So, myself and Tonnalea would like to prank a couple accepteds using the old ink in the tea trick. Who's game?

Erlene shared a knowing look with the head baker over the top of the frosted almond cake. The crushed sugar icing had been a family recipe and helping make it had brought memories of spending time in the kitchen at the estate to the forefront. She knew if the Aes Sedai caught her down here-not for chores, but for the sheer familiarity of the kitchens in a strange new place- she'd likely end up on the business end of the Mistress of Novice's favorite switch. It was her very first free day in the Tower since she had her name put in the Novice Book, and she had come down to find the kitchens a whirl of activity. It seemed some of the Greens were throwing a tea party. No one had said a word when she threw herself into the work like one born to it. Now, the last cake was iced and she would become a hindrance not a help soon.

"You should go to the party," the baker said. Erlene frowned at the other woman. Go to the party? Why she was partially covered in flour and sugar! The apron she had taken from the pile in the pantry had saved her dress, but the rest of her was a mess. The baker woman got a stern look on her face. "You can clean up and go up on your own, or I can order you to take this last cake there in person." The very idea of being seen covered in cooking ingredients being her first impression to an Aes Sedai was mortifying. She sighed and wiped her somewhat sticky fingers on one of the few clean spots on her apron. If she ever wanted to spend some time in the kitchen for enjoyment, she'd better follow the other woman's suggestions. She nodded, blonde curls flying about her head, and tossed her apron on the growing pile of dirty ones. 

Erlene practically ran to her room. She washed up quickly, redoing the kerchief that covered most of her blonde ringlets and putting on a freshly ironed white dress just in case. Feeling anxious, this would be the first time she was attending an event like this as something other than a servant, she headed down the hallways and out into the garden. She did her best to try to school her features into what she thought Aes Sedai calm would look like. She ended up looking more like a frightened hare. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the section of the gardens holding the tea party. Four other woman were already there: two in green dresses who were clearly Aes Sedai, an Accepted in a white banded dress, and a fellow novice.

• Novice Quiz - [Complete]

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• One OP Related RP - URL - [ - / 4 ] [Complete / Incomplete]

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  * [Meet the roommate] - http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/83699-meet-the-roommate-attention-maurelle/?do=findComment&comment=2991301 - 1,475 words / [ 4 / 4 ] [Complete as a req still going for enjoyment sake]

• * [Name of Req] - URL - Word Count / [ - / 4 ] [Complete / Incomplete]
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• Three Arches - URL - Word Count - [Complete / Incomplete]

Erlene bit the corner of her lips to suppress the reflexive laughter that stuck in her throat when Ariani burst out laughing. She peered into the cloudy mirror-the clearer and better mirrors went to Accepted and Aes Sedai- and let loose her own hearty laugh. She had seen herself in a full temper before, every Murandy woman had seen themselves and others in a good rage at one time or another. Light, it was practically a qualification for marriage to be able to work into a good lather. She had the hardest time trying to understand these foreign women who hid their tempers behind smiles and titters.

"I'd prefer the laughter. I've never been much of a brawler," she winked to let the other woman know she didn't begrudge her the skills. "Now, give me a cast iron skillet and decent kitchen knife..." She pantomimed swinging the skillet at an imaginary man's head. Erlene undid the kerchief around her hair and shook out the curls. Gold ringlets sprang her life in a nimbus around her head. She made a face as she redid her hair.

"There is one thing you do need to know about me, if we're going to make this little arrangement work: I get angry often. Hopping mad as the expression goes. I can't let the Aes Sedai and those holier than thou Accepted see it. So, I'll prolly explode here and often. Sometimes it'll be at my shoes. Sometimes it'll be at you. I don't mean anything by it, and I'll likely forget I was even mad seconds later. So, far warning." The smile banished from her face so she could let the other girl know that she was serious. Erlene had lost potential friends here because they couldn't understand her need to vent. She would project that calm all these Aes Sedai went on about in public if it killed her, but there was no way she was going to become some meek little chit.

Erlene's blue eyes widened in shock. She wondered if her bow shaped lips were hanging open to catch flies. Honestly, she had just been talking to talk-a bad habit if she had one. She had offered to mend her stuff because she liked sewing and didn't have any kind of problem with the other woman. Well, she hadn't had any problem with her. She put her mending on the bed, making sure the needle wouldn't get lost in the fabric or her bedding. She adjusted the white kerchief over her golden curls and pursed her lips in anger.

"How dare you presume to know what is going on in my head," her voice was normally an octave lower than most, but in anger it got deeper rather than louder. "I didn't have a problem with you until you decided to get a burr up your butt over my curiosity. How could a person not be curious about someone she has never met before?" Erlene stood and put her hands on her hips. Her eyes followed the other woman's progress back and forth across the room. It had been a while since her temper had been given free rein and it buzzed in the back of her mind like a wet hornet's nest. "I wasn't being nice to you out of some kind of societal convention- I was being nice because I like to think I am a nice person. And you aren't the last person I'd choose as a roommate-there are plenty of Accepted who can hold that position. Light, I know as much about you as I do the moon." Most of her temper blew out her mouth with the words and she let out a sigh.

"I'd rather be your friend than take the switching," she said crossing her arms and blowing a stray curl that had escaped her kerchief out of her face.

Tywin had hid it as long as he could. He had sort of learned what his name looked like in self defense, but when the schedule had changed and he had been forced to ask what the note had said...A wince replaced the natural smile on his face. Thankfully, Kilrin hadn't broadcast the reason she and the other guardsmen/warders were being so hard on him. But the other students could pick on the hostility and it had translated to a combination of quiet shunning and harassment. Not being able to read and having it found out... Kilrin was right to send him to the class.

He rolled his head between his shoulders and shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked deeper into the tower. Tywin just wished she had found another member of the guards, or, Light, a warder, to teach it instead.According to Kilrin, the only person open to teach the class was an Accepted. After what had passed between him and Kathleen Sedai, he had expected to be thrown out on his bum. He was getting to the point he almost wished they had. He had blown any chance of gaining an Aes Sedai to bond him and the hidden current of hostility among the guards was slowly driving him away.

Light green eyes study the doorway of the classroom. Kilrin had drilled the proper etiquette into his head with the sharp end of her sword, so to speak. One toe out of line and he knew not even the unique set of skills he brought would be enough to keep him here. He dusted his uniform off and walked into the room. A young woman stood in the room wearing the white dress with seven different colored bands that told him she was an Accepted. He inclined his head in respect. Treat them with near the same respect as an Aes Sedai- just a hair less, mind you. The Master at Arms' voice rang in his head.

"Accepted," he greeted her. His voice was deep a smooth-a gleeman's voice if untrained.

"Bloody Accepted," Erlene muttered under her breath. "Think just because they passed the test they're light's gift to the world." She snorted and sat on the lumpy mattress beginning to untangle her sewing kit. "Do me a favor, if I ever get that stuck up box my ears good." She shook her head and sent her blonde curls swinging as they tried to push their way past the confines of the white scarf holding them back. Erlene's quick fingers made fast work of her sewing kit-her mother and the other ladies at the estate made sure that she would have all the skills necessary to take care of herself, a husband, and kids. One of those skills was at least a passing knowledge of needle craft. She moved off the bed and dug through the mess of clothes, books, and stationary supplies for the stockings with the heel she knew needed patching. The other novices told her to just put them in the laundry shoot and they would be taken care of. Erlene knew better. They would be either tossed or put in a pile for some poor novice to darn. She trusted her own needlework a sight better than she did some moonbrained, lily-white, soft handed novice and was appalled at the idea of throwing out decent clothing.

"Got anything that needs mending or darning?" she asked tossing the stockings on the bed. Ariani looked like she hadn't had the domestic training that Erlene had grown up breathing. The state her hair was in attested to it. Her mother would've taken to her with a switch if she had done that to her hair regardless of her age. A rueful smile twisted her mouth at the thought. She had been thinking about her mother more lately than normal. The woman had been given to the earth years past, but it was her lessons and the lessons of the other woman at the estate that were proving to be the most useful. She sat back on the bed and began threading a needle. 

Erlene was late. Not a terribly unusual occurrence and the main reason that the Mistress of Novices decided that she needed a roommate. It was hardly her fault that she was late. They expected her at the kitchens before dawn-which was not at issue, she loved the kitchens- and they wanted her at her first lesson directly after the end of breakfast bell. The kitchens were on the ground floor and her first lesson the fourth. Even moving at a run-something that had nearly earned a switching the first and only time she tried it-she had been late. She knew better than to suggest a change in the time or placement of her lessons.

A harrumph escaped her lips as she caught sight of the new room. Honestly, it was like they were trying to make her choose between her lessons and the kitchens. Well, they would be in for a treat if they thought they could make her do so. She had seen nothing in her lessons so far that would preclude her from enjoying making her own meal. But that had nothing to do with whoever was behind the door. Erlene dusted her skirts off and adjusted the white head scarf over the perfect golden ringlets of her hair. The novice behind the door likely hadn't volunteered for this either. 

She reached for the door and blinked. Was that singing she heard? Her eyes flicked up and down the hall looking for the source. No one. That meant it was whoever was behind the door. Curiosity sparked behind eyes the color of peacock feathers. The voice wasn't bad-a little pitchy here and there, but not bad. A grin curled her lips as she turned the knob. As long as the other woman wasn't planning on singing into the wee hours of the morning, she wouldn't take issue with it.

Pushing open the door, she took in the sight of the other. At first she thought she was looking at an exceptionally lovely boy in a novice dress. Erlene was ready to rage through the hall, Aes Sedai calm be cursed, looking for the miscreant who had decided to pull this prank on her, when she remembered the voice. No boy could have that voice. Taking a deep breath she closed the door with a soft snick and groaned at the sight of her belongs strewn about the small bed.

"Honestly, I think half the servants here need a good switching and the other half need to go back to apprenticeships. Look at the mess they made of my sewing kit!" Erlene held up the tangled mass of needles, thread and white fabric patches. It was going to take her a good hour to get it untangled and put away. "I'm Erlene by the way." She tossed the kit on her pillow and began shoving things in the chest at the foot of the bed.

Yeah. As soon as I finish up with the MoN... Or can I run two at once, like at the WY?

Back. Threads can now continue....

I live. And am back. Had an awesome honeymoon!

Tywin cradled the mulled wine in his hands grateful for the warmth. Visar was right. He had almost had him. He hadn't been prepared for the other man to give in that way and hurl him into the river. He barely heard the other man offer for the two of them to spend the night at the inn. It was the smell of ice peppers in the stew that drew him out of his reverie. They weren't something native to Andor and its cooking, but something he had discovered while here.

"I feel like death warmed over," he said stuffing the stew into his mouth and following it with a bite of the hardy peasant roll placed on the side. "I should be alright, though." He flashed a quick grinned to show the other man that he meant it. "I didn't get any water down my throat." He shuddered in between bites as he remembered the death of a friend who's only crime was loosing his balance while dodging a cart and falling into the city drainage. "I'm also very glad I took that swimming class. I can't imagine what it would be like in full armor." He shook his head and took a swallow of the mulled wine letting the spices roll over his tongue. "You need to teach me when to drop like that. I've never heard of anyone doing that before. Is there a way to counter?" Back to business. He needed to absorb everything he could.

OoC: I live. just got back from honeymoon, ready to go!

For the first time in a long time, Tywin actually felt awkward as he moved. He had excellent balance-it was of the utmost importance in his previous line of work. But holding his upper body in that proper almost stiff way felt just so wrong to him. The dragging steps and shuffled movement were easier. It was closer to a sped up version of the walks his father had taught him for stealth. His only gripe was the way the steps required him to use the heels and flat of his feet instead of the balls. He was used to stepping with first with the ball of his foot to feel out the step for anything that could make a noise before allowing his weight rest on all of his foot.

Time and repetition allowed him to loose that awkward feeling to his upper body and helped him to speed up. Sweat began to flow down his back despite the cooler weather and his smile returned with the increase in speed. His arms burned from holding the lathe in the same position Coraman did, but it wasn't a bad burn. One thing the past few weeks had taught him was the difference between a good and bad burn in his muscles. This was the good burn that told him he would likely be sore in the short term, but it was not passed where his muscles could endure. The bell ringing for dinner caught him off guard and he allowed his lathe to lower.

"Same time tomorrow?" he asked Coraman as he wipe his brow. He'd have to ask if he could remove his shirt during training next time-now that he wasn't moving his uniform tunic was starting to stick to him from the drying sweat. He waited for her nodded before heading off to dinner.

The cold from the partially frozen drainage water took Tywin's breath away. He was also very thankful for the grizzled old guard who taught the swim course for making sure they could all tread water while at least partially geared. Water added weight to any piece of cloth and filled his boots. It was harder to keep above the waterline. It was deep enough that Tywin had to choose between breathing and walking to the large stone indentions that served as a built in ladder. He cursed fluently in his mind as made his way as quickly as possible to it. He knew better than to open his mouth. He had seen men who fell into the sewer or drainage water who made it back out only to die in agony from plague or disease. Tywin kept his hands on the last wrung just below the alley's pavement, and eased his head over to see if Visar was still there. He was. It was well-known that Tywin was not a good swimmer. Clearly, he wanted to make sure he wasn't going to have to plunge in after him.

Tywin sighed and heaved his weight over the lip. It was clear that he had lost this night. If it wasn't for the fact that Visar had stuck around to make sure that Tywin wasn't going to be feeding the fishes in the bottom of the river, he would have hightailed it into some deep dark hidey-hole Tywin could never pry him out of. He checked the forearm sheathes for his knives and sighed. They were soaked. There was no way he could but his knives back in there without having the quartermaster lay into him with gusto. He checked his pockets to make sure that he hadn't lost anything as he waited for Visar's critique.

I think in a way it might be best if Tywin was taught on his own. I want this to take place after his theft and have to work through the complications of it on the Aes Sedai end of things along with picking up an awesome skill. I know this comes up after super giant meeting thingy, but I thought it over. I still want Tywin to meet and end up with Ariani (assuming things continue as they are), but he does need to make some kind of peace with the Aes Sedai if he is to ever have a hope of becoming a warder.

OoC: Oh noes! She has ideas!!!! <.< >.> Run!

Tywin inhaled through his nose and exhaled out his mouth. They weren't just going to toss him out on his ass? Hope bloomed low in his stomach and he wondered if the loss of it would be more painful than the lack of it. He would say anything as long as they let him stay. Anything. But for once in his life he had no idea what to say. So he would try for the truth. He had much to loose, but it could not make it any worse. He gathered his courage and looked Kilrin straight in the eye.

"You should," the words were firm. "I'll admit to the theft. I can't justify it, so I won't. But I didn't attack her." Tywin inhaled and kept talking. If he was, metaphorically, going to hang for it he'd hang for the right crimes. "I didn't want her near the music box. I didn't want her to show everyone that I had been foolish enough to steal something here. I didn't want everyone to know my past...to know that I am a thief and have been one since I was old enough to hold a pick. I panicked...thought I could get to it first and...I dunno, hide it somehow. We collided." The wind blew out of him as his finished his speech. There it was done. It was up to Kilrin to decide if it had been enough.

Erlene looked at the giant Book of Novices in awe. True it was a book that likely only held the information that this Aes Sedai wanted, but it was still the largest book she had ever seen. She wanted to run her hand over the leather cover. Such a book was worth more than her father could make in a year. They hadn't been able to take any of the books from the estate's library when they ran despite having owned a third of them. She had spent hours in there as a child. The smell of old paper, a hint of dust, and an indistinct smell that she could only describe as knowledge was as much a part of her as her blonde curly hair. A smile curved her lips and made her eyes sparkle.

"Erlene Hortenica," her shoulders went back with pride as she spoke, " sixteen. I was born in Murandy." The second the words leave her mouth a craving to see her old home was strong within her. Perhaps the memory of it and the time she spent there would never leave her as her father said, but the knowledge was little comfort at the moment. If she became an Aes Sedai there was a chance that no one alive would remember the estate or even Murandy the same way she did. It was hard to imagine that she would be the only one. The very idea was enough to crush the beginnings of the good mood from seeing the large tome. The Aes Sedai before her hadn't mentioned that the life she led would be very lonely, but she couldn't think of it any other way. The sparkle in her eyes disappeared and a frown began to pull down the corners of her lips.
 

Perhaps.

Erlene listened to the other woman speak her mind turning every which way. While it was true that she should not have been marched to the Tower without the option of speaking to her father it was a blessing in disguise. Knowing her father, the man would've tried to smuggle her out of Tar Valon as fast as he could arrange it. It wasn't that her father was phobic of Aes Sedai- he was no Illianer. It was just that she was all he had left. First the death of her mother. Then the deaths of his beloved lord and his sons. The despot who replaced the old lord thinking to make Erlene his bed warmer and the run to Tar Valon had broken something inside him. She loved him dearly, but she had a feeling that the Tower would not just let her go because it might hurt the feelings of one man. While she felt that a letter could never truly express her sorrow at the thought of not seeing him for sometime, it was at least a sterile break.

She felt a little of the tension leave her as she heard that she would be allowed a headscarf-even if it was only a white one. Erlene had left the world she knew behind because of a threat to her virtue. She knew that boys and men looked at her. She had even had to occasionally put one in his place. But the Lord hadn't gotten the hint. Her headscarf was the one thing that had stood between her and him. As long as she had it the other women in the estate had been willing to run interference for her. If she had lost it... Her hands tightened. Maybe she could let the headscarf go eventually. Maybe she could let it all go. But for now it was a badge of her virtue.

Erlene thought about life in the Tower as the Aes Sedai before her explained it. It didn't sound much different than life on the estate. She'd have to learn just what it was visibly that separated the different ranks, but that was something she would pick up with time. Chores were chores. She loved cooking enough that if she could swing that duty it wouldn't even truly be a chore. Eventually, she'd even have access to all those books her father told her that they kept here. The very thought of it had her in a better mood that when she had first walked into the study.

"Of course I still want to enroll," her voice was steady as she said it. "I have a question, though. What do you mean by the shawl?"

*cheers* YAY! Behold my awesome powers of... persuasion! Just keep in mind, I am going LOA from about the 10th to the 27th. So no hurries for me.

Behold my amazing powers of making things difficult. It isn't really needed for them to be taught together, but it did lead to a wonderful discovery. And would it mess with Kronos' timeline if his Accepted taught Tywin? Like wouldn't he be an Aes Sedai by Tywin's now? So he would need a different teacher or we'd have to "Split" Kronos' timeline... (I.E. age him to teach Tywin, but only for that particular instance meaning that it would be set as a future event in Kronos' timeline). UGH...headache-y.

It's in the personality section. And it is very scary... o.0 Guess great minds really do think alike...

Great minds, Maurelle. They might compliment each other though. I don't know why Tywin steals, but Ariani did it to survive.

He did too. He grew up on the streets of Caemlyn... Now it's a creepy habit.

I imagine anyone who can read could teach it. Accepteds teach other classes...

o.0 How did we do this without planning? lol