Asmark’s Diary part 12: Rinaldo – Excommunications – Hall of Mirrors – Rebellion

In The Doom that Came to Amber

Queensday 28th Bull 3658

In the morning I attempted again to contact Bleys. This time I get a response quite quickly. I attempted to send Aylwin through but the attempt to involve him killed the contact. Accordingly I trumped through myself, hoping to be able to trump Aylwin from the fleet and perhaps drag him through.

I arrived in the chapel of the Unicorn where it seems that Bleys and Bathsheba had been praying. Bleys seems very drawn. He has spent all night in surgery on Fiona. I asked him if he was aware of the limitations on the use of the Amethyst. I had hoped the Clarence might have confided in him to some extent. Bleys denies any knowledge of the capabilities. The only interesting point that he does make is that the Amethyst is very large, over a foot in diameter. So it is not the sort of item that can be concealed about someone’s person. Accordingly Clarissa did not have it with her at the funeral. Either she can in some way use it remotely, or what she did at the funeral was done without it. Bleys departed to check again on Fiona.

A quarter of an hour later Bleys returned looking ashen. His opinion is that Fiona is dying. I explained that Aylwin believed that there was something that he could do that would be helpful and could well save her. I expressed my earnest wish to attempt to trump him through. Bleys is very reluctant to allow this as any dropping of the shields endangers the fleet. I suggest that I might travel outside the shields to attempt this. It seems that even a vehicle’s departure and return would require dropping the shields. Currently it is early morning, a particularly difficult time of day in this form of combat. He suggests that it may be possible to make an attempt later in the day. Meanwhile he suggests that Bathsheba and I take breakfast.

After breakfast we had a wander round the ship. On each ship there seem to be about a dozen crystal devices mounted on deck. I saw nothing similar when we visited Gerard’s flag-ship prior to our trip to Zircon. It seems likely that these are something to do with the magical shields. While outside, an alarm was sounded so we went below to get out of the way.

Shortly after this we met Morwaith who it seems had just arrived. He claimed to have been on a mission for the Unicorn and to believe that he could do something to help Fiona. He was very keen on knowing where everyone was, that is everyone of-the-Blood.

On the way to the sickbay, he explained that he would require someone’s help to save Fiona, preferably someone ‘of-the-Blood’, but that the helper would not survive the experience. However it seems that he intends to attempt this with someone not of-the-Blood.

He finds that there are two prisoners-of-war on board, and has them summoned. Whereas I cannot question that the life of a royal princess is far more important than the lives of a couple of shadow dwelling enemies, I am deeply unhappy about playing God in this way. However if anyone has the right to play God it is the Unicorn’s appointed prophet. Nevertheless I don’t seem to have any useful role to play and I really do not want to have anything to do with this so I returned to the bridge.

On the bridge I kept well out of the way and observed. About half an hour later, the all clear is sounded. Bleys immediately sets off for the sick bay at high speed. Fast enough for me to have trouble keeping up. Outside the sick bay, the Master-at-Arms and the sick bay attendant were waiting. Inside we found one unconscious prisoner on the floor, a full body bag presumably holding the other prisoner, and a lot of blood on and around one of the cots. Morwaith and Bathsheba were attending to Fiona, who was conscious and in markedly improved health.

It seems that the ritual had been successful. Bleys was briefly overcome and embraced his sister.

Discussions returned to more mundane matters. It seems that Alaric’s behaviour has resulted in serious sanctions, albeit precisely what aspect of it has resulted in this is less clear. He has been declared outlaw, excommunicated from the Church of the Unicorn and is in the process of being stripped of all his titles. The Regent has given orders for his immediate execution.

Bleys expresses dismay at this. Indicates that, if only for Fiona’s sake, he will have nothing to do with any harm being done to Alaric and requests that we behave the same way. Bleys feels that the death warrant is likely to rescinded but accepts that Alaric’s action has been foolish and dangerous.

There is currently open war between the Palace and the now renegade Princess Deirdre in Amber. Bathsheba is needed immediately as a general for the Regent. Morwaith feels he needs to be with ‘his flock’ in Amber. Bleys will need Asmark at some time in the near future. He expects Zircon to sue for peace in about a week’s time and then it will be up to the OoGC to negotiate, however until then there is nothing for him to do with the fleet.

Accordingly the three of us, a lull in the fighting allowing a brief dropping of the shields, trumped together back to Amber gardens. Here we found the guards unwilling to allow us into the castle, the passwords having changed. Morwaith set off for the Cathedral, Bathsheba trumped to the Regent, and I trumped to the OoGC.

Morwaith had asked me to contact Aylwin with news of his mother. I immediately tried to trump him. With great difficulty I managed to get through and tell Aylwin that his mother was better and now expected to recover. I then tried to trump Morwaith to report my success, but he would not take the call. Accordingly I sent a runner down to the Cathedral with a note. He returned promptly with Morwaith’s thanks.

While he was away I decided to investigate what was happening to Algar. I had left him in Deirdre’s service, in spite of it becoming increasingly evident that this wasn’t an entirely safe place to be, as he was a useful information source. Now that was at an end I needed to ensure he is safe. I trumped him and found he was being held prisoner in manacles. I pulled him through and then took him immediately to Garland House. I told him he remained under house arrest for the moment, but sent for a black-smith to have the manacles removed.

I would inform the Sheriff that I had a relevant witness in my custody and under my protection, but I don’t rightly know who is Sheriff at the moment. I will mention it to the Regent or Bathsheba when I next see them, but it really isn’t important enough to bother either of them just at the moment.

Having got Algar settled in, I told him to make notes of everything he could remember about what Deirdre had been doing, who messages were sent to and when, etc., while it was still fresh in his mind. Then I returned to Amber.

On returning to the OoGC, Sebastian reports that Lord Peter has visited, wishing to speak with me. He left a message that he would like a word and would be working in the library. I sent a page to the library to inform him that I was back and he could see me at his convenience.

Peter arrived shortly. Regrettably I could be of little help as he requires information on Corse (a place bordering on Faerie and Babylon). This is not Golden Circle nor is it close enough to any of the Circle to be mentioned in the files. Bleys would seem to be the best source of information, but regrettably the Ambassador to the Far Realms has no secretariat, and Bleys is clearly too busy to be disturbed on the subject. Peter seemed to be interested in how to behave there. I was unable to provide any advice beyond observing that most Amberites don’t give any consideration to the locals in the way we behave.

There were reports, very garbled at the time, of extensive skirmishing in the town. There did not seem to be anything that I could usefully do.

Dinner was very quiet, only Morwaith and myself. Morwaith was about to set off into shadow looking for: 1 – someone called called Adam, 2 – Benedict, 3 - The Jewel of Judgement. I am not quite sure why he told me this, unless of course he thinks there is a risk he won’t be back for some time and he wants someone to know where he is.

He particularly wanted to get in touch with Aylwin. This is awkward given the way trumps are misbehaving for Aylwin. Accordingly I trump him and manage to tell him to get Khitan to trump me. After a delay Khitan trumped me and we were able to send Morwaith through to Kashfa.

This left me, as far as I could see, the only member of the family in the castle. There seemed no point in staying. I will spend the night at Garland House, keeping Algar company. In the morning, I will make sure that he is presentable (lending him a sword) and ready to be trumped through to Amber if he is required for the enquiry. I am determined that he will be treated as a loyal subject who was spying on Deirdre, not a loyal follower of hers (even though he wasn’t aware he was spying).

That evening I returned to Garland House to see Algar. He was very nervous and I did what I could to reassure him, and made sure he recorded what information that he could on the operation of Deirdre’s organisation.