Setting: Courtyard: White Tower, Tar Valon

Characters:
Jaice - Accepted
Morillin - Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah
Melli - Accepted

Morillin gives the pair a small nod as she exits the Tower, eyeing their clothing for a brief moment. She stands near the bottom of the steps, her gaze on one of the gates leading to the city.

Jaice sits back down beside Melli again, after returning Morillin's nod with a quiet, "Good evening, Aes Sedai."

Morillin says quietly, "Good eve to you, Accepted. Enjoying your day of freedom, are you?"

"It was splendid, Aes Sedai," Jaice responds with a quick smile. "I spent most of it sailing."

Morillin smiles briefly. "I imagined you would. The river, unfortunately, bears little resemblance to the open sea, but it is good enough."

"It is wide enough for a sail, and I thank the Light for that." Jaice is quiet then for a time, and she cocks her head as she addresses you again. "Melli was just telling me about an accident in the city, Aes Sedai. A number of people had to be healed. I saw a few accidents in the city today as well; do you know anything of it?"

Morillin shakes her head after a brief pause. "No, I do not. Though there have been a number of minor accidents within the Tower recently. Including an unusual incident in the infirmary earlier today."

Jaice plants her chin on her fist, her brows furrowed. "What happened? Myself, I saw sure-footed sailors, four of them, all knocked down as though they were pins in a children's street game. The crates they were carrying split open, and the cabbages inside were rotted. I did not stay long past that; the smell was horrendous."

Morillin frowns, then sighs. "The windows in the infirmary shattered. All of them, at the same moment. And a fierce wind blew up, scattering pieces of glass. The Yellows were frantic, trying to Heal the cuts and scrapes." She shakes her head. "I have heard of two sisters tripping over their own skirts and tumbling down stairs, and one cook's assistant in the kitchens was badly burnt when the pot she was stirring suddenly knocked itself over."

Jaice presses her lips, shaking her head. "I admit to being new to events such as these... I have heard talk in the city, where people are saying the Tower 'messed up' and caused this. That isn't true, is it? I cannot imagine what would be at the heart of this."

Morillin snorts. "One would think the people of this city would know better," she mutters. "These events have nothing to do with the Power, that we can see. It is something beyond even our involvement."

Melli steps back out of the tower... why she was called in? That was in the last chapter... SHe curtseys when she returns..

"It just seems like... like bad luck, mostly." Jaice turns as Melli returns, and casts her a thin smile.

Morillin nods slightly. "It does, at that. I actually overheard one fool Novice telling another it was the work of the Dark One. Should either of you hear similar nonsense, I expect you to deal with it. Harshly."

Melli smiles back at Jaice.. then blinks.. "If it isn't us, Aes Sedai.. and not the Dark One.. who could it be?"

Jaice's pale gaze continues to study the Aes Sedai, but she nods mutely to her words. "In absense of an explanation, Morillin Sedai... well... one can see why they'd think it."

Morillin says, "It does not have to be anyone, Accepted. More likely a random, minor twisting of the Pattern." Jaice's comment receives a small, thin-lipped smile. "I have little concern for their reasons. The last thing we need is that kind of talk escaping into the city. Which is why it will be firmly stamped out before it can travel."

"Yes, Aes Sedai." Those words may be the most oft-repeated ones a student learns at the Tower, but now Jaice means them. "I suppose people are frightened enough without rumours of the Dark One behind it." By her eyes though, she's not quite so reassured herself.

Melli shrugs.. she doesn't believe that herself, personally.. "Some say it's better to have a known cause of the problem than an unknown one.."

Morillin nods slightly. "Precisely. There is nothing to fear." Glancing at Melli, she says dryly, "And sometimes, Accepted, it is best for all concerned if the cause remains a mystery. You start whispering about the Dark One, with Whitecloaks camped just beyond the river, and in days the city will be in a panic, with Dragon's Fangs being drawn on doors and fools talking of the Black Ajah."

Melli blinks a few times.. "The.. Black Ajah, Aes Sedai? Is that a new Ajah?"

Jaice shakes her head, her brows pressing in a frown. "There is no Black Ajah." Is there some doubt in her voice? "Some say there is... that they're Aes Sedai who serve the Dark One, and have somehow found a way to break their Oaths. But... what Aes Sedai would do that?"

Morillin gives her head a small toss. "Don't be a fool, girl," she snaps at Melli. "It's nothing but a filthy rumour spread by Whitecloaks and their followers. Jaice is correct. No Aes Sedai would be idiot enough to do such a thing."

Melli blinks a few times... "But... why would /anyone/ do that, let alone Aes Sedai?"

Morillin says, "Darkfriends are filthy, greedy fools. Nothing more." "Not all people are as ethical as Aes Sedai," Jaice points out. There's still that slight crease between her brows, as though struck by a memory or a lingering shadow of doubt. "And... I suppose they think they might end up more... I don't know... powerful that way."

Melli blinks her eyes.. and all at once, things click into place in her mind, and she has the look of absolute horror.. "They're real..." she whispers to herself.. 'They're real, and they caused the accident..

Jaice casts Melli a bewildered look. "What?"

Morillin gives Melli one of her infamous icy stares, resting hands on hips. "Accepted..." she says in a warning tone.

Melli has just had the worst of days.. and all of this.. coupled with her testing.. she's hysterical now.. "Who else could it be? Who else would wish to .. to cause so much damage to the sick? "

Jaice raises a tentative hand to the other girl's shoulder. "Melli... it's probably not that. Even if it was, nothing to do about it but what we can. Which is to make sure people don't get out of control. The Amyrlin can handle this, surely."

Morillin takes a step forward, lifting a slim hand as she does so. Calmly, she slaps Melli across the face. Hard. "Pull yourself together," she instructs coolly, looming over the young woman. "I will hear no more from you, child, about this, or anything else."

Melli breathes in short bursts, blinks at Jaice, and opens her mouth as if to argue.. and then *SMACK!* Her breathing stops, and she blinks a few more times... stunned. Slowly, her hand reaches up to touch the slap mark, and her breathing returns to normal... "I.. I.... forgive me, Aes Sedai, Jaice... I.. I don't know what came over me..

Morillin arches an eyebrow. "Did you hear what I said, Accepted? Not a word from you."

Jaice bites her lip, her gaze darting from Morillin to Melli and back again. "She has had a very hard day, Aes Sedai. She... ah. Will probably be herself again with some rest."

Melli blinks, her hand still at her cheek.. then she nods mutely..

Morillin gives Jaice a hard look, then lifts her hand once more. This time, however, she touches it to Melli's forehead before she can flinch away, embracing saidar and weaving a quick blast of Healing to deal with the already-forming bruise on her cheek. Then she steps back. "The Black Ajah does not exist," she says quietly, her dark eyes boring into Melli. "And no Aes Sedai likes to hear of it. As you now know."

Melli's breath quickens, but she manages to nod her head... indicating that she understands... There's no hiding the fear she has of this woman right now..

Morillin smiles, though it doesn't come close to her glittering eyes. "Good. Jaice, perhaps she should lie down after all. Would you take her to her room?" As if nothing had happened.

Jaice casts Morillin a studious look, but finally nods. Her tattooed hands brush against the sash at her waist, having forgotten she's not even dressed appropriately. "Melli. You are all right?"

Melli nods her head.... what else is she going to do, after all? Still holding to Morillin's command of not to speak... she can only force herself to smile..

Jaice links her arm through Melli's, and begins to urge her toward the Stairs. She does manage to give Morillin a half-bow as she goes, a murmured, "Of course, Aes Sedai," as her response.

Morillin includes Jaice in her icy little smile as she watches them go, her hands slowly stroking the red fringe of her shawl.

Jaice can be heard murmuring silently to Melli as she goes, her oiled breeches making a quiet swish-swish sound as she heads up the stairs.

Melli curtseys once.. then resists Jaice not as she's led inside, still holding her cheek despite it being healed.. There is that shock factor to worry about after all...

Jaice walks up the steps and goes through the main doors of the Tower.
Melli walks up the steps and goes through the main doors of the Tower.