Dishes and Lessons

Novice Teli Mildune, Written by Tanya
Posted on Tue, Aug 10, 2010 15:08 pm

The next morning found Teli arm deep in one of Mistress Laras' large cooking pots.  Teli understood, if she thought about it, the necessity for such large pots, considering all the people who had to eat at the White Tower, Novices, Accepted, and Aes Sedai, Trainees, Gaidin, not to mention the servants that kept the White Tower and Grounds running smoothly….  So it made sense to her, that such a large pot should be used here in the kitchen, and it obviously would have to be cleaned, but why in the Light, did there have to be so much of these pots left over from the night before, letting the burned and left over food to become caked to the bottom, creating a disgusting visual and smell for those that had to bring their heads too close. 

 

When she'd first started, she'd tried keeping her head as far away as she could, but not only did that strain her back unnecessarily, it also made her miss bits of food, which Laras saw and sniffed before upbraiding her for carelessness.  She half wondered if the Mistress of Kitchens had set some of these pots aside just for her.  She wasn't alone as far as Novices went, but almost all of them were pointedly avoiding the large pots when she had arrived.  Even as more of the young Initiates trickled in, only one or two of them were ever moved to another spot, and seeing the faces on those Novices, Teli wondered if they too were being punished, rather than simply doing chores like the others.  She didn't spend a lot of time looking around though, catching Laras' eyes more than one, and seeing a scowl cover her face was enough to get her into a round of furious scrubbing, the smell convincing her already uneasy stomach that she could probably stay out the week without eating.

 

Teli was sure that the only reason she wasn't the first Novice to arrive this morning was because of her visit to the Mistress of Novices' office before she'd made her way here.  When Candance Sedai said a short paddling, she had meant it, not keeping Teli for too terribly long, and she had to admit, she thought the Aes Sedai had purposefully not continued too long.  Candance Sedai hadn't gone easy on her by any means, but Teli had had worse switching from her mother on numerous occasions.  The idea behind the leniency must have been a warning to keep her from any misbehavior, and a promise that worse was to come if she didn't heed that warning.  Part of her wondered how well she'd be able to go through the relaxation exercise she knew was to come during her embracing lesson, considering her sore bottom and the pain and tiredness that had settled some time ago in her shoulders, neck, and fingers.  She spent the good part of the morning in the kitchens, only gaining leave when she made her way out to the lesson, Laras letting her leave only grudgingly, complaining about her slow pace.

In reply to To Begin With[show]/[hide]

Teli's eyes watered before she sneezed again, making sure to turn her head this time, having nearly put her face in the soapy water when she had forgotten other times.  She squirmed a bit, trying to ignore the itches that had started soon after she'd started washing Zynel's sheets and dresses.  When Teli had seen the smug look on the fellow Andoran Novice's face when she'd carried out the linens and Novice whites, she'd wished she had some itching powder left in the jar she had lifted from the Infirmary.  She couldn't help but wonder again at what punishment Amahli had received, hoping it wasn't too terrible.  She didn't blame the Taraboner Novice at all for how things had turned out, realizing that getting caught had always been a possibility.  Instead, she was happy at the idea that she had made a new friend.  But perhaps they should find other ways to spend their time than pulling pranks the next time they met….  Teli barely stifled a giggle at the thought.  No…this punishment was well worth gaining a friend.

 

Sadly, the movement that stifled her laughter also brought her face closer to the itching powder covered cloth, setting her up for another round of sneezing.  She would probably have to wash her own dress before getting in bed tonight as well, and it was already getting late.  Who would have ever guessed that laundry could take so long?  It wasn't that she didn't have any experience doing laundry, but she had never had to do so much at once.  Even her time here she only washed about two dresses at a time, but she also had more free time than she was sure to have as she spent more time at the Tower.  She soon decided that most of that free time would be better spent outside of the Mistress of Novices' office.

 

Light, but she thought she'd jump out of her skin when she heard Candance Sedai.  Her heart had pounded almost painfully as she watched as the Mistress of Novices looking at Zynel's room, wondering if she would find what was amiss.  Teli was surprised at how quickly the Aes Sedai did find it.  She knew that she couldn't deny what they did, and had followed without any hesitation.  The apologetic look that Amahli sent her way as she left helped her more than she would have thought as she listened to Candance Sedai.  She wanted to deny that Amahli had tricked her into the prank, but she wasn't really given a chance.  She accepted the punishment with just a nod, and then was on her way to work on the portion she was to complete before she could go to bed.  Teli finished not much later, and she stretched her arms over her head, popping her back between her shoulder blades, tension easing over her back and down her arms.  She went to her room to get a new dress for herself before going back to clean the dress she had washed, her eyes beginning to hurt from tiredness rather than the itching powder.  When she finally did make it to bed, she didn't even notice the grumbling of her roommate before she drifted off to sleep.

Login to post!


Replies to Dishes and Lessons

  • In The Water Garden — Novice Teli Mildune, Tue, Aug 10, 2010 15:10 pm