She had been traveling for months without really knowing where she was going. Every time she stopping in an inn she would ask the innkeeper which direction to Tar Valon and travel that way. Her money had run out a week ago. The last inn she stayed at only allowed her to stay because they were in need of workers. She cooked for all the customers that night in exchanged for a room.

The innkeeper had asked her to stay and work there full time. Karena had almost agreed and given up on her journey. She was out of money and didn’t know how she would make it all the way to TarValon. She asked the innkeeper how far she was but he wouldn’t answer. Luckily, one of the patrons answered for him. He told Karena that it was a few days walk to the Towers.

She was to close now to quit. Somehow she had managed to find a place to sleep every night without money, except last night. Last night she stopped at a couple inns that would not let her stay in exchange for cooking. Instead of looking at more inns, Karena decided no tot sleep and just continued. She hadn’t slept for about 35 hours now, but she had made it.

She had wanted to wash up and wear a clean pair of clothes before trying to enlist as a recruit but without money she couldn’t do that. Karena stepped through the gates into Tar Valon. The Towers were huge and amazing She had never seen anything so big and intricate before. The descriptions she had heard did not do it justice. As she stared at the Towers she said to herself, “They’re gorgeous.”