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(Continued from Points of Contact and Returning to Minobeeways - Tear and Tasha)

Jurt set down as gently as he could in the courtyard, and tried to keep the wyvern from nipping at the servant demons as he let the girls dismount. "Everyone still here? Wonderful."

Amba quickly leapt from the back of the wyvern, and once her feet were on solid ground, glared at Jurt. It wasn't that she didn't like the flight—no. But still... She started to say something, stopped, then instead said, "Thank you for the flight, Lord Jurt. I apologize if your problems with your wyvern were because of the added weight—after all, I'm sure you would have warned us if you intended such acrobatics, considering the possibility of accidents, no?"

Jurt chuckled. "I did. I suggested you hold on tight."

"So you did," Amba said, acknowledging his point. It was obvious that she wasn't particularly upset by the hint of a smile on her face. Turning as the smile became more obvious, she waited expectantly for Helena to dismount before they went to greet their friends.

Helena slipped down next to Amba and squeezed her shoulder comfortingly. The ride had blown wisps of hair from her braid and brought color to her cheeks. "Yes, thank you. It was...exhilarating."

She looked like she wanted to say more, but instead turned and looked around for Tasha and Solitaire.

Tear and Tasha came out into the courtyard, hand in hand. Tear still wore the simple skirt and blouse Tasha had created for her. But the excitement on her face dismissed its dull appearance. "Helena! Amba!" she shouted, releasing Tasha's hand to bound barefoot down the steps. At the bottom step, she paused, recognizing Jurt's familiar form. Her violet eyes flickered with doubt, her teeth biting into her bottom lip.

However, her fascination in the wyvern overcame any unease he might have provoked. She stepped forward, gazing up at the creature. "Is it? Friendly?"

The wyvern lifted its blunt, heavy head, the legs of one unfortunate demon still dangling from its lips like a piece of misplaced lettuce (although these still kicked, feebly). Jurt had not been entirely successful in restraining it. Now it regarded the assembled Chaosians benevolently.

Tasha's blue eyes sparkled with amusement at Tear's question, "Friendly? A wyvern? Probably as friendly as some of the natives in the woods back home; in Darkmoore." She smiled an innocent smile at Jurt and then added, addressing the newcomers, "Welcome to Minobeeways." She glanced over her shoulder looking for her mother, whom she had expected to be there to greet the visitors, but Tabitha was nowhere to be seen.

Tear smiled at her friend, sharing her amusement. Then she returned to admiring the massive creature, allowing Tasha to conduct the welcomes. Her eyes flashed with violet shadows as they met the wyvern's imposing gaze, ignoring the weakened struggles of its meal.

"He's much like the love of a Chaosian lady," Jurt chuckled. "A dangerous, raw beauty... fickle, tempermental, and often best controlled with a heavy leather strap. Also easily handled when satisfied."

Helena exchanged a glance with Amba and rolled her eyes.

Tear covered her mouth to silence a childish giggle. But it didn't appear that she'd really heard Jurt's comment; something else holding her attention. She shook her head and then grinned shyly up at the wyvern, which had begun to stare at her hungrily.

"Thank you for your welcome, " Helena relied to Tasha. "I think our tour of Minobeeways will have to be rescheduled for another time, though—there have been developments since we last saw each other.

"I'm sorry, Amba, but I didn't have time to tell you before we left.

"Apparently there was some sort of disagreement between my mother and Lord Sawall. I don't know the particulars..."

Helena frowned at Jurt over her shoulder before turning back to Tasha.

"...but the upshot is that our two Houses are likely to go to war and my stepfather would like us all in Amber as quickly as possible. For our safety."

She frowned again, as if not liking the taste of those last few words.

"So," Jurt said. "I suppose we should see if my brother is prepared to receive us." He removed his trump case and shuffled out his brother's card.

The card wavered and then came to life.

"Jurt," said Mandor. "You've missed all the excitement."

"And I was going to say the same," he answered. The scene behind him resolved to be the courtyard of MinobeeWays, with the gaggle of young noble women and their bags. "Is it possible that you'd be able to receive us?"

As the others made arrangements, Tear continued to stare up at the wyvern in silence. It craned its neck to regard Tasha for a moment and then looked back at Tear questioningly. She immediately began waving her hands and shaking her head; her violet eyes growing as round as cup saucers. Something further passed between them and it lifted its snout with pure indignation. Tear bowed her head in a humble gesture of respect, blushing several shades of red.

As they wyvern glanced her way, Tasha felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise, and just managed to suppress a growl from emerging. What was wrong with her? Challenging a wyvern? She shook her head, and then watched as Tear and the creature appeared to be communicating.

Another fascinating thing she'd have to file away about her new friend.

Mandor glanced around him—he seemed to be in some sort of an underground passage.

"Trump me again in five minutes," he said. "I shall be somewhere more suitable to receive our guests then."

He broke the connection.

Jurt turned to the ladies. "We shall travel in the next few moments, so if you all might prepare yourselves?"

Tasha nodded, and waited; the embodiment of patience, though inside she was all aquiver with excitement. She was finally going to Amber.

Helena nodded curtly and turned away from the others. She hugged herself and stared at the ground, mentally trying to prepare for what was to come. In a few minutes she'd meet her biological father for the first time face-to-face—a son of the House they were now possibly at war with. Ness would be there too, the sister she hadn't seen in over twenty years. She wanted her mother terribly right at that very moment and wondered how badly she'd been injured. Too many things happening, too many changes all at once, too many emotions to deal with...

She felt as if she might explode.

Amba had been looking at Tear communicating with the wyvern, fascinated. But she felt, more than saw, Helena pull in on herself, and looked towards her friend. Seeing her hugging herself, she started toward her...

...then hesitated, the thought of what she was probably dealing with coming to mind. She worried her lip, remembering their former—their only—conversation about Mandor. Then concern won out over hesitation as she placed her hand supportively on Helena's shoulder.

Helena trembled at the touch and closed her eyes, knowing the hand was Amba's without needing to look—what she would give to be alone with her right then, a million shadows away from all of this.

This time, when the connection was made, Mandor was standing in the throne room of Amber, clear into the middle of the room.

"Are you ready to come through?" he asked. He held out his hand.

Tear tapped her foot, tugging on her ear in thought. She suddenly clapped her hands and began nodding excitedly. She gestured toward the wyvern's tail and made a circle shape with her hand.

"I'll get the ladies," Jurt answered. He extended a hand toward Tasha, and noted Tear's pidgin conversation.

"Tear, can you speak with him? Perhaps send him back to SawallWays?"

Tear blinked, as if finally noticing Jurt. She noted sheepishly. "Yes. I can. Sort of. He's very. Straight forward. And a bit. Touchy. If you can give me a moment to summon something shiny for him. Oh. And have something or 'one' tasty waiting for him when he arrives home. He's rather. Put out at the moment. But I'm sure I can get him to travel on his own, if his needs are met."

She turned back to the wyvern and relayed this arrangement to the creature as best she could.

The wyvern regarded Tear with an expression that all those present saw as extreme disgruntlement. Then he rose on his rear legs and stretched his wings as though preparing for flight. But not quite yet—his reptilian eyes were fixed on Tear as though waiting for something.

Tear appeared to be in deep negotiation, holding up her hand and counting off five fingers. She pointed to her hand one last time and smiled hopefully up at the majestic creature. Then, without a word, she walked to the rear of the wyvern and stood beside his tail. She opened her hands and an intricate cat's cradle of Logrus tendrils began to ooze and ripple between her pale fingers. They danced and twitched, as if snakes tasting the air. The cat's cradle began to tighten and coalesce around something that was both there and not there at the same time.

By the time the other ladies had Trumped through, an bejeweled gold circlet appeared in her hands. Her violet eyes held the wyvern's as she attached it to his regal tail. Its shiny surface brought out the highlights of his scales. She nodded approvingly and brushed his tail with her fingers.

With a respectful bow, she left the wyvern to marvel at his new acquisition. Tear sped across the courtyard to join Jurt, her bare feet hardly touching the flagstones. "Sorry. He was a little touchy there for a moment. But I think I've negotiated his return plans. He's so handsome. You're very lucky to have him. I wish I could have one."

She smoothed her frumpy skirt and sighed. "I guess I'm ready to go."

[Jurt] "Lady Tasha, if you will, please?"

[continued in Arriving in Amber]