A Small Climb (atten: Azalaide)

[Siera]

It was a rare moment for Liri and she wasn't running from one class to the next- she actually had some free time. Liri had wandered outside to sit under a tree and do some studying. After reading back through some notes, Liri could feel herself getting restless, so she packed away her notes and starting walking towards the Stables to visit Eclipse. Just as she passed under the shade of a tree Liri hurt a frightened meow. Looking around Liri did not see anything but the meow came again- but as she was listening she knew it came from above her. Peering through the trees Liri could see some orange in the otherwise green tree. The poor cat she thought. It must have climbed up here to get away from something and can't get down now.

Taking a second look around Liri couldn't see anyone is sight. Had an Aes Sedai or Asha'man been around this would have been an easy fix, they could have just channeled and brought the cat back down to safety. Grabbing the bottom of her dress and tying it in a knot to keep it out of the way Liri started looking for a branch she could grab to climb up the tree. Finding the perfect branch Liri reached for it and pulled herself. Getting into the rhythm Liri had soon reached the cat. Putting her hand out Liri let the cat smell her before she tried anything. After a few minutes the cat rubbed its head against Liri's hand. Smiling Liri reached out further to pet it. But looking down she knew she was in trouble- Liri had figured out how to get up the tree but she hadn't figured out how to get down the tree- with the cat in hand.

[Bridget]

Azalaide lifted up her skirts and hurried. It was undignified, and something that she would never have imagined doing only a few weeks ago. But she only had a little time to make it to her lesson with Helmina, a particularly surly Accepted who took any excuse to assign extra chores. Scrubbing pots was much less dignified than moving at a quick trot, and Azalaide was quickly learning to bear all of it, dignity or no dignity. Her father would be ashamed of her. Yet Azalaide had not seen her father for several years, and would likely never see a member of her family again. She was no longer of house Elsindred, no longer even Lady Correngreave, but an initiate of the Grey Tower. It was still a difficult fact to swallow.

She slowed to a stop under a tree, bracing one hand against the rough bark. Her breath was already coming in quick, short bursts; the Yellow sisters had told her that she was as healthy as she ever would be, which was proving to not be very healthy at all. Azalaide could not run or ride for very long before it felt as if she might faint. It was a bitter fact. She had hoped that there might be a silver lining in her new dedication to the Grey Tower; Azalaide had heard stories of Aes Sedai Healing, and had dreamed of being healthy enough to run, swim, ride horses…

The tree was rustling. Azalaide looked up, pushing sweaty strands of white-blond hair out of her eyes. “Hello?” she called, her voice quiet. She could make out a white form up in the tree; it had to be a novice, for no Accepted would allow themselves to be caught in such a position. Whoever it was, they appeared to be well and truly stuck. Azalaide stood still, her hand still pressed against the tree, and considered. If she didn’t leave now, she would be late, and Helmina would see her scrubbing pots for the rest of the afternoon. But she had hardly exchanged words with another novice since coming here. Velhyvar, the Accepted who had been teaching her cloud dancing, had advised her to make friends.

Azalaide could see the benefits of friendships with other novices. It would be useful to have someone to gossip with, to gain information about the Tower. Someone to conspire with, perhaps. It she could start such a friendship now, it would be worth the pots. Resolved, she again peered up at the girl above her. “Do you need help?”

[Siera]

Liri was almost about to panic when she heard something rushing down on the ground. She tried to peer through the branches but all she could see were snippets of a white dress; she hoped it was a Novice and not an Aes Sedai wearing white. As luck would have it it was a Novice; the girl called up and asked her if she needed any help. Liri knew it may be a while before someone else came by and it would be worse if an Aes Sedai came instead of a Novice. Liri didn't even want to think about what an Aes Sedai would do if they spotted her like this.

"Um, if you don't mind. I just can't figure out how to get back down. I came up to rescue this cat" she said pulling the cat out from behind her to show the girl. "If you have some place to be then you don't have to help me. I know how strict they are when it comes to being late.." she added at the end. With one hand holding onto the tree, Liri used the other to pet the cat in an attempt to keep it calm. The novice was a pretty young girl. She looked rather frail but Liri sensed that she wasn't as frail she she appeared. Those who look frail are often no where near as frail as they appear She thought remembering some advice her mother gave to her before she left for the Tower.

[Bridget]

Azalaide looked at the bedraggled little creature that the other novice held out for her perusal and could not see the appeal. Dogs had become her companion at her husband’s Andorian estate, good, sturdy dogs. Dogs could follow her on rides and be useful on hunts, and were far more loyal than a cat could ever be. Past exterminating vermin, Azalaide did not understand how cats might be useful. But this novice had taken the time to rescue this one, and she had decided that she would help. Part of her could not help but wonder if her young son would share her love for dogs. He would, as long as Roderick raised him in his estates and not in the townhouse in Caemlyn. She desperately hoped he grew up at the estates. Little boys should have sunshine and room to run amok.

“I see.” Azalaide said, with as little formality as she could manage. Many of her fellow novices were commoners, and their speech patterns were far different from hers. Through no actual effort on her part, she was quickly being labeled as stuck up and noble. A new sort of mask would be necessary to gain their approval; Azalaide had not yet determined if such an effort would be worth it.

“My name is Azalaide.” She offered, moving to stand under where the other novice was perched in the tree. The girl was not terribly high up; she could likely bend a little to reach Azalaide’s head. “Why don’t you pass the cat down to me? Then you’d be able to just climb down.” It was not a particularly good solution, in Azalaide’s opinion. She hardly wanted to hold the cat and get herself in range of the thing’s claws. Her first thought had been to simply wrap up the little creature in flows of air and bring it down. It was too bad that this courtyard was so busy- she might have suggested it otherwise. An unwillingness to break silly rules was a good quality in a potential friend, and actually doing so might make a friendship quickly.

And it would have been faster. Helmina was probably already fuming at her lateness.

[Siera]

Liri smiled at the other Novice, Azalaide. She seemed nice enough, Liri had been too busy with her studies, assisting Carra Sedai and now Eclipse to meet many other Novices. It was a shame really, she had truly hoped she would make some friends but alas is seemed Novicehood was not where she would make any friends, at least not at this point.

Liri nodded at Azalaide's suggestion. If she reached a little Liri figured she could hand the cat down to Azalaide then she should be able to climb down the tree on her own. At this point Liri was sitting facing away from Azalaide, so she slowly moved herself so that she was facing towards Azalaide. She kept stroking the cat and whispering to it so it wouldn't get scared and put its' claws in her. Putting the top of her foot under a branch close by so she wouldn't fall down Liri leaned over, holding the cat under its front legs so Azalaide could grab it from behind.

Azalaide reached up and was able to grab the cat and liri let out a small breath she didn't realize she had been holding. Unhooking her foot from the branch Liri laughed softly to herself. She thought she had been in a huge mess but it had actually been too simple to get out of. But Liri had not quite realized how imbalanced she felt and in the middle of a laugh she fell backwards right out of the tree.

Thankfully Liri landed on her back and not on her head but she knocked the wind out of her lungs. Liri was in shock at first, one minute she was in the tree the next thing she knew she was on the ground. Her eyes were wide with the shock but after a minute of lying there she pushed herself up and looked around. Thankfully the fall hadn't been far or she would have been in trouble. Looking up at Azalaide "Ive made you really late for your class, haven't I?" she asked.

[Bridget]

Azalaide caught the cat gingerly. It yowled a little at the drop, but thankfully didn’t claw or bite her. She set it down quickly; the creature smelled a little strange, and her palms felt dirty after touching it. But she was careful not to let Liri see her distaste. If the other novice went to such pains to rescue the things, she probably rather liked cats.

She watched the cat wander off, towards a raised bed of shrubs, when she heard a thump. “Liri?” The other girl was on the ground, flat on her back. “Are you alright?” Azalaide slid down on her knees, not sure what to do. For all that the path had been so busy before, there was no one around now. Should she go find a Yellow? What if Liri had hit her head?

Thankfully, the other novice spoke, just as Azalaide was about to dart off and find someone to help. Azalaide could not help but laugh in relief. “Late! Don’t worry about that. Helmina would have given me chores no matter what.” She reached out to help the other novice sit up. “Are you alright? I was afraid that I would have to go run and get a Yellow to help you.”

[Siera]

Liri couldn't help but left out a small laugh herself as Azalaide laughed. She couldn't believe she had fallen out of the tree, the simplest part of this and she had to fall. She could feel that her back was sore and she had a headache coming on from hitting her head after she hit the ground. Luckily the fall wasn't far so she had no lasting injuries.

Rubbing her temple Liri looked up as Azalaide. "I'll be fine, sore back and a headache but nothing I can't deal with." she smiled again, Grin and bear it, grin and bear it. She thought to herself. She didn't really want to go to an Aes Sedai and try to explain why she had been climbing up a tree, it was not what they would want a Novice to do, and now that she had fallen she didn't need a sore bottom as well as a headache and sore back.

Using the tree to support herself, Liri slowly made her way to her feet. She already knew that it would be a long week until this soreness wore off. "I think I'm just going to head back to my room. Thank you for helping me Azalaide. I really appreciate your help. I hope Helmina doesn't get you in too much trouble." She said giving Azalaide another smile. She really did hope Helmina would go easy on Azalaide, Liri doubted Azalaide would tell Helmina what had happened but she knew Azalaide wasn't late on purpose.