Asmark’s Diary part 10: A School Visit, a Patternwalk and Groombridge

In The Doom that Came to Amber

25^th Bull 3658

The headmaster goes into a great deal of detail about the etiquette of the funeral. Assuming that the funeral runs according to precedent, he believes it will run roughly as follows.

The formal proceedings will start with reception of the mourners. Archmagia Clarissa will be chief mourner, and the first in the receiving line. Princess Fiona as the next most senior family member will present her condolences first, and then join the receiving line. The rest of the family will present their condolences to those already in the line before joining it. Then various foreign dignitaries and senior Amethyst nobles will be received, according to precedence.

Once this is completed, the family move into a purple canopy, a sort of portal tent, that will enclose them and keep them separate from the rest of the mourners for the remainder of the proceedings. There is then a procession to the church. The service will probably last between one and two hours.

There is then another procession to the family vault for the interment. This ends the public proceedings. The family do not publicly emerge from their enclosure. The family are expected to wear purple. Everyone is expected to wear at least something of the Amethyst mourning colour, blood red.

The headmaster seems to assume that I will be family for these purposes. I am a little uncertain about this, and getting my own role wrong could be seen either as undue presumption or a snub.

Funerals are very awkward as of all ceremonies the etiquette tends to be the most rigid and people, being already upset, have the least tolerance of breaches. Given the potential for antagonism between Clarissa and Amber, we really have to avoid any aggravation of the situation. Especially as Overseer it is my duty to maintain the most cordial relations possible. Once we have covered all the relevant details I am far happier about how we should proceed with the sole remaining doubt as to my own status.

After breakfast I set out to ride back into the capital. After half an hour or so I stopped at a stream to allow the horse a drink while I tried to contact Aylwin.

However before I could start the contact I receive a trump call myself. It was Prince Bleys, who told me that the war with Zircon would prevent his attending his grandfather’s funeral. He asked that I attend as his personal representative. I naturally accepted, especially as this conveniently removes any doubt as to my status.

Bleys also asked me to look out for ‘his nephews’ and, as far as possible, keep them separate from Clarissa. I am not sure precisely how much I will be able to do in that respect, but I naturally promised to do my best. It was interesting to note (given Alaric’s recent suggestion and his own hints that I might be Brand’s son) that he didn’t say his ‘other nephews’. However I probably shouldn’t read too much into it.

Then I trumped Aylwin as I had planned. He was clearly in council in Amber so I was as brief as possible. He said he would not be travelling before the 26th at the earliest. I said I was working on arrangements and would be in touch again in the afternoon.

I then proceeded into the capital and to the Amber consulate. I dispatched the horse back to its stable with a servant, and discussed the proceedings with the consul. We discussed who from Amber would be attending. Like the headmaster, the consul seemed to assume that I would be family for these purposes. After asking him why he assumed this, I conclude that my receiving personal lessons from the Archmagus was far more widely known than I had previously assumed.

I mentioned that Bleys would not be attending in person. The consul was most concerned that there should be Amberite of princely rank to represent Amber. He strongly believed that anything less could be seen as an insult. I trumped Aylwin again and discussed this. He agreed to take the matter up with the Regent and contact me again as soon as he had an answer.

I had not actually had cause to talk to the consul since taking over as Overseer. He was concerned about how Clarissa is likely to use the Amethyst. It was rumoured that the reason Clarence and Clarissa had aged in the way they had was a side-effect of wielding the jewel. Both seem to have appeared to age very quickly but with very little reduction in vigour. Prior to this aging process Clarissa had been very similar to Fiona, sufficiently similar that they had on occasion been mistaken for each other.

The Amethyst is said to grant the wielder far-sight. This is reputed to cover the whole of Amethyst and even further. Quite probably parts of adjacent shadows and southern Amber are within its range.

While waiting for Aylwin to reply, I had lunch. Then, following the advice of the consul, I visited a tailor to obtain clothes suitable for the funeral. It seems that I was expected and they too assumed I was ‘family’. After considering a number of options, I decided on a purple cloak and a red silk scarf, which the shop staff seemed to feel was entirely appropriate.

I had just discovered that the shop was refusing payment, when I received a trump call from Alaric. He was in a room of very similar to the style to those that I saw when I visited Gerard’s flagship. He asked to be brought through even before learning where I was, and his manner suggested a wish to do so quickly so I brought him straight through. Once he had arrived, he asked if I knew what he should be wearing to the funeral. As he was in the ideal place not only to learn what to wear, but to obtain it, I placed him in the capable hands of the shop, and left.

Shortly afterwards Aylwin trumped to say that Princess Bathsheba would be the official Amber representative. I returned to the consulate and passed on this information. Officially all Amethyst palace and government offices are closed. Nevertheless the funeral is being organised and the consul has some contacts who will be able to inform the relevant officials of who from Amber will be attending. This done I trumped back to the Office of the Golden Circle.

Dinner: The sole representation of the elder generation was Princess Flora. In addition there was Bathsheba, Aylwin, Alaric and myself. I wasn’t sure if people would wish to discuss arrangements at table but everyone seemed quite happy to do so.

I was rather concerned when it emerged that Bathsheba had not been consulted on her role as Amber official representative. It would have been very embarrassing if she had refused to go as we had already informed the Amethyst palace that she was to go. However she seemed quite amenable.

Khitan also asked if his presence would be appropriate as a representative of Cordoba. I felt confident to reply that, while by no means necessary, his presence would be entirely appropriate and appreciated. However I had to point out that he would be in a separate part of the ceremony. Alaric, Aylwin and myself (as Bleys’ representative) will be inside the family cordon. Bathsheba will be at the head of the non-family mourners. Khitan, as a much lower precedence foreign dignitary, will be much further back.

It was generally agreed that those of us attending will meet in the library at half past eight on the 27th to trump through to Amethyst. Everything seems under control, so I retired quite happy.