The Life Aquatic

The top of the hill is empty, except for the charred bodies and the wrenched cannon. Behind the couple, the dragons begin landing. One stays in the air. Once the dragons settle, it becomes very peaceful. Everything has gone to ground.

Vere looks at Robin, and without moving any other part of his body lets his eyes glance towards a distant tree on another hill. "The two witch queens who slew these men were watching the hill from that tree when I spoke with them," he says. "They may well be there still, or moved to another vantage point."

He turns then and regards the bodies. "Do you have any questions before I try to summon their spirits, my love?" he asks.

"Weeellll," Robin rubs the back of her head as she thinks. Then draws her hand back around to stare in surprise at the drying blood all over it. "Just the usual, I guess."

She plunks her pack down and starts to rummage in it. "Where are the others? How'd they get the cannon up here? Why'd they shoot Canareth? Ahhhh..." Pulling out a water flask and a clean...ish cloth, Robin starts the work of cleaning herself off.

As she works, she casts her eyes and her ears around for any convenient rifles, shot or powder. As well as for any inconvenient witch queens.

None of the latter, and the former seem to be twisted and charred, like the bodies. If she's lucky, she might flip a body over and find a powder flask that was protected from whatever burned these men alive.

Vere nods. "Well enou," he says.

He turns back to the bodies, his face growing cold and still. He stands for a long moment, then claps his hands together sharply.

"Come to attention!" he thunders.

"I am Prince Vere, nephew of Huon, and go from this place, the scene of your failure, to him."

He claps his hands together once more.

"Report!" he demands.

"My Prince! We had spotted the magical flying beast and were tracking it in case it spotted us when we were attacked from behind by the enemy. I died in a sheath of lightning."

Vere frowns. "You did fire on the beast," he says. "And it was an ally, not a foe. Why did you attack it?"

Robin spends her time wiping herself off and watching Vere's back. Though occasionally her glance does slide downward a little. After all, he has such a fine ass... eyes on the trees, Robin!

"No, my Prince. We watched it, ready to fire if it came at us in guise of war. Perhaps the flying witches attacked it." The ghost seems detached.

Vere's eyes narrow. "The 'beast' had a name," he says coldly. "Which you are not worthy to know. Call it dragon. I saw the wound which killed it, there was no sign of burning around it, nor did the dragon appear to have been slain by lightning. And, when I arrived on another dragon, there was another cannon shot fired, at the dragon I rode upon. This does not match what you tell me, does it? Explain."

Firmly watching the surrounding area, Robin nods in confirmation. "I dug cannon-shell fragments out of his shoulder, love." Somehow, she does not find it surprising that even the dead would try to weasel out of this one.

"We watched it, ready to fire if it came at us in guise of war. Perhaps the flying witches attacked it." The ghost doesn't seem to recall that it has already made this answer.

"You were attacked from behind, and slain by lightning, yes? Did you see your killers?" Vere asks.

Cleany, cleany, cleany. Watchy, watchy, watchy. Robin probably has a few more moments in her before she gets up and starts pokin' at stuff.

"We were attacked from behind and slain by lightning. I did not see our killers."

"I saw our killers. They looked like the stained glass in St. Trista's." adds the second man. His ghost is quite insubstantial, as if little binds him here.

Vere turns his attention to the second man. "What is your name?" he asks him, hoping that questions about himself will bring him into greater focus. "Where are you from?"

"I was Nine Clouds. I was a Ponca. I do not know what you call where I was from."

Robin finishes up her cleaning and puts away her flask and rag. Standing, she shrugs her pack back onto her shoulders and looks around the hilltop. Her eyes narrow a little as her gaze travels back to the spot where Canareth's body lies.

Robin is pretty sure that this cannon didn't fire the shot at them as they were landing. The wreckage of it is pointing directly at Canareth.

"Nine Clouds," Vere repeats, willing the ghost to assume greater solidity. "Nine Clouds of the Ponca. Tell me why you followed Huon. Tell me where he is now. Tell me what happened when you died. Tell me of the flying beast, and the women who slew you. Tell me of these things, Nine Clouds of the Ponca."

Her blonde head nods slightly, she's heard the name, but Robin's eyes remain where they are.

"I followed The Great Traveller Huon because I was born to be a warrior and he came to take us to a land of war. He is with the Army, if he has not yet reached the Underwater Hell. I died in the Blue Lightning of the Flying Shamaness. The Great Beast Below came noisily through the woods, and we only had moments to put brush in front of the cannon to shield it from him. We were ready to fire, in case we were discovered. We gave the signal to the others to stop, and we waited, then we died. I started to return to the ancestors, and you called."

For the first time, [Robin's] view widens. And she sees the trees, the land, the foliage around her friend's corpse. (OOC - Robin's checking to see if Canareth fell straight down or did he come in at an angle?)

It's not clear that he was in the air. He could've been on the ground when he was shot.

Aware that eyes may be upon her as well, Robin rests her ungloved hand on the twisted remains of the cannon barrel very casually. (OOC - Is the cannon barrel warm? Of course, if it's really hot, Robin's not going to touch it but abort the gesture. ;)

It is hot, but not too hot to touch.

"Robin," Vere says, his eyes still fixed on an empty spot in space. "Can you tell if it is possible that the cannon fired when it was struck by the fire from the Witch Queens? It begins to appear that the death of Canareth might have been an unintended consequence."

"Funny," Robin says with her eyes on Canareth, "I was beginning to think we were being set-up." There's definitely an undertone of growl in her voice.

Then she cocks her head toward Vere, with a sparkle in her eye. "But I'm willing to chance the optimistic approach too." And with that, she starts investigating the wreckage of the cannon.

"There were definitely others," he confirms to her. "And they may still be close enough to watch us."

Vere misunderstands her so rarely, that Robin's willing to let the occasional one slide. A grim twitch pulls briefly at her lips. One can certainly tell which of her cousins were raised around family, and which ones weren't.

However, she doesn't want to disturb her love while he's working so she just nods and continues her investigation.

He turns back to the ghosts. "Tell me of Huon's intentions," he commands. "The vengeance he seeks, the places he intends to travel, what you have heard of his goals and his plans. Tell me this, and then you may seek your own fate, and I will seek out my uncle, and tell him that you died bravely in his cause."

"Lord Huon of the Horn came to this place to discover the fate of his beloved sister. When he has visited her tomb, he plans to take us to another place, to fulfill the prophesy. That place is a watery hell, and we may fight demons. I know the Lord planned to leave some of his forces behind here, to protect his rear flank and because he believes in order. He did not wish to march through, destroying, without leaving order in his wake."

The ruddy ghost speaks next. "The Lord spoke of the need for warriors, of battles and a foeman who had supernatural allies. He gathered warriors who could fight mages, mages who could fight demons, and guns and cannon to keep us from losing the fight before we got to it. To Poncas, he promised honor, and gave it. To the men of Renady, he promised riches and knowledge, and gave it. To the wizards of this place, I know not what he promised, but they joined the crusade as well."

"Ah," says Vere. He turns, so that he is half facing Robin, while still watching the spirits. "So, as I understand you, Huon came to this realm to seek his sister, for whom he bore great affection. Learning that she is deceased, he now plans to visit her tomb. Once he has done that, he will continue on to a realm that lies beneath the waves, where he expects to fight. He has gathered warriors and wizards as he travelled, to serve under him in his fight, and in the worlds he has conquered he has left behind some forces, to ensure that his passage brought order, and that he did not leave chaos and destruction in his wake. This same thing is what he plans to do in this realm, yes?"

He glanced briefly at Robin, to be sure she was following what he said.

Her green eyes flicker back to him and she nods. Yep, she got it. Sounds like a race to Mom's tomb is in order. How many feet of water was that under these days? A rueful twitch pulls at the girl's lips. At least she isn't making things easier for anyone else either.

"It is as you say, Lord." says the Ponca warrior. The other man nods as well. The two spirits crouch next to the cannon, the Renadian holding a lit matchcord. "Wait!" whispers the Ponca. "It might not see us..."

Vere stares into empty space for a few moments, his eyes tracking movements that Robin cannot see, and then he says, "My love? I think I have everything I can learn from them. Unless you can think of something I have overlooked I will let them go, and we can be on our way."

She shrugs one shoulder. "Nothing's occurring to me now." Her smile says she'll probably think of something later, but by then it will be later anyway so there's no sense in dallying now.

"I want to do a quick scavenge before we go though." And she makes good on her word, quickly poking through and overturning bodies. The Ranger is primarily interested in any shells, bullets or powder that might have survived the toasting, but she keeps her eyes open for anything else interesting that might pop up.

A yard or so away, behind a rock, Robin finds a cache with powder and few spare cannonballs. The mechanism is primitive, but functional. The powder fits into something that looks like a beer mug and the charge is loaded into the back of the cannon barrel.

Vere nods to Robin, then turns back to the shades. "Be at peace," he tells them. "You followed your honour, and were loyal to your lord and each other. I cannot fault you." He waves his hand, closes his eyes, and wills them away.

The spirits fade.

Over the hills some distance away, Vere and Robin hear the trumpet of a very angry dragon and see a bright streak of flame in the sky, directed at the ground.

"Dung!" Robin quickly shoves a few samples of everything into her pack. Glancing up at Vere, she jerks her head toward Kourin and Hoshith. "More accidents in the offing, love." Her tone of voice indicates that she's still feeling a bit ambiguous on the whole all-out-accident theory.

Vere shakes his head, already beginning to run towards the scene of the trouble. "Is it so imposible that they simply stay out of trouble?" he asks rhetorically as he runs.

Robin slings her pack onto her shoulders and runs after Vere. "Yep," is her answer. "Trouble's echoing too strongly around here to keep from stepping in it."

Overhead the dragons fly in angry circles. At the peak of a hill, there are more bodies. These burned by chemical fire rather than witches' lightning. It looks like they were carrying a disassembled cannon. One is dead. The other will soon be dead.

As they run up the hill Vere's eyes flick over the scene and the surrounding territory, taking in everything, looking for evidence of exactly what happened, looking for any signs of others of Huon's troops, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

If, and only if, he sees no signs of other hostiles anywhere in the vicinity, he'll run to the still-living man, looking to keep him alive long enough to question.

No other signs, but it looks like more of the dragons are getting ready to breathe flame. They're leaking little jets from their mouths.

With a tchh of her tongue, Robin fades into the greenery intending to back Vere up from cover. And also to give the dragons pause.

Robin enters the woods, easily seeing where the men came with the cannon. At least one was a half-decent woodsman, but neither of them were rangers. There are traces of four men together, at most. These were probably the last two of this group. They were travelling westward.

If they can't see her, maybe they'll be less likely to flame anything that's moving on the ground.

The man is badly burned and in serious pain. He won't live through the night without magical aid. He looks older than the two men who died at the first cannon. He looks like he had at least some cover from the dragon's attack, but in the end, it's not enough. The smell of the chemical they burn is almost overwhelming, mixed with charred flesh.

What will Vere do to keep him alive? He could possibly be questioned now, but not for long.

Vere kneels before the man, his eyes flicking over the burns, taking in his condition. He takes his waterskin and trickles some water onto the man's lips. "Can you hear me?" he asks. He looks for signs of awarness. "I am Huon's nephew. Report."

Robin keeps her eyes out for the cannoneers' fellows. She also glances briefly up through the leaves to the incipient dragon-fire above. But somehow, she just can't bring herself to think of a way to stop what's coming, the carnage among Huon's troops or the scars murder will leave on the dragon-riders' souls. A ruffle goes through her - probably something else she'll agonize over later, but for now, despite Vere's cheering earlier, there's still a hard core of rage, pain and disgust within the girl.

"Sir," the solder says, his voice betraying great pain, "did we beat them?"

"You did well," Vere replies. "Huon will honour your service."

[Upon further questioning, the story is much like that of the ghosts. These four (the two here and the two on the hilltop) were lost. Their partners shot a dragon and then got killed, they shot at a second dragon, and then ran when the skies filled up with them. Lord Huon was going to someplace called Mothersport. ]

Vere questions him quickly and efficiently, and then gives him another sip from the water flask. "I can give you mercy," he says quietly. "Do you have any request?"

"May..." he says, his voice cracked despite the water. Then he goes limp.

With one ear cocked toward Vere and his conversation, Robin plots the fastest course to Kourin and Hoshith she can. Her lips press into a thin line. The ghost of an unknown mother, an uncle she's promised both to kill and to not kill, plus the temple where she did not go under the stones. Oh, well at least that part's good. The corner of her mouth tugs in an ironic smile.

Kourin and Hoshith are in the air, above Robin and Vere.

Vere checks to see whether the man has passed out, or whether he has died. If the latter, he closes the man's eyes, then stands. If the former, he draws his dagger and sends the man to whatever awaits him in the next life, then cleans the blade, sheathes it, and stands.

Vere's dagger does the job with precision and mercy.

Then he turns to locate Robin. "Events move on, my love," he says, a note of fatalism in his voice. "Let us see if we can ar least catch up to them, even if we cannot overtake them. To Ladystown, I believe? If Huon has not yet arrived, we can make plans and await him. If he has..." Vere shakes his head. "We will decide then. The saga draws to a conclusion, but I do not know yet if it is a tale of triumph or tragedy."

"Conclusion, beloved?" Robin's lips still hold an ironic smile as she steps back into the clearing and waves to Hoshith and Kourin for a pick-up. "Naw, we ain't that lucky. It's just another damn chapter."

But, her eyes promise, still in the story with you my love. Still here with you.

Vere looks up at Hoshith and Kourin, then back at Robin. "Are they recovered enough to carry us, without attacking anyone they see with cannon, do you think?" he asks her. "I do not wish to tear at her wounds, but neither do I wish to make her feel that we are sending her away, and asking someone else to carry on in her place. What do you suggest, my love?"

Robin look slightly confused at Vere's question but answers as best as she can. "I suggest we ask her." After all, Kourin is the leader of a mixed-species combat unit, so she's probably the best one to access her own status.

(OOC - I guess, I'm unclear on which dragon did the flaming. GMs? )

Unclear. You all heard it, and saw the glow, but didn't see which Dragon.

Kourin is in the air, on Hoshith and comes down for a landing near the burned bodies. She slides off the dragon's leg, and stands, looking defiant, waiting for Vere or Robin to speak.

Vere turns his head to look at Robin, waiting to see if she wishes to speak before he does so.

Robin blinks for a moment as eyes turn on her. And ruffles. "Hey, Kourin. It sounds like Huon's on his way to Ladystown for a personal visit. Would you and Hoshith be available for a lift or would you recommend another way of getting there pronto?"

The Ranger's tone indicates that she is as fine with whatever Kourin's answer will be as she is with defiant looks and toasting cannoneers.

Vere adds, "I would like someone to carry a message to my mother, as well, informing her of what has occurred, and what we expect to occur."

Kourin looks at them both for a moment, then nods once, sharply. "I can take you. The Dragons should leave. I can pass a message, or do you wish a written one?" She doesn't quite deflate, but it's clear she expected something different.

"Verbal is best," Vere answers. He closes his eyes in thought for a moment, then says, "Huon, elder brother of Gerard and Ysabeau, makes war on their brother Bleys. He marches an army through the worlds, and passes through our world on his way. This world itself is in danger of destruction. Robin will try to repair it, but there is the danger that the end of the world is drawing nigh. We suggest that my mother and Avis gather together a fleet, prepared to flee should the world end. Admiral Worth should lead it, as he has experience with sailing between the worlds, and the dragons should be prepared to fly with the fleet."

"Huon heads now to Ladystown to pay respects to Ysabeau. We go to treat with him, to attempt to raise the spirit of Ysabeau, and to try to repair the fabric of the world. Should this fail, we hope to join them, to guide the fleet from the doom of the world."

He looks to his beloved. "What have I missed?' he asks her.

Robin looks impressed. "That'll do nicely, love. Though they should probably know about J-jove and the cannons/rifles as well."

She turns her eyes back to Kourin and Hoshith. "Thank you."

She looks unfocused for a moment. "That's too complex for the dragons to carry. M'hall comes."

M'hall lands on Rakshath. He looks grimly at his dragon's hatchmate's corpse. "My Lord, My Lady. Weyrwoman Kourin will deliver your message and take our riders back to our temporary Weyr and I will take you where you wish to go." He seems to be entirely businesslike.

He turns to Kourin. "Kourin, ground the wings when you return. L'tarn and V'laren and the queenriders to meet with me when I return. And Wingsecond T'lon as well. He's acting wingleader, for now. We need a conclave." The woman nods, silently, taking his orders.

Vere listens silently, not reacting when Kourin is called Weyrwoman rather than Queenrider, not giving any sign that he notices the change in relationship between Kourin and M'hall.

"My thanks," he says to M'hall when the rider has finished speaking. "You know the place, the sunken city where Hoshith took us once before? I see no need for secrecy, I believe you should bring us in right over the broken temple."

"I can recall it," he says, "I can take you to it."

He looks to Robin. "My love?" he asks. "Do you agree? I say the time for secrecy, for subtlety, and for discretion are over. I will see an end to this."

Robin nods to herself M'hall and Rakshath land. Yeah, level heads. Level heads would probably be a good thing now. A wry smile ticks her lips as she bobs a little bow to Rakshath. "Thank you, Rakshath. M'hall."

A quick green glance beneath lowered lashes is sent to Kourin as M'hall speaks. But when Vere addresses her, Robin focuses back on her fiancé. His words, so incongruous to his own nature, brings pointed teeth into her smile.

"Speed... yes," she purses her lips and nods, "I could wish for a dry place to draw-and-nock. But right over the temple works for me too."

He nods. "Rakshath, if you would." The dragon kneels, providing an easy leg for them to mount. He smells of phosphine gas.

Vere waits for Robin to mount before he does so. His face is calm, and his eyes watchful.

"Robin," he says. "I see two approaches. One, we come in high, far above possible attack, see what is happening, and then have Rakshath bring us down. Two, we come in close over the temple, count on immediately leaping down into whatever is going on there, and Rakshath immediately leaps away before there is any chance for anyone to react. I favour the second approach. What do your prefer?"

Robin scampers up into position on Rakshath with a look of eagerness. "Number two. Definitely number two."

And though she knows he doesn't need it, Robin makes sure she is available to render Vere any assistance he might want when he climbs aboard.

Vere nods. "Take us there, M'hall, if you would be so good. Then you are free to attend to the affairs of your conclave, with my thanks. We will make our own way back."

M'hall nods and the dragon rises until he is balanced in the air, hovering on a thermal updraft. "Now", the rider says, breaking the silence of the moment. An instant later everything is gone. All sensation, all color, all sound, all smell. The bite of the cold is fierce, beyond anything that one could face in reality. Vere wonders fleetingly if there are ghosts in this odd between-places place, but reality reasserts itself quickly. In reality, it is raining.

The dragon drops a few yards to land with a solid thump on top of one of the priories near the temple of the Lady. From the back of the dragon, he can see indications that an army has come this way, but he sees no sign that it has left. Nor is there a camp nearby. The temple, with its collapsed roof, is just over the roofline from here. The side facing this priory is the least damaged.

After Vere and Robin dismount, and seeing that there is no immediate threat, M'hall will take his leave and return to his people. His departing words wish the two luck. He is clearly holding his emotions tightly in check.

Vere watches him disappear, a thoughtful look on his face, then turns his attention back to the here and now.

As far as Vere and Robin can tell, no one has observed them entering Ladystown.

Vere looks around, making certain they are unobserved. Then he turns to Robin. "I say we just go straight to the temple, making no attempt to sneak. That should confuse anyone who sees us. But I defer to your wisdom in these matters, my love."

Robin's expression shows that her usual elation at flying has been somewhat dampened; both by recent events and the rain that falls around them.

She licks her lips as she considers Vere's statement. "I'm fine with that. Just know that I'm not comfortable making any luck considering we're sitting in another weak spot. You okay, though, love?" Concern dances through her green eyes.

"Just ready for this to be done with," Vere answers grimly. He walks to the edge of the roof they are on, and looks out over the flooded city, making no effort to hide.

Robin nods her agreement and her understanding. After making a brief check to make sure all her weapons are handy and in good shape, the Goddess skips a couple of steps to catch up and then strides beside him.

"From here, we swim," he says, lowering himself over the edge, and beginning to swim towards the temple.

"Swim?" There is no disguising the unhappiness in Robin's voice. But, after a quick look around fails to secure a land route, the girl sighs, ruffles fiercely and then lowers herself over the edge into the.... brrrrr, ick, yuck... water.

Striking out with a strong, if somewhat under-practiced stroke, Robin follows her love quickly.

Vere swims. Robin does as well. The water seems deeper than the last time Vere was here. The temple is, of course, partially roofless, and the water comes up to what was once a high row of narrow windows. The half-submerged city teems with aquatic life, feasting on insects swept into the water by the ever-present rains.

As Vere and Robin come around the side of one of the outbuildings, they see a light coming from one of the windows of the temple. Curiously, none of the other windows is lit at all.

As Vere was all about straightforward before, and Robin is all about getting straightforward OUT of the water as soon as possible now, the Ranger heads straight forward for the lit window with every intention of pulling herself up onto whatever window ledge there is. She probably isn't even aware of the murmured cussing that accompanies her every stroke.

Vere swims with the ease and grace of someone who has been swimming for as long as he has been walking. He swims alongside Robin to the windown, and the two of them pull themselves up into it in unison.

He stands in the window of the temple, gazing within.

The room is not under water, not in the normal way. There is water standing up to the walls, covering all of the windows except the one which Robin and Vere are in. It's clearly been pushed aside by powerful magic. The tall, thin room below is lit by some source that neither Vere nor Robin can detect. Everything looks wet.

The altar stone is still askew on the ground, next to a gaping hole that once was hidden by it. The hole is still filled with water.

Next to both is a man. He's older, and of a medium build. His hair is cropped short and he carries both a sword and a pistol at his side. He looks up at Vere and Robin, and from where they stand, it looks like he's offering a tentative smile. "I thought you would come here. You're her children, aren't you? What happened here?"

"Well... here I am again." Robin murmurs sadly under her breath. The smile she gives Vere is wan as the blackness of the watery hole seems to fill her eyes . Then she opens the window and jumps to the floor.

"I am. And I'm what happened here. You Huon?" Her voice is not friendly at all, but at least she doesn't put hand to weapon.

Vere jumps down as well, landing beside her. His eyes travel the room, taking in every detail, looking for anything out of place (and half hoping, without actually trying to affect probability, that there might me an ocarina lying about somewhere...). He says nothing for the moment.

The drop is great, but not more than temporarily distracting to scions of the Royal Family.

He nods. "I am your uncle, Huon son of Oberon, Exiled Prince of Amber. Can you tell me how my sister died?"

"I am Robin, daughter of Ysabeau, Ranger of Arden. I have no direct knowledge but those I trust say she died in childbirth." The girl's lips press together. Let him make of that what he will.

And while Robin is not ignoring Vere's presence at all, she also gives him room to make whatever introductions he wishes or not to make.

"You did ill to bring your weapons to this land, Uncle," Vere says. "Once I learned you were coming I had hoped to meet with you quickly, to seek to avoid misunderstandings. But your cannon have slain the bonded companion of our beloved cousin, the son of Julian, and I do not know that can ever be forgiven."

He shakes his head, and lets sorrow enter his voice. "Your name was not even known to the grandchildren of Oberon, Uncle. Would that it had not been brought to our knowledge with war and death."

Huon shrugs. "We do not, generally, tread lightly on the earth. Is your cousin and his flying dragon squadron different from my canonneers? Yet the people killed by either are no less dead than those killed by a native rock slammed into a native skull."

He turns to Robin. "How did the shadow break? What have you done to fix it?"

Robin shrugs one shoulder with a wry twist to her mouth. It's kind of hard to explain. Instead, the Ranger throws her second best knife as hard and as best as she can at the shoulder joint of Huon's gun-drawing arm.

Her booted feet leap to follow the knife's course as she rushes forward and she whips her serious knife out of it's sheath. (OOC - She's not going for the kill, but she intends to truly f*ck Huon up.)

Vere is caught totally by surprise, and wastes a precious tenth of a second processing this new development and considering responses and consequences before he acts.

He charges after Robin, shouting, "Oberon, Huon's in the trap! Spring it now!"

He doesn't draw a weapon, instead concentrating on reaching Huon as quickly as possible and throwing himself at the man's legs, hoping to tangle him up and take him to the ground.

[Draw: Overlooking the Diamond missed opportunity (and target)]

The throw is long, but not out of the question, certainly not for Robin. Robin's throw is a low, flat trajectory that would have pierced Huon's eye, had his eye been in position to be pierced. His sidestep is enough to send the blade flying past him and into the wall of water lining the inside of the temple. It sticks for just a moment, and then there is an awful cracking noise, as if lighting has struck.

Vere sees Huon make a chopping motion with his hand. And then--

The water, once held high against the walls by magic, is collapsing like a wall castle undermined and fired. Unless he is actually imagining it, Vere thinks he sees blocks of water break as they hit the ground. Huon dives into the water at his back.

Vere and Robin are, by happenstance, directly in the middle, in the last dry spot as the water collapses towards them.

It's about to get wet in a hurry where they are.

With a snarl, Robin charges the oncoming waves, slipping into a long flat dive at the critical moment. She takes a deep breath as she aims for the spot where Huon cleaved the water. In her heart, she tells herself over and over "Vere can swim. Vere can swim," and concentrates on her own situation.

Like a Kingfisher diving for her dinner, Robin crashes into and through the oncoming wave. The water moves so violently and throws her in so many directions that Robin quickly loses sight of her quarry. The water is probably pushing her upwards, but Robin isn't entirely sure anymore.

Her lungs are starting to burn from the effort to hold her breath. She's been down longer than would be smart for a normal person. If she's been swept under one of the completely submerged transepts, reaching the top won't even help.

Vere starts to turn towards Robin, then blinks as she leaps into the water. He drops to one knee, both hands on the floor, head down, eyes closed, and braces himself for the impact of the water as it strikes from all directions.

He takes a deep breath and meditates upon what he has learned about Robin's approach to diplomacy.

Vere is pummelled from all sides at once, taking as serious a strike as any he's suffered in battle in this war. The water lifts and tosses him, and in the dark he loses track of the direction he's being tossed.

Vere may be lost and low on breath and it may be mostly dark here, but he's pretty sure the person swimming just above him is Robin.

Ooooohhhh, shit. Robin fights back the icy cold fingers of panic that start creeping up her spine. Drowning. In the dark. Almost as bad as being buried alive. Don't think about it. Don't think about it.

Sheathing her serious knife, Robin brings both her hands to bear on swimming. Okay, stairwell and bbbbrrrr.... tomb already flooded. That means the water will be flowing toward open air. Eventually. Right? Right. (Better be right.) Shit, shit, shit.

The Ranger starts swimming as strongly as she can in the direction of the currents, hoping that, even though they may bump into airless solid things first, eventually they'll lead her to air.

Robin begins to do so.

Vere swims up towards the person above him, taking the few moments before he arrives to allow his place in the world to snap back into focus. 'Lost' is not a condition that applies normally to Vere; he lets his unconscious mind work out the problem of his exact position as he swims.

Currents flowing so, and such, that means a wall... there. Angled... so. Echoes of splashes of the water against the wall... place the surface .... there. Mostly dark, but patterns of lighter darkness... so, and so. Correlated with the known windows and missing roof... so....

And as he reaches the person above him the shattered temple takes its position in his mind. He is ... here. The walls of the temple there, there, and there. A clear way to the surface lies in any of those directions... there.

North Transept, above the Tombs of the Lady for his mother's predecessors. The bad news is that the transepts are lower, and the current flows, if they are right, indicate that the exit back into the nave is blocked. The transepts were, as Vere would have seen as he swam towards them, completely underwater. Vere knows that there's a small door between the sepulchres at what used to be ground level. If it's not blocked, it's an option. Unless he can break the roof out, somehow, or clear whatever is blocking the way to the nave.

Vere swims beside Robin and reaches out, lightly touching her, waiting to see if her reaction is panicked or murderous before he takes hold of her and continues to the surface.

[Robin gets lightly touched. She is very definitely running out of air.] The water seems--odd.

The Ranger jerks away from the touch, shaking and pale. After all, who knows what might be lurking in these waters?

As she struggles, a wisp of hair drifting in the currents strokes across her cheek, leaving a familiar sensation in its wake. Vere! Yes, Vere could definitely be lurking in these waters. Robin's relief is so great that it's almost blinding. He's here with her in the darkness, in the water, in the turmoil. She's not alone. Fighting back the urge to clutch or hinder, Robin swims closer to her love's warmth, trusting that he knows what he's doing.

Because for her, she is seconds away from testing if the oddness in the water is breathability.

Confidant that Robin has not given way to panic, Vere takes hold of her tunic to help guide her as he swims. He has already calculated their chances, based on his knowledge of the temple and his observations of Robin's swimming ability and known reaction to being closed in. Alone, he would have gone down, towards the doorway. But with Robin, who most likely did not have his capacity to hold his breath, and certainly not his experience with swimming .... no. Too risky. Not to mention the possibility of her panicking at the thought of swimming downwards, instead of upwards.

Vere swims quickly towards the exit to the nave. He has to trust that they could reach it quickly, clear whatever blocked it, and pass through to the nave, and a clear pathway to the surface, before Robin's air gives out.

His mind turns towards the siren song of the Pattern, towards altering probability to ensure that the obstruction was something easily removed....

No. He could not risk it. Not while there was still a chance to save Robin without endangering the very existence of the Isles.

Grimly, he swims.

It's the choir screen, jammed against the roof by the water. If it's this high, there must be an opening below and one of the two sides is likely not completely covered, although Vere can't tell which one.

Vere can tell that Robin needs air now.

Robin is seeing flashes of red in her eyes.

[Note: References to Choir Screens are plentiful on-line, but the only one with a weight listed was from a more modern period. The one at the NY Met is 52' wide and 42' tall. The one in Hereford Cathedral is 8 tons (or 'tonnes'). If it gets dislodged, look out...]

Okay, Robin squeezes her eyes and shakes her head, it comes down to it.

She's going to pass out very soon and then the water gets tested, will she nil she. But before that, she has to decide. Tear at Vere's home like Jovian did to survive. Or let herself drown in the hopes that Vere can revive her afterward.

The dark part of Robin's soul makes the latter choice seem deliciously apropos. How romantic. How perfect for this temple that's haunted her. Where she died the last time, buried in darkness under the earth. So similar to now, buried in darkness under the water. A Goddess sacrificed in the temple of Mothersport... Dying in her love's arms... Seductive, sweet, dark.

And if it were just her? There would be no more struggle and tears and fighting.

But it's not just her.

Yesterday, she stood beside her grieving father at Daeon's memorial. This afternoon, she sent Jovian, broken, back with the King. Were she to follow her brothers into the darkness... well, it would just kill her father. To find his daughter and then lose her again within a few weeks. Besides, despite the fact that Robin hates promises, she did promise Julian she would survive. No matter what.

And then there's Vere. Robin doubts that he would find her dying in his arms 'romantic.' In fact, her poor beloved has had enough of that kind of thing. Though Robin knows she's both hurt him and caused him hurt by her actions. And most likely will again in the future. He at least deserves the chance to chew her out.

And so, with the red flashing in her eyes, Robin begins calling on her heritage. On the blue fire in her veins and the Pattern in her soul. She has to live.

Frustration sweeps through Vere, followed instantly by fury, which turns immediately to a cold, fierce determination. He will not risk Robin any further. They do not have time to swim beneath the screen, or to swim to either side on a 50/50 chance of an opening.

The silver of his uncle's Pattern leaps to his mind, and he sets his hand against the choir screen. The surge of the falling water forced the massive screen up here, but he informs the universe that it is resting precariously on a tiny slab of stone, its immense weight poised so delicately that a single push in the right place will send it crashing away from them, and down to the floor of the temple. He wills it to be so.

And then he pushes. He counts on the current from the fall of so manny tons of stone to carry him and Robin along, and he counts on that current to speed their movement through the opening and into the nave. Once through, he plans to use all his strength and skill to fight free of the current, never releasing his grip on his beloved, until they reach the surface.

The universe seems disinclined to the reality Vere projects, but with Robin's assistance, the screen shifts, sucking the pair into the open transept and washing them against the pillars towards the small knight's chapel at the rear. Robin and Vere find themselves hanging onto the capital of a pillar near the wall, under an overhanging bit of the remaining roof. They can see the rain fall through the missing roof and hit the surface of the water in front of them. The air, while wet with weeks of rain, is fresh and smells of summer.

Robin clutches onto both the pillar and Vere for dear life, gasping deeply. And shuddering. Which gives way to shaking. Then sobbing. Followed by a low dark laugh and a wry shake of the head. Capped with a quiet moan of shame. That in turn trails into a croon of worry.

And Robin looks over to Vere, her green eyes concerned and timid at the same time.

Vere pulls her to himself, holding her tightly, while his eyes watch over her head and scan the surface of the water. He has not forgotten for an instant that there may still be an angry uncle in the vicinity.

"Breathe," he tells her. "Breathe and be calm, my love. My heart. My life. We are well for the moment."

Robin nods and snuggles herself deeper into Vere's clasp, taking heart from his tone, his words and his heartbeat. Definitely not her best day, but he is right. They are alive and together. And from the sounds of him, likely to remain that way.

His head moves back and forth as he watches for any sign of movement, any swell of water, anything that might indicate the presence of another person.

The water is still agitated from the magic, pattern, and falling rocks. Vere sees something shining between two rocks in the wall by the eastern edge of the temple. He can't see what it is, but it isn't something that was there before they went in to the temple.

Vere waits another long minute,then says quietly, "My love. Are you recovered? I would have us move from here. If there is danger, then I want us in a better position to meet it. If not, then there is no reason not to find a more comfortable place to discuss our next move."

His eyes remain on the shining object, trying to make it out. Robin's knife, perhaps, he thinks. Left as a warning, or a message? Or a trap?

Looks very much like it could be a knife.

"I... can move, love," she says, even though she really doesn't want to. "But, but can we go just as far as the roof? There's... something I want to see if you can see in the sky." Robin shakes her head in frustration, despite all of that, she's still thinking; about too much, about too many things. Other than that, Robin doesn't seem concerned about Huon at all.

Vere nods, and makes his way to the edge of the broken roof, drawing Robin along with him to where they can see the sky above. Then he tells Robin, "Bide a moment, I shall be right back."

With a strong, quick stroke he crosses to where the gleaming object lies in the wall, regarding it carefully from all angles once he arrives, and not yet touching it.

Robin's knife is point-first between two large stones. It looks like it has been used to lightly scratch a word in the stone beside it.

"Rebma".

Vere considers it for a long moments, and then he reaches out and pulls the knife from between the stones. He waits, treading water, head cocked slightly to one side, as though half expecting something to happen.

Robin nods. But as she watches her love swim so expertly off into the darkness, the girl's eyes roll a little. She shakes her head again, then her whole self. Yeah, that's it - shakes herself, not shudders. She gets her panting under control and stares up into the open air, just drinking in the sweet summer air.

Dammit! Dammit, dammit, dammit. Stupid temple. She's letting it get to her again. As her green eyes drift back down into the water-logged ruin, an ironic twitch tugs at the corner of her lips. Stupid temple maybe. But the poor building can't seem to catch a break from her.

To distract herself from the darkness that she can still feel flowing from the tomb, Robin begins to investigate the water as carefully as Vere is investigating the... whatever off in the darkness. Something odd about it... Robin sniffs, tastes, sees what she can see.

Robin tastes the water and it's salty and also somehow tasteless. She leans over and sniffs at it. A wave pushes the water up and it goes up her nose. Her intuition was right.

It's breathable.

Whaaa....?? Robin blinks in befuddlement.

Just a moment ago, it all made sense. Dark sense, tragic sense, dangerous sense yes, but sense. The legacy of the Black Road was closing in around her. Her connection to the Isles, godhood and her mother was coming into terrible focus. Uncles, armies and firearms were haunting her yet again. Echoes of her father were lacing her world with sorrow.

And... and then she's got a snootful of breathable water. A bewildered chirrup escapes her. "V-vere?"

"My love?" he responds questioningly from across the chamber. He swims back to her, her knife held in one hand.

"Vere?" Robin's eyes hold puzzlement, and behind those green glimmers the world is shifting and juggling around, assembling itself into new patterns. But despite that, she smiles to see her brilliant man swimming out of the darkness toward her.

"The water, Vere. It's breathable."

Vere's eyebrow rises at this revelation.

A wry chuckle escapes Robin and she shakes her head ironically. "Just a minute ago, this was all...." a vaguely waved arm scatters droplets off into the depths of the temple, "me and my father. Now... I'm getting Corwin-shapes everywhere I look. Why is that happening?" Her brows furrow with curiosity.

Vere shakes his head, and hands her the knife. "Our uncle left this for you," he says. "Along with a message. Rebma. Whether it is a warning, or a request that we meet there, I do not know."

He moves his hand through the water curiously, feeling the texture of it. "Could he have shifted this entire shadow closer to Rebma, to facilitate his journey there?" he asks her.

"Oo, thanks. I kinda like this knife." Robin takes it and vanishes it somewhere about her person..

"Ummmm," The girl runs one wet hand through her hair as she thinks. Sheepish eyes turn to Vere, "Sorry, love. I'm having real trouble tracking but I'll try."

"First, you sure Huon left the knife? Or the message? 'Cause the minute the blade left my hand, it was like it had a mind of its own or something. And I don't know if Huon was the architect of the aquathaumetry in here or if he was just dispelling something that was already in place. Though 'Rebma' would certainly explain some of the Corwin-stuff I think I'm seeing," She admits.

"On the other hand, this... building just weirds me out. I'm getting so many echoes, possibilities, connections, potentialities and sh!t running through my head that I may need some serious Occam's Razor work in there." A soft smile is sent to her sweet, sweet man of reason and not-having-one's-head-up-one's-ass.

"With regards to 'shifting' this shadow 'closer' to Rebma, I don't really think of shadows that way, Vere. I don't know how the more technical experts do it, but to me? - shadows aren't so much 'located in space with distance between them.' Sure, I know that it takes motion to move between them, whhhiiccchh would tend to have one thinking in terms of distance, I'll admit. But honestly, I think the? ways/connections/relationships between shadows are more like mindsets than distances." Robin's struggling to put something almost entirely conceptual into words.

"Oh! You're a meditator, my love. Think about how time and activity affect mindset/outlook as compared to how they affect location/position. See? Similar and easy to confuse.

"Now as to whether Huon could blend Danu and Rebma to a closer relationship? I must admit that I was toying with the idea of something similar with Danu and Arden. Not right away, of course. Things are too? unsettled in both places right now. But it had occurred to me to investigate it sometime in the future.

"Could Huon have done it now? Mmaaaayyybbeee." Robin allows.

Vere listens to her with a serious expression. "Shadow as aspect of outlook," he says thoughtfully. "I shall have to consider that. I am still just learning how to manipulate and travel through shadow. But what you suggest is very interesting indeed." He hesitates for a moment, then adds, "If Huon did do it, then there is the interesting question of whether he did it only to accelerate his travel plans, or whether the fact that it would save us if we were caught underwater had occurred to him.

"For now, we need to decide what to do." He points toward one of the windows, a few feet above water level. "I suggest we will be more comfortable out of the water. Then we can discuss what we should do next."

He begins to swim towards the window, watching to be certain that she follows.

"Okay," Robin says some reluctantly. She looks around her once more. If she leaves this place, she'll only have to come back yet again. But as she just told Vere, her mental state is... somewhat less than reliable right now. First the guns, then Canareth and Jovian, then the temple plus the additional thrill of an Uncle, then almost drowning. Robin shakes her head sadly and starts swimming after Vere.