Well... I'm back! How's everyone doing?

    Great, she thought in the privacy of her own head as she attempted to keep her smile from going crooked. The woman obviously wasn’t taking her very seriously; a fact made certain by the sudden change of topic and the Green’s divided attention between her and the Novice who had appeared bearing wine.
    “I trust you are finding comfort this evening?” Loraine Sedai smiled as she tilted her gaze to be staring into Ellisha’s again.
She returned the smile though couldn’t help but put a sardonic tinge into her own inner response. “Certainly, there is much comfort to be found here tonight.” Especially when I can picture my hands closing around your wind pipes.
    Before any further response could be produced from the Green, another figure appeared wearing a dress of deep sea blue. The woman nodded to both of them in turn, before saying “Thank you Loraine Sedai, for the invitation to the festivities.”
    Kira Sedai of the Blue Ajah brushed aside a loose strand of hair, the sapphire pendant above her neckline extenuating a modest amount of cleavage.  She lingered a moment on Lorraine before turning her attention towards that of Ellisha whose face had turned into ashen stone at the sight of the other woman. “It is wonderful to see you again Sister,” the woman continued, no hint of anger or insincerity evident from reading her mannerism.
     Ellisha felt the wine glass in her hand begin to crack under the pressure she was exerting upon it before consciously catching herself and relaxing her grip. She took a second to breathe, nodding to Loraine one last time before mumbling a half-hearted excuse for retiring. Never once meeting the other Blue’s eyes.
    She spun as quickly as dignity would allow, not noticing in time to stop from running into the Novice carrying the wine tray. 
    Red fortified liquid splashed everywhere, crystal glass shattering into a million pieces as they hit the floor.
“Idiot girl!” Ellisha growled. The Novice turning a new shade of white that matched perfectly the texture of her dress, say for the new red stain marks on her front. “Why don’t you watch where you’re going?” None of the liquid managed to get on her own clothes, though the act of being disrupted mid-walk was enough of a reason for her to feel irritation and even anger at the unfortunate girl. She had half a mind to backhand the little wench, and was only prevented from following through the action by the timely arrival of the other two woman.

~ Ellisha Sedai
Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah.

I still have to get Ackley's traitor RP under way, and after that I will be able to bring my AS (Ellisha) who will bond with Ackley, involved with the CoL. 

That will hopefully bring a little more variation into the storyline. 

Sure will! In the meantime, you wanna start planning something out?

Hey. Still alive. On a road trip atm. Will try and come back after it is over.

Not speaking for all of us, i know, but I personally feel the group would fall apart further without you as RGL. The lack of activity I'm sure has a number of different factors affecting it, but it definitely isn't a reason to step down and stop doing what you love best.

We'll still be here no matter what happens. Hope you find a way to come back soon in either case.

Ellisha returned the smile, though it came out more as a grimace. “I thank you for your concern.” She said, trying to keep her tone even and her face as smooth as possible. “It is… good. To have people that care about you.” She paused, then deciding to say no more, for now.
    A light breeze was blowing, lifting the sand up until they whirled around the sides of their feet. She met the other woman’s eyes, trying to figure out the thoughts and intentions behind those clear bright spheres. Could she really trust this person? Trust hurts, she knew, and she’d been hurt before. The Aes Sedai seemed sincere in her offer of support, a gesture rare enough in itself, but could she really believe that support wasn’t just another knife in disguise?
    She was supposed to be alone in this fight, wasn’t she? Never had she considered the prospect of an alley before, or even more ludicrous, someone she could confide her worries to. No… she thought, mentally gritting her teeth. No, I can’t take the risk.
    “I’ll be down to the hospital ward to check on the Gaiden, and to offer my personal apology.” She had control of her emotions again, and it was easy to maintain a bubble of distance between herself and her expressions. “I hope this incident does not impede us working together in the future, or with that of Gaiden Rekinu. And… thank you, again, for offering to help.”
     She thought she almost meant that last part as she turned away, headed for the section of the Tower that housed the sick beds. As she walked, she couldn’t help but feel a nagging sense of something unaccomplished. Almost as if it were a missed opportunity of some kind. She sighed, looking up to stare forlornly at the Tower that skied above. Could she be missing something?

~ Ellisha Falwein
Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah

I looked at the WOT Wiki for High Chasaline and found this little gem:

 

"Complaining goes against the spirit of this day and a complainer may find himself doused with a bucket of water to wash away the bad luck, a tradition in some villages such as those in Two Rivers."

Thought it might be worth keeping in mind, since I'm feeling my character is already on collision course with doing a lot of complaining tonight.

Have fun!

Cocking an eyebrow at “The latest fashion from Cairhien,” Ellisha wondered, for not the first time in her life, what all the women in that light-forbidden-city did all day. Distant and now faded memories of geography lessons as a Novice of the Tower brought those answer all too soon back to the forefront of her mind. Apart from the questionably low neck line the blue silk dress offered, in addition, it had a certain air of flamboyance which sat in contrast with what Ellisha Sedai of the Blue Ajah usually liked in her appearance. Whatever happened to subtle modesty?  
    “This,” she began, eyeing the seamstress who stood with both her hands clasped in front of her. “Is the only one you have available?” The seamstress nodded, bracing herself as if the Aes Sedai would somehow hurt her if given the wrong response. “Yes, Aes Sedai. I’m sorry, but you simply didn’t give me enough time to prepare one just for you. All the other guests ordered weeks in advance.” She continued blurting out as if the torrent of words would somehow forestall whatever Ellisha had planned to evoke upon her as punishment.  
    She sighed, looking towards the ceiling with a look of resignation. Ancestors help me. “I’ll take it.” The other woman seemed momentarily startled by the response, then, seeing a way out being offered to her on a silver platter, she took it without another second’s hesitation. “Why yes, Aes Sedai. Of course, Aes Sedai.”
     Ellisha sighed again, letting her eyes glaze over and her mind to wander as the woman took out measuring tapes and scales in order to make the necessary adjustments. High Chasaline, she thought gloomily. She’d been certain that Asyandara would find a way to make her pay, though nothing in the world could have prepared her for what that old witch had conjured up this time. High Chasaline. The Twelfth day of Taisham. A time of dancing and celebration. She almost shuddered at the thought of having to do such things as mingle and make necessary small talk, in order to make it through the night. Whatever have I ever done to deserve this?
    You did beat up a Warder.
     It took another hour before Ellisha finally made her way out of the seamstress’ shop and towards the Tower, the light blue dress with all its final adjustments made, safely tucked away inside one of her bags. The sun had already fallen below the mountain mark, and night was fast approaching for the city of Tar Valon as she walked its familiar streets. All she had to do was survive the night. She frowned, agitation evident from her expression which she usually kept hidden behind an Aes Sedai’s mask of emotionlessness. She’d survived Novice-hood, then following that, Apprentice-hood; dodged countless assassinations, ambushes and even evaded being captured by the Black Ajah; so why the hell was she so worried about one stupid party? She thought she knew the answer, however.
    The Warder’s yard had seen a dramatic change since the last time she visited. Instead of the incessant grunting of men bashing each other to pulp with sticks, several long rectangular tables were laid across the sand, their surfaces covered with snow white linen and on top of them, placed endless collections of the Tower’s finest cutlery sets. She eyed the little name plates which indicated the seating arrangement, and give a visible wince as she read the names seated beside hers.
     Either fate was playing a cruel joke on her to be seated next to Abigale Sedai, a notorious claptrap even among the Yellows, or someone was trying to assassinate her by driving her mentally insane. Not if I can help it. She reached and grabbed her own name plate, but before she could do anything productive with it, she sensed the presence of someone approaching. Born out of necessity, in an environment where stealing pastry from the kitchen required fine-tuned situational awareness, she slipped the note under one of her sleeves, remembering at the last minute that she no longer had sleaves thanks to the ridiculous design of the dress.
    Hastily crumpling the note and hiding it inside her palm, she turned and directed a fake smile towards the tall blonde who was glided up to her.
    Her words can’t lie, but her expression and demeanour could do as damn well as they pleased. “Good evening Lorraine Sedai,” she said, eyeing the garb and the peculiar hair style the woman was sporting. “Why, where did you find that dress? You must tell me who your seamstress is,” she added, hoping her last statement would be interpreted as a compliment. She certain wasn’t feeling like giving out any compliments for real, that was for sure.  

~Ellisha Falwein
Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah.

I'll get something up tomorrow.

Welcome back!

I'll just make Ellisha stand awkwardly around for a few hours. Sure she'll enjoy that.

Sounds fun. What are the requirements? What do we do?

Like the eclipse of the sun, the power, died, inside her. She gasped as one second she was filled with the sweet nectar of energy, the pulsating beat of life itself; the next, only a dark deep hollowness remained. Someone wove an air shield around her, pinning her in place, but no longer did she pay any attention to that. Her insides, were empty. For once she felt… cold.
    With the vengeful impulses that came with holding so much of the One Power having been removed from her, Ellisha began to see herself clearly again, to think clearly again. And only when did she force herself to look up, her eyes momentarily meeting that of the other Blue, did the full implication for what she’d nearly done finally begin to sink in to her mind. 
    Light protect me. I…
    Black pitiless spheres peered across the clearing at her, studying her with a calculating look.
    Though the other woman’s face was smooth and without any sign of emotion, Ellisha knew the eyes on a person rarely lied about what they were truly thinking. There was anger there; maybe she even saw Ellisha as an abomination, a disgrace to the Tower. A monster.
    “Can I trust you to keep control?” the words left her mouth with hardly any tone to it, and it was set in a tight thin line. The expression on her face would have made the frost on an iceberg melt. It was what one might have said to a rabid dog; one who was being punished by being locked in a cage. Ellisha looked down at her feet in shame, unable to meet those hard stern eyes any longer. The accusation in them cut deeper than any knife could have ever done with her flesh.
    She heard the sound of the sand scrapping against knee and was surprised to hear the Gaiden’s voice speak across to her from the clearing.
     “Ellisha,” the Warder said, his voice sounding hoarse and laboured despite the remarkable amount of self-control it must have taken to keep it steady. “I commend you for the unexpected moves, though… remember to not drop your knife next time. It needs to stay…” his face contorted into a small grimace, one hand unconsciously moving down to the spot where Ellisha had hit him the most. “It needs to stay on you at all times. Setting it aside carelessly is bound to get you into a situation where it is needed to defend yourself, and you will not have it.” The man paused for a long moment, his large bright eyes watching her face with an intent expression.
    A single wet streak appeared down the side of her face as she felt her calloused hands grip the side of her wrist, fighting down the urge to shake and completely break down in front of the two.    “Ellisha Sedai,” he continued, adding in the honorific this time. “What have I done to shame you so? If I have sullied your honour, just say the word and I will do penance.” His words were gentle and there was no malice there, only concern, as selfless as ever.
    She felt her control beginning to slip; first she began shaking uncontrollably, her arms barely keeping her body from quavering like a frightened bird through the bonds. Then, the bubble of tears that she’d been withholding back this whole time, finally broke down like a collapsed dam, and with it, the torrent of tears that rolled off the side of her face.
    “I…I…” she tried to speak, but was hardly able to string more than two words together to form a sentence.  What could she say? What was there to say that could have excused her from what she did? What she had almost done? Nothing.
“I’m… I’m…” she finally managed. “I’m sorry.”
    With a wave of her left hand, the weaves used to construct the air shield dissipate around her, as the Blue slowly released her own hold on Saidar. She slowly sank to the ground, and as the last of the air binding her dissipated, allowed herself to crash to the hard even surface on both knees. She held her hands up and cried into them, hoping the two wouldn’t be able to see the pitiful sight she was in.  What were they thinking of her at that moment? She didn’t know as she lay crying on the floor. Probably didn’t want to know in any case.  
     Scrambling to both feet, and without another look towards the pair of Warder and Aes Sedai, she ran out and away from the courtyard, out, from the Tower itself. The pair didn’t give her chase, not even a cry for her to stop as she ran out of sight of the two. Even the guards didn’t try and stop her or ask her any questions, though maybe they’d assumed she was just another servant working in the Tower. She wasn’t wearing her shawl, and had on work clothes instead of the customary Blue dress which would have marked her as Aes Sedai.
    She ran out of the Tower grounds and into the streets of Tar Valon itself. A few pedestrians shot her sympathetic looks as she ran past them, but otherwise left her unmolested. She ran, tear marks flowing freely from both her cheeks. She wanted to hide, to find a corner where the people and the world would forget about her. The insane women who some used to call Aes Sedai.
    She found the place she was looking for in a dark alleyway off to the side of the high street, where the lights from the sun couldn’t get an angle through the black crevasse in between the city’s roof tops.
     Slumping down against a dirty soot covered wall, she finally allowed the full extent of her emotions to flow out of her in peace without any restraints. She didn’t remember ever crying that much in her entire life as she did that day; not ever since the night she heard of Aril’s death. That night when the little bits and pieces she had begun to call her life in the Tower, had simply shattered like the shards of a mirror to reveal the lies that were hiding behind them.
    She realised then, sitting slumped against the walls of that dark dingy alleyway, that she wasn’t as strong as she thought she was. As strong as she needed to be. She had nearly killed an innocent man today; a person of the light who was doing nothing more than trying to help her. She allowed that information to slowly sink in, and would have continued crying curdled up in a ball, her arms wrapped around her legs and her head buried in her filthy trousers, had not a voice interrupted her quiet condemnation of herself.
    “What is wrong?” the quiet voice sounded awfully close to where she sat in the alleyway. She hadn’t heard anyone approaching, but that would have come as no surprise. She was so engrossed with herself, she barely registered the rumbling of the heavy oxen carts over on the high road.
    “Go away,” she sniffed, using one hand to attempt a feeble shooing motion towards her unfortunate visitor. Nothing moved or made a sound on the filthy rubble. Wiping her eyes with the corner of her sleeve, she looked up, allowing her eyes a moment to adjust from the tear marks and the brightness of daylight. A young smallish looking boy stood watching her, his large blue eyes wide in an expression of curiosity and worry.
    “Are you ok?” he said, his accent sounding of southern Andor, just like where had grown up with before she came to the Tower. The boy couldn’t have been more than eight years old, though he still stood a hand or two taller than Ellisha’s seated pose.
    “What do you want?” she snapped, instantly regretting the vile tone she used to fill her words.
    The boy blinked, but didn’t react like he should have to a crazy woman sitting on the side of the street.
    “You see a bit… lost.”
    Ellisha blinked a few times, both to clear the tears that still welled in her eyes, as well as to stare at the strange boy standing not five feet away from her. Was it her delusional mind or had she seen this person before? The features, though alien at first glance, were oddly familiar in a strange way. She sneezed, the temperature in the alleyway adding to the number of discomforts currently being endured by her body. But when she opened her eyes again, the boy was gone. She looked first left, then right in surprise, trying to see where the boy could have possibly gone but there was no trace. She was almost certain there had been somewhere a moment ago. Maybe you’ve been crazy this whole time and you just didn’t know it.
    “But are you?” the voice came again and Ellisha jumped into the air in shock only to land back down on the ground again a moment later. Not only was the boy standing where he had originally stood, but it seemed like he was reading Ellisha’s mind.
    “What. Who are you?”
    “Do you honestly want to hide yourself behind insanity?” Ellisha blinked once more, for the youngish boy was now the figure of an elderly woman. This time, Ellisha did recognise the figure.
    “Are you Aes Sedai?” said the woman, her hands hidden behind the sleeves of her light blue dress.
    “I…”
    “Are you Aes Sedai.” Mistress Dale repeated, annunciating each words in turn as if they held the most significant importance.
     “I… am.” Ellisha admitted, finally seeing something in the mist clouds of her jumbled conscious thought. The three oaths still bounded her, and she did uphold the light – be it in her own way.
     “I… am.” She repeated, be it more firmly this time. Mistress Dale nodded once, before walking away from where she sat. Ellisha watched as she went, feeling oddly numb at the thoughts that now swirled around her head. She was still Aes Sedai. Whatever happened, whatever will happen, nothing could really change that fact now. For better or for worse, she, like the rest of her sisters were bound to the Tower for life. She stood, wiping the dirt from the back of her clothes and with one sweeping motion of her hand, realigned the messy tangle of hair strands back into some semblance of uniformity.
    Thirty minutes later, she was walking back into the Tower grounds, intending for all the world to find the two people she had encountered this morning. She had used a bit of the One Power to make herself a bit more presentable than before. Her hair was now tied in a simple braid, and the stains from her face had been washed by the use of a water weave after she drew the liquid from a nearby well.
    She found the other Blue still standing in the courtyard where she’d left them that morning, though the Warder was nowhere to be seen, presumably having gone to the sick bay to heal from his wounds.
    “Kira Sedai.” Ellisha coughed to draw the Aes Sedai’s attention. She stopped her work with the quarterstaff, leaning the haft on the ground before turning to face her. “I want to apologise again for what I did this morning. I… was not myself at the time.” She looked to the side, avoiding eye contact with the other woman. “There is nothing in the world that could have justified what I did, and I won’t try and make any excuses for myself. Whatever pennant you and Gaiden Rekinu have decided I deserve, I will accept without any hesitation.”

~ Ellisha Falwein
Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah.

*Takes a bottle of the "The Hard Stuff,"*

Busy, as always. Just finished my first year of Uni, whoohooo! meaning I have a bit of freebee time on my hands.

Finally have the chance to get to my novel, whose idea I've had rattling around my head for the better part of half a year.

Also means I'm up for some tom foolery if any of you is be interested.

There is always alchol. Too much... Alcohol.

After ten minutes of the Warder’s instructions on the use of the knife, half of which she had already prior knowledge of, Ellisha thought she was ready to give sparring a go. Though distant were her days aboard her father’s craft, Ellisha Sedai could still remember the many skills and talents required to operate a river boat and was determined to show these two hooligans just how quickly she could adapt to any situation.  
    She walked smartly into the middle of the clearing and towards the awaiting Warder who was himself unarmed. He raised one hand and gestured for her to stop where she was.
    “Ellisha Sedai.” He said, his tone as flat and as serious as ever. “Keep in mind what I’ve taught you so far. Remember to maintain balance, recoil after each strike and most importantly of all; never to over extend yourself. We don’t want any injuries on your first day of training. Now, are you ready?”
    She gave him a rueful grin and in reply, began charging straight for him. Two seconds later she was dazed, face pressing flat on the ground and with no recollection of how she’d ended up there.
    “I remember telling you to keep your balance, Ellisha Sedai” came the all too familiar voice of Rekinu as leaned down over her. “That was not a very balanced approach.”
Ellisha thought she heard a snicker from the sidelines, and turned angrily to stare at the other Aes Sedai who, by the time she had turned her head in the dirt, had reaffirmed a look of indifference on her face.
     She clenched her jaw line, feeling both embarrassed and hot headed at herself, then scrambled quickly to her feet.
    “You, you… caught me off guard that time!” she stammered, fumbling awkwardly in the dirt for her dagger.
    “I also remember telling you to always be on guard when facing an opponent.”
     She gave him a heated stare; passionate, fiery eyes burning against that stone cold face.
    “I won’t be next time.”
    “Good,” he nodded, and as unperturbed as ever, “then we shall continue.”
On and on they went, blow after blow she lashed the Warder’s way; though swift was her movement, her dagger hand quick on the draw, the Warder’s movements seemed to easily avoid any attempt she made for his centre, gliding through them as easily as water glides through rock.
    Light, he’s fast! She thought, her heart thumping heavily against her chest, her palms sweating and sticking to the hilt of the knife. They’d been sparring for the better part of ten minutes, and already Ellisha could feel the strain on her muscles. She was definitely going to feel this one when she went to bed tonight.
    She tried again, this time instead of charging straight at him like she’d done on her previous attempts, she approached him carefully, maintaining a solid footwork and holding the knife in a protective manner. Up to this point the Warder had yet to strike back at her, always using her own momentum to work against her. Closing the gap, she made a controlled stab straight for his centre, then again and again as he parried each blow.
    Suddenly, and without any warning, he made a completely different movement; using the flat of his hand he struck out at Ellisha’s knife wrist and she felt a sudden pain overtake her which was gone in an instant. She’d dropped the knife however and as it spiralled away, she was knocked to the ground once more.
    “You’ve done well, Ellisha Sedai.” He said, his hands folding behind his back. “I think that will be enough for now.” Rekinu was barely sweating as he turned and began walking away from her, looking as clean pressed as he had when he first entered the fight. She, on the other hand, looked much for more the worse. Face covered from forehead to chin with a mixture of grime, sweat and dirt, brown hair a tangled mess like willow twine after a storm, and her cream coloured shirt looking shabby and wrinkled.
     She spat on the ground, then picked up her dagger along with a handful of dirt.
     “We finish when I say we finish!” She said, getting up and charging straight for the Warder again. For once, surprise showed on Rekinu’s face as he turned around and was met by the mist cloud of dirt which Ellisha threw at him. The Warder stumbled back, his eyes blinded by the mist cloud and his coolness having finally vanished. She heard a gasp from behind her, but didn’t stop to wait to close the distance between her and the Warder. Delivering an elbow straight into his stomach which knocked the air out of Rekinu’s lungs as he collapsed back in on himself.
    “Ellisha, what…”
She punched him again, dropping the knife and instead opting to let fly a flurry of fists. She thought she heard someone shouting from behind her but was too caught up and distracted by the confusing tangle of sounds, bodies and raw emotions as again and again she delivered punch after punch into the other person.
    She hated herself.
    “Ellisha! Stop!”
    She hated what she’s become.
    “Ellisha! You’re hurting him!”
    She hated everything about her.  
    “Ellisha Sedai!”
    He’s the one making her hate herself so much.
    “Please don’t make me do this.”
    He is the one who needs to go.
    “I’m warning you!”
    He is the one who needs to die.
She made a grab for the tempest inside her, that raging tide of power and soul crushing beauty harboured by all who could channel. There was a block that prevented her from reaching it at first; the three oaths.
    He’s a darkfriend. He’s a Darkfriend, she thought to herself. I’m sure he’s a Darkfriend. She only needed to convince herself enough to let the power through, and once it was through…
 He wants to kill me. He’s a Darkfriend. He’s a Darkfriend.
    The power trickled inside her at first, reluctant, as if it could sense how wrong the whole thing was. But then, it began to flow and by the end it was as if a dam had collapsed and Ellisha was filled to the brim by it. She held the tempest and breathed, feeling all the sores and the pains leaving her body, to be replaced only with euphoric ecstasy. She looked down at the bended figure, seeming so small and insignificant against the wave that was to be her rage.

~Ellisha Falwein
Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah

Have you tried Cntrl+ V?

DM is weird sometimes, but you learn to get around its quirks. 

Does it stuff up the formatting? Or can't you do it at all? I'd sugguest try a different internet browser (or computer) or alternatively, update adobe flash.

R & U

 

(Something about DM is not letting me copy/paste the format into a thread for my character! Help?)

What exactly is wrong with the formatting?

As was expected Ellisha was met with hostile stares, or at least, it was as close to as a pair of Warder and Aes Sedai were ever going to get to such an expression. She hid a smile as first the Warder then the Aes Sedai, each in their own turn, tried to school her like she was still wearing double braided hair. The Blue was a lot more refined at this than her Warder counter-part, who merely coerced her with empty words and hollowed threats. She had the air of a school teacher, but what might have worked against cowering Accepteds back in the Tower won’t be the same when facing an equal – for Ellisha WAS her equal.  
    The two turned their backs on her and began practising with one another again as she watched from the sidelines. She had no plans to do the stretches the Gaiden had demanded her do, which will hopefully be the first step in undermining his legitimacy. People had to learn they can’t be expected to boss her around. Besides, she had already done her stretches earlier in her room, but it would be a good lesson for the Warder to start with. Understanding to never use terms and words that forced an Aes Sedai to do anything, even from other Aes Sedai.
     The Warder and Aes Sedai sparred with one another for a solid few minutes and Ellisha could see beads of sweat accumulating around the base of the other woman’s neck. Rekinu said something to the Blue which Ellisha did not quite catch but the next second she found the Warder walking up towards her.
    “Ellisha Sedai,” he said, tone and face all serious. “I would assume your previous mentor had already asked for you to choose three weapons which you may prefer to be trained in, but as I have not had a chance to talk with him, would you kindly repeat them to me? Telling me the reasons why for each of them in turn.”
    The words were plain enough, though the manner was curt and emotionless coming from the Warder. Indeed the Warder yesterday had made her choose three weapons which she would prefer to have some proficiency in, but really, there was only one she genuinely wanted to focus on.
    “Very well, if it please you to know. I would like to be trained with daggers, throwing knives and swords.” The sword was what she was truly after, though the other two could also come in handy in situations where the first was not viable. A concealed blade could very much end a potential Black Sister who might have been ready for a channelled weave. Of course, she wasn’t about to tell all that to the Warder and the possible darkfriend sitting right on the tree stump next to them.
     Were there darkfriends Waders as well? The thought momentarily flashed through her head, and she came to the conclusion that there probably were.
    “The daggers are useful for self-defence and concealment situations,” she continued.  
Not to mention allowing her to kill anyone who got in her way without having to use the One Power – something she could not do in the latter’s case unless she had concrete proof they were either darkfriends or in the instance of self-preservation. That was one loop hole she had found in the Oaths and had hoped to exploit against the Black Ajah. Her other Sisters still in the Light were probably too morally hindered to devise such a loophole, but afterall, that’s where she would come in.
     “In places where association with the Tower would be considered dangerous, wearing a sword instead of a shawl might be preferable and deter the common scruff from trying anything stupid,” she said, shrugging her shoulder and crossing her arms as she waited for the Warder’s next step.  

~Ellisha Falwein
Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah.

When i eventually have kids, I would have collected enough dad jokes to last them till college. I'd be a great father.

Ellisha hid a smile, using the cover of her book to mask the curvature coming from her lips. Oh, how wonderfully amusing it was to watch Novices suffer through the same ordeal as she had on countless occasions in the past. In truth, Ellisha reckoned she had let this one off lightly. Cleaning the floor would have been easy with the One Power, but the labour of doing it with hand was part of training and conditioning – at least, that was how it had been explained to her.
    Thayetta sneezed, and Ellisha almost lost herself that time – her mask of Aes Sedai serenity on the verge of breaking down into hysterical mirth as she struggled to keep herself from shaking. She really needed to grow up someday – though, preferably not any time soon.
    The clock on the wall sounded two and Ellisha looked up from her book to see the room emptying of their former occupants; some Novice, she observed to her evident disgust, even leaving their plates half washed and submerged in the sink. Bah.
    It was too late to call them back of course, this she knew as well as the next eight Accepteds; the force behind a cohort of retreating Novices was something even Saidar had little power to halt once set in motion. The dust eventually settled, and as the only sound left in the room became the rhythmic Tick, tock, tick, tock of the hanging wall clock, Ellisha allowed herself out a big long yawn, not even bothering to cover up her mouth as she stretched out her arms luxuriously, feeling the bones crack on her back.
    She opened her eyes, realising there was still someone else in the room. Thayetta, the Novice, stood a few paces away, still sweeping the floor of soot with the end of a broomstick. Rats, she had forgotten she hadn’t dismissed the girl from her punishment yet, and… was that a smile playing around those lips?
    Clearing her throat, she closed and pocked her book and walked over towards the Novice.
    “You may leave that for now,” she said, coming up beside Thayetta. “The servants may deal with the remaining mess.” She gave the girl a sidelong stare, careful not to make the look obvious.
Yuuup... she saw me, Curse it Woman. She was supposed to be the one acting all proper and respectable, and being seen doing something as human as yawning was definitely not in the Aes Sedai handbook. Letting a bloody Novice see you, bloody typical – bloody wool-head.
    “I hope you’ve learnt your lesson for today,” she continued, more pointedly than she had at first intended, “run off now, and don’t let me catch you burning any more book, you hear?”
The girl was off in an instant, pushing, and hopping all the way past the great wooden doors and out of the kitchen, faster than she could have otherwise said, “Yes, Accepted.”  
    Certain this time that the room was empty, Ellisha began cleaning up the rest of the dirty plates and dishes. She whistled softly to herself as eating utensil zipped through the air at a high enough velocity to hear a faint whizzing sound each time one of them passed by her head. Within the space of only five minutes, the Kitchen looked spotless.
    You could run a dry-cleaning business if you ever get kicked out of the Tower, Ellisha mused idly to herself as she slipped the lock on the double wooden door for the afternoon.
    If? I think ‘when’ would be a more accurate description.
    Ha. Ha. Very funny, voice in my head. Get out.

~ Ellisha Falwein
Accepted of the White Tower

The girl carried her up the stairs and through the corridors, just as Ellisha thought she heard shouting from the place they’d just left behind. Her wound throbbed, painfully, the internal ones just as bad as the external ones in her estimations. She bit the corner of her lips to keep herself conscious, but even that was proving to be not enough.
    “Through here,” she said, pointing to a wooden door with her name scratched on a plank hanging down its middle. Myrrhi pushed and the door gave way, allowing them to enter and for Ellisha to be placed gingerly on the bed.
    “Shut the door,” she commanded and the Novice obeyed, hurrying over as soon as Ellisha was done laying down on the mattress.  “Were we followed? I couldn’t see from my angle.”
The girl shook her head.
     “Didn’t think so, I didn’t hear anyone at least. Ellisha,” she asked, swallowing the lump in her throat before she did so. “What’s going to happen?”
Ellisha laughed, which proved to be a terrible idea, as it involved more blood.  
    “Nothing, girl. Or at least, that’s what I’m hoping.” She adjusted her position on the bed, wiping away some of the blood that threatened to drip down the side of her mouth, and made it so that she was sitting leaning against the back wall.
    “If you’re afraid of being thrown out of the Tower, then stop. Pavara won’t be able to single you out. Hell,” she chuckled ruefully, or at least, as ruefully as she could manage with a bloody mouth. “She’ll be too busy trying to explain to the Mistress of Novice what she was doing messing with the ceiling tiles in an abandoned classroom. Cheer up, be a dear and put some water on that towel for me.”  The novice did so and Ellisha was able to spit into the water basin after wiping the edge clean with the moist piece of cloth. Myrrhi still had a concerned look planted on her face though, and Ellisha directed a look towards her.
    “What. What is it?”

~ Ellisha Falwein
Accepted of the White Tower

It was three hours after sunrise when Ellisha strode down towards the Warder’s yard to begin her weapons training. She had been assigned a different instructor today, having been sent a note by the Master of Trainees this morning detailing the “unfortunate reassignment of her former one.” Most likely on account of the man having stormed off half-way through their previous session, after Ellisha mentioned his mother under an unfavourable light.
Honestly, Warders can be so touchy about their feelings sometimes.
    She wore breeches today, one of many pairs she’s had the fortune of purchasing since becoming Aes Sedai. Having been so used to the constrictive garb of Tower White, Ellisha had almost forgotten how comfortable and mobile she felt wearing something that was not a dress. She passed a group of Accepted without drawing any odd looks, in fact, she hardly drew any looks from them at all. That was a good thing. She had purposefully picked her clothes so they would not stand out – patternless cream shirt with equally nondescript brown trousers, she reckoned she could have passed for a servant had she tried hard enough, or perhaps one of the Tower visitors. That was partly the idea after-all. Blues were not commonly known for training with weapons and anything out of the ordinary might draw unwanted attention to her.
     The Warder training yard was not far down from where her own quarters were situated, and as she drew closer she could hear the familiar sound of weapon drills – metal on metal and the occasional grunt from a careless apprentice. She picked out the Master of Trainees, a tall wide man with thin greying patches of hair protruding from his head, and crossed the courtyard to meet him. He gave her a formal bow as she approached, despite obviously being years her senior. She hid an inward grimace at that. How often did she have to be reminded of her youth amongst the others? At the tender age of thirty six, she could see that she was still being treated like a child, especially by the Aes Sedai.
    “Gaidin,” she addressed the older man curtly, not returning the bow since it was not strictly proprietary.
    “I received your letter this morning, and I do hope it does not mean our arrangement is off.”
The Master of Trainees shook his wide head.
    “On the contrary Ellisha Sedai, I believe I have found a better candidate for you. Young master Connor was far too inexperienced to be training one of your… stature; I do apologise.”
Ellisha raised an eyebrow.
    “If you’ll please follow me Aes Sedai, I will show you to your new mentor.”
What was the pause for? If she hadn’t know better, Ellisha would have guessed the old man had been mocking her. One of my stature, indeed. The Master of Trainees might not be all that pleased with her previous cancellation of their arrangement. But as always, one can never tell with Warders, they tend not to show any emotions on their face. Probably a chip off of following their Aes Sedai.
    The man brought her to a secluded area, a bit ways off from the main courtyard where the other initiates were trained.
    “I hope you don’t mind, but you will be training with one of the other Sisters.”
    “Who?” Another Aes Sedai?
    “You’ll soon see, come, it’s just around this corner.”
He walked around a walled off section and Ellisha saw a smaller courtyard off to the side with two occupants already standing at its centre.
    “Gaidin Rekinu,” the Master of Trainees called, “You have a new student.”
The man was in the middle of demonstrating a sword strike when he turned and saw Ellisha walk towards the two of them. The other “Sister,” was another Blue, and Ellisha thought she recognised the face, but couldn’t place a name to it yet. Instead, she focused her attention on the Warder for the time being.
    “Gaidin,” she said, again curtly, she wasn’t here to make friends after-all.  Her new mentor was Arafellin, on account of the little bells he worn in his hair. Silly, tingly little things that made an entire race of people look absolutely ridiculous.
    “Rekinu,” the Master of Trainees continued, “This is Ellisha Sedai. Ellisha Sedai, this is Gaidin Rekinu. He’ll be instructing you on the use o–”
    “Yes thank you master,” she interrupted the man before he could continue, “I can work the rest out myself.” The other warder bowed, giving Rekinu a look, as he turned to walk back to the main courtyard.
    “So…” Ellisha cooed, pacing slowly towards the centre of the clearing and the awkward silence that prevailed, “shall we get started then? I’m a bit impatient, if you haven’t worked that out yet, oh.” She paused, looking toward to the other Aes Sedai. “I’m sorry, you two must have been in the middle of something. I apologise, do continue, I’ll watch from here if that’s alright with you.” The other Blue gave her a look and Ellisha saw she gripped a quarterstaff with both her hands. “Gardening really isn’t my thing after-all,” she added, letting the edge of sarcasm touch her voice. Tent poles.

~ Ellisha Falwein
Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah