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Post by Admin on Apr 2, 2024 4:38:31 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/j5FLskF/Florimel~jpg "To answer the question that seems to be bothering you most, Fiona and I do not speak regularly, she doesn't tell me everything, and she specifically didn't mention you. Probably as part of some little game of hers to see how much trouble you could find for yourself on the way here and how cold your reception would be. How else could she learn about your character before you were needed in defence of Amber?
"The greatest problem we all face is what if you were to succeed in reaching the centre of the Pattern? Then your words would carry great weight and there will be war. It will be best if we call you an imposter and confidence man who fooled the Rebmans but, when here, would not walk the Pattern. We can through you in a prison cell for a month or two for assaulting a church bishop, and then banish you from Amber. If you play ball, then this will be merely a humiliation to you, cause trouble, then you can be handed over to the inquisition. They say something about discovering the truth by the Unicorn's Horn.
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Post by Admin on Apr 2, 2024 4:41:17 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/28Y9wNs/Calvera~jpg "Or they wished for her not to be found."
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Apr 2, 2024 5:28:34 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/28Y9wNs/Calvera~jpg "Or they wished for her not to be found." "That as well." Cody agrees.
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Apr 2, 2024 6:26:09 GMT
Cody slumps in his seat and stares at the ceiling. Pulling himself back up into a proper upright seated position he places the set of bongo drums on the desk. "Could you please be kind enough to see that Princess Fiona receives this gift?"
On the small pair of drums is a note writ large, "Yes, I willed myself to blindly trust Fiona at face value even though I am aware of the red heads' reputations."
"I trusted myself a better diplomat and that failed me too."
Cody slumps in defeat. "I am to earn trust by giving trust which will take me out of the game for a while. I understand."
"I know that I am not in a bargaining position, but bargain I must. So please hear me out."
Cody straightens up again to make his pitch, "I will take your terms if you agree to mine. I have a crew to whom I am loyal as they are loyal to me. All but one are from Station and the other from Ghera."
"Three remained in Rebma. The other, my companion, is here in Amber. First and foremost I need Captain Christina Jessup to be protected. She was with me at the Cathedral and will face Inquisition if she is found. She only followed me and is innocent. Please take her in and protect her. The other three are in Rebma and should be safe enough but if they could be checked on from time to time?"
"I need assurance that they are safe. Then I will happily be made an example of."
"Or, even throw me to the Church."
"As long as my crew are cared for."
Surely, 'discovering the truth by the Unicorn's horn' is just an expression? Cody ponders...
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Apr 2, 2024 6:33:11 GMT
Meanwhile, as Jessup takes a mid-day rest from her toils in the kitchen she sorts through her and Cody's belongings and finds the Compact given to Cody by Lorelei. It must have found its way into her pocket when they tried to use it the previous evening. In the dark and pouring rain.
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Post by XuLiang on Apr 2, 2024 9:31:12 GMT
Xu makes a mental note on looking into the history of Pattern weapons and their creation in the future.
He then considers the Regent’s words. What would he do in a similar place? He had chosen to attempt the Pattern with no hesitation after things were explained to him. But his was only a question of his sire, Cody faced the additional risk of his personal Chi interacting badly with the Pattern. Even with that risk, he felt he would have still done it. Han Xu Liang had needed to feel the power of the Pattern to feel whole and could tell that the first time he set his eyes on the blazing lines in the floor. Would Cody feel the same?
But honour was at stake also. Would Cody view not walking the Pattern at this point cowardice? Even if the fate of the realm was in the balance? Suffering personal loss of honour for the good of the realm was the stuff of legends. It would be enlightening to see how the man choose his fate.
As he had chosen the greater honour over his own Xu offers, “Perhaps Captain Jessup could travel with me to Arden to keep her away from the prying eyes of the church. Is she a military captain, or a ship captain? General Meng could probably use a person with leadership skills and experience, even if it was a temporary assignment.” She should also be a good guarantee for your good behaviour.
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Apr 2, 2024 19:04:13 GMT
Cody looks at Lord Han and nods, "Thank you Lord Han. Jessup is a Flux Ship Captain." Cody points up to indicate the ether. "I'm sure she would prefer productive employment over being confined to the Castle.
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Post by Admin on Apr 3, 2024 5:33:35 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/28Y9wNs/Calvera~jpg "The navy could find use for an experienced captain," Calvera says. "We can keep an eye on her until she learns the ropes of a seagoing vessel."
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Apr 3, 2024 6:03:43 GMT
Cody turns his attention to Calvera, "Thank you Prince. No disrespect but there's not a lot of sailings in this current climate. However, I will not decide for the Lady but let her choose her own way. Land or sea."
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Post by Admin on Apr 3, 2024 6:19:49 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/j5FLskF/Florimel~jpg "Contrary to what you think, Amber and Rebma are not the same. I have no control over what Moire and Llewella do to your people. They will probably be held for ransom if it's any consolation to you." Flora says, staring at him over steepled fingers.
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Apr 3, 2024 6:42:51 GMT
"Well I hope it doesn't come to that. They stayed in Rebma of their own volition and Princess Lorelei said they would be taken care of." Cody acknowledges the Regent.
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Post by Cody D'Avalon on Apr 3, 2024 6:47:50 GMT
<OOC>
Cody never received an answer from the Bishop while he was probing her mind. </OOC>
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Post by XuLiang on Apr 4, 2024 7:21:09 GMT
Xu considers Calvera’s offer. Putting an experienced captain on a vessel capable of spiriting Cody away? And in the same city? Or putting her a hard day’s (or would it be multiple days?) ride through guarded forests away in a camp that provides no swift means of escape into Shadow. I know which one I would choose. But Xu Liang keeps silent, trusting the Regent to be able to see such things herself.
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Post by Admin on Apr 6, 2024 4:23:24 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/28Y9wNs/Calvera~jpg "I wasn't intending to give her a command. And besides, the sailors obey me and I wouldn't command them sail with her. No, there's plenty of duties ashore for an experienced mariner," Calvera tells Xu.
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Post by Admin on Apr 6, 2024 4:25:29 GMT
OOC: It's not the age that counts, but the strength of belief and fullness of the Unicorn's will. It doesn't matter; there won't be much of her left after the inquisition.
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