Matalina

Email: matalina@gmail.com
==Description==
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Black
Height: 5'2
Weight: 120
Age: 27
Place of Origin: Tar Valon (born in Cairhein)
==Stats==
Rank: Elite Darkfriend, Former Warder to Tarishima Sedai, Yveva Sedai and Raeyn Sedai. (and Alencia Sedai TPC)
Weapon Score: 18
Philosophy: The Flame and the Void
Primary Weapon: Longsword
Secondary Weapon: Dagger
Tertiary Weapon: Short Bow
==History==
Other names: Cari Namere, Cari al'Ker
Matalina was born Kayla San. Kayla was born to a wealthy merchant and his
family. The San Family lived in Cairhien. Mikal San, Kayla's father, was one of
the many merchants who used the Silk Path through the Aiel Waste. He earned more
than enough money bringing back trade from the land beyond the Aiel Waste.
Ileen San, Mikal's dearly beloved wife, was a seamstress on the side. She was
well known in the community and sold much of what her husband brought back from
beyond the Waste. Ileen's shop was below their house. She had help to run the
shop because she had 3 other children to take care of as well as her newborn
daughter, Kayla.
Kayla's brother's and sister were much older than their new sister. Ryan was
going to be 8 come the next harvest. Myca and Reana had just turned 7. Ileen and
Mikal had not planned on having another child, but Kayla was born during the
Aiel War.
Ileen and Mikal were ecstatic when Kayla was born. She was their bundle of joy.
Kayla didn't remain with her family long. After the third day of her very short
life, she was taken from the San's. A man had kidnapped her from her crib.
He had intended to kidnap her and use her to gain money and other possessions
from the San's. But Cairhien was in turmoil, the Aiel were burning the city, and
in the chaos of it he came upon an Aiel. This man was very over confident, he
thought he could slay an Aiel by himself. As he set out to the task, the Aiel
slayed him easily. The baby he'd set down had begun to cry. Kayla was frightened
of the noises going on around her. The Aiel man that had killed her kidnapper,
picked up the baby and took her to the outer limits of the city. The Aiel man
found an older man leaving the city and before thrusting Kayla into his arms, he
strung an ivory pendant he had in a pouch onto a gold chain that looked
distinctively Cairheinin then placed it over Kayla's head. He looked at the old
man, "It's hers" then disappeared into the surroundings.
The man looked dumbfounded. He had just seen an Aiel, an Aiel with a Cairheinin
baby, and he hadn't killed him but he threatened him with a mere look. He looked
down at the baby, a girl none-the-less, she will be of no help at all, and I
can't even sell the strange looking pendant. He looked up and began walking,
holding Kayla in his arms but not really knowing how to carry her. Kayla cried
almost the whole way to Tar Valon. The old man figured that was the only safe
place when the world around him was going up in flames.
The man's journey to Tar Valon was hard. And having a crying baby was no help
either, but he had gotten use to the insufferable crying. Along the way he did
find some housewives who were willing to feed him and the baby.
He never talked much, and he was an uncaring man. But many people took in an old
man and a baby. Many asked him his name, but he never told anyone his name. He
never told anyone the baby's name either. None of the woman had offered to take
Kayla in as their own and he was rather upset at that fact. He didn't want this
child, but it seemed he couldn't get rid of her.
The whole way to Tar Valon, he never got an offer, and he never called her more
than baby. "Stop crying you baby!" "Shut up you stupid
baby!" He didn't much care what was making her cry, he was meant to be
alone forever and he didn't much like having this baby with him.
Kayla was crying more than she was not, but because he had learned to deal with
the crying, he never paid her much mind other than to keep her semi-feed, and
keep himself dry. He reached Tar Valon and bought a house where he set up a
temporary bed for Kayla. His first order of business was to find a home for the
baby. But he never found one. He would look for years before Kayla found a home.
Kayla had grown much. She wasn't much of a problem to take care of. She learned
to be content in her temporary bed as long as she was kept feed and kept dry she
never cried. The old man rarely had visitors, but once and a while he did, and
most thought it odd he had a baby.
Kayla learned to walk, and he immediately started to work the child. Nothing
much at first, just helping him with small things that the child could handle.
By doing so he taught Kayla the art of herbs. He didn't know he was teaching her
his life's work. But as Kayla grew, she became to understand nature and the
world around her. She learned quickly. She had no choice but to, he didn't give
her much time to learn.
(Aiel in TV)
When Kayla was five, a man at a shop down the street from where she lived with
the old man asked her name. Kayla hadn't been called anything but child or baby
her entire life. She never really thought about it until then, she thought about
it quickly and blurted out Matalina. She didn't know why, but from that day on
she would be known as Matalina. The old man still only called her child, but
Kayla now was to anyone outside of her unloving family known as Matalina.
Matalina was fascinated by the Tower as well as nature. She spent her time she
was given to do as she wished to watch the Warders on the Practice Grounds. She
was only caught once trying to get inside the Tower Grounds. She soon realized
she could get on to the Tower grounds the correct way and then climb a nearby
tree to watch the Warders teach their students. Matalina knew nothing of the
sword, but she watch diligently and learned every move that a Warder was taught.
She began to see what the students were doing wrong and could see small flaws in
things that they would do. She never tried to use a sword or even a stick as a
weapon, her caretaker would frown upon it, but she learned everything that she
could from them. She didn't know the moves, but she knew what to do, how to
counter, how to parry.
By the age of 10, she knew enough of how to fight with a sword, but she didn't
know how to actually use a sword. It never bothered her, but she knew she could
if she was given the chance.
At the age of 11, Matalina had been off on her own collecting herbs and
other things for her caretaker. He'd fallen sick, and Matalina was taking care
of him with everything she had, even though he had never shown her so much care.
Matalina didn't care if he died or if he lived. She didn't like him much, and he
didn't like her much. But the two lived together out of necessity. She took care
of him because if she didn't she would feel guilty, she knew what herbs could
heal and what could kill. But she still had her desire to watch the Warders, so
she had stopped by the Practice Grounds to watch for a short amount of time.
When Matalina had returned to her house, she found her caretaker dead. Matalina
found herself in a state of shock. She stood there staring at his breathless
body. When she regained composure, she gathered up her few belongings. She took
her most prized possession, the ivory pendant and gold chain from the small
hiding spot under her bed. She had once asked about the pendant and he told her,
"It came with you." She made her way to the city gates where she told
a guard, that a man had died in his house and she didn't know what to do about
other it than come here to tell someone. After she had informed the guard of her
caretakers death, Matalina walked to the Tower Grounds and sat on the steps of
the Tower, wondering what to do now.
She didn't know why she had come to the tower. After sitting on the steps for
hours, Matalina saw a man in a color shifting cloak walk by with a woman - a
woman who was clearly an Aes Sedai, and the man was her Warder. Matalina thus
decided her next move. She would become a Warder, if they let her. But before
moving from the step, Matalina pushed her past out of her mind - something to
never be remembered, only a vague idea of what was. She was starting a new life,
and her past no longer mattered to her. She had no family, nor did she care.
Matalina walked to the practice grounds for the first time in the open. She
stood there watching. A man came up to her and curtly told her she didn't belong
here. Matalina replied just as curtly, "I wish to become a Warder."
The man laughed at her. Matalina glared at him, and his expression changed,
amusement was still in his eyes, but the look was a cold hard stare. The man
told her to go back to her mother. Matalina's gaze turned to the Warders on the
practice grounds and told him she had none. Again he laughed at her. Matalina
went on, "And I don't have a father, brother, sister, grandmother,
grandfather, or any other relation." His laughter stopped as did the
amusement in his eyes. If she was serious then she was looking for a home of
some sort. His cold stare returned as he called her a beggar and told her to get
off the tower grounds. Matalina stayed. He repeated himself. Matalina only
replied that she wished to be a Warder and remained where she stood.
Another man came up to them. He asked what was going on, and before the other
could reply, Matalina replied, "I wish to be a Warder." The man looked
at her with a look that could be taken as curiosity - from a rock. He asked her
what her parents thought of this. Matalina replied, "They are dead."
The new man didn't show any surprise, or any other emotion for that matter. He
only told the first man to get back to his lessons, and he took Matalina with
him to his office.
Matalina followed him into his office. They talked for a long time. Matalina
found that he was Ben T-Gaidin and the Master of Arms. He wanted to know about
her past life, but all she kept telling him was that her family was dead and had
been so for many years. He didn't really believe her, but he stopped asking
anyway. He asked her why she wanted to be a Warder. Matalina told him that she
had watched them as she was growing up and found to like what they stand for and
what they do. He said, "Now I recognize you. You are the girl who sits in
the tree over there, " he gestured in the direction of the tree," and
watches the Wards practice for hours." Matalina was shocked he hadn't told
her to leave when he knew she was in the tree all those times. Matalina schooled
her expression to hide her feeling of shock, trying to mimic the man in front of
her.
He grinned at her and told her to follow him. Matalina followed him a bit
confused. She wondered where he was taking her and why he grinned at her. He
lead her out onto the practice grounds and called out a name of one of the
younger looking Wards and told him to come over here. The boy looked at Matalina,
then to the Master of Arms and saluted. Ben told the boy to take her to one of
the servants room and show her to the armory, so she can be put to work right
away helping them.
Matalina almost balked at what she was to do. To be another servant wasn't what
she wanted. But she thought at least I will get to stay here and maybe still
become a Warder. The Ward showed Matalina to a room in the servant quarters near
the armory where the stable hands slept. Matalina put everything she was
carrying down on the bed, everything but the pendant she was holding tight in
her hand. She put the ivory pendant in her pocket as she followed the ward to
the armory.
Matalina spent 4 years cleaning the armory, the stables, and the barracks. She
helped with the equipment on the practice grounds. Matalina wasn't big, but she
was soon carrying loads of hay and armor in her arms with out breaking a sweat.
She still watched the Warders teaching the wards on the practice grounds, but
she now watched in the open rather than in the tree. Though she did hide in the
tree often enough to escape being sent back to work.
Matalina wasn't loved here either, but she didn't care too much about it. She
was learning more and more about what it means to be a Warder and how they
actually got there. And it wasn't the same lack of love either. They did care
for her, and cared about her, it wasn't the same as the family that she was sure
she had to have been born to; but that was the past and she suppressed that
beyond reach in the first year of becoming a servant.
Matalina's favorite chore during her 4 years of being a servant was setting up
before the trainees began practicing and cleaning up afterwards. It was an early
morning, but she did it diligently almost every morning she was there, and a
late night. But the pay off was to watch the trainees. Most people thought she
was there to gawk at the Trianees and Warders that practiced. She never refuted
them for fear of what they'd think if she did. But she wasn't there to gawk, she
was there to learn. She picked up alot of things. And she picked them up
quickly. Another benefit for Matalina was that she got to play with the practice
sword. When no one was around she would mimic the moves the trainees were
taught. It was awkward at first, and it wasn't as easy as it looked. But she
eventually got the hang of it. She couldn't really do much against another
person, but she thought she had pretty nice form.
One evening after her chores were done, and she was waiting to clean up after
the practices she sat down next to the rack of practice swords and waited
patiently as one of the Warders who was teaching the trainees finished. The
Master of Arms was watching them as well from a nearby fence post.
The Warder was trying to teach Water Flows Downhill, but he kept missing
something. Matalina smile and piped up, "You are doing it wrong."
The Warder turned and looked at Matalina, "And what would you know, you are
just a servant."
Matalina looked at the Warder, "I know you are doing it wrong."
"How is that?"
Matalina got up and grabbed a practice sword. "You are doing this."
Matalina showed the Warder the Boar Rushes Down the Mountain. "What you are
trying to teach the trainee is this." The next form starts out the same but
changes direction mid-stroke. The Water Flows Down hill.
The Warder looks at Matalina, "You are sloppy."
Matalina glared at the Warder, "At least I can do it."
The Master at Arms was standing watching Matalina perform the forms. She was
clumsy, but she hadn't had any training. But she was also doing a difficult move
with out training. She showed potential. He walked over to them and looked at
the Ward, "You are dismissed." He looked at Matalina and the Warder.
"Both of you stop. You need to practice your forms. As of today you will be
bunking in the Warder barracks, and start training as a Ward. As for you, good
job at showing me which of the two here had potential. You are dismissed too, I
want to talk to our new recruit." The Warder saluted and left.
He began, "I've been watching you since you came here. You learn quickly,
you deserve a shot. I think you will do well as long as you don't do what you
did today."
Matalina nodded, thinking she knew what he was getting at. "I won't, I
promise."
"Good, now get moving Trainee, you will start tomorrow when the others
do."
Matalina saluted and he grinned at her. She was finally going to get what she
wanted.
Matalina gathered her things in her little room off the stables and hurried to
the barracks. When she got there she was shocked to find that there was someone
waiting outside the door for her. He looked her up and down and smirked.
Matalina grinned evilly at him, he was taken slightly aback but regained his
composure quickly. He said, "Come this way, girl."
Matalina glared at the boy, "Yes, BOY!"
He turned and looked at her, "Look you little twerp, you had better watch
your mouth around higher ranking people or you will end up gone and out of here.
And a good riddance to you too."
Matalina glared but rage turned to a pleasant smile, "As you wish, my
lord," sarcasm heavy in her voice.
The Trainee looked ready to hit Matalina, but Matalina stood up tall and smiled
at him with a cold hard stare in her eyes. Hitting her would only make matters
worse, but Matalina wasn't about to back down to an over-confident boy who
thought he could threaten her. He saw the look in her eye and turned around and
lead her to a room in the barracks. He opened it up, "Your room. We start
practice..."
Matalina interrupted him, "I know when practice starts, and breakfast and
lunch and dinner and chores for that matter." Matalina walked into her room
and slammed the door shut in the boy's face. He stood outside shocked and
speechless, but regained composure and left hitting Matalina's door.
Matalina's training went quickly. She'd already learned the forms, now all she
needed to learn was the actual use of a real sword. Most of the stuff she
learned was stuff that was common sense. The Flame and the Void was very useful,
she started living in the Void. It helped block out her past. After enough use,
her past was blocked so that she had no recollection of anytime before the White
Tower.
During her training she meet two Sedai. One a yellow to whom a friendship
quickly grew. They spoke of manythings and healing being a common factor lead to
their bonding. Tarishima and Matalina bonded the moment permission was given
that Matalina's training was complete.
Their lives were good, the little that it existed together. They had traveled to
Tear where the unfortunate events of their parting began. Tari had sent Matalina
back home. Why? Matalina did not know and she did not follow the order lightly.
The trip back was not glorious nor was it eventful, but upon returning to the
Tower Matalina felt a sudden burst of pain shoot through out her mind. The bond
had broken. Tari was no longer in her head, she only knew that she had lost the
bond. Matalina later learned that Tari had been stilled.
The burst of pain cracked the wall Matalina had built in her mind separating her
past from the present. A conflict in her mind began.
The second Sedai Matalina had meet during her training was of the Brown Ajah.
Yveva Sedai. She had actually taught Matalina to read and write. Three months
after Matalina's bond was broken, Yveva healed the fallen warder by asking to
have Matalina as her Warder.
The bond didn't heal her mind, but it gave Matalina new purpose again.
They traveled to Cairhein, where the events lead to Matalina killing a man who
had tried to kill her. Mistake identity of the worst case. The woman who the man
had tried to kill had heard of the mistake and went to Tar Valon looking for the
person who killed her rival. She eventually found Matalina and told her of the
situation. Matalina had a family. She'd been kidnapped from her parents three
days after she was born. The crack in Matalina's mind grew larger with this new
information. Her past leaked into her present and Matalina's state of mind
changed with each thought. Her sister told her of the information but Matalina's
unwillingness to try and become friends made her sister leave back to Cairhein
with little news to tell her family.
The times between now and then has been uneventful. Matalina's mind was in
turmoil, but was never shown outside of her mind. The void was a wonderful
thing.
Category:WS 18
Category:Tower Guard
Category:Biographies
Category:Warder Bios
Category:Congress of the Shadow Bios
Category:Darkfriend Biographies