If these Hendrakes are, as a group, so upstanding, so loyal to Chaos, it does make me wonder precisely why their leader is so eager to make an alliance with Amber. It certainly seems that Chaos is not a unified ... nation. And certainly the letter Darien was carrying indicates that there is something requiring them to need us more than anyone from Chaos. I wonder what.
I hope that Tamora's situation is not what Darien suggested it could be, That she is not someone's - Mandor's - puppet. Slave. That that is not why she was so prepared to die, because she did not get to choose at all but was controlled by someone who was not risking anything.
Perhaps that is why Darien has never heard of her house. Because it does not exist, and Tamora is entirely a lie that Mandor (or whoever) used to play on my ignorance. But a lie created to what end, though? Simply to lure me into some trap? But if so, why?
And Darien says she could be bound into slavery because she is a demon. Does that mean that all shapeshifters - including me - can be bound in this manner? Death would perhaps be preferable if that were so. Being enslaved once in a lifetime is more than enough, I would say. But Darien's words implied some distinction between shapeshifters and whatever he thinks Tamora may be. I simply know too little of the topic to judge at present.
No-one else here seems to know anything of this disease Tamora mentioned. Perhaps she is deceived regarding it, too, as she seems to be on so many other matters.
I knew all this talk of the king of Chaos reminded me of something! A King Swayvil was mentioned by Fiona on the battlefield by Chaos once things had essentially finished there. This tends to confirm what Darien and Rankin have said regarding who is king in Chaos, and to make Tamora's tale even less substantial than it was.
Darien does not look terribly happy at the moment, which does not bode terribly well for this embryonic agreement with his house. He has been receiving considerably more abuse than I, at least, think is presently required. Yes, he made a mistake in playing with those Trumps, but given the circumstances I think he can hardly be blamed for that. Perhaps I am biased - he has not projected his sincerity at the others as he did to me - but I do not think so. However, his blowing his top and storming off is going to do no-one any good. Not that that will stop him...
Perhaps I was closer to the truth with my opinion of him as easily manipulatable than I thought. If most of Chaos is like this, I cannot help but imagine that most of the manipulatable types are simply not let out without 'handlers', who can manipulate them into avoiding trouble of exactly this nature.