Khela is in her tent. She looks up from a somewhat hastily drawn map. "They're pursuing, heading for the city." She stops. "Is it that bad?" she asks.
Celina tries to chuckle, but it sounds tired rather than ironic. "Only by degrees. I think it is better than Huon musing long on questions." Celina sits and studies the map. "The best Rebman troops will be at the walls. And Moire will have surprises and traps laid at any choke points getting to the city. Jerod should be in Rebma. He wasn't going to stay in Paris long when last I saw him. So there will be a commander who can blunt Huon if he gets as far as the city. Your mother and Rebma will be safe enough."
Celina keeps Hammi's letter out of sight for the moment.
Khela nods. "We have friends who will tell us what happens. My mother is as safe as she needs to be, although we will not see her this side of victory. They have also been getting reports via mirrors and magicians, and so will know of both the defeat and the loss of the tritons. We are in the best place, in that we don't have to move until the others have committed themselves. We wait here, ready."
Celina nods.
Khela pushes up from her map and comes very, very close to Celina. "Are you holding up with Loreena? We can put her back into the bag you pulled her out of, if you wish."
A smile. "Lorri and Lina are bonding." Celina shakes her head ruefully. "It's good training for all the venom I'm going to get later for supporting you and overturning the way things are." Celina uses a finger to idly trace the curve of Khela's breast. "I hope to save her. Really." Her voice lowers to bedroom level. "And I hope to tame the temper I've discovered."
Khela leans into Celina's touch. "A temper, you? I think we have time to exorcise it before court, don't you?" She leans in for a kiss. "I'm so glad you're here, anemone."
Celina kisses her. Several times. Then very strong hands get busy.
Conner leads Merlin off towards the tents where Khela's magicians stay. "There was very little magic in evidence as it happens." Conner explains. "The only magic I witnessed was a summoning of shark-like beings that were strong and numerous enough to fight the Tritons to a standstill. They differed quite a bit from real sharks though. Their movements were less fluid and they did not chase a blood trail as a real shark would. Does that suggest anything to you?" He asks.
"Shapechanging? Illusion? If they wounded the Tritons, it would not be an illusion. Did you use your Third Eye to look at them? What did you see?" Merlin sounds excited.
"That's the strange thing." Conner commented. "I was watching the whole of the battle with my Third Eye awaiting a chance to try an electrical based spell on the sharks and I did not see much of anything magical. So either I missed the original summoning, the magic used was subtle, or it was a power other than magic that brought these sharks into being." Conner shrugged. "Would it be worth conjuring an image of the battle for you to see for yourself? Perhaps you could catch something I missed."
Merlin frowns thoughtfully. "I do not know whether I could detect the magic through the conjury, but we can certainly try that." He sounds eager to see the battle.
"Then let us see what we can see." Conner smiles. Ordinarily he would use the Eye of Rebma as a prop for this kind of scrying but he preferred to keep that under wraps for the moment. Besides the event is close by and quite recent. It should not take too much effort to work the spell. Opening his Third Eye, Conner concentrates upon the time and place where the battle took place. He tries to keep his memories of the battle out of his mind. Conner wants to depict the actual events not his memories of them. To deliberately not think of something is a tricky task but Conner breathes deep of the cool currents about him and stills his mind to focus on the battlefield. With his pointer Conner sketches out the plane of air where the vision will appear while his fingers wind back the watch to the time of the battle. The structure of the conjury complete, Conner wills images of the past to appear before them.
[card draw: the Fish reversed]
Conner tries for a watch, and comes close. He can get the time right or the place, but manipulating both is too hard and only shows an instant of the battle instead of the watch's worth it would take. Merlin adds his magical prowess to Conner's and it almost works.
The Eye would tip the scales, if Conner were to choose to use it. Or he could cast for a longer time, such as a day.
Conner does not have a day to waste. So, drawing on his new rank as General he commandeers a tent for their use. Then he draws forth the Eye. "I have been reluctant to use this of late." He informs Merlin. "The power of this device seems sorcerous in nature but Rebman mirror magic can catch and influence it. As familiar with the Eye as I have become, I recognize that I am a dabbler. Still, I am not to become more familiar through lack of use."
Conner uses the Eye to focus upon the place and that frees his energies to turn back the clock and show Merlin the recent past of the battle.
[card draw: Winter reversed]
Merlin watches the process of using the Eye, fascinated.
"I cannot say," he murmurs after watching the scene play in the Eye. "The artifact blurs the sight of my Third Eye too much. But it is a powerful artifact. What do you know of its history? From whom do you conceal it?"
"I know very little about it." Conner admits. "It was given to me by Llewella. At the time it seemed a gift for serving her well but lately I suspect she passed it to me to keep those that might be looking for it from finding it. I hide it from mirror workers mostly." Conner continues. "Any of the Royal line of Rebma would want this for their own if they knew of it. With my Third Eye I can see a vortex of energies of spiraling off from the mirror when it is in use. Can you see any more deeply into how the mirror functions?"
"I saw the same energies when you started to use it, but I was too busy watching the battle to investigate it thoroughly. It would take me perhaps two or three more hours to obtain any useful information, and you would have to be using it to scry. Do you think we could do that?"
Merlin looks quite intrigued by the idea.
"Yes, I think we can do that." Conner grins at him. "I think this device has remained a mystery for too long. No time like the present. Are there any preparations you need to make?" Conner asks.
Merlin sends for an assortment of goods, explaining that he probably won't need all of them, but it can't hurt to be prepared. Most of them are tools that have some general uses in sorcery, but a few of them aren't obviously recognizable to Conner.
Once Merlin is ready, Conner decides to pick the battlefield again as the area to scry. Focusing upon a person would risk discovery though he could always focus upon Merlin himself if it came to it. Conner has scryed for that long in the past though he will certainly feel it afterward. Conner sinks into a energy conserving meditative trance and then focuses upon the Eye until Merlin tells him to stop or he loses his concentration.
[card draw: Summer reversed]
Conner begins to scry and watches through the Eye for what seems like hours on end. Even in his meditative trance, he feels that it's been a very long time, and perhaps Merlin feels it too, for he says something that sounds like "not much longer".
Then it's too long, and Conner passes out.
When he awakens, Merlin is kneeling over him, looking pale and drawn. "Are you all right, Conner?"
"I haven't felt this bad since Grandmother's cooking wore off." Conner mumbles. Fortunately, being underwater made cleaning the foul taste out of his mouth absurdly simple. "What happened? How long was I out?" Conner struggles to sit up.
"You passed out. I lost track of time, but we worked for a long while. You were not unconscious very long. Shall I summon a Triton to care for you?" He sounds very worried.
"No, that should not be necessary." Conner replies. The last thing he needs is his men seeing him in a moment of weakness. Of course he could spin that if need be. Conner reaches for Merlin's hand and tries standing up to see how it feels. "Were you able to determine anything before I passed out?" Conner asks. "I would hate to think I passed out for no reason."
Merlin looks grave. "You did not pass out for no reason. You passed out because you magically overextended yourself," he explains. "For my part, I have--ideas--but nothing solid. I cannot tell you how the mirror operates. My sorcerous knowledge is insufficient to the task." His tone slides from crestfallen to downright glum.
"I meant to no purpose." Conner clarifies irritably. "Well I feel no obvious ill affects aside from exhaustion. Should I be worried about other consequences?" He asked Merlin.
"You will want to rest, and to limit your sorcery, for the next few days, but otherwise you should suffer no ill effects."
Conner nods in acceptance.
Conner accepts Merlin's failure on the sorcerous front. For all his advanced learning Merlin is still relatively new at this. If Conner wants help unraveling the mysteries of the Eye, he would have to turn to Mother, Grandmother, or perhaps Aunt Llewella. More and more, Conner wonders why he was given possession of this artifact of power when she could have kept it for herself. "Let me hear your ideas then Merlin. I am not even skilled enough to have guesses."
Merlin frowns. "Principles of Space and Time are involved, but that should be clear from the application you were using. I do not know what the magical link I saw from the mirror to--something else--was. I was trying to follow it with my Third Eye when you collapsed."
"I have seen that magical link myself and only noted that it seemed to spiral off to a far distance." Conner agreed. "Being an artifact tied to Rebma I had wondered if the source of that link would be close by. Apparently not." Conner mused. "Could you tell anything about the nature of the link?" Conner inquired. "Is it funneling energy to or from the mirror for example?"
Merlin shakes his head. "Neither. The sorcery should not work that way. I think there may be another artifact linked to this one, and that is where the chain leads."
"A linked artifact." Conner muses. "I see I shall to delve into the history and legend of the Eye of Rebma. Clearly it would unwise to attempt to find more by sorcerous means. Thank you for trying, cousin. I do appreciate it. I suppose we should go and see what has happened in the outside world while we tarried here. And I could certainly use a drink." Conner floats over to the tent flap and heads out in search of Celina or drink whichever he finds first.
Conner finds men who can direct him. Celina is with the Queen, and they've just been awakened. Court is in a half glass. If General Conner wants them to fetch him a drink, they will do so. There are glances at the Royal Pavillion, as if they are unsure if they should send Conner there.
Conner requests a drink and floats over to the Khela's tent.
"You asked me to tell you half a glass before the scheduled court, your Highness."
Khela stretches and smiles. "Yes, thank you. You may go. We will attend shortly."
A moment later she turns to Celina.
"Well, then. Do we know enough to render justice?
Celina stares at the ceiling tracing sweat tracks along her hip. "Intimate philosophy and justice are incompatible."
Lady Celina sighs. "Well, we know that the Captain did the deeds he is accused of. Butchery and waste of the Throne's resources. He defends this as his discretion and command prerogative. None of the nobles seem much worried about consequences. Apparently it is normal for ransom and family to yank you out of the spiny spot your sloppy regard for ancient pacts and duty has put you in."
Celina rolls over and finds Hammi's note in her clothes. She hands it to Khela. "This boy is my age or a bit older. However, he asks his women to tell him what to do. Would he understand justice or does his mommy explain it to him? And Lorri tells us we cannot kill the nobles without offering their families a chance to bail them." Celina rolls along, "I disagree."
A pause. "I think there are enough barnacles on the throne. It needs to be stripped and polished." Celina purrs, "But then you are the queen. How say you?"
"I'm sorry that trial by combat against Tritons isn't an acceptable option." She pursed her lips. "If I could get away with it, I'd call him a pawn, and lay the capital offense at Moire's feet, which would be convenient to us.
"So, a guilty sentence. Can we put off the execution? Rallying Moire's nobles against me would hurt, this week. Not as much as losing the Tritons, who I am committed to. What middle path can we find, anemone?"
Conner pauses in the entryway of the tent curious to hear Celina's reply.
"No middle path, my dark sphyraena," Celina sits up finally. "Remember what I said once about timid lessons? We need to take bigger bites." She stares at Khela but sees a greater distance and everything near is made smaller. "We do it all. We indict him on the capital offense. We strip his command. We pend his execution on further information regards Moire's complicity in setting an agenda of ignoring the pact. Assign the ex-captain duties that put him on the other side of being held in disregard. Let him know that this Throne may have mercy but he will be punished as we regard the Tritons as the honor of the Throne. We can let him send a ransom message, since it could be interesting to see what his family considers ransom for breaking trust with the Throne. We append our message to his ransom and set a tone of diplomacy to his family. They want him enough, they will talk and maybe get first inroad to the new royal mind even if they think to hand us to Moire."
Celina trembles with tension. "Bigger bites."
"Before we take bigger bites, I will remind you that the Tritons have the largest teeth." Conner emerges from the shadows at the entrance to the tent, "Halamedes gave two conditions under which he and his Tritons would join our cause. The first was a promise to spare the life of the Duchess Valeria which I gave. The second was the death of this captain which I suggested he lay the matter before Her Majesty as only she and her law courts should have the power to pronounce sentence of death. The last thing I wanted to start was a precedent for Trions taking revenge." Conner runs a hand through his hair. Underwater, sweat cannot plaster hair to the side of the head, so he looked fresher than he felt. Still Conner looks tired. "What I did not predict was Halamedes pressing for justice so immediately. A shame too since the death of this captain as the first official act after your coronation, Majesty, would have made a lovely spectacle and a pointed message. Ah well, water flowed by now."
A thought occurs to Conner. "Do we have all the Trtions in Rebma at our side now?" He asks. "If there are still any in Rebma, we could spin things that all Tritons should be present to witness the death of the Captain. That could be a delay they might find acceptable."
Celina glances at Conner as he speaks but waits for Khela's answer. She makes no move to cover up.
For his part, Conner has no visible reaction to their nudity. Any appreciation of their bodies is subtle and pleasantly imprinted on his long term memory.
"I would hate to be a Triton in Rebma today," says Khela. She rises and begins dressing in what are clearly more-formal clothes. The turquoise shorts set off her green skin nicely.
"The Triton Ghetto is full to overflowing with religious leaders and significant places. We will try to hold off for religious sign-off or some such."
Celina purses her lips.
She picks up a parchment from her table and hands it to Conner. "We don't have any solid word from the castle yet, but the populace is starting to react to the news. Rumors are rampant. One says that they want to expel all Tritons, another that they want to seal Down." She laughs. "Whoever thought of that plan isn't a good tactician."
The parchment, brought by the woman who awakened Celina and Khela, has little more detail than Khela summarized. Conner does not recognize the name of the mage who wrote it.
Khela opens up a wardrobe and pulls out the green blade. The tent brightens and she straps it to her hip.
Celina rises. "In the face of such rumors and mystery, we need to know more of Huon's success or frustration. I volunteer to seek him again after court." She goes to wardrobe and finds a black tanga in a septbeaded pattern. She adds a shoulder jet bead mantle to make the outfit vibrate with formality.
Conner looks at his own drylander attire and hums thoughtfully. Rebman style garb could be seen as an attempt to fit in but largely it would emphasize his white skin among the green of Rebman and Triton. Best to stay as he is. No matter his dress or the oaths he takes, Conner will always be seen as one of Amber by those under the sea. Conner does make a note to seek out appropriate regalia for a General though. A crafted helmet and some medals should do for impromptu pomp.
At Celina's suggestion, Conner's smile flattens out into a straight line. "Each time you fortuitously appear to parley at a critical moment increases the risk that Huon will see you as a threat not an ally." Conner comments. "What do you plan to offer him when you go?"
"I thought to offer a few words and share a drink if we actually see each other," Celina says straightening the mantle. "Gossip is a family privilege, I believe. I think I could breathe fire and he wouldn't think I was a threat."
Khela opens a chest and pulls out a mirror. She only gazes into it for a moment before starting to put it away. "If he doesn't think of you as a threat, he thinks of you and your freedom as a message to someone. It turns out it's to me, but he probably means it to his brothers. They're like that.
Celina gives Conner a searching look.
Conner merely nods in agreement with the assessment. Huon has old scores to settle but perhaps not with the family as a whole.
She puts the mirror back in the case. "Huon cannot be foolish enough not to consider the possibility that two unusual events are related. You appeared and the army in front of him collapsed like a house of cards. If you go back, he'll want to know what you and your army of Tritons want. There will be a time for that, but perhaps we should make him imagine the possibilities first."
Lady Celina nods. She holds open the tent for Khela when the party exits.
Conner falls in behind as they leave. "First let us see if our queendom can survive its first court." Conner murmurs to Celina as he passes. "Then we can discuss the next move in the war."
Khela looks at Conner and Celina. "Ready? Then let's put Queendom to the test." She sweeps out and, assuming that Conner and Celina are following her, leads the way to a platform that has only been constructed in the past few hours. There are banners on it. Prominent among them are a green rose on a black banner rimmed with silver and a very feminine (green) hand holding a delicate green sword against a sapphire field.
"Have you decided upon arms, Conner? You should have a banner."
"I have a few ideas." Conner replies easily. "Crossed sword and stylus on a flame red field is my current favorite."
Celina smiles at this.
"We would happily grant you those arms," says Khela.
The crowd seems to consist of every man, woman, and triton in the army. Khela moves confidently towards the platform. There are three chairs atop it.
Conner follows just a half step behind Khela and takes her cues for how court is to commence. Following what he knows of things he expects Celina to be in the higher place and so Conner steps to his seat once Celina has chosen hers. He does not sit until Khela does.
Celina matches her manner and timing to Conner but sets aside the impulse to stand throughout the ceremony. She sits after Khela. She allows no sign that she did not choose the banner flying jet, emerald flora and argent.
And wonders at how right it looks.
Khela is not long on ceremony. It is almost the antithesis of Moire's court. She stands and faces the crowd. "Those who have business before the Queen of Rebma, I am here. Bring forth Captain Atonides."
The prisoner comes forward, as does Halamedes. "Captain, after you were taken prisoner by General Conner, Tritons in your service charge that many of their number were slaughtered due to your negligence, indifference, or malice. If true, it is an affront to conscience of moral Rebman men and women and a violation of your oath to the crown. How do you answer the charges?"
The Captain looks at her, and her army, and seems to get smaller, but does not bow his head. "I did no thing that was not within the scope of my orders and duty."
Khela sighs and turns to Celina. "Cousin, what did you find in your investigations? Are the charges true? If true, what do you recommend we do with him?"
Celina stands. Her expression is cool. "The charges are true." She allows all whisper of sound or reaction to die completely, then holds still a few more moments. She looks at the Captain and measures all the things he has said. "He has blackened his rank and House. He requests his House be allowed to ransom for his capture, but his failing is a mark of treason against the throne. The advocate recommends mercy beyond the scope of orders and duty."
The flutter of argent, emerald and jet in the current above her stirs fiercely now. Celina's voice is ice cold. "Take his rank. Spare his life if he will submit to silent service to throne for as many years as his career has run." Celina stops anything else she wants to say.
Khela turns to Conner and speaks to him in a tone too low to be heard, except by Celina. "Can you ensorcell him thusly?"
"With help from Merlin, I am sure something can be arranged." Conner replies in a similar low tone. "If not, there are many ways to convince a man to remain silent."
Khela stands, and walks forward. "Captain, you are judged guilty, and I asked to show mercy. You do not deserve it, but that is the nature of mercy. If we show mercy, it is a sign of our strength, and our superiority that we do not have to kill you. Is that clear?" The Captain looks up at Khela, and nods.
"Halemedes, swim forth!" The large triton does so. "We have found that the man you accuse is guilty under the law and his life is forfeit to the crown. We have been asked for justice, but justice is law tempered by mercy. I ask you to go off with your eldest and wisest tritons and discuss the options for justice, and come advise me as to what you recommend. We will hear your counsel at a later court.
Conner nods in approval at bringing the Tritons in to bear on the decision. So long as they believe their opinions have weight, they should be reasonable to work with. If their counsel is wise and worth acting on, so much the better.
The Tritons seem surprised by this course of action, but not upset. To the extent that you can read what a 21' long stoic fish-man's emotions are, they're concerned, but not agitated.
"The matter is in abeyance until my counsellor Halemedes finishes his work. Now, what else is there for this court?"
Conner does have a few things he should do at future courts. Some recognition for the Tritons that fell in battle is in order. The wounded and brave should be recognized as well. Conner now regrets the time he took in magical experimentation when he could have been arranging bonds of loyalty. He would remedy that later. To bring it up now would only catch Khela off guard.
Celina watches the crowd. She raises no issues.
The issues facing the court are not so weighty as the first case. It is not difficult to run an army that feels that it is winning.
[OOC: I'd like to push time forward a few days or a week. What do you two want to accomplish before the action moves to the plains outside of Rebma?]
Well Conner would like to:
1. Put together a spiffy General's uniform and his banner.
Done! Someone in the army will do it for you, even.
2. Recognize the Triton's that fought well in the battle and present them with some sort of Battle of Coral Ridge (or whatever the area was named) medal. Probably an armband or sash unless they want to add piercings to the tattoos.
Works for them.
3. Conner would like to talk more with the Tritons and actually broach the story about being sons of the Dragon with them if they would speak of it.
It is the stuff of legends. They are the least of the children of the Dragon, whose spawn include four-armed tritons, hundred foot long whale-tritons, tritons who live in the lava of underwater volcanoes, and creatures stranger than that.
The newer, more talkative tritons say that they know they are sons of the Dragon, but have no holy wise tritons to tell them their history, as their brothers do.
4. Get together with the mages for scrying and spying on Rebma. Specifically, Conner would love to send messages to the Triton community so that they have a column on the inside when the fighting starts. He will use the Eye to augment this.
There's some resistance to this, but the City is just too big to shield from all scrying. Most sensitive places are concealed.
The gates are sealed and every rooftop has wachers and weapons on it. There are few people in the streets and no tritons. The walls are manned by soldiers and mages in Rebman livery. Your mage assistants recognize most of them.
There's triton activity in Downtown, but it's hard to tell what they're doing. The magic users don't really know what to look for there.
5. Similarly, get with the mages to scry and spy on Huon and his army. Any intelligence they can get about the disposition of forces and those strange shark creatures would be of use. He will use the Eye to augment this as well.
The army, being smaller, is more easily shielded and Huon's mages are not as distracted by defence as Moire's. Conner can gather nothing besides basic positional information.
6. It has been a while since Conner checked up on his family using the Eye. He takes a peek at Brita to see what she is up to.
[Yay for Just-In-Time-Time!] Brita is underwater, with Ossian. She's talking to someone Conner can't see. Conner can see his cousin's lips and reads a few words they say.
"When we return to Paris and if you are still dressed in her gay light, we will send you invites to all the best parties. Sandor and I know all the best haunts in Paris."
"Indeed we do." Ossian says with a grin.
He would look in on Mother and Bleys but you never know how they will react to someone scrying on them. He does look for Paige and Edan and the twins though.
Conner can't find Paige. Edan is far from Amber, where time runs quickly. He holds a trump that cannot be seen in the mirror. Conner can only read his lips intermittently.
"I know that you would find more advantage with my direct allegiance than for me to be separate. And I could do far worse than to ally myself with the Power of Order."
I think the covers all the main points. The only other things I could think up is some battle enhancing magics which I would want a watch or day to set into place should we have the time to prepare before armies clash.
Celina's agenda and week.
With all the troops and tritons moving about, Celina needs to do some things: 1. vett the letters to Rebma (Loreena's and Hammi's) and look for a neutral party to take them. Don't want to send a triton or soldier. Perhaps a courier fish? Minor task.
Combine this with #2 and find a sorcerer to magic up a fish...
You've got Hammi's letter. Loreena didn't really intend to write a letter. She was just jacking you around.
2. get to know some of the sorcerers a bit better, see if there is a bright one (cross checking on Conner and Merlin)
Sure. Create a named NPC and he's your bright boy.
3. prepare a defensive series of spells, sorcery plus mirror, a crystal bead that will blink/dazzle when the energy is released. Instant effect to escape crowds or capture.
Done.
4. keep up the sex with Khela testing her endurance
Inconclusive, which is suspiciously like 'yes'...
Some days later, Khela summons Conner, Merlin, and Celina to her presence. She is smiling fiercely.
"I've received confirmation that our spies' reports are correct. Moire has fled the Capitol in the face of the upcoming attacks. We don't know where she went, but she's abandoned the city. Huon is in Ostia and should be at the walls of Rebma within half a day. He knows we're out here, but doesn't know our intentions, and apparently doesn't fear us enough to take us preemptively.
"Now is the time for us, my cousins. Give me your advice on how we should proceed."
Celina sits down before she falls down. Moire fled? She gathers her thoughts.
"Moire fled?" Conner exclaims. "Purposeful retreat or panicked flight I wonder." Conner's smile matches Khela's fierceness at thought of Moire running scared. "I think our plans should remain unchanged. Let Huon's army engage the defenders of Rebma and then we fall on them from behind snapping him in a pincer movement." Conner snaps his forefinger and thumb together. If we time it right, we look like the saviors of Rebma that saved the city while her so called Queen fled." Conner grins. "That is how my history book will chronicle the event."
Khela smiles back at Conner. "I look forward to reading your book. And re-reading it in my old age. We shall need a battle plan, General."
Khela turns to Celina. "Now, what can we do on an intelligence front, I wonder, to improve our odds?"
"I'll leave the victory over Huon to you and Conner, then," Celina responds softly. "I must find out what the ex-queen is doing, for it cannot be good for any of us. Moire doesn't block us, she prepares to change the game." Celina sits up straighter. "I'll be taking Tawhiri with me and seeking Moire. He's that overly bright fellow who helped magic the courier fish for me. You don't need me to manage the war or Huon, but knowing what Moire is doing is essential. If she is swimming away from her grip on court, the nobles and the army, it is because she knows of a sharper weapon with which to cut our throats." Celina swallows, "Hoping we are asleep, probably."
"I would not wish you from my side, Anemone, as we are near victory. My mother believes her sister seeks external help as their mother did before her. Can you convince your father not to help her? Conner, I would ask a similar question of you with regard to other powers. If we can keep the field as it is, we should be able to win the day."
Celina chews on Khela's request. A fast series of emotions plays across her mouth (sadness, wonder, anxiety), ending with negation. "If she thinks to involve Corwin she is losing her touch." She sighs. "Tho' I do wager if I made a point of it, he would stay neutral rather than face Huon or help Moire against us. He owes me nothing but it would suit his inclination, I believe.
"Moire would find safety there for pedigreed exile," Celina adds in a voice which says the result does not displease her.
Khela nods. "Sometimes you play a bad hand because that is the hand you have. Who else would she go to? Random will not help her, unless things are very different than I surmise.
"I would fain not have her on my landward border, pouring poison into the ear of the King my uncle, but that may need to be a problem for another day."
"Yes," Celina agrees, "I should start with Corwin and Paris. She knows that he would treat her well if not give her support." But it turns her thoughts to Dara and how Paris is just the spot that Merlin's mother would expect her son to return to.
Enough to have it watched by what passes for such scrying in Chaos. She needs to dissuade Merlin from coming with her, but that has never worked so far. She looks at Conner with speculation.
"I have some influence among the lands of the Golden Circle and in Gateway in particular." Conner adds. "Should she seek allies even farther afield, then we could move to counter that." Conner says with confidence. "Though that would be tasks better suited for Celina and myself on this side of Ygg. Merlin is a gifted magician but his diplomatic training is still at an early state." Conner concludes. "He would be far more useful on the battlefield."
Merlin looks to Celina. "My diplomatic training is more suited to Chaos, but so is my martial training. And I am afraid my knowledge of poisons does not extend to the underwater variety."
"Still, you've talked to Huon," Celina adds to Conner's point, "and I think Chaos diplomacy might yet be useful when battles play out. Then there is your considerable talent with sorcery. This battle will see Rebma make use of magic."
"Indeed." Conner agrees. "I did not intend to have you in the thick of fighting but using your magic to enhance our troops and watch the battlefield. In matters of communication and logistics, your abilities would be invaluable." Conner smiles.
Merlin nods. "They would. If I am not elsewhere, I will be there."
Celina radiates a moment of pleasure.
Conner calls for a contour map of Rebma and the surrounding lands. In formulating his battle plans, his main concern is neutralizing the shark creatures. With them turned aside, the Tritons should easily be able to handle the bulk of Huon's forces. For the most part, he trusts the commanders among the Tritons and Khela's forces to handle the battle. The areas Conner wants to oversee personally are the repulsion of the shark creatures and then a focused assault on Huon himself. If he could arrange it, he will hunt the head and leave his army to mop up the decapitated body.
Conner studies the maps and makes several tentative plans, depending on the tactical situation as he finds it when it's needed. Conner's map comes with experts who have good ideas of the strength of his troops, although none matches Conner's skill at tactics. The magical practitioners have several ideas about the sharks, but none can be tested without actual combat.
Celina stays long enough to get a sense from Conner (if he teaches) as to what is a proper process for planning war.
Conner is happy to explain points as Celina shows interest in his plans but he keeps such digressions short and to the point. Much of his own education left things as exercise for the student and Conner teaches in the same manner. During this time, Conner instructs that a commando force of Tritons, selected on the basis of speed, be put aside for a personal command. It is his intention to outfit each one with a Time focus for his magicks and create a very swift responsive force when needed.
Khela gets her attention next, a long farewell of few words, mostly vertical.
Khela wants Celina to promise to come back as quickly as she can. She tries to be very persuasive.
Celina does not promise, but says, "That's what I want too." Celina asks Khela to look after her cousin, Conner and brother Merlin as if they were a younger Celina. There is no irony in this request. Celina tries to be twice as persuasive as Khela.
Khela is easy. To convince. Khela is easy to convince.
Then she asks Merlin for a private talk. "Brother, I will be frank," Celina says. "Paris may be too easy to reach by your mother. I'd rather go alone and return quickly to you than have Her pick up on your wake. Would you consider staying with Conner and Khela? Giving me a quick way back thereby?"
Merlin nods. "I think it will be needful if we are to be true to our alliance. Do you trust Khela, Celina? Do you think I should?"
"No," Celina says quickly, "you should not." She hesitates. "That is, you should use your best judgment. Just because I trust her love does not mean I want you to love her as well." Celina looks suddenly uncomfortable with the conversation, she flushes. "Trust her as well, I meant."
Looking straight into Merlin's eyes, she adds, "I'm not without evil heart and frightened by it, but I can't stop trying to make things better."
"Do you believe this will make things better, sister?" Merlin gives Celina a penetrating look. "Perhaps it is better for our father that he not be involved. But if Paris is a new Amber, events in Rebma must necessarily hold meaning for him. I mislike the idea that our father would interfere to our detriment, but it may be that he feels he has no other choice. Everything to do with this is disordered. It worries me."
"I do believe things will better, else my strength is a shadow." Shockingly, Celina unhinges at Merlin's echoing of her own doubts and her emotions rise. She closes the distance---- slides her arms about his shoulders and hugs him. "All is worries and mischance."
She starts crying.
This crying isn't the palatable weeping so easily hidden beneath the waves. Celina has hidden many tears since this path began. This is an ache that must vent. These tears are hot and violent and soon Celina is sobbing into his shoulder. She tries to speak, but it is useless.
Merlin holds Celina awkwardly until she has cried herself out.
Celina pulls herself together slowly once cried out. Her face is a mess, but she feels better. "I mark your words about Corwin. You make good points. Once I go to Paris, he will involve himself as he sees fit. However, I think we need to know if Moire is there."
"Indeed we do." He frowns. "Someone has been attempting to contact me by trump recently. I cannot tell who, but I do not know whether that is from concealment or something else. Do you think I should answer the trump if I am contacted again? It might be our father."
She nods, logical, yes. "Well, you must be able to answer Trumps if I am to get back here. So give it a day once I am gone and then answer as best allows." She squeezes his shoulders before pushing back. "Sorry to salt you that way. Disorderd seems to be my middle name discovered." She wipes her face with a wrist. "I'll be borrowing a trump of you. I assume there is one?"
Merlin nods. "I have made several over the years. I will arrange things so I can give it to you without harming it. I do not like handling my Trumps underwater if I can avoid it."
"You," Celina responds simply, "are splendid." She resists nuzzling against him.
Suddenly the trip is an exciting prospect, even though she will be chancing Moire and Corwin on her own. She fully intends to hurry back but also is eager to test the shadows to Paris again with her new strengths. The trembling in her stomach fades a bit.
While Celina is preparing for the journey, Merlin gets the Trump ready, or rather, the sorcerous dry bubble that he'll hand it to her in.
Last modified: 22 March 2008