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About two days before Martin and Folly's return to Amber, a small tousled hair boy was racing through Castle Amber. It was Pert, Solace's young page, and everything about his haste and demeanour proclaimed that he was on An Important Mission.
He stopped various people who might be expected to know, and his urgent question was always the same.
"Please ... have you seen Dame Lilly? I have a message to her from Monsiegneur!"
For such was Lucas's designation by his personal staff.
It was a guardsman who was finally able to place her in the Salle with some certainty. A few others had suggested either there or the library, but only one seemed sure. As he had promised, Pert found her there sparring with tow of the castle guards. Despite being out numbered she seemed to be handling them both with ease. As he entered the room, she did not visibly take notice of his presence.
Pert is far too well-trained to interrupt, but he stands on the sidelines, shifting from foot to foot. Whatever his message is, the boy seems to think it urgent and - judging by his worried expression - not good news.
After a few moments, Lilly calls a halt. The two guardsmen seem rather relieved by this. Judging by their age and apparent fatigue, they are younger members of the guard who really do not seem to understand what they were getting themselves into when they accepted Lilly's invitation.
Sheathing her sword, Lilly turns her full attention to Pert. "Yes?"
"Monsiegneur asks for you to come at once, Dame Lilly," says Pert, a little breathlessly. Like all of Lucas' staff, he used the title 'Monsieneur' for his master. "It's Madame la Marquise. She's ... not well, and Prince Gerard is with her. They want you to come and M'sieur Venesch too. Gaston went to find him ..."
He looks up at Lilly pleadingly. "Will you come?"
Lilly's features instantly change from mildly annoyed, to deeply concerned. "Where are they?"
"In Monsiegneur's suite, Dame Lilly," says Pert promptly. "Madame la Marquise is sleeping - at least, she was when I left, and Monsiegneur was speaking with the Prince. And ... and Monsiegneur made us move the children's nursery."
It is clear that this has worried him more than anything.
Once she garners the information she turns to the guardsmen present in the room.
"Lute," she barks. "Go find Captain Venesch. Tell him it is a matter of extreme urgency. Have him meet me at (insert location here...). Go quickly."
The guard immediately, and very wisely, jumps to his feet, "Yes, Dame Lilly."
Turning her attention back to the page, "Lead the way and make haste. Do not worry about my ability to keep up with you."
"At once, Dame Lilly!" agrees Pert, and he shoots off with an alacrity that would be admirable in a greyhound.
Lilly falls behind him and keeps pace. She was not concerned about what those passing her in the halls might be thinking. At his moment she did not even care about the fact that she was certainly not dressed for anything other then sparring. Somehow she knew that this might be the one time Lucas would not even notice the state she was in or better yet, he might appreciate the fact that she did not take the time to change.
Lilly is greeted at the door as the door of Lucas' suite by the lugubrious Gaston, Lucas' manservant. His mood appears more than usually sombre - so might he escort them to view the body. However, when they arrive in the sitting room Lucas, his face showing an unusual degree of tension, is very much alive. He is sitting in an armchair, speaking quietly with Gerard.
He rises at once with punctiliousness to greet Lilly.
"Thank you for coming so promptly," he says. "How much did Pert tell you?"
"Very little. Only that your wife was injured and Captain Venesch and I were be asked for." Lilly replies.
"Solace has, we believe, been attacked. In the children's nursery."
Venesch arrives almost immediately afterwards, and Lucas repeats himself for the Captain's benefit.
Gerard is frowning. Venesch, by contrast, is appalled and worried. He starts to say something, but Gerard cuts him off.
"She's not wounded. The lass has a terrible headache, but I can't find anything else wrong with her. I don't think whatever did this is a man. Lilly, have you been keeping up with Aisling's creature?"
"I have seen it from time to time. Perhaps before we jump there though, someone can give me further details as to what happened. I would prefer to know as much as possible before I begin making conclusions." She was not being intentionally rude. Lilly simply had a certain way of doing things. In cases such as this she wanted facts before speculation.
"Of course," says Lucas. "Of course."
He still sounds somewhat less urbane than usual - if this were anyone other than invariably detached and indolent Lucas, you might say he is alarmed by what has happened.
"Solace was in the nursery," he says. "I was in our bedroom - we were testing a simple alarm I've tried to set up - in case one of the children is taken ill during the night. I heard her cry out - a fall - and then Hope started screaming. I went in ... she was unconscious on the floor. I carried her to my room - my staff comforted the children. We've moved their nursery. Hope ... Hope says she heard her mother cry out - saw her stiffen and cry out and collapse ... "
He rises suddenly and walks to the window, staring out. It is clear he's taking a few moments to compose himself. Then he turns, and his face is expressionless.
"No-one could have entered the nursery without my seeing them. I was in there earlier myself, supervising as Gaston fixed the alarm. No-one was in there then. Nanny Starch brought the children ... Lilly, no-one could have entered that room by natural means."
His face is more than expressionless now - it is hard.
"Someone attacked my wife. They may have been aiming for my children too. And I shall find out who."
Lilly turns her attention back to Gerard, "Why about that story made you think to ask me about Cloudeater?" Again there are no underlying currents in her tone. It was a simple question based upon sheer curiosity.
Gerard says simply, "Because I don't know of many folk left in Amber who might have that kind of magic. There are magicians, true: the Gatwegians and the Rebmans for sure, and perhaps others. But after what Dara did to that poor guard, that was the first thing that came to my mind. I wouldn't call him guilty, but you can see why I think he wants questioning."
Venesch has observed impassively, as is his way.
"When the army left the Abyss many were overtaken with nightmares. It has been my theory that those were an attack of sorts brought on by an outside force. I have had no way to prove that of course but there are far too many similarities between the dreams the Knights had for me to accept it as coincidence. Now I suppose it may have been Cloudeater, but I am much more inclined to believe that it came from another source.
"Because of that experience, I am wondering if the assailant needed to be here in Amber. Trumps work at a great distance. Perhaps there are sorcerous attacks that do as well." Lilly is very much interested in the others opinions on this and it is obvious in her tone. She is welcoming debate in an effort to find the hidden truth.
"Wonderful," says Lucas bitterly. "So not only are we powerless against physical attacks coupled with sorcery such as at the Masquerade, but you're now holding out the prospect that my wife ... my children ... can be attacked by any random sorcerer who has a whim to slap an Amberite - or an Amberite associate.
"You may well be right - but I want more immediate steps taken as well. I want my children guarded - as you and Gerard think best. I want Aisling's little friend questioned - both about its own involvement ... and about the possibilities you've raised.
"One thing that occurs to me ... I wouldn't place my family that high on the food chain. What if this attack were a way of probing our defences? There are children - or rather, there will be children - who one faction or another might regard with deeper interest than my Hope and Phillippe."
There is a momentary look of dread on Lilly's face. Clearly she has considered this before. She had no clue how she was going to manage to keep the twins safe. Now she had the other little ones to worry about as well. It all served as a very intense reminder that she did not want to be a parent. If she could not ensure the safety and well being off her offspring she wanted absolutely nothing to do with having them. Right now she seriously doubted that an child born of Amber blood could ever truly be safe.
"That's possible," Gerard replies placidly, unmoved by Lucas' complaints. "It's also quite possible that Solace has a sudden migraine headache, and we're all jumping at shadows. She's been fragile since she was pregnant with Phillipe, Lucas, and we can't discount ill health as the cause of her woes. Dworkin's Razor."
Lilly found herself forced to agree and yet, at the same time, she hoped Lucas knew his wife better then that. She hoped that the man would be able to tell the difference between a bad headache and an attack of sorts.
Lucas is frowning. "I would like to believe that," he says at last. His tone suggests he finds it unlikely.
He says to Venesch, who has been waiting for some pronouncement from the former Regent, "We'll need to tighten up security, both here and generally, and we'll need to have a plan to take to the Queen. When we get the redheads back, we'll need to talk to them about what might cause this kind of effect, but until then we're a bit stymied. I'm not sure I want to advertise our weakness to our local magicians, if they haven't figured it out on their own."
Gerard looks to Lilly, as if inviting her reply.
"Agreed," she responds. "I think we should try to keep news of this within the palace if that is at all possible. Of course I do not think it should be hidden from family. We all need to know of the dangers that could be present so that we can be better prepared for them."
Gerard nods.
"I would also suggest Lucas, that until Amber is secure, you may want to think about moving your loved ones elsewhere. Perhaps Uncle Corwin has a spare set of suites available." [Lilly] was not sure how he would take such a suggestion but felt it needed to be made all the same.
Lucas looks as if he is about to vehemently object - and then he gives a fatalistic Gallic shrug. "Eh bien. We shall see. I would prefer not to leave Amber at this present time ... but ... it might become necessary to ensure that my wife and children find a place of greater safety."
Gerard doesn't say "Where is that?" but Lucas suspects he's thinking it.
Venesch says to Gerard and Lilly, "I will make the arrangements immediately, Gerard-sama." He nods to Lilly and Lucas, and unless Lilly or Lucas intervenes, is on his way.
Gerard tells Lucas, "I'll come up later tonight and look in on Solace again. If she sleeps whatever this is off, she'll be all the better for it. If she wakes and is ill, or gets worse, send for me at once."
"Thank you," says Lucas. "And of course I shall. I very much appreciate this, Uncle."
He glances at Lilly to see if she has anything to add - either to both of them, or to himself alone.
She returns the look and says simply, "If you have need of me, for any reason, please do not hesitate to call on me." With that and a bow of the head, she turns to leave.
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XVI: A Dangerous Experiment | Index | XVIII: A Traveller from a New Land
