Nathan’s Diary part 9: The Fae Summit

In The Doom that Came to Amber

24^th Bull 3658

Using Pattern sight I perceive that the rent in this shadow has nearly healed over which suggests a surprising amount of realness. Most shadows would not survive being rent open. I spend some time and a little effort using Pattern to open the rent in shadow. When it opens I hear a howl around me. Looking through the gap I see just black emptiness. I feel that the gap is pulling me through. I leap and grab a nearby gorse bush. As soon as I grab it is pulled toward the rent and my hands are cut as I head towards the hole. I pull out my trump deck but the pain in my hands causes me to loose the following trumps: The Magician, The Empress, Justice, Wheel of Fortune, The Tower, The Moon, Knight of Cups (Brand), 5 of Wands, 9 of Cups, 8 of Cups, 4 of Cups, 3 of Cups, 8 of Coins, 7 of Coins, 2 of Coins.

I am pulled through the rent into the empty space. My clothes and skin start to burn away!

I use the top trump in my deck, the Queen of Swords, Deirdre. I get mental contact with her. She is naked and her arms and legs are akimbo. She is screaming in agony and is a bubble which she is holding out. When I reach out, I contact her only to end up on the outside of the bubble. My clothes and skin are continuing to burn away and my eyes hurt when I open them.

A bubble envelops me and it appears to be misty. My eyesight is impaired and I’ve lost the top part of my fingers. I can see Deidre in the bubble next to me and another naked woman in a bubble further off.

I hear a chuckle in my mind. A voice asks whether I wish to breathe and I answer in the affirmative.

I recognise the voice as Brand's. Air seems to suffuse the bubble.

Brand: “Does that feel better?”

Nathan: “Yes.”

Brand: “I recognise you pup; have we met before?”

Nathan: “Yes, in Amber.”

Brand: “It’s respectful to look at someone when talking to them.”

I turn around and there is a black shadowy figure that is hard to make out against the stars. There may be a glint in one eye. It looks like Brand.

Brand: “Now I recognise you, a name will come to me. What were you doing?”

Nathan: “I was looking for Corwin's daughter.”

Brand: “Well you’ve found her…or what’s left of her.”

We continue to talk. Apparently Brand managed to find a way of breathing the stuff of the void but by the time he could put a bubble around Deidre it was too late and she had lost too much of her mind. The void seems to have filled her up, her eyes are pitch black. Sarah came more recently and he did better with her. She talks but like her father does not trust him. Brand seems to respect Corwin. He seems lonely. I bargain with him. He will let me go if I give him information about recent events in and around Amber.

He asks about troublespots.

I tell him about the war with Zircon and Gerard losing his legs. He says this is a shame, "Gerard is the only decent one among us".

I talk of the death of Moire in Rebma. When I mention her body being sent to a God in the pit of R'lyeh to he tells me not to talk of such things here. Rebma is a dark reflection of Amber he says.

I mention the meteorite that landed in Amber and he confesses to having sent it and is a little saddened that nobody important was killed by the thing inside it.

When I talk of Amethyst he asks after his grandfather. He says it would be bad if anything were to happen to him since his mother would be in charge. He says Paulette was a mistake and Oberon would probably agree. Perhaps Clarissa was also a mistake? He tells me to be wary of the redheads.

I mention that his sister has been looking a little wan of late. I tell him it is probably stress brought on by her worry over her sons.

When I mention Rinaldo having succeeded in a coup against Shadburn in Kashfa with Dalt giving aid he seems to take interest. He claims to have known Rinaldo as a boy and also knows Dalt. He says that Rinaldo wants formal ties with Amber and that if he were there he could persuade him and Dalt. I wonder if Rinaldo is a relative? He tells me I should ask him myself. He says that his brothers were not as careful as him with fathering children in the Golden Circle.

The attack at the Beltane festival is discussed and also the attack on the flagship. I tell him that energy weapons with a part of the broken Pattern were used and that there is a broken Pattern at the bottom of a trench off the coast of Zircon. Brand asks me whether I know the location of other broken Patterns, since if some were known the location of the others could be surmised. I respond in the negative.

Brand tells me there is a curse on the Kings of Amber. He asks me what I would think if his sword, Werewindle, a Pattern sword forged by Wayland, were to break? There must be something wrong with the sword or perhaps with the Pattern itself? He took the Jewel from Corwin who had just inscribed his Pattern. Why did it not deflect the arrow that Caine shot at him? He postulates that he had the wrong Jewel. He says there is a jewel for each Pattern, including the broken ones.

In Amber there is the Jewel of Judgement.

In Rebma the Pearl of Wisdom.

In Tir-na-N'Ogth the Moonstone.

Where is the real Jewel of Judgement, he asks? How did the Unicorn not know?

I wonder if there is something wrong with the Pattern? Whether it would affect the Unicorn?

Babylon is mentioned as the name for shadow Earth the place I have recently arrived from.

When I talk of the Sea of Sands he says that Oberon liked to have some crises available because they were useful. I postulate that they could have the following advantages: they bring people together; they are a good test of people; in a crisis people are busy and less likely to plot against the current ruler.

Brand asks about kingship; who should be king? I say I am not interested and would rather be the power behind the throne. My plans have gone somewhat awry. I had brought the King back to health, who was suffering mental difficulties at the same time as Moire’s illness. Then he decides to abdicate.

I tell him the story of finding Random in Cyprani dressed as a fool and acting the part. Brand tells me that Random was not suited to kingship and that his mental problems are due to drug taking. As to who should be king? Corwin's name has been mentioned and Julian is Regent. Bleys is Admiral and might be making a play for the Kingship. Brand says he wants to go home but not be King.

I wonder, if we found Deidre in a block of ice in Cyprani, which is the real Deidre and what is the one in Amber up to.

Brand talks of curses. He will not reveal who he cursed but alludes to Caine. He tells me Corwin isn’t here in the Void/Abyss. He can hazard a guess as to his whereabouts but he wants to know for sure.

Brand tells me that I am breathing myself in the bubble since there is nothing else to breathe. I tell him I want to leave now. He sends me away.

I look up and see a bright star. As I move it becomes a disc. I try to bring the Pattern to mind. I reach a gap and go through it into a grey area.

I land naked in a muddy water hole. I use my shapeshift healing ability to right myself somewhat. My fingers and eyes, it appears, will take some time to heal.

I move towards a tree. There are three crones in black cowled cloaks linked together. They appear blind and one is holding an eye. I hail them and ask for help. They advise me to scrape the mud off and rub it onto the tree roots, which I do. The shrouded hags are gossiping. They speak…

“To care for the Tree is to care for the World.”

“We must all eat some dirt before we die.”

“When the Tree dies, the World dies.”

I ask where I am? They reply: “You’ve had your three questions. So sad! So stupid! So what?”

I’ve obviously missed something. I’ll try and remember about the Well, the women and the Tree.

Taking my trumps, I shadowshift and gain some clothing. Head for a place of safety to rest. I end up in a shadow with purple grass and green skies. I eat plenty of fruit and fall asleep.