I didn't make it as far as my bed. The fire in the Great Hall was in danger of dying and the wood supply was running low. I created a stack more and not really feeling tired slumped into one of the two recliners I'd created a few days earlier. Something was missing so I added a bottle of wine and a selection of snacks to the table.
I suppose it must have been 20 minutes or so later when Alfred appeared. He'd failed to attract Deirdre's attention and couldn't get into the tower. I suggested he use trumps. He said he didn't have any and anyway couldn't use them. I suggested he learn.
Since he wasn't going to do this in a hurry I pulled the deck from my pocket and extracted the top card. It went cold and a minute or so later I was speaking to Deirdre. She asked if I'd seen Charity. I said not, but I'd spoken to her earlier that morning. She said she'd left about 15 minutes before having called her by trump about an hour previously. I added this information to my stock and explained that Alfred had been trying to attract her attention and wished to talk to her. She said she'd fetch him in the usual manner shortly. I asked if there was anything she needed doing but she replied negatively. I wished her good night and broke the contact.
It was several minutes later when I felt the buzz of the Logrus tendril as it snaked in through the hall wall. It enveloped Alfred and hauled him out through the roof. His reappearance had spoilt my mood and I left the wine unfinished and headed for bed.
Sorcha woke me again this morning as she has done for the last three days. She's not having a particularly good time with the pregnancy and wanted a glass of fresh stout to settle her stomach. Why she has a craving for stout I don't know but it seems to work for her. She also asked if I could freshen up her room for her. I pulled on a Kimono and said I'd meet her in the Hall.
All I can say is that I'm clad I've spent time recently to learn a little Sorcery and Conjuration. It makes cleaning up and disposing of vomit and then creating air freshener rather a trivial task.
When I reached the hall Sorcha had the fire going again, so I added some more logs to the pile and created breakfast on the table.
We had finished breakfast and were drinking green tea and coffee when we felt the buzz of a Logrus tendril. Since it didn't enter the hall I assumed it was dropping Alfred in the courtyard.
He appeared about 10 minutes later and it was all Sorcha and I could do to avoid collapsing with laughter. He was wearing bright yellow trousers, an orange waist coat, and a deep red jacket. At least he wasn't wearing a red pointy hat and blue shoes.
After grabbing a couple of quick mouthfuls of leftover breakfast he announced rather testily, he'd obviously picked up on our amusement, that he was off to explore the town. We waited until he was out of earshot before collapsing in fits of giggles.
The rest of the morning and early afternoon passed quietly, apart from Sorcha's request for some maternity dresses, her normal collection were beginning to get a little tight. Mid afternoon Charity reappeared - not by trump but out of the abyss, and accompanied by seven dozen demons. If I hadn't been in my apartment I wouldn't have seen her arrival, but then I didn't pick this one for no apparent reason - I have a good view of most of the Courtyard, the stables, Gatehouse, base of Deirdre's tower, and most of the right flank of the Abyss where it abuts the fortress. The demons headed for the first of the barrack blocks and Charity came towards the Hall. I chose to remain where I was if she wanted to discuss anything she would come and find me.
She arrived about half an hour later. Sorcha told me later that they'd had a shortish conversation, and that Charity hadn't known that she was pregnant or exactly what had happened to her in the Unicorn Grove. I thought I'd told her but then we're all fallible.
We exchanged details of recent events. The only item of significance was that it had been the serpent who'd made the changes to shadow around here. She then said she needed some materials for drawing trumps and was going shadow walking to get them. I almost volunteered to create them for her but then remembered I hadn't progressed far enough to make things that were real anywhere other than in this shadow.
It was about and hour later that I noticed on of the demons crossing towards the hall. Since it obvious wanted something I went down to the hall to meet it.
It started the conversation by noting that my health had obviously improved since last we met. Since we hadn't to my knowledge met, I said as much. He laughed. I inquired what was funny. He said that perhaps we should start again. He introduced himself as Prince Fredizkhankt, ruler of the Abyss Realm of Quinqohkt, and that on a previous occasion he and his body guard had be asked by the Kraken to retrieve four Amberites and the Unicorn from the Unicorn Grove near Amber. In which case I replied I was Princess Cordelia Chan of Amber, Director of Mizzurian, and was pleased to formally make his acquaintance. Now what did he want. He laughed again and called me feisty - I've never been called feisty in my life, a few other things, but never feisty.
I tried again - was there anything I could do for him. Apparently yes, for which he got kicked across the room. As he rolled to his feet he was laughing again. "Ok. Enough" he said "Shall we start again?"
By the time we'd finished the 'Grand Tour' it was approaching dinner time. I asked what he was doing about feeding himself and his troops. He said his troops would take care of themselves, and he didn't really need to eat. For tonight he'd eat with them but if I didn't mind he'd join us tomorrow so he could keep abreast of any developments. I said I suspected that wouldn't be a problem, and that we had breakfast about 8 and dinner about 20:00, which would be in about half and hour.
I returned to the hall to find Sorcha waiting. She already knew about the presence of Fred and his troops having been informed that they'd arrived by Charity. What she didn't know was they were the ones that had rescued us from the Unicorn Grove. We ate dinner wondering what had happened to Alfred. He hadn't shown up by the time either Sorcha or I retired.
Today has been much like every other day this week, except that I found out Fred and his men get up early, have good eye sight and can wolf whistle. At least Sorcha wasn't sick this morning.
Fred joined us for breakfast, and commented on how much better I looked with my clothes on. I merely smiled at him, causing him to break into one of his laughing fits.
I was beginning to like this demon, which of course set my itch to itching again.
The rest of the day was spent somewhat idly although I did managed two hours of sparing with Fred and his men. I think I impressed them, especially when they found it took three of them to subdue me.
Alfred didn't put in an appearance until late in the evening. Fred Sorcha, and I were relaxing in the hall with a second bottle of wine having finished the first one with our meal some half hour earlier.
His arrival was rather funny. There we were sitting in a loose arrangement around the fire where we could all clearly see the main doors, when he tries to furtively push them open and sneak inside. he wasn't very happy when we burst out laughing and told him to stop messing about. He them blurted out about demons in the barracks, which caused more fits of laughter until Sorcha took pity on him and told him about Fred and his troops. He then started wailing about no food being left at which point my guilt go the better of me and I asked if he wanted something to eat. He replied that he did so I conjured and nice cold spread of chicken, bread, cheese, pickles, and another bottle of wine.
When Sorcha decided to retire early he did likewise, although I don't know where he slept - I'd only furnished the two apartments Sorcha and I were using.
I got wolf whistled again this morning. Since I'm not going to change my habits they'll just have to get used to them. Their whistling had invoked my defiant streak and I'd started exercising whilst balancing on the window ledge, and yes if you haven't guessed I was wearing a light kimono which wasn't tied and nothing else. I was interrupted Sorcha who gave me a disapproving stare and asked if I could come and freshen up her room - she'd been sick again.
Having dealt with Sorcha's problems, I made my way down to the barrack block. After yesterday's workout I realized I had been neglecting my fitness and training recently and with time and a willing set of partners had the opportunity to do something about it.
We sparred for two hours, my light attire initially working in my favour. I'll leave the pondering of why males of a completely different genetic species should be distracted by the semi-naked female human form to the philosophers. It isn't the first time this has been apparent and I doubt it will be the last. When it occurs I have no qualms about exploiting it.
As I made my way back through the Great Hall I got a lecture on the correct behaviour of somebody of my status which I shall of course ignore. People may believe that I'm after relieving Florimel of her title but they'd be wrong. I have my own set of principles which don't always agree with everyone else's - for a start I don't sleep with everyone just because I can.
The rest of the day was spent in quiet relaxation. Alfred and Fred joined us for the evening meal, and we polished off a few bottles of wine. Alfred, it seems has found himself a bunk in one of the barrack rooms. If he's happy to sleep there then who am I to persuade him otherwise.
Today was much like yesterday, although Fred's men didn't bother to wolf whistle me this morning. Fred did however stand and watch as I completed a set of exercises whilst standing on the window ledge. He even applauded when I'd finished.
I spent the morning sparing again, although this time I wore my Gi. Wearing a thin kimono is ok, but it doesn't have much protective value and I have a number of scratches and bruises from yesterday. The kimono also had a number of holes in it but a quick bit of sorcery fixed them.
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| Supporting Cast - Cordelia | The Keep of the Thirteenth Hour |