WT Bio for Bennu Abravanel - CCd by a Wolfie

[WhiteWolf]

Basic Information

Handle : Chikara

Character Count : 1

Full names of WT characters you already own and their status (active/retired/dead): none

Contact email: coffeeachiever01@gmail.com

 

 

Character Information

State whether this is a Traditional or a Salidar novice character: Traditional novice

Name (first and last): Bennu Abravanel

Age: 17

Nationality: Tear

 

 

Appearance

 

Hair: Black. Long, coarse, and straight, refusing to hold a curl. She'd love to cut it to shoulder length, but it would make her sainted mother very sad.

Eyes: Dark brown.

Skin: Dusky bronze; gets darker when exposed to sun.

Height: 5'4”

Voice: Sharp, staccato alto, very precise in her enunciation. Strong Tairen accent that she's somewhat ashamed of, and is trying to train to something more neutral.

 

 

Personality

 

 

Bennu is one of those people that was born to be a scholar; growing up with parents who serve as librarians and encourage learning pretty much sets your path in life. After all, knowledge is a power you can carry around quite easily, while lands and money are not...although those are awfully nice too. Despite being of noble blood, she has absolutely no qualms about working for a living.

 

Like most of her countrywomen, Bennu and 'restraint' have never met. Ask her an opinion on your holiday dress or the young man you both just met: she'll give it to you straight, and look at you funny if you seem offended at her answer should it be negative. Let it be known that Bennu honestly thinks she's doing this sort of thing for your benefit, because what's the point of you going out in an ugly dress anyway, or being interested in a man that's clearly no good for you? And for the love of the Light, don't argue with her on a question of history or something where the answer is in a book: she will find the answer, point it out to you, and then you're arguing with a stop sign because the answer is right *there*. End of discussion: either ask another question not related, or have a nice day.

 

That lack of restraint also applies to how she learns. “Devote yourself, give yourself to this fully, and no book will be closed to you when you gain the shawl,” the Aes Sedai told her – no point in telling her that, because that's how Bennu rolls to begin with. She always gives her all to whatever comes first in her life; before that boat ride from Tear it was being a librarian, now it's being a Novice in the Tower. The training in the Tower will bring more dividends, and Bennu is nothing if not practical. This does not mean she is wise; she'll be seeing the Yellow Ajah more than she'd like because she tends to push herself beyond her limits.

 

Bennu's love of order comes straight from her Cairhienin roots. Some might call her a neat freak, but she doesn't give a flip; everything has to be just so. Books are always put back exactly where she got them from, her clothes are always laid out just right...dust, damp, and things out of alphabetical order are nightmares for her. She has been known to toss a piece of paper and rewrite things just because she didn't like how a single letter in her script turned out. Bennu will have one of the neatest rooms in the White Tower, and people will feel twinges of sympathy for the roommate that has to endure this.

 

 

History

 

The daughter of a minor Tairen noble house that lost most of its fortune in a civil war some time back, Bennu has long been accepting of the fact that she would have to work for her living, though other nobles are polite enough not to mention that in polite company. However, her family parleyed their influence, along with an unexpected gift, long ago to become some of the keepers of a rather large library in the country's capital city. Her father, Ohava, is one of the chief archivists while her mother uses her skills with pen, ink and paint to illuminate and repair documents. If you want to find anything in the Library, find an Abravanel.

 

They've never talked about it much, but the library grew out of a bequest from a distant relative about a century ago. They received a package from Tar Valon that contained a rather hefty bequest to the family ' in remembrance of my kin, to keep lit the flame of learning'. Given that Maira Abravanel had gone to the Tower and they'd never heard from her since then (of course) House Abravanel quietly kept the source of the funding under wraps; Tear would look upon that with suspicion.

 

So, Bennu grew up around books. She was learning to spell out words by the time she was three, and her father and mother gave her the best education their money and influence could buy. Her greatest dream, as she grew up, was to become one of the librarians at the Royal Library in Cairhien. However, her father refused to let her even apply; Cairhien was too far away, and she was needed there. Besides, he said, that wasn't a woman's place. That made her teeth grind. There had to be something she could do beyond work at home.

 

Then one day an Aes Sedai wearing a brown-fringed shawl appeared. She was looking for references to a specific historical occurrence during the Hawkwing years, though she would not be more specific. The Abravanels were not fools; they admitted her to the library immediately, released all their records, and stayed out of her way. Bennu was working in the stacks that day; curious as to why an Aes Sedai would need their lowly library where all but eight of the books they owned were in modern-day tongues, she quietly noted what the Aes Sedai chose, and thought. About an hour into the woman's research, Bennu walked up with four more books and placed them to the side of the long desk.

 

“My apologies at interrupting, but these may help your studies as well, Aes Sedai.” she said quietly, and refreshed the venerable lady's tea. “However, they may not,” she added after a moment.

 

The Aes Sedai marked her spot in the text, picked up the cup, and gave her a long look. “And why would you say that, child?”

 

Bennu shrugged, putting down the teapot. “The book you're going through now draws on these four primarily for its research and conclusions. But, the originals were in Old Tongue, and the author admits his understanding of the language had unfortunate gaps, so some of his theories and conclusions might be incorrect. As I only know a few words and phrases in Old Tongue myself, I have no idea if the translations of the four original texts are accurate – but I brought them to you for further reference anyway, just in case you'd want to look at them.”

 

The brown-shawled woman glanced to the stack of books. “I see. And why would you tell me this?”

 

“Because, I dislike watching anyone engaged in what could be fruitless research, Aes Sedai. Isn't that what librarians are supposed to do – assist people in finding the right answers?”

 

There was a pause. “A true scholar, but so young. And your name is...”

 

“Bennu Abravanel, Aes Sedai.”

 

Those sharp eyes went over Bennu's face again. “Maira's kin. Yes. She was a sharp sister, and...I wonder...”

 

“Aes Sedai?”

 

“Meryani. Meryani Sedai is my name, and...would you mind doing something for me? Tell me what you see when you look at this stone in my hand, here....”

 

Things went very fast after that. Not twenty minutes later, Meryani Sedai was standing with the young girl in front of her father and relatives, politely refusing the offer of tea and a snack from his wife.

 

“Lord Abravanel, I'm afraid that your library did not have what I needed, but I did find something else of greater use.” She patted Bennu's shoulder. “ This is your daughter, yes? She can channel. So I'm afraid we both must be going on the first ship, as is Tairen custom.”

 

Bennu really didn't hear the rest of the conversation through the general family uproar, dominated by the moans of her mother and the heartfelt oaths of her father, who'd never sworn in her presence before. But there was really nothing anyone could do.

 

Not two hours later, she was watching the sun going down over Tear from the stern of the ship headed to Tar Valon, feeling the wind plucking at the hem of her traveling dress. She'd be burning that as soon as she was in novice whites, the Aes Sedai told her.

 

“I am sorry, child, but we must not lose you to the world. Commit yourself to the years of training before you, give yourself to this fully...and I promise you, no book will be closed to you when you gain the shawl.” The last words of the Aes Sedai rang in her head as she took off the jeweled cap she'd grown so used to wearing, shook her hair loose, and gave a laugh that was close to tears.

 

Careful what you wish for....you just might get it.

[Taymist]

Beautifully written, thoroughly enjoyed reading that. CC'd.

[Mystica]

bumping back to front.

 

 

Taei, honey, please stop bumping old bios to the front LOL.