07/16/2000

Dining Hall, White Tower, Tar Valon

One may see, here, a huge buffet table full of every type of food
imaginable, from nearly every part of the known world. Occasionally empty
plates are removed and replaced, for there is no common eating time for any
but the students. Most eat when they remember to, or find the time. Other
tables are present. Some have broad cloths thrown over them, in the color
of the Ajah that normally sits there. Others are left plain, indicating a
table at which anyone may sit.

Bobbing lights, produced by the One Power, emit a soft glow, replacing the
need for candles and lamp oil, whose supplies are growing short each day
and which are getting quite expensive. Occasionally as some fade an
Accepted will walk in and replace them. The floor, white, is kept
meticulously clean and scrubbed. No sooner does some morsel find its
accidental way to the ground than someone is along to sweep it up and throw
it away.


In the Dining Hall, Neelkan is picking his way through the buffet table
with all types of food. He peers over people's shoulders, standing on
tiptoes when he gets stuck behind some tall Sedai or Gaidin or student or
whatever. He eventually fills his plate with a variety of foods, mostly
Eharon finger food type things, because that's what he used to eat back
home. He looks for something to drink, grumbling under his breath how they
need to serve ale here sometimes, and finally settles on a glass of juice
made of some sour fruit. Then he looks around to find himself a seat,
perferably at a table with no Aes Sedai or Gaidin so he won't have to do
anymore tasks until he finishes eating.

Then enters Espi. She still has a book under her arm and probably will
until she gets the chance to get all the studying done that she needs to.
But..there must always be time taken out for food. Wynt said so and she has
to do what she's told. She heads over to the tables, filing a plate with
her favorites and even a few odd things that she's not tried before. She
grabs a glass of something tangy and turns to look for a place to sit.

Neelkan has settled into a table that's for the most part empty on the side
he's sat down on, he takes a sip of the sour juice he got and seems to
think it alright, even if it's not ale or something he just perfers more.
Then out of the corner of his eye he spots a certain Accepted over in the
line that he just recently got out of. He grins and raises up a hand to
wave her over to sit with him. Beside him, across from him, whichever.

Widening her eyes at her luck, Espi nods over to you and heads that way.
She passes several asking her to join them, but she smiles and keeps going
as though she didn't hear them. Once at your table, she grins and leans
forward just a bit. "I'm glad you're here..I'd rather not have to listen to
their idiot gossiping..." She chuckles, whispering those words as she slips
into a seat.

Letting out a small laugh, Neelkan nods to what his friend has to say about
the 'idiot gossipers' and takes a fried stick of some meat into his hand
and dips it in some sauce before saying, "Well, ya just know 'ey'll prolly
end up gossipin' 'bout ya sittin' with m' f'r a lil' while. But I'm glad ya
decided t' sit with m'." He smirks lightly for a few moments, then bites
off the dipped part of the strip of meat.

Espiria chuckles and takes a fortful of the stew as she shrugs, "No worsew
than what they already say about me, Neel." She sighs softly, chewing for a
moment before grabbing a sip of the juice. "They already think I'm
strange..."

"Yer not strange, Espi. Yer you. 'n I like ya just the way ya are." Neelkan
says, pointing a half eaten strip of meat at her before dipping and eating
the rest of it. Afterwards he adds, "'n 'sides, if ya weren't you, 'en ya'd
have t' be someone else, 'n I prolly wouldn't like ya, cause I don't like
many 'someone elses'." ... Did that make sense to anyone? He seems to think
it did and washes down the finger foods with a drink of his juice.

Espiria smirks gently, looking up to you as she pauses. "Yeah...kinda
figured as much really. But..it just gets depressing when everyone looks at
you like..what are /you/ doing here. Or..what can I get out of her..."

Neelkan puts down his glass and says, "Ya got as much right t' be 'ere as
anyone else, far as I see it, 'n, just so ya know, I don't want nothin'
outta ya 'sides friendship..." Though he's kinda getting to the point where
he wouldn't exactly mind the idea of... uh... he better not think more on
that. Bad Neel. "'n I 'ink I know how ya feel. I'm not 'xactly 'at normal
seemin' t' people 'round 'ere either. 'Course I don't wanna b' either!"

Espiria chuckles softly, lifting a shoulder to shrug as she takes another
bite. Once she's done with that one, she looks over to you with a grin.
"Yeah..and I'd say very few here could technically be called..normal
anyways. They have no place saying someone /else/ is odd."

Ummm... Neelkan stares at his food for a few moments, pushing it around
with his finger before eating another bit of the meat. It takes him a few
moments before he glances up and grins, saying, "So what's goin' on with ya
'n Varcel anyway?" He's got a funny little grin as he asks that. Nope, he's
not blind. He's seen the things between the two of them. Drives him up the
wall sometimes... but...

Espiria blinks and coughs a bit on the juice she was about to drink. She
looks over to you, blushing brightly. Well, that certainly caught her off
guard. "Umm...nothing...for right now. We..umm..can't. We both have our
learning..and things to do before we can think of anything else, Neel."
Well, she's truthful..tho' perhaps not completely truthful.

Leaning forward over his food to look more closely, eyes partly obscured by
his spikey hair, Neelkan actually snickers a few times before reaching
forward and aiming a poke at the girl's nose. "I know 'at, silly. But I
won't tell on ya if ya tell m' the whole truth." Yes, he knows good and
well that what she told him about Varcel isn't the whole truth, and he
really wouldn't tell. He just wants to know! Honest... he's just curious...
for purely curious reasons. Nothing more. Really!

Espiria chuckles softly, sighing after a moment. Her voice lowers
considerably so she isn't overheard. "Well..you know about my memories.
Varcel...or rather who he was is in them, Neel." She shrugs gently, taking
a sip before she goes on. "He....well we were close back then and..I
remember it all."

Denn'ryiel enters the Dining Hall about now, and walks over towards a
general purpose table, not reserved for Sedai or novices or trainees or
such. She has her head down, and doesn't really spot anyone while she waits
to be served.

"Oh." This is kind of a surprise to Neelkan actually, and he pulls his hand
back and starts to eat somemore of his little finger foods he picked up
from the buffet. He's sitting off on one of the tables without a cloth for
Ajah, obviously, with Espi. He kinda seems to actually glower for a few
moments... why's that? Then he spots a certain person, or actually a
certain person's dress, in the corner of his eye. He swallows the current
mouthful and waves a hand in the air while calling out, "Denn!" No doubt
all the gossipers will start whispering about the whole Denn thing again.

Espiria glances at Neel, sighing softly as he says something so short for a
change. She looks down to her meal, suddenly having lost her appetite. At
least that is until Neel yells across the room. She smiles at Denn, waving
gently in her direction before turning back to her meal. Obviously...that
conversation just died a slow and painful death...

Denn'ryiel looks up as her name is called over towards Neelkan and Espiria,
and smiles a little in embarrassment back, waving back. After half a moment
of hesitation, she stands up, and starts walking over to join the pair.
"Peace favor you both," she says.

Vorsha comes breezing into the doors, her footsteps moving her gracefully
along. She smiles to a couple of trainees. Both are some she's known
before, so the smile is all she offers for now. They've gone their seperate
ways.

Neelkan shoves another bit of finger food into his mouth, before washing it
down with a drink of his juice and then says, "'ey back! How ya doin'?" He
puts on a grin, as if trying to forget that he was glowering over something
said just a few seconds ago. Glowering? Neelkan? Never! Alright, about
every other minute.

Espiria purses her lips, staring at her plate. Yes, she knows that Neel is
glowering and it just hurts her something fierce. Well..he did ask! But she
can't do anything about it now. What's said is said.. She sighs, glancing
up to Denn as she places her best 'nothing's wrong here' smile on. "I'm
glad your back Denn. I hope your time was well spent?"

Denn'ryiel nods her head once to Espi and Neelkan. "I'm... fine, I guess.
The farm wasn't in as dire need as they let on. Have I missed anything
significant?" she asks, curiously.

Vorsha sneaks up on Denn and gives her a hug from behind. "Denn!" she says
cheerfully. "Now, the famr could always use your expert help." she says,
sitting next to Espi. If she notices any problems, she doesn't let on.

Neelkan suddenly finds himself surrounded by women... even if he considers
two of them pretty much the closest friends he's ever had. He looks like
perplexed for a moment, pressing his lips together until they're nearly
white, then he shrugs it off and goes back to normal, grinning, "Ya didn't
miss nothin'! Less ya wanna 'ear 'bout all the flamin' tasks I've been made
t' do while ya were gone!"

Espiria chuckles softly, eyes widening at Denn gets pounced by Vorsha. She
breaks out into giggles, shaking her head. "You'll give someone a heart
attack doing that one of these days Vorsha." She smirks, glancing over to
Neel as she wonders how their friendship will be effected this time. It
seems like it never stops changing.

Denn'ryiel oofs and grins as she's hugged from behind. "Fortunately it
wasn't my day for a heart attack," she says with a grin, and hugs Vorsha
back before sitting down across from Neelkan. She sighs and shakes her
head. "I'm sorry to hear that, Neelkan. Are things a little better now, at
least? When last I left, I couldn't turn a corner without hearing some
rumor about you."

Vorsha smiles over at Neelkan. "I wouldn't worry to much about the young
man," she tells Denn. "He's finding all sorts of new things about himself."

Neelkan opens his mouth to deny any new rumors about him, then pauses with
his mouth open as Vorsha says... that... and he narrows his eyes and gives
her the Death Glare that he used to give all the Yellows in the Infirm.
It's only there for a few moments, then he says with a grumble, "I know
m'self perfectly well, thankyaverymuch."

Espiria giggles softly, shaking her head and seeing the way Neel is acting
knowing that it's because he's surrounded by what he most dislikes. Teasing
women. She smiles at Neel, reaching out to pat his arm gently. "Oh..You
know they just love getting a rise out of you, Neel." She chuckles,
scowling at Vorsha for a moment with a sparkle of mischief in her eyes.
"Besides..Denn hasn't heard the best part."

Denn'ryiel falls for the bait, hook line and sinker. "The best part?" she
asks, with curiousity ablaze in her eyes. "I hope you're not planning on
keeping it a secret," she says, as her usual meal is placed before her.

Vorsha smiles and sits back for a moment. She really should get herself
something to eat. With a peck on the cheek for Espirira, she jumps up and
goes to get herself something to eat. Good plan.

"Best... part?" Neelkan's eyes narrow at the mention of some part that is
the best that Denn doesn't know about yet. He doesn't seem to know what
Espi is talking about. His eyes flick from one woman to the next. Then one
of them leaves and he actually relaxes a little. He's forgotten his food
for a bit.

Espiria scowls slightly, "Well...maybe not the best part, but it's
something you probably haven' heard since you just got back.
You..umm..remember when Christabel Sedai got shot with that bolt?
Well..you're looking at another survivor of an attempt to do the same." She
looks at Neel, pursing her lips slightly. "Not the best part..except for me
making it thru that in one piece."

Denn'ryiel blinks and nods, taking a drink of her milk. "I always miss the
exciting things," she murmurs to herself with a small smile. "Are you
better then? No weakness or anything?" she asks, worriedly.

Vorsha slips up to plop down next to Espi again. "Of course she doesn't
have any weakness. She was healed, right on the spot, by me." she beams
proudly. "And there isn't a better healer in Accepted dresses. Execpt
possibly Espiria here."

Milk? Maybe it's better that Neelkan not notice what his friend is drinking
just yet. Instead he says, "Oh! I thought ya had somethin' t' tell 'er
'bout m'. But 'at is the best part. Not 'at ya were hurt, but cause yer
'kay, cause if ya 'eren't 'en I'd have t' hunt down the person who hurt ya
'n hurt 'em, 'n 'at would take a while." He smirks at Espi, then glances at
self-confessed healer.. He guesses he has to be thankful that she helped
his friend...

Espiria giggles and glances over to Neel with a lifted brow. "Ah..I always
knew you were the hero type, Neel." She grins, punching him playfully on
the arm. "I always knew I could count on you to soundly thrash the bad guys
for me." She giggles softly, taking another bite of her meal as she glances
over to Vorsha. "And yes..you are an excellent healer Vorsha. I know I
wouldn't have made it without you."

Vorsha blushes for a moment. "Thank you, Espi/." she says warmly. Few
people compliment her and mean it.

Grinning, Neelkan winks an eye closed at Espi, "A'ways, Espi. Bad guys 'n
anyone else who'd try t' hurt ya." He glances up at the sight of a certain
Yellow looking at him, then sighs and grabs his plate, standing up,
remembering something, "I need t' be goin'. I'll see ya two later."
Especially Espi, who he moves over and ruffles her hair with his free hand
before leaning in and whispering, "'n if ya don't mind, I'd like t' talk t'
ya later 'bout somethin'." No doubt what had him glowering. He then leaves
the area and goes to get rid of his plate.

Sunan walks into the Dining Hall with his usual robtoic gait, and heads up
to the foodimmediately. He sticks two hal-crabs on his plate, the delicious
aroma making him smile. He adds some fresh bread and a nectarine almost as
an afterthought, and then getting a tall glass of water and teh right
utensils, makes a beeline for the table the threeare at, asking, "Hello may
I sit down?"