Sharing a Room (Attn: jozan)

[Leala Sedai]

Ay'Lira pulled her legs up to where her knees were under her chin. She wore a new white novice dress and, seeing as it was her first day, she didn't have much to do but twiddle her thumbs for the time being. Her room was small, but had two other empty beds in it. The Mistress of Novices had said she might or might not have a roommate or two. But it was lonely and boring without someone there. She had lived in that inn for too long, she liked company. Sighing, she laid down on her bed. Sitting that way in a bed built into the wall was not at all comfortable. She stretched out and fingered her skirts. At least it wasn't itchy like the one she arrived in. She still preferred breeches, though. She wanted to practice archery out in the Warders Yard, but the next twenty years or so would be concentrated on getting her a shawl and a ring.

 

A thought hit her. By the time she got her ring, Benna would most certainly be married with children with lots of handmade clothes to fit them. By the time she got the shawl, if she did, Teru would be grown and either married, or working toward it. Her mother...she wasn't sure. She had seemed vague and...well, she was responsive, but not quite herself when Malkier fell. Everyone had mourned her father when they heard the news, and poor Benna had lost both her parents. But a historian could only do so much. Ay'Lira shook her head. She couldn't think of them all the time. She had to concentrate. She had only touched Saidar once, and it almost seemed by accident. She didn't even know she had when it happened. How did Aes Sedai do it so naturally? What about the Accepted? Where would she fit in? What was her potential? Would she be able to see all these amazing things she had heard?

 

Knitting her brow, she scolded herself. Questions didn't answer themselves. She had to be patient and learn at the pace Aes Sedai set for her. She just hoped it wasn't too fast.

 

All thoughts of questions and the like fell out of her head when she heard the door click open. It could either be an Accepted or an Aes Sedai with a task for her -- that she hoped to the Light she didn't mess up -- or...a roommate? Hoping for the latter, she sat up and smoothed her skirts down, waiting for the woman to enter.

[jozan]

Liana walked slowly down the hall to where she would stay in the tower, her own room. She tucked at her completely white dress which she would have to wear at all times, until she got raised to the shawl. Light...just wearing a white dress, if only I had known she thought to herself. Liana still tucking at her dress when she got a few glances from Accepted and even other novices who had also just arrived here.

 

She finally collected her thoughts and walked more steady now, and when she finally arrived at her new home inside the tower walls. She put her delicate hand on the knob and firmly turned it until she heard a clicking sound, and opened the door into the small room. As she was almost inside she got a surprise, when a young girl stood up from the bed. Liana nearly blinked at the other woman but she softly said "It seems that we are to be roomates, I am Liana Alore. Nice to meet you, may I inquire your name?" her tilted sky-blue almond-shaped eyes looked at the other woman, while waiting for a response.

 

Liana let her long smooth black hair lie over her right shoulder, but she had put on a gift from her mother, a lovely pin with a small blue stone inside it.

It shined a beautiful light blue color, as the sun struck the blue stone. Liana was a beautiful lady though not many boys had noticed her, well not of any interest to her at least.

 

ooc: Sorry for such a short reply. It'll be better :)

[Leala Sedai]

Ay'Lira craned her neck to see who it was when finally, after what couldn't have even been a second (but seemed like an hour), a pretty young Saldaean girl came into the room. She had on the pristine white dress too. So, I do have a roommate. When she had been living in Malkier, she had enough room to herself, but when she and her family had moved to Shienar to escape, she had become used to close quarters. She was about to say hello when the other girl spoke. She figured that they would be roommates too, then introduced herself as Liana Alore before asking for Ay'Lira's name. All this and in such flowery language, too. She must have been a noble. Ay'Lira wasn't a noble herself, but her mother interacted with them enough. She just hoped this Liana didn't mind her common birth. She was doing well with keeping her temper down so far.

 

"It's nice to meet you too, Liana. I'm Ay'Lira Sonoran." Ay'Lira suddenly found herself at a loss. What did you talk about with a noble? then she remembered that all initiates of the Tower were equals. At least, that was what she had gathered from seeing people interact. Whether or not she was a noble, they were both novices. At least they had the Borderlands in common. "I can tell you're from Saldaea because of your eyes," she began, motioning to her own. "I'm from Malkier, although I've been living in Shienar since it fell. An Aes Sedai found me and tested me in the inn where my family was staying. How did you come to the Tower?" Light, she hoped that was interesting enough to keep going. Sometimes with girly types, she seemed to reach a wall. Maybe Liana would be like Benna and find something else they may have in common...

[jozan]

A malkieri woman…a malkieri novice, interesting roommate Liana thought to herself as the other woman introduced herself as Ay’lira Sonoran, an unusual name but interesting at the same time. She seemed like a nice person, someone Liana could get along with. “My eyes? Yes, our eyes are all like this. I have not ever been to Malkier, but I do know that it fell. My mother once told me, the malkieri soldiers were courageous men and good fighters.” Light, why am I talking about that? She doesn’t want to hear that. Liana didn’t know what common people wanted to discuss, she had never had a chance to speak with common people.

 

She finally gestured for Ay’lira to sit down at her bed and Liana chose another bed close to her new friend, so they could talk without getting tired in their legs. She was a bit tired from the entire journey she had done to get to the tower, and she hoped her mother would be okay by herself now. The woman suddenly asked how she came to be in the tower. That was something she hoped wouldn’t come up so soon. The same day she got her room, and meeting her roommate. But maybe it was good to get out in the open, how her father had saved her and his wife from being killed or worse, eaten by vicious trollocks.

 

“I am not keen on telling my life story, but you did tell me how you got here. So, I should do the same.” Liana tucked her dress a little and took a deep breath before continuing with her story “Not long ago the capital of Saldaea was attacked by trollocks, and…my father were among the men that defended the walls from being overthrown.” She paused as a tear rolled down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away. “He died protecting me and my beloved mother, and if it weren’t for the sudden help form Aes Sedai and their warders, I might not have been here.” Liana said with a heavy voice “My mother, Alina t’alore of the minor house Alore sent me to the inn where the Aes Sedai to get me tested. She hoped I would be the first in our family to be Aes Sedai.”

 

She would be raised to the shawl neither just for herself, nor just for her mother but also for her father and their house. I will prevail…that is a promise, father. “My father was Jarrid Alore, a kind and hard man at the same time. I love him deeply” She actually smiled when saying his name with a serene voice and a slight proud tone to it. She did and will always love him deeply.

 

“I dearly hope we will be raised to the shawl together, Ay’lira. I sincerely hope that.”

[Leala Sedai]

As Ay'Lira listened to the girl, her mood went from neutral to almost irritated. She made it sound as if Ay'Lira had dragged the story out of her. She would have been fine if she had just said she didn't want to talk about it. If she had been just another noble that she had no connection to, she would have just walked away without saying anything, and thinking no more of it. But...she let the irritation slide off. She would be living with this woman now. They would have to get used to each other. Then, at the end of her story, Liana said something that caused a spark of curiosity to glint from Ay'Lira's green eyes. She wished they would be raised to the shawl together. This girl she had just met wished the two of them to rise together. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all. She was no Benna, but she wasn't terrible, either. Her story was kind of similar to Ay'Lira's in a way.

 

"I didn't mean to offend you or anything. I was close to my father, too. He was a palace guard, and he fought while Malkier fell. We got the news in Shienar. It gets easier to talk about him, though, as the days pass. He was a good man, and a loyal fighter for our country and the Light. Your father must have been, too. I'm just glad I could get my family out in time." She paused thinking about what to say next. "And...while we're rooming together, if I ask a question that you don't want to answer or something, you can tell me, I'll understand. Even if I already gave a similar answer." After all, they just met. If they grew closer and became friends, they might want to share more. But it wasn't fair to expect Liana to give her her whole life story just because Ay'Lira wanted to share.

[jozan]

Liana really didn’t know how to talk with common people at all; after all she hadn’t been outside the capital to travel, unless followed by the house guards. But here she was with a total stranger inside the white tower, training to become an Aes Sedai or servant of all which what it meant in the old tongue. Her mother had told her that once when she was young. Liana didn’t really speak the old tongue but her mother had taught her some basic words, as part of her noble training.

This woman she had in front of her may be of common class, but she seemed to be a rather interesting person. Not only were they both from the borderlands but had also lost something in their life. This meant she might have someone she could talk to if needed. This made Liana smile a bit. “And...while we're rooming together, if I ask a question that you don't want to answer or something, you can tell me, I'll understand. Even if I already gave a similar answer." This made Liana blink and thought to herself Light, I’m being a bit too forward. I need to slow down.

 

“Yes, understood. I’ll keep that in mind.” She smiled warmly at Ay’lira and then said “Have you” she paused for a brief moment, as she was uncertain if she should ask or not “Um, have you ever embraced the source?” She crossed her arms and laid them to rest on her lap. “I have not dared to embrace saidar. As I have heard it could be very dangerous without guidance of the Aes Sedai.” She started moving her fingers through her beautiful hair, something she did when she was being nervous.

[Leala Sedai]

Ay'Lira's offer went well, from what she could tell, anyway. Liana said she would keep the stipulation about telling her if she didn't want to talk about something in mind. She couldn't quite tell, but she had the distinct feeling that the other girl seemed as lost as she was about talking to someone from a different class. But she wasn't sure, because nobles usually tried to hide their flaws from you. Oh, well. This conversation could have gone a lot worse, in any case. Then Liana started talking about embracing the Source. She wanted to know if Ay'Lira ever had...which was a complicated question on its own. The girl went on to say that she wouldn't dare try without an Aes Sedai present. That was basically what Terinne had said to her as well. She wondered where Liana had heard that.

 

"Well, the Aes Sedai that tested me said that I had...but I didn't feel anything," she explained with a shrug. "It was when she tested me. She told my friend Benna and me to concentrate on a jewel she had. After a while, I made it flash. I didn't even know it had flashed, because I had been staring at it for so long. Terinne Sedai said I made it flash, though. But Benna couldn't do it. After that, I went to Tar Valon with Terinne Sedai and her Warder. She didn't teach me anything, but told me about life as a novice along the way." She paused, looking around as she thought. "I'm really excited about my first lessons in channeling, though. It'll be interesting to know what my strengths and weaknesses are."

[jozan]

Liana thought about what Ay’lira told her and she had also wondered about her own strengths and weaknesses would be. “The Aes Sedai that tested me told me how a life in the tower would be like, and that my nobility would not hinder nor help me go through the life as a novice, any faster or slower than others. I just hope that I won’t fail miserly when the test for accepted comes along.” She said with uncertainty to her voice and a questionable face.

 

Liana then stood up from her bed with a smile on her face as she looked at the other girl, and said with serenity in her voice “I found out when I arrived to the mistress of the novices, that she’s also from Saldaea, and she even gave me a small gift, a tea-blend from my home town, with a sweetened taste to it. Let’s go inside one of the gardens here at the tower, and drink some tea. I wish to explore the tower’s relaxation spots.” Liana smiled warmly and started making preparations to go out.

She didn’t want to stay inside all day long, she did like her room but the classes hadn’t started yet. So, they did have some free-time before that. After she had made the tea and poured it into a container to keep it warm, she glanced back at Ay’lira with a question hanging in the air “Have you ever considered what you will do with your powers to be? If I may ask you that, you don’t have to respond if you don’t want to.” Liana knew already what her destiny would be like; or rather what she would turn her destined path into. She still had nightmares and thoughts about her father.

 

She would fight against the shadow and do whatever she could with the power of an Aes Sedai in her grasp. Liana would imprint her name into the very heart of the dark one. And ride into the blight so she could slay every trollock, mydraal, and dark friend from existence. She would have her vengeance. “Ah, I am sorry.” She giggled when she noticed that Ay’lira stared at her with lifted eye brows, and said “I sometimes daydream. Not what you imagined a noble would do, huh” She kept giggling.

[Leala Sedai]

Ay'Lira wanted to answer Liana's question right away, but the other novice's face glazed over in thought. She waited patiently, though. First, she had talked about the Aes Sedai who had tested her telling her about the life of a novice. At least that would leave them prepared for whatever else came. The thought of the Accepted test did scare her. Facing her greatest fears... She had lived on the edge of the Blight, and had seen her homeland fall...Light, what else was there?

 

Then her roommate talked about wanting to see some of the relaxation spots in the Tower. Ay'Lira expected to be put to work as soon as an Accepted or Aes Sedai caught sight of them. Whether or not it was their first day, their lives were changed now. From what Terinne had said, some Aes Sedai could send them to the Mistress of Novices just for not having anything to do. A strange thought, that.

 

Then Liana asked about what Ay'Lira would do with her powers and promptly glazed her eyes over in some sort of lovely dream, Ay'lLira supposed. She waited for the girl to come back. and when she did, she added that nobles daydreamed too. It wasn't hard for her to follow, though. Her little brother had a penchant for babbling, too. She shrugged. "You don't need to apologize. Nobles are people too. I think I would use my powers to protect the world from the Shadow somehow. I'm too far away from the shawl right now to know what color it will be. But Malkier stood against the Blight until it fell. I want to do something like that."

 

She paused, thinking about her offer about relaxation. "I wouldn't mind exploring the Tower with you. But I won't hesitate to go running when an Aes Sedai or Accepted tells us to jump," she said with a laugh.

[jozan]

"I wouldn't mind exploring the Tower with you. But I won't hesitate to go running when an Aes Sedai or Accepted tells us to jump." Liana laughed as well as she knew she’d probably run away too at the very sight of an Aes Sedai or Accepted. But what could be harmful in going on sightseeing in the tower, it’s not like they will escape their new home. Liana looked at Ay’lira with her sky-blue eyes, as if checking to see if the other girl was ready to leave the room. “I have heard rumors that the white tower has some of the most beautiful gardens in the world. And now that I am here, I would very much like to see if that rumor is true or not.” She smiled at the other girl after she had spoken with a very serene voice.

 

She slowly put her gentle hand on the door knob, and turned it until a click sound could be heard. Liana gestured for her friend to follow her out, and then she closed the door behind them as quietly as she could. There was no one around in their corridor, luckily for them at this time. And so they walked upward toward one of the so-called beautiful gardens, in the upper levels of the tower. They didn’t walk too fast nor too slow, to make sure they would not draw unwanted attention to them self.

When they finally arrived at one of the rumored gardens, Liana eyes nearly popped out of her face. The view in front of them was beyond the wildest dream, a view of splendor and beauty. A garden filled with all kind of flowers, and other plants she had never seen before. It was a beautiful sight to behold, and she wished she never had to leave this place. She could see her friend was just as taken by the view as she was. They found a bench inside a small circle of flowers where a grand fountain was placed, which was made of sea-folk porcelain, or so it looked like it was made of.

 

Liana sat down with a deep sight and said to her friend beside her “I remember a time when I came with my mother to the palace in Maradon, to meet the queen for some reason I have now forgotten. The palace gardens were a place where I could linger for hours on end, and just relax my mind and body. These gardens are just like those in the palace, only more beautiful though smaller in size. At least this one is.” Liana said with warmth tuck deep inside her tone of voice.

[Leala Sedai]

Ay'Lira walked with Liana out of their room and into the Tower. She noticed she had a smile on her face. Yes, she could get used to having a friend like this young Saldaean noble. It was good that they both mutually wanted to go beyond their differences to form a friendship. That would be good to become accustomed to these new circumstances.

 

As they walked, Ay'Lira tried not to stare, but it was hard. It was the strangest thing to think that some day she would become so accustomed to this place that it would seem like her home. If she lasted that long. She knew from her ride with Terinne that not everyone made it to the shawl. Not even everyone made it to the banded dress of Accepted. But she would see this through to any end that came about.

 

The pair wandered about until they came upon the gardens. She sat with Liana on one of the benches, and her new friend started talking of coming to the palace in Saldaea to see the queen and spending time in the gardens. Ay'Lira wondered what the gardens in her friend's manor house would look like, though. She was a noble, after all.

 

"I saw the Seven Towers up close a few times, visiting my father on the job...he was a guardsman. I didn't get to see the gardens, but these remind me of the forestry around the thousand lakes. My father taught me to hunt and shoot an arrow...I'm not very good at it, but it came in use when Malkier fell." Yes...it was easier to talk about now. That didn't mean she didn't feel that twinge of sadness.