Robin makes no attempt to soften the sounds of she makes bounding up to the tent. "Vere? You busy?" she calls gently from outside.
"Never too busy for you, beloved," Vere calls back. He rises and hurries to the tent entrance, pausing only briefly to lay a hand on Siege's shoulder in passing.
"Hi...." Robin shakes herself out of her bemused contemplation of her love's face. "I'm back from my fly-by."
The Goddess nods to Siege as she enters the tent. "Quick and dirty overview from a sssaaaafe" - nose-wrinkle at that - "distance says we are most likely Huon-free. Army light as well. We've got some stragglers deciding what to do in various pockets but nothing too nearby."
"Excellent," Vere says. He lightly strokes her arm with one hand. "Then I say we leave immediately for our other errand. And use Cousin Martin's boat as it is meant to be used. That should cut our travel time from days to a matter of hours."
"Okay," Robin looks up at Vere with trusting eyes, that have a hint of dread cirling in their depths. Controlled circumstances, deep breath, doing this kind of thing with Vere helps; the mantras circle around in her head chasing after but perhaps never quite catching the fears.
He nods his head to Siege. "My brother," he says. "We will talk again ere all this is over." He looks at Robin and nods his head towards the opening of the tent, but waits to see if she is ready to leave before he exits.
"Siege." Robin bounds over and hugs the man. "Thank you again. You take care, nice man." The Goddess gives him a fond shake before bouncing out of the tent once more.
Vere smiles at Siege once more before following Robin outside the tent.
"We can leave immediately," he tells her. "And trump Father, to let..." he paused, leaving a space instead of mentioning a name, "... know that we will be doing the summoning soon, and she should prepare. One thought occurred to me. Do we want to tell Avis what we are doing, and invite her along? She shall soon be the Lady of the Isles, and first servant of the Goddess. One could argue that she has a right to hear what your mother would say."
"One could. One could also ask how crazy-dangerous this and me is going to get and can Avis protect herself. One could also ask if she should meet the company we're planning on inviting." Robin chirps back to Vere as she hops along.
"Oh. Also, did we agree to do this where I think you're planning on leaving to do this? 'Cause that's really going to amp up the crazy-dangerous factor if that's the case. Or will it most likely not work in her grove or house or something?" She asks the expert.
"Place is a factor," Vere answers as he walks. "And if the water still retains its Rebman qualities, I am tempted to see if torches will burn, and we can walk at least partway down before undertaking the attempt." He takes Robin's hand in his and squeezes it reassuringly. "But not if you cannot bear it, my love. We shall see what occurs once we return to the city.
"As to the other matter. Avis was raised in a court the heir-apparent to a monarch, among politicians, sorceresses and priestesses. She can take care of herself." He chuckled. "She considers me a hopeless romantic and politically naive, you know. My only question is the one you raise, about whether she should meet our other guest or not." Vere purses his lips in thought. "If the plan is to trump her once we're out at sea, then send her back before returning, I do not see that the mere knowledge of her existence will give the Isles any more claim on her than they already have. What do you think, beloved? Should we offer her the opportunity to accompany us?"
"Hmmmmm..." Robin thhhiiiinnnkks about it. "If you're with me that will probably help cut down on the omen-echoes so let's give that a try and bail on it if I get tooooo crazy. With regards to Avis and guest, my big concern is that your politically savvy sister will see an opportunity to upgrade her goddess options with a perhaps more manageable diety."
Robin remembers that this wasn't a concern for Vere the last time she mentioned it, but it's still in the back of her mind. Especially given Solange's earlier... curiosity regarding the Isles.
Vere simply smiles. "If so, she will do it in absentia, as she would with you. That other one is no more easily commanded that you, although she is more likely to simply walk away from attempts to coerce her than to attack."
He stops walking for a moment and looks around, spotting a guard. "Dives," he calls out. "Carry a message to my sister, the Princess Avis, immediately. Tell her that the Lady Robin and I are leaving the island on the boat we arrived in, and we request that she meet us there, if it is convenient."
Vere waits for the guard to salute and depart at a run, then he begins to walk once more. "There, he says. Let us say this. If Avis arrives before we depart, we shall tell her what we are about, and ask her if she wishes to accompany us. We do not mention our guest at that point. If she declines, then that is an end to it. If she accompanies us, then we leave it to our guest to reveal her nature or not, as her discretion."
"Does this sound wise, my love?"
"Wokrs for me." Robin saya while marvelling internally at how this diplomacy stuff works. For a moment another worry crosses her mind and her lips part. But then she just closes them and shakes her head. When did she get so.... paranoid and controlling?!?
With a smile she takes Vere's hand and heads for the dock.
"Then so it will be." Vere walks with her in silence to the dock, then begins checking over the boat, preparing it for travel. He deliberately does not bother checking the fuel level, convinced that Martin would have had it filled before leaving it in the Isles.
Robin hops aboard the boat and helps... nope, she just decides to stay out of the way. Looking out over the water to the harbor, to the open sea... Robin Listens down here where there is more life. (OOC - Again, she isn't Listening for anything in particular, but is Listening to get a feel for the general Song of this place.)
At many levels, especially those near the sea, the lives, loves, and wars of the surface people have not fundamentally changed this world. Still, there is an odd echo from somewhere.
Vere continues his preparations. He is not rushing, but neither is he dawdling, and if Avis has not arrived by the time he is ready to leave he will cast off without waiting for her.
If Vere looks like he needs help (or asks her) Robin will jump to, otherwise she Listens with a faint smile on her face, head cocked, to the song of the seas.
After getting a good feel for the Song, Robin's brow furrows as she attempts to trace and/or identify the odd echo.
Robin is pretty sure it comes from the hole near the flooded city. She's felt it before, but not this strong.
As Vere finishes his preparations, he sees his sister approaching up the beach. She has not reached the boat, but she is heading towards it and the two lovers.
Vere waves to his sister, and steps off the boat onto the wharf and waits for her. He glances over at Robin and raises an eyebrow, quietly making an inquisitive trill.
Robin's eyes roll over to her love in response to his trill. And the faint smile on her face grows more real and personal. "Hoollee...." she says in a soft almost-hoot. "Grooowing?"
As her attention is caught by Avis' moving figure, Robin looks back to Vere and shrugs. She's issued her warnings, after that it's up to the adults to decide what to do for themselves.
Avis waves back and approaches her brother. "Lady Robin, would you have me attend you in this matter?" It seems a very formal request.
"I.... don't understand." Robin drags herself a little further away from the Sounds and back to the words. She shoots a questioning glance to Vere.
"Robin does not often have any use for attendants," Vere tells his sister. He smiles at Robin, then looks back at his sister. "However, she and I wondered if you would wish to join us on this particular trip, as our companion? We mentioned to you, before we left to deal with Huon, that we were considering attempting to summon the spirit of Ysabeau. We leave now to do this." He gestured at the Bonne Chance. "This vessel will travel the distance from here to Ladystown swiftly, far more quickly than the swiftest of the ships of the Isles could go. I will seek to do the summoning in the temple of Robin's mother, in the presence of her daughter. If her spirit can be summoned, then this should be sufficient to manage it."
He tilted his head, looking at his sister. "So then, do you wish to accompany us? I can see many reasons why you might not, your duties here chief among them, but I can see many reasons why you would. The choice is yours, my sister."
"Right." Robin confirms, but adds. "Crazy dangerous time. But... interesting."
Avis pauses, thinking. "I am not Lady yet, and so my duties are not such that they will preclude a voyage. It will be some time before we need to negotiate with the Witch Queens." She nods. "Does The Lady know of your expedition? If so, we may go, else we must inform her of our plans."
Must. Robin's brows raise. That was probably an accident on Avis' part. Aaaannnnddd given that Vere's working so very hard on his conspiracy, Robin's willing to overlook it this time. Just to see what Vere's got going.
Vere smiles at his sister. "As you will recall, my sister, the two of you were together when we told you we eventually intended to summon Ysabeau. We have not mentioned to her that we are leaving now to do so." He begins to untie the bow of the boat from the dock. "Her health is delicate, as we have all seen. It would not be safe for her to accompany us, and I fear she would feel it her duty to do so. Thus, I spare her the shock to her system of having the Lady Robin and I refuse to allow her to do so."
He moves to the stern of the boat and begins to untie it as well. "We leave now, sister. Judge your duty as you will. You may accompany us, or return to Mother to tell her of our expedition."
Avis looks up at her brother, thinking. After a moment she looks back at the camp and nods. "As the Lady has been informed, I am free to join you. Are you ready for me to board?"
Robin moves to her out-of-the-way-when-Vere's-sailing place. Since Vere's the captain of this particular vessel, that question's for him. Though the girl can't keep a small smile of her lips as she settles.
"Welcome aboard, Sister," Vere says, holding out a hand to her. He assists her aboard, and then pushes the vessel off from the dock. Then he moves to the wheel and starts the engine.
Avis takes his hand and climbs aboard. "How does this sail?" she asks.
Vere waves one hand towards the reefed sails above them. "There are sails, as you see, and they work perfectly well. But there is also an engine." As the water begins to churn behind them he carefully practices with the engines, remembering everything he had read and been told by Gerard about engine-powered boats and ships. "It is cleverly constructed to provide power, which spins blades at the back of the craft. These cause pressure differences on the front and rear surfaces, which result in movement. It is really quite clever."
Satisfied with his handling of the boat he turns it in a tight circle in the harbour and makes for the open sea.
Robin wrinkles her nose at the smell of the engine fumes and absentmindedly rubs her ears once or twice. First rifles, now engines. Much better equalizers than a breeding pair of nasty-tempered seabirds. The Isles could face some interesting times ahead were some god of a mind to import such things. She'll have to check with some god about it later. She smiles fondly in the direction of her man from her out-of-the-way perch.
The trip is smooth and uneventful. Soon, the small boat enters the rain and ahead is the harbor of Ladytown. The masts of wrecked ships poke from the inner harbor like early flowers in the spring. Vere could choose to navigate the boat into the streets or he could tie her up on the outskirts.
Vere cuts the engine outside the harbor. "I need to speak with my Father first," he tells Avis. "A family matter."
He pulls Gerard's trump and regards it. "Father," he says. "It is Vere."
It takes a moment for the connection to come together. Gerard is on an unfamiliar dock in his wheelchair. "Ah, Vere. How are ye? We've come to Xanadu."
"Ah," Vere says. "And how does it seem to you, Father? Is it a worthy successor to Amber?"
"The docks need a lot of work," Gerard grumbles.
"Lack of a good harbourmaster, no doubt," Vere answers. "Has the king appointed someone yet? If not, might I suggest that Lord Worth be considered for the position? He should be returning soon, if all goes as I plan."
Vere smiles at his father. "Is Solange about? We had more to discuss."
"She's right here." Gerard moves to draw her into the connection.
A mixed sound emerges from Robin - part giddy laugh, part sad croon - at the blooming ruins of the harbor. And the city beyond. But she gets it quickly under control.
Leaning forward from her perch, Robin closes her eyes to the distractions around her and Liiiissstttens to the world around her.
It hurts to listen here, as if the undertones and overtones were fighting.
Robin winces, but doesn't pull back. Instead she tries to see if she can separate her understanding of the tones, Listening to the overones and undertones as each its own theme instead of a forced harmony.
Robin quickly realizes that if she tries to force herself to Listen for long, she could hurt her underhearing. What she hears initially is dissonant in a different way to Heather Vale, although the fact of the dissonance is similar.
As quickly as the realization comes, Robin stops Listening. That's all she needs right now, to hurt her Hearing. Green eyes blink a bit as the girl comes back to herself and her surroundings. She sends a slight smile Avis' way. Robin stands and stretches, shaking her limbs loose. She casts a baleful glance at the water around them thinking of the upcoming swimming. (OOC - is there any little dingy or inflatable raft on this boat?)
[OOC: There is now.]
Robin's explorations of the boat turn up a small inflatable raft. Avis watches her quizzically. "Lady, how can I help you?" she asks.
Robin scratches the side of her nose as she considers the yellow bundle. "We-elll let's see if this is too big for the boat or not." The goddess wrestles the raft over to a place where she thinks it will do the least damage and be the easiest to push off the boat without disturbing Vere and any potential incoming. Then, with a fine disregard for the reading of directions or anything like that, she attempts to inflate the raft. Robin will accept any help that Avis is willing to give - as long as it doesn't slow her down too much.
It's operated by a foot pump, and it takes considerable strength to make it work. It occurs to Robin that that might be purposeful. Avis contents herself with laying it out on the deck and staying out of Robin's way.
The boat looks large enough for three. Avis asks if they should put it in the water. It looks like it might blow there by itself soon.
Solange takes her father's hand and joins the call. She smiles at Vere. "Hi again," she says as she extends her hand to her brother.
"Indeed?" Vere says, a question in his voice. His hand comes up and takes hers.
"It's been awhile since I last saw you--maybe a week for me," Solange replies, taking Vere's hand and stepping through. "Hard to keep track of relative time when you're shifting."
Gerard hands Solange through.
"Less than a day for us," Vere answers her. Once she has stepped onto the boat he looks back to his father. "We shall contact you soon, Father," he says. He glances at Solange to see if she has anything to say to Gerard before ending the contact.
She nods back at Gerard, agreeing with Vere's statement, then drops the contact and looks around. Solange has a bright smile reserved for Robin, which falters slightly at the sight of an unknown woman also in the boat. She looks at Vere for an explanation.
Vere flips the card over in his hand, cutting the link with Gerard. "My sister, Avis, of whom I have spoken," he says quietly. "She knows nothing of you, however. I leave it to you to decide what you wish her to know."
Solange shrugs marginally. "If she's half as sharp as her brother, she's gonna figure it out. Why else would I be here? And there is some family resemblance between Robin and myself--Brennan commented on it."
He raises his voice to a normal level then and continues, "Welcome to the Isles. You are on the Bonne Chance III, a boat that belongs to Prince Martin."
That gets a raised eyebrow from Solange.
Robin grins and waves to Solange from where she's messing with a mostly inflated 3-man raft. She's definitely applying some strength to the foot pump, moreso than would seem normal. "Yeah, you're right, Avis. Let's tie this off and throw it over." The girl nods to her companion and proceeds to do as she says.
Avis assists and soon the craft is sitting beside the Bonne Chance III, bobbing up and down in the harbor tides and the rain. Avis looks at it. "That is a very useful material it is made of. I would like a sample to take back to our sorceresses when we are done with it."
"It is a useful material. Which makes it very seductive. It is also nearly immortal, slightly toxic and - depending on how much of it one makes and how one goes about making it - capable of destroying entire continents." Robin says with a wrinkled nose.
"We'll see how Vere feels about importing it into his world," she adds casually but purposefully.
"But for now..." Robin grins with a wink to Avis, "we get to decide who rows and who swims." The girl casts a glance over to where brother and sister are talking, checking to see if they're ready for company yet.
Solange is happy to ignore Avis for the moment. She turns to Vere. "How far?" she asks.
Vere gestures to starboard, and the drowned harbour in the rain. "That was Ladystown," he says, "And the temple of Ysabeau stood proudly overlooking the sea. Now, its broken dome can be made out, there." He points. "I fear trying to navigate through the roofs and towers of the city, the currents are unpredictable. And as I am using Prince Martin's boat without actually having asked permission, I am hesitant to risk damage to it. Hence the inflatable raft that my sister and my beloved are preparing e'en now."
"Will she be able to see us and hear us? Or will the questions and responses need to go through you?" Solange continues.
Vere purses his lips thoughtfully. "In the past, I am the only one who has been able to see or hear those with whom I speak," he answers. "However, I have never summoned one of our blood before. I do not know if that may make a difference. My suspicion is that it will not, but I cannot state that with any certainty. This is in the nature of an experiment."
"Why is your sister here?" Solange asks, her tone indicating that she thought this was a private affair.
"She is my mother's heir, and will be the next Lady of the Isles. She serves the Goddess, and considers Ysabeau to have been an incarnation of the Goddess. For that matter, she also considers Robin to be so, although you will find that doesn't mean she slavishly does as she is told. She does not know of your existence, as I said. I will leave that decision to you. But I trust her, as much as any sister who is also the leader of her people can be trusted." Vere smiles as he says this. "Duty is in her blood. And if things go as I expect, part of my arrangement with the rebels will involve my mother voluntarily relinquishing power and leaving the Isles. To travel with Father, I hope. So I am already beginning to treat Avis as the Priestess-Queen of the Isles, and as such she has a right to be here."
Solange's eyes widen. "Your mother is coming back to Xanadu to be with Father? I...didn't know that was in the plans. Oh." An undefinable emotion passes over Solange's face, and then she squelches it and smiles. "It would be good for Father to have a companion again."
"She is dying," Vere says quietly. He stares out over the drowned city in the rain. "She was injured in the war, but that does not explain why she does not recover. It is tied to the way that Rilga and Ysabeau died, I believe. The Isles mirror the change in leadership of Reality, from Oberon to Random, and it is time for Corvis to give way to Avis. If she does not do so voluntarily, the Isles will kill her." His face is expressionless when he turns back to Solange. "I hope, on no evidence at all, that leaving the Isles will restore her health. And if not, then her last days should be with the man she loves."
"I'm sorry. Yes, they should be together. Maybe Father... Well, maybe Father can figure out a way to heal her." Even though he can't figure out a way to heal himself. Solange doesn't voice her thought, but it's apparent on her face.
"Avis calls me a hopeless romantic," Vere speaks softly, gazing at Robin. "But I do believe in the power of love."
"Look," she continues, "they have the raft ready. Shall we go join them?"
"Aye," Vere answers decisively. "Let us do so."
Solange nods and leads the way.
When they reach the two women, Solange introduces herself to Avis. "I'm Vere's foster-sister," she says pleasantly, knowing it will be easier for herself to operate with a hidden truth rather than an outright lie.
Avis straightens from the launching. "I am Avis, Priestess of the Goddess Danu. Vere and I share a mother," replies the priestess. "What is your name and lineage, honored sister of my brother?"
"Welcome!" Robin pounces on Solange with a big smile and an even bigger hug. Not inconsequentially giving her the out of dealing with Robin rather than Avis if she'd like.
"I'm Solange," she manages to reply to Avis before turning her full attention to the timely distraction that is her sister. "Robin! It's good to see you again! It's...been so long," she grins back.
Vere glances down at the raft. "Three can ride in that," he observes. "I can swim alongside."
"Thank you, love." Robin smiles gratefully to her man. After all, swimming he can do well where she would just slow everybody down. And next animal that needs to be skinned, hung and bled? Definitely her job.
Avis waits for the Goddess and Solange to get in the raft.
Solange settles herself in the raft with an oar in hand, ready to row.
Vere makes certain the Chance is firmly anchors, then slides into the water next to the raft.
For a moment, Robin's brows furrow and her lips part. But then she just shakes her head and climbs aboard. Smiling, she leans over the side to blow a kiss to Vere.
Avis slides in; she clearly knows her way around boats. She picks up an oar. "Brother? Where shall we row?"
"The temple," Vere answers. "If any place here holds an affinity with the spirit of Ysabeau, it is where her body lay for so long." He leads the way, moving easily through the water. He swims quickly, but his passage leaves barely a ripple.
"Yippee." Robin says flatly. Then sighs.
Those green eyes turn on her companions in the raft and a rueful twitch tugs at the corner of her mouth. "Ladies? I... uh, should warn you that I've been known to... become erratic in the temple. Far worse than when you and I were in it last time, Avis. Vere's already dealt with one... episode. Just... be careful. Around me. Okay?"
Robin's expression is a fine mix of embarrassment, concern for her companions and what high-waters might detect as fear.
Solange regards Robin with a "and what exactly does that mean?" look. She grips the oar tighter, thinking it is probably a Good Thing that Robin doesn't have a large piece of wood in her hands right now, and starts rowing in the direction Vere took, hoping Avis will follow suite so they don't turn in circles.
Robin returns her sister's look with a flat smile and a one-shoulder shrug. Just trying to be helpful ma'am.
Avis rows, although it's clear that she doesn't have the strength of a child of the house Oberon. Solange has to alternate sides of the raft to keep it going straight.
Soon the little boat goes from the harbor through the sunken ruins of the docks, to the flooded streets of the city. Avis is a careful navigator and knows the streets well. The goal is clear enough; the city was built around the temple ahead.
Vere notes that the streets are under more water than the last time he was here.
Shortly, the walls of the temple loom above the raft. Robin spots a place they could climb in. It may be the same place that she and Vere climbed in before.
"There." Robin points up to the window. "Avis? I'll need some private time with Vere and Solange before we go in there... again." The girl's face is pale underneath her tan and the rain that falls everywhere.
"Guys? I... I think it's storytime. Could we perch somewhere for a minute or two?" Though there is reluctance in every tone of Robin's voice, it's also clear that something is bubbling up inside of her with some force.
"Sure," Solange agrees, pulling up on her rowing. She looks over at Robin curiously...and not without some concern.
Vere slips up and onto the sill of the large window, noting but not commenting on the fact that the water, previously a couple of feet below the window, has now reached it. He stands, looking into the great temple, where rain pours through the shattered dome.
Robin steps up out of the raft to stand beside Vere on the sill. She looks back to Solange. Almost unconsciously, the girl's hand reaches out toward Vere's. And swallowing fitfully, forces herself onward.
"The first time I met this building I... had been on the Black Road for some... while... time... thingie... I was already lost in time and space. Memory and reason were... fragmented. My identity was still... mostly intact but was starting to slough off."
Those green eyes drop as Robin murmurs her way onward. "M-martin's blood was on my hands. And the fire I had started was destroying the empty City of Lights at my heels as I fled. On an island surrounded by bridges was this place," she gestures at the Temple, "becoming Realer by the moment.
"I... went in." Her lips twitch flatly. "Candles, a broken altar thrown aside to reveal a stairway, fiery madness outside seen through stain glass. I.... chose the stairs. Descended... beneath the earth... I... lost much of myself on that stairway. Descending... forever.... Veeerreee!"
She clutches at her lifeline to this world, this life, this Reality.
Solange sits up in alarm. She looks questioningly at Vere. "Martin's blood...? Robin...are you all right?"
Vere takes Robin into his arms and makes a low crooning noise, soothing her with gentle strokes of her back. He doesn't speak, waiting for her to recover before burdening her with words.
Robin nuzzles into Vere; smelling him, hearing him, feeling Him. Struggling she matches her breath to her Love's and her heartbeat to His glorious rhythm. Letting His croon wash into her soul and his touch define her form until she is once again here. And Not There.
Eventually, green eyes peep out at Solange. "V-vere s-said it... could be a v-vision. Not-t an ex... perience. But, but, but... it's hard not to... not to.... And it... gets worse." She moans.
"At the bottom. Of the s-stairs. A guard. Behind us - the world explodes, collapses. Buried alive. More blood." Robin's voice drops to a very distressed whisper. "And a key. The Key."
"Ahead of me. Glowing red. Moves a man." Robin tilts her head and her eyes stare off into the past as she slips away again. "I know these tunnels. The doors! Blasted open. The Pattern! He's on the Pattern! Corwin! Bastard!!!" She hisses and mantles in pure venom. "That's not right! He's making it wrong!"
With an enormous shake, Robin pulls herself back to the present. "I couldn't move. Couldn't stop it. He... disappeared. And... and... then Random - who, who, who I knew was King - appears in his place. The bolt." Robin rubs a place over her heart. "Passed through me."
"Ah, Deep Green...." Robin's head falls against Vere's chest, her words are muffled but her tone of horror is clear. "A-a-at my feet. Starts the tear. The chasm. Cracking the floor, the... Pattern, the world..... Random falls. Darkness everywhere. The sounds.... stone falling, everything ending. My head!..... I d-d-die." The girl buries her face and begins to sob.
"The Black Woods were a twisting of all that we know, Beloved," Vere speaks softly, weaving his words with the rain, letting a musical lilt carry his words past Robin's conscious mind and into her soul. "Lies mixed with truth, nightmares with dreams. And you were caught in the very midst of them, bound by duty, lost in madness. Truly, the miracle is that you found your way out from them, cast off the shadows, to come forth and find me." He holds her tightly, continuing to talk. "I've never been to Tir, my love, but I wonder if what you found on the Black Road might not be a dark reflection of that city in the sky? There's wisdom to be found, e'en in madness, but to tease the meaning from the dreams wi'out being swept away in the flood, ah, there's the trick. But hold beloved, hold always to the one truth we two have found. What e're you found on the road, what e're sought you in the woods, we two are now together, our souls united, and we fly as one. We fly as one, my love, and ne'er shall I let you fall."
As Vere's music - his symphony - pours into Robin, the shaking of her shoulders slows, then stops. The girl listens with growing warmth - reason twined with song, Her Vere. Slowly, gradually, her clutch of desperation transforms into an embrace of devotion.
When she lifts her face to Vere, her eyes are glowing with love. A soft croon of adoration and affectation soars out of the girl and she kisses him soundly. There is no madness His sanity can't cure, no darkness His light can't banish. The best flight of her life in one beautiful wind - Vere.
There's acceptance and patience in Solange's demeanor--despite the strangeness of Robin's behavior, she is still her sister--and she waits quietly while Vere talks Robin back down. When Robin is more-or-less calm and lucid again, Solange asks, "You're concerned now that you might slip back into your madness if you enter the temple? Did this happen this past time you entered?"
"Ye-ees." Robin nods to her sister. "Very concerned. I'm... pretty strong to be... less than stable." She bobs her head in embarrrassment. "And... there are other forces at work too.
"The second time I was... here. Really here. With Avis and others. I was in charge, responsible, so I held it together. But... the darkness under the altar was calling to me. When, when, when, one of Jovian's glorious friends knocked down the wall. Burying the hole. And... I was on the wrong side of the stones!!" Robin's face glows with delight. "I wasn't under the earth.
"Third time..." those green eye go to Vere and Robin blushes with mortification. "I... became confused. Dangerously so. I still don't think I was wrong to throw a knife at an Uncle who was marching an army anywhere near Amber and who compared my brother to a Shadow being." Her eyes narrow and her face twists with menace.
"But..." the girl looks to Solange with astonishment, "I didn't throw to kill. I threw to maim. But the knife... something else happened. And then.... water. Darkness, drowning. I knew... I couldn't leave Vere there. Even to save myself. I couldn't think. Panicked. Drowning." She looks back to Vere. "I'm so sorry."
"We met Huon here," Vere translates for Solange. "The meeting went less well than hoped. He was using sorcery, or something similar, to hold the water up along the walls, while he stood upon the floor. When Robin attacked him it all crashed down upon us." He smiles down at Robin. "We survived it, beloved, and we survived it by instinctively struggling to protect one another. Thus, I consider it a win for us, we proved just how much we mean one to another."
He looks back at Solange. "He left Robin's knife, with which he had written the word 'Rebma' for us to find. Or else it was part of a spell, transporting him to Rebma from here. I do not know which."
"My guess would be the former," Solange muses thoughtfully. "Any thoughts why he'd want you to follow? Perhaps looking to a daughter of a former ally as a possible ally herself?"
"A possibility," Vere acknowledges. "But his motives remain mirky. He was... quite arrogant. More so than our other uncles with whom I have spoken." He looks at Robin for her opinion.
"Dangerously so." Robin nods firmly. Her jaw works a little as she struggles to come back to the word place. "More than just the normal Uncle stuff. He... what he said about Jovian. One of Us who doesn't diff... who treats Family like Shadow. That's bad.... bad in the Brand vs the Universe way. Really Bad." Okay, maybe the words aren't working quite so well yet.
"Noted, should I ever meet him," Solange replies. She pauses, then focuses on Robin again. "Are you ready?" she asks gently.
Vere pulls Robin more tightly against him, and gently kisses the top of her head.
A little wriggle of happiness goes through Robin at Vere's kiss. "Guess so. Let's do this thing." She nods. And her eyes go to Avis, summoning her back into the group.
Vere releases Robin and kneels on the window ledge. He bends over, ducking his face below the surface of the water inside the temple, and takes a tentative breath.
Vere finds it difficult but not impossible to do so. It tastes like the water of Rebma, and slides down his lungs as if it were air. From this odd position, he can tell that it is heavier than the air above. It seems disturbing, but not dangerous.
Vere straightens up and coughs some water out of his lungs. "It is breathable," he says. "Much like Rebma. We can swim down and stand upon the floor of the temple. A flame should burn as well, should we want a torch." He stands up and regards the water, his head tilted slightly to one side. "When it comes time to lead the Children of Lyr back to Rebma, I believe I wish to do so from here. It should prove faster."
"Let's go then," Solange replies. She slips into the water and dips below the surface.
Robin watches her sister dissappear into the water. She shakes her head ruefully and mutters to herself "Okay, okay. Next time? Haunted forest. And I get to look competent and effective." With a shiver and a grimace, the girl lowers herself into the water. There's a brief squeeze of her eyes and a muffled curse as Robin dips her head under and takes her second breath of... whatever that water stuff is.
Vere smiles at Avis. "Come, sister," he says, before stepping off the ledge and sinking into the water after Solange and Robin.
Avis reaches up and takes his hand. "I assume this works for people as well as gods?" she asks, then slips into the warm waters. The water feels odd in everyone's lungs, but refrains from drowning anyone.
Avis swims downwards. "The altar is this way." Her voice sounds hollow, as if she were talking in a tunnel or cave.
Robin does not entirely escape the 'yeah, I know' eyeroll. But the Priestess' statement doesn't really bother her that much. After all, if anyone was feeling more... tense under the circumstances than her, it'd be Avis. Weeeellll, not more tense, but probably close.
The girl stays near Vere, her best option in case of a breakdown, and tries to avoid thinking about the dark pull of the altar (or more properly, that which is under it) that they swim toward.
"Ve.... urp. Vere?" Robin has a little trouble with the water-breathing-talking situation but gets it under contraol pretty quickly. "..." She tilts her head and thinks more about what she was going to say. "Army? Through here?" is what she ends up with. Not judging, just curious.
Vere hums quietly for a moment, judging the way sound echoes in the sumberged temple, then answers Robin. "It seems logical to me that walking downstairs underwater should provide a shortcut through shadow to the stairs from Paris to Rebma, or to a similar shadow very near Rebma. Whether Huon took this route I do not know, but I cannot consider it coincidence that he altered the nature of the temple to be so much closer to Rebman reality."
Solange swims near Vere and Robin, listening to their conversation as she follows Avis. She remains silent.
"I see the logic of it - though I'm still not sure it was Huon who did the altering or carved the word... It's just... this place is in the center of the... Hole, you know? I wouldn't recommend shadow-walking through hereeee.... Hmmmmm." Robin's eyes narrow as she remembers her impressions coming into Mothersport/Ladystown.
A particularly large slab of rock has fallen directly across the altar, half crushing it and blocking the entrance to the tomb.
Vere thinks he's seen a slab of rock shaped like that before.
"The rock that held us trapped?" Vere muses aloud, gazing at it as he lands on the floor of the temple near the altar. "How interesting, that it fell just here."
(OOC - Is it, in fact, the choir screen?)
(OOC No. It may be a piece of rock that was connected to it, once. It's not connected now.)
He looks up, judging the position of the transept, and the likelihood that the stone would have fallen just here, on its own.
Solange gazes around with interest.
Robin shakes her head sadly. "It's different every time I see it, Love. I've... given up on guessing how or why."
Things were still in motion when last Vere was here, and it's remotely possible that one of the larger blocks fell here, but he remembers no such blockage. It would be quite a coincidence if the rock fell just where it did by accident. The choir screen itself is off to the side, mockingly peaceful.
Vere frowns, walking across the floor of the temple. "Did Huon deliberately block the way down?" he muses aloud. "It seems unlikely that this would have fallen just so." He walks around the stone, judging whether there would be enough room to squeeze around it and onto the stairs leading below the floor.
There is no chance to get down without moving the ruins of the altar, which are under the big flat rock.
Solange moves off to the side and walks around the perimeter of the temple.
Due to the darkness of the underwater temple, Solange can easily walk out of sight of the others. The temple is mostly empty, but there are large rocks from the fallen roof and a large metal choir screen, several stories tall strewn across the nave. It might be the case that they were blasted away from the crossing, where the others are looking at a single large rock.
Robin watches Vere, though part of her is very aware of Solange and Avis' positions as well. "Love?" she says in a small voice. "Please... maybe Huon isn't the only active Force in play within this place."
Avis is mostly standing there, looking stunned.
Solange pauses a moment to gaze at the choir screen, then continues her walk.
Solange looks back from the choir screen and the image of Vere standing by a broken rock lying across her broken Father springs unbidden to her mind. Then the current swirls and Robin moves slightly and the uncanny resemblance is only that again.
She takes a deep breath, involuntarily shuddering. After another smaller breath, Solange's mind is calm enough again and she opens it up in case there are other visions, wondering if what she saw was a sending of sort, or just her own mind making connections.
Vere nods at Robin's words, although he still looks abstracted. "In any event," he says. "This answers the question of whether we should risk going further down or not. It shall not happen." He turns then to face Robin. "I am sorry," he says, "I had hoped there was a chance your ocarina might still be below. I very much wished to find it for you."
Robin has started to smile as Vere announces that they will not be going down the stairs. The glee rebuilding in her that - yet again - she is on this side of the stones. The fact that she is still under dark waters somewhat... dampens her enthuisiasm, but it is there.
"Oh, Vere." She whispers, her wonder and affection lighting her eyes. Warmth flows through her and she throws herself at Vere, intending to snatch him into a bone-crunching embrace. The girl softly croons for a moment before switching to words. "Love you, love you wonderful man. I Hear you. I will miss the ocarina, oui. But I would far, far rather have you at my side, safe and unsorrowing than any mere thing."
Vere catches her in his arms and returns her embrace.
Robin pulls back to look up at him with glowing eyes. "And this will give me a chance to make a new instrument. One for the Song I am now. Instead of what I was. Yes?" She tilts her head to the side as she gazes at the marvel that has been added to her life.
"Indeed, my love," he answers her with a smile. "For the Song that we are."
The 'we are' brings a little wriggle of happiness through Robin. Her eyes crinkle into sparkling half-circles and she kisses him again quickly. She never, ever wants to assume Vere's place in her life - that way she can always be delighted when he confirms it.
Avis looks up at Vere. "Can't you move it?" She asks.
"Most likely," Vere answers. He regards the stone for a moment, then adds, "Between us, with appropriate levers, then, yes, I believe so. But I do not think it wise to do so. Robin may well be correct, other forces may have been at work." He tightens his arm about her for a moment. "The city continues to sink, Avis. Nothing we do here will stop that. From the moment Vianis dared to imprison Robin beneath this temple, the city was doomed, and the temple with it. The heart of your new realm must be somewhere else."
Robin nods, confirming that. The girl fluffs sadly. She tried to warn Vianis - twice! It wasn't her intention to drown this city. Jovian's neither, she's willing to bet. But there the cost of the big footsteps, the big Voices is. Stuff happens.
Avis nods, and swallows.
He looks back down at Robin. "May I have the deck, my love? It may perhaps aid in some small way in what I do."
"Absolutely," she says, taking out the leather pouch. "Anything else I can do to help?" Even though she's talking to Vere, her eyes move off into the Shadows making sure that the very quiet Solange is okay.
Solange was still for a moment, but has started walking the perimeter again.
Vere takes the cards from her. "Simply concentrate on your desire to have Ysabeau answer us," he says. He looks to Avis, then off to the shadows where Solange stands. "All of you, concentrate upon that."
Solange turns and makes her way inward toward the small group, stopping a few paces away. She focuses her intent upon her mother, visualizing Brennan's sketch of her.
Robin nods. Her lips press together, betraying her apprehension but she's game. She does as Vere requests. Though Robin may have mixed feelings about the whole mother... thing, she does want to know. And thus, to have Ysabeau answer.
He closes his eyes and stands silently for a few minutes, holding the cards in his hand. Then he begins to sing. He has judged the acoustic properties of the submerged temple to a nicety, and his voice carries through the water and echoes off the walls, almost sounding as though an unseen chorus was singing along with him.
"The Goddess hangs her mantle green
On every blooming tree,
And spreads her sheet o' flowers white
Out o'er the grassy lea.
"She purifies the crystal streams,
And clears the azure skies:
But nought can save the city doomed
That 'neath the ocean lies.
"The dreadful war gives way to peace
As morning wakes to lark;
But thee, the Queen of a' the Isles,
Must lie in deepest dark.
"This world thy noble mother bore,
Where happy ye hae been;
Full lightly rose ye in the morn,
As blythe lay down at e'en:
"A living sov'reign of the land,
And many a mem'ry there;
And sweetest that ye left behind,
The daughter that ye bare.
"We call ye now, my noble Aunt
To rise from rest below;
To let thy daughter know thy will
And speak a' what ye know.
"The babe ye bore in blood is here,
The cards that Dworkin made;
Gathered in thy resting place,
We come to seek thy aid.
"Come, we pray thee, Ysabeau, Come, we pray thee all; Princess, Mother, Warrior, Queen, Now answer to our call."
Holy SH!T! It takes all of what little ability she has to focus to keep Robin on task with the 'wanting Ysabeau to answer us' part of the program. Otherwise, awe would just... overwhelm her. Her Beloved is just sooooo good!
Solange feels her heart start to race and her breathing quicken in anticipation. She clenches her fists as she summons her deep-buried feelings of loss and sorrow. They rise in her, ghost-like, as Vere sings.
A silence descends after Vere's song ends and the last echo has faded. It lasts a long moment, and just before it becomes unbearable, it's broken. A tiny sound, like someone humming the tune that Vere had just sung. It comes from below, as do footsteps.
A figure rises from where the altar was, under the block. She steps through it as if it wasn't there. She doesn't seem to see anything, but she's humming the song. She glows, and her facial features are indistinct.
She stops suddenly, and looks down at the smashed altar under the stone. "What has happened here? What did this to my brother?" It's not clear who she is addressing.
"The stone over the altar is a shadow of the one that struck Gerard," Solange says to Vere and Robin, though her eyes are on Ysabeau. "I saw the connection a moment ago when I was walking and looked this way."
"Oh." Robin says in a small voice. Her eyes are fixed on the figure by the altar.
Vere nods in response to Solange. "Indeed," he says. "I should have seen that myself." He steps forward. "There was war between Chaos and Amber, mine Aunt," he says. "Oberon gave his life to save the Pattern. My father, your brother, was injured when an earthquake brought down one of the towers of Amber Castle."
Robin has no words, she just doesn't. Other than the low heartfelt curse that slips unarware past her lips.
"Oberon I hated and am pleased he is dead. More pleased that he is not dead here where I would have to suffer his ghost in my place. Be wise, ghost-talking nephew, and do not raise him, for he may not settle again. I am not surprised that he let his castle fall on the best of his children.
"Priestess, remember. What is good for them is not always good for the Children of Dana."
Avis bows. Her eyes are wide.
Robin's lips part and the words are echoing in the water, almost before she knew she was going to speak. "What is good for them?"
The girl seems surprised by the concern in her own voice - she was pretty sure that she was too tied up with craziness, guilt-trips and violence to think like that.
Vere smiles at Robin's words, and looks at her with pride and love.
"They tell me a thousand times an hour, from their hearts. Such is the nature of the godhead. And I must balance their wanting and their knowledge and wisdom, only one of which is infinite.
"Priestess Avis, what is good for the Children of the Goddess Danu?"
Avis recites, as if a schoolgirl. "To do the will of our goddesses. To shepherd the souls of her peoples to the ways of righteousness and to live as the Goddesses lead us, as revealed to her Lady High Priestess."
Ysabeau nods.
One of Robin's brows starts to rise skeptically, but she attempts to retrain her face into diplomatic neutrality. Successfully? Well, diplomacy is not her strong suit.
"What of Vianis?" Vere asks. "The Lady's Chancellor, who claims the Goddess spoke with her, and told her the Lady did not follow the Goddess' will? Does she lie, or did she misinterpret?"
Ysabeau rises to her full height and looks down from the block at Vere. Her tone becomes harsher. "And what right have you, child of Amber and Danu, to presume to know the will of the Goddess or the heart of another? You do not give your heart to either world, and so your soul has not grown fully. If you wish to know the will of the Goddess, I stand before you. Speak, and then hear the word."
Vere looks up at her calmly, showing no change in expression at her tone. "I freely admit neither world holds my whole heart, though each has a place within it. My heart belongs to your daughter, and to no other. She is here to learn of her mother, and I am here, with my sister the Lady to Be, to learn the will of the Goddess. Speak, and we listen."
Said daughter's eyes are narrow and snapping with angry green sparks. Her shourlders are hunched as she mantles, Stupid ghost/goddess. Getting snotty with Vere in her presence - that's a good plan.
So far, though, Robin's managing to keep the snarl off of her face and her hands free of her weapons. After all, this is Vere's play. And hopefully, she can manage to remember that this time around.
Solange walks up beside Robin and lays a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. She squeezes and whispers in her sister's ear, "I feel bristly too. But we'll keep each other calm and get through this together."
Robin trembles a little under Solange's hand, but she takes a deep breath, swallows and nods. A quick smile of gratitude darts across her face as her eyes glance over to Solange. She really doesn't want to screw up another of Vere's negotiations.
"And you?" says Ysabeau, turning to Solange and Robin. "Would you hear the word and will of the living godhead and pierce the veil that separates the sacred from the profane?"
Avis, nearby, nods raptly.
First comes the 'you've got to be kidding' face and Robin's lips part to deliver a great steaming heap of sarcastic. But then she thhhiiiinnnnkkks about why she's here and manages to get out a sincere - if casual - "Sure."
Vere waits quietly and calmly, saying nothing.
Solange opens her mouth to point out, "Living? But you're dead. And what's this talk of sacred and profane? We're not your subjects. We're your _daughters_." But she pauses before speaking, clearly considering the possible repercussions. "Sure," she echoes Robin, though the response is more clipped than casual.
The ghost opens her mouth, and small currents in the water are visible through her head. "Then hear the will of Danu, mother of the mother of Gods, who led her children to safety from the destruction of the land of youth. The land turns a bitter face to the goddess and will devour her children from spite. The serpent awakens, and when it has swollowed its tail fully, there will be none left to serve the living godhead".
She looks at Solange and Robin, or perhaps through them. "To save the Children of Danu, you must lead them elsewhere. The wars of my forefathers have once again made them need refuge."
Vere's eyes close momentarily, and an expression of pain crosses his face. "I had hoped..." he murmurs, then falls silent.
"Me too, Love. Me too." Robin agrees sadly as she reaches out to gather up his hand.
The girl is quiet for a moment, then a short sharp curse errupts from her. "Dammit! I'm not sure I'm ready to give up. Evacuate, yessir. Damn good idea. I'd kinda like as low a body-count as possible. But I still wanna see if there's something I can do for the land. How about you guys?"
What Robin is not saying is how she feels about farcical aquatic ceremonies determining her destiny or how disturbed she is by the serpent reference given her current Draconic concerns.
Solange stays quiet but smiles at Robin encouragingly.
Ysabeau begins to descend the stairs, through the rock.
"No words for your offspring," Vere murmurs quietly. It is not quite a question.
Solange turns her head and addresses her dead mother's shade. "I really just wanted to know why--why you went through with it."
Robin's green eyes dance toward the descending ghost dismissively. Then she turns her gaze to her sister. Returning the earlier favor, Robin puts her hand on Solange's shoulder, offering strength and support.
Ysabeau stops. "Daughters?" She looks closely at each of them. "Is your sister in the Isles as well?" She seems distressed at the thought. It's more emotion than she's shown since she came up the stairs.
"Sister?" Solange repeats incredulously. "You bore three?" She glances quickly at Robin to see if this is news to her as well.
"I did. Of my lovers, only Iron Eye had the heart to raise a daughter of the blood. But I was called back here despite my wishes."
It's news to Robin alright. Her hand tightens on Solange's shoulder a bit in surprise. And her eyes go blank as all sorts of things juggle and race around inside her head. But she quickly refocuses on the world around her with a wry tick to her mouth.
Vere frowns thoughtfully, then glances at Avis, before returning his attention to Ysabeau's ghost.
Avis is staring at Solange.
Avis is the least of Solange's concerns right now. Emboldened by Ysabeau directly answering her question, Solange repeats her earlier one that had been ignored. "Why did you do it? Why did you choose to bear me when you knew you were going to die in the labor? It makes no sense. You were needed here."
Vere remains silent and expressionless, watching and listening to the exchange between the ghost and her daughters.
Robin stays where she is, quiet, backing Solange. Her mouth ticks again as she hears the burden in her... little sister's voice. Of all the things Robin is or is learning to be, this one might be the hardest. But she's going to do her best to be the big sister. And not screw up this moment with her own passions.
Ysabeau looks cross. "I didn't die, I'm dispersed. Eventually you do what the godhead wants. It's why you should leave, now, and not come back."
"You are the godhead, dammit!" Solange shouts, emotions previously held at a simmer uncontrollably boiling over. "Gerard told me that you died. But if you didn't die as you claim, then that means you left." She points an accusing finger at Ysabeau's shade. "You left!"
A thoughtful look crosses Vere's face, but he holds his silence.
Whereas a grin crosses Robin's face and her green eyes begin to twinkle, despite the whole under-water thing. Okay, now she can believe that they're sisters. She squeeze Solange's shoulder to let her know that Robin's got one question before the knives come out -- otherwise big sis is ready to go..
Ysabeau narrows her eyes. "You don't understand this place, what it does to us, what it makes us, gives us, and binds us to. I took you away from here so you wouldn't be trapped like me. Even now it is an effort to tell you the truth and not to embrace you and bring you to me and break you to the godhead. I resist, but barely. I tell you a second time go, and leave this sad place to its fate."
The thoughtful expression on Vere's face gave way to a momentary look of grim determination, followed almost immediately by a flat expressionless stare at Ysabeau.
Solange narrows her eyes right back at Ysabeau. "You're right--I don't understand. You're an Amberite. We create our own destiny. We don't succumb to others. Others succumb to us."
A half-smile ticks Robin's lips. Though she shares her sister's arrog... confidence, she has also had her clock cleaned enough not to argue the point. Otherwise, the girl finds the conversation... fascinating. (Though her one question is still in abeyance.)
Ysabeau looks at Robin, or perhaps through her. "It's subtle and powerful, the godhead. It will offer you bargains, things that are hard to refuse. And if you stay, it will grow on you to the point where you cannot leave it behind, and yet you cannot be here either, and that is intolerable.
"Leave now, while your sense of you, so beautifully clear in your statement, is still intact. I have told you three times."
Solange gives up, having nothing more to say to her dead mother's shade. She follows Ysabeau's gaze and casts her eyes to Robin.
Robin's mouth ticks again at Ysabeau's through-seeing of her. That's been happening too much lately. What a pane! Robin snorts at her own interior pun. But boy, does she understand the 'things that are hard to refuse.' A wince sweeps across her face at that memory. The girl is nodding though still skeptical at the mention of three when she notices that Solange is looking at her as well. Whoops! Keep up with the patrol, Robin!
She nods to Solange, thanking her for the opportunity. Then turns to the ghost. "Who are our fathers... please?" There were probably some other things that could have been said around that, but given the circumstances, Robin's not segueing well at all.
Vere nods his head slightly at Ysabeau's words, and he looks at Robin as well.
Ysabeau looks cooly down on Robin. "They were no one of moment, just tools of the godhead. Will you leave if I tell you more?"
Robin nods her understanding, but shrugs one shoulder non-chalantly at the question. She figures there's going to be a major pow-wow after this. One that doesn't involve Goddess-ridden ghosts. She'll decide then on the whole go-stay issue.
Vere's eyes narrow slightly. He stares through the ghost of Ysabeau as though he no longer sees her.
"So that's what we are too, Robin and I? Tools for the damnned godhead?" Solange's voice rises to a shout. "Did you even blink when you lay with our fathers?"
"Escaped tools." Robin's voice is laced with darkness. "And if her deal was like mine, sis, she was probably crying not blinking."
Solange glances at her sister sharply, not understanding.
Ysabeau looks at Robin. "Eventually, the green corruption will find your price, will find what it can offer you to bend you to its will. If you care for it, it will eat you. It is a hungry godhead."
"I get that. But I'm not gonna be Daeon. And I'm not gonna bear Daeon." Robin's voice is sulky with stubborness. But there's real fear lurking in the back of her eyes.
Solange passes a hand over her face and turns away.
"She asked their names," Vere says in a flat emotionless voice. "Answer that, mine Aunt, and they shall depart."
"Solange." Robin murmurs in concern, turning away from the ghost to try and hug her sister. "I-I'm sorry. I keep making it about me. And you just want... I'm sorry."
"I'm not upset at you," she replies, hugging Robin back. "It's just..." She trails off and shudders. "I'm done here. Let me know when you're ready to go."
Solange leaves the group and walks off toward the periphery of the temple, losing herself in the murky darkness.
Ysabeau starts walking down the stairs, singing to herself.
"He-ey! What about the names? He asked nicely." Robin looks up in confusion, back toward the singing ghost. A moue furrows across her forehead and a frown lines her lips. She doesn't like it when people are disrespectful of her man.
Vere pays no attention at all to Ysabeau, instead turning to Robin and silently taking her in his arms.
"Vere?" Robin's voice is quiet as she snuggles into him. "I-I don't understand. I didn't stab anyone and it still seems all fucked up." She's generally confused and kind of bewildered.
Vere holds her tightly and says quietly, "Because, my love, it appears that your mother's social skills were far less well developed than your own."
"Wow." Robin murmurs quietly, impressed. "Weeeelll, if everyone's going to be quiet, disturbed and unhappy, can we do that up in the air and light? Please?" She looks up at her wonderful man.
"An excellent suggestion," Vere answers. He looks over to where his foster-sister stands in the shadows. "Solange, shall we adjurn to the surface? We can discuss how quickly you return to Father once we are back on Martin's boat." He smiles slightly. "Consider, on the way, if you wish to depart immediately, or if you would rather wait a few hours, and then sail Lord Worth and his ship and crew back to Amber, or Xanadu."
Solange surfaces out of the shadows, her arms crossed tightly. "Seeing Papa would be wonderful," she replies simply, a small smile tweaking the corner of her mouth before her expression turns somber once again. "Let's go topside."
"Avis, my sister," Vere says, without letting go of Robin. "I believe we have learned all that we may learn. Let us depart this place." He releases Robin then, and takes one of her hands. "Back to the light," he says to Robin with a smile. And he pushes off from the floor of the temple and begins swimming towards the surface, still holding Robin's hand.
Robin swims up beside her beloved. The prospect of being out of this place and once again on the wrong side of the stones cheers her immensely. As does the approaching air and light.
Solange takes one last look around, never expecting to come back, then pushes off to follow Robin and Vere.
Avis nods and kicks up again. Shortly all four of them are at the surface, near the window ledge where they left the boat.
Avis hangs onto a rock and turns to Solange. "Forgive me for not recognizing your divinity, Lady."
Solange shrugs and climbs onto the ledge.
[Avis] turns slightly to also address Robin. "How shall the people face this challenge? Where shall we lead them?"
Solange also looks at Robin -- the Isles are under Robin and Vere's sphere of influence, not hers, and she's happy to keep it that way.
Robin hears something, like a bird in the distance. It says "Away, away..." Perhaps she imagined it.
The girl cocks her head for a moment, listening to her imagination before blinking at Avis. "Weeelll," she says scrambling up onto the ledge and out of the water, "I suppose we think about it first." Robin sounds amazed that that suggestion came out of her mouth. She looks to her sister and her beloved with a raised eyebrow.
Solange smiles at Robin's surprised expression. "I'm happy to offer opinions, but his is your bailiwick, not mine. I was just along for the ride."
"Fair enough." Robin nods. Oh yeah, she understands people not wanting in on this toss.
Vere pulls himself up onto the ledge next to his beloved. His eyes go to the eastern wall, where a word had been scratched into the stone not that long ago. "Rebma," he says quietly.
"Isn't that where you think Huon went? Won't they be preparing for war, then?" Solange asks.
"That is a possibility," Vere acknowledges. "And the reason I sent the Queen of Rebma a warning that Huon approached. Rebma is not his ultimate target, however, merely a waystation along his way." His eyes go to Avis. "I think it must be for the new Lady of the Isles to determine where she wishes to lead her people. We may make suggestions, but it is a true thing that we shall not be dwelling among the people, wherever they are led."
He pauses, then adds. "Avis, my sister, you must also consider how many of the people of this world you wish to lead away. Those we leave behind are doomed."
"And if you want them all to end up in the same place." Robin adds with a mischevious grin.
"I am a vessel of the will of the Goddess," says Avis. "I pray for mercy rather than justice and ask that she deliver her people from doom. Those who are chosen will be the chosen of the children of the Danu, and will be blessed amongst all the world."
"If you are to be the vessel of the will of the Goddess," Vere says with an unusual touch of asperity in his voice, "Then it is time you learn to begin deciding what Her will is without asking her mortal incarnations. Having Robin and Solange to talk with physically is unlikely to ever be repeated. Their mother told them to leave the Isles immediately, and I intend that they should do so."
His eyes travel to Robin, then Solange, and then back to Robin. "As soon as we have returned to Mother's base, I want Solange to take Lord Worth and the Kiss away. Robin, you have your own task. Before this day is out, I want you to take the dragons and their riders back home. A world of dragons is a good base from which to begin once more your quest for a way to fight the Great Dragon."
His gaze goes back to Avis. "And we must go to the meeting with the Witch Queens and the rebels. Now, you have the message of the Goddess that this world is doomed to give to them. All whom you chose to save I will lead away, wherever you decide to take them."
Avis nods at this. If she heard his first statements, she didn't respond or acknowledge them at all.
Solange looks back at Vere with softly amused surprise at his change of tone--perhaps his urgency comes from a sense of upcoming doom that she doesn't feel herself. She doesn't have a problem with the sudden show of authority, but her eyes flick to Avis, curious how she will take it in a place where the women are the ones that make the decisions.
Robin presses her lips together and nods. Cause that's the way it is and anything else can wait for private time.
Avis looks from Vere to Robin and Solange. "A test of my judgement in front of the goddesses. I have two choices, I think. I can either accept all who would be saved, and thus provide us with a greater people or I can accept those who have been the most faithful to the will of the goddess, which is to say her faithful peoples of the Isles. If you can save for us fewer than all the faithful, then the decision is easy enough. How much time is there to decide this? How much time do these poor isles our home have left?"
Vere frowns slightly, and looks back into the slowly sinking temple. "If none of our family do anything else to damage the fabric of this reality, then I do not think the destruction is imminent. But the longer we delay, the greater the chance of the world unravelling." He looks to Robin and Solange for confirmation.
Solange gives him a supportive nod.
Robin tips a shoulder, the answer is yes-ish. "The longer we are here," she gestures to herself, Solange and Vere, "and the more threats we react to, the worse it will get." Her voice is matter-of-fact though not without regret.
"And how do we prevent this from happening again, in whatever new home you bring us to?"
A brief smile flits across Vere's lips. "Find a way to keep the members of our family from fighting each other in the new world, and keep people such as the Chancellor from challenging them." He becomes more serious. "Or, failing that, move to a world that is firmly anchored to a source of reality. Near Rebma, if not within it. Rebma's Pattern means that its reality cannot be destroyed, in the way that the Isles are being destroyed."
"What exactly happened here?" Solange asks, curious. Her gaze travels from Vere and settles on Robin.
"Here, here?" Robin nods to the flooded city. "Or here, here?" She waves her arms in a wide circle indicating the whole world.
"Heeeereee," Robin does the whole-world-circle gesture again. "I was... being chased. I had already been... c-captured once. And if I let them do that again, Solange, I would have taken the world down with me, right then and there. I... It was bad... I... underground." She shudders.
"So after we escaped, I... pulled at the air, the weather, afraid. Just tearing. To throw them off our trail." Her eyes wander off. "Probably Jove showed up somewhere about then, 'cause a tug of war started." Robin's green eyes dart back to Solange. "We didn't know who we were pulling against. And, I guess, both of us just assumed the worse.
"Later, Jove did... something with Time? that probably affected the overall mess adversely." Robin sounds like she's not totally sure what happened. "At least, that's when I noticed that the rain had become Rain.
"Here," she nods sadly at the flooded city, "Jovian... He was angry, protecting me, full of pride. He... threw a lot of power at a Prietess who was in the middle of a conjuring a weather effect. What with things already being weak... sscccrrrriiiicchhh." Robin makes a tearing gesture with her hands.
She shrugs at Solange with a there-you-have-it expression. In her eyes lurks the shadow of 'technical explanations will have to wait until the Norm is no longer with us.'
Solange winces and scrunches up her face. "Well...theoretically, if one tore with...power...then said power should also be the glue to fix it. I'm sure you've already tried this. What happened when you tried?"
Vere shakes his head slightly. "Random examined this world with the Jewel of Judgement, and considered it so badly damaged that the best thing to do would be to avoid touching it for a few years to see if it recovered on its own. But he did not sound hopeful." He pauses, then continues, "Robin and I hoped he was in error. But what we were told by Ysabeau leads me to pessimism."
"I've been doing some Peeking and some Listening. To see if there was anything I could do. I've never worked on this scale or in this direction before... but I was kinda hopin'." she shrugs.
"However, it wouldn't be easy. And it wouldn't be safe. And there's a... not inconsequential chance that it could turn out reeeealllly badly..." Robin scrunches her nose and sticks out her tongue.
"But at the end of all things, it's Vere's world. And he gets to decide." She looks over at her love.
Vere shakes his head. "If we attempt to repair the world and fail, we risk destroying it and every one of its inhabitants. And while I love this world, the fact is that the Children of Danu did not originate here. Our people were led here from some other world long ago. That being so, I find the thought that it might be necessary to depart less distressing than it might be."
"I can see that." Robin allows. "Besides, my motives aren't totally squeaky-clean with regards to... work on this world."
Solange sits back against the wall and lets Robin and Vere talk, her thoughts drifting elsewhere.
Vere nods. "Indeed," he says. "And it would be an easy thing for us to decide that we will make this attempt to save the world, knowing that if we fail we can flee the results of our failure. It is not so for the inhabitants. If we destroy this world in our arrogance, they all shall perish. But if I lead them hence, they survive, even though they lose the world of their birth. If we do nothing, then, according to Ysabeau, the world will perish on its own, and all its people. I think the choice is clear."
Robin's smile is a little old and a little sad for her face as she kisses Vere quickly on the cheek. "If it's clear to you, than it's clear. Like I said, you choose for this world and its peoples."
"But Iiiiii... probably won't be staying in Calusa once I get the guys settled." Her eyes look aside. "That place was my father's answer to the dragon. It didn't work and the results have maimed both a Prince of Amber and his son. It was a good try though." She admits with a fond smile.
Vere raises an eyebrow. "There is a story there I should like to hear," he says. "But enough for now. We can discuss these matters once we are back on Martin's boat and on our way from here. I should like us to be on our way now."
She looks at him. "Yes. Yes you should hear that story, Vere." She says seriously.
Then a smile darts across her lips and the sadness in her eyes flows away to be replaced by fondness and surety in her love. "Though I suspect you'll figure it on your own pretty quick.
"Okay, let's go." she adds standing up on the ledge and reaching for the raft - if it's still there.
Solange takes a seat in the raft. She picks up an oar, ready to row again.
Vere slips into the water next to the raft and begins to swim towards the Bonne Chance III, watching for any obstructions that might hinder or damage the raft and guiding them around them.
Robin sits down next to Solange and picks up the other oar. It's not exactly a foreign item in her hand, but she's obviously not done a whole lot of rowing.
After waiting for Avis to get aboard (presuming she does), Robin trusts the Priestess to keep her hearing off.
"Solange?" she murmurs to her little sister, "Did you get what you need? Is there anything I can help with?"
"Get what I need?" Solange repeats, then shrugs and looks away. "Father warned me but I didn't listen. I idealized her in my head instead and thought that... Well, anyway, it's my own fault. And in the end it doesn't matter--she's dead." But it's apparent that it does matter. Solange is not a good liar.
A sad sympathetic smile lines Robin's lips. "I think I had it easier," she tells the water so that Solange can listen.
"Since I'm not like my father at aaaalllll, I grew up thinking that I was kind of like my mother." A snort ripples through her. "Don't know if any of that's true now, buuuuuuttt... if I am anything like my mother, then no right thinking creature would EVER leave a child to be raised in my care."
That elicits a smile from Solange.
Robin's bunches up, her tongue sticks out and a rueful chuckle shakes her shoulders. "I've always felt that I owed my mother thanks for that. For choosing Julian to be my parent."
Those green eyes dart over to her sister. "What could be better, Solange? What in all this universe could possibly be better than being raised by the men who raised us?"
"I've had a great foster parent, yeah," Solange agrees, though her tone is still wistful.
"Robin...what did you think about that talk of another sister?" she asks, changing the subject somewhat.
"Dunno." Robin sucks on a tooth in one side of her mouth, her accent sliding towards Arden. "I'm tryin' to decide if I should go out, find the poor bitch and warn her before somethin' uglier than me takes a shot. Oooorrrrr, should I leave the poor bastard alone reckoning that she might already know and want nothing to do with us."
Memories of Ossian and Reid's trump conversation come back to her. As well as a name the King mentioned. "Meg?" Was that it? She shakes the thought away.
"But mostly, I'm thinking it relieves a little of the breedin-count scare to know that Mom managed three before it killed her.... doesn't relieve it much though. And I'm still not ever going to do it." Her eyes narrow a little as they dart to Avis. Hear that, Priestess-girl?
"That does change things. Before I knew there was a third, the pattern there suggested I would die with the first kid. Now... I dunno. Too much to think about right now.
"Exactly." Robin nods. "That was my theory for myself too. In fact, I told Vere that I'd rather live with him, than leave him to raise our child alone." A wry twist pulls at one side of her mouth.
"So who's Meg?" Solange asks.
"Dunno." Robin shrugs as she rows. "The King mentioned that Huon was supposed to be messing with her instead of us. And a while ago, I was talking with Ossian over those cards..." she wrinkles her nose again and shudders, "and he mentioned that he and Reid were off to snatch some poor here-to-unknown bastard into the family. Soooo, I was thinking that those two incidents might be related, but..." she shrugs again, "I'm not the most central communicator in the family, so I'm really only guessing."
"Hunh," Solange replies vaguely, processing the new information while she rows. "There's also Hannah. Have you met her yet? Vere has--she's a doctor and has been helping us with..."
Solange cuts off abruptly, remembering that people in the Isles don't know about Gerard's legs.
"...with a family matter. She also doesn't know who her Amber parent is." Solange pauses briefly, searching through her memory. "If I remember right, her mortal father raised her and it's her Amber mother that left. Heh. Sound familiar?"
She stops rowing and turns to stare at Robin.
Robin immediately stops rowing as well, she's done enough circling in her life not to want to practice it in boats.
"Ummmm, memorial... maybe? I can't remember. I wasn't tracking well that day." Robin shrugs ruefully. "Well, next time you see her ask about -- what was it? -- Iron Eye. That'll be a start... I guess." Robin looks somewhat... uncertain about it all.
"Right. I will," Solange replies distractedly. She starts rowing again, lost in her own thoughts.
"Could you let me know what you find out?" Robin's lips quirk again. She knows she's hard to get ahold of. Taking up her oar she chugs away at the rowing, content to let her little sister think.
Last modified: 22 March 2008