The sun rises over Cairhien.

It begins with a pale glow in the east, then brightens as the sun lifts itself into the sky and over the hill. The first rays of light gleam down on the sleeping city.

�Isn�t it ugly?� Shani comments.

Sycho comes to look. �How can anyone build a city all straight lines?�

�It�s something in the Cairhienin character. They plan every little detail before doing anything.�

�How incredibly -� Sycho pauses, looking for a strong enough insult.

�Boring?�

�Something like that.�

�Stupid city,� a deep voice growls from behind them.

Shani pats the new arrival on the shaggy shoulder. �I always said you had good taste, Snarg. Did you keep watch like I said last night?�

�Keep watch.�

�And?�

�Shadar gone.�

�I thought he would.� Shani grins.

�Where did he go?� Shaiel comes across to join them.

�He went to the Black Tower,� Shani explains. �To visit his friends, and cause a little incidental chaos. He�ll catch us up later. C�mon, let�s go.�

�Someone�s still asleep,� Shaiel tells her.

�Wake him up, then.�

�He won�t wake up.� The gold-haired girl looks exasperated. �I shook him, shouted at him, I even dumped a bucket of water on him. He�s still snoring.�

�No one sleeps that hard,� Sycho scoffs.

�You try, then.�

�Wake up, Someone!� Sycho yells at the top of his voice. There is no interruption in Someone�s snoring.

�WAKE UP, STUPID OGIER!� Snarg�s voice shakes the leaves from a few nearby trees, but there is still no reaction from Someone.

�Someone,� Shani says very softly, �if you don�t wake up I�ll throw your books in the fire.�

The Ogier sits up suddenly, blinking and grabbing for his books. �What? What? What�s happening?�

�And that is how you wake up an Ogier,� Shani tells the other three, before turning back to Someone. �We�re heading into Cairhien. Coming?�

�Cairhien? The Royal Library?� Someone pushes blankets aside and starts packing his books. �Certainly I�m coming.�

�I thought so.�

A few minutes later, the five walk through the gates, ignored by the guards (even without an Asha�man in the party, there�s a limit what people�s minds are prepared to take in) and into Cairhien.

�All right,� Sycho says, �what now?�

�We find an inn. We get settled in. Then we play Daes Dae�mar.�

�Uh - what are the rules?�

Shani gives him an amused look. �You�ve never been in Cairhien, have you?�

�Well, no.�

�That�s what I thought. There are no rules.�

At the inn, the five sit around a table by the fire for a lesson in Daes Dae�mar. �The idea is to confuse,� Shani explains. �Whatever you do, a thousand people are going to put different interpretations on it. Even if you don�t do anything.�

�That doesn�t make any sense,� Sycho protests.

�Of course it doesn�t,� Shaiel says in an irritatingly superior tone. �It isn�t supposed to make sense.�

�But -�

�Just follow our lead,� Shani advises him.

He glares. �How do you know so much about this, anyway?�

�Because she�s Aes Sedai,� Shaiel tells him, rolling her eyes. �It�s the first thing novices learn. How to confuse people.�

�So how do you know?�

�Because she�s Aiel,� Shani tells him in exactly the same tone and rolling her eyes in the exact same way.

�So?�

�If you can understand ji�e�toh, Daes Dae�mar is child�s play.�

�Yes, but -�

Someone interrupts the argument. �Here comes Shadar.�

The lean Asha�man saunters across the common room and sprawls out in a chair. �What�s happening?�

�Talk Daes Dae�mar.�

�Ah. And what do you think of the Great Game, Snarg?�

�Sound fun!�

�You�ve corrupted him,� Sycho groans, sinking back into his chair and closing his eyes.

Shani and Shaiel grin at each other over his head. �So what happened at the Black Tower?� Shani enquires.

�Chaos.� Shadar�s expression is unbearably smug.

�Care to be more specific?�

�The number of insane Asha�man has approximately doubled. Beyond that, no. You can go and look for yourself if you�re really interested. Oh, and by the way,� Shadar pulls a folded parchment from his pocket, �you have an invitation. For tonight, it looks like.�

�Tonight?� And Shani smiles. �Let the Great Game begin...�

That night...

�Are you sure about this?� Sycho tugs at his cloak.

�Of course I�m sure.� Shani smooths down her dress, which is an evening version of her usual one. That is to say, even lower-cut and less opaque. �It�s a costume ball, isn�t it?�

�But we�re wearing the same clothes as always.�

�Exactly. Now be quiet and let me handle this.� Shani takes a deep breath, causing every male eye in the vicinity to focus on her, and glides up the stairs. �I am Shani Aes Sedai,� she announces regally. �These are my guests.�

The guards look at the party of one Aes Sedai, one man in a black coat, another in a white cloak, one woman in cadin�sor, an Ogier and an apparent Trolloc. �Of course, Aes Sedai, my Lords, my Lady.� One bows. �Follow me, if you please. Splendid costumes, if I may say so.�

�Why, thank you.� Shani smiles sweetly and leads the party in.

�An honour to meet you, Aes Sedai,� a wary-eyed Cairhienin lord says, bowing, glancing at Sycho and Shadar. �An honour. Your Warders, I presume?�

�My Warders,� Shani agrees serenely. �Very perceptive of you.�

�You lied!� Sycho hisses once they are out of earshot. �What happened to the First Oath?�

Shani shrugs, looking amused. �The First Oath stops me from speaking any word that is false, and every word in that sentence, taken individually, is true. Only the sentence itself was a lie, and the Oath doesn�t prevent that.�

�That�s sheer sophistry, Shani.�

�Oh, you noticed?�

�Worthy of the White Ajah,� Shadar compliments her. �Shall we dance?�

Shaiel, for her part, has just politely refused an invitation to dance by a young and rather pompous nobleman. Dancing with wetlanders is no fun. She never loses. �Ah, a shame. A fine costume, by the way. Very realistic. These Aiel savages, they are everywhere nowadays.� The man scowls.

�They are indeed,� Shaiel agrees, reconsidering her refusal to dance.

�I am writing a book,� Someone announces to a group of fascinated nobles. �All about - well, about -�

�The ramifications of insanity on an overly serious world,� another ten-foot tall figure supplies, joining the group, �and the potential methods for actuating such insanity. The research is quite fascinating.�

The nobles laugh and clap. Someone blinks. Shadar and Shani, pausing in their dance, look puzzled.

�Snarg,� Shadar murmurs, �do you realize you�re talking like a book?�

Snarg blinks, then mutters under his breath. �Too much listen stupid Ogier!�

�Keep going. You�re doing great.� Shani pats him on the shoulder as the two dance away.

�No,� Sycho tells a pair of insistent lords, �I am not playing the Great Game. I don�t even know the rules of the Great Game.�

The two lords nod and smile, and wonder just what he meant by that.

Shaiel is now the focus of attention of a small crowd of young Cairhienin men. �Are you sure you won�t dance?�

�You�re tempting me.� Shaiel�s hand strays to her belt knife.

Someone has started planning a new book. �Teaching Trollocs To Talk...�

�I said, I�m not playing Daes Dae�mar!� Sycho stalks away from a cluster of Cairhienin noblewomen. �And I don�t care where your husbands are!�

�Insanity, after all,� Snarg expounds to the group, �is known to be beneficial in small amounts. In large doses, of course, it can have undesirable consequences, but if care is taken...�

Someone busily takes notes.

�An odd costume to choose,� someone (not Someone) comments to Shadar. �I doubt Mazrim Taim would be pleased at seeing you.�

�Probably not,� Shadar agrees blandly, remembering the expression on Taim�s face when seeing him at the Black Tower earlier.

Shani laughs and joins Sycho. �How are you enjoying yourself?�

�It�s crazy!� Sycho flings up his hands. �I�ve told everyone that I�m not playing the Great Game, but they still think I�m up to something!�

�You told them you�re not playing?� Shani stares at him. �That�s the first rule of Daes Dae�mar! Don�t ever say you�re not in it!�

�You said there weren�t any rules!�

�So when was the Game ever consistent?� Shani sighs. �Shadar! Get over here. We�re leaving.�

�Leaving? Why?�

�Sycho just told everyone he�s not playing Daes Dae�mar.� Shani disappears in search of the others.

Shadar shakes his head. �Bad move. You can get away with almost everything in Cairhien, but not that. I�d say trouble�s brewing.�

�What could possibly happen?� Sycho demands as the rest of the party join them.

�Last person who tried caused a civil war.�

�Really?� Shaiel looks back. �Maybe I should dance, then.�

�Enough�s enough.� Shadar offers Shani his arm, and the pair lead the way out of the palace. �Chaos in Cairhien. Mission accomplished. Now we leave. There are places to go, people to see...�

�And drive insane...�

�That too. Let�s go!�

And all Cairhien breathes a sigh of relief as they leave. All except one man.

�Not again!� the drunk outside groans in an Amadician accent, and tips his ale out onto the ground. �No more drinking for me! I�m sick and tired of seeing pink elephants!�

Episode #8: Shadar Aman

Raina's Hold / Raina's Library / Raina's Library - Original Humour