TheWalkingWoundedSeabhac and Ginger hurried over to Joao and Temnal. “Well, I’m sure whatever trouble those two get into, they’re ready to handle it,” Ginger piped in. ”And if not, their screams will give us warning and we can retreat the other way.” The young man set the cat on the table and leaned down. “Is there anything I can do for you two?” “Just keep alert,” suggested Temnal. “I’m pretty drained and not up to much of anything right now.” He grimaced slightly and added, “Somehow I don’t think this is my night to confront my Other, much less conjoin with him.” “The two of you could stop being blurry in my vision,” Joao joked mildly. “This…” Joao grimaced, paused and then continued, “is why I dislike intoxication so fiercely.” “I am sorry, Gospodin Temnal,” Joao apologized. “It is my rash action which has probably doomed both of our chances tonight for such a confrontation.” “Considering how Cole’s went,” observed Temnal, “it may be just as well to string them out over several Dark Hours rather than trying to do them all at once.” “You might be correct,” Joao replied. He finally got himself to a seated position. “Certainly an argument can be made for your program.” Joao blinked, and tried to center himself. “Do you know who you might be linked to, Temnal?” Joao asked. “I don’t know, and I would rather not guess,” Temnal replied. “The choices are becoming limited, though.” “How that process precisely works is something I am still not clear on. It may have to possibly do with the ringing in my head, Gospodin Temnal,” Joao replied. “Seabhac,” Joao said. “I dislike imposition, but a glass of water would aid in my recovery.” He paused a beat. “Please.” “Of course,” Seabhac said. He cupped his hands and darkness began to pool within his fingers. “Serpent, this is much harder than I thought.” Ginger coughed. “Can you conjure up a fish head while you’re at it?” Seabhac gave her an evil look. The feline blinked. “What’d I say?” Joao then returned to conversing with Temnal. “I had thought, perhaps, that what you had done for me had come from your Shadow. Those were skills you learned before coming here?” Joao asked enquiringly. “Part came from my Shadow,” Temnal acknowledged. “I wouldn’t have been able to do the necessary spell that fast. But I had help from the Lady as well.” His hand went briefly, automatically to where Her emblem hung around his neck, under his school uniform. “And obviously my own energies were drawn on, too. I suppose you could call it a team effort.” Not, he reflected, that his Shadow had seemed particularly thrilled to be on the same team as the Lady. Seabhac let out a strained sigh as a crystal goblet materialized in his hand. The clear water appeared to glow slightly in the grey haze that clung to everything else in the room. He knelt down and tried to support Joao’s neck. “Here, my friend. Drink slowly.” Even having been born to Water, Joao had never tasted something as fine as the cool liquid in the glass. Ginger coughed again. “Umm… fish head?” Joao accepted the gesture, and more importantly, the water. He did drink slowly, carefully, and did not speak again until he managed, with Seabhac's help, to drink half of the glass. "That is good Water. Spasebo, Seabhac," Joao said. He held the glowing glass for a moment. He looked to Temnal. "Who is this Lady that you have the honor of serving?" he asked. As he waited for Temnal's answer, he resumed drinking, slowly, from the glass. Seabhac allowed Joao to finish drinking before setting the empty glass aside. “If you two are okay, I’m going to make sure nothing is sneaking up on our companions.” Joao nodded. "Da. A good idea, Seabhac. Thank you." Seabhac hurried over to the open door to watch for intruders. The expression on Temnal's dark face had both softened and lightened. "She who put forth Her hand to draw me out of the Pit, years ago," he said. "Whose hand is over me even now. She who speaks in moonlight and dreams. This is Her symbol." He drew out the small silver pendant from under his shirt. Its form was that of a rampant unicorn within the curve of a crescent moon. "The Unicorn?" Joao said, in wonder. "I did not know her influence extended so far." He stared openly at the pendant. Joao was pleased that by this point, he could only see one pendant, and with relative clearness. "So far as I understand it," Temnal said carefully, "this is Her symbol rather than Her image. On the other hand, I am sure it is not accidental. Symbols never are. But I do not know what the exact relationship, or resonance, may be." Joao managed a nod as Temnal continued. He smiled slightly. "You are not the only person to wonder about that. Both this and the shrine in my room have garnered a few odd looks, especially from people who know I belong to a Chaosian House." "The domain of the Serpent," Joao said, remembering lessons learned long before he set foot in the University, as well as classes thereafter. "I can see how that might be difficult for you. "Is your branch of your House devoted to Her, or was this a personal and singular experience?" Joao asked. "And what was this Pit that she effected your rescue?" "A dark place in both the literal and metaphorical sense," answered Temnal, "that an expedition from the Courts had also become trapped in. One might say I aided their escape, as She aided mine ... so when I joined House Chanicut, although they do not share my particular devotion, they have nothing to say against it." "They respect that your devotion did them, through you, a good turn, and service," Joao said, thoughtfully. "In a sense, though the devotion came after the fact," said Temnal. "The Lady first made Her presence known to me in saving me." "This expedition to the Pit that you encountered when She helped you escape, the expedition was from House Chanicut?" "In part, at least. Lord Gaynor of House Chanicut was one of the sponsors." "Is it common for Chaosians to join Houses like you did?" Joao asked. Mother, he thought, would approve of his intellectual curiosity. "It's not unknown," said Temnal. "There's a form of address for it, anyway. That is why I am 'nov'dy Chanicut' instead of simply 'dy Chanicut'," he explained. "But I suspect it's less usual for an adopted member to originate in Shadow rather than in the Courts themselves." "So you are from a shadow near to the Courts, Temnal nov'dy Chanicut?" Joao enquired. "Near enough to be explored," Temnal said a bit wryly. Then, glancing at Joao's face, he added in a lower voice, "No, I suppose I didn't make that clear. That dark place I speak of ... is where I was born." Half-listening, Ginger moved to lick her paw--only to decide otherwise when she noticed the filth sticking to its pad. “Ewwwww…” She then regarded the two men--waiting impatiently for them to sympathize with her plight. Joao gave Ginger a glance, and a sympathetic glance. This might be partially due to the fact that Joao was glad that Ginger, too, dirty paw and all, was no longer spinning in his field of vision. "I don't understand fully," Joao said to Temnal. "Perhaps it is my concussion. You were rescued from your birth world by the Chanicut?" "More like I rescued them," said Temnal, "or rather, helped them to escape. There was ... they offered me the chance to go with them, but at the time -- things were happening too fast. It was not long after that I ... I can't exactly say I made my own escape, because my first effort failed. It was only then that the Lady's first dream came to me, and in my extremity I gave myself into Her hand. Afterwards ... I made my way to the Courts, and was taken in by House Chanicut." Again he smiled slightly. "I'm sorry I can't give more details. A good bit of it, especially my own escape, lies outside of my waking memory." "Such a traumatic experience," Joao murmured, "would affect the memories of everyone. It's clear to me from what you say that the hand of the Lady, the Unicorn, delivered you to House Chanicut. It makes sense to me for you to continue to honor her, even if that is a minority view in the Courts." Seabhac glanced back at them, “I’m not surprised the Unicorn’s influence can be felt in the Courts. Ever since the war, there has been a growing sentiment toward the conquering heroes of Amber. The Reformers are beginning to spread throughout the Houses, I’m told. Much to my uncle’s disfavor, I might add.” He checked the door again. "There are some mixed sentiments on that score amongst the client states and satrapies established by Rebma," Joao said. "On the one hand, resentment at being conquered by us, and on the other hand, emulation of Rebma. The rightful place of women, for example, is established throughout our burgeoning empire." Seabhac leaned out into the corridor, waving at someone. “Time to go, Cole,” he called. “I’m not sure those things are friendly.” Cynwyd and Rusalka came rushing by him. Outside an insane giggling erupted. Cole followed quickly behind, backpedaling, and stopped just far enough inside the door to hold it as a choke point without keeping Seabhac from slamming it shut. "Hey, those ward things I broke earlier?" he said. "Might be a good time to put them back." Temnal looked over in the direction of the door and smiled mirthlessly. "You're obviously forgetting how long it took to set those up in the first place. Not to mention the fact that I could actually stand up at the time. I almost hate to ask ... but what's out there?" |
