Paige is still dressed in the dress from dinner but has added a leather jacket, more practical than stylish, and her swordbelt atop it. She crosses the street to join the few Rangers that accepted the Warden's invitation to come down from Broceliande.
"Good evening, gentleman," she greets them. "Ready to see some pretty examples of my brother's arts?"
"Ma'am," says Grizzle. "We're looking forward to it."
Two Red Hawks nods. He doesn't speak as much as his partner.
Grizzle looks at the knights. "Some of 'em look like they might be worth something in a fight, if not a forest."
Across the party, Paige spots Alain LeClaire. He seems to have spotted her and is moving this way.
She tosses Alain a bright welcoming smile before turning back to Grizzle. "Remember, where they're from, they have very few trees, let alone anything we would consider a forest."
Alain smiles and waves, and dives back into the crowd.
Grizzle nods. "Yes, Ma'am."
Two Red Hawks nods towards the Rebman party. "Warden, than man there. He committed many crimes against the Ponca." He indicates Huon, who is talking to Celina. Two Red Hawks has a hand on his dagger.
Paige's tone is firm, but not harsh, "That man is Family and a guest of the King and as we serve at His will, is safe from our sense of justice, Ranger." Her eyes flick to the hand and back up to meet his eyes.
Two Red Hawks nods. "I hope the King knows he is not to be trusted."
Michelle is on the floor and Alain has stopped her. She seems to be trying to get rid of him, gently.
Paige watches the interactions and scans the closest clusters of people for clues as to either's behavior.
She excuses herself for a moment from the Rangers and crosses to extricate her lover and Quartermaster from Michelle's side.
"Have either of you worthies seen hide or hair of my twins this evening?" she asks, announcing her appeoach.
"Neither, Lady Somers," replies Michelle, "as I have been explaining to Alain."
"Well, they came here, and then they said they wanted to go see the soldiers, and then I looked around and they were gone."
Paige swats at Alain's arm playfully. "Some sitter you are," she chides.
Michelle smiles, indulgently. "They'll turn up. There are hardly ever basilisks this close to town."
"Then what can we count upon to draw their attention?" the Royal chuckles.
The Warden catches her cadre's eye and signs to indicate two juniors, ranging without senior supervision. Both Grizzle and Two Red Hawks have seen this signal passed often enough to know she likely means the twins. She follows it with the sign for eyes only, no urgency.
Ranger cadence has been a topic the new rangers have been picking up from Robin and Brita's rangers. Everyone finds it useful. Both Grizzle and Two Red Hawks acknowledge the order. Grizzle hasn.t moved, but Two Red Hawks is heading towards Hannah.
Turning back to Alain she kisses him on the cheek before asking more seriously, "Did they happen to say which soldiers?"
Alan shakes his head. "Do they talk in complete sentences for you now? Michelle's exciting new ones, I assumed."
Michelle smiles as well. "So they're either teaching soldiers how to gamble with dice or they're scaring the horses. I'm sure Edan will be pleased to find them with his troop."
Paige snakes her arm through Alain's, and scans the crowd for the her brother's knights. "He will know the joys of fatherhood soon enough," she comments. "Perhaps we should save him, at least this evening from his neice and nephew."
"You're far too good to him, you know," says Alain. "Michelle tells me they are down Left Bay Street."
"Its still a novelty to have Family that isn't invested in using me for their own ends," Paige winks.
"Careful you don't spoil him," replies Alain. "He might get used to good treatment and start expecting it."
She nods to Michelle. "We should catch up, soon," Paige suggests, her tone slightly wistful for the evenings she once shared over wine and smoke with her friend.
Michelle blows her bangs out of her eyes. Her hair shows how busy she's become. It is absolutely presentable, but she's simplified how she wears it. "I am effectively the band's manager for tonight's show, but after I get my charges on and off stage, perhaps we could have a late drink? Scarlett's? She'll have something suitably quiet."
"It's a date," the Warden answers. I'm staying in town tonight, at least."
And with that promise, she turns herself and Alain toward Left Bay Street and her twins, hopefully.
As they stroll, she leans in on Alain's arm, content. "They will be the death of me," Paige states with some humor. "I know it as if I had read it, no... as if Cambina had seen it."
Alain nods. "I know you miss her. I have to admit, I don't know if I miss her abilities. It's a lot easier to accept a psychic in the family if they're safely passed on and can't turn the world upside down."
The redhead chuckles, "My dearest, you're sleeping with a member of a family that travels between worlds. If she only turns one upside down, well... it's likely why she's returned. Didn't fill her quota before dying." The humor is dark, but that edge is common for Paige, a defense or coping mechanism for someone that has lost too many people close to her. She holds Alain's arm just a bit tighter.
Alain is, frustratingly, not quite up to Paige's speed intellectually, but he's known that for a long time, and he's got a good feel for when to chuckle, which he considers to be now. Still, she thinks he's somewhat disturbed by speaking thusly of the dead, when she's also a revered werewolf princess.
Just as Paige and Alain reach the end of Left Bay Street (or, as Random calls it, "Stage Right Bay Street") Grizzle gives a piercing whistle. In ranger code, it's shorthand for "3 quarry, your arriere, water." Sure enough, the children are playing in the fountain on the far side of the square, through the entire crowd of visitors, dancers, and general party attendees.
The children are climbing all over the statue and the third one Grizle mentioned is Lark, who is about as naked as Paige's children. Lark is just out of sight of the dais, which has probably kept her out of trouble so far.
"And this is likely why Troublemaker left me to Shadow for my formative years," the mother comments wryly.
She expects that the twins' ears should have picked up the cant and are aware that they're being hunted, so she begins to thread her way through the crowd while holding tight to her lover's hand.
From three different spots on the square, other Rangers or retired Rangers chime in. "Ranger here, Where is the Danger?" seems to be the single most common whistle in the cadence language. Paige sees Julian standing on the edge of the dais, away from Celina, surveying the scene. He has not yet replied to the Rangers.
Paige whistles, "Friendly sighted, all clear," in an attempt to calm the Rangers.
From the dais, Julian nods in her direction, then turns back to the table and Fiona.
Paige is deep in the crowd when she feels the pressing intrusion of someone attempting to reach her by Trump. She cannot tell who it is, although it would be like her father to arrive via Trump if he was running late...
Paige separates herself from Alain's arm, explaining, "Trump call. Keep your eyes on all three, including my cousin Lark."
She tries to ensure she's clear of all the crowd when she thinks, "Who calls?"
"It's Folly," comes the reply, cheerful with just the slightest undercurrent of exasperation. "I got a little sidetracked after dinner trying to locate my presentable-ish wardrobe. Are you down at the thing?"
Paige's eyes smile. "I am, and I've even got Lark in my sight lines. I can't promise that she's still presentable-ish, but she's clean," she chuckles.
The redhead extends a hand, asking, "Would you come?"
The kids clearly have heard the ranger-cadence. From the general direction of the fountain, Paige hears three splashes in rapid succession and sees, through her image of Folly, three distinct loci of disturbance in the crowd. Most likely her wet children running through the partygoers.
"I lost them," says Alain.
At almost the same moment, Folly takes Paige's offered hand and says, "Clean is good. She borrowed my dress." She steps through and looks around, trying to spot her daughter.
Paige takes the chance of losing the children momentarily and draws Folly into an embrace. "I've missed you," she whispers before releasing the shorter woman.
"I missed you, too," Folly says, returning the embrace warmly. "It's good to be back."
The redhead turns and points toward the fountain. "Yours and mine were playing in the water, sans your dress, when you called. They know that we're hunting them and are now skittering away," Paige explains.
Folly takes a second to process that... then, "Ah," she says, and starts moving toward the fountain, gesturing for Paige to follow. "Which way?"
She's scanning the crowd for naked children and/or abandoned swan dresses.
The Warden points as she follows, "There, there, and there. It looked like they were splitting up, but I think that's only an initial response. None of them are familiar enough with the City to solo."
She looks to Folly for confirmation on that point.
"Ohhh, I wouldn't count on that," comes the grimly amused reply.
Paige grunts understanding, "Makes sense that your offspring is a street urchin," she teases, using the royal 'your'.
The crowd is large, Folly is short, and a bunch of soldiers on dancing horses are riding in right this moment. While Folly (and Alain) can both spot Leif ("there he is, climbing up that building!"), the other two are not in sight.
Folly and Paige should probably get to the Dais.
Leif is climbing on the outside of a building. He's probably the decoy to let the other two get away.
"Alain, flank right. Folly and I will take the high ground," a nod toward the dias, "Hand cant only, no whistles unless you have all of them, yes?" She kisses him on the cheek and sends him off.
"Your wish is my command," he says. Alain starts to the left, then remembers he was told to go to the right, and circles away from the fountain towards Leif.
Years of weaving her way through crowded parties serve Paige well as she moves toward the dias. "I fear your daughter is just a terrible influence on my children," she pokes at her friend as the move toward the dias.
"Maybe she's a GREAT influence on your children," Folly retorts. Her expression is serious as she tries to avoid getting stepped on in the crowd, or treading on Paige's heels as she follows in her wake, but Paige can hear the amusement in her voice. "I suppose it all depends on your feelings about nudity in public fountains. I mean, we know whose realm this is. In two weeks it'll probably be all the rage."
Or there will at least be a little bit of rage, she carefully does not say out loud, when Lark's father finds out about all this.
"Trend setters, that's what they are, indeed," Paige agrees. "And if I'm honest, I can't think of any way that Lark can't be a positive role model on my two."
From near the dais there is a fanfare of trumpets. For those who know Random (or Syd, as he called himself in Texorami)'s early compositions, it's a short piece entitled "Don't Tell ME not to give you high notes."
Between the fanfare and Corwin's welcome, Folly hears a very familiar voice carrying just across the whole crowd. "Lark, now!." It's all she can do to keep herself from reporting in as well. One of the disturbance patterns in the crowd turns and heads towards the dais.
Realizing Paige might not be quite familiar enough with that voice for it to have registered so immediately with her, Folly gestures says, "Sounds like they're maybe this way? Or mine should be, at least." She starts trying to pick her way in that general direction, carefully.
Paige nods and follows. "Brij?" The redhead clarifies.
People across the square and beyond become still and quiet, anticipating some sort of presentation or speech. Those people are not disappointed, as first Prince Corwin welcomes Edan and his knights in the name of his brother-the-King and then, following applause, Edan himself speaks, magically amplified. People seem as impressed by that as his riding, although a few seem less than thrilled to experience actual magic.
Lord Mayor Ash has several young men light additional lamps, and the floor is cleared for Edan's entertainment and demonstration of skill. Ash also has people to keep the crowd from pressing too close to the knights as they perform.
"What can you see?" Folly asks Paige. She's making occasional, rather comical-looking little hops to try to see anything useful above the crowd as she sweeps her gaze from where she heard her mother's voice, to the moving crowd, to the dais, and back again.
"Not much more than you," she admits. Paige takea a moment and scans back toward where Lief was climbing. "In this press, we need elevation, but with that comes Family, I fear."
The crowd is cleared for Edan's dance, and Paige and Folly can make their way to the dais. Lark is soaking wet, but wearing her swan dress again and standing on a chair beside Brij, who has a hand on the chair to steady it.
"Your boy is back there with a ranger, and the girl is still missing, but wanted to watch the drummers." Indeed, Leif is sitting crosslegged on a table, with Grizzle behind him. Leif is ignoring Grizzle.
When the display is done, Random appears across the way at the Lord Mayor's house.
Hannah starts in the direction of the her uncle-pseudo-tribesman, unwilling to put her good mood away. Even the slower waddle-walk of late pregnancy can't remove her smile. She raises her chin in acknowledgement of cousins both tribal and maternal, and smiles at the townspeople she's met already. Expecting her tribesmen will want to get their blessings in before she goes into battle, she signals they are welcome to join her, while she conducts business.
The thought crosses Hannah's mind when she doesn't spot her father that he may consider this the opportune time to go destroy himself on the pattern, but she shrugs it off. There is nothing she could do about it in this condition, or in fact, any other.
She attempts to catch Huon's eye, some distance out. She grins, and uses trade signals to tell him, "Let's talk."
Huon makes the universal gesture hand gesture for "I'm going to the bar for a pint", but looks amenable to her joining him.
There is a tribesman, one of the ones working for Paige, who has spotted Hannah and is coming her way.
Hannah throws a welcoming smile at her tribal cousin, and stays on course to intercept Huon at the bar. She keeps her hand on her stomach. Anyone who dares to touch her without permission will get a quick slap on the hand.
Two Red Hawks greets his cousin. "I see you are approaching our enemy. Do you need a blade at your side? I have told the Warden I will not kill him, but not that I would not assist you in... whatever you decided."
Hannah smiles at this rationalization. "I'm going to ask you a medicine man's question now." She takes hold of Two Red Hawks' arm and resumes her approach. "Why do you call him our enemy?"
Two Red Hawks suspects that this is a medicine man's trap, but he feels that he is on solid ground. "He tricked us into fighting his war and many of us died or suffered."
"Hm." She takes a moment to try to formulate the best way to get her meaning across before his manly defenses are up. "I was told one tribe after another agreed to go to war, and that Huon was made an honored brother. Did the council mislead me?" She glances sideways at him, and then back at her prey, over gathering up poison and setting a bad example.
He doesn't exactly answer her question, but it's clear he considers what he says an answer. "We agreed to go to war, not knowing he planned to kill so many people dishonorably. We were dishonored by association. We warred not for land or justice, but for his greed, and we have not yet restored our honor."
"Did you, let me ask just you because you are a Hethuska Brother, yes? Did you, Two Red Hawks, ask him how he planned to kill people?" Hannah asks.
Two Red Hawks is at least willing to answer her. "No," he admits. However, returns to his original subject, because his honor is, he feels, being discussed. "But we were misled. He offered us honorable battle and did not deliver it. Instead our honor was tainted."
"Your honor is yours. No other man's actions can touch it. You didn't give over your mind, you were not compelled. You are not children, to not know a bucket of lies when you see it. If Huon acted less than honorably, that is not yours to carry; only your own actions - what you did or failed to do. Did you gather and attempt to Council when he showed his ways? Did you kill dishonorably?" she asks.
He seems somewhat soothed by her words. "We did not know of his ways until after the battle. We were prisoners by then. But we, and those he attempted to kill dishonorably, deserve the right to avenge ourselves for being ill-used."
"This is not the plains. The king wishes his brother go unmolested, and we serve the king. You won't like it, but since you can't have your revenge, I plan to offer Huon a chance at redemption. If you mean to hinder me, you best remove yourself from my presence, because I won't have it." She gives him a warning glance, then adds, "And the lot of you warriors need to contemplate the desires that led you to follow someone who would use you so. I find it hard to believe none of your leaders or women warned you against him."
He sighs. "It is true. We did not listen to your father. I regret that. But I cannot undo that by killing the King's brother. I will not kill him against your will. Do you wish me to leave you?"
Hannah stops and really looks at him. She smiles fondly. "You would kill him if it was my will? Don't answer that." Her smile broadens. "I don't wish you to leave me. It is always such joy to hear someone speak the language of The People, and to be with you, who understands my ways. And I would very much like to spend more time later, catching up with all our cousins who are learning Broceliande's ways... but right now I fear your glowering at him will not be of assistance."
She gets up on her tiptoes so she can whisper in his ear, "Don't worry, I have my knife." She leans back with a mischievous grin and releases his arm.
He nods, both comforted and slightly confused. "If you do not need me, I should find the Warden's children. They are the cause of all the coded whistling you've been hearing."
Hannah nods at him and wishes him luck. She puts a little effort into moving through the crowd so she can get this over with. When she finally makes it over to the bar, she smiles at Huon, and says, "Uncle, I have been looking forward to speaking with you. I am Ysabeau's daughter, Hannah. I saw a fair sketch of you among her trumps."
Huon nods and signals the bartender over. "I knew your mother well. Many people think we were the two most similar of Oberon?s younger batch of children." He looks at the barman. "Whatever the lady wants." The barman looks expectantly at Hannah.
"Peace and Tranquility," Hannah jokes, "or whatever plain juice you happen to have."
"One Peace and Tranqulity, coming up." He reaches for a blue bottle and starts mixing a drink.
Hannah opens her mouth, then closes it. She'll hand it off to a cousin - a 'royal' cousin.
The barman hands her a drink. Definitely gin and something else.
She looks back at Huon and nods slowly. "And why is that?"
He sips his drink, and surveys the crowd, a grin on his face. "We both chafed under father's restrictions. Later, because most people thought we met equally bad ends."
"It does seem challenging Oberon led one down a dangerous path. And what did you want to do or be that Oberon didn't like?" she asks.
Huon finishes his drink and gives his glass to the barman for another. "Mostly it was 'Involved with my mother's kingdom and my brothers'. Father didn't like that I felt I should be King of mother's kingdom instead of a Prince of his. And he really didn't like it when I quoted Milton at him about it."
"Your mother, she'd've made a great Prince of Amber. It was a pity she was only allowed to be a Princess."
"My understanding is she went on to play at goddess. I wish both of you'd been allowed to make your own paths. Perhaps then you wouldn't have pulled my people into your quest for vengeance." Hannah tilts her head, and makes a Ponca-centric gesture for him to wait and let her finish, a slight push outward with the flat of the hand. In Ponca, she continues "On the other hand, you are Hethuska, so you owe the tribes your service now, unless your word is worthless, Uncle." She pulls her hand down to rest atop her stomach, just below her medicine pouch, and tilts her head the other way.
"Goddess is a hard role to play, and can have unexpected costs, but so can Prince or King." He looks at her. "How long ago did your water break? Do we need to find you a Midwife?"
Hannah sighs. That is damned inconvenient, and yet, about time.
It's both, and Hannah feels contractions that seem to be serious.
From near the dais there is a fanfare of trumpets. For those who know Random (or Syd, as he called himself in Texorami)'s early compositions, it's a short piece entitled "Don't Tell ME not to give you high notes".
People across the square and beyond become still and quiet, anticipating some sort of presentation or speech. Those people are not disappointed, as first Prince Corwin welcomes Edan and his knights in the name of his brother-the-King and then, following applause, Edan himself speaks, magically amplified. People seem as impressed by that as his riding, although a few seem less than thrilled to experience actual magic.
Lord Mayor Ash has several young men light additional lamps, and the floor is cleared for Edan's entertainment and demonstration of skill. Ash also has people to keep the crowd from pressing too close to the knights as they perform.
Hannah pulls her eyes away from Edan, and back to Huon. "Since I didn't notice, I don't know how long it has been, but it is exciting to be entering battle. Finally. No, I don't need a midwife at this time. I will round her and my sisters up when we're done. Perhaps you'll want to help with that. Since I'm about to be in pain, let me be ungraciously frank. Do you intend to honor the oaths you took when you joined the Hethuska?"
"How much do you know about your Uncles, young one? Or the costs and the secret caveats that come with all their promises? Do you know of Karm, and the price they paid for holding a Prince to a promise? Have you thought about what happens when 5 generations of the Hethuska are dead and I am still a young man?" He drains half his drink. "I'm more likely than any of them to act honorably, because I am different from the rest, at least in my raising. And I'm more prone to plain-talk than my brothers.
"We'll talk when you're less... preoccupied. You can tell me frankly what you expect from me and I'll tell you how long I'm willing to go along with it." He finishes his drink in a second gulp. "It is a mistake to value the cage you use to hold a thunderbird."
He makes her smile with that last. "I don't..." she begins, but then reaches to set her untouched drink on the bar and holds on a through a significant contraction. She closes her eyes and forces herself to keep breathing. When the pain passes, she chuckles, and looks back up at Huon.
"Toujours, je savais que je ne possédais que des morceaux de vérité. I have stories, of course." She then reverts to Omaha, speaking faster, feeling time rush by. "But the Hethuska already have an immortal; he just refused you in peace and left free men free. But you are right, I would not cage you, you who destroy civilizations to be free. The medicine man knows... better."
She lets go of the bar and forces herself upright, forces her eyes past Edan's impending performance to look for Paige, Solange, Robin, or Brij... practically any female family member. She pulls the knife from her pocket and sets it on the bar. This is followed by some candies from another pocket, a syringe full of something clear and another with cloudy fluid, and two coin purses, only one of which jingles before she remembers she put her trumps in her new phylactery.
She digs in to the hand-beaded medicine bag and pulls her handful of trumps from the front, behind the griffin. The unmistakable scent of tobacco is chased by a sweetness of dried petals and an earthiness of root. She flips though quickly until she has Paige, which she shoves unceremoniously, face down between her skin and dress collar, and puts the rest back, followed by the rest of the things sitting on the bar.
"Thank you for talking to me later," she manages, scanning again for sisters and royal ladies in walking distance.
"Well, congratulations, Maximus," Garrett says to Max. "You're learning from the best if you're working with Abd-allah. And I'm sure your skills are fine as well, sir," he adds to Victor, "I just haven't seen them in person."
Victor blinks, stoically. "As I am a demon hunter by profession, your Highness, you should hope to Lir you never do."
He leans down to Max's level to address him directly. "So I don't believe we've met, but you know Hope and Phillippe. Tell me about yourself, Young Lord Maximus," he asks genially.
Max seems to have had lessons at courtly behavior as well. He's old enough to be a page, but it's not clear he's been given that honor yet. "It's my great pleasure to meet you, your Highness, we are cousins." says Max. "I only know of Hope and Phillipe, I have not met them as they live in Paris with our Grand-mére," Maximus says carefully. "They are my younger sister and brother. My father was the late Lucas St. Cyr and my brother is Captain Raven of the royal household and the royal Navy."
Vere's eyes follow Robin as she steps away, then come back to Max and the firelizard. He makes a soft, soothing noise deep in his throat.
The fire lizard croons back at Vere.
"Lucas was a fascinating man, of many contradictions," Vere remarks casually, apparently talking to the fire lizard. "We served on the Regent's Council together."
Garrett nods at Vere's description of Lucas, but his attention remains on Max. "So the Family Tree gets more and more complex," he grins. "Well, Max, it's a pleasure to meet you as well. I liked Lucas, complicated as he was. He dealt a hard bargain, but was always good for his end of it. I've been keeping an eye on Hope and Phillippe since his passing and was aware that there might be another one of you out there somewhere. I'm glad to have found you.
"Were you raised in the Docksides, then? I spent a lot of time there myself as a child," Garrett asks, looking for common ground to draw the lad out.
"I was, until we moved here. My Ma had a small inn and drinking house. Here she's got a better one." He shrugs.
"There are five of us. I am the oldest. Father told me I had to take of them, so I'm glad someone is keeping an eye on them. I don't think he planned for Grand-Mere to take over their education."
Garrett's eyes go wide with surprise at the number, but he doesn't interrupt.
Vere's attention appears to remain fixed on the fire lizard, but he is carefully analyzing Max and Victor's body language during this conversation.
Max is telling the truth, as far as he knows. Given his address to Prince Garrett, it's likely that someone taught him something about addressing nobility. It might have been Vialle.
Victor looks like he's not really used to being around kids. Or cities. Or social events. But he's managing pretty well. He's also got a weather eye out for Robin, of the "if she needs help, I'll leap in with my sword" variety.
"I don't think so either, but I reckon he knew his mother well enough to know she'd swoop in as soon as she was able," he smirks.
Vere smiles slightly at this comment.
"So...five," Garrett continues incredulously, "That's you, Hope, Phillippe and...two more? Do you know where the last two are?" he asks.
"No, they are supposed to reveal themselves to me when the time comes." He looks around, seeing who might be nearby. "I think part of my father's training plan was for me to try to identify them."
Victor laughs. "Well, he's not in charge of training you now, nor for the same ends, whatever they were. We'll train you up to be a proper young demon-prince."
Vere smiles at Victor's comment, then looks seriously at Max. "It would probably be best for them if they were found and brought into the family. Otherwise outsiders will attempt to use them for their own purposes."
Max nods. "I understand. We need to find them and protect them. They are little and don't know that our father's enemies mean them harm."
Vere nods agreement with Max's statement.
"You have that right," Garrett nods gravely. "You said they're little. Do you know if they're older or younger than Hope and Philippe?"
"No. I didn't expect to try really hard to find them until I was old enough to take care of them if they needed help."
Vere nods. "Wise, given the situation you were in at the time. Having become part of the acknowledged Family changes things, of course." He looks at Garrett. "We of the younger generation have had a variety of upbringings. I do not believe our elders did this as a conscious means of bringing different experiences and skills into the Family, but that is the result that has been achieved."
Max doesn't quite follow, but he takes Vere's statement in. Victor, on the other hand, follows clearly. "His mother hopes to raise him as close to a human as humanly possible." His faint smile seems to indicate that he knows both the futility of the goal and the futility of arguing with Scarlet.
Garrett, on the other hand, grins widely at Victor's comment. "My own mum had the same hopes, and did a fair job, if I do say so," he says warmly, unable to hide the affection in his voice. "It wasn't easy, and I can only imagine now the trials she must've gone through when I was a lad. Never underestimate the power of a protective mother."
Victor nods. "I shall introduce you to my sister, and you will know why hurricanes are named after women."
To Max, Garrett continues more seriously, "And I understand the line you're walking as well, young sir. I'll walk it with you if you want the company."
Vere nods his agreement. "You have cousins, Max, who are closer in age and experience to you than we are to the Elders of the Family. If you want advice or aid, ask."
Max looks up at Victor, who nods. Max smiles. "Thank you, Sir. If the need arises, I will do so." He may just possibly be more entranced by the small dragon than he is by Vere.
Garrett stands and nods over his shoulder. "We should probably move up so we don't miss the show."
He turns to Vere and jerks a thumb at the little dragon, who's currently basking in Max's attention. "Do you know how to handle this one?" he asks. "I doubt the horses'll approve if it kicks up a scene."
Vere smiles. "We get on well," he says. "They are mentally linked to Robin, and she can calm them if they become excited."
"And vice-versa," adds Victor. "Either the Prince or I can take this little beauty back to Robin, when or if Max gets done adoring her. Prince Vere, don't let us hold you here just to watch a boy pet a scaly cat."
Max puts his hand on the tiny dragon's back just as a dripping wet, l aughing girl, wearing nothing but a breechcloth, runs into the open space between the group. It looks like she's being chased by a Ranger, but she's clearly getting away. She feints towards Abd-Allah and then dives between Victor's legs, as the demon hunter tries to catch her, one handed.
Victor turns to the boy. "Max, the naiad was your cousin Brooke, you'll meet her later, I assume." Max continues to scratch his dragon friend.
Vere watches the fleeing child with a bemused expression, but makes no move to attempt to capture her. He stands slowly and extends his arm to a position between Victor and Garrett. "I should consult with Edan," he says, "Regarding my part in tonight's festivities."
From near the dais there is a fanfare of trumpets. For those who know Random (or Syd, as he called himself in Texorami)'s early compositions, it's a short piece entitled "Don't Tell ME not to give you high notes".
People across the square and beyond become still and quiet, anticipating some sort of presentation or speech. Those people are not disappointed, as first Prince Corwin welcomes Edan and his knights in the name of his brother-the-King and then, following applause, Edan himself speaks, magically amplified. People seem as impressed by that as his riding, although a few seem less than thrilled to experience actual magic.
Lord Mayor Ash has several young men light additional lamps, and the floor is cleared for Edan's entertainment and demonstration of skill. Ash also has people to keep the crowd from pressing too close to the knights as they perform.
Vere can tell that the dragon is getting restless and wants to fly.
"Calm, calm," Vere tells it softly. He nods to Garrett and says, "I should get him back to Robin, he grows restless." He gives Max and Victor brief smiles and nods of the head as well, before heading towards Robin.
Garrett nods in agreement while he ushers Max to the front of the crowd so the boy can see the festivities.
Robin steps aside from the gathering fire-lizard-attracted group. Robin carefully picks a place where the crowd traffic and noise wind around herself and Conner, but where they're both still clearly visible and well within her Love's observation 'dome.'
Once there, Robin carefully doesn't steel herself as she turns toward Conner. Mostly because Chirrup is in her arms and would pick that right up. So Robin is most noticeably not-tensing-up as she faces Conner: a Rebman. With a Pattern-blade. A Rebman Pattern-blade.
Robin's smile may become a little fixed however. (She is not the smile expert that Conner is by any measure.) But she just keeps reminding herself of Celina and Llewella's warm welcome and the unlikelihood of the suave, sophisticated Conner starting anything in a crowd.
Conner's smile by contrast is easy and his posture open. "How familiar are you with the Tritons of Rebma?" Conner asks.
"Not very," Robin answers immediately. "Though one served me tea just yesterday." She can't stop the real grin that slips out at the memory of an Oo-Critter!
"I've heard Family rumor that they... are servants of the Royal Caste of Rebma, are tattooed, don't talk much, slapped you around once so strong-watch-out." She tips her head ruefully and continues. "There's a forest -- Nedra? Really? Some mention of maybe Draconic parallels... Otherwise, not much. I try to avoid... I feel like Rebma's got enough Family sticking their noses in. So I try to stay away."
She shrugs again. No offense meant, it's just... not her thing.
"Under the sea is not everyone's cup of tea even if it is served by a Triton." Conner admits. "Well all that you have heard is accurate as rumors go, There is a kelp forest of Nedra. In many ways it is an inverse of Forest Arden. It is a borderland between the Dragon of Nedra and Rebma and the free Trtions patrol it to prevent Rebmans from encroaching. In fact, there is a peace treaty where Rebma gets the services of the Tritons in return for not growing the city towards the Dragon." Conner explains. "However, there are rumors of elements of the Tritons who want to break the peace and I find myself wanting some force as a counter balance." Conner sighs. "I've been made Warden of Nedra and I am feeling the need for equivalent of Arden's hounds and hawks. But quite literally, I'm out of my depth there." Conner smiles. "Any suggestions on how to start?"
For a moment, Robin cocks her head as her thought birds swirl around chirping, "Brita. Paige. Now Conner. Wardening's a Red-head tradition in the New Order? Who'd'a thunk...." A brief stab of regret runs through the girl that she isn't Warden material. Just yet. Maybe someday. But not right now.
With an effort, Robin drags herself back to the subject at hand. "Yes," she nods rapidly. "Get a local expert."
Robin's eyes begin to brighten as she warms to her subject. "My bet is that somewhere around the edges of the forest (or nearby) there is a cranky, cantankerous crack-pot who doesn't like people at all. But knows everything there is to know about the forest and its creatures. This person could be a Rebman or a Triton. They could be a hermit or a rustic noblewoman. Whatever. What you're really looking for is someone who cares more about critters than they do about people.
"If you can charm that person to your side and listen to them, you'll have all the advice and resources you need to start a really effective life-sculpting/breeding program. I can't tell you what kind of shellfish are the best for guardians or how fish compare to cephalopods for scouting. But the crack-pot can."
"And if you can't find a good local grown crack-pot, I'll be glad to help as I can. But like I said, I'm concerned about all the Family Influence in Rebma already. And... Family Influences tend to... grind more than they... blend." Robin makes grinding gestures with her knuckles, then interweaves her fingers to show what doesn't happen. Then runs out of both words and gestures to explain and ends with a shrug.
Just after Robin runs out of words, she hears the Ranger cadence whistling across the square. "3 quarry, your arriere, water."
She's not sure who it's for, but it's weird for the direction to be anything other than "air" (up) or "earth" (down).
Robin holds up a hand for a moment as her brow furrows in distraction. There's.... just not enough urgency in that whistle for it to be another crazy-card-wielding-relative-disturbance like last time. But also... one doesn't just ignore Cadence.
More cadence, of course, as other Rangers check in. She hears at least three senior Rangers reporting in and asking "Where is the Danger?" She hears the cadence signatures of Couth, Solemn, and Vista.
Water, water... Robin looks toward the bay as she waits for reports back to the seniors. Ooo! And Vista's somewhere around here too!
Robin is not tense yet. But she's definitely alert.
The response is clear. "Friendly, all clear," followed by four short notes. It's not Julian's signature three, but it's related. It almost certainly means the Warden of Broceliande.
Conner is not versed in Ranger sign but knows it when he hears it. He watches Robin for her reaction.
Robin drops her hand as she turns back to Conner. Her eyes are twinkling and she buries a snort of laughter into Chirrup's muzzle as she noses him fondly. Three, huh? The Warden of Broceliande has Robin's sympathies as she remembers some of the things that she dragged into various encampments during her youth. Not like now, oh not at all. 'Cause the firelizards are perfectly safe in a crowd. Perfectly. Safe.
Robin is definitely shaking with suppressed snickers.
"Care to share the joke, cousin?" Conner asks.
Robin looks up to Conner, her mouth already open to answer. Wheeeeenn she realizes that this is Paige's Near-Cousin and Brooke and Leif's Near-Uncle. There's a brief pause as the Ranger considers the social implications. Then a visible 'fuck it' passes across her eyes and she shakes the considerations away.
"I suspect that Brooke and Leif, along with something or someone else, are loose in the crowd. And probably wet." She snickers again, "Poor Paige," she adds in sympathy.
From near the dais there is a fanfare of trumpets. For those who know Random (or Syd, as he called himself in Texorami)'s early compositions, it's a short piece entitled "Don't Tell ME not to give you high notes".
People across the square and beyond become still and quiet, anticipating some sort of presentation or speech. Those people are not disappointed, as First Prince Corwin welcomes Edan and his knights in the name of his brother-the-King and then, following applause, Edan himself speaks, magically amplified. People seem as impressed by that as his riding, although a few seem less than thrilled to experience actual magic.
Lord Mayor Ash has several young men light additional lamps, and the floor is cleared for Edan's entertainment and demonstration of skill. Ash also has people to keep the crowd from pressing too close to the knights as they perform.
The firelizards are curious about the noise. Like they might want to go investigate some trumpets.
Robin gets an odd inward turning expression, then turns to Conner with a nervous smile.
"Uh, Cousin? I think my attention is going to be needed shortly for some extreme lizard-wrangling. Would you pardon us, please?" She bobs her head to her courtly cousin as she gathers Chirrup back into a nice secure hug.
Looking around, Robin can see Vere and Beauty headed her way (and isn't that a sight!) For a moment, Robin is lost to a warm wave of love and affection.
Then she shakes her head and peeks around for Ooot as well. While the three of them having been doing wonderfully, Robin wants a 'claws on Mom' situation -- kind of like at Fiona's tower or under The Lake. If the little darlings can do that for her, she will carry them over to the trumpets herself.
Conner nods. "Of course, you must see to your brood. Thank you for the advice cousin."
The lizards return and are not really hungry, but idly wonder what the gold noisy thing might taste like.
Robin grins as she gathers up her fair. And sends her so wonderful Love off to his duty at the drums.
Last modified: 14 August 2017