|
Post by Admin on Jul 26, 2021 16:13:46 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/P5NKHGh/8432d2a5e98e9b514bb98adf7b6c5f4e~jpg Kat:The place is enormous. Much larger than any of the castles Kat is used to from her homeland, and there is a greater variety of people and fashions than her home. Most of the place is free for her to wander through, although the door leading to the supposed stairs down to the lower levels is locked and two guards stand in front of it. She remembers the story of Coy killing the guards who were stationed here on the night of the explosion before travelling into the depths of the mountain. During her walk, she meets a tall, husky red-haired man who looks friendly enough. "Kat? Hey, I'm Luke. I have a name for you: Wollen. Remember it and beware."He gives her a little salute, a pat on the shoulder, then walks past around a corner of the hallway.
|
|
|
Post by Katerina on Jul 26, 2021 18:24:15 GMT
Kat is initially shocked at the man's sudden interest in her and his perplexing convesation. She spins and follows him briskly around the corner so that he can't disappear on her. He didn't give his name as a Lord or anything else, so perhaps he was an important servant around here.
"Hello? Luke wasn't it. Thank you for the warning, but perhaps you might be able to help fill in a bit more as to the why?" She asks him in a friendly easy going manner.
|
|
|
Post by Eivor on Jul 26, 2021 19:49:11 GMT
"I think I have Lord Rein well in hand," Eivor replies. "I'm afraid no matter what you or I say, everyone will consider it a coronation until it is proven otherwise. Last I saw of Bleys and Fiona they were raiding a wine cellar in Deiga so they don't seem too concerned. Is there any news from Uncle Benedict?"
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 26, 2021 20:10:53 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/P5NKHGh/8432d2a5e98e9b514bb98adf7b6c5f4e~jpg Kat:Luke turns around but continues to walk backwards. He opens his arms out and shrugs. "That's all I know about it too - just a name and a warning. Don't ask about who gave me the message 'cause I can't tell you anything about that either.
"See you at the party," he says, turning back around and continuing on his way.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 26, 2021 20:19:50 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/j5FLskF/Florimel~jpg Eivor:"It would be a mistake to think that they ever really have their eyes off the throne no matter the distractions. When you saw them was that Mandor person in their company?
"No word from Benedict or your father, I'm afraid. Whatever it is out there that they went to find it is taking all their attention. Fortunately, I have found some others to assist in running the place while they are gone. Prince Calvera is in command of the fleet, and King Rinaldo has been kind enough to take control of Arden for the time being. A mysterious Xu Liang has also wandered into Amber, and I have put him to work with various tasks until I feel that he is ready to walk the Pattern. I feel good about his chance of success."A servant beings tea service over and pours two cups.
|
|
|
Post by Katerina on Jul 26, 2021 21:56:52 GMT
Kat looks at the man's retreating form with a sigh. For some reason he didn't want to stay around and talk. She assumed he would be serving at the party and keeping his eyes open for this Wollaston character.
Left alone once again, Kat heads towards a dining room to find some food. The workout was long and exhausting and food would be a welcome sight. If she couldn't find the dining area, Kat was quite prepared to ask.
|
|
|
Post by Eivor on Jul 27, 2021 7:07:32 GMT
"Rinaldo of Kashfa?" Eivor says curiously. "That's bold move. I don't suppose their Golden Circle rivals will like that very much."
"Coincidentally I was going to approach him about breaking the Bayle's monopoly on wine in the city. I think a little healthy competition would be good for all concerned."
"As for Calvera I'm sure he will be thrilled you have such faith in him. When I met him he seemed like a bit of a hot-head."
She accepts the tea and attempts to practice her best manners.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 27, 2021 18:12:38 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/j5FLskF/Florimel~jpg "The one and the same Rinaldo. We met a short while ago, and I guess he liked me enough to come running when I was put in charge. He tried to sell me on many things - did you know that before becoming a king, he was a salesman? Just when you think that the family can't sink any lower with a bartender, then along comes a drummer for some kind of commercial concern with those computers Merlin was trying to hawk. I bought two which didn't work as advertised and I couldn't get wifi here but by the time it came to complain he was off on the topic of the Golden Circle and trying to get his land in. Easy enough to grant if he would take over the defence of Arden. Begma won't like it but I have a plan for them. You and Edmund won't like it either but you will keep your mouth shut about it. I mean, how much longer can Julian be away? And Rinaldo is married to Coral who we would like to see back in Amber sometime soon. Rinny is our best lead in finding out where she is.
"Calvera is another sticky situation. He wasn't pleased to learn that I'm running the show and he has a nice army to back him up. Hence the need to get Rinaldo on the scene as soon as I could. Talking with him and convincing him that no one will have the throne until Benedict returns mollified him for a bit and, I am sure, saved his life from a confrontation with Bleys or Rinaldo. A bit of sweet talk convinced him that his future was brighter with time spent leading Amber's military on his resume so I gave him the fleet -or what is left of it - and to go out and stop this strange thing in shadows, a strange reverberation from out there that you can feel in your bones.
"So those two pieces are out on the fringes of the board so let's look at things closer to home. How was your trip with Kat? Interesting that she has a passion for and skill in disguise. Did you pick up any hint that she might be one of us?"
|
|
|
Post by Eivor on Jul 27, 2021 19:15:35 GMT
"Of course Rinaldo liked you! Everyone does. It sounds like he did a pretty good job of selling himself though," Eivor comments. "What you do with Arden is yours to decide, and you won't hear any objections from me. I can't speak for Edmund, though."
"As for Kat, she is talented and I'd like to think we have worked well together. She's certainly got some blood of power but I couldn't say if it's of Amber or elsewhere. As long as she is content to use her talents to help our cause, I don't really care. At some point I would like to assist her win the war in her home Shadow, though that depends how long you wish to have me around."
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 28, 2021 16:57:19 GMT
Kat:
It is not difficult for her to find her way back to the dining hall she visited with Eivor and Flora when she first arrived in Amber. This time it is closed to allow servants to prepare it for the party, and she is sent to a smaller place at the other end of the castle. It is filled with tables and people; a loud hubbub of voices assails her ears. Some of the faces she remembers from her visit before, and many people recognize her as the stranger who was allowed to sit with Lady Eivor and Princess Florimel. She can feel their stares as she enters the room.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 28, 2021 17:20:08 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/j5FLskF/Florimel~jpg Eivor:"I think we both saw the opportunity to do business - oh god, now I'm talking like a salesman," she sighs. "He really is a bad influence on courtly diction.
"I don't think that he would have come around if your father was still here. Julian still holds a grudge for the murder of Caine, but Rinaldo had been under Vialle's protection...
"Well, Arden is protected anyway. All I have to do is string Rin along and hold out on granting his demands until your father gets back.""The manner of her coming, the power she has, and all the other mystic and magic happenings with Merlin the last little while make me suspect she is one of us and a part of this whole scene. Why show up now around the same time as Brian and Xu? It makes me sure that something is up and someone or something is pulling strings. Which makes the events in her shadow more interesting than the usual wars-in-distant-shadows business we usually hear about. Now, is it real, and do they need our help, or is it a trap? Or could it be both? I will have to think about this. My court astrologer would be able to advise me, but these damn clouds continue to obscure our view of the stars - another, and the most important, reason to get Coral back and pry that damned jewel out of her head!"
|
|
|
Post by Katerina on Jul 28, 2021 18:24:01 GMT
Kat:It is not difficult for her to find her way back to the dining hall she visited with Eivor and Flora when she first arrived in Amber. This time it is closed to allow servants to prepare it for the party, and she is sent to a smaller place at the other end of the castle. It is filled with tables and people; a loud hubbub of voices assails her ears. Some of the faces she remembers from her visit before, and many people recognize her as the stranger who was allowed to sit with Lady Eivor and Princess Florimel. She can feel their stares as she enters the room. Kat is used to the stares back home and ignores them. After all the only one with a darker skin in a place of pale skinned people attracts attention. It is not easy to fail to stick out in those circumstances and she could have hardly claimed to have been the King's illigitimate daughter or anything like that when no one else in the shadow had a darker skin. Of course as she learnt later she could always change her skin colour, but until that time she had to put up with the stares and the jibes in private. 'Cuckoo' was just one of the nicer names she was called away from the King's ears. She was not however ashamed of who she was, and whilst she could easily be whoever she liked she was blowed if she was going to be forced out of her own skin by the stares. Instead she went and got a hearty meal and found a table by herself in the corner so that she could eat in peace without any comments. Of course apart from Princess Fiona, Princess Eivor and Princess Llewella she really doesn't know anyone here. The meal though she needed to recover the energy that she lost from the fight and from her shifting before that and so she ate in silence as she listened carefully to the conversations around her.
|
|
|
Post by Eivor on Jul 28, 2021 18:43:15 GMT
"Does Rinaldo know that's your plan? If he has any feelings for the girl he might be quite upset if you try impromptu surgery on her," Eivor points out.
"As for Kat's Shadow, I'll be sure to let you know if I walk into a trap," she smiles.
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 29, 2021 16:19:26 GMT
Kat:
Kat is interrupted while eating. A tall, strong man stands across the table from her.
"Lady Kat? I am Borgen from the Delvers and Extractors Guild. We hear a rumour about your land needing assistance, and I believe we may be able to help."
|
|
|
Post by Admin on Jul 29, 2021 16:30:56 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/j5FLskF/Florimel~jpg Flora smiles. "Of course he doesn't know my plan. But think of the hassle it must be to have that hunk of rock stuck in your eye; I'm sure she will be glad to get rid of it. Warbands of demons have hunted her since it was installed. Too much trouble for such a young child, so she will be forced to make her way here eventually.
"Yes, be sure to let me know if you are trapped there. And if you are not trapped."She picks up the newspaper again. "Now I have a few minutes to read up on the latest reports of the batboy flying about the city before Rinaldo comes for my next meeting. Be sure to listen to the court seamstress and wardrobe advisors while preparing for the party. They will come to see you soon."
|
|