Moira's Diary>

Chapter 16 (17 August 2001 CE*)

Armand is assisted to and antechamber by Moira, accompanied by Suhuy. Suhuy recommends that he be restrained due to the madness that usually follows and encounter with the Logrus. He may be out for hours, days or weeks. I ask Suhuy if he could recover at our Mother's House - he says yes, of course. He leaves through a wall. After he goes I lay a hand on Armand's forehead - he tosses and turns restlessly. I send my awareness into his mind to see what is disturbing him, to see if I can relax him. He is dreaming. I look into his dream - in it he is in Amber Court, although his face is fuller dark curly hair, wearing colours of blue-green and earrings. He feels love for his brother, King Abel. No Erwin is there, but Caine and Corwin are and Calamar hand-in-hand with Deirdre. Armand proposes a solemn toast to the late lamented King Oberon. All very warm and fuzzy (genuinely). I want to find out what is causing his madness - I send my mind arrowing down and come into the midst of the Logrus in his being. (meanwhile, in the Amber Court it grows hotter and above grows darker until an inky blackness arrows through the roof of the Court and down through the floor, and vanishes). I withdraw carefully, smoothing back over the path I traced. I watch him as we're taken to Mother's House.

As we approach the House of Swords Mother is there herself to greet us with an honour guard. I make a deep curtesy. We have apparently been gone some months, many turnings. I say that Lord Suhuy recommends that Armand should be restrained & I ask permission for Armand to recover in the safety of her House. She says Yes, but asks don't I have an embrace for her ? She glides forward and I go forward to meet her. As we embrace, she secretly presses two rings into my hand(which I palm) and she whispers hat there is one each for Armand and I - we must put them on as we are to have an audience at last with her brother the King of Swords. I slip a ring onto my finger and immediately am "blind" except for my ordinary senses. I slip it off again and I rise. Mother says that Suhuy did not tell us that each House has access to a broth that allows a short time of lucidity to those recently awakened to the Logrus. But also that we must prepare before we go. I incline my head and go to Armand's side. Blocking my actions with my body from the view of others I bend as though to stroke Armand's brow and slip the other ring on his finger, and the first back on my own. I straighten and nod to Mother that we are ready.
We arrive at an 18th century-style ballroom. We see an individual with long black hair, effeminate stance yet no discernible face, and brightly coloured robes. Armand is carried in on a litter by humanoid demons with green eyes and no external ear lobes. Mother comes with us as far as the door to the room. She says to me to be truthful - then leaves us. The door closes. Servants come and pour broth into Armand. They leave also and we are left in the ballroom with the faceless individual - Mabelode the King of Swords. He questions Armand and I (mainly me as Armand isn't very lucid). He wants to know about my power (what it is, what it does, how I got it, etc.) Has respect for the position of First Warlord and wants to talk to Armand as soon as he's properly awake. We talk some more, and eventually as Armand slips further back into delirium he leaves us as a cone of energy.
Supporting Armand, we go back to the door we came in at and I knock three times, loudly and firmly. The door opens and
While Armand recovers I spend time with Mother learning shapeshifting and also go off privately and to the Abyss to learn more of my own powers.
After about 7 months I receive an oily Logrus contact - I answer it and it is Mabelode. He says that Armand is awake - the are dining together and Armand requests my attendance. He extends a hand and I reach out to clasp it. and oily black tendril wraps around my hand and forearm and I'm pulled through. I pass worlds, above worlds etc until I come out into a middle-eastern style bazaar. I can see Armand sitting with a man at a table. I go over to them. Armand stands and hugs me. The other man doesn't rise but gives me a nod. I greet him as "my Lord'" and he says not to as he is incognito. I incline my head instead and sit down. He and Armand resume their discussion. Mabelode then asks how I am and how I've spent my time. I seem to have spent a great deal of time in meditation - have I remembered how I got my Power yet ? I say unfortunately not. he looks politely disbelieving but doesn't push the issue. He asks if there's anything I'd like - I ask if they have riding animals as it would be pleasant to hunt. Armand suggests I join him as he goes out into Shadow to find his children. It was forbidden by the High King so Mabelode says ok. So off we go. Armand gets Mabelode to take us through to the place that will become the basis of Armand's Ways so he c an learn how to do it. Mabelode does so and leaves.
A red demon appears and Armand begins instructing it as to shat Ways he wants. We then talk. Armand seeks Juliette in Shadow. It is a slow process, but we go in stages. We come to a mediaeval type shadow, to a village inn. Inside a pig roasts; it appears to be reserved for someone as other patrons are eating small serves of mushy stuff. Armand goes to the barkeep and asks for lodging and some pig for dinner. The pig is taken apparently by "the gentleman upstairs". We sit downstairs for a bit, then decide to go up to "ask" the gentleman if he would share some of his roast pig. Imagine our joy and surprise to find that the "gentleman" is our beloved brother Abel, lately King of Amber. Alas, he lies gravely injured and the companions he has with him know little. What shall we do with a mortally wounded sibling ...... ?



* Note: CE = Chronology of Earth

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