Random followed Benedict out the door. "Hey Benedict, got a minute?"

Benedict stopped and turned in the hallway. He wasn't really in the mood for any other distractions, but after a bit he nodded affirmative.

"Llwella seems to have hit the highlights, but what's really going on?"

The question threw him a bit offguard. It'd been a little bit since anyone had asked his opinion on things. He frowned, thinking about it, then gestured with a hand. "Walk with me." Ben turned and started towards the dining hall, hearing Random's footsteps behind.

As he's walking, he said quietly, "What's really going on? Hell...it's a mess." He glanced around, making sure no one was around to overhear, and stepped into the dining hall. No one was present. He frowned again, and headed towards the kitchens. "Odin's most likely coming here to take over...not that he holds any animosity towards us to my knowledge, but he wants to know where Oberon's gone. And we're just kids." He shrugged slightly, not giving a lot of details. Random was a smart kid; he'd figure out what Ben meant.

"And we're opposed to him taking over why?" Random walked a little faster than Benedict just to keep up.

Benedict settled into an easy pace, ducking into the kitchens briefly. No one was there. He exited out again into the hall, considering what Random had said. He found himself warming to his youngest brother and was relieved. For a few moments there, Ben was afraid that Random was going to get hostile with him too, or vice versa. "Good question." He paused for a minute, then added, "After meeting our uncle Slade, I can't say I'm too enthusiastic about meeting any of our other uncles. However, I've a feeling that Oberon trusted Odin, least as far as Amber goes." He shrugged his shoulders again.

"Slade...is another story. He and Eric are two of a kind."

Random asked, "Do you know what Odin thinks of Slade?"

Benedict shrugged his shoulders, "Another good question." He glanced around him and saw no one...heard no footsteps other than their own. Bad sign. "Unfortunately, we've only Slade's opinions and thoughts about our uncles to go on, and not vice versa. It didn't sound like a happy childhood though, so I can't imagine any of them like each other very much..." He paused for a moment, "Primus being insane with hatred currently is a pretty good example, although to an extreme degree."

"What are you going to do?"

Benedict blinked, glancing to Random. He walked for a minute in silence, wishing that his other siblings could be as easy-going as Random was. "Do my job. There isn't a whole lot else I can do, Random. Only thing I really can do is make sure Amber stay safe." He shrugged his shoulders, "What about you? Find anything out in Shadow?"

"Not pertaining to this problem, no. I'm willing to sit it out and see what happens. Or maybe I'll join the army. Action sounds good."

Benedict nodded absently while they were walking towards the guard's barracks outside, "Beats sitting around doing nothing." He gave a glance over to Random for a moment, stopping in front of the guard's barracks. "I'd ask Llewella if she needs help in anything. She is the ruler, after all, and has more information than I." He pauses, And she's obviously not sharing much with me. It was unfair of him to think that, but he couldn't help it. He shrugged then, "If not, then the army maybe, or the castle guard."

"Llew said she'd talk to me later. How'd she wind up as ruler anyway? I would have thought you'd take it."

Benedict shook his head again, "I went into Shadow, as we thought at that time that the Unbeatable were most likely behind this. So..I went to get information.

"The council interviewed several of our siblings. Corwin threatened to kill them, from what I hear." He paused here, snorting a bit in derision, "They rejected Bleys, and accepted Llewella. That was that."

"Weird. Well, after today's adventure, I've decided to stick around Amber, at least until the mess gets cleared up, so call if you need anything."

Benedict nodded, "Same to you." He looks around again, noting the absence of every living soul except for themselves. That was unusual, to say the least, and he felt compelled to give warning to Random. "Be careful, even around here."

"You know I have to ask 'why?' to that."

Benedict frowned at Random, "Eric. Slade. Uncles invading. You shouldn't have to ask."

"The Uncles I assumed, but not Eric. I suppose I should add Gerard to that list as well. Anyone else from the family?"

Benedict snorted derisively, "From what I've learned lately, none save a few trust me. I've no other reason to want to trust any others." It hurt admitting that, but he felt it to be true. Sure, most of it was his own fault for absenting himself from Amber for so long...but up until this point, he'd still felt he could always trust and rely on his family. It was painful to see them without the rose-colored glasses.

Benedict turned his face up, squinting at the sky. He turned back to Random, "I better get back to work. Maybe after you've some other opinions we can talk more." With that, he nodded absently, and headed into the guard's barracks.

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