((Okay.I'll do four Accepted chapters. I know that may be a little much but
I am definitely doing Jeriana's and Zarkot's...along with two of the
others. Why don't you tell me which two you would like to see? By the by I
forgot to mention Amico in the last chapter...she's there with all of the
others. If the Accepted ceremony is a little wrong in how it goes correct
me and I'll make sure the other ones are right.
Oh yeah, ~word~ means it's a though. Kay?))
Jeriana had small drops of sweat trailing down her face as she reached the room she was heading to. She took a deep breath, her hand resting on the door, and wiped away the sweat. The last thing she would do was look afraid in front of the Aes Sedai who were presiding over her ceremony!
A breath of cold air struck her and she shivered. The room was dark, lit only by a few candles. Silin stood there, her face slightly grave but a smile was in her pale eyes. "Come forward Jeriana," she intoned solemnly. Then she repeated basically the same thing as Sierin had.
Jeriana snapped back to present and realized that Silin was eyeing her sternly. "I said that you must take off your clothes Jeriana. You cannot go in clothed." Blushing Jeriana hurriedly stripped and placed her clothing on the stool. Then she stepped forward and Silin said, "The first doorway is for what was. The way back will come but once, be strong and steadfast."
Jeriana nodded and stepped through the first doorway.
Jeriana frowned as she found herself floating in the sky. "I thought this was supposed to be like reality," she said to herself. Then, below her, she saw someone walking towards a dark house. She recognized that person! It was a young Liandrin, with her honey-blond braids and doll's face she could never be mistaken.
Jeriana managed to get herself to the ground and followed after her friend. Once inside the house Liandrin called, "I have come, I know what you are! Come, speak with me. I wish to join with you."
Jeriana frowned, what was she talking about? Then she heard something: ~The way back will come but once, be strong and steadfast.~ She shrugged it off though; a woman clothed in all black had walked out of the shadows.
"What do you want child?" the woman asked. "Oh, I see, you can channel, yes?"
"Yes I can channel," Liandrin boasted. "I am leaving for the White Tower in a week. But before I go I have decided to seek out the Black Ajah and join with them."
Jeriana practically screamed but held her voice in check. No! Liandrin could not have done this; this was a lie, a lie!!! ~The way back will come..~ She cut the thought off ruthlessly, she had to stop Liandrin from doing this, she had to save her friend!
The woman cackled. "Child you do not know what you speak of," she said. "Go back to your home and play with dolls. The Black Ajah is not real."
Liandrin's pretty face twisted and her rosebud mouth tightened. Jeriana saw the glow of saidar surround her. The woman was suddenly turning around and her eyes were wide. "That was good child," she said. "Almost good enough to work. Train up your mind a little more though, before you go bothering those you believe are Black Ajah!"
Liandrin smiled, all traces of tension gone from her face. "You are Black Ajah," she said in a satisfactory tone that Jeriana knew well. "And you will allow me to join you."
~The way back will come...be steadfast and strong.~ It was fainter this time but Jeriana felt a tickle in the back of her mind. Then something shimmered from beside her. It was a stone circle that she recognized. "I have to go through there," she thought. "To the White Tower. But...Liandrin."
Jeriana turned her head back to Liandrin and saw that the girl was listening to the woman speak. "The Great Lord of the Dark promises us power and wealth beyond our wants and desires."
"Yes!" Liandrin cried. "I will serve the Great Lord of the Dark and be faithful to him!"
"NO!" Jeriana cried out. "Liandrin no!" She turned her head back and saw that the stone circle was fading. ~This isn't real!~ "Liandrin, please!" The honey-haired girl turned around and her eyes settled on Jeriana.
There were tears in Liandrin's large brown eyes. She held out hands. Jeriana saw a split in her friend then. Half of her wanted the Dark One, half of her wanted the Light. "Help me Jeriana," the Light half begged. "Oh Light please help me!"
Sobbing Jeriana turned to see the stone circle fading even more rapidly. "I'm sorry Liandrin," she said as she jumped through it. "Oh Light burn me I'm sorry!"
Cold water rushed over her body as she shook and cried. "You are cleansed from your past life. You come to us clean of all misdeeds and guilt. The next circle represents the present. The way back will come but once, be strong and steadfast." Silin's voice had a slight tremble in it.
Jeriana looked up at her, lilac eyes full of pain and tears. "Why?" she asked. "Why must I do this?"
Silin did not answer her question. "Go through the next circle or stop," she said. Jeriana wiped her eyes and nodded. Then she ran through the next circle..
And found herself standing in the library of the White Tower. She had the dress of an Accepted on and was reading a book. ~The way will come but once, be strong and steadfast.~ Jeriana nodded, she had heard things like that before and they always meant something. She just wasn't sure what this one meant.
"Jeriana!" Jeriana turned to see a fellow Accepted, Liandrin to be exact, come running up to her. Liandrin collapsed at her feet, breathing heavily as though she had run a long way.
Jeriana kneeled down and took her friend's hand. "What is it Liandrin?" she asked. "What is wrong?"
Liandrin caught her breath and said, "They've decided to gentle Zarkot!" Her brown eyes were wide and her face was pale. "They're going to do it right now!"
Jeriana jumped up and demanded, "Where are they? Where is he Liandrin!"
"You know where," Liandrin said softly. "In the public court. That is where gentling takes place. Jeriana, you cannot help him."
Jeriana ignored that and took off running. She heard Liandrin following behind her. ~The way will come but once.~ That voice again! It was familiar but of no importance at the moment, Zarkot was going to be cut off from the One Power!
Suddenly the air around her froze and she couldn't move. "Release me!" she demanded. "Let me go right now!"
"I cannot do that Jeriana," Chesmal said calmly. She had come out of her room as Jeriana and Liandrin ran by. "You will get yourself stilled if you do what I know you are planning on doing."
Jeriana struggled then went limp. "What about Alviarin?" she demanded. "Where is she?"
"Right here," Alviarin said. "They bound me as well." Her eyes were burning with fury but her face was calm. "They will not let me save him!"
Jeriana glared at Liandrin and Chesmal. Then she lashed out with glass- sharp strands of Air that severed the bonds that held herself and Alviarin. She then wrapped Liandrin in a shield that would block her from using saidar. She also felt Alviarin wrap up Chesmal.
"I'm sorry for doing this," Jeriana said to Liandrin as she tied the shield off. "But I must save my brother at all costs." ~The way will come~ She cut that thought off. Right now she had no time for her hearings that everyone thought were so important. Right now nothing mattered but saving Zarkot.
She took off and felt Alviarin at her side. "What are we going to do?" she asked.
"I do not know," Alviarin replied. For once Jeriana saw unease and fear on her friends' face. "But we must do something."
They both rounded the corner into the public court. There stood the Amyrlin Seat ~Sierin Vayu is the Amyrlin!~ Jeriana frowned, Sierin Vayu had been replaced a year ago. She touched her head as thoughts flashed through but she managed to shake them off. ~Be steadfast~
"Zarkot!" Alviarin called from her side, voice full of terror and love. Jeriana looked up to see her brother surrounded by fourteen Aes Sedai, one from each Ajah. The Amyrlin Seat sat in a chair as she watched, a pleased smile on her face. Zarkot was kneeling, his Accepted robe torn off and lying in a heap.
Jeriana was full of rage as she screamed and ran through the crowd to kneel beside her brother. Alviarin was right beside her. "He is an Accepted!" she cried to the crowed. "He is of the Tower, a tree-speaker! Do not do this!"
Zarkot turned to look at her through empty eyes; he was bruised and battered from head to toe. Alviarin clutched his arm tightly. "Jeriana," he whispered in a ragged voice. "Stay with me?"
Jeriana nodded, tears stinging her eyes. Then ~The way will come but once, be strong and steadfast!~ She turned her head to look at the Amyrlin and saw below her a stone circle. "No," she whispered as she remembered. "I cannot leave Zarkot."
Alviarin was crying, the Aes Sedai were beginning. "Zarkot," Jeriana whispered. Then she began to crawl away.
Zarkot watched her go. "No, Jeriana," he cried. "Please Jeriana, help me!" Jeriana shook her head as she backed through the doorway. "Jeriana!" Zarkot screamed.
The cry still echoed in her ears as she stumbled onto the cold floor. Water was dumped over her but she did not feel it, she had gone numb with shock. "You come to us new, your present thoughts clear."
Jeriana looked over at Silin with dead lilac eyes. "They gentled him," she said in an accusing tone. "They gentled my brother and stilled Alviarin!"
Silin tightened her grip of Jeriana's arm, her face white. "They did no such thing Jeriana," she whispered as she guided her to the final stone. "It is not real, it is not really happening. The third doorway is for the future. The way back will come but once, be strong and steadfast." Then Jeriana stumbled into the third and final doorway...
She was facing a tall tree. High in the branches sat Zarkot, eyes closed hand touching the tree. He was a tree-speaker and was talking with this tree. ~The way back will come but once, be strong and steadfast.~ The White Tower, her Accepted test. The way back...
"Jeriana!" Zarkot called down. "Jeriana she is here!" He scrambled down out of the tree and turned to face west. "She is coming."
Jeriana felt fear wash over her. "Lilac to me!" she cried loudly. "Lilac to me, she comes!" ~What am I saying? What is Lilac?~ A small part of her mind wondered what she was asking while the other part wondered what she was saying.
There were small pops all around her and when she looked again there stood Liandrin, Alviarin, Rianna, Temaile, Amico, Ispan, Chesmal, Moiraine, Jeaine, and Marillin. Each of them had the shawl of an Aes Sedai only it was lilac in color! Fingering her own neck Jeriana realized she too wore a shawl and it was lilac as well!
Then the shock was gone as Zarkot turned, flashing his own lilac shawl. "She's coming," he told them. "She's coming to slay us, you well know it."
"Mierin," Temaile hissed, blue eyes flashing. "Mierin comes for us at last."
Jeriana felt a surge of hatred boil through her at that name. ~Why? Mierin, there is nothing wrong with Mierin.~ Then just as quickly ~The way will come but once.~
Suddenly she reached out and clasped Liandrin's hand on her right. Then she grabbed Alviarin's hand with her left. Liandrin smiled, her face glowing with confidence. "Just like that day that we were called to the Amyrlin's Study to be told of becoming Accepted."
Jeriana smiled back as the others joined hands like they had that day. The thought of that day made her think of Silin waiting for her, nervously wringing her hands. And her having to get out and become Accepted. No, she was Lilac Ajah she had the shawl. Suddenly the sky turned black and a wind whipped up.
"Here it comes!" Moiraine called from the other side of Alviarin. "Mierin is trying to break us apart!"
"Don't let her separate us!" Jeriana shouted over the wind. "Whatever you do hang on to the others hands!"
Then Mierin was among them and Jeriana felt for the Source, only it was gone. She cried out in despair. Mierin grinned widely as she called down lightning. Ispan cried out and then was silent. Chesmal crumpled down the line, her face pale and dark eyes wide. "No!" Zarkot cried, lunging for Mierin, his eyes burning. She struck him down with a ball of fire that he could not block somehow.
Jeriana felt Alviarin's will to keep going weaken. "No Alviarin," she said. "Hold on to me, hold on."
"I can't," Alviarin said in a weak voice, the silky coolness was gone. Mierin sensed the weakness and struck. Alviarin didn't even cry out as the fire burned her.
~THE WAY WILL COME BUT ONCE~ the thought roared through her head as she launched herself at Mierin, hands bared. Beside her Liandrin faulted, eyes blank.
"She stilled me!" Liandrin and Temaile cried as one. "Bloody Light she stilled me!"
~BE STRONG~ "No!" Jeriana cried at the thought and at Mierin. "I have to save them." ~AND STEADFAST!~ A stone circle appeared to her right and Mierin looked at it. She raised her hand to close it but Jeriana dove through at the last second. Temaile and Liandrin watched her leave, eyes as dead as stone.
Silin caught Jeriana as she fell out. "It's okay," she hushed the girl as the water was poured over her. "Hush now child," she whispered. "Nothing will harm you."
((Ta-DAA! Jeriana is an Accepted now. She has the ring and everything.))
Oh yeah, ~word~ means it's a though. Kay?))
Jeriana had small drops of sweat trailing down her face as she reached the room she was heading to. She took a deep breath, her hand resting on the door, and wiped away the sweat. The last thing she would do was look afraid in front of the Aes Sedai who were presiding over her ceremony!
A breath of cold air struck her and she shivered. The room was dark, lit only by a few candles. Silin stood there, her face slightly grave but a smile was in her pale eyes. "Come forward Jeriana," she intoned solemnly. Then she repeated basically the same thing as Sierin had.
Jeriana snapped back to present and realized that Silin was eyeing her sternly. "I said that you must take off your clothes Jeriana. You cannot go in clothed." Blushing Jeriana hurriedly stripped and placed her clothing on the stool. Then she stepped forward and Silin said, "The first doorway is for what was. The way back will come but once, be strong and steadfast."
Jeriana nodded and stepped through the first doorway.
Jeriana frowned as she found herself floating in the sky. "I thought this was supposed to be like reality," she said to herself. Then, below her, she saw someone walking towards a dark house. She recognized that person! It was a young Liandrin, with her honey-blond braids and doll's face she could never be mistaken.
Jeriana managed to get herself to the ground and followed after her friend. Once inside the house Liandrin called, "I have come, I know what you are! Come, speak with me. I wish to join with you."
Jeriana frowned, what was she talking about? Then she heard something: ~The way back will come but once, be strong and steadfast.~ She shrugged it off though; a woman clothed in all black had walked out of the shadows.
"What do you want child?" the woman asked. "Oh, I see, you can channel, yes?"
"Yes I can channel," Liandrin boasted. "I am leaving for the White Tower in a week. But before I go I have decided to seek out the Black Ajah and join with them."
Jeriana practically screamed but held her voice in check. No! Liandrin could not have done this; this was a lie, a lie!!! ~The way back will come..~ She cut the thought off ruthlessly, she had to stop Liandrin from doing this, she had to save her friend!
The woman cackled. "Child you do not know what you speak of," she said. "Go back to your home and play with dolls. The Black Ajah is not real."
Liandrin's pretty face twisted and her rosebud mouth tightened. Jeriana saw the glow of saidar surround her. The woman was suddenly turning around and her eyes were wide. "That was good child," she said. "Almost good enough to work. Train up your mind a little more though, before you go bothering those you believe are Black Ajah!"
Liandrin smiled, all traces of tension gone from her face. "You are Black Ajah," she said in a satisfactory tone that Jeriana knew well. "And you will allow me to join you."
~The way back will come...be steadfast and strong.~ It was fainter this time but Jeriana felt a tickle in the back of her mind. Then something shimmered from beside her. It was a stone circle that she recognized. "I have to go through there," she thought. "To the White Tower. But...Liandrin."
Jeriana turned her head back to Liandrin and saw that the girl was listening to the woman speak. "The Great Lord of the Dark promises us power and wealth beyond our wants and desires."
"Yes!" Liandrin cried. "I will serve the Great Lord of the Dark and be faithful to him!"
"NO!" Jeriana cried out. "Liandrin no!" She turned her head back and saw that the stone circle was fading. ~This isn't real!~ "Liandrin, please!" The honey-haired girl turned around and her eyes settled on Jeriana.
There were tears in Liandrin's large brown eyes. She held out hands. Jeriana saw a split in her friend then. Half of her wanted the Dark One, half of her wanted the Light. "Help me Jeriana," the Light half begged. "Oh Light please help me!"
Sobbing Jeriana turned to see the stone circle fading even more rapidly. "I'm sorry Liandrin," she said as she jumped through it. "Oh Light burn me I'm sorry!"
Cold water rushed over her body as she shook and cried. "You are cleansed from your past life. You come to us clean of all misdeeds and guilt. The next circle represents the present. The way back will come but once, be strong and steadfast." Silin's voice had a slight tremble in it.
Jeriana looked up at her, lilac eyes full of pain and tears. "Why?" she asked. "Why must I do this?"
Silin did not answer her question. "Go through the next circle or stop," she said. Jeriana wiped her eyes and nodded. Then she ran through the next circle..
And found herself standing in the library of the White Tower. She had the dress of an Accepted on and was reading a book. ~The way will come but once, be strong and steadfast.~ Jeriana nodded, she had heard things like that before and they always meant something. She just wasn't sure what this one meant.
"Jeriana!" Jeriana turned to see a fellow Accepted, Liandrin to be exact, come running up to her. Liandrin collapsed at her feet, breathing heavily as though she had run a long way.
Jeriana kneeled down and took her friend's hand. "What is it Liandrin?" she asked. "What is wrong?"
Liandrin caught her breath and said, "They've decided to gentle Zarkot!" Her brown eyes were wide and her face was pale. "They're going to do it right now!"
Jeriana jumped up and demanded, "Where are they? Where is he Liandrin!"
"You know where," Liandrin said softly. "In the public court. That is where gentling takes place. Jeriana, you cannot help him."
Jeriana ignored that and took off running. She heard Liandrin following behind her. ~The way will come but once.~ That voice again! It was familiar but of no importance at the moment, Zarkot was going to be cut off from the One Power!
Suddenly the air around her froze and she couldn't move. "Release me!" she demanded. "Let me go right now!"
"I cannot do that Jeriana," Chesmal said calmly. She had come out of her room as Jeriana and Liandrin ran by. "You will get yourself stilled if you do what I know you are planning on doing."
Jeriana struggled then went limp. "What about Alviarin?" she demanded. "Where is she?"
"Right here," Alviarin said. "They bound me as well." Her eyes were burning with fury but her face was calm. "They will not let me save him!"
Jeriana glared at Liandrin and Chesmal. Then she lashed out with glass- sharp strands of Air that severed the bonds that held herself and Alviarin. She then wrapped Liandrin in a shield that would block her from using saidar. She also felt Alviarin wrap up Chesmal.
"I'm sorry for doing this," Jeriana said to Liandrin as she tied the shield off. "But I must save my brother at all costs." ~The way will come~ She cut that thought off. Right now she had no time for her hearings that everyone thought were so important. Right now nothing mattered but saving Zarkot.
She took off and felt Alviarin at her side. "What are we going to do?" she asked.
"I do not know," Alviarin replied. For once Jeriana saw unease and fear on her friends' face. "But we must do something."
They both rounded the corner into the public court. There stood the Amyrlin Seat ~Sierin Vayu is the Amyrlin!~ Jeriana frowned, Sierin Vayu had been replaced a year ago. She touched her head as thoughts flashed through but she managed to shake them off. ~Be steadfast~
"Zarkot!" Alviarin called from her side, voice full of terror and love. Jeriana looked up to see her brother surrounded by fourteen Aes Sedai, one from each Ajah. The Amyrlin Seat sat in a chair as she watched, a pleased smile on her face. Zarkot was kneeling, his Accepted robe torn off and lying in a heap.
Jeriana was full of rage as she screamed and ran through the crowd to kneel beside her brother. Alviarin was right beside her. "He is an Accepted!" she cried to the crowed. "He is of the Tower, a tree-speaker! Do not do this!"
Zarkot turned to look at her through empty eyes; he was bruised and battered from head to toe. Alviarin clutched his arm tightly. "Jeriana," he whispered in a ragged voice. "Stay with me?"
Jeriana nodded, tears stinging her eyes. Then ~The way will come but once, be strong and steadfast!~ She turned her head to look at the Amyrlin and saw below her a stone circle. "No," she whispered as she remembered. "I cannot leave Zarkot."
Alviarin was crying, the Aes Sedai were beginning. "Zarkot," Jeriana whispered. Then she began to crawl away.
Zarkot watched her go. "No, Jeriana," he cried. "Please Jeriana, help me!" Jeriana shook her head as she backed through the doorway. "Jeriana!" Zarkot screamed.
The cry still echoed in her ears as she stumbled onto the cold floor. Water was dumped over her but she did not feel it, she had gone numb with shock. "You come to us new, your present thoughts clear."
Jeriana looked over at Silin with dead lilac eyes. "They gentled him," she said in an accusing tone. "They gentled my brother and stilled Alviarin!"
Silin tightened her grip of Jeriana's arm, her face white. "They did no such thing Jeriana," she whispered as she guided her to the final stone. "It is not real, it is not really happening. The third doorway is for the future. The way back will come but once, be strong and steadfast." Then Jeriana stumbled into the third and final doorway...
She was facing a tall tree. High in the branches sat Zarkot, eyes closed hand touching the tree. He was a tree-speaker and was talking with this tree. ~The way back will come but once, be strong and steadfast.~ The White Tower, her Accepted test. The way back...
"Jeriana!" Zarkot called down. "Jeriana she is here!" He scrambled down out of the tree and turned to face west. "She is coming."
Jeriana felt fear wash over her. "Lilac to me!" she cried loudly. "Lilac to me, she comes!" ~What am I saying? What is Lilac?~ A small part of her mind wondered what she was asking while the other part wondered what she was saying.
There were small pops all around her and when she looked again there stood Liandrin, Alviarin, Rianna, Temaile, Amico, Ispan, Chesmal, Moiraine, Jeaine, and Marillin. Each of them had the shawl of an Aes Sedai only it was lilac in color! Fingering her own neck Jeriana realized she too wore a shawl and it was lilac as well!
Then the shock was gone as Zarkot turned, flashing his own lilac shawl. "She's coming," he told them. "She's coming to slay us, you well know it."
"Mierin," Temaile hissed, blue eyes flashing. "Mierin comes for us at last."
Jeriana felt a surge of hatred boil through her at that name. ~Why? Mierin, there is nothing wrong with Mierin.~ Then just as quickly ~The way will come but once.~
Suddenly she reached out and clasped Liandrin's hand on her right. Then she grabbed Alviarin's hand with her left. Liandrin smiled, her face glowing with confidence. "Just like that day that we were called to the Amyrlin's Study to be told of becoming Accepted."
Jeriana smiled back as the others joined hands like they had that day. The thought of that day made her think of Silin waiting for her, nervously wringing her hands. And her having to get out and become Accepted. No, she was Lilac Ajah she had the shawl. Suddenly the sky turned black and a wind whipped up.
"Here it comes!" Moiraine called from the other side of Alviarin. "Mierin is trying to break us apart!"
"Don't let her separate us!" Jeriana shouted over the wind. "Whatever you do hang on to the others hands!"
Then Mierin was among them and Jeriana felt for the Source, only it was gone. She cried out in despair. Mierin grinned widely as she called down lightning. Ispan cried out and then was silent. Chesmal crumpled down the line, her face pale and dark eyes wide. "No!" Zarkot cried, lunging for Mierin, his eyes burning. She struck him down with a ball of fire that he could not block somehow.
Jeriana felt Alviarin's will to keep going weaken. "No Alviarin," she said. "Hold on to me, hold on."
"I can't," Alviarin said in a weak voice, the silky coolness was gone. Mierin sensed the weakness and struck. Alviarin didn't even cry out as the fire burned her.
~THE WAY WILL COME BUT ONCE~ the thought roared through her head as she launched herself at Mierin, hands bared. Beside her Liandrin faulted, eyes blank.
"She stilled me!" Liandrin and Temaile cried as one. "Bloody Light she stilled me!"
~BE STRONG~ "No!" Jeriana cried at the thought and at Mierin. "I have to save them." ~AND STEADFAST!~ A stone circle appeared to her right and Mierin looked at it. She raised her hand to close it but Jeriana dove through at the last second. Temaile and Liandrin watched her leave, eyes as dead as stone.
Silin caught Jeriana as she fell out. "It's okay," she hushed the girl as the water was poured over her. "Hush now child," she whispered. "Nothing will harm you."
((Ta-DAA! Jeriana is an Accepted now. She has the ring and everything.))