MightierThanTheSword

From IMiA

"Shopping was pleasant enough, I trust?" Phillip inquires as he selects a blade.

"Pleasant enough," Patrice replies. She waits to determine which blade Phillip chooses before picking one for herself, as Phillip knows is her custom.

Phillip eventually chooses a light rapier. When not practicing, he prefers a saber.

"Has Juliana mentioned the artist girl to you?"

"Yes, she did. She's quite worried about the poor thing." Patrice also selects a light blade. "She apparently sent one of her people to look into her disappearance."

He produces a note and hands it to her.

Phil,

You haven't heard anything about anyone selling women out of Southside, have you?  There is this young woman who has just up and disappeared, and her landlord was killed... I'm worried for her.  I hope I am creating monsters in my head, but we've both been around enough to know it happens.  Not here, never here, I would have sworn - but we can't presume anything anymore, can we?

Also, James got word Gavin has men working in town.  I have my suspicions.  I'm trying to find out more.  (I presume you'll burn this in that lovely, heated, flaming, melting way of yours, darling.)  Do you think he really thinks he can take a crimelord out by himself? That was my first thought, but my second thought is I'm the only witness left against him, and vice-versa, of course.

I'm going to sleep until my body says it's time to wake... unless you wake my body up.

Always,  Jules.

Patrice reads it, frowns, and looks back up at Phillip.

"Well. She is interested." Patrice says as she hands the note back to Phillip. "Do you think there's a connection with Gavin? That really could make things complicated."

The note bursts into flame and is gone.

Patrice arches her perfect eyebrows at Phillip, as if to say _flashiness does not impress, dear brother_.

Phillip shrugs.

"Gavin's minions appear to have hire some of the thugs who were rfesponsible for the initial robberies. I do not yet know whether it was his interest that alerted the Scholar to her existence. His interest does make it complicated."

Phillip frowns. "Her home was broken into by agents of the Scholar. Her landlord sought to defend her and was killed. She managed to escape the initial attack and fled out the window, injuring one of the attackers in the process. It appears she was pursued. interestingly, her pursuers met rather grisly ends."

"Given the Scholar's interest in Juliana ... that bodes ill for us, that he went after her. The girl, though ..." Patrice trails off. "Either she has some talent, or a magical protector. Perhaps a spell on her, if not a person or a creature. But this certainly matches your profile of strange things to look out for, either way."

"Indeed. It may simply be coincidence that Prince Edmund's ghost was allegedly seen in that area at about that time. There may be nothing more than rumor to that, however."

"You don't think ... no. Not with the resemblance to Juliana. Unless she was also ... No." The last word is drawn out too long. Patrice stares off into space for a moment, as she sometimes does when she's thinking very hard and very fast. "But it would explain a lot. Especially with all those nasty rumors about Corwin's infatuation with Deirdre."

Phillip arches an eyebrow clearly interested in where patrice is going with this line of thought. "Please, continue."

Patrice hesitates a moment before spitting it out. "If Juliana and this girl were ... somehow related to the royal family. Really related, not just the sort of nasty gossip people put around." Patrice finds something rather interesting to examine in the hilt of her blade.

"Congratulations," Phillip says. "That is the single most disturbing thing I have heard suggested in some time-and this is Carnival when the city is abuzz with most disturbing suggestions." He sighs. 'Let us all hope the explantion is other than that."

"It's only news to you because you never had to dance with the grabby old bastard," Patrice mutters half-under her breath. She looks back up at Phillip and glares at him for a moment. "An *octopus*," she says vehemently, and then drops her gaze again for a moment.

Phillip frowns.

When she meets Phillip's gaze again, she has composed herself. "I agree. Let us hope it is something else."

Patrice moves to take up her place for the first pass with Phillip. "I suppose this means you don't know where she is."

"I set Carl Grackle to watching over her shortly before the incident at Wesson's Pub. I await news from his agents."

Patrice raises her blade to en garde. "All right. I assume your people know Juliana's man James. The last thing we need is your men and hers to get crossways. And you two won't be the only ones watching for the girl, most likely."

"I believe the Grackle may know everyone," Phillip grins. "And yes, you are correct, there are Merrick's men as well as the Scholars to be wary of to say nothing of the Watch."

Phillip raises his rapier in a salute.

Patrice moves to the attack, letting Phillip beat her back without much effort on his part. "Can't have the Watch upset, no. Particularly not if the Captain himself has been looking for the girl. Juliana says he was the subject of a less-than-flattering portrait by your young friend."

"I spoke with the Watch the day I met her. They should not hassle her should she return to the Merchant Quarter. Captain Dane, of course, is in no condition to trouble her. Though the public is unaware of this, he was one of the victims of that unfortunate business at Wesson's Pub. I am still uncertain if he will survive. At least he got the patrons out before they were all killed."

Patrice grows more aggressive, and forces Phillip to give a bit of ground. "What exactly happened at Wesson's Pub, Phillip? You weren't exactly forthcoming before."

"A group of sorcerers worked magicks without being trained or practised in working together. that would have been disastrous enough, but they were facing something more powerful than one can easily imagine," Phillip frowns and repositions himself. "Their spells interacted badly and there was a great deal of destruction and serious injuries. As a result of this, many of them were caught in the workings of the spell. So too was Juliana though she had not been present at the pub."

Faced with Phillip's new, more aggressive stance, Patrice gives ground again.

"I think you've forgotten how vivid my imagination is. But how did Juliana become caught up in this ill-wrought mess of spells? I don't recall you mentioning her having any ability in the arcane arts."

"She does not," Phillip agrees. "Yet she had the potential to be an excellent sorceress had her fool of a father recognized it. It might still be possible to train her, but i suspect she lacks the interest. Even without proper training, she should be sensitive to some magickal workings. Though the fact that she was caught up in the effect may be more telling about its power."

Patrice ripostes against the blow that Phillip makes at the end of his statement. He beats it aside and thrusts again, she dodges, and there's a sudden flurry of quick blows and counters that ends when Patrice calls a halt. She looks at her sleeve, which has a neat rip from the end of Phillip's rapier. There's no blood.

"Sorry about that," Phillip says.

Patrice shrugs, rolls up her shirt sleeve to get it out of the way and resumes en garde.

"And the thing they were working against ... the thing the King has gone to look into? The thing that has you worried about dark strangers? It's all one, isn't it?"

"Were it only that simple. It is rather a complicated and disturbing scenario. Essentially, Amber itself has been damaged. If you think of it in its simplest terms, the wardstone that generates and maintains Amber's wards has been damaged somehow. Things can now function inside the wards that otherwise should not be able to do so. Moreover, they can penetrate the wards and enter Amber. I'm hesitant to say more less I endanger you more than I already am by telling you this much. The King has left Amber in quest of a means to repair the damage."

"And the alpha wolf having left the den, the rest of the pack is about to turn on itself." Patrice nods slightly, showing her understanding without disrupting the flow of their play. "Yes. That's one hell of a mess, Phillip. With the wards damaged, as it were, and the Princes all distracted with their own business, I wonder how much of an Amber there will be to come back to. You've been wise in readying us for war, and not just because Eric will have to fend off one or more of his brothers."

Phillip nods. "We are left with the prospect of enemies akin to the Moonriders striking at us while Oberon is away. Worse, we still do not know how the damage was done or who was responsible so we are likely dealing with enemies within. enemies far more threatening than mere crime lords."

The pattern of thrust-parry-riposte-counterriposte continues in silence for a moment as Patrice considers Phillip's words.

Finally she says, "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

"It has been theorized that the cause of the problem might be a member of the Royal Family. There is even some reason to believe that many of the events of recent years have been the actions of the Court Magician," Phillip seems careful not to say the name, "embracing desperate measures to correct the problem because he feared that something far worse was coming. We live in a dark and uncertain time, dear sister."

The rhythm of the engagement falters and Phillip has to slow to avoid overwhelming Patrice.

"You're suggesting exactly what I think you're suggesting. That's why you think he's not coming back."

"He believes there is a possibility he may not return quickly or at all and has given certain agents orders, yes."

Patrice disengages completely for a moment and looks Phillip straight in the eye. "Be careful what you say next, big brother, because you know as well as I that I can't be forced to give up information I don't know. And you're very close to giving me information that you may not want me to be able to give up."

She resumes en garde. "Let's talk about Juliana's dreams for a while. She said something about a daughter."

"She was caught in the effects of the pub incident," Phillip replies. "Like many of the victims, she experienced realistic dreams. Most of the victims' dreams were of a particularly ominous nature. However, I do not believe hers were. Hers took place some sixteen or so years in the future. I was dead almost those sixteen years and we had a nearly sixteen year old daughter who was apaprently quite Gifted."

Patrice moves in on Phillip, and he gives a little this time. He could run Patrice around the room if he wanted to, and they both know it, but that's hardly sporting. Or maybe he's luring her into a position of overconfidence.

"I can't say any dream in which you were dead was anything other than ominous, Phillip."

A quick engagement later, she adds, "Juliana said I was there, and Mother, too."

Phillip nods. "During the first incident, she was only passed out for a second, but spoke of days having passed for her. Certainly enough time to encounter versions of many otherwise familiar faces."

"She didn't give me much in the way of details. She was mostly interested in explaining that if she passed out, I was to get word to you, or to Prince Eric or Prince Gerard, at once." Something in that statement disturbs her enough that her counter to Phillip's riposte is a bit slow, and he has to pull the blow to avoid touching her.

Phillip frowns. "There could be mystic aftershocks or relapses still, but I am rather hoping this is not the case."

"I am as well. Apart from the risk to Juliana, imagine the gossip involved in sending to the palace. Quelle scandal!" Patrice's frown matches Phillip's.

"Yes, well," Phillip looks bemused, "it's not like any of us is really free from questioning glances and gossip."

"I'd rather it were the free-floating kind, brother dear. And I *really* don't want to have to explain why I called the palace to tend to your ill wife to Mother. She's cross enough with me as it is." Patrice recovers her footing and attacks with renewed vigor.

"For the usual reasons or have you committed some new horrible sin of late?"

"The usual. Isn't that enough? How many nice young and not-so-young men is she going to throw in my way before she realizes that I'm not going to marry?" A second round of aggressive thrusts leaves Phillip backing further down the salle.

It's better not to argue with Patrice when she's in one of these moods.

Phillip frowns at this development. "For myself, I just want you to be happy on your own terms."

Patrice tempers her advance. "I know it, Phillip. But Mother thinks if she just finds me the right man, I'll decide I'm happy on hers."

"She meddles. It is what she does. On some level she does it because she loves you. Which, alas, makes it none the easier for you, i know. she does it to me still..."

"And she does it to Paulus and Pauline, too." Patrice makes a face. "Except the twins have given her the one thing that you and I have selfishly denied her." She punctuates the penultimate word of her tirade with a blow that rings hard against Phillip's blade when he parries her.

Phillip sighs. "I understand the matter is discussed with Juliana as well."

"As if poor Juliana isn't already aware of the issues involved." Patrice grimaces. "No wonder she thinks you ought to resign the title in Paulus' favor[1]. I don't think Juliana understands that that's not enough to make Mother stop asking her for something she's not going to get."

He moves in, and then they're corps-a-corps. With a deft twist of his wrist and surprising strength, he uses the crossed hilts to pop Patrice's blade out of her grasp. He catches the second sword with his off hand.

"It's not something I ask for, Patrice."

"You're not Mother. And women have ways of making each other's lives hell that you men are blessedly immune to. I suggest you not invite Mother to town for an extended stay." Patrice holds out her hand for her weapon.

"I bow to your wisdom on the matter," Phillip offers her the sword with a bow of his own.

Patrice returns his bow and takes the blade.

Turning serious again, he says, "At this point, I have come to realize Juliana and I are unlikely to have children-visions or no."

"I don't think anyone other than Mother has any expectation that she will bear you a child," Patrice says gently as she takes up en garde again. "But it does leave you in a--complicated position, let us say again, where the disposition of Carlisle is concerned."

"It does indeed," he agrees. "Have you had any recent thoughts on the matter? Everyone else has, but yours interests me."

"I'd be a fool if your news didn't make me reconsider my position. Paulus is a good man, but I'm not sure he's ready to deal with the crises that are brewing in Amber if, Unicorn forbid, something should happen to you."

The engagements between them now are less fierce and angry than delicate and precise.

"Have you a different suggestion?"

"Just because he may not be up to the task doesn't mean there's anyone who is, unfortunately. Unless you mean for me to stand by him and do the share of the work he can't handle." Patrice arches her eyebrows speculatively at Phillip.

Phillip shakes his head.

Patrice shrugs and continues, "Besides, to disinherit him for another candidate at this point would probably mean finding someone with a better claim in blood. You say that Juliana is unlikely to provide you with a child, and I believe you. Even if she did, in these dangerous times there's no guarantee a son--if you had one now--would survive to adulthood, or that you would be able to teach him everything he'd need to know to be a better Duke than Paulus."

"You are right, of course. But it is still an issue that will have to be resolved regardless of what is to come. If things go well, there will still eventually be the need for an heir. If things go poorly, the issue is even more pressing."

"And if things go really badly, it won't matter at all," Patrice reminds him.

Phillip frowns, "I despise not knowing what to do. The simplest solution is Paulus, though that is not entirely fair to him or to you. And I am not willing to risk Juliana's life in another attempt to bear a child. Damn her father and Sammuel Merrick to hell anyway."

"There's another way, Phillip. You won't like it."

Patrice disengages and lowers her blade to a resting position. She waits for Phillip to do the same before speaking.

Phillip lowers his blade.

"Do you have any natural children, Phillip?"

"Not to the best of my considerable knowledge," he frowns. "Though Beatrice gave me a start when I met her."

"Beatrice? The artist girl ..." Patrice frowns, and the expression betrays her close kinship to Phillip. "But none of your own. Unfortunate. Because if you had a natural child, particularly a son, and Juliana agreed to adopt him ... you'd be in a better position."

"Indeed," Phillip agrees with a frown.

"I told you you weren't going to like it," Patrice reminds him. "And you're going to like this even less: the fact that you don't have a natural child now doesn't preclude you from having one in the future."

"That would complicate matters further and i am not certain Juliana would ever forgive it."

"I didn't say I thought it was a *good* idea. But it remains on the list of options to be considered, unfortunately." Patrice looks at the blade of her rapier for a moment before returning her gaze to meet her brother's eyes. "What advice would you have for me if you were killed and Paulus died, and the duchy passed to me, Phillip?"

"That is a more difficult question than you might imagine," he replies. "There are many secrets and not all of them are mine to tell."

Phillip muses quietly for a time. "You would have to protect the family-and Amber-from threats within and without. It would not be easy. The other duchies might be troublesome. You would be fighting tradition amongst your other foes. It would be difficult, but you could do it."

"That's not what I'm getting at, Phillip. I know it would be hell, even if only half of what you've suggested may be happening of late comes to pass. But if we lost you and Paulus--and his children too, or it wouldn't revert to me--how would you expect me to provide a future for Carlisle?" She looks Phillip in the eye and holds his gaze.

Phillip matches her gaze. "what, precisely, are you asking, Patrice?"

"I'm reminding you that there are worse things than additional complications. It would make you too miserable to do the obvious thing, even though there are people who will suggest you owe that duty to Carlisle." She drops her gaze and looks at the blade again, running her left thumb along the edge near the hilt.

"And cursing myself that I might not have the strength to hold to my convictions if they were put to the kind of test you're about to be put to. That's all."

Phillip can see the slightest trace of red trailing behind her hand as it moves along the blade.

Phillip frowns and sets his blade aside. He walks over to Patrice. He looks very tired and there is worry behind his eyes. "May I see your hand, please?"

"Of course," Patrice says, setting her own blade aside, and offering her right hand.

Phillip arches an eyebrow. "The other hand, love."

She turns her left hand palm upward and offers it to him. The thin cut across her thumb and the top of her palm isn't bleeding copiously, but it probably should be bandaged.

Patrice frowns when she sees it, as if it's the first time she has noticed it. "Next time I'll remember it's your blade I need to command."

"Quite." He examines the hand and frowns. "The last thing I want, Patrice, is family blood spilled. I never want you hurt and I never want to cause you pain." Phillip looks her in the eyes. "Shall we get this taken care of now?"

"Of course," Patrice says softly, and blinks. She brushes something out of her eye with her uninjured hand and breathes out, a little shakily. Then she smiles at Phillip, clearly putting on a brave face for her big brother.

"I'll be more careful next time, Phillip."

"My fault entirely, love," Phillip says as he leads her out of the salle.

"You know, Phillip, I could give you all the reasons you want for keeping her. All the political reasons, all the social reasons. All the reasons why it's the expedient thing to do, especially now." Patrice blinks again, and flushes slightly. "But the one reason we must never admit to is that it's the *right thing to do*.

"I hate that."

Phillip forces a grin. "The Duke in love with his wife? What would people say?"

"Something stupid, no doubt, that would result in drawn blades. Then one or the other of us would be headed to the infirmary. And what would we do then?" Patrice's grin is genuine, if somewhat forced.

"Feel foolish and get drunk?" Phillip suggests.

"I've got the first part down pat," Patrice replies ruefully.

"No more so than I, love."

"You didn't just nearly cut your own hand off because you were in a foul mood, brother dear." Patrice reaches across her wounded hand and gives Phillip's arm a sororal squeeze.

"No," he agrees, "but i have done more foolish things over the years."

[Exeunt, and much drinking ensues]

[1] The Earldom of Carlisle, which Phillip held when he married Juliana.

-- Main.GingerStampley - 03 Nov 2004