(A/N- Hey everyone! This is Lady Arabella, with my first Wheel of Time fan fic, To be Accepted! It is about a Domani girl who discovers she can channel, and her path to reaching Accepted. Pleeze r+r! Thanx! I'll mention all people who review at the start of my next chapter, so pleeze give me a name you would like to be recognized as, or your fanfiction.net ID! Thanx a bunch! Enjoy!)
Chapter 1- Aes Sedai
"Arabella! Are you paying attention?!?!"
Arabella just barely suppressed a sigh. "Yes Mother."
"You need to know this to become a successful merchant!"
A merchant. That was what she was to become. Arabella Transtiva, a Domani merchant. She sighed again.
"Arabella, now listen closely. This is how you must walk, with a slight sway. Watch me. Now you try."
Ara heaved herself out of her chair. Almost tripping over her pale yellow clinging skirts, slashed with green, she attempted to imitate her mother. Ara's coppery face contained emerald green eyes, which stared at her feet to ensure that she didn't trip. They had to look a long way. Ara was tall and willowy, with gleaming hair as black as coal.
"Good. But not good enough. More like this. No, no no! You're doing it wrong!"
Ara's mother, Corele Transtiva, was tall, even for a Domani, with a face to match Ara's. Looks did seem to run in the family. But there was on big difference: behavior. Ara was awkward with herself and men, as where Corele was graceful, with the men swarming around her like flies.
"Now try ag—"
A knock interrupted Corele. She walked over to the door and yanked it open. Ara almost sighed again. It was probably that man from Andor that Corele was having an "affair" with. And she'd be stuck with them. At the age of eighteen, she was allowed as much freedom as a ten-year-old!
"Oh, please come in," said Corele. Why isn't she talking all honey-like? thought Ara. Her answer came almost immediately, as a woman stepped though the door. As she glanced at Ara, a shiver ran down her back. That ageless face could only mean one thing: an Aes Sedai.
"Do you need anything? Perhaps tea?" questioned Corele.
"Some tea would me nice," replied the Aes Sedai absently.
Ara had once had a dream of becoming Aes Sedai. But as the ability to channel hadn't turned up in her yet, she had given up hope. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the Aes Sedai was trying to ask her a question.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, my Lady! I didn't hear you!"
"What is your name child?" the Aes Sedai responded.
Ara hesitated.
"Spit it out girl."
"My name is Arabella Leane Transtiva. If I may ask, who are you?"
"Oh, I'm Verin Mathwin, Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah. And you are about to become the newest novice to the Tower."
"What!!" yelped Ara, jumping to her feet. "I can't channel!"
"Yes you can," retorted Verin, unperturbed by Ara's reaction. "You have the potential to be more powerful than the Forsaken."
"T-T-The Fors-s-saken?" asked Ara, quivering.
"Yes. You could be more powerful than Nynaeve al'Meara, Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah. She is the strongest among us Aes Sedai. But there are novices as powerful as her. But you could easily hold as much of the One Power as she could."
"Are you serious? I can become an Aes Sedai? Not a merchant?"
"What are you talking about?" asked Corele suspiciously, walking into the room, carrying a tray with tea. She set it on the table and turned to glare at Ara. "What??"
"Arabella has the ability to channel. She should come with me to the Tower immediately."
"Which Tower? I've heard rumors that the Tower is split."
"The rebel Aes Sedai, ruled over by Egwene al'Vere, Flame of Tar Valon, Watcher of the Seals, the Amyrlin Seat."
"But it's not right, being a rebel."
:If you want Arabella to become a damane, fine with me. If you want that, I'll leave right now."
"What's a damane?" questioned Ara.
"You don't know?!?!"
Ara and Corele shook their heads.
"Well, in the Old Tongue, it means Leashed One. I presume you have heard of the Seanchan, right? Yes, good. Well, they use something called an a'dam, a collar and bracelet connected by a silver leash, to control woman who can channel. The damane wear the collar, and are controlled by woman who wear the bracelet, called sul'dam, which means Leash Holder in the Old Tongue, and they are used as weapons in battle. They basically are dogs. Any woman who can channel and is not leashed is a marath'damane, or, in the Old Tongue, Those Who Must Be Leashed."
"You mean they are coming here?" asked Ara faintly.
"I'm searching Bandar Eban for everyone who can channel, along with four other sisters, so that if the Seanchan do decide to take over Arad Doman, there won't be any marath'damane here for them to capture. But enough of that. I'm leaving in the morning to bring you and our other new Domani novices to the rebel Tower. Pack your things and be ready to leave at dawn." With that, Verin stood and walked towards the door. Corele darted to the door and pulled it open, murmuring, "I shall see you tomorrow, Verin Sedai." She snapped the door shut and collapsed into the same chair Verin had used.
She sighed. "We had better get you packed up. You have a long journey ahead of you."
~ ~ ~
So, what do you think? Review pleeze!
~Lady Arabella