The Gray shawl about Lavinya's shoulders fluttered slightly as she shifted in her chair. The day felt long, and her patience, what little she had, was wearing thin. When Lavinya had become an initiate, even when she had risen to join the Gray Ajah, she had not imagined her days would be like this. She was a mediator (or manipulator, depending on who was doing the describing), an Aes Sedai of beauty and intelligence. She should be at the right hand of some great ruler, sharing her wisdom and forging treaties. Not meting out justice to an array of petty criminals, seated on an uncomfortable wooden chair in an audience room of the White Tower. Where was her adventure? Certainly not in this room.

 

Why she had been given this duty today over one of her sisters Lavinya didn't know. She would much rather be amusing herself with a book or a stroll in the gardens perhaps. But alas, Phaedra was the First Voice, and she believed Lavinya needed to hone her skills in mediation and justice. And here she was, wasting her talents and her time on trifles.

 

"strip him of all but his small clothes and send him on his way. If he cannot afford to pay his tailor, he does not deserve clothes." The guards bowed and led away the pathetic man. What good was dressing like a peacock if you had no wealth behind you? Lavinya took a moment to stretch once the man was taken away, before the next accused was brought before her. Quick touches assured her that her vibrant red curls were still neatly pinned and immaculate, her sheer red skirts smooth.

 

"Enter." Face smooth as stone, Lavinya watched as two young girls were brought before her, both scowling darkly and looking rather bedraggled. Perhaps they were closer to womanhood, but Lavinya was losing her skill with naming a girl's age. Anyone who did not hold a shawl was a girl in her eyes, until the day they turned grey and old.

 

Lavinya's face gave away no hint of emotion as her dark eyes bore down on the two from where her chair was slightly raised on the dais. "You. What is your version of events?" Lavinya stared unwavering at the one and awaited her response with veiled impatience. Squabbling whores no doubt, fighting over a morsel of man-flesh.

 

 

Lavinya Morganen

Aes Sedai of the Gray Ajah

 

 

 

Rory was close to breathing fire when she finally found herself standing in front of the Aes Sedai. She was tired, unimpressed and thoroughly peevish. She had work to do, business to attend to, drinking and merryment to engage in. This was not happening today. The drunken scow had finally fallen silent, thank the Light, every time she spoke it brought Rory that much closer to renewing her assault. Whinge, whinge; whine, whine. Houses fell on people like that. A few solid slaps would have set the wench to rights and made Rory feel that much better in the process.

 

Her version? Her version? And what was with that look. The old bat wasn't that fresh looking herself. Rory was very close to that stage of impotent fury where unintelligble gurgling sounds and other expressions of irritation became very viable. It was only a simple tavern brawl, certainly nothing to bring to Miss High-and-Mighty Holier-Than-Thou Gray shawl. What gave her the right to look at anybody like that? Rory hated Tar Valon already. She wouldn't return. Next time someone else was doing it.

 

She took as many long deep breaths as she could before speaking, saying something insulting would be a very big mistake. There would be no drinking for hours at this rate and her ale would be warm. Aaaargh! Better to get it over with as quickly as possible, "I no be taking that. I be a guest in your city, and it no be presenting itself terribly well so far! All I be wanting be a cool mug of ale and a bit of a rest, and this," pointing to the now hated enemy, "be starting up a ruckas. Now I be a patient lass and no be brawling for sport, but I be having fill of that today. I lost my temper. She be deserving it, anyway."

 

Rory

 

 

Lavinya didn't care one whit what the two hoyden's had been fighting about. All she cared about was getting rid of them, sooner rather than later. This was a most tiresome chore, and to have the girl look at her with such contempt prickled. Let alone address her with such impudence! Did she not know what Lavinya was?

 

Tugging her shawl a little tighter about her like armour, Lavinya narrowed her gaze as her jaw set. "You will take what I give you, girl." Ignoring both girls alike, Lavinya turned her gaze to the dutiful guard in attendance. "Fine them both, whatever coin they have on them." Ignoring the gasps of outrage Lavinya continued as she stood. "And if there is trouble from either of them again, perhaps a flogging would be in order."

 

Amused at the fury aimed her way, Lavinya stepped down from the dais, striding haughtily past the bedraggled women. "Take them away." Lavinya smiled, sugary sweet as she passed the one who had spoken, Rory, she would later learn. And she stopped. Suddenly, surprise in her eyes. Was she mistaken? The guard made to jostle Rory out, and Lavinya held up her hand. "Wait."

 

Lavinya studied the girl. No, she was not mistaken, not this close. She could feel channelling within the tower, as always, but this she felt from Rory. A wilder? Whether she had channelled or not, Lavinya could feel the spark, the answering echo to her own gift. "This one should see the Mistress of Novices." This time her smile was cruel.

 

 

Lavinya

Aes Sedai of the Gray

 

 

Rory had never been so incensed, so outraged, in all her life. Now they were taking her purse? The young woman’s face reddened and her vision lost focus. She almost swooned from the adrenaline. Her father would hear about this. Rory reflected upon her own eagerness to come and see the ‘brilliant’ Tar Valon—light damn that idea. Light damn the idea, the ale houses and taverns; the city, and most of all, the nasty cow mooing in front of her!

 

Rory was close to attacking the guard who stupidly attempted to usher her out—she’d remember his face. Oh yes—when gray cow motioned for him to wait. Rory inwardly smiled as she played through a scenario of her slapping the woman like a new-born baby. That would have been peachy, not that she thought she could actually manage it. Those guards looked as though they took their duties very seriously.

 

Mistress of Novices, what in the light was that? How much more trouble could she really get into. This day would most certainly rank high on her list of unpleasant experiences, and she had had some doozies. Something in the way the tone was delivered seemed out of place, and secretly, in her heart of hearts, Rory became afraid.

 

Rory

 

Pia's gaze was shrewd as she took in the girl brought to her office. Marched there by guards, no less, and overseen by one of her Ajah Sisters. The briefest of explanations had been given before Pia saw them out, the door closing behind them with a thread of air, before her attention was once more turned to Rory. She was angry, that was evident, but there was something more. Confusion?

 

Waving to a chair, Pia's smooth facade was unwavering as she silently regarded the girl, for regardless of her years, they numbered not nearly so many as Pia's.  Brought to the tower for some petty theft; yet Lavinya had been certain she possessed the spark. Rory may not understand what that meant, but Pia certainly did - this girl would eventually channel, if left to her own devices. That was if Lavinya Sedai had been correct.

 

Fetching her clear green gem from a drawer, Pia let it dangle from it's chain in her hand as walked around her desk to stand in front of Rory. Thus far the girl had not made to run at least, but all the same Pia had embraced the source. She did not take well to insolence, particularly in her own office. Let the girl be tested, at the very least.

 

"Lavinya Sedai seems to think you have the ability to channel." At last she broke the silence, her voice filled with the natural authority that came with her position and so many years as an Aes Sedai. She held the gem aloft. "We shall see." Not 'would you like to find out?', or 'shall we see?' - Pia commanded, and the girl seemed dumbfounded or perhaps curious enough not to argue.

 

"Focus on the gem. Empty your mind of all thoughts, save the gem." And thus she continued, her voice a measured chant, waiting for the spark to manifest itself. It did not take long; Lavinya had not been mistaken. Pia felt, as well as saw the flash of light illuminating the gem as Rory touched and channelled Saidar, albeit briefly. And finally she smiled.

 

"It is true then. Congratulations child, you can channel."

 

 

Pia Tovisen

Mistress of Novices

Rory wanted to scream, she wanted to throw a fit; she wanted to hit the other woman over the head with her chair; yell at her; degrade her. Hit. Bite. Scratch, anything to vent the impotent fury osmotically forcing its way into every cell of her body.  Why was no one coming, why were they allowed to treat her like this? Take her from her home, take away her decisions. It wasn’t fair. No. It wasn’t just unfair; it went so far beyond unfair that it became ridiculously unrealistic.

 

There was no expressing it, no ratifying, no “coming to grips” with the level of pure lack of choice she felt. She could do nothing. They would not let her leave; they would merely escort her farther down the halls to the next woman with even more degrading patronisation. If she resisted the guards would come. If she yelled no one would hear her. She was trapped. Trapped, alone and in a place frightening, foreign, it looked as those abducting women was something those people did routinely, none of them even batted an eye at her plight. Monsters.

 

She felt drained, tired and weak, as though her heart had stopped beating and her blood flow had slowed to a crawl. Unconsciously her eyes closed and she left the room, the terrible room within the horrible tower within the evil city. She was home again, with her father and mother who loved her. Dancing, laughing....

 

Pia studied the girl silently, brow furrowing in thought as she grew pale. She had seen all manner of reactions from new initiates in her time as Mistress of Novices, but none had seemed to grow so distant. She waited a moment, then several more. "Rory?" Pia asked, concern threading into her voice. A gentle hand lifted to touch her shoulder...nothing. A small shake. "Rory? Are you alright?" Still the girl seemed to stare, off in a world of her own.

 

Weaving air just so, Pia gave the girl a sound slap to the cheek. Rory blinked and looked at her, but seemed little more animate. Pia sighed in frustration. She had records to keep, how was she supposed to get the information from Rory now? Being disorganised irritated Pia, but there was little to be done for it now; she would simply get the details at a later date. Perhaps Rory just needed time to allow the news to sink in.

 

Walking arounf the chairs to the door, Pia halted a passing accepted. "Go fetch Saline, tell her I wish to see her in my office immediately." The girl curtseyed and dashed off, leaving Pia to turn back to the still silent novice. Well would be novice. She was yet to be properly signed in. With a frustrated sigh, Pia gathered several white dresses from a large chest, she believed they would be a close fit. Adding shift and stockings to the pile, she sat back at her desk to wait for Saline. Perhaps the Accepted would be a calming influence and could help pull the girl from her trance. If not, she was sure any number of Yellows would be interested to look at the girl. Hopefully she could spare Rory from that, at the least.

 

Pia Tovisen

Mistress of Novices

The Big Green Machine is back by popular demand

 

 

"So, lemme get this straight," Timmons mumbled as he lined out what she had repeated verbatim from the Mistress of Novices (wasn’t so hard to say, was it?), "yon lass came here to drink, maybe sight-see, and gets arrested. For fighting. " One finger went up then the second joined the first as he remonstrated, slow but sure. "You take her money; throw her in front of lecturing women who tell her she has to stay here, and they pass her onto you." (She wants that money back, by the way )

 

Saline closed her eyes; lay back into the sleepy garden her hands helped create, but her feigned sleep fooled him not. Without waiting for verbal confirmation, the aging gardener went on counting off the grievances as another might blessings. "And now you want to keep her. Not possible. She would not want to stay, 'Aline. Oh, you may get a happy Novice on the outside, but she's not there anymore, not Rory the person. Right now she has surrendered but a young woman like her, she'll keep trying to get out, and one day you'll be left wondering where it all went wrong if you're not careful."

 

"She'll get over it," was the faint reply. "To be in control, women like us are able to learn (some of us better than others *pointed*). Rory is a rare one though; only two or three percent of channellers have the natural spark. She has to learn, willing or no. And if she does not control herself where Saidar is concerned, she may as well be dead right now."

 

"You're not getting what I'm saying, 'Aline. She has no desire to learn. You want her to understand your intentions, sure, but what about her mindset? This is where her head is, probably back at home with her loving folks. You mean no harm, and yet you may still hurt her, with the best of intentions."

 

Nodding firmly now: "I shall start her training, and connexions can be developed in time. I am decided."

 

Timmons is right, Saline thought as her mind replayed the events of the day:

 

She had been summoned to the Mistress of Novices’ study, and expected to conduct the usual tour de tower before sending the newly enrolled Novice off to bed. Her latest charge was frightened. The shallow rise and fall of her chest gave the only evidence of life, so dazed was she. Still, Rory stood in a graceful pose, and as the Aes Sedai explained her story, Saline would glance to check on the girl. Normally Pia Sedai would not give a background briefing, and Saline would not have asked, but seeing how the girl was doing her darnedest to emulate a statue, the Accepted asked some questions. The answers were not satisfactory, and her face dimmed as the Mistress of Novices’ continued....

 

Curtseying deeply, Saline interjected: "she looks tired; perhaps it would be best if I take her to the room for some rest, Aes Sedai."

 

When she had Rory to herself, she smoothed out the dresses and smiled. Nothing registered on the other's face, not even a twitch. Hand wave. Still no go.

 

"Rory?"

 

"I'd read you a story, but have none at hand." Sitting the girl on one of the three beds in the small enclosure she would call home for the next five years, Saline resisted a sudden temptation to tickle her. She tucked her in instead, knowing that the Tower was the only place that would protect her. "I'll be back to check on you when you wake."

 

She would let Rory get used to the room and think about her current situation before giving her a tour of the Tower. For now she wanted solitude, and she knew of just the place.

 

 

Saline

I was here!