Character List:
Coliena, Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah
Morillin, Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah
Severan, Guildmaster - Entertainer's Guild, Tar Valon

SCENE: A small campsite between Tar Valon and Cairhien.

Morillin picks her way through the surrounding underbrush, emerging into the clearing with barely a sound. She is running a comb through her wet hair, head tilted to one side.

Severan hums a tune softly from his place near the fire. He idly sketches something in the dirt next to him with a small stick, apparently oblivious to his surroundings.

Coliena asks aloud, not looking up from her book, "What should we be expecting? Is there any procedure for entering the city or anything?"

Morillin steps to a rock and flows onto it, settling herself with an unconscious grace. Her dark eyes glitter in the firelight as she watches Severan, still running the comb through her hair.

Severan hums a moment more, still tracing something in the dirt. He stops humming abruptly, then blinks and looks up. As he does, he catches Morillin's gaze. An eyebrow quirks momentarily before he turns to Coliena. "For the inner city, yes. The Foregate can be entered and exited at will, naturally, since it has no set boundaries. The guards at the gates will typically take your name and station when you enter. Afterwards, you must return within a day and tell them where you're staying."

You say "What will we tell them, Coliena?"

Coliena looks thoughtful for a minute, staring down at her book. "It depends. Commoners are thought of as... nothing better than rats, am I right? And none of us Sisters, that I know of, at least, are of noble birth. I am sure if we wished to pass as a noble we could put on some fancy dresses and Severan can give them our 'titles'. People will naturally call us 'Ladies' after that. But outland Ladies, obviously. Or we could enter as common women, with no titles. Or we could enter as Aes Sedai. Which would cause the smallest uproar, Severan? I would rather not worry about more people than nessassary watching what we do." She still looks at her book as she talks.

Severan nods. "An uproar? I suppose you might call it that, although it won't make much sound. Foregaters will pass what tales they will about any noteable visitor to the city, but the nobles will have spies around you constantly. Unless you plan on using... unorthodox methods," he says with a slight smirk which he quickly hides, "finding anything they didn't want you to find would prove difficult. In fact, unless the nobility is willing to simply hand over Jaice, the only way you would be able to find her would be to convince one or more Houses that it would be in their best interests to reveal her."

Coliena frowns thoughtfully, "Then should we go through the commoners instead? They may know where she is, just as well as the nobles."

Morillin shakes her head slightly with a small frown, then tosses her head so her long hair sways behind her.

Severan glances up at Morillin, noting her disapproval with an arched brow. "I can't give you any sort of decisive answer. You may very well be able to coerce the nobles into releasing her by showing yourselves as Aes Sedai." He chuckles. "Now that I think about it more, there should be a procession leading to the place where Jaice is, if the nobles are giving her gifts or invitations." He shakes his head. "It's been far too long since I've played the Game..."

You say "If we present ourselves as Aes Sedai, surely we can secure the aid of a powerful House."

Severan frowns, breaking in half the stick he was drawing with. "Have you any news of how the nobles have received Jaice?"

Coliena looks up from her book and looks from one to the other. After a moment she nods, "When we get to the Gate we will tell them our true titles. They'll think it as some Aes Sedai ploy I am sure, but we supposedly invented their Game so maybe they will be relucent to make moves against the ones who made it." Then she shakes her head at Severan, "All we know is that she is in Cairhien. And safe."

Severan nods. "They may recognize me, but I would doubt it, after so many years." He chuckles. "If they do, that in itself may throw them off-guard..."

Morillin looks pleased, fingering her skirts absently.

Coliena jokes softly, not realizing she's talking, "Only a male channeler popping out and asking to be gentled could make this day better for the Red." She starts as she realized she spoke aloud and buries her face back in the book.

Severan sighs. "Or it may not. My house is- or shall I say, 'was'- a minor one. I know that it still exists, but I do not know what import would be placed upon the return of one of its members." He speaks as if such things were common knowledge.

Severan chuckles, quickly turning his mirth into a cough.

Morillin's gaze sharpens on Coliena, and her entire posture stiffens. "For your sake, sister, you had best hope no such thing happens," she snaps. "Or perhaps you find the thought of men channeling to be amusing?" She gives Severan a piece of glare, too. "I do not."

Coliena looks brow-beaten, "I apologize, Sister. I did not mean to offend you."

Severan's trained face shifts smoothly to a look of indifference. He says nothing, gazing into the fire.

Morillin rises to her feet. "Did you not?" she says quietly, but coldly. "Then perhaps you should keep your nose where it apparently belongs. In a book. Leave the talk of male channelers to those who at least know of what they speak."

Coliena's eyes turn cold, which they rarely ever turn, "There is more to me than a book, and more to you than knowing about male channelers. And I would not doubt that I know as much as you do, Sister." Then she adds coldly, "At least my skills have more use than yours seem to. How many male channelers have you faced? I've writen a multiude of books, I lectured on subjects, I've even traveled to gain knowledge. What do you do with yours I wonder."

Severan looks up at those words. His eyes trace Morillin's features for a moment, a dispassionate examination. His gaze shifts slowly to Coliena. He then shrugs. "It's getting late. Perhaps we need some sleep."

Morillin's lip curls in a sneer, and she rests her hands on her hips. "You have the advantage of long years wearing the shawl, Coliena. Rest assured, my skills are put to their best use, even if I have never faced a man who can channel. Yet. There is more to the Red Ajah than hunting those poor fools, as you should well know."

Coliena stares right back for a long time, saying nothing. Then looks over at Severan, saying softly, "I think we should go to sleep. We will reach Cairhien tomorrow." She stands up, closing the book and taking it with her, toward an area where she can be alone for a while. Or at least away from the Red Sister.

Severan sighs, looking after Coliena. He stands, casually walks to his horse, and retrieves his bedroll. He places it on the ground in silence, keeping his eyes down.

Morillin snorts and mutters angrily under her breath as she stalks to her own part of the clearing.