Night in the Gardens (Suu)

[Bridget]

The garden was abandoned. Which was what Rhyka had expected; the bell for dinner had just rung out, and it was unusually cold outside. But that was fine for Rhyka’s purposes. She looked around once more, checking for what felt like the hundredth time to see if anyone else was about. She was in a secluded portion of the gardens, surrounded by hedges. She sat on the only bench in the little nook, and the stone was freezing to the touch.

It was second nature to embrace saidar. There was hardly any challenge in a quick weave; a ward to heat up the air around her and keep her warm. Rhykana grinned, and tied off the ward with satisfaction. She could hardly stomach the slow learning at the Tower anymore. To never be allowed to channel except in the presence of an Accepted or Aes Sedai meant she hardly ever did so; even Accepted always had something better to do than babysit a novice. And she wanted to learn so much faster; she spent her free time at the library, reading about new weaves. It was torture to never be allowed to try them.

It had hardly taken a leap of logic to realize that she needed to just… try them. After her first and only mistake with the One Power, so many months back, Rhyka had become much more wary. And that wariness was a good thing; it kept her careful. She had never had another mistake since almost burning herself out. She had to pity the few Accepted that were sent to watch her practice, there was so little for them to do.

Her book was open on her lap to a page about a new weave that she was eager to attempt. She had seen an Aes Sedai show it to another novice in passing, but had not been able to find someone to teach it to her. But she could teach it to herself. Channeling, she wove threads of Air, Fire, and Spirit into the complex weave needed to create an illusion. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she concentrated.

A flash of white in the corner of her vision broke her concentration, and she let go of saidar in surprise. The cold was a shock to her, and Rhyka took a deep breath. “Hello?” She called out, nervously. It was probably another novice, but Rhyka hardly knew any of them, and whoever it was could be quick to tell the Mistress of Novices that she was channeling alone. She just didn’t have time to befriend any of them, not when she wanted so badly to become Aes Sedai.

[Carra]

Suu Nalemar Suu's day had been horrible.

First there was the trouble with breakfast, and yet again with no one to really sit beside. Kitty hadn't been there that morning so Suu was stuck to her own devices. It was a normal every day occurrence and usually it didn't bother her but today it did because instead of the rest of the day being the same, it got progressively worse.

Classes were normal, but in her second class she answered a question wrong and another Novice mocked her once the Aes Sedai's back was turned. So what if she knew most of the answers all the other times. At least she tried to answer aloud, but instead she got slapped back for it. Then chores happened and she was grouped with a few of the novices and soldiers from that class where they mocked her in great fun.

She just wanted to die.

Then Lunch was the same as breakfast but she couldn't just go.. unnoticed. People were staring and whispering and laughing. It was so bad that Suu just shut down and didn't even speak up in her later classes. The Aes Sedai teaching the last class before dinner had asked her if she wsa okay but she wasn't even discreet about it.

"Oh, her ego has been burned, Aes Sedai. She got an answer wrong." A Novice sniggered. Sure the Novice was sent to Illyria Sedai but it didn't change that Suu really felt completely out of place and unwelcomed in the Grey Tower.

Not even bothering with heading to dinner, Suu dumped her books in her room and ran out to the gardens, streaking by everyone she passed until she thought she was alone and just bursted into broken tears.

[Bridget]

Straining to hear whoever was just beyond the hedges, Rhyka stood up quietly and moved closer by a few paces. The sound of sobbing stopped her in her tracks. She hesitated, indecisive. Whoever it was, it couldn’t be an Aes Sedai. But who was she, to interrupt someone when they wanted to be alone? Creeping forward, Rhyka peered past the hedge, and into the garden.

It was Sumiya, another novice. Rhyka had never spoken to her, preferring to keep to herself, but had taken a few classes with Sumiya. The other girl was very bright, and Rhyka always envied her for her quick answers. Some of the other novices did not agree with her, and thought Sumiya to be a show off. Personally, Rhyka thought they were just jealous.

She watched Sumiya for another moment before stepping forward. Rhyka had broken into tears alone many times, before she had escaped to the Grey Tower. She had always wished that there had been someone to comfort her and understand. She could not help but feel hesitant and nervous, but the sight of Sumiya sobbing made her want to help. Rhyka rarely felt like that anymore; the emotion brought back painful memories of her sister. She was far too used to isolating herself from others and focusing on getting through the days that the idea of comforting another person felt uncomfortably foreign.

“Sumiya?” She asked, quietly. “Suu?” Rhyka felt as if her cheeks were bright red; it was embarrassing to interrupt someone in a private moment. “It’s Rhyka. Is everything alright?” She didn’t really expect an answer, not when the other girl was crying so hard, and continued on after a short pause. “Would you like to come over here, behind the hedges? There’s a bench, and no one will see you there.”

Rhyka tried to smile reassuringly, but the expression felt strange on her face. “If you promise not to tell anyone, I know a good ward that will keep us warm.” She cajoled, the ridiculous smile still pasted on her face.

She didn’t know what to do. It felt to intrusive to walk up to the other novice and wrap her arms around her, as Rhyka would have done with her sister. But she didn’t know of another way to comfort someone.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?” She asked slowly, grasping at straws. What could she say to make Sumiya stop crying?

[Carra]

Sumiya Nalemar Sumiya felt lost in the world around her, unwelcomed and unhappy. And as her tears fell from her eyes all that she could hear were the sobs from her lips. Abandoned and brokenhearted Suu did not hear the other girl at first but as she moved into her frame of view out of the corner of her eye did Suu sniff as the sobs stopped but the tears kept falling. She rubbed her eyes thoughtfully without much help.

"What do you want?" She snapped, voice broken and hurt. "Have you come to make fun of me too? Am I more Know it all to you to!? Just.. Just.. go away!"

[Bridget]

Rhyka flinched at the other girl’s words. She knew it had been an awful idea to approach Sumiya. She should have just snuck off, and everyone would have been better off. “No.” She said quietly, hunching in on herself. “I just heard you crying and wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help.”

She could not help but berate herself for thinking that she could bring any solace to another person. How stupid could she be? Rhyka had been of no help to her sister, who she loved dearly, so how could she be of any help to a girl she knew not at all? Rhyka bit her lip, and glanced carefully up at Sumiya. She had lashed out at her brother, once, when he had tried to comfort her. He had retreated at the force of her words, when Rhyka had secretly wished he would stay.

Perhaps it was the same with Sumiya? Rhyka was surprised at her own optimism. But it could not hurt to try- she had already damaged the situation so much that another blunder could hardly make it worse.

“I don’t think you’re a know it all, and I’ve never made fun of anyone before.” Rhyka said carefully, trying to pick her words well. “I think you’re very smart, really. I might be a little bit jealous that you always know the answer before me, but that’s because I wish I could think as fast.”

She inched closer, trying to get a better look at the other novice’s face. “What happened? Did someone say something awful?” Rhyka winced as soon as that question was out of her mouth. Blood and ashes, she was trying to help Sumiya calm down, not make it worse! She was useless at this, just like she was at most things. She should have walked away, and started up with her learning somewhere else. Both she and Sumiya would have been better off for it. Someday, if she worked hard enough, she would be good enough and strong enough to get her revenge on the man that had hurt her. But Rhyka doubted she would ever be good enough and strong enough to help another person. She wished someone else, anyone else, had seen Sumiya crying. Anyone else would not have made such a mess.

[Carra]

The girl quieted for a moment, the tears easing as she started to realize that this girl wasn't trying to mock her too. Suu looked away, ashamed that she snapped at all, but today had just been the worst! "I.. Sorry." She said, quietly. Her thoughts rough and ears rung still with her crying. Now, she felt just shy, and out of place.

"I just.. today hasn't been a very good day." She said with her quiet voice, finally looking up at the girl, recognizing her face from some of her classes. "Your Rhyka, right? Why... why are you being nice to me?" No one else really was. Except Kitty who didn't speak at all.

[Bridget]

To her surprise, Sumiya quieted. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about.” Rhyka responded instinctively, surprised that the other girl had offered an apology. Yet, it didn’t surprise her- whenever Rhyka had broken down, she had been just as apologetic. She frowned, still watching the other novice. They had nothing to be sorry for; neither her nor Sumiya had done anything wrong. Sometimes it was hard to remember that.

Sumiya’s next words were just as surprising. “Why am I being nice to you?” Rhyka parroted, feeling as if she must have heard wrong. “Light, why wouldn’t I?” But it was hardly an answer, and she scrambled to find one that the other girl would accept. “I heard you crying and I wanted to help. Novices should stick together, right?” She smiled a little wryly. “It’s a pity some of us haven’t realized that.”

It was surprising to see how the Tower managed to make them enemies of each other. When she thought about it, it was the Tower that was pushing them to their limits, physically and mentally. But they always took out their aggression on each other. Rhyka had managed to avoid it so far by simply being of so little interest as to be nearly invisible.

“What happened, Sumiya?" She asked, reaching out hesitantly to put her hand on the other girl’s arm. “Because I’m fairly sure we could get our hands on some itching powder, if you want to, and no one is going to be in their rooms right now.” Rhyka smiled, hoping the little bit of humor would draw Sumiya out of her shell. Light, she was used to being the shy one!

[Carra]

She was quiet around the other Novice. Rhyka had a certain strength to her that Suu always admired from afar. Strong and opinionated, Suu was starting to feel that the girl wasn't afraid of anything. She gave another sniff, before taking a deep breath and trying to let go. The air coming out of her lungs quivered a little but Suu could tell that she was getting calmer.

"Suu, please. Just call me Suu." She added before thinking on what to tell her. She was another novice and the sentiment of sticking together was appreciated even if in practice it wasn't true. Once they became Accepted they would separate, or it would happen as Aes Sedai and at that time they would be at each others throats politically.

"It.. It wasn't anything.. too bad." She started, hesitant. "I got a question wrong this morning and some of the other Novices and Soldiers didn't let it go." She didn't want to admit that she had been lonely and it just added to that feeling in the worst way. But then, right now Suu wasn't sure what to think and Rhyka was growing onto her in a fast and scary kind of way.

[Bridget]

“Suu, then.” Rhyka couldn’t help but smile. It had been a long time since she had a simple, friendly conversation with someone, and she hadn’t realized that she missed it. Isolating herself at the Tower had been easy, and she hadn’t wanted to make friends. Rhyka knew, deep down, that she would eventually betray anyone she became close to. It had been a hard realization. At first she had thought she would ruin those close to her as she had done with Navane, but her conversations with Lydie Sedai revealed a different sort of reason. She wanted vengeance more than anything else, and she knew that she would not hesitate to toss friends aside to get it.

But talking with Suu was refreshing, and Rhyka’s commitment to keeping her distance from others was quickly faltering. She could not help but smile at the other girl, could not help but want to be friends.

She didn’t bother to ask Suu which novices and soldiers were giving her trouble it tended to be the same group. They had tried to torment Rhyka, when she first came to the Grey Tower, but her lack of response had quickly made them loose interest. “Idiots.” She said, forcefully. “I bet they wouldn’t even answer a question if they were sure they were right.” It was amazing, the kind of people that ended up at the Tower. Rhyka couldn’t wait to be Accepted, because then she wouldn’t have to deal with people that had no desire to learn and to become Aes Sedai or Asha’men.

“I still think we should put itching powder in their beds.” Rhyka told Suu, fairly serious. “They deserve an uncomfortable night for the day that they put you through.” It was only right to match a bad deed with a punishment, and personally Rhyka thought a little itching wasn’t enough. But Suu didn’t seem the type to play pranks, and Rhyka didn’t want to push the other girl. “Or we could just talk.” She offered, a little reluctantly.

[Carra]

A genuine giggle escaped her lips as Suu covered her mouth in surprise at the sound. It was so mean to laugh at someone else's misfortune let alone a plan to actually cause such misfortune. Just the idea of being mean to someone with purpose never seemed to be something she wanted to do, but talking with Rhyka, the innocent nature of her suggestions actually made it tempting. Suu wasn't sure if she was appalled by the idea or tempted to say yes.

"I.." The smile started to shine through, "I don't think we need to. I would feel bad if we did and if we get caught Illyria Sedai would only make it worse." She wasn't much for punishments after spending a lifetime of trying to be a good, studious Novice. "I want to be Aes Sedai one day, and they.. they might not." She paused, a sadness to her voice, "I guess they might not if they don't.. try." But then there were Aes Sedai and Asha'man that were just as much bullies as they were.

"I don't know. What do you want to talk about?" Suu blushed brightly. "I don't really know what to talk about. I like to read a lot, I guess. What do you like?"