Into the World... ((Attn: Kael))

[TaeaDawn]

There were few things in life that daunted Aramina sur Dulciena these days. In face, she was rather excited to get up every morning and kept her days as busy as possible, often falling to sleep at her desk late in the night. She was a Sister of the Green Ajah now. Truely a Sister, with a right to the Green shawl that Sirayn had given to her herself.

 

More than that, after all her work to gain the shawl, Sirayn had seen something in her after all, something worth holding onto and perhaps even teaching. It had been more than Aramina could have dreamed of. She wouldn't go so far as to say she was in Sirayn's good graces, but they understood each other, she felt.

 

She was no longer a Recruit among the Green Sisters and she knew some of them were watching her, waiting to see when she would leave the White Tower on her own. It wouldn't be long now, Aramina knew. She had planned everything out and was simply making sure she had enough information to make her way out into the World.

 

Her days were holding pretty routine so far and today was no different as she made her way down to the Warder's Yard to work her sword forms. She had been trained by Orion and at this point they agreed she had reached the peak of her abilities until she was able to find more time to dedicate to the sword. Aramina had other things to

spend her time on, like learning about the different customs and traditions of places outside Tar Valon and Cairhien. her weapon training was important to her safety, but it wasn't her only weapon and in the world knowledge would defend her as truely as her sword.

 

She took her time this morning, stretching slightly and then going for a jog arond the training area. It helped build stamina and strength and gave her clarity of mind in the mornings. She found that her thoughts were more organized and better contained when her body was worked as well as her mind.

 

After her run, she settled into her forms and began working them, careful to remember her training and to complete the forms without break or shortcut. She was half way through when she saw someone else working forms close by. She stopped part way through and began watching him. She did it from time to time, watching how someone else moved to try to learn from them. It was always interesting to see what people did differently.

 

She didn't realize she had been staring until he stopped him forms and looked back at her. She blinked for a second then apologized. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. I was just trying to learn from the way you were doing the forms." She said with a polite smile.

 

((OOC: Special thanks to Kael for stepping in to help me with a little retro Rping to develop Aramina's early days a bit better :P You rock hon!))

 

[Kael]

Balance. Motion. Peace. Michael Courcel flowed through his well practiced forms flowing together like water, as fluid as a river flowing down the mountains or through a field. His movements came from years of following the Path that beared the name of what his forms looked like. Water

 

He went through his forms with a smile on his face as he did in every other part of his life. The spring made the day seem brighter, the beautiful wonderful day seem all the better. Michael thought about his family as he worked through the forms as he almost always did. His three sisters and their husbands, his nieces and nephews as well as his parents living in their home down by the docks.

 

He kept his eyes on his surroundings as he worked, the sword forms almost a secondary activity next to him watching his surroundings. Unlike many of the people in the Yards he did not lose himself with the sword, merely he worked to keep his skill up and not let down his station as a gaurd and instead would lose himself in more social outgoings. He thrived with social contact, and there were few people in the Gaurd he did not know by name and even less he didn't get along with.

 

That was how how he noticed the woman watching him, a lathe like his held in her hands as she watched him. He racked his mind trying to put a name to the face as he began slowing his forms, what small concentration he had put into the blade being shifted and distracted. It was a little unnering, being watched like that. Michael wasn't used to it for he wasn't close to being the best with a sword around the Yards.

 

He finally came to a halt and lowered the lathe until its tip touched the ground. He cocked his head to the side and waited. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. I was just trying to learn from the way you were doing the forms."

 

Michael returned her polite smile with a bright one of his own. "You did not distrub me, don't worry. And I will not begrude you your learning. Perhaps I can help you though, you can show me what you know and I show you."

 

Michael raised his lathe and switched ii to his left had taking a few steps closer to this mystery student. His memory began to click when he got a closer look at her. "You are Orion's student are you not, or were at least. The Sedai?" Michael moved back a step and sketched a bow with a bit of a flourish. "Michael Courcel at your service mi'lady!" He looked back up at her with a large smile, straightening himself back up.

 

 

Michael Courcel

TPC TG

[TaeaDawn]

"You are Orion's student are you not, or were at least. The Sedai? Michael Courcel at your service mi'lady!"

 

His manner was so relaxed and unformal even with his flourish and bowing that Aramina almost smiled in spite of herself. "Aramina Sedai." She said to him, allowing a small polite smile to cross her lips. It was a strange feeling to her, having been cooped up in the Tower for so long with little interaction from the outside. To find someone who seemed comfortable with Aes Sedai and not at all intimidated by them was a relief. She had seen a number of things on people in the Yards and not all of them were solid acceptance.

 

"And you are correct sir. I did indeed train with Orion. He was a good teacher, but I think there are always different things to learn and different teachers for them. I would be honored if you would allow me to learn from you." She said, keeping her words light. "If I am not interrupting you of course."

 

[Kael]

"If I am not interrupting you of course."

 

Michael shook his head and took a few steps back raising his lathe. He had found his goal with this Aramina though. Her smiles were all politeness, only there because they were expected. He was determined to try and make her smile genuinly at least once, a laugh Light forbid even.

 

"I am sure that Orion was a wonderful teacher but..." Michael straightened up trying to match the shieneran's height and the stony look on his face. "He can be an imposing figure and I wouldn't be suprised if he sleeps with those swords of his." Michael grinned and flased a smile.

 

He settled into Lion on the Hill and flowed through the first of the basic forms. "Though I will say he is a better swordsman than I even without his sight. Remarkable that. But there are things to be learned from someone wanting to only use one sword when their teacher used two." Michael continued speaking as he moved through the forms slowly, letting Aramina watch and learn,

 

 

Michael

[TaeaDawn]

Aramina almost laughed at his jest about Orion. Though she respected him and the dedication that saw him through his blindness and made him able to weild the sword again, he was extremely stoic. Not all that far from herself really, she thought as she controlled her face. Still, after her time with Alric she had grown a little more relaxed. And something in this man, in his relaxed manner and easy smile, reminded her of Nat.

 

It was almost enough to make her go, but she wanted to learn and besides, she had craved that friendship for so long now, she wasn't sure she could walk away from a man that made her feel as comfortable so quickly.

 

She was saved from disgracing herself by laughing aloud when he started working the forms again, his moves deliberatly slow so she could study and learn from him. It was an incredibly generous thing to do, giving up his time like this and Aramina wasn't sure she knew how to express her gratitude for that. The Tower trained you for many things, but expressions of gratitude were seldom one of them.

 

When he finally stopped he motioned her to start. Conscious of his eyes on her, Aramina worked the forms as deliberately and as slowly as he had, waiting for instruction and correction.

 

[Kael]

Michael watched, his smile never leaving his face. It was a rare moment that it actually left his face. Her forms were perfect for her skill level, Orion had taught her well and she had been an apt student. She didn't flow as well as a student of the Path of Water but she hadn't been trained by one.

 

And through it all she didn't smile, looking as stoic as the one who had taught her. He smiled as an idea came to him. She wanted him to teach her...well perhaps the lesson this Aes Sedai needed was not one with a sword.

 

She finished and he nodded to her. "That is good I only saw one thing that I would change. You'll do anything I would ask to make yourself better right?" He waited trying his best to hide his intentions in his words. Aes Seday were known to be able to pick up on these things.

 

He waited until she nodded and then smiled, taking a step closer. He lifted a hand next to her face, refraining from touching her for fear that she may react negatively towards that. "Smile." Michael grinned as he took a half step back. "It won't do to be this serious and with only these polite little smiles. And you may be an Aes Seday but I'm not letting you go until you smile."

 

 

Michael

[TaeaDawn]

His hand reached out and almost touched her. She wasn't sure if it wa anxiety that he might or fear that he wouldn't that clenched her stomach, but she kept her face clean of emotion.

 

His question was a bit odd, but she nodded, uncertain she wanted to speak the words that would keep her from making it a lie. His following words left her speechless and gaping slightly. Smile? She might be young for an Aes Sedai, in fact she had barely managed to get into the Green Shawl, but she doubted anyone said that sort of thing to an older Aes Sedai.

 

"You're not going to let me go are you?" Aramina asked, her eyebrows raised slightly. "That's a brave thing to say considering I could just wrap you up and leave you sitting on your heels." Light, but a part of her wanted to smile at the impertinence though.

 

[Kael]

This was going to be harder then Michael thought to himself. She was either toying with him or just really didn't like to smile. But he was determined and if she really didn't want to, well she would have to follow through with her threat. She looked beautiful as is and a smile would only make it better as well as take out some of this stoicism.

 

"You could and unless you smile I don't think I'll let you go unless you do." Michael shrugged with his wicked grin, knowing he was asking for trouble messing with an Aes Sedai.

 

"Is it so very hard to smile milady? You would look wonderful if you did and it would help brighten your day." Michael raied an eyebrow and spread his hands out wide. He didn't seem to me making any headway. "I don't need to beg do I?" Michael let out an exagerated sigh and put on a pained expression, sinking to his knees.

 

"Please milady, just a simple smile for my time." He struggled to keep a straight face as he looked up at Aramina, trying to look his best like a begger looking for spare coin from a noblewoman.

 

 

Michael

[TaeaDawn]

There was nothing she could do really. It was wrap the man in air or give him what he wanted. He made the choice for her really. She wasn't near so good as she hoped to be someday, and as he sank to his knees, keeping a smile from his own face, she couldn't help herself.

 

With a shake of her head she let out a small laugh. Nothing big, but it was more than any of her so called friends had heard from her in the past years. "Please, don't make a fool of yourself like that." She said with a true smile, though a small one. "I don't know that my smile is worth all that."

 

[Kael]

Michael's face lit up with a smile as he managed to draw both a smile and a laugh, albiet a small one, from Aramina. He was right though, a simple smile lit up her features. He rose from his knees with his smile.

 

"Ah but milady it was. For that smile I would go to the end of the world and back." Michael made a grand gesture to the rest of the yards, making a half turn. "And make a fool to who? Those who seek to ridicule me, that is there choice, but they are only jealous that they do not have the courage to do so themselves. To produce a smile my reputation can take any hit."

 

Michael turned back to Aramina lifting a hand and this time brushing his thumb lightly across her cheek. "And for you who seems to not smile enough, I will stand it with a smile. Life is to short to for us to be so serious. Living without a smile and a friend next to you isn't living at all."

 

 

Michael

[TaeaDawn]

His touch was unexpected and while she had grown used to Alric and his friendly manner, he had always refrained from casual touch. A shiver ran down her spine and the sensation and she took an involuntary step back, unprepared for the reaction in herself. Light, she wished she could stop this, this need to be close to someone and yet the fear that griped her when she tried! She swallowed against the lump in her throat. She hoped he hadn't recognized her reaction, hoped without much faith that he had missed her light step backwards and wouldn't think it odd of her. And wouldn't stop.

 

She tried to redeem herself with words. They were her chosen weapon and one that she hoped she could be sure of at the moment. "But a Sister rarely had time for friends, and by nature I am a serious creature. Do you have a remedy for those things?" She asked, this time giving him a warm smile to make up for her reaction.

 

[Kael]

Michael recoiled his hand a few inches so it wasn't touching her cheek. His smile wavered but remained as confusion raced through him. Had he crossed a boundry in his touch shown by her small step backwards. He slowly took his hand back slowly, still confused.

 

"But a Sister rarely had time for friends, and by nature I am a serious creature. Do you have a remedy for those things?" Michael was still more confused at her first reaction but couldn't help brighten his smile at hers, this time warm and genuine in contrast to the many polite ones she had given before.

 

And idea came to mind and Michael's smile was no longer from just the smile on Aramina's face. "Ah milady I can think of one, but I am afraid I will keep it a secret." Michael tapped the side of his nose, his confusion from a moment ago had faded as the hope that Aramina would agree to what he was going to ask next made him rather excited. "But if you are willing to find a free night I will happily show you."

 

 

Michael

[TaeaDawn]

Aramina saw the signs. She had screwed this up horribly. A man who seemed to be truely interested in friendship and she had made an error simply by being unable to be touched. How had she become like this? And why was she so confused? Light, but she was torn between wanting to run away from him and the reminders of a friendship dead, and the need to feel it again.

 

She understood the need to run, the need to protect herself against the pain that came with friendship. Natalie's death was still too recent though it had happened early in her days as an Accepted, for her to be able to recover completely. Natalie had been her only friend when she reached the White Tower, her only friend in her whole life if she wanted to be perfectly honest. And now her death had defined Aramina almost as much as her friendship had. This she understood.

 

What she couldn't grasp was why she felt this need for friendship so soon after her loss. Hadn't she learned something from Natalie? The price of friendship was too high, the pain was too great. How could she stand here in front of this man and even think about meeting him at another time? Even with those thoughts in her head, she wished for that touch again, for the casual nature of someone who understood you, who knew you through all the facades you threw up and helped you tear down the ones you no longer needed. She missed the simple human contact that she had denied herself as a child. Having learned what it was she had missed with Natalie, Aramina wasn't sure she could turn back forever to a life without it.

 

And so she found the words out of her mouth without thought and with certain doubt as she said them. All with the same warm smile on her face as she took a chance and touched him lightly on the arm to make up for her earlier movements away. "That sounds rather interesting. I suppose I must clear a night for you then, so you can show me this secret of yours."

 

[Kael]

Michael gave a triumpahant smile and a laugh that of pure excitement. He would make this good, perhaps pull this stoic Aes Sedai out of her shell and see the gem that he could see underneath. He had scratched the surface with her today and was already happy that he had taken the trouble to do so.

 

"Now milady you have truly chosen right and I am glad that you have. Even if you may find it difficult you will enjoy yourself in the end I have no doubt." He stepped back farther and lifted the lathe, an idea to see if he could produce another smile coming to mind.

 

"But we are a serois bunch right." Michael put on a serious look, though he overexagerated enough to try and make it comical. "And you wished for help with a lathe and the serious teacher that I am would require some serious working in a rather serious situation in these serious yards. So do you fancy a serious spar milady?" Michael wasn't expecting for Aramina to accept, but then this was for a smile perhaps and not the actual spar.

 

 

Michael

[TaeaDawn]

A smile pulled at the corners of her lips again as he started spouting on with every other word being serious.

 

"Light, but I doubt you know what that word really means." Aramina said, giving her smile a little more warmth. "Though I imagine if I were to accept i'd be sorry for it in a few moments, serious or not. I think your challenge will have to wait until you've helped train me up a bit more."

 

[Kael]

Orion threw a leg over over Taishar's saddle and hopped onto the ground. He turned and began caring for his horse, his hands moving in a memorized pattern over the horses flanks, easing his bridle and eventually the saddle of of him. There wasn't any reason to keep him equipped when they were in friendly territory and if they were attacked Orion would be useless on horseback.

 

He threw the pack that was connected to Taishar's saddle onto the ground, kneeling next to where teh sound of the impact had come he began feeling through the pack for what he needed, pulling out a bedroll and some of the dried food he had brought with them.

 

"You'll take first watch tonight," Orion held out some of the food he had brought having brought some for each of them. "After a few hours wake me and you can get some sleep for yourself."

 

Orion