07/10/2000 Practice Yard, White Tower, Tar Valon Hard packed earth is ringed in by a plain wooden fence. Daily the practice area is maintained by the pounding of young men's feet, as they are ran about the yard or set to forms. Towards the left hand side of the yard the thud of arrows hitting targets can be heard. The right is devoted to racks full of practice weapons and armor. Throughout the day the harsh voices of Gaidin urging the boys to work faster, stronger, harder can be heard. At night the silence is almost eerie as only the cicadas come out to play their nocturnal commentary. A three story building is at the end of the hall, providing a place for the trainees to live. A set of iron stairs up to the door is a favorite meeting spot for some of the boys, to sit and rest when such things are granted. Often they can be seen catching a meal there, to avoid wrinkled noses and sniffs from young ladies unaccustomed to the sweat and grime they daily generate. Sitting aside on one of the benches, Neelkan is apparently sharpening some Gaidin's sword. The Gaidin is standing over him while he does this. He's just finishing up and holds the sword up for inspection. The Gaidin nods and takes it back, telling the boy to go on. He straights and starts to look around, searching for one he has yet to task for. The Gaidin that is grumbling to himself seems to be the lucky one. He starts heading that way, reaching up and brushing hair out of his eyes. He looks rather dirty, and like he's been working non-stop for many hours. Which no doubt he has. Darelen twirls his staff in his hand a moment, and cracks it against the ground, causing a sharp snap to ring out. Neelkan approaches the Gaidin and instantly bows down, even with the cracking of the staff. His voice is sort of humbled, but not so much that he carries off the humbled aire all that well, "Gaidin, I am bein' punished f't bein' disrespectful t' General Christabel Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah. Is 'ere any one task 'at ya require of m' t' do at 'is time?" He glances up afterwards and has a look of determination all over his face. Kirra follows Darelen in, not about to let him get away with just walking off like that. She can be stubborn too, especially when she's had to deal with mental trainess and terrified novices all day. Darelen twirls on the young man. "For being disrepectful?" he asks, as though this is possibly the stupidest thing he has heard in a while. "Are all of them being so touchy? What did you say to the woman?" Neelkan actually smirks for a moment, "I stuck m' tongue out at 'er 'n told 'er I wouldn't stand aside 'cuz I was visitin' m' friend in the Infirmary 'n she told m' t' move away from 'er." Darelen takes a deep breath, letting the anger start to slip out of him. "Right... well, I suppose you did over react." he gives the young man a stern look. "You are never to act like that again. A Gaidin's first priroity is to his Aes Sedai. That means he must be willing to give people the respect deserving of their station. At all times." he knows Kirra is coming up behind him. "And that goes for those above and below you." Kirra smirks slightly at Darelen's words. Suure, big talk now. Hmp. She comes to a stop beside him, looking at Neelkan. "Trainee," she nods to him. Neelkan's eyes narrow for a moment, and he's about to protest that he doesn't want to be bonded. But he restrains himself and nods his head, "Is that m' task 'en, Gaidin?" He straights up from his bow finally and turns towards the Aes Sedai, bowing as well. Though he doesn't make his statement and task asking quite yet. Darelen smiles. "Not quite." he says softly. "You're task for me is going to last you a while." he says. "You are to start training as though your only wish in life is to become bonded, and to someone that you would protect with your final breath." he says softly. "Wiehter you will ever bond an Aes Sedai or not, when you walk out that door, you will /be/ Gaidin." "But Gaidin, I would a'ready protect anyone who's m' friend with m' final breath. I don't need t' be bonded f'r 'at." Neelkan says, glancing towards the Aes Sedai again as he straightens to look at the man. He sounds like he means it too. "But I will do m' best." Kirra does nothing but arch her brow at Darelen's task, clasping her hands lightly behind her back. She simply waits, calm-like. Darelen nods. "Good." he says. "As for respect, there is nothing keeping you from not knowing what your actions are, nor keeping those actions under control. Don't repeat such an action." he warns. Yeah, he's way to angry right now, but he's not sure what to do about it just yet. He twirls on Kirra. "Yes?" Kirra looks up at Darelen slowly. If she's mad or upset or feeling much of anything at the moment, she's doing a good job of not showing it. "Are you finished here?" Darelen looks back at Neelkan. "I am." he says. "Go on, boy." he suggests, "There is no need for you to try your question with Kirra Sedai here." he says softly. He turns back to Kirra. "Yes?" Running a hand through his hair lightly, Neelkan muses silently for a moment. Control himself? Well, that certainly will not be an easy task. The rest is easy, and he would do it anyway. But not stick his tongue out a a woman who was bothering him? Then he blinks and shakes his head at the man, "No. I have to ask every Aes Sedai and Gaidin within the Tower for a task." He looks towards Kirra for a moment, as if silently asking to give the task now so he doesn't have to bow down yet again. Kirra archs a brow at that comment. "First, the boy was given a task by another Sedai, Darelen. He must carry it out whether you approve or not." She smiles at Neelkan, approvingly. "Actually, I do have something for you to do, but it won't cause you any harm. Kirra faces Neelkan, "I want you to apologize to the women in this Tower, every one of them, for the comments you made against their gender. Apologize for the offense you may have given and do not do it again. Understand?" Darelen smiles. "I approve of this punishment, Kirra. It teaches the boy, once it is explained." he looks back and gives the young man a stern look. "However, he wasn't simply dropped on his head and left for dead, if that had been the case." he says. He quiets when Kirra starts talking, crosses his arms and holding a hand over his mouth. Not that it can hide his humor from Kirra. Won't cause him harm? Thank the Light. Neelkan nods and steps towards the Aes Sedai, then stops and he frowns, "I was speakin' m' opinion. I will not apologize f'r m' believes, nor will I say I won't say anythin' else 'gain, cause it would be a lie. But I will apologize f'r any offense I've done. I do not mean t' offend anyway. What I say is not t' b' taken personally. It's m' observation of women in general." Kirra nods slightly. "Believe what you want, Neelkan, but keep it to yourself from now on. And I mean every woman, from Mother to the lowest kitchen maid, understand?" Darelen laughs at that point. "The Aes Sedai has a point, Neelkan." he reaches over and takes her hand. "For every woman you'll find who has treated you so badly, you'll find four who will teart you the king." Kirra glances at Darelen. "You'd better not be entertaining four women, oh King Darelen." She grins slightly, "It would make me very cranky." Neelkan's eyes narrow for a moment, and he sighs, "Yer no better 'en m' sisters." And that's an insult and would be taken personally if she had any idea how his sisters were. Then he snorts at Darelen, "Ya've obviously ne'er grew up in Eharon. 'n the Tower doesn't produce such 'king treaters' either far as I can tell." Hey, he has to get a few final stabs before he can't say anything bad anymore. "But I will try. I can not promise I will ne'er say nothin' the same e'er 'gain." Kirra mmms and nods slightly. "Try, Neelkan. Now, you'd best be on your rounds. You've got quite a few women to speak to." Darelen smiles at Kirra, and winks. "I didn't say it would take all four." he says with a chuckle. "Now, Neelkan, you need to accept that not all women are Eharonan, nor are they your sisters. You'll never meet anyone right with that attitude." he warns. "I've a'ready met a few women who aren't bad. A very, very few." Neelkan says, shaking his head a little, then starts to head on yet -another- round. First he was told to ask a task of every Aes Sedai and Gaidin in the Tower. Now he has to apologize to every woman in the Tower. He's never going to get to sleep. Kirra looks at Darelen, keeping the smirk firmly off her face. Must look stern, see? She looks back at Neelkan and nods, dismissively. "I hope your other tasks are not too difficult, Neelkan." Darelen smiles at Kirra, then back to Neelkan. "They best not be." he says, with a wink. Must keep out the joke... Smirking lightly, Neelkan just shakes his head, muttering something softly under his breath, then moves on towards the Courtyard to start a round of apologizes.