Before the Dawn

[Shalon Casbin]

Perhaps later in history these would become known as the last days of the Aiel that the world knew now. Perhaps in years to come, they would look back and call themselves fools, savages; or with a longing for a time of these days. Perhaps no one would look back, for eventually everyone woke from the Dream of this life, Sightblinder promised that. Perhaps had to be left to chance, for the world needed help now.

 

Wasn’t that always the case though? Plenty to do, but never enough hands or time to do it all, in the time one would find acceptable. And yet she tried; gai'shain beat rugs near her home within the Hold, cleaning them and beating out the caked dirt where dust an dirt had been stomped into them. She didn’t hear them though, they knew their duties for the day, and she thanked the Light they were here, or she’d be without clean clothes or home.

 

She made her way across the Hold, first down steps that led to ledges of doorways to homes and gardens; she walked down into the shade of the mountain facing the Hold had been built into the side of. On the ground in the Hold's shade, women wore regular clothes; balancing baskets on their heads with gai’shain meek as water working along side them, neither talking to the other. One did not recognize gai’shain from times before they wore white; it was a slap to the person attempting to pay their toh thus it left little chatting to be done between the two groups, although the normal women seemed to talk to one another happily. Men walked, some with weapons nodding to her with respect, others working wares, to busy to speaking with others to truly more that acknowledge a persons presence.

 

She smiled as some young children ran by, she stopped one little girl with braided pig-tails, to wipe her face clean on her own skirts. She liked the child, she was bright for her age and remembered things easily. Nephuria already had her eye on her. She let the children be on their way, kids were to be kids, it was the one thing she knew all agreed on. Children were precious, they ensured the future, plus life was hard enough without joining the spears too early.

 

A blacksmith could be heard melding medal to his will, when Nephuria realized she was almost center of the Hold. She looked around, wondering why she’d let herself go off course, and spotted Covine standing across the way. Many people separated them, but Nephuria knew it was her. She did not envy the woman her ji, in fact, it made her like her all the more. She alone had spent more time as an Apprentice than Nephuria, and although two such personalities could cause large storms; Nephuria had rarely found the woman anything but reasonable and fair.

 

She decided against stopping to chat, perhaps Covine was about private business and Nephuria wouldn’t been seen trying to pry. She turned, and realized she didn’t have a class to teach, or anyone who she would normally Heal if they had taken injury or advise in disputes; she’d seen to some of the ill that morning and delivered herbs to help them along recovery.

 

Well she wouldn’t be useless and she wasn't going to go brow beat a Clan Chief about his buisness just to find something to do. Perhaps she could help with the outer livings of the Hold, or at the least, scout the horizon. She lifted her skirts of algode and she ran easily, making the edge of the hold in minutes. She smiled to people she passed, so as to show there was no trouble, some maidens seemed to smile at her, none of them were old enough to remember when she ran with them, but they knew.

 

She reached the edge of the Hold’s scouting area, and carefully topped a small outcropping. To anyone on another side of the rock, it would appear she had landed there or perhaps grown from the surface. Surveying the land around, she paused. Had that been movement near those bushes? She did not fear attack, only Aiel hunted here, and Wise One’s were like children or Blacksmiths, they took no part in fighting. She did embrace saidar and thanked the Light for the increase to her sight. Usually things far away were fuzzy, but with the Power, everything seemed… vivid. And besides...it might be a lion.

 

Her voice was warm and rich, it held in it age but did not sound old. “I did not mean to give away your position, you may remain hidden if you wish; I will make it appear I am alone, and leave.” she spoke, but her lips hardly moved. No one twenty paces out would realize she was speaking. They might think her mumbling to herself though. Oh well, she thought I am old after all, I can mumble to myself if I want.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Amore

[amegakure]

Ooc: ok is namo spose to b in thee bush and is he able to hear her?

[amegakure]

Namo walked out of the hold with Mahiko on his shoulder squaking about all his wants. For a bird of prey he sure was a crybaby. No one spoke to Namo as he exited the hold their was a sparse nod here and there but many still regarded him as childish for his action against the boy moons back. He did not regret his actions in the least and did not offer any words in return. As he reached the outskirts of the hold he let Mahiko take flight for he was hungry and needed to hunt and he needed to find some new snakes. Namo saw Mahiko spiral down and heard the shriek of a rodent in terror. He went towards a bush and dug around to see if their were any signs of new snakes. Namo froze as he heard the voice drift over to bushes were he was located. He slowly turned his head in the direction of the voice and he could see he looking towards the bush were mihako was killing his rodent. He looked at her closely and saw it was a wise one but not one that he recognize. He slowly crept out of the bushes climbing up the rocks from behind her location. He observed the way she stood and poised herself and a strong and determined woman. he wondered what she could be doing out here on the edges of the hold

[Shalon Casbin]

((OOC: Next time, if you would love, just edit the post with the OOC statement in it :) ))

 

Nephuria's straight back was like the mountain, it never wavered. Saidar was within her grasp and yet, no half weave fell from her hand. She was quick and wasn't worried on being surprised, at least not my another channeler. One could feel things like that. What else had a Wise One to fear than Sightblinder and the 100 things of death within the Waste? Ji'e'toh was their people, they would no more break honor and obligation than dawn colorful clothes ad join the Traveling People.

 

Something about the bush emitted forth a chirp, like a terrified rodent. So perhaps it was a snake finding a meal. She needed to stop assuming things. Assumptions lead to being wrong eventually, and in life, wrong could get you killed. She nearly ran to the bush to inspect the situation, but the feel of being watched made her hesitate.

 

Through this she had remained still, looking ahead, sure of herself. She did not so much as bat an eye, as suddenly she spun on her heels. With the amount of Power within her, she could burn a spear to nothing before it touched her. After a moment, she noticed a man standing what had been behind her. Assumptions again...she did have to stop those. The world was as it was, not as she wanted or assumed it would be.

 

Her long almost white hair was down around her shoulders, shoufa wrapped loosely around her neck, revealing golden and ivory necklaces. The algode material of her dress did not wrinkle easily, and her running earlier hadn't tarnished it in the least, it was Wise One's garb. She did not smile, for it was not proper, it would imply too much from herself; instead she bowed her head, and greeted him.

 

"Be easy with your spears warrior, I am too old to dance them with you." She said it as a joke, aiel humor as it was it should be taken lightly. Normally the woman was joking, and smiled easily once you knew her, but recently...well the wind seemed to hold the taste of change on it. It had her thoughts turning more philosophical, less about the here and now. As a Wise One she fulfilled her duties well, and people seemed to like her, but what of the rest of the world? She didn't think long on it, things like that weren't honorable. To wish for something one didn't have, even if it be knowledge.

 

He appeared to have just scaled a rock face, and looked rather confused at seeing her. Well, she honestly hadn't thought he was behind her; so who was startling who?

 

"My name," she said, her voice carrying the distance without strain, "is Nephuria Sul'ron Raedin, Wise One of the Taardad Aiel, the Cold Rocks Hold Sept." now she eyed him over, thankful for the Power to her eyesight. "How may I call you?

Edited April 19, 2011 by Amore

[amegakure]

Namo laughed within the mask of emotions that he kept on his face. Nothing but surreal cool disinterest. He did reply to her joke by holding one of his spears but not in a way that meant he would attack. He looked her up and down and he did believe he had seen her around once or twice but this wasnt hard to belive since he didnt like to be around wise ones to often except for that one.

Namo crouched his feet resting on the heels of his toes and looked at the women and said my name is Namo Shanko. He made a hand questure and said. '' I see you"

 

 

ooc: sorry its really short but i had troubles thinking of something

Edited April 30, 2011 by amegakure

[Shalon Casbin]

"I see you, Namo Shanko. I would offer you water, but I have brought none with me." Reluctantly, she released the Power, and jumped from the rock, landing in a small balloon of clothing. She had mind enough to hold her algodeskirts in place so they did not block her vision. She walked to the small amount of shade offered by the rocky cropping, and sat on her heels, gesturing for him to join her should he wish it.

 

"Are you on watch out here, or simply hunting?" she asked, noting the return of a hunting bird. He was to become a warrior, dedicating his life to the spear. She knew something of him, but was not on a familial term with him. Grabbing a nearby small pebble, she tossed it into the crevice of rock near them. A low hiss emitted from the crack, and the Wise One laughed.

 

"Snake or lizard Namo Shanko? What say you?" It could be either, though the crevice was only perhaps a hand span wide. She took another small chip of rock, and tossed it easily once more, the creatures hiss grew angrier.

 

"I say lizard, the snake would have tried to sneak away by now; unless he can't. The lizard is too large you see, it knows it cannot sneak, but would also rather scare you away than fight. So, we have trapped a lizard or snake, either would be a good guess, yes?"

[amegakure]

Namo looked upon the wise one and consider what had transpired she seem quite humor which is a valuable trait among all aiel. He slowly crept over to the wise woman and he bent down in to a watchful crouch but was at ease with his surrondings.

 

"I was doing neither. Mahiko was hungry." He said to her after a moments pause, she was friendly enough he supposed, she didn't carry her self with arragance but with confidence and namo respected that. She new her place among the aiel and she was proud. so that's why he was never sent to her for his anger problems for she didn't think think she was so high and mighty.

 

Namo pulled down the sleeves on his garb and looked at the cave and paused for a moment he went up to the area. He looked around and studied the area and after a moment he said. "Lizard." He pulled of the gourd at his back and said. "Would u like to know for sure"

[Shalon Casbin]

Nephuria smiled at him. A handspan the hole might be, but some of the snakes grew large in the Waste. She always liked making things interesting anyway; if only for her own amusement. She shifted her skirts and moved so she could face the creature properly if Namo were to lose hold of it.

 

"I will say snake; and give you the pleasure of proving me wrong Namo Shanko" she said, laughing as she made a joke of telling him he had to get it out, not her.

 

The sun was warm, but she did not sweat. Soon she would have to return to the Hold, but even Wise One's were civilians sometimes. Time among your clan was important, life in the Waste depended upon it to survive. She didn't long to go to the meeting she had in the time after the sun reached its setting point. You do what you must, and the rest is but a gift.

 

She chuckled, waiting on him to retrieve the mysterious creature.

[amegakure]

Namo laughed when she spoke snake for she was wise but she did not know snakes and lizards as namo did. He eyed her and finished pulling off the gourd and twisted off the top and looked down. He relaxed his body and let his mind enter into a trance like state holding know emotions in his sent or muscles. Reaching down he let his hands swirl around the inside of the gourd until he found her one of his most prized possesions. Sierana his soul incarnate one of the most dangerous snakes in the waste and predator of all whom dwelled their.

He looked up at the rocky outcropping were mahiko perched and saw how the bird shuffled his feathers. Sierana upset him to know end cause it was the one kind of snake that mahiko would not dare prey on. Wrapping the snakes length body around his arm he paced around the area of the crack and let her know what she was out for. She lifted her streamlined head and hesitated at the opening before smoothly drifting into the crack she was gone in seconds and then a loud hiss came from within and Namo pickup the gourd and set it outside of the opening Sierana slipped into the gourd with the legs of a lizard sticking out of her mouth the top portion of her body huge with the body of the reptile.

Shutting the lid he looked up to the wise one and said with a slight smile on his lips. "may i occupany you back to the Hold?"

[Shalon Casbin]

She watched him send his pet in, and was proven wrong, though expected. She wondered why he had not simply used the spear to pull it from the hole...but snakes had to eat. She shrugged, standing back up and nodding to him.

 

"You were correct this time Namo Shanko. I would enjoy company on the walk back." She lifted her skirts so they could make a good pace. As they neared the hold more people could be seen at the distance, the entrance to the hold within eyesight. The lookouts would have spotted them some time ago.

 

"You are to be a warrior Namo Shanko. You would dance the Spears for our people; but why? There are many roles to be played in our society, it is not dishonorable to craft. Of all the things available to a young person such as yourself; what about the Dance speaks to you?"

 

She spoke as she walked easily beside him, but it was a private conversation, no one else close enough to hear.

[amegakure]

Namo went within himself as Nephuria spoke. His mind twirled as she asked why he should dance the spears with his brothers and sisters. His mind heaved with different thoughts as they tumbled across his mind. His eyes glazed and his breathing slowed as he ran along side her. The minutes passed and still he did not say a single word. Namo thought of the girl who had been his light and the mentor who had been his rock. He remembered the young wise one who also brought about such mixed emotions in Namo's heart. RIxan had done the same and had felt his sorrow she and the young ones were why he would dance the spears.

 

"I dance the spears to protect those who are my spirit. Those who will carry on the will of our people and for those who already have givin their lives. I will lead our people into a new light, our clan will prosper and I will bring peace to the waste as we wait for the Car' e' Carn to break the world..." Namo drifted into silence as he tended to do when his thoughts went out of control and the mask trembled. He looked up as they approached the entrance to the hold and surveyed the site that beheld him. The tents and structures that made up the hold. He look about as children ran and played and women and men watched in scorn or in adornment. This was why he would become clan chief, he would die to protect his people for he knew that he could not live if he failed.

 

Namo stood in a daze and silently whispered as much to himself as to Nephuria. "I will become clan chief, its my duty." It was a strong and self declared proclamation with Namo's dazed but vibrant with energy. He turned and looked evenly towards Nephuria and asked in a calm clear voice. " Will you teach me the ways of a Chieftan?"

[Shalon Casbin]

Nephuria's easy manner was unruffled as the man spoke about longing to be what he was not. Much toh was incurred by jealous thoughts; and he went as far as to name himself leading the Clan into the future. He truly had no clue about the way the Aiel were lead; they were not Wetlanders with Royalty, they were lead by a group of women who devoted their entire lives to maintaining peace and balance among the people, while Clan Chiefs decided when the spears would fight and how. Where the Chief was the law and enforcer, the Wise One's were his advisers and balance check. Even in the Clan Chiefs personal life was he balanced; men did not own property among the Aiel; women were the only ones, being Roofmistresses or the Hold's Roofmistress.

 

She slowed her walk, to allow herself to speak freely.

 

"Some would say you had toh for being so open about your wish to rise above your brothers; to me, you have no toh. But what you say makes me wonder if you are grasping your lessons of our people properly Namo Shanko. That is worrisome at this stage in your training. I will do my best to give you something of substance while remaining on topic of your question.

 

To fight for your spirit as you say; your loved ones and neighbors is worth ji, that is true. But to lead our people into peace in three-Fold Land? Have you not learned by now there will be no peace in this place? The Three-Fold land is as it is because we as a people deserve our fate."

 

She paused now, there walk all but halted as she looked at him, her easy going nature replaced by that of a woman who had seen more than a lifetime could allow.

 

"The Three-fold Land is a shaping stone to make us, a testing ground to prove our worth, and a punishment for our sins. Would you dishonor us all by bringing a 'peace' with all the other Holds and Septs? Make us weak while our Warriors forget what the Dance is like, and when the time comes to prove we have learned while here; what would we have to show for it?

 

You speak of leading our Clan into a new dawn, but the dawn you speak of seems like the end of us being as we are; and denying the reason which we remain in these lands for. If you ever hope to be selected to go to Rhuidean, it would seem you still have much to learn about the reason our lives are as they are. You grasp ji'e'toh to from what I see, but you do not apply it to the People as a whole."

 

She paused to see that he understood then continued speaking.

 

"The Car'a'carn...is at best the first among equals. He will be the Chief of Chiefs; 'He shall spill out the blood of those who call themselves Aiel as water on sand, and he shall break them as dried twigs, yet the remnant of a remnant shall he save, and they shall live.'

 

So you see, if we are to be broken, and have but a remnant of a remnant remain. There is only one way to ensure that remnant will be strong enough to do as they must; to make sure all of us can do as we must. It is in this way, we ensure the survival of at least some of us. Peace among the Aiel will never be, and when the Car'a'carn does come; it's to Dance against Sightblinder himself the Spears will head. Peace was not meant for us, not in this world: we can but pray we find honor in waking from this dream."

 

 

She was somber now, her thoughts back on the changes at hand; the world was shifting, even Tel'aran'rhiod was beginning to feel..well like it was preparing for something. Her voice held no malice to it, she was simply talking to him as one did to an equal.

 

"While I have a vote on who to send, the decision is not mine alone. Far from it, I am not even Head Wise One; but I will give you this for your request of 'lessons' on leading. To lead anyone, animal or person; one must first understand them undoubtedly, and only then can one truly understand how to better the needs and problems that plague them."

Edited May 15, 2011 by Amore

[amegakure]

Namo slowed down as Nephuria slowed and let her words sink in. He could sense the tired fatigue of one who had lived through years of trail and atonment. She spoke true for the waste was nothing but the toh that the people of the waste owed. He had spoke hastly when he had let his thoughts of becoming a chieftain become words. He could tell that the wise one thought this dishonorable but she owed no toh. To Namo this was not the truth for he owed Toh to many, many people. Thats why he could not quench his thoughts of coming a chieftain, he would serve the people of the waste.

 

Namo nodded as Nephuria said that the chieftains did not lead but were the generals of aiel and the enforcers of the law. They did lead to an extent in Namo's mind though, the people would look to the chief to provide for them and to protect them in a crisis. BUT she was right no chief could be with out those loyal to him and perhaps had a different perspective on different matters.

He look up to the sky and let his thoughts wonder on her words. She spoke of the warriors becoming weak with peace and he saw the wisdom in it. They as a people could not let themselves fall to sightblinder before the car' a' carn came and broke them. They must be strong so they could survive as a people and gain great Ji by spitting in Sight blinder's eye at the last battle.

 

He felt the atmosphere grow somber and he understood nephuria's words with respect to understanding a people as a whole if one wishes to lead. He thought maybe thats why he had such a relationship with the snakes in the waste and his dedication to a antidote. He smiled in retrospect when he remembered how foolish he had been thinking to fight with the poison of his snakes there was no ji in that only toh.

 

Thinking to lighten the mood Namo said. " Your words are full of wisdom wise one and i owe you for granting me your words of wisdom. For your quite right we the aiel would grow soft like wetlanders if we only killed sightblinders trollocs."

[Shalon Casbin]

Nephuria was satisfied to some extent that he seemed to be able to grasp very conceptual ideas, without needing it drawn in the sand for him. That would take one far in life, and he accepted her answer with a gracious thanks. He wasn't as hot headed as she had heard others say, he just felt things strongly. She knew well the difference of the two, for she also felt strongly, but over the years had learned one could feel strongly without being forceful.

 

"If my words held no Wisdom to them, I would have toh. I see it as my duty as a Wise One to help who and how I can. My methods are that people are individuals, you deal with it case by case. One can only do so by getting one on one time with others; such as we are doing now."

 

She smiled at his joke but replied with yet again something to think on.

 

"If we did not test one another, we'd never face challenge. The Dark One would pull back his Trollocs and allow us to defeat ourselves through lack of preparation; for that is the way of the Shadow. Then in a few years once we have grown soft, Sightblinder could move against us in force. With so much rust on our Spears, well....I wouldn't make a bet on who would win, and I wouldn't like the gamble."

 

They were walking into the Hold now, and Nephuria smiled, formally greeting two or three people specifically before moving on. She did not make to leave him now that they were back though, if he wished to talk she had time.

Edited May 15, 2011 by Amore

[amegakure]

ooc: i cant sleeeeeeep!!!

 

Namo soaked up every word that Nephuria spoke and he relized that the shadow would do just that. He felt his muscles clench as his thoughts turned toward the visions of trollocs killing his brothers and sisters, he would never let that happen. He looked at the few people who stood near the entrance to the hold as Nephuria greeted them and he did not know them which was not unusual. Most people did not talk to namo cause he could never find a common ground of interest and he also prefered to keep to himself.

 

Nephuria halted once inside the hold and she did not make a move to send him along on his way so he turned towards her and asked. "When would you like to proceed with the first lesson."

 

Shifting the gourd on his back so Mahiko could land on his shoulder, he stroked the bird as he waited for her answer and as usual his thoughts took over him mind and he drifted back to the 'incident' which seemed to be reacuring more and more often. He jolted to the present as he realized that Nephuria was speaking.

[Shalon Casbin]

Nephuria looked at him, as they walked among the populace of the Hold. She was aware of another Wise One channeling somewhere off to her left, but that was not unusual. A group of Maidens passed them; a hunting party on its way out. She looked at the man before her, and seemed to weigh her thoughts and assessment of him.

 

"Lessons on how to be a Chief are administered upon ones return from Rhuidean; there is too much one must know which one could not understand without first making the trip. You see, even explaining the situation is somewhat confusing, until it is being put into action."

 

She raised a hand to shield her face from the sun, her necklaces sparkled refracting the light which shone down. Her face was serious now; this conversation was about something that was as much a secret kept among the Wise One's and Chiefs as a General's battle plans were kept from his opponent.

 

"You dance to closely to topics of which you are not meant to deal with. When the time for a new Chief comes, rest easy knowing the Wise One's will do what is best for the people. Should you be granted with the Trip and return; I would continue this conversation, but as for the moment, I cannot."

 

She paused, letting it be made clear she would be pushed no farther on the subject of lessons in leading. However, she seemed to feel he needed some sort of guidance; some sort of reason.

 

"If you want to contribute and help the people as a populace, I would suggest getting to know more of them. Not just more of them as in multiple individuals, but rather more about what inspires them, makes them think and live. Learn how to give advice that is needed, an unbiased perspective is often the clearest, and provides the easiest answers. Dealing with others, and being able to control ones own emotions and reactions to events will take one far in the way he is viewed by others. I don't know what more I can give you at this time, but I hope that is something."

[amegakure]

Namo listen and mulled over her thoughts and found that they were true and he bowed his head in gratitude. As he rearranged his pack and made to go on his way for he had training attend to and other chores. over his shoulder he called out. "May you always find shade and water."