On The Good Ship 'Hippogriff' (Triton, Mint, Aiden)

"You know the lady. I do not. And there are others I must contact right now. I leave that to your discretion. As I recall, the closer you get to Uberwald the greater the time distortion from Amber. Nothing too extreme, just things being a little out-of-sync. Just a head's up. Will speak again with you soon." With that the contact with Benedict fades.

By now, a few scraps of land appear visible on the horizon. Barely. The Hippogriff sails towards none of them, for now.

Triton gives a little wave as the contact fades. Then he stands on deck for a while, watching the ships path, noting the land in the distance. After a bit he heads off to find Sister Mircalla and see if she is up for a little chat.

One of her guards stands at Sister Mircalla's cabin door. He nods politely and knocks on the door. Soon the princess' muffled voice says Enter. The guard then opens the door.

Sister Mircalla herself sits in one of two chairs in the cabin, hers beside a table where she has two books. One, closed but with several ribbon bookmarks, Triton recognizes as The Book of the Unicorn. The other, a much smaller tome, lies open. Another ribbon bookmark lying within the open pages.

"Your highness?" she asks politely.

Triton lets the guard close the door behind him before speaking.

"If you have a moment Sister, I would love to pick your brain. My family believes that you might have information that could guide me in my quest. So if you would be so kind. I would love to hear about the Prophecy at your shrine. They also believed that there was something concerning purple and gold that might be of help. Does that mean anything to you?"

Sister Mircalla gives Triton an unblinking look and gestures him to the second chair. "I've been reading about that very prophecy, as a matter of fact." She flips back several pages in the book before her, then reads aloud.

"The Twisted Man whose nature split
Betwixt the Unicorns doth sit
His face divided both hot and cold
Shining stars of purple and gold

Upon a rock betwixt all that’s real
This Twisted Man’s past concealed
Shall show the World some of the True
The past and present full of rue

High and round he shall ascend
To bring the bloodwar to its end
If star’s align and storms converge
Kingdoms shall lie on the verge

Three women, three choices and three gates
Three the ways to tempt the fates
Three truths alas that must be told
Or darkness for many shall take hold

But if he dies before the time
Then useless are these words and rhyme
If by violence his eyes are dimmed
Then Order itself shall feel the Grim."

Triton grabs some paper and copies the prophecy down.

"Well, that's the fun of prophecy, always cryptic and seldom helpful," he smiles, "I don't suppose you understand its meaning?"

"I was taught that to truly understand a prophecy before it takes place, one must almost certainly be a prophet oneself. However, scholarly debate on the meaning continues. Three common theories, for example, about the shining stars of purple and gold, are that The Twisted Man may own two jewels--possibly worn in a circlet--that he may have eyes of that color, or that his help shall reflect those two colors. Minority opinion include the idea this refers to a pair of children, probably daughters."

"Everything does seem to hinge on this Twisted Man, who might die before the events described in which case all bets are off. A bloodwar--best guess is some kind of conflict within a family. And the prophecy hints of many secrets coming to light. Plus three women, to my mind the most vague element in the whole work. Perhaps most intriguing are these three gates--three entrances? Three exits? To or away from where? Most presume that the Twisted Man must pass through three gates but I don't think that necessarily so, only that the three gates exist and that very existence--or perhaps knowledge of their existence--plays a part in events. Presumably somebody uses them, though."

"Interesting. Well there seems to be no shortage of family feuds and daughters in front of us. This prophecy could be talking about you or even Josette with the pair of daughters interpretation. As for the three women, I wonder if that could refer to the merewives. Although no one knows how many of them there truly are. Now for your three gates, those strike me as choices. Three paths to take, each leading us down a different future. There is no way that I am going to avoid this mess is there?" Triton smirks, "Is it really too much to ask for a prince to be left alone to sail the high seas and pursue ladies of fancy? Or maybe this is the curse of my blood."

Triton starts toying with the pearl bracer on his arm as his mind wanders over the possibilities of the prophecy.

"Some who study such matters," replies Sister Mircalla, "would say that once someone hears a given prophecy, then it shapes their future for good and ill. I presume you noticed Princess Josette's eyes? It might interest you to know Fernand's are purple to her gold."

Triton laughs, "Thank you for the warning Sister. But whether I heard the prophecy or not, trouble and adventure seem to have a gift for finding me. And I must say that Josette's and Fernand's eye colors are interesting. Is there some reason that you do not believe the prophecy is referring to them? Is that too easy? Or are there other equally intriguing choices?"

"Prince Triton, whether this is different for you I cannot say--but in Uberwald I'd never met anyone with purple eyes before Fernand. Nor gold until meeting Josette. Now your cousin Mint speaks of a man with eyes of gold and purple both. Of course I find such facts interesting."

Sister Mircalla blinks at his words. "Forgive me, Prince Triton, "she says after a moment, "but I am going to speak very freely at this moment. Perhaps this might strike you as presumptuous. Allow me to point out that you and I are in fact equals--both the children of reigning monarchs. That your imagination would immediately conjure incest as an explanation of some of these facts quite frankly convinces me your judgment can have no value whatsoever. When we reach Uberwald, I look forward to introducing your cousin Mint to my sister's beloved. I will request, however, that you not attend. This looks to be an important conversation. Lives of individuals and nations hang in the balance. My opinion--and I will frankly convey this to Fernand--is that your presence in such matters can have no positive benefit. Quite frankly, Prince Triton, this whole matter remains the business of adults. You have demonstrated quite clearly that fact precludes your participation. Kindly leave now."

Triton can't help but burst into laughter, "Equals," he hollers with joy.

It takes him a moment to recover from his laughing fit. He keeps a smile on his face as he stares into Mircalla's eyes. There is nothing friendly in the expression. The smile is clearly one of contempt.

"There is nothing equal about us tiny Sister. Your lineage and your people are insignificant to mine. You are but puppets of shadow. I trace my lineage to the one true city AMBER. My father is the champion of the Pattern Fall war. He created one of the most powerful symbols of order ever known to exist. I have walked the Pattern. I possess powers that you could never possibly comprehend. Yet you presume to compare us as equals. Understand that my brother's fondness for you is the ONLY reason that this conversation did not end another way. Now mortal, it's probably best if you remain in your cabin, the rest of the ride home might be bumpy," Triton finishes with the same evil smile.

He then turns and kicks the door as hard as he can. The hope is to blast it off of its hinges. But even breaking it up as it snaps open will do. Triton storms out and heads to the bow of the ship. He lets the Pattern come to his mind and slowly pulls the beginnings of a storm about. He wants to darken the sky and make the ocean choppy. Just enough to keep the boat shaking and uncomfortable for those aboard.

Over the course of the next two days, weather tosses the Hippogriff about. Everyone on board becomes most uncomfortable and of course the ship slows down.

[OOC - more details to follow as we see what happens with the other characters.]

(OOC- If possible I would rather the boat speeds up. Triton has had his fill with these people and he would just as soon be off the ship sooner rather than later. But with speed will come lots of bumps. )

The ship Hippogriff increases speed in the poor weather, taking advantage of the winds. The captain almost comes up and asks Triton about something, but then upon seeing the Prince's face, decides against it. A few hours pass. Pretty much everyone is uncomfortable.

Finally the Captain approaches Triton once more. "We're nearly at the Isle of Gont, Your Highness," he says. "Hardly another hour and the top of her mountains'll be in sight. Someone is meeting Sister Mircalla there, I understand, a royal party from Uberwald."

Before either the captain or the prince can say another word, a call goes out from elsewhere on ship.

"MAN OVERBOARD!"

Triton nods as the captain gives him the news about their arrival. He is about to shift the weather and allow the end of their Journey to brighten his mood and the skies, when he hears the call.

Rushing in the direction of the holler Triton looks over the side in an attempt to spot the over board sailor.

The ship's deck shows plenty of activity, not only the scurry of sailors doing their job amid the pitch and spray of poor weather, but the several crewmen are clearly scanning the waves for some sign. At least three rope ladders have been tossed off the side, tied up and secured. Standard operating procedure when Rebmans are aboard. Triton realizes at least three Rebmans probably jumped into the water after their crewmate.

Minutes pass. Finally, a head breaks the surface of the water. And another. And another. Together they drag/pull a slumped figure through the whitecaps back towards ship. Swimming against the powerful waves takes a little longer than usual. Once they reach the rope ladders, they haul the man up on deck.

Someone starts to try and revive the man once he arrives on deck. Two strong men begin to give what Triton once heard Corwin describe as "See Pea Are." One forces air into his lungs while the other tries to get his heart to start pumping again.

It doesn't work.

Sister Mircalla approaches the dead crewman. She emerged from below deck while they'd been trying to revive the drowned crewman. Dropping to her knees, she leans over and kisses the dead man's forehead. Her voice is just audible. "Rest now beyond all the trials of this life, sleep in the places prepared for the weary, travel beyond the circles of the world we know into love and light and peace. For death is not darkness but shade, not silence but quiet, and you do not leave but rather return." She then kisses the unicorn medallion she always wears about her neck.

Just then Triton again feels the tell-tale signs of Trump Contact.

Triton remains out of the way while the men work. He knows that his fellow Rebmans are more than capable in this situation. Once he sees the body being hauled up on deck, he brings forth the power of the Pattern and starts to calm the seas. Triton wants to examine the body, but he waits for Mircalla to finish her prayer before approaching. As she kisses her medallion, Triton takes half a step towards the man when he feels the pull of a trump call. For a moment he debates whether or not to take it, but the dead body can wait. Triton makes his way to the edge of the ships deck, away from the crew and the body.

Opening up the call, "Yes brother?."

"Very well. We've just lost a man and she was performing some kind of last rights. Let me see if she is finished."

Triton walks over to Mircalla.

"If you have a moment, Llyr has just contacted me via trump. He and another family member would very much like to speak to you about the prophecy."

If she accepts, Triton instructs her to touch his arm and allows her into the call.

Sister Mircalla merely nods. She places her hand upon his arm.

When Llyr indicates that Sister Mircalla is ready to speak with him, Fergus touches Llyr's arm and is linked into the trump call.

"Cousin Triton many thanks to you for making this contact possible. I am unsure if we will have much time to talk now, but would welcome the chance to meet you properly at some point in the future."

Formalities aside he addressed the lady in the trump contact.

"Sister Mircalla I apologise for disturbing you on your journey but Llyr has indicated to me that you may know more detail of the first prophecy about me that was made by the first Priestess of the Unicorn over a hundred years ago. I am quite anxious to hear it as there was a second prophecy made much more recently about me that saw to it that I was imprisoned all my life."

Fergus pauses briefly, almost memmerised by the swaying of the subjects in the trump, presumably by the rocking of the waves on the ship. He remembers his trip with Gerard on the ship to Amber and he does not envy them.

"I would welcome not only hearing the prophecy but anything else you could tell me about it."