From Kris.Fazzari@um.cc.umich.edu Mon Aug 23 16:41:25 1993 Date: Mon, 23 Aug 93 13:23:10 EDT From: Kris.Fazzari@um.cc.umich.edu To: thari@umich.edu Subject: Kris' Campaign Log Chapter Eleven Felix, Ariana and Martin hear muffled screaming. Felix goes downstairs to investigate. Ariana goes as well, despite Martin's urging her to stay in bed with him and ignore the whole thing. Heather and her bed mate also hear the screaming, but they decide it's nothing to concern them. Ahab returns to the Castle at about the same time, and also decides to check out the disturbance. Felix clears a path towards the source of the screams, with Ariana and Ahab following in his wake. The screaming stops before the trio reaches the room where it originated. They enter and find Gerard, a sobbing woman, Caine, Julian, Benedict and a blood covered body. The body is ambassador Dormel's, and his throat was slit. Gerard is comforting the woman, who is Dormel's wife. As Random makes his way in, Ahab intercepts him and tells him about the fire in the Grove of the Unicorn. Random isn't real happy to hear this new piece of information. Gerard tries to calm Dormel's wife, who is insisting that he was murdered by a Prince of Amber, but she doesn't say who.. A emerald-covered dagger with blood on it is found near the body. Felix trumps Eric and relays what's happened. Eric says he'll look into the shrine problem, and breaks the contact. Caine and Julian claim they found Dormel dead when they came into the room. Random asks why they were in the room in the first place.. They look at each other and then both hand Random notes from their pockets. Random reads them and says that this doesn't look good. The notes are ostensibly from Dormel, asking to meet with each of them. Random asks Ahab what he was doing in the Grove. Ahab says he was hunting. The Eregnan delegation shows up and starts demanding justice. Ahab tells them that no one makes demands of the Crown of Amber, which cows them, but makes them even more unhappy. Isabeux arrives up and gives Gerard some tablets, which Gerard gives to Dormel's wife. The Eregnan delegates start mumbling something about Gerard and Isabeux poisoning her, which angers Felix. He yells at them that his parents wouldn't kill anyone, and then storms out. The Eregnans indicate that they will be taking care of Dormel's wife, and they don't want any Amberite help. Random asks Ahab some more questions about the Grove, and then leaves. Caine picks up his dagger, wipes it off, and leaves. Ariana tells Ahab that she doesn't think Caine was stupid enough to kill Dormel and then be found by his body. Julian glares at both of them and then leaves as well. Ahab asks if Benedict is taking an interest in the investigation. Benedict says he is, so Ahab and Ariana leave and head back upstairs. They discuss Amber's legal system. Ariana is surprised to learn that no formal trial system exists for Amberites. The King is the final arbiter in situations like these. Ariana doesn't think much of this system of justice. Felix works out his anger on a punching bag in the fencing room. Dworkin interrupts him and complains about the noise he's making. Felix explains why he's upset. Dworkin says that he doesn't think Gerard is smart enough to poison Dormel's wife. This does not improve Felix's mood at all. As they talk, Dworkin keeps insulting Gerard. After watching Felix get more and more annoyed at this, Dworkin suggests pounding the punching bag again. Felix does so, but has trouble maintaining his previous level of intensity with Dworkin watching. Dworkin tells him he hits like a girl, and urges him to hit harder and faster. Ahab and Ariana hear this as they are walking by and decide to find out what's going on. Felix makes reference to the fact that Ariana and Ahab are sleeping together Dworkin gets unhappy about this and asks if it's true. Ariana and Ahab try to change the subject, but for once Dworkin's mind is not wandering. Dworkin gets annoyed at the delay and tosses them both into a wall. Eventually Ariana confirms what Felix implied. Dworkin orders her not to sleep with Ahab, but says Martin is OK. Both of them ask why. He tells them that the reason is because he said so, but Ariana finds this unacceptable. Dworkin then says that Ariana and Ahab are too closely related. Ariana figures this means he must know who her Amber parent is, so she starts asking him about that. After a great deal of questioning, it comes out that Oberon was Ariana's father and some woman named Helen was her mother. Ariana is less than overjoyed at the news. Ahab leaves the room. Ariana asks why Martin is OK for her to sleep with, since he is the same relation to her as Ahab. Dworkin agrees, and says that she can't sleep with either of them. Ariana eventually convinces Dworkin to let her sleep with Amberites, as long as she takes precautions. Dworkin switches his attention to Felix, who has been keeping very quiet during all the arguing, and asks him about his sex life. Felix says he's been sleeping with girls in various sea ports, which causes Dworkin to drag him to his lab and push some rubbers on him. Ariana starts working out her frustration on the punching bag. Ahab hears her and joins her for some fencing. Felix asks Dworkin about Ariadne. He learns that she is Benedict's daughter and that her mother was the one who removed Benedict's arm. He asks if there is a way to remove the geis on her, and Dworkin suggests having her walk the Pattern. Felix takes his rubbers and leaves. After working out for an hour, Ariana goes back to bed. Martin is already asleep, but she wakes him and they take up where they left off. Ahab takes to the punching bag for another hour, until he notices Dworkin watching him. Dworkin gives him a beer and they talk. Dworkin mentions that they've been keeping him awake. Ahab asks him more about his father. He learns that his parents were never married. Dworkin claims that Deirdre did love Ramon and that he was drunk a lot. Ahab asks him about the Grove of the Unicorn, and if the fire there will harm Amber at all. Dworkin says that it won't. Ahab asks who might have lit it. Dworkin isn't sure, but he'd guess that it was Deela. Ahab asks who she was, and Dworkin tells him that Oberon used her worst of all, but she deserved it. Ahab asks Dworkin some questions about shadow metaphysics. Dworkin says that he'll take all the mystery out of life, and suggests he stick to fighting. Ahab asks if Dworkin still teaches and Dworkin asks if he's brave enough. Ahab thinks he is. At breakfast the next morning are Mandor, Heather, Driscoll, Dworkin, Felix, Flora, Gerard, Isabeux, Ahab (in his toga), Bleys, Ariana and Martin. Felix asks his father where Benedict is. He mentions that he has news that he thinks Benedict should know first, which gets everyone else's attention. Ahab asks about the situation with the Eregnans, and learns that they have left. A discussion ensues over Caine's possible guilt or innocence, which makes Felix angry. He and Gerard leave together. Bleys also leaves. Heather suggests talking about something else. Martin complies and asks Heather what her favorite color is. They engage in a debate over the importance of colors and about Buddhism. Gerard catches up with Felix and asks him what's wrong. Felix is upset that Caine is being accused. Gerard manages to calm him down. Ahab waits until Driscoll leaves, then catches up to him. He asks when would be a good time to do the conjuration he'd asked Driscoll to help him with. Driscoll isn't doing anything currently, so they agree to meet down by the stables. Heather and Flora leave. Heather goes looking for Bleys, Fiona or Brand, but she can't find any of them. She goes down to check on Ariadne in the infirmary. Battlestar gets up and stares at her as she enters. Heather notes that Ariadne is still there. Felix stops by Benedict's room and knocks on the door. He is invited in and tells Benedict that he has news for him. Benedict motions for him to sit down. Felix tells him that he has a daughter, which gets a frown out of Benedict. He tells Benedict all about Ariadne. Benedict asks where she is. Felix tells him and Benedict gets up and leaves Felix follows and they head down to the infirmary. Heather hears them approaching and lets them through. Battlestar curls its lips back for a moment, until Benedict glares at it, then it slinks off to the head of the bed. Benedict examines Ariadne. He says three words and Ariadne's eyes open. Her eyes are blue and brown for a moment, then turn red. She attacks Benedict, who lifts her and tosses her into a wall. Felix tries to trump Fiona but gets no response. Ariadne gets back up, still looking angry. Heather helps Felix in his attempt, but they still get no response. Ariadne picks up a chair and goes after Benedict, who backhands her into a wall. Wanting to talk to Dworkin, Felix trumps Ahab, but finds he is no longer at breakfast. He asks if Ahab knows where Dworkin is. Ahab says no and asks what's going on. When Felix tells him, Ahab asks to come through. Felix says find Dworkin. Ahab points out that there is a trump of Dworkin in the deck. Felix says "Oh yeah", and breaks the contact. Ahab starts running for the infirmary. Felix trumps Dworkin, but gets no answer. He trumps Martin, who is not happy to get the call, since Dworkin is glaring at him. He tells Felix to bugger off. Felix asks him to have Dworkin trump him. Martin says fine, just bugger off. Felix says "consider me buggered then", which earns him an odd look from Heather. Ariana asks Martin who the call was from. Martin looks nervously at Dworkin, who is glaring at him, and says it was nothing important. Ariadne gets backhanded into the bed a few more times, and then collapses in a sobbing heap. Ahab arrives at this point and trumps Driscoll. He tells him what's happened and asks if he wants to come through. Driscoll says that he's kind of tied up with the Begman delegation right now, so he can't. Benedict picks up Ariadne and takes her down to the Pattern room. Ahab and Felix follow. Benedict has a quiet talk with Ariadne, while Felix and Ahab look on. After he finishes the talk, Benedict stands back and folds his arms. Ariadne looks around for a minute, which earns her a smile from Ahab and a wave from Felix. She then proceeds to walk the Pattern. When she reaches the first veil, she starts shifting shape, much to the surprise of Ahab and Felix. She almost does not make it through the final veil. When she finally finishes, she collapses naked at the center. She wakes up half an hour later, holds her arms out, and clothing appears on her body. She transports herself to Benedict's side. Ahab and Felix leave the two of them alone. Heather looks for Coral and finds her in a sitting room reading a book. They talk about the previous nights events. Heather offers to take her shopping in town, which Coral is delighted to do. Heather gets Medb, and the three of them head into town. Martin excuses himself from breakfast. Ariana asks Dworkin if he's willing to teach her. He asks what she wants to learn and she says trumps. He tells her that most people are born with the ability. She gets some of her portraits and brings them to him to see if she could learn. He says that it will take a while to teach her trump. She says she has a lot of time. He says he could teach her other things quicker, like power words or sorcery. She expresses an interest in learning, so he conjures some milk and cookies and starts to teach her. Unfortunately, he wanders from the topic frequently, so she doesn't learn a whole lot to start with. Felix tells Ahab that Ariadne is Benedict's daughter, and asks him to keep it to himself. Ahab still needs a conjurer, so he grabs some beers and heads up to Dworkin's lab. He finds Ariana and Dworkin discussing the contents of some of Dworkin's jars. Ahab offers a beer to Dworkin and joins them. Dworkin conjures up some more milk and cookies, and dips his cookies in his beer. They go back to discussing the jars. Felix leaves a congratulatory note on Benedict's door and then goes sailing. Heather, Medb and Coral shop until they run out of money. Dworkin falls asleep after an hour or so. Ahab asks Ariana if she knows any other conjurers, but she doesn't. Driscoll trumps Ahab and says he's available now, but he'll have to bring Eris with him. Ahab heads down to the stable and Ariana tags along. Ahab tells Driscoll what he wants done (sharper sword, faster more damage resistant horse). Driscoll says that it will go faster if they go to another shadow, so they do. It's a Irish moor type shadow, and both Ariana and Ahab are a bit chilly. Driscoll gives Ariana his coat. Ahab holds out Morglyph and Driscoll concentrates. The conjuration takes five hours to complete. Ariana plays with Eris in the intervening time. Driscoll takes a rest break while Ahab tries his new and improved sword out on a rock. He is well pleased with the results. Driscoll works on the horse next. This conjuration takes two hours. Driscoll stretches out to rest again when he is done. Zero is unhappy about the whole thing. Ahab tries to make her happier by feeding her sugar cubes and brushing her down. Driscoll naps for half an hour. Ariana hands Eris flowers to put in Driscoll's hair. Driscoll wakes up wearing a bouquet. He doesn't notice until Ahab points it out to him, at which point he becomes somewhat embarrassed. He chases Eris down and tickles her. Ahab tries the same with Ariana. She is able to outdistance him, but she turns around and goes after him. They also get in a tickle fight. Eventually, they trump back to the main hall of Amber, and run into the returning shoppers. The shopping trio are surprised to see Zero in the Main Hall. Ariana says that Ahab has a special relationship with his horse. He replies that she has her father's sense of humor. This pisses Ariana off. She tells him that he has his father's taste and storms off. Ahab takes Zero out for a ride. Felix finishes sailing and heads home for dinner. Felix encounters the shoppers as well, and they persuade him to carry their packages up to their rooms. After he drops their stuff off, Heather hands him a box and says it's a gift for him. It's a sporran (the pouch thing that hangs off of kilts). He thanks her and they head down to dinner. Ariana, Coral, Felix, Medb, Heather, Ahab (a little late), Bleys, Driscoll, Eris, Flora, Gerard, Isabeux, Martin, Random and Vialle are at dinner. The women talk about shopping. Shortly after dinner starts, Brand enters with a pregnant woman. He introduces her to Random as Jasra, his betrothed. Heather and Medb both leave. Brand says that he and Jasra will be eating in their quarters, and they leave as well. Benedict walks in with Ariadne. They invite her to join them, which she does. They all talk for a while. She has some trouble fitting in, but they try to make her feel more comfortable. They all plan to go to drinking at Bloody Jake's later on that night.