Setting: Courtyard: White Tower, Tar Valon

Characters:
Jaelyn - Warder in Training
Calandra - Flirtatious Novice of the White Tower
Sionil - Accepted of the White Tower
Morillin - Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah

Calandra is sitting down on the grass, writing in one book and consulting two others...several different plants splayed in front of her.

Jaelyn strides out from the practice yard, sword and bag swung idly over his right shoulder. Beads of sweat are evidence to a long training day, even his relaxed walk shows a slight tired swing to it. He notices the two individuals, and politely nods, with a quiet, "Peace favour you".

Calandra looks up and smiles at Jaelyn, "Hello Jaelyn."

Sionil gives a nod towards Jaelyn "Good day to you"

Calandra pats the grass, "Have a seat? Or are you in a hurry?"

Jaelyn shrugs, directing himself over to the grass as well to join the other two. "No, not in a hur'y." and lowers is sword and bag down before himself taking a seat. Ah! It's good to stretch out and relax at last.

Calandra smiles, "Have ye run into the little one lately?"

Jaelyn shakes his head, rolling his eyes slightly to your question, "No, not lately. Fortunately. Did the doll final'y get a face?"

Calandra nods, "Aye, Rita now has a lovely face." she respectfully declines to mention the color of the Doll's eyes.

Jaelyn grins awkwardly, "Go'd. Thanks. Means I don't have to use my ter'ible artistic inability." He shifts his legs, crossing them beneath him to get a bit more comfortable.

Calandra nods and smiles, "Aye. I used mine instead." she laughs softly, "Good thing my Nursemaid made sure that Art was one of the things that was drilled into me."

Calandra rolls her eyes slightly at her last statement.

Deciding that this cross legged seating wasn't confortable enough, Jaelyn straightens them out in front, leaning back on his outstretched arms. "Yeah, well...my father drilled other things into me. Not art." He says, smiling boyishly, a dimple showing on his left cheak as he looks down at his feet.

Calandra grins back, his smile contagious. She raises an eyebrow, "Oh? Like what, if you don't mind me asking?" she pauses then quickly ammends her statement, "You don't have to of course."

Jaelyn shrugs again, kind of hard to do it in this position, but manages it anyway. "I don't mind. He taught me to use that..." he throws a finger at his sword laying by his side, and expression of pride flooding his face momentarily.

Calandra smiles and nods, "Aye, you do like what you do, I remember that." She smirks slightly, "Just like me and my throwing knives." she sighs... "I'm not allowed to have them here... I know it's not as dangerous, but I still feel so vulnerable without my only form of protection.."

It's Jaelyn's to smirk, his grin growing. "Knives are okay. My father taught me a bit on them. I know Shienaran woman almos' as dangerous as any soldier, but how much time could a noble's daughter real'y have to spend on such things..." He's still grinning, but looks at you, his expression curious.

Calandra raises an eyebrow, "You'd be surprised... I'm from Cairhien, remember?"

Calandra writes some more in the book laying in her lap, "I started when I was 5 years old... "

Morillin wanders out of the Tower, a small basket over one arm. Moving to a bench, she settles herself with a minimum of fuss and pulls embroidery hoop and needle from the basket. Humming softly to herself, she sets about threading the needle.

Sionil stands briefly and gives a curtsey

Calandra stands and curtsies to Morillin, dropping the book she was writing in. She sits back down on the other side of her collection of plants, a few feet from Jaelyn.

Jaelyn shrugs again, takes to looking back at his feet. "That's almost when I started the sword." he says in a humoured voice.

At your table, Calandra mutters under her breath, "She was in a wicked mood this morning, careful."

Morillin brushes a strand of ebony hair from her angular features, looking up briefly to give those nearby small nods of acknowledgement. She then lowers her head, concentrating on her embroidery.

Jaelyn grins, speaking quietly to Calandra...

Calandra nods quietly. She carefully scrawls in her book while chatting with Jaelyn, "Aye? For different reasons I'm sure." She writes while she speaks, as if her mind is on her writing not what she is saying. She smirks, "I demanded that I was taught how to throw knives around my fifth birthday, I caught onto Daes Dae'mar rather quickly... and knew I would need a defense.."

Calandra speaks quietly.

Being a little slow today, Jaelyn, noticing the passing Aes Sedai, stands and shows his respects to her with a low bow in Shienaran fashion.

Morillin glances at Jaelyn from the corner of her eye, lips pursing as she looks him over. Perhaps surprisingly, she says absolutely nothing about young men conversing with Novices.

At your table, Calandra lets out a very quiet sigh of relief, her eyes watching Morill from the corner.

After retaking his seat...a bit farther than a couple feet from Calandra, he says "Does Days Dimar get dangerous enough fer you to need blades? I thought it was jus' political and high court maneuvering that?"

Calandra shakes her head, still writing, "Nay, that is only the surface of it. Beneath there are constant threats to one's life... especially in Court. If you do not watch your back...guard your back with knowlegde and a good hand at a weapon of some sort, it could mean death..."

Jaelyn mutters something, before saying further, "Sounds like fun." in a sarcastic tone. "Like a battle field, where selfishness drives the fight."

Calandra nods, "Only worse." She looks up for a moment, "Where one can trust one's own allies even less than one's enemies." She casts her eyes back down to the book she is writing in.

Looking down at his feet still, Jaelyn continues in a sharp voice, "Death to anyone who betrays an al'y and friend. They are lower than a dog. At least Shienarans believe that, fortunately."

Morillin looks up for a moment. "Not just Shienarans," she says in her cool voice. "Ebou Dari feel much the same. That is why I cannot abide Cairhienin politics."

Calandra nods, "Aye." she sighs, "That is why I couldn't stay in Cairhien.. If I found out I could not channel... I would have stayed here reguardless. It is too hard to not be able to trust those who are supposed to be your family... your allies." she nods to Morillin, "Aye, I cannot abide by them either..." she smiles slightly, "But now... I have found a substitute family of sorts... and they are one's I can relate to."

Jaelyn looks up sharply to the Aes Sedai's reply, nodding to her carefully, "It please me to here that this Days Damer is limited to region, Aes Sedai. Otherwise this world may be in greater trouble than it is...foolishly maneuvering fer power rather than focusing on the true evil."

Morillin smiles briefly. "Oh, the Great Game reaches into virtually every land. Cairhien is the worst, but certainly not the only one. Even the Tower is not entirely immune." That would be a huge understatement.

Calandra smirks slightly, "Nay, not immune at all, but in the tower there is not the same bloodthirsty vengence as in Cairhien... and the Game is played on a much smaller level..."

Morillin gives Calandra a considering study. "You think so, do you, child?" she murmurs. "Perhaps. Only the Borderlands are truly immune from such idiocy, young man." That to Jaelyn, obviously. "They have no time for games. Altara is largely untouched, but not entirely, I am sorry to say."

Jaelyn nods proudly to the Aes Sedai's statement, "We would not have survived otherwise." He looks back to his feet spread out in front of him. "Did Days Damir even hap'en while they fought the Aiel?"

Calandra smiles slightly at Morillin, "I am no expert on tower affairs Morillin Sedai, I can merely comment on what I have seen so far... and death in every eye is not one of them."

Morillin smiles faintly. "Death, in the Tower? Indeed not, child. Fortunately."

Calandra nods to Morillin, "Aye, for this I am much relieved." she turns to Jaelyn and smiles slightly, a bit saddly, "Jaelyn, dinner does not happen without the presence of Daes Dae'mar in Cairhien."

Morillin nods. "A measure of Cairhienin stupidity. No offense intended, child, of course."

Jaelyn shakes his head in annoyance with this 'das dimer' thing, frowning. He says cooly, "If anyone tries to play a game with me like that, they'll quickly find out why Shienarans don't play..."

Calandra laughs slightly, "Aye. I take no offense, Morillin Sedai... I agree with you."

Calandra roars with laughter at Jaelyn's statement, "I will remember that. I prefer to keep my head where it is, rather than on some trophy stand of a future warder."

Morillin gives Jaelyn a coolly approving nod. "My thoughts are much the same."

Jaelyn looks up to both the Aes Sedai and Calandra, considering something, but keeps silent for the moment, just listening carefully. This is something to learn if he must face it in the future.

Calandra glances at Jaelyn for a moment, before shrugging it off, or at least appearing to.

At your table, Calandra whispers under her breath, "What is it?"

You sense Jaelyn shrugs, "Nothing..."

You whisper "Are you sure? You seem troubled..." to Jaelyn.

Morillin takes up her quiet humming once more as she continues to embroider.

Calandra keeps writing in her book, picking up one plant or another at times.

Jaelyn hmms, deciding to put word to his thoughts, turning a shade of red, "Um, in order to recognize this...what should someone look out fer?" He has no experience with any Great Game, and feels slightly embarassed.

Morillin looks up at the boy, eyebrows quirking.

Calandra smiles slightly at Jaelyn, "What things should one look for?" she pauses for a moment, putting her book aside. "The Game comes in many forms."

Calandra sighs, "First, a willingness to sink to any level to achieve what they want... Not determination, mind you, but a devious, deliberate plot, devised to undermine all attempts of others... To take the tiniest iota of information that could be harming to another and use it to gain their own ground...not caring who they step on in the process."

You whisper "I give you my word that I would *never* involve you in Daes Dae'mar. I despise what it does to people. I could never hurt one so noble as you." to Jaelyn.

Jaelyn looks over to Calandra, a surprised look on his face, and is slightly taken aback. He mumbles something under his breath, but too low for any to hear, and goes back to looking at his feet, listening.

Calandra picks up her book and goes back to writing, "Is there anything else you need to know?"

You whisper "Can I ask you a question? You don't have to answer it... and I am merely curious.." to Jaelyn.

Jaelyn sighs, still unsure, "So, what does someone look fer to recognize if the game is trying to be played on them?" You realize he is not very quick with things relating to subterfuge and deviousness. Upon hearing your question he shrugs, saying simply, "Ask..."

Calandra nods quietly, first answering his question before asking her own, "You must keep your eyes open, always ask yourself what the motive is behind another actions if they seem remotely strange, or uncharacteristic. It is very hard to spot...sometimes impossible... and many.." she pauses for a moment, "Do not have the ability to spot it... I'm afraid that my mother may have been among those."

Calandra pauses, "I know it is a... touchy subject for you... but" she pauses, almost shy and unsure for once, "Why are your eyes yellow? It is a characteristic I have never seen... and have only heard pieces of rumors of.. None of which I ever understood..." She adds quickly, "If it bothers you too much, please feel free to act as if I never asked the question...and I will not breech the subject again."

Morillin looks up at mention of yellow eyes, her own eyes narrowing as they focus on Jaelyn. Thoughtfully.

Calandra sighs, She mutters to Jaelyn, "... did not... my..."
Jaelyn senses "Calandra sighs, "I hope I did not overstep my bounds... If I did, please forgive me.""

Jaelyn looks up to you as you answer his question, studying your words carefully. Another frown,"Sounds like paranoia." When you ask your question, his lips tighten, as does his back, and he looks back to his feet, saying strongly and stubbornly, "It is nothing."

Calandra nods quietly, "I understnad...and yes.. It *is* a kind of paranoia... one that I envy you of being free from."

Morillin says to Calandra, "Do not pry, child. If he wishes to speak of it, he will do so himself."

Calandra nods to Morillin, "Yes Aes Sedai." she turns to Jaelyn, "I apologize for prying, Jaelyn." She is sincere.

Jaelyn shakes his head idly, he has better things to spend his time being paranoid about, it would seem. He says quietly, "It's okay." and leaves it at that, now actively trying to keep his eyes to his feet.

Jaelyn senses "Calandra in such a low voice that it is very hard to hear what she says, "Please don't try to hide your eyes... they are so... different... beautiful... you should not be ashamed of them..." she pauses... "Again.. I apologize... I overstep my bounds again.""

Calandra nods quietly at his answer and keeps writing...She sighs suddenly and looks up... changing the topic completely, "Jaelyn, Have you *any* clue what kind of plant this is? I haven't been able to locate it in *any* of the books in the Library and it is quite frustrating." She holds up one of the most beautiful wildflowers one has ever seen, a deep shade of purple with seven petals and a set of leaves that are in a trio.

Jaelyn keeps his mouth shut, still actively keeping his eyes to his feet, averted from others. He remains a bit tense, though. At your attempt to deviate the conversation, he regards the picture in the book, frowning...thinking, then shakes his head. "No, I haven't. Sorry."

Morillin glances up. "You should ask one of the gardeners, child."

Calandra nods to Morillin, "I have tried several of the, Morillin Sedai... none know what it is... they all keep telling me that it's a wild flower and they have never seen it before."

Morillin shrugs. "Then set it aside. If it cannot be identified, you do not need to include it. Though, if you are curious, one of the Browns might know."

Calandra nods and smiles, "Ah, I had not thought of asking one of them, Morillin Sedai... thank you." She sets it in the back of the book to press it between the pages in order to preserve it. "It is pretty tho... isn't it."

Jaelyn keeps quiet now, and instead leans back into the grass to stretch out, looking up into the morning sky as the stars fade from the daylight, his golden eyes reflecting the now peaking sun...

Morillin makes an absent sound that might signify agreement with Calandra's assessment of the flower.

Calandra glances over at another of her many plants and smiles as she catches the glow of the light mingling with Jaelyn's eyes. She looks away quickly and goes back to investigating another plant.

A sound comes from Jaelyns lips, it appears to be whistling. He seems to be quietly whistling a tune under his breath, his expression one of momentary contentment as he thinks about the renewed day ahead of him.

Calandra subconsciously recognizes the tune Jaelyn is whistling and begins to sing along with it...very softly... in a manner that belies a childhood habbit of joining in when music is concerned.

Jaelyn's whistling faulters momentarily as Calandra begins to kick in with the words, but he keeps with it, still laying comfortably in the grass, watching the sun rise ever so slowly in its sentritic pattern.

You say "You don't sleep much, do you?"

Jaelyn's whistling stops, he throws a look to you, "Sleep is a waste of time...", then picks up his whistling where he'd left it. Jaelyn's whistling eventually comes to a halt, as something you recognize as an end to the song itself. He says calmly, still looking up to the ocean blue sky, "I would love to have wings to fly." You notice his eyes trailing a group of swallows as they pass over head and around the Tower, to disappear behind the high walls.

Calandra smiles, "Aye, as would I..." she sighs, in a wistfull voice, "To soar amongst the clouds, rest high in the leaves of a tree, dance in the wind with the sun on your back..." she smiles, dropping all her outter facades for a moment, her hand motionless, "Freedom like that is almost too much to imagine." She sighs.

Jaelyn says under his breath, watching the sky aimlessly, "Freedom from the Dark One's evil is even more hard to imagine..."

Calandra nods, "Hard tis an understatement..." she turns to him, "How long have you been here, Jaelyn?" Calandra turns to him suddenly and asks in a faltering, unsure manner...not an ounce of her normal confidence showing... her voice trembles slightly, "Do you consider me a ... friend?"

Jaelyn lays there a moment to your posed question, unsure of quite how you mean it. Instead, he'll accept it as something no less or more than how it sounds. Still looking into the sky he nods, as much of a nod he can pose while leaning back "Aye, I consider you a friend."

Calandra smiles slightly, "I.. I've never really had a friend... not one that I didn't fear... I..." she pauses slightly... her next words seeming to even surprise her, "I trust you."

Jaelyn tilts a head in you direction, his expression showing clear that he is rather confused by your words. He offers a warm smile, responding in an innocent charm with, "Why would someone fear you?", but you note the hidden curiousity behind it, and something else...

Calandra blinks, "Why would I fear someone?" she sighs slightly, "Because they all have ulterior motives... and if it did them one ounce of good... they'd kill me without a second thought..." She turns her eyes to him, a saddness and fear in them, "That is why..." She smiles faintly, "But you don't... you are so... so..." she looks up into the sky...her voice trailing off...

Jaelyn sighs deeply, tilting his eyes back to the sky. Such a beautiful thing, the sky. He considers what you say, his expression level for the moment, saying plainly, "The greatest fear I have known is coming face to face with a Myrddraal. And I fought knowing my friends were loyally guarding my back as I was theirs. To be without someone to guard my back is bad."

Jaelyn adds, "To be without a friend willing to do such is worse than any death."

Calandra nods, her eyes sparkling for a moment..."That's what it is... that's it.. What I've kept sensing about you..." she pauses. "A loyalty that I've never seen... only heard of.. Like that of a Gaidan for his Aes Sedai... or like a pack of wolves..." she pauses, "I used to listen to a servant woman tell her children stories at night before they went to bed...My favorite story was of a pack of wolves fighting against goblins of some sort... how one wolf gave his life to save another of his kind..." she sighs, "Such a sacrafice intrigued me... and always made me think..."

Calandra grins, "I used to pay one of the children to ask his mother to tell the story again, just so I could listen in..."

At your mention of wolves, Jaelyn closes his eyes, shaking his head. He is not stupid, and quickly realizes with the words you have put together on the topic of 'wolves' that you know what his yellow eyes mean. This does not overly impress him, but he ignores it, and continues on, "Though I am pleased you think me as loyal, do not call me such until you have inde'd se'n action worth the title. Words are otherwise pointless if they have no precedent."

Calandra doesn't seem to notice his reaction to her mention of wolves until she hears his words and turns to him to ask what he meant, "I've done it again, havent' I? Overstepped my bounds... I'm sorry.." she sighs, a bit distraught, "I don't know what it was I could have said that disturbed you so... If you'd tell me, I'll never mention it again..." a bit of fear creeps into her voice and eyes, sincerely afraid that she has offended the only person she has ever trusted.

Jaelyn frowns, seeing your frustrated reaction. Woman are odd. Of this he has always known. As he carries on through his life, they only seem to get odder. "Nothing. Don't wor'y about it. I simply me'n that you shouldn't call me loyal until I inde'd do something loyal." He tries a friendly smile, but his expression hints a touch of apprehension.

Calandra shakes her head slightly, a rather worried expression on her face, "No.. that's not it..." she sighs.. "You don't trust me..." she smirks, "Not that I blame you..." she laughs derisively, "I am, after all, a Cairhien noble that knows all too well how to play Daes Dae'mar..." she sighs saddly.

Jaelyn chuckles suddenly, averting his eyes from their skyward glance to look at you again, "I know none of this Des Demere stuff, but my trust has nothing to do with yer actions so far. I trust you as I do anyone who presents themselves worth trusting. But there are levels of trust, of that I admit. Time is the only cure fer a deeper level of trust."

Calandra nods and smiles slightly, as the expression of apprehension disappears from his face, "I know little of trust. I must admit..." Calandra cocks her head slightly, "That is a beautiful pendant..."

Jaelyn looks down at the pendant around his neck, his eyes becoming momentarily distant while its memory drifts into his thoughts. He catches himself and says simply, "My father gave it to me before I left."

Calandra nods and sighs, "It must be nice to have a father who cares about you..." she mumbles a second phrase under her breath, "Or anyone who cares about you..."

Jaelyn sighs, growling low, "People will care here. You will see."

Calandra tilts her head to one side, "Do you think so?" She smiles slightly, "I hope so.. altho it is hard for me to imagine.."

Jaelyn smiles, looking back to you, "People will watch yer back here, and not to stab a knife into it. If they do, they will quickly find their head as a future Warders...trophy."

Calandra's eyes widen slightly and she bursts into laughter... "My word... You were listening to me!" Calandra smiles, "Aye, and if someone stabs you in the back...they'll find themselves being used as a pin cussion."

Jaelyn shares in the laughter, before cutting short and asking seriously (though jokingly) "You are surprised with that?" To your second comment, he simply grins, and shrugs, going back to the sky smiling idly.

Calandra grins, "I am surprised that you remembered and appreciated my attempt at humor, yes."

Jaelyn grins, "My Shienaran skull is thick, but still has lots of room to remember things."

Calandra raises an eyebrow, still grinning, "I think yoou Shienaran give yourselves too little credit..."

Jaelyn laughs, "We are what we are."

Calandra smiles, "Aye, aren't we tho."

Calandra smiles at him for a moment before realizing that she is gazing at him... With a bit of difficulty uncharacteristic of her, she tears her eyes from him and casts them to the sky, her cheeks slightly red.

Jaelyn groans animatically, as he sits up at last, his face going flush suddenly with this movement. He shakes his head quickly, then regards you from this new angle. He notes your face going slightly red, and turns away quickly. He speaks, an attempt to sound diverting, "I sup'ose we are a very quietly proud people. We have be'n de'ply humbled by our war on the borderlands."

Calandra turns to him as he groans slightly, concern in her eyes, as she sees it is merely soreness she responds to his comment. "Proud and yet humble...a mixture of characteristics that are hard to come by..." she smirks slightly, "I have yet to meet a Shienaran I didn't like."

Jaelyn chuckles, "Come to Shienar, or Fal Dara anyways, and you will find people you don't like. But not fer re'sons you may think. Polite we are, but simple and cold, as our alo'fness can often be mistaken fer unsociable. And tempermental." he grins slightly with the last.

Calandra cocks her head to one side, "But you aren't like that."

Jaelyn shrugs, "I can be."

Calandra thinks about this for a moment, then shrugs, "I don't see how..." She smiles slightly, "Aye, ye may be simple in some ways...but I myself am simple in many..."

Jaelyn smiles, "Shall we find ourselves in a campaign together, you will see just how even I can be. Sitting here in this Tower, spending my easy day in training, is a dream. I have time to be relaxing. War takes that away."

Calandra nods, "Aye, as I'm sure you would find a change in me..." she looks at him, "It is a facade of course... a protective shield... but a change none the less... and one that I do not like."

Jaelyn grins awkwardly, taking a deep breath, "We are who we are. I don't think there is a facade we mask ourselves with...I am who I portray now. You are as I see you now. Others are as they portray. Sit'ations determine how you portray yerself, then at that point you are that person. It is simple." he nods, as though it is.

Calandra smiles slightly, "For you perhaps..." she closes her eyes, "For me... it is normally a mask, I rarely show myself... Here.. It is easier to...and I am learning to let down my shields.. but what most see is a mask..." she speaks the last part with a bit of bitterness, "A cruel, hard mask that is impenetrable..."

Jaelyn shrugs again, "Then unpenetrable it will remain until something can penetrate, or you remove the stones in it."

Calandra nods and sighs, "Aye..."

Jaelyn watches you closely now, his deep amber eyes surveying your reaction with curiousity. He says nothing though, yet.

Calandra stares down at her hands, her eyes full of saddness mixed with bitterness... towards herself more than anyone... she doesn't even notice that he is watching her as she wipes a single tear from her eye.

Jaelyn again looks away quickly, not wanting to appear intrusive. He says, yet another one of his diverting statements, "It would se'm time is a cure fer many things."