I liked the idea a lot, but realized I would need trusted servants -- this would be the hard part, and take some time. Gerda told me I could count on Rickets, an Amber native, but other than that, I needed to put a staff together. Luckily Cecily has allowed for that as well. I decided that I would keep the spymastery information secret from her for now, just to have an extra ace or two in the hole. Unfortunately, no one around here seems to have much more knowledge of the Golden Circle than I do.
I wish Gerard was here. I'd like to draw upon the many hundreds of years of knowledge in that head of his.
I was able to convince Luke to help with this endeavor. He wanted all of the details, and is actually planning to come along if only to spy on those nations, so I'm fine with that -- I'm planning on doing it anyways. The only problem with this plan is finding transportation -- since we only have two boats...
***** What truly is the "Time of Deep Dreaming?"
Unfortunately, little information is forthcoming. Harmony is trying to explain an idea or concept that seems to be so natural, such a part of what her existence is, that she cannot summon the words to adequately describe what this is. Does is represent a change of time or era? In a sense, I suppose, but I think that there is much, much more to it than that. Obviously things have changed when it comes to Amber, certainly with our arrival, but this does not take into account what has happened since Harmony's arrival. First was the attack by some kind of demon on her, along with her admission that she cannot be killed; secondly is that some of our group has been seeing or experiencing gaps of time -- where they find themselves in regular surroundings but not believing that they know where they are. The phenomena had become substantial as well -- Fletcher described finding a family heirloom in his hands after waking one morning.
So, then, is the Time of Deep Dreaming something palpable, having substance? Is it sentient? Is it a world, or a bridge between Shadows, that is bringing in these objects or "hallucinations" that we seem to experience? Unknown, and conjecture at best. Certainly I haven't really been affected by anything yet, and I have no reason not believe any of the others, but the impact of what this Time of Deep Dreaming might portend for Amber is important -- and it is those exact details that Harmony can only answer with a pained and confused shrug.
I guess I should not be so quick to say that what has happened recently has not affected me at all. At a meeting today Fletcher and Cecily told me that someone impersonating me rode in through Arden and had a prolonged conversation with him as they rode back towards Amber. I guess I should have felt insulted or something that Fletcher was not able to tell the real me from an imposter, but how much do we really know about each other anyways? I suppose if our roles were reversed and the impostered looked just like Fletcher and only grunted or made sarcastic comments or insults, I'd not be able to tell the difference either. I suspect there are depths to all of us that we not dare share, lest that be a weakness that someone could exploit.
In any case, that means someone with shapeshifting or highly advanced magics has infiltrated Amber. My first advice was that if I could be impersonated, then that meant that any of us could be impersonated. I suggested that we develop a signal or series of signals to prove who one the other was, which met with some derision. Ah well, yet another moment at which I can tell them that I tried to warn them... I think I'll get working on this anyways. I can't make anyone use them, but I really don't think it would hurt.
*****
Later that evening, there was a slight knock at my door -- it was Rickets again. He described to me with his peculiar accent that, in a tavern in town, there was a man who, after drinking and singing a bit, was bragging that with his magical cloak and great thieving ability he would break into the castle and steal the Signet Ring from right under the nose of the Regent.
Well, well, well. I smiled at this tidbit. Looks like our imposter had shown his cards -- now to plan the ultimate trap.
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