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[[attn: @Chaelca!!!] Viviane pushed the potato hash around on her plate with an air of dejection. Oh, she maintained the serenity expected of an Accepted, especially one that had spent ten years wearing the banded dress; but that didn’t mean she couldn’t explore her emotions privately. It was lucky for her that none of the Sisters could hear her thoughts, otherwise, she might be treated like a Novice again… Five, that was how many girls had been tested for the Shawl in the past three months, and all five of them had been raised to the Accepted after Viviane and had obviously spent less time wearing the banded dress. It was unfair, to say the least. Viviane was leaps and bounds ahead of those girls in terms of her studies and her mastery over her own abilities. Why she had personally helped all five of those girls with their work before earning the ring! What were these Sisters thinking!? Viviane had grown used to the idea of never attaining the Shawl. She knew the Hundred Weaves, practiced them every single day… There was no question at all that she could pass whatever test the Aes Sedai had cooked up, but still, she was made to wait. Perhaps the Sisters thought that Viviane had done such a good job at mentoring Novices that they would keep her in this bloody white and banded dress forever! A punishment for her family and their ‘minor transgressions’ against the Tower from generations ago… Viviane let out a sigh despite herself. She knew none of that was true. Why she had never even heard any of the Sisters bring up her family’s history more than once or twice and that was always as an afterthought. It was clear that the Accylon women had made it a bigger deal than it was. Most of the Sisters didn’t even recall the incident. Even Viv forgot it most of the time… Twenty years in the Tower had done much to reconfigure her brain, at least that’s how the Browns put it. Finally giving up on the plate, Viv admitted to herself that she had little appetite for dinner tonight. She may very well regret that later, but she still had a few chores to do before it was bedtime. If she was really that hungry, she’d bribe one of the servants for a day old crusty roll or a bit of cheese; and then pray that they did not rat her out later. Viviane dutifully cleaned up her meal, rising from the benches, when her eyes finally left the table and fell upon a woman entering the dining area. Her breath caught in her throat, the tray almost crashing to the ground. It was the Mistress of Novices and she was wearing her Shawl… Oh, Light! Can it be…!? Viviane thought flustered as she schooled her face to remain the perfect picture of serenity. The Mistress of Novices was indeed moving in Viviane’s direction, all eyes in the room turned to stare openly at the woman. Viviane’s right hand shook slightly before she caught the twitch. -
Choice RP: * Transition - The Circle of Silence - Click Here - 1845 Words [Complete] * Aes Sedai RP - The Grey Lady - Click Here - [ 4 / 6 ] [Complete] * Aes Sedai RP - Failed Weaves and Withered Plants - Click Here - [4/6] [Complete] * Class - A Red Veil - Click Here - [ 6 / 6 ] [Complete] Accepted Quiz - [Complete] Three Oaths - URL - Word Count - [Incomplete]
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[OOC: The following scene was done through PM with Lih (Lillian Sedai) and myself (Viviane.)] ~ It was a lovely day in the gardens; that much was true. The delicate blossoms and rich green leaves danced in the gentle breeze that had picked up from the north, Viviane’s hair followed suit and started to get in the way of her vision. She gave an exasperated sigh, stopped the weave she was performing, and pulled the red locks away from her face, making a quick and sloppy braid to avoid the same thing happening again in a few moments. Starting up again, Viviane let the Source flow into her and drew upon threads of Earth and Water. The later came easily enough, it always did, but only a small trickle of Earth came to her… Same as the last twenty attempts… This particular weave was a family secret used at the shop for generations beyond count. One of Rowan’s ancestors, who had trained in the Tower, discovered this little ‘Novice Trick.’ The weave in question was normally used on fabrics… Rowan decided to break from tradition and try it on some plants. A large flax plant sat before her and she tried in vain to settle the weave upon the plant in an effort to improve its natural make-up. If Viviane’s theory was correct, the trick would work much more efficiently on the actual plant instead of the dead fibers that made up the fabric. Improving the plant would greatly expand its yield and quality… If only she could make the bloody thing work! The weave collapsed upon itself with little fanfare and Viviane hung her head in defeat.
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Viviane fidgeted in her seat. Today she was to learn what it meant to be Red Ajah. Jagen Sedai had not yet arrived to the classroom, so Viviane had little reserve in exhibiting her anxiousness. She’d have to bottle it up soon enough. Right when those doors swung open, the mock Aes Sedai serenity would slide over Viv’s face, as best as she could manage. The Reds made her nervous. They made every girl nervous… Well, not every girl. There were certainly a few Novices and Accepted that Viviane had encountered, girls that aspired to be Red above all else. People often said that Blues were passionate, but Viviane found the same was true for the Reds. At least it was true for the women that aspired to Red. From what Viv had seen, the Sisters of the Red were strong and commanding. It was often said those women were fiercely loyal as well. To the Tower and to their Ajah. Viviane had given an ear to those girls that aspired to Red, but it was hard when a few had sounded almost fanatical. Today was not a day for fanatisicm, however. Jagen Sedai was to be educating Viviane on the matter and she knew from personal experience that Jagen was a no nonsense type of woman. She would not spit blind faith at Viviane, no more than she would say falsehoods. Viviane had high hopes for today. The Red Ajah was not one that Viv had aspired to. She had wanted to be Blue, and the rivalry between the two Ajahs was no secret. That was why she was anxious. There was no way that Jagen could know Viv wanted to be Blue. She had not approached any Blue Sisters yet… She was saving them for last. She had hoped none of the other Sisters knew which Ajah she had been pining for, that might change what they told her or how they spoke to her. Viviane held great respect for every Sister that had taken the time to educate her, Jagen Sedai included. She had taught Viviane her first lessons on Saidar. It was a wonderful class. That was the first day she sensed Saidar. No woman of the White Tower forgot that moment. It had been a bit of a shock that Jagen Sedai had insisted upon a class to explain her Ajah, especially considering that Viviane was the only girl in attendance. Well, that wasn’t really weird, but the silence did nothing for her nerves. Lavinya Sedai had educated Viviane on the Grey a few weeks before, but she had made Viviane do chores while she spoke. Viviane hoped Jagen wouldn’t make her scrub the floor to learn what it meant to be a Red. But if she does, I’ll do it with a smile on my face.
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Well, that was an… interesting class. Viviane dusted off her Accepted’s dress, soot dancing in the air. For the last eleven days, she and a few of the other Accepted had been learning how to Link from Lavinya Sedai. It was a weave that all Sisters had to learn. Lavinya Sedai had driven that point home with a pointed finger for each word. Every girl in the room knew how serious this class was. They would not dare dream for the shawl if they could not Link at a moments notice. It could mean the difference between life and death for any Aes Sedai and those around her. Today had been the twelfth day of the Lesson and finally, every girl in the room had succeeded in Linking with their respective partners. Unfortunately for Lavinya Sedai, she had lost control of the class shortly thereafter. Each girl that had the Link suddenly felt a rush of power. No matter how much control the Accepted had exhibited before this class, it all had seemed to be thrown out the window when links were formed. Suddenly, each Accepted found themselves handling more flows of the One Power than they had been used to. Each girl controlling the link lost control of their inhibitions and were weaving different flows all over the room. Within moments, fire was exploding in the air, water was crashing down from the ceiling, gusts of air were tossing books and parchment all over the room. It was chaos. Unfortunately for the Accepted, Lavinya Sedai reined them all in quite quickly with a sharp clap of her hands. All at once, the weaves stopped and all the chaos had ceased. The girls controlling the flows had each been sent to the Mistress of Novices right after class. Lucky for Viviane, she had not held the flows of her link. Thus, she escaped punishment. Not only that, but she had decided to linger after the lesson had finished. Viviane knew that she could have chosen a better time, but she was growing impatient. She had to know. Lavinya Sedai was the only Grey she had felt comfortable approaching… Wasting no time, Viviane rushed from her bench and up to the Aes Sedai. Lavinya was cleaning up the mess that the other Accepted had created. Viviane gave a deep curtsy, fit for a queen, before speaking to the older woman, “Excuse me, Lavinya Sedai… But, I hoped to trouble you with a question… You see, as an Accepted, I should begin to think of which Ajah I aspire to, and I must admit, I am a bit lost… I do not know much of the Grey, and I would not make an uninformed decision… May I ask what it means to be a Sister of your Ajah?” Viviane’s cheeks colored, foolish for a woman approaching her 29th nameday, but there it was. So long as she wore white, she would always be meek around a woman with a shawl.
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Viviane threw open the door to her room in the Accepted’s Quarters, strode in, and closed the wooden door as silently as possible. The action was a stark contrast to what she was feeling at that moment. Without any hesitation, she opened herself to Saidar and embraced the One Power. Deftly weaving a trick called The Circle of Silence. She encased the entire room within her ward, and after tying it off, Viviane let out a blood-curdling scream and then fell to the floor. No one outside her room would hear the cries that now escaped her lips in ragged sobs. Saidar quickly retreated from her grasp. It had been exactly one month since Viviane had been raised to the Accepted, and her body felt as if it had been working day and night since then. Things were hard. Harder than when she had been a Novice. Viviane did not know how that was possible. The other night she had risked a hushed conversation with another Accepted that had been banished to the kitchens. The pair was washing dishes when the other woman had told Viviane that everything got easier after those first few weeks. There was now a bleak hope that she would survive the Sisters long enough to reach the Shawl. Apparently, the rough treatment was the Tower’s way of weeding out the weaklings that had snuck through the seams. Aes Sedai were servants to the people of this world. They were the reason the entire planet had made it this far since the Breaking. That was no easy feat. The Tower required strong women to lead mankind into the next Age. If a woman could not survive the trivial pains that Viviane was now being put through, then she did not stand a single chance at being Aes Sedai. Not even for a day! Dabbing at tears now spilled, Viviane brought herself up so that she was at least sitting on the ground, instead of lying upon it. This was no position for her to be in, even alone. What if someone walked in while she sat here pitying herself? It was no way for an Aes Sedai to behave, thus it was no way for an Accepted to behave. And that is exactly why I wove that ward. I just need one moment to myself. I’ll be blighted if any of the other women on my floor hear my cries tonight. Let them sleep... No. I shouldn’t even cry. Nor make an excuse for it… I am Viviane Accylon, first of the Accylon women to be raised to the Accepted in nearly 500 years. I am better than a few tears and wails. I have to do better. I will do better. This last month would have been more bearable if she had at least been able to do something that she wanted to do. The Accepted were suppose to be able to choose their own studies, but Viviane had not been able to do so yet. That was the one thing she had been looking forward to, especially after 10 long years in plain white. Instead, she was running errands for Aes Sedai, doing chores around the Tower, playing assistant for Clerks, the list was endless. Oh, it was nothing different than when she was a Novice, yet her workload had doubled; and those above her had seemed even colder in attitude than before. Every time Viviane had opened her mouth to anyone, they all responded as if her mere presence were an affront to their existence. It was all very frustrating. She had seen almost 30 name-days now, and here she was crying on the carpet of her tiny chamber. She was acting like a child, but dear Light, she felt like a child. Sure. Life was better here than it had been when she had to scrape by for crumbs on the back alleys of Camelyn. Really, Viviane had zero reasons to complain. But still. This treatment she was receiving did little to encourage her to persevere. I really don’t have any reason to complain. Suck it up Viviane! Things could be so much worse. Yes. I am proud to have gotten this far, but one couldn’t tell by looking at me. Grandmother would be furious if she could see me in such a state. I’d have a worse beating from her, than from the Mistress of Novices, to be sure. Pull yourself together, Viv. This won’t last forever. Nothing lasts forever. Nothing except the Wheel. With a grunt, she pushed herself from the floor and staggered over to her bed. Slipping her hand beneath the mattress, Viviane felt a momentary flash of panic. What if someone had found it while she had been scrubbing floors? The panic subsided as quickly as it appeared. That was a foolish thought of course. She had been so careful in sneaking it up here. And Light, she needed it! Ten years. Ten long years she had gone without a sip of wine. Not even at meals was she allowed a drink of the stuff, even when Winter reared its ugly head. She especially missed those nights with a warm mug of mulled spiced wine. Mother always made the best batches. Tonight she didn’t have that, though. Instead, she had to settle for something little better than cooking wine. Viviane pulled a waterskin from beneath her mattress with a flourish, smiling to herself triumphantly. The aforementioned wine was within, of course. Without wasting any time, Viviane uncorked the skin and drank deeply. The fact that the wine actually tasted good was a testament to how long it had been since she had a good drink. Unfortunately, she had not been able to get away with much. Viviane was all too aware that the amount she held would probably only give her a little tiny buzz tonight and a splitting headache the day after. She didn’t care. All the more reason to make the best of it while she felt it. What a gamble this is… If an Aes Sedai were to walk in and even suspect… I’d be halfway to Camelyn by morning. Best not to get too uppity, Viv. This is just a means of release. That is all. Everyone deserves to have one every now and then, even Accepted. Why I bet the Amryllin herself had done the same thing when she was in my shoes! Who could fault me just one sip? It’s not like I broke into the good stuff… Within moments the thing was empty of its contents and a nice warmth had spread throughout Viviane’s body. She tossed the waterskin into a wicker basket that contained her dresses that needed a wash. Tomorrow was her day at the scrubboards, so there was little worry that another would stumble upon the skin. A Sister would need only to open it up and take a sniff before knowing what Viviane had been up to. She shuddered at the thought. No. She’d rid herself of the thing in the morning, away from prying eyes. With a look around the room, Viviane’s eyes crossed her writing table. On it lay a letter from Mother. Viviane had read it hundreds of times since receiving it. The letters were her only connection to Mother and also the outside world. Accepted were able to enter the city of Tar Valon sometimes. Viviane had not had a free day since being raised, but she already had plans for it when the day did arrive. She would go out and see as much of the City as possible. Despite the petty hardships she suffered, Viviane had everything she could ask for in the Tower. Everything except a network of information. It had been whispered among Novices and Accepted that the Ajahs all had ‘Eyes and Ears’ out in the world, a means to stay abreast with current events. Viviane had something similar in Camelyn, although much cruder and much less effective. Really, it was just two or three other children in the area… Anyone that had lived on the streets had informants or other sources of information. Her needs in the future would be very different from any she had in the past, however. True. She had no use for a network of informants now, what schemes did she have? None. What interests in the world did she have? None. That’s not what this was about at the moment. Now was the time for forming relationships and cultivating trust. She was young and full of promise. A pretty face, some clever words, and carefully placed coin could reap benefits further down the line. Oh, I am being foolish to even be considering… The notion suddenly seemed haughty. Viviane hadn’t thought that way in years. She had been so focused on studying and discipline for so long… Perhaps it was the wine that was making her feel loose. No. It was definitely the wine. Viviane’s eyes still lingered on that letter from her Mother. Before realizing what she was doing, Viviane was standing before the writing table with the letter in her hands, going over the words again. Mother was doing well, if not thriving. The business had picked back up and Mother even had a few steady customers. It was still too early to tell if those customers would remain loyal, but otherwise, everything was looking up for the shop. She had even taken on a new apprentice, one of the local girls. Viviane had never met the girl. It was hard to accept, but Viviane knew it was inevitable if the shop was to remain open. She was to be Aes Sedai, of course, Mother should look for a replacement. I just hope this apprentice has not become a replacement daughter for her… I’ve bound myself to the Tower, but she will always be my Mother. I just couldn’t bear the thought… The rest of the letter was glowing praise and happiness at Viviane’s raising to the Accepted. Mother could not control her tongue around the neighbors either, it seemed. All of Camelyn had heard of Viviane’s raising if Mother was to be believed. That biting feeling of jealousy for the new apprentice quickly faded as Viviane finished reading the letter. There was no question of Mother’s love for her. I’m her daughter, she loves me, and I’m just being silly… Viviane dropped the letter to the desk and retreated back to the bed. A copy of Gilded Hearts and Lengthy Lords sat atop a short stool close by. Viviane grabbed the novel and sank back onto the stiff mattress. She didn’t make it three pages before the book fell atop her chest, as it rose and fell in rhythm with her snoring. Eyes firmly shut, Viviane slept deeply that night. She dreamt of a brighter future for Mother. One where Father was alive. Viviane was Aes Sedai in that dream and she had made sure that neither had to want for anything in the world. A smile stayed upon her face as the night passed into morning.
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Ten solid years to the day. That was how long Viviane Accylon had been in the White Tower. She herself could not really believe it had been so long. Viviane had learned much and met a lot of people in that time. She had even made a few friends along the way. Her 28th nameday had passed about a month ago. Mother had sent another dress. It was breathtaking; made entirely out of imported silks from Sharra, all in shades of Blue, opalescent pearl buttons ran down the back, and a stiff boning was inserted to the bodice to cut a more slender figure. Viviane was not allowed to wear the gown, not yet. She was still a Novice. Some nights, after she was supposed to be asleep, she would slip into it or one of the others that Mother had sent along. Twirling around in her room, trying not to giggle with glee. She felt like a real Aes Sedai in those moments. Once she was properly raised, Viviane would waltz around the Tower wearing only the most beautiful cuts and cloth. Mother’s shop had rebounded only slightly. She had enough clients to support herself now, especially without Viviane around to feed or house. That was the only reason she was able to send Viviane such nice clothing. The dresses were all tucked away in a chest Viviane had to buy herself. She had to plead with the Mistress of Novices to be allowed to keep any of it. Some of the other girls despised Viviane for it. They’re all just jealous. Walking over to her mirror, Viviane gazed upon her reflection. She didn’t look that much older than when she first arrived in the Tower. Still no sign of agelessness, even though she had been working with the One Power for a decade. She had asked some of the Aes Sedai when she should expect to see it on her face, and they would always dodge the question. ‘It is different for every woman,’ was the most she had gotten out of any of them. Still. Without the agelessness, it was plain as day that Viviane was barely showing any signs of her age. Some of the Browns had said that Channelers aged slower than ordinary people, but that was entirely unrelated to the ageless look associated with Aes Sedai. That confused Viviane to no end, but still, even the Browns refused to give her a solid answer on the matter. Aging slower is something at least. I’d like to hold on to my ‘youthful glow’ as long as possible! The night was drawing to a close. She had about an hour or two before all of the Novices were supposed to be in bed, and tonight she just so happen to have nothing to do. It was a shock. She rarely ever had nights like these. Viviane didn’t even know what to do with herself, it was so rare. Boredom threatened to take hold. Perhaps I shall see what Ravenhild is up to… If she had any chores, she must be back by now. Vivane moved from her mirror and approached her bedroom door.
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[[OOC: as mentioned before, these lessons were done with @Lih-Lyh via messaging. First post is Lih and second post is me.]] A covered basket on her table this morning. Lillian drew off the cover and picked up one of the rosebuds inside. “Ok, last lesson and you’re good to move on. We’re going to cover earth, fire, and spirit. Also any other questions you may have for me. Earth has many uses. We can detect mineral ores in the earth, help plants grow during terrible weather, form battle weaves, etc. Today we will be helping a rosebud bloom." "This class begins with imagining yourself as a rosebud opening to the sun, and it ends with helping an actual rosebud do the same. These rosebuds are so tightly closed that it’s hard to tell what color it is inside. Please observe.” Lillian drew on the power and teased three threads of earth, wove them to create the weave she laid on the rosebud. Her movements were deliberate and slow. "Now. Take one rosebud. Just one. Then, try the weave for yourself. Water and air is a little easier for most women, since we tend to be stronger in these elements. Please let me know if you need help.” "Fire. Before we work with fire, there’s one rule you need to know. You must never draw the heat out of a fire using Fire. We use either Water to douse it, Air to snuff it out, or Earth to smother it. But never use Fire to draw the heat out. You will be hurt. Ok?" "Good. Let’s practice lighting a candle. A single thread of Fire is all we need. And just a small one.” Lillian’s candle lit quickly. "All you need to do is wrap that one little thread around the wick. And to douse it, the same move is used with Water. Please try the water first, then light it again with fire on this candle." “Lastly, we come to spirit. It’s less an element for action as one for the mind. We can set wards with it - those protecting our dreams while we sleep, those against eavesdropping. It's necessary for Healing. For shielding another channeler by cutting them off the source. Most weaves with spirit are too advanced for you to try today, but I can show you. an example.” Deftly, Lillian wove a keeping weave onto Vivian’s beautiful rose. “This is called keeping. Now this rose will always be full, its color never fade." “Great, now you’re ready to move on from basics. You know something of the nature and history of saidar, and the five powers. I must remind you that though you have a few handy weaves in your arsenal; you shouldn’t try to channel without permission. If you do the weaves wrong, you could hurt yourself and others. If you’re caught channelling without permission I believe the mistress of novices still keeps a switch in her office and is not shy to use it."
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[[OOC: Been burning the midnight oil with @Lih-Lyh ! Here is Saidar Class 3 which was done via messaging. Class 4 was done in the same manner and will be posted shortly. First post is Lih, second post is me.]] With Viv sat across from her, Lillian began today’s lesson. She was proud of how quickly Vivian took to saidar - these days novices and accepted swelled their ranks, but were raised quickly compared with even a few years ago. Lillian refused her arches twice before she faced her fears . . . “There are five powers, or elements within the Source: air, earth, fire, spirit and water. Your strength in each will vary, as you will find some elements easier to handle than others. Women tend to be stronger in air and water while men are typically more proficient in earth and fire, and spirit seems to be distributed equally, although this is not always the case. Please note your affinity for each power will vary in strength. Please embrace saidar and observe.” “This is a simple weave. Weaves are when you use more than one element, otherwise the term we use is thread. Each thread correspond to an element, and each element part of a weave. Rather like sewing.” Lillian created a single blue flame in the air and let it die. “You see how the two threads I used, air and fire, are dissipating? You must never, no matter what, pick at these threads. If you do the weave will unravel and more than likely kill you and everybody close to you in the process. That would be disastrous, so don’t do this, ok?” Lillian knew somebody who could read residues innately, but that sister was now dead for picking at a weave. A hard lesson to forget. Lillian pushed the steaming cup of tremalking tea across the table, continuing “first you should know the elements when you see them. Channellers sometimes see the colors differently, but most common is, fire as red, water green, earth brown, air blue, and spirit silver. I want you to look carefully at which thread I am drawing out of the glass.” "Water is all around us, in the air. Learning to pull threads of water from the air needs a certain knack, but with effort you can do it. Now please try this.” Lillian grinned, dipping her white handkerchief into a small pool of water in her basin and demonstrated another weave. "This is called dry. Though it is one of the easiest weaves, you will have to handle multiple threads of water to form a drain, and then tighten the weave until the water drains.
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[[OOC: @Lih-Lyh and I completed my Saidar 2 class via messaging. I am posting the scene here.]] Lillian rested for a moment as she polished her sword. It was funny the things you don’t forget. Basic sword forms, dancing skills, they never went away. Like how to maintain your stance. You don’t do anything that would shake or upset the fine balance you’d achieved between your weapon and your body. She admired her weapon appreciatively as she cased her oiled clothes. Its balance was enjoyable. The engraved mark on its handle was proud and deliberate. Like the scar tissues of a sworn soldier. This was a form of meditation. There was a knock on the door. Lillian instinctively reached for her sword, then stopped herself. “It’s open. Enter.” The aes sedai didn’t get up. Lillian was lithe and extraordinarily graceful. Her elegantly sculptural head was shaved to a fine down of hair. She was clad in a plain white bodysuit and the sheathe at her hip was shrouded with a red cloth. Her green gaze studied the figure in the entranceway. “Lillian Tremina,” she said, smiling “I am an aes sedai of the white ajah. Who are you?”
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Viviane paced across the cold stone floor. She exhaled before casting her gaze across the room. It was simply furnished, something she was used to. Back in Camelyn, before her family had grown poor, she was spoiled by her parents. All the finer things in life were hers if only she asked for them. Beautiful silk gowns, hot spiced chocolate from Sea Folk traders, gold gilded books from every corner of the continent, all of this was hers. Then the hardship came. Father died during the Aiel war, and the shop’s once loyal customers started to buy their garments elsewhere. Mother had to sell off most of their finer possessions just to put meat on the table. Oh, they had savings, but Mother wanted to save that for when things grew especially tough. Viviane was lucky her Mother thought the way she did. Things did get tough, and their savings was the only thing that had kept them alive. Viviane should be more grateful for the Tower. Since coming here, Mother wouldn’t have to worry about spending the coin on food for the two of them; she only had to focus on herself. Here, Viviane had no worry of food on the table or a warm place to sleep. Then why is it so hard? Why do I feel so empty inside? Life in the Tower wasn’t an easy one to adjust to. Not only was she suffering from homesickness, but she was also made to scour soup pots, scrub the floors, and even empty out chamber pots. Things here were horrible. The mattress was hard, and she always had to be up before sunrise. Viviane hadn’t really slept well back home, but sleeping here was comparable to sleeping upside down. As soon as Viviane’s head hit the pillow, she was right back up on her feet doing a chore or attending to some Aes Sedai or another. Yes. Viviane had learned some of the Power, but not enough to make up for all of the backbreaking stress she was under. Light! How do any of them survive this! The Accepted say that things only get harder! I cannot imagine… The truth was that she had no other choice. If she went home, she could never come back. Viviane would be a failure, just like every Accylon woman before her. She could not give up. She would become Aes Sedai. Returning home with nothing short of the shawl and the ring would spell doom for Mother and her. Without the title and accolades that came with it, there would be no coin to put food on the table. If Viviane became Aes Sedai, she could send her mother coin every month, and things would be right. That notion did nothing for the emptiness inside of her. Viviane strode over to her bed. It was a small thing built into the wall. When Viviane first saw it, she thought of the beds in a ship’s cabin. True to the thought, the bed in her room was a cramped little hole. Viviane could find no comfort in it, but it was the only thing here willing to offer a supporting embrace. She had done her best to make it feel cozy, arranging the pillows and the blanket just so. With an exasperated sigh, Viviane sunk down onto the hard mattress, pulling the woolen blankets tight around her. She practiced the calming exercises, the ones that opened you to Saidar. This time she didn’t reach for the Source. The only point to this was to calm herself. Viviane’s heart had been pounding, tears had threated to burst forth from her eyes… The thought of her mother in utter poverty was just too much to bear. The blanket and the mattress were a poor substitute for a Mother’s love. Here in the silence, she was truly alone. It struck her that she might never see her Mother again. Even if Viviane attained the Ring and the Shawl, Mother might pass away from starvation or homelessness. The road to Ase Sedai was a long one. If the others were to be believed, Viviane might not be able to leave the Tower for another twenty years! Mother would surely be old and grey by then. The thoughts did nothing to comfort Viviane. She pulled her pillow over her head and screamed into it. She screamed for all the worries, the fear, the loneliness. Pulling the pillow back, she felt a little better; but not by much. Perhaps if I just write her a letter. Surely Novices are allowed to write home… Viviane rose from the bed and moved to the pitiful desk allocated to her. Pulling the stool over, she sunk down and stared at the wall. What to tell her? I doubt she wants to hear how bad things are here… Mother always spoke glowingly about the Tower. One of the Aes Sedai might even read my letter. No. Better to only speak well of the Sisters and Tar’Valon. Grabbing a clean sheet of paper, Viviane began writing in a flowing hand… Mother, Things are well here. I do wish you could see it. The shining white walls of Tar’Valon are breathtaking. That is not to mention the bridges, which I have heard must have been wrought with the One Power. They are precious things, looking as if someone draped lace across the water and froze it in place. There is a delicacy to this place, Mother. I can only begin to guess at what marvelous creations you could design after visiting here. It does wonders for the imagination. My studies are going well, of course. I have not learned anything too advanced yet, but I can touch the True Source. A few months ago, I didn’t even know it was there within my grasp. Thank you for pushing me to come here, Mother. I do think things are turning around for the Accylon women. All My Love, Viv Viviane signed the letter with a flourish. She gasped as she noticed a watermark at the bottom of the page. Her cheeks were wet too. With a wail, Viviane broke down into a torrent of tears. She pushed the letter out of the way, and sunk her head into her arms, muffling her cries. None of the other Novices heard Viviane as she cried herself to sleep.
-
Viviane Accylon exhaled sharply. She ran a hand through her long, flowing auburn hair, trying with all her might to smooth out a few loose strands. Her mane always seemed to act up whenever she was stressed. That just wouldn’t do if she were to be Aes Sedai one day. The Sisters of the White Tower were in complete control of their bodies and their emotions, that included their hair. Light! I still haven’t gotten used to the idea… Here I am all in white, and still, my brain denies it. A Novice of the White Tower, that was who Viviane Accylon was now. Her bone white dress covered her modestly, no man looking at her would guess she was almost a woman full-grown. In regular clothing, Viviane’s body would give that away in an instant, but her face remained soft and cherubic. Dressed as she was today, one could easily mistake her for a blossoming maiden, not a woman approaching her nineteenth Name Day. It was all so surreal, everything that had happened the last few days. Before Viviane came to Tar’Valon, she was living in Caemlyn and working out of her mother’s dress shop. Well, working wasn’t the right word exactly. Listlessly lying around would be a better term for what she did in her mother’s shop. No customer had entered their doors since before the Aiel War, the only reason they had remained open was because of her family’s vast wealth. That wealth was now dwindling. Viviane had initially planned on running away to Tear, but then they came. The Sisters. Mother had found out and insisted that Viviane should go out and get tested for her potential as a Channeler. They had fought long and hard, but in the end, mother won. Viviane went and was taken by the Sisters almost immediately. They left for Tar’Valon the next day. There were other girls that the Sisters had found in Camelyn, only a few, but Viviane hadn’t bothered to learn any of their names. According to one of the Sisters, a White whose name escaped Viv, there were fewer and fewer girls that had the aptitude to become a full Aes Sedai. By the Sister’s tone, Viv had assumed that most of the girls in their traveling group would be sent out of the Tower by year’s end. As much as Viviane distrusted the Aes Sedai, she desperately wanted to be one of them. She would not be sent from the Tower, not like her Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, and so many other Accylon women. No. Viviane would attain the ring and the shawl. To do that, however, she had to descend deeper into this viper’s nest. She exhaled again. A large door loomed before Viviane like the Dark One himself. Behind the wooden behemoth sat Valeri Sedai, Mistress of Novices at the White Tower of Tar’Valon. Viviane had not spoken to many since arriving at the Tower, but she listened. Novices and Accepted had loose tounges, so it was not that difficult to discern the Mistress’s temperament., Grumpy. That was the only word she had heard used to describe Valeri Sedai. Well, kid, I guess it’s now or never. Viviane threw her head back and straightened her spine, bringing her right hand up to the door. She rapped against the wood three times, lowered her hand, and waited for her journey to begin.