Setting - Mistress of Novices Office, after Morillin's capture, before her trial

Characters:
Coliena - Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah, Newly appointed Mistress of Novices. Softy.
Calandra - Struggling Novice of the White Tower

Coliena is sitting at her desk, going through files slowly. She glances up absently to note the Novice entering and offers a small smile before looking back at her papers and asking, "What do you wish to see me about?"

Calandra fidgets with her hands slightly, "We were supposed to report to you, Coliena Sedai.. and I hadn't yet.."

Coliena ohs softly, looking up from her papers. She motions to a chair near her desk, "Please, have a seat. I wish to speak a little with each of the Novices."

Calandra nods quietly and seats herself, placing her hands folded in her lap, an attempt to keep them still.

Coliena offers her most comforting smile and grabs a plate she had hidden in the desk, weaving a quick, very small, flow of fire into the cookies to heat them, then holds the plate forward, "Would you like one? It might help you relax while you tell me a little about yourself, starting with your name, of course." Coliena is so bad with names, so if she heard it before she's forgot it by now.

Calandra nods, "Thank you, Coliena Sedai," taking a cookie and nibbling on it before saying her name, "And I'm Calandra."

Coliena nods, glancing over at the files she'd been going over all night, "Of course. You're the Novice who spoke with Karaul and got two months at the farm." She gives her head a shake, "But that is over now. No need to delve into more than possible. Calandra, would you mind telling me more about yourself? Do not be afraid. I do not bite. You can even tell me your fears if you wish. We all have them."

Calandra grins slightly and nods, "More about myself? As in where I am from and such?" she pauses for a moment, "As for fears, the one that bothers me the most is fearing that I'll remain a novice forever." She frowns slightly, "But that's a silly fear, isn't it Coliena Sedai?"

Coliena smiles briefly, "You have barely been in the Tower long enough to have that fear, child. I myself was not raised to Accepted until I was twenty-eight, over eleven years after I came to the Tower. And there must be something to you besides your training?"

Calandra shrugs, "I don't know... I'm not really special or anything like that, just a normal novice.. well, now I am." she pauses, "And I didn't mean that, I meant.. I mean, I think ... /SHE/ intended to keep me one until I gave /Her/ a reason to kick me out of the Tower.."

Coliena shakes her head, "Tell me about..." She thinks a moment, "Boys. There must be, or must have been, a boy in your life. And do not worry about getting in trouble. I swear by the First Oath nothing said here will effect your record in anyway."

Calandra nods quietly for a moment. "Boys.. I spent most of my life with boys. If they didn't like pretty girls, I might not be here right now." She shrugs, "As for /one/ boy in particular..." she shrugs again.

Coliena raises an eyebrow and motions towards a tea pot, "Would you like some tea? I really would enjoy hearing more about you, Calandra. I need to get to know my students at least somewhat. Please, don't be nervous."

Calandra nods, "Tea would be nice, thank you." she sighs slightly, "Well, I was born and raised in Caihein... I never knew my mother and my father hated me..."

Coliena nods slightly, "That happens with many young women. What else? Are you sure there wasn't a special man out there who you gave your heart to?" She really loves the subject of love.

Calandra shakes her head, "No.. none that I ever gave my heart to. I never found anyone I could become that close with.."

Calandra smirks, "There, because I couldn't trust anyone.. here, because it isn't allowed."

Coliena raises an eyebrow, "Only because it isn't allowed? It's hardly against the rules to love someone. The rule only states that if it detracts from your studies and if you 'engage' in the romantic parts, that it is against the rules. You can not stop people from falling in love."

Calandra nods, "I know that, but here, with /her/ looking over my shoulder, I haven't even attempted to get to know any of the Trainees." she frowns slightly, "I know /she/ would have used it against me."

Calandra sighs slightly, "There were two I would like to know better... I met them when I was first a novice, before I did anything stupid."

Coliena nods, smiling briefly. Now she's getting to the real meat, "Well /she/ isn't here anymore and you don't have to worry about /her/. So please, tell me about these two. Maybe you can get to know them better?"

Calandra smiles slightly, "Well, one is that peculiar Trainee with the yellow eyes... Jaelyn.. and the other, Valerius."

Calandra chuckles softly, "They both intrigue me. Perhaps it's just the Shienaran part... I don't know.. "

Coliena hmms thoughtfully and nods, "Just those two? Well I do not know them very well, but did you say yellow eyes? Interesting. I will have to look into that one myself." She gets all distant eyed, then asks absently, "Not Kirill then?"

Calandra shakes her head, "No, not Kirill."

Calandra says "Any of the newer ones, I don't know well at all... I'd like to get to know them, in a friendly manner." she smirks, "I've no intention of going back to my life in Cairhein.."

Coliena nods slightly, "That's nice. So anything else? How about powerwise? Have you noticed any particular classes you took to quickly?"

Calandra nods, "Three of them were fairly easy, I only had trouble, still do, with Fire and Earth." she pauses, "Air is the easiest."

Calandra seems to have relaxed and is getting steadily more talkative.

Coliena nods, reaching and touching a file, "It says here you have some rather good potential in the power. Not enough to match the Amyrlin, or Jaice Sedai, but still rather good. You must be very proud of yourself, knowing that you have a rather high strength in the power."

Calandra blinks, "I do?" obviously she didn't know this.

Coliena nods slightly, "Yes, you do. But of course, many never reach their full potiential, and you may have already reached it. Just because you know you have a rather adiquite strength, does not mean you should go trying to do more than you are told is safe, yes?"

Calandra nods quietly, "I wouldn't do that, but I thought I was just average like everyone else." she pauses, "How do you know when you reach your full potential?"

Coliena shrugs, "You will begin feeling weak, like you're stretching your abilities too far if you were to go any further, and if you did there are consiquences."

Calandra nods emphatically, "I know, I've seem them, Rayche Sedai taught me my stilling class."

Calandra shudders just thinking about it. "It's horrible."

Coliena nods, "Yes, it is." She leans back and asks, "Let me ask this, what have you heard of the events that took place... just a day ago? I am sure there have been whispers."

Calandra shrugs slightly, "Only that /she/ caused all the damage... and that they're going to try her as a traitor.."

Coliena nods, "And how do you feel about that, if I may ask?"

Calandra sighs quietly, "In a way, relieved... but even more afraid of her than I was before... If I had been there at the time... " she shudders slightly, "I might not be here now.. I don't think she likes me at all."

Coliena shakes her head, "She had worse things to worry about then a Novice she dislikes. She always hated me, and I lived, didn't I? And do not worry. There is nothing to fear, she is harmless now, and will remain that way."

Calandra nods, "I suppose you're right..." she pauses, "Is it true? Did the Amyrlin really wipe our slates clean?"

Coliena smiles and nods, "Yes. All the Novices that were out at the farms are returning, as are the ones with penances of other types. Your slate was not that dirty in the first place, Calandra, except for comments of not being able to follow orders and treating punishments like they were nothing. But those are the things that bother only ... a few sisters. Many sisters acted that way when they were Novices."

Calandra chuckles softly, "According to her, I didn't deserve to be given a last chance."

Coliena nods, "I know. That was mentioned in the report as well, but no need to think on that. The thing is, Calandra, do /you/ think you are ready for what is ahead, mentally, emotionally... Let me tell you Accepted years are not the easiest. When only 1 out of 4 make it to Accepted, only 1 out of 10 make it from Accepted to Aes Sedai."

Calandra smiles softly, "I'm relieved that I don't have to worry about her looking over my shoulders anymore." she grins, "I even had free time for the first time today." she pauses quietly, thinking for a long moment then nodding, "Now I am... after these past few months... I'm finding that I'm not afraid of things like I used to be. She was the only thing I really feared.. and that was only because she could destroy what I desire so deeply..."

Coliena shakes her head, "I do not wish to hear that, Calandra. That is what a dozen Novices say. What I want to know is if you honestly feel that you are ready? Accepted life is /not/ easy. You think Novice life is hard? Accepted life is ten times harder. Because when you are Accepted you are /excepted/ to do what is right, you are /expected/ to teach students, you are /expected/ to pick your own studies and do them quickly and eficiently. And if you had free time today then I am saddened. I hope you used that time to help clean a little. There is much cleaning to do and so little time to do it in."

Calandra nods, "Of course I used it to help clean. By freetime, I mean that my chores are not impossible to finish now.." she smirks slightly, "I don't have to climb the walls of the tower and scrub them clean anymore." She sighs quietly, "I don't know if I'm ready, but I know that I will do my best, I /will/ do what is right and as for studies... Those are something I enjoy, they help me get through things, by learning so that I don't repeat a mistake that has been made already." she pauses, "Did you feel ready when you were riased, Coliena Sedai?"

Coliena shakes her head, "No. In fact I skipped being tested the first time. When I accepted the test, I was ready."

Calandra nods quietly, "I feel I'm ready, but the only way I will know for sure is to do it." she pauses quietly, "I don't know what the testing is, but I'm ready and willing to succeed or fail."

Coliena nods, "In that case, I will put on your record that recommendations towards your Raising to Accepted will now be considered. I can say, that you should not let me down. If I open your file again for recs, and you do something foolish, I will look bad. So do not let me down."

Calandra shakes her head, "I will not let you down, Coliena Sedai, my foolish days are /over/" she smiles slightly, "I've learned much since coming here... including how to follow rules.. something I did not learn to do in Cairhien."

Coliena nods, "Good. Rules are meant for a reason." She moves to sit up a little, pulling the tray of cookies away and back into her desk, then she says, "You may leave now, unless you have something more you would like to add? Or something you would like to ask?

Calandra stands and curtsies, "Thank you, Coliena Sedai. I have nothing to ask or add at this time, but should I think of something, I will seed you out." she smiles slightly, her nervousness gone.

Coliena smiles and nods, "Now you may go, and do me a favor and keep that smile on your lips when you head out. Might lighten up the next student that comes through the door."

Calandra grins and nods, "Will do." she curtsies again and slips out the door.