Alastair is such a moron.  As if the Patterns weren't one of the
first things I checked.  Except for Tir-na Nog'th, and that's not visible
yet.  Does he honestly think I would have brought him down there if I
thought the Jewel might be there for the taking?  His attitude may have
finally gotten him in trouble, though.  He didn't want to discuss where he
found that odd Trump of Tir-na Nog'th, and now he and Paris have
disappeared.  Attempts to Trump them have failed, so they're shit out of
luck, for now.  I can't say I'll miss either of them.  Wish they hadn't
taken the Rebman Jewel with them, though.  It seemed to amplify my range a
bit.  Could they have actually gone through to Tir-na Nog'th?  I always
figured it just didn't exist when it wasn't in the sky, but anything's
possible.

	At least the worst of the Bramber problem has been dealt with. 
Finally, we pause long enough to make a plan, and it works.  Although
Gabriel certainly threw a monkey wrench in the whole thing.  What a
fuck-head!  He takes the job, then he abandons it to chase a personal
vendetta alone.  I don't understand the man.  Julian is holding his
daughter, yet he is more upset over the deaths of some men under his
command.  Why the hell did Benedict pick him?  Sure, he's an excellent
fighter, but his judgment just plain sucks.  Had anyone but Benedict
chosen him, I would have dumped him flat.  As it is, he gets one more
chance.  Assuming Benedict convinces him to return.  After that, I don't
care if Oberon himself gives him the job.  Asshole.  He actually struck
me.  Oh, that was very mature.

	I think I'll let Bleys handle his wayward daughter.  I didn't
think he'd be pleased to learn she was sharing her body with Brand's kid. 
Even if he does separate them, I don't think I'll be able to trust Rasa
anymore.  I thought she was just this sweet kid.  A trifle obnoxious, yes,
but...  But if she wants to stay merged with Farad, she's obviously much
more power-hungry than I thought.  Someone needs to give her a good
spanking.  Pronto.  Maybe if her dad wasn't so busy plotting to take over
Amber, he would have done a better job of raising her.

	So, on the plus side, Mara is dead, Brand's Pattern is sealed, and
Sebastian has fled.  On the minus side, there still is an enormous army in
Bramber, Rasa and Farad refuse to unmerge, Alastair and Paris are missing,
and I have not located the Jewel.  Plus, Julian is dead.  I won't miss
him, but I'm sick and tired of burying family members.  We've gone how
many hundreds of years without bloodshed, and now we have lost three of
our own in as many days?  What's worse is that two of them died at the
hands of their relatives.  It was more than justified, but I don't like
the precedent.  This family needs to chill, fast.