Ghosts of the Past.
Michael James Watson
She frowns, looks around the room, takes Alex by the arm and into another room. Servents are bustling about and Alex notes, probably for the first time, that the servants that work here seem happy. They work hard but seem to have a Nod, rather then a grovel, relationship where even the lowest of maids feels free to smile and nod to Fres. She sighs and takes her to a smaller room. SHe withdraws a set of trumps, pulling one, focuses on it, and opens a gateway. Stepping through she finds herself on the top of Brightedge's West tower. The difference its that Brightedge is in ruins. Looking beyond, the city of amber is destroyed as well. Looking up to Kolvir, it looks long destroyed. She walks over to the West corner of the roof. A canvas tent is set up. As she approaches a number of cats sit up. She opens a larder box and tosses a handful of treats off to the east side and the cats go after them. Once comes and rubs her ankle. "I come here every day for an hour. I have for thousands of years. Replacing the tent from time to time.. The city below is empty. Ober and Jal have some people but they never come here. Haunted they say.. Some people live in the Far Isles-its close to shadow. Occasional treasure hunters come here. Adventurers.. They die often as not. The cats inhabit Brightedge and the monsters down below know to stay away from it. They were taught to stay away and they teach their monstrous children. I have to light a fire. We will have company. Sit. We should have time before he arrives. I am sure you have questions." She lights torch from the stove and walks to theeast corner and lights a brazier. She comes back and settles in one of the three chairs. "Now. Ask your question. I'll tell you no lies"
Amber Bronkhorst
Following her mother silently she does note the happy servants, she smiles at them. But keeps following her mother. Even without question through the trump. Arriving at the West Tower she looks around. Still in silence. Watching the ruins below, looking up at the air. She continues to do that look around. Look at her mother, giving herself time to take in the area. Eventually she comes back to the tent lets the cats sniff her hand if they wish to do so. She squats down near the cats. Looking up at Fres. "I.... i do not really know what to say, or ask. Random just told me to ask you about your proginy and that i should know, even go so far saying if you wouldn't tell me he would. But i wanted to ask you first. " Again her eyes go over the horizon and then back to her mother. "What shade of Amber is this? This is a shade right? Are you born here?"
Michael James Watson
"Random told me to tell you soon too. What shade of Amber is this? Just another shade. In this shade, 3499, A lord of Chaos named Koob formed a Party for War in Chaos and then allied with exiled family members Borlak, Nina, Emily, Elfwine, Eric, and Delwin. In their plans Borlak was to be King of Amber. They won, sort of. Koob killed Oberon. He destroyed Rebma, Acadia, Tylece, and many of the shadow realms of the golden circle; Thelusia, Begma, Diega and others. Borlak killed Osric, Finndo, Hamilton, Sand. Nina and Emily enslaved Caine and Julian. Elfwine enslaved Fiona. Eric and Corwin fought and were never heard from again. Bleys and Brand killed Koob and Borlak. Delwin turned on Elfwine, slew him, and stole the enslaved Fiona. The war destroyed the city and the castle. It damaged the pattern. "
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex remains silent for a moment again, listneing to her mother. If the cats allow it she would pet them while still crouched on the ground. While her mother names the people and what happened to them, Alex repeats them for herself. She then looks up and squints her eyes at her mother. "And Deirdre? If my memory serves me well, Deirde should have also been here, unless this is a shade without her. Though i doubt it. " She then widens her eyes "You are from this shade yes? are you born here? Mom... are you this shades Deirdre?"
Michael James Watson
She says, "I had fallen in love with myself. Myself from a greater shade. I always preferred my own company to the company of others. We were young. Less then a hundred years old. We had each built our Brightedge but mine had been something of a ghost town. I didn't create the CCC here. I helped Deirdre create it in your Amber. I wasn't involved with the court here. By the time the war occurred i was almost forgotten. Like Evelyn, no one remembers her. Deirdre and I arrived here after the war was over.....There wasn't anything left except a dangerous man in despair and a damaged pattern."
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex stands up. Stares at her mother in silence and walks up to her. She then just wraps her arms around her mother, giving her a loving and warm hug. "I kind of had my suspicions when Random said something about constructs. Especially since it came after the talk about Shade versions. And.... a Deirdre version i met reminded me very much of you." Alex kisses her mother on her head, as Fres has often done with her. "So... this version of Amber has fallen. Due to Koob. i have heard that name before. Something with TOsians... i believe. The Rose Temple. But perhaps that is another version even. " Alex keeps standing near her mother. "Who are we waiting for?"
Michael James Watson
"Koob was born in a realm called Paradox. It was in the Amber/York shadow, spent a lot of time in Tosa. a different shade then the one the CHAD tosians are from.. Here he comes." Climbing over the wall is a disheveled looking man, tall and thin. He bears three swords and several fire arms. He shakes his head and walks to the two of them. When he gets close she recognizes Benedict. "Its been awhile, Dres. I am out of bread and meat. The damn pattern keeps fighting in my garden but stomped on carrots taste fine. Who have you brought? You never bring people" She says, "Benedict, this is my daughter, Alexandra. Her father is Brand in the Shadow upstairs." He nods, "I see the resemblance...Finally brought her. Good. Good to meet you."
Amber Bronkhorst
After the explanation of the differences with Tosa Alex looks up. Seeing it is Benedict her eyes widen slightly. She does wait till her mother had introduced her before speaking herself. "Good to meet you as well, Benedict. Not surprising you are the one still standing here. " A moment to look between Fres and Benedict, Alex then asks slightly confused. "Did you just say that the pattern is fighting in your garden? the Pattern isn't stationary here? And what is the story with the monsters? Did that happen due to the pattern?"
Michael James Watson
"Are you a sorceress? It tends to eat them every time i bring them here. Its angry that its children turned on each other. In the battle all the participants walked the pattern to transport from battle to battle. It was walked probably a couple hundred times in the course of a few days. The dungeon one, Rebma, Diaga, Thelusia, even Tirna Nogath. It keeps generating pattern ghosts that the last imprints and all of them are in the ready to kill state of mind and they start fighting each other. They's kill anyone that happens to be near by. Dworkin sits in the middle of the Primal so no one fucked with it. But Koob destroyed the physical worlds of Thelusia and Diaga and tore the pattern from the ground in Rebma, Acadia and Tylece. So I have a very angry, possibly insane pattern generating murder hobos that cant do anything but kill each other. In 1500 I have rarely gotten any of the ghosts to cooperate. They keep getting dismissed by the pattern. Oh...is that.." He looks at a bottle Fres has produced. SHe nods. "Bayle's Saki. 40 proof. " He laughs, takes it. "2 liters. It will do. I need the rest. " He walks into the tent to the bed, quickly disrobes, climbs into bed. He pops the top and drinks a quarter of it quickly. Fres says, "I had stopped being Deirdre for so long. When i came home and discovered it ruined I went to pieces a bit"
Amber Bronkhorst
On the question of she is a sorceress Alex just shakes her head. But she keeps listening to Benedict. Until of course he goes to bed. She then turns back to Fres. "So, the thing Random is worried about is that anything from here. When brought home so to say, will be able to bring more of what is gojng on here. The pattern ghosts and such." Alex sits and leans on her knees. Looking up at her mom "You went to pieces.... not strange, what happened then with you? How did you get out of it?"
Michael James Watson
"The pattern can't generate ghost up there, but if I am here longer then an hour some show up. Sometimes as friends, sometimes as foes. All blaming me for not being here when the city, and its shadows died. Over the millennia and a half various people came to help solve this mess. Random was nearly killed here. So were Deirdre, Gerard, Bleys,Brand, even Llewella. And others. The pattern kept popping up foes." She steps to the edge, looking down into the city. "Part of me is embarrassed about this. Part not. All things exist in shadow and this is just the shadow this happened to Amber. Random knows there are a few of my siblings still around. And my being in Amber means they can get there. Some have. He is afraid they will seek you out. Plead their case. "
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex follows her mother looking over the edge. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about, like you said all things excist in shadow. And this is more a cautionary tale of what could happen when abusing the pattern for war and personal fights. Highly emotional patterns it seems to be a theme recently in my life. I've walked an enraged pattern, but i would not dare to walk one which had gone insane." She smiles up at her mother. "Thank you for showing me, thank you for being honest with me. At least i know where the worry comes from. So. They can seek me out. They can seek you out. So some from home know of this place. It is what it is, nothing can be changed about it. If others have tried to fix it and couldn't then it can only be watched and contained. I am very sorry that this is part of you past mom, that you had to go through this and still carry this with you." Alex steps closer to her mother holding her hand gently. "You know this doesn't change anything for me right? You are still my mother, i still want you to be happy, and i love you no matter what. And i am grateful how you brougth me up." Then with a more joyful smile she say. "Heh when you said you came from a heavy military family you were not lying." A soft chuckle. "And it makes me think how the hell i got blonde frizzy hair while you have black hair and dad red. "
Michael James Watson
She chuckles, "Yes....a heavy military family. One thing I remember Caine saying after coming here was that if all things exist in shadow somewhere must exist a royal family filed with trustworthy versions of the family. So it goes" She looks out into the darkness. "Still, I think of it nightly. Someday, its worthy fixing this place."
Amber Bronkhorst
"I find it hard to believe in any version of Amber there is a trustworthy or kind Caine.... i think the expand of reality cannot deal with that." Alex continues in a more serious tone, "If you believe this place can be fixed. Then we will, when the time is there, fix this place. Perhaps with me being in the mix now as a child from here and the original Amber... i could eventually help with making this pattern less insane. " With a sideways look she smiles a sly smile at her mother. "What is the stone of power here?"
Michael James Watson
"It once had a jewel of judgment. Of course. But the Oberon of your Amber took it. It was the First shadow of the Jewel that was green. It was cut in half, by he that is now Adrian of Mandalay. Half of it was powdered into grains like salt. Each grain mounted in the roots of Ygg. Half was given to Dworkin as payment for the use of the Jewel of Judgment in creating Mandalay. I am sure you have heard the story. So this realm has no jewel and Dworkin has a shard of it"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex stares out in the darkness as well deep in thought and trying to go through everything she had read during the free hours she spend in the library. "How long did the Dworkin from here remain in the primal pattern? Is it untouched since the events which brought this Amber down?" She smiles at her mother then. "You know me i love puzzles... but mom perhaps we should return to home soon, you have a husband to be waiting for you.... and i have a Bachelorette party to plan for you." She winks. "I will think about things aboht this place. Maybe a fresh pair of eyes can think of a solution... And since Duncan hasn't returned yet i have alot of boring duties as Second Warden and enough time to let my mind wander on solutions." She now turns fully to her mother. Then nods to the tent where Benedict sleeps. "Wait till he wakes up? Or do we have to go sooner?"
Michael James Watson
She smiles, "We leave now. If I am here much longer the ghosts will come. I never go far from here. He rests here because the ghosts know to leave him alone if I am not here. " She walks to the center of the roof, a trump ogate opens up unbidden, returning to Brightedge on the roof of the West Tower, a floor above her private chambers.
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex follows her mother, looking once back through the trumpgate, on the roof of the West Tower of their Bright Edge Alex, looks for a moment at her mom smiling. "Thank you again for showing and telling me the truth. Now mom, on to important business, what does still need to be arranged for your marriagr with dad? And what type of bachelorette party do you want? "
Michael James Watson
She laughs, "Nothing needs arranging. Brand and I have talked about this for centuries, one way or another. Everything from high church to eloping. Brand has no interest in the ceremony and I want to share it with my friends and family. For Brand its what comes after that's important. As for a bachorlette party, I have too much to do tomorrow to take the time. Even if it meant going off into shadow to make the time. "
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex nods "Well that makes my job incredibly easy... sooo any dresscode or come as you are? As you clearly had this thought through alot." With a frown Alex looks at her mother again. Though half way a smile cracks through. "Yeah what comes after... again... future siblings... i might not always have time to babysit. " She winks "Well if no bachelorette party then we can always plan something after the festival to celebrate. The Rangers know i am out of Arden for the festival so they'll manage." Looking in the distance Alex smiles to her mom. " as long as you are happy or at least enjoying yourself. " After a bit she raises a finger "Do not know what the extend of Brand is now but my room... off limits. " Alex winks.
Michael James Watson
"Random gave the Jailer power to send him back to the dungeons. Technically he can go anywhere in the city up to the gates in the south and West, the harbor in the east and the wall into North Riding in the North. For all practical purposes there area lot of people that want to kill him. So he has agreed to stay in Brightedge or in my company. Or in yours. Or... well...... Asher's. Its late, and I have a gentleman caller coming to my apartments. See you later." Alex is ushered out and walks toward her quarters when she runs into Brand. "Alexandra... ah... You and Fres had your conversation? I hope you didn't talk her out of the nuptials. "
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex smiles at her mom nods and plants a kiss on her cheek. "Good to know, and goodnight mom" she says as she is being ushered out. Seeing Brand Alex stops and looks at him for a hit she then shakes her head. "I do not know of anyone who could tell mom what to do. And if she agreed i am sure it is fine. " She steps to the side with a slight smile giving Brand plenty of room to pass. "I assume mom is waiting for you. So i won't hold you longer. And yes, mom and i had out conversation. All is fine." She says with a genuine smile.
Michael James Watson
Brand says, "Fres and I have a long and complicated history. 3 years is about as long as a woman can put up with me. I know. Since we are sharing secrets.....This isn't the first time we were married. Once in 4444. She was spending time in an earth shadow on her level of such things... It was a renaissance earth... I was growing tired of it when she became pregnant. Our son wasn't much of a wizard.. a swordsman, took after his mother's side of the family. The other time was an hour before your birth, and lasted till an hour after. Let no one say, and more importantly, let no artifact of power say, you were born out of wedlock. " He smiles, "Well, off to sleep with your mom. See you tomorrow!" He walks off quickly, chuckling.
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex her facial expression goes from neutral to a slight frown to shocked .... she wants to say something but as he walks off quicky Alex mostly mutters to herself... "I got a full brother? " Thinking of what mom said earlier and then what she read about the family.... "Would that be Asher?" She watches Brand walk off. When out of view she shakes her head and turns herself to continue to her own slightly crowded room. During her walk to her room Alex decides to take a side track to the garden specifically now it is later and probably more people had gone to bed. Walking through the kitchen first she grabs a bottle which would be for common use. With the bottle Alex strolls through the garden. Smelling the nightflowers. Feeling the cooler night air. She wonders. Would Asher be here for the wedding... perhaps she should ask mom tomorrow. Unless she encounters other people Alex will take her time stroller, sitting and drinking.
