Corwin draws Brita and Ossian into the connection. They're in his study with him; Jerod is in camp in what Ossian and Brita have learned is a Rebma-style underwater environment.
Jerod nods to the new invitees, somewhat curious as to their activities together with Corwin but waiting for the intro.
"Jerod has questions, which you may or may not be interested in the answers to. Brita and Ossian have news, much of which will interest you. Since I've already heard from them and I expect their news to distract you, perhaps you should start, Jerod," Corwin suggests.
"Very well. I recently volunteered to go looking for my younger sister Loreena. She went off looking for an artifact called the Eye of Rebma. Something mythical and probably apocryphal but she didn't come back from. The Queen gave me the guard to go looking for her but some of the rules of engagement specifically indicated that if we were attacked by Tritons we were to withdraw.
"Now, for those of you who have not been to Rebma, Tritons are species bound to the service of Rebma after a war long ago. Moins apparently bound them to service and the royal family are supposed to be able to command them, meaning the Queen and her female offspring. I never had one.
"So, assuming we were facing Tritons, that meant either renegades operating outside the constraints of the binding, which Martin and I have speculated might have become weakened since the Sundering, or that someone who was royalty was commanding them. That's where Khela, daughter of Llewella comes in. Seems as though she got on the outs with Moire during an incident awhile ago, during Martin's early days, with the suppression by the crown of a group that proposed republican policies. She got exiled and some of her friends got pushed off the stairway I believe."
He pauses for a moment. "That's the pre-history, mostly. Anyway, fast forward to thirty minutes ago. I make an off-hand command about having to deal with a local Seaward leader being worse than dealing with the Dragon, and I actually get a response back. Turns out there's a legend about the Dragon down here, and the Tritons.
"The story goes that the Dragon, who had the name Dido, was the queen of a lost forest long ago who fought a great war with Rebma and came out on the losing end, both in the war and her triton-children. It goes forward to say she was so sad that her tears made the water salty.
"Now, there are just enough elements here to make me worried, so I decided to call the first Warden of Arden to see what he knows. We've already seen Dragon activity in Amber. Even though Rebma's pattern still appears to be operational, I'd hazard a guess there might be problems, especially since the Tritons are not being terribly cooperative."
Ossian follows Jerod's story with interest.
Corwin nods. His expression has been getting less pleased as Jerod continues his story, but he doesn't interrupt.
He focuses for a moment on Corwin. "Has there been any word from Merlin or Celina since they were last trumped?"
"That's unlikely." Ossian says with a sly smile. "A more interesting question would be: When were they last Trumped?
"To which I might have the answer: yesterday, in whatever time flow Fiona is in. Merlin seemed quite alright, although I'm curious as to what they are doing exactly."
Brita adds, "How Close are you to Mirror Rebma? We Believe Dara maybe Headed There, along with our Cousin Meg...and Uncle Huon."
Corwin lets Jerod field that one.
Jerod does not respond immediately, and his tone indicates his general level of displeasure when he continues.
"We are three weeks from Rebma at battle march." he says. "Just exactly who the hell else is coming here? What the hell is Dara looking for. Or Huon for that matter? And has anyone warned Rebma or are we going through the old routine of waiting til after the enemy marches in?"
A vague look of annoyance passes over Corwin's face, but it's gone almost before Jerod can see it. Brita and Ossian, who are more used to intuiting the nuances of emotion in trump connections, can imagine that the fellow who just got the news himself is less than pleased, but chooses not to make a point of it at this time.
He stops for a moment to collect his thoughts, then frowns. "And who is Meg?"
The King of Paris has an easy answer for that. "Apparently she's Dara's daughter."
Ossian "We found her in my 'home' shadow. I and Marius went there to try to find out who my parents are. We found her instead, and deduced that she was family, but not that Dara was her mother.
"In short, Huon attacked Abford, and we snatched Meg out, much against her will. Later we went back to help Meg save her friends there. When we tried to follow Huon's path we were attacked by this guy Cleph, and Dara. They managed to kidnap Meg."
"Which still begs the question why are they all congregating in Rebma?" Jerod asks. "I can see why Dara might be interested in coming after Meg is she's the mother, but what is Huon's involvement? Accident or design?"
"It is Possible that Cousins Merlin or Celina Asked him Outright, but We do Not Know. His Path is not Wandering, Though, but Seems to have Purpose." Brita notes.
"The consensus about Huon, before we knew where he was going, was that he's after Bleys. The best guess is that he's going after the sword at Cneve's tomb in the hopes it'll stand up to Werewindle," Corwin explains.
The name Cneve rings a bell for Jerod: he was an ancient hero of the Triton wars, a foreigner who took up Rebma's cause. He died in a Triton ambush protecting the army's rearguard from a Triton ambush in a far-distant valley. Cneve's participation in that ancient war may have been what drew Osric and Finndo into the war.
"Crieve?" Jerod asks. "He was a hero from the old days, died fighting the Tritons. This sword at his tomb...if it was to be used against Werewindle, does that mean it was made by Weyland?"
Then he pauses. "Is it a Pattern blade for Rebma?"
"Huon seems to have come to Abford to find gunpowder. We don't know if it works in Amber yet. He might also have been looking for me or Meg, but we have no proof for that. As for Rebma, I don't know." Ossian says.
Ossian's comments concerning gunpowder definitely attract Jerod's attention, but he remains silent and waits to see what Corwin and Brita have to say first.
"Our Uncle said 'Cneve'," Brita corrects, "If he is this Named Hero in Mirror Rebma, his Weapon must be Powerful. I have no Knowledge of Either Man or Weapon. The Weapons Uncle Huon carries I have Seen and Handled. Cousin Brennan went to Former Reality Amber to Test the Powder. Cousin Marius and his Sister Signy went with him."
"Gunpowder makes no sense for Rebma, but if he's going after Cneve's blade, and he thinks it'll help him stand up to Bleys, it would make sense for him to get it before he heads for Amber," Corwin muses.
"I've never seen Cneve's blade, and I don't know who forged it, but if there's a sword for Rebma to correspond with Werewindle and Grayswandir, that could be it. On the other hand, Huon was a grudge-holder and he might have a grudge against Rebma. There are too many things to predict easily." Corwin shakes his head. "You might try the cards after we're done and see what they have to say. Their advice is likely to be as good as anyone else's."
Jerod's dislike of the trumps is not immediately noticeable and he has never had a use for the readings that the trumps provide, though in this case he considers the possibilities, given the limited information available to him currently.
"Who was Cneve?" Jerod asks. "All I know is that he was considered by Rebma to be a foreigner. But the timing of it and the fact that Osric and Finndo showed up around then tends to make me think he's either family or otherwise related. Reid was around back then but he's not available to talk to right now."
"Never heard of Cneve." Ossian says "but I could do a card reading."
"He's a legendary figure," Corwin says. "But the legends don't say where he came from. If he's family, he might be one of Dad's by-blows. You could always ask Benedict, if you can get hold of him. He's the only other person old enough to know."
Jerod nods, committing this to future activity while considering another line of thought. "If Huon has come looking for Cneve's blade so he can take on Bleys, one wonders if he's doing it because he wants to get back at Bleys, or Oberon. I would believe that Huon was exiled on Grandfather's orders, and Bleys did the work.
"Does Huon know the situation in Amber? Does he know that Oberon is dead? And if not, would that knowledge change anything?"
"I don't think he know about the situation in Amber, no." Ossian says.
Brita, who has nothing to add at the moment, is silent.
"If he knows about Bleys' war with your father, Jerod, he wouldn't be trying this particular stunt--unless he means to bring part of his army up the stair. In which case Huon will find himself facing a blade other than Werewindle and going up against a different Royal Guard than he expects," Corwin says. His hand falls to touch Grayswandir's pommel.
"Well, losing this once-previously lost uncle once again would not be entirely undesirable outcome." Jerod says. "Unfortunately a lot of people can get in the way of that outcome and that's also not desirable. The body count can get high real fast."
He focuses on Corwin for his next comment. "I'd like your opinion on a scenario. Unless he finds the blade, Huon is going to need to figure out what to do next. With all the activity down here looking for stuff, I've got a bad feeling, that he won't find it. If he doesn't, he'll need a new plan. He's already marched into a kingdom's territory with an army, and unless he's recruited troops who are used to fighting underwater, and he's got a lot of them, we're going to give him a lot of trouble if we run into him.
"I'm wondering if it might be possible to approach him on that theme, if he's backed into that corner and see if he's willing to come in from the cold. I'd give Random a call and find out if he's interested in taking in this lost sheep. Officially Bleys pledged to Random so he's the final authority in any dispute between them, so to speak."
"Uncle Huon seemed Not Adverse to All Relatives given what Appeared to be his Friendly Discussions with Cousin Merlin and Cousin Celina. Perhaps if he Believed he would get Fair Judgement, he would 'Come In'. But does he Know Uncle Random or was he Already Elsewhere when the Now King of Reality Xanadu was Born?" Brita asks Corwin.
Brita's comment concerning discussions between Huon and Corwin's children attracts his attention and he looks at Corwin, though again, he says nothing, waiting to see what the others have to say.
"If he wants revenge, would a pardon from Random stop him from trying? And how would the Crown Prince handle a murderer that used the basement art to kill someone?" Ossian asks. The first question is directed towards Corwin, the second towards Jerod.
Corwin shrugs. "Random won't pardon him unless he thinks Huon has changed his ways, so that's something of a moot point." He doesn't offer an opinion on the second question.
"Which is exactly where we were previously." Jerod says, sifting thoughts.
"When did Huon have friendly discussions with Merlin and Celina?" he asks. "My previous trump contact with them was after they were below the waves. I got the impression there was someone with them but I couldn't tell who."
"They met Huon before they went to Rebma, I believe. But they were in a fast-time Shadow, so it's hard to give any precise time." Ossian says.
"Huon's been getting around. He may also have been to Gerard's home shadow in addition to wherever he was before," Corwin says. He's clearly dredging through his memories. "Vere said something about sending word to your grandmother then, but I don't know the time dilation there either."
"Vere had no trumps of Llewella to my knowledge which means either he would have to return himself or arrange for a messenger." Jerod says. "No way to verify either. I'm a few days march from a Seaward Shell, one from which we can try to contact the Queen directly. We'll see if the my resident sorcerer earns his pay for the week. I'm also horrid with the cards so I'd suggest Ossian try a reading. There are three of you there...might get a bit better results."
Ossian nods. "We can try with the cards. Together we can be wise enough to use the cards, rahter than be used by them, I guess."
"One question Uncle. If the opportunity presents itself to make the offer for Huon to come in from the cold, would you recommend it? I'm looking for Paris' official position, which can go quite a distance with getting people to go a certain way."
Ossian waits for Corwin's answer.
Brita notes, "After we Discern our Answers from the Trumps, Cousin Ossian and I will Likely Travel to Mirror Rebma. It might be Wise to determine a Message for the Queen as well." Her shifting glance indicates interest in what both Corwin and Jerod might say to the latter.
"An unofficial embassy to Moire might be in order," Corwin agrees. "More than that might be interfering."
He turns his attention back to Jerod. "I'd say that depends on Huon. If he's reasonable, there might be a chance we could save him. I know I'd rather not be a fratricide if I could avoid it, even without the threat of Huon's curse. But if he'd rather kill Bleys than live, that's different."
Jerod nods. "Agreed. Assuming he's that unreasonable, well, the waves have their own way of dealing with those who refuse to adapt." he says. "I'll definitely speak to Random to get his side, since Bleys is in his camp. It might quickly become a moot point.
"I would also agree concerning the embassy. It would definitely need to be unofficial. Picking sides will make things very dicey, and I would recommend if either Brita or Ossian show up that they have a getaway plan, just in case." he continues, directing these comments to the others before returning to Corwin.
"There is one last thing. The last conversation we had with Merlin ended with him warning me off Khela, and with the definite impression that both Celina and him were looking for her. The mission I'm on to find my sister includes a caveat about not engaging Tritons, and the only person who can do that outside of existing royalty is Khela. That leads me to believe that Moire knows or suspects that Khela is involved.
"If that is the case, and I should encounter her, we both recognize that should Celina or Merlin be in her company when that encounter occurs, it will place me in a rather uneviable position. Whether Khela's grievances with Moire are real or imagined I do not know and I myself have no love of Moire. But I will not stand by and let a conflict reign where others are made to suffer because Khela decides she is going to settle old scores. That includes any who would support her in the process of usurping the throne."
Jerod is normally very closed and even when arguing shows little of his personal feelings, but in this case the passion of his convictions mingles with an obvious concern about how things are progressing. There is not even a trace of worry in his voice, even though he has just implicitly threatened Corwin's children which in itself is a veritable death sentence. Instead, there is something else, a fear that he may have to do something he wishes to avoid at nearly any cost, that of harming family.
"I don't want it to go down this way Uncle. If there is a way for this not to happen, and I cannot see it, then I would ask your help in this."
Ossian nods, looking impressed, but stays quiet.
Brita's eyebrow raises slightly, but she does not have anything to add.
Corwin shakes his head. "You know as well as I do that I can advise Merlin and Celina, but I can't make them do anything they don't want to do. Once one of us has taken the Pattern, all that keeps him in line is family consensus. I don't want to see Merlin and Celina at odds with Moire any more than I want to see Huon fighting it out with Bleys. That doesn't mean I can stop either one of them short of bringing Grayswandir to bear. And even that is a temporary measure."
He doesn't have to remind Eric's son that even putting someone's eyes out may only be a temporary measure, too.
"I'll do what I can, but there are limits. Don't let Moire push you beyond yours, either, Jerod."
Jerod nods, for the moment getting everything he had hoped for. The smile has bears the hardness that would come from being Eric's son. "Not to worry. She has her agenda...and it's not mine."
"I will contact Random and get his opinion on Huon. I will also see if I can get ahold of Benedict, find out what he knows concerning Cneve."
He focuses more now on Brita and Ossian. "If you come to Rebma, try to avoid dropping my name. There is some advantage to being connected, but not if you are trying to remain concealed. Ossian, remember how my sister behaved. That is the way they all behave here. The women who reign play by their own rules and use yours against you. Keep that in mind and it will help you."
Ossian laughs loudly. "I promise to be careful, Jerod. Especially around your sisters."
"And the Queen." Jerod says.
Ossian winks with one eye and smiles a little.
"Mayhap, we will Encounter Neither Queen nor Sisters, but I Doubt my Luck is that Good." Brita shakes her head slightly, "May Calm Waters Surround you, Cousin Jerod, Unless you have Need of Swift Currents." And she breaks the contact with Corwin.
Once the contact is closed, Corwin turns his attention back to Brita and Ossian.
"What do you two make of all that?" he asks. It might be a request for an honest opinion, or an assessment of them based on what they think, or, more likely, a little of both.
"It Seems that Many of Us are going for a Swim." Brita glances at Ossian. "We will Require a Plan and an Escape Route. Is it Trickier Underwater to Utilize Trumps?" She thinks for a moment, then turns back to Corwin, "Mirror Rebma is Linked to Reality Paris, Correct? Can it be Linked to Two Realities at Once? Is it Drawn to You, Uncle, or the Reality? Will that Link Lead Uncle Huon here?"
"I have never used Trumps under water. It would defintely destroy any sketches." Ossian looks at Corwin.
"You can use sealed Trumps underwater, but you have to be very careful with them," Corwin explains to Brita. "And you can retreat up the stairs to Paris, the way you used to be able to retreat to Amber. I don't know about Huon, but I'll be ready to meet him if he comes up the stairs. Even if he has powder that works in Amber, it won't work here." He grins. "And if he comes with a crossbow, the strings will still be wet."
Ossian chuckles "That's good to know. I wonder which way Huon will choose to Rebma, if that's indeed where he's going. What are his alternatives if he's not using the stairs on the way down?"
Corwin frowns. "In Huon's shoes? I'd try from Gateway, if I didn't know about the changes from the war. Or from one of the shadows in Rebma's old sphere of influence. Or I would have before. Now, I wouldn't try what he's doing at all."
Ossian nods. "Ok. Gateway... We'll have to be careful.
"Do you have a Trump of Random I could borrow for a minute or two? I have a few messages for him."
"Cousin Ossian, do You have any Sealed Trumps? I Only have the One of my Mother." Brita asks.
"I've got one around here somewhere." Corwin gets up to retrieve the deck from one of the drawers of his secretary while Ossian answers Brita's question.
Ossian sighs. "I have a few place Trumps. Haven't actually tested all of them since the Trumps started to work again. Maybe now is the right time to at least have a look... Person Trumps would be better, but the only one I have is dead."
Brita nods, "Make your Report to King Random. We will have to Make Do with the Trump of my Mother as an Escape; Unless, Uncle Corwin, you have a Trump you could Spare? Preferrably, someone Alive." Brita turns to Corwin with the last question.
Corwin shakes his head. "Unfortunately, we all need to stay in close touch until Huon's settled, and that includes me keeping my trumps. I don't have any duplicates, either. You could ask Random for the loan of a deck," he suggests to Ossian.
"I will do that." Ossian says with a grin. "I hope to come here under less rushed conditions, so that I could explore Paris. I suspect I might like this place of yours, Uncle."
"I hope you do. I look forward to showing it off sometime to a kinsman who isn't on an urgent errand." Corwin smiles.
Brita acknowledges Corwin's suggestion with an accepting nod as Ossian responds. "You should Contact Xanadu King Random now," she suggests to Ossian as he finishes. "We need to Continue our Travels."
Corwin shuffles out his trump of Random and passes it to Ossian. He turns to Brita. "Will you be speaking with Random too? And if not, is there something else I can do for you?
"I will Stand By for Cousin Ossian, in case there are Questions." Brita responds. "I would Like to Know Where the Path to Mirror Rebma will Lead us and What Obstacles we Might Encounter on the Way. Is there a Rite for Passage? Where shall we Go in Mirror Rebma?"
Ossian bows to Corwin, as a "thank you gesture", and looks at Brita, while slightly shaking his head.
Brita acknowledges the gesture and turns back to Corwin.
Corwin waits to see whether Ossian will move to the other end of the room to speak to Random before answering Brita.
Ossian indeed moves to the other end of the room, and tries to contact Random.
"There's a cavern that leads to Rebma. The Rebmans know it's there; people come and go regularly now. You won't get lost. Once you get to Rebma, someone will meet you and you'll be able to ask where to go. If you want to speak to Moire, you can announce yourselves and be taken to Castle Rebma. If you're looking for Dara, you might want to explore the city first, though."
"So we will not be Required to Announce ourselves? We will Explore First and then Decide Who to See from there." Brita glances back at Ossian to assure he is in contact with the King.
"Unless they're extraordinarily preoccupied, they'll see you on the stair proper. You'll have to say something. No reason it has to be all of the truth," Corwin replies.
Brita nods, "As Uncle Loki would Say, 'A Wolf can Blend with the Sheep with the Right Pelt and the Right Bleat.' I wonder if Mirror Rebma has had Travellers Drawn to it as with Realities Xanadu and Paris."
"Who calls?", asks Random. His face glows red.
"Ossian" Ossian says, "Nice lighting." he then lowers his voice and takes a more business-like tone.
Random smiles.
"I have two pieces of information for you. First is: Khela is marching on Rebma. Merlin told me that Martin might be distracted by this. Not in a good way."
"Sweet. I hear Huon is marching on Rebma as well. Are they together or are they separate? And Moire invited Folly for Royal Tea. I think we'll take a rain check on that and see who is Queen next month."
He sighs. "The official position of Xanadu is that we don't want that mess spilling above the waves. Oh, and Martin's free, of age, and has walked the Pattern, so it's up to him what he does. Between you and me, do you think either of them have a chance?"
"Maybe Khela. Seems Merlin and Celina might have sided with her." Ossian says, grinning. "Problem is, of course, I and Brita are going to Rebma, to see if Dara too ventures that way.
"I have been advised that it would be most wise of me to ask you for a Trump of someone that could drag us out of there if we end up in a bad position."
"Those things don't go on trees, you know. Which Aunt or Uncle do you wish to owe your life to?"
Ossian squints "I have a choice?" He ponders for a second, then says "Caine."
Random shrugs. "Your funeral." He reaches into a box by his desk and withdraws a familiar pasteboard rectangle. He holds it out to Ossian.
"I hope for a royal decree that will forbid any playing of bagpipes on, other than that I think Vere and Lucas could make it a grand one." Ossian says with a grin, as he takes the card.
"Another thing: I have devised a way of Trumping a whole lot of people from Amber, if you would like me to."
"Gotcha. No bagpipes. I'll put you down for an all-girl Bombarde orchestra from Texorami, then."
Ossian groans.
"Hey, you're the one who said 'No bagpipes'. Why, you planning on being there for it?"
Random pauses. "Your mass-trump thing, does it involve a volcano?"
"No tectonics at all, actually. I need to modify a warehouse in Xanadu. Like build the interior myself. If I do that I think I can paint a Trump sketch big enough for small carts."
Random raises a finger into the air, opens his mouth, and closes it. "Sure, why not? Can't hurt to give it a try. One way, though."
"I could of course do the same in the other direction, but my gut feeling is that that sketch would be more frail. And we still need one of us to keep it open."
Random nods. "That's key. Can't let anyone think they don't need a goose to lay the golden eggs. OK, you're on commission. Give it a shot. One way, test it with some of Venesch's men. Oh, and make it from Amber Castle to Xanadu city. I'd prefer people have enough investment in what they cart that they're willing to pull it up the mountain.
"Anything else?"
Ossian shakes his head with an amused look. "Nope."
Brita and Corwin are waiting on the far side of the room for Ossian to finish his trump call to Random. Once it's clear Ossian has closed the contact, Corwin gestures him over.
"How'd it go?"
With a flick Ossian shows the Trump of Caine. Ossian grins. "Got the Trump, prepared my funeral.
"Do we need anything else before going to Rebma?"
"I am Ready," Brita states.
"Very well. Let me have Lance show you the way to Rebma." Corwin moves to the door and sends for Lance. When he appears a few minutes later, Lance, from the look of him, is a formidable fighter in the style of Amber or Asgard, rather than a gunner.
Lance bows to Corwin, and again to Brita. "Lady," he says, somewhat reverently.
"Brita, Ossian, this is Lancelot, the captain of my guard. Lance, this is my niece Brita and my nephew Ossian. They're travelling to Rebma. Take them down to the cavern and speed them on their way. If they need anything, be sure they have it." Corwin turns to Brita and Ossian. "Good luck. You'll need it."
Ossian gives back the Random Trump to Corwin, and stretches out a hand to Lancelot. "I suppose we will need some clothing that's appropriate for underwater use."
Brita's eyes light up as she is introduced to this handsome fighter. "Captain Lancelot," she says as she offers an arm in greeting. Her grip on his forearm is firm but perhaps lingers a bit longer than normal.
The introductions having been made, Corwin turns back to his own kingly business.
Lance gives both Ossian and Brita firm clasps. He doesn't seem terribly surprised that Brita is the warrior and Ossian is the whatever-he-is. "Lady Brita, Lord Ossian, it's my pleasure to assist you. I'll arrange for clothes after the Rebman style for you--" he looks at Ossian "--and for you as well, if you wish it."
Ossian smiles. "Good. I wouldn't like to look awkward.
"I guess you have advice as to weaponry and such things also? We might have to defend ourselves against an army."
Brita nods in agreement at this sound line of questioning. She awaits Lance's response.
"Are you a sorcerer?" Lance asks, assessing Ossian. "Because that's your best bet against an army. For single combat, a thrusting weapon, because the water will slow or even foul your swing."
"I'm a painter, which is not going to do me any good down there. " Ossian grins. "I'll stick to a rapier."
Lance sees to having Brita and Ossian provisioned with the help of a woman named Alice, who seems to do a lot of the steward's job. Alice takes Brita aside to mention that there are several types of Rebman clothes and ask whether she wants the ones with or without a top.
She provides whichever Brita asks.
Lance arranges their armaments himself and discusses the finer points of fighting underwater.
Once they're ready, he leads them down to the place at the edge of the Seine marked by the cairn and the guard towers, and into the cavern. They walk through some low-hanging vegetation into a cave that seems to be part of the sewer system of Paris. It's a bit dank and there's water on the floor, but at least it doesn't stink. Lance guides them to a stairway and starts down it, into the water.
"Irony." Ossian says with twisted smile "First Trumping ourselves out of the water, then walking back."
Then he steps down into the water.
Lance slows to wait for Brita, to ensure that she doesn't have any problems.
Brita walks into the water like it is not even there. After an interesting interlude with Alice in which Brita had mistaken 'without a top' to mean without a hat or head covering, she is now dressed in a slim, iridescent blue, thigh length tunic with a gauzy white pair of pants with slits down the sides.
The trousers and tunic would float in the water were it not for the weights on the edges--not enough to weigh Brita down, but enough to keep the fabric from rising in the water.
Lance follows the two of them down the stairs once he's sure they're going to be all right going underwater. They continue along the caverns, which occasionally have magical torches--in pairs--set in brackets on the walls. They continue on for several hours before coming to a large open chamber. Some of the rocks in the room appear to be almost thronelike.
"We should stop here for the night," Lance tells Brita and Ossian. "I'll turn back in the morning, so they won't know you come with Corwin's blessing."
Brita nods in acknowledgment. As they settle in, she takes the weapon Lance provided [what did he provide?]
Lance provided a spear with a long blade, not quite long enough to be a polearm.
...and begins practicing with it. Thrusting and riposting to learn the glide of the blade through the water. After about thirty minutes of familiarization, she closes her eyes and begins humming a soft tune as she begins to modify the motions into twists, parries, and ultimately slashes. The motions seem stunted at first, weighed down by the water. As the tune changes and lifts in volume, the water begins to mist oddly before the motion of the weapon as if small bubble are rushing away from the blade and the play of the weapon becomes more like that in air.
[Is this okay? Brita is attempting to use her ability to manipulate water to aerate the water around the blade and along her chosen path of the blade to make it easier to glide through in slashes.]
Ossian observes Brita with interest, and comments "Nice. But painting light over dark takes a lot of paint. Instead of trying to annihilate the water so you can swing as in air, why don't you use the water to manipulate your opponent?"
He stands up with a grin. "I volunteer."
Brita smirks back at him. "I don't Annihilate it; I Modify it. I am Better at Changing the Content of the water." She swings the weapon in a slash before her as she draws her long knife from behind her. "Underwater, an Enemy might Not Expect a Slashing Attack." She pivots and thrusts the knife towards Ossian where he stands a few feet away. A second or two later he feels a cold, hard slice of frozen water drift into his cheek. "I am Limited by Distance for Power as with Anything Thrown Underwater. I can Convince the Water to its Winter State, but it will React as any Ice Underwater. It is Quicker to Adapt the Water to Aid my Close Attack."
Ossian smiles and says "Ah."
Lance watches the entire event with some interest. "I didn't know you were a sorceress, Lady. You're more talented than I expected." He moves over to Ossian to find the ice she thrust at him. "That'll be handy in a fight, if you can pull it off."
Brita plants the spear beside her in surprise. "I guess I had Never Considered abilities from the Asgard Parthenon to be Sorcery. I will have to Discuss this with... My Mother. I will Need to Continue Working on the Techniques." She cocks her head at Ossian. "I Wonder how Well True Sorcery works in Mirror Rebma."
Ossian grins "Well. They do challenges by sorcery, I hear."
Brita can't help but grin back, "Then I shall Work on the Challenge of Adding Sorcery in with my Asgard-given Skill." And she continues to practice.
"Shall we set watches for the night?" Lance asks. "I'll serve any of them, but I'd rather not serve all of them."
"I'll take the first." Ossian offers.
"Will you take the third, Lady Brita? I can take the second," Lance offers.
"Nay, I shall Take the Middle Watch," Brita states as she finishes her practice. She moves to a smooth patch of ground in front of the throne. "We can sleep here," she suggests as she goes through some motions that cause a pocket of warmth to form in the water in that area. She smiles slightly.
Ossian takes the first and Lance and Brita sleep comfortably in the warm water.
When Ossian moves to wake Brita for the second watch, he sees that the throne is occupied by a shadowy figure.
Ossian counts on Brita to be a light sleeper, and touches her lightly at the shoulder, whispering "Brita, wake up." before rising and walking carefully towards the throne. He wants to get closer and possibly identify the shadowy figure, before saying anything.
Brita is not a light sleeper - she had to be able to sleep through the cavorting of the Asgard Gods in Valhalla - but she is also warrior enough to wake at Ossian's whispered words. She initially is only prepared to take her place at watch but becomes more alert at Ossian's movements towards the throne and the figure there. She rises using the spear to assist her movement, her dagger held in one hand out of sight of the throne. She moves slowly and casually follows Ossian.
Lance is still apparently sound asleep.
The water partially interferes with Brita's ability to smell things, of course, but she smells nothing from the form on the throne. The figure does not move as they approach. Ossian and Brita can see that it is feminine, and has a halo of red hair that appears to float in the water. Whoever she is, she does not respond to their approach.
Brita shakes her head at Ossian, her single red braid floating forward over her shoulder, and then shrugs. She moves in front of the throne, executes a formal bow, and waits for acknowledgment.
Ossian bows, whispering "For symmetry."
The figure floats off the rocky throne and reaches out toward Brita. If Brita does not move, the floating woman will touch her forehead shortly.
Brita holds the formal bow and is very still as the woman approaches.
Ossian grabs Brita's arm. He's not going to let her be dragged away anywhere.
The woman doesn't grab Brita. Instead she seems to reach into Brita's head, her hand passing through Brita's flesh with a terrible, stabbing chill. A moment later, she vanishes, and Brita and Ossian are left alone with Lance.
Brita's weight almost pulls Ossian over as she sags down onto her knees with a groan. Her hands come up and rip loose her braid. As her fingers dig through her loosened hair, she says in a low growl to Ossian, "I did NOT Pass That test." She sighs. "I Wonder what she Wants."
"What happened?" Ossian asks.
"I don't really Know," Brita says, still massaging her temples as she starts to stand. She seems a little wobbly, but manages to gain her feet. "There was a Lot of Pain."
[Does Brita get anything else out of the experience?]
[She feels like the woman was trying to make contact and didn't succeed in the way she expected.]
"I don't Believe I could Manage Sorcery at This point," Brita says, "But it Would be Good to Examine the Area."
[How long does Brita think it would take to regain an ability to use her third eye?]
[After she's had a good night's sleep and gets rid of the headache, she expects she'll be fine.]
Lance stirs in his bedroll.
Brita glances at him. Her voice drops back to a whisper as she says to Ossian, "I Will Take the watch Now. You Rest. We will see What we See in the morning."
Ossian shakes his head "You should rest. We might need your sorcery. I'll do double duty."
Brita thinks about it for a long moment, then finally nods agreement. "Thank You, Cousin Ossian" she says as she moves back towards Lance. "If She Returns, Wake me."
"I promise." Ossian says, and goes back to his guard position. He wakes Lance when it's time for Lance's watch if nothing else happens.
Nothing else happens during Ossian's watch, and if the woman appears during Lance's watch, he doesn't mention it in the morning as he prepares breakfast and makes ready for the day.
Ossian is tired, but does not let it show. He looks at Brita.
Brita acknowledges the look with a slight nod. She accepts her portion of the meal from Lance and asks, "Captain Lance, do You Know any History of this Grotto? The Formations are Intriguing. How was this Path to Mirror Rebma Discovered?"
Lance smiles at her. "It was already established when I arrived in Paris. It's almost as if there was an old connection between the two cities. For all that the city is supposed to be new, it sometimes feels ancient. But King Corwin is a sorcerer, so I guess I can't expect everything to make sense to a simple warrior like me."
He hands Ossian a share of breakfast.
Ossian thanks Lance for the breakfast. "From what I have heard, the perceived age of Paris is part of its beauty. So from an aesthetic point of view, it makes perfect sense.
With a lower voice he adds "And that is what really matters, always.
"I and Brita had an encounter tonight, with a strange red-haired ghost. Would you know anything of that?"
Brita has moved to train her third eye on the area of the throne like structure, but she is listening for Lance's response. She scans the area around it as well.
Lance shakes his head. "I wouldn't know anything of last night's vision. But," he adds, "you're not the first traveller on this road to see la dame du lac. I've heard others mention her, both Rebmans and Parisians. Did she speak to you?" He eyes Ossian with some interest.
Brita notices nothing different about the throne or the surrounding area.
"No. But she attacked Brita in a fashion. Has she talked before?" Ossian looks curious. "Do you know who she is?"
"If the stories are true, she's the Lady of the Lake. In the legends, she gives the King a sword of sovereignty." Lance frowns. "I don't know why she would attack Brita, though. Are you all right, Brita?"
"I am Hale," Brita responds, ignoring the slight twinges that persist from her headache. "A Sword of Sovereignty?" She glances at Ossian, "And yet the Lady seemed to be Searching for Someone. Who Else has Seen her?" She turns back to Lance.
Ossian grins, and looks at Lance.
"Travellers who have come this way, according to rumor. I haven't spoken to anyone else who's seen her. I didn't expect to see her myself, either," Lancelot says wistfully.
Brita says, "If you Do See her, in the Future, Do Not let her Touch You." She begins to clean up her dishes and pack up camp.
Once breakfast is consumed, they make ready to go onward. This is the point where Lance is to return to Paris, and so they will part here. "Best of luck to both of you. Corwin has an ambassador in Rebma; call on him if you need him," he suggests.
Brita thanks him for his service and bids him farewell with a firm handshake.
After goodbyes have been exchanged, Lance gives them final instructions and turns back the way they came. Their road lies ahead.
Last modified: 21 January 2008