Garrett leads Hannah out of the stables and up toward the castle proper. The castle is huge, and shows evidence of having been built over time, as parts of it are made of differently colored stone, or perhaps stone that has weathered differently over time. There are also a variety of architectural styles in evidence.
Some of the inner parts of the castle are visible over the lower outbuildings. There are three tall towers, and part of a fourth, which is being rebuilt, based on the scaffolding Hannah sees around it.
This time Hannah can't quite help showing that she's impressed.
Hannah and Garrett pass in a large wooden door, which is well-appointed with detailed hinges, but also made of thick boards, almost logs, that would stand it well in a siege. From there he leads her through a maze of passages, which she feels certain she could not easily retrace, and out into another garden. From there, they enter into the inmost building, and through another maze of passages to Caine's office.
The castle is a very busy place, with a distinct array of servants, guards, and some other military-types.
As Hannah approaches the outer office she sees a young man standing just inside the entrance. He walks out onto the steps as she comes up. "Good morning, Lady Hannah. The Admiral asked me to take you to his office. The young man is well dressed, and if his jacket is too warm for the mid-spring morning, he gives no sign of it. He nods to Garrett, politely but distantly.
"Good luck," Garrett says to Hannah. He returns the officer's nod, then turns, formally, and departs the castle.
"Thanks for everything, young sir," Hannah tells Garrett as he turns to go.
Inside the office Hannah's new kinsman is sitting at a desk, sealing a letter. He stands. "Hannah, the King is expecting us, although we have a moment if you'd like to freshen up." There is a basin by the window, but there is no mirror. [OOC: Anyone surprised?]
He hands the letter to the young officer. "For M. Send it via a rider, please."
Hannah tucks the feathers behind her ear and washes up, taking a moment to let it be a focusing ritual. Fingers through the hair again. She stifles the sigh. There is nothing to be done for the clothes.
Hannah quickly glances out the window to try to add another puzzle piece for finding her way around later. She takes the feathers back down with her left hand and turns to smile at Caine. "Whenever you're ready, your highness."
Caine leads Hannah back through several more very busy passages and finally up a set of stairs to a less-busy but equally well-appointed corridor. He opens a nondescript door and says "Your majesty?"
Inside is a slight man dressed in tights and a jerkin. His resemblance to Martin is striking. He is sitting in a leatherbound chair reading material from a folder. He closes it and stands. "Hannah! My brother has told me nearly nothing about you, except that you are a member of the family. Welcome to Amber. Do you prefer to ask questions first or to have me ask you about yourself?"
Hannah's eyes widen in surprise. She grins. "Well, since you're giving me the choice, I'll ask." She tilts her head, considers, and says, "On second thought, you can go first."
"All right, I'll take you up on that. Tell me about yourself. Starting with your parents. Wait, I have another question first. Would you like a drink? Oh, and I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I? Or maybe Caine forgot. I'm Random."
Hannah grins. "The king. And I forgot to curtsy." She gives the briefest possible curtsy in these clothes so ill designed for it. She looks relieved when that's over.
"Um, to drink... do you have water?" she asks hopefully.
"Water? Sure. Want anything in it?" He picks a mug and pours from a nearby pitcher.
"No, just plain water will do me fine. My parents. I should write this down and keep it with me for everyone new in this family I meet, I suspect. My father is Chief Inshtamaza and my mothers are Mary, Tainne and Mimiteh. But as I've already gathered from your grandfather, Mr. Dworkin, you probably mean the woman who birthed me, and I do not know the answer to that."
"As for me, I'm a doctor and a healer. I thought about becoming a teacher, but then my sister decided she wanted to do that, and I didn't want to be trapped in a school house with her until we were old ninnies." She smiles. "What did you want to be before you were the King?"
"Irresponsible. I'm told I was very good at it." He hands her a glass of water and takes his own glass. "Have a seat, Hannah."
She does so.
He settles into a chair that seems well suited for him. "There's a lot more to being a member of the royal family of Amber than having dinner with interesting folks like Prince Caine and Princess Fiona. There are physical and metaphysical differences between us and other people. There are things that you can do, or will be able to do, that other people can't. It's your heritage. There aren't many of us. Until recently, we didn't think there was a next generation, your cousins. Just Martin. The down side to all this is that there are those who would, if they knew to do so, try to hurt us through you."
"On the plus side, how old would you say I am?"
The smile that had gone away returns. "Tricky," she says. "I'd have to look at your teeth for a proper guess, but that's rather... invasive. Um... well, you can't be my age unless you..."
She blushes, but quickly says, "Thirtysix. How old are you?"
He nods. "You've met my son, so you know I have a grown child. I may look like the world's oldest teenage punk, but in reality, I'm over 500 years old. Five Hundred. My brother Caine? Close to a thousand years older. Don't believe me, do you? We have many advantages." Random stands and moves to the fireplace, picking up a poker. "Here's one."
He bends the thick iron rod effortlessly into a loop and hands it to her. "Don't hold back," he says, looking her in the eyes.
Hannah curses in her native tongue, quietly. She looks at the loop of iron. She looks back at the the thin little white man with great suspicion. Then she grits her teeth and tries to unbend the rod.
It takes some effort, but it eventually goes. Hannah knows that she's never met anyone except herself who could have done that.
"Well done," says Random. "So, so far, what I've told you is that you've won the Ancestor Lottery in a way that you probably didn't believe possible (and disbelief is a key theme here), that you are a member of a family that is quantitatively and qualitatively different in ways that would be unbelievable to anyone whom you have ever met, that you are a member of the hereditary ruling family of the only city on a place that we call "the True Earth", and that the magic unicorn you met is an ancestress.
"Given everything, I think that's all reasonable. Do you have any further questions?"
"The True Earth," she whispers, and grins. "I'm on the True Earth? And there are many, many earths, these... these shadow places Brita spoke of?"
"To be accurate, you were probably on the True Earth with Fiona. We're near the True Earth here, although Amber used to be nearer to it... That's a long story. As far as any of us can tell, there are effectively unlimited shadows of the True Earth, each as close to each other as two sheets of paper in a pad, and yet separated by a vast gulf that can only be crossed by... you guessed it. Your family."
Hannah's small smile is concerned but somewhat worldly.
"Yeah, I know. I grew up with it and it's always a big surprise how big we won the pre-birth lottery. Are you ready to meet Gerard? He's pretty remarkable, even for us."
A feminine voice answers Random from the doorway. "No, she is not. She would like to change her clothes first."
"Oh, yes," Hannah mutters under her breath, and turns to look at her savior.
The speaker is a woman of almost boyish appearance, dressed in white woman's clothes--a divided skirt--and a long-sleeved shirt, all in black. The boyishness is enhanced by her short-cropped dark hair, although her face and particularly her large eyes are nothing but feminine.
"I'm Cambina," she explains to Hannah. "One of your many cousins. Uncle Caine asked me to let both of you know that a suite had been prepared for Hannah. There's a page waiting for you; you can change clothes and come back. I have a matter to discuss with the King as well, which will occupy him while you're changing." She smiles, and it's a friendly smile, for all that she seems to be scolding the king.
Hannah stands and nods. "Thank you. I do appreciate it."
She turns back to the King and curtsies again. "And thank you, I think, your Majesty," she grins. Then purple feathers firm in hand she heads out the door to greet the page in the hall.
At the appointed hour, Random is in his study. There is a pile of papers on the side table next to his chair, and he is holding a drink. "So, what business do you have with your Uncle? I admit, I've had more practice Kinging than Uncling, but I can attempt avuncularity if you wish. Do I need to go change out of my King costume into a bathrobe or somesuch?"
From the look of things, Lilly is fresh from the baths. Her hair is still a bit damp giving her less of a polished look then usual. The hint of a smile that is now upon her lips makes her seem even more flawed. Of course in her case flaws seemed to add warmth and a humanness that she was at times lacking.
"Your King costume is fine, I assure you. It's not your dress that concerns me. It is your reaction to the news I am bringing. I want you to try to forget the political implications for a moment if you can." She took a deep breathe. Internally there was a bit of an argument going on. Her intellect wanted to cut to the chase. There was no point in beating around the bush. Tell him what he needed to know and be done with it. Another voice, this one much quieter, kept telling Lilly to break the news gently. She was dealing with people and their feelings and all sorts of ugly grey areas she did not really want to venture into. For not the first time today, Lilly found herself wishing she had not volunteered for this job. A promise was a promise however.
"Uncle, do you know a servant by the name of Anna Grimes?"
Random thinks for a moment, but only a moment. "No, I don't think so."
"She's a pretty woman, worked as a maid here in the castle before King Oberon's disappearance. Eventually she married one of the horse masters, Donovan Bailey. Some months later she had a child, a son, named Garrett. The timing of the birth and the timing of the marriage did not quite equal a large healthy baby, but that's exactly what Garrett was. Of course in our polite society no one ever talks about such things. Still there were rumors.
"Most of those rumors seemed to indicate that Bailey is not the boys biological father. No one can recall the two of them being anything other then friends before the marriage. All the same no one seems overly anxious to share with me who they believe the father might be. Most either say they don't remember or they never knew. A few seemed to be protecting someone or something with their answers but I can not fault them for that. Servants who know how to keep family secrets are to be valued after all.
"The affair might have stayed buried if not for the boy's curiosity and abilities. He has always been the healthiest of his siblings. As a child he was faster and stronger then others of his same age. He found that he learned things more easily then others did. Because of this he always felt one step out of time with everyone around him. That is a feeling I understand all too well." A sad look masked Lilly's features for a moment as she reflected briefly in her own childhood. Many were the days when she simply wished to be just like everyone else. Amberite blood made for a lonely life at times.
Pulling herself from her thoughts she willed herself to continue. There was no turning back now. "Recently, Anna Grimes revealed to her son that Donovan Bailey was not, in fact, his father. I came across Garrett in the library while he was trying to research family lore. After some questioning he revealed to me the person he believed to be his father." Lilly lets that hang there for a moment. Looking directly in Random's eyes she summoned the nerve to keep going, "Uncle, that person is you."
"Me? How old is he? Damn, I don't remember the woman. What does she look like?"
"Yes, you. He would guess he is close to my age," Lilly responds and then thinks clarification may be in order. It was difficult to determine a true age here in Amber. "Late teens or early twenties. I suppose the woman might have named you thinking it would be a boon for her son, though personally I can only imagine it will make his life far more difficult.
"And I will admit to seeing a resemblance once it was pointed out to me. There is something of both you and Martin in Garrett. You share some of the same gestures. Now I suppose he could have schooled himself in such things, but somehow I doubt it. I think proving wether or not he is yours can wait. We may as well find out if he has the blood of Amber first. Certainly there must be someway to prove that. Someway other then walking the pattern..." Because she had not walked the pattern afterall and they all believed her to be of the blood.
"One other thing, I have mentioned this to no one and I do not believe Garrett has shared his story with anyone other then me. I have been trying to keep this very quiet. I was not certain that either Aunt Vialle or Martin, would take the news well." As of right now she was not certain Random was taking the news well. One obstacle at a time was enough.
"I'll have to think about how to tell he's one of us. If you come up with any good ideas, you'll have to let me know. Why do you think he told you? What is he looking for from us?"
Lilly takes a moment to reflect on the questions before answering, "I think he told me because he is longing to know the truth. He wants to know if this is his true identity. I can not fault him for that and I'm sure you can not either. As to what he is looking for? I can not say. I'm sure he has grand notions of what it means to be a royal, I know I did before I had the chance to experience it first hand. He sees good meals, and fine lodging. Prestige. Respect. Does he someday expect to take the throne? No. I don't think so."
"I didn't either. If he's my boy, he needs training for the job." Random pauses, and takes a deep breath. "If he's my boy, he'll need lots of training for the job. Hell, I'd like some training for the job. Anyway, go on..."
Again she smiles and shakes her head slightly. As far as Lilly is concerned her Uncle is doing just fine. Of course many more tests were yet to come.
"One suggestion I should like to make though Uncle is that you meet with him. It can be done quietly. Give him a chance to explain all of this to you in his own words then you can draw your own judgements. Trust me if I thought this was all some sort of grand plot, I would have put an end to it. But there is no denying the physical resemblance or the similarities in your voices. And he seems very sincere. Could he be fooling me? Of course. But that is exactly why I think you and I should go talk to him." There are two reasons Lilly wishes to tag along and Random can sense them both. First, she wishes to protect her King. If she is wrong about Garrett and she sends the King into an Ambush... Well it is a safe bet that she would not rest until her honor was restored. Second, and this is almost uncharacteristic of Lilly, she seems to like Garrett. In fact she may even be thinking with her heart in a small way. Small but present. And that is something no one has ever known her to do.
"Hmm. That would be pretty obvious, wouldn't it? He tells you, you tell me, I go say 'what's up with that? Oh, by the way kid, I don't remember your mother, what does she look like?' I wish we had Tir here. I may need to go up there and see what I can see. As it is, I'll have to figure out another way of telling about his blood." Random drums his fingers on the table beside him.
"We should keep this under our hat for a few day while I'm lining up an opportunity to find out if he's really a family member."
"Trust me, Uncle, I have no intentions of telling anyone. I have noticed that members of this family often act strangely when faced with situations such as this. We are nothing if not a paranoid lot."
A thought comes to her. For a brief second her eyes become a bit unfocused as if she is looking at something far away. Her gaze then returns to meet Random's full force. "I know physically Garrett could be related but are their metaphysical traits of the blood I should be looking for?"
"Well, the obvious one is 'doesn't die on the pattern', but that's what they call a destructive test, which is not so good if his mother is taking the main chance. There's another pattern test, but it might make an old man particularly irate, so no. If we could make a trump of him, we'd know, because you can only make a trump of a person of the blood. There are dozens of magical ways to tell, but they require a magician or sorcerer. None of those are particularly helpful, are they?" Random seems distracted.
"Hmm. I have an idea for how to tell, but I'll have to do some research."
Lilly nods. Part of her wants to ask how long this research is going to take but another part of her feels she pestering the King enough. It is the latter part that wins out.
Random drums his fingers on his leg and doesn't notice that he's doing so. "I just hope this will be the last big surprise this family has for a while..."
"I have noticed through my limited years that events seem to happen in clusters. There are periods when everything seems rather insane, followed by equal periods of relative calm. I would say after the way your kingship has begun, you should eventually see many, many long peaceful years. Of course if this is the universe's idea of calm... well then you are screwed." Random has probably never heard her make a joke before. Very few people have. And if he had to judge strictly by her facial expression, he might believe she is not even making on now. All the same there is something about her that seems to insist she must indeed be joking.
"Normally I like being screwed. It's on my top one list of things, actually. But the universe isn't gentle when it does it, is it? Oh, well. I'd hate 'long, peaceful years'." A high water character might notice that Random did not say the first thing that came to his mind. Or the third.
[Or many things that came to Michael's...]
Lilly's reaction is to raise an eyebrow. He was sort of right. Long peaqceful years would be boring. All the same after what they had been through recently she could not believe anyone could truly hate the idea of them.
And as for being screwed, well that was something she quite simply did not want to discuss.
"Thank you Lilly. It may or may not reassure you to know that this wasn't the most disturbing disclosure I've heard today."
Her eyes immediately narrowed, a definite sign that she is not at all reassured. "I am almost afraid to ask, but is there anything you would like to share with me?"
"Let's just say that I'm considering knighting Ossian, to make you all responsible for keeping him from implementing some of his more...ambitious plans."
"Ambitious plans?" Lilly asks though she is not really expecting an elaboration. "I suppose it is true then, you really can not trust the quiet ones. Perhaps you can grant him some sort of suitable office to keep him busy. Or better yet, suggest he acts as your liaison to Paris."
"Hah! I can send him to Paris to make monuments! Xanadu will pay for them as a sign of our close ties to my brother's realm, of course. " Random smiles, and runs his fingers through his hair to no noticeable effect. "Thank you, Lilly."
She shrugs gently. The plan did have some merit.
He raises his chin. "Speaking of 'the quiet ones', how are you doing? It's been really helpful having you around to keep Vialle out of trouble, but at some point, I've got to let you lead your own life."
Resisting the urge to shrug again, Lilly quickly decides to be truthful rather then dismissive. "I am still adjusting. This is certainly not the life I had back at the Tecys Estate. Things were much simpler then. The idea of being a grown-up with a full range of responsibilities is much more appealing in theory then in practice. There are still many days when I want nothing more to remain in the salle but I carry out my duties all the same.
"I am not complaining," she adds a bit quickly. "For the most part I have found life here very interesting and enjoyable. All the same there are days when I feel I am simply incapable of doing everything that needs to be done. Of course if you tell anyone I said that I shall deny it completely." A smile lights her eyes despite the stillness of her lips.
"Well, since I'm back, you can take time off if you want to. This isn't a slave labor monarchy." He cocks his head to the side, as if considering if he should continue on. "If you weren't doing this, what would you want to be doing?"
Lilly allows all pretenses to fade. A sad, wistful smile comes to her lips. "I honestly don't know. You have to understand, I am not even quite sure I had finished growing up prior to the war. One day I was free to bask in the sun, and practice the art of the sword for as many hours a day as I wished. Certainly I had chores but they were not true responsibilities. If I forgot about them, my stepfather always clamored to my defense. Life was simple and good. I was sheltered and protected. The only grief I ever knew came in the from of dreams that slipped rapidly from my mind when I awoke.
"The one day my father appears and tells me we are off to war. War. I put on a strong face and marched off behind him dutiful. But I will tell you now that I was frightened, very frightened. I had never faced such things. I had never even imagined facing such things. And yet there was Benedict with his complete confidence in my abilities and I could not let him down." She pauses for a moment, gathering herself. It had been a very long time since she opened up like this to anyone.
"And then there was the business with Daeon. I don't even want to think about that. It was just bizarre. All of it, my cousin included. Until then everything that happened had been a dream, I had been acting on complete instinct. But then I cut him and his blood covered me and at that moment I knew it was all real. I knew there was no turning back. My only path now was through Amber.
"But now that I am here the path is not so clear. I feel as if I am failing at everything. I have tried the tasks Vialle has set me at only to find I am in terribly over my head. Do I have the raw ability to complete such things? Yes, I believe I do. But I do not have the practical knowledge. I do not know where to begin most days. And I am torn between the comfort of solitude, running away from everyone into the salle where I can be alone with my thoughts, and the need for acceptance. Before I could spend days alone without being lonely. Now loneliness touches me where ever I go." Her voice trails off and her eyes become distant. After a moment she seems to become aware that she is perhaps saying too much.
"I am sorry. I know you do not want to hear the assorted rambling of a little girl. If left to my own devices, unicorn alone knows what sort of trouble I might get into. Perhaps it would be best if you simply assigned me something until I manage to figure out who I am and what I want." Lilly seems apologetic as she says the last. Admitting she is a bit lost is like admitting incompetence. It is not at all easy for her.
He reaches out and puts his hand lightly on her knee. "Hey, you're doing really well. A lot better than I was doing at your age. And you don't have to know what you want. Look at me, I didn't know what I want and was generally considered a pain-in-the-ass. Now I'm a royal-pain-in-the-ass." He smiles and raises his eyebrows.
She fights the smile but Random can still see it dancing in her eyes. Martin is quite lucky, she thinks, to have such a sweet gentle man for a father. It felt quite good to have someone she could open up to like this.
"You can do whatever you want. Here or in Xanadu. I can tell you that if you stay still too long, someone will find something for you to do, since it's pretty clear that you can take care of yourself."
"I can do whatever I want," she repeated in a slow, quiet voice meant only for her ears. A series of thoughts began to go through her head; Benedict is not here, you are an adult, you are one of the King's and Queen's defenders, it is your birthright, you can do what you want.
Her eyes focused sharply on Random. "I want to know for certain that I belong here. I want to know that I am truly of the blood of Oberon. I want there to be no question of it, none at all. I want to claim my birthright and I want to do so in your kingdom. Is that possible?"
"Yes, it's possible. I guess I'm running a sightseeing tour of Xanadu soon. We'll add 'And this is the historic pattern, that Lilly will now walk' to the itinerary." He smiles slightly but it drops as his continues. "Okay, did you get the 'This Is What Every Father Wants His Daughter To Know About Patterns' Talk from Benedict or did you learn about patterns in the gutter from your cousins?"
"My father tends to be... shall we say cryptic? He gives exactly the amount of information he feels is needed at any one given time, nothing more and nothing less. Most people, myself included, tend to disagree with what he believes is the right amount but I have learned it is best not to push matters. I believe the information he shared with me was the absolute basics.
"Beyond that, yes, we cousins do talk sometimes and occasionally those talks take metaphysical turns. I believe I have a solid foundation of knowledge. I also believe that there is much more for me to learn. Somehow though, I suspect much of the missing knowledge can only be obtained after the initial walk."
Random nods. "We never say much because the pattern walk seems to be different for everyone. You should know three things before you walk it. Four things. Five. Anyway, you should know some things.
Random ticks points off on his fingers. "First and foremost, you must not stop or leave the path, because the pattern might kill you if you do.
"Two, there are places where the pattern will resist your efforts to continue. These are called veils. You must outstubborn them without falling on your ass.
"Numero Three, When you've walked it, you'll know how to use it, but you'll need practice.
"Fourth, a whole lot of your cousins have walked it, so it's doable.
"Five, once you walk it, you can make it take you somewhere. Make sure it's somewhere real.
"That's all I've got. Does that help?"
"No stopping or straying no matter what, four major obstacles, practice afterwards, it is doable, and go somewhere real. Yes, I think I've got it. And that does go along quite nicely with all of the other information I have gathered. Thank you," The last is said with absolute sincerity.
"Now then, I came to tell you of Garrett and that is done. I should perhaps also mention that the Queen's nightmares have returned. When last you were here the problem faded. I would be interested to know if that same thing happens now if you are willing to share that information. Beyond that I am certain there are other things that need your attention, Uncle." Lilly did not wish to wear out her welcome. So far this meeting had gone far better then she could have imagined. There was no point in ruining it now.
Random looks slightly worried. "I was hoping Fiona's whatever would take care of that. Hmm. Thanks, I'll ask her about it. We'll try to do the Xanadu tour tomorrow or the next day, so don't go to far from the castle."
"Tomorrow?" Lilly asks rhetorically, a hint of surprise evident in her voice. She had not been expecting the tour to happen so quickly. All the same, she is not about to change her mind about the pattern walk. In some ways she believed sooner would be better. "All right. I shall be ready when you are.
"If there is nothing else you need of me then I shall take my leave. I promise to alert you if I find I must leave the castle grounds. At this moment though, I do not have plans to do so."
Lilly rises and for a moment it seems as if she might be contemplating embracing her Uncle. Instead she settles for placing her hand gently on his upper arm. "Thank you, Uncle. For everything," she says quietly.
He looks up and says nothing for moment. "You're welcome. Thank you for talking to your uncle. Not everyone remembers to do so. If you can, tell Vialle I've got a few more appointments this afternoon, so I'll see her at dinner."
"Very well," Lilly replies.
As Lilly prepares to leave, a page enters with a note for Random.
She hesitates a moment to see if the note causes a change in the King's plans. There was no point in delivering a message to Vialle if it was only going to be changed moments later. Quietly she watches him read and notes his reactions.
He puts the note in a folder and says "Also, if you would ask Vent to send a page to request Sir Marius' presence, I would appreciate that." He smiles, slightly.
"Certainly." Lilly responds. "Is there anything else?"
"No, thanks, that'll do."
[Lilly] will take her leave and go seek out both the Queen and Vent so that she may delivery the appropriate messages.
"Your Highness, it's good to see you. Violet left word that she would be in Silken's chambers when you came. But before you go up, there's a visitor in the Reception Room who asked after you."
"Really? Who is it?"
"Large fellow, white-haired. Has a Rebman accent. He didn't give his name, but he said you were coming and that it was important that he speak to you as soon as possible."
[pause]
"I'll see him. Please arrange it so that we're not disturbed for a quarter-glass. And let Violet know I'll be up to see her the moment I'm finished."
"Your Highness. It's good to see you again after all these years. You're looking well."
"Montage. You'd have done better to stay in Rebma."
"That's no way to great an old friend."
"What does that have to do with you?"
"I see you're still your father's son."
"Yes, I am, and you'd do well to remember it. And I got my grandmother's long memory, too. Neither one of them favor you, so state your business and be on your way."
"If that's what Your Highness requires. I'm here to tell you, quietly, to stay out of Rebman politics. Rebma has enough trouble right now and your interference would make things worse."
"Really? And if I choose to disregard your advice?"
"I am not at liberty to discuss what measures will be taken."
"I'd say that was big talk for a man whose political career is based on busting downer-lovers, but I guess you climbed over enough of their bodies to get where you are today."
"They were a danger to the state, Your Highness. Surely you understand--"
"They were philosophy students. The ones who were serious. The rest of them were bored rich kids with nothing better to do. And you got half of them exiled and half of them killed."
"Your Highness' memories of the event are dried out."
"My remembrance of those events is fresher than you suspect, Montage. You take this message back to Bend: you two are in my city now. You keep your noses clean and stay out of my way. If you mess with me or mine, I'll send you both floating home. Are you clear on that?"
"I'll keep it in mind, Your Highness."
"You do that. Good afternoon, Sir Montage."
*slam*
"Good afternoon, Your Highness."
A message sent via the most appropriate method (some sort of royal courier who sends it to Random's secretary, no doubt, where it waits for a couple hours before someone realizes it's from someone Who Has A Teensy Bit of Authority and Should Probably Be Noted passes it on...)
Your Majesty, [etc.]
I have been thinking solemnly about your words at breakfast, and I wished to pass on a vision I had in a dream. While such things are often ephemeral, I sometimes find wisdom in them. Perhaps someone with more experience with the subject can apply their own meanings to these illusory forms and get an answer they were seeking.
The Knights have been suffering a variety of troubles, from the disappearance of our fellow, Sir Aisling, to strangenesses within the green woods of Arden. We lost Daeon near my awakening, and I hear that the boundaries of the Great Forest shift like the tide itself. Perhaps this is merely an effect of Amber's fading, something of which I dreamed before...perhaps this is, as my fellows worry, an attack of another sort. The flowers, the firelilies, which were born in Daeon's wake do not seem to fade. The attack on Amber during its celebration, and the demands made have not been answered.
So I dreamed.
I dreamt that I walked from Amber to someplace where the rivers were clean and clear, in the company of sun-browned refugees. I dreamt that I Trumped back to a Castle Amber that was choked over with vines that the Lady Robin had used as camouflage against the creeping green of a sinister Arden. I dreamt that the Lady Paige said she would remain until the Castle fell, and then we would leave this place empty except for the calling of the crows.
Perhaps it is my subconscious telling me that I knew this place would not last long, and it would be devoured, or more precisely, mouldered. It would slip into the Green. Perhaps I have been working too hard on trying to anchor things to a Reality that no longer exists.
I also dreamt of a Unicorn. Perhaps the rumours are true and that has meaning to you. She appeared in Trump cards. The first was a golden wheel, something between a lasso and fire, and she was caught in a fiery bridle. I did not recognize it, save that the art was ornate and it worked too hard to be threatening. The second was cooler, a scene of a snowstorm in the mountains, yet everything seemed at rest, save for the Unicorn looking through the snowflakes, tossing them lightly aside with her horn. The third was a unicorn, drinking at a silver pond.
Strange things come in threes, do they not, your Majesty?
This may not be advice of a classical sort, the kind that counselors will give as urged by their needs and knowledge. I leave it to you to decide if there is meaning, whether warning or merely mischief in these signs. Please wish your beloved Queen sweet rest, for I know she too has Dreams.
Yours in Faithful Service,
MariusP.S. Did you dream your new realm, I wonder.
Random sends a page back to Marius. "The King would like you to attend him, Sir Marius."
Oh boy. Marius has 1/3rd an, "I expected this," anticipatory kind of nervousness, 1/3rd this, "Oh no, I'm in trouble again," kind of 'going to report to the parents' feeling, and 1/3rd a pleased surprise that he got the King's attention.
[Now, does it work both ways with Water? That you have to have a high score to portray all of those things as well as pick up on them?] [That's the problem with Water - you'd think if it was a low level, yeah, you'd be shallow, but you wouldn't be sunk.] [Erm. Nevermind.]
He looks in a mirror before he goes, just to make sure there isn't anything like carrot stuck between his teeth. (Should there be, he'll gesture to the page to hold on long enough to take care of it.) After a perfunctory brushing his hair back with his hand, he'll follow the page to the King.
The king is standing next to a bar. "Hello, Marius, thank you for coming. Can I get you a drink?" There is a tall glass with a deep red liquid already poured out. The sun comes in through the windows and warms the room slightly.
Marius smiles gently. "I could not have it on my conscience to have the King pour," he suggests, moving closer to the bar. "Nor could I leave the King to drink alone," he suggests, the smile growing just a little more.
"There are people who are counting on me being a poor King, m'lad. Counting on it."
"Oh, and there are many who think their heads a better fit for the crown," Marius says. "Would that not have been true of any who would have worn it?" He waves his hand as if to suggest the question was rhetorical. "With great power comes great insecurity," he suggests, raising his glass in a toasting gesture. "And yet, its pursuit is a lifestyle for some, while with others, merely a hobby." He leaves it deliberately vague as to where his own goals lie.
[The player, having absolutely no idea what would be appropriate, but craving a glass of ice water for herself, just has Marius do the choosing.]
[Sun's over the yardarm. Marius chooses a drink drink, as does Random.]
Similarly, Marius is taking a "casual but guarded" stance; nothing that would get him in trouble with any but the strictest authorities, but not "on duty." He'll remain like that until he gets any kind of sign from His Majesty that something else is more appropriate.
"How may I be of service?" he asks, carefully. He considered ending the sentence with, "your Majesty," but didn't want to assume it was something to do with the Kingdom, and he also considered ending the sentence with, "Uncle," but it might not have to do with familial details as well.
"Dreams, Marius. I know what you said you dreamed. Dreams are important, that's clear. Did you dream while you were coming back from Chaos, I wonder? Everyone else did." He takes the drink and sips it. "Anyway, the question is 'what do yours mean, and how do they fit in the greater dreamscape?'"
Marius nods. "I cannot weave the greater tale without tracing the origin of the threads," he says. "But for your answer, no. While I remember many of my dreams before and since, I was, and I admit that I consider this a blessing, remarkably oblivious during the return." His smile is a bit more enthusiastic than apologetic.
"You cannot put your trust in dreams, for the mind is fickle and I do not report the dreams where I lust after a concept or am taken advantage of by a simple discomfort grown to a bete noire in the labyrinths of night's delusion." [And just here the player reflects that, yes, Marius does talk like this when he's in "adult company." He knows how to have a 'man's conversation,' and talked to his shipmates with a bit less vigour towards the expository, but he holds himself to different standards on land. Less rum, more lash. No, wait... that's not quite it.] "However," and he picks it up quite casually, "if dreams have their origins in a place where the logical connection between thoughts is made only indirectly accessible, perhaps there is more of value to their advice. Sometimes it is difficult to approach something in an absolute manner, as if like an arrow reaching its target. While it is probably showing a lack of propriety to suggest it, I'm sure you would have found that sometimes, the only way to find something is via a net of...well, supposition, for lack of a better term."
[Random]
"No theorem exists without axioms, certainly, and often disproof can only
come via a logical path that starts from the assumption that the disputed
proposition is true and shows how this reduces to an inconsistency."
Marius takes a moment to parse that, his grin slowly growing under the veneer of propriety he had assumed. "I have not been known to chase rainbows, Your Majesty," he notes, amused. "I have chased the wild goose a time or two, however, when the theory was sound and tasty."
"Sometimes, one can assume 'duck' to prove 'goose and 'not goose', therefore 'not duck'. Hmm. I think I know what we should have for dinner tonight. Remind me to send a note to cook. Go on, please."
"Philosophy aside, that is the real question at hand. What are the origins of these dreams? Solving that mystery would strike to the heart of their validity, I pray." [Marius] pauses, reflecting for a moment. "I have thought of a few possibilities." He smiles and takes a deep drink. "Stop me if I begin to lecture."
"Not at all. If you do begin to lecture, I'll take the opportunity to catch up on my sleep." The King grins.
Marius' merely beams in response.
He'll let Random, of course, interject at any time - just let me know if and where Marius is interrupted. [grin]
"I have thought that if they are from our enemies, it depends on how intelligent we must assume our enemies are. If they are smart, the dreams contain enough truth to be misleading. If they are not the most, shall we say, direct? Then they are illusions to mislead us from the choices we need to make. Either way, if they are from our enemies, they include enough truth to build a defense.
"Then I considered the possibilities that they are from our allies, presuming we have some. I do not know an ally, however, that does not have an ulterior motive. There the dreams must be more suspect; they are meant to guide us in our defense against a threat, yet it may be a threat that does not exist except in the minds of our allies." He gives a wicked grin with the expression of, "Ah, a clever one, eh?"
"If they are born entirely of our own insecurities, it is still notable as it shows us the places we must shore up in order to become the most perfect form of ourselves we are like to imagine. I wonder sometimes what my Uncle Brand dreamed," he says, rather casually. "Dreams that haunt you, they can affect your behaviour in ways both subtle and reflecting that disturbance." He sighs. "If only to plug in another link into the chain of coincidence, perhaps it was notable that I was speaking with Cambina on the subject of dreams I believe just as her double sought entrance to the hall where we danced on Amber's grave." He shrugs, and leaves his monologue at that.
"Are you convinced they all have the same source? And what course of action do you recommend for each alternative?"
"Alas, that is the first flaw in my theories, yet...I will ask you this, Uncle: have you heard of, or do you have any evidence of anything, be it person, power, or premise, that can manipulate dreams? My only real evidence that it is more than collective worries may be your lovely wife, whose dreams persisted besides your Sister's charm." Marius is NOT going to suggest to the King that Vialle may be more neurotic than even Fiona can fix. "If you combine that with the communal themes, even the worries that these dreams might have a purpose, that may be enough to consider that there _is_ a source." He shrugs. "It may be thin, but we do not need a war for our minds or souls." The last sounds somewhat more serious than the rest.
He takes another drink and thinks. "There's certainly a number of experiments that we could endorse, but they are all indulgent. If there is a way to get into someone's dreams, I would think that there ought to be a way to keep someone out. It is not guaranteed, but it is a matter of an equation of power." He shrugs. "I would think to ask the Princess Fiona what principles she was using to protect the Queen, and what could have it fail. That would be my first step. If I was to pursue this as a serious study, I would begin the research on dreams of note, both within this Kingdom," a wry look, "and then without, to those who interpret dreams, then those who may be able to observe them, and then hopefully I would find a hint of those who manipulate them." He smiles. "It is like all quests for power, though, Your Majesty: it could be a lifetime's challenge.
"Ah, about that lecturing part..." he chuckles, and drowns it in another drink. "If these are from our enemies, I feel that we have been given ideas as to the potential sources of conflict. I expect that you know most of these, or at least, have your own mundane nightmares about them," he smiles. "If they are from our friends, perhaps we should be looking for unexpected allies, and the cost of their allegiances. If they are but our worries, we will continue to have them until we can feel safe and secure." He smiles sadly. "You know, Uncle, I think that may be your most difficult job. I do not envy the King's role in protecting his people."
[Marius] sighs and leans against the bar, putting his drink down. "I could wish my subconscious had made more than mere efforts at connecting the themes, but dreams are such a personal and idiosyncratic matter! I cannot be sure that some potentially embarrassing moment omitted from a retelling isn't the essential detail that would provide the key." He laughs.
"Many of the people of Amber put credence in dreams. Tir na'Nog'th is a popular image even though it is unsafe even for those with our abilities. Have you discussed any of this with Cambina, by the way?"
"I know nothing of its safety or hazards," Marius admits. "Unless it was 'the ghost of Amber' Cambina spoke of." Which isn't to say he doesn't have his suppositions. "I spoke with her at first, at the Coronation Ball." He gives a half-smile. "She suggested we were inhuman." He laughs. "She claimed to not be an...it was an odd word." To Marius, if not to the player. "An Oneiromancer. She said there had been too many disturbing dreams to dismiss them as mere coincidence." He shrugs. "She offered some interpretation. I also spoke in-depth with," and he says it with an, 'of all people!' tone, "Lucas and Lilly," {The Impromptu Dream Taskforce!} "as well as some unsuccessful efforts in casual conversation with the good people of Amber City." A wry look.
"And what did you learn from them, or them from you? What's your take on the mood of the citizens?"
"Ah." Marius laughs. "They reflect us as we reflect them. They are greedy, insecure, wanting compensation for their losses and they are ill at ease, which leads no one to soft comfort in sleep. Lucas is concerned, and as he is wily as well as winsome. I suspect he may be doing some related research of his own. I suspect Lilly is fraught as she cannot fight the demons which disturb your lovely wife, as they are affected by no sword but that which is wielded by the subconscious in search of security. Her blade is sharp, but I do not know that it is indeed that sharp." He shrugs. "I do not know that reality will bring security. Perhaps it will. Perhaps some of what kept us safe for so long is inherent with that. In that case, the bad dreams will be sloughed as the Kingdom's corpse enters its stages of entropy." He smiles, finishing his drink. "In the meantime, what clues and constants I have are journalled internally, and if I should come upon something of interest, it is yours, Your Majesty, summed up in the usual value of advice."
"The King/Courtier relationship is all about advice and the value of it, Marius. Almost always. We are approaching a kind of anti-crisis, or at least anti-climax here in Amber. People don't know what to do with breathing room, or choices. Too many people are too used to doing what had to be done rather than what they wanted. And I don't just mean the citizenry. So, my nephew, what would you be doing if you were giving yourself directives?"
Random looks at the window, where the sun angles across the stable roofs.
Marius laughs aloud, surprised, maybe even shocked. "I admit I've mostly thought only of the threads of responsibility that keep me tied, but I've rarely considered myself chained save for certain areas of past ambition." Not his own, exactly. "It is difficult to resist the call of the sea, but I know it now for a call that is personal, too personal to answer it as merely part of the functioning organism that is a ship of the Fleet. Yes, a part of me suggests that there is room to sail new routes, open new passages, build as if a new age were here... but a boat is a small world, and I seek something greater." He takes a breath. "I seek magic. I seek power. I am, after all, a child of the true Earth. I look to find out the new rules, to explore the new playing field. I look for beauty and mystery. Maybe I should indeed seek the source of dreams." An odd look passes on his face. "Or perhaps I would style myself a King," he muses, with a hint of an uncomfortable smile.
"Being King is like being a writer. A lot more people want to be a writer than want to write. My brothers, some of them, preferred to be Kings in shadow. I just wanted to beat the goatskins." He shrugs. "There's no telling what hand fortune intends to deal each of us. If you choose to go awandering, and I think you should do as you please, you should keep in touch. Two reasons. One, we have enemies who would be happy to find a wayward child of the line. Two, if you're gone for any length of time, there may not be much left in Amber to come back to."
For what it's worth, not knowing Random's sensitivities, it's still very possible that he can see that Marius' respect for him jumped up a notch purely for giving reasons rather than just a Kingly suggestion. It's not a very physical change, not something that Marius exactly projects, but if you could read his mind, you'd notice. Maybe he shifts slightly in his stance, adjusting his weight, but if he was measuring Random before, it's now come out on the good side.
(I think I want Mary Poppins' tape measure (ala the Disney movie) as a magic item in a campaign someday.)
Random cocks his head slightly. "If you go, where will you start?"
"If I should go a-wandering, it is because I do not have duties," Marius says. "If I do not have duties, it will feel as if I do not have a place." He's being remarkably honest. Heck, he's a guy and he's talking about feelings. "Finding a place...now, that is an adventure," he suggests, with a hint of a shrug, and more of a smile. "You search for such a goal in developing skills and facing challenges. Where would I find those?" he asks. To some extent, it's a rhetorical question. To another, however, he's interested in Random's answer.
"Duty you have, you swore allegiance. How and when I ask you to fulfill that oath is between you and me. For example, I could encourage you to go a-wandering because the skills you gain my benefit us upon your return. Or I could saddle you with duties to give you a place. There is plenty to do. I have an entire second city to build in Xanadu, for instance. And it needs sailors, harbors, and trade with rich foreign idiots."
"Skills and challenges? We're an odd lot, and not just because we're all irregular. Your uncles eventually found that the only challenge worth facing was another of our kin. Anything else, we can generally outthink, outfight, outscrew, or, if all out fails, outlive."
"That leaves very little opportunity for peace," Marius says softly. He tilts his head, thinking, then posits, "So, tell me: did you dream your new realm, or was it always inside you just waiting for the power to let it out?"
"Dunno. I went where I had to and did what I needed, and I woke up in a chair and said "I'm Home!" and I knew I had a place I could protect people and the universe from. And that people would start showing up almost immediately. They do that."
Marius receives Random's answer with a mix of "I expected that," and disappointment, but smiles anyway. "May it be all that you dream, nevertheless," he says, raising his glass. Knowing that it's empty he takes on a slightly more amused smile, and looks towards the door. "I shall take this opportunity to think on what you have said. If I have any better answers for you, they are yours as soon as I can express them." He takes a breath. "For now, I will see what other duties call." He'll make whatever meaningful close of conversation is meant for end of thread.
From there he will see which Knights are in the castle according to the nearest authority on such things.
Last modified: 15 August 2004