Katandra has Come to Join the Ranks (ATTN NYNAEVE)

[Kathleen]

Katandra stopped to shift her belt for what felt like the thousandth time. It felt so awkward and heavy on her waist and her pants felt so constricting. She was used to dresses but soldiers don't wear dresses so for the first time in her life she was in pants. They were her father's and they were too big. She had the belt on the smallest notch and the cuffs of the old grey pants rolled up so her slender legs showed slightly at the bottoms. Her clothes looked a lot more rugged than she did and even though she should have looked like she was wearing a burlap sack she actually didn't look any less like a lady.

 

When she looked up from the tree she was leaning on she could see the walls of the fortress. She knew it was there but somehow it looked bigger today. She looked at the door and a knot formed in her stomach. No, this is different, she thought, this time they wont say no. There is no reason that I can't do this. This is real. This is good. I am a good person and my dream will come true! Katandra unclenched her fist and got her breathing under control. She straighted her belt and her posture and walked into the fortress.

 

What she saw on the other side of the wall did not surprise her at all. It was exactly as she invisioned it. There were many people around and a lot of noise. Everyone looked busy and Katandra didn't want to stop anyone for directions so she wandered as far as she could before someone stopped her, which really wasn't much passed the entrance. When she said she had come to join the ranks the man told her how to get to the Head Clerk and Katandra went on her way. As she made her way to the Head Clerk she ran through her mind all the things she had been prepairing to say. She stopped at the door, housted up her pants again, straightened her back and knocked clearly and firmly on the door.

[Nynaeve]

Roudal yawned and rubbed his eyes. He was exhausted after a long sleepless night. He was no lad anymore and the coolness of the night seemed to invade his bones. It didn't help, of course, that his wife was a cover hogger. At times it seemed that the more he grunted and pulled, the more she pulled, leaving him exposed to the night's air.

 

At some point, he found that the dreadful woman had managed to envelop herself with the covers like a cocoon and there was no untangling it from her. He was too stubborn to grab fresh linen from the closet, of course, so he just lay there, staring at the ceiling and grumbling to himself. He had much to grumble about, it seemed, because before he knew it the sun was already sticking up from the horizon, taunting him by casting a harsh glare on his face.

 

He grunted and got up, going through his usual morning ritual of getting washed up, clothed and brushing his mustache and beard. He made sure to leave a mess behind him so at to ruin his wife's morning when she deigned to wake up. After all, if she could ruin his night he had a right to at least ruin the beginning of the day. You reap what you sow, after all. That's what his mom always used to tell him. And she was right. The woman was a saint after all.

 

When he finally made it to the office, he was whistling. He ignored his assistants at first and sat at his desk, nibbling on an apple he picked up from the kitchen himself. No one could be trusted these days to bring him food. He wanted to eat healthy, after all. He already managed to lose some weight. Women were eying him more, he was sure. And far be it for him not to give them at least a good eyeful. He was a generous man after all.

 

Suddenly, Roudal felt a poke in his arm. He frowned and looked to his side, finding one of his assistants standing there smiling at him. "Sir, there's someone here to see you. Should I let her in?". Roudal ran his fingers through his beard thoughtfully and nodded. "You don't have to be all joyful about it, though." The assistant's smile never faltered and he walked away. Good thing he did too, otherwise Roudal would have wiped it off, with his own bare hands, if necessary.

 

Soon enough a young girl stepped in and stood in front of his desk. Roudal looked her up and down as silence stretched. His eyebrows climbed up as he looked at her. "Yes?".

 

 

 

Roudal

Head Clerk

 

[Kathleen]

When the door opened Katandra nodded to the person who had opened it and slowly glided over to the desk where the man she guessed was the Head Clerk sat. She did not know what she was expecting the Head Clerk to look like or how he would hold himself but the more she took in of the mannerisms of the man with the apple on the other side of the desk the more she questioned if he fit that image. Things aren't always as they appear on the outside looking in,she reminded herself, somethings that look spectacular are often hiding the evil that dwells within. Yes, he looks like a real man with nothing to hide. Though she had learned the hard way that even things that look to be plain on the outside often had the most to hide. That is why she wanted to join the Children. To find the truth and stop letting people get away with hiding the evils of the world.

 

She really wished she knew what she was supposed to do in the Head Clerk's presence. Was she expected to bow? Or maybe salute? Or maybe nothing until she was accepted in. Just as she was wondering if he was going to make the first comment or if he was waiting for her to speak the man spoke.

 

Katandra had noticed him eying her, but she let it pass as he was just trying to read her, figure out why she is here and why she was dressed in these ridiculous pants. She was fairly certain there was more to the look than that, but she had been wrong about that a few times, and in this case she felt more comfortable thinking it wasn't anything more than the man trying to determine her purpose before she stated it.

 

Katandra looked him in the eye and said, "Hello Sir. My name is Katandra and I have come to ask to join the Children of Light." She didn't want to say too much, to pour her heart out just to be let down again, or to find that she was talking to the wrong man and have go through her reasoning all over again to another. She was not one for long spiels, make your point and make it short and quickly, no one wants to listen to one person ramble on and on. If they want more information they will ask. So Katandra held her tongue and waited for the man's reply.

[Nynaeve]

"Hello Sir. My name is Katandra and I have come to ask to join the Children of Light." Roudal eyed her carefully when she fell silent. This was usually when new comers went into their insufferable and usually prolonged life story depicting the hardships in their life and giving a detailed description of their life in general. Katandra, on the other hand, seemed pretty quiet, though still quite attentive.

 

At first impression, she came off like a peculiar person. The trousers she was wearing didn't sit well on her and made her whole posture look awkward. Not that it mattered much. Upon joining the CotL every trainee was given a set of uniforms, for the sense of equality and unity alike.

 

"Very well. Please provide me with the following information." Roudal flipped through the recruit book for a few moments before continuing with what he was going to say. "Full name, age and place of origin. Once you provide that you're free to find Emanuella's study - Thee Quartermaster, to explain things better to you.

 

 

OOC: give Roudal the information and then set out to find Emanuella :)

 

 

Nyn

[Kathleen]

Katandra waited patiently for the Head Clerk's reply. When she heard him say that all she needed to tell him was her name and where she was from she was a little surprised, but glad she had held off on telling him her life story. Surely someone would ask it of her and when they did she would tell them all they needed to know. Needed being the important word there. Somethings were so unimportant they had no reason to be brought up.

 

"My name is Katandra Corma. I am eighteen years old. I was born in Andor and moved to Amadicia four years ago to be closer to my father's family." She knew the reason for moving to Amadicia was more of an answer than he had asked for, but she wanted him to know that she wasn't as loose minded as most Andorians and that her roots were in the teachings of Amadicia traditions. "Thank you for taking the time to see me. If we are done here I will be on my way to find the Quartermaster's study." She waited for the Head Clerk to nod in approval of the information and that she was free to go, and Katandra turned and left the room to find the Quartermaster.

[Kathleen]

Katandra looked around the hall and wondered what to do next. She knew there were only a few reasons why the Head Clerk wouldn't have given her directions to her destination. One, it was very simple to find on entering the hall. Two, he wanted her to use her wits to find it on her own as only the ones who truly wanted it, or were swift enough, would go the next step on their own. Three, he just didn't think of her point of view; since he already knew where it was he didn't bother to think that she didn't know her way around. Four, he really didn't care one way or another and had just wanted her out of the room.She had a feeling it was more the third of fourth choice but she wanted to believe that it was the second thought that had crossed her mind that was the motive of the man she just left.

 

As she let out a sigh she realized that she was making judgements on a man she didn't know at all and was determined to stop. It's not as though I have actually talked to him and gotten to know him, or as though anyone has given me a history on him. I have no information about him except that he has a desk and doorman and at least on one occasion in his life he has eaten an apple! What does it matter why he didn't give directions? I didn't ask, so why would he tell me? Katandra looked around at the hall and noticed a few people walking. Normally she would have tried to find the place on her own, but she didn't feel comfortable wandering the halls of the Fortress unsure of where she was going. This place would be home soon enough, but it wasn't home now.

 

She hoisted up her pants, pulled herself into proper posture, not that she had lost it, her mother had made sure that Katandra always carried herself like a lady even when she was young. "Excuse me?" She said to passing man but he rushed past her. Perhaps I wasn't loud enough to hear, or he didn't know I was calling for him. She noticed a boy just about her age if not a year or two older and she stepped up beside him as he was walking by.

 

"Excuse me, I am looking for the quartermaster, would you be able direct me there?" She flashed him a quick smile and he returned one of his own as he looked around the hall to get his bearings and then gave her precise directions. Katandra gave him a quick 'thank you' before he returned to his task and she started down the hall in the other direction following the young man's instructions. She was starting to question the route he had given her, but just as she was about to stop someone else to be sure she was going the right way she found the place she was looking for. She let out a breath and knocked on a door she found, right where the boy had said it would be.

[Nynaeve]

Emanuella tried to sort the pile of documents on her desk. A lot of things needed to be done, so she tried to divide the pile to what she was going to attend to that day. The rest would have to wait for a later date. She never liked taking too much on herself and preferred to give the required attention for any and all problems that needed solving. A knock on the door made Emanuella's eyes climb up from the papers. "Enter." A young woman came in. Emanuella smiled and gestured her to sit down. After giving Emanuella her name, she proceeded.

 

"The Fortress is going to be your home from now on. The first days are always the hardest. You need to find yourself within these walls and get familiar with your surrounding. But it will improve in time, no doubt." Emanuella flipped thorough her room assigning book. "Looks like you will be having a room of your own for now. Until other new recruits are assigned to it. Room number 7."

 

Emanuella closed the book with a thud. "As for superiors, you will know all of their faces, eventually. Generally speaking, though, the military officials wear insignia. The questioners, on the other hand, seldom use the appointed insignia. However, you can distinguish them quite easily. Added to the sunburst icon on their cloaks as the rest of the Children have, they have a red shepherd's crook behind it. Hard to miss. You are expected to address them with the title sir. Added to a bow if it's a Questioner or a salute when if it's a Commander." Emanuella reassured Katandra with a warm smile.

 

"You will find five sets of uniforms in the closet in your room. Take good care of them. They will not be replaced. As for curfews. You have one day of rest and one afternoon off a week, in which you're permitted to leave the fortress' premises. At any other time you are expected to remain within the Fortress' grounds. Now, if you have any questions, I'll be delighted to answer. But first and foremost; Welcome to the Children of the Light."

 

 

 

Emanuella

Quartermaster

[Kathleen]

Katandra entered the room and sat in the chair across the desk from the quartermaster when the woman gestured for her to do so. She didn't know what to expect, but she was expecting more of an interview than she was given. She was pleased to find out that she would be in a room by herself, she didn't want to have to meet new people before she was settled. It was hard to gain respect for someone you watched put away their underclothes and she wanted the respect of her peers. She knew respect had to be gained, but watching her fumble around her own room would not help her gain it.

 

When she heard the rest of the instructions and tucked away the helpful tips of how to address the superiors she told the quartermaster that she said that the only question she has was how to get to her room. When she had that information Katandra thanked the woman and when she was sent out of the room Katandra made her way to her quarters. Finally Katandra had a real chance at making a difference in the world. These people would show her how. She would fight with other good people to destroy unjusts and untruths. She was looking forward to getting started.