Opal reflected on lunch, her new roommate wasn't so bad. She had made a good meal companion, she supposed. At least they hadn't picked at each other over the meal, if only the girl would see the truth about the Whitecloaks. Well that wasn't really up to Opal to point it out, she was sure these Women would set her strait. She stifled a wicked grin.

Catching the dinning room door that another novice let swing back at her.

"The classes aren't too bad really. They are mostly taught by these Women, a few are taught by accepted. The Accepted like to think they are almost Aes Sedia, but they aren't. They get treated the same as we do, like children." She told Sandry.

Opal smoothed back her hair tucking a stray strand behind her ear; it had come out of her long braid.

She should re-braid it before any one saw her; the Sisters made certain you were neat at all times.

"So what did you like to do at home?" She asked the other girl, making small talk.

She could see a sister approaching them out o the corner of her eye, not Good. She cast about for something to do so they looked busy, not that that would save them.

~Opal

“This bed will be fine, thank you. Since you have offered me some ‘helpful’ advice I think I shall do the same. Aes Sedai are a slippery sort, who will just as soon slit your throat than look at you if it serves their ends. All Aes Sedai may not be Darkfriends, anyone can see that not all these women can be so corrupted,” she paused and pointed her dagger Opal considered using the power to take the dagger away, but she had been in enough trouble, no more for now. “there are always those who are corrupted and their corruption will spread unless it is cut of at the head.All that to say, be careful who you make and enemy and even more careful who you make a friend.”

Opal laughed, "YOU are telling ME about Aes Sedia? Indeed, your vast expreance outside your noble familys cocoon quallifies you to lecture me about this place and these women. Ha, I've been living here. The things I have seen and put up with more are than you can imagine." She stood and smoothed her dress over her hips, "Put those ridiculuos weapons away and put on your whites, the lunch bell will ring any moment. First day or not, being late anywhere here has consequences." She frowned, remembering her last trip to the Misstress of Novices. Perhapes she should warn the girl a bit more forcfuly, but she's not very nice. Opal hid a smile, she'll find out on her own, and soon if she keeps that attitude. Oh well, she was warned not Opals fault if she didn't take her warnings seriously.

The bell for lunch beagin to ring, she shrugged going to the door. She glanced over her shoulder, "Do you need me to show you the dinning room?" It didn't hurt to be courteous, she thought.

~Opal

The girl jummped to her feet. "The Children of the Light are not to be mocked! And how I came to be in the 'Witches' (she mimicked Opal's quotations) White Tower is none of your concern."

Opal bit her lower lip so as not to laugh. That sort of remark is why they are mocked, Opal thought but managed not to say it.

"Furthermore, for your information, my father and brothers are not 'silly'(again she mimicked Opals quotations) in the slightest, nor am I. And I guarentee you none of us are fools, so it would be good if you learned to show respect for those who seek to spread the Light across the world."

Opal let the girl rant, she was quite angry, it seemed. Although, Opal thought, if someone insulted my family I'd be angry too. She squished the thought, the girl should know how the rest of the world sees her people. Now that she was free of them it would be better for her to forget their silliness.

Now she was going on about shadowspawn.

Sighing, she went and sat on her bed. "Are you finished now?" she asked the other girl when she ran out of words. "I can't wait until you say something like that to one of our teachers. They won't look lightly on it. I've been sent to the Misstress of Novices for less. We, you and I are to be Aes Sedia. One day very soon every whitecloak you ever met, and respected," Opal paused, to put more meaning into the word the other girl has used with her moments before. "Will be looking to put an arrow into for simply being. What will you think of your family then? Who will be the darkfriend then? Anyway, most people they accuse of being 'darkfriends' are just people that will not go along with them. That bed is fine you can have the other if you want I've mostly been using it to keep my books for classes on it."

Opal pulled her blanket up over her head, someone was screaming far away it sounded like. In the infirmary maybe, it had woken her up. Annoying, couldn’t these Women keep order around here? They certainly tried to keep her “inline†as they called it.

She yawned, and fell back to sleep, it was nothing to do with her after all.

“NO!â€

Someone yelled right next her head, Opal screamed a little and sat up in the bed. There was someone in the darkened room, a girl who ran to the door and flung it open and ran out leaving the door open. Opal jumped out of bed, and stepped on a wet sheet laying on the floor. She held it up to look at it, it was wet and dark with fresh blood. She must have been the one screaming earlier, what had these women been doing to her that made her run, wrapped only in a sheet. Opal dropped the sheet and ran out in the hallway.

Peering down the hallway, pushing some of the other girls out of the way.

“What is going on here?†She demanded. “Can’t They keep hurt people in the infirmary? Did someone send for a Sister? What’s wrong with her any way? Is all that blood hers? Why, I’ve never seen a place where they couldn’t keep someone hurt that badly in bed! Who did that to her?†Opal looked around for someone to yell at about this.

Other girls were screaming and shouting and milling about, no one seemed to be trying to help the injured girl though.

Opal pushed her long blond hair back from her face, she didn’t know anything about healing, and was afraid to make things worse.

There must be someone looking for her.

~Opal

Opal stared at the new comer, she was carring a bow over one should. What on under the light did she think she was doing with that thing. The girl asked which bed was hers making her way over to the only unused bed and sitting on it. Opal felt very irritated, she had this room all to herself. Why did this girl have to show up. It's not fare, Opal thought.

The girl introduced her self “Since we are to be roommates we might as well get to know one another. I’m Sandrilene fa Toren, but most people just call me Sandry. I am from a manor outside of Amador in Amadicia.â€

Manor? Does that make her some kind of noble? Wonderful, Opal thought noblity are always a pain to deal with. And you are? she heard the girl demand.

"How do you do, I'm Opal Coran. From Ghealdan, Cosamelle. I'm a jewler, or I was I supose."

She watched the girl fiddle with her bow string.

"Wait did you say Amadicia?" She made a face, "Whitcloaks everywhere with their silliness? How did you ever end up here? They see darkfriends under every bush. I would have thought they would have rather killed you than let you come here to these 'Witches'." Opal made little quotaions in the air when she said "witches".

She did think Whitecloaks were silly, living next to Amadicia she had heard plenty of stories about them. Her family always laughed when mentioning them, they were a joke to her.

~Opal

Opal sat in the library with Sandry, they were waiting for their other partner in this project. A mock trail for The Basics in Law class taught by a grey sister that demaned perfection. Opal had her hair pulled back in her thick single braid down her back. She tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear.

She and Sandry had been talking about this assignment off and on sense they had receved it. Opal had found an odd intrest in the law, she had no idea why it apeiled to her so much, but she ffound it more interesting than some of the other classes.

This case was intresting to Opal, between a Milliner and Arad Doman, a trade agreement.

"Well," she told Sandry. "Both parties are going to want the best agreement for their side, that's a given. However merchents will bargan harder for profit." Trying to think how it would have been handled in her family.

Zeveria, the other girl came up to the table where they said, and put her books down with a lot more force then nesscary, just short of slamming them down. She seemed to be very irritated. “Let’s get going on this, I have a lot to do today and can’t waste time with gossiping. We have a lot to discuss.â€

Gossiping? What did this girl think they were, housewives talking over the back fence? Opal felt her spine stiffen, who does she think she is?

Zeveria didn't pause or look at them, only at her notes. She shot out oders at them. “we need to figure out our argument for the Milliners side of the trade agreement between them and Arad Doman. I think I should take the lead because this trail is worth a lot of marks and I want it done right.â€

Opal fumed, what did she think they would ruin her grades with their inferor work? She shot a look at Sandry, and saw that room mate was none to happy.

The girl finally looked up from her notes she opened her mouth to speak.

But Opal cut her off, "I don't see why YOU should take the lead here. I know quite a bit about the law myself, so does Sandry she's a lord's daughter. Anyway, we are all asigned this we should work together. I'm not going to let you take all the credit for MY hard work!"

She glared at the standing novice.

~Opal

Opal sighed, it was almost lunch time. She was alone in her room for three, she had never gotten the promised roommates, and that suited her fine. She was so tired, up before the sun, chores until lunch classes until dark then supper and studying. She was thinking she might have lost some weight in the past week or two, she certainly was much more active than at home. Opal pulled at the sides of her white dress while sucking in her stomach, trying to se if there was more room in the dress than before. She couldn’t tell, she stood in front of the tiny cracked mirror on the wash stand, and smoothed the dress down over her hips.

Maybe, she thought, it looks a little looser. Maybe, if I stand on the bed I can see better.

She tipped the mirror back a bit and jumped on one of the beds, she used this one as a desk to hold all her books and such. She nudged the books out her path and turned to the mirror again. Twisting slowly to look at her hips, yes I have lost a little weight, she thought. Grinning to herself, happily. She swiveled around to look at her bum, always a problem area. Well, one good thing about being here, she thought peering into the mirror over her shoulder.

Her narrow little wooden door suddenly swung open, standing there in the doorway was a girl a little younger than Opal perhaps, a finger taller, much slimmer, and another red head. Opal thought in dismay, this place is over run with red heads. The girl gaped up at Opal on the bed. Opal looked back at the girl a moment, then turning slightly pink, jumped off the bed.

“Uh, hello.†She said brilliantly, “Are you my new roommate?â€

Occ: Sorry, I forgot to do this yesterday.

Opal suppressed a mental sigh, when the other girl agreed with her. She may not like being here one bit, that didn’t mean she needed enemies.

“I suppose that does make some sense. Which wing did you want to search?â€

Opal started to shrug, to say it didn’t matter, when a blond accepted came in.

"Was that Fianna Sedai I saw a moment ago? Quite unusual to see her in such a state. I wonder whatever is the matter." She asked.

Opal dropped a curtsy, to her but stayed silent. Accepted were only a step below Aes Sedia, Opal did not trust them. She listened to the other novice explain. This was going to take forever, she had studying to do, and more chores and things. She hid her irritation, trying to stay calm, maybe this accepted could help them.

~Opal

Ooc: Sorry, all my creativity is going into NaNoWriMo

“Yes Aes Sedia.†Opal chorused with the other girls. Not that she wanted too, but as always here in the Tower, she had no choice. Opal shared a unenthusiastic look with the taller novice. She plopped down on her stool. Glancing at her book one last time she closed it and sighing.

“I’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. Less.†The shorter novice said suddenly, grinning and dashing off.

Returning with another unhappy looking novice, “I hereby deputize you to our cause.†she tapped the girl on the head. “There are four of us. Four missing books. It’s perfect, right?â€

Opal looked at her dubiously, perfect is not the word she would have used. She groaned under her breath, “Save me from cheerful, crazy people.†she thought, rubbing her forehead.

“All right, it’s a far cry from perfect, but it could be some fun, if we let it. We each pick one to find, and the first one to find their book wins!†She said rolling her eyes. “Which books do you guys want? I’ll take Treaties and Agreements, if there’re no objections.â€

“What!?†Opal said standing up, “Why don’t we each take a section of the library and look. Wouldn’t that be more efficient? Just write down the names of the books and have at it. Your game sounds like it will just take more time.†She crossed her arms under her breasts, “I don’t know about you but I hardly have time enough to do my own work, let alone this ridiculous duck hunt.†She tapped her foot and sent appealing looks at the other two girls, surely they would see sense.

~Opal

Opal raised her head to watch the woman glide away, she left very abruptly. That was what Opal had wanted, but now she felt very small and alone.

Opal turned and went into her new room that she would live in for the next 10 or so years, she shut the door quietly. She wanted to rage, throw things, scream, and kick the furniture. But she didn't, she sat quietly down on the first narrow bed she came to, and set the white dresses down next her. She folded her hands in her lap, she took a deep breath and held it counting off the seconds in her head. It kept her from screaming.

Why did this have to happen to her? Why did Mother send me here? She didn't have to like what she was to become, she hated that this place had stolen here life.

But, she thought, Aes Sedia wield great power, there words have weight with kings and queens. I will have that power too, one day.

She nodded her head slowly thinking this over, one day I will have that power.

She stood up to put her new dresses away, noting that the room was empty of other belongings, good no roommates.

What will I do with the power over kings, she wondered, then began making lists in her head and chuckling to herself.

~Opal

Opal felt like shouting “answer the last question first“, at this stupid woman. How much of her life would be wasted here?

"Will you be sharing a room? Yes, all novices share a room." The woman said then paused.

Opal waited staring at the woman, get to the point, she thought.

"As far as your chores, all Novices and Accepted are required to do chores. It keeps your minds busy instead of lingering when you are not learning."

Opal gritted her teeth and fought to keep here face smooth. Get to the point woman, she screamed, in her mind

"Your training will take approximately 10 years to be raised to Accepted and 10 to 12 years more than that to reach the Shawl. Mastering the One Power is not like mastering to read or to write. It is very complicated and takes many years."

Twenty two years, or more, she felt sick. All the anger she had felt slipped away, like water down a drain. Opal clutched her white dresses to her chest. Everyone she knew including her would be old, she would be 39, almost dead. Why did this have to happen to her? Why?

She slowly blinked her dark green eyes, twice. I will not cry in front of one of them again, she thought, I am not weak. They will not cast me out. Opal didn’t want to be Aes Sedia, but she recognized that she really had no options. That didn’t mean she had to like it, she would fight every step of the way.

“Thank you, Aes Sedia.†She said woodenly, “That is all I wanted to know, I don’t need anything else, thank you†she said again.

Her eyes were fixed to the floor, her life was over. She bobbed a quick curtsy, hoping the woman would leave. She simply wanted to be left alone, she would not show weakness to one of these women again.

~Opal

Opal had never had much to do with books, oh she could read well enough but it wasn’t her favorite thing, she had come to hate the library in just a few short days that she had been at the White Tower. She found the huge wooden bound book about history she needed. She held the huge thing in her arms and made her way to the small study room off the main room. She nudged the door open with her ample hip, and dropped the book on the nearest table, with a small bang. She scowled at the other novice that was already there, she had nodded pleasantly at her, but Opal didn’t feel very pleasant.

Over the past few days she had done more back braking labor than she ever had, stupid to have novices washing floors. She grimaced remembering the trip to the MoN office, ridiculous to be punished like a naughty little girl.

She gingerly sat down at the table, opening the book she was aware of quite talking behind her, another novice had come in and was whispering with the first one. Opal didn’t know their names and didn’t care, they just another thing to irritate her, she scowled over her shoulder at them. The quieted down shortly.

Opal stared down at the open pages and tried to read, but lost interest quickly and started looking around at the others in the room. She had seen a few of them in the kitchen doing their own chores, but didn’t know their names.

The door opened and one of those Women came bustling in, she looked quite flustered, this pleased Opal, it was the first time she had seen any of these woman anything but composed.

Addressing all that were in the room she said.

“Children, I need your help. I have found that there are a few books missing. They cannot be found in our shelves and there is no note of them in the sign out book….â€

So what? Thought Opal, surly there were more than enough books left. Ridiculous, I don’t have time to hunt down missing books that are probably just miss shelved. She stopped listening and looked at her book again she didn’t really care about the history of the borderlands either. She supposed she should look for the books, she glanced at the other novices to see what they would do.

~Opal

Opal took the white dresses from the woman. White, she thought with dismay, I’ll look huge. I suppose those other girls in white aren’t servants after all, she thought. She could leave her things in storage awhile she supposed after all how long could this training take, the test had been quick enough. Rules, polices and curfews made sense to Opal, but chores? She was here to learn wasn’t she? Why waist time with chores? Oh, well she could ask about that later, besides what sort of chores would they have her do, dusting maybe, making beds, heavy work would obviously be done by maids or whoever.

The woman who came in following her knocking was taller than Opal’s 5’2 with startling red hair, "Of course, I will do my best with this child." She told the other woman and left the room waving a hand for Opal to follow.

I wish they would stop calling me child, she thought. She scurried after the thinner woman. "I will show you your room, and I will allow you time to ask questions and settle for the day. Chores begin at sunrise and you should report to the kitchens for your assignment. I will then meet with you afterwards to begin your learning process." She was told.

Opal tried to remember everything that the Aes Sedai pointed out and told her, but was lost and confused already. Surly there will be someone to ask later.

The woman stopped and opened a door. "This is your room. Do you have any questions? Anything I can help you with before I leave you till tomorrow?"

“Err,†Opal said peering into the tiny room that impossibly, had three equally tiny beds crammed into it, a small wardrobe, lots of hooks on the wall and a small wash stand with a bowl and pitcher, and a small cracked mirror. “Will I be sharing a room then? Wait, the kitchens? Why have me doing chores if I am here to learn would it be faster for me to just study, or whatever? How long does this training take anyway?†The last few questions came out as demand.

~Opal

Occ: Thanks Arie. :)

"The wheel weaves as the wheel wills."

Opal heard the Aes Sedia say, Mother says that, she thought. Dropping her hands letting them lie on her lap, she stared at the cool crystal in her hand.

The woman continued, speaking of the horrible things that would happen if she went back home. She let the words fall around her, settling into her mind, no she could never go back. Her Mother would know, even if she lied, Mother always knew when she lied. Mother would send her back to the tower, bound and gagged. With her sisters pushing. She felt helpless, she had never felt helpless. She slowly raised her eyes from the crystal, and met the frank gaze of the Woman I could not live with that, she thought , even if I fooled Mother, and my Sisters and my Father and Husband. Opal could feel her future plans being shredded, and discarded, like lists on paper.

"We search for girls to help them learn to live. We give each girl the option to leave the Tower when they are not a danger to themselves or the people around them. But we also challenge them to better themselves through schooling and discipline. To become Aes Sedai and bear the Shawl with the Tear of Tar Valon." The Aes Sedia’s smile held a challenge. "It is your choice to leave or stay. But choose wisely, Opal Coran. A life that you could run from, or a Life you could embrace. It is completely up to you."

Opal saw the challenge in the woman’s smile, she took a slow deep breath. She doesn’t think I can do it, she thought to herself. She thinks I am weak, I have been weak, this won’t destroy me.

She pressed her lip together and gathered her thoughts quickly, her chin came up. She set her spine straight, squared her shoulders. She met the woman’s eyes squarely, “You have just told me I really have no choice, and yet now you say I can run away and die or stay and become powerful.†she paused, she rarely took time to think things through this deeply, it was new to her, and a little surprising. “You say, you give girls the options to stay or go after they have learned enough not be a danger to themselves, somehow I doubt that path would be any easier than becoming Aes Sedia. The weak and the frightened run away, I am not weak, I am not afraid, I will stay.†Let the woman chew on that.

“What was it you said you needed, age and where I am from? 17 I am from Cosamelle in Ghealdan. I left all my luggage at my inn, and my money in the safe there, I have the receipt. Should I go get them now? Can I have my Mother send my things from home?†Thinking as deeply as she had about the woman’s words made her a bit giddy, she was happy now to able to think of trivial things like her cloths. “I must write Mother as soon as possible, she will be very pleased.†Opal began making new plans in her head,she had always been good at making plans, what she would need sent and what could be stored and letters to the nice men she was disappointing.

~Opal

OOC: Sorry, I had to change it I wasn't happy with her reaction, if it's not OK I can change it back.

OOC: Yay! I'm so happy to finally get reply, yup I have a mentor, I'll pm her and tell her we are back yay!

"Well, than on with the test."

Opal took the stone, wondering what kind of crystal it was, not diamond, too clear to be a moonstone.

"Look into the stone and clear your mind. Concentrate on the feel and the softness. Now think of a place the you feel safe. A field, free from a place like this. there are no walls, no one in sight, but it's warm here. The wind gentle and playful. Imagine a flower in the palm of your hand, alive, and blooming as you watch."

Dubiously, Opal imagined a flower, one she had used as a model for a carved piece last year, she had stared at that flower for days, she could picture it in detail. Concentrating she formed the image into one of the flower slowly opening, and something inside her changed, opened? The stone glowed in the her hand.

Glowed? Stones don’t glow, unless she could channel and she had made it glow. "You can channel, Child." The Aes Sedia said almost on top of her own thought.

"This is the big book of Novices. In order to admit you to the White tower I must to scribe you in it. I need your age and place of origin."

“Must you?†Opal said without thinking, “I really don’t want to be an Aes Sedia, I only came because mother wanted me too. I want to go home and be a jeweler, there are two men that I think might make good husbands, I’m almost decided on one and, I have a place in mind to start my own shop and, and…†She stood up, then sat back down, then stood again, holding out the stone to the women behind the desk, “I really must get on a boat tonight, you must have so many girls you don’t need me, do you?†She said hopefully, “Are you certain that I can channel? The glowing wasn’t that strong maybe it was a trick of the light? The light from the window…..†She trailed off.

Opals knees gave out and she sat down again, she pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes trying to stop the tears, the stone felt cool on her forehead. “Do I have to be a novice now?†She whispered through her hands, “I never thought, that I could possibly channel. None of my sisters could, why me?â€

~Opal

Opal frowned after the girl in white, she had scuttled out by her without noticing her. Perhaps they aren’t servants, she thought.

"My name is Faerzyne Grigory, Mistress of Novices." Said the woman in the open door way. Opal jerked her head around to her, her big dark green eyes narrowed a bit studying the woman. An Arafellin, by the sliver bells in her hair. Opal's Father had made a larger order of sliver bells for an Arafellin. So this was an Aes Sedai? She had a strange ageless quality to her face, and seemed imposing.

The Mistress of Novices motioned Opal into the room and toward a plain straight back wooden chair. "How can I help you?" The Aes Sedia sat at her desk and peered curiously at Opal.

Drawn in and now in the room Opal felt fear, she squashed it quickly, Aes Sedai or not, nothing had happened to her sisters here, nothing would happen to her. She curtsied to the Aes Sedai, a deep curtsy one she would have given a noble that had come into the shop, and fell into her the chair.

“My name is Opal Coran, I am a jeweler from Cosamelle. My Mother has sent me to be tested.†She smiled slightly, “Not,†she added quickly “that I believe I can channel none of my sisters could, but to indulge Mother. Is this a quick test? I would like to be on a boat soon.â€

Opal stood in the large entrance hall of The White Tower, wishing she had listened to her Mother and sisters about where to go to get tested. They had all told her at one time or another, go to somewhere and be tested by an Aes Sedai, she really hadn’t listened.

There were women everywhere in here, some in silks some in fine linens, but there were a lot of women in white, some kind of livery maybe?

Some of the women were in plain white dresses, others had a strange rainbow around the hems. The ones in all white were practically running, under servants maybe? The women with the rainbows at their hems had more dignity, and upper servant maybe clerks? Opal decided they were the ones to ask.

Opal was wearing the pale blue woolen dress that her mother had made especially for her testing. Pale green vines were embroidered around the hem of the skirt and up the sleeves, her Mother had impressed upon her the need to look just so. “Aes Sedai are advisers to Kings and Queens,†she had said “you must treat them with the respect that you would show for a Queen.â€

So Opal had pull her waist length hair back in braids and coiled them around the crown of her head, and fastened her gold and opal hair pins into the creation. She wore opals in her ears on gold wires. She felt she could be presented to a Queen, in this outfit.

She frowned and smoothed her skirts, why couldn’t they just have some one by the door, then you could just go in have it done and leave. No, sorry you can’t channel, thanks for coming though.

Opal quickly squished the little voice in her that said, what if you can? She couldn’t, none of her sisters could, and that was that. She was only doing this to please her Mother.

Well, she thought to herself, I won’t get this done any faster standing here. She put a pleasant expression on her face and asked the nearest woman in a banded dress where she should go.

Following the directions she had gotten to the office, Opal keep her face pleasant and her spine straight.

Standing in front of the door she smoothed her skirts, smoothed her hair, and rapped on the door. “Let’s get this over with quickly.â€she thought. She was hoping to get on a boat heading down river this evening.

Yay!

Can't wait to start!