Raven circles back through the crowd, this time looking for the other side of the family. Whatever's going on with the King, it's clearly not an all-hands emergency, so this is as good a time as any to actually talk with her surprise uncle.
Once she finds Victor, she'll greet him with a nod and a, "So I'm thinking we should actually talk, if you're free?"
Victor nods back. "As long as you aren't looking to dance. I'd hate to show up Prince Edan at his own festivities."
"Oh, and is this an 'at the bar over drinks' talk or 'find a convenient alley and try to inflict bodily harm' talk?"
Raven chuckles and shakes her head. "Had enough of the bodily harm today, so if you're not in the market for it, I sure ain't. Just figured we could use this whole 'being in the same place at the same time' thing to get to know each other a little. You know, since I didn't know you existed and all."
Victor ambles towards a bar, where he orders a sailor's drink for each of them. "What do you know about the family already?"
Raven snorts at that.
Silhouette walks by, moving with purpose and focus toward the bar. She catches Raven's eye and smiles with respect. "Captain," she says, bowing her head.
Victor smiles, and waits to be introduced or to be dismissed.
Raven likewise smiles, with a polite nod. "Silhouette. This is one of my cousins," she explains as she reaches for her drink. "And cousin, this is my uncle Victor. And I get the idea he's a friend of Robin's as well?"
Silhouette extends her hand to Victor, "Well met, sir. A friend of Robin's is a friend of mine. Have you encountered her this evening? She appears to be in good spirits."
She steps back, the smile remaining. "I am not one for such celebrations, but I must admit this evening has been most acceptable. Have you both enjoyed yourselves thus far?"
"Robin and I spoke earlier. She's in good spirits. She was anticipating the performance tonight with something akin to glee." He looks at Raven. "Robin and I go way back. Not 'Rebma' way back, but definitely way back."
Victor looks around. "Where is she? It's like all your cousins are disappearing."
Silhouette collects her drink from the server - a lilosa. "Last I saw her, she was with her beloved. They wished to speak with other family members, so are likely mingling." She glances back over her shoulder, "I am unsure what the remainder of evening requires of us. Do either of you know?"
"So far's I know, the general plan was 'party,'" Raven answers. "Might have something later for myself, but I think the next official thing is breakfast." She takes a look around of her own, with an eye towards those family faces she recognizes, as she adds, "I think Vere was headed for where the King gave his speech, but Robin wasn't with him."
"As far as I could tell that was a 'you are dismissed if and only if you want to be dismissed' kind of dismissal. The populace seems inclined to drink the king's drink and dance to his music, whereas all it makes me want to do is climb to the top of the upper falls and scan the horizon to see if the enemies are closing in by land as well as by sea.
"I'm an old pessimist, though, so that's to be expected."
"Pessimism is a wise stance in these days of doubt," Silhouette says, nodding.
Victor smiles. .It.s pleasant for me that it.s come back in vogue."
"Won't catch me saying that's a bad thing," Raven says, shaking her head. "Well, maybe wait until the sun's up to go climbing a waterfall unless it's life or death. What's the crowd from the sea say about it, Silhouette? Since you were over there with them and all."
"I fear I am catching up on current affairs, so I could not rightly say. I hope to speak with my Queen at greater length later this evening," Silhouette admits. "I've only just returned from Shadow, after conducting reconnaissance against our adversary. A slightly disheartening experience." She sighs faintly, "Our elders do not appear entirely concerned, however. Odd."
Victor purses his lips. "Any signs they're ensorcelled? I am a demon-hunter by profession, and demons dearly like to ensorcel royalty."
"What kinds of things would we be looking for?" Raven asks.
Silhouette raises a brow at Victor's question, determining whether or not he is serious. At Raven's follow-up, she gathers he is indeed sincere in his query.
"I do not know them enough to fairly judge their normal behavior," Silhouette says. "However, from my brief observations, I would say King Random's lack of verbosity this evening out of character. However, this may simply be explained as distraction from non-demonic sources."
She pauses and then speaks in a low tone, "My mother's animosity toward me does hold some concern. Even her siblings have suggested the vehemence with which she has behaved to be perplexing. Whether or not this stems from some supernatural source, I could not say. My experience with magic is more engineering based."
Victor nods. "Strange humors are a sign, usually tied with other signs. It can be hard to tell without an expert opinion. Sometimes the problem is that the Prince is eating paint chips off the walls, other times the problem is that demon is making the Prince eat paint chips off the walls.
"Everyone will be able to tell if there is demonic influence if the king kills his family and rules from atop a pile of skulls, if that wasn't in his character before. And sometimes it's not even a demon, just a run-of-the-mill sorcerer who has a grudge against the king, or his ancestors. Those are easy. They bleed blood."
Victor turns to Silhouette. "Tell me more about your mother, Lady."
Raven sips at her drink; for the moment, she has nothing to add.
Silhouette frowns faintly, "It has been some years since I knew her. She left us in my early years. However, before she returned, my family was murdered by slavers and myself sold into servitude. That said, she was a dutiful mother - even to my step-sisters. She loved my father very much and treated him as an equal, despite her obvious superiority to him. She tested me frequently, honing my skills and knowledge, yet always with patience and a gentle hand. Sometimes she appeared... haunted? But I suspect that stemmed from her past with the Family."
She glances over her shoulder, scanning the room before speaking. "I do not recognize the woman I've encountered here."
"A woman consumed by grief, losing her second child in short order, being suspicious of the first child, miraculously returned?" He looks at Silhouette. "I would think it a bitter effort to close off her emotions rather than a demonic possession. But I can run some tests. Can you get me some of her blood?"
Silhouette's benign expression remains perfectly unfazed. She breaths in, preparing to speak, only to state, "No."
"Getting the idea there's a lot of blood involved in your job," Raven comments dryly.
Victor thinks for a moment. "Not as much as you might think, at least not when it's going well. Lots of ichor, though."
Silhouette smiles at that, but only briefly. "You may wish to refrain from mentioning blood and the collection thereof amongst the Family. Our enemy has stolen the blood from a few of our members. As such, it is a touchy subject at the moment."
She thinks, "Although your advice on blood may be welcome and provide Enlightenment into our current troubles."
"Monks or dead people?" Raven asks, looking at Silhouette. "Not sure there's much blood involved in the walking dead."
"Monks," Silhouette replies. "They appear to have a keen fascination with our blood. And have kidnapped some of our cousins to that end."
She cocks her head, "The Dead. Do you refer to the Riders?"
Raven shakes her head. "Don't think so. This was more of a 'the dead are risen and walking around, might want to fetch an army,' kind of thing."
Silhouette's brow rises again, "Surely, you jest. Vrykolakas are something reserved for frightening children." She pauses, looking over at Victor. "Then again, if demonic entities exist in this world, perhaps the restless dead do as well."
A faint sigh, "The Family does collect its share of enemies."
"Starting to get that idea, aye," Raven says dryly. "Not sure what your 'vrykolakas' are, but I'd say these dead ain't so much restless as press-ganged. There's a mage that's raising them."
Victor nods. "That's not a bad case. You usually just have to fight your way to the mage and then the rest of them collapse.
"Generally. Most of the time. At least seven in ten times."
Silhouette smiles despite herself. "Reasonable odds to be sure. We might consider increasing them by employing long-ranged weapons, such as my rifles."
She finishes her drink, "Once I considered utilizing the dead as weapons platforms. Very efficient, low maintenance, and restockable by the virtue of battle. However, my arcane talents lay elsewhere." She looks to Raven, "Do you know how large this mage's army is? And what are his intentions, beyond conflict?"
"Didn't see it myself," Raven answers. "Could be small, but I'm not gonna bet on that. Even aside from whoever's been buried where she's at, I followed a bunch of bodies to Gateway when we finally made it there. Ain't all that far from the city where we started seeing them."
"This mage is a woman?" Silhouette asks. She sounds impressed, almost hopeful.
Victor nods. "It would be surprising if she were not. The famous gateway between worlds, the place where the civilizations of the seafloor meet the civilizations of the land, is a place where women lead. That's well-known. They say it is because men do not have the logical head for serious magic, being too prone to fighting."
Victor's eyes narrow. "Is that who I think it is, talking to the young prince and his lady?"
Sure enough, Martin, looking bedraggled, has stepped up to Garrett and Lilly.
"Well, I guess that's one thing off my plate," Raven comments. "Aye, the mage is a woman. Wouldn't expect to have a chat with her. The line of people who'd like to get rid of her for good ain't getting shorter, and some of that list is doing it to as part of Crown orders."
Silhouette cocks her head considering their words, "Do you mean Rebma? This mage... She would not be Moire, by chance? The Fallen Queen. I know she is magically-inclined, but didn't not know that extended to necromancy. That would explain the Family's reluctance to deal with her, though."
She follows Victor's gaze, squinting to make out the faces. "I know Martin only by name, but recognize Garrett. They are brothers, are they not?"
"Not Rebma," Raven clarifies. "Part of Gateway's under the waves. And this mage goes by the name Klaya and was ruling Gateway for a while with two others, so I'd lean towards it not being Queen Moire."
Silhouette nods lightly, "Thank you for this Enlightenment. I've not heard of Gateway."
Victor says, "Gateway has always had ambitions to be important. They'd like to replace Rebma as a trade hub for Amber instead of Rebma. They're well placed for it in some ways, but it's a long voyage by boat and it's not on any of the standard shadow paths of the double-dozen seas.
"On the other hand, it's where the sea and land come together to trade. If it were in a position to control trade either way, they would get rich like Amber was.
"I haven't been there since before the black road appeared, but I've never heard of this Klaya. Is she from the College of Magic?"
"Aye, believe so." Raven thinks for a moment. "There were three of them that took over in Gateway for a while, before Jerod, Brita, and I helped put the old folks back - this Klaya, Dexamene, and the one that ended up melted somewhere inside that tower... Kranto, that was it."
"And who have you placed in power? Can they maintain enough support to prevent Klaya from returning to power?" Silhouette says.
Victor doesn't have anything to add here. But he's watching the royal reunion in the middle of the square with half an eye...
"Well, when those that were in power before are nice enough to help you pull off a coup, it's hard to argue with putting them back," Raven says dryly. "And if she goes the way of the other two, I'm thinking her returning to power ain't going to be a problem, at least not for a while. Hard to do that if you're a coat rack or melted into rubble."
Victor seems surprised by some of these. "So, they took over from your friends, and you replace them and --melted them? Do you mean that literally? Are they made of metal?"
Intrigued, Silhouette nods along with Victor's question, waiting for Raven's explanation.
Raven snorts in amusement and shakes her head. "Nah, she ain't made of metal that I saw. She was on fire when somebody on our side tossed a big ball of something at the tower where she was. Melted's as good a guess as anything else, because I'm pretty sure they ain't going to be able to pick enough of her out of the rock to tell."
Silhouette smiles, "Well then, at least that issue is resolved. For the moment, anyway. That which is dead rarely remains so, in my recent experience."
Victor frowns. "There are a lot of people and things I've killed that I hope stay dead. 'Vengeance from Beyond the Grave' stories rarely work out well for the living."
"Gonna have to agree," Raven says. "I'd prefer to have seen the last of more than a few, just while we were lost." She reaches for her drink. "Let's talk about something that ain't going to be beat to death tomorrow, if that doesn't bother either of you?"
Silhouette fills her drink and smiles softly, "Indeed." The smile broadens, "So, tell me of yourself, Captain. What distant shores have you seen? And do they call to you still?"
Raven snorts in amusement. "More than I expected, and if a shore's calling you, either you've had too much to drink or you need to get away from it in a hurry before whatever's there has you for lunch. I was actually hoping I could talk Victor out of some family history, since Ma hasn't shared much of it. Ain't sure it's going to be interesting to anybody but me, though."
"Surely your cousin would find that boring. We can speak of it another time," Victor says, adding, "Is something happening with the young Princes? All of the elders and military men are watching them."
"Not in the slightest," Silhouette says. "I am ever seeking Enlightenment regarding the Family." She chuckles, adding, "Which is why I am forever amused by the verbal gymnastics our Elders employ to avoid discussing it."
She follows his gaze, "I'd not heard, but I wonder if they've made progress against our adversary. A solidified plan, as it were."
"Or there's been an attack of some kind," Raven suggests, looking the same direction. "Can't say I feel like I know any of them well enough yet to tell a busy walk from a 'don't panic anybody' walk. Either of you want to take a guess?"
"Ossian and I had captured one of their kin. From the brief interaction, I gathered she was known to the Family, somehow. Perhaps, they've learned something from her?" Silhouette ventures. "We could simply inquire under the guise of making small-talk."
She glances over at Victor, "Perhaps you've like to introduce us, sir? Being our elder, it would seem proper."
Raven frowns. "Other side of the family, Silhoutte," she says. "He's mine and Max's uncle, not yours. Ain't going to try to speak to who he might or might not know, but I at least kind of know Jerod, so he doesn't have to introduce us to anyone. Just not sure I know what Jerod's 'don't panic anyone' looks like, considering the things he and I have been up to."
Silhouette smiles faintly, "I fear I only know his Disapproving Look, which is why I'll follow your lead when speaking to him."
The music from the band suddenly gets cheerful and celebratory. If it had a look, it would be Don't Panic Anyone.
The band certainly gets a (wry) look from Raven. "Well, that answers that." She turns to Victor. "We really do need to talk, but maybe some time when things ain't on fire..."
Whatever the response there, she turns to Silhouette next and gestures to the cluster of cousins. "Let's go make that group bigger, aye?"
Victor demurs. "You go on. I'll make sure Scarlett is protected."
Silhouette bows her head to Victor, "I do hope we may speak of blood-magick and demons soon. I believe the conversation would be most Enlightening. Be thee well, uncle."
She extends her arm to Raven, "I am yours, Captain."
Victor bows and heads to find his other nephew.
Raven takes Silhouette's arm - maybe not the most graceful at it, but it's possible the captain hasn't had much practice. "Right. Let's find out what this's about."
And with that, she'll set them off towards the group of cousins.
Conner emerges from the Mayor's house and sweeps the crowd looking for his quarry: his queen and his Princess. Spotting Celina first near the dance floor, Conner moves purposely through the crowd towards her. His smile is fixed in place. He replies to any that hail him with courtesy but swift regret that he must move on. His manner might fool the general party goer but to Celina, Conner's body language is screaming that something is wrong.
Celina sees that change is in the currents as Conner approaches. She does two things: nods to the guards and archivists at the review stand, putting them on higher watch, then she feigns being winded and wipes her hand along her neck and shoulders as if tired. She is pleasantly surprised to be rescued by Conner from further dance. "Oh, yes. Your timing is excellent," she offers when Conner arrives.
Conner offers Celina his arm to escort her to a place to sit. As they walk, Conner leans in close to whisper. "We need to withdraw from here and talk. Preferably somewhere we can ward against being watched and overheard. Probably best to avoid the Palace for the nonce."
Celina walks more easily at Conner's side, leaning only slightly on him. "Why don't we commandeer one of these houses off the plaza. At chance, it will not be a place any would notice." Celina whispers, "Family or something else?"
"Family with a capital F." Conner replies. "With a possible Rebman connection and a threat to your Royal person thrown into the bargain." Conner follows Celina's lead to select a house to commandeer. She is the visiting monarch after all.
Celina eyes the nearby homes and selects one that appears to have some wealth and privilege of location on the plaza. She'll accept it may be large enough to have many ears inside. She moves with Conner to it and knocks on the door, opening and entering as she does.
"May I ask for a cool pitcher of water?" she says as she looks around.
Houses along the square are for the first and richest migrants to Xanadu. The residents are having a small gathering themselves, and invite the royals in. Their bows are practiced and Conner and Celina are sure they spend time at court regularly.
A girl runs to the kitchen to fetch some water.
Celina gives Conner a look of serendipity, and follows the girl to the kitchen. Looking around once there, she notes easy exit, views of the circulation of the house, and no one present who will presume to socialize for a few moments. When the girl turns around with the water, Celina is right there smiling. "I could use a chair. I need to sit a few moments." Celina speaks to the others present, "And I need to loosen my (nonexistent) corset. May the Knight and I be alone for a moment? Thank you all."
Once the kitchen empties out and their anti-eavesdropping counter measures are in place, Conner smiles thinly and shakes his head. "Loosen your corset? Is it not enough that one court thinks I'm bedding you?" Conner chuckles but it trails off quickly.
Conner sighs and comes closer to Celina to speak near her ear. "Before I tell you the news Uncle Bleys has shared, I must first ask a question. Did you have any idea that King Random and Queen Vialle had visited Rebma in the last few days?"
Celina immediately looks worried, "No, and I just came from there. I expect I would have heard such a thing." She bites her lip, now waiting for more bad news.
"I thought not. We must check with Llewella." Conner murmurs and sighs. "Bleys summoned most of the Redheaded cousins to the Mayor's residence. The short version of the story is that my mother accompanied Queen Vialle on a trip to Rebma as a safeguard for Vialle. While there, my mother studied the reflections of the Royals and determined that King Random has been enchanted. More disturbing is that the enchantment was laid upon him such that his attunement to the Jewel holds the spell in place and works against its removal." Conner pauses to let that sink in. "The enchantment causes him to be listless and uninterested unless he is near Vialle or speaking about Vialle or their unborn child."
Celina's worried expression passes into something more primal for a second, then settles to a simmering intensity. "That is bad news on several fronts and at many levels." Celina reaches suddenly and puts a hand on the hilt of the Sword of Rebma, she immediately senses it is real and relaxes again.
Celina whispers, "Ah, it is you. Good. Conner you know these people better than I do, and you accept this story. However, if a conspiracy against the King were already this successful, why would it not advance the additional step? Why should I believe word passed thru Bleys from Fiona? Why would Vialle's safeguard not be compromised immediately? In all the Family, Fiona's expertise is most regarded for this kind of magical complexity, so isn't it likely she is also enchanted by now?"
"There are few beings in existence that could ensorcel my Mother." Conner asserts. "Admittedly that is cold comfort as that short list overlaps perfectly with the beings that hold both power and knowledge enough to enchant a King through the protections of Pattern and Jewel."
Celina gives him a sad nod.
Conner moves off a bit from Celina. "However you need not take only their word. Folly was there and reported that Soren told her about the strange apathy of Random when away from Vialle. Most disturbing of all was Vere's report. He ascended the stairs to Tir with Edan holding his Trump. Vere met a shade there that revealed herself as Cambina." Conner takes a deep breath to steady himself. "Cambina claimed that Vialle led her through Tir to its Pattern chamber and successfully walked it. Cambina was frozen in place, able only to watch, by the Queen of Air and Darkness. She held Cambina there until dawn and you know how that ended."
Conner sighs. "Folly's conjecture is that the Queen of Air and Darkness is trying to be reborn as Vialle's child and Bleys further opines that the purpose of the family meeting is to have us swear fealty to the babe."
Celina measures by eye and keeps the distance Conner has chosen, but she moves a bit in a Mobius wave within a pace, side to side. Her words are as cold as her expression now, "So in summary, Vialle is complicit in treason against the King, in murder of a dear Family member, and in kidnapping the future ruler of Xanadu, with some intent to be first among the Court of Air?"
"Or Vialle has been ensnared and enchanted in a similar manner by the Queen of Air and Darkness." Conner replies. "You may remember Vialle's abduction and rescue from the shadows around Tir. It is our conjecture that Vialle was taken first in order to be used as a sorcerous tool to prepare the ground for what has happened to Random now." Conner shrugs. "Either way, she is not to be trusted now."
"And what are the next steps as proposed by Bleys, speaking for Fiona," Celina asks. "Tomorrow morning, one assumes, we are drawn to conference."
"It is suggested that you have received an urgent message from Rebma and leave tonight to deal with problems in your realm." Conner replies. "This gives you a plausible reason not to swear fealty to the child and protects you from whatever enchantments are upon the monarchs. Your link to Rebma will shield you in your own Realm but here you may be vulnerable. More to the point whatever happened to the King happened in watery realms if not in Rebma proper and the only way to investigate those linked so tightly to Pattern realms is in their reflections." Conner replies. "Since you seem to mistrust what I have told you, returning to Rebma seems the best way to seek your own truths."
Celina considers and stills herself. "I want you to know I am not questioning your truths. And I can understand why you answer in a limited fashion if the senior members of the Court are asking me to leave---- for my safety. Is it wise that I'll not know what moves are happening here? But I want to be clear about my concern, which first falls on you, Conner, as my man and friend. Vialle is taken away to some realm and influenced. Then Cambina is taken to another realm and killed. Then Random is taken to someplace and enchanted. And then Fiona is taken to some watery realm, which is could be Rebma, and comes back with dire news. I am pointing out a pattern that calls my dread. No one should be going anywhere alone."
Celina adds, "Of course I shall trust you in this and return to Rebma. And Llewella shall hear and have a chance to comment. Are Trumps still reliable?"
"I have not heard otherwise." Conner replies. "I find myself torn between my duty to keep you safe until you reach Rebma and my duty to remain and be your eyes and ears. What would you have me do, my Queen?"
Celina summons a smile, "You follow your passion, Conner. That is what will make Rebma stronger. Find out what's going on. Save two realms if you can. Slay Vialle if you have to. I'll look after myself. I shall try to get you a sign when I am back in Rebma. I think you have just given me the urgent message which calls me away."
"I am less concerned about slaying the Queen and more concerned keeping myself safe from that which possesses her." Conner drops his hand to Halosydne's hilt. "I would have my bond to Halosydne would be shield enough and now we have an enchantment working in the heart of a Pattern realm on its own sovereign. How do I defend against that?"
Celina takes the question at face value, she considers, "The Stain in Arden, the Dragon there, seemed to have access to Family despite them being in the heart of the bosom of Pattern. So it is a valid question. However, Rebma is a different Pattern. This invasive Royal Spectre has made some inroad into Xanadu, but not Rebma as far as we know. And Halosydne is an old warrior. You may be the only person who has a chance. I suggest asking Halosydne for a blessing."
Conner looks thoughtful at her turn of phrase. "I know others plan to shield themselves with Sorcery due to the difficulties of manipulating Pattern so close to a Pattern. But I concur with your reasoning. In any event, my sorceries focus on the energies of the physical world. I have some ideas but nothing seems quite appropriate to guard the psyche." Conner slowly draws the Paxblade and lays it on the kitchen table. "It is said that all you need to wield this sword is the blessing of the Queen. Let's see if that is true about tapping its power to protect its Knight. Will you aid me in this?"
"I can do no less and considerably more," Celina answers. She moves to place her palms on the quiet blade, leaning into it as she would a dependable friend. Her hands are widely set, near pommel and blade tip, allowing Conner the middle blade, thus she surrounds and encompasses his ownership of the weapon.
[pending Conner places his hands]
"Halosydne, hear my blessing on Conner, Warden of the Nedra Reaches, and
Defender of the Sapphire Throne,
May his sight always be True,
May his enemies always be Late,
May his Necessity always be First,
May he honor and cherish the Privileges you Bestow."
Celina bends down and lightly kisses the Blade between Conner's hands.
The music from the band suddenly gets cheerful and celebratory.
"Thank you, my Queen." Conner says solemnly. Conner sheathes Halosydne and sighs. "I'll be in touch as soon as I can. I hope you can find truth within reflections. I think we'll need all we can find."
Celina throws her arms around him impulsive and thankful. She hugs him hard for a moment, as only an amberite may. "Thank you, Conner. Travel with all boldness."
Conner returns the hug warmly and he kisses her on the cheek. "I shall. Long live the Queen."
Celina heads out from the kitchen to the main house entry, giving Conner some cover to exit the kitchen door and be less of a target.
She tarries a bit with the owners of the house, inviting them to come visit her in Rebma for dinner and opera.
Then with thank yous for the nice water and rest, she's out into the plaza, signalling for guards and scanning around, counting noses of her party, including Huon and Silhouette. Time to leave while the dancing and music are still loud.
The biggest cluster of family she sees is around Martin, near the entrance to the square. Others come and go from his party. He's got his daughter in his arms. Silhouette is heading that way, while Huon is on the dias, talking to Paige's friend Alain.
Celina moves directly to Huon and Alain. She stops close enough to them that she interrupts their chat just by arriving.
"I have news that must take me away to Rebma," Celina offers to both. "Regrets tendered all around. Huon, how long has Martin been here?"
Alain nods. "We haven't heard the details, but it seems unsurprising. The Prince has been in the square since just after Lord Vere asked me to summon the Rangers. He went to see Martin when he saw the Prince had arrived, likely to confirm his orders."
"Yes," adds Huon. "It was... subtle. He's returning, slightly more subtlety."
Celina notices that the Rangers are now mostly at the back of the Dais, and don't seem to be talking to anyone except each other.
Celina nods at Huon. She gestures her guard captain closer. It's not subtle, she's in full court gravitas. "The Rebman court is departing ... now! You stay long enough to make sure there are no stragglers and if anyone tries to intercept us... double quick back to me with the possible count and armaments so we are ready." Celina does her own nose count, and comes up short Silhouette, who she saw elsewhere in the crowd. It makes no sense to linger... over a dress maker.
Celina smiles to the Archivists, "Ladies, once we are beyond those immediate houses, we'll be jogging to our carriages and doubletime to the Faiella Bionin. Please do not lag behind. I'm sure you don't want me to carry you."
There is shocked comment but they seem to be lining up to depart forthwith. Huon grabs a bottle of champagne and a couple of glasses, 'for the road'.
Celina tells the Second of the Guard to move out. She'll trail the group with Huon to make sure no one dawdles. "Oh, Captain, if the lady dress maker breaks away from her admirers, see her back to our company. Thank you."
Once they are moving along, she'll share with Huon quietly, "Family in crisis. We are suggested to reflect elsewhere."
"I serve at the pleasure of the Queen," he replied. "Is your kinswoman joining us?"
Celina almost but not quite stops dead, but she turns it into a direction change that swings her body and head about looking around the square. "Pearls. She was supposed to ...." Celina sighs. She shakes her head at how far Conner's news has pushed her mind off other business.
A soft growl whispers deep in her throat, but she holds further comment until they meet beyond the plaza at the carriages. "I need your help, Huon." Celina gathers the guards and Archivists at the transportation, making another nose count to see that all are present. Celina sees that everyone is packed up, then puts her head together with Huon. "Can you make sure my people get back to Rebma? I have to collect Valeria, now instead of later."
"I serve at the pleasure of the Queen," he says with a bow. "My Lady, the fastest way out of a port city is by sea. If you will allow it, we will sail to Le Harve and then up the Seine to Paris.
Celina nods, "Yes. But please keep in mind that I don't want to lose my Archivists or fall cross purpose with my Father in Paris. That means best not be too public if you are slipping back to Rebma through Paris. He is here and not there, of course."
"We shall cooperate fully with his Vice-roys. The passage to Rebma is outside of Paris, so we shan't be formally entering the city. I expect no delays."
Last modified: 8 April 2018