Raevyn, Joss and Gerard in Amber

[Wired*Nun]

The appointed hour arrives, and Joss and Raevyn make their way to Gerard's apartment. The living room has been configured with a larger table, and one of the chefs comes to cook there at tableside. An antipasto of cold spiced mussels and hard-toasted bread with olive oil gives way to hot bacon and spinach salad, then surf an turf of broiled lobster, lightly spiced with a cajun-like mixture, and two-inch-thick Delmonico. Scalloped whole potatoes, cauliflower in hollandaise sauce, and sauteed bareem-tops round out the meal, along with several bottles of a very good rose`. Joss recognizes all but the bareem, and compares it to artichokes, but better. The three demolish the meal in companiable silence, the two big men making it quite clear that conversation was for afterward. The chef leaves them to serve themselves a dessert of chocolate-cherry cheesecake, tart and slightly bitter, and a large pot of coffee.

An hour or more is spent in conversation, with Raevyn talking about her upbringing for Joss's benefit, and Joss for his part, summarizing the less unsavory and more significant parts of the last near-300 years. Gerard supplies commentary as appropriate.

Evetually, he asks, "So, Joss, I imagine you have some things to ask of me. If Corwin's tale is all you have read, perhaps I can fill in some gaps, if you care. For that matter, Rae, if you have any such questions, this is a good time to ask. Otherwise, at some point, I think the present situation needs some discussion, in preparation of going to the King with a coherent report."

[Knarr]

Joss regards his father and says,
“This was a wonderful dinner. I haven’t ate like this in ages.”
Joss finishes his desert and refills his coffee.
“There are some blank spots in the books, but I think we should work on the here and now. I do have some questions. Is Random a good king and how do I walk the Pattern are the foremost.”
Joss takes a drink.
“The others are about Dustan and the keep of four worlds. What do you know about Rinaldo?”

[Wired*Nun]

"Yes...getting you and the Pattern acquainted is certainly important. We will do that soon. Is Random a good king? I never thought of him for the position. I always thought it should be Benedict. But lately I have been thinking. I do not believe Benedict would have been any better. Benedict has his flaws, for all his shining reputation. Patience, especially patience with the Court, and his Family, are not among Benedict's virtues."

"I would have to say Random rules well. He was always the baby of the family, until those of the next generation came to light, and small as well. He took a lot of shit from us, I suppose, and fortunately became better for it. He is past his youthful dissapations. He is clever, and resourceful, and has good judgment. Most of all, he never wanted the job. For me, that makes him a good king."

"Rinaldo I have met from time to time. He was crowned King of Kashfa about two years ago. In that time he has negotiated good trade agreements with his neighboring shadows, and I hear he has been annexing territories aroudn Kashfa within that shadow. This has generated some resistance, of course, but with Dalt's forces on call, a well-led military, and his own personal salesmanship, he has managed to pick up a lot of territory without a lot of conflict. I am sure he has been bending shadow a bit to do it, but we expect that, as long as it doesn't disrupt the rest of the Golden Circle."

"About the keep, I know little. I know his mother rules there - or ruled, as you have told me. It's fairly far out in shadow, farther than Earth, and far away from it as well. I pretty much only know what Merlin was inclined to write down, and I'm sure he avoided disclosing critical details. It's not something for me to decide what to do, and you have to admit, Joss, that you went there willingly, and were not harmed. From what I understand, Dunstan could have killed you without too much effort, uninitiated in the Pattern as you are. You would have no defense against the power he controls, there. Consider, how would you feel if someone had once had his hands about your throat, regardless of the reasons? If he was truly evil, he would probably have taken vengeance of some sort upon you as quickly as possible. And Raevyn, you were also unharmed, and unthreatened. I suspect this will be but one among several matters occupying the attention of the King."

[LynMars]

"I would agree, Father, except that he indicated he had leads on other young family members, who may be willing to do as he asks. If he learned anything from his earlier confrontation, he may be inclined to alter his presentation a bit. Rinaldo is an ally of Amber, and this Dunstan wishes him harm of some kind. Dunstan doesn't seem so much a villian, but a too-young man with too much power, in a position where he doesn't know what to do anymore so is taking to extremes.

"As for Rinaldo, I don't know much about him at all, except what is common knowledge. I don't know what to think about this whole thing myself, but I doubt it will simply be dropped. I think I'll be looking into it some more."

[Knarr]

"I wouldn't have killed the little twerp," Joss says.
", but I wouldn't have worked for him."
" I know, I know, It's just semantics since I will look into Rinaldo anyway so you could say its the same thing, but to me there is a difference."
Joss takes another drink.
"Besides, I didn't think he could trump (even with the fount powers) if I had my hands on him. Nothing in the book suggested it. I thought trumps relied on physical contact, so if he trumped, I would go with him. I was wrong. It happens from time to time."
Joss grins.
"Not often mind you, but rarely it does happen."

[LynMars]

Raevyn picks at her slice of cheescake as she listens and considers. "I guess that trick of his is something we'll just have to keep in mind if we run into him again. Which if you also intend to continue looking into this whole matter, will probably eventually happen. I know Roland intends to do something about it; I plan on meeting with him later to discuss what happened at the Keep after we left, and to do some Trump work."

[Wired*Nun]

Gerard looks at the both of them, and says, "Well, I have to give a report to Random in the morning. I suppose I had better get making some notes before I get to bed. I am sure he needs to look into the diplomatic end of things; maybe he'll give his nephew Rinaldo a call in person, to see what he can see."

"Knowing Random, I wouldn't be surprised if he asked you two, and your friend and other cousin, to look into the situation. He's a firm believer in the ones with direct experience doing the dirty work. Joss, now that you are here, and you don't have to hide your identity from anyone, you know we will have a long time to get to know each other. Let's take it slow, for now. I have a lot to think over. Now, I think I'll turn in, I'm feeling all that rum. Good night, kids."

[LynMars]

"Good night, Dad." She turns back to Joss. "This has been nice, hasn't it? Anything else you'd like to talk about or do at the moment?"

[Wired*Nun]

"Oh, one more thing, Raevyn, do you have a Trump of Joss prepared yet? I'd like to have one, if you don't mind."

[LynMars]

"I did, but I lost it during our initial contact. I'll have to make another. It's high on the list."

'Somehow I don't think Dad wants to hear that our first meeting involved Joss nearly choking me and hanging me off a balcony...'

[Knarr]

"Yeah, sorry about that. I have enjoyed our time together. I never had a sister." Joss says.
"Would you do me a favor? Make me trumps of Gerard and you for me? It will probably come in handy."

[LynMars]

Raevyn nods. "Like I said, I have a list. Problem is, they take some time to do. Hours per card, though if I have the subject in front of me it cuts the time down quite a bit. So I'll be taking a couple of days, at least, to get all the ones I want to done. But I'll do some for you first, and copies for myself, if I have time."

[Knarr]

"Thanks. I would be glad to sit in a chair for a while, if it will make it any easier."
Joss suggests. "Anything to help."

[LynMars]

"I'd like to work on it now, but--" As if to punctuate, Raevyn tries, unsuccessfully, to stifle a yawn. "I've had a long day; the excitement at home, the trip through Shadow, the Keep...And I worked this afternoon instead of napping like I probably should have. I'm beat. You can sit in a chair for me in the morning," she says with her usual smile. "If you see Roland, apologize for me and tell him we'll have to chat tomorrow as well. If anything important comes up, feel free to try and wake me." She rises and makes to leave for her own quarters.

[Knarr]

Joss also goes to bed, his mind a torrent of thought about the things he has been told.