The Grey Tower

The crisp autumn air blew the lose wisps of Kysaeri’s hair around her face as she stepped out of the Grey Tower and into the reds and oranges of the season. The garden was full of life, birds flitted around the trees, resting in the sanctuary provided as they traveled south for the winter months; butterflies and bees buzzed around the autumn blooms. The Novice took in a deep breath, savoring the smell that the wind carried; fall always had been her favorite season.

After a walk around the garden, the Domani decided it was far too lovely a day to go back inside, she might get in trouble for not having the time to finish her afternoon chores, but for a day like this one, it was well worth it. Instead of another trip around the gardens, Kysaeri turned toward the warder yards. They would be out practicing, and though it was forbidden to stand and watch there was no rule against watching as you walked by; and she did like watching.

Nearing the warder yards, Kysaeri changed course slightly so that she would pass between the servant’s quarters and the chambers for the tower guard, coming out in an area that had a clear view of the practice yard. Passing by the Tower Guard training area, the Novice took care not to look to long in the direction of the men practicing; the guard had significantly less patience with Novices being where they should not than the Drin in the Warder Yards. Past the guard training area, Kysaeri stopped a moment to smell the heather that had been planted among some large oak trees donning a color that could almost be called purple. The pair looked good together, with the heather growing almost wild among the trunks.

Heading beyond the small grove, the Novice’s eyes caught a young girl watching the Drin practice. With her brown hair pulled back into a neat braid, Kysaeri could tell she was too young to be a novice, and with her dress and location, she was not a servant. Curiosity got the best of the Domani then, and despite the rules stating she was not to watch the Drin, Kysaeri went to where to where the girl was standing and followed her gaze to the field before them, “hello” the novice said simply.

After her morning lessons in the Mar a'Mael, Ravak usually allowed Kaira the freedom to wander the grounds. With restrictions of course: no bothering the learning ranks, no wandering out of the Tower, and no getting into trouble. He couldn't very well expect her to be cooped up in their small apartments all day.

And so the ten-year-old girl went to the Warder Yards with her bookbag in hand. Watching the Drin training in the Warder Yards was one of her favorite past times. She loved watching the students learning forms and wished that she were old enough to join them. Observation was a poor substitute for doing.

She heard footsteps crunching on the grass and saw a girl coming toward her. A dress of pure white identified her as a novice of the Tower. The girl was tall, with coppery skin and beautiful brown eyes. Something about her reminded Kaira of her Auntie Katrie.

"Hello," said the novice.

Kaira smiled brightly. She was far from shy. Grey-blue eyes shone with warmth and genuine friendliness.

"Light shine on you," she said, politely. She curtsied respectfully, as she had been taught. Then she bounced energetically on the balls of her feet and tilted her head.

"What's your name? I am Kaira Darrow. Are you here to watch the Drin too? You aren't suppose to do that, you know. It's against the rules. But I think it's a stupid rule. Being a novice seems so hard! There are just so many rules, it must be so hard not to break some of them. I would much rather be a Drin than a novice, though Daddy says the choice won't be up to me and that the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills."

Kaira made a face and stuck out her tongue. "Who cares about that stupid wheel," she said, haughtily. "I do what I want. Hmph! I hope that I won't be able to channel. Auntie Elia says that she won't be able to tell for another year or two."

A slight nod of her head was all the Novice did to acknowledge the young girl’s curtsy. Her curiosity about the girl soon turned into a wide grin as the child spoke, bouncing up and down as she asked questions and made statements regarding Kysaeri’s life as a Novice of the Grey Tower. The fact that she was a Darrow, a name it seemed was common among the Tower, and the Mistress of Novice’s niece did not bother the Domani at all – Kaira did not seem the type to run off and tattle.

When she was provided the chance to speak, the novice answered each of the girl’s questions in turn; “I am Kysaeri Anskaven, and yes, it is forbidden to watch the Drin. I am not watching them though; I am watching you.” The novice smiled sweetly at the girl, “Yes, there are a lot of rules, but they are not difficult to follow. It can be hard being a Novice, but the life a novice prepares for is harder.”

Kysaeri paused then, thinking about her next answer before speaking. “And why would you not want the wheel to spin your path as a novice? Sure, it’s hard, and the Drin get to play with swords all day, but what sword can best the One Power to a watchful channeler? Not to mention the Green Ajah, you could have both the sword and Saidar if you were to choose that path.” Kysaeri bent over a little to get closer to the girl and spoke in almost a whisper: “besides, Drin follow orders, Aes Sedai get to give the commands.”

The Domani’s lips curled up slightly in a knowing grin at her last statement and her eyes flitted to the practice field for just a moment before returning to meet Kaira’s. Standing back up, Kysaeri tilted her head slightly and then looked directly at the men in the practice yard. “Why don’t you go practice with them? You might be a little young, but I do not know of any rules against it.”

Kaira giggled. "I never thought of that, but you're right! Daddy always listens to what Auntie Elia says, even when he doesn't want to."

She looked wistfully at the training men and women. "There is a rule against it," she said, mournfully. "I tried sneaking onto the field once but Daddy found out. He wasn't very happy with me. And he said that I wasn't old enough. It's because I won't have anyone my age to train with and he doesn't want me to get hurt. How silly! And he says that I should spend more time playing with other children. But it's not my fault that..."

Her voice trailed off. Kaira didn't like talking about why she didn't get along with some of the other Tower children. She chewed at her bottom lip and decided to change the subject.

"You have a beautiful name," she said. "Where are you from?"

“Not far from here, Katar.” Kysaeri responded to the girl with a genuine smile, “my mother is Domani.” Turning back to face Kaira straight on, the novice hummed to herself for just a moment, not really realizing that she was doing it. At the same time, she lifted her hard up to lips in contemplation and gave the girl before a good look. Kaira had seemed so dejected that she couldn’t spar with the boys.

“You could ask them for training?” The Domani’s gaze went to the field again, and then back to the girl’s grey-blue eyes with a grin that could only mean she was contemplating something tricky. “I don’t mean just ask, if you’ve already gotten in trouble, that won’t do. And I doubt those boys over there will just agree to train you,” Kysaeri cocked her head toward the field, “especially if they know you got in trouble.”

Kysaeri leaned over again, not that anyone on the field would be able to hear anyways, but additional caution never hurt. “What if you could get them to teach you, maybe even thinking it was their idea?” Kysaeri giggled a little before she went on, “I used to get the boys in Katar to give me sweet cakes without a single complaint using what my mother taught me. If they are teaching you, then maybe your father won’t get upset? Being a student means you don’t get hurt, right?” The novice knew very little about training with a sword, but she was sure that Kaira, even as young as she was, knew the answer to her final question.

Kaira turned a wide-eyed stare to look up at the novice. "Katar? Even if it isn't far, it must be very hard to be away from home," she said. "Though I'm glad that you're here, otherwise we may not have met! So your mother is Domani? What about your father? I don't know what I am. Daddy is Shienaran, but his father is from Andor. And my mother... well, I'm not really sure. I don't know too much about her. People always say that I look like her. I don't like it when they say that."

She became a little more subdued and her expression turned thoughtful.

"Your mother taught you how to get sweet cakes from boys? And you think that I could get one of the Drin or Ji to teach me?"

At a nod from the older girl, Kaira clapped her hands and laughed.

"Oh, that would be wonderful! Will you teach me, Kysaeri? We can have secret lessons. I won't tell Auntie Elia, I promise."

“My father is Andoran, my parents are traders in Katar,” Kysaeri responded with significantly less enthusiasm than Kiara, “and yes, I do miss them.” Listening as the girl rambled off slightly about her mother, Kysaeri realized that it was not a subject she should bring up with the girl in the future.

With a nod the smile returned to Kysaeri’s lips at Kaira’s questions regarding her previous life and the sweet cakes that she stole. The smile turned to laughter at the girl’s promise not to tell the Mistress of their little adventure. “Well then, where to go for this lesson?” The Novice looked around, and almost instantly decided that there were far too many people out enjoying the day near the training yards. “How about the field over there, behind he pastures?” Kysaeri pointed off past the far corner of the yard, on the other side of the Grey Tower grounds. The location would be away from most of the things that drew the residents of the tower outside on days like this one.

At a motion of acceptance for the location, Kysaeri began to lead the way over to the field, choosing the route that led the pair behind the pastures, between them and the wall that surrounded the tower grounds.

Kaira cast one more longing glance at the training Drin. Then she quickly turned and followed the novice. Soon she was skipping ahead and chattering away. Her bookbag swung from hand to hand.

"How did you learn that you could channel, Kysaeri? You came to the Tower because your brother was sick? Oh no! Is your brother better now? I wish I had a brother or sister to play with. How old are you? Thirteen? I just turned ten! How long have you been at the Tower? Do you have a roommate? If you are skipping chores, I hope that you won't get in trouble."

They traveled behind a row of trees, crossed the field, and clambered over a fence. Kaira hoped that the trees would hide them from passing eyes, though she was less concerned for herself than she was for her new friend. The most that the Tower-raised girl would suffer was a disappointing look from her father and perhaps a few sharp words from her aunt Elia. A novice, however, would be disciplined more harshly.

They reached a small patch of grass surrounded by tall waving leaves and hidden by a few bushy trees. Kysaeri settled down gracefully and smoothed white skirts over her knees. Kaira plopped down with much less dignity.

Kysaeri spoke first.

"Tell me, Kaira, have you ever tried asking in the past?"

Kaira blinked. Then she shook her head. "I've asked Daddy, but not the Drin or Ji. I never thought of it before. They always seem busy."

Her eyes brightened with interest and curiosity. "So, how do you ask, Kysaeri? Will you show me how?"