Characters:
Adelina Tiigril - Queen of Cairhien
Phineas - LCC
Lisaene - Queen's Attendant

Phineas's measure confident strides take him to the foot of the dias. He nods respectfully to Adelina, "Your Majesty."

Lisaene stands beside the Sun Throne, hands folded calmly at her waist. As Phineas enters, she allows her golden eyes to settle on him without a change in her features.

Adelina is sitting at her throne, speaking to a man who has very few noble stripes, likely some grievences of some kind he wanted to complain about. She glances up at the introduction, and interuption. She merely nods and sends the lord away, waits until the lord is escourted out before saying, "Grace favor you, Lord Captain Commander. Would you like something to drink? Tea perhaps?"

Lisaena's gaze catches his attention, or rather, the eyes behind that gaze. A quick examination of the woman, then his attention shifts to the Queen. He holds up a hand haltingly, words quickly on the heels of the gesture, "No, that will not be necessarily your Majesty, but I thank you for the offer. I have come to discuss the ban on the Children from entering the city. Both of us have been busy as of late, but this matter cannot rest unresolved any longer."

Lisaene lifts one slender eyebrow, the shards of crystal in her braids chiming softly as she glances down at the Queen.

Adelina nods slightly and motions Lisaene close, likely to order tea for herself and lowers her voice a moment to speak to her. "Of course. I have been a little busy, yes. And I'm sure you have been the same." She offers a simblance of a smile, "I am willing to discuss some arrangement."
You whisper "I want you to tell me if he feels anything that might be important. Oh, and tell Maina to get me some tea." to Lisaene.

Lisaene leans down for a moment, then nods to Adelina and turns, slipping quietly through the curtain which hangs behind the throne. She returns after a few moments, empty-handed, and retakes her position beside the Queen.

Phineas reaches beneath his cloak, but slowly, so as not to alarm the nearby guards. He withdraws a small pachment. A stylized sun pressed into golden wax seals the document. Rather than step onto the dias to deliver it to the Queen, he simply holds it out, fully expecting a guard or lady in waiting to take it, "I have accepted Lord General Asher's recommendation. Here is a voucher for 100 gold marks to cover the damage done to the foregate area. Also, the Lord Captain in charge of the Legion previously has been relieved of his command for failing to maintain proper discipline among his soldiers. We will return to the city in groups smaller than five and no more than 50 in the city at any one time..." he adds almost belatedly, though it does not appear an intentional omission, "..with your permission of course."

Lisaene lifts her skirts and glides down the dais steps, off to one side so as not to pass between the conversing pair. She accepts the document from Phineas, looking directly at his face as she does so, before turning to present the parchment to the Queen.

Adelina's jaw tightens momentarally, then she reaches to accept the parchment carefully. She examines it a moment then says, "No more than twenty-five at any time inside the gates. And unarmed, of course. And if they break any laws inside the city they are going to have their trial here." Her voice is calm, but something in her eyes shows she isn't happy about something. But only if someone looks really close.

A young woman scurries from behind the throne, bearing a small silver tray with a single porcelain cup at its centre. Curtsying, the attendant presents the tray to Adelina's elbow, waiting with lowered head for her to accept the tea.

Phineas remains silent for a time, then continues, "My offer was fair. I would thought you to have recognized that and forgone this mercantile debate."

Adelina grabs the cup gently, laying the parchment on her lap, then takes a small sip, allowing herself to calm down a moment before saying softly, "Thirty then." She studies her tea cup a moment, "I see nothing unfair about taking the ability to bring men who commit crimes in my city into my own hands."

Phineas lifts a brow, "The Children of Light are answerable only to the Light. Those who trespass against it are severely punished, more so than your law allows for." His lips purse, somewhat dissapointedly, "I would have thought paying reparations and punishing those responsible for previous incidents would be an accepted act of goodwill and would demonstrate a more mild disposition that the Children have adopted since my selection to Lord Captain Commander." the persing of his lips turns into a sublte frown, "I can see that such a display of goodwill is not well recieved."

Lisaene's lips curve into the faintest of smiles as she watches Phineas, one hand absently adjusting a bit of lace at her cuff.

Adelina takes another small sip on her tea looking slight amused and relaxed and says ever so calmly, "Your 'act of goodwill' is appreciated. Though, anything less would have insulted me, and my Crown totally. And as for my simple request, your men answer to the Light, as we /all/ do, but they are not above the laws that Cairhien is rulled over. Anymore than a visiting merchant is. I would suggest telling your men not to break the laws." She pauses, and adds, "Though, Lord Captain Commander, I never said I would punish them, just that I wish to put them on trial. If they are found guilty, and the punishment you offer is acceptable, then I will hand then over to you for punishment."

Phineas's frown holds fast to his iron face, almost in puzzlement, "Perhaps you are not very well versed in the nature of the Children of Light. Not surprising considering your age." He nods acceptingly and continues on in a more lecturing tone, "The Children of Light are not beholden to any laws save for those established by the Children of Light. We cannot be. Our influence stretches over many nations, as do our soldiers. However.." his lecturing manner deteriorates into a consenting tone, "..Should a Child of the Light break the law, I will have Lord Captain Gresh discuss punishment and trial with you in an individual basis. Until such a discussion can take place however, the Children of Light will remain in our custody." He frowns once again, "You must understand, this is an unprecedented breach of custom for the Children. Unthinkable in the past."
Phineas says "Even so, I am willing to make that concession."

Adelina nods briefly, light reflecting off the yellow gems on her crown, throwing fractures of light around the throne room for a moment. She takes another small sip, still looking a relaxed, eyes dark and calm again. She says softly, over her tea glass, "This 'discussion' with Lord Captain Gresh will take place within one day of the offense."

Phineas nods, "Very well. That is acceptable. As to their numbers within the city at any one time, I will also agree to no more than 30, but only if they are allowed to go armed. The Children of Light have waged War against the forces of the Shadow since just after the death of Artur Hawkwing. We have made many enemies among the Dark. The Children would be easily waylaid by such forces if they did not have the means to defend themselves.

Adelina shakes her head, not pausing for a sip this time , "No. Not until the weapon ban is lifted. If your men fear to come into the city then they may stay outside. If I lift the ban for the Children I will have every noble in the city crowding the Grand Hall demanding I do the same with them and their guards. It would be chaos within the hour."

Lisaene nods slightly.

Phineas's voice grows more firm, "The Children of Light are not some Noble House and I resent the implication that they are analogous to such. I dare say Noble Houses have no purpose other than the expansion of influence and wealth. The Children of Light exist to combat the Shadow. Our interest in influence and wealth only exists to help ups achieve that primary mission.

Adelina quirks an eyebrow slightly and says a short sentance and nothing more, looking directly at the Lord Captain Commander, "Not until the ban is lifted."

Lisaene's smile grows more pronounced.

Phineas gestures casually, "Then I mist insist that 50 Children of Light be allowed inside the city at one time." He lifts a brow, "Certainly you are not concerned over 20 more -unarmed- Children of Light?"

Lisaene murmurs, almost too softly to be heard beyond the dais, "Men do not require the weapons to be trouble."

Phineas smiles softly, an odd expression on an otherwise hard and un-attractice face, "Best to start weeding out all the men of the city then young Mistress. It will take you a long time."

Lisaene makes no reply, but her eyebrows quirk just slightly in cool inquiry.

Adelina says plainly, "No one, not the King of Altara or the Amyrlin Seat, will enter my city armed until the ban is lifted. Only ten percent of the men that serve Cairhien inside the city are armed. Do you continue to insist on my allowing your men to carry weapons?"

Phineas's iron clad face loses any semblance of amusement at the Queen's Lady in waiting's earlier comment, "Apparently, my previous comment was not plain enough. I am willing to abandon my insistence that the Children remain armed in favour of increasing the number of Children allowed inside the city from 30 to 50."

Adelina shakes her head, "No, thirty is just fine. I was planning on lifting a total ban anyway. I see no reason the Children of the Light can not be added to some of the declaration, with some restrictions of course." She takes a sip on the no longer hot tea and says, "How does this sound. For each ten men you take into the city, /two/ may be armed. And no more than thirty men, at any time. All your men will be checked thoroughly before entrance into the gates is allowed. If more than two for each ten is found armed inside the city at any time, they will be put to trial for treason, the only penalty of which is death. And if they are found guilty, believe me that none of your men will be in the city very long after. Of course the conditions for others inside the city are different, but these are the only ones which consern you are the moment. The declairation will not go into effect until the end of the week."

Phineas lifts a brow, then shakes his head, "For a woman still on guard against Houses whom she made antagonists in her quest for the throne, you are quick to step on the toes of those who do not seek to be your antogonist. My offer is -quite- fair. Thirty armed men now, or 50 unarmed until the ban is lifted.

Adelina merely nods, "Fine, the Children of the Light will remain outside the city for another week, then on (RL-time Monday) they will be allowed into the city, no more than fifty at a time, and in groups no larger than ten together at once, all unarmed. If any are found within the city armed they will be put on trial as I have said and punished by me. Treason will no longer be counted as a offense which shall be turned over to you in any way."

Phineas perses his lips in consideration before continuing, "To make sure we understand one another, in one week 50 Children of the Light will be allowed to enter Cairhien proper in groups no larger than ten. They are to be unarmed. If they are found armed, then it is accounted treason and will be handled solely by you. No discussion. Once the ban is lifted however, the Children will be allowed to go armed?

Adelina nods, "When the ban is totally lifted on all, your fifty men will be allowed to enter armed, yes. As long as they break no major laws, like murder or treason, which inculds harming a member of the Royal family.

Phineas nods, "It seems we are close to an agreement, yet it is still elusive. Previously you said on the matter of treason, there will be no discussion and the suspected person will be held, tried and punished by you. That I will agree to. But now you are adding murder and other major offenses? To this I must request that we adhere to our previous agreement of discussing the matter beforehand, within a day, while the Children retain custody of the suspected person.

Adelina gives her head a small shake, "I meant in terms of the weapons ban. If a Child is found guilty of murder, by you or me, it does not matter who gives him the trial or the punishment. I may consider putting the ban back on your people, or at least restricting those carrying weapons if a murder happens within the city and one of your men is found responsible. You will of course be allowed to have them in your custudy for the day until I can meet with your Lord Captain Gresh."

Phineas nods, "Very well. This I agree to. I will even go so far as to reduce the size of the groups allowed in the city from 10 to 5. I wish no more trouble than you. This is my way of demonstrating such.

Adelina nods slightly and offers a smile, handing the half empty tea cup to one of her Attendants, "Then it is a deal then. I am glad that you wish no more trouble then I do, and as a act of faith, on my part, any commoner that commits a crime against your people, such as theft, assualt, or murder, will be allowed to be tried and punished by you." Note, she said commoners only.

Phineas nods respectfully, "Very well. There are other matters I would like to discuss, but the day grows long. Perhaps I will call upon you again and we can discuss those matters in a more informal setting.

Adelina nods, "Of course, may the Light watch over you and your men. I will antisipate your message for another meeting. But before your men are allowed in I will have a scribe send a 'contract' of sorts to you for you to sign. Nothing not discussed and agreed upon here will be added, it is just a formality."

The aging brow of the Lord Captain Commander rises, "To my knowledge, my word has never been questioned, but if you require such assurances, very well."

Adelina gives her head a small shake, "Just for the records, I assure you. I trust your word."

Phineas nods respectfully in departure, "May you walk in the Light your Majesty."

Adelina nods her head slightly as well, "And may you as well, Lord Captain Commander of the Children of the Light."

Phineas turns, his white cloak billowing around his riding boots at the gesture, then strides out of the Grand Hall purposefully.
Phineas walks through the gilded doors out to the entrance hall.