Take a Class requirement complete!

The Accepted nodded as Carina Sedai explained that Aes Sedai were outside the normal restrictions of noble women. It made sense, really. The Sisters of the White Tower were unlike any other women in the world. They were free to make their own destinies, a luxury that a farmwife would never have. For the first time, Miahna felt truly happy that she’d left Arafel and come to the White Tower. While her guilt would return eventually, the Accepted reveled in her newfound freedom of the heart. She used her thumb to wiggle the gold Great Serpent ring on her left hand before returning her attention to the Brown Sitter.

The Aes Sedai laughed slightly when mentioning small talk, as if the very idea was preposterous. Instead of taking the laugh as an affront – which she may have done before the lesson – Miahna merely chuckled along with the older woman and sipped her wine. The burgundy liquid had a fruity aroma and tasted very elegant. The Arafellin could imagine the King and his court, or the Amyrlin drinking this wine as they grazed on their own dinners.

Mimi found that the wine soothed her nerves and that she actually felt the part of a noblewoman as she held the glass in her hand. She finished her glass and, she hoped, daintly placed the empty glass next to the nearly full water glass. The servant behind her chair moved forward and refilled her wine, the red liquid swirling out of the bottle until the glass was just under half full. The Brown Sister smiled at her in approval as Miahna picked up the fork on the end again and resumed eating the delicious food.

As they finished the main course, a question occurred to the Accepted. Swallowing her last bite, she took a small sip of water before posing it to the Sitter. “Carina Sedai,” she began, “you mentioned that nearly ever county, and perhaps even city, set a table differently. Which setting are we using for this meal?”

ooc: I love it :)

---

Miahna welcomed the friendliness that Carina Sedai was displaying. Rather than snickering at the Accepted’s obvious unfamiliarity with proper etiquette, the Aes Sedai put off a vibe of understanding. Though gentility was not something that came particularly easy to Miahna, she was certainly willing to try her hand at it. If it was indeed something that she needed to know as an Aes Sedai, then she would not let these lessons be a waste of hers, nor the Brown’s time.

Taking the seat across the table from the Sitter, Miahna rolled her shoulders and let her body relax. Novice and Accepted training thus far had impressed upon the Arafellin that she must always put her best face forward in front of Aes Sedai, that failure was no option and that everything must look easy. To the contrary, the Brown Sister explained that most of the women in the Tower struggled with something when they arrived, many with this same lesson.

Locking her eyes with Miahna’s for a moment, Carina Sedai then launched into the explanation of the set table. A blush crept up the Accepted’s cheeks as she listened to how wrong she’d been. The large plate was a placeholder instead of the dinner plate, the larger utensils were for portion control, and the bowl was for cleaning your hands instead of stew…which seemed ridiculous and a tad rude to Miahna. What happened if your fingers were filthy, did you still use the water? She crinkled her nose at the bowl and glanced back at the Aes Sedai.

At the Sister’s behest, Mimi repeated the uses for every item on the table exactly. Pleased, Carina smiled across the table at her. The Accepted responded with a smile as the Aes Sedai continued the lesson, “From now on, you will dine with me every session of your lessons in etiquette and the table setting will be different each time. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be able to hold your ground in any circumstance."

Servants rolled a food cart in and positioned themselves around the women – one behind each dinner participant and one next to the cart. The men served the dinner silently before returning to their assigned places. Noticing Carina suggesting her onward with her eyes, Miahna picked up the furthest fork and lifted a bite to her lips.

The food was exquisite – much better than the food she ate in the dining area downstairs. Not that the food served to the Tower initiates was bad, it was actually very satisfying, but those meals were slop in comparison. The meat practically melted in the Arafellin’s mouth and the potatoes held such a succulent flavor that she had to hold back a sigh of contentment from escaping her lips. She wanted to taste it all, to shovel it into her mouth, but she reined her reflexes in and methodically took small, polite bites. Shouldn’t there be some kind of small talk? Miahna thought as she chewed. Her green eyes flitted around the balcony as if looking for something to talk about. Oh bloody flaming Light, I’ll just ask! Taking a sip of water, the Accepted cleared her throat quietly and broke the silence. “Carina Sedai, pardon me for interrupting the meal, but should I be talking in some fashion? I’ve heard some of the other Accepted - women from wealthier families – discussing what they call making ‘small talk’ at fancy functions. Is that something that would be necessary at a dinner like this?”

ooc: Oops! Sorry about forgetting the other 'r' in the subtitle.

--------

Sparking white walls of the infirmary surrounded her; high ceilings stretched above her, almost never ending. Not that she noticed either. Her emerald eyes lay open, but unseeing as Miahna tried to process that her entire family was gone. Murdered in cold blood by their youngest sister. The sweet little girl that Miahna had raised from a baby. The little girl that they had all looked after with a fondness that only someone who had taken part in the raising of a child could have. Her mind whirred, repeating scenes from her Arches, scenes from when Tessa was a young child, the scene of Miahna leaving. She didn’t feel the tears that trailed down her cheeks to land on the white pillowcase.

Aes Sedai came and went, each a Yellow, checking on her condition. Mimi didn’t remember leaving her room, she didn’t remember being discovered by another Accepted, didn’t remember being carried down the Accepted hallways by a large hulking Warder for one of the Yellow Sisters on duty, didn’t remember that it had been nigh on a week since she’d received the letter. The letter that was now in the possession of Valeri Sedai.

The Mistress of Novices had, of course, been kept apprised of the situation. As was in her nature, she trusted the care of the child to the Yellows but was continually troubled about her unchanging emotional state. Upon reading the letter, it was obvious that the child needed to be dealt with very carefully and needed to be in the care of someone who had herself been through a similar ordeal. Hence, the Red Sister who was gazing down at the nearly catatonic Accepted now.

The Yellow Sisters had given up trying to speak to the girl, as she simply did not respond. They were barely able to get her to eat. So the sudden voice at her side made Miahna blink in recognition of her situation. The Aes Sedai next to her bed spoke to her kindly, but in a vigorous tone. She explained that Miahna would be staying with her for a few days. The girl opened and closed her eyes, really seeing for the first time in days. As the fog cleared away, she found herself walking with the Aes Sedai in the Red Ajah quarters. Blood pumped eagerly through her extremities and her entire body ached as it started to come alive again.

They settled into the sitting room, Miahna half laying on the couch and Larindhra in an overstuffed chair opposite the couch. Dazed, Mimi gratefully accepted the cup of tea proffered to her and found, to her surprise, that it was the same delicious Saldaean tea that Valeri Sedai kept in her office. The tea wet her throat and, finding the ability to speak again, she softly thanked the elder woman for her generosity.

“How?” was all she could manage before tearing up again. Lifting the cup of tea to her lips, Miahna tasted salt as her tears mingled with the dark liquid. Why?

Ooc: I was waiting for Phelix, actually, to see if he wanted to post something with Gera, but I haven’t seen him around for awhile, so I guess I will move this along for those of your that need this credit!

------

Miahna felt herself stiffen as the Accepted started talking about her days as a novice and that she didn’t have time to laze around. I don’t know about these other two, but I’m certainly not lazy! I worked my flaming tail off on all my chores in order to enjoy today. I haven’t had a time to enjoy myself since I got the bloody Tower years ago! She opened her mouth, but then closed it. The tirade continued inside her head, but if her time at the Tower had taught her anything, it was that speaking your mind was often considered rude. She would not let this day be ruined by the older woman in front of her.

However, instead of handing out an assignment to the three novices, the Accepted relaxed her features and actually spoke out in favor of taking a little time to breathe. She seemed almost friendly, offering some of her food to the trio of white clad women sitting a foot or so away from her. Miahna nodded her thanks, but didn’t reach for any of the food. She was still full from breakfast. Besides, sitting here in the garden was bad enough, but she felt that if an Aes Sedai walked by and saw her eating on top of that, that her punishment would be worse.

The woman answered Mimi’s question before turning her gaze to Fianna. Much as the Arafellin felt uplifted by the former Tinker’s presence, the older woman seemed to soften a bit more just looking at the girl. She smiled widely and answered Fianna’s question with a gentle tone.

Leaning back a little, the Accepted took a bite of her food, sipped her wine and eyed the novices. "And please, call me Nanna while we're in the garden. I would rather not have my picnic spoiled by you three looking nervous because you're afraid the Accepted will cut your freedom short." Sighing quietly, Miahna felt the tension leave her shoulders for the first time since she’d spied the banded hem.

“Nanna, earlier you mentioned that you might go into town. I wasn’t aware that one could do that as an Accepted. Have you been out often since gaining the ring?”

Miahna started to smile at the Aes Sedai’s approval of her code, but hurriedly dropped the corners of her mouth as the Aes Sedai finished her statement. For common people. The phrase rattled around in her head for a minute. I suppose that’s what we were, though our situation was far from common. Still, I don’t think I would have been able to survive at Rilanne’s estate with their fancy dresses and dinner parties. Mimi glanced down at her calloused hands. One glance at the Aes Sedai’s soft, beautiful fingers, told the Arafellin that in addition to her code, her hands were of common stock as well. She looked up as Carina Sedai continued. She spoke of how Sisters needed to know how to engage all levels of people – kings and queens, fishermen and warriors, city and country folk – and that she was the representation of the White Tower out in the world. In that way, I am more like a Kitchen scullion than an Aes Sedai.

The Brown Sister’s voice took on a lecturing tone as she explained about personality, gaining the Shawl, Aes Sedai acting on behalf of the Tower, and more. Mimi tried to keep up, but her brain didn’t seem to work as fast as Carina Sedai’s on this topic. Her emerald eyes grew round as she listened to the woman in front of her.

Carina Sedai seemed to notice her confusion and gave a small laugh. Assuring that the Arafellin would understand the speech eventually, the Brown took a different path. She assigned Miahna a paper on the cultures of Andor and Cairhein before motioning for the Accepted to follow her to the balcony opening at the back of the room.

This high up, there was a slight breeze. It swished around the hems of Carina and Miahna’s dresses; it rippled the ends of the Arafellin’s braids and the ends of the tablecloth. Though it was a bit chilly, Mimi welcomed the crisp air: it carried the scent of the river and enveloped her with more vigor.

Carina Sedai moved toward the table and waved her hand in front of it. "Now, table manners are generally the same everywhere, especially for an Aes Sedai. Only the material and level of elaboration may differ depending whether you are eating in a farm or a palace. This table is set for a palace dinner. Can you identify the various objects on it and deduct their purpose?”

The Accepted stared down at the table and blinked. She’d never seen a table that fancy. Who needs it set up like this? All you really need is a plate, fork, spoon, and knife. Maybe a bowl if you’re having stew… She glanced at the Aes Sedai, glanced at the table, and then back to the Sister again before answering.

“I notice the normal dinner items, Carina Sedai. The large plate, upon which to eat your dinner. The utensils are standard to eat with, though I don’t know what the large spoon and forks are for. I can deduce that they must have a special reason to be on the table. Perhaps certain foods are only to be eaten with a certain utensil? For that matter, I’m sorry, but I’ve no idea what the small plate is for. To the side, underneath the utensils is a towel to wipe your mouth, though I’ve never seen such an expensive one. The bowl is probably for stew. I know at least one of the glasses is for a drink, not sure what the other is used for, nor why is shaped differently – is that an important distinction?” Gazing down at the table, Miahna realized how truly clueless she was about how to behave in these wealthy affairs. It hadn’t ever been necessary, so she’d never learned. She had taken care of her parents and the housework so that her siblings had the chance to learn this etiquette business and have a chance to better themselves. When she’d pictured a fancy dinner, it had always been Tessa or Jenelle in the expensive dresses, Kagan, Cale, and Rolland in handsome suits. Her life had always existed solely around the farmhouse.

Obviously that had to change. Taking a deep breath, Miahna shut away the farmwife.

The other Aes Sedai agreed to help and Miahna instantly felt relieved. She curtsied and moved forward at the request to sit on the grass. She lowered herself carefully, mindful of her banded dress. Grass stains were a pain to get out. Though she was sitting below them on the ground, neither Sister held the haughty air that so many Aes Sedai used with Accepted and novices. Rather, these women seemed at ease and almost friendly toward her. She felt herself relax slightly as she settled into her space on the grass.

“Well Aes Sedai,” the Accepted started properly, “it’s often Earth in general. Whereas Air and Spirit come freely, as I mentioned earlier, I often strain to do even the simplest weaves in Earth. I understand that this is common for women, but it still makes me nervous and leaves me wanting to train twice as hard for I never know when I will need to use it. Shaping a stone is about the extent that I can do without sweating – the rest kind of fall apart when I attempt them.

I suppose what I’m looking for is to practice some basic weaves that I can use with my limited ability – especially the weaves that I will need for the test for the shawl. Also, perhaps I could get some suggestions from the two of you for substitute weaves that can help me instead of Earth intensive ones.”

Taking a breath, Mimi smiled hesitantly at the two Aes Sedai and placed her hands in her lap. She hadn’t expected to have help with her Earth weaves today. Oh she could ask for help whenever she wanted it, but usually the Aes Sedai who were willing to training Tower initiates were swamped with girls in white dresses that wanted the ability to weave this or that, or even just touch the source. Since the ring had been placed on her finger, Miahna had realized that being an Accepted meant figuring out an awful lot on your own. While she was definitely amenable to working on her own, sometimes it was pleasant to have an expert helping you along.

“Actually, if you’re willing, I was also curious as to how many of these basic weaves that we learn as Accepted are useful in the field.” She held up her hands as if to hold the two of them off as she continued, “I don’t mean to say that I think they aren’t necessary, but I was merely curious if you’ve found any use for them as an Aes Sedai.”

Congrats on making it to Accepted! :)

Yay! Congrats Chikara!!

As the other Accepted finished eating and returned their dishes to the kitchen servants, Miahna continued to eat absentmindedly. Her emerald eyes stared out the windows, deep in thought, as her hand brought the sandwich to her mouth and then back down again. Her food didn’t hold interest for her lately; it was all she could do to stay focused on her studies. The more days that stretched on between letters, the more worried she became.

Ever since Miahna had left for the Tower, she’d been in constant contact with the majority of her siblings. Henry and Rilanne sent letters explaining how the children were doing, and that their own family was growing. Kagan sent letters about his sword study and how he was now in the Royal Army of Arafel. Cale sent letters relating how he had finally settled down and was finally building a family of his own after traveling for many years. Jenelle was similarly raising her own family – she had a daughter named Miahna and a son named Matthis. Rolland had shot up like a rocket, nearly as tall as an Aiel. That had caught a few admiring eyes – his fortune must as well, as the youngest Telonne boy had become a blacksmith in a large town and was hauling in some hefty money. Everyone except for Tessa and Daniel had flooded her little keepsake box with letters and she’d been more than happy to buy another, larger box.

It wasn’t a surprise, really, that she hadn’t heard from Daniel. No one in the family had heard from him since he’d left all those years ago. She’d worried, sometimes, that something had happened to him, but he’d always been a resourceful boy. As a teenager, he’d often disappeared into the woods with nothing but the clothing on his back to return days later happy as a clam and no worse for wear.

By this point, it wasn’t really all that remarkable that she hadn’t heard from Tessa either. The youngest child had taken the move and Miahna’s leaving the hardest. While she’d written a few letters in the beginning, in her scrawling seven year old handwriting, her letters had dropped off as she grew older and ended altogether when she turned ten. Henry and Rilanne had kept Mimi abreast of the situation – that Tessa was acting out, and getting over her feelings of abandonment, but it still hurt Miahna deeply that the little girl she’d raised from a baby didn’t want anything to do with her anymore. Those letters from Tessa were Miahna’s most prized possession at the moment. She’d cried over the pages more than once.

Finishing her sandwich, Miahna suddenly came back to herself. She was sitting in the dining area, alone except for a few random white or banded dressed girls at other tables. An apple and some other food items still sat in front of her, but Mimi’s appetite was gone; it hadn’t really been present lately. She gathered her stuff together and dumped it into a trash can before slipping out of the Kitchens.

A novice caught her sleeve, apologizing profusely as she did so. The girl’s face was ruddy and she was breathing hard as if she’d been running. Mimi started to form a stern look on her face, about to tell the girl how to properly get around in the Tower and the proper way to catch the attention of an Accepted, but she was instantly distracted by what the girl said.

“A message just arrived for you Accepted. I delivered it to your room with haste, as was requested.” Somewhere a bell rang and the girl blanched. Taking one look at Miahna, she ran off down the hall, the white dress billowing out around the hem.

Rushing to her room, the Arafellin was heedless of the proper stride for an initiate of the Tower. Her dark braids streamed behind her, bells tinkling, as she rushed to the Accepted quarters. It was so coincidental that it had been months since she’d received word from any of her siblings and the one day that she’d allowed herself to dwell on it, one had arrived. Oh Light let it be good news..

Miahna threw open the door and felt her heart leap into her throat, threatening to burst out of her chest, as she spied the cream envelope on her bedside table. The writing was a beautiful feminine script that she didn’t recognize. Closing the door quietly, the Accepted hurried over to her table and removed the letter from the envelope. The paper was heavy with quality, and the ink shimmered a navy blue in the sunlight.

My Dearest Mimi,

The only words that come to mind when I write this letter are that it’s your fault. You were the person that held our family together and it wasn’t the same after you left. I felt isolated. You took me from mother and father, whom I haven’t seen since, and then you left too. It’s your fault that I feel all alone in this world; it’s your fault that I was abandoned by everyone. They all pretended that they cared about me, but I knew that it was just a front for everyone else to see. They used me and then cast me aside, much like you did. It’s your fault. It’s your fault that there are six pairs of dead eyes, eyes that look much like mine and yours, staring at me as I write this letter.

I now savor hate as much as I craved love. Your love. The love that you took away, never to return. Did you really think that letters could fill the hole that you left when you decided to put your future ahead of mine? Remember that day, for you will never have that happy of a memory again. I slaughtered each one of them for the lies that they told me, for the fake love that they gave me, for putting their needs above mine in my time of need. They said I’d get over it, but I didn’t.

Did I mention that I’m coming for you too? You don’t get to escape the pain just because you’re locked up in the White Tower. I’ll wait as long as I have to, because just like you, I have ways of living a long and healthy life.

Until we meet again,

All my love!

Tessie

Shocked, Miahna released the letter and sank to the floor. Tears flooded down her cheeks. It couldn’t be real. It had to be a test. Like the Arches. She remembered the pain and horror she’d felt at finding Rolland in that house, blood and bodies all around him. That same pain and horror again pulsed through her body. The letter floated down next to her gently, the lovely writing a stark contrast to it’s meaning.

She stayed like that until dawn.

The time between her apology and the Sisters’ responses felt like a lifetime. It was as if every second was noticeable: a butterfly flitted from one flower to another; a bead of sweat started forming on Miahna’s neck, a breeze picked up and settled back down again. Mimi felt a twinge in her foot and she ached to flex it. Instead, she stood stock still – as if any sudden movement would anger the women sitting before her.

The more confident of the two Aes Sedai nodded to herself and looked around the garden. The main difference between the Sisters was due to posture. Since she had taken that body language class, Mimi was noticing more and more differences between Aes Sedai whereas before she had thought most of them to act the same. The other Aes Sedai – the Sister who had not nodded – was probably new to the shawl. That would explain her lack of confidence quite well.

Miahna nearly let out a sigh of relief when the words that tumbled out of the woman’s mouth weren’t that of a punishment, but rather agreement. "You picked a beautiful place for it. Earth happens to be a specialty of mine." Tilting her head to the side, the Sister seemed to be asking something of the other Aes Sedai. "Want to help the poor child out, Carina Sedai?"

That was certainly a surprise, and definitely more than she’d hoped for. Those private lessons with Aes Sedai were not rare for an Accepted, they were always agreed on beforehand; many Sisters did not willingly give up their free time on the spot to teach a trainee. The Arafellin resisted raising her eyebrows or smiling at the suggestion. The day suddenly seemed much brighter. The corners of mouth did twist up a little when she heard one of the women mention that she hadn’t ‘toyed’ with the basic weaves in a while – her words, not Miahna’s. It was funny to think that all these years of practice barely skimmed the surface of what she would actually be doing once she gained the shawl.

ohhhhhhhhhh right. haha. I forgot about that. No, I do not.

Any way that there would be Accepted allowed to go???

(I realize probably not, just wanted to be in on the fun!)

The Aes Sedai invited her to take a seat and Miahna did so promptly – perhaps to show herself that she could behave when she needed to, perhaps as a slight affront to the Mistress of Novices. While the Arafellin knew the reasons that she was taking this class, it didn’t mean that she had to like that she was taking the class. The Aes Sedai in front of her didn’t really have anything to do with it though, so Mimi tried her hardest to look interested as she sat across from the woman.

Mimi grimaced slightly and quickly as the Aes Sedai mentioned that Valeri Sedai had sought her out to teach Mimi about etiquette. Those bratty girls need someone to tell them that they are living in a fantasy world. Real life is tough and scrubbing the floors is going to be the least of their worries! Her mind raced furiously and she considered trying to explain herself to Carina Sedai. That would just be an obvious reason of why I need the lecture.

The Aes Sedai floated a cup of tea to Miahna’s outstretched hand, and the Accepted took it with a nod of thanks. It was not the superlative Saldaean tea that Valeri Sedai drank, but it was strong and had a good flavor. The Aes Sedai also hadn’t added any honey, sugar, or cream, for which Mimi was also grateful. Tea wasn’t tea with all the superfluous sweets people liked to add in.

The Brown leaned back in her seat, and posed a question. "Let's see what I have to work with. Why don't you start by summarizing what you know so far on the topic of etiquette?" Her face an unreadable mask, the Aes Sedai sipped her tea and waited for Miahna’s response.

Oh great. Miahna took another sip of her tea before looking into the Aes Sedai’s firm eyes and answering her question. “Apologies, Carina Sedai, but I do not know much. Most of what I know, I know due to the White Tower. I didn’t grow up in a city, in a palace; I grew up in an old farmhouse in a tiny village.” The Accepted paused, remembering the home where she grew up and her brothers and sisters. Blinking away unbidden tears that trembled at the corners of her eyes, she drew a breath and took another sip of tea. No water dripped down her cheeks, but she felt the embarrassment of the tears anyway.

“What I know is to treat those you respect honorably, to not chew with your mouth open, to cover yourself decently, to do what you say you’re going to do, and to raise a child to be someone you would be proud of. I don’t know if any of that is etiquette, but I suppose that’s the code I’ve learned to live by.”

"What is your name child and what are you doing here?" One of the Aes Sedai said. It looked like she had grinned at the other Sister before turning to Miahna, but that couldn’t be right, could it? The Arafellin had never seen an Aes Sedai grin except for perhaps a small wry one when a novice or Accepted did something for which they needed a punishment. The whole lot of them either grinned or frowned, or both, when it came to something like that.

Light! They’re definitely going to be upset. From the sadness in their eyes – the only place on their faces with any emotion – it was evident that it had been a very private and intense conversation. Mimi flushed and gulped before stating her name at the Aes Sedai’s request. “Miahna Telonne,” she said almost timidly, though the quietness of the garden carried her voice well. It wasn’t as if she were standing across a field; it was a scant two feet or thereabouts.

“I apologize for intruding Aes Sedais. I was merely looking for a private type place to practice making some weaves, particularly Earth as I’m not very strong in that element and so I figure I’ll have to work at it twice as hard. Air is like a piece of cake, just as is Spirit – which is surprising due to how complex it seems. But the intricacies aren’t really that difficult once you get into it, you just have to pay a bit more attention to how you’re making the shield, or whatever it is that you’re making…” the girl with the banded hem trailed off as she realized that she’d been rambling. To Aes Sedai. That she had interrupted.

“Oh my! I’m so sorry to have bothered you Aes Sedai.” She cringed and clasped her hands in front of her, awaiting her punishment for wasting the Sisters time. It could have been worse, she thought, trying to cheer herself up, I could have had to deliver the trays to the Gray quarters. Whatever these two give me will surely be no worse than that!

Ooc: I find it amusing that Miahna listened to Loraine and Carina talk in the Garden when they were Sitters and she was a novice, and as an Accepted, she’s running into them when Carina has barely gained the shawl. However, since we retcon things that happen as novice and Accepted, I suppose it’s nothing to worry about. Just makes me chuckle.

Also, thanks for letting me join. Though Mystica has agreed to teach a class to Miahna using Carina, it’s nice to be able to rp with you too.

---

“Off you go!” The Mistress of the Kitchens said, waving her hand in a dismissing fashion. She turned on her heel and stomped off toward a new crop of novices, their dresses a brilliant whites and their eyes as big as the saucers they would clean later.

Wiping her hands on a soft rag that sat to the side, Miahna surveyed her handiwork. Today, she’d been assigned the task of plate arrangement. Apparently certain Aes Sedai were very picky about how the food on their plate was presented. Everything looked scrumptious and pretty. She replaced the lids and rang a bell that sat on the corner of the station. An older novice rounded the corner and picked up two of the trays. The woman had been in white longer than Miahna had been alive, but she still did her chores and classes daily. She nodded to the Accepted and walked off toward the Gray quarters.

Singing a tune mostly under her breath, Miahna walked to the gardens. It was a lovely day outside and she needed to practice Earth weaves, so why not make use of the sun? Those were two things that never got old about wearing the banded dress: being able to channel the Source at her discretion and having the ability to create her own schedule and thus be outside more often. The Arafellin felt connected to the outdoors and could get surly if she didn’t breathe enough fresh air.

The flowers were in full bloom, as always, and the air was filled with various delicate scents. A slight breeze ruffled through Miahna’s braided hair and set the silver bells in her hair to tinkling. Exploring a little, Mimi took a path that looked mostly unused. The plants had joyously started to regain their dominance over the foot treads, though some broken stalks suggested that someone had traveled the path recently. Stepping over the grass that attempted to serve as a barrier, she followed the tracks of those that had come before her.

A small niche laid ahead, two women occupying the place. Two Aes Sedai by the look of it, though one of the Sisters was sitting on the grass. They looked deep in conversation, though the murmurs stopped as they noticed Miahna standing there. Light, I hope they aren’t too terribly upset at me for barging in on their private conversation. Wincing slightly at the interruption, the Accepted curtsied and said a soft general hello. Managing not grit her teeth, blush, or do any of the number of physical reactions that were her normal reflex, Miahna merely clasped her hands behind her back and apologized to the Sisters.

Awesome! Thanks for the link Elgee, and thanks for looking into it Amadine!

Ooc: Oh no! I didn’t mean to do that. I guess I just felt blah because I posted it immediately after finishing – didn’t have a chance to go back in and swap words out and stuff to make it sound better haha.

--

The bell was sounding just as Miahna arrived at Carina Sedai’s quarters. She knocked on the door; the knock sounding firm despite her rapidly beating heart. It had been years since she’d cut that close to the time. Her first year as Accepted had taught her that, at least in class, on time was late. A meeting with, or for, an Aes Sedai, however, meant being on time – no earlier and no later - a Sister certainly didn’t want you barging in on something that was private. She certainly didn’t want you tardy either, however. Resisting an urge to wipe her hand across her brow, Miahna stood at the door, taking deep breaths to calm down her furious heart.

She heard a voice beckoning her to enter. The tone sounded familiar and all of a sudden something clicked in the Arafellin’s brain. Carina Sedai. Though she hadn’t been able to consider it at the time, the name had been nagging at her. She realized, opening the door to the Brown sister’s room that this had been one of the Aes Sedai who had openly answered the questions of novices and Accepted many years ago. Miahna had sat on the lawn and listened as this Aes Sedai and two others had opened up to the curious Tower initiates and answered their questions truthfully and candidly. In fact, Mimi remembered it vividly. It was a rare occurrence and hadn’t happened again in all her time at the Tower. Listening to women that had been around and Accepted longer told her that it hadn’t happened ever before that either.

Miahna almost smiled at remembering the friendly Brown Sister. It tugged at the corners of her lips, but she managed to maintain a straight, serene face as she entered the room. It wouldn’t do to approach an Aes Sedai smiling, nevermind the Sister’s normal manner. She would wonder what was so amusing and it would be difficult for Miahna to explain. Plus, it just wasn’t proper for an Accepted. Though there was an advantage to being bluntly honest, Mimi could see how that would interfere with, well with being an Aes Sedai.

Apparently I like to test the mettle of my character. The plan is to have Miahna discover that much like her Arch, one of her siblings is a darkfriend and has killed the rest of the family. Once she makes it to Aes Sedai, she'll go Blue and spend the beginning of her life hunting down darkfriends. After the Black Ajah is discovered, Mimi will make her way back to the Tower to find this out and become a Black Ajah hunter, using the skills that she's learned over decades of finding darkfriends. Hopefully I'll be approved for her to have the talent to replicate weaves after seeing them once (like Nyn (or is it Avi? I can't ever remember because they are two of my fave characters and I mix them up)) and that talent will aid her in her BA hunting.

I have an idea floating around my head for another novice, but I think I'm going to wait until Mimi is AS before I start her. Unlike you Chikara, I don't know if I could split my time as much as is necessary between a novice and Accepted. :)

Hello! As I was writing a post today, I came to a place where I need an 'exact' time for my character.

That made me wonder if there was a link where the bell schedule in the White Tower is described? If not, could somebody post something like that for us N&As? I forget what bells are when and I think it would help me at least.

If it's not possible, that's cool too, I'll just continue making things up *laughs* to fit in as best I can (ie: third bell - does that exist?)

ooc: Sorry that this is kinda blah writing. I'm at work right now, so not giving it the focus it needs, but I wanted to have something out here for you :).

Also, is there a link where the bell schedule in the White Tower is described? If not, could somebody post something like that for us N&As? I forget what bells are when, etc. If I have it wrong in the post, I'll go back and change it as soon as I know!

----

Miahna closed the book in front of her and stifled a groan. It was very apparent to her that she would not be going Gray. Reading about a minor turf war that had happened between two Kandori houses hundreds of years before she had been born did not interest her. In fact, her eyelids felt heavy and she’d only been awake for two hours. This was the first class since she arrived at the Tower that the Arafellin hadn’t found intriguing. Despite the difference in freedom from novice to Accepted, there were still a few classes that were non-negotiable. This, unfortunately, was one of them. Do people actually enjoy this stuff? Sliding the text across the table, Mimi pulled her notebook to her and flipped through the pages from the lecture. It was slightly less boring, but her eyes still glazed over.

After staring into the bookcases for another hour, Miahna gathered her things to leave.Forget it! I’ll have to come back and try another day, this is obviously not working for me. She replaced the books on the bookcart and left the library. Light hit her in the face, streaming in through tall windows. Though it had been overcast earlier, bright sunshine now reigned over Tar Valon. Of course it would have to turn nice when she had foregone a trip to the city to work on her paper.

Sighing, the tall Accepted walked briskly down the hall, the tiny silver bells at the ends of her braid chiming in the sudden rush of air. Though the hallway by the main library had been silent, the hallways near the novice and Accepted quarters were alive with sound. Novices scampered to and from various activities, some of the newer white-clad girls hitching up their skirts to run. Miahna shook her head and smiled wryly as they dashed off, remembering how busy her days as a novice had been. She was just as busy now, but there was something about making your own schedule that made it seem less demanding. Plus, she wasn’t assigned near as many chores now as she had been in the beginning. Ever since she was little, her mouth had gotten her into trouble and that hadn’t changed when she became a Tower initiate. Only after nearly a decade of practice had she managed to keep her thoughts to herself. Mostly.

She pushed open the door to her room and grabbed a large book off the small table at her bedside. If she couldn’t work on her paper, then maybe she could work on something else. Let’s start with something easy. Flipping open the book, Miahna embraced the Source and wove several dark gray strands of Spirit into an exact replica of the shield drawn in the book. Smiling, the Accepted applied it to her wardrobe much in the way she imagined it would be applied to another woman. She flipped the page and began to work on the next weave of Spirit when a knock sounded at her door.

Raising an eyebrow, Miahna shut the book and let go of the Source, sighing as the bliss of Saidar left her. Who would know she was in her room? She replaced the book on her nightstand, stood up, and opened the door. A raven haired Accepted stood there, a small smile playing about her lips. “Miahna. I’m glad I found you. I’ve been instructed by Valeri Sedai to tell you that you are to report to Carina Sedai this afternoon for a lesson in etiquette.” She moved her lips as she finished the phrase ‘it’s about time’ under her breath.

Mimi bit back her retort – see she could hold her tongue! – and thanked the other Accepted. Closing the door as firmly as she could without being rude, the Arafellin returned to her bed and the book. It had smarted not to say anything in response; that girl was as haughty as haughty could be. I know she’d run right back to Valeri Sedai if I had made a retort though. Perhaps the lesson would be good for her. She could ask the Brown about Aes Sedai serenity and how to keep her composure. Surely that fell under etiquette.

Another knock sounded against her door. Frowning, Mimi opened it to find the same raven haired Accepted standing there. She was still smiling her little smile. “You missed the rest of the message. This afternoon at third bell.” Turning on her heel the girl walked away slowly. Third Bell! That was just a few moments from now. Gritting her teeth, Miahna grabbed a notebook and rushed out the door toward Carina Sedai’s rooms. Light I hope I’m not late!

LOL I sent her an offline message through MSN asking the same thing.

ooc: Anybody else can jump in here of course, I was just moving things along. Grimm, up to you if you want to keep things awkward or put the lil novices at ease ;).

------

The test to become Accepted was one of the best, and worst, kept secrets in the White Tower. Every novice knew that there was something called the Arches involved – they’d heard it whispered around enough, but as to the actual ceremony, nobody had any idea. At least not solid fact on what happened once you were deemed ready and called by the Mistress of Novices. Every time Miahna had seen someone get stolen away, the woman had blanched and looked as if she were walking to a death sentence. Perhaps part of her was.

They were discussing what the test could be when Mimi saw a multi-colored flicker out of the corner of her eye. She whipped her head around to find an older Accepted standing in front of the garden with a basket in her hands. She stared at them for a moment, a frown appearing over her features and the Arafellin felt herself gulp. So much for enjoying a free day for the first time she thought, doing her best not to glance worriedly at the other women in the garden with her. By that time, Fianna and Gera had noticed something was wrong and turned their heads to see the woman with the basket.

To Miahna’s surprise, the Accepted removed the frown from her features and stepped into the garden. Putting her basket down firmly, the woman gave the trio of white clad girls an appraising glance. Miahna moved over slightly to make more room for the woman. She didn’t look necessarily happy, but she did open her basket to pull out some cheese and bread. A picnic! What a wonderful idea!

"A nice day to be out and about, isn't it?" She asked, and filled a small cup with wine.

An awkward silence filled the garden. “Yes, Accepted, it is.” Miahna said, speaking up finally. She wasn’t sure how to address an Accepted from whom she wasn’t taking orders or a class. “Other than your picnic, what is it that you have planned for the rest of the day?” There. That should be a safe question…right? she thought, wondering if she, Gera, and Fianna should get up and leave. For now they stayed, watching the Accepted eat her bread and cheese and awaiting her response.

"Reqs for ACCEPTED: Miahna Telonne"

 

• Choice RP:
  * [Take a Class] - http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/52434-etiquette-ication/ - (3958 words) / [ 8/ 6 ] [Requirement Complete (string is ongoing)]
  * [Open RP] - http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/41313-research-attn-carina-accepteds/page__pid__1647357__st__20#entry1647357 - (2331 words) / [ 6 / 6 ] [Complete]
  * [Turning of the Wheel] - http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/52632-sisterly-love/ - (4218 words) / [ 7 / 6 ] [Requirement Complete (string is ongoing)]
  

 

• Accepted Quiz - [Complete]

 

• Three Oaths - http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/53230-regaining-a-family/ - (4488 words) - [Complete]

True, I suppose it would be more lecturish. Although you could always have her meet you in your chambers and have a hands on experience haha. Maybe she's even taking it because she was too blunt and spurted something out to somebody *shrugs*.

Also true on what she would know would be hampered by her status as Accepted, but she could learn things such as fine dining, how to act around a queen, around the Amyrlin, what the difference should be between Aes Sedai and both of those, etc.

I'm excited! Thanks for agreeing to teach her something :-D. Just let me know (or post haha) when you're ready to start!