The waters run clear and the wind is with the Chance, and soon Vere spots Fair Isle on the horizon. The clear, south-facing harbor has fewer boats in it than Vere would expect, and the dragons occupy the heights.
Vere brings the Chance in to the harbour, looking the craft already there over carefully, considering what is there and more importantly what isn't. Then he regards the dragons, trying to read their mood even at this distance from the way they move.
Robin grins to Vere as the boat pulls into the harbour, enjoying the wind and the water and her love - though there is definitely a part of her that is looking forward to getting dirt under her boots. As the girl catches sight of the dragons, she waves, having every confidence in the distance vision of airborn predators.
The dragons seem subdued, but not angry. The warships are afield. A priestess meets them at the dock and bows. "My Lady, Warleader," she says, "The Lady would see you in her pavilion." The priestess is young, and would not yet have achieved her full title in more normal times.
A golden dragon takes off from the clifftops.
Vere nods to her, then continues making the boat fast to the dock. Once that is done he turns to Robin and waits for her to speak with the priestess.
"Oookaayy." Robin drawls, one eye on the priestess, one eye on the dragon. If the gold doesn't seem aimed right at them, she'll cock a brow toward Vere to see if there's anything else they should be doing right now. If the dragon does seemed aimed at them, Robin will hold up a hand asking the priestess to wait while she sees what the draconian concern is.
The dragon, clearly Hoshith, is angling to land near the Lady's Pavilion.
The priestess awaits your commands.
"I have finished securing the boat, my love," Vere says to Robin. "Lead on."
Robin cocks an eye at both Vere and the Priestess, and elects to ruefully chuckle instead of making herd animal noises. With a shake of her head, she gestures to the Priestess to show the way.
Striding after her, Robin takes Vere's hand for a quick squeeze. Back to the politics - joy.
The priestess does as she is bid, and soon Avis and the Lady are greeting Robin and Vere.
"We had the news from the dragonrider," says Avis. She peers upwards. "Their queenrider will be here momentarily, I think."
The Lady squints upwards as well. "Given their circumstances, I have released them from their obligations to us," adds The Lady.
Avis bites her lip.
Vere nods. "Wise, I think," he murmurs quietly.
"Thank you," Robin says with heartfelt gratitude to the Lady. She casts a rueful eye to Avis. Yeah, sometimes it sucks.
The Lady replies quickly, although it seems to be an effort for her. "Before our ally arrives, my son, what of your mission? What news is there of this war and what can be done to end it? I want your counsel." She looks, remarkably, more tired than she did when Robin first met her.
"It was indeed Huon, an exiled son of Oberon, who was invading our world," Vere answers. "He brought weapons and wizards from other worlds he has passed through, it was one of these weapons that slew Jovian's companion. The Lady Robin and I met him at the temple of Ysabeau, where he had gone to pay respects to his fallen sister. The encounter was not peaceful, but we believe he has now passed on from this world towards Rebma, where he seeks a sword of power to battle against his brother Bleys, whom he holds responsible for his long imprisonment." He waves a hand, dismissing Huon from his consideration. "Some of his troops may still remain beyond the land of the Witch Queens, we must investigate that. However, we have spoken with the Prince of the land beyond the Witch Queens, and they are very clear that their only reason for an alliance was to battle the invaders. So if Huon's army has moved on, that threat is neutralized."
He sighs, then. "Unfortunately, the fabric of our world has been damaged by the comings and goings of these great powers, and their actions herein. It is vital that the war be ended as soon as possible, so that we may repair the very existence of our world, ere it is sent into chaos and nonexistence. Has there been any answer from the Chancellor and her forces on our proposal for a truce and a meeting?"
Robin listens with half an ear to Vere, but the majority of her attention is on the Lady and her unexpected 'tiredness.' The girl's brow furrows as she tries to figure out what is hampering the Lady. In her memory, her father's voice speaks of his mother's connection to the land of her birth. And it comes to Robin to wonder if the recent... insults to the Isles have their counterpart in the Lady's health.
If so, it won't do at all. Robin wants the Lady alive and feisty to kick Gerard's butt into a recovery, not fading wanly away.
Robin Listens very carefully to the world and the Lady trying to see if her hypothesis has any merit.
The Lady seems stretched. She's no longer young, and may well be old, according to the local people. Robin has seen few people who seem older than her, here.
The Lady nods, slowly. "I long suspected that such events could only be signs of the hands of Gods on our poor land."
Avis purses her lips. "They have. They suggest that we stop fighting." Clearly, something about the offer displeases the Lady's daughter.
"Indeed?" Vere's voice is devoid of expression. "And do they offer an example, by laying down their own arms?"
A corner of Robin's mouth ticks. She's heard the theories that it's the defender who causes a war, but frankly? Since she's spent most of her life as a defender, she's not about to stop now. Goddessing or no.
"No, my brother, they do not," replies Avis. "They suggest that we form two lands, one for people who follow the true will of the goddess, and another for backsliding heretics."
"Save the land by breaking it," Vere says. "Which, at any rate, may indicate that they are realizing that they are unlikely to win quickly by pure force of arms. Yet, if the Chancellor truly believes the Goddess to have given her the true way, then we know her well enough to know that any such agreement would merely give her a time to plot, and a stronghold from whence to launch the eventual renewal of her campaign to take over all the Isles. No, I favour a quick end to the war, but not a splitting of the Isles. Although I would not oppose allowing any who wish to follow the Old Ways to join their Witch Queen allies on the mainland."
A weird smile slides across Robin's face, quickly followed by a sigh as she listens. While, aesthetically, a chaotic spiral of schisoclasm among the local faiths has some appeal -- the problem is, with these ladies' power level and an already weakened land, chaos leads to anarchy leads to boom in probably very short order. So no, she has to agree with Vere (for totally different reasons), no rampant chaos.
"Can't we just figure out who is talking to the Chancellor and muzzle their ass?" asks Robin. Somewhat petuantly, it must be admitted.
Avis smiles. "There would be a certain justice to kidnapping The Spider, given that she kidnapped us." It's not a nice smile.
The Lady looks at her. "Yes, but not at any cost. Goddess willing, we should have an honorable peace, not a just death."
Avis blinks. "I am the instrument of the Goddess, her will is my duty."
The Lady looks back at Robin. "How shall we achieve your objectives, Lady?"
Vere turns to Robin as well, a deferential look upon his face.
"Huhn." Robin thinks about it.
"I... we," she looks over to Vere, "need to talk to them. If you have any prisoners from among the other faction's priestesses or known spies within your own ranks, I'd like a word. We also know that Hartwell was due to show up in the Ard-Righ's court soon. If we could intercept him before he gets there and things get all international-incidenty, that'd be sweet." Her own not-nice smile flickers across her lips.
Vere gives a very small nod, still without allowing expression to appear on his face.
Looking back to the Lady, she asks, "Did the Councillor's reply come via emissary?"
The Lady nods. "Yes, Lady. Two days ago. She did not set foot on Fair Isle, of course, but waits nearby. The Brotherhood can give you details on what prisoners we have. I believe they are all men or non-combatants. No one of consequence."
Avis looks up. "Capturing Hartwell sounds promising."
"Always remembering, of course," Vere interjects softly, "That we are looking for a way to end the war, not to inflame it."
Robin is quiet. For a long time. A look of sadness drifts through her eyes, then she bites her lip and carries on in a slow, deliberate and careful voice.
"Okay. I'd like Vere and myself to meet the emissary if we could. I'd like to meet with someone from the Brotherhood who could arrange an interogation. If you truly feel that your own number is uncompromised or you don't want me stamping around among them, fine. Hartwell-snatch is tabled till we hear from Kourin regarding... things.
"Oh, and I'd like the name and location of the scholar you mentioned earlier and a meeting set-up as soon as is convenient. Otherwise... carry on." Robin waves to the trio of Danaans but it's pretty clear that she's done.
"Your will be done, Lady," says Avis, and bows as she goes to do it. The Lady just stands. She sways a bit in the light sea breeze.
Kourin tops the hill, and waits a polite distance away.
"Please, Lady." Robin says gently as she steps forward to offer her support. "Ease yourself."
Vere appears not to notice his mother's weakness. Turning away from her and Robin he looks in the direction of Kourin, and says, "Shall we call forth the queenrider now? She waits our permission to approach."
The Lady raises her hand to Kourin, who approaches.
"Lady Holder, Lord Warleader. I come on behalf of the Weyr. How are we to proceed from here?"
Robin raises an eyebrow but seems quite content to let things wash past her listening ears.
Vere nods his head respectfully. "We are determined that this war must end immediately, Queenrider, for the good of the Isles and her people, and we are discussing how that may best be done. To that end, we would know how things stand with the Weyr, in light of recent events."
Kourin nods. "Weyrleader M'hall called a conclave on his return. He was confirmed in his position and I as Weyrwoman. We find that our desires conflict with our duty. Your Lady Holder has graciously relieved us of combat responsibilities. Dragons are simple creatures, my Lords and Ladies, and they understand protection, but not the nuances of human war. We serve as protectors in our lands, we are not cut to be warriors." She sighs and continues.
"We wish to return to our homeland, and our old lives and ways. But we know we cannot ask you to abandon this war, which you wish to fight." She considers saying more, but in the end only adds a brief answer to Vere's question. "The Weyr stands, Warleader. How it stands depends on what can be done and when."
Robin's eyes wander off as she nods to herself. Yep, right about what she expected. Sooo.... how to get the guys home? The girl's head tilts as she considers.
Vere nods to Kourin. "Thank you, Weyrwoman," he says. "We shall strive to hold you and yours away from conflict, and to send you home so soon as we may. We have not forgotten your injured rider, either, and shall see to his sight so soon as may be."
Kourin nods her thanks.
He turns back to his mother and sister. "Let us move on to speaking with the Chancellor's envoy. From that conversation, we may decide how to proceed."
The Lady turns to Robin. "Do you wish me to accompany you, My Lady?"
"No, that's all right." Robin murmurs with a gentle shake of her head.
The two young Amberites are soon by a small rowboat. The envoy, they are told, is on a small island off the shore, as she is not allowed to touch her feet to Fair Isle.
At the sight of the rowboat, Robin cocks a cynical eyebrow. When she looks over at Vere, her eyes are twinkling and the corner of her mouth ticks with a repressed laugh. Shaking her head, the Ranger gets in keeping her weight low and her stance wide.
"Fate conspires with me, my love," Vere tells her solemnly. "I shall make a sailor of you yet."
A combination snort/snicker escapes the Ranger as she seats herself.
He pushes the boat off from shore and dexterously leaps in, then begins to row them across towards the island. "The envoy is here under sacred truce," he mentions casually. "So even if she seeks to provoke us, to learn how we will react to insult, it is meet for us to treat her with calm and dignity." He smiles, "Not that we cannot calmly and with dignity explain the error of her ways, should she err."
A wry twinkle dances in Robin's eye. "Calm and dignity? Uhhhhh, maybe you could explain the limits of a Sacred Truce a little better. 'Caaauuuussee..." the girl shrugs a shoulder, "that really short-lists my options."
"It is simple enough, beloved," Vere answers as they near the small island. "Do not attack the envoy, even if she is openly rude or verbally abusive. Mind, I do not expect her to be, unless she seeks to provoke us. If we did break truce and strike her, then it would be used as evidence that we are indeed fallen from the way of the Goddess, and stand in the Chancellor's favour. Envoys have been imprisoned, or even slain, in the past, but such behaviour is almost always remembered in song and story after the conflict itself is long past, and never is it seen as justified or proper."
He smiles at her. "It is not actually required that you be polite to her, but I find that maintaining politeness, even in the face of rudeness, aids in preventing a situation from escalating into violence. And, indeed, I do find a certain amusement in refusing to be provoked by someone who seeks to do so."
Robin flashes her beloved a wry grin. Oh yes, she's noticed that. And not only is it one of the things she loves about him, it's one of the things that she considers makes them so well-matched.
"Tell you what, love, how about I do my best to be fair? Is that good enough?" She asks honestly.
"Indeed it is, my beloved." He regards her seriously for a long moment, then says, "You must believe me when I tell you that whatever you do, I will support you. If we are in the midst of a friendly dinner with an ally of my mother, and suddenly, for no apparent reason, you attack, I will attack alongside you with no question, confidant that you will explain your reason later, when there is time."
"Really?" Robin perks up. Then bites her lip and chuckles ruefully. "I should've known. Oh, you are a miracle, Vere. Please bear with me. This trust thing... it's hard. When there's time, I'll try and explain the last one. Sans hysteria."
The smile she turns on Vere is warm enough to melt glaciers.
He smiles back, then shivers slightly. "You make it hard to remember my oath..." he breathes, then with a visible effort turns his attention back to his rowing.
The island is ahead. It's called Stac Mhor by the locals, and is really just a stone pillar about the side of a village. There is a house atop it, but the normal inhabitants are seabirds.
Robin's definitely delighted by the seabirds. Her lips curl as she watches them and unconscious little croons and chirrups of interest escape her.
Vere rows them to the shore of the rocky isle, and holds the boat steady for Robin to disembark. "It is likely the envoy is a priestess or a sorceress," he tells her. "It will be interesting to see her reaction to your presence."
"She is a witch and a priestess of the Goddess, and she invites you to break bread in the hut ahead of you." The voice comes from the air, and sounds female and not young. There is a path to the hut.
A little laugh lifts out of Robin and she looks over at Vere with sparkling eyes as she clambers out of the wooden floaty thing. "Voices out of the air. First interesting reaction."
She smiles as she waits for Vere to do any rope tyin' or draggin' that needs to be done and then sets up the path. (Beside him if he allows it.)
He takes her hand once the boat is secure, and together they walk to the hut.
The hut is small, and has a fire banked in a small fireplace. There two women in the room, who stand as the door opens. One is a priestess Vere has met before named Mother Alabaster and the other is a Witch Queen. The Witch Queen's eyes are covered in a cloth. There have always been rumors that some of the Witch Queens would blind themselves as part of oracular rites.
Both bow, presumably to Robin.
"Hello." Robin says cheerfully. "I'm Robin, daughter of Ysabeau." There's only a slight pause this time. The girl doubts it will ever be exactly easy, but at least it's getting better.
"And this is Vere, son of Gerard and the Lady Corvis." Robin's voice is all warmth as she squeezes Vere's hand.
Vere nods his head to the two women, watching for a moment to see if the apparently blind Witch Queen reacts in any way to his nod...
Inconclusive. There is no obvious response.
...before he says, "My greetings to you, ladies."
The Priestess replies, "And to you, Lady Robin and Prince Vere. We have heard from our sister's sisters of your desire to make peace, Lady Robin. Shall we break bread together and discuss it?"
"Sure," Robin chirps agreeably. As she looks around for bread-breaking things to help set-up and places to sit down, she adds, "Annnnnddd you are?" to both the other women.
The Danu priestess says, "I am Mother Alabaster, Lady. With me is the Seeress of Ice and Wind."
The other woman bows again, but does not speak.
Vere steps forward to wait upon Robin, holding her chair for her and sorting out whatever food and utensiles there are on the table (assuming there are such things, of course. If not, he'll watch to see if the Witch Queen is planning on summoning a feast magically).
He remains silent for the time being, watching and listening.
There is bread, some fish and salt as well as a carafe of wine. It is enough to do the duties of hospitality, but by no means a feast.
Robin raises a brow as Vere pulls out a chair and starts fussing. Where is the man who knew better than to offer her his hand in his own office? Part of her understands - hopes! - that he is merely setting up his standard 'watch from the shadows' game. But another part of her is both worried and, frankly, getting a mite pissed.
While Robin had really hoped to present a united front here... "Beloved? I'm looking for input from the resident owner of this world and the son of Gerard on this topic. Not... dutiful man of Danu whatever," she waves a hand at the chair and the attitude.
The Witch-Queen nods at her words. "Your goddess is right, young man-god, do not attempt to hide your selves in the cloak of the Dannanite men. I knew your father of old."
Mother Alabaster says, "As we break bread together and share salt and wine, let the Peace of the Mother be upon this table."
"As the Mother wills," replies the Seeress.
One corner of Vere's mouth quirks up fractionally, and he says, "If my lady orders me to be her equal, I will of course obey."
He still waits for the three ladies to sit before he does so, however.
Robin snickers as she seats herself. Given the formality of the situation, the girl restrains herself from sticking out her tongue, but she can't resist a sparkle-eyed nose-scrunch in Vere's direction.
Looking at the table, Robin's at a bit of a loss - blessings still aren't her strong suit. After a little thought, she comes up with "Good beginnings."
Mother Alabaster echoes her, encouragingly.
"Soooooo..." she drawls as food and wine are shared out, "one of the reasons I wanted to scurry over here when I heard you were in town, Seeress, is that I'm getting a bit of a one-sided story. And I'd dearly love to hear from you why you guys are fighting this war.
"Second reason is that I'd like to arrange a meeting with Vianis. Last few times we met were kinda... short and sharp." Robin's lips tick in an ironic smile. "And while I can't say I'm over that, my love here," she gestures to Vere, "has spoken eloquently enough of the respect he held for the Chancellor, that I'm willing to give it another try before... getting all excitable."
The Seeress nods. "Surely the willingness of the divine is enough for us poor mortals."
Mother Alabaster swallows her wine. "The Lady Vianis is willing to end hostilities, and has shown her earnest of it by holding back her forces. How, Warleader and Goddess, do you propose we proceed from here?"
"Mere cessation of hostilities is not enough," Vere answers. "We all know that this would merely result in a brief pause, at most a generation or two, most like less than that, before the war broke out again, more fierce that before. The Isles cannot remain divided." He puts the cup to his mouth and lets the wine touch his tongue before setting it back down. "It may be that the problem goes back even further, to when the Isles and the Mainland broke from each other. Everyone says they seek to do the Goddess' will. Is it not strange that there are so many different interpretations of what She wills?"
He smiles then. "My lady Robin would, I believe she said, wish to hear from each of you the reasons why you think this war occurred." He looks to Robin for confirmation.
"Yep," Robin nods, looking around with a cheerful smile.
The Seeress bows her head, then raises it. She turns towards Robin. "This war was started when we joined it, but had not been started long. Some brave few women amongst the people of Danu's Islands had reached out to us, looking for peace and reconciliation, and an end to war. When they were found out, they were persecuted as heretics and apostates. We came to their aid and helped our sisters establish themselves."
She pauses. "You should be concerned, God-children, that if you come back too interested in peace, you will be called heretical yourselves."
Vere's gaze is focused on a point in space somewhere behind the two women. He murmurs, "When one has come into one's inheritance, and learns that one must take great care to not inadvertently tear asunder the very fabric of the world, one comes to place more value on truth and understanding, and less on what one might be called."
Robin nods to Vere. Got it in one, gotta love him.
Mother Alabaster nods. "The Goddess herself spoke to The Chancellor in a dream, and told her that she desired all to live in peace. We have traded some peace for some war, so we have not fulfilled the Goddess' wishes, but we aim to." She purses her lips. "A generation or two of peace through partition would be a generation more than we have had, warleader. Would the Priestess' respect our differences or would you have us exile those they could not cow to become a burden on our sisters of the mainland?"
The Seeress speaks up again. "And if they did leave the isles to the intransigent, how would you populate the vacancies?"
An expression flits across Vere's face, but it is subtle, and quickly vanishes.
The Goddess leans back in her chair and folds her arms across her chest. "Okay. You," she nods to the Seeress, "say you only started fighting 'cause you came to the aid of people who were asking for peace, right?
"And you," to Mother Alabaster, "say the Goddess told you not to fight but you do a little anyway 'caaaauuuusssee....? After all, I'm hearing the Seeress say 'persecution' and I'm hearing you say 'cow' but what I'm not hearing is what you valued more than the peace your Goddess commanded that was being taken from you."
Robin turns curious eyes from one woman to the other.
The seeress nods and says "No, warleader. We have always been fighting. We came to the aid of the faction in the isles who favored peace with us, because they would not come to our shores to wage war upon us and because we are all children of the Mother. It was in our interest to move the war from our lands to yours for once."
Robin nods as she allows the correction. Yep, Siege told her. First war. She had forgotten.
Mother Alabaster pales slightly "The Goddess told us not to make war on our sisters across the water. She did not say to meekly be burned at the stake for heresy in the isles. We could only make peace in the next world if we had not resisted the forces of Fair Isle."
The seeress speaks again. "We are here now to negotiate a peace and stop the killing. You have stated a condition that we object to, which is that partition is unacceptable. You have not addressed the difficulties we see with forcing our allies to be subjugated to the will of Fair Isle. How do you wish us mortals to go forward, God and Goddess?"
"Weeellll," Robin rubs the side of her nose as she thinks, "the same way I'm telling my ladies. STOP FIGHTING," she enunciates clearly.
"See, my ladies tell me they have to fight to stop the human sacrifices. 'Course they don't tell me that they're burning people at the stake to stop the human sacrifices. Whhhiicch is something you can be sure we will be having words about." Robin's eyes narrow and she cocks an eyebrow toward Vere.
Vere gives a short, and somewhat ambiguous, nod of his head.
"You, Mother Alabaster, tell me that you have to fight to defend yourselves from being burned at the stake. (Which by the way, is a pretty decent answer to the 'what matters more than your Goddess' will' question.) But a fleet of sixty warships and a dungeon full of torture implements don't strike me self-defense measures.
"And while I don't know your people, Seeress, well enough to throw the bull-shit flag yet, finding two of them twiddling their thumbs and whistling innocently next to the smoking cannon that killed a friend and maimed my brother... doesn't incline me toward total sympathy with your position at this time."
"And yet, all sides tell me that their Goddesses are telling them not to fight. But every side still is fighting. What am I to make of that?
"Frankly, it sounds to me like you poor mortals want to fight. Which is something I can totally understand but which is also something that's destroying your world and everything that's fair and good about it.
"And that brings me back to my original point. What is it that you value more than fighting? It's demonstrably not your Goddesses' and Mothers' commands for peace. And it's the only thing that's going to save your peoples at this point."
Vere smiles a small smile while he watches his love at work. He says nothing as of yet.
The Seeress nods. "It is as you wish, Goddess. We have stopped the fighting, as have our foewomen. We are here to arrange a peace, and they have not slaughtered us out of hand. What you order for your warlike Danu is no more than we desire and our allies amongst the Danu must have, which is a stop to the fighting."
Mother Alabaster nods, on firmer footing now. "Indeed, that is our fervent desire as well. Our proposal is for the three tribes of Danu live as sisters, each in her own house, with trade and hospitality between them." The Seeress shifts in her seat at the talk of three tribes, but does not speak. Mother Alabaster turns to Vere. "A generation or two of trade and traffic may build a ties that will hold, warleader, and it is more than we have ever had."
"What was once one, then two, now to be three?" Vere muses, not looking at anyone in particular. "Is that what the Goddess wishes, do you suppose? Shall we continue splitting the Isles and the Mainland, until each family is its own tribe, as it was in the ancient days, before the Goddess brought the tribes together? Shall the mother of each family begin to interpret the will of the Goddess for her children? Truly, Vianis goes further from orthodoxy than I supposed, to wish such an outcome. For where there has once been a split, can you suppose there will not be others?"
Now it's Robin's turn to smile. Love Him and His fabulous logic.
Mother Alabaster shrugs and addresses Robin. "How many should die to prove that it is not the will of the Mother? The Lady Vianis was given a vision of the Goddess, your mother, daughter of Rilsa. There is no more orthodox position than that of servant to the will of the Mother."
The Seeress speaks. "We disagree, Danu, that is certain. Your father was known for his directness. Is he available to negotiate for your mother? I would be pleased to see him again."
Robin blinks a couple of times, then holds up a 'wait a moment' finger and turns to Vere.
"Love? Could you translate that last bit, please? I understand the Seeress' poke at you and probe for intel on your father. That's definitely your bit there. But... I don't understand what Mother Alabaster just said at aaalllll. If there's no fighting, and no one's getting burned at the stake, why is there still dying? You guys have some non-lethal conflict resolvers, don't you?" The Goddess is definitely confused.
"The Goddess rarely speaks directly, my love," Vere answers her. He turns to face her, appearing to ignore the two other women for the time being (although both of them remain in his peripheral vision). "Most commonly, her will is made known by her High Priestess, the Queen of the Isles. Occasionally, in matters of great import, she might make herself known to another, usually in a dream or vision. Such is what the Chancellor claims, and for her to make a false claim of such would be so far from her character that I would have to believe that I have never truly known Vianis. I do not believe that to be the case."
"Yet, when different women claim that the Goddess tells them different things, how are we to know who is correct, and who is misinterpreting? We of the Isles are a martial people, and, with all due respect to the Seeress and her claims of wishing peace, my years of fighting against the Witch Queens have taught me that they, too, are experts in the matter of war."
The Seeress smiles slightly, not displeased by his comments.
He shrugs, with a slightly sad smile. "Thus, when faced with confusion, our peoples tend to seek to resolve them through competing via force of arms. As you see, even the Seeress, a woman of great intellect, tends to regard discussion at length as a lack of directness."
His smile vanishes and he says somberly, "I am seeking to find a way other than mere force to resolve our current situation. Although, from what I have learned of your mother, I tend to suspect she might have quickly grown tired of talking as well."
"Ooooooohhhh." A light dawns in Robin's eyes.
"Okay, well two different approaches come to mind at first thought. But neither one will work unless we can find something that binds people to a decision they don't like. I mean, whether we look at alternate forms of governance or alternate forms of conflict resolution, if the minute someone's unhappy they pull an army out of their ass... it's just never going to get any better.
"Which is why," Robin turns back to look at Mother Alabaster and the Seeress, "I'm so adamant about finding something you guys honor more than war."
Mother Alabaster looks confused. "I do not understand, my Lady. When two forces are both convinced they are in the right, the goddesses decide by granting one victory at war. When the goddesses themselves contest, there is war amongst them and amongst their followers here. It is as it always has been."
"If you wish peace for our sisters of the Danu," adds the Seeress, "you need to offer them something other than the peace of death at the hands of the others. If that is all that is offered, they will fight on."
Robin smiles at the Seeress and shakes her head. "Not my first option, Seeress. Not by a long shot. That solution only gets thrown into the mix when I'm feeling really pissy. And since there are the occasional things," she smiles at Vere, "that I like about this world, I do consider the peace of extinction to be a sub-optimal solution." Robin wrinkles her nose in distaste.
"Soooooo, Vere? Do I have this right? Is Grandmother thru Corvis arguing with Mother thru Vianis and these poor bastards," Robin waves a hand at Mother Alabaster and the Seeress, "are throwing bodies at one another 'cause that's the way it's always been done?" The Goddess sounds a little disbelieving and wants her facts checked.
Vere smiles thinly. "We come now to matters of theology that the Priestesses of the Isles believe are too complicated for a man, even a son of the Priestess-Queen of the Isles. That the Goddess is spoken of as having different aspects, this I know, and that these differing aspects sometimes have very different natures. Whether it is valid to speak of a once-living goddess as still being the same when she no longer lives..." he shrugs slightly. "This is high theology, and I suspect a matter for debate even among the priestesses."
Mother Alabaster nods. "It is unclear, for instance, what it means when one clearly in the wrong triumphs. One school says that we do not know the Goddess' will well enough to know the meaning of the victory, another suggests a deficiency in the side of rightness that allowed them to be defeated."
The Seeress adds. "Those who do not believe in trying matters by combat did not last long in our history, Goddess. They were defeated in trial by combat."
A dark snicker ripples through Robin. "I believe I'm beginning to get that, Seeress. Okay, questions for you now." The Goddess leans forward intently.
"These human sacrifices I'm hearing about - are they voluntary and do they work? Think carefully now," she warns, "'cause if the answer to either of those questions is no, than we're not talking about sacrifice but about a rather poor choice of hobbies.
"Also Vere? I'm going to want your father's input real soon now if it's possible. How would you like to handle that?"
"I can call him," Vere answers her. "If he is available for conversation, then I can let him speak with you. It is regretable," he adds in an aside to the Seeress, "That he is too occupied with affairs of the Royal Family of Oberon to be able to take part in our particular conversation, other than to advise the Lady Robin."
"Indeed. He is close to the Mother himself. Reports of sacrifices are exaggerated amongst the Danu, who found them a useful tool to enforce heterodoxy. They do happen, periodically and at need. Sacrifices are always of benefit, even if it is not tangible at the time. Some are merely to appease the Mother, who required them in the first place. Some are voluntary, some are criminals, some are prisoners of war. All are by the will of the Mother."
She puts her hands on the table. "You think us cruel, having listened to our enemies. Yet we do not sit safely on Fair Isle and send men to die at our command. We do not spy on each other in order to punish those who are different. We do not crowd the poor into cities, forcing women to live one atop another as if they were ants. You. You are more than this world can bear. I see paths ahead where you save it and paths where you destroy it. Take care that what you fight for here is worth the world, for you risk it!"
Mother Alabaster looks at her companion with concern, but says nothing.
Robin leans back in her chair and looks at the Seeress. She opens her mouth, closes it, then nods. "I know," she says quietly with a sad flattening of the lips.
Those green eyes look over to Vere. "Please, my love, contact your father if you can."
Vere nods at her words, his eyes meeting hers as he slips his father's card from his pouch with the hand away from Robin. Then he looks down at it, willing it to life.
"Father," he says. "It is Vere."
He turns the card between them so that Robin can see it as well, but neither of the women across the table can do so. Then he holds out his near hand to Robin.
Robin leans over to peer into the card and takes Vere's hand.
The contact opens. Gerard is on the deck of a ship, probably an Amber ship, in his wheelchair. He's not really dressed for the occasion to Vere's eyes. "Vere," he says. "How stand the Isles?"
"In turmoil still, Father," Vere answers. "Robin and I are meeting with envoys from the Chancellor and the Witch Queens, to seek a peaceful resolution, even as we speak. Robin has questions for you, and seeks your advice."
"That's right, sir." Robin nods. "Since you've got a vested interest in this place, I wanted to know what you wanted me to not give away." Her mouth twitches at her own phrasing, but she can't help it - that's what she meant.
Gerard looks a bit blank. "Which particular thing? About us, or about the Isles, or some other?"
"Huhn?" Is Robin's quick-witted response. Then she relistens to her words, chuckes and shakes her head. Trying again, she speaks. "Oh, no, sir. Nothing like that. Just general things that you don't want me to negotiate away in a treaty; things like -- 'Robin, I'd rather you didn't institutionalize human sacrifice.' Robin, I'm fond of Methrin's Island, please don't build any internment camps there. 'Robin, my plans for Avis would be complicated by her being dead.' Stuff like that."
The Goddess finishes with a brittle smile and a shrug. She knows that the jargon has gotten worse, not better, but hopes that she's conveyed her point.
Vere smiles a small smile, and remains quiet for the time being.
"Oh." Gerard has to think about that. "Vere knows what I want, and he speaks for the good of the Isles. Let him speak in my place in yer council."
Vere raises an eyebrow. "Indeed, Father?" he asks. "I am no longer certain of that. The Chancellor claims the Goddess appeared to her in a vision, and told her to make peace with the Witch Queens. This appears to be the source of the split betwixt her and Mother. This raises interesting questions, and leaves Robin and myself somewhat bemused as we consider our course of action."
She nods. Bemused is as good a word for it as any.
He glances over at Robin, then back at his Father through the trump connection. "In any case, we have decided this war has gone on long enough, and we will end it, one way or the other. It is time I ceased acting as though I were a child of the Isles only, and recall that I am a son of Amber."
Robin feels no need at all to interrupt this conversation.
"And if ye do that, ye'll be better suited to stand in my stead there than if ye do only as yer mother wishes," Gerard says, sounding satisfied.
Vere smiles, a trifle sadly. "I begin to suspect, Father, that Mother and Avis are not going to be best pleased by what I do. I thank you for your faith."
He looks at Robin then. "My love?" he asks. "What else would you ask Father while we are speaking?"
"No more questions," she says, shaking her blond head, "just my well-wishes." Robin smiles to her favorite uncle.
Gerard returns her smile. "And mine to both of you. If you have any word for Solange, she's with me." He reaches out for Solange, to draw her into the contact if she wishes.
After leaving Garrett, Solange finishes any preparations that need to be made before sailing, including arranging for the rest of Gerard's things to be transported (books in his study, any supplies left in the infirmary, stuff like that), all of her own personal effects, and nabbing anything she could find in the library about floating women.
The library staff are packing. They're almost all scheduled to sail with Solange, and a good bit of the library as well. They don't know anything about floating women. They suggest Princess Cambina might know.
Solange files that suggestion away for later.
She says goodbye to Amber, both castle and town, expecting she'll not see them again for a long time. Then she turns and, putting her arm through Kyril's, heads for the docks to set sail.
Kyril leads the way. On the docks preparations are well underway, and at the appointed time, the ships set off for sea. The captain wants to know Solange's preferred course. [Note: the best way to make a shadow-path is to use landmarks, "sail past this rock and then go parallel to the shore until the sky turns color, then come about", is a perfectly valid instruction.]
Solange instructs the captain to sail south along the coastline for now (not north--dear deity, no, not north). She wants to put a bit of distance between them and Amber before she starts shifting.
"Goodbye Fairy Tale Kingdom Mark One," says Kyril.
"I'm glad you're still amused by all of this," she says as they watch the coastline pass by. "You're ship's doctor again, by the way. If there's anything you're lacking--and it's within reason--let me know and I'll 'find' it for you.
"In the meantime, I'm going to trump Father and ask if he has any advice for me in regards to my current endeavor."
Solange plants a kiss on Kyril's cheek, then moves to the bow of the ship. Once there, she pulls out Gerard's trump and concentrates on it.
Gerard accepts the call and comes into focus at once. "Aye, who's there?"
Solange recognizes the setting as his quarters in Xanadu.
"It's Solange," she replies, smiling. "How're you?"
"I've been better," Gerard confesses. There's a testiness about him and his face is drawn in a way that suggests pain. "Hannah is changing my medications, and I'm not doing so well with it."
There's a helplessness that washes over Solange, but she blocks it from passing through the trump as best she can and settles for merely nodding unhappily.
"Father, I called to ask you a question. I'm on a ship and currently attempting to lay a shadow path between Amber and Xanadu. Do you have any advice?"
Gerard frowns. "I can advise ye a bit, but I'd do better showing ye. I couldna explain things to Jerod before, and I doubt I'll do much better now." He thinks for a moment, and a vaguely hopeful expression crosses his face. "Can ye bring me through?"
"Of course," she replies, extending her hand to him without reservation.
Gerard takes her hand and rolls slowly forward onto the deck of the ship. The motion of the boat in the water sends his wheelchair right into Solange before Gerard can quite stop it. He grins and throws his arms around her, laughing.
She laughs with him and returns the hug. "It's good to see you again," she says sincerely, planting a kiss on his cheek before stepping back to give him room.
"Welcome aboard the Brazoria," Solange continues, gesturing about herself broadly. "The Nightwind is the ship off starboard and the Swift is off port. Our captain's name is Windward."
Gerard has his sea wheels in a moment. "Aye, I know him." Which is no less than Solange expected, even if Windward had been an officer in Caine's fleet or the merchant marine. "Random didn't ask ye to lay a full path in one fell swoop, did he? We can do that together, but if he was expecting ye to do that, well, Jerod couldn't make the Bellum path hold. It'll be better if we set markers on the path on this voyage and whoever ships back to Amber follows the same paths."
He seems genuinely excited about the prospects.
"Caine asked me to lead ships to Xanadu and I thought I might as well start the process of laying a path while I was at it," Solange explains. "I haven't talked to Random about it. Should we? Or should we just do it?"
Gerard nods. "We should just do it. We may have to send back to Xanadu by trump for some of my pills and potions, but there's no point in bothering him with this. The task needs doing and ye'll learn as we do it. And the next one of us to sail through can shore it up."
[OOC: Ah, exactly what Solange wants to hear. None of this theoretical math crap. Just do it. :-)]
Solange nods happily. She appears to be in complete agreement with this plan.
Captain Windward is on deck, and is waiting respectfully for the Admiral and his daughter to finish conversing to approach them. Kyril is coming on deck and making his way over to them as well.
Solange steps back and motions Windward over. Kyril, she knows--having been raised in a more egalitarian society and curious as he always is--will walk over without needing the specific invitation.
"Captain Windward, the Admiral will be accompanying us on our voyage to offer his indispensable advice and assistance in helping to lay the shadow path," she announces when the captain arrives. "Please have word sent to Nightwind and Swift, and have a cabin prepared for him."
Gerard starts to say something, and then he gets the distant look on his face that means he's being contacted by Trump. "Bide," he says to Solange and Kyril, and then, to the trump contact, "Vere. How stand the Isles?"
Solange's head turns sharply at the mention of her brother. She frowns, wanting to talk to him but knowing the time is anything but right. Instead she nods at Windward and draws Kyril away from Gerard so he can conduct the call with some privacy.
"He's coming with us," she says to Kyril in a low voice without preamble. "I think this will be good. He gets to be useful and involved, I learn more about shadowshifting, and you get to examine him. Everyone wins."
Kyril nods, but his attention is on Gerard, and the way he's responding to whoever is on the other end of the trump.
Gerard looks a bit blank, as if he's been asked a question he can't quite answer. "Which particular thing? About us, or about the Isles, or some other?"
Solange turns and looks at her father as well.
Gerard is listening to whoever is on the other end of the trump.
"Oh." Gerard has to think about that. "Vere knows what I want, and he speaks for the good of the Isles. Let him speak in my place in yer council."
"He must be talking to Robin," Solange says idly.
"I'd either get rich or get burned at the stake by the telecomms if I managed to bring that to Lauderville." Kyril looks amused. "Or more likely my lack of business acumen and interest would make me blow it.
"Still, it would've been nice to be able to roll out of bed and step into class."
Solange smiles, still watching her father. "They're not quite that convenient to create, so I understand."
"And if ye do that, ye'll be better suited to stand in my stead there than if ye do only as yer mother wishes," Gerard says, sounding satisfied.
Kyril continues on. "Let me guess, it requires magic crayons. Do you guys have a monopoly on those, too?"
Solange chuckles. "Yes, and they're all purple and wielded by a young lad named Harold."
Gerard smiles. "And mine to both of you. If you have any word for Solange, she's with me." He reaches out for Solange, to draw her into the contact if she wishes.
Solange squeezes Kyril's hand. "Be right back," she says, then steps forward to take her father's hand and bring herself into the contact.
"Vere?" Solange says.
"Indeed," Vere says. He and Robin are holding hands, and both of them are gazing into the card.
"As I said, we are currently across the table from envoys of the forces at war with Mother. The situation is more complicated than we had at first thought, though Robin and I plan on bringing it to a head as quickly as possible. The daughter of Ysabeau wields a certain influence in the Isles, and of course, once they learned of her existence, everyone was very interested in learning of her."
Vere squeezes Robin's hand and smiles at her.
"Yep." Robin agrees succintly in words, with a bright smile and a nod. But over the Trump leaks her strong feelings that that interest was horrible in the extreme and her deep worry for Solange.
"Vere's taking me own place in the negotiations," Gerard explains proudly. He glances sidewise at Solange, as if he's aware there's some secondary conversation going on over his head even if he can't necessarily follow it.
"I'm not planning a trip to the Isles anytime soon," Solange assures Robin, smiling gently at her. She turns to Vere. "I need to talk to you and it's going to be a lengthy conversation. Now is apparently not the best of times, if you're both engaged in negotiations, but soon. Somehow. Please."
"I can contact you again in a few hours, Father," Vere replies. "I assume you will still be there?"
Realizing that something is up between brother and sister, Robin nods back to Solange and Gerard but doesn't add anything else.
"Aye, I'm with Solange for the duration." Gerard gives his daughter's hand an affectionate squeeze. "If there's nowt else, I'll wish you good luck, and look forward to hearing from you when you're done."
Vere looks to Robin, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
Robin lifts one shoulder in an off-hand shrug. "I'm good," she says.
Solange smiles. "Goodbye. Take care. I'll talk to you in a few hours." She lets go of Gerard's hand and steps back.
"Fare well," Vere says. And he flips the card in his hand over, breaking the link.
Last modified: 7 July 2007