Into The Woods (Mint, the Kier)

Mint shares a look with Fiona.

After a time, Kierenne growls and slams the back of her own forarm into the edge of the window, a move that might break a bone in a lesser being.

"Stupid! We're IN Amber; there's no casting of shadows here. No wonder it wouldn't work. I would have to turn around and leave before I can finish crafting the spell."

She looks up and sees that the scenary is much changed, and looks around at her various kin in the carriage. "Oh, um. Lord Nymon? He was Grandfather's chief aggrecultural sorcerer. He worked on the sunlight spells, but his true genius was in creating self-perpetuating spells. Others might get brighter lights than he, but his would last... well... until the world was destroyed, at least."

"I had many tutors growing up, to learn the fundamentals. Nymon was more of a correspondent. He and I worked on some advanced projects I'd set for myself, but it was all just conversation. Sometimes he'd give advice, or just suggestions on how to break down the problems for better approach."

OOC - I'm just doing stuff to fill the time. If there's any actual plot that needs advancing before we show up and start chapter 1, please go ahead and roll over me.

"I also grew up around sorcery." Like fish grow up around water. "If you ever want to consult we might each learn something from the other."

Mint grows thoughtful for a moment.

"What did you mean when you said you preferred my hair in red? You acted as if you recognized me when we first met."

OOC:As a player I don't worry about plot. I play my character and plot happens or it doesn't. As long as we're having fun I say continue chatting IC until everything else has reached the starting point.

OOC - As long as the GM knows he's supposed to interrupt our conversation with his silly "plot" now and then, we'll be fine.

"Oh, I've seen your face somewhere before. Only it was a sketch, I think? Just white for the face and the hair. The real thing is much prettier. We had Father's trumps to show us his generation; they're all in color, by an excellent hand. Everything else we know of the Court of Amber was much less exact."

Mint blushes slightly at the compliment.

"Have you seen sketches of any others of our generation?"

"Some of them. They were frustratingly without names, though."

"Easy enough to put names to faces. You describe a sketch and I will try to provide a name."

By now the carriage is well and truly inside the harbour city, traveling via one of the main roads. Many of the larger buildings are white-washed, with tile roofs in a variety of colors. Blue and green seem most common. Placards proclaiming the name or purpose of many an establishment move in the wind, depending on size and weight. Parks dot some of the hills, while many taverns and private homes seem to have walled gardens, often with trees. For that matter trees dot the city. Most people seem dressed in a style rather like that of Europe's Renaissance. Now and then, however, those aboard the carriage can spot some figures who look quite strange. A group of pale women in transluscent veils reaching their ankles, each with a servant carrying a what looks like an umbrella against the sun. Grey-skinned men and women in what look like Arab robes but in all pastels. One thin young man nearly twelve feet tall leaning on a staff, smiling and followed by laughing children.

Soon enough they approach the wrought iron gates that mark the carriage road up to the Castle.

"Oh, perhaps we will meet some of them shortly? I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise. But after we are introduced around, I will try to draw you the others I can remember. We'll make a game of it."

OOC - Also, the GM hasn't told me exactly who I have or haven't seen scetches of, so I'm avoiding answering.

EDIT - I have the list now. But lets still make a game of it.

"Yes, a game sounds fun."

Even Mint finds the sights and sounds of the city distracting.

"I think I could spend a century in this city and not see every wonder." Mint sighs contentedly.

"If either of you have any questions before we arrive best ask them soon. I will try to answer."

"Oh, I wouldn't know what to ask. What's that?" says Kierenne, pointing at what, to her, seems like an amazing mansion. But is probably more like a modest middle-class dwelling.

"That? Just a residence."

"As to questions, you will learn the art of choosing the right ones. That, gossip, and swordsmanship constitute the families non-powered specialties. For now you might want to know what happened when I came to Amber, why I gave Random my oath, or even how can you make an extremely effective pain spell?"

"Oh. Oh yes, I would like to hear those things. The spell interests me the most, but I think in the current context, we would like to hear more about King Random, and how we might be able to convince His Highness to take us in, even provisionally so that we might prove our worth."

"If my experiences serve as any guide, Random will want to know your intentions. He has declared a desire to bring family members together so he will likely not ask for much of anything. He won't allow you access to the Pattern beyond viewing it until he knows you better. He will almost certainly grant you rooms and some status. He may or may not allow you some portion of your inheritance from Eric depending on how he views the strength of your claim. He will certainly find you work if you ask for it."

Mint strokes her chin.

"Don't mistake his easygoing manner for weakness. He can afford his gentility. He rules the greatest land in existence and he has the greatest general, Benedict, to back him. Show him respect and you will do fine."

[Sorry for the lack of IC posting, RL's done icky things to me at my job, getting my head back in the game]

Kieran nods "Whatever we may do to serve the King and Kin."

"Heh. Intentions. We just want somewhere to belong. What do we care for inheretance? Walk in shadow and pick up diamonds or gold from the ground. Find a peole to worship us as worm-infested gods. And for all that, we would be insignificant to the greatest land in existence or it's general."

"But what would be the purpose? That's what we lack. We hope Amber can give us purpose. Otherwise, we're just trying to fill eternity with hobbies."

"Can you walk through shadow? Its no secret that I have not yet traversed the Pattern so I can't exactly walk between worlds. I can make my way world to world one spell at a time or use a Trump handily enough, but that isn't quite the same."

Were Fiona a cat, her ears at this point would be rising. She listens to every single word spoken. Every. Single. One.

"We are allegedly the scion of Eric of Amber. The Pattern is in our blood; all of shadow is open to our desires." Mint notices Kierenne's eyelid wink closed behind the mask as this is said.

GM Decision if Fiona notices the wink.

"Fascinating. I can see that I will have to keep an eye on you cousins. You are full of surprises."

"The Kier are open books, ready to answer any questions with little or no shame." Realizing how close the conversation is coming to her previous faux pas, Kierenne quickly changes the subject. "However, I believe you promised us the story of your arrival and your promise to your king?"

"I offered, but did not promise. Still we have time to pass in this conveyance and I would not rescind my offer so quickly."

Mint smiles.

"I arrived with a bit less fanfare than the two of you. I had made my way across shadow by the slowest of means as I had no Trumps. And those adventures, while interesting in themselves, do not seem jejune to this narrative. I approached Amber herself as a hired guard with one of the caravans that occasionally wind their way through the less dense fringes of the Arden. Given the watchful eye of the rangers, we passed an uneventful journey although I know now what sort of things invade that forest from the depths of Shadow and I understand why the caravan master gladly hired me that day."

She grows thoughtful.

"My wages paid for room, board, and the occasional mug for those who would speak of the royals and the recent war. In less than a week I befriended a stranger who proved most helpful. When I let slip to my 'friend' that I had the blood, she said she could arrange a meeting with one of the family. Of course my 'friend' failed to mention that the Amberite in question employed her and had tasked her as my minder. Can you guess which elder I saw when I came to that meeting?"

With a chuckle, Kierenne waves towards Fiona. "It must be this one, or you'd not have asked."

"Aunt Fiona, how did you know she had arrived... wait." She turns back to Mint, "I'm sorry, I'm interrupting. Please continue."

"It scarcely counts as an interruption when I asked you a question, but no I did not find Aunt Fiona there. I would have found that far more comforting than coming face to face with the man who I had only recently learned had killed my father."

I practically wet myself, but no need to share that factoid.

"None of the scenarios that went through my mind played out. Instead we spoke, civilly, even almost cordially. He warned me not to trust him and instead to confirm anything he told me by speaking with others. And he told me his own version of events. We parted ways that evening not as friends, but as less enemies than we might have. I spent the next weeks speaking to anyone and everyone I could who had known my father or seen his end. Eventually that led me to meet with his Royal Highness, King Random. The King dismissed his guards from the room and then spoke freely of my father. He advised me to treasure my memories of my father forever, but to decide for myself what sort of person I would become and not to let family or familial enemies define me."

Mint looks a bit wistful.

When the scribes returned I swore three formal oaths that day. I gave up my right of vengeance against Caine. I gave up any claim to the throne of Amber now or in the future. And I gave my fealty to King Random."

Mint almost stops there then adds, "Some might see my choices as a betrayal of my father, but I see them as honoring him. I have refused to perpetuate the sort of feuds that led to the war in which he died. I work to restore his good name. And I serve the divinely chosen King of the land that he loved."

"If your father was killed by Caine, then you must be Brand's get. Oh my. I don't envy you that moment, cousin. I would be quite distraught, were it me in that place." Careful, girl. Do not speak o'ermuch of your being distraught. Move past that.

"Though, I'm curious why you gave up your claim to the throne? It's not like Amber's laws of succession are so cryptic; our own Father's blood was claimed illegitimate by some, and yet he ruled with the consent of others. The current king should be after everybody in this carriage, as we are all from elder bloodlines of Oberon than he."

"Honestly, it seems that other than claiming some descent from Oberon, and having the backing of those who choose stability over legal nuance, or possibly some mythic unicorn, and just about anyone may claim the throne. By that light, perhaps you are 20th or 30th in line for the throne, but if something were to happen to those 20 or 30... would you let Amber founder because you had wanted King Random (who, for the sake of argument, is dead when you have to choose) to trust you in his guard?"

"But, I agree that your actions honor your father, not betray him. As a Son of Amber, he lived in service to the Kingdom. However he might have strayed from that path," and here she holds up her hand to forestall any implication of giving insult to Brand, "I myself can speak only of vague rumors I have heard of what happened at the end, that he killed Dierdre and Corwin's son, was himself killed by Caine, but he saved some weapon from the agents of the Courts, so that Benedict could strike down the Courts' Champion. But be that as it may, a whole life spent in service to the kingdom and throne of Amber, and always the potential to be called to sit the throne. What a glorious life that must have been, and a great legacy for you to continue."