Folly and Martin make their way back down the mountain from the Grove and then split up -- Martin to take care of business of his own in town, Folly to round up the band.
Deciding that discussing arguably treason-adjacent plans is perhaps best done outside the castle, she quietly collects Soren and heads to the Lord Mayor's house as inconspicuously as she can.
She knocks lightly on the door and calls out quietly, "Is anyone still awake?"
A servant answers the door. (They have servants! But labor is relatively cheap here.) "May I say who is calling on the Lord Mayor?" He doesn't seem to be too surprised to see someone on the doorstep at late hours.
Folly hesitates the briefest moment before replying, "Tell him it's Fae and Dan" ---the code names they sometimes used on the road, on those occasions they could afford to check into a motel.
Even if the servant knows full well who they are, she hopes the names will be a clue to Ash that it's band business, and not for outsiders.
Folly is shown in to what is obviously the visitor's parlor but in a few minutes she's back upstairs where, a few hours before, she was having a discussion with Bleys and the rest. Ash and Haven come in and Ash shuts the door firmly behind him.
"Where's the Angel of Death?" Haven asks, and Ash, ever the royalist, corrects her: "His Highness." Haven rolls her eyes; clearly this is an old and not entirely serious debate between the two of them. "And do you need something to drink," Haven continues. "Because I'm betting it's going to be another one of those meetings."
Folly holds up one finger to answer Haven's first question -- "He's in town on his own errands" -- and then two fingers -- "...and yes, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say we _all_ need something to drink, because... yeah."
She slumps into a chair and looks at Soren. "So, I've learned a few things since we talked earlier this evening that significantly alter our original plan of 'try to catch Syd alone and tell him what we've learned about the Queen'. But before we get to that...." She looks at Ash and Haven. "How much do you know about what's going on with Syd, and with Vialle?"
"I talked to Soren and he told me what I suspect is a highly edited version of the truth as he knows it," Ash says.
Haven follows up with, "Tjaden and I don't know much except there's bad stuff going down and the Queen is in the middle of it. And whatever it is was bad enough that Sid looked like he'd taken about a half-bottle of downers and then half the family showed up. And it was mostly redheads, which is never good." She gestures toward her own hair, which probably has some henna assist these days but is reliably red itself.
Folly nods. "I came in for part of the redheaded conclave. Per our uncle Bleys, the 'downers' thing is because Syd is under some kind of enchantment... and our best guess right now is that it is coming from the queen of Tir, the city in the sky, who we think might be possessing Vialle, possibly without her being aware that it's happening. The queen of Tir appeared to several female family members recently in a form we were referring to as 'Floaty Woman' before we figured out who it was. It was speculated that she was 'looking for a host' because something had happened to her a while ago that rendered her incorporeal or un-stuck in time or some other weirdness. It looks like she found Vialle. I'm wondering if she's somehow trying to use Vialle's pregnancy to re-corporealize, and that's why she's so desperate for the family to get together tomorrow and swear fealty to the unborn child... because it will really turn out to be this Queen of Air and Darkness. It sounds like the enchantment really took effect, or got a stronger foothold, while Syd and Vialle were out of town and away from Xanadu where he has some natural protections... although maybe there was a bit of weirdness before that?" She looks at her companions for their take on the timeline, then adds with audible regret, "I really should've been here."
Haven laughs. "We missed the hell out of you, like we missed the hell out of Syd when he was gone, and I still haven't gotten my hands around you now being an old lady who will never age instead of the girl I went to primary school with. But it's not your fault you had shit to do. You can't protect Syd from everything, especially since he's also one of you ... whatever you ares. We'll figure out what to do. Always have."
Tjaden is less verbose. As usual. She just gathers everyone in for a band hug. "We always knew you burned like a sun in our candle-lit room."
"Hey, those are my lyrics," says Ash.
"No they weren't. You didn't write all the good parts," says Haven.
"I demand credit!" he replies.
"Copyright whenever by the biggest egotist in the band," says Tjaden, with an eye-roll. It's familiar banter, and feels like home to Folly. Like Xanadu. She can feel the city and the castle and the way it should be and the way it could be, all at once. It's like swimming with the flow of a river, easy and powerful all at once.
Folly laughs despite herself. "Yes. This. Maybe this will be enough."
She looks at her bandmates. "So, here's the other parts of what I know. First, some part of Syd knows something is wrong, and is fighting, and calling out for us to find him. Second, I gathered from some things my uncle said that it may be some kind of sex magic that's put the whammy on Syd. My gut tells me that the best way to help him fight is to find a way to remind him of who he is. To get him back in sync with himself, and with his realm. And the best way I can think of to do that is through music -- which is where you all come in -- and if that isn't enough...."
She hesitates, clears her throat. Looks at Haven as if intuiting her next question. "I've already warned Martin. So, yeah, he knows."
Tjaden pulls everyone back close into a huddle. Ash raises his eyebrows. "Technically, it can't be treason. I'm a little conflicted. She's been a good queen, but a bad wife for Syd. Only you can decide if this is the only way to save Syd and everything from the evil elf-queen or if you've just made Rationalization Magazine's Rationalizer of the Year with your entry 'I had to Sleep with my Ex-boyfriend in Order to Save the Universe!'."
Haven, puts on her 'voice of reason' voice. "So, I'm sure you're aware Syd was more-or-less openly sleeping around for a while now. The dynamic there was really weird. And it's entirely possible that she made a deal with the elf queen because she was getting desperate. From what I hear she had things pretty good in Amber. People believed that Random was a good King because of her. In Xanadu, things are just much more future-oriented, and people have confidence in Xanadu and him."
Haven smiles. "I don't know how I feel about it, for you. Not only do I not want you to mess up the life you've built that you seem happy with, with him and your kid, I also don't want you to mess up the relationship with Syd. Because while it's all weird and you haven't dealt with the whole 'you weren't a slightly louche drummer who wouldn't admit he was from Nahasha, you lied to everyone for years', I think you need to be totally good with Syd being who he is if you're going to do this."
"I'd do it," says Tjaden, suddenly. "What other choice is there? Hell, I'd do it for you if I thought it would work. Wouldn't that fsck up the band?"
Ash hugs her tightly. "Honestly, any of us would, because this is a pretty big thing. I recall how you used to talk about him when we were sleeping off a killer gig and he was still full of energy and swimming in the moonlight or something. Like he was the only one who could see you. And now he needs you, but it's complicated."
Haven nods. "Yeah, just don't lose yourself saving him. We need both of you secret alien whatevers to make the band work."
Folly wraps her arms around them for a group hug. "You all are the best," she says. "Most of the things you mention, I'm already uncomfortably aware of, but it's good to say them out loud.
"Yes, I've been internally unpacking my motivations since before I even hatched this plan, starting with my initial gut reaction of, 'So Vialle is pregnant and obviously there's something wrong about it'. Just because I was right doesn't mean I was necessarily right for the right reasons, y'know? To an outsider, I'm sure this would look like either one hell of a rationalization, or like some kind of power play to try to claim Xanadu for myself, or for my daughter. But I know that last bit is definitely not true, and as for the middle bit... Xanadu already is mine. Ours. I'm just trying to protect it, and Syd, the best way I know how. Which as usual means instinct and improvisation. And after talking it over with Martin, this way seems safer than the alternate plan of trying to call out the elf-queen directly and trying to negotiate with her.
"And yeah, I know the solution -- if it does play out that way -- creates maybe more problems than it solves. But they seem like problems we can work through, unless I'm just completely deluding myself. I mean, there was already going to need to be a big uncomfortable heart-to-heart with Syd and Martin about some stuff that needs to be out in the light so it doesn't fester." She gives her bandmates another squeeze. "And I've got you for sanity checks, and to help keep me from losing myself. So thanks for that."
Ash nods. "Yeah, definitely don't have a nice chat with the thing that possessed her over a soothing cup of tea. It doesn't sound likely to work out well.
"So, what's the plan? We all rush up there, strap him to a refrigerator dolly, wheel him onstage and put him in front of his old kit at the biggest 'we're not dead' concert ever thrown in Texorami, and hope it all works out, or at least that you can try plan B?"
"Something like that," Folly replies, "although I was thinking 'studio in Xanadu castle' rather than 'main stage in Texorami'. I mean, it's basically the center of the universe, so it feels like the right place to try to fix what's wrong. And yeah, preferably before breakfast, so we can try to preempt the family powwow and hopefully save my cousins from having to make vows they don't intend to keep. Or at least create enough of a ruckus that we buy ourselves some time."
Ash frowns a bit. "Downside of that studio space is that it's really deep inside a mountain with no service elevator for a back door. Not even considering your uncle who could roll his way in at any time, we don't have a way to get out the back."
"We can do it analog. We didn't always plug in for rehearsals," replies Haven, ignoring her partner's issue.
"It's also sorta non-functional as a studio," adds Soren, slipping in the door, "which means I can't get any of it on tape. I just got away from the castle." Tjaden pulls him into the circle, between herself and Folly. "It sounds like I missed a whole plot. Whatever it is, I'm in. We've got to fix this."
Folly loosens her hold on the circle to throw her arms around Soren in an enthusiastic hug of greeting, and maybe also slightly of apology for the not-nearly-euphemistic-enough recap she gives him of both Plan A and Plan B, concluding with, "...so maybe it's just as well we won't be getting that bit on tape."
She re-huddles with the group. "Ash, your point about the lack of a back door escape from the studio is a good one. I think Martin was under the impression that he might end up needing to guard the door, but that might not be quite enough if things go completely to shit. Normally I'd say as long as I've got my magic Trump cards we've always got a back door, but... one of the places I would be able to get to has apparently been overrun by a slight zombie apocalypse, which isn't isolated to that one location, so I don't even know how safe Texorami might be. So... other ideas of where we can set up the instruments -- yes, unplugged, most likely -- that's both reasonably private and has an escape route if we need it?"
As she listens to her bandmates' suggestions, she focuses into the middle distance and feels her way mentally through Xanadu city and castle. She mutters, "If only we could get him down here, without her...."
Haven looks around. "Speaking of zombies, where'd you stash the zombie-massacring nudist princess? I got so tied up I almost forgot you brought us a new lead singer."
Soren looks at her. "I miss so much when I stay in the castle."
Folly gives them a wry smile. "We sent her with her Uncle Garrett to Rebma -- Martin's homeland. Which may have been kind of a terrible idea, but it was less-terrible than our other options. But we can unpack all that later -- she's safe, and probably wielding her own triton army by now, knowing her." Even if they don't have all the context to know what Folly is talking about, it's clear from her tone that the last bit is both preposterous and not entirely a joke.
She shakes her head minutely to bring her attention back to the problem at hand. "Meanwhile, back in the castle...."
Ash curls his lips in that "you're not gonna like where we're booked" way he has. "I can think of one place that almost certainly has two or three secret back exits and can probably get us an audience. And a private room which can be guarded."
Tjaden looks at him in shock.
Haven, unusually, takes her cue from Tjaden. She waits for for the silence to last just the right amount. "Pity you made them get rid of the illegal basilisk they had there."
Folly arches an eyebrow. She has an inkling of where he's going with this, but not the full shape of his plan. "What do you have in mind?"
"Scarlett's is exactly where we'd've been playing on a Freeday night if Xanadu were 150 miles up the coats from Texorami. I have no idea how Syd is expecting to cultivate a music scene here until he gets some out of town venues for people to tour to. He knows how this works.
"Slowly is how it works," says Soren. "He's expecting it to take a generation, and require people who grew up in Xanadu."
Haven looks at Ash. "Scarlett, who apparently has two different sons who are are your relatives in different ways and is maybe also related to Prince Jerod, runs a combination pub, gentleman's club, gambling hall and brothel. She is officially a friend of the crown."
Ash shrugs. "Like I said, we'd've played there."
Soren nods. "Syd and I sneak down to town once or twice a month and he disguises himself and we go there for a drum circle. Which he started, by the way."
Ash looks surprised. "And you didn't tell me? We thought he was off catting around. Viper never mentioned that you were with him."
Tjaden looks conflicted. "Yeah, we would've played there. I'm not sure it's the best idea to go to someplace that shady, though."
Folly, though, is alight with joy; for a moment she almost seems to be blinking back tears. "No, it's perfect. He chose it himself as the place he goes to be himself. Where better to help him throw off someone else's control and re-exert his own self-ness?"
She looks at Tjaden. "I'm open to counterarguments, though. If you're concerned it's too shady, what are the possible repercussions you're most worried about?"
Tjaden takes a few breaths. "Things getting out of control, I guess. That's sorta the point, so I don't have any objections. It's been a while since my life went crazy, and I'm out of practice. Syd made Ash the Lord Mayor, we're boring people now."
Soren snorts. Ash raises his eyebrows and says "He did that so that he could call me 'Lord Ash' and everyone knows it."
Haven grins. "Yeah, boring old Laird Ash and his two wives..."
Folly grins back at her in amusement. Then, to the group at large: "And how do we go about getting him there?"
Soren bites his lower lip. "I'm wondering 'Can we do it the way you and the Angel of Death kidnapped everyone?' Zoop! you're not in your studio anymore and your best friend shows up in your new home years later and tells you that your 'Ghost Tapes' were your biggest selling album after you disappeared.... Same with him, I hope."
Ash nods. "Once we get Syd, maybe the Prince and your buddy Winter can lock down the castle so they can search it top to bottom, and keep the Queen from sending anyone after us."
Folly nods. "Soren's got my card -- as does Martin, of course -- so maybe we could send a contingent up to the castle with Martin to lure Syd out and then I can pull you all through to Scarlett's once you've got him. Hopefully without anyone getting thrown into a potted plant." She frowns, as though she has some concerns with this plan that she's not quite done mulling over.
Haven reaches over Tjaden and pets Folly's arm, soothingly. "I hope we remember the music. There's not a lot of rehearsal time."
"Well, if it helps, it may only be about half 'remember' and the other half 'feel it and jam'. There's this..." Folly holds one hand out in front of her, in the middle of the circle, and sketches out a subtly unsteady rhythm-- "...this *off*ness here that I can feel, that I think echoes the offness that's affecting Syd. We're just trying to push it back into the proper rhythm -- so I think we should try 'Inevitable'. It's built around that drum riff he always liked so much and tended to default to as he was finding his groove -- pa DUM da-da-pa DUM-dah-dah DUM p'diddle-y DUM p'taka-taka DUM -- with the kick-drum beat underneath it that was his heartbeat, whether he knew it or not...."
She repeats the riff a few more times, tapping the bass drum 'heartbeat' against her own chest to remind them. She bounces on her toes and bobs her head to the beat, feeling and channeling the rhythm with her whole body as she always does, until the whole circle is moving, feeling it with her.
Soren nods. "It's like that time I swore the click track was wrong at that studio you rented for the House of Light re-takes, in Nahasha."
Ash grunts. "Yeah, you were right, I was wrong. The power to the whole damn studio was overpowered and the cheap gear was based on the underlying cycle timing."
Folly looks at her bandmates to see how they're feeling about it, then adds, "If that's not enough we can try segueing into that 'Drowning in Light/Tiny Spark' medley, but we might want to tell Scarlett to warn her girls to use extra protection. Based on how many people used to tell me their children were conceived to one of those, everyone in like a mile radius is gonna ovulate."
Haven is still hitting the groove. "Hey, you're never gonna believe who Ash sent to run the bar part of her place for Scarlett."
Tjaden interjects, never one to allow suspense. "It's Trick! I always knew he'd be here, too."
Ash shrugs. "What was I gonna do, have one of them cut the other's throat? Yeah, it's really got a Syd vibe now."
Folly bounces a little higher, but still in rhythm, with utter delight. "I would say I can't wait to see him, but there will be time to catch up after we enact our very important plan." Hopefully.
Haven takes a deep breath. "I'm gonna repeat the plan, because this is the kind of plan you want to say all the way through to the end, to make sure it gets where we want to go. OK?
"First, you go to the castle, and we go to the bar. We throw out the band on stage and set up instruments and wait in the green room.
"Soren calls you with your magic card."
Folly holds up a finger to interject. "I'd been thinking that some of you might be the ones going up there, because then you could just use the card to call me in town once you had Syd, but this might actually be better. Definitely is better, in some ways. Assuming I can find him and get him alone." She gestures for Haven to continue.
"You find Syd, jump on him, and we drag you through to backstage.
"We shove sticks in his hands and pull Syd on stage and start playing.
"Meanwhile up in the castle, Martin takes charge and keeps it from going crazy. He either puts the Queen in protective custody or throws her into the plants or something.
"We play our hearts out, and possibly into Syd.
"He either gets better or you drag him off into the back room and try to get through to him another way."
Ash agrees. "The King snaps out of it, thanks us all, and has the queen arrested and thrown into the plants. We are awarded earldoms. The end."
"Yeah, an earldom sounds nice and uncomplicated," Folly opines ruefully, as if she is expecting a rather different -- and messier -- denouement. "Doesn't matter, as long as we get him back.
"I think the next step is to call Martin, let him know we're mostly ready, and give him a chance to poke holes in the plan. And I should probably take a minute to clean up before we head to the castle -- I've kind of been running around in the forest all night."
"Let me show you the wonders of being boring," says Haven, leading Folly towards the large double dressing room/closet she shares with Tjaden.
Once Folly has had a chance to clean up a bit and Martin has concluded his business in town, they re-convene to head back up the hill to the castle. Folly is practically buzzing with nervous energy but doesn't seem quite ready to share the details of what she's thinking until...
...at the steady clop-clop-clop of horses' hooves coming up the hill behind them, she smiles and says, "There they are." She turns and waves at Edan and company, gesturing them over.
When they're comfortably within earshot, she says, "I'm glad we caught you before you went up. I... may need your help with something."
Martin relaxes marginally when he recognizes the approaching riders. He lets Folly that the lead. It's her plan, after all.
Edan looks at his little group, including Hannah and the baby in his own saddle, then back to the pair. "How may I aid you?"
Folly glances around the quiet street to make extra-sure they won't be overheard, then responds, "You know that gathering you're on your way to attend? I'm hoping to forestall it by, ah, aggressively inviting the meeting organizer to a gig downtown." She looks at Martin. "I told Soren how long I thought it would take us to get back up the hill, so once they've got the gear set up he's gonna call me and...." She makes a gesture with her hand that looks like a grab, a handoff, and a *poof*.
"In the meantime," she continues, turning back toward the group on horseback, "I think I'm gonna need Martin, and maybe you if you're willing, and... and... er...."
She squints up at Edan, into the early morning sun, as if really seeing him for the first time. "Um, did you know you have a bird on your shoulder?"
Edan's brows are knitted, as if he's not sure he's believing what Folly is saying. He turns his head at the mention of the bird, but doesn't seem concerned about that at all. "Yes. May I introduce Heckle, of...many places. Heckle, these are my cousins Folly and Martin. If there is trouble, they would help."
"Well met, Heckle," Folly says, and gives a small, rather birdlike bow. To Heckle's eyes, she probably bobs more like a seagull than a raven.
"He may have a bird on his shoulder, but you've got a city on your back, Lady. I hope Firedancer doesn't mean 'help the trouble', but his ambiguous antecedent problem is symbolically apt, so there you go."
Martin gives Heckle a slight wave of the hand.
"We," and Edan glances back to Hannah for emphasis, "were resigned to this meeting happening, and both of us will have to be there. We have arranged protection for the baby. What do you need me to do? Considering my position, I can't be handing out, er, aggressive invitations."
"Don't worry, that's all my responsibility," Folly says. "Where I could use your help" -- and she glances around the group, including Martin and Edan as well as Hannah, Kyril, and Solange -- "is in keeping Vialle -- and, y'know, the Queen -- distracted or otherwise occupied so that she doesn't notice immediately he's gone, or looks in the wrong place, to buy us a little time."
"This," says Martin to Edan, "is not my plan.
"But it's the best idea we have and it's under the Card rubric of 'protect the King at all costs'. Solange, I won't command you as KC, but if you're willing, I wouldn't turn your help down. And Edan, if as KC of Lamp, this isn't something you can do, I understand. But honestly if Brennan were here I'd want all three of the orders involved. Getting the King out of the Moon Lady's thrall is defending the Kingdom."
Solange grimaces. "I talked myself into going, since I was only recently un-banished. If the King is taken, then you're in charge, Prince Martin. Are you going to have to lock up Papa? He's not likely to take it all well."
Martin makes a face at the formal address. "You're on Gerard-watch, I think. And for crying out loud, don't let on what Folly is doing. Not just today, ever."
Edan turns to Martin. "I happen to agree with you. Since after the dance I have been trying to think of a way to avoid the Byzantine scenario that's coming. Half the Family swearing to something they don't want. The other half not showing up, risking censure. Half-obedience and broken oaths. This is the only plan I've heard to avoid it. Well, the only plan that wasn't completely unacceptable." He turns to Folly. "But will it work?"
"Gods, I hope so," Folly says. "We won't know until we try, but my gut tells me it's our best shot. The usual family gifts are made of the same stuff as the binding itself, if you see what I mean, so they only reinforce it. What I intend to try is a way through the binding that relies on who the king is when he's just himself, not 'lord of the realm' or 'scion of the line' or any of that. I hope we can get him enough of a lifeline that way that we can help him fight against the binding and pull him out of it. But," she turns her palms face-up, "we'll see."
"And the Unicorn seems to have vetoed my only other plan, so this is what we've got. Still, it would work better if we had a Ruby KC with us. Do we know where any of them are?" Martin asks.
Solange shakes her head. Kyril looks like he's hoping everyone has forgotten he's here because there's clearly some stuff going on that's way over his pay grade.
"I have not seen Lilly. Brennan went to Avalon, Vere and Robin off with First...it would not be wise to bring them." Edan's voice is perfectly neutral. "Who does that leave? Jovian? I heard he was...recovering. Marius?"
Folly goes a bit pale and mutters an oath under her breath. "Vere and Robin are Card, not Ruby, right? The Ruby KCs... have not fared well. You've now named all that survive, and as you note, not all are doing as well as might be hoped." She lowers her head and stares at her hands, which are clasped tightly together. "I've got Brennan's card if we need it; I'm less help with the others."
Martin may sense that she is carefully not saying something... or perhaps carefully not naming someone.
"Folly, if you or Edan want to talk to Brennan, this is the moment. I leave that call up to you -- if you'd rather get Marius, we'll do that." Martin's not naming whoever it was either.
Edan nods, and looks at Folly. "I... do not have Brennan's card."
Folly gives him a small smile. "Well, conveniently, guess what I did on my summer vacation?" She fishes a card case out of her pocket, retrieves a card, and concentrates.
"Hello, cousin," she says, "it's Folly. Have you got a minute? I'm here with two other KCs and we're trying to complete the set." She holds out her free hand for any who want to join the conversation.
Edan joins in without hesitation.
Martin also reaches in with only some small hesitation. Inside the contact it's obvious he's twitchy but it's a muted sort of twitchiness.
Brennan blinks in mild surprise-- he wasn't sure who he was expecting, from the limited pool of people who have Trumps of him, but Folly, Edan and Martin evidently weren't it.
Brennan is on a rampart somewhere with the distinctively worn and functional Avalonian architectural style, although this seems older than most. Anyone skilled enough with Trumps to manipulate the view can see that the particular rampart he's on is the subject of intense-- but thankfully preparatory and passive-- scrutiny by besieging forces.
"Yeah. Actually I'm glad you called, and doubly glad Martin and Edan are with you. You need to know what's going on here. Who goes first?" Brennan asks.
"Well, I'll start with our executive summary," Folly offers, "which is that we plan to summon our executive off-site because we might have a way to help him with that hostile takeover situation. But we're gonna need a distraction." She tilts her head, taking in the view behind Brennan, and adds, "Maybe not a foreign-armies level of distraction, but perhaps I'll leave it to the other KCs to weigh in on that."
She is, as always, very carefully not giving away too many details over the trump connection.
Edan shrugs. "Maybe I would commit Knights of the Lamp to something like that, but I wasn't about to use the Ruby knights you have entrusted to me. I would think sorcerous bait would get more attention, anyway."
Martin says, "The brief of Card is to defend the King. Even if he doesn't want it. Which means Card is in and Lamp is in and--you're basically in charge of Ruby so we didn't want to drag your people in without touching base with you."
By his expression, Brennan understands the ramifications of 'summoning' the 'executive.' He makes a muted noise of dismay.
"Thanks for the consideration, both of you," he says, "but let's not think of anyone being 'in charge' of Ruby unless your father says so. That said, I see the need for manpower and frankly for the kind of unity that all three Orders acting in concert signifies. I have some pointed questions that I hope you will take as a desire to help rather than hinder.
"What kind of a distraction are we talking about? Who, exactly, are we distracting? Most saliently, are you asking for Knights, or Knights Commander?" Brennan asks.
"While you're thinking about that, let me bring you up to speed here so you have an idea where the pieces are flying." Brennan does that, in customarily brief form: He, Ossian and Jerod fighting for Benedict. Fletcher and Lilly on special assignment in Avalon. The skirmish won, with fire and smoke and complications, those being Jerod and Ossian now also on special assignment in Avalon, and Brennan's chase across the morning sky. "Which leaves me here at the Silver Towers," yes those ones, "prioritizing between defending the place from the local rabble, and escorting those three Moonrider commanders back to Ghenesh so they can't stay here, raise more armies, and cause more trouble."
Sometimes, Brennan buries the lede.
"I'm looking for people who can give orders and organize the castle staff in the absence of other leaders, like the King, so Folly's plan can work." Without missing a beat, Martin continues: "So are you asking for more Knights, or an uncle? Aunt?" he wants to know.
"I'm glad I asked," Brennan says. "That wasn't at all what I was picturing. Yes. You have my support, without equivocation. If you need them to hear it from me and one of them is close enough to bring into the conversation, I'll do that. Edan, I suggest Sir Hub in particular to head this up-- he's even tempered, level-headed, and raises common sense almost to an art form. And he's already on your team. I was picturing a 'distraction operation' on the hostile taker which would be... more intricate." But intricate still isn't a no.
Martin nods, once.
"And you're quarterbacking this from back home, so you need to know everything I said even if I'm asking for nothing. What am I asking for? Advice, opinion, and wise counsel for starters. I'm not exactly revealing a state secret when I admit I don't like asking for help, but I'm at least aware it's a blindspot. Beyond that, I don't even know what cousins are available to help." Brennan trusts the shift from uncles to cousins will be noted.
"Speaking of Uncles, though, I haven't been able to give a report to Benedict on any of this." Brennan is usually cagey enough not to refer to either Corwin or Benedict by name, here, but it's probably better to use his name than his title. There's little enough danger of being overheard up here on the ramparts, though. "It's a big request, but the loan of a Trump would help."
"Unfortunately I can't help with that one," Folly says. "I've only got a very few of cousins that have sat for me, and I think most of them are otherwise occupied... although...." She pauses as she runs down the mental list, then flicks her gaze sidelong to Edan, and Hannah and Solange behind him. "Where'd Paige end up?"
Edan says, "Broceliande. I have not seen her since the Stair. It is likely she has been making a final push to organize the forces out in the forest before we were pulled away from our posts by the King's edict, leaving our borders all vulnerable at once."
"If it's an emergency, I have a Trump of Ben. Might be useful for me not to have it, even." Martin sounds like he'd like to sigh. "I have the full deck, and to the extent that we're considering a ... direct distraction, that will be me and Edan. It'd be tactically unsound to ask anyone not of the blood in on that operation."
Brennan opens his mouth and is, for a moment, actually speechless-- no words will come out. He closes it, nods to hide his swallow, and tries again. "No one has tried to talk me out of my self-appointed task, yet. I won't try to talk you out of yours. I'll give you the same advice I've been hearing, though: Keep your escape routes open," and don't get killed. "I'll borrow the Trump if you're willing to part with it. And one last thing: If they try to hold me hostage in exchange for First, don't make the trade."
"So, you're leaning toward the Moonrider-escorting plan rather than the defending-the-towers plan," Folly says; it's almost but not quite a question. "I would suggest asking Benedict his opinion on how best to make peace with them, although I'd also take with the appropriate slab of salt any peace plan coming from someone always on the lookout for a military solution.
"And my gut says you should have family backup in your escort, if we can come up with someone who balances your strengths... and who's not otherwise occupied with critical tasks. If my plan works... well, my hope is that it results in the cancellation of the family conclave, or at least a drastic shift in its purpose. We may end up with a readjustment of family resources and priorities after that, particularly if we can get the King's unfettered input, and might be able to direct someone your way. In the meantime...." Folly narrows her eyes as she peers through the contact, the very model of maternal scrutiny. "You've slept, yeah?" Brennan can feel the implied "If not you should do that before you take off with three Moonriders and no backup" without her having to say it.
"Yes, I've slept," Brennan says, in a way that almost but does not quite resemble a response to one's mother. "And I do have my own squad of Knights with me. Depending on how things fall out, possibly Sir Firumbras as well.
"For the rest, it's balancing long term goals with the Maghee and whatever part they still play in Moire's plot, against the acute crisis of the Moonriders. Assuming the besiegers don't force the issue, yeah, I'm leaning toward the crisis. But I'll have a better idea when I get the chance to see what's what and talk to our Uncle. Speaking of Moire, anyone heard anything from Celina? I don't see how Moire's chances get any better than right now."
Folly, at least, could tell that Edan tensed, but relaxes when Brennan mentions a squad of knights as backup. He keeps listening and stays silent.
"Nothing, but we'll check in with her. Through Llewella if nothing else. Huon's on the loose, too." Martin's scowl is reflected in the sense of him in the contact. While the others are talking he's been doing some one-handed fiddling with his own Trump deck and produces a card, which he passes through the connection, face down.
"I thought he was supposed to be in Rebma," Brennan says. He starts to mutter something under his breath, but manages not to complete the thought out loud.
"He hasn't reached there yet. Llewella quietly asked if he was here, but no, he sailed out of the harbor with Rebma's entire group of archivists. We may find them stranded on a desert island somewhere along the way."
He takes the Trump from Martin, and holds it image-in against his hip rather than putting it away. He apparently intends to use it sooner rather than later. "My gratitude."
Martin nods once.
"Lovely," Brennan says. "I'll keep my eyes open."
"Stay safe," Edan says.
With the Trump call closed, Martin looks over at Edan. "I don't want to get into a physical confrontation with anybody," he says, "but I figure we ought to be ready for the worst and hope for the best."
Folly nods and asks Edan, "Do you still have your compass... detector... thingie? It might come in handy."
"Indeed I do," Edan says. "I'm hoping it would tell us what direction She may be coming from, anyway."
"Or if others may be trying to slip in under the radar," Folly says. "It occurs to me that gathering us all in one place -- or trying to, anyway -- could be about more than just getting us to swear fealty. I know this could just be me reacting to what's already happening, but I can't quite shake the feeling of...." She pauses, as if searching for the right word; her lips press into a grim line.
"...invasion."
"I'm ready to play this from any angle you two suggest," Martin says. "As long as we keep Hannah and the baby well out of the way. And--just to be really clear, I think the Unicorn told me not to kill her."
"I don't think we can," Edan says. "Not unless this is some kind of affine. Folly, you missed what I told the city watch before I met up with you. It feels to me like the Moonriders are testing the fences. Physical and metaphysical."
Folly lets out a colorful string of curses.
"They're linked. One way or the other and I don't care which end is pulling the strings. We just have to shake Dad out of this and then we deal with the fallout. And the border testing." Martin's mouth uncurls from its frown into a flat line.
Folly nods. "So, if my plan goes smoothly, I'll need..." she traces a quick figure in the air, "...maybe a half-hour from the time I've got your dad secured. So maybe plan to double that, just to be on the safe side."
She continues, "It's hard to know what to suggest as a distraction without knowing what kind of powers she's manifesting. But in terms of what might get her attention, I got the sense that it's still mostly Vialle in there. So, y'know, claiming that you were looking for Lark might keep her occupied for a while, unless those extra powers mean that she can immediately tell the objective isn't here." She gives a little shrug. "What kind of power would Oberon have had in Rebma? That might be a guide."
"I don't know," Edan says, and waits to see if Martin has any input. "The Queen was also very interested in seeing our child. That possibility is off the table."
Martin nods, once. "You know, Grandfather and I used to talk about Rebma. At the time I thought he didn't understand Rebma. Now I understand that it was me he didn't get." A wry smile cracks one corner of his mouth for a moment before he continues with the relevant bit: "He told me he liked visiting because what he did didn't matter so much. Now I'd guess he meant that more like he had the kind of power that Ben has in Paris or Corwin has here. Which is to say, a lot. Or like Eric had during his Regency, which is to say, a lot. But not as much as Dad has in the seat of his own power." His eyes narrow and he looks at Folly for a moment with an are you thinking what I'm thinking? look.
Folly arches an eyebrow and gives him a rueful smile as if to say you already know precisely how terrible my ideas are. What she says out loud is, "That's reassuring, at least. Less likely she'd immediately see through a ruse like that if you decided to go that route." To Edan, she adds, "We absolutely wouldn't want to get her anywhere near your child, but you might keep her occupied for a while with the pretense that he and-or Lark are on their way to meet the family before today's gathering." She looks back at Martin to see if his ideas have gone in a different direction.
Edan doesn't quite shrug. "If it's bait you're thinking of, either baby doesn't have to be present. A few hairs, and Similarity could make an illusion that would resist all but the most stringent sorcerous probing."
"Lark is in Rebma," Martin says. "But it so happens I have some appropriate sorcerous components." There is nothing even slighte 'so' about that apparent happenstance.
Folly nods, and looks at Edan. "Just make sure they don't fall into anyone else's hands."
Edan nods. "I will treat them like my own. Or our baby's. We will lead a merry chase, if I can help it."
Martin nods, once, and hands over a glassine packet with several hairs for conjuration. "This may not even come up, of course. If Random is 'missing', the main thing we have to do, somehow, is keep anyone who isn't one of us from being 'in charge', especially Vialle. We have a delicate line to walk to appear loyal to the queen when we're actually being loyal to Xanadu." He shakes his head ruefully. "We really need someone courtly, like Conner or Jerod for this one, but we've got me. And you."
Edan holds up a pouch where he's already stashed the hairs. "This can wait to be used for best effect, then. You know, courtliness is not my strength."
"I might suggest enlisting Gerard's help," Folly says after a moment's careful thought, "but prevarication is not really his strong suit. How about his wife, though? I assume that's where Vere gets it from." She looks over at Solange, still on horseback nearby, inviting her thoughts.
Solange looks back. "Yeah, he didn't get politics or subterfuge from Papa. This is basically the Eric trick, right? 'The King is missing! All the Princes say I'm in charge, so I am...'. It works. You've just got to hope that the machinery of power accepts you. It'll be harder since you haven't been here much, but the other Princes will make a big impression not them, so it should be viable." She pauses. "Other than that, the plan has to be 'wing it', because you don't know what's going to happen. There's only so much you can get from planning now."
Folly, whose default plan is pretty much always 'wing it', nods her agreement.
"I'm still the King's son. One of the two of them, and the older, and--the one who's here. But Solange is right. We have to play it by ear and hope the luck of the draw is with us." Martin agrees.
"If your father's will still holds sway in this place even while he's incapacitated, it will be," Folly says with deep conviction. "He wants to be rescued." She bounces on her toes with nervous energy, like she's ready to get on with the rescuing.
"We will do what we can, as much as we can," Edan says. He glances back to the other group. "I have a few irons in this fire as well. If things all go south, well, we may not have time to get the news. Please try to let us know."
"Will do," says Solange.
Last modified: 7 September 2019