Asmark’s Diary part 11: An Unwelcome Guest at the Funeral

In The Doom that Came to Amber

Kingsday, 27th Bull 3658

Breakfast: Bathsheba, Morwaith, Alaric, Aylwin, Peter and Khitan were present but not any of the Elders. There was a lot of red and purple in evidence. Alaric seemed in a bad way as though he had just had a very stressful time.

There was some discussion of the previous night’s revelry by Unicorn worshippers over Morwaith’s appointment. Morwaith seems suitably unconcerned, and will be ‘talking to people’ about any zealous excesses. This very much confirms what I had suspected. I fully expect that we will have calm again soon, albeit probably with a more vigorous Church which will be no bad thing.

After breakfast I led all those attending the funeral to the Office of the Golden Circle. On the way Bathsheba gave me a hip-flask of Slivovitz suggesting that I might need it. I didn’t expect to drink any but I took the flask more out of politeness than anything else.

I explained what I expected to occur, although I am sure I had gone over it with everyone present at least once already. Then we trumped through to Amethyst, which required some care as the inn yard was very busy. From the inn is but a short walk across the square to the palace.

Within a few minutes, Alaric, Aylwin and myself found the family enclosure, leaving Bathsheba and Khitan to find their own places. We found Fiona and Anya had arrived before us. Fiona remarked that I “had known him [Clarence] the best”. She seemed not to have known, but not be surprised, that Bleys would not be attending in person. She said she very much regretted it. She seemed very depressed and was being comforted by Anya.

We were joined by another man in family colours with a resemblance to Bleys, in both physical appearance and style. He is Rinaldo, King of Kashfa.

There was a fanfare and pages opened the end of the enclosure. Fiona led off, supported by Anya. However, after an exchange of glances, Alaric took over supporting Fiona. The rest of us followed in precedence order. Me after Fiona, followed by Anya. Rinaldo comes before Aylwin as he has been acknowledged as Brand’s son (“Ambassador’s brother’s son”; an explanation of that Faerie riddle).

We all approach Archmagia Clarissa who is magnificently attired. Once Fiona has presented her condolences to Clarissa, Alaric falls back to take his place between Anya and Rinaldo, and I move forward. I present my and Prince Bleys’ condolences and Bleys’ apologies. She seemed pleased to see me, and expressed the hope that Bleys would visit her soon, but in terms that suggested she does not really expect this to happen. Rinaldo in his turn does seem to have an unsuitably wide smile for Clarissa, and a greeting more suited to a less sombre occasion.

We all join the receiving line, and then non-family dignitaries led by Bathsheba are presented in turn. I am relieved that Bathsheba is first. I had feared that Clarissa might have decided on a calculated snub and given Rebma or even other shadows precedence.

It took an hour or two for all the foreign representatives and local nobility to be presented. When it was complete Clarissa led us into a private room. Clarissa was preparing to address us when Rinaldo suggested that those of us “less overcome with grief” might mingle with the others. He took Anya with him, which is ironic as in point of fact Anya is one of those most overcome with grief.

Clarissa asked pointedly whether there was anyone else ‘not overcome’. Whereas I am not overcome, I nevertheless feel the loss of Clarence keenly. Besides I had promised Bleys to do what I could to protect ‘his nephews’ from Clarissa, so I clearly must stay.

What followed was very fraught and at times emotionally charged. It is possible some of what follows is misunderstanding on my part. It is likely that some of it is disinformation by another participant. It is certain that I have not remembered every detail. However this is what I remember…

Clarissa said she had something to announce but that first she wanted to talk about her “new toy”, the Amethyst. She said she had been watching us and made it clear that it allows clairvoyance into the capital of Amber itself. (Either that or she has quite extraordinarily effective spying service.) However she later made a couple of comments that may have hinted at weaknesses. A reference to lip-reading suggests that the Amethyst might allow only sight of the target, not hearing it. She also asked Alaric how he got on “inside his picture”, I assume a reference to some trump experiment, suggesting that some trump constructs may be proof against it.

She seemed displeased by some enterprise of Alaric & Aylwin’s. She asked, perhaps rhetorically, if I had been told about it (subsequent comments seem to suggest that this is associated with the art school), that Deirdre is also involved (which she considered ill-advised), and that Deirdre was already plotting to double-cross her co-conspirators. She also told Alaric that the Amber authorities were aware of what was going on because it had been betrayed by a conspirator, which Alaric seemed to assume was Aylwin.

One of Clarissa’s demonstrations of her clairvoyant ability was to mention my briefing of Sebastian to inquire into Alaric’s art school. She asked if I would like her to tell me where it was. I could not reasonably reply ‘no’ as it would be a lie, and in front of Alaric could not say ‘yes’. Fortunately, as with most of her questions they were asked more for effect than to elicit an answer and she rapidly moved on. In spite of her disapproval she seemed to offer Alaric magical, and perhaps military, support.

She expressed the intention of conquering Amber. Her ‘announcement’ was that she intended to re-marry and that with this alliance she expected to be able to overthrow the current Amber regime. Unless I missed it, she did not indicate whom she intends to marry.

She mused on the subject of whom she would install as King in Amber. She seemed to think Bleys unsuitable and suggested that it would be one of the three of us present. She started by suggesting that I was the most suitable candidate holding me up as a paragon of virtue, in contrast to Alaric and Aylwin. However she reflected that I was too young and that as Aylwin has “tainted blood”, the favourite candidate was probably Alaric. (I do not recall any reason for rejecting Rinaldo being mentioned.)

At some stage Rinaldo made what seemed to be a reference to the fire in the Office of the Golden Circle that destroyed all the files relating to (I think) Kashfa. It isn’t obvious how he learnt of this. I thought very few people knew about that incident.

There was another fanfare and at Clarissa’s request I led the family back into the royal enclosure. I am not sure why Clarissa suggested I lead. Perhaps it is normal for the senior man to lead the procession at this point, if so it was a subtlety that the headmaster had not mentioned. Equally possibly it was Clarissa’s whim. I must discuss it, and indeed the whole ceremony, with him next time that we meet.

In the enclosure, we were rejoined by Rinaldo and Anya. The procession walked to the temple, where Clarence’s coffin was in readiness. After the service in the usual Amethyst style, the coffin was carried by guardsmen to the crystal mausoleum with the procession following. During this procession a storm gathered, which seemed to be to Clarissa’s satisfaction. It seems that the Amethyst, like the Jewel of Judgement, can control the weather; further evidence that the one is a shadow of the other.

At the mausoleum the front of the royal cordon was open to provide a clear view of the entombing ceremony. By this stage, it was raining quite heavily but neither Clarissa nor Fiona were getting wet. When the metal doors had closed on the coffin, a bolt of lightning from the storm above struck directly down between the doors, welding them instantly into a single piece of metal.

Clarissa then turned to us and said “I shall be Queen again. My nearest and dearest will help me or else!” Most of us had the good sense to hold our tongues. However Alaric chose to remonstrate. I don’t remember precisely how it started but Clarissa claimed she was capable of making lightning strike in Amber city. She suggested that Alaric’s ‘picture house’ might be a suitable demonstration target. Alaric objected with a good deal more passion than sense.

The exchange ended with Alaric stamping his foot and shrieking “Nyarlathotep”!

(Both Khitan and Alaric have mentioned this creature as having possessed Abbot Bluestone of Lyon abbey.)

On hearing this name Fiona fell in a screaming fit. A horrible face appeared in the storm overhead and was heard to say “Who calls me?”

Aylwin picked up Fiona and started to walk off with her rapidly through shadow. To my untutored eye it seemed that he was hell-riding (or at least hell-running) and I probably could not have followed safely, let alone helped.

Equally I wasn’t going to be of any practical use in the magic battle clearly going on. Clarissa was clearly carrying out some magics. I got out my trump of Garland House and, as inconspicuously as possible, prepared for rapidly transporting myself there should it be necessary. However I felt that it was my diplomatic duty to stay put and observe as long as possible.

The storm now included high winds and the royal cordon was swept away. The crowd of onlookers were now fleeing in panic. The Amethyst magicians seemed to be the most terrified.

It was clear that Rinaldo was also doing magics, apparently using a gem on a ring he was wearing. The battle between Clarissa and the manifestation seemed to be evenly matched until Rinaldo placed his hand on Clarissa’s shoulder. From then on Clarissa was clearly winning and the face was soon gone.

When Clarissa could relax again, she was furious. She complemented Rinaldo on being the one person who had done anything useful. I think this was meant as much as an insult to the rest of us as a complement to him.

She then turned on Alaric. From what passed between Alaric and Clarissa, it seems that the being’s appearance was a predictable consequence of mentioning its name under the circumstances, and that Alaric was unrepentant about having done so.

Clarissa ordered Alaric to leave, informing him that he was banished. In spite of this Alaric still remonstrated. In particular Alaric seemed determined to take Anya with him. In the course of this argument, another lightning bolt struck immediately in front of Alaric, close enough to singe his nose. In the end, Alaric took Anya’s hand and trumped away but failed to take Anya with him. Clarissa then left with Anya.

This left myself and Rinaldo. At this point I remembered Bathsheba’s gift of Slivovitz. I needed a drink and I suspected that Rinaldo did too. I took a hearty swig and offered him some.

Rinaldo and I were drinking in the rain, quietly contemplating the turn of events, when I received a trump call. It was from Aylwin. He and Khitan were in some shadow which they wished to get out of quickly. I naturally brought them through.

I asked after Fiona and it seems that there had been some accident in Aylwin’s hell-ride and Fiona was very serious injured. They had managed to deliver her into Bleys’ care but her very survival seemed in doubt.

Together the four of us set off for Amethyst to find an inn to dry out externally and do the reverse internally. Rinaldo commented unfavourably, and accurately, on behaviour of both Clarissa and Alaric.