Chapter 097: Purpose Declared

"Who can you believe?

It's hard to play it safe

But apart from a few good friends

We don't take anything on faith

Until later"

Show Don't Tell - Rush

            "Alright, I'll make the attempt, but since this is your idea, I think you should cover me while I'm going in."

            Random sighed dramatically but nodded, knowing that his decree not to involve anyone else in this matter also implied that he himself was honour bound to lend a hand, if necessary. Of course, Janice would also be able to monitor my actions, but venturing into a direct mental contact with Fiona required as much back-up as I could find, even if she currently answered to the name Eugenie Lablanche.

            Without further ado we went back into the pocket, where poor Eugenie was still cying her eyes out. She took little notice of us at first, giving me time to try Fiona's Trump, something we had not actually tried so far. No such luck, though, as I might have guessed. The difference in personalities was simply too great. So, I just would have to do this the old-fashioned way.

            As I calmly stepped forward, Eugenie looked up and shrank back. "What do you want from me?" she quavered, but I didn't answer her. Holding my hands up, palms extended to show that I harboured no ill intent, I slowly moved closer until our eyes locked and I was able to cross the mental divide. Straight away she was there blocking my way, ineffectively hammering her mental fists against my astral body, screaming: "Get away from me, you creep!" Clearly, she saw my mental intrusion as just another way in which I sought to violate her, and she was desperately trying to defend her honour. In a way this was all the proof I needed, for if there had only been the tiniest fragment of Fiona left in there, she would have been able to kick me out before I even knew it. To Eugenie the thought of using such force was somehow simply inconceivable, so she didn't get any further than this ineffective jabbing and these frightened shrieks.

                I thought back to all the times I'd shared with Fi, especially when I had just learned about my heritage and when she had spent quite a while teaching me the ways of the Pattern. Focusing on this image, I tried to project it into Eugenie's consciousness, hoping to evoke at least some kind of reaction. Well, she reacted to it, but not in any way that could be called constructive: Eugenie appeared simply convinced that the woman in the image could not be her. In fact, this woman didn't even look that much like her, if you really looked closely, and besides, she would never act in such an unladylike manner. Teaching young men occult knowledge, without a chaperone present? The nerve!

                With a sigh I withdrew from the contact. Not a glimmer of Fiona remained, at least nowhere near the surface. As I released my grip on her mind, Eugenie started kicking me in the shins and slapping me across my face. "You dirty pervert!" she cried while I tried to restrain her. Ignoring her cries and anger, I calmly but firmly directed her towards the bed and sat her down. For a moment she looked at me as if I was going to do I-don't-know-what to her, but I simply released her hands and slowly stepped backwards.

                Eugenie kept eyeing me suspiciously as I rejoined the others and informed them of what I had found, or rather of the things I had not managed to find. We could, of course, try again and dig some deeper this time, but I made it clear that I really didn't fancy doing so, and Random didn't seem too keen on trying it himself either.

            "Well, even if you manage to find that other part of her," Janice said, "you may not be able to access it anyway. I would think there's quite a strong barrier between the two halves, and Fiona's mental abilities are such that you probably wouldn't be able to break through. So, your chances of success are slim to nil, never mind the danger."

            "You may be right," I conceded. "From her reaction to the mental image I sent her I got the strong impression that Eugenie is not in any way aware of Fiona's existence, not even at a subconscious level. There doesn't seem to be any connection between the two of them, apart from them inhabiting the same body, that is."

            "Okay, so what about your other option?" Random wanted to know.

            "I would have to think about it," I sighed. It wasn't something you just planned at a moment's notice, was it?

            "Alright, tell you what, you take your time and see how far the other option takes you. If at any time you feel you're not making any progress, we can always go back to the direct approach and try to dig some deeper after all. Deal?"

            "I guess so." It wasn't much of a deal, but it was the best we could do under the circumstances. "I'll try to draw up some viable plan of action, something that will have some chance of yielding success. If I am going to do this, however, I shall have to make sure that I can devote all my time and effort to this project. In other words, I won't be available for anything else, though the heavens may fall. I won't be taking any Trump calls, I won't be responding to any messages, I'll be completely incommunicado. So, if there is anything you need to know from me, you'll simply have to wait till I contact you myself." This set-up was less to the King's liking, but still, he could see where I was coming from and he knew there was little room to negotiate.

            "Just be sure to contact me regularly," he said.

            "I will. Insofar the job will allow it. And I don't think, regardless of how we are going to do this, that we will be going about it here in the castle."

            "You'd better choose a spot where there won't be too much outside interference, though," Random said. "Things are very hectic at the moment, and if you're just going to camp out somewhere in Shadow, you're bound to attract a lot of unwanted attention."

            "Oh, I think I know a place where we'll be safe enough, but that will be my problem. It's just that working in Castle Amber may also attract its unwanted attention, only from relatives instead of outsiders."

            "You've got a point, I guess," Random sighed. "Still, there are some remote corners here that might do for such a hush-hush job as this."

            "Somehow I don't have as much confidence in keeping it a secret here in the

Castle as you."

            "Okay, your call. But I do want to know where you are at all times. Just in case something comes up in that particular region of the Universe while you're not aware of it." I met his stern expression with a blank one of my own, but finally I just shrugged.

            "Fair enough," I said, "I'll inform you as soon as I've arrived." That was more or less acceptable to him. Not that he had much choice anyway.

            We left Random to deal with other matters and went off to think and plan. As soon as we were alone, however, Janice asked me wether she could still be of assistance. I had tacitly been hoping that she would continue to help me, especially since there was no one else I could call on, so I assured her her assistance would be more than welcome. She was eager to be of use too, but she also hinted that she would like there to be some attention for the state of affairs in Quendor as well. Of course, she realised that this would undoubtedly take its time, therefore she had decided to build up as much credit with us as possible. I made a mental note to drop in on Random a bit later and ask him for regular reports on the Quendor situation, although I realised that without someone like me in Quendor he would have to rely on more conventional means of spying, which would be a fair deal slower in yielding information. Still, any and all news would be welcome.

            Janice and I spent the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon in my chambers, going over plans and options, and just brainstorming in general. Finally, after much deliberation, I came up with a scenario that to my mind would come closest to doing the trick. As I detailed my plan to her, I looked closely for any signs of doubt or disapproval. Janice had already proved herself quite adept at these matters of the mind, and if she didn't think it was going to work the whole deal would be off. My plan seemed to meet with her approval, although she did question me about my notion to save something of Eugenie's personality and try and incorporate it into Fiona's own. She couldn't help but wonder whether this was really what I intended to do.

            "I've given it some careful thought, I assure you," I said.

            "But do you really think she'd be better off retaining that part of her?" Janice insisted.

            "Yes, I do. As you said, it's been part of her personality all along, and I believe it should remain that way, only more in harmony with the rest of her than it has been before. Closer to the surface, less hidden away. However, I have to admit that this would only work in a best-case scenario. I do realise that not all of the objectives I've set myself may be realizable, but I'm going to strive to attain as many as possible."

            "There's quite a risk involved, of course," she mused. "so perhaps it would be better to save something of the loving, caring side of Fiona. Maybe the new Fiona would be less inclined towards vengeance than the old one. Why, if it all works out as you have planned, the new Fiona might simply opt to spend her time catching up on other activities, and she might not bother about getting even with the two of us for the way we've treated her."

            "There is that too," I conceded, "but I'm reluctant to let myself be guided too much by fears of possible revenge."

            "Speak for yourself. I've had some bad experiences with red-headed ladies." Meaning Jasra, of course. Still, she had some cause to worry. So…

            "I want to try to set it up in such a way that if Fiona turns all vengeful on us afterwards, her anger would mainly be focused on me, and not on you," I said. Janice frowned.

            "How very noble," she sneered. Damn, I should have remembered her natural reaction to this kind of sentiment.

            "Nobility has nothing to do with it," I replied sharply. "What it boils down to is that it is my Family we're talking about. No one is forcing you to do this, so you should not run the extra risk. Not that I don't appreciate your help and all."

            "We've been over that. You know that's as much out of self-interest as anything."

            "Of course it is, but then nearly everything we do is out of self-interest. That doesn't change anything about the fact that you don't have to help me. There are lots of safer ways to further your self-interest."

            "I guess so…" She wasn't entirely convinced, I could tell, but since she couldn't think of any good counterarguments either, she decided to let the matter lie. For now, at least.

            We spent a little longer going over the plan in some of its details, but it quickly became clear that it wouldn't be possible to plan too far ahead. Much would depend on Fiona's reactions to the treatment, which would become ever more unpredictable as time progressed. The good thing was that we would be able to carry out most, and perhaps even all, of the operation with her stuck in the Shadow Pocket. This meant that if we needed some time to reconsider, we could easily put her temporarily on hold while we adjusted our plans. The only thing I was a bit reluctant to try was speeding the pocket up while our scenario was in progress: there was still a chance that Fi would unwittingly start interfering with the Pocket, even though Eugenie Lablanche was completely ignorant of the Pattern and its applications. If this should happen when the Pocket was in a fast forward mode, the results could be disastrous.

**

            I still had some time to kill before we could go off and start on our project, though, because of my promise to Alexander to remain on stand-by until he would report back from his meeting with Lothair. This left me one day in which to take care of other matters, such as informing some people of my upcoming temporary bout of unresponsiveness. Problem was that too many of such conversations would leave too many people curious, as well as increase the probability of me learning about some urgent tidbit of news and the consequent risk of becoming involved in other affairs once again. After some deliberation I came to the conclusion that there was only one person, aside from Random, who needed to know about my absence from immediate Amber life, since he more or less depended on my being available at a moment’s notice. However, the situation in the Courts seemed to have changed sufficiently to warrant a temporary withdrawal of the offer I’d made him the last time we had spoken.

            Trumping to Ygg with the intention of trying to contact Murlas from this halfway point, I was, however, right away distracted from my purpose by the strange and eerie quiet that hung around the ancient tree. Ygg himself was uncharacteristically silent, although this could easily have been a sign of him having become tired of Amberites using him as a stop between Trump destinations while never having some time to exchange a friendly word. There was something else, though, that was the cause of my increasing feelings of unease. Looking around, I saw that the ground at the base of the tree had recently been disturbed by at least several people, and more and more I got the feeling that I was being watched. I couldn’t spot anyone around, but I got the distinct impression that whoever was keeping their eyes on me were far from friendly. They didn’t quite consider me to be an enemy, though, for if they had, I had no doubt they would have attacked me straight away. No, the sensation I got was only slightly hostile, but mainly the presence seemed to be waiting, presumably for someone other than me.

            Not wanting to become involved in anything that didn’t really concern me, and not wanting to draw my dear brother into any potentially dangerous situations either, I began to shift a little bit away from Ygg’s Shadow, to be surprised by a quick and unexpectedly smooth passage to a charming little tearoom but a few Shadows away. It seemed that at least several people with Shadow shifting capabilities had come this way recently, for what I had just traversed were the beginnings of a stable Shadow Path similar to the various Paths existing in the Golden Circle around Amber. For a moment I worried that there might be some connection with the feelings of impending danger I’d sensed around Ygg, but I didn’t sense anything or anyone following me, so there seemed little cause for alarm. Slowly the sensation of being watched dwindled away too. There was something else about the Shadow I had just entered, however, something seemingly familiar that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

            As I took out Murlas’s Trump and tried to contact him, I was again surprised by the ease and speed with which the contact was established. The scenery behind him  quaint little tables and chairs out on the terrace of some tearoom  looked awfully familiar too, come to think of it. Fortunately, Murlas appeared to be just as surprised as I was.

            “I take it you are where I think that you are?” he inquired, one eyebrow slightly arched.

            “It would seem so,” I replied, glancing around.

            “Just stay there. I shall be with you shortly.”

            A few seconds later he appeared around a corner. Now I realised why the Shadow had such a familiar feel to it too: it was obviously a place he frequented regularly. This was not so strange, considering the Trump of Ygg I’d given him and his rather remote residence in the courts of Chaos. This cosy little tearoom was an ideal central spot for conducting all kinds of private conversations with people from the various corners of the Universe, which in his new official position Murlas would have to do even more often than before. The consequence of him being around so frequently, however, was that the Shadow was gradually being adjusted to a place that was recognisably his, a personal Shadow, so to speak. This also explained the Shadow Path coming into existence, leading from Ygg to over here.

            “Nice place you have here,” I remarked as he ordered some tea for the both of us.

            “Thank you. It is quite conveniently situated, I must say. The Courts are unfortunately rather a long way away from everywhere else, and this spot is much more accessible. And it is quite easy to Trump to other places from here too. But tell me, what brings you out here so all of a sudden?”

            “Well, you did, as a matter of fact. There’s something I needed to talk to you about. First of all, though, let me congratulate you on your new position. Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Courts of Chaos, it’s quite a job.”

            “Why, thank you. I am certain it will be a most interesting occupation.”

            “I’m sure it will,” I said, returning his smile. “However, what I really came to talk to you about was the offer I’d made to keep myself available for any and all Trump calls, considering the personal danger you were in while the Succession in the Courts was still undecided. Now that there is a new King of Chaos, my question is how much you’d still need to rely on this offer.”

            “Well, how much do any of us ever need anything?” he replied with a smirk. “These are dangerous times. There is still a struggle in the Courts, continuing unabatedly.”

            “I thought all that would have changed with the ascension of Reys Thurston to the Throne. Didn’t it?”

            “Having a new King helps, yes, but it does not automatically solve everything. However, I take it you have some problem with our earlier arrangement?”

            “Only a temporary one, I hope. Fact is that I shall have to devote all my attention to this project I’m currently working on, until it is truly finished, and I shan’t be able to become involved in anything else during that time. This means, quite simply, that for the time being I won’t be at liberty to accept any calls, no matter who is calling. There seem to be some people who are able to determine the source of most of the Trump calls they receive, but unfortunately this is one trick I haven’t been able to master yet. So, simply put, I won’t be available for any Trump contacts for the time being.”

            “I see,” Murlas said calmly. “Well, I can certainly understand your reasons.”

            “Of course I felt you ought to know right away, for it wouldn’t do if you were to learn about it during a moment of crisis when you might really depend on my being there, would it?”

            “How considerate.” He smiled his typical Murlas smile. “It does help to prevent some quite awkward situations, and naturally I understand completely. I know very well that one cannot keep oneself available indefinitely, no matter how much one would like to do so. If some change in your current situation were to occur, however…”

            “I will tell you straight away. The offer still stands, it has just temporarily been put on hold, so to speak.”

            Murlas nodded appreciatively. The beginning of King Reys’s reign would undoubtedly help for affairs in the Courts to settle down a little, but on the other hand I could certainly understand that Murlas’s own new, highly placed position might not constitute a lesser, but rather a greater threat to his person. Well, the sooner I’d finished with Fiona, the sooner I could reassume my stand-by position.

            “If there is anything I can do to assist you with your problems…,” he began, but I shook my head.

            “I’d wish that you could, but unfortunately it’s not an option.”

            “I see.” He shrugged. “Well, there are always certain things one has to do by oneself. I would like to wish you good luck, in any case.”

            “By the way,” I said, in between sipping from my tea, “I arrived here after having Trumped to Ygg, and passing through I got a very strange feeling, as if things weren’t quite right over there.”

            “You noticed it as well, did you?” He frowned, looking slightly concerned. “For a moment I simply thought that I had been imagining things. I have had similar experiences before, however, in other places. Now that you have mentioned it, I shall be sure to look into it.”

            “You certainly should,” I said. “After all, this Shadow is quite clearly becoming a part of you, and Ygg is very close. It could be that whatever is out there is secretly aimed at you.” He thought about this for a while, then dismissively shook his head.

            “Not to worry,” he said, “I shall deal with the matter. In any case, thank you for bringing it to my attention.” No problem, although I couldn’t shake the feeling he was taking it rather a bit lightly. Oh well, I guess that by now he ought to have some idea of what he could and could not handle.

            We finished our tea, exchanging some pleasantries and talking about less important affairs. Murlas’s innocent inquiries painfully reminded me, however, that it had been quite some time since I’d last seen the children, and unfortunately it would be some time yet before I would feel free to do so again. Not wanting to dwell on this for too long, I asked him for the inside story on the final round of the Royal Succession. As he explained it, he and the other remaining candidate of the second round had successfully forced the issue to the point where a binding final decision would have to be made, whereupon the doors of the Major Council chamber had been locked and bolted, only to be opened again when a new King had unanimously been decided on. How this total agreement was to be brought about had been left entirely open, the possibilities ranging from prolonged negotiations to simple and brutal murder. There had only been thirty-one Chaosians inside at that point, being the thirty-one remaining Lords and Ladies of the Major Houses. The thirty-second would have been Gran Escallwyn’s father, who had been murdered shortly before all of this happened.

            Officially, the final three candidates for the job had been the leaders of the three power factions in the Council: Jaill Helgram representing the conservatives, Jostin Baccaran for the mediators, and Despil Sawall trying to rally what had been left of the progressive party. No one had really considered the latter to be a proper candidate, but it had quickly become clear that many people also had too many reservations about either of the first two candidates to let them claim the Throne. So, in true Chaosian style new parties had sprung into existence on the spot, the most promising of which had been a triumvirate of the Houses Thurston, Imdros, and Sentin. Although Murlas tended to downplay his own role in the proceedings, I gathered that it had mainly been through his intercession that these three had been able to strike a deal with Jaill Helgram. Not that all the conservative Houses had been so happy about supporting a King who had been known to be in favour of rather more progressive policies, but finally Jaill had only had to order one unfortunate, fatal accident: Lord Borak of House Ascan, just about the most competent general the Courts had had left after Tirga’s demise, had proved too stubborn in his conservative convictions, so he had come to an unexpected, tragic end. As soon as Jostin Baccaran had seen what turn events had been taking, he had begun negotiating with the triumvirate himself, after which poor Despil had had no other choice but to throw in his support as well, making Reys Thurston the new King of the Courts of Chaos. And to think I had spent many an interesting hour in the company of the new King’s dear sister.

            At his inauguration Reys had of course rewarded those people whose support had been most vital. Grewald Sentin and Swaun Imdros, the other two members of the triumvirate, had been appointed as Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior respectively. Jaill Helgram, Emall Grice, and Murlas had been awarded with the Order of the Serpent, and although Jaill had not gained an immediate official position for himself, the conservative faction had come out of it quite well, with House Chartin getting the command of half the military forces of the Courts and House Vangrast gaining the much-prized position of Keeper of the Logrus. Somehow they had not figured, however, that this simply entailed Suhuy changing his allegiance from House Sawall to their House. Jostin Baccaran, having stepped in just a bit later than Jaill and Murlas to get his piece of the pie, had had to make do with the other half of the military, but this was still much better than Despil Sawall, who had simply got nothing for all his troubles. Although both of them had been strangely absent during this time of crisis, I didn’t think the two most prominent members of House Sawall, the former Prime Minister Mandor and the infamous Dara, would be very happy with this result. Finally, as mentioned before, Murlas had been appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, a job that suited him quite well, since he spent so much time away from the Courts anyway.

                All in all, nearly everyone seemed to have come out ahead, and it couldn’t be denied that Murlas’s star was significantly on the rise. However, this also meant that he was still at risk, perhaps even from enemies he himself was as yet unaware of. Although I was reluctant to interfere in Chaos politics directly, I was resolved to deal with the Fiona situation as quickly as possible, for I had the feeling that my brother would need my silent support sooner rather than later.

**

            It was only half an hour after I’d said goodbye to Murlas and returned to Castle Amber, when Alexander came knocking at my door. Galoria had had their summit with Lothair and Sonia, he told me, and the prospects were dire to say the least. Basically, Lothair had given them three choices: they could either oppose his forces and be annihilated, declare their neutrality and stay out of all future conflicts Lothair would get involved in in our Reality, or they could join him as loyal and trustworthy allies in his fight against Ornach. The first option had a certain finality to it, and while Lothair had said that he would regret the waste of time and resources that this would entail, there was no doubt that he certainly would and could carry out his threat. The option of neutrality, however, would according to him only be a temporary solution, since their continued sharing of the Nexus would ultimately either bring them at odds or bring them closer together. Lothair had a strong preference for an alliance, but he felt it ought to be a firm and binding one, for they had already experienced the consequences of betrayal once and they were not eager for a repeat performance. He had, furthermore, voiced the hope that Amber would stick to its neutrality, but he was not blind to the possibility that we could turn hostile, in which case his allies would certainly be required to take up arms against us. Unquestioning loyalty was a prerequisite in any case. Alex added that Lothair had given them twenty-four hours to reach a decision, of which at that point about fifteen were left.

            “Did he really say his main conflict was with Ornach?” I asked.

            “That’s what he said. Ornach is, in fact, the only thing he’s really interested in as far as our Reality is concerned. He expects at least a number of Houses in the Courts will support Ornach, which in his words will be _‘too bad for them’. Lothair also claims that when his conflict with Ornach has been resolved, he and the others will simply leave our Reality again. Of course, he indicated that those who would support him certainly stood to gain by it, even after he will have left.”

            Great. And my daughter was planning to marry into the House of Ornach. My mind raced as I tried to survey all the implications of Alex’s news, but shocking as the news was it didn’t seem to clarify matters very much. Looking back on all the actions I knew or suspected to have been taken by Lothair and his people, I couldn’t see any that might have been directed straight at Ornach. It was more like they had been sizing up the possible opposition in our Reality before actually making a move. The fact that the Enemy had finally come out and declared their purpose could change things considerably, though.

            “Hmm,” I mused. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful or anything, but why come to me with this?”

            “Well, first of all I think it’s important for Amber to be aware of the results of our meeting. You I trust sufficiently to give you this straight, while if I were to go directly to Random there would be a good chance of Lothair picking up on it. And even then I couldn’t be sure that I would get to speak to Random soon enough for me to relay this information.”

            “If you’re worried about Lothair not wanting you to talk to possible enemies,” I said, “I don’t think he actually considers me to be a neutral party, not after what has happened between us. Let alone me being a friendly one.”

            “That’s not the point,” Alex insisted. “The point is that we’d made arrangements to see each other after the meeting, and I’m just sticking to them. I don’t have any say in what you are going to do with what I’ve just told you, and if you were to go to Random immediately I don’t think Lothair would be able to hold it against me.”

            “I’m just saying that from Lothair’s point of view I may be less neutral than you would like him to believe.” That was simply my own point of view, of course, for I had no way of knowing what Lothair truly was thinking. I did feel, however, that Alex was staking too much on his own perception of things.

            “I don’t think he will take it that seriously, though, and to me you were just the right person to talk to. It’s vital that Random knows about this. And if Lothair should ask me, I had a legitimate reason to go and see you, if only to retrieve the Black Trump I’d lent you.” Which he duly did. “Fact is,” he continued, “that there just isn’t anyone else in the Family that I can think of whom I could trust enough to pass this on to Random without any interference, and ultimately this may be the sort of information that ought not to have been kept secret. For instance, I don’t know whether anyone else is aware that Lothair is only interested in Ornach. Perhaps someone has some evidence to the contrary and Lothair has simply been telling stories to string us along.”

            “Alright, I see. But you’ve got quite a big decision ahead of you. So, what’s going to be your next step?”

            “That will be decided on tomorrow,” he replied, suddenly shifting to his familiar cagey persona. “There will undoubtedly be further negotiations, but I don’t want to trouble you any further, unless you are really interested.”

            “Interested, always,” I sighed, “but…”

            “Well, it might be better if I didn’t get you involved too much. After all, you said yourself that your position with regard to Lothair is somewhat awkward, especially since you’ve been the only one so far in our Reality to oppose him explicitly. And then there are your ties with Ornach through Taureth.”

            “I guess you’re right. I’ll be bound to hear about it in due course. Let me just say, though, that I would sincerely regret it if Galoria and Amber were to end up in opposite camps.”

            “I know,” Alex said, “but to me the survival of Galoria is of the utmost importance. If Lothair were to increase pressure just a little bit, I think we’d have little choice but to comply, especially in light of the lack of support from the other Powers up till now.” He couldn’t keep the slightly bitter tone from creeping in as he explained: “I mean, Amber doesn’t want to commit to anything, the Courts don’t want to commit to anything, Sherwyn doesn’t have any resources, and Ornach remains as silent and enigmatic as ever.”

            “I don’t envy you your situation,” I commiserated.

            “We’ll just have to make the best of it,” he sighed.

            I promised Alexander I would convey his story to Random, and also informed him of the fact that I would be completely incommunicado for a while, while not saying anything about the reason why. He said he would remain in Castle Amber for a short while, taking the opportunity to catch a few hours of sleep in a rather tranquil environment, while in the meantime staying at hand in case Random should decide to take some sort of action because of his information. He still had a suite somewhere in the Castle where he would be able to rest undisturbedly.

            I didn’t hesitate when Alex had left, but immediately Trumped Random, bypassing any and all officials that might stand between my King and me, as I usually did. He was in his study, working, but not too busy to have me come through with the urgent news.

            “Alexander has just been to see me,” I said curtly. “Galoria has been talking with Lothair and his people. Their choices appear to be limited: either to stand and fight and die heroically (or ignominiously, if you prefer), to stick to neutrality, or to join Lothair in his crusade against Ornach.” I was eyeing him like a hawk while I spoke, especially when I mentioned the last part, but his expression of mild surprise and worry didn’t give anything away.

            “Ornach?” he said. “Hmm, are you sure that is what he said, in so many words?”

            “Quite sure.”

            “I see. Well, of course, it’s not something I can act upon without some kind of confirmation. If it is true, it’s quite an interesting piece of information, to say the least. It would be for us, anyway, for if they are really only interested in Ornach, the fighting would be turning towards the Courts and not towards Amber. But first I need confirmation. We’ll have to look into it.”

            “It was mentioned,” I remarked rather sharply, “that in case of an alliance between Lothair and Galoria, a possible conflict between Galoria and Amber could not be ruled out.”

            “That is unfortunate, that is,” Random sighed. “And just when we were establishing some more workable relations with them. Still, I can see where they’re coming from, and it’s not a nice spot whatever way you look at it. To be honest, I am a bit surprised that they’ve been given any choice at all. Naturally, I can’t put myself in Lothair’s shoes, but considering the question of who has control over the Nexus, I would say he’d stand more to gain by an all-out attack. Apparently, he’s trying to save some of his forces for his main battle against Ornach, which in itself is quite understandable, for it will undoubtedly put quite a drain on his resources.”

            He sighed again, then added: “I assume this to have some direct consequences for you as well, what with Diana and everything, doesn’t it? She would most certainly get caught up in the struggle.”

            “It depends,” I said, noncommittally.

            “Well, if she is to marry a son of Ornach, she will get involved, no matter what else happens. I really believe she should reconsider.”

            I didn’t respond immediately, but regarded him silently for a while, wondering what had happened to the Random I knew from stories of old: Random the rogue, Random the gambler, with his legendary devil-may-care attitude. I realised that the Kingship and his marriage would be enough to change any man, but lately his extreme caution, especially when it came to the threat of the Enemy, had begun to annoy the hell out of me. He was still the King, it was true, but somehow I couldn’t help thinking that this caution of his was edging ever closer to something for which there was a nastier term, something I would be wise not to accuse him off to his face: cowardice.

            “You really believe we can simply stand aside and not get caught up in this, do you?” I said to him.

            “Yes, I do,” he replied firmly. “Now more than ever.”

            “Well, I don’t.” I let my statement hang heavily between us. He regarded me and sighed.

            “Alright, I can accept that. And maybe if I’d get some further information, I might see things differently. However, at this very moment I’m not about to get involved in this mess. I’ll stay alert for any changes, and I’m not simply going to close my eyes and wish the danger would go away. But I’ve seen what they can do, and I don’t think we should oppose them if we really don’t have to. Let the Courts try and fail, as they surely will, then we can march in at the end and save the day. That seems to me a much better, much safer position to be in.

            “So, perhaps you shouldn’t rush things too much with this wedding and all. Or maybe Ornach will surprise us all and show his hand for a change. Maybe his resources are such that he will easily be able to withstand Lothair’s forces. Although I must say that I’m not sure I would be too happy about that either. Should either one of them manage to obtain a quick victory, the remaining party would always prove a problem for the rest of us. They would be far too powerful.

            “Anyway, I’m happy to have heard about this latest news from Galoria and about the direction things appear to be taking. I must say I’d picked up some vague rumours to the effect that the Enemy’s next move might be against the Courts, but there had not been any specifics to go on up till now.”

            He gave me a slightly expectant look, and I nodded. Peace. For now.

            “In light of this it might be a good idea to keep in touch quite regularly,” Random said. “But all the same, I hope you can still see the importance of getting Fiona back to her old self again, and that you will make sure to bring this project to an end, irregardless of what happens in

the meantime.”

            It was neither a question nor a direct order, but something in between, such as I’d come to expect from him. Again I nodded. He was still my King and I would do as he ‘suggested’. For now.

            Without another word I left him in his study and went in search of Janice. It was time for us to go to Ayland.