Fanfic:The Return of An Accepted

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The Return of An Accepted
Author(s)
  • Steven Young
Character(s)
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The sun shone brightly through the window of her chambers. As the sun lit her chestnut hair Serrah's eyes opened and a smile crept across her face. Another beautiful morning at the Tower.

Slowly she got out of bed and stretched as bird song filled her room. Walking across the cold floor she opened up her wardrobe and took out a clean Accepted's dress and shift. Just as she finished dressing and was about to run a comb through her hair she heard a timid knock on her door.

'Who in the light could be calling for me at this time of the morning?' she thought.

Her answer came swiftly as she opened her door. There stood a novice in her whites. The Novice curtsied before holding up a note for Serrah to see.

"I am sorry for disturbing you Accepted but I was told I should bring this to you immediately."

Serrah had never seen the girl before so could not name her but took the note with a smile, "Thanks you."

The Novice curtsied again and then scurried down the hall as Serrah opened the note and began to read.

Daughter,

You're Mother has fallen ill. I know your studies at the Tower are important but please come home if you can. She has done nothing but ask for you. Dad

Serrah's face went ashen as she read the short note and quickly shut the door before anyone passing by had a chance to ask her anything. She needed to go home and quickly. But gating would be too dangerous on Tower grounds and she could be easily followed.

'If I tell anyone they will immediately tell an Aes Sedai," She thought, 'I must leave though and I bet they will not let me.'

Making up her mind to go she quickly began to pack. No note will be left she thought as she quickly stuffed clothes into a pack. I will have to face the consequences when I get back. Then she changed into her traveling clothes quickly and slipped out of her chamber. Slowly making it down the Accepted hall she made it to the yard without being noticed.

With purpose she walked to the gate and slipped out as the guard changed. She stopped in town and purchased a horse and started riding towards the Two Rivers at a gallop.

Upon her arrival at home she thought she may be too late. The house seemed empty and the fields had not been tended. She quickly stabled and fed the horse and walked into the house. Her father sat in the kitchen as she walked through the door. She noticed though that he was dressed in dark colors and his face looked as if he had been crying.

"Thank the light you are here Serrah," he said as he stood coming to hug his daughter, "But you're too late."

Serrah hugged her father back and hugged him back. She could feel his hand stroking her hair as she began to sob into his shoulder. Her mother had not wanted her to go to the Tower in the first place but had changed her mind after seeing her at the Blues Garden Party and had met one of the sisters from the Blue. She had actually turned supportive and had said she was proud of what her daughter was learning at the Tower. Now though her mother would never know the pride a mother could feel at seeing her daughter raised to the shawl.

Raising her head from her fathers shoulder she wiped the tears from her eyes "How did she die"? she managed to say through a voice horse from crying.

"She was out in the meadow picking flowers for the table. You know how your mother loved fresh flowers," Her father said wistfully, the light returning to his eyes as he spoke the memory of his wife, "I'm still not entirely sure what happened to her. But I picked her up and brought her home. After putting her in bed I looked her over closely and found a bite mark on her leg. I figured a snake must of bit her. All though how your mother never got bit before is a mystery to me. She must have just let her defenses down finally after not seeing anything around this past spring. I tried sucking the poison out but I must not have gotten all of it since your mother never fully recovered. I sent the message to you shortly after she woke up and she started asking for you. Probably thought you could help her. But the poison weakened her heart and she just gave up."

Her father broke down into tears again and they hugged again as both cried.

After they were done her father sat at the table and Serrah walked over to the fireplace, "How about some tea? I learned a new recipe from the Mistress of the Kitchens while I was in the Tower. It's said to help calm nerves."

Her father just nodded as she started making the tea. As the water began to boil her father looked up from the table at her, "Do you mind if I ask you a question Serrah"?

"Of course not Dad. What is it"?

"Why didn't you just gate here? Wouldn't it have been easier"?

Serrah sighed and hung her head, "In a way yes but also no."

Her father looked puzzled, "What do you mean"?

Serrah set two cups on the table with the tea all ready in it and sat down with a sigh, "Well yes it would have gotten me here faster and it would have been easier but we're not to gate unless we have supervision. I couldn't gate within Tower grounds because that would have tipped off everyone that someone was channeling. Plus it would have left a trail for someone to follow here. So someone would have been able to come after me and take me back. I had hoped Mom would be able to hold out till I got here but I guess I was wrong."

"So the Tower doesn't know you're here"?

Serrah shook her head, "No. I will have to face the consequences when I go back of not telling anyone. I will either be severely punished or cast out of the Tower."

Her father shook his graying head, "Or you could just stay here and help me. With your mother gone I don't know how I'm going to get by."

Serrah nodded her head and smiled at her father, "You're right. You'll be a mess for awhile without Mom. And I think we both will need the time to grieve for her."

Her father nodded again, "Then it's settled. You'll stay here and no more Tower nonsense. I never wanted you to go in the first place but your mother told me it wasn't my place to say anything."

Serrah giggled, "Well in a way she was right Dad. You know just as well as I do it was more of a women's decision."

"Yeah I guess you're right," her father said with a smile, "Well I'm just glad you're here now."

"So am I." She reached a hand across the table and her father took it in his own. They smiled at each other and then Serrah yawned.

"Oh you're tired from your trip dear. Why not go up to your room and get some sleep. We can talk more in the morning about the length of your stay."

Serrah nodded and got up from the table. She gave her father a quick kiss before walking up the stairs. She walked through the door of her old bedroom and found it exactly as she had left it. A smile crept across her face as she looked at it. She realized her parents must have missed her terribly after she had gone to the Tower.

She noted a fresh nightgown in her closet and smiled again. She grabbed the nightgown and put it on slipping beneath the covers of her bed. She quickly fell asleep.

Morning came quickly and Serrah rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She knew her father was not yet up so she dressed quickly and went downstairs to start the morning meal. He joined her shortly.

"So what are you going to do today Serrah?"

She set two bowls of oatmeal on the table and sat down, "Well I figured I'd start cleaning the house and then maybe go out to town to pick up a few things we'll need."

"Sounds like a plan," said her father, "I'll be working in the north field today so I won't be back till supper time."

Serrah nodded, "Are you sure about that Dad? Don't you think you should wait till after the funeral to start work again?"

Serrah's father looked her in the eye as he said this, "Your mothers all ready buried. In the meadow where I found her. She would have wanted it that way. Besides if I don't work that north field I won't get anything else out of it next year."

Serrah nodded sadly, "Just don't over work yourself. You still need time to grieve."

Her father nodded, a far away look in his eyes, "I won't dear. Besides if we don't get back to a semblance of a normal life."

She nodded again and ate in silence. Her father finished before her and got up to go to the door leading into the barn yard, "And you're welcome to stay here as long as you want dear you know that. But don't let me stand in your way of going back to the Tower. I can always hire someone to help with the house."

Her father walked out with a bewildered look directed at his back. His entire attitude had changed overnight and Serrah didn't like it. Something was bothering him but she knew he wouldn't open up. She cleared away the dishes and set about washing them and preparing the lunch for her father. Since she didn't expect him back till dinner she would have to take it out to him. She sliced some bread she had brought with her on her trip along with some cheese and dried apples. She placed it all in a basket and began her walk to the north field.

At first she didn't spot him but soon her eyes caught his shirt he had decided to wear that day. But it didn't look like he was moving. She quickly ran to him dropping the basket on the ground as she did so. He lay there barely breathing, his face turning a slight blue color.

"Dad what happened?" she asked in a panic.

All she heard was a gurgle. Quickly embracing the source she delved him to find the source of the problem. He had been bit by a snake just like his mother.

Using what little bit of healing knowledge she possessed she healed the wound and tried to clear most of the poison out of him. Her father winced in pain and tried to push her away but she had all ready done what she could do. Not releasing the source she picked him up with a flow of air and hurriedly took him to his bed.

She quickly put the blankets up around him and felt his forehead for fever. Shaking her head she quickly went downstairs and prepared some more tea and brought a cup up to her father. She had added a few of the herbs her mother had taught her to reduce fever and quickly made him sip at it.

"Serrah I don't know where it came from...I...." he said weakly.

"Hush Dad. You need to rest now and get better."

"I may never get better Serrah you know that."

"Yes you will. I refuse to loose you like I lost Mom."

Her father smiled weakly, "Let's not make any guarantees right now dear. It's too soon to tell."

Serrah nodded slightly, "Rest now Dad. I'll come back to check on you in a few hours."

As her father closed his eyes Serrah slipped out of the bedroom and down to the kitchen. She tried to concentrate on the dinner she wanted to prepare but her concentration broke down and she wept. She made it to a chair at the table and just buried her face in her hands. It wasn't fair that her family was being taken away from her. She had wanted both to be their when she attained the shawl. And now it looked like both wouldn't be there.

It was well past noon time when she went to check on her father again. He seemed to be sleeping comfortably so she did not disturb him. She went back downstairs and made some broth for him and a sandwhich for herself. After the broth was finished she spooned it into a bowl and took it up to her father.

This soon became the routine for the next month or two before her father actually did get well enough to do things on his own. He went to the fields and took care of the animals again so he wouldn't get behind in his planting and harvest. But soon things turned bleak again.

One morning after Serrah had set the morning meal on the table her father didn't come down. She went to check on him and found him still in bed. She shook her head with a smile not suspecting anything and walked into the bedroom.

"Come on Dad. It's well past time to get up and your food is getting cold."

There was no response from her father as she said this. No stirring and no sign of breath.

"Dad come on stop fooling around."

Still nothing. She reached over to feel his forehead and noticed he wasn't breathing and his skin was cold.

"Dad......"

Serrah broke down into wailing and tears. Her father had finally went to the light. She had hoped that he would hold on but her mothers death and his near death experience was too much for him. She delved him quickly with tears flowing freely down her cheeks and found his heart had given during the night.

"You worked too hard....too much," she said between sobs, "Now I've lost you too."

After she finally stopped crying she went into to town. She found the mayor and informed him of the death. He gave her his sincerest apologies and helped her arrange the funeral. The funeral went on with no problems. Serrah dressed in appropriate colors and received everyone's condolences.

In the course of the next month she arranged the sale of the farm and animals along with cleaning out her families belongings. She had made up her mind to return to the Tower now and face the consequences of being gone nearly a year. Her arrival would coincide with Bel Tine so hopefully they would go easy on her that day.

The day she left was cold and gray with a hint of snow in the air. As she left on her horse with the belongings she wished to keep she never looked back. The Tower was her home now. As long as they accepted her back.