Chapter 108: "Stop Trumping me, I can't see where I'm going!"

	The Vetchlings decide they want to go home.  Which means all of
the other kids want to go with them.  The split off into groups once they
reach the castle.  Laughter has the pages track them.  They play in the
gardens to start.

	Alex goes picnicking with Mebd, since she's not up to a threesome,
yet.

	Lord Feldane approaches Ronan in the library.  Tierney has been
considering Ronan's words, and he doesn't think that Ronan goes far
enough.  He thinks the royal family has become too preoccupied with their
own matters.  There are many in the Golden Circle who do not appreciate
the yoke that they're under.  If the King leaves Amber, he's not going to
be safe.  Ronan wants to know how Tierney knows of this.  Tierney looks
wary and says he merely thought to enlighten Ronan on issues in which he
showed an interest.

	Laughter goes by the gardens, and sees the kids heading inside. 
She tells the pages to update her every 30 minutes on their whereabouts.

	Both groups of children invade the library.  That's 17 children,
folks.  They wheel the ladder over to a corner of the library and are
quiet for a while.  They leave 45 minutes later, saying "nice dress" to
Ronan and running off giggling.

	At five in the afternoon, Laughter gets a report that the children
broke up into two groups again, and the older group has disappeared. 
Laughter Trumps Haris.  No answer.  She goes through the list.  The first
one who answers is Crispin.  He's stunned, since he's never gotten a Trump
call before, and he begins looking around for her.  She asks where the
older children are.  He doesn't know.  What were they reading in the
library?  Nothing.  Laughter says they might be in trouble.  She gets a
flash from Crispin's mind that has to do with walking the Pattern.  She
takes off.

	Crispin runs to Felix and says that Aunt Laughter is haunting him. 
Felix attempts to Trump Laughter.

	Laughter Trumps Benedict and says that the children are walking
the Pattern.  He's had no such reports.  Well, they're Vetches, they can
do anything.  He's had no such reports.  Well she has.  From who? 
Crispin.  Benedict says he'll tell his guards to keep an eye open.

	Felix Trumps Laughter and asks why she Trumped his son.  Because
the children are walking the Pattern.  What!  Felix asks Crispin where the
other children are.  He claims they wouldn't say.  Laughter tells Felix to
stop Trumping her.  He breaks the contact.  Felix asks if Crispin knows
anything.  No.  His lower lip quivers.  Felix picks him up and asks where
the younger ones are.  The yellow sitting room.  Felix goes there and
finds Elspeth, Donal, Gideon and Vaughn.  Felix asks Gideon where Vivienne
is.  He doesn't know.  Felix says it's very important that they find the
missing children.  They didn't say where they were going.  What were they
doing?  They were in the gardens, and then the library.  What did they
talk about?  Exploring the castle.  Did Briana suggest that they do
anything?  Maybe.  It's a secret.  If Vivienne gets hurt, Mom and Dad will
be very angry.  She won't be hurt.  And how does he know that?  Well,
Felix is all right.  Whose suggestion was it to walk the Pattern?  That
would be telling.  So, Gideon is protecting a five-year-old girl who makes
fun of him?  Well, Haris said he would keep them out of trouble.

	Felix sends the kids to Tamaryn and Trumps Ariana.  She doesn't
answer.  Laughter tries Fiona and Vetch.  No answer.  Felix and Laughter
go to Ariana's quarters and pound on the door.  Ariana eventually answers. 
Laughter says the kids are walking the Pattern.  Ariana is quite upset. 
They run down to Nicholas' office and say that the kids are walking the
Pattern.  He lets them proceed.  They race down the stairs.  20 minutes
later, they reach the outside of the Pattern room.  The guards haven't
seen anyone pass, and there's no sign of the kids in the room, but Ariana
notices that the Pattern seems brighter.  She tries to Trump her older
kids, but can't get through.  She reaches Ana via the talking bones.  Ana
is in the castle.  Briana is with her.  Where are her siblings?  She
doesn't know.  Where were they?  In the Pattern room.  Ariana tells her to
bring Briana to their father.  Then she tries to walk the Pattern, but the
guards won't let her in the room, since she's still under house arrest. 
Felix is allowed in and starts walking the Pattern.  Ariana Trumps
Benedict and explains the situation.  He says that finding the kids by
shifting Shadow is wiser, since she won't wind up in whatever situation
the kids did.  Ariana relays this to Laughter, then Trumps upstairs and
goes to her quarters.  Laughter yells to Felix to bring her through to the
center when he's finished.

	Gavin gets indoctrinated by Bleys and Fiona.

	Ronan spends dinner glaring at Vixen.  Most of the families with
children seem to be absent.  Vixen asks if Ronan got the invitation to the
brothel's opening.  Yes.  Is he coming?  How could he refuse such a
gracious invitation?

	Ariana yells at her two youngest.  Ana says she and Hary wanted to
stop them, then suddenly she didn't, and Hary was walking the Pattern. 
Ariana yells at Briana, who cries and blames Iseult.  She claims she just
helped because she thought Iseult would get in trouble.  Ariana puts on
her armor, and Trumps Lucien, and explains what she's learned.  He says
he'll talk to Briana.  He found Jalana in the gardens.  Apparently, she
left when she couldn't talk the others out of their plan.  Ariana
teleports out into Shadow and begins shifting Shadow, trying her sons'
Trumps periodically.

	Felix reaches the center of the Pattern.  Laughter tells him to
pull her through, and relays Benedict's warming.  Felix tells the Pattern
to take him to the safest, closest place to the kids.  He appears in the
dining room, where Tamaryn is eating with their children.  Laughter tells
the Pattern to bring the children to her, and nothing happens.  Felix
Trumps Laughter and has her pull him back through.  Laughter says she
wants to go to the nearest place to Haris that is safe.  She arrives in
the main hall, and sees Haris going up the stairs.  She asks where the
others are.  Arguing in Shadow.  Ariana's kids don't have place Trumps, so
they're stuck.  Laughter Trumps Iseult and forces her to grab the nearest
person and come through.  This turns out to be Shannon.

	Felix repeats Laughter's statement, substituting Vivienne for
Haris, and goes to a bright, shiny place.  It seems to be a crystalline
world.

	Ariana finally gets through to Morgan and makes him pull her
through.  He's standing in a landscape full of crystals, along with
Vincent and Vivienne.  Ariana asks after Shannon, and learns he
disappeared with Iseult.  Ariana Trumps back to the main hall with the
threesome, and sees Laughter standing there with Hary, Iseult and Shannon. 
Ariana Trumps Gerard, explains what happened, and passes Vivienne through. 
Foster finds Paxon and Devlin in his quarters and brings them down.  They
question the kids, and learn that they were bored, so they decided to walk
the Pattern.  How did they get down there?  A secret door.  The parents
decide to bring the kids to Benedict.  Oh, joy.

	All of the children and their parents troop down to Benedict's
office.  Ariana orders Briana to explain things to Benedict, since this
was apparently all her idea.  No.  Lucien's eyes narrow.  Ariana tells her
to do so, or face the consequences.  She still refuses.  Ariana slaps her. 
She begins to cry.  Ariana says she'll spank her in front of everyone. 
She begins to throw a fit.  Benedict watches this for a minute or so, then
picks Briana up by the scruff of her shirt, shakes her hard, once, and
puts her down.  She shuts up.  Benedict then spends two hours lecturing
the children about the consequences of what they did, going over in
graphic detail what could have happened, that he could execute them for
what they did, etc.  This reduces the younger children to whimpering and
clinging to their parents.  When Benedict finishes, he orders the parents
to beat their children.  The various families leave.

	Ariana remains behind and tells Benedict that Brand was in the
castle two weeks ago.  Why is she telling him this now?  Because she
didn't realize until now that it was real.  How does she know he was
there?  Because he raped her.  Benedict says he's sorry for that.  Ariana
figured he'd want to know that Brand was able to come and go at will. 
Benedict says he suspected as much before, but now he's sure.

	Laughter tells her husbands to send in the kids in one by one,
youngest to eldest.  Elspeth only gets spanked lightly and gets a lecture. 
Isaac gets two smacks and a warning.  Pax gets a stern lecture about not
telling the adults what the other kids were doing.  He says he hurried
upstairs as fast as he could, but now he realizes that he should have gone
to the guards.  She gives him three smacks.  When Iseult comes in,
Laughter Trumps with her to Rath and lectures her for 15 minutes.  She
tells her of what comes of being goaded, using her disastrous Trump call
to Brand as an example.  Iseult loses her Trumps and her sword, and is
told that she'll be given to Mandor if she misbehaves.  She's not to
listen to Briana anymore, either.  Then Laughter smacks her once and
brings her back to Amber.  Laughter brings Haris to Rath as well.  He
apologizes for letting her down.  Laughter tells him that he tried his
best.  He's also not to speak to Briana.  Then she gives him the
obligatory smack, takes him back, and gives them all one final lecture on
trust, and how it must be earned back.

	Felix tells his kids that he and Tamaryn were extremely worried,
and he's upset that they didn't reveal what was going on.  They cry.  He
spanks them, but not very hard.

	Ronan goes to see Nicholas and warns him of what he learned from
Feldane.  Nicholas jokes that he'll have to cancel his vacation plans. 
This is what the guard is for, of course.  Ronan wants to know why Vixen
is still alive.  Nicholas explains that she's the Crown's slave for the
next 100 years.  And is that sufficient?  The Priest of the Unicorn talked
him out of anything more.  Is it wise to let a regicide run around?  Eric
seems to be keeping an eye on her.  Ronan observes that Eric is the
regent, so his word carries as much weight as Nicholas'.  Nicholas admits
that Vixen is well placed.  And is this what Nicholas wants?  If the
opportunity presents itself, Ronan is welcome to deal with her, but
Nicholas tells him not to go out of his way.  Also, hold off on any plans
for the next ten months.

	Eric explains the meaning of the peace symbol that Vixen bought
him.  He finds it deliciously ironic.  He keeps Vixen entertained for the
rest of the evening in his quarters.

	Lucien asks Ariana if she wants to do the honors, or if he should. 
Ariana thinks he'd better, since she's so angry that she'd probably hurt
them worse.  Lucien beats them all soundly with a switch.  Ow.  Briana is
to receive three more beatings over the days to come, two of them for what
she did to Ana and Haris, and the third for refusing to tell Benedict what
she had done, after she was told to do so.  Then Ariana takes away their
Trumps and grounds them until they've proved themselves responsible and
earned her trust again.  She sends them to bed, then leaves and goes to
Nicholas' office.  The guards inform her that Benedict is in there with
him, and she can hear Benedict yelling from the hall.  She says she'll
come back later, goes down to the sparring room and works out her
frustrations.

	Alex goes looking for Benedict, who's not in the best of moods. 
Alex says he knows who killed Delwin, and why, so he thinks he's owed an
explanation of the issue between Benedict, Delwin and Gerard.  All right. 
Many years ago, Delwin and Gerard were interested in the same woman.  The
woman was raped and killed, and her house burned down around her.  There
was strong suspicion that Delwin was responsible.  The woman was from
House Karm.  Benedict says that he is not happy that Dara used him as she
did.  Alex says that Dara used many people.  Benedict tells him that if
it's any consolation, Delwin didn't suffer.

	Alex is quiet for the rest of the evening, which worries Mebd. 
After an hour or so of this, Mebd asks if he's going to leave her for
Caitt.  No.  Then why is he being so quiet?  He learned some disturbing
news about his father.  Mebd shows him the brothel invitation that
arrived.  She's been invited on a different night than him.  She won't go
if he doesn't.  She looks bummed at the idea of not going, though.

	Alex goes to see Lucretia, who hides a few things when he arrives. 
He asks her what she knows about the issue between Delwin and Gerard. 
Nothing.  Alex tells her about it.  She asks why it's troubling him.  He
wonders if Delwin deserved to die.  Well, Alex only has a short synopsis
to go on.  Delwin could have been wronged by the woman.  Or he could have
been setup.  Gerard would be easy to dupe, after all.

	Eric leaves early in the morning, summoned to a meeting by
Nicholas.  Vixen goes down to the practice room.

	Ariana sleeps poorly and goes down to the practice room again. 
Vixen finds her there.  They spar.  Ariana really throws herself into it. 
Laughter and Iseult join them after a bit.

	Felix notices that Tamaryn is still upset, and asks what's
troubling her.  She tells him that Drumm was executed for high treason. 
Felix comforts her, then leaves to tell Ariana and Laughter about this. 
They stop sparring when he enters the room.  He tells them that Drumm has
been executed.  They both drop their swords, and Ariana pales.  Laughter
asks what Drumm was executed for.  High treason.  Ariana runs out of the
room.  Laughter thinks that was an awfully harsh punishment for the man
who helped save the universe.  She asks Felix to watch Iseult, since she's
going to see Nicholas.

	Vixen picks up Ariana's sword and leaves.  She leaves the sword
leaning up against the wall outside of Ariana's quarters.

	Ariana finds one of the unused sets of quarters, locks herself in
it, curls up in a corner and cries.

	Laughter finds that Nicholas is in a meeting, so she goes to
Alex's quarters.  When he answers, she tells him that if his aim was to
see Drumm dead, he's too late.  Then she leaves.

	Alex goes to see Caitt and tells her of Laughter's visit.  Caitt
suggests that he go ask Laughter's faerie liaison for details.  Caitt goes
with him.

	Laughter goes to see Di'ghan.  She asks him what treason is high
enough for a man who saved the universe.  He tells her that Drumm betrayed
his word.  He assures her that Drumm had a fair trial.  Drumm often acted
before he thought, and this time it caught up with him.  He had good
intentions, but this time they caused great harm.  His remains were
honored.

	Laughter goes looking for Ariana.  She's not in her quarters. 
Laughter notices the sword by the door and brings it in.  She tells Lucien
what happened.  He thinks it has to do with whatever Ariana learned when
Drumm regressed her.  The thing she won't tell Nicholas?  Yes.  Laughter
comments that Ariana's a better faerie than she is a human.  Lucien
doesn't look like the news pleases him.  Laughter figures that if Ariana
doesn't want to be found, it's not her place to look for her.

	Laughter rounds up her family and takes them to Middlecourt. 
Mandor manages to convey to Iseult that he knows what happened.  Laughter
spends the day getting settled in.  Driscoll heads back to Amber once this
is done.  Laughter talks to Mandor about getting psychic barrier rings for
her kids, so they can't be controlled.

	Felix takes his kids down to breakfast.  Tamaryn stays in their
quarters.  Felix tries to cheer the kids up, which helps.  Later on, he
sends the kids to their room to play quietly, then tries to comfort
Tamaryn some more.  She seems to be feeling a little better, since she's
munching on her comfort foods.

	Gavin finds that Fiona and Bleys are gone.  He also notices Swiss
Family Laughter's arrival in Middlecourt.

	Eric sends Vixen a note letting her know that the meeting will
probably last all day.  She works on stuff for her brothel's opening.

	Alex decides to pay a visit to House Karm.  Their lands are within
an hour's ride of the city.  He finds out that Caitt's brothel invitation
is for the day after him.  He invites her to come with him to Karm.  Mebd
is invited along as well.  They stop at a bar near Karm's lands and Alex
begins bitching about the royal family.  The more he complains, the less
people take advantage of the rounds that he's buying.  No one is really
willing to talk about the royals.

	Felix discusses the brothel invitations with Tamaryn.  She
distracts him with sex.  Felix learns that Vivienne has been grounded.  No
boating, no swimming, no nothing for the rest of the summer.  Judging by
how gingerly she's sitting, Gerard paddled her himself.  Owie.

	That afternoon, Felix finds shiny spots on the carpet in his
quarters.  They're tiny crystalline structures, much like the big ones in
the Shadow where the kids wound up.  Felix finds more on the shoes and
clothing that he was wearing the previous day.  He collects the samples
and puts them in a jar, then asks if Driscoll's seen anything like them. 
No, but he hasn't really been back to their quarters recently.

	Laughter finds crystals in her children's rooms in Middlecourt. 
She asks where they wound up when they walked the Pattern.  They describe
the Shadow to her.  Apparently, they asked the Pattern to take them
someplace fun.  Laughter gathers up the crystals and throws them away,
except for a few of them.

	Alexandra talks to Gavin.  She confirms that the woman he saw
arriving was Laughter.  Alexandra thinks that both Amberites and Chaosites
are stuffy.  She introduces Gavin to Laughter.  They talk for a while
about what the children did.  Laughter tells him not to trust a Vetch,
except for Ariana.  They also discuss Vixen's brothel.

	Alex continues hanging out near Karm.  He learns that they're an
old house, and rumor has it that they came to Amber with Oberon.  They
seem to have their hands in everything.  They're kind of like a catalyst
house.  Alex goes to House Feldane, to check out their library.  He finds
a report of the fire in their records, along with the mysterious
circumstances surrounding it.  There were a lot of articles about the
fire, but then they abruptly stopped without anything being resolved. 
Alex goes to the site of the fire, and uses talking bones with Caitt to
replay the event.  Delwin does appear to have raped and murdered the
woman.  Both Delwin and Gerard were visiting her in the days prior to her
death.  She appeared to have a horrible fight with Delwin, then she and
Gerard made love afterwards.  Apparently, she then told Delwin to get
lost, because she was going to stay with Gerard.  When Delwin returned, he
killed her in an act of passion, put a protective spell around the body,
and burned the house down.  Gerard came to the scene afterwards and found
the body.  It seems to have torn him apart.  Later on, some people in Karm
colors investigate the scene, come to some conclusion, and leave.  Tevfik
is there, but he was very young.  This was about 200 years ago. 
Investigating this takes up most of the day.

	Ariana cries for a couple of hours, until Lucien knocks at the
door and says he knows she's in there.  She opens the door.  He asks if
she's all right.  No.  He hugs her.  She insists that Drumm's death was
her fault.  Lucien points out that Drumm could have said no.  Ariana says
she would have just asked someone else, then, adding that Drumm didn't
know what she would learn.  He reminds her that she didn't know, either. 
He leads her back to their quarters, picks a crystal up off of the floor
and pockets it.  Then he gives her a sedative and puts her to bed.  She
sleeps for the rest of the day.

	Eric finally comes back before dinner and takes Vixen out to
dinner and dancing.  He's very apologetic.

	The next morning, Felix finds that the crystals he collected have
grown large enough to break the jar he put them in.  There are more on the
floor, too, and his shoes are encrusted with them.  He talks to Driscoll
about it.  Driscoll's found more as well, in the children's room.  He
offers to start Bedlam up, so Felix can have the samples checked.  OK. 
Felix takes them to the university and learns that the crystals seem to be
some kind of fast growing life that thrives on oxygen.

	Caitt spends the early part of the day sleeping with Alex to make
him feel better.

	Fiona warns Alexandra to be careful around Gavin.  Alexandra says
she won't let her shield down.  Is she going to the brothel?  Yes.  Does
she know how to behave?  Suhuy's talked to her.  She's not real happy
about it, though.

	Laughter tells her men that since one man wasn't enough for her,
then she doesn't expect one woman to be enough for them, so they can go to
the brothel and have a good time.  Foster scrutinizes her and asks if this
means that he can look but not touch.  She didn't say that.  Driscoll asks
if she's found more of those crystals.  Yep.

	Ariana wakes up and finds some crystals in the bedroom.  She shows
them to Lucien.  She thinks they came from the children.  He sets Briana
to cleaning them up.  Ariana writes Nicholas a note telling him about the
crystals, then goes to find Di'ghan.  She asks him about Drumm's
execution.  He admits that the reason for it had to do with her
regression.  She asks if Drumm was buried properly.  Yes.  Maybe he'll do
better in the next life.  Ariana asks if she's being charged with
anything.  No, she doesn't fall under Faerie's jurisdiction.  Which is why
Drumm was punished.  Ariana says that she told no one.  No, but her mind
was human, and therefore could be probed by others.  Is she free to tell
what she knows?  She always was.  Ariana says that's not what Drumm told
her.  Can she reveal Avalon's existence now?  He can't say.  Will it help,
or make things worse?  Off the record, it's too late.

	Ariana receives a note with the royal seal from Nicholas,
informing her that she is no longer under house arrest.  She goes to see
him anyway.  There is a pause before she's admitted.  There is a woman
there with him.  She is 5'2" tall, and looks like she weighs about 100
pounds.  Her hair is short, dark brown, and wavy, complete with bangs, and
she has dark brown-green eyes.  She resembles Ona.  Ariana can't read her
at all.  She is introduced as Echo.  Ariana guesses that Nicholas already
knows what she came to tell him.  Yes.  She's sorry that she couldn't tell
him before.  Echo says it would have helped if she had.  But she's young,
so it won't be held against her.  Maybe not by them.  Ariana leaves and
decides to investigate the Shadow where the Pattern sent the children.

	Felix shows the crystals to Bleys, who hasn't seen anything like
them.  He asks where Felix found them.  The Shadow the Pattern sent the
children to.  Bleys suggests Felix set the children to cleaning them up
and throwing them away.  Bleys can't think of anyone in the family who's
especially interested in geology.  The samples Felix put in vacuum only
went dormant.  Are they sentient?  Bleys says no.  They seem to keep
popping up wherever Felix has gone.

	Ariana does research in the crystal Shadow.  Lucien eventually
contacts her over the talking bones.  Is she avoiding him?  No, she's just
doing research.  So, he should tell the children that she's working on
something?  Yes.  When will she be back?  She doesn't know.  He tells her
about her invitation to the brothel opening.  Did he get one?  Yes.  He's
scheduled for two days before her.  Is he going?  He doesn't know yet. 
She says it's OK with her if he does.  He ends the contact.  Ariana does
more research.  She learns that the crystals reproduce via microscopic
spores.  Nothing seems to shake them loose.  They also reflect the same
color as the Pattern.  She Trumps Driscoll and talks to him about the
crystals.  He tells her what Felix found, and that he's frozen Bedlam
until a solution can be found, since he doesn't want to contaminate it
further.

	Laughter talks to Fiona about the crystals.  They toss some
crystals on the Pattern.  They flash blue.  Fiona finds this interesting.

	Ariana contacts Felix and tells him what she's found.  She
mentions that the Pattern must have intended for the crystals to come to
Amber.  True.  They agree to keep each other updated.

	Ariana contacts Arthur about using Kalevala to research the
crystals.  He'll look into it.  Ariana does some exploring, and eventually
comes across a crystal-free river.  Further study reveals that
microorganisms in the liquid dissolve the crystal, and that the liquid
itself seems to be a life form.  Ariana travels towards the source, but
realizes it will take a long time to get there.  She immerses herself in
the liquid, to free herself of contamination, then Trumps Fiona and tells
her what she's found.  Fiona comes through and they begin collecting spray
bottles full of the liquid.  Then Fiona brings them to Middlecourt for
further study of the liquid.  It behaves in the same manner as it did in
the crystal Shadow.

	Fiona invites Ariana to stay for tea.  Ariana foolishly accepts. 
They discuss Middlecourt, Nicholas, and Drumm's death.  Ariana learns that
Fiona, Nicholas and Eric are aware of her past life as a faerie. 
Apparently Echo told them of it.  She also learns that Zane invaded
Avalon.  Two of Ona's children were killed in the attack, but the rest
survived.  Ariana tells Fiona that Gavin, Vixen and Bridget appear to be
related to Clarissa.  During the course of the conversation, Fiona manages
to pick up on the fact that Ariana's pregnant, and that something about
the pregnancy is bothering her.  She assures Ariana that no one else is
likely to notice.  Fiona admits that Mandor intends to remain in
Middlecourt, even if Zane is overthrown.  She says this is due to
Heather's influence.  She invites Ariana to dinner in Middlecourt.

	The first night of the brothel's opening week celebration arrives. 
It's August 11.  Vixen's backup set of sheets haven't arrived.  Oscar goes
out and finds some.  Don't ask him where he got them.  The doors open at
nine, and things go well.  Bleys, Viktoria, Alexandra, Eris and Foster are
present from the royal family.  As the night goes on, some of the female
employees attach themselves to Bleys and Foster, and eventually they
disappear with them, Foster leaving with Aster, Bleys with Mona. 
Alexandra looks mopy once people start going to rooms.  Vixen talks to
her.  Alexandra explains that her father insists that she be a virgin when
she marries.  Vixen is sure they can accommodate her.  Alexandra picks
Roxanne.  Eris makes off with Leo.  The younger men leave with happy
smiles, and compliment Vixen as they leave.  By one in the morning,
there's still no sign of Bleys, Foster, or the women they disappeared
with.  Alexandra reappears and socializes periodically.  Still no sign of
the missing foursome when the brothel closes at five.  Oscar goes to knock
on the doors, then returns and says they were all asleep.  Vixen begins
going over the night's accounts.  Her staff look embarrassed when they
make their way back down.  Foster and Bleys both look kind of dazed. 
Vixen asks if Bleys had a fun evening.  Yeah, until he fell asleep.  That
doesn't usually happen.  Alexandra is curled up on the couch, and comments
that she's not used to drinking that much.  Vixen Trumps Eric and asks him
to pull her and Alexandra through.  He does this thing.  Alexandra is
settled down in the guest quarters.

	Foster staggers home and crawls into bed.  Laughter tells him to
take a bath.  He groans and does so, then crawls back into bed again.  He
seems real sleepy.  Laughter comments to Driscoll that Foster will
probably be useless for the next couple of days.  Driscoll isn't
especially disappointed by this.

	Gavin finally decides to go to Amber.  Traveling there takes the
better part of a day.  It also manages to spread the crystal infestation
to all the Shadows he passes through.

	Laughter asks Foster how the night went.  He doesn't understand
why he fell asleep.  He doesn't understand why he slept with someone,
either.  He hadn't intended to.  He's concerned, and tells Laughter to
keep her eyes open when she goes.  Laughter begins researching a crystal
magnet spell.

	Vixen is notified that Arthur, Eric, and Laughter will be
attending the brothel's second opening night.  Mirelle, Julian and Flavia
decline.

	Laughter talks to Felix and convinces him to loan her his psychic
barrier pin for the duration of her visit to Vixen's brothel.  Just in
case.

	Vixen approaches Laughter at lunch, and asks if Laughter's noticed
anything odd about Foster.  Yes, as a matter of fact.  Vixen explains that
she thinks that faeries may be infiltrating the brothel, using glamours to
disguise themselves as invited guests.  Laughter is less than pleased.


Quotables:

"Picnic with a cub scout group.  Call it a giant jamboree." -- Liam to Matt

"I've been considering your words." -- Tierney Feldane
"That's why I said them." -- Ronan

"The champion of the King's security is a little slow on the gossip
front." -- Matt to the group at large

"Stop Trumping me, I can't see where I'm going!" -- Laughter to Felix

"Well, I suppose if one of (the children) does walk the Pattern, it will
serve as a splendid reminder to the others." -- Laughter to the group at
large

"Ahab walked the Pattern when he was twelve, and look what happened to
him." -- Laughter
"Ahab turned out that way because there was no lifeguard in his gene
pool." -- Felix

"(Ronan's trying) to incite a rebellion." -- Sean
"That's not what the guard is for.  That's what I'm doing.  There's a
difference." -- Ronan

"I point out that (Iseult) is too easily goaded by people." -- Laughter
"Oooh, that makes her mad." -- GM

"That's the one thing that I've never understood about your...never mind,
it makes complete sense." -- Laughter to Di'ghan

"(Vixen's) a trained assassin, and now she's opening a brothel.  This
can't lead to anything good." -- Laughter to Alexandra and Gavin

"That's it!  I'm going to go open a brothel and invite only Brand." --
Laughter to the group at large

"(Foster) took me at my word?  Wow, I obviously don't have him cowed
enough." -- Laughter to GM