Practice Yard: White Tower, Tar Valon

The practice yard appears to loom before you, lined in a perfect square by various tall shrubs and hedges. You'll notice that the center of the practice grounds is cleared of any grass or trees, forming a hard, packed-dirt arena. By the barracks, you'll notice several stands holding various practice weapons for the Trainees to use during their training sessions. There is also a rack holding various forms of armor, used to help protect those within a session.

All around, leaves change color and you'll hedges appear to lose their leaves, as the autumn chill starts to come forth. This area appears to be a bustle of activity as Trainees and Gaidin travel back and forth between the barracks and the courtyard, or as several lessons can be witnessed between student and master. Several Novices can be seen peeking into the practice area watching the training sessions when they should be off doing their chores or lessons.

There are two exits out of the practice grounds. One exit leads into the barracks which house the guards, Trainees and Warders. The other exit leads out into the courtyard of the Tower grounds.

Adri is all decked out in his white practice armor complete with gloves and helmet. Most people round here could care less about safety as is evidenced by the way they beat the shit out of one another without any sort of protection. Perhaps Adri is...a bit more civilized? Better evolved? Who knows. He holds a foil in his right hand and is currently in the process of practicing his lunges. Have to keep the old bod in shape afterall.

Zannick walks in from the several chores that have occupied this last hour for him. He looks relaxed, but business like, his visit with Kelsyn yesterday clarifying and focussing him a bit more on getting back into the swing of things. Black boots crunch some dried leaves underfoot, and he has on a long sleeve shirt today, the sleeves pushed up.

Adri stabs Ensy...er the practice dummy a few more times for good measure. Each lunge finds the tip of his blade a little closer to that annoying heart until finally he drives the thing home and assumes a semi normal stance. He turns around as he hears the leaves...He removes his helmet and offers you a friendly smile. "How did your meeting with Kelsyn go?"

Zannick stops, and eyes the practice dummy appraisingly for a moment, an easy going grin resting naturally on his lips. "Not bad. I think he just wanted to figure out where I was at in my training. We talked." Zannick is walking around the practice dummy now, looking at the damage Adri has managed to it with a grin.

Adri chuckles and indicates the white suite hanging on one of the practice racks. Helmet and gloves are nearby. "Not very often one gets more then a few words from him. Tred lightly he's been particularly agitatable lately." he pauses. "Care to get suited up?"

Zannick's gaze flicks over to the suit hanging up there and moves that direction, remarking as he goes, "Yeah, I remember what he's like. Though I can't say he's ever gone off on me like some have told of." The white suit is lifted from the peg and Zannick starts to wriggle into it, "Not unless I've deserved it anyway." He adds with a grin. The gloves are being pulled on now.

Adri chuckles. "I could tell you some stories" He smiles watching you suite up. Onece those gloves are on he tosses you the medal foil he had been using on the practice dummy. "You still remember how to use one of these things?"

Zannick chuckles, reaching out to snag that tossed foil out of the air with a smart whap against the glove and turning around to approach, the helmet in his hand, "Yeah, I think so, though I didn't spend much time with these while I was away as with the sabre-style."

Adri licks his lip as he puts his helmet on. "We can do saber if you would prefer. Either way...I want to see if you've still got the fire in you."

Zannick slides the helmet down over his head, and adjusts it a bit so he's satisfied with how it feels. The belled braid is tucked into his collar. "Does one lose fire, Gaidin?" Zannick smiles from behind the helmet, not that it's too easy to see, but his voice carries it.

Adri chuckles from behind his mask and proceeds to attack you. His blade goes zipping right for your heart just as he had done with the dummy...only this time he is a bit quicker about it. "You would be suprised what people loose kid." He speaks as he lunges.

"Trust you.." Zannick grunts from behind the mask with the effort of deflecting and otherwise getting out of the way of that opening lunge, "To never pull a punch Adri." Zan's still pretty quick, apparently not having lost too much from Sworn level just by keeping his forms practice going.

Adri wastes no time...He will put the sword to you and keep doing it until you either die...or keep him honest. That blade comes right back at you, this time driving hard and fast for your shoulder. Adri is a point attack sorta guy. "He licks his lips from behind that mask...trying to talk and concentrate on killing...interesting combo. "Sheesh you are rusty...nobody who knows any better trust me as far as they can throw me."

Zannick was always a bit better at evading than anything else, and his feet are quick in stepping him back and out of the way, giving him just an extra split second to deflect that drive from his shoulder, and following it up himself with a fairly vicious counter thrust for Adri's chest. "I can't throw you... very far, Gaidin." Zannick retorts, the sentence having to take a pause in the middle.

Adri is playing more then he is trying to kill anything really. and foil is by far his favorite weapon. Pretty much useless...but very fun. With a little effort, he parries the blade to his left and back pedals. time to go play.

Adri passes through the entrance of a large wall, leading to the Courtyard.

You pass through the entrance of a large wall, leading to the Courtyard.

Courtyard: White Tower, Tar Valon

Before you stands a magnificent palace made of delicately sculpted marble, rather than blocks. Gently arching walls and bulging domes rise high into the sky, seemingly just barely touching the clouds with its delicately crafted spires, topping off the breathtaking sight before you. Looking about, one can see a small garden off to the side, with a small winding path down it's center that leads into a maze of bushes where one might get lost if not too careful.

Colors seem to change from bright pastels to earthy tones and vibrant reds as the days start to grow colder and the days shorter. There are several benches about the grounds where one might be able to sit and relax. The noon sun rises high in the sky, shining down brightly into the courtyard grounds. All around you can see that the area is a bustle of activity as Novices and Accepted alike work on their chores or mill about on various benches in the yard doing their studies. Aes Sedai clump together in small groups, holding private conversations, keeping a careful eye on events in the area.

A broad stairway, made of pristine white marble, enters into the White Tower, marked by a massive pair of doors decorated with delicate carvings of intricate workmanship. A tall, white wall cascades around the yard, its entrances and exits marked by high gates leading to the street, watched by the Tower Guard. Somewhere in the courtyard you can see buildings for the barracks and the stables. You can also see an entrance to the practice yard, marked of by a row of high hedges.

Adri backpedals into the courtyard all decked out in his white dueling armor. Zannick follows close behind. Their blades flick this way and that, sparks flying occassionally as steel slides against steel. Adri laughs. "Come on kid...stop trying to hit me and hit me already!" Zip...Adri strikes right for Zan's heart all the while still moving backwards.

Zannick follows, laughing behind the helmet in between slashes, "I'll get around to it Adri, don't worry bout that!" Zan deflects upwards while bending down to get all the way clear of that strike and whirls under his parrying steel quickly, rolling it into a thrust for the Gaidin's stomach. He seems to be chasing Adri, as the gaidin backpedals.

Sionil peers towards the two coming out of the practice yard frowning slightly

Sionil walks slowly towards the pair.

Adri is used to being chased. This is how he likes to fight. "Seems like you are starting to warm up to this" Adri states as Zan whirls. Zan's blade meets Adri's mid thrust and for once Adri stops going backwards and comes forward throwing his upper body at this trainee who would dare to oppose him. He avoids the ough so tempting knee to the crotch in favor of bringing the pomel of his weapon down on the kid's helmet. The pairs direction seems to be taking them towards the kitchen garden.

The pair find that a wall of something, most likely air is between the two of them, as Sionil approaches "If you don't mind, Children. Go back into the practice yard with your fighting or I'll have the guards take you back."

Helmets are nice things. Zan gets baffed on the helmet by Adri before Sionil forcibly separates them with the power, but only winces a little. But that wall of air effectively stops his counter attack.

Mavyn blinks a few times at the rustle when she enters the courtyard. She bristles slightly... moving towards them.

Adri Acks as he runs into the wall of air. "he just shakes his head and points to his doomed opponent. "You lucky she stopped me" he laughs. After a moment to see who is adressing him Adri responds. "Why certainly mother!" he states and begins back pedaling towards the practice yard again. he can't help adding. "Shouldn't you be...reading or something?"

Sionil gives him a snort and a frown in response.

And that would do it... abuse of another man is one thing, but to yell at another woman.. woooah boy. For those in the yard that can sense when the One Power is being embraced, would notice the plume around the girl in the yard. And all those can tell as she changes looks... slightlybut enough to make her look at a different person. "You." Her voice booms towards Adri. "You've no right to pick on others."

Zannick steps back away from that 'wall' and bows smoothly to Sionil, before chasing Adri around the end of the obstruction and back into the practice yard. "Sure Adri, I was just about to finish you off ya know." He retorts as he's going back into the yard.

Sionil blinks and turns about in surprize "Release the source this instant Novice."

Adri tests for that freak wall of air as he sets foot inside the practice yard. Yes he is being a child...children have fun. he puts one foot in...and one foot out. Now he's going to do the hokey pokey and shake...well never mind, once he is technically in the practice yard, but still where those in the courtyard can see things clearly, he proceeds to launch himself into a lunge at poor Zan. He only laughs. "Picking? On the contrary Aes Sedai...he's beating the crap out of me." He assumes that booming voice came from the Sedai afterall.

Sionil finally seeing who did embrace and not seeing a novice dress on the girl, nor knowing who she is concentrates on her (op stuff for the normals here ;) )

Zannick drops on finding himself the target of an Adri missile just inside the practice yard and rolls out of the way as quickly as possible, taking a swing at the back of the gaidin as he regains his feet. Laughter comes sporatically from behind the white helmet covering and protecting Zan's face from the foil his opponent wields as he parries and counter attacks, the fight certainly spirited.

That's alright...the boys are too busy trying to kill one another to care. Will be nice to stop that yelling though. ;P

Adri parries one of Zann's shots then another before he finds himself hopping up onto the wall seperating the practice yard from the kitchen garden. Quite a narrow little space there to walk on and keep ones balance. Adri's foil flicks downward and jabs at Zan in counter attack

Aurora enters the courtyard from the kitchen garden.

Aurora has arrived.

Taneko enters the courtyard from the kitchen garden.

Taneko has arrived.

Aurora glides through the gate from the garden, craning in her neck to peer up at the two men battling on the wall. That is something she's not yet seen... she can't be sure who they are though since they're covered from stem to stern. She gives Tane a slightly bewildered look and shrugs a little, just settling into watching.

Zannick chases Adri along the low wall the gaidin is now perched on, the foil in his white practice suit glove darting and dancing like a playful water darner. He seems to be going for Adri's legs, hoping to knock Adri off the wall and into the garden perhaps. A little jingling sound gives away the identity of the student fencing with the Gaidin.

Taneko follows after Aurora, also trying her best to see exactly what's going on.

Sionil moves quickly towards the child who shouted at the two men

Mavyn growls at the two men, before she closes her eyes and blinks as the source is pulled away from her. The illusion weaved around the girl slides off as well, moving back to her more normal form. Her tone, however, has not changed. "Stop it you fools!" A deep rich voice, tinged with anger comes from the small girl as she stalks towards the yard.

Mavyn pages Adri and Zannick: You boys are luuuucky :) Esp you Adri ;) hehe

Sionil holds onto her shield for now as she reaches the girl "Wha? Oh my... Stop child... stop."

Adri is quite a dancer. His feet shuffle this way and that playfully as Zannick's blade forces him to dance. Sadly though, one can only do so much dancing when one is perched so precariusly. He solves his troubles by finally getting around to countering. Adri has been called many things. He's getting used to the fool bit. Illusions and strange things are such a regular occurence around here...Seems Mav went completely unnoticed. Adri's blade zips for the evil trainee with the audactiy to follow him up here. "You just don't want to give up do you silly trainee?"

Weste walks down the steps into the Courtyard, after pushing through the main doors of the Tower.

Weste has arrived.

Mavyn turns towards Sionil, her eyes flaring with anger. "You're going to let him beat the other?" She blisters, her fists shaking.. "If you are, you're a fool!" She says, stalking towards the men again, her whole body shaking.

Aurora's attention is very quickly jerked away from the two duelers as Sionil shields a woman she's not even seen before. She hikes up her skirts and runs over, "Sionil Sedai? Do you need any help?" She eyes the new woman cautiously before stepping in front of her to cut her off.

Sionil follows Mavyn and grabs onto her "Stop child. Now."

Mavyn stops and begins to squirm back and forth.. "Let.. mee goo!"

And which man are you speaking of? it is Zan that is chasing poor helpless Adri all over that narrow wall. Poor boy..Adri could get hurt...That wall is getting narrower with each careful step.

Taneko stops and stares. She's not yet used to everything that goes on in the Tower, though her curtsy is pure reflex and very out of place.

Zan is driven back a bit as Adri gets around to counterattacking him as they fence on the low wall between garden and practice yard, clad head to toe in white practice suits. Even as he backpedals with precisely placed steps, Zan's voice comes from behind the protective mask, "Trainees who give up don't become Gaidin, sir, with all due respect." Clash, clash, thwap, the fencing attacking and parying goes on, Zan seeming in high spirits every bit as much as Adri.

Sionil shakes her head "Calm down girl. They're training. Have you ever heard of Gaidin?"

Mavyn blinks a few times and falls backwards against Sionil, clutching her forehead.. "Wha.. what?"

Aurora sees that Sionil has the shield firmly in place. Good at least there's little risk of that. For the moment she lets the Aes Sedai handle this situation, though she does study Mav closely with slightly squinting, tilted eyes.

Sionil looks towards the girl "He's training to become a warder. A protector of Aes Sedai."

Mavyn shakes her head back and forth. "Who is training? What are you talking about?" She looks up at the other woman and blushes. "Who are you? Why are you holding onto me?"

Correction...the boys are playing. Cling clang cling clang...blades volley back and forth...yet neither ever seems to score a hit. Are they both that good? or are they more concerned with enjoying themselves then they are concerned with killing one another? Again Adri begins backing up...beconing the foolish trainee to follow him across that oh so narrow wall. Speaking of Aes Sedai...Adri decides to make conversation as he endevors to kill this particularly resiliant trainee. "You got any plans once you get done with this place? You not going to bond are you?" Slash!

Sionil asks ignoring the questions "Do you know where you are, child?"

"I walked out into the courtyard and then... I found myself here with you." Mavyn says honestly.. "That's all."

Sionil leads the girl to a bench sitting her down next to herself "You do know this is the White Tower. You've must have heard of Aes Sedai."

Aurora breathes a soft, "Oh Light." She's seen her share of madness, and this is clearly not good. She glances at Sionil though, deferring in part because she is a mere Accepted and in part because she hasn't the faintest idea what to do about it.

Mavyn tilts her head to the side. "YEes.." She follows Sionil over towards the seat, holding her head. "Ow..."

Taneko glances over at Aurora, a very confused look on her face.

Sionil comforts Mavyn a little "Oh child. You're lucky to have found us... You are in the White Tower. The home of Aes Sedai."

Mavyn nods.. "I knew that... I.. was shipped here by my Aunt." She rubs her head. "I don't know why, I don't know why... I can't channel."

Sionil shakes her head "You can. You almost did when I stopped you. And you need to stop from embracing the source or the pains in your head will grow worser until we are able to train you correctly to do it."

Surefooted, the trainee fencing with Adri wastes no time in again becoming the chaser instead of the driven, hooting from behind the practice mask, seeming to have almost forgotten about the gaggle of Sedai, Accepted and Novices within seeing distance of them, and probably listening distance too. Parry. Slash, lunge. "I don't know Adri. Haven't decided to bond. Haven't decided not to. I'll decide when I get there I suppose." A hop forward and another slash, "One thing I do know, I need some adventure. I don't wanna carry books for some sedai's research project the rest of my life. If I bonded, she'd have to be the travelling type." Zan nearly slips off the wall but recovers his footing.

Aurora just kind of stares at this. And she wants to say something like Um... Sionil... Sedai... she.. uh.. er.. don't we.. um.. gentle men for being mad? Then again what if they'd just stilled Devon out of hand? She exchanges the confused glances with Tane and then realizes that she's supposed to be acting more Aes Sedai like so she dons serenity like a cloak, and watches out of the corner of her eye as she seems to turn her attention back to the men on the wall.

Mavyn shakes her head back and forth and buries her head against the other woman, crying. "I.. I.. can't.."

Adri laughs. "you want adventure?' thwack...slash...clang. "Then whatever you do kid...don't you dare let yourself be turned into a glorified baby sitter for a woman who can do it all better then you can anyway!" Adri laughs...the very thought of men going through all this to become...servants...amuses him. He backs up...sure footed despite the narrowing ledge he is precariously balanced on.

Sionil holds onto Mavyn "It's okay, child. We will help you."

"See that's my point Gaidin!" Slash! Cling, thwick! Zan continues to advance on Adri, "If I happen on a Sedai that's gonna do something active, it could be fun. Get to travel, never the same place twice. I could do that."

Adri laughs his ass off and looks like he may be about to loose his balance. "While you're at it." slash...thwack...clang. "Try and find one who doesn't get her peiod but one day out of the month."

Zannick takes a real swipe at Adri right after that, remarking emphatically, "Now /that/ I don't wanna talk about Gaidin! That's between her and her mother, no business for a Gaidin!"

Adri smirks. "You be sayin that right about the time you experience your first cramps." He starts to parry and then something happens. A bit of the wall slips out from Adri's feet and down he goes. Wa! hoo! hoo! hooo! splat. Adri lands ass first in the kitchen garden's compost heap. It takes him a moment to get his bearings before he looks up at the trainee. "Well...shit." is all he has to say about that. Yup that's gonna hurt when he stands up.

Zannick peels the helmet off his head and laughs out loud at Adri's expression. "Better get out of there Adri before you get the suit dyed in tater peels" he chuckles and hops down off the wall on the practice yard side, looking over the wall at Adri with a goofy grin on his dark face.

Must... not.. laugh... must... not... lau- Aurora giggles before she can clamp back down on her mirth. It might look like she got a sudden attack of hiccoughs as she bites back wave after wave of laughter that wants to come out. She turns around, placing a hand over her mouth, not that either of the two fighters will notice a solitary bystander snickering, but the last thing she wants is to have to apologize to Adri again. So she chuckles into her hand until she can regain control of her mask.

Adri responds as he slowly gets to his feet. "you lucky that damn wall isn't very stable!" Oh sure...it's only been there for like...a thousand years. his nifty white bloomers are now....brown bloomers

Taneko was watching the fighters too, and only a raised hand hides just how amused she really is as Adri ends up in the compost.

Sionil trying to comfort the girl looks up briefly and seeing Aurora calls the accepted over

That does it. Rora is all serenity again as she glides over towards the Aes Sedai. "Yes Sionil Sedai? Did you need something?" She pointedly doesn't glance over towards the wall again, not trusting herself to keep a straight face.

"Why do you think I let you go first?" Zan grins over the wall, trying not to let a chuckle become a loud laugh. "At least it wasn't your own britches Adri." Zan philosophises with a laugh.

Adri walks out from behind the garden wall and quickly makes his way into the practice yard. "Like I would duel anyone in good clothes." he retorts. Something like that would border on...uncivilized. Seems Adri is walking with a slight limp...and a brown ass. Best to get out of these before too many people see

Adri passes through the entrance of a large wall, leading to the Practice Yard.

Adri has left.

Zannicks face disappears from over the wall as Adri high tails it into the practice yard, and then barracks. Zannick goes to change out of this fencing suit himself, though his chuckling can still be heard over the wall.

You pass through the entrance of a large wall, leading to the Practice Yard.

Practice Yard: White Tower, Tar Valon

The practice yard appears to loom before you, lined in a perfect square by various tall shrubs and hedges. You'll notice that the center of the practice grounds is cleared of any grass or trees, forming a hard, packed-dirt arena. By the barracks, you'll notice several stands holding various practice weapons for the Trainees to use during their training sessions. There is also a rack holding various forms of armor, used to help protect those within a session.

All around, leaves change color and you'll hedges appear to lose their leaves, as the autumn chill starts to come forth. This area appears to be empty, except for the occassional night creature or cat that wanders through in the late evening hours. A sliver of moonlight shines down into the yard, glowing softly in various areas.

There are two exits out of the practice grounds. One exit leads into the barracks which house the guards, Trainees and Warders. The other exit leads out into the courtyard of the Tower grounds.

You pass through the entrance of a large wall, leading to the Courtyard.

Courtyard: White Tower, Tar Valon(#76RJLM)

Before you stands a magnificent palace made of delicately sculpted marble, rather than blocks. Gently arching walls and bulging domes rise high into the sky, seemingly just barely touching the clouds with its delicately crafted spires, topping off the breathtaking sight before you. Looking about, one can see a small garden off to the side, with a small winding path down it's center that leads into a maze of bushes where one might get lost if not too careful.

Colors seem to change from bright pastels to earthy tones and vibrant reds as the days start to grow colder and the days shorter. There are several benches about the grounds where one might be able to sit and relax. There are several lamps about the courtyard lighting the way for those that would travel through the grounds late at night. Several of the Tower Guards can be seen keeping an eye on the gates and patrolling the grounds

A broad stairway, made of pristine white marble, enters into the White Tower, marked by a massive pair of doors decorated with delicate carvings of intricate workmanship. A tall, white wall cascades around the yard, its entrances and exits marked by high gates leading to the street, watched by the Tower Guard. Somewhere in the courtyard you can see buildings for the barracks and the stables. You can also see an entrance to the practice yard, marked of by a row of high hedges.

Changed out of that white 'zoot suit' he had put on to fence with Adri, Zannick emerges from the practice yard a few minutes later, his dark hair wet and wavy, most likely from pouring water over his head to cool off from that darn fencing mask. Light that was fun.

Aurora watches Sionil take the girl inside and shakes her head a little. "That one is going to be trouble..." and Rora knows trouble like Warders know forms. She sits down on the bench and finally releases the source. Yup, lots of trouble.

Devon arches a brow even as she curtsies and watches Sionil Sedai pass her on her way into the courtyard. Interesting. However she continues on her way out of the Tower, catching sight of Aurora and making her way over towards her.

Zannick sits down cross legged some distance away, and then leans back in the grass, looking up at the autumn sky and thinking a bit about the discussion he and Adri had while trying to bash each other. Things to think about certainly, but not decided yet. Light a nap might be in order in fact.

Aurora smiles softly at Devon. "Look, I'm actually sitting on a bench today." She flicks a wink at her and pats the bench beside her. "Sit with me?" Meanwhile her mind is a little distracted. A project, a project, my kingdom for a project. After coming so far so fast it's just irking to be holding herself up...

Devon chuckles, taking a seat next to her friend, slipping one leg underneath her. "I'm shocked...are you feeling well? Perhaps we should take you to the Infirmary, yes?" Project? Oh yeah, that thing that she has absolutely no clue what to do on. Le sigh. "So tell me, how are you today? Besides sitting on a bench and all the ramifications it must cause."

Aurora laughs softly, "Actually I think I am the most sane person in the Tower at the moment." She glances at the spot where Sionil and the young woman disappeared, thoughtful. Then she just shakes her head. "I think Gitani has rediscovered Flying and gone for a little trip because I can never seem to get hold of her. If it weren't for that I think I would be -done- with my project by now." She glances over at Zannick and smiles a bit, waving. She calls out quickly, "nice work Trainee. I've not seen anyone best Adri in a long time." Although it was kind of his own fault.. ah well.

Devon grins. "Or she's busy discovering the meaning behind every ter'angreal in the vaults, and you're left to fend for yourself, eh?" She turns slightly at the call, her grin growing a bit wider at Zan. "He bested Adri? Good for him..." she murmurs so quietly only Aurora can hear her.

Zannick lifts his head a bit and then sits back up, leaning on an elbow, and waving with the other hand once to both Accepted. "Hey thanks! I thought Sionil Sedai was gonna skin us both there for a minute." he calls back. The dark faced young man grins, obviously finding it enjoyable.

Aurora grins and murmurs softly herself, "that would have been fun to watch..." She is all smiles at Zan though. "You know... if you come over here we won't have to shout so much. I'm sure the Novice reading over there appreciates our noisiness, but my voice is going to give out." She winks to show she's teasing.

Devon grins at Aurora. "We don't bite...well I don't think Aurora does, but Light knows they think I'm crazy, so its pretty up in the air what I might do. Come, talk with us. We'll play nice, promise." Now why does that sound like a promise that was more than meant to be broken?

Aurora arches an eyebrow at Devon and murmurs, "maybe you don't..."

Zannick climbs up and brushes the grass off his breeches, though a couple leaves cling to the back of his shirt. "Light if you were gonna bite me Devon, you could have done so easily yesterday." He's joking of course. His expression reflects it as he wanders over, appologising to the novice attempting to read near him before he does. He sits back down in the grass near the bench and folds his knees up, calling attention to just how long of leg he is with the motion.

Aurora looks pleasantly surprised. "Devon? Is there something you need to tell me?" Her grin is quite impish as she glances back and forth between Dev and Zan. Hmmmm... She leans in to whisper something to the Accepted.

Devon giggles, first at Aurora and then at Zan. "I don't bite on the first date, unfortunately." She turns from him, then back to Aurora. "Zan and I got to know each other a little better before I was called away." Her green widens at Aurora's word, and a faint blush creeps up on her cheek, which cause the scar on her left cheek to become more discernable. "Zan, you might consider your words more carefully. A girl might infer you don't really mind getting bitten after all."

Nonplussed, Zannick laughs softly. "So much whispering." He blinks at Devon and then adds with a faintly sly grin, "Lets not talk about biting unless we are also gonna talk about scratching." Is he serious? It would be hard to think he is with the flippant unembarrassed manner he says this in. "Besides.. you don't look like a biter to me." He's certainly not one to be easily embarrassed it seems.

Devon whispers something back to Aurora with an arched brow, before turning back with a grin at Zan. "Scratching? I could see some poor girl scratching you behind the ears, like a good puppy dog. I always wanted a puppy. And you'd be surprised what I'm capable of when it comes up. A few weeks ago I went nutso in the courtyard and attacked a Sister. So...I've got potential." She says it calmly and with a smile, as though it isn't much of an issue.

Aurora hmmmmms thoughtfully and eyes Zannick, very much appraisingly. Then again she does have a certain fondness for Tairens, considering she already has plans to bond too. She nods to whatever Devon says to her and in return, She mutters to Devon, "Yes... think... you... Though... Green..."

Zannick chuckles and kicks back in the grass, "Ah but puppies do make messes. Would you feed me every day? And make sure I had my walk, and clean water?" He doesn't let this slightly demeaning view of Gaidin bother him at all. Its a joke as far as he;s concerned.

Devon turns her head slightly, although her tone isn't as quiet as before. She mutters to Aurora, "... enough,... will... promise... that much. And... go... take... Warders... head..." she straightens, and flickers Zan with an odd look. Only the Sedai get pets, unfortunately. Like Calandra and her poor....cousin, wasn't it. She had to do all those things. "I'm sure you'd be a good puppy, and I could housebreak you...or Tower break you as the case may be."

Aurora chuckles softly and shakes her head at Devon, and mumrmurs, "Warders aren't pets..." She knows they're just bantering though so she stays out of it other than that. It's probably just as well she didn't catch what Adri was saying earlier or she might have had to give him a piece of her mind, and Light knows she has little enough to spare. ;) "Or you could just keep Novices around to clean up after him..."

Laughter. It comes out as a snort at first, and then rolls up into full bore laughter from Zannick. "Shee-- you two are too much! It's a bit early for that, isn't it?" He favors both girls with a quizzically raised, yet amused eyebrow, and a laughing twist at the corner of his mouth.

Devon snickers, turning from Aurora back to Zan. "Unfortunately, we're always like this. It's Aurora's fault, she's a bad influence on me. Novice...now there's an idea, of course." she replies in a dry tone, running a hand through her short blond hair.

Aurora grins, "Yes, I will take full credit for corrupting Devon." She almost seems to wear it like a badge of pride. Then again Matt was the one who corrupted her and who knows who corrupted him.. Hmmm... going to have to ask him about that one of these days- or maybe it would be better just to leave it in the past. Decisions, decisions.

Zannick thinks its about time to divert this conversation before it goes any farther, and he starts making remarks about biting one or both of them in jest that might get him in trouble. So he sits up and fishes in his pockets. "Hey I found this thing in town the other day. I was thinking maybe one of you might know what this is named?" He pulls out an item that fits easily in his palm, made of clay, with five or six little varying sized holes in the round body part, like a flute except the holes are scattered in a semi circle.

Devon grins at Rora and then goes to look at the object. "I think its called a 'I have no idea whatsoever'. Sorry."

Zannick snaps his fingers and winks at Devon for her elaborate I don't know answer. "Well that's certainly original Devon." He glances at Aurora.

Aurora grins knowingly at Zan, as though amused at his changing the subject. She shakes her head as well at the instrument, "Haven't the faintest. My own two lips are good enough for making music with." She means whistling of course.

Suuuuure you did, Rora. "I try to be original, its a gift.' She tilts her head slightly, still looking down at the object.

Zannick peers inside it through one of the holes remarking, "Well yeah, I like to sing too, but I thought this was sorta cool looking." Ah ha! His changing the subject was successful! Zan's mouth grins a little even as he's still got an eye pressed to the item as if it had something fascinating in there.

Devon stands suddenly, grinning back at the other two. "As much fun as I'm having, unfortunately I have a class in a few minutes. If you'll excuse me. Aurora, I'll see you later, and Zan, I hope ot see you soon. Must take care of my puppy now musn't I?" She grins mischeviously, before darting back off to the Tower.

Aurora laughs and shakes her head at the retreating Devon, then she slips off the bench to sit on the ground beside him. For some reason she just like that better. "So. What do you think of her?" Yup, she's a gossipmonger, and doesn't seem to mind either that this conversation might be a little premature. All that matters is that Devon seems to have her eye on this one, so as a friend it is her duty to test the waters. She smiles innocently.

Zannick's sole comment in response to the puppy thing coming up again is a little mimiced bark as Devon darts off. Ruffled? No. He lifts the small instrument to his lips and arranges his fingers over the holes with a studious expression and begins to play slowly, something simple. Not artistic, but not too badly botched either. The question does drop kick his concentration though and he lowers the instrument into his lap, turning to look at Aurora. "Think of her? She seems a nice girl." But then Zan would say that much about most girls. Its hard to get him to harbor a grudge at all. "What do you think of her?' he counters with a grin.

Aurora chuckles softly. "I think she's a good friend. You're right, she is a nice girl even if she tries not to seem like one." She pauses to peer at him again and then adds, "and you seem like a nice man. Though I can't be sure just yet. It would hardly do for an Aes Sedai to jump to conclusions." Not that she is one yet, but she's trying to play the part, at least what she thinks an Aes Sedai should be.

Zannick reaches up and scratches his head, displacing some of his dark hair, a puzzled wrinkle on his brow. "Now why would someone want to seem un-nice?" Her next words draw his attention a bit more and he smiles engagingly. "No, suppose it's hard to tell. You don't have to decide right away, you know?" He's tucking the small round object back in his pocket now, apparently done with it for the moment. He has that restless exploring feel to him, at least if observed consistently. He needs new things to occupy his mind often.

Aurora smiles. "I know." She holds up her hand and pretends to take something from behind her ear and makes a little invisible tick on her palm before tucking the 'pencil' back behind her ear and putting the 'paper' back in her pocket. Ok, now who's insane? "You know... my Da would say you've got the road itch. Do you know what the surest cure for that is?"

Zannick leans an elbow on the bench and lets his chin rest on it, both eyebrows rising, as he watches this little invisible marking down of something. His blue eyes dart back to her face though. "The road itch? No. What?" A comfortable smile loiters around his mouth.

Aurora leans forward conspiratorily and whispers, "Work." She nods as though she'd just given him some magical revelation and he wouldn't believe it. "It's true. Whenever I started chattering about going into town or anywhere else he would say," she deepens her voice and puffs up a little to look more mannish, not doing a very good job of course, "Rora, if you don't scratch that road itch I'm going to scratch it for you. Go feed the chickens." She leans back against the bench and giggles. "Except that I knew he was teasing. He was the same way of course. Not that we ever had time to do much but work..."

Zannick sets a slightly skeptical expression Aurora's direction, though that friendly smile never seems to leave his face. Its always there in some form. "What makes you think I have the road itch? I do work pretty hard you know." His protest is only slight and laced with teasing.

"Oh I don't doubt that in the slightest. But some people have it so strongly that even working sunup to sundown doesn't cure it. And in that case the only thing to do is just to get on a horse, or your own two feet and start going. It doesn't really matter where to, at least it didn't for me. Sometimes I think I should have been a Tinker." The Accepted smiles back.

Zannick laughs, "So what brought you here then? If your feet are so restless, I'm surprised you haven't tried to run off." Zan remains leaning his arm on the bench, his chin on his arm. "See I don't think I have this road itch you speak of. Least not that way. Its not just travelling for me. I have to be doing something. Exploring something. Learning." He turns his head a little bit sideways. "I travelled a lot while I was out of the Tower these last two years. It wasn't the same. I was going the same places, and always too busy to explore." He explains a little bit about himself, at least in so much as he knows about himself.

Aurora hmmms and nods, "You're right, there are differnt kinds of road itch, though if you have one you usually have them all. I would have to agree with you about the learning bit. Why do you think I finished my training so fast," she asks teasingly. "And who says I didn't try to run off? I actually did think about it," though that was actually for different reasons. "I guess it was being Aes Sedai so badly I could taste it that kept me here."

Zannick rearranges his fingers and grins, his eyes getting that somewhere else gleam. "I'll always want to go back to Arafel I think." He remarks offhandedly. "Don't know why. The trade stuff there was boring." His grin gets infused with self-irony and his gaze returns to current time and place. "Suppose I was lucky to get back in here after needing to leave." This last is sort of a muse to self that comes out instead of staying at thought level.

Aurora grins and nods, "I didn't get to spend as much time in Arafel as I would have liked, ufortunately." Of course she can hardly mention that it was because the thieves guild there didn't appreciate the competition and decided she'd outworn her welcome... "Though I'll have plenty of time to spend in all the borderlands when I'm raised."

Zannick's tanned fingers idly play with that bell on the end of his single braid now, as his thoughts quite obviously are circling the airfield somewhere in Arafel. "You going back to Saldaea first? Or somewhere else?" Is that a dreamy cast creeping into the young man's blue eyes? He certainly is a little odd having adopted a portion of Arafel's dress, and only that one portion, while remaining firmly Tairien in most other aspects.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. I haven't been to Shienar. I might start there and work my way across, taking little jaunts into the Blight occasionally. It's wierd but for so long my goal has simply been to make it to Aes Sedai, that I haven't thought much about what I want to do -after-." Aurora shrugs a little and smiles. "Either way I'm trapped here for another year at least even if I am raised sooner." Light send she's raised sooner! "I plan on bonding Vortian Gaidin, but he's training under a blademaster now and has promised to stay with him for a year... and it would hardly do for me to be gone when he gets back." She smiles fondly, but a little sadly as well.

"No, suppose not. Promises are promises after all." Zan's blue eyes say something unreadable as he grins, wether about his past or his future, or something else entirely, its hard to tell. He starts to climb to his feet though after a look to the horizon, the tiny bell chiming twice, "Light, I have some chores I have to take care of tonight or Kelsyn will skin me tomorrow. It's been nice talking to you Aurora. And.." he hesitates, looking down, and then deciding the joke is not to outrageous for words, "Tell Devon I'll need clean water and a walk in the morning." He smirks, his eyes going half openly sly.

Aurora laughs and nods, "I will be sure to. Thanks, I hope I didn't chew your ear off too much." She winks again and makes no move to get up. "Though I won't say I would take no small amount of pride in causing someone's skinning. Good luck with your training Zannick." She adds after a moment's pause, "and I was right, you are a nice guy. I for one am glad you came back or else I might never have had the honor of meeting you."

Zannick smiles sideways, one corner of his mouth lifting, "Thanks. That's mighty kind of you. Naw, my ears are pretty hard to chew off. I'm sure you'll get the chance to try it again. Light Shine on you Accepted." He winks and then moves off after a casually adept bow, whistling first, and then as he goes into the barracks, singing filters back, some song about a fair maiden who was envied by the night sky or some such. He goes inside before too much of it is heard.

You pull open the door to the Barracks and leave the Courtyard.