It is a Family Thing. . .[Attn: Bella/Sadira]

[Roan]

Tia Tomason made no secret about the fact she disliked the dress she had to endure wearing as a Novice. Her first few days in Novice White were. . .not necessarily happy days, nor were they sad. Those first few days, she adjusted to the path the Wheel spun before her, and away from the Warder Yards she'd longed to join. As time passed, though, and Tia the Novice began to learn about the One Power and embracing Saidar, she rarely longed for the Yards as she had done during perhaps her first week.

The initial work Tia had done with Mirin gave the Novice the foundation she needed to understand, learn and control the One Power. Tia knew it would take more than just that introduction for her to begin to master this new skill. Some of he classes focused on the One Power, though they were equally balanced with classes around history, politics and diplomacy. She found she wanted more time to practice embracing Saidar, and wanted to try new weaves, though it wasn't always easy to find an accepted who might be willing to 'watch over' her, or even teach her.

Tia didn't dwell on the challenges of finding an Accepted to tutor her, though, as she knew two women who would likely be more than happy to help her. . .if they weren't too busy. With her Great Memma busy doing things the Amyrlin Seat did, Tia didn't want to bother her, yet she did send a note to Sadira Sedai, her aunt, who seemed more than willing to tutor Tia.

Typically, Tia would spend her free time outside in fresh air, but today, she found herself in the halls of the Blue Ajah as she approached the door to Sadira's quarters. When she was done with her lesson, she considered heading to the Yellow Halls to visit her family before heading back to her quarters, but it would depend on how much time she might have once she and Sadira were finished their session.

Excited and nervous all at once, young Tia knocked on Sadira's door, wondering what she might learn today. Part of her hoped to impress her aunt, though she was still somewhat new to the One Power, so exactly how she hoped to impress an Aes Sedai as wise and well traveled as Sadira, she didn't know.

[Bella]

Sadira Rose Jolstraer Sedai "Enter," a smooth voice called from the other side of the door.

When it opened, it would show Tia her aunt--or great, great aunt technically since she was level kin with Tia's great grandmother and namesake Tianna Raye. A handsome woman, more than a pretty one, with strong angles to her face that showed it deeply into her agelessness as a channeler. Thick black hair was bound back with steely, keen blue eyes.

Those eyes warmed with a small smile as she watched her niece walk in. She had been pleased to receive the missive, because spending time with family helped her feel more centered in this world. After her mother died and step-father went with her, her great niece Riahana left for the borderlands and all left were her and Haeden. Losing Scerai had nearly killed her...

But now, she had family again, and she was happy to spend time with them. So see one of her blood kin wearing Novice white was a pleasure too.

"Come in," she invited, gesturing at a pair of deep blue armchairs before the fireplace. "Have a seat and we'll talk a bit about what we'll do today before heading out the channeling yards." She rose and walked to the sideboard. "Would you like some tea?"

[Roan]

Tia Tomosan Tia couldn't help the broad smile that came to her as she opened the door and saw her Great Great Aunt Sadira. Keeping up with all the 'greats' she had to say with her Great Memma, Uncle and Aunt could get confusing, and tedious for all involved. Fortunately, none seemed to mind if she just said Memma, Uncle or Aunt. . .the 'greats' were implied.

As the Novice crossed the threshold, closing the door behind her, she took in her Aunt's decor, though her eyes were drawn to the deep blue chairs indicated by Sadira. Blue had been one of Tia's favorite colors, especially the rich deep blue of the chairs. They looked luxurious, and as Tia took her seat in one she realized they were as luxurious as they looked. She felt as if she could get lost in the depths of the chair.

Crossing her ankles as she settled in, Tia looked to Sadira, "I would love some tea, thank you, Aunt Sadira." Behind closed doors, she was with family, which meant there were no need for titles. Her fingers played with the hem of her dress as she shifted in her seat. While she still didn't like wearing the blasted dress, she was getting used to it, though learning how to sit in a dress....what to do with one's legs, was still awkward for the teenager.

"I really appreciate you taking time to work with me on channeling and weaves, and such," Tia added as she watched Sadira move to the sidebar. "I seem to have trouble finding an accepted willing to work with me if we're not in a class together, though. . .if I were honest? Learning from you and Memma seems like more fun, anyway," she finished with a smirk.

[Bella]

Embracing saidar came easily for the long-time Aes Sedai and she wove the threads of fire through the teapot almost without having to think about it, the water heating up before she poured it into each cup with the small metal tea-ball in each one. She set it away and carried the cups to the chair, handing one to her niece with a smile as she sat and took the other.

"I am always pleased to help family," she said warmly. "What is causing you to have such trouble finding your teachers, though?" Their familial line could be known for a bit of trouble, here and there...

[Roan]

Watching Accepted and Aes Sedai embrace Saidar and create weaves with the One Power was still awe inspiring for Tia. She watched her Great Aunt as she wove fire to heat the teapot, and couldn't help the small smile. There was not much of a gesture at all from the Aes Sedai. . .something so different from many of the Accepted and other Aes Sedai Tia watched in the Channeling Yards. It had been explained to her that most channelers learned a weave through hand gestures, and she would likely do the same, but part of her wondered how long it would take to be able to do a weave without such...flamboyance.

Tia realized perhaps she shouldn't have admitted she was having issues finding Accepted to work with her. At the end of the day, she didn't really care, but she also didn't want to sound as if she was whining because 'nobody liked her.' She had a roommate who seemed nice enough, and her brother, who she could always count on to give her a bit of company. Giving a casual shrug as she looked from her great aunt to the fire, Tia replied, "Oh I don't know. . .I think some are intimidated because of who I am, and that I'm the great-great granddaughter of the Amyrlin Seat. It doesn't matter, really, and if it means I get to work with you, or even her when she has time, then so much the better."

[Bella]

Settled back into her chair, the pair of which had been one of this austere Aes Sedai's more expensive acquisitions, she sipped her tea and watched her youthful kin over the rim of the cup. Seeing hints of her family lines to the different parts of her face.

"It is a blessing and a curse," Sadi agreed. "All of us have had to break free of that broad shadow, although you have the misfortune, and fortune, that Mother attained the Amyrlin Seat. As if her shadow could not have stretched any further, it found a way to do so." She paused and a light flashed in her blue eyes. "Lesson one, never underestimate a Sha'hal woman; including yourself."

Pausing, she set her tea down on the low wood table. "So tell me about how far you've gotten in your One Power studies so far."

[Roan]

Lesson one, never underestimate a Sha'hal woman; including yourself.

The spark in her aunt's eyes and the one simple statement brought out a girlish grin in young Tia. For as long as she could remember, she'd heard stories of those in her family overcoming great odds to keep fiend and foe at bay. Even death didn't seem such a burden given the return of her Great-Great Grandmother. Tia may not have been born at the Tower, but it was fitting her parents returned, and brought Einion and her with them. Despite her views on the blasted dress, she knew she belonged at the Tower, and was as much a child of the Tower as any who might have been born there.

After a careful sip of tea, Tia sank back a bit more into the lush chair as she considered Sadira's question. "Well, I went through the basics like embracing Saidar, and weaving each element on its own. I've created a globe of light with air and fire, and learned how to 'catch' and 'pass' a weave. I've tried a couple of other weaves. . .one to dry things off, which seemed easy, and another to create fire, which I thought was supposed to be easy, but it was near the end of the class, and I didn't get a lot of time to try it." She made a face, "It didn't seem that easy to me."

Tia took another sip of her tea, "The thing is, I've noticed anything to do with air and water seem to come a lot easier to me than fire and spirit. I also really struggle with earth, so I haven't tried many weaves that involve it." She hesitated for a moment, as she thought back to the conversation she'd had with the M'hael not but a few days ago, "And. . .I've been told I might be a Cloud Dancer."

((OOC: Figured it made sense that discovering the talent would happen early on, and perhaps a bit earlier than these two getting together.))

[Bella]

"I'm sure you've been told that women are historically stronger in Water and Air, so that's certainly not a surprise," Sadi said with an appraising look. "My mother is strong in Earth, but it is rare in a woman." That almost drew a smirk from the Blue. "Rare" was not a word unheard of when it came to Miahala Sedai, among other words...

The mention of Cloud Dancing was interesting. "Who was it that told you that you might be skilled in Cloud Dancing?" she asked with genuine curiosity. "Did it display in one of your classes?"

OOC: Totally makes sense.

[Roan]

It was no secret that Miahala Sedai was rare in more ways than one, thus Tia was not surprised to hear her Great Memma was strong in Earth while most women were not. For once, Tia was not unusual in that her strengths lie with many other female channelers. She didn't know how strong she was relative to others at the Tower, and hadn't given it much thought in the grand scheme of things.

The followup question on Cloud Dancing was not unexpected. Part of Tia wondered how often the M'hael and Amyrlin Seat talked. . .if perhaps Durent Asha'man had spoken of her talent with her great memma. Not that it mattered, or would make much of a difference, really, as Tia would need someone to train her with regards to her talent one way or another. It would not do to call a storm without realizing it any time she became angry or upset.

Tia chewed at the inside of her cheek for a moment or two before answering her Aunt's question, "Uhm. . .no it didn't display in one of my classes. It kind of happened while I was sweeping the garden paths one afternoon and a couple of Novices were trying to bully me." She felt heat on her cheeks when she admitted how the talent manifested itself, "I kind of lost my temper. . .and the M'hael happened to be near by. I didn't even realize the day went from a clear, and sunny one to overcast with thunder in a matter of moments, but he did." The ordeal had been more embarrassing than traumatic for the young Tomosan, and admitting to it just added to her level of embarrassment.

[Bella]

The Blue listened impassively, without judgment, but as the girl admitted to that sequence of events, Sadie inwardly smiled. Oh, the poor thing inherited the family temper, she thought, trying not to be amused since the younger woman was clearly not enthused by the encounter but still... To have it happen in front of the M'hael?

"He would recognize the signs, if not able to recognize saidar channeling," she said instead with a slow nod. "Many people learn things about themselves in more impassioned moments." She paused and then smiled wryly. "I lit a chair on fire once, not much older than you."