Gerard is in the Throne Room; Corvis is nearby. Random is on the Throne; Signy is in the middle of a Trump call. Servants are coming in and out. There's food on the sidebar buffet tables. Vialle is not present.
"Welcome back to Xanadu," Gerard says. "Fiona is upstairs and Hannah is with her, along with the babe. Folly was just in here as well."
Ossian looks around, and sees Folly just leaving. He forgets the protocol and sprints there.
"Hey, Folly!" he almost shouts before turning around, bowing quickly, but elegantly towards the king, then turning around again to try to catch up with Folly.
Random is in a trump conversation, and his head is hanging over the edge of the throne. If he sees Ossian, he doesn't acknowledge him.
Folly is walking quickly, a red cloak billowing dramatically behind her, but she stops abruptly at his greeting and turns on her heel to face him. She has a deck of cards in one hand, a single card in the other, and a look of grave concentration on her face that melts into a broad smile when she sees him.
"Ossian! How are you? When did you get here?" She tucks the card back into her deck and holds out her hand to him. "I was just--- I've got some questions I wanna ask the cards, but that's always better with a second opinion, and... do you have a minute?"
Ossian takes her hand and kisses it with exaggerated flair. "I got here just now. Didn't finish things over on the other side, though. I always have time for a reading or two."
Folly smiles ruefully at his comment about business left undone. "It's funny, isn't it? We're supposed to live forever, but still everything happens at once and we can't quite fit it all in. Like, I could really use a hot bath and a nap right now, but a little cold water in the basin will have to do me for now." From this close, Ossian can detect the scents of sweat and sex, and a faint trace of something forest-earthy, from her skin.
She loops her arm through his and starts down the hall toward the family wing. "What did you have to leave in the middle of?" she asks.
Ossian tries to avoid inhaling the scents, not really knowing what they would do to him. "I was hunting pirates for Uncle Benedict with cousin Jerod. Who then was Trumped away.
"We were actually working pretty well together, believe it or not. " he sighs. "I got the impression that there was something more to these pirates, but wasn't able to find out what before I was called here.
"What have you been up to?"
"Oh, you know, trying to save the world, same as always," Folly replies with a grin. "Or at least the king, which actually seems to have worked." She sounds giddy, like she's been up all night partying and hasn't quite come down yet.
"We're planning a conclave of Youngers at lunchtime today -- everyone currently in residence, plus as many others as we can reach by trump. Maybe someone else will have answers, or at least clues, to what's going on with those pirates. In the meantime, we're dealing with the aftermath of Vialle's possession, which includes an ominous magic circle in the royal suite that Hannah and Fiona are looking at right now and is one of the things I want to ask the cards about. It seems dormant now, but I'll feel better when we've found a good way to get rid of it."
Ossian frowns. "A magic circle? Is it empty? How is Vialle? I mean good that you saved the King."
"It's certainly a big load off my mind, although it seems to have swapped out for a big pile of smaller loads." Folly lets out a little laugh. "The magic circle doesn't so much seem to contain anything as to be... maybe out-of-phase, or polarized, compared to its surroundings. Fiona's best guess was that it could have been a gateway or conduit that might have let the Queen access or channel some kind of power, if she'd been able to complete the ritual we interrupted when I kidnapped the King.
"Vialle... is the other thing I wanted to ask the cards about. Martin and Edan took her when I took the King, and I don't know precisely where they've gone or what their plan is beyond trying to see if they can remove the Queen's influence on her, as safely as they can. If that's even possible." Her brow furrows.
Ossian nods. "This will be interesting. What Queen are we talking about?"
Folly points skyward. "The Queen of Air and Darkness. She seems to be possessing Vialle somehow. It seems highly probable that the arrival of the Moonriders last night is somehow connected, consciously or unconsciously."
Ossian smiles. "She seems to turn up all over the place. We should pool all knowledge we have on her at some point. I guess she has some kind of history with our family."
Folly nods. "Possibly Oberon's sister?" Folly ventures, "but it's not really clear. Almost certainly related somehow, though."
They reach Folly's suite and enter the sitting room. Rather than choosing the sofa or a chair, Folly drops cross-legged onto the rug like a child waiting for story-time and gestures for Ossian to sit wherever he feels most comfortable.
Ossian, being empathic, will absolutely not sit in a chair when talking with Folly on the floor. So he sits down on the floor too.
"So, this magic circle thing," she says. "I was considering asking the cards 'what should we do about the magic circle in the King's suite?', but I don't know if that's too broad of a question. Other thoughts I had were 'how should we destroy it?', which might be too specific, or 'what would happen if we destroy it?', or 'what would happen if we don't destroy it?' What do you think?"
Ossian smiles. "According to Brandfather, those questions are probably too focused. Then he was not one who liked limits."
"I really don't like to ask what we should do about it. Assuming the cards to be neutral, that is sort of a nonsense question. Assuming the cards actually has some kind of agenda... that answer could lead us really wrong."
"'How do we destroy the circle?' is good, I think. Brand would go with 'What is the nature of the circle?', but I don't think we have metaphysical knowledge enough to interpret that."
Ossian does look relaxed, but his fingers are busy folding a piece of paper.
"Ooh, 'What is the nature of the circle?' is interesting, and could imply some of the other things I'm interested in," Folly says. "But 'How do we destroy the circle?' is the most urgent." As she pulls out her cards and gently shuffles them, she adds, "I'd like to be able to bring my daughter back here, and I don't think it's really safe to do that until that thing is gone."
She holds the cards between her palms and asks, "How do we destroy the magic circle in the King's suite?" then lays out the cards.
Bottom row:
Knowledge reversed
The Usurper
Nature reversed
Middle row:
Random
Sowing Stones reversed
Top card:
Spring
"Hm..." Ossian frowns "This doesn't look too confused. I'm not happy about Spring as the Fate. 'Stagnation' could mean that we cannot get rid of the circle. Just make it less potent." He points at the Nature card.
"I guess that 'Random' is quite straightforward - we will need his help to destroy the circle. The fault being 'Ceasing fruitless labor' is more of a mystery. It could suggest changing strategies, whatever our strategy now is, or that the circle is not longer useful for it's creator."
"The bottom row is the most intriguing, I think. Knowledge reversed...my guess is that the circle was created through Falsehood. Likely the possessions. " Ossian does not sound sure here. "And the Usurper. The centerpiece of the realm. This would suggest the importance of the circle and it's destruction."
Ossian turns to Folly. "That's what I got, except for a wild alternate interpretation of the Past, but I'll withhold that until I have heard your take on this. Pity that we don't have a card for the Queen of Air and Darkness."
Folly arches her eyebrows. "And yet I think she shows up here anyway. Maybe twice." She taps the Past and Present cards. "Knowledge is an air card, after all. And she's clearly been trying to usurp power here. It's possible the Falsehood in the past is the lie she told Vialle to gain a foothold here, or a lie Vialle or someone else has been telling about what happened."
Ossian nods.
She taps the Future card. "Now, this is interesting. I can think of at least three different ways to read it, and one of them is almost cheating because I know what I have in my pocket. As you say, it could mean sapping the energy from the circle as a way to destroy or at least minimize it. It could be telling us that destroying the circle will sap some of the Usurper's energy, or that pulling energy from the Usurper is what is needed to destroy it -- sort of a chicken-and-egg thing. But then there's the solution I was already pretty sure would work, and wanted to see if the cards contradicted it or suggested something else, and... so far, it's consistent. As I understand it, using the Jewel does indeed sap the energy of the person using it."
She indicates the next row. "And having Random here as the Virtue could support that idea as well. The Jewel isn't Random the way Xanadu is Random, but it's linked. And it is, of course, hilarious to me that the Fault is actual rocks, although I'm not quite sure how to interpret 'Ceasing Fruitless Labor' as a Fault in this context. Maybe a warning that actually using that rock will work, but is dangerous."
She taps the Fate card, hesitates, and says, "This one worries me too, but not for the same reason you saw. The Fate that lies in the balance is a possibility at New Growth or Stagnation. That could very well mean 'If you don't take this thing out it could wake up again and put us back where we started, with the Queen trying to recorporealize'. But...." She hesitates again. "Since I'm the one doing the asking, it could also be a warning that I might endanger... I mean, that maybe I should be asking Random to do it instead of trying to do it myself."
She blows out a breath, and looks at Ossian. "I welcome any holes you want to poke in that. As well as your alternate translation of the Past card."
"No holes, as far as I see." Ossian says. "The Jewel is a genial interpretation. I think it has a high probability of being correct.
"Regarding the past. The wild interpretation is this: The feathered serpent. It is the only card in the deck that would point to Uxmal. But I think the Queen is a better interpretation."
Folly cocks her head, considering that. "I... don't know much about Uxmal, but that's where Brennan is from, yes...? ...Ah. Brand." She nods. "Maybe a bit of a wild card, but this was the problem he was working on, wasn't it? Or at least a closely related problem. That does make me look at the Fault rather differently -- that perhaps we're opposed by long-made plans, his or the Queen's, that were headed in the wrong direction but now... aren't."
She hesitates, thinking, and adds, "Which sort of brings me to my other question: what to do about Vialle."
Ossian nods. "I guess you want to ask the cards how we can stop the posession? Or maybe about the nature of the posession?
"Who is Vialle? would be interesting as well."
"Those things, yes," Folly says slowly, as if she is working out how to say the rest, "but also... is there a way to save her without leaving Xanadu at risk? Which gets at the nature of the possession, and whether it can be overcome without too much harm to Vialle, but also... how culpable is she for bringing this threat to Xanadu in the first place? Because if she did this willingly -- or worse, willfully -- she could still be viewed as a threat even if we can reverse the possession."
She chews her bottom lip, thinking. "Maybe the real question I want to ask is, 'How did Vialle come to be possessed by the Queen of Air and Darkness'?" She looks to Ossian to see what he thinks of that question.
Ossian frowns. "The fate and future cards might be hard to interpret, but otherwise it floats. Maybe 'What is the relationship between Vialle and the Queen?"
"Oh, I like that," Folly says. "The Past, then, would hopefully give us some idea of her motivations, or how she got drawn into this whole mess in the first place. But I think maybe... rewording it slightly so it's really focused on Vialle's motivations, actions, and beliefs, rather than the Queen's."
She gathers up the cards, shuffles them, holds them between her palms, and closes her eyes. After several slow breaths, she asks, "What is Vialle's intended relationship with the Queen of Air and Darkness?"
She takes another breath, and deals the cards.
Bottom row:
The Creator, Reversed
The Usurper
Striking the Dragon's Tail, Reversed
Middle row:
Random
Folly, Reversed
Top card:
Overlooking the Diamond
Folly blinks. "Well. That's...." She looks at Ossian; she seems... not embarrassed, exactly, but maybe like she thinks she might need to apologize for something. "What do you see?"
"Well. It's goddamn important, at least. The Usurper again...Or that just means that Vialle has been usurped, but I doubt that. Or wait. It fits...
"I wonder about this." He points at the Creator. "Was Vialle abandoned? I'd say she was, during the regency. Was then when this started? Maybe Vialle felt she needed an ally. Or did it start way back, with Vialle being abandoned by the Queen for some time? Since that seems most dangerous let's assume it''s true for the time being.
"So they go way back, with some kind of break in the relationship until recently. Now the Queen has Usurped, taken over, but Vialle will find a way to balance her." He points at the future card.
"So Random is the Virtue. I'd guess he's needed to defeat the Queen. But your role?" He points at the Folly card. "Reversed. Your kid?"
Ossians eyes narrow as he looks at Folly. "My guess is that something about you drove her to the Queen..." He is quiet for a few seconds.
Folly is nodding slowly, but doesn't interrupt. She's got her arms wrapped tightly across her midsection.
"The fate. It's a message for us, I think. There is an opportunity here. Maybe we can get at the Queen? Or make peace with her."
"By the Unicorn, I hope so," Folly says. It's not an oath he's heard her use before -- but then, they've never spoken the morning after the Unicorn appeared to them, either.
She takes a deep breath and blows it out as she looks at the cards again. "I really appreciate your interpretation, as it touches on something I've been wondering about -- almost a conspiracy theory, really -- but that I wouldn't have seen here if you hadn't brought up the more dangerous assumption about the meaning of the Past.
"My initial instinct, knowing what I know, is that there's a pretty clear arc here that tells me some things I already knew or at least suspected." She points to the bottom row. "Vialle felt abandoned, or was pretty sure she would be abandoned, once Random made Xanadu and had very different ideas than she did about what his life here would be like. So she reached out to a powerful being to help her remake the situation to her own liking. There are some subtleties to the Future here that I'm less sure about; since the question I asked was about Vialle's intended relationship with the Queen, it could represent her hope that she's not getting herself in over her head with whatever deal she struck. Or it could possibly represent a desire for more power, agency, and understanding."
She taps the middle row. "I see two ways to look at these. If we interpret them as what's working for and against Vialle in getting what she wants -- which I think is probably to remain queen and bear an heir -- then the thing she needs for that to happen is Random, and the thing working against her is that... she is not me." Folly gives Ossian a rueful smile. "And she knows it. Which brings us to the other way of looking at them: what's working for and against me as the person asking the question."
She points to the Virtue card. "Syd just gave me an incredible gift. Well, actually, he did a while ago, but I finally woke up and accepted it. But the Fault...." She lays her finger on the card. "As you say, it could be my children. Either because they could be used against me, or... or...." She closes her eyes and mutters an expletive under her breath. "Or maybe I'm afraid to do what needs to be done because of the risk."
She sighs and looks at Ossian. "So, the wild theory I've wondered about is why Moire forced Random into a marriage with Vialle, and whether Vialle has somehow been a pawn of the Queen of Air and Darkness this whole time, possibly as a result of something Moire did, or at least of something Moire knew about. Like, I'm imagining the Queen Above and the Queen Below teaming up for a very long game of Girls Against Boys to try to use the children of Oberon, and possibly their offspring, to advance their own aims. Because if the Queen Above was involved, there's a good chance they knew who would end up on the throne of Amber.
"That's just wild speculation, of course" she adds, "but your interpretation puts it in an interesting light. The question, after all, was 'what is Vialle's intended relationship' -- and in that light, it could be that she rejected being manipulated like that, wanted to build her own life on her own merits... right up until the point that life started spinning out of her control."
She's quiet a moment, and then taps the Usurper card. "Either way, though, this does rather suggest willful treason, doesn't it?"
Ossian pouts with his mouth, thinking. "In one way or the other, yeah. So how do we expose it? Brand would act on the reading of course. But he was not entirely sane."
Folly gives him a sad smile. "We might not have to. It already matches what those in the best position to know -- and to act -- already suspect. I've been holding out hope, or at least the possibility, that she was a mostly-innocent victim in all this. But all the signs suggest that she started on this path wilfully, even if she got herself in over her head in the process."
She pauses, solemnly, and adds, "I made Martin promise not to kill her."
Ossian nods. "Considering what we think we know, is there another option? Unicorn knows we have had enough unkilled old opponents showing up.
"Then, would Random allow it?"
Before Folly can answer, she feels the pressure of an impending Trump call. It's not Martin; he's not as practiced with Trumps as most of her cousins for obvious reasons.
Folly holds up her index finger. "Bide," she says as her eyes half-focus into the middle distance.
"Who calls?" she asks, cautiously.
Edan comes into view. He's in a forest, probably Broceliande, and some of the Knights of the Lamp are a short distance away. His expression is tight, but he does give Folly a concerned once-over.
"It's Edan," he says. "You are well, yes? I am here with Martin, I am using his Trump. We are...well. I have news."
"Edan," Folly says, and smiles. She appears to be sitting on the floor of one of the family suites in the castle. "I'm still in the castle, with Ossian." She reaches a hand to her left, inviting Ossian to join the call. "What news? It's started well enough, but something tells me it's about to take a turn."
Ossian takes her hand and joins the call.
"Martin and I are in Broceliande," Edan says. He gives Ossian a nod as he appears. "I'll give you the full synopsis. After the battle in the castle, we took Vialle down to the stables to hellride out. Marius happened upon us at the worst time, and we had to knock him out. I Trumped him to Merlin, so Marius is probably in Rebma right now."
Folly's jaw tightens just a bit at that, but she doesn't interrupt.
Edan straightens a bit. "We went on the run after that. Stayed a night in Fiona's tower, the one they kept Brand in. There, we got to talk to Vialle. She acts like herself, but the Queen of Air and Darkness is inside her. An overwhelming presence. Arguing, questioning... got nowhere. I led us to the City of Brass after that since I looked ahead in Time and knew we were being pursued.
"Chantico was there, but we got in and out before she caught up. I decided to perform a Seal of Suleman on the Queen, trapped her in a bottle. It worked, too, but the Queen of Air and Darkness managed to call the High Marshal as we ran, and he managed to separate us and caught up to me here. He beat me, quite easily. He has the Queen now." Edan stops. "Everything, everything went wrong."
"And... what happened to Vialle in all this?" Folly asks, gently. "Is she still alive, and still with the Queen? Or did your Seal, or whatever the Marshal did, separate them?"
"Vialle was still alive, still bound to Tir's Queen, when I made the Seal," Edan says. "I did not touch their power, or their...configuration. Just breaking the bottle would release them, so likely that's already been done."
"So they are free but not here. Does that make them an immediate threat, or just another thing to worry about?
"We might need to reevaluate that Card reading." Ossian says.
At that point, a knock sounds on the door.
With Gerard's assurance that all is, if not well, significantly better in Xanadu and with Llewella's assurance she'll watch out for his favorite niece, Garrett steps through the Trump to find himself in the throne room of Xanadu. Corvis is there with Gerard, and there's a sideboard that was groaning with food some time ago but that has clearly been denuded of part of the breakfast buffet by members of his family.
Random looks up from the throne where he's lounging, and sits up.
"Garrett! Get a snack if you need one then come here, I've got a question for you."
Garrett looks around with the relieved air of someone waking from a strange dream to find that all is well. He thanks Gerard, nods to Random, and heads straight for the remains of the buffet, where he quickly fills his plate with decidedly non-Rebman fare. Plate and steaming coffee in hand, he returns to the throne and nods once more. "Good day, Father. What's your question?" he says with a smile.
Random slumps back into the throne. "I'm going to have to go through with my poorly-formed plans and install a hot tub into the throne room to get some family casualness in this family, aren't I?
"Soooo. How are things in Rebma?" He throws his legs across the arm of the throne. "By which I mean, what's the political climate, as it applies to me, Martin, Vialle, Moonriders, and anything else that's volatile and likely to affect us in Xanadu..."
Random rolls his head back. "Ask me after we talk why I asked you that first...."
Finishing a slice of bacon, Garrett replies, "On the surface, they seem to support efforts to deal with the Moonriders. Celina said something about assembling a strike force to back Xanadu up if it became necessary. No one said much about you or Martin. Or Vialle for that matter, until I asked about her. I was trying to figure how she could have walked the pattern in Tir, as it's been said she did. Llewella thought she may be a distant relative, but hinted that it could be closer. Silhouette alluded to there being a deeper connection to Tir, but..." Garrett shakes his head skeptically, "I'm not taking her word without confirmation."
Random looks at the bacon, but doesn't ask for a bite. "OK, that's at least not as bad as I was thinking it would be. Last time I was there, they sorta commuted my death sentence on the grounds of 'you're marrying Vialle', so there are at least some people who aren't gonna like what comes next. Hell, I'm not even sure how it'll go down in Amber. I'm pretty sure I've got a handle on Xanadu, it's got too much me in it to not go along with what I'm going to have to do.
"But Amber had her as the Queen for a while." Random rolls his head around, looking at Garrett from a decidedly odd angle.
"What are your plans for after you all sort everything out? Personally?"
Garrett thinks a moment before answering, "Well...before I got called back for the Big Meeting, I was just doing some exploring in Shadow, trying things out, that sort of thing.
"D'you want some?" he offers, holding the bacon-side of the plate out to Random before continuing.
"Don't mind if I do," says Random, picking up a piece and lowering it into his mouth from above.
"Since coming back though, it seems like I might be needed here, what with zombies coming through Shadow and Moonriders at the steps of Tir.
"And I didn't hear the story of what all happened with the Queen. What're you gonna have to do?"
"Not sure yet. The traditional penalty for treason is death. Sometimes after a trial. Sometimes after a fair trial.
"Hell, I'm not even sure she meant to commit treason, or if she was just used by our enemies.
"But I don't want to drag out a display of our weaknesses and I don't want to give her another chance, so I'm not sure there's a practical difference between 'death for committing treason' and 'death for being a risk to the crown'.
"It's not like I can send her to some shadow nunnery to live out her days.
"So I don't know what I'm gonna have to do, but it's gonna have people who don't like it. Possibly including some people I care about.
"How's your day been going?"
"Better than yours, sounds like," Garrett replies soberly. "Before you make any moves, I reckon we should bring Lark back up here. She's still in Rebma and Vialle likely has some support there."
"That wasn't the best part of the day, no. But it wasn't my worst day this week, either. Apparently I spent a good part of yesterday in some sort of a trance while the Queen prepared to get you all to swear fealty to her child. I was pretty happy to be rescued." Random smiles.
"Anyway, it was real treason, and I think I need to make sure that whatever we do is seen as real justice. I'm thinking I'm gonna need people to talk to folks in Paris, Rebma, and Amber to sorta make sure it's clear that we're not just being assholes about an unwanted Queen."
"Understood," Garrett replies with a solemn nod. "I know where some of the currents are running in Rebma, but who do you think will give you the hardest time in Amber and Paris?"
"That's part of the problem, of course. Because it would be, wouldn't it? It's not like the people who might be in a position to do something are going to wear T-Shirts that say 'Down with Xanadu'".
Random rolls his neck. "That reminds me, I need to get a T-shirt that says 'Down with Xanadu'. I'll get you and Martin shirts, too." He smiles.
"Anyway, I'm starting to think I need someone to go have a chat with the ambassadors and find out who they're worried about, get them up to speed on the royal position. It's 'prone-ish, draped over the arms of the throne, subject to fits of activity'. Unless they mean... well never mind that, it changes too frequently.
"How'd you like to go on a grand tour of Paris, Rebma, Amber, and Avalon?"
"Me, sir?" Garrett blurts incredulously as a million reasons why he shouldn't accept race through his head. They are swept away just as quickly by one realization - in Martin's voice of course: 'Princes have prerogative. Use it.'
He straightens a bit as he adds, "I mean, I'm game...but wouldn't you be better served by a trained diplomat?"
"You, sir," Random replies. "You can take whoever you need, as long as they're not in the band. If you want a diplomat, bring one along, but you can't not be Head of Mission, even if you make them do all the work and you just go to the tea parties and formal dances."
He looks up and sees Signy, and waves her over. "Big or small, whatever you want to take with you, it'll be useful."
Garrett nods, taking it all in, then glances back over his shoulder to see who's arriving.
Signy makes her way over to where the King and Garrett are talking, somehow managing to put together a plate full of food and perch a cup of coffee on the side.
"Your Majesty," she nods at Random. "Garrett, a pleasure to see you again. What have you been up to lately?"
"Whirlwind trip to Rebma. How about you?" Garrett grins.
Random waves a salute and waits to see if she if she reports on her conversations while talking to Garrett.
Signy gives Garrett a brief smile. "Boring night on guard, a visit with a Moonrider ambassador looking to parley, and catching up with Brennan, Raven and Connor by Trump."
"Have you heard any more about what happened at the stairs?" Garrett asks. "Lark and I were sent to Rebma shortly after the unicorn came through and I haven't been in touch with anyone topside since."
Random picks another piece of bacon off of Garrett's plate.
Signy gives an equivocating shrug.
"There was a duel between the Marshall's daughter and Edan. The Unicorn showed up, and somehow Edan ended up taking her as a captive. I met a Moonrider that had me bring a message to the King to start the talks about ransoming her back."
She pauses for a second, considering.
"That's the summary as I understand it, at least."
"Conner, wasn't it? With his fancy Rebman pigsticker?" Random laughs. "Did you know that Ambassador Droit tried to breed pigs in Remba for the longest time? He was convinced that Remba would be a huge market for bacon, and that he could export sea-salt cured pork to Amber, too.
"I told all the Rebmans that his new title was 'Porkmaster', which was unkind, but he was working for Eric and I was not."
Signy reddens slightly. "Um, yeah. Connor fought the duel, but he and Raven are off visiting my father right now, and Brennan's off escorting some captured commanders back to Ghenesh."
She pauses, and spears a bit of eggs on her plate, wondering if she is really the best person to carry messages back from the King to the Moonriders.
Random nods. "I'll be fascinated to find out what your father is up to. Where's Edan, again? Gerard's wife has his baby. He probably ought to be around here somewhere."
Garrett nods at the update from Signy, then turns to Random. "I met Ambassador Droit when I was in Rebma. That'll be my first stop when I go back on business.
"Speaking of which, are there any plans to call a family meeting to go over everything that's happened?" Garrett asks. "It might be helpful to be fully informed before I head off to meet the ambassadors."
The King shrugs, as well as a man draped across the arms of a throne can shrug. "Well, I didn't have any such plans, since I just put the kibosh on a big meeting. I should probably wait until there's a vast upwelling of pent-up demand for a meeting." He sighs.
"Tell you what. When the family cries out 'Oh, Random, King of Kings, Sovereign Lord of All that's Worth Lording Soveriegnly Over, Most Majestic Ayatollah of Rock-and-Rollah, we want a family meeting! Then we'll see about setting a date for the next one.
"Until then, it's probably Martin's meeting and a bunch of trump calls and poker games for the rest of you to work out anything that needs to be worked out..."
Garrett nods thoughtfully, looking a little grim. "All right."
Taking another tack, he asks, "So, going back to the rescue we did a while back, are you sure it was in fact the Queen, I mean, OUR queen that we rescued? Because at one point, she seemed to SEE me, but then she didn't."
He turns to Signy. "And did you ever find out anything about that chain? I don't think I heard."
Random's brow furrows. "We should ask Fiona about that, now that you mention it. I had the odd feeling that Vialle was staring at me, before all the crap went down.
"I'd say I'm pretty sure it was her, but maybe possessed, or something, but I'm not convinced I'm the greatest judge of such things. My working theory is that she was collaborating with the Queen, but I don't have much more than a hunch on that one.
"If I'm wrong and we rescued an imposter, what would you suggest we do about it?"
"I'm not sure there's anything we CAN do about it now," Garrett says with a slight shrug. "Did anyone else examine her when she came back? Physically or... magically?"
"Yep, both," Random replies. "And again when she got pregnant. Fiona was instrumental in that. I plan to ask her some questions about how this one got past the defenses, but I also have to admit it got past me.
"I think if it was there when she got back, it was deeply concealed." Random chews on his lower lip. "My guess is that it was just a possibility before the Tir thing. You know that story, right? Anyroad, Vere's on his way back, with his prisoner. We ought to ask him more about what Cambina had to say, since she was victim number one."
Signy shakes her head in the negative. "The Chain's definitely magical, something with Space and a lot of other stuff that I wasn't able to pick apart in the time I gave it. Fiona looked at it, and it also had a lot of Order tied to it as well. Her guess is that it was meant to keep someone from using Sorcery."
"Keep someone from using sorcery to bind or to unbind, I wonder," Garrett muses.
"Or keep us from using Sorcery to either find Vialle, or if they were very tricksy, to keep us from noticing she's been tampered with?"
Random's lips tighten. "But we took it from the Marshall and brought it back." He looks grim. "Well, that's how you get a trojan badger into a castle. You have the people of the castle bring it in themselves."
Signy shakes her head negatively at this. "No, the general impression that she got was more that this was an object for binding and restraining someone and keeping them from using powers to break free."
She wonders what her father would make of such a thing, what he would glean from looking at the thing.
Or if he maybe even knew of it already because he made it for someone. She wishes that she had thought to mention the chain to Raven, to ask him.
She pulls her focus back away from the chain. "Fiona also didn't think there was anything untoward in the Moonrider token they gave me, so I guess that means that we need to figure out what to do with that?"
She keeps her voice carefully neutral, to hide any hint that she might be happy that this is not really her problem to resolve.
Random nods his head, upside down. "Sure, sure. But why use that on Vialle? No powers to use, right? And if it was his queen, why bind her? I'm trying to put two and two together and I'm not even getting two."
"Moonrider token? I think I missed that bit," Garrett says, glancing from Signy to Random for clarification.
Random turns to Signy, letting her explain it.
Signy puts her hand in the pouch with the token, but doesn't pull it out immediately. "On my way back here this morning, I met one of the Moonriders who wanted to ask for the King's terms for returning the Marshall's daughter. He gave me a token to act as a sign that I was on State business when I returned to them."
Random nods. "She may be on her way to being our first ambassador to the Moonriders...."
Signy winces slightly, imagining a life of court dinners and state events, and a forge in Rebma that slowly goes cold and dusty.
"Where are they actually physically located? Do they have a Shadow, or a kingdom somewhere?"
Garrett looks to Random, interested in the answer to this as well.
"I wasn't born when they breezed through. Someplace called Ghenesh, I think. We'd have to ask Gerry or Caine. It's damned inconvenient of him having a single syllable name, you know. Hard to give him a really bitchin' nickname. He never understood why I called him Cap'n Bligh, or maybe he just pretended not to." Random shakes his head.
"But I thought they gave you a compass. I'm pretty sure Ambassador task number one will be 'find them'. It'll be like a big game of 'Hide and Seek'. Probably."
Signy offers an inward sigh and eyeroll, but keeps her face carefully blank.
"So, when I do find them what message would you like me to take them?" she asks in a carefully neutral tone.
Though turnabout is fair play, she's pretty sure.
"I'll make sure to figure that out before you actually go, or at least before you get there." He pauses. "I'll be asking for suggestions later, so you two have the opportunity to sound smart by actually thinking out your answers in advance."
He stretches. "OK, back to the card game. Who's left to call? Garrett, did you let Folly know you're back and that Llewella is babby sitting? I'm still slightly awhirl from... Anyway, I don't remember if you talked before she headed up to the family rooms. I think she's with Ossian or Fiona."
"Not yet. I'll check in with her next," Garrett replies. "First though, on the diplomatic tour you mentioned, where did you want me to start first? Or doesn't it matter?"
Random sits up and pulls out his card deck, but doesn't start looking through it. "It doesn't matter to me. Maybe you want to ask your circle of princely advisors what they think. I'd say ask in the stables, but they're all such neighsaysers...."
Garrett laughs. "All right then. I'll check in with Folly and start rounding up advisors." He looks to Signy to see if she has anything to add.
After the conversation with Random ends, Garrett grabs another plate of food and takes it to his own quarters, intending to eat quickly, change into something less shimmery, and go find Folly.
The morning sun in the window draws him like a moth though and he finds himself relishing the sun's warmth on his bare arms. He leans against the windowsill and picks at his eggs and bacon, his brow furrowed in thought.
As usual, the conversation with Random has left him with more questions than answers. But if he's to do the King's bidding and represent Xanadu's position on Vialle to the many realms, he has to have more facts. Right? But how?
Finally finishing off the last bit of bacon, he leaves his empty plate on the table and goes off to change. He returns shortly, looking much more Garrett-like in a loose green shirt, black trousers and worn leather boots.
At the desk, he tears the bottom off a piece of paper and writes three lines:
Fiona
Gilt
The Queen's Lady
Biting his lip, he pauses, then writes one more.
Martin
Stuffing the slip of paper into his pocket, he leaves his quarters and asks a page where Lady Folly might be.
Garrett recognizes the page. She was a stablehand in Amber, but seems to have moved into the castle. Her name is Frame. She directs Garrett to Lady Folly's quarters.
Garrett gives Frame a wide smile and thanks her when they arrive.
"I'll check the door." Ossian leaves the contact for a few moments to get the door.
"Ah, Garrett. Join us." He holds out a hand to Garrett and reaches for Folly to join the call once more.
Folly has her eyes closed, either to help focus on the incoming call or to think over Ossian's question. To help catch everyone else up, she says, "Ossian and I were just consulting the cards on a couple of questions related to Vialle's recent possession. One of them suggested the possibility of an opportunity we -- or someone, possibly Vialle -- might otherwise have missed. Edan, the fact that the Marshal beat you easily and yet you are still alive suggests he is not overtly, fatally hostile to us, so that's something. Is there anything else you can glean from your interaction about his attitude or intention beyond rescuing his queen?"
And because she can't quite hold this bit in any longer, she opens her eyes and looks sideways at Garrett. "Welcome home, little brother," she says with a smile, although there is tension in it. "Where is my daughter?"
Garrett takes Ossian's offered hand with thanks and answers, "She's with Llewella in Rebma. Figured she'd be safer there if the Queen of Air and Darkness was still lurking here." He adds to ease Folly's mind, "Martin said Llewella could be trusted."
Folly gives a slight nod, but Garrett and especially Ossian can probably tell, through the intimacy of a trump contact, that she'd feel better if her daughter were here.
"Nothing obvious," Edan says to Folly. "The fight was honorable, as fights go, but he was so good he didn't have to act otherwise. I got an invitation to visit Ghenesh. They got what they wanted. We stopped the King from being under their... tell me the king is no longer under their thrall. But they have both Queens and maybe an heir to Xanadu."
Ossian frowns "Of course I understand that Random cares for his child, but is there any metaphysical reason that this heir needs to be the heir? Or could Random just disinherit the kid if needed?"
"I don't believe they have an heir," Folly says in a tone that carries more certainty than her words suggest. "I'm not even wholly convinced there's a child involved; the 'pregnancy' may well just be the Queen's attempt to recorporealize.
"But to answer your question, Edan, the king is no longer under their thrall. The enchantment has been undone. That said, I'll feel better when we get the remnants of the Queen's magic out of here."
If Ossian's comments about heirs bothers Garrett, there is no indication of it. He looks concerned, like he's still trying to take in all that he just jumped into.
"Remnants." Edan frowns. "You mean that circle? I tried to burn it during the fight with Fiona. Not strong enough, obviously. Has it done anything since we left?"
"Kind of the opposite," Folly replies, "unless something has happened in the last half-hour or so. It appears to have gone dormant since... since the king came back into himself. It doesn't appear actively dangerous at the moment, but it does give the impression of a portal that perhaps could be re-opened, or moved through, under the right circumstances." She hesitates, as if weighing what else to say about it over a trump call, and then adds, "It seems to be sort of... out-of-phase... with its surroundings. Polarized, almost. But it's only obvious through the right lens."
Ossian frowns. "Is it tied to some other time than the present? Just a suggestion."
Garrett nods in agreement. "That could account for it looking strange to OUR eyes, I reckon. At least I would imagine so," says the decidedly non-magical prince.
Folly nods. "Yeah, Fiona hypothesized it was some kind of power conduit. Given the particular skills of the one who conjured it, it could just as easily connect to an elsewhen as an elsewhere, or maybe both."
She regards Edan through the connection. "What's your next move?"
"I can't track them to Ghenesh, nor could I stop them if I could," Edan says. "I expect I will be recalled to Xanadu. Before that, word about this needs to reach the right ears." He fixes his inscrutable golden gaze on Folly.
"I just spoke with the King and he didn't seem inclined to call a meeting right away," Garrett offers. "Though with this news, that could change," he adds, glancing at Folly.
"Well, this is interesting," Folly says, nodding slowly; the turning of the wheels in her mind is almost palpable through the contact. "I can certainly let the king know, family conclave or no, but... Edan, do you recall where Brennan said he was headed when last we spoke with him? While I admit I'm loath to send more military might in that direction without at least one diplomat for balance, if you wanted to come through to me here we could contact him. Or perhaps better yet, figure out our next move at the upcoming gathering-of-people-who-need-to-know, which I'd recommended for lunchtime today when I spoke to Signy about it. Martin may have mentioned it to you after I last called him."
"I spoke with my father a while back. Then he was the Silver towers. Close to Avalon, I think. But maybe you have talked to him after that. He moves around."
"I haven't talked with Brennan since he said he was going to escort his Ruby Knights and three Moonriders out of Avalon and to Ghenesh," Edan says for Ossian's benefit. "What a perfect time for him to be there. I hope he's finished his business and got out, but he needs to be contacted sooner rather than later."
"I can come across to you, Folly, if you think it will make the other meeting easier," Edan says. "I would just need a few words with the Lamp."
Edan can hear Martin, who seems to be taking a Trump contact from Jerod, offering to go through with knights.
Edan doesn't add anything in the call, but his expression says he's suddenly very interested in what's going on behind him.
Ossian offers: "I can contact Brennan."
"Yes, that's a good idea," Folly says to Ossian. "If he's at liberty to come here for at least a short while, that would be ideal. And the same goes for you, Edan," she adds. "I think much of what we need to discuss would be best in person rather than via trump to the extent we can manage it. Make what arrangements you need to, and call me back when you're ready to come through." Edan may get the impression she means the 'you' to include Martin as well, although she doesn't say it.
She hesitates, then adds, "And tell my husband that his brother has returned to Xanadu, and our daughter is staying with her Auntie Llew."
"Do we want to contact Celina as well? I can call her if you like, and bring Lark back too if you feel it's safe here," Garrett offers.
"Calling Celina is a good idea," Folly says, "but I'll leave it to Martin to decide whether Lark is safer here or there for now." She gives Garrett a little smile, although it's not clear whether she's deferring to Martin's superior knowledge of Llewella and Rebma, or to his general role as family security officer.
Edan passes along what Folly said verbally: calling her back, brothers and daughter news, and expecting them both to return.
"I shall call you back, then, momentarily," Edan says as a signoff.
Ossian nods, but stays quiet.
"See you soon," Folly replies with a smile.
Last modified: 20 October 2020