Early Life & Novicehood
Kira was born to a Tairin father and Cairheinin woman. Her mother died in childbirth and her father raised her the best he could by himself. Her father was a gleeman, and she took to music and story-telling naturally. Noticing this, her father trained her to be a gleewoman one day. She learned the flute, harp, singing (in high and low chants), juggling, acting, and storytelling. She traveled with her father from village to village, and city to city watching him perform and learning. When she turned 14, he surprised her with a harp and cloak of her own, and she would perform with him. Kira loved this and was glad to be a part of it. She had a happy childhood.
After she turned sixteen, they were in her hometown of Tear, and her father had an accident. Breaking his arm in a fall, it looked like he wouldn’t be able to perform any more. As he slept, Kira went to him, crying because he was going to lose his dream. That night, she channeled for the first time (without knowing it), and healed her father’s arm. When he awoke the next day, he eventually put all the clues together. Being a native of Tear, he had a dislike of those who could channel and began to shun his own daughter. He quit talking to Kira, and their practice sessions and lessons ended.
Kira, confused about this drastic change in her father, gave him space. She had no idea how to bring him back. After a couple of days, he talked to her for the first time, saying they were headed towards Tar Valon. Kira smiled, thinking that he was back to normal. They always talked about performing in Tar Valon. She got her things together and went into the carriage. Upon entering, she felt the carriage move, but her father was still outside. He had turned around and was walking away. Thus Kira began her journey to the White Tower.
When she arrived, she was already very upset. The people in the carriage treated her well, and told her they were taking her to the White Tower for training. As she traveled, her emotions began to churn. Uncertainty, depression, anger, fear, and confusion vied for control. She held on as long as she could, but upon arrival at the Tower, when they began to take her harp and cloak, she lost her temper. She fought them as best as she could, screaming they were thieves.
They eventually got her to her room in the Novice quarters. Kira’s first several weeks at the tower were hell. Kira avoided going to her classes and doing chores and when they could force her to go, she didn’t pay attention or try. To Kira, the One Power was a curse that took everything from her. The Aes Sedai were thieves, and she showed no desire to acclimate herself with her fellow novices. What she didn’t know was the other novices were going to their teachers and the Mistress of Novices daily because they were worried about the new girl. Her struggles were different than just having to acclimate to life at the White Tower.
Kira’s first breakthrough came on a day when she decided to venture to the Tower Grounds. She sat on a bench mostly looking around. Novices played games with each other, having a rare sense of freedom. As she sat, she was eventually approached by a Warder – a Malkieri named Shiro. Shiro asked to sit with her, and although Kira thought it strange, she nodded. Shiro had heard of Kira. Some of the novices had pointed her out to him when he had asked. He would ask her questions – using only yes or no answers so that she didn’t have to speak. Slowly, he began to ask more, eventually asking why she was sad. The slow build of trust and concern opened her defenses and Kira began to tell him everything that had happened since she first channeled.
Shiro sympathized with Kira and told her he knew someone who could help her if she would like. Speaking of all her pain had eased her a little and she agreed. Shiro introduced Kira to his Aes Sedai, an Andoran Yellow named Aranea Lamineos. Shiro encouraged Kira to tell her everything she had told him. After, Aranea spoke with the Mistress of Novices and came up with a plan for the girl. She would accomplish nothing while she was dealing with her trauma. Instead, Kira was sent to Aranea daily, where they would work through her issues and slowly integrate her into novice life. It was succesful.
As she integrated, the other novices, hearing that she was a skilled singer and story teller, began to ask her to sing and tell stories during their limited free time. She was happy to oblige. Time in the yard caused gatherings in which novices listened to their new sister perform. Occasionally, Warders would come listen after they trained, and although it was odd for an Aes Sedai to stop and listen, it wasn’t odd to see them slowing their steps slightly. Kira was very talented, and her joy while performing was infectious.
The Mistress of Novices knew about these performances and one day she came down to see one for herself. She had also brought with her a bundle. Upon seeing the Aes Sedai, Kira stopped performing, being respectful to the Aes Sedai who had come. The Mistress of Novices opened the bundle, revealing Kira’s Harp and asked Kira to play a song for her. Kira reached tentatively for her harp before pulling her hand back. Apologizing profusely, she told the Mistress of Novices that she wasn’t allowed personal possessions, so she couldn’t take the harp. She asked the Mistress of Novices to please keep the harp until she attained the shawl of an Aes Sedai, making her first verbal commitment to the White Tower. She offered to sing a song for her instead, which was accepted. Kira didn’t realize she had passed a very important test. That night, she took her test to become an Accepted.
Accepted & The Loss of Her Father
As a Accepted, her life was typical of most. She continued learning, but had a little more freedom with what she studied. She found herself naturally drawn to the hospital wing, and focused on learning how to heal. As a trauma survivor herself, she was also interested in mental health, and spent much of her time also learning how to comfort those who were hurting.
The first time she had channeled, she had healed an injury, so the Yellow Ajah obviously wanted to recruit her into their ranks. Her gift for healing and bedside manner made her a natural fit and since the first Aes Sedai she trusted was a Yellow, she felt comfortable with them. She spent most of her free time volunteering with those who came to the tower for healing. Many of the patients wanted to hear her sing, and she was glad to oblige.
At age 24, Kira received a letter. An Aes Sedai visiting Tear had returned, and during that visit, she had met Kira’s father. He was dying and nothing could be done to save him. He made a request that a letter be given to his daughter, Kira Valyrios at the White Tower. The Aes Sedai brought it and upon her return, delivered it to the Mistress of Novices. Upon reading it, it was determined that Kira would be allowed to read it.
The letter spoke of his biggest regret of abandoning his daughter. He did not ask her pardon, but it was an apology and acknowledgement of his failure as a father. He told Kira that he had heard of her successes from the Aes Sedai, was proud of her, and wished he could tell her this in person. The letter finished with a simple statement of his love for her and a final apology.
Kira was given time to grieve, which she mostly spent in confusion. She was unsure if she could or even wanted to forgive. In the end, she decided to forgive and let go. It wouldn’t do to hold on to her anger and frustration. She would later talk to Aranea Sedai about her decision. She agreed.
Aes Sedai of the Yellow Ajah
At the age of 30, Kira tested to become an Aes Sedai, and passing, chose the Yellow Ajah as her home. She had spent a significant amount of time with the Yellows and no one was surprised at this choice. She stayed in the Tower for awhile before departing for Tear. She had the made the decision to visit her father’s grave once to complete her process of letting go. On her way back to the tower, her new life would truly begin.
Rebirths
1st Age: Cadence Mathis – Pop Singer
5th Age: Euterpe – Greek Muse of Music and Lyric Poetry
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