Raven, Sir Corbie, and Sir Crescent leave the temple after breaking fast the next morning. The town is of a moderate size, and the neighborhoods near the temple seem focused on the temple as the key building, from related outbuildings to wide avenues with craftspeople servicing the knights and priests of the temple. There are more saddle and leather shops than a town this side should require, many of them in the luxury category. The people around this part of town look to be well-off, or else servants to the well-off.
Further down the hill, the houses and buildings are closer together and seem to exist in spite of the temple, rather than because of it.
What are Raven and company looking for?
One point of curiosity at a time - Raven makes a mental note about the leather shops as something to come back to, but of more interest at the moment is where the common folk are. Not the ones living in the planned-out city, but the ones that actually make the pretty city go. She heads for narrower streets after a brief orienting stroll around the rest of the town. Inns and places to eat she marks for later, but for early in the day, she's looking for markets and gathering-places for the ones doing chores and the like - places where people gather and she can see what kind of folks really make up this city. As such, she does suggest that the others dress casually, and follows suit herself; this is not the time to make an impression.
Her explanation of what she's looking for to the knights is to the point: there's clearly more going on in this Shadow than the Moonriders either want to see or want to admit; a place like this has more than one undercurrent, in her experience, so she's on the hunt for those. Who's being treated like crap and has an agenda to fix that? Who's being trampled by society? Is there anything - good, bad, or in between - that can be brought back to the negotiation table (or used as an emergency distraction, if needed)? Are there actually any dangers for the Xanadu party or is it all focused towards the Moonriders?
This is not, she emphasizes, an interrogation. This is looking around, being friendly, doing a little window shopping and maybe a little drinking later, asking the kind of questions a dumb foreigner might ask - and if there's anything particularly interesting, digging in a little to see what it turns up.
The townspeople up here are distinctly members of stratified classes, almost castes. It takes some digging, but Raven believes that there are three or four distinct groups. Moonriders and their people, who are not from here, crillos -- 2nd and third generation, many born here, native Gheneshi, and mixed people. It's not clear if the mixed people are a different group or just a rich and adapted (relatively) group of natives.
The feeling Raven gets is that, as guests of the Temple, they should be staying in the upper town. There's nothing worth seeing in the lower town. The upper town, of course, has plenty of lower-town servants and such. There isn't any sign that they're actively being mistreated, but they're the ones with jobs here. There's plenty of guards in the upper town.
It might be a different story after dark, or out in the plantations, or on a bad day, but right now it seems calm enough.
As Raven wasn't really expecting to find the actual trouble at this point in the day, that's fine; this is more scouting to see what's likely to be interesting for a nighttime visit than trying to jump in the middle of trouble now.
Is the guard detail more of the "watching for pickpockets and fisticuffs" type or are they more alert and/or armed than that? Are they warning the guests back into the upper city should they stray or are they just watching?
The guard detail looks like a place that has been conquered, but not in this generation. It wasn't so far back in time that the differences are 'castes' but it wasn't recently enough that anyone here remembers it. They may have grown up as second class citizens and not ever known a time when they were not under the eyes of guards.
Raven gets the feeling that the guards are there to stop opportunistic crimes and not to stop a full-on attack. However, they are within the walls of the city here and not in the countryside. Raven also gets the feeling that the countryside is far less under the control of the moonrider people than the city. That's probably even an outlet for hotheads from town.
As a sailor who has been in more than one more-or-less unfriendly port, Raven knows when she's being appraised as a mark, a target, or a threat. No one is acting, yet.
Fair enough, in Raven's considered opinion. They're probably still a little too fresh in town for any but the most foolhardy to try anything. Well - foolhardy or desparate.
She'll spend a little more time investigating some of the shops - why are there so many leatherwork shops, anyway? - and make a mental note if there's anything like a bookshop in case they need to get outside the Moonriders' library for any reason.
The simplest answer about the leather working shops is that the community here caters to knights and pilgrims and the leather goods of Ghenesh are sought out as luxury goods. It also seems that the workshops are staffed by locals with craft masters being more similar to the guards.
And then she'll find a quiet place where they're not going to be overheard to ask her companions for opinions on the place, and to find out if they're game to continue out into the countryside to see what's what out there as well.
If they are, then horse retrieval and out of town they go. If they aren't, then she'll escort them back and head off herself.
They absolutely are. They are knights, and the field is more interesting than any temple or town.
"I was raised near Arden, although I was never going to cut it as a Ranger, so I want to get a feel for that forest."
"Yeah, if it's dangerous out there, I want to take a look at it before it takes a look at me."
Raven nods. "And I'm real curious about who it's actually dangerous to," she says. "I'm also a city kid and a sailor, and most of the time I'm smart enough to not ignore people that know forests better than I do. If I'm about to do something dumb in the woods, let me know. Back the way we came in here, or do we want to try another direction first? I'm of a mind that the way we came in is probably the safest option, which may mean the least interesting."
Sir Corbie pouts. He always does that when he’s thinking. "It's a walled town, and the gate with the most guards and the least trade looks like the southern one. How about that?"
Sir Crescent nods. "Or we could ask. In the bad part of town." He’s grinning.
Raven snorts and decides that she's just not going to mention that the last time she went looking for help in the bad part of town, a riot started. "Not saying it's a bad idea to ask down there, but I'm thinking we'll have better luck with that lot by visiting after the sun sets and all the fancy folks close their doors. Let's try the south first."
Raven and her two knightly companions head for the southern gate.
The gate leads out past a few scattered buildings; a mill, some sort of springhouse, an open area that looks like it's kept clear for defensive purposes. A ways down the road, there are farms, but they don't look too prosperous. There were better farms and ranches on the approach into the western gate, where the group arrived. It's part of the horse-and-leather economy over there.
Here, not so much. Food and perhaps hay.
There are no signposts, and the road looks like it probably started as a military thing, but was used for local goods after that.
Riding out is a matter of being watched on all sides, including by the not-insignificant gate guard on the sourhtern gate. There aren't any signs that the gate has been attached by enemies, but that's not how the guards act.
There's supposedly a village some distance down the road, but it's out of sight due to trees.
The whole point of leaving town was to see what's out there, so in Raven's considered opinion, there's not a lot of reason to turn around until they've at least reached the first village.
The knights never exactly relax, but they are more at easy as they ride through the countryside. It takes about half a day to cover about ten miles distance, and the horses are tired when they finally spot an inn near midday. It's on the outskirts of a village and is just on the edge of the distance a person might walk in a day and get to the temple.
It seems a bit run-down and there isn't a lot of evidence of traffic. Raven saw more people working the fields than she's seen in the village. The sign on the inn shows an eight-legged horse.
Raven reins to a halt close to the inn and swings down from her horse. "Lunch, gentlemen? See if they've got a stable," she says as she tosses the reins to whichever knight is nearer. "Maybe don't get too excited about settling in until I find out if we're going to get thrown out before we get a chance to find out what's what - I'll stick my head out and let you know."
Assuming neither knight has any objections, she will head inside to find out if this place serves something meal-like to random strangers from way, way out of town.
The inn looks like it caters to locals, at least at the moment. There is a back stairs, which maybe leads to rooms, but it doesn't exude an aura of sophisticated charm and pleasant experiences for the Adventurous Moonrider heading South.
It's full at the moment, with laborers and apprentices eating their midday meal. Raven is being watched, but it's not the "sizing up to rob" kind of being watched like in town. It's more the "am I about to participate in a murder?" rural watching.
The bartender, a middle-aged woman who seems older, nods as Raven comes in. "Welcome", she says.
Raven doesn't feel welcomed.
Fortunately, Raven wasn't expecting to be particularly welcome, and while she's not interested in being murdered, she also isn't here to be the murderous kind of entertainment either. Anybody who's looking like they might plan to take action is worth keeping an eye on, but glaring is fine. "Afternoon, ma'am," she answers. "How much for meals for three and a bit of a rest for our mounts? Ain't planning to spend the night unless the horses are done for."
She nods, and names a price. It's hard to tell if it's criminally high, but it doesn't seem like a bargain. Perhaps there’s a 'we don't like your kind' surcharge.
"There's bread, stew and beer, if you take either. 5 Tusks, including stable fees. Not for the night."
Raven nods. "If we change our minds, we'll ask before the dinner crew shows up. Doubt we will - we're meant to be elsewhere tonight," she says easily, in case anyone has an idea that they won't be missed quickly. She fishes in a pouch, sure she has the required funds in there but also entirely willing to make just enough of a show that they hopefully won't come off as richer than their clothes say they are, and adds, "You got a side door to the stables I can use, or do you want me going back out the front to get the other two?"
She takes the money, squints at it, and nods. "Stable's through that door," she says, pointing with her head. I'll have food for you when you come back in."
Raven goes through the stable, which is serviceable but not luxurious, and out into the yard. The knights are waiting for her, and haven't begun to tend to the horses.
Sir Crescent says "Riders," and a moment later, they appear around the bend, from the south. Four people on horseback are coming up. The knights wear red cloaks and Raven is pretty sure the lead rider is Signy.
"Huh," Raven says. "Right, well, we've got a meal for three and room for the horses, if you want to start getting 'em settled."
Signy slows from her hellride, with the miles and leagues and unfathomable gulfs of shadow melting away as she stops manipulating shadow. From here on out, she'll have to use the compass to naviage in the normal way. Red Fox Claws will be pleased; he didn't like hellriding.
As they come around a bend, she sees that the smoke they'd spotted in the distance was coming from a roadside inn.
What was really unexpected was that her cousin Raven was standing outside it.
The inn ahead is a welcome sight. Signy straightens a little in her saddle and arches her back, feeling a slight pop as something readjusts itself into a slightly more comfortable location after so much punishing time in the saddle. Sadly, she's not sure what to do about the potential headache that's been nagging her not long after starting the hellride to Ghenesh.
She gives one of the men at her side a sympathetic glance, and murmurs quietly "I think we're where we need to be right now, so that part is over." She pushed as hard as she dared, but carefully doesn't mention to Red Fox Claws that she could have pushed harder, or she'll never get him to agree to another ride that way.
As they arrive at the courtyard with Raven and the other Knights the party slows to a stop, and Signy focuses her attention on Raven. "This is a pleasant surprise, I thought that The King had sent me to where I was going to be completely on my own," she says, pitching her voice low enough that it doesn't carry above the sounds made by the two groups. "I think we met during the rescue mission that we ran against the Monks, I'm Signy."
"Rescue mission?" Raven snorts in amusement. "Aye, all right, part of it was that. And I've met enough of you lot now in enough big groups that I'm starting to lose track of who I met when. Raven." She offers a handshake. "And I'm... pretty sure we didn't know you were coming, so welcome to the surprise diplomacy party, I guess. Brennan's back in town, checking out the Moonrider library."
Signy swings down from her horse as Raven approaches to take the handshake.
"I don't think I really knew I was coming. After the night that they had the duel with the First I met another Moonrider, I think it was Shield. He gave me a token of safe passage, and asked for King Random's terms."
She pats one of the saddle bags.
"After a very impromptu audience with the King, I found myself on a horse with a small group of Knights for an escort and," here she shrugs, having caught Raven up on what she considers the salient points. "Though I'm kind of glad that this happened, I think that these tokens are pretty important and not something that you want to just 'not get around' to returning, they'd come looking and not be in a good mood."
"And I definitely ain't going to ask you to show 'em off right now," Raven says. "Get to that in a minute. For us - well, not sure who's been escorting who here, but me and Brennan and a bunch of his knights came here with some of the Moonriders. And a knight who's somehow involved in the history of them but I don't think is one, and a demon disguised as a talking horse." She pauses a moment, thinking. "And I think that's the whole of the weird party we got going on, at least, unless one of the other knights or one of the non-talking horses got something they need to get off their chests. 'Here' is the monastery where the Moonriders are based - there's the warriors under the Marshal and there's sort of scholar-priests, and those are what's based out of here. It's about half a day's ride that way," she indicates the direction with a jerk of her head, "but me and Sirs Corbie and Crescent are out here poking around to see why the Moonriders are wary of the natives attacking on the road. See if there's a mess that might need stirring up if we need it, that kind of thing.
"So... Ain't a surprise, but this won't be the friendliest place to have lunch, and we're definitely paying more than it's worth. Pretty sure we won't get stabbed without someone trying to start another riot, but I also wouldn't go flashing too many shiny things and I'd keep those saddlebags with you if they're not under a knight's watch, aye?"
Signy takes in Raven's recap without much surprise or consternation -- demonic horses and ancient ancestors seem to be just par for the course with this family. She grabs a small pouch out of her saddlebags and then lets the older knight she spoke to as they arrived grab the reins so that the rest of the band can take the horses into the stables to see to them.
She tucks the pouch into her belt, fastening it securely so that it's all but unseen at her waist. "The King wants me to talk with the Marshall, and also the Moonrider that gave me my token of safe passage, someone named 'Shield'. She gives a quick glance around, ensuring that there's nobody in easy earshot other than any straggler knights from their parties before continuing. "I have a feeling that my discussions with them are meant to parallel Brennan's, and maybe see if we're talking to a unified group or if there's maybe some dissention in the ranks."
She runs her hand through her hair and scrubs briefly at the back of her head in thought. "Was that demon horse just a travelling companion of some sort, or is it somehow tied up in...all of this," as she waves her hands vaguely to encompass all of it. Moonriders, natives, and everything else happening here right now.
Raven thinks for a moment. "Not sure I saw anybody that had a symbol I'd call a shield," she says finally, "but I would put money on us not having seen everyone that's here, much less the whole of 'em. We already got the idea there's two major groups - the Marshall and the warriors, and then these scholar-monks we're dealing with here. They've told us they work side by side, but also that the scholars are - " She snorts. "How'd they put that? The 'asses in our collective seats of reason.' Something like that, anyway. But it sounds like you got sent to do what we were thinking about doing anyway, there. They said the Marshall's been called for, but wasn't here yet. As for that horse..." She shrugs. "I mean, he was a talking horse, at least so far's I knew, until the Moonriders pointed out that he was a bit more and he stopped pretending. Got the idea he was an accidental pickup, but Brennan'd be the one to speak to that. Not sure whose side he's on other than his own, yet."
Signy nods slowly. "Did they say how long it would take for the Marshall to get here?" She pauses, and then snorts at the possible foolishness of that even being an answerable question. "I'd love to get a chance to at least eat and rest a night before having to jump into that whole...thing, but if he's going to be arriving 'soon' I may not have that luxury....."
"They said 'within a ten-day,'" Raven answers. "And we got here yesterday. Can't promise he won't be there when we get back, but they probably aren't expecting it or they would have said a smaller guess. We've also got half a day's ride from here to get back."
Signy's body seems to shift and relax slightly at the news that she probably has at least a day before having to start on her task from the King. A night of sleep, and a decent meal start to become something that she can start to think of as real things in her future.
"So, this inn is the first thing we came to on our ride from Shadows. Have you had a chance to see any of the countryside at all? I assume that the Moonriders are all in the city nearby, where do all these people that they're concerned about live?"
"Not the city," Raven says dryly. "Well, that's not the whole truth. They're some in the city, but I'm getting the idea this whole Shadow's a place that's been made to bow to them, not a place that's choosing to follow 'em, if you catch my drift? We rode in through woods, and they warned us not to wander off alone on account of ambushes happening on the regular to folks on their own. City's pretty tame, but the closer you are to the monastery, the richer it is and the more everyone fits in with the Moonriders. I still ain't sure if there's anything to be found poking this with a stick or not, but as bloody casual as they were about the ambushes and the natives, it just ain't something worth ignoring."
Signy pauses for a second, thinking over what Raven heard.
"That seems a bit odd. You would think that warriors that have the ability to move around in time would not find it that challenging to go back 30 minutes to warn themselves of an ambush....."
"But I bet it's annoying to have to do it all the time," Raven points out. "Lorides - that'd be the talking horse that's a demon - was saying that they use up time from their life when they slide backwards, so I'm thinking if you're doing it all the time because you're getting jumped all the time in what you think is home turf... well, either you've got to work around it and outlast it, or you've got to burn out the problem, aye? And burning out the problem's going to involve fighting, which uses up time..." She shrugs. "Or they could just have their heads so far up their backsides that they figure it ain't their problem and they only warned us because letting the diplomats get killed ain't the best way to make talks go smoothly."
Signy thinks this over some.
"I mean, that's certainly a good case for why they haven't been a bigger thorn in our sides, though I also wonder. I don't think anyone in the Family have necessarily died of old age, you know? If they're like us, taking time off of an end that is so far down the road as to be virtually unreachable...?"
She pauses, and tilts her head slightly thinking that through a bit. "I wonder if they've run afoul of the Monks at all. Are we the only ones they want to try and kidnap, or do they try to grab some of the Moonriders as well?"
Raven frowns. "Can't say it's been something we've talked about, at least not so far. Maybe Brennan has. We did bring up the Queens and... all that... and it sounded like they mean to take that seriously and not just side with theirs because she's theirs, which I'm taking as a good sign."
Raven and Signy continue their conversation, buy and eat their food, which is filling but not the stuff of song and memory. They proceed with their knights back to the temple, where the guards are surprised by Signy's presence.
She's given the next room over across the hall from Brennan.
Brennan and the Knights of the Ruby he selects (Dame Jennet, Sir Flagstone, and Sir Tenacity) are invited to the scriptorium in the morning, after breaking their fast. Sir Quicksilver is there, and introduces Sir Intensity, who will act as secretary for the meeting.
After assorted pleasantries and introductions, Sir Quicksilver says "You indicated that you wished to wait until we could discuss the matter of the queens. Are there matters of commonality we can discuss in advance or is that the primary reason for negotiating?"
Brennan has, heretofore, carefully only mentioned one Queen-- Vialle-- and was careful to name her thus. So when Sir Quicksilver mentions a multiplicity of queens, he decides to tilt his head and lift an eyebrow. But he also decides to answer Quicksilver's question directly. Perhaps they'll return to that issue of plurality, later.
"Let us speak of the recent incursions into Avalon and Xanadu, then. We do not look kindly on attempts to retake the higher ground above them," he says.
Quicksilver nods. "A cessation of provacative measures is certainly a point we will want to include in our proposals. I am told that several of your relatives raided one of our camps recently, taking a personal device from one of our commanders, perhaps as a way of counting coup. Perhaps a cease fire can be arranged while we negotiate. It certainly would be easier if we didn’t have to worry about news arriving that would upturn the process.
"I believe I am familiar with the incident. A navigational aid, I believe it was?" Brennan waits for confirmation before continuing. "I am not aware of any raids being planned, but I was not aware of that incident until it had happened, either. Are there groups still moving on the City?" The ambiguity is more diplomatic than deceptive-- whether they would be moving on Xanadu, Avalon, or Tir, the result is the same.
Quicksilver confirms Brennan's description. "Something along those lines. Those kinds of tokens are often passed between our people. It is a personal item and good will could be earned by returning it.
"As for the activities of the knights, the Marshall will need to address that question, of course. I personally don't know of any such movement at the present."
Brennan nods-- it's unsatisfying, but a reasonable response to Brennan's own statement. "I will raise the issue when I can."
It is much the same for similar issues. Several small matters are discussed in these preliminary chats -- things that can be resolved easily or which are not important enough to either side to be sticking points. Nothing strikes Brennan as contentious.
Towards the end of the discussion, Sir Quicksilver raises a new point:
"Have you been to Tir-na n'Ogth, Sir Brennan?"
"I have." Why?
"I am curious. It has been many years since I have seen the city, and I am wondering what it looks like now. We have heard various things, but I would be interested in your impressions."
"It was... cold. Spectral and somehow overwhelmingly solid at the same time, translucent, even transparent but at the same time vivid. It seemed to shift at the edges of my vision, provoked an overwhelming sensation of deja vu when I looked directly at some things I have never seen, and appeared to rearrange itself when I wasn't looking. This all sounds poetic, but I mean them literally. There were courtyards that I later remember seeing in Rebma and spires that belonged Amber, and shimmering false clouds that wavered between a jetty I'd seen in Amber and a sandbar that should have been in Rebma, and all the while the City never seemed to be anything other than itself.
"I was born there. It was, in my day, not cold and spectral, but a living city of spires and walls, with all the chaos and excitement of one of the largest trading empires in the skies." He looks sad. "My biggest concern about returning is that if we undo what was done, can we avoid the rain of bodies?"
Quicksilver closes his eyes, briefly, perhaps remembering the horror of that day. "We have no easy answer. While this is our problem to solve, I suspect the solution to it is tied to whatever reasons your king and his father have had for keeping us from reaching our goals.
"What magical resources can you offer to make sure we come to a solution that is acceptable to your King?"
It is with some effort that Brennan does not just repeat Quicksilver's question back at him to make sure he heard it correctly. Brennan takes his time before responding, not as a conversational tactic, but because he is genuinely uncertain of the best approach, here. Ultimately, he decides to take the bull by the horns, even if it will require some degree of positioning to do so.
He lets out a long exhalation of air, almost but not quite a sigh. "Sir Quicksilver, I fear we are very far from a meeting of the minds, even you and I to say nothing of our respective camps. If you would indulge me a question or two of my own: You were born in Tir, as you say. Were you part of the cohort that came down much later with Sir Unsheathed? If you were, would you describe what happened in the days immediately following that?"
Brennan is aware that he is treading on historical and possibly trauma, here. Very few people would describe him as overly gentle or sympathetic, but he asks the question with the gravity it deserves and without intentional accusation.
"It's something of a blur, and it was centuries ago, Sir Brennan. But we attacked Amber, in an attempt to get to the fleet to escape. We were not fast enough. We attempted then to break out to Arden, and were defeated on the verge of the forest. From there we were taken to Ghenesh. And left on our own."
Sir Quicksilver considers Brennan's question. "Are you suggesting the fact that we fought you means that you are not willing to help us, as part of a greater peace? We were at war. We were at war for a long time. We were at peace before-hand and for longer."
He frowns. "How then, should we have our minds meet? We desire a cessation of hosilities, access to Tir, just dealings over the kinds of minor matters we have discussed, and we would also look favorably on assistance with our desire to restore the City of Tir from her current imbalance."
Dame Jennet leans in to Brennan to confer. "Sir Brennan, is this normal for Moonriders? It's like he's jumping around in the conversation like they jumped between places."
"It's not going the way he expected," Brennan murmurs to Dame Jennet. "He's giving himself help."
Leaning back out of conference with Jennet, he says to Quicksilver, "Where polite discussion fails or lags, art remains. Dame Jennet, would you give us some of the music of the time from the time of the Sack? Perhaps one of the Lamentations, something by an eyewitness?" Brennan says this as though it has only just occurred to him, but of course he and Jennet have discussed this already.
When Jennet is finished singing, Tenacity has given Brennan a copy of one of Cambina's histories. He doesn't open it, but has three fingers interposed in the pages, ready to open to particular passages. "A history of the time," Brennan says, indicating the book. "I can read you contemporary accounts, eyewitness accounts, that are much the same: The shock of a surprise attack after centuries, the carnage of a three-day sack of an unsuspecting population. And although I was not there, I have many living aunts and uncles who were, who have given me their accounts. Without exception, they spontaneously express certain... reservations... about your re-occupation of the strategic high ground."
Brennan's tone is cold and direct here, and the freight with which he invests the word 'reservations' is itself artistic-- and unmistakable.
"We will be closer to a meeting of the minds when you understand our reservations about ceding the high ground, and when you understand that these memories are still very much alive in Xanadu," Brennan says.
Quicksilver nods. "From our perspective, it was war, and it was the present, and we were escaping a trap possibly inflicted upon us by our very foes. It was not a matter of centuries, but the same day. So it was an invasion, and we invaded. There were casualties.
"But we have also been in exile for centuries. What is the proportionate end of that? Do we stay at war and fight you and teach subsequent generations to fight you when they see an opportunity or can we end this? We will of course acknowledge that there are disagreements and matters to resolve, but the point of having these talks is to come up with ways to resolve them. Is that a common goal, at least?"
"And you are asking us to allow the reoccupation and reset of a trap sprung on us by our very foes," Brennan responds, quickly but still calmly.
"So here we are, the first of several real obstacles. We know you're willing to fight-- Your forces showed up in two locations in arms, one leading an army. You know we're willing to fight-- We just escorted your commanders back here without their army, and First-to-the-Fray is in our custody. So let's have it, then. Take it seriously and put your suggestions on the table: What security guarantees will we have that you won't come down in force again tomorrow, or next year, or a century from now? Convince me, because if you can't, you have no hope of convincing those who lived through it."
"I would ask what your King sent you to accomplish if not to attempt to make the difficult arrangement we are discussing," he says. "But given the outcome of our recent skirmishes and our relative lack of resources, I think you may have misidentified who was in a trap that was sprung upon them like mice being decapitated with a spring-loaded wire."
Sir Quicksilver seems very still, almost as if he is not breathing, which is quite a trick since he’s talking. "As to security guarantees, we honored our word to Oberon until he died. We did not attack during his lifetime when we could have gathered armies and moved on Amber. Not even when he let his son temporarily ascend to the throne. That alone is evidence that our agreement would be inviolable. We did not attack when your city was weak, when we could have to advantage. But if you wish guarantees, those can be arranged. We already have mutual hostages. Other traditional methods can also be invoked.
"But I think the real difference that makes it possible to make peace is that your King is not his father. Oberon is dead, and the Queen’s disagreement was with her brother. There is no need to keep personal enmity beyond the generation that sparked it. Royal quarrels are not quarrels between people, but sovereigns."
As Quicksilver begins his speech, Brennan begins to open his perceptions. Usually he does this through the Third Eye and then Sorcerously into the Astral Plane. This time, though, it is Ordered-- looking, listening, feeling for how and where the reality of this Shadow is being stressed by what he suspects that Quicksilver is doing. Passively, though, always passively.
The best approximation that Brennan can come up with is that Quicksilver is giving himself time to think. It's like he's saying "umm" but editing it out. It's not even clear to Brennan if he knows he's not appearing to breathe.
Brennan is pretty sure he's breathing. Also, it's not something everyone would notice.
"All right," Brennan says, unfazed. "Now we might be getting somewhere. First, so that there are no misunderstandings, who are you proposing as hostages, and what other methods do you propose?"
"I am in favor of all manner of exchanges. Dynastic marriage, the granting of lands and titles, fosterage, trade arrangements, mutual assistance, embassies. The more we are intertwined, and the more we understand each other, the more capable we are of averting another war. The more tools we have at our disposal, the less likely we are to fight over any disagreement.
"What would your king think of a proposal for a dynastic marriage? Those of us who think that would work well once thought The Princess who was once Chases Into Madness would be likely to marry Edan Bleysson, but that seems unlikely at this time."
"The idea has been discussed informally, and not immediately and categorically ruled out," Brennan says. "You are correct that in any case, Sir Edan Bleysson is not available for such a plan. Presumably, First-to-the-Fray and partner would reside in Xanadu?"
Quicksilver nods, as if this is a minor detail. "It would need to be discussed, but that is the general idea. Would you expect them to have the freedom to travel, as they saw fit?"
"Fosterage is unlikely to win many supporters, as we are quite protective of our children, although I have been surprised in the past. Have you any candidates in mind? Lands, titles, and trade arrangements may be of interest later, but I believe they will not be sufficient to tip negotiations. Mutual assistance is an interesting idea, but if I understand you properly, that would require a discussion of our respective security situations. How do propose to handle that while hostilities remain?"
This seems to be a key point for Quicksilver. "You make a good point. We would need a truce for negotiating purposes. What would a reasonable period be?"
Brennan continues his Pattern based examination of the effects that Quicksilver-- or anyone else-- is having on the environment.
"Let's explore the marriage and hostage situation first," Brennan says, "and come back to the truce and mutual assistance pact separately."
"Assuming, arguendo, that a suitable marriage partner for First-to-the-Fray is found and agreed to by all parties, and that this partner is of the royal line. Would I expect First-to-the-Fray to have freedom of movement? You are asking if I would consider her, and separately her husband, to be effectively hostages during their marriage? I would suggest, to preserve First-to-the-Fray's honor, not to mention dignity, a relatively long betrothal with limited mobility. As a final condition of the marriage and relaxation of those restrictions, I would suggest also that King Random have the option to require an additional and mutually agreeable hostage if tensions remain. I would be interested to know of potential candidates.
"Before leaving this topic, are you suggesting a reciprocal hostage or hostages be required to remain here?"
"My expectation is that a marriage should change the allegiance of one of the partners to that of her spouse. It will be reasonable to expect her to be in the King’s counsels and be consulted on matters relating to our peoples and their conflicts and mutual interests, as she would be the local expert. Contrawise, if you have a knowledgable and diplomatic member who might wish to spend time here, then we can arrange for a similar position for them.
"If both sides enter into an arrangement with good faith, we would not need a hostage in the ransom-for-freedom sense, although we’d be more than willing to accept and offer a place for an embassy. We should have one in Xanadu as well. It would be good if our First had someone to discuss matters with in your distant lands."
"But if there are other youths of a certain age who need the disciple of a diplomatic marriage, then by all means we should consider it. First has cousins, male and female, that might be valuable to such an endeavor."
"I think this is not inconsistent with the idea of a relatively long betrothal," Brennan says. "Consider it a period of time for all sides to consider the suitability of the arrangement. I am not suggesting a punitively or absurdly long period of time, only a period for both sides to become more convinced of the others' good faith.
"There may be Family members interested in an Embassy position as well. I will consult with them when I am able," he continues. If Sir Quicksilver isn't suggesting reciprocal hostages or marriages, Brennan certainly isn't going to push for it.
"Returning to the matter of mutual assistance, Sir Quicksilver, I will be blunt: Right now, at this moment, the realm is quite alarmed. I brought up the topic of the Sack of Amber recently because those are still living memories and very unpleasant ones. Your appearance at the entries to Tir-na Nog'th-- at one, with a small army-- have only reinforced this." He looks to Jennet, unpremeditated, for support on that point.
"It would have been far better had we conducted these negotiations quite some time ago. As it is, a discussion of the specifics of mutual assistance, an inventory of known and likely threats, is tantamount to giving each other a list of our weakest flanks. I will bring the proposal back to King Random, but I would expect a long wait-- longer than a betrothal-- for a full and open discussion of that sort.
"I am however, old enough to be directly, personally familiar with how shared histories can slowly drift out of alignment with one another. What might help this process is if we understood that event, and what went immediately before, from your perspective."
He tells the same tale, which is personal, and offers to find members of the priestly caste to discuss the wars, if that is of interest to Brennen and his knights. The key difference is as noted before—the Knights who attacked the city were at war with it, and the war was so far in the past in Amber that it was beyond living memory, except for Family. It is notable to Brennan that this is a war from before Brand’s childhood—he was sent to Rebma for safety during the Moonrider attack, which happened (for Amber) long after the war stopped because Tir became the Ghost City.
Dignity says "if it was that long ago, why are Moonriders still so scary to Amber? I can’t even remember when I first heard of them."
"Ah, now we come to one of the knots that make this negotiation so difficult," Brennan says. "Yes, Sir Quicksilver, I am extremely interested to talk to members of your priesthood about this, but I believe there are either two or three events of interest in this timeline: The day Tir-na Nog'th was set 'out of phase' with the other Ordered Realms, the day the residents fell from there into the sea, and the day of the Sack of Amber. There is no hope of narrowing this down to exact days, or even exact years, and it is pointless to try. But Sir Quicksilver, do you know who was Queen in Amber at the times of those three events? Who the eldest acknowledge child of Oberon was? Is this information that your priests or scholars would maintain?"
Quicksilver regards the young knight. "You'll want to speak to the library's historian, Sir Devant. He's made a study of that and might even know who was Queen of Amber. What we experienced happened in a matter of a ten-day. He thinks that the Queen was somehow using time from the future to keep us from falling.
"We learned that time had passed differently for Amber while we were prisoners after the Breakout failed at the Falls.
Brennan corrects Sir Quicksilver, "Sir Dignity" and holds eye contact until the point is made.
That done, Brennan regards Dignity directly, "And I think you have part of your answer-- these events began in a time that largely has passed out of living memory, but concluded much more recently, at least on that time scale. You're too young to remember, and perhaps your parents if they are still young. But your grandparents? I would wager they remember it all too well, even if they spoke of it rarely, or never. The sack of Amber is within living memory. Ask Lord Rein about it some time." Brennan would offer to set up an interview, but he considers being a Knight of the Ruby to carry enough standing that Dignity can do that himself.
Dignity nods. Having faced Moonriders, he wonders to himself if the old ones were worse, but he also does not have a way to telepathically ask Sir Brennan...
"I'm curious, Sir Quicksilver, was there any contact with the outside at all? With survivors who were not in the City at the time?"
Brennan's got a reason for asking. He chooses not to share it, at least at this time.
Quicksilver nods. "The return to Ghenesh was where that happened. We are ghosts of the past to the people here. They had such a tragic history. A lost colony, as it were, disappearing into the mists of time. There were... difficulties when we returned. Those are in the past."
"I see," Brennan says. "I wonder, because in discussing this with Sir Unsheathed, he told me that Amber was attacked and sacked, rather than avoided to facilitate your escape, because you were collectively ordered to do so. I am curious as to the source of those orders-- the Marshal, perhaps? If I seem excessively interested in the Sack of Amber, it is as I've said; the event left a mark." Brennan is aware that Quicksilver considers that whole incident uninteresting and setted. Quicksilver should likewise be aware that Brennan does not.
Quicksilver seems to be so aware. "Oh, we attacked, and we took what we needed. We were pinned for a few days, but Cavalry can’t take on the Navy. Prince Caine was not unwilling to use his ships against us, either. We were glad there was no gunpowder; the sorties were bad enough. You fought three of us leading a few hundred troops. In the descent and breakout, there were mostly Knights."
While Quicksilver is talking, Brennan uses the observations that he has been making for the entire discussion. He brings the Pattern to mind sharply and uses it to shore up reality against any of this temporal message passing shenanigans. Part of that is informed by the fact that Brennan, too, knows how to manipulate time and therefore has some idea of how he would shut himself down using Pattern. Part of that is based on his observations of this location and his observations of Quicksilver's technique-- every place Brennan can see that was flexing under Quicksilver's technique is abruptly buttressed and double reinforced with the Pattern and with Brennan's own iron will.
Today, Brennan agrees with the universe and supports it: No spoilers allowed. No cheating allowed. Honest first reaction only, not reactions artificially polished by foreknowledge of Brennan's and his Knights' own reactions, no covering up any surprise he may have.
And with that, Brennan abruptly changes the topic. "I think we both know where our camps stand on that issue. You said something earlier, though that caught my attention: That since Oberon is gone, there is no need to keep personal enmity beyond that generation. How, then, do we reconcile that idea against the Queen's direct and personal attack on King Random?"
He pauses, starts to speak, stops and starts again. Quicksliver’s face shows reactions, and it’s hard to imagine him winning a poker game, if he didn’t use time magic. "I don’t know how they will resolve it, but resolve it they must. For the rest, War and Peace is at the command of the crown, and if the Marshall acted against your King then he could appeal it to her."
"I see our job as preparing for that to be possible."
If Quicksilver is paying attention, Brennan is unobtrusively tapping one fingernail on the table. Even if he isn't Brennan is unobtrusively tapping one fingernail on the table. It is invariant: The only possibility that exists in this place, at this time, is that Brennan is tapping one fingernail on the table.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Now that his will is enforcing the natural rules of the flow of time, Brennan reinforces and maintains the effect with the metronomic tapping of his fingernail on the table, each tap infused by Brennan's will and the Pattern with a simple meaning: That it is unique, and that it follows another unique tap, and that it is preceded by yet another unique tap. That order, that Order, is all that is possible. Time flows implacably in one direction only: Forward.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
"Are you suggesting the Marshall involved in this attack upon King Random's person?" Brennan asks. "Did you know about this? Any of it, with or without the Marshall's involvement?"
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Quicksilver seems to get in rhythm with the taps, and even smiles, as if he's learned something.
"Of course not, to all three of your questions. I am saying that anyone else, up to the Marshall himself, is subordinate to their majesties and if the monarchs resolve their differences, then all else is just paperwork."
The meeting continues in this course for some time, but there is no more movement. Eventually Sir Quicksilver recommends that they retire for the day, and reconvene in the morning.
Brennan and his knights are bade a good evening, and may choose between a public meal this evening or dining on their own in town or their rooms.
Last modified: 16 January 2024