Karm Before the Storm

The personal diary of Darig, son of Corwin, pt 10

Back to Brứ-na-Bóinne: Melvin seems better than before, I don’t think that he had any faith that he could win the fight. He stands taller and his back is straight, he has lost the cowering mode. The whole place seems brighter.

Melvin calls for wine and refreshments and drinks a toast to friends. My toast is to ‘Melvin the Duellist’ but he turns the toast to praise Sorashi. Loeg offers to get the Cup of Lord Barimen but Melvin declines. I suggest that we might at least see the cup. Before anything can be done about this William arrives and also raises a toast to Melvin, which this time he has to accept.

Loeg, at a word from Melvin, brings the family cup, opening its box to show an ornate cup made from a skull. Melvin does not feel that he deserves it. He resists our encouragement to take up his heritage, he would rather fight William and me a hundred times, but for all that I think he is more accepting that he was before.

The party ends and Havelock and I head for the Hall of Memories. Out of curiosity I ask Coprolith if demons get bored with all this waiting around, apparently they do not. Havelock and I step into the hall together but I arrive alone. This time the hall is a long gallery with dark wood and black stone rippled with pale grey.

· I am standing in front of a picture of a seated monarch, Gus, only much younger, is on the throne, wearing a triple tiara and holding sword and sceptre. The silhouettes of the Norns are shadowed across him, the pointing finger of one a clear image – she points above the throne at a flame carried in a nest of bubbles.

· The next picture is of a massacre of the innocents by troops in black and silver with red sashes, some of them seem to be wolves and werewolves. They are grimly slaughtering toddlers.

· Next an image that appears to be me throwing myself into an attack of an old man, presumably Gus, on a throne. Demons are closing in around me.

· The next picture is of a pregnant woman wearing a diadem sitting at a castle window, apparently in a high tower, doing needlepoint. Her hair is blond, her eyes are green. Above the other towers of the castle fly flags of a red dragon on gold.

· Following this is a huge canvas, full twelve foot long and nearly as high, it is a detailed battle scene. The view is from amongst the defenders of a wall; they are fighting heroically but are losing. They are dressed in black and fight beneath the banner of a silver rose, my hand touches the rose at my throat. Ranged against them are a mixed army under half a dozen banners: white unicorn on black and red – Eric; black dagger on green – Caine; grey horse on green – Julian; red dragon on green – for all Benedict’s lessons in heraldry I do not know this flag. More surprisingly allied with this army are troops under the Black Tower on ermine, my uncle Malkin’s flag, and the white chariot on blue that is my mother’s. Faerie and Amberite troops fighting side by side – unusual. I study this picture, almost subconsciously noting weaknesses in the formations and wondering if certain points are artistic licence. Consciously I feel disquiet that it might be true.

· I move on, a dagger, one of mine apparently lies on a stand in a glass case, it is part drawn and its blade is stained with black blood. It could be a foretelling or a memento of the battle. At least two were left in the bodies of Chaos troops.

· Mother! Deichtine sits on her great chair, as I have so often seen her. She is surrounded by her ladies and her elven guards. On her hand is a ring with a great green stone. Before her kneels a man wearing black and silver, his back towards the viewer. Deichtine’s head is turned from the man as in rejection.

· Gerrard young and beardless looks straight out from the next picture, his sword is in his hand as if in challenge, behind him a stone corridor lit with torches.

· A woman, somehow clearly a noble, lies on a cot in a woodland hovel. Her hair is golden, her eyes green. A peasant woman, face creased with worry or grief, wipes the lady’s face. The sheet covering the lady is stained with blood. A male peasant, head bowed and cap in hand stands by the open door beyond him the forest crowds close to the house.

Also blonde with green eyes, Deichtine, heavily pregnant, dressed in the colours of autumn, looks down on the lady in the cot, she is weeping. She holds a baby wrapped in a black and red cloak.

I turn from this disturbing image and step forwards and, before I can decide if it is what I want to do, pass through the exit.

I bid farewell to Havelock and return to Petrus. I Trump Benedict just to update him, he wants to talk face to face soon, he does not recognise the symbol of a red dragon on gold.

Nico is hoping that I will train all the children of the house, as well as Rhodri and Elektra. I go to the gym, Rhodri and Electra are waiting for me. They appear about 10 years old now and show great promise in their skill. I am still training them when William arrives; he wants the cousins to meet up at Brứ-na-Bóinne. I finish the session and we travel there.

Sorashi has the news that she has established her control over the Alhambra but thinks that someone has it under observation. Now we have it I suggest that it could be the Embassy for Amber in the Courts, apparently Caine has had the same idea.

Melvin is still making up his mind if he wants to to be part of the attack on Karm. He is certainly prepared to advise us to the best of his ability. William can get into House Karm and threaten them with the Pattern. It has to be Willaim, Constance and (after some discussion ) Havelock, he is more diplomatic than me. Karm hates us due to Osric killing three of their house in duels.

My role is to be with Benedict so that I can be tipped the wink when Julian is out so that I can tell him that it is done.

We also try to persuade Melvin to take up his heritage and take the ordeal. He seems a little bit more resolved but still would rather take William and myself in a sword fight may times over than go through their test.

I travel to to meet up with Benedict. Whilst waiting for the message, we discuss the Alhambra: he says that Sorashi is to be congratulated and that he would like a tour of the place. We also discuss what I saw in the Hall of Memories but he thinks it is like trusting to your dreams for guidance.

The call comes through, Julian has been freed from Karm.

Benedict says that the tour of the Alhambra must be as soon as possible so I send a message to Sorashi asking for permission.