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2001-03-25
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
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Talking to the Don
- Dunbarton Palace -- Blue Room
The Blue Room is aptly named. A dark blue wool carpet matches the draperies at the windows, while the furniture is a lighter blue, almost turquoise. The walls are covered with tapestries depicting underwater scenes. The cloth-covered walls and floor give the room a hushed ambience.
The tension slowly drains away from the room as Westmark is taken out under arrest. The queen finally breaks the silence. "Now, if we can only manage to prevent any serious problems with his heir's accession... I hate to think what this will do to the balance of power between the Great Houses." Ludmilla's only response is something between a purr and a growl.
Alex paces slowly, trying to calm herself down. Her hackles lower, and she's carrying her tail at a less furious angle when she murmurs, "So... he really is an excellent actor... I wonder if Carlos will be too."
Carroll says, considering, "It depends on how they see Westmark's disappearance as, I expect. As long as Westmark's daughter can take on the title it shouldn't be too disruptive."
Alex pauses, rubbing the back of one paw along an ear thoughtfully, "Looks like he's been working for them for quite a few years now too... and I'd have to guess they're 'cleaning house' if they led him to believe that he was going to be protected when -- not if, when! -- the queen used a truth potion on him."
Horatio remains quiet; he knows little enough about Maidstone politics. But he nods to Alex rather morosely, sighing. "I have to agree, Alex. They were going to ensure Westmark's disposal using the queen's questioning under truth potion. That would have eliminated him from their ranks, and cast suspicion upon the queen for his death."
Carroll says, "I don't know that I'd make the assumption of cleaning house because of the anti-truth-potion. That may well be a precaution, given to anyone who knows to much."
Morganna nods. "Definitely a possibility. They may be letting us take out a compromised network and even helping us do so to let their next tier of spies into positions of trust."
Alex says, "So... that would indicate they expected 'Alex' to be rescued. Hm... so it will be quite interesting to see what the magical thing in the mines was. I'm guessing we managed to upset their plans in two ways... one, we did the rescue much faster than expected, and someone had to leave hastily, and the week-from-now visit will be called off... and two, Westmark confessed and the queen cannot be blamed for his death. Because... he's not dead."
Ludmilla growls. "Yet."
Carroll murrs, "Only if he's not summarily assassinated."
Alex glances at Carroll thoughtfully, "If it wasn't cleaning house... why'd they tell him specifically that when he was questioned... he'd be safe if he drank their potion?"
Carroll murrs, "Did they? Or did they merely say, 'This will keep a truth potion from making you tell the truth'?"
Ludmilla shrugs. "Vestmark's military record iss... how you say, not showink much bravery. If t'ey know t'at... not gettink him to drink it ot'ervise?"
Horatio says, "I don't know if we upset them much at all in that way, Alex. They didn't bring you through the gate as soon as they brought you to the camp, and instead went through themselves..."
Alex nods to Carroll, then to Horatio, "That's my point, guys. They reassured Westmark that a truth potion wouldn't cause him to incriminate himself... and they weren't gone already, Horry... they left while we were there. They gave away their plan, so to speak, of slipping quietly away and leaving only 'Alex' and some guards to be caught or rescued by the team sent after her. Also there was apparently supposed to be a visit by someone in a week... someone important." She shakes her head, "Bet that's been called off." She sighs, "Anyway... regardless, we still have to figure out if Don Carlos is part of this too." She glances up at the queen, "Whenever you're ready, your majesty?"
Horatio frowns slightly and nods. "Good point... yes, Don Carlos may provide the next piece of the puzzle.
Carroll nods quietly, "Let's see what he has to say."
Matthew knocks and enters. "Your Majesty, milords and ladies... Ambassador Don Carlos is here."
Horatio glances to Matthew, then looks to Alex and Carroll. "Should we hide again...?"
Arianna looks around the room. "Anything you wish to say before we bring him in?"
Alex turns to head out of sight -- then pauses in sudden thought, "Oh! Yes, actually. Your majesty, why did you not want me to duel Westmark?" With careful word choice she adds, "Will you be feeling the same for Don Carlos?"
Arianna gives a grim smile to Alex. "It's not that I didn't want you to. It's just that you are not entirely a free agent in this matter. If you chopped him up there would be those who would claim it was on my orders as an assassin. Don Carlos... has diplomatic immunity. Challenging him would have unfortunate repercussions as well." The queen's gaze passes over Ludmilla and Morgana, who remain silent. "Show him in then, Matthew."
Alex frowns... then just nods stiffly and heads for the siblings' hidey-hole. Her ears are back in irritation. Carroll smiles at his sister's fire, and says only, "Have fun, your Majesty," as he moves off to hide. Alex looks entirely unamused. Horatio lets out a soft breath, and follows Alex and Carroll out.
Matthew returns a little while later, leading the Costa Yerman ambassador. The coyote bows floridly to the queen and her advisors. "Your majesty. It geeves me such pleasure to see you again. What may thees poor one do for you today?"
Horatio rolls his eyes silently. Please, oh please, tell me that that's not the way of courtly behavior. I'd rather be a 'country bumpkin' than that. Carroll listens silently, watching the flamboyant ambassador. Alex stands hidden, her arms folded and her ears flattened. Her whisper is pitched to reach just her brothers, "If that's how she felt, why'd she let me do her shocking of Westmark for her? I'm getting real tired of getting used here..." Her tail switches slowly in irritation.
Horatio murmurs softly, "More impact coming from you, Alex, I think."
Arianna nods coolly to the ambassador. "Don Carlos. I have been reconsidering Prince Iago's proposal of a dynastic alliance, in light of some new... developments."
Don Carlos looks intrigued. "New developments, your majesty?"
Horatio attempts to be less credulous this time, not so willing to be given in by any apparent show of innocence. Alex mutters sotto voce, "Yeah, I just bet you have..."
Carroll carefully and quietly puts a hand on his sister's shoulder, and begins to slowly stroke her back, whispering, "Shhh..." to her, still watching what is going on. Alex's ears unwrinkle slightly from where they're angrily pinned against her head. She doesn't tilt them forward... but she does nod quietly to her brother, calming down somewhat.
The queen nods. "I find that my friends have been threatened if I continue to... let me be blunt... evade the question. What I do not know is whether or not this is something that you or your government are a direct party to, ambassador."
Don Carlos stiffens. "Your majesty, I assure you that I have made no threats against anyone to try to affect your decision." Morgana cocks an ear upward at this statement. "And your Prince?" The coyote looks remarkably uncomfortable. "I... that ees... not to my knowledge, your Excellency."
Alex sighs softly, unhappily leaning her head against her eldest brother's shoulder as she listens. Horatio sighs silently, a little impatient. What direction to go, here? he wonders. He knows something, he's just not being forthcoming with what it is.
Arianna simply raises an eyebrow. "And will you deny the allegation?" Don Carlos looks at the guards, then at Morgana and Ludmilla. "May I speak in confidence, your majesty?"
Carroll continues to stroke Alex slowly, trying to gently work her frustration away, at least for the moment. He knows she is doing very well at keeping her temper, but he also knows it's not fun to be a ball of stress... and it doesn't help her any. He listens, carefully noting Carlos' pauses and the curious request. Alex murmurs very softly to her brothers, "Carroll... you may like this and thrive in it... but... I don't think I -- maybe not Horry either -- belong here. I don't know how Horry feels... but I find this constant, blatant using of people to be... degrading. Malicious. Insulting." She thinks a moment, then adds quietly, "Lacking in honor."
Carroll murmurs, "Shhh. Later, please, Alex." He doesn't contradict her, nor does he intend to. Alex nods quietly, her ears almost up in resignation by now. Horatio's ears flicker slightly at Carlos' request. That's odd... no, whatever it is, the boor isn't trying to come clean. His actions haven't been those of a man carrying around a secret he wished he hadn't been. He glances to Alex, his ears flicking slightly, and bites his lip before looking back to the doorway.
Ludmilla glances at Arianna, then motions the guards out of the room. They leave and the coyote looks a little less uncomfortable. "Your majesty... speaking privately and for myself, I deplore this action, whatever it may be." He sighs. "I cannot state that Prince Iago's Inquisitors have nothing to do with it, unfortunately. This sort of extortion is just their style. Have you never wondered, your majesty, why my children are not here?"
Alex raises a grim eyebrow, "Damn. He's good. What did Mitya call this?...good guard/bad guard?" Carroll continues his reassuring, calming stroking of his sister. It may be that it's as good for him as it is for her. He listens.
Morganna nods. "A widower with two small children in a long term and distant posting? It did seem odd that you left them behind."
Don Carlos snarls a little then. "They are... insurance... for my continued loyalty."
Carroll's ears go back at this, but that's the only visible response to this statement. Horatio rubs his forehead. "He's too quick to distance himself from this, without knowing what it is," he mutters low. Alex nods quietly at Horatio's words, but doesn't say anything else. She herself isn't sure she believes anyone in that room any more. Horatio thinks, This is starting to get confusing. That boor has children? Then again, knowing what we've been told about Costa Yermo society, I wouldn't be entirely sure it's all that willing a marriage. Then an odd thing occurs to him, and he feels strange; yes, in fact, he is feeling rather outraged. That boor made an untoward advance upon Jessie, and he's married?! Morgana's words give him a bit of pause, however. He fights down his anger by going over his mental notes, trying to remember if the point was ever made that Don Carlos was a widower. Funny... he never acted like a man whose family was under threat.
Alex growls softly under her breath to herself, her irritation with the queen growing... the coyote is spilling his guts in what he believes is 'confidence.' Now, if the queen calls the siblings out -- why, they'll be lumped in with the queen's duplicity. Her ears flatten a bit more as she glances around behind her, wondering if this is a closed closet... or if the siblings could quietly leave, granting the poor man the confidence he thought he was receiving. Ah, a sofa, chairs, and another door... good. She glances at the far door, then touches both her brothers to draw their attention, nodding towards the exit door. She whispers softly, "Should we stay? He asked for confidence..."
Carroll nods and moves away from the door softly, tugging gently at Horatio's elbow. He murmurs, "Morgana or the Queen can let us know of anything important that we should know, or invite Don Carlos to tell us himself."
Horatio bites his lip, glancing over his shoulder at the door, clearly torn. He whispers, "On the one hand, the queen's pledge of confidence would extend to us, just as it's extended to Ludmilla and Morgana... and we might be asked to come in... but... they can come get us. We should move away from the door at least."
Arianna slides the demand note over to the coyote. "That is what we received."
Don Carlos reads through it, his ears going flat. "Caramba. Thees ees... there are not words for thees, your majesty. That he should do thees theeng to that speereeted young vixen..."
Alex nods quietly, stepping light-footedly away from the ajar door to the far exit... at least far enough that the quiet murmur of voices becomes indistinct. Horatio follows along after Alex and Carroll, his tail almost motionless and straight down, as is his habit within a lab full of things that go 'boom' if a tail swipes them off a shelf onto the floor. Carroll also moves across the room, ears following the conversation almost out of habit, then flicks his ears about in the other direction as he moves out of earshot. He settles into waiting for some signal from the audience chamber.
Alex settles very slowly onto a sofa on the far side of the room, so there's no squeak or shush of settling, one paw holding her rapier still and forward so it does not catch on anything. After a slow moment of careful effort she's seated back into the sofa... but not really relaxed, as the silent drumming of her fingers on the sofa's arm shows. Horatio perches himself upon the edge of the couch. His ears are perked and alert, but only for any unusual sounds from the audience chamber. He sits on the edge of the sofa uncomfortably, the tip of his tail twitching slightly.
The voices continue in the other room, the contralto tigress distinguishable from the tenor of the coyote, the husky alto of the Queen and the piping soprano of her seneschal, but with the door shut and the foxes across the room, nothing can be made out. After a few minutes, Matthew opens the door. "Her Majesty requests your presence now. If you'll come with me, please?"
Carroll stands from where he has been seated on the edge of the sofa, and straightens his clothing minutely. He says, "Shall we?" to his family, then leads the way out into the other room. Alex glances at Matthew, her ears carefully neutrally level, and just nods silently, rising to pace out of the room with her brothers. Horatio slips off of the couch, standing with his siblings and nodding to Carroll, trailing into the room after him and Alex.
Alex also straightens her clothing slightly, following her eldest brother, and gives Horatio a quick glance... she smiles encouragingly, whispering, "Remember, stand proud, Horry!" -then patters out, her head high. She doesn't know what game the queen's playing any more... but despite whatever the queen's game is, Alex will not let her own or her family's honor be tarnished. Horatio blinks to Alex, automatically straightening and moving his hands to adjust his collar.
Matthew leads the way around the corner and back to the Blue Room. Carroll smiles and enters the room, murring, "Your Majesty." He nods to Don Carlos, and says, "Ambassador." Don Carlos bows to the three foxes; Ludmilla, Morgana and the queen nod as they return. The coyote's gesture is elegant, but his face radiates concern. "Da- Sir Alexandra. I hope you are none the worse for your ordeal?"
Alex isn't smiling, but does nod courteously and correctly from next to her brother. She says with careful neutrality, "I am fine, thank you, sir." Then she just stands between her brothers, wearing her carefully correct 'court' face. Horatio simply doesn't know anymore -- but unlike a laboratory exercise that he feels frustrated with, he can't shuffle off to take a nap on a bench, or work on another project. If nothing else, he thinks, glancing nervously at his siblings. We need to see this to the end...
Carroll is perfectly composed as he replies, "We are quite pleased that you would be so concerned, sir," but does so almost without emotion.
Don Carlos sighs. "I wish I could assure you that Costa Yermo had nothing to do with this, but I am afraid that I cannot do so for certain. I can apologize for my people, but not, I fear, for my government."
Carroll replies without apparent anger, "A pity that you can't speak for what seems to be the true source of the problems." Horatio blinks. Despite his desire to remain skeptical, this is yet another admission that he had not expected from Don Carlos.
Alex murmurs flatly, "Then why do you support your prince by your actions."
The coyote looks like he's bitten down on something distasteful. "Two reasons, milady. Juan Carlos and Teresa."
Alex nods at Carroll's words. She folds her arms and looks unconvinced... it's obviously going to take more than just two names to change her current beliefs. She may know that those must be Don Carlos' children... but she'd very much like him to explain it. That way the siblings will not have learned anything they should not have, when the coyote thought he was speaking in confidence. Horatio remains quiet and neutral, albeit somewhat nervous, which has always been hard for him to hide. He waits for Don Carlos to explain what he said.
Alex's fingers start tapping slowly on her arm as her patience starts slipping... Morgana clears her throat as the silence threatens to go on too long. "His children, Sir Alex."
Alex murmurs with extremely carefully controlled irritation, "And this is important... why?" Horatio's ears flicker slightly, as if he's unsure if they should be flattened or perked.
The coyote's eyes flash in controlled anger. "My children, Sir Alex. Back at my manor house een Ciudad Draco, guarded... eef that ees the word.. by minions of our beloved prince." He almost spits the last two words.
Alex doesn't change her expression, but internally she sighs in relief. Finally... now the siblings haven't violated anyone's confidence. She studies the coyote silently... then just nods, "Then I do not envy you, sir." With careful enunciation she adds, "I pity anyone who is torn between friendship and... expediency..." She's also careful not to look at the queen as she says that... since that's whom she really blames at this point. The queen's ears twitch at Alex's words... she caught the reference, apparently.
Don Carlos nods. "What can I do? They are there, and I am here, and if I do not carry out my instructions... or worse, if I should stay here without permission if I am recalled... they will bear the punishment."
Horatio asks quietly, "And did your instructions have anything to do with kidnapping my sister?"
Don Carlos grins darkly. "No. The Prince knows better than to force me that far. My instructions are to persuade Queen Arianna to marry him, but he has not ordered me to use extortion to accomplish that."
Alex nods slowly, folding her arms, "Then it would appear pointless to challenge you in order to redress the transgressions against my good name and my honor..." she doesn't mention transgressions against her person, since strictly speaking it was the queen that was kidnapped, not her, "-especially since I've been informed that you and Westmark are... untouchable anyway." Her words are again very carefully enunciated.
Don Carlos grins, the cavalier mask slipping back into place over his inner turmoil. "Ah, you wound me, Sir Alexandra. Certainly I would not discourage such a lovely one as yourself from touching me."
Horatio chokes back something he learned when a Master dropped a flask of essence of iron on his big toe. It comes out as a bit of a splutter. Alex stares at the coyote... and then her mask slips, and for a moment he can see raw contempt on her face -- and then she's in control again as she turns to the queen and bows, "I'm sorry, your majesty... I'm feeling nauseous. Have I your permission to withdraw?" Carroll puts a quiet hand on his sister's arm in silent warning.
The queen twitches an eyebrow, but nods. "I'm sure we can find somewhere for you to lie down, Sir Alex."
Alex nods once, stiffly, "You are too kind, your majesty... I would not put you out so. I'm sure the Saucy Mare will do fine." She turns, her once-again-contemptuous gaze raking first down the coyote, then up again, as if she were examining some particularly loathsome form of insect. Her voice is icy as she murmurs, "It takes a peculiar form of cowardice to insist on being rudely mouthy... right after you've learned you cannot be challenged for it." She bows politely to the queen... then strides swiftly out. Horatio's ears flicker, glancing between Carroll and Alex worriedly.
Don Carlos actually looks shocked at Alex's reaction, and turns to her brothers as she storms out. "She wants a duel?"
Carroll glances at Don Carlos emotionlessly, "Did you believe she thought any less of her honor than you do of yours?" He turns to the queen, bowing with his usual grace, "Your majesty, if you will excuse us all... we have had a rather... trying time of it recently." Horatio opens his mouth to say something in reply to Don Carlos, but then looks to Carroll, and nods quietly, and firmly, in agreement. He bows to the queen, and scurries -- no, he stops scurrying and walks out with his siblings from the room.
The Saucy Mare is waiting at the dock, and the crew gives a rousing cheer when they see Alex dismount from the carriage that brought the three back to the ship. It appears that they were all worried about her.
Alex is a bit ruffled still in anger as she steps from the carriage... but at the cheer she blinks, her ears coming up in startlement. A moment later her face lights up -- how sweet of them all! -- and she laughs, waving a hand to the crew, "Hello! It's wonderful to be back -- thank you all!"
Horatio barely manages to get down himself when a brown-and-green clad blur tackles him in a hug. "WhatdidyouthinkyouwereDOINGgoingofflikethatwithoutme?!"
Horatio erps! and just barely manages to hug the mink back. "Erk... I'm sorry, Jessie, honest, I wanted to see you before it all happened, too, but I couldn't..."
Alex adroitly sidesteps the blur, grinning up at her eldest brother as she murmurs, "Guess he's gonna be busy for a bit... explaining..."
Carroll ahems, then says, "Explaining, at the very least," and rather carefully lets his brother and his energetic paramour have any sort of time they like. He does not even snicker. He says, "And I think the crew will want you to address them and tell them how glad you are to be back," to Alex.
Alex grins happily over her shoulder at Horatio and Jessie, then beams at her eldest brother, her usual good mood returning, "Sounds good to me!" She'll head onboard ship with Carroll, who follows his sister, letting her bask in the crew's worry while stepping in with an answer to any tricky questions, deflecting them easily.
Carroll and Alex are greeted by the twittering of bosun's pipes as they step back aboard. Apparently the crew decided to bring out all the ruffles and flourishes this time. Jared and MacKenzie stand at the end of the row, saluting their returning first mate. "Welcome back, ma'am." Alex beams with pride at the crew, then steps smartly up to the beginning of the row. She salutes sharply, holding it as she strides briskly down to the end of the row, then releases it, still looking terribly pleased. Carroll follows his sister, also saluting and smiling at the crowd, pleased with both the crew and his sister's actions.
It takes more than a few minutes for Horatio to extricate himself from the mink's energetic grasp, and Alex has to give an impromptu thank-you speech from the quarterdeck, taking her time to greet the crew, reassure Pablito, and cheerfully let everyone know how terribly pleased she is to be back! -but the three siblings eventually manage to escape to Carroll's day cabin. Alex relaxes with a sigh of relief in the cabin, "Whew! It's good to be back!" She grins at Carroll happily, "Got any more of that nice light red, Carya?"
Horatio leans against the door after he slips in, letting out a breath. "Jessie," he explains needlessly, "-was... understandably concerned after we were away for two or three days..." and I felt the same way... Alex nods gravely at Horatio's explanation... then covers a snicker... then just gives up and laughs delightedly!
Carroll picks up a bottle of wine and pours himself a glass, asking, "Would you like a glass, Horatio?" He pours his sister's glass and hands it to her.
Alex says, "Thanks, Cara." She accepts the goblet, then grins wickedly at Horatio, inquiring solicitously, "So... the rest of the crew were ready with a crowbar, mm?"
Horatio blinks and looks half-askance at Alex, before just shaking his head and smiling. "Yes, please, Carroll..."
Carroll smiles and pours his brother a glass, re-corking the bottle and settling down quietly. Once settled, he sips his wine and relaxes a moment. He says, "It is good to have you back, Alex."
Alex grins ruefully at Carroll, "Well... it's not like I was in any real danger, really... but yes, it is a relief to be back." She leans back, putting up her booted feet (crossed comfortably at the ankles), and sips some wine, then beams, "Back where I belong!"
Carroll says, "The meeting this afternoon was something of a debacle."
Alex nods, her ears flicking back in irritated memory, "Indeed."
Horatio accepts the glass, sitting lightly upon the edge of a chair and taking a small sip of it. "No matter what," he says quietly, "-there would have been no good way to approach either of them with the truth. Especially since Westmark would have died from the truth poison, and Don Carlos... he might very well have been telling the truth."
Alex glances flatly at Horatio from behind the goblet, her ears well back, "Actually I was more irritated with Arianna... why didn't she tell me she wasn't going to let me duel anyone -- before using me to startle the truth out of Westmark?" She frowns, "I can't help but wonder if that was her intent all along..."
Horatio glances up at Alex and her gaze, and visibly attempts to disappear beneath the seat of the chair. "Erm... that is..." He sighs and just shakes his head, shoulders slumping. "I can't even begin to wonder what she was thinking," he says quietly. "I'd be surprised if she didn't honestly want you to duel Westmark, or Don Carlos."
Alex blinks curiously at Horatio, then says slowly, "Horry... why are you shrinking back like that? Surely you know I'm not mad at you?"
Horatio shakes his head and takes a sip from his glass before setting it on the table, looking at it with a somber fret. "No, I know you're not, Alex." He lets out a breath and looks out the window of Carroll's cabin. "I just... well." He smiles wanly. "I guess... it's become easier and easier for me to pick up on how you and Carroll and Mitya are feeling, just from knowing you." His jaw shifts slightly. "I... admit to being unsure of how to react to that sometimes." He sighs and reaches for the glass again. "I know I shouldn't worry, though... I feel we've... gotten closer ever since this began, not merely because of proximity."
Alex smiles at Horatio affectionately, "Thank you, Horry... that's very sweet." She considers a moment, her ears tilting thoughtfully... then grins, "Y'know, that's true... I feel like I know you guys much better now too -- like we're more of a team... not just siblings."
Horatio nods quietly, watching the wine in his glass catch the light. "We've gotten to know each other a very great deal better than how we would have back in Starfall, each doing our own separate things." He takes a sip of the wine.
Carroll sips from his glass also, then quietly answers the original question, "She was thinking about what she needed to get done, and how to do it, not about the feelings of the people who she used to get it done." He sips again, adding, "Hopefully she will learn from having upset Alex. I wonder if she will try and make up for it, and how. She may not know how."
Alex snorts amusedly at Carroll, "I'm not holding my breath... she practically said herself she considers it her duty to use any and everyone to get the job done." She shrugs, "At least we learned about it before it really burned us. Now we know to keep away." Her slightly amused glance at Carroll is also faintly sympathetic... she's glad she's not currently in Carroll's boots.
Carroll says, "She may feel that she has to, Alex. She's not used to having people who she needs to depend upon, who have choice in the matter. She may learn that it's not worthwhile." After a pause and another sip of his wine, he says, "I don't know what she's thinking, or how she felt about it. I do think, from the last thing he said, that Don Carlos felt bad and had no idea he was causing offense. I hope he understands now."
Alex glances at Carroll, then murmurs dryly, "Rotten way for Arianna to live, if you ask me. And he's clueless... were I in his shoes I'd have been trying to get my kids back, not insulting the locals or their guests!"
Horatio's ears flicker a bit, and his expression hardens very slightly. "He has an odd way of showing it..." He sighs, and shakes his head. "With Westmark," he muses, "-we've reasoned that the Society was possibly 'cleaning house.' What was it with Costa Yermo..." He glances up to Alex. "Frankly, Alex, I don't think any of us would have gotten into the situation he's in, either with our liege or with our children becoming hostages for so long."
Alex is silent for a moment... then shakes her head, "I really don't know, Horry." She sighs, "What I do know is... he's an idiot. I'm glad no one I care about has to depend on him."
Carroll agrees, "It's true he doesn't understand. I'm sure he feels that he can't do anything about his children. It may have even been demonstrated that he can't; he hasn't said how his wife died. If you think about the worst, it may be that the prince has demonstrated his power. It's difficult to fight if you can't see a way out."
Alex stares levelly at Carroll, although it's obvious her thoughts are very far away... then she murmurs, "No... that's not it, Carya, I don't think. I think the difference is that we knew to never surrender... even if we couldn't immediately see a way out of the predicament we were in."
Horatio rubs his forehead. He and his family have no reason to attempt to break the rule of Prince Iago. If anything, it's against everything they've been fighting for since this adventure began -- the prevention of the overthrow of the noble families, both in Starfall and in Maidstone. But where do we draw the line...? He pulls himself back from his reverie at Alex's words. "There are always options," he says, as if quoting. "And if there aren't any options... you make options."
Alex nods firmly to Horatio, "Exactly."
Carroll murrs, "Perhaps. It's hard to say what anyone would do in a situation. Parents sometimes do irrational things for their children, and it may be more dishonorable in his culture to allow harm to the children. I don't know."
Horatio says, "That might be another difference underscored between our culture and that of Costa Yermo, one not as obvious as the status of females in their society... exactly, Carroll." He sighs again. "Not that it makes much of a difference right now. I guess what we should think of is... what next? Westmark even said that Pravinchandra had been involved in all this. And I doubt the Society is going to take this lying down."
Alex looks unconvinced, "Personally, I think the main difference in our cultures is that we're not rigid and unbending in the face of reality... but that's just me being snappy right now, I suppose." She sips her wine, then deliberately changes the subject, "So... now what? We know someone is after me... and... well, to be honest, I'm not really sure why the assassins are after me, but..." She pauses, then laughs softly at Horatio's comment, "Right."
Horatio looks to Alex. "You think that the target throughout all this was all along you specifically, and that the threatening note was just a cover?"
Carroll asks, "After you specifically, or as a way to destabilize the League?" He sighs and adds, "I worry too that they'll try and make an example of us -- of what happens if you thwart the Society. I don't know how to defend against it."
Alex shakes her head, "I don't know, Horry, Carya... I just know that there's been hits against me twice now... and I'd like it to stop."
Horatio's ears flick slightly as he looks to Carroll. "There is one way, Carroll."
Carroll looks warily at his brother and asks, "Yes?"
Horatio says, "We go where we know they have to meet us on equal footing -- or where the advantage might in fact be ours." He nods to the window. "Out to sea. If they want us, they have to come and get us. They would have to come get us by ship. And if they do, the Mare can outfight or outrun anything they throw at us. Well... almost anything..." It's clear though, that even as he's saying it his mind is picking out a hundred tiny -- and not so tiny -- holes in his proposal, as he is running out of verbal steam by the end.
Alex says, "How would we get them to meet us there? Assassins aren't known for stand-up fights... more likely, I'd think, that they'd wait until we docked, then poison or knife someone." She frowns, adding, "I don't know about you, but I don't intend to live the rest of my life in fear." She drums her fingers lightly on the chair arm, her eyes distant again, "Somehow we have to figure out how to get them to leave us alone..."
Matthew stops by early the next day. "Sir Alex? Her Majesty wanted to ask you to come up to the palace this morning if you are feeling better."
Alex gives the mouse a rather sharp look, uncertain for a moment as to whether he's being sarcastic or no... then decides it doesn't matter either way. She nods politely, "Certainly, Matthew. Ah, Horatio and I were planning to go shopping later... is it all right if he comes along?" Matthew looks quite serious... perhaps he's under orders not to question Alex's excuse from the day before. Horatio looks up from the new charts, perking his ears at the mention of his name. Oh! That's right, I'd asked Alex's help in shopping... the palace...?
Alex has previously quietly spoken with Mackenzie, asking his advice on what he thinks she should do as far as guards, until this strange nonsense about someone wanting to grab her or her siblings is over with. Mackenzie details four guards for Alex and Horatio, and discusses the route back to the palace with the pair of guards that Matthew brought with him.
Alex gets ready, gets Horatio, warns him about visiting the palace as she makes sure he's presentable, then happily takes his paw in hers and heads over to where Mackenzie and the guards await. Might as well enjoy the day, even if we're stuck going to the palace, she thinks. Horatio has decided to get into the habit of carrying his sword again. He's not too comfortable with it, and he'd possibly hurt himself if he tried using it, but to him it's a principle: he's a noble's son of the House of St. Genevieve, and sometimes a satchel just will not cut it.
The wolverine's worries notwithstanding, the trip to the palace is uneventful, and soon enough Matthew is announcing them to the queen. Arianna nods to the mouse. "May I talk to you alone for a few minutes, Sir Alex?"
Alex looks faintly surprised, "Er... you want Horatio to leave too?"
Arianna looks a bit uncomfortable, but nods. "Just for a few minutes, if that's all right."
Horatio is himself a bit surprised, but only a bit, at the queen's request. He looks to Alex. "I'll be just outside in the antechamber, Alex."
Alex tilts her head curiously, but simply bows slightly, "Of course, your majesty... as you wish." She smiles at Horatio, "See you in a bit then!" Horatio smiles and nods. He bows politely to the queen, then walks -- straight-backed -- through the doors to the antechamber.
Arianna waits until Horatio closes the door, then sighs. "Sir Alex... I owe you an apology."
Alex beams rather proudly after her brother -- she has the most amazing brothers! she thinks with a touch of smugness -- then blinks, hastily swiveling to face the queen again, "Ah... pardon?!"
Queen Arianna grins lopsidedly. "I think you heard me. I owe you an apology."
Alex studies the queen warily... is this another request for a favor? -or a test, or something? she wonders. Politely she says, "Your majesty, as you once told my brother Dimitri, queens can't really apologize... I'm sure it would be rude of me to think you owed me such."
Arianna nods. "I can't officially apologize, no. But personally I can. I saw that you were upset by not being able to challenge Westmark yesterday. I deliberately let you spook him knowing that I couldn't let you kill him at that point. Perhaps later... after the trial."
Alex blinks at the queen, looking faintly incredulous -- then hastily smoothes it over with her court face, "That's... so terribly gracious of you, your majesty, but um..." She pauses, wondering how to say politely that she can currently throw the queen further than she trusts her... then sighs. You just don't... you know that she knows that you both know that things are... well, distant and formal now, because it's safer that way for both of them, emotionally... my, but that was a mind twister... sometimes I think I think too much... With careful courtesy she adds, "Your majesty, I would not impose so. I think... honor is sometimes a... a cause of the moment, and once the moment is past... well... so is the chance to change it." She pauses, thinking... then shrugs faintly, adding softly, "I... do not envy you... but I guess it's none of my business. Don't damage Carroll though... it's probably rude of me to say that, but he's my brother, and I don't want him hurt." She is still polite... but her gaze is unwavering, and her face is quietly grim as she says that.
Arianna nods. "I don't want to hurt him either. He's the first male I've ever met who's treated me as a woman, rather than a monarch." She sighs. "As for the other... honor is a noble thing, but all too easily damaged by ruling. I wish things could be otherwise. I would have liked nothing better than to let you challenge -- and kill -- my father's assassin."
Alex raises an eyebrow, then laconically points out, "I did ask if it was the custom to fight just to first blood, majesty." She spreads her hands, "I figured asking for advice from the locals on local mores was only proper?" Then, quietly, she adds, "You could have just told me what you wanted, you know."
Arianna chuckles then. "You can fight until first blood or until death. The former is more common except in extreme cases. But... what I wanted is not what I could let happen. It would look very bad for one of my knights to kill one of the Great Nobles. We don't need another civil war or another inept regency should I upset them enough to do that to my sister in the event of my death. The Society is still out there." Alex folds her arms, but politely doesn't point out that Arianna's commentary doesn't really address the issue... which was that she lied to Alex. Queen Arianna shakes her head. "At any rate... I misled you so that you'd be at your most upset with Westmark, and it worked. You scared him into a confession. But I know you were upset afterward, so I wanted to apologize."
Alex is silent for a long moment, just watching the queen. Finally she says with perfect correctness, "Your majesty is too kind." She's silent a bit more... then says with perfect bluntness, "I don't think I can ask you not to treat me like that again... you are the queen, after all. Would you prefer I stayed away, so nothing like this happens again?"
Arianna sighs. "I would not prefer that at all, Sir Alex. I'll try not to do it again, and... I would prefer that you forgive me."
Alex blinks uncertainly... this is unexpected. Could the queen maybe... maybe actually mean it? -and not be just saying it so that things are fine between her and someone who is, or whose family is, potentially useful? She pauses, torn... then says cautiously, "I... would like that, your majesty. Apology accepted, and I'm sorry if I was rude... I just... didn't know how to say politely what I was thinking. Um..." she pauses again, then says even more cautiously, "-do you mind if we take it slow, as far as rebuilding trust, though? ...please? Er... that is, if that's what you want too?"
Arianna nods. "I need friends, Sir Alex... but by the nature of my position, I'm rough on them. It takes people as tough as Ludmilla and Morgana to handle it. I hope that you and Carroll and Horatio can handle it, too. I'm afraid that Dimitri couldn't... by the way, how is he?"
Alex smiles without much humor, "Friends should be trusted, majesty... with the bad as well as the good." She pauses, then sighs, her smile fading slightly, "He's... doing well, your majesty, last I heard." She doesn't say more than that... poor Dimitri doesn't need his name bandied about carelessly, and folks that care about him are caring for him.
Arianna nods, before returning to being a queen again. "You're right. I'll try. Please don't be too harsh with me if I forget once in a while, though." She nods. "Now, if you'll call Horatio in, I have some news."
Alex smiles quietly to herself, then nods politely, "Of course, majesty. Moment..." and calls Horatio in quickly.
Horatio enters as he's called, not quite rushing as he comes beside Alex. "Majesty..." he greets the queen, bowing quickly. Alex grins at Horatio reassuringly, pacing along next to him back to where the queen sits waiting.
Queen Arianna smiles at Horatio. "I thought you both might be interested in what they found at the encampment. There was a teleport gate in that mine."
Alex brightens in sudden interest. Horatio blinks, perking his ears. "I knew it," he murmurs, more to himself.
Alex says, "Had it been recently used? And was it still functional?"
"The flare of magickal energy you noticed, Sir Alex, appears to have been an outbound use. It is still functional, apparently... but it will be hard to use. Apparently it's a necromantic gate."
Alex blinks... then says cautiously, "Umm... do we know what caused it to be usable this time? I mean... was something killed to make it work?"
Arianna grimaces. "Death magic. Forbidden in the League. Three bodies they found by it. The mages tell me that that was three passages."
Horatio's jaw drops. "Oh, by the elements," he murmurs, shivering. "More foul than imaginable... no wonder the gate seemed so powerful to you, Alex."
Alex winces slightly in disgust... then asks, as if she's half-afraid to know the answer, "Whom... do we know who the three bodies were?"
Arianna shakes her head. "Not yet. They were apparently random victims."
Alex nods unhappily to Horatio, then adds, "That... must've meant there were three assassins?" She wonders in bemused astonishment, THREE?! To get me? But why?!
Horatio gulps, but feels the need to provide to Alex, "Or two assassins... with the third passage for you."
Arianna shakes her head. "Probably only one or two. At least one of the passages was probably a mage, since the battalion didn't find any powerful mages left behind."
Horatio says, "Whom they would not leave alive, possibly..."
Alex pauses, thinking... then notes in bleak amusement, "Y'know, knowing it was two assassins and a powerful mage really isn't that much more reassuring than three assassins, guys!"
Horatio smiles wanly to Alex. "Er... sorry..."
Queen Arianna says, "Now, they were able to determine where the gate was linked." She waits for a moment. "Ciudad Draco."
Alex goes still for a moment... and then her ears flatten, "That right royal bastard!" She clenches her fists, "I'm gonna kill him! I thought he was telling the truth about those kids he talked about!"
Horatio blinks, looking to Arianna. "Ciudad Draco... oh, dear..."
Arianna nods. "Oh, dear, indeed." She blinks at Alex. "Don Carlos? He was telling the truth, I think. He volunteered to swear to that under the influence of a truth potion."
Alex's hackles stop raising, and she thinks a moment... then hms. "Does he know about the anti-truth potions?"
Arianna shrugs. "He didn't say anything like that. We're going to have Thorn test him for it before she gives him the stuff this afternoon. She thinks she can detect it without a fatal reaction."
Alex nods thoughtfully, her fur settling as she thinks, "Interesting. I'm glad Mistress Thorn can do that... I'd hate to think we might kill someone accidentally." She pauses, then adds quietly, "It's very noble of him to volunteer, I'm sure... but I'd still have him do it, regardless of how confident he might seem. After all... we believed Westmark for a while too."
Arianna grins, looking very feral for a moment. "Of course I'm going to make him go through with it. I didn't get to be an effective queen by trusting everyone with a good story."
Horatio lets out a breath. "That's good, at least," he says softly. "But that still leaves Costa Yermo involved in this." In a way, it's very good, actually. At least it's someone we already have very little liking for. The quandary of whether it's appropriate to interfere is sort of overruled by the fact that, at some point, if we don't the Society will find us. He nods to Alex, then turns to the queen. "Your majesty, with your permission I would like to talk with Mistress Thorn about the technique she is using. I readily admit it may help us immeasurably in our future travels, since we will probably be encountering the truth-poison more and more often."
Alex nods again, her face going still as she considers... then she looks up at the queen again, "Thank you for telling us about the gate, your majesty. Um... will you be saving it or destroying it? Is it moveable? Does it take the blood of a sapient to run it, or would, say, a cow do?"
Arianna says, "I'll have Mistress Thorn talk to you and your ship's mage if you want. As for the Gate... it's not mobile, and I have my mages working on trying to convert it to a more... palatable energy source."
Horatio's ears flicker as he blinks. He takes a breath. "Alex," he says, "I... don't know if it would be... you know... right to use a necromantic gate... uhm... no matter how we paid the passage... There's something... really and truly unwholesome about it. I'd honestly rather risk Mt. Kali..."
Alex looks at Horatio a bit bemusedly, "It's... 'bad,' somehow? But..." She pauses, then thinks... this is the brother that knows about stuff like this. When she said 'Stop!' at Mt. Kali, they trusted her advice... she nods firmly, "Okay, Horry. We won't consider using it then."
Horatio lets out a breath, visibly and clearly relieved. He smiles warmly to Alex. "Thanks," he says softly. "It's... yes, really bad. Antithesis to everything encompassed by the Five Elements. From there, it's... well... it always seemed to me to be a path best left untrod, you know?" He turns and nods courteously to the queen, "Thank you, your Majesty. We'd greatly appreciate it."