Come As You Are

The personal diary of Darig, son of Corwin, pt 11

Lacey is bored, she just wants to go and seduce something, the artwork she has been producing, surprisingly good really, has gone from erotic to disturbing, Coprolith has told me that demons do not get bored, I think Lacey might be of a slightly higher order.

At breakfast Nico passes on the message that Mandor has asked me to attend Woodstock for induction into the order of the Brash Extremity. After breakfast training for the kids, tactics, and supportive fighting, Elektra is good but Rhodri seems naturally disciplined and born to be a soldier. The invite to martial training seems to have been spread far and wide and the scions of almost every house seem to be planning to attend, the training room can apparently be expanded to cope, sometime chaos has its uses!

After training, to Woodstock, all the members are there in their chosen forms: Imogen of Hendrake, a blue four-armed demon; Sigebert of Lanfranc, insubstantial and glowing; Peter of Jensen, human; Aurangzeb of Moghul, elephant headed but with an extra hand at the end of his trunk; Horem-O of Seti, fanged and aardvark-headed; Ferdaus of Winter, frost demon; Hector of Zigo, floating eye; Dara, no longer of any house, is in human form; Mandor himself, also in human form but somehow more pale and sculpted than usual.

Mandor is the Master of Ceremonies: he declares that the order exists to be brash in the extreme and that any question may be asked and anything said in confidence and with confidence.

My question ‘How much disruption to the courts will be caused by the death of Augustus of Swavil?’ I find out that:

· On the death of the High King all government is suspended

· The new king must be a descendant of the King in Yellow

· The hustings are vigorous and violent, houses can be destroyed but, as there must be 12 Rimlords the Council can appoint up new Rimlords

· The main contenders are Childeric of Lanfranc, Lex of Luthor, T’mer of Jesby, and Tubble of Chanicut

· Dara’s sons: Despil, Merlin, and Jurt are also eligible but the latter two have not taken the Logrus

· Melvyn is also eligible

After this discussion crystal glasses are produced and toasts are drunk to the Order and to me and then I am declared a member of Order.

As we disperse Dara shows me her invitation to Melvin’s initiation, I stop by Brú-na-Bóinne but Melvin has already left to prepare himself at the Chapel of the Keeper. So, pausing only to check the number of responses to the invite to training (over a dozen so far), I make my way to Suhuy’s Chapel. It has the appearance of a ruined church ominous beneath a green moon. The moon seems to have a face contorted with horror.

Within is an oval table with 20 places set the guests mill about. I stop to talk to William and learn that he is all but engaged to Rachael. I shake his hand firmly, congratulate him and wink, with the knowledge that Cymnea and Dara will think this far too informal.

Dirk detaches me from that group and steers me, with less subtly than I would expect to, one including Julian, Deirdre, Caine and Bleys. They direct the conversation to the battle and I get the feeling that they are trying to keep an eye on me and prevent me talking to others. I really need to talk to Benedict, Dara, Havelock and William.

On breaking away from the group I chat to Havelock: I was hoping that he could create a Trump of Elektra but unfortunately if one is made before she hits puberty it is unlikely to be effective due to the changes that will occur. Though given her current rate of growth that will be in about three days’ time – the joys of Chaos. A further problem is that, given the habit of Chaosites to change form, it can take several Trumps to capture all their aspects.

Melvin arrives with Sorashi. He is nervous. Havelock reassures Melvin by telling him he has done a hopeful card reading, I just wish him luck and shake his hand.

Dirk is shadowing me and trying to steer away from some people, he obviously is not worried about being subtle here. Looking around I notice that the images on the stained glass window are changing; the scene at the moment is alien but clearly bucolic, as I watch there are changes, slight perhaps but enough to make the scene become sinister.

Dworkin and Suhuy arrive and this is the signal to be seated for dinner. I am positioned between Caine and Dirk, very much boxed in. Caine warns me not to say too much to Benedict of the plans – there are some parts that are better for him not to know. After this conversation is kept polite and neutral.

Benedict stands and makes a toast to absent friends; we join the toast. As we sit down I realise that some of the ‘friends’ are not so absent, phantom forms have taken the empty places at the table. Oberon’s ghost is there, even his shadow dominates the table, he looks me up and down and asks who my Amber parent is, I reply but his response is to say, “No, not Corwin”. Near me there is one other phantom, a feeling of ancientry about him, yet even though there it does not appear to be of House Barimen I know it is a relative.

After the meal we follow Oberon and Cymnea down into the Chapel itself, still decorated with bodies. I can recognise the (shattered) forms of members of many of the noble houses; everyone seems to have died horribly.

Melvin walks to the front of the Chapel and, after saying thank you and goodbye, turns to face the front. The music that Dworkin has been playing rises to a crescendo, as does the feeling of undefined horror that pervades the place. The floor beneath Melvin opens into hideous jaws, he falls and is swallowed, Flora and Sand scream, the jaws close and only the screams remain. The floor is smooth as though never disturbed.

I sheath the knife that I was hardly even aware that I had drawn. Sand has fainted and Havelock is holding her. Oberon steps forwards and comforts her even as she wakes.

After the ceremony the ghosts fade away and the family leave. Caine says we need a private talk, we assemble briefly at Brú-na-Bóinne and drink Melvin’s health in the dimly lit hall. The whole Way just seems to be waiting, holding its breath for the master’s return.

I travel thence to Caine at Ascaris. He says that he has kept the fact that I am to kill Gus from Benedict. He seems to think that Benedict could be rash to protect me, amongst other reasons, since Ben was there when I practised with William I doubt he is not aware, but it is better to leave the Elders their conspiracies. I glance briefly in the mirror, my colouring may be a bit like Benedict’s but my face still looks like Corwin, but then the portrait I have of Corwin looks rather like a slimmed down, shaven Oberon. I could fit in anywhere except among the redheads.

After discussing the move that will be the assassination, it will have to come instantly and be delivered from kneeling. Caine sits himself in a great chair and I kneel before him, then launch the attack, he is quicker than William and expecting it. I get knocked across the room a couple of times, the third time I get it just right and black Caine’s eye for him, just as an amazed Dirk walks in. If we are to escape Augustus must go, however much this plays into Mandor’s power game, and like any soldier you take the risk and its consequences. The cost is likely to be at least a curse, I assume Chaos has that power, and the curse from the King of the Courts is likely to be savage.

Once my practice session is complete I return to Stoneguard to carry out the training that I have promised the youngsters. I already know that Rhodri, Elektra, Tjall, and Ibemo from the family will be there. Benedict has had me command every sort of creature that will take an order but my lesson plan will need to adapt to shape changers: were-creatures are straightforward enough but some of my class could be exotic! I want these youngsters to learn to make sure that someone is watching their backs, unless of course they have extra eyes to do it for themselves!

Next I must arrange visit to the ‘town & gentry’ both out of curiosity but also these resources did not seem to be used in the battle, it might be wise to know what else the Courts have got.