Balcony Conference

Vere gives a nod of the head to Marius as he leaves them, and then, after a moment's consideration, he steers Robin and Brennan out onto the balcony, closer to the roaring falls. "I know that Robin and you have something to discuss," he says to Brennan, giving Robin's arm a reassuring squeeze. "And it important that you do so. But I have another... item... of which I need to inform you, and the need for you and Robin to consult can act as cover for that matter."

"Yep," Robin nods. "My item is more of a heads up to avoid a... maybe unpleasant surprise. I don't know what you wanted to discuss, Brennan. But Vere's 'item' is darn close to my top priority right now. For all that I keep getting distracted by trying to appear calm and collected."

"A few things, actually," Brennan says. "Only one of which is really time-sensitive."

Brennan looks from Vere, then pointedly to the roaring falls and back off the balcony before looking at Vere again. "I'm not going to like this, am I? Go ahead, spit it out." He stands with his hands on the rail, looking out over the cascade as though admiring it, which puts his back to the party inside.

Vere turns away from the family as well, and speaks softly. "Caine sent me to Tir," he says. "He wished me to see what the visions there would show concerning some ancient guardians that Robin rescued from a difficult situation." He shrugs slightly, "No doubt they will be mentioned at least in passing in the family meeting tomorrow. But the important point is that while I was there I saw a masked woman who did not behave like a vision of that place. She clearly saw me, deliberately drew my attention, and then led me on a chase through the city down to the Pattern Chamber. Once there she unmasked and spoke to me."

Vere pauses, watching Brennan for a second before stating baldly, "It was Cambina."

Robin turns so her back is resting against the railing, facing the room behind them. She schools her expression to her typical 'bored while the researchers talk.' But up close, one can see the sympathy in the set of her hidden hands. She gives Vere as much warmth and strength she can.

Brennan's stance does not change, except to swivel his head in Vere's direction, with a blank expression. "You have my full attention," he says.

He looks back out over the Xanadhavian falls. "Tell it from the beginning."

Vere nods. "Edan acted as my anchor while I was in Tir, and heard everything that I said. I have asked him to not say anything until I had a chance to speak with you, Jerod, and the King.

"Tir was much as I expected at first, and I saw images of the people I had been sent to gather information upon. I will not spend time on those details unless you wish it.

"Oddly, when I entered the castle, I heard sounds, which I did not expect to occur in Tir from what I have previously heard. I heard the sounds of people in the throne room, and music from the ballroom. I chose to follow the music.

"A masked ball was in progress. I saw Reid, Deirdre, Demond Harga'rel, Khela, Aisling and Adonis. There were many others, but those were the ones I recognized. A woman I did not recognize caught my eye from a side passage, then put back on her leonine mask." He tilts his head to one side, considering, and then adds, "She looked the same as the other visions of Tir, translucent and faintly glowing, so I took it that she was not another visitor to Tir, even though she could somehow see me. She moved away from ballroom, down the passageway, looking back as though wishing me to follow."

Vere smiles slightly. "Obviously, I could not resist, although it seemed likely to be a trap. Throughout all of this I continually described what I saw to Edan, who remained ready to pull me out if things went bad.

"She led me down a spiral staircase to the Pattern Chamber. When I reached it she revealed herself as Cambina, and spoke to me."

And here Vere pauses, whether to give Brennan a chance to ask questions or to collect himself before continuing is unclear.

Robin nods a little to herself, keeping up her 'nothing interesting to hear here's act. Though she does encourage her firelizards to get some wing time in before they're all stuck at dinner.

Brennan says nothing, but lifts his chin fractionally: Proceed.

Vere's eyes focus somewhere in the distance as he recalls the order in which Cambina told him things. "First she said that she had been waiting for me to come. Then she said we did not have much time, as I would be in trouble if the Queen discovered I was there. I assumed that she referred to the Queen of Air and Darkness when she used the word 'Queen,' although I did not think to verify that until I had already left Tir. She said that she believes that the Queen has been distracted since Vialle walked the Pattern of Tir, but we should not count upon that." Vere's eyes flick briefly to Brennan as he drops that bomb.

Brennan nods, as though he had been waiting to hear that.

Vere takes a breath and waits for a moment to give Brennan time to digest that, then continues. "Vialle had asked Cambina to take her to Tir. Cambina agreed, as it was something she had already Forseen herself doing, and Vialle said she would go alone if Cambina did not accompany her. But when they arrived at Tir the Queen was waiting for them, in a translucent form like a ghost of Tir. She held Cambina with magic while Vialle walked the Pattern. Vialle's walk ended just as the sun arose, and Cambina fell, and does not know what happened after that.

"Now she is trapped, and hiding from the Queen. As far as she knows the Queen believes that she is dead and gone, and she does not want to risk what might happen if that changes."

Vere turns his face to Brennan now, and adds, "She said I should tell you and Jerod about speaking with her. She did not want you to imagine that she did not think of you." He smiles very slightly, "She also said it is dangerous to seek her out, and she would tell you both not to come if she did not know that it was useless to say such a thing to you. So she asks that you be careful."

Turning his face back towards the waterfall he concludes, "Dawn came, and I departed via Trump. I asked Edan not to speak of this until we could speak with the King. But when we returned to the palace we learned that Vialle was with child, and the King was away. I reported on my trip to Caine, telling him what I had learned of the matter on which he had originally sent me to Tir, but telling him nothing of Cambina. Nor have I told anyone else, save Robin."

Robin nods in acknowledgement, sympathy coloring her eyes as she too turns from the Family to watch her friends flit out over the Falls' mist. But she doesn't have anything to say - no words are right in these moments.

"Edan did as you bid him," Brennan says. "And you will tell Jerod. That will make five who know."

He turns back to face Vere and Robin. "What is your interpretation of that? And what do you propose to do now?"

"Random needs to know," Vere says, not quite answering Brennan's question. "But I think it best that Vialle not know that I am eager to speak with the king after having just been in Tir. The coincidental timing of her pregnancy is ... troubling."

Robin nods, her eyes still on the falls. "I've run into a Floaty Moon Woman one and a half times now. That person was looking for something. Maybe a vessel?" Robin shrugs, she doesn't know. "And she was always more interested in women than men."

"If that's the case and she is the QOAAD then I think that the Queen and her child need some serious help.

"After this I'm off to run down Soren and plead for a line to Random."

"This woman?" Brennan asks, and hands them the by-now dog-eared sketch he made about a year and a half ago. "Yes. This is the Queen of Air and Darkness, the Queen of Tir-na Nog'th. I have it on very good authority: Benedict. Solange and Paige have also seen her, and perhaps others. I believe you are correct that she seeks or sought a host.

"What will you do if the King is unavailable, or is with Vialle and will not dismiss her at your request? I ask for a reason: When I described Huon's plan to destroy Rebma-- his full and detailed plan--" Brennan emphasizes, "she was in the room and allowed to hear. This demonstrates a level of trust."

Vere nods. "A serious concern," he agrees. "My thought was that once you and Jerod also know this we can all look for an opportunity to speak with the King in private. That way it becomes less about me attempting to gain an audience without the Queen present. If we simply allow whichever one of us first gets a chance to bring the matter to his attention there is less chance of arousing Vialle's suspicion. At least one so hopes."

"As for me," Robin shrugs, "I'm not going to assume that I know better than the King of Reality. He's got faaarrr better and diverse intel than I do. I will make my requests and pass along the critical information. Then I will Listen to what he says and do my best accordingly."

While Robin's words may sound cavalier, her voice is not. Flexibility and instinct are her best weapons and she​means to keep them to hand.

"That is part of the problem," Brennan allows, quietly. "We don't know who knows what. The King may already know and wish it kept quiet. If the idea that she is searching for a host can occur to us, it must have done to others. If we find ourselves assigned to tasks tomorrow amounting to exile, I suppose we'll know." He shrugs, stoically. "I don't think we can take the chance, though.

"The question remains: If he will not see us, what then? Spring it to everyone at the Family Conclave?" Brennan obviously thinks that is a terrible idea. "Have you tried a Trump?"

Vere nods once again. "The fact that he put Tir off limits after Cambina's death now has some potentially troubling connotations. As for announcing it publicly in front of the entire family..." He shakes his head. "No, that is certainly not a good idea.

"Trump contact I was saving for a last resort. Unless you would argue that I should do so?" Vere lifts an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Family Conclave equals bleah." Robin scrunches her nose and sticks out her tongue for added emphasis. "Lenghty explanations, committee decision making, compromised discretion, explosion of independent agendas... I would rather not.

"I do have a Trump of the King. Buuuut I thought using those was specifically discouraged. And having been around the King when he's doing his Trump switchboard thing, I don't think a Trump call would stand out from the day-to-day universe shaking stuff." Robin finishes with a shrug.

Brennan has kept his face mostly turned to the cascade, or to the sky above it. Robin's mention of Trumps being discouraged gets an odd look, though-- that's news to him. "You neglected 'causing a possible major public embarrassment to the King,'" he says. "All our choices are bad, but that one is very bad." To Vere he says, "Yes, I would use a Trump, at least to make contact. Trumps carry a certain gravitas. But not before telling Jerod. It is not right that he be left in the dark longer than needed.

"But Trumps can be blocked. At the risk of belaboring the question: If he will not see us before the Conclave? I ask not because I think I have a good option, but because I do not want us all to exercise five individually bad options at the same time," Brennan says.

Vere sighs. "Here I run into my besetting fault of spinning out multiple possible scenarios, an endless series of if-then possibilities attempting to cover all potentialities. But as a precursor for making a decision, do you agree with me that the king absolutely must have this information before the meeting tomorrow? Or am I mistaken, and if he refuses to speak with us should we put it off until after the meeting? Are there aspects of this I am failing to consider?"

Robin presses her lips together in distaste. Here she is again, with Brennan and Jerod again. But this time poor Vere is in the mix as well.

Then sighs. Brennan's point is extremely on target. And Vere's precursor is as good a place to start as any, still she's her.

"I can't... predict. Things change too quickly around me. But I will communicate - with words - what I think I'm doing. And I will listen for good ideas." She shrugs. It's not great, but it's what she's got.

"It's failing I share sometimes, Vere, so let's try to keep the tree short and to the point. Yes, I agree he needs the information before the meeting. Outcome one: We get to the King and debrief. No further planning necessary... or possible, for that matter." Despite himself, having something tangible-- or close to it-- to plan, has Brennan sounding less hollow than he had before.

"Outcome two: We don't get to the King by, say, end of festivities tonight, which means we probably won't be able to, period. That's a problem. Option one: Debrief in conclave. Terrible idea. Option two: Wait until later. Terrible idea, it may up-end everything that gets decided, make us look like we're playing games or holding back. Terrible idea," Brennan says.

"Option three? I don't really see much middle ground except to ask someone's advice or make it someone else's problem, too. Candidates: Benedict. Scribe of his own Pattern, on the other side of Tir from here. Old enough to remember Tir as it was. And I have reason to talk to him anyway-- this business of a new island off the coast of Avalon is relevant to us both," he says. "Too bad he's not here, and gossip has him arriving tomorrow morning."

"After that, my choices would be Gerard, not just because he trusted, but because he is wise, and you certainly both have reason to speak to him. And Fiona, who I always have reason to talk to. Perhaps both at the same time if it can be arranged. Thoughts?"

"My concern with bringing in one of Random's siblings is that it might make the king feel that we are trying to force his hand by seeking an older and more powerful ally," Vere answers. "Assuming that he does not already know this, it is going to hit him very hard. And having one of his older brothers or sisters there is not going to make it any easier for him to hear it." Vere sighs once more. "I do not disagree that it might turn out to be our only option." He nods at Robin. "Robin thought that we might enlist Soren on this matter if all else fails. I do not know him well enough to trust him with this information, but I trust Robin's opinion."

Robin smiles briefly to Vere. "Soren had some sort of managerial role in Random's shadow life so the King is used to and trusts him based on experience. And Random has described him as 'unspeakably brilliant'. I've worked with him once. He's more verbal than myself, but our thought paths align more than most. But I was thinking of him as a first resort, not last, because I think that's where Random would leave his 'Only in Utmost Emergency' trailhead."

"I don't know Soren at all," Brennan says, "but he sounds like an excellent first resort-- going through channels, and all that. Are you planning to tell him his wife, carrying his first legitimate heir, may have been possessed by the Queen of Air and Darkness, or just... that you have very important business that just cannot wait? Is he someone we can tell that, and who can meaningfully advise us in return?

"That's not a rhetorical question," he continues. "I don't know I've ever said more than five consecutive words to the man. That's what Ben or Fiona or Gerard can give us." Brennan looks over at Vere, and clarifies, "I'm not seeking to force anything except the aversion of a complete disaster. Nor do I know that they need to be in the room when and if we tell him. What I would seek from them is advice. We do run the risk of having to add a name to the question, 'Who else knows this?' when it inevitably comes to us. For that reason it should be someone every one of us trusts and someone we sure as hell hope the King trusts as well."

Vere gazes out over the falls and answers, "My feeling is that if Soren is willing to set up a meeting with the king based on 'we have vital information that we think he absolutely must know before tomorrow, and please do not let Vialle know about this but we would prefer not to tell you why until the king hears what we have to say' then that is the way we should go."

"Yep. I was hoping to start telling Soren the least bit possible and fly from there. Though -- honestly -- if I get through, I was only thinking of telling the King to contact you, Vere." Robin drops her eyes. "Less committees and chances for individual bad options."

"I think we're in broad agreement, then," Brennan says: "Robin to contact Soren, get an audience if possible with the least possible reason why. Someone to tell Jerod what we know. Failing the Soren angle, reconvene and pick someone to get advice from?" The last is a question because it is what Brennan wants, but so far he is in a minority of having actually said so.

"That's as much as we can decide right now, I think. And that being the case, I still have a few things to discuss with Robin," Brennan says.

Vere nods. "I still think it a bad option," he says, "But the best that we have, if the others fail. Agreed. If the king does not return by the end of tonight's festivities, and if we cannot arrange a meeting through Soren, then we three, and Jerod if he agrees, reconvene and brace an Elder. Said elder to be determined based on who is available."

He looks at Robin, "Do you want me here for your discussion with Brennan, beloved?"

Robin cocks her head as she thinks over Brennan's summation. "All good, though I'd like to keep it out there that we need not go to an 'Elder' for advice. There are plenty of people in this room and Castle with plenty of skills that do not involve another Kingdom's politics or a history of grudges and rivalries. No matter how nice everyone is playing currently. Annnnddd, I might add that getting advice might not be my first alternative depending on why the Soren thing fails. But I will promise to try and reconnect with you guys before I do something else?" She shrugs, can't predict the future.

Then she considers Vere's question carefully. "Yep. I think I do. Thank you." The moment is solemn, but the fondness and gratitude for Her Love's thoughtfulness is clear in Robin's eyes.

"Okay, mine is not time sensitive so you go first, Brennan."

Brennan considers that, then says, "I haven't advertised it for a number of reasons, but it's approaching common knowledge in the Family that I've been in Avalon for..." he shrugs, "Probably on the order of a year now. More than half the time since the Funerals," he says. "Strange things have been happening there, which will be a topic for discussion, I'm sure. One of them is a new island off the coast of Avalon proper. Or maybe an old one-- it has Silver Towers on it. I hope no confidences have been betrayed, here, but I'm told you might know something about it."

"Interesting, indeed," Vere says quietly, his eyes going to Robin.

Robin glances back at Vere. "Umm.... Yeah." She blushes.

"I'm sure this is going to come up at the Family palaver tomorrow, but there's a public version of the story and a private version of the story. The private version I have to talk over with Benedict and Corwin and I'm not going to go into here, if you don't mind. But talking about the public version is fine." Robin shrugs.

"So, I don't know anything about an island. But I was recently involved in a bit of Shadow manipulation that displaced a lot of water. During the resulting storm and after a little Shadow travel, my companion and I found ourselves submerged in a stretch of breathable water. We stop to rest in an overgrown ruin that turned out to have silver towers with the looted tomb of Lir in it. There was Pattern-inspired tracery on the floor and I got hit by a very strong, very Family vision." Robin's eyes get a little starry at that and the hint of a smile darts across her lips.

"Anyway, I Trumped Bleys to bring it to the Family's attention. He immediately Trumped in, and once he arrived, he declared the ruin to be Corwin's Silver Towers of Avalon or close enough. He also let me know that we were within Benedict's realm. Which I did not know until then." Robin's being very clear on that subject.

"I had other promises to keep so my companion and I left for Rebma shortly via Bleys's Trump. As far as I know, Bleys remained there, happily reminiscing among the ruins. But it was all submerged when I was there."

"...This vision have anything to do with Dara or Moire?" Brennan asks.

Vere remains silently supportive.

Robin purses her lips, it's a fair enough question. "Nope. Not a bit. But the Vision itself is definitely part of the private portion of the tale."

Brennan frowns in thought for a rather long moment, thinking about how to approach that. "I see no question I can ask that wouldn't ask you to violate what you're keeping under a veil of privacy, so I won't. But I suspect it is related to one I've heard about from someone outside the Family. That one did involve Moire and Dara, and took place in the location you describe, and I think it may bear on whatever Moire's plans are to retaken Rebma, so if Corwin and Benedict release you from silence, I'd ask you to come talk to me about it. But on the very good assumption that Bleys is right-- and I think he is-- tread carefully with Corwin. There's a story there I don't think I have all of, but it's likely to be a very sore spot for him."

Vere nods silent agreement with this analysis.

Robin nods in understanding; that's two warnings, time to be very very careful. (So unlike her normal self.)

"Since you seem to have fulfilled a significant prophecy, can I ask what exactly you were doing to move that much water and land? You put a new invasion platform right off Benedict's coastline." For some reason this seems to amuse Brennan.

"Weeellll," Robin rolls her eyes slightly at her own nature, "I checked as carefully as I could to see if I was dealing with an... intra-shadow phenomena. Buuuutt..." she shrugs. One can never be really sure with those kinds of things. And when Family is involved, there might not be such a thing as a strictly intra-shadow phenomena.

"Outside of Arden, I came across an ancient knot, though maybe gnarl would be a better word, that been tied in a shadow via sorcery and blood magic. It was stable, but its guardians were pretty much trapped in an ancient and pointless position. There was a lot of forest and magical lake involved so when I undid the gnarl... 'Sproooinnnng'." Robin pops open a closed fist to illustrated land and water going everywhere.

"But before we get into metaphysics, prophecies and more questions, can I please get out this one real quick?

"See, when I was dealing with ancient guardians... ummm, Brennan? Has Lilly talked to you since Daeon's memorial? About me? And uh, Knights?" For someone who was rushing to the subject a moment ago, Robin seems somewhat reticent now.

Robin has Brennan's particular attention when she mentions blood magic, but conversations with Lilly are evidently far from the top his mind because it takes more than a passing moment to answer.

"Those guardians are the ones I mentioned earlier, the reason Caine sent me to Tir for information," Vere clarifies.

Robin smiles at her now-safe Love, but she's still not happy about the whole Caine sending him to Tir thing.

"Yes," he says. "Is this relevant to the situation in Avalon, or a separate topic?"

"Separate topic." Robin says, "See? Those ancient guardians had some kind of ancient ways. So to get along in the situation, I, uh, presented myself as a Knight of the Ruby. Since Lilly said I was one as far as she was concerned..." Her voice trails off in embarrassment.

Off to one side, the office door that Gilt departed from a few minutes before opens and Jerod steps out, looking distinctly refreshed and cleaned up once more, the signs of his previous "strenuous activity" nowhere in evidence. He heads over to the alcohol to collect a rather large glass of something dark amber in color, which lasts just long enough to register on his senses as he drinks it before he collects another one. That one he takes a sip of as he scans the room, verifying who is available before setting his sights on the trio near the balcony.

He then makes his way over, nodding here and there as needed for greetings, arriving just slowly enough to allow the three to adjust their conversation should they feel the need to do so.

Brennan has gotten noticeably better at hiding his emotions since his entry into the Family-at-Large, but he is still far from impenetrable. And right now, his reaction to Robin is mostly honest fatigue. "I see," he says. "Yeah, we're gonna have to talk about that. Soon. Today or tomorrow." He's already looking up to see Jerod's approach, though.

Robin nods in sympathy to Brennan's weariness.

"Jerod," Brennan says, by way of welcome. Brennan's never been one of the heavy drinkers of the Family, but he looks like he could really use a stiff drink right now. "You've saved us a trip. Vere?"

"Jerod," Vere says with a small nod of the head. "I have been telling Bennan of my trip to Tir, and what I found there. It is a matter of some urgency, and of personal significance to you."

Jerod, on the other hand, is very good at hiding his emotions, the benefit of a Court education (if that can qualify as a benefit), but a flicker crosses his face and is evident in his voice as he nods to each in turn for a greeting. Not weariness, more annoyance towards the universe in general. His lips purse momentarily as he parses what Vere says, then decides "screw the universe".

"Really? Well, we'll add that to the day's events of assaulting Gateway, destroying a mage army, dealing with Marius' insane dad Weyland, taking on Chaos beasts and leaving an undead army behind to fester while we try to figure out how to deal with it.

"Oh, and I brought back a little thief who has visions of the future. You're going to want to talk to him I think." he says to Vere.

Robin's eyes perk up at Jerod's list. Sounds like fun to her. Maybe he's annoyed that he had to interrupt it to come to a Family Event.

He looks over at Robin. "Robin, you're looking good. All is well?" and then to Brennan. "You need a drink. So do I. Why don't we all go get one, or several, while Vere tells me what's going to be added to the 'to do' list."

Robin bobs her head in thanks to Jerod's observation and in response to his question.

Clearly, despite having a very polite, court inspired voice and manner, Jerod has decided he's had enough of the universe being a pissant today, even as he listens very carefully to what people might have to say.

"Hunh," Robin blows a loose fluff of hair off her forehead. "If you all can trust me with simple drink orders, I can go fetch while you talk near this wonderful, noisy waterfall?"

Brennan was about to answer Jerod, but Robin beat him to it. "I was going to go for them, but if you're volunteering... get me one of whatever Corwin is drinking. That ought to be strong enough."

Then changing the focus of his attention to Jerod, Brennan shakes his head and says gently, "Please-- here. They have good reason."

"Cider, my love," Vere says. He waits for Jerod to give Robin his request, and Jerod might suspect Vere is taking the time to marshal his thoughts before continuing.

Jerod drains his glass before motioning with it. "This..." he says, "Lots of this." and he'll wait patiently for Robin to return and Vere to marshal his thoughts.

Robin nods. "Absinthe, cider and..." there's a delicate flaring of nostrils, "this." She nods in satisfaction. She's got it.

With a little wave to cousins and firelizards, Robin bounces back into the room and heads for the bar.

Vere watches Robin leave, then turns back to Jerod. After a moment he turns to face out over the falls. "Possibly I am being overly cautious," he says quietly. "But what I have to say should not go any further until we have had a chance to speak to Random. Last night I went to Tir, on orders from Caine. The particular reason I went is, I think of relative unimportance. In any case it will probably be discussed at the meeting tomorrow."

He glances back at Jerod. "When I explained this to Brennan I went through my trip in chronological order, so that he could experience it in the same order that I did, and learn things as I learned them. Should I do the same now, or simply tell you the core of what happened and what I learned, and then leave it to you to ask questions to fill in matters?"

"Chronological would give me more time to drink, but I think that might be a mistake on my part. Plus I don't think Random has that much scotch in the castle, even with conjuration." Jerod says. "Let's skip right to the bad news, shall we?"

Vere nods, pauses a moment, then says without any inflection in his voice, "While on Tir I met Cambina, who spoke with me. She told me she was held motionless by the Queen of Air and Darkness while Vialle walked the Pattern. She was held until dawn, when she fell. Since then she has been trapped in Tir, hiding from the Queen, and waiting for me to arrive so that she could let us know what occurred."

Robin continues her bounce as she proceeds across the room to the bar. She's not deliberately avoiding people's eyes, but she is definitely a girl on a mission.

Once at the bar, Robin eyes the situation carefully. After determining that Random's third favorite bar is indeed carrying multiple back-ups of various things, Robin just gathers bottles: Pear Cider, Absinthe, Gin and 'This', snags a few glasses and is ready to go. For a brief moment, the thought of ice crosses her mind, but given Jerrod and Brennan's faces, she doubts anything is going to stay in a glass long enough to chill. So neat it is.

Bottled up, Robin does not bounce back to the balcony. Instead she walks, steadily but quickly.

Absinthe isn't what Brennan was expecting-- he has clearly misjudged Corwin. But from the blank expression on his face, he's silently judging him now. He samples it liberally to let Jerod react and ask whatever initial questions he may have without interference. It contains alcohol, though, so he nods gratitude to Robin.

Jerod nods to Robin upon receiving his bottle of "This", noting the age and making a mental note to go looking for Random's private stock, because he's clearly hiding the really good stuff elsewhere (even though this is still pretty good).

"You might want to try that with sugar." he says absently to Brennan.

"Given that nothing Caine does is of unimportance, why did he send you to Tir?" he asks Vere.

"Robin came across an interesting situation involving some ancient beings locked into a stalemate over a war long past. Their realm was tied in ..." Vere frowns slightly, looking for the proper term, "In a metaphysical knot. She managed to cut it, and we were separated in the resulting release of tension. I and three of the ancients made our way to Amber, while Robin and one other eventually found their way to Rebma." He smiles faintly. "With side trips to Asir island on my part, and to Corwin's sunken silver towers on her part. Robin and I had discussed the possibility of settling the ancients in Rebma and Paris, for a variety of reasons. Caine thought it prudent to try to gain more information on them before deciding what to do with them, and sending me to Tir was a part of his investigation of them."

Robin nods in confirmation of Vere's synopsis from where she's definitely putting her gin in a glass, 'cause she's civilized that way these days. Glancing at Brennan, she raises an eyebrow and tips the gin bottle a little at him. She's glad to share. Or trade. Robin is not a particularly picky drinker.

Brennan spreads his free hand over his drink-- offer is acknowledged, but Brennan's got the important thing: alcohol.

He's following Vere's and Jerod's conversation, and will jump in with questions and comments when he feels the time is right.

"So why Tir?" Jerod repeats. "Were these ancient beings connected to Tir, the Queen or the Moonriders? Was Caine looking for a prophetic future? Info on their past? It's a tough place to get reliable information, even assuming the Queen is not involved with messing with someone's perceptions. If we assume the conversation you had is valid, how much of it is distorted or out of context by outside events, or your own wants or desires? What we take into Tir is as important as what we leave behind.

"As for Cambina even being there, it's a place of ghosts. I'd be more surprised if she wasn't there than if she was. Vialle is a new take but there's nothing as yet to suggest that she's able to do the Pattern, so I'd wonder if she was a stand in for someone else.

"What did you think?" he asks Brennan.

Vere nods at Jerod's words. "Uncle Benedict was at Amber when I spoke with Caine. He has heard of the courts the ladies claimed as their own, but they were only legends and ancient tales to him. Caine said that he has 'unachored suspicions' and wished me to go to Tir to find what I could by seeking out the ghosts of the ladies and their guardians. His exact order was 'learn what you can of the ghosts of the guests you have brought to me and their purpose and goals in the true realms.' He did not explain his reasoning, nor invite questions. As for the validity of my vision of Cambina," he shrugs. "I freely admit that bothers me as well. She spoke directly to me, in a manner unlike that of any Tir ghost I have ever heard tell of, and she was very like Cambina in her manner." Vere smiles very slightly, "And her impatience."

Vere looks to Brennan then, for his answer to Jerod.

Robin drinks a little, watches her firelizards a little, listens to questions and answers a little, but doesn't have anything to add at this point.

Brennan gives everyone a mildly arch look as he takes another drink-- asking a redhead what he unboundedly thinks is a risky business.

"I thought you should hear it from us, along with who was spotting for Vere, instead of... however else it might have reached you," Brennan says. "And I thought I'd like to hear as much as there is to know about Vialle's history and lineage," that's mostly to Jerod who is in a better position to know anything at all than anyone else present, "and about the circumstances in which she was found after the incident." That's to everyone. At least everyone present. Brennan is careful to keep his voice low.

"Her lineage is minor." Jerod says. "She comes from a outlying shell, nothing of any importance. Certainly nothing has stood out about her apart from her connection to Random and the family. The official reason for picking her was that she was minor but it would be of good benefit to her Shell and herself to be married to a Prince, since she was blind and unlikely to be able to advance further in Rebma.

"Part of me accepts that as a possible reason. It fits with the circumstances - taking on Princes isn't wise but letting Random go without some kind of punishment for Morganthe would have made Moire look weak. Marrying Random off against his will covered a lot of bases politically and socially. Even if Random hadn't taken a liking to her, it would serve to further cement connections.

"Part of me however thinks that my grandmother was a snide bitch as well, given that Vialle had.... history with Martin, if you will. The kind that Moire might have thought would serve as an annoying, niggling little insult that both sides know is there but no one acknowledges.

"I would think that if anyone might know anything odd about Vialle, it would be Fiona. She did a medical evaluation of the Queen as I recall? If someone were Pattern capable, I'd be highly surprised if it got past her. Though if it were found out, I would doubt it would have been publicly revealed."

"Edan was my anchor on my trip to Tir," Vere says, "And is the only one other than the four of us who knows this story. I reported what I saw regarding the ladies and their champions to Caine, but told him nothing of the other matter. Random had already departed from Xanadu when I returned this morning. It is my thought that he should know this story before tomorrow's meeting, and that Vialle should not know that I have returned from Tir with a burning need to speak to the king in privy."

Yep, Robin nods. "That's where I come in. I'm cover for burning need." Despite the grim company, she can't repress a snort of humor.

"How does Vialle's obscure background compare with Celina's, prior to her introduction?" Brennan asks. "And don't think I haven't thought about Fiona. Or Brita. Or any of the Pattern scribes. But I'm not convinced there is any final proof except doing or not. What about directly after the incident-- I never heard any good explanation of why one survived and the other didn't."

"If Vialle is one of ours, then our aunts and uncles have done their job well." Jerod says. "If she was one of Osric or Finndo's, then she was obscured solely due to age. If she was Moins or related close enough to allow for the Pattern, the same rule applies. And I have no good explanation either.

"Based on the information that Vere obtained, I am not sure exactly what problem we are going to be immediately dealing with. The information is certainly provocative, assuming it is correct. But we're blind so to speak. We report the information and see what comes of it."

Vere tilts his head to one side, considering Jerod. "Your reaction is less ... intense ... than I had expected," he says.

Robin watches her firelizards wheeling in the spray from the falls, remembering a time when Jerod and Vere were friends...

Vere said what Brennan is thinking. Brennan has more to say but he'll wait for Jerod's response before saying it.

"I just got finished blowing up half of Gateway. I lost count of how many people I killed." Jerod says drily. "There's a zombie army brewing underground there that still needs to be dealt with, apparently led by the remaining surviving member of the Triumvirate that bled Marius, and this trio apparently all had little Chaosi attached to them. I've got some dead Weir on my hands to take home when I get back to Gateway, who after I took them under my wing are figuring I'm going to lead them in their great holy war against the Queen and the Moonriders, not to mention them being displeased about Cambina being dead too - apparently they liked her a lot. And like I previously said, I'm not even going to bother trying to figure out Weyland yet. Part of me can only pity Marius having him as a dad. Makes me glad for the one I had, warts and all.

"So, you could say I'm a bit too tired for intense right now." and he takes a drink.

"Be that all as it may," Brennan says, "Her walking the Pattern gives an explanation for her survival which has previously been lacking. It also," Brennan nods in deference to the points Jerod raised, "raises a lot of questions and objections, ranging from the merely obvious to the potentially explosive.

"What is your conjecture of the Queen's-- of Air and Darkness," Brennan quickly clarifies, "goals and role in all this?"

Vere nods quietly and waits for Jerod's response.

"My conjecture is that I don't know all of her original goals." Jerod says. "I know there are a few others here who have had more contact or been digging more so I'd suggest speaking to them to see if anything has changed that would affect her original objectives. I would presume that if Vialle is connected to the Queen in some way, that walking the Pattern was either by connivance or permission. Either way shows a relationship which maybe to the Queen's advantage. This presumes the information provided from Cambina is accurate.

"When I return to the Weir, I'm going to be digging through their past to get an idea of their perspective, see how it fits with what we know. What little we know.

"What was Brand's take on Tir and the Queen?"

Outwardly, Robin's quietly listening and nodding in the appropriate places. Inwardly, she is fiercely telling herself that now is not the time to experiment with firelizards and alcohol. Though it's sooooo tempting....

"You can't seriously think Brand ever discussed the matter with me," Brennan says. "What little I know comes from fragments of notes Ambrose has been able to decode, and is limited to this: Whatever Brand thought about Tir and the Queen, he might have thought something was wrong with its Pattern, and that line of investigation may have been his first step on the road to madness." Brennan sounds like he might believe some of that, but after all this time is highly skeptical of anything that removes any blame from Brand for his actions. "But from my own thoughts and talking to others, 'Looking for a host,' is a recurring idea.

"We still have no idea how Vialle ended up where she did, unless someone knows something I don't. But the stories I've heard are... troubling." Brennan says. Maybe he just didn't want to use 'explosive' again, so soon.

"If the Queen was somehow influencing Vialle, then presumably the Queen also directed where she would have herself sent after completing her walk," Vere muses.

"And now you know why I have no conjecture." Jerod says. "While I can argue I've got horse in this race, I'm too far out of the loop at the moment. We need to get people up to speed and get details out, see if we can connect the dots."

"You mean, like the King?" Robin asks the air over the falls innocently.

"Which perhaps brings us to the matter of what we do with the information," Vere says with a nod. "The three of us are agreed that the King needs to hear this story before tomorrow's meeting. If he already knows this, if Vialle has told it all to him, then well and good." His face twists very slightly, as though 'well and good' is not exactly what he thinks about that possibility. "But if Random does not know this, then that is another matter altogether."

Brennan nods through Jerod's statement, and then in vigorous agreement with Vere.

"Jerod, I didn't mean to interrogate, but I also didn't want to shove our interpretations down your throat. I think," Brennan pauses very briefly to signal that any dissenters should speak up, "we're all in vigorous agreement that the King needs to know, ASAFP. The only question that remains-- because I won't let it go-- is, what if we can't get in contact with him before tomorrow's wide open meeting? To spare the suspense, the rough plan is to do everything we can to get to the King through channels-- Soren, Trumps if we have one, drawing him aside during Edan's gig, etc-- and if that fails by around midnight, reconvene and try to settle on an appropriate Aunt or Uncle for advice."

"If we cannot get him the information, then we either reconvene, subject to deciding on an appropriate elder...or we just bite the bullet and drop the bomb." Jerod says.

"It's not my preferred course of action of course. But if circumstances simply don't permit getting to him...like he's only at the family gathering and he's going to be gone after that for a month, then we don't frack around.

"Also, what is Edan's gig? I've been hanging with werewolves so I don't think I got the memo."

"Tonight's festivities will be a welcome for Edan's Order of the Knights of the Lamp," Vere explains. "An introduction of them to the citizens of Xanadu and the Family."

Robin wrinkles her nose, more Knights and Courts and things. She's glad she's got a plan for other excitement.

"Mmm...more knights." Jerod says. "Sounds like we're going to need a good crusade soon."

"We'll burn the what-if bridge later tonight, and only if we have to," Brennan says. "The important part is making sure we have one plan, not five. And barring any reshuffling of the deck based on tomorrow's mandatory fun, the Lamp's crusade is probably set, with Ruby in a lend-assistance mode. It'll all come out tomorrow."

Vere nods, but doesn't say anything more.

Robin nods, "Okay, then. Plan/agreement is in place as much as it can be, given those involved." Robin glances over at Brennan with a spark of humor cum sympathy in her eyes.

"Brennan, I know we have Things to discuss, but I am very much feeling the ASAFP push right now. If there's nothing else, I'd like to get to tracking Soren down. I'll regroup if that doesn’t work out. And I'll definitely see about hunting you down before the end of the evening for the Things discussion. Will that work?"

Brennan nods, "This is more important than our business." Marginally. "If for some reason you can't find me, something has gone horribly wrong with the whole plan-- Fiona, Brita, and possibly Folly have Trumps of me."

Those who are looking in the correct direction (back into the room) can see Solange entering the room, looking round and smiling a bit nervously at some of the relatives assembled in the room. Though she's cleaned up as much as Jerod and the rest, she's also clearly come from some sort of field situation: she's wearing trousers and her shirt has some stains on it, and her hair's a bit flyaway. When she locates Gerard, she comes to him at once and says something that they have trouble hearing over the waterfall noise.

Gerard's reply is loud and clear over the noise--a voice that could be heard clearly in a storm. "I'm acting as Regent, and in the King's name, I lift your exile, Solange. You are welcome to Xanadu. Be at peace--and get a plate. It's dinner."

Jerod's attention doesn't flicker even a single iota...the benefit of Court in Rebma. But to those he is in conversation they can hear the humor in his voice. "Hail, hail...the gang's all here." he says quietly, taking a drink.

Vere goes completely still when he hears Solange's name. At Jerod's words he turns his head towards his cousin and says, equally quietly, "This evening is indeed full of surprises."

Brennan's reaction is lost in the act of taking another mouthful of that stuff Corwin drinks. He still doesn't like it. When he sees Lilly arrive without Benedict he says, "Well, there goes my candidate for midnight advice, if it becomes necessary."

Robin's eyes go wide at the sounds of the dialogue behind her in the hall as a huge grin splits her lips. She's been learning and practicing, so she does hesitate for a moment. Before deciding that she's close enough to her good-byes.

Gleefully, she abandons her bottle and glass. And with a wild happy whoop, she grabs Vere's hand, fully intending to rush in and pounce on their prodigal sister.

With a light laugh and a quick nod of the head to Jerod and Brennan, Vere says, "If we are done here...?" holding Robin back for only a moment, unless the cousins say something to stay them.

Brennan's got nothing-- he raises his glass to acknowledge their departure but makes no move to come in from the balcony just yet.