The events from the previous day had been going through Tayva's mind over and over again like a skipping record. She remembered the weaves, all 100 of them, and the different things that had came to challenge her while she did the weaves. Every now and then she shivered once more at the things that she had seen and experienced in the ter’angreal. Get a grip Tayva! What is over is over. Get done with it. Grabbing hold of herself she led herself through it all once and what she deemed would be the last time...

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“Tayva ni Ayvery t'Reyon," Tayva almost jumped out of her skin as she heard the voice behind her as she was about to enter her quarters. Turning around she saw the Mistress of Novices standing over her, "You are summoned to be tested for the shawl of an Aes Sedai, the light keep you whole and see you safe.”

 

Simply nodding Tayva turned to follow the two Aes Sedai who had came to get her. As they wove deep within the depths of the tower Tayva could feel the butterflies grow in her stomach. She had practiced the weaves till she could do them all in her sleep, but she knew she wasn't going to be doing them in her sleep, nothing was ever that easy in the Tower. She remembered her Arches still and that was a full ten years ago. Since then her talents and her control had grown and she had grown more confident in her own ability, but that did nothing to quell the fear that she found settling into her bones more and more with each step.

 

They finally came upon a large set of doors that resembled a gate to a stronghold more than the entrance to a room. The Mistress of Novices opened herself to the One Power and used a flow of air carefully placed to swing open the doors revealing the room within. As Tayva followed her inside she looked around her curiously. The room was a quite large domed chamber. All along the walls were lined with lamps in order to provide illumination to the whole room. In the very center of the room stood a huge oval ring that seemed to glitter in the light from the lamps and stood up without any visible means of support.

 

As soon as her eyes landed on the ring Tayva's heart sank. She knew immediately that her next challenge lay inside the oval standing before her. Around the room there stood one Aes Sedai from each ajah evenly spaced apart. Each one stood there regally, shawls draped over their shoulders and watching the proceedings with the usual expressionless look that Aes Sedai seemed to have perfected. The Mistress of Novices raised her voice slightly as she gave the command, "Attend." As if on cue the Aes Sedai around the room all glided over to where they stood and engulfed the pair in a smaller version of the circle that they previously held.

 

Once they were all in place the Mistress of Novices continued, “You come in ignorance Tayva ni Ayvery t'Reyon, how would you depart?”

“In Knowledge of Myself.”

“For what reason have you been summoned here?”

“To be tried”

“For what reason should you be tried?”

“So that I may learn whether I am worthy.”

“For what would you be found worthy?”

“To wear the shawl.” Finally at the end of the questioning Tayva allowed herself a small sigh of relief.

 

The Mistress of Novices nodded and instructions were given to Tayva to remember certain things and then she was instructed to remove her clothes. She did so unthinking and watched as the Aes Sedai kneeled and channeled around the oval before she swallowed hard and stepped through the oval, blinded by light.

 

After that it was all a blur. She had done all the weaves in order, but more because of the rote that she had been practicing than acutal thought. She had just let her instincts take over. One weave after the other no matter what happened. She had been stretched, poked by spears, faced charging Trollocs and Myddral, and many other things. It was like she was watching the whole thing again in slow motion. If this is what it's like to be Aes Sedai... She didn't finish that thought. It couldn't be like that all the time, she knew, but it was still enough to make her wonder if this really was the path meant for her. There was no turning back now and she didn't even really want to, but sometimes a thread of doubt crept into her thoughts.

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A hand on Tayva's shoulder snapped her out of her reverie and back to the present. Looking up she saw that it was dawn already. She also was that there was an escort of Sisters waiting on her, one from each of the seven ajahs. Not a word was said between them as they wandered back to the room in which she had taken her testing the day before. This time when Tayva entered the room there was a differnt sight that awaited her. The escort stopped in front of the door and then lined up behind her, the Keeper of the Chronicles stood at the door and from within the Amyrlin spoke. “Who comes here.”

It took all of her strength to keep her voice steady but she managed to say, “Tayva ni Ayvery t'Reyon.” before it broke too badly.

“For what reason do you come.”

“To swear the three oaths and thereby claim the shawl of an Aes Sedai.”

“By what right do you claim this burden?”

“By right of having made the passage, submitting myself to the will of the White Tower.”

“Then enter, if you dare, and bind yourself to the White Tower.”

 

When Tayva entered the room and saw the Amyrlin framed by the angreal and the Keeper had picked up a velvet pillow with the oath rod sitting upon it. The entire Hall lined the walls of the room, it was intimidation at it's best to Tayva but she managed to put her fear aside and to step confidently into the room filled with women who towered above her in stature unaware that it came across as regal determination and grace. She stepped through the oval ter’angreal and knelt in front of the Amyrlin who then took the rod from the pillow and handed it to Tayva, placing it firmly in her grasp. Taking a deep breath Tayva spoke the words that would bind her to the Tower for the rest of her life.

 

“Under the light and by my hope of salvation and rebirth, I vow that I will speak no word that is not true.”

“Under the light and by my hope of salvation and rebirth, I vow that I will make no weapon for one man to kill another.”

“under the light and by my hope of salvation and rebirth, I vow that I will never use the One Power as a weapon except against shadowspawn, or in the last extreme of defending my life, or that of my warder, or another sister.”

 

Tayva felt a strange tightness cross her skin as the oaths settled in to her to for all eternity and then a strange satisfaction and peace came over her as well the feeling made all the hairs on her arms stand up. The Amyrlin spoke, “It is half done, and the White Tower graven on your bones. Rise now Aes sedai and choose your Ajah and all will be done that may be done under the Light.” When Tayva rose from her knees the rod was taken from her hand and replaced in it's spot on the pillow. As soon as she stood she turned towards the White sisters who took up a place at the opposite side of the room from the door. As soon as her direction was clear everyone else left the room the Hall first then the Amyrlin and Keeper. Standing alone in front of the four sisters of the White Ajah she made her request plain and audible, "I wish to ask for acceptance into the ranks of the White Ajah." They looked at each other for a second seemingly amused and then turned back to Tayva once more.

 

Taeadra Culthane spoke up, "Is there any reason why this Child should not join our ranks?" looking to her right and then her left and not getting any reason she then turned her attention once more to Tayva. "Welcome to the White Ajah, Tayva ni Ayvery t'Reyon. We now stand as your Sisters in the Light. May the Creator guide you on your path with love as he does with us all." With that the fourth Sister who had been at Taeadra's left produced a shawl which she draped over Tayva's shoulders. They then turned and left the room, Tayva following on their heels wearing nothing but the shawl and her pride. She was Aes Sedai now and nothing could make the smile leave her face as she was led through the hallways of the different Ajahs and then finally to the White Ajah quarters where she was led around all the hallways before being brought back to her own room where they stopped.

 

"Rest now and familiarize yourself with your new life Tayva Sedai." Taendra then turned on her heels and they all retreated to their own quarters. Upon stepping inside Tayva found that her things were already in her room. Her banded dresses were replaced now with dresses of fine silk. Picking out a white silk dress slashed with gray and dressing herself she then sat down in front of the desk and opened up the blank book sitting on top of it. It was the start of her new life and Tayva meant to document it all.

*bump*