Prologue: The Untempared Skism
I walked down the dirt fire lit path, dressed in the ceremonial dark blue long sleeve shirt and long pants to the Untempared Skism with one Time Lord shadowing my foot steps behind me. "Well this is it" I thought "they all say oh don't worry there's only a 1/3 chance I could die well happy 8th birthday to me."
After about a five minute walk I saw the based of the platform and the circle where another Time Lord was waiting. They motioned me to step up on and to look into it and stood off to the side waiting. I was suddenly filled with fear even if I didn't die The Master went crazy just looking into it.
I stepped up on the platform and, took a deep breath and looked into the whole of time and space. I screamed it was ten times more than the worst head ache I ever had, I felt like I was going to die there was no way anything could survive such pain. I felt a burning sensation on the underside of my left wrist. Then there was nothing but darkness.
The next morning I woke up in the infirmary I slowly turned over my wrist, there branded into my skin of my dominant hand was a snake in a perfect circle eating its own tail. It was the sign of regeneration, I had just passed the first of three milestones to becoming a full Time Lord. The fact that I could now regenerate meant that I could start my 8 years of novice training to help prepare me for my apprentice ship initiation when I turn 15, they don't tell you what it is until that evening when you report to the infirmary just one level down from where I was now.
7 years later
"Hurry up Thaleah your going to miss your transport! You and I both know there's only one a week from the mountains to the Citadel and if you miss it you won't become a apprentice and you'll be a maid for the rest of your life!" Grandma called her voice cracking with age.
"Yes Grandma I know!" I called down quickly throwing things in my bag and shutting the lid. Where is my other shoe? "Hey Grandma have you seen my shoe?"
"It's by the door where you left it, now get down here weather your packed or not!"
I took one last glance around my room and snagged the picture off my desk and stuffed it in my pocket. I ran down the stairs carting my bag almost tripping in the process. My Grandma had my shoe in one had a cane in the other "go on now and get on that transport." She said kissing me on the cheek and hurrying me out the door. I turned and sprinted down the rocky mountain pathway