Out of Touch [open to all]

[Ariadne]

[OOC: Hello, all! It's been a while since RL hijacked my intent to get involved on this site, so I'm just starting an RP to explain why both me and my characters may be a little out of touch, despite my attempt to digest all of the momentous events that have transpired since I last stuck my nose in around here. ^^; Anyone welcome to join in, and sorry in advance if I've got anything wrong. XD ]

[IC: ]

"Blood and ashes!"

Meriana Selidan threw her hood back to glare at the guardsman who barred her way. "Look at the face! The face!"

"Meriana Sedai - " one of the novices behind her began, hesitantly.

"Quiet, girl. Light! Is this Tar Valon or Tear? Has the Tower become so out of touch that the guardsmen can't recognise a Great Serpent ring when they see one?"

The guardsman made an involuntary step back. "Apologies, Aes Sedai. Truly, I am sorry, but in these troubled times we've been ordered to make absolutely - "

"Stop babbling and let us through, man! Go on, children. Megain, move your feet."

The novices obeyed quickly. Meriana followed behind them, muttering about "exile" and "so-called welcomes".

As she hurried along behind the other novices, all of them returning to the Tower after enduring months of hoeing vegetables on distant farms, the novice Megain Kestharin couldn't help but wonder if the idea to assign Meriana to monitor their progress and escort them homewards wasn't a cruel and unusual addition to the punishment Darienna had meted out all those months ago.

When they reached the Tower, Meriana snared a passing novice. "Child, do you know where Darienna is?"

The girl's expression turned panicky. "The Keeper of the Chronicles, Aes Sedai?"

Meriana raised a surprised eyebrow. "Keeper? Who is the Mistress of Novices?"

"Aleigha Sedai, Aes Sedai."

Meriana dismissed the novice with a gesture, frowning to herself.

"It seems things have changed," she muttered to herself, and then raised her voice. "Girls, go back to your rooms. The Mistress of Novices will deal with you in short order, I expect."

As the girls hurried away, glad of the chance to escape and beginning to talk among themselves, Merianna turned to properly take in her surroundings. Aesthetically, not much had changed. There were more guardsmen patrolling the Tower grounds, and - she grimaced - tighter security measures, it seemed, but for all these changes the Tower appeared much the same.

However, you weren't Raised to the Shawl - or raised on a farm - without knowing that the root of the weed was much more important than the leaves.

I need to readjust, she mused to herself. And I'd better do it quickly.

[Andrea]

The Blue Sister felt a great deal of happiness to be firmly out of the dreadful white dresses of the younger ranks. To prove that she was so delightfully happy, the woman had instantly had anything white in her wardrobe burned and all her clothes re-sown into delightfully colorful or more contemporary pieces. Today, Juliana was dressed in a simple strapless black gown, beads of blue and aquamarine littered the top and trim of the dress and then complemented beautifully with her solid blue shawl of the Aes Sedai. She was quite pleased with the change, and happy enough to not be wearing white that even novices and accepteds skittered out of her way -scared the smile was for some other reason- and she no longer cared.

She was Aes Sedai and that was all that mattered.

Of course, Juliana had more on her mind than simply her clothes. She itched to leave the Tower and see what had changed in the world, yet a few obvious points in her past hinted to her that maybe, just maybe it would be better for her to stay. It had barely been a week, and already she was at odds with herself. At the very least, she was hardly a woman easily walked on, even in the Blue Halls. Turning her head, an unfamiliar face entered the Halls, causing her to frown. She knew all the current Blue Aes Sedai in the Tower, this one must be returning.

"Aes Sedai?" It was surprising the effort that it took not to curtsey. Damn. "I do not believe we met, Juliana Sedai. And you are?"

[Ariadne]

Meriana looked around in surprise, not recognising the voice. Well, of course I don't. There will have been Sisters Raised since I was last in the Tower.

Within a couple of seconds she had placed the blonde woman she saw in front of her. Ah, Andreil's discovery. Amazing potential, as I recall... yes. I can sense it. Quite remarkable.

"Juliana, yes, I remember." She nodded and smiled. "I seem to recall teaching you when you first donned novice whites? I take it you have lost some of your resentment of the Tower since then."

Too late, she remembered that the woman was newly Raised, and thus would probably dislike being reminded of her training. Hmm. I really am out of touch.

[Andrea]

Juliana didn't laugh, but she smiled as if the other Aes Sedai made a joke. She tried her best to not let her time as a Novice get to her, or the watchful eyes of the older ones make her feel young. It was rather unfortunate that she may be viewed as untested still barely a year with the Shawl, yet she felt more open and educated then half the women that were nearly over 10 centuries old. "One does not become an Aes Sedai if the Tower finds her resentful, now would it? I do not remember if you did teach me, I will admit. I deliberately went out of my way to not may attention to my lessons. It is a blessing I was educated before my time in the Tower or else I would never have made it to the Shawl. Come Sister, you must be tired from your journey. Shall I escort you back to the Halls, or will you be alright on your own." Juliana paused for a moment, "Oh, if you do not, I do believe that Corrine may wish for you to inform her of your return."

[Ariadne]

"Hmm, I should," Meriana agreed slowly. She had made a mistake - the woman gave all the appearances of taking it in good humour, but there was a slight sharpness to her retort about her loss of resentment. Step carefully. You're both too close in power to afford missteps. "But I find myself longing for my own quarters. How is Corrine's humour of late? Do you think she shall take it amiss if I send a servant with a note of apology, and report back tomorrow morning?"