Efficient? The world isn’t going to end if the archmages take a few extra minutes to make their decision.

Fine.

“Taralda, with your consent, of course?”

You'd be surprised. They tend to get... tetchy. Especially if they miss lunch.

"Of course. Yes."

This is a slight change of plan, but she is very well prepared. 

Tabitha is a good listener, it turns out.

The Council Chamber is at the top of the Tower of Art, the highest point in the city. Sunlight blazes in through vast decorated windows, sending gemstone patterns dancing across the polished floor. 

Six of the most powerful wizards in the world stare at them. 

There is Gravalyn, robed in scarlet, her gaze intense and her expression always serious. There is someone who currently looks like an old man in golden robes, but this means little for the Alchymist, the master of Transmutation. There is a thing like a huge wizened turtle, expression unreadable (to those who know her well, she is actually looking rather amiable). There is a blue-robed dwarf with a beard as big as he is. There is a startlingly pale elf with black-and-purple hair and glowing purple eyes, whom it's best not to stare at too long. There's a kobold, perched on his throne like a child, with a keen look in his orange eyes and a staff of black-and-white wood. 

They aren't saying anything just yet.

Posture straight yet relaxed, he bows his head again, smiling softly. He’s stood before powerful wizards before; he is one.

Ambrose does not speak first.

One of them will.

"Hypothetical situation: you are a member of this Council, and it turns out that another Council member has secretly fed yet another Council member a love potion brewed with incredibly dark magic. It had no effect, since the other member is not a complete moron and never goes anywhere without Mind Blank, but still. How would you argue the situation should be resolved?"

She is not smiling. She hates these things. Shouldn't they have people for this? They're the best in the world at magic, not at recruitment. She doesn't ask, because then someone would give her an answer and it would probably involve words like "majesty of the state" and "dignity of the Tower" and somewhere a fairy would die. 

"Oh, and the first person to speak gets bonus marks, but if you both start talking at once we'll mark you both down compared to all the other applicants."

This, of course, is a test. It's a very simple test, but an important one. A lot of people who know the theory panic under pressure.

They also don't actually have other applicants, but Taralda and Ambrose may not know that.

“Taralda,” he offers graciously, gesturing with a hand for her to state her answer first.

The Archmage had offered bonus points to whoever spoke first, not answered first. Not that he’s taking their offer of ‘bonus points’ seriously – or the claim that there is anyone else in the known world who could rival him or Taralda.

...OK, well, that's not actually an answer she was expecting, but it's not wrong. If a little... heuristic.

"Ahem. Under the circumstances, it would seem prudent to investigate how this poisoner was ever appointed to the Council at all, as the most urgent matter, after removing them forthwith to face justice as anyone else."

“That is certainly a proficient answer to an interesting question,” Ambrose says smoothly after allowing Taralda’s answer a moment.

Head still tilted down, he looks up at Nythera. “I would argue that such a public denunciation may lead to unpleasant… rumours. To holes in the tightly-knitted web that is the Council, which as I recall, holds rebuilding to be in its best interests. I furthermore believe, as was evident in the Siege of Silvermoon, that we work best to protect our own when we work together. What, in this… hypothetical scenario, does the victim have to suggest?”

Please get the hint, Taralda. Let’s work together here, as we aways have done. We are only ever better for it.

"Indeed. Hopefully, in this scenario, our justice system is capable of... discretion. We do not, after all, wish to effectively punish people for working with us."

"The 'victim' in this case suggested execution." Her voice is quite carefully neutral.

Suggested. Past tense? This doesn’t feel like much of a hypothetical. The Council really should be more careful about the information they choose to hand out. Unless silence is part of the test somehow – trust.

“And did the perpetrator resist questioning, or attempt to run or fight?”

"No. She confessed, and appeared before the Council of her own volition."

“Admirable, aside from the circumstances. What did you do with her then?”

She cuts into the sudden tense silence. "Assuming that execution is the gravest penalty the Council imposes, it would seem prudent to be at least a little less extreme, so as to leave the accused better off for having confessed and cooperated."

"If not by execution, how would you address the problem of a rogue Archmage?" She's looking at Ambrose.

Leave them alone in a room with Galora for a night.

”Seeing as they appear to have been complacent in your judgement, I would have suggested an attempt at reform before anyone resorts to magefire. A trusted cleric. An investigation into the circumstances of their involvement with dark magic. And a permanent revocation of their position as Archmage.”

He’s been married to the Most High for two centuries. He’s aware that this was a predictable answer if they had done any research on him, but it doesn’t make it any less right.

He turns to his former master.

“What do you think, Taralda?”

Challenge accepted.

"I concur, but it does occur to me that all this would be a substantial drain on the Council's resources, and that therefore the perpetrator should be expected to provide compensation, either monetarily or by service."

“An excellent point – why not both? Reparations, and tireless pursuit of a cause that the recipient of the illegal potion holds near.”

He falls silent, meeting the gaze of the Archmagi.

“How close did we get?”

"Surprisingly so."

He nods, but strangely, he doesn’t seem smug. “I am sorry to hear it.”

He stirs. "And are you similarly prepared to defend against threats from unlikely quarters?"

The Dean of Defence raises an eyebrow.

“I hope that the courier did not lose my application as it journeyed to the esteemed Tower of Art. It contained much evidence that I believe more than satisfies your question – unless you seek alternative criteria, Archmage?”