Kerilaine's and Aurelia's plan for the Novice to Accepted Progression
Kerilaine Ellorien was not born with her name. No one knows the name that she was born with. Her parents lived on a small farm just outside of Caemlyn. It was in the country that she first opened her eyes, and in the country that she saw the things she loved. Kerilaine was not raised in the country, however. As near as anyone can guess, she was three weeks old, when, on the first day of spring, the farmhouse was caught in political crossfire. It was reduced to ashes and rubble, with only a brick fireplace to remain of the family’s home.
Traveling past with her guard, a young girl named Ellorien, who was having troubles at the time herself-of the political kind- saw the destruction from the road, and ordered two of her men to check the rubble for any survivors.
As the men told her that the only thing surviving in the area were ravens, Ellorien sighed. There had been to many burnt farms of late. That would be the first thing Morgase said she would change, if she became queen. About to wave the group along, a gust of wind brought to Ellorien a cry of a baby.
She kneed her horse down the road a bit, to a few piles of hay that had escaped the fire, and saw, laying in the hay, a baby wrapped in swaddling clothing(this sounds familiar). Being busy with Da’es Daemar, the still awkward young woman found a foster-family for the child. Within the week the baby was in the arms of the Lady of House Allia. A couple in charge of a minor house in Andor, they could not have children of their own, and so were very grateful to Ellorien. And thus, named the infant Kerilaine Ellorien.
As Kerilaine grew, she enjoyed the noble life, and proved to be quick at her studies. She was a daydreamer, however, and it seemed the only way she wanted to learn the facts was if you put them in a song or some such. When someone told her that the grass was green, she wanted to know why and how they knew. A child who always questioned everything, Kerilaine loved the Great Game. She would make assumptions, and clap her hands with glee when she was correct.
Her visits to the palace also filled her with glee. Having just a few years on Galad, she got on with Morgase’s children nicely, but was pretty much a loner. She was quickly known by the palace guards, who allowed her to enter the palace as she wished, as the queen had no objections. Some of her favorite times were spent reading in the palace gardens, where everything was always bright and colorful. She visited the Petitioner’s Quarters often, and delighted in talking with these people who seemed to have so much knowledge and so many unheard stories.
One evening when Kerilaine was about eight-teen, she was prancing through the palace singing to herself of Birgitte’s love for Gaidal-a song she had heard in a tavern in the New City, though she could never say that. She had her brown hair in a braid that reached halfway down her back, that swung as she swirled, the skirt of her blue silk dress spreading out and up. She was right outside of the Great Hall, now, where the queen was having a ball for the Lord and Lady of each house. Her mother and father had warned her to stay away - it wouldn’t be good if she was found sneaking in the palace where she did not belong again - but as she looked upon the huge brass doors and heard the instruments playing from inside, she was glad that she hadn’t. Kerilaine’s eyes sparkled as she imagined the marvelous time they must be having. She had been to parties, of course, but never one with such formality as this one. And she was such a lover of formality! If she could only see inside…
The Lieutenant of the guards was looking at her. She went up to him with a smile on her face and looked up at him sweetly - not that far, she was fairly tall. "No, Kerilaine. I’m sorry, but not this time. Not two days after you were caught watching the queen be berated by the Amyrlin." He hadn’t even let her open her mouth! A flute started a solo above the rest of the orchestra. Oh, how she loved the flute!
She kept on that sweet face. "Please, Tallanvor! Just a peek? Do you really think I’d do anymore?" It didn’t phase him. Time to pout.
Suddenly he laughed. How rude! He just stood there and laughed at her, and even harder when she took offense. "A quick look. No more. Kerilaine?" She was already running down the hall. "A quick look, mind!!"
Kerilaine rushed through the kitchens, her eyes - gray, today. They changed from gray to blue daily, but always with a navy ring around the edge - scanned for a possible entrance to the Great Hall. The flute finally lead her to a small brass-bound door, through which could be heard the sounds of the party. What a lovely time they were having! She made a quick fix of herself, rebraiding her hair and adjusting her lace collar and cuffs. She smoothed her silk skirts one more time, and reached for the door handle…
…but before she could grab a hold of it, the door came flying toward her. The sound of the orchestra enveloped her at once - that is, until the door hit her.
From where she was sitting on the floor, the woman looming above her was a threatening mass of red and black silk. Slightly shorter than average height perhaps, the woman was more handsome than beautiful, dark of hair and eye, and of an age with…well, she couldn’t tell her age. Kerilaine put a hand to her head and winced. There was going to be a bruise. I can’t tell her age! Light! She had no time for any other thought.
"Clumsy girl!" the woman - Aes Sedai - said. This must be Elaida. "Watch where you are going!! Young fools running around…" She cut off as she leaned over the girl. Elaida just stared, jaw open, at Kerilaine, who met her gaze solidly. "Girl, who are you?"
"My…my name is Kerilaine Ellorien, Aes Sedai. I am the daughter of the Lord and Lady of House Allia."
"Allia…a minor House. Never thought of checking there." She seemed to be speaking to herself. She focused on Kerilaine again, and laid her hands on her head. Kerilaine gasped, and jumped to her feet. "Don’t bother thanking me. It was just a small bruise."
Not sure what to do, the young woman replied "Thank you, Aes Sedai."
"At least you already know the proper respect. You will be going to the White Tower, girl. Within the week. You have the spark."
Completely dumbfounded, Kerilaine just stood there, her eyes bulging from her head. In her state of shock, Elaida ordered for more ale to be brought out, and walked back into the Great Hall. On her way back to the library where she had been left, the young girl of House Allia thought. The White Tower? How? And within the week? It was almost impossible. Though, her parents had told her that what Aes Sedai wanted they usually got. But she had never even thought of becoming Aes Sedai. Never in her wildest daydream.
It…it might be fun. Yes, it would be. Though, if what she heard was true, she would have chores to do. She stopped. Would she have to do the dishes?
She hated the dishes, sticking her hands in that dirty water. On the other hand, think of the things that Aes Sedai do, besides frighten people to death. They have a hand in the politics of the nations, they heal, they study…they study! Think of the things she could learn about the past, the future, the Age of Legends! Maybe training to be Aes Sedai wouldn’t be so bad, after all. No, perhaps it wouldn’t.
As Elaida Sedai had said, within the week Kerilaine was headed for Tar Valon in a coach, and within the month she had reached the gates of the White Tower. She was welcomed by Sheriam Sedai, who was very kind and immediately started the new novice in her training. And her chores. During novice training, Kerilaine got into little trouble, those times when she was someplace she didn’t belong or when she was trying to push too fast. After three years Kerilaine took the test for Accepted, eager to be able to pick her topics of study. As an Accepted, she was also assigned classes to teach, which she found that she loved. She was known throughout the Tower by Aes Sedai as "the child who just would-not-stop!" When Kerilaine was determined that she wanted to do something, she bothered Aes Sedai, even the Keeper on some occasions, until she got it. She got into almost no trouble at all as an Accepted as she was allowed to go her own way most of the time(except for the instance where she stormed into the Keeper’s office during a meeting with the Amyrlin, vexed that she was not allowed to experiment with different flows).
Kerilaine was raised to the shawl after five years at the Tower, a short compared to the standard, and had some trouble choosing an Ajah. She would definitely not be Red-she felt sorry for the poor men who could channel and were doomed to go mad. Gray she could not be, nor White-she let her emotions get in the way too much for those, and she was not about to change. That left four Ajahs, all to which she could join. The Brown Ajah, of course, had its attractiveness, she could study things and try to determine prophecies and…but didn’t want to study all day long, every day, for the rest of her life. She had other interests, too. She could never devote her life to one cause, as the Blues did, except for maybe to quell the Shadow, which was too broad of a cause in her mind. She had little Talent in Healing. She could perhaps Heal a cut or bruise that’s not too large, but nothing more. That ruled out Yellow. Green…well, she wasn’t really a flirt, but it would give her the freedom to do as she pleased until Last Battle. The Battle Ajah did no set thing that she knew of besides stand ready to battle the new Dreadlords. She would be able to do almost anything she pleased, and that was what she wanted. Time to practice her music, which she hadn’t been able to give much time to, and study, and even experiment with flows now that she was Aes Sedai. Yes, the Green Ajah would suit her fine.
The day after Kerilaine was raised, the Tower broke. Suian was stilled, and the Blues fled. She joined the culmination of Ajahs in Salidar. She is just strong enough for Traveling, and enjoys Dreaming when the Hall lets the Dream ter’angreal out of their hands. She can see ta’veren-not that it comes in handy very often, and that is the extent of her known Talents. Kerilaine has a great affinity for Earth, and is strong in Fire, though not as much as Air, Water, and Spirit.
She was recently bonded to Janus Kirin.
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