Session 49: Trading Spaces (10/2/02)

When we last left our heroes, Gabrielle had been drawing trumps of Elayne's bodyguards, as Elayne spectated and provided a reassuring presence. Who exactly is more reassured is left as an exercise for the reader. Work on the trump of Tighe had been going rather slowly as the artist and model had gone from verbal fencing to out-and-out knock-down-dirty verbal warfare.

Tighe pointedly comments that he has a strong sense of self and personal boundaries.

Gabrielle: "Oh, if people without a strong sense of self interest you, you're talking to the wrong pair of Fiona's children."

Tighe looks intrigued, but Kynan announces that it's time for a break. Gabrielle gives him a somewhat miffed look, but he says she needs a nap. She looks at him nervously and accedes. Elayne shows them to a room where they can make themselves at home.

Afterwards, Tighe catches Elayne's eye and pulls her aside for a private conversation.

Tighe: "She's in really bad shape."

Elayne, cautiously: "She's had issues lately."

Tighe seems frustrated. "Have they told you what we can all do? No? I'm an empath. Your sister is this far from falling apart, and she knows it."

Elayne admits that Gabrielle was not at her conversational best and asks for details.

Tighe admits that there's so much tangled up, it's hard to see what's going on. "There's definitely some issues about trust involving specific men. She seems kind of nervous about Kynan."

Elayne: "She's had problems with the immediate family. I'm glad Fiona didn't raise me or I might be in as bad of shape as her."

Tighe: "You might not want to let her leave until... It wouldn't take a lot."

Elayne considers it: "I'll have to talk to Kynan."

Tighe doesn't much seem to care for that idea, but: "The other thing is, do you want me to keep trying to figure out what's going on? In the state she's in, she's not telling anybody everything. She's probably not telling herself everything, either. People do that."

Elayne gives a brief case history: "Her brother beat her up and nearly raped her. Then Corwin recently beat her, and she maintains he loves her, so it's ok. If you can do anything about that, I'd appreciate it."

Tighe says that will be difficult.

Elayne: "You said something about what all of you can do... Are all of you empaths?"

Tighe: "No. And by the way... wanting to give me to Bleys was not nice. Not a bad idea, but not nice."

Elayne blushes. She's not entirely sure how she feels about having someone who can see through her like that.

Tighe: "So, what do you want me to push on? Or should I just shut up and let her draw? I don't think she got started on the trump." A brief inspection of the sketchpad shows this to be true; Gabrielle seemed to be having trouble concentrating.

Elayne: "I want to find a way to make Gabrielle stop letting people hurt her. She let Corwin hurt her."

Tighe: "That's a challenge. Before you can get her to stop, you've got to make her believe there's an alternative. Forgive me, but do you think she takes you seriously as someone who can stand up to Corwin?"

Elayne thinks being here matters; here, she can stand up to Corwin. And Gabrielle has her own here, where she is equally capable of standing up to Corwin.

Tighe asks how used to here Gabrielle is; she didn't grow up here. He observes, "People retain mental habits from childhood." He makes an analogy to animal training... if you pick them up when they're small, they'll always think you're bigger.

Elayne smiles. "This must be why you flirt with all these girls -- to see their reactions."

Tighe: "It's a hobby -- a good looking guy like me, how could I not?"

Elayne: "I'd bust your ego now, but you'd know I was lying."

*****

Darian has been having some quality father-daughter bonding time, as he prepares to introduce Gwen to her fake father. He and Gwen are pondering altering Gwen's appearance. She suddenly says "I know!" Darian feels a sense of impending doom.

Gwen goes for punk; half-shaved , half-spiked green-dyed hair and multiple piercings. Darian puts his foot down when talk of a facial tattoo surfaces. She asks for a tattoo on one arm.

Darian, warily: "What would it be a tattoo of?"

Gwen, enthusiastic at the idea of something that would appall her mother: "Any suggestions? A dragon is traditional, coiling around the arm... or how about a serpent?"

Darian: "How about a small rock seen from very far away?"

Gwen: "How about something arty, like Celtic knot work?"

Darian: "How about a flower?"

They compromise on a vining rose. Then Gwen acquires and uses some very loud cosmetics, going for the 'eye-hurting' school of design. It's actually a very good use of cosmetics to control what people see when they look at her.

Darian gets stern: "Well, I guess before we contact your fake father, there's 2 important ground rules. No one can know the connection between you and I. You don't even need to discuss it with your fake father. He knows enough. And rule 2: Never mention Ender."

Gwen, in traditional teenage fashion: "Why?"

Darian: "It's just rule number 2."

Gwen: "Why?"

Darian: "Because it's important. I didn't blink when you asked for the tattoo."

Gwen: "Yes you did."

Darian: "I got over it."

Gwen accepts rule number 2 as a trade for the tattoo. Darian says he'll arrange for her to get a trump of Sinclair -- her fake dad. If she needs to talk to Darian personally, she can arrange it through Sinclair. It's better for Gwen not to have a trump of Darian.

Darian trumps Sinclair. Sinclair comes through, and looks at Gwen, then blinks. Darian smiles and shrugs. He makes introductions.

Sinclair looks at Gwen: "So, do you want to call me Dad, Father, some variation thereof...?

She gives him a patented teenage 'you're not nearly as young and cool as you think you are' look. "Whatever."

There is an awkward pause. Darian: "It's better than old man."

Sinclair: "Is that what she calls you?"

Darian: "No, I was just trying to put it in perspective."

Gwen gets pissy because they're talking about her like she isn't even there. Darian smirks, anticipating all the trouble his daughter is going to give Sinclair.

Darian comments that he needs to talk to Kynan about training Gwen.

Sinclair: "Right now Kynan and Gabrielle are working on Elayne's wedding present. Trumps of all of her people."

Darian: "That's right, Elayne has people now."

Sinclair: "Yes, Elayne has minions."

*****

Kynan is trying to get Gabrielle settled in for the night. Gabrielle comments that Sinclair is just going to love Tighe.

Kynan: "So, do I need to kill him?"

Gabrielle: "Sinclair?"

Kynan: "No, the flirt."

Gabrielle reluctantly admits that making her feel totally transparent, while rude, probably isn't sufficient grounds to kill him. She says that it's probably even a good thing that Tighe is revealing just how easily read she is right now -- better him than Prentice.

Kynan says he doesn't think she's much less opaque than usual and that it's possible Tighe has 'certain talents.' "Sadly, I don't think I can get a look at his file. We're technically on a different side from his employer, and he's already hired, so we can't claim we want to hire him"

Gabrielle is worried that Tighe will see her weaknesses and give info to Mandor or Merlin. Kynan thinks he won't, as he does work for Elayne and Elayne wouldn't do that to her.

Gabrielle admits she has a headache, and Kynan gets her some drugs. He then asks if she'll need some warm milk to sleep. She gives him a look, and he protests that he promised Sinclair he'd take care of her.

Gabrielle: "I'm surprised you're not asking about the conversation with Klemet."

Kynan: "That comes after your headache is better."

Gabrielle: "Oh."

Kynan: "Unless you want to do that with a headache."

Gabrielle declines and lies down to take a nap like a good girl.

******

Once Gabrielle is asleep, Elayne pulls Kynan aside.

Elayne: "We need to have a little chat."

Kynan: "We do?"

Elayne: "It's about Gabrielle. She's not on top of her game today."

Kynan looks torn. "Why do you say that?"

Elayne: "Not to mention she's obviously not at her verbal best."

Kynan, sadly: "No."

Elayne offers to keep Gabrielle here until she recovers. If Gabrielle flew off the handle in one of her own shadows, things could be very difficult. Kynan says it's tempting, but she wouldn't take it kindly, and imprisoning her would damage her further. Elayne says it's just a matter of time.

Kynan: "She's very afraid she doesn't have it. The only reason she's had this long to recover is because of where your mother and Prentice are."

Elayne asks for details about exactly what's wrong. She says Gabrielle told her about the self-destruct switch.

Kynan: "She's juggling too many balls, and every one of them involves someone's life."

Elayne: "Including her own? You can point out to her that if she doesn't save herself she can't save anyone else."

Kynan, slowly and reluctantly: "She might not be able to save herself. Sinclair doesn't understand that. I don't think you get that, either. This period of functionality.... It's going to get worse before it gets better."

Elayne asks for an explanation.

Kynan: "The problem is, she's removing spells from her own head."

Elayne: "Powered by her own blood."

Kynan: "Powered by her own will. Everything is powered by an equal and opposite force. And finesse failed. She'd been trying to excavate carefully, but..."

Elayne: "And now she's got to do things more forcefully."

Kynan: "She told you about the switch. To get rid of that, she had to smash a lot of things. It doesn't help that..." He sighs and seems uncomfortable. "To get her to deal with that switch, I had to make her afraid of me."

Elayne: "I thought she was just skittish around all men."

Kynan: "She is. But I had to switch categories from 'he hasn't scared me yet' to 'his temper is dangerous.'"

Elayne: "If she's scared of you... Could you bully her into staying here and resting?"

Kynan: "I could. But I'm not willing to. I am willing to cajole, teasingly bully, and blackmail. I am even willing to call Sinclair... If you think that you can help."

Elayne asks how she can help. Kynan says the problem is Gabrielle's trying to get some things done before she lets go of her control and sanity. The problem is, the longer she holds on before she lets go, the less control there's going to be when she does... the further for her to fall, so to speak.

Elayne wants to push Gabrielle into letting go sooner rather than later and having her do it here. Kynan is willing to try to talk her into it, but thinks Elayne needs all of her bodyguards around while the process is going on..

Elayne wonders if having only women around would be better but thinks Tighe was getting through to her sister.

Kynan looks up sharply: "Why? What was he getting?"

Elayne simply says he might be useful. Kynan says he'll have to be nicer about it; Gabrielle already doesn't trust Tighe.

Kynan asks again, sharply: "What was he getting?"

Elayne: "He thinks she's just about at the breaking point. There are things she hasn't told anyone about, not you and probably not even Sinclair."

Kynan: "I wish we had access to someone she grew up with. If Durant were alive he'd be perfect."

Elayne isn't sure Durant is dead, but Kynan gives the impression he believes it absolutely. They discuss the possibility of asking Hero, but they don't know how to reach her. Kynan comments that it hurt Gabrielle badly, having lost one friend to death and the other to expediency.

Elayne asks why someone who grew up with her would be useful to have around.

Kynan: "Understanding what she's doing right now depends on understanding what she had to do back then."

They ponder inviting January and Griffin. And Agnes, who was Gabrielle's nanny and is still in the Castle, but Agnes might not be able to defend any information about Gabrielle's current state. Kynan admits that Gabrielle is afraid of Mandor discovering and exploiting the weakness. Kynan asks Elayne how much cause Gabrielle has to be concerned; is Mandor paying attention to her? Elayne says she doesn't know. Kynan isn't sure if worrying about Mandor is reasonable concern or paranoia. Elayne says Nicola seemed to think it was a reasonable fear.

Kynan: "You do realize that if she can't fix what's going on in her head, eventually we're going to have to figure out what to do with her."

Elayne: "If the odds are better now than later... "

Kynan: "I have made my lady a promise."

Elayne: "To put her out of her misery?"

Kynan: "I will not allow her to destroy anything that she cares about -- whatever that requires. Having her someplace like this increases the cushion of time we have to made the decision, but if it needs to be made, I will make it."

Elayne says she'll do what she can to make sure he has the power to make it, and will try not to hold it against him. Kynan observes that after, his fealty would pass to Jillian, as would control of Gabrielle's shadows.

*****

Tighe is smoking on a balcony looking all romantic-like when Elayne finds him.

Elayne: "Kynan and I have talked it over, and we'd like to help her."

Tighe, somewhat disapprovingly: "She's afraid of him, you know."

Elayne: "He told me about that."

Tighe, doubtfully: "He explained it adequately?"

Elayne says he did -- it was necessary to make Gabrielle take care of herself. She thinks that Tighe will need a case history to help Gabrielle out. She's concerned about confidentiality; she doesn't want Merlin to find things out. Confidentiality is covered by the contract, Tighe says, even after the contract is expired. Elayne says there are things she doesn't need to know, and that her bodyguards shouldn't tell her anything sensitive they learn about Gabrielle.

Tighe, gently: "You care for your sister very much. It must be very difficult being on opposite sides."

Elayne says that at least they can talk.

Tighe become more businesslike: "So, Sinclair is not the problem for Gabrielle -- just to confirm. Or at least you don't think so."

Elayne: "No." She explains that Fiona set spells against Gabrielle in her own mind. Tighe asks if she's been engaged in dismantling those spells.

Elayne: "Yes. And there was the self-destruct switch..."

Tighe frowns. "The self-destruct switch?"

Elayne: "But it was only partially hit, so instead of trying to kill herself directly, she did it more subtly, letting people beat her or killing herself by exhaustion. So Kynan had to bully her into doing a diagnostic, so she could turn the switch off."

Tighe: "Your mother is not a nice woman."

Elayne says no and is glad that Fiona lacked opportunity, if not desire, to mess with her.

*****

Gwen and Sinclair are trying to reach an agreement. He asks her for a name she'd be willing to go by.

Gwen: "Do you have any dead female relatives I could be named after?"

Sinclair looks at Darian: "Err, I think you should try something else." Not that Gwen wouldn't like being named after Deela the Desacratrix... Sinclair keeps throwing names at her until they find one she doesn't like but doesn't despise.

Sinclair: "It has to be one you don't like, because no one likes their own name." Sinclair winks at Darian on that. They settle on Lydia.

Darian: "I can probably get in contact with Kynan later."

Sinclair: "In the meantime, it's time my daughter met her grandparents."

Darian, gleefully: "Have fun, dear!" Gwen looks suspicious as she and Sinclair trump out.

Darian hunts up Electra to see if she's ready to move. Electra is looking forward to a shopping trip to supply herself with everything that's currently in fashion in Amber. Included amongst her possession is a black-framed picture of a girl who looks something like the girl Kynan rescued and not altogether like the real Gwen.

Boxes are moved to the apartments. There will be some friction between Electra and Darian's valet over things like furniture positioning. Darian decides he'd rather have his wife happy than his valet. He shows her the nicer bits of the city, and she is appalled at the amount of damage that was done in the war. They shop and get fawning treatment from the shopkeepers, who see quickly that Darian has power and money, and is letting Electra spend it.

She wants to see the Cathedral of the Unicorn. While she's there, she comments that she'll need a maid and asks, "Would it be a good idea to ask the man who's doing the relief efforts if he knew anyone who might want a job?" She knows perfectly well his name is Alden, but she's acting very ditzy. She never acts this way, but the only person here who knows that she's not a ditz is Despil... and it's been a long time for her since Despil saw her last.

Alden does have some ideas about her maid but pulls Darian aside and asks if he wants a security check done on potential maids. Darian does. Alden introduces Electra to some candidates, and Darian leaves them to find Gerard.

Gerard is in his office. Pleasantries are exchanged. Darian asks if there has been any word from Julian; Gerard says nothing overt. Darian needs permission to arrange safe passage for some people -- mostly children -- through Arden. Gerard says he'll see what he can do; protocols do exist. Gerard will also have a message to deliver to Julian.

Gerard: "So, I hear your wife has moved in."

Darian: "Right now she's talking about hiring a maidservant. That's why I'm here with you."

Gerard: "You should probably talk to the chamberlain about setting up an account for her. I don't know what kind of stipend Merlin is giving you, it's not generally that relevant for members of the family, but if she wants to go shopping..."

Darian: "...and she does..."

Gerard: "...and if you want to avoid going shopping..."

Darian: "... very much..."

Gerard: "Then you'll want to arrange it. How many children are you thinking of moving, and why?"

Darian explains he'd like to move a large number of children out of the city because of the risk of disease from sewage. And it will help stretch relief supplies. Gerard says Julian is usually civilized about these things.

Darian returns to the cathedral and sees a line of nervous girls sitting outside Alden's office. Electra is in the middle of interviewing one of them; Darian tries to be unobtrusive.

*****

Elayne is talking to Tighe, explaining Fiona's trick. She also mentions Corwin -- at first she thought it was the switch caused Gabrielle to allow him to hurt her, but now she thinks it's a complex, that since he loves Gabrielle, it's ok for him to beat her.

Tighe: "Ow." He has very expressive eyebrows and doesn't quite look at Elayne through most of the discussion. Elayne is feeling very helpless.

Tighe: "I don't have any good suggestions. By the way, what do you want us to call you?"

Elayne: "Elayne's fine."

Tighe: "I can put a lot of innuendo into that."

Elayne: "Just as long as you don't do it during something formal. Now I'm going to be even more embarrassed when you flirt with me, knowing you're an empath."

Tighe: "Yes, well, it's good to have some people afraid of me."

Tighe suggests that the best thing Elayne can do for Gabrielle is to be stable. He asks if Gabrielle has many friends; Elayne brings up the possibility of bringing in January and Griffin, as well as Sinclair. Tighe thinks that's a politically interesting mix. Elayne says not as odd as the bachelor party, and Tighe asks for details.

Elayne: "Oh, Sinclair and Kynan went to Merlin's bachelor party. It wasn't my idea."

Tighe: "But it's an amusing one. But I do suggest that you don't have Sinclair's visits intersect with Lady January or Lord Griffin. I don't think they'd have anything against him personally, but they'd have to report that you're interacting with him. I'm certain that His Majesty knows that, but... He doesn't need to take official notice of it. It could be used eventually in a treason charge. And trust me, working for somebody who's up on a treason charge is a pain in the butt."

Elayne jokes a bit, and Tighe jokes back. "Jailbreaks... I can do them, but it's so cliched. Not to mention that it's a good way to lose people." He meets her eyes seriously. "So don't become politically inconvenient. It would be bad all around."

Elayne: "So any advice on rebuilding her psyche?"

Tighe: "Not really. I know a few people with some expertise in that direction, but I don't think I'd want them in my head."

They pull Kynan in; he'd been taking a brief nap. They catch him up on their discussion.

Kynan: "I think that a lot of it, she has to do to herself. We don't know what else Fiona might have left." He observes that it was having other people helping her which set off the switch; Fiona doesn't seem to have put in guards against Gabrielle destroying the spells herself, just against other people trying it.

Elayne: "Tighe brings up a good point that if we let Sinclair and January and Griffin see each other, we might have some political issues."

Kynan thinks Elayne can handle that. They tell Kynan that Tighe is an empath.

Elayne: "So I think Tighe can help, if she can deal with him."

Kynan: "She can deal with just about anything, given the right motivation. She's going to be very hesitant to stay, you know. She wants to do this in Ashar. She knows it's too dangerous to do it..."

Elayne: "I'll do my best to convince her. She doesn't like to listen to me, she prefers it the other way around."

Kynan observes that this is an area where Elayne knows better. He asks if the rest of her people will be willing to be here for this.

Elayne: "I think they will if I ask."

Tighe grins. "You're the lady with the money. Her what signs the paycheck. It's amazing the power that has."

*****

Gabrielle wakes up from icky dreams about Kynan and Tighe, and being naked at an important party in Chaos when no one else was. She makes sure Kynan's slept. They discuss cooking, and then Kynan gets serious and asks for a list of what has to be done before she attends to her small problem.

Gabrielle says the wedding present trumps, and the thing with Nicola. Kynan says that will be stressful, and if worse came to worst, he and Jillian could do that. He and Jillian could not do the trumps, which is why he isn't insisting Gabrielle fix her problem right now. He discusses Elayne's offer for Gabrielle to remain here while she repairs her mind. Gabrielle admits there are worse places but says she'd planned to go to Ashar.

Kynan: "I am somewhat afraid of what the damage to your psyche might do to Ashar."

Gabrielle: "It shouldn't be that dependent on me."

Kynan: "It shouldn't be, but your blood fuels it. The instabilities you had before are nothing to this one... are they?"

She doesn't look at him, and speaks formally. "Possibly not. You want to do this here. May I ask why?"

Kynan: "If we can truly trust Elayne, then this is probably the most stable and secure place for this. And unlike Connor, she won't prevent me from keeping my promises if it's necessary."

G: "Ah." She doesn't even try to argue that Connor would behave. Kynan also points out that while her brothers wouldn't be comfortable in Ashar, they could probably enter it. He doesn't think her brothers could get into Elayne's place.

Kynan: "I think also that in a place that you do not own, we'll have more space. When you don't control the reality around you, there's more opportunity for me to say 'Wait.' And if it takes a day, a week, a year... that's ok."

Gabrielle: "So you're comfortable with doing it here. I'm not sure Sinclair would be."

Kynan, grimly: "Sinclair doesn't understand the stakes."

Gabrielle tries to lighten the mood: "Is this one of those guy things?"

Kynan: "It could be, if he makes it one." So much for lightening the tone.

Gabrielle asks if it's fair to ask Elayne to do this, if she knows what she's getting into. Kynan says she does; he's told her about his promise.

Kynan: "The longer you put it off, the harder it's going to hit you. Madness is like that."

Gabrielle: "So you think I'm dithering?"

He says yes, but he'd dither, too, if it was his head. She says she can't picture him dithering, although it was amusing watching him flustered. She agrees to do it in Elayne's realm, if Sinclair agrees to it. She doesn't want Kynan to talk to Sinclair before she does; she seems to want to present the question to him herself. She'll just go and trump him from the coffee bar...

Kynan: "Elayne and I aren't going to be happy about letting you run around in this condition."

Gabrielle seems like she's about to argue, looks hard at Kynan, and shuts her mouth.

Kynan frowns almost imperceptibly.

*****

Electra has settled on a maid, slightly older than most of the applicants. Darian gets everyone settled in the apartment.

He then goes to Clarissa's shadow and trumps Bleys. "We need to have a talk."

Bleys: "Your place or mine?"

Darian: "Yours will do."

"Give me a minute." Bleys screens his actions and takes about 5 minutes.

Darian comes through into a huge wood and glass mountain hideaway house.

Bleys: "It's good to have privacy."

Darian: "I didn't mean to intrude."

Bleys: "It's alright. My friend understands."

Darian: "I had a very interesting visit earlier from Tobias."

Bleys frowns: "You're sure it was Tobias? They don't usually say who it is."

Darian: "He gave a hint, but it was pretty much a giveaway. He implied that there was some sort of remnant of the Abyss that shouldn't be walking around. He made it sound rather apocalyptic."

Bleys: "This is one of Fiona's psycho-boys we're talking about."

Darian: "I know, but thinking back on my interaction with the Brand/Deirdre entity there may be reason to be worried."

Bleys: "So what do you want me to do about it?"

Darian: "Nothing. I just wanted you to know. But I did want you to set up a chaperoned meeting with Corwin so I can bring this up with him."

Bleys: "You're going to tell him that Tobias said Deirdre's evil?"

Darian: "No, Deirdre needs to be rescued from this evil that has encompassed her."

Bleys: "That he'll buy."

D: "And if in the meantime, I'm able to send him off in some helpful direction..."

Bleys: "You do know that if you send him off after Deirdre, Random will not thank you."

Darian: "Really?"

Bleys: "After Flora, Corwin is Random's most dependable ally. We actually know what Corwin wants: Wine, women, and song. Glory. To strike that heroic pose and tell those stories again. There's no Eric for him to fight with, no Deirdre for him to moon over... except that there is."

Darian: "So tell me this, is he doing anything useful now?"

Bleys: "No."

Darian: "So we'd rather have him being useless in a random direction than being useless in a good direction?"

Bleys says if Darian can do it, Darian has his blessing. He doesn't want to manage Corwin again; it's too much trouble, even if Corwin is a good recruiter. He's a terrible general; all his troops die. "Don't follow Corwin into battle."

They ponder chaperonage; Bleys says he'll arrange it and to check back with him in a few days time. It'll take a while to track Corwin down.

When Darian gets back, guardsmen find him with a crisis. There are food riots in the city.

*****

Kynan comes and tells Elayne that Gabrielle is willing if Sinclair doesn't raise too much of a fuss, but Gabrielle wants to talk to him first.

Elayne: "Why don't we bring him here to talk?"

Kynan: "She doesn't think he'll come. I suggested the coffee bar by the entrance."

Elayne: "I don't know how reasonable it is, but I want to talk to him first. If he's stable ahead of time..."

Kynan says that Gabrielle asked him not to talk to Sinclair first, but she or Darian...

Elayne decides to trump Sinclair.

Sinclair: "What? Oh! Hello."

Elayne: "Can we talk? It's about Gabrielle."

Sinclair: "Where, when, and what terms?"

Elayne: "Right now, at the coffee bar, and you're safe and I'll let you out when you want."

Sinclair looks a little wild-eyed. "I just need to take care of one thing here first."

Elayne: "'Try not to let it take too long."

Elayne brings Tighe, Uriana, and Oliver for bodyguards, and waits at the coffee shop. Kynan goes to keep Gabrielle busy with a workout, and Elayne tweaks the time rate to make it easier. Tighe and Uriana flirt with each other, and Oliver is just amused.

Elayne is a bit jealous. Tighe looks at her and says "I have to assuage my heartbreak somehow... after all, you're taken."

Sinclair calls back. "Ok, now.... Teenagers," he mutters under his breath as Elayne pulls him through.

Elayne: "Problem children?"

Sinclair: "I have a daughter from before I met Gabrielle. She just got a tattoo. A large tattoo, that can't be hidden from my mother. And she shaved half her head, and it's all green. And she has this thing in her nose..."

Elayne: "So you weren't there for her when she was little, were you?"

Sinclair, stiffly: " She grew up with her mother, who is no longer with us."

Elayne: "Sorry."

Sinclair: "Don't ever have a teenager. I mean it. They're dangerous."

Elayne: "I was under the impression that Gabrielle wanted kids. You'll just have to go through it again for her sake."

Sinclair panics at the thought: "She did a good job with Jillian... I don't think a child of Gabrielle's would get a tattoo."

Elayne: "If she did, it would be a fashionable one. I should be serious. I take it you're appraised of Gabrielle's mental stability?"

Sinclair: "I know she's been having difficulties."

Elayne: "She's pretty close to a breaking point, from which she could recover or not recover. But the longer she waits, the less likely she is to get through this. Kynan and I are worried about this." Elayne explains why she wants Gabrielle to do this now and in Elayne's realm, but observes that Gabrielle won't agree to it without Sinclair's ok.

Sinclair sighs.

Elayne: "I know that you love her. I just hope that you love her enough to trust her to get through this."

Sinclair: "I don't have to trust her for this. I have to trust you, which is not an altogether easy thing for me to do."

Elayne: "I don't know what guarantees I can give you beyond what I already have."

Sinclair: "I accept your guarantees for Gabrielle. If Kynan thinks this is a good idea... I'll trust you. The situation gets more and more complicated all the time, doesn't it? I ought to ask for a hostage."

Elayne offers her father -- the adopted one who matters, not the scary one.

Sinclair accepts, apparently relieved that Elayne's willing to have some protocols. "He's a scholar; do you think he might find my father's library interesting?"

Elayne: "I think he'll manage."

Sinclair: "I'd like him to do more than just manage. Do you want a bodyguard with him?"

Elayne would, in fact, like to send one of her people. Elayne also decides she needs a clause to get her father back even if Kynan has to keep his promise. She won't be making that decision, so she doesn't want to pay for it. Sinclair looks unhappy but has apparently already discussed it with Gabrielle. He says as long as Kynan can tell him it was Kynan's decision, Elayne can have her father back. He doesn't specify what he'll do to Kynan, though.

Elayne asks Artemas for his recs for a bodyguard for her father. Artemas asks if she's anticipating a dangerous rescue. Elayne says not really.

Artemas: "Uriana is good at sneaking in and out of places. Admittedly, she might seduce your father. Is that a problem?"

Elayne: "Yes, that's a problem!"

She decides on Lethea. She also says she'd like to have access to some files on her bodyguards, as Artemas didn't fully brief her on their abilities.

Artemas: "You didn't ask."

When asked if she wants to know, Elayne observes that they can either leave it completely up to chance that the person with the best fit in skills will be in any given situation, or Artemas can debrief her and let it be a reasoned decision. Tighe and Uriana are very amused by Elayne's rant at their boss.

Artemas' rundown: Elliott can break just about anything. Klemet has natural body armor. He's quite good with a spell, although he has to have items to rack them in. His form is fixed, which is a problem. Tighe is an empath, very good at killing people when they don't expect to be killed. Also good at infiltration. Lethea's bonded to an artifact of power. It's a personal thing, and it's not clear exactly what it can do. Oliver is an expert with missile weapons and intelligence analysis. Edeva is self-explanatory. Finnette is a fairly straightforward fighter, an expert with nonlethal weapons. She doesn't like it when you ask her to beat the crap out of people without killing them -- so make sure there's a good setup if that's what she's supposed to do. Uriana steals, lies, cheats, seduces, and she's very good at it and at keeping anyone from doing it to her. About himself, Artemas says his sword is his honor.

Elayne accepts this.

*****

About the time Darian gets the riot squashed, Gerard gets back to him. Darian is tired, dirty, cranky, and has a huge mound of paperwork facing him and a vastly inadequate infrastructure. It's 3 am.

Gerard, vaguely: "Good job, Darian. Good, good. Well, I've set it up. Here's a letter to take to Julian. He'll be expecting you this afternoon."

Darian pawns the paperwork off on his assistant and goes to his apartment to see what Electra's done with the place. There are still boxes around for Darian to trip over. Darian bathes and goes to bed. Electra snuggles up.

Darian: "So do you have everything arranged?"

Electra: "Yeah, I'm going to recover the couch because it's a completely ugly shade of blue and..."

Darian falls asleep.

*****

Sinclair wants the hostage thing arranged before he enters Elayne's realms. Elayne sadistically leaves Uriana with Sinclair and goes to get her father from Toril, accompanied by Tighe and Oliver. Aaron is a little put out by the idea of being a hostage, but he'll go along with it.

Aaron: "There's no other alternative?"

Elayne: "It had to be someone I loved."

He kisses her forehead. "That's very sweet. So, how is your young man? Is he treating you well?"

Elayne: "Very well."

Aaron: "I was a little worried given how sudden the wedding was. Is there any news you have for me?"

Elayne: "Not yet." She assures him that grandchildren will be forthcoming. He is pleased.

Lethea and Aaron go with Sinclair to Dalt's. Elayne realizes just how many stories they may hear and ponders how much she's giving up for Gabrielle. When Sinclair returns, she takes him to see his lady-love.

Kynan is training Gabrielle in quarterstaff when Elayne and Sinclair walk in.

Gabrielle gives Kynan a long look, to which he responds with a protestation of innocence. She tries not to be too grumpy that Elayne talked to Sinclair before Gabrielle did; everyone reassures her that Sinclair wasn't bullied, including Sinclair. Gabrielle then asks very nervously if Elayne really knows what she's getting into with this, and if she's really willing. Elayne says she is.

Gabrielle: "I'm afraid you might see some sides of me that you won't like very much."

Elayne: "And what sides would those be, dear sister?"

Gabrielle gives in; once she's done with the trumps, she'll work on her head here.

Sinclair makes psychic contact with Gabrielle in order to pass on info about Lydia. Gabrielle is appropriately appalled by 'Lydia's' current appearance. She asks Sinclair is he's sure he's ok with this; he claims to be. The psychic contact is showing him exactly how shattered Gabrielle's psyche is right now and the thin margin by which she's keeping control.

Gabrielle: "I should work on finishing the trumps, then. Is the charming gentleman Tighe available?"

Tighe bows: "For you, my lady, always."

Gabrielle freaks, as that's exactly what Prentice said to her before he assaulted her. She starts to go into flashbacks and almost falls down. Sinclair, who was not quite out of psychic contact with Gabrielle, sees some very unpleasant images. He does, however, manage to keep them both upright as he renews his decision to kill Prentice slowly.

Tighe looks appalled, backs away and asks if she'd rather do someone else first.

Gabrielle glares at him and declines.

Last Update: Saturday, March 12, 2005

Return to Amber