Zaire's head was full of thoughts when she layed down to sleep. Before long, she fell asleep and she dreamt about her time at the White Tower.

 

***

 

The next morning, she woke up to Aramina Sedai's voice. "Zaire, you need to wake up. We must be on our way soon." The Aes Sedai left the room and Zaire got up. She dressed herself and grabbed her bags, seeing that the Aes Sedai's weren't there. She followed the Aes Sedai down to the common room where she was eating her breakfast. She sat down and started on the plate that was set up in front of Aramina's. Zaire was barely awake, so she didn't say a word to the Aes Sedai, or even the serving girl when she came around to refill her milk.

 

After breakfast, they went to the stable where Aramina Sedai had a stable boy ready their horses. After several minutes of playing with hay between her fingers, they were up on their mares and leaving the small town they had stopped in for the night. They rode for several hours with little conversation, save for comments on what a beautiful day it was.

 

"I beg your pardon Aramina Sedai, but how much longer a ride is it to Tar Valon?" That was the first question Zaire had asked the woman since the night before and it hurt her brain to ask it, but she, once again, was curious and was getting impatient. She hated being impatient. It was something that had hurt her since her birthday. Some things were easy for her to wait for but others just made her itch in her seat.

"I beg your pardon Aramina Sedai, but how much longer a ride is it to Tar Valon?"

 

Aramina watched the girl as they rode. She seemed to be in deep thought as they moved out of the city. She didn't blame her. Times were changing, as they always did, but it was no less mind boggling for those involved to know it would always continue to change. For Aramina, time was an old lover you embraced with your heart in your youth and later cursed at it's absence. She had too little time to accomplish everything she wanted in the world. Little trips like these though, they refreshed her and let her remember why she had fought so hard to become Aes Sedai. Watching the girl beside her, she remembered why she had clung to the Tower when she had lost the only thing she had ever truely loved.

 

"Long enough for us to get to know one another better." Aramina said, allowing no further questions on the subject. A matter of principle really. It was a superfilious question, one she need not answer. They'd see the White Tower long before they arrived. It was enough warning for her. "What is it you hope to achieve at the White Tower?" She asked. "You will do as your mother asks certainly, but what else will it gain you?"

 

"What is it you hope to achieve at the White Tower?" She asked. "You will do as your mother asks certainly, but what else will it gain you?"

 

Zaire didn't mean to stall answering Aramina Sedai's question, but she wasn't sure how to answer it. She also wasn't sure what the Aes Sedai would do if she didn't answer the question soon enough; it might seem to her that Zaire was completely ignoring it.

 

"Aramina Sedai..." she began but didn't finish it. She swallowed hard and looked around. She played with the reins inbetween her fingers. "I think, I have decided that I will not do this for my mother anymore. I will do this for me. I-I want to become Aes Sedai. I no longer need to." She looked at Aramina Sedai through the corner of her eye, noticed her smiling and added, "I don't know if you understand how hard this is for me to admit, Aramina Sedai. I am a very strong-willed person and I would usually never admit that I was wrong." She continued looking around and ignored the feeling of how the Aes Sedai was looking at her and the tear that was sliding down her cheek.

"Aramina Sedai..." The girl paused for a second but continued after a moment. Aramina watched her nervous reactions and wondered what was bothering her.

 

"I think, I have decided that I will not do this for my mother anymore. I will do this for me. I-I want to become Aes Sedai. I no longer need to. I don't know if you understand how hard this is for me to admit, Aramina Sedai. I am a very strong-willed person and I would usually never admit that I was wrong."

 

Aramina smiled slighty, but there was nothing malicious about it. She had hoped that in time the girl would think of the White Tower as something other than a requirement of her mother. The Light knew people came to the Tower for their own reasons, but she had hoped that somewhere in the young girl there would be a desire to learn.

 

"A strong will is good to have and it will see you through many things." Aramina said. "The Tower demands much from us, but I think you might be strong enough for what is ahead of you. You Mother might have demanded that you come here, but you will learn that the Tower is a wonderous place if you will allow yourself to see it so. The choice ahead of you will give you more options than you have ever known."

 

Zaire let the tears fall down her cheeks and listened to the Aes Sedai. She had been broken and it was too much for her to handle. She would find the White Tower to be a wonderful place to be, but it would be hard for Zaire to admit it. She nodded her head to Aramina Sedai's reply and continued riding in silence.

 

Hours later, the tears that had fallen, dried and made her cheeks itch. The ride became harder and harder for her to bear because of the awkard silence that had thrived so well in Zaire's upset mood. "Aramina Sedai," Zaire thought the woman would have jumped if she hadn't been Aes Sedai, "I am glad my mother sent me. I feel I can become strong and do my very best to achieve my goal of Aes Sedai. I do this for me. And Aes Sedai," Zaire added, "Thank you for helping me realize that this is what I want to do." She looked over to Aramina and smiled.

"Aramina Sedai, I am glad my mother sent me. I feel I can become strong and do my very best to achieve my goal of Aes Sedai. I do this for me. And Aes Sedai," Zaire added, "Thank you for helping me realize that this is what I want to do."

 

She looked at Aramina then and smiled lightly. Aramina returned it with a small smile of her own. She often wondered, in moments like this, if her Sisters would know what to think if they saw the way she responded to the outside world. Aramina was the picture of composure in the Tower. Outside it though, Aramina was whatever she needed to be to get the job done.

 

"You are welcome Zaire. We all come to the Tower with different expectations, but I wanted you to come for your own reasons and not someone elses. For someone else you might not have made it through your novice training. For yourself though, I think you'll see this through. I think someday you and I will be Sisters." She said encouragingly.

 

Zaire smiled and returned her gaze back to the road in front of her. Sisters one day, huh? Well, I wouldn't know about that. Aes Sedai can be strange sometimes. Well, I guess I better get used to it, I may very well become one. I will become Aes Sedai.

 

They rode on for days, nearly weeks, having pleasant conversations. Some pertaining the Tower, others pertaining to the outside world and people and cultures. Zaire took it all in like a deep breath when you had no oxygen left. She felt a special relationship with Aramina Sedai, and no doubt, they would always get along and be friends, even, one day.

 

One morning, as they rode down the Tar Valon road, Zaire thought she saw something glittering from the sunlight in the distance. She lost her breath, thought she was silly, and regained it again, asking, "Aramina Sedai, is that..?"

 

"Yes it is, child," Aramina said with a laugh. Zaire couldn't believe it. She had heard about it in stories, some straight from Aramina herself, but just that tiny sparkle of light was exhilarating! She suddenly couldn't wait to arrive. By the end of the day, if my sense of time and distance are still intact. They rode on, Zaire almost bouncing in her saddle because she was anxious to get there.

 

Finally, when the sun was in between it's zenith and the horizon, they were approaching the white-arched bridges of Tar Valon.

As they approached Tar Valon Aramina could help the sense of homecoming that filled her. It did everytime she made her way back to the city after her travels. The city truely was the only home she had ever known. Her village in Cairhein had been a place to live, a temporary stop in her desire to lead a greater life. Tar Valon had been another temporary stop. It was the White Tower itself that claimed Aramina's heart, had claimed her life long yeard before. Still, after hardship and loss, dangerous missions and politics that would test the strongest players in the Great Game, Aramina still looked upon the Tower with wonder and glad heart.

 

They rode through the city at a slow pace, partly because of the crowd that always lingered in the city and partly so Zaire could see the city. They passed merchants and inns of different quality and Aramina pointed out the places that she felt were appropriate for a young woman, should the girl be foolish enough to try to sneak out as a novice. Most inevitably tried and she thought Zaire just might be one that would succeed. Hopefully the girl would chose a place Aramina had mentioned and be the safer for it.

 

She pointed out other landmarks as they rode and places that she had been sent out most often as an Accepted, running erands for the Aes Sedai. The thought of it made her smile slightly and she thought it might be time to find a couple Accepted to send out into the city soon. Her own jaunts had been eye openers to the way of the world and had given her a tiny feeling of freedom.

 

"Tar Valon is the greatest city in the World." She said to Zaire. "And it revolves around the White Tower. Remember that when your studies seem to heavy. You are putting yourself in a position to great good in the World." She said.

 

Her eyes trailed over people they rode past, some going far enough to bow or curtsey at an Aes Sedai going through the city. Foreigners, of course. The people of Tar Valon went about their business, respectful and aware of the Aes Sedai, but continuing about their work.

 

Zaire took in all of the city she could. Compared to Caemlyn, this was a bit larger of a city, but they were both just as crowded. She couldn't, however, compare the presence of the White Tower. Caemlyn could never compare to that. They rode, with Aramina pointing out places to her, why exactly, she had no idea. Aramina Sedai had said something about them being safe for a young woman but the point of it she didn't quite understand.

 

As they approached the steps to the White Tower, Zaire felt butterflies in her stomach. This she would remember for the rest of her life, and remember exactly how she felt. It was very soon that she would meet the Mistress of Novices and officially become a Novice. These were some of the things her and Aramina spoke of throughout the past weeks.

 

She followed Aramina Sedai to a stable where a young man, she found to be quite fit, handled their mares and saddles. She then led Zaire to the main entrance to the Tower. Everything that happened after was quite a blur to her.

 

ooc: ok, i still dont know this place very well but i would assume we transfer this post to the White Tower? and then the MoN comes and does her thing. i thought maybe zaire could be "in a blur" cuz i dont know how you guys do this.