Trading is good this turn. I seem to have come out with a sizable profit - I guess knowing that the southern mine on Boll was having difficulties with their shafts really paid off when it comes to the gem market. Lucky, really!
I think I'll go and check out the situation at the main dragon hold - these is a rumour that their queen is ready to mate soon. And that may mean a change in power at the hold, if the queen is not happy with her current mate.
242 day, 125th Rotation, third sister half full
Made a good trade with some potters for some bolts of cloth. They had heard from one of the dragon riders that the Queen's riders, H'lene, is pretty certain that her current mate, J'me, will win the mating flight. He should, though. His draghon is one of the fastest in the area! I think I shall get some good runner beats on the way to the hold, and also keep an eye out for some good Gather Day trinkets - a good mating flight tends to make people want to spend. And talk!
256 day, 125th Rotation, third sister full
The strangest thing happened today. It was most unsettling. I was finishing a deal with Narlen the trader for 5 good quality runner beasts, when as he was counting out the 50 gold, the coins turned to stone! I was surprised, to say the least! I had not credited Narlen with that much imagination! After some discussion as to who was cheating who, Narlen left, I followed, and we both discovered that outside was not as we remembered it!
The whole trading camp was gone, replaced by grassy plain! My brain started to hurt at this point. Narlen couldn't handle the outside change, and turned to go back into the hut, when its transformation became apparent. It had turned into a conical tent-like structure. Narlan entered the tent. I followed, and he disappeared. I am getting worried.
The spartan hut furniture have been replaced with hides and a fire. This is most strange. I wonder where the rest of my merry crew are.
I have decided to walk across this plain and see how far this strange effect has reached.
This effect is far-reaching, indeed, as my weary legs have found out. Not a dragon or hold in sight! Nothing like this has ever happened in my experiences. I wonder if this effect has happened across otrher Shadows. Is Amber (shudder) responsible for this? I am finding old fears and paranoia surfacing again. I really don't want to tgo to Amber. It is a dangerous place.
I have travelled to another Shadow. I don't seem to have judged my arrival right. It is quite late here, and all I could find for accomodation is a very disreputable inn, with a most disagreeable innkeeper.
257 day, 125th Rotation, third sister full (or it would have been)
The bed had fleas. The innkeeper sold me someone else's horse. I have become a horse thief. Thus, morals and standards drop as I get closer to Amber.
I have decided to go to Amber - as much as I don't want to. But if things have gone awry in my Shadow, Amber has either gone to hell in a handbasket, or else the solution will be found there. I really don't want to go to Amber - I will end up so dead, if I am not careful. Instead of just dead, if I am.
I wonder what date it is in Amber.
I arrived in Forest Arden. It has changed. Topiary trees. Very... manicured. Scary, really. 'Uncle' Julian was most upset, to say the least.
I saw, as I arrived to Castle Amber, Uncle Julian with a young woman in tow on a Shetland pony. Quite bizarre. She looked as lost as I felt when I first came to Amber. Uncle Julian was startled to see me. There was also a young man being guarded by some of the palace guards... Corwin's son, as I later found out.
I still have a room at the castle. (Strange colours that it has turned. I can hear the grinding of Julian's teeth even from here.) Someone has updated my wardrobe. All my clothes are in "my father's" colours. Someone is being very unsubtle. Everyone is startled to see me - I am surprised to be here, too. I would rather be elsewhere. I found my "father", Random, doing the King thing in the throne room. He was most exuberant in his greeting. I think he was genuinely happy to see me. I am scared.
There were several people already in the throne room. There was Uncle Julian (in the worst mood I have ever seen him), and I met my "cousin" Vivian (the lass on the Shetland pony), his daughter. "Uncle" Caine was there, and his daughter Cassandra. My "cousin" Jordan was there - everyone was most interested as to the whereabouts of his father (whoever that may be), and as to the state of his mental health. He seems top be in mourning, or something. There was a sleek and very well-fed puppy - my "cousin" Randalf - looking very satisfied with himself. He is Bleys' son. There was also Corwin, with his son Gabriel - a thief if ever I saw one. He should be good for a game of dice, if his jokes don't get him killed. My adoptive family seems to have grown some.
It seems the changes that happened in my Shadow have been happening everywhere, and even Amber has not been unaffected - if the colour of th castle and Forest Arden are anything to go by.
Fiona came in at one stage, and asked cousin Jordan where his father was, and why he wasn't on the throne. She left soon after that.
Random then declared that there were enough people for a party, and that was the end of standing around and nobody admitting to anything. I would rather not be here.
Today is going to be a very long day.
The party got underway. I went for the food - it seemed as if I had not eaten for days - I have lost track of time since I last had a good meal. I had an inconsequential chat with cousin Gabriel at the food table - he seems like a nice enough young man. Cousin Jordan seems a bit reserved.
Vialle and Random entered, and he seems to have more than a few "minders". I wonder just how much power Random actually has as King.
Vialle had a short sharp argument with Random, and left. Random went to follow, but Uncle Caine convinced Random that she would be fine, and he should stay for the party. I think he should have followed.
I felt like a sheep cut out of the herd when Random came over for a dance. This likke space appeared around me in the crowd - nowhere to run! My "father" can dance well, though.
I saw Cassandra playing with fire. She was flirting with Corwin. Silly. If you plat with the elder Amberites, you have a high probability of losing. Maybe she wants to lose!
I had a chat with my father after the dance. I convinced him to go and talk to Vialle. Not that he really needed much pushing, but I don't really want to be the cause of more aggravation to her. I asked him where he met my mopther, and he said here in Amber! How could this be? My mother was a normal Renaissance woman - she liked parties, but how could she get to one in Amber? Random then said that my mother was a CHaosian. What is a Chaosian? And that the woman who raised me was not my real mother. I feel bereft. They will always be my parents in my heart. Random left to make peace with Vialle.
Everyone mingled for a while, until Random came back in an absolute frazzle. Vialle had been killed and played! Gross! Random accused Caine of collusion, and then banished Caine. (He seemed to be expecting it, somehow.) He looked at me, and then left! I think he is partially mad with grief. I was dumbstruck. Why would anyone want to kill Vialle? She is so nice to everyone, bastard daughters excepted. I eventually followed my father. I passed the room where poor dead Vialle lay. It stank of blood and death. I did not enter. For who would have a thing against sweet Vialle - who, but the bastard daughter of her husband? No, I dared not enter that room, in case it was a trap. Sad, when you have to think such things.
I caught up with my father. He is deep in grief. He must have really loved her. He was preparing for battle. He says that Vialle was killed by a Chaosian, and now he wants revenge - blood for blood. The trye Amber way. Random said it was probably my mother, the Chaosian, who was responsible. He was going to go and kill her. Yay.
Random asked for people to come with him on a killing spree. He left alone.
Several of my cousins (Cassandra, Jordan, and Gabriel) and myself went to the library. I can't quite recall why we originally went to the library - I think Hordan got sick of trying to explain about Chaos to the rest of us, and we went to the library for some information. The books had turned into pigeons, and several were escaping through an open window. I hope they were not important. The librarian is going to have an absolute coronary when he sees the mess the pigeons have made! I wonder if they will ever turn back into books.
After much discussion and refusing to make decisions, we finally decided that we would follow after Random and see if we could help him, or at least try to get him to think on a rational level, before he started a war or something. That and we thought it better that we do something, before one of the Elder Amberites decided to give us a job to do. Corwin has declared himself King.
We set out on Random's trail, and then, after a couple of hours travelling, realised that we really didn't have any suitable weapons. So then we started looking through Shadows for a convenient cache of weapons. We ran across this man with a bow. He had no weapons to sell, nor did he know of any cache of weapons. We continued on our way. We came across the man again. He was older. Still, he could not help us. We continued on our way. We came across the man again. He was much older, and his body was bent. Still, he could not help us. But finally, I remember a simple courtesy, and asked if we could help him in some way.
He said yes, he had lost a book. It had turned into a pigeon, and flown away. (We had seem this before.) The pigeon was pink in colour, with a green bill. Fairly distinctive. So we looked for the bird. We found the pigeon by itself, in a tree. After much coaxing, it came to my hand. (Gabriel was most disappointed that he couldn't catch it by leaping upon it from above.) We returned to the old man on the road, and gave the pigeo0n back. The pigeon then turned into a large tome. The old man rewarded us with it. It was kind of him. We thanked the old man, and continued on our way. We stopped at an inn for food and rest. Food and sleep at last!
After a filling meal, we looked at the tome that the man had gifted us with. It was a leather-bound book with the title 'The Chronicles of Amber' upon it. I handed it to Gabriel, who, when fliching through the mostly blank tome, found my whole life history written with the pages! Deceit and trickery! After Gabriel and Jordan had handled the book, their histories were also upon the pages! The histories are only what we, ourselves, know. I do not know if I like this thing or not. It is dangerous.
We set off after Random in the monring. It was good to catch up with sleep, and to have a proper meal. Cassandra has these cards. She can use them like a telephone of sorts. They are called Trumps. Curious.
We finally caugfht up with Random, but he is not himself. When we approached him, he greeted us warily, and offered his hand to me, as if to shake hands. Strange. My "father" does not know me? I took his hand, if only to humour him, and received a small stingin feeling from him. After that, his mood lightened, and he said I was who I said I was. Who else would I be? Our E;ders are here to confise us, aren't they? We rode with Random, and finally convinced him to stop for food and rest. I continued the conversation with Random about my "mother". Apparentl, she is a shape changer! And she had taken the form of Vialle on the night that she met him at the party. Hence, Vialle's anger at him (and me) for Random not realising that she was not Vialle. My "mother" had declared, after the deed was done, that her child (me) would take the throne of Amber, etc, etc. And Random, to show that he was not afraid of her, or me, declared me heir. Why? Why? Why? Men are so strange at times.
Jordan decided to call his father - Eric - the former King, who seems to be dealing with his grief by killing every Chaosian that he comes across. Maybe this is a fmaily trait. Jordan used Cassandra's Trump cards to do this.
We made camp, and went to sleep.
I swear I had only closed my eyes for a minute when Random awoke me. The rest of the camp seemed to be asleep. He wanted to leave the camp before the rest woke up - as he thought something bad would happen to me/him in the morning. He thought that Vialle's killer may be after me next - to get to him. But, if it was my "mother" who killed Vialle, why would she want to kill me? Maybe Random has changed his mind as to who is responsible.
I feel better about the fact that my foster mother had not been unfaithful to my foster father, for they both loved each other dearly.
I left four of my beautiful and most brave little dragons to watch over the camp wen I left with Random. Random his trumps of places. You can step through trumps! This is most strange! Random took me to a village where he grew up. It is a very pretty place. It reminds me of home in happier times. He said that this is a very safe place.
" Father" seems a lot saner and much clearer in his thinking, but he most skillfully avoids telling me about what brought him back down to earth (so to speak). We then trumped to Amber, to his room in the Castle. The room no longer smells of blood, and has been cleaned. Random wants to kick Corwin off the throne in the morning, and get abck to being a King. He doesn't want to let anyonek now that he is back, so it means not having any food tonight. But, still, I get to sleep in a bed, and under a roof. And that is a luxury. Random has a spare room linked to his main room. I shall be sleeping there.
Two of my dragons have come in to report! Clever dragons! They gave a most comprehensive report, but the gist of it was that: Eric (although, curiously, the dragons called him 'the man who called himself Eric' instead of 'the man called Eric'. Curious.) turned up at the camp wanting to see Random. Is this who Random was trying to avoid? For some reason, Cassandra and Eric were not happy to see each other. ANd Jordan spoke a little with his father. Eric told themn all to go back to Amber. The dragons said that Eric smelled bad. Eric left, and my cousins (in the midst of changing scenery) went on their way back to Amber. I seem to have a new cousin. His name is Taliesyn. He literally dropped out of the air with Fiona and landed on top of her. Cassandra's trumps again? They landed in front of Cassandra on her horse. Fiona then vanished, and everyone had a good giggle. I hope Fiona doesn't hold grudges for too long.
Two sleeps later for my cousins, and they returned to Amber. They and my dragons saw Corwin on the throne, with Fiona sitting on a second throne. Eric walked into the throne room with Benedict and Julian. Eric proclaimed himself King. Corwin was thrown into the dungeons, and Fiona made herself scarce. Caine was returned amidst the feasting. Everyone then slept again.
The next day, my cousins Jordan, Gabriel and Taliesyn looked at the Pattern. Jordan and Taliesyn left, and Gabriel then walked the Patten to go to where the ripples are coming from. He was very tired at the end of the walk. Cassandra pained a trump of Jordan. I wonder how she does that.
The dragons say that they are now asleep, as I should be. I think I shall tell Random about Eric before tomorrow.
Father has told me that he will be portraying himself as a madman again - and I was not to be worried. I told him about Eric on the throne. He wanted to know how I knew this. I did not tell him. I hope I get away with it.
I went down to breakfast this mornign to find my father chained with a collar around his neck to Eric's chair. I do not like this. Gabriel has return from his little trip "to where the ripples are coming from". I wonder what he found. I took father some breakfast. Everyone seems to be ignoring the madman drooling at the end of his chain. He plays the part well.
After a rather uncomfortable breakfast, I met Taliesyn (my cousin from Rebma, son of Llewella) and we went to see Cassandra's trump painting of Jordan. She was still on the roof. Strange how my cousins arrived in Amber before I. Jordan spoke with his father, Eric.
We discovered that the lady we had though was Bleys' wife was actually his daughter, and Cousin Randy is actually the son of Brand, who is apparently dead.
Eric and Fiona (with my father chained drooling to his chair) held court in the breakfast room. The problem with the Pattern is linked to Dworkin. Gabriel said that Dworkin was seeing a woman, and was most besotted with her. Gabriel suggests that we all go and find Dworkin, and see if we can ruin his love life. We shall go with more preparation, this time!
We all left through Garden Arden - formerly known as Forest Arden. It has recovered from Julian's rampage against the topiaries and hedges. There are manicured lawns, garden gnomes, and butterflies. We got routed through Garden Arden by butterflies. Sad but true. They descended upon us. We couldn't see. Someone screamed (Gabriel), someone drew a sword (Jordan), and we all bolted. Brave are we!
Gabriel is "driving". We ended up in a huge thunderstorm, and at a seedy inn. (With Gabriel driving, I should not be surprised!) Gabriel and Cassandra were bickering with each other again. Cassandra and I were preparing a shelter for the horses against the storm. The guys went in. The woman that Dworkin is going goofy over is Gabriel's mother, and, as we found out, is also the owman known as 'The Captain' - Cassandra's mother! There was much shocked silence and recriminations. Dworkin and female companion ignored us. Dworkin smiled at her, and the inn disappeared and the rain stopped. I thinki we have found our problem child!
We tried shifting shadow towards the solution, but we ended up back with Dworkin and co. (Her name, we think, is Cynthia.) Gabriel called Fiona with Cassandra's cards. Fiona stepped through, and started a psychic battle with Cynthia. Gabriel tried approaching Cynthia with the most deceitful book, but got flung back by her. Horsemen approached. It turned out to be our Uncles (and Fathers).
Dworking just sat back and watched the battle between Fiona and Cynthia. He must be really spaced out. I got my father to throw a rock at Cynthia. The distraction helped to rally Fiona, but she started to fail again. Cynthia must be really strong! Cassandra approached Eric and Said something to him. He backhanded her, which cuased Caine to draw his sword at Eric, which made Jordan aim his bow at Caine. Shit they are fast! My father, Random, is abck to normal. But Eric seems to have a problem with his eyes. They sort of go unfocused every so often.
Jordan shot an arrow at Cynthia, which distracted her, and she then disappeared. Fiona fainted. She is in a really bad condition. Nearly all the male Elder Amberites seemed to recognise Cynthia. I had a chat with my father. It seems that Cynthia is a very powerful Chaosian shape shifter. She is also my mother. I now have a brother and a sister.
We all made our way back to Amber.
Me dragons - who had a wonderful time with the butterflies at Garden Arden - gave me a report. They said the one called Random and the one called Eric spoke togther. The one with Power (Cynthia) is the mother to the daughter of the one called Random (that would be me), and the male child of the one called Eric (Jordan). So the one called Jordan is actually the child of the one called Cynthia, and not the child of the one that was called Eric's wife.
So, I now have two brothers and a sister. Cynthia has been very busy. I think she means to have a child of hers inherit the throne of Amber. She is very thorough. She is very powerful. I do not like this.
Breakfast was very informative this morning. Eric sits on the throne, with Father on the right, and Benedict on the left. I wonder what the situation really is? All the Elders are there, except, of course, for Fiona, who is understandably feeling unwell. Cynthia is, apparently, mother to all of "cousins" - even Taliesyn, though the imagination works overtime with that one! So, I now have several brotehrs and sisters. Different.
Gabriel and I were discussing the merits of the toast and other repast served at breakfast. We both seem to have the same problem of mssing out on meals. The talk then started to turn towards marriage, and my new brother started espousing some very negative things about woman, and their place int he world, and the role of marriage in general. I wonder what he is afraid of.
While Gabriel was "standing on his soap box", a hand tapped him on the shoulder. The lady was dressed in armour, and told him not to say such things again. The whole table stopped silent at her appearance. The armoured lady walked out, and Gabriel went to follow, but Benedict stopped him. Passingly strange, is it not? What is more strange is that the armoured lady is our Aunt Dierdre, who, apaprently, was killed about 13 years ago. At the same time that Oberon and Eric did. Eric? Eric is definitely alive, even if his eyes are a trifle unfocused at times. And Aunt Dierdre is definitely alive. This indicates that death can be transient with some of the Amberites. This is not an experiment I wish to undertake myself!
Talk returned to the table. "Sister" Cassandra and her father, Caine, left but returned later. Caine approached Father, and Random gave him a card. Cassie and Uncle Caine leave afterwards.
Taliesyn, Gabriel, and myself continued to breakfast, and discussed many things. Gabriel started to plead for the remaining toast on my plate. I do not think he realised that more hot toast would be coming forth from the ever-abundant kitchen. I gave him my cold toast, and took some more hot toast when it arrived. Patience is a virtue.
We were decided what to do for the day. Gabe and Taliesyn were keen on going whoring, but I have no taste for it, strangely. So I suggested a picnic, and maybe a train ride. Gabe and Taliesyn have never been to Shadow Earth. It should be an experience for them. We left to get things ready, making sure that we had plenty of food.
The train ride started out quite well. We got on the train in Shadow Earth, and made ourselves at home in a carriage. Gabe and Jordan bickered a bit. Then, two shudders ran through the train. Cassie looked out into the hallway, and saw a girl running towards her. When Cassie talked to her, the girl said her name was Margaret, and she was being chased by "them". Cassie tried to question her further, but no more information was forthcoming.
We hid her in the baggage rack. When the conductor came to collect the tickets, most of us were expecting something more. Gabe looked out of our cabin to see if "they" were coming. He came face to face with "them". The men in black suits and automatic weapons crowded around the cabin entrance. Once came in and demanded that we hane her over. I, at that point, did stand in front of the man with the very large automatic weapon and told him that it was rather impolite. He shot me. He was trigger happy, and further gunfire ensued. I don't remember anything else.
We were sitting in the cariage, and two shudders shook the train. We were all alive. I remember being shot. It was unsettling. Cassier got up and grabbed the girl as she was running down the hallway. Then she slammed the girl up on the inside door of the cabin, and asked why she was being chased by gangsters. The girl had no memory of being killed and was rather shaken that we knew her name. We decided to run. Unfortunately, we were in the second last cariage. We tried to shift Shadow, but nothing happened. The men in black caught up with us again. We died again.
We were sitting in the carriage. Cassuer had Margaret yo against te door. We decided to get a little more pro-active with this whole "gangsters with guns" thing. They left Margaret with myself and Taliesyn. Cassie raced to the front of the train, mugged the ticket collector, and took his uniform. Jordan and Gabe followed soon after. There was a fight.
Taliesyn, Margaret and I went to the back of the train. Someone pulled the emrgency brake. We impacted with the train. It hurt. Margaret was knocked unconscious. We dragged her to the outside of the train and sat on the roof. If the bad guys came, I was ready to give them the troublesome girl. This was supposed to be a QUIET train ride.
Jordan, Gabe and Cassier came to the back of the train. We left the stationary train, and started to flee across the plain. A large number of army helicopters on the horizon were rapidly approaching us. It so made us change our minds and head back to the train. (That, and there was nowhere to hide out there.)
Cassier raced up towards the engine room of the train, and convinced the passengers that they should disembark until the small problem was solved. We hid ouselves amongst the milling passengers. Cassie stole the train. We made our way across the arid countryside, and walked forever. We found an oasis. (Shifting Shadow didn't seem to work.) Cassier trumped through to the oasis, stepping through the trump again. Most bizarre.
Margaret was unconscious. She had twelve thousand dollars in her pocket. Cassie proceeded to read Margaret's mind. I wonder if I can do that?! I had managed to calm her down like you do a horse.
It seems that Margaret's father was in debt. Margaret had taken the money to free her lover from jail. He was imprisoned on a small matter of murder. Her father had sent the mobsters to reclaim their money, and knock off his faughter. Nice family.
We were all ready to red ourselves of the problem child, when Cassie declared that Margaret was her ward. And that was the end of that matter. Cassie had decided to try something. She got us all to join hands, andshe stared at one of her trumps. We got sucked through the trump. It was most unpleasant! After what seemed to be an age of falling, we were back in the carriage, sitting as we were. The ticket collector was knocking on the door. We have him our tickets. The gangsters came in after that. We gave them the girl's money, and Gabe and Cassuer spun a rather credible story of how the father had set this all up, and the girl was an innocent victim. The men took their money, and left. The train suddenly shuddered, and we saw them walking off into the nowhere across the plain.
Very, very, very, very strange.
The rest of hte hourney passed uneventfully. Happiness at last! There was much food and sleep. I was content. We got off the train at the journey's end, ensconsed the ward in an expensive hotel, and were called back to Amber by Fiona. She pulled us through in the normal way.
We entered castle Amber and were greeted with the sight of Random and Eric having a sword fight in the throne room.
Shit. Maybe they are just having a training bout?
Well, it looks serious! It is definitely not a training bout. Eric has the upper hand. My father seems to be mainly defending.
Dierdre and Crowin are at the back of the throne room. Plotting togther, perhaps? But, knowing Corwin, maybe he is just plotting to get her into bed. Caine is smirking to himself, looking as if he is trhe cause of this, as usual. There are people here who I do not know, and there does not seem to be anyone that I could ask, and trust getting a straight answer. I see Uncle Julian standing and watching Random and Eric fight. I make my way over to him. Maybe he can tell me what has caused this.
As I get to him, he gives me a smile, and puts a companionable arm around my shoulders, and tell me "not to get my hopes up". What is he talking?? Does he think Random will not make it? Does he main I will not be able to run away? I am not comfortable with this!!
I try to subtly disengage Julian's arm. It is not going to happen. He will not let me go. Caught! Bad! Bad!
Eric still seems to have the upper hand, but my father rallies. Almost simultaneously, they both lunge and run each other through the heart! Noooooooooooooooo! They both faill to the groun. There is blood everywhere, and Julian will not let me go to my father! I am, needless to say, distressed by this!
Jordan, may the Powers bless his soul, goes to help both of them. But his medical knowledge is not enough. Aunt Fiona trumps them away. SOmewhere. Where?! I hope my father survives! And there is a moment of silence.
Fiona declares Jordan for the throne. Yes!! Thank the Powers that be!! Jordan was declared heir to the throne! Happiness!
Unfortunately, the turn of events are not to go my way. Dear Unvle Julian - Uncle Julian who, from all reports, has never involved him with the whole "who belongs on the throne" thing - dear Uncle Julian, kept a good hold on me for a reason. He steps forward with me in tow, and declares me for the throne. Nooooooooooooooo!!! My struggling is to no avail! I can not get free from him!
Corwin, amidst my failed bid for freedome, declares himself for the throne, and says that Jordan and myself are mere children. (I'll agree with that!) Unfortunately, no one rushed forward to back up his claim. Darn. Corwin leaves the room. Lucky things! I wish I could get free!
I receive a trump contact. I accept it. Oh, foolish, foolish me! For my trouble, I get a killer headache. I can not even stand. The pain is too much. It feels like someone is using a fork to sort through my brain. Ow! Ow! Ow! Hurties! Hurties!
And then the pain stops. Relief. I think I shall lie here a bit, and enjoy the cessation of pain.
This is what I was told happened:
Julian let go of me when I started doing my little migraine trick, drew his sword, and then ran it through Aunt Fiona's throat. The pain in my head stopped, (I stopped screaming) and Fiona collapsed to the ground. Gabe went to check on Fiona, and Jordan came to check on me.
I return to the world of the living and the lightly headachy (Oh, darn, I am still in Amber.) and get another trump contact. No! I will not get caught a second time! I refuse it. It gets very persistant. I used my little trick I learned at the monastery, and used my focus word of "binky". I wish I had been more coherent and used it in a sentence. It would have been a trifle more subtle, instead of just screaming it out loud.
Jordan gets a trump contact while he is fussing over me. Cassier pulls us through - her way, of course. She faints when we get out of her trump. It must take a bit of mental oomph.
We go to the Pattern room. It is the quickest way out, and the two of us should be able to take Cassier, who is still unconscious, through the Pattern with us. Unfortunately, the best laid plans of fleeing Amberites...
Corwin blocks the entrance to the Pattern room, with sword in hand. This is not good. He wants us to swear that we will never return to Amber on pain of death, else he will kill us now. In the past, I would take up such an offer not to return to Amber. But now, I do not think it is a good thing. Random is posisbly still alive (else, why would Fiona bother to trump out dead bodies?)and I owe him, if only for pulling my sorry carcas from commiting further atrocties in the name of war and revenge. Corwin wants us to swear for Cassuer as well. I do not think so.
Jordan and myself have a rather futile conversation, ignoring Corwin. He just has this really disgusted expression on his face, like he would really rather not have to deal with us "children" at all. I do not think I have any hope of getting past him. He would be way too fast. I turn to Jordan, and give him the sorry expression. Then I run like a rabbit for the gates of Castle Amber.
They can't fight over who gets to be king or queen of Amber if there are a couple of us puppets missing. I hope Jordan has the sense to run. Cassier has her father to look after her, and, last I saw, Corwin was eyeing her off.
I ran into the courtyard, founs a horse, and went as fast as the poor beast could go to the forest Arden. (It is back to normal!) And then, hopefully, to escape off into a Shadow somewhere. Anywhere would be better than here. I fet to the forest edge. There is a large black horse there. Morgenstern. Julian's horse. It seems to be able to stop my horse in its tracks. I try my damnedest to get it to go past, but it cannot.
Jordan seems to have stopped trying to reason with Corwin, and has followed with a horse. He does not have Cassie. I get off and start running. Follow the path. Fun like a rabbit. The storu of my life.
I can hear Jordan running behind me, and I can hear hoof beats as well. I run faster. If I have to, when they are almost upon me, I will jump off the path. But, until then, I run.
The stangest thing happened. The sound of hoof beats faded, and I saw The Old Man WIth the Bow on the path. I apologised for not stopping, as I was in a abit of a hurry, and kept going. I saw The Old Man with the Bow on the path again. I stopped. (It only took me two goes this time.) I ask the Old Man With the Bow if there's something I could do for him. He will have me trained yet! The Old Man with the Bow smiled. He said he was looking for a child - a girl, who was once very brave. She had pigtails. He wished to find her. I told him I was being chased, to which he replied that it no longer seemed to be the case. He was right. I seem to be in the same place that we saw him before. Novel.
I go to look for the child.
I seem to be looking for myself as the child. I can see her on the distant hill. She looks very much like me when I was 10. The Old Man with the Bow is messing with my mind. I walk to catch up with her. The child is playing on the next hill, but she looks older. She is still ahead of me. Every time I try to catch up with the child, who is getting older with each hill, she manages to get ahead of me.
The child (myself?) is heading on to 16 years of age. I don't want to follow. For me, it was not a good time in life. The look of the girl is changing. The long hair is gone. She is lean and angry. My heart breaks.
I stop on the hill behind the girl. I stop to eat (my satchel contains bread and fruit from my last meal - just a little habit that I seem to have picked up.) and I can see the chilod. She starts to fight people who are not there. I cannot sit and watch. I run down the valley to get to the other hill. I catch up with the girl. The people that she was fighting are no longer there. She is very wary and afraid, and she starts to move away from me as I approach. She is hungry. I know that look.
I offer her some bread. She is unsure. I offer it to her again, and step forward. She moves away, down the valley. I follow. I am stopped by The Old Man with the Bow. He is happy that I have found the "child". He wants to reward me. Last time he did that, we ended up with the "tell all" diary. I tell him that it is not necessary. He smiles at me, and leaves.
I am left standing on a grassy hill, with nothing in sight except other grassy hills. I must consider what has just happened. I am confused, and feeling more than a little unsettled. I get some break out of my satchel. There is a trump card in there. It has a picture of myself?! Fighting people who are not there! Now I am really confused! What is this for?
And then, to keep me completely off-centre, Gabe appears out of nowhere. How did he find me??
Gabe, it seems, has not had an uneventful time, either. It seems that after Aunt FIona had her run in with Uncle Julian's sword, Gabe had gone to help her. (A most unusual activity hor him, if previous records are any indication.) She used his mind as a trump/teleport battery. Most unusual! Gabe seems... different, somehow. Is she in his mind? It seems that AUnt FIona got healed and when she had recovered, she sent Gabe to me. How did she know where I was? Nowhere is safe! (Paranoia rules!) Gabe and I were talking about our little educational experiences. Gabe has experienced technology. I think he enjoyed it.
Somehow, Gabe and I got to talking, (it is good to have a sibling again) and Gabe is convinced that Uncle Benedict can help us. How, I am not sure. But I do not know the man as well as Gabe does. Maybe he could suggest a way of sorting this whole throne thing out which doesn't involve me being on the throne or deceased. And maybe he can find where my father is. If he is still alive. Then again, Gabe may be setting me up in the most horrendous way. A little bit of trust can go a long way. I do hope it is not misplaced.
Well, we are on a ship in nondescript disguises, heading for Amber. I really don't like this. Gabe has deifnitely changed. He is kinder; less forward. I don't know. He said that getting shot made him re-asses his life. I wonder if Fiona had anything to do with it?
While on the ship, my dragons found me. The ones I sent to watch Uncle Julian and Uncle Benedict.
Julian has seen them! I can't believe it! How could he have seen them?! And they TALKED to him! About me! Aaaarghh!
He must have spotted them when they were hunting for bugs. Of all the people I thought would discover them, I did not think of Uncle Julian. And that is what you deserve for underestemiating an Elder Amberite.
They brought me some very interesting, and most unfortunate, news. It seems that Gabe's ever-so-impartial Uncle Benedict (much the same way that I thought Uncle Julian was impartial) has been talkgin to dear Uncle Julian, and our dear Uncles have come to the rather horried conclusion that both Gabe and myself should be on the throne. Together. This news is in the realms of very, very bad things.
When I told Gabe, he was horrified. And rightly so. Unfortunately, his next question was where I had gotten my information from. Darn.
I cannot lie. It is a skill that I am going to have to become very good at in a very short time. I tried to pass off my dragon's reports as "women's intuition". It did not work. He wanted to know who my informants where, and if they could be trusted. I really wanted to tell him, but I do not know if FIona is in his mind or not. I don't even know if it can be done, and the only one who could tell me is missing. So Gabe had to be satisfied with the fact that I had a source of information.
The book (it was Gabe's suggestion) tells that the whole change in his personality is as Gabe said it was: a re-look at his life. It seems that this is a time for trust in a small way.Gabe said that is wastrel outlook was also a cover (mostly). He can fight very well, it seems. (Why else would Benedict spend time with him?) I still could not tell him about the dragons.
Gabe was VERY disappointed when I told him that I could not fight. The words "wet paper bag" were used. He was busy recalculating our chances after that. They do not look good. I can't run from a boat.