What deal did father make to use the Tessaract when he visited me? I saw something which could only have been the Serpent of Chaos behind him when he stepped back through the Tessaract. Was he dealing with it to visit me? And what might it charge him? Perhaps I should ask one of the Chaosites here in Amber...
I learnt quite a lot from our visit to the Tessaract regarding the different aspects of the power of Trump. Ideal, location, and so on. But the question is: how do these aspects interrelate? Cerebaton and I have some ideas on that front, and he is conducting some research which may shad some light on matters.
We shall just have too what comes of it...
And, unexpectedly, Cerebaton began calling me by name rather than 'mother'! I was more than a little surprised by this. Apparently, now that he has developed further - aided by my enhancements of him capabilities, no doubt - he sees himself as more my equal, and who is to say that he is not. Thus he saw this an appropriate time to change his form of address of me. But still, I feel that he should call me 'mother', not Circaea, and I hope that I have convinced him of this.
Then it was off to the morning meeting. So much for my plans to arrive on time! But I think I had good reason to be late. A pity the Rinaldo's plan, when I put it before the rest of the family, was not taken more ... seriously ... than it was, but some of the other plans did seem much more ... immediate. Khelladon's gating of monsters into Arden to fight the DarkWalkers there, for example. This was effective, but I do question the wisdom of using the meeting room in Amber as a waypoint on his monster-transportation system.
But still. It was rather vexing. Especially as some of the Family seemed to having great difficulty understanding what I meant. I do not think it was very complex. But some, Venus and Blue in particular, were concerned about its throwing all foreigners out of Amber, which seemed rather strange given that I had explained the limited - and controllable - area of effect of Rinaldo's plan. Let us hope that they will understand when the plan is put into action...
And Khelladon's gates had a side-effect. He and those assisting him found another Amberite, a young man by the name of Vago. The son of Prince Martin, it seems. I cannot think this is not a good time for a new Amberite to appear in Amber, but I imagine one cannot choose when these things occur.
I might have paid more attention to him, but, really, there were far more important matters occurring than the arrival of another Amberite.
I was more than a little surprised when Anubis contacted me regarding the Tessaract. Apparently he had had some kind of vision regarding it, which was quite surprising in its own right. I saw no reason not to inform him of what we had found, and did so. I really should remember to pass on a Trump of the Tessaract to him when the opportunity arises.
Also, if he is willing to teach Cerebaton a little of the God's own form of Trump, then that would also be most useful. Particularly if it something I, myself, can learn too.
Then came the news - the realisation, perhaps - of the DarkWalker's insect spies in Amber. I wonder if my specimen will be of use? I hope so. But I cannot at all fault Hades for killing them all. Especially after one of them was used to open an attacking gate into Amber. I wonder how long it would have been, had Hades not done what he did, before they were all used to begin an invasion of Amber?
The one gate which was opened was trouble enough, though fortunately Lord Casta was able to close it before anything came though. Though the news he brought, having done so, of a dark God assisting on the other side was not encouraging.
I admit that I felt rather ... redundant ... during the attack. Unsure of what to do beyond stand ready for action, with a prepared gate to Trump away any attackers. This was not a good feeling. And hopefully on which will not occur too often in the future...
Unbeknownst to me, Princess Gabriel had noticed my rapid production of a Trump of the Tessaract for Anubis, and approached me regarding lessons that would enable her to do the same. I agreed to do so, in return for lessons from her in the safe walking of the Pattern, which seemed, to me, an equitable exchange.
However, when I mentioned my objections to walking the Pattern only when supervised, Gabriel explained that everyone who walks the Pattern is monitored, but that it was simply made more explicit for me, I was, again, rather vexed. Primarily with myself, for falling for such a ... deception. I shall have to be careful to avoid such in the future.
But still, in a day or two, we shall each have the opportunity to see what we shall learn from the other...
And with the meeting seemingly complete, I went to talk to my brother. Not unreasonably, he was initially disbelieving of my tale of having met father. But I think I was able to convince him that I was not simply feverish or mad.
In the course of this, the talk turned, not unexpectedly, to time travel. Apparently Rinaldo has investigated such in the past, in the hope of saving father, but has been unable to do what he would wish, partly for fear of erasing himself from history in doing so. I cannot say that I blame him for being cautious in this! However, this caused him to give up rather too easily in my book. I immediately saw potential applications for what he had learnt, even within the constraints he listed.
For one thing, probes into the past. Not to interfere with past events, but simply to observe them. Who knows what might be learnt from such? One might hope a great deal. For example, investigating mother's murder...
It was then time to deal with another of Anubis' revelations. The impending destruction of the home of Rinaldo's mother, the Keep of the Four Worlds. Fortunately, he had a plan to call her away by deception, and then place her into stasis for ... long enough. This plan we proceeded to execute.
En route to Rinaldo's trap for Jasra, I had an opportunity to visit the Pattern room. Most interesting, particularly the elemental representations in each corner. I was slightly miffed at Flora's arrival to ensure no unauthorised Pattern walks took place, but I am becoming used to such things. And so off into shadow we went, Rinaldo Trumping me once he had arrived at his trap shadow.
Although rather more ... devious ... than I prefer, it proved effective, and hopefully Jasra will survive the coming storm. Whether she will ever forgive us for so deceiving her will be, from what I gather, a very different matter.
But if the Keep can also be booby-trapped against its destroyers, then perhaps its fall may even serve some good. Though I imagine Jasra may not see it that way...
Upon returning to Amber another trick of father's delivered educational tomes to myself and Rinaldo - a magical construct in the form of a servant, which had been waiting for us for two hundred years. I cannot help but wonder what else of his lies concealed in Amber's public spaces, awaiting activation? I do not know. But I would certainly be interested in finding out...
But with tomes to be read, Rinaldo and I retired to the Castle Library to digest their contents. Most interesting. My book contained a number of useful insights into the power of Trump, while Rinaldo's seems similar, but relating to Pattern. Particularly the use of the Pattern in the creation of Trump-gate-like holes through shadow.
It was during this time that I became aware, via Cerebaton, of the existence of an overall flow of shadow out from the various Patterns and Broken Patterns which exist here and there, a pressure that moves everything out from these points of creation. I wonder ... could the stemming of these flows, and the reduction of the pressure which holds shadow together, be one of the symptoms described for the Fague Blight? Perhaps without the pressure of these outflows, shadows would separate and drift. Definitely a subject for further research...
Even more enlightening, as part of his investigations of these flows, Cerebaton discovered ancient fire-based Broken Patterns, all of them hidden here and there through shadow. These contrast to the more recent Broken Patterns which derive from father's actions at Patternfall. The implication being, of course, that the Primal Pattern has (or had) a fourth reflection, based on fire, and, by a process of logical deduction, deep under Amber. However, the further implication is that only it was damaged before, rather than the Primal Pattern, and whatever it was that was done, it has rendered the Fire Pattern inaccessible, and impossible for Cerebaton to scan.
While I was pondering this information - and the books father gave me - I was informed by Cerebaton of a phoenix moving towards him through shadow. This quickly proved to be Venus', an entity named Pandora, presumably the phoenix she revealed in the trial battle against the DarkWalkers, and which I had assumed was merely a spell, rather than a creature in its own right.
It, at Venus' urging, was attempting to prevent Cerebaton's spying (well, there is no nicer word for it) on Bleys, to provide him protection from this impending threat. Strangely enough, neither myself or Venus were willing to trust the other enough to wish to desist from said spying. However, we were able to resolve this disagreement by talking to Bleys himself, who insisted only on confidentiality regarding anything which might be seen while spying. This I was happy to agree to, despite Bleys' rather unnecessary threats to myself regarding the destruction of Cerebaton should anything we saw leak out to the Family at large. So, although I suspect Pandora would have been unable to even enter Cerebaton's shadow, I am glad that we did not have to test that supposition and were able to come to an amicable settlement.
Still, it would have been ... interesting to know what Bleys and Venus were talking about while he was blocking Cerebaton's perceptions...
Lydia was her usual competent self and was able to find out a little more regarding the Fire Pattern. Not too much however - a good deal of the information regarding it seems to be kept under lock and key.
And with the secret information were Princess Revelie and Prince Caine (not dead after all, I am afraid, Rinaldo). I assumed that, being a sister of Oberon and presumably quite old, Revelie might know of ancient times, DarkWalkers, Fire Patterns, Princess Havoc and similar topics (not that Princess Havoc is really relevant to the current situation, but am still curious regarding her connection to shadow Ensilarum).
Alas, such was not the case. Either Revelie is actually quite young, or she has led a very secluded life somewhere until recently. But she does seem very different to the other Elders. More human, perhaps? Less hardened by bitter experience? Rather melancholy? I could not help but be rather impressed by her, and wonder why she is that way?
But regardless of her emotional state, she did produce the insight that we do not actually know why the DarkWalkers (or rather, their masters) are attacking Amber. What was Amber's ancient offence to them? The breaking of the Fire Pattern? Father's actions? The drawing of the Patterns? At present we do not know.
But still, we agreed that this was an insight worth sharing as soon as possible and, returning to the meeting (or rather, the new meeting which had begun in our absence), did so.
Hopefully this has triggered useful thoughts in a few craniums here and there...
In the course of all this, I seem to have acquired an appointment for dinner with Prince Caine this evening. This was rather unexpected, to say the least. I wonder what his intentions are? From what I know of him, strictly honourable is not the first suggestion to spring to mind.
Still, he is rather handsome, and charming, so one hopes dinner will not be too much of a trial. We shall, I suppose, just have to see...
It was at this point that I spoke to Quinton of Sapphire, the realm behind Amber's Pattern, regarding their wishing a guide to Amber. I volunteered for this task, for a little while at least. It seemed only fair to do so, after Quinton agreed to attempt to secure Rinaldo and myself access to father who, it seems, still lives, in Imperial Chaos, the equivalent of the Courts in their universe.
I both look forward to such a meeting, but also rather dread what I may find if it takes place. Whether father has changed as much as has been implied. But I must go regardless. I wish to see him!
Then came the true revelation of the day so far. Eric and Osric were bickering, and in the course of this Osric let slip (how deliberately, I do not know) that Eric killed my mother, and Bleys took advantage of the state into which this threw father.
So. Eric. How unexpected.
And to a lowly 'child' such as myself, of course, the mighty Eric does not deign to justify himself. Even though it would not be hard for him to do so, or lie, or indeed to deny everything. At least Bleys had the good grace to look rather shame-faced about the whole thing!
Apparently Eric wishes everyone to consider him responsible for the majority of the events which made up the Patternfall War, being, presumably, too high and mighty to be worried regarding any actions this revelation might prompt people into attempting.
Well, when the universe is less threatened, we shall see about that, Prince Eric.
The arrogance of the man is appalling! I am quite glad he did not last very long as King of Amber, as, based on his attitude today, he would have driven to Kingdom to disaster quite quickly had he remained upon the throne.
And at least I seem, for now, to have won our verbal sparring match, with nothing but logic and manners. And a little help from the King. We shall see what transpires in the future however, as I imagine Eric shall not forget this, as I shall not...