Negotiations (Watchers RP)

[Arette]

Brent's symphatetic smile and words were a comfort and Annais returned the smile a bit wanly. "I appreciate it, Brent. Anyone who has been in the same situation knows how it feels." She was silent for a moment and thought back on what all they had discussed so far. It wasn't at all how she had imagined the negotiations to go but it was just better. They had established a real connection and it would help in the difficult stages. "But as important as it is to know the other party behind the table, we have strayed a bit from the talks."

 

"When you said that I should get the permission from the Bondholders to speak with the Aes Sedai in their... custody, do you see those Sisters as the responsibility of those Asha'man or do you view the Sisters maybe even as the particular Asha'man's property? The latter is certainly in some level how the White Tower views our Warders. A forcibly Bonded one just would be stolen property and therefore unacceptable. Would you say that the Sisters are prisoners of the Black Tower or their individual captors? Will you allow the Bondholders to have some say on the terms of release or do you make that decision for them?"

 

Annais Nevell

Gray Sister

[Guest Estel]

Their conversation swung back around to the subject of her visit: the negotiations.  Brent surprised himself by regretting the change in topic, despite his initial unease about opening up around the Aes Sedai--or any Aes Sedai for that matter.  His brain told him as an Aes Sedai, she would use the information she had gathered to her advantage; negotiations and manipulation were never present without the other and were nearly one and the same in some cases.  While his logical mind warned not to open up anymore, he missed being able to simply chat openly with someone who neither wore a black coat nor stumbled our of their words for fear he might incinerate them where they stood.

 

"Me, I do be seeing the Sisters as captives of the Black Tower, who be under the responsibility of their Bondmates.  However, there do be some," Linten, "who be seeing thing as you do say: no as captives of the Black Tower, but as their property to do with as they be wishing.  I be trying to curb this behaviour, but it do no be so simple as reprimanding them and expecting them to be obeying."  'Fool, you did be telling her that you no have control as leader of the Black Tower.  Do you have fishguts for brains--watch your tongue!

 

"While Black Tower politics do be interfering in some things, an order from me do be releasing the Sister and it no matter if their Bondmates do no be liking it.  However, I do no be stamping on their feet though if the entire Tower be against my decision."

[Arette]

Brent offered her an interesting insight on the Black Tower politics and she doubted that it had been intentional. She would have to keep tugging at the loose end of the yarn but not too hard or the thread would go on snarls. "I am very glad to hear that you see the matter so, Brent. I doubt that we would have gotten this far in the conversation if you were of the same opinion than these some others. It sadly never is quite as simple as just telling them to shut up."

 

"It is not so in the Black Tower, nor in the White Tower. Maybe even less so in the White, as every Aes Sedai has been carefully cultivated for years to believe that they know the right of it and should make it so. And naturally no two people have quite the same view of what that right is. The Amyrlin Seat's decrees are final... until the Hall finds some way around it, if they do not agree with the decree. So it isn't so very different here than with us."

 

"A leader should have the support of their people. When we reach an agreement, I am certain that you will have to convince some influental key people, who others listen, to side with you. Just let me know if I can help with the lobbying. Or would my interference merely make it worse? Are there many such tipping points in the Black Tower? In the White Tower they are fairly clearly defined by Ajahs and who holds a chair in the Hall." Of course there were also the Ajah Heads, known only to the members of that particular sisterhood. "Do you have something equivalent to the Ajahs or is it just individual people who have followers?"

 

Annais Nevell

Gray Sister

[Guest Estel]

“From what I do be understanding of White Tower politics, you Aes Sedai do be governing yourself much like a country—the Amyrlin Seat acts as a queen who be moderating the parliament, or Hall.  The Hall do be made of representatives of each of the largest factions, which be clearly separated into Ajahs, and together, they as a whole do be governing what do be best for the White Tower.  Meanwhile, the Black Tower do be functioning mostly as an army and we be governing ourselves as such.  The Dragon do be taking the place of commander—or perhaps, more accurately, the position do be falling to me and he do act as king.  The Storm Leaders and Attack Leaders do be my officers, as do be some Asha’man who do no have any specific rank above their brothers.

 

“There be no room for debate and orders do be followed without question—or at least that did be the idea.  However, more now the Farm do becoming far more political and less disciplined as the men be growing used to their position of power in the world as more than just mere instruments of war.  The mentality do seem to be shifting from the Black Tower being seen as an “army of male channellers” to being “the anti-White Tower.  And this latest incident do be strengthening that view much more.”

 

Brent leaned back in his chair, surprised at his own basic understanding of politics about whom he, unlike many of his brothers, had received no education at all until just before coming to the Black Tower.  Mind you, students often learned quickly as a means of survival; things were digressing with Linten to a win-or-die level.

 

“There do no be any clearly defined groups within the Black Tower, though leaders do be emerging and falling away periodically.  Luckily the position of M’Hael has stayed very constant throughout all this--” ‘How long do that be lasting, though, I wonder?’ “—and Dalinar did be holding the position for some years.

 

“As I be saying before, many in the Black Tower do be very cautious around Aes Sedai and do no trust them to any degree.  Indeed few did be trusting them even before there did be this battle and the very existence of the Red Ajah, whose only purpose was to find male channellers and gentle them, seem to be undermining the cause of the Black Tower.  Any interference from the White Tower in the politics of the Black would be estranging factions and leading to more trouble and more anger.  No, the best do be for all the Sisters here to be lying low and for the Black Tower to be working through its own troubles.  But I do no think it would be any different in the White.  From what I do be seeing of most Sisters here, any direct involvement from the Black Tower in their Hall would be creating greater rifts between Ajahs and Sister who foster hope for union between the two Tower and those who do still be seeing the Black Tower as something that do be a danger to all of the world.”