Ways of the Wilderness (Aramina & Alric)

[TaeaDawn]

The Ways Of The Wilderness: Aramina and Alric

(Repost)

 

 

Alric folded his red cloak and left it draped across of his bed before leaving his room and heading out of the barracks. He nodded to many of the Tower Guards that he new, stopping to say a few short words with some. Though he was heading out of Tar Valon to take another Tower Guards, an Orion Mantier, mentee outside for a little survival training. An Accepted two, Alric was thrilled. Since his raising he had come to enjoy spending time around those who could channel despite his Tairen upbringing. Orion had told him that he had notified the girl where and when she was supposed to meat Alric giving a brief description of the girl as well.

 

And that was how Alric found himself standing in the middle of a little used training clearing, with a pack over his shoulder and his sword strapped to his waist. He was smiling and remembering thoughts of his little brother who had begun to talk with earnest now to pass the time while he waited for Aramina.

 

 

Alric

TPC Tower Gaurd

_________________

Orion Manteir- Tower Gaurd, Promised to Estel

Kedyn Alastair -Band Scout Sergeant Band DL

Davian- Aiel Seia Doon SL

Rion Anglemar- BT Dedicated

 

 

Aramina made her way back to the training yards as quickly as she could today. A few early morning chores done and now she was on her way. She had been notified of today's training partner and she looked around the small are she had been told to visit. She ran a hand over her tunic to straighten it properly and looked down at her riding pants to make sure she was still presentable. Dark green pants with a brown tunic with green trim were matched with a green ribbon that held her long hair back tightly. She liked her training sessions almost as much for the opportunity to wear something other than the banded dress as she did for the exercise and skill she was learning. Well, perhaps that was an overstatement for she didn't exactly enjoy wearing riding pants, but it was a nice change.

 

She saw one of the Tower Guard in the area she was supposed to meet in and smiled politely. "Would you be Alric?" she asked. "My name is Aramina."

_________________

Aramina Sur Dulciena

Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah

 

 

"Would you be Alric? My name is Aramina."

 

Alric bowed, an inclination of both waist and head. "I am Alric M'lady. And you would be Orion's student. Good. We will not be back in Tar Valon until late tomorrow, and I have brought supplies for the both of us to compensate. If you would follow me."

 

Alric turned and began to head towards the stables, Aramina falling in beside him. They would use borrowed horse from the stables, Alric because he didn't own a horse and Aramina, well, that would be dealt with when they got to the stables.

 

The smells of horse, dung and the general smells that came with stables soon began to permeate the air. Alric bunched up his nose not used to or liking the smells very much. He was more used to the smell of salt and fish and the rocking of a boat deck under his feet. A stable hand led a horse, saddled and ready as Alric walked up followed closely by another. Alric had given Aramina's name to the stable hands in case she owned a horse so if she did Alric hoped that that was hers.

 

Alric waited before Aramina held her own mount by the reigns before asking, "Ready?"

Aramina said she was and Alric led his borrowed mount out of the Yards, swinging into the saddle once they were in the city.

 

It was a good half an hour ride before they were far enough out of Tar Valon that Alric stopped the pair of them. Swinging his mount around to Aramina he began his lesson. "Perhaps one of the most important, not necessary unless you want to be comfortable, lesson of survival is picking a campsite; which we will go over now. A perfect campsite has some sort of water source nearby whether a lake or a river, for both water and food. But you don't want to be close enough that the ground is damp or muddy."

 

"If you can you want to find some type of cover, trees, a cave or just a simple rock outcropping. You can hide, have shelter from nature and just make your life a small bit better. Woods would be best because it provides food and kindling for fire. As such for the rest of the day I want you to lead me and find a campsite. We’ve got a while though there are things to go over once we find a site." Alric smiled. "If you need any helped..." He motioned to himself.

 

 

Alric

_________________

Orion Manteir- Tower Gaurd, Promised to Estel

Kedyn Alastair -Band Scout Sergeant Band DL

Davian- Aiel Seia Doon SL

Rion Anglemar- BT Dedicated

 

 

Aramina had always enjoyed horses. She had never had to work often in the stables but she enjoyed the mostly gentle creatures and even more so enjoyed the solitude she normally got there. Following Alric to where their horses waited, Aramina smiled as one of the tower horses was brought over for her. When he asked if she was ready she flashed him a small smile and nodded. Following his lead, she followed him out of the Tower and into the surrounding countryside.

 

He stopped them when they had ridden about a half an hour to begin with their lesson. Alric was new to her so she listened intently.

 

"Perhaps one of the most important, not necessary unless you want to be comfortable, lesson of survival is picking a campsite; which we will go over now. A perfect campsite has some sort of water source nearby whether a lake or a river, for both water and food. But you don't want to be close enough that the ground is damp or muddy."

 

"If you can you want to find some type of cover, trees, a cave or just a simple rock outcropping. You can hide, have shelter from nature and just make your life a small bit better. Woods would be best because it provides food and kindling for fire. As such for the rest of the day I want you to lead me and find a campsite. We’ve got a while though there are things to go over once we find a site. If you need any helped..."

 

He gestured to himself and Aramina nodded. She looked around for a moment before deciding which way to go. She had studied the geography around Tar Valon for other outings and she thought she had a good idea of where she was going. "Alright then, lets see what I can find for us."

 

The day was nice and though Aramina was in no hurry she kept their pace moving so they she could find a campsite in time to continue their instruction once they were settled. Aramina was enjoying the time out of the Tower though. She had been stuck in the Tower with only rare outings whose frequency had dwindled until recently. The class on the Blue Ajah she had taken had at least opened her eyes to her own blindness when it came to people around her. She still had her first letter from Lena in a box of precious keepsakes in her Accepted Quarters at the Tower.

 

Her thoughts drifted as they rode. Alric at her back gave her the impression of solid belief that she could get through this first task and she glanced at him often for and signs he might give. As none were forthcoming, she directed her mind back to her physical path and tried to remember all that she had learned in her years that would assist her.

 

In time, Aramina led them into a woody region. Cover from the trees was not an issue, now she just had to find a water source. They rode a little deeper and Aramina listened closely for the sounds of running water. It didn't take long for them to locate a small creek running through. Aramina stopped then and found a small clearing. She turned back to Alric then. "What do you think of this spot for a campsite, Alric?"

_________________

Aramina Sur Dulciena

Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah

 

 

Alric nodded as he surveyed the surroundings. Sliding off his borrowed horse he said simply, "Aye, very good Aramina." Alric began to take care of his horse, unsaddling it letting it graze, and then shifted to take care of Aramina's. They were not moving for the rest of the day and he didn't want to hurt the horses in any way from neglecting them.

 

Shrugging off his pack Alric motioned for Aramina to follow as he walked towards the small creek near their chosen campsite. "If you come this way we will continue. The next e=lesson will be fishing, my favorite part."

 

Kneeling next to water line, Alric rolled up his sleeves and slowly dipped a hand into the water. There was little sign of habitation around and Alric had little doubt that there would be fish in the lake, and abundance of them as well. "You might want to roll up your sleeves. Patience is the key for this kind of fishing. Just wait, even put a coin in your hand, a ring works great as well, anything that reflects in the sun. Soon enough some critter should wander up to investigate." As if on command a small fish swam u and began nibbling on his finger. "Wait until they are close," The fish came up, it's belly scratching Alric palm. Closing his hand and bringing it up out of the water like a flash, the fish was left flopping on the shore. "And be quick in the end. If you want to catch you'll have to wait or move to some other spot. Now, I have caught my dinner, try to catch yours."

 

 

Alric Greyjoy

_________________

Orion Manteir- Tower Gaurd, Promised to Estel

Kedyn Alastair -Band Scout Sergeant Band DL

Davian- Aiel Seia Doon SL

Rion Anglemar- BT Dedicated

 

 

 

Aramina smiled slightly at Alric when he surveyed her choice of campsites. She knew herself to be a quick study and she had paid close attention to Alric as he had instructed her. Her life in a village hadn't really prepared her for living in the wilderness and Tower life was as far from it as you could get. But there would be times in her life that she would need to get by on her own, and though she was certain she could do much of what she needed with the One Power, there would be times when she was too tired to use the One Power, or when the use would be detrimental to what she was doing.

 

As Alric walked her towards the water Aramina followed, rolling her sleeves up as he told her to. She watched as the fish came swimming up to him and was astonished by his quick reflexes. She shouldn't have been, she supposed, since he was a Tower Guard. "If you want to catch you'll have to wait or move to some other spot. Now, I have caught my dinner, try to catch yours."

 

Aramina nodded and moved upstream a little and put her hand in. Her serpent ring was always well shined and it glinted in the water. Her hands itched to move but she knew better than to cause a disruption that would keep her meal from her. After a few minutes a fish approached. She kept her fingers still, waiting until the last second to clench her fingers and pull up. The slippery fish slipped through her fingers though and the only thing Aramina had to show for her patience was a slightly wet shirt. Frustration made her clench her jaw and she took a deep breath to calm herself. Even though there was only Alric to watch slips in private often led to slips in public and Aramina wasn't one to show anger. She waited until she was calm again and moved again to another location.

 

Two fish later and she finally emerged with her meal. She was mush wetter than she had started but her pride was in tact. It would have been so much easier with the One Power, but again, this was to learn outside of it and she had proven to herself that she could indeed do what was needed. "Alright, dinner is caught." Aramina said to Alric. "What is your next lesson? Perhaps how to dry clothes in the wilderness?" she asked, with a small smile on her face. Her tunic wasn't as wet as it could have been and her words were teasing. Though she had almost taken a dip after the second fish but she had caught herself just in time.

_________________

Aramina Sur Dulciena

Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah

 

 

"Actually, learning how to dry your clothes isn't that far off from it. Sit." Alric reached out and took the fish from Aramina, setting them next to the on he had caught earlier. Reaching behind him he took the simple firebow he had made on an earlier trip from his pack and held it out so Aramina could see it. "This is a firebow, and as it's name seems to show it is used to make fires. They are rather simple to make, watch."

 

Alric took a small set of materials he had gathered during Aramina's fishing adventure, and began to move his hands slowly through the motions of making the firebow, explaining as he went through. When he was finished he handed it over to Aramina, took up his first and began to try and start a fire. "That is yours to keep, and tonight I will not require you to actually start a fire. But if you would, the pack behind you has some plates and silverware if you could get those."

 

As the fire began to rise, Alric set his firebow down and took up the carcasses of the fish beside him. His deft practiced hand quickly scaled and boned the fish and before long he was sorting the meat onto the two plates and handing one to Aramina. He explained the rest of the night as they ate.

 

"Tonight you will take first watch, I don't expect anything to happen this close but it will be good practice. Wake me in, five hours. The moon should be about there, right above that peak. When you wake me up I want you to be able to tell me three things you heard during the night. Goodnight." After he had finished eating Alric rolled out his bed roll, layed down and quickly shut his eyes to get a few hours of sleep.

 

 

Alric

_________________

Orion Manteir- Tower Gaurd, Promised to Estel

Kedyn Alastair -Band Scout Sergeant Band DL

Davian- Aiel Seia Doon SL

Rion Anglemar- BT Dedicated

 

 

Aramina watched intently as Alric explain the firebow and how it worked. As he started the fire, she grabbed their utensils as he asked. She had never really prepared fish so she watched that just as she had the firebow. It was all well and good to know how to catch it, but if she couldn’t clean it she would still be going hungry. She thought she understood the how of it, but she was certain the practice would be a bit different.

 

As Alric discussed her night's lesson she nodded. "Thank you, for the instruction and the day's lessons." she said as he turned to sleep.

 

Night began to bare down on her and Aramina made a quiet circle around the clearing. She had never minded the dark, but she had rarely been out in it like this. Besides a couple nights playing under the stars as a child, her only experience was when she had traveled to Tar Valon so long ago. How many years had it been? She shook her head and tried not to think about it. Enough that her niece and nephew were no longer children now. In fact, they probably had children. She made a mental note to write her family when she got back to the Tower. They had corresponded back and forth over the years, but never often and their voices had grown less and less familiar to her. Maybe when she gained the shawl she would return to the land of her birth. She shook her head, laughing slightly at her own whimsy. Perhaps not.

 

She watched the moon moving across the sky, the stars bright and lending their light to the cool evening breeze. She stopped in her roaming as she heard movement around her. She turned to the sound, low to the ground. She embraced the source, relishing the feel but pushing aside the exultation to focus on the noise. Walking slowly towards it, she jumped back a little as a form blurred across her vision and skittered past her. She released the source and sighed. A squirrel, she realized as it moved up a tree and out of her sight.

 

She was as wide awake now as she had been in the morning, the moments excitement stirring her awake. Alright, to focus now. Three items she heard. She thought about it for a moment. The squirrel was something she had heard. What else could she expect to hear tonight? What would Orion hear if he were with her instead of Alric, she wondered. Her mentor of steel, as she thought of him, blind by something unknown incident, who seemed to see just fine with his other senses. She decided to take a page from his book and simply leaned back against a tree trunk and closed her eyes.

 

At first there was nothing, only darkness. She took a deep breath then, concentrating on the sound of her own heartbeat. When nothing else stirred around her, when her world was only the sound of her life's muscle beating, she began feeling outward with her senses. Wind. She heard the wind blowing through the trees. The gentle rustling of leaves. The sound of water chirping along it's course. She heard Alric breathing quiet and steady and the roar of the fire that she kept alive to fight off the chill. A dog howling in the distance, or perhaps a wolf. She wasn't sure she knew the difference. She'd have to ask Alric when he woke if he had heard it. And to help her identify the difference.

 

As time went on, Aramina continued walking around the came to keep herself awake. She worked the 100 weaves in her mind for the day she would finally be tested for the shawl. And as she walked she stopped so often, closed her eyes, and listened to the world around her. By the end of her watch, she didn't have to keep her eyes closed anymore to listen anymore. As the moon reached position, Aramina gently touched Alric's shoulder and he woke. "Do we continue our lesson tonight, or will it wait for first light?" She asked with a small smile on her face.

_________________

Aramina Sur Dulciena

Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah

[Kael]

Alric's eyes snapped open almost instantly as Aramina touched his shoulder. His hand almost darted towards his sword until he remembered where he was and he controlled himself. He half listened as he began to rise, slighty groggy from the sleep, or lack of.

 

"We will continue in the morning, remember your three things and get some sleep. It's going to be a long day tommorow."

 

Alric stood and stiffled a yawn as watched Aramina curl up and drift off to sleep. When she had he walked over to the fire and took out a piece of paper, pen and ink. By the firelight he used his thigh as a table and wrote out a note for Aramina. It read:

 

Aramina, Your task for the day will be to find me. You will have to use tracking, which is easiest learned while doing. Near the edge of the clearing, next to the creek you will find some bootprints in a patch of mud. This will be your starting point. The tracks will fade when they enter the grass. Look for bent blades, out of place rocks or branches, broken twigs, anything to show that someone not living in the woods would leave behind. It won't be to difficult mearly the basics. If you get lost, or cannot find anything, stop and begin shouting and I will find you. If I do not come in ten minuetes then you may use the power. If you feel in danger you are free to use the power to defend yourself, but if you are not and you use the power the class will not count and I will have to notify Orion. This pack contains food, snares, a knife and a few other things you may need for the day. Happy Hunting. Alric.

 

Alric set the pack he had written about up, near the fire and close to Aramina. He tidied up the campsite of his things and spent most of the night going over forms and honing his longsword to a fine edge. An hour before dawn he set out to make his trail, leading Aramina on for about a mile to where he planned to continue.

 

 

Alric

[TaeaDawn]

Aramina woke to confusing silence. She heard the woods around her and smiled at the thought that her night's efforts weren't fruitless, however she didn't hear anything of Alric. No fire crackling with breakfast's preparations, no movement around the campsite, nothing. She stretched as she sat up, unused to sleeping in a simple bedroll, and worked out sore muscles. She looked around and didn't see Alric either. What she did see was a pack set up within reach, and a note.

 

She grabbed the note quickly, feeling a little startled by the Tower Guard's departure. As she read, she relaxed a bit. He hadn't deserted her. Well, except for her to find him. He had given her what she needed for the day's journey though and instructions on how to begin. Tracking. She had never had to track anything in her life.

 

Near the edge of the clearing, next to the creek you will find some bootprints in a patch of mud. This will be your starting point. The tracks will fade when they enter the grass. Look for bent blades, out of place rocks or branches, broken twigs, anything to show that someone not living in the woods would leave behind.

 

The basics. It was observation, only like nothing she had done before. Aramina was nothing if not observant though. Like the night before's exercise, it was a matter of refocusing her attention. She could do this. She had to. The alternative was defeat, to use the One Power and admit that she could not move up to the next level. Defeat was something Aramina couldn't do. Determination to be a member of the Green Ajah had shaped her for too long for her to give up on something like this.

 

With a renewed mood, Aramina set about preparing for the day. She ate quickly and cleaned up in an efficient manner before beginning her trek. As she reached the creek, her pack on her back and Alric's words in her mind, she crossed the creek and found the bootprints she had been told about. She took her time, making sure that he hadn't backtracked immediately to throw her off from the beginning, and then followed the prints, careful to step around them so she didn't spoil the prints should she need to come back to reexamine them.

 

She followed the trail slowly, checking back and forth constantly for anything out of place and unordinary. On the floor of her path she knelt and found a snapped twig. Not conclusive of itself since any animal could have done it, but since she was following his trail she was hopeful that this was a clue.

 

Moving with more confidence, she kept her pace easy though to keep from passing anything over. She soon came to a crossroads though. There was no real path in these woods, but animal trails seemed to crisscross frequently. In close sight she found another twig snapped on the forest floor. Going the other way though she noticed a snapped branch about shoulder height. Another clue on the floor, or something higher up.... The twig on the floor could have been caused by any animal, she had already decided. If Alric had come this way it was unlikely he would leave the same mark twice in a row though. He was helping her build her skills, not teaching her to rely on one method. The higher clue however, would not have been made by many things in the woods. The height itself suggested a human. She went with her instincts then and continued along the way.

 

She continued on this way, finding signs of passage until mid day when she finally stopped to eat again. She sat down on a fallen log and pulled her pack off, taking a sip of her water before pulling out the rest of her food. She was exhausted from the search. Not from the physical exhertions, but from the mental effort she had to put forth to track Alric. She prayed to the light that she was on the right path because if not it might take more than the One Power to find him now.

 

It had certainly been a strange day. Aramina's life had always been pretty routine. Living in Cairhein, she had run her mother's house, tended her until her death, and seen to anything that they needed in the city. Once her mother had died, her life had been uprooted into Tar Valon where she had spent time working in a tavern. That had it's own rhythem also and by the time the Aes Sedai had found her she had been settled into it's routine. And life in the Tower with all it's ups and downs and surprises had become as routine to her as well. Her foray into the wilderness had been a pleasant change and Alric had been far better company than any Accepted or Novice could have been.

 

Of course, he didn't know that Aramina sur Dulciena was the type to keep to herself. He didn't hear whispers and gossip that went around the Tower about the reasons why Aramina befriended no one. None of the gossip was true, but Aramina heard the whispers more than once and simply ignored it. As she had the whispers in her village about her parentage.

 

With a shake of her head to rid herself of such thoughts, she set the snares that she had been given. Not much luck of catching anything in the small amount of time she was planning on stopping, but you never knew.

 

Once that task was completed she ate her lunch in silence, listening to everything around her and trying to still her own thoughts.

[Kael]

Alric walked into the small campsite that Aramina had found for herself, a small bundle of herbs and leaves in one hand and the reins of the horses in his other. He called out to her as he entered as to not startle her to much. Alric took a seat in front of her and let down his small bundle and began to seperate the leaves into singles before talking.

 

"You did well I want you to know, I was only a few dozen feet that way," Alric motioned behind him, "and now we will continue with the last part of the lesson. Ater this we will be returning to Tar Valon."

 

"The leaves in front of you are various herbs and leaves that can be found in the wild to help cure common ailments and things of that nature. This, Dandelion, can be used for if ade into a poultouce can help with skin irritations and can be eaten if you can't find other food. Willow, this, can be used to ease pain if you boil it in water and drink. Aloe helps ith burns in a pultouce, anise for insect bites and Basil can be used for head pains, as an cleaner for wounds and for general pain. Yarrow, this one, can help stop bleeding if applied to the wound."

 

Alric again bundled them into a small package and slid them towards Aramina. "Those are for you, now your next task is to lead us back to Tar Valon." Alric turned and walked towards his horse, he took the reins and waited to mount before getting into a less densly forested area.

 

 

Alric

[TaeaDawn]

Aramina looked up as Alric called to her. She smiled at his words, glad that her tracking hadn't been all that bad. Alric told her they would be returning to Tar Valon soon, then showed her a bundle of herbs. They were new to her, not the ones that she had seen in her class with the Yellow Ajah and she listened carefully.

 

"The leaves in front of you are various herbs and leaves that can be found in the wild to help cure common ailments and things of that nature. This, Dandelion, can be used for if ade into a poultouce can help with skin irritations and can be eaten if you can't find other food. Willow, this, can be used to ease pain if you boil it in water and drink. Aloe helps ith burns in a pultouce, anise for insect bites and Basil can be used for head pains, as an cleaner for wounds and for general pain. Yarrow, this one, can help stop bleeding if applied to the wound." He handed her the bundle then added, "Those are for you, now your next task is to lead us back to Tar Valon."

 

With a sigh Aramina stoof and walked to her own horse. It would be good to get back to her classes and studies, however it was good to be away also. She wasn't one to roam the city even on the rare free day. When they were clear of the densest part of the woods they mounted again and Aramina led the way. She would have known it if she were blindfolded, she thought with a small smile. The White Tower was more home to her than her small village in Cairhein had ever been. Just as lonley, but certainly more a home.

 

She looked over at Alric as she rode. "I want to thank you, for the training. You have been a patient and dedicated instructor. If you ever have need of help, please allow me to return the favor." She said, giving him one of her rare smiles.

[Kael]

"I want to thank you, for the training. You have been a patient and dedicated instructor. If you ever have need of help, please allow me to return the favor."

 

Alric smiled to his temporary student as she said that. “You are welcome m’lady and knowing that I have been a dedicated teacher is all the thanks I will need.†Alric made a half bow, a smile plastered on his face.

 

Strange to think that he had come to Tar Valon hating the One Power like all other Tairens, and only to get away from his abusive father. He had come to trust the One Power and adore the women who used it. That was why he had come to love being a member of the Guard. The ability to protect not one, but all Aes Sedai. And if he could spend some time in the docks by the water, so much the better.

 

 

Alric

[TaeaDawn]

“You are welcome m’lady and knowing that I have been a dedicated teacher is all the thanks I will need.â€

 

Aramina eyed the Tower Guard for a moment, trying to decide if he was mocking her or if his words were in earnest. She decided to take him at face value. Not everyone played the Game, even if she did.

 

Aramina set the pace lightly. The ride was pleasant and she had to real desire to rush about. The Tower would always be there but she missed a good ride out in the open where she could relax a little.

 

Before she was prepared for it though, the White Tower came into sight. Aramina allowed a sigh to escape her lips as she looked at Alric. "Home sweet home." She said with a small smile.