Into The Woods (Mint, the Kier)

Fiona looks again at the twins.

"Did Eric himself hand you these cards? Or did he leave them for you? With someone? Or in a location? Was there a message? Written or oral? Did you personally ever see him with these unusual Trumps?"

"We have personally never seen him at all. To our knowledge, our mother only saw him the one night. Though, I imagine it was really more like a week or two."

"Grandfather left us those cards. No note, just the cards themselves. We've been trying to find more clues from them."

Fiona's eyebrows actually fly up. Julian stares at them a bit more intently. He shares a glance with Mint.

"The question then comes up--are you Eric's children at all?" Fiona manages to sound cruel and sympathetic at the same time. She looks at Mint. "What do you think?"

"These Trumps came from somewhere," says Julian. "And they include Nexus. That narrows the list down a bit--and does include Eric."

Mint speaks carefully as if giving a report to an exacting professor. "Their conformation does nothing to exclude the possibility of such ancestry, assuming that they have the blood at all. It seemed particularly odd to me that their bloodworms, regenerative symbiotes, could survive the family constitution. The obliteration of their home shadow closes off a number of investigative options. To the best of my ability to judge they believe their story."

"The totality holds together or falls apart with the cards. If Prince Eric spent only a night or a few weeks then how would he know the twins even exist and why would he leave such an odd deck? Find the provenance and we have a touchstone on the truth."

Taking a hand from Kierenne's shoulder and leaning over that side.

"Since it appears our heritage is unable to be proven, the only way to gain acceptance here is through actions. Unless there is a way one amongst you is able to tell who's truly a child of Amber or who's dalliances have spawned whom, that is the only path we are able to pursue."

Kierenne nods agreement. "From what stories Grandfather tells us, even if we were proven to be blood, that doesn't mean we're friends of Amber. The more important question than our ancestry is our steadfastness. The way to prove our ancestry is to walk the Pattern. Yet if we survive, and prove to be enemies, you have just empowered us. So, first decide if you may trust us. Once decided, allow us to prove our ancestry. Or die trying."

Julian gives a little shrug. "I agree with Mint. These are genuine Trumps and so I'm inclined to accept them as at least possible relatives. And the King's policies are fairly clear."

Fiona looks at everyone briefly, as if considering what cards to play in a game of chance. Then she picks up the red unicorn card, the formal portrait. "Very well. But first, a test. We need to know who this person might be, after all. If you will excuse me." Before she can focus on the card, Julian takes a single step towards her. "Should anything happen," he says, "I stand ready to assist you."

She barely acknowledges this but instead focuses upon the strange Trump. After several moments of sustained concentration, she puts in down. "No answer." She tries the same with the second portrait of the young woman. Several moments pass. "Still, nothing." She looks at the Fier. "I never knew Eric to make Trumps. However, if he did, I find it impossible he would have done so of a casual acquaintance. Whoever this may be, her importance seems clear if uncertain." From the way she stares at the card, Fiona seems to be memorizing the strange young woman's features.

"Well," she says finally, placing the card down on the table. "I believe these are yours? Likewise I believe a journey to Amber itself is in order."

"I agree," says Julian softly.

Kierenne claps her hands softly together, but restrains the happy squeal she could feel rising to her lips.

"Yes. Let's to Amber. I want a room that can see the sky. It's so huge and empty."

Feeding off Kierenne's joy he echoes her words "To Amber, and the sights it shall behold."

Moving and taking the much bally-hoo'd deck, he returns it to the pocket of his robe.

He then catches Julian's eye, glances at the sword and bracer on the table, then back at Julian. His head tilts to a side, inquiring silently about the weapons.

Julian just nods.

Mint smiles warmly.

"Welcome to the family." She takes half a step forward as if to offer a handshake or hug then stops leaving the gesture incomplete.

Mint retrieves her cloth once the Kier recover their weapons, carefully folds it, and returns it to her saddlebags.

"To Amber indeed, but by which means? Trump provides the fastest route, but riding will give a most excellent view of Kolviir." I could offer my services as a guide, but I don't want to impose.

Mint seems slightly less stiff now that her duties guarding the twins have finished.

"I think Mint should accompany our guests," says Julian. "She has spent the most time with them and hence is best qualified to act as a kind of guide. At least initially."

"Trump is quickest," agrees Fiona, "but I feel Kieran and Kierenne could use a short journey to ask and answer questions. Besides, I know Random and Vialle will be grateful for the time to prepare some apartments for the two of you. So, carriage?"

Julian nods. "Oh, and while I think on it, I need to give Mint something." He gestures for her to follow him. He heads to what she knows to be his inner sanctum--a series of rooms that includes what might be called his office.

Kierenne rises and takes her sword back from the table. She adjusts the strap on the sheath and slings it over her shoulder, to allow for an overhand draw. Then she steps away from people and does a test draw, to make sure everything is seated properly. She does a few swings and blocks against empty air, ending with sliding the sword smoothly back into the sheath. {For those paying attention, this is done at Amber level of Warfare.}

"Fiona, who may or may not be my aunt, will you be joining us on the ride?" She finds herself fascinated with Fiona's hair, which is much more striking in its natural red than the pale white of marble.

{EDIT - I love this sword. So it's what Kierenne carries.}

"Definitely," is Fiona's reply. "Not a long journey, fortunately. Nor a perilous one, at least not when authorized. One thing you can say for Julian--he does take care of Arden, and does it well. I'm a little startled to see a trump leading here, actually. One wonders who made it and precisely why?"

"I would imagine having a quick route to a secure place filled with friendly soldiers, hounds, and a fellow child of Oberon would be quite useful for Father."

"But in that case, why not to the Lodge itself? Help would be far more immediately available. Or at least to a location much closer to the Lodge?" Fiona says all this smiling prettily, but with the (subtle) air of explaining basic arithmetic to a child.

David wrote:Julian nods. "Oh, and while I think on it, I need to give Mint something." He gestures for her to follow him. He heads to what she knows to be his inner sanctum--a series of rooms that includes what might be called his office.

Mint follows.

Reclaiming the bracer, it fits on Kieran's wrist, and is then cloaked underneath his robes.

He seems to be staring at Fiona, eyes darting for what seems changed in a face he recognizes.

"Shall we?"

Kierenne leans in closer to Fiona, and in a stage whisper says "What if Uncle Juilan were a traitor? Father wouldn't want to trump into the middle of his camp."

Once alone with Mint, Julian turns and speaks. "What I'm about to tell you must remain confidential. To the point where you must not volunteer this information to anyone so long as you believe I am alive--and that includes Random. If Random himself asks, I know better than to believe you would disobey him. But if I tell you what I know, you must agree to tell the King I asked you not to reveal it--and that I request he honor my wishes. Is this clear? And do you agree?"

Fiona actually giggles at Kierenne's suggestion. "I think you underestimate Julian's imagination--as well as his rational and self-centered reasons for loyalty to Eric."

"Perhaps. I've only just now met the man, though. I can hardly speak to his motivations."

Kierenne takes her brother merily by the arm, and then gestures with a bow and a flourish towards where she assumes the carriage is. "Come Lady Fiona, Amber awaits. Adventure awaits. And probably dinner."

As they walk, she prods, "And what of yourself, Auntie? What are your motivations? Why would, or wouldn't, you have betrayed our supposed father?"

"Eric was fine," Fiona says, not taking a step. "He actually made quite a good King for a few years. Amusingly, even Corwin seems to think so. Now."

{Reminding myself that the characters won't have read Corwin's first-person accounts of events.}

"Corwin was the one who tried to usurp the throne? Wasn't he killed during the war?"

In step with his twin, "Something happened that caused that Black Road to cause havoc in Shadow. We knew Father was King, but not who deposed him."