BehindClosedDoorsIndex | Time Under Chaos | Game Logs | Behind Closed Doors (Continued from The Return of the Regent)
Morgan led the way into his small, convivial office behind the throne, and then gestured to Goran to sit down, closing the door firmly. "Now then," he said. "What's this about?" "Several things, Captain," Goran said soberly, sitting down a little more wearily than he would have preferred to show. "I know what caused the energy drain on the Chaosians at dinner. I know what happened to Mandor. And Damien has made it public that I'm of the Blood. Which of these would you like me to explain first?" "I know you're of the blood," said Morgan. "Merlin told me that - and that we should work together. He seems to think you're on side. Is he right?" Goran's brow quirked slightly in surprise, but then he nodded once. "I'm on the side that keeps Amber at peace," Goran said frankly. "The current reign has done that and I see no reason to think that a change would be for the better. Quite the opposite, if tonight's events are any indication. "What sort of work is he looking for?" Morgan gave a short laugh. "Protection, I believe. Now that I've stepped into his shoes, he thinks I need someone to watch my back. You up for that?" Goran nodded again. "I can do that," he drawled with a smirk that seemed to say he'd take pleasure in the task. "And what did happen to our beloved Prime Minister?" "Pattern overdose, for lack of a better description. Petra showed up on the Queen, dragging him along with her." Goran shook his head, looking genuinely worried. "He didn't look good, Cap'n. I don't claim to be a doctor, but I've seen people on the brink and he looked pretty close. Petra said she hauled him out of a Pattern-soaked cell, but we didn't have time to chat. I didn't figure I could do him any good, so I had them call the Professor and got the hell out. I didn't see him after that. I was too busy with the escapade on the stairs." "All right," said Morgan. "Seven out of ten for trying ... "So what was this escapade on the stairs?" Goran raked his fingers through his hair, suddenly looking older and more weary. "What we spoke about in the throne room. The pattern force that dissipated the stairs to Tir. I was part of that. Not the whole force, but I contributed to it," he admitted flatly. He blew out a remorseful breath. "We didn't realize there was one of us up there. We suspected it was the Duke because we had word he was trying to destroy patterns and everything associated with them. And there was no other reason for Tir to be out three days early. If we clouded the moon, the stairs went away. If they took the Duke with them, well," he shrugged, "no great loss. Problem is, the Duke escaped." He smirked sourly. "It seems the bad guys always do." "Yes, well," said Morgan. "It happens. When did you run into Damien - and why did he out you?" "He showed up on the Queen, after ... hold on. Let me backtrack a bit," Goran said, holding up a hand. He rose and started to pace slowly. Apparently he thought better this way. "The explosion, or rather the energy drain that all the Chaosians felt, was caused by something called an Infernal. According to the Prime Minister, it's a highly arcane means of control over another being. It's similar in some ways to a trump, but allows the one depicted an effective measure of control over the holder." "I've heard of it," said Morgan grimly. "It comes in the same category as Dark Bindings - or so Merlin says." Goran nodded, taking in that bit of information, and continued. "At any rate, I found something that looked like a coin or a token in a secret pocket of a nobleman who had caused trouble on the Queen. It was a routine search after he had been taken into custody. The coin felt cool to the touch, and as I examined it, it seemed to try to reach out, tentacle-like, to slither into my mind. I brought up pattern energy to force it back and the thing exploded. No fire. Just energy, but enough to throw me and Medici up against the wall and kill the nobleman." Morgan frowned, looking at him closely. "I wish Merlin was here to check you out. That's closer than I'd care to come ..." "I wouldn't do it again," Goran nodded in agreement. "It was shortly after that Damien showed up, along with Te ... Solitaire and the Professor," Goran went on. "He asked for an explanation and I gave him a brief one, but it wasn't good enough. He decided I was lying by omission, which made me wonder exactly how he knew that something had been omitted." Goran shrugged. "I'm a security guard. I'm suspicious by nature. At that point, I wasn't about to tell him anything else even if I knew it. So he pushed. He pulled out a trump and threatened Tear's family." Goran snorted sarcastically. "Oh, he later told Mandor he'd merely been asking questions, but 'I will have the truth from you or the Baroness will mourn those dearer to her than you are' sounded an awful lot like a threat to me. And to Tear. She started getting all oily like Logrus sorcerers do just before they let fly. So I, um ..." Goran winced sheepishly, though the smirk did not quite disappear. "I brought a ceiling down on him to break the trump contact." Morgan grinned. "Well," he said. "Drastic but effective, I'd guess. Still, you'll have made a dangerous enemy there. You'll need to watch your back ..." "But the real danger is how far inside your head the Duke managed to get. Whether it was enough to make a trump of you." Based on his expression, this was a possibility that Goran had not considered. He spat out a curse. "I don't think it got far, but it was difficult to push back," Goran conceded. "And I did end up being coated in tallow from the thing for a time. Damien's fault again. He wouldn't let me leave to clean up." Goran scowled, again considering the implications. "My best source for answers to matters arcane is unavailable at the moment. And it appears the king and the professor are too. The only other person I could think of that might have answers - and is here - would be Solitaire, unless you have any other suggestions." Morgan looked thoughtfully at Goran. "How much do you trust Duke Helgram's niece?" he asked. Goran stared at Morgan a moment, then turned his gaze to the floor, considering the question. Or perhaps framing his answer. "The name is just a name to her," Goran began tentatively. "They've never met, to my knowledge. Until just now, that is." He crossed his arms across his chest and sighed. "I've known her for several years now. I don't believe she'd do anything to intentionally hurt me." His eyebrows inclined dubiously. "But she has a weakness for power. She needs to understand it. It's like a compulsion. And he can exploit that." "As Mandor's been doing," said Morgan grimly. "Well, he's always liked to live dangerously, I'll give him that." Goran rubbed his jaw thoughtfully and grimaced. Making an obvious decision to tell more than he had expected to, he admitted, "I had orders to keep her away from Duke Helgram at all costs. I think that task is more important than ever now. If he gets control of her power, it'll be like handing him a machine gun. Or a nuke." "Yep," said Morgan. "Erm ... orders from whom? Merlin? He didn't say anything to me about telling you that." Goran shook his head. "Bleys," he corrected flatly. "Though I reckon the King's orders trump his if they contradict. I don't think they will though. Given what we know of the Duke's intentions." "Bleys, eh?" said Morgan slowly. "So he 's ... oh, alright. Did he give you any other advice? Like, you know, 'If you want to save Amber, my lad, do this ... this ... and this ...' "Failing that ... did he tell you where he was going?" Goran let the unspoken speculation slide and shook his head again. "No. And no. All he said was he had to do research. And not to take on the Duke myself. That last was in response to my comment about finding a good assassin." The stony look in Goran's blue eyes indicated he hadn't been joking. "Hah!" said Morgan. "Merlin said much the same to me before he left. But not doing it now doesn't mean not doing it ever, if you see what I mean. If you're sticking around, it makes senses for us both to get up to par. Ever done any sword dancing?" "Nope," Goran said, seemingly amused by the thought. "I spent most of my time in places with higher tech. Never really learned sword until I got here. Now rifles I can do, but they don't work here. Closest I've come is a crossbow." Goran lowered his voice. "I do have a good bit of experience with Pattern though. Eighty-odd years of on-the-job training. If it helps the cause, it's yours," he offered. "Thanks," said Morgan. "I'm going to take anything I'm offered - as long as it's not the hand of friendship from Duke Helgram. I get the uneasy feeling I'm going to need it. "At the moment, the place is pretty stiff with Pattern energy anyway ... Feel up to a little investigation of the dungeons?" Goran grinned slyly, the twinkle in his blue eyes all but confirming to Morgan that his speculation about Goran's parentage was correct. "We could do that," he drawled, waving a hand toward the door for Morgan to lead on. Morgan did so - and led the way into a throne room that seemed deserted. "Suddenly we're unpopular," he commented, and led the way over to the guards. "Where'd everybody go?" he asked. There were guards by the door still, and they saluted. "I believe the Princess Islain made a private exit," said one, tactfully. "And the Chaosians are returning to their Embassy. A discreet escort is accompanying them to the exit, Captain." "Good," said Morgan. "With luck we can slip past them and get clear away down to the dungeons. "And if they try to follow us, we'll have somewhere handy to stow them." Goran simply nodded, preferring to let the Regent lead this expedition since he was much more familiar with the surroundings. Not long after they left the throne room, however, they heard the sound of voices in the corridor: the Chaosians: (They are listening in on The Regent Has Left Us)
"Perhaps, Mr. Claudio could take me to the Embassy then, and the rest of you go together to see Captain Morgan?" Tasha suggested. Morgan pulled Goran with him into a handy alcove where they could listen without being seen. "I shall return to the Embassy," said Paloma. "Where, Counsellor, you will report to me at the earliest opportunity. For the moment ... I consider it preferable that there should be some ... disconnect between any message that Duke Helgram might wish to deliver and myself as Ambassador. Baronness, I have given you my warning - that if you choose to remain, you may well be associated with the Duke and with the message that is being delivered. But you are old enough to make your own choice - to stay or to come with me." "Maintaining Ambassadorial Independence on this matter seems prudent." Ingrey allowed. "I will trump you as soon as the business with the Regent is done." Paloma nodded to Claudio and Tasha, inviting them to follow as she headed towards the door. Claudio again offered his arm to Tasha as he prepared to follow the Ambassador. "Is the Lieutenant coming with us or going with Ingrey?" he queried. "The Lieutenant will accompany those going with her Excellency to the Embassy," Ingrey replied, looking to the Chaosian officer. "Watch over her Excellency and those with her, and I will join you once the business with the Regent is concluded." He then motioned for Lt. Houshi to follow Paloma, Claudio and Tasha. Ingrey looked toward Tear. "Her Excellency as always sums up matters very well indeed. Come with me, and Morgan will see you as associated with the message. Despite protestations of those in Embassies for millenia, it's often to disentangle the messenger from the message given." "What do you suggest?" said Morgan to Goran. "Shall we steam full ahead and find out what's this message Duke Helgram is sending, or shall we let them fail to find us while we head for the dungeon?" "It's probably just 'Amber will be destroy...'" Goran began to whisper dismissively, but halted when he heard the next voice. "Fine," Tear said. "I'll go with the Ambassador. But I think it a mistake." "If you see Goran. Tell him where I am. And tell Captain Morgan that I am at his disposal. My loyalties lie with my home. And he should know that. Princess Flora has prepared a room for me in the castle. That's where he can find me." Goran glanced at Morgan inquiringly, silently asking if he did indeed want Tear to examine him for lingering effects of the energy explosion. Morgan frowned and then nodded. "Yes," he said. "Let's do it. Let's find out where the Chaosians stand." And he strode forward, fully into the corridor, leaving Goran to to follow. "Going away without saying goodbye?" he said pleasantly. "My Aunt Flora would be disappointed." (Continued in Ill Met In Amber?)
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