How high shall I jump, Aes Sedai? (attn: Sana)

[Arette]

Sahra had woke up a bit earlier than usual and gotten up all cheery and enthusiastic for today's training after the light breakfast. She had decided to do her warm up muscle excercises, laps and stretches before her time with Sana actually started and she had gotten to the laps part by the time other Trainees were only starting to spill out to the Yards. She began to ran backwards as she traded jaunts with Conor and Mahiko, fellow Trainees she and Fior often hanged around with on their free time. They were all covered in bed bug bites for being such sleepy heads and they retorted by remarking what a pet of Sana she was and how eager to please him. Lick, lick, brown tongue. There was the slightest node of truth in it so it quieted her for a moment until she could come up with a sufficiently good response which was swiftly returned by a call to train harder since she could still speak and laugh.

 

She had the sinking feeling that she was going to loose this debacle and she racked her mind all the while jogging. Her small reverie was broken by a forceful bump into someone and she and this someone staggered about taking a few steps to regain their balance. Something had flown to the ground to Sahra's feet and she heard a crunch of glass as she stepped on what ever it was. She quickly lifted her boot and scooped to pick up the metal frames and shards.

 

She looked at the woman apologetically and took in her measure and looks. Black hair on braid, almost black eyes, shorter than she by few inches and... Light... the ageless face. This was no ordinary person she had ran over and whose property she had destroyed. Sahra had never seen anything like the things than hung broken from her fingers but she guessed that they were expensive. She would be paying the price of this with her back for years. She would have to take extra duties and find some other work and her mates had seen her stumble... And she had to say something.

 

"My apologies, Aes Sedai, for running around like a chicken with her head cut off. Are you alright? I am afraid that these..." she shook the spectacles. "... are not. How can I make amends?"

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

The look had been thoughtful as she entered the Yard. It had been a few weeks since she had a chance to practice her forms with the Stave and it was a far more ideal way to stay in shape and give her mind a break from the masses of letters she was receiving from back home. Fragile were the words that had been scrawled on the shieled peices of folded parper were enough to have her walk away from them and dwell. New, all news. But to what end?

 

It had not been the banter of the trainee's that caused her to stumble, but the female 's steps that she had not expected that broke her out of her thoughts as her spectacles tumbled to the ground. Avoiding Maegan's feet, the trainee instead put her foot down on her wired frames that gave easily under the taller girls weight.

 

The silence could be cut with a knife.

 

"My apologies, Aes Sedai, for running around like a chicken with her head cut off. Are you alright? I am afraid that these..." she shook the spectacles. "... are not. How can I make amends?"

 

Maegan reach out and cautiously took the spectacles from the girl and peers hopelessly at them. They were completely ruined. "This is unfortunate." She frowned and leaned down and attempted to pick up a shard of glass. Missing the first she picked one up on the second try. There was nothing left to them. "Extremely." Thwere was no real show of anger or emotion or disapointment in Maegan's voice, just fact and passing sadness but nothing of real profound or noteworthy.

 

Maegan looked to the girl. "What is your name, child? Are you familiar with the vendors in Tar Valon?"

 

 

 

Maegan Ryanne

Red Sitter (?)

[Arette]

Sahra was hardly an expert in dealing with Aes Sedai and they were famous for their ability to mask their emotions... and cold anger when they were displeased with someone. But this Aes Sedai did not seem too ruffled. Maybe it was a personality thing or then she had managed to pick the right words and tone. The latter was not hard for someone who had grown up in a city that respected Aes Sedai and was accustomed to their presence and even encountering them in person sometimes.

 

When the Sister was trying to reach for the pieces of the broken thing, it finally clicked to her what was the purpose of the item. She had heard of these things, eyeglasses. People with poor sight used them and it was a surprise to realise that an Aes Sedai could have such a weakness too. You didn't expect such human things from them.

 

"I am Sahra Covenry, Aes Sedai", she replied promptly to her inquiry. "And I am a native Tar Valoner so I know my way around the city. My apologies for assuming, but do you wish me to go and get you another pair of these?" She lifted the useless pair of spectacles. She actually didn't know where you could get them but she would know the address if the Sister would give her one. A fear knotted her belly again when she thought of the cost. Glass was expensive and these required very specific work.

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

"Trainee Sahra." Maegan smiled reassuredly. "It would be wonderful if you could procure a new pair from Master Papet. He is a Jeweler and should have the tools available to have them fixed." She pondered carefully as she then looked up at the taller girl. "I doubt that you would have too much trouble finding him if you are Tar Valon born."

 

"It is the least I can do, Aes Sedai", she replied promptly. "And I will find him if you just tell me in which part of the city the good master can be found from. I am afraid I have never heard of him. And if it isn't too bold, may I ask your name. How will I find you when the pair is repaired?"

 

Maegan could not help but chuckle. The girl was not afraid to question, and was polite in doing so. That was good. "It is not too bold, Trainee Sahra. I am Maegan Ryanne, a Red sister, but please don't fear my shawl too quickly." She winked a little in good humour, "Not all of us bark."

 

"The Jeweler is in the southern corner, along the Grove. He would not be too hard to miss. You can always ask around as he is popular for eye-gazing."

 

The colour of the Sister's shawl did make her eyebrows rise. So this was a vaunted Red Sister and she seemed very nice and pleasent. Sahra hadn't had an idea of what to expect but maybe someone more militant and cooler. She definately was glad the woman was not angry at her since Aes Sedai could be truly formidable when roused.

 

"I will find him and I shall return as soon as he is just done, Maegan Aes Sedai. I am thankful of you... well, not biting my head off for this. I would have deserved it", she said with a slight smile. "The payment is on me of course since it was my mistake." Light, please don't let them cost too much. She didn't have that much savings. "Where shall I find you from when I get back?"

 

Instead of admitting to the girl that she already had a few pairs in pay in advance, Maegan nodded her head slowly and smiled. She often broken them in the Yard while she was in training and it was often easier to just send someone to pick up a pair, although these ones had not been a particularily cheap set. But since Sahra was bringing the old frames than Papat would know exactly which pair needed replacing.

 

"Right here. I will be spending the afternoon practicing. It's been a week or so since I last moved through the forms so I will be here for a good long while before you return. If I am not here than you can ask for directions to the Red Quarters in the Tower. Someone will point you where you need to go."

 

 

 

Maegan & Sahra

[Arette]

"Understood, Maegan Aes Sedai. At your leave I will go now so you can have a repaired pair as soon an possible." At the nod of dismissal from the Red Sister, Sahra turned on her heels and tried to find Sana. She was late from her morning training and she would have to explain to her mentor why she would postpone it even further. Burn her clumsiness. Luckily Mahiko and Conor had been snatched up by their own trainers but they had witnessed the event and would tease her about it as surely as sun would rise the next morning. Hopefully the Aes Sedai would stay in the Yards for as long as it took to fix the spectacles. It would be scary to have to enter the White Tower again and go to the Red Ajah quarters of all things.

 

Sana had obviously taken after his own mentor as he was launging under the large tree at the yard and leaning his back lazily at it while sitting on the ground. At least he wasn't sleeping but that could be because he hadn't told Sahra yet what she would have to be training today.

 

"Sana, I'm sorry that I'm la..."

 

"Sahra, just the person I was looking for, I have a task for..."

 

They spoke over each others and paused. Even though Sana didn't seem upset, she didn't want to press her luck and decided to let him go at it first. "What were you saying? A task, huh?" It sounded really interesting but she couldn't do anything yet since she had to run a chore for Maegan Sedai.

[TaeaDawn]

"Yes, a task." he said with a grin. It was more than a task really, more like a game that he thought she might enjoy but something that would put her brain to work. It was all well and good to learn how to defend yourself with a sword, but if you didn't train your mind as well, you'd get yourself just as dead and probably faster.

 

"Here is a list of things you need to procure for me. You can see by the first item that it's not going to be that easy. You need to find a book. There is no title listed, nor a place. You and I saw this particular book one day and I commented on it. It's up to you to remember the when and where of everything on this list. This is an exercise in memory and recall. When you have everything on the list come back and show me what you remembered." He said with a grin.

 

Ursana Tahn Sakhr - Go Sahra! Scavenger hunt! YEAH!

[Arette]

Sana's task didn't sound too bad, in fact it would be a fun treasure hunting. Basically she would have to retrack places she and Sana had been to over the past eight months and reminesc objects they had seen and discussed about and bring them back. He would likely appreciate quickness but she could fit in well the chore of fetching Maegan new eyeglasses. She returned his grin.

 

"You are a very creative mentor I have to say, Sana. I am certain that I can remember those things." Because they had happened with him, she thought with an internal sentimental sigh. It would be interesting to see what all kind of things he had chosen. "At your leave." She gave him a Tower Guard salute and since he didn't protest, she headed to the Southern gate that lead to the Grove and master Papet.

 

On the way she puzzled the mysterious book. She wasn't a person who read very much so dusty tomes weren't of much interest to her; she rather listened to stories and had someone explain things to her or even better, tried things out on her own. Sana had taken to a quick visit to the Tower Library during the first week of her training and the place had sufficiently impressed her. She couldn't have even imagined that there were so many books in the world. He hadn't particularly mentioned any title that time but she could remember them being in the town and passing bookstores and even visiting one after getting attracted by a small crowd of young girls tittering at the display window. It had to be that book, it just had to be. She would buy it to Sana with an appropriate note to the front page.

 

If the rest of the objects would be as... interesting, she should have a field day indeed. The amusement and general good mood carried her to master Papet's workshop and at the mention of the Maegan Sedai, she got the pair he had ready for her. Sahra tugged the spectacles in their container to her pocket and thanked her good luck for everything going so smoothly. As she excited the shop with a happy bounce, she almost groaned as she was unable to keep herself from colliding with a tall gray-haired woman. It was a mere bump and neither lost their balance too badly but the chilling look from yet another ageless face made her drop a hasty curtsy and apologize genuinely.

 

Piercing blue eyes bore into her and measured her until recognition dawned. "I have seen you in the Yards, child. In my days Tower Guard Trainees did not rush heedlessly like a herd of lemmings and had more grace than cows. In fact, since I am still alive, it is my days. Give your name and mentor's name, child and I might discuss with the Mistress of Trainees of the standards they set these days."

 

Her heart sinking, Sahra tried to be brave and give the information audibly and without hesitation. After Maegan Sedai, who had seemed like a normal person, this Sister was an iron gauntlet who didn't even bother cloaking itself in silk and it was double the shock. "However we are both busy women so this might be settled in another way. A lesson might refresh your memory in the future." The formidable hag motioned and a meek looking white-clad girl stepped from behind her and handed her what seemed like a shoe box. "Normally desirable even walking is practiced with books but I believe this works as well. You shall make your way back to the Yards and do a few rounds there before you can hand the box to some fine Tower Guard and tell them to deliver it to Cetalia Sedai's quarters. And Light forbid you from dropping it."

 

Sahra stood absolutely still as the box was placed on top of her head and the Aes Sedai and her white shadow departed. She could feel the first beads of perspiration of concentration on her forehead as she took the first of the many chicken steps. She fumed quietly and cursed the woman wondering if the majority of the Sisters were like her. It had been her fault but she had apologized. Quite this public humiliation had not been necessary. Maegan had to be the norm and this Cetalia an exception. Raise foot carefully and place it again steadily. She thanked the grace from the stepping excercises.

 

She had long since lost the right number in her count by the time she was at the Yards. At least string of laughing and pointing children no longer followed her but she was the target of many pointed fingers and guffaws as she made the aggravating laps redder than ever in her life. She finally got rid of the accursed box and handed it to an older Guard with a well-schooled face. Sahra wiped her sweaty face with a handkerchief and took many deep breaths before she dared to approach Maegan Sedai. She seemed absorbed in her forms and if she really couldn't see very well, maybe she had not noticed the whole thing.

 

"Maegan Sedai, I have your eyeglasses now", she called. She hesitated for a moment before bursting out the question that had bothered her. "Would you say that you are a typical Aes Sedai? I'm just asking so I can be prepared in the future if I bump into another Sister." Never again literally, though. That was a lesson well learned indeed. Sana would be so ashamed of her lacking perception of her surroundings.

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

The practice within the yard was not far enough out of the normal for Maegan, and even without her spectacles, there was not daunting or hindering as she moved through her forms. She even had one Tower Guard politely approach her and correct a bad stance and show her a few new forms. It was a rare to see one approach an Aes Sedai on her technique, but she was indebted and grateful. She woul dhave to write a note of recommendation for the boy once she was complete for the day and the Trainee Sahra returned. It was not too long into the later part of the day that she could her the girl approach. After knowing one by voice, Maegan never could forget it. Self trained and intune with anything around her since her novice days.

 

"Maegan Sedai, I have your eyeglasses now" Maegan smiled as she sheathed her sword with a very smooth Folding the Fan and turned to the Trainee.

 

"Would you say that you are a typical Aes Sedai? I'm just asking so I can be prepared in the future if I bump into another Sister."

 

The girl was looking at Maegan intently, she could feel it in the girls stare, and she paused for a moment, unsure if she actually heard the girl correctly and then burst out loud laughing.

 

"My dear girl, no." She chuckled, accepting the glasses from Sahra. "I am not a typical Aes Sedai. Many use their Masks as power, or feel that they -as trained over such amount of Time- have the right to act as they do. It is simply a game of politics that they live and breath. Ingrained into them since their entrance into the Tower, it is all that they know." Maegan winked at the girl as she opened the case and placed her glasses on her nose. "I am too smart to have anything ingrained into me without my consent or agreement, contrary to how others may view it."

 

She tilted her head a little to watch the girl with a nearly impassive motherly look. "I did not confuse you too immensely, have I? I tried to make my words plain. Often I come across as too eloquent in my speech."

 

 

 

Maegan Ryanne

Highest

[Arette]

Sahra listened to Maega's response intrigued. Was this how she really saw the other Sisters? Maegan thought that the other Aes Sedai didn't realise that they had been trained into a mold, maybe she even felt condescending over them, thinking that they weren't as smart as her. But why would the Tower want Aes Sedai to be like that? Asking that would be stretching the Red Sister's leniency too far but maybe if they met again, she could pry carefully about the topic.

 

"I think that I understood you, Maegan Sedai. You do speak eloquently but still in a way that is easy to understand even for a Trainee," she replied with a smile. "But now I have fetched you your spectacles and made up my clumsiness. Is there anything else you require of me?" Please don't let her want anything else. Sahra was already late and Light only knew how long it would take to find all the items on Sana's list. She tried to keep her face neutral, though, as Aes Sedai wanted to be served without complaints even if they were harridans like Cetalia Sedai. Luckily Maegan Sedai was not like her.

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

 

Her eyes gazed down at the girl with a look that could not be seen past the specticles newly replaced on her nose. Young. Although the girl voiced nothing, everything was given away in her face and how her weight shifted with the thoughts in her head.

 

"No, Sahra. That is everything." Maegan smiled without it completely reaching her eyes. "I shall leave for the day. May we meet again." With a tilt of her head to say good bye, she headed back into the Tower to continue her work for the day.

 

 

Maegan Ryanne

Highest

[Arette]

Maegan had no more need for Sahra. Brilliant. She responded the Aes Sedai's curt nod of goodbye with an eager bow of her head and digged out the list. She would have to make up a plan for the route so that it would be as efficient as possible. She didn't want to waste anymore time than her detour with the Aes Sedai had already taken. She knew where to get the book and which tome she would bring but the other places bore a little more thinking.

 

A pint of ale most likely refered to their first meeting when she had given him one off the house. A coil of rope... ugh, it had to refer to the day and night when she had been tied on Aran. That particular rope had been provided from Lyssa but she would not ask the woman for another one. Surely Sana couldn't mean that. It would be just plain evil. No, she could just get the rope from the storage of the Yards. Acorn would likely have to be fetched from the Grove and she knew just from which tree, the tallest one of course. Sana had taught her to climb but then she hadn't been able to make it on the top. But now she was good enough climber that she could. It could be Aran's tree, Faith, otherwise except that it was not an oak. The next item on the list were dices and it brought a grin to her face. There were alot of different good memories relating to those. Since she had to choose, it would likely be from their first family dinner. Aran had picked the place that time and surely they would sell her a set even though it was an early day and they usually opened much later.

 

The last item on the list, a towel was a bit more tricky one. She could remember the one time Aran had tricked her into drinking, a bloody drinking contest in fact. A bad idea just like Sana had told her but she had been young and stupid then and prone to provocation. Now she could stand Aran's tormenting and taunting much better. It had been a wonder that she had been able to walk, not to mention run from the Tower Guards. She could feel a warm flush creep to her cheeks at the memory; even worse, it had been her bright idea. She had no big qualms about nudity but wearing nothing but a towel and flashing publicly to an Aes Sedai even if Sana and Aran had done the same... yes, some things were better to be left unremembered. Likely Sana refered to the time he had taken her to Mistress Elin's Shienaran Style Spa. That was going to be the only story she would tell to him.

 

The coin she already had if Sana was thinking the same coin than she was. They had one night made a bet about which one of the three could earn the most money the fastest. She had set up an impromptu dancing show on a bar table and gotten a nice amount of attention and shiny rewards. She should have won but Aran had of course cheated and stolen someone's fat purse. He had tossed her seething self a golden mark for the good sport and attempt and she still retained the money as she hadn't paid him back yet in kind.

 

The last item on the list was a belt, also a funny memory. She and Sana shared a delight of pricking the bubbles of self-righteous people and one day a young Andoran lord had come to the Yards to train with all pomp and a string of retainers. They had been of course sent to stay in an inn but the snooty young man had gotten into a boasting match with a couple of other trainees even before getting changed into the proper garb. She and Sana had decided to interfere before it would turn into a fist fight and while she kept him busy with her simpering, Sana had stolen his belt. He hadn't even realised what was going on until his pants dropped. The tricky thing was that Sana had the belt and if he kept his chest locked... well, she wasn't as nimb with her fingers and the lockpicks as Sana and Aran.

 

She started with the belt and to her dismay she wasted almost an hour before she managed to get a satisfying click from the simple lock. She didn't bother covering her tracks but hurried to reclaim the rest of the items. Another hour later she stood before Sana with her loot sack and told her takes for the stories as she revealed the items one at a time. He wouldn't confirm if she had gotten it right and she had left the book for the last. She didn't make a huge number of it but she opened the empty first page with her dedication. 'To Sana from his eager student in everything.' One day she would practice every catalogued thousand and hundred and seven kisses and ninety three way to touch a man's face with your hand with him.

 

"So how did I do?"

 

Sahra Covenry

Tower Trainee

[TaeaDawn]

He was waiting for Sahra.  Had been waiting for a while actually.  In all honesty, he'd been in the Yards all day working on different things so that he could see her if she was moving through.  He was happily rewarded as he watched her stroll along with her bundle and head in a straight line for his quarters.  He thought he knew what she was going to get, but so many of the items on his list could have been from more than one occasion that it was hard to say.  That had been part of it as well.  At least, that was the fun part for him.  All the rough times aside, it would be fun to see what memories the list brought up.  They'd had their share of doozies with Aran and on their own.  Probably more than a Tower Guard and his trainee should, but in the end he passed it off as he always did.  On Aran and whoever had decided that the man should be training the youth of the trainees to be the Guards of tomorrow.  Oh, the man was good at what he did, but he was far better at getting out of things and Sana had been a quick enough learner in his own right to learn those lessons without being taught. 

 

When Sahra finally found him, he smiled at her as he listened to her stories.  Some were right.  Some were not the stories he had been thinking of when he had made the list, but the point was just that she think and remember.  He had forgotten about her being tied to Lyssa actually.  The rope had been about a certain night drinking when Sahra had found him far too gone in his cups.  The rope had been.. well.. stupid considering their circumstances, but at the time he had thought it was all good fun.  Sahra hadn't seemed to mind any either until he'd come to his senses and remember she was his trainee.  He had no intention of mentioning that night though.  Still, the rope in her hand made him smile and he hoped she didn't realize why.

 

The last item, the book, made his grin even larger.  So, she had remembered that one.  It was a feat really.  It had been a long time ago and he wasn't even sure the book would have still been there, but either it was or she'd run around and found a copy.  The dedication made him laugh, though he was certain it wasn't supposed to.  He put one arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head without thinking.  "No one can ever fault you with a bad memory Sahra." he said, still laughing lightly.

 

Sana 

[Arette]

Sana's laughter invited one from Sahra too but she grew serious when he drew her close to him. She closed her eyes briefly when she felt his lips on her hair and tilted her head invitingly. Of course he didn't kiss her properly and she realised with a startle that they were in a public place and tried to appear natural. Light, if they started slipping this badly, they would be before Ginae in no time. "There has never been anything wrong with my memory", she murmured staring at his lips so intently that he couldn't miss her point.

 

But they had to stop and she withdrew from him with a sigh. "Anyway, I would be willing to bet that you are not a master at touching men's faces in Light knows how many ways those Domanis have come up with. Therefore the book." She was able to summon a genuine and insolent grin. "Maybe Aran could help you practice." That earned her an attempted thwap with a lathe that she dodged. "Tsk tsk tsk, you are growing lax in this regard too. Not even able to smack your trainee hard anymore."

 

Her mouthing yielded immediate results in form of a serious onslaught and despite her earnest attempts to sidestep she had received at least ten good hits before she had backed her way to the lathe rack and could properly defend herself. The dangerous moment was over for now at least and she was glad to resume the role of mentee again in its real meaning.

 

Sahra Covenry

Mouthy Trainee