InTheCastleIndex | Time Under Chaos | Game Logs | In the Castle (Continued from Collecting the Ambassador)
Claudio looked over at the Ambassador to see how she was reacting to all this. Morgan snapped his fingers. "Damn," he said. "Forgot my manners in all the happy talk. Merl, I brought the Ambassador, just like you asked. And she brought this young fellow, a relative of ours, Claudio Barimen. Claudio, say 'hello' to the king like a nice fellow, won't you?" "Your Majesty." Claudio gave the King his best court bow, deferential rather than obsequious. "I suppose I could have chosen a better time, but ... it's an honor to meet you." "Definitely a better time," agreed Merlin. "And if you're honoured, you're probably the first of your family to feel so. We should run through the niceties, such as what you're doing here and so forth ... but we don't have time for that. Nor, unless I act, am I likely to have an Amber left to welcome you to. So consider yourself on the other side of formal friendly greetings - what are you doing here, by the way?" His question was directed almost as much at Paloma as at Claudio, but she side-stepped it neatly by moving closer to Delluth. "You're aware that a riot has broken out in the lower city?" she asked him quietly. "A riot?" he said, not at all quietly. "Where?" "Too close to the Embassy to be safe. From where we were standing, it looked to be worst in Five Corners," said Paloma. Delluth sighed. Yet another thing he didn't really want to know. "I'll be careful when I come back, then," he said. Since the Ambassador did not look like answering the King's question, Claudio went ahead and did so. "Mostly I came to see if Dr. Corrino was all right. He's a friend of mine." Merlin's dark eyebrows lifted. "And you're in the habit of barging in on monarchs to make sure that your friends are being well treated? What an interesting life you must lead, even by Chaosian standards. But now, having ascertained his fitness, perhaps you will be reassured that he is quite capable of holding a private conversation with me." Meanwhile, Yelsaki had appeared in the doorway and was clearly looking for Morgan, for he gave a curt nod when he saw him. "'Scuse me, Merl," Morgan said. "Gotta see how much of the city has burned down so far. Be right back." He strode over to Yelaski. "What we got?" he asked. (Morgan goes to In the Castle: Morgan and Yelaski)
"Quite," agreed Claudio. "But in fact I did have one other commission given me, if I should chance to encounter you." He met the King's eyes. "The Lady Irulan Corrino, when last I spoke with her, asked me to give you her respects." Merlin started, and then looked closely at Claudio Barimen. "Before you left Chaos, was this?" he asked. Claudio paused a moment, then replied calmly, "No, since I came to Amber. We're friends. We keep in touch." "I see," said Merlin. The temperature in the room seemed to have dropped several degrees, as Merlin turned away. He raised his voice slightly. "Doctor ..." Delluth looked around when Merlin spoke his title. "Thank you again for your concern, Ambassador," he said, hoping to end the conversation. "Not at all," said Paloma; she allowed Delluth to move away - instead she was looking worriedly at Claudio. "Your majesty," Delluth said as he approached, glancing between his young friend and the king. But whatever seemed to have happened, he didn't have time for it: he nodded a farewell at Claudio and then looked gravely at Merlin. "Come into my office," said Merlin, indicating the area behind the throne. "We have things to discuss. Alone." Delluth followed along, wondering what he meant by 'office.' (Delluth goes to In the Castle: Delluth and Merlin)
Claudio, in his turn, moved back toward Paloma. "Apologies, Ambassador, if I said something wrong," he murmured, "but it was that, or a lie ... and I didn't think that was advisable either." Paloma gave a tight nod, but she didn't say anything until Merlin and Delluth had disappeared. "The King is right to be suspicious," she said. "There could be much prestige for the Barimens in Chaos if they aligned with Helgram - and perhaps even more if they have the favour of Irulan Corrino. And with family still in Chaos ..." She reached for his hand. "We all have hostages to fortune," she said quietly. Claudio nodded, looking somber. "Our family -- we've always said, 'We don't have much, but we have each other.' I understand. That doesn't mean I have to like it." His expression hardened. "But, align with Helgram? Not likely. Not after this. "But the King has no reason to believe that." He looked toward the door Merlin and Delluth had gone through. His brow creased. "Helena. I wanted to ask him about Helena. He said something..." "What?" said Paloma sharply. "When we came in," Claudio explained. "The King was ending a Trump call, and he said, 'Bring Helena back safely.' Of course, I don't know for sure if it's the Helena I'm thinking of, but if it is..." "It seems likely," said Paloma. "She was here at dinner... let's see what more we can discover." "She was here?" queried Claudio. "When did she arrive in Amber, do you know?" "Earlier today, I believe," said Paloma. "Are you acquainted with the lady? Do you know why she is here?" "We're friends," Claudio said at once, adding with a slight smile, "And cousins, of course. But I don't know why she should be here. That is, I know she's always been interested in Amber and hoped to visit someday, but I would have thought if she'd planned to do it now, she would have given some notice. Is Amba with her?" "A dark-haired, attractive Chaosian girl?" asked Paloma. "I didn't catch her name - I was hoping my Counsellor learned it." "Amba of House Heldt," said Claudio, meantime reaching into his pocket for his small sketchbook. He flipped it open to a detailed pencil sketch of Amba and showed it to the Ambassador as he continued, "She and Helena are Sword Dancing partners and close friends. I've rarely seen them apart." Paloma glanced at the door. "Someone's coming," she added warningly. Claudio closed the sketchbook and slipped it back into his pocket as he also directed his attention to the door. The Chaosian Ambassador looked unamused at Morgan's sallies. (Entering from In the Castle: Morgan and Yelaski)
"Ambassador!" Morgan called out as he led the new arrivals across the room to where Claudio and Paloma stood. "Introductions!" Morgan announced loudly, a slightly manic grin on his face. "Princess Islain, may I present Lady Paloma Baccaran, Ambassador of Chaos. Ambassador, Princess Islain. Princess Islain, may I present Claudio Barimen. Claude, Princess Islain. Ambassador, may I present Lady Tasha Minobe. Tash, the Ambassador. Ambassador, this is Goran. Goranuska, the Ambassador. Lady Tasha, may I present Claudio Barimen. Claude, this is Tasha Minobe. Claudio Barimen, may I present Goran. Goranuska, this is Claude. And I'm Captain Morgan, glad to meet you all." He shook hands all around. Claudio responded suitably to the introductions, bowing to the ladies and noting civilly, "Mr. Vladic and I have already met, earlier this evening." "Mr. Barimen," Goran nodded a greeting in return. Tasha glanced down at her clothing, realizing belatedly that it was still patterned after what she had seen Amba and Helena wearing earlier, and at that thought she was reminded of Barimen and turned her attention toward the stranger. "Mr. Barimen? A relation to Helena Barimen-Ishtar?" She asked with polite curiosity. "Yes, we're distant cousins," Claudio replied. "My family are the Chaosian branch of the Barimens. Have you met Helena?" "Why, yes!" Tasha nodded, wondering if it had really been only a little more than a full turn, or did they call them days in Amber ... But rather then muse on that question long she elaborated, "We met at dinner at Lord Despil's Ways. She and her friend the Lady Amba. It was a lovely dinner! That's where I met Tear, as well. Have they not returned to the castle?" She glanced around as if expecting to see Helena and Amba appear. Islain had withdrawn to a little distance within the room and only acknowledged the greetings with a polite nod. Her eyes had the slightly unfocused expression of one involved in a trump call. The Ambassador received the introductions calmly, giving no indication that the only person she had not so far met was Goran. Goran listened as the others spoke, observing everyone with a seemingly casual air. Morgan would recognize the pose, having probably used it himself on more than one occasion. "Not only a relation of the lost and lamented Helena," Morgan said. "But all we Amberitians are Barimenii, you know. Soiled black doves of the family, as it were." "Oh, yes, of course!" Tasha blushed. How could she forget the House that had spawned the Amber line? "At least, that's the general opinion in Chaos," Claudio said, a trifle apologetically. "After meeting some of my more distant cousins, I'm not sure I agree. Or at least," he added with a half-smile, "that respectability is all it's cracked up to be." "I've never tried respectability," Morgan replied thoughtfully. "So I really couldn't say." He smiled at Tasha. "As for the beautiful Helena, alas, she was last seen in the company of the genocidal Duke, ascending the stairs to Tir with him. Who can imagine why he wanted her along for such a trip? And no one has seen her since then. He may well have devoured her, or changed her into a bird, or whatever it is Chaos Lords do when they're not destroying cities." This bit of information perked Goran's attention. "Lady Helena was on the stairs?" he asked. Claudio, at this same information, looked perfectly appalled -- his eyes widening and his face going white. "Duke Helgram ... was taking Helena to Tir with him?" he whispered. "And. She. Was. Never. Seen. Again," Morgan announced in deep funereal tones. Tasha's mouth opened into a small "o" as she tried to piece together what they were reporting about the Duke and her own feelings toward Duke Helgram. Then gave herself a little shake, "Helena is quite ... resourceful. I'm sure she is fine. And Amba? I seem to recall ..." A hazy memory of Amba and Morgan at the barracks floated across her mind, "Wasn't the Lady Amba with you, Captain Morgan?" Morgan looked at her curiously and started to reply... Delluth Corrino (still dressed for last night's formal dinner) emerged from some place behind the throne and paused, looking toward the group. "Captain," he said, his voice reaching them easily, "his majesty would like to speak with you." Without waiting for a response he continued toward the side of the hall. The Ambassador hesitated, and then followed him. (They go to In the Castle: Delluth and Paloma)
"Duty calls," Morgan said. He bowed to the assembled company, winked at Tasha again, then sauntered behind the throne and into the king's private chamber. (Apparently going off-list for a time.)
Claudio took a deep breath, visibly mastering his initial horror (which had not been allayed by Morgan's words). "She can't be dead," he murmured, half to himself. "The King was telling someone to find her and bring her back." He looked after the retreating Morgan, but restrained the impulse to blurt out an appeal for more information. Instead he turned back to Tasha and asked, "Did Amba go after her, then?" It would seem the most natural thing in the world -- in all the worlds -- to him. Tasha shook her head, "I really don't know... I... I was with Lord Jurt, Mr. Werewrathe and Lord Chadwick. I don't know why I can't seem to remember what happened though. Do you think it was the Duke's doing?" Claudio frowned. "It might have been. Did you feel the ... I suppose you would call it an energy drain ... earlier in the evening?" He looked over at the toward the Ambassador, who had followed Delluth. "Lady Paloma said it was felt here more strongly than on the Queen -- and I passed out." Goran continued to listen attentively. Tasha nodded vigorously, "Something happened to me, too. It was ... awful!" "What did it feel like, to you?" asked Claudio. Tasha thought back to dinner, a frown creasing her forehead. "I remember we were all eating and chatting, then it was as if everyone went away ... and I could feel ... the Logrus ... or maybe it was hear it? and oh! I got a terrible headache!" "Did you feel as if something -- energy -- was being taken from you?" Claudio wanted to know. Goran continued to listen, though it was now definitely with interest. He no longer appeared quite so casual. Tasha's cheeks paled as the realization struck her, "Oh ... is that what it was? Yes ... I was ... I felt ... weak," she finally admitted. Claudio's glance shifted sidelong, once more, toward the Ambassador as he murmured, "Imperial sanction may be all very well, but I still think it would have been more courteous to ask before taking." Paloma seemed (for the moment) to be in conversation with Delluth. Tasha gave a puzzled frown at the comment. "How did you manage to get up here, my lord?" Goran asked Claudio. "I was not aware anyone had left the ship?" Claudio gave a deprecatory smile and wave of his hand at being addressed as "my lord." "I Trumped through to my flat, and then came here with the Ambassador," he answered Goran's question a trifle elliptically. "What ship is that?" Tasha asked. "The Ramblin' Queen," replied Claudio. "I can't say I was eager to leave, but I didn't think any purpose would be served by my remaining," he went on to explain, apparently to Goran as much as to Tasha. "Not tonight." "No, probably not. The evening was pretty much shot," Goran agreed wearily. Claudio nodded, and observed a little ruefully, "I hope Allegra will not take it as any reflection on her." Goran glanced toward the door where Morgan had disappeared, then turned to Tasha, as if noticing her for the first time. "I'm sorry for the lack of pleasantries, m'lady. It's been a long night. I'm Goran Vladic. I work security on the Ramblin' Queen, the prime entertainment establishment in Amber Harbor," he introduced himself. His blue eyes took on a friendly sparkle despite their obvious fatigue. And now that he was speaking directly to her in a calm moment, she could hear the hint of an accent that was distinctly non-Thari. "And you are a friend of the Baroness, I take it?" "Oh, yes. We are going to be best friends!" Tasha stated enthusiastically. Then his name stirred a memory -- was it only one night ago that she and Tear had giggled and chatted back in Minobeeways? So much seemed to have happened. "Goran! Tear told me she was going to introduce us! I am sorry to meet you under such odd circumstances, though." "Oh?" Goran seemed surprised at that. "She and I have not had the chance to speak this evening. And you would be ...?" he prompted. "Tasha of house Minobee," the pretty, petite blonde responded. "I have come to Amber to become a student." "Ah. You've hooked up with the right person then. Tear knows everything there is to know about being a student," Goran teased good-naturedly. "I am sorry your visit has been interrupted. Things have gone ... badly ... this evening." "And for you as well, Mister Barimen," Goran apologized. "I would not worry about Allegra. It takes a lot to offend someone from the Queen. We've seen it all, as they say." "I suppose you have, at that," mused Claudio. Turning to Tasha, he bowed afresh and noted, "Minobee is a name held in honor in the Courts. What is your field of study?" Tasha looked thoughtful for a moment, "I have not yet settled on a major field of study -- I think I'd like to start with a little of everything." And then .... (Go to The Return of the King)
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