Coming home for advice.

Alex calmly walks back hom from the castle, she had spend some time now with Brand, learning alot from him. But she missed her mother. She had thanked Brand for the lessons so far and the time he had spend with her. To Zachary she had said he could contact her at any time when he decided to leave. Though she hopes he will stay in Amber for at least a few weeks more, since she is planning a camping trip to Arden to clear her mind. It was a familiar walk, Alex had never considered moving out of Bright Edge, it is massive enough to have enough privacy from your own mother. With her back slung over her back she enters the gates, first stop as always the stables. From the stables to the kitchen. She draws a pot of fresh flowery tea, fills a basket with three cups some biscuits and dried fruits and the pot of hot tea. Leaving her bag near the entry way as she usually drops it when she is home Alex then walks towards the garden. Her own little flowery nook where the violet jasmine flowers bloom nearly always. Setting a tray with the cups and the nibbles Alex takes her violin and starts playing. That will surely notify mom she is home. Hopefully mom has time and wants to talk. First song is almost at its end when footsteps are coming closer. Looking up while she keeps her song going Alex smiles. "Hi mom, i'm home. "

Michael James Watson

“So I see. Sent some time up at the castle I hear. Seeing and being seen. Fully acknowledged. Attended a family dinner. Sorcery with your father. What else did you learn? Who did they assign as your elite?”

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex puts her violin down in the case and pours three cups of tea. She pats on the seating cushions next to her. "Will you have a cup of tea with me?" She takes up her own cup of tea smells it and takes a careful sip. "Hmm yes, shown my face, smiled pleasantly had lovely conversations about matters of non importance, dodged some side way glances as the child of Brand, smiled sweetly in return. Spend a lot of time in the library, that didn't change. And Brand taught me about trumps. A bit about the abyssal mark i carry." Looking up from her tea she smiles a warm smile. "Have rooms assigned to me in the castle, but as you said, they are not home. This will always be home. " With a short nod she then answers. "Hm yes, protective elite. Karieeena of Camolin. She stays in my rooms in the castle for now. Though i'll send message to her when i go out camping. I always got annoyed when Chris suddenly ran off and i had to go find him."

Michael James Watson

She nods, pours gin from her flask in her tea. "Yes, you'll have a unique view. Well. not Unique. Hamilton did the same thing i hear., Served as Oberon's Swordbearer for a decade before being revealed as his son. You'll understand the effect of their nobles oblige or lack of it better then most of the blood. Its why i didn't reveal your heritage till you were and adult. I gather you are at something of a crossroads now. Your past having caught up to you. I hope you will be kinder to those under you as the centuries go by. Most the royals forget it.".

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex cringes a bit as her mother pours gin in her tea, but what can she say its her mom. A smile quickly appears again. "Yes, past catching up with me. That is maybe one of the reasons i came home as well. When overwhelmed with paths and the future go back to your roots. " A sip of tea and Alex picks up some dried fruit. "You see mom, when i was at Dame Margot her kitchen i saw the other elites helping with pickling. And i realized... even if i would join them. It will never be the same. I can still join in on the morning elite runs. It will still not be the same. Sure most of the elites and i will still be friendly but i am not an elite anymore am i. " tearing off a bit of fruit she slowly chews. After swallowing she places a bit of dried fruit on the saucer of the third cup of tea. Alex then looks up at her mother. "I am happy you decided to keep it from me. I would not have learned, experienced and had the life i had so far. With all the heartache, but i'm sure more will follow." With that she picks up the third saucer and cup and places it next to ehr on the grass near the rootof the jasmine flowers.

Michael James Watson

"Well, there is more to tell but this isn't the place. When you are ready i can show you the place. Till then there are other matters. You've spoken to Brand. Charming, isn't he? You should have seen him as a child. The humor of Bleys, the seriousness of Fiona. When he walked the pattern, and came back, he was grown. He had spent hundreds of years in shadow while losing little time in Amber. He fenced and argued. Talked and taught. I fell in something foolishly close to love with him. Call it an obsession. He knew how to twist me. Deirdre hated him."

Amber Bronkhorst

Having put the cup down she turns back to her mother and with a soft smile she nods. "It is a shame he seems to have lost that. He seems kind, but on the other hand there is something moody over him, lets call it a cloud that seems to be ready to burst at unexpected moments. But the charming side i see yes, very evident. Why did Deirdre hate him? I thought he and Deirdre did spend time together as brother sister. Deirdre teaching him things. You, Deirdre, Corwin and Brand went racing and such right?" Alex shakes her head lightly "Or something like that, the pattern showed me.. Brand doesn't talk about you much, i should ask you for the public story or something. In regards to you he seems. Moody. But, what other matters do we have to discuss? "

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex might have not been very open to her mother about relationships she had, had in the past but something was absolutely reeling in her mind and she needed to talk to someone she could trust without a doubt. After a long sip of tea while her eyes fixed on her mother Alex starts in a softer voice. "Uhm mom, I have to tell you something, and with that is a question or are questions involved. And i want you to be honest to me, okey?"

Michael James Watson

she takes a moment to sip her tea. "Honesty. Have you not found there are varying degrees of honesty when it comes to your kin on your father's side of the bed? They can make you believe all kinds of untrue things while swearing them to your face. A useful skill for lotharios and psychopaths. In Amber people grow young because of their enthusiasm. When Brand was growing up, before he walked the pattern, I was a solid well grown woman, a warrior of renown, a killer of men and dragons in my own right. I had been Deirdre's friend, boon companion, and eventually her Elite for thousands of years in Amber and Shadow. When he returned from his first adventures it took him less then a year to make me a giggling schoolgirl counting stars while on my back in the grove of the Unicorn. A toy for his passions as he practiced the manly art of lying about love. Maybe he lied to himself too. I'll never know and I would never fully believe him, all things considered. Despite his oaths, gifts, and his....vigour... it took one command from his mother to abandon me. And he easily did so at her command. In many ways I never returned completely to the woman I was before him. " She casually lights a Urala slim cigarette, " So.....honesty is relative, especially with relatives."

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex sighs deep and gives a warm smile to her mom "But mom, i am not talking about that side of the family, i am talking about you. You, my mother, the one who protected me, raised me, punished me when out of line, the one cheering me on and supporting me. " a slow long sip and then with determination she puts her cup on the saucer again. "Okey mom it is also about that other side of the family. and i am just going to bluntly tell you, don't get mad please. When i was with the Rangers for those three years... for which i am forever still grateful! It were fantastic lessons. Anyway, uhm during about the second year.. i got together with someone, not in a relationship. but... you know just together, and we were really enjoying ourselves. but now... it became awkward as he is from... that side of the family. And i think i should tell him.. don't you think? " Her face runs a deep red now in her cheeks reaching down to her neck. As she speaks realizing she still has absolutely feelings for Duncan, or at least to the memories of them together. She hasn't seem him in years. Feeling her face flushed red, Alex just can't pull herself up to look at her mother.

Michael James Watson

She smiles,"You are in the deck. Do you think Duncan doesn't already know? They check their deck for new kin daily. He knew for certain the moment your card arrived. As if Julian telling him and commanding him to end it wasn't enough." She slips out her own non-magical deck, does a swift one handed cut, popping Alex's card out and laying it before her. She smiles and produced a pen and sets it on the deck. "Speaking of which....." She pushes the pen forward.

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex looks up at her mother and feels the blush fading away again. With a slight chuckle she takes up the pen and with the best and prettiest handwriting she can muster she signs her card for her mother. Putting just that little bit more effort in it then she did for Jurt. Laying down the pen on the card she sighs. "Alright so you had heard of me and Duncan. Has Julian told you? And so far it seems i have a type. His younger brother and i got together too. Nothing came from it i don't think he was interested, but yeah i was feeling that schoolgirl crush again. " She leans a bit back on her hands. "I suspect i just might have that silly romantic touch.. " Looking at the Jasmine flowers around them she then continues "Maybe i might have a bit of the redhead stereotype as well. falling in love easy. Do you think i should talk to Duncan?"

Michael James Watson

"Julian told me the night after he told Duncan. He trumped me. " Collecting the pen and card she smiles, "Donovan? The Stone Lord....interesting. I've only seen him a couple times. What's he like?"

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex looks a bit cautious to her mother. "You are not upset, mad, worried? aren't they family? They are both sons of Julian... " Alex rubs her arm. "Donovan, hm he is sweet, a bit young in some ways, totally and absolutly in love with Desri. He had asked me to get together now and then so when i had walked the pattern and i had talked to you and Brand. I contacted him. He was mountain climbing, we talked a bit and i got him to open up a bit, then Desri dropped by and he was a whole different person. " ALex shrugs. "And he immidiatly told me to go back again, i think he is figuring out what he wants himself. Other hten that sweet, smart, troubled, and fights alot with himself i think." Looking at her mom Alex smiles and lets out a sigh holding her hands up resting in her lap. "Any advice you can give me? giving this situation? "

Michael James Watson

"Worried? No. Not since the consanguinity laws have been repealed. And You know now why you were always stronger then everyone else. At a certain point the staff at Brightedge started to suspect. You were too strong, even at10. Too good at Chess, beating experts even at variations like Byzantine and Four Board. And your endurance was too obvious. There was a pool after you came back from that world with the medieval gymnastics. The leading contenders were Bleys, Caine, Julian or Delwin. JUst so you know, I've been with all of them at one point in time or another. Delwin after Patternfall when he was back in Amber for a time early in the reign. " She stands, setting the tea aside, ready to depart. "Advice? Don't think of me as a mother, and I'll always have advice, but i am long since done feeling any reason to be responisibly for your choices. I wont be the one riding in if you get in trouble. Think of it as evolution in action. So ..Advise...Travel. A lot. You spent some time around Zachary. He wants to participate in the CCC festivals. Several others do as well. There may be a newly developing category for Amberites and certain races with close physical abilities; Dufiro, Shades, and others. Go join the circus with Zachary. Find some technological epoch where maybe you can learn military skills and the ins and outs of advanced navies. Join Star Fleet. Do something outside the swords and sorcery of traditional Amber. And have fun. Don't lead with your heart."

Amber Bronkhorst

Alex blinks and then laughs "Let me guess noone choose Brand? Though i am surprised by the choice of Bleys... You would expect a redhaired kid then. But then again... I am Brand his daughter and still no red hair. " Alex stands as well as her mother does. "Thanks mom, yeah i am a grown woman now. But i still like to come home now and then. It is my roots. " Alex nods "Yes he does. But for now he is talking with Brand. I told them i needed some time to get my thoughts ordered. And it is about time for my camping trip so i'll be first taking Scully out to Arden and camp for a bit. I hope Dancer and the rest have time." She smiles and goes in for a hug. "Thank you mom."

Michael James Watson

"Roots...OK, i'll give you this. About the red hair. Amberites of your generation have learned they can do limited shape change. Your hair is the color it is because i asked Brand to change it. When you want the red, its waiting for your call." She walks away with a brisk step.