binding her in air. Still, she did feel very much the fool. Running around, bawling like a snot nosed child. That was the last time she was cry in the White Tower, Ranine promised herself. The last.

 

With her newly freed hands, she wiped her eyes clear of tears, and offered her Mentor a more genuine smile as they started again for the Novice quarters.

[Liitha]

"I...I think I'll be okay. You can let me down, Aes Sedai. I won't try to run again." Cema nodded and let the bonds disolve but didnt let go quite yet on saidar. "I had a momentary...a moment of homesickness." Cema nodded thougthfull, "I won't run again, Aes Sedai. I...the world's slowed down a bit here in the past few seconds. Thank you."

 

Cema waited outside while the girl where in her new room changing, first they would go get some food and take lunch out in one of the gardens. As the girl came out in white she smiled to her, "well child lets go pick up some food and we will start this guided tour with a picnik in one of the many gardens of the tower. You will be able to ask questions and then after i will show you around inside."

 

Cema walked towards the kitchen where she asked for bread, cheese, fruit and milk. Then heading out walking through many gardens till she came to a small one where there wherent peoples to often, she had discovered it as a novice looking for a place to study in peace. Since then she had made it a place to show to her mentees, instead of beds there where wild flowers and roses that dominated the garden who hadnt seen a gardners hand in long, she liked its unrulyness.

 

Siting down on the grass she unpacked the curv she had brougth out. "Eat child, and enjoy i am afraid you will find this to not be the normal menu." she smiled, herself she where happy to no longer be eating novice food but whatever suited her.