Royal Flush (Reena & Mint)

Mint emerges from her Trump call.

"Welcome back cousin. Your preparations went well I trust?"

"If you don't mind me dividing my attention then we can talk while I put the finishing touches on these reports. I suspect that Fernand would not approve of me sending out messages while en route to his secret hideaway."

"His loyalty to Valentine seems pretty crystal clear to me, but yeah, ok."

Mint will check the room for eavesdroppers, listening devices, spying spells and the like before continuing.

"I wonder it their lot are descended from the Crimson Unicorn and Dworkin? I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea that the Amber Unicorn and Dworkin are my great grandparents. I mean he's apparently a shape shifter and interspecies relationships do happen, but still."

"That's why I'm sending off these reports. That way the elders will know we were last seen with Fernand."

"I've never actually seen a Unicorn of any color."

"Minotaurs, really, that sounds..."

"...wait, Lighthouse business. Please tell me Fernand doesn't think he can hide Valentine away in the same lighthouse that I recently pointed out to half the family as a place worthy of investigation."

"Tons. It is one of the easier places to reach on the other side of the Trump disruption. It has a number of clay animals including a cat who stays active and conversational. We didn't try to wake up any of the others. I left a couple friends there. They are intelligent equines and they didn't want to travel by ship. There is a very magical scale replica of Castle Amber there. It would have taken me years to suss out how it worked so I'm gonna leave that to the experts. They have a cabinet full of food pills. Bust them open and they turn into food. I think that Commander Julian has been there because he is the reason I found the place. I left a couple of notes there with the clay cat. It is genuinely a nice place to visit, but also just about the last place in the universe that I would try to hide someone right now."

"Exactly. Onyx is on he other side of the disruption."

"I suspect that if I just mention that I have been to the warehouse he will probably choose somewhere else to hide Valentine. As to the rest, he probably knows exactly what the place is like. He has obviously gone there before."

"Oh cousin, you know I like to lead."

Mint winks.

"Let's make a game of it. I will pretend that you never mentioned the lighthouse. If Fernand or Valentine mention it within my hearing I shall tell them what I know upon the spot. If they do not then I will save the information for our arrival. Does that suit?"

"As to the disruption, I never saw it only experienced the effects. I suspect unless you know far more of Trump than I that it will serve as a very poor tourist attraction. You would find a much more exciting trip with Triton, except for the fact that it would be much too dangerous."

"A game it is, but no cheating by asking them where we are going!'

Reena gathers her travelling gear, not much more than the clothes and weapons she is carrying plus a small sack containing a few bottles of alcohol that were in the room and from tables in the hallways she's walked along.

"At first I assumed we would be walking or riding to this Lighthouse place but maybe we will be using Trumps for part of the trip. There is a whole set of cards for this side of the family so someone must have the ability to paint more. Maybe that level of skill will allow one to bypass this 'disruption'? I know little about the Trumps so I doubt I'd be able to tell what's going on but you might notice any difference in our journey.

"Are you ready to go? Let's see how the others are doing."

"Agreed."

Mint puts the finishing touches on her latest report.

"I just need to pass these reports along and I'm ready. One brief Trump call and I'm done."

Mint makes the call, and passes through the report in triplicate.

"Let's go."

"If it makes you feel any better I think that His Royal Highness King Random the First doesn't actually read his copy of the reports."

Mint puts on her pack and starts to head for the door.

"I could have waited to file my next update, but frankly if we are going to head off with Fernand, I want other members of our family to know. That provides the best motivation I can think of for Fernand to make sure we get back in one piece if he wasn't already so inclined. Maybe the dude is so tough that he won't hesitate to fight both of us, but I can't imagine anyone would want to have to explain our disappearances to General Benedict."

"Oh I don't care that no one has asked me for reports," Reena says as she falls into step with Mint, "Hell, I couldn't be bothered spending all that time writing them up."

"And that dear cousin is but one reason why free agency suits you so well. If you ever do decide to do the work, I have no doubt that you could excel as a soldier or ranger or in whatever other role you took a fancy to. You might even give me a spot of competition."

Although Mint smiles as she says it, her tone conveys that she does in fact believe in Reena's potential.

Since Reena knows the grounds better, Mint will follow her lead in looking for Fernand.

"Fighting is one thing but I really don't like being ordered around. Giving orders, I like, but I doubt Julian or Benedict would take kindly to my 'suggestions' on how to run things."

She points to a left branch of the hallway. "This way to the foyer. I guess we'll all be meeting there before heading out.

"You still part of Uncle Julian's ranger crew?"

"Julian actually gives squads a lot of latitude in the field and like me you would probably qualify to act as a squad by yourself. Never sign up for Benedict's army. The man is brilliant, but ever so strict. And yeah I still report to Commander Julian although right now Commander Diana is filling in for him."

Mint follows Reena to the foyer.

"Is Julian off on some secret mission for the King or is he on vacation?"

Before Mint can answer Reena cuts her off with a wave of her hand.

"Don't answer that. Loose lips and all." she says looking around the room.

Mint stays mum as requested.

Not sure how long they will need to wait until Fernand and Valentine are ready to depart and unwilling to waste the free minutes she has now Reena decides to take the opportunity and have a few drinks. Slipping off to the room with the well appointed bar she takes a bottle of wine and a pair of glasses. Returning to the foyer she pours a glass for herself and Mint.

"Cheers, cousin. Of all his virtues, I'd say I like Fernand's attention to keeping a well stocked bar best. Let's drink 'em while we can."

Mint takes the glass and drinks with her cousin.

"How did you meet Fernand and Valentine anyway?"

"It started when I found a crack in the fabric of Shadow. Following it I ended up in a high tower of this mansion. Fernand can by and there was the usual discussion and threats, some veiled others direct, then I met his pets. Later I wandered down into the city just in time to defend it against a creature intent on killing Valentine. With the assailant defeated we returned here, met the King of Uberwald, and started planning this trip to the Lighthouse. Then you trumped in."

She pauses her tale to refill the glasses.

"A busy couple of days and not what I had in mind when I set out from Amber last. I almost feel like I'm being responsible and doing my duty to Amber. This will not do. After this trip I'll need to lose myself in Shadow before anyone considers me an asset to the Crown."

"We wouldn't want that." Mint says with a smile.

"So, what sort of pets does Fernand keep? And what sort of creature attacked Valentine?"