Family Matters [Attn: Riahana Gaidar]

[Bella]

Miahala Ives That made Mia laugh as well. "Eating can be highly overrated in the course of a single night when compared with reacquainting with family," she said. In truth, the deeper into her Aes Sedai year she had gotten, the less eating and sleeping she actually felt a need for; except when healing, then she needed much of both. (This was a lesson she had been well reminded of while in Saldea after her resurrection.)

The two women joined the others at the table, taking their seats. It wasn't the most spacious seating, to be sure, especially with the broad-shoulders likes of Gareth and Einion, but at least it was among family and thus less aggravating--at least for Mia, though she couldn't speak for the menfolk--than close quarters with strangers.

Moving her eyes between the two young ones, she focused on Tia first, deciding that her enthusiasm was best given vent first. "How are you finding life in the Tower so far?"

[Roan]

Tia was not shy in expressing her emotions, and wasn't one to hide what she was feeling, especially when she was excitable or in a good mood. Needless to say, she grinned with the question, and her eyes went wide, "So far, it's fascinating! Duron had its good points, but everything here is so different. I haven't had a chance to explore as much as I would have liked, but what I have seen? I can't wait to see it all. . .especially the Warder Yards."

Ria was amused by her effervescent daughter, but felt she had to explain the girl's last comment, "Tia has it in mind to learn how to wield a sword."

"And bow! How can I not learn archery given who my mother is!?" Tia added.

[Bella]

Gareth Tomosan The Asha'man's amusement was no less than his wife's and he didn't bother to hide it in such company, letting his deep chuckle roll out from somewhere low in his chest as he helped Einion divide and pass around the food. Einion seemed to miss the cooking, but liked making himself useful in some way and so Gareth wasn't going to stop him.

"I keep reminding her that there is a chance she'll have the spark and the path of the Gaidar will change," he said with a tender smile to the girl before glancing back at the Green.

She was returning his smile. "Yes, but that doesn't mean she won't be able to learn the bow and the sword. Plenty of channelers know how to use conventional weapons." The woman looked at Tia. "I myself have a bit of skill with the dagger, both thrown and by hand. It's a useful skill to be able to defend yourself, whether channeler or not."

[Roan]

Tia almost rolled her eyes at her father, but then they went wide when her Grandememme mentioned her own skill with daggers, "You know how to throw daggers?!" She looked back to Gareth, "See! Grandmemme is an Aes Sedai, but knows how to use conventional weapons. If I have the spark, I can do both!"

Ria laughed softly, "Tia, your enthusiasm is good, to be sure, but perhaps tone it down a little, hmm?"

This time the girl did roll her eyes, "Yes, mother. Sorry."

((Ooc: good grief...she is a hyper girl))

[Bella]

Gareth Tomosan The interaction was rather a familiar one and prompted another warm laugh. "I never said that you couldn't, my darling daughter," he said. "I simply made the point about your path maybe not following your mother through the Warder Yards, but maybe your father through the halls of the channelers." His expression remained an affectionate and easygoing one.

"Do you think I'll be able to channel?" Einion asked, his voice a little distant and almost wistful. He was always a curious contrast to his sister.

"It's certainly possible," Mia offered. "It has arisen more than once in my line, and your father does."

The boy smiled almost shyly, ducking his head back to start eating. Gareth couldn't help but wonder if channeling would help him out of his shell, or draw him farther into it. He patted his son's shoulder, but didn't say anything that might embarrass him. "I think it's just as likely that either of you might test for it, or you may not. You'll have plenty of options either way here in the Tower."

((OOC: Hehe))

[Roan]

Riahana offered Einion a warm smile, and then looked to Tia, "Your father is right. We do not yet know what the Wheel wills for the two of you, but whether you have the spark or not, you will have more options here than back in Duron." She shrugged slightly, "It was a good place for you to spend your childhood, but while I might always think of you as my children, you are on the verge of becoming a young man and young woman with their entire futures before them, and I, for one am excited to see what will become of you."

Tia looked to her mom, and then looked to her brother and shook her head with a soft laugh, "How many times have we heard Mother wax poetic about the possibility of our futures, and what we might become?"

[Bella]

Miahala Ives It was at that moment that Miahala realized this young man and woman, her great, great grandchildren, were now of the age--precisely--that Miahala had been when she'd first fled Saldea and the wrath of her mother and landed herself at the Grey Tower. She hadn't a clue about the life before her, and had no one at that time to guide her.

Miashala Sha'hal had been such a hard woman, and Mia knew when she bore children that she didn't want to follow that example.

Now, it was warmly gratifying to see that the legacy of parenthood that she had wished to bestow had come true. She could see it in Riahana, and it was good.

"It is what parents do," Miahala said easily. "In our children, we have born the future and so we cannot help, while we are here, to wonder what it is that we have created and set free into the world to become their own. Your paths are yours to make of them what you will, but you cannot blame a mother for wondering what those paths will be."

[Roan]

Tia shrugged, but wore an amused grin, "I suppose. . .though I also guess this is one of those things all of the adults and parents at the table might tell us we'll understand if and when we have children of our own."

"Ever astute, my daughter is," Ria replied with a smirk "But good grief, do not start talking of children of your own already. I am not ready to be a grandmother!" She then looked to Einion, "Have you made it to the Library yet, Einion?"

[Bella]

Einion Tomosan The boy laughed sheepishly and shrugged those big shoulders. "Of course," he said. "I think a few of the channelers were eyeing me a little strangely, since I clearly wasn't a training rank of any kind, but no one bothered me. I mostly just looked around to get a feel for the place so when I go back later, I'll have a better idea of what I'm doing. But it was far and beyond more amazing than any book collection I was able to see in and around Duron!"

[Roan]

"Why do I have a feeling that from now on, Einion will always have his head in a book?" Tia teased.

Ria arched her brows at her daughter, "It is not such a bad thing, Tia. It might do you some good to read a bit about the Tower and its history...especially since it is now your home for the foreseeable future." The irony was not lost on Ria, as she was not so much of a book worm when she was a lowly Drin'far'ji or Ji'dar. . .at least not until it was impressed upon her that her class work was just as important as any weapons training.