[Complete] Encounter in the Library (Attn: Jenn)

[Craig]

Ravak Darrow Lounging peacefully in a comfortable chair, Ravak Darrow was as content as one could be. It was challenging to tell this from a glance, however. His red hair was mussed up, a large covering of dandruff marred his light grey uniform, and his face was the usual mix of sullenness and disdain. But he was happy, reading the Essays of Willim of Maneches. He had overheard it was required reading for Accepted and Dedicated, and from the damage sustained to some of the pages, it was well read. Rav handled the book carefully, having no desire to upset any Browns, or any Accepted or Dedicated for that matter.

He scratched at his scalp, finding the current essay taxing to follow. Well, I'm glad I'm not a Dedicated. Doubt I'd be able to pass whatever class this is for. He noted the page and essay's title, and closed the book. He rested it on his lap, wondering how much longer he had to himself. He had got in more training earlier today, to give himself longer in the Library. Placing Essays on the table in front of him, he looked the second book. This was a history on Artur Hawkwing's empire. Rav had found reason in the last few days to read up on those who sailed across the Aryth Ocean, as they had returned as the Seanchan.

Reaching to retrieve the book, Rav's eyes were drawn to movement at the edge of his vision. He turned to look, and found himself staring into deep, dark eyes. Even across the room, he could tell that this woman was entrancing, as he couldn't break his eyes away. She was tall, possibly as tall as he, but where he had pale skin and fiery skin, hers were copper and black. He summoned enough willpower to stop gawking, but then she took a step forward, towards his table. He couldn't help but watch as she approached.

[Jenn]

The Library at the Grey Tower was unlike anything Katrie had ever seen. It eclipsed the best collections that her Papa's family and acquaintances boasted of in Cairhien, something that she took secret pleasure in. Being surrounded by literal walls of books and eccentric absentminded Browns wasn't her favourite thing in the world, but there was something to be said for the lure of quiet. She could lower her guard here somewhat, and the giant area was blessedly free of saidar imprints. For the most part, anyway.

The pretty Cairhienin was in need of one specific book or another, but she hadn't brought her list with her. She couldn't remember the title, but it had something to do with Artur Hawkwing... or more specifically, Artur Paendrag Tanreall. Katrie wasn't too concerned about it, proud enough that she had recalled something from her history lessons. She had been well educated, but found that the Grey Tower's expectations far surpassed those of her private tutors.

She wandered aimlessly, reaching out every now and again to touch the spines of particular books whose well-worn leather covers caught her attention. She hadn't expected to come across anyone given the sheer vastness of space, but there was someone sitting just beyond the first few tables. He was glaring down at the book in front of him, his expression an impressive mix of glowering contempt. Katrie had just thought to look away, not wanting to be caught staring, when he turned in his chair and did just that. She shrugged inwardly, not bothering with any further niceties. She studied him unabashedly, noting the fiery red-brown hair and pale skin. His cheeks were ruddy, a feature she hadn't encountered before. She couldn't tell what colour his eyes were from this distance, but they were light. Andoran, if she had to guess...

He wasn't quite staring her down, but he made no effort whatsoever to look away. The way he watched her was odd, similar yet not quite the same as the way other men looked at her. Which was exactly why she approached him, pride and curiosity winning out over any sense of caution.

Katrie smiled at him, putting the table between them as she nonchalantly took the seat across from him. There were tiny white spots dusted across his shoulders and she could hazard a guess or two as to what it was given the dry patches of skin she spied around the area of his forehead. She placed her palms flat against the wooden surface, eyes holding his for a moment longer. “I can't help but wonder,” she began quietly, aware that she was breaking the silence that lay like a heavy blanket over their surroundings. “What did that poor book ever do to you?” At his uncomprehending look, she clarified, a mischievous sparkle coming to her eyes. She made an offhand gesture to the lone book on the table between them. “You were glaring at it like it had offended your lineage.”

[Craig]

Ravak Darrow Rav had watched the woman approach him with a mixture of awe and foreboding. She moved with a regal, dignified bearing, more becoming of someone in a palace than in a library, even this library. Those eyes, deep pools of black that suggested everything at once, seemed to study him and weigh him from across the room. Had she not wore the plain white dress of a Novice, he would have pegged her as a full Aes Sedai. Even without that title, he felt intimidated in her presence, and especially under those eyes.

It was a challenge, but he maintained his gaze with the Novice. He knew that he was glaring, as far as any observer could perceive. The option to back down had ended the moment she began to study him. Now, he had to see this staring match down to its end. His skin prickled at the thought of the One Power being used against him. Aes Sedai and Asha'man may not be able to do that, but he had heard enough rumours concerning pranks, that he knew that Novices and Accepted didn't always adhere to the same tenets they yearned to follow.

Reaching the table, her mouth broke into a smile. It seemed warm, but he couldn't shake the feeling he was prey in a game of cat-and-mouse. She took the chair opposite him as if it was natural and apparent that, of all of the tables and chairs filling the library, this was her rightful place. She laid her hands flat on the table, maintaining that gaze for a moment longer before breaking the silence. "I can't help but wonder, what did that poor book ever do to you?"

He blinked, and confusion covered his face. Book? His mind raced. What book? I'm not- Light! What hav- The Novice gestured at the table, at the leather-bound volume laying before him. "You were glaring at it like it had offended your lineage."

He contemplated the book, aware of it once again. A History of the High King, an annal of Artur Hawkwing's rise as King of Shandalle to his death after refusing Aes Sedai aid. Or so the Brown Asha'man he had encountered said, commenting on his choice of reading just as he picked it from the bookcase. He hadn't actually opened the cover, but she was right, he had been glaring at it just before he spotted her. Light, imagine if she was Aes Sedai, the things she would already know.

He ruminated on that. But she wasn't an Aes Sedai, yet she had mastered the poise and the demeanour of one. He remembered an Accepted he had spoken with, one a little lax on the rules. There was a light in this one's eyes, something that made him think that the two women were alike in this specific way. Light, make it so. That face, that smile, those eyes. He determined that he was going to press his luck.

He answered in a soft tone, wary of the reverential silence that loomed in the room. "It didn't tell me what I wanted to know," he replied, indicating the book. "I'm unconvinced the library has anything on the Seanchan, which is what I'm really looking into. I love to learn about other cultures and people." He shifted, brushing at his uniform as he sat up straight. "My name is Ravak Darrow of Fal Dara." His arm moved with muscle memory to make the traditional hand-on-heart salute, but he caught himself quickly, and instead moved the second book from his lap and placed it upon A History of the High King. No, let's not knuckle our head this time. Let's see where this goes without all the bowing and scraping. Instead, he cautiously returned the Novice's smile. "Was there something you were looking for?"

[Jenn]

There were words she could've used to describe the way his face shifted, the subtle changes altering the meaning of his looks in the same manner as she might style her hair differently to suit her mood. But words were unnecessary at this point. Katrie watched him instead, pleased that he was at least interesting, if not completely welcoming. It went without saying that she was doubly pleased at his interest in her.

As the pair of light eyes left hers – fascinating shades of blue and grey – to the book between them on the table, the not-quite glare he had used on her intensified. The fluidity of his facial expressions were oddly reminiscent of Jaryd – Asha'man Jaryd, she corrected herself... The pretty Cairhienin gave herself a little mental shake, a quick flirt of emotion shadowing dark luminous eyes. Now that was someone she really didn't want to be thinking about. She quickly soothed away the ragged edge of irritation and redirected her focus to the unusual man seated in front of her.

"It didn't tell me what I wanted to know." The quiet, simple way in which he answered was incongruous against the fierce glower that only grew harder as his gaze meandered back to her. "I'm unconvinced the library has anything on the Seanchan, which is what I'm really looking into. I love to learn about other cultures and people." He leaned in a little as she had done, the motion reflexive, given where they were.

Katrie had to hide her grin, aware that he might think that she was toying with him. If she had been deathly bored, maybe... but not today. That hadn't been why she had approached him. She felt much the same way about people; 'other cultures' were too broad an idea to hold her beyond initial curiosity, but she could appreciate the interest in others.

He straightened in his chair then, Katrie realizing then that he was roughly as tall as she was. "My name is Ravak Darrow of Fal Dara." A second book materialized from somewhere beneath the table, Ravak placing it carefully on top of the first book. And here was where his face was transformed, a tentative smile replacing the harsh angles and lines. "Was there something you were looking for?"

She bloomed beneath the warmth of his smile, restrained as it was. White teeth flashed into view as she responded in kind. “No, nothing in particular.” She gave a graceful little shrug. “We have assigned reading every few days and I forgot to bring the list with me.” She left it at that, leaving out the fact that she had actually come here to escape the constant press of saidar imprints. If he proved trustworthy then maybe...

“I am Aikaterine Riatin and I'm from Cairhien. But please, call me Katrie.” Her pride was painfully aware that she was clad in nothing but pristine white, blinding and...ugly; there was nothing about the way she was dressed that would indicate that she had any ties to House Riatin. She understood that such was the entire purpose of being put in white, but there were times – like now! – that she would kill to be afforded access to her silks and jewelry. Still, Ravak might not recognize her House... it would be interesting to see if he did. Fal Dara. How far did Papa's influence travel?

“I love learning about other people as well,” she told him happily, excited that there was finally someone else that shared that with her. “This is a good place for that.” She glanced around pointedly, her gaze encompassing the Library, and by extension, the entirety of the Grey Tower. “I've been a Novice here for...” and here was where her voice trailed off as she had to calculate quickly, the days having an unfortunate tendency to run and blur together. “I've been here for three years.” Dark eyes blinked at that. Had it truly been three years? Katrie recovered quickly, pouncing on the opportunity to simply talk. “I see by your uniform that you're a Drin'far'ji. What's it like?? Why the Seanchan, in particular? What's it like to use a sword?”

[Craig]

Ravak Darrow Riatin? From Cairhien? She couldn't possibly be... Ravak may have been a man short of first-hand experience with the wider world outside the walls of Fal Dara, but he was well-read, and as informed and bookish as a common Shienaran could be. House Riatin had been the ruling house in Cairhein once, and Galldrian Riatin had sat on the Sun Throne. Had, until his death, and that had sparked the civil war in Cairhein. He knew nothing beyond that fact, however.

Rav tried to school his features, but he felt a slight tightness around his eyes. Call me Katrie? Or is that the Lady Aikaterine Riatin? That explained how she held herself. She wasn't imitating or mimicking an Aes Sedai; she had the self-assurance and schooling of a noblewoman. He didn't know if that should put him more at ease, or less at ease.

If his squint had given anything away, hers were a reflection. Even as she introduced herself with a beaming smile, that grin didn't quite touch her eyes. There was a sliver of despondency in those dark orbs. It could have been anything, her forgotten list of books perhaps. But it appeared just as she was introducing herself, and gone immediately thereafter. Is that homesickness for Cairhien? Is she remembering Galldrian's fate? Maybe she isn't measuring up to her own standards as a noblewoman? Rav felt that last himself. Well, not being a noblewoman, the Light preserve me!

He listened to her, enjoying the sound of her voice. It was melodic and full of energy. He sensed the tension wash away from his face the longer he spent in her company, and even his weary suspicion began to ebb away.

Suddenly, there was a barrage of questions being asked in that sing-song tone. "I see by your uniform that you're a Drin'far'ji. What's it like? Why the Seanchan in particular? What's it like to use a sword?” Her eyes seemed wide, eager to take in everything he said. He cleared his throat quietly - he was in a library - before speaking.

"I imagine being a Drin' is much akin to being a Novice, aside from the uniform and the weapons. I spend a great deal of time in classes. I spend more out running errands or sweeping yards or polishing weaponry." His voice sunk into a confidential tone. "I heard that if I'm lucky, I'll be able to clear fallen leaves from the gardens." He grinned awkwardly at that. He was almost being honest; spending any additional time in the gardens, even on chores, would be a small blessing. "I guess the marked difference is all of the time spent in the yards. Sometimes I practice with another Drin' or a Ji', and find myself sporting a few bruises come Late. Other times I work on my own, mostly on keeping myself in rude health. That occasions less bruises." He chuckled at that.

"As for Seanchan, well," his voice slipped into that hushed tone again, "I found myself being tutored by a Seanchan Dedicated." He was still a little taken back by that encounter, mostly from the fact that there was a Seanchan in the Tower. "As I said, I'm curious about other cultures." He shrugged, hoping that would be sufficient explanation. He wasn't sure he had any more of a reason to give.

"As for swords, well, I'm not sure why you'd be interested." Rav ventured an expression that was deference mixed with quiet defiance. "Once you become an Aes Sedai, you'll be able to find yourself a Warder. They'll be doing all of the sword swinging or arrow shooting for you." The defiance grew a little in his voice. "I know nothing about the One Power, or how it is to channel it. Maybe some ignorance is good. You just have to rely on people instead." He extended a smile, hoping to dull any scorn that last may have caused.

It was now time for him to inquire about her. He still wasn't sure whether it was easier thinking of her as a Novice or as a noblewoman. "Three years sounds like a quite a trial under the auspices of the Tower's guidelines. Does it rankle you at all, or are you close to earning your own ring?" He punctuated that by tapping the golden ring on his shorn finger. "Another question, before you answer, if I may? I know each Aes Sedai needs to join an Ajah. I'm curious if you have any thoughts about that? In my own way, I will have to choose an Ajah based on who I bond with, and I would appreciate some insight on that front." He leaned a little forward, resting his elbows on the table, and placing his chin on the back of his hands. He wanted to be comfortable and at ease when he listened to her reply, and this kept his hands from doing anything foolish, like bowing or messing with his scalp.

OOC: I'm thoroughly enjoying this encounter, and I'm as jealous of your writing as Rav is in awe of Katrie.

[Jenn]

There was no other way around it. Katrie was delighted, no beyond delighted! Ravak was actually talking with her! He didn't bow or scrape, or stare back at her slack-jawed and dull-witted. He was actually speaking with her like a normal person. Light, she didn't think so simple a thing would matter so much, but it did. The Game she had been taught to play had its place and use, but she was slowly coming to see that it didn't exactly foster conversation... nor did it make others want to be around her. The Great Game, for all its lure of power and status, seemed a lonely path to walk.

She didn't want to think about that right now though. Her focus became Ravak as he cleared his throat. He didn't laugh at her, or dismiss her, and he didn't seem at all offended by her curiosity. He was actually taking her seriously. Katrie felt as if she would burst with excitement, and a million other vague, formless beginnings of questions immediately burst into her mind.

The pretty Cairhienin barely stopped herself from bouncing along in time to the cadence of his voice as she devoured his answers. What made this even better was the fact that there were no disapproving Accepted or Aes Sedai – or Dedicated or Asha'man, she always forgot to include them as well – hovering around to dispense irritating, sanctimonious judgment. She caught sight of the ring on his finger... a finger that looked odd compared to the rest of his hand. Her eyes widened slightly as she realized that some of it was missing... Oh. She looked away, not wanting to make an issue of it, even though questions about how it had happened seared into her brain.

She bristled a little at his comment of not understanding why she would be interested in swords, intending to set him straight about that when she had the chance. All too soon, by her estimation, he had finished and in turn posed his own questions for her. Her mild annoyance dissipated replaced by something akin to open surprise. Her brows lifted, and she regarded him carefully. Nobody had ever asked her what she thought of the different Ajah's before... she was only a Novice. No one cared what a Novice thought.

Katrie gathered her thoughts slowly, her look meditative as she watched him watch her, turning over his words in her mind. “I only know of one Seanchan Dedicated... is it Daelar?” She couldn't remember the rest of the other boy's name, but it didn't matter. At Ravak's nod of surprised confirmation, she gave a sly little quirk of her lips. “We've met before... I think I was pulling up weeds from one of the garden paths.” Her nose wrinkled at that particular memory. Light, she despised weed pulling. “Clearing up fallen leaves sounds wonderful by comparison.” She winked playfully. “If you ever want to trade chores, provided we don't burn in some Aes Sedai's wrath, I'd be happy to entertain that option!”

Her expression sobered quickly and that mild annoyance from his earlier comment about not understanding her interest in swords, resurfaced. She frowned at him. “It's not that I'm unable to rely on someone else,” she began without preamble, not thinking that he might not understand what in the world she was referring to. “The One Power doesn't make you invincible. Especially if you're a weak channeler like me.” Katrie's face was serious as she gave him a level stare. “I'm not whining about it, or trying to get you to feel sorry for me. It is what it is. Having said that, however, I just think it makes sense that I know more about swords than 'stick them with the pointy end'. I should at least know how to protect myself. What if I don't end up bonding anyone? What if my bondmate is hurt? What if I have to defend my Warder?” She arched a brow at him. “What am I going to do? Ask the nice Trolloc to kindly wait while I go find an angreal so I can channel more than a puddle of water?” Katrie ended that with a tiny snort of amusement. “I just want to know if someone like me stands a chance of learning the basics without slicing off my own foot,” she explained finally, earnestly. She let that hang in the air between them before perking up again.

“Now, I can answer your questions!” The smile was back and she shifted a little so that she was seated more comfortably.

“Three years really isn't all that long as a Novice, sadly. I've heard of some that took over twenty years combined to get from Novice to Accepted to Aes Sedai.” She made a face at that. “I'd like to think that I'm close to earning my ring, but who knows how the Aes Sedai judge these matters? Or Asha'man, for that matter.

“I...” and here was where she trailed off uncertainly. “I'm not sure how much insight I can give you on the different Ajahs. I'm only a Novice, but if you're still interested, I can try.” Ravak's nod was emphatic, sending a smattering of white flecks floating down from his hair. Katrie filed that away for later consideration – maybe there was some kind of salve of tonic the Yellows had that would help soothe that condition away. The dry skin on his forehead looked uncomfortable. Abruptly, the mischievous sparkle returned to dark, luminous eyes and she simply could not stop herself. “I have to say though, I hope you're not suggesting that we bond. We've only just met.”

His response was absolutely perfect, a combination of flustered stammering and beet red mortification. Katrie's giggling fit was too loud for the Library, but it was not unkind. The grin she gave him in response when she was finally able to stop split her face in half. “I'm sorry...” she stopped and gave him a wide-eyed look. “That's a lie. I'm not sorry. I couldn't help myself. You just looked so serious. I'll try not to tease you again.

“Anyway, about the Ajahs. Here at the Grey Tower, there are the Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Indigo, Red, White, and Yellow. This is how I understand them. Blues tend to take on personal causes, mostly seeking justice in the world. Browns enjoy learning for the sake of learning, chasing after all sorts of knowledge. Greens pride themselves in being the Battle Ajah and hold themselves ready for the Last Battle. They're also the only Ajah that allows their members to bond multiple Warders. Greys are mediators and negotiators. Indigos study the Power, I think, weaves and ter'angreal and the like. Reds are...” she paused, tapping a finger against her lips as she tried to remember what she had heard. “I think they're about balance? I'm not quite sure as they're not the same as the White Tower version. Whites devote themselves to logic and reason, philosophy. And Yellows are dedicated to healing, mostly with the Power, but sometimes by normal means too.”

Katrie looked away briefly, suddenly self-conscious. “Did that help any?” She glanced sidelong at Ravak. “And what happened to your finger, the one with the ring?” she asked softly.

----------

((OOC: Thank you so much! <--- me. I'm having fun with this too! If Rav wouldn't have reacted in that way to Katrie's teasing, let me know and I will change it.))

[Craig]

Ravak Darrow Katrie continued to astound the red-haired Shienaran. She knew the Seanchan, at least in passing, but I didn't seem to phase her in the slightest. Maybe he was the one who out of place, thinking there should be something noteworthy about a Seanchan in the Tower. Next there'll be Aiel playing at hoops, and Tinkers sparring in the yards. That would have earned a derisive snort, if he was just in his own company. And she jokes about running schemes underneath the oversight of Aes Sedai. Light, she may be able to wrangle out of trouble, daughter of a noble house. I'll end up with stripes up and down my back for the same. She saw the spirited look in her eyes, and prayed she only meant that for a joke.

The revelation about her being weak in the Power seemed at odds with everything he saw and felt from her. Yes, she was dressed in Novice white, but aside from that. She was tall and beautiful, a rare combination in his limited experience. The name Riatin would grant her opportunities he couldn't think of, he was sure. Some of those opportunities had already apportioned her with a regal bearing, no doubt an exquisite education, and a confidence that couldn't be bought. He had to admit to himself, stiff-necked Shienaran pride aside, that she had a winning smile. One day, you'll be an outstanding Aes Sedai, he thought to himself.

As Katrie continued speaking, Ravak slowly nodded in understanding. He didn't relish facing Shadowspawn unprepared any more than she did, and he too was using a sword to protect himself. He had seen Novices and Accepted in the yards, albeit that was a rare sight. He wanted to offer his personal services, to help her learn, but he was no more a teacher than he was a blacksmith. "You should come down to the Yards sometime," he proposed. "You wouldn't be the only Novice down there, and I'm sure you'll have no difficulty in finding someone to assist you."

She began to answer his questions. It seemed incredulous that an Novice could wait twenty years to achieve the shawl, but then he really knew little of the workings of the Tower. But keep this one close, and you soon enough will. Rav certainly wanted as much of an insight about the Aes Sedai as he could get.

"I'm not sure how much insight I can give you on the different Ajahs." Katrie's voice was a little hesitant, a little uncertain. "I'm only a Novice, but if you're still interested, I can try." He nodded empathically, wanting to know all he could. Who'd have believed that books weren't the best way to learn in a library? Motes of white drifted past his eyes, and he scratched at his head without thinking, making the situation worse. Focusing back on her, there was a twinkle in her eyes, and a grin began to spring before she had said the first word. "I have to say though," she intoned with mock seriousness, "I hope you're not suggesting that we bond. We've only just met."

"I- what? No I, I mean- Bonded? No I, I, I just meant." He was spouting babble. His mind spun. Light burn me, did I actually suggest that? Blood rushed to his cheeks, to his face. He felt hot under her stare, under that grin. What did I say? Did I say choosing an Aes Sedai? Oh, blood and bloody-

Katrie giggled - giggled - at Rav, his face flush in embarrassment, his voice still running off in incoherent blubbering. He didn't even notice how loud she was, how much attention she could be drawing, so lost in his own shame as he was. Eventually, the laughter stopped, and she faced him with a grin.

"I'm sorry." The exhalation of breath from the Drin' competed with the Novice's fading laughter. "That's a lie. I'm not sorry. I couldn't help myself." Rav's face sunk into his hands, the heat of his cheeks burning in his palms. He hid for a few moments, trying to compose himself. Why did I think I could have a conversation with a woman, and not end up flustered or turned around, or somehow promising to do something I hadn't meant to offer. He shook his head mirthlessly.

Once she started to speak about the Ajahs, he peeled his hands away, and forced his eyes to meet hers. It wasn't quite the sort of in-depth insight he had hoped for, but hearing that the Reds were different here was a welcoming discovery. "Did that help any?" she asked. He nodded, wary about opening his mouth too quickly and saying something else he would regret. "And what happened to your finger, the one with the ring?"

She had asked that delicately. He glanced down at his right hand, the fourth finger one third shorter than the rest. The cut, for that was it had been, was clean. He touched at the scar tissue with his other hand tentatively. A plain, golden ring encircled the finger, and he pulled it off as he considered. There was no smooth skin or red marks around where the ring had been; he hadn't been wearing it for more than a few weeks. He replaced the ring, and tapped the table as he came to a conclusion. He spoke slowly. "That will have to be a story for another time, Katrie." He gave her a friendly yet resigned look, and a quick smile. "Don't feel guilty for asking, but... Some other day." He retracted the damaged hand, and placed it on his lap. He left his left hand flat on the wooden desk.

He forced himself to move past both that question, and that embarrassment. The heat had all gone from his face now. He was unsure how to continue, and began to look around for inspiration. The only things Rav could really focus on was Katrie, the Essays of Willim of Maneches, and A History of the High King. He glared at the latter in deliberation.

I can't help but wonder, what did that poor book ever do to you? You were glaring at it like it had offended your lineage.

"Cairhein." He spoke the name under his breath, but he drew Katrie's eyes upon him. He repeated himself, loud enough for the Novice to hear. "You're from Cairhein. Riatin. I read something that there was a House in Cairhein called Riatin." The look he received was... different. He couldn't quite read her face, but he thought she smoothed her features a fraction. She became more reserved. He had just made a misstep, he thought. "Apologies, I don't mean to pry. I'll say no more." He leaned back in his chair, contritely.

OOC: No, the reactions were fine. I've expanded on it above, as you've probably read. Also, it's coming up to 3am, so I haven't proofread the above, so apologies if there are typos or random words in places. I have a habit of substituting unrelated words.

[Jenn]

Dark luminous eyes watched intently as Ravak touched the tip of his shorn finger. Those fascinating blue-grey eyes grew unfocused, the other man's motions seeming almost reverent as he took off the ring and simply looked at the plain band of gold. Katrie felt a a strange sense of kinship right then; she could relate somewhat... maybe. Her hand reached up and brushed at the hollow of her bare throat. Odd that she hadn't thought much of the missing weight of her mama's black stone necklace until now. There wasn't much to be done about it anyway – it was residing in the care of one particular Asha'man Jaryd. He'd promised... when was – no. No. Now was not the time.

Ravak put the ring back on his finger, tapping the table as his eyes unclouded. The rhythmic sound helped bring Katrie back to the present. She guessed his answer before he spoke, the odd glowering stare that he did, absent. "That will have to be a story for another time, Katrie." The smile he gave her was genuine, if small and brief, probably meant to soften whatever sting he thought his friendly refusal might cause. "Don't feel guilty for asking, but... Some other day." It didn't escape her notice that he removed the hand in question – his right – from her line of sight.

She wasn't sure what to say to that, barely stopping herself from giving in to the urge to bite down on her bottom lip. If she knew Ravak better, she would know how to tease him back into a better humour, but given how he had reacted previously, the pretty Cairhienin decided against that. She studied his face, trying to find better clues to help her understand. It was the way he looked at her that was perplexing. He had been quick to lessen the sting of his refusal, showing that he took her feelings into account, yet there were times when his blue-grey eyes slid off her as she spoke to stare at something more interesting past her shoulder. If he wasn't glaring at her. But then he also stopped glowering at her sometimes, and would smile.

For all her experience with men, it galled her to admit, even within the confines of her own skull, that she wasn't quite sure what to make of Ravak Darrow at all. He baffled her, and Katrie decided that she didn't like that one bit.

The silence grew awkward between them as they eyed one another. Say something. But what? Was he upset? Katrie didn't want him to be upset at her, glancing away at the disconcerting thought. She was a fraction of a second from blurting out something inane to fill the silence when his lips moved. It was spoken under his breath as if he hadn't intended for her to hear, but in the echoing silence of the Library, Ravak may as well have toppled a table over. Her eyes went back to him of their own volition.

"You're from Cairhein." He stated that with the certainty of knowledge born of fact. "Riatin. I read something that there was a House in Cairhein called Riatin."

Ah. So he had made the connection after all.

Katrie stilled beneath Ravak's blue-grey eyes and couldn't help but fall back onto a lifetime of ingrained behaviour. Her expression chilled, her face becoming neutral and emotionless, and she watched him for signs of... what? Scrutiny? Judgment? That made her angry – but that anger was directed inward. An unfamiliar sensation filled her chest, hot, but decidedly unpleasant. For a frightening moment, she felt as if her heart was gripped in a giant fist. She couldn't breathe.

"Apologies, I don't mean to pry. I'll say no more." Ravak... apologized? He pulled away, leaning heavily back into his chair.

And suddenly, she wasn't suffocating anymore. Katrie pulled in a long steadying breath, shaking her head a little. At him, or at herself? She wasn't sure. She didn't like the fact that she wasn't sure. These... emotions that she did not know, she didn't want to deal with them and slender shoulders rose and fell sharply as she shrugged herself free of them.

“You're not prying,” she said quietly. “I suppose I should get used to it – every Novice and Soldier will end up studying Cairhien at some point or another. I am of House Riatin, but only half.” The corners of her mouth lifted but there was nothing happy or friendly about the way her lips curled. “I'm only half Riatin, from my papa. My mama is Domani. The rest of the House... they don't like the association because I'm too tall... not small and petite like a proper highborn lady. Also, they're scandalized because... well, Domani.” Katrie made a dismissive gesture, the somber light in her eyes lifting. “When I finally do become Aes Sedai though, you can bet that my half-brothers and half-sisters will come calling then, eager for that connection. I don't know how they'll feel about it being through the Grey Tower though.”

She sighed a little at that, entertained with the notion that her haughty half-siblings would be required to petition and wait at her leisure, like the common 'peasants' they so looked down upon.

Her estimation of Ravak rose higher as she smiled at him, the expression sitting crookedly on her face. “I wasn't sure you would make the connection, but I'm glad you did. Fal Dara is... from what I understand, not really all that concerned with Cairhien or Daes Dae'mar.” Katrie's eyes softened. “You're Shienaran... I'd originally guessed you were Andoran.” She touched the top of her head, grinning as she did so. “The reddish hair and light eyes, I suppose. The topknot would have been a dead giveaway, but I do think it'd have made things too easy. Speaking of the topknot, I've never seen one in person, but I've read about it and have seen pictures. I've always wondered... don't their ears get cold?”

A sound came from Ravak then, the poor man looking for all the world like he wanted to laugh but was struggling hard not to. Katrie's smile was coy and pleased. She waited until he had himself more or less under control before speaking again.

“I... Ravak, I apologize for teasing you earlier.” If that sentiment came as a surprise to him, it was an outright shock to her. She meant it though, and so continued on. “If it upset you, it's not what I wanted or intended. When I learn more about the different Ajahs, I'll do my best to share that information with you. They don't really teach Novices all that much about them yet as we're supposed to be focusing on learning how to use the Power without getting ourselves or someone else” killed “hurt.” Or Stilled. Or burned out. Sometimes, there really were things worse than death.

“As for visiting the Training Yards... I might.” Katrie wrinkled her nose again. “If I do, you'll be there, right? And you promise you won't laugh at me when I trip over my own two feet?”

[Craig]

Ravak Darrow Ravak felt a pang of regret at having asked about Katrie's House, even if she had said that he wasn't intruding. It was an intrusion, likely a question as personal as the one about his finger. An entire House dismissing you on the grounds of your looks. Despite similarities with his own homeland and unconventional appearance, he had never encountered any hostility from it. He couldn't picture the damage that would cause. He was grateful that her expression got more lighthearted and merry the longer she spoke, ending in a gorgeous smile. How could anyone be affronted by such looks? He thought he could bask in her mere presence alone, and be more content and glad than at a celebration for his own nameday.

"I wasn't sure you would make the connection, but I'm glad you did." Ravak had little idea why that was so. She shared something with me that I would have tried to hide, and she's glad that I put her in that position? Light, women really do jump one way when you expect them to leap the other. That was one of his father's insights. His father was the cause of his red hair and pale eyes, and she correctly assumed the Andoran connection.

She spoke about topknots, finishing with "Don't their ears get cold?" A laugh rose from his belly, and he did his best to stifle it. He clamped his right hand over his mouth and convulsed hard as more laughter tried to force its way out. He waved his left hand resting on the table, in a vain plea of surrender. If the Novice said something else along those lines, the Shienaran would be banned from the Library, and that would just be his first punishment.

As he regained controls over his senses, Katrie spoke with sincerity in her voice. "Ravak, I apologise for teasing you earlier." His eyebrows rose slightly. She had only just admittedly doing it intentionally, and now she was all apologies." I wish I understood more how women thought. Life would be so much simpler if that were the case. But she carried on, then effectively apologised again for not knowing more about the Ajahs because of his interest in them. If this is somehow linked to Daes Dae'mar, then she's right. I do not play the Game of Houses at all. He wanted to take her honesty at face value, and so did so.

Beautiful, friendly, warm-hearted, playful. He couldn't believe his luck that he'd meet anyone like that, and also be able to hold a conversation with them. He moved forward in his chair, his left hand sliding marginally forward on the tabletop towards her. I'll wager there will be gleeman's stories about Katrie Sedai in the years to come. A fond smile warmed his face.

Whilst they had been speaking, Rav had been moving his right hand underneath the table. Finally, he pulled something free from his pocket, and tapped it against his thigh in consideration. Can someone become a trusted friend after only one conversation? If anyone could, it would be someone like the Lady Katrie Riatin who could accomplish it.

"As for visiting the Training Yards, I might." She wrinkled her nose, and he thought that was from recalling prior trips she had had to the yards. There were always Novices and Accepted watching the Drin' and Ji' at work, no doubt daydreaming about wearing the shawl and having adventures with one of those Warders-to-be. He was certain that was the reason for her expression, until...

"If I do, you'll be there, right?" That had neither been the words nor the tone he expected. There was mirth in that, but it was laced with seriousness. She wanted him to be there. Whether for company or for reassurance or what else, he didn't know. But she wants me there. "And you promise you won't laugh at me when I trip over my own two feet?"

A wide grin tried to split his face like an Ogier's smile. "I promise," he said in solemn tones, "that I will only laugh with you, and not at you. But only for as long as we're in the yards," he concluded with an impish look. "I have some training planned with a Ji over the next few days. I may even be able to impart some useful advice when you come visit." He liked the thought of that. Visiting meant an ongoing friendship. He didn't want this encounter in the library to be one of those bizarre and thought-provoking conversations one had between strangers, never to see each other again.

That settled it. He lifted his right hand onto the table between them, then cupped his two hands together, keeping the object beneath hidden. Both hands almost lay flat, but the brief sound of wood against metal made it plain that there was something concealed. "I can't help but feel that we're going to have some... interesting times together." He held her gaze with some seriousness, wanting to ensure that she didn't think this was the beginning of some quip. "I'm sure that someone as charming as yourself has a large group of friends at the Tower already," Rav spoke quickly, trying to keep any heat from his cheeks, "and I'm not one for making friends easy, but..." He smiled, for his own self-conscious more than anything else. He parted his hands, and led a plain metal key upright between thumb and forefinger. "I was told to give this to someone I could trust. A friend or confidante." That was how the Mistress of Training had phrased it. "I would like to entrust you with this." He extended his hand a little further across the table in presentation.

"I know there's rules, about being in the living quarters of the opposite gender, but, but well..." He stammered. "And I'm definitely not suggesting anything untoward, no suggestions of bonds," he emphasised, "but you- I... I can look to you as a friend, I hope."

Rav held his breath, and his gaze, as cogwheels whirled behind Katrie's dark eyes. Light, say that I haven't misinterpreted her. Light send I'm not the first fool to be so forward and brash, and come out unscathed. Light send I am the first fool to offer his trust out in this way. He could picture a large loop of keys in her room, the keys of previous men who had acted rashly, caught up in her presence.

[Jenn]

"I promise that I will only laugh with you, and not at you. But only for as long as we're in the yards." Her relief was palpable as Ravak continued, Katrie relaxing beneath the wide smile that made him look so much more friendly than when they'd first met. Then his full meaning struck her and she countered his good-natured gibe by making another face at him. He then went to... invite her to visit the Yards... for advice. Just advice? she couldn't help but think, and for once, she was at a loss with how to proceed. If this was Cairhien, it would be easy... the only way to proceed was forward, but somehow, the dark-eyed Novice didn't think that pushing on through was the best way to continue. The Grey Tower was not Cairhien, and she was merely another white-clad initiate. Who was also dealing with another initiate.

Her mind spinning with strange new thoughts, Katrie took the brief lull in the conversation to study Ravak from beneath lowered lashes. True, he wasn't the most handsome man she had ever encountered, but his appearance did not displease her. She liked the way the paleness of his skin brought out the vivid colour of his eyes. The dry patches of skin on his forehead made her want to rub at her own out of sympathy, but she let it be for now. That can always be remedied, she thought confidently. Ravak had qualities and quirks that she was fascinated by, Katrie finding his peculiar way of glaring at her oddly charming rather than frightening. His sullenness stemmed from something... and she wanted to find out what. He was engaging, obviously intelligent, and had shown that he accepted her curiosity and questions with genuine sincerity.

No one had ever simply talked with her before. Yes, she decided then, she would visit the Yards and watch... whatever it was that the Drin and Ji did.

Ravak brought his hands together, the motion pulling her focus outward. Something scraped against the wooden table and dark eyes lit up at the mystery. Quickly, Katrie snapped her attention up to his face, eager to know what it was that he hid in his hands, and found that blue-grey eyes were already intent on her own. "I can't help but feel that we're going to have some... interesting times together."

She couldn't have agreed more but he didn't leave her a chance to chime in with her own thoughts on that particular topic.

He was leaning forward towards her. "I'm sure that someone as charming as yourself has a large group of friends at the Tower already and I'm not one for making friends easy, but..." He seemed to remember to breathe then, his words coming out rushed. He smiled at her before parting his hands, revealing... a key? Katrie's unspoken question was answered before she could voice it. "I was told to give this to someone I could trust. A friend or confidante."

Wait... what? He's not talking about me is – oh.... Her mind stuttered to a halt as Ravak pushed the key towards her. Katrie stared at it, wide-eyed and completely at a loss for words. "I would like to entrust you with this. I know there's rules, about being in the living quarters of the opposite gender, but, but well... And I'm definitely not suggesting anything untoward, no suggestions of bonds but you- I... I can look to you as a friend, I hope."

Katrie felt her face shift in surprise, her brows nearly lifting off her head. Everything that she had been taught to do to school her face into showing nothing failed her, and naked emotion rampaged across her pretty features. Heat that she couldn't control rose up her neck, red staining across the curve of cheek and jawline beneath coppery skin. Wild joy warred with utter panic as she stared at Ravak for what seemed like an eternity. A friend! Me! some part of her that was not her brain crowed in absolute delight. He wants me to be his friend! Another part of her recoiled at her woeful inexperience in the subject matter. Because she didn't know how to be a friend... She was of House Riatin, and she didn't have any friends. The Great Game didn't permit friends... but... but. She remembered the keen desire to have them, buried as it was. Someone she could talk to... someone she could laugh with... someone who wouldn't stab her in the back for profit and gain as soon as the opportunity presented itself... Her hands were shaking, she realized. It didn't matter what she wanted, did it? It all circled back to the same thing: She had no idea how to be a friend.

“No... yes... but... you see... I don't... wanted to! How... I just never had... know... I don't...!” It made perfect sense in her mind as she tried to verbalize an explanation, but she couldn't comprehend why Ravak's face fell the way it did, or why he reached over stiffly to pick the key back up, heavy and despondent.

“I – ” that was as far as he got.

“What are you doing?!” Katrie jumped to her feet, her chair thrust back violently from the table with her burst of motion. She loomed over the table and by extension, him.

Blue-grey eyes were round and he was looking at her as if she'd suddenly sprouted another head. “You didn't...”

“Give that back!” It came out as a command as she pointed at what was in his hand. “The key. Now.” The speed with which he hastened to comply was impressive. Katrie snatched the key up in her hand as soon as it was in in reach, holding the pain metal symbol as close to her body as she could. She glowered at him, seething as she settled back into her chair. “I said I didn't know how, not that I wouldn't!” She fairly radiated indignation, frowning at him darkly. “And you didn't even let me explain!”

He was eyeing her warily. Good! He should! Making assumptions like that! “I was trying to tell you that I don't have any friends here. Or anywhere. I've never had one. I don't know how to be one. And I was going to say if you still wanted to be mine, that you were going to have to be patient with me and help me learn how to, because I do want to be your friend.” Her chin lifted and she gave a regal toss of her head. “But now I don't want to talk about it anymore.”

The metal key warmed against her skin as she glared at Ravak.

“Also, I was going to ask you to clarify what you considered untoward... but I don't want to talk about that now either,” she huffed.

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((OOC: Are you sure Rav still wants to be her friend? There's still time to run! ))