Well, I now know a little more of Samiel. He is not merely a soldier, but a well-trained gentleman of Chaos. Some who is, it seems, a credit to his House, Hendrake. It could certainly be argued that he has better table manners than I!
And he seems to be reasonably ... open, too, in his manner. Which is ... not a bad thing. As well as utterly unaware of the value of things in Amber, and basis of a currency that is not based on honour and obligation as, it seems, that of Chaos is. For example, the small gold bars he produced to pay for our meal were sufficient for, not just the meal and that of every patron there, but for a good portion of the restaurant itself, too!
I am not sure whether there is enough between us to ... sustain a relationship in the long term. But there may be, so we shall just have to see.
I must say that I was quite pleased by McGinties, Samiel's choice of eating establishment. Hidden in the midst of an array of stodgy-but-filling menu items - all to reminiscent, in an undesirable fashion, of Verantian meals - were a number of interesting and tasty gems, of which both he and I sampled.
Good.
There were certainly rather a lot of other Hendrakes, or at least Chaosians, in McGinties. Which was rather good, perhaps better than I anticipated. I do, however, wonder why this particular establishment, of all of those in Amber, should be so popular with those of Chaos. Perhaps because one, of them found a liked it, and all of the others have followed the lead of that person?
As a slight element of irrelevant mystery, I wonder who that anomalously old woman in McGinties was? To the naked eye she appeared to be no more than a normal inhabitant of Amber, but to my Aleph sight she was far older, on a par with myself in terms of years. I have asked Cerebaton to keep an eye of her and learn more if he can, but beyond that I simply cannot allow myself to succumb to every distraction that crosses my path. Otherwise I should never achieve anything of relevance to the current situation!
It came as rather a surprise when Werewindle took over Master Tarn for another of his little chats. I had not seen such a thing with my Aleph Sight before, and it could hardly have been more obvious if he had suddenly turned a bright blue! Interesting. Master Tarn's Ideal changing to that of Werewindle. Though I am sure Master Tarn himself will be as unimpressed with the process as he has been previously.
What was equally interesting were the reactions of my companions.
Samiel and Kheryakhet seemed to notice nothing. Elizabeth, on the other hand, clearly did, and equally clearly chose to interpret what she saw as some form of attack on Master Tarn (which, not to put too fine a point on it, it really is).
While she may be the God's enforcer, I might have hoped that she would have shown a little more circumspection than she did, rather than to instantly leap into a metaphorical attack. To attempt, with no success whatsoever, to freeze Master Tarn in place with the Aleph.
At least Werewindle did not attempt to retaliate for this attempted attack, as that might have been, to say the least, unpleasant...
Samiel seemed to content not to respond to what was occurring until he knew more. Which was ... most sensible of him. Kheryakhet, on the other hand, and also, from her point of view, quite sensibly, began to respond to Elizabeth's actions. Fortunately without physical violence, but with the threat to summon more of her (unkillable) kind to stand against him.
By this point I was able, fortunately, to pick my jaw up from the metaphorical floor and stop all of this ... stupidity ... before it spiralled out of control. Tell them that what was happening was not at attack of some kind, but simply a Sarithi making its presence known and felt.
At which point, for a mercy, things rather calmed down.
Werewindle explained itself and informed us that the Parents were closer than anticipated. Perhaps arriving in Amber within the day. Accelerating the gathering of Spikards and Sarithi to decide our fate and future.
This was unexpected news, to say the least.
Especially when I questioned exactly who would be deciding our fate and future.
Werewindle told me that I would be one of those so 'blessed'. Not for my skills or merits, but because I have a mysterious link to some equally mysterious entity he named as 'The Tony'.
What that may mean I do not, at present, know. Werewindle claimed that all would be made clear later. I most certainly hope so...
One thing which did some out of the little confrontation with Werewindle was some insight into Kheryakhet's powers. She claimed that the basis of her unkillability was her link to a 'Basil Hallward painting', like that of an individual named Dorian Gray.
I vaguely recall hearing of such on Princess Florimel's shadow, Earth. Dorian Gray was linked to his portrait in some fashion, so that it aged and suffered for him. I can certainly see how such a link might indeed make Kheryakhet and her ilk unkillable by conventional means. I wonder if they suffer any of the negative effects such a link brought to Dorian Gray himself?
Such a link being, I should imagine, Aleph-based, I wonder whether I could detect, and perhaps manipulate, it? I do not know, and I imagine it would, in any case, be well-protected. But still, it might be useful. Just in case...
With matters accelerating as they now seem to be, perhaps I should accelerate my own agenda, too.
In particular, I should think I should speak to Gabrielle as soon as is practical and attempt to assay the Pattern before the arrival of the Parents and the decision on the fate on the universe. It may help our chances if the Pattern comes to know what I now do. It may not. But I hope it will, and not harm them...
I must say that having Master Tarn attach himself to me as my bodyguard and protector was mildly vexing, but hardly too objectionable. Now that he is subject to possession by Werewindle at no notice, his presence has definitely swung more towards the objectionable end of the scale.
With the addition of Elizabeth - enforcer and perhaps spy - and Kheryakhet, likewise, the presence of so many hangers-on has really become very vexatious. Irritating and confining. Almost claustrophobic.
I am free of them for the moment, but what I may do in the meantime, and how long that time will last, well, we shall see...
And how to prepare for the forthcoming meeting? How to both define and defend the position I shall take there?
Despite the actions of the my father, I believe I shall, based on what I now know, be siding with and attempting to defend the status quo. The current form of the universe. Defending diversity and the many advantages that come with it against the narrowing and specialisation of the old form of the universe. How its current state seems, to me, to better express the Potential inherent in the Parents - all of the Potential - than, from what I know of it, was the case in the previous state of the universe.
Let us hope this argument plays as well with the other people involved as it does to myself...