GezelligHospitalityGezellig HospitalityDagny frowns as James stalks off. "Who took a shit in his cereal?" she asks the other two. "Well, in any event, if there's a snack to be had, I'm all for that." Dagny turns the key in the ignition, and the low purr that was the engine fades away. She steps out, brushes off her black cargo pants, reaches back into the car, pulls out a large silver broadsword in a scabbard, and slings it over her back. "So this gezellig, is that an adjective or a noun?" Brandeigh shrugs her shoulders. "It's his way, I'm afraid;" she says regarding James. She looks at Percy; "Why don't you show her around while I find out what's up with James? I'll catch up to you both shortly." She looks over at Dagny; "If you'll excuse me for a minute or two?" Then she turns and follows James. "Certainly," Dagny responds, and looks to Percy. "We'll be inside, cariad." Percy says to Brandeigh, giving a smile, and gesturing to Dagny to stop and exit the car. The tall dark haired man waits patiently for Dagny to ready herself and then gestures for her to follow him to the doorstep. To Dagny's eye ,the building looks somewhat dilapidated, worn. Perhaps even abandoned would not be out of line. Percy walks up to the door, and after a moment's hesitation, opens it and steps inside. In the interior, not well lit thanks to the darkening conditions outside, Percy steps carefully, leading the way. "This is where Brandeigh would be useful, for a small charm or magic for a light." he says apologetically. Huh. That was an interesting bit of trivia. "Oh, she does that sort of thing?" I said, airily. "She's a trained daughter of her mother." Percy says. "Fiona." he adds casually. Fiona. Fiona, Fiona. Sounded familiar. A relation, probably, but I was unable to place her in what little I knew of the family tree. Huh. Thinking about it, Brandeigh had reddish-blonde hair, and Luke had warned me about the "family redheads" and their magical proclivities. Still, Luke's hair was as red as anyone's, and mine turned out brown, so that was no guarantee. Anyway, what were more of us doing here? "I don't know this Fiona, but from the way you talk it sounds like I should. Who is she?" Percy pauses and furrows his eyebrows. "I think she might be insulted if you were completely unaware of her identity." Percy says. "Fiona is one of the Princesses of Amber, and widely considered one of the best sorceresses...anywhere." I shrugged noncommittally. "Sit down, Dagny." Percy says." indicating a chair near the kitchen table. Its not a commanding tone, but there is a clear undercurrent of something in Percy's tone, and his motions. Not exactly threatening, but, perhaps instead, discomfort. "I'm fine standing, thank you," I replied evenly. "I've had a long drive, and it's nice to stretch my legs." I smiled and did some knee bends to illustrate my point, and turned on Third Ear. What's the deal with this guy? "Anyway, doesn't seem like we're going to find any snackage in this place, with it abandoned and all." Listening to the rain, I hoped my car had the sense to protect its interior. "I suppose I should probably be on my way." There do appear to be some basic defenses in place in Percy's mind, as Dagny erects the Third Ear to listen to his surface thoughts. However, suspicion, curiosity, and a need to place who Dagny is do come across his mind to her talents. "On your way?" Percy furrows his eyebrows. "Without even looking at what you've come such a long way to see?" "On my way to the blue squiggle," I replied. "Or Pattern , if you really want to get technical." I said this last with an amused half-smile. He cocks his head to regard her. "My intent is not to threaten you, Dagny." he says. I looked at Percy steadily. "That's good. For you." "It is my belief that you are a relative of mine, and Brandeigh's, even if unfamiliar. Running across our relatives in the multiplicity of worlds, especially unfamiliar ones, can be stressful encounters." "You and Brandeigh are related? I had no idea." Another two relations. And Luke accused me of hyperbole when I complained there were a million of us. "And I've been around family enough to know when someone is being deliberately cagey." Percy adds. "You might say its even a family trait." "I don't think I'm being particularly cagey. I just met you, like, ten minutes ago. Do you expect me to give you my social security number and a list of my scars and tattoos? No. That's just not happening. And if you dislike meeting your relations so much, I wonder at you attempting to label me as one of them already." I paused. "Note, however, that I do not ask what family you mean, nor did I question what Amber is. I think you have your answer right there. So go ahead and stress away, if you needed a specific reason." Percy regards Dagny coolly for a few moments. "I did not say that I disliked meeting relatives." Percy replies. "Some of my best friends are Family. However, Dagny, when a hitherto unknown member of that Family turns up in a relatively private place, seeking something here that I have a vested interest in, without good explanation, and with unusual timing, you must understand my suspicion, and my questioning." Percy says. "I had no idea my timing was so unusual," I replied, "nor had I any way of knowing you--or anyone else--had a vested interest in Corwin's Pattern." Percy regards Dagny quietly but does not make a verbal reply. Unusual timing and vested interest, huh? The wheels started turning in my head. For all I knew, this guy--or one of his companions--had been the one that messed with Corwin's Pattern to begin with. As I thought, I conjured up a big golf-size purple umbrella to protect me from the rain. Percy gives a nod as, with a little effort, the umbrella appears in Dagny's hand. "Speaking of which, I really would like to go see it now. I've come a long way, and I'd like to head back to civilization and take a hot bath. Would you please take me to the Pattern?" "I expect Brandeigh and James are probably there, if they are remaining in the rain like this." Percy says. Even as he speaks, the pitter patter of rain seems to have reached a peak, since it now sounds like its threatening to taper off. "Come." he says. "I'll show you through the maze." He gestures for Dagny to follow. "I thought James stalked off because of me. I didn't realize he'd headed for the Pattern," I remarked as I stepped outside and opened the umbrella. I gestured to Percy that he was welcome to share it with me. Percy shakes his head as he steps with Dagny out of the dilapidated manor house. "I'm a shade too tall, I think." he says, giving a glance skyward as he does so. "And to answer your other question." he says as he leads Dagny to the looming entrance to the hedge maze. "He didn't and doesn't trust you. However, he came a long way to this Pattern, and so even with you here, his priority was to see to it." "Well, bully for him," I muttered under my breath. "Judgmental, are we?" The Hedge maze is large. However, it is not laborious and overly complicated. As Dagny and Percy progress through it, the sky grows lighter and lighter, and the rain becomes less and less. By the time they approach the center of the maze, the rain is barely a drizzle. Percy calls out as he turns a corner for the short straight line passage that leads out to the wide space in the center of the maze. There, Dagny can see the Pattern, with Brandeigh standing near it, and James prowling along its edge. One problem. Compared to the Pattern that Dagny has walked, and certainly in comparison to the Pattern in Versailles, this Pattern looks old, washed out and faded. However, unlike that Pattern, this one at least looks complete... I take note of the twists and turns we follow in the maze, and continue with the combined turn... Backlinks |
