The Other Half of the Tower [Attn: Teddy] COMPLETE

[Jenny]

Mirin peeked around the curve of the wall. The halls where the Dedicated lived were on the opposite side of the Tower – a mirror image of the halls of the Accepted. The position of the doors and windows were familiar, yet different enough for Mirin to feel a little lost. It was a disorienting feeling.

The Tower did not quite forbid an Accepted from visiting the halls of the Dedicated. A novice would be reprimanded and sent to scrub floors; but one of the perks of being an Accepted was the increased freedom. However, visiting the men was certainly not encouraged, either. Mirin couldn’t help but feel that she was doing something wrong by sneaking about like this.

Of course, that didn’t stop her.

She walked quickly, as though she had a purpose here, but not so quickly as though to seem rushed. Unfortunately, women were rare in this part of the Tower. Despite her attempts at discretion, she drew stares and whispers.

A low voice sounded behind her. “Excuse me. Are you lost?”

She turned and nearly gasped.

It was him! The man had dark brown hair that curled at the nape of his neck, and a rugged, but still boyish face. He couldn’t be much older than her own nineteen years. Her heart fluttered. He frowned down at her. The silver pin of a Dedicated gleamed at the corner of his jacket lapel. Light, he hadn’t seemed so tall from a distance! Mirin drew herself up and tossed her head prettily, sending ripples of black hair flowing down her back.

“Are you Kiellan? I’ve been looking for you.” Her clipped, Cairhienin accent betrayed her nation of origin. She curtsied slightly and introduced herself. “I am Mirin Ronaile. I am doing a study on the culture and people of Altara. If you have time to talk, would you like to help me?”

She hoped that he would agree. Men usually liked being asked to help a pretty woman. Mirin flashed a quick smile, and then waited patiently for his reply.

[Teddy]

Kiellan sighed as he put down his book. He had managed, after more than a year of private tutoring by Fares Asha'man, to learn how to read, and he thanked himself -and the Brown Asha'man, of course- every day that he had. The life of a Dedicated wasn't any easier than that of a Soldier, but it did allow for a lot of customization in his schedule. He could choose most of his classes himself, and he had even been allowed some free time for self-study. He had made it his own little project to read up on the different laws and legal systems in history. Ever since his trip through the Arches, he had been more inclined to follow the rules of the Tower, and he had started to see why not everyone lived as he had in the Rahad, with no rules or laws to bind you. Before his Raising, he had seen them as an intrusion of his freedom, albeit one that reluctantly had to be followed, but now, he had seen true anarchy, and it wasn't a good picture.

Surprisingly, he even found the subject quite interesting. How all these different peoples managed to come up with different legal systems that all in some way seemed to make sense was fascinating. But today, he could take no more of it. Not only had he had to help a Brown sister copy her collection of rare volumes all morning, he had also spent the first part of his afternoon reading up on Earthsinging, the Talent he had discovered not too long ago. He could try to read on, but he knew he wouldn't be able to process another word.

So, he decided to go for a walk instead. The gardens had always calmed him down, ever since he had arrived at the Tower. The beautiful trees and plants and flowers always managed to take his mind off of whatever was worrying him at the time. Perhaps, if there was nobody else, he could even try out some of the things he had read about. Perhaps he could manage to make one of the flowers grow. That made him feel better, so he grabbed his coat and left for the gardens.

He had only walked a short bit before he stopped again, surprised. Even though he didn't think it was forbidden, women never came to this part of the Tower. Yet, right in front of him, a girl walked past, looking like she knew where she was going. The girl was short, Kiellan didn't think she would even come to his chest, and her dress seemed to suggest that she was an Accepted. Even though she seemed to have a clear objective here, Kiellan couldn't imagine any reason for her to be in the halls of the Dedicated. Perhaps he could help her.

"Excuse me," he said, trying to sound polite. "Are you lost?" As the girl turned around, Kiellan noticed for the first time how beautiful she looked. Her raven-black hair falling over her shoulders complemented her face, and even the way she carried herself seemed to ooze confidence. She definitely didn't look like the girls Kiellan had known in Ebou Dar, probably because she didn't look like she could stab him any moment. Of course, appearances could be misleading.

Even if her answer had only been that first word, he could've immediately marked her as Carhienin. He had known some Carhienin merchants, and he had met some of them in the Tower, and this girl seemed to mirror their accent completely. He should've known from her length, of course. He had heard that Carhienin were small, smaller than most other peoples. That was interesting. He had never really had a conversation with one of them, but he had heard about their fascination with what they called the "Game of Houses".

Her answer, while surprising, excited him as well. Usually, he was the one who asked others about their culture, but it was nice to see that others were interested in that, too. And this girl even seemed to know him. That was flattering, especially when it concerned such a pretty one. His trip to the gardens could wait.

"Of course I can help you, Mirin. As you apparently know, I'm Kiellan Lomore. Ask anything you want, and I'll see if I can be of any use."

[Jenny]

Mirin’s eyes sparkled in delight. “Let us walk together. To the gardens, perhaps?”

As they walked, she kept up the small talk.

“How long have you been at the Tower, Kiellan?” “What classes are you taking?”

Mirin was an expert in pleasant conversation, a skill learned during her childhood as she entertained her mother’s customers in their little shop. She asked simple questions, deflected awkwardness skillfully, and laughed at Kiellan’s every attempt at humor. The minutes passed pleasantly and soon they reached the Tower gardens. The gardens were colorful at this time of the year, blossoming with the deep reds and golden yellows of autumn.

Mirin turned to her companion. “I know that it has been a while since you visited home, Kiellan,” she said. “But any information would help my understanding of Altaran culture. Please correct me if I’m wrong. As I understand, women in Altara, and especially in Ebou Dar, have permission to kill a man unquestioned. Knives seem to be primary weapon of choice and every man and woman knows how to fight. It sounds like a rather… dangerous way of life. What are your thoughts?”

[Teddy]

Kiellan simply nodded and followed the girl. It was nice talking to her; she seemed to be genuinely interested in him, in who he was and how he had fared in the Tower thus far. She laughed at his jokes, asked just the right questions to keep the conversation going and knew how to avoid letting their smalltalk get awkward. He tried to answer her as elaborately as possible, without drifting off too much, and asked her some small questions in between. This conversation was already better than most he had had in the Tower. Once, when Kiellan thought she wasn't looking, he looked at her, really looked at her. She really was pretty, even if she was tiny.

They reached the gardens, and Kiellan drank in the colors and smells of the plants. Even without seizing saidin, Kiellan felt connected to the plants, although he knew that was just a feeling. He always reveled in the liveliness and fragrance of the gardens; it was probably his favorite spot in the whole Tower.

He thought a bit about Mirin's question. He had never really thought of it like that. "Well, let me say first that I'm not from Ebou Dar proper. I grew up in the Rahad, which is -well, let's call it the poor part of the city, although that might be an understatement. But yes, what you describe is true. Women are in charge of the family, after all, and if they're not allowed to properly discipline, how are they to run the family smoothly? It doesn't happen often, though. Most people who die from fighting die in duels, which are, as you say, fought with traditional curved knives. We Altarans place a lot of importance on politeness, and insults should be punished if one is to keep their self-respect. I suppose it is dangerous, if that's what you want to call it, but if you simply don't insult others, you should be fine." Kiellan stopped, realizing he had started rambling a bit. "I'm sorry, is that an answer to your question?"

[Jenny]

Mirin seemed amused. “Yes. Yes, it is. And what about you?”

She turned to look at him, grey eyes glittering like ice. She placed a gentle hand on his arm. Her movements were smooth and seductive, the product of years of training by her mother, but she could not hide the calculating look in her eye. Despite the teachings of her Domani mother, Mirin had not actually been raised in Arad Doman. And thus, the illusion was not complete. Despite her pretty exterior, there was a hardness about her, like silk covering steel.

Perhaps the steel was a product of the Tower and its training. Perhaps it came from Mirin’s upbringing and sly maneuverings through Cairhienin politics. Or perhaps it was something else entirely.

She thought that it sounded… barbaric that the Altaran way of settling insults was to hack each other to death. But she was far too well-mannered to say so. Her expression revealed none of her thoughts, and instead she smiled sweetly.

“The Greens like to recruit fighters. Have you ever been in a duel, Kiellan? Are you interested in a particular Ajah?”

[Teddy]

Kiellan blushed. He couldn't help himself. Mirin's smile, her laughs, her touch... it was so unfamiliar to Kiellan that his cheeks seemed to redden before he knew what was going on. There had been girls in Ebou Dar, of course. Altarans weren't really strict about relationships, or anything involving boys and girls basically, and Kiellan didn't consider himself bad-looking. Even than, there hadn't been many, and none of them had been as pretty as this girl, or even as interesting. But there was something more to the Accepted. Kiellan somehow felt like she was colder and more calculating than she led on, although he couldn't explain why he thought that.

She was Carhienin, of course. Perhaps that was simply it. Kiellan had heard about their elaborate schemes, their grand Game and how they never said what they meant. It always confused him to even think about it. The Rahad had been a brutal place, but people had mostly been honest with each other. His mother had always taught him that honesty was a value as much as bravery, or wisdom. That probably explained why he didn't really trust the girl yet. Or perhaps it was because he only knew her for a couple of minutes.

Still, it was nice to talk with her. He laughed aloud at her first question, but the second one was more difficult. He had been thinking about Ajahs as well. After his raising to Dedicated, it had been one of the first things to cross his mind. Dedicated and Accepted were supposed to explore the different Ajahs to find out which one they liked, but so far, he had manage to postpone that.

"As I said, I didn't grow up in Ebou Dar proper. I grew up in the Rahad. Fighting was our way of resolving disputes, settling debts, defending your honor or simply as a way of blowing off steam. It was the basic means of communication." Kiellan stopped for a second as he remembered his trip through the Arches. His voice quivered a bit as he went on. "Of course, I realize now how ridiculous that is. But yes, I've been in a duel before. Never to the death, mind you, but... it was rough sometimes." One particular image from the Arches crossed his mind. The image of a boy, laying in the streets, his face distorted beyond recognition. And, standing over him, his own face twisted with rage.

He cleared his throat, driving away the panic that always came with the memories. "I'm thinking about the Green Ajah, yes. I don't think battle and war is always the best solution, but I believe it's necessary sometimes. Besides, it's what I'm good at. The Brown also sounds interesting. I've always liked studying and learning new things, and I believe in the pursuit of knowledge. But it's only been a month or so since I was raised, so maybe I'll find something else. How about you? Have you declared your Ajah yet?"

[Jenny]

Mirin enjoyed his blushes. Not because of how they accentuated his youth and boyishness; not because they softened the angles of his rugged, handsome features. No – she enjoyed his blushes because she knew that she was the cause. She felt heady with the rush of power. She loved it.

Her fingers stroked his arm. Her voice flowed like velvet. A note of admiration entered her tone. “You’ve been in a duel, and you survived? You must be very strong,” she murmured. Then, she noticed the quiver in his voice. Perhaps this was not the best conversation to pursue, and she smoothly changed the subject.

“You? In the Brown?” She laughed and shook her head. Black curls fell about her face. “I can’t imagine you holed up in the Tower. Sitting among musty books all day,” she teased. “You strike me as the sort of man who would want to travel and see the world a little. That’s what I want to do.”

Her grey eyes gleamed and she released his arm to gesture excitedly with her hands. “I want to join the Blue. Explore the continent. Get a taste of all different cultures. And wherever I go, pursue righteousness and justice for the Grey Tower. What do you think, Kiellan? Doesn’t that sound exciting?”

[Teddy]

Kiellan laughed with Mirin. He liked her laugh. It seemed to clear his own head a little as well. "Not all Browns spend their time holed up in the Library. I've heard that some of them like to explore, and see new things. Learn at the source. That doesn't sound like a bad life to me. But maybe you're right. I need some activity in my life, and I'll have to find out which Ajah can give me that."

He thought about that a little. He couldn't imagine himself living the life Mirin had described, spending all his time reading in a damp room. Even though he had always liked learning, most of that hadn't come from books, especially not before the Grey Tower. The life of a Brown Ajah member seemed alluring to Kiellan, but it definitely had its own pitfalls.

Kiellan felt a little pang of disappointment when Mirin let go of his arms -he had liked the warmth of her touch- but he laughed instead. At her genuine excitement, her enthusiasm. The little hint of coldness that had bothered him slightly before was completely gone as she spoke passionately about the Blue Ajah. He hoped he would one day have that for his own Ajah.

Still smiling, he looked at the girl again. Perhaps they had more in common than he had thought. "It does, Mirin, that sounds amazing. I want to travel as well, see the world and help make it a better place. But I don't think I have the... drive for righteousness that the Blue requires. I think I'm more interested in helping the world case by case than constantly looking at the bigger picture."

He studied the girl for a bit. Although she seemed a little distant, she didn't seem to have the same righteous fervor that most other Blues Kiellan had met seemed to possess. "Pardon me, Mirin, this might be a bit too personal. But I heard all Blues have their own righteous cause, their own moral battle to fight. Do you have that as well? Is there one particular issue that you want to fight as Aes Sedai?"

[Jenny]

"You're right, Kiellan," Mirin nodded. She hadn't thought of it, but it was true that some Browns did travel for their work. She looked at the Dedicated with interest - this time, not for his appearance and height, but for the thoughtfulness of his answer. Kiellan had a patience and kindness that Mirin found... perhaps not quite alluring, but delightful. He was wonderful and pleasant company. There was definitely more than met the eye, she thought.

Perhaps he would be well-suited for the Brown after all.

It was also disarming, she suddenly realized. He had an innocence about him, a lightness, that drew her in. It was relaxing, and comfortable. Too comfortable. Get ahold of yourself, Mirin , she thought. Although she was a passionate woman, the Cairhienin were a conservative and restrained people - and thus she had been taught since childhood to hold herself back and to let little of her feelings show. It embarrassed her to realize that she had let her guard slip - a mistake that happened far too often for her taste.

As they continued to speak of the Blue Ajah, Mirin tried to rein in her enthusiasm. However, she could not hide her passion for the topic. "Do not worry, Kiellan, this is not too personal. As a Blue sister, I want to promote the cause of the Grey Tower. Is this a moral cause? Perhaps not. But it is certainly a righteous cause."

Her eyes blazed with inner fire and her voice filled with determination. Although she retained her grace, it was no longer seductive. She moved like a woman with a purpose. Almost, like an Aes Sedai. "The White Tower calls us frauds and runaways, while within their own walls, they are rife with corruption. The Black Tower has its own dark agenda - I would not trust their Asha'man to stand at my back during Tarmon Gai'don! Who would lead us, then? Who would bring the channelers together to face the forces of the Dark One? The world needs the guidance of the Grey Tower.

"It's an uphill battle. The White Tower has served as a beacon of light for thousands of years. We cannot hope to compete against the depth of their history and plots. But the Grey Tower has shown itself to be far more flexible, far more progressive, and far more willing to work together to achieve its goals. We need to rally our friends and make new allies. We need to be a leader at Tarmon Gai'don. We need to stand at the right arm of the Dragon Reborn."

Light! She had gotten carried away again. Her cheeks flushed pink. She was keenly aware of his eyes on her as Kiellan studied her, and she looked away self-consciously. Normally she was quite poised under a man's gaze; but in his eyes there was... something more.

"I've never told anyone this before," she whispered. "You're the first."

She looked up at Kiellan. And this time, there was no trace of her former coldness. She felt completely vulnerable. It was not a good feeling. It frightened her.

[Teddy]

The fire once more blazed in her eyes. As cold as she could normally seem, she was certainly passionate about her cause. Kiellan admired that. He always respected those that managed to find a cause they were passionate about, and set about pursuing that cause. And it was a noble one. He was also touched by Mirin's sudden candor. He hadn't expected the Accepted, who was excellent company but had seemed a little distant so far, to suddenly be so open and truthful about her purpose.

"Thank you for sharing that with me, Mirin. That's a noble cause if there ever was one." Kiellan suddenly remembered the stories some of the men had told him. Those who had been to the Black Tower. "I have come to realize how lucky I am that the Grey Tower found me first, and not the Black. Some of the men here, they've been there, as well. It's a harsh place, a dark place. I think you can do amazing work there, for all channelers."

He had meant what he said, but he could feel the girl starting to grow a little uncomfortable with the sudden heaviness of the conversation, or perhaps simply with her own honesty. Kiellan tried switching the conversation to a lighter subject. He hoped Mirin wouldn't be offended by that. "So, have you managed to discover what your Talents are? You've been at the Tower a fair bit longer than I have, right?"


OOC: sorry for the late response, it's been a busy week