The Morning News

[Narendria Rathamire bin Jarmid]

A lesson her father had taught her when she was young and starting to learn the ins and outs of buying and selling was quiet simple: If you have something others want, they will eventually come and find you. Sure, it's important to advertise and attempt to sell people on what you want them to buy but at a certain point, one doesn't need to run as wild to make themselves known. Narendria had reached that point in her career as a Sitter for the Grey and especially with her reputation as a swing vote in the Hall. Another lesson that she learned when she was young, this time from her Mother was to never fight someone on their terms or on a battlefield of their choosing. Narendria had taken those words to heart and thus had the perfect battlefield for all her meetings. That setting was the Ivory Inn, a three-story carved marble building facing the plaza in front of the White Tower. She choose this spot for one simple reason, she owned it. During her families time in Tar Valon while she was in training her father had needed someway to occupy himself so he had taken to investing money into various merchants and businesses in the city. The Ivory Inn had been one such enterprise. The owner's children had shown no interest in taking over the property when he passed and at this point she was the only member of her family in Tar Valon at the time, so, she quietly took on the responsibilities as owner of the Inn. Narendria didn't advertise the fact that she owned the building, ostensibly, if anyone asked, the building was owned by her cousin Kendria, who floated around the common room of the Inn, checking in with patrons and clearing flatware. She was unassuming, discreet, always friendly to whomever walked in the door and also, by the way, the head of her eyes and ear network. 

Narendria entered the common room, carefully removing the light grey cloak she had been wearing and adjusted her shawl over her shoulders before nodding to Kendria. The back dinning room was unofficially her office outside the Tower and it was set up as such. Kendria beat her to the door so that she could unlock it. Her cousin, perhaps well into her fifties at this point informed her of all the appointments who were currently awaiting her and with a quiet nod, Narendria entered the room and took a seat behind the large desk positioned in front of the small fireplace. The door was left ajar and she began to shuffle through the papers that had been left on her desk from the previous day, reports from some of her most important agents in the largest cities were always on top with the report from Mayene always the very first. She grimaced as she read the news, the Whitecloaks were still ingratiated with the First in spite of all her political efforts to turn the opinion of the cities elite against them. Aside from that though, the news was not terribly significant, Prices for Shellfish oil were down again for a third year in a row, which was great news for her House. She set the report aside, her grandchildren were doing well at managing her House and she always felt a mixture of pride and relief that her family was doing well without her there. She organized the news into different piles and mused about them as one of the serving girls brought in a tray of tea and some warm bread and fruit for her to have as a mid-morning meal, she would likely pick at it later but for now she was absorbed in the different reports from around the world and how they fit with what she had heard from the day before. She distracted herself after a few moments with pouring herself some tea, she had a sense that she wouldn't get to focus on just her reports for very long. Kendria knew only to keep troublemakers away from her "office" but trouble can come in all sorts of guises and today felt like a day where she would be face to face with some form of trouble.

[Calina Taborwin]

Tar Valon was one of the great cities of the world.  It was a living testament to the skill of Ogier stonemasons, the most beautiful city in the Westlands so far as Calina Taborwin had seen.  And above the city stood the White Tower, an eternal reminder of the Aes Sedai.  For all that, Calina had never spent a great deal of time in the city itself.

She'd spent 12 years in the White Tower, first as a Novice and then as Accepted.  The most she'd seen of Tar Valon in that time had been during the Black Tower's ill-considered siege.  It had never been her home, and Calina left Tar Valon shortly after attaining the shawl.  

The following years she'd spent wandering: Tarabon and Arad Doman, mostly, with a few short forays into Tai'Seanchan territory.  Valuable times, and valuable lessons, but not ones that enabled her to find a place.  That had been lonely, at times, but it had been a fact of her life for decades, ever since leaving Cairhien.  Now she no longer had the option of remaining untethered: Katreine din Ziago's ambitions denied her the luxury.

Calina was now committed to making Tar Valon her home, her first in over 40 years.  To do that Calina had decided to learn its places and its people as well as she'd ever known Cairhien.  It also meant making herself known to those that could be trusted, and finding people who might be useful.  She'd taken to morning walks when she could, seeing the city with fresh eyes and finding those that might be swayed.  She'd had a few successes thus far, though Calina was still double checking all reports against the Gray Ajah's own eyes-and-ears.

Today was one of those days when a morning walk could suit her.  The morning light saw Calina leaving the Tower clad in a slightly more conservative Tabaron dress; the violet silk still clung tightly, but the neckline was higher than most. The silver choker around her neck and the linked silver rings around her hips still drew the eye, but on the whole, it was a less forward ensemble than typical for her in the Tower.  These excursions were rare exercises in uncontrolled improvisation; it was not Calina's area of expertise, but it was an interesting challenge.

And very quickly saw something quite surprising.  Narendria Rathamire bin Jarmide, another Sitter of the Gray Ajah, was entering a carved marble building along the plaza in front of the White Tower.  Curious.  Very curious.  Calina had little to do with the older Aes Sedai.  They were not particularly close, and Calina had gotten the impression that something about her manner had annoyed or scandalized the Mayener.  For Calina's part, Narendria's consistent attempt to be a swing vote (along with her strong Mayener allegiance) made it difficult to negotiate.  Behind a silvery veil Calina's lips twitched up into a smile.  Her mother had taught her many lessons, but one that Calina lived by was to be bold.  Seize opportunities that present themselves and wring acknowledgment from others, by force if necessary.  Perhaps this would be an opportunity to swing another Sitter for the Amyrlin?

So after waiting a few minutes for Narendria Sedai to settle, Calina entered the aptly named Ivory Inn.  She smiled graciously as a woman, perhaps in her 40s or 50s greeted her and bid her sit.  (Really, though, Calina had long since lost much interest in the ages of others.  It became tedious and unnecessary when most of the women she met were locked into an unguessable agelessness.)  Calina accepted, taking a seat in a corner with an order for a light breakfast and some tea.  And, as the woman was leaving, one special request.

"And if Narendria Sedai might spare a moment, I would love the opportunity to catch up if she would join me for breakfast."  She was calm and unconcerned; Calina didn't know what, if any, relationship Narendria had with the Inn, but few establishments in Tar Valon would miss an Aes Sedai patron.  If Narendria was still here, she would hear of the invitation.

[Narendria Rathamire bin Jarmid]

She had barely started her letter to her agent in Tear when Kendria slipped into the room and whispered that another Sister was in the Common Room, asking to see her. Glancing up, Narendria could see the aforementioned Aes Sedai and she fought back a grimace. She had been...distant towards the newest Sitter for the Grey, largely in part because he knew Grey Sisters who would have been a far better fit for that seat than an upstart Wilder from Cairhein. Still though, she couldn't snub a fellow Sitter, especially from the Grey Ajah, she had no doubt that news would get back to the Tower and it would cause a mole hill where there need be none. Discreetly, Narendria slid a blank piece of paper over the one she had been preparing for her letter and stood. Kendria closed the door behind them after the Aes Sedai exited it to join what she suspected was some form of trouble. 

Narendria took a seat across from Calina gracefully and with a slight, warm smiling expression on her ageless face, a mask if there ever was one, but one she had honed from years of negotiation and maneuvering. 

"Calina Sedai, it's always a pleasure to see you outside of the Hall of the Tower." 

She began as one of the serving girls brought them a tray of tea, a bowl of fruit and a fresh baked scone for each of them. Internally, Narendria was curious as to why suddenly Calina had approached her here, in the Ivory Tower, as opposed to finding her out in the White. Several possibilities ran through her mind, most of them seemed foolish or illogical. She had figured though that she'd eventually get a visit from the other Grey, now may as well be as good a time as any. 

"I see you've stumbled across my favorite breakfast nook in Tar Valon, the cook here has a flair for Mayener food that I find difficult to resist, I must confess a certain weakness for my homeland. It's always nice to be reminded of home, wouldn't you agree?" 

Her ownership of the Ivory Tower wasn't exactly widespread knowledge and she wasn't sure if Calina showing up here was a message that she had figured it out or if there was some other reason, either way, she wanted to showcase that, yes, Narendria knew exactly who Calina was. She knew Cairheinins were skilled at the Game, but there was a perception that Mayeners were not for some reason, a foolish assumption that part of her hoped that Calina wasn't foolish enough to hold. 

[Calina Taborwin]

Warm and meaningless smiles were, perhaps more than anything, the hallmark of the Gray. Gray Sisters had to be in the habit of being pleasant even while engaged in high stakes negotiations or judgments...or even the occasional round of extracting concessions of political rivals. The smile Narendria wore as she sat down opposite Calina was the closest the Gray had to an official uniform, and Calina matched it as the other Sitter spoke up.

"Calina Sedai, it's always a pleasure to see you outside of the Hall of the Tower."

Serving girls were bustling around with their breakfast, and Calina nodded to them gratefully. Narendria was still here, after all...it was hard to read the other woman, which was to be expected. Calina was here in an effort to peek past that mask.

"I see you've stumbled across my favorite breakfast nook in Tar Valon, the cook here has a flair for Mayener food that I find difficult to resist, I must confess a certain weakness for my homeland. It's always nice to be reminded of home, wouldn't you agree?"

Calina didn't respond outwardly, apart from a fractional narrowing of her gaze. Her smile remained flawless and uninterrupted. Barbs, so soon? Calina could only see that was a sling against her own troubling issues with the welcome waiting for her in Cairhien...or the lack of it. I must truly rub her the wrong way, Calina thought, feeling slightly rueful. Perhaps the first step would have to be finding out why?

"Narendria Sedai, thank you so much for joining me for breakfast. We meet too infrequently you and I, even though we Sit for the same Ajah." Her voice was warm and pleasant, but Calina was not above asserting her own rank. By the laws of the Tower, the two women were equals. Yet by its traditions, Calina was the superior. She would not bow and scrape before Narendria despite her seniority. Her smile turned rueful, almost cynical, for a brief moment. "And I must confess I don't often miss Cairhien. The White Tower ensures I am reminded quite frequently." The smile faded back to the mask. It was true; the Cairhienin might play at the Great Game, but the White Tower was home to masters with hundreds of years of experience.

"The world is so much broader than our homelands. Have you traveled much, Narendria Sedai? I confess I find it most enlightening, though I haven't the time anymore I'm afraid."

[Narendria Rathamire bin Jarmid]

"The world is so much broader than our homelands. Have you traveled much, Narendria Sedai? I confess I find it most enlightening, though I haven't the time anymore I'm afraid."

Narendria smiled more genuinely as she reflected on her sixty years of travel in and out of Tar Valon. She hadn't been involved in what many would consider, high stakes negotiations, being that the Dragon's Peace Prevented wars and such from breaking out without Aiel attention, but that didn't mean that nobles and Merchants and entire nations still didn't disagree on things. Narendrias real area of expertise though was in settling trade disputes, her vast record of settling those types of issues somehow convinced the Head Clerk at the time that she would be an excellent Sitter. Narendria had been uneasy at first but...she had to agree, she enjoyed being a Sitter and she felt she was at least somewhat competent at the job. 

"I heartily agree with you Calina Sedai, although I had 60 years of traveling to do before I reached the point of not having the time for it anymore." 

Was her airy reply. Narendria was unsure if Calina genuinely didn't know that she had once been known for being one of those Sisters who spent more time outside the Tower than in or if Calina was trying to bait her into being impertinent enough to warrant a penance.

She wasn't going to start making assumptions though. 

"There were some years where I spent a year or more in a far away city during some negotiation or another...some people can be stubborn and unyielding...but in the end I was patient enough to bring them to a point of being willing to compromise."

She chuckled softly.

"I once spent enough time in Saldea to merit purchasing a small house for the duration of the negotiations...Saldean merchant lords are particularly stubborn..."

Her face slid into an unreadable expression as she fixed Calina with a stare. 

"Where have you traveled, Calina Sedai? If you don't mind me asking."

She was genuinely Curious about this point. She hadn't really dug too deep into Calina's history, there were Sitters for the same Ajah after all, not dire enemies...she just thought that Calina was a little...inexperienced for the job, she hadn't had the tempering that she and dozens of other Sisters possessed from years of dealing with people who expected and demanded the world.  

[Calina Taborwin]

Calina twitched aside the silvery veil that did little to hide her face, allowing it to hang down from one side where it was fastened in her hair. She busied herself with her tea while Narendria Sedai spoke, shooing away a serving girl that came over to assist. Calina kept her focus on the other sitter, though, whatever her hands were doing, even as she took a stip. The tea was excellent; Narendria had good taste indeed.

That Narendria was widely traveled wasn't much of a surprise. Most Grays were, to one degree or another; their callings largely precluded living a life rooted in place. The Gray Ajah maintained Traveling circles in many, many places for just that reason. Still, one would think after so many years far from home the attachment to Mayene might have...faded, somewhat. Not so, it seemed. Narendria had traveled for almost as long as Calina had lived; that was also not a surprise. Calina was well aware of her relative youth among the Sitters and other influential Aes Sedai, even though at 63 she would make for an old woman in another life. A strange, and irrelevant, thought.

Calina listened to Narendria, her expression varying only slightly. She let out a polite laugh when Narendria chuckled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. The unspoken fencing behind the conversation was interesting, and it absorbed most of Calina's focus. More was being left unsaid than was being spoken aloud, though that was often the case when Aes Sedai were involved.

"Where have you traveled, Calina Sedai? If you don't mind me asking."

Calina paused and looked at her tea, thoughtful. An interesting tangent, and perhaps an opportunity. Perhaps a chance to ameliorate Narendria's opinion of her, somewhat. There was little chance of scoring an outright conversion with this conversation, Calina knew, especially not after how proud Narendria had been at spending years seeking out compromise in the world beyond the Tower. It was an admirable quality, at times, but not what Katreine needed.

"I spent much of my time along the coasts to the west."

Calina sounded reflective, almost pensive, and she took a sip of her tea as she gathered her thoughts.

"Arad Doman was a particular favorite. Life among the Domani was quite interesting. There wasn't often call for negotiation there; the merchant women of the Domani are quite exacting with their bargains, after all, and perfectly capable of reaching an agreement without assistance."

There was a ghost of a smile real smile on her face, at the thought.

"Still, I made myself useful. I investigated a number of incidents, great and small. Thefts and smaller misdeeds, even violence, are common in all places where people gather after all."

Murder, too. She had brought more than one fool man or woman's crimes to Light, forcing them to face judgment.

"I spent some time in Tarabon as well. Tai'Seanchan territory is...well, I would not say every Sister should spend time there, but it is a largely different world. It is a worthwhile experience if their issues can be tolerated."

Her time among the Taraboners and Tai'Seanchan (which became closer to the same thing every year, in all honesty) had been disconcerting. Though she loved the culture of Tarabon, the restrictions placed on channelers, even Aes Sedai, were onerous. The entire concept of damane sickened her to the core, and much of her time there had been spent carefully prodding at the concept and trying to see if it could be weakened further. She'd been unsuccessful and distracted by ongoing negotiations on the Tower's behalf and eventually had left dissatisfied. Still, she'd enjoyed her days on the road. It had been a relief not having to wear the mask at all times.

She looked up, eyes on Narendria again, that uniform smile blooming once more.

"I miss it more than I'd expected, at times, though I find my work in the Hall more valuable."

[Narendria Rathamire bin Jarmid]

Narendria listened carefully and watched Calina as she answered her question. She had to admit, Calina was more traveled then she had assumed. She was willing to begrudgingly admit that. She allowed herself a genuine smile, albeit a small one, at how Calina expressed a fondness for Arad Domain and Tarabon. She couldn't agree more. She picked up her own tea and took a small sip from it before answering carefully, picking her words with equal care.

"Tanchico in the summertime is quiet lovely. Despite the stench of the Tai'Seanchan." 

Her face wrinkled in spite of herself, she couldn't hide how she felt about damane, she didn't feel she had too with another sister, differences aside. 

"I understand how you feel about Arad Domain. I find Domani to be refreshingly competent at negotiating, always seeming to get the good end of the deal no matter how hard you work." 

She admitted with a soft chuckle.

"I've been many times, the west is quite charming, if you can look past the Tai'Seanchan in Tarabon." 

She smoothed her face to stillness though. Her curiosity about why Calina was here grew. There had to be a reason and Narendria wanted to know, so, sometimes it suited a negotiator to be blunt. 

"Why are you here, Calina Sedai?"

She asked bluntly. 

"If you would like to break your fast, I can make recommendations." 

She offered, trying to smooth over the bluntness of her query so as not to overtly antagonize the other woman. She had work to do though, and she felt like there was a reason that Calina had come to her. 

[Calina Taborwin]

Why are you here, Calina Sedai? If you would like to break your fast, I can make recommendations.”

Calina didn’t answer at once, pausing to collect her thoughts and sip at the tea once more. The soft bustle of the Ivory Inn washed over their table, the soothing sound of a common room promising a busy day ahead. She lowered the cup and looked at Narendria, her mouth twisting in an expression of frank assessment. Calina had not read the other Sitter correctly, this direct approach was uncommon. She’d expect to trade barbs, pleasantries, and the occasional question for a bit longer before being dismissed so openly. Narendria was either very busy (and annoyed at Calina for interrupting whatever business she had here), or she very much disliked Calina (different scenario, same result.)

Calina set down the cup and rested her hand on the table beside it, rapping her nails against the wood twice before answer.

“I could ask the same of you, Sister.”

Calina’s instinct, perversely, was to try and annoy Narendria more. It was a bad habit of hers, one that had proven useful on many occasions or else she’d have worked harder to rid herself of it. Still, this was neither the time nor the place, and she made sure the grimace she felt wasn’t reflected on her face.

“Not that I would, of course. I did not come to pry into whatever business you might be conducting here. I meant what I said earlier. I do not know enough about you to do my own work, aside from your reputation. And, in my experience, reputation can be deceptive. I’d hoped to learn a bit more about Narendria Bin Jarmide the woman, to increase my chances of convincing you to listen to me later.”

Calina paused, drumming her nails against the wood a final time.

“The Amyrlin and the Tower will need unity, soon. I’d be remiss not to explore every avenue to increase our chances, even if those avenues happen to find me personally distasteful.“

Calina picked up the teacup again, raising it in salute. Her grin was a bright, almost roguish thing.

“Was that direct enough for your taste, Narendria?”

And then she drained the cup, gracefully of course. She wasn’t a barbarian.