Winds That Will Be — Aedan's Journal
"Till Death Take Him, or the World End"
Aedan's Journal. Session 3-31-01.
© 2001 Todd Worrell
I was unsure just how far to play the dutiful son, but I presented myself at Deirdre's door and knocked. Her servant let me in. The sitting room was cluttered with bouquets of flowers, wrapped packages, and cards welcoming her back. The servant led me back to the bedroom.
Mother was wearing a black silk slip and rummaging through her closet. As I entered the room, she emerged from the closet holding a long, black, formal dress. She tossed it on the bed next to the four other long, black, formal dresses.
"Aedan," she acknowledged my presence and waited for me to speak.
"Mother," I said, "I am here in my unofficial capacity as your son. Would you like an escort to the coronation?"
"Yes, that would be nice. In an hour, perhaps?"
"Certainly." I didn't turn and leave, so she gestured for me to continue speaking. "I would like to get to know you better, mother. I realize, however, that we don't have the time to become better acquainted before we are expected to act as such in public. So, I think it best if we appear familiar with each other in public."
"Why?"
"This place has changed some since you've been here. I hope that my presence at your side would allow you the time to learn some of the ins and outs while dissuading the leeches from attaching themselves to you."
"That is kind of you," she said. "I don't feel that I need protection from the leeches, as you called them, but your presence at my side would be nice."
"Excellent. I shall do my best to be available to you when you wish."
"Thank you." She bent and picked up one of the black dresses. She held it in front of herself and turned to regard her image in a full-length mirror. "I hate to give you this errand, but I think you're the best man for it."
I waited. She put the dress down and looked me right in the eye.
"Tell Corwin to stay out of my way."
"Certainly," I said. I had heard the rumors of Corwin's misplaced feelings for my mother, but I had always discounted them. Corwin himself had treated me well, especially before he had become sober. He had never said a bad word about Deirdre, nor implied that he cared for her as anything other than a sister. Now I wasn't so sure.
Deirdre picked up another dress and turned her back to me. I bowed and left.
It was a few minutes past noon, so the North lawn would be open to guests. There were perhaps forty people milling around. The sun was shining down. Corwin was in a crowd of Begman delegates toward the gardens. I walked near to him, caught his eye, and waited. After a minute, he walked over to me.
"Can we talk?" I asked him.
"Sure." He led me away from the crowds until we were shielded by the hedge bordering the Eastern Garden. "If no one sees us, they won't bother us," he explained.
"My mother asked me to tell you something," I said.
"Yeah, right."
"She said to tell you to stay out of her way."
"That's very funny Aedan." Corwin wasn't laughing.
"I'm serious," I told him.
"What, did you have a dream?"
"Corwin—"
"Look, Aedan," he gritted his teeth at me, "I'm in no mood for this, okay."
"She told me to tell you, so I'm telling—"
"You and your silly games." Corwin turned to go. I grabbed his sleeve.
"Just stay away from her when she arrives, okay? I don't know what there is between you two, but now is not the time for a scene."
He stared at my hand, still clutching his jacket. I released it. His jaw clenched and he leaned very close to me.
"I thought we were friends," Corwin whispered, "but if you don't apologize to me right now I will cause a scene, understand?"
"Corw—"
"Do. You. Under. Stand?" He bit off the words, spitting in my face. I had a terrible thought.
"No one told you…?" He pulled back and looked at me as if he were deciding exactly how hard he wanted to hit me. "She's returned, from the Abyss. Deirdre is—"
"Don't fuck with me!" He lifted me by the lapels of my jacket.
"Go check for yourself!" I said. "Ask anyone."
He threw me into the hedge and stomped off. I extricated myself as he stormed toward the palace. It seemed incredible, but it was true. No one had told Corwin.
Gregory and Magni strolled over with big grins on their faces, chatting idly about shrubbery. I pretended it didn't bother me, but I was in a stabbing mood and they were both acting like targets. I just smiled and listened to Magni convince Gregory to wear Julian's white armor at the ceremony. Gregory agreed.
"It's time," he said and left to suit up.
After some impolite conversation, Magni and I waded back into the social fray. We had schmoozed for a half-hour when servants began moving the arched trellis from the lawn to the balcony off of the Great Hall. Flora was directing things, apparently at Gerard's request. Raj told me that it was for security measures. Squads of servants were moving the rows of chairs.
I was suspicious, but a spell directed around the architecture helped calm my fears. I needed somewhere to expend my energy. Maybe my spell was a bit unnecessary, but it helped me feel better. There were a few hundred people around now, including Llewella's daughter. Raj and Magni were competing for her attention. At least one hour had passed, so I went inside. My timing was perfect.
Deirdre appeared at the top of the staircase. She looked phenomenally gorgeous in an ankle-length, midnight black, short-sleeve dress set off by a simple, liquid silver belt. The dress was cut low enough in front to reveal her crescent and sapphire necklace. Her hair was gathered with an elaborate clip. Long gloves adorned with silver bracelets and a sapphire ring completed the ensemble. She glided slowly down the stairs. I offered her my arm and she placed her arm though mine.
"You look overwhelmingly beautiful," I told her. She smiled demurely.
"Thank you, son." She brushed a spare chunk of hedge from my hair and looked me over for more. She straightened my jacket.
"Shall we?" I asked.
We walked down to the Great Hall and out onto the balcony. An astonished hush fell over the crowd, then a smattering of applause which grew to a roar. I stepped back and Deirdre curtseyed.
It was quite an entrance.
* * *
I made the rounds with my mother, introducing her to my acquaintances and being introduced to her old friends. Everyone wanted to see her, to talk to her, to convince themselves that she was real. People reached out to touch her arm. She let them. For an hour we were center of attention, the very picture of a family enjoying themselves. Surrounded by friends and well-wishers, we could forget about death and upheaval for a while and simply live happily.
It couldn't last forever. I excused myself and went to seek out Corwin. His servant Heg answered my knock.
"This is not the best time," Heg said.
"I know." I pushed my way past him into the room.
Corwin was sitting at a desk writing. I stood near him until he noticed me.
"The ceremony is scheduled to begin shortly," I said.
"I lost track of time." Corwin finished writing. He sanded the letter, shook it off, and folded it. A drop of wax and a seal saw the letter handed to the servant.
"I'll be down shortly," Corwin said.
"I'll wait."
He looked coldly at me.
"Didn't I just say I would be there?"
"Yes, but I haven't had the opportunity to apologize."
He sat back in his chair and gestured for me to speak.
"Uncle, I am sorry. My behavior was thoughtless and poorly timed. Personally, I did not know that no one had told you." There is no such thing as a valid excuse.
A moment passed. Corwin eyed me carefully.
"I believe you," he said. He stood, took his jacket from his servant, and walked to the door. "Let's go."
* * *
We made it in time for Martin's ceremony. The family was lining up on the balcony. An armored Gregory loomed protectively behind Martin. I stood next to Deirdre, just to Gregory's left. Next to her were Gabriel and Brand. Further off to the left was where I had gotten lost in the Balcony Wood and ended up in the Fey realms.
On the other side of Gregory were Bleys, Flora, and Gerard. Corwin stood outside of them. In the center and three steps forward under the trellis, Martin stood in his dove-gray robe with two guardsmen and the High Priest.
Below the balcony, the crowd was seated. In the front row, I saw Raj and Rowena. Magni was nowhere to be seen.
It was a tremendously solemn ceremony, although boring might be a better word for it. A lesser priest read some passages from the Book of the Unicorn. The High Priest recited a regal-sounding litany. Martin repeated it. Flora came forward with the scepter and said something about ruling well. Gerard presented the High Priest with the crown as he spoke the traditional lines about wisdom.
Two teenagers presented Martin with the royal robes. The lesser priest led everyone in a prayer.
The High Priest crowned Martin and we beheld our undoubted king.
A great cheer went up from the populace. That was it. A herald announced that invited guests were welcome to be seated in the Great Hall for dinner. Everyone else had to leave.
It didn't really compare to the life and death spectacle of Merlin's coronation in the Courts. I half-heartedly looked around for someplace out of which a huge serpent could slither. The ocean was the only likely spot, but it remained mythological creature-free the entire time.
As we milled about, I sought out Flora. She informed me that the only entertainment on the schedule was live music and dancing after dinner. That wasn't enough, I thought. We should have had one-armed men juggling fire, or women standing on each other's heads, or something. There was a small commotion as Queen Vialle came in through the far double doors. Martin ran over and hugged her. He made arrangements to have her seated next to him.
Everyone was seated. An eight-piece orchestra filled the background with pleasant, forgettable music. I was seated at the cousin's table, along with Gabriel, Gregory, and Raj. Raj made a little show of seating Rowena in the seat that had Magni's name card in front of it. Long, tall, and cranky himself still hadn't put in an appearance.
Before the food arrived, Brand stood and walked over to Martin. He knelt and kissed Martin's ring. They spoke a few words to each other, although not loudly enough for me to hear over the music. Brand nodded and left the hall.
Time passed. Food appeared and disappeared. It was delicious.
* * *
Gabriel left the table after the main course had been served. He went out into the hall and was gone for several minutes. Magni came in and went to speak with King Martin. He bent over and whispered in Martin's ear. It couldn't be good news.
I went out into the hallway as Magni did. He saw me and waited for me to approach.
"You should see this," he said. He had dark circles under his eyes.
He took me into one of the near sitting rooms. Two guards stood at either side of the door. They let us pass. Inside the room was a body under a tarp. Magni lifted the edge of the tarp.
It was Benedict. He was definitely dead.
Magni told me the particulars. It looked like suicide, with an entry wound under the chin. There was no exit wound.
"The bullet was low caliber," Magni explained, "so it just bounced around inside his skull."
He had left the gun at the scene of the crime, most of the way up Kolvir. Gabriel knew, and Martin knew, he told me. Everybody else would know soon enough.
"I couldn't stop him," Magni said. "I had been talking to him for a few days, but nothing made a difference."
I was wrong about Martin's coronation being boring after all, but this was the kind of excitement I would prefer to do without.
When we left the room, a servant approached us and said that the family was gathering for a private ceremony in the Throne Room. So we made our way there. From the Great Hall I could hear the music changing to an up tempo tune. I glanced in the door and saw that people were dancing. It seemed wrong, somehow, and part of me wanted to shout at them. Another relative was dead.
The Throne Room was full of my cousins and elders. Martin and Flora stood at the center of the ring of faces. Bleys handed Magni and I glasses of wine as we joined the circle.
"We don't have a long tradition of how this is done," Flora said. There was nervous laughter.
"However, we do have a new King. Martin has broad support among the populace, and, better yet," she looked at Bleys, "he knows he needs to listen to us."
Gregory raised his glass.
"A toast, to His Majesty, Martin the First of Amber!"
We all drank.
"Thank you," Martin said. There was an uncomfortable pause and even Flora seemed confused as to what was supposed to happen next.
I stepped forward and knelt in front of Martin. I held out my hand. He took it in both of his.
"I, Aedan, son of Deirdre, do hereby swear fealty to Martin, King of Amber. I will serve him in body, mind, and soul, for as long as he may reign, till death take him, or the world end. So say I, Aedan of Amber."
Others swore fealty then: Flora, Raj, Gerard, and Gregory. Bleys knelt, but his words were different than the rest of ours.
"I, Bleys, General of Amber's Expeditionary Forces, offer you, Martin, my support."
It wasn't an oath of fealty. I vowed to remember that. It was yet another reason to suspect Bleys of base intentions.
Corwin swore fealty, and added a fervent hope that Martin would carry on Random's great work as king.
Gabriel said that his abilities were at Martin's command. He didn't mention fealty, or royal obligation or swear an oath of any kind. It was a dangerous thing to omit.
Deirdre swore fealty last. She added her sincere wishes that his reign be a great one. I was very proud of her.
Martin accepted our oaths with a kingly mien. He seemed to have aged a hundred years since I had seen him the day before.
"Oh," he smiled. "For my part, I do swear fealty to this land, this place, and all it represents. I pledge my life to ruling it well."
It looked for a moment like he was going to say more, but he didn't.
"This is the part where you party, everyone." Flora said lightly. We laughed and left the room.
Gregory mentioned that he had seen Gabriel, Magni, and I fretting over something. So I took him to the sitting room and showed him Benedict's corpse.
"Holy shit!" Gregory collapsed on a chair, his head in his hands.
Gabriel, Raj, and Flora came in then. Flora took charge, casting a few spells over the body. I called up my lens and observed. For several minutes, we all watched in tense silence.
"I can't detect any sort of compulsion," she said.
Magni arrived and was bombarded with questions. He told us where he had found the body.
"It was on the shoulder of Kolvir. I believe this was a choice Benedict made."
"I didn't know he had that sort of fatalism about him," Gregory was still in shock.
"He did," Magni sighed.
He agreed to take us to the scene of the shooting. With a faint sound of a violin quartet chord, he cast a spell and I was high above the castle. The sun was setting over the slope of the mountain, shading the snow pink and orange where it wasn't blood red.
Magni, Raj, and Gregory were there also. There were marks in the snow where Benedict's body had lain. Near that spot sat a rifle and a pistol. I also saw marks in the snow going up the mountain. We were perhaps thirty feet from the summit.
Magni saw my look of curiosity.
"I climbed around up there, looking for clues," he said. I knew he was lying, but I decided against mentioning that in front of everyone. From the angle and depth of the footsteps, Magni had carried Benedict's body down from the summit.
Next to me, Gregory was reaching for the rifle.
"Don't touch that!" I said, but it was too late. Gregory picked up the rifle and was putting his psychic fingerprints all over it. I carefully lifted the pistol with a thick twig that was lying on the ground. I put it into a bag Raj held without touching it.
Why was a twig up here? We were hundreds of feet above the tree line. I put the twig in my belt pouch. My cousins walked around a bit, further obscuring any clues we might have found. It was getting dark.
Raj trumped Flora and we returned to the sitting room. Gerard was there, engaged in trump conversation in the corner. Flora told us that she hadn't learned anything yet, and my cousins left. I stayed behind until we were alone in the room with Gerard. He finished giving orders to someone and came over to us.
"Were you able to detect any traces of Logrus use?" I asked Flora.
"No."
"Excluding his own?" I said.
"What?" Gerard exclaimed.
"He was very old," Flora said, as if that explained it. Gerard shook his head and left.
"May I be of any assistance, aunt?" I offered. She rubbed her forehead wearily and sighed.
"Not that I can think of. If I need you, I'll send for you."
"I'll be in the castle."
"Very well."
I took her hand in mine then and held it a moment.
"I'm sorry," I said.
She nodded wordlessly at me. I released her hand, and left.
The music from the Great Hall was significantly louder now. I stepped in and saw Martin dancing with Vialle. He had on the chain of office, but the crown and scepter were nowhere in sight.
I walked around the circuit of the room and went outside on the balcony. Perhaps a half-dozen guests were there. I went to the balustrade and stared up at the night sky for a long time.
I went inside and danced. There was nothing else to do.
* * *
<previous Aedan's Journal next>