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

In The Doom that Came to Amber

28^th Bull 3658 – the chapel on Bleys’ flagship

Had a dream about the Unicorn galloping over a moonlit sea, whatever that means. When I woke up, Bleys was still there but obviously in Trump contact with someone – Asmark, who came through shortly afterwards.

Asmark gave a précis of what happened from inside the tent, highlights being Alaric had summoned the Face (for unknown reasons) which came from the same place as the unpleasantness at Lyon Abbey; and Rinaldo had killed Caine (which I had guessed).

Bleys was called away – when he came back, his manner told us before he did that Fiona was dying. Asmark claimed that Aylwin had a plan to cure her, but couldn’t use Trump – he must have really annoyed Mira (either that, or it’s Alaric’s doing – I’ve seen more rational people foaming at the mouth in padded cells). Asmark is insistent on trying to bring him through but, as Bleys pointed out, putting the shield down for very long is extremely hazardous. We will have to wait.

Not long after Morwaith shows up, having walked the pattern to get on board. Manages to scare the crew by setting off every alarm on the ship, but says he can save Fiona. (Wait for one for ages, then two show up at once…)

The plan consisted of live sacrifice and somehow transferring that life to Fiona – fortunately, Bleys had two captured Zirconian pilots aboard.

I’m not sqeamish but something about this episode made me uncomfortable. On reflection, it wasn’t so much the killing as the implications – it seems a very dubious road to be going down.

Despite my foreboding, I have to say it worked – Fiona seemed to get better suddenly, the bones in her face slid back to their proper positions and she woke up. I removed the tube from her throat as gently as I could but she was panicking – Morwaith managed to calm her down but the pipes scraped her throat despite my best efforts.

I left her to Morwaith’s ministrations and went to clear up. Typically enough, I’d just started when Bleys came in. Pausing only to bawl me out for clearing up the abattoir that was the medical bay, he went to Fiona’s side immediately. We left them to it.

Asmark was waiting outside – I told him Fiona had recovered, and would hopefully survive. He carefully didn’t ask for any details of this miracle, and I didn’t provide any. He couldn’t have coped with being told (though I’m sure he guessed the general scenario), that sort of knowledge is best left with callous old sods like me.

There’s a problem in Amber – Julian needs me back now!

When we got back Julian told me that Deirdre had raised rebellion against the crown – supported by Vine, Crane, Khem, Mortimer and Taranis. The rebels were now bottled up in a rundown area of the city, east of the castle, near the docks.

I gathered the nobles and CO’s of the Palace guard for a briefing.

Basic orders – no quarter shown, rebelling nobles are given one chance to surrender.

Tactics – urban fighting, so 2-pronged attack with ‘decoys’ and backup. Me & command team have to stay fairly central to co-ordinate.

The plan worked well, we were pressing the attack into held territory when a crossbow bolt whistled past my ear. Stupid, I should have expected snipers. The angle of view wasn’t good, but I could see it was a woman as she darted away (south) among the rooftops. Sent a hunting party after her, but she was well away by the time they got up there. Tavedi reported that she was heading towards the docks, and he was pretty sure it was Deirdre. Trumped back to Julian, who advised ‘alive if poss, but dead would do’.

Cut across to the docks, and we were on Waterfront seconds before she was. I think she was startled to see us, but when challenged to ‘surrender or die’ she wasn’t too keen on the first option and attacked. Although very good, I would have expected a higher standard from her – not that she was a pushover; when Tavedi tried to get involved, he got skewered. It did buy me seconds, however and I managed to land a solid cut onto her left arm.

As my weedy endurance was not up to this long fight, I tried to sucker her in by feigning more tiredness than I felt – unfortunately, her parry was still good enough to block me. I tried again, but she wasn’t having it, and I wasn’t faking as much as I would have liked.

I had to finish it one way or another – and charged. Deirdre went for a step-lunge but a board broke under her foot and she lurched forwards, pulling her sword point down. I sidestepped and slashed out and down, onto her neck. She toppled into the dock.

The water wasn’t that deep and we managed to fish her body out – she was definitely dead, in fact almost decapitated. I commandeered a cart and told three of the lads to go back with the body & report to Julian. I walked with them part of the way, back to the action.

Danesh was surprised Deirdre was dead (I’m surprised myself), but mooted the idea of displaying her body to the rebels to get them to surrender. A bit bulky, but her head on a halberd would be as effective, which is what I did – and it seemed to work. Trumped back and advised – Julian wasn’t too pleased about the head/pole thing (seemed to think it was disrespectful) but I argued that it saved loyal Amber lives and curtailed the fighting. He hinted that the same might happen to me some day – well, if I ever raised revolt in a bid for power, I’d like to think I’d be a damn sight more successful than she was.

Taranis had sent a note denying all responsibility and distancing himself from anything Deirdre had done – Crane had sent a similar missive but begging mercy for his son, who was involved in the fighting. Khem and Mortimer surrendered shortly afterwards, Mortimer was dignified but Khem seemed almost savage, and had the arrogant smugness of one who thinks he has a trick up his sleeve – told the Guard to keep a very close eye on him.

I then got a trump from Khitan (and Aylwin) – Mr N is in Lyon Abbey (oh joy). They need backup, and were going back to Kashfa. I said I would do what I could when I could.

Got the troops back to the Castle, made sure they were fed and watered and the wounded seen to – had to stitch up a nasty thigh wound on one young noble, but he’ll live. Checked on the rebel prisoners – according to Luska, one of the younger sons of a minor noble house had escaped capture. Not one of the main players – I will set a watch on his parent’s house and round the town, he’s bound to turn up eventually.

Wrote a report for Julian and sent it with a servant – I trumped most of the information before, anyway. I need a bath, a meal and bed – in that order.

Situation at the moment:

- Captives safely settled in the castle

- Young noble by name of Waterworth escaped whilst shackled. Look into – possible family connection? (why am I reminded of Alaric?)

- I am Acting Sheriff pro tem until Julian appoints someone else – the mayor raised the issue as Deirdre’s dead and the situation might flare up again.

It’s fun suddenly being Sheriff, on top of your other duties, after having fought a skirmish. Even more when you realise that most of the militia and the police are Deirdre’s men, and half of them are dead in the insurrection. Another day, another crisis...

Julian trumped me – advised on Sheriff position, he wants a word first thing in the morning (his morning, not mine – I’m halfway through mine), but tells me to stay on till dawn. It’s fairly quiet, thankfully, so manage to get something to eat.

Strange feeling –the servants seem to find me the object of some interest. I don’t seem to be privy to what, but I must have done something worthy of gossip (can’t think what, they’ve never been interested in me before).