05/15/2000 Aliana's Quarters, White Tower, Tar Valon Pale snowy white dances warmly over the walls of the room broken only by two unadorned windows that look out. Sitting in the center of the room a rather beat up table of pale golden wood sits surrounded by equally plain chairs with dark jade fabric providing cushioning on the back and seat. Upon the right way a delicate ornately carved mantle rests above the fireplace. Standing out in the hall with an Accepted escourt, Neelkan sticks his hands under the sash at his waist for a few moments after knocking on the door and waiting. He avoids looking at the apparently young woman beside him. She's -evil-. Glare. "Please enter." Comes the loud response from 'within'...No doubt Aliana by the tones. Pulling his hands back out, Neelkan sticks his tongue out at the young woman beside him, then opens the door, "It's me, Aliana. Uh... Neelkan." In case she doesn't know his voice. "Ah Neelkan, You are dismissed." Aliana's voice is rather smooth and sort of cold as she speaks to the girl,"Care to sit down?" She gestures to one of the chair near where she sits at the table. Geez, Aes Sedai with a room that is more fit for a commoner. Noticing the room reminds him a little of home, Neelkan looks a tad confused. He was expecting something far more grand. Oh well. "Sure!" he says before ploping down on the chair. "How're ya doin'?" "Much better." Waiting until the Accepted is gone, Aliana says calmly,"Thank you for stopping me at the Parade. Did you enjoy your drinking spree?" She adds the last after a small pause. At first, Neelkan's smirking a little and about to say that it was nothing, then he coughs at the mention of his drinking spree and actually has to catch himself. "M'...m'drinkin' spree? I dunno what yer talkin' 'bout.." Is he flushing slightly? "Lieing is not your strong point Neelkan. Nor is it mine. I did a bit of hunting for you when you didn't return to the Tower that night. Someone said they saw you drinking heavily. Really. If you're going to drink, try not to pass out." Aliana's voice sounds more like a hint than a scolding. Biting down on his lower lip, Neelkan suddenly finds himself very interested in the carpet, his hair falls to cover most of his face from view as he says softly, "I didn't pass out." An eyebrow arches slightly,"Really?" Aliana seems more than a little intrigue,"Find someone to 'play' with? I believe that's what my unit calls it." If that flush was slight before, it's now as red as his hair. Neelkan looks like he just wants to run out of the room, but he doesn't. Instead he gives his head a shake and looks up, flush fading, "Ye'h. She wasn't as good as ya'd prolly be though." He winks slightly after saying that. He may hate women, but that doesn't mean he can't flirt a little. Plus it takes away some of the awkwardness for him at least. A merry laugh escapes from Aliana,"Now /that/ is something you'll never know. I'm sorry but sometimes I like to tease a little. Relax. I heard you were offered a spot in the Gaidin training program." "Who said I wanted t' know anyway?" Neelkan says with that little smirk of his before leaning back into the chair. Change of subject. Whew. "Ye'h! 'at's why I came up 'ere t' talk t' ya actually. M' friends said I should find out what I'm gettin' int', 'n I figured ya might know a lil'..." He heard somewhere that she had a Gaidin after all. "Something you should think about. Gaidin die for their Sedai. Are you prepared for that?" Aliana's voie is soft and almost tangibly tinged with sadness. Neelkan shrugs his shoulders slightly, "I'd die f'r any of m' friends, Aliana." It's said with some.. slight hesitance, but he sounds like he means it. "The training you recieve to become Gaidin will be difficult. You'll practice and practice. They'll work you day and night at times. It will be difficult but in the end you are an excellent warrior. Only a fraction of those who begin finish." Aliana's voice is quite calm,"Do /you/ want to do it? Or do you feel that because others want you to do it you should.? "I'm not afraid'a challange, 'n I doubt 'ey could work m' half as hard as m' sisters used t'!" Neelkan says with some honestly. Five older sisters. Living on a farm. And who did all the work? Little Neel. Bwah. Or Shun'u as he was called then. "'n I want t' do it. I was considerin' it f'r I was e'er offered." A slight nod is given before Aliana says softly,"Then you should do it...You remind me of my brother. Let us hope you don't share his fate Neelkan." Her voice is soft, gentle and /full/ of pain. For once again the Aes Sedai doesn't seem to be hiding anything from Neelkan. "Uh.." Neelkan suddenly looks uncomfortable. He has no idea what to do in situations like this... "I... hope so too?" He's not good with these kinds of emotions. "My brother was killed defending his ward." COmes Aliana's calm reply having pulled hrself together. "Oh. I'm.. uh.. sorry t' 'ere 'at. But..." Neelkan stops himself. He was about to comment that that's the way someone should die. Defending someone else, but he doesn't say that. "I knew and know it is how he'd rather died but... He was always my closest friend and confidant." Aliana's emerald eye look at Neelkan,"You remind me of him. Headstrong and preferring the ways of honor. I guess that is why I tend to follow the same path. I am not very good at lieing." Jumping up to stand up again, Neelkan moves over towards the Aes Sedai and lays a hand lightly on her shoulder, "Ways'a honor? Well, 'at isn't 'xactly the term usually used f'r m', but... I 'ink I am gonna say yes 'n join the program 'ere. 'n I'm gonna make it to Gaidin too! But I prolly won't bond." He winks slightly again. Bonded to a woman!? Bwah. "I don't know. I think you'd make an excellent Gaidin for the girl I healed for you." Aliana's eyes sparkle back withm that little barb. Well all in good fun at least. Uh... Neelkan looks a little confused for a moment, then shrugs, "She said she couldn't have a Gaidin, but... I dunno. I'll protect any of m' friends, so if yer m' friend ya don't need t' have m' as a Gaidin!" "Not yet but she will be able to when she makes Sedai. Well unless she goes into the Red Ajah. They do not bond. SO the Green takes up the slack." Aliana's voice lilts slightly on the comment,"Myself, I am still hunting for more men to add to my collection. My unit has several volunteers coming from it but oh well." Now Neelkan's even more confused. "Denn said she wouldn't be makin' Aes Sedai..." But he's completely lost on things like this in general. "I dunno. I 'ink I'd rather just not worry 'bout 'at right now. Trainin' takes like years, right?" "Some take less than other but years is an appropriate time frame. Although generally it is shorter than the time it takes for a Novice to make Aes Sedai." Aliana's voice is calm,"I've been Aes Sedai for a few years now. I still see girls push too fast and become burnt out and loose their gift permanently for that is one thing that can /not/ be healed." "I'll prolly blow right through the program and surprise e'eryone!" Neelkan says loudly, with pep. He sounds like he really thinks that. "Prolly'll only take m' a year at most. Light, only took m' a year t'... uh... ne'ermind." "We'll see. Maybe I'll let you be one of my bonds until you find another." Aliana's voice is slightly teasing on the last comment. Neelkan blushes slightly for a few moments. "Well, ya ne'er know. I... I have t' go now. The Yellows told m' not to stay up 'ere too long."