House of Exile (Reena)

"Why would I lie?" she asks with a smile, "I don't doubt the power of the Trumps, but, you know, it is rare to see a reading that doesn't tell you anything you don't already know. Did the cards reveal anything you didn't know before?"

Reena collects the cards and places them back under the glass.

"I'll stay for a drink. I have already imposed on your hospitality too much today."

Fernand stands and gestures to the door. "This way."

Down the hallway is a spiral staircase. Its base four floors down opens up into a comfortable chamber with a large hearth. Before the hearth are several comfortable, high-backed chairs, each with a small but sturdy table beside. Along one wall stands a table with glass goblets and several class decanters, each with a small label identifying the liquid within. A nice selection--fruity wines, dry wines, dark wines, light wines. There are even apple, pear and orange wines.

He gestures to the goblets. "Please take your pick. And if it makes you feel safer, choose one for myself."

In the distance, a bell in the city somewhere still tolls. "I don't know if you've ever been to Fjordheim before now," says Fernand, taking a seat. "But that bell usually rings precisely once a year, on a completely different date. That it rang as you arrived seems to me something of an omen. Perhaps a very positive one, for us both."

"I can't say that I've had the opportunity to sample the wines of Fjordheim" Reena says while taking a look at the various bottles on display. She is not much interested in the wines, she had already decided to try the pear, but by pretending to show interest she had some time to think.

I can assume he isn't going to poison me with any of this. If he wanted me dead he could have tried it upstairs when his pet was around. So he just wants to talk. Probably doesn't get many visitors up here and if my reading was correct then he probably is in the hunt for allies. I'll stay a while and see what he has to offer.

Now this Fjordheim he mentioned. I vaguely recall hearing of it somewhere. Did Caine talk about it when I first came to Amber?

Reena pours herself a glass of the pear wine and takes a seat in one of the chairs.

"Bells, you say? I can't imagine any reason they would chime for my comings and goings."

"A long time ago," Fernand says, "a very pious woman had a vision of Amber's unicorn in a grove near here. Since then, on the anniversary of her sighting of that holy creature, those bells ring. The only other time they ring is when someone else sees the unicorn. It has been more than a century since the last time."

"I've heard mention of this unicorn but have never seen her myself - and certainly not in your home!"

She takes a sip of the wine and rolls it around her mouth. Bleys was wandering around with a Uni worshipper. Did they come across the old horse once I lost their trail? With all the other connections between this land and Grimm I've seen today that's probably what has happened. Bleys has probably charmed the thing by now and feeding it magic hay and running his hands through it's silky mane.

Wait! I remember now. I was walking with Aiden in the city and he was talking of Amber's trade with nearby shadows. Something about Fjordheim and a shrine to the unicorn. I should have been paying greater attention but there were too many large mansions with poor security on that road. Distracting to a girl of larcenous inclination.

"Your local shrine is well known in nearby lands. You must do good business trading with the poor saps who pilgrimage here.

But tell me, I had always heard that the Unicorn was white. Why do your cards portray her in crimson?"

Fernand smiles "Well, for one thing, I may live in Fjordheim, but this is hardly where I was born. For another, don't you think an entity of such power could be pretty much any color it wished?"

"Just so," is his answer. "We do not choose the unicorn's tincture, one way or another. As for your other question--yes, I've traveled a good deal and in the last decade or so more than usual. I've found Fjordheim a lovely place in many ways, well-situated, comfortable, the country Uberwald itself scenic in the extreme, and the friendships forged here of the strongest kind. You're a traveler yourself, obviously--have you ever found a place that seemed the home you never knew existed, a place in tune with your heart in a way no other place ever has been? So it was with me."

Uberwald! Yes that is what Aiden was discussing. Golden Circle land but a ways out from Amber.

"As you have surmised, I too have spent many a day wandering during the last few years and have had the opportunity to make my home in many a distant and sometimes bizarre location, but no place has truly won my heart compared to my homeland in Gupta; a place where mountains not unlike these here in Uberwald border endless dense jungle, large cities contrast with quiet farming villages, the divine sits beside the secular from the meanest slum to the greatest king's palace."

Reena sighs and stares into her wineglass for a moment. Caine, I sometimes hate you for taking me from my homeland and revealing the wonders of Shadow. Now when I return home I feel like an interloper and after a few days I'm restless and looking to escape out to a new world.

She quickly downs the rest of the wine in the glass. "Looks like I've finished this glass. Tme for another?"

"By all means." Fernand gestures, offering to get the wine himself. "More of the same?" Unless given a reason, he will fetch the same bottle as before and pour wine into Reena's glass.

"I happen to know precisely from whence you must have come," he says, "for the portal of the tapestry has but one origin point. A kind of cave system between worlds, one become home to various refugees in recent years. Your business there is your own. But when you came into my home, you recognized my deck of cards, called them things of power. About that I should like to learn more."

As he speaks, Reena feels the recognized-but-not-too-familiar sensation of someone attempting to contact her via Trump.

"Do you believe in coincidence?" Reena says after giving a nod of thanks for the refilled glass of wine. "Just one moment and I'll resume this interesting conversation."

Reena prepares to accept the incoming Trump call.

Probably rude to interrupt our conversation for this call but Shadow rulers can get so tiring.

The image of Bleys as she knows him--stylish beard, bright eyes, a smile on his lips--appears. "Reena! So glad you're okay! Mint tried to reach you earlier but something interfered with the call. Have you got a minute?"

Bleys looks puzzled. It occurs to Reena that in this case 'cleaning up' included growing a beard. "As long as you are well," he says, "I'll look forward to hearing from you."

"I'll get back to you shortly - in this shadow's time, that is.

And the beard suits you, much better than that ensemble you were sporting earlier. Good trick, that."

Breaking the Trump contact Reena returns her regard to Fernand.

"When you mix in the circles I do, you quickly become accustomed to dealing with Trumps. What I find interesting is how you came into possession of a deck, and a deck with your image on a card."

Fernand has fairly powerful eyes, but now that quality rises. He's staring at Reena more intently than he ever has before. "Some questions," he says after a fraction of a second, "go unanswered. For a variety of reasons. Will you be staying in Uberwald long? Do you need a place to stay?"

"I can not stay long, but I will return soon. These Trumps are so rarely used for mere social calls; I need to help solve a problem afflicting my people."

Reens gulps down the last of the wine in her glass, stands and prepares herself to leave the castle.

"I will contact you in the near future. If you would lend me your Trump card it will make our meeting happen sooner."

"Another time, perhaps" is Fernand's reply. He will graciously show Reena to the door, or more accurately to the long narrow courtyard. Beyond the gate, he points out two methods of reaching the city below.

"This is the road which winds its way down to the far end of the city. A few homes exist here on the southron heights and you might spot a carriage or delivery cart. Walking will take the better part of two hours. I can, if you wish, send you by carriage which takes perhaps thirty minutes to reach the same place. Or," he points to a path through some hedges,"a rock hewn staircase can take you very near the center of the city in forty minutes, directly."

"I'll take the road.

"We have much to discuss: the shadow path that leads into your tower, your lack of allies - maybe we can come to an agreement to alleviate that condition.

"'Till then," she says and heads out the courtyard and along the road own to the town.

By now dusk leaves little natural light, save for the stars and a crescent moon. Oak and chestnut trees like the road. Here and there Reena spots the gates to some great home, usually with some kind of light (torches, lamps) built into the structure. From said homes various lights shimmer forth to her right. On her left, the city of Fjordheim emits its own glow. The bell continues to chime.

It will indeed take hours to wind all the way down do the city, as the round eventually swings round to descend to the southern foothills. The closer she gets to those foothills, the more populous the road and the greater a noise level. Here, she soon finds, are the best of markets, catering to the best of locals. Main streets lined with shops under city lamps. Side streets leading to residential areas, more posh than most yet not on the level of the cliffs above. Dozens of tiny parks abound, some almost pristine, others falling to ruin.

She'll soon learn everyone is talking about another sighting of the Unicorn. Everyone disagrees on precisely how long it has been since the last (save it was over a lifetime past) and they disagree even more on what it means.

One of the parks has a stone wall, carved upon it a map of the city. Given its position so relatively near major thoroughfares as well the city's front gate as well as the port, Reena figures it is for the benefit of visitors.

Here is the Grove, wherein is the Shrine of the Unicorn.

There the royal castle, a domed building with three great towers surrounding it.

Over there the heavily armed front gates of the city itself.

While over here something dubbed Ambassador's Row.

And an intriguing area with the name Visitor's Quarter.

Nice town. Reena thinks looking about the city as she walks through. Reading the map she decides to head to the Ambassador's Row and see if there is an Amber residence in the area. Before she can head that way a rumbling from her stomach changes her plan.

Visitor's Quarter first. Find an inn, eat, and question the locals about the Unicorn.

During the walk to the Visitor's Quarter she finds a shadowed, quiet alley and pulls out Bley's Trump. Focusing on the card she looks to make a return call to her uncle.

Sure enough, Bleys appears after a few moments. He seems somewhere else, but the architecture behind him remains that of Castle Amber. "Reena! Good to hear from you again! Ever hear of a place called Uberwald?"

"You're there now? Excellent! Any reason you couldn't stay for a day or so at least? That way you can trump some people to Uberwald, people with what looks like a very important errand."