Monkey Business

A personal prayer to the Unicorn from Constance, daughter of Julian, pt 13

I slept well after sparring with Havelock. Whatever the outcome of today’s duel it was about honour. Winning was immaterial and frankly, unlikely –honour was all.

I dressed in a closely fitted green uniform and joined Ariel for breakfast. He gave me an invitation to House Vanguard – Sawall’s formal House – for the announcement of the Royal Coalition’s official candidate and told me that there would be a meeting of the Order before that to discuss our nominations for the Order. I stopped to gather my cloak and weapons and we set off for the Garden of Delights.

I was faintly dismayed to see all of my family present as well as the expected observers and supporters – and, interestingly Magdalene of Karm who looked uncomfortable at being present. The suspended eyes above a plinth were a new addition to the garden but, other than looking for potentially favourable ground to fight on, my attention was on the deliberation of my seconds. I only had to remind William once that it was a duel, not a fight, that I faced. My terms were no armour, no magic, and no unusual items. William and Ariel thought no further than first blood and I was happy to agree.

My Father arrived with his Seconds – Caine and Sheba of Ophir. Ariel formally inquired about the possibility of resolution through a formal apology and this, as expected, was declined. Decisions were made. The Seconds agreed to my outline requests and added that only a single bladed weapon would be used.

I watched my Father’s armour being removed from him and an assurance went back that I was unglamoured. Caine passed him the very fine scimitar he habitually uses. My Father is of course skilled with all matter of weapons. I’ve never known him to have a particular favourite. Perhaps Caine’s weapon was particularly sharp or he chose not to injure me with a weapon of his own.

Cymnea was obviously delighted to be asked to bestow her favour and after a show of deciding where, naturally they went to Father. I caught Havelock’s eye and he nodded and my underlying anxiety was pushed aside as we saluted Cymnea, each other and began the dance.

Father’s discipline and experienced showed. There have been times on patrol in Arden that storms have lashed across the sky and although there has been damage in that deep, deep place they have ultimately failed to make any inroad on the oldest of our trees. I felt akin to those storms. Oh My Lady, I did my utmost to best him, knowing that the only way to do so would be to take him quickly before his Strength and undeniable advantage in Endurance overwhelmed me. He remained emotionless. I fought with every trick in my book, but he stood his ground, refusing my invitations to attack through feints and parrying those that got through his defence, turning to face me as I explored every possible angle of attack. And so it went on – and as it went on for some time I, predictably, became tired. I would lose but I would not hand him the duel on a plate. I would lose with honour, which was the whole point.

I was beyond the point where I had ceded to Havelock. The end was quick. I faltered and Julian executed a double bind of my rapier which sailed away from me as if on the wind and could feel the point of his scimitar at my throat. I was already breathing heavily, and trying to not gasp for air when there’s a blade at your throat is difficult. He looked at me and did his duty. I felt the point go up the left side of my face and heard the first drops of blood impact on my shirt. He turned and walked back to the congratulations of his brothers.

My seconds attended me immediately. William had a look at my face and gave me something to press against it, assuring me that the damage wasn’t too bad and should fade in about 10 years. He is blunt in speech but he does mean well. We walked over towards my Aunts. He recommended DeLambre for his surgical skills but, as we were surrounded by the princesses of Amber, Princess Fiona immediately produced her tapestry equipment, saying firmly that she would do the necessary as she had much experience patching up her brother.

My aunts said ‘well fought’ and commiserated with me. They then tut-tutted me for taking part in something as ridiculous as an honour duel. I responded that it was a necessary evil. Fiona said that I had obviously lacked the good influence of female company whilst growing up and I could not disagree with her – well at least for the lack of female company in Arden.

More questions were asked. Where had I learned to fight like that? As I was concentrating on blocking the sensation of the careful movement of the needle going through my face I could only imagine the looks that passed between them when I answered. Cymnea joined us and, with Fiona’s stitching now completed, I got to my feet in her presence. She handed me a goblet and deftly turned me in the direction of my Father. He, over with his brothers, raised his goblet and I responded in kind. The air, I hoped was now cleared and it falls on me to show him respect in the way he requires. Love must be tempered by respect and duty.

Uncle Bleys, for I called him uncle without first asking permission, joined us and I asked him to escort me over to my male relatives. Darig told me what my fighting style was and critiqued it, telling me to come to him if I wanted to improve it. No thank you, Darig. There is no point in improving a style that so relies on an Endurance I will never have. Those uncles of mine who spoke said that it was well fought. Caine and Dirk said nothing – for which I was relieved. Having heard Caine shout at Dirk I really did not want his sarcasm aimed at the defeated little girl. I formally thanked my seconds and retired from the field with Ariel.

We returned to Stormguard for me to freshen up and change. I looked at my face with morbid curiosity. Princess Fiona had told me not to smile for the rest of the day and it didn’t seem too difficult an order to follow. Her work was so precise and neat. I glamoured the injury from my face and then lifted the glamour. It was a mark of honour and would stay.

I found Ariel and we headed off to our meeting through less interesting and probably less secure means, now that the Emperor was late and generally unlamented. We talked on the way. Pheon had not had much time to investigate the theft of my cloak but Ariel and Prospero suspected an inside job as none of the House’s intruder alarms had been tripped. Therefore the matter was not to be discussed whilst they uncovered the culprit. He also reminded me to stay quiet about the Order’s illicit meeting.

Nachtherrin and Eisigenrache were already waiting for us. This was a pre-meet to discuss candidates to join the Order. Nactherrin nominated Merlin and I was happy to second her nomination during the actual meeting. Dolchstoss has nominated Lady Zae of Zigo and I nominated one Raffles of Kunstkabinett. This caused questions and raised eyebrows as it became clear that he was of the ixtramurini and, as Ariel has intimated, one of the mice in the walls and beyond the pale of the Minor and Rimlord houses. But I promoted his case, pointing out he seemed to have some remarkable skills which included crashing the High King’s ball and obtaining items of interest, and that those skills would be useful not just now but also when we left the Thelbane. Nachtherrin listened and nodded, adding the fact that that his membership of the ixtramurini would not be an issue when we left and so she was in favour. Ariel, with reluctance, seconded his nomination and we had our three candidates for three places.

The other members arrived. As there were no further nominations our respective candidates were waved through. I was still unable to advise my Order as to when we intended to leave Chaos and could only say that it depended on how quickly a new King could be selected and the funerals of my grandfather and uncle and the Chaos Lords be held.

The meeting broke up but as we drifted out Wunderschöntod fluttered his wings even more urgently as he sought my private attention. He fluttered over. He told me that there were only two left in his House after the recent battle with Amber and that he and Tezcatlipoca Maya had decided that their Abolitionist cause was lost. That the vendetta had gone on for too long and that he had some useful information to share as proof of their intent. Amblerash and Chanicut still remained ardent Abolitionists and that they intended a dual assault to remove the new Royal coalition candidate as he was announced and to achieve vengeance against the House of Amber. I thanked him for his decision to share this information and for his bravery in doing so and assured him that it would be brought to the attention of the right people and that I would make them aware of their decision.

I bade farewell to Ariel and my demon walked me over to Vanguard – the formal residence of House Sawall. I entered a large reception room and many of my family were already in groups talking to each other or to the other guests. I immediately joined the group with Mandor, Belissa, Hector and Sigrid.

Mandor was having a very confident conversation about binding demons but, of course wouldn’t ruin the surprise and theatre of the reveal of his candidate. Hector asked me about the ability to influence our decision regarding the proposed Ygg boundary. I assured him that I would discuss the matters with my family and I understood the background of his House as noted explorers.

In a pause in conversation I passed the intelligence from Wunderschöntod to Mandor as the political leader and then Belissa as the military. Mandor was doubtful of such an attack as Vanguard was well defended and none could enter unless they were welcomed. I found myself thinking on my earlier conversation with Ariel about an inside job but kept it to myself. I also kept the name of my informer private and intimated to Mandor that I would tell him a little later.

I then moved to speak to my uncles Caine and Benedict and Queen Cymnea. Unfortunately Darig joined the group at the same time and Benedict removed himself from his presence. Again, I repeated the information. Cymnea and Caine exchanged glances as if I had confirmed an earlier conversation. I asked Her Majesty about the respective strengths of our opponents and she seemed underwhelmed by their skills. I mentioned Zigo’s anxiety about access to the Worlds beyond Ygg and Prince Caine said it was a straw issue and shouldn’t be difficult to overcome.

I then moved to join my Uncle Corwin’s group. My Father introduced me to him formally. There was an exchange of a raised eyebrow between the two. Prince Corwin was a little grumpy as he was very hungry and had spent considerable time and effort in the proceeding time, not including being held up reaching us in Chaos. The Prince needed food badly – unfortunately I had not so much as an apple to offer though I suspect it was not an apple he sought! He removed himself towards the doors behind us where we were to eat after Mandor’s great reveal and stared balefully as if to summon the food more quickly to him.

The ceremony began. A youngish looking figure walked through a door onto a gallery landing above him. Merlin?, I wondered and Merlin it was. And Mandor, with his sense of theatre, had Gauri start to introduce Merlin as the Royal Coalition’s candidate. Frankly, I thought Merlin didn’t look overjoyed at the proposition but any such thoughts were vanquished when the double doors in front of my group were kicked in and the attack against which we’d been timely warned was under way!

Those who were non-combatants quickly made their way up to the Gallery with Merlin. I unsheathed my sword as the first group of robots (or so I was told) moved to attack our group and I was bringing a Power Word to my lips when my Father seized my arm and spun me behind him. He knows my ability and it certainly wasn’t the first time in my life that he’d spun me behind him, away from an immediate threat. The threat of the robots was unknown as they had a protrusion from their left arm casting some sort of sorcerous effect and the right forming vicious hooked weapons. I needed to see how they fought and understand how best to engage them.

My Father engaged and was forced immediately to step back which would have been into me had it not been for my avoidance and a word of power. We engaged further. The Pattern blades were used to great effect but the fighting skills of Benedict, Belissa, Darig, William and Havelock were also to the fore. I contented myself with Magnetising parts of the Robots together to disable their weapon one way or the other.

I saw Rickard of Karm go down and start violently twitching on the floor but he was left in favour of killing the most-hated Amberites. I noticed a line of Chanicut troops waiting to advance through the doors. The robots went down or were disabled – at least one to a spell of Mandor’s.

The slimy frog troops advanced with their leader in the middle of them. Princess Fiona eventually dealt with him by a fire spell but I realised with dawning horror that William and Havelock alone were holding the doors against four opponents. It was time to repay Havelock for his patient training yesterday.

This time my Father didn’t prevent me from sprinting forward. I was face to face with a Chanicut opponent. He was surprisingly easy – and obedient to my will that he should fumble his weapon. I ran my rapier through his bulgy eye into his brain. Their leader on fire, their fellows surrendered and no one, including a tiger-formed Sorashi, was able to determine what it was that lurked by the double doors and left quietly as he’d arrived, leaving no trace as to his/her/its identity.

Only Sorashi was injured in the attack. Prince Benedict was left in a similar position to Rickard but, due to familial interventions, walked away unscathed.

All eyes turned on Mandor. He was terribly apologetic and ‘inside job’ was in the minds of most. Demons were pulled from their cupboard and Mandor looked hard at DeLambre saying ‘interesting’ in a not good way. William immediately stepped forward to stand next to his loyal – friend actually. Yes friend. The demons were accounted for and returned to their cupboard. ‘Inside job’ again went through my mind. Just like House Pheon. Jurt leapt up onto a table and claimed he was the mastermind as he and not some interloper should be the next King. Mandor told him to shut up but his eyes turned on his father, Archduke Gramble.

We were asked to partake in the buffet provided next door and Mandor would join us in about 10 minutes. Prince Corwin was first through the door and after we all entered they were closed behind us. I estimated that Prince Corwin consumed half his weight in food and it was good food. I introduced myself to my latest cousin – Lord Merlin who was distracted at best and certainly not overjoyed at the prospect of being King of Chaos.

On Mandor’s return Merlin made his great announcement which was that he had no desire to be King of Chaos and that he had every intention of returning to Amber with his Dad. Mandor was momentarily nonplussed about the thwarting of his great plan. Surely he had a Plan B in mind?

I casually mentioned to him that he had at least one other candidate who was a Chaos Lord and had the Streak of Yellow – Melvyn of House Barimen. Mandor almost completely dismissed the notion until Havelock and I reassured him that Melvyn had and was changing since he assayed the Logrus. Havelock had seen him very recently and relayed the fact that Melvyn was studying Sorcery and that both Suhuy and Dworkin were keeping their eyes closely on him.

Mandor admitted that he hadn’t considered him but he would be visiting him in the very near future. I then quietly gave him the name of my informant – Sir Hunac Ceel of Toltos who had passed me the intelligence around the attack. Mandor commentated that it was typical behaviour for a turncoat and I said yes – but it had given us some warning and should be remembered with favour.

Mandor asked if he was a member of my Order and I had to pretend that he had forgotten its name and relate it to him. He inquired if it were not a banned Order, and I said I was led to understand that it was less so after the late King’s sad demise and we left it at that.

Mandor graciously apologised to the gathered party for the lapse in hospitality within Vanguard and asked that those gathered did not discuss the events that had just occurred and finished by saying that his father would be indisposed for the immediate future.

The event concluding, I spoke briefly with Father and he commented that my fighting had improved. I asked if we were now square and he gave me a slightly surprised look before responding ‘of course’. I bade my leave of the gathering, collected Podaga and we left for Stormguard.