My Arches
Eladari was sitting in her room talking with Tanya, when suddenly Sabine Sedai appeared in their doorway.
“It is time,” said Sabine ceremoniously.
Eladari gulped and looked over to Tanya, who looked very worried. Then she slowly got up and followed Sabine Sedai.
They walked down and down in the White Tower. Farther than Eladari had ever been, or even believed existed. She could’ve almost believed they were below the water.
They arrived at a room that was dwarfed by three tall silver rings in the center. A ter’angreal. A sister sat at the bottom of each where they touched the floor. Eladari could feel the power necessary to maintain those rings.
Sabine Sedai started to speak.
"I will tell you now what no one hears until they walk into this room. Once you begin, you must finish. There is no half way in this test. If you do not finish, you will be put out of the tower.
Novices are given three chances. You may refuse twice and no one will think any less of you. However if you refuse the third time you will be put out of the tower with enough silver to last you a year and you will never be allowed back into the tower. Now that you have heard this do you wish to continue?”“Yes, I do.” answered Eladari.
“Good, now I will tell you two things that no girl hears until she is in this room. The first is that once you start you must finish. Refuse at any point and you will be put out of the tower as if you had refused for the third time."
Eladari nodded.
Sabine continued.
“The second is that to seek, to strive, is to know danger. Some women have entered, and never come out. When the ter'angreal was allowed to grow quiet, they simply were not there. And they were never seen again. If you will survive, you must be steadfast. You can choose to stop now and it will only count as the first refusal. Do you wish to continue.?"“Yes” said Eladari, with a growing flutter in her stomach.
“Then ready yourself.”
She took off her clothes, and folded them into a little pile.
Then she stepped forward toward the first ring.“Whom do you bring with you, Sister?" said the Green Sister in front of her.
“One who comes as a candidate for Acceptance, Sister," said Sabine Sedai in answer.
"Is she ready?"
"She is ready to leave behind what she was, and, passing through her fears, gain Acceptance."
"Does she know her fears?"
"She has never faced them, but now is willing."
"Then let her face what she fears." With the last sentence, the room was silent. Eladari could hear her own heart beating, faster than usual. She was afraid.
Sabine turned to her.
"The first time is for what was. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast."Eladari took a big breath then stepped forward into the first ring….
Flash…Eladari was back in her old house in Caemlyn, just outside the palace walls. She was so proud of living in a real house, unlike some of the other palace kids who had to live in the palace. As usual, she was sitting in her room, happily doing cross-stitch while daydreaming of cute guys around the palace and gazing out the window at the beautiful blue sky. Eladari’s parents were out, but her 6 year old brother, Brandel was home. Suddenly she heard a scream from downstairs.
The way back will come but once.
Eladari ignored the voice, not even thinking twice about it. Brandel was screaming! Eladari leaped up, tore open the door of her room and raced out. There was smoke in the house!
Be steadfast.
Coughing hard, she made her way downstairs. Flames were starting to lick up the walls at the bottom of the stairs.
“Brandel!” yelled Eladari, “Brandel! Where are you???”
She heard him scream again, “Eladari! HELP!”
Eladari raced to the kitchen, fighting flames to get in. She was burning up from the heat, she was so afraid the flames would get her. But she had to get to Brandel, no matter what. She had the chance to save him this time. She finally made her way in, and saw Brandel lying on the floor. His face and chest were all burned. He was lying there groaning. Her dear little brother!
He saw her, and groaning, said, “Help me Eladari, help me.” His eyes held hers so steadily.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Eladari saw a flicker. It was a silver arch. The were flames licking the walls and floor all around it. Eladari looked back at her brother. His face was all contorted with pain. She couldn’t leave him, not this time, not ever. And she was so afraid of the fire, she couldn’t get through to the arch. She looked again to her brother. She could save him! She looked to the arch.Be steadfast.
Crying hard, and very scared, Eladari raced to the arch, jumping over and through the fire. Finally with one big jump she went through, leaving her brother lying on the burning floor.
Flash… Eladari tumbled onto the floor, weeping hard. She felt water over her head, but no pain on her arms from the fire.
“You are washed clean of what sin you may have done, and of those done against you. You are washed clean of what crime you may have committed and of those committed against you. You come to us washed clean and pure, in heart and soul."
“I could’ve saved him… I could’ve saved him…” Eladari was sobbing. Finally she composed herself enough and stood to face the second arch.
"The second time is for what is. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast."
Bravely, she stepped through, trying not to think of what would be waiting for her.
Flash… Eladari was hurrying along the corridor’s, in search of her mentor, Mierin Sedai. She was dressed in the 7-banded dress of an Accepted. She searched through the green quarters, then headed down to the entrance hall. As she approached from a side hallway, she noticed a build-up in tension. There was something going on in the main hall. She stepped slowly out from a side pillar. There stood Mierin Sedai, concentrating on another woman. The other woman was an Aes Sedai, but she seemed… different. Eladari hesitantly approached Mierin Sedai, to ask her a question.
“And who is this, Mierin?” demanded the other Aes Sedai.
“None of your business Cynara.” replied Mierin harshly. Without looking away from Cynara, Mierin whispered to Eladari, “El, get out of here! It’s not safe right now. Go run and get help!” Eladari looked from Mierin to Cynara, starting to become afraid. The way back will come but once. She ignored the voice, concentrating on her mentor.
“But… why? Mierin, what’s wrong???” Quickly, Mierin made a little symbol with her hands. It was one that meant Black Ajah. Eladari was very afraid.
“Go away girl,” said Cynara, pointing to Eladari, “This doesn’t concern you.”
Suddenly, a thin, brilliantly white liquid bar of light shot from Cynara’s outstretched hand towards Eladari. Quick as anything, Mierin pushed Eladari to the floor, out of the way. But the bar struck Mierin, and she went down, writhing in agony.
“MIERIN!” screamed Eladari. Suddenly, a silver arch appeared across the floor from Eladari.
Be steadfast.
Cynara, laughing cruelly, stepped through a door she’d made and disappeared, leaving Eladari beside Mierin.
“Eladari, stay with me,” said Mierin very weakly, “The pain… it hurts… Eladari, promise me…”
“What Mierin?” said Eladari, ignoring the little nagging voice.
“Promise me…. Promise me that I will be avenged…”
Be steadfast!
“I…. I… can’t!” said Eladari, weeping from fear and grief. She leaped up, sobbing, and ran to the arch. The last thing she heard before she ran through was Mierin, yelling for her.
Flash… She was back in the Tower room. The chalice of water was being poured over her head.
“You are washed clean of false pride. You are washed clean of false ambition. You come to us washed clean, in heart and soul."
Eladari couldn’t stop crying. First her brother, then her mentor… But she had to finish. There was still one more arch to do. She gathered herself for the final arch.
"The third time is for what will be. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast."
Flash… Eladari was in the streets of Caemlyn. She was walking hurriedly with Tanya. They were both Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah, but they weren’t wearing their rings today. They were pursuing two other women, women from the Black Ajah. The Black Aes Sedai had always been a hidden rumor in the White Tower, but Taya and Eladari knew them to be true. Eladari thought back to her days as a novice. They seemed like so long ago that her and Tanya were giggling behind their hands.
The way back will come but once.
Suddenly she came back to the present. Tanya was saying fiercely, “Eladari, the women have split up! One went that way,” she pointed down a side street, “and the other went ahead. What should we do?”
Eladari had to make a quick decision. “Let’s split up. They won’t be going too far from each other. If you need help, just call for me. I’ll hear you.” They’d figured out a trick in their early years as Aes Sedai to somehow talk to one another through distance. But they’d never been able to explain it to anyone else.
Eladari hurried quickly down the side-street after the one woman. She caught sight of her just ahead. Eladari followed the woman as she turned down alley after alley.
Suddenly she felt/heard Tanya calling to her. She was in trouble! Eladari abandoned her chase, and raced towards where Tanya said she was.
As Eladari reached an alleyway, she saw a woman, standing over Tanya. Tanya’s eyes were wide with pain and terror. As Eladari embraced saidar, she suddenly saw a doorway appear, standing in the street nearby.
Be steadfast.
Eladari looked at Tanya. She’d seen Eladari, and had hope in her eyes. Eladari knew Tanya would never call out though, or else she’d give her away. Eladari was torn. She didn’t know what to do! It was her mission to destroy the Black Ajah! But this isn’t for real said a little voice in her head. She noticed the doorway again. Then she forced herself to run towards it. She glanced one last time to Tanya, who had surprise and fear written on her face. She started to scream as the woman towering over her put all her force on her. Eladari ran through the doorway and was engulfed in light.
Flash…. She stumbled out and fell to the floor, with Tanya’s scream still ringing in her mind. She realised that she was crying. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” she whispered, sobbing into her hands. Finally she calmed down and stood to face the last chalice.
The water was poured over her head by the Amyrlin.
“You are washed clean, Eladari Menaka of Caemlyn. You are washed clean of all ties that bind you to the world. You come to us washed clean, in heart and soul. You are Eladari Menaka, Accepted of the White Tower. You are sealed to us now.”
Eladari stood bravely, but ignoring all the faces around her. All she could think about were those she’d left behind. The 3 people she cherished most...
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