As Tanis waved farewell to her companions, she felt the first tingles of excitement course through her. Now the adventure really started. Upon arriving in Tar Valon, the gentlemen accompanying her began to find a place to stay almost immediately. They chose a small but respectable looking Inn and her Gleeman friend Andras had made a deal with the Innkeeper of performing at the Inn in exchange for a free meal. That had been the trend throughout their journey together, and Tanis didn’t think anything ill of it. If she had any talents (which she did not), she would have offered her services as well. But apart from darning old clothing and cooking and cleaning, she had not much else to offer. This is not to say that the two gentlemen did not appreciate her work, for she had a steady hand with a needle. Tanis realized as she watched them slowly trot off that she would miss them.

 

She walked slowly toward the White Tower, taking in all the sights. Tar Valon was indeed a wondrous place, with beautiful buildings and cheerful people. Compared to her small village where any stranger was suspicious and avoided, Tar Valon teemed with outsiders from all over the world. Tanis saw a myriad of dress and accent, of horses and children. In a word, Tanis would have called Tar Valon bustling.

 

Pausing to let a gnarled old man drive his cart of vegetables to a nearby hawker, Tanis wondered what she was going to do. She had talked briefly to the Innkeeper of where she had stayed, and the woman had offered her work at the Inn serving meals, but she also suggested heading to the White Tower to see if work could be had there. “The Aes Sedai was always looking for young ladies.” Tanis wasn’t entirely sure what that had meant, but she thought to give it a try. The worst that would happen is they would turn her away, and she would serve at the woman’s Inn.

 

As Tanis approached the palatial estate that was the White Tower, she almost felt intimidated. The only thing she really knew of Aes Sedai were the snippets of things the Peddler and Gleeman chose to share with her. Some were not all good, but they were consistent in saying the women were dedicated to helping the world, and they could never lie about it, though what an Aes Sedai says, and what a person hears is not always the same thing. Still, if they really did save the world, it was good enough for Tanis.

 

Tanis followed a small cluster of people into the building and they were all led to a large open room, filled with more people. It was rather quiet, with only the soft hum of private conversations going on. Tanis wasn’t entirely sure what to do, so she meandered over to an area by itself, and did her best to look confused, in the hopes that someone would take notice and point her in the right direction.

Hands clutching gathered skirts, face raised in quiet placidity, Vera Cadsanome was late, and not happy about it either. Week after week, things seemed to have been going a little wrong. They were never very major happenings, nothing worth losing calm about, but oh, if there was ever such a thing as a buildup, than Vera guessed quite correctly that this, really was it. Today she was supposed to attend to the city folk, who came usually in groups to demand things of the White Tower. Sometimes, it was merely council over a matter, or perhaps a case of required justice....both of which she could provide well. Then there were the errands, the returns, the hopeful families of enrolled Novices and Accepted. There were the rarer occurrings of course, where a girl would come in fluttering nerves for the test, to embrace the possibility of Aes Sedai. The thought made her glance at her serpent ring, reminding her of how those withered years ago she had come. Each Novice, each white dress had a different story, which was really part of the reason she had agreed so happily to the weekly function. It pleased Vera to aid the people. There was a certain satisfaction she felt as they would gush by, thanking her and the Tower. A feeling she'd never quite got from anything else, except when she completed any art piece that had required beyond average effort.

 

It wasn't very busy today, which was...unexpected. She had foreseen spending her whole morning on call, but this surprise wasn't unpleasant. Still, the people who had come looked fairly interesting. She could already spot two nobles standing together as they waited, women of a minor House of Tear from the looks of it. There was a small gathering of men present too, she grasped. A quarrel perhaps? It would be better news for her if they had decided to enroll for the Guard, as they were young and seemed quite fit. Vera waited as the men having noticed her presence began to make their way to her, when she found herself drawn to another sight. A young girl, who by the looks of it...was lost. She was taller than Vera, like most and had a softness to her that Vera liked. Vera couldn't quite place where she was from as yet, but she would find out soon enough. She went to her, stopping the men with her waving hand. The best of her smiles, and a ready to listen expression painted across her features, Vera greeted her. "Are you in need of assistance, child?"

 

~Vera

Gray Sister

Mentor to Tanis :D

Tanis didn't have to wait very long for assistance. A small woman glided toward her steadily with a wave of her hand to the cluster of men that had approached her. Now that the time to meet an actual Aes Sedai was before her, she wasn't quite sure what she was supposed  to do. Light, she hoped this actually was an Aes Sedai. She would be mortified if she turned out to be...a cook...or something. By the looks of the woman's face, and demeanor, Tanis was fairly certain this was no cook.

 

"Are you in need of assistance, child?"

 

Tanis just balked. The woman's voice held a gentle insistence that had an underlying "no nonsense" tone. But all that Tanis could think was, Light, should I curtsey? I don't know how to curtsey...perhaps a bow? Wait, isn't that was men are supposed to do?

 

Deciding quickly that standing there and gaping wasn't an option, Tanis simply ducked her head politely and said, "Yes ma'am. I've just come to Tar Valon, and I..I...was wondering if you perhaps had any work available for me? I'm a hard worker, you see. I'm adept at mending and sewing, and I can cook a little too. Letters and numbers aren't my strong suit, but I can be taught, ma'am." Tanis breathed inward sigh of embarrassment. Could I have said ma'am any more?

 

Feeling the warmth of a blush coming on, she lightly cleared her throat and waited to hear the woman's words. She seemed nice enough, and her expression was certainly friendly...but the woman looked thirty if she looked fifty. Perhaps this is what her former companions meant about their faces never changing...And then another thought came to her. Before the woman could get a word out, she added as an afterthought. "Oh, and my name is Tanis. Tanis Keldrin from Ghealdan, ma'am." Again with the ma'am...