A journey of freedom begins - Falain Asien

[Taluka]

Falain was nervous and terrified of what lay ahead in her new journey inside the White Tower. She sighed remembering what had brought her to this moment. Her father whom she loved, her step mother and the little monsters who loathed her and where she lay in her father’s heart, the murder of her father and her flight from the hands of those who hated her. She remembered how she felt after she had joined the travelling troupe, how she had fitted in, how free she was to do what she wanted without judgement and how all that was expected of her was to care for the troupe’s animals, a job she adored. She remembered with disgust and sadness how that was all taken away from her in an instant with just the merest whisper of ‘darkfriends’. Many of her friends were murdered, animals were scattered and she had taken off on horseback into the night only to fall and spend many weeks begging for what anyone had been willing to spare, which was never much.

 

Things had changed in that marketplace in Aringill. She had wanted to quietly steal some fruit from a market stall when a man and a woman and their two horses sent her sprawling. She had thought they would berate her want to have her beaten and they looked to be that kind of people. An arrogant Lord and his elegant and beautiful Lady with their expensive mounts, her denials of any wrong doing would never be heard against their word. Falain had waited for the berating, she waited for the call for the guards to take her away. Instead she heard a soft voice asking if she was well and if she was hurt. Falain raised her head and looked into the woman’s eyes, she nodded and whispered that she was fine, but the woman put her hands on Falain’s head anyway and to her astonishment something rippled through her and she shuddered. All the aches, pains and fatigue she had been feeling had simply vanished. The woman smiled at her shocked look. “I am Aes Sedai child and I merely healed you and washed away your pain and fatigue with the one power”. The woman then pulled a small blue stone from her pouch and asked Falain to look into it and concentrate. Though puzzled she did what she was asked, it took what felt like an eternity for the woman to speak, but apparently something that Falain had done pleased her. “Child you must come with me to the White Tower, you are one of those that may learn to channel. You can with training and hard work become Aes Sedai”. Falain almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of what the Aes Sedai told her. But knowing she had no other choice but to go or to stay and continue begging for the rest of her life. She chose what she would do.

 

Upon arrival at the White Tower the Aes Sedai had given her into the hands of another girl only a little older than herself, who wore a white dress with seven coloured bands at the hem. She knew not the significance of what that meant but with a curtsey to Zarin Sedai she followed the girl, who did not speak to her once, as they wound their way through corridors to stand at the door of the Mistress of Novices in the White Tower just as Zarin Sedai had instructed.

 

Closing her eyes and sighing to herself, trying to push down any doubts that she may have had. She knocked on the door three times. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she hoped the Mistress of Novices was not in her rooms today.

Edited December 5, 2011 by Taluka

[Amadine]

Valeri glided through the hallways of the White Tower, she had taken lunch in the Dining Hall today, an unusual yet simple pleasure for the Mistress of Novices. As she neared her study she saw a petite lass gather herself and lift her hand to knock at Valeri's study door.

 

"Good afternoon child," Valeri said as she drew near, "You do be looking for me, yes?"

 

She smiled at the dark-haired girl. "I am Valeri Kinaea, the Mistress of Novices."

 

Valeri pushed open the door to her study and held it for the child, "Come in child, you may sit there." Valeri indicated the straight backed chair with a thin cushion in front of her large age-darkened desk.

 

Channelling a small thread of fire Valeri brewed a fresh pot of tea, she carried the pot and a pair of sky blue Seafolk porcelain teacups to the desk and sat. She poured two cups of tea and set one in front of the slight lass seated across from her, "Now child, perhaps you will tell me about yourself."

 

Valeri Kinaea

Mistress of Traditional Novices

[Taluka]

Falain curtsied with her face lowered to the other woman and did as she was instructed. As she sat in the chair offered she watched her hands in her lap and nervously licked her lips. She could hear the Mistress of Novices moving about the room and jumped in surprise when she was asked to talk about herself.

 

Falain raised her head to look at the other woman.

 

"I... um... I'm Falain Asien. V-Valeri Sedai. I'm from Cairhien, the base born daughter of a lesser noble house. M-My father was murdered and my step mother forced me out. I stayed with a performing troupe tending their animals until we were attacked by villagers who called us darkfriends. I begged for food and money until Zarin Sedai found me and told me I could learn to channel... I'm not sure that I can, but she insisted I come here and join the White Tower."

 

Falain looked at her hands in her lap again and tried to stop herself from wringing them. She glanced up at the Aes Sedai cautiously and hoped the other woman would call Zarin Sedai ridiculous and send her on her way. Falain realised she had nothing to gain in the outside world, she had no money and no prospects, she thought she would be better off dead if she had to go out there and fend for herself again. Perhaps she would be dead if Zarin Sedai had not brought her to the Tower. She knew she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Closing her eyes she waited for Valeri Sedai to speak.

[Amadine]

The lass sat before Valeri's large ornate desk, her hands nervously twitching and face a mask of concentration, trying not to fidget Valeri guessed.

 

"You are not sure you can learn to channel Falain?" Valeri queried, she would need to believe in her ability in order to be able to fully commit herself to her studies.

 

"Tell me of the testing that Zarin Sedai performed, did she explain what was happening to you?"

 

Valeri Kinaea

Mistress of Traditional Novices