There are guards stationed not far down the hall from the door to the room where Solange left Lucas' body. She can hear the sounds of Solace speaking to someone, probably one of the palace servants, in another room of the suite.
As much as Solange wants her trump, she wants to tick off another regency less. She leaves Solace be for now.
She returns to her room in Paris castle, makes herself comfortable in a chair, mentally prepares herself for the onslaught, and contemplates the trump of her father.
Solange decides to keep her end of the conversation silent--seems prudent here, in this place and during these uncertain times--and if there's contact talks mentally. Father, it's Solange. May we talk? Her mental voice is both calm and contrite.
Gerard comes into focus slowly. He's in Xanadu by the look of the background. "Aye," he says.
First of all, I need to tell you the news from Paris. Lucas is dead, murdered by Moire who is in attendance at court. Celina, as Regent, is on her way to arrest her.
Second, Vere has made it to Paris safely with the Children.
"Speak up, I can barely hear ye," Gerard says, almost reflexively. Then he parses her words and his jaw drops. "Did you say Lucas is dead?"
Solange concentrates harder on the trump call. Can you hear me now? Yes, Lucas is dead. He was making a trump of Moire and apparently she disapproved.
"Moire murdered him? Is Corwin back yet?" Gerard's eyes get even bigger.
No, not yet. But Celina has Flora and Merlin and Vere to back her up, and Celina seems pretty self-sufficient to me. May I ask what is happening there?
Gerard is clearly straining to hear Solange's unspoken voice. "Random and Vialle hae returned. She seems no worse for her experiences. If you're asking if you can return, ye must needs speak with the king."
Solange refrains from sighing. "I know that," she says out loud. "That's not why I trumped you. And that's excellent news about Vialle."
She pauses to figure out how to phrase the next part, her eyes averted. After half a moment she looks up. "There has been a growing distance between us that I like not at all. I am probably mostly to blame, and for that I am sorry. I was disrespectful to you and your office earlier and for that I am also very sorry.
"I wanted to apologize not because I think it will affect my verdict, but because I wanted to make things right between us. I think we need to talk and air out some matters and I would like the opportunity to do so."
"I'd like that," Gerard says. "But I canna leave Random and Vialle just yet, and ye canna come here. We could meet in Amber when Hannah's come back from Tir."
Solange nods. "I'll see you there, then. Thank you." She passes her hand over the trump.
She leaves her room and walks with renewed purpose back down to the courtyard to find the captain of the dirigible.
He's in the courtyard, directing some men repairing his dirigible. It's visibly sagging.
"What's wrong?" she asks as she walks up beside him.
He doesn't look at her, but continues inspecting the men. They're doing something involving water and fabric.
"The lift principle is escaping, but we cannot find the leak. Once we patch it, we'll need to regenerate."
"Airships are apparently anathema to this place so I doubt you will locate the leak nor be able to regenerate. I didn't know that coming in, though I suspected something was amiss when you were so damnably hard to find...
"How far can you travel in the state she's in now? If you can get her a some distance away from this city, I can fix your problems."
"At the rate we're losing lift? Half a glass. With a good tailwind, we can get a dozen miles from the city."
"Hmmm." From her expression, he can see she doesn't think that's far enough.
What she has just said registers with him and he turns. "How can you fix my problems?"
"You really don't know the significance of where you are or who you're talking to, do you?" Solange smiles at him apologetically. "You see, when we traveled from your mooring point to this castle, we passed over not just fields and roads, but also passed over into a different world with different rules and conditions on how things work.
"Paris is the epitome of order and stasis, like the eye of a storm. Nothing changes here unless the king wills it. As you travel away from her, conditions gradually become more...well, 'chaotic' isn't really the term I'm looking for, but 'malleable' will work. Once a sufficient distance, I suspect your airship would recover spontaneously. If not, I can arrange for the conditions to be favorable so that it will recover spontaneously.
"Look, I still owe you payment for the trip. If you prefer instead, once away from Paris I can procure you a new airship to your specifications."
He blinks, twice. "My Lady, I have no more than half an idea what half of what you said means, but you hired me for pay. I'd like it if you got my ship flying again and then gave me money. Ideally gold, since I'd hate to have any questions about who the green person on the coin was."
Solange chuckles. "Gold it is, then. I'll pay you when we reach your mooring point again and triple the amount for your trouble." She gestures to his ship. "Let's fly her as far away from the castle as she'll go and see if it's far enough for me to get her in top shape again. If there's a tailwind, use it and don't worry about the direction. We need distance."
Without waiting for his reply, Solange heads toward the airship.
"Hands aboard!," he yells, and the men on the ground start to scramble. "Prepare to lift off, Gas heaters to maximum!" The scurrying is purposeful, but hard to follow. Shortly, the bag lifts off the ground. It doesn't look like it's leaking, but it doesn't look the way it did back when Solange first boarded, shadows ago.
"Downwind, ma'am?"
"Downwind," she agrees. "Let's put as much distance between us and that castle as possible."
Solange keeps tabs on the malleability of shadow, prepared to start shifting the moment she can.
Downwind means down river, and the airship heads in that direction. From above, Solange spots a large number of Corwin's troops, apparently mustering and facing down the river, as if attack might come from that direction. The captain steers as far and high away from them as he can.
Solange is far enough to start shifting, although if she waits longer, it will be easier.
She immediately concentrates on the airship, willing it to have no leaks and to refill with "lift principle," as the captain called it. Once that's accomplished, she shifts back toward the shadow where she first located the dirigible.
Shifting from this close is exhausting, and takes quite a bit of Solange's energy. It takes most of the afternoon, but eventually the mooring post and landing pad are visible, and the captain brings the ship in. It works much more smoothly here.
The captain turns to her. "Now, My Lady, there was the matter of payment?"
"You're welcome for fixing your ship and getting you home," Solange replies a bit crossly. She takes a deep breath and despite her weariness wills one last shift. "Look in your locker there. You'll find a satchel with the payment in full. In Caroleons."
He does look in the locker, opens the satchel, and pulls a coin out at random. "Your pardon My Lady, but given our unusual travel, I must. Fairy Gold would not be of any use to me." He bites down on the coin.
Solange laughs.
"Thank you My Lady," he says, opening the cabin door for her.
She exits the dirigible and narrows her eyes at the horizon. "A word of caution, my good captain. If you have future dealings with a royal of Amber or Paris, it would behoove you to not question their intentions or methods. Would I have been one of my uncles, you might easily have found yourself skewered on the end of my sword for doubting my word rather than standing there enjoying my generosity--but I have a soft heart. To a point."
Her gaze turns from the horizon back to the captain. "Good day to you, sir. And good health." Without another word she walks away, shifting as she goes.
After putting some distance between herself and the dirigible, Solange attends to her clothing. Court dress shifts into more appropriate attire for riding--pants, boots, shirt, jacket, gloves, and light blade. She finds a skin of rich burgundy wine hanging from a tree which she immediately takes a long swig from. Now all she needs is a horse.
She concentrates on finding Dapple. With horses being a rarity among the Danu, it wouldn't be inconceivable that he escaped from an inexperienced guard into the countryside. She pushes to find him, with saddle, grazing in the next meadow.
That's him over there. The saddle is sorta funny, though. Much more hand-made than normal, and elaborately beaded.
Solange greets the stallion with an apple she found in the pocket of her jacket. She spends a moment being friendly, then mounts and turns his head toward a line of trees along the horizon.
She sets off at a canter, her next stop Amber. The wine skin will be empty by the time she arrives.
It's normally a week's ride to Amber, but Solange had a good start from the Aerodrome. She should be there in maybe five days. "All roads lead to Amber and she sets out upon one."
Solange is a good ways along, and into forested land, when she hears a voice call out "Halt, who goes there?'" Ahead are three men with rifles who've stepped into her way.
They couldn't have picked a better place to ambush her. The path goes between dense trees and there's not a lot of room to maneuver. They are soldiers, of some sort.
Solange pulls in her horse and looks at them with interest. Tell the truth or be coy? She opts for coy, as they could be remnants or shadows of Huon's army. "My name is Sarah. Who are you and why are you stopping travelers?"
"The front is up ahead, we're keeping people safe. May I see your papers?"
"I see," she replies, looking pointedly at their guns pointed at her. "Here they are." Solange passes over to the soldier a correct set of papers she knew would be in her jacket pocket. "So who's winning?"
Solange hasn't seen these particular uniforms before. They're clearly from a society that's very casual with firearms. She cannot hear fighting at this moment.
The senior soldier frowns and hands her back her papers. "No one is winning, especially not civilians. You may pass, but I'd advise you to turn back, Miss. Otherwise you'll be a slave and he'll be a meal within three days."
"I'll take it under advisement," Solange assures him, reaching out to reclaim her papers.
She knees Dapple forward and moves past the soldiers, deducing from their conversation that whoever they are, they're part of the home guard and not the invading army.
Solange rides slowly and quietly for a time, considering options. She could easily trump to Amber, but where would be the fun in that? Getting through these barriers would be good practice and experience, and a little reconnaissance could bring forth some potentially useful information. So onward.
Forewarned is forearmed though, and Solange plans to be armed. After the soldiers are out of sight she finds a handgun, rifle, ammunition, and powder that are part of the shadow. Her jacket is already a dark color so she doesn't concern herself with it, but she does muddy up the prominent white spots on Dapple's hide. The handgun stays on her person but the rifle gets stowed on Dapple's pack within easy reach. Both are loaded. She secures her Amber trump to her jacket sleeve in case things get really complicated--always good to have a Plan B--and then takes herself off the main road and onto a deer trail she finds snaking through the woods.
Solange travels forward cautiously, continuing to shift toward Amber.
Another shift, another valley, and she's facing a squad of armed troops. They're healing their wounded; it looks like they've recently been in some sort of a fight. Solange hasn't revealed herself to them, but they're on the path ahead of her. They're wearing different uniforms from the last set, and there are some motorbikes at the far side of the clearing.
Their weapons look more primitive than the last set of soldiers.
Solange watches for a bit, but isn't interested as a woman who's traveling alone encountering a bunch of testosterone-laden men with guns. She turns back the way she came and starts shifting toward Amber again--her father may already be there and waiting.
Solange shifts again, and again finds herself facing a line of soldiers. Maybe she's subconsciously bringing them with her. These are red, small, and furry and armed with some sort of rifle-like weapon.
"Dàirich," she mumbles under her breath after encountering soldiers for the third time. She glares through the trees at the latest army.
Trumping to Amber would bypass all of this, sure -- but she isn't ready to admit defeat yet. The Universe is telling her that she can't go around, so she decides to kick the Universe in the teeth and try to go through.
Solange waits for nightfall before attempting to cross through on foot--it'll be quieter and easier by herself and she figures she can pick up Dapple or another horse on the other side. She takes the loaded handgun and sword with her, leaving the rifle and the rest of her supplies with Dapple.
Amber's trump is still attached to the inside of her sleeve. She realizes that the same darkness that will hide her will also prevent her from seeing the trump, but she considers it all part of the challenge.
She picks a path that affords her the most cover and affects probability to the best of her ability that she passes through unnoticed.
It is a quiet night, and if there is a moon, it has not risen. The troops on this side are well entrenched. Solange works her way down the path she's spotted and makes her way unseen through the troops. Before long, she has crossed the front line.
Solange is halfway, into no-man's land between the two armies. The sky is lightening with false dawn in the east, or a direction that might as well be east. Ahead of her are the entrenched positions of the other side, who may well be more observant of what is coming towards them.
Solange continues her forward movement, albeit slowly and carefully, and tries to shift the sky dark again while continuing the shifting that she pass unnoticed.
Solange moves forward, slowly, carefully. The problem with probability manipulation is that it's easiest where everything is known. It would be quite easy to make that soldier there not look in her direction, but it's really hard to make all the soldiers that might see her not see her. Too many variables. Solange does her best to minimize them, but it's not really possible on a battlefield.
She manages, with judicious backwards and forwards moves over small distances, to darken the sky, but with that came longer guns and newer equipment on the soldiers. Solange is pretty sure she'll alert one side or the other if she goes either forward or back from her position.
She stifles a grim chuckle over her predicament and brings her trump of Amber into view. If it's light enough that she can activate the trump, she will do so. If not, she will wait for light to return.
The castle gates of Amber loom in her mind, and the image becomes clear. It is evening at the castle, and the breeze is cool.
She steps through and hails the guard. "Has Prince Gerard arrived?"
The guard looks down, and Solange notices the gates are closed. "My Lady? Princes Caine and Bleys are in residence, I have not seen Prince Gerard."
The gate begins to slowly open, just enough for her to enter. The guards seem... distracted.
Solange narrows her eyes at them. "So what's going on?" she asks as she slips through the gate.
They look at each other. One of them is about to speak when Vent, the Steward comes up.
"Lady Solange," he says, bowing, "Prince Caine is at dinner with Prince Bleys and a number of your cousins. They can explain the news of the day. Would you care to refresh yourself, or may I escort you to the Family Dining Room?"
The guards seem relieved to be relieved of the task of talking to Solange.
Solange turns her attention to Vent. "I'd like to refresh. Would you send a message to Prince Bleys that I would like to meet him at his convenience? On the way to my room you can tell me what's happened." She smiles at him encouragingly.
Vent signals a page as they move past. The boy moves quickly away.
Vent nods. "I do not know how long you have been out of touch, Lady. Queen Vialle has been recovered by the King from her captors and returned to Xanadu, Prince Caine has returned from disappearing, the Queen of Rebma was here, briefly, and Prince Huon was a prisoner for a quarter of a glass before escaping. Many of your cousins are at supper with Caine, explaining. They will know details I am unaware of."
"And here I thought Amber would be dull after Xanadu came into being," she jokes, smiling grimly. "If I see any of my cousins I will press for more details."
Vent leads her to the room that was hers for years. It's been freshly opened and aired out. It looks to have been cleaned out after she departed. "You may have some things in storage. I can have them sent for if you are staying, Lady Solange."
She breathes in the air and sighs happily. Xanadu is new enough that this is still really home to her. "For a little while, but don't bother getting anything out of storage. I can 'find' what I need.
"I'm meeting my father here, and then I'll likely be off again. He should show up soon."
Solange turns back to Vent. "Thank you for all your help, Steward."
Vent nods. "My staff and I are at your service, Lady Solange." He knows a dismissal when he hears one, and leaves.
Solange is alone in her room.
It isn't hard to find water and basin and she nominally washes up before slipping on a dark blue velvet dress that she found in her wardrobe. She quickly pulls her back into a bun to get it out of her face, pulls on a pair of flats found behind the chair, and walks down to the Dining Hall. Perhaps she will catch the rest of the news from a cousin, or if she's lucky, she'll catch Bleys there as well.
Solange approaches the family dining room and Bleys is coming out of it. He is well dressed and has a smile for his niece. "Too late. You'll have to scavenge in the kitchens, as long as Caine doesn't catch you."
She smiles back, her cheek dimpling. "I'm hungry in more in a metaphysical sense right now, and as a wise man once said, 'Knowledge is food for the soul.' Do you have some time to talk? I would like to ask your opinion on a few matters that have being troubling said soul."
Bleys smiles. "Careful talking about souls in this place, you'll get tagged as one of Caine's heretics." He gestures towards the kitchens. "Come, we'll sit and eat. They can't kick me out until after your Uxmali cousins are done treating the Prince's girlfriend for a bad case of getting kicked over by a Goddess."
Solange raises her eyebrows, making a mental note to ask later more particulars about the current situation.
Assuming Solange accompanies him, Bleys takes her to the kitchens and, with a word, has food brought fit for a hungry traveller.
It's been several long days since Solange has had anything to eat other than rations, so when hot food is placed in front of her she smiles and rubs her hands together in anticipation. She takes a deep, soft breath and starts in on the roasted hen.
"Uncle Bleys, I wish to chiefly talk to you about my father's condition. As you know, Father was caught in a cave-in inside the Castle when the Sundering occurred. His pelvis and legs were crushed, and it was a miracle in itself that his legs didn't require amputation.
"You know the family's prodigious reputation for healing and regeneration. Father...healed...but hasn't regenerated. I've asked him if he has any idea why not? Perhaps there's some metaphysical component we're overlooking, or perhaps the damage is just too extensive for even his regenerative abilities? Or a combination of the above, or something else entirely? He didn't know."
She pauses to take a drink of wine before continuing and her expression turns grim.
"Though not the actual king, he was the regent when the Sundering happened. Could... the damage to the Pattern be reflected... manifested... in his legs, and because the Pattern has not been fixed, neither will his legs regenerate? I know he wasn't in possession of the Jewel, so there wasn't that metaphysical link, but... What do you think? What's your opinion on the matter?"
"That's an intriguing theory. I'll need to look at my notes, but I know the binding of a pattern is a one-way transformation at creation.
"We didn't cover how patterns broke and the side-effects of that. It's possible that there was some sort of minor binding..."
He takes a roll from the food provided for Solange. "If your theory is true, there's no fixing it. The pattern would require Oberon to be alive to be repaired. That's clear from the equations."
The Prince bites the roll. "And he's not. Of that I am certain."
"All right, so fixing the Amber Pattern is a non-negotiable. If my theory is true, is there a way to break such a binding?"
Solange picks up her own roll and butters it.
"To be truly bound, he'd need to be Oberon, so possibly something could be done. Perhaps we can magically transfer the damage to Caine, but I don't think he'd agree to it." Bleys taps his forefingers together, then shakes his head. "No, too risky. They could both end up that way..."
One corner of her mouth quirks up. She puts down the butter knife.
Bleys takes a roll and, with it halfway to his plate, stops. "How far has your father been from either Amber or a Pattern city since hi-- the accident?" Bleys puts the roll down and looks at Solange.
She thinks for a moment. "He stayed in Amber during the entire Regency, and then he trumped to Xanadu once it was up and running. Since then... I think he was out in shadow for a bit with Hannah. And then he helped me lay a shadow path from Amber to Xanadu. He's back in Xanadu right now. Why?"
"Two ideas, with no way to test them other than the practical. Theory," he says, extending a finger, "The pattern reset, finding Gerard with a fractured pelvis, is keeping his pelvis fractured. This would imply that magic is the correct fix for the problem. That or chaos, or both.
"Second, you're familiar with the phrase 'the shadows lie for us'?" he says, extending a second finger. "It's not a metaphor. It's an axiom of camouflage: we more-or-less fit in wherever we go, and it's a property of our control over shadow. The implication here is that the collective expectation of all Amber is what is keeping his pelvis broken."
Solange raises her eyebrows, thinking about this. "Interesting hypotheses."
"So," says Bleys, leaning across the table towards Solange, "perhaps what your father needs is a long vacation, in chaos-tinged shadows, seeing a magical healer. This would point, in all likelihood, to Mother."
"Clarissa? But...is she...trustworthy?" Solange asks, with all the wariness of a Child of Order contemplating entrusting someone dear to her to the unfathomable strangeness of Chaos. "No offense intended, of course."
Bleys laughs aloud, drawing furtive looks from the castle staff. "Ah." He catches his breath. "Let me tell you about the trustworthiness of Princes. Princes are completely and totally trustworthy when you engage their self-interest. Determine how to do that, and they will act as you want by acting for themselves."
Solange sits back with her glass of wine and smiles. She's had little previous interaction with this particular uncle, but she finds herself warming up to him quite readily. Probably intentional on his part. She doesn't care--at this point the ends justifies the means.
"You should talk to her, see what she wants. She may well be able to help you."
"Thank you for the advice, uncle. I appreciate it."
Solange takes a fortifying drink before embarking on the next topic of discussion.
"There's another matter I wished to ask you about," she begins, looking him fully in the eye. "I had a troubling encounter out in shadow with a woman. She...didn't seem to be quite on this plane of reality. More ghost-like than anything, complete with floating in the air and being partly insubstantial. She emanated a feeling of...dread.
"When we looked at each other, she made immediate and total mental contact with me. It felt quite like a trump contact. She had complete control, though--I found that I could not break away.
"My impression was that she was searching for someone, and looking at me to see if I fit the bill. I did not. Once she determined that, she broke off the contact and wanted nothing more to do with me and floated away.
"She had red hair, long and tightly curly. She didn't seem to have the family look about her. She was wearing a white robe. I remember she was shielding her eyes, and her hair spread out behind her, as if she was in wind.
"Does she sound familiar to you at all?"
Bleys strokes his beard. It's obvious even with the facial hair that he has a remarkably small chin.
"Oh yes. I've heard her described. That's a trick of hers.
"They call her 'The Queen of Air and Darkness.' Where were you?"
Solange hesitates briefly before replying. "An island called Asir. Is 'The Queen of Air and Darkness' a Tir or Moonriders thing?"
"Precisely," agrees Bleys.
She blinks.
"Hopefully she's having as much trouble with Asiria as Father allegedly did. Asir Island is at a shadow confluence. Not really an inflection point, but likely a distortion due to some ancient and far-reaching pattern activity there."
Solange nods. "I experienced some of that, yes."
He starts. "It may be that after everyone who remembers even the name of Amber is dead, it will be the same way to some future generation.
"Interesting that she's probing you, since we've spent so much time probing Tir'na nOgth for visions of the future. And by we, I mean unwise individuals who do not care if they open their desires to someone whose motivations are unknown to them." The smile returns.
"In any case, it's hard to know if she's merely a stress-manifestation of Asir's particular charms or if she's on the verge of returning. We'd know, I expect, because of Tir. If it's not solid, she isn't."
"I know she's been seen elsewhere by other Family," Solange says. "Do you know who it is she's searching for, and what will happen when she finds said person?"
Bleys catches a servant's eye, and nods. The man goes into the pantry, on some unspoken mission. "Fascinating. I don't know much about her, but I can direct you to people who do."
"Would that be Uncle Corwin, perchance?"
"I don't think he ever managed to catch that one, no. But he does have her sword. Funny, that. Mine came from the hand of the King..." He pauses, then changes the subject.
"Do you remember her clearly enough to be able to draw a sketch of her? And who else has seen her?"
"Yes, I believe I can," Solange replies thoughtfully. She returns her attention to her food as she continues talking. "Both Vere and Robin have seen her too--all three of us in Rilga's line, for whatever that's worth. I don't believe it to be entirely coincidence, but I don't exactly know what it means, either. Do you?"
"Hmm. No, I don't. Some answers come to mind. First, perhaps you talk to each other more than to others, or perhaps Rilga's children are easier for her to find, somehow. Or you've been places she was attracted to. Do you know if your father or Robin's has ever seen her?"
"I haven't asked." She shrugs, conceding the point.
The servant returns, and Bleys turns to him. "Lynx, can we have some drawing paper and something to draw with? For the Lady?"
Solange raises an eyebrow at Bleys but doesn't pursue her questions. She makes a second mental note to ask later.
The man bows. "Of course, your highness." He retreats, returning shortly with the required materials.
Solange takes the paper and pencil from Lynx and smiles brightly at him. "Thank you. Would you go see if there's any pie? Apple or pecan preferably. Just bring the whole thing."
She finishes off her glass of wine and sets to blocking out Floaty Woman's basic shape.
The servant returns with half a pie. "I'm sorry, Lady Solange, most prepared food was taken to Lady Lilly. We'll have more pies within the watch." He bows and, if Solange lets him, leaves.
"You said earlier you could direct me to people who do know about her. Who were you referring to?" Solange asks.
Bleys nods. "We may need to get pie in Xanadu. I was referring to the Altamarean Knights, who fought with us at the Battle of the Fixed Place in Chaos. They were Gheneshi, back in the pre-Moonrider days. Their ancestors chose not to follow the Queen of Air and Darkness."
"Where are the Knights now?"
With basic shapes blocked in Solange pauses and spends a moment recalling that night: the moonlight...Kyril running ahead...the ghostly apparition turning to look at her...the ghost Queen's unfathomable eyes, big and luminous, and she could see whole universes inside of them, falling...
She jerks back to the present, frowns, and focuses her attention on Floaty Woman's face and shoulders.
"Back in Altamar." Bleys glances over at the drawing, and nods. "Coming along well."
Solange nods, pleased, but doesn't look up from her work.
He summons a servant. "Oh, Balance. Good to see you. Please inform the Steward we would like to speak to him, if he's in the castle."
The man nods quickly and walks away, tapping on a railing as his goes.
"Is there a shadowpath that leads to Altamar?" Solange asks. "I'm not familiar with the place."
"No," he drawls. "Father didn't want us trading in their primary export. One of Paige's children's bodyguards is a Knight of Altamar. You should talk to him."
"And they're in Xanadu, I assume?" Her tone has an edge of annoyance, for if they are, she can't pursue the matter until--if--her exile is lifted.
He nods.
Steward Vent comes up to the table, looking sweaty and unprepared to face Royalty. Bleys takes no notice of his state. He points at the half-completed sketch.
"Vent, there was a portrait of this lady hanging in the castle in my youth. Where is it?""
Solange turns the sketch around so he can better see it.
Vent's eyes become slightly large, then narrow. "I do not know, your highness. I haven't ever seen her before."
"Find it, please? It would be a service to the kingdom." He turns back to Solange. "Where can Vent find you when he locates it?"
"Here...in...the...castle?" she replies tentatively, getting the impression from the way Bleys phrased the question that it was the wrong answer.
Bleys looks at Vent's retreating back. "One of the natural advantages of the fractious nature of your uncles was that it prevented excessive clustering of family members in any one shadow. We ... distort places, like a weight placed on a sheet. Too many of us in one place for too long, and it could tear the fabric of reality. Xanadu and Paris are immune, of course.
"So Prince Caine, as regent, is responsible for the safety of Amber. He has naturally decided to close Amber Castle. He expects you all to leave, either immediately or after a stay in the city."
Bleys pauses. "It has nothing to do with the regent's recent dismissal of the Captain of the Guards and his subsequent appointment of one of his cronies, or the Prince's displeasure at having his supper interrupted by noisy nephews covered in blood and dragon gore."
Solange gazes back at him silently for a moment before refilling her wine glass. She tilts the bottle in his direction, asking if he'd like a refill as well.
"That's rather damned inconvenient, since the only place trump I possess comes here," Solange remarks. "There were always at least a handful of us in Amber at any given time after the Sundering and we lived like that for years until everyone returned from Chaos. So why the fuss now?"
"Hmm. You'll have to ask Caine, if you can keep from being drafted or evicted long enough to do so. But you weren't a risk while things were in flux. Nothing can crack when everything can give."
He looks at the bottle and shakes his head. "Now, there are anchors, and anchors lead to stress points. Random wants Amber cleared, not shredded."
"So what does Uncle Caine want?" Solange asks casually, though she does lower her voice. She starts in on the pie. "An appointment of one of his cronies to Captain of the Guard seems...opportunistic."
"Yes, " replies Bleys, nodding, "but don't let that fool you. While it is in character for him, there may be more to it than that. I'm not really up to speed on Venesch's role in Eric's Amber, but he was Eric's trusted associate and Caine was his closest family ally. There may be any number of things to settle between them.
"Caine is shaping up as the preeminent influence on the Navy, which has always been Amber's backbone. When there were two fleets, it was easy to maintain a balance. Now? Hard to say. This plays to the Navy's preferences. I would assume he's looking to make sure that he's the only candidate for a major naval role when his job in Amber is done.
Bleys smiles. "He seems to enjoy government service, doesn't he?"
"It does keep one in the middle of things. Aunt Flora seems to like it in the middle, too. I suppose he thinks it's easier to take advantage of an opportunity there than on the sidelines." She smiles back at Bleys and returns to her pie.
Solange eats in silence for a moment, then adds, "I would love to see Father back in charge of his Fleet. I recognize what you're saying about the political stability two Fleets bring, but from a purely personal standpoint, I believe he was simply the happiest there. I don't think he ever really embraced being Regent. He did it out of a sense of duty, because it had to be done--we all did a lot of that in the years after the Sundering--but not because that sort of power was something he relished, something he craved. I suppose that's why Grandfather picked him to stay, because he was the safest choice."
She pushes the empty pie plate to the side and sits back. "So what's the news here? And then I have some dire news from Paris."
Bleys smiles, as if reacting to something amusing Solange has said. "I've just arrived myself. The queen has been found, and is resting in Xanadu. That you may not have heard. Caine had Huon as a prisoner here, and let him escape, which may be why he's dyspeptic. Other than that, no news I've heard.
"What news from Paris?"
Solange crosses her arms and smiles back. "You said something earlier about Uxmali cousins, and the Prince's girlfriend getting her ass kicked by a Goddess, and something about Uncle Caine having his supper interrupted by nephews covered in blood and dragon gore. I think you're holding out on me."
Bleys breaks out in a positive grin. "I like you, Solange, so I'm going to do something that my brothers would consider interfering in your Father's right to raise you as he pleases. I've no idea if he'd approve or if you'll accept it for the gift it is, but one way or anther, for one of us at least, this will be educational.
He leans in towards her and puts his hands on her elbows across the small table. "Family etiquette is a series of patterns of interactions we developed ages ago to allow us to interact with each other in predictable fashion so that we could know when it was likely that we were causing offense to each other.
"It does not matter if you know it or don't know it, it's older than most of us and as hidebound as the castle itself. When you violate it, intentionally or not, you are telling me or my brothers that you are either ignorant of our ways or flaunting them. It changes how we perceive you and what we expect of you.
"One of the rules states that the elder sibling gets his questions answered first. Usually. Were we in Castle Solange, you could press me for news. I could choose to ignore your improper request, even to respond to it, but I don't have to.
"If we walk away from here not having exchanged news, it will be because you don't know how to speak to us, and that's a shame, since it's clear you have ambitions that will only be achievable by dealing with your Uncles, and that will take learning the rules and how to use them to your advantage."
He looks away briefly and turns back. "What news from Paris?"
Her insides twist at his reproof though she tries to keep it from appearing on her face. This is not an uncle she wants to piss off. "Lucas is dead, killed by Moire while he was in the process of drawing a trump of her.
"Flaunting...no. Ignorance...quite a bit. Thank you for giving me the benefit of the doubt."
Pecking order has been dully noted. She looks back at him levelly.
"Well, that won't sit well with his mother. Still, it's a decidedly hostile act to make a device that can allow you to dominate someone's mind." Bleys sits up straighter. "How do you know he was making a trump of her?"
"Circumstantial evidence," she replies soberly. "He was working on a painting of Moire when he was killed by a shard of glass from a mirror he was using for light. Vere, after requesting permission from Aunt Flora, raised Lucas's shade and Lucas told Vere that Moire was responsible."
"Hmmm. Well Lucas would lie if it suited him or amused him, so that's no proof. The shard of glass is either a good sign it was Rebmans or intended to mislead us. I'd ask if he has any enemies, but, really, we're trying to narrow the list down." Solange cracks a small smile as her uncle continues.
"Who would benefit from Lucas being found dead by Moire's hand in Paris? That's a good place to start."
"Well...Moire had motive," Solange replies pragmatically. "If she did do it, perhaps she was relying on her relationship with the king to protect her from the repercussions. On the other hand, leaving behind the trump to implicate herself seems a little...amateurish.
"If she didn't do it, then perhaps it was someone who wished Moire out of the middle of things--someone who didn't like Moire influencing King Corwin, or someone who didn't want Moire returning to Rebma. I can't speculate further, not being current at all in Rebman politics, if you'll pardon the pun."
Bleys pulls on his beard. "Has anyone tried the trump to see if he was done yet?"
"Celina, as acting Regent, and Merlin were investigating when I left. I don't know if they tried the trump. Why?"
Bleys' grin is positively feral. "Because we'd learn something that Moire would kill to prevent us from knowing if it were usable."
Solange is happy that grin is not directed at her. "Why would Lucas create a trump of Moire in the first place? I wouldn't think he'd want to disclose his dirty little secret to her, considering the pains he went to hide it from us. For that matter, why create it within sight of a mirror? If he needed light, there were other ways to obtain it that were less lethal.
"Did he intend then to use the trump as a weapon? I can think of more reliable means of assassinating someone. That doesn't strike me as a very Lucas-like thing to do, anyway--he'd hire it out rather than do it himself. Perhaps to just spy on her? Again, why create the trump within view of a mirror, then?"
She shakes her head. "I don't get it. Hopefully that means there are pieces to the puzzle I don't have and not that I'm simply overlooking a piece in front of me."
"Don't forget that possibility that something before you may be false, designed to mislead you. That in itself points to someone besides one of my brothers, because with the exception of Caine, we tend to be very straightforward. This sounds just like one of his attempts to tie up a half dozen problems at once.
"Pity he was here. He'd make an ideal suspect." Bleys smiles at the thought.
"Now, as I recall you had some questions for me?"
"Cousins from Uxmali, ass-kicking Goddesses, and nephews covered in blood and dragon gore... Do I need another bottle of wine?"
"We all need another bottle of wine." Without even looking behind him, Bleys reaches into a darkened nook and pulls one out. "This will do, I think." He opens it and pours for both of them.
"Part of the fun of traveling like we do is that when we do meet again, we get to play the raconteur." He takes a sip of his wine.
Solange smiles and tips her glass in his direction before taking a drink.
"Forgive me if you already know the background, but to be complete, I must tell it all. Brennan has a brother and a half-sister, both raised in Uxmal long after Fiona and I convinced him to flee to escape one of his father's more lunatic plans. This was before we realized Brand was too far gone and locked him away the tower.
"Ambrose is in the process of deciding that his old friends are not going to get him anywhere and that he needs to have new friends in Amber, or really Xanadu. One friend, when it comes down to it.
"Chantico is in the process of taking over Brand's job as chief thug of the pantheon of divine thugs that Brand moved into in Uxmal. That's really the best thing that could happen. We could let her go and leave her to do what she wishes there.
"Ambrose is attached to his mother and his own claim to the position. Hopefully he'll give up and stop bothering with it soon.
"Now, into this mess wandered my son, who is a gallant young knight-errant, and Lilly, who came upon the two Uxmali poised to cut our problems in half, one way or another. They intervened and in the process Chantico broke Lilly's leg. Hopefully, they did some damage to her as well. It would be distressing were they to be ineffectual.
"They trumped in to dinner, bleeding, to the dismay of the Regent. I think that covers the first question." He pauses to see if she agrees, and steals another sip of his wine.
"Almost--just one small point," Solange replies, her forefinger raised. "Did Ambrose come through with Edan and Lilly, or did he stay in Uxmal?"
"Neither. Edan stayed behind and Lilly and Ambrose came to Xanadu. Caine has sent them to Xanadu, or tried to. He may get tripped up on Garrett." Bleys frowns, in a pro forma way.
"Now what else? Oh, yes. Dragon gore. Robin, Caine, Brij--a new cousin, Julian is her grandfather, and I were sitting down to dine when the alarm sounded from the gate.
"Someone had thrown Huon through the castle trump, along with Brennan, Jerod, and by-now-Queen Khela of Rebma. I suspect Brennan, but I don't know if that's been confirmed. Huon landed on top, absconded with the Rebman pattern blade, and ran for the woods.
"Naturally, we gave chase across shadow. We cornered him in a valley full of dragons. Little dragons, though. We captured him but found that we had to slay many of the beasts to make our way safely out and back to Amber.
"Huon was ... returned to Amber via a trump, without adequate instruction or guard, and as one would expect, he escaped. A number of your cousins are not pleased with this. Nor are a selection of Uncles. And Aunts. Not to mention the Rebmans.
"Perhaps only Huon is satisfied, and not totally, for he did not win his prize.
"It was into the unhappy tableau of the second try at supper following our chase that Lilly arrived, and Caine decided that he had enough of the children of his brothers and sisters."
Bleys looked into his wine, and finished the glass. "I wouldn't take it personally. I don't think he likes anyone, much less anyone's children."
Solange narrows her eyes and leans forward. "Wait...Brij? Julian's granddaughter? Holy crap, do you mean _Folly's mother_? DOES FOLLY KNOW?"
Bleys remains completely calm, merely holding out a hand to steady Solange's wine glass. "Yes, of course. As I heard the story, Folly and Martin helped her figure it out. Some time ago, actually. I myself didn't know until Julian and Folly contacted me by trump asked for my help with her.
"She still knows very little of our ways, but she is a quick study."
"Hunh. Are you going to take her to Xanadu, or is she staying in your custody?"
"Well, it's not as if she is a threat to us on the Huon front. They seem to have parted less than amicably. We have some errands to run, but should be at the funeral."
Bleys pushes his now empty wine glass into the center of the table. "You're staying in the city?"
Solange notices that he didn't actually answer her question. She starts laughing and rubs at her eyes. "You deflect admirably well. Brij and Huon were an item?"
Bleys shrugs. "Some things are better if they're not defined. The people of the Rilean Confederation of the Tupin Peninsula treated prisoners as honored guests. It was not until he had been in the the Confederation's Grand Moot Hall for six months that the Ambassador from Bellum discovered that he was not allowed to depart." Bleys frowns, but only briefly. "Bellum destroyed the Confederation three years later, but the point is still valid.
"You'll have to ask Brij about her history with Huon, she hasn't volunteered that information." He pauses. "Or Huon, I suppose."
Solange nods and finishes off her glass of wine before returning to a question Bleys asked earlier. "I suppose I am staying in the city if Uncle Caine doesn't want visitors. I believe protocol dictates that I report in and let him know about Lucas first. I'll ask if there's anything I can do to help while I'm waiting for Father to trump me but if past experience serves I don't expect him to take me up on it--unless it somehow involves me leaving."
Bleys nods. "My guess? Caine has figured out that Random isn't going to return and demand an accounting for how he runs the Castle, so he's going to run it his way. If he's smart, he'll send everyone he wants to get rid of to Xanadu. He doesn't want any of us here to give the dismissed staff someone to appeal to.
"Traditionally, if one is staying in town, one can send a card to the castle saying so. Or could a few hundred years ago. With that bit of family news you've got, I'd talk to him personally. Just don't expect him to be pleased."
Solange suppresses a chuckle. Her belly is full of hot food and she's had several glasses of wine -- not even the prospect of talking to Uncle Caine can daunt the feelings of contentment she currently has.
Bleys pauses, waiting to see if Solange has any more questions.
She shakes her head in the negative. "Thank you for our talk. I appreciate it. If you see Paige, please give her my regards."
After her uncle leaves Solange sighs and pushes herself away from the table. The talk with Caine will go easier with a slight buzz on her part, so no time like the present to search him out.
Solange finds Caine in his outer office. The inner door is open and chambermaids are scrubbing the room down. He frowns on seeing her approach.
She smiles innocently back.
With little preamble, Solange reports to Caine the happenings in Paris, including both Vere's arrival with the people from the Isles and Lucas's death. She sticks to the facts, using few adjectives, no hyperbole, and no speculation.
When she mentions Lucas' death and the manner of it, Caine pauses her. He dashes off a quick note and summons a page, who takes it and then runs out of the room.
She pays particular attention to Caine's reaction to Vere raising Lucas.
Solange finishes with her intention to relocate to town and meet with Gerard there.
Caine is unmoved by most of the tale, although he seems somewhat surprised by the detail of Lucas' post-death eyewitness report. When she mentions Gerard, Caine asks that word be sent to him when he is in Amber.
Solange nods.
With regards to Lucas. the Regent tells Solange not to tell anyone this without explicit permission, especially not Rebmans.
Solange informs Caine that she has already told Bleys and Gerard.
Unless she has further questions, she is dismissed.
As Solange is leaving, she sees two stewards removing a large mirror from the throne room.
Last modified: 26 December 2009