Carefully Mika tucked away the little bag of itchweed inbetween her shifts. The note on the bed looked all but promising; The mistress of novices wanted her to be at the stables as soon as possible. That could only mean one thing... Punishment.

But for what? We haven’t been caught lately! Neither she nor any of her friends had been visiting the Mistress of novices lately; all of their pranks had worked out perfectly. will it have been the frogs? Or the recruitclothes.... oh bummer!


Over the time that Mika had been in the tower she had changed drastically. When she had arrived as a mere 14-year old, she had been weepy and afraid of anything that just about moved. And now she was one ball of life, one of the brightest novices around with quite a number of friends who were always willing to help her out with yet another prank. Surely three years could change someone.

She had learned to enjoy the bound life she had at the towers by simply making it more interesting; off course who didn’t like seeing an accepted jump because of snails in her dinnerplate... But that style of life had it’s disadvantages. Even though she managed to stay up with her classes, Mika still found herself often enough in the mistress of novices’ office... as well as in the kitchen, bent over the knee of the Cook and later scrubbing pots with a red behind.

And now she was summoned to the stables and she already wondered how long she’d be stuck cleaning them out. at least there are boys there to look at she thought as she grinned with a blush to herself.

She kicked off her slippers and tucked her feet into the warm white boots before donning the white novicecloak and rushing out of her room towards the stables; no need to make the punishment worse.

"Easy girl, easy." The stableboy said to the mare in a soft voice as he lead the horse past an other the horse didn't seem to fond of. "I thought I asked you to bring me a horse that was calm, boy." Cayana said to him as he came up to her. The man was really about 26 years old and not really a boy from anyone else's perspective, but as Aes Sedai it was custom to use the words boy, and child around anyone below your own rank. Really she only used it to see his reaction. The man opened his mouth in protest, but didn't really dare and blushed. Cayana only smiled and took the reigns with a small laugh. "Don't worry, I'm sure the girl will be able to handle the horse. We can't make the lesson to easy on her now can we?" She winked at the man and he nodded with a confused expression on his face before bowing and leaving her.

Cayana enjoyed half flirting half teasing the men at the stables, they always had nice reactions and never took it badly. It's not like she ever was mean to them, quite the opposite if their reactions pleased her enough. But now was no time for this kind of behavior, she had a novice to teach. With that thought she started walking over to the fence by the enclosure the recruits who couldn't ride learned to ride in. There was no one there now and that's why she had taken this time to deal with this. She tied the horse and walked off a little so she could retie her boot which lace had gotten a little loose.

Even during the feast of lights this place was a crowded place. The recruits and younglings who didn't have chores or classes spent their time in the city mostly but there where still others who came here, novices and Accepted as well. To see the boys ride or to see the horses most likely. Cayana almost missed spotting Mika among the people at the yard, but as she saw the all white girl Cayana called her over. When the girl reached her Cayana looked down at the girl inspecting her clothes. Normal skirts weren't good for riding and she should have realized the girl would have taken the note the wrong way. "Now. First off I'd like to ask you a question. Have you ever ridden a horse?" They where still standing a bit way from the horse at the fence and Cayana hadn't looked at it for quite a while. The mare had bent down, scratching it's hooves in the snow to look for some grass. "Well, girl, speak up." She said, waiting for Mika to say something.

As she left the tower the cold came down upon her like a hammer on an anvil and instantly she was covered in goosebumps. Inwardly she cursed the fact that se wasn’t Aes Sedai yet; they never were struck by the cold. it’s just not fair! she pouted; but at least she knew that in the stables there always was a nice cozy warmth of the animals.

In a quick pace she went to the stables, her eyes open for the Mistress of novices. The yard was pretty full though, and Mika only managed to find the Aes Sedai since the latter called her over.

“good morning Cayana Sedai” she said dutiful as she curtsied to the green sister; praying that it had only been the frogs… the prank on the recruits clothing would be punished heavier. The sister just looked at her for a while, her face serene as ever before she finally spoke up; asking the novice a peculiar question.
"Now. First off I'd like to ask you a question. Have you ever ridden a horse?” Mika blinked and tried her best to suppress a blush that she felt coming on. So that was why she was here.

She had in fact sat on a horse before, and not too long ago; she’d gotten the favor after giving one of the stableboys a kiss. The horse however had not really liked her and after mere seconds she was already flying trough the air and another stableboy had to rush in to drag her away from under the large horses hooves.
After a moment of thought suddenly the Green Sister got her attention back Well, girl, speak up."

“Yes I have Aes Sedai” she said meekly, trying to hold her voice as stready as she could “but only very briefly Aes Sedai”

“Yes I have Aes Sedai” The girl answered meekly with a small tremor in her voice, after having blushed slightly before Cayana had asked her to speak up. “but only very briefly Aes Sedai.” It was a peculiar answer for someone she was about to teach how to ride. "How so, child? Explain." Cayana didn't even realize that she had put her hands on her hips as she looked at the girl, which gave of a stern expression. Cayana really hoped that the girl hadn't gotten into any accidents and gotten hurt and afraid of the horses. It would, in a way, explain the embarrassed look of the girl. If she had the lesson would certainly end early and she'd let Mika go. A gift that scared the person wasn't really a gift quite the opposite.

Cayana couldn't help but to be reminded of her first riding lesson, or rather what had happened after it. She had been young at the time but Lord Alhi had decided that it was time for Cayana to learn how to ride and to do it like the Lady she was. The first lesson of learning to get on the horse, and how to hold the reigns and so on, had been done in divided silk skirts. Cayana hadn't much liked getting yelled at if she fell and got her dress dirty or anything of the like. So after her lesson she had snook down to the stables wearing boys clothes. Being just a little girl, and looking quite different in dirty boys clothes, the stableboys had taught her the basics. She had gotten caught though and forbidden to go anywhere near the stables without a proper escort, her mother or some soldiers. The lessons became a drag and she learned about a tenth, of the amount she had learned with the stableboys, with every lesson her mother gave her. First once she became old enough to flirt with the younger soldiers she got them to teach her and she actually became a good rider.

The girl before her didn't explain right away, she blushed deeper and was quiet. As Cayana didn't budge an inch the girl eventually spoke though. "They said it was too big and wild. It threw me off." The girl looked at her feet, it was clear she was ashamed of it. "Din't got hurt and I haven't done it since then though..." Cayana rose an eyebrow as she heard the girl speak. "I guessing this happened recently." The girl didn't protest right away and so Cayana took it as true. "Do you have so little to do normally that you have time to go down here and convincing stableboys to let you sit on horses?" Shaking her head Cayana sighed and motioned the girl to come with her as she started walking over to the horse by the fence. "As You seem to be familiar with horses I want to to tell me what it is this horse is equipped with and how you would go about to get on it." It was hard for Cayana not to punish the girl for what she had just confessed to, instead she had turned the lesson into a much harder thing then it would have been should the girl not have confessed to having done what she had. It might come to a ruff start, but if the girl where good Cayana might be able to calm herself enough to make the lesson more enjoyable. It was up to Mika.

"Do you have so little to do normally that you have time to go down here and convincing stableboys to let you sit on horses?" Shaking her head Cayana sighed and motioned the girl to come with her as she started walking over to the horse by the fence. "As You seem to be familiar with horses I want to to tell me what it is this horse is equipped with and how you would go about to get on it."
Mika blushed a bit more but followed anyways towards the horse.

"Ehm.... It has a saddle, and bit and bridle... an those footholdthingies Cayana Sedai." she said calmly; wondering why she was asked this, maybe she'd be given the punishment of having to shine all them thingies, or make the saddles softer or whatever; do that kind of chores that the stableboys did.
"And to get on it, I would put one foot in the foothooldthingies; my hands on the saddleknob and then hose myself on. if there is no-one around to help me anyways."

She glanced back at the Aes Sedai and kept wondering why she was asked these questions and what her punishment would be in the end.
After a moment Cayana sedai nodded and the only things she said at the moment were "try it."
Somewhat baffled Mika looked at the woman but quickly started doing as she was commanded after a brief "comecome child, we haven't got all day"

The horse just stayed calm and steady and just sidestepped an inch as she approached it to put her hands on the sadleknob, which was located rather high for a short girl like her.
Then she put her left foot on the stirrupand did an effort to push herself up. In order to gain some stability on the slightly moving horse, she put the tip of her other foot in the stirrup as well and then tried to hose herself on to the horses back... failing miserablely.

"... an those footholdthingies Cayana Sedai." Mika explained. "Stirrups." Cayana added as the girl just had lost the word. After the firl had finished Cayana continued saying. "Try it."
Mika stared at her, baffled at what Cayana had told her. Silly girl, have you no ability to draw conclusions on why you haven't been put to work? "Come on, child. We haven't got all day." Cayana said to get Mika to at least move if nothing else.

The girl tried to sit up but failed and fell off. The horse was still tied to the fence and so it couldn't walk off. It snorted at the girl though. While helping the girl to her feet Cayana said. "Try it again. Don't use the other foot to climb the horse. Jump and swing it over." Bending forward a little she spoke softly as she added with a small smile. "If you still can't do it, use the fence." It was in a kind tone and Cayana hoped that Mika wouldn't take offense. Cayana remembered having to train for months before she had the strength to get on the horse on her own, as well as the grace.

Watching Mika get on Cayana put a hand on the horses neck to calm it and make it stand still. Eventually the girl got up and Cayana untied the rains from the fence. While she did this she spoke to the girl. "Most horses test their new rider to see who's the master. You have to control it yourself and make sure it does as you want. If you don't it will do what ever it pleases including throwing you off if that happends to be it." She handed Mika the rains. "Turn by pulling the rain on that side lightly. If it doesn't comply pull a little bit harder and lean to that side. Eventually it will follow your directions." She took a step back and gestured for Mika to try it. Once they had passed this part, the trick of making the horse move, they would move into the training area and continue. This was of course just one lesson and Mika would need much practice to actually know how to ride. If the girl showed interest Cayana might be able to arrange something.

With a lot of Guidance from the mistress of Novices, Mika finally managed to get onto the horse without using the fence she proudly added to herself

"Most horses test their new rider to see who's the master. You have to control it yourself and make sure it does as you want. If you don't it will do what ever it pleases including throwing you off if that happends to be it." Cayana Sedai handed Mika the rains. "Turn by pulling the rain on that side lightly. If it doesn't comply pull a little bit harder and lean to that side. Eventually it will follow your directions." the Aes Sedai took a step back and gestured for Mika to try it.

Mika let some breath escape and pressed her legs a bit tighter around the warm flanks of the horse. Then she started doing as she'd been told and gently pulled the reins to the left. The horse however, did not feel like listning and pulled his head to the rightside and then started swinging it. Somewhat panicking Mika immediately pulled harder and leant to the left; but this resulted in the horse swaying even more and starting to have his entire body move around.

Briefly Mika winced and in a reflex pulled the reins as close as possible to her face; closing her eyes. but at that the horse only shook his head a bit and then started moving back wards a bit, stopping completely as she opened her eyes and released some pressure on the reins.

Once more the horse stood still and Mika now again looked at the Mistress of novices whose face was black and only said "well, try again child." Again she released some breath and started again, this time pulling a bit harder then last time and heaving just a bit of her weight to the left. and it worke... the horse actually followed without any problem. A huge grin appeared on the novices face as her body swayed in the saddle on the rhythem of the strange movements of the horse.