From the Ashes My worldview shuddered and twisted, my body crashing down onto the packed earth with a ringing blow. That last punch had -hurt-! I was amazed at the power behind my opponent's blows, the fluidity of his movements despite the green plate armor he wore; and in my amazement, I had been unable to properly counter his most recent attack, his onrushing, armor-shod fist. So, of course, I was now paying the price, collapsed on the ground on my left side, my ears ringing and mind spinning. I didn't particularly feel like moving at the moment, so I decided to go with my body's majority opinion and stay where I had landed. I laid there as metal-shod feet moved into my field of view, and I blinked my eyes to properly focus on them. Green metal feet. "Do you yield, Warden?" a deep, strong voice asked me, about six feet up and to my right. I moved my mouth, checked over my teeth with my tounge, and then finally said, "Yes... nggh... I yeild." "Do you need assistance, Warden Corrine?" that same voice asked, resonant like a hollowed log found along one of the forest paths. "No... no, I'll be fine.... aggghhh... really." I groaned as I shifted the weight of my body, getting my legs under myself in preparation for an attempt to stand. I had asked for this. Literally, to tell the truth. After all, one didn't get the chance to spar with the Green Knight of Arden every day... and more to the point, walk away under one's own power afterwards. All right, so my body felt like one massive bruise at the moment, but I had felt worse in my life. I let out another groan, my every muscle protesting as I got myself fully vertical. Various rangers milled about on the periphery of our little 'arena', hesitant; wanting to assist but held back by my orders. I had to wonder what they thought of their commander, the Warden of Arden... myself... getting so thoroughly trounced. But I ignored these musings in light of more immediate concerns, like checking that I was still intact. "So..." I rotated my shoulders, to verify that my arms were still in their sockets. "Has restitution been made to your satisfaction, Green Knight?" The armored figure nodded, his rough-hewn face catching the light from the fires set up around the courtyard of my Stronghold, making his skin look like unpolished walnut. A not particularly attractive face at first glance, but his green eyes drew you in to look at him, daring you to investigate the mysteries he represented... and a face that, in certain lights, reminded me of one long since dead, but whom I had truly loved. "Indeed it has, Princess," replied the Green Knight. "The peace with the forest has been restored. Thank you." "You're welcome, Green Knight." I nodded back in return, thankful that with the encroaching twilight that my blush would not be particularly obvious. Was this how Hiko had felt, the first time she had met him? I did not know. And truthfully, it was not my place to ask, I thought with an inward smile. I had just recently met the girl... a -woman-, really, there was no denying whom Hiko was... and her romantic life was none of my concern. "And thank -you-, Greek Knight..." I continued, as I dusted the dirt and debris from my riding wear The Green Knight raised one dark eyebrow towards me. "For what?" "For reminding me of certain things. About life, duty... and the fact that fucking around with Forest Arden is a really, really dumb idea." I grinned, watching as the Green Knight coughed, and glanced to the side. "Well, at least for most people." "Ah yes... as you say, Princess Corrine." Was that a blush on -his- cheeks, now? I managed to supress my amusement with some degree of success. "And now, I must return to the forest. Good evening, Warden." "You too, Green Knight." I watched him walk out through the main gates of the Stronghold and vanish among the trees. I shook my head, chuckled softly, and looked at my gathered rangers. "Well, what're you all standing around for? We've got a forest to protect!" The rangers around me split up, returning to their duties or their bunkrooms for the evening. I continued to check myself over, to reassure myself that nothing had been broken internally. I had a good idea of how much punishment I could take, but it never hurt to double-check. "Lady Silverleaf! Are you all right?" a female voice asked, off to my left. I turned my head, and saw one of my elven rangers, her long blonde hair trailing behind her as she approached. I managed a smile, and flexed my fingers; they were slightly stiff, but still functional. "Oh, nothing that a full meal, a hot bath, and a good night's sleep won't cure, Deedlit." Deedlit laughed, the tips of her ears wiggling. "That was simply -amazing-, m'lady! The way the two of you fought, it was almost like a dance... I had no idea how it would turn out." "Well, neither did I," I admitted, bending over to brush some of the stains and clumps of dirt from my pants, incedentally checking over my spine in the process. "It's been a long time since I've had somebody challenge me in my skill level when it came to unarmed combat." I thought over what I said for a few moments. It was true; while many of my siblings were far better than I in the arts of war and the blade, my own focus had turned towards honing my body's toughness and strength. Only Saionji could regularly wrestle me and occasionally win, and even then we did not do that often. I had campaigned in our kingdom's various wars along with the rest of the family, as was my duty and choice, but it was not my preferred mode of activity. Instead, I chose to patrol and protect Arden, as was my right and joy, handed to me by my father long, long ago. There, my skills and strengths were ideal, fit to the task of guiding travellers and stopping poachers. Which is why being taken by surprise in my own forest, twice in the same week, was very unsettling. "Well, be that as it may, Corrine," Deedlit continued, probably unaware of my sudden introspection, "a lot of the rangers wanted to see you trounce the Green Knight. Some of them even had a betting pool going!" "Is that so?" I shifted my head back and forth, left and right, and didn't feel any strain in the vicinity of my neck. A very good sign; I had taken several blows to the head in our sparring that would have fatally killed a lesser being. I was too attached to my head to particularly want to part with it. "Well, I hope I didn't dissapoint them, Deedlit. Though, given the beating I took, I can't see them not being underwhelmed by my showing." "Oh, don't worry about it." She dismissed my concerns with a wave of her slim, graceful hand. "They know it was all in fun; a way to bond with the forest without -- " She coughed, and blushed. "-- well, you know. No doubt you and he have sparred before..." I blinked, and glanced over at the elven woman. "Oh really? Would you believe that was the first time I've ever -met- the Green Knight?" Deedlit stared at me, her green eyes wide. "You're serious." I nodded, as we started walking for one of the inner courtyard doors. "Oh, I've HEARD of the Green Knight, of course; you'd have to be deaf, dumb, and blind to live in this forest and not know of him." Deedlit got the door for me, and I smiled back at her in thanks. "But this was the first time he'd ever had cause to see -me-." "-Wow-," Deedlit replied, clear admiration in her tone. "The Green Knight only appears if somebody violates forest law or threatens Arden. You mean to tell me you've -never-...?" I shook my head. "Never intentionally, and if I have by accident, which I doubt, he's never seen fit to call me out on it. I love this forest too much to try and harm it or break its strictures." I exhaled through my nose, a suppresed snort. "If only I hadn't sent Sparky after that damnable Questing Beast..." The elven ranger chuckled as we started to walk through the wooden hallways of my Stronghold, past the storerooms and barracks that made up the first floor. "You meant well, Corrine. And this way, you can say you went up against the Green Knight and -lived-!" I laughed, even as I nodded to the occasional ranger who saluted me as we passed by. "This is true, Deedlit. Very, very true." I let out a sigh. "But at the same time, I probably should have fired on that Questing Beast from afar... I -was- at the right height for it! Dammit, I must be getting old..." Deedlit smiled, and put a slim-fingered hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about it, overmuch. Everybody has off-days... after all, just look at Random! He got -caught- by the Questing Beast..." I chuckled as we reached the stairwell that led to the upper floors. "Spread the blame, eh? Enough that -I- got taken unawares... I imagine I'll need to have a general staff meeting tomorrow morning, then. This state of affairs can't go on for much longer." My elven lieutenant nodded. "Do you want me to spread the word to Lord Fingolfin and the rest, m'lady?" she asked, as we ascended past the second floor, which held the Stronghold's administrative rooms and officer's quarters, as well as the kitchen and mess hall. "You do that, Deedlit. It's been a long day, and I'm about ready to crash." I managed a slight smile at her. "I have a suspicion the days aren't going to be getting any shorter anytime soon." Deedlit chuckled. "This is true. Summer is coming upon us." She winked at me, and I laughed. "And so the cycle continues, eh? Unicorn watch over us as we muddle through all this." I waved to her as we reached the landing to the third floor -- the portion of the Stronghold that had my personal suites and guest quarters. "Ahwell... I'm going to turn in for the night... see you all tomorrow?" "Goodnight, Warden... and oh! I'll be sure to ask Chef Tell to bring you something to eat, all right?" I smiled. "Why, thank you, Deedlit..." "Not a problem, Corrine. Goodnight!" With a cheery wave, the elf turned and skipped down the stairs. I shook my head in quiet bemusement, and turned to head off down the hallway. It did not take me long to reach my rooms. After all, I had designed the Stronghold as my personal retreat deep within the Forest of Arden centuries ago, and its hallways and crannies were quite familiar to me. It was my refuge, my hideaway, my base of operations, and from it I could coordinate the defense of the forest and its byways with a minimum of effort. The Stronghold also served as my own personal art studio, a place where I could paint portraits for the family... such as the portraits in the hallway I was now walking through on the way to my sitting room. One painting hung in the hallway for each of my family members, equisitely detailed as was my style, the master images for the Trump Cards I painted for my family and rangers. Centuries of Amber history were bound into these paintings, all the way from the portrait of my father King Gendo, sitting in the Mahagony Throne of Amber with his hands clasped in front of his face leaving only his eyes visible through his tinted glasses, to one of the most recent paintings on the far end, that of my nephew Ota "Shaft" Tenjou standing in the middle of the Ward of the Unicorn with his massive crossbow-slash-harpoon gun known as "Whalekiller". I allowed myself a slight smile. I was clearly going to have to make more room in the Portrait Hall. Not that this had been a problem before, but with the addition of more relatives in the past two weeks, I was going to need to paint more trumps, and soon, before something else dire came up. My smile fell. Given everything that had occured in the past few weeks, it was not likely that things would calm anytime soon. Best to get what rest and relaxation in that I could when I had the time. I let out a sigh, and exited the hallway, leaving the memories behind for more immediate concerns... like having a nice, long, relaxing soak in my bathtub. A good forty-five mintues later and I was feeling much more human... and decidedly more feminine. Despite what others might say about me and my choice of daily clothing (as well as my choice of career, choice of hobbies, or choice of family traits), I could easily get 'girled-up' if I was in the mood for such. It would probably stun several members of my family to know that I had a decent selection of scented shampoos, bath oils, and bubblebath from Shadow in my private bathroom in the Stronghold! Not that I bothered to point this information out to them. Let them draw their own conclusions, incorrect as they may be. But all good things eventually come to an end, and my bath was no exception. I languidly pulled myself out of the bathtub, grabbed a a large towel, and dried myself off thoroughly with the rectangle of terrycloth before setting it aside. I pulled on on my nightgown and secured my dressing gown over it. I used a hand towel to clean off the condensation from my bathroom mirror, then grabbed a hair brush and spent the next several minutes detangling my wet chestnut locks and getting them into some semblance of order. Not for the first time did I envy my sister Juri's patience; after all, the amount of effort she regularly went through every morning to put her orange hair into her trademark sausage curls was staggering! I was amazed that she managed to look that good out in the field as well. Personally, I was just happy if my hair was just going all in the same direction at the same time. I set my brush aside, finally satisfied with the results as I glanced one last time in the mirror. The evening air would do for drying my hair, leaving it in my customary shoulder-length waves. I exited my bathroom, slipped through my darkened bedroom with a minimum of sound, and entered the adjacent study. My study was one of my more favored rooms in the Stronghold. A private place for relaxation and quiet thought, without the interruptions that could regularly occur when I was in my nearby office. Part library, part sitting room, it provided a cozy place to entertain guests or to while away the hours in reading or study. A large fire crackled merrily in the fireplace, and a table had been set with a full-course meal, oil lamps casting a warm glow over the surroundings. I smiled. It was nice to have a staff such as mine, I reflected as I sat down at the prepared meal. We worked well together, and they knew my little quirks and preferences enough that a good portion of the time they could anticipate what my orders or requests would be. It was almost like being married, in its way. I sighed. Almost, but not quite. My left hand, of its own volition, reached up to the front of my chest, a little above the middle of my breasts, and touched the rigid, oval shape that rested there. I worried at it with my thumb and forefinger through the fabric of my nightgown and dressing gown, and closed my eyes for a moment in prayer for a soul long passed. I opened my eyes again, let out another sigh, and began to eat my meal in the quiet of the room. The food itself was quite good, consisting of venison with gravy, a leafy salad with vinigrette dressing, croisannt rolls, two types of jam, and chilled wine from the Stronghold's wine cellar. Shaved flavored ice and a small bowl of mints served as the dessert. The meal served as sufficent distraction for a time from my roundabout thoughts. I worked my way through the servings, the act of eating and the savory flavors helping to temporarily lighten my mood. I completed my dinner all too soon. My meal completed, and my empty plates stacked on the table, I moved to one of the large plush armchairs that were arrayed in front of the fireplace, a fresh glass of wine in one hand. The half-empty bottle I placed on the endtable to the left of the chair, and after stoking the fires and tossing several more logs into the flames, I settled back into my seat. The flames danced and sparkled, the red-gold light reflecting against the pale silk of my gowns, the clear crystal of the wineglass in my hands, the plush velvet of the armchair. I stared into the depths of the fires, lost in a mix of contemplation and reminiscence as I tried to put my mind's affairs in order. I am not, generally, given to brooding -- that is more my sister's domain than mine. But the past week's events, and this day's in particular, seemed to lend themselves to introspective thought. Perhaps it was evidence that I and Juri were more alike than some would think, and in its way, the thought was comforting. Juri. Once again my thoughts turned towards my sister, Juri. Alone among my other siblings and half-sisters, my older blood-sister held a special place in my heart. Composed and kind, poised and wise, we had been through so much together that I still felt protective towards her, even though she was the more experienced combatant, a leader of armies across Shadow and a defender of Amber's borders as far back as I could remember. Calm and rational most of the time, Juri had a core of steel that could not be denied. But that cool steel had come at a cost. The things that Juri had endured over the centuries, courtesy of the plots of our enemies or our father, still pained me at times. The priests of the Cult of the Unicorn couldn't understand, could -never- understand why my sister vehemently denied the occurance of miracles, either spiritually or physically. But I did. And it still tore at me inside that I had not done more when I could have. That perhaps I could have prevented some of the torments that had occured to Juri in the past. But they do say that hindsight is twenty-twenty. Dwelling on "could have beens", while an interesting thought exercise, would do nothing for healing Juri's wounded heart. No, I had to focus on the present day. Sadly, the "present day" was not exactly the happiest of times for us. Over the past few weeks, a whirlwind of changes had occurred around the forest and castle which I called home. New family members being discovered or turning up on our doorsteps, new enemies appearing with powers and abilities so close to our own, and above them all was Annadil, the "Lord of the Gift", also known as "the Lion", who weilded powers beyond comprehension and appeared to be manipulating things behind the scenes towards a goal that none of us, save him, could fathom. To what ends he was working towards I did not know... but he had even gone so far to steal Juri's only child from her, a daughter who would have been cherished and treasured despite the circumstances of her birth, despite the hardships and violations my sister had endured during the First Alan War. Annadil had edited Juri's memories so that she had thought the girl had been stillborn; only my sister's recent traversal of the Pattern, the great glowing sigil in the depths of Kolvir, had returned those memories to her. And when those memories had been returned... Juri had not dared seek out the child in Shadow. Even when at the heart of the Pattern, which could send her to any place or thing in Reality in an instant, she had not taken that chance. Nor had she even told me, her own sister, what her awakened memories had revealed to her. I didn't blame her. She knew me all too well -- my first instinct would have been to rush out into Shadow to try and find the girl, to free her from the life that Annadil had set up for her. But to do so would have surely alerted Annadil that his machinations had been discovered, and nothing would have stopped him from taking further action against us. Juri could simply not take that risk, for her daughter's sake. Even I could see that. It was only now that the two had been reunited, thanks to the skills of our grandfather, Fuyutsuki. He had brought the girl, now named Hiko, to Castle Amber to meet the mother she had never known. Despite their initial awkwardness, and Hiko's well-founded paranoia at suddenly being taken from a life of hardship to a world of plenty, the two women had grown close together. A slight smile graced my lips. Juri might never realize it, or admit it, or acknowledge it out loud... but Hiko was her "Miracle". I quietly laughed. Hiko, quite frankly, was something that Juri had needed for a long, long time. The dark-haired girl was a living symbol of Life, Family, and Love triumphing over Pain, Violation, and Manipulation. Despite everything Ludovicus and Annadil had put Juri and Hiko through, from rape to kidnapping to mental tampering and Unicorn only knew what else, my sister and her daughter had been reunited. And oh, the changes that had occured in Juri over the past few days! I swore I could not have seen my sister smile more often in the last week than she had in the past few months, or even years, and the even more incredible thing was that the smile was reaching her eyes. I had despaired of seeing that smile again for the longest time. Hiko and Juri spent time together whenever possible, and it was clear that the young woman was having a positive effect on my sister. Perhaps finally now, in the present day, the damage that had been caused over the past centuries to Juri's spirit and soul could finally be alleviated. If that didn't qualify as a "Miracle", then I didn't know what could. And perhaps, the "Miracle" would work both ways. I certainly hoped so. I did not know everything about Hiko's life, and I probably never would, but it was clear to me that it had been difficult for her, no thanks to Annadil's manipulations. It would probably be a long time before all the damage had been healed, and it was doubtful it would entirely go away, but with prolonged exposure to my family, and more so to Juri, I hoped that Hiko's pains would be eased. If nothing else, the potential was there for the young woman to live a more normal life. I chuckled a bit, looking ruefully at the fire in front of me. At the very least, Hiko wasn't ashamed to try and get a date, if the words of the Green Knight were any indication. It wasn't my business to pry, but if she and the Green Knight were an item, then it was a good sign. Perhaps it was just a thread of romanticism on my part, but as far as I could tell, their relationship was based on more than just casual lust... I coughed a bit and blushed, embarrassed. I had to admit to myself, I had felt tempted by the Green Knight's offer to seek restitution by "restoring the compact". It'd been a long time since I'd been in even a casual relationship with a man, and I didn't go out of my way for such things, but the longing, the need for companionship, if even for a night, was still there. The Knight's resemblance to Harold Kusanagi hadn't helped matters any. But I didn't -poach- lovers; I was not like my half-sister, Kozue. That, and the fact that the Green Knight and Hiko were seeing each other had kept me from giving in to my baser instincts. Instead I had sparred with the Green Knight, and I had the bruises to show for it. He was a very good fighter, I had to give him that. I hadn't had a workout like that for ages, putting my skills and strengths to the test. It had been refreshing to spar without the threat of conflict, just like Harold and I had done, long ago in the past. Just like Harold... I sighed, and pulled my legs up against my chest, sitting in the chair, my body lit by the firelight, by now the sole source of illumination in the room. Surrounded by the darkness and the quiet of the Arden Stronghold, curled up in my chair, I felt very, very alone. I blinked open my eyes in confusion. In front of me, the fire had died down, reduced to dully glowing embers and coals. I reached up to touch my cheek with my free hand, and felt the warm trail of tears which had formed. I glanced over to the side, and noticed that the wine bottle was now empty, as was the wineglass that sat next to the bottle. I drew in a shuddering breath, and I could feel another bout of crying coming on. I didn't resist it, here in the privacy and security of my Stronghold. The worry, frustration, and dispair I felt over the past few days, as well as those more deeply rooted in my heart, once again came to the fore. The tears flowed, expressing my grief in the privacy of my study. Dammit, what was the matter with me? As soon as I asked that question of myself, I had my answer. I felt powerless. All throughout my life, I had been a survivor, weathering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune that battered my family. Sometimes it amazed me how much I had endured in the name of trying to preserve the kingdom of Amber and the peace among my siblings. Through the years, I had felt a duty towards my family members, to protect, aid, and trust them, even if I didn't fully agree with everything they did. A risky proposition, given the inclinations of some of my siblings, but what else could I do? I had lost too many of my direct and indirect siblings due to accident or war, and I could not bear to lose any more. But for all my accomplishments, my efforts had been purely -re-active, not -pro-active. I wanted to contribute something to actually protect my family, to defend our homeland and by extension Reality. I did not want to ride events out on the crest of the wave of knee-jerk reaction like I had in the past; the Succession Crisis had been one sterling example of that tendency of mine. No, the current crisis was much too dire to allow me to just try to counteract whatever threats came our way. I needed to take action, to finally pull my weight in full, and to cut off a threat to my family and homeland before our enemies could even think to exploit any weaknesses that might have turned up over the years. ... but what could I do to contribute? My tears dried as I slowly considered my options. I wasn't a master of the arts of the Pattern, like my half-brother Derith. I wasn't skilled in magic, like my siblings Wakaba, Nanami, and Touga, or Dowager Queen Anthy. I was competent with a blade and with leading small squads of troops, but I was not exceptionally skilled in the arts of warfare. The highest marks for that distinction went to my half-brother Drake, and to my sisters Juri and Utena. The only skills that I could rightly claim that I was any expert of were that of the arts of Trump and the defense of the Mother of All Forests, Arden. But even there my knowledge was incomplete; my brother Miki knew more of the Trumps than I did, and at times it seemed that the Arden Elves were the rightful protectors of the forest, not I. I sighed once more, starting at the coals within the fireplace. I considered getting up and putting another log or two on the remains of the original fire, but what would be the point? It was late at night, quite frankly way past my usual bedtime; to try and re- stoke the fire would be a holding action at best. A holding action, much like what I had managed in the past with the resources I had. While the command of the Arden Rangers and the ability to draw Trumps to form a communications network were certainly nothing to sneeze at, they were only really effective against conventional threats to the forest and kingdom. They could repel armies, and had in the past; hunt down fugitives and poachers within the forest without any trouble; but what hope did they have to defeat someone like Annadil with his mysterious powers, or his numerous allies, whose number included twisted reflections of members of my own family? If I didn't figure out something to -really- help my family in some way, above and beyond what I knew I was capable of, then the world I lived in was very likely doomed, doomed to be "revolutionized" like Annadil and the Embrans intended, consigning the family I loved to the consuming fires, burned away to ashes. Fire and ashes... I pursed my lips, regarding the dulled embers within the fireplace. They glowed redly, their heat still not truly extinguished. That soft red light faintly illuminated the fireplace and hearth, still radiating warmth even as the flames had died down. I stared at the coals, studying the slightly fluctuating red tones, and a golden spark detached itself, catching my eyes. I watched as the solitary mote of light flickered upwards, fluttering up the flue of the fireplace, propelled by the drafts created by the heat into the chimney beyond. As I watched that spark ascend, a similar spark came to life within my mind. A tentative thought, a nascient idea, but better than the moping I had engaged in for most of the evening. I got up out of my armchair, placed several more logs in the fireplace, and stoked the embers and remains of the prior fire with a long iron poker. Thus encouraged, flames began to tentatively crackle and snap among the fresh wood. I settled back into my seat, watching the slowly growing fire, and laced my hands underneath my chin as I considered the forming idea. I had been wrong in my initial estimation of what I could bring to bear to help my family. There was one resource I possessed that not many knew about, that could help tip the balance. Not my golden dragon, "Sparky", though he too had capabilities few suspected (and I knew where to get more dragons like him). No, what I had... or more correctly, had access to... was far more potent than that. The Fire Demi-Jewel of Judgement. I would probably never know wether the Fire Demi-Jewel had always been within Sparky's treasure horde, or wether my father had secreted it there shortly before his death. But I had found that ruby pendant in a gold setting, hanging from a similar chain, hidden within the mass of jewels and precious metals which made up Sparky's regular place of rest. Nobody else had placed it there; there were only two or three people who could safely get within range of Sparky -anyway- (myself, my father, and quite possibly Fuyutsuki, my grandfather), which meant that I had effectively inherited the Fire Demi-Jewel upon King Gendo's death. The ruby gem's resemblance to the Jewel of Judgement was unmistakable, and not without reason. It was an elemental shadow of the most powerful artifact that the Royal Family of Amber owned. After my brother Tylor had been crowned as the new King of Amber, I had taken the time to attune to the Fire Demi-Jewel, and with what free time I could scrape together over the past several decades I had practiced with it in the Shadows. I couldn't consider myself an expert with its abilities, but I knew what the Demi-Jewel could do. Much like the True Jewel of Judgement, the Fire Demi-Jewel granted its weilder power over Reality and Shadow, with a degree of potency and control to outmatch even those who had mastery of the Arts of the Pattern. With the Fire Jewel, I could manipulate many forms of Shadow Energy, especially those that were fire and lightning based, even within the heart of Amber where the ability to mold the stuff of Shadow was weakest, restricted by the influence of the True Reality. I don't know what exactly father had been thinking when he left the Fire Demi-Jewel to me; but I suppose there was some form of cosmic irony in the fact that I, the Warden of Arden, the protector of the ultimate forest, had been entrusted with an artifact whose very nature was anthema to wood. But then again, just because I could control an artifact which could burn Arden to the ground in a heartbeat if I so desired, did not mean I -had- to. The Fire Demi- Jewel could snuff a blaze as easily as it could start one, and I had used it in the past to dampen fires in Arden. Perhaps its powers could help me now, in this time of crisis... provided I could use it in some way that would -allow- me to have an effect. Most of the applications that I knew of for the Fire Demi-Jewel were on a personal level. Despite the fact that I regularly left the Fire Demi-Jewel safely in the Royal Vaults, my attunement meant that with several minute's concentration I could teleport the gem to myself with some degree of success. Once it was in my hands, I could then use the Demi-Jewel in several ways -- to control the ebb and flow of energy around me, to produce fires or snuff them, to summon bolts of raw lightning, to increase my mental strength, and to shield myself from the harmful effects of raw flames. With substantially more concentration, I could even teleport myself, as if I had walked the Pattern, to any place in Shadow that had fire. Of course, this still left me -in- the flames, but with the Fire Demi-Jewel's abilities, I had nothing to fear from them. A handy ability to have, especially if I ever had the need to use the Demi- Jewel's most destructive power -- the capability to summon and control Fire Shadow-Storms. After the Succession Crisis had ended, and Tylor had settled into his rule, I had taken some time off in Shadow to test the Fire Demi-Jewel's various abilities (after having consulted with grandfather about them). I had used a forested valley, uninhabited save for natural wildlife and plants, as my practice site. For several weeks I had trained there, getting a feel for the Demi-Jewel's powers and limitations. Near the end of the last week, I decided to put my practice to the test, and ascended one of the foothills to observe what would happen if I tried to summon a Fire Shadow-Storm. The resulting conflagration totally incinerated the entire valley... and its neighbors in Shadow before I could get it fully under control. The amount of destructive potential I could bring to bear with the Fire Demi-Jewel was staggering. I still didn't know if that valley had even recovered from the burning I had inflicted upon it. Forests were hardy things, but it could be decades before the valley had regrown to its former glory. I imagined what said power could do to an attacking army, or to Annadil's allies, and shivered. No. Despite everything I had done in the past, such an act was a gesture of last-resort, a doomsday desperation move that was more appropriate for when things looked most dire. There was too much of a risk of catching our own forces in the spreading blazes for me to consider using the Fire Demi-Jewel in such a casual fasion. I studied the flames of the fire in the fireplace in front of me, and considered other options. Using the Fire Demi-Jewel as the core of a weapon was an attractive option to be sure; Amber had a decided lack of advanced firearms or energy weapons, due to the fact that gunpowders found in Shadow didn't work within the bounds of the Golden Circle. But with its power over shadow energies, I could even build something as grandiose as a 'Pattern-Laser', which atop the Demi-Jewel's normal powers would make it nearly as deadly as the legendary Patternblades, Greyswandir and Werewindle. Making such a weapon was not a problem in and of itself; although I did not have the skills right now, I could easily ride off into Shadow and spend some time learning those skills on a world where time flowed faster than that in Amber. However, this option also left a rather serious danger. Namely, the risk of the weapon, and the Fire Demi-Jewel itself, being stolen. To put it bluntly, this was NOT a good thing. I sighed, and reached forward with the poker to stir the half-consumed logs in the fireplace, encouraging the flames higher. So far, all the possibilities I considered with the Fire Demi-Jewel could help me on a personal level, which was all well and good; but while every little bit helped, they didn't have the same impact as I desired, to help protect my family and Amber in a definitive way. I needed something more. Some angle that I hadn't considered before. As I watched the fire burn among the wood, curling in intricate patterns of black and red among the branches and bark, that "angle" came to me. I could attempt to repair the Fire Pattern with the Demi- Jewel. It had long been known among my family that the Patterns, those great glowing sigils from which I and my siblings gained our power, were not truly indestructable. Both the Pattern in the heart of Kolvir, and the Pattern within the depths of Rebma, had been damaged in the past and subsequently repaired by my brothers Tylor and Derith, bearing Demi-Jewels similar to my own. What had -caused- such damage was a matter of some debate; though there were rumors that someone of the blood could do so, nobody was particularly eager to give it a try. But while the general populace of Amber and the Golden Circle countries believed there were three Patterns -- one of Metal, one of Water, and one of Air -- I knew there was a fourth. The Pattern of Fire, located in of all places, the heart of Amber's SUN. Not many knew of its location; only myself, Juri, and Makoto had made the journey to view the remains of the city that once had been there, to evaluate the status of the Fire Pattern. I had suspicions that Tylor knew, and likely Derith and Drake; Grandfather, of course, as well. But I had no idea wether other people knew of the existance of the Fire Pattern, and I was not exactly eager to point it out to them. Loose lips sunk ships, as Kozue had once put it, and it would be a disaster if the Embrans learned of the location of the Fire Pattern and of Ember, the ruined city which surrounded it. Our enemies would certainly try to gain control over it, if they knew, for the damage to the Fire Pattern represented a flaw in Reality that they could exploit and use to their own ends. I could not allow that to happen. Now, here in the heart of my Stronghold in Arden, staring into the flames of my study's fireplace, I knew what I had to do. I had put off this repair for far too long. At the very least, I would go and try to repair the Fire Pattern, like Tylor and Derith had done with the Patterns of Metal and Water. I did not know if I could do it; I was an average user of the arts of the Pattern, and I was not entirely clear on what Tylor and Derith had DONE in their repairs. It would take some research in Castle Amber's libraries, and very likely consultation with our grandfather, Fuyutsuki, but repairing a Pattern certainly couldn't -hurt- things any. And perhaps once that was done, I could figure out what else I could do to help and protect my family. With this course of action in mind, and a new resolve within my heart, I left the study and the fireplace and the fire within it, and retired for the night within the safety of my bedroom. Morning came, and with it the promise of a new day. It also brought with it the promise of much uncertainty, running around, and administration, but when one is the Warden of Arden and a princess besides, one learns to take such things in stride. My morning routine was well-practiced and familiar, a balm and distraction from my thoughts on everything I would need to do today. I quickly donned my underwear and silken poet's blouse, then my leather hunting gear -- vest and pants, snugly fit yet allowing a full range of movement, thick enough to add a little extra protection against the rigors of the outdoors. The pouch for my thick trump case hung over my left hip, and my sheathed broadsword hung over my right. A few extra minutes straightening my sleeves, pulling on my boots, and brushing out my hair, and I was ready to face the world. Well, almost ready. My lips curled upwards in a smile as my hand reached over and plucked a silver maple leaf pin from the top of my dresser and affixed it to its rightful place above the left breast of my brown leather vest. Brown and silver, my colors, and the silver maple leaf, my emblem. Now I was ready. Today's breakfast was somewhat different. Most of the time, I either had my morning meal in my office next to my rooms on the third floor, or down with the rest of rangers in the Stronghold's main dining room on the first floor. But today, I ate it in one of the meeting rooms on the second floor, waiting for my staff to arrive. I was halfway through my pancakes and sausage as they began to drift in. By the time I had completed those and the remains of my hash browns, the rest of my staff had arrived and taken seats around the central table and along the walls to either side. I washed down my breakfast with a glass of orange juice, and smiled. "Thank you all for coming," I said as I stood up from the end of the table, looking over the assembled senior Arden Rangers who made up my core staff. They were a somewhat motley group, but handpicked and well-trained in the arts of forest survival, archery, hunting, and sorcery. Many of them were elven, the result of my father's legacy of having transplanted a community of them from out of Shadow, but there were a sizeable number of human rangers among my staff as well. There was a murmur of acknowledgement from those there, and I nodded towards them, mentally taking stock of who was there and who wasn't. Good, a full house -- I wouldn't have to repeat myself. "No doubt you've started to hear the rumors of strange goings- on, both in the Forest and up in Castle Amber the past few weeks. I admit, I don't have the full story myself. But for those of you who haven't, here's what I know about what's developed regarding the situation." I reached for the stack of papers I had brought to the meeting room table, and pulled out several sheets. "Within the past week and a half, there have been several new additions to the Royal Family, who apparently had been living out in Shadow without awareness of the Blood of Amber within them. They have since arrived in the kingdom by various means, and are trying to make a place for themselves among the family." Curious mumbles passed among the assembled rangers; this news had been heard, but so far none had a chance to actually see the people in question. "Fortunately, over the past few days I have managed to make some drawings so that you all can see who they are. I will be providing Trumps of the four through the regular channels once I have the time to arrange painting sessions. "Unfortuantely, I doubt I will get the time, given the recent attempts on the lives of various members of the Royal Family, 'courtesy' of the man known as Annadil and his allies." I turned one of the sheets of paper around so that my rangers could see it; it depicted a slim, devilishly handsome man with dark skin, pale lavender (almost silver) hair, and violet eyes. He appeared to have a touch of the elf within him -- it showed in the lines of his face, the lean fingers, the cast of his eyes. One of the senior elves frowned. "'Annadil'... The Lord of the Gift?" I nodded, my expression grave. "Yes, I know. He seems to know too much of the lore of Beleriand if he claims such a title. I do not know his origins, but he has apparently had a hand in bringing about recent events, and his powers are unsettling. I have seen him in action, duelling against grandfather atop the Duel Arena, changing his shape to match that of my sister. I have seen him fly, and fight with a wicked blade, and do all matters of things with magic and the mind. If he is encountered, do NOT engage him unless pressed, and report his appearance to King Tylor immediately." My hands ruffled through the papers as I started to pace in front of the table. "This is not all -- it would appear that Annadil has gained the assistance of flawed Shadows of members of the Royal Family, from a Flawed Amber known as Embra, according to reports. They have already taken action against Amber's royalty, setting ambushes and trying to assassinate us by infiltrating our ranks. A member of their rank was responsible for the total disaster that was Princess Kozue and Court Bard Madoka's Rose Duel last Wednesday. There are some rumors that members of the Courts of Chaos may be involved as well." This news produced more concerned muttering. Finally, one of my rangers (a swarthy-faced man with black hair, moustache, and goatee, clad in green and black) spoke up and asked the question that was certainly on the minds of the others. "Then how are we to be sure of who we're dealing with, Warden? If our enemies have the appearances of the royals, with their approximate abilities, how are we to distinguish friend from foe?" His eyes narrowed slightly, regarding me critically. "For that matter, how can we be sure that you yourself are who you claim to be, Warden Corrine?" I arched a slight, bemused eyebrow. I had figured he would be the one to bring up that particular point. "Always the suspicious one, eh? I've dwelled on that concern for a while now, ever since the recent series of ambushes within the forest, and I believe I have a solution." I pulled my Trump case from the pouch on my hip, and tapped its cover. "As you all know, over the years I've taken you all aside to make Trumps of the rangers under my command, so as to facilitate rapid communication through Arden. I've trained many of you in the skills needed to identify the source of incoming calls; but in this case that may not be enough. Now, each Trump possesses a -specific- psychic impression of its subject, unalterable by most. As of this moment, I am putting into effect a kind of 'Trump Doublechecking' -- each call received must now be returned to the believed sender to confirm the source of the call and the orders given through it. This will slow down communications, but I feel this lag an acceptible price to pay given the increased security." [Morning meeting with rangers. Also serves as summary of prior events in the Annadil Crisis for readers.] [what things need to be mentioned for Current Events? : New additions to the Royal Family -- Hiko, Shizumaru, Nagisa, Mikage Trumps will be provided once I have the time to make them. Include visual aids! Cockatrices swarming again; usual measures need to be taken. Annadil -- "Lord of the Gift", origin unknown, AVOID, alert king immediately if encountered. Embrans -- Flawed shadows of the royal family, Do not Engage without backup! Rumored Chaosian Involvement Measures for the time being: *Trump doublechecking. *Doubled patrols of the usual areas, and of caravans coming through. *Covert watching of family members heading through the forest. (right now, just Juri and Hiko, and Shizumaru and Michelle) *Suspension of hunts for the time being. *Keep watch for possible army movements to the south and east. Corrine herself may be called away on missions during things, starting today -- In the interim, Fingolfin is to be interim warden, and will inform Tylor about it. Wants daily summary reports, regardless. ] [What rangers? Human: Corwin, Bleys, Caine, Gerard, Benedict, Dierdre Parn [others -- check old notes] Elven: Lord Fingolfin Deedlit [others -- check old notes] ] [Head to Castle Library, perform research w/ Travis, find little.] [Go see Tylor, go to vaults, get Fire Demi-Jewel.] [See Fuyutsuki, get last-minute advice on how to do a Pattern Repair and veiled ideas on how to make a construct.] [Write letter for Juri, slip under door-frame] [Letter subjects : Corrine's current intentions WHY Corrine is doing this Concerns on that she might not make it Corrine's feelings on Juri and Hiko Hiko is Juri's Miracle Corrine's feelings on Juri, expression of love Hope for future Signing off for now "Goodbye, and Hello, as always."] [Goes back to Arden and rests.]