Seeking Knowledge: Attn. MoN

[Saphira Silvermoon]

     Nateera  packed her belongings and joined the Aes Sedai for the trip to Tar Valon.

     As they traveled, Nateera would ask questions so that she would be better prepared for what she would find in the White Tower.

     "Please tell me what a novice's life is like in the Tower. I do not wish to offend anyone with my ignorance of Tower life."

     "Your life in the Tower will not be that much different from what you are accustomed. You will be expected to do chores, uncomplainingly. You will attend classes (the main difference from your old life), such as How to wield Saidar and history. You will show proper respect for those above you. If you misbehave, you may be sent to the Mistress of Novices for punishment. She will be the one to go to if you have a problem that cannot be resolved on your own. Does this help resolve your anxiety, child?"

     "Yes, it does. Thank you, Aes Sedai."

     "You are welcome. We will reach Tar Valon soon. Upon our arrival, I will take you to the Mistress of Novices so that you may be entered into the Novice book and begin your training."

     "By the Light and my hope of salvation and rebirth, I promise to study very hard and learn everything that I can. I will be Aes Sedai one day. I will prove that you are right about me."

    As they approached Tar Valon, Nateera thought she had never seen such beauty. The city seemed to shine with the glory of the Creator's Light.

    She was very quiet as they approached the Mistress of Novices office. The Aes Sedai looked at her for the final time. "Are you ready, child?"

    "Yes, I am."

    Then knock and welcome to the Tower, child."

    Nateera swallowed the lump in her throat, raised her hand, and knocked. She quietly waited for permission to enter.

     

[Leala]

Talina bustled around her office, setting things in place that had been moved around, dusting, and generally straightened up, all with the One Power.  Sometimes the Tower servants complained that she straightened up too much, but they were normally new, and she straightened them up as well.  What an Aes Sedai did with her own quarters and offices were her own business, and no one else's.  When everything was to her liking, she sat down and shuffled through reports on novices.  Most were good.  Some finally broke their block, some were showing better discipline, others were simply showing up to class with a smile on their faces.  There were some negatives in her pile of papers, but she would deal with them soon enough.

 

For now, there was a knock at her door.

 

She set the reports down neatly on her desk and opened the door with a small weave of Air.  As she suspected from the shy and short knock, a young woman not yet in novice whites waited for her.  She seemed stiff and nervous, so Talina have her a smile.  "Come in, child, please!" she said with a friendly air.  "You act as if I'm going to bite you.  I can say that I have never done that.  Please, take a seat."  When the girl had seated herself, she continued.  "My name is Talina Sedai, and I am your Mistress of Novices.  We will be working together very closely during your time here, but first we must start at the beginning.  How is it that you've found your way to the White Tower?" she asked.

[Saphira Silvermoon]

 Nateera swallowed the lump in her throat, raised her hand, and knocked. She quietly waited for permission to enter.

 

When the door opened, she entered the office and curtied.

 

"Thank you, Talina Sedai. My name is Nateera Raychon. I am the eldest of five children. My parents are innkeepers. I was expected to take over the family inn when my parents die, but that is not what I wanted to do. I felt that I wanted to explore the world and learn everything that I could. I travelled around for the last six years, seeking I knew not what. I found myself in the city of Aringill where I rented a room at The Candle's Nub. After about three weeks, one morning while I was examining the merchandise in the jewelry shop, a beautiful woman on horseback stopped and was looking at me as though she knew me. I asked if we had met before and she said no. She handed me a stone and asked me what I  sensed from it. I told her that it seemed to be alive. After I said this, she asked if I had ever thought about going to the White Tower and I said no. She then said that she thought I could learn to channel if I so desired. She said that I could think about it and I said that would not be necessary as I thought that I had found what I was looking for. The next morning, we left and began the journey here. I wish to learn to be Aes Sedai. May I please be enrolled in the Novice book, Talina Sedai?"

Edited January 28, 2014 by Saphira Silvermoon