Characters:
Lord Lyren Tiigril
Lady Sydnia Rhinorth Tiigril
Cavaeya Sedai of the Blue Ajah
Rayche Sedai of the Red Ajah
Ellorin Sedai of the Brown Ajah
Bryn Castille, Captain of the Cairhienin Royal Guard
Tristan Lockheart, Cairhienin Guardsman
Guardian Kirill V'anterian

The scene takes place at the reception following the wedding of Queen Adelina and Lord Relovic in Cairhien.

Grand Hall: Sun Palace, Cairhien
The Grand Hall is magnificent. Tall marble columns in a darkly blue shades reach up all the way to the high, domed ceiling. The floor is also of blue, polished marble, and a red carpet embroidered with gilded lines reaches from the entrance gates all the way up the dais, then ends at the foot of the Sun throne. At the end of the hall, the Sun throne itself stands centered atop a wide dais of deep blue marble. The great heavy armed chair glitters with gild and golden silk. Somehow its lines are straight and plain, with the wavy-rayed Rising Sun above it.
The room is moderately warm at this time of the year, in a comfortable way. It is late, but you can still see some of the nobles, talking quietly in pairs of two or three, exchanging expressionless glances. Some people can be seen in the shadows among the columns.
Between the columns to one side you can see an entrance to the Dining Hall, and the gilded doors facing the Sun Throne lead you back to the Entrance Hall.

Ellorin is left alone with Lyren and Sydnia as Rayche moves off into the crowd.

Lyren smiles his greeting at Ellorin. "Good eve, Aes Sedai. I didn't expect to see you here tonight."

Bryn notices a newly arrived guard and in midstride turns away from the small party towards the entry way, and heads over to speak with him.

Ellorin shakes her head, smiling brightly. "Oh, no, I'm glad I could be here," she responds quickly.

Lyren nods his head slightly. "I am glad to hear that, Aes Sedai. I hope, too, that you are enjoying yourself."

Cavaeya makes her way into the crowd, taller than most women and even some Cairhienin men. She pauses to exchange a few words with various nobles, some of them from low-ranking Houses, others from much higher, but all of them watch her as she glides away, and those around them as well.

Ellorin nods. "Oh yes - it was a lovely ceremony." She glances over to see where Rayche is...but the Red is nowhere near her, and she turns back to look up at the nobles again. "And you, Your Highness? I'm sure this is a very happy day for you."

Sydnia lingers at Lyren's side like a pretty trophy, but Light save the fool who thinks she is only that. Her sharp eyes glance over the goings-on, observing everything.

Lyren smiles and nods his affirmation to that statement. "It is." Figuring now is the best time to be not so subtle, he adds, "Too bad we didn't have the birds, though. I suggested to my sister that they'd be an excellent addition.. but.. well.. that's life."

Ellorin blinks. "Birds?" She tilts her head, considering this. "I suppose that might have been a nice touch," she says, thoughtfully. "But the ceremony as it was - oh, it was beautiful."

As if channeled into existance, Cavaeya is suddenly standing beside Sydnia with a faint smile. "Light favour you, Lady Tiigril."

Sydnia turns to face the Blue Sedai, a lovely smile on her face as she is greeted. "Ah, good evening, Aes Sedai," she says pleasantly. "A lovely wedding, was it not?"

Ellorin turns quickly at the unexpected voice of Cavaeya. "Good evening, Sister," she says, then turns her attention back to the Prince.

Cavaeya adjusts her shawl calmly as she replies, "I imagine it was. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend." Turning her head slightly, she glances around the Hall. "I always enjoy the spectacle that follows, however."

Sydnia ahs softly, nodding to Cavaeya's comment. "Yes, sometimes it is quite a spectacle, indeed," she replies with a pleasant smile. "Would you like wine, perhaps?"

Lyren sighs slightly to himself.. there are reasons he's not a sleuth. He turns as well to the new voice, and tilts his head in greeting to the Sedai even though she's taken no notice of him.

Cavaeya inclines her head. "Some wine would be lovely, thank you." For a moment, she turns her eyes on Ellorin and Lyren, watching them talk before nodding to them as well. To Sydnia, she murmurs, "You look remarkably well. Life as a member of the ruling family appears to agree with you."

"Yes, Birds.." Lyren mutters, frowning to himself. "So.. Ellorin Sedai.. you.. haven't had the shawl long, am I right?"

Sydnia motions to a servant with a tray of glasses, and one is quickly brought for Cavaeya. THe girl smiles slightly, shrugging a bit. "Thank you, Aes Sedai. It is not so much that the family is ruling but more the very nature of the family. I am quite fond of my sister-in-law, and my husband and I are exceedingly happy."

Ellorin looks up at Lyren - or is she merely lifting her chin a bit? "That's correct," she replies.

Lyren nods again. "I thought I remembered you. I'm glad I had the chance to meed you this soon after your.. raising then." And before, he thinks, she passes that... 'stage' that all Aes Sedai seem to pass.

Ellorin's eyebrows lift. "What do you mean?"

Cavaeya accepts the wine as she says, "I should hope so, Sydnia. And Adelina's new husband? What do you think of him?" Sipping the wine calmly, she watches the shorter Cairhienin woman in front of her.

Lyren shrugs. "Oh, you know, being new to the shawl and everything.. I would imagine you haven't become as.. how shall we say.. cynical of the world as one might later."

Sydnia smiles sweetly, taking a delicate sip from her own wine to give her the opportunity to deliberate the phrasing of her answer. "I think that it's definitely in Adelina's best interest to marry him, yes," she says pleasantly.

Ellorin tilts her head, considering this. "Perhaps I haven't...of course, in some cases, cynicism has no relation to age." She smiles a little. "I've seen people little more than children who seem more jaded than people old enough to be their grandparents."

"Cynical, Lord Tiigril? What an interesting choice of words." Cavaeya's dry tone is at odds with the coolness of the gaze she turns on the young man beside her. Sydnia's reply earns the noblewoman a quiet snort. "I should say so. A woman in her condition could do far worse."

Lyren nods his head, acknowledging Ellorin's words.. carefully pretending that the noise was too much for him to hear the Blue sister's comment. "True enough. I have seen my fair shair of cynicism. Not surprising, considering the city I live in."

Sydnia smiles nonchalantly at the Blue, amused if anything. "Did you like her dress? I believe she's trying to change the style. High waisted, full hoops..."

Ellorin glances over at Cavaeya, even if Lyren does not, but seeing that the Blue seems to have returned to her original conversation, she does too, nodding to the prince. "Do you think so?" she asks, a note of surprise in her voice.

Lyren gestures in general to the crowd gathered in the hall."Oh, sure. You should spend some time here. You'd see for yourself."

Ellorin glances around, following Lyren's motion with her eyes. "Does everyone think so?" she asks softly.

Lyren shrugs. "How often does a cynic admit he's a cynic?"

Cavaeya tilts her head to one side as she gazes down at Sydnia. "And I suppose every woman in the court will look pregnant once she begins to copy Adelina's daring new style. Rather amusing, I suppose."

Ellorin says thoughtfully, "Often, he's the first to do so." She smiles a little. "And often, he does so even before he really is one."

Lyren hms. "Hah. I seem to have talked myself into a corner, Aes Sedai. You're right, of course. One thing I /can/ say about these people here, though.. at least /they/ have the decency to maintain a certain level of civility." He was only pretending not to hear Cavaeya, after all.

Sydnia laughs softly at Cavaeya's pronouncement, one she hadn't the nerve to pronounce. But then, the Blue doesn't live down the hall from the Queen. "Well," replies Sydnia smoothly, "I'm sure that in a few months I shall have to have my own dresses tailored such."

Ellorin can't possibly have missed the pointedness of Lyren's remark, but she answers him with a friendly, noncommittal smile. "Yes, I've found that too. Everyone I've met here seems to be very polite. It's a wonderful city."

Cavaeya quite obviously doesn't care what she says or who it happens to offend. "In a few months, I imagine Adelina's dresses will be more like your own is now. These changes in fashion rarely last for long, I find."

Sydnia seems almost blithely unconcerned at Cavaeya's remarks. "Well, perhaps I shall simply borrow hers," she says somewhat pointedly. "As she will be done with them."

Lyren's patience can sometimes be endless.. whether she meant to or not, even imagined slights against his sister have a way of setting him off. With a very careful turn of his head, he glances at Cavaeya.. "Well, you never know, Aes Sedai.." he says to the blue sister. "Perhaps it will catch on. Perhaps you should try it.. you may find it more.. fitting." One can tell he's having a little trouble keeping himself from biting off each word. Looking back to Ellorin, he says, "It was a pleasure meeting you again, Ellorin Sedai.. I wish you good luck for your stay here."

Bryn mutters to Tristan, "A... soon as... have... male channeler I... this school. I... for you... find... everything you can..."

Ellorin takes a step closer to Lyren, perhaps just to hear him more easily over the crowd, perhaps to divert his attention away from Cavaeya...or hers from him. "Thank you very much, Your Highness. It was a pleasure to meet you too," she says warmly.

Cavaeya smiles down at Sydnia as she takes another sip of her wine. "Perhaps," is her reply. Eyebrows lifting, she turns to face Lyren as he makes his remarks, though her smile doesn't change at all. If anything, it grows. "I doubt that somehow, Lord Tiigril. But I appreciate your concern for my wardrobe. It's nice to find a man who can think of more than swords and politics."

Out of the crowd not far from Tristain and Bryn comes Rayche, looking upon the two much like a predator.

Lyren has a genuine smile for Ellorin at least. With a slight bow, he turns, once again facing Cavaeya. "Well, keep them in mind. I truly think the wide hoops would do you justice." Then he steers his voice to his wife, looking at her. "I am going to retire for the evening, dearest. But don't let that ruin your evening.. "

Bryn shuts up very quickly. He does have the foresight, not to look around the room however. He tries to continue speaking with Tristan.

Mystere careens his neck around, allowing his conversation with Caligan to be interrupted as the words 'male channeler' echo through the hall.

Ellorin inclines her head to Lyren, giving him another smile despite her obvious discomfort with the rising tension level around her. "Good night, Your Highness."

Rayche slides up beside Bryn and Tristan. "Good evening." She says, her voice a low murmur. "We must speak of matters."

Cavaeya, Domani to the hilt, runs a hand over one slim hip. "Oh?" she inquires, watching Lyren, then laughing softly and turning away, back to Sydnia.

Tristan pauses slightly at the color of the shawl that Rayche is wearing.

Sydnia prickles at Cavaeya's gesture, a nasty fire flickering in her eyes. She does turn to smile after Lyren. "I shall join you later, love," she replies to him, then turns a nasty stare to Cavaeya, not bothering to mask it. "He's obviously unimpressed ..."

Rayche looks coolly from Tristan to Bryn. "Well. Close your mouths before you catch flies and use them for speaking instead."

Bryn stops when confronted by the Aes Sedai. He looks upon her coldly, but not without respect. "I'm sorry Aes Sedai. I beg your pardon, but I do have work to be about with the reception and all. You can make an appointment with Guardian Juxor at my office, should you need to speak with me." He begins to turn away.

Lyren takes a breath to steady himself.. hesitates.. then hdeads off back through the crowds muttering about .. well.. things that he really wouldn't dare utter in front of an Aes Sedai's face.

Bryn waves his hand to Tristan dismissing him. Apparently the plan is to avoid, deny, and run!

"Commander Bryn." calls Rayche, giving Tristain a firm look that says 'stay there' with a vengeance. She steps after the man.

Bryn stops in his tracks, not because of the command in the voice, but because it is only polite. Preparing himself he turns on his heel to again face the Red. "Aes Sedai." He says in way of an inquiry.

Quiet, cool chimes, Cavaeya's laughter, much like the woman herself, is filled with assurance. "Long ago, Sydnia, I stopped caring what young pups like your husband think of me." It's not unkindly said, really. Just a fact. "Comments like that are beneath you, though."

Ellorin watches Lyren go with a small sigh, then turns her attention back to the incipient catfight.

Rayche steps close to Bryn, speaking in an intense, low voice. She mutters to Bryn, "I... what you... will tell... what you... have... to delay."

Kirill pushes his way into the Grand hall from a door on the side of the room. Having been away after the wedding he has come back to see how the crowd is dispursing....not well aparently.

Sydnia gives Cavaeya an annoyed stare, smirking at her response, shaking her head and sipping her wine. "Are you trained to be tactless, Aes Sedai, or is that part of your natural charm?"

Bryn pauses a moment taking his time in answering the AS, making certain she knows he is choosing to answer on his time. "I have nothing to tell you. You misheard me." He seems very non-chalant about the whole thing.

Ellorin is standing near Cavaeya and Sydnia, but a little apart from them, and definitely not taking part in their conversation. She barely conceals a wince at Sydnia's comment, and from the look on her face, she seems to be thinking hard about what she can possibly say...

Cavaeya takes a small step closer to Sydnia, looking down at her. A faint smile still quirks her lips, but her gaze is now distinctly cool. "You would benefit from a few years of training in the Tower, I think. Wife of Adelina's brother or not, you should watch what you say to Aes Sedai. Even a queen steps carefully around the White Tower." Shrugging, she adjusts her shawl with one hand as she adds, "I suppose, however, I should make allowances for your age."

Rayche's voice hardens slightly, but still stays a low hiss. She mutters to Bryn, "... are... Commander... know what I heard.... truly wish a...loose in... city,... man who is... to... in... it.... for... help." Rayche stares evenly at Bryn, the stare of an Aes Sedai who not only uses her full authority, but puts undisguised anger behind it; not a good place to be on the other side, then.

A healthy measure of defiance shines in Sydnia's eyes, and her lips purse slightly, quirking into a rather disrespectful grin. "Pity I shall never train in the Tower, eh?" she says lightly. "Youth is such a ...difficult thing."

Bryn lets Rayche's anger and authority slide off of him, as if he were nothing but a stone wall. He hides behind his training, and his own authority. Eventually he says, "You are right of course." He looks at Rayche. "I am much troubled by this man, however I have good news. The recent rumours, say that he has long since abandoned the city. Not wishing to be found after causing such a public display at the inn. So we have nothing to fear." He smiles. A smile that never reaches his eyes. His voice through the whole conversation carefully calculated and cold.

Kirill looks in the direction of Rayche Sedai. His dark brown eye's narrow and shoot fireballs, well would if her were a Male Channeler as his friend Karaul once was. He mutters to Tristan, "I... another word... matter... you... in... It... have... group of Sedai in... Bloody Reds "

A slight feral grin appears on Rayche's face. "You truly believe that? You might find yourself burned for that mistake, Commander Bryn. Do you think the queen will be pleased with that?" Rayche gives a snicker, shaking her head. Then, she simply turns away, moving on towards... Tristain.

Bryn calls after Rayche. "I wouldn't count on catching him Aes Sedai."

Kirill's teeth clench tightly together, He mutters to Tristan, "... will..."

Bryn takes on a darker pitch as he raises his voice.

"We are quite competent at what we do, Commander." calls Rayche over her back, now focusing on Kirill. "'Bloody'?"

Cavaeya shakes her head slightly. Looking down at Sydnia, her expression can only be termed....disappointed. "A pity," she murmurs. "I expected more, somehow." Setting her wine on a passing tray, she then says in a slightly more formal tone, "Light favour you, Lady Tiigril." Turning, she gives Ellorin a tiny nod, before gliding slowly away.

Ellorin nods back to Cavaeya, waiting until the Blue is out of sight and earshot before letting out the breath she was holding.

Sydnia laughs softly, apparently satisfied to be left alone by the old war axe. She glides away herself, tending to some household matters the head housekeeper needs to bring to her attention.

Bryn watches Rayche, and notices the direction she's heading. He mutters under his breath as he sees she is going to talk to his guards. Bryn mutters to himself, "I'll... damned... she's... to... guards!"

Bryn begins marching after her moving quickly to catch up and join the conversation.

Cavaeya is abruptly standing beside Rayche, adjusting her blue-fringed shawl as she studies the two men with cool dispassion. "What have we here, sister?"

"Not much, Sister." says Rayche, eyeing the two quite cooly, one eyebrow arched.

Kirill gives a partial nod/bow to Cavaeya. "Good day Sedai, Do you wish to join this lively discussion?"

Tristan watches the exchange passively, hoping not to attract attention.

"I have no idea," Cavaeya replies. "Is it interesting?"

Bryn finally catches up with Rayche and slides around her to be with his guardsmen as they are questioned. He speaks quietly with Tristan.

Ellorin slips off into another part of the crowd, accepting a drink from a passing servant and finding a seat from which to watch the goings-on without getting involved in any of the various arguments....for now.

Rayche looks firmly at Bryn. "I was hoping to get something useful from them, but our dear Captain here seems intent on shutting them up. And they had such nice tales to tell of a certain man."

Kirill nods and folds his arms behind his back underneigth his cloak. 'interesting indeed.' He looks to Cavaeya, He mutters to Cavaeya, "... wish to... wisdom..."

You sense Kirill nods and folds his arms behind his back underneigth his cloak. 'interesting indeed.' He looks to Cavaeya, "Do you wish to instill your wisdom on your sisters perhaps?"

Bryn takes off his Royal Guard pin and hands it to Tristan as he is talking.

Bryn looks innocent. "I have no such intentions, Aes Sedai. I simply wish to be a part of any conversation involving my men."

Cavaeya feigns surprise. "Boys keeping secrets? How unusual." Her cool gaze looks Kirill up and down briefly as he murmurs to her, then she snorts. "What wisdom would that be?"

With a nod Tristan turns and walks through the crowd, and makes his way to the front of the Hall.

Rayche looks after Tristain for a while, before turning her head to Kirill. 'Bloody Reds', she is thinking, that is obvious.

Kirill smirks and nods, "I think you have that right Rayche. You are enlightened for a Red sister." his outerlayer is controlled and his voice lacks most emotion before he turns to Cavaeya. "For as much as the desire to keep things quiet about our mutual friend, some seem to have a problem with making things obvious."

Bryn nods satisfied as Tristan heads out, then slides into his place in front of Rayche and Cavaeya. "Now what were we talking about?"

Tristan makes his way back through the doors and starts towards the small group.

The doors to the Grand Hall open. More guards enter the Hall and break off in to two groups of three. One group spreads out on the right side, the other group on the left. They take up sentry positions and stand at attention with eyes continually scanning the crowd.

Tristan joins the group again standing off of Bryn's left shoulder. He discreetly places something back into the Captain's hands.

Cavaeya studies Kirill for a long moment, almost tall enough to look him directly in the eye. "I think we will cease discussing our 'friend'," she finally says, sweeping her cool gaze across the other men as well, and even Rayche. "This is not the place for it, as even the most idiotic should know. It is White Tower business, and it will stay such. We welcome your assistance, of course, but try to hinder us and you will find that no man fools with Aes Sedai without having his fingers burnt." She doesn't appear to notice the arrival of the guardsmen, though only an absolute fool would think this woman unobservant.

Bryn nods satisfied then, and taking the pin back from Tristan repins it on his uniform.

Kirill in the midst of things gives a nod to Cavaeya, "I dont believe we have been formally intrduced Sedai? I am Kirill V'anterian, Royal Guardsman."

"The one who was dismissed from the Tower." It's softly murmured, but still audible, as Cavaeya inclines her head a touch. "I am Cavaeya Siransu."

Bryn clears his throat. "I beg your pardon Aes Sedai." He speaks firmly. "This is Cairhienien soil, and it is Cairhien's business." He takes both Aes Sedai in with one look. "I don't believe we have to speak with the Queen to know you are here because she grants that it be so. We...appreciate...your help in this matter, and are certainly willing to let you handle it, but never mistake that it is our choice to allow you to be here." Bryn seems to hold the entire weight of the palace with him as he speaks. His tone is respectful, but firm. Never mix business and emotions.

Rayche has folded arms under bosom, calmly regarding Bryn, then Kirill. Tristain is all but ignored now.

Cavaeya gives Kirill a brief nod in response to his murmur, but she is watching Bryn now. Cool and sharp, absolutely poised and radiating assurance, she carries behind her three thousand years of tradition and power. And she knows it as surely as everyone else. "Allow me to make myself perfectly clear to you," she says quietly, brushing past Rayche as she moves closer to Bryn. "None but Aes Sedai deal with this. It has been so from the Breaking. You believe you can stop him, with your men and their swords? They will be crushed. You allow us to remain here? Try to remove us. We would come to Cairhien whether Adelina granted her leave or not, because what we have come to do must be done, and it must be done now. Who sits on the Sun Throne of Cairhien matters little to Aes Sedai. What matters is our duty, both to the Light and to the people of your nation. So you will stand aside when we tell you to do so, and you will help if we ask it, because if you do not, you will find yourself between the White Tower and a man who is losing his mind." It's said with perfect calmness, of course, but the flow of words is as implacable as the woman herself. "Rayche, I think it is past time we left."

Rayche gives a small satisfied snort.

Bryn does for once allow something to affect him. Pointedly told that he is nothing, nor is his position, his title, or his authority has taken him aback. His eyes glaze over, and something darker and colder appears. Something usually well hidden and carefully controlled lest it get the better of him. His entire attitude changes and he bows low. His tone is dark and gravelly. "As you wish." is all he says in response.

Cavaeya sweeps past Bryn without a word, skirts rustling quietly as she steers Rayche away from the men with a hand on the Red sister's elbow.

Kirill watches the Sedai leave his smirk still apparent on his face. he moves over towards Bryn to speak with his Captain.

Rayche is more than eager to do so, following with a sharp sniff to Kirill. And a deathly look for Bryn.

Ellorin, despite her non-participation in the discussion, rises to follow her fellow Aes Sedai as they sweep out of the room. She straightens her shawl as she heads towards the door with the others.

Cavaeya leans her head close to the Red's as they glide from the Hall, murmuring softly to her.