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  Intro A
I was sitting down in my over stuffed chair with a stiff drink in my hand when the Trump contact began. In the distance the sound of the draglines and bucket cranes was a dull rumble against the whine of a bold mosquito that had slipped into the room with me from the steaming jungle swamp. Taking a sip from my drink, I had been reflecting upon the day's work and the schedule we had to meet. The days still tire me, but not nearly to the extent which they had when I had first arrived in this shadow. Then I had been in the latter stages of recovery from severe radiation sickness. Now I felt almost normal.The contact wasn't totally unexpected, I had argued earlier with my half sister, Victoria before leaving her care and coming here. We had parted angrily, but not so badly as to cause either of us concern about the other. Rather we had both realized that it was time to go our separate ways and let the distance and time foster greater fondness in our hearts for the other once more. Or something like that . . . Anyway I was relaxing in my chair enjoying the feeling of having my boots off for the first time all day when the contact began. My mind must have still been a bit muzzy from the day's work because I didn't pick up on the strangeness right away. By the time that I did, the contact had begun to firm up to the point of visualization. The red hair fooled me for only a second, 'tori's isn't that bright dragon's fire red even in the brightest sunlight, nor was her skin that pale milky white. "Oh boy" I thought, "not another disgruntled sorceress mad at her again!" as I stared at the petite, beautiful woman standing in a large stone room holding a card at arm's length. My thought process's were still slow at this point, after all who had a copy of my Trump besides Victoria, Dad, uncle Osric or perhaps aunt Reanna? All of them were dead these many years past, and of my other uncle Benedict, I doubted that he even knew of either of us. Therefor I reasoned that the strange (but very attractive) woman holding my Trump (or so I assumed) had to have gotten into Victoria's deck. That did not bode well for the stranger knowing Victoria as I did! I felt a cold precise regard in those deep emerald green eyes as the contact finalized and the first chilled fingers of doubt brushed at the edges of my mind. When the contact was complete a fleeting smile as if of triumph flashed across those perfect lips then fled into a cold line. "Hello?" I said to break whatever stasis seemed to be creeping into this strange confrontation. "Can I help you?" "Yes, please come through to me now." she said in a voice that was a silver trumpet yet seemed to hint at winter's ice just behind. "Afraid that I'm rather bushed at the moment, and wouldn't be much company. You'd better put that card back in it's place before the owner comes back, else your day will be ruined." I quipped back. My day had left me too tired to flirt with Victoria's maids (doubtful) or parley with her enemies. Her next remark however drove all fatigue from me in a wave of adrenaline fear. "The card is mine, and I insist." she simply said and began to exert one of the strongest psyches I had ever experienced. My mental shields were springing up as I strove to break the contact. Too strong and fast, she almost had me pinned like a butterfly in a collection. Calling up the Pattern as my last line of defense, I poured all of my own power into it and partitioned my mind into separate compartments. She pushed her way through the Pattern barrier almost as if it wasn't there and began to Trump me out of my room to her. It wouldn't matter if she were alone or not, with a mind that strong, I would be nothing more than a zombie if she so chose. Luck held briefly for me, either she didn't expect physical action so quickly or else took it for surrender. That and not being able to see all of my mind at once. Father had taught me few lessons before he left, but one of them was to divide my mind into eight parts and assign each part a task or function. That would give me a moment (albeit a brief one) in a situation such as this one against an over whelming psyche to react; each compartment performing it's own task independent of the others. I threw myself from the chair and rolled to my feet by the mantle in one fluid motion and reached for the sword hanging above it. One of the other two things my father left me besides his lessons and love, Balingore. As the rainbow effect filled the room my hand closed upon Balingore's hilt, shattering the psychic link between the red headed woman and myself. It was too late to escape the trumping out she desired, but as long as I held Balingore she nor anyone else would have a psychic link to me. In a timeless instant I flashed from my room to the great stone room with the woman, only now there were others there besides her. "Look out Gerard, he's broken my hold with some sort of device!" she yelled as I stumbled into the room reeling from the psychic release of her control. "I have him Fiona!" a deep voice announced from behind me as an impossibly large hand settled upon my shoulder in a bone numbing grip. Turning with the hand, I swung my blade in a flat horizontal sweep to gain a moment's freedom. Not that it would do me much good, for I saw a tall thin figure that was depressingly familiar standing off to one side as I spun. The tall broad shouldered bearded man stepped back to avoid my blow and looked toward Benedict, as if asking him what to do next. A startled look about his eyes was the only expression I caught as Benedict gave a small shake of his head and sighed. "Hold!" he said as he walked over to us. I held, knowing what my chances were against him whom my father had said was the second best swordsman in all of Amber. Stopping just inside my furthest reach, he spoke again,"We mean you no harm, put away your sword son of Amber." When Benedict tells you to do something, it is generally a good idea to it, so I did, though still keeping my hand resting upon the pommel and maintaining my psychic defense. At length I found my voice before they could speak again. "Do you swear this by the Unicorn then?" I asked because my life was already worthless and I had nothing else to loose. Perhaps this would give all of us a chance to step back and relax, for such an oath might still hold force with them as it once did with my father and uncle. Of my aunt, I will not speak. A low voice from the other side of the room mockingly asked, "Is this really necessary?" Turning my head slightly, I saw a man dressed all in black and green, dark and evil looking staring at me. Benedict looked at me closely then said,"Yes." "Very well uncle Benedict, why this meeting now?" "We are gathering all of the Blood of Amber here to a Full Court and meeting of relatives. The reasons for this will be made clear when Court is held." "O.k., what am I to do till then?" "Behave yourself, do as you are told and cause no trouble. This holds true for all of your cousins as well as yourself. Once the court is over, you will be free to stay or leave as you wish." "You have my word then, by the Unicorn. When is Oberon convening this Court?" I ask. "Oberon is dead, Your uncle Random is king now. Follow your Aunt Florimel to your rooms and do as she says. The Court will be held in two days time." I gasp and try to grasp this latest piece of information and all of what it means. Was father finally successful then and the disturbance that drove 'tori and myself to the edge of Chaos a result of this or was there some other explanation? Probably the latter since I've no word of him, nor has Victoria said anything. An elegant woman dressed in a blue dress and crowned with a lustrous mane of blond hair comes over and offers me her hand. Bowing over it, I smile at her and follow her out into the corridor and then up a grand staircase. Bright blue eyes quickly run over me in appraisal then she speaks, "You know my name, but I usually prefer 'Flora'. What do I call you?" Caution is the first thing that enters my mind, Benedict might not know who I am after all, only that I am a grandson of Oberon. Who knows what the redhead, Fiona might have culled from my mind before I was able to defend myself? So I say,"Brion, Brion Jaeger." "And?" she asks, arching one eyebrow. "Just that, though I prefer Brion. How many 'cousins' are there, and how many are here?" "Most" she answers. My, how monosylbic we've become. Perhaps I should try to be more open, but am doubtful. So far, they have offered me no overt harm and for that alone I am grateful. As we climb the stairs, I glance around marking every space I see for whatever it may be worth in the future. Looking over to her, I see her studying me again, and realize that I am still in my khakis and walking along in my stocking feet. If the Court is to be held soon, I must get more clothes and a full bath else attend as a day labourer. The latter is unthinkable. Maybe clothes will be a neutral enough subject to renew our conversation, after all Flora is well dressed. "As you've no doubt noticed, I am hardly dressed or ready for an appearance at a Full Court meeting." I begin. "Yes, I noticed." she responds. "I would be indebted to you for your advice as to a good tailor and directions to the baths Flora." "Hm, yes, I know someone who could make a fine suit for you and have it ready for you in time for the Court. The baths are just down the hall from your rooms. " With that she turns off the stair and I follow her down the hallway a short distance to a door on the right. Flora gestures and opens the door into a suite of rooms, a small sitting room and a bedroom. The rooms are well appointed without being too opulent. I start to step in, then stagger as my foot drags against the carpet. Reaching out I catch the back of a chair as Flora catches my arm. "Are you all right Brion?" "Probably, I've been sick recently and all of this has suddenly caught up with me." "Is it very contagious?" "Not unless you are standing right next to a leaky nuclear reactor" I reply with a sigh. Flora's grip tightens at the mention of a reactor then loosens almost completely. "Not to worry, it was a while ago and I'm almost over it now. Just too much work added to a suprise Trump call is all." "Are you sure?" she asks, some concern in her eyes now. "Is it real or is it Memorex" I quitely ask myself. "Yes, a good bath, a light meal and a good night's sleep will see me in much better shape than I am now." "If there is anything else you need, let me know and I'll see what I can have done." Flora says as she begins to leave. "There is one other thing you could do for me, a small one." I begin. "Umn?" "Yes, well, just how many aunts and uncles do I have here now?" "Fewer than you had a couple of months ago." she answers, then turns and leaves me to my thoughts and other worries. Flora left with that cryptic remark and for the moment I was alone in the opulent but bland suite. Figuring that as usual knowledge is power, and one that I was sadly defiecent in at the moment, tossing the room for what it might be worth was my first action. Outside of what one would expect to find in a hotel located in a non magical/non technically advanced world, there was nothing of consequence. A couple of bottles of wine, water, glasses and serving tray in a side board. In the bedroom, a night shirt, empty hangers and a writing set. No overt listening devices, optics or even spy holes located in the usual places. The room's possibilities exhausted as myself, I pulled a convient bellcord and waited. Not five mintues later a servant appeared. Give the service here a solid 'B'. After placing an order for a light meal, leaving instructions for my laundry and reconfirming Aunt Flora's directions to the baths, I thanked the servant and saw him to the door. There I took the oppertunity to place where the guardsmen were stationed at the end of the hallway and how well they had us "cousins" in hand. Give the room service an 'A', in fifteen minutes I not only had my supper delivered, a bathrobe, toiletries on my table, but even the local paper (albeit slightly wrinkled). Fifteen more minutes and a good meal behind me, I headed to the baths. Of course the dustcover/comforter didn't diguise Balingore, but I doubted that the guards would push things too far. At least not tonight. They barely gave me a second glance (especially since I only had on the bathrobe with my paper and toiletries in hand), maybe going to the showers armed was a usual occurrence here. The baths were ornate and had all that I wanted. A long hot bath later and several layers of dirt lighter, I stood before the mirror touching up my mustache. There had been alittle noise out in the hall, but so far I'd the bathroom to myself. This was as good of a time as any and better than most for what I wanted to try. Picking up my paper , Balingore and surreptisously as possiable my shaving razor, I mosied over to the toilet and shut the door. Finishing up my business with the porcelin alter quickly, I searched the stall thoroughly then lowered the seat and sat back down. Fully unwrapping Balingore, I propped him by the door my hand hovering just above the pommel. Blanking my mind, I waited a moment then reached out. Slowly, lightly, cautiously expanding my awareness like a ball shaped shell, passively diffussing outward through my surroundings. There was only one pattern of thought, one psyche I was looking for. My search didn't last long, but it was long enough to confirm that Victoria was not in this wing. Almost immediately after my awareness left the hallway, it ran into an extremely powerful psyche. 'Probably Fiona finding more lost kin' I thought to myself as my hand fell upon Balingore. No use risking things, time to rest and see what tomorrow brings. If they had 'tori, then she was either forciably locked down psychicly, or else 'running silent'. Which meant that I wouldn't know for sure until I saw her next. Sighing, I stood then raised the seat and departed for my rooms. The paper would tell me much, yet little enough and be a distraction until sleep came. There was little else I could do now. The next morning intruded into my dream filled slumber via a knocking upon my door. While my sleep had been deep, the visions there had been disturbing though unrecallable. Sitting up, I pulled the bathrobe on, Balingore into easy reach then yelled,"Come in!" (or so I hoped, my Thari being alittle rusty). A servant brought in my clothes from yesterday and a baldric for Balingore. Oh, and lets not forget the Jesus Boots either. Asking the woman to wait, I quickly changed and had her lead me to the kitchens. The way had changed some, but not that much. Besides, the last time I had been here I had used the servant's passages in keeping with my identity of the time. After an intermiable time we reached the kitchens and I helped myself to whatever was at hand. With the servant gone about her duties, I took the time to eat a hearty meal then got a thermos of coffee and munchies. Thus doublely armed, I made my way back to the main library to find out what I could until the Court was called. Maybe an oppertunity to question some of the castle's retainers would present itself to me. I had alot of time to catch up on and not much to do it in. In any case, this would be the best time to see where things stood with Victoria and myself in relation to the realm, who all of my aunts and uncles were and maybe some general history. The library was more or less as I remembered it, walls of books, several tables and numerous chairs scattered about and a large glass topped display case. A small fire was burning in the main fireplace and off to the side was a figure almost hidden from view. I moved delibrately but quitely on into the room and at an angle where I could see who it was better. The figure resolved itself into a that of a woman dressed all in lavender, grey and green. Her hair was a strange colour, green it seemed, in an elabrorate coffuire. Her skin also seemed to have an olive hue, and for all of her exotic complexion, she was a beautiful woman. Hesitating for only a moment, I nodded to her and after her nod in return, headed to the main wall. I call it the main wall, it is actually something like the indexer for the library. Not really a formal system or library, but rather a guide on which part of the wall to look for something in a catagory. Searching briefly through a diagram recently installed, I found the section of wall that should hold the information I wanted. Turning that way, I headed over to it. My section was next to the one where she was standing with a book open in her hand. I quickly scanned the titles facing me then turned slightly so that my selection would be known only to me with out a delibrate search of that shelf. Turning back to her, I found her tapping the back of the volume in her hand against the point of her chin as she looked for another book on a higher shelf. It was a bit of a reach so I offered my services. "May I be of some small assistance?" I asked her with a smile. She smiled back and I noticed that her eyes were green too, and it all bleneded in perfectly, as if some artist was giving free rein of his favourite colour to his choice model... "Yes, I want the thin red book beside the thick brown one there." "O.k., here we go." I said as I reached for the book, then handed it to her. "Thank you,.." she hesitated and I filled in the blank. "Brion." "Brion. And I am Llewella." "Llewella, it is a pleasure. Are you an Aunt or a Cousin?" I asked. She smiled, bringing lovely dimples to her cheeks and I suddenly realized how out of my depth I really was. "Guess." "I hope a cousin, but from your poise, fear an Aunt. As you see, I am but recently arrived. Perhaps sometime after the Court we may speak at your convience." I replied. "You certainly aren't as brash as I expected and polite enough. Therefore, yes. But don't expect much of a tour of Amber. I try to spend most of my time in Rebma. If you are there later, I will be glad to show you the city. Until then?" "Yes, until then, I will look forward to seeing you again." Llewella smiled again then turned and moved to a seat near a window, yet back in the library as far from the front as she could go. I went to the table where I'd left my thermos and cup for a refill then headed almost to the opposite side of the library under the etching of the unicorn hung there. Finding a seat turned as I wanted it, I sat then leafed through my book. It had the linage of the families of Oberon and a brief overview of each house he had married. In this manner I acquired the names and relative positions of my elders. This edition of the bloodline of Oberon though lacked any mention of the generation beyond Random, the new King Now I needed to know which ones were alive and which dead besides the ones I already knew of. Returning to the family history section I pulled several more volumes down, all except one of the newer editions to browse. It would await my plesure last after I had all of the other pieces in place to use. I was not to get a chance to finish them however as several more people came into the library then. They obviously were not retainers or servants. Perhaps diplomats or most favoured nobles, for like myself, several were armed with blades of one sort or another.
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