Welcome to Novicehood, Ino (attn: Mistress of Novices)

[libertine]

"It's only a door," Ino Garvedian murmured as she took in the high arched oaken entryway leading to the Mistress of Novices' chamber. "Honestly, it's nothing you haven't seen before, so just knock and get it over with." She couldn't bring herself to do it, though. At that moment, the shining brass knocker in the middle of the panel gave her more pause than a venomous snake.

 

Maidela Aes Sedai, the one that'd brought her here, had only come with her this far. After depositing her in front of the door, she'd announced her intention to go on to more important affairs; at Ino's startled blink and stammered beginnings of a question, she'd tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. "Light, child!" she'd said, adjusting her fringed shawl. "Do you honestly expect every step of your way in the Tower to be smoothed over? Some doors you have to walk through yourself. Consider this your first lesson." And then she'd swept away.

 

The Aes Sedai was right. It wasn't like she was going to sign Ino's name into the Novice book. She took a deep breath, lifted one hand, then dropped it again, smoothing her skirts nervously.

 

Light save us all, Ino! She could hear her eldest sister Ivalice in her ear, almost spitting with aggravation. She wasn't sure why her conscience seemed to always chose to sound like her sister, but it was bloody effective. NOW what?!?!

 

"I don't hear anything within. Maybe she's out, or...she's busy. Yes. That -"

 

Sigh. Ohhhh. So you're affecting politeness to avoid me pointing out that you're scared?

 

Ino gasped. Her spine stiffened. Her dark eyes flashed. There were certain things one never said about Ebou Dari women...!

 

Oh please, her conscience drawled, for all the world sounding like Ivalice when her husband was being particularly difficult. You've never been within fifty miles of Ebou Dar.

 

Neither have you! Ino shot back defensively. And that's as may be -

 

You're scared.

 

I am NOT!

 

She could practically see her sister giving her that look. I don't see you proving it.

 

Ino was not scared. She was NOT! Really. Honestly. Her hand leapt of its own accord to the knocker, and rapped it twice against the heavy wood. Perhaps she slammed it a bit too hard, in retrospect; she hadn't known sound echoed quite that loudly....

[Lavinya]

Pia frowned, her displeasure evident as she gave the novice standing in front of her desk an icy stare. She did not enjoy handing out chastisement to the girls in her charge, but far worse in her opinion, was when one of the girls showed total disregard for the rules. And by showing such disrespect to an Aes Sedai! Pia was disappointed in Keirel; she was a bright young thing, a fast learner, but she was constantly in conflict with her betters. It was not the first time that Pia had been forced to dress her down.

 

"I do be irritated to have you in my office for rudeness again, Keirel." Pia was quite aggravated, not only with the girl, but with the fact that she had momentarily slipped into the accents of her native Illian. "The report I received from Ana Sedai regarding your behaviour is disgraceful." Pia focused her gaze on the light-haired novice, who at least looked somewhat abashed under the intensity of that look.

 

Pia folded her hands before her on the desk in a relaxed manner, though her piercing gaze still spoke of her irritation. "I will inform mistress Laras that you will be personally responsible for all of Ana Sedai's meals, and you will also be doing all of her washing. For the next month, you will wait on Ana Sedai hand and foot, until you can learn to control your wayward tongue and show the proper respect." She saw Keirel flinch, she clearly did not relish the job given her. Pia knew that Ana and Keirel clashed, but it was for the novice to learn to bend her neck, to show some grace. The fact that the Red was notorious among the novices as being a harsh mistress meant little to Pia. The girl must learn.

 

"If I hear of such disgraceful behaviour on your part again child, you shall not get off so lightly." Pia's eyes strayed to the tall cupboard where a birch hung within. No more needed to be said, the message was clear, and Keirel visibly paled. Pia did not hand out birchings often, but when she did they were harsh. "Now off with you; you are still to attend all your classes and wait on Ana Sedai whenever she requests. That is all." A knock sounded as the girl dropped a curtsy, and Pia waved her away, the girl dashing off without another word and leaving a gaping young girl in her wake.

 

Pushing aside her ire, Pia stood and summoned a smile for the new comer. "Please come in, child." She bid the girl enter, and indicated she should sit, as Pia herself sat once more. "My name is Pia Tovisen, and I am the Mistress of Novices here at the White Tower. How can I help you?"

 

Pia Tovisen

Mistress of Novices

[libertine]

The echo of the rap had barely died away before she was staring in the face of Pia Sedai. Oh, dear.

 

"Oh..." She trailed off, curtsied, manners coming to the fore by instinct. When you saw an Aes Sedai, you curtsied; a life in Tar Valon had taught her that and taught it well.

 

What it hadn't taught her, however (much to her dismay) was to find one's tongue in the presence of one of these women. Then again, Aes Sedai had that odd effect on everyone. She felt as if she'd been turned into a butterfly pinned into a display for the woman's perusal. And the woman gesturing her in, and returning to her desk, hadn't done anything to her!

 

Ino racked her brain for the appropriate courtesies. "I'm sorry for disturbing you, Aes Sedai." That was simple enough. She followed the elder woman in, and sat down, smoothing her skirts nervously.

 

"I was sent here by Maidela Sedai...to sign my name in the Novice book," she explained.

[Lavinya]

Pia had long made it a habit to pay attention to the finer details, so she studied the girl as she spoke. Ebou Dari, if her clothing was to believed, though it did also match her colourings. She was a long way from home, somewhat travel weary it would seem, and more than a little nervous. The girl did, however, have some notion of respect, something that pleased Pia. Too many young girls these days were so full of pride and vanity they believed themselves to be princesses without needing to bend their necks to anyone.

 

"I was sent here by Maidela Sedai...to sign my name in the Novice book." Ahh, so it was to be a new initiate to the Tower's hallowed halls. Sliding open the drawer to her right, Pia withdrew the heavy volume that was the Book of Novices. The Tower was meticulous in keeping records, and every girl who had joined the ranks was accounted for within the crisp pages, going back some hundreds of years. Pia herself was noted, what seems like a lifetime ago. Indeed it was a lifetime; more than that for many people. Her longevity was a gift of the creator bestowed upon Aes Sedai, and while her appearance belied her age, she was one of the elder sisters still in residence.

 

"I assume this means you have been tested, child?" Pia asked as she flipped through to the newest page, a keeping weave ensuring the book was as pristine as the first day it was opened. The girl nodded the affirmative, and Pia picked up a pen, dipping it in the inkwell on the desk before holding it above the paper. "Let us make this official then." Pia smiled warmly. "If you could please state your name, place of birth, and lastly your age." The strokes of the pen were neat and precise as Pia wrote the information down, signing it and dating it with a flourish.

 

"Welcome to the White Tower, Novice Ino."

 

 

Pia Tovisen

Mistress of Novices