After Ossian departs to collect Jasmine, Brennan finds himself with a bit of time on his hands, and considers what things he can do in Xanadu that are helpful. Then he realizes that it's been some time since he's spoken to Paige, and moreover that she might not be fully caught up on the events of the past few days.
He does have a sketch of her, but as far as he knows, those are somewhat more fragile and use-limited than full Trumps, so he saves that in his pack. Instead, he heads to the Trump booth. When he arrives, he looks around and wonders which would be more appropriate: Yellow Sticky notes below all the people with permission to make Trumps of him, or a whiteboard with a big Family-sized grid of permissions.
Random would probably opt for the Yellow Stickies, but a whiteboard suits Brennan's more organized mind, and he makes a mental note to think about getting something like that set up.
As he's looking around, though, something catches his eye. On investigating, he feels faintly foolish, and closes his eyes to keep from gawking at it-- there's Ambrose's Trump, right in the booth. Another mental note to get word to Brita that the Ambrose Transport Problem is probably solved.
But he's here for Paige, so it's Paige's Trump he seeks out, and concentrates on.
After a time, Robin becomes more aware of her surroundings. The first thing she notices is the deepness of the eternal Green. The second thing she notices is the man crouched down on a tree limb behind her. He's not moving, and more silent than even her Rangers ever could be.
Catching the scent and color of Deep Green, Robin both smiles and makes sure she knows where her weapons are. While the Deep Green has always sang to her, recently she's stolen away minions and worn Dragon blood. Best to be cautious, even more so than usual.
Robin doesn't startle as her eyes settle on the man on the limb. Instead, she nods slowly in acknowledgment before quickly inspecting the rest of her surroundings. Some part of her is looking for a stalking sister of tree-croucher.
Tree-croucher isn't moving, at all. He doesn't seem to be dead, but he doesn't seem to be breathing.
A little puff of curiosity lifts Robin's bangs off her brow momentarily. Cocking her head, she approaches Tree-croucher. The Ranger keeps alert for traps, ambushes, poisons, hungry trees with particularly effective lures, chrono-temporal whatever that Bleys and Brennan were so excited about during their encounter with the dragons, etc. Could really be anything at this point.
No evidence of any of those threats materializes.
If nothing happens by the time she's near Tree-croucher, she does things the Robin way. She pokes him with a gauntleted finger.
He teeters once and falls off the low branch, and is now lying on the ground in the same position that he was crouched in the tree, except on his side.
He seemed very solid, if precariously balanced.
Huhn. Robin looks around at the Green once more, just to be sure. Then crouches down next to the man. She proceeds to do a very quick, very thorough investigation. Is he alive? Can she tell how got in this condition? How old is he? Where's he from? Etc.
The most striking detail about the young man is not his curly hair nor his forest leathers, nor his striking resemblance to Daeon. It is that he is solid stone.
Robin croons sadly. Missed one. With a gentle finger, she softly strokes the cheek of what was (and may some day again be) her nephew. Her mouth twists wryly. It's a good thing she's not planning on any children of her own, 'cause it looks like she's going to be spending her eternity taking care of Daeon's. Ah well, her Father probably feels the same way about her.
With a snort at that thought, Robin rises to her feet. And starts a search pattern, starting from the fallen Tree-croucher and spiraling outward. She's looking for tracks, other victims, disturbances in the brush, anything that will help her end the threat that took her nephew.
A good search takes a bit, but turns up several things. The man climbed the tree under his own power, probably more than half a day ago. Something else was here, probably a cockatrice. It left in a hurry and didn't eat its meal.
Robin's lips cock in a wry grin. Cockatrice, hunh? The memory of The Cockatrice Reversed showing up in Vere's Reading darts through her mind. Yep, it's definitely getting cockatricey in her life right now. 'Course that Reading was far away and on a different subject.
There are also signs that someone else has been here. Someone who is a far better woodsman than Tree-croucher. It's hard to tell much, except that he (they?) left to the north, towards the mountain in the distance.
Robin sighs as she straightens up from her tracking and gazes wsitfully toward the distant mountains. Were this her Forest and her duty, she'd be off in an instant. But it's not. She has a King expecting a shopping list for terrorizing an uppity Shadow and an Honor Duel to show up for. Bleah.
The Scion of Am... Xanadu wrinkles her nose in disappointment. And carefully marks in her mind the tracks and tell-tales of what might have been here. Then she heads back to where she left Tree-croucher to see if she can figure out a way to get him back to Xanadu Castle.
Paige enters her command tent, freshly returned from talking to the leaders of Lalal's people. Bleys' negotiated settlement is holding, but it is easy to see how the five daughters of Artemis ended up in a five-way war. They are a prickly people.
On her camp table is a map, woefully incomplete, of the forest. Mostly it's a series of notes on observations about where to plan Ranger posts. Paige doesn't believe that a line on it won't need to be redrawn many times. The important thing is they've started.
Arthur Elm comes in. "Lady Paige, it's your children. They've gone off into the forest again."
"Unicorn's Teat!" she barks, pinching the bridge of her nose. "As if I haven't had enough this morning. I still need to apologize to my uncle and an aunt for missing a funeral, to say nothing of the cousin for which it was held." She reaches to the chair she obviously will not get a chance to sit upon and lifts the sword belt from it. "Have they left a trail or word or anything?" Paige asks as she belts on the blade, settling it on her hip.
[Unless he answers something outrageous...]
The redhead nods to the flap that serves as a door, indicating that Elm should follow as she exits. Pippin is still picketed outside, deserving a good brushing, but still she checks the girth and mounts. She holds up a hand for silence as she concentrates on the twins and just listens to Broceliande, their new home, wishing that they weren't so well suited to it and pleased that they are.
Outside the tent Iron-Eye is waiting. The young man Hannah said was her father has been acting as a tutor to the children while waiting for Hannah to arrange for them to go to Rebma. "They went after rumors, Warden. Something deep in the forest and an overdue patrol."
Paige nods, climbs into the saddle and looks to Arthur Elm with an expectant look, expecting him to have some news if there's an overdue patrol. She understands that she'll have to concentrate with less distraction to actually sense something from the twins, hoping that they're human thoughts.
"When was the patrol due and which sector were they sweeping?" she asks.
Arthur looks at Iron Eye, who answers for him. "They were due yestereven'. It was a spike. One of the patrols had spotted a mountain deep in the woods, and they wanted to go back and see if it was a good vantage point to scout from."
Iron Eye smiles, grimly. "Maybe it was. For someone."
The redhead settles Pippin with a pat on her neck. "So, less than a day overdue on an unknown trail, but with no noticably unpleasant weather or obstacles, so the officer of the day felt it was an understandable delay, I expect?"
"Will you ride with me?" she asks Iron Eye. "Feel no obligation, but I always felt it better to travel in groups of three."
"That way someone can ride for help while the other watches the body," Paige explains without prompting. "We'll find a third on our way, or I'll find a second and third if you're occupied."
Paige nods to Elm, "Unless you're game as well?"
Arthur Elm nods. "Always, Lady, but I fear I am only useful if you need a soldier who can fire a rifle. I have not Iron Eye's skill or knowledge."
Paige stifles a smile for the always game youngster.
"If you can learn, you should, Arthur..." begins Iron Eye. He's interrupted by the arrival of the twin's proctors, Couth and Vanguard.
Couth is leading two horses, small, sure-footed forest animals. "Lady, I hear my charges koshed their tutor and went for the green, after Cotter. Are we going after them?"
Paige nods, sitting stiffer before Couth. "We'll need mounts for Arthur Elm and Eagle Eye, as well."
Once they're all mounted and started out, she asks, "I know our numbers are still low, but you're not telling me that Cotter was on this patrol alone, are you?"
Couth nods, then whistles a nearly-intelligible bit of cadence.
"No, Cotter was leading it. Three Arcadians, Cotter, Poach, and String. Hope they're safe, they were pretty good, for Arcadians." He grins. "They let me give them proper names."
"Good enough," Paige allows. "What's the intelligence on this mountain? Anything at all to go on?"
"Nothing. Cotter wanted to go there. Wanted to see what was on the other side, and get a good look back from above."
[OOC: Barring objection, I'm going to move this along...]
The five riders continue for some time, going most quickly over the close-in parts of the forest which has been explored.
Hours later, Couth pulls up to a halt on the top of a rise. He looks down into a broad basin and points. In the middle of it are two people, underneath a large tree.
Paige reaches into her saddlebag, producing a spyglass, but even as she surveys the basin, she's reaching out through her connection to the children, looking for identification, worried as any mother of shape-shifting demigods should be.
Paige sees her cousin Robin standing over one of Lalal's men. He's not moving and she's got a sword out and her eyes are closed. She whistles something, but it's not Cadence. It's possibly the most threatening whistle Paige has ever heard.
Paige raises a hand, whistling in return, a bit of Cadence, "Searching, patrol overdue."
To those accompanying her she explains, handing Couth the spyglass, "It's Robin, and she appears to have one of the patrol at sword's point. That Cotter, Poach, or String under the tree? He definitely has the look of one of Lalal's."
The Warden kicks Pippin into a trot down toward her cousin.
Robin smells them first. Horses. She spots them immediately, on a low rise just a good distance away from her. Her Lizards, sitting on the branches above her, hiss.
Thinking with her gut, Robin immediately closes her eyes. And Listens, and smells around for what her friends are hissing at. Perhaps a cockatrice who's missed its meal?
Drawing her sword, she whistles out a warning to the riders. Just in case.
It could just be strangers. The fire-lizards can read Robin's state pretty well and are agitated.
Robin doesn't hear anything that she doesn't expect from a group of city-folks on horses in the forest and the forest trying to pretend they aren't here. Smells match that also.
When she opens her eyes, Robin can see that one of them is using some sort of telescope to look at her.
Resisting the urge to gesture sharply and obscenely toward the telescope user, Robin concentrates on calming herself and her lizards down. Three city folk aren't a threat if all they're aiming is a telescope. 'Course if bows come out, it's a different story. Robin experiences a brief sharp pang as she remembers that she's left her own bow squirreled away on the Castle grounds.
Sooooo, time to see what developes. Robin keeps her sword, her senses open and her eyes on the riders.
The lead rider whistles in rough but serviceable Ranger Cadance: "Searching, patrol overdue."
The other riders follow her. A second rider taps out "Couth here, new Warden here."
New Warden? Dung, busted again. Robin sighs, sheathes her sword and whistles back in Cadence, "Robin here. Ranger down. No immediate danger."
The redhead at Couth's side visibly relaxes at that news.
Weeeellll, other than herself. Lifting her arms up to the tree, she whistles for her friends to join her. The girl doesn't want there to be any... misunderstandings regarding the allegiance of the flying hissing firelizards.
They all come down. Peep scolds her, while wrapping her tail tightly around Robin's neck.
With a fine mixture of chagrin and frustration on her face and in her posture, she sets her back to the tree trunk and waits.
Paige doesn't waste time once she sees Robin's not threatening the new Ranger with the sword. She leads her band to those in the valley and dismounts without preamble. She offers her cousin a short nod in greeting before kneeling at the other Ranger's side. Even as she scans him for injuries, she asks, "What can you report?" She doesn't name either of those under the tree, but her green eyes find Robin's face first, before actually noticing the small dragons on her shoulders.
Couth is beside her, a first aid bag at his side. He stops digging almost immediately.
The man on the ground has been turned to stone.
"Cotter," he says, looking up at the tree branch. "He fell afterwards. Knocked off his thumb when he landed."
Robin returns Paige's nod.
"Got here some time ago." She reports while stroking Peep gently on the eye-ridge. "Became aware of a figure crouching there." She nods toward the branch. "No vital signs. Poked him. He fell off the branch. Scouted around. Cockatrice sign but no sighting. Trail of someone-s fairly wood-saavy heading that way." She gestures off toward the mountain. "Coming back for the body when sighted you, Warden."
Couth looks at Paige then back at Robin. "Could it be the twin ter--. The twins?"
Robin manfully represses the smirk, but can't keep the delighted twinkle out of her eyes, having been a ter-- herself.
"Or Poach and String," Paige allows. "Lalal's people wouldn't be as clumsy as some of the newer Rangers.
"Brooke and Leif took it uppon themselves to go hunting Cotter's overdue patrol this morning," their mother explains to Robin without a hint of concern in her tone.
"Either way, that's the trail we follow." She stands and returns to the horses.
"You have a destination in mind for Cotter, Warden?" Robin says as she squats down to pick up the stone thumb. If Paige is going to be concern-free then Robin can honor her wishes.
Paige resists suggesting mounting him in the middle of a fountain bank at the compound and making him an object lesson to others new Rangers. "Settle him on his side so there won't be any other damage," she suggests. "With the plethora of sorcerers that visit up the waterfall, perhaps there's something to be done for him, but we'll focus on the un-petrified first.
"Couth, Robin, you've any experience with cockatrice?" she asks, wishing it were just triple its vulgar root. That she could deal with.
Couth shrugs and spits. "Black road monster. Bad sign that it's here. Never heard of no one getting better."
The Warden shrugs. "Can't hurt to ask."
Iron Eye looks around the clearing. "The children would hunt it down, out of curiosity at the least."
Well, of course, says Robin's expression. Who wouldn't?
"They would at that," their mother agrees. "At least it means that both of our objectives lie upon the same path, for now."
Arthur Elm and Van put put the body down and cover it with a blanket. Van puts a blaze on the tree to make it easy to find later.
Paige appreciates the efficiency of her men, nodding to Robin. "Any suggestions?"
Whereas Robin seems a little... perplexed by both blanket and blaze. But she turns her attention to the Warden when addressed.
"Cockatrice are corruptors. You might smell it or its business before you see it. Pay attention to your wind. Don't look in its eyes. Don't touch it with anything you're fond of." She shrugs. "Hopefully, it's the same one I met on the waterfront last night and the kids'll find something else to poke at."
Couth looks alarmed. "Those things got into town? I don't know iffen I'm more scared of one that got from here to the city or that they're two of them around."
Iron Eye shakes his head. "Where there are two birds, there are twenty. A colony would be very bad."
"Only one in town." Robin shakes her head, not willing to catastrophize at this early juncture. "And it got there against its will. Part of an entrepenurial enterprise. Your Poach and String business types?"
Van and Arthur bring up the horses, including one that Robin could ride if she wanted. Van looks at them. "We could lose them out there, but we need to move fast to catch it."
Iron Eye nods. "Perhaps we should try to find their spirit world guardians and ask them to move elsewhere."
Robin looks at Iron Eye and lifts a shoulder non-chalantly. "I'd be leery of the spirit world guardians of corruptors. And Xanadu's the end of all roads these days. So they might not want to or be capable of moving along. But it's not my area of expertise."
Paige nods agreement. "My last spiritwalk here with your daughter didn't result in much more than more questions and a haircut, but I'll take it under advisement," she explains to Iron Eye.
Robin eyes the spare horse suspiciously. "Warden? Can I talk to you privately for a sec?"
"Of course," Paige agrees. She hands Pip's reins to Arthur Elm and steps away from her entourage to speak with her cousin.
"First off, the Warden shite's going to get old. In front of the young Rangers is one thing, in front of Couth and Van, it seems more facetious, Robin," Paige begins.
"Second, I think he might've been discussing the twins' totems, not the possible cockatrices.. cockatrixes... cockatrii, or whatever you call them in flocks," the redhead grins. "But enough about my insecurities. What can I do for you?"
"Weellll," Robin muses deciding to answer the question first, "if you'd like my assistance tracking the twins, I'd... really like that. But I'm on a short jess with the King right now, and have to check in before I go anywhere unexpected."
Paige nods. "Its just a Trump call." She's obviously interested in the story behind the restriction but isn't going to ask.
Robin lifts her hands in a 'don't got one of those' gestures.
"In my saddlebag if you want it, or on my Orders if you'd prefer," Paige offers.
Robin wrinkles her brow in slight confusion but shrugs it off. One of those word-talking things again.
"If I could borrow the Card briefly, I'd appreciate it, Paige. Thanks."
"With regards to the 'Warden' thing, I'll call you anything you'd like, Paige. But trust me, it's not the puppies who need to see me acknowledging your authority, it is exactly the old dogs who need to know how the trail lies."
"Agreed. But Couth isn't going to accept a title as proof. Actions over words seem his style."
"Okay, then. What do you want me to call you in the woods?"
"I suppose Warden will have to be it, but lets down play it, OK?" Paige allows. "We're cousins first and foremost, and I know you love the twins almost as much as I do. Not to mention that you're ten times the Ranger I expect to be for decades." Paige grins.
"I'd very much like you along to find the twins. For all my years, I've never seen a cockatrice."
"Thanks, Paige." Robin grins back. "'Sides, it's okay. I went shopping with Silhouette yesterday. Saw a lot of things I've never seen in all my years." She smiles wryly, bewildered at thought of entire shops devoted to... things. "We all have our areas of expertise."
The Warden sighs, gently. "Yes, but it's been observed, I can't just screw it into submission.
"Can I?" she chuckles.
Robin snorts indelicately. "Fair be it from me to state your limits, cousin. But, I... wouldn't recommend it." She finishes with a twinkle in her eye.
Paige puts on a straighter face and nods. "Noted, Ranger. Shall we find my children and the patrol before we lose more of them?" Robin can hear the worry now.
Robin straightens to professional as well. "I must ask my King first."
Paige turns and nods toward Pippin and the saddlebags, "The Trump's yours for the using, fairly recently made in fact."
She starts slowly back toward the Rangers and Ponca, giving Robin time to answer her offer. "Unless you want the dodge of reporting to the King's representative in Broceliande. I'm sure that she'd be willing to take the heat for you."
"Thank you very much, Paige." Robin responds with a wry grin. "Buutttt, I've got to prove to His Majesty that I can be responsible for my own communications." She blows her bangs off her forehead with a light puff of frustration.
Then she looks between Paige and the saddlebags. Paige. Saddlebags. Paiiiggee. "Oh! You want me to get it myself? Okay. Though usually I don't root around in other people's stuff." Robin moves gently toward Pippin in such a way that the horse knows she's neither predator nor threat. If a soft whicker of greeting escapes the girl, she probably didn't notice.
The saddlebag contains a number of mundane items--food, water, parchment and pens. It also has what is likely Paige's deck of cards.
Robin is very careful while handling Paige's things. Even in a mood, the girl respects other people's territories.
But after checking in with Paige, if all seems alright, Robin will remove the Trump deck and turn her back to Ponca and Rangers.
Paige seems to have no visible issues with Robin touching the Trumps. She moves toward her escort, explaining, "Robin is reporting to the King, and them will decide if she is joining our search."
Iron Eyes looks at Robin and back to Couth. Couth and Van nod and wait for them.
Paige feels the familiar touch of a trump contact. Mostly familiar. It may not be anyone who has trumped her before.
Paige accepts the call, turning to give the caller a view of an edge of a clearing and the ubiquitous trees beyond, not her escort or Robin. She's dressed in riding clothes, a blade strapped to her waist, the wind playing with her short red bob. "Yes?"
"Bad timing?" Brennan asks, seeing the sword. "You missed the Mandatory-even-though-no-one-called-it-that Fun in Paris a few nights ago. Thought I'd call to see if all is well and fill you in on the developments if you're not all caught up yet."
Paige smiles sadly. "I'll mourn the Frenchman in my own time and way, and the obligations of the Wood take precedence over diplomacy," she explains.
"We're searching for a lost patrol near newly discovered high ground, and it seems there are cockatrice about," she explains. "To complicate matters, the twins took it upon themselves to search out the missing patrol this morning, after putting the kosh on their tutor." Her eyes look tired, but alive like her cousin hasn't seen of late. A sense of purpose, direction, or maybe just the enchanted wood's air is serving her well.
"As to developments, the closest I've heard is that Robin's on a short leash for some reason. Beyond that, I've been focused on the minutia of the militia."
When Paige mentions Robin, Brennan does not roll his eyes and does not volunteer anything.
"I was thinking of the Family Council after the funeral moreso than the funeral itself," Brennan says. "I haven't seen a gathering like that since the Coronation, or maybe even just before it-- the Coronation, we were surrounded by thousands of watchers and hundreds of masquerade guests. This was just Family-- that's what generated all the news. It wasn't exactly a council of war, but it wasn't exactly not. Almost a prelude-- a list of all the bad news coming in on the wings, and what we think we're doing about it."
Like Paige, in a way, Brennan doesn't look happy about having bad news to deal with, but there's a sense of purpose about him in dealing with bad news instead of letting it roll over them all.
"Well, the same problems that detained me from the first applied to the second, of course," Paige smiles. "Which of the ominous winds do you think I should expect to begin blowing my way?"
"Dragon," Brennan says, "my best guess would be the Dragon. There were about a half a dozen major topics, most of which were inter-related-- the Dragon, Huon, Rebma's civil war, the Moonriders and their Queen, and Pattern oddities-- but the big one on your parade, I think, is the Dragon.
"This much I think you already know-- chasing down Huon after he stole the Sword led us into what Robin called a Dragon chasm, filled with little dragons, a number of which we slew. And by 'little' I mean only a hundred feet long or so, not the sorts of things that are threats to the realm. Still, Robin is convinced that they're connected with the actual Dragon of Arcadia, and in this matter I'm not inclined to argue," he says.
"This you might not, though-- the one near Rebma is also stirring, as a direct result of the big political mess in Rebma. I don't think there's a Family consensus on whether they're both the same being, or different beings of the same type," Brennan frowns, and the absence of a spoken opinion is a good indicator that he's ambivalent on that topic, too. "Even if they're distinct, there's enough spooky correspondences between Amber and Rebma, even now, that I thought I'd mention it. I shudder to imagine what the results would be in your neck of the woods, of the Tritons being set free, for instance."
Paige nods, taking it in. "What's the current proximity of Rebma to Xanadu? Anyone have an idea? I was under the impression that Paris was in direct contact. As to their influence in my Wood, I can't imagine, but if the Dragon's truly is fitzFinndo, then they could be able to traverse Shadow, even if Pattern seems to be an anethema to her Powers.
"I'll have to break down and speak to Arden's Warden, because I know nothing about fighting dragons, not true ones." Her eyes flit to the lizards circling Robin. "Maybe Robin has suggestions. Any you might offer?"
Paige, sees that Robin has moved over to talk to the Ponca and the lizards are close by her. Brennan cannot see them.
"That's a good question," Brennan says, referring to the geography. "What came out at the meeting, was this: Paris and Rebma are connected. Xanadu and Tir are connected, and apparently Benedict has a position on the other side of Tir." Brennan's phrasing is a bit hesitant, unsure of whether to promote Benedict's location to a realm co-equal with Xanadu and the others. "If those five locations are a ring, rather than two rings, there's two ways it could happen, but if anyone knows which way it is, they aren't saying." Brennan doesn't bother to bore Paige with all the remaining combinations of routes... although he probably would, if asked.
"As for suggestions on fighting it, the obvious and therefore probably useless one is-- use Pattern. It's Chaos-based. For this situation, I'd advise less fighting and more information gathering-- keep your ear to the ground, and pass information back and forth with those who keep their ears to the currents in Rebma. There are enough correspondences remaining that movements of the daughters of the Dragon here may correspond to movements of the sons of the Dragon-- Tritons-- in Rebma. There is a move afoot to try and free the Tritons; you can see why I worry about the mirror effect," Brennan says. "Who would that be? Celina's a native, and therefore involved. Conner bears Rebma's Pattern blade and is pretty firmly attached to their court as well. And as a member of Team Pattern, I'll be going there shortly."
Paige nods, doing the metaphysical geography. "Is Benedict's position where my father had been last? Before his cavorting with Folly's mother, that is."
Brennan blinks, confused.
"I don't think so," he says. "I don't know where Bleys was, exactly, but unless it was Avalon, I don't think so."
"Wait, Avalon's got a Pattern?" Paige asks.
"I think everyone-- at least everyone our generation-- was wondering the same thing," Brennan says, and by his expression that may be an understatement. "But it wasn't actually stated outright, and none of us asked the question. Whether true or false, it revises the heck out of my cosmology. Not to mention, underscores just how much of a threat the Moonriders are considered."
The redheaded warden shakes her head. "I always considered them such, but I'm not getting the added significance, of course, my days are currently filled with twigs and twins and everything betwixt."
"Several reasons," Brennan says. "First, based on what some of the Elders said, I have a sense of the scale of the power we're talking about, here-- enough to take a whole people and change the nature of their relationship to ordinary time and space. Even in the proximity of a functioning Pattern. So not only are the Moonriders themselves operating by different rules, their queen, the Queen of Air and Darkness, possesses the power to do that. There was also, I kid you not, a warning not to mention her name lest her attention be drawn."
Paige nods, making a mental note.
Brennan frowns, obviously aware of the fact that he's just repeated the sort of fairy tale warning used to frighten him when he was a child. "Second, she's been manifesting to various members of the Family. Usually as a waking apparition of some sort with a tremendous psychic presence. Curly red hair, angular face, but not to my eye a Redhead although you never really know. In my case, seen in a dream, and I hope she wasn't looking back.
"Third," he says, "if there are only two ways in and out of Tir-na Nog'th, and Benedict is sitting on one, that makes Xanadu the other. Which makes you a possible tripline for that, too." Ain't it great to be a Warden? "Oh, and speaking of that, Tir is closed by royal decree, and they're not kidding around, is my impression."
"Got it," his cousin acknowledges. "Wasn't sure I had the time for a visit in any circumstances. But do me a favor, and don't mention it to the twins. They'd think it's an invitation."
"Uh, no," Brennan says, regarding the Twins. "I think one extra-dimensional horror targeting them is quite sufficient. And one lost Family member is more than sufficient, too," he says stubbornly. Even adamantly.
Paige nods solemnly, wishing she could lay her hand upon Brennan's.
Her hand settles on the blade at her hip. "I'll get to more weapon practice with the recruits as well, in case... hells... for when we become an avenue of attack.
"If there's nothing else of immediate importance," she blows her cousin a kiss. "Take care of yourself and tell my brother to be in touch, should you see him any time soon."
"Those were the two big ones I thought you'd want to be aware of-- anything regarding the Dragon, and the increased worries about the Moonriders, both of which might running through your back yard. The other big topics were Huon, which probably doesn't worry you directly unless you see him; concerns about Rebma's Pattern, the same; and Rebman politics, the big takeaway of which is that the King desires Rebma and Xanadu to have good relations. And that it is the current policy of Rebma to figure out how to free the Tritons."
"I always thought I'd end up visiting Rebma after things settled down," she chuckles, rolling her eyes. "Good thing that's not happening anytime soon.
"I'll be in touch with someone at the palace once we're done here, and if you're available, I have missed our chess matches."
Brennan gives that one of his rare and genuine smiles. "I'd like that," he says. "If things ever settle down. But the way the winds are blowing, we're in for some storms. Stay safe."
He moves to close out the connection, but hesitates and adds, "Oh, and Paige? Pawn to King-Four," before finishing it.
Random's face on the stoopid card turns to a scowl and then to a smile, and in the narrowness of Robin's consciousness, it's as if he were in front of her.
"You know when you use one of these like that, you tell the person you're talking to everything you're feeling. How may I help make you less unhappy?"
Robin unconsciously bites her lip as a number of answers flit through her mind, from the curious to the sarcastic to the flippant. In the end, she just answers the question:
"Acknowleding that I'm trying is usually good enough, Majesty. Thank you." Robin's mouth cocks wryly as she acknowledges how truly trying she can be.
"But I called because I'm in Near Broceliande -- not Running Away. Paige is here and she says the kids are loose. I've found trail and sign of recent cockatrice activity. But I know I've got duties and an appointment at the Castle. Soooo..." She trails off with a furrowed brow, not even sure what she's supposed to say or do now.
Random nods. "Someday, where you're feeling cocky, try to find out from Caine just what he can do with a set of these cards. They're part of a deeper communication than you realize.
"But anyway, are you asking if you can go rescue a cockatrice from your Niece and Nephew? And you're considering not doing so because of that ridiculous duel? Do I understand correctly?"
Robin wrinkles her nose at the first part. The combination of Caine and Cards is just... icky to consider. But her attention is snagged by the words 'deeper communication.' Just that concept is enough to start tiny little leaves in the back of Robin's flibberty-gibbit mind shaking.
The King's assessment of the situation brings a twinkle to her grreen eyes and she nods. "I never could resist a cockatrice when I was their age," she smiles. "But..." she shrugs. The whole people talking or being upset about not talking or doing things because she did things and that makes it her fault. Pfui!
"Make no mistake, cocks are bad news. If they try to get you stoned, you should resist with the pattern. You know how to do that, right? And you can tell Paige? It disturbs me that we've seen two of these around Xanadu in less than a tenday. They don't make good housepets."
"I do." Robin nods, "And I'll explain it to Paige. And we won't bring any home."
"So, as my closest relative closest to the situation, what do you recommend I tell you to do and why?"
"As the closest relative on the scene..." Robin takes a deep breath and wrestles her storming emotions under control. "I'd advise that Family takes precedence over standings, honors and communcation difficulties. I'd advise to do what I can to preserve those things but not to let my concern over them endanger my Niece and Nephew." She finishes with a sigh. Robin knows she's going to end up in the doghouse again but she's going to have to keep on doing what she can to defend Family and Realm.
Random nods, encouragingly. "That sounds pretty good. How are you going to do that?"
Robin heaves a very adolescent sigh, then pulls up her big girl socks.
"I'm going to do that by saying what I should have said first." She clears her throat and starts all over again. "Sire. An innocent cockatrice is being menaced by my Neice and Nephew and I find myself called away. Would you be gracious enough to send word to Prince Jerod and Brita that I may be delayed due to Family matters but shall return to Xanadu as soon as possible?"
Robin finishes with a flat little smile. That's about as cultured as she can get.
Random nods. "OK, yeah, I like that. In Texorami, we called that 'shooting your own dogfood', and I like that better than having to order you to deal with the damned cock-and-kids. Or is it 'eating your own dog'? One of those metaphors, whichever one is better. Anyway. I'll let Garrett know, since it's his deal. And if you need to split from Paige, trump again.
"Anything else?"
"Nope. That's it." Robin finished with a rueful grin and a shrug of her shoulders. "Thank you."
Aaaannndd then she waits 'cause she thinks she might not be supposed to hang up on the King. Or something. Civilized manners. Pfui!
Random waits, too. After a moment, he says "Well, as happy as I am looking at nieces all day long, I think I'll let you get on with it. Tell Paige it wouldn't hurt to call in every now and again, just in case." Random's card stops moving, and Robin finds herself once more in the clearing.
The riders are mounted, but Paige seems to be deeply involved in a conversation with herself.
Robin blows a fluff of air, more in wry humor than frustration. She still hates the Cards though. She carefully repacks Paige's deck and replaces it within her cousin's saddle-bags, exactly where she got it from. Then her green eyes drift around the group. She nods to Couth and walks over to the Ponca.
"I'm Robin. Ranger of Arden and daughter of Prince Julian. These are Peep, Chirrup and Ooot. I guess I'm going to be your guide for a Kin & Cockatrice hunt." She holds up her hand for a friendly wrist clasp to whichever unknown rider is closest to her.
The younger man looks to be no more than twenty years old. "I am called Iron Eyes, and you are cousin to my daughter, or so I hear." He clasps her wrist firmly and with confidence. "Well met, Robin of Arden." He releases her arm and bows slightly to the dragons. He looks at the other man, who also bows.
"Iron Eyes, hunh?" Robin's gaze becomes evaluating though still friendly. "Well met, indeed. Though I should let you know that I'm not cousin to your daughter, I'm sister to your daughter. Prince Julian is my raising-father, I share a mother with Hannah. And I hear good things about you."
She smiles to the Ponca as she starts shifting gear on the spare horse.
"Then I greet you, child-of-my-wife. In Ponca lands, you are also my daughter, as is our custom." He smiles. "You have the look of her, even moreso than my Enana. She, too was a child of the forests."
"So I've heard. I never knew her in life."
Robin smiles a tad wistfully as she gets the gear settled to her satisfaction and pulls herself up into the sadde. "So, father-of-my-sister, do you have a less awkward word I should call you? I only call one man Father, though I have a couple brothers I'm not related to, so the custom is mutual."
A thought occurs to her. "Oh! And an uncle who's a different species. And these darlings." She grins fondly to her flying friends.
Iron Eye nods. "In the languages of some of the tribes I grew up near, "husband of my mother" is the meaning of the word "father", but you are not of that tradition, and your ways are your own. You may call me Estimaza, as your mother did."
"Thank you, Estimaza, I will." Robin smiles back to him.
He looks at the fire lizards. "Your cousin Firedancer travels with one as well. Are they of the same dam? These seem younger."
"Iiiiii'mmmm not familiar with my cousin, Firedancer. I suppose it's possible that his companion is off the same dam as these," Robin's eyes twinkle with fondness as she strokes Peep's eyeridge, "but unlikely. We joined in a Shadow only frequented by close family. My friends are young. But brilliant and learning quickly.
"What's Firedancer's friend like?"
Iron Eye holds out his hand towards Ooot, as if he were a cat. Ooot sniffs of him. "It was like a spirit of fire, and a fit companion for the Firedancer. He said it could take whatever form it wished to take. They spoke, but did not use words."
"Ah." Robin nods,smiling at Ooot's explorations. "Then it's probably a different critter than these. My little darlings can't shapeshift as far as know. And while we communicate, there's nothing at all like speech involved."
She sighs. "I hope I get a chance to meet it someday. And Firedancer."
Iron Eye nods. "Ask your sister of him. They are friends." Arthur Elm, who is standing nearby starts a bit at that description. It's hard to tell in this light, and with his complexion, but he may be blushing a bit.
"I will." Robin nods. Though Arthur Elm's reaction gets a bit of a sidelong glance from the Ranger.
The Ranger casts a green eye over to where Paige is chatting with herself, then turns back to the Ponca and Ranger. "Listen, I'll give a version of this to Paige. But since hers is different, I might as well start with you.
"Cockatrices. The bad news is meeting their eyes. They won't stone you if there's no eye-to-eye contact. So hunt with your ears and nose as much as you can. The good news is that they're noisy and smell bad, so that's not as much of a problem as it could be.
"More bad news - the things are overall toxic. Handle at range if at all possible. And if you get stung, bit or clawed, let me know right away. Aside from talons and beak, watch out for wing buffets and tail strikes.
"Iiiiii don't know how much Paige has told you about the Kin were searching for, so I'll leave that up to her. But I've also heard that there are Arcadians running around in these woods. If we run into any of them, let me or Paige lead. Those folks aren't human-people, they're mythological-people. With a lot of internecine squabbling going on to boot.
"Sooooooo what can you tell me about the rangers who are missing?"
"Newcomers, from the Five Nations War. Good in the woods, but not very respectful of forest spirits. People of the Goddesses."
Couth nods and grins. "Yup, they'll make passable rangers, after we trained 'em. Shame about Cotter. Hopefully the others have been wiser."
"People of the Goddesses, hunh? Well, good for you guys." Robin nods in satisfaction.
"Were they dressed like Cotter? 'Bout the same age and build? No mounts?"
Iron Eye nods slowly. "Yes, all of that."
Couth nods as well. "They're more worried about other people in the woods than creatures. Absolutely convinced we needed to find out where the other groups were. That's why they were so pushy as scouts."
"Convinced because folk might need help? Or convinced they need to know the enemy's position?" Robin raises an eyebrow.
Couth chuckles. Van says, "These people are, excuse me, 'were', refugees. They were on the losing end of a nasty five-way war. They wanted to make sure the victors, or even stronger losers weren't coming their way."
Paige blows a kiss to the distance, says a few more words and with a smile, her attention focuses on the current location. She walks over to rejoin Robin, the Rangers and Ponca.
"No better motivation than protection of family," the Warden says.
Looking to Robin, "Are we ready to go, Ranger?"
"Yep." Robin nods. "Got some King-talk to tell you, but that can wait for on the road."
Last modified: 7 November 2010