The Worlds of Katherine Kurtz

I have one post before we pick up again next year. Also, we are still looking for 1 or 2 people to join us in this adventure.

Congratulations, Forgotten Shadows TEAM!

We accomplished writing, living, and surviving(yes all of us, at least for now) the first great obstacle placed before us by our Game Master. I know we have all had real-life curveballs that delayed much of the story, but sometimes it is those curveballs that bring more drama into our writing.

Team it has been a great pleasure, and I love working with people who all have their own visions and writing styles, that is what makes this a joy!

Chapter/book one complete.  Starting next year we shall see what more trouble we can get into and, with lucky rolls of the dice, solve.

Cheers to the team and to everyone who has been reading along.

(All five of us—Laurna, Revanne, Jerusha, Marc, and me—contributed to the writing of this scene. Go team!)

Airich finally pulled away from Amy's embrace, but didn't release her hands. "I hope Theo is executed as a traitor for his plans and deeds." Amy knew that this meant hanging, disemboweling, and finally death by drawing-and-quartering. Her empathy did not allow her to wish ill upon most people, but for this case, she would make an exception.

Jimmy and Bede came into the room then, waking Elspeth from her nap. "I was just resting my eyes," she said with a yawn. She looked around at the newcomers to the room: Lady Gwendolyn and the three men. "Three of you are here, and my infirmary has not been burned down. Does that mean you've been successful?"

"More or less," said Jimmy.

"I'd say more more than less," Bede said with a smile, still flush with the victory of having discovered an enormous, unexpected cache of Byzantyum fire. "I think if they had any more of that Hell-piss, they'd have set it off already."

"Yes, but that hasn't stopped a dozen normal fires from springing up," Jimmy told her. "We've finally gotten everyone on our lists accounted for, but there must be other Willimites helping who even our Custodes didn't know about. They've been out wreaking havoc."

"We haven't heard of any new fires in over two hours, so we think they're finally finished," Airich said.

"Captain Phineas is supervising the teams now," Bede said. "They're still out there criss-crossing the city. He'll probably keep them going until dawn. Oh, and Pietre de Guerra is working with him, if ye can believe that. He's actually helping us against the anti-Deryni faction. 'Tis as though he were a changeling, so unexpected it is."

"That is astounding! Your doing?" Amy asked, looking up into Airich's eyes. He managed a half smile and flashed her an image of himself pulling the sword master from a blaze. Amy grasped his hand harder.

I think it was not me so much as his desire to help his city. He is planning to be magistrate some day, and he can't do that if Grecotha has burned to the ground.

"What about the other injured people?" Airich asked. And by "other injured," that includes you, he added for Amy's benefit. He lightly touched the bruise on her chin. Don't think I haven't noticed this little beauty that some soon-to-be-dead person inflicted upon you. Amy merely smiled and swatted his hand away. She fingered the colorful braid he'd put into her hair a few days ago and wondered how much worse her injury might be if she hadn't had that protecting her.

Father Trevor entered their room, answering him when the women could not account for the activities in the other room. "From what I could tell, mostly the injuries are smoke inhalation and superficial burns. At the moment, Master Bonhom and his assistants are working on three schoolboys with blistered burns, and Darius has joined them."

"It sounds like everyone's got everything under control, then," Jimmy said, stretching and letting loose a great yawn. "If you will excuse me, I'm going to take this opportunity to return to the barracks to get cleaned up and maybe a few hours of sleep before I'm needed again."

Trevor gave Jimmy the side-eye. The priest obviously knew what Jimmy was about. Not that this changed anything. Jimmy did indeed plan to return to the barracks, but not for long.

He would have preferred to leave without delay, but he would not be able to collect his pay until  morning. He smiled to himself; there was no point in raising suspicions now, for no guardsman would leave without his pay. A few hours sleep, and then he would report to the paymaster in clean, non-descript clothing, turn in his purple sash and helmet, and simply say that he had decided to move on. He could pick up the Jimmy Taylor persona at a later date with no hovering questions about his coming and going. He felt no need to report to Bishop Bernard; Archbishop Duncan could provide any explanation that he felt the bishop needed.

Sir Iain Cameron would then make a last trip to the transfer portal and return to Rhemuth. He had much to report to his king.

"I should let ye ladies know," Bede began hesitantly as Jimmy left the infirmary, "I... need to leave ye in Sir Airich's noble hands. I am going to track down Father Gilbert, tha' one who got away. Ye see, I found a scrap of parchment in his chapel, and after asking the right people, I've concluded he's heading towards Saint Jarlath's monastery, and it will eat me like a wolf if I don't bring him in alive or dead. Rauf and Quigley have asked permission to come with me and been granted it; they're very eager to avenge their dog that Gilbert's pupil killed. I ha only to ask Muirea to join us, and to ask for my pardon. How are ye likin' me odds there?" He laughed with unusual anxiousness.

"For receiving forgiveness from church and state? That depends entirely on your attitude, you young villein." Elspeth spoke in fond tones. "For taking our friend Muirea on a possibly dangerous journey? I can't speak to such things myself, but what's one more chance to take? I will be sorry to see both of you go, but you have fulfilled your original task," Elspeth said. "I'm afraid you must journey to Carbury to collect your pay from my brother."

"In due time," Bede said. "The way I figure it, Gilbert has got a half-day head-start on us. And I suspect he won't know anyone is after him; he likely thinks he covered his tracks pretty well. If we ride hard, mayhaps we can catch up to him before he arrives at the monastery. And then..." Bede smiled with the unrepentant cruelty that made him a soldier of the wrong side in the first place, now put to better use. "Well, let's say he can expect fire of one kind or another depending on his choices then, yeah?"

A groan from the bed made everyone look: Edwin was waking up. Gwen moved away from his side as Amy fed him sips of broth from a spoon.

After, Elspeth knelt by Edwin's side. She leaned forward and sniffed at his bandages, checking for any hint of supperation. To her relief, she found nothing but the faint smell of honey.

"I'll leave these bandages on for a bit longer; the less we disturb the blisters the sooner they will heal. You should have more of the broth," she said in a firm but maternal tone of voice.

Edwin nodded, then turned his head. "I heard Bede," he rasped. "Is he still here?"

"Aye, brother." Bede moved within Edwin's field of vision. "I hear ye were quite the hero, facing down Father Theo like that."

"Ah'm sorry that I fought wi'thee sae much. Ah've bin naught but a pain in th'arse ta ye all. But ye're a guid yin an' I wish thee well."

Bede waved a dismissive hand. "It's all trifles now. I sure egged ye on, even without knowing it at times, didn't I?"

Edwin drew a rasping breath through his seared throat and lungs, which pained the others just to hear. "Is Airich nigh?" Edwin asked.

"I am," Airich knelt by the bedside and clasped Edwin's right hand, then mindspoke the student. Don't talk; save your strength. Amy and Elspeth and Aidan and Gwendolyn have kept watch over you all night.

Sitting vigil for me. That's kind o'them. Tears pricked at the corners of Edwin's closed eyelids. Once again 'tis for me ta ask pardon o'ye. Ah'm afeared ah've no taken guid care o' your shirt.

You're alive aren't you? The shirt fulfilled the measure of its creation. Mi madre will be pleased to hear that it gave its life in exchange for yours.

Airich, will ye forgi'e me fer bein' such a fool ta ye. There's sae much ah didna ken. Ah spiered ye were just makin' sport wi' me. Ah should'a known better. Ye are a true noble man.

You and I, we are young men; it is in our nature to be fools. Despite our arguing, I consider us friends, and I trust you. And really, no one is keeping vigil for you. You just picked the worst time possible to have your accident: apparently Primate Hugh was hurt during a Willimite attack in Valoret and the healers have been with him. But as soon as his heart is stable, I'm going to harass Washburn Morgan non-stop until he comes to see you. Then you'll find out for yourself just how amazing it is to be healed by Deryni magic. Airich recalled an early discussion he and Edwin had had regarding Deryni healing.

Thank ye. Ah'm glad to leave this world at peace wi'ye and Bede. An' now I'd best be aboot makin' ma peace wi' God. Would ye be guid enow to ask your brother the priest ta hear ma confession and gi' me the last rites.

Airich thought that Edwin was not in immediate danger of dying before daylight, but who was he to get between Edwin and God's mouthpiece? Airich motioned for Trevor to take his place. As the priest brought forth his purple stool and kissed it, Airich and the others stood away from the bedside to give privacy if Edwin sought confession. He sought out Amy, standing back and simply watching, and took her hand, seeking and receiving solace after the night's events.

Can you give me any good news? she asked him. Is your trouble with the King resolved?

And there was the question he'd been dreading more than almost anything else this foul night. He didn't want to dissemble—and in fact, couldn't dissemble in Rapport—but he couldn't bear to tell Amy the full truth of his conversation with the King. Only Kelson's final offer of negotiating the identity of his bride made this conversation bearable.

 But the fact of the matter was: part of Grecotha had burned. People had been killed. True, the investigators had stopped most of the mayhem, but would it be enough?

I hope that the trouble is over, Airich replied, pulling Amy to the furthest corner of the room. And the King has not outright refused my wish to marry you. But there is some difficulty with an Andelonian nobleman, and the King had hoped I would wed the man's daughter. When we're all finished here in Grecotha, I can renew my petition to Kelson, using our success here as additional leverage.

Amy gasped. The King... wants you to marry someone else? She spun around and looked accusingly at Father Trevor. But the priest was listening deeply to Edwin's words and Amy found she could not accuse the priest of outright lying to her, "Your brother held the truth from me, when I could not fathom what held you back in Rhemuth. I should have realized you would already be spoken for." Amy began to pull away, wanting to run from the room. But the son of the Earl of Derry would not release her hand.

"Amaryllis Aldan, please stay!"

To which Amy turned back to her beloved, touching his cheek with her fingers. "Do I have any hope at all, against a nobleman and his daughter?" Anger and tears warred with her expression. "I am nothing compared to that. Is there any hope that I can hold on to? I love you, Sir Airich O'Flynn."

"I am not yet spoken for. And you are not nothing. You are the woman I love beyond reason," Airich said fiercely. "And I will do anything in my power to marry you and ensure the happiness of you and your son." He added softly, "And I never want to hear you call yourself nothing again."

"I thank the Lord for you coming into my life every minute of the day," Amy said. "But the King...  I am a commoner, and you are a knight, a nobleman; we dare not run away. But I don't see any other way."

"He may be a King, but he is also a mortal man with mortal passions. He knows what it is to lose love. And if he didn't know about Carwyn, I would risk running away with you. But he knows that you are the mother of a boy who will likely grow up to be a powerful healer. And he knows I will do what it takes to keep the boy a secret."

Amy grasped his tunic. "He knows about Carwyn?  What am I thinking, of course he would know. Washburn would have told the king after finding out yesterday. I don't want to lose my son, no more than I want to lose you."

"Truly, my love, hope is not lost. Grecotha is intact, and we have succeeded in stopping the Custodes in their evil plan. You were part of that. The King knows that we have done much to save this city, and he has often granted boons for such deeds. That may be enough to tip the balance into our favor."

Amy looked deep into his eyes and saw a fragile hope there. Her hands reached up around his neck and pulled him closer. "Whatever happens, know that I will respect and love you for the effort that you have put forth for Grecotha and for me. I will do what needs to be done to stand tall at your side." 

Much of the dread he'd been feeling melted from Airich's heart. "I adore you," he said, gazing into her amazing lavender eyes. He glanced up to see those in the room watching Edwin, ignoring the two of them. He stole a quick kiss from her full lips and then pulled away for propriety's sake.

Looking around the room, Airich felt a sense of satisfaction: Grecotha had been wounded, but it lived. They'd routed the Custodes, and after Father Theo's open attack using Byzantyum fire and his murder of two students, word would spread like—well, it would spread like Byzantyum fire, and Airich suspected the Willimites would no longer be welcome in the city. It wouldn't surprise him if Bishop Bernard called for the arrest of any who claimed to be Willimite, and not just those who'd planned to torch the city.

Yet with that satisfaction came a certain sadness. It had only been a week since Canon Damian had gathered them together over the unconscious Robert Thorne and the murdered Alfie Meadows, yet that week had felt like a lifetime. They'd been joined in their quest by allies like Muirea, Trevor, Jimmy, Aidan, Lady Gwendolyn, and Collos and his team, but here in this room, Airich considered the futures of the physicker, the student, the empath, the knight, and the archer. It was possible the five of them would never be together again in the same room, and this realization made Airich a little wistful.

Still, they had each accomplished what they'd set out to do. Elspeth had discovered the secret of Talicil. Amy had been set free from the specter of her unknown knight from long ago, and had finally come into her true power. Bede had more than earned his pardon. Edwin—who Airich felt in his heart would not die—had won the respect of the leaders of the city and university. And Airich himself had found healing far beyond anything he'd hoped for.

Their mission was complete.

---

End of Part 1

((I want to offer my sincerest thanks to Laurna, Revanne, Jerusha, Marc, and of course Bynw. They've all been so great to work with, even those *coughmarccough* who have such completely different writing styles than I have. Hats off to all of you.))

((Nezz has been fantastic at getting this next full scene set up and pointed in the right direction.  I just added some Amy and Gwen stuff.  Thank you Nezz!))

Saturday September 14
Before dawn
Grecotha University infirmary

Amy glanced wearily at Elspeth, slumped and napping in her high-backed chair. She considered waking her mentor so that she could get a bit of shut-eye herself, but then changed her mind: Elspeth had been working twice as hard as usual over Edwin and his injuries; she'd refused to allow anyone to take on even the simplest of tasks of his care. Hours passed before Amy, finally, could convince her that Edwin would be better off if Elspeth were not sleep-deprived, and she'd reluctantly acquiesced and closed her eyes "for just a minute or two." That had been an hour ago.

Amy herself was also feeling the exhaustion of constant rapport with Edwin to monitor his sleep and pain levels. She attempted to use that fatigue-banishing spell on herself,¹ but that failed miserably—if anything, she was more tired after; she would have to ask Airich to show her how to do that spell correctly. Damn... she prayed he was alright and would return to her side soon. She glanced enviously at Aidan, curled up on the floor next to the wall with a blanket thrown over him. But the lad had worked hard through the evening, using his new Deryni powers to keep Edwin sleeping peacefully; he had to be utterly exhausted. Amy remembered how worn out she'd been that first time or two when she'd worked with Airich to help Robert Thorne.

"Lordy, lord! Is Edwin Scrivner in here?" Lady Gwendolyn exclaimed as she opened the infirmary private room door. "What happened!" she demanded of Amy, even as Amy tried to shush her, while pointing to the sleeping people around her.

Dean Nathaniel's niece halted mid-step, noticing Mistress Elspeth stir but not wake. She then stepped urgently, yet more quietly, over to Edwin's bedside and looked down at the student. She placed one hand on his head to read his injuries for herself, and the other hand on Amy's hand to open Rapport. Amy found Rapport was easy with Gwen, even being this tired; their shared portal transfers had opened this connection the day before.

I overheard my uncle giving orders last evening to his man to help the bishop's men in diverting the horror that could have taken place last night. I sat in the staircase listening for hours, not knowing how I could be of help.

Then the fire in the stables started, she continued, and I ran out to calm the terrified horses running loose in the streets, allowing them to be caught up by the students. I helped families get out of the buildings that were too close to the fire and was glad to see that only a few of our city folk were injured. But then I returned home, only to learn about Edwin! If I had known, I would have been here sooner. Tears grew in the corner of Lady Gwen's eyes as she looked down upon her one-time rescuer.

Amy smiled at the true concern that came over their rapport. I am glad you have come. Aidan and I have numbed his pain—

Aidan McLain? Gwen interrupted. Canon Damian's assistant?

Yes indeed. It seems he is also Deryni. Amy pointed to where the boy still slept on the floor. He and I have seen Edwin through the worst of it. But this will be a very long time healing for him, and he needs all the care we can give him.

He needs a Healer!

Aye, if any can be found. Amy sighed. Not even she had been able to reach the one healer whom she knew. I learned from Airich that an attack in the city of Valoret has stolen our chance to bring one here. Would you help Edwin until one can be found?

"You do not need to ask that of me. Of course, I will." Gwen said aloud.

The two women joined in a deeper connection with Edwin, and Amy showed Gwen all they had done. Gwen was quick to take the lead with a fresh strength that Amy envied. Amy found more and more that she could ease away from Edwin's support and finally broke rapport to find the rest she had been longing for. But that only let her mind worry about her other friends, and even more so about Airich; it had been hours since his last contact with her.

As if he'd known Amy was thinking about him, the door opened, and Airich entered. Filthy, stinking of smoke, limping... Neither these nor Amy's fatigue stopped her from going to him and embracing him tightly. He rested his head on her shoulder as he held her.

She probed Airich a little more closely, and only after she was assured his injuries would ease up soon did she relax into his arms and hold him like she would never let him go again.

"How is Edwin?" he asked, his voice raspy from breathing smoke. He made no move to release her.

"He lives, for now. He's sleeping, and he feels no pain. But I don't know what the future holds for him. People with burns that bad don't often survive."

---

¹Amy banishing fatigue 2d6: 3, 4 = Fail

Bede and his new posse of picked men had helped here or there with the guards that Airich had so finely drafted in the saving of the city, but they could not take sole credit for much of anything yet, that momentous night. All save Jimmy, who had come and gone as he saw fit, weaving between Bede and Airich as he was needed. As the streets began to quiet and the dungeons grew more crowded, Bede struck upon an idea. "Men, I am damn tired from all this here heroics, and more than tired: thirsty. Ye," he pointed a thickly muscled finger at one of the guards accompanying him and Trevor. "Shew us where we can get some strong drink, will ye? From the source!" Some whoops and hollers of agreement spurred them on as they strode down the streets toward the Mercatum.

...

"Master Archer, this is a private establishment, with a locked door." Trevor, a priest, protested. The guard had led them to a two-story distillery on a street corner that was usually quieter, but tonight echoed loudly with the racing boots of more than just their party.

"In the war, it was not uncommon for armies of either side to 'forage' wherever they did roam. Sometimes it was rapacious, yeah, and sometimes it was to not be deprived to death. This is more towards the latter, methinks," Bede replied between kicks against the door. After it loudly gave way, he left some coins inside the doorframe, just the same. It was dark inside, and their footsteps reverberated on the stone floor for a few paces before the sounds became wet, and they felt unseen liquids staining the bottoms of their pants. And then there was that smell. Reluctantly, Trevor provided a fiery blue handlight.

The floor was wet with Byzantyun oil, and it was getting wetter yet as the plugs had been taken out of many of the barrels that one might expect to contain alcohol yet instead were filled with doom.

"Don't panic," one of the guards said in a practiced tone. "It's not lit ... yet."

"There's enough here to burn away the very thought of this place," Trevor observed, keeping his hand high over his head and away from anything flammable. "It can't all be for here. Perhaps it's meant to drain into the sewers and burn up from there, like the fires of Gehenna."

Bede noticed a Ruman manhole-cover in a corner of the room. "I think ye are right. Thanks be to Saint Anthony, we've found this work incomplete." Then they heard a shuffling of feet coming from the farthest end of the building, behind a door marked lavatorium.

"Well, come on out, damn you," the guards barked as a chant, agitating the unseen man until he did as they hoped, throwing the door open with a flash. The old Willimite distiller intended to make a mad break for the remaining stopped-up barrels, with a hammer in one hand and a lantern in the other, but the combined weight of every man in the posse held him fast to the door until the lantern was safely out.

A short time later, they left, still thirsty, but with a prisoner in tow. Bede ran on ahead with a newly filled fresh wineskin, and a report of more barrels to declare. Trevor made them all swear by his crucifix that they would all change their Byzantyun-stained pants and boots and douse them in vinegar as soon as physically possible.

[18:07] * Joins: web22
[18:07] <The_Bee> HiKK
[18:08] * web22 is now known as KK
[18:08] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Hello
[18:08] <HoundMistress> Hi, KK all well?
[18:08] <KK> Hello, all. I'm well.
[18:08] <~bynw> hi KK
[18:08] <CG> [discord] <derynifank> Hi KK
[18:08] <HoundMistress> Good to hear!
[18:09] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> Hiya KK! 🙂
[18:10] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> Hi KK
[18:10] <KK> Did Bynw tell you about his impressive snow?
[18:10] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> He showed us pictures!
[18:10] <KK> Yes!
[18:10] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> QuasiSparklz had some amazing snow as well
[18:10] <~bynw> well QS is just next door in IL
[18:12] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> Tis true.  I can use bynw's weather as a heads up for much of mine
[18:12] <~bynw> it's cold, today's high was 21. currently it's 14 but feels like 10
[18:12] <CG> [discord] <derynifank> Snow is fun as long as you don't have to clear it or drive in it and the power stays on (warm)
[18:12] <KK> We're 44 degrees right now, and they're forecasting rain/snow ahead. I think I was getting some tiny snow flakes on my way to lunch today, at a slightly higher elevation than my house. Winter is coming!
[18:12] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> I had a couple minutes of super-fluffy snow, but then it was just mild rain and sleet after that.
[18:13] <~bynw> i shoveled the drive today since the HOA wont do it if there is a car parked in the drive. and my DW's work car was parked in the drive
[18:13] <~bynw> Winter is here already
[18:13] <KK> h, now they're forecasting 2 in. of snow Tuesday.
[18:13] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> Cool!
[18:14] <~bynw> chance of more snow tomorrow
[18:14] <The_Bee> mix rain and snow here
[18:14] <CG> [discord] <derynifank> We were in the middle to thirties for two days then today jumped up into the 60s. Weird
[18:14] <HoundMistress> We're at about 45 but no precip
[18:14] <~bynw> ohhh Thursday is gonna be COLD ... low of -4 and high of 16
[18:14] <CG> [discord] <derynifank> Ouch
[18:15] <HoundMistress> Oh, geez! How do you live in that cold?
[18:15] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> OK, now you've got my sympathy.
[18:15] <CG> [discord] <derynifank> Stay inside with the heat
[18:15] <~bynw> there will be a week or so in January or February where the high's will be all in the negative range
[18:16] <CG> [discord] <derynifank> Brrrr
[18:16] <~bynw> it will be warmer in Antarctica that it is in Iowa
[18:16] <KK> Hello, Bee!
[18:16] <The_Bee> I should have gone shopping last week, when the weather was better.
[18:16] <CG> [discord] <derynifank> Wow!!!
[18:16] <~bynw> but those temps only last about a week
[18:17] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> My son went to a friend's house to play this afternoon, and my spouse got an unexpected message from the other kid's dad a short while after he was dropped off.  (Nothing bad happened, don't worry!)
[18:17] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> Upon going inside and prior to removing his snow boots, my son thought it wise to let his friend's dad know his socks had a bad word on them.
[18:17] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> Turns out he swiped a pair of my socks to wear, most likely the first pair he found.  They say "F*** off, I'm reading".  Slightly mortified over here
[18:17] <The_Bee> Hello KK!  How does Daphne want her weather to be?
[18:17] <CG> [discord] <derynifank> That's too long
[18:17] <~bynw> and those temps kill bugs by the millions that didnt burrow deep enough in the fall ... so less bugs to deal with in the spring/summer months
[18:18] <CG> [discord] <derynifank> That is one good point
[18:18] <~bynw> unlike the south that has constant bugs cause it doesn't get cold enough to kill them off
[18:19] <HoundMistress> We did in early 2021
[18:19] <KK> Daphne doesn't really care, because she's inside, where it might be chilly, but not icy.
[18:19] <The_Bee> Does she keep you warm?
[18:19] <HoundMistress> Quanah does mind bcz his latrine is the back yard.
[18:21] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> Does Daphe create the proper amount of KTUs (kitty thermal units) to keep you warm, KK?
[18:21] <KK> She likes my lap.
[18:21] <KK> And I like her on my lap.
[18:22] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> I finished most of my Christmas shopping today, including the presents for the grandpuppies and grandkitties
[18:22] <~bynw> wow
[18:23] <The_Bee> I've barely started.
[18:23] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> I figure the earlier I get it out of the way, the less stress I have closer to the holiday and my time off. I don't want to spend my vacay in crowded stores and long checkout lines
[18:23] <HoundMistress> I  even started yet. Gala didn't like my present last year
[18:23] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> My kitty Havoc likes to snuggle on my lap, but really loves settling in on my chest if I am reclined enough. He has about an 80% chance of putting me to sleep in that position.
[18:23] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> His brother, Chaos, on the other hand, will sidle up and nudge my arm out of the way so he can rest his head on my lap with my arm draped over him.
[18:24] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> Woohoo!
[18:24] <HoundMistress> Aww! That's sweet!!
[18:24] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> I have to finish the wrapping tonight before I go to bed, because it's currently spread out all over my bed. 😄
[18:24] <KK> What great winter cats!
[18:25] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Luke liked to do that too
[18:25] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> The lying on the chest thing, I mean
[18:25] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Or across my arms if I was trying to type
[18:26] <HoundMistress> You should have known that he was more important than what you were typing
[18:27] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> He thought so, HM!
[18:27] <HoundMistress> Wow! Bubbie just showed up and vaulted across my keyboard. Now sitting behind the monitor
[18:27] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> I got a fair bit of shopping done yesterday.  Ventured out to a craft fair with my neighbor and got things for my employees, the two ladies I help out, and my friends, plus my son's santa gift..
[18:27] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> I've been gathering things here and there for my spouse and son over the past couple of months.  Have a few more things to order online that I can't get elsewhere.
[18:28] <KK> I've been going through catalogs and earmarking gifts for some. Need to do a mamoth orddering tomorrow.
[18:28] <The_Bee> I need to remind myself ofthe grand-nieces' and grand-nephews' ages.
[18:30] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> I have birthdays for my family members in my online calendar, with their year of birth in parentheses so I can always figure out how old they are or will be
[18:30] <The_Bee> Smart you!
[18:31] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Meanwhile here I sit, thinking "I was going to add something to my calendar today...what was it?"  😅
[18:32] <KK> Uh-oh!
[18:32] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> The plot thickens.  My son reports that daddy gave him the socks--certainly without realizing what pair they were or course.
[18:33] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Remembered what I was going to put on calendar, so brb.  LOL!
[18:34] <The_Bee> How old is your son?--obviously old enough to know what bad words are
[18:34] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> I got the idea from my grandfather, only he printed out a little list that he kept in his wallet with everyone's age listed on it and he had to update it every year .
[18:34] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> My son just turned 9!
[18:35] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> Just, like, 2 days ago, right?
[18:36] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> I'll never forget my son getting off the school bus in kindergarten and telling me, "Mommy, I learned the F word today!"  I was thinking, "Wow, so soon? That was fast! 😭 " Then he followed up with "It's FERT! It means 'To pass gas'!"  😂  I let him go on thinking Fert was the proper word until he finally figured out his mistake.  😄
[18:38] <KK> Close enough.
[18:38] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> Don't be surprised if you neighbor lends your son a different pair of socks. telling him those might be two damp from the snow to wear in the house.  lol
[18:39] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> Yes, on Wednesday
[18:40] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> i was in 5th grade when a bunch of boys kept yelling the f word at me during school lunch.  they got in trouble from the teacher, but it was not until I got home and asked mom what the word meant before I learned about that word.  I had never heard it before then.
[18:45] <The_Bee> If a joke isn't funny without an F or D word, it's not funny with them.
[18:49] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Oops, just remembered I left the stuff I need for Thursday's party at my parents' house yesterday, so I guess I will need to stop by there on the way home from work some evening.
[18:49] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Thinking of taking Friday off, since that's my birthday, and a day of sleeping in and nothing urgent to do sounds lovely.
[18:50] <~bynw> i approve
[18:50] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> that would be the best thing
[18:50] * ~bynw never works on his birthday
[18:50] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> Me neither. Anymore. 😄
[18:50] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> Do it!  I take my birthday off every year.  Or a day adjacent if it's on a weekend
[18:51] <~bynw> ditto
[18:51] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> Also, happy early birthday!
[18:51] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> I usually work that day since if we are doing something to celebrate it, we normally do so in the evening when the rest of my family is also off from work, but the past few years I've treated myself to the day off on occasion, or at least the Friday or Monday closest to it so I can get a three day weekend
[18:51] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> Tomorrow is the final day of my ol' man being employed. He's been taking the last of his PTO the last two weeks, and he's been underfoot. This will be a major change for the both of us.
[18:51] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> Hi Everyone!
[18:51] <The_Bee> I need to go grocery shopping -- at three different stores.
[18:51] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Hi, Jerusha!
[18:51] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Why three stores, Bee?
[18:51] <~bynw> in 27 i'll probably take the whole week off
[18:51] <The_Bee> Hi Jerusha
[18:51] <~bynw> hi Jerusha
[18:51] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> Hi Jerusha!
[18:52] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> Jerusha! You made it!
[18:52] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> Best thing to keep DH occupied is rearranging the garage. Over, and over, and over...
[18:52] <The_Bee> Different stores have different items on sale.
[18:52] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> We have a policy at work where each person can take an extra day off they can use any time during their birthday month.
[18:53] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> In the early years of working, we would get our birthdays off as a paid holiday.
[18:54] <The_Bee> At one job we had office birthday parties.
[18:54] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> Back in the day we woul have the most awesome monthly pot lucks for birthdays.  the food was always great.
[18:55] <HoundMistress> Our office has a huge birthday cake once a month for all birthdays in that month.
[18:55] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> We used to have a huge Christmas potluck.  It was awesome, and we got to spend the whole afternoon consuming food
[18:56] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> but somewhere along the line, they outlawed food in the work place.  so it still happened once in a while in the staff lunch room.  but it just was not the same thing.
[18:56] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> We just go out for a holiday lunch every year, but it's only a few of us
[18:57] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> Our potluck ended when we had to invite the staff from across the hall.  They were much younger, and were like a hoard of locusts
[18:57] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> All the counter space in the ultrasound department would be dedicated to food.  no place to work.  but we loved it.
[18:57] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> We used to do a pizza party at staff meeting once a month if there was a staff birthday (or more than one) that month.
[18:59] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> Raul would bring in shredded beef and  everyone else would bring in tortialls and salsa and guacamoly and we would have huge barritos and tacos.
[19:00] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> That sounds lovely!
[19:00] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Yum!
[19:00] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> We had chili made with moose meat.  I never ate it, but others loved it
[19:00] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> Raul ran a cattering mexican food on the side.  and his stuff was authentic and good
[19:00] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> Moose meat.  that is WOW
[19:01] <The_Bee> My older sister, my brother's girlfriend and I all had March birthdays. One year we had a triple birthday party.
[19:01] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> Fun
[19:01] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> My mom once made spaghetti with venison by mistake. It was unlabeled and she mistook it for ground beef
[19:01] <The_Bee> How did it taste?
[19:01] <KK> Why did you not eat the moose meat, Jerusha?
[19:01] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> We have refreshments after our church service most Sundays, and it's usually just coffee and cookies, doughnuts, fruit, or other light snacks, but we have one lady who signs up for it every so often, and she loves to bring in things like homemade tamales or some sort of Mexican soup that I couldn't begin to describe except to say it's delicious, and we always love it when she sig <clipped message>
[19:01] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> ns up to provide the snacks.  😄
[19:02] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> I don't like chili, KK.  Too many allergies
[19:02] <KK> Ah. Then it wasn't the moose.
[19:02] <The_Bee> I've volunteered for church coffee hour refreshments a few times.
[19:02] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> The moose was spared at my expense
[19:03] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> It tasted fine as far as I recall. I don't think I would have noticed if she hadn't said something
[19:03] <KK> Venison spaghetti sounds interesting, but what a waste of the venison.
[19:03] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> I've had moose, but that was years ago when I was a kid, and the only thing I remember about it was that my Mom was trying to be sneaky and ask me how I liked the beef, thinking she was somehow fooling me into eating it because I was a picky eater, and I told her it was fine, but it wasn't beef, so what was it?  😄
[19:04] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> You can never fool a picky eater!
[19:04] <KK> I've had buffalo, and ostrich, for exotic meats.
[19:05] <HoundMistress> Did you like them, KK?
[19:05] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> I've had buffalo.  We used to have a place here in B'ham that had ostrich burger, but they closed before I had a chance to go by there and try it.
[19:05] <KK> Yes, indeed.
[19:05] <The_Bee> I've had ostrich and kangaroo.
[19:05] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> As a child I recall attending a wild game dinner at a nearby church. I don't remember what I tried but there was a lot to choose from
[19:06] <KK> Buffalo tastes a lot like a cross between venison and beef, and ostrich tastes like dark meat turkey.
[19:06] <The_Bee> I had and uncle who would try any food--once.  His kids used to find new foods for him to try.
[19:06] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> My son has eaten an earthworm, but I wouldn't call that fine dining. 😄  (He was going through a survive off the land phase and too many episodes of Bear Grylls, I think. LOL!)
[19:07] <KK> Kangaroo, Bee. Where did you get that?
[19:07] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> I had rattlesnake the year we went to the Grand Canyon. It was reminiscent of popcorn chicken
[19:08] <The_Bee> At a restaurant that specialized in unusual foods.  There was a third meat, but I forget what..
[19:08] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> I think I'll stick with pizza
[19:08] <KK> I remember in junior high, a kid brought in some grasshoppers, fried, I think. I couldn't bring myself to sample.
[19:09] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> I've had a chocolate covered ants candy bar, again when I was a kid
[19:09] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Took a bite of it on a dare, as I recall, and it was pretty much like a Nestle's Crunch bar, IIRC
[19:09] <KK> I've heard of those. Again, no. I don't eat bugs.
[19:10] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> You probably eat bugs more often than you realize, since there is a certain allowable percentage of insect/insect bits allowed in processed foods, since it is virtually impossible to eliminate them entirely.
[19:11] <~bynw> i dont eat bugs either or even most seafood. don't care for the feel of it
[19:11] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> Definitely not a bug eater. I'd have to be starving nigh unto death.
[19:11] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> And even then it would be a toss up
[19:11] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Or if you've ever had anything colored with cochineal to give it a pink color, you've had beetle-sourced dye.
[19:11] <KK> Oh, I know. But I wont willingly eat bugs.
[19:12] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> As in, you would toss them up?  😄
[19:12] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> I recall a number of establishments offering dishes made with cicadas a couple years back when we had two broods surface at the same time.
[19:12] <KK> Beetle-sourced, but not the beetles!
[19:12] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> Most definitely, Evie
[19:12] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> Lobster is a bug.  I am happy to eat that.
[19:13] <~bynw> i'm not having the feast in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
[19:13] <The_Bee> Really?  Lobster?
[19:14] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> I found some brain-shaped Jello molds around Halloween. I was so tempted.
[19:14] <The_Bee> Lobster used to be considered poor people's food.
[19:14] <KK> Makes one wonder how hungry our ancestors had to be, to try eating lobsters or shrimp. I like shrimp, but don't want their heads or legs.
[19:14] <~bynw> i dont eat sea spiders either
[19:14] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> yumm, Crabs
[19:14] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> Sea spiders?
[19:14] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> I know people who really love shrimp tails
[19:15] <HoundMistress> crabs are related to spiders, but distantly
[19:15] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> Abillony.  and conk  are slugs and snails
[19:15] <~bynw> sea spiders aka lobsters, crabs and related beasts
[19:15] <KK> You have to fight too hard with crab legs, to get the meat out. Tastes good, though.
[19:15] <The_Bee> I ate baby octopuses once, but I swallowed them whole so I don't know how they tasted
[19:16] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> I love hermit crabs, but in a crabitat, not on a plate
[19:16] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> Allergic to lobster and crab, but now shrimp.  Woo hoo!
[19:16] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> Not, I meant
[19:17] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> If they were like calamari rings, you didn't miss much. Imagine battered, deep fried rubber bands and you get the general idea.
[19:17] <~bynw> octopus is just nothing i want to every have again. one try was enough. seaweed too is nasty
[19:17] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> Not very appealing
[19:17] <The_Bee> I've had conch twice, liked it once.
[19:18] <KK> One summer, I worked at the marine lab in Miami, and some of our oriental employees would go out at lunchtime and gather sea urchins then bring them back and open them and scoop out the insides with a spoon. That was before I found out about sushi, which I do like.
[19:18] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> Oh, I love a good roasted seaweed.  I love the little snack packs you can get at places like Costco
[19:18] <The_Bee> I like ceviche better than sushi.
[19:19] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> My daughter works at a sushi restaurant
[19:19] <KK> What is ceviche?
[19:19] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> I just don't think I could ever tolerate sashimi. Only a step above those fried grasshoppers.
[19:20] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> We had a Japanese exchange student one year in high school and we invited him over for Thanksgiving.  He and I made sushi
[19:20] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> I believe Ceviche is fish marinated in lemon and vinager for several days. with herbs
[19:20] <The_Bee> cooked with acid (lemon?) instead of heat.  Spanish, I think.
[19:20] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> The acids in the lemon and vinegar would essentially "cook" the fish, albeit by chemical means rather than by heat
[19:21] <The_Bee> Thanks, Evie.
[19:21] <CG> [discord] <laurnarose> I have had Ceviche.  but I do not eat Sushi
[19:21] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> the ceviche looks a lot like pico de gallo
[19:22] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> I have had ceviche once. It was different, but good!  I also enjoy the occasional poke bowl
[19:22] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> I don't eat pico de gallo either.  I will eat tomato or onion in stuff, but it has to be cooked, because I don't like the flavor of either one raw
[19:23] <KK> Ah. I've heard of that, though never had opportunity to try it. Probably good.
[19:23] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> https://tenor.com/view/caught-pokemon-pokeball-omg-pokeballs-gif-5284549
[19:23] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> What I think of whenever I see "Poke bowl"
[19:24] <KK> I like poke bowls. My son introduced me to them, and I suspect we'll go for poke while I'm in Oklahoma for Christmas.
[19:24] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> I have no idea what a poke bowl is. *goes to look it up*
[19:25] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> Oh! Here are pictures of some of the treasures I picked up at the craft fair yesterday
[19:25] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/479836521864888347/1444861865711632394/20251129_203529.jpg?ex=692e3ff9&is=692cee79&hm=ee2d1bbd3386c5b803cb9463d905ba2b78f23f3e1506fe9c3553d79488c1e47d&;
[19:25] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/479836521864888347/1444861866378657822/20251129_203609.jpg?ex=692e3ff9&is=692cee79&hm=cbd587fc72074029594470fc01332bd96560824331d52300c0d05f69120c67ad&;
[19:25] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/479836521864888347/1444861866869260318/20251129_203650.jpg?ex=692e3ff9&is=692cee79&hm=cf9a8f3988ab49a407dfc630a03cc2ccc8f015b7a1385632b1c870497cca4529&;
[19:25] <CG> [discord] <ninjabbo.> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/479836521864888347/1444861867448205415/20251129_203706.jpg?ex=692e3ff9&is=692cee79&hm=66b19cca9b1278f0945ff8c2299a0579bbf56cbbcdf6b039785759884488f415&;
[19:25] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> When a group of Pokemon go bowling.....  😄
[19:25] <HoundMistress> OOPs! one of the brothers has called. TTYL
[19:25] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Those are pretty!
[19:25] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Bye HM
[19:25] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> bye HM
[19:25] * Quits: HoundMistress (Quit: Client closed)
[19:26] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> Bye, HM
[19:29] <CG> [discord] <jerusha2> I am going to toddle off too.  Have a good week, everyone!  Enjoy all the turkey leftovers.
[19:29] <KK> Poke is like sushi in a bowl, with lots of options to select. I think its Hawaian..
[19:29] <The_Bee> beautiful things, Quasijabbo!
[19:29] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Bye, Jerusha!
[19:29] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> night Jerusha
[19:30] <The_Bee> Bye all departing folks.
[19:30] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> I'll have to see if I've got any turkey leftovers. I just did an Instant Pot turkey breast this year, which was still more than sufficient for us
[19:30] <KK> I think I'll go too. All this talk of food has me hungry, even though I had a big lunch at our local German restaurant.
[19:30] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> But not "turkey for days" more than sufficient
[19:30] <CG> [discord] <tm_9039> Well, I just got out of the family gathering aw drat bye all!
[19:30] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> Our good local German restaurant closed a few years ago.  🙁
[19:31] <KK> Zoom next week.  See you all then.
[19:31] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> KK, you have yourself a great evening. And a fabulous week.
[19:31] <The_Bee> Bye KK!
[19:31] <CG> [discord] <evie.delacourt> See you literally on next Sunday, then
[19:31] * KK steps onto her Portal, waves goodnight, and disappears in a shower of purple sparkles.
[19:31] * The_Bee is buzzing off too.  Fave tv show.
[19:32] <KK> Nighters, all.  And stay warm and healthy!
[19:32] * Quits: The_Bee (Quit: The_Bee)
[19:32] <CG> [discord] <stnezz> cya B
[19:32] * Quits: KK (Quit: Client closed)

Friday September 13
Night
Grecotha

"I'm concerned that we couldn't find Morten Smith," Airich told Jimmy as they headed back towards the Bishop's palace. "Rauf said he was fanatically anti-Deryni and always has been. This is apparently exactly the kind of thing he'd get involved with, even without the Custodes encouraging him."

Full dark had fallen, and the fifty men who Airich had conscripted from the Purple Guard and City Watch had been out in pairs for hours, tracking down the caches of Byzantyum fire and arresting the men as they came to light their fires, and seeking out the rest of the names from their homes or taverns. And almost everyone had reported in, with word being that every known store of Bynzantyum fire had been neutralized. And so far, the city had not lit up in a conflagration of greenish fire. Airich held onto the slightest hope that their mission might have been a complete success. Except for half-a-dozen names that no one had been able to account for.

"Don't worry," said Jimmy, "if we don't find him tonight, many of the City Watch know him on sight. It wouldn't surprise me if a man like him gets out of town to avoid arrest. He'd never been seen in—"

"Do you smell that?" Airich stopped him, face lifted to the breeze.

Jimmy took in a deep breath through his nose, testing the air. "Smoke."

"Aye," Airich said, his heart sinking. The night had been going too well. The two took off at a run, following the faint scent of smoke made detectable by Deryni-enhanced senses.

They came to the large stable belonging to the university. A small crowd had begun to gather around it, and two men were holding the door closed. "I'm sure we neutralized the Byzantyum fire starter here!" Jimmy exclaimed. It was the closest thing to panic Airich had yet heard from the man. Jimmy began blowing his whistle, signaling any of the other authorities within earshot to come running.

"You're here, thank goodness!" said one of the men holding the door, "The fire can't spread until it burns through these walls. And you folks can take care of it by then, right? You got the Purple Guard and the watch on it, right?"

The man's frightened chatter didn't mask the screams of the terrified horses from within.

"Good God, man, you left the horses inside?" Airich pushed the two men aside and, fearing what he would see, pulled open the wide door. The rush of air fanned the orange, red, and yellow flames—not sickly green after all, thank goodness.

The inside of the stable wasn't a complete inferno yet, but the fire had spread from the front area toward the stalls. But worse than the horses' panicked screams was the sight of a stableboy, pulling at a partially burning wooden beam that had fallen across the back of a man's legs and now pinned him to the ground. The terrified stableboy tugged with all his might, but his wiry little arms stood no chance of budging the heavy wood. The man, yelling at the boy to try harder, could not assist his own rescue as the beam held him down at an angle that made it impossible, and the yelling just made him cough more.

Airich ran forward, pulling his sword from its scabbard. He shoved it underneath the beam and into the packed earth, then heaved. The beam shifted, then lifted slightly. "Give me your hand, man!" Airich yelled, thrusting his hand towards the other, "We'll get you out of here!"

The man lifted his head, and Airich found himself looking into the eyes of Pietre de Guerra. The recognition from both men was instantaneous, but de Guerra paused for no more than a moment before grabbing Airich's hand, and between the two of them, they got him out from underneath the beam. "Get out, de Guerra, go breathe some clean air!" Airich pushed the magistrate's heir to follow the boy toward the stable door, where Jimmy was directing the other men in forming a bucket brigade to a close fountain. But it would be too late for the horses if Airich didn't act quickly.

The knight soaked a cloth with the vinegar he had with him and wrapped it around his nose and mouth, then listened for the horses. They were all terrified and panicked. Each needed to be calmed and led to safety. But Jimmy couldn't afford to lose a single man helping to fight the blaze, and the stableboy had run off with de Guerra. So it was up to Airich if any horses were to be saved.

He had no time for gentleness or finesse: the fire would reach the first stall within seconds, and the horse within was screaming and rearing violently. Airich dashed into the stall, under razor-sharp hooves and freed the horse's lead rope from its hook. He slapped the horse on its haunches and sent it to find its way through the billowing smoke and out into the cobbled streets and fresh air beyond.

Airich sprinted from open stall to open stall, freeing dozens of horses: stallions, geldings, and mares alike. He hadn't finished when Jimmy's voice sounded in his head: Get out of there now, the stables are lost. We're working to keep the fire from spreading to other buildings.

Airich looked around: the acrid smoke was getting in his lungs and he could see little, but he shouldn't have more than about four or five stalls left. He couldn't leave any horse to burn here any more than he could leave any man, woman, or child. Coughing violently now despite his now-dry mask, he freed two more horses before coming to the last one. Thoroughly disoriented now, he climbed onto the chestnut stallion bareback, then freed it and lay low over its neck, trusting the horse's instinct to get them to safety.

Jimmy, calling orders to the bucket brigade he'd organized to the south of the stables, breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Airich finally ride out. The blaze within had grown out-of-control and he was prepared to become mighty angry if Airich died and wasted all the work they'd done on him the previous day. Jimmy hadn't had the concentration available to pay a mind to the loose horses, but he had noticed some boys in university robes had come out and were taking hold of most of the agitated beasts. Meanwhile, Pietre de Guerra was directing the other line of men in the bucket brigade defending the building on the north side of the stables.

He'd been surprised by de Guerra: the swordmaster had staggered out, supported by the stableboy, and nearly passed out, trying to cough out the smoke he'd inhaled. Then he shook it off and immediately got to work, organizing the men needed to protect the other buildings. De Guerra might be a Deryni-hater, but Jimmy had to admit the man was competent and dedicated to his city.

At long last the buildings surrounding the stable were secure and the horses rounded up and calmed. The fire itself still burned in the stables, and would continue burning for some hours, but there seemed no point in endangering life and limb trying to put it out. Both Jimmy and Airich were more than happy to leave it to de Guerra to make sure the fire didn't do something unexpected, and determine the identity of the dead man someone had found in the street in front of the stable.

"O'Flynn," a voice called from behind them. Airich turned to see de Guerra approaching them. He steeled himself, awaiting the inevitable dressing down for daring to lay a hand on the other man. Or possibly even a challenge to a dual for the offense.

De Guerra stopped before the two men. He curtly nodded his head once, the barest hint of a bow. "My thanks for the warning you gave the other day."

Thanks? To any Deryni? Airich returned the nod. "I serve where I can," he replied, and when de Guerra began to turn back to the stable, he said, "If there is any Deryni you ever trusted before the war—Dean Nathaniel, perhaps—you might let him reassure you that I took no advantage while assisting you in there."

De Guerra gave him an unreadable stare for just a moment, and then returned to the men at the stables. Airich doubted he would take this suggestion. Still. He actually thanked a Deryni. He was glad Jimmy had heard it; otherwise, no one would believe it

Perhaps there was hope for the man, yet. 

Very true. Kelson doesn't get a victory boost. In the immediate aftermath of the Coronation coup here, lots of things fall apart-- Morgan is wounded, Kelson is trying to regroup in the south, lots of nobles were killed in the fighting at the cathedral, lots of people (e.g., Bran Coris) are acting in raw self-interest. So there's a real question about how strong the young king is and who's the "real" power. It's a time for suspicions and mistrust.

Quote from: drakensis on November 28, 2025, 01:36:13 AMIn canon we don't see Nigel opposed to Morgan, he's the very first to welcome him back to court in Deryni Rising.

Presumably, whatever played out here has put fissures between them.

It seems to tie to the McLains which makes sense. Morgan and Nigel likely worked together a long time as the two dukes governing Gwynedd's southern coasts. The McLains are geographically distant up in the north-west, and IIRC we barely see Nigel and Duke Jared together before the latter's untimely death. Same for Kevin.

And of course, Kelson emerged from his coronation looking strong - he had defeated an older and presumably more dangerous rival for the throne in front of everyone. Sure, there were religious issues but no one thought him incapable. Here he didn't get that boost.

Whatever qualities are needed to be a healer, if Camber had been a healer it seems unlikely he would have followed the same path in life.

He had a call to the church early and only became Earl because his older brothers died young. There's a high chance he was a Gabrielite until that point, rather than a more scholarly order (not that they aren't studious in that field).

This might well have meant he was not as politically significant. Still an Earl and probably on the royal council - the MacRories were descended of the Torenthi lords who followed Festil I - but there's a good chance he wasn't made chancellor. He may also have been less of a favorite to Blaine (also of a clerical background).

In this scenario, it's possible Cathan isn't as close to Imre and that the young king doesn't see his opposition as such a personal betrayal. In turn, Cathan may live and the pressure to overthrow Imre seem less... Particularly with Camber's influence seen as less of a threat by those who want to be Imre's favorites at court.

In canon we don't see Nigel opposed to Morgan, he's the very first to welcome him back to court in Deryni Rising.

Presumably, whatever played out here has put fissures between them.

It seems to tie to the McLains which makes sense. Morgan and Nigel likely worked together a long time as the two dukes governing Gwynedd's southern coasts. The McLains are geographically distant up in the north-west, and IIRC we barely see Nigel and Duke Jared together before the latter's untimely death. Same for Kevin.

And of course, Kelson emerged from his coronation looking strong - he had defeated an older and presumably more dangerous rival for the throne in front of everyone. Sure, there were religious issues but no one thought him incapable. Here he didn't get that boost.