05/21/2000

Ogier Grove

Trees so big around that it would take nine men holding hands to encircle
them raise their branches to the sky as if in prayer. Sunlight only pierces
the leaf canopy occasionally, coating this entire haven from the city in a
pleasant semi-shadow. Here and there, however, the trees part ways to allow
the sunshine through,a bright spot for those who enjoy the sun on their
back. One cannot view any other part of the city from here, for even the
Tower is blocked from view. Soft moss and patches of grass form natural
reclining spots. Save for the wide wall encompassing the Grove,there is not
a single man-made structure to be seen: no paths,no benches, no fountains.
The lack seems only good and right.Even the wall disappears from view in
just a few steps.

At the very back of the Grove one might view Tar Valon's worst-kept secret.
Near a portion of the wall covered over with stonework --leaves and vines
and other such things, things that the Ogier are well known to be able to
do but generally avoid for their own pleasure -- are a group of three or
four Aes Sedai and no less than twelve Gaidin doing a poor job of
pretending to picnic. The pretense is kept up daily -- a basket here, a
bottle of wine there, a frisbee or a ball that a couple of the Gaidin toss
back and forth. The faces change constantly, but they are always here, even
at night, when they pretend to cuddle and look at stars. The youngest child
knows that there is Something Special about that wall; scholars and old men
say that it must really be a Waygate. In fact, there are times when they
glare so that the normal citizens find other parts of the Grove to visit,
times when, local wisdom says, someone is either coming in,or going out.


Off in a part of the Grove that Neelkan hopes is remote, he didn't want
anyone seeing him, but he had to take out his frustrations on something. A
poor defenseless tree is better then someone on the streets that could have
him arrested and thrown in jail, correct? Aye, well, he's standing in front
of one of those huge trees, and he winds up for about the fifth punch, with
both knuckles already badly bruised, and the middle knuckle on his right
hand has the skin broken open and is bleeding rather badly. The fifth punch
connects and is followed by a gasp of pain and he leans against the tree
for a moment to recover. Light that one hurt.

Kirra looks around, wondering where that noise came from. Causually, and
quietly, she walks over to where the treebeating is going on and watchs.
She shakes her head, stiffling a sigh. What's wrong with the boy now?

Taking a few ragged breaths, Neelkan starts to mutter softly to himself,
"Bloody, flamin' women. Don't... know... why... I'm... gettin' so flamin'
worked up. Light." He pulls back and punches again with the same fist and
then ends up grabbing his poor fist with his other hand, letting blood flow
between his fingers. Light. Might have broken something that time...

Kirra can't let this go on. Too much pain. She coughs slightly, just enough
to call attention to herself. No sense embarassing the poor boy more than
she needs to.

The Tinker scurries into the grove upon hearing the beating of a tree.

Grasping one of his fists in his other hand, blood flowing through his
fingers, Neelkan glances up at the woman and hisses a few rather obscure
Eharon curses. "What d'ya want?" he asks through clenched teeth. Can't he
even -vent- by himself!?

Kirra ahems. "Well, I was thinking. . .I could heal your hands so you can
get back to killing that poor tree in relative comfort? I don't think it'll
do well for you to permenantly damage your hands, you know."

"I'd rather he not hit the tree any longer. These belong to the Ogier, not
us." The Tinker says, simply.

"Better a tree 'en a person." Neelkan hisses softly, then sits down hard on
the ground. "I'm done anyway..." He still is holding tight to his bleeding
fist, though it looks like the urge to hit things has passed. Now he gets
to sit through the pain part. Pain is so much easier to deal with then
thoughts...

Too bad Kirra isn't going to let him keep the pain. She's pushy, that Sedai
is, specially when people are hurt. She walks right up to him, takes hold
of his hands and smiles, "Just relax. . .this will only hurt for a moment."

"You'll make a good gaidin, one that uses his hands and violence to solve
all the world's problems." The Tinker snorts, her eyes nearly rolling back
out of her head as she speaks. She moves up to the tree to assess if there
was any damage to it.

"Don't, bloody Light! Lemme go." Neelkan tries to jerk his hand away, but
he's too emotionally worn out to pull with much force so if she continues
to try she would easily be able to get them. Then he snaps at the Tinker,
"Ya don't know what yer talkin' 'bout, lady." The tree of course has a
little damage, but not much. He picked that tree because it looked like it
wouldn't be damaged easily. A little bark is sheered off, and there's some
blood from where his skin was torn, but nothing major.

Kirra shhhs the boy and gets about with the healing. Which should
effectively shut him up, what with the shuddering cold and all it'll send
through him.

"Light!!" Neelkan hisses loudly, shivering and squirming a little under the
shot of cold and the feeling of his skin stitching together and the broken
bone in his had repairing. Once he can stop shivering and everything he
hisses out a little softer, "Ya bloody Aes Sedai. Didn't e'en flamin'
ask!!" And she took away the pain... He needed the pain. He mutters a few
more soft curses under his breath.

Kirra archs a brow. "No, I didn't ask. You're so stubborn, you'd have said
no and to not heal you would have violated my conscious." She smiles
sweetly, "There now, we both feel better. And the tree looks none the worse
for wear."

Tiau peers over at the Sedai. "I thank the Sedai for healing my own wounds,
but.." She laughs.. "I still do not know if I can trust someone who can do
that.'

Kirra grins at Tiau. "Well, I've not lost a patient yet, you know.
Although, I have been tempted from time to time...."

White-streaked red hair falls to obscure his eyes and Neelkan studies the
ground for a moment. "I don't feel any better..." His voice is very softly,
almost coming out like someone he wants to start crying but is fighting it
back. Hmm. "'n it's not 'at I don't trust 'em..." he adds on, just as
softly and in the same tone.

Kirra looks at Neelkan for a moment, then nods. "Someone upset you." She
doesn't ask, it's more a statement. "Perhaps it is better you beat up
trees. Best still, if you take on one of the trainees. You could learn
something from them."

Tiau rolls her eyes and moves onwards. "Good day."

After a few moments of a pause, the same fists Neelkan was punching the
tree with are suddenly brought up to cover his face and he starts to shake
slightly. Oi. Looks like someone is a little -too- upset. The pain is gone,
and so is the false emotions he was using to cover what he really was
feeling, so now he's left to sob into his hands.

Kirra ooohs dears and moves to slip an arm about the boy. "There, there,
Neelkan. It's alright." She can't really help it, you know. She's far too
much a softy for a Sedai.

Neelkan is probably going to hate himself for this, but he leans into the
woman and starts to sob on her. Oi. He's really going to be mad at himself
later when all this is over.

Kirra shhhhs and strokes the boys hair. Slowly, she guides him over to a
bench to sit down. She doesn't really say anything, just makes little
comforting sounds until he calms down.

Oh, Neelkan's going to keep this up for a while. He may act all big and
tough and fearless all the time, but when things upset him, they really
upset him. He was using anger and pain to cover it up, but she took those
away, so now he's just left to shake and sob on the woman for a while
before finally stopping, but he doesn't lift his head right away.

Kirra produces, from somewhere, a handkerchief which she hands to Neel once
he's calmed slightly. She gives glaring looks to anyone who thinks to come
over.

Pushing the kerchief back, Neelkan just uses his hands to wipe his eyes
instead, mutter softly under his breath, "I di..didn't... I mean...
Light..." Arg. He's already beginning to berate himself. Crying like a
child on a -woman-. Arg.

Kirra nods slowly and loosens her hold on you. "What happened, Neelkan?"

Closing his eyes, and lowering his head so that his spikey hair falls to
obscure most of his face, Neelkan mutters softly, "I.. I promised not t'
talk 'bout it... I.. I can't. Just... leave m' 'lone..." He just wants to
curl up in someplace safe, all by himself and just... do nothing.

Kirra nods, patting your arm. "Well, if you gave your word. But, Neelkan,
you can tell me, you know. It may help, make you feel less. . .out of
control."

"No.. no I can't.." Neelkan says shaking his head, spikes shifting around
and his body starting to shake again as he even thinks about it. "Yer
better off not knowin'... It won't help nothin' talkin' 'bout it... I
just... I need..." Need to beat a bloody tree!!

Kirra looks at you, calmly. "Neelkan, look at me. There isn't anything
you've done or seen or heard that could shock me. And it certanly wouldn't
scare me."

Shaking his head, Neelkan looks up at the woman through his bright peacock
blue-green eyes. "Trust m', Aes Sedai. 'is would." He speaks with total
convection, and total honesty. The fact that he called her Aes Sedai...
Well, that's something else all together. "I know ya don't believe m'...
But 'is is somethin' 'at would." It even scared him. And he's not easy to
scare. Well, unless you happen to say the word milk or dangle him over
water...

Kirra nods slowly. "Is it more frightening than being attacked by an army
of Trollocs? Or watching the man you love be ripped apart?" She looks at
you, curious.

Without hesitation, Neelkan says, "Yes. Though I am sure 'ose thin's were
very scary on 'ere own... 'ey just..." He trails off and looks away. "I
told ya I can't talk 'bout it. I'm not e'en supposed t' know... I kinda
wish I didn't now..." He shakes his head. "No.. no.. I -needed- t' know...
But I can't... I can't tell ya. I'm sorry." And he really does sound sorry.

Kirra mmms, knowing full well she could make you tell if she really wanted
to. "Tell me this then, does what you know pose a danger? To you or to
those around you?"

This time there's hesitation. Neelkan looks at the ground for a moment.
"I.. I.. I'm not gonna let it. No matter what I gotta do... it..." he
shakes his head and then looks up again, his eyes watery once more, "I
won't let anyone get hurt if I can help it, but I really can't tell ya. I
promised, 'n I can't break it... 'n... 'n if I do it'll just hurt 'er..eh..
the person e'en more..."

Kirra nods slowly. "Alright. For now. If this becomes a problem, Neelkan,
you're going to have to tell me. I know," she holds up a hand, "I know you
gave your word. I won't ask you to break it, but if it becomes a danger,
you will have to."

Reaching up to rub at his eyes again, Neelkan sighs softly. If it becomes a
danger... It was a danger long before he knew about it... but he can't say
that. It would only make her more determined. "I.. I'll do what I think is
best.." That's all he can offer right now, and he reaches up to accept the
hand.

Kirra nods and smiles. "Well then. That' settled." She looks pleased. Which
is strange, considering you got what you wanted, right? Hmmm.

Huh? Neelkan just shakes his head, pulling his hand back and putting it
into his hair as he fully stands up. "Could ya... could ya tell the Yellows
'at I'm gonna be stayin' in an Inn f'r tonight? I... I need t' sleep in a
room without any people tonight... 'n I haven't begun m' trainin' yet,
so..."

Kirra nods. "That won't be a problem." Not since she knows where you're
going to be, after all. And can set a spy on you. "Enjoy your privacy while
you can."

"Thanks..." Neelkan says with a shrug, then starts towards the exit of the
Grove to find an Inn... Must be alone for a while. Away from Aes Sedai...
away from women in general... away from people...