Well, that was a waste of time, to put it mildly, and in more than one sense of the phrase.
I (as did the others) went through to wherever Simon ended up after he walked the Pattern (I must do that myself, soon) in the hope of rescuing Fiona and Martin, who were allegedly caged up somewhere.
Well, we found a (well defended) cage.
With people who looked like Fiona and Martin inside. Until we started trying to get them out, that is, when the prisoners turned in Azaria and a white-haired man (Mandor, shapeshifted?) who used some spider black power to defend themselves, then plinked away, leaving us ten three-headed devil-dogs to slaughter.
We obliged in this, and with no other clues to keep us there, returned to Amber.
Where it was interesting to see more of, and good to meet Willhelm again. But not to discover it was almost a day since we had left! I know I was intending to be late for my meeting with Llewella, but not quite as late as that!
I let myself be led to the meeting with Rune and the others who hadn't gone on our little rescue mission while I considered what to do next. Fortunately it wasn't far away.
But there was nothing to hold me there. Only Willhelm and Rune were really involved, and I know so little of military matters anyway that I may as well not have been present, apart, perhaps to suggest Sergeant Aximar to them for promotion.
So I left, to go and have my long-overdue talk with Llewella. Tobias commented, accurately, on its at least making her realise I'm not at her back and call. True. But...
I suppose there are those who could consider this a disloyal act, walking out on the king and all. But on the other hand I never swore loyalty to him, or anyone. Nor am I likely to until I know a lot more of this place than the Pattern room, this room, the great hall and a few corridors.
Anyway, here we go...
But I still wonder what that whole scene in the cage which Azaria set up was meant to achieve? Other than making us waste time on a futile pursuit, that is. And hear Orm threatened. Perhaps those are all the reasons, and she hoped to delay more of us there, but in that case why not just let underlings do the dangerous job of sitting in the cage?
Perhaps she really is mad, madder than she first appeared to be. Pity. I suite liked her when we first met. Not that I let sentiment stop me trying to kill her when her identity was revealed.
But nonetheless, a definite pity.