Another Novice for you, by the name Syara Peron, she isn’t new, but I think you will like her all the more for it.

 

The past hours had gone by quite languidly until this message had arrived- she had painted, walked around the gardens and just generally done nothing. It was strange, having a day like this- she had always remembered Aes Sedai looking so busy, so very…occupied as an Accepted. And now that she was one herself, she found time standing still, dragging itself over its skirt and tripping and falling over, so that the days seemed longer and longer. Or maybe that was just the summer heat. Vera for one, had never liked the summer much. It had always been the rains that she had the most deep rooted love for. How she wished they would come and shower down some peace for her now, amidst all the sweat and swelter.

 

Syara Peron. The name was not a familiar one. Which was a surprise, considering how much importance she gave Novices. Some-no, most- might laugh at her, but she believed it was in them that their future lay and after all, was not the future everything? Living for the moment was hardly practical these days, Lyra had told her. Well, she’d learn then. She had to improve, she had to become better. Just to prove herself. Ambition is a dangerous thing, but more dangerous than ambition, is determination, Shayna had once proclaimed long ago, during one of her wild mad rushes of pretending like she knew everything. Those times used to impress Vera so deeply for in her pretence, Shayna had been something quite...brilliant. Rising, she rang for Mierie and it took less than a few seconds for the woman to appear.

 

“Is there anything I can do, m’lady?â€

 

Vera sighed. No matter how much she had tried, no matter how much she had pushed for their relationship to go beyond masked faces and polite words, it hadn’t worked. Mierie was of course at least 20 years her senior and a woman heavily ruled by tradition and custom. And rules and custom stated that servants did not talk to their mistresses- especially not Aes Sedai-with warm smiles and merry tones. Formality, Respect, Decorum. Golden words, golden rules. And even more golden days it seemed.

 

“Yes, please. I would like for you to have Syara Peron summoned to my rooms. She is a Novice.â€

 

“Of course, m’lady.â€

 

There were days for change, for revolution. Apparently, this was not one of them.

 

OOC: so, instead of doing a class straight of, I thought= "hey, why not let 'em get to know each other a bit...et voila, I wrote this out. :) I hope it's alright.

 

Vera's rooms....I haven't thought about them as yet or what they would look like, so feel free to say what you like if you need to describe them. :)

Your Mentor Aleanda Sedai has due to other concerns been forced to hand you over to another Aes Sedai. Your new Mentor is Vera Sedai. She will contact you

 

That had been yesterday, and Syara had spent the day wondering about her new Mentor. Aleanda Sedai had been, well not really harsh or severe, just cold. Reserved and distant, it seemed that Syara had been no more than another chore for the Aes Sedai. One more thing that kept her from her real passions.

 

Although it seemed all the White Sisters were like that, always focused, always putting thinking before doing. That was not Syara at all, she had decided that thinking stopped you from doing things, it was much more fun to do, and think about the consequences later. Of course that had gotten her in a spot of trouble more than once, but she always managed to wriggle out one way or another.

 

Either way, Syara hoped Vera Sedai wasn't from the White Ajah. Or if she was, maybe she would be thoughtful in a kind way, rather than thinking thoughts that flew over everyone's heads. But she was about to find out, so there was no time to be wasted thinking about it.

 

Her day had been uneventful other than this summons by one of the myriad servants in the Tower. Chores first, then classes, then lunch, then more classes. And chores later tonight most likely. Summer and a hot sun had combined to drain her of her strength lately. Living in the Borderlands Syara had grown to love the colder seasons. The white winters and mutli-hued Autumns when most people bundled up inside had been when Syara felt most alive. Right now she felt like lying down and never moving again, but that probably wouldn't be taken well by the Mistress of Novices so Syara forced herself to keep going.

 

The servant indicated which door led to Vera Sedai's rooms, curtseyed and left Syara standing alone in the hallway. Returning her thoughts to the here and now Syara realised she was in the Gray Ajah's wing. Which made Syara even less sure about the temperament of her new Mentor. She hadn't done more than curtsey to a Gray Sister in passing and only knew that they were skilled mediators and diplomats.

 

Straightening her hair and smoothing her dress Syara knocked on the door.

 

"Please come in Syara."

 

Pushing through the open door Syara ignored the room, instead focusing her attention on the woman standing in the middle of it. Her new Mentor had a cheerful countenance and and slightly mischevious set to her features. Syara warmed to her immediately.

 

"Hello Vera Sedai, I was told you are to be my new mentor."

 

ooc: sorry for the short if rambly post, Im a little distracted at the moment :p

Emerald fire for eyes, red hair that glinted gold in the rays of light. The twinkle, the intelligence, the warmth that her smile held. Of course she knew her. She had helped Vera long years ago; she had been the only one who had smiled all through their toilsome days in the garden. Or rather, the mess that became the garden. All three had been quite brilliant, she had thought. Quick learners, faces to remember. Of course she knew her! But then, the garden chore had been important to Vera. A precious memory. And one well worth its importance, she thought with a smile. Syara obviously, could not remember her. The Light alone would know the number of Accepted who had crossed paths with the woman before her, ordered her about and made her smile her sunny fascia as she was allocated chores of any standard and demand.

 

Earnest, Eager, Emotional. Well done, Syara Peron. “It’s nice to meet you, Syara.†Oh yes, this would turn out well. “You’re not new here, so we can’t possibly ramble on about your first day, nor can I show you around the gardens in hope to see you awed and struck by the Tower’s beauty, but I can still get to know you. Or try very hard anyway.†She added mirthfully. Pulling the cord that brought Mierie to her door with alarming alacrity, Vera turned and looked at Syara once more. “I was just about to have lunch and I’m sure you haven’t eaten anything- or enough, if you have. What would you like?â€

 

Upon hearing her answer, Vera found herself nodding slightly with approval. Polite, but not afraid. Good. No, excellent. As Mierie left the room once more, she was pleased to see Syara seat herself opposite her. Confident. “How about something simple to start with- how are you?†It was the simplest question in the world, one word, two words, it could be answered with ease. It was the most difficult question in the world, for that one word was a reflection of just how you were or rather, how honest you were to yourself. She would see now. In the past few minutes of Syara having entered the room, Vera had been summing her up, noting, observing, calculating. It was her natural instinct to do so, she realized. Nyssa had really ingrained her principles well in Vera. She seemed like the person she was on the surface, but what with the pasts some Novices had, one never really knew.

 

She would see now.

Syara was warming to Vera at an alarming rate. The Aes Sedai had actually offered food to Syara, a lowly, unimportant Novice no less! She had always been susceptible to bribery, but maybe this wasn't. Maybe Vera actually did think about other people. That would be a novelty in Syara's book. An Aes Sedai who wasn't self-centered. Well she would have to wait and see if that was the case. But she certainly wouldn't pass up the offer of food, bribe or not.

 

Quickly making her order Syara moved to sit opposite Vera. The seat was comfortable, an abberation to Syara, who was well used to hard benches or in most cases, not sitting at all. The wonderful life of the Novice, future of the Tower, not so incredible when seen from the inside. But still, it would be surely worth it once she got her hands on the oath rod.

 

A question from her new mentor broke her musings.

 

"How are you?"

 

How was she? Someone had bothered to ask, and Syara had to fight against the impulse to answer in detail. If Vera was to become a friend, as Syara hoped, she would have to treat her as one.

 

"I am fine, thank you for asking Vera Sedai. Although I wouldn't mind cooler weather, or maybe a few less trips to the kitchen."

 

She couldn't help herself, she never could. But then Vera didn't seem all that authoritarian. Maybe she would let Syara's comment slide. Or maybe not, either way Syara was sure she wouldn't be getting a reduction in chores anytime in the next decade.

 

But moving on, yes, moving on as fast as she could would be a good idea right now.

 

"How are you? If I may ask Vera Sedai."

 

~Syara~

 

ooc: hope you like it, it certainly took long enough....:p

It took one answer from her new protégé for Vera to decide that Syara had made into her good books, and made it in well that too. First impressions were all well and done, but her first simple test for the white clad girl before her had been to simply…talk, and as the answer coursed its way into her ears, the Gray Sister decided that approval was due, and thus, given. Definitely, given. While Vera wouldn’t have personally minded Syara talking more, she hadn’t babbled either, instead slipping out words in an easy manner that held an undercurrent of that one word every Novice walked hand in hand with: civility. Vera wondered thoughtfully who the girl’s previous mentor had been- surely whoever the Sister was wouldn’t have given up on Syara had it not been some dire need for her, elsewhere. A Blue perhaps…

 

"How are you? If I may ask Vera Sedai."

 

Smiling as she heard her mentee’s question, Vera replied without much thought over the matter. “Of course you may ask, Syara. And.. well honestly, a little less occupied than I would like, but I think it shall work out well, seeing as this gives me a better chance to assist you and my other mentees as I can.” A rap on the door made her pause, and Vera called out for Mierie to enter, knowing that their food had arrived. The slender, steady hands of Mierie Vandrich were the first things that appeared through the door, clutching a large tray. The tray was laden with cream-white plates, that were further covered in very best from the kitchens. Delicacies or desserts, Vera had instructed that she had wanted a little bit of everything Mistress Laras thought as suitable. It seemed that she had thought quite a lot was. Nodding as Mierie put down one last such tray, that held a peculiarly colored jelly of sorts she saw, Vera turned to speak to Syara. “All Sisters had been Novices after all, and I thought this would be something you might enjoy. I certainly did when my mentor Telcia had given me such a feast. Go on, help yourself.”

 

There were still many questions Vera had to ask, things she felt it was necessary to know about her mentee, but she decided to remain quiet for the moment. It was with a thrill of pleasure that she saw the look on Syara’s face, and decided that she had chosen well. With a smile, Vera picked up a butter biscuit, that was covered in hardened sugar grains. It looked like today would turn out well, after all.