As Martin's words are cut off by the closing door, Robin looks at Solange with eyes shifting from bewilderment to resigned fear. "Solange? Am I under arrest?"
The Ranger knew this day would come, but the actual proximity of Amber's dungeons terrifies her.
Solange blinks, caught completely off-guard. "Under arrest? Gods, no..." The noise escaping her throat is some cross between a strangled cry and a choked laugh, and she wishes regretfully that she'd taken Martin up on the offer of a drink.
Taking a deep breath, Solange knits her fingers together and holds them loosely in front of her. She looks up at her half-sister and holds her gaze. "Robin, Adonis is dead."
"WHAT?!?" Robin's yell is probably loud enough to be heard through the door. And by the way the girl immediately grabs her head, she already regrets the outburst.
"You all right? Robin?"
"Headache." She grits out through clenched teeth before looking back up at Solange.
"H-how? Show me!" Robin's green eyes are tearing up even as she clumsily shoves her way toward the door. 'Can't be. It can't be,' her soul murmurs to herself. She worked so hard, armored him with love, warned him, taught him... "can't be."
Solange positions herself between Robin and the door. "There is no body to see," she replies gently. "Robin, please...sit down and let me tell you what happened."
Robin's face crumples. She doesn't want to push through Solange. And beyond Solange are Martin, Brennan and Cambina. And beyond them, the damn maze of the Castle itself.
The girl's body follows her face and Robin half-falls into a sitting position on the floor, right where she was previously standing. (Solange would remember from previous encounters and seeing Robin around the Castle, that Robin is not all that wed to using furniture. Even under the best of circumstances. It's her Ranger heritage showing through.)
"Wh-what happened?" She looks up, her face already growing blotchy. Robin is not a pretty crier.
Solange kneels beside Robin, then sinks down to sit on her ankles. She rests her hands in her lap and gazes at Robin sympathetically.
"As near as I can piece together," Solange tells her, "Adonis's grandmother psychically possessed a Ranger and two castle servants and Paige's two children. It's believed that the attack was against the children. Brita and Conner tracked the Ranger to Paige's quarters. When I arrived..."
Solange pauses and swallows, remembering all the blood. It's not a detail necessary to the story now, however.
"Soon after I arrived, the grandmother left the five and entered Adonis. There was a struggle for control, which it appears Adonis won. I trumped Father, intending to send people through to be examined. That was when...that was when Adonis poured brandy over himself and stepped into the fire. Brita tried to stop him, but he burned too quickly. It was all over in half a minute."
Public self-immolation.... a dark part of Robin nods. That sounds like her brother.
However it's a different part of her that asks, "Was anyone else hurt?"
A terrific snort-snuffle is indulged in as Robin wipes her running nose on her sleeve.
Solange conveniently finds a handkerchief in the folds of her dress and hands it to her half-sister.
"Brita was burned," she answers Robin, "but she'll recover. The two servants are dead. The Ranger and Paige's children seemed mostly coherent when they went through the trump to Father.
"I tried to trump Uncle Julian right after, but I couldn't get through. He was there, but not answering."
"Headache." Robin explains. The girl eyes the cloth in Solange's hand for a moment without comprehension. A little 'oh' light goes off in her eyes. She takes the handkerchief, blows her nose and wipes her eyes with the other side.
Solange narrows her eyes in concern. "Yes, you mentioned to Martin that you both had headaches when you came in. After...well, after Adonis finished burning, there was a whoosh of energy that rushed through the room. I hear a cry and I almost lost my trump connection. Perhaps you're feeling the after effects of that. If it continues, I would strongly suggest letting Father take a look at you."
"The Scream didn't hurt you then?" Robin looks at her sister in confusion. "Or anyone else?"
Solange shakes her head slowly. "It didn't affect me. I haven't heard that anyone else was affected, either."
"Anything else?" Robin still has tears streaming down her face, a red nose, blotchy cheeks, etc. and she is shaking, but she is also obviously gearing herself up for something that requires calm.
Solange reaches out and takes Robin's hand, wanting to offer comfort. "No, nothing much else after that. Just cleaning things up." She pauses. "We still need to inform Uncle Julian and Jovian. Do you think your father will take a trump call now?"
"From me, yeah. I need to report right away." Robin starts to nod again and then stops with a wince. She looks down at her hand within Solange's, then back up to her sister's eyes, a little wondering.
Suddenly Solange is enveloped in a rather messy hug. "Thanks, Solange."
Solange smiles and returns the hug. "I'm glad to see you again, but I'm very sorry it was under such dire circumstances." She breaks and sits back, studying her half-sister. "Would you like me to tell Uncle Julian?" she asks Robin softly.
"No. But if you could stay nearby in case he has any questions?" Robin can't bring herself to smile at this time so she contents herself with a look of gratitude.
Solange nods. "Of course."
Then she disengages herself from Solange and reaches into an interior pocket to withdraw her Trump case. It is made of intricately carved dark wood and hinged into two opening wings.
Solange pauses and looks up at Robin strangely. "When you first came in here, you thought you were being arrested. Why would you think that? What have you been doing?" She smiles, and Robin can see Solange is half-teasing, half-serious.
"Uhhhhh..." The Ranger squirms guiltily. "Guards," she murmurs.
"And I've been good since the oath, Solange. Really. It's just... before that.... dark days..." Robin turns away. She can't meet the eyes of the former council member and first liaison to the Rangers.
Seeing that she's making Robin uncomfortable, Solange changes the subject. "Martin wanted to be present when we contact your father," she reminds Robin. "Are you ready to go back in?"
"He did? Verde." Robin curses dispiritedly. With a shrug, she snorts and wipes herself back together. Slowly -- and somewhat painfully -- the girl hauls herself to her feet. "Guess so."
Solange rises as well. "I take it you'd rather not have Martin present?" she asks curiously.
Robin peeks at her sister from behind innocent eyes. And decides to edge a little more into the light. "Yep. But my druthers don't count where his are involved." She doesn't sound mad about that, just resigned.
Solange smiles. "May I ask why?" Her expression is not condemning, merely inquisitive.
The Ranger's brow furrows, almost like she can't quite believe that's a serious question.
"He's...." Robin spreads her hands a little helplessly, "he's alpha. Driven, focused... dangerous. And since I'm not, it's better if I stay out of his way." She shrugs, knowing she's not explaining it well. "I ain't saying he's wrong. And I ain't saying he's bad. I just..." She shrugs again.
"It's all right," Solange says, taking her sister's arm in hers and leading her toward the door. "Let's go and get this over with."
"'K." Robin twines her arm around Solange and might, just might, be leaning on her sister a little as her slightly wobbly steps head for the door.
When they open the door into the main chamber, Solange and Robin see that Brennan and Cambina have departed. Martin is alone, pacing, and more of the lunch on the side-table has vanished.
He comes forward to meet Solange and Robin, gauging things by their respective demeanors. "Robin, please accept the condolences of the Crown on your loss, and my own."
"Thank you, Your Highness... and Martin." Robin's brow furrows a little as she tries to figure that one out. She's still somewhat disoriented but if Martin's going to talk as two people, she supposes she can answer him that way. It's not that far of a stretch, considering both of her brothers are... were multiple souled.
The girl's eyes are liquid and red. Her cheeks are flushed and her nose is blotchy as she stammers out, "I-I need to report to my father... and Jove."
Solange fishes out Julian's trump--still on top of her deck from trying to contact him earlier--and hands it wordlessly to Robin.
The Ranger looks somewhat surprised but takes the Trump with a grateful nod. And a somewhat finicky touch.
"Of course," Martin says in the sort of reassuring tone Robin might use with a skittish hawk.
"I'll be here to do anything you and your father need, and if there's not a trump of your brother to hand, we should have a sketch of him in the trump booth. If you need something to steady your nerves, I can fetch it." A wordless glance extends the offer to Solange.
Solange nods. "That would be welcome, thanks."
Martin's tone brings a rueful tug to one corner of Robin's mouth. Yes, she is being skittish, but she doesn't know any other way to be under the circumstances. So she just nods. And winces. She's got to stop doing that!
"I... uh, have a sketch of Jovian with me. Guess this counts as an emergency. Do... do you know if you can use them more than once?" she asks the room in general.
Martin says over his shoulder as he moves to the bar and pours three stiff drinks, "It depends on the sketch and how long the artist spends making it. Sometimes they last through several uses, but if you leave them long enough, they can go bad without you ever trying them."
He returns to the women with three tumblers of strong whiskey, offering one each to Solange and Robin.
"K." Robin drawls in thought. Then looks up in surprise at the glass Martin is offering. The corner of her mouth tightens again, not quite a smile, and for some reason the thought of firewood dashes through her already scattered thoughts.
Robin's eyes are warm beneath the wet as she takes the tumbler. Not waiting for a toast -- please Green no! -- the Ranger kicks back her whiskey in one chug. Certainly not respecting it the way she should, but definitely using it as needed.
Pausing while lifting her own tumbler to her lips, Solange watches Robin slug hers back, impressed.
Martin takes a long drink from his, but doesn't match Robin's pace.
"Thank you," she murmurs to Martin the person as she wipes her mouth on the back of her hand. Then sniffling and straightening, she holds up her father's Trump and gazes into its cool image.
Solange takes the empty tumbler from Robin and smiles in quiet amusement at Martin. She gestures to Martin with a small flick of her head and a raising of her eyebrows, wondering if he'd like to take a few steps away and give Robin a little privacy.
[Oh, would he like to. Sadly, that's not in the job description.]
Martin shakes his head, frowning, as he puts down his glass. But he doesn't touch Robin in any way that would draw him into the forming contact.
Solange nods in acknowledgment. Inappropriate to start a conversation with Martin, and not wanting to stare at Robin, she slides her attention down to study the tips of her shoes, her drink temporarily forgotten. A part of her is relieved Robin offered to tell Julian about Adonis's death, but another part of her feels guilty that she wasn't more insistent to do it herself to spare Robin the trauma.
The contact opens after a brief delay where Robin can feel her father but he hasn't turned his full attention to her yet. When she can see him, Julian is sitting astride Morgenstern. Concern washes across his slightly-too-pale face as he takes in Robin's condition. "Robin. What news?" His tone suggests he's bracing for the worst.
Robin delivers it like the Ranger she is. "Solange reports from inference that Adonis' grandmother possessed a Ranger, two of the Castle staff and Paige's children. From eyewitness she reports that she, Brita, Conner and Adonis were involved. The possessor left the other four and entered Adonis. They fought within Adonis. Adonis took control and... immolated h-himself."
Fire, fire. Robin remembers her brother's rhymes when last they faced the Dragon's creature. Her lip quivers but she keeps speaking despite the water filling her eyes.
"Brita was injured trying to extinguish him, but was... unsuccessful. Solange reports a Scream accompanied his death, but indicates that none here were injured by it. She reports that the Ranger and Paige's kids are with Gerard. Staff dead."
Robin finds herself gulping air as her heart screams out to her father.
Solange suddenly remembers the drink in her hand. She turns partly away to gaze out the window and gulps it.
Solange catches Martin doing the same thing as she turns away.
Through the contact, Robin can feel her father's shock, horror, and sudden white-hot rage. He extends his hand and says, "Bring me through."
"Yes, sir." The Ranger's voice is clipped and professional. And the hand that she extends to her father is as strong and steady as she can make it.
Julian steps through and draws his daughter into his arms.
Solange turns toward them but her eyes suddenly mist over at the tender embrace. Lest anyone notice, she once again drops her gaze to study her shoes.
Robin cradles herself into her father's embrace, hugging him back as hard as she can. Her face is hidden against his chest, but her shoulders are shaking with silent sobs.
Julian holds Robin close long enough for her to master herself and stop crying. His own face, which Solange can see over Robin's if she looks up again, could be carved from stone. There's something a little wild in Julian's eyes and his jaw is set in a way that bodes ill for someone.
Martin has his trump deck out and is flipping through it for a card. If he can get Solange's attention, he mouths "Caine!" at her. Martin's expression is by no means panicked, but he's clearly worried.
Solange nods and turns partially away from Julian and Robin to flip through her trump deck and bring out Uncle Caine's card. She concentrates on it, seeking to establish a contact.
When Robin has calmed enough to be rational, Julian releases her and says, "Jovian must know." He pulls out a sketch of Jovian from a belt pouch and unrolls it, concentrating on it to make contact.
Despite her tears, Robin gets herself under what passes for control with her. Julian's posture, his voice... still on duty. This is not the time. She nods and steps away from his embrace.
An enormous snort and another swipe at eyes and nose has Robin merely blotchy and moist as opposed to sopping. It seems as though she's caught some of Julian's wildness as well, for a hard eerie green is beginning to burn in her eyes.
Martin has found whatever trump he's looking for and is using it.
Evdiently the card Martin was using was Fiona's, becuase first Brennan steps through and then Fiona. He nods to Martin, but says nothing.
Martin nods back, but keeps silent. He puts his trumps away by feel; his attention is on Julian and Robin.
Brennan sees Julian; opens his mouth to say something, then sees him looking down at a Trump; works out who Julian is likely to be calling, and looks down, briefly. He settles for a position behind Fiona, waiting for the next arrivals.
[What next? On to battle? Blood and Souls for My Lord High Exchequer? ]
Isla Mula, I believe? Vere wants to stay with the men through that campaign, with the plan of bringing it to as speedy a conclusion as possible. After that, he is intent on a scouting expedition to Lady's Town.
Mull is a large island, shaped like an arrowhead, with central mountains and three main castles. (Shaped like Mull, actually...) Castle Leannan on the eastern promontory is the main target, but Castle Moy must be held to keep them from leading a sortie in defence of Leannan. Siege wants to put the Children in to free up about 70 men with experience investing castles. It's not glamourous, but it is useful.
On the north coast of Mull is a feature called "The Well of the Lady". It is reputed to have magical healing powers.
Jovian will definitely make a point of asking about this, if it's brought to his attention, as an alternative to waiting for the solstice to do something about M'corli's eyes.
What are the plans? Siege estimates the Children will be needed for 2-3 weeks. Vere could easily slip off to Lady's Town once things become routine, especially if he had dragonrider assistance.
[Looking for approaches, goals, general orders, etc. Mark, they thought the dragons would be harassing shipping, but you don't have to follow orders...]
[Jovian is not following orders at all, but accepting recommendations. He does not intend to have his riders out on sortie more than one day in three unless truly compelling circumstances require otherwise, and in any event they're not going out on any exercise that may yield prisoners until his questions are answered. So I expect he and Canareth will have some time, should Vere want to squeeze in a day-trip.]
OK, so it sounds like we keep Jovian busy with ship warfare (or not) and only bring him in to play on Mull to go with Vere to Lady's Town.
Jovian, V'laren suggests that maybe you could forestall another attack mission by helping feed these people, by rigging some trawling nets.
That's a good idea. We can also do some reconnaisance under certain circumstances, and blockade-running if necessary, neither of which should involve much in the way of combat.
[Mull may be mostly off-stage, and we'll move forward in play to Lady's Town. Up to James...]
Vere is making it clear to Siege and to the Rebmans from the way he acts and talks that Jovian is an independent ally, and that whether or not he and the dragonriders take part in any particular battle or campaign is totally up to them.
Now that the Children have been blooded, and have actual experience with surface combat, Vere is relaxing the rules on prisoners. Their foes should be given every opportunity to surrender, so long as doing so does not jeopardize the Children, and prisoners are to be treated honourably.
Vere will go over plans for the Mull campaign with Siege, based on the best intelligence on where the enemy has forces and how strong they are. He wants to avoid falling into the trap of overconfidence if things go better than expected, let's do this by the numbers. The Children are still in training, and Vere wants to see to it that they aren't exposed to any greater risks than necessary in the campaign. Nice and steady are the watchwords here.
The dragonriders are on non-combat missions while Kourin works on the Priestesses. She reports that they are bullheaded old women, especially the young ones, and that they are as confident of themselves as bronze riders. She wants more time.
The Children of Lir are given garrison duty to free troops for the siege. There is some grumbling, but the men are happy to have some tasks to complete. This is their first encounter with the common people of the Isles. They get along well.
Perfect. Without being obvious or allowing himself to become pushy, Vere subtly encourages this interaction.
Assuming things go well, Vere would appreciate Jovian arranging for transport to Lady's Town once the campaign settles into routine. If the Well of the Lady is not in an active combat zone then it might be a good idea to swing by there on the way.
Whereupon Jovian will ask whether consulting a priestess - not necessarily Avis, who's bound to be far too busy - about the Well's reputed powers and uses wouldn't be a good idea at this point.
Vere admits that all he knows about the well are common rumors, if it does have any true magical properties that is exactly the sort of thing that they kept from Vere once his interest in magic was known. It wouldn't hurt to speak to a priestess about it, especially if we can find one who is from Mull or one of its neighboring islands (and we'll try to do that very thing before going there). And we can ask the common men on Mull what legends are told of the Well.
Good. Jovian doesn't have a lot of hope about this, but he does want to at least ask some follow-up questions on anything that may be an option for reversing the damage Vianis has done.
Keeping in mind what his father told him, Vere would like to bring along one or two of the Rebmans. Probably Captain Thresu and whichever of the men he thinks best. They may not prove to have any useful insights, but Vere trusts his father's instincts.
This is agreeable to Jovian, though he's a bit concerned that four riders may impede Canareth if they run into trouble and need to move quickly. He suggests that a second dragon accompany them - Hoshith, if Kourin is willing, otherwise V'laren and Hyloth.
[So it's Kourin, Jovian, Vere, Capt. Thresu, Sgt. Thasos (Thresu's choice--for his keen eye and willingness to speak his mind to officers). The well is probably safe enough; neither side has a military presence very close to it. It's only approachable on foot. Do you go there or do you head for Lady's Town? Jovian: Kourin doens't put much faith in Magic Cures.]
[Next time, one of those two destination threads, based on how which one you all tell me you want...]
Vere has no objection to visiting the Well first, if that's what Jovian wants to do.
We know Lady's Town is there and worth looking into. We have only rumors about the well, and neither of us is expert in local magic. Jovian suggests it may be a more efficient use of time away from Vere's command to check over Lady's Town first, while putting feelers out for the best sources of information on the Well.
Then that's what we'll do. On to Lady's Town That Was.
Kourin takes Vere and Srg. Thasos on Hoshith, while Jovian and Capt. Thresu ride Canareth to the southerly isle that housed Lady's Town. Jovian brings them in over a familiar landmark. It's a series of caves on the southwest coast where the dragonriders stayed for a few days during their last visit here. From this site, the mainland can be seen further south. To land and walk would take a few hours, or else it's a few minutes flight to Lady's Town.
It's raining.
Vere leans forward to say to Kourin, "Unless you or J'rim have objections, I would like to land and walk in. It will take longer, but it will give me a chance to get a feel for the land as we move through it that I may not obtain by flying over it quickly." He lets a smile enter his voice as he adds, "If you and the noble lady Hoshith would prefer to wait in one of these caves out of the rain, I will certainly understand your preference. Perhaps not all of us lack the sense to seek shelter from the rain."
She smiles a tight smile. "I have spent my entire life seeking out more deadly rains than this and destroying them to protect those less capable, Prince Vere. Hoshith and Canareth will stay behind while I accompany you on foot, if you will have me. Hang on while we land."
"I am honoured to have you at my side, Queenrider. And my thanks again for your aid in our cause."
She puts the dragon down at the mouth of the cave, and sends Hoshith in to make sure it's still clear. She waits for Canareth to land. "We will need to be cautious, though. This is where M'Corli had his run-in with whatever it was that blinded him."
Canareth lands a moment later, and Jovian hands the captain down the bronze's flank before following himself. "This is where we camped before the assault on the Spider's fleet," he explains to Vere. "And the site of the only temporal paradox known to Calusan history." His eyes fix on the rain-soaked middle distance and he appears to take the scent of the air very carefully...though if Vere chooses to be aware of it, he may notice the power crackling in his cousin's nerves as he extends his awareness through the Pattern to observe the stuff of Shadow as directly as it feels safe to attempt.
"An apparent paradox is merely a failure of language," Vere says, although his attention does not appear to be on the conversation. He watches his cousin closely, his head tilted to one side, and then his eyes narrow, almost closing, and his fingers move unconsciously, as though lightly stroking the strings of a harp, as he remembers the feel of walking the Pattern, and tries to hear its song echoing in the soul of the Isles.
The Pattern is reassuringly omnipresent. Jovian can faintly feel a tension in the stuff of shadows unlike anything he knows.
"M'Lord Prince?," says the Sergeant, "we should move your mount inside. It's awfully conspicuous if the enemy happens to send a ship by here..."
Kourin nods, and a moment later Canareth starts moving into the cave. "We should move, as soon as you're done daydreaming. This rain will make it dark early."
Vere nods. "You are correct of course, Queenrider. And thank you, Sergeant Thasos."
In a softer voice he asks Jovian, "What do you sense? Is the world torn, or does it still hold?"
"It holds," Jovian answers at a normal volume but with some tension - Kourin could hear if she chose. "Here, and for now, it holds. But there's a...strain? Like the place has been stretched oddly, I suppose. Maybe I'll be able to see it more clearly when we get closer."
"I can..." Vere pauses, considering. "Feel? Hear? Sense? I do not know what word is right. In any case, I can tell the Pattern is present, that it flows through and underlies everything here. But details..." he shakes his head. "Details I cannot yet discern."
He turns to face the dragons making themselves at home. //Stay out of sight, Canareth, but don't get too comfortable. Be ready in case we call. We're going to take a walk - don't worry, I won't go anywhere you can't hear me.//
Vere continues facing in the direction of Lady's Town as the dragons move into the cave, unconsciously running his fingers through the coloured locks of hair. Between the rain and the tugging of his fingers the braid on the right side of his head is but a shadow of its mate on the left.
Once the dragons are settled and his companions appear ready he gives a bow to Kourin, and says to her and Jovian, "Shall we, then?" and begins to lead the way through the rain-drenched woods to where the capital once stood. "I swam off these shores as a child," he says. "And explored these caves. In my childish play I was a great magician, saving the land from savage attacks by the Witch Queens. It seemed a great and noble thing, then."
"Huh!, " snorts the sergeant. "If ninety percent of the boys we get as recruits knew what it was to fight a war, we'd have ninety percent fewer soldier-boys...including officers."
Kourin nods. "The difference between men and boys is boys don't know why men and women make sacrifices."
Vere inclines his head silently, acknowledging the truth of their statements.
The landscape is lush and green, with many small streams and ponds and life everywhere; insects, birds, exotic plants, and larger things watching from afar. After perhaps two hours walk, the quintet arrives at a good vantage above Lady's Town.
Vere's spirits seem to lift at the abundance of life on their trip, as though he had feared that whatever cataclysm had befallen Lady's Town had also torn at the heart of the world itself, but now finds great comfort in the continuance of nature, with or without the presence of humanity.
Above what is left of Lady's Town, to be more precise. There are buildings poking above the water, like a drowned forest of ruddy brick trees, but they are isolated and the tides wash against them, working with Time to finish the destruction. The great harbor is completely submerged, except for what may be the jagged remains of the lighthouse. All the land up the slope of the hills has either collapsed or subsided or just given way to rising waters.
Kourin points to the broken roof of a great temple. "That's where we pulled Robin out."
"Indeed," Vere says. His eyes travel over the scene before them, taking it all in, looking for any signs that give him more information on what occurred here. Not just the destruction caused by the rising sea and the storm, but evidence of what became of the people, and whether anyone yet remains behind.
"We came in over the harbor while Robin and M'corli were getting Avis out of Vianis' dungeon," Jovian notes, providing the details in low tones. "The attempt to disable the beacon did more damage than intended. We scuttled the fleet in the harbor, but the witch-queens tried to summon storms to take us down. They were ready for dragonfire - resisted it," he frowns. "The weather magic backfired badly when I tried to use the Pattern to turn it against its caster; she, well...exploded."
He pauses a moment, gazing at the shattered temple. "M'corli had already been blinded by then. Antrith...greens are very emotional," he explains, gesturing toward the ruined roof.
"The cause was more than sufficient for the action," Vere replies absently, his attention clearly elsewhere.
Vere [and apparently no one else] sees some movement. Someone by the light-house ruins, and also a small boat polling between the abandon buildings.
Kourin and the Rebmans are still enthralled by the scene and are still staring at it.
He points towards the boat. "Is that a boat I see?" he asks. "Questioning survivors could provide useful information."
"Where?," asks Kourin.
"I don't see it, Commander. Did it go behind that building?"
[Vere sees the pole-boat distinctly, in front of a home. The occupants are loading goods into it. Perhaps loading is a less-accurate term. "Looting" might be a more accurate one.]
"Wait here," Vere says. "Come if I call, or if I seem to be in distress." And he begins picking his way carefully down the hillside, angling to arrive at the water as close to the boat as possible.
Vere gets to the water's edge, a number of blocks from the poleboat. He'll probably have to swim, as they're loading goods from a second floor window. They're talking, but Vere can't hear them over the rain.
Kourin looks at Jovian, questions clear in her eyes.
Jovian strains to spot whatever Vere has in his sights. And, as he does nearly instinctively when there may be trouble, he reaches out mentally for Canareth - not to open conversation yet, more of a touch of reassurance - and the walled off corner of his mind composes jump coordinates in case they're needed.
Jovian sees nothing.
Canareth is there, waiting.
Vere wades into the water until it rises above his chest, then begins to swim quietly towards the boat.
Three men are there, moving carefully. One is young, and keeps pushing wet bangs out of his eyes. He is looking up, as if expecting something from above. The other two are moving with more purpose. They have just removed a large silver platter loaded with other items from a house.
They haven't seen Vere yet.
Vere swims quietly to one end of the boat, preferably one that no one is currently watching. If he is able to approach the boat without being seen he will lay his hands on the sides of the boat, ready to twist it and dump them all into the water if things turn ugly.
Then he waits, hoping to hear them speak and learn more before he brings himself to their attention.
The water laps against Vere as he waits in the shadow of the prow of the low boat.
"Hurry up!, if they find us here, they won't even bother with a trial!"
"Shut up! Come in here, I can't lift the chest."
The three men go in.
As the third man enters the window, Vere catches a glimpse of someone else. A woman, in the garb of a priestess, is standing on the roof of the building, holding a staff and staring at the boat. She seems to be waiting and watching the window the men entered.
Jovian squints a bit, following Vere clearly enough despite the gloom. "Can you see what he's up to?" he asks Kourin. "Swimming, sure, but to what?"
"I don't see anything. It looks like he's standing on something."
At his vantage on shore, Jovian feels the familiar probe of a trump contact.
Jovian looks at Kourin oddly for a half-second, then raises a hand, tilting his head as if listening. "Keep an eye on him," he says distractedly. "I'll be right back."
He takes a few steps along the strand, facing away from both Kourin and Vere, before letting the contact form. "Robin?" he guesses.
The contact forms fully, to reveal his father. From what background Jovian can see, he guesses that his father is in the castle, and a number of others are in the room with him. Julian has the wildness of a recently dragonless man. "Jovian," he says, by way of greeting. "Your brother is dead. Come through."
Through the contact, and for the briefest moment in his face, the stab of grief that lances through Jovian is painfully evident - before he slams it down with an almost savage exertion of control.
Julian extends a hand to Jovian.
"One moment, Dad," he says aloud, and turns to Kourin.
"There's an emergency back home," Jovian explains to the queen rider and mentally to Canareth (knowing he's going to pay dearly for holding a trump contact and bespeaking the dragon at once). "I have to go to Julian, immediately. Tell Vere I'll trump back to him as soon as I'm able. Canareth, stay with Hoshith - it'll be all right, I promise; her rider can still reach me in an instant."
//We are together. I will stay with our mates.//
He holds all contacts open long enough for the behemoth to reply, if he will, his eyes squinting to slits with the effort and the emotion held in check.
And then, head pounding with the strain, he reaches out for his father.
Last modified: 2 August 2005