What News of Rebma?(Continued from So Where is Chadwick?)
After Goran and Chadwick had left, Morgan turned to Islain, flashing his most charming and disarmimg smile. "Now," he said. "Where shall we begin?" Islain returned the smile with her own, mysterious and inviting, promising nothing and everything at the same time. "If I may respectfully suggest, cousin, since you are the one with the throne, you may tell me. My message was for Merlin and only Merlin, so I will tell you of it, but retain the pearls until his return. Now, what would you like to know?" "Primarily whether events in Amber have had an effect in Rebma," he said. "Have you heard from Goran of the assault on Tir? I suspect ... that will have further effects. And may have done so already. From what Man ... Merlin told me, Oberon designed it to be a barrier, not a revolving door. Using it as such ... upsets things." Islain raised an eyebrow at his hesitation, then nodded, ignoring it, "And the stories of the ancient years come back to haunt us now, on top of everything. Yes, I know what happened. I fear that my knowledge of Tir is limited, but I agree with your assessment of that little storm. As for Rebma, the city itself has yet to feel the shockwaves, though we have experienced strange weather - it's far colder than usual. And there have been reports of odd weather out near the Jade Circle. Does that indicate a reflection from the Golden Circle, then?" "From beyond the Golden Circle, I would say," he said slowly, starting to frown. "Islain ... your Highness ... has the Queen of Rebma ever spoken to you of the Circle of Ice? Have you ever heard ... this?" He closed his eyes momentarily, and then began to speak again - almost to chant: Some say the world will end in fire, Islain smiled. "Personally, I favor ice, but there is no hate here, so no need to call me Highness. No, my mother never mentioned such a thing to me. What is it? And Morgan... are you certain you're all right?" Morgan grinned. "The responsibilities of office ... unrelieved by pleasure." He looked her up and down, clearly enjoying what he found. "There's a theory that just as there are Patterns of Air and Water, so there are Patterns of Fire and Ice - and that just as they are extremes of Air and Water, so too are the secrets they hold. Because, of course, each Pattern was designed to keep an enemy at bay." She nodded, two fingers of her left hand playing with the texture of the velvet over her thigh. "If they are like to Rebma and Tir Na Nog'th, they must be close, and yet hidden much better. Does this suggest that the Pattern of Ice's protection is failing, that it should extend into Rebma, or that it is growing stronger in balance to something else? I suppose it is too much to hope that events of this past evening will not ripple to those Patterns as well." "Growing stronger, I would say, " responded Morgan. "Merlin could tell you more - but from what I know, the Patterns of Fire and Ice are hardly be ... yes, what is it?" This last in response to a knock of the door, succeeded by a guard opening it and another stepping inside. "Counsellor Ingrey Wereathe and Claudio Barimen of Chaos to see the Regent," the guard announced, po-faced. Morgan sighed. "Merl never gets to have any fun either," he said. "All right. Show 'em in." Ingrey preceded Claudio into the room, his pace measured and with just the slightest hint of hurrying and urgency in his step. He headed directly for Morgan and Islain. Claudio entered a few paces behind Ingrey. He paused a little way into the room and waited, observing but not speaking yet. Islain received [Ingrey's] attention first. "You must be Princess Islain of Rebma." he said, finishing his bow and adding a nod to it. He gifted himself the luxury of allowing his blue eyes to meet Islain's for the briefest of moments. "And Amber," Islain said, a ghost of a smile playing the corners of her lips as she looked both men up and down. As she did so, she could see that the slight Chaosian was frankly studying her in return. As he met her gaze, Claudio smiled and also accorded her a bow. Ingrey then turned to Morgan. "Lord Regent" Ingrey said, bowing deeper than he had for Islain. "As the lawful and designated plenipotentary holder of the power of King Merlin of Amber, I have come to convey an urgent message to you. This message comes on the behalf of his lordship Duke Helgram of Chaos, Minister for Ordered Affairs as appointed by the Emperor." Ingrey paused at this point, and regarded the man who currently held the power of the King of Amber. Claudio's brows drew together slightly at the mention of Duke Helgram. He watched to see what the Regent's reaction would be. Islain stepped gracefully to the side to allow Ingrey greater access to Morgan - and to allow herself better vantage to observe all three men simultaneously. She, too, reacted to the name of Duke Helgram, however, in her case it was that the expression that had been on her face - catlike, pleasant, calculating - disappeared and there was nothing in her current visage at all. "Right," said Morgan. "And is this in the nature of a public pronouncement, to be declared all these gathered, or shall we withdraw to a private place?" Ingrey inclined his head. He folded his hands and fingers together in a cage like fashion. He glanced briefly at Claudio, and Islain and then looked back at the Regent. "That is entirely your choice, lord Regent." Ingrey replied. "The nature of what I have to say is certainly not a secret and not as grand a pronouncement as you might expect. The choice of whether you wish to receive tidings from his lordship the Duke in camera or in public is yours to decide. I only demand that you do receive the message. I am but his messenger and speaker in these matters." Morgan's head lifted. "Then we will hear it now, before witnesses," he said. He looked thoughtfully at Claudio. "You are a bringer of this message too?" he asked. Claudio shook his head. "No, I'm here on an entirely different matter. I'll be," his mouth twitched wryly, "interested to hear what the Duke has to say, however." "Very well, then." Ingrey bowed his head again. "Milord Regent, I bring you greetings and salutations from his Grace and Highness the Duke of Helgram. You are at present the lawful Regent of the Kingdom of Amber as dictated and delineated by Merlin, King of Amber. As his Majesty Swayvill's Minister for Ordered Affairs and as such the temporal representative of his power here in the Kingdom of Amber, his Grace and Highness wishes me to inform you that he believes in the wisdom of such individuals of power agreeing on basic principles in these tumultous times." Ingrey paused a moment and continued. "As such, milord Regent, he is confident that you will doubtless be amenable,. if not eager, to attend a meeting between you and he, tomorrow, at Noon." Ingrey bowed his head. "Noon tomorrow," echoed Morgan. "Right. And more in the nature of a command than a invitation, I take it." He turned towards Islain. "Princess - will you attend this as Rebma's representative?" Ingrey fractionally turned his head to take in Islain's answer. "I will be honored," Islain said smoothly. He turned back to Ingrey and made an expansive gesture. "So generous an offer - how could I refuse? Has his Grace appointed a meeting place, or is the choice mine? Or am I expected to receive him here?" The minister-Counselor of House Wererathe spread his hands slightly. "Milord Regent, his Grace the Duke did not specify or mandate such details. I believe that trusted me as his representative and messenger to negotiate such details with you, milord. It would be high handed of him, as well as a diplomatic faux pas, to mandate the location of a meeting with the plenipotentiary designate of a head of state." "If I might suggest..." Ingrey paused a moment, bowed his head and then continued "while the Embassy is technically Chaosian soil, the Embassy is officially under the jurisdiction of her Excellency the Ambassadress, not his Grace the Duke. Thus it might serve as a compromise neutral location where yourself and his Grace might meet." Claudio listened carefully. He wondered if this meeting was something the Lady Irulan should know about.. if she didn't already. "Ahhh ... thank you," said Morgan. "Forgive me if I fail to appreciate the Embassy of the Serpent as a neutral location. Might I counter propose the glade of the Unicorn? An area reputedly deserted for a good hundred years, you know." He cast a sharp glance at Claudio as he spoke, as though gauging where his sentiments lay. The artist's eyes had widened, whether in awe or alarm it would be difficult to say. Indeed, he could hardly have said himself. The thought of the grove itself awakened a longing not so sharp as the sight of Tir na Nog'th had done, but none the less insidious. But the thought of Duke Helgram setting foot there felt ... wrong. "The Grove of the Unicorn." Ingrey repeated carefully, with a nod, his eyes half closed in thought for a measured three seconds. "On behalf of his Highness the Duke of Helgram, I accept the proposed change in location." Ingrey then said, bowing his head to Morgan. "It is so said. It is so agreed. Let it so take place. The Duke will meet you there, at Noon tomorrow." Islain could not hide her smile at Morgan's move - or her widening smile as it was accepted by the others. Fascinating. "Good," said Morgan. "Then, as I have the aftermath of a riot to deal with tomorrow, with the ... erm ... assistance of the Baroness Helgram, perhaps we should all try to get some sleep until tomorrow." "For what's left of the night," observed Claudio. "I hope you will sleep better, my lord Regent, knowing that Helena Fionasdottir has been found, and is with her sister. That is chiefly what I came to tell you -- and also to apologise for the, er, chaos inadvertently caused in the room I was using." "Thank you," said Morgan. "And in the morning, we can discuss your presence in Amber - and that of your brother." He nodded dismissal at Claudio. Then he glanced at Islain. "Get some rest," he advised. "We'll talk over breakfast. We can start with discussing where your sister's got to this time." Once out of the throne room, Claudio headed back the way he had come, though he didn't actually intend to return to the trashed guest room. He had his eye out for an alcove or bit of hallway where he would be unobserved for the short time it would take to Trump through to his apartment in the Rue Jardin. Being in Castle Amber was all very well in its way, but he thought he'd prefer to sleep in his own bed -- assuming he got to sleep at all tonight. Reasonably confident that he was not under observation, Claudio drew his card case from the inner pocket of his coat, opened it, and extracted the place trump for his flat. It usually did not take very long for this particular trump to activate. |
