Ceremonials

The palace buzzes with quiet motion and the shady cool galleries have slowly filled. Word of the arrival of Brita and Conner has swept through the streets and arrived at the Center.

As the great doors to the throne room open for the diplomatic party, they can see another set of doors opening at the queen's side of the chamber. The Queen enters as Duke Conner does and A Capella music begins a beat that brings the waters more alive.

Conner and Brita can see changes in the throne room. Weeks have passed since they were last here. There are more mirrors in the room and that brings greater light. Some new quality of the light allows colors to stand more true, less washed out by the very color of the waters that give the city life. And every where behind the throne hang long thin banners with family sigils. There are easily more than two hundred of them. Conner knows them in a blink and may speculate what they mean, but apparently families of the City have been 'honored' to show their colors in the Queen's Center.

Queen Celina paces with the music and her distance to walk is shorter. Once at the throne, she stands waiting for Conner to arrive before her. Her hair is up off her shoulders in braids that shape like a crown, woven and held tight to her head, and gathered behind in a long complex nautilus at the back of her head. She is wearing a sheer elegant chimera of fabric and flesh. Even the slightest current starts shimmers and transformations of dark color moving beneath its complex arrangement. Queen Celina's stance welcomes and the Scepter of Rebma is held firmly at her side half hidden in the soft eddy of gauzy fabric.

The music stops when Conner arrives at the steps to the throne. Celina's smile broadens and she makes eye contact with Brita and Conner, "You return to Rebma. What news?"

Conner bows to Celina as befits her rank and returns her smile as he lifts his head. He wears a Court outfit in the Amber style in his usual blues and greens. The hues chosen blend into the color of the waters around him which makes the red of his hair and white of his smile stand out all the more. "We have been successful in our mission, Majesty. Huon of the Horn awaits without in fulfillment of his agreement with your Majesty."

Brita stands at parade rest. She returns Celina's smile with one of her own.

Celina's eyes meet Brita's again. The Court doors stand open with Brita and Huon the center of many spectators in the outer gallery. Brita holds guard position.

Celina nods to Conner. "Then we will speak of news from other lands later." Celina does not shift her eyes, but shifts her voice to be heard by the Commander of the Throne's security detail. "Have Prince Huon escorted in so we can begin." Celina gestures Conner to a step higher than the gathered nobles in Court. She takes her seat on the throne and rests the scepter lightly in her lap as Huon comes forward into the Throne Room proper. Her eyes, her body language convey to Brita and Conner to stay center stage.

When Huon moves to position before the steps to throne, Celina's welcome is diplomatic, "Prince Huon, you negotiated an escort and I am glad to see it was cogent. I am glad to give you in turn the pleasant hours of chat which you once gave me. The might of three thrones expects you entreat safe haven in Rebma. How say you?"

Huon nods. "Queen Celina, I thank you for the courtesies you gave me then and now and I hope your brother is well. I expected to see him here." The crowd murmurs in surprise at the seemingly casual nature of the discussion. One lady of the court, a countess, is talking to Ambrose. She is in one of the few who go near the Uxmali prince. Huon continues speaking, spoothly. "I stand before you, who I am. I freely admit making war on Rebma.

"What judgment would you impose?"

He pauses to let that sink in, and this time the gallery falls into a stillness.

Celina lets the silence stand. She uses the time to bring the emerald lines of the Pattern to her mind. Khela's voice echos there, forever in the Pattern, twined into the moments sparking and yet fading while all about is bright and terrible. And then the whole image is before her imposed on the room, the Prince, her Friends, and every reflecting surface.

The single tear that leaves her eye is unplanned, unstoppable and invisible.

"You have made War on my City and its Sons and Daughters. For this Bane upon my Kin you must surrender to Me, and accept My judgment. Your blood cannot equal Rebma's pain, and so I judge you shall live. But that mercy requires you to give over to me knowledge of your agents and allies, and their contributions to this war on Rebma. I shall have Significant Information freely given from You about them, such that I can judge when and how I may wreak judgment on those not brave enough to stand here beside you.

"You say that you have made War on Us to end a long vendetta with a Prince of Amber. I judge now you shall end that vendetta. You shall ask an ending to it as befits Princes. And when that Prince also accepts your contrition, you shall set vendetta aside to balance the harm done to us. And Rebma will therefore prosper."

Celina's voice eases down to a level that still carries, but does not seem as full of hard edges. "You shall be a Skilled Mentor in my Court in the rebuilding and restoration of our City. You shall serve at my need, creating great works for us for a period of Two and Twenty years. By this Rebma will gain the benefit of your skilled centuries and honor your achievements instead of your bloodshed.

"You shall be Beholden to the Queen's mercy in this period, wherein I shall very much like to treat with you as Family. You have asked for My Protection in coming here. So shall it be. Your movements are mine to know and you shall hold to the precincts I require. My many Hands shall in turn guard your days and nights. I shall provide a place of haven. I shall celebrate this Oath and spread the word of Peace between us through three kingdoms and you may earn other words of goodwill and other hands to guard you from your past in addition to mine.

"These promises hold even if you travel from Rebma on the Queen's need for the Two and Twenty years, for the word of a Prince of Amber knows no bounds in the Universe.

"If you accept these things on your honor as a Prince of Amber, then I have also a personal judgment that is only for your ears." Celina takes the scepter in both hands in her lap. "Consider, and say how you find my words."

Brita's opinion of Celina as Rebman Queen has swirled into a firm belief that she will Do Well. She stands tall at the side awaiting Huon's response.

Huon pauses before speaking, knowing the crowd, growing by the minute, is completely focused on him.

After a minor eternity (or so it seems), Huon nods, abruptly. A woman in the crowd excitedly says "just like Random!" Based on her embarrassed expression, it was probably supposed to be an aside to her companions.

"I accept the judgement."

Celina looks to Conner, then back to Brita and finally scans the faces of the Court. "So be it." She raps the scepter on the throne once. "Clear the court of those not involved. I have further words for Prince Huon."

Conner allows a small smile of satisfaction to be seen briefly as much for the Court as for Celina.

Celina stands.

Brita continues to stand at attention until the room has cleared. She relaxes slightly after the last courtier leaves.

The room clears of humans, slowly. No one lingers to speak to the queen or to Huon, but it's difficult to clear the throne room when so many people are in it.

When the doors close, Huon stands where he was, Llewella comes in from behind the throne, and Conner, Brita, and Ambrose move forward towards the throne. Tritons are also present, unless Celina explicitly dismisses her giant bodyguards.

[Celina certainly does not dismiss the Tritons. :D]

Llewella turns to Celina. "Are we en famille?" she asks,

Celina nods once to Llewella. She smothers the urge to hug Conner and Brita. It is so good to see them back. Even more, it is good to see they have no signs of rough travel. Instead she stays focused on Huon. She starts things off by remembering Huon's lessons when they first met. "Welcome to my House, Uncle. I am not Llewella's daughter and King Oberon is dead."

Brita is a fly on the wall in this discussion, almost like the last time she watched Celina and Huon speak.

Conner is also content to watch for the moment and let Celina take the lead.

Llewella walks slowly over to Huon, without saying a word. He stands, as if in chains, neither moving towards or away from his sister.

She stands inches from her brother, so close that he should be able to feel her breath on his skin.

Llewella reaches out with her hands, and puts her hands on either side of his face. She quickly pulls it to her own and kisses him with a loud smack. "That's for not being dead."

A tiny glimmer of shock bounds ahead of a bigger ripple of loneliness chasing it. Celina admires the kiss.

Conner's eyes widen and his jaw drops a fraction before he catches himself. His face can't seem to decide on a grin or a frown.

Before [Huon] can catch his breath, Llewella swings her hand in a wide, fast arc, slicing through the water as if it wasn't there. Her open palm makes contact with Huon's cheek and the smack of that is even louder than the earlier one. His head snaps to the side and Brita can smell a trace of blood from his mouth mixing slowly in the water.

"And that's for trying to kill us." Lewella's hair swirls slowly behind her, recovering from the violent motion.

He stands his ground, neither defending himself not apologizing. "Happy to see you, too," is all he says.

Llewella steps back. "Thank you, Celina. That was all I needed."

Conner has finally settled on a thoughtful smile. Llewella has just given them a pure object lesson of what it means to be a member of this family. Conner remains quiet while committing the scene to deep memory.

"You are most welcome," Celina responds. "That was done well enow that I need not repeat it." She smiles. "Uncle, we will have many talks. I've given you some of the Family gossip. I have more, of course. I want to give you a full suite of rooms in the palace, where you can bestow chambers to suit your needs for a staff, if that is your taste. If you are familiar with the Shimmering Nedra Chambers, you will know they are not so far from this room. I have asked them to be prepared for you. And a season from now, if you desire an empty estate in the city, we can talk about that. Your stay here will not be boring or unpleasant." Celina goes on with only a small pause. If there were words to fill the pause, they would certainly be, "unless you wish it so."

"No others but Conner are allowed to be armed in my presence. Your blade will be returned. Silhouette is gone from Rebma but I expect her back here. She will be disappointed to miss your return. If you have Trumps, I believe I'll take them now as agreed." Celina does not move closer yet.

Brita admires her Aunt's ability to attack so effectively in the viscous environment. She turns to Huon to await his response to the Trump question.

Assuming he gives up his Trumps, she will ask "Uncle, Why Did you Attack Watery Rebma? It seems a Harder Goal to Accomplish than with the Land Based Realms."

"Your kindness is remarkable. If I had trumps, I'd've used them. Dad took mine long agon and Brand contacted me via a trump I didn't know existed, but did not give me any gifts."

Celina nods once, as this is exactly what she expected of the exiled Prince.

He turns to Brita. "It's difficult to ask us of reasons, child. We each are encyclopedias of them, all valid and none exclusive. Consider this: There are three blades for the three pattern cities. The Dayblade was in Bleys' hands, and Nightblade was Corwin's. The Seablade was my only choice if I wished to have a blade that could equal Bleys'."

Brita has cocked her head to the side to listen.

Celina studies Huon in profile as he speaks to Brita. The moment, and Family around her, are very exciting, for once in a good way. She breathes in TaKhi sequence preparing for extended calm.

Brita finally responds to her uncle with, "There May have been Other Ways To Gain the Blade that Would have been Easier." She does not look at Conner or Celina. "I Met you Once, Uncle, When you were Young... And Your Brother Lived."

Conner listens with interest to see what Huon says in reply.

"Well, as I failed to do so, your first proposition cannot be disputed. Unless you've been in slow time shadows for many years, you cannot have met Pinno or me." He smiles. "I would have remembered, I hope."

Celina finds Brita entirely believable on every occasion so far. She holds her thoughts on that. Brita may wish to tell the story and Celina is quite ready to measure reactions to it. "Pinno was an Uncle?"

"Uncle Pinnabello," Brita notes, "Was Walking while Our Uncle Waited to See if He Succeeded." She looks fully at Huon. "You seemed Disinclined to Watch. We Went to See and Found Him approaching a Rift in the Pattern. We Thought we could Help Him but were Not Successful. We Only Managed a Brief Respite - Trapping Uncle Pinnabello, ourselves, two other cousins, and Uncle Caine in an odd Trap. We could Not Rescue Uncle Pinnabello from the Trap. I am Sorry, Uncle." Brita seems sincere in the apology.

"As I recall the story," Conner adds, "my sister encountered you in the tunnels beneath Rebma behind a barred gate. As we knew you were not there in the present and that we had no intentions of doing so in the future, we were wondering if any of that scenario matched your history."

Huon reaches into a pouch at his waist, and pulls out a silver cigarette case. He pulls out a thin, black cigarette and looks around, clearly offering anyone who wants one a smoke.

Celina takes a cigarette and lets Huon light it for her. Llewella and Conner have not seen her smoke before.

Conner declines with a shake of his head.

"Pinnabello was my brother, but not your Uncle. That was unfortunately proven in his demise in our family's great crucible." He turns to Brita. "As I remember every moment of that day quite vividly, I assume you met a shadow. I suppose I should be flattered that you took him for me."

Brita shakes her head at that, but speaks to others things. "How Would a Shadow Manifest So Close to Reality?" she muses. "Although Rebman Reality seems Unique in Many Ways," she wrinkles her nose at the lit cigarette. "The Shadow You we met Did have your Preferences," She notes. "It seemed a Very Close Copy, down to The Scent. Could the Rebman Pattern's Influence Extend Outside its Room?"

"Rather, please clarify if 'that day' happened in Rebma with Our Pattern," Celina adds. Her body language says that debating the influence of the Pattern is fine with her. "Or did Pinnabello try another Pattern?"

Conner listens attentively. Those familiar with Conner recognize the light trance state he uses to enhance his memory.

Huon shrugs. "I'm not convinced that there are different patterns, just different ways to get to the one. My brother and I were in Amber."

Llewella nods. "It used to be more difficult to get access here, and nobody wants to use Tir-nan O'gth as a first walk."

Huon clearly agrees.

Brita just blinks at them both, her nose slightly wrinkled as her hand starts swaying slightly but repetitively through the water at her waist to create a slight current past her.

Conner looks dubious at Huon's theory of "one Pattern, many ways" but says nothing. "Well, let's move from that curiosity to something of more substance. One of the terms of your parole was information on our enemies when requested. So then, with Her Majesty's leave, I would like to hear about your dealings with the mages of Gateway and particularly, I want to know what was done to Marius."

Celina gestures with a hand, giving permission for everyone to get comfortable and begin to satisfy their information needs. Since Celina prefers Huon take his time and deliver all the juicy details, she adds, "Since this will be quite a story, you may start with the bold beginning, but matters of Blood and Family do take first interest."

"Who is Marius? My allies in Asir introduced me to the Gatwegians. They bought the information from the Klybesians, I assume. They paid a price for it, and another for betraying me.

"I was not interested in going to the Klybesians myself. They charge too much, but I wasn't above letting someone else do it for me. If I were the remaining Paresh, I'd be looking for compensation for the bad information. I had my own mages do some divination, and they told me it wouldn't destroy the pattern, no matter what it said.

"If that strange creature is alive, I suppose it is on the allies list, but I think it was magically bound. I don't know what it was, perhaps a shape-shifted dragon."

Huon will also provide a list of names and locations of those who allied with him. He does make it clear that they were not important but allows that if you wish to slaughter them, he is in no position to protect them.

Celina makes an effort to memorize the list of names, and/or the positions of the people listed. For even if someone new becomes the 'head of political party 'geegaw' she intends to see organizations involved pay some price as well.

Conner takes this all in as well. His mind is less on reprisals and more on gathering knowledge of peoples and shadows a Prince of Amber found useful. "Thank you." Conner nods his head to Huon. "Now to answer your question. Marius is family, son of Deirdre to be precise. He was captured and imprisoned in Gateway and during his stay there a large amount of his blood was drained from him. Brennan told us that he faced a being made of blood in the Pattern chamber and I have been operating under the assumption these two facts were related. He also mentioned a strange creature he has been hunting known as Hob or the Eater. Would this be the same strange creature that you mention?" Conner asks.

Huon nods. "Eater, yes. That was what it was called. I knew its plan wouldn't work because of what Brand had told me of his plans, long ago. He told me it couldn't be done at any projection of the pattern I could reach, and I damn well knew I could reach this one.

"I think if the Klybesians are selling secrets that they think would allow someone to obliterate a pattern, they will need to be dealt with. They are amateurs, but they could be used by a dangerous opponent to do some real damage. Especially if they're able to arrange and capture on of your generation? Has Marius decided on his vengeance? The right is his, but I also have a claim as they did this thing in my name."

Celina stares at Huon for a moment while her blood twists hot. It was a bluff all along. He never believed that the Pattern would be destroyed by the Eater. And yet, Celina knows that Rebma's Pattern is not like the Others. And did Brand know Rebma as well as he knew Amber. No. Celina thinks not. Brand made mistakes too. It might have done serious damage, especially at a time when there was already Pattern damage to account for.

Family damage. A bluff made then against not just the innocents of Rebma but against every Family member not wise enough to be out of the way of what Huon needed.

"Marius and you, Uncle, may have to hold your claim second to Rebma," Celina's voice is tight in her throat. Strange how old it sounds to her. Worn. Used up as if she had spent the morning shouting at her reflection in her quarters. "We shall debate the entire list of those willing to do Blood Magics against us." So Brand had visited Huon in exile and tried to get something from him. Interesting. "So the Gatewegians bound the Eater creature." She waits to see if other names are mentioned or if there are other questions from those present. It will give her a moment to gather her balance.

Brita is frowning at her Uncle's ready jump to vengeance as the solution to all ills and wonders if he will truly settle here in Watery Rebma and take his punishment. She has nothing to add to the discussion at the moment.

Huon shrugs. "I do not know the binding, but that would seem likely. They certainly provided him to my allies. For all I know, they also purchased him from the Klybesians. I don't think the Gatwegans have the wherewithal to find a creature as exotic as the Eater."

"You do not give them much credit. Gateway was handy enough with holding Marius and using the Opportunity provided once they had the Eater." Celina makes a small motion of her hand that accepts Huon's version of things for the here and now. She sees that he does not give anyone much credit unless he knows they are Family, and not much then. Or he wishes her to think so, since it shortens the conversation and analysis.

"Tell me how all this was coordinated to your benefit? The Asir had runners? You provided shadow runners? The Gatwegians joined Asir based on what promise? Were you not consulted beforehand? Are there lingering shadow paths to Rebma that need to be terminated?" Celina smiles to take the edges off her bevy of questions. She is gently circling around Conner's questions from another direction to keep Huon on agenda. "What did Asir expect of you and how did they betray their promise?"

Conner smiles and lets Celina handle this round of questions.

Brita waits as well.

"If they have advanced, it is recent. One of the faults of being hundreds of years old is that you remember a way a people or a person were, and it shades your judgement of them in the present.

"As to the hows of it, Asiria is along the Golden Circle and Gateway is a far extreme of it. The first paths were not, as you call them, natural, but there has been commerce and interaction between them for centuries. Usually collusion like this happens at an ambassadorial level.

He smiles. "You know it is possible to get to the Seaward from Gateway, as you did with Khela. There is little to prevent such a trip. The gold of the golden circle came from letting others ply it for a piece of their profit. Gateway has always been jealous of this."

"And so you tap into that jealousy, raise the Thaumacracy, and trust to Klaya, Kranto, and Dexamene to hold that order together long enough to see your troops safely through." Conner comments. "I am told those three are rather unusual from a magical standpoint. Two even claim to have been taken during the Black Tide incursion during the invasion by Chaos. Did you note any outside influences besides your own in Gateway?" Conner asks.

Celina keeps her focus on Huon even as she considers the nasty implications of Conner's addition. Gateway needs to be dealt with.

Brita waits for the responses as well.

"There were outside influences everywhere, as a result of Oberon's death. Took me a long time to get Shadow Renady shorted. I rescued Klaya and Kranto from the Black Tide for Dexamene. Didn't like what they did with Gateway, but I didn't think they'd last. I suspect that I advanced the interests of Rebma and Xanadu there, because the existing rulers of Gateway were not without their own plots to change the balance of power along the re-forming Golden Circle."

Celina nods once. "We shall see. All this death does not feel very much in my interests." Celina looks to Conner and Brita.

Brita will wait to see if Conner or Celina have anything to say to that before changing the subject.

"Have you Heard of Dara, Uncle? Did you Come Across Her in Your Preparations? Or one of Chaos named cleph?" Brita asks.

Celina nods again, obviously this is a question that interests her.

Huon nods. "Dara, yes. She's the one who left Margrathea in Renady, with the Rebman bracelet to pay her care. I wondered if you were she, Mistress Ourhope, but the Sisters would surely have remembered your exotic looks."

"Oh," Celina says, finally putting some things together. "I suppose that complicates things a bit. Margrathea is in Paris now."

"If Dara pursues her, a Pattern realm is one of the safer places for Meg to be." Conner observes. "So continuing down the list of beings wishing us harm, have you any information on the Moonriders or their Queen?"

"Not even the Klybesians are dumb enough to involve themselves with them. There's a legend that the Klybesians were founded by a monk from the future who was sent back in time by the Klybesians and started the order to prevent his own timeline from happening. It's quite untrue, of course, but it's the kind of thing they let spread because it helps their reputation." Huon makes a face.

Brita tilts her head sideways at her Uncle. "What about Your Knowledge of the Moonriders or Their Queen?" He didn't answer her brother's question at all...

Celina smiles a very small bit. It would be so so sharp an irony if Huon thought that Conner would overlook the deflection and not consider that Huon might be proud enough to involve himself so. On the other hand, Huon did not pledge to offer all his opinions. It would be telling and generous if these easy questions found some purchase. She holds back on the idea that Huon knows for a fact how the Klybesians were founded. A comment that only really leads right back to Huon himself. She wipes the smile away.

Celina raises an eyebrow of agreement with Brita's question.

Huon looks at Brita and smiles, although not as well as Conner could. "No more than anyone else's, and less than most, I'm afraid. I wasn't born when they invaded Amber. I was one of the children for whom they were a terrifying legend. 'Be good; bad children are sold to the Moonriders'.

"I never wanted to learn anything of them, anyway. Anything that frightened Eric and Corwin was not something I wanted to investigate, because I am prudent. I suspect that I would become an agent of their schemes rather than they of mine, and I was and am unwilling to be used. The Paresh learned this recently."

Brita seems satisfied with this response, but her glance slides to Conner to check his reaction.

Celina waits on Conner to cross examine.

"You've hinted around it so I'll ask directly. How did the Paresh attempt to use you?" Conner asks.

"It was their predictions of the future that convinced me that I needed your sword to kill Bleys. Between that, the Gatwegians and the creature, it occurred to me that they had not been honest with me." Huon shrugs, as if the rest is obvious.

He stands, waiting the next question.

"Ah, so beware shadows bearing gifts," Celina says lightly. "Good to remember." She looks at the assembled Family. They seem variously unsatisfied and in need of thinking through the things Huon has said. She looks back at Huon. "Uncle, if you would like to see your suite now, I feel I should show you the precincts myself, tho' you may have made many visits to the palace. And if once you've settled in your quarters, you have time to compose a brief on the Paresh, their founding and their 'beliefs' regards Rebma, I would be thankful. I'm young enough that this Paresh is not in my education." She smiles an expression of regret on that.

Huon smiles. "I can tell you what I know. I shall need time to organize my thoughts."

In the bedroom's phosphorescent glow, Silhouette's skin shines like polished copper -- sensual evidence of her sunlit time above the waves. She drifts about the room, wreathed in gossamer fabrics, which hide nothing and everything in-kind. When she moves, the fabric shimmers against her flesh, like heat rising from cooling metal. For all her aquatic grace, she will never be of this realm.

She remains silent as she prepares the luncheon, and has been so since Celina's arrival. Indeed, since her return from Paris, Silhouette has remained reclusive; not even pausing to speak with her Aunt. And certainly not her uncle-lover-patron. The cryptic missive sent to the Queen is her only communication. I need you it reads. Three simple words in austere lettering, yet possessed of undeniable intensity. I need you

Returning to the table, she places an undulating globe of wine before Celina -- copper like her skin. "A gift from Above," she says. Her first words, soft, kind, and startling after prolong silence. Her hand, warm as sundrenched stone, lightly brushes Celina's wrist, hinting at deep longing, wanting... then retreats.

"Thank you," Celina nods.

"Forgive my impertinence, my Queen," she continues, settling down across the table. "And thank you for coming to me. I know your attentions are demanded elsewhere. I must ask something of you, and only you have the power to provide it. I ask knowing full well its implications for you."

She leans forward, "I need to know who I am."

Celina studies her cousin while gently moving the wine globe in small circles. "And you need me to know who you are? Is that what you learned in Paris?"

Silhouette nods sagely, "Your Father lost himself, and found it once more here in Rebma. I would do the same. I would walk the Pattern. First, to prove that I am of the Blood. And, second, to find Enlightenment there. I can no longer afford for only my Adversary to know the Truth about my Past. Nor can I remain blind to Creation."

She folds her fingers together, "Will you help me?"

Celina sets down the wine globe. "Will you swear to the throne of Rebma? Will you defend it with your blood? Even if your memories do not clear and you discover yourself someone you do not like?" Her voice is husky but steady.

"I will not be forsworn to you, my Queen, no matter what I discover," Silhouette says plainly. "I am Yours, Celina, and shall remain such. The Grand Design -- and my heart -- demand it."

"I will help you," Celina says. "Yet what you are asking can mean your death. You'd leave me behind then and all the consequences would be mine. The burden is mine. You must do your best and let nothing stand in your way once you start this. That is my command." She pauses staring at Silhouette. Celina frowns.

Silhouette smiles gently at this, "I am Yours, Celina. And I shall do as you command. Allay your worries. Thank you for your help in this matter." She tilts her head slightly, "May I ask, will you still consider me your Dolphin once I return?"

"Even better, Dolphin, when you return there will be a party and cake," Celina says seriously. Celina sets aside the whirling clouds of facts that this is a bad thing. That this too lost girl should not walk the Rebma Pattern. It is that Pattern that has killed her love. It has killed so many times. And she has dreamed the deaths of many older sisters. Celina nods three times at those intangible clouds of facts and puts them back down into the rhythm of being Rebma's Queen. The Queen decides who the Pattern can try to eat. Only two things remain then.

"Repeat after me. I, Dolphin ap Celina, do swear that I will be faithful to you and bear you true allegiance, obeying your commands from this hour forward until my death or until the universe ends."

Silhouette, sensing the importance of this, moves to kneel before Celina -- her head bowed. "I, Dolphin ap Celina, do swear that I will be faithful to you and bear you true allegiance, obeying your commands from this hour forward until my death or until the universe ends." She stares up at her patron with forest-flame eyes; the intensity lurking there terrifying, exhilarating.

"I will invite Family to bear witness to your introduction to the Pattern. Feel no remorse if they choose not to watch. It is a terrifying experience." Celina reaches down to take Silhouette's hands. "I will make other preparations for the coming watch. You have time now to meditate or rest. I'd advise either and both to be helpful. Let us meet at the door to my personal suite come midnight." Celina leans down and kisses Silhouette between the eyes. "You have my blessing."

Silhouette laces her fingers with Celina; tender, yet without enticement. A low purr shivers through her too-warm skin at the touch of lips. "Thank you," she whispers. "I will come to you at midnight. Until then, I should continue my work for you. Rest will only dull my faculties."

She rises up, still holding Celina's hands. "How may I serve you until then?"

The girl must be what she will be. It is the only way. Celina rises to stand close to Silhouette. The water between them is warm.

Celina gently, slowly disengages her hands from her adopted cousin.

Reaching behind, the Seaward lass removes a very small spine-like dagger from the back of her metallic tanga. The handle gleams ivory and the blade is a dull green metal. "I take you at your word, Dolphin." Celina nods and looks down at the blade. "I want you to make a poem for me. I have several tasks to complete before your Pattern walk and must do them alone. Your poem must be complete when next we meet. It is for you to shape it and make it Art. The subject of the poem is the blood you taste on my lips."

Celina brings the blade up slowly until the tip touches her nose. She gently moves the tip down to her lips and turns it then so the blade draws edge across upper and then lower lip. Blood hits the water like a slow serpent peeking its head from her mouth. The curves of the blood in the water shape like something remembered from the Grand Curve.

"Kiss me. Then go make Art." Celina leans in.

Silhouette cocks her head, watching the scarlet whorls stain the water like spilled ink. Earth-dark eyes follow the patterns, fascinated, entranced. A slender hand reaches out, coming to rest on Celina's belly -- nails dancing over skin like a dragon's tongue. She leans in, tender at first as her lips press against crimson-stained softness. But, at the taste of blood, coppery and sweet, the tenderness falls away like scales -- a hungry growl echoing up like volcanic stirrings.

Another hand loops around Celina's waist, tugging her close to Silhouette's body -- its elegant curves radiating with ember heat. Her hungry mouth tastes and touches and kisses, tongue flicking against the wounds. Teeth lightly tug Celina's bottom lip, pulling her deeper into the embrace, her expert hand drifting lower, lower, as if a promise...

.. and then she is gone, slipping away like an eel, the connection broken.

Without a word, Silhouette bows and departs -- leaving little more than a hint of blood on the water she once occupied.

Celina moves around the room, at first it is to complete a circle of TaKhi, and then it is to clean the smallest trace of blood from every bit of water.

The calm of it all helps with the heavy weight of what she has agreed to.

Once she is balanced again, she gathers her determination and organizes the tasks she has for the Archivist. Many threads make a tapestry, and there is little time. For a proper fortune, Celina wants to gather Craft to aid every action that Dolphin will take upon the Pattern. She shall not rely upon threads too thin for history's weight, but instead wright a Tapestry of Necessity.

Celina leaves her quarters and strides towards the Archives. This Patternwalk will be glorious and puissant and it will scar her dreams further.