"Truthfully, I was going to give you the staff for this meeting regardless." Meesei replied. She had kept the staff with her for the night, since she did not yet have a properly secure place to store it. She felt that an item of such magical power would warrant some additional magical protections than their normal vaults. With the staff in hand, Meesei paused a moment to charge a restoration spell through it, and amplify it with some of the power that remained. It was a stamina fortifying spell, about twice as strong as usual, which she cast upon Sabine. It would not be healthy for her if she could not start getting sleep soon, but magic could at least keep her alert for now. "I believe holding open that portal yesterday drained most of what was stored in the staff. It was an exceptionally draining spell, something that would require the assistance of an entire team of mages normally. We will need to experiment with charging the staff later. But, for now, I believe holding the staff will give you at least some more...legitimacy for the council. They are going to require some convincing. We both know what Ri'vashi's opinion is, but I know some of the others will have their concerns. Vera is still the alpha of this clan, and is still ultimately responsible for the security of its people. Having a former enemy general among us will raise concerns that she will have to deal with. But, I trust you, Sabine. I trust you more than enough to believe what you say about Do'rhajul, and I trust that you will be able make them see it your way as well. I would just say that you should not be afraid to be a bit...assertive. Do not be afraid to make a forceful argument. Our council will not take kindly to simply being ordered around, of course, but you can appeal to all you have accomplished. They are going to have some emotionally-charged opinions, but try to avoid letting yourself get intimidated." Meesei advised. Before giving Sabine a chance to respond, Meesei held out the staff in one hand, and placed the other on Sabine's shoulder. "But after this is over, whatever we decide, I want you to take all the time you need to get the help you need, okay? I will take care of any business that needs to be dealt with."