GM: Now... what next for Helena? ;-)

Helena: I have to go talk to him. It may not do any good, but damn...

I spend the morning doing more sorting and arranging. I would like to get my rooms arranged so I can bring my dog through...

GM: If you're remodeling two offices into your quarters, you can manage the basics of setting up, but actually putting in a connecting door will require contractors - a stonemason and a carpenter, at the bare minimum. Bedroom furnishings could be scavenged from the upstairs temporarily, or you could throw some coin at a local furniture importer.

Helena: By noon I walk out and sample lunch from one of the restaurants, vendors, or carts along the way. I head to the Arden gate and ask the way to the barracks if it is not immediately obvious.

GM: After a fine fish sandwich with fresh greens and an odd but lively sauce, you make your way to the Arden gate. The Ranger Barracks you're looking for - euphemistically called the Last Barracks apparently - is just in sight from there, saving you having to ask. There is a small kennel associated with this close grouping of structures, currently unoccupied. There is a small business wing attached to the larger living quarters that appears to be your intended destination. The guards outside the door delay you while you prove who you are, and then when you do gain admittance, the staff on duty appears to be engrossed in some sort of card game. Oddly enough, despite the detritus scattered around that suggests they've been playing for hours, all of their cigars appear freshly lit....

Helena: Heh. I've dealt with their kind many times before: the footsoldiers of troops sponsored by rival houses, and the like. That they are rude to me is no surprise. That they have any idea who I am tells me a lot about how fast word travels in Arden.

GM: Do you wait, or press to be recognized. If you wait, how long? If not, how would you proceed to get things moving?

Helena: Among these staffers or the guards outside, what is the highest ranking person I've seen?

GM: All of the men you've seen so far, inside and outside, appear to bear the rank of "Ranger," with no apparent difference. (Frankly, they even look a little alike)

Helena: I stand quietly at full attention in silence. I contemplate all the work I will have to do; go over scenarios about buying furniture, importing furniture; wonder why I haven't seen any pet dogs in Amber... does it mean I shouldn't bring my dog? Do they not really keep dogs here? And so on. My vision is on that "will respond instantly if anything in the scene changes" mode, and I am tracking the conversation in case it brings any telltales to be used later, but that is all the attention I am giving them.

GM: Aside from rather carefully spaced individual glances to check your expression - typically followed by a slow, suggestive gaze down the length of your body to try to get a rise out of you - they make much of being engrossed in their card game.

Helena: Let me know if exactly one hour passes. :-)

GM: After forty-five minutes or so, a man with a single, dull metal decoration on the left breast of his jacket enters from outside, causing the men playing cards to snap to attention with some feigned clumsiness. They disperse to office duties after a look from the officer, and then the officer turns to you. Sharply, formally, "Your business, Ambassador?" pointedly not apologizing for the behavior of his men.

Helena: Well, I understand that he can't apologize; the men would feel betrayed by him, though he may or may not dress them down later privately, depending on the nature of his outfit which I cannot yet judge.

I let a beat pass as I bring my attention to him. "Marshall, I seek an appointment with Prince General Julian."

GM: "I believe he had a message left, Ambassador, just in case you happened by." A curt nod, and then he strides across the room to an office in the back.

He keeps you waiting maybe ten minutes or so, and then returns, his rigid visage creased with the start of a smirk. "Prince Julian indicated that if you would like to meet him, you should 'climb the stairs to Tir just before dawn'... ma'am."

Helena: I tilt my head, considering a moment, then smile. "Ah. Amber humor." I look earnestly at the marshall, and add, "I should think the Prince General would come up with a more cunning way for me to commit suicide if he were serious."

GM: "Well, he did say I could offer you a tall glass of rat poison if you were in a hurry."

Helena: I actually laugh out loud. "Now that's better. I can see I'm going to enjoy your services, Marshall."

GM: "Well, we all can appreciate a good sport, ma'am," the smirk almost creeping into smile range now.

Helena: I pause a moment, thinking. "Please tell the prince I would like to meet him on other terms. The Embassy is located at (x & y streets) in Amber, or I can meet him here or in another place of his choosing."

GM: With the same degree of seriousness, "I'll be sure to give him the message, ma'am."

Helena: I nod and prepare to leave, then frown and turn back to him. "In seriousness, do you think he will not meet with me? I would not put your men out over it if it is not to be. I know it is... awkward for them."

GM: "We live to serve, ma'am. You needn't concern yourself with us. As for our Lord, well... I'm not at liberty to speculate. I suppose you'll just have to wait and see, or take your concerns to one of his half-brothers," perhaps conspicuously deleting Caine and Gerard from the next-to-contact list.

Helena: " I had considered such, believe me. But I feel there is mutual damage control to be done, and it is important I speak with the Prince General before news we may not want out comes out uncontrolled through other channels. Perhaps there is some... gentle way you could share my concern with him.

GM: "You can be assured that all you relate to me will be relayed to him, verbatim, ma'am. It's not my place to speculate as to what might sway him, but you can say whatever you like to me for his ears."

Helena: "I thank you for your time and shall remember your hospitality." I leave the barracks with a last nod to the marshall and make my way back to the city proper.

GM: "Good day, Ambassador. Perhaps we'll have something else to offer you the next time you come by." More gallows humor, perhaps, or maybe some respect, or at least honest sentiment, in these last words.

Helena: (From what I know, are the Admirals General known to be close to Julian, or is there known to be a rift of some sort among the three? Caine and Gerard seemed in some agreement or alliance at the dinner.)

GM: (Helena knows of no rift between the sons of Rilga, but she hasn't been in Amber City long enough to really have much of an ear for the local gossip. She's gotten no impression of animosity between Julian and the Admirals thus far, by sight or rumor. With Julian absent from the dinner, his brothers might have been showing solidarity for or against - no way to be sure just yet - but if pressed, you would guess that they conspired with him in some fashion rather than opposing Julian's view / side / tack / whatever.)

Helena: (I've really got to get updated intelligence on these things ;-) May start with some more chattin' around...)

GM: A graduate of Florimel's design academy shows up the day before Julian does, inquiring after the clothing designer / party coordinator position (even if none were sought). She arrives in the mid-morning, and seems particularly interested in the 'challenges' of dressing a shapeshifter, sizing up your demon form with an almost uncomfortable level of intrigue. Linna Ourveir is a bit more touchy-feely than Amber normal, but you can't fault her qualifications - or her talent, after looking over her samples book.

Helena: "These are very good," I tell her honestly. "I should say if our trade mission is successful, you would have many clients in my House and among our allies. As for here, we do not have a current requirement for a staff position such as you suggest, but I will need someone to assist with our formal opening. We hope to hold the event in some seven or eight weeks' time. Would you be interested in working that event as a contractor?"

Linna: "I certainly would, if nothing else than as an audition, should such a position become available." She quotes an initial consultation rate that is steep, but not absurd... perhaps even fair, given her pedigree.

Helena: I believe for the value of the contact -- in addition to her obvious ability -- it is probably a fair rate. I shall make the contract, with an agreement to meet with her within the week to outline our requirements for the event.

Linna: She seems well pleased, and promises to research what local festivals might be mined for themes, if "Madame Ambassador" prefers.

Helena: "I am not certain if it would be correct to appropriate local custom for this new and foreign venture. But I will be pleased to take your counsel on that when we next meet."

Linna: "I thought that perhaps emulating some local tradition might provide a comfort to your guests as you introduce your venture. The neighboring nations, and their neighbors and their neighbor's neighbors, for that matter, often do the same when Amber dignitaries come calling for the first time. Repeat guests, those who grace your sophomore effort, will then be receptive to - indeed, expecting - something more alien to them and firmly native to their host now that they have had their ease. You may take a different tack, if you choose. I would certainly relish the opportunity to emulate your native land more immediately. However, this is my instinct, and my training. Would you perhaps prefer an opportunity to examine both approaches before laying out our plans?"

Helena: I nod, thinking it over. "Yes, I think so. Your idea is appealing. I will bring you notes of those things we hope to accomplish with the event, and what things need to be there, and we can see how those fit with what you propose." I rise and shake her hand. "Thank you very much for calling. I look forward to working with you, and seeing you again next week at this time."

Linna: Linna daintily accepts your offered handshake, adding a curtsy as she does so. "Thank you, Madame Ambassador, for granting me your time. I shall have some preliminary proposals complete by our next meeting." She departs.

Helena: As we establish a working relationship, I would certainly talk with Linna about her impressions of Amber fashion trends -- is the public susceptible to fads and trends or are things more enduring; who are the fashion-setters in Amber, etc. -- and also trends among the Golden Circle nations.

GM: The Golden Circle sees far more variation than Amber. "Orbiting Amber styles," as Linna would put it. In her (slightly biased) opinion, Florimel is the only fashion worth following in Amber. Very cattily, "Fiona has worn the same dress forever, and Llewella shows up half naked to some events and buried in seaweed taffeta to the rest."

Helena: If the topic arises, or I can let slip my admiration of the Lord General from the war, perhaps we can also glean some telling anecdotes about the various royals.

GM: Other than some admiration for the Queen (perhaps with a bit more pity than is entirely proper), and the previous snarks about the Princesses, Linna appears to be fairly distanced from Prince stories... but she does name drop on a few ladies in waiting that might have more of what you're looking for. One in particular, Raya, was apparently Caine's mistress for some time.

Helena: I imagine as we work together more I will learn what I can from listening well.

GM: A fair assessment, and certainly the less blatant course. Looking up old mistresses might be better as a last resort, or at least as a preamble to something more serious than your current designs. *eg*

Helena: Oh, absolutely. I do not intend to go running around Amber sticking my nose in the princes' beds.

I'll spend the next several days working through whatever needs working, continuing to gather trade information, lining up places to send samples (including an extra bottle of Dragon Brandy for the barracks, which I shall take when I next go there). I'll take the case to the King (deliver to the seneschal) as promised. Set about placing preliminary orders to be fulfilled by Jesby for me to have on hand. Hiring staff both local and from Jesby.

GM: Aside from the small opportunity presented by Linna, what might Helena do to avail herself of more local gossip?

Helena: She intends to become a regular at several establishments (restaurants, coffee houses, taverns, what have you) along her walking route between the Embassy and other key locations such as the market, shipyards (for trade), Castle, etc. If there are functionaries in any of these places who are reasonably friendly with her, she will use her need for assistance as leverage in talking to them.

GM: You are able to divine Gerard's favorite restaurants from these folk in fairly short order, and the fact that Caine has been making the rounds of the daughters of various noble vintners for years. Julian apparently has little truck with the market folk, but at least knowing that is something. (More information may come to you later from these business relationships, naturally.)

Helena: This is the kind of thing I'm looking for initially, along with more feel for what people need, what goods businesses would buy if they were more available, what the feeling is about Chaos in general, the Houses (have people ever even heard of "different Houses of Chaos" or are we sort of a monolithic "them" here?), the establishment of the embassy, the peace process, etc. Some of that I will have to get from information gathered by others, obviously.

GM: You are not greeted with any open distrust, even when your origins are made clear. It seems that Amber has been beset by monsters and demonic armies (no relation *g*) for as long as anyone can remember. Perhaps it is a relief (for the folk of Amber City, at least) to have warred with an entity that is politic enough to be defeated, reasoned with, and removed from the list of threats.

Meanwhile, the formless night-terrors continue to haunt your sleep, perhaps doubled in intensity the night after visiting the Ranger barracks, and diminishing slightly each night after. Each night, the symptoms are the same, leaving you sweat-soaked and demon-formed. It becomes easier (more comfortable?) to remain in demon form in the morning until the mental disturbance fully passes, and your business dealings shift to match. The routine becomes contacting Jesby contractors in the morning and local workers in the afternoons, even though the locals you hire are not overly discomforted by your altered states.

In the first few days, you have renovated your quarters on the office level, had the Trumps completed, arranged Jesby workers to remake the loading dock in the ground floor storeroom for the eventual Trump Gate, and hired the start of your mixed staff. Are your rooms furnished in local or Jesby style? Has your dog been sent for, now that your quarters are done? Which staff positions would be filled first, and from where?

Helena: My rooms are furnished in the local styles, and indeed I have Boss here with me. As for staff positions, a secretary, local, is the first requirement, along with engaging a lawyer who can work alongside a Jesby lawyer on contract and conduct issues. I will get recommendations from the Crown's lists and from Florimel's people (at least I will know to whom the information is being fed ;-). A Jesby trade manager with expertise in Amber relations (and with an excellent human form) can be brought in pretty quickly as well.

Security is local from a Crown recommendation, whatever it costs; that I can't leave to chance or bid.

GM: Five graying but sturdy men - most missing a finger or two, and their leader / supervisor missing an eye - come on the Lord General's recommendation, culled from the most trustworthy and able-bodied of retirees from his service.

Julian shows up early one morning, some four days after your visit to the Rangers, clearing the outer office of applicants with just the metaphorical steam from his temper. You are in demon form, at ease in the ground floor manager's office, when he barges in. By this time, you are still interviewing for the Amber-side lawyer, but you have a few promising candidates, and all the other positions seem ably filled.

Julian: "What is this farce?" he demands, gesturing broadly with mailed hands at all you've set up so far.

Helena: I turn to him, standing slow and controlled, and bow slightly. "Prince General. You arrive unexpected. Welcome to the Jesby trade office and embassy to Amber."

Julian: Growled at a most impolitic volume, "Spy haven and pirates' den, more like. Did Benedict's simpering get you all of this, or has Random lost his benighted damned mind?"

Helena: "I could hardly guess how much collaboration there was between the Lord General and His Majesty. I should imagine they both saw some advantage to this venture, or I would not be here."

Julian: The desk fairly groans as Julian slams both mailed hands down on it, getting well into your face. "Well, whore-spawn, I dare say they don't know you like I do!"

Helena: "How is it you know me, Prince General?" I reply quietly, not flinching at all. I meet his gaze, curiosity and interest matching his fury, holding my chin up with just the slightest bit of defiance.

Julian: "I recognize the stink of your thieving kin... hanging around you like a cloud of rot! For you to presume to have anything of interest to me is worse than laughable, and to pretend the same of my less educated brothers is despicable!" One of his hands rises from the desk, balling into a fist, but he resists the urge to lash out thus far.

Helena: I tilt my head and regard him, and sigh sadly. "Prince General, what I bring you is the news that you are my kin. My father. Though this has not be told to others, apparently some know by means I have not determined. I do not know what this will mean for either of us, or for our ability to conduct our own work free of interference or embarrassment. I thought it only meet that I give you this information before it came to you some other way."

Julian: "A homunculus born of scraped skin and mopped sweat has no claim on my lineage!" His balled fist descends sharply, ending the desk's torment by at last breaking it in two. Julian then refers to your mother by a profoundly vulgar phrase derived from 'receptacle for seed' and, ranting rhetorically, "Why didn't I have the bitch dead and burnt before Benedict could claim her body?" He starts to walk away, but turns back sharply, his mailed finger leveled at the space between your eyes. "Speak 'Father' in regards to me once more, and I'll see you rendered into the horrid wax from which you were cast." He's fairly shaking in his rage as he turns to storm out at last.

Helena: "It is my fervent hope that neither of us need hear that phrase again, Prince General." I bow to his retreating back.

GM: Will there be a recovery period after this conversation? Does anything said bear investigation?

Helena: Well, it sounded like Julian is aware of at least a few other attempts by Chaos / Benedict (an interesting juxtaposition in itself, but one hinted at already by the Lord General) to get child by him. Of course we know of at least one other attempt that was successful, much to our recent cost, narrowly averted. If the time ever seems right I may ask Benedict further about my mother, but I might have done so anyway given all that has happened and been said so far.

As for recovering, I shall have Collins obtain a new desk and send the bill for this one to the Prince General's office clerk. I will also send a bottle of the dragon brandy to the barracks, attention the marshall, with the note, "Please accept my apology for putting you in an undoubtedly awkward situation. In future I shall address the Prince General directly or not at all. --Lady Ambassador Helena of Jesby, Lady Helena of Amber."

I continue from there with my work, reporting back and forth between my House and whatever functionaries in Castle Amber have been assigned to liaison with us.

GM: Things appear to be proceeding smoothly thus far, and it seems that the gate will be finished late next week, as much as a day ahead of schedule and completely to specification. Would Helena avail herself of this opportunity to visit home, or is there more she wishes to settle before making the trip?

Helena: Home! I can't possibly miss the chance to go home for a time. Sigh.