((Sorry for the delay, I had problems with my computer as readers of my
other story well know.))
Zarkot grimaced as he saw all the pots and pans waiting for him. But he rolled up his sleeves and began to scrub them. All novices of the White Tower had more chores to do then anything else. Being the only male novice the Tower had had in over an age he had more to do then many of the female novices did.
"It's because I'm a man," he grumbled. "They are all afraid I'm going to bloody go mad. Well I won't. I will not! I never even feel the taint when I channel."
"Silence!" the large women in charge of the kitchen commanded. "Novices are not to speak while they do their chores. Now get back to work!"
Zarkot had to bite his tongue to keep from shooting back a reply. It had gotten him in trouble more then a few times. And many of those in charge here did not take kindly to him. And the Red Ajah always watched him. They were waiting to sink their claws into him. But the Amyrlin Seat would not relent. She would not allow them to gentle him. Yet.
So long as he worked hard and did not go mad everything would be fine. Yet how would he be able to tell if he was going mad or not? Everyone around him seemed to think he would at the drop of a pin. In each of the classes where he channeled everything would go still until he successfully did something while remaining sane.
He thought on going mad until he finished his chores and went to his small, closet-like room. "When I become an Accepted then they will not think me mad," he said to the ceiling. "They'll understand that I will not go mad. Even though they do not teach me right I will still pass."
His teachers could not teach him correctly. He actually had to practice alone for hours and read dusty old volumes about men channeling to learn anything. In a way he was more intelligent then any of his classmates. They were simply taught; he had to work hard for every bit of it.
He sat up after a few moments and took off his shoes. Then he darted out the door and headed for the Grove. The Grove where Galad was waiting, calling for him.
"Lyrenna will skin me alive if she catches me out here again," Zarkot told himself as he ran. "With another lecture about being here at the right time."
To his great surprise though when he reached the Grove Lyrenna was kneeling with her hands against the trunk of a great silver-leaf tree next to Zarkot's. "Galinna," she said. "I am sorry if I have not come often enough. Forgive me."
"Galinna," Zarkot repeated. "Well I knew Lyrenna was a Tree-speaker. Which means she must have a tree." So he came up and put his own hands on the smooth bark of Galad. "Hello Galad."
Lyrenna didn't scowl at him or threaten him. She simply said, "Hello Zarkot. Sit with me, we must talk."
Zarkot obeyed, sitting cross-legged with his back against Galad's trunk. "What is it Lyrenna Sedai?" he asked. "What could make you not be wroth with me for visiting Galad again?"
Lyrenna sighed and said, "I am always honest with you Zarkot. I told you it would be dangerous to be a male novice, a Tree-speaker at that. So I will be honest with you now." She took a deep breath. "You have a sister and she has just arrived. Her name is Jeriana and she is your twin."
((Sorry it was so short.))
Zarkot grimaced as he saw all the pots and pans waiting for him. But he rolled up his sleeves and began to scrub them. All novices of the White Tower had more chores to do then anything else. Being the only male novice the Tower had had in over an age he had more to do then many of the female novices did.
"It's because I'm a man," he grumbled. "They are all afraid I'm going to bloody go mad. Well I won't. I will not! I never even feel the taint when I channel."
"Silence!" the large women in charge of the kitchen commanded. "Novices are not to speak while they do their chores. Now get back to work!"
Zarkot had to bite his tongue to keep from shooting back a reply. It had gotten him in trouble more then a few times. And many of those in charge here did not take kindly to him. And the Red Ajah always watched him. They were waiting to sink their claws into him. But the Amyrlin Seat would not relent. She would not allow them to gentle him. Yet.
So long as he worked hard and did not go mad everything would be fine. Yet how would he be able to tell if he was going mad or not? Everyone around him seemed to think he would at the drop of a pin. In each of the classes where he channeled everything would go still until he successfully did something while remaining sane.
He thought on going mad until he finished his chores and went to his small, closet-like room. "When I become an Accepted then they will not think me mad," he said to the ceiling. "They'll understand that I will not go mad. Even though they do not teach me right I will still pass."
His teachers could not teach him correctly. He actually had to practice alone for hours and read dusty old volumes about men channeling to learn anything. In a way he was more intelligent then any of his classmates. They were simply taught; he had to work hard for every bit of it.
He sat up after a few moments and took off his shoes. Then he darted out the door and headed for the Grove. The Grove where Galad was waiting, calling for him.
"Lyrenna will skin me alive if she catches me out here again," Zarkot told himself as he ran. "With another lecture about being here at the right time."
To his great surprise though when he reached the Grove Lyrenna was kneeling with her hands against the trunk of a great silver-leaf tree next to Zarkot's. "Galinna," she said. "I am sorry if I have not come often enough. Forgive me."
"Galinna," Zarkot repeated. "Well I knew Lyrenna was a Tree-speaker. Which means she must have a tree." So he came up and put his own hands on the smooth bark of Galad. "Hello Galad."
Lyrenna didn't scowl at him or threaten him. She simply said, "Hello Zarkot. Sit with me, we must talk."
Zarkot obeyed, sitting cross-legged with his back against Galad's trunk. "What is it Lyrenna Sedai?" he asked. "What could make you not be wroth with me for visiting Galad again?"
Lyrenna sighed and said, "I am always honest with you Zarkot. I told you it would be dangerous to be a male novice, a Tree-speaker at that. So I will be honest with you now." She took a deep breath. "You have a sister and she has just arrived. Her name is Jeriana and she is your twin."
((Sorry it was so short.))