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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Nov 11, 2022 1:10:42 GMT
<OOC> I didn't expect to heal instantly. I just wanted to make the point that Cody didn't pull the Crossbow bolt out and cause more damage; but that he shifted the wound to gently push the Crossbow bolt out. The rest of the healing will take time. </OOC>
"Rational?"
Cody laughs loudly, slapping the arm of the chair.
"Oh, wow... So you really don't know who I am? Or else you would know why I'm here. Why I do what I do. Know ~Who~ I am searching for."
"I haven't kept it a secret. Pretty much all of my friends and acquaintances, even Suhuy knows."
"Cody D'Avalon, son of Brighid D'Avalon. You might remember her by the name Deirdre."
Cody hopes for a look of shock on her face but he knows he won't get one.
"I've never cared about rank or hierarchy. Other than the one tragedy of my life, I'm actually pretty happy here. Happy living without rank or hierarchy."
"But now you come into my life and tell me that I'm being hunted like some kind of fugitive because of it?"
"Who's hunting me? Why now?"
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Post by Admin on Nov 13, 2022 18:25:02 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/Vx4phpf/Fiona~jpg "I know who you are; I've always known who you are. The question was always, why? Don't you think it's time to grow up and accept reality? Your mother is dead, and she fell into the Abyss and could not survive the depths. You'd be better off honouring her memory by standing tall and fighting for what she believed in.
"I don't know who is hunting you tonight. So many factions will want you dead for many different reasons. Others want you alive. You should trust those who will protect you."
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Nov 14, 2022 4:28:43 GMT
Cody is anoyed by Fiona's seemingly cold affect. "Yes, why indeed? Colour me skeptical. If you've always known me: Why the stu - silly questions? And why not pay me a visit sooner? Without showering me with crossbow bolts."
"I have to believe that M-unit survived. She's an armed and armoured warrior. Certainly able to handle the mind-bending maelstrom inside the Abyss. She's a Flux Pilot who routinely faces that stuff."
"I survive it and she's way more capable than I."
"M-unit believes in protecting her loved ones and the Pattern. But don't talk to me about honour! The damnedable Unicorn! Dashing into the Pit to fetch a necklace but couldn't be arsed to pull her out?"
"You're right though, maybe I've exhausted the search in the Abyss. Maybe I should start combing through Shadow."
"You know the Abyss touches everything. Everywhere. My hope is that M-unit may have been spit out into a Shadow somewhere. It's happened to me."
Regarding the other elephant in the room, "Factions. Plural. I have no idea who would protect me outside of DaggerWays and the Church. I'd be safer in the Pit but now I've got to run a gauntlet to get back there. And if there are factions hunting me, I really don't like the idea of endangering my friends."
"I suppose you are expecting me to trust you but I have no way of knowing that you're not the one that set this whole thing up."
"Yes, yes. I know that if you wanted me dead: I'd already be dead. But this whole thing could be a manipulation on fear of death."
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Post by Admin on Nov 14, 2022 9:05:44 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/Vx4phpf/Fiona~jpg "And there I was thinking you were living a life of care-free ease down in those hovels when all the time you were really building up a collection of paranoias.
"You were your own man living your own - misguided; I must say -life. There was no reason to contact you, but now things are different.
"I think the Unicorn would have saved your mother if she could. That she didn't means Deirdre is dead."She seems near to grabbing Cody's ears and shaking his head. "I'm the one protecting you! Merlin, too, though I wouldn't trust him if I were you. They are many things: Lords and Ladies of the Courts who object to the taint of Amber blood in their realm; Merlin's rise to the resumptive role as King was paved with blood and bone; the hierarchy of the Courts is in disarray, some would see you as a future contender for the throne and trying to eliminate you now; think on the currently vacant throne of Amber, Merlin was bred for it, but he refused, you may also have been conceived as a replacement for Oberon. With Eric and Stephano dead, only Deirdre and Corwin's kids are at the top of the pile. Some in Amber will want you dead, others alive. Mistrust them both.
"The only thing I can say for certain is that your life in Daggerways, or whatever you call it, is over. For now. Until things are sorted out in the Courts, in Amber, and in Shadow."
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Nov 14, 2022 17:23:32 GMT
Cody has to admit, at least to himself, that M-unit is gone. Honestly, he hasn't been trying as hard as he used to to find her. Spending less time in the Abyss and more in Seminary.
"Paranoia is a major import/export commodity down here. I'm probably the least paranoid one around. And, well, the Red-Headed Amberites have a reputation."
"I thought you were Merlin's 'Auntie Fi'. All sunshine and roses between you two."
Cody is stunned speechless for a moment to realize that, had M-unit not been pulled into the Abyss, she would have been Queen of Amber after Corwin's refusal. Does that put Fiona behind Cody in the line of succession?
"I don't know. The Unicorn operates on a completely different plane of existence. It's ludicrous to imagine that I was ever conceived as an heir. There's nothing in the way I was raised that that would prepare me for the job. Not a lot of diplomacy or duplicity in Engineering or Flux-Piloting."
"Well, anyway... I thought that the rules of succession had skipped past me. Whoever the Unicorn pokes, it sure won't be me."
With the ties between Rebma and Amber, young Lorelei would appear to be a likely choice and reason for Floramel's regency, Cody muses.
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Post by Admin on Nov 16, 2022 5:26:02 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/Vx4phpf/Fiona~jpg "Two-thirds of that reputation is unearned, I assure you. I know you won't take my advice; none ever do to their lasting regret. Did Brand listen to what I told him about his associates in the Courts? No. Did Eric or Corwin listen to my advice about Deirdre? No. Did Deirdre listen to my advice about Corwin and Eric? No. Stephanos, Sand, Delwin, Mirelle? No, no, no, no. Oberon? Certainly not!
"Merlin and I have always got along as well as could be expected considering our positions. Better when he was younger, for sure, but his playing King has changed him. Add him to the list of people not taking my advice and suffering from its lack."[/font] "I very much doubt she expected to die while you were so young. Your mother was mostly wise to events in Amber and the Courts and savvy to power flow among her siblings. She has plans and schemes of her own, so I don't doubt she was keeping you in her back pocket until all the ruckus involving Eric, Corwin, and Brand was resolved.
"I believe that Random's succession to the throne was a one-time deal. I doubt the Unicorn will be intervening anytime soon. She hasn't been seen since Random's death, so we will decide amongst ourselves."
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Nov 16, 2022 16:09:20 GMT
Cody sips more of the wine which has a mellowing effect. Assuming that Fiona's wards are strong enough to last a while, and she has enough patients to have Cody convince himself to do what she wants.
"Alright, taking you at your word for the moment. Excuse my ramblings, I just want to put some things in order. Do you actually believe that the Unicorn would have rescued M-unit? You have that much faith in her?"
"I really haven't been keeping up to date on the various machinations happening in Amber. Just gossip and rumours."
"Seems it's getting as bad as the Courts with all the assassinations. My impression, based on very little information, is that some of my generation is trying to wipe out your generation."
"But, going back to the line of Succession. I could never understand why Benedict stepped aside. Or why he doesn't reassert himself. Better to be a shield than a target I suppose? I don't know... Or, maybe he's playing a very long game and just waiting for everyone else to exhaust themselves."
"Working down the line, if I follow that line correctly, you are next after M-unit. Assuming the Chauvinists step aside. Obviously, that's problematic for me if I were to rescue M-unit. Patternfall knocked you out of the running in the short term, but if you redeemed yourself..."
Cody's eyes tear with grief. The loss of M-unit. The shrinking hope of ever finding her. How many Amberites knew about Cody? Why couldn't they have revealed themselves earlier? Helped him with his grief?
Pulling himself back together, Cody continues with his line of speculations.
"So.... Floramel. As Regent. I guess that was the most palatable option."
"And the Unicorn. Is it true she gave the Jewel to one of Oberon's long lost illegitimates? Wouldn't that make her the heir apparent according to the Unicorn?"
"Damn! That's it, isn't it? The Jewel controls the weather, and long exposure causes madness. So there's an illegitimate heir wandering around in Shadow going mad with the Jewel and wreaking havoc on the weather. Is anyone hunting for her?"
For all of Fiona's cold condescension she was actually being fairly compassionate.
"Okay, so for the sake of argument, I'll take your advice. I suddenly find myself being hunted by unknown factions and have to go on the run. Hard to know were to run without knowing who is chasing me. Where do you suggest I go? If I just start running blind through Shadow, I'm sure they'll be able to follow me. If I can run the gauntlet through the Courts, I could make it back to the Abyss. Assuming that I can make it that far relatively unscathed I'll be safe. The Abyss touches everything. So if I keep diving, I'll eventually surface in some random Shadow. Then I can make my way from there. Unless you have another plan."
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Post by Admin on Nov 17, 2022 23:56:03 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/Vx4phpf/Fiona~jpg "I'm glad to see you being more reasonable.
"It is true that Rinaldo took a few potshots at some of us, killing Caine, then Leonil killed Random through carelessness. The others are gone by an unknown hand.
"To be a king is to be bored. Why would Benedict restrict himself to sitting in Amber when he could continue to get his kicks committing mass slaughter in Shadow?
"It was Dworkin who implanted the Jewel of Judgement into Coral. Why, I haven't the faintest idea. Possibly Merlin knows, but he isn't talking to anyone about it. Kind of a thorny issue with her being his girlfriend while also Rinaldo's wife and Queen of Kashfa. Those boys and girls really made a mess of the whole political situation back home.
"Your assailants are not omniscient, so you may be safe by moving. There is no need for you to return to the Courts of Chaos but where you go instead depends on your plans; what else do you desire other than finding your mother?"
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Nov 18, 2022 2:06:06 GMT
"You begin to see the light fairly quickly when someone starts poking holes in you."
Cody touches his wound and winces.
Considering his options, "I've never thought beyond finding M-unit and returning to Station. I never factored in what plans she had. Especially regarding Amber. Of which, what advice did you give her that she ignored? If it's still relevant, I'd be interested in hearing it."
"Without plans I'm a totally free agent. But, not totally free if I'm being hunted. If they're determined, they'll catch up to me eventually."
"I'd still like to help my friends in the Pit. If there's an issue with the Pattern and/or Logrus that's messing up the weather I'd like to help sort that out."
"I notice that you corrected me about who gave Coral the Jewel, but you didn't comment on my theory about whether that's related to the weather."
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Post by Admin on Nov 18, 2022 5:23:40 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/Vx4phpf/Fiona~jpg "Oh, she was playing too many games with too many factions, trying too many tricks to keep all the balls in the air. I told her to pick one side and focus on that before she was hung out to dry by all of them. Never found out if she took my advice since things got a bit busy for me around then, but since no one ever does....
"I don't know if the Jewel is linked to the weather. It is quite a good chance, but only Oberon, Dworkin, and Random could have said for sure. Maybe Brand too if he found enough time to play with it. Too bad only Dworkin is still with us, and he is impossible to track down."
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Nov 18, 2022 15:36:36 GMT
Cody considers the advice Fiona gave to Deirdre. It was a little unsettling to him. A matter of perspective: If someone is always scheming and duplicitous they are going to assume everyone else is too. Cody remembers M-unit as always being friendly and gregarious. Perhaps a little insecure with a genuine fear of missing out. If that extroversion was viewed as anything other that being open and friendly, it's a shame. M-unit is guileless. She wants Cody to be the same way. That's why she raised Cody on Station instead of among the schemers in Amber.
Trying to put a positive spin on the advice, "Oh, alright. Thank you. So... Don't spread myself too thin."
Considering the Jewel, Cody flinches when he hears Brand's name. Trying to stay focused Cody continues his line of enquiry. "Is it true that Oberon feared Dworkin, to a degree, and tried to imprison him? As the story goes it didn't work very well since Wixer wasn't the most effective guard dog. But maybe someone else has managed to do it."
"Regardless of that, has anyone gone directly to Coral to find out if she's cracked from the strain of holding the Jewel?"
"Oh, and you didn't mention Corwin. He's attuned with the Jewel. Last I heard, he was exploring his own domain, but if the Jewel is what is messing things up, it seems reasonable that it would affect his domain as well. So maybe that will get him to resurface?"
Cody takes another sip of the wine, "This is nice, thank you. But I'm going to need something more substantial. Do you have anything to eat? It helps the healing and will help fuel my flight."
Cody thinks about his plan, or lack thereof. "Running blindly into Shadow isn't a great long term plan. I'd like to sort out the Shadow storms. I could go to Kashfa, but I don't think that I'd be able to do anything on my own. Maybe I should present myself in Amber first? What do you suggest?
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Post by Admin on Nov 22, 2022 7:09:25 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/Vx4phpf/Fiona~jpg "There is some truth in those rumours. Dworkin's imprisonment is not out of the question, but it is more likely that he doesn't want to be bothered with us anymore. Fixing Coral's face was the last bit of work he had done for us in some time, and he managed to evade us all on his way out.""No one has seen hide nor hair of her since she let Amber. It is suspected that she is kept in the courts in a hidden harem of Merlin's."Hmmm, I don't know. He seemed quite smitten by it the last time I spoke with him. Unless the weather directly threatens his Pattern, I doubt he will make a move. That is probably the only reason Coral still has a head on her shoulders.""Those are tough questions since any advice I'd give you would not be ignored but used as the basis for doing the opposite. So I think you shouldn't go to Amber but try the city of Rebma first."
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Nov 22, 2022 18:48:30 GMT
"I'd heard gossip that great-granddad has visited Great Lord Suhuy on occasion - but that was a while ago..."
"Hidden Harum?! I thought she was Rinaldo's Queen."
<OOC> Incestuous Patty Boyd? </OOC>
Cody thinks, polyamory is acceptable but harums aren't always completely voluntary.
Frowning, he suggests, "Since we're in the neighbourhood, shouldn't ~we~ pay them a visit? Only seems like the polite thing to do."
Thinking a moment, "We wouldn't necessarily have to find Coral. We just need to suggest to Merlin that the Jewel may be the cause of the Shadow Storms and that somebody should check in with Coral."
"Hey, for all we know, Coral may have run away." Cody shrugs.
Interestingly horrifying that Corwin's first instinct would be decapitation.
Cody gives a sheepish grin, "I'm not so contrary. I honestly want your advice. As a matter of fact, if I am going anywhere near that end of Shadow, I'm going via Rebma anyway.
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Post by Admin on Nov 23, 2022 2:06:05 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/Vx4phpf/Fiona~jpg "Technically, she is Queen of Kashfa, but her heart doesn't belong to Rinaldo but to Merlin. Rinny has taken up with Coral's sister, Nayda. As I said, it's a really messed up affair. Thankfully Nayda isn't a member of our family - at least as far as I know.
"I doubt that Merlin is entertaining guests at this time. The word from the grapevine is that he's locked himself away in Thelbane, with only his closest advisors allowed to visit.
"Taking my advice!? There's hope for you yet, young Cody. What has caught your fancy in Rebma? Please don't say Lorelei or Maeve; things are already too tangled."
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Nov 23, 2022 3:22:58 GMT
Cody ponders the revelation. "Merlin - Locked down?"
"That means that he's not in control of the Courts. Maybe we should rescue him. He might lose his crown but he'd keep his head."
If that doesn't make Aunt Fiona laugh...
Or maybe it shouldn't.
"Rebma? Well the outer edge. It's as close to Amber as I've gone. Since I was. Well, before... Anyway, I don't think anyone in Amber would appreciate the type of entrance I'd make.
Tearing a hole in reality. Not sure what might follow me and take advantage of a rift from the Abyss directly into Amber.
"Well, Lorelei is a sweet kid. We met a while ago. Mature for her age, I think. I'm aware that we're cousins. Close cousins. And she probably won't remember me anyway."
"I don't know Maeve, but I'll assume she's a cousin too. I'm just going to work from the basis that any other Princess is too."
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