The Grey Tower

After Jayrd Ashaman had dismissed Danos in the Gardens, escorting Avyra to speak with the Mistress of Novices, Danos wasted no time in heading for the Master of Training's Office.

As he jogged through the Yards, Danos ran through the lecture he had been given by Jaryd Ashaman, the Keeper no less, and he knew he would have to report all details required accurately. No doubt the Ashaman will make a report of his own thought Danos sourly as he marched up the stairs, his dread growing as he approached the familiar door.

He had been striving hard here at the Tower, and he knew the moment of impulse and levity with Avyra had been out of character for the student many would have known here so far. But not so out of character for an apprentice. I always did have an eye for friends who enjoyed mischief thought Danos as he knocked on the door and awaited Master Ravak.

When commanded to enter, Danos marched through the door, his head held high and his back stiff as he declared, "I have been ordered to report to you by Jaryd Ashaman, Master Darrow. I was aiding a Novice in the Gardens in a stunt that could have harmed her, and did harm many branches on a tree as I attempted to climb to her rescue. Keeper Jaryd caught us as I was running for aide to try and bring her out of the tree. After speaking with us on the damage caused, he told me to report to you for penance."

Ravak stood out on the balcony of the Warder Hall, looking out over the Training Yards. From here, he had a good view over the reconstruction of the Weaponry Hall. Well, not the Weaponry Hall any more. Two buildings were being freshly built. The closest were kennels, which very much suited him. Rav had not so recently got a small litter of Shienaran huskies, and he intended on training at least two of them into attack hounds. The other building was a large aviary, for the falconers and any other birds. The Master of Training wasn't so interested in that, but it was nice to have something other than a pile of rubble to look out over.

Rav twisted the ring on his finger as he made his way back inside, through his private study, then into his office proper. He only just got into his chair, when there was a knock on his door. "Enter," the Master of Training called, and Drin'far'ji Danos walked in, stiff-backed and head held erect. Rav's brow knitted together in a frown, although he kept the rest of his expression soft - soft for a Gaidin, at least. He listened in silence to the Drin's account of himself and this novice. Climbing in trees? Now who does that sound like, he thought wryly.

"The name of this novice?" Rav rumbled, a voice like a gathering storm.

"Avyra, Master Darrow." The Master of Training nodded. There had been two possibilities: Avyra, or the Mistress of Arms' daughter. He was slightly glad it was the former and not the latter.

Piercing, steel blue eyes bore into the Drin'far'ji. "So, tell me Danos, what do you think your punishment should be for this transgression? We have a number of notable Earthsingers in the Tower, who have dedicated a significant portion of their time and study to making the Gardens what they are today. And those trees, I imagine some are older than the Tower. Hundreds of years old. To be damaged and destroyed by foolishness, mm? So, what is a suitable punishment, Drin'far'ji?"

Danos stood stiff awaiting the Master of Training's response, and so he was caught flat footed when asked about the punishment. Danos had not truly considered that he would be asked to input on how to make his mistake right, and he chewed his lip for a moment as he deliberated.

Those trees were likely older than the Tower, and I cannot imagine the strength that must go into growing or repairing one, thought Danos to himself as he considered.

"Well Master Darrow, I know that I cannot heal the damage done to the tree, nor unfortunately do I think mindless labour in the Garden or Stable would make it up to them either. If I was to decide my punishment, I would say that I should be at the disposal of the Earthsingers I believe you called them. If they must channel and grow tired from repairing the trees, then at least I can aid with the duties that takes them from," said Danos firmly. It seemed to him to balance the scale in some small way for what he had mistakenly done.

Without saying a word, Rav rose from his chair and moved to the door of his private office. He opened the door, stepped inside, and closed the door behind him. Letting the Drin'far'ji stew and think about the potential consequences was a far more effective punishment than any barking would do. And the barking could come later. For a few minutes, Rav busied himself with making a cup of tea. The water was lukewarm now, but he didn't much mind. He also pulled out a few sheets of paper.

When the private office door opens, Rav held a chair in one arm, the papers in the other. He dropped the chair with a bit of clatter in front of his desk, then pointed to it. "Sit." His voice was hard, although not unduly. Rav slipped round to his own chair, took up his iridescent quill, and started to pen some letters. This was going to make for an amusing punishment.

The first letter was to Betrys Sedai of the Yellow Ajah. She was a friend of Rav's, but more poignantly, she was an Earthsinger. The first time he had met the then-Accepted Betrys, she had been making flowers bloom in the Gardens. This Drin's activities would be of some interest to her, and he give her written permission to dole out her own punishment. Knowing her, there would be no additional punishment, beyond a firm reprimand.

The second letter was to Mirin Sedai. No doubt Avyra would be in front of the Mistress of Novices just now, or shortly at least; Jaryd was nothing if not efficient and effective. This letter was simply a reply to a recent missive from the Blue sister, but making Danos deliver it by hand would cause him to sweat something fierce.

Lastly, a letter to Elia. He had a new Drin arriving in a couple of days, and he wanted her there when she arrived from Mayene. Unlike the other letters, he addressed it very informally, and his hand wasn't so neat. Finally, he replaced the quill on his desk, not having had to refill it once. It was such a simple ter'angreal, but so very useful. Rav folded the letters over - he didn't think there was a need to seal them with wax - and placed them on the centre of his desk.

"Care to hazard a guess whom these are addressed to, and for what purpose?"

Danos watched as without saying a word, Rav rose from his chair and moved to the door of his private office. He opened the door, stepped inside, and closed the door behind him. Danos stood there stiffly, watching the door, and as the moments stretched into several minutes, he could feel sweat breaking out in the small of his back. Where in the Light did he go, Keeper Jaryd commanded her to report to the Mistress of Novices, hopefully she can't be double punished, thought Danos anxiously to himself as he wondered if perhaps Master Darrow had gone to fetch Avyra to explain her side of the story as well.

When the private office door opens, Rav held a chair in one arm, the papers in the other. He dropped the chair with a bit of clatter in front of his desk, then pointed to it. "Sit." Danos sat, trying to wait patiently as the Master sat at his desk, and began penning letters with the same quill and inkwell Danos had signed the Grey Tower roster with.

The silence was absolute, broken only by the quill scratching on paper, and the sounds of breathing. Danos found sitting like this more nerve wracking than standing at attention. In the chair he felt too large, and he tried hard to keep himself from slouching, as the silence dragged on and on.

Finally Master Ravak looked up from his paper, drying the ink quickly with some sand, and folding the papers he slid them towards Danos. "Care to guess who these are addressed to and their purpose?" he asked Danos in his steely voice.

Danos wiped his hands nervously on his pants to dry the sweat he could feel beading on his palms. As he looked at the letters, he swallowed, mouth suddenly dry and tried to think of the most likely candidates.

"I suppose one will be for Keeper Jaryd, Master Darrow. I would imagine you want to alert him as to my penance. The second is probably to whoever is in charge of the Gardens, and the third I honestly have no idea Master Darrow," Danos said nervously, his mind a blank.

The grin that formed on the Master of Training's face was not kind. "The Keeper of the Archives is not one to be disturbed by the comings and goings of misbehaving trainees, even if he was so gracious to send you my way. No, I don't think we should disturb Keeper Jaryd any further, do you?" That was not a question Ravak expected an answer for.

"This first letter is to the Mistress of Novices," he said, pushing the indicated message forward. "She may be interested in see the face of the Drin'far'ji who likes to get into trouble with novices, just in case she runs into you in the future."

"This second letter is to Betrys Sedai, of the Yellow Ajah. There is a possibility you have met her, if you've visited the Infirmary. She is one of the sisters who tends to the Gardens, and it is a real passion of hers. I'm sure she will less than thrilled to find out how you have been destroying the Gardens. And so, I've given her free reign to hand out her own punishment to you." He slid that letter forward. "Lastly, a letter for an Accepted. This is just a simple errand, but I expect it done. You will find Accepted Elia's quarters within the Indigo Ajah's section of the Grey Tower." No need to mention the familial connection.

Rav sat back in his leather-backed chair, wondering what else to do with the Drin. He wanted all of his trainees to become fierce fighters, and loyal protectors of the Grey Tower's channellers. This little escapade had no bearing on that. In fact, it sounded at least a little like Danos was attempting to be helpful. Light knows that girl needs as much help as she can get. Maybe this was enough, for a first offence. It would also be good to get Jaryd's account.

"I may have mentioned, during your induction, about getting to know the novices and Accepted, just in case you bond one in the future. I hope, for your sake, that you aren't going to let any girl in a white skirt lead you into trouble from now on." That seemed to suit as warning enough. "Now, take these letters, and be grateful I don't assign you to cleaning out the pigeon coop. It's a foul business." Rav pulled open a drawer, and retrieved the book he was reading. Removing the throwing dagger-come-bookmark, he looked to be reading, the Drin already dismissed from his mind. Anyone who knew better, meaning Kaia, would have known he was only watching for the Drin's reaction.

Danos flushed when Master Darrow pointed out the absurdity of bothering Keeper Jaryd with the indiscretion and further. Light, I don’t know how high a Keeper even stands in the Grey Tower, I really need to learn the ins and outs here, thought Danos to himself, proud of how far his physical skills had come, but knowing he was a babe in the woods as far as the politics of the Grey Tower.

The Mistress of Novices now as well. Light, it’s bad enough to know Master Darrow will be watching me, now an Aes Sedai will know me by name, Danos thought glumly as he took the first letter indicated, and tucked it safely into his sash.
Danos listened as Ravak Gaidan then explain the Sister he would be reporting too, and that the Gardens was a particular passion project. He had not met the Yellow Sister in the Infirmary yet, Kaia Sedai having come to his aide last time, but he could feel sweat once more break out as he pictured having to face a second Aes Sedai in one day.

When Danos heard the name Elia, his heart stalled for a single moment, all color washing out of his face. Before he could stammer a reponse, Master Darrow pressed on and ended his speak by picking up a book, the throwing dagger bookmark not lost on Danos as he saw the Master of Training instantly dismiss him from mind.

“No Master Darrow, I will ensure that a Novice does not again embroil me in the cookpot. I will deliver these letter’s promptly and ensure that Betyrs Sedai receives the aide you would expect from any Drin’far’ji assigned to help her,” Danos said, glad to be dismissed, but also angered by the lack of regard he still seemed to have earned from the Shienaran before him.

As he left the office, he stopped at the staircase, looking down upon the mosaic of the ancient Aes Sedai symbol. On the day I earn my fancloak, you'll bloody look me in the eyes Ravak Danos vowed to himself, determined to show the Master his mark had not been wasted on the sheet.