In a small classroom, not far from the infirmary, Amaranie frowned at the rather thin net of Spirit occupying the area in front of her. The Delving weave was possibly the most complicated weave she'd learned yet, and though the flows came to her easily enough, the weave itself took quite a lot of concentration. She kept working, adding the last few thin threads of Spirit and smaller amounts of Air and Water before looking at the Yellow who was teaching her. Something about it felt off to Amaranie, and it didn't surprise her when Araceli Sedai informed her, "That's a good effort, child, but it isn't quite correct. Where do you think you went wrong?" The novice's lips pressed together as she looked over her work, zeroing in on the Air threads she'd used. "I used too much Air, I think." The Aes Sedai nodded in agreement and told her to try it again.
Amaranie had to rest for a short while before returning to the task. When she began again, the novice pulled so many fine, silvery threads of Spirit that she lost count of how many there were as she formed the net in front of her again. Thread crossed over thread, becoming more intricate as she continued to work on it. Finally, she added the small amount of Water, then the fluffy threads of Air that gave her so much trouble. It wasn't that she couldn't grasp them, but rather that Air seemed almost willing to be used by her, so that she constantly ended up with too much of it overwhelming her work. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she forced it away, taking only what she thought she needed and adding it to her work before sitting back in her desk and studying her creation. Amaranie knew she'd done it correctly this time before Araceli Sedai told her so, and the novice smiled, pleased with the work she'd just done.
Weeks of her classes passed by with Amaranie doing nothing but repeating the Delving weave, over and over until Araceli Sedai decided she was ready to learn to Heal. It was rare that Amaranie looked forward to learning a new weave more than she feared it, but she badly wanted to learn this one, which she'd come to realize was what her brother had done for her not long before she'd come here. She watched Araceli Sedai carefully before receiving permission to begin her own first attempt. She began with the Water, which was more difficult for her to hold, then added another thread of Spirit in what appeared to be the same amount to her. Next, Amaranie reached for the Air threads, not surprised when the first attempt was twice as thick as either of the others. She let that thread go, and tried again, though it took multiple tries before she could find an Air thread that she thought would work with the other two. The novice twined them together into the braid she'd been shown, but when she looked at it again, she could clearly see that there was too little Water and too much Air. She shook her head, letting it go before Araceli Sedai could tell her that it wasn't done right. "You're doing well correcting your mistakes, child," the Yellow encouraged her, but Amaranie just felt frustrated, though she didn't let it stop her from trying the weave again.
As her class continued, Amaranie noticed that the Healing weave was becoming easier for her. She was far from being perfect every time, but less of her efforts dissatisfied her, and the novice was slowly coming to look forward to these classes. The repetition was boring, but Amaranie thought that her weaving did seem to have improved from when she'd begun. A day came when she was in class again, holding to her finished Delving weave, knowing with a new confidence that her work was as close to perfect as she could make it. When she looked to Araceli Sedai for approval, the Yellow nodded, but did not ask her to drop the weave. Instead, the Aes Sedai smiled as she said, "You're doing well, chid. I want you to come over here and Delve me." She felt a little hesitant, quickly checking over her work again before doing what she'd been told and allowing her net to fall over the Aes Sedai's head. For the first time, Amaranie could tell from her weave how the Aes Sedai fared physically. "You cut your finger this morning," Amaranie told her. "On a piece of paper, I think."
Araceli Sedai nodded. "It is a minor injury, and normally, I wouldn't need Healing for it, but today I would like for you to Heal it, if you please." The novice blinked in surprise before beginning to weave. Air, Spirit, and Water all came together in equal amounts, practice having made it far easier for Amaranie to handle the threads of Air. Still, she studied them all before making the braid that formed the Healing weave. Wrapping it into a circle, Amaranie looked at the Yellow sister, feeling less nervous than she'd expected to be. "May I?" she asked, having been lectured on the importance of asking permission to Heal someone during her very first class with Araceli Sedai.
"Go ahead," the Aes Sedai said. "You're ready for this." It was a surprise to Amaranie that she agreed with her instructor. She let go of her weave and watched as it sank in. Araceli Sedai extended her left hand so that Amaranie could see the cut index finger. Before her eyes, the thin, red, slash turned from red to pink to white, then faded away as though it had never been. I did that? Wide, blue-grey eyes looked up at the Aes Sedai in surprise. "You did well today, child," Araceli Sedai said with a smile. Amaranie nodded and returned the smile before leaving the classroom, already eagerly anticipating her next class.
Amaranie had to rest for a short while before returning to the task. When she began again, the novice pulled so many fine, silvery threads of Spirit that she lost count of how many there were as she formed the net in front of her again. Thread crossed over thread, becoming more intricate as she continued to work on it. Finally, she added the small amount of Water, then the fluffy threads of Air that gave her so much trouble. It wasn't that she couldn't grasp them, but rather that Air seemed almost willing to be used by her, so that she constantly ended up with too much of it overwhelming her work. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she forced it away, taking only what she thought she needed and adding it to her work before sitting back in her desk and studying her creation. Amaranie knew she'd done it correctly this time before Araceli Sedai told her so, and the novice smiled, pleased with the work she'd just done.
Weeks of her classes passed by with Amaranie doing nothing but repeating the Delving weave, over and over until Araceli Sedai decided she was ready to learn to Heal. It was rare that Amaranie looked forward to learning a new weave more than she feared it, but she badly wanted to learn this one, which she'd come to realize was what her brother had done for her not long before she'd come here. She watched Araceli Sedai carefully before receiving permission to begin her own first attempt. She began with the Water, which was more difficult for her to hold, then added another thread of Spirit in what appeared to be the same amount to her. Next, Amaranie reached for the Air threads, not surprised when the first attempt was twice as thick as either of the others. She let that thread go, and tried again, though it took multiple tries before she could find an Air thread that she thought would work with the other two. The novice twined them together into the braid she'd been shown, but when she looked at it again, she could clearly see that there was too little Water and too much Air. She shook her head, letting it go before Araceli Sedai could tell her that it wasn't done right. "You're doing well correcting your mistakes, child," the Yellow encouraged her, but Amaranie just felt frustrated, though she didn't let it stop her from trying the weave again.
As her class continued, Amaranie noticed that the Healing weave was becoming easier for her. She was far from being perfect every time, but less of her efforts dissatisfied her, and the novice was slowly coming to look forward to these classes. The repetition was boring, but Amaranie thought that her weaving did seem to have improved from when she'd begun. A day came when she was in class again, holding to her finished Delving weave, knowing with a new confidence that her work was as close to perfect as she could make it. When she looked to Araceli Sedai for approval, the Yellow nodded, but did not ask her to drop the weave. Instead, the Aes Sedai smiled as she said, "You're doing well, chid. I want you to come over here and Delve me." She felt a little hesitant, quickly checking over her work again before doing what she'd been told and allowing her net to fall over the Aes Sedai's head. For the first time, Amaranie could tell from her weave how the Aes Sedai fared physically. "You cut your finger this morning," Amaranie told her. "On a piece of paper, I think."
Araceli Sedai nodded. "It is a minor injury, and normally, I wouldn't need Healing for it, but today I would like for you to Heal it, if you please." The novice blinked in surprise before beginning to weave. Air, Spirit, and Water all came together in equal amounts, practice having made it far easier for Amaranie to handle the threads of Air. Still, she studied them all before making the braid that formed the Healing weave. Wrapping it into a circle, Amaranie looked at the Yellow sister, feeling less nervous than she'd expected to be. "May I?" she asked, having been lectured on the importance of asking permission to Heal someone during her very first class with Araceli Sedai.
"Go ahead," the Aes Sedai said. "You're ready for this." It was a surprise to Amaranie that she agreed with her instructor. She let go of her weave and watched as it sank in. Araceli Sedai extended her left hand so that Amaranie could see the cut index finger. Before her eyes, the thin, red, slash turned from red to pink to white, then faded away as though it had never been. I did that? Wide, blue-grey eyes looked up at the Aes Sedai in surprise. "You did well today, child," Araceli Sedai said with a smile. Amaranie nodded and returned the smile before leaving the classroom, already eagerly anticipating her next class.