Indigo Dreaming (open to passers by and attn: any Indigo)

[Bree]

Makenna, sipped her tea and tried to pretend to hide rolling her eyes at the question. "If I were sure, I would not have spent my entire morning waiting to see you to have it confirmed. Honestly, if you don't want your novices to start asking questions about their abilities, you should probably tell the Browns to stop being so helpful. Look, I have always just thought I was intuitive. Everyone can see something coming once in a while. But some of these Dreams," There was no longer a question about the way she said the word Dreams. Makenna was convinced and she was ready to be assisted in finding what she needed to move the Talent along. She was, if she were honest with herself, angry that it had taken her so many years to give it the proper amount of attention. "Well, take this one about that Ubriel Bryne person. Now how would I have any idea this was going to happen to her? I really don't know anything about her past she is a relatively okay teacher." Makenna flapped a paper in the air from her sheaf.

"I have been doing this my whole life and I simply never had the resources to diagnose it properly before. If my aged grand-dame had known what is in your library and been able to see what I was Dreaming, she would have told me what your Browns have led me to years ago. But I am only one person with only my own experience to draw on. If you in your wisdom have a better and more full explanation, well that is why I came to see you"

Makenna sipped at her tea with her gaze directed into her cup. She was on the verge of realizing that she was taking on the tone she had used with her son when he had become pompous with her as a very young man. She was on the verge of realizing that it was probably a very bad idea to speak that way to the Mistress of Novices. She was on the verge of ducking.

[Stasia]

Illyria Malkom The Mistress of Novice's smile froze upon her face - her gaze shifted from polite tolerance to frosty indifference as Makenna continued on her tirade. She was content to let the child dig her grave as deep and wide as she pleased; though it only took six feet to properly tend to a body, the novice was more than welcome to dig until she reached Seanchan.

"I have been doing this my whole life and I simply never had the resources to diagnose it properly before. If my aged grand-dame had known what is in your library, and had been able to see what I was Dreaming, she would have told me what your Browns have lead me to years ago. But I am only one person with my own experience to draw on. If you, in your wisdom have a better and more full explanation, well that is why I came to see you."

Illyria Malkom Sedai saw her patience as one of her virtues, but in this particular instance, it was all too easy to lose it.

Her tea had been sitting long enough so that it would not scald the novice, but it was hot enough to sting her tongue - it would surely sting Makenna. Without pomp or ceremony, she stood, then dumped it over the child's head. Golden stains were splattered on the shoulders of her novice whites before she could so much as wince. To drive her point home, Illyria released the teacup from its vantage point, and let it bounce painfully off of her skull. There was a heavy pause as her rage simmered beneath bubbling point, but as soon as her tongue found its way, words poured from her mouth.

"You told me upon your arrival that you would not mind being treated as a child - though I think that you have forgotten that you are a child. Your age and experience have nothing to do with your skill nor your knowlege of the One Power. Aes Sedai train for decades. The fact that you have read a book and diagnosed yourself with a skill is nearly laughable - do you know how many girls I see, every week, attempting to convince me that they have some long-lost and legendary skill? You are one of many. And you think your grand-mere, with no inkling of what saidar is, aside from the horror stories told around Tavern fireplaces, could be any sort of authority on the One Power?"

"I see every girl that requests an appointment out of necessity. Should one rare case slip through the cracks, the results can be disasterous - but I will have you know that this Tower has not seen a Dreamer since Amora en'Damier, and that she is the only one on record. And the number of children that stream through these doors, all thinking that they can Fortell, or Dream, or have rediscovered flight of all things - all of them, wrong. The Browns encourage study because they must. A Talent left untrained can be more dangerous than a wilder without guidance, and it cannot be risked - but placebos are constant. The unfortunate truth of channeling the One Power is that despite the stories, most are remarkably average. Unless, of course, you are somehow different? And you expect me to take your limited explaination, with your limited scope of expertise - all at face value! - and believe you without any investigation?"

"Four months of penance, for insolence and ignorance, to be decided once I am less likely to strike you, child. As far as your claim to Dreaming goes - I don't care if you are the most powerful Dreamer seen since the Age of Legends, you will never be taken seriously unless you learn to control your tongue and realize that you do not know everything - you have left the world where you are an expert far, far behind. You have barely been training long enough to visually differentiate the Five Powers - you're doing little more than stumbling in the dark."

"Now. I will ask you again: what makes you think that these are more than ordinary dreams? Have any of your dreams unfolded into reality? Your mind will weave whatever it pleases about Mistress Bryne, but it proves nothing."

[Bree]

Makenna closed her eyes and let the tea seep through her hair. The bounce of the cup from the crown of her skull caused the click of her jaw shutting to be more audible and vehement than she had anticipated. Even had I ducked that would have hurt. As the cup bounced off of the top of her head and off of her shoulder and into her lap, she listened to the unseemly and long winded and poorly considered tirade from the Mistress of Novices. Although Illyria Sedai was correct and all of the rudeness in Makenna's voice should have been tempered by more wisdom than was showing, Makenna was not pleased by what she heard. A four month penance for the truest of statements to a woman who should have known better? Well, she might as well make it six months and do it right.

"First, yes, even a person with no experience with the One Power and access to the wealth of knowledge in your library would be able to find the same conclusion that I have. Dreaming has not one whit to do with the One Power as you well know. It is simply a Talent that some people have and others do not. That is in fact almost the only thing it shares in common with Channeling." Makenna ran her fingers through her hair to remove the damp strands from her field of vision. Picking up the cup from her lap, she replaced it on the table and poured another cup for Illyria Sedai and, setting her own cup down, stood holding the steamy cup for her teacher.

"Second, yes, I have several Dreams documented that have all come to pass. If you will take a moment to do me and this Tower the courtesy of briefly skimming the journal I have brought to you, you will find them marked as confirmed as opposed to only Dreamt. For instance," Makenna began to recite from memory a few examples. "I Dreamt of Rolph's proposal in detail, my children before I was ever pregnant the first time with details about them down to my son's scar on his ear from a run-in with a table edge to my daughter's crystalline giggle. I Dreamt of Rolph's death and I promise you, you do not want to believe you can see such a thing coming and know without doubt that you are powerless to stop it." Makenna took a shaky breath and continued, "Since coming to the Tower I have Dreamt of many things but one easy to confirm is the Drin that came back from training with an arm broken by a large rock landing upon it and it being stuck that way for two days before they were able to free him. It had so much infection that the Yellow's were not even sure they would be able to Heal it. That one is the one that brought me to see you."

Offerring the cup to Illyria and simply holding it there until the woman deigned to take it from her, Makenna continued, "Three, yes, I am special and different. I do not care at all about being a legendary Aes Sedai. I don't care if I am well known nor if I am any good at using the One Power to accomplish anything whatsoever past using it as a tool to help me rescue my daughter. I can and may well die in that attempt and so it does me no good to be of note as a Dreamer. I may be jumping into a final Dream when it comes time to mount that rescue. Finally, four. Precisely because you will take an interview with each and every idiot child who comes to you hoping to be that remarkable exception, you will wait till our interview is concluded to sentence me to my penance. You will look over all that I have brought and confirm as a matter of formality more than necessity that I am indeed a Dreamer and then you will help me find the best way to train that Talent and plumb its depths for anything remotely useful about it. And then, when you have taken me seriously and done your duty and I have been thoroughly chastened and called to heel for my lack of respect for someone who is taking their position so seriously, you will send me off to do penance. And I will do it happily."

Makenna could not be anything other than what she was. A woman who had raised children and was about to be a grandmother and was more than aware of what she did not know. If that meant that a few feathers got ruffled, well and good. "I do have experience in this world and I use it to help me recognize truth and discard fancy. This," she pointed at the journal, "is not fancy. You Aes Sedai spend many years learning to be what you are. You train and you strive and that is commendable and respectable and honorable. But being born with a Talent is not like being born to breath, I need to study and strive to be a Dreamer the same as being Aes Sedai. I came to you not so much to tell me what I already know but to ask you to help me discover what I do not."

With a small nod of her head, Makenna, having finally handed off the cup of tea, turned and took the long stride back to the tea pot and poured herself another as well. Taking her seat, she prepared to wear another cup of tea as she sipped her own. Eventually they would get to the heart of the matter.

[Stasia]

Illyria Malkom Illyria had tried to be tolerant. A face full of hot tea and four months penance would be enough to deter most novices, but Makenna continued to grate against her, like a scrap sandpaper that thought it could wear away at a mountain. The Mistress of Novices stared flatly at the child who was still suffering the misconception that she was a grown woman, and tapped her fingers silently against the tabletop. She nearly regretted admitting the girl to the Tower. She would have been much better off retaining her adulthood, and she would have still had access to anything that could be passed along about her daughter's location or condition. If Illyria had been even the slightest less invested in that journal, she would have tossed it to the fireplace and let flames enjoy the ink for lunch.

You're very fortunate that you're so interesting.

"First, yes, even a person with no experience with the One Power and access to the wealth of knowledge in your library would be able to find the same conclusion that I have. Dreaming has not one whit to do with the One Power as you well know. It is simply a Talent that some people have and others do not. That is in fact almost the only thing it shares in common with Channeling." Strike one: pressing a topic after I have explained to you why you're incorrect. Strike two: thinking that I require education on the difference between an ability and a Talent. The girl held out a fresh cup of steaming tea to her, and despite her determination to continue down a very stupid road, Illyria noted that she had paid attention; it had been fixed to the same opaque, coppery color that the first cup had been. She would be willing to bet that it was the same amount of sugar, too.

Remind me never to cross you, should you everbecome Aes Sedai, Makenna Grendali. She was tenacious. Most girls would have asked to be excused in tears if they were doused in tea; Makenna was happy to stay and pour her another cup!

"Second, yes, I have several Dreams documented that have all come to pass. If you will take a moment to do me and this Tower the courtesy of briefly skimming the journal I have brought to you, you will find them marked as confirmed as opposed to only Dreamt. For instance -" Illyria stopped tracking Makenna's train of thought here, and instead took the time to make another mark against her. Strike three: assuming that I have had the time to read your diary, or that I am here to do you courtesies and make your life easier.

"Three, yes, I am special and different. I do not care at all about being a legendary Aes Sedai. I don't care if I am well known nor if I am any good at using the One Power to accomplish anything whatsoever past using it as a tool to help me rescue my daughter. I can and may well die in that attempt and so it does me no good to be of note as a Dreamer. I may be jumping into a final Dream when it comes time to mount that rescue." Illyria merely kept staring; her tongue felt leaden with indignant frustration.

"Finally, four. Precisely because you will take an interview with each and every idiot child who comes to you hoping to be that remarkable exception, you will wait till our interview is concluded to sentence me to my penance. You will look over all that I have brought and confirm as a matter of formality more than necessity that I am indeed a Dreamer and then you will help me find the best way to train that Talent and plumb its depths for anything remotely useful about it. And then, when you have taken me seriously and done your duty and I have been thoroughly chastened and called to heel for my lack of respect for someone who is taking their position so seriously, you will send me off to do penance. And I will do it happily." A thought finally formed: Strike four: telling an Aes Sedai her business. Her hand twitched, as though she might douse Makenna in this cup of tea as well. You're very ungrateful for a woman, a few months ago, knew nothing of anything that wasn't about fabric.

"I do have experience in this world and I use it to help me recognize truth and discard fancy. This," she pointed at the journal, "is not fancy. You Aes Sedai spend many years learning to be what you are. You train and you strive and that is commendable and respectable and honorable. But being born with a Talent is not like being born to breath, I need to study and strive to be a Dreamer the same as being Aes Sedai. I came to you not so much to tell me what I already know but to ask you to help me discover what I do not."

The Mistress of Novices sipped her tea in silence for a short moment while she gathered herself. She obviously would not learn her lesson through discipline alone; it would be best to inform her of what she had ruined for herself.

"Makenna, you could have left my office this afternoon recorded as a Dreamer," she said finally, "But unfortunately, we do not award candy to children who know no restraint, and would only rot their teeth." She smiled thinly. "Instead, your journal will be looked at when I have the time - and do not bother asking anyone else. Anyone else who has the authority to record abilities will have instructions to not listen to a word that you say until you've grown up a bit. I told you when you first came here that you would be nothing more than a child - and the first lesson a child learns is respect for her elders and her institution. I gave you a warning and you ignored it."

"You've been progressing well in your lessons, correct? It's a shame that it's a privilege to study at the Grey Tower - because you've just unburdened yourself of your entire course-load. Six months. Don't fret; all of these classes run on rotation, and you're welcome to take them again once the time comes. This includes your lessons with the One Power," she said lightly, and was suddenly beyond grateful that she was near the end of her pregnancy. Saidar behaved, occasionally. It took only a fraction of a second to embrace and weave fine Spirit lattice; before Makenna could blink, she was shielded. "You're completely shielded from the One Power, but you're more than welcome to exhaust yourself trying to access it. Six months," she repeated, keeping her tone light. "Instead of your classes, you will work. You will either earn the right to continue your studies or you will be put out of the Tower. It is your choice. Either way, I will continue to assist you in your search for your daughter."

"Do we have an understanding, Novice Makenna?"

Illyria's grip on her teacup tightened. If the girl didn't know better than to take a penance with a quiet tongue, she'd find herself doubly in need of a hot bath.

[Bree]

Makenna had been prepared for a great deal. But not this. Her spine went leaden as the cold chill ran through her blood following the highway of her veins to reach every corner of the kingdom of her body. She could not reach the Source. The SOURCE, it was an apt word for something that she had come to take for granted as the reason for the sweetness of breath. Her reason for breathing was her child in need of her, but Saidar gave it sweetness. She could not, in that moment or ever again, choose any course save that which would bring her into fuller contact with the One Power.

Grateful that she had already been sitting, Makenna moved to the edge of her seat. Opening her mouth to speak, she discovered that her throat had gone quite dry. Beginning to move her hands to touch her throat, she remembered there was a cup of tea there and took a tremulous sip. "Illyria Sedai," she began and hesitated. She sipped the tea once more and then placed it on the serving tray. Several things went through her head as she stood.

It is penance. It has an end. I will be allowed to touch the Source once again. I must only endure!

I will still receive her help and news of my daughter. Meleia is not lost.

Work. I can work. I have done it my whole life. I can do it again. I can and will do anything she asks as long as she gives back the Source. Light! I need it back!

Making a deep curtsy, Makenna said simply and plainly with barely any power in her voice, "Yes, Aes Sedai."

The Mistress of Novices did not look at her as she told her to gather her things and report to the Head Cook before the hour was out. Makenna bobbed another curtsy and, not having a single doubt that Illyria Sedai meant precisely what she said, Makenna all but ran to gather her things.

I will rescue my daughter. Makenna tried to tell herself that was still her only motivation. But somewhere a quiet voice whispered to her, Without the One Power flowing through you, you barely even want to breath. You will do this to rescue Meleia, but more, so that you can touch that sweet Power again.