A Mischievous Mind [open]

[Lynsey]

When Della was little, she very rarely heard of The Grey Tower. And although her mother bad let her come to the Grey Tower. Something in her eyes told Della that there was something that needed to find while she was here. It was a glimpse of hope, something Della rarely seen in her mother's eyes. Now she was here. Still confused, but at least discovering more about herself.

She don't know what led her to the library but she found herself looking at the books with a curious eye. She read each of the titles as her finger slid down the binding. She didn't know what she was looking for. But something told her, she would find the answer in the library.

She paused for a second at a book entitled; "Punishment of the Runaways". She stared at the book for a while. The possibility of running away from the Tower never crossed her mind. But she was still new, and didn't long for the city. Or did she? A conflicted feeling.

She gently tugged the book from its spot on the shelves. It was an old book from the looks of the leather. But as she opened it, she saw the pages had seen better days.

"What are you doing?" asked a voice. Della quickly snapped the book shut and looked up.

OOC: A mischievous mind needs company. Who wants to plot a scheme?

[Bridget]

Rhyka loved the library. It was quiet, peaceful, and filled with enough books that Rhyka couldn’t imagine ever being able to read them all. Most of all, it was a good place to think. She had gone to see Lydie Sedai earlier that day, and the Yellow sister had spent the entire time lecturing about laws and morality. It made her head spin; it had been Lydie Sedai who had suggested that Rhyka seek her own justice, and punish Derin for what he had done to Rhyka and her sister. Why would the Yellow want her to understand laws and morality?

She pushed the heavy tome, entitled The Laws and Customs of Andor away from herself with a sigh. It was not a light read, and everything she read made Rhyka angry. No matter what country she researched, the laws weren’t good enough. They didn’t protect people like her and her family; the laws seemed to exist only to protect the rich and powerful. It made her want to scream.

Frowning, Rhyka opened the book again and flipped through the pages. Perhaps that was why Lydie Sedai had suggested she research; the Yellow had to know what Rhyka would think of such ineffectual laws. It was yet another gentle push, to show Rhyka that she had to take matters into her own hands, to make any sort of difference. To have any sort of justice.

She stood up and heaved the book off the table. She walked through the shelves and shelves of books to put it away, mulling over the puzzle of what Lydie Sedai wanted her to discover as she did so. The books had just made her realize that she was not the only one cheated out of justice, and was certainly not the only girl who had been forced to do things she did not want to by a man. It made her angry, made her want to go out into the world and punish those men herself. Other girls, even women, did not have the resources and the power she would have once she was Aes Sedai. They wouldn’t be able to extract their own justice.

Rhyka smiled. That must have been what Lydie Sedai wanted her to realize; that she needed to think about others, not just herself.

She turned a corner, and almost bumped into another novice. The girl was looking at a book, titled The Punishment of Runaways. Was the novice thinking of running away from the Tower? Anger rose up quickly in Rhyka; how could someone who was lucky enough to be able to channel just throw that away? There were so many people who would never be able to have that sort of power and protection, and Rhyka couldn’t stomach the thought that someone with the ability to channel would simply run from it.

“What are you doing?” She asked, coldly.

[Lynsey]

Della was beside herself with nerves. She had not expected to see anyone in the Library. Nor did she think they would speak to her. She knew it looked bad, a Novice with a book about runaways. How was she going to explain this?

"I.... um... I um... I know how this may look...but... um but it's not what you think" Della said, stumbling over her words. The other Novice didn't seem to buy it. So Della just took a deep breath and thought it through quickly. "I'm thinking about not running away. I'm just curious about this book. It purposes a different take on the Grey Tower. As to why some people do leave behind valuable lessons and people"

Della wasn't sure if the other Novice would lighten up or report her to the Mistress of Novices. But either way, it wouldn't be with out a fight. On her end or hers. A part of her couldn't help but recall how her father wasn't in her life, it made her sad. But in these last few weeks, Saidar filled that void and brought her happiness.

Still unsure of the other Novice, Della took a risk that she may or may not regret. She extended her hand and simply said "I'm Della Toren"

OOC: Book is important in Della's characters development. So she may fight to keep it. But it also tells other stories of why some wold run away than face the punishment of their pranks.

[Bridget]

It was not what she thought? The rage in the pit of her stomach did not abate. “What is it about, then?” She snapped. If she had not been filled with fury, Rhyka would have blushed- did she think that she was already one of the Accepted? But she did not think on that long, for the other novice’s answer was hardly sufficient.

“I am Rhykana Meran.” Rhyka responded coolly, giving her name only because of the politeness that had been drummed into her since she was a girl. She did not tell Della her nickname; she could not stomach the girl calling her that. Rhyka regarded her for a moment, the red-hot fury that had originally filled her simmering. Why would a novice be curious about why some people left the Tower?

Rhyka understood why women left the Tower. If they were not put out because they were not strong enough in the One Power, it was because they did not have the strength of will, did not want it enough, or both. There was no other reason, and the people that stooped to that disgusted her.

But this girl… Rhyka forced herself to stay quiet for a moment, to think. She had never seen Della before; she had to be new to the Grey Tower. Perhaps she was feeling stifled, from all the curtseying, chores, and lessons. Rhyka felt a small smile forming on her face, unbidden. She had been feeling stifled as of late. Rhyka had begun her own studies at the Tower a little more than a year before, and to never step out of the Tower to see the city…

She had been born and raised by the streets of Caemlyn, and Rhyka sorely missed the freedom to wander. Perhaps this girl would be a companion in that, someone that could either help her see the city without the Mistress of Novices discovering. Or perhaps someone she could shift the blame to, if it came to that. Rhyka was no longer surprised that she could think such unsavory things. Before, when she had first met Suu, Rhyka thought that she could make friends. But after Suu’s death in the Arches, Rhyka finally understood that such things were not for her. It had taken a long time for her to realize that, that there would be no companionship for her, not if she wanted her revenge and her justice.

“Are you new to the Tower, Della?” Rhyka asked, far more kindly. She could not make her voice sweet for the life of her, but it would have to do. “Is there something that you miss and want to get back to?”

[Lynsey]

When the girl had introduced herself, Della wondered if there was something that the girl was not telling her. As her tone was quite cold and distance. Della was really going to have to prove herself to this one. Rhykana. What a beautiful name, Della couldn't help but wonder if that name would eventually match her character. She supposed that the terms in which they have meant weren't ideal. But still, everyone deserved a chance.

As Rhykana spoke, her tone changed slightly. This made Della even more suspicious of her. But it seemed that this would go a lot easier if the girls were to play nice. Only time would tell where these two would end up. Of course, it could either way.

“Relatively speaking, yes I am new to the Tower” she said simply. She thought of the second part of the question. Should she display outright honesty, or should she be honest to a point? She fought with herself about this. She just looked down at the book. She knew that she wanted to know. But at the same time, could she do it? Leave the Tower without forfeiting her novicehood? Come back without being punished for her curiosity?

“On my way into the Grey Tower, I saw a man that I thought looked familiar. I didn't speak to him. He was just another face in the crowd. I don't wish to runaway, but I would like to leave the Tower to see if I can still find him. He reminded me of my grandfather” she explained. She hoped that it may appeal to the compassionate side of the girl. But again she worried, did she say too much? Or perhaps she said too little.

OOC: I don't intend for Della to find the man she speaks of, only that she is curious about who he was.

[Bridget]

Rhyka’s feelings changed as Della spoke. She was realizing, slowly, that her desire to find justice for other women would not be restricted to hunting down robbers and rapists. This girl deserved her help, and Rhyka knew that she would do her best for the other novice. Although she knew that she could never be friends with her, not really, Rhyka would do her best. Her earlier anger melted away, but Rhyka could not muster any shame for how she had approached the other novice.

The smile on her face was genuine. “Please call me Rhyka, Della.” She told the other woman. It was difficult for her to sympathize with Della; Rhyka had always known her family. It had been her who had abandoned them, not the other way around. But it was a worthy cause, to be searching for one’s family. “Do you plan to search for him?” she asked, hoping that the answer would be yes.

Not that it would be easy to find him, or that it would be particularly likely that he was actually Della’s father. And there was the fact that there was no sampling ‘leaving’ the Tower; to do so was to run away in the eyes of all Aes Sedai. As soon as your name was entered in the novice book, there was no leaving the Tower until Aes Sedai allowed you to leave or you became Aes Sedai yourself. If Della didn’t know that already, she would realize soon,

“May I look at the book?” It irked her to make that a question and not a demand, but she wanted to help the other novice, not make enemies. Rhyka would never have imagined looking up the book herself, but now that it was there, she was perversely interested in how runaways were punished.

[Lynsey]

The change in the Novice was even more unsettling. She couldn't help but wondered what it was that the other Novice was thinking. The new name she had introduced herself as was a sign of trust. Della understood that much. This was the only reason Della brushed off the weary feeling and took her questions at face value. She just shrugged and replied, “I would like to search for him, but I understand that it may be hard for just myself to find him in such a large city.”

She hoped the Rhyka would pick up on the unspoken request for her help. She suspected that Rhyka would know her way around the city better than her. She knew that it would be a risk to leave the Tower. But it was one that she was willing to take. She never wanted to believe that her father was dead. A small shred of hope ruled her thoughts. She hesitated momentarily before she reluctantly held the book out to the Rhyka.

“I hadn't gotten to far into the book. I was just about to look at the list of.. I guess you would call it successful runaways.” explained Della. “If the list was too short, I would have called it a fools errand and not have bothered. Or if there had not been many within the last 30 years”

She knew she must be babbling, but she wanted Rhyka to understand that she was willing to leave, and to pay the price. After all, it was an all or nothing type of deal. A Novice does not simply leave the Tower.

[Bridget]

The look on Della’s face was enough to let Rhyka know that she had miscalculated. She had acted coldly toward the girl, and that would likely flavor the rest of their interactions. It made her want to swear. How could she have know that she would want to help the other novice? Was she to greet everyone she met with smiles, just in case she might want something from them later? It sounded exhausting.

Yes, it would be hard to find any single person in a large city. Especially for a young girl who did not have even his name, only a vague description. It was a fool’s errand, really. “What city?” Rhyka asked, anyways. “Hama Valon?” If it was not Hama Valon, there was no way Rhyka could help her, no matter how much she would like to. Della might be willing to run away from the Tower, but she most certainly was not. She would be Aes Sedai, and it would take a much sadder story than Della’s to tear her away from that.

She took the book from Della. It was heavy in her hands, and Rhyka was quick to open it. She angled it so that they both could read, and flipped through the pages, looking for a list of runaways. The book was filled with punishments, and Rhyka could not imagine being willing to risk them. She could hardly call them punishments; the book gave descriptions of years of labor and exceedingly high expectations that even a seasoned novice would balk at. Finally, she found the list of runaways.

OOC: I wasn’t sure what you want Della to find, so I’ll leave that up to you!

[Lynsey]

Della nodded, "Yes, Hama Valon"

As Rhyka flipped through the book, Della bit her lip. She hoped that Rhyka wouldn't change her mind about going to the city. If they were to go. It shouldn't be too hard to leave. She knew that she had more free time than most Novices. And it rarely seemed like many people noticed her. But than again, Rhyka may be very involved in the Tower for all Della knew. It was hard to say really. Della watched the expression on Rhykas face change as she looked at the book.

"Have you found the list? Does it seem plausible?" asked Della, fighting herself from leaning over to see what the list looked like. "When was the last time someone ran away? Does it say if they were ever found? What kind of punishment did they endure?"

Della took a breath, she felt herself becoming overwhelmed. She was not sure why she cared so much about finding this man. It wasn't like it was a life or death matter. But it just felt right to want to go, like a pull. She pulled her hair back and tied it up. A nervous habit.

OOC: Her fathers name is to be on the list, Adam Toren. He had ran away from the Grey Tower years before Della was born. I place Della's age around 17-18.

[Bridget]

Rhyka ignored Della’s barrage of questions as she scanned the list of runaways. “The list is fairly long, but it lists all the initiates that ran away since the beginning of the White Tower.” She said absently. “ As for the punishments, it is suffice to say that it might be better for you to wait until you are Aes Sedai before you search for your father.” Rhyka glanced up at Della, considering. She doubted the other novice would have that much patience; Della seemed ready to leave the Tower that very instant. But Rhyka could understand her impatience. She had seen her father in Hama Valon, but how long would he remain there? And if Della waited until she was Aes Sedai, she would certainly have more resources to find him- but would he even be alive after that many years?

Her eyes caught on one name; Adam Toren. She glanced up at Della, considering. “Did you say that your last name was Toren?” Rhyka asked, her finger hovering over Adam Toren’s name. “Is your father’s name Adam?” She flipped the book around to show Della. “If that is your father, he ran away from the Tower about twenty years ago.” She watched Della, her own expression neutral. She understood that Della wanted to find her father, but it seemed more and more that he might not be worth finding. If her father was Adam Toren, he had run away from the Grey Tower, and he had left Della. For all that Rhyka was sympathetic, she couldn’t understand why the other girl would be willing to risk her position at the Tower to find him.