Stable Departures

Three groups of cousins find themselves in the courtyard at once.

Outside the stables, planning their trip to the grove are Brennan and Signy.

Exiting the Stables, no longer riding in a cart, are Jerod, Conner, and Garrett.

Exiting the Castle and moving posthaste towards the stables is a group consisting of Edan, Robin, Paige, Hannah, and... baby $BABYNAME.

They are close enough to wave to each other, or get closer and have a conversation.

When Brennan sees first Jerod's group, and then Edan's group of cousins, he says to Signy, "Remember what I said about keeping a weather eye." He then breaks into a trot in Edan's direction. It's not a dead run, and Signy could easily keep up if she so chose, but she'd have to decide that was worth doing.

When he reaches Edan, Hannah, Paige and the newest addition to the Family, Brennan says, "Hello, everyone. At the risk of being socially graceless-- Edan, did you retrieve that object? Signy also has with her the chain that she and Robin and others retrieved from..." Brennan fails for words because he's not even sure how to describe it, "...that event with the Queen. Don't know if they're going to start interacting, but wanted you to be aware."

Conner also moves across the courtyard towards the group of Edan et al. Before he says a word, Conner pauses to gaze at the baby and smiles the brightest smile he has this day. "I see the splitting up part of the plan is going splendidly." Conner observes deadpan. "I know the night has been busy for everyone but have any of you seen my Mother in the castle?"

Hannah shakes her head at Conner, but smiles at his smile. She's going to take herself and the baby out of the way of the knights while there are interactive objects about one another. She takes this opportunity to find a stone to sit on within earshot and feed the baby, grateful for the draping of the fringed overcoat.

As Robin's watchful eyes catch sight of Jerod in the company of Conner and Garrett, and Brennan in the company of... Signy, she guesses, a sigh flows through the girl and she immediately drops the Pattern from her mind. While those two get their wind up, there just ain't no good in getting in front of them.

As Brennan trots directly toward Edan, so she drops back to monitor Hannah. Conner gets a quick nod and a small smile. But Robin's pretty much just staying watchful.

"I have the thing," Edan says, and is immediately watchful. In fact, he has his Third Eye up with the express purpose of warning against magical interactions between the two artifacts. "We should take them somewhere...else."

Jerod, having climbed off the cart, zombie-head in bag securely secured, is quick to take in the situation, making note of Knights, cousins, baby and assorted 'goings-on'.

"I need to get back home more often," he says to Garrett as he heads over to Brennan.

Signy keeps pace with Brennan as he moves over to the larger group, but does keep a bit of a respectful distance from Edan.

It never hurts to be safe, though hopefully being in a place of Order will be protection enough.

She flashes a quick smile. "Are things always this exciting at Family get-togethers," she asks dryly.

With Paige and Edan and Jerod, Brennan gives Edan a sympathetic look as he just put Edan on even more guard than he was before, but explains he didn't want to take chances with Hannah's and his new child so close. If Jerod's got something urgent (which would not surprise Brennan at all!) Brennan takes that seriously and waits. But while Brennan would like to talk to literally every person present who is capable of speech, he's got a clear priority now that his warning has been delivered: Robin.

Left to his own devices, Brennan will be heading to Robin and Hannah, next.

Assuming none of the family gaggle here is going to have any information on where to find Fiona or the King, Conner will turn his attention to any remotely useful servant types around to ascertain their location so that they might drop off a rather nasty undead containing duffel bag.

Hannah is resettling after feeding the still-swaddled baby. She has taken off the sling he was in and draped it over her lap. She momentarily holds him up to her ear and looks thoughtful. She grins at Brennan, knowing this looks silly, but then nods in apparent satisfaction. The child is returned to her lap while she fusses with the white sheet under him.

When Brennan makes his way over to Hannah and Robin, he wears a caricatured expression of offense that Hannah and the baby might be talking about him... for about three paces before it dissolves into a smile. "Hannah, Robin," he greets them, then softly, "Hello, newest cousin." He turns to Hannah and Robin, aware that he was just the buzzkill, and says, "I expected to catch up at the Grove, not here." A shrug. "I didn't want to take chances. All is well?" Under the circumstances, anyway.

Hannah grins at Brennan and offers up the baby. "Actually, I'm very hungry and my willpower is all used up, but these people keep marching me around." Robin gets the look again, but Hannah can't quite hold it. "Other than being denied food, and the various unrelated dramas, all is well. I would very much like to hear about what you've been up to later, if there is time."

Robin's business face slips a little from repressing a grin at Hannah's "look". If Robin were vulnerable to Mom-looks, she wouldn't be Robin.

She nods to Brennan and keeps it as short and sweet as she can, "I left a report with your page. But birthing went well. Cousin's a nephew, which reduces the danger some in my opinion. Someone tried to visit, but Brita distracted them and I broke the door so there was no contact. Headed to the Grove now. With incipient barbecue for testy mothers." She finishes with a wry grin.

Brennan takes the baby and holds him carefully, but not in a posture that implies he's settling in for a long conversation. When Robin mentions that it is a boy, he nods to her in some gratitude-- that sets his mind even more at ease. He still looks tired, as he did at the Balcony Conference, but also like he's hit a second wind and is just going to push through until he rests.

To Hannah, he says, "Short answer, I've been in Avalon with Conner trying to foil Moire and if possible take her into custody. There's a lot to tell, though," and he's including Robin now. "Bad things are happening very fast, close to home, and I don't think anyone knows all of it, or even who knows what." Brennan is very evidently including himself in that position. "I'm glad you'll both be at tonight's gathering. Robin, maybe we should ride down ahead?"

"As long as Hannah and infant are with us." Robin's eyes twinkle as she anticipates Hannah's reaction to that.

Hannah doesn't seem to love Brennan's answer nor Robin's 'suggestion'. She gladly takes back the baby and shifts his swaddling to show Brennan his currently-black hair. Something about his amuses her. "He'll be more awake if you can catch him when he hasn't just eaten. He'll be more interesting when he's ready to ask you questions." She half smiles at the child and looks back up at Brennan. "Next thing we know he'll want to go 'campaign' with you.

"We're with Edan. He hasn't had two minutes with his son." Her tone indicates there isn't going to be any negotiation about this. She stands and re-secures the wrap and child so her hands are free.

Robin nods agreeably.

Conner feels the contact of a Trump. It is imbued with a sense of worry.

Conner takes the call and Brita can see the stables of the castle behind him. "Who calls?"

"Have You Spoken with Mother?" Brita comes into focus. He can see a couple of cousins behind her and they appear to be moving. Brita converts to a mental She is With the King and Now the Queen and Warned Me Away

Warned you away? Conner thinks. I only just got to the castle in search of Mother. Jerod has a sample of some zombie-like creature that Martin brought back from Shadow. He wanted Mother to examine it but she'll not have time for it now. Brita can almost hear the unspoken Now what do we do with the bloody thing?

"Do you Know of the Meeting in The Grove?" Brita asks. She Spoke of a Spell on The King and Worried It was Dangerous.

I do and of the enchantment as well. Uncle Bleys gathered our Redhead cousins and told us. I got Celina out of here and Uncle Bleys is making himself scarce. He worries the enchantment may spread to others of strong Pattern nature. Conner's sigh is out loud. Where are you? I can bring you all to the stable if you are looking to leave here for the grove.

"We are Headed to the Armory," Brita notes. "Do We Wish to Go to the stables with My Brother?" she asks the group.

I am with Cousin Folly, Cousin Ossian, Cousin Raven, and Valkyrie Regenlief. Brita nods and waves a "go ahead" hand at the others. "Can We Stay Connected, Brother?" She says out loud "We Will Join you Shortly."

Certainly, Sister. Conner replies. Much of the family is here making their preparations to depart. I do hope there are enough horses. We had to come here in a baker's cart. The mental sigh is loud.

Brita's mental grin has wattage as she asks, Did you Get me a Muffin or Ten? I'm Feeling Peckish.

Conner's mood brightens in kind. Alas, we only got the cart sans baked goods. Perhaps you should be raiding the kitchens and not the armory.

As the clusters of cousins in the courtyard begin to regroup, Garrett feels the stirrings of a trump contact. It seems... loud, somehow.

Stopping short in his effort to catch up with Jerod, who was striding in Brennan's direction with the zombie-bag, Garrett answers, "Yes?"

Folly comes into focus. The view is pretty tight around her, but she seems to be somewhere in the castle, and moving. She says, "Hi, Garrett -- just to let you know, I know the errand you're on, but the person you're looking for is going to be unavailable for that particular task due to other urgent family matters. So you may have to hold onto your delivery for a little while. Are you comfortable with how to keep it secured?"

Garrett sucks in a breath as a look of concern crosses his face. "Hadn't thought about storing it, to be honest. Jerod has it now. We're together in the stable yard. You have any suggestions?" he asks.

"I doubt we want to leave it unattended," Folly says. "But even if we take it with us, I just want to make sure it's... well-contained." She pauses a moment, thinking, then asks, "How is it packaged now?"

"It's just in a canvas bag right now," he replies.

She describes a few things that might help: sturdy leather straps, some kind of small container impervious to the elements, protective gear such as gloves -- although soon after she mentions that last, Garrett gets the impression that she's been successful on her end with that one.

"All right. I'll see what I can do," Garrett responds. "Are you going to the Grove now?"

"I think we're headed your way very soon," Folly says, and grins. "See you in the stableyard in a few minutes? Looks like we've scrounged some possible containment here -- we'll see how it works."

"All right. I'll see you when you get here then," Garrett grins then closes the contact.

"Have you Spoken with Mother?" Brita asks the connection. A pause. "Do you Know of the Meeting in The Grove?" Another pause. "We are Headed to the Armory," Brita looks up and around at the group. "Do We wish to Go to the stables With My Brother?" she asks.

Ossian asks "Do we have Paige and Hannah covered? If so, yes, why not?"

"If we want to do the armory, we'd best do it now or we'll just be back here later," Raven points out. "And then we could leave from there. If not, then we might as well go."

Regenlief looks to where Folly is apparently having a different conversation through her Trump. "You two go ahead and I can stay with Folly. We'll meet you in the stable soon."

"Let's go pick up some weapons then," Ossian says. "What do you need, mother?" He seems to expect a quick answer as he is already moving towards the armory.

Meanwhile, Folly seems to have gotten through on her call. She says, "Hi, Garrett -- just to let you know, I know the errand you're on, but the person you're looking for is going to be unavailable for that particular task due to other urgent family matters. So you may have to hold onto your delivery for a little while. Are you comfortable with how to keep it secured?" Without looking up from the card, she points back and forth between Ossian and Raven and gives a thumbs-up, then walks toward them while maintaining the contact.

Quite possibly, the armory will help secure that delivery of Garrett's.

"I'm thinking that's a 'we're all going,'" Raven says dryly. "Brita, why don't you bring that call along, if he doesn't mind hanging on for the walk?"

Brita nods and waves them on. "Can We Stay Connected, Brother?" She says to the card. "We Will Join you Shortly."

Still concentrating on her own Trump connection, Folly says, "I doubt we want to leave it unattended. But even if we take it with us, I just want to make sure it's... well-contained." She pauses a moment, then asks, "How is it packaged now?"

Ossian smiles. If Folly or Brita seems to need it he will take their arm and lead them, if that allows the company to walk faster.

Raven is going to fade back to be the rear of the group, unless someone stops her. That seems the easiest way to both make sure that no one wanders off and make sure that the distracted people aren't exposed if they run into something more dangerous than pages or a wrong turn.

The armory, when following Folly's directions, turns out to be quite conveniently close. Regenlief secures a boar spear, sword, great-shield, and hemet for herself, and looks a proper Valkyrie. She starts picking equipment for the others, based on her best guesses of their needs. She seems to be completely in her element in the armory.

Ossian is quite curious as to what Regenlief will pick for him.

Raven is likewise willing to see what is picked for her, but generally favors being armed like a sailor and not like a walking tank.

Folly broadly describes a few things that might be useful to her purposes: sturdy leather straps, an impervious container, flexible protective gear. The armory is not so big on head containers, but Folly does end up with a pair of mesh gauntlets that seem to please her.

Brita has been scanning the room and poking around behind the weapon stands. When she finally finds what she is looking for, she calls out to Folly - "Would This Armor Case Work for your Package?" From behind a stand full of ornate and complicated axes and, inexplicably, one electric guitar, she uses a foot to nudge out a black lacquered box about 20" square. It is emblazoned with a gold circle surrounding a three leafed symbol also in gold. Its edges are reinforced with metal brackets and it has a hinged lid. Two metal handles stick off the sides.

Regenlief dumps an arsenal of weapons on a nearby table, and goes over to each person in turn. She looks at their hands, looking for (and generallly not finding) callouses and patterns that indicate long familiarity with particular weapons.

Folly gets a knife and a buckler, and then Regenleif hands her a second knife. Raven is handed a cutlass and a dirk, Ossian is given a rapier and a dashing helmet, Brita is given an axe. The axe is clearly one of the prizes of the room, but it doesn't seem to belong with anything else.

Regenlief herself takes a tower shield, a helmet, and a spear.

Folly nods her thanks to Regenlief. She continues her trump conversation, but in a slightly louder tone that is clearly meant to be heard by the others in the armory: "I think we're headed your way very soon," she says, and grins. "See you in the stableyard in a few minutes? Looks like we've scrounged some possible containment here -- we'll see how it works."

By her body language, she's ready to head out as soon as everyone else is comfortably armed and armored.

Regenlief pulls a chainmail shirt over her head. "When you're ready," she tells Folly and the others, "we should go."

Ossian smiles and takes the helmet and rapier. "Let's go. Are they still in the stables?"

Brita gives a decisive nod. "Shield Maid Regenlief - Take the Armor Case." Once the Valkyrie has shifted her spear and picked up the box, Brita places a hand on her shoulder and notes to Conner with an odd little nod, "We will Come Through Now." After Regenlief is through, she brings each Cousin into the contact one by one and allows them to step through to her Brother. She oddly announced each in turn, as if Conner can't see them as they are brought into the Trump call. "Cousin Raven... Kin Ossian...Cousin Folly."

Are you Bored Yet, Waiting on Hold, Brother? Brita asks after she has come into the armory. We are Almost Done. Connor hears the talk of the armor case as an option for the package and watches her accept an axe from the Valkyrie.

Then Brita thinks Ok. We are Ready. I Will Send them Through One by One In Case there is Any Trickery. She places her hand on Regenlief's shoulder and the Valkyrie comes into focus, carrying a lacquered black box, shield, and spear tucked into a harness across her back.

Beware the Weapons she thinks as she dips her head towards Regenlief... odd little nod. "We will Come Through Now," She says out loud. After Regenlief is through, she brings each Cousin into the contact one by one and allows them to step through to her Brother.

"Cousin Raven." ...with a Cutlass and Dagger
"Kin Ossian." ...Rapier
"Cousin Folly." ...Knives
...and me - Axe she thinks the last as she takes Connor's hand to come through.

Folly, Ossian, Raven, Regenlief, and Brita all come through on Conner's trump and are in the stables. They have come well-armed and prepared for a potential conflict, though not in the stables. More like if some trouble shows up where they're going, they're armed for it.

Regenlief looks over the group and says, "I am Regenlief of Asgard, and mother to Ossian. Well met, kin of my son. Where do we go from here?"

Garrett, being a bit apart from Conner and the arriving group, looks around for Jerod so he can retrieve the parcel for the "containment" Folly mentioned.

Jerod remains conveniently close by, making sure no one gets bothered by the "package".

Brita glances at Folly and then waves at the box Regenlief carries. "Prince-Cousin Garret and Prince-Emeritus-Cousin Jerod," she greets each with a nod. "Valkyrie-Kin Regenlief has the Armor Box you Require."

Raven gives a general nod to the group they've joined, by way of greeting, but disposal of the head really has priority here, in her opinion.

Regenlief has the aforementioned armored box and opens it so Jerod and Garrett can put their burden inside.

Jerod proffers up the aforementioned moving, squiggly, unpleasant satchel of doom. "All yours."

Folly steps forward and takes it, sizes it up, and then eyes the armor case. "I recommend we try to put this whole thing in the case, if we can, rather than try to transfer it." She brings the duffel toward Regenlief, pauses, and then gestures for her to put the case on the ground. "I don't want to risk exposing you," she says, by way of explanation.

Regenlief starts to say something, looks to Brita, and looks hard at the duffel. Whatever she sees looking at the duffel convinces her to put the armored case down and back well away.

Ossian looks disgusted. He stays quiet for the moment.

Garrett steps up beside the box, ready to clamp the lid down on it quickly when the duffel is safely inside.

The thing inside the duffel wiggles and protests a little, but Garrett gets it into place with little difficulty and slams the top shut. It has a lock and key that Garrett can use to secure the opening.

Regenlief looks at Garrett and Folly. "What is that thing?"

"A zombie head that Prince Martin brought back from a shadow where he spent some time," Garrett explains more calmly than one might expect as he locks the box. He looks down at the key in his hand for a moment, then flags down a stablehand.

"Hey. Run and grab me a small sack big enough for this," he says, holding up the key. "And a short sword and belt from the stash in the back of the stable."

Signy glances at the closed box from the corner where she's been quietly leaning against the wall. "This seems like the sort of thing that would be better examined off in a Shadow somewhere," she notes.

Folly adds, for Regenlief's benefit, "If you don't know this word 'zombie', it used to be a man but was infected by being bitten by another zombie. The infection turns you into a single-minded, almost-unkillable moster that -- if it behaves true to the legends -- craves living flesh and brains. Our blood offers some protection, but I don't know how closely related you need to be for full protection. So, y'know, don't let it bite you." She offers up a grim smile.

"Oh." Regenlief sounds disappointed. "A draugr." She clearly thought it was going to be something more exciting.

Once Garrett has the items he needs, Folly gestures them on up the hill, zombie-head case in tow.

Brita hefts the box and notes to the Valkyrie to take up rear guard before proceeding up the hill.

Robin, Edan, Hannah, Stormaggeddon (working name for Baby), and Brennan help the grooms find them horses, saddles, saddle-bags, and anything else they need and they prepare to ride up the hill to the forest to find the grove.

Edan finds an opportunity to hold the baby, and when he does they both are warm. Very warm. Sorcerously warm. But he seems to have a good idea of where the comfort zone should be.

Hannah, having finally eaten, sees what he's up to and gives the sheet-carrier over to him so the baby can stay on him for awhile. She's somehow coaxed the stablehands out of a pillow. "I'm going to use this for extra padding when we ride, and you can keep him. He's just eaten and I plan to sleep on you. Be careful with that heat - if the milk curdles you'll regret it." She grins though. Maybe she's teasing.

"Understood. Just making things more like the hot tub he's enjoyed for months," Edan says. "Have you considered a name, or is that too premature?"

"My people don't find their names until they have survived 3 or 4 years. If he lives four days, we give him a baby name. There are ceremonies, of course. I will have to do that, whatever is happening, even if it's just he and I. I've been thinking Ingthonsinznede, which means 'cougar' for a baby name. He sounds a bit like a baby cougar when he roars. Is there anything we should be doing to honor your culture?"

"I'll have to sit down and write it out, probably," Edan says. "There are names for who he is, who we are, what he does... my name, for instance, is 'Edan ibn Bleys ibn Oberon al-Kehribar al-Salaamal-Djinn-al-Ghanii'. He will have that, and more."

"Is it important I actually memorize that voluble title? This poor child. Maybe he'll tell us both to forget it, he's going by John." She yawns, and reconfigures the baby's position so she can lay her cheek on Edan's chest. "I'm teasing you," she says tiredly, "but yes, write it all down."

Edan smiles. "Jaw...jawn. Strange name. So monosyllabic. Well. Plenty of time to learn a name. And all the rest of it. When we reach this meeting, we will have to firm up our own plans."

"Hrm," she murmurs, eyes closed. "Some of us have to stay, whatever the consequences. We can't abandon Xanadu. I hope we will end up on the same side." She slips her other hand under the carrier strap on his back and twists a loop around her wrist to hold her on the horse. "I mean, us three."

Edan shifts slightly, so that suddenly he has the baby in the carrier and his arms around Hannah and somehow still has full control of Aramsham. A lifetime of living in the saddle must have made that possible. He's still toasty warm.

"I don't know how this will go," he admits, unhappily. "While I will get out regularly to train Knights and army, I see little choice but to remain and work from the inside. At the same time I wouldn't want someone to try and use you or the baby against me."

"I wouldn't want you to let them. Anyone who would try that will be... unworthy of belief. Sometimes you'll make decisions in the interest of your great-grandchildren's great grandchildren's," she waves her free hand in a circle, "that seem incomprehensible to others at the time. You need to remember there are atrocities I would happily suffer the worst torture to try to stop, unto dying, and that your son is likely to be just as true to his principles. To change course and compromise yourself in order to protect us is to betray us." She manages to pull herself up to look at him with sad eyes. "I know what I'm asking for. I'm sorry."

She kisses his shoulder and lays her head back down.

Edan struggles a moment to find the right words. "I know my mind," he finally says. "I know the line that will have to be crossed. Unfortunately for Martin, without clear public evidence of meddling from the Queen, this vow thing they'll want doesn't really cross that line. If Random was in his right mind, he'd have every right to name his successor. Not the motivation, thankfully."

Hannah sighs but says nothing for awhile, then comes out of sleep with a start. "We can trust the cousins, right? Not so much about... the politics, but with the baby? I don't want to be paranoid nor naive, I just want to... know the unknowable." She grins, and relaxes slightly.

Edan shrugs a little and smiles. "You're asking me? I'm still an outsider. Okay, maybe not so much now. I know Paige and Brennan more than most, and I think we could count on them for almost anything. The rest I do not know as well, but most of our cousins seem to have a strong sense of Family. Like our elders acted long ago."

She snorts. "Like when Corwin used to fight with his older brother until he no longer remembered who he was? You're making me nervous. I would trust Folly and Martin - I don't know why I'd trust Martin, but I would. Brita, Jerod, Brennan, Conner, they could all do it but I don't know there is any interest there. When he's older, it'd be different. And Robin and Solange and Paige to at least keep him alive. Well, Vere. Vere would be the right kind of steady. Ossian would not. I don't know the rest of them well enough to know. Lilly seems young to me, younger even than Garrett. Oh, yeah, he could do it. Not Celina, no fault of her own. I've switched over to 'what if we have to drop him with someone.' Being trusted not to murder a baby or otherwise mess with him - that better be all of them. I hope I can get some time with Folly to ask about how she is handling parenting in this family... beside hiding out. That's not my path."

"I can't imagine you hiding out," Edan says, "though at the moment you're in no shape to fight. If something happened, beyond the chaos that's already happened, you need a safe place to recover." He thinks. "The old tree in the forest of the Blue Earth, I gave him sentience. Have you been around him long enough that he would know you?"

She pulls up again to look at him strangely. "I'm not sure. What kind of sentience did you give him? He might still be processing his last communication.

"And I can fight just fine. I'd hate to end up hand to hand, but I could do it. I'd just be at a disadvantage. I suppose I should be after a bow and arrows. I have knives. My plan is to stay back and doctor. Every person I can keep alive..." She falls silent and looks off to the right, composing lists in her head.

Edan almost grins. "You understand the psychology of trees," he says. "This makes me happy. Father had to explain this to me. I gave Grandfather Tree awareness of the progeny around him, sped up his thinking to where we could talk, gave him awareness of the cycles of the earth and of the network I created. What I'm saying is, if you ever needed a bolt hole, there's a place just outside Xanadu's forest that would take you to him. If he didn't recognize you outright, he..." Edan's skin darkens and he glances away.

Hannah sighs. "He wouldn't recognize your son. Is it a fiery death?"

Edan turns his face back a little, and Hannah can see embarrassment is what made him flush. "You misunderstand me. First, our son is half mine, he should be able to tell that if I did my job right. Second, after what we did before the dance, if Grandfather Tree didn't recognize you, he'd know we'd been...together. I've ramped up his perceptions, remember. No fiery death if he didn't."

"Oh. So how does that work with sorcery? Is it that your aura has rubbed off on me, or is it your dna? What does he do with people he doesn't recognize? And are you sure he's a 'he'?"

Some of the embarrassment evaporates. "Never would I have thought I would give expert answers to these questions," Edan says. "There were no flowers to check, but the voice in my head was male. That might have been confused through the lens of my sorcery. I didn't give him defenses, though he might have developed his own by now. The magic isn't supposed to work at all unless I'm somehow involved...like me, or our son, or for the moment, you. Our auras are all ensnarled in each other right now, though that will wear off with time. Sex is a Principle. So is Blood. Sex and Blood magic have been around as long as Time itself. Which is why I'll be cleansing the birth chamber with sage and fire if it's not already done. Someone might be able to overcome our natural resistance to sorcery if they were very innovative."

Hannah sighs. "I can't imagine it is possible we got everything, but if not-Vialle wants to do something, the time is now. Sage," she smiles tiredly, "is what my people use too. I only had a little in my bag and it's needed there."

She looks up at him a moment, and then seems to decide something. "My people don't use sex for magic, because to take those energies away from the relationship they're warming is a kind of stealing. I should say, the people are not supposed to. There are always stories. So, otherwise someone just needs your blood, or mine as it is now, or the cougar's to be seen as... in relation to you? Would your father's work?"

"I don't know. Maybe," Edan says. "He is also a sorcerer, and each of us have our own...imprint? Signature? To our sorcery. That might interfere. Blood was never my favorite Principle. I know some things, but hardly put it into practice. Birds of Desire are completely different, of course, that doesn't count."

Hannah looks between Edan and the baby for a moment, silent and thoughtful. She seems to have given up the notion of sleep. "Is a Bird of Desire what you get when you mix the Principles herefore described?"

"We're I to make one on the other side of the Tree, I would use Blood and Similarity," Edan says. "But a Bird of Desire is a Pattern thing. Fiona taught me. When we find the time, you should learn it too-" He breaks off as Folly's whistle sounds down behind them.

Hannah groans. "Do you want me to trump somebody? We've got to be almost there, based on... what I know about the Grove."

Edan smiles as he looks back to her. "Let's see you and the baby safe before we worry about anything else, yes? Safe, or armed properly. Or both."

"Fine, I need a field bag and a bow. And, preferably, the backboard for the baby that has the quick-liquid lining. It's an experiment Paige and I are conducting to see how long it lasts here, and if it works at all. It's supposed to turn hard when impacted by a projectile, and might even stop it. Maybe. But we were trying to prepare for an eventuality where I was on a battlefield with a baby and her kids were on a battlefield because they are over-curious. Back with the medics is as safe as you're going to get me. I can ask Gerard if Lady Corvis and her staff can keep the baby at the palace, if there is something you can cast on him that protects him from Time-Manipulating Body-Taking Ghost-Queens. If not, backboard."

Edan looks down the hill to see who is coming up behind them. "Whatever is happening, it is happening somewhere else. No one is rushing up the hill. How about this: we make the Grove a forward staging area. I think you are the healer right now. I can guard, heal magical afflictions, and can be a reserve for the others as needed." He pauses. "Where is this backboard? Or do I need to make one? I'll need fire."

Edan is still holding them tightly, but Aramsham is definitely moving faster towards the Grove.

"Well, it's in the front room of the birthing chamber... if I'm going to talk to Gerard I can probably get my hands on it eventually since I'd bet the servants are hiding out near them. He's going to want to know what's going on though. It may be he should know." She tightens her grip a bit and puts her hand up to cradle the baby's head. "Is it a good idea to do magic in the Grove?"

"I did, right there, making music for Paige and I to dance. I felt no damage or resistance or anything. Even if the Unicorn appeared, I doubt she'd be too angry if she saw I was defending the place...but I could always work outside the grove if need be." He cranes his head to look again, this time forward. "Call Gerard if you can. Wish I had gotten to a deck, I would have done it already." He turns to look directly at Hannah. "If you have to go, for equipment's sake if nothing else, I'll still need to stay here. Or move on to wherever the others are going."

"Understood, I don't have a deck either, just been lucky, mostly," she says, That said, she does have to flip through a trump of Edan and then Paige to get to Gerard.

After helping make whatever preparations for the trip are necessary, Brennan also takes a horse and sets out.

He trails after Hannah and Edan at a respectful enough distance that they can have privacy of conversation even if they're not out of sight range.

Brennan is free for conversation.

Robin rides Misae comfortably and expertly, though the horse-blooded in the group (Edan) would note that she's not one of those born-to-the-saddle types. With a quick gesture, Robin gets her firelizards into the air and into ... maybe? ... an overwatch pattern of a type. They're still babies after all, though they do try.

She then reins her horse up to the tired Brennan. "Did you want to chat at me or should I take point?" Either is fine with her.

"Yeah, we should talk. Probably for more time than we have right now, but...." Brennan ends that awkwardly with an it-is-what-it-is gesture. "The whole purpose of this exercise in Discretionary Fun is to keep people from getting blindsided, but there's blindsided and there's blindsided. Has Vere gotten a message to you? Or did Edan tell you about what Bleys dropped on us?"

Brennan looks like he's gotten a second wind, somewhere, or just decided that there's so much to worry about that he doesn't have time to be tired.

Yeah. Holding a baby can do that to a person. Robin's eyes twinkle slightly at that inner thought.

But she shakes her head in response to Brennan's question. "No messages. And Eden and I didn't get around to trading stories yet? What's lurking?"

"After Edan's display, Bleys called him and his nephews up for a talk. Folly was there uninvited but appreciated," Brennan says. "Here's where I just rip the bandage off quick: Bleys says the King is subject to a magical attack, a geas, that uses his ties to the Jewel. It's resisted Bleys' and Fiona's attempts to counteract it so far. The effects are a single-minded focus on the Queen, their unborn child, and getting everyone to swear fealty to it. And near-crippling apathy when he's separated from them. Some of that, the observed effects, Folly corroborated independently.

"That throws some sand into the gears of the old plan," he says.

Robin frowns. "It does indeed... Oh! I should also throw into the mix, that Lady Corvis has noted that the Queen's 'moods' are not constant. That sometimes she is as she has always been. And at other times, she becomes 'cruel'.

"On a personal note, I have already used up my not-attending-the mandatory-events cards. If I'm alive, I have to attend the get-together tomorrow. Don't know what I'll do about oaths....

"As far as alternative plans go, the only ones that jump to mind right now are pretty darn bad. And would get me locked up for a couple decades..." Robin shrugs, "Rather not do that."

Brennan echoes that shrug, with feeling. "I don't know, either. Good to know about those moods, though.

"Folly came to the same conclusion we did-- Queen of Air and Darkness-- for somewhat different reasons. Surprisingly she wasn't on Bleys' primary suspect list. She is now. We called Vere in. One reason was the same reason I just told you all that, to make sure he understood the new danger in talking to the King. I hoped he'd volunteer his encounter in Tir to Bleys, and he did." Brennan scrubs a hand through his hair. "The whole situation is a cluster. Vere is watching the Xanadu approach to Tir with Lilly, and I think they'll be joining us by Trump. I've lost track of who knows what, now, which is dangerous enough. That's aside from not knowing what Bleys is doing right now, either."

Robin shoots a sympathetic (and grim) smile at Brennan. Yep, Lords of Order - worse than a bunch of firecats.

"Hmmmm? I hate myself for suggesting this. But what about King Corwin? He's got some experience with nascent realms, jewels and tricksy women. He's also reasonably pro-Xanadu/Random. Is he involved in the cluster, yet?"

"No idea," Brennan says. "I talked to Martin briefly before herding everyone in this direction-- part of this is just to get in front of the rumors that started spreading, and give people some warning, let everyone's decisions be informed ones for a change. And part to bounce ideas like that off each other. Funny, I don't think anyone's suggested including anyone from the next generation up. Corwin's either the best or the worst person to talk to because of that sword of his. My thought was Benedict. Us or Bleys, I can't comprehend not telling him once we can get hold of him.

"Anyway, you know what I know-- didn't want you riding in blind," Brennan says.

Robin nods, "Thank you."

She pauses as she thinks, then reluctantly allows, "Sooooo, we've got a small ride in front of us. Did you want to talk about..." she shrugs, "Knight stuff? It's a change of pace at least." Robin finishes with a wry smile.

"It's as bad a time as any," Brennan says, "which is just how we roll." He waves a hand to indicate he's talking about Family, not just Robin and himself. "Yeah, we have to talk about that. And probably our previous... disagreement." Brennan's pause is a tacit offer to let Robin to pick a direction if she wants.

Robin snorts in agreement regarding Family timing. Then blows a fluff of air at her bangs as she thinks.

"Let's talk about Knight stuff first. At least for me, disagreement stuff will probably ease with time..."

Brennan nods agreement, or acquiescence.

"Though I suspect that the main... force, thought, thing?... behind both is that I'm not military in either training or inclination. I've been mulling it over in my mind. And I'm thinking that the closest I can come to Rangering in terms of more widespread philosophies is Special Ops Peacekeepers... Kind of." She shrugs.

"If you guys decide you want something like that in your Order, fine. But I'm never going to be a toe-the-line order taker. I can't and won't give my power as a Scion of Amber, or the responsibility that goes with it, to anyone else. Even and especially to another Scion of Amber. Except for the King, of course. Him, he gets my best efforts. Because he's demonstrated that he's worthy of them."

Robin shrugs. She realizes that she's rambling a bit, but she's got to start talking or the civilized people will never trust her. (Stupid words....)

Brennan mulls that over for a while, probably deciding between questions before settling on, "Aisling, Lilly, Marius, your brothers and I-- how many of us do you see as military by training or inclination, as you say?" Brennan doesn't seem to regard 'military' as an insult or a compliment, particularly.

"You, Lilly and Marius. You know, the remainders." Robin smiles sadly at the back of Misae's head. Then she shrugs and looks back to Brennan, "But I'm willing to admit to a false dichotomy if you see one."

"No, I think there's something to that. I hadn't thought about it much, though," Brennan says. "I'll cop to it, and I think Lilly would. Daeon, Aisling, not in any way, shape or form. Marius I'd put an asterisk next to. I don't know as much about Amber's navy as I'd like to-- Xanadu's, now-- and I don't know how... regimented they are, for lack of a better term. Maybe Jove, too. Those flyers seemed organized to me. But, yeah, I see what you mean. Self-selection, definitely, and what looks like attrition.

"So how do you figure a team of three equally ranked officers coordinates, with or without three equally ranked non-military types?"

Robin purses her lips as she thinks about. And shakes her head sadly. "I do not know. Daeon and I fought pretty badly over authority issues. But Jove and I didn't at all. You and I?" the Ranger makes a ticking sound. "Lilly and me, no issues. Never worked with Marius.

"I think it might come down to the nature of 'orders.' Rangers and Dragonriders have that in common. Among them what may sound like orders is more... strongly worded suggestions, usually only given in time-sensitive situations and usually only issued by recognized experts. (Given the Impression process to filter out the difference between ambition and ability amongst the 'Riders.) 'Orders' among the 'Riders and the Rangers are also always open to debate, revision or disregard.

"I don't have much experience but I feel like almost none of that is true about 'orders' in the military."

"Fair," Brennan says. "I may want to ask you about Ranger customs, later. It wasn't a rhetorical question-- if there's some perfect answer, I don't have it, not for three Knights Commander, or six Knights Commander, or whatever this is going to be," he gestures roughly in the direction of the grove, "if we decide this is a crisis and Martin elects not to command.

"For Ruby, in some ways it'd be easier if we each just had our own order. But that's not what we've got. I don't know if there's ever been an organization with all Family members as equals. Maybe Osric and Finndo-- they were twins, so I hear." He sighs. "I won't pretend that I think we should treat the Knights as equals, but the Knights Commander? Yes.

"Part of it comes down to not doing anything drastic and permanent without at least trying to touch base. Ruby is organized into go-teams right now on my say-so, because I was the first one to learn about the current situation, but I filled them in as quickly as possible. Pretty useless to have strike teams if the leaders don't even know they're waiting for them, anyway," Brennan says. "The other part-- my answer, my working answer-- comes down to common goals, and trust."

"That'll work for a start," Robin nods. "Though..." she drawls with a fond smile, "I expect having us work together might have been exactly what was on the King's mind. Instead of creating separate Orders, I mean. Separate Orders might lead to more Family Wars rather than Family Snipping-at-One-Another." There's a twinkle in her eye as she glances back over to Brennan.

Brennan widens his eyes and nods his head in vehement agreement. "Another Corwin-Eric feud had to have been on his mind," he says.