Girl-Medical Talk

Folly and Solange would describe the kitchen as industrial. The size and quantities of fixtures and storage are enough to serve hundreds at a banquet. There's a small built-in wall fridge, from which Soren gets the beer, but there's also an obvious cold room where more refrigerated supplies are kept.

Once shown the cold-vault, Celina tries to stay out of the way of everyone gettting their beer, yet runs a hand over the side of softly vibrating appliance, sniffing once near the hidden back coils. She smiles and then finds a seat, settles and crosses her long legs. The beer, of course, is great.

Hannah is also facinated with the fridge, although her inspection is more visual than Celina's somatosensationalism. She figures out the temperature dial, she figures out the light-bulb trigger, and is delighted the whole way.

Solange reaches past Hannah and grabs two beers. She tosses one lightly to Gerard, then opens the other one for herself as she sits down next to Celina.

[Hannah]
"We don't have these back home. I should say, no one around where we live does - we've got other ways. Some of the finer-living folks out East do, but none of them has a light inside, that I've heard of, and we don't call them fridges. They're Lindens. Sometimes they leak and people die from the fumes, and that's usually when you eventually hear about it. I'm sure this one has been fixed though."

Folly nods. "I think this version is a little more... advanced... than what you're talking about. Not so much with the dying. I hope." She grins.

Celina cocks her head absorbing the soothing hum traveling from the fridge through the floor under her feet. She nods once to Folly's summary.

Hannah, for all her poking around the machine, skips the beer and pulls out the juice. Then she makes an exploration of the rest of the kitchen to find glasses, and along the way pulls out all the tools she doesn't recognize and asks for explanations.

Solange lightheartedly makes a game of this, offering (and soliciting from whomever wants to join in) several possible uses for each gadget for Hannah to choose from. The choices Solange presents are tame at first, but get more outrageous after the second beer.

Folly happily joins in this game.

Celina takes a moment to catch on, but mostly laughs rather than compete with the wit shown.

Hannah thoroughly enjoys this, and has no problem coming up with alternative (even feasible) uses for most things.

And hilarity ensues. :-)

[Solange] will ask Soren to tell how he met Folly and Random.

Folly looks at Soren a little too intently, but she lets him answer the question.

Gerard hangs around for the first beer, to be social, but then seems to decide that his chaperonage is preventing the young people from having their fun, so he bids them good night.

Celina watches Soren to catch the nuance of his expressions as he talks about 'the old days'.

Soren fills in a very short-form version of how he met Syd: at a drum circle in a bar in his homeland. He glances at Folly intermittently throughout.

Hannah looks over at Folly with a very curious expression on her face.

Folly nods slowly and adds that 'Syd' is the name -- or maybe just one of the names -- that Random uses when he's travelling in Shadow, which is why people keep calling him that.

The Seaward cousin enjoys the beer, the laughter, and the story from Soren. She also basks in the mystery of Folly's leverage over Soren in this social setting. She nods and makes a point of remembering everything she can about the King in his wandering myth days.

When Soren finishes his story, Folly answers the other half of Solange's question, dealing it out with all the poker-faced gravity of the final card in a high-stakes hand: Soren met Folly because they went to the same school, way-back-when. She stares into her beer for a moment and then takes a long swig.

Solange raises her eyebrows at Folly's reaction, then her eyes slide over to Soren to read his reaction. She shifts and takes another good look at Soren. How old would she say he is?

If he looks his age -- and he probably does, moreso than your average Amberite, anyway -- he's maybe a couple years shy of 40.

That's about right.

Hannah looks between Soren and Folly with a little grin. "So y'all do drum circles? Do you think we could get something like that going here, regular?"

Folly grins broadly. "Back in Amber, we were doing regular jam sessions 'til the Army came home and we all had to plan a Coronation and run errands all over the universe and stuff. So, yeah, I'll bet we could work something out."

"We'll have to fill out the instrument rack a little, but I hear we can find good ones in Amber, if you two ever let me go there," Soren says, pointing his finger at Folly. He looks like he might stick his tongue out at her.

Folly sticks just the tip of her tongue out between her still-grinning teeth. "Patience, my child," she says, teasingly.

Deciding that the day has impressions in plenty, Celina excuses herself from the ladies and bard. She makes her way through the castle to the balcony overlook where everyone Trumped in to today and watches the stars for a while before turning in to sleep. She is satisfied with the day and has no trouble finding her new room or falling to sleep once she claims the bed.

After Celina has departed, Folly turns her attention to Hannah. "So, what I wanted to talk to you about was, uh, girl-stuff. Medical stuff. Uh, girl-medical stuff." She grins, a bit sheepishly. "You planning on sticking around Xanadu for a while?"

Hannah smiles. "I believe that's the plan right now. Do you want to go for a walk, or we can sit," Hannah offers, and gestures to the other side of the kitchen.

"My cue," Solange smiles, standing up. "I'll leave you two alone. Folly, perhaps we can talk later? And Soren, it was good to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Solange," Soren replies.

Folly nods and says, "Come by my room in about an hour, maybe? It's the one with the cat door." She grins.

Solange reaches out to shake Soren's hand, touches Folly lightly on the shoulder, smiles goodnight to Hannah, and exits, stage right.

Soren has a firm handshake, Solange notices.

"Uh, yeah, I think there's a guitar in the studio calling my name. Nice to meet you Hannah--we'll talk more later. 'Night, Folly." And Soren beats a hasty retreat.

"'Night, love," Folly calls after him. She sounds like she's trying to contain affectionate laughter.

Hannah nods and waves. Then she takes a seat and motions for Folly to sit, too. "Okay, ask me. I'll answer the best I can."

Folly nods and takes a seat, but it takes her a moment to begin, as if she's having trouble deciding quite where to start. Finally she says, "So... um, has anyone told you about the probability manipulation we do, and how you can't do it when you're somewhere that there's a Pattern?"

Hannah's eyebrows go up. "It can't be done where there is a Pattern? I don't think anyone mentioned that, or I didn't catch the hint. Hm. Why not?"

"Metaphysically-why-not?" Folly rests her chin in her hands as she ponders the question for several long moments. Finally she says, "Well, you know how if you go outside at midday on a cloudless summer day and light a match, you're not really changing the ambient light? I think it's sort of like that. Like, a Pattern is a big sun-source of reality, and we're all... candles, or maybe bonfires, some of us --- but at any rate we can't really make noticeable changes to the ambient Real if we're too close to the source." She cocks her head and looks at Hannah. "Does that make sense?"

"That makes perfect sense, but then... well, anyway," Hannah nods and smiles some thought away. "So the probability manipulation does not work if one is where a Pattern is. Go on."

"So, if one has been using the Wishful Thinking method to, say, keep from getting pregnant, and then one relocates to the shiny new source of Reality...." Folly looks at Hannah and grins almost shyly. "What do women generally use where you're from?"

"Barrier methods. The most successful way to not get pregnant is to avoid collision. It's harder to control the body. I know a few recipes for drinks, but there were always enough women around who knew all about those measures that I didn't have to study them much. I have to think they would not work as well on you or I, because of our special tolerances, so I can't recommend them. And," Hannah takes a deep breath, "I'm going to be frank. This 'wishful thinking' method - what a good name for it. I've heard this from a number of people now, and it's all anecdotal. No one has anything resembling real evidence that it works. I do not think you should be using it at all, not even in... in Shadow. There are too many unanswered questions. What if you lose focus? What if part of you does want a baby? What if we're just on a slower fertilization cycle because we live so long and it's got nothing to do with what our desire is, but instead we think we're safe until, oops, we're not."

Hannah smiles grimly. "That said, multiple barrier methods. I was told there was a shortage of these in Amber. I hope that's not going to stay true here, or I think we can expect to see a new generation soon. If you can't get your hands on a well-made device, take a lemon, slice it, and use it as a pessary. When I say barrier methods I mean... sheaths for men. Anything that will keep a man's seed from reaching your womb, and more than one blockade, if you can manage it."

Folly rolls her eyes, but she's grinning. "Aw, man, I'm gonna end up with so much between my legs there won't be room for company...."

Hannah laughs. "Try to have fun with it. If you let it become part of the work instead of part of the fun, next thing you know, you won't be doin' it."

In a more serious tone, Folly continues, "In my younger days, I used the... a hormonal pill, which seemed to work extremely well under... ah... rigorous testing." She grins again. "But maybe I was just lucky. Or maybe---" But she cuts that thought off with a half-shrug. "And the evidence for the Wishful Thinking method may be anecdotal, but all the anecdotes I know are pretty compelling...." She shrugs again.

Hannah's smile isn't grim this time. "Ask me more."

Folly thinks for a moment, then asks, "Have you decided yet whether you'll be sticking around Xanadu for a while?" It sounds like more than just an idle question.

"I'll go where Gerard goes, for now," Hannah answers quietly.

Folly's heart melts in gratitude, and she reaches out and squeezes Hannah's hand.

Hannah squeezes back.

"There are a few things I very much want to do while I'm here, like get into the woods. I take it you're staying here?"

"For the forseeable future, minus some possible short trips back to Amber to help organize relocation," Folly says. "Or off into Shadow," she adds, with an impish spark in her eye, "to pick up... accoutrements. Unless the accoutrement-manufacturing business really picks up here...."

She cocks her head, thinking, and muses, "Hmmm, perhaps we might actually do something about that, since the king doesn't want us poppin' kids out left and right...."

"He doesn't? Hm." Hannah thinks about that, while asking, "What's getting relocated?"

"Oh, right, you're tuning in late, aren't you?" Folly says with an apologetic chuckle. "I suppose, then, nobody's bothered explaining to you why we're all here checking out this new castle and shiny new Pattern.... Did they tell you that there used to be another one -- another Pattern, I mean -- in Castle Amber, but it stopped working?"

"No. There was a Pattern in Amber?" Hannah asks. "I saw the other one," she whispers.

Folly's eyes widen; a moment later, though, her forehead creases in confusion. "Uhhhm... which other one?" she whispers back.

"The one... on the true earth. How many are there?" Hannah asks, starting to look worried.

For just a moment, Folly looks stricken, as if Hannah's answer disturbs her somehow. But she pushes it quickly aside and replies, "Well, that I know of, there's... the one you saw. There's the one that used to be in Amber but now has a big crack through it. There's one in Rebma and one in Tir -- or at least, there used to be, but no one's been able to get back there to check since the Amber one stopped working. And then there's the new baby one here, and the one Corwin just drew in Paris. Um... has anyone filled you in about Rebma and Tir?"

Hannah blinks for a moment and then has to smile. "Rebma, under the sea, the Queen and Martin are from there. Paris... Corwin's there. I don't remember anyone mentioning this Tir place. Why are there so many?" Hannah asks.

"I... don't really know," Folly replies thoughtfully. "I've heard people say that Rebma and Tir are metaphysical reflections of Amber, their Patterns metaphysical reflections of the one that used to be in Amber; but I've also heard it suggested -- particularly by people with a connection to Rebma -- that that's a giant load of whale sh**." Folly grins, and then continues in a more matter-of-fact tone, "And then Amber's Pattern broke, and Corwin drew another one that became Paris, although I'm not exactly sure why he did it, and then Syd drew the one here to replace the broken one."

She continue in a voice tinged with awe, " Tir -- Tir-na Nog'th -- is a city in the sky, just like Rebma is a city in the sea. Well, maybe not just like: you can only get there when the moon is full and the magic stairs appear. Or so I've heard. The stairs stopped showing up in Amber after the Pattern broke, and that's about when I arrived."

Folly hesitates, and then asks cautiously, "Um, how did you end up at the other Pattern?"

Hannah smiles, and looks around again before she leans in to tell Folly, "The Unicorn lead me there." There's no pride in it, but her smile speaks of how neat that was. Then she shakes her head. "No, wait, that's how I ended up on the true earth. Dworkin took me to see the Pattern."

And then she looks worried about something, quite suddenly. "It seems... out of balance. Perhaps there's another Pattern no one knows about? There should be four, or six, or seven. Not five." Her brow furrows. "I apologize. I'm dragging us away from your explanation. The Pattern that was in Amber has a crack in it, and something has to be relocated?"

Folly is staring at Hannah with an intensely curious expression that intensifies as Hannah's tale progresses. But, "Yeah. Amber." Folly smiles wryly. "Amber can't support her own populace without outside trade. And with the Pattern gone, the mystical Trade Routes To Elsewhere don't work anymore. So what we're basically trying to do here is make a new home. For everybody."

The wheels of Folly's mind are obviously still turning over the details of Hannah's story. After a moment, she asks, "Why not five?"

Hannah laughs. "If there were four that could be the four directions, or the four layers of life, or the four realms, or the four elements - it would make sense, that way, as a balance. If there were six, it would be the four directions plus 'above' and 'below' - and the centers would just be the center - or with seven, one might be the center. But five doesn't work. You can't have a center without there being an above and below, so you can't have five. This is what... this is what I was taught, about the universe. I know that there are many things I don't understand about the Universe, but these things have seemed to hold true so far. I really hope to be wrong, because balance is important."

Folly nods slowly. She looks more like she's processing Hannah's theory than that she agrees fully with it.

Hannah sighs and looks a lot more serious. "I am very... wary of plans that move people. What have the people said about this 'relocation'?"

"Nothing, yet," Folly says. Hannah can hear the frustration creeping into her voice. "We can't really tell them the plan 'til we've got a plan, and we're still working on that part. But -- look, Hannah, I know what the last five years have been like in Amber. I know what we had to do to keep people from starving to death... and the environment can't support that kind of stress for much longer. We've tried to grow crops and livestock with only limited success. We've overfished to the point it'll take a generation or more to repopulate the waters, and we don't really have any other good sources of game. I don't much like the idea of prying folks out of their ancestral homes either, but I won't abandon them to starvation."

Folly presses her hand to her forehead like she feels a headache coming on; but when she speaks again, her tone is calmer and more even. "They all deserve a choice, and I would give them that. But if they choose to stay, they need to know what they're in for." She lets out a resigned sigh. "You got a better idea? And 'fix the broken Amber pattern' is apparently not an option, which is why we've now got this new one."

Hannah looks worried about Folly. "I'll think about it. You know, you shouldn't take so much of this on yourself. And try to remember as you do this that there is really only so much you can do for people - some of them won't believe you when you tell them the truth of the situation. There will be people who can't be saved, and that isn't going to be your fault." Hannah says this firmly, with the conviction of someone who has been there, in different circumstances.

Folly gives Hannah a sad smile. "I have to try, though, y'know? I may not have been born in Amber, but a lot of them--- they're my people. I gotta look out for them, 'cos if I don't, I'm not sure anyone else will." She shakes her head in resignation.

"I understand, I really do. I went to medical school because of feeling that way. I just hate to see anyone going through it. I wish I could offer to help you, but I have to stay where Gerard is, and I need to focus on him." Something about that thought makes Hannah smile, despite the seriousness of her tone.

Folly smiles, too, in deep gratitude.

"But no plan? You should just call a... meeting."

"A meeting. Ahh, if only we could get everyone in one place for a meeting." Folly laughs softly. "I think what I need to do is talk to the king, and tell him what I'm thinking of doing, and then just do it. Cut as much bureaucracy out of the process as possible, y'know?"

"Easier to ask forgiveness than permission," Hannah says, and then puts her hand over her mouth, looking surprised she said that out loud. "I mean, well, the king has pretty much made up his mind, it looks like."

The sparkle in her eyes suggests that Folly agrees with at least some of those sentiments.

Obviously in a better mood now, Folly leans back a little in her chair and grins at Hannah. "But now you've got me all curious. The unicorn took you to meet Dworkin?"

"Oh, no!" Hannah grins. "The Unicorn wanted me to set the broken leg of a Gryffon. Dworkin and Brita just happened by," Hannah explains. "And then Brita had to talk to her mother and well... next thing you know... I'm in Amber."

Folly blinks. "A... gryffon. And then Dworkin and Brita just happened by. Y'know, I think I've had dreams like that. Usually after eating too much ice cream."

Hannah laughs.

She grins, but her curiosity hardly seems satisfied. Leaning forward and resting her chin in her hands, she asks, "What's Dworkin like? I've only ever heard stories."

"Well, he's very nice. And funny. You should meet him. He seemed a bit lonely, like he wants visitors. He was sketching me. If he makes a trump of me and calls with it I will try to get him to come visit. He's very sensitive to what other people are feeling - worried about doing things that will upset them. And he cares a great deal about the Gryffon, I think. It must be his pet. He was purple - the Gryffon - not quite like your hair, but still purple. He was sweet too."

Hannah can tell Folly must be an animal-lover -- or at least an exotic-purple-animal-lover -- from her look of wide-eyed wonder. "I hope Dworkin does come to visit," Folly agrees, "because I would love to meet him. And you can tell him that, if you think it'll help." She grins.

"I've been meaning to ask you about your hair," Hannah says, and then smiles big. "I hope I'm not about to ask something offensive, but you seem like... I can ask you questions."

Folly seems both humbled and delighted by that assessment. She smiles and gives a small nod, encouraging Hannah to continue.

"Do you dye it, or does everyone have streaks in their hair where you're from, or..." Hannah shrugs, and looks a little embarrassed for asking.

Folly, however, doesn't seem the least self-conscious about it. "I dye the purple parts," she says. "Actually I re-did it just a couple weeks ago, because I happened to be out someplace with much more vivid dyes than I can get in Amber. If you look real close, you can probably see the roots starting to come in again...." Folly slides her fingers into her bangs, lifts them up to expose her scalp, and leans in so Hannah can take a look.

There are no traces of dark roots. In fact, for all that it's an improbable color, to Hannah it looks entirely natural.

"No roots yet," Hannah grins, narrowing her eyes to look at Folly's head. She sits back, and looks a lot more relaxed. "Men in my tribe sometimes... well, they used to dye streaks into their hair. We don't do that anymore though. Women used to get markings, too, but my father wouldn't let us do it, and with this new generation it's all but died out." Hannah smiles a resigned little smile.

"Markings... like tattoos?" Folly asks, intrigued.

"Yes, that's exactly what they are. But it has been... dangerous for us to show who we are," Hannah says, grimly.

Folly looks even more intrigued, but she decides to let this new information percolate a bit before pursuing it further. Hannah continues:

"So it's strange to come here, and see so many things that remind me of home, or how it used to be. Men in our tribe all cut their hair off short, now. Here there are just as many long haired men as short. People aren't afraid of color, or music. It's nice, that way."

Folly smiles; she has a dreamy, faraway look in her eyes. "You know, the theory that says all of reality springs forth from these Patterns implies that everything you see out there, in the Shadows, must reflect something from here. I'm not sure I entirely believe that -- or at least, I think it's a little more complicated than that -- but on the other hand... this place!" She throws her arms wide as if to embrace all of Xanadu. "This place is more like my home than my home was, y'know?"

Hannah seems to think about this, but she shakes her head. "I don't know, no. Home is... home. This place is strong and awake but I've never been anyplace that was more like home than home is. My people believe we are born of that earth, though. It's a different kind of connection than most people I've meet seem to have to a place. It is why, when relocation is mentioned to me, I become tense. For the tribes, where I'm from, it's like ripping a child away from it's mother. People don't do well after they're moved. But maybe your people aren't attached to the land that way." The last is half a question, and half hope.

"I don't... think so, no," Folly says slowly, like she's considering the idea even as she answers the question. "Where I come from, people often move around a lot. Neither of my parents was born in the city where I grew up, for example. If they felt... disconnected from the lands of their births, they never let on. Mum always talked like she was glad to get out of there. But on the other hand...."

Folly looks at Hannah with an intense gaze. "For me, it's the ocean," she says. "I've always lived within sight of it, and--- well, Martin might disagree with me, but I've always imagined that all oceans are part of the same great body, that they're all connected. It's true where I'm from, certainly. So wherever I am, as long as I'm in sight of it, I feel connected to home. I'd probably be useless if I had to move deep inland." She smiles.

Hannah nods. "It's the woods for me, I suppose. Even when I was in the city, away from home, I could always... well, I've gone and made home so much a part of me that when I was away at school or working and I would spiritwalk because I was homesick, the walks always seemed to start in the same place they'd have started when I was home. So I was... I'm guessing, I don't really know - in the spirit realm that touches home."

Folly looks utterly fascinated. She seems to be biting back a million eager questions.

Hannah sighs. "Yet I've been a little nervous about experimenting too much with that here, so I've been craving the real woods, only couldn't go in Amber because of the war there, and now having to have some common sense and not go exploring unexplored woods at night."

Folly smiles in sympathy. "Well, I think we're almost at summer here, so you oughtta have plenty of day for exploring." Then she blinks, as if something just occurred to her. "Would you mind if I tagged along sometime? I... I'm curious."

"Of course you can tag along," Hannah smiles.

Folly grins. "And actually, I'm curious about a lot of things now. Like, why you've been wary to try -- you called it 'spiritwalking'? -- here...." She raises her eyebrows, inviting Hannah to elaborate if she wishes.

Hannah grins. "Well, I tried it in Amber, with Ossian, and I think I could do it there, even though it didn't quite get off the ground the first time. But it's... this place is," Hannah looks down at the table, looking for the right words. "It's stronger here. When I..."

Hannah stops and puts and hand over her mouth while she ponders a way to explain it. When she does start talking again, she's nearly whispering. "I opened myself up to the land, and it nearly knocked me down. It wasn't malicious - but like a strong unexpected wind gust. It's so strong here, I'm not sure I'd know I was in the spirit realm. There are... well, my teacher always said that a person should try to use their common sense in everything, and my common sense tells me maybe I shouldn't try messing with the spirit realm here until I have a better understanding of the earth realm. Does that... make sense? I feel like I'm running on, a little. I should get to bed soon."

Folly's eyes widen in sympathy. "Yeah, today has been kind of intense, hasn't it? I shouldn't keep you up. I do think I see what you're saying, about how... strong... this place is. It's sort of like a big friendly puppy." She smiles fondly. "We'll see whether it mellows as it gets older...."

Hannah laughs at this image.

Folly stands and stretches. "I should let you get to bed. And I should probably head in that direction myself. But I definitely wanna talk more with you about this stuff after things have settled down around here." She grins and offers Hannah a hand up out of her seat. "C'mon, I'll walk you back to the family wing...."

Hannah stands up and nods. "We'll talk," she agrees.

After some walking and thinking Hannah mentions, "I may need some help with things for Gerard, and you and Solange are the first people here I'm going to go to for that, so don't be too surprised when it happens. I know you need to deal with your people back in Amber, but hopefully between me and the two of you we can manage."

"Anything you need, don't hesitate to ask," Folly says emphatically. "I'll do whatever I can to help Gerard heal." Her deep affection for her foster-father is evident in her voice.

"And Hannah.... Thanks."

After Lucas, Opal, and Paige complete their discussion, Paige and Lucas return to the castle. Solace is waiting, with a bag packed carefully by Gaston for each of them. Paige contacts Bleys by Trump and passes the couple through.

[OOC note: Folly and Martin are not taking Trump calls, if the question comes up and attempts are made.]

It is late, late night in Xanadu, and almost everyone is abed. Bleys is in the library, or what will become the library. There are a lot of well-made bookshelves, many of which are empty, and more social spaces than in the Castle Amber library. These spaces contain couches, in the pale color typical of undecorated Xanadu, and low tables for conversation. Whoever furnished them also thought to provide well-stocked sideboards.

Lucas is able to take Solace and retire for the night. Solace will sleep in in the morning, but Lucas can take the time to explore the Castle and, for instance, find the kitchens and the kitchen staff. By the time Solace has dressed and broken her fast, it is late morning, and Lucas and Solace are at liberty in the castle.