Sign your life away, probably [attn; Jenny] COMPLETE

[Avyra]

Avyra stood outside the door to the Mistress of Novices, suddenly feeling pretty small. This should be easy. Just go in, sign up. Don't offend anyone. That was harder than it should be. Nerves were killing her, taking a toll on her. This was never an issue for her before, but now she felt like she was made of pure jelly and nothing more. This was going to change her life, hopefully for the better. That was it. She rapped three times on the door, each time feeling like her own heart beating in her chest. Thud thud. It was painful to hear. She felt heavier than she actually was, some weight pressing, closing her in. Why was she so nervous? When the door opened, she gave a low, long bow and curtsey in her green skirts to the woman who answered it. "I'm Avyra Moeryr, and I would like to become a novice, Aes Sedai." That seemed polite. What was polite? Oh Light.

[Jenny]

The girl at her door spoke with the clipped, familiar tones of a Cairhienin accent. Mirin smiled pleasantly, glad to see someone of her own nation. She allowed the young woman into her office. Surprisingly, the girl was even shorter than herself. Wonderful. I can finally take second place to being the shortest woman in the Tower, she thought, dryly.

The room was large and spacious, with dark blue wallpaper and rich chestnut panels, and three tall windows in the back looking over the Tower gardens. Shelves covered another wall, filled with a modest collection of the Aes Sedai's favorite books. In the middle, facing her work desk, sat two comfortable chairs that were nearly, but not quite, side-by-side.

"Welcome to the Grey Tower, Avyra! I am the Mistress of Novices here and you may call me Mirin Sedai," she said. She gestured to the cushioned chair across from her. From a bookcase next to her desk, she took a large ledger. "This is the Novice Book," she said. "Please sign here. Would you like some tea? Tell me, how did you come to the Grey Tower?"

[Avyra]

Another Cairhienin? Avyra smiled wider at the Mistress of Novices, Mirin Sedai. At least she wasn't the only one here who couldn't see over the shoulders of everyone else. However, Mirin Sedai still topped her by nearly a good half a foot, which was slightly irritating for the younger Cairhienin. She was quite short even to her own people's standards. She took the book eagerly enough, but her pin lingered before the paper. Did she really want to sign herself off to these people? Well, maybe not that extreme, but it felt like it. "Would you like some tea? Tell me, how did you come to the Grey Tower?" Avyra quickly wrote her name before answering. "Some tea would be fine, thank you Mirin Sedai." She paused. "My mother wanted me to come. We were both born with the Power. She was also going to be an Aes Sedai, but she dropped the classes to be with my father." Her voice caught a bit. "Who's terrified of Aes Sedai."

[Jenny]

Mirin retrieved two teacups and a teapot from a side table. A quick embrace of saidar set the pot to boiling. She lifted the cover of a box to display a collection of different flavors of tea and selected one to soak in the teapot.

"You came by yourself? It must have been quite a journey." She handed Avyra a cup of steaming tea, and then continued. "Your mother was... going to be an Aes Sedai, you say? I assume she was a novice, then, just like you will be. Although I must disabuse you of the notion that she ran off to be with your father. The Tower - any of the Towers - do not let its initiates run off so easily. If she had left, then it was because her teachers allowed her to. If you attempt to run off, rest assured that the Tower will find you. Am I clear?

"That said, most who come to train will not reach the Shawl. They lack the fortitude, or the ability, or the desire. You will be a novice here until we are sure that you will not harm yourself and will progress only if you are found capable. I must warn you that there are many difficulties to training. You will be held to a strict schedule and responsible for a set list of chores. Everybody does their part here."

Mirin paused to take a sip from her own cup, peering at Avyra with glittering eyes. Her face was as smooth and calm as any Aes Sedai and her expression was kind - but there was also something calculating and cold in the way she regarded her new student.

"It seems to me that something happened with your father," she said. Her tone was low and gentle. "What happened? Tell me exactly."

[Avyra]

Avyra realized at that moment that she might have spoken too much. She was a lot like her mother, quick to run whenever things turned South. Mirin probably thought that was what she would do, run away at the first sign of trouble just like her mother. "That's not me, Mirin Sedai. I know that I cannot run away, so I'm not going to try." She paused, her tone a bit hard, defensive almost. Not rude, but a bit more daring. She had no idea if this would hurt her later. "You are clear, Mirin Sedai." She paused to take a sip of tea as the Mistress of Novices continued. "It seems to me that something happened with your father. What happened? Tell me exactly." Avyra considered the question. "I accidentally lit the shop on fire. I'm not sure how I did it, but it was ablaze. That's when he found out about not only my abilities, which I had no clue existed, but my mother as well, when he questioned her. He was still deathly afraid of Aes Sedai, and he left without another word." She paused. "I get the feeling that he never loved Mother, or he wouldn't have left like that. He would have loved her anyway." She sighed. "Its rather complicated, Mirin Sedai, but that's what happened, or my side of it at least." She paused. "I was born with the spark. I needed to come here so learn to at least control it, even if I don't become a full Sister. But I do intend to finish what I start here in the Grey Tower, rest assured Mirin Sedai." She hoped she didn't eat her words later.

[Jenny]

Mirin raised an eyebrow. "You lit the shop on fire? It is wise for you to come here. Channeling without control is dangerous; three out of four wilders - or untrained channelers - die. I trust that no one was hurt? That is good. Let that accident motivate you to listen to your teachers and learn.

"I'm sorry about your father," she said sincerely, and her expression softened almost imperceptibly. "My own left when I was very young. It was hard. But. You are here and we have your future to tend to. I encourage you to leave your worries for your family behind. If you ever need to talk, I am here."

She smiled gently at Avyra's last statements. "I am impressed by your determination. You will need it. But if you keep that positive attitude and work hard, I hope that you'll find life at the Grey Tower to be quite tolerable. Now... there are a few things I must tell you."

She set her cup down, and her voice took on a droning quality as the familiar words rolled off her tongue. "You have the ability. You have the desire. Your name is in the Novice Book. You will leave behind Avyra of Cairhien. You will become Avyra, a novice of the Grey Tower. Listen close, because the rules are many and punishment is strict. Starting tomorrow, you will be enrolled in classes, not just pertaining to the One Power but also of writing, mathematics, history, literature, and philosophy. You will be assigned an Accepted for a mentor - in fact, I think Torianin would be quite suitable. You will be prompt to your lessons and respectful of your teachers. Each morning, a chores list will be posted on the bulletin outside my door... "

The speech went on. Most girls were overwhelmed and retained little of the information, but these rules would be repeated and discipline delivered until they learned to listen.

"I will give you some privacy behind that screen," she continued, gesturing to a wooden screen hiding a corner of the room. "Behind it you will find a several sizes of novice dresses hanging in a small closet. Please remove your dress and belongings and put on a suitable size of dress, and then take a couple extra as changes of clothing. Your belongings will be locked away for safekeeping - and your current dress will be burned. You are leaving behind Avyra of Cairhien and entering as a novice of the Grey Tower. Do you have any questions?"

[Avyra]

"Leave your worries and your family behind.." Avyra frowned slightly, blinking. Did that mean she wasn't allowed to visit? Even with an escort? That seemed... harsh. She didn't want to leave her family behind; she loved her mother, sister, and brothers. However, she listened without asking questions, her expression gradually growing more and more overwelmed and distressed as Mirin went on about her duties and studies in the Tower for the next few years. Avyra could remember things well, but she wasn't that good with memory! When Mirin finished, Avyra had no idea where to begin. "I... yes ma'am, Mirin Sedai." She really didn't feel like arguing, but inside she was spitting fire. This was a nice dress! She stood, making her way to the wood screen, taking off her dress. She paused to stare at herself for a moment; she looked so worn from her travel, thinner since the last time she checked, too, if that was even possible. She opened the closet, starting to rummage around for a white dress. It took a bit. Everything was either too big in the chest or too long, there was no inbetween. And each looked awful on her, frankly. There wasn't one short enough for her, and she only found one remotely thin enough for her frame. But she put it on, huffing. Whatever; that'll do. She paused, walking out, feeling completely unfashionable. It was about five inches too long. "Nothing fit, Mirin Sedai, so this was the best I could do."

[Jenny]

Mirin looked the new novice up and down, noticing the drape and length of the dress, and the seamstress' daughter in her cringed. Although most of her face remained smooth, the corner of her mouth twitched, both up and down, as though it couldn't decide whether to smile or frown. Oh, she should have expected that nothing would fit the girl! Avyra was quite small, even for a Cairhienin.

"I will send for a tailor. Until then, it will have to do," she declared. She paused for a moment, collecting herself, and then continued.

"Please place your other dress in the fireplace," she said. When the girl had done so, the Aes Sedai opened herself to the Source and channeled a weave of Air and Fire. Fire, for heat and flames; Air, to quicken the blaze. With a blinding flash of light, the green dress disappeared, leaving behind a neat pile of ashes. Mirin released the Source.

"Welcome to the Tower, child," she said, formally. She collected the new novice's personal belongings and placed them in a labeled box. It would be locked in vault and be returned if Avyra reached the Shawl - or if she was turned out of the Tower.

"I am nearly always in my office if you have any questions. You are also welcome to slip notes under my door if I am not here. Your room will be in the novice quarters, which are in the building to the south of the Tower. Let's see... there is an room on the third floor, fifth door to the right. You will be sharing the room with another novice. Here, let me write down the room number for you."

She handed the note to Avyra. "You must be tired from your travels, and so your classes and chores won't start until tomorrow. Rest well. I'm always here to answer any questions you might have."

[Avyra]

(cough cough those 3d models are great oh my
what program was that done in if you know?)

Avyra could see that distress and couldn't decide if she should be amused or confused. Add that to the list of emotions her height had, for some reason, caused. "Please place your other dress in the fireplace," Mirin continued, and Avyra nodded, obeying with obvious hesitance. She really didn't want to have that burned up. But. Thus is life. She watched as her past was burned away and locked up, and her stomach clinched a bit. This was harder than she had previously thought. Avyra looked back as Mirin spoke again, explaining where the room was. She would be sharing one, no shock, and she nodded. Sounded fine to her. "Thank you, Mirin Sedai," she said with a polite nod. "Just a question, though. Am I allowed to visit my family, on occasion, with an escort? Or at least send notes? I can't just disappear forever from them."

[Jenny]

As she listened to the question, Mirin's lips thinned. She remembered the pain of leaving home, and understood why Avyra had asked that question. But channelers aged much slower than normal men and women, and Avyra would soon learn that home would no longer be Cairhien - and that her family would become the people of the Grey Tower.

Unless, of course, the girl didn't make it to the shawl. Mirin put that thought out of her mind.

"You will not be allowed to visit your family as a novice, for any reason. As an Accepted, you may travel with good reason, with an escort. But you can always send notes. Although you won't have much free time, I still managed to write weekly to my mother when I was a novice. We have messengers that leave the Tower every morning at dawn. Simply address your letter and take it to the post by the guardhouse. They will also bring your return messages for you."

Then, she smiled. "I like when students ask questions," she said. "I think you will do very well, Avyra. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

((OOC: They were done a long time ago by someone I don't know so I can't say for sure. But from my own gaming experience cough, cough, I believe they were done using screenshots from the Sims 3 game. Although I have no idea how they did the circular ying-yang rug - he/she probably used a mod for the game.))