Wandering to Find Home

Her first glimpse of the White Tower came at first light, just as the sun climbed over the horizon, bathing it in the rosy glow of dawn.  She didn’t want to be awed by the sight of it, but in that secret place inside where she was completely honest with herself, she admitted that she was indeed moved by it.  It was like nothing she had even conceived of in her wildest imaginings, having nothing in her history or experience that came close in comparison.

The other girls were silent as well, even they of more experience were apparently awed as well.  Lulu was glad not to be the only one, especially since she harbored a deep dislike for all four of them – all from privileged homes nad all already able to touch Saidar. I don’t want to anyway, she thought, with some bitterness.  She hadn’t wanted to leave home in the first place, but these Sedai wold not take “no” for an answer.  Nor would they accept running away as an answer and Lulu’s bottom still smarted from the last switching she’d received.  The other girls disdained her for her threadbare clothes and rebellious attitude, but she would have wagered that none of them had ever known freedom as she had.

With a heavy sigh, she plodded over the bridge, or rather, her horse did, in her mind.  More likely he walked along as placidly as the rest, but she liked to think that he was as sullen as she.  The day was warm, but a breeze rose on the air, blowing strands of her dark hair across her forehead, and she wiped them away irritably, feeling the gaze of the Aes Sedai upon her.

Alyssa Sedai, of the Blue Ajah, was as stern and disapproving as ever, while Malya, of the Yellow, always had a kind smile.  Brenna, the Brown, had neither, her nose in a book at every turn.  Neither the stick, the carrot, nor indifference had any effect on Lulu.  She wanted to go home, despite being on her own there, because it was all she’d ever known.  No one had asked her if she wanted her life upended, had they?  Nor did they care, not even Malya (she refused to give them the honorific “Sedai” in her own thoughts), whom she considered to be the “nice one.”

The horses were left at the stable, where Lulu spied a girl in white mucking out the stalls.  She was no stranger to such chores, but she had made a practice of avoiding them whenever possible, and her mind was already spinning with tales that might work here.  She hadn’t much time to think it over, however, before she was given a white dress and shown her new room.  Blessedly, she had the room to herself, though the Accepted that led her there made sure to point out that this was a condition that was subject to change at any moment.  She was ordered to change and present herself to the Mistress of Novices forthwith, and so she did, though she took her time and was the last of the new girls to arrive.

The rest of the day was a blur of instructions and tours and perhaps she even had a meal at some point, but when she finally crawled into bed that night, she was too exhausted to recall.

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Lulu’s Journal, Entry 01

Yesterday was my first day at the White Tower.  They gave me this notebook for lessons, but I have resolved to use it as a place to record what happens to me here and how I feel about it.  The Aes Sedai don’t seem to care much, about how we feel at least, though they care very much about inconsequential things, like how well one can read (well enough, thank you!) and if you’ve ever predicted the weather (accurately, mind).

This morning we are supposed to be given our schedule of lessons and chores and I wonder if anyone will notice if I hide somewhere and just don’t show up.  I bet they would find me though – Alyssa Sedai is like a bloodhound, she never loses the trail!

I suppose I can hope that people will just leave me in peace, and that the Sedai will realize their mistake and let me go home.  Or feed me to Trollocs – either would be better than lessons and chores!

I hear the footsteps that can only be Faylin, the Accepted who appears to have taken a personal interest in me.  Lucky me.  Off to lessons and chores I go – at least until I find a way around those twin horrors to which they are putting me!