08/07/2000

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.


After spending the last while trying out the style of unarmed combat he
just recently got taught on the air in front of him, Neelkan nods a little,
content with his own moves and heads over towards the Master Gaidin,
wherever he may be, and asks without bowing (tsk), "Ya said somethin' 'bout
sparrin' earlier?"

Turning as Neelkan asks him the question, so very bluntly, Savren says,
"Yes...I did. Were you going to ask me if I wished to spar? Or did you have
excess grime in your ears and you were making sure you're not hearing
things?"

This makes the young man with white streaks in his hair snicker softly.
Neelkan reaches up and mocks digging a finger in one ear as if to check for
grim. "Hmm. Doesn't seem t' be much in 'ere. But 'anks f'r askin'." He
wrinkles his nose in amusement, then he shoves the humor and cockyness
aside and says, "I wouldn't mind if yer not busy."

Knowing that she probably shouldn't be here, or at least should be off
doing something other than watching the men work out, Espi slips into the
yard as well and finds herself a nice place out of the way to sit. She has
alot to write about today, jotting things in fast strokes into the notebook
on her lap. It looks very worn out and well used. It might even be
recognized by Neel should he ever get the chance to see it. She all but
ignores the men working out, till she hears a familiar voice. Several in
fact and tips her eyes to watch what they do.

Nodding Savren says, "My students are my priority. Everything else can
wait. Go to the area where I demonstrated the techniques for you, and I'll
join you in a moment."

There's a wide grin on Neelkan's face and he finally bows slightly,
catching sight of a certain Accepted writing in a notebook. He raises his
eyebrows slightly at the sight of that, and then nods his head towards her.
He pauses for a second as a man approaches, then offers a small nod and
smile. He then turns and moves to the clearing where he and Varcel got
their lesson earlier.

Espiria smiles at Neel, pausing as she sees his glance her way. But she's
not going to interupt the lesson. No way. No how. She's just here for a
place to write that's away from everyone else. Noone looks for her here..so
she comes here whenever she has free time. She sighs softly, darting a
glance toward the pair who walk to a place to train, but mainly her eyes
are on the book. She just hopes that Neel caught her smile of greetings.
She will be more than happy to greet Sav as well...er' the Master Gaidin
once he's free of the lesson.

Suddenly, as Savren is about to engage in the spar with Neelkan, a Gaidin
approaches and has something important for Sav to do. Sav apologizes to
Neel and heads off.

Sighing a little in dissappointment when the Master Gaidin is called away,
Neelkan doesn't let him see that though... he just nods until he's turned
away, then grumps inwardly and heads over towards where his friend is. And
here he thought he'd get to show off to the Master Gaidin just how good he
really is. Foo. Though his approach is probably no surprise to the
Accepted, he still makes it as silent as possible. Call it a habit from his
bandit days that he just hasn't broken yet. He reaches over and ruffles her
hair again as if he can't resist, then says, "'ey 'ere, Espi. What're ya
workin' on?" As if he didn't know what she writes in that journal...

Espiria was busy writing when you left the side of the Gaidin..or rather he
left you, so she didn't see you leave and head over to her. She blinks a
bit, having been focusing on what she was writing before she giggles and
tries to get her hair straight again. "I...well, I was writing..about the
birds and what happened. From..what I've been reading..and asking.
Well...it was hardly normal what I did." She sighs softly, folding up the
notebook for the time being. "It's getting so hard to know whether it's me
doing things..or the past me, Neel. Not that I'm upset at having been able
to do what I did...just that..." She sighs, lifting her shoulders to shrug.

Reaching forward, Neelkan moves his hand down to you shoulder, patting it
affectionately, then plops down beside you, nudging you with his elbow, "I
understand. Not from 'xperience 'r nothin', cause I ain't got the foggiest
what yer going through really, but I get what yer talkin' 'bout." He looks
off towards some of the boys sparing for a few moments before asking,
"What's 'er name anyway? The woman ya remember bein'?" It's one thing he
was always curious about...

Espiria sighs softly, offeing a smile to you as you sit next to her. She
pats the notebook gently as though hoping it won't be the thing to stab her
in the back before she glances over to you. "I...Well, all of us still
aren't sure, Neel. That's the one thing that..I haven't been able to place.
I'm sure..if I heard it that it would probably get to me somehow.
Maybe..hit a chord inside that says 'this is it'. But so far that's not
happened." She looks back at the book again, frowning. "If...I could learn
how to do what I did again... If I could do that, then we would have all
sorts of help against the Dark. I'm..just not sure I can..."

Hrm. Neelkan looks thoughtful as he watches you for a moment, then he
nudges you with his elbow lightly before saying with a grin, "Whate'er 'er
name is, kid, ya'll a'ways be Espi t' m'." He looks away, watching those
same two students sparring off in the distance as he continues, "No matter
what happens t'morrow, 'r the next day, 'r Light, the next ten years from
now... no matter matter what happened in the past. No matter who ya become
'r remember bein', ya'll a'ways be Espi t' me. The sweet..." nudge,
"adorable..." nudge, "special..." nudge again, then he glances back and
says this last part with a wink, "green haired..." he's kidding with that
one and looks away again, continueing, "girl 'at I met 'en I first came t'
the Tower. The same girl I'm sittin' 'ere talkin' t'. So e'en if ya fail,
though I'm sure ya won't, yer still m' friend." He pause, then closes his
eyes for a minute, as if trying to remember something. Then he mutters
something under his breath. In /extremely/ broken Ogier. But it sounds like
he's trying to repeat the line of Ogier that you said to him when he first
met you. 'The greatest treasure is one who finds a soul willing to aid in
the hour of need.' Though from him it might be hard to tell that is what he
is trying to repeat...

Espiria chuckles softly, blushing brightly at each nudge and word you say.
"Oh...Neel. You don't know what that means to me to hear you say that.
I..need friends so badly right now and I can' hardly talk to anyone about
this except people who already know." She sighs, "It gets so hard...so very
hard sometimes when I can't just /say/ something because whoops..Mother
will get mad if I do. I have to be careful what I say...or who's around
me.. Or even if something slips out. And it's not just now and then, it's
/all/ the time."

Reaching over to find one of your hands and giving it a light squeeze,
Neelkan smirks and shrugs his shoulders, "Well, ya don't have t' worry
'bout lettin' anythin' slip 'round m'. I may not know e'erythin', but I
a'ready know 'nough." He releases your hand now and puts his hands together
between him, leaning forward a little and resting his arms on his legs. "I
sometimes wish I had memories of a past so we could share 'em with each
other... But ya got Varcel f'r 'at, I guess. I can just be yer memory-less,
no-strings-attatched buddy." He grins over and winks again.

Espiria giggles and nods, "Yes. It's nice to have someone like that Neel."
She pats the notebook, "And no matter how much I put in there..more seems
to come out. Sometimes..little things. Sometimes things that are bigger.
Varcel..well I knew him before. But....he doesn't have any of the memories
that I do. At least, he's never said that..." She shrugs, "But..he does
seem to like me at least." She giggles, blushing brightly. "Oh Neel. I
never thought anything like this would happen to me and it's all so
strange...and frightening sometimes. But..then I feel excited too as though
I did something important when I can use what...well, what that 'other' me
knows to help those now. I feel..so happy to have been able to do something
right."

Neelkan glances away at all the talk about Varcel in there, hiding behind
his spikey hair so you don't see the look that crosses his face for a
moment. He's not going to be jealous, damnit. He is not! But by the time he
glances back over her has a grin firmly on and nods slightly. "I'm sure
whate'er it is 'at the Dark seems t' be so scared of involvin' ya, 'at it's
gonna be as important as ya think it is. 'n I have no doubt at all 'at
ya'll get it all figured out sometime soon. 'n 'en I'll have t' worry 'bout
m' not bein' good 'nough t' be yer friend..." He's just a warrior bandit
who has bad dreams. How can he compare to someone who might have the
potential within her to save the Light?

Espiria sighs softly, blushing brightly and shaking her head several times
quickly, "Neel...never ever think that of yourself, Neel. You are needed as
much as anyone is needed in the fight against the Dark. Please...Neel.
You're very special. You add something to us..that otherwise we wouldn't
have. That..vibrance of life..that fight regardless of cost that you have
within you. It's lacking sometimes. After time..people grow jaded and
forget what is worth living for. What's worth dying for. This is a horrible
war, Neel..and each person adds something special so that Dark can't
completely destroy Light. I'm just another part of that Neel..nothing
/that/ special." She sighs, lifting a shoulder, "I..I don't know why 'He'
wants me that badly...but it's for sure that he's not getting me."

"Ya bet yer bloody back side 'He' isn't! I'll bash him through a wall with
m' bare fists if he even tries!" Neelkan actually raises up a fist as if he
means to do it, though the likelyhood of him being able to... well... maybe
if he learns how to 'Dream' he might actually have a small chance. But it's
still an extremely small chance. But he doesn't sound like he knows that.
"No one hurts m' friends. Not ya, 'n not Denn. I wish I could help Kaomi,
but 'ey won't let m', cause I'm not a 'Gaidin'. 'ey wouldn't e'en tell m'
what happened t' 'er, 'n 'ey sure wouldn't let m' see 'er. But I'm gonna
try 'gain later t'day." He puts an arm around your shoulder for a moment
before lowering his arm and adding, "'n 'anks. I know 'xactly why the
Dark's after ya. Same reason I l.. like ya as much as I do. 'cause yer
Espiria. 'n e'erythin' ya just said t' m' could b' said in a mirror 'n be
twice as true. Plus addin' on the fact 'at ya seem t' have 'ese memories
from 'fore... Well, yer Espiria, plus some! But I like ya just f'r bein'
ya."

Espiria bites her lower lip to stop it from shaking before she glances over
to you. Oh if only she could believe that other just being there for her
could keep him away. But..she's a realist when it comes to certain things
and the cold feeling in the pit of her stomach makes her understand that
regardless of what her friends might say, it may come down to her..and
'him'. Maybe. She hopes not. She shivers, biting back something she would
say about being a fool to put yourself in 'his' path, but she's thankful
for the friendship and for the concern that you show. More so than she
probably ever could say. She blushes brightly, lifting a shoulder.
"And.since you're my friend..and you believe all this big stuff about me,
would I be the kind of person to pick bad friends?" She grins a bit,
knowing that she has you now. Yup..if you admit that it's true, then you
have to admit that you're a good person and she didn't pick badly. If it's
false then you go back on what you said and deny that you believe moments
before.

From where he's sitting next to Espi off to the side of the Yard, his body
hunched forward with his arms resting on his legs, Neelkan grins over at
the Accepted and shakes his head a little, "Oh, but Espi, from the way
lotsa people in the Tower say, I'm a baaaaaaaad influence. I'm rude, I'm...
what was it 'at Red called m' the other day...? Oh ye'h! I'm a child who
just wants t' be coddled by the Aes Sedai." theres a snort before he winks
an eye closed at the girl, then nudges her lightly with an elbow before
shrugging, "But yer right, as usual."

Espiria chuckles softly, swatting at the elbow playfully. "See? I knew I
was.." She giggles softly, shaking her head as she pats the notebook. "I
know I've only scratched the surface on alot of things, Neel.
But..remembering is alot like growing crops. Sometimes...no matter how hard
you try nothing grows. Then.when you least expect it..something pops up."
She chuckles, sighing softly. "I just wish it wouldn't do it when I /don't/
want it too. I've been really close to slipping and it's all because of
something someone does..or says that makes one of the memories itch."