Rather than leave Yousheng within striking distance of Flora I suggested he accompany me to Dave's. His initial reaction when I turned off the main thoroughfare and into the back streets where Dave's was located was to inquire if I knew where I was going and loosen his sword in its scabbard. When I turned to enter Dave's he slipped in front of me so as to enter first. I waited a few seconds before following him inside.
He had stopped halfway to the bar and was contemplating what to do. The bouncer, actually one of the Elite Royal Guard, was no longer sitting as he usually did at the end of the bar, but was standing pistol in hand. Two further patrons also had pistols drawn, and several others were in the process of getting out of chairs.
"There are times Yousheng when insisting on entering a building before me will get you injured or killed. This is one of those so take your hand very slowly away from your sword. The rest of you..go back to being innocent regulars."
I patted Yousheng on the shoulder and walked across the room. The bouncer returned to his seat as I did so, and the barman, who now had a rifle in his hand, thumbed the bell for the back room. By the time Yousheng had come up behind me I heard the latch click and the door swung inwards.
I half expected Random to already be there but he wasn't. As I didn't know whether or not this was going to turn into another of his sessions or not I resisted the urge to order a bottle of Jack Daniels and settled for a Californian Rose. Yousheng declined the wine and opted for tea instead.
Random had said an hour, but even by his standards four and a half hours is pushing it somewhat. What's worse is that he brought Fiona with him. I had of course relented by this time, and was several glasses in to the bottle of JD. He sat down quipping about having some catching up to do and poured himself a large glass which he downed before refilling both his and mine. Fiona glared at him then me, picked up the half empty bottle of Rose, deemed it acceptable and poured herself a glass.
"Sorry about the delay. A couple of things came up that needed dealing with; it seems somebody has it in for your half-brother and its causing a few problems, which is why I have an escort tonight. Seems the family can't risk the King out and about on his own."
I choked on my drink. Through the coughing fit I manged a weak "What half-brother?"
Random looked a little stunned and Fiona cracked a feint smile. "I thought you knew. I thought I'd told you on that first morning following the ball."
Still coughing a little I shook my head. Still struggling to breathe properly I managed "You were too busy trying to work out how to get me to sit so you could get a second look at my pussy".
Fiona was now having difficulty not laughing. She managed a "You'd better tell her the story" and regained most of her composure although she obviously found the whole situation amusing.
"Ok. How much do you know of what happened to your father?"
"Not much. He disappeared when I was 15. Flora told me that he'd been kidnapped. That he'd tried to capture Amber and failed. He'd then been imprisoned but escaped, and he'd ended the war by inscribing the Carnelian Pattern using the Jewel of Judgment"
"It outline that's sort of correct. If you get the chance get a copy of your father's diaries and read them. There are a few omissions and a number of changes to protect the innocent but they'll give you an account, even if it is slightly biased. Anyway when he was kidnapped he lost his memory and was seduced by Dara, a scheming she devil and major power player from the courts. The result is that she gave birth to Merlin, who she raised in secret with a view to placing him on the throne of Amber, there by gaining the power she so desperately seeks. Anyway her plan back fired Merlin found out who his father was and at the end of the war went off to find himself. He's actually been on Earth for a number of years at Berkley in California."
I wasn't sure how to react. Random was obviously telling the truth but it was just to unbelievable to be true. "So I have a half-brother - is he older or younger than me"
"He's a couple of years younger. If he'd stayed at the Courts he'd be older by now. But age for us is relative. Once you've been around for a few hundred years you stop counting. "
"So why wasn't he at the ball, and why haven't I seen him since, and why wasn't my father there?"
"An interesting set of questions, ones I either can't or choose not to answer at this time"
My eyes flashed angry. "You'll answer or I'm leaving."
"I'll not and neither will you. You'll sit down and listen." I moved to leave. Fiona spoke three words and I fell to the floor unable to move. Yousheng was out of his seat in a flash, sword in hand. Fiona spoke a single word this time, and he joined me on the floor, only I was conscious and he wasn't.
Random moved in front of me, put one hand between my legs and the other round my back and under my arm, then hauled me back into the seat. I was furious and made the mistake of glaring at Fiona. By the time I'd realized my mistake it was too late and I could feel her presence in my head.
"You should learn to think more before you act. Anger and emotion have been the downfall of many a fool. If I chose to I could kill you now or leave a gaes or command you'd be powerless to resist. I chose not to do any of these things. You are however going to sit like a good little girl, listen, comprehend, and do as you're told. You're also not going to fidget or moan or otherwise give any indication whats happening to you for the next 10 minutes."
As she spoke I could see her construct a memory engram, based on the compulsion walking the pattern placed on me, but coupled with my encounter with Sulin. As she withdrew she triggered the engram, and I heard her cancel the spell. I could move again which made things far worse. Random turned to Fiona oblivious to what she'd done.
"I hope you left none of your compulsions or other surprises. I'm not inclined to have to explain to her father, if we ever find him, why you mind fucked his daughter"
"Interesting colloquialism that - 'Mind Fucked'. No I simply told her she was either going to behave or I would ensure she did. I have no need of a puppet and can handle her father. Now can we get back to business?"
The next 10 minutes were the most excruciatingly uncomfortable of my life to date. I desperately wanted to give full vent to what the engram was inflicting but was unable to do so. Random picked up where he'd left off but I wasn't paying him the slightest attention, yet I can remember word for word everything he said.
"At the present time we feel it necessary that your brother does not learn of your existence and that should you come into contact with him, which we'll do our best to prevent, you will claim to be a long lost daughter of Eric. Your father and him were sufficiently alike to blunt any initial questions. There is also something else to be wary of. Merlin, as a project built a trump computer called Ghostwheel. Like you he's clever, only he doesn't have your self control. The upshot is that he gave the computer the power to learn. There are members of the family, sitting not several feet from here who believe that whatever the current threat is has gained control of Ghostwheel and is using it against us. This makes your learning trump a double edged sword as it exposes you to discovery by Ghostwheel, from which you will be unable to hide your lineage. Since your brother doesn't know you exist he has no reason to ask Ghostwheel to determine who you really are. The longer this situation holds true the less chance you have of becoming a pawn."
He downed what remained in his glass and refilled it. "You're not to go looking for either your brother or your father. Once the current situation has played out we'll see about resolving either one or both of these enigmas. Now before we entered this little aside I was going to brief you on your trip to Dakota"
He finished just in time for Fiona's compulsion to expire and me to achieve a third climax in a scene reminiscent of a triple x rated when Harry met Sally moment. Convulsion over I leapt the table and dived into the privy.
It took a further 10 minutes, another climax, and a certain amount of improvisation for me to break Fiona's engram. Thankfully I'd changed out of the dress I'd had on at dinner, and had bothered to put underwear on under the short skirt I had chosen as its replacement. This had mitigated the size of the wet patch in the back of the skirt.
When I returned to the table Random couldn't make up his mind whether to be embarresed over my outburst or collapse in a heap with laughter at my predicament. Even the stoic Fiona appeared amused. I threw my saturated underwear in Fiona's face which triggered the latter effect in Random. "Ha. Ha. Very funny. All bully Cinderella. We'll Cinderella will just have to tell her fairy godmother Vialle that you had ugly sister Fiona instill a compulsion so you could masturbate her then fuck her."
"That's not funny Cordelia"
"Neither is what she did"
"Ok I'm sorry and you're right. But what's done is done. I can't undo it but I do need you to work with me. For all my supposed powers as King there are limitations as to what I can actually do. Forcing any of the family to do anything is one of them. I can suggest they do certain things, but that's about all. I'm sure she'll find a way to make it up to you at some point, won't you." He turned and looked directly at his sister.
Fiona merely stared back at him with a vacent expression on her face.
"Won't you"
"I'll think about it."
I stood , picked up my jacket from where I'd stowed it earlier, then moved to where Yousheng still lay unmoving on the floor. Throwing him across my shoulder I sood and turned to leave the bar. Random had left his seat and was standing between me and the door.
"Get out of my way"
"Or you'll do what"
I moved to put Yousheng down, turning my back on him as I did so. I think he expected me to draw the sword, and wasn't prepared for my foot landing in his midriff, although he recoved well and managed to land on his feet several feet away. Fiona was now standing. He shook his head. I picked Yousheng up again and moved towards the door. "Are you going to Dakota"
"I'll think about it".
| Previous | Next |
|---|
| Back | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supporting Cast - Cordelia | The Keep of the Thirteenth Hour |