PrincelyGiftsAndRoyalMothersWilliam: Princely Gifts and Royal Mothers(Continued from Brieanne William The Midnight Ride) "Exchanging henchmen, son?" she says looking at Isabei. The latter, without prompting gives a bow. "Royal Princess Florimel." he says. "Menuis, by your accent." Flora says. "But I want to see my present, first, and hear your story." she smiles to William. William dumps the count onto Flora's floor, not gently. There is an exhalation of breath and a groan as the noble hits the ground. Flora looks impassive. He puts a foot on the man's back and says, "Princess Flora of Amber, may I present Count Leonidas Taisson. Count Taisson, I do believe that you had made some attempt earlier at gaining the presence of the Princess. I am pleased to have been able to make that possible for you." "No." the man groans. "I..." he doesn't get to his feet but he starts to move. Flora's voice is ice. "Stay there, and answer a question: Why, Count Leonidas Taisson. Why did you wish to gain my presence. Now that you have it, what of it?" "Wanted you." he groans. "Wanted to take you away from here before the Omphalos destroyed Amber." Flora sniffs disdainfully and looks at William. "I think I am offended by the banality of his motivations. It does suggest he knows much about them indeed." "I'd gift you to my sister to peel like an orange." Flora says. "but I think my son's input on this might be illuminating." She looks up at William expectantly. "I uncovered an Omphalos plot in Begma," William explains, watching the count for any signs that he might try something foolish. "We found one of their Doors, and Isabei here," he nods at the man, "Mentioned lover boy had been there, and there was a good chance he had left via the Door. So naturally I followed, and found him in chummy conversation with one of the Omphalos Lord Poobahs. So, yes, definitely he knows things of interest. I wanted to give you a chance at him before turning him over to Random and Fiona." William smiles at Flora. "It seemed the proper thing for a dutiful son to do." "It would appear I have your new liege to thank for helping to find him." She gives a nod to Isabei who returns the gesture. "It is indeed proper and dutiful on your part, son." Flora considers this as she looks down disdainfully on Count Taisson. "An hour or two with the Count will be most illuminating. I shall have to summon Clarice to take notes." She looks at William. "I know you still do have the King's business to conduct, so I wouldn't insist on you being here for the questioning, unless you truly do wish to." William considers the Count. "I do hope you bring in someone to act as a guard," he says to his mother. "He may not look like much, but he is accounted something of a sorceror." "Fair enough. It would not do to have him try something futile and probably very messy." Flora considers for a moment. "Pollux owes me a favor in an introduction I made for him a month ago. He might not be quite as talented as you, dear." Flora smiles. "but I understand he's taken some lessons from Lorius now and again." She walks over to a vanity and produces a trump case out of it. She walks to the door, and raps on it. "Go summon Clarice." he says to the unseen servant, almost certainly one of hers instead of one of the Castle servants. Still rubbing the side of the trump case thoughtful, she returns to William. "Now, then, matters are in hand. You are doing well otherwise with this little sojourn Random has imposed on you?" she asks. "Oh, indeed," William answers with a laugh. "Random's diplomats are convinced I am a vain, shallow princeling who thinks too highly of himself. No doubt his spy among them knows better, but that's as it should be." He glances at the Count, then back up at his mother. "I came across an interesting unknown cousin, of whom I shall tell you later. And I have come up with a plan for a possible resolution of the Eregnor problem. Something to pursue, in any case." "Yet another unknown cousin?" Flora says with a smile. "And here I thought our distant cousin Valerian had shaken all of the birds out of the tree for at least a generation. I shall have to hint to him that his efforts were imperfect at dinner." "As far as Eregnor." Flora says. "be careful, William. If you do manage to square the circle, your position and role as dissolute son might be shattered and re-examined." "Or" she adds "Random might seek to bind you to longer civil service." her distaste of those two words is obvious. "Still, I suppose the endless conflicts between the Begmans and the Kashfans over the territory have to end somehow." "Now that we have relatives in rulership positions in both kingdoms, the stakes are much higher," William says. "I think it's time we got this matter settled." He laughs. "And as for Uncle Random trying to settle me into a position in his government, I think I can be sufficiently annoying to scuttle any possibility of such an idea." "Good son" Flora says. "Working on an ad hoc basis is one thing,a more long term position would just not do." At this point, there rap on the door. "Come" Flora calls. One of Flora's servants, the aforementioned Clarice, comes in. Her reddish-brown hair is in a severe bun and she carries a legal pad under her arm. An arm that can wield a sword. Perhaps not to a level beyond the level of the palace guards, but to that level certainly. The case she has in her other hand does have blades, of a much shorter size. As well as other things. "Clarice. Excellent." Flora says. "We need to summon my nephew for good measure and we'll begin." Taisson gives off a soft moan. "Ma'am." she says. "Lord Prince" she adds in a curtsy to William "Clarice," he answers with a smile and a nod. "Now, then, best of luck with your project." she says to William. "Do keep me up to date." she smiles. "I shall, Mother." William kisses her cheek, nods a friendly farewell to Clarice, and leads Isabei into the hallway. Isabei takes the opportunity to look up, down and around, taking in the details of the fourth floor of the Castle. A servant exiting on some corralled errand from the Royal Apartments and headed to the door is easily corraled. He flags down a servant and orders, "Send to the King and Princess Fiona, to let them know that I am returned, and would speak with them at their convenience. As well, inform the Princess that my report to her might have to wait upon the King, if he responds first, save if the two of them would have me speak to them together. I will be in the infirmary." "You are injured, milord?" the servant says uncertainly. It is only then that he deigns or bothers to notice Isabei, and comprehension crosses his face. He gives a nod. He thinks a moment, then smiles. "And also, send a runner ahead to the infirmary, to inform the Healer Samara that I am bringing her a patient." William turns to Isabei as the servant departs on the errands, and says, "Let us see now to your wound. I shall introduce you to a Healer as skilled as she is beautiful , and she is beautiful indeed." "Aye, milord. His Majesty is the Royal apartments with her Majesty the Queen. Would you prefer to speak to him directly whilst I find the Princess and have someone sent to prepare the Infirmary? If you so wish, your friend can be escorted there." "I don't think I can get into much trouble here, Lord Prince." Isabei said. "I will go directly to the infirmary and meet you there." William nods. "That is what we shall do, then," he says. He clasps Isabei on his good arm. "I shall find you when it is time to return," he says. "Yes, milord." Isabei says." He waits for the servant, and follows him toward the staircase and the lower levels of the palace. Exeunt Isabei and the servant. At the Royal Apartments, the servants admit William without difficulty, allowing William into a domestic scene with Random, and Vialle. "...at least there are no ambassadors this time. A nice family dinner. We'll see who shows up though." "Whoever is in the Castle and is aware of it, Random dear, of course. We have a busy family." "By the unicorn, some days I feel I should just change the dining room to a cafeteria." "Come on in, William." Random says. He is buttoning a green waistcoat. "You're here to report, and not supposed to be in the Castle, so go right ahead." "Don't mind Random, dear." Vialle says, turning to William. "New problems have arisen since you have left." "But of course," William answers. "It would not be home, otherwise." He kisses the queen on the cheek, and then says, "First of all, Uncle, I need to tell you that I just sent a man in my employ down to the infirmary for healing. I hired him off a mage working for the Omphalos, so I'd strongly suggest sending some trusted agent down to check up on him, just in case he's pulling the wool over my eyes, is still in their employ, and is planning on trying to blow up the castle or destroy the Pattern. I *think* he's honest, as mercenaries go, but considering the stakes I'd not like this to be the case where I misjudge a man. After you take care of that, I can tell you about my trip to an Omphalos world, and you can tell me all about the new problems." "Hiring mercenaries out from under agents of the Omphalos." Random says. "You ARE your mother's son. What's this mercenary look like?" He waits for William'd description, and then glances at Vialle. Even sightless, she seems to know this. "The obvious choice." Vialle says. Random nods. Random walks over to a table, opens a drawer, pulls out a trump deck. Second card of the deck, and not one with a Unicorn back, either. This one has a Griffin on the back. "Valerian." Random says, a few moments after concentrating on the card. "Take a stroll to the infirmary. Keep an eye on the mercenary getting treated there. Tall, Dragon-blooded. " <pause> "William hired him out from under the Omphalos, so you're the obvious person to see him." <pause> "Chat him up. Make sure he doesn't go rogue. He might be legitimate, but let's make sure he's not a double agent." <pause> " He might react to your presence since you are not on their christmas card list." <pause> "Never mind." <pause> "I'll see dinner gets sent down to you, never fear." Random ends the contact. "Now, then." Random says, pointing to a chair for William to sit.. "I take it you went through a Door you found in Begma." William settles himself, lounging elegantly in the chair. "Indeed, I did. You will have heard some of this already from Shannon, but allow me to give you my own take on what happened since we arrived at Begma." He then launches into a quick report on the situation they discovered with the Lord Mayor, the suborned nobles, and the Omphalos plot. He includes having found an agent of Coral also investigating the situation, and their joining forces, without being specific about who she was. He gives a precis of what they discovered about the plot, the fight at the Manse, and their trip through the Door. He goes into more detail about the Omphalos world, and everything that happened there. He concludes with his return to Amber, and the fact that he will be reporting to Fiona once he is finished reporting to the King, and then changing places with Shannon so that she can make her own reports. Then he awaits questions. Random starts off with some simple clarifications, asking for details on the positioning of the Door, the composition of the forces on both sides, the running fight back. Once he is finished with the give and take of the small clarifying questions, he gives a look at Vialle, who nods and then he looks back. "So what is your overall opinion on the situation, William?" Random says. "Assuming this mercenary doesn't blow up the Castle, you would say that the threat to Begma is completely neutralized, as far as you can see? The threat has not spilled beyond its borders?" William frowns. "They've changed their tactics from frontal assault to infiltration," he says. "That likes me not. My strong suspicion is that this is a multi-front attack. I'd be surprised if they are not doing this same thing in several realms at the same time." Random's eyes light up at this, but he does not interrupt William. He shakes his head. "We want to question Isabei to see what he overheard from them, as well as putting our two captured traitors to the question, but my instinct is that if we confine ourselves to stomping on them when they pop up, we're going to be overwhelmed eventually. We need to take this fight to them. Amber is at its best when it's on the attack, not playing defense." Random grins. "My turn." "I couldn't agree with you more on that last point, nephew and neither does your eldest uncle. The way you are presenting your argument, though. " Random furrows his eyebrows. "It sounds like he hasn't yet recruited you to his operation." William shakes his head. "No, this is the first I've heard of it." "My dear brother Benedict has decided to deal with the Omphalos in force and invoked a lot of old delegatory laws in the doing." Random explains. "Sent invitations to a number of relations, and a few of them through me. As head of Amber's armed forces ,apparently there are precedents going back to the Weirmonken and Moonrider invasions that he is using to dragoon various family members into his force. Asking them to assemble in a shadow he is in, and BYOA, too." "Seems like the Omphalos invaded a shadow near where Corwin's realm is closed off, took it over, and have started empire building. Don't know his plan, but I have to assume step one is to stamp out this incursion, or circumvent it and invade the Omphalos." "That's not the only major news though." Random says. "The other news I have is that a rag tag fugitive fleet of refugees showed up while you were gone, talking about an invasion of their homeland. Invaders that Dagny, Hadrian and that new ambassador from Rebma have confirmed was an Omphalos operation. They used earth and fire magic to level their civilization with vulcanism." William's eyes narrow. "That is… Not Good." "No" Random says. "You can understand why Rebma would be upset, too if you know a bit about local geology. I don't but my wife does." Random grins. "Rebma is built on an ancient volcano, Wukkuan." Vialle says in a grave tone. "Long since extinct, but there are geothermal vents near the city showinng there is activity in the region. You can imagine the possibilities." "The even more fun upshot of these refugees" Random picks up smoothly from his wife. "is that they are led by the grandson of long dead brother Osric." Random says. "I want you to talk to Benedict when you head back." Random says. "He'll want your intel on what you saw. If he held off on inviting you because he knew what you were up to, I wouldn't be surprised." "You don't think Coral is working with Benedict, do you, and sent this agent into your path thusly?" Random adds. William considers the question. "It is possible. It did not feel that way. I do not believe it is the case. Though one can never really tell with Benedict. And Coral, I am finding, is also… hard to predict." Random chuckles. "*That* hasn't changed since the day she and her sister came here with the Prime Minister, charmed Merlin into letting her into the basement, and promptly walked the Pattern to prove her heritage. You weren't here for that episode, as I recall." "No," William says, "Although Mother filled me in quite completely. And speaking of being filled in, I do trust that Dulcinea reported on our conversation with Theoris? I want to be sure you have that information." "The agent of yet another should-be-dead-and-not-even-in-the-histories elder sister?" Random says."Yes, my daughter is interested in going and meeting this Kenning, even if she had been mistaken for Shannon, apparently, in this unexpected meeting." "Just for once, I would like someone who is dead to stay dead." Random says. "If people start mistaking Ederyn for his father, I'll have a coronary." "No, dear, that would be from those heart attack potatoes you had Michael make." Vialle adds lightly. "Anyway" Random says, shakes his head. "Finish at least with Begma before you head off in that direction. It might behoove you to take someone from the family in addition to Dulcinea to this fishing spot, in case it is some elaborate trap. Someone they won't expect." William nods thoughtfully, then changes the subject. "Before I left, I put a bug in the ear of Langley Karm, to quietly and subtly prepare for military action. I hope that proved to be a wise precaution, and his forces are either being used by Benedict, or else are in place to help defend Amber in case of an Omphalos assault here?" Random makes a temporizing sound. "Benedict made his announcement and his desires from wherever his base in shadow is. I don't yet have a good candidate to march Amber forces from here to there. I suspect he'd rather entirely non-Amber imported shadow forces for this operation anyway. In which case, Karm's mobilization can be used for other things, like making sure this son of Osric's refugees don't get out of line, or, as you say, useful for the next Omphalos strike on us." "Its a nice bit of misdirection on your part, to get him thinking about the good of the Kingdom rather than vendetta." Random says. "In any other setup, Karm or one of the others might have thought grasping for the throne, especially during the Interregnum, was a good idea. As much as it pains me to speak well of Eric, his administration forestalled that sort of mess." William smiles, and waves a hand negligently. "I am not the realm's greatest diplomat, Uncle," he says. "But I do have a certain flair for improvisation that stands me in good stead from time to time." Random grins. William sits up straight, and grows more serious. "Right, then. So, unless you have any other questions or orders from me, I should find Aunt Fiona and give her my report. Then, I believe, my course is to recover my new warrior, and trade places with Shannon so that she can make her own reports to her mother and you. Back in Begma, I shall continue my diplomatic efforts, and once I've put my suggestion before Coral and Rinaldo, I shall go on with the Spikard reclamation project. Unless other orders come in from you or Uncle Benedict." "It could be that Uncle Benedict is waiting for you to complete one task before scooping you up, which I appreciate. I'd hate for you to have to divide yourself in twain. Go, before there is a possibility you make my sister too late for dinner. If I have any further questions after Shannon's analysis, I know how to reach you. Go." "Be careful, William." Vialle adds. "Amber's enemies are growing more aggressively dangerous and you are now known as a foe to be dealt with." "Good point." Random says. "It does look like you've got a personal enemy now in the Omphalos camp." "The personal touch makes it much more interesting," William replies. He bows. "Your majesties," he says, "Thy wills be done." "Now get outta here before people start putting two and two together and getting five." Random says. Out of the Royal Apartments, a servant, with the usual trepidation, reports that the Princess Fiona was, indeed, last reported in her quarters. William does not quite get a chance to knock when the door opens, silently and smoothly, revealing the sitting room within. Sitting in an armchair, holding a cup of tea to her lips as if posing for an invisible photographer, is the Princess. "I am pleased to see that your rash expedition has not proved less than salutary to your health, William." Fiona says. She needs no gesture to close the door behind him once he is across the boundary. "Tea?" she adds. "Thank you, Aunt," William replies. He takes a seat in a comfortable chair near his aunt, and waits a moment to see if she is going to pour for him, or allow him to pour for himself. The unspoken assumptions behind either course of action on Fiona's part will direct the tone of the upcoming interview. Fiona does not pour the tea herself, relying on William to serve himself the tea. There is milk, sugar, and slices of lemon on the tray as well. William helps himself to tea. 'Right, then,' he thinks to himself. 'It's Amber's Sorceress who's questioning me, not my Aunt.' "I will not bore you or myself with the recollection as you gave it to the dear King." Fiona begins once William has situated himself completely. "I am far more interested, to begin, with the two unexpected individuals you met in the course of the events in Begma." "I am not referring to the dragon-descended mercenary, however." she adds. "You do have a penchant for collecting hirelings and henchmen of no small skill, I note." "People do seem to like to help me," William agrees. "You are your mother's son in startling ways." Fiona says. "And your sister seems to employ similar tactics. But that is neither here nor there." She takes a sip of tea. "Especially since she had been so careful in keeping herself hidden until now, what did you make of Coral's daughter revealing herself?" Fiona asks. "Now that is an interesting question," William replies. "Especially since it wasn't necessary. She could have just claimed to be one of Coral's special agents. I might not have completely trusted her..." he smiles, "But, then, it's not as though I would completely trust any newly met cousin, either, is it?" Fiona makes a temporizing sound. [William] shakes his head. "No, there's more to it than necessity." He considers for a moment, then says, "My reading on her, and this is little more than an impression, mind you, is that she's been chafing at her mother's restrictions on her for some time, and looking for an opportunity to reveal herself. This was just such an opportunity, and gave her a legitimate excuse." He shrugs. "I could be wrong, of course. But that's my off-hand assessment." "Assessing people is your line's skill, so I will take it with that weight." Fiona says. After a contemplating sip of tea, she continues. "Her mother will have instructed her never to take a trump call, to avoid the possibility of..." She stops. William lifts an eyebrow. "The possibility of...?" he asks encouragingly. "A pretty face like you entangling her in a plot or two." Fiona finally says. "What was your assessment of her abilities?" Fiona says, changing the subject. "Coral's possession of the Jewel for a good long time may have given her some unusual access to power." "She's good at stalking and fighting," William answers. "I didn't see anything to indicate esoteric powers." "And I do wonder." Fiona says. "who the father truly is. There are some intriguing candidates, given her history, don't you think?" "Indeed," William agrees. "One wonders if her mother has told her, or if she is keeping that information to herself." "I would suspect the latter. Or else you might have encountered her much deeper in the Golden Circle, if at all. The curiosity factor would be overwhelming "So, we have a sheltered daughter of Power, that finally has a taste of something other than her Mother's drawstrings." Fiona says. "You are going to cultivate her as a resource, of course?" William smiles. "I intend to aid and advise her," he says. "I am sure that having a friend in Random's court will be useful to her." "Good" Fiona says. "I look forward to how well you cultivate her as a resource. Especially if her Mother is becoming more active as a player in the game." "Now." Fiona says. "Shannon has already given me a brief, and rather pointed viewpoint on the second person to show up in Begma unexpectedly. And with a rather unusual displayed set of talents, I understand?" "The stakes to this might be higher than you realize." Fiona says. She sips her tea. "But I will let you explain your impressions first." "Let me ask, first," Williams says, "The various meanings you would give to the term "Eidolon." I know a couple, but I am not certain they fit the situation." "There are several uses of the term" Fiona agrees. "The simplest is something akin to a hologram, a image of a subject, given knowledge and the ability to speak on subjects if not act directly. That is the least use of such power." "You can use it in a neuromantic context, of course, and in the sense of a fully actualized and solid projection into undershadow or overshadow realms, including the Dreamlands and Warrens. There is a school of sorcery which uses them in this realm, too. Eidolons have the disadvantage of always being imperfect versions of the original, and can seek to supplant their original and become the true version of Self." "I forget, have you walked the Hall of Mirrors?" she asks. "I peeked down it once," William answers with a smile. "But it does tend to come and go at its own whims, and I was due for an assignation with a truly charming young lady that night and did not wish to lose the opportunity. I haven't seen it since then." He tilts his head. "This has something to do with shadows of us, perhaps? I mentioned eidolons because Prefect Gervon used the term, in describing the false body he was inhabiting, and said I was traveling with one. Which might explain some of the ... oddities." "Eidolons have been seen in the Hall of Mirrors." Fiona says "Although those are not Eidolons generated by a sorceress herself, but an outside agency. One might say Pattern Ghosts are another form of Eidolon, since they can gain independent agency. Or particularly strong shadows, yes." "Shadow, Pattern Ghost, sending." Fiona says. "I think your unexpected aid is one of these. There is another thing you should be aware of, something that makes me think this more than a chance Shadow encounter. For thirty five seconds last night, the Castle of Amber sported an additional tower. I do not think many besides myself noticed. It was the shape and design of a tower proposed for the Castle, William, around the time my Mother was Queen, but it was never built." "A Tower that would have been dedicated to her High Sorcery." she adds. "Now that is interesting," William says thoughtfully. "Colliding probabilities, perhaps? Or intrusion by another universe?" "Two valid theories" Fiona replies. "I believe that this may be more fruit from the tree planted by the actions of Sand's son and the divestment of him from Apollo." After a pause. "It is my belief that the Family Member that so entangled herself in you and Shannon's doings in Begma and beyond is another part of this phenomenon, although far more stable." "You spent more time with her than Shannon did." Fiona says. "She seemed drawn to you, she said? As if you were the reality fragment that she felt attuned to, somehow?" "Bri and I have always gotten along very well," William answers. "Have you investigated yet whether she appeared to be somewhere else during this time period? Not that that would necessarily prove anything, of course, but it would be suggestive." "She did not appear elsewhere, but she appears to have been absent in the wake of the Omphalos attack on Julian's Steading. Then came the mysterious Castle addition, and her eidolon's appearance in your shadow. I am certain I would know it. If she returns to the Castle, I would know definitively. That is perhaps why she has sent it to places such as Begma." "The Eidolon's goals are for the moment apparently in alignment with yours. I counsel you to keep her as close as possible. Given her Chaotic nature, which no doubt is reflected in her reflection, that may not be possible. Find out what she wants, and keep her close." She takes a sip of her tea. "And do keep her and my daughter from killing each other." Fiona adds. "Why is Shannon continually trying to force her to lose her temper?" William asks with interest. "Is she attempting to force a fight? She is not behaving in the rational manner I normally expect from her." "Quite. She hasn't explained it to me to any satisfaction, either" Fiona says. A burning disquiet, like the light of twin green Malfean suns, fills her eyes. "Unless she has suspicions and ideas that she has not shared with me." "Something else for you to puzzle out, if she will not tell her mother." Fiona says. "I could inflict Lorius on her, if it comes to it, and all else fails." "I can attempt to find out," William says with a shrug. "But if she won't tell you, then it is likely she will not tell me. Lorius may be necessary." He meets Fiona's gaze without flinching. "Where Family is concerned, I cannot make promises about keeping anyone alive. Triton was the proof of that. But I will do what I can." "Destroying an eidolon would not be murder of a family member" Fiona says. "I am concerned about the collateral damage a full confrontation between them might unleash. I know what my daughter, demure and reserved as she is, is truly capable of when roused. This eidolon suggests similar power on the other side of the equation. Balance that equation, William, as best as you are able." William shrugs. "Unless Bri is lying comatose somewhere, and operating it either consiously or unconsciously. She puts down her tea cup. "I believe that's everything, yes?" William sets down his cup and rises. "Indeed, Aunt, I believe so. I need to locate my man, and then I shall trump Shannon and depart Amber. Thank you for your advice." Fiona nods. She rises from her chair, still holding her cup, and turns her head to look in a direction that is not quite one of the standard three. She looks away from this impossible dimension and looks at William. "Still in the Infirmary, it looks like. And remarkably has not yet shown himself to be a traitor or mole. He may actually be trustworthy." she says with a smile. "As much as one should trust anyone, of course" she says. "Until we talk again." William bows. "By your leave, Aunt," he says formally, then departs. And he heads for the infirmary via a back staircase, to spare Random the embarassment of explaining to anyone why the banished nephew was wandering the corridors of the castle. William's passage goes unnoticed by any family members. The staff of the Castle, especially since he is on their turf, There are a few whispers of "duel" and "Triton", in tones of respect and fear, rather than disdain, and William is very visibly *not* molested on his trip to the Infirmary. At the Infirmary,however, there IS family. Isabei is here sitting on a bed, getting some of his wounds sewn up by one of the doctors. Sitting next to him ona chair, talking to him, is Valerian. Further on in the room, Julian lies on a bed. Improbably, sitting next to him...is Corwin. Both men turn and continue talking amongst themselves for the moment. William bows towards his uncles without saying anything to interrupt their conversation, and walks to Isabei's bed. "Hello William. Isabei has been telling me the story of what happened in Begma." Valerian says, turning his head at William's entrance. "It was a great deal of fun," William replies with a laugh. "Sorry you missed it. I did tell you that you should come along with us. Perhaps next time." "Random has had other plans for me and has kept me busy with same." Valerian says. "If we'd known you'd find an Omphalos Door in Begma, I would have fought harder. Pity, I probably could have told you more about where you were if I was on the ground to get my bearings. Still could, if you have questions. However, it sounds like you dealt with the situation, according to your new vassal here." The nurse continues to work on Isabei's arm, bading him to keep still as she sews a wound closed. "I feel like I am your wayward nephew who got injured on the Pasadean Stair, not your vassal." Isabei says sardonically to William. "We take care of our people," William tells him with a smile. Isabei nods, getting a sharp cluck of a sound from the nurse for the gesture. Isabei returns to quiet placidity to let her continue. Then [William] tells Valerian, "I suspect we haven't seen the last of them in Begma. I am headed straight back there. I would offer to contact you if we find another door, but I suspect whatever we do find will require immediate action, and there won't be any time for contacting anyone." "Well" Valerian says. "Then the course of action is obvious, isn't it." Valerian says. "I come back with you as an expert in all things Omphalos. If we don't find another Door, that's fine, I get to see Begma briefly. If there is one...I'm right there." "Going to have to do some serious dreaming tonight and see if I can't ping any other Doors floating around." Valerian says. "The Omphalos are getting clever in their tactics. You heard about the situation with the refugees?" he asks. William nods. "Indeed," he says sourly. "Triggering volcanoes. Next thing you know they'll be dropping asteroids on people. It's past time they were taught the error of their ways." "This universe is tougher than previous targets, including mine." Valerian says. "They didn't *need* a volcanic eruption for Crimson." He clasps Valerian on the shoulder. "Most glad indeed to have you with us," he says heartily. He nods at Isabei. "As soon as we've got our friend here released, we are heading back. If you have any goodbyes to make, then now is the time to do so." Valerian shakes his head. "Everyone is up in the dining room eating anyway. They haven't even sent down a promised plate, yet. I was figuring I would have to go begging to the kitchen later anyhow. Let's go as soon as Isabei is sewn up." "He should not." the nurse pipes up. "Be exerting himself for several hours following the stitches." She clucks her tongue. "No more than mild exercise is indicated until they are set in place. I trust, Prince William, you will have him back here in good order to remove the stitches once the wound is healed." It is a statement, rather than a question. Isabei nods, getting a sharp cluck of a sound from the nurse for the gesture. Isabei returns to quiet placidity to let her continue. Then [William] tells Valerian, "I suspect we haven't seen the last of them in Begma. I am headed straight back there. I would offer to contact you if we find another door, but I suspect whatever we do find will require immediate action, and there won't be any time for contacting anyone." "Well" Valerian says. "Then the course of action is obvious, isn't it." Valerian says. "I come back with you as an expert in all things Omphalos. If we don't find another Door, that's fine, I get to see Begma briefly. If there is one...I'm right there." "Going to have to do some serious dreaming tonight and see if I can't ping any other Doors floating around." Valerian says. "The Omphalos are getting clever in their tactics. You heard about the situation with the refugees?" he asks. William nods. "Indeed," he says sourly. "Triggering volcanoes. Next thing you know they'll be dropping asteroids on people. It's past time they were taught the error of their ways." "This universe is tougher than previous targets, including mine." Valerian says. "They didn't *need* a volcanic eruption for Crimson." He clasps Valerian on the shoulder. "Most glad indeed to have you with us," he says heartily. He nods at Isabei. "As soon as we've got our friend here released, we are heading back. If you have any goodbyes to make, then now is the time to do so." Valerian shakes his head. "Everyone is up in the dining room eating anyway. They haven't even sent down a promised plate, yet. I was figuring I would have to go begging to the kitchen later anyhow. Let's go as soon as Isabei is sewn up." "He should not." the nurse pipes up. "Be exerting himself for several hours following the stitches." She clucks her tongue. "No more than mild exercise is indicated until they are set in place. I trust, Prince William, you will have him back here in good order to remove the stitches once the wound is healed." It is a statement, rather than a question. As it is not a question, William does not bother to reply. "The sooner we get back in the field, the better." Isabei says. The nurse steps away. "See? All done. He's all yours, Prince William." "My gratitude," Williams says with a slight nod. "I shall do my utmost not to undo your good work too quickly." "Good" The nurse says. "I have heard of your reputation, milord Prince." William looks over at his uncles then back at his two comrades. "Allow me but a moment," he says, "and we shall depart." "Right." Valerian says. Isabei gives a nod. He walks towards Corwin and Julian and pauses at a respectful distance waiting for them to acknowledge him. Corwin rises a moment or two before William's gesture is complete. "I should get to the dining room for dinner anyway, Julian." Corwin says as William approaches. He gives William a nod and starts to move again. "Unless you were coming to speak to me?" Corwin asks William, halting his motion and turning. "I think" Julian says with a slight smile. "Our nephew wished to see the wonder of the two of us speaking amicably." "The benefits of a common foe," William answers with a smile. "One of the few things that can unite us. I have just come back from an encounter with the Omphalos. I assume that Uncle Random will fill you two in on what little information I was able to gather, but since there is a good chance I shall encounter them again soon I wanted to know if you had any advice to offer." "I was unfortunately not extremely conscious or aware for the brief period of my captivity." Julian says. "I understand that Ederyn, having lead the force through the..." Julian pauses. "Gate that my daughter made, might have some more immediate intelligence on their latest tactics and weapons." "What I have gathered" "is that the Omphalos are heavily reliant on their specialists, and their run of the mill troops and foot soldiers are inferior to ours. Reducing the capability of their specialists appears to be a winning tactic." Julian looks to Corwin, who gives a nod in agreement. "Their love of fire is something you might consider counteracting." Corwin offers. "They've used it several times, now." William nods. "Some kind of suppression field to prevent combustion…" he muses. Then he laughs. "Above my pay grade, really. But you're definitely right about them relying on their officers and specialists. From what little I did see the common men and conquered peoples are kept very subjugated. All part of their foolish belief in their own superiority over all others." William's mouth twists in a slight grin as he says that. "Well played, nephew." Julian says. "But slavery is illegal in The Eternal City. And although some in the Golden Circle might disagree, Amber is not an imperial power." "Our new relatives from shadows in the Golden Circle" Corwin says "may feel differently about that. But I *have* heard" Corwin says to William "you have at least a small skill for magic." "Perhaps not as well known as his skill with the blade." Julian says. He gives William a long look. "As Triton found out." "Yes" Corwin does not bother moderating his frown . "I do really must head toward dinner. Julian. William." Exit Corwin. "Uncle." William bows and watches his uncle leave with a half smile. Then he turns back to Julian. "I would like to speak with you about your daughter," he says. William hears the exhalation of breath. Julian's eyes study William for a long moment. Finally, he speaks. "Has she recovered?" he finally asks. "How does her condition stand? And why isn't Carl or Hadrian here with you, or come to tell me first?" "Now that is a most interesting question," William replies. "Let me tell you what I know. While I was in Begma, investigating an Omphalos infiltration, your daughter showed up unexpectedly. But she was ... somewhat different. A trifle fey, and with an aura of power that made Shannon suspicious of who and what she might really be." William shrugs. "I was not convinced myself, at first, that she was who she appeared to be. But as we fought together she seemed much like herself, albeit more inclined towards arcane power than the physical. I have spoken with Princess Fiona about her, and she believes that it was not truly your daughter that I met, but some sort of shadow or arcane sending." William pauses here to await his uncle's reaction. Julian's right hand clenches in a fist. "A shadow of my daughter?" he finally says, more of a statement than a question. He continues. "It cannot be a sending, my daughter does not have the skills of my sister or my sister's children. She *must* be a shadow. It can't be anything else. He sits up and reaches into a drawer in the side table and quickly finds and concentrates on a trump. The glimpse that William got of the card is that it is of a relatively uncommon trump subject, Julian's son Carl. There is a short period when Julian stares at this,the contact clearly open. He looks up at William after letting his right hand cover and smother the trump. "Brieanne remains in a coma in a bed in Carl's Steading." Julian says. "There is no way that she is in any condition to do this arcane sending, even if she were trained." "I want to know why a shadow of my daughter has suddenly started manifesting near Amber" Julian says to William. "You *will* determine this for me, won't you?" "A coma?" William says musingly. "Interesting. I cannot help but think that has some bearing on the situation..." his voice trails off, as he considers the matter. He shakes his head. "It was certainly far more powerful, and more real, than any shadow of one of the Family I have ever met before. If I may ask, do you know the details of what left her in this condition?" "Yes" Julian replies. "My daughter, although she has mostly kept it hidden, is a Trump Artist, and a very good one. In the wake of the attack on my now destroyed home and my abduction, she created, at great personal cost, a trump gate to where I was held by the Omphalos. She, from what Hadrian told me, *embodied* the Gate, and she has not roused since then." "So you see why I find it unlikely that my daughter, in her condition, and the exertion she has undergone, has performed an arcane sending , especially a powerful one and across shadows." Julian finishes. "Embodying a Trump Gate?" William asks. He whistles. Julian gives a single nod. "Uncle, I would suggest that you mention this to Aunt Fiona. That sort of thing can have unpredictable results, and I cannot help but think it is related to what is going on in Begma." He nods his head to his uncle and adds, "I will definitely investigate this further." "You mean." Julian recovers his seriousness to a more amused expression "She, or her daughter, or her son don't already know?" He shakes his head. "Regardless, do that." he says, resuming his seriousness. "Fiona's daughter *is* working with you there, isn't she?" He looks thoughtful. "You may also want to speak to Hadrian about this. Last I heard, he's dealing with the refugee fleet that Gerard is handling." "Right, then," William says. "I better get back to Shannon so I can discuss this with her." He nods to his uncle, and waits a moment to see if there is anything else Julian wishes to say to him before he returns to his companions. Julian nods, once. "Until we meet again." he says, leaving William to join Valerian and Isabei, who have been quietly conversing at the "I wouldn't dream of eavesdropping on you and Julian." Valerian says. "So I honestly have little idea what you were talking about. I can make a guess, though." "The Princess Brieanne, most likely" Isabei puts in, elicting a nod of agreement from Valerian. "Is he displeased with his daughter, William?" Isabei turns as if ready to talk and walk at the same time. "It is complicated," William answers shortly. "Rather than explain multiple times I will ask you to wait until we have returned to Shannon and I can discuss matters more fully." William pulls out his trump deck and sort through it quickly. Finding Shannon's card he looks at his companions and says "Everyone ready to go?" If there are no last-minute objections he looks back at the card and concentrates. "Cousin," he says, "I am ready to return." Shannon answers the trump call quickly and easily, and in short order pulls William, Isabei, and Valerian through. Behind her are Valric, Kiathas and Devaine. "You know, William" she smiles. "This is not a shadow where you have to trump the same number of people into the shadow as you trumped out. Hello, Valerian." "Hello Shannon" Valerian responds. "*Are*there such shadows?" "Of course" Shannon says. "There are shadows highly aspected to conservation of mass. Fortunately, Begma is not one of them." She turns to William again. "Is there anything I need to know before I return?" Shannon asks, rubbing a finger absent mindedly along her trump case. "Oh, I think I could find something that would interest you," William replies. "For instance, did you know that Brieanne currently lies in a coma, brought about when she aided in the rescue of Prince Julian from the Omphalos? When she created - or more actually, in the words of Hadrian. 'embodied' a trump gate. A coma that she has been in for some little time now." He smiles. "Is that the sort of thing you had in mind?" The look of surprise on Shannon's face lasts a few beats longer than her normally innocent mien might lead William to expect. "*Embodied* a trump gate?" Shannon says. She repeats the phrase, frowning. "A trump projection? No, no she couldn't cast spells with one." Shannon says to herself. "No, we're missing something in this." "I clearly need to speak to Hadrian, first, before Mother." Shannon says. "Because, clearly, Mother doesn't know all this" She looks at William "Does she?" "I would never make a firm statement on what your mother does not know," William answers. "But when I spoke with her she said nothing to indicate that she was aware of this. I learned this from Uncle Julian just before I returned, so I had no chance to inform her." Shannon gives a guarded nod. He regards her with a smile. "There is also the question of why you have been going out of your way to provoke the Brieanne that we have been dealing with." "I suppose I should explain myself better than I have." Shannon says. "Call it annoyance at my brother, who clearly knows something about what Brieanne has been doing, and will not tell me. Or call it the intuition I have had about this version of Brieanne." She pauses, uncharacteristically uncertain. She looks at Valerian and Isabei." Kiathas cocks his head. "You've said some of this to me." Devaine says, clearing her throat "Although I did not understand it." "Yes" Shannon continues, giving a nod to Devaine and back to William. "You see, cousin, I recognize some of the style of the magic that this version of Brieanne, be it a projection, shadow or what-have-you has been casting. You were not, forgive me, on the inside before the War. I was. I saw my mother and my uncles cast spells and create Works. Both Uncles." "Do you see the problem now, cousin?" Shannon says. "Do you see why this version of Brieanne, whatever her origin, makes me prickly?" William nods slowly. "I can see your reasons," he says thoughtfully. "The possibilities range from intriguing to ... very worrisome indeed." "Why aren't you saying his name?" Valerian says. "Its as if he were a dark sorcerer in some genre novel, whose naming is tantamount to summoning him." "Can't be too careful, distant cousin." Shannon says to Valerian. "And since he is definitively not dead, even if he is pent up, I'd rather not take any chances." "I would like an explanation, someday, for what you're talking about." Valric pipes up. "I don't think I am paid enough to ask those sorts of questions." Isabei says wryly. "Now I see why you hired him, Guillaume." Kiathas says. "Back to the subject." Shannon says. "I'll head to Amber, and speak to Mother. You can continue to run things down here, and find out where the Faerie Sorceress has gotten to, now. I'll call you presently. Agreed?" "Agreed," William says. He takes Shannon's hand and bends over to kiss it. "Take care, dear cousin. There are politics taking place back in the castle." Shannon nods seriously. "There are *always* politics taking place in the castle. But I take your meaning." Shannon pulls out her trump deck, and with a wave, vanishes in the rainbow light of the trump connection. "Good to have you back, Guillaume." Devaine says once Shannon has gone. "Does this change our plans?" Kiathas says. "Round up the diplomats and continue our embassy? Head upriver to the capital?" "You've been paying attention to the maps and our plans" Valric says with a grin. "Don't get Guilliaume all confused by doing that, now." William chuckles. "Kiathas shall soon become our master planner and strategist," he says. "What the next move is is a good question." Valerian says. "Although I would like a look at the spot on this estate where the Door was." "It's not far, it's in a somewhat trampled over garden." Valric says. William nods agreement. "We examine what is left of the Door first," he says. "Then we head back to the city and make plans for what comes next." "Away from the politics and into the action." Valerian agrees. The spot in the garden that the Door stood in, once William and company reach it again, is bare and still. Valerian takes the lead as they reach it, and although the Door is gone, William notes that Valerian precisely and inerringly orbits the spot where the Door was like a planet hurling around a sun. His own senses show a lot of aftereffect Cerenkov-like radiation from the Door, and Brieanne's unraveling of the same. It's diffuse enough that William would be hard pressed to place precisely where the Door was, if he had not been here before. Valerian stops his orbit, walks back a couple of paces, scratches his chin. "It was undone rather explosively." Valerian says. "It makes some of the forensics difficult. The Door definitely was transdimensional, you were certainly in Capital, if anyone doubted your story. I did find something else though. Let me show you." Valerian starts manipulating the energies, enough for William and Devaine to see. There is another Door, in a nearby shadow, that this one is daisy chained, too. And like a caternary curve of a cable on a bridge, William can see this former Door, and that Door, are descendants of a distant, very distant Door very deep into Shadow, far beyond the Golden Circle. "Their beachhead." Valerian says. "They have a Master Door in our Universe, now." William nods. "Random needs to know that immediately," he says. "Can you tell anything about its location?" "Yes, if you give me a couple of minutes to look at these energies." he offers. "Got some training in that, back in Capital, when I was one of their officers." Valerian says nothing more and starts pacing again in a slow perambulation. William can feel his manipulations, primarily sorcerous in nature, with that extra tinge of the power behind the Doors. Devaine studies him too, without prompting. He finally stops, looking a bit drained. He finds one of the benches to sit down, perspiring. After a minute, he talks. "I'd say not quite the full distance to the halfway point between here and Chaos." Valerian says. "I can give coordinates for the region, further narrowing it down would require following this trail. But in general. the polar coordinates using Amber as an origin point..." He rattles off a string of numbers, coordinates. "I don't know your universe well enough to know what is IN that region of shadow. "But you're right, cousin." Valerian adds. "Random should know, right now." William sits next to Valerian, so that they can share the trump contact, and finds Random's trump. "Your Majesty," he says, concentrating on the card. "It is William, with a report." Random frowns. He's at dinner at this point, with some of the family gathered at the table. Dulcinea is to his right, Vialle to his left. William's sister is relating a story about the Hall of Mirrors, the time she met Eric in it. "Go ahead" Random says. "You're earlier than I expected. I'm not going to like this, am I?" William makes certain that Valerian is in the contact with him, then answers the king. "I fear not, Uncle," he says. "Valerian has determined that the Omphalos have a Master Gate in our universe, to which their other gates are chained." "Where?" he asks Valerian. Valerian gives up the coordinates. Random frowns. "That sort of mathematics is not my purview. What does it mean?" "Deep within Shadow, not quite halfway to Chaos." Valerian says. "Given the infinity..." "Yes, yes." Random says. "Don't channel Fi, now." Valerian stops "Can you teach this trick to others?" he asks Valerian. "Not without a Door imprint." Valerian says, simply. "All right" Random says,. He turns his attention to William. "This is what you are going to do. Call Benedict. Do it now. Send Valerian through and let him explain it to him. If Benedict wants you for the war effort, make arrangements with the diplomats. But I suspect he'll just take you" indicating Valerian "for the moment and you can continue working the Golden Circle. Let's not neglect our backyard just yet. But I suspect the war effort just got a kick upward." "Not before time," Williams says. "I am more than tired of this being a defensive and reactive war." He nods his head to the king. "Any other orders, your Majesty? If not I shall be about it." "No" Random replies. "You have your new marching orders, both of you. Stay alert and watchful out there. Alert me immediately if something like this breaks again. But you are right, William. Quite right. Defense and reaction have had their turn." Random closes the contact. "I feel like I am being bounced from hip to hip like a game of batey." Valerian says. "So much for me reaving around the Golden Circle with you and Shannon." William smiles as he replaces Random's Trump in his deck, and shuffles through it until he finds Benedict's. "Leaving so soon?" Valric asks. "As soon as William calls Benedict." Valerian says. "Apparently I'm now a valuable military asset." "Better than some of the alliterative alternatives." Kiathas laughs. "Good grief, Guilliaume." Devaine says. "Kiathas has learned Thari well enough to threaten puns." "It was a risk I ran," William says gravely. "Alas." He holds up Benedict's Trump and stares at it. "Uncle," he says, "It is William." He makes certain that Valerian is still in contact with him as the connection opens. "I was wondering when you might call, William." Benedict says crisply. He is standing on the edge of what looks like a parade ground of some kind. Behind him in the distance is a several story building that would not look out of place in an industrial park in a technological shadow. "Especially since I didn't specifically request your services from the beginning." He pauses a beat as William sees him study Kiathas, Valric, Devaine and then Valerian briefly. "What in the situation has changed?" "Reconnaissance information" William replies. "We discovered and destroyed an Omphalos Door. Valerian has examined the remains, and determined that it was linked to a Master Door, which may well be the lynchpin for their invasion. He has also determined the location of that Master Door." "Very good." Benedict says. "Good work." He pauses. "I have done some inquiries and explorations in looking for current Omphalos activity in the universe." Benedict says. "I suspected there was at least one unknown Door in the Golden Circle, which is why I suggested Random you were well suited to this Grand Tour. Where is Shannon, by the way?" "She returned to Amber, to give a full report to her mother," William replies. "I am expecting her to trump me at some point to return here, although when Aunt Fiona becomes involved all bets are off." Benedict turns his attention to Valerian fully. "Can you describe where this Master Door is?" "Yes, in terms of coordinates from Amber." Valerian replies. "Polar type system, no doubt." Benedict nods. "Good. We must discuss this further and coordinate our information." He turns toward William. "I would like to borrow Valerian from you." He pauses and regards William carefully. "Is he mission critical to you, William?" "A valuable force multiplier," William answers immediately. "But we are still unsure of exactly what we will end up doing on our end. I agree that he will be of more use to you." "If his utility is still undetermined, then I will borrow him for the moment." Benedict says. "I assume." he turns his attention to Valerian. "this is acceptable." "Yes, sir." Valerian says, crisply, with the air of someone who has served in a military and is falling easily into those habits. "Good." Benedict says. He returns his attention to William. "Be about the King's business with alacrity. I will be reactivating your commission soon, William. Is there anything else I should know?" William shrugs. "I traveled through the Door to the Omphalos home world, and was there for a short time before escaping. I do not know if anything I saw might be of use to you. I have given a full report to Fiona and Random, so it is likely that they have already been able to discern what is important enough to pass on to you, and what is extraneous." "Very well" Benedict says. "I will look to them for particulars." "So much for barnstorming the Golden Circle." Valerian says. "Until later, cousin." He makes ready to pass through the connection. "Fare well, cousin," William says, and hands him through. And in short order, with Valerian bundled through, and the trump connection closed, William, his three companions, and his new liegeman are standing in the Manse. quiet. "We're going to have to be careful around the Princess, aren't we?" Devaine says. "Is it better to engage her directly, or let events have her encounter us as she will?" "That pack of high strung diplomats are going to be nervous" Kiathas says. "Not that they were any treat before. Can't we just leave them here?" "Nay" Valric suggests. "It would only reinforce Guillaume's poor reputation." "Lingering here." Isabei puts in. "Seems pointless. Or perhaps actively dangerous. If you are capable, Lord Prince, leveling this building might be wise." "You're a bloody-minded sort." Kiathas says. Isabei shrugs. "Dragon blood," William says as an explanation. "They're capable of subtlety but they do not believe in half measures." "We do not" Isabei agrees. William considers the building speculatively for a few seconds, then shakes his head. "I'm still endeavoring to maintain the fiction that I have a simple straightforward swordsman," he explains. "Mass destruction through Sorcery would make that slightly more difficult." William gives orders to do a quick search of the grounds for anything they might have missed, and then the party will mount up and head back to the city at full speed. A cursory search of the grounds, unfortunately, turns up nothing immediately useful or interesting. Perhaps twenty minutes in total elapses before William and his companions are assembled again in the front of the Manse. Without something like the mass destruction Isabei suggested, there is nothing to draw the interest of passers by or anyone from Erkus. Thus, William and company can proceed away from the Manse, and back down toward the coastal city, with haste and without harassment. There is the usual light banter between Kiathas, Valric and Devaine, although Isabei remains resolutely undrawn in by their play, although Kiathas and Valric continue to try and do so. Thusly, the gates of the city are breached. The morning sun continues to rise over the city, as the business of the city turns back to more mundane concerns. Passage in the direction of the hill where the Alcalde stands solidly and stolidly is a slow affair, with the congestion of street traffic the newest barrier. "Too bad, Guillaume, you aren't chasing that daughter of Princess Coral on the rooftops this morning." Kiathas says. "You might get to the Mayor's Palace before we do. That IS where we are going, is it not?" "She might have returned to those roofs, watching us." Valric counters. "What IS our plan for handling the Princess?" Devaine asks William. "Or whatever she really is? How do we play this?" "She has given us aid and fought beside us," William replies. "We respect that." He falls silent for a few minutes staring up at the towering fortress as they continue their slow but steady progress through the city streets. "Assuming that she has not moved on," he finally says, "I shall speak to her. Alone. We have… things to discuss." The three companions, and Isabei as well, go silent at this. The next minute or so is quiet, until Kiathas breaks the silence. "Oh, by the legions." he says. "Whether or not she's a ghost, demon, visitor from a parallel dimension or whatever else, she's still a person. And she helped us. As Guillaume said." "What has happened to the original Brieanne is the question, Kiathas." Devaine says. "Bah" he says, as the top of the hill where the Alcalde is reached. At the sight of the carriage, the guards relax, and William and company can pass into the courtyard and into the building without incident. This lasts until they are disembarked from the carriage, when the visage of Adam Henry, leading the rest of the diplomats, streams toward him. "And now the other shoe drops." Valric says. "Prince William!" Adam calls. "We've business to discuss. And there is another Princess of the Realm here in Begma!" "You astound me!" William exclaims. "I sincerely hope it is one of the pretty ones?" "Please be serious, milord Prince. We must speak at length about this, and many other matters, Prince William!" Adam says. "We have heard it is the Princess Brieanne. She...she is not trained in the diplomatic arts! We have heard stories that she is terrorizing the Alcazar. And there is much that we have learned while here on the political situation that we must convey to you. We need a conference, immediately. Where is the Princess Shannon?" Like storks, the diplomats behind Adam bob their heads in agreement. "We have arranged for the Orange Room to be ours this morning." The diplomat adds. "I shall have to change," William says firmly. He gestures at his clothing. "Orange would clash dreadfully." He strides through the diplomats. "Shannon is talking to her mother about something or other. Womanly matters, I believe. Or perhaps Sorcery. The two seem much the same to me. Where's cousin Brieanne? I should go ask her to stop terrorizing people." He grows thoughtful. "Unless they need it, of course. Some folks could use a good terrorizing." "I have not made enquiries as to her location." Adam sniffed. "I do know, however, that the local tailor has been contracted to attend to her later this morning or this afternoon. He has not yet seen her, or so a servant dispatched to the gentleman confirmed." "Indeed, I wonder if she is here at all." the dour diplomat next to him scowls. "The staff, quite terrorized by her from all accounts as Adam has said, have settled somewhat from their earlier frenzy. Therefore, she must be in the city or perhaps at the Academy." "The Academy" Naomi says, scoffing. "Do not be silly, Absalom. Unless the Academy has suddenly garnered an interest in trees and hunting." He turns to the plump woman next to him. "You were not there, Naomi, when we heard the story of her doings. It turns out that, much to our surprise, that the Princess Brieanne is effecting the guise of a sorceress." "More than a guise." Devaine murmurs, just loud enough for William to hear. William gives a subtle gesture to Devaine to not pursue that topic at this time. Devaine quiets. It does not appear the diplomats have overheard her. "Regardless" Adam says. "If you will meet us there promptly, after refreshing yourself, I would appreciate it, milord Prince." Like a General with an obedient if not completely docile troop, Adam turns and herds the diplomats back toward the entrance. "Feel like a Governess of unruly children, Guillaume?" Kiathas jests. "They have their uses," William answers mildly. He thinks a moment, then says, "Devaine, find the Lord Mayor, and discover his condition. Find out whether Brieanne has spoken to him, and if so what she has told him. Kiathas and Valric, circulate among the staff and guards. Find out the current rumors and suppositions. I want to know the feel of the place. Isabei, you're with me. I don't expect an attack, but keep an eye out while I'm playing the fool. You can play dour bodyguard of the decadent princeling. Any questions from anyone?" "One" Devaine says. "You're not going to clean yourself up, are you? What are you going to be doing?" "Especially" Kiathas says "If things start going horribly wrong and we need support." "What are the odds of that?" Valric contends sarcastically. "Higher than zero, I think" Isabei murmurs. "Oh, ye of little faith!" William says, feigning innocence. "Of course I am going to go to my room, change into something suitably insufferably princely, and then meet the diplomats at the Orange Room. They do learn things, in their simple fashion, and I'd like to know exactly what they've found out." "Of course," he allows, "I may not proceed to my chambers, not from there to the Orange Room, by the most direct route. In fact, I intend to wander aimlessly, but rapidly, thoughout as much of the place as possible, while watching for magic, both active and passive. I want to determine just how many spells have been laid down here, and I especially want to pick out any magic from outside the Shadow. I'm not going to assume we have derailed the conspirators without more evidence." "Possibly a wise assumption." Isabei allows. "I was not privy to their doings here." "You can look for other spells as well" Devaine says. "But you want us to come to the Orange Room once we're done..." "And have those diplomats look down at us again?" Kiathas interrupts. "Bah" Valric says. "We'll rendezvous as Guillaume sees fit. And if we run into Princess Shannon, we'll conduct her to you, although I suspect she will contact you directly in any event." "That's not the encounter to worry about." Devaine says. "But we will go, if there is nothing else." "Find me if you have anything vital to report, Otherwise, I will find you. Anything else?" If they don't have any other questions William sends them off, and begins wending a circuitous path back to his chambers, searching carefully, and subtly, for any signs of magic on the way. There is a basic ambient level of magic, of course. Begma does have a population of mages, the ones that Shannon spoke to at the Academy. So minor spells are easily spotted. Some self-cleaning spells. A cantrip for food freshness. Minor magics like that standing out only because William is looking for signs of magic, especially Omphalos Magic. By the time he reaches his quarters to complete his toilet, the expansiveness of Begman minor magics is obvious. As far as the Omphalos and their insidious spells, there appears to be no sign save for some afterglows in the throne room, and a few Third Eye and Third Ear spells. These appear, looking at the remnants, to have been destroyed by Shannon. She did miss one, William discovers, in a corner of the Castle not far from the kitchen. A sensing spell, to watch and record what it sees. It is similar enough to the spells he met at the Manse and in the Omphalos home turf to clearly be one of theirs. There is no malicious intent, and the spell can be easily disrupted, as William likes. William leaves that spell undisturbed for now. It might be useful to feed them false information sometime in the near future, and this would be an easy way to do it. One other spell of note William found,or the afterglow of same, is not from the Omphalos or Shannon. It's the remnants of a teleport spell, a couple of hours old. He wouldn't have spotted it without the careful attention to detail, its degraded so much at this point. The magic is Brieanne's. Now that's interesting. William shuffles through his trumps. He briefly pauses on Aunt Fiona's trump, then goes past it to find Shannon's. He concentrates on his cousin's face, willing the card to life. Shannon answers the trump after a few moment's hesitation. She's stopped in a hallway, walking along with her mother. "News, cousin?" she asks. "I'm nearly done, here." "My apologies for disturbing you," Williams says with a nod of his head. "But I have returned to the Alcazar and have come across the remnants of a teleport spell of our dear faux-Bri. I did not want to poke at it but I thought that if you wished to see it I should inform you before it has degraded any further." Shannon nods, and briefly explains to her mother. "I think we are done. Keeping track of what this entity is doing is the clear priority." Fiona says to Shannon. "And remember what I told you." Fiona continues walking, as Shannon remains behind. "Bring me through." she bids William. Once through. Shannon goes to action immediately. Her expenditure of magical energy is relatively minimal, but William can feel it, in the same way that a ceiling fan provides an indistinct but steady stirring of the air. A servant comes by, looks at the two, and then heads in a completely different direction. "It appears she headed to the Capital of Begma with this spell." Shannon announces. "Following, indistinctly, a magical trace, possibly tied to the Omphalos or some other spellwork at play here." Shannon pauses, nibbling her lip. "She took two individuals with her. if she hadn't, the spell might have been too far gone to have seen. Still, cousin, good work in spotting it." she says. "Have you or your mother any thoughts yet on what she is?" William asks. "She was a great deal of help against the Omphalos and my instincts are that she is an ally, at least for the time being. She doesn't feel like a Chaosian shapeshifter and she's certainly more powerful than a Pattern ghost has any right to be." Shannon nods and finds a chair in the room to sit down. She looks up at her cousin. "Mother and I have a couple of theories, some more outlandish than the last. Pattern Ghost was our default assumption, except Pattern Ghosts typically do not act in an arcane capacity. You see the Pattern use Ghosts of Eric, Deirdre, Caine and Benedict far more often than a Ghost of my brother, or me. "Oh, I may have revealed something untoward." she says, innocently with a smile. She then continues. "I long since eliminated Chaosian as a possibility. She would have reeked of Chaos the moment she started using magic, even if she were under deep cover, shifted. Also consider that she doesn't quite act the way one expects, and seems to have." she regards William "an asymmetrical affection for you. As if she expects you to be more than you are." "We currently think she's like Valerian, an unexpected visitor to our realm. We DID have a contretemps on the Dream plane, remember. Perhaps an alternate Brieanne, flesh and blood, wound up here. Her goals will likely be to return to her realm, she can't possibly have not realized she is not home now. That would explain her interest in the Omphalos." "And we think we know who her magical tutor was, in this alternate universe." Shannon says to William. "You're not going to like the answer, and you may have guessed it already." "I do not understand." Isabel says. "Who could it be?" "Brand" Shannon says simply. William nods. "That fits," he says. "But if she is from another universe then so is her mentor. And he may well not have gone insane as our uncle did." "Indeed" Shannon replies. She then puts a hand on William's shoulder, an impromptu mental contact. "Mother, and Brother are going to hate me for this." Shannon says. "But Walls have Ears, and Isabei could be compromised by the Omphalos, or made to talk by this alternate Brieanne." she sends quickly. Like the guns of the shadow he has spent so much time in, her thoughts fire off rapidly. "If she determines Brand is being held by Mother, and he currently IS, I wasn't certain if you knew that, she may move to free him. It would be even worse if she doesn't realize that he's mad and dangerous. It would be worse than unleashing a Greater Dragon. He'll smash her, and get back to his old tricks." "We need to get her out of our universe, or point her at a target and away from Brand. Something funny is up. Pieces of the Castle that never was have briefly appeared, more than the Hall of Mirrors. I'll bet its the same phenomenon related to Brieanne's arrival here." "She's bound to you." Shannon adds. "She's going to come back for you. You are important in her universe. If you defy her expectations too badly, there will be backlash. Beware." Shannon releases the contact. Only a couple of moments have passed. "I'll talk with her," William says, giving no outward reaction to the mental communication. "I'm sure she'll realize that the Omphalos are as much a threat to her universe as ours." "Good" Shannon says. "I've tipped my hand too much with her, she doesn't trust me." Shannon pauses a beat. "And shouldn't." "Now..." she gestures back at the room. "We can wait for her to return, or we can try to hop behind her, see what she's up to." William chuckles. "Our diplomats are waiting to tell us many important things in the Orange Room. We should give them a chance to do so." Shannon's expression is school, perfectly pleasant, and of course, innocent. She hesitates only a fraction of a moment and then speaks. "Well, yes, of course. It would be unkind to entirely leave the diplomats out of the loop, and to learn what they have done. The pride in their work should be rewarded and encouraged, since without their good grace, we might not even be here under official auspices." "And" she adds with a smile. "What they have to tell us may even be useful." She pauses a beat. "Shall we?" William offers his cousin his arm with a bow. "Let us," he says. Taking her arm, he heads for the meeting with the diplomats. A half hour later, William and Shannon have arrived at the Orange Room, had their ears talked off by Adam Henry and company. The first two thirds of the experience is complaint and borderline whining about the "lack of devotion" to the diplomatic mission on part of the Princes, and a request that William be more active in the well being and health of the mission, and of their diplomatic partner, Begma. William offers a few suggestions of ways he might aid them, mainly consisting of hunting parties, organizing amusements such as scavenger hunts and obstacle course races through city streets, and escorting the daughters of various important officials to a variety of functions. "We did find out something alarming, however." Naomi says, ending the tangle of conversation around noble daughters and society functions that William has brought up. "And not the fact that there has been disruption in the Alcazar, either, by the Princess Brieanne" "That notorious renegade Dalt has been spotted up around the capital, Tyin." she continues. "The Mayor's staff here are really only worried if he actually shows up down here, and has written off the problem until and unless that happens." "Since we are headed to the Capital once we are done here, Prince and Princess." Adam puts in. "It bears watching. We know..." he looks at William and Shannon "that he has a particular long standing grudge against the Amber Royal Family. I've heard that has mellowed somewhat, but I don't trust him or his lion-rending-unicorn bannered forces." "Dalt." William's face grows thoughtful. "Supposed to be quite the fighter. I wouldn't mind crossing swords with him..." "And who is your new retainer, anyway, Milord Prince?" Henry stares openly at Isabei. "Menuis?" Isabei gives a nod of the head but does not speak. "No, he's not Menuis. Not the whole if it, that is." William shakes his head. "Really, Henry, you have an inflated sense of my family if you think we can embody and entire realm into a single person and take them for a retainer." He looks pensive. "Aunt Fiona, maybe. But not anyone else. I don't think..." "I meant his origins." Adam says, shaking his head. He looks at Isabei. "I do have ancestry there, sir." he says. "Thought so." Adam says contentedly. "Now, I understand that the Mayor has been feeling better as of late, and we've actually gotten to talk to him." he says to William. "Our Embassy here does not have to last that much longer, I think, and we can proceed upriver to meet with the Prime Minister next." "There is still the matter of your royal cousin." Naomi says. "And this matter of Dalt, of course." Virgil Ryder puts in. "You can guarantee our safety, can you not, Prince William?" "You make it sound like Dalt is a pirate of some kind." Shannon says. "He does have a reputation." Silas wrings his hands. "A dark reputation." "Pirate?" William muses, staring into space. "No, pirate is the wrong word. Brigand, perhaps. Brilliantly bloodthirsty amoral mercenary general. Who hates Amber and all who serve her. Crucifying her ambassadors is just the sort of thing that dances in his dreams and makes him smile in his sleep." "Exactly my point, milord Prince." Adam Henry says, with a bout of enthusiasm. "A notorious renegade who is the son of an impious renegade. I would not be surprised if he was as impious and heretical as his mother in terms of matters of the faith..." "Perhaps, Adam" Naomi suggests. "We might limit ourselves to the matter at hand?" She looks at William and Shannon. "Forgive our senior leader. It turns out one of the Unicorn shrines Deela the Desercatrix destroyed was sponsored by Ser Henry's family. The point is well taken, though. You can both protect us for your journey to the Capital?" William nods. "Don't get separated, and let's be sure you travel with a small military escort to protect you from any kidnap attempts." He shrugs. "Just shift from standard protocal on travelling in a allied realm to that of travelling in a potentially hostile one, and you should all be fine." He briefly considers mentioning the fact that he or Shannon, or both, might be called away on a moment's notice for Benedict's war, then dismisses the notion. If the king wants anyone in the diplomatic party alerted to that fact he has his own ways of getting that information to them, and William is still not convinced that everyone in the party is completely trustworthy. "You travel with a military escort." Virgil says. "Do you not mean 'we', milord Prince. Are you not coming with us to see the Prime Minister?" "Do not be petty, Virgil." Naomi says. "I am sure that the Prince and Princess have business of their own that they may or need to attend to." "Let's not forget, Virgil, that I may be a fop and a wastrel, but I am a Prince of Amber," William allows a little steel to enter his voice. "Remember Triton before you presume." Virgil does let his smirk fall and sober up, as do the rest of the diplomats. "We could travel up river in our ships. Surely one or both of you can use magic to make sure we can navigate the river all the way to the capital?" Virgil replies. He looks at William and Shannon. "Surely, a small feat for the likes of the two of you. Or perhaps Princess Brieanne?" Adam Henry puts a hand against his face, fingers on his temples. "I do not think that would be a wise use of the Admiral's resources. Or ours." Shannon looks to William. "Do you not agree, cousin?" "Unilaterally altering the waterways of a Golden Circle realm for our own convenience?" William asks in a dry voice. "I suppose that if our professional diplomats suggest that's the sort of thing that will help maintain our reputation with our allies, then who are we to question them?" "I think that my brother diplomat was suggesting an alteration to the ships." Absalom puts in, breaking his silence. "Rather than ruining the river." "As if that is an improvement, to anger the Prince Gerard?" Naomi says. "No, it isn't" Silas says nervously. A murmur from some of the more junior diplomats rises the volume in the room. Shannon looks innocent, and just slightly pleased by the diplomats squabbling and self-recriminations. Adam continues to hold his hand against his head. "Enough. We will travel overland from here to Tyin." He puts down his hand and is all professional as he looks at William. "We await your pleasure to depart, unless indeed you intend other business. We will ask the Mayor for escort, and cite the recent incidents as proof of their necessity." William nods and rises from his chair. "I have a few gambling debts to call due, and a lady to two to whom I must bid adieu. I shall also free up a company of marines from the ships to travel with us. We shall depart in three hours." "Three hours. Yes, milord Prince." Adam Henry replies. "We will be ready to depart." "Well, that was one way to extricate yourself from that lot." Shannon comments, once distance from the room makes the chance of being overheard minimal at best. "Reinforcing the dissolute Prince bit, just after putting the fear of the Unicorn into them with a not so subtle swordthrust. I am almost curious just what is going on in their heads, what they think of it all." "Closed minded talkers." Isabei says. "Their presence with you is some sort of punishment by King Random on you?" he asks. "No, no, William is a babysitter." Kiathas says, as he and Valric round a corner to meet the group in the hallway. "Nothing more, nothing less." Valric speaks up. "Brieanne's handiwork is all shot through this Castle. Half the guard wants to arrest her, the stupid half. The other half and a fair chunk of the servants are scared to death of her. She brought a tailor in, got herself some new outfits, and ruffled some feathers along the way. There's rumors she turned someone into a newt. I think they are rumors, anyhow." "Other than that, things are relatively quiet from a social end." Kiathas says. "No idea what Devaine's got." "Let us find her and the Lord Mayor," William says and fits his actions to his words. The Lord Mayor, as it emerges, is in his offices. neat piles of paper on his desk. A modern pen, rather than a quill and ink is in his hand as he is writing and studying something. Sitting not too far away, sipping a cup of tea, is Devaine. "Guillaume." she says pleasantly, as the Lord Mayor's distraction and work interrupted only by an acknowledgement and a nod to William, Shannon and his companions and hireling. "At the Mayor's behest, I've been monitoring him as he goes about his regular business, passively checking him for unexpected activity or monitoring. There are a couple of spells hanging around this Castle, leftovers from our Omphalos-allied friends." she says. "The other wizard, too." The Mayor, also looking far healthier than the last time William saw him. "Tell him of that." "Right." Devaine says. "There's a wizard, or witch, not sure how they do it here. Someone has been spying on the Mayor every so often, from somewhere up country. He's clever, using insects as his foci. Very low level stuff, though. A bit sloppy, too." Shannon nods and William feels a small use of power from her. "Nothing is here at present. I see your work." She smiles at Devaine. "Stamped one out, did you?" "She did." The Lord Mayor says. He turns to William "I suppose, Prince, I should be relieved that I'm being spied on and not ensorcelled?" William nods and takes a chair. "You've been given a full report of what we found and did last night?" he asks the Mayor. The Mayor nods, his countenance turning grim. "Any questions or thoughts that you would like to share regarding what has happened?" "Rather obvious, isn't it?" The Lord Mayor says. "This damnable enemy suborns two nobles of Begma, who proceed to keep me weak and ineffectual while they build up their power base in the country. If you and your diplomats had not come through...I suspect the next step would have been actual agents of this foreign power walking through the realm." "Now that the spells are off." he continues. "My memories of the actual ensorcelment are clearer. I should have the both of them killed, but I understand you dealt with one...and the other, if I understand properly, is now the captive of your third companion." "I do not see her here, though." The Mayor says. "Although I felt her touch, as I did the Princess Shannon's, in relieving the spellwork about me." He looks at her. "A lot of the relief of the sorcery is like a dream, even as the descent becomes clear." "It will likely stay that way." Shannon says. "A side effect." she turns toward William "of the spellwork both I and she used." Her voice is polite, with no trace of overt malice or dislike. "Theoretically." the Mayor continues. "That estate is now forfeit, and the heirs, if there are any, could go hang. Its yours, Prince, if you want it." "Accepted," William says immediately. "It will make an excellent country seat when I want to get away from Amber." He smiles at the Mayor. "And I think closer ties between Begma and the Royal Family would be an excellent idea." He waves a hand lazily. "Obviously I will not be taking possession immediately, but if you could go ahead and smooth over the paperwork I would be grateful." He stands. "For now, there are a few minor matters I must attend to. And then we are moving the diplomatic party on to the capital within the next few hours." "Which is where your paperwork will eventually be headed." The Mayor says. "Changes in noble holdings such as this get registered with the Prime Minister. Do not fear, Prince, he doesn't have the right to say no, unless it violates the safety of the Realm. As Lord Neil Kowal's former estate falls under Erkus' purview, its disposition is mine alone as Mayor." "It's good to be His Honor The Mayor." Valric observes. Kiathas snorts. "Clearly." Isabei says. "And if anything, putting a site of an incursion in your hands improves the safety of the Kingdom." the Mayor responds. "And so I wish you and yours." he waves a hand at Devaine, Kiathas, Valric and adds with a flourish for Shannon. "A safe and uneventful voyage upcountry." "Thank you, Lord Mayor." Shannon says, curtseying. Devaine raises and nods to William. "Ready when you are, Guilliaume." "Guilliaume, is this some noble title the Prince has in your country?" The Mayor asks Devaine. "No, no." she laughs and turns to make ready to follow William and his companions out. William bows to the Mayor, but does not clarify the matter of his name. "We are pleased we could be of service to you and Begma," he says. He leads his comrades out of the Mayor's office and once they are in the hallway he asks Devaine and Shannon, "Would you two be able to locate Brieanne? I should like to speak with her before we depart if it is possible." Shannon stops a moment, looks at Devaine, who looks back at her. "I can do it" Devaine says. "She'll recognize the signature, either way, and all things considered." "Let's not have her tempted to mischief." Shannon says. She stops and leans against a wall. "Especially if our worst fears are concerned." "She's not in the Castle." Devaine furrows her eyebrows. "A moment..." She closes her eyes. The spell goes out further, and intensifies, enough that William can feel it, the expanding spherical net of magic. "Got her. Moving north by northeast. Horseback, I'd judge, judging from the speed." "Well done." Valric moves to clap her on the back and just arrests his hand. "I can probably send a message to her." Devaine says. "She's not likely to injure me if I do." "Which is why we had you do this." Shannon says sweetly. "Just let her know that I would very much like to speak to her, if it is convenient and agreeable to her," Williams tells Devaine. He looks at Shannon. "Could you use Devaine's spell as a beacon to do a teleport?" he asks. "Wait a moment." Devaine says. William feels an increase in magical power. Devaine eyes widen, and she runs a hand across her forehead. "Brieanne has, um, enhanced the connection herself. She has full audio and visual connectivity .She can hear you." "Hello Brieanne." Devaine says. "William would like to talk to you." "Oh, I can use that connection easily." Shannon says. "Even more easily since Brieanne is putting much more power into it on her end." Shannon says. "Shall I proceed?" she asks William. William holds a hand up to Shannon, palm to her. "Bide," he says without turning to look at her. "Cousin Brieanne, I would speak with you," he gives Shannon a glance and a smile, then adds, "Privately. May I have Shannon transport me to your location? I am certain you can ensure our privacy once I am there." "Of course." Brieanne replied, temped to reach through to speak for herself. But Devaine would likely take that poorly, and as William was fond of the woman, Brieanne refrained. "I'll be waiting." She almost purred, and then severed the connection between them. Devaine gasps as the connection is severed. She doesn't quite sink to her knees, but she is pale and sweating. "Powerful mind." she says in a low voice. "I could feel it." "I suppose you do NOT want me to have a trace on your or anything sensible like that." Shannon says to William. "Just teleport you to where she is?" "Exactly so," William answers. Shannon frowns and crosses her arms. "For the record, this is a dumb action, cousin." "Going alone and unprotected is dangerous, Gulliaume" Valric says, as Kiathas moves to help Devaine. "What do you want us to do in the meantime?" "Leaping into a dangerous situation based solely on my personal judgment of the people involved?" William says. "That is certainly unlike me, isn't it?" He laughs. "Go ahead and prepare to leave with the diplomats. Shannon, could you make the arrangements for that company of marines I promised them?" He clasps arms with each of his three companions, and murmurs quietly to Devaine, "Are you all right?" "Nothing that Brieanne did on purpose." Devaine says. "Although she..." she shakes her head. "could have. Strong mind, whoever, whatever she really is." She looks up at William. "I'll be all right. It's already passing." Then he tells Isabei, "you were under Devaine's orders until I return." Farewells done he nods to Shannon. "Send me." And so, without further complaint and (to William's perception), no funny business, the room in the Alcazar dissolves, to be replaced with someplace else. (Continued in Brienne & William: A Meeting of Minds) |
