05/12/2000


Lounge, White Tower, Tar Valon

The smell of hot tea, chamomile and orange, fills this room, which seems
designed for no other purpose but to relax and give comfort. Overstuffed
green couches are arranged almost haphazardly about on soft white carpet. A
large stone fireplace provides warmth in the winters, with various small
knicknacks and lanterns upon it. A high bookshelf in the back of the room
has relaxing reading: tales and poetry, nothing of scholarly value.

A small stove to boil tea upon is present, as is a full compliment of every
herbal variety designed to be steeped through water and drank for pleasure.
Small bowls of sugar and milk are spread about on this display, as are sea
folk tea cups and pitchers. Even the serving staff can be found about their
leisure here, and so the means are provided for people to help themselves.


Lounging on one of the overstuffed green couches, Neelkan's eyes are fixed
on nothing really. He had to get out of the Infirmary. It was too easy to
sleep there. The last thing he wants to do right now is sleep. Arg. He
should have gone to the practice yard instead...

Slowly almost like a mechanical doll, Aed comes in following a Novice, his
teddy bear clutched to his chest. Baby blue eyes quite hollow. Slowly the
novice approaches Neelkan,"Would you mind keeping an eye on the lad? Nera
Sedai said that someone needs to be with him."

Huh? Neelkan glances over at the voice, finally focasing on something. Then
his eyes move towards the boy... Oh. "Uh.. ye'h. Sure." Neelkan scoots over
a little to make room for the blue-eyed brat (eeer... boy) who looks almost
as bad as he feels.

The boy moves mechanically into the seat and promptly curls into a fetal
position elliciting a sigh from the Novice,"Try not to make him feel any
worse." Her voice is more sad than anything. Come to think of it. There is
a sort of resemblance between the girl and Aed...

The resemblance may be there, but Neelkan does not see it. He's completely
blind to those kind of things. Sorry. Try not to make him feel worse... Got
it. "So... ya settled int' the way things go 'round 'ere yet, kid?"

The boy just remains curled up and as if Neelkan's comment upsets him, Aed
bursts in a fit of crying. Not coming out from his curled up position. The
teddy bear held close as if for comfort.

Erk. Well, so much for not making him feel worse, huh? "Uh... Would ya like
m' t' sing t' ya? Maybe it'll make ya feel better?" Neelkan scoots over
closer to the boy and awkwardly puts an arm around him. He never did do the
'big brother' thing, but he can make an awkward attempt.

"People...died..." Aed's voice comes out ragged..."Music...good..." He's
back to simple phrases again. Geez and they had /just/ gotten the poor boy
to loosen up too.

Rubbing the boy's shoulder with a hand, Neelkan looks around and glares at
anyone within sight really quick as if to say if they make a single comment
he'll blacken their eyes! Then he tries to think of a song. Battle songs
should be avoided. Love songs likely wouldn't go well with the Tower
students around... so suddenly he thinks of a lullaby, "How about I sing ya
somethin' m'ma used t' sing t' me when I couldn't sleep. 'at be 'kay?"

Tear stained blue eyes look at Neelkan, with a sort of aching
hollowness,"Ok." Is all Aed says though and promptly curls back up.

Alright... Here's Neelkan, with his arm around this curled up crying little
boy, and he clears his throat, then glares around one last time at anyone
who would dare look at him funny before he starts to sing, rather softly at
first. It sounds like a lullaby, and it is. Something that Eharon women
sing to their kids when they can't sleep. So he had to change some of it,
because he -obviously- doesn't have a woman's voice, and he doesn't want to
sound like he's singing to -his- kid, obviously. Cause it's not his kid.
Duh. He's only seventeen!

Sobs rack Aed's small body diminishing slightly at Neelkan sings but it is
rather obvious the boy is still crying but then again with how thin the lad
is a small cry might do that.

Espiria heads into the room, looking no real worse for the wear she's been
thru in the past few days. She heads over to the ready teas, picking one
randomly before she closes her eyes for a moment and sighs. This place is
where she comes when she doesn't generally want any AS to find her. Moments
of peace are so hard to find these days. She lifts the tea, sighing softly
as she inhails the frangrance. She does glance around the room for just a
moment, noting Aed posture with a blink and Neel's position with a lifted
brow. Well, she certainly won't bother them. And she's too far away to
really hear what's being said. Even though it's itching at her with
curiousity as to what's being said. She notes Neel's posture..one of
concern for the small boy at his side and her head tips to one side as she
hears the beginings of a song. She smiles, softly, not wanting to interupt
it as it's obviously to comfort the child next to him, but she does try to
strain to hear it.

Bwah. This is not something he does often, so the kid better not get used
to it! But Neelkan continues to sing, voice raising in volume a little as
he gets more comfortable with it. And no one has given him dirty looks yet,
so that's a good sign for him. Plus this whole comforting thing is helping
him forget about what happened yesterday as well! Which is something he
very much would like to forget. As well as a few nights before, and a few
nights before that... And Light, he'd just like to jump back to before he
ever came to the Tower. Life was so much easier then. Even if he has made
friends, most of which are women... oddly enough. Arg.

Bwah. This is not something he does often, so the kid better not get used
to it! But Neelkan continues to sing, voice raising in volume a little as
he gets more comfortable with it. And no one has given him dirty looks yet,
so that's a good sign for him. Plus this whole comforting thing is helping
him forget about what happened yesterday as well! Which is something he
very much would like to forget. As well as a few nights before, and a few
nights before that... And Light, he'd just like to jump back to before he
ever came to the Tower. Life was so much easier then. Even if he has made
friends, most of which are women... oddly enough. Arg. (repose)

SLowly but surely Aed can be seen visibly relax, of course he's relaxing
into Neelkan but....oh well. He's still little. Softly he says,"Thank you."
He has no plans to move just at this particuliar oment.

Espiria smiles gently, watching from a distance. She's not about to disturb
this moment for either of you. She turns away, listening still as she takes
a sip of her tea. It's good that he cares...even if he doesn't want to show
it that often. Much like her Da that way. He was stern, but he had a softer
side that he showed when the occassion warrented it.

Cares!? Who said ANYTHING about caring!? Grrrrr. But luckily, Neelkan isn't
a mind reader so he just finishes the song and lets the kid... relax
against him. Arg, this is weird. He hopes he isn't stuck with -two- adopted
brothers when this is over. First Redd, now this kid. Bwah. "Uh.. yer
welcome." His bright blue-green eyes move around the room a few times as if
to check and see who all heard him and who he'll have to swear to
secrecy... then he spots Espiria. Good to see her out of bed. He offers a
lop-sided smirk towards the girl.

A little drowsily Aed just lays curled again Neelkan, not crying but still
clutching his teddy bear tightly as if it was a life presever for him. He
doesn't notice anyone or anything that he's not in contact with directly.
Barely aware of even Neelkan's breathing.

Espiria smiles at Neel, nodding to him, but she remains where she is for
the time being. She takes a sip of her tea though, watching from a
distance. She does wonder about Neel. Wondering perhaps, how a stern fellow
like him can be so kind and compassionate to someone younger. Hmm, then
again it's only been around girls mostly from what she's heard. But..then
again...he's been nice to her. She stares into her cup for a time, smiling
softly. Well, if nothing else she's glad to have him as a friend. Even if
he doesn't seem to like girls that much. She grins a bit, then frowns
glancing around for just a moment. Her eyes widen slightly, hand going to
her head. No. Not here...not now. She takes a deep breath trying to keep
away what she feels and hears, shaking her head for a bit as she leans on
the table. Got to get...away. Can't let anyone see me like this.

Bright blue-green eyes were continueing to watch the young Novice because
it was better then focusing on the weirdness of having a kid nuzzled up
against him, so Neelkan notices the... strangeness happen to his.. uh...
friend? Yes. A friend. A her friend even. Bwah. Let's not think about that.
There's some strange people here, after all. These people aren't like the
people he used to know. Well, most aren't. They aren't his big sisters, or
his mom. They aren't like the bandits he used to run around with. They're
just... different. Must be something about the island! Any place surrounded
by water is weird! That's it. Anyway, at seeing his friend react oddly,
Neelkan whispers to the kid, "Stay 'ere. I'll be right back." Then tries
to... disentangle himself so he can go over and see what's wrong with Espi.
Another way to avoid thinking about what he really would rather not think
about!

Rather demurely, Aed just simply curls into a ball as if not really
realising that Neelkan has left him alone. Well that doesn't last long as
he suddenly begins looking around quietly.

Espiria grips the table tightly, eyes closing as she tries to block out
something. She shakes her head, muttering over and over again a simple
phrase, "I..won't let this happen here..I won't..let this happen..here."
She frowns deeply, no6t noticing Neel's approach to her as she tries to get
a grip of herself. She can't let this happen here..now. That would be bad.
But it seems that it has a life of it's own at the moment and it's all she
can do to just remain standing.

Well, Neelkan isn't used to any of this 'coming to rescue' junk, but when
it's someone he considers a friend, he'll usually do just about anything to
make sure they're alright. He continues forward, his head tilted a little
to the side and spikey hair falling in front of his eyes for a moment,
"Hey, Light, are ya 'kay? D'ya need m' t' go get someone f'r ya?" Once
close enough, he reaches out awkwardly to touch the girl's shoulder.

Espiria jumps a bit at the touch, eyes glancing at nothing in particular as
she grips the notebook on her one hand and the tea in the other. It seems
though that the tea slowly lowers as her mind races to keep up with what
she is seeing/hearing. She shivers, shaking her head as she stares blankly
into a space just to one side of Neel. "I...I..don't..understand." She
sways on her feet, eyes slipping closed for a moment as the tea quickly
head toward the floor. Her breathing is coming rather sharp and quick as
well, even as her head shakes to deny what she hears and feels.

Well, if Neelkan had his earrings he could catch the tea, put it on the
table and not even seem to have moved very much. "Yo, what dontcha
understand? Huh?" He's confused here! Arg. (What else is new!?) "Espiria?"
He finally says her name, ignoring the tea and just trying to hold the girl
steady and see... whatever is happening with her exactly. He has no idea
what else to do in this situation. Other then fetch a Yellow. But he was
told not to leave Aed alone... Arg.

Espiria seems to get some kind of reaction to Neel's touching her. Like a
grounding sort of thing and her eyes tip to him, struggling for a moment
before she speaks. "I...I..need to sit down. Help..me please?" She seems as
though she is worried, hand still clutching the notebook in her hands as
though it were the most precious thing to her at the moment. Besides you
that is, since her hand reaches out to Neel and grips tightly on his arm as
though it were some sort of life line. "Need..to sit...Help...please?"

Needs to sit down? He can do that. Neelkan gets a good grip on the girl and
starts to pull/push/move (whichever) towards the nearest of the over
stuffed couches. What, is he becoming big brother to a dozen different
people all of a sudden!? Five older sisters, being the youngest in his
family, then of course joining up with a bunch of bandits and being the
youngest there too... that did not prepare him for this kind of thing.
"Uh... what's wrong?" he asks when he finally gets her too the couch so she
can sit down.

Espiria shivers slightly, moving as she is lead along to a place to sit.
Her eyes close for a moment, shivering slightly before her hand brings out
the notebook and she begins almost franticlly cribbling into the book. She
seems a bit perplexed at what she can 'hear', muttering slightly.
"I...don't know any rings.. I....never made rings. OH....please leave me
alone." She mutters a few words in the 'Old Tounge', shaking her head
slowly back and forth before she scribbled down on the pages this as well.
"I..don't understand...What..is this arch?" She seems to not realize she is
speaking aloud at the moment, face forming into a frown of worry and
confusion.

Arch?? Didn't... didn't Redd mention seeing a yellow arch...? Neelkan tries
hard not to think about this and keeps a hand on the arm that isn't
cribbling into the book. Never... made any rings? Could he have befriended
someone who isn't completely stable in the head. He's tempted to put a hand
to her forehead and check for a fever... but he won't. He'll just hold onto
her arm, until it seems she might be stopping for a moment. This is when
she mentions the Arch of course, and he blinks. "Arch? Ya don't see 'n arch
'r anythin', d'ya?" He looks around as if to see whatever it is the girl's
seeing... This is -too- weird. Can he go back to being a bandit... please?

Espiria blinks, shivering as it evidently comes to a close. At least
whatever she seems to be seeing does. She tips her eyes toward Neel,
widening slightly as she glances down to her notebook.
"Oh...Please...no...I" she pauses there, snapping the notebook closed as
she glances at Neel in worry, "What..did I say? I..." She frowns deeply,
tears forming on the sides of her eyes but not falling, "I..never asked for
this....why am I...Why is this happening to me?" She looks at Neel, but she
really doesn't expect an answer. It's as the Wheel wills..and no matter how
confusing it may get, she is mearly carried along by it.
"Oh..please...don't tell anyone what you've heard. Please? It..would anger
the Amyrlin something terrible..if she knew that anyone heard about this."
She sighs softly, head dropping to her hand as she sighs, "I..just don't
understand any of this...."

Neelkan sits there silently for a while, face covered with signs of worry,
including a creased brow, slightly narrowed eyes, and no smile. Then after
she says that last part and drops her head down he forces on his best and
wides grin, showing off his teeth and creasing his eyes even more, but in a
happy way, "Ya didn't say nothin', gal, so no worries. Even if ya did, I
wouldn't go repeatin' it." His voice is happy, and playful, showing not a
single sign of anything being wrong at all. He reaches over and rubs her
shoulder slightly with his hand. See!? Nothing's wrong here! Well, at least
that's the appearance. Honestly he's very, very confused, and wishing that
things were back to the way they were.

Espiria smiles shakily, nodding once before she glances down to her
notebook again and sighs. So much I don't understand. So little that I
can..say that I understand from all of this. Her eyes tip back to Neel,
smiling her thanks of his silence even though she knows that if asked, she
will have to tell the truth and say who saw..or heard aanything dealing
with this. She shakes her head, "I..never meant for you..to be brought into
this, Neelkan. Honestly...." Se seems very sad at that, wishing she could
have had this happen anywhere but here...with you seeing it.

Well, she isn't the only one who wishes he hadn't been here to see this!
Arg. But there's no changing the past, or Neelkan would go back and make
sure Hakurou had -never- asked him to lead that group that got caught in
the battle which is hoe he ended up here in the first place... Sigh. His
smile falters a little at that, and then he just shrugs and reaches up to
touch his hair. "Uh, well.. don't worry 'bout it. I got no idea 'xactly
what ya got m' involved in 'ere... but..." He trails off with confusion...

Espiria shivers, mulling over in her mind as she ponders those words. What
has she been thrown into? Ba'alzamon chasing her. Her having images thrust
upon her of times when..she feels she was..and yet wasn't. She shakes her
head slowly, frowning deeply. "Just....forget. Just...set them to the side
and forget that you heard anything, Neel. I...don't want to involve anyone
that..would get huret by just knowing me." She shivers again, trembling
under the hand that rests still on her arm. She wishes only that you be
safe. Safe from everything that she feels could harm you. Well, tha tis her
naturally, but it's also added to by the fact she feels so /very/ unsafe at
the moment. Except around a very few anyway. "I..don't even know myself,
Neel. I..just don't want anyone hurt because they know me...or associate
with me."

Well, there goes Neelkan's smile all together and his brow furrows again.
Just forget? Hurt? How in the Light can he just forget!? This isn't exactly
the time of thing someone can just push into the back of his mind and
discard it as a shift in the weather or something. "Hurt? What d'ya mean
hurt? Are ya in trouble, 'r somethin'?" He looks around quickly to see if
there's anyone listening in. "I don't understand... Why'd I get hurt just
by flamin' knowin' ya? It's not fair t' go 'n dangle somethin' like 'at in
front a m' 'n not explain." At least he doesn't raise his voice any.

Espiria frowns deeply, shaking her head. "I...I can't say. The Amyrlin has
sealed me from speaking of it. I...can't break that." She sighs softly,
lifting her shoulders in the hint of a shrug. "They..might know what this
is about, but I....can't understand as yet..what it would be. Umm....I
think if I mentioned it to Wyntere Sedai...she might be a bit more
receptive to explaining about this. I..would talk to her first though...so
that she wouldn't get the wrong idea from you." She sighs, biting her lower
lip. "I..should go find her and show her what I wrote....she would want to
know." She reaches out a hand, patting your hand that seems to want to
help. "I..will see what I can do about her speaking with you. I...don't
wnat anyone to get hurt because of this...and I feel they might should
things keep goingas they are." She rises, leaning over to give a swift hug
to you, eyes still sad. "I'll..be back later."

"I.. I.." Neelkan starts to protest, but then she gives him a hug and his
eyes widen a little. What? Has he never been hugged by a giiiiiiirl before?
Possibly. It suprises him, whichever it is. But then he slowly nods and
says, "A'right... I... I need t' stay 'n take care of the kid o'er 'ere..."
He glances towards the kid who fell asleep on the couch over there (or at
least looks asleep). "Uh... I hope... ya'll be a'right." He adds softly.

Espiria smiles and nods, "I'll..be as right as the Wheel wills. Regardless
of where it would lead me." She offers alst smile and heads out of the room
as quickly as she is able.