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

"You may ask all ten questions if you like--with consultation, naturally," answers Josette. "But if so, I will choose which five will be answered first. In fact, I think I must insist upon that. As for your other conditions--one is not within my power to grant. Captain Medraut is neither my slave nor my serf."

"Done," says Medraut simply. "One hour. Sure." The two glance at one another briefly, seeming to understand something between them. What, no one else seems to have any idea.

"The rest," says Josette, "are perfectly acceptable in my eyes."

Mint seems prepared to seal the deal, but glances at Triton for a moment to assure that he has no objections or additions.

Triton shakes his head slowly as he sighs heavily. He starts rambling, clearly talking mostly to himself.

"Either the fates are angry with me or my luck has finally run out. Let me make sure that I understand all that is happening here. After I make sure that Sister Mircalla gets home safely I need to defeat the crazy merewives of the sea. If that doesn't keep me too busy I am now to help Mint complete some inane tasks for a woman I have just met. The reward for which is that my cousin gets the answers to ten questions and an hour with the Pirate captain. Is that all?" Triton asks rhetorically.

Triton looks between Mint and Jolette a few times before looking Mint in the eyes.

"Aw, who am I kidding. I could never turn down a request to help someone as lovely as you cousin," Triton replies with a sweeping bow, "But I must ask that we get the Sister home safe first. Otherwise my mother will never let me hear the end of it," Triton rolls his eyes.

"An hour. Hardly enough time for foreplay..." he mumbles to himself.

"It seems we have an agreement Lady Josette."

Mint extends a hand slightly prepared to shake on the deal if Josette chooses.

"In fact I appreciate your offer so much that I will reciprocate. If you wish answers from me then you may have them for the same price. The same conditions apply, except of course if you want time alone with Triton the two of you must negotiate that. I doubt that he will settle for an hour."

Mint smiles at her cousin.

Triton winks at his cousin before glancing back at Josette.

"Be careful, you know the old saying. Once you've had the pleasure of a Rebma prince, then the touch of other men is akin to a fish," He smiles.

Triton then looks back towards Mircalla.

"Don't get your hopes up about Llyr however, I am pretty sure that the scribe of that saying was specifically referring to me.", Triton says with a devious smile and a wink.

Josette shakes Mint's hand. "Thank you, but" she glances Triton, then at Medraut, "no need."

Then she turns to Triton. "You may find your efforts a little less complex than you think."

Medraut speaks up. "Although if for some bizarre reason you've decided to try and defeat the merewives, I recommend you plan on doing that last. After all, it'll be the last thing anyway. And you, miladies," he turns to Mint and Mircalla, "I hope neither one of you are anywhere near him when he tries such a thing." He shakes his head for a moment. "Must ask--why are you going after the merewives again? I mean, if suicide is really what you're aiming for I can cut your head off right here and now."

Mint looks puzzled. "I can't say that I have heard of these Merewives."

Triton looks over at his cousin, "They are all powerful gods of the seas...yada yada. But you don't need to worry about that. In fact none of you do. It's my problem, I will handle it. And it will certainly not be the last thing that I ever do," Triton laughs, "Suicide. Ha. You all really underestimate my charms," he finishes with smile.

Mint shrugs.

"Pardon us for a trice while we consult. We will have your questions soon Lady Josette."

Mint gives a half bow and walks out of earshot from Josette and company, gesturing for Mircalla and Triton to follow.

To Triton she adds, "You know how these things get done aboard ship. They might as well have chairs and refreshment while they wait."

Once out of earshot, Mint turns to Sister Mircalla. "I know that you almost certainly have limits upon what you may tell us. Please say what you can. Know that I intend to do everything in my power to bring about peaceful contact between our peoples. Also if any question that I can ask holds the potential to aid your situation then I will ask it."

Triton looks over at the captain.

"Captain, please see to the comfort of our guests. If they would rather wait on their own ship, we understand. But if they chose to stay here please see to some seating and refreshments."

Mircalla hesitates before speaking. "Josette and Fernand are siblings. Fernand is in love with my sister Valentine. Indeed, they intend to marry once the current crisis is over--or sooner if it lasts too long. Both are members of their own royal family, and a real questions exists as to the succession. And both believe a sister of theirs, Isabel, is dead. Fernand suspects Josette of her murder. Evidently Josette has always been something of a wild card in their family, and makes no secret she'd like to sit upon the throne one day. Isabel, on the other hand, was their mother's favorite."

"I don't know where precisely their homeland lies, but I do know their royals resemble Amber's in terms of power. They have their own Trumps and can walk in Shadows. Also, they revere the Unicorn but believe she takes on different aspects."

"Fernand is a gifted, even brilliant man, one who keeps to his sense of honor and duty with great fidelity. For this reason he's told me little of the overall situation, insisting he must maintain some kind of oath. He's said Josette treats her own vows in more fluid fashion, another reason to distrust her in his eyes. I may say this, that because they are betrothed he has shared far more information with my sister Valentine. Also, please don't get the wrong impression--rigid as Fernand might be, he is anything but cruel. On the contrary, he's quite friendly and kind in his way. I can quite understand why Valentine so grew to love him. But I do sense a deep reserve of rage within him, one that requires much these days to make emerge. I've long suspected that very rage might be a reason Josette could suspect Fernand of having killed Isabel--for in his eyes, Isabel shirked her duty, seeking to make a life for herself far from home and avoiding the Queen's will whenever she could. But I myself shudder to think what could spark that kind of fury in Fernand, nor can I believe he would so effortlessly live with himself under the circumstances."

"Isabel vanished, presumably dying, years ago. At that time Oberon still ruled. Only in the reign of King Random have both Josette and Fernand made their presence known in the environs of Uberwald. Fernand himself keeps an impressive home in Fjordheim, our capital city. Josette has been more mobile, as far as I know."

"Certainly Captain Medraut has multiple ships, incidentally, quite probably a whole fleet by this time. And technically he is much more of a privateer, nearly always sailing to battle carrying letters of marque from some side in a war. Since joining with Josette his fleet has been steadily growing, and their efforts have won her military allies. Rumor has it she even found a Shadow where she is worshiped as a goddess."

"Fernand has considerable resources as well, but more...precise? And frankly more covert. He has agents of various kinds scattered all over Shadow."

"Please understand, I have every reason to believe my knowledge of this situation extremely limited. From something barely overheard, for example, I believe there is at least one other sibling. But I can share my own belief that Captain Medraut has fallen completely in love with Josette, so his devotion to her may well be without limit. I cannot say for certain what she feels about him, save that she certainly makes no effort to avoid his company."

"There's also...well...a rumor. I cannot say it certain, although I suppose it possible. Some say Captain Medraut is a bastard from Rebma's royal family. Specifically, 'tis said his father was the mad King Ulwyn, your own great great uncle Prince Triton. Then again, I hardly put it past him to spread such a rumor himself."

"Do you have any specific questions to ask me?"

Triton raises an eyebrow of inquiry at the mention of Medraut being a member of the Rebma royal family. But he remains silent and allows Mint to speak first.

"Oooh, I could ask you a million questions, but that would annoy our guests and make me miss the party so I shall limit myself to the five most crucial."

"Do you love, truly love, Prince Llyr?"

"How certain do you consider your parentage?"

"How long ago did you first hear of Fernand and Josette respectively?"

"What unexplained coincidence most stands out in your memories of Fernand and Josette?"

"What do you most want to ask Josette?"

"I..." says Sister Mircalla, "believe my feelings for Prince Llyr are not germane. As for my own parentage--I find that insulting."

She takes a breath. Then two. "I first heard of Fernand about a decade past. It was only five years or later I first heard of Josette, from Fernand and with some words of warning. As far as unexplained coincidences, nothing really comes to mind. Except perhaps--no, they are both in the same region of Shadow together but Uberwald lies where many such bleed into one another. I would of course most long to know what happened to Isabel, but I am frankly unsure she will answer such a question honestly. On the other hand, she is said to guard her reputation carefully. She seems to need for people to know her word is her bond."

"I would not be here save for your feelings for Prince Llyr, but I will accept your answer."

"No insult intended. She called you Sister and our sort do love wordplay. I needed to consider the possibility."

"As to the third question I need a bit more precision. Did you hear before or after the end of the Great War, before or after the Storms hit Shadow? That matters."

"I need details on the coincidence. The less important it seems, the more I need to know. This is of paramount importance."

"As to your question, I will certainly include some version of it."

"Fernand first came to Uberwald after the Great War, the one where Oberon fell and his son Random replaced him. That much I can say for certain." She raises an eyebrow and glances as the robes of a nun that she wears. "As for the use of Sister, I'd've thought the reason for that obvious."

"Coincidence? Do you consider it such that two members of the same family should come to the same general region of heavily visited realms within a decade of one another? I do not, myself. That is the only coincidence I can think on."

"The obvious serves to hide a great many things. I have used that myself on more than one occasion."

"And yes, given the infinity of Shadow, all intersections matter. How much detail can you supply of wheres and whens?"

Sister Mircalla thinks. "Fernand first came to Uberwald almost two years after King Random's ascension. He said he was a wealthy nobleman journeying for personal reasons. As such he was a guest at my father's castle. We all liked him, especially Valentine. Within another year and a half he had purchased a fine home on a cliff. By then, we all realized he was courting Valentine, and she welcomed his attentions. Approximately one year later he mentioned something in passing about Josette, his sister, something about never ever gambling against her. I remember he said she didn't cheat so much as never really gamble. Another year later we all began hearing of some exiled princess named Josette traveling to nearby lands, and eventually offering employment to Captain Medraut. Everyone agrees it was after that he changed the design on his flag to include the Crimson Unicorn."

"Thank you Sister Mircalla."

Mint turns to Triton.

"Oh, just one moment, I'm getting a Trump call."

Mint accepts the call.

After a moment Mint calls out projecting her voice like a trained commander. "Josette, Medraut, my cousin Aiden will appear. No harm is meant."

Then Mint reaches into the air as a shimmering rainbow effect swirls about her hand and Aiden appears in front of her.

"Welcome to the Hippogriff cousin. Allow me to introduce Sister Mircalla. Sister Mircalla, my cousin Aiden, Lord of Amber"

Triton gives a small nod of greeting.

"Hello Aiden, while I have heard your name I do not believe we have ever met. Welcome to the thrilling high seas," he smiles.

"Hello Mint," Aiden grins. Seeing a possible question forming, Aiden shakes his head imperceptibly and mouths the word, "Later." Turning to the lady, he tips his hat, "Sister Mircalla. " And to Triton, "Thanks, mate. I'm sorry. I don't believe I caught your name. "
Catching sight of the others nearby and the Crimson Unicorn ensign flying from the other ship he turns back to Mint with an ironic smile. "Cousin Mint, do you know that you have pirates onboard?"

"Dear Aiden, I did not realize that you had never met Cousin Triton, son of Moire and Corwin, second in line to the Rebman throne, and ladies man par excellence. Aiden, son of Caine, is a recoverer of artifacts from Shadow, an archaeologist and investigator of note."

Mint turns to Aiden.

"Your skills may prove useful. I have accepted an assignment which seems more along your line of work than my own. Josette, the brunette whose existence you foresaw, has charged me to perform a task, which she guarantees will harm no one and will not dishonor me, nor will it prove impossible. In return she will answer ten questions of my choosing, which I formulate now. She will answer five of her choice before and the rest upon completion."

In a moment I would hear of what you have learned since last we spoke, and know what questions you might have for one of the people from these Crimson Unicorn Trumps, the people of..."

Mint pauses.

"Oh right, Josette interrupted you Sister, where did you start to say that they come from?"

"Oh and Triton, do you have any ability to confirm that Josette has the power of the Pattern at her command as I suspect? And what questions would you have me ask of her?"

Having introduced and interrogated everyone in her immediate vicinity, Mint grows silent momentarily to await answers.

"Ah, cousin Triton," exclaims Aiden with mild amusement, "I should've guessed. I had heard rumors of your existance as well. It's always good to meet new family."

Turning back to Mint, "An assignment?" And giving her a meaningful look, "Yes, we should take some time to catch up. By the way, where are we bound?"

And then to the three there. "I'm sorry. Is it story-time? I didn't mean to interrupt. Please, continue."