Aggressive Sessions

Medaea waited patiently outside the office of Candance Sedai, hands folded in her lap, back straight.  The Novice who sat opposite her looked bored and swung her foot over the floor with a swish-swish that grated Medaea’s nerves.  She could feel saidar there, the light over her shoulder that she recognized now and it would be such a simple matter to embrace and weave the flows necessary to make the girl stop. 

But she couldn’t.

Sighing, Medaea instead took the direct route, “Would you please stop that, it’s annoying.”  The Novice stared at her with an open mouth that then snapped shut as she glowered at Medaea.  The girl couldn’t have been more than two or three years younger than herself, but the extra years on her face often kept their mouths shut when she spoke simply out of habit of obeying those older.  It was useful though when she became Accepted the advantage would be gone and she’d have to utilize less convenient means.

The door opened and Candance Sedai stepped through, her gaze going directly to Medaea.  Standing, she dipped into a curtsey immediately for the Aes Sedai.  “Medaea, you may come in now.”  Her feet moved quickly—when Aes Sedai spoke she was expected to obey with alacrity.  It was relatively inconvenient to hop when they said “toad”, but she had decades to bide her time to judge by the Aes Sedai in the White Tower.  What was a wait of ten years when one would live two centuries?  “Please sit and explain why you requested to speak with me.”  Her tone was mild but Medaea got the feeling the Aes Sedai was puzzled as to why a Novice would request to speak with the Mistress of Novices. 

Lowering herself into the chair, Medaea replied, “Thank you for seeing me so quickly, Candance Sedai.  I wished to speak to you about stepping up the sessions on breaking my block.”  She paused for a response or reaction from the Mistress of Novices and received only smooth features and blank expression.  “For any Novice I would think that working through channeling lessons is difficult but when one has a block, it’s near impossible to recreate the circumstances to even sense the True Source let alone channel.  I already meet three times a week to discover a way around my block but I want to have this increased to once a day if there are Sisters or Accepted available to assist with this.”

There was a long stretch of silence and Candance Sedai leaned back in her chair, fingers interlacing in her lap as the ageless features seemed to weigh and measure her.  “It will be exhausting work, Medaea, to follow such an aggressive schedule.  And I won’t allow you to drop any of your classes or chores if you take on these extra sessions.”

Medaea nodded.  “I understand, Candance Sedai and I wouldn’t expect you to allow that.  The sessions I have seem to be so far in between that I want something more regular.  I want—“  She took a deep breath.  Never start a sentence with “I want”, it’s not constructive and it will not get you what you’re asking for.  “I feel that it would be more constructive and successful if the sessions were closer together and more frequent.  My chances in succeeding at breaking my block are greater this way.”

“Then it will be done, Novice.  I would like to commend you on your dedication to breaking your block, a Novice who takes initiative while obeying Aes Sedai earn the positive notice of this office.”  She spoke the words with a soft smile for Medaea.  The Aes Sedai could be stern and command the respect of Novices, but Medaea had heard and seen a soft and caring side in the woman that spoke volumes for how much she cared for her charges.  “Beginning tomorrow you should expect to have a more aggressive schedule and I’ll send someone to work with you on breaking your block.”

Medaea rose and dipped into another curtsey.  “Thank you, Candance Sedai, I appreciate your time and consideration.”  Walking from the room, Medaea knew she was about to be tired, cranky, and most likely wet and sore from whatever ministrations they would put her through.

 

---

“Novice Medaea, I’m here to work with you on your block.”  She had just eaten two bites of her stew when the Accepted approached her, face blank but one that Medaea recognized from classes as a relatively stern Accepted. 

Grabbing her chunk of bread and pressing some cheese into the center, she stood and dropped into a curtsey.  “Of course, Accepted Leira.  With your permission may I eat this on the way to where we’re going?” 

The pretty Accepted glanced at her hand and then nodded.  “So long as it’s gone by the time we get there.”  Medaea began chewing on her food furiously as the short Accepted walked at a fast clip through the halls.  As the last crumbs passed through her fingers, Accepted Leira glanced over at her.  “I hear that you requested to have more sessions, why is that?”

“Did you have a block when you were a Novice, Accepted Leira?  No, then you won’t know how frustrating it is to be limited in what you can learn and what you can practice.  There have been lessons I’ve had to be dismissed from in the past four months simply because I couldn’t even sense the Source.  You can’t even watch the flows be directed if you can’t sense it.”  Medaea shook her head.  “I’m tired of it.  I want this block broken and if it means exhausting myself in every spare moment then so be it.  I want to learn as quickly as I can and they’ll allow and right now I can’t do that.”

The Accepted cocked her head to Medaea.  “That’s an interesting standpoint, Novice.  Most come here and do as their told, when they’re told and trust Candance Sedai to set those sessions as she feels is well for the Novice.  I suppose it’s your age that makes you more liable to question what you’re given than the other Novices much younger than yourself.”

Medaea laughed.  “Accepted, I’ve been questioning what I’ve been told since I was twelve.  My father taught me to strive to achieve success despite what limitations others might put upon me.   If I fail it is only because I did not try hard enough and think of the correct method to succeed.”

Any response the Accepted might have made was cut off as she opened a door into a room that was roughly four paces by four paces.  It held two chairs and an assortment of items that Medaea couldn’t possibly imagine how Accepted Leira might use them.  “All right, we have two hours to try and work through your block.  Let’s start with some basic ones—“  Medaea gasped as ice cold water poured over her and her body started shivering immediately from the cold shock.  “Can you sense the Source?”

“No!  But I can sense how cold it is in this room like this!”  Medaea cried out, wringing water from her sleeves. 

Accepted Leira shook her head.  “Well that seemed like it would be a little too easy.  But cold shock has worked in the past, so there’s no reason why it shouldn’t work now.  Well, let’s leave you in some physical discomfort for now and see if there’s  a combination of that and something else that may do the trick.”

Shivering against the chill of the air and a linen dress that now clung with wet abandon to her form, Medaea’s teeth chattered and she tried not to glare at the Accepted.  She had asked for this, after all.