Visiting with an Aes Sedai (Carra)

[Lynsey]

When she requested to have a one on one session with an Aes Sedai. She would have never thought it'd be so soon. Nor did she expect it to be the newest and only member of the Red Ajah. It confused her as to why they brought this particular Ajah back. Or what it meant for the rest of the Grey Tower in the years to come. But still it made her nervous as she approached the door of the Aes Sedai. For as little as she knew of the Grey Tower, she knew even less of Carra Sedai.

Steps from the door, Della took a minute to prepare herself. She pulled the ribbon she kept in her sleeve and tied her dark hair back. It was getting too long, maybe she should have it cut. She smoothed her sleeves out and took a deep breath. She slowly let it out, reminding herself that she would complete any task given to her, regardless of the absurd things she had heard about what happens.

"Here goes nothing," She whispered to herself as she knocked on the door. She continued to take deep breaths, hoping to calm the nerves that began to well up in her stomach. Maybe she should turn around. Perhaps it was too soon for her to meet an Aes Sedai on such a personal level. But than again, she can't. She was not about to waste Carra Sedai's time.

[Carra]

Carra Sedai Carra was just shifting around a few large silk colored pillows on a new rug she had purchased and with a nod of approval the Red Aes Sedai was ready for a little informal teaching.

While the classrooms provided an adequate teaching space, Carra also felt that the best way to take away some of the stigma of the Red Ajah was to open her doors a little more and host events, classes or just one on one time in her space. She had her own room that was completely private but the Great Room of the Red Ajah was completely open, albeit still rather sparse.

The knock on the door and a little weave opened the door for the Novice to enter. "Come in, Della. Welcome to the Red Ajah Greatroom. There is a tray of tea, Kaf or water by the kitchen doorway that should still be warm. Help yourself and then come here for a seat." Carra welcomed her warmly, although still her smiles didn't reach her eyes. But she was trying. "Then we can get started with a few weaves. But first, why don't you tell me a little about yourself?"


Ooc: one day i'll have to draw up the Red Ajah basement.. :P

[Lynsey]

When the door opened by itself Della felt a small tingle. It was a new sensation leaving her a little puzzled. So when Carra Sedai spoke, all she managed to catch was there was something in the kitchen and than for her to tell a little about herself.

She nodded and did her best to curtsey. A movement that made her feel awkward and clumsy and probably looked about the same. She drifted to the kitchen and found some water. Water seemed like the safe option. If she were to spill it, than she wouldn't have a stain.

As she came back into the room. She looked around at the room, it was huge and lived up to its name. Although you could tell the decor was new, it still felt warm. It kinda reminded her of how Carra Sedai's smile seemed.

"I come for a simple life. I was schooled by my grandparents until they passed away. Than I moved in with my mother, but I was already very independent by that time. I knew of the Aes Sedai and the Grey Tower from the stories I heard as already child. But I honestly never thought I would posse the ability to touch the Source" Della said, hoping she covered all the basics. She hoped she didn't sound like she was mumbling.

Before too much time could pass, curiosity got the better of her. "And what about yourself Carra Sedai. Have you always known you would be here at the Grey Tower?"

[Carra]

Carra couldn't help the chuckle that came from her lips, even if it wasn't friendly. "No, I never wanted to be Aes Sedai and fought it until I completed my Stairs. I wanted to learn but the responsibility of the Shawl and what it represented was something that I struggled with."

Carra gave her throat a clearing cough and sipped some tea. "Let us move you. You will be learning some easy tricks you can use with Saidar. These are handy little weaves that will make certain tasks easier. The first weave is used for eavesdropping, and requires spirit and air, like so,” Carra said as she first channeled a thin flow of spirit, and then added air so that it somewhat resembled a braid, with two parts spirit and one of air. “Then you will direct your weave to where you wish to hear.”

Carra extended her flow up instead of out, as there was nothing in this basement but rats and mountain water. Instead, if she wove it up then she could collect information from the center courtyard of the Grey Tower; where many interesting conversations would take place.

“ . . did you hear? There was a Drin that came back from his survival test in a grass skirt! A Grass Skirt!!”

Carra let the weave go, "Now you try. Remember to direct the weave as best you can, you might have to stretch a little or be patient as we are a little blind here, but its still good practice.”

[Lynsey]

Della couldn't help but notice the slight sting in Carra Sedai's tone. She began to wonder what had happened in Carra Sedai's life before the Grey Tower. Whatever it was, Della was sure that she would find out eventually. But for now, she was content to watch Carra Sedai embrace and weave Saidar.

As she watched, a part of her envied how effortless Carra Sedai made it seem. She knew she'd have to continue to work with Saidar for a long time before she was able to have the finesse the Aes Sedai had.

No matter. Della embraced Saidar herself and began to feel the weaves as she was taught. Seeing as the colours still blurred together. She was so caught up in what she was watching, she didn't even realize what she was hearing. A grass skirt? Who? She couldn't help but smile. She would have to catch up on gossip later in the kitchens.

She began with a thread of air and focused on making it wavy. As it wiggled in front of her, she let two threads of spirit weave themselves into place. It didn't look quite right. She glanced up at Carra Sedai's, but it was difficult to tell what she thought. Della let the weave go and began again. This time she sent all the three threads to a spot where she wanted them to go, and began to twist them this way and that way before pushing the weave further.

Nothing was all Della could hear. Maybe she sent it to a wrong spot? But before she could move the weave, she heard footsteps. As the footsteps got closer she could hear a female voice mumbling.

"...why don't they get their own tea? can't they wash their own clothes? how is doing all these chores suppose to teach us to sit on our a..."

Della quickly dropped the weave. She didn't want to know what else the female voice thought. She smiled a shy smile and hoped that Carra Sedai didn't think she thought the same way.

[Carra]

Carra gave a nod approval at the girls weave. It was clumsy at best but she was able to complete it and that was enough. "It will come with practice, Della. Do not worry." She picked up her tea a moment for a sip as she thought back on the weaves she was taught in this same class. Only they were not in a classroom setting.

"The next weave I will teach you is Voice Amplification, also known as Voice of Power. To begin channel a mix of air and fire, which you will form into a funnel shape. Then place the weave in front of your mouth and speak normally into it.”

Carra demonstrated the weave and placed the funnel in front of her mouth.

“The size of the funnel will determine how loud your voice will be.”

Carra then moved the threads while still in the weave, adding more or less to fire and air which then changes the pitch, tone and style of her voice as she spoke. "This is one of the more flexible weaves, and you can change it to suite your needs." Carra released Saidar, "Try the amplification and then trying changing it up after you are comfortable with it. Feel free to use a little creativity."

[Lynsey]

Although Della understood that it took time and practice, it helped to hear Carra Sedai affirm it yet again. She often felt like weaving should improve as much embracing Saidar had. But the weaving seemed to be yet another milestone

Della listened to Carra Sedai intently. Although she may not be allowed to use these weaves alone, until she became Accepted. It was still a beautiful feeling to feel and see the weaves taking place. What if the weaving came more natural as she was able to see the colors? she tried to focus on separating the colors. It actually helped to see them move as Carra Sedai modified the funnel.

Della nodded and began to channel fire and air. At first she kept them apart, and sorta spirled into a funnel. Almost like a tornado. it looked close enough to what Carra Sedai had showed her.

"I think this weave is easier than the last" stated Della. She was slightly startled when her voice came out much louder than normal.

Slowly, she began to pinch certain parts of the weave together.

"How does this sound?" Della asked, than asked "Would you say it sounds squeaky?"

She giggled, she knew she sounded like a squirrel. A squirrel drowning. She added a bit more fire and than wrapped it around a weave of air. And then pushed another weave of air further out.

"Or does this sound please your ears?" asked Della. Shock registered on her face as she realized she sounded like a man. She let the weave go and grinned.

"Are all the weaves you will be teaching me as amusing as this?" She asked, hoping that Carra didn't take it as Della making light of the class.

[Carra]

She was amused by the girls creativity, and her practicality. Whether the novice knew this or not but how she chose to use her weaves would show the Tower more about her than any conversation. "Very well done." She smiled, "It might be easy because they are elements that come easier to you then the others. I find Air and Spirit the easiest to weave while Earth and Fire are equally challenging. As for the fun.." Carra gave a shrug. She didn't find many of the weaves 'fun' but more of a 'tool' and Carra was bound by the Oaths to not lie.

"How about we try changing the temperature and see if your affiliation with the elements is true." Carra began channeling strands of air and fire carefully, creating something like a small box on the floor. “You will channel air and fire together but be very careful how much of each you put in. You can adjust the amounts you put in depending on how warm or cool you want to make the room. But if you put in too much air you might freeze and if you put too much fire you could burn yourself.”

Carra repeated the weave she added a warning.

“Never tie this weave off, especially if you go to sleep. You could wake up in a furnace.”

[Lynsey]

Della nodded. She supposed it wouldn't be as amusing for Carra Sedai as it was for her. After all Carra Sedai had probably performed these weaves many times. But still, Della was enchanted by the weaves. Many uses could arise. Some were probably not the intended use.

As she watched Carra bend and weave the flows of air and fire into a box. She could faintly feel their difference. As well as the difference in the air. Carra Sedai's warning made sense. She could understand the temptation of wanting to keep a room a certain way.

She imagined a box and began to fill in the sides and bottom with equal amounts of air and fire. She tried to pay attention to how the room felt. It felt a little warm from Carra Sedai's weave. With a gently nudge she pushed in a thread and wrapped it around a thread of fire.

Almost instantly the room cooled off. Perhaps a little too cool. She slowly pulled the weave of air away from the thread of fire and allowed it flow into the pattern. She than pushed another strand of fire in the opposite side of the box. Hoping to balance out the temperature.

She waited til she felt the change before she continued. This time, she chose to use air in a different way. She place a thin weave across the top. Connecting the two sides. As the room cooled, she slowly wove a small amount of fire around the air across the top. The room began to warm slightly. She continued to wrap the strand of air with fire until the room was comfortably warm. She allowed the room to stay that way momentarily before letting the weave go.

"With weaves like this, are we suppose to just let them go? Or is there a way to pull them apart?" Della asked. Noticing for the first time she felt a lingering effect.

[Carra]

She gave a firm shake of her head, "You let them go. For weaves you have tied off you cut them and then lit it fall apart on its own. Unweaving, what we call when you pull a weave apart, is only done by those of exceptional skill that have it as a talent. About 95% of those in this Tower are unable to Unweave. Even trying can leave disasterous results from burning Saidin and Saidar from you as you try to control what you are taking apart to the weave collapsing and causing an unknown effect. This is why we have a Channeling Yard and the rooms where Novices and Soldier's first learn to weave are protected with very special weaves. Explosions have caused many fatalities of those that have tried to Unweave their Weave without the Talent. You must not try it, at least not until you are skilled enough to have someone that can instruct you to help you try."

Carra reduced the disapproval from her tone, knowing that while the girl would take the warning to heart she shouldn't spent the entire lesson in a scolding tone. "Since you seem to have manages this weave with some success, lets try an illusion." Carra set her now empty tea cup in front of her. "Using Air and Fire, I'm going to 'Bend Light' to make the tea cup disappear." The weave looked more like a dome then anything else. "Don't worry to much about the shape of the weave but at how the elements are woven together. The larger your weave the larger of a shape you can make. Think of it like parchment covering a gift. The size of the parchment is the same but you can bend and fold it in many different ways."

And when Carra finished her weave the tea cup was completely gone. Carra reached in and picked up the cup and pulled it out from the dome to make it invisible. "You can either put the weave over a space like this, or on an actual object. It depends on what you wish to use the weave for. Now, try it with your cup of water."