After her ride with Garrett, Folly's head is full of thoughts and dreams and hopes and schemes. When will Random find out about Garrett, she wonders? Will he believe the claim as readily as Folly did? And what on earth will Folly tell Martin when he asks her how her day went?
She walks back to the castle, in, and through the halls without really paying attention to where she is going. So she is a little surprised when she stops, looks up, and realizes that she's at the door to Gerard's study.
Oh, right. That _is_ where she was going, wasn't it?
She takes a couple of deep breaths to clear her head and then knocks on the door.
Her uncle's voice says from within, "Come in," without asking who it is.
Folly pushes open the door and says, "Hello, uncle, have you got a minute?" She steps into the room, carefully closing the door behind her, and greets Gerard with a warm smile. "I've brought a note for your brother."
Gerard offers her a warm embrace, and when he lets go of her, he says, "Very good. Get my trumps and you can give it to him."
Folly blinks and looks at Gerard for half a beat.
"Before we do that," she says, a bit hesitantly, "I should tell you the thing I couldn't tell you yesterday."
She shifts her weight excitedly, or perhaps nervously, from foot to foot and glances around the room as if checking for spies hiding behind the furniture. "You, ah, you know that new Pattern Random told us about this morning?" she asks quietly. She looks at Gerard and bites her lip, but her eyes are twinkling. "I, uh, sort of... walked it."
"Of course you did," says Gerard, as if he already knew. "You can tell me all about it after you've talked to Julian." He wheels over to his desk and produces the box, which he tosses lightly to Folly.
Folly catches it, looks at it, looks at Gerard quizzically. "Don't you want...?" she begins, but before she can get any further she interrupts herself with a soft chuckle and a shake of her head. "No, you're right. I should do it." She runs the fingers of her free hand through her hair and steps toward Gerard's desk.
Leaning lightly against the front of the desk, she flips open the front flap of her bag and pulls a wax-sealed letter from a small pocket therein. Then she thumbs open the card case and locates Julian's trump, taking a moment to study his portrait before trying for contact.
And then she concentrates.
In the card, she can see Julian standing in the forest of Arden somewhere. He is armored and armed, and holding up a white-gauntleted hand to someone she cannot see. "Who is it?" he says.
"Folly -- your brother Gerard's ward," comes the reply. Lest he worry that she's calling with an emergency, she quickly adds, "I apologize if I'm interrupting. I had a bit of... news -- nothing urgent, but it concerns you, so I thought you'd want to know -- so Gerard loaned me your trump so I could pass it along in person. It's all in here---" She holds up the letter -- and reminds herself to breathe.
"News?" says Julian. "Very well, then, pray hand it through."
She does so, quickly, hoping the note doesn't shake too visibly.
Julian takes the note and thrusts it into his sword belt. "You are in the castle, are you not? Bide a moment," he tells Folly.
Her reply nod is both affirmation and acquiescence.
Then, to the other person, he says, "I am speaking with our kinswoman Folly, who is at the castle. Will you go to her now?"
Folly arches her eyebrows, curious -- and perhaps a bit hopeful -- but remains silent as she waits.
There is a pause while Julian's companion responds, but Folly cannot hear what the other person says.
"Very well," Julian says, and turns his attention back to the trump contact. "Folly, my son Adonis is with me. He sends his love and looks forward to meeting you again with anticipation."
It might have taken Julianic aplomb to get through that with a completely straight face, not to mention a straight mind, but there is a reason why his self-control is considered legendary.
Folly smiles. "I am glad to hear my cousin is well," she says, her tone equal parts warmth and amusement.
"If you would convey the news that I have spoken with Adonis and that he is well to my brother and to my son Jovian, I would be grateful."
"I will do so, gladly," Folly replies. "And please convey my warm regards to Adonis. I also look forward to seeing him again."
"Is there any other news that you need to convey to me?"
"No, I--- oh, yes!" Folly brightens suddenly. "If you haven't spoken to anyone here recently -- the King returned to Amber this morning after a month's absence---"
She hesitates, her brow furrowed. "There's more -- rather a big 'more', actually -- that's to do with the crack in the foundation, you know? Your brother the king doesn't think it can be properly repaired, so he's looking to rebuild elsewhere."
She adds with a rueful half-smile, "Forgive me, I'm not sure I can give you a proper account via Trump."
"I have already spoken to His Majesty this morning," Julian assures Folly. "I am aware of the nature of his new endeavor. Further discussion should, as you suggest, wait until we can speak in person."
Folly nods, and her smile grows more relaxed. "Very well. I believe that is all the news I have, then, unless Gerard has something to add...?" She cocks her head, listening for a response from her uncle, but keeps her eyes locked firmly on Julian. So intense is her gaze that she almost seems to be studying him; but perhaps as a new user of Trumps she's merely making good-and-sure she maintains the trump contact.
"Aye," says Gerard. "I do. Ask my brother how fares his daughter Robin, for when my son Vere speaks with me his mind lingers much on her, and he'll barely tell me his news for all his thinking of her. And if there is any message from Robin for Vere, it would be good to have that, too." His voice is teasing and affectionate.
Surprised and greatly amused, Folly arches an eyebrow. Barely suppressing a grin, she says to Julian, "Gerard asks after your daughter Robin on behalf of his not-normally-this-distractable son Vere, who barely remembers to share his own news for all his thinking of her. And any messages from Robin to Vere -- Gerard would have those, too."
The corner of Julian's mouth quirks with amusement. "I have not spoken with Robin, although Adonis has and his words lead me to believe she is well, and her usual fiery self. I will contact my brother myself when I have better word."
At the mention of Robin's current and usual state, Folly smiles outright. "Very good. I will let him know," she says, trying not to speculate too hard on just what sequence of events led to Julian's particular choice of words. "I am glad to hear she is well -- and I'm sure Vere will be, too." The gentle, teasing affection in her voice echoes Gerard's.
That bit of passing-notes-in-study-hall concluded, Folly takes a deep breath and says, "I know you're very busy, so I won't detain you further. If... if you need to contact me -- if you have any questions about what I wrote, or anything -- either Gerard or Random will probably know how to find me. And please don't hesitate to contact me if you have need of me."
Julian focuses on Folly for a moment, and she can sense the curiosity at her words behind the contact for the barest moment before his self-discipline dissipates it, or covers it up, as the case may be.
"There is one other thing. Please send word to Jovian that his brother is with me, and ask him to contact me as soon as possible regarding his other meeting. He will know whereof I speak. I will contact him myself as soon as I can, but in this case, two avenues of approach are best."
"His other meeting," Folly repeats, committing it to memory. "Yes, of course, I'll---"
There's a knock at the door. Gerard calls out, "Come in."
The door opens and Jovian takes a step inward. "Good afternoon, Uncle Gerard. Is now a good--" And he belatedly notices Folly focused on a Trump as he finishes, "...time?"
Folly, who has cocked her head to listen for the identity of the visitor, smiles and continues, "---I'll let your son know you wish to speak with him, which should be very easy since he just walked into Gerard's office." Though her eyes remain on the trump, Jovian can tell from the careful emphasis in her speech that those words were meant at least partly for him. "Would you have his report now, or after he's finished his business with your brother?"
Gerard nods at Jovian and gestures him over silently, mouthing "Julian" in case Jovian didn't get the picture.
Jovian gives a curt nod of affirmation and closes the distance between himself and Folly.
"If he could join you in the contact, that would be best," Julian says. "It is a matter of some urgency."
Folly nods, but her brow furrows. "I'll, uh, see what I can do.... I'm kind of new at this trump stuff," she confesses.
Holding her free hand out toward Jovian, she says, "Jovian, would you mind joining this call? Your father has some pressing business to discuss with you, something about your 'other meeting'...." She inclines her head slightly to try to catch Jovian's reaction in her peripheral vision.
The dragonman's look is troubled, but he takes Folly's hand with a little smile. His other hand reaches to touch the card, as if to complete an electrical circuit between his cousin, his father and himself.
"Dad? Where are you?"
"Deep in Arden. Your brother Adonis is with me, and he has spoken with Robin," Julian replies. To Adonis he says, "Jovian has joined the contact as well. Take my hand, and we will both speak to him."
As he speaks to his two sons, Julian is doffing his gauntlet to extend a bare hand to Adonis.
Adonis smiles broadly. If Julian can spare the attention from the Trump contact, he may realise that Adonis recognises that his father seems anxious to have his sons talk urgently.
With one hand fondling Morgernstern's muzzle, Adonis takes his father's hand. [Does this mean Morgernstern is in the Trump contact too?] After a brief moment when he peers with interest at the room in the castle (or perhaps the periphery where the vision melds with the woods) he floods both correspondents with a smile radiant with warmth.
"Folly! Jovian! I am more pleased to see you both than I can rightly say." Focussing on Jovian, "Brother, I trust Canareth and yourself are well and finding some rest at last. I did intend to offer you a period of relaxation in Arcadia but regretfully this cannot be for the foreseeable future. Nonetheless I hope you find the time to restore your energies imminently. I would also like to talk to you regarding some matters that might be important to both of us." He pauses a beat. "I think Pater might regard such a conversation as a good thing."
Jovian draws breath to respond, but Daeon continues:
"And Folly, may I ask how fares Martin? I hope you will find the opportunity to take advantage of my blessing soon; I think Martin also could do with a little relaxation. I am certain you will be good for him. How are you in yourself? If the observation is not impertinent, you look a little strained, but that is doubtless the exertions of this form of communication, is it not?"
Folly's cheeks go softly pink. _I hadn't really intended to discuss my sex life in front of your father_, she replies with a wry smile, though the words sound more like, "Martin is well, thank you for asking, and healed from his recent injuries; and if I seem tired then perhaps it's because the two of us have just returned from traveling...."
Her cheeks go even pinker. "...on business for his father," she adds belatedly. Her fingers twitch against Jovian's.
Jovian squeezes back lightly, and demonstrates that he is truly his father's son by not smiling even a little.
In a less hesitant, more amused tone, she continues, "I am very glad to see you healed and... quite yourself." She smiles warmly.
"As for myself, brother, it's good to see you - though I'm beginning to think I'll never have that chance to relax in Arcadia," Jovian says. There is a subtle stress on 'relax' that speaks volumes. "I did have the pleasure of meeting one of your aunts - wise as well as lovely, she was." The emphasis there, he knows, would be tantamount to identification for an Arcadian.
Julian, who has remained impassive through the entire sequence of greetings, now says firmly, "And it is of that meeting we must speak now. I understand you were to meet her again, Jovian. Have you done so?"
"Not yet," Jovian acknowledges with a curt shake of his head. "It's been a busy few weeks, and I wanted to talk with you before I did. Sir, at least some of Artemis' sisters want to break up this war - they've been displaced by the shift in power that happened when...well," he continues over a slight discomfort, "when Artemis bore your children. So they have an interest in restoring the prior balance. I had planned to meet Britomartis again once I had an idea how this might be accomplished."
Folly stays silent but listens to this intriguing new information with curiosity and interest.
"Britomartis, mmm!" muses Adonis, "'Sweet Virgin' indeed. Though that will be but one of her aspects." Clearly caught between suspicion and hope, he weighs intangibles but quickly decides he has too little information. "Pater, you must recall Mater and her sisters from before the birth of Dione and I. What are your recollections of them? What made you choose Mater over her sisters as your consort, however temporary?"
Julian arches an eyebrow. "Adonis, your question wrongly assumes facts not in evidence."
He turns his attention back to Jovian. "I understood at the time that Artemis planned to restore a prior balance in Arcadia, and in that way peace between Arden and Arcadia would be restored. That Artemis has her own interpretation of the proper balance of Arcadia, as she does of other things, is not a surprise."
The corners of his mouth turn down slightly. "I think it wisest to take counsel with your sister and see what she has learned. Can you come to me? I'm not sure it's safe for Canareth in Arden now, or for any of his kind."
"You must be my hero," Hannah smiles at the young [page]. She keeps her eyes on his face in an effort to keep his eyes on hers. "I understand there is a room I can change in?"
"Yes, my lady, if you'll follow me," he offers. Hannah tracks along behind, trying to set a trail in her mind so she can find her way back. Portraits and scuffed corners become trailposts. When the page indicates the room and opens the door for her, she thinks she can manage it. She thanks the boy, grapples internally with the fact that she doesn't know if you should coin a page, and then smiles at him gratefully instead, because all she has are two feathers, a little knife and some cute moccasins. She tells him she can find he way back, so that he can go on to more profitable ventures, she hopes.
She shuts the door and inspects the room. It's nicer than she thought it would be. She hasn't lived in stone walls since her school days, but the feel of them and the hidden signs of those who have passed here before bring back fond memories. She practically throws off her clothes to wipe down with the cool water in the basin. She makes it quick, but is relieved to feel clean again.
The clothes on the bed remind Hannah of school too, although she wears them often enough at home. A beige shirt with buttons tucks neatly into a dark brown skirt that just sweeps the floor with her moccasins on. She sets aside the stained buckskin clothes.
"I'll have to cut that up into something else later," she mutters, starting to imagine projects that time never allows. She does cut off a few pieces of fringe. She uses one to tie the feathers together and sets them on the pillow.
Hannah finds the hairbrush and sits down to brush and braid, tying off the end with the other piece of fringe.
Then she turns to the mirror hanging on the wall with a critical eye. She re-tucks the shirt, and then meets her own eyes with a shrug. Good enough. She turns to pick up her medical satchel... which isn't there. She sighs.
"I'll explore later," she tells herself, glancing around the room.
And then Hannah lets herself out and traces her steps backwards until she arrives at the door behind where lies the King. She knocks four times.
"Come in!" the King bellows from within.
Hannah opens the door and comes in, shutting it behind her. She looks down on the king with a smile, curiosity and a slight shake of the head.
The king looks up from the floor, where he is adjusting something on a set of reasonably modern looking drums. "We're not very formal around here. Not in the public rooms. Or in the private rooms, really. Privacy is a feature notably missing in Castle life." He stands. "There, that should do. For bit. Are you musical?"
Hannah shrugs. "I hardly have time anymore. I can drum, which I learned to spite my little brother, and I can play a mountain dulcimer, despite myself. I learned at finishing school," she adds by way of explanation.
"But I enjoy the flute. Not the fancy kind. Just... a carved one. Mine isn't here though. I was going to a meeting... when the Unicorn..." she trails off and tilts her head to look at his drums. Then her eyes slip back to him, and she raises an eyebrow and gives another shrug.
"Are you musical or do you just beat on things?" she asks with a teasing grin.
"Both!" He looks longingly at the drum kit. "Much as I'd like to have you play, Gerard shouldn't be kept waiting. Afterwards we'll talk music and drumming." He leads her along a short hallway to a wide staircase with a ramp installed over a portion of it.
Random arrives at a door on the floor below and pushes it open. "Gerard! Comp..." His voice is rather loud until he sees that Gerard is not alone. "any."
Hannah sees a large officelike room, dominated by a man in a wheelchair. There are also two other people (a man and a woman) in the room. The man has his hand on the woman and the woman is looking at a card not unlike the one used by Princess Fiona to bring Hannah here.
The door opens and Random is there, calling out, "Gerard! Comp..." His voice is rather loud until he sees that Gerard is not alone. "any." There's an unfamiliar woman with him.
Perhaps because she's surprised by the sudden loud interruption, Folly's fingers twitch against Jovian's again. She glances away from the trump just long enough to flash a quick welcoming grin at the newcomers.
She is a petite woman, easily a hand or more shorter than the king, with dark eyes and delicate features and long, dark hair that frames her face in an improbable shade of purple. Everything about her projects a casual air, from her easy smile to the way she leans lightly against the front of Gerard's desk. She is even dressed casually in the same sort of work trousers that Hannah saw Prince Martin wearing earlier, along with a short-sleeved shirt very similar to the prince's undershirt.
She meets the king's gaze for an instant, gives him a nearly imperceptible nod of reassurance, and turns her attention quickly back to the card in her hand.
The man holding Folly's hand and touching the card glances over and gives the pair of newcomers a bow of his head, one expressive brow arching over sharp green eyes bidding them wait a moment. The features below his spiky crop of brown hair are regular and could be called ruggedly handsome, given the touch of windburn that seems a permanent part of his complexion. He is a tall, straight-backed man with a horseman's bearing, dressed in well-worn leather pants and jacket of honey-brown and a loose wine-dark shirt. (A helmet of the same leather hangs on the arm of a nearby chair.)
He turns his attention back to the card. "I think you're right, Dad - and it sounds like a brief history lesson's in order as well. Let me see about borrowing a castle Trump to get back, and I'll contact you again in a couple minutes. By the way, how's the time flow where you are? The differential was wretched last time I was down that way."
It does not take more than casual observation to deduce that the conversation the rider is putting off is of a sensitive nature.
Adonis says nothing in all this but gives his father a lingering look of accusation. Lowish waters might think he's taken the badmouthing of his mother to heart, highish waters might realise it's nothing to do with that but more of a 'you're doing it again' look. When his brother speaks, his eyes return front though his expression is now unreadable.
Hannah stays just inside the door, near the King. She more or less equals his height. Her black hair is pulled back into a braid that brushes her waistline. She has on a light brown shirt and a dark brown skirt, in a conservative cut. The skirt's a touch long, brushing the floor. She smiles, and it's written in her face - sparkling eyes, high cheekbones and stong teeth.
She leans toward the King and whispers, "I love the magic cards."
Random says, quietly, "Who doesn't?"
Then her eyes stray to the man she has a good guess is Gerard, and she winks.
Gerard is a bear of a man, who probably would tower over everyone in the room if he were standing. He's not, of course; he's in an elaborate wheelchair.
Hannah suspects that wheeling around this castle is keeping Gerard's muscular arms in shape. His lower body, however ... even with the blanket he wears across his legs, Hannah can see there's something wrong, terribly wrong, with the shape. The bones in his legs were shattered in some places, and probably healed all wrong, to the extent that they've healed.
If Gerard has any feeling at all in his legs, he must be in terrible pain. But he responds to her smile and wink with a grin of his own, and a silent hand gesture for Hannah and Random to join him.
If Julian is aware of Adonis' dirty look, he ignores it for the nonce. He speaks instead to Jovian. "The time differential appears to be variable in a way that suggests direct influence to me, Jovian. Contact me as soon as you can, and be careful."
"I always am, Dad," Jovian nods. "And thanks, this explains-- never mind. I'll see you again shortly."
Julian shifts his attention to Folly. "I'm afraid I will have to save your letter for a time when I can give it the attention it merits. I hope you will forgive me. I will endeavor to make that time as soon as possible, but as you can see, Arden will have her due of me."
"I understand," Folly replies with a smile that conveys her forgiveness. "Do what you need to do, of course. My business is not urgent and will wait for your leisure."
"And I in my turn also have duties which may prevent us meeting," injects Adonis, "but I shall look forward to that day, if and when it happens. Fare you well in all you do and may your gods go with you."
Folly's smile deepens as she turns her attention to Adonis. "Thank you, cousin. Be safe and well 'til we meet again."
His gaze moves to Jovian. "And for my part, brother, I will be most happy to speak with you in Arden, however briefly. We have much to discuss."
"A gift for understatement. Who'd have thought? See you soon," the rider smiles.
Hannah glances at Random and heads for Gerard. When she gets close she reaches to shake his hand.
Gerard takes her suddenly-small hand in his massive one, quietly, but doesn't say anything.
Farewells having been made, Folly closes the Trump contact.
Random says to his brother, "Gerard, this is your niece, Hannah. Hannah, this is your uncle Gerard."
Gerard's eyebrows rise like a pair of fuzzy caterpillars climbing up his forehead. "Pleased to meet you, Hannah. Welcome to Amber. This is your cousin Folly, my ward," and he indicates the purple-haired girl, "and this is Jovian, my brother Julian's son." He gestures toward the oddly-dressed cowboy.
Hannah steps back so she can see everyone.
Jovian steps closer and offers his hand. "Welcome, Hannah," he smiles broadly.
Hannah takes his hand and shakes it briefly. "It's nice to meet you." She meets his eyes and grins.
At closer range, one might notice just a hint of scent about his leathers that would distress Misae - but with an odd, not wholly unpleasant spiciness to it, not the same scent as Wixer.
"Well, goodness," says Folly, surprised, but with an amused glint in her eye. "Nobody warned me it was New Cousin Day at the castle...."
She catches Random's gaze for just an instant, quirks an eyebrow quizzically, then turns and extends a hand to Hannah. "Welcome, New Cousin Hannah!" she says warmly, grinning.
Random gives the thumb-flick that Folly recognizes as "let's talk outside, not in front of venue management".
Folly inclines her head very slightly in acknowledgement as she turns toward Hannah.
Hannah laughs. "Thank you." She shakes Folly's hand, and smiles. Her eyes flick briefly to the purple, and she wants to ask something, but she bites her bottom lip instead.
"So, how many cousins do we have?" she asks, beginning to wonder. "I heard there were a wagon load."
"Let me see," Jovian thinks aloud, counting on his fingers (at least until he runs out). "Lilly, Marius, Brennan, Daeon, Ais--" He catches himself with the barest twitch that in a man of less restraint would have been a wince, and puts that finger down again.
"Me," he continues. "Reid. Jerod, Cambina, Merlin. PaigeConnerBrita. Vere, Solange, Robin. Lucas. Martin, of course. Ossian, Folly...oh, and Celina. So you make twenty-one. We may need another wagon," he adds confidentially, with a lopsided grin that erases the prior pained reaction entirely.
Random says, "Twenty-two. You missed the lovely and talented Dara."
"I'll aim better next time," the rider responds in a mildly caustic tone.
Gerard says, "Actually, bror, that's twenty-three. Brennan reports a little brother of his own."
Jovian smothers a look of nascent horror just a quarter-second too late to hide it completely.
Random runs his hand through his hair, pushing it out of his face. "Another one? At this rate we'll have to hope shadow is infinite to hold us all."
"One more, and we can dance squares with no one left out," Hannah grins at Random, like she's about to do him a big favor. "You can beat the drums, your Majesty."
Jovian chuckles at that. "You're a bit late. I've heard about these big family jam sessions you all had while we were away," he nods to Folly, "but since we got back from the war we haven't all been in one place long enough to have another."
Folly grins. "We'll have to correct that. Soon." To Hannah, she adds, "And if you'd rather dance than play, we've got cousins who would happily join you."
"And you can some sit by me if you'd rather do neither," Gerard says.
Random says to Gerard, "Hannah here is a doctor. Fiona thought she should have a look at you." He turns his attention to Folly and Jovian. "Let's leave the two of them to their own devices."
Folly arches her eyebrows in surprise and looks again at Hannah. Her expression is filled with unmistakable hope.
The look Hannah returns is hopeful as well, if cautious.
Jovian arches a Julianic brow - and his half-second glance at Folly stretches to a full second. But then, with an approving look at Hannah, he nods curtly and turns to follow.
Hannah just smiles after him.
The King gestures toward the door and begins moving to it. As Random reaches the door, he turns back to Gerard and says, "Gerard, when you're done, Trump me and we'll talk."
Gerard says, "Aye."
Folly follows Random to the door, then says, "Hannah, if you need anything -- including the short-course on 'Who The Heck Are These People, Anyway?' -- please don't hesitate to come find me." She smiles again, warmly.
Jovian grins affirmation. "If there's time later, we'll give you the cook's tour." And he steps out into the hall.
"Thanks," Hannah smiles as they leave.
"Speaking of time, Your Percussiveness," [Jovian] picks up again after the door closes, "I don't want to miss your Xanadu tour if things in Arden aren't utterly bugger-all. I'm in the Trumpbooth; if I'm not back when you're ready to move, can someone call me?"
Random looks to Folly and back to Jovian. "I came in mid-confab. You're going to war-central? OK, yes, we can pull you back before we go. I wished it would have been possible to go tomorrow, but it may not be until night."
Folly gives a slight nod; that answers one of her most pressing questions.
He raises an eyebrow. "It won't be hard, as long as we don't try to bring along anyone who's not family. We can go faster as a pack." He grins. "When are your dragons coming back? If they need to burn down a fleet of invaders while we're off, they'd be quite handy."
"I'm going to bring them back about fourteen minutes ago," Jovian answers with all the humor of a funeral. "Nothing for it; I already did, so I have to. And I'm not going to War Central, I hope - just need to talk with Dad and Robin. They found Daeon, by the way," he adds, as if he's unsure whether this is a win or a big lose.
"That's good. He wasn't doing too well when he left, from what I heard."
"Oh-- and if you've got a Castle Trump I could borrow in case Dad's done talking before tomorrow night? Would be a big help." His glance includes Folly, and there is a hint in his eyes of rather un-bronze-riderly uncertainty.
Random looks slightly amused for a moment. "Actually, I don't. I'm pretty sure Caine will either have one of the castle or of himself that he can loan you, though. Do you know where his office is, these days?"
The rider's face closes tightly. "Yes," he admits in a tone that bespeaks his bloodline. "I think I can find it."
"Or if that doesn't work out," Folly interjects, "you could always ask your father to trump someone here and pass you back through when he's done with you...." Both men get the distinct impression she considers this a more appealing option than asking Caine for a favor.
Random royally does not notice. "OK. Does your father need anything for his war? Amber's a bit strapped, but if he needs assistance, we can provide it. If he didn't say before, please ask him before you come back."
Jovian nods. "The stuff going on there is a bit odd, but I'll make the offer known. Thank you."
And if Random has nothing further, he will head off to seek out Caine's lair.
Last modified: 17 August 2004