Duck Soup

The personal diary of Darig, son of Corwin, pt 9

Another night in the Duomo, once again the skittering noises out in the darkness, nearer this time. I speak the word of power and light flickers around the place. One of the cockroach creatures is nearby, the flash reflects off the floor beneath, it seems that these creatures are not solid. How delightful, ghost cockroaches!

As my audience begins to assemble, Mandor arrives, he carries an ornate scroll and from it reads my pardon from Gus, it is as long and pompous a recital as I have ever heard with all Gus’s titles and mine and even some of my father’s. Still, it is done and I can leave this gloomy place, some what to the disappointment of the crowd.

I pack my kit, leaving the long cushion in case the next occupant needs it, and step out of the sanctuary. Mandor asks if I need him to take me back to Petrus to collect Coprolith or if I would mind coming straight to Woodstock with him. I choose the latter and we set out travelling by a route I suspect to be circuitous, even allowing for avoiding those places I could not survive.

Once at Woodstock Mandor explains that a Grand Ball is being planned at which all the Amberite Envoys are to be presented to the High King. Before that there will also be a meeting of the Middle Aged and Lackadaisical Order of the Brash Extremity to which I can be fully inducted, I will be expected to provide a subject for discussion.

The discussion that I heard was on what will happen to the Amberites if they remain in Chaos. A previous question had been “In what order were the branches broken on the Day of Broken Branches and why”, it was only the last two words that had made this a discussion. I must ask about that at some point.

We decide on “How much disruption to the Courts will the death of the High King cause?” Mandor mentions that there are procedures to minimise this but there are knock on effects throughout Chaos.

Also he has a message that Melvin wants me to be his Second in a Duel.

The family arrive with their various demons, who are as usual left outside. Mandor had requested their presence. He asks how the plans to rescue Julian are going. It seems impossible to get to him by force without reaching the level of civil war and we do not have the troops for that. Karm have undead style demons by the legion even after the loss of two whole legions in the battle. Even were we to enter The Ways of Karm, even were we to force the gate, there would not necessarily be any connection between what was outside and what within, this is Chaos after all.

After the discussion we travel to Bru-Na-Boyne.

All the cousins are assembled except Dirk. We announce are arrival, Maugrim is suspicious, nothing new in that, Loeg brings us a picnic and we discuss plans, a back door into Karm and if Morgenstern can be used to guide us are a discussed and then Havelock casts the trumps: a frontal assult would be fatal, for Julian, but we had worked that out. Diplomacy might work if we are careful.

The word comes that we are invited in and in the central chamber Melvin greets us more nervously even than usual. It seems that he has challenged one Akira to a duel in defence of Sorashi’s honour. Seconds have the traditional role of setting the terms of the combat.

I have no doubt of Melvin’s skill as a warrior, I have seen him fight, but will he have the right frame of mind to back up his bravado in issuing the challenge?

Constance spars with him first; if he tried he could beat her but he keeps second guesing himself. It is clear that he needs motivation. William joins in, telling Melvin to defend Constance; he hovers nervously and William surges through, cornering Constance. She seems to cast a spell and then Claideb (William’s sword) seem to go for the kill, with William fighting to hold it back. Melvin suddenly moves to defend the lady getting, pinking William.

Delambre rushes to bandage William, turning his back and obviously dismissive of Melvin – a slight or an attempt an attempt at provocation? Loeg is visibly bristling!

It is my turn to test Melvin, he reacts to defend others, but he will be alone in a duel. I push him hard to see if it will bring on self preservation. Even a cut will not bring out anger. I end the bout, my cousins are shouting at me to do so, but I have already realised it is a matter of morale. The sneaky sword is made for the hands of House Barimen and I have stored it at Petrus.

We separate and William takes me to Petrus where I can see the kids and get ready to second this action.

I meet Elektra and Rhodri and, slightly to their suprise, being used to staid House Petrus, hug them in greeting. They are already well grown and have been learning swiftly. Rhodri has eyes of slate gray, Elektra green eyes, like my own; both are ash blond. They have prepared a show for me: Elektra plays lute and Rhodri dances solumnly. I teach Elektra to play a jig, which she picks up in a minute, and then teach them both to dance it. We dance and Elektra plays. Time is short so I take the sword and, guided by Copralith, travel to the Garden of Delights.

We enter this garden through a leaning Trilithon and stand on a verdant sward beneath the abbysal sky. The rich lawn is dotted with bushes and also with chasms disturbingly open to the Abyss beneath. All around are sculptures in differing styles but they have the unerving habit of moving when your back is turned. We walk past a long series all called “Mother” each very different, some almost abstract, others of a dragon on her eggs or a suit of armour.

I find these statues thought provoking and remember my intention to go to the Hall of Memories.

The family are gathering in a pavilion that looks like the upper torso of a man raised up on his own hands. Bleys, Caine and Melvin are already there. They look at the sword and agree that it feels familiar. William arrives with Rachael and another angel to keep him company. Suhuy arrives and chats: he is most pleased that we are seconds and not champions for Melvin, “the boy needs to fight his own battles”.

Akira and her party arrive and William and I go to talk with her masked samurai seconds. No apology is forthcoming so we set the terms, to first blood, no sorcery, within the marked bounds. Sorashi agrees to give a token which she awards to Melvin, to Akira’s visible annoyance.

On Sorashi’s word the fight commences. The participants are well matched but that sword is out for blood! A short time into the fight it twists deceptively and cuts across Akira’s wrist. Sorashi declares him the winner and Akira’s seconds patch her up but seem contemptuous.

We congratulate Melvin who says that it was the sword that did it but with his confidence up the fight was his already.

He invites us to Bru-na-Boyne to celebrate.