Disco Inferno

Jerod's arrival by carriage is low-key and well suited to the open nature of the gathering. Attired in his minimalist greys, the more astute family observers would think he is a bit more relaxed than when he first arrived though that is likely due to Carina's presence, dressed in finery suitable to Xanadu but with a hint of Rebman influence (her own appearance not withstanding). A more cynical observer might question who travels on whose arm during the gathering as the pair moves through the crowd, meeting and greeting, but as they adjust to each new introduction it becomes clear that this is a moot point.

Jerod's old friends, and Carina's friends, are pleased to see them, but there is perhaps one unexpected face in the crowd: his sister Valeria.

Friends and acquaintances, good fortune to all as Carina and Jerod make their rounds. Valeria's presence would be noticed, but as with all things Court related, Jerod rushes nothing. Instead, the rounds simply adjust, without appearing to adjust, until brother and sister are within suitable greeting range.

Valeria gives the proper bow from a Princess of one lineage to a related foreign Prince who is younger than her. Aside from instantly recognizing the courtesy, Jerod is amazed she can perform it above water.

"Hello, my brother," she says, "I see your family is all turning out for the festivities." Carina makes an appropriate bow to the Princess. Valeria smiles. "Carina, how nice to see that you are well. I had heard that your compatriots were worried for you."

"No doubt they will be able to assuage their concerns upon seeing her in attendance." Jerod replies, responding with the appropriate bow to his sister. "Come, we must catch up. There has been so much happening of late." as he finishes his drink, motioning to the food and refreshments (and oddly enough where Ossian is in close attendance).

"I will admit to some surprise to see you sister. What brings you to our little gathering, and not with the Queen I noticed?" he asks.

Valeria leans and takes his arm, walking close to him. "And I heard you were off to war, so the surprise is mutual. I've been talking to the Lord Mayor's wives. Did you know they came from a place that had no Queens at all? Like Bellum, except not even Dukes and Counts. It's an interesting prospect, being free to attain your best place on the great ladder of being based on your skills and talents alone."

"Indeed. I remember spending some time in Bellum. It was quite refreshing in some ways. To be held to greatness or failure on the basis of your efforts, and those of your allies you assemble." Jerod says, accepting the arm. He feels more than sees Carina dropping back, always aware of her presence. His head turns slightly as he notes the approach of Llewella and his progress slows deliberately. He does not stop however. Jerod has known Carina more than long enough to trust her ability to handle any situation within her skill set, and to call for help for those situations where she can't.

Not to mention the obvious negative response that is likely to happen should someone cause her serious distress (family or not).

"The Lord Mayor's background is much more...democratic. It certainly has some advantages, though also some deficiencies at times. I'm sure someone like you would have no trouble achieving greatness there. Though somehow I suspect you'd be rather bored in Shadow. Perhaps an option closer to home presents itself?"

Valeria appears to consider it. "I don't actually wish to take Holy Orders, and believe me, it's been suggested. Xanadu, despite the Lord Mayor's 'democratic' dabbling, still would require me to have a male family member as a protector. No one wishes to marry the daughter of a disgraced Queen, and those courts I could stay at are likely to be tediously attempting to use me. I find myself at a loss for options. What is a Lady of high breeding and training in statescraft to do?"

"A conundrum indeed. Someone with intelligence and skill but no available options?" Jerod asks.

"I think your options might be a bit more open than you realize. Consider that things remain in flux despite the establishment of the new kingdom and the general back and forth of trade and relations." he says, keeping an eye on the conversation with Carina. "Opportunities are available to those who can but look. And prepared to get a little dirty, as it were."

Through the crowd comes Ossian. He does not notice Jerod and Valeria until he's too close to avoid them. He will kiss Valeria's hand quite elegantly if allowed.

"Cousin. My lady." He smiles with a slight edge.

"Enchanted," says Valeria. "Your cousins here are so bold, above the waves. Did you come to ask me to dance, Prince Ossian?"

Jerod does not believe for a moment that Valeria doesn't know Ossian's actual rank.

Jerod waits patiently to see if Ossian remembers Jerod's warning about his sisters, issued many moons ago.

"And steal you from your brother? " Ossian smiles "I will have to chit-chat a few moments with him first, to make it look natural."

Jerod smiles slightly. His estimation of Ossian rises a notch as warning appears to have been remembered. Jerod likes cousins that know survival rules.

She mock-pouts. "Now you shall have to dance with me, to prove that you are only talking to my brother to make it look natural. You will find me at the bar."

Ossian smiles. "I will."

Valeria heads to the nearest drink station to obtain a beverage. If the conversation takes too long, it may be more than one beverage.

To Jerod he says, "I and Silhouette continued to investigate our ... acquaintances. They do things you will find ... disturbing. "

"Really?" he says, the smile shifting away just slightly. "Given the previous happenings I've been running into that sounds...oddly coincidental. And I don't believe in coincidences. We should take steps to discuss our mutual situations, at a later time."

"You make me curious. " Ossian says. "Anything more on their cross-shadow capacity? They seem to find their own workarounds."

"Our little problem in Gateway that involved Marius turned on three sorcerers called the Triumvirate. Turns out they had some tag-along chaosians that were literally part of them." Jerod says. "We've got the leader petrified. The second is quite dead, and the third is organizing a zombie army in Gateway in their underground. That's why we're back. We need serious reinforcements to burn them out. Your volcano idea was given some consideration you should know."

"There are enough things going on, and they have enough similarities to make me wonder if there is a common thread to everyone, or a common hand."

Ossian frowns "That is speculation. But I like speculation. What specific similarities do you see?"

"There is nothing deliberately specific." Jerod says. "Rather it is this feeling. There are numerous forces all seemingly coming out at the same time. There are some similarities with regards to the forces that are appearing. It all seems to come back to either Chaos or monks."

Ossian nods. "Yeah. They seem to be everywhere, at least the monks. I guess the monks have been gearing up for a long time. My feeling is that they are almost at the point where their plans bear fruit, whatever that means. I have not seen that many connections between the monks and Chaos, though." He pauses for a second.

"Do you think they act in concert, or just happen to act at the same time?"

"The paranoid side of me would say together, but I have seen no evidence of this to date." Jerod replies. "The universe leans towards opportunism, so I think Oberon's enemies see opportunity and are seeking to exploit it. My bigger concern is whether those who seek opportunity might consider that others who do so could be useful allies against a common enemy. Huon and Gateway are an example of that."

Ossian nods. "So we find something to agree on, Jerod." He grins. "I am still working on the monks' command structure. Noone seems to know enough of the higher echelons. By the way. Are there computers in Gateway?"

This question raises an eyebrow, more so than the incredible wonder that Jerod and Ossian agree on something and that the universe has not yet exploded.

"Not that I'm aware of." Jerod replies. "It doesn't fit with the shadow profile. Why do you ask?"

"The monks. We found what seems to be a node in a cross-shadow network.

"Sadly we had to run before we managed to investigate it fully. I guess it is possible that the network goes to non-tech shadows too. What the terminals look like in that case I don't know."

The eyebrow goes up a little more. "A cross-shadow network?" Jerod asks. "That is definitely not what I would have expected."

"So it seems. Of course they could have set it up to look like a cross-shadow network just to trick us, but that's unlikely."

"I would presume it was heavily guarded. I'd also presume if we go back it'll either be even more defended, or moved. It would be something they wouldn't want us to find out about.

"Who else knows?"

"Some cousins. My mother, since she knows things about the monks. " Ossian says "It was not guarded per se, but well hidden away. In Edan's shadow..."

"Really? Oh this is getting better by the minute." Jerod says. "The little buggers have been busy.

"Does Edan know about it? And if so, what are his thoughts on the intrusion?"

"I told him today, but he is not in the position to think today, I believe. " Ossian shrugs. "He seems intent on crushing them, though. As am I.

"I think it is not unfounded to look for monks in all Shadows of interest to family."

"On that I would agree." Jerod says. "They have taken an inordinate interest in us. Though if they are deciding to pursue godhood through imitation, it's something they might want to re-consider. I've heard godhood isn't quite what it's cracked up to be.

"I think I will need to look for influence of the monks amongst the Weir when I get back, just to be sure. Along with Gateway, burn out any influence there as well. It's going to be a busy set of travels coming up.

"Assuming his Majesty has no duties for you, what are your plans?"

Ossian shrugs. "My mother seems to know where to get more details on their computer network. I'll start there I think.

"Maybe I should snoop around here first. Would the monks really not come to a new place with a Pattern?"

"If they thought it would be worth it, sure." Jerod says. "That and they can find someone to do it.

"I'd say starting with your mother would be a good idea. Gives you information on what they're doing. That might give more insight in their behaviours, and that could help you if one of them is around here. Easier to spot things if you know what is out of place."

Ossian nods. "And if we meet that Chew fellow, we don't let him slip away."

"No. Next time we stake him to the ground." Jerod agrees. "Permanently."

Celina times her arrival so that the Rebma group will not be the first to break the rhythm of the gathering event and so that if Huon is present he doesn't break anyone's ...concentration.

The Queen immediately looks for a guide, assuming that she'll be asked to sit in some particular place. Celina also gives short but polite directions to the Archivist contingent to take good observations to include the city crowd for the historical dramas to come.

Celina's hair is up and jeweled, but her pearl colored dress of some unknown material is very opaque and ankle length.

Celina finds a woman named Michelle near the front, and Michelle is helping with all details of royal comfort. In Rebma, she'd clearly be the woman in charge. In her father's kingdom, someone else would be. Here in Xanadu, it's hard to tell. She suggests a place for Celina to sit and also offers to introduce her to any of the notable families from Amber who may be trying to re-establish commercial ties with Rebma now that the war is over...

Celina thanks Michelle for her assistance, and introduces everyone in the Rebma contingent, with Huon's introduction coming just before the Senior Archivist. Having previously spoken to the Senior Archivist, Celina also asks Michelle to point out a couple of secondary locations, so that her historians may stand smaller groups to observe the event.

Michelle efficiently takes care of Celina's every need, or else finds people to do so.

Huon is all smiles, and few know him here. He does nod at the ambassador of Bellum, but doesn't speak to him at this point. "Oh, look, your majesty, I think Prince Jerod’s escorting that archivist who left. What is her name? Carina?"

Celina nods to Huon, "Yes, lovely young woman. I expect Jerod will make a moment to chat later in the event. You'll have a chance to meet her then."

"It's a dangerous job, archivist. So many folks who think that the history of an oral culture can be re-written with a dagger."

Or a Pattern Sword, old man. But Celina just nods once to acknowledge Huon's comment.

Michelle draws Celina and Liewella aside to avoid any necessity for the Queen to address whatever mischief Huon is trying to make. "Your majesty and your highness should also know that your kinswoman Valeria is in Xanadu and I believe I saw her arrive earlier."

"Thank you, Michelle," Celina nods once. "If Prince Jerod or Lady Valeria seek access to us, please help them find a time within the event where nothing will distract from the presentation. That would be so helpful." She lets Michelle go about her busy duties.

Celina takes up the seating suggestion and lets Llewella know the Queen shall be the flag. Celina whispers to Llewella that it would be prudent to know if Valeria has ideas to buck the trend of her Family and swear oath to the throne. Whether Valeria wants back into Rebma or not may be part of that. Since Llewella doesn't have to sit through the spectacle, might she have a chance to chat with Valeria?

Llewella nods. "I serve at the pleasure of the Queen. Do you have a particular message you wish me to deliver?"

Celina nods, "Tell her that Rebma is beautiful this time of year. And the rest is your discretion."

Huon says, "She may think her neck more beautiful, in its current unbroken state." Llewella snorts at Huon's line, and leaves.

Huon looks up. "And now they're all together. What a time to be alive...."

Celina is watching for Folly and/or Lark to arrive.

Celina watches and learns about Xanadu from the crowds and joy present. She keeps an eye out for family wandering in her direction. And if Jerod throws her a jaundiced look, she smiles radiantly.

Jerod is now leading his sister towards the food and wine and perhaps the exit.

Behind him and out of his sight, Carina sees Princess Llewella and stops, letting the Queen's Aunt approach her. She doesn't look comfortable.

Celina rachets up her interest in this possible meeting, she'd always assumed that Carina had fled due to interaction with Moire, not Llewella. She keeps an eye on the faces and body language to the two while tossing a social hook at Huon, who seems very chatty today, as if getting out of Rebma was catnip to him.

Celina says to Huon, "You are positively glowing today. How good it is to see such dash and vigor. Do you know Valeria well?"

"Did you suspect those were related topics? I knew her better than some, less well than others." Huon looks around the square. "What makes me happy is that man there." Huon points to a man of means, dancing with a younger woman. "He doesn't want to kill me. Your highness, I am, for the first time in many months, not surrounded by a million people who would happily see me dead, were it not for my charm and your sufferance. It wears on a body."

Celina smiles for the crowds around them and leans closer to her uncle, her words are carefully pitched to not carry past his ears, her mouth distorted slightly on the crowd side of the square as if she had suffered a sudden stroke, that lips readers might not understand her, "That is not my expectation of a man who endured, and toiled, and plotted for centuries to be free of durance. Who is might enough to only be brought down by ten like him. Who will return to a glory denied him for so long." Celina reaches and puts a finger on his chest, as if in whimsy.

Is that too for the crowd? Perhaps. Her eyes are quite serious. "I think more of you than you do, if you are being serious with me. And all your charm and my sufferance would not protect you if you had killed Jerod's family with your over wrought plans." Celina backs off and puts her hand in her lap again but she smiles more. "Huon, Random asked of me my sufferance and I gave it for him. Be nice to him tomorrow and I shall be well pleased. Enjoy the festival, you've earned that."

"Be nice to my brother the King. It shall be as you say, your highness, for I serve at the pleasure of the Queen." He bows.

Celina smiles and inclines her head in respect. "Oh good. So what can you tell me about this ...dance event we are to see?"

Huon looks across the square. "My best guess is that it means that the troops aren't yet as highly skilled as their commander wants, and he's still training them. The dance event is a sublimation of the traditional sergeant-major's sword twirling routine, demonstrating the timing and weapon skills of my young nephew. I would call it both a reassurance to the city that their protectors are skilled and a recruiting tactic to drum up additional troops, as it were. I don't know any details of the specific dance, but it should be martial, exciting, and if we are quite lucky, include fire."

"Passion draws passion," Celina replies. "If the men believe what they are doing is important, they will do their best and attract others who want to be the best." Celina adds, "Is that how you garner an army in shadow, Uncle? Or does it just happen because of your need?"

"Well," says Huon, by way of not answering. "It looks like someone has been importing Omaha to Xanadu." He points out Paige's arrival with her escorts. He's more subtle than they are, and it's clear to Celina that the warrior has seen Huon and is unhappy.

"They will let just about anyone into this party, it's true. Hello, Huey." Brij has come to the front of the platform, towing a small child with her. Brij is wearing a slick sheath dress of the kind of modern material that won't last long in a pattern realm, but look fantastic until they're in tatters. With her is Lark, still wearing her swan dress. She bows to Celina. "Your highness, we haven't yet met. I am Brij Mayhap, and this is my granddaughter Lorelei.

"Lark, this is Queen Celina, who is your aunt, and the other person is Huey, your grandfather."

"I know," says Lark. "Mamma showed me their pictures."

Huon looks from Brij to Celina and raises his eyebrow.

This isn't precisely what she'd hoped for, but then it was more interesting. Celina moved quickly to her feet and offered a royal hug to Brij Mayhap. "I am delighted to meet you. I am a big fan of your daughter, so I suppose we shall be friends." Celina throws in her best smile to cinch the deal.

Brij returns the hug and smiles. "I hope so! Don't believe everything she says about me, I don't really have horns or smell of brimstone."

Celina's expression is polite surprise---as if such a thing has never been said to her before. She does get the context ---mostly.

And then she is looking down at Lark, taking a big breath and holding back her wonder. "So at last, Young Lark. I've been waiting most of my life to meet you. This is very exciting. What a clever dress. I would not mind having one like it. Will you be sitting or mingling?" And she looks back at Brij for an adult answer.

"I dunno," says Lark.

Celina doesn't ignore Huon's expression, in fact, she seems to smile in his direction when he's looking at her.

Brij looks over at Huon. "Huey, be a dear and fetch us lady-drinks. Take as long as you need..."

Huon bows. "I serve at the pleasure..." he says, departing.

"We'll try to keep her on the stage, but no promises if there are other children present..."

Brij turns to Lark. "Have a seat, sweetie, Grandda has gone to get you something to drink."

To Celina she looks askance. "How do you mean you've been waiting most of your life to meet her? She's six, and if Folly had stayed in Xanadu, she wouldn't even be born yet."

Celina nods in continued agreeable fashion, she gives Brij a serious look, and speaks clearly, in a way that is not an adult trying to hide things from a child but also not include any unknown listeners, "Well, let's say that despite my apparent age, I am only recently come of age in the way of Family Gifts. Slightly less old than Lark. And then I had a conversation with Lark under trying Family Circumstances, and wondered what it would be like to talk to her under more normal circumstances. So I have been looking forward to ....seeing her from another perspective for many many months."

Brij nods. "I'm gonna chalk that up to 'freaky family magic that maybe Bleys would understand.' and move on. If I understand right, you're my grand-aunt, so my granddaughter's great-great grand-aunt, except you're also her father's aunt, so her great-aunt. And, you're her mother’s cousin, through Huey, so her (and my) first cousin, once removed.

"It's amazing that no one in this family has two heads."

Celina returns a bigger smile, "Well, I'm pretty sure that having two heads in this Family could be done with style and wit. Hardly anyone would throw up or bat an eye." Celina adds, "And yes, I am your Aunt. That's to your advantage if you ever need an ocean vacation. For the near future, I'm trying to be the voice of reason and I'm learning what I can so that the future is better than it is at present." She looks directly into Brij's eyes, "You're part of that, if ever you feel you need protection for some reason, come talk to me."

Celina blinks slowly, as cats do when they throw kisses.

"Does breathing air sound as strange to you as breathing water does to me? I was always a swimmer and a sailor, but I was never a diver." Brij turns to grab Lark just as the child starts to slide under the table. "Stay up top, hon. Swanhilde will get dirty down there." She turns back to Celina. "I know this family is supposed to be dangerous, but I've yet to find anyone who wanted to chase me down to the bottom of the ocean. I definitely appreciate the offer, though."

"You'll do just fine," Celina offers to Brij and grins a moment at Lark. "It is less about forecasting danger for you and more about giving you options you may not ever need. Plus at a certain point, Martin may have things to say you will want to learn about for yourself." Celina shows her open palms to Brij, "In any case, it is only for your consideration. Oh, and plus you know, Huon is living in Rebma for a while."

"Hun--- Can I call you hun? Is it lèse-majesté? Doesn't matter, I'm a republican by nature. Anyway, as a grandmother, I feel older than you, even if that's chronologically not true. Martin is my dearest child's chosen husband and the father of my grand baby, but he is not likely to confide in me. Before we knew who he was, before we knew who we were, we called him 'The Angel of Death'. Every time he was spotted someone close to Folly disappeared and there were often signs of a struggle. He's probably got 30 warrants for his arrest in Texorami. He scared me half to death, and that was before the time that he hit me. We get on better, now, but I don't expect him to tell me much about anything."

Celina nods along, yes Martin is a scary guy, it's what he does. "That could be. So is 'hun' as in 'hundred' referring to the Hundred Families of Rebma or as in 'hungry all the time' because I'd be fine with either?" Celina adds, "I do not mean to predict Martin, my offer is widening scope. Tomorrow King Random should offer even more, I hope you aren't saying you need protection from Martin? You're just sure of his closed nature?" She looks worried.

Brij laughs. "My fault, it's a reference to something from my home. In Texorami, it's short for 'honey', which is used as a term of affection because someone seems sweet. Like honey, I can take care of myself with Martin, or Huon, or Bleys, and even Random. If I have to have a protector, then as far as those worthy gentlemen are concerned, I'm a child and not up to a seat at the big table. They aren't letting me there yet, but I'm working on that, too."

Celina remembers something from a trade city where she had a 'honey chicken' and blushes with the comparison to something to sweet (not that a green blush might be very obvious.)

She pauses, and continues. "Martin has heard every earth-shattering flaw a single-mother can inflict on her wayward teenaged daughter who likes to fall for musicians who turn out to be 30 times older than her. She almost bled out once because she got stabbed by a stalker. Any normal person would've been dead, but she lived. Now we know why, but at the time, it was just by the grace of a God I stopped believing in before I left my grandmother's house. I had more to say about her life then, and I wasn't really good at watching her do what I thought was throw it away." She shrugs. "So, yeah, he's stuck in the lowest part of my life with the worst view of who I am. But we've managed not to kill each other the last few times we've been together, so, progress?"

"Can I go play?" says Lark.

Brij looks around. "I'm supposed to introduce you to Ash and Tjaden and Haven. If I let you go, will you come when I call you?" She looks at the 5 year old. "If you say yes, and don't, it will be bad."

"I'll come back," say Lark, sounding somewhat defeated.

"Right away?"

"Right away."

"No pretending you didn't hear your Grandma, either. Go play," says Brij. Lark slips down from her chair and carefully climbs off the dais and disappears into the crowd.

Celina's eyes track Lark with some desire. She holds her hands from the idea of running fingers through her hair or trying to get her scent before she is gone again. This won't do. She chides herself and focuses again on Brij. "A stalker? Like a large cat within a forest? How did you get help in time? And your grandmother then was, someone I know?"

"We're city-people. Her stalker was a crazy man with a knife. I was at his arraignment, which became his commitment hearing. He kept saying that he was a high-priest and he needed to shock her into becoming her divine self. At the time it was just Crazy-Man Michael kind of rambling. He died in the asylum, before she finished healing. After I got here, I wondered if he'd been sent, you know, but it's not like we could dig him up and interrogate his corpse." She smiles, but not in a happy way, recalling that time.

"You didn't know my grandmother, I don't think. But we just had dinner with my Grandfather, which makes us related again. I am Prince Julian's son's only daughter."

"Aaah," Celina nods once. "From what you've said, you did not grow up knowing you were part of a 'famous family'. Have you met Uncle Random? Aunt Llewella? Can I offer the formal welcome now?"

Brij smiles. "I play poker with Grand-Uncle Random weekly. I knew him when he was just a drummer in my home 'shadow' and called himself 'Syd'. Which he now claims was short for 'Siddartha' and none of us caught on, but nobody believes him. Maybe Soren does, a little."

She pauses, briefly. "I don't know what a formal welcome looks like, but Bleys introduced me to Corwin when we were in Paris. He's your father, I think." She looks a Celina for confirmation, and continues on. "I was introduced to Random again when I got here. Random was a little weird about it, because he'd lied to everyone he knew in my shadow for years, but we got over it."

"Corwin is my father," Celina says in a way that is clearly hinting that she was not there to confirm it. "Welcome to the Family. I hope the poker is good. Has Lark shown interest in gaming? We have sports in Rebma."

"I don't know," she says with a shrug. "I've only known her for about an hour now, although we've fallen into the Grandma/Granddaughter role easily enough. She's less of a handful than Folly was at that age. Folly and I were built like athletes, in our home, so she probably will be, if she's also picked up on our competitive genes.

"I was a Gymnast, and competitor at the international level. My career was far longer than it should've been, which should have been the first sign I wasn't a normal person, but it's hard to ask yourself seriously if you're really a person instead of a magical fairy princess from beyond space and time."

As Brita sees Marius heading off, she catches a whiff of something familiar in the direction he's going. But then it's gone in the riot of smells in this arena full of people.

Signy makes her way over to where her cousin is standing, somehow managing to come away with contact information for a half-dozen purveyors of fine materials for craftsmen and women alike.

She hasn't exactly been spending any time in Xanadu, nor has she put out a shingle here, but apparently word traveled fast from Rebma.

She reaches Brita's side, a bit out of breath at the number of people that greet her by name that she's never met.

"Hello, cousin. I hope you've been well." She looks around nervously, wondering if there's anyone else that's lying in ambush. "Are these events always like this?"

"I Cannot Say," Brita responds. "I have Not Been to One Quite Like This." A wave of her hand indicates the outdoor dancing. "Most of Our Events - even Family Events - seem More Formal. But it Is Early Yet." Brita pauses for a bit as the music gets a little more raucous. "I am Well. How have You Been, Cousin Signy? You Seem to Have made Many New Friends given the Time it Took to Cross the Square." She grins at Signy.

Signy shakes her head in regret. "This one's looking for patronage to get into the Rebman markets. That one's looking for some sort of deal for any work I do in Xanadu. And none of them seemed too thrilled when I asked about the costs of iron and other essentials."

She shrugs, and puts the rest of it out of her mind for now.

"I've been well. Working in Aunt Fiona's Shadow on a problem for Ambrose. Unfortunately I don't know how much progress I ultimately made, though."

She glances at the spectacle that surrounds but doesn't yet intrude on them before looking back to Brita. "How have things been with you?"

"Acceptable. I had Adventures with Cousin Raven and Cousin-Prince Jerod as well as Kin-Smith Weyland," Brita cocks her head to the side. "He is Your Father, Correct?" She shakes her head with a small frown on her face. "You Seem More Sane." She shrugs it off and then asks, "How is Cousin Marius?"

Signy blinks twice, before answering the easier question. "Marius is well, though I think he's still recovering."

She pauses, and takes a deep breath before jumping in with both feet. "Weyland is my father, though I haven't seen him in some time. We didn't part on the best of terms."

She braces herself, before continuing. "Is...is he planning on being here?"

"No. He is Torturing the Populace of Gateway with his Presence." Brita pauses for a beat then adds, "And Protecting them from an Army of the Dead crafted by one of the Gateway Sorcerers."

Signy shakes her head in disbelief. "That seems a mixed message, and a story well worth hearing."

She glances back at where she last saw Marius.

"I wonder how he heard about what happened to Marius. Did he mention anything? I have to wonder if he's in touch with one of our Aunts or Uncles."

She pauses, before belatedly adding "...or more."

"The Ways of Our Elders," Brita intones with a shake of her head. She shoots a quizzical look at Signy and indicates that she would like to move around the dance area. "Walk with me?" She is aiming to pass by where the odd scent came from (and where Marius disappeared?)

Whatever it was, the smell is now lost in the crowd of Knights, among whom she sees Marius. There's a scent of Rebman salt in the blood about one side of the stands, but that's expected since a Rebman party led by Celina has arrived. With them is Brij and a young child.

Huon is also about--she can see him heading for where the beer and whiskey are sold.

Signy nods and falls in beside Brita as she starts to move.

"So in the end, what did you uncover in Gateway? Is that the center of it all, or is there need for...followup in other Shadows?"

Brita seems to be a little distracted, but finally responds, "I do Not Think it is the Center. The Gateway Mages Do Not Appear to be Immediately Tied to the Monks and Oddities that Others Have Found, but Maybe someone will See a Tie Tomorrow." Brita glowers across the open area, not obviously at anyone. She finally adds, "I find it Odd that Chaos has gone to ground as these Other Diversions have Cropped Up."

Signy gives a tight smile. "And dear old Dad may well be one of those diversions."

She frowns, thinking. "Most of what I've read has been around the Pattern war, but I don't recall him appearing in any of the family history, except for the Blades?"

Before Brita can respond, she hears the Ranger cadence whistling across the square. "3 quarry, your arriere, water."

Somewhere, there are Rangers hunting for something in the square.

Brita is immediately on alert. "Hold." She says to Signy as she begins to scan the area. Water? Someone comes from the beach?

Signy stops, and while her expression never changes she quietly starts considering the crowd directly in front of her.

"Is everything ok?"

Brita doesn't see anything in the direction of the sea, but she hears at least three other Rangers reporting in and asking "Where is the Danger?" She recognizes the cadence signatures of Couth, Solemn, and Vista.

Brita responds to Signy, "Unclear. The Rangers are Hunting Three. Near Water? In Water?" She continues to scan the area but does not respond to the cadence calls. If the quarry hears the calls and heads away from them, she could remain in a possible path if she remains silent.

Another call comes. "Friendlies sighted, all clear." It comes from Paige. Brita expects the Rangers to stand down.

Brita's stance softens from alert to parade rest. "It was Not an Attack. I Suppose in the Crowd, Ranger Cadence is an Easy Way to Communicate." She sees the line of soldiers coming in. "It Appears we will not have to Wait Much longer for the Grand Event," she says, nodding in the direction of the riders.

Signy frowns. "Maybe near the Rebman party?"

She glances around to see if she can spot them anywhere nearby.

The Rebmans have moved up and staked a spot on the dais for Celina and her attendants.

Signy glances over towards the dais. "I might head over to the Rebman party, and see who else from there came. I seem to have made that into something of a home."

She pauses, before looking back at Brita. "Or is there somewhere else that we should be?"

Brita shakes her head although she is still scanning the area, "Nowhere Else to Be but Here for the Festivities. Go Ahead. I will Follow Soon."

Raven arrives late and quietly, staying at the back of the crowd for a few minutes while she gets the lay of the land. She spots at least one person she'd like to talk to immediately, but - well, her mother's right in the area too, and now is really not the time to get in a fight. Which there probably would be, seeing as how Raven is maybe faintly annoyed with her again.

On the other hand, there's someone else's mother she should probably speak to at some point. The captain grins to herself and then picks her way through the crowd until she finds Flora. "Ma'am?" she asks politely, when there's a chance to do so without interrupting. "Could I have a word or two?"

Flora is dressed in a long seafoam dress in some sort of cotton-related fabric with an elegant leather blazer over it. The dress shows a lot of cleavage in that wide-necklined way that only women with perfect model figures can wear. Her hair is up in a chignon with loose blonde tendrils escaping from it. On her feet she's wearing chunky heels that somehow don't seem to be causing her any walking difficulties.

There is, as always, a crowd of admirers around her, but she dismisses them politely, so sweetly that they don't seem to know they've been sent away, and turns to Raven. "Of course, Captain. And what can I do for you?" She gives Raven a secret smile, as if there's something she and Raven both know and the rest of the crowd has stupidly missed.

(Maybe there is.)

Raven returns the smile, although hers isn't all that secretive, really. Definitely polite, though, and maybe not unappreciative of talking to a pretty woman. "I'm trying to understand what a young noble is supposed to know," she explains. "Since my brother's a page now and all. I heard you're helping with Lucas's children, so I'm thinking you might be the expert in that kind of thing...?"

"Oh yes, there's a long list of subjects," Flora explains. "I can send you a few books, if you want to start looking at the list--both for him and for yourself, since you're going to be treated as one yourself and you'd do well to know what they expect of you." She smiles sweetly at Raven. "It's a long topic for a single evening's conversation, but if there's something in particular you'd like me to elaborate on, we can discuss it."

Raven does not snort in amusement. It's a near thing. "Pretty sure I've only got half an idea where to start," she says wryly. "But I guess most of my first questions come down to who's in charge of what he's learning and who gets a say in it?"

"I'd say your first stop in Xanadu would be Gilt Winters. Ultimately it's Random's responsibility but... Random's examples with his own children have not been as hands-on as one might hope." Flora's lush smile thins a little. "Gilt is probably the best person for handling those day-to-day matters. Also the Queen, for a boy young enough to be assigned as a page. If he's of royal blood, he might be given directly to her charge as an honor."

"Aye, that'd be something," Raven says, nodding. "How much say does our Ma have in the whole thing? I know he's got rooms up by me, which I wasn't expecting, but I can't say I've been around to see how much he's in them or how much she's been around."

"Of course a member of the Family--" a word Florimel capitalizes "--will have quarters in the family wing. As far as who has ultimate say in his mother's place, I would think it's your father--yours and his, I mean--who will have largest voice. There's not really a regular procedure in Xanadu. Corwin's court is a little more formally organized and possibly a little more hospitable to formal education of youth. Random," Florimel adds, leaning in, "is not much one for formality. As you may have gathered."

"Can't say as how I have a lot of things to compare this to, ma'am," Raven answers. If it's said in a way that kind of resembles a bosun politely not contradicting an officer talking about the captain - well, there might be a reason for that. "If it's possible that he and I might not have the same father, does that change much?"

Raven has the feeling Flora sees right through that polite disagreement, if not quite a bit more. "If he's not Family, then it'll be up to you. If he is, it'll be up to his father. Unless it's Eric's," which appears to be some sort of jest, "in which case it'll fall under someone else's purview. But we can find someone who will take the responsibility since you clearly feel unprepared."

Raven shakes her head. "Not looking to push that kind of thing off on anyone else, ma'am. Always figured it was part of my job to keep an eye on what's best for a brother or sister of mine if it turned out I had one, whether we had the same father or not." She shrugs and adds dryly, "Didn't figure I'd have to be learning all of that at the same time the kid was, that's all.

"I'd like to hear more about this formal teaching you're talking about some time, if you don't mind, but I don't want to take any more of your time."

"I'll see what I can do for you; if you're not immediately sent off in the meeting tomorrow, we can have tea and discuss matters. And perhaps you can bring your brother along and we can consult him on how he wishes to be instructed." About this, Florimel is bright and at least somewhat enthusiastic.

"I'm sure he has opinions on that," Raven says dryly. She doesn't agree with at least one of those ideas, but he's a smart kid; maybe his other ideas are better. "Thank you, ma'am."

And unless Flora has anything else to add, Raven will politely excuse herself out of the area.

Flora lets Raven do so.