The Fool on the Hill

The ongoing tale of William, Son of Ophelia of House Rebma, and of the Line of Barimen in the Courts of Chaos.

Kicking the dust from our heels – day 1 of the journey ‘Home’

DeLambre wakes me and Rachael, as at home in the Alhambra as he was in Diptera. His eyes have shifted to more Barimen shapes. I raise an eyebrow as I wash, catching his new eye in the mirror. “Not in public, where it might scare the horses, sir.” I grin. Now we’re back in an army of sorts, military titles are the order of the day.

I catch up with Rikard briefly, gifting him Der Rückenschild. He is a little taken aback but when I point out that they will not survive at home, given what they are, he files that piece of strategic information away carefully. The Order intends to ride in parallel with the army, to come to our aid if needed, he says. I have no doubts that they will, but this is also a great opportunity for them to observe how our army travels, and what some of our procedures and tactical and logistical challenges are. I have left the Order in good hands.

We head to Ascaris – the last time we will visit. Grandmother meets us and we go to her room. No breakfast though.

She looks to me, her eyes resolutely tear free and we talk of our plans. She does not wish to lose touch with me and so gifts me with a candle, called somewhat over-gildedly, Aurelianus Candle of Calling. “The wick is of my hair, so is bound to me. Light this in a window, or something that has the semblance of a window, and I will know, and I will come to you as quickly as I can.”

I nod. “You should know that Melvin has my Trump”, I say. She nods, and I am aware that I have miss-stepped. “The peace treaty will make its way back and forth as details are hammered out. There will be opportunities to return. And I would very much like to have a copy of your trump for myself.” I nod and agree to ask Havelock as soon as is possible.

With that, she wishes us better luck than she and Oberon had, and tells Rachael to take no nonsense from me; Grandmother to the end.

Our last conversation is formal, polite. Not the conversations that we have been having. But the formality helps us both and I am resolved that this will not be the last time we speak.

From there to Seraph, where the goodbyes are even more formal. Rachael is presented with a copy of the book of Omar – beautifully bound and illustrated, their holy book and the poetry of our new life.

“Come, fill the Cup, and in the Fire of Spring

The Winter Garment of Repentance fling:

The Bird of Time has but a little way

To fly – and Lo! the Bird is on the Wing.”

We make our way to the gate where the troops are forming, and I see my cousins all around, with many goodbyes being said.

Melvin gives a speech, blissfully short. Bleys responds, diplomatically and with some charm. Benedict is ready for us to leave and I follow him, ready to learn how much has changed in the armies of Amber. I take time to greet the Dopplesoldiers under Diedre’s command and scavenge some armour. They feel like my people from a long time ago though their realm is called Topaz.

We leave over the Whispering Bridge, Ludmilla’s head still displayed like a thief on a pike. Constance and her Rangers lead the way towards a flimsy sheet, like a soap bubble laid flat across the depths of the Abyss. Rachael stops and speaks from the Book of Omar, in farewell.

“One moment in annihilation's waste,

One moment, of the well of life to taste

– The stars are setting, and the caravan

Starts to the dawn of nothing – Oh make haste!”

We lose a couple of people as we cross the flimsy – horses skitter and strong winds blow, and the horses and soldiers lose their footing and tumble over the edge. I mutter a half forgotten prayer for them as they fall, though I’m not sure to who.

Benedict keeps us close – scouts out but the rest of the army on tight formation. The rangers are competent and lines of communication are kept in good order. Within a couple of hours the rangers report familiar ground ahead. The battleground is there, with pools of ichor where the chaos lines had been.

Benedict gets us to form up on the field for council – the space is known and open enough that any attack will be seen. We see to the disposition and then conclave.

The trump gate that got the army here cannot be used for return. Trumps back to Amber aren’t easy to assay – those there, Random and Gerard, are not similar in mind enough to overcome the trouble that distance can bring. Both Havelock and I try to contact Gerard based on his psyche and my similarity but we cannot reach him. Fiona also tries but she can’t reach either.

The worst case scenario is that Amber has fallen. Or that it has changed so much that we no longer have a connection to it. In any case, we have a long march home.

Disposition

• 3 company of rangers, 1 mounted, and the knightly cavalry in the fore. Constance commanding and Dirk reporting to her.
• Rangers on the left flank under Julian
• Right flank is Caine with marines
• Vanguard is with Darig – palace guard and Cordobans , among others.
• Main force is under Bleys, with Havelock there.
• The baggage train next with the ladies of Amber
• Deirdre leads the second force with Sorashi, who has brought a white elephant with her from Chaos. It’s impressive and imposing, but also one of the largest targets on the field.
• Rearguard is under Corwin, with Merlin in a similar position to me.

Rachael and Hector volunteer to provide aerial reconnaissance, as does Sorashi.

I speak with Benedict about my duties. He wishes to stay close to the centre of the force for communication purposes so I will be doing a lot of riding out. I introduce him to DeLambre as my ADC from Chaos, and he nods, adding DeLambre to the list of things to assess.

Fiona briefs on the magical landscape. No Pattern here, until we get to Ygg. We can still destroy the terrain below us as we bring it to mind. She will evaluate us all as to our aptitude.

We leave the battlefield behind us and advance across regularly shifting landscapes. This is familiar to myself and DeLambre but far less so to these troops. We do our best to calm those who we speak to but there are some mutters from those used to more stable lands.

The Immortals are special forces, with a high percentage of officers. 1 in 6 are commissioned, and they have a high degree of training, including with firearms, and are given a large degree of independence in battle to make tactical decisions.

The day ends and I find Rachael and our tent. Havelock comes to find us again and ask if I will reconsider the attempt to aid Benedict. Apparently the deed needs to be done before we reach Ygg and the sooner the better. I look to Rachael, then ask Havelock for time to think. It’s not a no, but I will want to sleep and talk with my wife.

That isn’t possible of course. It is less than an hour later that the summons from Benedict comes. I kiss Rachael and apologise, knowing this will be the first of many such occurrences. I dress quickly and make my way to his tent. Darig and Havelock are just leaving.

Benedict updates me on the situation. Darig’s daughter, left back in Chaos, has seemingly murdered her mother and been trumped through to the camp. He asks my assessment of the situation.

I respond that Petrus are bound to Hendrake, both martial houses but small and unlikely to be able to muster much of a force. Melvin will not support an attack on us this early in the treaty process but in the same vein we need to play fair. We could reach out to the Courts and return her.

Benedict nods, but points out that she is Amber blood. She will come with us for now.

I catch up with Darig and let him know I know, and offer my support, then return to Rachael’s side.

The next morning in our morning briefing Benedict asks me to spread the word to family and major commanders that Electra is here, and that we are not to speak of her. Caine thinks that Petrus are unlikely to know where she has gone to.

We move. Fiona is going to see if she can shape the land ahead of us to ease our path. Over the day she is able to do so, but finds it very draining, and she seeks out others in the company who can do the same work.

Most of my day is spent running around but, as we set up camp, Benedict asks if Rachael will provide aerial reconnaissance around the camp and if someone else can go. He suggests that Sorashi may have other forms so I seek her out first. She is happy to be involved and goes off to wear something more appropriate for the form. As she does, I find Rachael, using Grandmother’s rings. We greet each other affectionately and I pass on Benedict’s request. Obviously at a loss for things to do, she excitedly agrees. I ask DeLambre if he can take a flying form and go with them for safety. They all agree and shortly, they set on their way upwards.

After perhaps a quarter hour they land, DeLambre last. Rachael tells me there are undead troops in one direction, perhaps a couple of battalions worth. In another direction is a smaller force – perhaps a regiment, but camped. Both are approximately 10 miles away. I thank them all and relay the information to Benedict. He contacts Julian and we wait for his response.

He asks about the Order, as I suggest that might be the reason for the smaller force. I tell him that their aim is to aid us. He asks if they will be true and I suggest that they will, to watch us if nothing else. Benedict wonders if they would be better off inside our forces rather than sitting outside. We will think more on this.

Next morning I meet Benedict for morning review of the overnight reports. We discuss the Karm forces and the Order to the other side. Benedict will scout them himself and asks me to scout the tower ahead.

I gather the cousins together and we discuss the tower. Constance seeks out the soldiers who had returned to find out if they knew more of it, and the rest of us prepare. Havelock deals his cards and Margrath reviews the spells he could bring to us. Havelock’s cards say to trust our intuition and to go to find out.

We head out. Constance bristles a little when I talk about the rangers and I remind myself that I do not have the same relationship here as I did with my command in Diptera. I will need to be clearer. We continue up into a ravine, a quarter mile across. As we advance Sorashi flies up to see above the walls but they rise with her. We discuss, and realise that the landscape is reacting to us. The best response we have is just to push onwards quickly.

The ravine narrows and shortly becomes a tunnel. As we approach we discuss whether to take the rangers to the door or not and decide against it. They set a temporary camp and we advance. At the doors we pull a bell pull and the door opens. A footman welcomes us to the competition for the suitors at the Tower of Telegon.

We introduce ourselves to the Lady Penelope. She tells us that she has 9 dozen suitors who must pass the test she sets before she will give them her hand. Her husband is missing. If we could pass the tests then she would not have to marry any of them.

The first test is wrestling which I win without much of a sweat breaking. We move on to the next room and they call for a contest of the wills. Margrath transforms into a ball of pale blue light and seems to take the competition as easily as I did. From there, a hall of weapons – mostly light blades. Havelock takes the floor and gracefully mops the floor with the first 11. The last is a struggle, but not much of one.

The next test is one for endurance; freezing cold water that must be stayed in for as long as possible. Sorashi volunteers and we go to the viewing platform. Most of the other suitors are bulky, and Sorashi looks slight beside them, but again she prevails.

In the next room, Lady Penelope invites us to dance, and Constance shifts her ranger’s leathers into a green dress, which looks familiar. She takes Penelope’s hand and dances. They both look like they’re enjoying themselves, which is not true of the other dances.

The footman announces that the next tests will be more complex. There is a room with a strange machine in it that is some kind of test of indirect strength. Havelock realises that the machine limits sudden moves and adjusts for physical body type, testing pure strength and endurance. Dirk steps forward and works his way through the lists. The last fight is much harder but Dirk squeaks through.

In the next room the boards for a tile game are laid out. We debate as to who would be best – it’s either Havelock or Constance. I ask her to go down as her perception of her opponents is probably slightly better. Her games are hard, and she has to learn the rules on the go, but she wins her first couple of matches. The final one her opponent tries to psych her out but Constance is far his master in that and she rattles him. A few moves later and she wins.

The penultimate room is a lens through which the two contestants stare at each other. Margrath steps forwards and in a short time is victorious.

Finally, a long table with 8 candles along it and a metal shield at the end. A thigh-thick bow and long arrows at the other end. 6 of the candidates cannot even bend the bow. Another couple can loose an arrow, but with no accuracy. The last one pulls and looses, stripping 7 of the flames and striking into the shield. He nods to me and I pick up the bow, nock the arrow and loose. The flames die, snuffed out, and the shield leaps up from its stand and falls to the floor.

We walk through to meet Lady Penelope and she grants us the victory. We move to a vestibule with seven arches. She offers me her hand as the victor and as I take it, she departs leaving her hand behind. After some shenanigans we follow the pointing hand to the correct stairwell to take us to the top of the tower.

We meet a young man who asks if we have seen is father. The boy is Telegon, Penelope’s son. His room is an observatory where he can look all around. I can sense the direction that Rachael is and am reassured.

We have 6 questions.

Havelock asks how fares the city of Amber.

A wing of the castle has fallen, and part of the city, and the steps from castle to city.

I ask to get from Chaos to Ygg, is this the last only route?

There are other paths, but this is the best.

Sergeant Glaid suggests and then Sorashi asks, “How do we get the army through this narrow gap?”

I can see nothing there that cannot get through.

Constance asked what perils lie ahead between here and Ygg?

Many perils, too many to number. The Head has left the Slough of Despond and your path lies through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. The distance is a peril. Finding a short cut would be great advantage. Trouble is coming.

Dirk asked what shortcuts to Ygg are there and where can we find them?

This is the shortest direct way. You will need to find a way of bypassing that.

Margrath asks us all if there are any questions we can ask and when none of us think of one, he asks after Corillaine.

It is changed, but safe.

We make our thanks and leave. The stairway is covered in fog but we make it to the rangers. They tell us we have only been gone a few minutes.

As we ride a Havelock looks back and the tower is a ruin.