Marius hands Sister Prudence through, and Caine takes her from him. He can hear Caine questioning her in a not unkind but definitely businesslike fashion about who she is and where she came from.
Caine speaks briefly with Sister Courage and asks her to wait with Sister Prudence.
Meg arrives in Amber on Marius' hand, finding herself in a strange building facing a lithe man with a commanding presence. He nods to her.
Meg's gaze snaps from Marius to take in the rest of the room and the stranger in front of her.
Her mouth opens, then as he speaks, snaps shut.
"You must be Mistress Carper. My name is Caine. You're in Amber now, and safe for the moment. My nephews tell me your city is under attack. What can you tell me of the attackers?"
Meg regards him with wary approval.
"Will you give me troops to fight them? There is no more time to lose."
Behind her, Ossian arrives as well.
"Thanks" Ossian says to Marius in a low voice. He proceeds to take in the room, bows towards Caine, and starts looking through his Trump deck for the Reid Trump. [Yep, I know I will get no answer.] He does not want to interupt the Caine/Meg conversation that obviously is on its way, not until he know what they are talking about.
Ossian's trump attempt receives no answer.
Marius nods sharply. "A trial?" he asks in a similarly low voice that makes it sound a lot more like, "Tell me later." He glances at Sir Ce'e for a moment, then shrugs. It's Caine's game now. The cards are dealt and now they'll have to evaluate the hand.
Ossian nods, and grabs Marius' shoulder in a surprisingly macho gesture before leaving Marius with the nuns.
Caine looks at [Meg], his eyes meeting hers. "Mistress Carper, there is no time to win. Not with a dozen men. If we've correctly identified your attackers, a thousand men, which I should say we don't have to hand, won't help. You need to be thinking in terms of winning your home back, and not today, either.
"Your best bet for getting help is to talk to me. I want to know about this attacker, I want to know about you, and I want to know about Ossian. In that order, please."
Marius smothers a chuckle, and turns to the Sisters.
Meg returns his look, her eye wide and glistening.
"I don't know!" she says with a gulp. "I half thought it was just some story they made up to try and get me alone so they could murder me. I thought they were spies for the strange visitors to Renady. Then the explosions started! Who are they?" Meg is too upset to notice the jumble of her sentences.
Ossian, who has moved to stand beside Meg, adds quietly "We didn't have time to explain things to her."
"So explosions aren't common in warfare in Renady? My nephews think the attacker is another of our kinsmen, and I need to know what he's up to. Anything you can tell us will be helpful."
Meg nods slowly.
"Mistress Carper, would you like a drink to steady yourself? Coffee? I'm afraid the castle is too far from the docks for grog. Ossian, would you help Mistress Carper?"
"But of course. Any preferences?" he asks Meg before walking over to the drink table (there is one in the room right?)
Meg shakes her head and hugs her basket to herself.
"Besides, I think the explosions were artillery, but I'm no expert."
"What's artillery?" Meg asks. Then takes in a deep breath and lets it out. "No, tell me later." She turns back to Caine. "My home is Abford. We're not part of Renady. We're a free town, much as their king might like to change that."
She relaxes her arms and tucks the basket handle over her arm neatly instead of clutching in.
"There was strange news from Renady in the last week. A ship arrived from a land nobody had ever heard of and the men aboard were asking odd questions."
Meg watches Caine's face to see if he's following her. "They weren't the questions you ask when building new trade links. They were the questions you ask when you're planning an invasion."
Ossian will mix Meg a big cup of coffee, with a small piece of chocolate melted into it, and a small amount of milk, just enough to take the bitterness away.
Meg takes the cup with a small smile of thanks. Automatically, she examines the quality of the cup and seems a little stunned by it. She sniffs the coffee and takes a cautious sip. The taste surprises her and sharpens her tongue.
"And then boyo here shows up twenty years too young, with a couple of armsmen, and full of questions about what's changed in Abford in the last few years. Like new buildings and the wall defences."
Caine nods. "In other circumstances, you'd've rightly identified him as a scout and agent for his invading uncle. In fact, he probably is, in a nearby, lesser, reality."
The man pulls a sharp-smelling cigarette from a box on the desk, and lights it. "But he's real and it's likely that the man bringing artillery to Abford is also real. Artillery is like a catapult or crossbow, but powered by an explosion inside a big metal tube. The first time it gets used, the victims often think it's the end of the world.
"What I want to know is if it's really Huon there, and if so what the hell he wants. Can you help me with either of those?"
Meg moves her hand to her waist, and the purse hanging from her belt. She puts her hand inside and starts sorting through coins by feel.
After about half a moment, curiosity gets the better of Ossian. "If he targeted me and Marius he must have had really good planning. To get the artillery there... which probably means... Who would this Huon be? I haven't heard of him before."
Meg's obviously interested in the answer and looks to see what Caine says before she asks her own questions.
"He's your uncle. He had a non-fatal but permanent falling out with your grandfather. His personal symbol is a hunting horn." He looks at the two children. "If there's no more information, we need to make some official introductions. His Majesty doesn't even know that Mistress Carper exists."
Meg smiles involuntarily at the form of Caine's answer. Your uncle. Your grandfather. Is it cleverly crafted to be essentially meaningless to her, or just these people's self-centeredness? But there are more important things to worry about.
Marius turns to the Sisters. "For what it is worth, despite the unusual nature of the transportation, you are safe here. My name is Marius, and I, Ossian, and our Uncle, Caine, are Lords of this Realm and entitled to provide you with hospitality. This is my man, Sir Ce'e." Except for Cloudeater, he is ignoring titles for a moment, fearing to confuse the matter further. He gives a significant Glance at his Uncle, seeing if perhaps he wishes to talk to Meg Alone. The "entitled to provide you with hospitality" is an offer, and he makes sure the Sisters know it.
They bow. "What of Abford, Lord Marius? We are concerned for our sisters. Mistress Carper thought you could help us."
Marius smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes. "You have every right to your concern," he says. "It is a grave situation indeed, and what we can do may be limited at this point." He sighs, looking troubled, and leans his back against a wall. "Still, as your enemies may be ours, we will provide what assistance we are able. We cannot win a war without knowledge. We will need time to gain that. Tell me, what do you believe in?"
"The faith is a powerful thing, my son. We believe in the Lady and in the obligation that all have to help others in times of need. Our personal calling," says Sister Courage, "is one of caring for the abandoned children of Abford."
Marius nods, his eyes bright for a moment. "A noble cause. Are there a lot of those abandoned?" he asks. He's making conversation for a moment while he decides where to go next, and who to contact in order to best place these.
"There are fewer now then there were during the war." She looks at her sister. "The last war," she finishes glumly.
Marius nods. "Such is the state of war itself," he says. He offers an encouraging, hopeful smile, darn Pandora!
Their return smiles are neither encouraging nor hopeful. Marius thinks they're in shock.
"We have had similar needs here. This is the realm of Amber," he says, finally, making a decision. He struggles to remember everything Random said. "This was recently the seat of our King, but he has moved on, to another castle closer to his homeland." He's hoping it's a castle. What little of Random he knows, it might be the Xanadu Discotheque. And "homeland" and "Pattern" are interlinked, right? "What needs do you have in order to serve the Lady?" He's really asking do they need anything in the way of special supplies while they're not in Abford.
"Thank you, sir, 'The Lady provides,'" says Sister Courage, as if it's an aphorism. "Will we be here long?"
[They want to convert the King and form a new abbey, but only if they're staying for a year. They don't know what they need if they think they're going back in 5 minutes. If you ask 'what do you need?', then the answer will be 'Mistress Carper said 'a dozen armed men.']
Marius smiles, noncommittally. "Mustering aid and the learning of what we need to know will take time. It may be several days, maybe even weeks. I cannot say if it will be longer. I would like to find a place for you to stay that will be comfortable for that indefinite span." He smiles. It's his charming, generous smile. "I have known many Ladies, and they have all provided in the way of wisdom. Perhaps we can benefit from that rather than rely on hindsight." He raises his eyebrows playfully.
If they do not get indignant, Marius' next action is to flag down appropriate personnel to get the Sisters settled, and then return to Caine for further orders/information.
Shock, definitely. Marius thinks they didn't even understand what he meant about Ladies. He can arrange for them to be quartered by the castle staff.
"You had other questions," Meg reminds Caine. "And this may tell you something."
Meg pulls her hand out of her purse and opens her hand palm up to show a coin. It looks a good weight, silver, round, and the revealed face holds the device of a horn, and writing.
"It's what the spies in Renady have."
Ossian keeps quiet, but his facial expression says //Good girl.//
"Right. That's Huon's device. I just have two more questions for you, Mistress Carper, and then we can see the King. First, do you know who your parents are?"
Meg tightens her mouth before she answers. "No. I was given up to an orphanage. Whoever did so left wealth to provide for my upbringing, but not their names. It happens all the time." Her look is challenging. "Do you know who my parents are?"
Ossian smiles a little. He would be very surprised if Caine knew.
[He pauses here for Meg's reply and [assuming it allows for another question...] adds]
"And second, what do you know of how Ossian got to your shadow?"
Meg's brow wrinkles at the term 'shadow' as it did over 'coffee'. "He was left at the same orphanage. Again no names. And a little money to feed him. Just like five other children that year, and four the year after, and 14 the year after that." Meg shrugs, and the gesture is full of suppressed anger, pain and bitterness. "There was plague that year.
"How do you know they aren't your kin as well?"
Ossian shrugs. "We don't, I guess. Although you could possibly help us a bit there."
Marius ducks back inside the room at this, but not having the full thread of conversation, gives it a moment before offering his piece.
Caine nods. "Same way you knew he wasn't right and that he spotted you. We don't age like normal people. I'm over a thousand years old and one of my brothers was that old when I was born. We're stronger, faster, more resilient, smarter--although we don't always act like it. We can do stupid things and we do our share of them. Not everyone thinks we're human.
"You've never met your equal before, not in anything you cared to be unmatched at. Now you have. One of your parents is one of our family. That's probably less than two score of candidates, and no way to tell, unless one of them remembers you or your place, assuming your parent is alive."
He taps the desk. "That reminds me. We don't die, but we can be killed. It's not real immortality, which you should remember." He changes the subject again. "I think we should take you to see the King."
"Is he here?" Ossian asks.
Caine nods.
The he says softly "This is pretty much to take in at one time. Maybe cousin Hannah could help you through it, she found out a few weeks back herself. But Uncle Caine is right, we should take you to the King. He needs to see you."
Ossian adds with a grin "And besides, if you want to have me punished for kidnapping you he's the one to talk to."
Meg nods, but doesn't smile.
Caine stands to take Meg to the King.
"If I'm to see a King, I'll need a few minutes to clean up," says Meg firmly. She nods towards the dust on her clothes, and puts a hand to where her headscarf has slipped during the struggle with Ossian.
"A little water to wash would be helpful, if it's not too much trouble," she adds.
To which Marius gives a Look which clearly states, "And watch her 'cause if you give her privacy, she'll run or break down crying, I'm not sure which." He's also not sure which would be worse. It's the last part he figures is news, since he's sure the same general idea is going through Ossian and Caine's purty li'l heads.
However, he's pretty sure the King doesn't want to see him yet. Still, he has people to see (Paige, maybe Folly, maybe Lily) and things to discover (are the Firelillies still burning?) which probably means Xanadu. Which means he'll hang along for the ride.
Caine stands and pulls a bell-pull. A young, smartly dressed man enters (Marius will recognize him as a junior officer) and Caine asks him for a bowl of water for the Lady. He departs and returns shortly with the requested item.
[Insert Thrilling Tales of Washing Up Here!]
[I'll do my best to make it thrilling.]
Meg smiles at the arrival of the water and thanks the young man.
Ossian very turns his back on her, but does not leave the room.
She waits for a few minutes for the men to leave and, [assuming they don't] when they don't her face sets and her eyes spark angrily.
She abandons her plan for a quick APC but refuses to let them cower her completely.
She lifts her chin and rolls up her sleeves with deliberation. She pointedly ignores the men as she sets her basket beside the bowl of water. She shakes out her skirts and flicks those patches where dust from the cash boxes still remains until the marks have faded into the pattern of the fabric. She fishes around in her basket until she finds a handkerchief and a comb. She washes her hands and face, and then pats them dry.
She hesitates for a moment, then, with the air of a martyr, lifts her hands to her head and starts unpinning her headscarf. She lifts off her outer layer which matches her dress, shakes it out and folds it neatly next to her basket. She unpins the second layer of white and pulls it off, letting her hair fall down around her shoulders.
Her hair is long and rich dark brown. Still ignoring the men, she combs it out and then twists it up in the white cloth again. She rams the pins back into place and then fastens the decorative, looser layer on top.
Then she packs up her basket again, tucks it under her arm, and only then acknowledges the presence of the men.
"I'm ready," she says, without emotion.
[If the men do leave and give her privacy, she has a more thorough but less melodramatic wash, and the result is equally spick and span.]
[Castle life is communal. They think you're wanting to splash your face and hands.]
[Meg's being precious, once it would never have bothered her. But she's protective of the dignity she's gained.]
When Meg is ready, Caine invites her to follow him and steps into the hall. He leads her (and anyone who comes along (assuming they were there to start with)) through richly appointed halls, past doors, paintings, galleries and grand stairs, to an otherwise ordinary door. He knocks and opens it.
Meg blinks at the wealth on display but maintains her anger.
Two young men are sitting in the room, both with cigarettes. The one is dressed in blousy clothes of rich colors, the other seems dressed for hotter climes.
The younger, dressier one turns to the group by the door.
"Ah, Caine, just in time. I think you've met our nephew Ambrose, but this may be the first time you've been formally introduced."
They both look at Meg, curiously.
Meg looks at the two of them, mentally working out King, uncle, nephew and Ambrose.
"Did they kidnap you too?" she asks the older man.
Ambrose blinks, but does not reply.
Ossian's face flashes with a mixture of amusement and pain. "This is Margrathea, whom we believe is also a family member.
"And I'm Ossian" he adds for Ambrose's benefit. He studies Ambrose closely, fascinated by how he like Brand and Brennan he is.
Ambrose is watching Ossian with recognition and a similar wary fascination.
The younger man stands, and Meg can see that he's wearing a black armband and has a single large gemstone, a ruby most likely, around his neck. He isn't wearing a crown, but his clothes are rich if somewhat somber.
"Of course she is," he says to Ossian, then turns to Meg. "I am Random, King of Xanadu, titular head of this somewhat wide-ranging family. We almost never kidnap anyone. Tell me about yourself, Margrathea."
"Pleased to meet you, Your Majesty," replies Meg, "Or I'm sure I would be in other circumstances. Let me tell you the important things about myself. I'm a mother and a grandmother, and my children and grandchildren are in a city under currently attack by a man with," Meg glances at Caine and then pronounces the unfamiliar word carefully, "artillery. I'm told this Huon is part of your wide-ranging family." Meg gives Random a look of total seriousness. "Sorry as I am to visit trouble on your family, it is nothing like the trouble being visited on mine."
Ossian stays quiet. It will be pretty interesting to see where the king takes this.
Right toward the end of this, Brennan strides into the office. He's a tall, athletic-looking man with distinctive red hair and bright green eyes. Some of his height comes from is long legs, and from the sound of his approaching footsteps, he was probably moving at considerable speed even without running. He wears a sword at his hip like he knows how to use it, and his clothing is formal for the location, dominated by black and dark red. It's fine clothing, but not flashy, and the only piece of jewelery he wears is a silver ring with a bright red stone on it. Marius might or might not be wearing one similar.
Brennan's arrival increases Meg's level of tension. Who is this man who barges into a King's presence unannounced and armed? Yet another source of danger.
But Brennan has ears, too, so he's not surprised to find a small crowd in the area. He takes a moment to identify the crowd members. Random and Ambrose get a nod: There they are. Caine, another. Marius gets a look that implies they might want to talk shortly, but it'll wait. Meg is assessed with a quick up and down look.
Meg is a short, slightly plump woman with light skin and light eyes. She's dressed in a full skirt and bodice, in warm brown tones, that covers her from wrist and neck to ground. Her hair is completely covered as well. Her posture is relaxed by will with underlying tension, with her hand clasped in front of her and a rather homely woven basket tucked under one arm.
And then there's Ossian, who gets a long, neutral look [from Brennan].
Ossian returns Brennan's look, with a hint of a smile. Then he looks at Ambrose. Then back at Brennan. The edge of Ossian's mouth twitches a little.
If Brennan's hearing is sharp, he probably caught a good deal of what Meg said. This is probably why, despite staring at Ossian for that long minute, and then dividing most of his attention between Ossian, the King, and Ambrose, he does not interrupt. Instead, he steps inside, takes a position by the door, and waits.
"Huon?" Random says, looking at Caine.
Caine manages to look smug and concerned at the same time. "One of Father's peccadillos come home to roost. Father found him unmanageable and Bleys stuffed him away, but apparently not for good. It can't be a coincidence that he's attacking the shadow that Ossian and now Mistress Carper come from."
Marius boggles for a moment, trying to consider that his Uncle Bleys was the one who "put away" something the King found "unmanageable." It actually stinks of conspiracy to him upon consideration, and his momentary scowl reflects that.
Meg mentally collects names and relationships and puts them into a tentative framework.
Random looks back at Mistress Carper. "Your children are in significantly more danger if Huon discovers that they're of our blood. Damn. I don't need another war. Did we figure out what he's doing there?" He looks at all the youngers, hoping for a reply.
Ossian shakes his head. "Didn't have time for that."
Marius' expression adds to Ossian's, but he _is_ thinking.
"Why would he care what blood they are?" Meg asks.
Brennan is still holding back, just inside and to the side of the door. On the one hand, Ambrose seems to have been bumped in Random's priority queue, and Brennan sees no need to interrupt or in some other way interfere with what seems to be a traumatic experience for this Mistress Carper person, whoever she may be.
On the other hand, Ambrose is still there, so he hasn't been bumped completely out of queue, and therefore Brennan's probably not unwelcome, per se, either. And Brennan doesn't want to lose track of him again. So Brennan just waits. His attention is more on Ossian than anyone else, but he continues to look to Random for a cue as well. His ears prick up at mention of yet more Family blood, though.
Ossian gives Brennan a puzzled look //Why are you staring at me?//, then shrugs and turn his attention back to Meg and Random, frowning.
Caine looks at Random, who nods. "You know, Mistress Carper, that there are different worlds, because you're in one. It turns out that these different worlds are countless. You and Ossian come from one. Brennan and Ambrose come from another. Marius and the King and I are from this one. There are, perhaps, two score of people who can not only move between worlds, but can learn to control their movement. Effectively immortal, powerful, and able to skip lightly between realities that most can't and don't imagine.
"That is your newfound family. And you, if the King is correct-"
Random speaks up. "I am! It's part of being King. You're a part of a family where one of my brothers is noted for studying warfare every day for a thousand years and another was missing and presumed dead for over a century before he came back to become a King in his own right elsewhere."
The King pauses for a breath. Ambrose speaks, "Your majesty, if you wish me to retire, I will do so."
Random shakes his head. "No, this is about family and you're one of us and it's useful to have you hear it. Family discussions don't need to be secret." He turns back to Meg. "Where was I? Oh, yeah. Grudges and issues thought settled a millennia ago can still matter. If Huon has a mad-on for the family or even if he's your dad and he's trying to rescue you from the terror of Ossian, he'd have to do something about a family of family members nearby.
"That's why he would care. Divide the small number of us by the infinite number of not-us and we practically don't exist. We're too rare to ignore, even if we don't know we're us."
When Random mentions Brennan's name, he takes it as both a nominal introduction and a bidding to stick around with Ambrose. He still doesn't have much to add at this moment, so all he does is either nod (if he's in Meg's field of view) or cough slightly (if he's not) to make it easier to attach the name to the face.
As for Ossian... Brennan's look is unreadable. He sees the puzzlement on Ossian's face, though, and just gives a very small shake of the head. Since Random's given him the cue he was looking for, though, that frees up more of his attention for Ossian. If anything, Brennan is studying the young man from the back of the room. It might occur to Ossian that Brennan's vantage point was chosen not only to be unobtrusive, but to give him a good view of everyone in the room. Particularly him. And unobtrusiveness is not usually topmost in Brennan's bag of personal attributes.
"They're not your blood, are they?" Marius asks Meg in a soft voice. "They are yours by your love for them, but now you're thinking, `If I'm so important and powerful, they need even more protection.' You're right. And you're naming the others who you care about, and who are in the path of this Huon in your head, and you're waiting for us to tell you that we can't do anything and that you were the only important one there." He sighs. "I'll repeat what his majesty has said. `We're too rare to ignore.' And I'll remind you the other part of that. You're part of a _family_ now, of people who can't be ignored. You're not alone, and a threat _from_ family is important to all of us."
Ossian nods somberly, but keeps quiet. He seems determined not to say anything unnecessary. Maybe he does not want to be blamed for saying anything stupid. He also makes a mental note that he probably needs to talk to Brennan. (Brennan was on the shortlist already, but has now been bumped up a few notches.)
As Marius' words reach her, Meg lowers her gaze. She nods. "They're my husband's," she says, her voice full of tears that do not fall from her eyes. "I promised their mother I'd look after 'em, I'd keep 'em safe." Meg looks up and meets Marius' eyes directly. "She died, you see, in baring the littlest, just a tiny boy, left with no mother. She made me promise, on life and blood and breath, to look after them." Her eyes beg him to help her keep that promise.
Marius does not look away, but he doesn't promise anything. Random's response saves him the moment.
Random looks at her, breathing slowly. "We will help you. Here's the deal, though. We have a war in Arden, a war in the Isles, a war in Uxmal, and we're trying to not have a war with Rebma, on top of a big war we just finished.
Marius resists the urge to gawk at Random and exclaim, "Well, YOU'VE been busy."
In fact, it never even occurs to him.
Really.
Meg blinks at the list of wars.
"What we don't have is a ready force to go take out the Huon. And if we did, you probably shouldn't want us grinding it against him over your home.
"What can we do for you that involves sneaking?"
Brennan's eyebrow twitches fractionally toward Ambrose, and Ossian gets a momentary reprieve from Brennan's observation, when Random mentions war in Uxmal.
Ossian opens his mouth as if to ask something, but shuts it again, waiting on Meg's answer.
"Do not forget the possibility, my lady," Marius says softly, "of simply stealing them away."
Meg looks rather lost. "I know the hidden ways into the city," she says a little helplessly.
Random looks across the room. "OK, good enough. Although if they hit walls with artillery, then there may be lots of ways into the city by now.
"Does anyone have a quick way back there? Ossian? Check with Reid, too. If not, someone has to make one. That may take a few days. Meg, you can help them with any questions they have."
Meg nods. She's watching to see what help may actually eventuate.
"Marius, are you going to lead the Secondary Kidnapping/Rescue Squad? You've got some time to figure out what and who you need. Talk to Bleys. I'm afraid I need to stay and finish dealing with Ambrose, so I can't go with. That probably applies to Brennan, but if he volunteers, he's yours. Ruby prerogative and all."
Ossian turns to look at Brennan, then turns back "Is Reid here?" he asks.
Random doesn't answer.
Brennan's face is about as neutral as a stone through most of this. When Ossian catches his eye, though, he'll certainly be able to tell that this is highly unlikely-- Brennan already has a lot on his plate.
He might even realize that, for whatever reason, Brennan considers Ossian himself to be on his plate. Brennan's glance clearly indicates a desire to speak privately.
Soon.
"OK, and there's one more thing. Nobody leave yet, because you're going to be witnesses. This is the family-friendly version, of course. Ambrose, son of Brand, kneel."
Ambrose does so.
Brennan watches this with what he wishes were the previous neutrality of a stone. As it is, he doesn't know what's coming next, and because he doesn't know what's coming next for his brother, he is concerned.
Meg watches politely, staying quiet and following the others for cues, again collecting information and trying to fit it together.
Random looks at the man kneeling before him and lets the silence become almost awkward. Eventually he nods. "Repeat after me: I, Ambrose, son of Brand, son of Oberon, do swear that I will be faithful to you and bear you true allegiance, obeying your commands from this hour forward until my death or until the world ends."
Ambrose repeats it.
Random smiles "I, Random the King, hear your oath, and shall remember. And I do swear that I will defend you and yours from every creature, with all my power, until your death or the world ends.
"Good man, you can get up now. You did better than some of your more creative cousins, and I will remember that, as I said." Ambrose rises, smiling at Brennan.
At this Ossian changes his posture a tiny bit.
Random looks around. "OK, thanks for witnessing. Such things should be as public as possible, but they make me itch. Marius, can you figure out what you need to rescue Meg's people? They can come to Xanadu. You can ask anyone for help but Martin, I need him here. Meg, if that's OK with you, then you all can go get started on it."
Meg nods. "Thank-you, Your Majesty."
The concern mostly evaporates from Brennan's face-- that's about what he expected, but with Random, you can never be quite sure. At least half a burden has been lifted from his shoulders, and he smiles back at his brother and crosses the room to congratulate him. One hand clasps Ambrose's hand, and the other goes on his shoulder or high up on his upper arm.
He's still wearing the black armband of mourning from Daeon's memorial service.
Ossian stares at the armband. "Who has died?" he asks, with some dread in his voice.
[Meg] looks to Caine for cues, but keeps quiet.
"Hadn't you heard?," says Random. "Someone was supposed to call you. Daeon. Killed by a dragon, here in the castle. We just came from his funeral. That's why we're all here."
Ossian nods somberly. He very obviously has not heard about it before.
"In fact, I need to get back to the Queen. Ambrose, don't go to town, and make sure you're here for breakfast tomorrow, because we're going to miss it. Other than that, it's last call for speaking to the King, Lady and Gentlemen, you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here."
Ossian bows and says. "Whenever His Majesty has time to discuss it, I have an idea of how to Trump a whole lot of people from here to Xanadu."
Random nods.
He looks around the room as if ready to leave, then his eyes land on Brennan. "We need to talk." Ossian says.
Brennan is already looking back in Ossian's direction. "We need to talk," he says, at almost the exact same time. He grimaces, then turns to Ambrose: "You'll be all right until morning? Settled in, had rooms assigned?"
"Yes, I am centered."
Random says "Ambrose and I are taking a trip tomorrow. First thing." He looks directly at Brennan, clearly expecting something from him.
"Yes, Majesty," he says. "May I attend?"
Random says, "if it's OK with Ambrose..." Ambrose nods and Random says "sure. First thing."
Ambrose, of course, knows perfectly well what Brennan and Ossian need to talk about, so assuming the answer is affirmative, he'll proceed to set up a time and a place to meet tomorrow morning. And then makes his goodbyes to the rest, telling Meg she can call on him should she need, as long as they're both in Amber, and departs to another thread.
Meg's reply is polite, grateful and still a little wary. She hasn't worked out what he is yet.
Turns to Caine and Marius. "You'll have more questions for me, I'm sure."
"We do indeed," says Caine. "Or more specifically my nephew does. I see he was put in charge of rescuing." He turns towards Marius. "If you need anything from me, send word via the midshipmen. I'll also be happy to review your plan once you've made one."
A stricken look flashes across Meg's face at the implication that Caine will be leaving, but she quickly smothers it.
Ossian turns to Marius and Meg "You can count on my help, but it seems I really should talk to Brennan before he leaves. I have a feeling I should not let that wait.
"Will you be all right with cousin Marius?" Ossian asks Meg.
"Of course," says Meg, putting on a smile.
"Good" Ossian says, smiling back.
"I will try to make a sketch of the orphanage yard. I hope that is a good enough location?" he asks Marius, and adds to Meg "I'll probably some help from you for that."
Meg nods despite her complete lack of comprehension and gives Ossian the unthreatening smile that one reserves for the mentally deficient.
"I will explain, but not tonight." Ossian says smiling weakly.
"Tomorrow." he adds. "Have a good night. Try to get some sleep."
The last is said with genuine compassion.
Caine watches Ossian exit. "I'll be in the library in the morning," he says.
Marius nods sharply in affirmation. It's a response to his being in charge, as well as notice to Caine in lieu of a salute. "This library?" he suddenly qualifies; he knows there's a Xanadu, and it might have a library, or it might have a lava lamp and some beanbags.
Last modified: 10 October 2005