Arden Family Spat

Suddenly Julian says, "Bide a moment," to the two of them. Then, "Yes, Jovian. Come through." He extends his hand and then Jovian is there.

"Welcome to Arden," Julian says to his younger son. "As you can see, I have located Robin.

"Jove!" Robin's face lights up and she throws herself on her brother for a quick hug before playfully punching him in the upper. "I needed to be located? I thought you needed to be located." The girl grins.

Adonis is startled by the girl's outburst. Some might think her joyfulness surprises him but surely Julian at least realises it's the name she uses for Jovian that really gets to him. He looks her up and down quickly, as if reappraising her.

"Locating me is easy," Jovian responds with a tight, lifting hug. "Temporalizing me, now that's hard!"

He turns then to his brother and becomes more serious, extending his hand. "I didn't know whether to expect to see you alive."

Adonis draws his gaze from Robin to look on his brother, matching his seriousness. "Disappointed, brother?" he asks drily. Then before Jovian can answer, Adonis grins, seizes the proffered hand and uses it to pull Jovian into a forceful embrace. His laugh is pure joyfulness as lets the clinch go. "If you see me, expect me to be alive," he teases, "How fares Canareth?"

Robin steps easily aside to let Jovian and Adonis greet. An odd little half-smile lights her lips at the sight, but she doesn't add anything to the conversation between brothers.

"Canareth is well, thank you," Jovian responds, grinning. "Not a bit happy to be left behind while I'm here, but that can't be helped. Heard anything from Paige?"

"A little of, but nothing from...I understand her father has spirited her away;" Adonis eyes Julian briefly, "I understand fathers are wont to do that, in such situations." He pauses to briefly consider the ramifications. "Tell me, Jovian, you would not happen to know whether Uncle Bleys would possess a crossbow?" There's the ghost of an impish grin somewhere; this is not a serious question.

"Paige does." Robin murmurs to herself quietly with an amused twinkle in her eye. Men.

"A crossbow would clash with his favorite outfit," Jovian quips. "Just no style at all."

Adonis grins back at his brother before looking to their father.

Julian watches the byplay between his children without speaking. A slight quirk at the corner of his mouth suggests amusement at the current topic.

Still smiling, still with his eye on his father, Adonis' tone takes on a hint more seriousness. "I am so glad we are all here. There is a matter Pater has already touched upon with Robin that needs our joint attention but I feel there may be other matters long overdue for discussion that may bear on that same question." Adonis looks to his brother and sister to either side. "Matters concerning our mutual relationships."

"Mutual relationships?" Robin asks blinking slightly, not understanding Adonis' idiom any more than he understands hers sometimes.

"'Relationships': how we relate and are related; 'mutual': to each other, commutatively." Adonis explains gravely, apparently oblivious to the tautology implicit in 'commutatively'.

Jovian holds back his first reply behind gritted teeth, but when he does speak his tone is even. "Unexpectedly mutual," [he] adds. "I had thought before that they were only relations on your distaff side, bror, but that theory's gone to hell."

Adonis' raised eyebrow betrays that he doesn't quite know what Jovian's talking about and he hesitates before replying, as if considering asking something. But then with a slight shake of the head he refuses to let himself be sidetracked from his (perhaps long) intended discourse.

"I am not aware of a 'hell' for ideas, brother, but I feel our relationship may run more deeply than a mere blood connection." He pauses briefly before continuing, "I am sure you are well aware of the strange parallels between us, beyond merely sharing a father: you ride a dragon; you care passionately about certain people; you assume periodic changes of name to mark significant life stages; you recognise the necessity for occasional celebration involving strong drink and members of the opposite sex; you have a certain facility with time...need I continue?

"I do not, by any means, understand the full nature of the connection but I feel you and I may be more closely linked than any other two in our family, on either side."

Because he is a son of Julian, and strong, Jovian does not roll his eyes heavenward. "I was unaware," he responds in a tone so dry it increases the forest fire index for the surrounding thousand acres, "of your relationship with time. Or with dragons of a sort not homicidal."

Because she is a not-daughter of Julian and not strong, Robin sniggers. "Micro-focus," she whispers to Jovian, her voice gleeful that it's not just her.

Adonis ignores his sister for the moment, fixing his eyes exclusively on his brother. "Do you forget that I am responsible for the turning of the seasons in Arcadia? I do not work with time the way you do but nonetheless it is one of my attributes. And as for the rest..." His voice gains a rasping, venomous quality quite unlike his usual other-worldly tone. He grins unpleasantly, "...there's a little bit of dragon in all of us and...and..." He breaks off in a visible effort to control himself.

By which time Jovian already has one hand on the hilt of his long knife and the other in the pocket of his jacket, but he remains so poised and waits.

Whereas Adonis' tone merely makes Robin cock her head and listen curiously, Jovian's posture brings a worried furrow to her brow and a fretful chew on her bottom lip. These are followed by a little helpless glance to her father.

After a few seconds...

"I crave your forgiveness;" [Adonis] says apologetically to brother, sister, father, "I have been under a little strain recently and this is not easy for me. If you will indulge me just a minute further..."

The rider's grip relaxes but his hand does not drop entirely for that minute.

"You remain unconvinced, Jovian; I do not blame you. Can you tell me the meaning of your name?"

"My father is Julian. My mother is Rimona," Jovian explains tightly. "Not very creative, but Calusa is that kind of place - survival oriented. The most valued poetry is the teaching ballad. But if you don't mean my birth name, Daeon, I am given to understand that juxtaposed with our father's, there's an obscure historical reference to be had. In some quarters it's viewed as evidence of his dry wit. It's one of those things that I mean to research further when you and your aunties stop creating emergencies in our backyard. Now," he presses on, bulling through before his brother can counter, "did you have a point, or are you idly delaying our father's news?"

Robin has given up trying to participate in this conversation, even as an observer. She finds the grass very interesting, and the cloud shapes in the sky. As her gaze skimmers over everything that is not family, Ranger or Morgenstern in the area, her lips are pressed into a flat unhappy line, her eyes have begun to shimmer slightly, and her hands flop in hapless aborted flutterings of uncertainty.

"Enough," says Julian, cutting off that line of conversation with the single word. "Robin, I believe you have news to report."

Adonis doesn't so much as blink at his father's interjection. As Robin begins her story his eyes move slowly from Jovian to their father, where they remain, but without expression.

"Yes sir." She nods to the Warden, focusing in an instant.

"We headed out at dawn but the trail wandered into Shadow pretty quickly. Tracking was difficult, there was resistance. I don't know what though. Moonlight was just a little past full when we came to Reid's clearing. Too many choices of trails to make a quick go, so we stopped to peek around a little."

Unconsciously Robin switches tenses as her memories become more vivid to her. Something Julian has heard before from one of his most... immediate Rangers.

"A voice comes down from the trees carrying a warning. Later I learn that it's Arianrhod. Maenads coming. Arianrhod says she'll meet us eastward and north, across the chasm and scoots. I hear flute music, so we scramble towards the sea.

"After a bit, we come to the chasm. Or maybe it's Chasm again." Robin nods to her father. "There's a single man rope and plank bridge slung across it. As we spec'ing, horns from the other side. A single rider bursts into the far clearing. Followed by a nice hail of arrows. Rider goes down. Rangers go across the bridge." A grim smile lines the girl's lips at the thought of her and Avid's charge.

"Hunters are a group of about eight to ten. Neither of us stop for formal introductions before beginning to dance." Robin grimaces a little ruefully. "While we're mixing it up, Adonis here pops out of the bushes and takes up the fun on the Green side. Hunters are no match and only a few get to retreat. But they got friends nearby."

"A horse is left behind, screaming. I go to end it and... the thing Girth's me sir." Robin looks up into her father's eyes. "Long tongue coils around my arm. Strong, living though broken, green teeth, green scales, green malice." The Ranger shivers and rubs her injured arm.

"Adonis and Avid get it off me. Though Adonis doesn't have much experience with this kind of critter and takes the time to chat with it a little after he tears its head off. Me, Avid and Adonis take huge splashes of blood. Caustic. Itches. Levet's marked too."

"Torched it. Burnt unnaturally. Regrouped. Adonis and I... start getting a little unfriendly. Despite best intentions on both sides." Robin serves it up straight to her father.

Adonis remains completely impassive; if he objects to his sister's version of events, he does not show it. To others in the vicinity, it looks like he's studying his father. To Julian, should he look that way, Adonis' eyes, though pointing at him, are focussed elsewhere.

Jovian raises a hand, though he's looking downward through slitted eyes. "Can I get a definition of the verb, 'to Girth,' please?"

"Perhaps you remember Girth, who had a post named for him?" Julian asks Jovian. "He was injured by the dragon and the injury used to possess him. He attacked me. Robin had to dismember him in the end."

The girl swallows audibly. Her eyes travel from her father to Jovian. She wets her lips. "I... think I won't use his name that way again, Jove." Robin's voice is quiet and sad. "I guess I'd rather he was remembered for the way he lived. Rather than the way he died."

The Ranger's lips press together in an unhappy line as her eyes drift elsewhere. The gurgles and thuds of a friend dying under her hand still haunting her, despite her best efforts.

Perhaps Adonis' lips set briefly in a harder line but its barely noticeable and he otherwise remains as he was.

"I see. A sad loss for you and the Rangers," Jovian adds, resting a hand on Robin's shoulder.

"A body infested by the Dragon has to be completely destroyed to disable it, is that what you're telling me?" Robin has seen the look creeping into Jovian's eyes before, when they were discussing temporal paradox and Chaos.

"Yep." Robin replies with a sad smile and pats Jovian's hand on her shoulder gratefully. "Infected things... they can be broken, Jove. But the broken bits stay active and hostile. They just don't work so well. The horse's back was broken so it wasn't terribly mobile, but it was extremely active within a limited range."

A thought occurs to the Ranger and she looks over at Julian. "Sir? The horse also showed traces of limited shapeshifting. Its tongue was... not right for a horse."

Those green eyes come back to Jovian. "The infected things' pieces also have a lot more mobility than normal. The horse's tail and mane were actively attacking as several differently directed strands.

"If you cut the things up into enough little pieces, they don't have anymore attack vectors -- just a pile of squiggly shaking groping-toward-you icks. Then you can torch them.

"A couple of experts seem to agree that fire is the way to go, but you have to be careful when disposing of the ashes. I... don't know if barbecuing destroys the infected things or only so seriously slows them down as to render them negligible." Robin shrugs unhappily. "And I have no idea regarding their healing or reintegration abilities. Only that if they exist, they're too slow to be of use during actual combat."

The girl smiles sadly to her brother. She hates to be the one to bring up that kind of thing to him, but better he know than not.

Jovian rubs his eyes with one hand, a non-trivial headache coming on. "Dad, what did your father tell you about his bargain with the Dragons? Anything?"

Julian shakes his head. "If my predecessor as Warden of Arden had any information about such matters, he neglected to enlighten me."

A snide comment ripples through Robin's mind but, wonder of wonders, stays sealed behind pressed lips.

"All right, we've got two fundamental problems dealing with these creatures, as I see it," Jovian says with a frown. "First is that the Dragon sounds more like a being or close relative of Chaos with every added detail. And second is that her Arcadian daughters are family on the distaff side. Through Finndo," he finishes, almost spitting the name in disgust.

Adonis gives no sign that this might be news. He continues to gaze at his father in a distant sort of way.

"Before you begin to address what you believe to be the problems we face, you may wish to let your sister complete her report," Julian says. He turns his attention to Robin, clearly waiting for her to do so.

"Sir." Robin nods to her father and gets herself back on the subject.

"Adonis and I both get struck with a sense of... urgency. He's got a man down and I know we're in enemy territory. Then we both notice that the world is acting a little unnaturally outside of the clearing. Seems almost like the clearing was looped onto itself somehow. So that the rest of the world wasn't connected anymore. Tried to Trump you, Sir. Didn't go through. That... spooked me more than it probably should've." There is definite embarrassment in Robin's voice.

"Adonis and I start to have... words." A flat line presses the girl's lips together. "Then he starts shoveling horse-ick-ash into the Chasm and we get a visitor. One Arianrhod. With Totter in tow." Robin holds up her gauntleted right hand to show the woven grass bracelet looped around the wrist as she nods to the Ranger with them. Those experienced with the girl's body language might notice that she's favoring the arm somewhat.

"Arianrhod introduces herself to Adonis and indicates that she's protected the clearing from incoming. Sez that Adonis' grandmother has changed to an aspect 'less favorable to the Artemisi' and that 'War comes to Arcadia.' Kinda hinted that Artemis had been caught cheatin' in the Powers Game and that her family was a might peeved about it." The words are light but the tone isn't. "However Arianrhod said that she figured Callisto might have a little too much go in the vengeance department to be looking at an equitable settlin' of things.

"Adonis gives a fancy sort of 'hunh?' so Arianrhod sets herself down to explaining things. She says that in the olden days Arcadia was much hairier and that Adonis' grandmother and father 'warred incessantly.' Says that Daeon and Dione coming into existence changed that. Grandmother becomes less active. Sisters are barred from Arcadia. Not everybody happy about that.

"And now that Dione doesn't exist anymore..." Even with trying to give a professional report, Robin can't help the sympathetic glance to her father. And then to Adonis. "Balance is changing again."

Perhaps Robin's delicacy over Dione moves him, perhaps not, but Adonis inclines his head in minute acknowledgement.

Julian, by contrast, does not acknowledge the delicacy, although such is his way.

"Arianrhod says that she'd rather not see her sisters kill one another. Says her other sisters are of a like mind. Says she's going to think on how to slow that down. And asks Adonis to see if he can bring Artemis and Callista back into sisterly love." Robin sighs. "At this point, Arianrhod weaves a token. Asks which one of us will bear it. And Adonis and I get beyond words into... well, a significant discussion." Yep. No use denying it.

"We argued!" Clarifies Adonis, talking to a point a foot behind his father, "and it was of little significance. Anyone who observed it would think the less of both of us."

Julian merely looks at both Robin and Adonis, then says, "Pray continue, Robin."

"Arianrhod weaves two of these little bracelet-thingies -- one for each of us, since we can't seem to agree. Then she says she can't hold the clearing separate for much longer and we should be ready to leave quickly when she drops the not-notice-me field.

"Me and the guys are ready pronto. Takes Adonis a little longer as he's building travois' for the former archers and gathering their horses. Finally we're all ready. Arianrhod drops the barrier and lights out of there. First thing I notice is that the season's turned while we were wherever we were. Dunno if we were caught in a little time-slide or it's got something to do with a power rotation nearby.

"Anyway, Adonis and his litter-train head one way. Me? I start to head up the Chasm to look for Breeze's neo-buddies' trail when... Well, I just can't leave Adonis towing six enemies and one man -- wounded or not -- leaving a long slow blood trail from the So Interesting Clearing. So I stamp after him and get real rude about it. He politely tells me to keep my ass out of Arcadia. So I say fine -- 'cause we're taking way too long standing around arguing -- how 'bout we trade agendas.

"I take Adonis' prisoners and man and drag us this far. All of 'em are present and in decent health yonder." The Ranger cocks a thumb back over her shoulder to a cave in the hillside.

"Sir? While we were gettin' them settled, I noticed a... Shift in the Wind? Seems like the Creeks of Reality are flowing a different way, if that makes any sense." Robin's struggling to put something fairly intangible into words.

"The paths, marked and unmarked, have changed again. I am aware of it, and the reasons behind it," Julian says. "Is there anything else, or does that bring us to the present?"

"Not quite sir. Though it brings us out of the embarrassing into the interesting. After we got Adonis' crew settled, we got to talkin'. Adonis' man, Luke, confirms that he was once part of the poaching ring through Arden before he got religion. And he fingered the horn-blowers as more of the same.

"Horn-blowers. They don't deny it. But say that there're folk out here lookin' for a Ranger assist out of the mess they've landed themselves in. Seems they're stuck out here." Robin's lips cock in a wry smile. Imagine that. Stuck.

"One of the horn-blowers - Foresight - used to live in Garnath. He states that the 'wild men' have been stealing folks from the raiders. Seems like there's a thriving ecology out here in human lives, sir." Robin tcchs her tongue in disgust. "But they've asked for Ranger aid for them as wants to leave."

"And later, when Totter here was fetching dinner. We ran into one Britomartis. She said that someone was late for their date at Jones' Falls. But that since I was here, could I carry a message? She wanted to know how the Warden of Arden might consider her offer of aid in preventing a bloody three-for-all. She wants to guarantee the life of her mother and that of Arcadia, but otherwise she definitely seems willing to deal. Called me her nephew's sister."

"Aaaannnddd," Robin rubs the side of her jaw in thought. "Caught sight of the floaty moon-woman again. But I might have been asleep so I'm not sure if it counts or not."

The Ranger gives Julian the little head bob with which she has ended Reports to the Warden for decades.

A miniscule twitch reveals Adonis' interest in the news of Britomartis but he keeps control of even his eyebrows. Nothing else changes.

"That someone would be me, but with the irregular time flow...." Jovian shakes his head, gazing into the middle distance through slitted eyes. "But this floaty moon-woman," he continues, clicking back into focus. "Same one from the Isles?"

"A-yep. Saw some other... peoples too. Two kids, M & F. Feral. Got the feeling they were related. But since the credibility's real low on the conscious factor, I'm not sure how much to make out of it." Robin shrugs.

"I am not aware of any way she connects to our present business," Julian says, cutting off that diversion for the moment. He glances about, whistles a staccato pattern, and waits a moment.

"Let me see if I understand the situation. Robin, you went toward Arcadia with the intention of rescuing Breeze, met your brother, and quarreled with him. Adonis, you met your sister, quarreled with her, agreed to take on the task of finding Breeze in Arcadia, and yet were moving toward Amber when I encountered you. Jovian, you were to meet Britomartis, and due to your duties in Amber, have been unable to coordinate with me to discuss how she and her sisters and I might strike a new balance in Arcadia. Do I indeed understand all these things correctly?"

Robin nods confirmation of her bit. A slight smile crosses her lips as her father's so succinct summation of what it takes her forever to say.

"Not quite," interjects Adonis, "but through no fault of your own. At no time have I seriously considered aiding Robin in finding Breeze. I am sure she believed that was my intent and I elected not to disabuse her illusions. I promised to bring at least one ranger with me; she mentioned 'Breeze' though not his significance. I made a point of not quoting a name; if I had, Pater, it would have been yours." Though the words might be taken as smug, his tone has no trace of this, more of a 'I did what I had to do'.

Julian turns to stare coldly at his elder son.

He smiles wryly, "You have, of course, already guessed this and I trust you are not surprised; I understand it is a common manner of operation for your side of the family. I am beginning to understand why." There's a faint hint of bitterness in this last.

Julian's eyes narrow slightly, but he says nothing.

Robin's breath whooshes out of her as though she were gut-punched. And indeed, she clutches her arms across her mid-riff, bends slightly and pales. Lied to... betrayed... by her father's son... the girl's eyes blink rapidly and her gaze skitters over nothing in blindly distracted flutterings. She can't catch her breath, can't breathe

Damn him. Damn him! Robin's gauntleted hands curl into fists. Mantling fiercely, she takes a step toward Adonis. Only to pull herself up short.

No. NO! War with Arcadia, enemy territory, Eric and Corwin with a ruined Amber between them. She can't. She mustn't fight Daeon. The desire to cut seven human throats and six equine ones flashes through the girl in a laser red streak of retaliatory rage. But the guys have earned their own credit with her, so no edge work. And Breeze! What is she going to tell Levet?!?

The girl's wail of loss and frustration is screaming towards her lips when her wildly rolling eyes catch the tall white figure of her father. And she knows his answer, the answer of Eric and Bleys and Corwin and Caine's little brother.

And Jovian... Jovian, she can't put him between herself and Daeon. It would be so... unfair to her straight flying hero of a brother.

In the end, Robin elects to clamp down her scream, close her eyes tight, moisture leaking through her lashes and vibrate fiercely as she battles the demons inside her.

Without actually moving, Jovian palpably closes some measure of the distance between himself and Robin. Strength, his steady, even gaze says without a word. You are never abandoned.

And then that gaze turns upon Daeon and goes colder than between. "Thank you for so ably demonstrating my earlier point." The bronze rider's words are eerily quiet, but Canareth might as well have roared them in a blood haze.

Adonis, standing a few feet away, must be well aware of Robin's paroxysms and his brother's comment but gives no indication. Instead, his gaze remains fixed on his father. He is not proud of what he has just admitted, but neither does he owe anyone any apologies. Julian can read that in his eyes.

Into the silence that follows Jovian's words, Julian drops four of his own: "Robin has my Trump."

A little shudder ripples through Robin. Her father's reassurance, her brother's strength... the girl takes a deep breath, her eyes still pressed closed. Then another. And a third.

Then one green eye peeks out under her lashes to seek out the men around her.

Adonis regards Julian as if there's no one else within a thousand miles. His expression and stance are expectant.

"You must have everything explained to you," Julian says to Adonis, a certain contempt leaking into his voice.

"Robin has my Trump and my confidence. She was acting under my orders. Had you asked her aid in finding me, she would have given it; instead you deceived her, and through her, me."

Julian's gaze, which was cold before, has gone positively icy. "And now, I am sure, we will hear the sad tale of how cruel and unjust we all are, and how disrespectful of your divine dignity, and how our familial love of you is insufficient, heedless of the fact that you have offered dire insults to both Robin and Jovian in my hearing, and that your conduct to them and to me has been impertinent and offensive.

"Let me be clear, then, on what we have done. Robin and I have both been working to remove your children and grandchildren from the war zone your mother has dragged them into. Robin offered to take your wounded men off your hands, leaving you free to pursue your own aims." Julian's eyes fall on the ring hanging from the lanyard Adonis has slung over his shoulder, and his expression darkens. "I gave you my signet to admit you to the castle and to gain the help of my rangers and our kinsmen.

"When first I encountered you, you asked me, with metaphorical hand pressed to brow, to bar Robin from Arcadia and the task she had taken on--a task you could have undertaken, thereby removing the threat you feared. Robin is a woman grown, and she has taken the Pattern. Her mastery of it is such that I would have difficulty barring her from a place she truly wished to go, even if I had reason to do so, which I do not."

Julian's gaze sweeps back to Adonis' eyes. "Robin has earned my trust by dealing faithfully with me; you have forfeited it by your lies. I shall continue to love you according to my bond, no more and no less, but the forked dragon's tongue with which you spoke to my daughter has no place in my counsels, nor in that of my children."

With absolute finality, he says, "This parley is concluded. You are dismissed, Adonis."

Adonis nods once, as if acknowledging the expected. He reaches down and starts undoing the lanyard.

Julian turns his attention to Robin and places a gauntleted hand on her shoulder. The movement doesn't leave him with his back to Adonis, just his side, but the significance of the gesture is clear.

"Dad," Jovian says quietly, before Adonis can turn to leave. "Wait."

Adonis' eyes rise in momentary surprise before he looks back down to hide genuine alarm.

[Jovian] looks from father to brother and back, drawing a deep breath. "Putting aside the question of whether I agree with your decision in principle," he begins in a tone that tells his father's experienced ear that he does agree, "I urge you to consider the question of whether dismissing Adonis so completely does not deprive him of his choice between the father who would prefer that he live and prosper, and the mother who would prefer that he be run down and murdered by his own children in furtherance of her war. And whether abridging the freedom of such choice is within or without your bond." The wingleader's voice remains level and as completely without an edge as can be hoped for, even managing to imply no set opinion on his second question. His eyes remain firmly focused on his father's, though Robin is well noted in his peripheral vision.

Julian turns his head slightly to look at Jovian, but doesn't say anything.

"Peace, brother!" Adonis speaks softly, almost a whisper, as he removes his father's signet. "I appreciate your intervention but Pater has spoken." He steps forward and offers the ring to its owner. His tone and manner are respectful but betray no emotional content. "Am I permitted to say farewell?"

Julian's gaze shifts to Adonis.

"Oh, Dad..." Robin whispers in a broken voice, rubbing her cheek against his hand on shoulder. Her green eyes are filled with tears. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. Truly I didn't." But she doesn't argue with him. The parley is concluded.

"Adonis..." Her eyes crinkle further as she watches her brother. "I'm sorry..."

Adonis' brow furrows slightly for a moment and he almost asks a question before deciding not. It's clear to all that the question would have begun with the letter 'W', but then most of them do, in the final analysis. Instead he replies, very formally, "Accepted...sister. Perhaps we may both make more effort to accommodate each other if perchance we meet again?" He salutes with the slightest nod of the head before looking back to his father.

Julian waits for any reply that Adonis may make to Robin before replying, "Of course you are permitted to say farewell, Adonis." He takes his hand from Robin's shoulder and begins to doff his gauntlet.

Adonis waits patiently for his father's bare hand before placing the signet in his palm. Robin gains a clear view of the design but only Julian is likely to notice the briefest of pressures from his son's hand; a gesture of affection, perhaps? "I have never thought for one moment, my entire life, that your love for any of your children was insufficient. Believe me when I say we are alike in this."

Julian nods gravely.

[Adonis] briefly regards the ring in his father's hand. "Pater, you are well aware of an urgent task regarding Paige. We are agreed that this task should be mine but since I am unable to fulfil the duty, perhaps you will convey my love to her, my blessing to my children by her, and whatever warning regarding the current situation you consider adequate? By all means advise her of the reasons for my failure to fulfil this duty in person in whatever terms you think fit."

Julian nods again. Adonis feels he might be considering an answer to this, but the moment passes and Adonis continues speaking.

He steps back, shifting stance and gesture to encompass all. "If by anything I have said or done, or by anything I have not said or not done, I have caused any of you offence, understand this was not my intent, just as I am sure none of you have intended offence to me. It is clear to me now that it is not possible for us to understand each other so I will not inflict my presence upon you further.

"I doubt we shall meet again. While I would like to say something profound for you to remember me by (assuming you would wish to) I have no great grasp of rhetoric by which to assume a profundity which is not natural to me. I therefore turn to another and bid you remember the last words of Oberon from the Sky. I do not delude myself that you would accept my blessing but know that my prayers go with you."

Robin starts vibrating again and a muffled wailing croon escapes her lips before she bites down on them. Anything she does, anything she says, is going to be wrong, she knows it. And yet, she's already used up her limited ability to not act.

With a mighty ruffling of non-existent feathers, the girl throws herself toward Adonis. Her intent to catch him in a lightning fast and fierce hug. A quick peck on the cheek of a kiss.

Adonis' response to his sister's embrace is largely instinctual; his arms come around her, grappling her body to his in a real rib-bruiser. He's frighteningly strong. But despite his experience of women, he's surprised, taken aback even. His mouth opens to speak and half turns toward her - which means her lips do not land on his cheek.

But just as observers might think something outre is about to happen between brother and sister, his mouth clamps shut and he turns his face to the side, while forcing Robin's down in to his chest. He holds her close for a long count, hand slowly massaging her hair as his own fierceness is ameliorated by a trace of tenderness. She can smell him but a very sensitive person who knows him well might realise he's keeping his aspect as minimal as possible.

And then they part. [Robin] to return to her position between Julian and Jovian and become intensely interested in her booted toes.

"We'll meet again, bror," Jovian says levelly. "Don't delude yourself into thinking the broader universe is quite done with you." He offers his hand.

Jovian's voice distracts Adonis from a thoughtful contemplation of his sister's down turned face. He stares at the proffered hand for a second as if not quite comprehending why it's there. Then he seizes his brother's forearm in an iron grip. [Presuming Jovian grasps Adonis the same way.] It almost looks like the two men are swearing a blood-brotherhood.

Julian says, "Your man is still in the camp, Adonis. Robin and I will fetch him. Jovian, if you have any further information about your brother's consort, I am sure he will find it useful. Adonis, your brother will have to return to the Castle soon, and I am sure he would be pleased to have you accompany him if your road lies that way."

"Thank you, Pater. I must bid farewell to Luke too, before I return to Arcadia."

The Warden offers Robin his arm, for all the world as if they were at a garden party in the castle.

Robin looks up at her father, blinking away the swell of heat, tears and emotion. With a faltering smile, she puts her hand on his arm and processes away.