Cousins

The Cousins

King Random's Decree

As told by Prince Bleys of Amber

Twenty years after Random assumed the throne of Amber her made a startling decree. He ordered all of his siblings to produce the children they hid in Shadow.

Merlin was around a lot in those days, as was Martin.

Jurt and Despil, Merlin's brothers, sons of Dara and Great grandchildren of Benedict had both moved to Amber. Despil was the Ambassador to Amber from Chaos, and Jurt as Thin whip, was the patron of a disreputable rave bar in the industrial district of the City of Amber. By this time we also knew about Dalt and Rinaldo and Coral. Dalt was a sibling of Random's of course as was Coral, but Rinaldo was a child of Brand. Arloxedra, Eric's eldest son had been brought to Amber by his father and crowned as Crown Prince. We had also heard rumors of a child of Eric's names Derek. Warrick, a child of Coral and Corwin's arrived from Begma and disappeared into Avalon, but popped out with more regularity then Corwin had.

The final straw was Rebma sending Rene, a erudite aristocrat, to Amber as its Ambassador then casually announcing he was the son of Moire and, oh yes, Corwin.

Random had a cow. Not literally, he didn't shape shift well at the time.

So Random had a fit and drank a bunch:

Random called a family meeting and included several of the oldest family retainers such as Dame Margot, Duchess Solange Charenton, Lady Ain Breakwithe-Smythe, William Roth (newly created Counsel to the King), Hymal Urien, and of course, Queen Viale.

"Ok folks. Its time to shake the trees. Out there in shadow are our children. Some hate us, some love us, some don't know about us. Its intolerable. Its dangerous. I cant have siblings and kinsman come rambling into Amber , pissed at all creation and out for blood. Its had on my nerves and hard on the battlements.

I know some of you have kids you have been guarding. I know there are siblings of ours out there in hiding. Thats over. Bring them in. I want to meet every branch of the family tree. I don't care what grudges they bear and i don't care if they run off into shadow never to return after i interview them.

So, go get them. Fail me not"

Clearly pissed, he came in dressed in his finest royal robes, wearing the state jewels, the coronation crown, and the Jewel of Judgement.

Bleys, clearly drunk and nervous, was dressed in his finery as well. Before him glowed the Sign of the Pattern, visibly present, an act so unprecedented among sorcerers who usually leave their sigils invisible. Freshly hung spells shimmered in the glowing frame. Sorcerers with the talent to tell which spells hung in the frame saw that they were strong dueling spells.

Dworkin took a seat quietly in a high balcony, smoking a long pipe.

Random announced a decree to the assemblage. He demanded that all those of the line of Bariman, descended from Dworkin, through Oberon, would come to court and make themselves known. Those who wished to be in the king's good graces and remain in fealty to Amber would write an Article of Submission. Those who did not wish to write such an article were welcome to go about their business but the King would meet them and know them.

He looked at his siblings and said, "Olly Olly Oxen free. All come home. Bring your children in. The time for hiding them is over. Hiding them was necessary before but now its simply too dangerous not knowing who is out there, perhaps keeping a dark hatred for Amber. I consider them a clear and present danger to the security of the realm."

He turned to Bleys and said. "Do it."

Bleys walked up to Julian and said, "Julian of Amber. Do you know of any children of the blood?" He did. His own son Duncan who had been secretly raised in Arden. He also knew of Eric's son Derek, deep in shadow.

Fiona was next, though she flirted with raising her own sign briefly, she demurred. She admitted to having a son named Marke. She admitted to knowing where Eric's son Arloxedra was. She admitted to knowing where several others were. Doria, a daughter of Benedict; Dashel, a son of Finndo, and Galvar, a son of Osric. She also knew where to find Sand and Delwin, Orsolla, Evelyn, and Josef.

Flora fainted, but no one was convinced. She revealed a daughter named Elayne and a son named Zachary.

The evening went on and more names were given. Lists were compiled.

In the end Random sent Bleys and Gerard and Caine out to collect the Kin of Bariman. This did not endear him to his siblings.

Soon Random announced that he had a list of nearly every Amberite he could track down. And in time he would meet them all.

In the Jeweled Amber Campaign the term Cousins became a common usage slang for the children of the Elders.

As the Cousins arrived He further decreed that he was making it a mission of the realm to locate those of the blood and determine their standings, issues, complaints or needs. These were not welcomed decrees.

Benedict, Marshal of Amber, was heard to groan grumpily beneath his breath. Caine, Spy-master of Amber, frowned. Bleys, a playwright and, at the time, an habitual drunk, laughed. Julian admitted he had a son that had been living in Arden for 200 years. Even Flora blushed (and turned out to have a reason to blush)

Sheepishly, and not without a fair bit of worry, they brought their children to court.

Random met them, assigned Fiona to over see their magical instruction, Gerard to over see their martial training, and Bleys, despite his adamant and ultimately pointless refusals, was to be who the Cousins sought out with questions of other natures.

In time Random swore them to Amber, saw that they assayed the Pattern, gave them a set of his new Trumps, and wished them well on their adventures.

Yet since the initial call, more children keep coming in.

_________________ In the 20th year of his reign Random called a family meeting and included several of the oldest family retainers such as Dame Margot, Duchess Solange Charenton, Lady Ain Breakwithe-Smythe, William Roth (newly created Counsel to the King), Hymal Urien, and of course, Queen Viale.