Shiara Jharenn
Novice
Biography:
Shiara Jharenn was a good Amadician girl. Her father was a member of The Hand of the Light, having served as a Child of the Light since his teens. Her mother, Kaltha, was a slightly flighty woman with romantic notions, one of which resulted in naming her child the Old Tongue word for love. The irony was lost on few as Shiara grew up to be nearly as cold and unforgiving as her father. Her parents' union was a case of marrying in haste and repenting at leisure, and though the thought was unutterable by one with such a conservative upbringing, it may be suggested that Shiara, too, felt some chagrin over the match. Certainly she did not relate at all to her mother, nor even wish to. She was, in every respect, her father's daughter -- even in looks, for they both stood tall as though perennially at attention, stared straight ahead with impenetrable green eyes, and carried their burnished brown-gold heads like they wore some crown of honor.
Like any good Child of the Light she abhorred all channelers for what they were, filthy Darkfriends, and had settled as a matter of course her future by the time she was eight: serve in some capacity the Children until such time that she could find a husband among their ranks, settle down, and raise her children to be as righteous and Light-loving as their parents before them. Things probably would have worked out much in that manner, too, had Shiara not, on one unfortunate day when she was nineteen, discovered that she could channel. Walking home from the Fortress of the Light with her father one windy evening, a large overhanging tree branch cracked abruptly and fell. Without thinking, Shiara deflected the branch from its course towards her father's head with a flick of Air. Instead of thanking her, however, he stared at her as if for the first time, caught her arm, and dragged her the rest of the way home, totally in shock. She--almost--agreed when he said that the only thing to do was kill her. She could not be allowed to continue as an abomination in the Light, but he felt that he would rather die than have his own daughter brought into the Fortress as a prisoner. Kaltha, however, flatly refused to let Shiara be killed, announcing that if he was going to murder his daughter he would have to murder his wife as well. Somewhat allayed, he finally agreed to put off action until the following morning, never realizing that by then it would be far too late. The moment he was out of sight, Kaltha whisked her upstairs, and frenziedly packed up a few belongings. Ignoring Shiara's feeble protests, she forced the girl to take the pack, and just as forcefully took her to their neighbor's, with whom she arranged to have Shiara taken out of Amadicia in the back of a turnip-laden wagon. To ensure the escape's success, Kaltha had her restrained with rope, and gave orders not to let her out until Tar Valon had been reached. Just before the wagon left, Kaltha leaned over, and whispered to her daughter, "I am losing you forever, for you know that you may never come back. Forget Amadicia. Become an Aes Sedai and the world will be on its knees for you." Kaltha gave her a secretive smile. "It was my impossible dream, and your unwanted future. But it is your future, and that, right now, is all you have in the world, so guard it well. I love you, mashiara." Her mother kissed her good-bye and was gone. As the wagon rolled away and her numbing shock began to lesson, Shiara raged vainly against her bonds and tried to understand what was happening to her. Her mother had been a novice in the Tower? And now she was to become one? Become surrounded by channelers of both sexes, forever separated from her own dream, family, and home? Struggle as she might, the ropes would not give, and no amount of pleading would induce her stubborn neighbor to free her; and so it was with anger and betrayal, not hope and happiness, that Shiara Jharenn rolled off towards the Tower of Chasaline, bumping around irritatingly on her uncomfortable bed of turnips.
This page was created by Kaiulani Sedai, Amyrlin Seat.
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Last updated on 27 July 2000 by Chelsey Sedai, Amyrlin Seat.