10/28/2000

Rooftop, White Tower, Tar Valon

Those that venture up to the top of the tower, find that it is breathtaking
no matter whether the sun is overhead or it's the moon that lights the
land. Whether it's your first time to step foot upon the roof or the first
time after a hundred years, a feeling of awe rushes through most that take
in the sight of surrounding beauty. Nothing but Sky above, earth below, and
the always present wind that seems to want to whip around people as if in a
dancing to some unknown tune beckoning the folk to join along.

During the day, the sun beats down upon the land as one looks out over the
edge to the rolling countryside. There are many farms and roads and
mountains and streams. A toy world from such a great height. Something that
might strike those who ponder things is that boundaries do not exist here
in this tranquilty above the height that the birds fly.

During the night time, the world is pitch black save for the moon and
stars. There is feel of standing in the center of blackness with nothing
beneath beneath you or around you like you are suspended in air with the
only the stars to keep you from falling. The twinkling lights seem to call
those who are inclined to hear, "Sit.. Listen to our stories of old.
Stories from other time and another age...."


Aidou glances over her shoulder as she slips down the hallway. It's after
the last bell, but she just couldn't sleep (gee, can't imagine why) and
despite the fact that it's still a little chill, especially on the roof, at
night, she heads up that way before for some reason she finds it a calming
place. It's strange, because at once the huge expanse of sky overhead makes
her feel tiny and insignificant, but at the same time it makes her feel...
that there must be some hidden meaning to it all hidden in the patterns
depicted there, something despite this war and suffering. After climbing
the stairs to the last story she stops and lets the wind whip through her
hair and the cloak wrapped around her. A shiver runs up her spine, but it's
not nearly as bad as it used to be, even for a girl from Eharon.

Yeah... Maybe it's not so bad for /her/... but a certain little brother of
hers who not too long ago finally turned eighteen... it's not exactly his
ideal locale at night. Which is exactly why he's here, believe it or not...
Neelkan has managed to avoid his sister for a while, though it isn't that
difficult, normally Trainees are told over and over that Novices should be
casual conversation parteners and that's it. Burn 'em. Like /he'd/ ever be
interested in a Novice... (An /Accepted/ on the other hand...). But right
now, he doesn't want to sleep. It's not that he can't... he just does not
want to. And the best way he can think of to avoid falling asleep is to
subject himself to torture! Namely, cold. Sitting down near the edge of the
rooftop, back against one of the squated stone areas there for protection
if someone slips. He's looking up at the sky, his arms pulled around his
legs and trying to stay warm, but he still shivers a little as his hair is
jostled around in red and white waves by the wind.

There is a pause as Aidou spots the colors waving in the wind, while she
decides if she's going to head over or not. She's worried about him, but
she of course can't let him know that she's worried about him, or at least
she can, but only in the way she knows how, which is to torment him. And
despite being mad at him for pulling that stunt in the Dream... he gave her
a minor heart attack too being attacked by a giant cat... there's no
avoiding it though. So she walks over, grinning evilly. She plops down
beside him. "What 're ya doin' out 'ere? Ya look kinda cold."

Oh Light, what did he do bad /today!?/ ... Was it teaching that trainee how
to pick a lock? ... Yeah... that must have been it. Neelkan's face levels
as she plops down beside him, no longer staring up at the stars above as
they shimmer down. "'ey sis. 'anks. I hadn't bloody noticed how cold it
was. I'd ne'er've known if ya hadn't shared yer infinate wisdom..." Boy,
his retorts have gotten a little more witty and sarcastic since he ran away
from home, haven't they? He used to just snap and whine... Now he actually
kinda seems to put some /thought/ in his responses. "'n I'm up 'ere 'cause
the Gaidin usually don't look up 'ere f'r trainees. Not like I can just sit
'round the practice yard after hours 'n not get caught." Which he would
have been. "I could ask ya the same flamin' thin' though. Didn't know the
Aes Sedai left yer doors unlocked at night."

Aidou smiles a too sweet smile at him and pulls her knees up to her chest,
"Course ya wouldn't've, ol' man. That's why I'm 'ere t' tell ya these
things." Hmmmm, she must not be in a violent mood tonight. She's impressed
with the thought put into his reply though. Her little brother is growing
up.... her little brother is growing up... *sniffle* She gasps as she
remembers something! Her little brother is growing up! His birthday! She'd
forgotten, but only briefly, considering that in these interim years, his
birthday has been a very sad day for her. The ungrateful little brat!
Making her wonder if he was alive and well, or dead in a ditch somewhere.
You're a very bad brother Neelkan. Bad, bad. She should thump you, but
since it's close to his birthday she won't. She takes care to get rid of
her accent as she says, "What, you don't think you're the only one who can
slip out from under someone's thumb do you?" Ok, is it just a little
chillier up here? She looks away, and fishes in the pocket of her cloak for
something, before thrusting it out towards him. It's a little box wrapped
in brown paper. "Here, I've been carying this around for a couple days.
Happy birthday." She doesn't sound happy about it at all though.

Grumble. He's /not old/! She knows why he has white streaks in his hair,
she shouldn't make fun of them anymore. Grrrr. But all Neelkan does his
glare in narrow blue-green eyed fashion and bare his teeth for a few
moments to show that he's not pleased with her, then he of course blinks at
the prooffered gift. He hasn't gotten any gifts this year, because he
didn't tell anyone. The bandits found out and would take him out to
celebrate, which usually involved tavern maids that he rather didn't much
want to celebrate with... but that is hardly the point!! He shrugs his
shoulders a little and says, "Ya didn't have t'. I didn't get ya anythin'
f'r yer last one." Of course, her last one was before he knew she was in
the Tower at all... Guess this means now he'll have to start planning on
what to get her so she doesn't get upset at him. Sigh. Not that it would
take that much to get her upset at him... Breathing wrong could do it.
"'anks though." He pulls at the brown wrapping, not bothering to be neat,
then opens the box to find... a dueling knife? Is this a hint she wants him
to stop fighting with that... -- what was that word? -- whimpy(?) fan of
his... "Um... 'anks. It well made.."

Aidou sticks her nose in the air, and says in a very insincere voice, "Oh
-that's- alright. It's not like it was your fault or anything. I wasn't
here. Besides, you were probably having too much fun to remember a silly
thing like your sister's birthday. Don't worry, I'm not mad," yeah, then
why did she just reach over during this speach and attempt to cave his head
in with a log? She snaps out of it and smiles at him sweetly, as if she's
doing it just to be confusing, "But I'm glad you like the present. Will
they let you wear it do you think? I got it from a real Eharon merchant,
none of the immitation knives they sell up here. Honestly, if you're going
to fight, you should fight with a real weapon. Not a fan. You don't want
all the girls to think you like men do you?" Sometimes she can be -way- too
blunt...

Ow! Why does she always do things like this to him!? Is she trying to make
him immune to head wounds? He's starting to wonder if he is now... Neelkan
grumbles and rubs at his head with his hand and glares as he answers,
"Ye'h, 'n I bet m' own really burdened yer mind while I was 'way..." Little
does he know, right? Heh. Well, actually he usually did think about his
sisters and his mother and father on their birthday. They're not exactly
the easiest people in the world to forget. "'ey'll lemme wear it. I'm
Proven, ya know. 'ey e'en let us spar with real weapons." Something he was
really upset about when he was still down in the little ranks with a bunch
of pre-teens that haven't started shaving yet! ... And did she just say
something bad about his fan!? "'ey, ya carry 'round bloody logs e'erywhere
just t' pound m' o'er the head with! M' fan's a real weapon. I've e'en
killed a Fade with it!" Ok... so he isn't sure it died... but it probably
would have! Eventually...

Pain is good for you. It builds character. Not that she would admit that
Neelkan has much character, in the good sense.... Aidou sobers insantly
when he mentions remembering him on his birthday, and looks away. "Good,"
she says softly upon finding out that he can wear it. The log disappears
behind her back and she wraps that arm around her knees agian, and snorts.
"First it's calling yourself Red Chicken, and then a fan, earrings..."
Hmmmmm... she glances over at him, a gleam of mischief in her eyes.
"Speaking of girls," they weren't, but she was going to! She scoots a
little closer, whispering conspiratorily, "how's it going with that
Denn'ryiel Sedai? Have you kissed her yet?" Boy is she behind. If she knew
the answer she'd likely thump him though.. well.. maybe not for a kiss...
but she'd definately thump him if she knew he'd been to a brothel! She'd
beat him to a bloody pulp!

"/Peacock!/" Neelkan corrects instantly, snapping at being called a
chicken. A peacock is a proud and beautiful creature! He was named after it
because of his eyes and his fan! True, he's not really very peacock-ish.
He's a very good looking young man, no doubt there, but he isn't vain about
it, like a proud peacock would imply. Espi once told him he should have
been named after a wolf instead. Maybe his sister wouldn't make fun of him
if he had been... ... No. She probably would have called him a Red Puppy or
something... He just can't win, you know? He blinks at the question about
Denn and looks over quickly, "Aidou! 'at's none of yer bloody business if
I've kissed 'er 'r not!" He hrmpts loudly, going back to fingering the
knife as he tests the weight between his hands, "But ye'h. I have. Not 'at
it has anythin' t' do with ya!" He even kissed her before she became full
Aes Sedai!

And suddenly his sister is doing something very strange. She's hugging him,
and sobbing her eyes out.... Is this some kind of act? "Oh Shun'u! That's
wonderful! I'm so happy for you! Just promise me that you'll invite me to
the wedding ok? And Mother, and all our sisters. And I'll help you get
clothes for it of course. You don't have anything suitable to wear at all,
we're going to have to do something about that. Oh, and dad of course,"
he's always an afterthought. She sniffles and stops crying and noogies him
instead ('cause even if he tried to showe her off she'd cling for dear
life, and likely choke him in the process) "Don't worry. I will handle
everything," she says, as if she's taking some kind of solemn oath. "Trust
your big sister Aidou to take care of it." And then she winks one of her
brown, bluish and greenish flecked eyes conspiratorily. Uh... oh...

"He-heeey! Who said anythin' 'bout marriage!?" Neelkan pushs at the arms
around him in disgust, rolling his eyes a little and grumbling. "I'm not
gettin' married, blood 'n ashes, I'm only eighteen! 'n she's 'n Aes Sedai
'sides. I heard 'ey aren't 'llowed t' d' stuff like 'at! 'n... 'n..." And
she's older then mom? No... that wouldn't sound good. Better not to say
that. "Don't ya dare take care of nothin', sis! She's gonna bond m' 'er
Gaidin. 'ere's no plans f'r anythin' like 'at!" ... She wouldn't go ahead
and try to make plans for that behind his back, would she?

Oh yes she would. "But if you love eachother, you should get married," she
says just a little playfully, innocently, incredulous that he wouldn't want
to get married, releasing him from her choke hold and settling back to sit
on her heels. "Oh they're allowed to, it's just frowned upon. Is Denn'ryiel
Sedai objecting to it? Don't worry, I'll go talk to her. You have nothing
to worry about. Trust me." She winks again and stands up, backing away
slowly. "In fact I think I'll go find her right now." She's got to just be
tormenting him, she wouldn't really do something that embarassing would
she? ... you never know...

Eh.. eh.. eh.. "WHO SAID ANYTHIN' 'BOUT LOVE!?!?" Neelkan yells loudly,
face flushed, but hopefully it'll be missed in the dark or mistaken for
flush thanks to the cold. "I kissed 'er, ye'h! But 'at doesn't mean I gotta
marry 'er!" Blood 'n ashes. Grrrr. She really wouldn't go against his will
and /talk/ to Denn about things like this, would she!? ... This is Aidou
you're thinking about here, Neel! Of course she will! "Look, I really don't
think it's a good idea, Aidou. I don't want 'er gettin' mad at ya, 'r...
'r..." Bah.

Aidou laughs and waves her hand as if flicking away his words like flies.
"Don't be silly. Why would she be mad at me? She's probably just been too
scared to say anything. I doubt she'd do anyting of offend her future
sister in law. Don't worry about us. It'll just be girl talk, wouldn't
interest you at all." She giggles, and then makes a dash for the stairs,
running, quietly, all the way back to her rooms. No, she probably won't
actually go talk to Denn, not like that anyway. Maybe if she were an
Accepted... *sigh* She really needs to get raised. Ah well. She's just
tormenting him, though part of her isn't entirely teasing. He needs to
settle down, especially if there's a woman who could make him settle down a
little... though if she couldn't do it she's not sure there's one out there
who can. She does need to get to know this Denn better if she's going to
bond her brother, have to make sure she's good enough for him (even if
she'd -say- it the other way around).