PaintingTheTownGoldAndGreenIndex Painting the Town Gold and Green "I think its an easy choice" Dulcinea smiles. Valric slaps a hand against his forehead and interjects "Such a pity, William. You are thwarted from spending more time with your cousin by the needs and necessities of needle and thread! It is a crime!" Devaine tilts her head and grins. "We'll be very glad to have you with us. My two stalwart companions here seem to be on slightly better behavior when one of the female members of William's family are around." "It will not last, I fear," William sighs. "They are incorrigible. Come, my friends, we have one last evening in Amber. Let us make certain the city remembers us." He spurs his horse into a canter down towards the immortal city. The three-beat gait that William sets with his horse is quickly and easily matched by Devaine, Kiathas, Valric and Dulcinea. Random's daughter spurs her horse to a slightly faster pace, fast enough that she can match alongside William, leaving Devaine behind her, and behind her as rear 'guards, Kiathas and Valric. "The last time I spent significant time at leisure in the city." Dulcinea says conversationally. "I spent time in a restaurant with a improbable set of members of the royal family whom I can now officially call our cousins." "Where did *you* plan to take us all?" Dulcinea asks. William grins. "I am most sorely tempted to take you to the Crimson House," he says with a laugh. "But I shall resist, and leave it to you to decide for yourself if *that* is the sort of reputation you wish to make for yourself in Amber." If Dulcinea is aware of the reputation of the nature of the establishment, she certainly has a good poker face. Furrowed eyebrows mix with a slight look of curiosity on her face. "No, I though perhaps we might go to some of the taverns in the university quarter. They are lively, with younger and less-established musicians of great skill but not yet the arrogance that can come with success, and oh-so-earnest students eagerly explaining to one another how they shall set to rights all the errors of their elders. How does that strike you, Princess?" "Don't *we* get a vote?" Kiathas says. "I for one have heard that the Crimson House has..." Valric reaches over, and showing his skill at horsemanship, punches Kiathas in the arm, stopping his retort. William cannot see, but perhaps can imagine and predict Devaine's rolling of her eyes. The canter of the horses draws the outermost buildings of the Eternal City closer and closer with every stride as Dulcinea answers. "Musically inclined students." she temporizes for a moment, looking thoughtful. "I admit to being completely unfamiliar with the native music of Amber, if a city such as Amber does have a musical culture of its own." "Please, William." she says. "I am curious to discover what that musical tradition might be." William slows his horse as they begin encountering people on the streets of the city, and despite his long absence from the city he shows no signs of hesitation in leading the way through the twisting streets towards the university. The University of Amber. Even if William has been away from Amber for a long time, it would be difficult for him to miss the turns, and the routes that lead to the University. To say nothing of the look of the University itself, and many of the buildings that huddle around it in this quarter like a cloud of bees around its Queen. The quoins decorating nearly every corner, the mansard roof shape of the buildings, the imposing, massive architecture done in stone and brick. Deep in shadow, the imposing buildings of the University and the quarter of the city would be termed "Second Empire." Here, its simply known as "University Style." The origin of the University began in the mists of time. Although not the standard venue of education for many of the Royal Family, William knows that the children of the noble families, and the more powerful amongst the merchants have sent their best and brightest here since the days when the Queen in Amber was not named Vialle, but rather, Faiella. The sound of music, conversation, and the scents of coffee and stronger fare wafts from any number of establishments lining Wren Street. At this hour of the day, many of the promised University students have poured out of their classes and onto streets like this one, into establishments such as these. "No one here is likely to know who you are, or I am, or Kiathas, Valric or Devaine." Dulcinea murmurs in appreciation. She lifts her head and looks up at a sign over the nearest of the coffeehouse/taverns that shows a slim bound volume, with a red cover. Stringed instruments, three or four in number, play an unfamiliar melody. "Here?" Kiathas asks. "We certainly have our pick of places to start with, if we intend to ramble through a swath of them." William pauses and tilts his head to one side, trying to identify the tune. "It looks a fine start," he agrees, swinging off his horse and tying the reins to the railing. "One fine thing about so many taverns in one place." Kiathas pontificates as he disembarks and starts tying his horse as well. "We can amble from one to the other and keep the horses in place." "I should think." Valric says. "if you get so potted as to not remember where your horse is, it will go badly on board ship." "Bah! Are you going to drink watered wine or whatever they serve here to children?" Kiathas challenges. "I suppose neither of you are going to be in any condition to dance." Devaine says. "And since Guillaume can only dance with one of the two of us.:" she smiles to Dulcinea "at any one point, it means the other is going to have to seek elsewhere for such entertainment." "Ah well. I think I'm more interested in the music and the conversation in any event." Dulcinea says mildly, stepping up beside William to enter into the Little Red Book. The Red Book proves to be everything that William had promised his companions. A central station has a variety of bottles of alcohol and kegs of beer on the one side, and the other side has the familiar scent and sight of pots of that imported beverage known as coffee. The entire room is sufficed in lemon light from placed sorcerous lights that look like they recently replaced lanterns. The musicians in the corner, two women and two men, a string quartet continue to play the unknown and unfamiliar melody. By their look, they look like they are from Eregnor, or perhaps from Kashfa. The music, though, is not from there. In the corner a group of students are having a slowly heating conversation and argument. The words royals and princes and Castle catch William's attention over the sound of the music and the general chatter. William leads Dulcinea and his companions to a table halfway between the musicians and the students, where they can appreciate the music but he can still listen in on the students' argument. He gives a waitress a wink as he holds a chair for Dulcinea. The waitress watches the byplay as Dulcinea graciously and gratefully allows William his good manners. Valric and Kiathas look at each other and then at Devaine. The latter, in a no nonsense manner, drops into a seat to Dulcinea's right. Valric and Kiathas fill in spots, giving William the seat to Dulce's left hand. "Your orders?" The waitress prompts. "Tell us, my dear, what you consider the best offering of both food and drink to be this fine day?" William asks her with a smile. "Well, then, fine patrons." The waitress responds. "The Red book is known for its selection of ales from Begma. We get barrels of good ale every seventh day and sell it to our collegiate patrons at a pittance of a profit. We also have coffee, for those who do not touch alcohol." "If you want the ale, then I suggest something hearty. Our cook roasts joints of meat and fowl in peppers and onions, with some good honest wheat bread. If you want the coffee, then might I suggest something more refined. A nice bowl of tombet, perhaps?" "Begman stout all around, I should think. And bring several joints, both meat and fowl, with bread." William looks to his companions. "That sounds well to everyone?" he asks. "We can finish with coffee after we have sated our hunger." Valric raises a finger of agreement. Kiathas nods. Devaine looks thoughtful for a moment and then nods. "Yes, I think we're all in agreement." They look to Dulcinea for the last and she nods her head enthusiastically. "I'm still learning about the cuisine of Amber." she says. "Very good." The waitress withdraws, with the promise of food and drink to "come quickly, and hot. The food, not the stout." She winks at William and slips away. In the meantime, snatches of the conversation continue to filter into William's hearing. The subject seems to be a debate on the usefulness of the royal family and their "oppression" of the more mercantile oriented in the city, and of the noble families. In the meantime, the music piece finishes and there is a short pause as a young man, back to the table, goes up to the quartet. He withdraws, and after a few moments, a much more traditional piece starts. One that William recognizes, as a matter of fact, as one of the pieces of music that composes part of Ariodante, an opera taking place the middle period of Oberon's reign. The piece in particular is one that William knows as one of the theme songs of one of Oberon's lovers. Dybele .His grandmother. Having absolutely no belief in the existence of such a thing as coincidence, William turns in his seat to look at the young man who so coincidentally requested that piece just after he entered the tavern. William's companions turn as well, Kiathas whispering something low in Valric's ear, and a hand on his shoulder as if to restrain him. Dulcinea raises a hand and a slight waggle of her fingers. The young man stops at a table at the corner occupied by an auburn haired woman sitting in a relatively quiet portion of the establishment. The young man quickly leaves, giving William and his companions the subtlest and briefest of glances and a slight motion of the head in the direction of the table he just left. The woman at the table, for her part, continues to eat at the plate in front of her without regard for this byplay. William considers her, trying to recall if he has ever seen her before, or if there is anything familiar in her appearance. Her specific appearance does not seem familiar at all to William. No overt signs of the Family genes in there. Her coloration, hair color and features are fairly typical for a wide breath of the Golden Circle. No clues there at all for William. Nothing that suggests anything for him to hook on. That is, until she pulls out a brooch and looks at it absent mindedly. It's silver and red, with a square design, two of the squares in silver and two in red, in the manner of a four square chessboard. The benefits of a breath of social knowledge that William has allows him to remember something from endless instruction from Mother, talks with Shannon, and other researches. The brooch the woman bears are the colors and symbol of one of the lost princes of Amber. Osric. "Dulcinea," William says quietly. "Are you interested in meeting someone? I am, I confess, not quite certain yet whom she may be." "Meeting someone?" Dulcinea asks. She turns and looks at the woman thoughtfully. "Why does *she* get the franchise?" Valric asks. "I think this has something to do with the music, William, Dulcinea and the woman. Something to do with their family." Devaine says, and turns to look at Dulcinea. Kiathas remains silent, and watchful. "It would be rude." Dulcinea picks up again after a moment. "and possibly dangerous not to engage the woman, especially since we have the advantage of a public place. She clearly wants to meet you for some purpose. I don't think that our meeting here was by accident. The odds would be very much against it." "And besides, William." Dulcinea adds, laying a hand on his forearm. "If we throw away this opportunity, one of our other cousins might get it instead." William nods, thoughtfully. The waitress is coming around with a platter of mugs of the promised Begman stout. "Thank you, m'dear," William tells her. He waits until she leaves again, then says quietly by way of explanation to his companions, "The music they are playing is from a piece written about my grandmother. She sent her man to ask the musicians to play it just after we came in, clearly to attract my attention and let me know she knows who I am. I am ... intrigued." Valric takes a drink of the stout, and Devaine takes a sip. Kiathas holds off, and cocks his head toward William and Dulcinea. "And here, I thought the simplest thing to do would be to simply pass you a note or something. Using a musical piece...this woman doesn't only know you, I think, Guillaume, but I think she expects you to be intelligent and knowledgeable enough to unravel the invitation." "Then she should have sent a young woman to talk to the musicians." Valric says, putting down his mug. "THAT would have been guaranteed to attract your attention. So clearly she doesn't know *everything* about you." "Small favors." Devaine says. "So any idea who she might be? Or whom she might represent?" "*I* don't recognize her" Dulcinea says. She takes a sip of the stout. ""I think I prefer Dionysos' draught more than this one of Demeter's." "His is more refined, and less earthy," William says absently, still watching the woman. "I find each fitting to its own time and place." He glances over at Dulcinea and lowers his voice even further. "The broach she wears bears the symbol and colours of Osric. Is your knowledge of the Family extensive enough to understand how portentous that might be?" "Osric" Dulcinea furrows her eyebrows in thought for a moment. Devaine and Kiathas watch intently, while Valric continues to sample the draught. Dulcinea takes a breath. "Osric was the middle son of three children of Cymnea. She was Queen of Amber until King Oberon declared the marriage abnegated. Both he and his elder brother Finndo disappeared soon thereafter and presumably died in the service of Amber, or went into exile. The youngest brother remained in Amber, alive--Benedict." "As far as I am aware." Dulcinea continues "there was no known issue of Osric." She looks at William for confirmation of her answers. "Indeed. No known issue." He stands, and smiles. "Wait here until I summon you, if you would be so kind," he says, and he walks across the tavern to the seated woman. "All right." Dulcinea says. Devaine, Kiathas and Valric also nod, and the three of them turn to regard the table with the woman that William approaches. William bows as he approaches here. "My dear lady," he says as he straightens. "My comrades and I could not help but notice that you were here alone, which seems a shame. While we have no doubt you are waiting for a tardy companion to join you, we wondered whether we might offer our companionship until such time as they arrive, to enliven your wait with conversation and amusement?" "I was waiting for a tardy companion, it is true." the auburn haired woman replies. (Casting call: Kate Mulgrew) "However, it would seem that my late companion has not only arrived." she replies. "But has seen fit to actually come to my table." "It matters not to me if you invite your cousin to join us." she says casually. "I would have been more interested, in addition to yourself, to speaking with Clarissa's granddaughter, rather than Paulette's. I had predicted that she would be accompanying you. I seem to have been mistaken in that belief." She offers William her hand. "You might call me Theoris, if you are so inclined." William looks back over at the table and points at Dulcinea, then gestures for her to join them. He catches Devaine's eye and mimes looking around the tavern watchfully, then turns back to Theoris and takes her hand, bowing and kissing it. "I have a feeling that your predictions are not often mistaken, m'lady," he says to her as he releases her hand. She smiles as she withdraws her hand, clear pleasure at William's manners evident on her face. A moment or two later, Dulcinea arrives at the table. Behind her, William can see that Devaine, Kiathas and Valric have turned all business, even with the steins of Begman beer in hand. "You might be quite correct in your supposition." Theoris replies. She looks up to Dulcinea. "I'm Theoris." "Dulcinea." Dulcinea replies. The slight smile on Theoris' face suggests that she already knew it. "Please sit down, the both of you." Theoris says. "Now that you've arrived, I have a few questions, you both undoubtedly have questions, and we might even able to aid each other." "As a mark of good faith in our doings together." Theoris says to William. "I'll even give you the first question." William holds Dulcinea's chair for her, then seats himself next to her, across the table from Theoris. Dulcinea sits down with a grateful smile to William and faces their hostess. "First questions?" he asks. "Simple enough. Why me?" "Several reasons." Theoris replies. "The simplest reason is that you are here. My instructions and mandate from my employer have made it clear that I should not, save by a lack of choice, dare to tread on the upper reaches of Kolvir and enter the Castle. Second..." she raises up a finger to attract the attention of the barmaid. "my instructions are that contact with the grandchildren and great grandchildren of the late Monarch is preferred." "A bottle of Bayle's." she instructs the barmaid. Theoris waits until the barmaid swims out of view before continuing. "Third, my talents have told me that you are shortly making a comprehensive journey into Shadow with at least one of your relations, and possibly two. That portion remains somewhat in flux." "Aren't you, Prince William?" "And that is your question?" William says with a smile. "Well enou, then, the answer is yes. I shall be travelling on the morrow. I believe it is Dulcinea's turn to ask a question, now." Theoris looks a little surprised at this, and then glances at Dulcinea. Dulcinea gives William a smile and then looks at their host. "Let us get to some more heart of the matter." Dulcinea says. "What relationship do *you* have with the Royal Family of Amber?" "Aside from speaking with two of them now, you mean?" Theoris replies, amused. "That is simple and leads me to my question in return. I represent and serve one of the children of King Oberon of Amber, and Queen Cymnea." The barmaid returns with the bottle and three glasses. She pours three glasses, first for William, second for Dulcinea, and lastly for herself. She takes a sip, and then speaks again. "How many and which children came of that union in the histories that you know, Prince William?" she asks. "Benedict, Osric and Finndo," he answers. "Now, tell me of the children of that union that I do not know about." Theoris nods thoughtfully. "As for my knowledge, I only know of an additional child of that union, the one I serve. Her name is Cyneburh. When her elder brothers departed for their separate fates, she found it wise to depart as well. Benedict, of course, remained behind." "Cyneburh," William repeats, tasting the name. Theoris nods. She looks at Dulcinea expectantly for her question. Dulcinea takes a sip of the wine, looks at William and then back at Theoris. "What is the point of this contact that has brought us to you?" Theoris takes a sip of wine herself before answering. "My mistress, long absent from Amber, does not seek to return at this time and disturb the local politics of the reign of Oberon's youngest son, rest assured.. However, recent global events, and the problems engendered by those events, concern and disturb her. She considers her relatives to possibly be amenable in a confluence of mutual interests to take on mutual problems." "Would your Grand Ellipse through Shadow be of a loose enough itinerary to add an additional destination?" Theoris asks William. "I have been given full authority over the actual itinerary," William acknowledges with a nod. "So it is merely a matter of convincing me. You have already gained my interest, as I think you know." He takes a sip of his ale, for the moment leaving the wineglass untouched. "Have you such a great fondness for the ritual of question for a question that it would be impolite for me to suggest that we dispense with that conceit, and move on to you explaining what it is your mistress wishes from me?" "The conceit can be dispensed with, now that we are speaking so amicably. Rituals are often important in the initial stages of an encounter such as this. That initial stage, I deem, has now elapsed." she replies. Another small sip of her glass and then Theoris continues. Dulcinea looks attentive. "A number of strange events have occurred recently, in the city here, and also elsewhere." Theoris says. "As doubtless the both of you already know. In the aftermath of those strange events, and a certain external threat that I am sure you are more acquainted with than I am, Cyneburh has already engaged another to look into this matter. However, he does not possess an updated knowledge of events of which the two of you are intimately familiar with." "If you could amend your itinerary, perhaps as a late stop, Cyneburh would be appreciative and rewarding if you might rendezvous with Kenning and work with him." "Cyneburh instructed me to tell you one other thing about what he will be searching to find and protect." Theoris regards William and Dulcinea evenly. "A Spikard." William whistles, and glances at Dulcinea to see if her expression indicates whether or not her education has included this particular family secret. Dulcinea's eyes are wide, and calculating. Its clear to William that she knows the import of the word. "A Spikard. Indeed. Well, most certainly were I to find such a thing I should be quick to turn it over to an aunt I do not know and have never met." Theoris laughs. "I did choose well. You are absolutely right, of course. You have absolutely no reason to want to just hand over a spell engine to a never-met-relative of your family and walk away. Only the most naive of your family would do that." "You misunderstand your Aunt's intentions though. The use of such devices is too dangerous, especially in these times, and ownership of the same extremely dangerous. She doesn't wish you and her son to deliver the Spikard to her for her employment. She wants it found, protected, and secured *against* use." "Surely." Theoris continues "you wouldn't want an unsecured Spikard lying around, waiting for someone with the ability to find it just to pick it up, would you? I should think that the interests of the Amber Royal Family and my mistress would coincide in that regard." William nods. "I agree that there are many, many people I would not wish to see using a Spikard. Or being used by one. Very well, tell me what is known about it, and about this agent of my perviously unknown aunt." "Yes" Theoris says. "That's the problem with spell engines, or so it is said in the stories. You never quite know who is the wielder and who is being wielded. Most of the true accounts of the Spikards have been lost, destroyed or obscured. I suspect that your grandfather, or perhaps your great-grandfather saw to that." Dulcinea looks dubiously at her wine and leans slightly to listen closer as Theoris continues. "The agent in question is a cousin of yours who has been sequestered in a shadow devoted to the veneration of ancient texts, for a very long time. His name is Kenning. I am afraid that I do not have a picture of him." Theoris continues. "He has been trained in knowledge of the arcane information necessary to help find and put the Spikard under sequestration." "As far as the Spikard itself that my Mistress wishes to control. It has gone by many names over the millenia, although you might call it Chromatic, or the Spikard of Light, from the effect it has on colors--the bearer, things around them, and especially the persons, places or things the spell engine drains to fuel its power." "It is said by my mistress." Theoris continues "that the Twin Lords of the Spikards deliberately decided to reinforce the defenses around it, rather than to take it and make it their own." Dulcinea looks at William and Theoris. "What does a Spikard like this look like?" Theoris shrugs. "Most spikards have a mutable form, and usually take the form of a piece of jewelry to be worn, or of a weapon. Chromatic prefers to be an ornate piece of jewelry." "And were you hoping that I would meet this Kenning and he would then lead us to Chromatic, or was I to meet him in the shadow where it is?" William asks. "I believe Cyneburh's intention is that you encounter Kenning somewhere short before either of you reach the shadow where Chromatic lurks." she explains. "Not only is a shadow that contains such a spell engine dangerous in and of itself, there may be others who will be drawn to its loosening of its bonds and journey to collect it. While Kenning has some training in this area, one of the reasons why I am pleased to meet and engage the both of you in this matter is that your skills are formidable and battle-tested against such foes. You also have the company of three companions of quality who eye the room and I with equal care and skill." William listens with an attentive expression and does not correct Theoris' assumption that Dulcinea will be accompanying him on his travels. "Opposing agents will likely possibly come from a number of quarters." she continues. "The one whose device and colors helped drew you to my table, as an example." Theoris says "Indeed and indeed?" William asks with interest. "I had thought him long dead." "That was my understanding." Dulcinea agrees. "Is he alive?" "I did not mean to imply that he was still living in the sense that we do." Theoris replies, shaking her head at William and Dulcinea both. "He is still active, however, in the state, and in the realm that he now occupies. To say more..." she looks around at the milieu. "would be unwise save in the broadest of daylight. Shadow and darkness both have ears to one such as he." "Pfah," William exclaims. "Another who has given up mortality for what he thinks is a greater power, is he? Then he is a fool, for by becoming that he has become less than he was." He waves his hand, as though wafting away smoke. "Enough of that for now, then. So, Theoris, what more would you tell me of this gem, and where and when to meet this new cousin? And what can you tell me of him?" "I know little more of Chromatic." Theoris says after a sip of her glass. "Intelligence on such things is, as you no doubt know, extremely limited and difficult to come by. That's where Kenning comes in." "The journey he has to make to leave the Abbey where he works will take some time just to clear the mountains. The privacy and guards that Cyneburh has put on the shadow are formidable. I should think that two months will give him and his guide time to reach a point in shadow where you two might rendezvous and meet. Certainly time enough for your own pursuits." Dulcinea says nothing, but instead just nods as Theoris continues. "Kenning has trained there as an archivist at the Abbey for many years now, learning lore, and more importantly, learning how to uncover information of this nature." "He is a well built man, I am told, of dark skin and dark brown eyes. I do not know where he fits in your family tree, although I have my own private speculations on that matter." "Where are we to meet?" William asks. "And is he being told to wait there until I show up?" He smiles. "And will we have clever signs and countersigns to show and speak one to the other, to prove we are not cunning spies pretending to be ourselves?" Theoris laughs. "I suspect that your lordship has engaged in the reading of, if not participated in shadow as fact, fictions of a popular and espionage nature. However, my mistress anticipated this possibility." She reaches into a small purse at her feet and produces a card, the size and shape of a trump. The back of the card's design is a bronze colored spearhead, pointed downward, on a field of blue. As she turns it over, William can see that the card depicts an obelisk,half buried in a grassy knoll, like a knuckle protruded from the earth, past and future. The Obelisk is old, and worn and cracked. "Kenning will know the provenance of this image, and thus know that you are acquainted with these matters." Theoris says as she slides the card to Dulcinea. Dulcinea picks up the card and studies it. "Not a trump?" she asks Theoris. Theoris shakes her head. "No. My mistress has no skill at such things. This is a piece of an older,forgotten piece of lore." She smiles. "Mostly forgotten." She looks at William. "Interesting," William says, examining the card closely. "You will meet Kenning at Lake Diaturna, in a shadow not far along on a path that runs out of Maeonis into deeper shadow." Dulcinea widens her eyes and nods as Theoris continues. "Kenning's own escort has orders to arrange passage and travel so that the four of you will meet in a fashion of suitable timing." William nods. "Maeonis wasn't on the itinerary," he says, "But it can certainly be added without difficulty." "Good." Theoris says, pleased. "If you have no questions, and we have an agreement." Theoris says. "I have, now that this has been arranged, other business in the city tonight." She smiles. "And I suspect you have revelry to return to." "It has been a pleasure, Lady Theoris," William says. "I hope we may meet again some day, when we both have less hectic schedules. And do convey my good regards to your mistress, and let her know that I hope she shall choose to return to Amber some day not too distant from now." "Better than good regards." Theoris says. "Performing this mutually beneficial service will put my mistress in mind that the current crop of the Royal Family may be worth dealing with, and meeting, in a more direct fashion than employing the likes of me." "Until we meet again. Prince. Princess." She rises, curtseys, and placing several large coins on the table, strides away from the table, and out of The Red Book entirely. William can see Kiathas and Valric watch every step Theoris takes from the table until she is out the door and out of sight. William rises and bows as she leaves, then he slips the card into an inner pocket and gestures to Dulcinea to follow him as he leads her back to their original table. As he sits he asks his comrades, "What did you notice while we were speaking to our guest that I might have missed?" "Notice anything? Us? We were drinking the entire time." Kiathas exclaims, grinning. Devaine shoots him a look. "Ignore him." Valric puts in. "We watched the two of you with that emissary as keenly as it was seemly to do. We had an advantage of being able to watch the interaction from a distance." "And what did you see?" Dulcinea prompts Valric. "Several things." Devaine puts in cheerfully. "You would be proud of what you have taught me, Guillaume." she says to William. Kiathas remarked at one point that it seemed unnaturally still around your table, even in a relatively quiet corner, given how boisterous this place is. I took a look in the way you taught me." Devaine pauses before answering. "Some sort of low level arcane field was in place in the area around the table. We watched as a number of patrons deliberately change their course to avoid drawing near to the three of you, and it." William nods, throughtfully. "And then there was the other watcher." Valric says. "He left before she did, by a roundabout route out of the establishment, but for nearly as long as we were watching the three of you, he was as well. Way he comported himself and his body language, he seemed far more interested in what the two of you were doing, than her." "Either a guardian of some sort or a rival." Kiathas says, taking a drink of his ale. "We decided it wiser not to follow and accost him. Some of us have learned our lesson for the day on that score." "Most likely a bodyguard," William replies. "Else he would have been more interested in her, than in us, I do think." Devaine considers this a moment, and then nods in agreement. A moment later, so do Kiathas and Devaine. William looks at Dulcinea. "You will inform your father of this encounter?" he says. It sounds as though it's not really a question. "Yes, of course." Dulcinea says. "And, despite the agent's thoughts to the contrary, since I will be remaining in the Castle rather than accompanying all of you, and cousin Shannon on your venture, I will have the time and opportunity to develop leads further here." "I shall do some research on this mysterious aunt of ours, of course. But, William." she smiles to William. "Who else do you prefer that I tell about this encounter?" Dulcinea asks. "Or don't tell?" "Get your father's opinion on who should be told and not told, of course," William says, with a thoughtful look, "But I think Benedict should be made aware of this as quickly as possible. This touches on family very close to him, obviously. In addition, Aunt Fiona. She's our expert in these matters. Assuming the king trusts her these days. I hope he does, but he'd know better than I where matter lie. Other than that..." he smiles. "Well, close to the chest is how I like to play my cards." "Prince Martin and Princess Fiona seem to be getting along well." Dulcinea observes. "Whether Martin does that on the request of his father, or to defy him because of poor relations between Father and Aunt, I know neither well enough to judge." Dulcinea says. Kiathas chuckles. "Don't let Guillaume fool you, though. He might say that he plays cards close to the chest. I seem to recall a card game where he left his cards on the table because the local nobleman's daughters had separately arranged simultaneous rendezvouses with him during the game. By the time he..." Devaine looks at Kiathas hard enough to stop the story in midstream. Valric coughs. "I don't think the Princess wants to hear that story." William shakes his head in mock disgust. Dulcinea waves a hand in the direction of Kiathas. "No matter. I'll talk to father, and Benedict, and whom he thinks best to inform." She looks thoughtfully at William. "I need to get you a trump. After the business with Jayson and Apollo, I don't think I want to trust any that he made. They probably should be destroyed. Just in case." She lays a hand on William's forearm. "I'll get Hadrian to paint new ones for me and I will get you one, never fear." William nods. "I agree. I wouldn't want psychic contact with anything created by Jayson. I don't have any extra trumps of myself, or I'd give you one. Mother might, but she won't pass one out without permission from me, and I don't expect to see her before I leave." Dulcinea nods. He makes an exasperated sound then, and pulls out his trump deck. "Foolish," he mutters. "Here we are discussing trumps, and it doesn't occur to me..." Dulcinea releases William's arm as his intent becomes clear. He cuts the deck one handed, and Flora's card is suddenly on the top. He stares down into it. "Mother," he says. "It is the man who loves you best who calls." The contact takes about a minute for Flora to open completely. When she does, William can see that mother is standing on a balcony. Not the Castle, judging from the perspective and the nearness of the harbor. Somewhere in the City, perhaps even relatively nearby as far as these things go. "William." she says, raising a flute of champagne to her lips. "What news?" "I am making friends, Mother," William answers. "As you taught me. Princess Dulcinea and I are plotting one with the other, and have found that we work well together. I wished to gift her with a trump of myself, so that we might pass secrets and sweet nothings back and forth with none the wiser. As I'm leaving on the morning tide, and shall not be up to the castle again afore I depart, I wondered if you might have an extra that you could part with to the daughter of the King?" "It pleases me that you are cultivating friends with Dulcinea in this manner." Mother responds after a moment with a soft smile. "It is unfortunate that the growth of this relationship comes too soon to allow her to accompany you outright on your venture for his Majesty." "No matter." she adds, as she pulls out the case containing her trump deck from a purse. Once open, William's card is second, below Random. As she removes it, the next card in the deck that William sees, before she closes it from its leather case, is his sister. Flora extends the card in William's direction. "I have a copy or two extra of yours back in my suite."she explains. "So you may gift her with this one. And do send my regards, of course." "I'll be sure, of course, to have your sister see to her social comfort while you are away." Flora adds. "Thank you, Mother," William says, accepting the card through the trump link and passing to to Dulcinea. "Have you any news of our newly discovered relative from Rebma? She was ... most interesting." Dulcinea accepts the card and studies it idly for a moment, or two, getting the additional attention of Devaine in the process. Theirs is a soft conversation as William continues to speak to his mother. Flora smiles slightly. "A very juicy bit of news that my sister would probably not have told me of except for the fact that she still owes me a couple of favors and I called one in to find out. Not only did Meriel walk the Pattern successfully, son, but it seems that the Pattern Walk was one of the unusual ones." Flora pauses a moment. "It seems that Meriel underwent a mild transformation thanks to the experience." William waits patiently, with a slight smile, for his mother to get tired of waiting for him to ask for an explanation of her comment. Mother smiles slightly. "Doubtless you have heard that certain members of our family have an unusual relationship with the Pattern. Dara's experience. Coral's experience. And of course, Mirelle's. It appears that Meriel has turned out to be somewhat alike to her mother in that her experience was out of the ordinary." "Meriel no longer has the Rebman appearance that she once had." Flora continues. "Her skin color and complexion now match her mother's. Her Rebman attributes have been burned away." William whistles. "Now there is a young lady who knows how to turn her back on her someone," he says admiringly. "I'd dearly love to see Moire's reaction when she receives news of this most interesting development." "She will be most disturbed." Flora says. "I shall have to resume correspondence with a friend or two in her Court." He looks over to Dulcinea, "Princess," he says. "Considering the various events of the day, do you wish to continue our carouse, or would you take advantage of this quick and unseen trip back to the castle?" Dulcinea considers the matter for a few moments. "Considering that you do not intend to return to the Castle, I believe I shall take your offer. Thank you for a most...diverting evening. All of you." Her bright smile includes William's companions along with himself. "Farewell, Princess." Valric says. "Parting is such, such, sweet sorrow..." Devaine shakes her head. "It was a pleasure to meet you." she adds. "We'll watch Guillaume's back, never fear." Kiathas gives a bow of the head. "Bring her through, William." Flora says. "I would like to speak to her for a little while in any event." William rises and drops some coins on the table. "Let us do this in a more private place," he says, and leads his companions out of the tavern and around a corner. Dulcinea and William's companions depart, Valric looking back at his mug of beer wistfully as they do so. Holding his mother's trump in one hand he takes Dulcinea's hand in the other, and bends over to give it a quick kiss before saying, "Farewell, Princess. My regards to your father, and my hopes that he approves of my actions in preparing for war." Dulcinea smiles, accepting the gallant and proper gesture. "Good luck on your own journey and mission for his Majesty." she says. She glances upwards at the emerging stars for a moment, as if looking for something in them. She returns to regarding William and his companions, smiles, and makes ready to step through, taking William's hand. He hands her through the connection to his mother, then waits to see if Flora has any further words for him. "And now." Flora says neutrally "you and your friends can enjoy the remainder of your last night of liberty before you sail in the morning." "Do keep in touch about your progress" she adds. "Especially in regards to our 'friend' from the mirror." Flora says. "Do speak with Dulcinea about our day's activities, Mother," William says. "Especially our visit with some of the local aristocracy. I found it politically expedient to use our friend's recent surprise visit to you as a prod, to ensure the proper reaction to a bit of maneuvering. Dulcinea can explain further." Flora turns her attention toward Dulcinea, who politely and a touch demurely has arranged herself on the balcony nearby. Flora turns back toward William. "I see. I had other subjects to speak with her in any event." Flora says, nibbling her lip in thought for a brief moment. "It is somewhat gratifying, if not slightly alarming, that you have taken the opportunity upon your return to Amber to re-engage in the art of politics so enthusiastically." And then she gives a slight, distinct smile of maternal pride. "I had the very best teacher," William says with a matching smile. "Enjoy the remainder of your evening." she adds. And unless William has more, Flora closes the contact. "Take care, Mother," William says. He slips the card back into the deck, then smiles around at his friends. "An exciting life, isn't it just?" he says brightly. "Considering all that has happened, I rather think it might be a good idea to head for the ship, and make sure all is settled. And see if Uncle Gerard has any last minute advice, instructions, or warnings. What think you all?" "Now that the Princess is settled in with your mother, its time for us to turn toward something similar for ourselves. Carousing is done for the evening, I think, Guillaume." Devaine says, looking at her two counterparts. "I'm not as young as I once was. " Valric says in an agreeing if resigned tone. "You never were as young as you thought, Valric." Kiathas points out. "Clearly Guillaume never was." Valric counters. "Bah." Kiathas says. He turns to look at William. "I think we are in agreement on going to the ships. Even if we can't agree on anything else. Besides, you pulled us all outside to send the Princess away, it would be awkward for us to barge in again." "Excellent well," William says with pleasure. "As always, we are united in thought and deed. Come my friends. Let us walk to the port through the streets of Amber, to savour this last taste of the Eternal City." "A last taste." Devaine agrees. "For now." Kiathas and Valric nod in agreement, finding at least one more point of common ground. They collect their horses, and lead them leisurely down the city streets towards the harbour, William encouraging his friends to ask questions about Amber as they go, lovingly answering their questions and telling them colourful stories of the parts of the city through which they travel. The questions, digressions, and enquiries wind up leading William and his friends on a discursive, rolling trip through a large swath of the city. Its impossible, flatly, to travel on every street and block of Amber City in one evening*, but hitting the highlights? That's certainly doable. A question from Devaine about Oberon leads William to showing them one of the oldest statues in the city depicting him, in one of the squares. Kiathas asks about just where the Crimson House actually is. This leads to yet another digression in path to show the unassuming building that houses the notorious establishment. At one point he pauses outside a florist's shop, and leans in. "Simone, my love," he calls out. "Send a bouquet of coral and light pink roses, mixed with rosemary, to the healer Samara in the castle, would you? No name is needed. That's a dear." The elderly woman inside the shop curtsies and gives him a saucy grin in response. "I was half expecting you to send something along those lines to the Princess." Devaine comments once the purchase is made. "Perhaps Zinnias and Orchids mixed in with an appropriate colored Rose." "Flowers aren't just flowers?" Kiathas says. Devaine shakes her head with a smile. "I confess that I have no idea what that bouquet means." Valric says. "And perhaps the healer won't read it as more than flowers. The Princess *would*, if only after researching and deciphering the message." "Indeed she would," William answers with a smile. "And so would the castle staff, and soon the whole city, who dearly love to gossip about the Royal Family. No, for the moment let us not add anything more to the speculation that there is a partnership of any form betwixt us two. Subtlety, my dears." Assuming nothing distracts, attracts, or attacks them before they reach the wharf, they'll lead the horses up the pier, examining the ships for signs of their readiness to leave on the morning tide. The rambling, discursive trip finally ends with a northside approach to where the pair of ships are docked. Even from here, its clear preparations for departure still make the ships beehives of activity, although to William's eye, the ships seem ready to leave the docks without difficulty. "Your Highness." One of the third mates, of the Peryton, comes up to William and his companions, bowing his head. He waits for William to acknowledge him before he dips his head again, and speaks. William nods a greeting to the officer. "Yes?" he inquires, as the man appears to have news. "The Prince Gerard was here, and hoped that you might appear, that he might speak with you as well with the Captain." the third mate clears his throat. "Captains.". The mate pauses a beat. "He departed, however, just recently, with some sudden and unexplained haste." He points in the direction down the dock. "He made it clear that he did not wish for any of the crew to follow. He buckled on his sword, though, milord." William hands him the horse's reins and turns, setting off at a run. He trusts his companions to follow without instruction. If necessary, William will stop and ask if anyone saw Prince Gerard, but his suspicion is that a Prince of Amber moving with "sudden and unexplained haste" will have left a wake of anxious and curious citizens that will be simplicity itself to follow. Indeed, as it turns out, a Prince of Amber, and Gerard at that, moving through the streets at speed and urgency leaves a trail of the curious, the alarmed and the merely witnessing. No words or questions are needed from William or any of his companions to divine where Gerard has gone. A few blocks, and William, Devaine, Kiathas and Valric find themselves approaching a lamp shop, within which is Gerard...and others. Backlinks |
