The Stories of the Borders (Attn: Adanys)

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Leala
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 1191
Joined: October 8th, 2014, 3:13 am
PC: Leala Gymorraine, Aes Sedai of the White Ajah
SC: Torianin Soulane, Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah
TC: Jhanic, Asha'man of the Indigo Ajah
QC: Abby Soulane, Novice
Location: Tel'aran'rhiod

The Stories of the Borders (Attn: Adanys)

Post by Leala » May 29th, 2018, 5:35 pm

Abby
Out of all the chores she was given, Abby disliked scrubbing the floors perhaps the most. In other tasks, it seemed like she had made progress, but the floors never changed. The tiles on the floor just moved as she made her way down, but it seemed never ending. She was slowly becoming used to the labor, though. The first time she had scrubbed the floors, she had become dizzy and out of breath. Now, she could scrub it clean without nearly as much effort. Today, she had braided her hair in the Taraboner fashion. Her black locks were longer than was the fashion, but they made her think of her parents. It was something to distract her from the impending chores. As she scrubbed, she thought of the next class she would have dealing with the One Power. Her teachers all praised her on her potential, but--

"Child."

Abby winced unconsciously at the far-off and cool voice, then lifted her head. Zemare Sedai stood above her, looking down the hall, rather than at her. The White sister had something pressing on her mind. Usually, she was very direct. "Yes, Aes Sedai?" she asked, folding her cloth in her hands as she stood.

Zemare's dark eyes looked at Abby when she stood, then took in her appearance. "When will your chores be finished, Abby?" she asked, the usual directness coming back into her voice.

Blinking, Abby wondered how long she had been at this. Looking out the window, then at a clock on the wall, she said, "In thirteen minutes, perhaps a little less."

The Saldaean Aes Sedai grinned at that. "I like how precise you are, child. In perhaps thirteen minutes, I had agreed to meet with a new drin to give her a lesson on Borderland history." Her grin turned to a smile when she saw Abby's interested expression. "I have been called away quite unexpectedly. I think the lesson will be as good for you as it will her. Now that you have begun your training, you must have more esteem in yourself, yes?"

Abby made herself meet the Aes Sedai's eyes, then nodded in agreement. "You are right, Aes Sedai." She found herself beginning to wring her scrubbing cloth, but had to stop herself. It was still saturated with water and soap...Light knew what else.

"Good," Zemare Sedai intoned, patting her shoulder. She told Abby where to meet her student, and gave her a direct order to go immediately to her room to get herself and materials ready.

Glancing at the clock again, Abby knit her brows in worry. Now she had perhaps eleven minutes. Laying the cloth on the side of her pail, she went to return it to the closets. She had never taught a class before. She was just a novice as well. What under the Light with the drin think when she met a novice for a class? Sighing, she freshed up in her rooms, wiping sweat from her brow, smoothing her skirts, and scrubbing any dirt from them. She did have two books on the subject for reference, though. She took a few sheafs of paper with her, as well as a pen, and made for the classrooms. She would likely be late, but she had not been given much time.

Finally, Abby arrived at the classroom. She noticed a woman in the grays of the Warder Yards waiting for her. The girl was taller than Abby by a few inches, and had beautiful golden eyes and shining pale hair. "Uh-um..." she started, then realized something. "I'm sorry, I wasn't given your name..." she explained. "My name is Abby, and Zemare Sedai asked me to teach you a bit about Borderland history. It is good to meet you..."
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Adanys
"The Dragon Reborn"
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Joined: April 16th, 2018, 6:04 pm
PC: Avalan Mond'wil
SC: Mandira Cantlin

Re: The Stories of the Borders (Attn: Adanys)

Post by Adanys » May 29th, 2018, 10:41 pm

Avalan
Avalan marched towards the classroom, dressed in her gray uniform. She'd already completed some physical training for the day, and had weeded in the gardens. She wasn't looking forward to being stuck indoors, but learning about the Borderlands didn't seem too awful. She'd learned mostly about the lands she'd traveled to, and that only by word of mouth or through interactions with the various people she met in ports.

She double checked the doors to make sure she'd followed the directions she'd been given, then opened the door and stepped into the classroom. It was empty, as she'd expected. She'd been told Zemare Sedai was going to give her a one-on-one lesson. Looking around the room, she saw that the Aes Sedai was not here yet; so she took a seat and waited.

Only a few minutes later the door opened, and Avalan rose to greet her Aes Sedai teacher. Except, it was no Aes Sedai that walked into the room, but a novice carrying huge books and paper. She was fair skinned with dark hair, and stood nearly a head shorter than Avalan herself. Another student?

But no. The girl introduced herself as Abby, and told Avalan that she'd be teaching her. This was good, she'd be more comfortable around someone of the same rank as herself. She nodded politely at Abby. "Pleasure to meet you. I was expecting an Aes Sedai named Zemare, she couldn't make it? Not that it matters, I suppose, who's giving the lesson. I'm Avalan." She pointed to her notebook on the table. "I only brought a notebook, I don't have any study books of my own. I hope that's all right."
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Leala
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 1191
Joined: October 8th, 2014, 3:13 am
PC: Leala Gymorraine, Aes Sedai of the White Ajah
SC: Torianin Soulane, Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah
TC: Jhanic, Asha'man of the Indigo Ajah
QC: Abby Soulane, Novice
Location: Tel'aran'rhiod

Re: The Stories of the Borders (Attn: Adanys)

Post by Leala » June 7th, 2018, 6:35 pm

Abby
Abby smiled brightly as she combatted her nerves and settled in across from Avalan at the table. She realized something else as the drin explained that she had only brought notes, and no books. She didn't have a lesson plan...well, Zemare Sedai hadn't given her any more details besides Borderland history...which was Abby's specialty. The girl hadn't even thought of where to start, given such a short amount of time. Avalan would think her a fraud, and-- Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself. She did not imagine herself as a rosebud, because the One Power came a bit to freely too her. Instead, she imagined her mother, Torianin Sedai humming to herself. "Yes, Zemare Sedai was called away suddenly. But, not to worry. History is my favorite subject, and the Borderlands even more so. Oh! And, my name is Abby." Her smile widened even more. She felt like her voice was too loud, but she was here for a reason. It did shake a bit.

"This is my first time teaching, though," she admitted, her shoulders rising and her head tilting in slight embarrassment. It would help to be honest in this situation. She relaxed a bit before continuing. "And Zemare Sedai didn't tell me where she planned on starting, but I think she would probably start with Saldaea, since that's where she's from. I think that's a good idea in this case. I lived in Tanchico when I was little, and...your accent...you're from Alatara, right? I think it would be good to start with a coastal nation."

Abby took out the thicker of the two books, titled Crowns Against the Blight and flipped to the section on Saldaea's beginning. "This book explains how each nation's rule began. It's a bit of a dry read, if you don't like history..." she said, her voice softening, "But I think it's important to know laws and customs, and I can summarize so it's not boring. First, though...what made you interested in the Borderlands? That might help me with my lesson plans."
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Adanys
"The Dragon Reborn"
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Joined: April 16th, 2018, 6:04 pm
PC: Avalan Mond'wil
SC: Mandira Cantlin

Re: The Stories of the Borders (Attn: Adanys)

Post by Adanys » June 8th, 2018, 3:16 am

Avalan
The smell of Abby's emotions was a bit scattered at first, Avalan guessed they were likely nervous and anxious, but it calmed down soon. She felt herself doing the same, unconsciously having mirrored Abby's emotions. She didn't often soothe people, but she tried a soothing smile now, hoping it didn't come across as a grimace.

She cleared her throat and sat up straighter. Saldaea..she'd heard of it, knew her father had sailed there once, but she hadn't accompanied him for that trip. She nodded when Abby guessed that she was from Altara. Not that she hadn't liked it, but she found she didn't really miss home. She was quite getting to like her life here. She winced inwardly when Abby took out the thickest of the books, then again when even she, a self proclaimed lover of history, called it a dry read. But, she'd approach this like any other task, working through it dutifully, in order, and with precision. It was the best way to get unpleasant things done. She ignored that fact that half the time she did no task dutifully, in order, and with precision.

She thought about Abby's question a moment, her lips pursing and eyes sliding to the side. "Well, I traveled a lot in my life, but I never really got to know the countries I visited, and I certainly never read about them. Now that I'm away from home, I thought it a good idea to remedy that. And seeing how I'd never visited any of the borderlands and how far away they were, it seemed like a good place to start." She paused, biting her lip. "And the Borderlanders fight the Blight, the Shadow. That's what I plan to do one day. Maybe not there specifically, but who knows." It was still a new plan, but she had to start somewhere. And educating herself didn't seem like a bad way to do that.
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Leala
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 1191
Joined: October 8th, 2014, 3:13 am
PC: Leala Gymorraine, Aes Sedai of the White Ajah
SC: Torianin Soulane, Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah
TC: Jhanic, Asha'man of the Indigo Ajah
QC: Abby Soulane, Novice
Location: Tel'aran'rhiod

Re: The Stories of the Borders (Attn: Adanys)

Post by Leala » June 18th, 2018, 8:30 pm

Abby
An unfamiliar fluttering found its way to Abby's stomach. She would be able to teach someone something that she really enjoyed. Her mother had always looked like she was at peace, teaching her at home things that she liked. Even her father had a glint of pride in his eyes when he taught her the little he did about trade. And, of course Torianin Sedai had been ecstatic when she tested Abby for the ability to learn to channel. It suddenly came to her that teaching had been a sign of affection in her life. Her mother would have loved that. Now, Avalan, a new drin, sat in front of her, waiting for a lesson.

"Well..." she began, "Saldaea started its rule alongside the other Borderlands, as independent nations all about the same time. Artur Hawkwing had built his empire, and the five Borderland nations were just regions of the empire under his rule. Right after he died, and the Hundred Years War started, the five Borderland regions came together and declared their independence." That was one of the reasons she loved learning about the Borderlands. They were all so independent and proactive, compared to the nations to the south. "They stayed out of the politics to the south by saying they could more easily defend against the Blight as independent nations."

All of this was actually a little farther back in the book, but it helped establish the Borderland nations' spirit. "The first king of Saldaea, the one who declared it a sovereign nation was Rylen t'Boriden Rashad. And he established the crown of Saldaea, the Broken Crown." She blinked down at her book for a moment. "I don't think this book goes into any detail about why it's called that. Maybe it signifies the breaking away from the empire. Hm." Shaking her head slightly, Abby continued. "You'll notice on maps that Saldaea is the largest of the Borderlands. It is the key to trade, being a coastal nation, so resources can easily come and go through it, and..."

Looking around, she realized something. "Ah...I told you I wouldn't make it boring, and now I'm getting into resources, I'm sorry... Do...do you have any questions so far?" she asked, feeling color rush to her cheeks in embarrasshment.
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Adanys
"The Dragon Reborn"
Posts: 80
Joined: April 16th, 2018, 6:04 pm
PC: Avalan Mond'wil
SC: Mandira Cantlin

Re: The Stories of the Borders (Attn: Adanys)

Post by Adanys » June 20th, 2018, 2:35 am

Avalan
Avalan leaned over her book, taking notes. She'd heard bits and pieces of what Abby was telling her, but never in an order to make sense of.

She smiled reassuringly at Abby, genuinely this time. "I may not love sitting in a classroom, but this topic genuinely interests me. I've never visited any of these countries, and haven't heard of them much either. And resources and trade are an important of any nation; I'm a sailor's daughter, trade is hardly boring to me.

"So not only are these nations landlocked and isolated that way, but they choose to keep out of the rest of the world's affairs. That's interesting. Each nation has its own cultures and laws and way of life, but I'd imagine these countries are more unique. Do they interact with each other a lot though? Are they unified in some way other than their fight against the blight?"

She considered this. How did children grow up in these lands? Were they allowed any innocence at all, as she had been? Or were they taught of the Shadow and how to fight it all their life? Her pen scribbled furiously as she wrote these questions down for later reflection. Another thought occurred to her: Were there any Borderlanders here in the Tower? Were they here to learn to channel and use it against the blight? Or were they here to seek a different way of life?
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Leala
"The Path of Daggers"
Posts: 1191
Joined: October 8th, 2014, 3:13 am
PC: Leala Gymorraine, Aes Sedai of the White Ajah
SC: Torianin Soulane, Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah
TC: Jhanic, Asha'man of the Indigo Ajah
QC: Abby Soulane, Novice
Location: Tel'aran'rhiod

Re: The Stories of the Borders (Attn: Adanys)

Post by Leala » July 16th, 2018, 9:05 pm

Abby
Abby felt gratitude that Avalan was understanding to her situation. She felt like she could breathe now, at least. She was only a novice after all, and one who had been drafted last minute to teach this class. She was no longer the strange child who hid herself in corners and cleaned until someone came to stop her. Perhaps teaching would help her gain some self-confidence. Perhaps that's what Zemare Sedai had planned to do with this, as well as see that her class was covered. With a smile, she realized that her student even had questions, to go along with her lecture. Maybe this would turn into a discussion.

"Yes, they do have a unique way of communicating with each other," Abby answered, brightening up. "Along the border of the Blight, they have watch towers stationed, and they have large mirrors that reflect the light to send messages, requests for aid and supplies... And it runs even deeper than that." Abby felt like she was keeping her newfound excitement contained. "Throughout all the Borderland nations, they hold honor and duty high in their societies. Which makes sense, as they see themselves as the first defense against the Blight. One saying you may hear from them is 'Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain.' I always liked that saying. And, to keep the alliances among the nations strong, sometimes, their nobles will marry across the nations."

It was all very exciting to her, and sometimes Abby thought she would like to be as strong as a Borderlander. Though, some days, that was nearly impossible...
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Adanys
"The Dragon Reborn"
Posts: 80
Joined: April 16th, 2018, 6:04 pm
PC: Avalan Mond'wil
SC: Mandira Cantlin

Re: The Stories of the Borders (Attn: Adanys)

Post by Adanys » July 21st, 2018, 1:57 pm

Avalan
Avalan felt her heart...doing something, as Abby talked. She wasn't writing anything down, but she was filing away what she heard. "Honor and duty", "first defense against the Blight", and "Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain" all bounced around in her head. These nations sounded not only powerful, but strong as well. Maybe they weren't strong as nations, but as fighters against the Shadow they certainly seemed to be.

Avalan tapped the table with her fingers. "How are these lands with outsiders, people not originally from there?" She knew as a Drin she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, and maybe not as a Ji'val either, but it didn't hurt to ask. "And what about the Blight itself...is it advancing pretty quickly, or do the efforts of the Borderlands have it well under control?"

It was mind boggling to her that mere humans could fight against something so evil and powerful, but that's what they seemed to be doing. Keeping the Blight from overtaking the lands.
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