I tried to sleep, but I just couldn't -- I think it was the acid from the arrows. I sat with Theseus and he explained the way of the world to me, or at least this one. Three factions all with a certain amount of power the third faction split down the middle between loyalties to the other two factions. If one faction had someone walk then the other 2 had too as well. I asked if he had a trump of Quinn. I felt as though I should let someone know where I was, and Quinn was a fairly direct link to mother. I knew he would be interested to learn where Osric was and that I was in the Tir.
He came through the trump and we all discussed the situation. Quinn thought of something but he needed to talk to his mother first. They have a weird relationship.
Quinn had a gun and no good could come from that so I was quite relieved when he gave it to me. When we fired off a round an it actually worked here too, I was really glad he had given me the gun. Watching Quinn with a weapon is pretty much like watching a 5 year old with a lighter playing by a stack of hay, in the dry season.
I told Quinn about his dad sporting in arrow in the leg from Brigid's troops. Quinn wanted to go see his mommy and invited me along. I didn't seem to be too busy at the moment I agreed to go. Somehow the temptation of seeing a woman who had willingly bumped uglies with Julian was more then I resist. He trumped her we stepped through and were there. She was the woman I had seen doing whatever with Julian a few days ago. Quinn and her actually talked. It seemed like the genuinely liked each other. I wonder if she was available to give mom some lessons.
She was quite a doll -- in fact I was sure that she could have put barbie out of business. I must be missing something about Julian. Quinn asked his mother about a suit of armor and I couldn't decide when the best time to glare at him for that would be. Armor is for people who might hurt themselves in a fight. Artanis was very polite about it and the suit was passable. I might even like it, but the point is he asked his mother for it without so much as asking me if I wanted it. I would wear it and then ditch it in my room in castle Amber when I get the chance. Artanis would have it altered down to fit me and then send it over to Theseus's castle for me.
I tried to go to sleep and found the drugs in my body wouldn't let me. I was going to be up for awhile so I decided maybe I should vent some frustration with whoever was around. Theseus and I sparred for a bit, it was a bit easier then I remember. I guess Fiona had softened him in more ways then one. Don't get me wrong he wasn't a pushover. It was nice to have people gawk at me in awe, it never happens in Amber.
We played for awhile and not too long after the new Quinn-begged-for armor arrived for me, along with a few more trinkets from the lovely Artanis. She didn't look like much of a fighter but she sure knew the way to a girl's heart. I went and put it on -- it fit well and was much lighter then anticipated, bonus. I knew I should go practice some more now. If Benedict found out I went into battle with untested gear there would be hell to pay. Writing 10000 times on a chalkboard, "I am a peon not worthy of battle" would be a cake-walk compared to what he'd do to me. He isn't really a word's sort of man. Pity words are easier to get over.
It is time to go strapped when even Quinn can draw and fire a gun before I can use the trusty pocket rocket. I think I'll be forever scarred by the incident. Quinn is quite the gun bunny lately, maybe he is starting to come around to the real way of the world. I won't be holding my breath about it.
Theseus got a message from the master of ceremonies. It seems uncle sneaky has decided to jump ahead of us about walking the pattern. He was very full of tricks. We sat around and talked about proclaiming ourselves Osric's candidate but Theseus seemed to think the ruler of the faction has some control over the underlings who have walked the pattern. I tried to get him to test it on Garvin but he wouldn't. I wonder if that means Brigid will be able to order Quinn around. I wonder if he has thought about that. I figure if I can think of it that he already has so I didn't mention it.
It is weird being up here so close to multiple people who want to rip my face off and hand it to me, but with the rules we all stay in line. I really hate all the rules, but for now they seem to be keeping me alive and Quinn as well so I can't really complain that much, "go team go." A party tonight for the walking, I am so there. The servants came by and tried to convince me it was an occasion that required a dress, as if. I talked them out of it by getting to the point where I just got that mom is yelling at me zone look on my face and they shrugged and left, yea for me.
It was a beautiful party, and of course the first order of business was to greet family. Did I have it in me to go strike up a conversation with uncle Osric, you bet. The verbal pingpong match began. I don't really remember but I think I started the game. I scored he countered. I tried again and succeeded and he sidestepped and hit one back. This wasn't overly productive, but if he was here playing verbal pingpong with me he wasn't out discovering Quinn. Sure I was here flirting with death but I was doing it for Quinn, and people say I am not sensitive to their needs, bah. Anax excused himself, guess he couldn't follow the game.
The bell tolled in the distance and the fun was about to begin. I had told a small fib or a few to Osric during the game and made him believe Quinn was off in shadow the look on his face when he finally realized what was going on was satisfying to say the last. Finally we had one gained a small victory and the price of admission another pattern walk. I watched Anax do his thing and then stepped down on the pattern and the journey began.
I was in the middle of the pattern and then came the inevitable question where is a girl to go? The commoners sat there staring at me, as if I was supposed to have planned this out and have made up my mind. I thought about telling it to take me somewhere I should be, but I have been told the patterns have a poor taste in places. All their little beady eyes were focused on me so I went to Castle Amber.
I hadn't been around the castle in awhile so I decided I could rest later. I went to find Julian as he had been in the middle of helping me with power words when we were so rudely interrupted by some party poopers in Arden. At least the smug jerk didn't start off with remember this won't work on family just a friendly reminder from your uncle. How did he know anyway, had Julian been a rebel and actually tried it? Maybe he tried it on Benedict and found disapproval from him. Who knows I hardly see Julian as much of a hell raiser anymore. My aunts and uncles have no sense of humor.
Vaughn had walked with me down to the courtyard where Julian was, which as it turns out worked well for me as he could help with trump disrupt which I thought would be very helpful in the future. Julian of course went into the whole history of a word. I guess I am much more of a doer then a thinker. I just wanted to know how, not the history of the word from the beginning of time. I tried not to space out, because as I said mom's brothers and sisters have no sense of humor. He told me the word that I should use however I decided on my own. The image to me of my word was much more powerful then the sissy word Julian wanted me to use.
Julian decided to be in trump contact with Vaughn while I tried to disrupt it. I knew the word I decided on was powerful to me but I was really amazed to see it worked. Ok it worked really well, Vaughn was rubbing his head. He is a fellow anti-book worm. Julian looked impressed. I burned the image into my mind because I had never seen it before. Annoyed I had seen from all the aunts and uncles but actually impressing them was something to mark on the calendar, and from Julian it was unprecedented.
We next decided on magic negation. When this also worked beyond his expectations Julian called in the big guns as he told me to stay put. Fiona came down looking as if she had heard something she just couldn't believe. She is always just business with me. I never can understand why just because I don't like the things she gets off on, I am not worth spending any time on. I don't like sorcery so sue me does that make me less of a person? If you are the queen of it I guess so. No hi Breann how's it going? No so how are you today, just these words, "show me." She made this ball of light, what does everyone know that trick? Humor her because she isn't someone to tick off just because. I nearly put it out and felt really good until she turned her gaze on me. It wasn't a praising gaze, it was more of a what the hell type look. Here I am thinking I am really cool and she is looking at me like I am some sort of freak. Isn't that what she had wanted to happen? Hello? Fiona a knack for the obvious, "have you been practicing?" I wanted to get smart, but again they have no sense of humor. I guess the look on my face answered that, and she wanted to know what I had been doing. I told her and then asked her not to tell mom. I liked to live under the delusion that mother didn't know where I was and thus couldn't contact me. I told her about walking the air pattern, and asked her not to tell mom.
She agreed for awhile that she wouldn't tell mom. She mutter on about how magic didn't like us and training…I trailed off for awhile the next words I heard where more then a bit disturbing, "You may want to pick up some sorcery." Yeah Aunt Fiona let me lock myself in the library for a few years because I have nothing better to do. Everyone knows I can't defend my feeble body without sorcery. I must divert her attention away from setting up lessons for me. I mentioned quite casually that Quinn was probably really good at sorcery now if he had gotten the same affect from the pattern. Her mental wheels turn, ah yes I was officially off the hook. I was starting to get a trump call. It was Theseus. Should I let him know I saw Fiona, do I really need that, oh no I think not.
I excused myself and Vaughn helped me with the connection and it seems I was going to be late for a party if I didn't head out soon. The only thing I needed to make up my mind was to hear the grinding fingernails on a chalkboard that was my mother's voice and I was in the Tir.
I began to notice that the pattern walk has made me quite irritable. Nothing like a talk with family to amplify that PMS feeling that a pattern walk brings. The first target of the day Osric, oh yes he didn't respond well to my asking about child sacrifices as part of the celebration. He excused himself. I was walking back towards Theseus, and ran into someone worse then family. Brigid, don't think I am not still trying to get under her skin. I took a shot at it, must have worked a little as she threatened me. Such a lovely girl she is, wonder what she'd look like dead. I must say it would be an improvement.
I did finally make it back to Theseus and Quinn was being a ray of sunlight as well. I tell you pattern walks can bring out PMS in even men. The evening went down hill and someone over the edge from there. Tomorrow has to be a better day. It really does.
I had been getting lazy and had not gone out to practice or ride for a long time. I decided to fix both of these situations. It was nice to have my horse back virtually unharmed. Sure he was understandably pissed off at me for leaving him there, but he knew I would come for him. He decided to forgive me and all was well between us again. The new dagger Quinn's wonder mom had given me got two thumbs way up. I could get used to it.
I figured the Tir was going to be home for awhile and, well... Theseus has a little too flowery a taste in guest rooms -- he's more in touch with his feminine side than I am. I was going to personify mine and pretend I belonged here. After all this was great no mom near or coming anytime soon. Heaven in short. I was headed downtown to the shops to personalize at least this one room.
While I was in town I remembered a meeting that had been called and I told Theseus I would be there so I felt inclined to show up now having remembered it. All the normal figures where there and the important thing was I was to be questioned in two days about what happened with elf boy taking a flying leap and forgetting to fly. He fell down and went boom. Anyway this meeting was taking up valuable shopping time and I was ready to get out of here.
It wasn't too much longer before I was able to get on to the task at hand and headed back to the castle with bags of things that Theseus would absolutely hate. I was almost too my room when I saw something that made me put down all the materials. The hall of mirrors, no not here. It couldn't be. It is in Amber I told myself and yet somehow from what I had heard this was it. I hate being curious but I was and I had to find out what secrets it was dying to share with me.
I started down the hallway. I came to a fortune telling and well I couldn't resist. I listened while she talked. It seems I am supposed to be going on a new journey soon. News to me, mom wasn't here what do I have to try and run away from. She continued to talk. It seems I have some soul searching to do. Quite a pleasant woman all things considered and I was inclined to believe her words. Someone came in and knocked her out and the mirror went black. I guess that was all she was to tell me, perhaps more then she was to tell me.
The next mirror had Random in all sorts of scenes, quite odd actually. He looked right at me, but he looked at me as a stranger would, not as family does. The look still chills me having come from him. I find him to be quite charming at most occasions, a womanizer for sure, but still charming. I started to wonder how this could be, because he was locked away in Rebma. I don't know much of the place, but this scene looks like hell not prison. Maybe when I get a chance I will have to look in on him just in case. I know this place tells lies mixed in with semi-truths but I was still interested. Random in the scene was now with Llewella. She looked at me when waved her hand and the mirror went dark. How rude. I have never met her but still this is my walk not hers. I was at the end of the hall, the mirrors it seems have told me all they are going to. I stepped through it and was back at Theseus's castle.
No sooner had I gotten back, and I heard Theseus's frazzled voice asking me where I had been in a not very nice tone. It seems I had lost two days on my trip through the mirrors. He rushed me to where the Master of Ceremonies was waiting, well at least his corpse was. Theseus went into his scream-like-a-school-girl mode -- I was more then a bit troubled, but he was shreiking enough for both of us. Oh yeah, the supplies for my room had disappeared too; what a day.
While they cleaned the stiff off the carpet, I ponder the fact that the guy was probably dead because he had figured out how the elf-boy had gotten killed. I decided I would go talk to Quinn's mom instead of listening to Theseus's constant whining about what had happened. I had to get away before I force fed him a bottle.
The guards at the gate to Artanis's palace were quite unfriendly. I guess they didn't know any better, but I never make appointments. Even when I do, I rarely show up on time. After a bit, they let me in. The boys may fall over their tongues at Artanis, but since I was never going to sleep with her I tried to treat her like just another person. Not a shadow-schmuck type person, but an Aunt perhaps... an Aunt better than Flora, even. I told her about the late Master of Ceremonies, but she somehow already knew. We talked about all the normal suspects; well, Osric. She didn't see why he would do it. I now understand why she didn't usually leave this fantasy city in the clouds, reality would have been a cold bite in the butt. Osric, I am convinced, doesn't need a logically or even meaningful reason to do something evil. Naiveté around him was just the fastest way to a dirt nap.
A trump call from Mom: what a way to start a day. I searched through my trumps, so I knew who it was ahead of time -- after seeing Theseus drooling all over himself because of a call from Osric, I learned the basics of identifying the caller. Mom had information on Ander's whereabouts and wanted to meet at Ygg. I agreed to meet her there, although I thought it was odd not to meet in Amber.
I thought maybe she had a good reason for it and decided it best to not overthink it. I gathered up my things and talked to Theseus to let him know I would be gone. There was the matter of the master of ceremonies wanting to interrogate me before I left so I made an appointment and went on my way to Ygg.
When I arrived, Mom was riding in and wanted to know what information I had about Ander that couldn't be conveyed through a trump -- can you say 'set up'? I was pissed for falling for it -- someone was going to pay -- hopefully not me.
Not only was this a setup, but yet again my brother's child was in the middle of it all. Just as soon as I get him back and get the hell out of here, my brother is in for quite the earful. I don't consider myself the smartest Amberite around but even I know it's not safe to go on a shadow tour with the best blackmail weapon around on display for all to see and admire. I think Mom is going to second the fact that this kid is going to be glued to Castle Amber until some time far, far in the future. Damn Ander anyway. I have to pay because my brother has kids: where's the justice in that?
We were ordered to give up our weapons and were even bagged for the trip. These were dead men that didn't know it yet. I decided to goad them into making Mom my roommate -- a move I was sure I would probably regret later, but it seemed like the best idea now.
I woke up in a cell with dear old Mom chained to you got it, a wall. And the hits just keep on coming. We were working free of the chains when we were discovered and rechained. I really need to work out some of this frustration.
Mom and I are in prison -- normally this would just mean 'in the same room together', but in this case was an actual prison and cellmates. We worked the chains free (again), dressed in what one could best be called potato grunge wear. The door to our cell was open and apparently we're expected to work for food. I have some anger at Ander to work out.
I headed up the stairs, wondering what I would find. Goons, perfect. I tried to be nice to them... well, not real hard but at least I pretended to make an effort. I really wanted to kick the crap out of something and they were there just asking for it. Three broken kneecaps later I had only a few more answers. I kept going up since that's where it looks like need to go anyway. I saw the next set of guards and decided to get Mom to help. I didn't want to strain myself before I really had to, and besides I am sure she has some issues to work out too.
Mom and I took out lots of goons and even managed to slightly improve our severely revealing wardrobe. We kept moving upwards because that is where we both agreed we needed to be. Mom says Victor is up there and so is the mage who controls who can and can't leave. The next guy we ran into was not a happy person -- not happy for me anyway. A spell slinger -- nothing more annoying for someone like me and mom. He got in a few shots before I beat his bloody corpse to a mush. Starting to feel as though I've worked out all the anger I had. We rested before heading up any further.
We headed up another 10 levels in the prison, and oh boy were the next things we ran into cute. Half men, half feline, a beast fetishist's wet dream. I just wanted them to let us by. They (no surprise) denied our request for passage. There was a voice from behind them, Mom cursed as she saw their leader. She introduced him as Uncle Delwin.
Small world.
Now I don't know much of Amber's history. Uncle Delwin up to this point I knew by reputation only. Gerard and Julian hated him. While Julian really is quite smug to everyone, I really am curious how he expresses anger. Gerard on the other hand is so easy going that it is worth taking notice when he doesn't like someone.
Mom put on that charming voice I hear her use with others, and the one that is never directed at me. I am glad that she doesn't use it with me it is like fingernails on a chalk board. I suppressed the urge to vomit, half because I didn't have anything in my stomach, and half because I was trying to make a decent first impression.
He invited us to dinner and it was very good. I was so happy to be at peace for a few moments. I watched him, trying to figure him out. Ok so it isn't really my strong suit but what else did I have to do? I kept waiting for him to turn into Bleys and be quite a pain in the ass, but he was quite kind and offered to help. Odd, I don't know what to think, family offering to put things on the line for us right after just meeting us. I knew he probably had another reason for it that he would never share, but still he offered. I am quite confused I guess things are as they should be.