Bed for Sale* (Open to All tower residents)

[Locke]

Terric

She looked up at him, "If you want some of this go ahead; I certainly won't eat it all.” Apparently, she thought he wanted her food. He reached over and snagged her sweet bun. He wouldn’t let that go to waste at least. He had eaten everything on his tray but his own sweet bun which sat next to some forlorn looking bones.

“Aethan Dor means Red Shield in the Old Tongue. But that’s not what you meant is it?” He took a small bite of one of the sweet buns, intending to savor the one bright spot of an otherwise bland meal. “The Red Shields are my Warrior Society. They are my brothers.” He continued realizing she might need more information. “Aiel who decide to become full time warriors join Warrior Societies. Think of them like your Ajahs. Each Society has it’s on purpose and its own culture. Red Shields are similar to your Wetland thieftakers, but more than that.”

He took another bite and washed it down with tea. These sweet buns were rather good. With a sugary glaze on top and dried fruits inside he loved them even if they were cold. He couldn’t help himself, he popped the rest of the bun into his mouth. His eyes darted around guiltily as he chewed, cheeks bulging. He caught the little Chairienin starring at him. He made himself hold her gaze as he chewed. He wouldn’t let himself feel guilty for enjoying sweet buns.

[Avyra]

He seemed to have understood her message, and he decided to take her sweet bun. That was fine with Avyra, and she continued to eat like a little bird, barely taking what could be a quarter of a mouthful by what she knew were his standards. He chewed on his sweet bun as he considered her question. “Aethan Dor means Red Shield in the Old Tongue. But that’s not what you meant is it?” He paused to take another bite, still big for her but tiny compared to the ones he had just taken. “The Red Shields are my Warrior Society. They are my brothers.” He continued realizing she might need more information. “Aiel who decide to become full time warriors join Warrior Societies. Think of them like your Ajahs. Each Society has it’s on purpose and its own culture. Red Shields are similar to your Wetland thieftakers, but more than that.” "Ah." Avyra returned to her plate, taking a few more bites. "That makes sense. I guess that-" She looked back up at him, then almost lost her composure at his face. His cheeks were bulging with sweet bun. She elbowed him gently, doubling over laughing. "You look like a squirrel!" She couldn't help but be amused by the way he looked, and acted. "I'm not even sure if I would be scared of you anymore, spear or not, after seeing this!"

[Locke]

Terric

"That makes sense. I guess that-" she trailed off. She elbowed him, not realizing she hit one of his bruises. "You look like a squirrel!" Her composure crumbled and she doubled over laughing. "I'm not even sure if I would be scared of you anymore, spear or not, after seeing this!"

He swallowed the sweet bun without breaking eye contact. He wiped his lips and sipped some tea. “As I was saying, Red Shields hunt down thieves and murderers and the like.” He kept talking, ignoring her laughter, “Usually that meant finding some Wetlander merchant who decided to steal or sell shoddy wears, but sometimes we had to put an end to some seriously vile people. When we weren’t hunting thieves and murderers, we were responding to border incursions and raids from other clans.” He picked up the second bun and began eating. Slowly this time Terric. You don’t have a third. Maybe I should ask for the recipe.

[Avyra]

“As I was saying, Red Shields hunt down thieves and murderers and the like,” he continued, as if she hadn't spoken, “Usually that meant finding some Wetlander merchant who decided to steal or sell shoddy wears, but sometimes we had to put an end to some seriously vile people. When we weren’t hunting thieves and murderers, we were responding to border incursions and raids from other clans." It was quite an interesting culture. She was, honestly, glad he was talking to her and sharing like he was, even if she was a "Wetlander." And a Cairhienin at that. She seemed to be finished herself, taking a few more tiny bites before pushing her plate away. There was over half of the food still left. "Are you sure you don't want this? I would hate for it to go to waste." Really, the problem would be so easy to solve if she could store it in her room for later. Just in case she needed a snack.

[Locke]

Terric

He watched Avyra take a few more dainty bites. "Are you sure you don't want this? I would hate for it to go to waste." She looked at her plate wistfully.

“I think I’m good, my Greatmother would have a fit over the wasted food though,” Terric stacked their trays and stood to take them to the back to the kitchen. On his way, he tried to convince another Drin to surrender his sweet bun. But alas, the Aielman would have to continent himself with two buns tonight.

“So,” he said as he returned, “We have about an hour till homework. What do you usually do about now?” He scanned the faces of the other Warders and their students. Thankfully nobody had made a comment about his Novice dinner companion… Yet. They had better move on before that changed.

[Avyra]

“I think I’m good, my Greatmother would have a fit over the wasted food though.” He stood and Avyra did too, as to not appear so small, and stood on her toes slightly. He had taken it upon himself to take care of the trays, and she waited for him to return. “We have about an hour till homework," he said as he returned. "What do you usually do about now?” She shrugged. "We can just walk. And talk." She smiled. "I quite like talking to you." She knew she would have to be careful; she had seen a few questioning eyes on her and didn't want any questions asked. She was easy enough to pick out in a crowd based on a physical description. They started off, and she walked close to him, trying to stretch her stride to accommodate for him. "Just don't leave me behind. I can't keep up with my short legs." She paused. "What else can you tell me about your people?"

[Locke]

Terric

She smilled up at him, “I quite like talking to you.”
He nodded and set off towards the exit, doing his best not to leave Avyra behind. If he was totally honest, he liked talking to the little Wetlaner as well.

They wandered aimlessly and he told her of his beautiful and deadly homeland. He decided to dive deeper into survival in the Three-fold Land.

“I told you earlier, some plants can be harvested for water. Be careful though, they tend to have spines that are extremely hard to pull out.” They passed a pair of Asha’man paid their respects but kept walking to avoid being given make work. “The Three-fold Land kills the unaware, there are countless poisonous creatures. For example the gara. It’s a brown and yellow lizard. They aren’t dangerous if you aren’t blind. If you somehow miss one, he’ll bite through your boot and his venom will kill you.”

They walked on climbing a set of stairs. Terric paused on the landing so Avyra could catch up. Talking to her made him home sick, memories of home drifted to mind. Quiet nights reading in the hold, chaotic battles on the burning sands. His mind wandered to a particularly memorable night of Oosquai filled exploits.

“My most important tip for surviving in the Three-fold Land is simple, if a Far Dareis Mai suggests playing Maiden’s kiss say no. It’s rarely—“ he trailed off as he realized where their walk had taken them. They were in the Gardens. So much green, the water. There was a, he believed the words were, pond with a bridge crossing it. He had seen more water in a single place as he crossed the Wetlands but never water just for looking at. These Wetlanders were spoiled.

[Avyra]

As he talked she followed, not speaking. She let him tell his story, about what the Wastes were like. Or rather, the Three Fold Land, as he called it. Plants with water and spines, venomous lizards that could bite through boots. Although he was doing all of the talking, she was still winded when they paused after the stairs. She was in bad physical shape, it would seem. His voice trailed off when he saw the Gardens, and Avyra smiled, talking his arm. "Its beautiful, isn't it?" She took the lead, forcing him to go slower. "You Aiel seem to be in such a hurry. Stop for a moment and slow down. Look at what's around you, and not in a literal term. Enjoy it, savor it." She paused, sighing. "Have you ever seen flowers before, Terric? Or grass this green? I just want to roll in it, every time I see it." She paused. "And look, there's the tree I fell out of." It was the tallest one there. "And the water. Its so clear." Her walk had taken them to the lake, and she walked over to stand a foot or so from its shore. It was more of a glorified pond than a lake, but it was bigger than a pond usually was, clear water stretching for endless bounds, almost. "Do you know how to swim?"

[Locke]

Terric

Avyra took his arm, “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Such displays were frowned upon by Aiel. Weren’t they frowned upon by Chairenin as well? He let her lead him along. "You Aiel seem to be in such a hurry. Stop for a moment and slow down. Look at what's around you, and not in a literal term. Enjoy it, savor it." How many Aiel could she know? Wetlanders were too quick to generalize.

"Have you ever seen flowers before, Terric? Or grass this green? I just want to roll in it, every time I see it." She paused. "And look, there's the tree I fell out of."

He noticed with a mix of uneasiness and wonder that she was leading him towards the water. Water just for looking at. Wetlander oddities. He had almost become used to the ground being to moist, and the strange green grass. The Wetlander irreverence towards water would never cease to astound him.

"And the water. It’s so clear."

“We do have flowers in the Three-fold Land. You just have to know where to look,” he looked down at her. “Women weave them into wreaths to give to potential hus—“ he cut off mid-sentence for the second time since they arrived at the garden. He must have miss heard her.

"Do you know how to swim?"

Terric stopped short, causing Avyra to stagger forward. He steadied her without thinking. “Do I know how to swim? Of course not. Why would I want to do something so,” he searched for the word, “foolish?” He couldn’t help but notice how close they were to the pond. The air was even wetter hear if that was possible. This much water should be guarded. It should be used for irrigation or cooking or watering animals or cleaning. These Wetlanders decorated with water. Such wealth where anybody could get to it. Even worse, Avyra wanted him to swim in it? He thought he was coming to understand these people. Submersing yourself in water to bath was bad enough, swimming, a word he’d only seen in books before today, for fun? That was lunacy.

[Avyra]

He was almost mesmerized by the water. Who could blame him? She looked up with a smile, green eyes bright. She could only imagine what was going on in his head, and, although it wasn't possible, she wanted to see his home, too. However, when she asked about swimming, he took a misstep, causing her to stumble with him, and he caught her, steadying her. She let go of his arm. “Do I know how to swim? Of course not. Why would I want to do something so....” His voice trailed off as he looked for the right word. "Foolish?" She shrugged, looking at the water. "Well, we do have a lot of it. Swimming is fun, actually. I'd imagine you'd be good at it too, with your build." With a small sigh, she watched the water some more before turning her gaze back to him. "You probably never get this from... ah... Wetlanders like me.." She paused. "But I do want to see your home. I've never been to a place like it." She sighed. "I'd probably end up getting killed by something out there, though." Just like she had fallen out of the tree. She had, however, noticed something. "What about... ah... touching, too? You seem to have gotten a tad defensive back there when I held your arm. And I told you to tell me if I do something offensive to you." She wagged a stern finger at him.