A Knight at the Opera pt2

The personal diary of Darig, son of Corwin, pt 6

Awaking again in House Petrus I barely seem to have put my head on the pillow but, in this place who can say. I do know that what sleep I had was disturbed by Lacey getting amorous. I punish her for that but she is definitely a nuisance.

I descend to meet my hosts, this time the whole clan is at breakfast and looking very serious. They are in deep discussion in their own language but this is not unknown to me now and I recognise the debate is a about assassination and regime change, they notice me as someone quotes ‘with my dagger in your eye’. The subject is dropped and Nico asks if I slept well.

The discussion moves on to what to do with Lacey; any relations with her could disrupt the contract, seed is precious and a succubus can transfer it to anyone at any time in the future.

Whilst I slept a message had arrived for me to visit Cymnea at the Hive and to collect my demon gift to Barimen. The creature is waiting for me on my arrival, a humanoid with perfunctory facial features but with arms that, though appearing human when static, move like they are segmented worms when they are in motion. Since I have to call it something I name it Snodgrass. William has chosen to present Scree, a fighting demon, so I have chosen a more graceful and perceptive creature. I am instructed that it must be handed to Melvin with clear instructions that he is the master.

William and I set out for Brứ-na-Bóinne with our respective demons in tow. On arrival we find the place surrounded by demons and obviously under siege. Since he is the weakest in combat we send Snodgrass for help and then set to lift the siege. William and I lead into the attack with Scree and Coprolith at our backs DeLambre circles off unseen.

Our onset is sudden and a dozen demons fall before William’s sword and my spear before they even know what hit them but, having driven through their line, they start to react and surround us. Coprolith is no war demon and starts to weaken, though making a good account of himself.

Then DeLambre is behind the enemy, taking out several who are intent on us. The besiegers are now being hit from three sides as Melvin has emerged from the Way with Maugrim and the raven-headed woman beside him.

There had not been very many demons already in the Way so their end is short but messy. As we had seen before, with a sword in his hand Melvin is confident and decisive. He is grateful for our help and does not even lose the confidence when William tells him that if he wishes his house to survive he must take the Power. William presents Scree and is duly thanked. Coprolith is sent back to Petrus for healing (repairs? who knows with demons?)

Macha conjures a stone table with stools around it and Loeg serves a rather stylish picnic subtly out of keeping with the circumstances – I mean vol-au-vents, on a battle field!

We mention that we sent for aid, not knowing the extent of the attack and that Cymnea (his great-grandmother) might arrive. This is the point at which Melvin’s confidence vanishes and his stutter returns.

To the earth shattering thunder of drums, Cymnea and a host of demons arrive. Finding the fighting over, Cymnea joins us in the picnic eating daintily but great enthusiasm. Melvin just seems more nervous. She repeats the advice about needing to take the Power and the advice he had taken well before seems to frighten him now. Though William is a fearsome warrior there is something about Cymnea that is just plain scary.

I present Snodgrass and request to make him change his form to something more Barimen, (Scree was already akin to Maugrim in appearance). The form he takes is rather like a cross betwixt a goblin and a satyr (actually not too unlikely if a satyr ever met a goblin of the opposite sex, they never were a fussy race). Snodgrass seems a little disappointed with this but goes off with Scree and Loeg to learn his duties.

With DeLambre, William and I set out for Dragonhall, the Ways of Hendrake. We are expected, Gilva the four-armed demon on the gate salutes us, with both her right arms. Then takes us to see Benedict, I introduce William.

Benedict want us to spar against him; he is testing how he fights with only one hand. I do not expect him to have lost the least amount of skill – as a matter of course he would expect me to fight with either hand whilst carrying a glass of wine in the other to aid with balance and concentration.

He spars with William first using a Katana until he has established what his skill and style are. He then nods thoughtfully and sits William in a chair and attacks him with quick draw and lunge from a kneeling position. He repeats this exercise three times with subtle variations, each time William manages to deflect or beat back the attack for the count of six at which point Benedict withdraws. After the last time he looks at me thoughtfully but says nothing.

I realise that the loss of a hand has denied him some fighting patterns, including the one that he most desires.

With the guidance of a borrowed demon I return to collect Coprolith. Waiting for me is a hand written note from Mandor asking me to attend him and the Middle Aged and Lackadaisical Order of the Brash Extremity at Woodstock.

On arrival I am greeted by Mandor in person before I can even knock on the door. I enter and around the table are seated nine others, all in their human forms. Imogen of Hendrake, Sigbert of Lanfranc, Peter of Jensen, Aurangzeb of Mogul, Horem-O of Seti, Ferdaus of Winter, Ramillies of Zero, Hector of Zigo and Lady Dara. Mandor introduces them one by one and then makes a short speech of welcome saying that he was flattered that I chose this order.

He explains that the order is a talking shop and, despite several warriors in its number, is not a martial group but a cerebral one. Each member puts forth an issue and all the others put forwards solutions. Any member can suggest anything.

Mandor's plans regarding Augustus Swayvil are those of the Order, they have discussed and reached their conclusions.

As an example of how the discussion works an example question is put forwards on what to do if the Amberites have to remain in Chaos.

The discussion ranges far and wide, there is some discussion that if we remain and are long cut off from the pattern our ancestry will start to come out and we would, given long enough, start to regain the power of shape-shift but it would be long and most of us would not survive the ages long period of vulnerability.

What remains of the shadows is unclear but there is intelligence that Fiona and Corwin are on their way in to the Courts. With their powers and help from our allies we should be able to dwell at Brứ-na-Bóinne as Barimen or stabilise the Alhambra and dwell there. Though we might be able to save a few of our troops most would be lost, absorbed into chaos. If there is not a Pattern, great holes will be ripped in Chaos as it has shaped itself from shadow and is not as it was before Amber existed.

It is clear that the Order thinks that Swayvil’s anti Amber policy is probably the greatest threat to Chaos since Amber was created.

I am then told that I will need to put a question forwards for discussion myself. Once that question has been approved as acceptable they will complete my initiation into the order.

After the meeting I return to Petrus. The next event in the social calendar is the initiation Zae of House Zigo. We were informed that it is a full dress affair so I choose the uniform of a Colonel of the Red Lancers. Then with Coprolith’s guidance attend the Keeper’s Residence.

Well most of the family are here; interesting to see Deirdre, she is talking with Sand, Llewella and Sorashi. I am fairly politely warned off from ‘girl talk’ so move to talk with Benedict, though I am aware of Deirdre’s eyes being on me. She knows whose son I am so it is not surprising that I look like him, though my colouring is different (or so I am told). Deirdre was apparently close to him.

Hector arrives and starts to talk about a particular clause in the treaty and I make conversation with William and a few of the other guests. When we are asked to take are places for dinner I am seated between Constance and Deirdre. The latter seems interested in my past, though she can add nothing new about my own history I do find out other things. The Avalon where I dwelt with Benedict was just a shadow of the original that was destroyed, also I have a brother called Merlin, rather like me but more slender.

After the meal Suhuy arrives with Zae. She is initially in her, rather bloodshot, floating eye form, but she then changes to the form of a rather young and vulnerable looking woman. We stand in respect and Suhuy thanks us then summons food.

There are empty places for ‘absent friends’ and gradually these fade in to being: Delwin, Lantari and ... Brand! The family try to ignore his presence but he is the spectre at the feast. Zae does not eat though there is food in front of her, my feeling is that it is natural nervousness rather than ritual.

After the meal Suhuy dematerialises the plates with a wave of his hand (so much easier than washing the dishes), Zae raises a hinged flap and steps into the centre of the hollow oval table. She asks that we remember her as she is and then asks for Flora’s blessing, which is granted with a kiss.

We rise and progress through several doors into a large room that is obviously some sort of a chapel. The place is redolent of death and there are bodies in some of the pews, at best they look as if the were slain with clubs and acid in the midst of two simultaneous shape changes. My seat is next to a body, a rotting tattooed face peers out from inside its own ribcage, the eyes seem still living and filled with pain and madness.

Suhuy reminds us that under no circumstances should we invoke the Pattern.

At a signal from Suhuy and, for want of a better description, music starts. Imagine a melody overlaid with harsh atonal forms and accompanied by a foundry and the choir of the damned. The organist on the balcony above is Dworkin, playing with a manic glee.

The music ends with a screech like steel being torn and on that note part of the wall seems to melt away and a fearsome serpent head issues forth and swallows Zae. I see her face contort in fear and her mouth open to scream but there is no sound.

Silence falls, the ghosts fade and Suhuy asks us to leave.