Herbs and Philosophy (Kat)

[Leala Sedai]

At this point in her time as Accepted, Aureli had most things in order.  She was doing well in her classes, expanding her studies, had the 100 weaves memorized, and was beginning to think about which Ajah would be suit her.  She honestly didn't know.  They all had their own value.  And she could see herself in many of them.  She decided recently, though, that she would take her time to get to know members of them all as she could. 

 

Channeling was a gift to her from the Creator, in her opinion.  For her whole life, she had had to find different ways to do things than others did, because she was missing her right arm.  Her gradmother always remarked that she was likely born right handed, but since she only had her left arm, it took her a long time to learn how to write and do more complicated things.  But after age ten, she was doing everything with her left arm as if that statement had never been made, although it did bring up a good point.  She never let her handicap slow her down, though.  And channeling seemed to bring an extra option that she had never had before coming to the Tower.

 

But then there were times like this.  She was concentrating on the Yellow Ajah, trying to find out their core philosophy, besides healing.  And she was looking more strictly at their use of herbs.  She could do a lot of cutting and pounding with her one hand and the One Power, but for some herbs, it lacked a certain finesse.  Some herbs had to be diced, some sliced thinly for the desired effect, and well...she needed help.  After all these years, she still hated needing help.  But if help wasn't acquired when it was needed, then the task at hand would be for nothing.

 

Aureli strode up the steps to the Yellow Ajah's quarters.  She had discussed a meeting time with Seheria Sedai when they both had enough time, but not during a meal.  She had a basket full of herbs, rizomes, and roots settled in the crook of her arm.  When she rerached the Aes Sedai's rooms, she knocked and waited.

[Kathleen]

Seherai bustled through her room tossing her belongings anywhere she thought they would not be seen. Anything that she couldn't hide was shoved anywhere it would fit and at least look like it may be its natural placement. She was not one to keep things in spic and span in her room, not unless she knew she would be having company. It was quite rare anyone but her would see the inside of her rooms. Though on occasion she did make appointments there, if only to ensure her nosy neighbours wouldn't get suspicious that she was hiding something. 

 

She had made such an appointment here today and she had put off tidying up far longer than she had meant to. It wouldn't do to have the Accepted the see her room in such a state, but oh! how she despised tiding up. That is what the servants were for! Not that she'd let a servant rummage through her personal things, of course. 

 

With frustration building after not being able to squeeze the book she had found on her floor into the small shelf she kept for books,  and with her muscles beginning to let out a dull throb, she flopped down onto her bed and let weaves of air finish the job of putting everything into a presentable place in her room. 

 

Eventually the room had the look of organization, if one didn't look to closely, and Seheria decided that it was enough. How she kept her room was not of any concern to the Accepted, and even if the girl had something to say about it, she surely wouldn't say it to the Aes Sedai. Still appearances were always high on Seheria's list of importance, so she brushed out her dirty blond hair and clipped it back from her face with a silver clip with an inlaid topaz stone in the middle. What wasn't clipped up fell just short of the lace covered shoulders on her streamlined pale yellow dress.  She didn't want to over do the effect, but it would be expected to show level of pride in the ajah when taking a personal meeting with a prospect to the ajah. 

 

As the agreed meeting time drew near Seheria removed the last of the remaining dust from the sitting area in her rooms and fluffed the cushions on the two rarely used chairs. She laid out several books on the square table between the chairs. The topics of the books varied slightly but they  all tied back to herbs. When they were set out Seheria grabbed an old journal she had of healing times given different methods and different conditions. A little showy perhaps, but most Accepteds expected at least a little bit of show, and if her efforts sparked some intrigue they weren't wasted. 

 

Just as Seheria set the last book down the knock echoed into the room. She walked to the door and opened it slowly. "Welcome Aureli." Seeing the expected face on the other side she stepped back and opened the door wide to allow the girl in.

 

"Set your basket on the table, if you wish. I've not made tea yet, but I'm sure you're quite capable." The yellow said, gesturing to her tea station across the room. "You will find the leaves ready in the container on the shelf. Choose which ever flavor you prefer." Seherai made her way to her chair while the Accepted set her basket down. The first test, how well would the girl do in choosing tea leaves from unmarked containers. There was no real trick in it, they were all fully edible, no chance the girl would poison herself, but it would be good to know if the girl had any knowledge already. 

 

As she settled into her seat Seherai took a glance toward the basket of herbs and roots trying to see what all was waiting for her, "So child, tell me, what is it about the plants that interests you most?". She hoped the answer would suit her strengths, but if the girl would be better satisfied with a Brown, Seheria wouldn't waste her time for long. It was better to weed out the ones who wouldn't blossom as she planned than to let them take her attention from those who would.

 

Seheria Sedai

Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah

[Leala Sedai]

Aureli bent her knees in greetings to the Yellow.  She couldn't exactly curtsy.  "Thank you for having me, Seheria Sedai.  I truly appreciate it."  With that, she set about what the Yellow told her to do.  She set the basket of herbs and plants on the desk before going to see about the tea.  There were small vials of herbs at the station.  She could identify all of them.  Knowledge and facts were easy enough to come by.  She selected the preferred vial and began to heat the water.  She turned her head when the Aes Sedai spoke again to her.

 

"Ah, well...it's just that I know there will be times as an Aes Sedai, out in the world, where my channeling may not work or be taken away.  If one of my companions or I am hurt, I think having a good working knowledge of herbs would be helpful.  I've looked up recipes and remedies in the library, but sometimes preparing them is cumbersome with one arm.  But even with channeling, I'm not sure of the proper technique without taking away potency," she explained.  She poured two cups of the tea.  "How much honey or milk would you like with your tea?" she asked.  "I hope you don't mind, I picked out peppermint.  My lunch didn't quite sit well with me."  As she waited for the Aes Sedai's response, she began spooning in honey into her tea.  She stirred it before she splashed in just a bit of milk.

[Kathleen]

"Peppermint will do. I take it as it comes, but help yourself to the milk and honey." Seheria was impressed with the girl's reply. She herself had started out with the same way of thinking when she joined the Yellows all those years before. She had prided herself on the knowledge and skill she had with herbs, even if the majority of her sister's thought it a waste.

 

But Aureli had it right, there were times you could find yourself without use of the Power and having a help, small as it often was, until you could reach a safe place to channel could often be the difference between life and death, and every life she could save was one more step to the greatness she knew she should have. She had even used her affinity with herbs to set up healing shelters in far off towns where no healing woman had been. 

 

"Herbs can be an aid in times where channeling would compromise you. In my experience, which I will ensure you is extensive, those times are few and far between. I have traveled far and wide, and I assure you the majority of the time a weave will do more help than harm in most situations." Seheria accepted the cup of tea from the girl, setting it on the corner of the table beside her journal.

 

"However, there are times where it could be best to avoid channeling, or even times when you're too exhausted to channel, were the back up of herbs will help. But a back up, they are. They will never be as potent or as impressive as anything saidar can provide, and when someone's life is on the line I would advice you not play around with leaves and roots and watch them die when you could have then on their feet sooner with saidar. If you can channel to hold the bowl as you grind powder, you could be channeling into the patient."

 

She took up the cup and sipped at the tea to let the thought sink in to the girl. Just because she had spend much of her years devoted to exploring the more traditional healing methods of non channelers was no reason to push this girl to it. She was in the White Tower to learn the one power, she could have stayed in her village and learned from their healing woman if she wished to play with sticks and sprouts.

 

"As for preparing them, come, show me how you would start. Fetch your basket, choose something from it. Tell me what you think it would be used, and under what circumstance you would choose it over the use of saidar. Explain to me what you think is proper procedure for preparing it for that purpose."

 

Seheria Sedai

Yellow Aes Sedai

[Leala Sedai]

Aureli listened to Seheria.  What she said made sense.  But she also knew that her channeling would likely have a limit on Healing others in most cases.  Whens he left, she may have to leave her patient with something to stave off further damage or preventative measures.  But Seheria Sedai also had a point.  Saidar could do much more than herbs.  But growing up with only one arm had given her a frame of mind to always be prepared for anything.  She had told herself early on that she wouldn't find herself in a hopeless situation.  And now that she was on her way to becoming Aes Sedai, if she herself was in a hopeless situation, others would suffer as well.  Seheria Sedai asked her to get her basket and show her some of her skills, or what she thinks should be done.

 

Aureli set her tea down and brought her basket closer.  She searched through the small samples she had brought and found two samples of sage: one dried, and one freshly picked from the gardens.  She brought out the fresh sage and laid it on the table.  "I know that sage has good healing properties, and its oil can be harvested for that.  I think to extract the oil, one would use a mortar and pestle, or a flat of a knife if one can't be found," she said.  "I think in either case, I'd need to use Air to hold something down.  If I was using the knife technique, I could spread my fingers out, but I likely wouldn't collect as much oil that way, and it doesn't seem as safe as using both hands...  And I'd still have to hold something to catch the oil in..."