TheyAlsoServeIndex | Time Under Chaos | Game Logs | They also serve They Also ServeThe command from the General rang in his brain, as did the fresh ink on the order that Ingrey clutched in his hand. He held it in his left hand as he made his way back through the corridors and double doors of the route that they had been led through to get to the Office. The events of the last few minutes slid through the diplomat's mind as he hurried along. A sudden realization of what might be happening affixed in his brain as firmly as a fly might be affixed in his House's namesake's trademark. It nearly stopped him dead in his tracks. Ingrey bit his lip and, resuming his pace, continued to head toward the entrance of the building. His goal was to exit the building and proceed to the barracks. If the stalwart Captain Hendrake was still at the entrance--so much the better for the purpose. The Captain was there - and there was also the sound of men waking up, angry and confused by the sound of a man, followed by a wolf, both scampering across their roofs. "What's happening, Counsellor?" asked the Captain suspiciously. Ingrey drew forward the order from the General and held it in his hand. "Trouble brewing at the summit of Kolvir, Captain." Ingrey replied. "While the General himself has seen fit to head there by Wyvern, he has sent me to start a mobilization of troops to quickly arrive in force behind him." He now offered the document held in his hand in the Captain's direction. "Time is of the essence, Captain Hendrake." The Captain gaped. "The summit of Kolvir? But ... but we've been told it's sealed off. A matter of security, our orders said. The highest level." "Exactly right, Captain." Ingrey replied with a nod. Urgency piped in his voice. "Now do you see why the General is moving with such alacrity, alarm and action? We must see to it that the cordon around it is not breached." "The consequences of our failure will be grave and not at all limited to our personal shame and punishment." he added. "To action, Captain. Now." "Yes Sir!" said the Captain, an expression of determination on his face. He turned and yelled at a passing soldier who was struggling to pull his shiirt on over his spikes. "Sound the bugle! Turn out all the men now!" He turned to Ingrey on a sudden thought. "Unless we should keep this secret from the town and the castle?" Ingrey paused for a moment and then shook his head. "There are times and places for stealth, discretion, weaving and subtlety. I should know, as it is my profession to know and employ these things." Ingrey paused a beat for effect before continuing. "This danger does not call for any of these. This calls for action, boldness, strength and annunciation." "Certainly!" said the Captain, saluting smartly. "Corporal - see that the men fall in at once!" And soon the bugle was sounding, and the air filled with the shouts and clashing sounds of Chaosians preparing for battle. Ingrey stood as the clear center of calm in the midst of the tumult. As his eyes raked over soldiers preparing, shifting, and getting ready, he looked at himself. A bemused smile crossed his face, and he headed over to one of the junior officers who was in a less frantic state than her compatriots. "While there is no time to fit me for armor, I would appreciate the loan of a spare blade." Ingrey said. "Of course, Counsellor," the officer said promptly. She had just handed Ingrey his blade when there was a shout. "Wolf! Wolf!" Guards were turning ... weapons at the ready ... And then a tall bony Chaosian came speeding into view - an expression of terror on his face, and an eager young wolf that looked awfully familiar to Ingrey in hot pursuit ... A look of surprise came across Ingrey's face as he saw the terror-striken Chaosian, and the eager young wolf on his heels. For a brief fraction of a moment, a thought crossed Ingrey's mind as he regarded the sleek, beautiful and deadly form taken by the Minobee in the moonlight. He broke away from the near hypnotic effect of her movement and motion, and he began speaking orders. "Grab him and stop him from running." Ingrey directed, taking the role of commander with the same skills he used in the Embassy. "Do not approach the Wolf, I will handle her. She's the shifted form of the Minobee who accompanied me here." Trusting the soldiers to follow his orders, Ingrey lowered himself to a kneeling crouch and moved forward iin a crab light gait in the direction of the approaching wolf. "Its a pity." he murmured. "that I didn't have the opportunity for her to recognize my scent even better." And the thought crossed his mind again as he awaited her approach. The poor wolf, tongue lolling, looked around her in confusion at all the similar uniformed guards and wondered what had happened to the one she was chasing. She whined sadly, tail drooping. The only one who didn't look all the same was kneeling and there was something familiar, she approached him slowly and the tail wagged slowly, tentatively. "Lower your weapons." Ingrey cautioned the guards. He kept in a low position as he saw the reaction from the lupine form of Tasha. He stopped his advance and sat on his haunches. "Come here, girl." he said to Tasha, in a tone of warmth swirled in with command. His right arm beckoned the Wolf. "Here, Tasha. Good girl. Best girl. You know who I am. Come and scent me to be sure." He kept his encouraging spiel as his eyes sought the wolf's own. The courtyard seemed to hold its breath ... And a large wyvern flew slowly overhead - one which Ingrey at least recognised as an acid-spitting Copacati, long and thin, its forequarters a deep, dull red its hindquarters a deep dark green. Ingrey spared only the briefest of looks upward at the appearance of the Wyvern against the night. He smiled and then returned to his focus on the wolf, returning to his gesturing, his gaze and his intent and rapt attention on the wolf. The wolf's eyes were also drawn upwards as the wyvern flew over. That looked like a lot more fun to chase than the soldiers, but it didn't look like it would be easy to catch. She whined in frustration and turned her attention back to those surrounding her. Some of them smelled of fear, but not the one in front of her. Perhaps he'd like to play? She crouched down, tail wagging as if to suggest a game would be fun. Ingrey regarded Tasha's body language. It had been a long time since he had done anything resembling Beastmastery. And yet it was easy to understand, Ingrey thought. "Yes, a game..." he began to say. And then, suddenly, the moonlight was gone. From the soldiers came cries of alarm, shock ... and even fear. Ingrey's attention snapped as if suddenly addressed by a potentate. The significance of the loss of moonlight on several fronts was not lost on him. He moved closer to Tasha, as if expecting her to change, or certainly react to the loss of moonlight. He voice modulated over the cries of the soldiers. "Soldiers of Chaos! Fear not this omen! Stand your ground! Captain, you have your orders from the General. Proceed with the forces to reinforce him on Kolvir. I will care for the Minobee, and follow to join you." Like a snowman melting in rain, the large wolf's form became fluid, and for a moment there was the beautiful, naked form of the young woman beneath. But as consciousness returned, the form became clothed once again in the sensible clothing that Tasha Minobee had been previously wearing. She still kneeled on the ground, hands outstretched before her and looked up in confusion at Ingrey. Ingrey finished his approach to Tasha. The change did not seem to be that surprising to the diplomat from Wererathe. Compassionate concern filled his blue eyes. "What sorcery is this?" She asked looking around her, rising slowly to her feet. She noticed she felt very full and sleepy and couldn't suppress the yawn that escaped her. "Your own doing, my lovely Minobee Lycanthrope ." Ingrey said, placing hands on Tasha's shoulders in a intimate gesture meant to convey support, and concern. "We've Trouble. Dark doings on the peak of Tir. Can you travel?" he asked her. Tasha nodded as she took in the activity. Snatches of memory persisted and she looked Ingrey in the eye and said, "Morgan and Amba... were here! I ... saw them." Though in truth is was the memory of their scents rather than their appearance that lingered strongest in her mind. "Do you think they are part of the trouble?" Ingrey considered this for a moment before responding "Just who and what is happening on Tir is unknown. If you sensed them, lady of Minobee, then they are certainly mixed up in the doings, whether as participants or victims I don't know." He looked at her evenly. "Let us find out, Tasha, if you are able. Jurt is winging his way there by Wyvern, and Chadwick is being watched at the barracks. The soldiers who just headed to Tir are counting on me, and you, to follow them, and render aid." She gave herself a little shake. "Of course, I'm always happy to help." She glanced at the retreating backs of the well armed and efficient looking soldiers and giggled as she looked back at Ingrey, "What type of aid do they think a girl and a diplomat..." Then she blushed and her eyes went wide, "Oh, I didn't mean that you couldn't be a great fighter... I mean for all I know you might be one of the most skilled sword-dancers in all of Chaos. It just seems that... well..." ... Realizing she couldn't make things any worse if she tried and not seeing a way to make it any better, she turned away to follow the soldiers, jogging a bit to catch up to them. Ingrey pulled alongside Tasha, increasing his gait to match hers to catch the soldiers, "You do not need to apologize to me, Tasha." Ingrey said mildly. "Never. You and I...we don't know much about each other and you do not know about Amber. Or a great deal many other things." A toothy, predatory, alpha grin crossed Ingrey's face. "That will change." They were approaching the open glade (it had been cleared of protective undergrowth early in the Chaosian rule), and here there were a crowd of soldiers gathered, the newly arriving forces joining them. Close to the mountain peak, beyond all the soldiers, there seemed to be a dark cloud of shadow, a roiling, rolling mist. The soldiers parted, as though to let Ingrey and Tasha approach. Tasha glanced from side to side as they passed through the gap in the soldiers and then cocking her head, she moved forward with only a slight hesitation toward the dark mass of shadow. "Hello? What is that?" Ingrey spoke softly into Tasha's ear, a breath soft and warm upon the stillness of the night air. "I think I know who this is." He then cleared his throat and spoke louder, toward the dark cloud. He gave a bow of the head toward it, as if addressing someone of great importance and power. "Good evening, your Lordship." The shadows swirled and reached out towards Ingrey, like blind shadows, groping. Then they withdraw in on themselves, twisting and writhing, and suddenly a tall, almost cadaverous man was standing before them, a ruined beauty in his face, marred by great pride. "Counsellor," he said, and the mist seethed a little at his feet. "What brings you here this night, with your escort?" He looked at Tasha for the first time - and his expression was suddenly arrested. Then, with a faint smile, he bowed towards her. "I believe that you do, your lordship." Ingrey said confidently. He gestured to Tasha. "Milord, this is Tasha Minobee. Tasha, this is his high lordship, Duke Helgram." Tasha's eyes were wide with wonder. She had never seen Logrus power so blatantly displayed and it was fascinating. With an unabashed hunger in her eyes she smiled and murmured, "How do you do that?" Ingrey made a grazing nod of the head, and glanced at the soldiers and gave them a reassuring look before returning to regard Lord Helgram for his answer to Tasha's question. The Duke smiled, and tendrils of black mist reached out and caressed gently down Tasha's face, with the lightness of a feather. "Would you like to learn?" he asked. "To do this ... or ... " Suddenly, like a whiplash, another tendril of mist shot out and lashed itself, hard and fast again and again around one of the guard, until the unfortunate man was wreathed in coils of mist like prey taken by a python. The man's eyes widened ... and then he began to scream as his face became suffused with blood and his eyes started from his head, his tongue, hideously swollen, protruding from his mouth ... Ingrey opened his mouth to speak, and then clearly thought the better of it, and closed it again. There was the sound of creaking, cracking ... as his bones snapped under the monstrous strain of the deadly embrace. And all the while, the soft tendril of mist caressed Tasha's cheek. A thud. The other tendril had withdrawn, dropping a bloody sack to the ground. "To do that?" the Duke finished. Ingrey's countenance remained impassive through both sides of the Duke's display. Tasha could barely breathe, so ecstatic were the feelings that raced through her. She found herself whispering, "Oh, yes! Yes!" She gasped as she tingled with excitement, her knees feeling weak. She could almost smell the power radiating from the shadowy Duke. Her eyes were darkly luminous as she gazed at him with wonder. "It would seem, my lord." Ingrey said after a moment's thought. "That you have acquired an admirer, and perhaps a potential protégé." "Indeed," said the Duke. He smiled at Tasha, a smile that held promises. "And would you like to come with me to see a Pattern, deep, deep beneath the waves ... and make those waves boil?" Tasha looked inquiringly at Ingrey, hoping for an explanation, before answering the Duke.
"His lordship." Ingrey added. "Is planning an expedition to Rebma, and soon. The City Under the Sea, Tasha, the reflection of Amber city beneath the waves." "He has already agreed to my suggestion to accompany him there. It would seem that he would offer you a position as well." "Oh!" Tasha smiled at Ingrey in appreciation. Then turning toward the Duke she nodded, "I've heard of Rebma. I'd love to visit it with the two of you." "Then we will arrange it," promised the Duke. "Now, where are you staying, little one? At the Castle, or at the Embassy?" "Oh, no. Neither. I'm staying with Tear. I mean, Baroness Solitaire ... Helgram! Oh!" Her face lit with a smile, "Duke... Helgram? You must be an uncle... or something?" Tasha brightened further, and before anyone could stop her, or she could really think through what it was she was doing, she skipped forward to give the Duke a hug. "Any relative of a friend ...!" Ingrey was rendered absolutely speechless by the impetuous, sudden gesture on Tasha's part. And she skipped back just as quickly. "Isn't this great?" Tasha bubbled to Ingrey. "He's related to Tear... oh, but you probably already knew that." "Both the Duke and the Baroness are honorable and esteemed members of House Helgram and are related." Ingrey finally said with a nod of the head. "Then perhaps, as the hours grows very late, I should take you back to your lodgings and renew my acquaintance with your hostess. The last time I saw her, I fear, the conversation was a little one-sided. But then, she was only three months old." He glanced at Ingrey. "And will you accompany us, Counsellor?" Ingrey hoped that the Duke didn't see him swallow thickly. After a moment, Ingrey spread his hands and shook his head. "Under other circumstances, it would be a honor to accompany you, your lordship." Ingrey began. "However, there is business here which I have begun that I must finish. In that, however, before you depart, it would be appreciated if you answered the question that brought Jurt Sawall, Chadwick Florasson, Tasha Minobee, and myself to the barracks." He blinked his eyes and continued. "While supping at the Castle, the Chaosian descended attendees of the party felt a strong and somewhat debilitating Event." Ingrey said. "Her Excellency, amongst others, sent me to determine the cause and reason. I see now, given the skies, that the Event was tied to a Chaos-aspected feat of Astromancy to cause the Full Moon to appear early in Amber's skies, and with it, Tir Na Nogth." "Is the supposition that only someone of consummate skill and ability..." Ingrey gestured with his right palm outward toward the Duke in a show of respect "Yourself, my lord, is the one responsible for such a spectacular feat of arcane effort correct?" The Duke smiled - and the black tendrils of mist lifted again, twisting and twining around him and Tasha both. Tasha sighed at the tendrils' caress, with a dreamy smile upon her face, and turned toward the Duke. "Yes," he said. "Yes, that was I." He turned to Tasha, and held his hand out towards her. "Come, my dear," he said. "Shall we go?" But Tasha hesitated before going to the Duke and looked over at Ingrey: "Was this the answer you were looking for? Are you sure you will not come to Five Corners now that you have your answer? Or must you report back to the King?" Ingrey regarded Tasha for a long moment. His eyes flickered to the Duke and then back to Tasha. "I have the answer I sought." Ingrey replied. "and I must need report it to her Excellency, amongst others. However, I have sworn to bring these soldiers..." Ingrey gestured to the soldiers who, save the one the Duke had casually killed, bore witness. "...to the General. And must yet discover the fate of Lord Jurt. And retrieve Chadwick. You would be most welcome to join me on these endeavors, lady of Minobee..." Ingrey paused. "If you must return and retire for the night..." his eyes flickered to the Duke "I am sure that his Lordship will treat you with honor and care in your travels home under his aegis." His eyes returned to Tasha and Ingrey briefly smiled. "The choice truly is yours to make." She took a step toward Ingrey and then paused, as if fighting an internal battle. "I..." She hesitated. Though her concern for Lord Jurt weighed upon her, it was the Duke whose Logrus tendrils wove their seducing magic about her; drawing her to him. "I hope Lord Jurt will be all right... and Lord Chadwick, as well. Please, tell them about..." She faltered feeling the pull strengthen as her resolve wavered. Her black-flecked eyes pleaded with Ingrey and she managed to say, "Lord Morgan and the Lady Amba...." Then, she gave a little shake, like a dog shaking off water, and turned her no-longer-blue eyes toward Duke Helgram. "Shall we depart, sir?" Tendrils of her own making entwined with his. "My carriage," said the Duke," is in the courtyard." He gave her his arm and the soldiers moved forward to escort all three of them, leaving the ruins of their erstwhile comrade behind. Tasha glanced once at Ingrey with what might have been an apologetic smile, though it was difficult to see through the Logrus tendrils, and took the proffered arm. Ingrey, following to the courtyard, saw soldiers being marched away, back towards their barracks. There seemed to be a huddled, concerned knot in one corner of the courtyard, but there was no sign of Jurt, the General, or either or their wyverns. Continued in
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