Jagen walked into a chamber far below the Tower's halls, another sister beside her. Her red-fringed shawl was looped around her shoulders, and her companion as well, but fringed in brown. A third and forth Aes Sedai, already there, sat on the ground in front of a ter'angreal they knew well. Three silver arches, connected to a ring of silver on the bottom. The sisters were familiar with their place, and the Brown took her place kneeling on the floor with the other two, each in front of a spot where arches met the ring. Jagen took a spot by a table where a servant had already places three chalices filled with water. The three who sat embraced saidar, beginning the weaves to activate the ter'angreal. It flickered in a way that made it difficult to look at, but soon enough the light emanating from the arches glowed a soft white.

She folded her hands, waiting patiently, her eyes gliding over the curves of the Arches. Jagen remembered her own trip through there, so long ago. The pain had lessened over the years, but she had never forgotten it, nor the lessons learned. The lessons helped her, the experience made her stronger. And it would every novice. Today, Myrrhi would go through. She hoped the girl had the strength to make it through. Only one time a girl had not come back since Jagen had been taking part in this ceremony, and it had vexed her. She did not care for those who could not be necessarily strong.

The Mistress of Novices, then stepped into the room from where she had been standing with Myrrhi. This was the signal of the beginning of the ceremony.

"Whom do you bring with you, Sister?" Jagen asked formally and clearly.

She answered the same way. "One who comes as a candidate for Acceptance, Sister."
"Is she ready?"

"She is ready to leave behind what she was, and, passing through her fears, gain Acceptance."

"Does she know her fears?" Jagen asked, her voice strong.

"She has never faced them, but is now willing."

"Then let her face what she fears." Her eyes went to Myrrhi.

Myrrhi undressed and placed all of her garments neatly on one side, and the Mistress of Novices intoned, "The first time is for what was. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast."

Jagen took in a small breath as she watched Myrrhi step toward the arches. Be steadfast, she repeated in her head.

Jagen shook her head slightly in disappointment. "An Aes Sedai, she must be very observant of her surroundings. If you wish to be a sister one day, you must learn to observe. This includes listening as well as looking. I mentioned to you before we left, I was picking up a lens, but perhaps you do not know what it is, yes?" She shook her head again, beaded braids clicking. Lenses were not common at all in the world, and as far as Jagen knew, it was only the Sea Folk who made and had them.

"Some people, they cannot see very well on their own. Their vision is blurry, and to come to the White Tower for such Healing, it is very impractical for most people. Lenses, they help to correct vision. But this is not my problem. The lens will help to view the stars as if I was much closer to them." She frowned at Myrrhi. "But you should know it is not your place to ask any sister what she is doing. If she wants you to know, she will tell you, yes? I will add a trip to the Mistress of Novices after my assignments to you, for you to be asking such a thing, you do not know your place." She almost smiled, though. The girl's curiosity was not necessarily a bad thing, but she was not going about it correctly.

Soon enough they were back on Tower grounds, and at the stable. Jagen dismounted from Aldebaran. "Remember to report to me immediately after you finish brushing and bathing the horses. Tonight, if you will miss dinner, it will teach you not to be doing something you are not supposed to be doing, yes?" She took the box from her saddlebag and walked pass the novice, dismissing her from her thoughts for the time being.

Jagen raised her eyebrows at Myrrhi, knowing she was getting distracted. She wrapped the reins of both horses on the post, not trusting the novice to do it herself. "Myrrhi, you will not touch anything, nor stand too close to anything in this shop, you understand, yes?" Without waiting for a reply, Jagen headed inside. She only glanced back once, to see that Myrrhi was doing as she said, and then turned her attention to the shop and shopkeeper.

It was filled with glassware. Vases, some with veined colors, seemed exotic, standing regally on the topmost shelf of some Sea Folk porcelain. Many optical items were there, and even the shop owner himself wore a pair of spectacles. He was one of the Sea Folk, as it was, a handsomely built man in his middle years with close-cropped hair and tattooed hands, but he did not bare the jewelry nor the colorful clothing indicative of his people. Jagen put on a small, pleasant smile as she approached the counter, though he greeted her first.

"Good afternoon, Jagen Sedai," he said with a smile of his own, and he set down the single optical lens he had been cleaning. It was attached to a gold chain, with gold surrounding it as well.

"Akshel," she replied smoothly. She seemed on the verge of saying more, but fell silent, one of her fingers tapping the back of her other hand.

Akshel turned away and dug through the cloth-covered shelves behind him, pulling out a small box which he presented on the counter, opening it up. He carefully lifted it out and Jagen stepped close to take and examine it, a big round piece surrounded by brass.

"I hope it is to your liking," Akshel stated. "It is four inches in diameter, the largest I have created. I tested it how I could, but without your tube..."

"I will report any discrepancies, if there are any," Jagen replied, but her tone was not haughty at all. It was, if anything, pleasant. "But I doubt it. Akshel, your lenses have never disappointed me, and I feel your skill can only grow with the rare orders I am placing on you."

"Thank you, Jagen Sedai," he replied with an inclination of his head. She gave the lens back and he wrapped it up in a blue silk cloth before placing it back in the silk-lined, redwood box. It was very fancy, with a gold design of waves and stars on the top and a gold latch. Jagen pulled out the money owed--a few gold pieces--and picked up the box. "I will let you know how the viewing goes, and perhaps we can have a discussion afterwards."

"I will look forward to it," Akshel replied with a smile.

Jagen walked out, smiling until she saw Myrrhi; she had almost completely forgotten her. With a curt gesture, they left. Jagen packed the lens carefully away in a saddlebag on her black Friesian horse. "Myrrhi, when we return to the Tower, you will unsaddle and help the stableman take care of both the horses. You will bathe and brush them. After that task is complete, you are to report to me in the Red Quarters for another assignment."

There was not a single black thread in all of Tar Valon. It would not be found on a seamstress' thread rack in a housewife's basket. Aes Sedai did not wear black at all, and that tradition carried into the grand city itself. No one wore a lick of the color, not in lace nor cord nor thread.

Yet, Tar Valon had men dressed in black coats not only in the city itself, but the White Tower. Well, their uniform was black, but they certainly weren't wearing it now. But it didn't change the fact that it was their uniform, marking them. Oh, they had not walked through the city, no, but remembering it made her head ache. Jagen wanted to rub it away, but she stayed her hand. She could feel Aslan there. A man, bonded to her. A man who had bonded her. A man, using saidin, had…

Jagen looked up at the sky. It was overcast, and for this she was grateful. It matched her soured mood. She had been trying to calm herself since that… incident. She had had one other meeting with that man, one that was shorter than me expected, perhaps. But today, that had to change. If she was to be bonded to him, whether she liked it or not, she had to get to know him. It had taken her a week to finally decide to have a second meeting.

She did not wear her shawl today which, though she had been Aes Sedai for a long time, was unusual for the woman when she met with visitors or guests who were not of Tar Valon. She smoothed her dress, one of maroon and cream brocaded clinging silk, walking down a main corridor in the Tower. She had sent a message through a White Tower servant to Aslan, to have him meet her at the Tower's main grand entrance.

The Taraboner—in her people's style of dress, with her hair in dozens of braids and a veil over the lower half of her face—inclined her head towards an old couple, perhaps petitioners who were seeking Healing or some other matter. Well, in truth, Jagen was older than them, but she was always grateful not to look the part. She passed through the main hall and made her way to the Red Quarters. From here she chose a sitting room available to the sisters who did not want to meet in their rooms. The room held a dozen comfortable chairs and had two marble fireplaces. A servant was tending a single, lit fire when she entered. Jagen dismissed her with a short word.

Now she would wait. The Sitter pursed her lips, her jaw tight; it was not the waiting she minded, but the thought of being in a room with a man who could channel. Oh, she could, if she really wanted to, sever him on her own. But such a thing was against Tower law, and she'd be severely punished. Perhaps even stilled herself, and sent to a farm for the rest of her life. It was not worth it. Not unless she deemed him dangerous. At least here, where novices, Accepted, servants and visitors went about their daily tasks, she would not be alone in meeting him again. In public she felt more at ease and more in control.

Soon enough, the Asha'man entered. Jagen turned to face him, standing regally. Jagen needed to appear strong; she was strong, she reminded herself. "Enjoying the city, Aslan?" She asked in a way of greeting. It wasn't a friendly tone, but neutral as she could make it.

(Sorry, please delete / do ont reply to this thread. Re-posting on the Tar Valon board)

Oh sorry Mystica, I got confused. I was talking to Kathleen about it >.> We needed to contact Lor, but I never heard from Lor...

I am good as far as everything else goes.

Oh, I've wanted a Yellow for years ... Red, Brown and Yellow are my favorite Ajahs XD

I've decided: Heck yes, I'm gonna submit a Bio for her. :D

I've been considering playing a Yellow for a really long, long time. She's a character that has always been in my head, yet in all the years at DM (14... oh my) I never once made her a character. Maybe I will, since my Red cannot have a Warder, and maybe my Yellow can :D

Thank you for the approvals :D

Hey Mystica, about that RP idea, did Lor ever reply? I still wanted to do that ter'angreal RP.

For anyone else, any RP ideas that I can involve my AS in? ^^

Rasheta - Taia:

http://sta.sh/021wv3ucji2e

Please let me know what, if anything you want changed. I will be working on Reki later.

It's DAZ Studio :D

Do you like the final picture? If so, I'll call it done~

And you can use it as you like, make a sigg, etc... ^^

*****

Rasheta, I will have a picture for you too, soon.

Updated: I changed the dress--I don't have many plain textures and I didn't want it to blend with her plain shawl, so I chose something as subtle as I could. Embroidered wool, perhaps :) The shawl I left plain this time but added blue fringe, and also a One Power effect.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v473/DrowElfMorwen/Ellisha2-edited.png

I think it's fine if you plant him there--maybe he can arrive that very same day my post takes place? After all, nothing much is going on IN Seanchan right now, I think. You can probably place him on this side of the ocean with no problem.

http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/95054-house-elioth-seanchan-rp/

Posted a new thread!! :D

Anyone can reply to this if they're around!

*****************************

Cura looked up as a shadow quickly passed over her, a shadow that covered the sun itself very briefly. Gray, leathery wings beat against the wind as a raken slowed and came to land in a grassy area marked off by a recently built fence. The morat'raken handed down a scroll to a man waiting nearby, who passed it off to a waiting officer. The officer glanced at it before turning and walking away. The watching woman only hesitated briefly before straightening from where she had been casually observing handlers with their corlm. The females were laying eggs this time of year, and so the handlers were all very busy tending them and keeping the corlm happy.

Cura straightened her black hair and smoothed out her dress. Her ankle-length dress being her uniform. It was dark blue with panels on the chest and down the sides of the skirt. On her shoulder was the embroidery of a flame, showing her to be a der'sul'dam. She was young for one, but it did not come easily, and the position was very new for her. However, the High Lady Retamin Elioth favored her.

It was to the high lady she needed to go now, but she knew an audience would be called soon. The morat'raken was expected back, though it came back a bit later than they expected. Nonetheless, it should have orders from Tanchico, and Cura needed to be there properly. She veered to a grand, large house where the High Lady was staying in this city of Elmora, yet moved around the grounds to a small building behind it, one that had been a barracks before. It still was, but not for soldiers; it was for sul'dam and damane. Cura barely stepped in when she encountered one of her charges. "Lurane," she called to the sul'dam, who came before her immediately.  "Fetch Mya and come with me. We will be going to the High Lady's hall."

"Of course, der'sul'dam," Lurane said, turning away. Cura liked her, because she gave her no trouble at all. While rank was important as anywhere, some of the older sul'dam did not care to be working under her. Yet Lurane was new, and years younger than she. Cura herself moved to the second floor and walked a few doors down, pushing open the door of another damane's room.

Suri stood quickly from her bed and knelt, hands folded at her waist. She had only recently stopped the habit of spreading her skirts, one of many behaviors that needed to be conditioned out of her. She was of the Empress' Empire now, may she live forever, Cura thought to herself. Suri's dark, pretty eyes on her neutral face went to Cura's feet, then back down to her own. Cura did not admonish this. "You will have standing duty today, Suri."

The damane dipped another bow. "Suri is honored." She did not say anything else. Cura grabbed the a'dam bracelet from the peg and the wall and snapped it on her left wrist, glancing around. Suri kept her room clean, now, and had Cura just been checking up on her, she would have given her a hard candy as a reward. She rewarded the damane sparingly, though. After all, one could not be too careful in spoiling a damane from this side of the ocean. A damane that called herself Aes Sedai.

Suri had been captured here, by Cura and another sul'dam, Shaula, who conducted most of Suri's personal training as her captor. Her capture had been almost five months ago, now. It had only been a few weeks ago that Suri had begun finally giving in, and that was with extra training from Cura herself, too.

The der'sul'dam lead her out of the kennel, meeting with Lurane and Mya, and together they went downstairs to the main floors. Here there were beautiful green tiles on the floors and colorful tapestries along white stone hallways. Cura liked looking at them in her own time, but not she had duty to concentrate on. She followed the hall down to another, which lead to an arched white door. Through this she entered the High Lady's audience chamber, and quickly knelt with Lurane, with Suri and Mya pressing their faces close to the floor. "High Lady," the sul'dam greeted.

High Lady Retamin Elioth sat with a commanding presence, her light brown hair shaved on both sides and falling in a crest to her waist. Wearing a pleated light dress with a silken green robe, her head shook slightly as she read the message from the courier, who was still kneeling a few paces away. Cura and Lurane rose smoothly and took their places by another sul'dam, Antila, who lead Kora, a native Seanchan damane. Also present was the young High Lord Leranse, who had just had his fourteenth naming day, and sat as regally as his mother as he sipped an offered glass from a kneeling da'covale. Next to him, and looking less regal and more nervous, was a fat Taraboner lord with a bowl-shaped, shaven haircut and thick dark mustache under a transparent veil. Lord Adran had sworn the oaths when the Ever Victorious Army showed up at Elmora's gate, and had consequently been raised to the Low Blood and allowed to stay in his house—now the high lady's house.

Cura's eyes moved to the woman standing just next to the high lady's plump chair. Meissa had only just become a full so'jhin herself, after the previous so'jhin, Itela, was sacked after the High Lady Sera Othela Elioth's death, and she now knelt in transparent da'covale robes along the wall. She had been blamed for failing to prevent Retamin's sister's recent death, and Meissa was the only one qualified to take her place, having been apprenticing under Itela. Now Meissa stood there proud, green eyes gleaming, her head shaved save for a golden-blonde braid going down the right side of her head.

There was one more person who arrived, General Neteus, an older man with heavy gray streaking his brown hair; he knelt and gave his proper greeting. Finally, the high lady gestured to her so'jhin.
"General Neteus, you are to resume your normal duties around Elmora, by order of High Lady Ruan," Meissa announced, speaking for her mistress. "The standby has been canceled until further notice."
"Yes, High Lady," was the general's only response.

It was a bit of a surprise, however. Everyone had been preparing to move forth toward the land called Amadicia, ready to take the other nation, but suddenly it was halted. Why? It is not your place to question the Blood, Cura dutifully reminded herself.  Especially of the High Lady Ruan. The Daughter of the Nine Moons, though she had not revealed herself as such to the public, not yet.
The general stayed long enough to give updates to the high lady, and then was dismissed.
 

Cura stayed until the High Lady Retamin left, dismissing the audience. She led the sul'dam out and to the clearing and garden where the damane were walked for their exercise and otherwise trained. She reminded them of their schedule and dismissed them, then turned to face Suri, whose eyes flickered down. Cura looked to where she had been looking, to a back gate that lead to the city beyond. "Come, Suri," she said with a smile. "We must make our rounds to the city gates. Suri would like that, wouldn't she?"

The damane did not verbally respond, but bowed low. Cura knew she could not lie—that had been a very curious and useful piece of knowledge to learn!—and so accepted the bow without reprimand. After all, one could not force a damane's feelings. Not immediately, anyway.

Hey Sherper,  I got the first image of Ellisha. Anything you want changed? I can remove her shawl, and also change the dress if you like. Or any other changes. Please be advised a final image will be much clearer :)

http://sta.sh/01v235vhfbv

Okay, will do.

I'm about to get two bios approved for some Seanchan currently posited in Elmora, Tarabon. One is a der'sul'dam, the other a so'jhin, though I've fleshed out the whole house of characters, from the high lady who runs the show down to damane and da'covale, as well as the previous lord who ruled Elmora, now one of the Low Blood.

For any interested AS, there is a collared AS damane that I didn't bother giving an identity to, so she can be anybody; perhaps a PC's friend. A rescue mission might be fun to RP--one that either succeeds or fails. I also had an idea of some information I would like my character to learn from one of the AS, and I figured an actual RP might be better than learning it from the NPC.

I also wouldn't mind a military skirmish, either, where one of my characters might be captured herself. It all depends, and I'm open for anything, so please post if you're interested!

To those who have Seanchan,

As soon as my bios get approved I will post (I've already written it) and place a link here to it. It will be taking place in Elmora, Tarabon. Kronos, I have something for your Seeker to do, as well, which will be indicated in my post. I'll PM you with more details when you request it. Anyone else can also join in. I am posting as a member working under House Elioth, under the High Lady Retamin Elioth, who is both managing Elmora and helping to conquer all of Tarabon's territory and is positioned to take part in an invasion of Amadicia (However, with the kidnapping of the DotNM, that's going to be put on hold. Since the DotNM's kidnapping is being kept hush, she will not yet know why the push forward is canceled).

My bios have been submitted :)

Sure, Rasheta, thanks :)

You mean you'd like me to submit bios my tomorrow?

I'll make this a project Sherper :) It might be a couple weeks in the making though ^^