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AMBER
Boadice’s diary,
Session 83
Played on September the 18th, 1998
Written by Jopie Schekkerman, based on a campaign by Astrid Tops.

Within the bosom of the Family

      really wished I dared listen at the keyhole. I had been speaking with Random until he got a trump call. At first, he communicated without speaking and I could see hem nod and frown, but then Random said:
“Excuse me, Boadice,” and went into the other room.
I had not finished telling him about my adventures in Galoria so I sat down, picked up a book, and waited.

This room was boring. Eavesdropping on your king is probably treason, but whatever he was concealing was bound to be interesting! And thinking of concealing… Perhaps I should tell Random about Ornach being from outside our reality, I thought. I had omitted my conversation with Malachie from my tale of what happened in Galoria because if Ornach found out that I knew what he was, he might consider eliminating his little secretary who had come too close and knew too much. But it was the kind of thing the King of Amber would really like to know. And also: as far as I knew it wasn’t exactly a secret, so Random might as well hear it from me first. It would also explain why I kept working for Ornach while seemingly larger things, like Brand’s return and Flora’s betrayal, were threatening the Family. Yes, I would tell him what I knew. I glanced at my book. ‘Taxing perishable goods, volume IV’. Goody, a real page turner. The dark oak shelves behind my chair held nothing more interesting, the window offered a view of a small hedge garden and above the empty fireplace hung a formal portrait of Oberon. I waited.

Random was alone when he came out again, so I guessed that whoever trumped him had not come through. He seemed in a hurry and I had to catch him in order to continue our conversation.
“Random, there was something else. It’s very important—“
“You mean you’re ready to swear loyalty to the crown?”
I was taken aback.
“I did not know that was an issue—“
“I thought I had been clear, Boadice,” Random said. “Your position in Amber is ambiguous. You know that.”

Well, ehm, no, I didn’t. No-one ever mentioned it. But it us unwise to contradict a king when he is in a bad mood, so I said humbly:
“I think I must have missed that.“
“Where your loyalties lie is still a matter of debate around here. I told you so.”
Did he? Were they? I ran the previous conversation through my head. I had asked for trumps, he made a joke about being unwelcome somewhere not being such a big deal, then said that I should consider my position in the family. I countered that with info about Ornach not having done anything yet against Dworkin or us, and that my work for him had given Amber Llewella back and, recently, Estefan. Random still wanted management information so I promised to write to him and told him about my adventure with Estefan in Galoria. That seemed to have settled the issue. Had whoever had trumped Random told him something about me that had changed his mind? After my tale about what happened in Galoria, we had talked about Estefan, and I asked if Rinaldo would attend the Family Council. That was it. But if it was unclear to Random where my loyalties lay, I should share what Malachie had told me all the more.

“Shall we discuss this somewhere safe?” I asked. “There are some other things I want to tell you.”
Random sighed and led me into the room he had entered to continue his trump contact. It was his old study; I had been in there three quarters of an hour ago, the other door led to the antechamber where sir Vandemar with the groping hands worked.
“Is this room safe?” I asked. “What I’m about to tell you could cost me my life if the wrong people find out that I know what I know.”
“It is,” Random said slowly. He sat down behind his desk and poured himself a glass of whiskey.

I could feel his cynicism and the distrust he felt for me, and wondered what the anonymous caller had said. Up until he took the trump call, our conversation had been friendly, with smiles and a joke. I should have listened at the door! I sat down.
“You are aware that there are several realities like our own?”
Random said nothing, so I went on:
“Do you also know that there are beings that are to these realities what Amberites are to shadow?”
This time Random answered.
“No,” he said.
“Well, there are.”
“O.”
“Yes, painful, I know,” I said, and wrung my hands. Why no questions?
“Well, on the other hand…” Random said, sipping his drink, “if I think of people like Violet…”
Violet is the mystery woman who, with a snap of her fingers, cured my cousin Algonite from a deadly poisoning. Later I met her in Overshadow where she kept him in a bottle for her amusement. She had ‘bottled’ Murlas too when he annoyed her. I remembered her as a woman –or sometimes an adolescent– with purple hair.

“Yes, and those sisters of her, maybe.” I said. “I don’t know much about them. But I do that Ornach’s one. But he doesn’t know that I know.”
“How did you find out?” Random asked and drank his whiskey.
I explained about Malachie and what he had told me about Ornach and Brand. Random distrusted both Malachie and his information, and I reminded myself that it could very well have been someone else who spoke to me in the dark, but I left it at that. My uncle could decide for himself what to do with the information.
“So… Okay, well, that’s what I wanted to say. That’s why I am still working for Ornach. Keep your friends real close, keep your enemies closer, you know?”

“So, I guess I should be grateful?”
His voice dripped with sarcasm, and I swallowed hard to refrain from shouting ‘yes you should!’ Instead I said:
“Let’s just say I intend to keep this reality intact.”
“Yes, yes.” Random sighed and poured himself another drink. “A noble goal. But your problem… The trouble is; you left it unclear towards the others where you stand, and that inhibits us from including you in… whatever. And that goes the other way too. I appreciate you telling me this, and that’s why I’m being honest with you. You must create clarity, Boadice. If things are going to escalate the way I think they are going to, we must know where you stand. And if you don’t choose Amber, fine, I won’t stop you. There are other paths you can take and I would understand if you did, although Bleys would have a thing or two to say about it, but you never swore loyalty to the crown and if you want to be a part of Amber, you must do so. There is no room anymore for this sort of vagueness.”
“You only had to ask,” I said. What a speech.
“When?”
“After the trial,” Random said.

“But what about my oath of servitude to Ornach?”
“It won’t keep you from swearing fealty to Amber. The oaths might conflict at times, though.”
I had known that from the start.
“I know I’m dancing on a knife’s edge,” I said. “But there’s another thing. There is something I want from Rinaldo. And I had the idea that if I gave him the information that his father is standing trial, I would get what I want in a flash.”
“We can’t have Rinaldo here, with this.”
“He has the right to be here,” I said. “Brand is his father.”
“His interests and his vote shall be taken into consideration.”
“He won’t see it like that if he is not present.”
“Too bad.”
“Do you really want to antagonise Rinaldo?”

I should have kept my mouth shut. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission, but once I start talking I find it hard to stop. I should work on that. I was struck by a thought. The dangers of alienating Rinaldo were the same as those that threatened Yaslin now she was banished.

“And there’s another thing. Remember the situation with my sister? Have you considered that by banishing her, you make her more liable to being recruited by the Enemy from Outside?”
“The problems with Yaslin stem from an older date. She has been associating with rebel elements even before she came to Amber.”
“That Treon, she met him in shadow, didn’t she?”
Treon was the smiling, curly haired boyfriend she took to the ball in Galoria. He also escorted her at little Ruby’s name giving feast.
“Yes…” Random said.
“And he is a nobleman of Amber. How did he, in unending shadow, ‘happen’ to meet my little sister?”
I was a fine one to talk. How, in unending shadow, had I managed to meet Gran; a nobleman of Chaos, trump artist, and aid to my father the Red Magician? But I might as well ask the question. Yaslin said that Treon had told her about democracy, and I got the impression she got her ideas from him.

“Treon met her in the Golden Circle,” Random said.
“She was in the Golden Circle?”
“I don’t know what she told you, but that was where she and Treon met.”
My sister had said she had met him in shadow, but the Golden Circle is shadow, especially if you don’t know better. Our father could have led her there. I asked:
“And what was she doing there?”
“She was part of a… group of rebels that was trying to overthrow the lawful government of that shadow. A government that was loyal to the crown of Amber. Treon met her there when I sent him on a mission to infiltrate those rebels.”
“But Treon, he is also a member of the Amber Democratic Movement.”
“Yes, that was one of his next assignments. Treon is familiar with these circles. That is why I use him as a mole. Used him as a mole, I should say.”
“Why is that?”
“I have had report that he is no longer alive.”

“O dear,” I said, imagining my sister’s grief. “But my sister… In her case it’s youthful stupidity. And because—“
“No,” Random interrupted, “It’s more than that. It’s structural and problematic. She has a problem with authority. And especially Amber’s authority, for some reason. Look, up until now I have turned a blind eye for Bleys’ sake, but she just went too far and turned against Amber, and then I had no choice but to banish her.”
“She has—“ I tried.
“I have showed her the alternative. I have tried to show her that things aren’t as bad as all that. But listening is not one of her strong points. It must run in the family.”

Random glared at me and I looked innocently at the ceiling. I did not agree with his opinion of me but this was no time to start arguing.
“Well, one does one’s best,” I said. “It’s just that I worry about her.”
Random sighed and leaned back.
“If you can do something for Yaslin, do so. Make her stop. If you have any influence over her; use it, try! I have spoken with Bleys about her but he couldn’t change her mind.”
“Bleys hasn’t adopted her yet?” I asked.
“Bleys had started an informal adoption procedure for Yaslin. In practice she was already his responsibility, partially. But she never took the steps to accept him, so that’s why it never went through.”

I could understand why Yaslin did that. If I had known that accepting Bleys as my adopted father gave him the right to marry me off or kill me whenever he wanted, I would have stayed blissfully fatherless. I did not regret the adoption because I trusted Bleys, I did not think that he would harm me or make me marry someone I did not want. But Yaslin did not share that trust. Maybe she was wiser than I was and took the trouble to learn the legal consequences of being adopted.
Random was looking at me. I guess “I can’t blame her” was written in fiery letters on my brow.
“But Bleys still feels responsible,” Random said. “That’s why I am going to speak to him about it. I don’t want this to be my problem. It’s his problem.”

With my head still reeling with thoughts about Yaslin, I came back on the subject of Ornach. I should not have done so; when I asked Random to be allowed to trade information about Brand father with Rinaldo, he bluntly told me ‘no’. Trying to explain that what I wanted to do for the good of Amber was no help whatsoever.
“I intend to befriend Ornach’s children. They don’t know anything outside this reality; they may have the same ties to it as Dorian has to that shadow where his children come from. I see parallels between what happened in Cardane and what might happen here. If I can get Ornach’s children on our side, this universe will be safer.”
“If you can recruit them,” Random said. “How far did you get with the existing bunch; Taureth, Samal?”
“Taureth is gentle and helpful,” I said, “he would protect his home anyway.”
“Do you have his word on this? Have you started negotiations?”

How could I when I could not tell anyone what I knew about Ornach and the other realities?
“I did not even get near him,” I answered instead. “But I have a good relationship with Malketh, and Murlas has a good relationship…” –I smirked– “…with Samal. I want to approach a child who has not yet been in contact with the rest.”
Random sighed.
“I heard that these children of Ornach are just as dangerous as Ornach himself.”
“Where does this information come from and how dangerous are they?” I asked.

This was what Malachie had been hinting at, and now I wanted facts. But Random took the question the wrong way and looked at me as if he wondered how I had stayed in one piece for so long.
“Do you think I base my judgement on gossip?”
“I am asking you for information.”
“Yes.”
“And? What kind of powers do they have? I have yet to see them travel through shadow. I’m sure they can, but…” I shrugged. “And Taureth has powers and skills that can be the result of a long and studious life—“
“Dorian and Taureth and Samal repaired the Logrus together. That should tell you something.”
“Just that it puts Dorian and Taureth and Samal on the same level, and I don’t know Dorian that well. I can’t compare!”

This discussion was not going at all well. Random and I were both standing and we were all but shouting at each other.
“We know that Dorian, Taureth and Samal used a combination of powers to repair the Logrus. And that tells you nothing. You think, “oh, never mind, anyone can do that, I can do that if I have a good day”!”
“I was amazed, of course, but—“
“But for the rest you don’t believe they have special powers?!”
“Yes, but I am asking what kind. In particular!”
Random threw his hands in the air.
“Do you think I have them in a lab to discover their special abilities? I don’t even want to know! Believe me, they are a security risk, I know that much!”
“And, possibly, useful. Won’t you try to understand what I’m trying to do?”
“You sound just like Merlin! He also came up with these scary toys. ‘Look how neat! We can make them do all sorts of fun things—‘ “
I blinked.
“There’s no need to be offensive.”

We both took a deep breath and sat down.
“Maybe I am overreacting a bit, Boadice,” Random said, “but my first priority is the safety of Amber. And the rest of the universe is important too, but you are meddling with things you don’t understand. Have you made an extensive study of the children? No. But you are starting to fetch the next batch without knowing where you stand with the others. I have heard rumours from different corners that these guys are dangerous. More than dangerous.”
“And what have they done to…”, I asked, but we had been down that road already. “Oh never mind.”
“If you don’t see danger until actions have been taken, you are much too late, Boadice. To govern is to plan ahead.”
“Nevertheless I need to get that trump to stay close to Ornach.”
“Fine, but it’s not Amber’s priority to help him get it.”
“Good. So now I know.”
“Okay.”
“Fine.”

A heavy silence fell. Random broke it by saying:
“Ornach’s interests are not those of Amber. You can work for Ornach and for Amber but keep the two separate. And I won’t take a safety risk with Rinaldo just so you can keep your job with Ornach. I hope I made this clear.”
“Yesyesyes,” I said, sulking. I thought I had explained why I was doing what I did. I gave this land everything I had, lost my lover because of Llewella and alienated Galoria so he could have Estefan, and what did I get? ‘Don’t expect help from Amber.’ Bastard.
“Dismissed.”
I got up, but turned around by the door.
“Dismissed,” Random said again but this time I ignored him.
“This swearing loyalty to Amber,” I asked. “When did you want that?”
“After the council.”
“I’ll hear about it then.”
I managed not to slam the door on my way out.

. . . _ . . .

I marched up the stairs to the fourth floor where I have my rooms. Of course I was going to do things of which I could not foresee the consequences! If no one would tell me what those bloody children of Ornach were capable of, what else could I do? There I went, telling him my best secrets, things that could be very dangerous to me and he didn’t even say thank you. And then he compared me to Merlin! Everyone liked Merlin but according to the stories he was something of a nerd.

Poor Merlin. I remembered carrying his cold corpse vividly, better than I recalled the few moments I knew him when he was alive.
I’m not one step closer to finding out who murdered you, cousin. Will, in the coming crisis, what has been done to you be forgotten? Will we remember you? And if I die, who will mourn me?

I decided in Galoria that I would not do what I do for glory or gratitude, but it was so very hard… Gran would grieve for me but he would soon settle into his comfortable life with his charming wife who would eat his liver if it suited her. My cousins would not shed a tear. I wasn’t not sure if Bleys would be anything but disappointed, and Random would shrug and be secretly relieved that that girl had stopped her dangerous foolishness. Yaslin would miss me but she had her own life and troubles. I closed the door of my bedroom behind me and stuffed my face with chocolate.

I don’t know how long I stayed in my bedroom, eating candy, but my maid came in to warn me that the dinner that was to precede the family Council would soon be served. Fuck the Unicorn, I thought that wasn’t for days yet. Had everyone for once hurried up and shown up in time? I dashed to the bathroom to fix my face.

I love my rapid healing: a puffy, bleary eyed face can be made presentable in less than ten minutes. I hid my va-va-voom cleavage with a pretty white lace shawl, securing it to my dress with a brooch, and spent the time I had left on my hair. I looked good, very good, and my little depression had only been a phase. I was a lot better off than most. Who, for instance, would mourn Alexander when he died? And who had searched for Rhiane? Our little cousin walked into shadow before the fixing of the Logrus and no-one had seen or heard from her since. Who had gone looking for her? No-one.

“I should have”, I thought with a little twinge of guilt. We got along well, Rhiane and I. I should at least attempt to find her, if no-one else did. But right now my sister was my first concern. Something in Random’s story did not check out right. Yes, she was hot-headed, just like me. When we were children we fought authority -as represented by our governesses- tooth and nail. But Yaslin had no reason to be especially hostile towards Amber or its king. She fought for her ideals, stupid as they were, and exactly those ideals were where Random’s story did not check out. Yaslin had told me that Treon had introduced her to the Amber Democratic Movement, and that it was he who explained this whole democratic ideology to her. What was it that Yaslin said? I tried to remember…

It was in Galoria. I was wearing a pink straightjacket and she was standing before a carefully chosen blank wall. I asked her to trump Random for me. She said she couldn’t and I asked her why. Then she asked if I remembered Treon and she said something like:
“Treon has shown me how things really are in Amber, and it is all wrong.”
Then she told me about the movement and said that she agreed with what they wanted. That did not sound like a pro-active, born rebel. Treon had been playing a dirty game! Let’s put things in order…

First: Treon meets Yaslin in a rebel organisation in a Golden Circle shadow. So far, that is believable. Amber occasionally supports a regime that is not necessarily the very best for that country, as long as it keeps the peace and is loyal to Amber. Yaslin could be involved in an organisation to overthrow such a government. That she ended up in a Golden Circle shadow could be coincidence or she could have been led there by Bleys or Delwin. She could have been led by someone else who knew of our existence, but I don’t think anybody knew of us except for our ‘fathers’. If it was an accident, so what, and if Bleys or Delwin led her there they should be held responsible.

Second: after Treon has finished his assignment in the Golden Circle shadow, Random tells him to infiltrate the Amber Democratic movement. This is where the two stories diverge. Either Treon recruits Yaslin and turns her into a revolutionary or he meets Yaslin there and she’s already an active member. Forgive me if I take the word of my sister over that of one of Random’s spies, especially when Yaslin has no reason to lie about it to me. Some time later, Yaslin finds herself in the Labyrinth-prison where she is discovered by Alexander.

I thought this happened before she knew of Amber, but I’d have to check. What was that Labyrinth? How had she ended up there? I should try to recall what she told me when my cousins and I rescued her, but that was such a long time ago! I should check my facts, put things in their proper order! But I would bet my horse that Yaslin was put in the Labyrinth after her stint of rebellion in that Golden Circle shadow. I should find out which shadow it was. After Murlas, Adrian and I rescued her from the Labyrinth, I introduced her to the Family. She meets up with Treon again, and he escorts her to a couple of public functions. He won’t have told her about his role as Random’s spy, I’d guess. ‘Treon has shown me how things really are in Amber.’ Sure. If Random’s opinions on my little sister’s rebellious nature were based on the reports he received, and if all those reports were written by this treacherous little mole, it’s no wonder he thinks ill of her. Damn Treon! If it did not make it harder to discover the truth I would be glad he was dead. And the most important question of all was: why did Treon do what he did?

And I thought I was misunderstood. I practised a smile in the mirror and went out to join the Family. Yaslin would always have a champion in me. But what would I do if I had to choose between saving the Universe or saving my sister? It is no use asking that question. We all do what we can.

. . . _ . . .

I had some time left before the pre-dinner drinks so I went to see Llewella. She got on well with Alexander and maybe she could convince him I am not the collaborating traitor Alex thinks I am. Llewella was not in her room so I left the chocolates and the get-well message with her maid. The last I heard, she was ill and a box of chocolates never hurt anyone. Amber’s chocolatiers do a wonderful bonbon called ‘seafruit’ but I guessed she got more than enough of those, so I brought her cream truffles instead.

When I got to the green lounge, half the Family was already there. My lucky stars had guided me to the gathering at the moment where I would seem neither eager and early nor fashionably late. The place was beautiful, high-ceilinged and not too brightly lit. The curtains were closed and it was warm but not stuffy. Julian was there and he wore his white armour, which curiously did not look out of place. Random and Vialle were talking to Gerard in a corner, and by the hearth Deirdre was smoking cigarettes and talking to Benedict. Near the centre of the room Dorian told an interested crowd more about his adventures in that other reality where Flora had taken him. I joined them and heard that Melusine was Flora’s daughter. Then I saw Bleys. My adopted father was talking to Alexander, so I waited a moment. When Alex left, Bleys saw me too and we met halfway.

“Uncle Daddy,” I said. “How is the…” and I put my hand on my lower left ribs, where the sword had entered his body when I trumped him from Galoria. “I was worried—“
Bleys dismissed my cares with a gesture of his hand, rings flashing. He wore an orange doublet sparkling with gold embroidery and a deep red half-mantle.
“Nothing to it, nothing to it,’ he said lightly.
“I was worried, you know…“ I tried again.
I could say I was sorry but Bleys would not approve and, besides, it was not my fault that he took my trump call while fighting multiple opponents.
“I’m glad—“
“Don’t you worry about me, my dear. I’m concerned about something else. What’s the deal with Yaslin, what has she been up to? Alexander says he has reasons to seek her life…”
“Why Alexander?”
“I don’t know,” Bleys said and he leaned closer and dropped his voice. “And I could hardly admit it when he was talking to me.” My adopted father smelled good.

I said:
“Last thing I heard she told Random in his face he was a bad king, and—“
“Yes yes, I heard that, that was amusing but she was banished then, wasn’t she? It wasn’t serious; I understood that it was more for appearances sake. Or so Random told me.”
“Well, she has been seriously banished, but that’s the last I heard.”
“Okay, she did not take it like a sport,” Bleys said, standing up straight. “But that wasn’t what Alexander meant. You go and push Alex for me, see what he wants.”
Very well, he obviously could not go so I would. I had planned to talk to Alexander anyway to see if we could settle our differences in the interests of peace. I nodded to Bleys and went over to Alexander.

“Hello Alexander,” I said when I had caught him. He was drinking some dark brown liquor from a heavy glass and did not meet my eyes.
“Oh, it’s you,” he said.
“Yes, we didn’t part as the best of friends, did we.” I smiled at him. “But can you tell me that, if you were in my place, you would have acted differently?”
“I don’t know what got into your head but I am not in the mood to discuss that with you right now.”
Alexander never even looked at me.
“We will let the matter of Estefan rest, then—“
“I think I see Llewella over there,” Alex said. “If you will excuse me.”
He walked past me to the door where Llewella was drinking port wine.
Could he have been any ruder? Unicorn, and I had been willing to eat some serious humble pie! Drat him, who needs him, I thought, but I did need him; for peace with Galoria and to find out what he wanted with my sister. What had she been up to?

By now almost everyone who was going to attend the Council had arrived. Caine had been late but joined Deirdre and Benedict by the fireplace. Diana, Charles and Elayne were laughing in a shadowy corner, the latter two dressed in shadow garb. Melusine had joined the crowd around Dorian but kept mostly silent. Corwin was absent, according to rumour he was not well, and of course Flora was nowhere to be seen. The gathering would have a lot more sparkle with her there, I thought. With Flora gone, the post of ‘most beautiful woman in Amber’ had become vacant. Perhaps I could take over? I couldn’t; I didn’t have the time and besides, Fiona was by far the most exquisitely beautiful woman in the Family. In my opinion Flora only held the title because she was more sociable. I looked for Fiona and there she was, dressed in moss green with silver at her throat. She had been here all along, I should have noticed her from the start. I looked for Adrian’s golden curls in the candlelit room. It took me a while to find him because he had cut his hair extremely short. He was talking with Murlas by a window, glass in hand.

These pre-dinner drinks give unequalled opportunities to talk and gossip with Family you don’t see very often, so the occasion often drags out. The castle servants have become experts at timing occasions like these. They had to, because the Family does not appreciate being interrupted with a ‘dinner is served’ when they are in the middle of some serious scheming.

When Alexander left Llewella, it was my turn. I walked over to my green-haired aunt. Before I could say anything Llewella greeted me and said:
“Boadice, I understood you played a major role in my rescue. I’d like to thank you for that.”
“It was my pleasure, I assure you,” I said. “But in the process of doing so, I came into conflict with Deirdre, who at that moment thought I did not have Amber’s best interests at heart. If you would be so kind as to inform her about the circumstances?“ I was struck by a thought. “By the way, how much do you remember of your discorporate state?”
Did she remember my fight with her sister? Was she there?
“I remember very little of that time,” Llewella said. “Just flashes, sometimes.”
“A flash of a fight between Gran and me, perhaps?”
“I would never remember something like that, Boadice,” Llewella said, “That would not be fitting.”
“I see,” I said. “But I wondered if you could have a word with Deirdre, and, if possible, also with Alexander.”

Llewella wanted to know why she should have a word with Alexander when I just spoke to him myself.
“He seems to be after my sister’s head. I have no idea why.”
“Dear, this is not the way to go about it. Let me handle it.” She gave me a nod and a smile and went to do the rounds. I went back to the group in the middle of the room and heard that Alexander had married Myrthe, daughter of Monias and Fuzzyhead-What’s-Her-Name; Felicia Wysternion. Myrthe was born out of wedlock but their marriage put Alexander very close to the throne of Galoria. I felt sorry for the people of the land; Alexander had all the diplomatic skills of a guard dog with a toothache. For example: while I stood there drinking and listening to the gossip, Alexander went over to Adrian and said, with a voice meant to carry across the room:
“Adrian, I have something for you.”
He handed his brother a letter. Everyone in the room could see the red lacquer seals that made it an official document. Adrian kept his cool and put the paper in his pocket without reading it.

After a little less than a quarter of an hour, Llewella returned, smiling softly. When we had stepped out of the crowd she said to me:
“Yes, it is indeed— excessive.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“You heard that Monias is all but deceased?”
I nodded and said: “Hm hmm.”
No, I had not known that, but there was no reason to let my aunt know.
“O, then you did not hear that Yaslin was behind the assault?”
“Is there hard evidence, can they prove it?”
Llewella tutt-ted.
“General opinion has not come to a conclusion on that yet. But Alexander obviously thinks so. Alexander, as official son in law to Monias.”
I sighed and pulled a face. “Poor Myrthe.”
“Who are we to judge,” Llewella said with a smirk. “She could have done worse; she could have married Grendel Escallwyn.”
I started to say that such a remark was beneath her but she had already turned away.
The nerve of that woman! I lost Gran because I took the time to get her sorry ass our of that prison-mirror and back home! This was totally uncalled for.
Bitch… I wanted my chocolates back.

The story of Yaslin and the attack on Monias had been going around the entire room. Many appraising and questioning looks were cast my way. Bleys’ face looked like seven days of thunder. I went over to my Uncle Daddy to complain.
“That ungrateful dog,” Bleys said when I got there. “Yaslin makes him king and he wants to kill her for it.”
“We’re talking about Alexander here,” I said. “I mean—“
“He probably does it just to keep up appearances,” Bleys said. I wished he would let me finish a sentence once in a while. “Do you think he might have hired her?”
“I think he wants a scapegoat,” I said. “My sister is not an assassin. He could have done it himself and blamed it on her.”
“Do you know where Yaslin is?”
From anyone else this question would have put me on guard, but I answered truthfully:
“In shadow. I can trump her, she can trump me. If I had my trumps… Darn, I can’t identify any trump calls.”
“Who has your trumps?” Bleys asked.
“Galoria.”
“Galoria has a trump of Yaslin.”
“Yes, since the incident with Estefan Galoria has all my trumps.”
“We should fetch them back soon,” Bleys said, and for a moment he looked just a little bit tired. We both realised that it would make no difference for Yaslin; Alexander had a trump of her all along.
“She won’t accept trump contacts anymore, I guess.”

The mood in the room had changed and the gossip had come to an end. At that moment the butler announced dinner was served, and we went into the dining room. I told you the servants of Amber were good at this. The food would be piping hot too. Amber’s cooks are unparalleled. It was a pity I was still full of chocolate.

. . . _ . . .

During dinner the Family went on plotting, but at a lower level because of the good food and reduced mobility. Adrian sat next to Llewella and they seemed very chummy together. I guess she either did not remember Adrian knocking me out before taking Murlas, me and her incorporate self to Sherwyn, or she had forgiven him. Dorian was still being interrogated on his stay in the other reality. He and his companions had travelled home through the Nexus. Between the salad and the main course I heard that Llewella had pieced her information about Yaslin together from what Alexander said to Bleys, Alexander’s ‘letter’ to Adrian and the fact that in Galoria there were seemingly spontaneous anti-Sherwyn protest marches.

After desert, Random hit his glass with his spoon and asked for silence. He explained what he was was going to do: the king wanted an advisory vote from the gathered family on what to do with Brand. The final decision would be up to him, but Random said he would let himself be influenced firstly by the judgement of those directly involved, and secondly by the advice for those indirectly involved.
“If the first group has not reached a consensus, the second group will be asked to give their advice. Those directly involved are defined as those who were involved in the Patternfall war. The crime Brand had been sentenced to death for is damaging the Pattern and endangering Amber. The matter of Flora’s betrayal is separate and will be handled as such.”

I was confused. Was this some kind of court of law in which the elders and Martin were the jury? I asked and it turned out that after the end of the Patternfall war, when Brand was thought to be dead and in the Abyss, the Family had come together and posthumously sentenced Brand to death for his crimes. This particular Family Council had been called together to decide if, in the light of the current situation, the verdict was going to be carried out or not.
Oh, right. I knew that. It’s just that I had other things on my mind lately.

Random then described the circumstances in more detail. Brand spent a number of years in the reality where Dorian (or Flora, I guess) found him. He had ended up there when he fell into the Abyss. He had lost his memory and had been told he was a minor Chaos noble called Fabian. For several years he lived the life of Fabian of Twylldane, and had not shown any signs of recovering his memory. When Dorian found him in the cell next to his, ‘Fabian’ had been a prisoner of Flora’s for some time. Dorian noticed Fabian had memories that could only belong to our Brand. Dorian and ‘Fabian’ escaped with the help of Melusine, Flora’s daughter. Back in this reality Dorian could confirm that Fabian bore the imprint of our own Pattern. This proved that ‘Fabian’ is indeed Brand and not a double from another reality. Random had not given Brand leave to walk the Pattern, even thought this would probably restore his memory. The king pointed out that there was evidence that Brand had information that could be beneficial to Amber and this was why the old death sentence was under discussion.

Random, Vialle, the other Elders and Martin left the dining room. They were the ones who were directly involved, Martin of course because he was the one Brand almost murdered on the primal Pattern. I and the rest of the second generation retired to a smoking room so the servants could clear the table. Coffee and brandy were waiting for us. Over my cup I counted who was there. Dorian and his daughter Diana were present, Melusine, Charles, Elayne and Murlas too. Adrian and Alexander had settled in chairs some distance apart. Dorian had left his other children in their home shadow; apparently they were too young to attend. Adrian joked that Dorian should be allowed to cast their vote for them. Dorian countered that with the thought that if this was so, all the Elders would keep hordes of underage children in slow shadows. I wondered again where Rhiane was. Myrthe was also absent. She was not exactly ‘second generation’ but third or fourth-, but her blood gave her the right to be here. Had Alexander chained her to the kitchen sink?

I relaxed into my overstuffed chair. This was too comfortable, I hoped the coffee would help me stay alert. The dinner and the drinks before had been fun, even with Alexander’s insults and Llewella’s rudeness. The atmosphere in the smoking room was relaxed and pleasant, all those with especially strong feelings on the Patternfall war had left and the most urgent gossip had been dealt with. I was therefore surprised when Murlas spoke up and said:
“Lady Boadice.”
His formal way of addressing me made everyone pay attention and shook me out of my drowsiness.
“Lord Murlas.”
“I have not had the chance to speak with you about the… unfortunate accident.”
“In Galoria, yes. I remember.” He wanted to speak about what he and Adrian had done with trump. Fine with me.
“Yes. Are you all right, now?”
“I am as well as I ever was,” I said, smiling and hoping they got the sarcasm. Some of them remember me in my Logrus madness.
“I am pleased to hear it. And for what it’s worth: it was not my intention, I did not know, and I am sorry it happened like it did.”

A slight gasp went through the gathered cousins. A formal apology. It was a pity the Elders were not here but there were plenty of witnesses so they would soon hear of it. I managed not to look too smug; that would have been gauche.
“I accept your apology,“ I said and glanced towards Adrian. Perhaps he would follow Murlas’ example and I would score two apologies this evening? Apparently not; Adrian showed no inclination to say anything and I left it at that. Murlas probably had his own reasons to apologise to me, probably having to do with his problems with Bleys. There was something I had to ask:
“But now you mention it, what was it that you wanted with my trump? Why did you try to reach me?”
“We wanted to save you, or that was the idea.”
“That was our intention,” Adrian chimed in.
“At that moment in Galoria…” I said, “I have never had so much trouble to stay in a prison.”
That got a laugh.
“It must be a matter of competence,” Murlas said and I really, really wished I had a good comeback for that. Damn Murlas, I wanted to get back at him with an equally barbed retort. Luckily, it was vague enough for me to be able to let it pass; it could also have been a comment on the prison service in Galoria.
“That is obvious, yes. Nevertheless, I appreciate the gesture.”

After this show of good will and kissing up nothing more of importance was said. We enjoyed the brandy until the doors to the conference chamber opened and the Elders came out.

. . . _ . . .

The expression on their faces changed our relaxed atmosphere to one of grim sobriety. The life of one of us was being decided on. Random wore an expression of serious determination.
“The Council has not come to a conclusion,” he said.
Before the Elders went into council, Random had explained that if it came to a vote he wanted a majority of more than one, seven to five would do. This had not happened.
“Can we know who voted in favour and who against?” someone asked, and looks were exchanged amongst the Elders. Finally those who trusted that their ‘allied’ youngsters would vote with them got it, and we were told that those who voted in favour of executing Brand’s death sentence were Caine, Julian, Deirdre, Bleys and Martin. Against were Gerard, Benedict, Corwin, Llewella and Fiona. Fiona declared that she had intended to withhold her vote.
“I could not be the deciding vote,” she said. “I feel I have no right to judge him.” But she was pushed to cast her vote anyway, so she joined the ‘against’ side to balance the votes. Corwin had sent his vote in by letter.

I then made a bit of a fool of myself by asking if the gathered company had taken into account that there was a precedent in this case. I was referring to the way Alexander damaged his father’s Pattern and how Coral had died to repair it.
“If there are,“ Random said curtly, “I am sure those involved have taken them into account.”
For the first time, I really understood this was not a trial like the one where Murlas had stood accused of murdering one of Algo’s retainers, but a separate, unique thing. Just my luck that it was also a mess of fear, self interest and tangled emotions. I don’t think anyone has tried to punish Alexander for indirectly causing Coral’s death. No powerful friends, no justice, it seems.

I wanted to speak to Caine and Julian to know why they had voted in favour, but Murlas got to them before I could, and I listened to their answers. According to Caine, the sentence was pronounced and if you get back on every important decision, nothing ever gets done. Brand would have been executed if he had been in Amber at that time.
“What he did still stands and is of a calibre that can not be forgiven. Besides,” Caine admitted candidly, “I do not trust Brand. Amnesia is all good and well but sooner or later that will be lifted and he will run loose again, and we can’t have that right now.”
He was taking the logical, cold stance in favour of the safety of Amber. Murlas said that he agreed with his father and turned to Julian, who had been listening. Julian just said that he agreed with Caine.

That left Deirdre, Bleys and Martin for me to question. I could deduce Martins reasons for wanting Brand dead, so that left Deirdre and Bleys. I gathered my courage and walked up to Deirdre.
“Aunt Deirdre,” I said as a greeting.
Deirdre looked stern. I am not her favourite person.
“Boadice,” she said.
“Might I ask why you voted in favour of ratifying the verdict?”
“Those are personal, but you may know them. I claim the family right of revenge. Brand has attempted to kill me. It has cost me years of my life. He has been sentenced to death. I do not think his current condition has any bearing on this.”
I took a moment to reflect on this and thanked her. With my back to her and in the privacy of my mind I thought she overreacted. Yes, she lost years of her life, but others like Corwin did so too, and she did not die. What she asked for was not an eye for an eye but a head for a hand.

Bleys was next. I had thought he would vote to save his brothers life, but he hadn’t. I asked him why.
“I also voted for his death sentence the first time, and I am not prepared to go back on my decision,” my adopted father said archly. Then he glanced around and added:
“It’s a political choice, my dear. My position was rather precarious just after the Patternfall War. People were sort of blaming me, and I needed to make a statement. I am sticking to it now, you see?”

I smiled at him. I understood. He was washing his hands of his part in the Patternfall War. As long as he did not expect me to vote with him, I did not care. Bleys’ tone and attitude made it clear that he did not expect me to support him. This, and Fiona’s doubt left me free to vote as I pleased. So far, all the arguments I heard in favour of Brand’s death were based on selfishness and distrust. Neither Bleys nor Deirdre were taking present threats into account.
“Remind me to tell you a thing or two about what I learned in the last couple of weeks,” I said to Bleys. I guess I could tell him about Ornach and Malachie. “But not now, after the trial.”
Bleys nodded. His eyes slid past me and widened, and I looked around to see what was happening. Behind me, by the hearth, Benedict was holding a trump and pulling someone through the rainbows of a contact. When the lights faded away we all saw the bright red of Rinaldo’s hair.
Benedict’s look crossed Random’s and we all read what it meant.
Check.
“I believe we were not yet complete for the second round,” Benedict said.
Rinaldo was frowning, as was Random. If you pay attention, you see that the frown is one of the Family’s staple expressions, next to the neutral face and the friendly smile. We hide the real ones behind these three.
“It appears we are now,” Random said. He turned to the council room and the second generation followed him without a word.

. . . _ . . .

With Rinaldo present there were ten of us, not counting Random. Votes could be tied again. We filed into the room and sat down around the oval table.
Random started to explain that he had asked the others for a declaration of intent, a vote, and perhaps a specification. Because we were not directly involved, he wanted a discussion.
“Is there anyone who wants to open the debate?”
We exchanged looks.
“Dorian, you wanted to say something?”
“Well,” Dorian said, “It might be good to… We can talk about this a long time but if everyone has already made up his mind and has his decision ready, and sees little reason to change it…”
Random cut him short.
“So, has anyone decided already?”
“I have,” Murlas said.
So had Dorian and Adrian.
I said I knew what I wanted but would like to hear the opinions of the others, if possible. Alexander had not yet made a decision, nor had Melusine, and Charles looked doubtful. Rinaldo insisted on a discussion.

“I have, of course, already formed an opinion,” he said, “but I really want the opportunity to go into this with you all.” He looked anxious and concerned, as would anyone with his father’s life on the line.
“Diana?” Random asked, but she shook her head and said she wanted to hear more. Elayne shook her head and refused to say a thing. Adrian proposed to do a round of intentional voting to see where everyone stood. Random agreed and did a turn around the table, starting to his left with Alexander. As before, Alex said he had not made a decision. By chance I had ended up beside Alexander so I was next.

“I favour not carrying out the verdict”, I said, “Amber needs the knowledge Brand possesses, he knows how this reality relates to the others. We may or may not agree with his ideas to remedy our situation, but we need him.”
Random nodded and turned to Murlas.
“I favour carrying out the verdict,” Murlas said. “These vague notions about knowledge that could benefit us, the question remains: what will he do next? Will he be on our side? Those questions are completely open. So carry out your verdict.”
“Okay,” Random said. “That’s one against one. Adrian?”
Adrian voted against.
“No-one here has direct relations with Brand, except—“, and he looked at Rinaldo, but Random interrupted:
“Your votes are counted as such.”
“I mean,” Adrian went on, “That if someone who has, in a less than pleasant way, and who has dealt with Brand, and who has considered the new circumstances, has taken the decision not to carry out the verdict, I don’t think I can either.”
It took me a moment to figure out he was referring to his father Corwin.
“I see,” Random said. “Dorian?”
“I am against carrying out the verdict,” Dorian said, and he took a moment to let us absorb his news. “It has become clear to me that Brand has been condemned by default so he had no opportunity to defend himself. At this moment he is in a condition in which he is unable to defend himself because he simply can’t remember what happened. I don’t think you can sentence someone to death based on that.”

Melusine in a way agreed with Dorian. She said that she had spent some time with Fabian and she did not know what kind of a person Brand was, but she had been through too much with Fabian not to give him a chance to live.
“There are other solutions,” she said. “If he is not allowed to live in this reality, let me take him back to where he came from, because Fabian is someone I want to protect. Brand may deserve the death sentence but Fabian doesn’t. Even if all of that sits in one person, I can’t help it.”

After Melusine’s eloquent speech it was Rinaldo’s turn. Brand’s son said he had the strong feeling that many minds were already made up, and he stated, -- honestly, he said-- that he himself had his doubts. He never thought his father should just get away with what he did.
“But, well, he’s still my father,” Rinaldo said. “And perhaps I was initially not invited because people thought I would do something funny, but that’s not the way it is. I want to use my vote to give him a second chance, a chance to repair what he did wrong. Someone once offered me that chance, and I would like to offer the same to everyone else. Even Brand, even my father. Maybe it isn’t very convincing for you to hear his son vote against his death sentence, but so be it.”
Random turned to Charles, who said curtly that he was undecided. Diana and Elayne quickly shook their heads and said they were too.

That meant it was five against one and four undecided. Random turned back to Alexander and asked if he had been able to come to a decision based on what he heard.
“No,” said Alexander, “I find the situation very difficult, and I see both sides have plenty of arguments, but not enough for me to base a decision on.”
I decided that it was time for me to open the discussion. If we just sat around this table stating our views no-one would get anywhere. Besides, it would be boring.
“It is said,” I said to Alexander, “that your father came out of his period of amnesia a changed man.” I turned to Dorian and Melusine. “Melusine, what do you think of, let’s put it bluntly, Fabians altruism and mental stability?”
She answered with fire in her voice.
“Fabian is a different person from what I heard of Brand. Fabian is… well… withdrawn. He is quite polite. He is… not aggressive. Not at all. He is a rather insignificant person in his world. It’s a completely different personality. What would happen if he got his memory back and his personality would merge with that of Brand, I don’t know. I am no psychiatrist, and we might need one, for what I heard about Brand he could be a completely different person. I don’t know how far he, I mean Brand’s personality, has been influenced by his time as ‘Fabian’.
While she was speaking about Brands ‘completely different personality’ I studied Rinaldo’s face. He listened intently, wrapped in her arguments. This Fabian person would be new to him.

Diana spoke up and said that for her, Melusine’s words were enough to add her vote to the ‘against’ crowd. But she added she thought it was a great risk, and that she thought you can’t let someone like that run around free. “Everything that’s in a person that he maybe even does not want there, you will be getting that back too, you know? Although I hope not.”
“That is an empty desire,” Murlas said.
Diana countered that immediately with “That depends on who you’re speaking to.”
Murlas looked pointedly at Dorian.
I had NO idea what that was about. Dorian kept silent. Melusine said:
“It’s not what he knows, it’s who he is. I have given you my vote.”

Their barbed looks had killed the conversation.
“What do you think the elders will do if we decide against carrying out the verdict?” I asked.
“We just vote according to our own responsibilities,” someone said.
“I will be the one who makes the decision,” Random said. “This is an advisory vote.”
Murlas frowned and Dorian made a small noise, almost a snort. Random could take our views seriously and look caring and open, or he could disregard our input; all this would have been just for show and the king would look decisive and strong. This could have been organised to give us an opportunity to air our views, or Random was using it to test our opinions and what we knew. My guess was that it was all of the above.

All eyes now turned to Charles. He frowned. (See?)
“If I take into account that my vote only counts for so much, I am inclined, in this case, to vote in favour of the death penalty. The verdict had been reached in his absence, that is true, but some risks are just too great. I have heard nothing that convinces me that when he gets his memory back, which without a doubt will happen at one time or another, he will not start again. There is nothing that indicates that Brand has changed his mind about the matter… It’s not that I don’t wish him to have a second chance, but no, the risks are too great.”

That made the total two in favour versus six against. Everybody seemed prepared to forget Elayne, including the girl herself. In her place I would have spoken up on principle, but I guess it is tough for a sixteen year old to decide about a man’s life like this. Alexander on the other hand was pushed to give his vote. Not voting would seem like indecisiveness.
“My problem is,” Alexander said, “That I don’t feel I ought to have a say in this matter.”
“Then you shouldn’t be here,” Murlas said. I do so love his wit when it is aimed at someone else.
“The problem is: it’s about a trial that has taken place under certain circumstances, and I have yet to hear a single good argument why the case should be undone, except on humanitarian grounds.”
“So, as you said, not a single good argument.” Murlas concluded.
“Only the humanitarian point I agree with, but I have not heard a single argument about whether the first verdict was justified or not.”
“That is doubting the justice of Amber,” Murlas said. Now I felt he was arguing for the sake of argument.
“No—“ Alex said.
“There has been a trial. We carry out the conviction or we don’t. Are there arguments to waive the verdict? You haven’t heard any and still you can’t decide.”
“The most convincing reason not to carry out the verdict is, in my opinion, the suspicion that Brand has information that is crucial for saving this reality.”
“But that’s another—“
This time Alexander interrupted Murlas:
“So if I have to cast my vote, I feel obliged to vote in favour of carrying out the verdict. But it is a difficult decision.”

With Alexander’s vote it was three in favour, six against, still disregarding Elayne. The second council had spoken and decided against Brand’s death sentence. The doors were opened and we re-joined the others in the lounge, where more drinks were being served. In our absence more chairs had been brought in. Random announced that the second council decided against executing the verdict. Perhaps I should call it the junior council, or the minor council. It all reminded me very much of the whole Major- and Minor Council structure of the Courts of Chaos.

We mixed into the crowd while our King made a little speech. He had come to the conclusion that the Family was far from unanimous about carrying out the verdict that had been passed so many years ago. On the other hand, the Family had put forward many doubts about Amber’s safety if Brand was allowed to live. Random therefore decided not to execute Brand at this moment, but would not to let him go free either. Brand’s amnesia could carefully be studied and, if possible, lifted, but Random would retain the right to carry out the verdict at any moment. Only the lengthy observation of a Brand whose mind had completely recovered from his amnesia could give him the foundations for a permanent verdict.
“I have spoken,” Random said.
A light murmur passed through the Family. Some thought it empty talk, others, like Bleys, did not care. We would all do what we thought best, and to me the verdict had a distinct flavour of “here’s one I prepared earlier”. People refilled glasses and found places to sit or stand, there was no structure or seating order to this part of the meeting.
We pricked up our ears when Random announced it was time to address the next point on the agenda: Flora.

. . . _ . . .

The King quickly summarised her status. She was in league with the Enemy from Outside, the ones who had a hold over Sherwyn until Adrian did something to make them lose that hold. Melusine is Flora’s daughter and can testify on the matter. It took some encouragement to get Melusine to talk about her mother: how Flora was indeed in league with the enemy and how she had imprisoned Dorian and Brand. What she said was confirmed by Dorian. Caine and Adrian had additional evidence: Caine had a captured a conversation between Flora and an agent of the Enemy in a green gemstone. He made the gem play back Flora’s voice in front of the Family.
Fascinated, we listened while she chided a man she called Lothair on not attacking Amber. Lothair stayed calm and did not let himself be baited. Adrian confirmed that the conversation had indeed taken place and this was what had been said. With this recording, he evidence against Flora was solid and overwhelming. The Family did not speculate about her motivations. They assumed that she did this to get the throne and that was that.

At the moment Flora resided in Sherwyn. Adrian and Flora had an old agreement which Adrian could not break at the moment, but Adrian had told Random about it as soon as he could. Sherwyn was obliged to offer Flora political asylum, but Adrian did not feel the urge to defend her should anything unexpected happen. Intelligence reported that she had started to dig herself in. Flora had bought a large mansion in Sherwyn, turned it into a fort and filled it with her loyal troops. The ‘bozo’s in black suits’, someone called them.

We bickered a bit and Gerard spoke up:
“How do we know she is not under the influence of someone or something?” He asked, looking pointedly at Llewella. Silence followed his words. Gerard went on:
“Dorian, you spoke with her. Did you have the impression she was not herself?”
“No,” Dorian said. “I am quite sure she was entirely herself.”
“So you think she did what she did knowingly and in full realisation of the consequences?”
Dorian confirmed this, even after Murlas questioned if such a thing was possible.
Random then shocked us with the news that Flora had been responsible for Vialle’s miscarriages. Gerard had already told me about it, but it was still a shock for me to hear it. So this was what our Ballroom Queen is capable of. I didn’t know if I could imagine a viler crime.

Bleys broke this second silence and insisted on hard action against Flora.
“And when we’ve got her we can talk further.”
Adrian asked what Melusine had to say on it. Flora’s daughter was looking very unhappy, and Martin looked like he was holding her hand under the table.
“We can’t tolerate her continued actions against Amber,” Gerard said.
“What kind of punishment are we thinking of?” asked Dorian. “What is the minimal punishment for—“
“For high treason?” Murlas interrupted.
People nodded, Julian most emphatically of all. We all knew that the punishment for high treason was death.
“If the charges are fully proven, that is”, someone remarked. I guess an Elder gets a more solid kind of justice than a cousin or a commoner.

“I think Flora should account for her deeds,” Benedict said. “Only on that information can a decision be made.”
“So, who’s going to get her?” Bleys asked and we all tried to look inconspicuous. Then Adrian stood up from his chair. In the silence he said:
“I’m tired. I think I will retire.” Smiling, we wished him good night. Random said:
“Maybe, when you’ve rested a bit, you can come back for the third issue? You might like a say in our discussion about Yaslin.”
“I see,” Adrian said. “Wake me up when you get to her,” and he walked out the door. Now that is style, in my opinion!

Dorian said when Adrian was gone:
“Maybe we won’t need to go and get her, maybe it’s a matter of officially informing her she is invited to come and defend her actions. And if she doesn’t come… Sentences have been passed in absence of the accused before.”
“Which turns out to be preferable over a sentence that can be carried out immediately”, Murlas said. “Or so experience teaches us.”
Alexander protested.
“Well no, there is one important difference. Last time Brand did not have the opportunity to defend himself. This time, Flora is emphatically offered the chance to defend herself. There is a big difference.”
Murlas made a remark which I did not quite catch from where I stood, but I am sure it was scathing.

“At this moment,” Random said, “I do not find the load of evidence against Flora sufficient to convict her in her absence. And I think the intermediate step Dorian proposed is useful, we shall send her an invitation to come and defend herself. I don’t expect her to accept it, but well… If she does not show up I propose we attempt to go and fetch her ourselves so we can pass judgement on her mental health, and if possible learn more about her motives. Most of all: I will feel safer with her behind bars. Has anyone got problems with that? If so, he may speak up now. No…? Okay, next case.”

A servant was sent out to fetch Adrian, who returned with what looked like a triple whiskey without water. He drinks too much. People were discussing who would take our message to Flora and other people were not-discussing it to avoid the chore. When Adrian had taken a seat, Random gestured for silence and resumed:
“The rumours must have reached everyone by now. We have good reason to assume that Yaslin was behind the assassination of Monias, which looked like an assault on Monias and Adrian.”
“May I ask what evidence those assumptions are based on?” I asked.
“Her voice has been recognised. She was masked, but, err… her voice was recognisable.”
“So it could be a shapeshifter,” Murlas said. Maybe he was as sick of this ‘justice’ as I was. Flora has imprisoned two of our kin, we have a recording of her inviting an Enemy to invade Amber AND two witnesses, and still Random does ‘not find the load of evidence against Flora sufficient to convict her in her absence’. And now my sister was accused of murder based on the fact that someone recognised her voice!

Random agreed with Murlas that it was scanty evidence. Bleys asked:
“What motif could Yaslin have to kill either Adrian or Monias?”
The question was directed at Adrian, but Adrian looked at Random. To my dismay Random proceeded to sketch an image of my sister as a professional rebel. She had been known to him for some time. His intelligence service had been keeping an eye on her, and Random thought it was in her nature to join the opposition, any opposition. He had dossiers on how she was involved in a number of terrorist attacks in Amber and the Golden Circle.
“Those dossiers can be viewed by interested parties?” I asked.
“Not the original files.” Random smiled crookedly at me with just a hint of sadness.
“Copies, yes. But if important witnesses suddenly meet unexpected ends, we shall take that as further evidence of the accuracy of the records.”
“I am not that—“
–-‘Crass’, I wanted to add, but Murlas interrupted me with:
“So a witness who cannot give testimony has already given evidence.”
“Exactly.”
This was WRONG! Someone with a personal grudge against Yaslin could off a few people and have her killed for a crime she might not have committed.

Julian asked who was responsible for Yaslin in this family. Random explained to him that Yaslin’s parentage had not been established. Bleys had offered to adopt her as he adopted Boadice but Yaslin had declined. That meant that Yaslin was an Amberite only as long as Random accepted her as such. So far, he had implicitly done so but she had not been formally recognised.
“In that case,” proposed Julian, “we should not acknowledge her. This makes it her problem, not Amber’s. If we recognise her as an Amberite, we too are guilty of her assault on Monias.”
“I still don’t think the evidence that it was my sister who did this is very conclusive,” I said.
“I should say,” Julian said, “She is welcome to come over and plead her case, but as she is not here, I take that as admission of guilt.”
“She was already banished!” I said and I was glad I was already standing because getting up at that moment would have made me look aggressive. “She knows she is not welcome here, for other reasons.”

Most of the family nodded in agreement and someone said:
“I have not been able to reach her lately, and have not been informed as to where she would be.”
“So the fact that she is not here,” Murlas said, “is no admission of guilt. Furthermore is it the problem of either Galoria or Sherwyn. That is where the assassination took place, the question is whether we of Amber feel involved or not.”
“That is what I said,” said Julian. “As long as she is not officially of the Family, it is no business of Amber.”
“Nevertheless she bears the blood of Amber,” I argued. “We all know what can be done with that. We cannot simply wash our hands of her.”
But Julian’s reasoning had found support among the Family. This was a tricky political situation and Yaslin had of her own free will rejected our protection. Her deeds did not speak of loyalty and usefulness either, so what was lost in this troublesome niece nobody cared much about? Especially not when bigger, more dangerous things were afoot.

“May I point out to the gathered Family that she is just twenty years old, maybe less, and cannot be held fully responsible for her actions.” I said.
“She took the responsibility when she decided to refuse Bleys’ offer of adoption,” Dorian said, and Murlas added:
“She has made her choice. And if she decides to better her life, she can always come back to Amber and await justice.”
“Besides, Dalt was nineteen when I ran him through,” Bleys said. “By that time he had set up an invasion of Amber, to name just one Family member who had similar ambitions.”

I could not believe Bleys was arguing for the opposition! Okay, so he did not accept the argument ‘Yaslin is too young’, but didn’t they understand I was trying to prevent her turning into a second Dalt?
“So I propose,” Bleys went on, “that Amber take no action against Yaslin and leaves the case to the parties concerned: Sherwyn and Galoria.”
Adrian put down his glass and asked:
“Nevertheless I want to know what Amber’s position is concerning Yaslin. Does leaving her to Galoria and Sherwyn mean that her choice is respected and her rejection of Amber an official fact?”
“She didn’t leave us much choice, did she?” Gerard said.
“IF she did it,” I said.
“She or someone else,” Gerard agreed. “We must keep this in mind.”
“I want to know her status, because I think she did it.”
“The question is,” Murlas said, smirking, “Do you want her to take the blame for it or not?”
“That is a different case,” said Adrian, “and I am prepared to give her a fair trial. I assume the same goes for Galoria.”
We looked at Alexander.

“You know what I expect of you,” Alex said. He looked both smug and stubborn, unwilling to make promises or give anything away.
“I am asking for your assistance in this,” Adrian said. “Explicitly.”
“I expect you to hand over the assassin with sufficient evidence for a conviction.”
“Within a fortnight!” Adrian exclaimed. Two weeks was indeed an excessively short time for such demands.
“And within that time limit you want them to hold a trial?” Murlas asked Alex. “Impossible.”
“Amber time,” Alexander said.
“I don’t think I can make that deadline, “Adrian said. “Which does not mean that—“
“By the way,” Murlas interrupted. “Have you found my murderers, I mean attempted murderers yet? Last time I was in Galoria, an attempt was made on my life. O no, the last time I was there I was with Benedict so that time I was safe; I mean the time before last. I quite understand if you want to put on a show for the people, and that can be arranged. But Yaslin, and on such short term, and a fair trial…”
I went for the final blow:
“And we all know how justice is dealt in Galoria.“
There was acid in my voice. There was no way I would let my sister be tried in Galoria.

Alexander got up, face frozen.
“I think I will leave,” he said. He took a small leather case from his pocket and held it in front of him. “But I believe I will take this with me. I am sorry, lord Random, but under these circumstances I cannot stay.” He disappeared in rainbows and his place was empty.

Those were my trumps! He had my leather trump case with him, I could tell it was mine it from a distance, and now I could not have them back! I calmed myself: I had no guarantee the case contained all my trumps or that he would have given them back without demanding something impossible in return.
If I ever get them back, I will ensorcel them to return to me if lost. I will also add a couple of trumptraps, very nasty ones.
On the other hand, I got through to Alexander. Or rather Murlas and I had. The way Alex left in a huff was a real disgrace. Good for us!

Random’s eyebrows were raised slightly.
“I only asked for more time!” Adrian said, agitated. Random answered:
“And Galoria’s ambassador has declined.”
“Nothing prevents you from…“ Murlas said. “You did catch one of her accomplices, didn’t you? Then you can deliver the murderer to Galoria. You have proof of that.”
Random cut the discussion short with:
“This is my decision: no-one in the Family shall hinder Adrian in his search for Yaslin to deliver her to justice in Galoria. This is no license to kill her; the evidence is at this time considered insufficient for a conviction. Amber shall not interfere in this matter unless other information comes to light.”

This marked the end of the council and people started to talk among themselves. I took a couple of deep breaths to steady myself. Random’s closing speech had been especially prejudiced against my sister, again. Did he want her to be the assassin? To generate some goodwill, I told the story of my trial in Galoria to anyone who asked. I did not even need to colour the story to my advantage, the facts made it clear that there had been a lawsuit but neither law nor justice had been applied. In another group, I heard Murlas confirm my story about Galoria. Come to think of it, Murlas had been more or less supportive the whole evening. What did he want from me?

In between I heard rumours of how the Enemy from Outside had indeed left Sherwyn. Adrian had done something that drove them out, but apparently it had had severe consequences. Sherwyn had changed. Corwin and his illness were said to have something to do with it. They cleaned ship, but for a price.

A price... My sister, what have you done? Even when I pled your case, I believed Adrian when he said he had recognised your voice. You killed a man. I did not get on with Monias, but why did you think he deserved to die? You did not kill him for me, I know that. Did you do it for your dead lover, for your ideals, inseparably entwined? What will be the price of your fanaticism?

. . . _ . . .

To be continued…

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