Name: Jetsuade Kaeth
Age: 16
Nationality: Tarabon/Tar Valon
Appearance: Jetsuade had to give up the veil when she entered the Tower, but her braids stayed. Her black hair is always in a dozen or more intricate plaits in true Taraboner fashion. She has pale skin, slightly high cheekbones and blue-gray eyes. She is just a touch round and of medium height. Her fingers are long and nimble, perfect for the art of rug-making. Not a traditional beauty, but not unattractive either. She has gotten used to Taraboner dresses that are only a step away from Domani ones, so she moves with grace.
Personality: Jetsuade is the typical big sister. She has gotten used to taking care of others, and quite enjoys it. She is maternal, and hopes to have a large family of her own one day. She is used to responsibility and making decisions and telling her siblings what to do, but she isn't used to being in the receiving end of orders. She can be a bit stubborn if someone is patronizing her, but doesn't think twice before patronizing others. A born leader.
She learned her mother's profession and is a qualified rug-maker. She is also good at trading, and has basic knowledge of politics and accounting. She isn't the bookish type, but she knows how to read and write. Being the maternal type, she can manage any household chore, although she doesn't particularly enjoy them.
Jetsuade is moderately educated, but she has some naïve views of the world. Nothing bad has ever happened to her, so she doesn't believe that anything bad will happen to her. She always believes in the good in people and that things could be sorted out if people just talked to each other. She is adamant in her decision to find her true love. She believes that Aes Sedai and Asha'man are good and unselfish people who use their great powers for noble purposes.
She is also stubbornly patriotic. She has been raised in Tar Valon, but her family has always closely followed the Taraboner traditions, such as the veil and the braids. Jetsuade will not hear a word said against her home country. And she will definitely not tolerate any sly comments of her own nationality. She is a Taraboner, no matter where she had been raised.
One Power scores
Current strength: 37
Base strength: 37
Age when started to channel: 16
Current Age: 16
Flow Affinity
Water: 4
Air: 9
Earth: 8
Fire: 6
Spirit: 5
Talents: Illusion, Making Cuendillar, Delving (earth)
History:
Family:
Father: Paadar Kaeth, a clerk in the Black Tower, 41 years old
Mother: Nesuame Asandra, a rug-maker, 34 years old
Siblings:
Nanini Kaeth, 11 years old
Kael Kaeth, 8 years old
Nadin Kaeth, 6 years old
Ryel Kaeth, 5 years old
Mayana Kaeth, 1 year old
As soon as he opened the door, Paadar Kaeth's eyes locked on the girl. Black hair braided into a dozen intricate plaits, high cheekbones and pale skin, dark eyes that you could lose yourself into... She looked surprised when she noticed him staring at her, and blushed but gave Paadar a little smile. He knew that he wasn't too bad-looking himself, with dark hair and unusually pale blue eyes, but this was the first time he felt truly delighted that he had been smiled at by a woman. “Can I help you?” Paadar tore his eyes from the girl, and finally noticed the older woman who had the same high cheekbones but significantly fairer hair. This could only be the girl's mother, there was no mistaking it. He could see from her face that his stare had not gone unnoticed, but the mother didn't look too displeased. Calculating and stern, yes, but not displeased.
Paadar had stumbled into the Asandra shop that sold fine carpets woven by the mother and daughter totally by mistake, but Paadar did his best to look interested in the carpets that were shown to him and later convinced his father that they should buy one. During his second visit to the shop, he learned that the girl's name was Nesuame, and that she had just turned seventeen, which was the perfect marrying age. Paadar himself was already twenty-five, but no one objected. Two months later Paadar Kaeth and Nesuame Asandra exchanged wedding wows.
And a month later they bought their first house in the Calpene peninsula of Tanchico. They had the money; Paadar was already a rather wealthy man, he had a steady job as an accountant for the King, and Nesuame wove beautiful carpets that were in high demand. She still sold them in her mother's shop, but she dreamed of one day opening her own shop and teaching her own children the profession. She wanted many children, a true family, and Paadar didn't object. When Nesuame's belly swelled for the first time when she was eighteen, they were both overjoyed.
”Nesuame, you can do it. Look at me, Nesuame. Don't give up. I know it hurts, but you can do this.” Nesuame looked desperately at the midwife between her hasty intakes of breaths. Light, it hurt! Something was wrong, Nesuame tried to push but nothing happened. The midwife tried to hide it, but Nesuame saw the worry in her eyes. The two young women who were there to help the midwife exchanged worried glances as well.
“I can't! It hurts too much, I can't...” Nesuame's words ended in a scream when a powerful convulsion ran through her.
“Get the Aes Sedai,” the midwife whispered to one of the maids. “No questions, go get her!” Nesuame's eyes widened in fear. Aes Sedai? Nesuame had heard of Aes Sedai, but only rumours of their power and manipulative skills. What could an Aes Sedai do for her? But as the pain made her scream again, she decided to accept any help she could get, whatever the cost. She couldn't lose this child, her first child...
Nesuame was fortunate, for the Aes Sedai the midwife sent the girl to fetch was of the Brown Ajah but had a relatively strong Talent for Healing. It was a stroke of sheer luck that Miara Sedai had decided to visit Tanchico and reside in the Two Ribbons, an inn that was just next door to the Kaeth house. The midwife and her assistants had heard of this exotic visitor residing in their quarter. Aes Sedai usually didn't spend too much time in the poorer districts of Tanchico.
The labour was very hard, and the midwife had to resort to some extreme means to save the child, and Nesuame wouldn't have survived it had the Light decided not to send Miara Sedai to their aid. That is how Nesuame saw it; Miara Sedai's presence was a gift of the Light, a blessing. And the healthy baby girl was the completion of Nesuame's happiness. Nothing could go wrong now that the Light had saved her.
Paadar was of course worried over his young wife's health, but Miara Sedai convinced him that everything was fine. She did warn them that there could be complications in future pregnancies as well. Nesuame was crushed; her dream of a large family seemed unattainable. It seemed that baby Jetsuade would have to be the only fruit of their deep love.
But Nesuame didn't give up. Jetsuade was a beautiful girl, a good-mannered baby who seldom cried, but Nesuame knew that she wouldn't be happy with just one child, no matter how much she loved Jetsuade. And since Nesuame had been saved by an Aes Sedai once, she was convinced that she would be able to bear more children safely if there was an Aes Sedai near who would help her if things went wrong again. Paadar would never refuse his love her dream, so the young family moved to Tar Valon to be near Aes Sedai.
They prospered in Tar Valon. Paadar received a job as a clerk in the Black Tower, and progressed fast in his career. Nesuame's fine Taraboner rugs were even more appreciated outside of Tarabon, and she opened a shop with another Taraboner rug-maker residing in Tar Valon. Together they closely followed the traditions of Tanchico, with the braids and the ever-constant veil, knowing that the exotic customs would attract even more customers. Nesuame took care of young Jetsuade as she wove her rugs, and when she was selling Jetsuade accompanied her in the shop. As soon as her hair was long enough, Nesuame started braiding it in Taraboner fashion too. And she was donned in a veil, although young Jetsuade kept yanking it away.
”Nesuame, she did it again.” Lorana watched as Nesuame hurried to Jetsuade and straightened her veil. Jetsuade was three and a half years old now, and had become a talkative and energetic young girl. But she had learned that she wasn't supposed to bother her mother or Lorana if there were customers in the shop, so she spent most of the day playing by herself. Lorana wondered how Nesuame had been so lucky to have such a good-mannered child. Nesuame always thanked the Light for Jetsuade, but she hadn't explained why. Lorana and Nesuame were close friends now, but they were first and foremost colleagues. They rarely discussed their personal lives in detail.
“So, are we going to see a second little sunshine in our shop soon?” Lorana asked, and knew instantly that it was a mistake. Nesuame's smile disappeared and she suddenly looked so miserable that Lorana was afraid that she would cry. Jetsuade noticed her mother's anguish and started crying. Nesuame forced a smile to comfort Jetsuade. “Light, we do hope so,” she finally answered to the question. Lorana left the subject at that.
Nesuame and Paadar had tried for another child over two years now, but nothing had happened. Jetsuade grew up receiving her mother and father's undivided attention until she was four and a half years old. Then finally Nesuame showed every sign of a new pregnancy.
Jetsuade had just turned five when the new family member appeared. This time the birth was relatively painless with no complication, and the young baby girl had the same black hair as Jetsuade. Jetsuade was curious of this little creature that just cried or slept and seemed to steal her parents' attention. She was jealous, but when young Ninanin grew a little older, she became Jetsuade's first real playmate. She finally had some company while her mother sold her rugs! Lorana was childless. Ninanin and Jetsuade became very close during the long days in the shop, and Jetsuade had her first real friend. Three years after Ninanin's birth, their first brother Kael was born, again without complications.
”Nani!” Ninanin looked up when she heard her sister calling. She was a bit upset that she was interrupted, because she was on the verge of completing a puzzle. Now she couldn't remember where she had intended to put the piece now in her hand. “Nani, come here!” There was nothing she could do, so she put the piece down and followed Jetsuade's voice to the bedroom.
Kael was sitting on the floor on the verge of crying. “Nani!” he called. Nearly two years old, he hadn't learned to speak yet, but he knew some essential words. “No,” he said, pointing at her. Ninanin looked questioningly at Jetsuade. “Did you take his ball? The one with the cats? I can't find it anywhere, and Kael is looking for it.” Jetsuade looked stern, and Ninanin squirmed with guilt. She wasn't a good liar, and she knew that there was no use denying something from Jetsuade. “I took it, but only because Kael pulled my hair!” she said, clutching her braids and pointing accusingly at Kael. Kael started sobbing, and Jetsuade was quick to pick him up soothingly. “Kael, you know you're not allowed to pull anyone's braids,” she said sternly. “Ninanin, give him the ball back. And then I expect to see a hug.”
Jetsuade, as a true big sister, was the highest point of reference among the siblings. They followed Jetsuade's lead, and Jetsuade was the one to break up disputes. Two more boys followed Kael, Nadin and Ryel. None of them ever questioned Jetsuade's authority.
Jetsuade was now old enough to start learning her mother's trade. She had aided her mother many times, but this was the first time she would be weaving her very own rugs. She progressed slowly but steadily, and her first rugs were of course used in the house proudly, even though the colours were a bit off and the edges were untidy.
Weaving rugs was not the only thing Jetsuade was taught. Her father taught him to read and write, and after she had progressed a bit, Paadar taught her some accounting and politics. Watching her mother work in the shop, Jetsuade learned trading and understood the value of money and haggling. Among the siblings, Jetsuade learned to keep a cool mind while sorting her siblings' fights, favouring none of the children over the others.
”Men who want to become Asha'man and can channel start out as Soldiers. After they have studied and trained and completed a hard test, they become Dedicated. They have to train more and pass another test until they become Asha'man. This takes many years, even decades. When they are Asha'man, there are different Shens they can join. Members of the Shen al'Cha Dieb dedicate their lives to lost information, whereas...”
Nesuame smiled as she wove a rug and listened to Paadar's explanation of the Black Tower's hierarchy. Jetsuade's eyes were wide and she listened carefully, but Nani's eyes were directed at the teapot and she was clearly thinking of something else. Kael and Nadin were playing on the floor, toddler Ryel had fallen asleep in Paadar's arms. It was late evening, and everything was just perfect.
“In the White Tower, the women start as novices. Then they become Accepted, and after that Aes Sedai. Aes Sedai have seven Ajahs, named after colours. The Blue Ajah...” Nesuame finished her rug, and carried Kael and Nadin to bed. They protested of course, but Nesuame didn't listen. Once that was done, she went back to the living room to fetch Ninanin. “The Amyrlin Seat is the leader of all Aes Sedai. The Keeper is her assistant of sorts, and next in command. All the Ajahs are led by one Aes Sedai, a Head of Ajah, but her identity is secret outside the Ajah in question.”
“Nani,” Nesuame called quietly. Ninanin jumped at the voice and went to bed obediently. Jetsuade on the other hand wouldn't go to sleep yet. “I want to know more about Aes Sedai and Asha'man. They seem so powerful...” she protested. Nesuame brushed her long braids affectionately. “All you need to know about Aes Sedai is that one saved my life once. One helped you to the world. We owe so much to her. Now, off to bed. No buts.”
In Tar Valon, Aes Sedai and Asha'man were not an uncommon sight. Jetsuade learned to recognise them, and she always watched them with awe, wondering what Ajah or Shen they were, what position they had, what kind of tasks and goals they had, what they could do with the One Power... She also wondered who was the Aes Sedai that had saved her. In Jetsuade's mind, Aes Sedai and Asha'man became noble creatures, men and women with wonderful powers but rightful hearts. Her mother's evident gratitude was a sure sign that Aes Sedai would do anything to help those in need.
Soon Jetsuade turned fourteen and started to turn from a girl into a woman. Her parents explained why this was, and why she was getting new feelings considering the opposite sex. It was quite baffling. She didn't have any romantic encounters during her transformation, but decided that one day she wanted to find her true love and have a lot of children. She wanted a large family, like her own. She had always taken care of her younger siblings, so she definitely had maternal instincts cultivated during the years even though she was barely a woman.
When she turned fifteen, she was granted a more or less independent place in the shop. She made and sold her own rugs, although she did look after the other children when her mother was busy. Ninanin was practicing rug-making too. Kael had inherited a good understanding of mathematics, so Paadar was tutoring him. He still taught Jetsuade too, because she had a lot of good sense when it came to trading, and she always came on top when she haggled.
During that year they made their first trip to Tanchico. Jetsuade was overjoyed. The family had always followed the Taraboner traditions, and even though Jetsuade had been raised in Tar Valon, she had always considered herself a true Taraboner. She would finally meet her grandparents and aunts and uncles. And her true hometown.
”It's so beautiful...” Kael looked at the palace critically. Jetsuade was staring at it as if she had never seen anything so beautiful, but Kael thought it was grubby compared to any palace he could think of in Tar Valon. The white plaster was cracked and there were other obvious signs of neglect, but Jetsuade didn't seem to notice. Even Ryel and Nadin looked more critically at the palace than Jetsuade, even though Ryel was only four years old.
“Mother, can we visit grandmother's shop now, please? You said you worked there too. Is it anything like ours?” Kael groaned at Jetsuade's request. He had enjoyed his visit to Tanchico, but he hadn't seen anything that would top Tar Valon. Jetsuade on the other hand seemed to think that everything was better here. She had complimented the buildings, the food, the fashion, the people... Kael was sure that she would praise the shop from top to bottom, no matter what it truly looked like. Kael was more realistic than that.
Jetsuade loved Tanchico, she wanted to stay there, but that wasn't possible. Nesuame was pregnant again, and even though she hadn't had any problems after Jetsuade, she didn't want to risk anything. So they went back to Tar Valon, and three months later Mayana Kaeth saw the light of day.
Jetsuade continued weaving rugs and working in the shop, but she felt like something was missing. She started to long for her own family, her own shop, her own life. She loved taking care of Mayana, but she kept hoping that the baby was her own. She started to look for a husband. But any man wouldn't do; she wanted true love. But it was easier said than done. She didn't find true love, she didn't find any love. Nesuame comforted her, telling her that she was still so young, she would find a man who was good enough to deserve such a wonderful woman as a wife, but only if she waited and didn't try to force things.
The Light had a different plan for her. An Aes Sedai visited their shop, and instantly told them that Jetsuade could channel. She had the spark, so she would have to go to the White Tower to train or she would almost definitely die. Jetsuade didn't object, she still sported her image of Aes Sedai as flawless and compassionate people. Even if it meant giving some other things up, she warmly welcomed the opportunity to become Aes Sedai.
Jetsuade looked at the White Tower properly for the first time. Of course she had looked at it before, but the White Tower had always been there. This time she didn't look at it as part of the scenery, but as her future home. Her home... It would be hard to leave her family behind, not knowing when she would see her siblings again, but at that moment she was sure that she was strong enough. After all, her family was close, she could always visit them. She would become Aes Sedai.
(A note: The retired character Nesuame Zaril at Age of Glory was mine. So I haven't stolen the names or some of the character traits; they were my creation in the first place.)
(Another note: If someone wants to plot with me and play one of Jetsuade's siblings as a future aspirant of the White or Black Tower, do PM me.)