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Around midmorning, while Lucas is reading a particularly tedious broadsheet, there is a staccato rap upon the door. Lucas is not expecting visitors.
Gaston crosses the room to the suite's entrance and Lucas hears the door opening. Rather than the expected query from his retainer, Lucas hears rustling instead.
"Thanks," Lucas hears in a familiar voice, followed by Gaston's rather subdued announcement of "The King and Queen to see you, sir."
Random and Vialle come into the sitting room. She is wearing a classic gown in muted colors. He is wearing jeans and a T-Shirt. "Hallo, Lucas. We were in the neighborhood and thought we'd stop by."
"You're most welcome, your Majesties," says Lucas urbanely, rising to his feet and admirably concealing any surprise he might feel.
He is wearing the same informal garb in which he met Ossian - pale linen trousers and a polo shirt - both of extremely fine cut. A curious ring on one finger bears the insignia of the Yale Skull and Bones Club. Clearly this morning's style is New England preppie.
"Gaston," says Lucas, "refreshments." He turns to the royal couple. "Tea, your Majesties? Coffee? Something stronger? I believe Gouter has baked some of those little lemon cakes that you and my wife like so much, your Majesty." This last is, of course, to Vialle - Lucas has not yet established Random's taste in cakes.
"Coffee would be nice. Gatwegean Honeyed Coffee if you can make it that way."
Whatever they request (or nothing), Lucas dismisses Gaston to go about his duties with a superb gesture. Then he waits for Random and Vialle to be seated (he won't assist Vialle as Random is there) before seating himself once more.
He waits politely for the King to speak - whether it is social pleasantries, or something of more weight.
The King and Queen speak of pleasantries while waiting for Gaston. After inquiring about the health of Solace and the children and commenting on the excellence of the lemon cakes, Random gets to the point.
"I'm quite excited by the prospect of showing Xanadu to you all tonight. It's so full of potential. The double falls into the harbor are amazing." He shakes his head.
"I am all eagerness to see it too," agrees Lucas.
"Xanadu will get all sorts of people, of course. Including its share of fools, con-men, idealists, pragmatists, crooks, failures, gold-rushers, and musicians. Just like any place. But if I'm going to nurture it, I need to help populate it with talented people. I need to find the kind of people who will be driven to succeed and thus improve the city. It's pretty easy to identify who succeeded during the hardship of The Sundering, but it's not so easy to tell who succeeded by luck or family connections, or because an associate propped them up.
"It's not something I need in the form of a list from you. But I want you to think about it when you first come to Xanadu, then think about who might be on such a list.
"We're building here, and we need a good foundation."
"Of fools, con-men, crooks, failures and gold-rushers?" says Lucas with a faint smile. "Certainly, I'd be delighted to give it some thought ..."
Vialle drops her head, and her smile fades.
Lucas gives her a searching glance but continues to Random.
She doesn't hear his glance, and if Random sees it, he ignores it.
"I think I can offer you the sort of entrepreneurial spirit you are looking for. Animateurs, who can breathe life into projects. Men and - if you wish - women. And some whose gender is somewhat undecided ...
"Are you looking to recruit primarily in Amber, or are you thinking of Shadow too? I ran into a few people who you might want in Xanadu on my travels after the Sundering. A race of hermaphrodites, at one point. Now, they were adaptable."
Random says, "It's a push-pull situation, of course. Xanadu needs people who can build it, and there are people like that in Amber who will need a place to go. We'll get walk-ons from other places, but Amber is where we're going to recruit."
"Then I'll be delighted to offer you my suggestions," says Lucas. "It's a tremendous opportunity to create a city that is a model of beauty and organisation. A starting point for a great realm. Obviously, my suggestions will benefit from seeing Xanadu for myself. You are planning on returning soon, you say? May I ask who you are planning to leave in charge of the city in your absence? And whether you intend to start readying the populace? Rumours are already flying - with all due respect, a strategy for news management might be advisable."
"Well, it's not a wartime situation, and we can return quickly via trump if we need to. But Gerard will be here in case something comes up. It's a pity; he'd like the falls. Maybe we'll swap him in once we get there.
"You all didn't have quite the freedom to travel during the war, did you? I keep forgetting how long it's been here. Two months ago, we were King Eric's noble prisoners. P> "Without wishing to denigrate the unpleasantness of your captivity in the least," says Lucas cautiously, "I would say that being one of his unexpected and not entirely welcome houseguests was no sinecure either."
"Hmm. Let me ask another way. Were you in Amber at all during my father's reign?"
"Fleetingly," says Lucas. "My mother decided one day I should walk the Pattern. And once Maman gets an idea into her head ... well, you know how she is. New shoes, new man, new brocade for the drawing room, Lucas walks the Pattern ... We didn't hang around to pay any formal calls. In fact, I doubt Grandpere knew we were here ... " He looks enquiringly at Random.
"That sounds like Flora's style. Come to think of it, it sounds like every single one of my sibs' styles. I was apparently the unsophisticated parent of my generation."
Vialle pats his hand.
"I have travelled since the Sundering. It ... ah ... seemed the thing to do. We needed trade routes." He gives a slight shrug. "It was a poor second to the old methods, I believe. But ... it got things done."
Random nods. "Making shadowpaths is a bitch-and-a-half. What you all did worked. Anyway, my point was that Amber doesn't need me to be here every day, but it may need me to show up any day. That's not the same thing. Amber certainly used to deal with that with Dad. He was very good at just knowing when he needed to be someplace. It was uncanny."
He pauses as, if lost in thought about his father.
Lucas says nothing.
"I've heard from Gerard about how people disappeared during the regency. With patterns in Xanadu and Paris and ways to get to Rebma, that'll become a torrent. It's not just that there's nothing to keep people here, it's as if they're getting pushed out. If we don't look after the people who would end up lost, they'll be strung out across uncountable shadows.
"And a part of looking after them is making sure that the place that they go to is hospitable. You see why I'm looking for who I'm looking for?"
"Indeed," says Lucas. "Yes, I can certainly make some recommendations.
"And ... ah ... would you like my role to be to join in creating this homely and welcoming atmosphere? The maitre d' for Xanadu? Or is it more on the scale of Hausmann in service to Napoleon III - forgive me, you did know Shadow Earth, I believe ... Boulevards and arrondissements ... they have a certain elan, I feel."
He looks at the King with polite enquiry.
"You'll be able to judge some of that better when you've seen it. There's very little that can be offered to a member of our family that could not be attained with very little effort in shadow. Where do you want to apply your talents for the greater good of Xanadu?"
Lucas glances sharply at Vialle - a look that she, of course, is unaware of, but that Random can see.
"I believe," says Lucas, "that I might say with all becoming modesty, that I have done the state some service. And if the reward for a job well done is another job, then I would suggest that you deploy my talents ... and my connections ... in a way that will best contribute to the greater good of Xanadu. Both within the realm and - without."
He smiles faintly. "I believe I am fortunate in having very little of an agenda that will occasion me to defend a homeland or protect external interests. My ... ah ... energies are your Majesty's to command."
Vialle stands. "I should visit with Solace before we leave. Can you have someone escort me there, Lucas?"
"Certainly," agrees Lucas, rising smoothly to his feet. "Solace will be delighted to see you, your Majesty. She is hoping to be strong enough soon to resume her service ... but I should let her tell you all her news for herself."
He does not offer to escort her himself, but moves to the plush bell pull set against the wall. Within a moment, the lugubrious Gaston is among them, and bowing respectfully as he escorts Vialle away.
Random watches the Queen leave.
Lucas waits until he is alone with the King and then says, "I have offered my allegiance to you, your Majesty. The fact that my mother has seemingly chosen another centre of reality can, I feel, be an asset rather than detrimental. I will have occasion to visit her and ... should a visit to her be needed, occasion can assuredly be found."
"I see we understand each other. There will be those who find your presence reassuring." Random looks at Lucas. "A certain continuity will be helpful in convincing people that the new realm is welcoming."
Lucas bows his head in agreement gravely, his dark eyes still watching Random. Then suddenly he smiles.
"To say nothing of my bringing a certain elan," he responds. "If you are creating a new centre of relaity, I suppose someone needs to be there to persuade you that the Strip is a rather tawdry dance, and not a style of urban architecture that you should be using as a model for Xanadu."
"It is a tasty cut of steak, though." He smiles back. "Amber reflected Oberon. His tastes, his desires, his interests and disinterests. It was a reflection of his mental idea of a City. He shaped it for thousands of years. It has Oberon, King of Amber written all over it."
"Xanadu will be the city of my desire, but it will be easier to make it that way if I start off well."
"And I shall do all in my power to aid you in that, Sire," said Lucas gravely. "With, perhaps, a few provisos as regards furnishings."
Before the King and Queen leave, Lucas genially suggests they pay a visit to the nursery. Hope, he explains to Random, adores Vialle, and will be desperately hurt to learn that she missed seeing her.
"Certainly," agrees Random agreeably.
"We'd be most pleased to visit your children, Lucas," adds Vialle.
"Kissing babbies is in the job description, after all. Lead on, Nephew mine!"
The children are pleased to see the Royal couple. While Vialle speaks seriously to Hope, Random improvises a small drum for Phillippe. Soon the young lad is banging arrhythmically but very loudly on a box with a wooden stick.
Random and Vialle stay for a few moments, but they make their apologies and move along to their next appointment. Random thanks Lucas and offers to send Phillippe a proper drum, as he seems quite taken with the sound.
Lucas seems delighted by the proposal.
"Just think, Solace, it was only the other say that we were discussing whether we should turn that little room at the far end of the suite into a dressing room for your Mama when she comes to visit, or a music room for the children. And now his Majesty has shown us the way! A music room it shall be."
And Lady Vesper, if she should attempt to sleep in the next room, will have to contend with Phillippe's drumming at ungodly hours - and it will remain to be seen whether (when she realises that the drum is a gift of the King) it will be her desire to protect her hearing, or her appalling snobbery that will triumph. Her son-in-law anticipates enjoying the contest.
"I think Hope should learn the bugle," says Lucas thoughtfully.
The next day a box arrives, containing one small bugle and a small double hand tom. Both are engraved 'The Marquis of St. Cyr's own Drum and Bugle Corps.'
Lucas acquires a new member of staff - a man called Crotchet. Probably employed on a part time basis.
When visiting Lucas, people might hear, in the silence that falls occasionally in Lucas' rooms, a high nasal voice can be heard "Now children ... one! two!" followed by a mad (but thankfully muffled) cacophony in a very distant part of the suite.
Cousins who wish to teach the children too will be very welcome. There's a particular march tune that Lucas hopes they will have the rudiments of ready for the next time Lady Harmony Vesper visits - the children can greet her with it ...
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XXIV: A Visit from a Sorcerer and a Spymaster | Index | XXVI: Another Dangerous Experiment
