Soraya was overwhelmed by all the people and the buildings and everything. She only half realised what had happened to her in the last few days and she had been seriously disoriented. She had relied on Delena Sedai for everything for the last week, but since they had arrived in Tar Valon she and her warders were busy with other things, and Soraya was lost in the Tower. All that had happened to her was exiting, but also scary and unlikely. She still didn't know what to think of it all, and she probably would be relieved to wake up in her bed at home and realise it had all just been a dream. She still did not believe she was special, as Delena Sedai claimed, and was afraid she would be mad when she would find out Soraya wasn't really a channeler. It probably would turn out to be a big mistake and the girl would be sent home again. She admitted to herself that she didn't want to go home though. This place was overwhelming but at the same time beautiful. It made her feel so out of place, as if she wronged the amazing people and things by just being there. This was no place for a simple farmergirl.

Now she was by herself for the first time. She had been given directions to the mess hall and had been ordered to get some food. She was allready given the white dress she now had to wear all the time, and she didn't know what had happened to her regular clothes. She entered the big mess hall and tried to understand how things worked there. It seemed like all people, including the novices, waited in a line to recieve ther food. Avoiding eyecontact with everybody she passed by, Soraya walked over to the line of people and waited with them in the line.

Alilisa turned around and smiled at her fellow novice. "Hi how are you doing?" She said. "This lunch line is taking forever." Alilisa was new to the whole place, and all the hussle and bussle was kindof scary. All she wanted to do was find a friend perhaps so she wouldn't be so lonely. Also Alilisa wondered is it was possible she could sneak out of the tower later and find her brother. She knew he was in the black tower, but where in the Black Tower she did not know. All Alilisa knew is that she'd better not get caught, or she'd get in trouble. Until she got to know the rules better, Alilisa was sure she'd better keep out of site.

While she was waiting the novice in front of her suddenly turned around and smiled at her. "Hi how are you doing?" She said. "This lunch line is taking forever." The long haired girl was a few years younger then her hand seemed really nice. Soraya just smiled back and nodded shyly. She tilted her head a little, she actually wanted to talk to this girl but she didn't really know what to say, though as the line to the counter slowly became shorter, she moved so she stood next to the other novice, instead of behind her.

Until now she hadn't really met anyone she could jus be normal with. All the Aes Sedai were so important and powerful that it scared Soraya to even be in the same room with them. The girl next to her was just a novice like her. Maybe not a farmer's daughter, but just a normal girl, who may understand her. She had allways wished she had had a sister. She kept smiling, thinking about something to say.

Alilisa kept smiling. The girl was really shy, but Alilisa knew she could get her to talk. The line had ended and it was Alilisa's turn to get some food. When the food was slopped on her plate Alilisa almost gagged. It looked like some sort of gross mushed up junk. Alilisa wrinkled her nose, it smelled funny too. How could anyone eat that stuff? The server frowned at Alilisa and told her to move on. The girl followed Alilisa to a table in the corner. They passed a bunch of giggling novices, but Alilisa had to desire to join them. She liked a few close friends, not a bunch of giggly girls. The two sat down at the table. "My name is Alilisa Kardef, who might you be?" She asked the girl. Alilisa hoped they could be friends so she wouldn't feel so lonely.

Soraya thanked the girl at the counter who handed her a plate of food that didn't look very good, but she wasn't the kind of person to complain. She received this food for free after all. It had probably been years since she had eaten food she had not prepared herself. She followed the other novice to a table and sat down with her at a table. "My name is Alilisa Kardef, who might you be?" the other novice asked. "I am Soraya Namida." she answered, and after a shy smile she added "Nice to meet you." She left her right hand beside her as allways because it was pretty useless for eating, and carefully digged into the food with the fork in her left hand. It didn't taste much better then what it looked liked, but Soraya just ate it. She then looked up at Alilisa realising it must look weird for people who didn't know her, after all her right hand didn look like it was that useless. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be impolite..." She blushed and looked down thinking about how to explain. "I can't really use my right hand, that's why I eat so weird." It was awkward to have to explain.

Alilisa hadn't meant to be rude and stare. "That is perfectly all right, I don't mind." She said poking at the strange mush on her plate. When she took a bite she almost spit it out. After she had forced it down she pondered what else to say to her new friend. "So where did you grow up, and what was your life like?" She wondered aloud. Alilisa wondered what all she should tell Soraya about her life. She'd have to leave the Myrddraal coming over to her house and trying to get some artifact, and about the Ter'Angreal necklace on her neck. Maybe when they got to know eachother better she'd tell of her secret. Alilisa shoveled some more stuff in her mouth. If she wasn't as hungry as she was she wouldn't be eating it. Maybe later she'd sneak down to the kitchens for a better snack.

Marian wrinkled her nose as the food was slopped onto her plate. This... was... disgusting! At home, she never would have eaten this! Not even the commoners in Andor ate like this! She sighed. However, as a novice, in her new novice's dress, she was in no position to complain. The Aes Sedai looked quite intimidating, what with their shawls and ageless faces. She looked around at the tables of novices. Suddenly, she was blinking back tears. She felt completely alone.

Perhaps she could join some of the other novices. There was no reason for the others not to like her... She held her chin a bit higher, just to convince herself that she was perfectly capable of making friends, and gathered some courage to approach some of the other girls. One of them looked much older than she, but the other seemed about her age...

"Um..." she began quietly. Then she cleared her throat. "Excuse me, do you mind if I join you?" She waited anxiously for their reply, attempting to keep her eyes up at them.

((OOC: Also, about the age thing - I checked both of your bio's. Marian's almost 16, so she's younger than Soraya and probably a bit older than Alilisa. ;)))

"That is perfectly all right, I don't mind." Alilisa said to Soraya's relief. She smiled friendly, thoug the smile faded a little when she took another bite of the food.
"So where did you grow up, and what was your life like?" the other novice now asked. Soraya wondered if she could tell the girl about her worries, about the fact that she didn't think she could channel at all... "I grew up in a farm near Kerraden, ...." she suddenly stopped talking when another novice approached their table.

"Um..." she looked up at the young girl clearing her throat. "Excuse me, do you mind if I join you?" Soraya smiled nervously, to welcome the other girl, and made room next to her, as an invitation to the girl to sit down next to her.

Watching the girl make room for her made Marian heave a sigh of relief. She couldn't imagine what she would have done if they'd given her the cold shoulder. She'd probably have slinked off to a corner to eat alone. She plunked her tray onto the table and sat down, glad to be off her feet. Life at the Tower was hard.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said quietly, looking down at her food. "I'm... well, I'm new here, and I don't know anyone at all." Her explanation was pathetic, she figured, but it was the truth. She felt so out of place here. Home seemed so simple now.

"I'm Marian Skylas," she offered, picking up a fork and again wrinkling her nose at her food. She was famished though...

"I'm Alilisa Kardef." Alilisa said to the new girl that was joining their table. She seemed friendly, and Alilisa was very happy to see another friendly face. Alilisa tried to take another bite of her gross food, but decided she felt full afterall. She pushed it aside for now, she would clean up after she had gotten to know the two other novices. The new novice looked older then Alilisa, but Alilisa didn't mind, she liked to make friends with people older then she.

Alilisa wondered about the new girl as well. She waited for Soraya to finish her story. Next she would ask the new girl about herself, and she would tell both about her background.

Marian managed to gulp down enough of her food to relieve the feeling of hunger, though it wasn't nearly how she dined at home in Andor. She was glad that she had chosen to sit here. The other girls seemed pleasurable. She wondered how long they had been at the Tower, and when they had learned to channel...

That made a knotted feeling form in her stomach again. She was still uneasy with channelling. The Aes Sedai who had brought her here had had her try a lesson once, but other than that...

She pushed those thoughts from her mind. She would do what she had to. Did she even want to become Aes Sedai? Shaking her head slightly to herself, she focused in on the girl she had sat next to, who, she realized, was answering a question Alilisa had asked before Marian had interrupted. She waited quietly.

Silence fell over the little table when Soraya realised it must be her turn to speak. The two pairs of eyes on her were too uncomfortable and she quickly poked in her food and took another bite. When she had gulped it down she spoke. "I'm Soraya Namida." Her cheeks were burning. One fellow novice would have been fine, but the two younger girls made her nervous and she rather go away now. She felt as if they would have lots to talk about amongst eachother since they were probably both channelers. She on the other hand didn't fit in here. She knew Alilisa was probably waiting for an answer on the question she had asked, but Soraya forgot what she had been saying and just looked down and silently ate the grose food.

Marian frowned at Soraya's sudden looking down. Perhaps she was uncomfortable... Whatever the case, she figured it was best to break the silence. Perhaps she should talk about herself? Was that too forward? She didn't know. She didn't know anything about these two.

"My maid at home would never allowed me to eat such," she whispered quietly, looking around to see if there were any Aes Sedai. "I'm not complaining," she added quickly. "I'd eat anything right now. Life here is exhausted. I've only just arrived."

She smiled at the other two. "How about you? When did you arrive here?"

Alilisa realized that Soraya felt uncomfortable, and so Alilisa felt really bad for pushing the question. She hoped that in time she could help Soraya feel more comfortable around her.

Alilisa giggled when Marian wispered about how awful the food was. She was right, but she understood that Marian didn't want the Aes Sedai's to overhear, they were always looming around looking for a novice to punish. "I arrived her just a few days ago." Alilisa said, then grabbed her glass of water and gulped it down. "So far I have avoided being punished, but I dont' know how long that will last. "My mother never cooked for me, she was always off socializing with people, so I learned to cook myself." Alilisa said, and leaned over to whisper. "Even my cooking was better then this, and I know that my cooking sucks!" Alilisa liked the Marian, she was so outgoing and very friendly. But Alilisa also liked Soraya, she knew just as soon as the novice became comfortable around here, that they would be good friends.

Marian giggled along with Alilisa. "I learned to cook too, with Seshi, my maid. It was something to do, at least until Mother brought a governess to our estates..." She realized she was going on about her life and blushed, though still smiling. "I'm sorry. I talk too much." She set down her fork, which make a satisfying click on her plate.

"I'm from Andor. What about you two?" she asked after a moment, hoping to get some questions answered. She knew next to nothing about Tar Valon and Aes Sedai. She'd better learn at some point... For that matter, she hadn't even taken her first lesson yet.

"My maid at home would never allowed me to eat such," Soraya heared the new novice say. Her eyes turned very big. Maid? Thi girl was used to being served? It felt wrong to be wearing the same dress. "I'm not complaining, I'd eat anything right now. Life here is exhausted. I've only just arrived. How about you guys."

Soraya cast her eyes down and subtlely looked around for the exit. She didn't want to meet people anymore. This place was too crowded and too unsettling. She only halfly heared Alilisa talk. "I arrived her just a few days ago." she said between drinking "So far I have avoided being punished, but I dont' know how long that will last. "My mother never cooked for me, she was always off socializing with people, so I learned to cook myself." It looked a bit oddhow Alilisa leaned forward and suddenly continued on a whispering tone "Even my cooking was better then this, and I know that my cooking sucks!" She looked up to give the other novice a friendly smile, it must have looked fake though.

"I learned to cook too, with Seshi, my maid. It was something to do, at least until Mother brought a governess to our estates...I'm sorry. I talk too much." the girl paused and then continued "I'm from Andor. What about you two?"

Soraya she knew she had to say something now. She blushed and sweated a little. The pressure of four eyes looking at her stinged her skin. "I..." she started, but the shook her head. "There's not much to tell really." she nervously gave them an excusing smile. "I'm from Andor a...as well, from a village near Kerraden, west of Caemlyn." Her voice trembled a little. It was probably wrong to point out she had something in common with the girl who had had a service maid. She started to eat faster. If she finished the plate she could go.

Alilisa smiled. "I'm from Jehanna." She said. Soraya looked nervous and flustered so Alilisa stoped. Was she okay? Alilisa gave Soraya a warm smile, trying to make her feel more at home. What had she done? Had she frightened the novice with all her babble? Alilisa felt bad, but she didn't know what to do.

Alilisa didn't mind that Marian came from a noble family, they were all on the same rank now. But perhaps Soraya felt uncomfortable because of that fact. Alilisa was very good at reading peoples faces, and generally a very good people person. She always believed her smile could make anyones day brighter. That was what her father told her anyway. A ping of sadness rang in her heart. Oh, how she missed her father. She hoped he was okay, and nothing bad had happened to him. The Myrdraal were bond to figure out sooner or later that the necklace he had given them was a fake. Alilisa knew she was safe in the tower, but she feared for the sake of her family.

Marian noted vaguely that the girl was eating faster, and her voice trembled a bit. She didn't change her face -- something she was proud of, since it was like Aes Sedai, but rather kept smiling. Had she made the other novice uncomfortable? She hoped not...

"It's nice to have a fellow Andoran," she said kindly, keeping her smile bright. "I'm welcome to talk to, if you ever need it." She didn't want to feel like she was pressing her friendship, but the other novice sure looked out of place.

Alilisa commented on her origin. "I'm from Jehanna," she said. Marian looked thoughtful for a moment, tapping her chin slightly. "Remind me again, where that is," she pleaded. "My memory can be quite dreadful at times." She flashed the novice a grin, sipping a glass of water.

At least the water tasted good... She looked up to a window, to see what time of day it was. She might have to hurry it up. She still had chores left, and lessons were calling as well.

Soraya finished the last bits of the awful food on het plate. She stood up clumsily and smiled nervously at the two novices. "I'm sorry I have to go. I have a lot of chores.... It was nice to meet you." she said softly and bowed to both girls. Then she hurried out of the Mess Hall. She longed for solitude now and went to the White Tower to find it in her room, hoping her roommate wasn't there.

Marian dabbed her mouth with a napkin, looking oddly after the last novice. Poor girl... Even if she was older than Marian was, and even if she had been her longer than Marian had, she seemed so... lonely and out of place. Marian sighed. Her attempt to make friends with the other novice had failed. Perhaps she had not been going about it the right way. She hoped making different friends would come around more easily, and she hoped some more that most of the novices were so lonely. She didn't think she would like it if she became like that. Not that there was anything wrong with wanting to be alone, but Marian could be rather outgoing and friendly at times. Perhaps she had overdone it...

She blinked, realizing she had been lost in her thoughts, practically ignoring Alilisa. For that matter, Alilisa had not given her an answer yet. She wondered when the bell would ring, when they would be sent back to their lessons and their chores. Marian made a mental list of the things she had to do yet... Today was her dishes day, where she would be washing or drying dishes. Maybe she'd be stuck with the double load and end up doing both. From what she had seen yesterday, many novices weren't so keen on making conversation during chores, and for good reason, since the Aes Sedai and Mistress of the Kitchens kept a sharp watch on them.

Marin sighed, knowing she was a rule-follower at heart. She was not a rebel. She did what was expected and kept silent about it. It was probably a good thing, but she wondered what would happen eventually in her life, when she was expected to be the one speaking. She'd usually been the one told to listen and pay attention, except for when she was with Seshi. Marian knew the rules of nobility, but she knew nothing of how Aes Sedai were supposed to act, except from stories. The stories, however, were not very reliable.

Aes Sedai, she had found, did not run off to save kings or hunt Myrdraal out of the dark. Neither did they worship the Dark One nor make it their calling to destroy people who opposed them. Stories were definitely not a good source of knowledge, especially the ones Seshi told. For all of Seshi's wisdom, she was not the expert on Aes Sedai...

She shook her head and smiled at Alilisa. "I'm sorry, forgive me. I was thinking about things... Where is Jehanna again?" she asked. People were beginning to clear their trays and exit the mess hall. She figured Aes Sedai would set them to work again soon...

Alilisa had almost forgotten to answer Marian, she had been too busy wathcing Soraya get up and leave. Alilisa felt bad, but figured that Soraya was just a bit shy and needed time to adjust. Where was Jehanna? "Its not quite the middle of the world, far away east that way." Alilisa said. "Its about a 100 miles from here." Alilisa said, she didn't want to sound dumb, but she'd never seen a map before, and the days of travel were just a blur.

Alilisa realized that lunch would soon be over. "Do you want to meet later after lessons perhaps, we could talk in the garden or something." As she waited for Marian's reply she gathered up her things on her plate.

A hundred miles east... Hmm... The area briefly registered in Marian's head, as she tried to remember back to her father's maps. Perhaps she had not ever seen Jehanna on a map. Though Marian was well learned, she did not know all there was to know, especially about things outside of Andor, or things concerning Aes Sedai.

The other novice began gathering things up on her plate. Marian figured this was a good idea, and she followed the other girl's leave. She neatly stacked her silverware on top of the plate. For the most part, Marian had eaten her food. She'd been hungry enough to eat... whatever it was. When she was Aes Sedai... she shook that thought from her head. She didn't even know if she wanted to be Aes Sedai.

"Do you want to meet later after lessons perhaps, we could talk in the garden or something." Marian blinked. Was that an invitation? Had she made a friend? She could have hugged Alilisa. She restrained herself from such an action, but she beamed happily.

"That'd be lovely!" she exclaimed, standing up from her seat. "Where would you like to meet?" she asked Alilisa.

Alilisa was overjoyed. Finally she had found someone she could speak to! It hadn't even been that hard to find a friend. She hoped that later perhaps she could find Soraya, but for now she was just going to let Soraya be.

Alilisa dumped her leftover food in the trash, and handed her tray to the Aes Sedai who took it without even a smile. Alilisa nodded her head to the Aes Sedai and thanked her for the meal, even though it was horrible.

"How about in the Garden, after lessons tonight?" Alilisa asked. "That way it won't be as hot, and we can talk. Alilisa smiled. She figured that perhaps her stay at the White Tower wouldn't be so bad afterall.

((OOC: Ack! Sorry, I didn't respond! I guess I missed it. <_< ))

Marian followed Alilisa's lead, gathering her tray up and heading to hand her tray to the Aes Sedai. She gave a submissive bob of her head to the Aes Sedai in respect. The woman did not even smile at her... How could someone seem so cool? So collective? Marian didn't think she would be able to do that, even as Aes Sedai. She sighed. That would be years from now in any case...

"How about in the Garden, after lessons tonight?" Alilisa asked. "That way it won't be as hot, and we can talk." The other novice smiled. Marian gave her a grin. It sounded good to her. The gardens... She'd only been in there once so far. They had been beautiful. "That's sound wonderful," she said. "I will try and get down there as quick as possible, but you know how things are..." One of the bells chimed, and Marian grimaced. She flashed Alilisa another smile and figured she'd better leave... She gave her a wave. "I'll see you later, then!" She hurried down the hall, already making mental lists of the chores she had to do...