SquadronSupremeIndex "The docks approach." Devaine says. "Its difficult to tell in the dark, but the smell of the ocean is at its strongest now." And indeed, William's nose being at least as good as Devaine's, the stronger smell of salt precedes, the distinct change in the tempo of the horses that pull the carriage, as it swings out on the road right in front of the dark silhouettes of ships that lie in port. In short order, the carriage come up in front of the nimble Narcissus and the larger, imposing Peryton. Arcane lights burn brightly on both ships, and men scurry about on both ships. One of them leaps off a crate and bounds toward the spot where the carriage is already stopping. "Certes, if it isn't the remainder of our companions." Valric says. with a grin as he comes up to the carriage. In the background, Kiathas is struggling under the weight of a too-heavy-for him crate, much to the amusement of the longshoremen and sailors. William sighs. "What did he do now?" he asks Valric as he descends from the carriage and offers a hand to assist Devaine. Valric does not respond until William, and Devaine (with an assist from William) alight on the docks and have an opportunity to look around for a moment. "Kiathas just lost a little bet, that's all." Valric says, easily. "And so he is doing a larger share of the work..." Valric turns his head to watch Kiathas struggle. He is managing, but only just. "We are capable of actually doing work without causing a tempest in our wake." Valric continues. "Really?" Devaine says. "Is this a new leaf for the two of you?" Valric chuckles. "Perhaps. You will be happy to know, Guillaume." he continues "that your pet diplomats are already aboard and waiting. About all we were missing are the two of you, and your cousin." "They're safely aboard the Peryton, yes?" William asks easily. "Safe and snug." Valric says. "As snug as diplomats can be on a boat, I guess." "Ship!" Kiathas shouts, stopping his struggles enough to respond. This gets a cheer from the sailors. "Then I have urgent business on the Narcissus." He winks at Devaine, and walks up the gangplank, pausing long enough to give Kiathas a friendly pat and a hearty, "You're doing well, lad, keep up the good work," before moving past them. Devaine follows William, giving Kiathas a mildly pitying look. He stops just short of the ship and calls out, "Permission to come aboard!" It isn't quite a question. A voice, not the captain's, one of the mates, certainly, responds. "Permission granted!" A short brown haired man, mid 30's, with a scar running from his right eye in a loop to his right ear, comes forward toward William and Devaine. "Pleased to have you aboard, milord Prince." The man responds. "My name is Bassinger, first mate under Captain Metzger. Tobias over on the Peryton told me about you." Bassinger grins. "I thought you would be taller, milord." "Well met, Bassinger," William replies with an answering grin. "I shrink to merely mortal stature upon personal contact. Is the captain aboard?" Devaine laughs slightly. "Um, yes, milord Prince. Captain is aboard. No doubt the Captain would like to speak with you. Please follow me." In short order, Bassinger brings William and Devaine to the Captain's cabin. After a distinctive cadence on his knock, Bassinger opens the door for William and Devaine to enter. Inside, the white haired Captain Metzger stands up from the desk. A slight look of nervousness, is in his eyes as he sees William. "Good morning, milord Prince." he begins. "Your companions had intimated we might not see you before the sunrise. Although that is not far away now." William perches on the side of Metzger's desk, casually looking over whatever the captain was just working on. "A bit of family business to deal with, Captain," he responds. "But I managed to cut it short. I thought it best to by here a bit early, in case of any unforeseen problems or questions. I trust there have not been any?" "Any more than the usual problems that one finds up setting out on one of these journeys, no, milord Prince." Captain Metzger replies. "Oh, several of the wine barrels came aboard and were already spoilt. Some of the flour we received was rotten. These sorts of supply problems are common, milord." Captain Metzger regards William and Devaine. "I understand that much of the Royal family makes at least a brief turn in the armed forces. Is this your first time on one of Admiral Gerard's ships. Or, was it Admiral Caine then?" "I've sailed before," William answers easily. "And I've commanded vessels in far off foreign waters. But I'm primarily a landsman, and that's where most of my fighting has been done. You've been in the Navy a long time, I take it, Captain?" "Forty one years. Mostly in lower ranks, milord." Captain Metzger replies. Devaine whistles appreciatively. "You no doubt have heard that I am relatively new, and untried as a Captain." Metzger continues. "I'venever really had the desire to command my own ship. I was a navigator for a long time, milord Prince, and I jealously valued that position and role. I turned down the chance to be a Captain many, many times over the years." "What made you finally change your mind?" William inquires, a friendly smile on his face. William has had plenty of opportunity to see at this point that Metzger's work is mostly innocuous--a duty roster. Mostly hidden underneath it is what looks like a piece of correspondence, party unknown. "The Admiral helped change my mind." Metzger replies. "You know that we lost a lot of good ships, men, and worse, Captains not only in the War, but during his Highness; Regency. You were away at the War, of course, and perhaps only learned afterwards of some of what Amber faced and had to do after most of the Royal Family went to war in distant shadow." "Like what?" Devaine says. "Many of our Golden Circle allies needed help. Things out of shadow were around to be dealt with. Pirates. Ambitious potentates. Even a full fledged civil war in one or two shadows. The navy and the reserve army were kept busy." "Anyway, milord, about two years ago, the Admiral prevailed upon me to become a Captain. Even 15 years after the return of the new King, we're still short of officers. The Admiral told me that I was being selfish in remaining a navigator. And I did act as a brevet Captain once, he pointed out, during an engagement off of Tarentum in Shadow Antioch . Captain Seahaven died in a boarding action. I was the only officer of any rank to take over." "That storm, the weird things I've heard, this expedition itself, milord Prince, make me wonder if those sorts of days aren't here again." Captain Metzger adds to William. "I aim to prevent them," William replies. His tone is still bantering at first, but his eyes are steady as they meet Metzger's gaze, and the humour drops from his voice as he continues, "We have enemies who would bring back those days, and worse. I will do whatever is necessary to stop them before it reaches that point." "Yes, milord Prince." Metzger's tone is deadly serious and all business as well. "if you don't mind me being frank, milord, I didn't know, when his Highness came back King and all if he would stand up to his brother, or to his father." "I'm glad to see that his reign, and in particular this expedition, is proof to the contrary." "What was your father like, as King?" Devaine interjects, looking toward William. "Grandfather," William corrects. "He was...." he pauses, looking for the right words. "He was the lion in summer. Unmatched in his royalty, unswerving in his surety of his rightness, an unflinching protector of his people and his vassals, and unforgiving of disobedience or failure. A hard man, a cunning strategist, unmatched in politics, warfare, diplomacy, and deception. I do not believe we will see his like again." "Grandfather, right." Devaine says, a little chastened. She looks thoughtful. "The lion in summer." Captain Metzger says. "That is a good way to describe King Oberon, milord. He was love, and feared by the common people. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to be his child, or even his grandchild, in his Court." His eyes look at William, the unasked question clear in his gaze. "One learned duty," William says. His eyes meet Metzger's, and he continues. "Which is why I must ask you this question, Captain. Considering your long-standing reluctance to take the post of captain, and knowing now how important this mission is to peventing a return to those days of war, are you fit for the task? Consider that question well, Captain, for the future of Amber may hang upon it." Metzger looks at William with the same seriousness. William can sense there is no hesitation in his eyes, not on what he has decided anyway. His hesitation is in the expression of his thought. "Milord prince." he finally says. "When your mission was announced, after our first meeting the Admiral gathered us together to discuss that very matter. Both Captain Jalava and myself were questioned at length. In the end, the Admiral not only accepted me in this role, but desired me to do so. You will be sailing in waters of many worlds, waters that may prove at best unfamiliar, if not treacherous." "Admiral Gerard wanted me on this mission specifically to make sure that the two ships can find their ways through these waters. Not as a navigator who might be overruled, but as a Captain who has been a navigator. For the sake of the lives of yourself, Princess Shannon, your companions, and the rest of those we carry on both ships." "I have sworn to do so, and I swear that I will. My lord." He stands and in a smooth motion, he bows. William nods, then reaches out and clasps Metzger on the shoulder. "And I shall heed your wisdom and training, Captain," he says. "You have set my mind at ease." Captain Metzger gives a nod and relaxes visibly. He sits down. He smiles, then. "Now, on to other matters. The diplomatic arm of our mission has settled in on our sister ship, I take it? Have you anything to report regarding them?" He glances at Devaine, and his smile turns mischievous. "As part of my 'careless young noble' reputation, I shall refrain from visiting with them before we depart, unless there is something pressing. Let them take it as a sign of indolence." "They very well may do so, milord." Captain Metzger says. "If I beg your pardon on speaking so plainly." "Now, the members of the Family that do diplomatic work--Prince Gerard's boy Pollux. Princess Asteria, your sister. Your mother the Princess Flora. I can understand them, milord Prince William." "This set of diplomats. I suppose they know their business well enough, or else his Majesty would not have chosen them. I imagine that they have to be able to navigate foreign courts..." Captain Metzger waves his hand and changes his voice to an exasperated hiss. "But for the life of me, milord, they are a bunch of arrogant popinjays. Noble born, nearly every one of them, and you would think they were the Royals on the expedition. If I could make it so, I would pray every night that Princess Shannon would turn the lot of them into toads and let them croak their displeasure." Devaine changes her giggle to a more lady-lake laugh. William laughs as well. "I know quite well what you mean, Captain," he agrees. "Arrogance, and a surety that they know better than anyone else what should be done in every situation, seem to be an integral part of the diplomatic makeup. Ignore them as best you can, and amuse yourself by imagining them turned loose upon the courtiers of every place we visit. If they do aught to interfere with the running of either ship let me know." William briefly considers informing Metzger that a few of those popinjays are actually fairly deadly spies playing the part, then decides the Captain would be better off not knowing that fact. "You know best on those matters, milord Prince." Captain Metzger says. "Aside from the docks area, I don't expect to see much of any of the ports that we are going to visit." "Other than that, Captain, is there aught I should know? Do you know if the Admiral will be stopping by before we leave? And have you and Captain Jalava any plans to meet again before we depart on the morning tide?" "Nay, Captain Jalava and I have no plans to meet ere the morning tide." Captain Metzger says. "It will give us good practice using flag communication." "The Admiral does traditionally make a visit prior to launch." Metzger continues "And so I expect that he will visit before we do so, milord." "Speaking of the Admiral and communication...I have heard rumor, though, milord Prince." Captain Metzger says "That his newest son is one of those who draw Trumps, and that he can draw trumps of people who aren't family. I also heard the Admiral was thinking of giving the Captains trump decks with his highness, and the other captains as well." "Prince Hadrian?"" William asks. "I do not know him well. Trump decks for captains, eh? An intriguing notion. I can think of many excellent reasons why it should be done, and a few excellent reasons why it should not. I haven't heard anything official on it, however, so I can neither confirm the rumor, nor put it to rest." Captain Metzger accepts this and nods. "Thank you, milord Prince." William slips off the captain's desk. "But I have kept you from your duties long enough, Captain. The night before a voyage is not the night for a prince to keep a captain from his work. Have a sailor show us to our cabins, and we shall endeavour to stay out of your way until the Admiral arrives." "Thank you, milord Prince." Captain Metzger rises from his seat, and bows his head to William and Devaine. "Until the morning." he says. He walks to the door, and opens it, poking his head out. He shouts into the night air. "Torren! Come and show Prince William where the Royal contingent will be staying." A short bald man, not quite 5 feet in height, comes to the door. "Please follow me, milord Prince William." he says, bobbing his head to William. "Princess Shannon?" he says, looking at Devaine. "No..." Devaine says, surprised, blinking her eyes. "Princess Shannon has not yet joined us, Torren," William says. "This is the Lady Devaine. Do you know if the Lords Valric and Kiathas have yet come aboard, or are they still involved with loading?" "My apologies. I've only met the Admiral the once, and his two sons." Torren replies. "I just thought that any highborn lady with you, sir, had to be the Princess." Devaine preens slightly at the highborn comment. "As far as Valric and Kiathas, sir" Torren continues, leading William and Devaine toward the front of the ship "They are on board, below decks. I believe they are playing at Liar's Dice with some of the crew." "I think" Devaine says "Our bet might be more complicated to adjudicate, Guil...William" "None of that, now," William says with mock severity. "We wagered upon what we would find when we arrived. I am not so mad as to have wagered that they would stay out of trouble for any length of time." Devaine pouts slightly, but William is certain that it is mostly an act, if not completely so. After a moment more, she nods. "Yes, you are right. Changing the terms of our wager would be most unsporting." "And here we are, milord Prince and lady." Torren says, stopping at a set of four small doors with a porthole window next to each of them. "There is a full cabin for the Prince and the Princess, a smaller cabin for you, lady, and a cabin to be shared between your two men." "Thank you, Torren," William says. He opens each of the doors in turn and looks in. The quarters are not especially large, but they are well appointed. Save for the two beds in the quarters for Kiathas and Valric, each consists of a bed, storage trunk, table, chair, closet, and a second porthole, looking out to the sea. The differences between Devaine and Shannon's quarters, aside from the size, are subtle but noticeable to the eye of the son of Flora--Shannon's quarters have a hint of more finery and quality to the furnishings. "These will do splendidly. You may return to your duties." Torren bows and heads off at a good clip back toward the middle of the ship. Once the man departs William turns to Devaine, "Shall we see that all our gear has been stored, and then hunt down our companions?" Devaine nods, and steps inside of her quarters. Opening the closet reveals what must be her personal effects. With satisfaction, she turns to regard William. "I suppose the more generic items, as well as our companions, will be in the hold, yes?" "They should be," William answers, opening the closet and trunk in his own cabin and checking to see that everything is there. "If there's aught that you cannot bear to be without, we should check to be certain. But, in pure truth, once we leave Amber it is merely convenience to have any of those items already at hand, not necessity. If we need them, I can find them for us." William's trunk proves to have all of the personal effects he has packed on the journey. There is an additional item, however, one that smells of her mother's or perhaps his sister's handiwork: an elegant handmirror, done in silver with a geometric sort of pattern to the silver. He comes back into the corridor and leans against a wall, watching her. "That is one of the talents of my Family, you see." Devaine furrows her eyebrows in thought. "You can find things left behind. So, for example, if I had forgotten a container of Sixspice from home, you could walk down a road in a completely different place, and just find it sitting on a stump in the middle of nowhere? You, or Princess Shannon, or any of your family could do that?" William nods. "Exactly so. Would it be the same container, or merely one so similar that you could not tell the difference? That's a philosophical question, that my family for the most part prefers to ignore as unimportant. We are a practical folk, and results matter to us more than underlying reasons." He smiles. "Aunt Fiona is among those who think differently, and is equally concerned with both results and explanations." "Your answer" Devaine says. "Poses even more questions than it answers, Guilliaume." Her tone is a mock confrontational tone. "For instance, let's take that scenario we posit one step further. Suppose I leave the container of Sixspice in my quarters in the Castle, and you find it for me on the tree trunk. All well and good. Now...suppose we go back to Castle Amber." "Is my container still there when I get back, and I now, in effect, have two containers of Sixspice? Or does it disappear, say, when I enter Amber and I only have the one you found on the tree trunk? Or did it disappear when you found it on the tree trunk?" William chuckles. "It depends on my frame of mind. Was I looking for a shadow of your container, another one exactly like it? In that case, the original is still there. Or was I consciously seeking the exact same container, determined that it not be a shadow, but be the same one? If that is what I was seeking, then the original will not be there. That latter is somewhat more difficult, however, and seldom necessary." His smile grows wider. "Of course, even if I was not deliberately seeking the same one, probability will often conspire so that when we return you will find that a thoughtless page threw your container away, and it is now nowhere to be found." Devaine thinks about this for a few moments. She glances back at the rooms, looks in the direction of the cargo hold, and then a light comes in her eyes. "I see. The world would conspire to have only one example of that item. And in effect, your manipulations of reality could bring that one example to you, although it would be an unlikely application of your power." Devaine says. "What about people? Or people who have this Pattern, like you do? If you walked into shadow, and sought, say me, would I find myself in Shadow Icarium by some chance, where you are? Or a copy of me?" "Ah, now you get to the point that causes mages and philosophers to go mad when they think of my family." William laughs. "There are thousands of Devaines, each of them almost like you, but none of them are the you I know and care for. If I was seeking some person I did not know well, say a barmaid I had met once and recalled fondly, but without deep knowledge, then any close example would be sufficient. But if I sought you, then only you would do. But you would not find yourself suddenly whisked away from where you were, to where I would find you. No, instead, I would come across you quite naturally in my search for you, and even though I had only recently decided to seek you, yet your past would have conspired to have you in the place where I would find you. Now, does this mean that my family can alter reality retroactively, reaching into the past and altering it to match our current desires? Or does it mean that when we seek something we unconsciously go to where it is, rather than having it move to where we are seeking it." He shrugs. "And here, perhaps, you see why I tend to not bother thinking too deeply on the wherefores, and concentrate more on the practicalities?" Devaine considers this for a moment, and then nods. "I can see being a scion of Reality is far more complicated notion than I had expected. I am somewhat intrigued, and scandalized, at the notion that your own conscious desire would mold things so that the natural progression of events would bring us together." "I can see why people like Princess Fiona find such esoterica an endless hall of mirrors to become lost in." she adds. "And if you think that is complicated," William says, "You should hear some of the speculations on what our unconscious desires do to the shape of the multiverse." His grin grows even wider. "But enough teleological sophistry. Let's return to the practical matters of finding out what trouble our friends are getting themselves into, and joining in." "Exactly what was on my mind" Devaine says with a grin. "I will table discussion of the idea of you unconsciously making me come to that agreement with you, and instead concur that we should see what trouble Kiathas and Valric have managed to get themselves into." Without difficulty, Devaine on his arm, William finds the gambling sailors in the hold of the ship, a group gathered around a table with several chairs. Valric and Kiathas are seated at the table, with several others. What is most notable about them is that both of them appear to have lost their shirt--literally as it so happens. Both of them are stripped to the waist as they hold a hand over a wooden cup. Valric peeks timidly at the dice underneath his cup, again and again, as if that might change the result. Kiathas is somewhat more dignified, but he still glowers at their two common opponents. Neither is paying attention to anything but the tableau of the game in front of them. "Three sixes" One of the sailors says. "Four Twos" Kiathas bids confidently. "Five Sixes" Valric says "LIAR!" One of the other sailors says. The dice under the cups are revealed...and William can see that there are only four sixes amongst the dice. "Ha ha!" the sailor laughs. "You lose again. What will you sacrifice this time?" Valric looks sheepish. "Let's not shock the lady, lads," William says drily as he and Devaine step into the lantern light brightening the area around the table. "William! Devaine!" Valric says. He turns and looks eagerly at the two of them. "Surely, you would be able to spare a few coins to keep me from losing more clothes?" "And, perhaps" Kiathas says sheepishly "the loan of a few more to at least get our clothes back?" "Clothes or coins, it matters no, s'long as 'm paid" the laughing sailor says. William smiles. "Ah, but loaning you coins would be doing you no favour. No, I am certain we can scrounge out some basic sailor's togs for you two. Not anything elegant, of course, perhaps the castoffs of these two lads who have won your garb. Consider it a lesson on gambling with strangers at a game you don't know very well." He shakes his head and sighs. "I thought you both knew better than that." "It's not our fault!" Valric exclaims. "It most certainly is not. We were told that sharing some grog and playing some Liar's Poker" Kiathas. "Dice" Valric corrects.. "Dice" Kiathas says. "Playing Liar's dice would be social and help us integrate with the crew. We couldn't refuse." "Admittedly" Valric says "In retrospect, though. Kiathas, I think we went wrong when we lost all of our coins." "Bah!" Kiathas says "This is a simple game. We should have been the kings of the table. Instead, we're the Prince's dregs" "Yur Highness" the sailor says to William. "It would not do for the prince's men to be poorly garbed, especially once we reach foreign ports.I think in the interest of finding favor with your lordship, we will return your men's clothing, with the understanding that a small lien on such wages as you pay them will eventually go to us" "We get a w..." Kiathas begins before Valric elbows him. Devaine snickers. "Well said," William says to the sailor with a smile and a clasp on the shoulder. "You will not be the poorer for this, I assure you..." he lets his voice trail off, waiting for the man to give his name. "My family's name is Doyle" The sailor replies. "Most people just call me "Gully" "That's when they don't just say 'Hey you'?" the other sailor at the table says. Reluctantly, he starts handing back clothes to Kiathas and Valric, much to Devaine's amusement. The first sailor rises and looks at his hand, and looks at William. He starts to offer his hand, and then reconsiders it, withdrawing it. Instead, he bobs his head, hand on his chest. "Its a pleasure doin' business with you, your Highness." "And with you, Gully," William responds. He grins. "We shall have to meet over card once the ship is under way." He offers his arm to Devaine, "Come along, you two reprobates," he says. He winks at Devaine as the two of them start out of the hold while their companions are still struggling to get dressed. It takes a couple of minutes for Kiathas and Valric to finish re-dressing, and catch up to William and Devaine. In the meantime, Devaine has let loose with a torrent of laughs and amusement at the fate of her two counterparts. "I suppose the two of us will have to thank you now." Valric says, once they draw alongside the two of them. "And I suppose Kiathas and I are regretful for this situation occurring." "Yes" Kiathas says. "On the other hand..." he grins. "It worked. It was harder than I thought, though." "What worked?" Devaine says. "You don't think that *I* lost so badly except on purpose, do you?" Kiathas says to William and Devaine. William chuckles quietly. "Well done," he says as they make their way back up to the deck. "You've made friends, established yourselves as regular fellows, not at all stuck up, and begun a foundation of solidarity with the crew for the future. And all at the cost of only a few coins. I am impressed." "We DID teach you much of what we know, back home." Kiathas says. "I think that Devaine forgets just some of the things we got up to." "Perhaps" Devaine admits. "The advantage to being in a new world is that the same gambits are fresh and new, here." Valric says. "And I have to give credit to Kiathas for the idea." Kiathas bobs his head. Valric looks to William and Devaine. "So how was your visit to the Castle for whatever you got up to with that demon?" William shrugs. "It quickly turned into a matter of sorcery. Do you really want to hear about that?" "It's a bit like watching the spill of a horse drawn cart in the market." Valric says. "It is something you shouldn't watch, or stare at, but it is sometimes irresistible to do so nevertheless." "Speak for yourself." Kiathas says. "The less we know about the sort of sorcery that William and his cousin the Princess do, the healthier and better off we will be." "And what about me?" Devaine says. "You and your magic does not count." Kiathas says."It is not nearly as frightening." "Pah." Valric says. "Let us leave the matter of the sorcery, then. We are soon to be underway, after a short sleep, aren't we, Guillaume?" "You three should get some sleep, yes," William answers. "I shall stay awake for the rest of the night, just in case any last minute messages come from the castle, or any enemies choose to show themselves before we depart. I will awaken you at dawn, and we shall leave on the morning tide soon after." Devaine, with a hard look in her eye, makes ready to protest. Valric and Kiathas' faces suggest displeasure, too. He holds up a hand to forestall arguments. "You three all know from our campaigns together that I can go without sleep longer than you, when necessary. So do not gainsay me on this. It has been a busy day, and you shall need your heads about you once the voyage begins." "As will you" Devaine says. "I think we can agree that the three of us will get sleep tonight, but I think my boon companions will agree that you should make up your sleep debt at some point." She glances at Valric and Kiathas. "Right?" "As rain" Kiathas says. "You watch our back, and we watch yours, guillaume. After all, you wouldn't have taken us here otherwise." William nods his acceptance of the bargain. "To bed and sleep, and William's lonely vigil" Valric says. "For now, anyway." "Off with you, then," William says. "I shall walk the deck, breathing the air of Amber one last night before leaving her once again." "We are in accord, then."Devaine says. "A good vigil, Guillaume." Without any hesitation, both Valric and Kiathas nod in agreement. Valric and Kiathas then turn away. After a moment, and a smile, Devaine turns away toward her quarters as well. (And shall we move to the morning, or does William have any agenda?) (No specific agenda. He wants to get a feel for the ship and crew before they're underway, and he wants to be awake and available in case anyone arrives early, or anything happens before morning. If the night passes quietly, then by all means let's move on.) The night's vigil for William is quiet and uninteresting. The night watch sailors are a business minded lot, for one thing, and the nearby docks are relatively tame for a change. It is not until dawn's morning light and the rise of the tide that things begin to become interesting... And with that, we will start a new thread. Backlinks |
