Moa felt her courage and self slip from her fingers as the tears fell. She was sobbing, her breaths sounding like little moaning sounds that any woman would make on the verge of a breakdown. The other girls in the room evaporated with the overwhelming, cascading pain that fell through her hands. Why, all of the sudden she would have this type of reaction with two strange women, Moa would never know. Maybe it was the Light making history and giving Moa an open door with which to glide through.

Finally, through her sobs and cries, she heard Elli speak, “Moa, just remember that we will be here for the next few years, as you said.†Moa’s sobs lightened a bit with the words of the girl from across the very tiny room, but Moa could not stop the tears from falling. “I know life can be heard sometimes. Believe me, I know, but just remember that if you ever need to talk, I will be here.†Hearing the girl’s kind tone and assuring voice made Moa want to cry all the harder. Her tears still came.

All of the sudden, Moa heard a similar sound from Rossa. Looking up from her hands, Moa realized that Rossa was in the exact position as her: sobbing and crying with all her might. “I… I’m sorry,†escaped Rossa’s lips through the weeping. Seeing the girl as such made Moa’s fears and wants go away for a bit, and Moa’s tear streaked face concentrated on Rossa as the girl poured her life story.

Moa merely let the girl explained what happened to her with such a ferocity that Moa knew that her and Elli were the first to know. How the girl could have kept something like this in for as long as she could made Moa’s own heart hurt with the grief.

“Someone set fire to our house. One of our rivals, it had to have been one of our rivals. No one else would have done such an awful thing,†Rossa said as soon as the she calmed down a bit. Moa could feel the anger seeping from Rossa’s body and Moa could also feel a little bit of fear in those words. “It’s not fair. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…†Rossa said as she realized all the commotion that happened.

Putting her hand through her short hair, Moa looked at Rossa with determination in her eyes, “Rossa, I am so sorry for what has happened to you. I could not have imagined how it must have felt for this to happen to you.†Moa was determined to make the girl feel better, and she couldn’t explain why. She felt as if a bond have formed between her and the other girl with herself, and Moa was shocked at how differently it felt to actually feel something real with another person before.

OC: Hey girls, look at the Secret Whisper Hole in the White Tower Dv site. I want to explore more with our characters and was wondering if you wanted to do something more with this as well? Look there ;)

Also, I am SOOO sorry for the late reply. I am working full time and going to school full time and I have very little time on my hands, but I am trying as best as I can.

Evaida left nearly as soon as she had entered, leaving Moa standing nervously in the Sister’s stare. It seemed there had been a moment of dissatisfaction between the Accepted and the Sister, and Moa hoped that would not put Moa in the spotlight for the Sister’s anger.

Keeping her dark blue eyes on the Sister’s, Moa would not let the Sister see her fear. Moa had been through a lot in her life, and she could handle talking to an older woman, even if she seemed to command the room just with a look. Moa look directly into her eyes, hoping the Sister saw it for what it was: a sign of determination and not a defensive attack.

Sitting back into her chair with more grace than anyone Moa had ever seen, the Sister nodded to her placidly, and Moa was grateful that the sister did not take offense to the stare. "Sit, child. Welcome to the White Tower. As I am certain Evaida told you, I am Faerzyne Sedai, Mistress of Novices. How can I help you?"

Moa looked at the chair positioned in front of her, and wished the Sister had not said to sit at all. Moa did not want to make herself anymore comfortable as she was now, and she very much wanted to leave the room to find her own.

Giving up on her thoughts, Moa took the seat with slowness, hoping the Sister yet again did not take offense to Moa’s weird behavior. It’s just as well. Everyone else thinks I am weird.

After settling herself down, Moa decided to finally speak up. Clearly her throat, she rose her hand to her throat, mindlessly rubbing her skin, “My name is Moa Nachiman. I have come from Tarabon, and a woman,†Moa stopped, quickly correcting her mistake, “Uh, a Sister, brought me here. She told me to see you first thing after stabling my horse.†Losing some of the confidence she had when she arrived, Moa looked uneasily at the Sister, not really sure what was in store for her.

Moa looked at Evaida with a little fear in her eyes, but she held her help up high, her bright blonde hair gleaming surely in the light and confronted the Mistress of Novices with as much bravado as she could possibly muster.

OOC: I know it's short, but I'm ready to get on with this :D. Thanks for staying Evaida - do I need to tell the MoN?

“I am called Alexis Cristos, Aes Sedai,†the girl responded quietly, yet firmly. Moa looked at the girl from the corner of her eye. Moa did not trust the girl, but then again, Moa never trusted anyone. Distrustfulness was how she always took to new people she meet. Who knew, maybe Moa would find a liking towards Alexis.

Moa looked back at the Aes SEdai when she started talking, “Ah. good then. Moa you can start by taking my comforter outside and beating the dust out of it.†Moa’s heart lifted. Yes! I don’t have to sit in here with them. Yes! Time for some fresh air and flowers! Moa knew her face probably shed about half the darkness it held a moment before. The Aes Sedai went on, “While Alexis, you can start helping me pick up my books. Oh, Moa, be mindful of the take the books of the bed carefully. Most of them are far older than you. Oh, while you’re at it, strip the sheets off the bed. They have not been changed since I left, I would imagine.â€

Moa nodded dutifully and started walking towards the bed just as Alexis was walking towards a stack of books. Moa stopped suddenly, not wanting to hit or touch Alexis in any way and barely prevented herself from falling on top of her, but she stopped a few centimeters short. Aelxis stopped as well. Looking into Alexis’ light eyes so close, Moa saw the fear there, the anger. Every novice she had met here at the Tower seemed filled with so much anger and resentment, herself included. I guess it does take a lot out of a girl to be able to channel. Moa wondered is maybe there was a connection somehow. Clearing her throat, she broke eye contact with Alexis and walked around the girl towards the bed.

Carefully setting the book on the floor to let Alexis get them up, Moa wallowed up the comforter into a big ball and carried it to the door, thinking she would get the sheets for a second run. Smelling the dusty comforter, Moa barely suppressed a sneezing all over the fabric, but managed to control herself. She would not embarrass herself yet again in front of this novice. She would get a hold of herself.

Walking towards the door, Moa walked through the doorway and turned to the right. She was not sure but she thought she saw a balcony up the hallway a bit when she was walking towards the Sister’s rooms. Sighing, Moa thought on how many times she had gotten lost in the Tower, and she dismally thought she would never get used to long, winding hallways. She barely even knew how to get to the kitchen! I’ll manage. I have to manage, otherwise I will not survive. Tears welded in Moa’s eyes at the thought of how weak she really was. Everyday was a challenge for her; everyday was a quest. She didn’t know how much longer she really could go.

Just when Moa was about to give up as lost, the balcony came into view around a corner. Sighing, Moa walked to the balcony with the ball of comforter in her arms. Stepping on the sunlit overhang, Moa steeped to the edge of the balcony and swiftly tossed the end of the comforter over the edge. At least this way she could get the dust off the comforter before actually taking it outside. Whipping the comforter in the breeze, Moa thought back to home and her face fell with sadness. Shaking her thoughts away, she balled the comforter back into her arms and made her way outside.

After asking quite a few people for directions, Moa finally made it outside. Hanging the comforter on a clothes line, Moa beat the dust out of the comforter for a while and then folded the blanket up and carried it back inside. After turning down many wrong corridors and asking quite a few angry Accepted and Novices how to get back, Moa finally made it back to Liara Sedai’s room. Sighing, she laid the folded comforter on the floor next to the bed and wadded the blankets into a ball. Turning, she walked towards the door, looking over her shoulder at Alexis, who seemed to be talking to Liara about something or another. Looking away without an expression on her face, Moa walked back to the balcony, a little easier to find this time, and shook the blankets over the edge of the hanging.

Blowing strands of white blonde hair out of her eyes, Moa walked back into the Aes Sedai’s room. Walking over to the bed, she remade the bed without hesitation, swiftly making the bed look neat and tidy. Turning towards the Aes Sedai, she said, “All done Liara Sedai. Is there anything else you wish me to do.†Moa black eyes sparkled.

OOC: Sorry for the late reply. I'm trying!

The girl said something about being an Accepted, but Moa was still unsure as to how things worked here at the Tower. Everything was very new, since Moa had never barely left her parent’s Inn back in Tanchico. She had not even seen an Aes Sedai before the actual one who said she could channel. The woman who saved her and brought her here. Thinking back on it, Moa had mixed emotions and feelings; happy to be able to be here at the Tower yet sad because her parents just let her go without a flutter of an eyelash.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Moa listened to girl continue, “My name is Evaida, by the way. Best pay close attention so that you can find your way around. The halls and corridors can look very similar when you first arrive and it is easy to get yourself lost.†Moa looked around at the hallway they were walking down now, and had, in fact, no idea how she had gotten there. Worry laced itself through Moa’s face as she worried that perhaps she was way in over her head than she had originally thought. Not even here at the Tower for five minutes and already she seemed to be getting lost left and right. Looking back at Evaida, the girl continued.

“So ahh... sorry I did not catch your name.†Moa opened her mouth to talk, but her foot skidded against the ground at the fast pace they were walking, and Moa barely recovered from falling. Fixing herself, she said, “My name is Moa Nachiman. As you can tell, I am coming here to become a novice.†The girl merely nodded at Moa’s words as if they were expected.

After a moment or two, Evaida said, “That is fine looking mare that you brought, any Tairen blood in her?" Looking up at the girl, Moa started blankly, not really understanding what the girl was saying. With realization, Moa said, “Oh, Star? To tel you the truth, I am really not sure what type of blood she is. She was the only gift that my parents ever got me.†Thinking back on her parents again, Moa’s eyes welded up with tears. Blinking her eyes rapidly, the tears disappeared just as fast as they were there, but the pain lingered. The pain was always there.

OOC: Sorry for the later reply :p. I am trying my best! :D

Rossa’s body language screamed tenseness, anger and fierceness. Moa could almost feel the room heat up with electricity from the emotions that Rossa seemed to be going through. Of course, nothing on Rossa’s face or her body blatantly said these things. Moa could feel them; they were practically leaping off of Rossa.

“I have nothing back there though. This is my life now, or at least I hope to make it so,†Rossa said with what seemed dryness, if there ever was such a thing. Moa looked at the young girl and pitied her. What could make a young girl so angry? Thinking back to herself, Moa answered her own question with life events that had happened to herself. Being made fun of and talked about her whole life could lead a person to become very angry and upset, just as she herself was. The hard life of a young woman could make it hard for any young girl to travel through. Moa had barely begun hers and already she knew the hardness of what it life could mean.

Other emotions seemed to go through Rossa, although Moa could not really pin them down. “I have nothing back there though. This is my life now, or at least I hope to make it so,†Rossa went on. Again, sadness seemed to be laced throughout her words. Moa knew exactly what the girl meant because Moa’s own plans were to leave the life she lived behind, to, hopefully, open up and experience a new life here at the Tower. It was not going nearly as well as she thought.

“If you both need more space for your belongings, I do not have many. I did not have long to gather much in the way of possessions and so if you need the cupboard space, it is yours. Feel free to share it out between yourselves, I will be able to put mine in my belt pouch at all times,†Rossa said. Moa’s brow furrowed as a tint of deviousness seemed to enter Rossa’s words. Moa was keen on noticing when a girl was being devious. Years of being lied to, made fun of and mocked sharpened Moa’s senses of such things. She wondered what the girl had really meant by it.

“Well, it was nice to meet you Elli,†Moa said, smiling at the girl across the room. Moa had not had a chance to actually say anything to Elli since Rossa seemed to want to talk. Turning her head back to Rossa, Moa said, “I do not have much either, except for my novice dresses here and my bag.†Closing her hand tightly on her bag, not much bigger than a nice sized kettle, Moa could not imagine what would happened if she lost it. She shuddered to even think on it. “So, I will not need your cupboard space either, it seems. I usually keep my belongings close by me as well, so more than likely I will not even use my own.â€

The tenseness in the room was nearly unbearable and Moa could not think of a reason for it. Of course, it seemed the girls were going through tough times, Elli seeming the less tense and easy going, but Moa knew that if they were going to be able to sleep together at night then they had better start calming down.

Taking a deep breath herself, Moa said, “Well, I suppose I could tell you ladies how I came to be at the Tower. Since it seems we will be together for a long time, years even, maybe we should open up a bit.†Moa eyed the girls wearily, then walked to the bed on the opposite end of the room from Elli’s.

Throwing her bag on top of the sheets and gently laying her novice’s dress down, she continued, “I come from Tarabon, Tanchico to be exact. I was, well, I guess you can say I was “discovered†by an Aes Sedai at The Great Circle. My parents did not care much that I came. In fact, I do not think they cared at all.†Moa sat heavily on the bed, putting her head into her hands. The emotions Moa had from her parent’s reaction was still buried deep within her mind, and she had not had the time to really think over what had happened. It was to be expected, but still, their reaction hurt her more than words could ever explain.

OOC: Sorry for the late reply... Seems I am getting more posts to do than what I should :? .... I'll try to be better next time :p

Moa stared at the girl standing in front of the Aes Sedai’s room. The girl was very short, only seeming to reach five feet, and her hair seemed longer than her body should allow it, with it reaching to her behind and as dark as the sky at midnight. Moa felt almost gangly looking at the girl. The girl looked over at Moa, and Moa tried to hide the displeasure that she was sure was written plain all over her face. Seeing a look of displeasure come over the other girl’s face, however, was proof enough that Moa did not succeed very well in covering her own.

The girl had hazel eyes and Moa was reminded yet again of her own features. With blue eyes seeming darker than the girl’s hair, most of the girls back home would tease her over and over again about her ‘black’ eyes and ‘white’ hair. “Who has black eyes like Moa? No one! No one has black eyes like Moa. She must be from across the Spine of the World!†She could hear the girls taunting her now. Moa swallowed the familiar lump that was rising at the back of her throat. Her eyes closed and her long hands shook, but Moa swallowed it down like she always did. If this girl wants to make fun of me too, then let her. I am in a different place now, and no one can hurt me anymore. Nodding to herself, Moa opened her eyes and slowly made her way to the door.

Just as she reached the door and was about to talk to the short girl before her, the door flew open and a voice boomed inside, “Come in children, come in. There is plenty of work to do.†The woman across the room sitting at the window was looking at the girls expectantly, and Moa stared wondrously at the beautiful strawberry blonde braids that hung from the Aes Sedai’s head. I wish my hair was that color instead of this unnaturally white blonde hair of mine.. Moa’s brows knight together at the thought of her outrageous features again.

Walking into the room, Moa dropped a courtesy, dropping her head on her way down. She wanted to show the Aes Sedai as much respect as she could until she could find out what kind of Aes Sedai she was. Suddenly, from an unseen place, the Aes Sedai said, “Names, now. Unless you just want me to call you Novice Number One and Novice Number Two.†The suddenness of the Aes Sedai’s words nearly left Moa speechless.

Looking at the girl standing next to her, Moa spoke up first, unsure whether the girl next to her would say anything at all. “My name is Moa Nachiman, Liara Sedai.†Nodding again to show her respect, Moa waited for the girl next to her to finally say her name.

Moa

Moa was startled out of her reverie when she heard a soft voice from behind say, “Can I help you?†Turning her head to confront who was talking to her, Moa noticed a small woman with dark curly hair. On the woman’s face was a very soft smile, the woman seeming to know what kind of bind Moa was in and did not want to startle her, as if Moa was a wild animal of such. Moa’s eyes search the woman’s, finding kindness in them. Moa was not akin to kindness. Most everyone in her home town was mean to her and laughed at her nearly every day. She kept to herself most of the time, her own parents not helping much with the picture.

Realizing she was looking the woman all over and blatantly searching for something, Moa realized she might be talking to an actual Aes Sedai. Moa quickly lowered her gaze and curtsied to the floor.

“I apologize. I am just looking for the Mistress of Novice’s room, Aes Sedai.†Thinking it better to mistake the woman for an Aes Sedai rather than mistaking the woman for someone lower, Moa bit her lip in wonder as to what the woman would say.

Moa took the piece of paper out of her pocket as she was moving down the hall towards what she hoped was the Brown’s quarter.

Dear Novices,

Having just returned to the Tower, my room is a mess and I need someone to help me clean it. I am looking for some brave Novice who would like to fulfill a choir requirement by helping me clean the chaos that is my room. Please let me know if you are interesting, either by leaving a note at the front desk of the Library or seeing me in person.

Thanks,

Liara Sedai

Brown Ajah

That was all the note had said. Moa sighed and lifted her head from the yellow parchment. Stopping in the middle of the hallway, she knew she was yet again lost. It seemed as if she would never be able to find her way around this place. Seeing an Accepted walking towards her, Moa politetly asked her if she knew what Liara Sedai’s quarters were. Being pointed in the right direction, Moa kept walking.

While she was walking, Moa couldn’t help but think of the past few weeks she had been in the Tower. Her life did not seem nearly as hard as it had been at home, but that did not mean it was going great. Girls still seemed to laugh at her at every corner and even though she seemed to get along with her mentor, Vera Sedai, she still thought Vera was hiding something important from her. Moa did not trust with one bit.

Raising her long slender hand to her short bright blonde hair, Moa rain her fingers through her hair like she always did. Her face remained a complete mask, like it always was, and she just kept walking down the hallway towards her first chore.

Rounding the corner to finally come to Liara’s room, Moa groaned inwardly. Outside of the room was another girl in a novice dress, waiting to be let into the room. There must be a mistake. Liara said only one girl.

OOC: Ok Rapture, your turn

Moa batted her eyes slightly, clearing the tears from her eyes. Just then, the girl sitting across the very tiny room said in a very excited voice, “Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Moa. Vera Sedai is your mentor? She is mine also!†Moa looked at the girl again and saw a brightness to her eyes that did not seem to be there a moment before. Oh great, Vera put me in a room with another one of her mentors. Why would she make a move like that? Even though the idea of having someone close who would share almost exactly the same things as she herself was a little comforting, Moa still could not help but think Vera did this on purpose. Moa would figure out soon enough the motive behind this. Moa still did not trust the woman.

Moa replied with a tiny smile on her face, “Hmm, it would seem so. Then maybe we will have quite a few classes together.†The girl seemed to be about the same age as Moa, and she also seemed to also have a sadness about her not much unlike Moa. Maybe being stuck with her wouldn’t be so bad after all. Moa’s spirit lifted a little by the thought.

Turning her head to look at the other novice, Moa saw Rossa’s lips pursed together and her brow lowered slightly as if she were thinking intensely. “Nice to meet you, Moa,†Rossa said when she saw Moa looking at her. Moa nodded slightly to show her answer.

After an awkward silence, Rossa spoke again, as if to clear the room of the bitter stillness that seemed to fill it. Light, have we already been through so much at our young age? “Since we’re going to be roommates for a while, we should get to know each other.†Moa looked back at Rossa and nodded again. Yes, questions would be a good way to start this little room up.

Her eyes still wet from the tears she shed slight before, Moa spoke first, “I guess I will begin.†Looking across the room, she said, “Well, I guess we could start with you telling me your name. I am afraid that I did not catch it earlier.†Thinking back to earlier, Moa’s face brightened slightly, blushing to the roots of her hair. She barely held back the wave that seemed to want to crash over her by letting loose a tiny whine-like noise from the back of her throat. She just wanted to be able to have a normal conversation, just once, but it did not seem as if the Light was willing to grant her as much.

OOC: Not very good, but I didn't have much time... sorry girls :p

Moa sat against the door, taking deep breaths. In through the nose… Out through the mouth. Moa always used this calming technique whenever an episode hit her, which seemed to hit her about once a week in her life back at home. Her eyes rimmed with tears and her throat swelled with the concentration of not letting those tears fall. I will not cry anymore for the sake of others. No more will I succumb to their hideous laughter and insulting words. The rant inside her head that she repeated over and over again seemed to only make the tears harder to hold back.

It was not until a girl from across the room spoke to her before she realized there were others in the room witnessing her humiliating parade. As soon as Moa heard the girl’s voice, she braced herself for the laughter and insinuating comments that would surely follow. Instead, the girl’s voice from across the room merely said, “Can I, erm, help you?†Nothing seemed to follow the comment, no laughter, no giggling, no witty words; just a question. Moa sat still, unsure how to respond to the girl’s comment.

After what seemed like an eternity without words, another girl walked from the opposite side of the room towards Moa, “I’ve just arrived myself, so I know how you feel.†Moa finally looked up from the spot she had glued her eyes to on the floor. Moa looked the girl straight in the face, her brows knitted together slightly as if unsure whether or not she could trust the girl. As always, Moa took in every detail of everything she looked at, and looking at this girl now, Moa noticed first the girl’s long dark brown hair. Looking into the girl’s matching brown eyes, Moa noticed an almost indefinable will there, a power to the girl that seemed unrelenting. Moa nearly forgot about her own embarrassing display looking into those eyes.

“My name is Rossa. Are you a new novice as well?†the girl said at Moa’s silence. Moa pulled her eyes away from Rossa’s and looked back down at the ground. No laughter? Why are these girls being so nice? At the thought of the other girl, Moa’s head pulled up, looking at the other girl across the room, eyeing her suspiciously. The girl had dark hair as well, but hers had more of a flare to it, a flash of red. The girl’s sharp blue eyes seem to bore into Moa’s soul, eyes that seemed to have seen things most people shouldn’t and never would. The girl merely stared at her, waiting for her answer to Rossa’s question.

Looking back at the ground, Moa lifted her slender hand to the top of her head, ruffling the bright white strands, sighing to herself. Well, I can not just sit here and pity myself all day long, can I? With that thought, she took a deep breath and looked back up at Rossa and answered softly, “Yes, I am a new novice. In fact, Vera Sedai just dropped me off at my room, which I am to assume is here. My name is Moa Nachiman†Looking uncertainly at the two girls, Moa waited for how they would respond to having what seemed like a third roommate to an unbelievably small room.

Moa patted her white mare, gently stroking its wet hide, thanking the fair creature through her hands for the swift and safe journey the mare had given her. Moa felt more comfortable around animals than she had ever felt with a human being in her life. Star, the pristine white mare, was one of Moa’s favorite horses, a horse that always lifted Moa’s spirit when days fell hard. Rubbing Star’s nose gently, Moa gave her a tiny kiss on the nose then gently handed the reins to the stable boy. Giving the boy a stern look over her shoulder, hoping he would understand that the creature meant more to Moa than anything in the world and that if anything happened to Star, Moa would more than likely hunt him down, she started of walking towards the gleaming white tower that could be seen from miles away.

Moa’s long light-brown skirts brushed the tops of her modest brown shoes as she walked towards the steps that lead to the tremendous building before her. Her hands were brushing the side of her skirts, her deep brown cloak draped over them. Moa walked as if in a trance. The Guild of the Illuminators was an extravagant and amazing scene, something she loved to watch every year and would watch every day if she could, but seeing the beautiful work pieces that stood for buildings around her made her faint of heart. This was exactly as she imagined her adventure of life being. She smiled to herself, looking around at the beautiful land marks, loving the picture she saw.

Thinking back to when she had left her home, her parents, her heart swelled a little at the thought that she would not get to see them for a very long time. But she knew her parents did not feel the same way. Even when Moa had packed her bag, had her dark brown cloak wrapped around her long body and walked into the common room to tell her parents she was leaving, they merely nodded, asking when she would be home. Not once did they ask where she was going or why. Moa’s eyes had weld up with tears, the Aes Sedai standing at her back. Moa had barely whispered, “The time limit is indiscernible.†Her mother nodded once more and then turned and went back to her studies. Moa’s eyes filled with tears once more remembering the display.

Blinking rapidly, Moa gathering her spirits back up and walked swiftly into the gleaming white tower in front of her. It was only seconds before she became lost, the Aes Sedai’s directions fuddled inside Moa’s mind.

OOC: Vera, wanna come and rescue her? ;)

Vera’s short, little body moved steadily away from Moa in the direction with which they had both came from. Moa’s dark eyes watched as Vera walked down the hallway, thanking that she would have a moment or two alone with herself now, to take in what had happened since she had arrived at the Tower. Thinking back to the meeting with the Mistress of Novices, Moa had taken in every detail of the room and its holdings with the utmost scrutiny. She wanted to remember everything. This was a dream come true.

Sure, she would have lots to do within the next years becoming Accepted and eventually a Sister, but she was ready for it. This was the adventure she had been waiting for her entire life. Moa sighed softly, seeing as Vera had disappeared from her sight quite a while ago, and she was just standing in the hall staring at nothing. In fact, she could have swore the group of novices that just walked by looked at her and laughed at her quietly behind held up hands. Moa sighed again. Oh well. It will be just as it was at home, everyone laughing at her behind her back. Well, I am not here to fit in with anyone, anyways. I am here only for myself.

Tucking her two novice dresses under her arm and her backpack over her shoulder, she turned around slowly, taking in every detail of the quarters around her. So, this is where I will be staying for the next ten years? Moa laughed to herself. As if I will actually be here instead of doing a million other things trying to reach my goal. She was ready for it, though. She smiled and walked towards the door.

Moa reached for the doorknob, resting her hand on the handle ready to turn it, but suddenly she stopped. From inside the room, she heard the muffled voices of two women; no, two girls talking quietly to each other. Moa’s brows knitted together, her mind reeling with questions. I have roommates? But, I was thought I was going to be alone. I didn’t know I was going to have roommates. Moa pondered the idea of it. Back home, she never quite fit in with anyone, being an only child, estranged from the rest of the children by what they called ‘weirdness’ and ‘spookiness.’ No one really liked her much, except for her mother and father, but even they paid her little mind, always thinking of the tavern before her.

Holding onto her dress carefully, she leaned against the door, listening to the two girls talking to each other. Laying her ear against the door, listening intently, she couldn’t help but notice another group of novices laughing behind their hands at her display. Finally not being able to take the scrutiny any longer, she did what she always did when she was at home. She spun around, her hand still on the door handle, ready to spit words out at the novices with such fury that she saw red in her eyes. How dare they! Opening her mouth to rant, she accidentally put too much force on the door handle, sending the handle down and the door flying inward, the weight of her own body adding speed to it. Her dresses flying outward, her eyes wide, she fell backward into the room, her body smacking the ground. From outside, she heard the novices roar with laughter. Moa lay on the ground, stunned.

Realizing the novices were laughing at her still, she quickly got up into a kneeling position and grabbed for her novice dresses and her bag. Snatching them from the ground, she crawled back into the room, trying to shut the door as quickly as she could but the door kept getting caught on the bottom of her dress. This only caused the novices to laugh harder. Finally wrenching the door free of her dress, she slammed the door shut on the laughter from outside. With tears in her eyes, she sat against the door taking deep breaths. Looking up, the two girls stared at her as if she had sprouted two heads. She knew they would begin with their own laughter soon enough.