Chapter
Fifty-three
Tuesday, December 27, 2989
Ariana spends some time getting used to the long skirts faerie women
wear. Riftvan returns after an hour or so. Ariana says that she thought
Trumps wouldn't work here. Riftvan claims he's surprised they did. No
one has ever tried to Trump him while he was in Tir-na Nog'th before. He
warns her that the Shadow has a natural resistance to Trump, so whoever
was trying to reach her was no lightweight. Ariana notices that he's
holding his hands behind his back and asks what he's hiding. He brings
out her Trump deck and asks if she wants it. She says she does, so he
hands it to her. He asks if he can make a suggestion and shows her a
pocket in her underskirt where she can hide the deck. She asks if they
can continue the tour. He says that will have to wait, since he has an
errand to run. He kisses her and says good luck, leaving before she can
respond.
Moire gives Bartholomew the key to the Pattern room in Rebma and tells
him to keep an eye on it. Bart considers the key for a while, then
decides he may as well take a look at the Pattern, even though his
mother's warned him to stay away from it. He opens the door a crack and
peers in. He sees the Pattern and decides to take a closer look.
Naturally, he stops right at the beginning of the Pattern. The current
pushes him forward. He attempts to compensate but eventually loses his
balance, causing his right foot to come down on the Pattern. Sparks begin
to rise, and it occurs to him that removing his foot would not be a good
idea. Left with no other choice, he walks the Pattern. Arriving
exhausted at the center, he realizes that he has no idea how to get off of
the Pattern. Finding no obvious exits, he wishes he could talk to Moire,
and suddenly he's standing in front of her. He returns the key to her and
asks why she gave it to him. She merely smiles. Bart goes back to his
room.
Usires, a huge man with red hair and green eyes, is eating when a
cloaked figure enters his home. He is quite shocked that the person is
female, since he is from a Viking culture where women do little more than
bear children. She says it's time to earn the ax he was given. He asks
if it's hers. She tells him she gave it to him. He asks if she wants it
back. She tells him that won't be necessary, provided he earns it. She
has a task for him. There is an elfin creature he is to guard. He can do
what he wants with her, but she wants her alive. He asks that she give
him some advanced warning of when the task will begin. She promises he
will be given six hours to prepare.
Ahab searches for Lyss with a Pattern lens. He finds her in the
gardens and teleports down there. He asks if she's enjoying her stroll.
She asks about his broken ankle. He tells her he miscalculated and came
looking for an expert. He asks what she did to him at dinner. She asks
what he thinks she did. Ahab tells her he assumed she pushed him through
Shadow, but she did have the Jewel at one point, so maybe she shifted
Shadow. He's not sure if the latter is possible in Amber, even with the
Jewel's help. Lyss tells him she can do it on her own, without assistance
from the Jewel. Ahab is quite surprised. Lyss points out that she had
the advantage of being tutored by Ghostwheel. She also says that
Ghostwheel won't show Ahab how to do it. She wants something to hold over
him, after all. She tells him he's lucky he didn't teleport out the side
of the castle that overlooks the cliffs of Kolvir. Ahab says he doesn't
understand where Lyss got her brains, given that Abe and Ariadne are not
high in that department. He tells Lyss that he'll be gone for a few days.
She asks why. He explains that Vetch is up to something and he may have
to extricate certain parties from Vetch's home Shadow. Lyss wishes him
luck.
Alex and Bleys discuss what to do next. Bleys says that gaining
access to Vetch's Shadow is problematic, and he can't think of a way
around it. He suggests waiting for Vetch to come out. Alex suggests that
Vetch may not be the correct target. Bleys tells him that Sand's Shadow
wasn't hers, and it's gone now, anyway. Alex asks why Sand would be
keeping Delwin in Vetch's Shadow. Bleys can think of several reasons:
Vetch can't use Spikards, Sand may be holding something over him, the
Shadow itself is close to the Courts and therefore pretty real, so it
can't easily be destroyed, you can only get in if you're a native, or a
good enough shapeshifter to become one, magic is different there and the
natives are immune to Pattern and Logrus. Alex doesn't want to sit around
waiting for Sand or Vetch to come out. He asks if only part of the Shadow
could be destroyed as a means of gaining entrance. Bleys admits it's
possible, but says it would be impossible to control which part of the
Shadow was destroyed. Which means they might kill Delwin in the process.
Bleys suggests that if Alex doesn't want to wait, he find a shapeshifter
good enough to shape him into a faerie.
Ariana is trying to make her quarters more defensible when there is a
knock at the door. At the same time, her ring warns her of danger. She
hides the twins, then waits behind the door to her bedroom. She hears the
outer door open and sniffing noises. The sound stops just outside of the
door. As she gets ready to attack, she is hit by an overpowering Trump
contact. She guesses that her attacker is Sand and tries Psychic Disrupt.
The psychic attack is unaffected. She manages to take out the wolf and
scream for help before she is overwhelmed. When she wakes up, she is
being dragged through Shadow by Sand. Sand notices that she's awake and
says she's more trouble than she's worth. Ariana tries to escape. Sand
slaps her. Ariana allows herself to be dragged along until her head
clears then tries again. Sand slaps her again. Ariana waits and then
makes another attempt. Sand punches her in the face, breaking her nose
and knocking her out. Ariana wakes up when she is deposited in a cot.
She explores the cell, but finds little other than a waste hole surrounded
by a screen, and a mirror. She uses the mirror to set her nose, and
checks to see what Sand left her with. All of her weapons are gone, but
her Trumps are still there. She tries Weaken Structure on the door lock,
but nothing happens. She begins examining the door for another way
out.
Alex returns to his quarters and catches Lucretia putting away a
Trump. He tells her that he's going to the Courts. Lucretia asks why
he's doing this, since he told her it wasn't safe. He claims it's for the
adventure and excitement. Lucretia doesn't buy it and repeats her
question. Alex asks who she was Trumping. Lucretia denies that she was
Trumping anyone. Alex refuses to answer her question until she answers
his. Lucretia is angry about this. After some more back and forth, she
determines that Alex is going after Delwin again. Alex says goodbye and
leaves for Chaos.
Sand contacts Usires and tells him to get ready. When he is prepared,
she takes him into Ariana's cell and tells him to guard her. Sand leaves.
Ariana makes eye contact with Usires and manages to learn a little bit
about him, including the fact Sand had him walk the Pattern in Tir-na
Nog'th, before he swings at her with his ax. She manages to avoid this,
but is unable to make eye contact with him again. She tries to convince
Usires that Sand is using him. He thinks his Pattern walk was a dream.
She tells him of Amber and Chaos and offers to take him there to prove
that she's telling the truth. Usires mostly sits there and grunts. At
one point, Usires seems to be considering what she said. While he's
pondering, Ariana pretends to go to the bathroom. She pulls out her
Trumps once she's hidden by the screen and notices that she has three new
ones: Alex, Mary and Delwin. She tries her Amber Trump, but it's too far
away to work. Same with Bleys' Trump. Alex's Trump activates, but is
pitch black. Alex doesn't like this and disrupts the contact. Usires
decides he's always wanted to see how women go to the bathroom, so he
checks on Ariana. He asks what she's looking at. She tells him the
Trumps are pictures of her family. They hear the door unlocking. Usires
hastily comes out from behind the screen. Ariana hides her Trumps before
doing the same. Sand tosses Foster into the cell and leaves.
Llewella finds Bart in his room and yells at him for walking the
Pattern. Bart does a pretty pathetic job of defending himself. Llewella
grounds him and locks him in his room.
Ariana asks Foster what happened. He doesn't recognize her in her new
form and asks who she is. She tells him she's Ariana. He asks how long
she's been that way. She says since early that morning, from her
perspective. She asks how Sand got him. He hesitates and asks if she
really wants to know. She says she does, so he reveals that Vetch brought
him to Sand. He says he's never seen Vetch in that kind of mood before.
He adds that Vetch said something about getting the others quickly.
Foster asks where Jalana is. Ariana says she doesn't know if Sand took
her or not and asks if Foster saw her. Foster says he didn't. Ariana
explains the situation with Usires to Foster. Foster points out that
Vikings don't generally like elves. They both continue trying to convince
Usires that he's being used. Foster tells Usires that Ariana isn't really
an elf and shapeshifts himself slightly to show that it's possible.
Usires is made rather nervous by this. Ariana tries to convince Usires
that his orders from Sand only mentioned guarding her, not Foster. Usires
stops and thinks about this.
Bart gets out of his room somehow. He finds Moire again and complains
about being grounded, being forbidden to go to Amber, etc. Moire offers
to give him a diplomatic mission to Amber. Bart foolishly agrees, so she
gives him a scroll and tells him to deliver it to Random. Bart sets off
for Amber.
Sand opens the cell door and tosses in Emer and Eris. Eris is rather
upset. Sand looks at Usires and tells him he'll be a more effective guard
on the other side of the door. He dutifully leaves the cell and Sand
locks the others in again. Foster sticks his fingers into the lock and
shapes them into the form of a key. The others manage to get Eris to calm
down and she begins to conjure a key that matches the shape of Foster's
fingers. While Eris does this, Ariana brings out her Trumps again and
tries to reach Mary.
Ahab is in his quarters when there is a knock at the door. He answers
it and finds Riftvan standing there. Riftvan remarks that this is
inconvenient and nails Ahab with a sleep spell. Ahab wakes up to find
Kimdyl shaking him and screaming that Nicholas is gone. Ahab Trumps Bleys
while he's putting on his armor and explains that Vetch just kidnapped his
son. Bleys comes through. Ahab asks what Bleys did with his cold iron
spear. Bleys gets it and Ahab starts sharpening it. He asks Ghostwheel
why it hasn't been able to tell them where Vetch is when he leaves his
Shadow. Ghostwheel explains that Vetch is moving so fast that he's out
and back before it can pin his location down.
Mary Trumps Alex and comes through. She explains that she's really
Teresa. She was working with Sand, but for the past year she's been a
double agent. Unfortunately, Sand no longer trusts her, so she escaped.
Mary gets a Trump call. She answers it and finds only blackness. Ariana
starts to explain what's going on, but Mary breaks the contact as soon as
she hears Ariana's name. Ariana Trumps Alex, again, and he disrupts the
contact, again, although it's more difficult this time. Ariana Trumps
Alex a third time. Alex tells Mary about the previous two contacts. Mary
tells him that she had a similar contact, and it was from Ariana. Mary
doesn't trust Ariana since she's with Vetch, and Vetch is working with
Sand. Alex decides to take the call. Ariana is able to hear him, but he
can't hear her. Mary joins the contact, enabling them to hear Ariana.
Ariana explains that she, Foster, Eris and Emer are being held by Sand.
Before she can say more, she hears the door unlocking and breaks the
contact. Mary tells Alex that she thinks she can prevent Ariana from
ending the contact if she Trumps them again. Alex doesn't think that's a
good idea.
Ariana conceals her Trumps and the children hide the key before Sand
enters the cell. Sand hands Nicholas to Ariana, saying she understands
Ariana knows how to deal with these things. When Sand leaves, Usires asks
why she's holding human children. Sand claims they're really elf children
using a glamour to make them look human. She offers to remove the
glamour, but Usires says that's not necessary.
Felix tries to find Foster, but can't. He asks around and learns that
Foster left his lessons hours ago. He grows concerned and Trumps
Gérard. Gérard and Felix wind up Trumping Random, who
brings them through to join him.
Sand brings Rinaldo into the cell and leaves. Outside of the cell,
Usires spots Riftvan approaching. Sand orders Usires to go to the other
end of the hall. Riftvan tells Sand that he's done what she asked, now
it's time for her to fulfill her end. Sand opens the cell door and tells
Ariana that she's free to go. Ariana hesitates. Riftvan meets her eyes
and indicates they need to leave immediately. She walks out of the cell
and tells Usires that he's being played for a fool.
Riftvan gates Ariana and himself back to Ariana's quarters in Tir-na
Nog'th and examines her face. Ariana is relieved to see that the twins
are OK. She asks why Sand didn't take them. Riftvan says that would have
crossed the line and he would have killed her. He assures Ariana that the
twins will be safe and asks if she's ready for revenge. She cuts off the
bottom half of her skirt, grabs Alastor and says she is. She asks what's
Sand is planning to do with the children. He tells her that Sand is
holding them for ransom in exchange for the Jewel of Judgment. Ariana
tells him that she was able to Trump Alex and let him know that Sand had
the children. Riftvan remarks that the glamour on the Trumps must have
worked. Riftvan wants Ariana to Trump her relatives and see if they'll
help go after the children. If no one will, they'll go alone.
Mary explains to Alex that Sand wants to try and power the Spikards
with the Jewel. Alex figures Sand has made a grave mistake in kidnapping
the daughters of the Crown Princes of Amber and Chaos. He Trumps Mandor
and tells him what's happened. He mentions that Vetch may be involved,
since Ariana is the one who told him of the kidnappings. Mandor remarks
that the faerie he ensorceled from that Shadow a while back will come in
handy. Mandor Trumps Heather, breaking her out of the spell she was
under. Heather asks what's going on. Mandor explains. Heather Trumps
Brand, who says he's been trying to reach her for an hour.
Riftvan opens a gate and takes Ariana to a Shadow where Trumps work
properly. She Trumps Ahab and explains that Sand is holding Nicholas.
Ahab asks why Vetch took his son. Ariana explains that he did it to save
her life. She tells him that Riftvan can shape Ahab so he can get into
the Shadow where Sand is. Ahab isn't happy with Riftvan but agrees.
Ariana Trumps Felix next. He doesn't recognize her. She explains who she
is and that Sand has Foster. Felix doesn't believe her. She invites him
to Trump Ahab and confirm what she's said with him. Felix does so.
Ariana asks Riftvan how many people he can change. He figures between six
and twelve. She decides it will be easiest to just Trump Random and does
so. He doesn't recognize her any more than Felix did, so she explains who
she is again. He says he thought she was a prisoner. She confirms that
she was, but says that's changed. Random reveals that Mandor has a way to
send people to Tir-na Nog'th without shapeshifting them and asks her to
come through. She says she'll be there momentarily. She tells Riftvan of
Random's request and warns him that while she thinks she's talked Ahab out
of killing him, Ahab may want to get a few blows in. Riftvan switches to
a more durable form. This one is 6'4" tall and thin, with brown hair.
Ariana mentions that the children were working on a key, so they may have
escaped from their cell by now. She also informs him about Mandor's
ability to enter Tir-na Nog'th. He remarks that this explains what
happened to that sorcerer and reveals that Mandor traps people's souls in
his silver balls and uses their abilities.
Usires asks Sand why she's working with an elf. Sand says that
particular elf made the mistake of falling in love with the creature
Usires was guarding, which makes him useful. She leaves and Usires
returns to his post outside of the cell door. After some time passes, he
hears the sound of a key turning in the lock. He grabs the door and holds
it shut. He hears a voice saying "Pull!" from the other side, and is
surprised to find himself being slowly pulled in. Emer slips out and
begins to taunt him. He lets go of the door and goes after her. The
others run out of the cell. Eris hands Nicholas to Emer and begins
conjuring some chain. Usires tries to throw his ax at her. Foster shifts
to his Chaos form and bites Usires on the leg. Rinaldo tells the others
to run. Eris, Emer and Nicholas go one way, Foster and Rinaldo go the
other. Usires chases the boys. Rinaldo begins casting a spell. Usires
throws his ax at the boy. Rinaldo leaps to one side and manages to avoid
most of the ax, although he is grazed. He also loses the spell. Usires
clocks him and he goes down. Foster nails Usires in the balls. Then he
picks up the ax and swings it at Usires' legs. It doesn't penetrate
Usires' armor but it hurts like Hell. Usires knocks Foster unconscious,
but when he looks around Rinaldo is gone. He picks Foster up and carries
him back to the cell.
Alex and Mary decide the action is Amber and go there. Heather and
Mandor arrive there as well. Mary looks nervous upon seeing Heather. She
explains that her last duty for Sand involved knocking Heather out. At
the time she still thought her cover was secure. Heather does not look
pleased to see Mary, but she does allow Mary to explain her actions. Mary
claims Heather is the one who made her decide to turn against Sand.
Ariana and Vetch arrive in Amber. Most of the family is gathered in
the Great Hall. Ahab recognizes Vetch's current form as the one he used
when he kidnapped Nicholas the first time. Random motions Ariana over to
him. Vetch remains on the outskirts. Ahab confronts him and asks if what
Ariana told him is true. Vetch says that Sand would have killed Ariana if
he hadn't complied. Ahab says he understands but he still isn't happy.
Vetch says it takes a while to unlearn old habits when you reach his age.
Ahab thinks he's being fed a load of shit and says so.
Ariana tells Random and the others the situation, including the fact
that the children have a key and Usires is an Amberite. No one claims
Usires as their son. Benedict is most interested in hearing Ariana's
evaluation of Usires' fighting ability. Random tells those who are
interested in going after the children that they can either go via
Mandor's method or Vetch's, but Mandor can only send one person every 15
minutes.
Sand approaches the children's cell. Usires looks embarrassed and
tells her they had a key. Sand asks who's left. Usires explains that he
was only able to catch Foster. Sand remarks that he's the only important
one. She takes Foster and leaves. Usires goes searching for the others.
He eventually finds Rinaldo, but Rinaldo is ready for him. Rinaldo throws
fire oil at Usires and runs away. Blinded and in pain, Usires stumbles
after him.
Benedict motions Ariana over and asks for her hand. She holds it out
and he takes it. After a moment he nods and Mandor sends him through.
Gérard is next in line. Felix, Ahab and Caine opt to have Vetch
shapeshift them. Vetch has to shift back to his Riftvan form to do so.
Ahab is unhappy to discover that his Pattern is gone and gives Ariana an
accusing look. Ariana says that aspect of the change slipped her mind.
Usires finally corners Rinaldo. He's about to strike when a voice
from behind him points out that he's bigger than Rinaldo. Usires turns
and sees the biggest faerie he's ever seen. A faerie with only one arm.
Usires attacks, but Benedict easily deflects the ax into the wall with one
quick movement of his sword. Usires wisely opts not to continue his
attack. Benedict questions Rinaldo as to what happened and hands him
Usires' ax.
Ariana asks Riftvan what sort of defenses Sand has. Riftvan says that
the faeries are with him, leaving Sand with little besides her wolves.
Ahab, Kimdyl, Ariana, Felix and Caine step through one of Riftvan's gates.
They encounter Emer, Eris and Nicholas almost immediately. Kimdyl takes
Nicholas from Emer while Eris throws her arms around Ariana. Kimdyl and
Ariana stay with the three children while Ahab, Felix and Caine continue
looking for the others. They eventually find Benedict, Rinaldo and
Usires. Ahab asks where Foster is. Rinaldo says that Usires caught him
and took him back to the cell. Ahab takes off in that direction. Felix
tells Usires that he picked the wrong side and decks him. Usires is
knocked unconscious. Felix leaves him lying there and runs after Ahab.
They find an empty cell and return to where they left Usires. Caine is
looking rather thoughtfully at Usires. Felix asks if he knows him. Caine
admits Usires might be his son, although he must have been in an awfully
slow Shadow.
Bart arrives in Amber to find a large number of people gathered in the
Great Hall. He walks up to Random and hands him the scroll. Random reads
it and looks puzzled. He tells Bart that dinner on Saturday evening is OK
with him. Bart tries to slip out of there. Fiona catches him and tells
him to introduce himself.
Riftvan and Alex arrive via another gate. Kimdyl and the children go
back to Amber through it. Riftvan asks if Ariana still wants revenge.
They join the others and Riftvan gates them to Sand. She puts a knife to
Foster's throat and begins retreating through Shadow. Ghostwheel warns
Ahab that she's heading for her Shadow. Ahab tells it to block her. Alex
tries a Power Word on Sand, but nothing happens. After a few minutes,
Sand notices that she's not making any progress. She tells them to stop
or she'll cut Foster into tiny pieces. When there's no immediate
response, she cuts off Foster's pinkie. This rouses Foster to
consciousness. Ahab tells Ghostwheel to stop. Alex summons the Logrus
and begins casting a spell. Sand chops off Foster's other pinkie. Alex
aborts the spell. Felix tells Ariana that this is all her fault. Ahab
asks Ghostwheel to bring Deirdre through behind Sand. Ariana tries to
change Ahab back to his true form, so he can use his Pattern abilities,
but nothing happens. Deirdre appears behind Sand, but Sand doesn't seem
to notice. Sand throws a pendant at the people in front of her. As they
move out of the way, Alex casts a spell, which causes the pendant to
flash. Everyone is blinded. Alex grabs the pendant with the Logrus and
yanks it away. They hear Sand scream and Deirdre say "Damn!" When their
vision clears, Deirdre is standing there with blood on her sword, Foster
is holding his hands under his arms, and Sand is gone.
Felix and Foster return to Amber. Felix takes Foster up to the
infirmary and tends to him. He wants to find Vetch and have him
regenerate Foster's fingers. Foster says he doesn't have the mass to
spare right now, and assures Felix that they'll grow back eventually.
Felix is much more upset about this than Foster appears to be. He insists
that Foster Trump Vetch. Foster finally agrees to do so, but can't get
through.
Ahab Trumps Ghostwheel and asks it to find Sand. It searches and
tells him she's not locatable. It brings Ahab, Alex, Ariana and Deirdre
back to Amber. Ariana tries reaching Riftvan, but has no better luck than
Foster.