Beautified

[TaeaDawn]

There were a far few things he'd rather be doing than walking into his mentor's quarters at the moment. He'd been all through the Yard and his mentor wasn't there which meant one of two things. He was in his room and this would be private (he hoped) or that his mentor was out drinking and he was going to be in for a very long wait.

 

The first thing he did on reaching said room was to listen at the door and see if he could hear anything inside. There was nothing that he could hear, which only meant he wasn't interrupting anything obvious. He just hoped there wasn't anyone else in there.

 

He took a deep breath and knocked on the door then. "Aran, it's Sana. I need to talk to you." He said through the closed door in case his mentor was in there avoiding anything. Like work.

 

Slamming a hand down on Ursana's shoulder, Aran grinned as the lad whirled about at him. He'd only just come back from the Tower and found Sana waiting outside his door. His students rarely visited him, they saw enough of him through the day so he supposed it had to be serious. Not that it had stopped him from taking the obvious opportunity to shock Ursana, he needed it really. Keep him on his toes. "Why don't you come inside, then?" Getting the door, he allowed Ursana into his room.

 

Most Tower Guards shared their room with another, but he supposed that Vasya was so concerned about limiting Aran's corrupting influence that he had no one put with him. It suited Aran just fine because after awhile he'd pushed both the beds together and made use of the full room. A goodly amount of space around the room, Aran pointed to one of the chairs for Ursana to sit on while he sat down on his bed and began working on his boots. "So, what do you need to see me about?"

 

Ursana just about jumped out of his skin. He turned quickly as a hand was on his shoulder and he was releaved enough to see it was Aran. Until he remembered that he was here because he was in trouble. As Aran asked him in, he followed without word, taking a seat as offered.

 

He took a deep breath when Aran asked what he wanted. How in the world could he mention this to his mentor without getting in worse trouble than he already was? "I got caught coming out of the White Tower. Alone. The Novice Quarters to be exact." He said, hoping that Aran might take the simple facts of the case and make the wrong conclusion.

 

Looking up from his boot that he was unlacing, Aran paused as he took that in. There was something wrong with what he had just been told. "You were caught? In that case get off my chair and sit on the floor. Now." There was a slight pause before Ursana did as he was bid. Aran had gone so far as to even get the lad some instruction in Cairhien, and he'd gotten himself caught? It was insulting, not to mention that he was no doubt going to have Ginae come and whinge to him about the discipline of his students. That was all he needed. "So, why don't you tell me more about this? I'd like to have some idea of what to say when Ginae comes to me and asks why my student was foolish enough to be breaking the rules, and I'd like to know why you were foolish enough to be caught."

 

Ursana took a deep breath. He didn't like being on the floor, looking up at Aran as if he were a lower creature, but in this respect he was. He was just a trainee and Aran was a Tower Guard, his off the wall mentor. "Ginae won't be coming. Shawn caught me as I was leaving the Tower and he said he wouldn't take it to Ginae. He set a punishment and part of that was letting you know about it. I asked to be the one to tell you. As to how I got caught, it was stupidity. I managed to get into the White Tower and move about without anyone noticing me. I let me guard down because I thought I was safe." He admitted.

 

Throwing the first boot away as Ursana finished, Aran turned to his second boot and began to work away on that far more quickly than he had with the first. That was good news, he would have to thank Shawn later for sparing him from Ginae's tedious lectures. The mention of punishment had him interested, as did the question of why Ursana had gotten himself into mischief. Ursana wasn't usually prone to wandering about where he wasn't meant to be. "You'll know better next time." Ripping the other boot aside, he tossed it over with the first one as he decided to make himself comfortable on the bed. "So, what punishment has Shawn given you? Also, you don't wander about often, why were you there?"

 

"When i'm not training with you in the mornings and afternoons I have to help out in the stables and armory. And every evening for the next two weeks I have to be on the Walls with him for all his shifts." Just saying it allowed made him exhausted. He didn't know what to say about the other question. Ursana could bluff at cards and he could lie if it were important enough, but his own morale character prevented him from lieing to his mentor. That and he had already told Shawn something of the truth, a fact he was sure to relay to his mentor. "I was trying to look after someone." He said. "Well, trying to understand someone and they say you can learn a lot by the company they keep."

 

Aran approved of the punishment, it would make sure that Ursana wouldn't idle about. Idle hands were ones that found themselves mischief, he knew that better than most. Besides, a bit of time on the wall would do him some good, though it would leave him tired in the morning. Then again, it would do him good. Ursana was hiding something though, that much was clear because he was using the same sort of lines that Aran would give if he were trying to slip out of something. Well, Aran would use better lines, but he could see what Ursana was doing nevertheless. "Lad, if you try slipping around why you were there one more time, I swear by the Creator you're going to regret it. I'm tired, I want to go to sleep and you almost put me in hot water with Ginae and she's looking for an excuse to break my other hand as it is. Now hurry up and spill."

 

Light, but Sana hated this. He'd been stupid enough to get caught at something and now he had to face the consequences. Aran might not like what he'd done, but if he didnt' confess, he just might start to feel like he deserved to be sitting on the ground below Aran. Tkaing a deep breath, he looked at Aran, not hiding or looking to hold back. "I was following an Aes Sedai. Aramina Sedai, to be exact. I followed her into the city today and even into the Tower. I got so lost following her around that I didn't realize where I was when I was trying to leave until I was in the Novice Quarters. I took off then for fear that the Mistress of Novices might find me there and so I wasn't as careful as I should have been when I made it out of the Tower. And Shawn caught me then."

 

Now this was an interesting twist. It would have been one thing if he was working on one of the older novices, but if he had been following Aramina? There were only a few reasons that he could think of for Ursana doing such a thing, but he decided to ask anyway. After all, it was better to get it from the horse's mouth. "And why would you be following that particular Aes Sedai, Ursana?"

 

He felt like an idiot. Aran had a way of that with him, to take him out of his element and make him feel the fool. It was an art really. "She's the one person I see around you from time to time that doesn't seem to fit in with the rest. I can understand why you would be friends with everyone else, but she doesn't seem to fit into the mold, nor does she seem to be the easy type to get to know. I thought by watching her, I might be able to learn something."

 

There was a pause as Aran considered what had been said before he decided to speak himself. "Well, what am I going to do with you? Not only did you follow me but you were caught, thats even worse." Studying his student who was sitting on the floor, Aran sat up on his bed and crossed his legs as he thought it over. A few different ideas came to mind, but it didn't take him long to decide. Smiling broadly, it was almost fatherly as he gave his decision. "I think that perhaps I have been pushing you too hard. No wonder you have been making such foolish mistakes. In fact, I think it would be best if we gave you a break from training for awhile... Two weeks sounds about right."

 

"A break from training?" Sana asked. It wasn't that it didn't sound good, but considering that Aran had just told him he was in trouble for getting caught it was the last thing he expected to hear. "What's the catch?" He asked cautiously.

 

Staring at Ursana as if he had grown another head, it would have been better if he had because it was clear that Ursana wasn't using the one he currently had on his shoulders. After stopping the torrent that threatened to spill from his lips at how slow he was, Aran managed to decide on a course of action. He was a teacher after all and it was clear that he had missed something in Ursana's education. "The catch is that you have to sit there and are not allowed to move until you figure out what the catch is."

 

Sana took a deep breath and thought for a second. No training for the next two weeks. No training. What was the catch in that? If he wansn't training he could- No. He couldn't. If he wasn't training he wouldn't be doing anything because he'd be in the stables every single morning, in the armory every single afternoon, not to mention at the walls every night. He was going to be exhausted! They'd be lucky if he was able to push the bellows past the second day! He looked up at Aran in surprise. "I'll be dead in a week!"

 

"I can only hope." Laughing, Aran swung his legs over the bed and stood. He just remembered something, and he felt like letting Ursana stew for a bit. After all, he'd been stupid enough to get caught and compared to what had happened to Aran when he got caught in such mischief, he was getting off fairly light. Besides, it'd do him good to be doing something else than playing with lathes. People on the yards tended to forget what real work was like, or maybe that was just him. "Now you may sit there and meditate on this, I'm going to duck out for a moment but when I come back we shall be resuming this discussion. If you stir from this spot or touch anything, it'll be a full month of discipline." Chuckling, Aran let himself out.

 

Sana shook his head as he watched Aran walk out. He wasn't about to get up. Aran probably had everything mapped out or something, just to torment him. Of course, it was his own fault this had happened. If he'd stopped following the Aes Sedai when she went into the Tower he wouldn't be in this spot. Or if he'd been smarter about his exit. Or if he'd chosen a different target, but the Aes Sedai seemed to stick out like a sore thumb in Aran's circle of friends and he had hoped something about her would reveal something about his mentor. All his days following had revealed was that she seemed to have no pattern of friends, no close associates, and no life outside the Tower. Even the things she had purchased on her sojourn into the city had been Tower related.

 

So all in all it had been a pointless day and with nothing to show for it, other than a punishment he was going to pass out from. He sighed and wondered if Rosheen had ever been as stupid a trainee.

 

Opening the door to his room, Aran had a big grin on his face and a hand behind his back as he shut the door behind him. And he had Ursana's full attention, the lad had brightened up considerably. "Something occured to me, and I really just couldn't let it be. You see, for the next two weeks you'll be waiting hand and foot on people and what you're wearing now really isn't appropriate." Pulling his hand out from behind his back, he tossed what he had been holding at Ursana who caught it quickly enough. It wasn't quite Domani cut, but it was revealing enough and furthermore, the right size, as well as rough wool so it could take a bit of wear. "You have your two weeks ahead of you and you may take this with my best wishes, Ursula. I expect that dress back in prime condition when you are done as well. If anyone asks what you are doing, you may tell them that you are Ursula and your purpose is to serve, then you may ask if there is anything you may do for them."

 

Ursana looked at the fabric now in his hands and back at his mentor. Back at the dress again, because he could tell from the look on Aran's face that he wasn't going to be able to get around this. "But... I can't wear a dress to pump bellows..." he said, not able to think of anything else to say.

 

"Nice try. Up you get." Waiting until Ursula stood up, Aran grinned at her. As of now she was a woman and she was going to work on acting as womanly as she could. "Be sure to stuff something down the front to create a bust while you're at it. Also, since you are now Ursula you shall be Ursula. Whenever you sit down you will cross your legs, you must take care of your hair so it is presentable and, now that I think about it, I'm going to organise to have you waxed later tonight. I can think of a couple of people who can help with that. In every way possible you shall be a woman. Now go on, off to your room. I'll be sending a couple of people down later to give you some help with making you all beautiful."

 

It was unbelievable really. Beautiful? He'd been called handsome before on a number of ocassions, but beautiful? He had the urge to throw the dress back at Aran in protest, but his sense of humor decided to show it's ugly head at that moment, probably for his own good. He bit his own tongue from asking if he was supposed to flirt with the boys too because he was afraid Aran would tell him yes. All in all, two weeks in a dress while working his body to exhaustion wasn't as bad as it could have been. At least he hadn't gotten the Aes Sedai involved. With that thought, he walked out the barracks from Aran's room, hoping that whatever 'beautified' him wasn't about to scar him for life.

 

Aran & Ursana

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

You have got to bloody burn me..... Cairma surved the bath house with a very foul look. Her towel, gone. Clothes, gone. A way to get back to her room without being seen was a mere shimer of hope, but it was gone. Her shoulders sagged a little as she stood from the tub, beads of water dripping down her form. This was not looking like a good day, nor was Cairma's mood improving. Taking advantage of the empty room, she scoured high and low only locating a cloth large enough to shelter the front of her form as she would work her way through the Barracks back to her room. If she was lucky most would be in the dinning hall. But as she was about to leave the room as her eye caught her Towel by the back door.

 

Relief escaped her in a sigh as she wrapped the towel around her torso and headed back to her room. After the mild panic attack... She felt the need to get dressed again as quickly as possible. Bloody trainee pranks..

 

However, she spoke too soon.

 

"Why me?" She muttered as she pulled every drawer in her room open only to find them empty. Clutching the towel as there was a knock on the door. Refusing to even go through Llugh's drawrs for something to wear she opened the door to see Aran outside the door. What in the Light is Aran up to this time?

 

"I hope you have a set of women's clothes with you, Aran or you are not going to be coming in here." Not bothering to give him a chance to respond she continued. "What do you want, Aran?"

 

 

Cairma Vishnu

Not happy..

[Wayfarer]

There had been a number of odd encounters and discussions that Aran had shared with Cairma over the years. Having her door opened to reveal her in a towel only to be informed that unless he possessed women's clothing he was banned was not right up the top but it was certainly on the list. Still, he couldn't help it, when she asked what he wanted a certain lurid grin came to his face as he looked down and looked back up rather deliberately. Getting a glare as her face was suffused with red, Aran chuckled as he spoke. "I had come down to ask for a favour but..." The deepening glare convinced him to return to the original matter. "I have a mentee that needs prettying up. I've given him a dress to wear but he needs some help with the finer points, like waxing."

 

"Waxing." She repeated him, narrowing her eyes at him as she gripped her towel a little tighter, refusing to admit to the look he gave her had any effect. Why was he dressing up a trainee in a dress? and why was he coming to her about waxing? Why any of this. "You will have to give me a better explanation than that for me to agree to anything you might cook up."

 

"Now thats just unreasonable, don't you trust me?" Grinning at the look that comment was rewarded with, Aran shrugged. "He wanted to know more about me so he was shadowing me about. Unfortunately he shadowed me into the Tower while I went to a meeting, he then got caught. So, in addition to the punishment that he is being given by Shawn, I've added certain 'modifications' to it. For the next few weeks he gets to walk and talk like a woman as best he can, and he needs help with appearance. Thats where you come in a-" Pausing as something occured to him, Aran frowned. "Why aren't you dressed?"

 

Groaning, he just had to ask. "I've become the victim of another series of pranks. I started to attact a lot of it since chasing you with Beast. But that's neither here nor there." She shuffled a little behind the door to hide herself a bit more. She didn't care how many breasts the man had seen, he didn't need to see hers. "What do you need my help for and why waxing?"

 

Aran smirked as he saw Cairma edge behind the door a little bit more. Victim of another series of pranks didn't exactly answer the question, but Aran had an inkling. If that were the case then perhaps he could take advantage of it, after all the wheel wove as the wheel willed and this was as good a sign as any. "Because and because. I think we need to face some realities here, you don't have any clothes do you?" Getting a shake of the head, Aran grinned as he continued. "You need clothes, I need someone to wax Sana and make him all beautiful. I think we can make a decent trade here no?" Narrowing his eyes, his expression was amused as he continued. "You know, that towel looks smaller than usual."

 

If one hand was not holding up her towel and the other was not holding the door from Aran pushing his way in she would have taken a swing at him, however.. "It is smaller." Not giving him any move on her that way to make her any more uncomfortable. "And no, my clothes are gone." Taking a breath, "You need to wax Sana's legs? Can't you do that yourself? I'm sure you've had the experience somewhere in your background. Legs on a man turned woman should be nothing for you."

 

Silently regarding Cairma, Aran started as if suddenly becoming aware that Cairma had been speaking. "Sorry, you lost me after you said the towel was smaller." Laughing, Aran shrugged. "Look, I think I'm being quite reasonable here. Do you or do you not want clothes? If you do, you'll be happy to help me out no? Otherwise I could just leave you to it, in fact I might have to tell a few people that you want to see them..." A dangerous suggestion, more so because Aran was fairly certain that Cairma wouldn't be sure whether he'd go through with it or not. Blackmail was a terrible thing, but then thats why it came so naturally to him.

 

If looks could only kill. "You are a horrible man, Aran and I hope one day you get tossed from the barracks." She shifted her wieght still very uncomfortable with the looks he gave her. Unfortunatly for her, she did need the clothes. Unfortunatly for Aran she would have helped anyways.. if he had not blackmailed her. The man was stupid that way and always had to take things that one step further to rub her the wrong way. Maybe she would see him shaved as well as Sana. "Besides, Waxing will hardly make the boy any prettier than he already is." She looked at him carefully as an Ace came to mind. "After all, you wouldn't want to give Rosheen the wrong idea."

 

Smiling, Aran shrugged at her. "Wouldn't be the first thrashing I've been given by Rosheen and she usually forgives me afterwards. Come on Cairma, if you agree this wardrobe problem of yours remains our little secret. Well, us and whoever did it. And I'm sure that in your hands that he'll be the prettiest trainee yet. Please?" It was time for the winning smile that he tended to keep in reserve for special occasions like this, she was dangerously close to calling his bluff and he was fairly sure it would all go downhill from there, even if she did agree.

 

There it was, that bloody smile. Burn him. She could never say no to that smile. Hiding her head behind the door as she nearly hit her head against it with her eyes closed, moaning with defeat. "Fine." She caved. What a softy she was. Looking back at him the smile changed, but he knew he won. "But if the clothes are even remotely indecent I'm doing you too. With or without your consent."

 

Feigning a hurt look, Aran drew back as he softly pleaded. "Don't you trust me?" Laughing at the look that won, Aran turned and began to walk down the hall in search of some clothes. As he did so he called over his shoulder. "I won't be long, and if I find your clothes you owe me extra."

 

 

Aran & Cairma