Learning the difference between Novice and Accepted

[Aleera]

Summary: Accepted Lona provides instruction to Novice Aleera, about what it means to be an Accepted, demonstrates a complex healing weave, and then provides some instruction to aid Aleera on handling more flows of the One Power.

Main characters: Lona, Aleera
Guest appearance: Aelrena

The Warders' Practice Yard
A large expanse of bare ground at least fifty paces across and nearly twice
as long stretches forth, its earth beaten hard. At intervals around it
under the trees stand wooden stands holding quarterstaffs and practice
swords made of strips of wood bound loosely together, and a few real swords
and axes and spears. A large gray stone building lies to the east, home to
the warder students and those warders who are not sharing quarters with
their Aes Sedai in the main Tower structure itself.

Lona looks out on the young men practicing under the watchful eyes of Coulin Gaidin. There was something grounding to hearing the clang of steel against steel, no saidar involved, just physical prowess and quick minds. A soft breeze on her half veil brought a bit of cold as she looked over to the novice. "You are new I think?"

Aleera nods to the Master of Arms as she fills her water flask at the basin. Perhaps having been distracted by the students, she had missed Lona at first. She dips a quick curtsey, "Yes, Accepted. I am."

Lona smiles softly behind her near translucent half veil covering her nose and mouth, honey colored braids lifting slightly in the fall breeze. "I am Lona, from the west, and you are?"

Aleera offers a small smile, "I'm Aleera. I'm from," and she hesitates for the smallest of moments before finishing, "a village north of Amador." She glances down for a moment, then pulls out a small piece of paper tucked into her belt. She considers for a moment, then asks, "If you're free, I mean if it isn't too much trouble, would you mind working with me a little? Tolza Sedai gave me pretty specific instructions to seek out one or more Accepted to ask for help." At her side, her fingers fidget a little bit with a note held in hand.

Lona nods looking to Aleera with knowing eyes. "I am not of the shawl yet, though I hope to be in time. Even so, I believe I understand what Tolza Sedai means. It is something every girl must go through. Tell me Aleera of the south, what do you know of the banded dress?"

Aleera's tongue peeks from between her lips as she considers her answer. She doesn't consider over long, likely due to a tongue thrashing or two over being a bit slow. She shares, "I believe it represents a commitment. On your part. On the White Tower's part. It is a promise to serve, or perhaps to find
the way in which you'll serve."

Aelrena has arrived from the west.

Aelrena looks at Coulin the Master of Arms.

Aelrena whispers something to Coulin the Master of Arms.

Lona looks from the novice back to the men then back to the novice catching a rustling for brown from the side and droping into a curtsy head bowed. "Peace Favor you Aes Sedai."

Aelrena whispers something to Coulin the Master of Arms.

Aleera stands near to Lona, in conversation, a sheet of paper held in her hand. She turns as Lona speaks to Aelrena and drops in a low curtsey.

Aelrena nods at Lona.

Aelrena nods at Aleera.

Aelrena says 'Carry on, I trust that an Accepted is not leading one of our novices wrong in study.'

Aelrena's lips twitch up slightly at the corners.

Aelrena leaves south.

Lona nods as the Aes Sedai walks off. "Now let us explore your concept further Aleera."

Aleera nods her head, attentive. "Please," she implores.

Lona holds up her left hand the great serpent ring on her middle finger and gentle removes it. Holding it she lets the fall sunlight sparkle on it letting the novice see the detail. "To become Accepted is not just a promise to serve, it has little to do with the outside world."

Aleera looks to the ring and how the light glints through it, scintillating. She asks, "Is it more about yourself? One's own resolve?"

Lona smiles softly looking the novice directly in the eyes as she slides the ring back on her left middle finger. "To become Accepted, is to face your fears, and declare to the Tower and yourself that you give up your past life, and any other life you could have had to train to become Aes Sedai, or to perish trying."

Aleera takes that in. She gives a sharp bob of her head. "I see. I mean, as much as I can. I've heard whispers about the first, but I imagine that isn't something one really understands until they've done it." She then tries to echo, paraphrasing as she processes it, "A true commitment then, giving
of oneself utterly and completely."

Lona says 'A wise Aes Sedai once said, when the time comes, you must do it for you, if you are doing it for anyone else you fill fail. Each girl is ready in her own time. I myself took a little longer to understand it all and myself. There is no shame in not being ready.'

Aleera seems appreciative of the advice offered. "I'm trying to figure out what I want," she begins, "I've been pressed by a couple of the Aes Sedai on my aspirations and wants. I gave an answer initially." She pauses before allowing, "Almost certainly too large in scope. After though, I've
wondered if it isn't more about how I am needed, versus my own desires."

Aleera adds, "If we're to be Servants of All."

Lona nods and sighs slightly. "I face the same decision with an apprenticeship, to decided on just one Ajah to specialize with is difficult. Yet I have learned so much in trying to."

Aleera offers a kind smile and word, "I am sure you will end up just where you need to be." She then shares "Some of the Tower, reminds me of my mother. I wonder if some of the difficult choices are just purposeful as such, preparing us for future difficult decisions that cannot be undone.
Practice of a different sort."

Lona hears a grunt and looks to the practice yard, some youngling and sliced his forearm open trying to play at being Gaidin. With quick thinking she moved motioning for the novice to follow as she made her way to the boy. Blood had begun to pour out, no Aes Sedai in sight she knelt down pushing
her sleeves up. "You know how to cure light wounds Aleera?"

Aleera follows after. She nods at Lona's questions, "I know the weave, yes."

Aleera lowers herself to the ground, beside Lona and the youngling.

Lona looking at the scene she acts quickly two other young men propping the injured one up. "Hold his arm up straight to reduce the blood flow please. "Reaching to her left she grabbed the man’s wide pant hem and ripped it creating a makeshift band of cloth. With steady hands she wrapped it around
his arm above the cut tying it tight. "This is a tourniquet, it will greatly reduce the flow of blood while I work Aleera, you will learn the difference now between Novice and Accepted."

Aleera watches carefully as the Accepted directs the other young men and ties off the wound, staunching some of the blood flow.

Lona with the band in place she lowers the arm "You train at the white tower so permission is granted to heal, hold still, this may feel uncomfortable. "Embracing the source three thin flows of spirit spiral around her right arm and down past her palm entering the man’s body giving her knowledge of any aliment within. "This is delving, healing without it will only heal the wounds you can see, as far as I can tell he is in perfect health outside of the deep cut."

Aleera 's eyes track and follow the flows, trying to commit them to memory. "I see, and that makes sense. If there were something deeper, unseen, it could be a problem."

Lona releasing the flows of spirit she opens herself further to saidar the power glowing around her as she pulls five flows of water, two flows of spirit and one flow of earth to bind it allowing the weave to snap into place between her hands before placing her right hand over the wound using it as
a guide to let the weave (cure serious wounds) settle into the man. Flesh sprung to life re-knitting it's self as the weave settled leaving no scar, only dried blood were a gash once was.

Lona Breathing a little heavy she leaned back letting the man rest. "No novice can safely produce that weave.”

Aleera nods and says, "I've not held so many threads of Water, or so many threads period."

Lona taking a hand from Coulin Gaidin she stands up "See he has food and rest, that wound was deep and the weave used was strong. Should there be any side effects please seek out an Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah."

Aleera rises up, giving a shake to her skirts to knock free some stray debris caught on the hem.

Lona nods a bead of sweat trickling down her neck from the strain. "That will come with time Aleera, The Aes Sedai would not think you potential for the arches if you did not have the strength to one day join them, in the power that is."

Aleera steels herself and says, "I hope so. I want to show that taking me in here was the right decision."

Lona says 'If you like we can work on holding more of the power. I have some techniques that can help. Not all my training before the tower was destructive. '

Lona tilts her head allowing her collar scar to show.

Aleera inclines her head and tells Lona, "Yes, please, I would appreciate any insights you might have. I promise to be attentive."

Lona looks about seeing the practice yard still full and nods. "We should move somewhere a little less crowded. Saidar can be unpredictable when learning and we would put those without ability to channel in danger."

Aleera gives a sharp bob of her head, "Quite. I've had it get a little away from me."

Lona leads the way to less trafficked part of the White Tower.

In the Sloping Hallway
Constricting the spine of the structure, this curving corridor snakes its
way upwards. The pale white stone that gives the White Tower its name
covers all surfaces, excepting two colorful bands of floor tiles in a wavy
pattern. Delicately carved birds and insects hide in the frieze of leaves
that adorns the wall above a wall hanging that depicts a city being
destroyed during the Breaking of the World.

Lona looks about seeing the hallway clear of other traffic. "This will do nicely, I used to come here to practice my flows as well."

Lona looks to Aleera. "Let us see what you can do on your own. Is there any element that is stronger for you?"

Aleera takes in the hall, commenting, "Everything is so beautiful here. It just feels ... I'm not sure how to describe it. It is so different from my home that I can't believe it at times." She answers Lona's question, "Sarinda Sedai had me working on Ice Spikes. Water and Air come most readily to me."

Lona nods thinking on her knowledge of weaves before embracing saidar. Pulling four flows of water from the air around them and two flows of air from near her she allows them to weave together producing a simple translucent coin. “A weave seldom used but good to train with."

Aleera squints as she watches, clearly having not seen that weave before. She then asks, "Shall I try?"

Lona nods staying embraced. "Try and see if you can produce it. Do not focus on the weave, focus on the element you are trying to pull."

Aleera allows some tension to drop out of her neck and shoulders as she opens herself, embracing the Source. The fingers on her right hand move smoothly as one, two, and then a third flow of water slide down her arm and along her fingers. A fourth one then starts to manifest, snaking down towards the others, but there, at the joining, they collide in a chaotic mess instead of an intricate weave.

Lona nods seeing the struggle and looks to the Novice, "Again."

Aleera says, "Yes, of course." She closes her eyes and lets out a slow, steadying breath. The initial three flows come fairly readily again; it's clear that she's had some practice hitting that particular threshold. The fourth comes into being more tentatively this time, slowly gliding along
her hand, gentle this time and not so forceful. It settles alongside the others. Hesitantly, she asks, "And then it was air, right?" The flows tremble a bit as she asks that.

Lona says 'Yes.'

Aleera swallows, head nodding gently. Another flow begins to materialize, air this time. Her hand and arm gain a slight tremor as she tries to hold them. Tendons grow taut in her neck as she begins to strain.

Lona watches the novice noticing the strain, she was not at risk of over channeling. "The strain you feel is partially mental, you are not near your strength yet. You must allow yourself to hold the weaves."

Aleera holds steady there, with the flows currently manifested. She doesn't try to add the sixth. Gradually her arm and hand grow more steady. With slow, practiced breaths, she releases the tension manifested in her neck. Only then does she reach for a second flow of air, inviting it to her.

Lona says 'That is good, now focus and finish.'

Aleera pushes forward with that reassurance. The sixth flow manifests, coiling lightly about her hand. The sixth gradually begin to twine about one another. Something starts to manifest, perhaps, before there is a pop and flash of light and sound as the weave collapses.

Aleera starts to exclaim, "Bl..." but stops herself, letting out a frustrated breath.

Lona nods and smiles proudly. "Do not be to hard on yourself. You have just done what you could not do. You held five flows of the one power at the same time. With more practice the weave will come."

Aleera clasps her hands before her rubbing them together, perhaps loosening some tension that had built up there as well. She nods and conjures a smile for Lona, "Yes, of course. Perspective. Thank you for that." She hastens to adds, "Both the words and the technique."

Lona lifts a hand touching her right temple. "Some blocks are physical, others come from within us. You have passed one block, to become Accepted you break many more."

Aleera allows her hands to fall loosely to her sides. "A lot of opportunity and growth. If it isn't hard,
I'm probably not really learning anything."

Lona says 'Some of the best lessons can be simple. The silent observer gleans much knowledge here. I hope I was able to help with your assignment from Tolza Sedai.'

Aleera nods and curtseys to Lona, "Yes, thank you Accepted Lona."

Lona says 'You are most welcome Novice Aleera, should you wish to chat more, I will make time as needed. For now, we should both be about our chores. Mistress Laras has a heavy hand...'

Aleera says, "Indeed. I have more dishes to see too, I am sure."

Lona looks to the left noticing a fellow Accepted and waves in greeting heading off to converse with her.

[Sarinda]

Base: 2
Special length bonus: 0
Rplizer: +1
Extra meticulous edit: 0
Summary: +1

Total:
Aleera: 4 RPQPs
Lona: 2 RPQPs

A very enjoyable read, and I find scenes like this very rewarding as a reader. Keep up the great work. lPlease say "receive" at a silver-haired Aes Sedai for your rewards.