Location: Tar Valon City Council offices

Characters:
Cavaeya, Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah, member of the city council
Marelain, Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah, member of the city council

Setting: City Council Office, Tar Valon
This area is not at all what you'd expect. Rather than the traditional desk covered with papers, you note a ring of overstuffed chairs. There is a tea service on the far wall, above which is a sign, "Help Yourself." A door in the back leads to what is presumably a more private area, but this looks as if a large gathering could come and express grievances easily, freely, and comfortably.

The city council office, to put it quite plainly, is packed. A number of harried Accepted shuttle reports back and forth, townspeople have various council members surrounded. Though the atmosphere remains civil, the mood is clearly quite tense. Marelain herself is sitting behind one of the desks, talking animatedly with two men in fine clothing, likely to be merchants. The door opening is hardly an occasion for surprise -- it's all too common these days.

Cavaeya pauses, resting hands on hips as she takes stock of the situation. Two men and a woman swing around as the door closes behind the Blue, and their mouths open the moment they spy the fringed shawl which rests on Cavaeya's shoulders. Three soft clicks follow as they snap their mouths shut at the look which the Domani sister gives them, hard as a hammer and cold as ice. Without a word, she pushes her way through the throng and plants herself behind the two men speaking with Marelain, folding her arms.

Marelain glances up as Cavaeya makes her presence known. To the two men, she says, "Pardon me a moment." Looking at the Blue sister curiously, Marelain says, "Welcome back, Sister. Did you need something?"

"A few moments of your time," Cavaeya replies curtly. "You will join me in the back? I'm certain these gentlemen will wait for you." She gives the two merchants a glance that promises dire consequences if they argue with her before stepping towards the back room.

Marelain shakes her head. "Not now, Sister," she says quite plainly. "I'm sure you'll want to catch up on recent events after your absence." She waves a hand toward the corner of the room that contains the records. "You'll find what you want over there." And without a further word, she goes back to speaking with the merchants. "Pardon the interruption... where were we?"

Cavaeya pauses, almost missing a step at Marelain's refusal. A moment later, she is at the Green sister's elbow, leaning down to murmur in her ear, "I will drag you back there by your hair if you wish to be difficult with me, child, though I imagine you would find that a little embarrassing. Or you can excuse yourself and do as I ask. If I wanted to look at the records, I would have done that already. My patience is gone, with you and every other Light-blasted woman in the Tower, so I suggest you get on your feet. Now."

Marelain turns slowly to Cavaeya as she speaks, smiling blandly. Her reply is quiet as well. "I have had to postpone this meeting for three days now. I need to finish it before I can move on to other matters. Drag me by the hair anywhere, and you won't enjoy the consequences. Now, give me fifteen minutes to settle this, or leave. I don't have the time to speak with you just yet."

Cavaeya straightens, slowly. The glow of saidar abruptly surrounds her, and quick as thought she weaves a shield for the other woman, preparing to tie it off. At the same moment, she weaves tiny flows of Air to lift her out of her seat by her hair.

Marelain rises from her seat before there can be any indication that Cavaeya fully intends to carry through on her promise. She stares flatly at Cavaeya. "Go to the back room. I'll be there in a moment." Casually, with exaggerated calm, she says to the two men, whose expressions suggest they might bolt for the door at any loud noise, "Please come back tomorrow. I can rearrange my schedule easily enough. I apologize for the... interruption." There's just a brief pause before 'interruption'.

Cavaeya doesn't move. Arms folded once again, she watches Marelain with much the same expression as a hawk watching an especially cheeky mouse.

The men seem to have no trouble with the request, both of them bolting to their feet and offering hasty bows, to both Marelain and Cavaeya, scurrying out the door without another word. Marelain turns to look at Cavaeya, remaining completely calm. Outwardly, at least. She indicates the door to the back room. "After you, Cavaeya."

Cavaeya turns and glides to the back without a word, still maintaining the shield for the moment.

Scene change to: Back Room: City Council, Tar Valon

As soon as the door is closed, Marelain says, "Release the shield now, Cavaeya. This is completely ridiculous."

Cavaeya turns as the door closes. Pointing to a chair, she says in a cold voice, "Sit."

Marelain says flatly, "No. You will not order me around. Not here, not in this office."

"I order you whenever and wherever I wish, girl!" Cavaeya snaps, taking a step closer. "This Council works no differently than the Tower, as far as I'm concerned. You do as you're told, or next time I'll put you over my knee and make you howl in front of half the city. Do you hear me, Marelain?"

Marelain barks back, "Wrong! This council -does- work differently than the Tower!" She shows no sign of backing down from Cavaeya's glare. "I have seniority above all others on this council, and as such, -I- am in charge. Not you. And if you have any questions about that, you can ask the Amyrlin. In fact, I'd like to speak to the Amyrlin as well about your conduct here."

"Raemira put a /child/ in charge of this Council?" Cavaeya demands incredulously. "No wonder it looks as if you can't handle half the people waiting out there. I didn't expect a dog's dinner when I returned from Cairhien, but I can see that's exactly what I have." Giving her head a curt shake, she says, "Now that I've returned, we'll see who's in charge here."

Marelain shakes her head, responding in a quiet voice burning with intensity. "You know little, if anything, of what's been happening here. I will not have you denigrating the hard work of a large number of people just because you have a problem with me. If you wish to dispute my leadership, then do it." She practically growls, "But don't assume you know everything. Sister."

Cavaeya releases the shield and the Source at the same moment. "Then tell me what has happened," she instructs in a cool, calm voice. In the blink of an eye, her attitude changes, moving from heated anger to icy serenity. Gracefully, she settles herself in a chair and waits, one eyebrow slightly lifted.

Marelain shivers involuntarily. Even as carefully controlled as she keeps herself, she can't help but feel relieved at being released. She moves calmly toward a chair of her own. "That's better," she says before beginning. "The Blight is advancing in Saldaea and Kandor. Apparently the Borderlanders see us as a safe place, for most of those that lived in what's now the Blight have poured into our harbors."

Cavaeya grimaces at mention of the Blight, but says nothing as she watches the younger sister with cool eyes.

Marelain says simply, "We were caught unprepared." Her eyes flicker for a moment toward the window before she continues. "The inns filled to capacity almost immediately, and those that didn't were charging outrageous prices for even a place in the stable. We began by erecting temporary shelters, recruiting for the Guard by offering increased pay and guaranteed rations -- food became scarce just like housing. But the secondary problems began to make things worse... thefts, small riots, street gangs. Those have been the largest problems, trying to combat them long enough to solve the -causes-."

"Why did you not send some of them to Cairhien?" Cavaeya asks. "Or southward? There are enough towns within fifty leagues of Tar Valon to house a number of them."

Marelain answers with, "I'm sure on your way back you noticed some of that, at least in the villages across the river. We did send a number of people out of the city. We had to. The problems have eased somewhat now... the crush of people is not nearly as bad in the city. We're now dealing with the secondary problems I mentioned earlier... stamping out the street gangs, bringing justice to victims of crimes. But it's still busy, as you saw earlier." Her eyes flash noticeably at the mention of 'earlier'.

Cavaeya rises to her feet, calmly adjusting her skirts. "You have done well enough, it seems," she allows after a moment's thought. "Given the circumstances. I will be certain to speak with the Amyrlin about your efforts."

Marelain smiles coolly. "I'm sure you will." And she has some idea of how the conversation will go, at least from Cavaeya's end. "It will be useful to have your expertise at hand again, Sister."

Cavaeya inclines her head. "I'm sure it will." Then she sweeps from the room.