Kalinde lifted her head from the inside of the huge pot she had been scrubbing for what seemed like the entire afternoon. She was tired and her brow was sticky with sweat, soap and the remains of yesterdays’ soup. She was used to hard work but she had never thought that her road to becoming an Aes Sedai would entail so much of cleaning and scrubbing. She felt like if she was not sweeping the floors or washing pots, she was dusting cabins and carrying stuff for Accepted or Aes Sedai. It seemed that Novices were not allowed to have a moment of free time.

 

She had only been in the tower some months now, but was really starting to doubt her great decision to leave home. She had not yet begun her studies with Saidar. There was so much more she had to do still, but her mentor had said that she would begin the lessons soon. But she was getting bored and wanted something fun in her life and not just plain work and study all the time.

 

That’s when she realized that Mistress Laras, the woman who scared Kalinde more than the MoN did was not in the Kitchens. Kalinde had not noticed when the woman had left. She looked around wiping the curls off her brow and leaving a black stained line across it. Her heart started to beat faster as she saw the trays that were assembled to the side of the room. Pots and cups for the evening tea were lined up there, with the sugar bowls neatly next to them. Kalinde looked at the few other Novices who were busy with their scrubbing as well. She wondered if she really dared to do the thought she had formed in her mind.

 

Then without giving what she was doing another thought she walked over to the trays with a bag of soap in her hand and grinned mischievously at the sugar bowls. “What are you doing?” she heard a whisper from behind her and spun her eyes to meet a girl with ebony black hair. Kalinde almost dropped the sugar bowl she was holding as she realized she would not be able to do this prank alone and in secret. She shushed the other but nodded her closer so she could easily whisper what she was planning. She only hoped that the girl would not try to stop her.

 

“I’m adding a fun surprise for the evening tea,” she whispered barely audible. “soap.” Her blue eyes flickered and Kalinde bit her lip before continuing. “Do you want to help?” she asked, hoping that the girl would not say no.

 

Light, how had it come to this?

 

Last night a serving maid brought her ale; tonight she served. That maid worked in a… an inn, and led a luxurious life selling her charms, whereas Saline must scrub the skin of her hands off to please the Mistress of the Kitchens. This injustice irked her, and if she had not known the severity of her situation, then the penance surely reminded her of why one should not be caught when intoxicated between two sodden trainees near dawn. So they drank to one another’s health a few rounds; that was fellowship on a birthday celebration, after all. And all right, she had frequented an inn… well, brothel with two men all night; was it anything to get excited about? They were not doing anything else, though from her recollection there was a great deal of flirting, mostly initiated by ‘Rome and herself, to her chagrin.

 

“Are you listening to me, Accepted? Put your back to it!”

 

Saline hastily leaned into the sink and turned her back to Mistress Laras, who stood tapping the soup ladle into her apron. Any moment now it would be on her rear for the umpteenth time. Curls tumbled as she inched furtively, insinuating herself between the nearest two Novices, interrupting their private talk but she could care less.

 

Anything to get away from Laras making free with kitchen utensils, she justified.

 

Befor the other Noveice ahd time to reply to Kalinde's question an Accepted had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Kalinde had not even managed to get a good nod of acknowledgment from the other girl before the disruption.

 

She turned to the women in the striped dress with fear written right across her face. She knew that if the Accepted had any brains at all she would see what was going on. Of course some Accepted were so full of their studies that they might not see something spread out right before them. Kalinde hoped that this girl was not the case. She looked angry and frustrated at someone. Most likely an Aes Sedai, as why else would an Accepted be in the Kithchens with the Novices scrubbing pots. And she did not look like someone sent to observer the process. Kalinde decided that she ought to take her chance at playing dice with the Myrdraal and talk to the woman.

 

"Are you hating these pots as much as I am, Accepted?" she asked with the spoon of soap in her one hand and the bowl of sugar in one. Kalinde knew that one word form the woman and she would not be leaving the MoN's office for months. But she had to chance it, and hoped that addressing the woman properly would not make her run to Mistress Laras who had appeared to the Kithens once again. She emptied her spoon to the waiting cup and placed it on the tray picking another watining suspect. Kalinde felt her mouth dry up as she waited for either her Novice accomplice or the Accepted to speak up...

 

ooc. I should not be online until the 6th next time.