There is nothing like a good night's rest on a semi-comfortable cot to make the impossible seem all bright and shiny. Oh sure, we were going to try to break out of a prison no one had ever escaped from, but come on, Mom and I really can't be in this kind of proximity for long -- in a couple weeks I'm fairly sure they would have tossed one of us out anyway.
Delwin did something to us with lots of chanting and hand-weaving and said no one would raise an eye at us until we were higher up in the prison. I thanked Delwin then Mom and I parted his company to look for Vic and Ander and his Anderites.
When we got to the heavy security section I worked out a power word to jazz up the locks and let Mom use her brute charms on the door hydraulics to crack a few open. We found a few things I'm trying to repress, but located what looked like Ander, under the layers of vomit and drugs. Yummy. He was SO in need of an S.O.S. bath... with generous helpings of soap... and a bath brush... that we could junk afterwards. Yuck.
We left him laying in a side hallway and went in search of running water. Hell, a toilet, even a used, unflushed one would be an improvement at this point. After a bit I found a workable shower unit and went back for Ander, who was stumbled down the hall towards me, then saw me and tried to get away. Wait, rewind: Ander is up and walking? Damn. I followed him into an usused cell -- acutally, his unused cell -- and he took a swing at me. I just reacted to the impulse and took him to the floor. I know he deserved it, and I was pretty sure he wouldn't remember it. I then dragged him off to the shower. Mom may have helped a little.
While we where scrubbing him down (in his clothes cause they needed it too), Quinn contacted me with some holograph thing I don't even want to go into. He gave me a rundown of where everyone was and stayed in contact as we started gathering up family. Quinn? How the hell did he get in here? Nevermind, doesn't matter now. We were almost all collected when the cell door I was going to work on next opened. Quinn may be stuck in here with us, but his ego couldn't take it if I used magick to get him out of his cell. Alright, I'd never let him live it down, either.
We started to head out when two more people showed up in front of us. I wasn't very nice to them, but it seems Quinn was in here making friends he forgot to mention. Trust him to socialize when there's fighting to do. We trashed the place on the way out and Quinn teleported us to Ygg. That tree had never looked so good. Shortly thereafter we posted to Amber and I'd have to say it looked really good too.
Back to the castle infirmary to see who was home. It was a party up there, everyone was clustered around and Benedict tied to a bed with the Jewel of Judgment in his eye. BLINK! Wow, someone was really in deep shit, and Quinn started to explain things to Deirdre. It had to be his fault, because everyone but him was gaping. Mom had that 'I'm going to lose it' look and I had the kids leave the room, but I had to stay, because it looked like the party was just starting. Turns out Quinn is in trouble here and in the Tir. I giggled until I was out of breath and then I giggled a little more.
Sometimes it nice to be the one who didn't screw something up.
I wanted to get out of the castle and needed to be away from Mom for awhile. I tried to find someone else to go with me and only Kethos was up to the challenge. I took a shower, pretty sure that I needed it, and put on my own clothes, which felt really good. I was so going to kill whoever got me put into that prison. The very least they could have done was put us in a nice area to lessen the distance we had to go to get out. Bastards.
Kethos and I wandered out to Arden where I am sure there was big fun to be found. We did find Julian and Morgie. They had really both seen better days, but Julian had also seen worse, what with his coma and all, so I guess call it an upside. Scarier was that they did this to him in his home. He and his men were really taking a beating out here, but that had the 'retreat' manuver down pat. Sure, maybe the King of the Forest was due for a 'wake up, your crap really does stink' call, but this was Arden, and they weren't backing off, and that was really irritating.
I got a trump call and I flipped through the deck -- it was Megan. I took the call and started to move outside the tent so I could give her the low down. I had to move away from Morgie too, as I don't really know what he is, but I know he can hear and understand and I wanted to talk about him. We both invited each other to what the other one was doing, but we both had to stay where we were: I didn't want to leave Julian, and Fiona had sent Megan on her trip, so she was stuck too. It seems she had to go sailing. I warned her (without being completely paranoid) about going into Rebma without backup and lent her the Theseus trump of me, telling her to call before she went in, if she had to go in. Sure, it was a tad towards the over-cautious because of a Hall of Mirrors thing, but I felt the need to share -- at least as much as I could without sounding like a thundering loony.
Julian set us up with a place to rest, and gave us second watch. Rest was all to the good.
My timing for sleep was off, probably had something to do with the prison life I'd lived for far too long -- well, okay, it was like 3 days, but still...
I woke up quite a bit earlier then I should have: like, pre-dawn. Uncool. I left Julian's camp for a morning ride/scout and ran into Kethos about a half-mile away.
He was leaning against a sequoia I was planning on climbing for a better view, so while I did that, Kethos stayed at the base of the tree to watch my armor... and played with his sword. If I didn't know better I'd think the thing has a mind of it's own -- actually, I do know better, and I still think it does. Creepy.
While I was up at the top of the tree, he went off to be a manly man and kill some breakfast. (All I really wanted was a decent muffin, but I am pretty sure Arden is beyond the range of Castle Room Service.) Ander trumped to let me know he would be around the castle for the next couple days (as if I really believed he'd sit still for that long, but I humored him).
I climbed down and we had breakfast: rabbit -- not that great, especially for breakfast. We mounted the horses after breakfast and met up with our unit to lead patrols, which went as smoothly as somthing that... doesn't: Kethos and I started arguing about something. I don't even remember what, but it was his fault.
Anyway, we were ready to head back to camp when out of nowhere Kethos tackles me in mid-argue. From the ground, I saw a damn Mori leaping through where we'd just been.
Don't these things sleep, ever?
I drew my gun and shot at the one I thought was the leader, but missed.
I missed.
Again, Uncool.
He phased out, (damned Mori), and we trumped out of there with Julian's men before things got out of control. I hate that we had to do it, and I plan to that out on that guy sometime very soon.
Back in camp, I decided we could use some more family to fight these boys. I called Vaughn who, like me, is always looking for a way to get away from his mom, and this time around was no exception. He said he wanted to travel to Arden on his own, and that would take a few days. (He probably had some things to do, but I'm sure 'telling Mom' was not on the list).
I had been ignoring Cucullan for far to long and decided I should pay him some attention before he woke me up in the middle of the night just for kicks. From behind me, someone handed me the brush I had been looking for and I turned around, expecting Kethos, but got Uncle Benedict instead.
OK
And then he's gone in an eyeblink. Really gone. Not 'I'm-Benedict-I-move-faster-than-you-can' gone, but more like 'Fiona-I'm-just-not-here-anymore' gone. At this I got serious wiggins. I'm not sure what he's been up to since Dworkin added the Jewel of Judgement to his permanent ensemble, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to know.
Anyway, I was tired of waiting for the Mori to raid us at their leisure and decided to get a team to go out and hunt them for a change. Kethos was willing (HUGE surprise, not), as was Vaughn. Julian more than hinted in his Julian-way that I should invite Edward. I also brought Morgan with me and a six pack of some of Julian's better men.
Much carefully set-up slayage and body disposal followed. Ten days went by like that.
We did really, REALLY well. Well, okay: Vaughn got a little bit shot, and Edward picked up a few nicks, but by and large it was all to the Good.
Julian called us in about then to inform us it was time for The Plan to be put into motion and we were needed for The Plan. We were all given our instructions and headed to our assignments.
Waiting with the cavalry, I got the trump that I had been waiting for, and a second that hadn't been on the schedule. I took them both and charged into battle. Megan decided it was a bad time to talk and let me get back to the killing and giggling. I could see Kethos nearby most of the time: I was keeping track of him and I think maybe he was keeping track of me, just in case we got into trouble -- we still remembered that guy that I hadn't been able to hit.
Someone touched my ear. I must say: in battle, that is really damn annoying: must be a Mori. Damn uncouth elves. Things went downhill as we started to fight: downhill for me, anyway.
This Mori freak was quite good, as in 'could-be-an-aunt-or-uncle' good -- actually he was more like 'could-beat-aunt-or-uncle-butt' good. Always my luck. Playing it fully defensive kept him from hurting me too bad, but wasn't getting me anywhere except 'not dead'. Not Dead is better then Dead, though, so I went full defense.
I tried a few tricks, got a few cuts for my effort.
Damn Mori.
Then, as if I couldn't keep him busy enough, he bolted towards Kethos, who was really busy himself.
Damn Mori.
I threw my dagger at his back, and couldn't help laughing about it for a second. This was the dagger Quinn's mom gave to me, and here I am using it on an elf.
I ran after the Mori, whom I did manage to wound with the dagger. He took Kethos down with a single blow -- probably because Kethos was already busy and looking the other way.
Damn, Bastard Mori.
The guy Kethos was fighting turned to team up on me, but Kethos took him out from where he was laying on the ground (down, but not out -- Go team, Go). and the leader got away.
I picked Kethos up and trumped straight to the the castle. He was wounded badly and I am no doctor. I could maybe keep him from dying, yes, but he needed real help.
Damn, DAMN Mori.
I was in the infirmary with him when Megan decided it was time to reach me again. She was in Rebma and I was suddenly glad to be in the Castle. I went to find Fiona, who took over the contact and showed me what real mind power was like.
Fiona gave me back my gun, which I'd had to leave on the battlefield. I got away from her and decided I should be checking in with Theseus to see if he was taking calls now. He was, and we chatted a bit. He told me he had something for me, and I decided to just go to the Tir for a bit.
Theseus was being... himself: asking where I had been for three weeks, like I'd been on the beach the whole time.
His 'present' was an officially sealed letter. I don't know why, but I hate seeing those -- I have yet to see one that was a good thing. They're always bad news, it's just the degree of bad news that varies. I opened it and read Brigid's apology for her man attacking me in Arden and her mention that he'd been released from her faction.
Great.
Translation: he is free to finish the job she sent him to do the first time, without blame coming back on her. Just what I needed.
Then, when I didn't think it could get worse, it did. Theseus started in about how I was 'over-dramatizing the threat'.
Yes, him accusing me.
He started in on how, maybe, I had lost a step and gotten soft, so I took him to the training yard and took my frustration out on him.
No visible marks, but I think we got that 'lost a step' crap out of his system.
I decided I should also do the diplomatic thing and talked to Quinn's mom for a bit, because I know he wasn't able to right now. Well, maybe he could, but I don't think he has.
I went to find Theseus again after the chat and found him at the jail talking to Garvin. We went home and tried to think of ways to stop the assassin. I am sure that, after me, Quinn would be next, and with an assassin this good lurking about, Quinn wouldn't be very safe in Shadow.
But first he had to deal with me, so I needed a plan.
Now if I could just think of one.
Ok, I took some time to assess the information: assassin running around the Tir and me without a plan -- no good could come from this, so as much as I hated to leave, I had to. I went back to Amber and had dinner sent up to my room. I didn’t want to leave until I had a plan.
I slept on it. I needed something new, something unexpected. I needed a miracle or maybe just a new trick. It is amazing the clarity that comes from paranoia and lack of a good night's sleep. It was beautiful, it was masterful, it was a real long shot. Right now I would take a long shot over a unexpected meeting in the dark.
I found Lora the next morning, I needed her help if I was going to pull this off at all. I asked her to teach me some spells and she was willing to help me. We went up to her rooms and sat down for what we both assumed was going to be a long time. I am not sure why it is when I really have something I need to do, fate seems to cut in and proceed to screw me. I was getting a trump call -- I got out my deck to fiddle with them and see who it was, and next thing I know, I am in hell. Hell looks a lot like Rebma. We were standing next to Megan. My first thought was how to get out of here without Ander finding out this happened. I tried to tell myself this wasn’t my fault, but I am not sure he would understand. I am not sure I understand. Once again, how the hell did I end up here?
Megan had done it: she was trying to trump me and we just... came through to her. We debated our options and none were that wonderful. Hell never seems to have an easy plan for leaving. We tried to trump a few other people and places. We would have seen what time it was in Amber, except we pulled the clock through the trump. Let me just say that that was a bad thing. Just when you think everyone has arrived at the party, it seems some unexpected guests were on the way, and us with no caterer.
Spiders, it just had to be spiders. I really wanted to rid the world of them --I have actually considered it a lifetime goal. There were hundreds, perhaps even thousands of them on the way. I for now just really wanted the hell out of here. The big spinny wheel thing was sending me lots of wiggy vibes -- something just wasn’t right with it. I suggested a teleport out with Megan giving Lora directions. It worked.
We were now in the city and soaking wet and the polite people were just staring. What we needed was Pattern Boy. I hated to admit it, but he would find a way out of here -- he’d probably have to because he wouldn’t want a key to this city. It worked: he was here with us and oh look there goes Uncle Random. Uncle Random? He didn’t even recognize us, and Quinn was being his usual 'let’s not interfere' self so we left Random there.
And if all this is not enough fun, Fiona locks us into a dark room in the dungeon and says it is for our own good. By us I mean all three girls, not Quinn, which is all to the good, I think. Wonderful, and I had nothing else to do for the next few days, oh yeah except wait for the assassin.
We passed a lot of time in the dungeon hand-picked for us by Auntie Fiona. We were all really bored, Megan and I passed time by playing catch, which seemed to really scare Lora. She is still pretty fragile, only having been in Amber a short time. Megan and I could see the panic on Lora's face so we stopped. Lora then decided to get started on the magic lesson and the look of fear was transferred to Megan.
I learned a lot I think about Lora's teacher, and I don't think he was a 'roll with the flow' sorta guy. She had less patience then I do about teaching people things. Here I was thinking I was cool and all that because of the power words that I learned. I even impressed Fiona when I did it. Lora's teacher must have been a hard ass.
Fiona joined us again and told us what had been done to us. Our thoughts and fears could materialize and the more afraid of them we were the more real they became. Happy day. I thought of all the possibilities this could be used for. However Aunt Think-Tank didn't think any of us had the mental capacity to do anything good with it. We all sat around and decided it sucked to be us and moaned, whined and bitched a lot.
Benedict showed up, toy in hand, and in his very cool way asked if he could borrow it. Fiona was very impressed -- either that or stunned -- and just sorta nodded. Benedict is really rising up the latter on the coolness scale. Damn scary, but way cool.