TheStarsAndTheSeaThe Stars and the Sea
"I have it on second-hand authority she is now investigating something at the edges of Arden." Fiona continues "I would like to know more. I have found, however, I as myself am a poor choice for directly observing Brieanne's actions. Much like shadows where quantum mechanics hold sway, to make too close a measurement of Brieanne's speed or position is to invite change to the other." Kieran chuckles at this. "Aye, mother indicated much the same thing." Fiona suddenly glances in the direction of the door. "It appears that the Rebman envoy wishes to have a conversation. If you wouldn't mind getting the door for me, Kieran?" Fiona asks. "Unless she strenuously objects, you may remain." Kieran follows his grandmother's gaze. He stands and adjusts his clothing. "Of course, Grandmother." He walks over to the door and opens it. "Good day;" he says pleasantly. "Princess Fiona is expecting you. Please come in." He steps back from the doorway. The man appears to be a young, athletically built man standing about 5’ 10” tall and weighing around 175 lbs. He has a lightly tanned skin tone with eyes colored a deep blue. His hair is auburn in color, slightly curly, long and loosely braided. He wears a dark green shirt under a long, dark grey or faded black vest that covers his torso and upper thighs. Bracers made of a dark grey metal or composite material are worn on each forearm. Dark blue pants are tucked into black, knee high boots. A black belt with an electrum buckle is worn outside the vest with a dark green tartan sash underneath it. From the belt hang several pouches and a rod about a foot long made of a golden metal, with one end wrapped in black leather on his left side. The head of a golden headed hammer can just be seen over his right shoulder. The woman at the door had a lithe, athletic build and the perfect posture of a dancer. She was only a little shorter than the man she faced, lifting her chin at a slight angle to stare directly at him with dark green eyes. Glossy dark hair was swept loosely up, long lazy tendrils spiraling down artistically from decorative clips. The clips matched her necklace with its seemingly tarnished, indeterminate metal, garnished heavily with semiprecious stones, unpolished gems, an occasional gold nugget and a few odd charms. Exotic as the necklace was, it did not distract from the rest of her clothing. The shear shawl-like top had an opaque, decorative band across the middle that kept it from being indecent, but it left her shoulders and midriff completely bare. Likewise, the skirt was long, but equally light, with a scarf like mini skirt clinging to her hips so that nothing that shouldn't show did. "Thank you." She accepted the invitation politely, not at all surprised by his statement, but she remained where she was while she took a brief moment to examine him. Then she entered the room, her gaze sweeping the area for an instant before all of her attention focused on the Princess. Her slippered feet made no sound as she glided past, the tiny metal disks that decorated the skirt just around her hips fluttering with only a few faint notes to mark the movement. "It is not my intention to interrupt. If another time would be more convenient, I will be free this evening, and tomorrow morning." She was poised while she addressed Fiona, and where some might hold themselves in a submissive posture, the Rebman envoy held herself as an equal. Kieran shut the door behind the woman as she entered his grandmother's chambers; taking a moment or two in which to gaze at the woman. "I thought that this meeting might be educational. I do not consider that to be interrupting." Fiona says. "Kieran, this is Priya Luur, our temporary Ambassador from Rebma. Her father is the Court Sorcerer to Queen Moire." "Priya" Fiona continues. "This is my grandson, Kieran Douglas, recently arrived from Shadow." "If what you have to ask is not for my ears alone, you may stay and converse. And perhaps share tea." Fiona adds to Priya. " My grandson, however, in return may have questions." "An honor and pleasure to meet you, Ambassador Luur;" Kieran says while making a slight bow as a sign of respect to her position as an Ambassador. "Likewise." She returned the gesture, a bit of curiosity coloring her gaze as she turned to him. "Please, be seated." Kieran waits for both women to be seated before moving to take one for himself. "I do not come with matters of state, though I will have few answers to give and if he is in your confidence, I have no objections." She accepted the seat, giving Fiona a moment to resume hers. "I have come to ask for an opportunity to see the Pattern. Any escort will do, I only wish an unobstructed view, which can be had from the door way." "An unobstructed view of the Pattern." Fiona says. "I can see why you would come to ask me for such a boon rather than his Majesty, who might reject such a request out of hand. I am sure that, being part of the Rebman Court, you are well aware of the dangers of someone not of the blood of the Amber Royal Family stepping foot or even gazing too long upon the Pattern. Any of them." "I am going to break a rule of mine." Fiona adds "and ask you why you want such a boon, Ambassador." "I have no intention of stepping near it, much less on it." Priya replied with a wry smile, her attention briefly shifting from the Princess to her grandson, though her gaze studied the air around him, rather than landing on him directly. "Nor do I need stare at it over long, though I suspect I am better suited to the gamble than most who would attempt such foolery. Indeed, quite a bit can be learned simply from looking near something..." Her gaze settled, looking rather boldly straight at Kieran before she turned fully back to the Princess. "As for why... it's a simple thing really. Someone seems to be calling it and the echoes are disturbing my sleep." Kieran appeared to study Priya as she studied him. "Do you know who it is who seems to be calling it? If not, can you describe the person?" he asked with apparent interest. "I cannot. It is a sensation that there is someone calling, and then I can make nothing out past the Pattern itself and the rather disturbing impression that the Pattern is stirring in answer. My intention is to remove other interference from the castle and those in it. Direct impact may make things clearer, either immediately or tonight, and once I have more information decisions can be made and a course of action chosen." The Ambassador spoke in a matter of fact tone. Instead of alarm, she was simply taking care of business. Fiona keeps her expression schooled and private. She does respond, instead smiling as Kieran asks a question first... "Your pardon, but I find myself curious as to how you are sensitive to the Pattern, Ambassador?" Kieran asked calmly, but with an undertone of genuine curiosity. "I do not know." She did not shrug, but he could hear one in her tone. "There are members of this family with a great deal more Pattern related experience than I, who I would have expected to hear it before I would. Therefore, it is either something unrelated to that, though I do not have enough information to deduce what, or perhaps it has more to do with whomever might be calling it, but I have no idea who that might be." "A conversation." Fiona says. "You are saying that you have detected a conversation, a communication between the Pattern and someone." She considers Priya with green eyes for a few moments. "Since this is a most unusual situation, I suspect that it might be educational to allow you this request.Especially if we are witnesses." Fiona says. "I take it, Ambassador" she adds "you would not need much time for preparation?" Fiona smiles. Kieran regards Priya and Fiona in turn. "This conversation you overheard;" he begins. "Have you sensed this more than once? If so, how often have you heard them?" "Only last night, but with things of odd nature, involving items of this magnitude, appearing in heads where they do not belong, it did not seem prudent to wait," again there was a note in her voice to indicate a shrug, "and I would not call it a conversation. It is more of a calling, that I do not think has yet been answered." "As for preparation, I am nearly ready and the one item I wish to have with me I can retrieve on the way." Kieran nods his head. "I cannot disagree with your logic;" he says calmly. "Then, if we are in agreement;" he glances back and forth between his grandmother and the ambassador; "when you are ready, Ambassador, let us go." Priya turned and looked expectantly at Fiona, but did not rise until the other sorceress did. "I believe we are in accord." Fiona says, rising from her seat. She strides toward the door, opens the door, and turns to await Kieran and Priya to follow her. Kieran rose after the women did and waited to fall in step behind them. Priya rose with Fiona, taking the door to hold it open rather than assume that it was being held for her. In turn, she passed it to Kieran. In short order, Fiona is navigating corridors (and soon, staircases) of the Castle, leading Priya and Kieran a few steps ahead, as if expecting that to be a sufficient buffer to allow the two to converse, if at all, during the journey into the subterranean depths of the dungeons. The journey takes Priya and Kieran to at first familiar territory, into the first floor of the Castle. Servants, and even guards scatter at Fiona's approach, all with more than a dollop of politeness, from bows, to nodded heads, to murmured "Your Highness". Few seem intent on engaging Fiona in broad conversation; one courtier is dismissed with a few soft words en passant. "Ambassador;" Kieran begins; "May I call you Priya? Call me Kieran." "You may. Though I am more like to use titles. I find the formality comfortable until I can more safely say that I know someone." "Thank you, Priya;" Kieran replies. "I asked for permission to use the informal as the use of formal titles between us is - a bit problematic at the moment." He shrugs his shoulders. "I have only this morning arrived in Amber and have not yet been to see the King and recognized as a member of the Family and Court. Thus, I'm not sure of what title to use when speaking to me." He frowns in thought. "Nor, for that matter, am I sure what title I might be given when recognized by the King." He looks forward to his grandmother. "Grandmother?" he asks. "A valid question." Fiona says. "The child of the Monarch in Amber is titled Royal Prince or Princess. Thus, myself, and my siblings, what my son and others familiarly call the Elders are all entitled to use the term Royal Princess or Prince." "Martin eschews the title even if he is entitled to it." Fiona continues. "Noys would be eligible to use the title, although she only does so in the most formal of situations." "Children of a Royal Prince or Princess, Kieran, are styled Prince or Princess without the Royal appelation. Your mother and father and their cousins." "Children of those Princesses and Princes--like yourself, Kieran..." Fiona pauses in her explanation. "You are among the first of your generation. I don't think that his Majesty has considered the problem as yet. It is a fair question." "In many realms it would be Duke, or Grand Duke, but in others that is specifically tied to the land. It will be interesting to see what the King decides." "Many possibilities;" Kieran replies. "Do the Princes and Princesses, Royal or not, have lands to go with their titles?" "In Name only." Fiona says. [Priya] made only one brief, requested stop at her quarters, leaving the Princess and her grandson in the outer room while she went into her bedroom. She was gone only seconds, the item in question clearly out where it was easily obtained. It was a short staff with a heavy ruby at it's top, though the Ambassador held the it upside down at the moment. The ruby half hidden in her hand, the staff tucked up the length of her arm. When the journey resumed she took note of those they passed, watching. Evaluating. Her demeanor was polite, but reserved and she seemed at ease with the attention Fiona garnered. Like titles, the shadow of someone 'brighter' being more comfortable than the spotlight itself. The journey does continue without incident or issue, as Fiona leads Kieran and Priya to a fateful door, and a descending spiral staircase that feels and seems as if it is bored down to the center of the Earth. While it is not so deep as that, it is an extremely long staircase. Fiona gives a thoughtful glance past Kieran, and Dagny, up the stair, once they reach the base. Past several guards and even more corridors, Fiona leads Kieran and Priya to a deserted corridor. A large bound and locked door is Fiona's destination, with an empty peg mounted next to the door. "This is the last chance" Fiona says, producing a key from somewhere. "for you to change your mind, Priya." "There is no need. A few moments of exposure in an attempt to glean a clear hearing are worth the risks. The experience may be unpleasant, but it is unlikely to do serious damage. Even if it rendered me instantly senseless, the fall to the ground would do minimal harm, and I rather expect that it will not be nothing so dramatic." "It would take some effort on your part for that to occur." Fiona says, giving a brief glance to Kieran as she does so. Fiona returns her attention to the door. Kieran shrugs his shoulders by way of reply. Opening the door reveals a large cavern. The cavern is mostly taken up by a spiral shaped design of lines, pulsing with energy. Also here is someone regarding the design from a point not far away from the door. As Fiona steps into the room, he turns. His hair is black, and is light of build. He is wearing maroon and brown. "Hello" the young man says, turning to regard Fiona, Kieran and Priya. Fiona clasps her hands together and bows her head. "Hello, nephew." She then turns to Priya and Kieran. "Kieran, this is Prince Minh. Minh, this is my grandson, Kieran, and the Ambassador pro tem from Rebma, Priya Luur." Minh bows twice, once for Kieran and once for Priya, angling his bows and body to face each of them for their respective gesture. "It is a pleasure to meet you both." Behind him, the blue lines of the Pattern ebb and flow, pulsing in their light. Minh is played in the movie by Andy Lau Kieran gazes at the Pattern as he enters the room. It's only towards the end of his grandmother's introductions that he registers the presence of someone else in the chamber. He returns Minh's bow with one of his own. "Likewise;" he replies looking at Minh for the first time. Priya returned Minh's gesture politely, but silently, green eyes narrowing slightly as she studied him. Her gaze touched his hands as they scanned and then she turned away, taking a set of very short steps to reposition herself out of the path to the doorway without moving more than a stride from the door. "Are there many keys?" She asked Fiona, having noted the empty peg. "Though I am sure there are any number of reasons for changing security in regards to the Pattern, it does seem uniquely qualified to tend to itself in most situations." She listened for Fiona's reply, but her gaze now turned to the Pattern itself. Her focus calling up the details of her dream. The impressions she had tried to hold onto. She did not reach out, for now she waited to hear echoes, trying to listen deeper than what was normally apparent. "There is but one key" Fiona says. She looks at Minh "You should take care that your wards are strong." Minh reaches into his shirt, and looks slightly alarmed. His face returns to imperturbability once Fiona hands him the key. "It is difficult" Minh replies "to maintain wards in the presence of the Pattern. However I find it comforting to come here and meditate upon its lines, the design that forged the world. Your brother taught me how to do so." he says to Fiona. He turns to Kieran. "Have you come to walk the Pattern now? I can think of few equal and none better to guide you through a Patternwalk." He turns to Priya. "And you have come to witness?" Kieran shakes his head. "No, not yet;" he shrugs his shoulders. "I have not seen the King and officially been acknowledged as a member of the Family. I've come but to observe." "The Pattern?" Minh says. "I thought naught but I would be interested in meditating upon the Pattern." Priya shook her head in time with Kieran's reply. There would be nothing to witness, even if she were the appropriate person to do so. Instead her attention returned to the Pattern, her gaze slightly to the side, not quite staring at it, her head tilted to listen closely. After a moment she shifted, taking three small steps in a path that ran at an angle that would eventually pass the Pattern but would never intersect with the spiral. She paused again, deep in thought and frowning. "I hear it, but it is coming from too far away...." Her voice was low as she addressed Fiona. "The reflections are not useful for divining the nature of what I sense." She stood straighter with a sigh, still not quite looking at the Pattern, though she faced it more directly now. "I could hear all it had to say if I were closer to the source, but I have assurance that my dream was much more than a simple artifact of the mind and something worthy of investigation." There was nothing more to do from this vantage point and she noticeably relaxed. "You continue to intrigue me with this tale, Priya." Fiona says, thoughtfully. "The story of the Pattern of which you are speaking is not a secret, but it is not widely disseminated either." Her green eyes look over Priya for a moment, and then cast over Kieran and Minh. Thoughtfulness crosses her face. "I had intended for Kieran's initiation to wait until he had prepared himself. Perhaps an alteration of that schedule of initiation" Fiona makes the c in the word silent. "is in order. Bide here until I call." Fiona pulls out her trump deck, stares at a card, and disappears into a prismatic array of rainbow light. "One should be wary when Princess Fiona decides to act so decisively." Minh comments. "Hmm..." Priya's head tilted slightly, eyebrows twitching upward a fraction before she returned to her customary, serene expression. "She and I have that in common." She never quite looked at Minh, her gaze skimming just off the edge of him in much the same fashion she didn't stare directly at the Pattern. "Story of my life;" Kieran comments to no one in particular. He ponders things for a moment before turning to Priya. "May I ask you a couple of questions?" he says quietly. "You may." She answered in a tone to match his own, still facing the Pattern, her arms at her side, but her palm turned out receptively. Kieran nods politely in Minh's direction, then turns his body to better face Priya. While appearing to be a casual move, it just happens to turn his face sideways to Minh, making any attempt at lip reading all that much more difficult. "You know of the Primal which, as my Grandmother indicated, while not exactly a secret isn't widely known either;" Kieran begins. "And while you do show some... caution in looking at the Pattern, you don't appear to be especially fearful of it, or being in its presence for that matter. And you overhear conversations it has. I find all of this to be extremely curious to say the least. I would like to know why this is." Kieran pauses momentarily, raising a finger to forestall any response from Priya. She tilted her head just enough to look directly at him, but she wasn't in a rush to answer and at his gesture she let her gaze slide away while he continued. "Also curious is the fact that we have something, well to be exact some things similar, in common. You appear to be connected to the Deck of Dragons in some fashion. I may well be, or if not already then soon will be, connected to it as well. But my connection to the Deck comes via the Tiles of the Hold. Time permitting, I would very much like an opportunity to 'talk shop' as it were concerning the Deck and the Tiles. Is that agreeable with you?" This time, only the eyes moved and the gaze was speculative. "It is..." she turned now, foregoing her limited study of the Pattern to concentrate on him. "But you should be forewarned that -as with the Pattern- my knowledge is limited. I simply use what I know, well." She started to look away, then paused. "If Fiona returns with the opportunity for you to Walk the Pattern, will you feel ready for a second initiation so soon after the one in the Warren or, given its nature, was that limited to an introduction only?" "What you know may very well be more than I know at this point;" Kieran replies. He nods in reply to her question. "It was something along the lines of an introduction and initiation both, I guess." His gaze turns inward for a moment. "Nothing terribly taxing though. I'm pretty much recovered from the experience at this point." "My Grandmother, during our discussion on the Tiles and Deck, said I would have to speak to the 'Master of the Deck' if I wished to acquire a deck of my own. Do you have a deck or know of this Master?" "There is a chance that, at this moment, there is no Master of the Deck. If the previous has died, a new one will need chosen... found... initiated. I am not certain what the mechanics are in that process, but if Fiona spoke of him, perhaps the old Master is not dead and she has some idea of where he might reside. Which would be very useful," she admitted. Her attention drifted to the Pattern again and she took three measured steps, moving closer to the Pattern only in as much as she moved around Kieran. She was perpendicular to them both, glancing sideways at the Pattern before she turned to do the same for Kieran. "You say I appear to be connected to the Deck of Dragons, in what fashion?" "Through my connection to the Tiles;" Kieran replies; "I get a sort of reverb effect when I look at you. It's clear enough to tell you aren't connected to the Tiles but their successor." Ah... Priya nodded in understanding. "You have met a Master of the deck then? And you suspect he may be dead now?" "The speculation was part of the conversation when I was introduced to the Deck. I have seen nothing since to tilt the discussion one way, or the other. It will be interesting to see who is revealed as still present, and who steps forward to take up old mantels in this time of change.The shifting sands of power will make a great many uncomfortable, but I find many of the prospects facinating." "Do you have a deck then? I would like to see one sometime." Kieran asks. "I do not. I confess that I would expect Fiona to have acquired one. If the Master still lives, hopefully Decks can be gotten from him, if not, perhaps old Decks can be found. Uncovered as old entities reemerge and stir the sediment. The search for one will be a worthy quest if time allows." Kieran chuckles briefly. "My Grandmother may very well have one, I do not know for certain. If it became absolutely necessary for someone to have and use a deck, I'm sure she'd produce one." He shrugs his shoulders; "However, I also believe she'd rather have one or both of us acquire decks on our own." He pauses and regards Priya for a moment or two. "It's funny you should mention quests; for I feel I will be starting one sooner rather than later. One aimed at learning more of Amber's current enemies capabilities and possibly gaining insight into some of the older powers as well." He reaches into a pouch and pulls out a pair of Trumps. He hands them to Priya. "Here, these are ones of the few spares I had set aside for unknown family members or possible allies. This one will reach me directly;" he points to one of the cards. "The other will reach an ally of sorts in the event I can't or won't take a call." Both cards appear to be of Kieran. Throughout Priya and Kieran's private conversation, Minh glances at the pair exactly twice. Other than brief glances, and certainly nothing obviously obtrusive, he leaves Priya and Kieran to their conversation. Priya glanced briefly at Minh in answer to one of his own. He wasn't unwelcome, the conversation could easily change, but she did not wish to intrude on his meditation more than they already were. Kieran's cards were of greater interest, and she turned back to the them, looking for differences between the two so that she would know which card to start with should the need arise. "I am afraid I do not have cards of my own to offer in return." She replied as she tucked them into a narrow pocket in the heavier skirt. "That is something I can help you with;" Kieran replies. He raises his left arm to chest level. With your permission, I will use a device to scan and create an image of you which I will convert into a Trump. The device is what you will reach if you use the second card I gave you.". Kieran waits for Priya to go ahead. "Device?" Priya regarded his arm curiously, looking for the mentioned item. "I do not object, but is this a safe environment to use it in? Even if it does not hinder the use of Trump, I would expect the energy of the Pattern to interfere with their construction." Kieran taps the dull grey bracer on his left forearm and a screen lights up in response. His expression appears to be almost, but not quite, embarrassed for a brief moment. "Actually, I started this earlier; I just need to confirm the scan;" he says. "Display Priya image;" he says and a small 3D image of a seated Priya appears above the bracer. "I can use this or scan a new image if you like. Once completed, it will be a fully functional Trump. I can even make 2D printouts in time, if you would like some copies." Priya will notice the scanned image is quite recent, from the time they were in Princess Fiona's quarters. "Hmmm...." The Ambassador eyed the image with a narrowed expression. "It would be more appropriate to ask *first*." She pointed out, but judging from the expression, she knew that he already knew this and hers was just a suggestion that he should have heeded the rule. "The image is acceptable, and while a copy to share myself would be useful, I would prefer if you did not share this beyond that." "There is an old saying;" Kieran begins; "Tis easier to ask forgiveness than permission." He smiles briefly. "I had not intended on sharing it with anyone;" Kieran adds. His wry expression may well lead one to believe he most likely meant that to include the subject of the trump. "I will only make as many copies as you desire, It will take some time to fully integrate the scanned image into a full fledged trump; printing copies will take a bit longer than that. When I have them, I will let you know." It takes an extra moment more than Kieran expects for his Holotrump device to completely deactivate and shut down. In the moment before it did so, Priya's image was overlain with a light bluish sort of cast, like a color palette-shifted picture. "It would appear that whatever the pair of you are doing, it has resonance with the Pattern." Minh says. "Forgive my intrusion, but the interference was unmistakable." He stops his mediations and walks toward Kieran and Priya. "Prince Bleys tells me that the use of Powers in the presence of the Pattern can have some unexpected consequences." Priya sighed, hands falling to her hips. "I wonder if this counts as one more of you having one more piece of me?" She stepped forward, relatively between Minh and Kieran, regarding the Pattern with annoyance. As if it were misbehaving but she couldn't quite find a punishment that suited the circumstances. Minh studies Priya and Kieran, flickering an eye from them occasionally to the Pattern. Kieran glares briefly at his bracer and then in the Pattern's direction. "You could at least wait until I've become an initiate before you start messing around with me and mine;" he says somewhat coldly. He turns back to Priya and Minh. "I apologize, Ambassador;" Kieran says sincerely. "I will study most carefully both my device and your scanned image at the earliest moment I have. If something has been done to your image that goes beyond my expectations for it, I will delete it." Then he stops and stares alternately at his bracer and the Pattern; a thoughtful turning incredulous expression growing upon his face. "I wonder;" he says slowly. "I wonder if all it did was copy your proto trump image. Though why it would want a Trump of you..." Kieran's voice trails off in thought once more. "Given the nature of the old king? A suggestion for breeding stock." Initially, her tone was wry enough to think the reply in jest, but the growl undercutting the end of it refuted that. She remained where she was, hands on hips, cool gaze on the Pattern for another moment. "I doubt deleting the image will change much of anything unless it has altered the data in your device. Even then, whatever it has done, is done." She shook her head strongly enough for tendrils of hair to bounce and then she approached the Pattern, though still at an angle that would take her around the edge of it. The pace was controlled, each step measured, stalking. The Pattern does not immediately react, although the energy does slowly increase, the lines of energy increasing in power somewhat. "I've met her before." Minh says quietly to Kieran. "The Ambassador is not to be meddled with, not even..." he stops as Priya speaks. "The epoch is ending, are you sentient enough to be concerned? Sentient enough to take your own actions? Seems the Old Guard who build this around you believed so, strongly enough to lock you in... with whatever you might conjure to you." She stopped, as close now as Minh had been, and crossed her arms, staring at the Pattern. Her expression, lit by the Pattern's blue light, was speculative and calculating. There is a sudden crackle of a large surge of energy from the Pattern, a fluctuation that Priya, Kieran and Minh might also classify as angry, or outraged. While there is no voice, vocalization or anything else that is remotely communicative, the surge of energy that runs backward like a wave through the design, casting sparks, clearly looks like it is an answer to Priya's question. And then, as if sulking, the Pattern's energies return firmly and decisively back to quiescence. "Interesting;" is all Kieran says. It is at this point that Kieran is getting a trump call. Grandmother Fiona. "And that would be my grandmother calling;" he adds. "Either she's coming back down here or we are about to go elsewhere. Prince Minh, a pleasure to meet you. I would like to talk more in depth at a later date." Accepting the call, he turns to Priya. "Ambassador, if you are still willing?" he asks. "Oh yes...." Her voice was soft, but it carried well enough. "We clearly have business." She returned to where Kieran was standing, but turned to address Minh. "Perhaps the third time will be the charm and we will meet with time to sit and converse. I would also be interested in your thoughts on this." The tilt of her head indicated the Pattern, and possibly its outburst, such as it was. "Perhaps after dinner drinks for all of us." "I accept, Ambassador." Minh replies. "However, I fear that I do not have a trump of myself on me to offer either of you." Minh says. "However I have no doubt that you will be able to find me easily enough to He bows his head. In the meantime, Fiona, to Kieran's senses, is standing outdoors, under an overcast sky. Behind her, inscribed in a depression that curves downward and away from her is the Pattern. Presumably, the Primal one. "I will ask you about any unusual events that you may have experienced later." Fiona says to Kieran. "Now, however, it is time for you and Priya to come here." She offers a hand to Kieran. Kieran nods his head. "Probably for the best, that;" he says to his grandmother. Kieran regards Minh for several moments, committing details to memory. Then he says; "I can most likely help you with that. I'll call you later." Minh bows his head to Kieran. Turning to look at Priya, Kieran extends a hand; "Ambassador, if you would care to take my hand and step through?" Priya answered Minh's assertions with a regal nod and accepted Kieran's hand. "Thank you." Her gaze was forward, watching for where she would appear as she stepped through to where Fiona waited. As Kieran had already seen, when Priya steps through the trump connection with Kieran's help, squinting of her eyes is necessary. Priya stepped through and released Kieran's hand, taking several steps forward as she surveyed the new vista. She shaded her eyes briefly, but adjusted quickly. Kieran steps through moments after Priya, once space for him has been cleared. From the relatively low-lighting of the dungeon, Priya (and Kieran behind her) find themselves in the daylight,under a blue sky that, both will note, is not quite the same shade of blue as that in the Eternal City. The ocean, off to the right, is also a slightly different shade than the waters of Amber and Rebma. "Welcome to the pole of reality." Fiona says, with a smile. "The Primal Pattern is behind us." she says, gesturing casually to the depression where the blue lines of the Pattern match the color of the sky. Priya followed Fiona's gesture and nodded. As before, she didn't yet look directly at the Pattern. Kieran takes in his surroundings, slowly turning in place. He turns to his grandmother. "I'm going to want to make my own trump of this place. In case I need to come back;" he says. "Can we spare a minute or two before heading down?" The Ambassador glanced at Kieran, and then Fiona, but little of her attention was on them, most of her focus was already inward, turning in to the conversation she had heard before. Fiona gives Priya a glance and then returns to looking at Kieran. "We can spare a little time." Fiona says briskly. "I would recommend, Kieran, that you do not have the Pattern itself within the Trump image you create, and focus on the area itself. You do not yet bear the full imprint of the Pattern, even if you have the potential." "You should also know that this place has guardians, Kieran, should you come here alone." Fiona says. Kieran studies his surroundings for a moment or two, the turns his back to the Pattern and maneuvering to get a view that includes the land, sea and sky. "This should do;" he says while activating the HTD. "Guardians?" he says after a moment. "What are their natures and duties, beyond the obvious of course?" Priya half listens, but most of her attention is on the Pattern and she does not turn. "I can't and shouldn't tell you about all of the Guardians." Fiona says. "Grandfather keeps rotating them anyway, so it would do you no good. I could introduce you to the Sphinx, because she is always around." "Their duties are to keep the less enlightened from trampling around this region unduly, of course." Fiona says. She gives a glance at the distracted Priya and faces Kieran again. "And surely, your mother and your father told the story of my brother and what he did here. Dworkin will not brook another instance of that occurring." "Sphinx?" Kieran says with something akin to interest. "I should like to meet her I think." He stops what he's concentrating on long enough to look directly at his grandmother. "My parents did tell me of that incident. I swear to you, and the Pattern - I've a feeling you can hear me, that I have no intention of ever attempting such a thing. Further, if I were ever to become aware of such an attempt on the part of anyone else, I would do whatever it took to prevent it from happening." Kieran's tone of voice leaves no doubt of the sincerity in his words. "Whatever it takes." There is no outward sign of a response from the Pattern. Fiona has a satisfied look on her face. He turns back to scanning his proto Trump image. Sphinx. The word briefly attracts Priya's attention as well, but it is only a glance and then she is focused on the Pattern again. Her expression shifts subtly, from a mild surprise, to what might be amusement, one eye brow briefly lifting before the eyes narrowed speculatively, and then settles on something best described as thoughtful. "Meeting the Sphinx can be arranged." Fiona says. "Tryphaena has not asked me a riddle in several months, so I will suspect that she will wish to ask one." By this point, Kieran's scan is complete. It does and did take a little longer than trumps done outside of the presence of the Pattern, but there are no visual artifacts or other problems with the scan. Following Fiona's advice, it does seem that a trump of the area, without the Pattern in view, definitely seems to work. "Well, shall we inspect the Pattern, or were you more interested in the region and its inhabitants?" Fiona says to Kieran and Priya. "All of the above;" Kieran replies with a smile. "I would like to see the Pattern and I expect that to get close enough for a good look we will have to pass through some of the region and encounter some of it's guardians." "Hmm..." Priya's response was noncommittal, aware that she had been addressed, but not strongly enough to distract her from what she was doing. "Her reticence disqualifies her from a vote." Fiona says, looking at Priya even as she speaks to Kieran. "Well, let us go to where Tryphaena perches. That will help give an overview of the area, and the Pattern itself." In short order, Fiona leads Kieran and the distracted Priya along a side path. Around a cleft between two boulders, and the pair can see the ocean. It stretches blue to the horizon, until it and the sky seem to be indistinguishable at that furthermost visible point. The other thing is, on a large sloping piece of rock is a large woman-headed lion. The body of the lion is golden, and the hair of the woman's head is pleated, and jet black in color. She has yellow-green eyes. Undubitably this is a classical Sphinx, as Fiona promised. Fiona gives a nod of the head to the creature. "Hello, Tryphaena." Fiona says. "This is my grandchild, and an envoy from Rebma. They are under my aegis." "Very well, sorceress." Tryphaena says. "And yet I must ask, for it is my nature." Fiona says nothing as the Sphinx continues. "Will one of you dare a riddle?" Tryphaena says, cocking her head to look at Priya and Kieran. "I do not demand you to be sacrificed as food, but merely a task if you cannot answer. On the other hand, should you answer it, you may ask a question of me." Amused as she seemed by something, Priya redirected her attention, gazing up at the Sphinx with a mix of curiosity and caution. She gave a very shallow bow when the creature's gaze passed her. Kieran studies the Sphinx for a few moments. "Greetings Tryphaena;" Kieran says politely. "As long as the task lies within my abilities; riddle away." "Grandchild of Fiona, child of the Mountain and the Keltic Witch." Tryphaena says. "You have freely sought to be asked a riddle of me. And,lo, so I shall." Kieran raises an eyebrow at the references to his parents, then nods his head in respect of her knowledge. "And so I ask you, Kieran, this:" The Sphinx looks down at Kieran and speaks slowly and carefully. "Castles are built from me Mountains are worn away by me I blind some men But I help other men to see." She pauses a beat and then says. "What am I, Kieran?" She looks at Priya and Fiona. "Speak not the answer, this riddle is for him alone." Kieran considers the riddle's lines for a few moments. "You, Tryphaena, are a Sphinx;" he says with a smile. "But to answer your riddle; I say 'Sand' is what you are." He tilts his head to one side and awaits the Sphinx's answer. Priya glanced between Kieran and the Sphinx. It wasn't the answer she would have chosen, but it seemed to fit just as well. But she wondered, if it were her turn, what she might ask a Sphinx.... The Sphinx tilts her head in Kieran's direction. "I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed. And on the pedestal these words appear: "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away." "Yes, Kieran, you have answered my riddle properly. You have the boon of a Question. Bide a moment." Kieran offers a slight bow by way of acknowledgement. "Mother taught me that poem as well;" he says calmly. "You were well educated." Tryphena says crisply. The Sphinx then looks at Fiona, who gives the slightest shake of a head. Kieran turns his head to regard his grandmother. The creature's head then looks at Priya. "Will you dare a riddle, daughter of the Ocean?" Kieran turns his head to regard Priya. If she should look at him, he tilts his head slightly towards the Sphinx and then nods it minutely once by way of encouraging her to take up the challenge. Priya redirected her attention and gazed up at the Sphinx. "Yes, I will answer your riddle." She shifted, her full focus coming to bear, and for the moment it did not wander. "Very well" The Sphinx says. She regards Priya for a moment and then speaks. "Only one color, but not one size, stuck at the bottom, yet easily flies; present in sun, but not in rain; doing no harm, and feeling no pain." "What am I, Priya?" Priya folded her arms with a faint frown, gazing at the sphinx with something that might have been disapproval. Her gaze drifted, eyes narrowed as she puzzled it over, finally mouthing some of the words. When her gaze dropped to the ground, it lingered there a moment before she relaxed and lifted her head to look back up at the sphinx. "It is a drylander's question," she answered wryly, "but you, are a shadow." She gestured with one hand, the shadow of it flying across the ground in demonstration. Kieran smiles and nods his head in silent agreement. The Sphinx inclines her head. "I swim in the sea, but never am wet." "I am the part of the bird that is never in the sky." "I am a shadow." "Perhaps I should have used the young Emperor's riddle instead." the Sphinx says, reflectively. "However, a bargain has been made, and for each of you shall be kept." "Ask your questions." Tryphena says. "It matters not the precedence." Oh, and Kieran, you are getting a trump call. Its difficult to tell, here, who it might be, but based on the recent prior call, and your skills, this feels like Dagny. "Ladies first;" Kieran says with a slight bow to Priya. His gaze grows distant for a moment or two, then he turns to look at his grandmother. "Dagny's calling again;" he says. He then looks at the Sphinx. "I have a matter to attend to before I ask my question, if you will excuse me." He'll then move back aways from the Sphinx and out of sight of the Pattern, closer to the spot he picked for his Trump to this place. He turns so that anyone looking at him, will have a view of the sea and sky. "Dagny;" he says taking the call. "Something come up?" "Ah" Fiona says. Priya stared at the Sphinx for a long moment, arms crossed and a rather intent expression on her face. "Truthfully, I would much rather hold my boon until another time. I have invested little time in answering the questions I have now, and most will yield answers with just a bit of patience and effort on my part. Since none have made an effort to challenge me, and I have not been thwarted in my attempts, it seems rather trivial to use such an opportunity on them." "You may hold your boon" Tryphena says. "You should be warned, of course, daughter of the Sea, that your path here to claim that boon may be more beset with thickets and thorns than your last passage. I only say this as warning that claiming your boon at a later day may prove a difficult task for you to accomplish." The Sphinx pauses "But I shall not forget."¹ Priya gave a slight, respectful bow in acknowledgment. "Kieran is still discussing his future employment." Fiona says with a tone of cheer. she then looks at Priya. "So we have a moment to speak You are skilled at underwater reconnaissance, are you not?" "It is not a common activity, but certainly one for which I am suited." Priya replied, looking at Fiona curiously. Fiona seems ready to speak, but preternaturally turns her head around as... Kieran walks back down the trail after finishing his call. "Dagny's been to see the King and had gotten approval to go to war with the Omphalos. I'll need to see the King shortly myself to keep things moving apace." He glances at Fiona, Priya and Tryphaena. "What'd I miss?" "Little, though I have been granted leave to ask my question at a later time." "We were about to discuss another matter" Fiona says. She stops as the Sphinx moves her head to look at Kieran. "Surely "Tryphaena says with a leoline cough, looking at Kieran "you as well do not wish to defer your question, as the scion of the sea has asked." Kieran smiles and shakes his head. "Indeed, I do not wish to hold my question for a later date;" he replies. "My question is this; Not counting the current visitation of my grandmother, Lady Priya and myself; I would like to know who the last three beings of note that came to the Primal Pattern were and how long ago those visits were. By that, I mean, for instance, if my grandmother were here several hours ago your time as well as yesterday and the day before that, that would suffice as an answer. For all I know, Dworkin could come every morning and walk around the Pattern several times for exercise. I am merely curious to know." "The last three beings that came to the Primal Pattern. But did not necessarily walk it." the Sphinx says. "What an interesting question. Few have given much thought as to who else visits here. At least not since the incident which lead to my installation here." "The last three individuals to come here were Lord Dworkin, King Random and Princess Asteria." "Indeed." Fiona says, in an apparently unschooled exclamation of surprise. Kieran glances at his grandmother out of the corner of his eye. This is one of those moments in time well worth remembering; a time when his grandmother was surprised by something. He bows to the Sphinx. "Thank you; I've always wondered who came to visit this place. May I ask about the second part of my question; when where they here?" Priya listened, interested, but quiet. It was a matter of curiosity, though she glanced at the Princess, not immediately sure why any of the names would be noteworthy. But she turned back to wait, wondering if the Sphinx was still going to supply the other information. Fiona watches the Sphinx herself, her reactions now schooled. "Lord Dworkin came here last evening." Tryphena replies, bowing her head in Kieran's direction. "King Random and Princess Asteria came the previous afternoon." she says. "I would comment more on the rarity or commonness of such a cluster of visits." the Sphinx says, with what looks like a twinkle in her eye "but that would be beyond the bounds of your question, Kieran. I consider it now answered." Kieran laughs gently and bows to the Sphinx once again. "We are in agreement then, Tryphaena;" he says. "Perhaps I'll ask that at a later visit." Thank you very much." "Goodbye, Sphinx" Fiona says, nodding her head. The Sphinx glances at Grandmother, Grandson and Rebman, and rises into the air, flying beyond a rise and is gone. Priya gave a slow regal nod and watched the Sphinx lift off, curosity and a touch of admiration coloring her expression. [Kieran] turns to look at Priya and his grandmother. "Shall we set about Priya's task then?" "Yes, we shall" Fiona says. "Unless Priya has any further objection, we have no barrier to inspecting the Pattern." She starts walking down the trail toward where the design awaits. Kieran waits a moment for Priya and his grandmother to move along the trail and then falls in to step behind them. After a moment, he says to his grandmother; "I'm going guess it was Asteria's visit here that was news to you?" "No objections." Priya said quietly, her steps falling almost exactly where Fiona's touched. Where she had been engaged and fully present while they were with the Sphinx, her attention once again slipped away as they walked toward the Pattern. "It was" Fiona says. "This is a lesson to you, grandson. Do not allow assessments of those whom you meet to stand without reconsideration." In short order Fiona, leading the pair on the trail, soon brings Kieran and Priya down to where on the flat plateau, the Pattern silently burns in its blue lines of fire. "We are approximately the same height above sea level as the corresponding portion of the dungeons where the Pattern is, as you saw." Fiona says, walking around the perimeter toward its start. "In that sense, the entirety of the mountain above the Pattern is a construct and artifact of Amber and its Pattern, if one takes this to be the real state of affairs." "Exploration of this world has been limited due to the lack of infrastructure." Fiona says "although I suspect there are secrets yet to be found besides the Pattern." she stops at the beginning of the design and turns to watch Priya and Kieran. Priya took occasional glances at the landscape surrounding them, curious, but not with any intensity. She took a step past Fiona, leaving room for Kieran to stop at his grandmother's side if he wished, and gazed at the Pattern quietly. Kieran stops a respectable distance from the Pattern, though he gazes with eagerness and anticipation at the point where the Pattern begins. After a moment or two, he shakes himself and gazes about the area, trying to commit it all to memory. "We still await my introduction to the King before my initial Patternwalk, correct?" he asks of his grandmother. "Asking forgiveness after the fact does not apply to the King?" Her tone was amused as her attention shifted over to Kieran. "I'd hate to get exiled on my first day in Amber;" Kieran grins. "Though it might set a record." He ponders that for a moment or two. "Although knowing somewhat of the royal family, maybe not. Besides, I'd like him to think he can trust me and all that." "Indeed, so. We await the introduction to the King before you are formally granted permission." Grandmother replies. "However, if Priya were bound not to speak of it, the King would not have to know that your walking of the Pattern in the Castle is not the first time that you walked a Pattern." She regards Priya. "One might say that the pledging of such an oath would be re-compensation for bringing you here." Kieran looks eagerly at the Pattern, then hopefully at Priya. "Look at it this way, you can find out if it talks while someone walks it." "Oh..." Priya mused, "it talks. If it talks while it chews...." her head tilted side to side slightly while she considered, "that would be interesting to witness." "As for the rest, what goes on between you and your Great Uncle is a family matter. Unless it involves Prince Martin or Prince Triton, I have no comment on Amber's family matters lest I become caught up in them." She held up a hand as if to ward off such a fate. Fiona smiles slightly. "One might say you already have, Ambassador." "True..." Priya sighed. Kieran chuckles softly. [Priya] took half a step, facing the Pattern directly, and then turned back to them. "However, it occurs to me, that if Random is in the habit of coming here, keeping it a secret might not be possible if 'he' does not also agree." Her head tilted to indicate the Pattern and she settled into place to watch and wait for their reactions. Kieran nods his head. "Or it may not offer that information unless specifically asked to do so." He shrugs his shoulders. "It becomes an issue of semantics if I get the King's approval to walk the Pattern later on today, anyroad." He turns to his grandmother. "Would you contact my other Grandmother? She should be here for this." "One might say that she would hold another veto over your walk." Fiona says. "But I will speak with her." Fiona produces an elegant trump deck. Kieran will take a few moments to clear his mind and center himself, prepping for the walk. In short order, Fiona stares through a card, and the dark haired daughter of Faiella and Oberon steps through. "I approve of my grandson showing initiative." the woman says, when she comes through and surveys the situation and milieu. "Priya, this is my sister Deirdre. Deirdre, this is Priya Luur of Rebma "How is old Minos?" Deirdre says "I remember him when I spent time in Rebma's court two decades ago." Priya offered a slight bow. "Father is well, thank you." "I seem to recall you disliked Court." Deirdre says. "And I equally see that regardless, her Majesty Queen Moire has seen fit to make use of you. Certainly, I would not have expected the Queen to choose you to represent Rebma, but perhaps she chose better than she new." "Hello again, Grandmother;" Kieran says with a smile. "Well, I'm ready;" he says. "Any advice other than 'Don't stop once you start'?" Deirdre walks over and places her hands on Kieran's shoulders. "Yes. Remember all that you see, and remember. Some see their past, some see the present, others the future, or a future. Your first walk is different than all of the others. Make the most of it. I have no doubt that the blood of my sister and I will see you through anything you might see or experience." "That" Deirdre says "and don't stop." "Always in motion, the future is;" Kieran replies with a faint smile. And then; "For everything there is a first time. Now is my time to walk the Pattern." He gives her a quick hug, then steps back and then to one side to walk over to where the Pattern begins. He nods at Priya and then his grandmothers. "See you all on the other side." He straightens his clothing a bit nervously, and then checks his hammer and lightsaber to make sure they're secure in their respective places. He then stares down at his left bracer and gives his Holo Trump Deck a mental command to shut down. The trump deck shuts down completely, still and quiescent Kieran takes a few last deep calming breaths Priya raised a hand to stall him, taking half a step and turning to face Deirdre and Fiona. "Lest the conversation interfere with your walk, it should be said now that I have been ...'invited' to walk next." A faint smile flickered through an other wise serious expression. "It seems I offend his sense of order and he would like that corrected." Deirdre furrows her eyebrows in disbelief and confusion. Fiona turns to regard Priya. At 'he' she tilted her head to indicate the Pattern itself. Kieran stops, turns to regard Priya and the Pattern. "Well that's stolen the wind from my sails;" he says a tad irritably. "It talks to you;" Kieran's giving the impression of determinedly referring to the Pattern as an "it" until it proves otherwise to him. "But not us. Why is that? For myself, I could believe that's because it and I have no direct link as of yet. But not the case for my grandmothers.". He pauses a moment, then; "Sense of order? In what way? And how can you walk it if you are not of the blood?". He looks at all three women. "She shouldn't be able to" Deirdre says. "Let her explain herself, sister." Fiona says. "My apologies Kieran." She seemed sincere. "I was concerned that waiting could have unforseen consequences and did not wish them to interfere. With the conversation in the open, any risk to others can be mitigated. For myself... I can walk, because he has decided that I should and there is nothing to say that he does not have conversations with others." She turned to look at Fiona curiously. At this moment, the Pattern flares into brightness for about fifteen seconds before the fires bank to their previous level of brightness. Kieran nods for a moment, then looks directly at Priya. "You didn't answer my question. Why do you offend the Pattern's sense of order? Or to be more precise, what reason did it give as to why it feels you offend its sense of order?" "As a product of unforeseen consequences, I am already partially attuned. What was done would be difficult to impossible to replicate and it is my nature as an anomaly that he wishes to alter." Priya returns Kieran's direct regard, her tone more business like than simply conversational. Kieran ponders her answer for several moments; several questions come to mind but he refrains from asking them. "I have several more questions I'd like to ask, but will hold them for now as I'd like to get on with things;" he says finally. He turns back to the Pattern. "Unless someone has something else, I'm going." If no one has any other revelations, Kieran will start his walk. There is an audible voice, clearly audible to all as Kieran's foot lands on the line of the Pattern. "Do so" And then his walk begins in earnest as he makes a second, third and subsequent steps on the design... "A partial attunement to the Pattern." Fiona says, turning to look at Priya. "I can see how the Pattern would find such a thing offensive. The Pattern would feel obligated to change your nature. You might consider it fortunate that the Pattern did not decide that your anomalous nature was best dealt with in harsher ways, Priya. It is also possible the Pattern wishes you to attempt to walk the Pattern, and fail." In the meantime, Deirdre ignores both Fiona and Kieran, watching Kieran's progress with unbroken and unassailable attention. "I have considered that possibility," Priya admitted, also watching Kieran, "and though I do not believe that to be the case, if you have a dialog with the Pattern, I would not object to your questioning his intentions. If I begin, and I am wrong, I will be hard pressed to extract myself." Her tone was dry, accentuating the understatement. Kieran's progress is slow, enough that a brief look of worry crosses Deirdre's face. "Is the Primal Pattern more difficult?' Deirdre says to Fiona. "In some respects, it can be" she replies. Keep watch over him, sister. Fiona then turns to look at Priya. "Are you familiar with Djinn, Dao, Efreets and Marids, Priya? The Pattern can be remarkably similar to them in temperament and nature." "I am as they are presented in legend. I have no direct experience with beings of that nature. He has referred to our deal, but that seems to be my agreeing to walk." She glanced at Fiona and then back again to Kieran, though if he was in trouble, it would most likely fall to Fiona to help him. Her concern was that if it was this difficult for someone born to walk it, permission was not going to make this an easy task. "I see" Fiona says. "I had thought someone of your experience may have had dealings with one of the members of the Jinni ." Fiona says. "In any event, let me say that the Pattern is clever and bargains made with it are not made lightly." "I am still paying for the last one I made." Fiona says, in a confidential tone of voice. Priya favored the princess with a concerned look and nodded. In the meantime, Kieran's early difficulty appears to lessen and in short order, or perhaps with a refocusing (or clandestine help from Fiona or Deirdre), he marches along the design. The latter looks visibly relieved at her grandson's progress and appears to be completely rapt in watching his progress. "Perhaps we should delay further conversation, so that you might more effectively watch his progress in anticipation of your own?" Fiona says. "Probably wise." Priya agreed, and she did so, watching Kieran, almost meditating on the ordeal ahead. It would not be easy, With the Patterns, she had followed the magnitude up to its zenith... she expected the experience of being inscribed to escalate as well. She primed herself mentally for that as she watched Keiran. Kieran's progress and process occupies all three women's attention, ranging from the anxious Deirdre, through the more contemplative Fiona, to Priya herself. Kieran's walk does not provide any further anxiety, save at the end, when the last three steps before he reaches And there he stands in the center, unbowed. "A good sign." Fiona says "Some collapse on their knees from the effort. Typically, the potential energy afforded by the successful Walk allows the Initiate to transport herself to anywhere that is not barred to the energies of the Pattern." Deirdre claps her hands five times. Fiona nods to her sister and continues to speak to Priya "Such a transport will allow you even to some places that ARE so barred. I wonder where Kieran will send himself." Fiona says aloud. "Perhaps to my daughter and son-in-law." Priya smiled, giving a small salute in recognition before replying to Fiona. "I could not guess. But if he has just arrived, and would not expect him to be so quick to leave." Indeed, Kieran appears to be in no great hurry to leave. He stands still in the center of the Pattern, not cognizant of much else around him. "The choice might be a difficult one." Fiona says to Priya. "Perhaps that is his indecision." "He is thinking." Deirdre says, looking at Fiona with some irritation in her voice. After a moment, it becomes clear that he is doing much more than that. Kieran reaches down and unhooks something from his belt. " He then presses something on the device and his lightsaber sword springs to life. Kieran looks to be getting ready to kneel or offer the blade as a soldier might to his liege lord. "Unicorn's blood." Deirdre exclaims. "My grandson, Paladin of the Pattern." "Which one of our children do we blame for this?" Fiona says to Deirdre. "I think they are going to be as shocked as anyone once they learn of it." Deirdre replies. "Seems I'm not the only one making a deal this day..." Priya mused aloud as she bore witness to events. Kieran kneels and lays his sword before him at the center of the Pattern. "He's going to swear an Oath." Fiona says. She then calls, aloud. "Kieran, think carefully what you are going to do." "I think he has, sister." Deirdre says. "I think he has." "Do you intend something similar?" Fiona asks Priya pointedly. Priya watched events unfold, one eyebrow slowly arching. When Fiona spoke to her, she turned to regard the sorceress with a serious expression. "No. My oaths are sworn and I will swear no others." She turned back to watch Kieran. "I have agreed to Walk and correct the imbalance I represent. Nothing more. Nothing less." "Good" Fiona says. "You may wish to prepare for your own walk, it appears my grandson is ready to depart, I think." At this point, Kieran speaks aloud. "I, Kieran Elharn Kerrigan Percival Barimen Webster Douglas, do of my own free will accept the title of Champion of the Pattern with all the rights and responsibilities that go with it for the duration of the conflict with the Omphalos, until my death, or until such a time as we both agree that I am no longer needed or able to carry out the duties of being your Champion." "Interesting." Deirdre says non-commitally. "Indeed." Priya agreed. She stepped to the side, more in line with the entry point, but no closer than she had been before. She did not close her eyes or gesture, but she stared at a point in empty air and waited quietly. A few moments after Kieran speaks his oath, he vanishes. A little more than a second later, perhaps one and a half seconds, he reappears, at a spot midway between Fiona and Priya. "No journeys back home?" Deirdre enquires, walking back toward Fiona, Kieran and Priya. Kieran shakes his while issuing a mental command to bring his HTD back online. "No, I'll trump my parents later with the news;" he says. "An interesting data point on the time required for a pattern facilitated teleport. Useful information, Kieran" Fiona says. She then looks at Kieran. "And it would seem two sets of congratulations are in order." Kieran nods his head. "For the first, thanks;" he says. "For the second, time will tell." He shrugs his shoulders. "It felt right and most likely will be of use against the Omphalos." "Did you make the offer yourself, or did the Pattern ask you?" Fiona asks [Kieran] turns to Priya and smiles. "Good luck, he's waiting for you to begin when you're ready." He pauses for a moment, then adds. "Oh, if he says anything to you when you first set foot on him, ignore him." Priya gave the comment a moment of consideration, bemused more than worried, and then she gave a little bow of her head in thanks. "I suspect I should not keep him waiting long...." Her tone and expression were wry as she turned away from the assembled group and moved to a starting position three steps back from the edge. She took one last moment to compose herself and then calmly walked forward, the first three steps setting the pace she intended to hold. "So why did you choose to immediately return here, Kieran?" Deirdre asks. "It is unusual to squander the transport the Patternwalk provides." "And I gather;" Kieran replies. "That it is even more unusual for someone not of the royal family to be granted access to the Pattern. And more unusual still, to have someone not of the blood attempt the Pattern. I would witness Priya's walk." In the meantime, Priya's previous experiences have not quite prepared her for this experience. A current of energy awaits her first, second and subsequent steps on the Pattern. It is like walking in sand that seems to grow ever deeper with each step. The going gets harder, progressively harder, with each step, as the resistance rises, and the sparks start to rise around her like a nimbus. "This IS a rare, perhaps unique event." Fiona comments. "She has already walked further on the Pattern than anyone not of our family." "There have been previous attempts then?" Kieran asks. "Mainly in Rebma, as it so happens." Fiona says. "Queen Moire has sought for centuries to find the secret of how one of her subjects might walk the Pattern and live. Your great-aunt Llewella tells me that the number of volunteers that tried and failed number in the dozens." Kieran nods his head at this. "It seems that Priya may be the first, excepting family members like Martin, Triton and Amphritina." "Maybe there's something to Rebman blood or their bloodlines;" Kieran ponders. For her part, out on the Pattern, Priya had no comment. Priya's progress is steady as she continues the design. She can feel a slight buzz from the Spirit Guard, and the steps get progressively harder. Fortunately, she is up to the task. Finally, though, Priya arrives three steps away from the center. Slowly and surely, she takes those three steps, and, exhausted but unbowed, she makes it to the center. Alive. "Kandosi!" Kieran loudly says the Mandalorian word meaning 'excellent' and 'congratulations' among other things. "I expected that she would make it, but still to see it;" Kieran comments. Priya gave a small bow, accepting their congratulations. "A singular event." Fiona says. She claps her hand once, and she turns toward Kieran. "I assume that I do not have to say that informing Random of this development would be extremely unwise at this time." "What development?" Kieran asks with a straight face. "Good" Fiona says. "it is nice to see that my daughter has taught you discretion." "And not my son?" Deirdre counters. "Despite his many admirable qualities, your son, if he were here, would not be able to lie to Random about what occurred." Fiona replies coolly. "i doubt that has changed." Deirdre says nothing, but looks toward Kieran questioningly. Kieran shrugs his shoulders. "She has a point there;" he says. "Though I should point that while Dad doesn't lie well, he has learned not to volunteer information some would prefer be kept secret." "Then she has taught him something." Fiona says, with a satisfied look at Deirdre. "And he, her;" Kieran replies while shaking his head. "It's not a competition you know;" he says while looking at both of his grandmothers, a small grin on his face. "Or, if it is, then both of you win; because it took both of them to raise me." Now it is Deirdre's turn to look joyful. Fiona's triumphant look returns to studied placidity. "Changing the subject back to our Rebman friend, do you think Random would sanction any of us... besides Priya, of course?" Deirdre replies. "There is no sense in finding out." Fiona says. She calls out to Priya. "That might influence your own decision on where you wish to transport yourself." "And that is another reason why I chose not to go any farther than here;" Kieran says. Indeed, Priya can feel the energy of the Pattern, ready to transport her...anywhere. With most of her choices decidedly unwise, Priya hesitated at the center. This was not an opportunity she had ever given very much thought to, never having really expected it. Then her face lit up with an idea and she almost turned in place, as if looking to address the Pattern but not quite certain which point to regard. "Most successful walkers of the Pattern are more decisive than either of you." Fiona says to Kieran, still watching Priya. "Or more anxious to get gone and play with their newfound abilities?" Kieran replies. "And I knew exactly where I wanted to go; here. I just wanted to talk to the Pattern before leaving." "What about the case of Coral?" Deirdre replies. "Counterexample proves the rule." Fiona says. She looks at Kieran. "Apparently not having an idea of her own, your Great Aunt Coral dared to let the Pattern choose her destination for her." "Yeah...;" Kieran replies slowly. "Not gonna happen." "It proved to be dangerous for her, as I recall." Fiona says. And softly and silently Priya disappears from the center of the Pattern. She does *not* appear next to Kieran, Deirdre and Fiona. "And she has made her choice." Fiona comments. "I would suspect she has gone to Rebma." Deirdre says. “Given her indecision. I think she made a different choice.” Fiona replies. She looks at Kieran. “Any thoughts on the matter?” Kieran starts to shake his head no, then stops and regards the Pattern. "Actually, I do have a thought;" he says. "We ask the Pattern where he sent her. He'll either tell us or not," He says in a slightly louder voice; "Well? Will you tell us where you sent Priya? If so, where did she go?" "She seeks armament against the forces of disorder." The Pattern speaks. Fiona and Deirdre do not show any overt surprise as the Pattern speaks and continues to speak. "Thusly, as she so wished, I sent her in search of Pagono, a weapon from the age before I was drawn." "A spikard?" Fiona asks. "Not as you define the term." the Pattern replies. "What kind of weapon is it then?" Kieran asks. "And what powers does it have?" There is something, from the Pattern, that sounds like laughter. "Pagono is an Orichalcum Blade. The scion of Rebma did not stop to ask further information." the Pattern replies, with an amused tone. "Imprudent" Fiona comments. "I do not fully know the answer to your question." the Pattern adds. "Any speculation would be premature, since Pagono may have evolved in the millennia since Orullan wielded it." "Uhm;" Kieran replies looking in turn at his grandmothers and the Pattern. "What is an Orichalcum Blade? By your comments, I'm guessing it has an intelligence of sorts?" The Pattern remains silent at Kieran's point. A full minute passes before Fiona Fiona looks past Kieran at the Pattern speculatively, and then looks at Kieran. "It may be wiser to continue this conversation at a later point. For now, let us depart." Fiona says. "My quarters, perhaps?" Deirdre offers. "No" Fiona says. She looks at Deirdre. "Do you not think our mutual grandson should have a chance to learn about his imprint." Both of them look speculatively at Kieran. Who gazes back at them for a moment. Then shrugs his shoulders. "Ok. Where would you like to go? Back to the Castle? Some place in Shadow? I can think of a few places to go to;" he says shrugging his shoulders again. "Of course, it would be easier to just trump there, but I gather that's not the point of your proposed exercise." "Do we want to have Kieran practice with shifting away from here?" Deirdre says, looking at her sister. "Rather an advanced lesson for Kieran's first attempt at shadowshifting." "No" Fiona says "You are quite right. We should go elsewhere and begin from there." "Castle Amber, as Kieran suggested?" Deirdre says. "No. It would be simpler to begin in shadow." Fiona says. She produces a trump deck and looks through it for a few moments before selecting a card. She concentrates it and offers a hand to Deirdre, who steps through. Once Deirdre has passed through, she offers a hand to Kieran. Kieran steps forwards and takes his grandmother's hand, trying to get a glimpse of the card before he steps through. Irrelevant really, as he'll find out where they're going soon enough, but he is curious nonetheless. Kieran does get a glimpse of a golden sandstone, white-domed building, with not more of a chance to get more context than that... "Pattern;" he says over his shoulder. "Call if you need me." He then steps through. And so he does...into a new thread. Backlinks |
