Sorna listened to what Annais spoke politely and without letting her attention waver but she had a feeling that the girl hadn't quite understood everything. But it was alot to take in and if she wasn't very familiar with the White Tower, it didn't make much sense and connect to the larger whole. She would have to start from the beginning once she just discertained how basics Sorna needed to hear. Bah, young Sisters. You would have thought that they understood the importance of introducing themselves, a general requirement of courtesy but alas no. Maybe it had been the Yellow Sister's first mission but still, she should have known better. It caused a slight twinge of worry to hear that Darienna wasn't well. But surely she would go to the Infirmary if her state was getting worse. Strange that she hadn't went already but she could be stubborn sometimes.

She smiled at Sorna's brother's notions. Young men could be impatient and it was a flaw not even the Tower Guard training could always temper out completely. But time and experience were great teachers. And the brother made a good example of elaborating the difference between the Aes Sedai and 'normal' people. Sorna's stomach seemed to be demanding for food and Annais waved away her embarrased blush. "There is no need to be ashamed. Please help yourself, that is why I set the food here. While you sate your stomach, I will try to sate your mind with some information. I shall explain you the rules and tell you more of the White Tower in a moment but first I answer your questions. What is the name of your brother? He certainly has alot to learn yet. The training to become a Tower Guard lasts three years and even though he has received one of the best education currently available for a soldier, he is still far away from being a real master of his trade."

"He will be able to go to Borderlands and fight Trollocs much earlier than you, though, if that is where the Tower sees use for him. On average it takes from five to ten years for a White Tower initiate to be raised from novice to Accepted and about as long to become a full Sister. When you reach the Shawl one day, your brother might be a Blademaster by that time if he has practiced hard enough." And if he was still alive, but such a depressing thought needen't do be voiced. "That is another example to illustrate the difference of how time passes for a channeler and the other people. Also, you should learn the difference between a Tower Guard and a Warder. All women and men learning to fight in the White Tower train to become Tower Guards, not Warders. A Tower Guard serves Tower as a whole, not just one individual Sister unlike the Warders. Groups of Tower Guards accompany Sisters on larger missions and they serve as the Tower's army whereas Warders act as bodyguards for single Aes Sedai."

"There is an important distinction in the mentality and strategies in whether you train to become a soldier or a bodyguard. Maybe one day when your brother is good enough with his blade, he might meet a Sister who he gets along with well and who might ask him to become her Warder. But one should not automatically presume that they will get Bonded one day just because they learn to fight in the White Tower."

"But as for meeting your brother... Tower Guard Trainees live in and learn in the Barracks around the Warder's Yard, an area within the White Tower grounds. Trainees are not allowed in the White Tower itself, except in the Library when they study some more academic topics, and Novices in turn are not allowed in the Warder's Yard. But if your free days coincide, he can come to visit you then as a relative. And if not, I can always arrange a meeting with your brother's mentor."

"Hmm, lets see. You were right to think that the White Tower does more than just fights Shadowspawn in the Blightborder. Standing against the bulwark against the Shadow for the past three thousand years and making sure that the rest of the world doesn't grow lax either has been one of our main duties over the years. But it is not the only one. Aes Sedai stands for 'Servant of All' in the Old Tongue and there are seven different sisterhoods in the White Tower called the Ajahs which all have a slightly different view on how the world would be best served. All the ways are equally important and necessary but the seven Ajahs lead to certain kind of specialization among the Sisters." Annais certainly wasn't going to get into the discussion now about whether the Ajahs were the best way to govern the White Tower. It would only confuse Sorna further.

"The Yellow Ajah you are already familiar with as they are the Healers. Usually only Sisters with a special Talent in Healing with the One Power join but more important is the desire to help people to get better and to prevent sickness and other health issues for good. Green is the Battle Ajah and they do most of the fighting in the Borderlands. Their mission is to stand ready for the Last Battle. The Red Ajah is another one you might have heard of. They keep the world safe from another Breaking caused by the male channelers. They seek and capture all men who have begun to channel and bring them to the White Tower where their ability to channel is taken away forever. It is called Gentling." The thought of being severed from the One Power, forever able to feel it but never touching it again... it would be like life itself was stolen away from you and it was no wonder that so many of the poor Gentled men submitted to bleakness and depression afterwards.

"My own Ajah, the Grays are in a way the mirror of the Greens. The Grays try to maintain world peace by negotiations and diplomacy and most Aes Sedai advisors to the rulers are from our Ajah. The Brown and White Ajahs are focused on academic matters. The Browns keep the Tower Library, the largest in the world and preserve and gather knowledge. Many of the wisest scholars and experts in certain particular field can be found among them. The Whites are more interested in logic and philosophical questions such as the moral and the truth. They try to remain objective and not let their emotions to interfere their thoughts. The last Ajah is the Blues who are quite the jack of all trades. The only common factor among the Blue Sisters is Causes. They just don't have a single unified Cause but every Blue chooses her own. It can be something as broad as Justice and last for years, even a lifetime, or it can be more specifc like helping to stabilize the political situation in Murandy."

"But that was a quite long monologue already. Do you have any questions? Is there some topic you would be especially interested in?"

Annais Nevell

Gray Sister

Here is Annais' score. How very normal she is :)

Paranoid: Low

Schizoid: Low

Schizotypal: Low

Antisocial: Low

Borderline: Low

Histrionic: Moderate

Narcissistic: Moderate

Avoidant: Low

Dependent: Low

Obsessive-Compulsive: Low

And then the score for Arette *grins* She certainly can be a bit difficult to get along with from time to time.

Paranoid: Moderate

Schizoid: Moderate

Schizotypal: Low

Antisocial: Moderate

Borderline: Moderate

Histrionic: High

Narcissistic: High

Avoidant: High

Dependent: Very High

Obsessive-Compulsive: High

Sereth had certainly been correct about one thing, he spoke alot. But most of what he said made sense and reminded Annais of some Brown Sisters she had met over the years. And this was the first unreservedly friendly person in the Black Tower she had met if Brent wasn't counted in. Maybe there would be others too. She nodded her head to admit that the White Tower certainly had focused on preserving and gathering knowledge. The sorrow in his voice when he spoke the truth that he likely wouldn't have time to learn for as long was a painful reminder of the reality these men faced every day. It all was so unfair and so unnecessary waste. Half of the channeling potential of the world was lost and in many ways the White Tower could be using its resources better.

His offhand mention of linking with a female channeler some day to find out how differently Saidin and Saidar really worked was intriguing. And worrying certainly. How much of the Taint would ooze over to the woman's mind from just that simple contact? But if the Towers really wanted to co-operate and prepare together for the Last Battle, linking together would be something they needed to practice. Annais couldn't contain the slight disapproving shake of her head when Sereth described the use the Dragon had created the order of Asha'man. They would all have to make sacrifices for the Last Battle and prepare themselves for hard decisions but even the most ruthless general could not afford to see their men as simply nameless soldiers or there would be mutiny sooner or later. Every soldier was a human being with their own dreams and families and it wasn't right to treat them as simply tools.

They turned around a corner and came to an open field where black coated men were clearly working with Saidin. She didn't expect them to snap that very instant or harm her but over hundred years of viewing channeling men as dangerous caused a first reaction of fearful shiver. And none of the men had any pins on their collars. They were only Soldiers but they were already able of feats the Tower initiates could perform only after a decade of training. Or not even then as the White Tower restricted learning destructive weaves only after the student was already bound by the Three Oaths. She had managed to squeeze some information out of Estel's mad ramblings about how the men trained in the Black Tower and Sereth's words confirmed her knowledge to be true. She wasn't certain if what she saw with her own two eyes was a result of the Forcing the Asha'man did or a result of the greater strenght in the One Power. It could have been both.

"You have heard correctly again. The average time to reach the Shawl is fifteen or so years", Annais replied calmly, trying to keep the disapproval at the inhuman treatment of the Black Tower trainees out of her voice. "But that is because being an Aes Sedai is not just being able to channel. You need to have an excellent basic education and demonstrate a right kind of strenght of personality. It will not do to have a Sister falter under the pressure out there in the world. Every Aes Sedai represents the White Tower itself and they must do it with honour."

"As for the mortality rate...", her mouth twisted slightly with the words. "What you are doing here is called Forcing. You demand your trainees to be able to perform much more with the One Power than they are ready to handle yet. It is very dangerous and often results in Burning out the ability to channel. We caution our initiates to learn to walk before they run but I suppose that you don't have the time to do that properly. Still, you waste so much potential that could have been hardened and harnessed with little more time and guidance. It is very sad and a great shame. But then.... initiates die in the White Tower too. If you do not pass the tests to enter from novicehood to Accepted and from Accepted to Aes Sedai... you will never come out again from the testing ter'angreals. The morals of that are debatable too but the Hall of the Tower still believes that it is necessary." Or then they were just so tradition bound that revoking the practice didn't even cross the minds of Sitters.

Sereth finally named the man he was taking her to see and it was familiar to Annais to her startlement. Arath Faringal was Bonded to Serena of the Blue Ajah. He hadn't been the first one Brent had named as co-operative but she would have to trust on Sereth's judgement. Attack Leader, Storm Leader... even the ranks of Asha'man referred to battle and war. She recognised the houses they passed to be the ones where the families of Asha'man lived and connected Sereth's words. "How did your family take you getting recruited?", she asked carefully. "And I hope that your philosophy teacher will some day visit. What would he especially like in the Black Tower?"

Annais noticed the slowing of their pace and hid a smile as it seemed that the young man was eager to get as many answers out of her as possible. It suited her just fine as long as the topics of the questions weren't too delicate. "When I embrace Saidar, I imagine myself to be a flower bud. The bud's petals open out to the light of Saidar, and I let it fill me, all light and warmth and life. I surrender to Saidar, and by surrendering, I control it. That is the hardest thing to learn to many of our students, they are afraid to submit to Saidar, afraid that it will consume them. But that is not at all how it works, you cannot force Saidar. It is like a current in a river, you don't swim against it but you use its force to get you where you need to go."

"Is that at all how it is to embrace Saidin and to control it?"

Annais Nevell

Gray Sister

http://www.city.fi/antitv/klippi/8733

*chuckles* Anyone who has ever had a cat likely recognises these events.

If you have some other nice videoclips you have seen, please share them :)

The young man seemed confused for a moment and deliberating on how he should react to it all. Finally he settled to a smile and his excited words were genuine enough that Annais' lips twitched in response. It cerftainly was pleasent to meet someone who seemed to enjoy the prospect of being able to speak to an Aes Sedai instead of being on their guard. She wondered who exactly the boy would take her to but didn't have the chance to ask as he rambled on. He certainly had a habit to talk and Annais very much prefered a guide like that to someone who conducted the tour in stony silence.

She couldn't help the unorthodox thought that the boy would have made a fine Brown aspirant if he were a woman. But no matter how Brent maintained the dream that maybe one day the Towers would be united or at least worked in better co-operation, it might take longer than Annais' days before it truly came to be. Maybe all the existing Aes Sedai had to die first and new generations to take their place. Philosophy too, hmm? Maybe a White Ajah too. It was a curious thought to see some of the Black Tower members through the lense she normally refrained to White Tower initiates only.

"It is nice to meet you, Sereth, and I don't mind at all you talking and asking questions. Why have you wanted to speak with an Aes Sedai and what kind of subjects are you interested in... well, more specifically than the general Philosophy and Knowledge? All Sisters naturally get a broad education but I am not specialized on those fields unlike the Brown and White Sisters. I belong to the Gray Ajah and my expertise is negotiating. Do you have anything like that here in the Black Tower or do you all focus on how to become weapons? How much are you able to focus on your own interests? And who is this Asha'man you are taking me to meet?"

Annais Nevell

Gray Sister

The three days Annais had already spent in the Black Tower had helped her to get a bit better picture of the place and the people who inhabited it. She and Brent had discussed for hours every day but they had an unspoken agreement that the negotiations wouldn't really be forwarded until she had given the formal apology. Tomorrow she would, she had already decided that. She had prepared enough versions of the speech that it would have to be decent by now and address the most important points. Maybe about half of the Asha'man would meet the speech with stony disapproval and the rest would be tentatively willing to accept what she said. She still hadn't been able to figure out what exactly had happened to Dalinar as no one had volunteered to speak of the topic and she hadn't dared to ask. But there were friction lines and tensions, if only she could work out who and why of it all.

But that was why she was going to Rion again to ask if she could speak to Lavinya again. She was worried about the woman, her Gray Sister hadn't been herself at all even though she wouldn't speak of it. Rion seemed like the best possible Bondholder in a situation like this so it couldn't be him. Maybe it was the wife, Jocelyn. Annais had felt her suspicion keenly every moment she had spent in their house. She very much hoped that Rion would be home or her visit would be futile. She likely should get someone to escort her again as she wanted to respect Brent's wishes but Sereth was on his lessons.

Looking around the inn yard, Annais barely spotted only one man who stood in the shadow of the building. He walked to meet them half way and from his determination and lack of any pins, she deduced that Brent might have sent him to specifically guide her around. Likely the Soldiers were asked to report later what she did and said but they were still a kinder option than full fledged Asha'man, or Light forbid, few of them hounding her like jailers. The man seemed friendly enough but there was something that Annais couldn't quite put her finger at that set her on slight edge. Had his slight pause and rewording hidden the word witch? His words seemed to be implying that he had come to her out of personal interest but the last part had her hesitating. Maybe Brent had arranged her a way to meet another Aes Sedai. But would he do that after telling her that she should speak with the Bondholders first?

"Good day to you too, Soldier. You have heard correctly and I thank you for your offer of help. I am Annais Sedai and this is Tower Guard Mia Stavros", she pointed to her companion. "Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with? And did the M'Hael send you to escort me or is this just personal curiousity? Which one of the Sisters would you take me to see? M'Hael Enios instructed me that I should speak with their Bondholders first so is he maybe somewhere at the vicinity?"

Annais Nevell

Usually trusts in the good in people

3 more posts by me and Sahra can start taking mentees too. I will hopefully able to start helping out as a mentor next week. School has finally ceased to be hectic so I can focus on my RPing again.

The whole being forcibly Bonded to an Asha'man lasts only about an month ICly. After Shan is back in the Tower, she is totally free to take a Warder :)

And I think that the +3 OP score is only for NSWs. Annais would have gotten it except that she got upgraded to a PC status so now I need to actually do the work for it *grins*

Congratulations Ken! :)

Linten and fun in the same sentence gives me the creeps :P

I have been LOA for the past 2 days but I didn't have time to make an announcement as things were really hectic right before I left. But I am back home now and I will be catching up with my posting tomorrow.

Crista lives in Cali where they have had the huge forest fires. Some of her relatives were evacuated and live with them now. So please be patient guys.

*smiles innocently* PG13 is a wonderful thing indeed.

Note: Even though your character is lucky and gets to start from WS 2 (I had to start from 0 for example), it doesn't mean that you can't RP meeting MoT and your mentor and learning about weapons :)

All it means is that you don't have to RP any of that unless you want to. However, I always recommend doing extra RPs because it is fun and adds depht to your character and helps you to get to know them better.

Sorna was acting carefully like she was stepping on eggshells and they certainly had to do something to the way she was addressing Annais. But at least she answered her questions and didn't sound too intimidated and even dared to voice her own question. Annais tried to appear easily approachable and kept smiling even as the water begun to boil. She put new leaves on the tea sift and waited a bit longer until she poured the steaming water on two mugs. The offerings were neatly on the basket where they had been brought to her and the butter and knife on a small table so it didn't take her long to put up a cozy but simple setting.

"Sorna is a beautiful name and I have been through Occar a few times on my way to the Borderlands. It is a nice town. What ailed you, Sorna and are you feeling stronger already? And what was the name of the Sister who helped you?" Likely a Yellow so they would get the credit for finding the girl but there were other Aes Sedai who could Heal too and Annais was curious to find out.

"The channeling ability is a gift we have no control over, you can't choose to have it or not have it. But how well you learn to utilize it is entirely up to you and if you study diligently, then your proficiency is earned. You can write to your parents any time you want and if you give your letters to me, I will make sure that they are delivered swiftly by pigeons. They can also come to visit you here in Tar Valon but novices are not allowed to leave the White Tower without permission and Accepted should not leave the city without permission. And permissions to leave are granted for only really pressing reasons and it almost never happens. For example one girl wanted to go see her dying father one last time but the permission was not granted. She ran away to attend the funeral and ended up on a penance Farm for a year for breaking the rules. Sometimes Accepted may be taken to missions with their mentors like happened to me but that is more an exception than a rule. "

"This sounds likely really harsh but just being able to channel and learning what we can teach you does not make you an Aes Sedai. It is about being truly dedicated to Serving All and the White Tower. You have to put that cause before everything else, even your family and friends and and hopes of finding love and having a normal family life... everything. When a girl is Raised to the status of Accepted, a ceremony is held where she is washed clean of her past. After that you are no longer Sorna of Occam but Sorna of the White Tower."

"Ah, but I like my own voice too much sometimes. Please, in the future you should call me just Annais when we are in private. How much did Darienna explain you of the rules? And how much do you know of the White Tower and Aes Sedai? Those are things that I am supposed to explain to you as your mentor so is there something you would especially like to know now?"

Annais Nevell

Gray Sister

*eats Neph and leaves wetness* ;)

A deep breath escaped Annais as she exited the M'Hael's office. The first day of negotiations was done and it had gone alot better than she had ever dared to even dream. She and Brent had talked about a lot of things and established a good connection in her opinion. She hadn't expected to find herself getting along with the M'Hael. It didn't mean that the parlay would be any easier as he wasn't going to sell the Black Tower cheaply, just that they could chat amiably about things and actually speak straight forwardly instead of the diplomatical bullshit. She ought to thank Mia for that and she would tonight in their rooms. The lucky coincidence of her knowing the man and her unconventional behaviour had broken the ice.

Well, now started the tricky part. She was allowed to wander around but she had no idea how she would be received. Likely not with opened arms and most would avoid her. But Brent had asked her to get an escort so she should grab one of the Soldiers or Dedicated. She peered around trying to spot one but they didn't seem to frequent the M'Hael's place. After a moment she spotted a blackcloak but she couldn't see the number of pins on his collars. If he was a full Asha'man, at least he should be able to fish her one of their trainees.

"Excuse me! Please stop. Yes, right you", she called at the back that stopped and pivoted. Alas, no pins. She had found her Soldier. "I am Annais Sedai and the M'Hael told me that I should ask a Soldier or a Dedicated to show me around. If you are not busy currently, could you give me a tour. I will eventually try and meet an Asha'man named Rion Adamar but before that I would like to see the places. What is your name and can you act as my guide?"

Annais Nevell

Gray Sister

You're in, Crista :) Do I get to choose which one of those lines I get to use? *grins* I think that I will just take the liberty as I am starting the threads now as promised (and its a good excuse to procrastinate from school work :P).

Arette doesn't really have any disabilities but she often thinks that she knows the best what is good for those who she loves. And usually she goes about it in a totally wrong way and causes needness suffering for herself and others.

I chose a physical flaw for Annais and hers is endometriosis. So every month she curses the Creator that she is a woman.

Some other physical disabilities could cause humorous situations even though they are quite tragical. There is always the classical uncontrollable flatulence, bad breath, stuttering or lisp and chronic hiccuping.

I remember you in your Ara incarnation :) You were ascending to the Brown Ajah me thinks.

*sings* Foor a cookie, I will give you a nook... What? ;D

Now that was a really great write up, Siemba!

Water was sloshing over the rims of the tub as Annais perked up to hear if there really had been a knock on her door. She embraced Saidar to enchance her senses and didn't miss the next rap. Light, this was so typical. Right the moment when a woman took a nice little break and settled nicely to her bath or alternatively went to the privy, her peace was invaded like this. "I'm coming!", she yelled and pushed herself up with even more water pouring on the floor. Nothing she couldn't fix with a handy little weave later. She cursed when her foot almost slipped on the wet floor and floated her silky morning robe to her and a towel to wrap around her hair. As she had decided to indulge herself in middle of the day, her maid likely wouldn't be too pleased to have to do her hair again. Maybe she would just settle for a simple bun and a nice hat for the rest of the day. Annie had a store of those funny coloured Ebou Dari straw hats tied with ribbons.

She was still hastily tugging the edge of the towel into a semblance of a turban when she reached the door. This would better be urgent. She almost sighed when she saw the young girl behind the door. But instead she managed a smile that widened considerably when Annais realized that the woman wasn't wearing white yet. No, she had her novice dresses on her arm which meant that she was a new recruit. And Darienna sent new novices to an Aes Sedai for only one reason.

"Come in, come in. You have been assigned to be my mentee then? What is your name, dear and where are you from? Why don't you tell me about yourself while I boil us tea." She still had some rolls and tea breads left and butter under a Keeping weave, she reminesced as she begun to fill the tea pot and knotted a fire weave to heat the water. "And then if you have any questions, that is what I am here for. Don't hesitate at all to ask."

Annais Nevell

Gray Ajah

Mia didn't even open her eyes while assuming a truly annoyed tone and went on a tirade. Annais could accept the points about being self-absorbed and meddling where her attention was not wanted but the last point really stung. The focused look made it even more insultive and she made a mental note as it really made an impact. She couldn't hide her wince but she withheld from saying anything and Mia went on. Great judge of characters and situation here, she certainly had assumed too much after just a week's acquiantaince even if it had been in special circumstances. And she had focused more on the Black Tower and Asha'man than her. It was curious, though, how Mia refered to the case as a dead issue and later on as something that was clearly an issue. Such slips could reveal significant things but the fact that she was reacting so strongly anyway spoke volumes.

Mia used another neat trick, distancing. It was handy for explaining yourself that any effort was useless because the other wouldn't understand anyway. A shame that she clearly thought that Sisters couldn't understand generally human feelings like hurt over beloved one leaving you. It certainly made her motives for serving the Tower interesting but then you didn't have to like who you served but Mia didn't seem to hold much respect for the Aes Sedai either and Annais didn't mean the false kind that dictated how people were supposed to act around them. She almost bit her lip at Mia's chide about her father. Maybe she was more open about it than was usual but Mia seemed to almost imply that she was doing it on purpose. And admittedly she had sometimes used it consciously as a strategy to get past reservation of people. Light, using the death of a loved person for personal gain. She certainly should speak of it with Mordea some time.

There certainly was a point in Mia's rampage, Annais hadn't exactly confided to the woman either, not about anything really important and secret. She didn't have that many skeletons in her closet but there were some. Admittedly it was a bad sign that she didn't want to speak to Mia of the most recent ones but that was because her confessions would get a disgusted reaction. The other one would threaten her neutrality as a negotiator in this case and the other... Light, she couldn't even start to guess what Mia would do or say when she hard that. It was completely inappropriate and stupid. No, better go with something older that still lingered and affected. Mia's story was history too after all.

Sitting down across the table she made them private with Saidar and the noises of the common room faded. She wanted a sip of brandy right then but because that was weakness, she wouldn't indulge the urge. "You're right, we haven't really been getting under those veneers. There isn't that much beneath mine but something still. I am not going to let you really deep yet but maybe deep enough." If it wasn't enough, the cost of personal involvement would start to get too expensive then and she wouldn't expose herself like for Shoar. She wanted to bring peace and harmony to people around her but taking foolish risks for uncertain gains was a gamble she would not enter. But then trying quick starting trust was always risky and there was no gain without pain. "Men. They can get women to do stupid things. Even Aes Sedai as we are as much women as anyone even though some of us try to not be. Have you ever heard the story of Mathena? She looked down her nose at men, like a few Sisters do, and even had a poor fellow executed for coming on her by accident while she swam naked. She had never even been kissed, until Zheres stole one from her. You'd have thought she had discovered men for the first time. She became so besotted, Zheres had to go live on a mountain to escape her."

Annais had certainly heard of few Sisters to whom that had happened, a former Keeper counting among them. "I have never been like that, I have had a more healthy approach to my needs over the years. But it doesn't mean that I am any less fool when it comes to certain men, always the wrong ones. That is my misfortune it seems, developing emotions for ones I can't really be together with. Usually it is just mutual liking and desire and we both are happy to play as long as it lasts. But there have been two who just plucked deeper strings in me and I couldn't help it. The other can be explained off as a flame of youth - for an Aes Sedai at least. He was off limits as I was his advisor and giving in to such emotions would mean compromising objectivity.  But I still wonder if I wasn't already blinded and if there would have been some way to prevent his death and I just couldn't see it because all I could see was him."

Some of her closest friends knew about Culan and he was old enough case that he couldn't be used against her in any way. But Milos she hadn't discussed even with Shan or Lillian as she didn't want them to be disappointed with her. No, Shan wouldn't be and Lillian would likely understand too but... somehow she had just never told them. And it would have meant also admitting that there had been something more there. The topic certainly couldn't be broached with Mae who was placing the Tower steadfastly before anything. Giving in to such weakness would be frowned upon by the Red.

"No giving in to the temptation that time and with the other one I certainly was of advanced enough age to know better. Then it certainly started with the temptation and anything else sneaked in like a thief. Not quite unlike our meetings. Always in secret as he is married. He is still writing to me and implying things that I pretend I don't understand. Why I even write back to him anymore... I like to tell to myself it is because of the news. And lately it has felt so because... Just because." someone else had been on her mind. New interest replaced an old one and in her case it was even more insane than the previous one - soon quite literally too. Her heart went cold and she massaged the spot with her knuckle absent-mindedly. Milos had sticked along much longer than she would have wanted. If only you could switch it off at will. But she wasn't certain if she even wanted the current fascination to stop even though it would end badly... not that it would ever even start. Not this time. She certainly wanted a drink again but she didn't stand. Instead she leaned on her left palm and her elbow on the table and brooded on the prospect.

Annais Nevell

Gray Sister

I am also just a happy basker in your sunshine, Brenda :) But I am also a lucky bastard who gets to meet you in person soon again.

*huggles Sorna* I will try to offer you some excitement as your mentor too ;) But friendships with other novices are always good.

There is enough of Annais for many and she is a very generous woman ;) In completely platonic way.