AwakeningsJoaoAndRainaAwakenings Joao And RainaOf the many coup d'etats one could accomplish in Amber's social circles, getting tickets to the Crown Theatre's Brightblade performance stood above most others. And balcony seats, no less! Not even Joao's mother had ever accomplished that particular feat. Indeed, seeing her eyebrow rise in uncontainable envy had been the sweetest victory of all. Princess Caer would have to be impressed. She'd just /have/ to be. Joao had been seeing Caer for about a fortnight now; another coup, in of itself. The musically-inclined daughter of Prince Caine, Caer was beautiful, intelligent, and definitely MWA material. Sure, she had the temperament of a piranha fish, but she probably possessed some endearing qualities beneath that predatory exterior. Not that he'd discovered any just yet, but they had to be there somewhere deep down. Deep, /deep/ down, apparently. So, tickets in hand, Joao stepped into the elegant foyer of Phiarlan House and found it almost completely deserted. Not surprising really, considering that most of the student body would be off cheering for their champions at the various arenas throughout the city. Even the artistic Phiarlans succumbed to bellicose call of Brightblade, eager to see a little blood spilt in honor of the Lord of Strength and Steel; the late King Oberon. Apart from the purple-haired Rebman behind the administration desk, Joao only saw a young, dark-haired girl sitting on a distant couch, reading. The administrator—whom he'd seen once or twice on previous visits—glanced up from her trashy romance and frowned. "Sir Galitzin," she said. "You'll be here for Princess Caer, I presume?" Joao was not much of a dancer, but athletic competitions, practices with the trident and natural dexterity allowed him to practice dance up to the desk. The prospect of another date with Caer was just added spring in his step. He opened his mouth to speak She didn't even let him answer, but instead turned to yell at the young woman on the couch. "Hey Raina. You got a visitor!" . . . There is a persistent belief in alchemic and hermetic tradition of the existence of two suns: a hidden one of pure "philosophical gold," consisting of the essential Fire conjoined with aether, and the apparent one of profane "material gold." The "dark, consuming fire" of the material sun leads to it being called the "Dark" or "Black Sun." According to the Book of the Unicorn, True Humans, tainted by the Pattern, are "from the black sun's fire. . ." Raina had been staring at the same quotation for some time now. She could almost feel Dr. Advocat's chilling fingers on her shoulders, digging down into her very soul. The Demon-in-Professor's-clothing had given her the additional text to learn for the upcoming finals next month. Why? Because he hated her, obviously! He certainly didn't torture the other students like this. This was a special hell reserved only for her. At least she didn't have to put up with her roommate's late night partying anymore. Princess—to think /that/ girl was a princess—Caer had abandoned her studies mid-term and gone off to attend a 'Rave'—whatever that was—on Shadow Earth. She would have invited Raina to come, but apparently the little 'frail was too dull for words.' The resulting quiet and solitude had been a welcome blessing. "Raina! Are you deaf?!" Jinx's voice finally cut through Raina's alchemy-induced fugue. Glancing up, she noticed a young man standing near the front counter. Jinx—the house's surly admin—stared at her expectantly. "Deal with this, will ya?" "Deal with..." Joao began, somewhat taken aback by the administrator's response. The black haired, pale skinned Rebman looked uncertainly in the direction of the young woman with the textbook. For a moment, she seemed to shrink under his gaze, a look of dread crossing her features. Then, with a slight nibble at her lip to boost her confidence, she approached the young man. "Jo... um, Sir Galitzin. I don't know if you remember me. I am... was... Princess Caer's roommate. Raina. Baronson. Hello. Joao gave a nod, too polite to interrupt a woman. The fact that she was neither Rebman nor noble seemed to matter. "I... I'm afraid I have bad news. The Princess has... left... Faiella University," she explained awkwardly, tucking a stray lock of brown hair behind her ear. Joao opened his mouth slightly. A dumbfounded look came across his face. Jinx savored the sight of Raina squirming for a few moments before returning to her novel. She wasn't really reading it, of course. But this was what passed for subtly with her. "Left?..." Joao stepped backwards, with more awkwardness than he usually displayed. "But...I went through a shark's reef to get them.." Joao stammered and then stopped. The tickets were no longer beacons, but rather lodestones, threatening to drag him down. Subconciously the hand holding the tickets sunk even lower, until an act of will brought them up to chest level. "I was going to surprise her with these." Raina leaned forward to read the printing on the tickets. Her eyes flew open wide and she gasped, both hands covering her mouth. "Brightblade?!" she exclaimed, awestruck. "The Crown Theatre production is phenomenal! Alexei Ristolfolo's bladework is brilliant, and Chrysantiana Pyle... exquisite." Raina shook her head in wonder, her green eyes sparkling. The girl was obviously well-versed in theater to recognize the value of the tickets in Joao's hand. Joao blinked at this stream of exclamatory exposition from the young woman. She looked up into his eyes and suddenly remembered her place, taking a step backward and glancing timidly down at her shoes. "Not that I've ever seen them myself, Sir. I've only heard. Great things about the show." She fidgeted with her foot, pointing her toe unconsciously. Joao sighed. "Okay, I think you've reached your limit on calling me Sir. At least when Mother is not around. You can call me Joao." he said. He looked at the tickets and then back at Raina. "I cannot believe that Princess Caer up and left in the middle of a semester." Joao said, in a slightly exasperated tone. "I could just go back to the Dacha. Or..." he looked at the tickets, and then looked at Raina. A small smile began to grow on his face. "Look...Raina, Da? I only got these to impress the Princess. I really don't know much of anything about theater. You do, though. I think you probably know even more than Caer does." He grimaced. "Did." He cocked his head and regarded her. "Why don't you come with me?" Raina gasped in surprise, but before she could respond... Jinx rolled her eyes and snorted. "Ah, the sweet music of the milksop mating ritual. If only I could put my ears out with an ice-pick. Woe is me for being so ill prepared." "Ne serait-ce que vous," Raina muttered under her breath. ("If only you would") Jinx gazed over her novel, "Just have her back at a decent time, Sir Joao. Raina may just be a /merchant's/ daughter, but you treat her like a noblewoman. I'll be waiting and know who your mother is." Jinx smiled over at Raina—an almost unnerving concept, in of itself—with a sisterly affection. "And Raina… keep your eyes on this one. Young Rebman men are as clingy as a male leftvent. And just about as useful." So saying, she gave them a waving dismissal and then returned the more important matters of her bodice-ripper. Joao turned from Raina, even before Raina accepted or declined the offer. He regarded Jinx for a long moment and shook his head. His eyes regarded Jinx with a boldness he rarely engaged with the fairer gender. "Mother Would Not Approve of me responding in a more forceful manner. Suffice it to say that recriminations of my nature, especially given that you do not know me, are as welcome as a cloud of squid ink in a clear pool, and about as clear." Jinx wrinkled her nose, but did not rise to the bait. She simply scratched an itch under her eye, using only her middle finger. With her back to the offending attendant, Raina allowed the barest hint of a satisfied smile to sneak onto her lips. Her eyes, however, glimmered mirthfully. "You may rely on my discretion and my honor as the son of the Baroness Galitzin that Raina will be well treated, if she accepts my offer." Joao finished. He then looked at Raina expectantly. She allowed the smile to fully blossom as he finished. "I would be most honored, Si... Joao," Raina beamed, bowing her head formally more for Jinx's benefit than Joao's. "If you'll allow me to change. I can't go in this! I'll only be but a moment." "Da. spasibo." Joao said, giving a sincere bow of his head. "I will await your return." He waited for her to depart and then moved to stand smartly by the entrance door to the foyer. His back was ramrod straight, as if at parade attention. Time passed, marked only by the ticking of torsion clock on the desk and the turn of Jinx's pages. A trio of giggling women stumbled drunkenly through the front door. They gave Joao the once-over, discussing their mutual approval in overly loud whispers. A disapproving cough from the administrator sent them scurrying for the main staircase like frightened mice. Without even looking up from her book, Jinx snarled like a lioness, "By Jurata's teats, if either of you three get sick, I'll make certain your Review Committee hears about it. Got me?" "Yes, Madame!" they said in unison and rushed up the stairs, nearly bowling Raina over in the process. Joao ignored the administrator's shout. It was the commands that were spoken in moderate tones that you had to worry about. Mother never
without ever raising the volume of her speech. And, too, he was watching for and appraising the roommate of the Princess as she made her appearance. Jinx shook her head, "Bloody arbitúra chafe my purple ass." With the drunken girls out of the way, her disapproving gaze fell solely on Raina. "Shevelís', you two!" She waggled her fingers dismissively. OOC: Shevelís' = Shake a leg; arbitúra = freshmen/frosh Raina had flattened herself against the wall of the stairwell as the trio of girls rushed past her. She stopped to straighten her skirts and jumped at the administrator's shout. "Yes, Madame," she gasped hastily, bustling the rest of the way down the stairs. The gown Raina wore was by no means up to the standards of the royalty of Rebma or of Amber. Indeed, the styling of the chiffon highlights on the pale salmon background looked somewhat trite and out-of-date, as if the dress had been picked off the bargain rack of a mediocre tailor's shop. With Raina filling it, however, the gown's flaws seemed less conspicuous. The bodice accentuated the girl's tiny waist and small, yet firm breasts. In the short time allotted, Raina had styled her hair into a loose cascade of curls, tied daintily with strands of delicate pearls. She walked effortlessly on heels that added more than two inches of height to her tiny frame. Her green eyes, under newly-painted liner, shadow and mascara sparkled dazzlingly. A smile from Joao suggested that the Duchess' son found more than a little favor with the overall effect. She curtsied perfectly before Joao, holding out a white-gloved hand to him. "I am ready, Sir," she said demurely. "Excellent" Joao said. He grasped her hand lightly, bowed over it, and then, as he rose his head, brushed his lips against her fingers between the fingertips and the knuckles. Joao smiled. Raina blushed. "The carriage is outside, and the performance awaits." Joao said. He released the hand, walked to the door and opened it, waiting for Raina to precede him out to where the elderly Mikhail waited, no doubt extremely bored by this point. He gave a nod to him, but Joao reached for the door to the carriage himself rather than make Mikhail disembark and get it for them. Raina glided gracefully before her escort, as smooth as if she were walking on a cloud. In truth, she felt as if she was. She was about to see "Brightblade," a theatrical event for which tickets were impossible to obtain. And she was seeing it with Sir Joao Galitzin, a man who, in the few times she had seen him with her caustic and callous roommate, had made her head spin and her heart flutter. Not that she'd ever told anyone that, of course. A carriage parked in front of Phiarlan House naturally drew the attention of passing students, as well as a few envious glares. Raina could expect the rumor-mill to be churning out gossip for the next fortnight at the very least. Mikhail politely tipped his hat to Raina, his sagely smile warming his worn features. The horses impatiently pawed the ground until the old driver clucked his tongue at them to hush. Raina smiled at the driver and positively beamed when Joao offered to open the door himself, her 'thank you' barely a squeak as she held out her hand for assistance to enter the carriage. "Sire," Mikhail said, "I done opened a bottle of champagne for ye and the lady. Hope ye don't mind. But I thought ye might like something cool to drink on the way." "Your initiative does you credit, Mikhail. As always." Joao said with a nod of the head. "Nyeh-zah-shtoh', Lord Galitzin," Mikhail replied. "With traffic, we should be at the Crown within the hour, sire." That said, the old man returned his attention to the impatient horses. Champagne! Raina's heart skipped a beat, though she tried not to show it. Champagne was so terribly expensive. Her own family generally bought sparkling cider and called it champagne every New Year. She doubted Sir Galitzin had ever resorted to such a farce. Joao boarded the carriage, and seated himself across from Raina. His instincts for discretion, and honor, although honed for the sake of a Princess of Amber in the last two weeks, were no less in place for a less noble but perhaps not less comely citizen of Amber. Joao raised the promised bottle of champagne from its bucket of ice, and inspected it. "Shall I pour you a glass?" Joao offered Raina, his other hand reaching for a crystal goblet wrapped in a green napkin with the black manta ray of House Galitzin embroidered on it. It matched the crest sewn on the collar of the green vest that Joao wore over a white shirt and black pants. "That would be lovely. Thank you," Raina replied. The carriage gave a slight lurch and they were in motion. The velvet interior muffled the sounds from outside considerably, transforming the clatter of wheels and hooves into a rhythmic melody. Outside the window, the city gleamed and sparkled as if to promise the new acquaintances a spectacular evening. Raina watched raptly as Joao poured, wondering at the skill that must be required to pour champagne inside a moving carriage. Joao seemed to not only be familiar with champagne, but also with the physics of trying to pour two flutes of the pale, effervescent liquid. He poured them in succession, offering Raina the first before pouring a second for himself. He did not drink it immediately, waiting for Raina to try it before he indulged a small sip. She sipped and smiled shyly at him over the rim of her flute. As the silence lingered, she felt the need to break it. "I must thank you again for your generosity... Joao," she began, obviously still uncomfortable about dropping his title. "It's a shame the Princess could not accompany you. In truth, she left rather abruptly. One morning, she was simply... gone. She did leave a rather terse note about how school was 'cramping her style' and that she would learn more by traveling in shadow. That was it, though. Not even a goodbye." "Mother will be extremely disappointed that she has left the University." Joao replied after a moment. "She was extremely pleased that I had managed to hook her, even for a short while. And hoping that I could wrangle an invitation to the Castle, no doubt. Still, I will miss her..." "...even if Caer's temperament was..." Joao paused as if reluctant to say ill of Caer. "Extremely sharp." Raina nodded in agreement, appreciating his discretion. The Baroness' son sighed and took another small sip of the flute. "However, I suspect, being her roommate, you would know her much better than a would-be leftvent." He smiled ruefully. "So, since her tide has gone out and will not return, then we should talk of other things." Joao offered Raina a smile. "Yes," Raina agreed, then sipped again, trying to think of something interesting to say to a Duke. "So... what is your home like?" she asked finally. "My home is currently a small guest building of the Dacha that my family owns on the Coral Coast." Joao replied. "It is a compromise I have made with my lady mother; she would never permit me to reside in a hall even as the Princess did. It makes for a longer journey to classes every day, of course..." Joao then paused to offer Raina a smile. She smiled in return, blushing slightly, and nodded politely for him to continue. "Perhaps you meant me to speak of Rebma, Da? There is much I could tell you of the City Under the Sea. What might interest you? Shall I speak of the people, the strong women, the valiant men, and our Queen? Its perfection of marble floors and gilded and silver framed mirrors? You would look lovely, I think, clad in the Rebman fashion, facing a pair of mirrors in the Great Hall of the Palace." Raina's smile grew wider and her blush deeper. "Shall I instead, if I have discomforted you, speak of the wonders of the sea? The coral garden that my mother has meticulously maintained? The beautiful and exotic creatures that live beneath the surface of the water? Of fish as green as your eyes, or the delicate beauty of a jellyfish, glowing in the darkness of the deep water, or even the elegant and graceful manta ray that is my House's symbol? Joao took another small sip of champagne. "Where shall I begin?" Raina grinned, her eyes sparkling from more than just the champagne. "It all sounds so lovely!" she gasped in wonder. "I have longed to travel to Rebma, but I have never been. Please tell me if you would... what would I see as I enter from Faiella-Bionin? How do you see it? As a native, I mean?" Joao smiled, and closed his eyes, as if better to remember the view. "At the base of the stair, named for one of Amber's Queens, you know, there is an archway, of alabaster. It's carved with tritons, and mermaids, and the dolphins which of course are the royal symbol. This archway marks the boundary of Rebma, as a land, and stepping through it, I feel like I am home at last." "The city gate and the walls are a walk or swim of fifteen or twenty minutes from the archway depending on whether or not I dawdle. Even in the green haze, I can see the golden glint of the gates around the city itself. The magical pillar flames, first seen on the stair, are in a row like a promenade, lighting the way to the walls and the gate." Raina listened in rapt attention, her champagne flute motionless and forgotten. "The gate and the walls are guarded, of course. By men, like myself, being good husbands and providers for their families, serving in the lower ranks, commanded by a woman or two. Tridents, spears, nets, daggers, of bronze, decorated with pearl. The weapons glint whenever the haze clears. A good Rebman keeps his weapon clean and shining, just like he keeps himself well groomed for his woman." "Even with the height of the wall." Joao continued, his eyes still closed, a smile playing upon his lips. "One can see the taller buildings of Rebma in the green haze. Onion domes and slim towers marking the more palatial buildings and holdings of the Rebman noble families. The palace, of course, and its marbled perfection in the center, visible even at this distance. The Cathedral, nearby, near to it as its twin in splendor and majesty." "Many choices to beckon a swim to, once inside of the walls." Joao said, opening his eyes. "I suspect, you, though, would prefer to see the Theatre. It's done amphiteater style, with the nobles having choice positions. Mother always attends, of course." "Oh, and all of the parts are portrayed by women." "All of them? It IS true then. I had wondered," Raina mused aloud, then seemed to notice that she had spoken and clarified. "I mean, I had heard that theatre in Rebma was done by women only, but I thought the person who told me was exaggerating. She did have a tendency toward such things. She was a dancer who joined my studio several years ago and made herself out to be much better than she was." Somehow Raina made the comment seem matter-of-fact rather than gossipy. "No exaggeration." Joao said. "How does one do the lifts or the... um... love... scenes with only female dancers?" The color in Raina's cheeks deepened at the mention of love scenes. "Rebma is an aerobic environment." Joao replied. "There is little difficulty in finding female actresses and dancers capable of lifting their partners." he replied. He took another small sip of champagne. "As far as the love scenes, well, that is of little difficulty." He looked down at his glass. "Women in Rebma see men as stallions to be bred to the best mare, Raina. Women see men as only good for breeding, war and raising children. Some ladies of Rebma take this further and thus prefer the charms of other women for true romantic love. Such women in the theater life find it easy to do love scenes with each other." "Oh." Raina blushed and sipped her champagne to cover her awkwardness. She was not completely surprised by the answer. Even in theatre circles above the waves, such things were not unusual. Or so she had heard. Her discomfort instead arose from feelings that she could not quite put a finger on. A vague... annoyance... at the the women below the waves who would treat good men as mere breeding studs. "I... I'm not like women in Rebma, I suppose," she said after a moment, calling up some nerve. "I would... enjoy... your company." Immediately, her nerve crumbled and she sipped again hastily, silently berating herself for revealing too much, or saying something that could be taken wrong, or any number of self-defined offenses that could be found in one sentence. Joao took Raina's silence as prima facie evidence that she no longer wished to pursue the conversation. So, he simply smiled and nodded, in the manner of a dutiful Rebman male to a lady. The carriage slowed and a torrent of voices began to filter into the cab. A sharp rap on the roof indicated that they'd arrived. Mikhail dutifully opened the door a moment later, having lowered the foot-steps to ease their. "We've arrived, sire." In recent years, the Crown Theatre had fallen onto hard times—mostly due to poor shows such as the much maligned 'Springtime for Brand.' Even so, it remained the glittering jewel of Amber's theatre scene, tonight being no exception. The marble façade shone in the wash of magitech lamps, illusionary images playing out scenes from Amber's martial history. Two bronze doors at the top 'spire' of the pentagonal structure offered entrance into an elegant lobby. A crowd had formed around the entrance stairs; Women in light colored muslin gowns and pseudo-Greek hairstyles, men in drab utilitarian outfits of grays and browns, with the occasional outlandish fop. A few young boys in black and white suits were taking tickets. Raina's eyes shone with wonder as she stepped down from the carriage. She seemed energized, as if there was nowhere else in the world she would rather be. "I'll wait for you across the way, sire," Mikhail said. "Will ye be wantin' me to pop off to fetch you some dinner for a late supper, sire? I hear they've got fried soft-shell crab nearby." Joao nodded to Mikhail. "That would truly depend on the appetite and the whims of the lady, of course." he said, with the same easy manner that someone might say 'the ocean is blue'. He turned to look at Raina expectantly. Unaccustomed to such consideration, Raina squeaked, "Me? Oh... um... whatever you'd like to do is fine." It struck her then that she and Joao were in some ways in the same position. She giggled, her nervousness fading a little under the lights and the champagne, and she took Joao's arm. "I'm sorry. I'm as used to the man making the decisions as you are the woman. It's a good thing we already have tickets or neither of us would go anywhere, would we?" "Indeed." Joao said. "It would make an outing difficult if neither of us were willing or able to make the decision." Joao regarded the dancing student on his arm for a long moment, smiled shyly and then turned to Mikhail. "I believe that your suggestion of fried soft shell crab for afters is a good one, Mikhail." Joao said. "Don't forget to feed yourself as well in getting food for us." Joao turned back to Raina. His free hand pulled out the tickets. "Let's, shall we?" Mikhail tipped his hat and provided Raina with a warm smile. "Aye, I'll do that sire. Find you a nice snack, I shall. Now, you two youngin's enjoy your evenin'. Madame…" Another tip of the hat to Raina. Raina smiled and nodded her thanks. Before he turned, his fatherly eyes settled on Joao. "Te xav ka to biav, Lord Joao." And with that, he hobbled off to tend to the horses and clear a path for the next carriage in line. Joao shook his head good naturedly. Joao then turned back to Raina. His free hand pulled out the tickets. "Let's, shall we?" Raina had turned to look queerly at the driver as he rode off. At Joao's suggestion, she shook off her distraction and smiled. "Yes. Let's." After they passed the ticket takers and made their way to their seats, Raina leaned up to Joao and asked softly, "Joao... did Mikhail just say he wanted to eat our wedding?" The question had apparently been bothering her for several minutes. Joao laughed. "No, not quite, milady. Old Rebman is a language full of unusual turns of phrase. It comes from old history as a wandering people before we settled down on the seamount and established a kingdom." "It means that he wishes us a good time tonight. The phrase literally means that he wants me to be happy and successful to find a wife and have a marriage that he might attend." "Her highness, my mother, though, has her own ideas on that, of course." Joao added. He then regarded Raina. "Still, you were pretty close on the translation. Are you a student of languages as well as dance?" "Yes," Raina answered half-heartedly. "My father has no sons, so I am expected to take up a place in the family business. His import trade stretches to the lengths of the Golden Circle, so it is important to speak a multitude of languages. That is my major. Languages." As they entered the balcony however, Joao could easily see from her expression that while languages might be her major, it was not her passion. Their seats were located on the second story; a private booth overlooking stage left. Two gold-leafed programs had been set on the velvet cushioned chairs. They detailed the night's festivities in elegant penmanship; first, the Fall of King Eric, a play in two-acts, and following the intermission, For the Love of a Rose—a satirical portrayal of the bloody Karm Vendetta. Both plays involved a great deal of dueling and other martial pursuits—perfect choices for celebration of Brightblade. The impressive candelabras—a vast construction of gas-lamps and crystals—that hung above the main auditorium dimmed and brightened in quick successions, ushering people to their seats. Joao said nothing until they reached the balcony seats. Politely, he waited for Raina to choose her seat before he sat himself. As he sat down, he reflected that a traditional Rebman woman might insist that he remain standing. A thought occured to him, a streak of boldness that was usually reserved for practice, and for competitions. He looked at Raina and smiled. "So is dance just a special interest, or is it a full fledged minor to go with your major? Do you dance yourself?" he asked. "Oh yes!" Raina gushed, her enthusiasm uncontainable. "I can't remember a time when I _didn't_ dance. I've studied since I was a toddler. My parents allowed me to minor in the art to make their desired major more palatable, I think, but if it were up to me, dance would be my only course of study." She reconsidered immediately. "Well, that and whatever else the University requires to graduate, of course." "Quite a list of courses, it must be said that Faiella University does not allow its students to graduate without a well rounded education." Joao agreed. He looked at Raina for a few moments longer. A side glance out of his eyes proved that the performance was soon to begin, but a moment or two of conversation was still possible. "Even with my studies in Law and History, and my sports and martial efforts." Joao said. "I have found, especially in this second year of school, that Faiella University insists on other courses from other disciplines as well." "Yes," Raina winced. As the lights went down, she leaned in and said quietly. "Magic. Professor Advocat is the..." She waved her gloved hand, cutting off her thought, and turned her attention to the stage as the music began. Joao nodded and turned his attention to the opening of the performance. As the lights dimmed and music swelled, a hush fell over the crowd. The booth, however, offered them some privacy to continue their conversation in hushed voices. Coal-lamps with orange and red filters brightened like the coming dawn. The burgundy curtain rose to reveal a broken parapet, atop which a tall, thin King Eric looked out across the audience with grave concern. Upon the stage—a mountainous slope—stood a dozen tatterdemalion soldiers, staring up at their battle-weary leader for inspiration and hope on Amber's longest day. The King, leaned forward, shoulders heavy with a thousand burdens, and began his soliloquy: "Oh coming Dawn, let thy light shine for Amber this final day. Push back this hungry night and warm us with your touch, We your most grateful children, beseech you now. Embrace us once more, so that we might remember thy face, When our own light is extinguished forever. "Oh Dawn, oh blessed light. Push back this wretched dark where my heart once dwelled. Can you forgive this pitiful fool for his sins? By whose hand Amber did come to ruin. For he cannot forgive thyn self." And so the Fall of King Eric had begun. The son of the Baroness caged his fingers and leaned forward to listen. He gave the occasional glance in Raina's direction, as if ensuring that her experience was satisfactory. However, Joao said no unbidden words. Raina remained silent, but Joao could tell by her body language that she was enjoying herself immensely. She gazed raptly at the stage, smiling or frowning or holding her breath in anticipation as the story unfolded. During the intricate dance numbers, her fingers unconsciously moved gracefully in her lap, mirroring the movements of the dancers. Once, when she caught Joao's glance, she beamed and touched his hand, mouthing the words "Thank you!" Joao blushed slightly at the attention when their eyes met. He gave Raina a nod and smile in response. The play continued into the night, an overly dramatized depiction of King Eric's final moments. The scriptwriter's love for his King shone through every word, portraying the fallen prince as a man torn by guilt and his consuming sense of duty. Tightly woven, the play flipped back and forth between the Last Battle and scenes from Eric's life. This included the famous duel between Eric and Corwin. In a stunning display of swordplay, the two actors fought on stage and in the midst of the audience, very /real/ blades clashing together—as was the Brightblade tradition. By the end, tears and blood had been shed by actors and audience alike. The theatre soon sank into darkness while the pulse red light of King Eric's heart slowed, ebbed, and was finally extinguished. A roar of applause filled the room, swelling like thunder when the actors took their bows. Joao stood up and clapped his hands. He had never been to many performances, save when it was socially necessary (and it was often socially necessary. MWA). Still, this was, to the first born son of the Baroness of the Vert Reef, a magnificent finale to the first half of the performance. Raina practically leaped to her feet with the crowd, applauding wildly. Her eyes were wet and she sniffled daintily, recovering from the emotional performance. After a time, people began filing out of their seats to enjoy the much needed intermission, seeking refreshments or the chance to stretch their legs in the foyer. The pair now had a few moments to freshen up before the more adult-oriented—and bloodier—midnight performance began. "I need a few moments to refresh myself." Joao said to Raina. "We'll meet here in time for the performance to resume, da?" "Yes. I'll need to freshen up as well," she agreed, smiling bashfully and delicately wiping away a stray tear with her gloved finger. He bowed to Raina, and headed off to use the facilities, and clear his head. It occurred to him as he walked away that he was having a far better time than he would likely have had with the original person for whom the tickets were designed to snare in his net. Raina paused a moment to watch him walk away, then gathered her skirts and followed a group of older women toward the powder room, smiling dreamily. The powder room continued the theatre's lofty standards of elegance. Gold and silver fixtures reflected the earth-toned palette of fabrics and wall coverings. A softly colored frieze accented room, the various mythical animals and characters appearing to move in the flickering light from the brass lamps. Sharply dressed attendants provided Raina with silent respect when she entered before returning to their duties, offering various perfumes or hand towels to the patrons. Once she'd finished freshening up, Raina found herself in front of the communal mirror. The women around her chatted and laughed like prized hens, discussing a multitude of petty subjects that had little or nothing to do with the play. And, for the moment, the True-Bloods accepted the young merchant's daughter as one of their own; their typically snide remarks reserved solely for the attendants or their staff. Raina smiled demurely as they chatted on, but did not join their conversation. It was enough just to be permitted to listen. Distantly, the stroke of midnight echoed through the building. And as the sound resonated, the mirror began to ripple like quicksilver, distorting the room behind Raina. Those beautiful faces appeared to aged and darken, dull obsidian replacing painted flesh. The wallpaper peeled away like scales, the plaster cracking like desiccated clay. With each clock strike, the room behind her died piece by piece, as if the very essence of the world were being siphoned away, leaving nothing behind but a brittle shell. Every living soul grew rigid, encased within cocoons of black stone. No, not cocoons. Coffins. All but one. A pale woman dressed in flowing cloak now stood directly behind Raina, gazing sadly over her shoulder. Her hair—the color of golden flames—drifted on a nonexistent breeze. Against the desolation, her matured beauty positively shone. Gasping with fright, Raina clutched her purse tightly, her fingers digging into the fabric as if it could provide security. She was too frightened to scream. Her chin trembling, she pressed herself against the porcelain sink before her, viewing everything in reverse, but not daring to look over her shoulder, or to run, or even to move. <Death comes for you, child> she said, blood-stained lips unmoving; the gossamer voice inside Raina's head. <Be ready for it> Many changes had plagued Joao's evening at the theater, mostly for the better. The change now confronting him, however, certainly fell under the category of 'worst possible.' He'd just finished freshening up when the everything went to hell. . . only quite literally, in this case. As the attendant handed him a towel with which to dry his hands, the distant clock-strike of midnight filled the room. Its dull tone resonated in his ears, his thoughts, not so much heard as 'felt.' Joao stopped and froze. One used to living underwater learned quickly that vibrations and the senses of touch and hearing was sometimes more important than sight. The attendant's image began to shimmer, as if Joao were gazing through water emerging from a thermal vent. His skin darkened and stretched, hardening into obsidian. Within few mere heartbeats, a coffin loomed in front of the young Rebman, leaving no trace of the man that once stood there. Joao opened his mouth slightly, agape. Shifting shape was something not unheard of in Amber and Rebma. Selkies could take the shape of seals, for instance. Someone transforming like this...was completely new. Indeed, Joao discovered he was surrounded by coffins, one for every the man that once in filled the room. The chamber itself began to contort and rot. Many years ago, Joao and his childhood friends had discovered a sunken merchant ship, having landed on the bottom almost perfectly intact. It had been a somber sight, witnessing how the ages of the sea inexorably took their toll on the metallic hulk. The same decay now pervaded here as well, stealing any vestige of beauty and cloaking it in greasy corruption. The silence of the depths now held him, the crushing weight of solitude enclosing him in its grasp. Joao felt the weight on his shoulders, as if he were deep underwater at that long abandoned wreck. The weight of what he was seeing around him paralyzed him. And then somewhere outside, he heard Raina scream. . . The voice was too much. Raina let out a shriek and bolted for the door, her tiny form ducking around and between the spectres surrounding her, seeking to escape the horror of the lavatory. As she burst into the lobby, Raina was immediately confronted by another line of black coffins; dozens gathered like mourners at their own funeral. The once bright interior of the Crown Theatre had been darkened by grime and decay, dust-brown graffiti marring the walls with obscene symbols. Shadows bred in the dark corners, oozing over the moth-eaten carpet, only held back by the oily light of a few burning sconces. Someone had erected an altar of moldering bone and gristle in the center of the foyer. Glistening finger-shaped candles burned atop its fleshy surface, clawing upward like Hands of Glory. Tallow and colored wax pooled around a litter of occult paraphernalia. Cured human skin had been stretched over it like a vile tablecloth, fluttering lazily. Fluttering, even though there was no breeze. And then, as if sensing Raina's presence, the altar turned around on its bone legs; the clicker-clack of its nails the only sound in the room. The tablecloth skin now revealed its horribly stretched 'human' face, black eyeholes staring in her direction. The thing's mouth fought to form words, tearing at the corners where nails held the 'cheeks' in place. Raina whimpered and backed herself against a moldy pillar, squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to force herself to wake up. Obviously, she had fallen asleep in the common room, studying. Her marvelous dream of Joao and the theater had turned into a gruesome nightmare and now she needed to wake up. Now! Her face would be on the couch and her books on the floor. NOW! She opened her eyes. Nothing had changed. She whimpered again and frantically looked around her, trying to decide where to run. Long ago, tradition, culture, and perhaps even biology had given Rebman males certain traits. Deference to the female gender (especially to Rebmans) was foremost amongst them. Men were good for several things. Breeding. War. Protection of women and children. Women ruled and men protected them. It was the natural order. When Joao heard the scream of his lady companion for the night, his paralysis fell away in a moment's time. A woman, the woman who had consented to allow him to spend time with her, was in danger. He whirled around and raced out of the bathroom to the lobby. The coffins and other accouterments were ignored. His eyes riveted on Raina, and then on the table-thing advancing on her. He had no weapons, no trident or spear. But his instincts would not be denied. Joao moved on a course to place himself between Raina, and the thing that threatened her. It was his duty. "Joao!" Raina shouted when she saw him. Her relief was short-lived however, as the altar continued to advance. She scanned the room for something - anything - that they could use as a weapon against the... thing. At her shout, the creature leapt forward, scuttling across the floor with crab-like movements. Its flayed mouth opened and closed hungrily, still making no sound whatsoever as it descended upon them. Fortunately, its oddly-shaped body restricted its movements through the forest of coffins. As Raina turned to look around, she noticed her reflection in the nearby window. Fortunately, her normal reflection remained. However, this time she noted that Joao's image had been transformed to that of a taller man with blonde hair and a devilish grin. Immediately, a stab of pure mistrust cut into her heart; an instinctual wariness of. . . Her thoughts snapped back to reality, the phantom emotion disappearing as quickly as it had come. Joao had now placed himself between her and 'it,' whatever that might be. The thing halted its advance, considering its new prey. As the creature scuttled toward the pair, Joao's martial training took over. Following the precepts of Water, he moved to intercept it with a mercurial speed and skill that shocked even himself. At the last second, he allowed the creature's own momentum to undo it and slipped by its slashing front claws. Off-balance, it stumbled forward, allowing Joao to grab one of its legs. With a stunning strength, his hands crushed the bone like dry kindling, crippling the limb. Unfortunately, the creature recovered quickly from this injury, struggling to turn its wretched face toward him. The reason became immediately evident, as sickly balefire erupted in its maw; the heat blisteringly intense. Joao now found himself in the dreadful situation of having the 'tiger' by its tail. Simultaneously, the strange feeling of wariness had fueled Raina's resolve. With a cry more of rage than fear, she whipped off one of her shoes and struck hard at the glass with the shoe's spiky heel. The window shattered, leaving lethal shards like monsters' teeth in the window frame. Then she yanked on the drapes at the side. When she and Joao had entered the theater, these magnificent curtains had been made of the most luxuriously plush red velvet Raina had ever seen. With strength beyond her kin, she literally ripped the curtains and rod out of the wall, covering herself in plaster. Now moldy and moth-eaten, the thick velvet tore easily in her hands. After wrapping the rags around her hands, she broke two razor-sharp shards of glass out of the window frame - one in each hand. "Joao!" she called to her companion, offering him a makeshift dagger. And she felt a rush of power flow through her body, focusing in her fingers. As she watched, the glass shards glowed and melted and stretched, hardening once more into crystalline stilettos. <Very good , Child> The Voice in her head said with pride. Raina's eyes went wide with shock as the glass transformed into true weapons in her hands. The voice, however, caused the strangest reactions. Despite the chill of fear that shot up her spine upon hearing it, some deep dark part of her preened like a stroked cat. She shuddered, shaking herself out of the wonder of the moment and into action. Using the coffins as cover, Raina waited to pounce. In the back of her head, the spectral voice whispered, <Patience. Patience. A wound beast is the most dangerous. Even more dangerous than Family.> Joao was as surprised by his strength and preternatural mastery of martial art, far beyond his skill, as he was by the weapons that Raina created with some sort of sorcery that he knew that he had not learned at Faiella University. He tried to slide away at an angle from the balefire emitted by the bone creature, to where Raina had the pair of stilettos that had formed from the pieces of glass. He heaved the creature like a dance partner, keeping it off balance. Flames burst from its maw, filling the air with the stink of sulfur and roasted pork. But both he and Raina remained out of its killing arch. When Joao and the beast came near, the Voice in Raina's head cried, <Now!> She sprang forward like a she-wolf, filled with deadly purpose. Her aim, however, did not meet its intended mark; the thing twisting its 'face' away at the last second. Instead, her blade opened up a hideous wound along its flank. Fortunately, the path of her attack brought her in close to Joao. Both felt their limbs move with an unfamiliar instinct, almost as if they'd rehearsed this a hundred times together. Raina released the extra blade, tossing it to her companion. Deftly—impossibly—he reached up and snagged the crystalline knife, bring it back down in one fluid motion and piecing the creature's center mass. The fleshy 'tablecloth' gave no resistance and the weapon sank in up to the hilt. Instantly, the thing stopped fighting, slumping forward lifelessly, the unsettling candles guttering out. Joao let go of the knife and stepped back. Shock, fear and the running of adrenalin and perhaps something else in his system had run its course for the moment. He kept himself between the lifeless form of the altar creature, and Raina. It took an act of will to look away from it, and regard Raina. "It's dead...but...How...how did you do that? What's happening?" he asked her, his voice not much louder than a whisper. "I...I... I don't know," she stammered, her hands now shaking as she gazed at the knife with a look of equal parts wonder and revulsion. "They were just... there." She looked up at him, her face pale and her green eyes frightened, and stepped closer, seemingly needing comfort. "What do we do now," she asked in a whisper. The altar began to melt and bubble, dissolving into a putrid stain on the carpet. Within mere moments, only a discoloration remained to mark its former existence. A choking silence returned to the room, the numbing weight of this transformed world pressing down on the pair. After a half moment's hesitation, Joao gave a shake of the head. His arm, in a protective gesture, moved to encircle around Raina's shoulders, an offer of the comfort that she seemed to seek. The fact that such a gesture would be self-reinforcing on Joao was not lost on him, either. She leaned into him, seeming to appreciate the contact, though her shoulders still remained tense. "We need to figure out what happened. Why did things change? I...I heard. No." Joao stopped and looked at the dance student. "I *felt* the clock strike midnight, and then everything shifted and changed. Like the stories of what the Princes and Princesses of Amber can do when they travel, except it happened all around me." "What about you?" he asked. "Interesting that you should put it that way," Raina said, looking up at him. "But yes, it /was/ like that. Just as the clock was striking, everything seemed to shimmer... and change. There were... coffins." She cringed. Joao swiveled his head, to the other coffins that were in this place with the dead bone and skin creature. He shivered slightly and then steeled himself. "And there was a lady. The only one who didn't change into a coffin. She was... beautiful. But terrifying. She said, 'Death comes for you, child. Be ready for it.'" She shuddered at the memory. "That was when I ran." <Terrifying?> The Woman said in Raina's mind, indignant. <I may be terrible, certainly, but terrifying? How decidedly shortsighted of you, Child> Raina startled at the voice. <Sorry> she thought back at it meekly, like a scolded child. "A terrifying lady." Joao repeated, thoughtfully. "Do...do you think we should face her down? The both of us? Perhaps she can bring us back to where we belong...or undo what's happened here." Raina cowered under his arm. "I don't think so. She seemed to want to do the opposite." "What lies outside?" Joao asked, aloud. "Is all of Amber city like this?" "Let's look," she urged, relieved to change the subject. She reached for his hand as she slipped out from under his arm and moved toward the broken window. Joao clasped Raina's reaching hand with his own, and followed her toward the broken window. Two startling revelations came into view as they approached the window. First—and far more noticeable—was the street beyond. Where there had once been lively street, now stood a graveyard of coffins locked in silent repose, greenish moonlight coating every surface in greasy illumination. Much like the interior of the building, the street now appeared to have suffered some wasting disease, sullying its former beauty. Otherwise, all the landmarks were unnervingly familiar and unchanged. Joao's eyes searched the street for a sign of hope or a way back to the way things were, in vain. Second—and perhaps far more unnerving—was the couple's reflection in the shattered pieces of glass. Raina's reflection had been replaced by the image of a pale woman with phoenix hair and eyes like eternal summer; the woman she'd seen behind her in the bathroom. Joao's reflection had become that of a taller man with hair like rust and narrow features, a smirk hiding just beneath his frown. His eyes, however, were the same as the woman's, an infinite green. Raina drew in a breath upon seeing their reflections. Entranced, she slowly reached forward to touch the glass, her eyes never parting from the image of the pale woman. "Joao...?" she said, her voice wavering, wondering if he was seeing it too. Joao's eyes were riveted to the strange images reflected in the glass. Joao wasn't sure which was the more riveting--the pale woman that seemed to be the reflection of Raina, or the strange tall man who had taken the place of his reflection. Memories and rumors of mirror magics, of strange sorceries not taught even at Faiella University filled Joao's mind. "Are you two ourselves?" Joao said aloud. And then, remembering the voice in his head, he squinted and thought the same words at the images of the two figures reflected in the glass. His hand tightened slightly around Raina's as he did so. Joao's reflection appeared to be speaking, but only Joao himself heard the words in his head. <You can think or say your thoughts, chum. I'll hear them. Best keep our conversations private whilst she's around, eh? I like my kidneys where they are. I suspect you're of like mind. But to answer your question: Yes and no> Joao's reflection grinned impishly. Raina's reflection narrowed her eyes, glaring at Joao's ghostly image. Her words were icy. <Be diligent and wary. No good comes from him when he smiles thusly> The reflections appeared to turn their backs on one another, mimicking each other with a intimate familiarity. <<That is>> Joao thought to his strange counterpart <<not much of an answer. I'm not as dumb as most people in Rebma think. What are you, then? And where am I?>> Joao's Reflection simply stared back at him defiantly. <<Not much of an answer, true. But that's the only one you'll get for the time being. As for where you are. . . well, all I can say is that it isn't really 'where' you are, as 'when' you are.>> And then aloud, he glanced at Raina. "It would seem that these weird reflections of ours are tied to us somehow even while they swim as they will. As if they were independent entities of their own. Like shadows of ourselves, or copies, or something." "It also is clear to me, Raina." Joao gestured toward the glass with a free hand "that they *know* each other. I think that they don't trust each other, too." "Yes. That's true," Raina nodded with some certainty, still transfixed by her own ghostly, yet beautiful reflection. <<What... what is happening here? Why did the theater turn to... this?>> she thought hesitantly to her reflection, like a timid student asking a question of a respected teacher. The woman regarded Joao for a moment—Raina's head feeling a spectral pull to mimic the action. Her eyes blazed with distrust, but Raina's apparent approach loosened her tongue. <<You are exactly where you were, child. But now you see what lies beyond the Veil. The theater did not transform. Nor did the city. This is how the world truly appears.>> Joao blinked uncertainly for a few moments. "Although they don't trust each other, my..." Joao looked at the smirking man. "Reflection is speaking to me." he admitted to Raina. "He seems to know much more than he is saying about what is happening." He stared at the glass again. <<So this is a place in a different time>> Joao looked at his charismatic double. <<Why were Raina and I brought here? Were we brought here to kill that bone thing? And how do we get back?>> Joao's Reflection shrugged <<Why? No clue. Frankly, I'm wondering why I'm here… not to mention /her/>> A nervous shiver rippled up Joao's spine, his eyes being pulled to Raina's weapon hand suspiciously. Nope. She wasn't making any threatening moves. Yet. Satisfied that their kidney's would remain where they were for the time being, Joao's Voice continued <<The Shadow—that's what they're called, I think—was incidental. Hunting, most likely. When your time here has elapsed, you'll return to Middle Realm. At least, that's the theory.>> He coughed nervously, glancing away, unsure. To her own reflection, Raina thought, <<The Veil? What is the Veil?>> Raina's reflection sighed, as a mother might speak to a slow child. <<It is an inadequate word to describe the metaphysical barrier between this realm and the Middle Realm. If I were to speculate, it is a defense mechanism, preventing two realms of existence from simultaneously interacting.>> "Ty menya dostal!" Joao said, toward his reflection, but aloud. The old Rebma expression for exasperation was easy enough for Raina to translate in her sleep. "My double claims we'll just return to the Middle Realm when our time is up. I suppose that means the Amber we know. He doesn't know why he, and your double are here. "You aren't any good with daggers, are you, Raina?" Joao asked. He then looked at the mirror. <<Okay, so you don't know everything. Can I at least ask your name, so I can stop addressing you like some muzhik?>> [Joao] then looked at the mirror. <<Okay, so you don't know everything. Can I at least ask your name, so I can stop addressing you like some muzhik?>> <<Names have Power, friend>> His Reflection said. <<And Power requires trust. Sorry, but I don't give that away freely>> "Konechno." Joao said aloud in a doubtful tone. "Sure." <<Well, you didn't think wrestling that beastie came naturally, do you?>> his Reflection chuckled. <<I've had more than a few lifetimes to learn the which end of the sword is the pointy one. Swords, guns, you name it. I've used it. And as exhilarating as our encounter was, I'd rather you avoid them whenever possible. I like being alive, for what's it is worth in this. . . well, whatever this is>> The Reflection scratched the back of his neck <<It'd take more than tonight to show you what we can do and I sense the Horizon coming. Don't worry. All we have is time now>> <,We have a bargain, then.>> Joao replied. <<Fear not, Reflection. I prefer to remain alive. Mother Would Not Approve of my untimely death>> <<I feel better already>> The Reflection said, rolling his eyes. <<Are we the same person, but in different realms?>> Raina asked her reflection, then, with a glance up at Joao, she added in a whisper (as much as one can whisper in a conversation of thought) <<Why don't you like him?>> <<He once tried to kill me>> Raina's Reflection said without hesitation. <<In time, his nature will win out and he will certainly try again. From my observations, your paramour will be unable to prevent this.>> Raina gasped audibly. Joao regarded Raina curiously. <<He's not my paramour!>> she thought back shrilly at her ghostly reflection, though she could not hide her sudden blush. <<We're just... attending the theater together. But... but I'm certain Joao's much stronger than you realize.>> Raina's Reflection raised her disapproving brow, ever the teacher. <<I tell you that your companion is an assassin and your outrage focuses upon my usage of the word 'paramour?' My dear child, we must examine your priorities a little closer, I think>> She folded her arms and turned up her nose <<He is a thief and a liar. And he will soon overtake your precious Joao. When that time comes, I will be forced to act in our best interests. Understood?>> "Are you all right?" Joao asked Raina. She smiled up at him meekly. "I'm fine," she tried to reassure him, though not quite convincingly. "If you say so." Joao said respectfully to Raina. His inability to completely believe her was only moderately reflected in his tone of voice. To her reflection, she thought <<We'll see>>, again, not quite convincingly. Changing the subject, she added <<When will we be able to go home?>> <<Within a few moments, my apprentice. I can feel this world slipping away as we speak>> Raina's Reflection replied. <<Call upon me again when the green moon returns>> <<I shall>> Raina thought back respectfully. It was a vow. As if to prove her foreknowledge, the world around them began to shimmer once again. Color and life bled back into existence, washing away the dismal ruins beneath a gloss of normalcy. The Reflections faded also, being replaced by Joao and Raina's familiar faces. But even though the wounds of decay healed, the broken window remained shattered, if somewhat cleaner than a moment before. Finally, the din of theater goers rushed in like thunder, dispelling the haunting silence of their shared nightmare. A woman gasped in horror and shocked people turned to see the now shattered window, reacting as if its destruction had just occurred. A tall man in fashionable waistcoat barely avoided running into Joao, "Oh sorry, my boy. I didn't see you there. Beg your pardon." He tipped his head in apology before continuing on his way. Busboys rushed toward the broken window, ushering people away from the shards of glass. Joao siderstepped the tall man, starring at the broken window for a long moment, as if he expected his Reflection, or Raina's, to return. Raina watched in awed wonder as their reflections became their own once more. When the waistcoated man spoke, she jumped, startled out of her trance. She tugged at Joao's hand, a little harder than expected, pulling him toward a quiet corner near the stairwell. Joao felt the pull on his hand, and turned to follow Raina. He positioned himself so that his larger frame protected Raina from the rest of the room, and so that their words were as private as they could manage. Still clasping her hand, he looked down at her. "Now what do we do?" she breathed, fearful yet exhilarated, almost like a timid teenager who has survived her first thrill ride. Joao winced inwardly. Women ruled, and men were for war and breeding. That was the rule in Rebma. That was his cultural DNA. Sweet Raina's question rocked him, and yet, had she not, through her Reflection, shown strength? Hadn't he, too? He could do this. Joao allowed himself one deep breath. "No one else seems to remember or realize what happened." Joao said. "For them, the glass just broke a moment ago. For us it was much longer.They weren't there to see all that happened." Raina gazed up at him and nodded. Her hand never left his. He paused and looked at her. "For now, we tell them nothing. Neither of us wants to be thought mad or worse. We have to...put on an act. We can talk more about this on the way home. And afters." "Now..." Joao turned slightly and gave her a public embrace. To the rest of the room, it looked like he was comforting his date after a startling event. He spoke, loud enough for others to hear. "It was just some broken glass. It's all right. The next part of the play is about to start." Raina melted into his embrace, caught up in the wondrousness of his proximity. She hugged him tightly, playing the role of the overwhelmed date with aplomb, but in truth, no acting was needed. She answered his comments with a simple nod into his chest because she could not find the breath within her to speak. Joao lowered his voice again as he released her from his embrace. "How was that?" She released him reluctantly, blushing brightly. "That was... nice," she answered, though her shy smile and the sparkle in her eyes told him other, more colorful adjectives were dancing merrily around in her head. All of her reflection's warnings were forgotten in a heartbeat. She took both his hands in hers as she grew more serious. "Should we stay though? What about Mikhail? I'm worried about him." As the busboys went about cleaning up the glass, the house lights began to flicker. With the drama of the moment now passed, the crowd began to filter back to their seats. Raina and Joao were forgotten just as quickly in the rush to return. "I hope that nothing has befallen him." Joao replied, watching the crowd of patrons flow around them as if they were a boulder in the middle of a river. He gently squeezed the hands that Raina had taken in hers. "Heading on to check him though would be suspicious..." Joao's eyes then twinkled slightly. "and we would miss the start of the performance. I think the two of us need some distraction to put some of what we saw and did at bay for the moment. And Mikhail might not yet be back and waiting for us, I did give him leave for the moment. Hopefully he is enjoying his own meal none the wise for the midnight horrors that we saw and fought." Raina smiled and nodded, reassured. "Come, Raina." Joao urged, tugging gently on the hands that Raina used to hold his. "let us return to our seats. For now." Raina allowed him to lead her back to their seats, linking her hand into the crook of his elbow and covering it affectionately with her other hand. If nothing else, the encounter had certainly drawn her closer to the young Rebman noble. Joao found it easy, easier than he had thought, to walk with Raina back toward their seats. Even though she had been a companion of convenience, to use up a ticket, they seemed to have an instant rapport. Was it the strange shared mutual experience, or was it the fact that both of them could have the experience that allowed for this? Did the members of the Amber Royal family know about these occurances? His double seemed displeased with him, but clearly implied this would occur again. But when? And what did it all mean? Clearly at a depth that he was unused to, Joao fought down the internal questions for the moment and responded to Raina's companionship. The smiles he offered Raina were unforced and genuine. He liked her. She was not the sharp-as-glass Princess Caer. And that was a good thing. Joao had to fight down an unbidden, heretical thought and concentrate on something else, something other than four words that seemed to circumscribe much of his life: What would mother think? Joao let Raina sit down first, and then took his seat. He felt it completely natural, and right, to reach for her hand. Which she gave him, with a pleased little smile, before turning her attention to the opening of the curtain. After the life-threatening encounter they'd just endured, the violence and action of the final play lacked the normal impact. For the Love of a Rose, a satirical portrayal of the bloody Karm Vendetta, told the tale of Oberon's betrayal of House Karm after his son, Osric, is spurned by Lord Karm's daughter. Both he and his eldest sons are shown as short-sighted brutes, easily brought to rage when their advances—almost an assault—are condemned. Bloodshed and betrayal culminated into the mock trial that acquitted Prince Osric of any wrong-doing, despite the murder of three of Karm's sons. Edging toward the seditious, the play focused on gallows humor and action, and by its conclusion one of the actors has to be removed for a serious cut to the forehead, while another nurses a broken wrist while taking a bow. The performance received nervous applause; although, members of House Karm rose from their seats in ecstatic appreciation. Raina's applause was solid, though not to the rousing extent of House Karm. When the show had grown more political than her comfort level, she had focused on technique - blocking, stagecraft, dance, voice. It was for those attributes that she applauded. Joao applauded in a matching level to Raina. This truly was virgin territory for him and he leaned forward to absorb as much as he could of the world of the stage, even a sanguinary production such as this. People began filing out of the theatre, exhausted by the long evening. The crush at the front of the building, however, prevented a fast retreat. Raina held Joao's arm on the way out of the theater, growing increasingly close to him as the crowd pressed in. As their movement slowed, the petite brunette stood on tiptoe to try to see what had caused the slowdown, but to no avail. She was simply too short. "Can you see anything?" she asked her escort. "I think its just too many people in too small of a door. But let's find out." Joao opined. Impulsively, he turned, and lifted Raina. Not with the grace of a dancer, perhaps, but with the grace of a child of Water. In so doing he turned and placed her on his shoulders so that she could see higher than either of them could to the front of the crush of the crowd. Raina squealed in surprise as he lifted her, but her hesitation was momentary before her dancer's instincts took over. She shifted her tiny frame lithely to perch on one of his shoulders, her long dress not allowing for a full shoulder straddle, and balances there expertly to look out over the crowd. This bold—and bohemian—action garnered several gasps and hushed words from the easily startled True-Bloods. However, in addition to gaining the attention of ever-watchful mosquitoes, it also provided Raina with a perfect view of the street. One-way traffic restricted carriages to moving in a single file, a process slowed by the leisurely-paced theatre patrons, more interested in chatting than boarding. To further exacerbate the situation, several paperboys had attracted crowds of people. Joao was bemused by the reaction of the crowds. It was true, though, that Mother Would Not Approve of what he was doing. This entire night though, seemed devoted to that. The night breeze carried their announcement to Raina. "Kashfa invades Western Eregnor! Read all about it!" She noticed Mikhail's hunched form on his raised riding seat beyond them and three carriages back, waiting his turn with a dour expression. "What's going on, Raina?" Joao enquired. "What do you see?" "There's nothing going on in the street," Raina said, sliding off his shoulder gracefully to the ground below. Once on solid ground though, she turned to him and whispered, "but the newsboys say there's an invasion! In Eregnor!" "Lir's Blood!" Joao whispered, his voice carrying a tone of shock and surprise to Raina. "Let's just survive this crush and get to the carriage." As they move forward, Raina recalled the history lessons her father had forced her to endure. 'Politics is the anathema of trade, Firefly,' he'd once said, 'You must know the faces behind the smiles, the words behind the voices, and the motivations behind the actions. Otherwise, this family cannot prosper in this world.' Eregnor suffered terribly in the wake of the Pattern Fall War and split into the western and eastern states due to strong ideological differences. Territorial disputes and political unrest continued for thirty-five years, spilling over into neighboring kingdoms. In 35SA, Francis Lucheni, an anarchist from Western Eregnor, fatally stabbed a royal in Eastern Eregnor in an act of propagande par le fait (propaganda by the deed). Little did he realize his victim was actually Queen Coral Barimen of Kashfa, who was visiting family. Prime Minister Leopold Schönhausen used this to enlist King Rinaldo I's military and financial aid in Eastern Eregnor. Only Western Eregnor's alliance with Begma prevented a full-scale war. Joao knew this as well. However, because of his mother's interest—some would say 'obsession'—with politics, his training provided him with a larger picture of the true ramifications of Kashfa's involvement in what would surely be called a 'reunification' of Eregnor. By formally declaring war on an ally of Begma, King Rinaldo had finally ended the two kingdoms' political alliance through marriage. The King had never hidden his dissatisfaction with Begma's continued support of Western Eregnor; accusing them of protecting his wife's assassin. This resentment continued to fester over the last fourteen years, fueling unrest in the numerous duchies and provinces bordering the two kingdoms. Eregnor's neighbors would likely use this as an opportunity to expand their own borders as well, siding with either Begma or Kashfa. Worse yet, if the conflict persisted for any length of time, Amber would eventually be forced to choose sides. Potentially, the military quagmire created by this web of alliances could make Amber's holdings a tempting target for Rebman expansion. "The pieces of Eregnor fighting could draw their neighbors, and Amber, into a much wider conflict." Joao muttered to Raina, the unhappiness dripping from his voice. Raina looked worried and held his arm as they continued to press forward. "I saw Mikhail as well. He's several carriages back that way," she pointed as they neared the door. Though she said nothing more, Joao could see the relief on her face that their driver was all right after the night's events. Joao nodded, relieved and with the arm in his, led her forward. The couple jostled through the crowd and soon found themselves standing in front of their carriage. Mikhail tipped his hat to them, speaking over the voices of the crowd. "Dobryj vecher, Ser Joao. Lady Raina. I took the liberty of buying you a light snack of crab-cakes and a bottle of the Pinot Noir Rose. We might be stuck here for a moment or two." "More than a moment, maybe, Mikhail." Joao replied wryly. "Thank you for the victuals. The..." Joao hesitated for a moment. "performance has made us more than a bit peckish." Mikhail gingerly climbed down, hiding the weariness in his bones well. He opened the door for Raina, providing her a fatherly smile. "Did ye enjoy the show, miss?" "It was... like nothing I've ever seen," Raina replied, putting on a brave smile to cover her paleness. "And you, Mikhail? How was your evening?" She appeared concerned about his answer. Mikhail stared at her for a moment in stunned shock. As a commoner, he was more accustomed to being a shadow, a mere side-note to the lives of his noble patrons. Having young Joao speak to him with any regard was honor enough. But to have a /woman/ inquire about his evening had completely overwhelmed him. He sputtered his reply, "Very. Good. Missus. Thank you. Missus.!" He lowered his head in shy humility. "Is there anything else, Missus? Maybe. I could take you through the park. Or would you just like to go home?" Joao beamed at Raina. "Thank you, Mikhail. It is of course, the lady's choice. We Rebmans understand this intimately." "We certainly will want time to enjoy the Pinot Noir and the crabcakes." Joao turned to Raina. "Any further time tonight would be, by Lir, a Grace." Raina blushed, not believing that her company could be so desired. "Yes. That would be lovely. Let's start with the meal. I find I am indeed a little hungry," she smiled. "We can decide what to do afterward when we get there." Two hurricane lamps illuminated the cabin's velvet interior, the miniature table elegantly set. Mikhail waited for Raina and Joao to climb aboard before shutting the door behind them. With the windows closed, the raucous sounds of the crowd were reduced tremendously. After a few moments, the carriage tugged into motion; their progress exceedingly slow. Back inside of a familiar setting, that of the coach, Joao felt much more at ease. And much more Rebman. He reached for the bottle of the wine and looked toward his dining companion. "Shall I pour?" he asked at Raina, turning suddenly shy and studying the golden brown crabcake on the plate in front of him. "Yes. Please," she replied. She studied him as he did so, noticing with a shy smile of her own how the familiar surroundings relaxed him. She liked the change. When he had settled back into his seat, she began picking at her crabcake, though it was obvious her thoughts were elsewhere. "Did yours speak to you telepathically?" she asked suddenly. Joao took a sipped of the wine that he had poured into his own glass. It was a long moment, and he seemed to stare into the glass for a moment, as if the liquid within could act as an oracle of sorts. Finally he set the glass down, looked up at Raina and nodded. "Da. That's how my doppleganger and I communicated. I presume that yours did the same to you?" Raina nodded. Joao paused a moment and then added. "Mine and yours didn't seem to trust each other. Mine kept thinking that our kidneys were in danger the entire time the four of us were together." To deflate the tension of his statement, Joao took his knife and speared the side of his crabcake. "They were, if she had had her way," Raina admitted softly, looking down and poking her crabcake. "I didn't do...what she wanted. At least not everything." Raina looked up at him with determination. Or was it wishful thinking. "And I won't." "It does sound like yours was more communicative, guiding than mine own. He seemed bemused and exasperated by me." Joao replied. The coach lurched as Mikhail guided the carriage out of the cue and onto a side street. The bumpy ride paid off, however. Soon they'd escaped the crowds and were angling their way out of the Main Concourse. Both Raina and Joao recognized this section of the city; Flag Hill. The old driver was taking them along the upper ridge; known for its stunning view and secluded lanes. A perfect place for a romantic ride. "Flag Hill" Joao breathed as he looked out the window at the view. His crabcake was ignored for the moment. He shifted slightly, so that his gaze contained both Raina, and a sidelong view over the ridge in the same frame of his gaze. "Oh?!" Raina exclaimed excitedly, sliding eagerly toward the window to get a better view. [Joao's] crabcake was ignored for the moment. He shifted slightly, so that his gaze contained both Raina, and a sidelong view over the ridge in the same frame of his gaze. After a moment, it occurred to Raina that Joao had grown quiet. She turned back and was surprised to see that he had changed position. "Were you looking at me?" she accused playfully. Certain cephalopods in Rebma, squids mainly, could and did change color quickly, at the drop of a hat, for a variety of reasons. Camoflage. Communication. As if he were one of those cephalophods, Joao's cheeks turned abruptly scarlet in color in response to Raina's playful accusation. The son of the Baroness lowered his eyes, but the gesture was a mixture of Rebman male humility as well as humor. There was at least a little bit of irreverence in his countenance, especially the slight smile playing on his lips. "Maybe" he admitted. Raina blushed as well, but unlike earlier in the evening, she did not wilt away shyly like a delicate spring flower in the hot summer sun. The evening's encounter, though terrifying, seemed to have boosted her self-confidence somehow. A bright smile lit her face and she moved away from the window, closer to him, and reached out to slip her hand into his. She gazed into his eyes as she searched for the right words. Joao's fingers slowly and carefully tightened around hers. "I'm glad it was you who was with me tonight. Thank you," she said softly. The carriage wound its way lazily through the dark streets of Flag Hill. In time it reached a crest and began its descent back into the city proper. A distant rumble echoed in the night; Faiella's Tears. They were heading home. "Da" Joao said with a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Raina. By Lir and the Unicorn, it was good that we faced tonight, together." With reluctance, and one single, signal squeeze, he released her hand. Joao didn't say anything for a couple of minutes, returning his attention to the almost forgotten crabcake and wine in front of him. The needs of youth impelled him to return to the food. As the last triangular cut piece of the meal was finished, he looked at Raina again. "We should find times and places to meet again." Joao said, boldly. |
