Father, the king..."
It wasn't until the younger man gave a shove and pointed at Random, that Corwin's eyes returned to the present. The only way they could make out the newly-appointed king, was by the jewel of judgement that was holding the darkness back. But now Random was staggering among the fading red light. Merlin shot up way earlier than he did - Corwin forced his body upright and stumbled several steps behind his son.
"Your majesty?" Merlin slowed down his pace as the king approached them, only to frown in confusion when Random raced past him in the blink of an eye.
"It's done." A bewildered Random grabbed Corwin's shoulder and the older brother caught his arm to stabilize him. "It's done," The king repeated and a manic grin slowly spread across his face.
Corwin nodded, for a moment at a loss for words. Random's euphoric eyes, burning with a red Pattern in his irises, reminded the older prince of Brand, and he shuddered. "Slow, deep breaths, brother. Slow deep breaths..."
"I am fine, Corwin." Random confidently replied as he stopped Corwin from taking the jewel. "I can still handle it, don't worry!" The king was spasming uncontrollably now, and had Corwin not been informed, he might have written it off as exhaustion or shock.
"Random, I warn you like Fiona warned me – Wearing and using the jewel that intensely will drain you of your lifeforce." Corwin remembered another brother, dying with the jewel on his breast. Had Eric had this illusion of invincibility as well, before his life had been snuffed out by the gem?
"How many times do I have to tell you, I'm fi-!" Random gagged and doubled over, grasping for his chest. "A-alright, perhaps… perhaps not so fine," The king croaked out as he leaned on Corwin. With shivering hands, Random pulled the jewel over his head, pushed the gem into Corwin's hands and collapsed the moment it left his fingers.
The older brother struggled and eventually sagged on the ground with the wheezing king on top of him, laying still until Merlin arrived.
Without a word, Merlin helped Random off his father, who groaned and seated himself upright. For a moment, Corwin watched his son carefully lay Random to rest, before standing up with the jewel in one of his hands.
"Father-?"
"I'm fine. The king needs your care more than I." Waving his son's concern away, Corwin knelt next to the nearest campfire and dared to glance behind his back. The déjà-vu worsened when he saw his son covering Random with a cloak. Neither the jewel's red glow nor Random's spasms had stopped, and Corwin's eyes began to sting not just from the smoke alone.
The jewel was no longer needed, and an increased physical distance could aid Random - hopefully. Quickly, the prince buried the gem underneath the glowing embers, smeared the ash off on his pants and knelt on the other, free side of the king.
-()-
The moment he felt the gem leave his fingers - poof. the light had gone out. Gone was his brother, his brother's son, and the Abyss. He was completely in the dark before a familiar red world burst to life. He stood once again at the starting point of the 3-dimensional red pattern within the jewel.
How?! He'd let go of the Jewel and the Pattern within it, like Corwin had pleaded him. So why- The king paused, sensing that he somehow was not alone here, and he shivered as he took in his surroundings.
Nothing but the same, boring red, everywhere he looked. Sighing, Random glanced at the three-dimensional pattern before him. Looks like he had no other choice but to walk it again. The King began to place his foot, and a second. He must have been nearly at the first veil, when the pattern began to shudder and move on its own accord. Random kept himself frozen till the tremor passed, luckily with one foot raised and keeping himself balanced on that one little line. But like he had told Corwin in Rebma – it was much, much harder when you stopped in the midst of your Patternwalk.
He'd barely advanced one step further, when the Pattern shook again. Just when Random thought the worst had passed, the Pattern seemed to rip itself from under his feet, ever changing without any order or logic, moving at a an undefinable rhythm. The young king soon found himself go mad, trying to use his orderly mind to make sense of the swirling Pattern. No. That was not the right word, Random realized. It was not swirling, it was coiling around itself… like a an ouroboros.
And not sooner had the thought sprung to his mind, or the head of the snake stopped chasing its tail and regarded him with its remaining eye. Horrified, Random began to push and bounce at the boundaries of the jewel, and screamed into the void.
-()-
"Random?" His little brother had become increasingly more tense, His eyes became bloodshot and his face was dripping wet from the fever. "Random, can y-"
Like lightening Random's hand shot out, and Corwin cried as he felt his fingers break. "Merde-!" Groaning and cursing, the older brother tried to remove his hand, when Random's grip only seemed to tighten. "I'm here. Alright? I'm here. I'm not leaving." Corwin promised and he covered his other, good hand upon Random's.
Merlin could as well have touched a burning fire when he touched Random's forehead – the youngest of the group rapidly removed his fingers and waved his hand around. "We got to get his temperature down." Merlin rolled a cloak up to a cushion and placed it under Random's head.
-()-
Random let out a sigh of relief as he felt Corwin's hand - his literal lifeline in this rising sea of madness - and had momentarily forgotten about the Serpent.
Give it to me.
The words slammed an unguarded Random on the ground.
I've allowed you to save your home.Do I not deserve some repayment for this… mercy?
I consider the jewel repayment for what you wrought upon Amber - Random had braced himself for the Serpent's voice as he rose on his feet, only to fall back when the Serpents tail slammed upon his spine.
Two powers of Order there are now, instead of one. And YOU dare to demand what is MY stolen heirloom?! Give me back MY EYE! The Serpent roared.
No. Random's voice was squeaking, like a stubborn child that didn't want to go into time-out.
The jewel had never been closer – not since it had been taken by the Unicorn, whom he had fought in the depths of the Abyss just earlier - but just not close enough to immediately erase the Pattern from his very Eye. Now that She was gone, his Eye lay practically for the taking. He hadn't expected for the King to still remain within the Jewel - but that little problem could easily be solved.
-()-
Just when Merlin stood up to fabricate the spell, another spasm came over the king, that seemed to launch Random's spine from the ground, and the king opened his mouth in a wordless scream. Father and son immediately dove at him to take hold of his arms, as they tried to claw at rip and his own chest, before Corwin put some of his body weight upon Random. "I'll keep him down. Go and get that blasted water." Corwin took hold of Random's other arm and struggled to keep them there. "Come on, brother, stay with us."
"Father…"
"WHAT?" Corwin snapped, turned to face his son and stiffened. The skies at the other side of the abyss seemed to be darkening and the prince sought for Grayswandir. "What is-"
"I don't know." Merlin shivered while massaging his arms and waggling his fingers. Using the tentacles of the Logrus had never been that draining or painful – it was like having a bazillion needles that were placed in his hands, arms and head. The young man tried, failed, and tried again. The third attempt finally was successful.
Merlin just wanted to pick the bottles of water up that he had summoned, when he felt a trump contact coming in. For a moment, the youngest of the group was at odds. Right now, he didn't have the time nor did he want to justify himself to his family as for why he had stayed with the King and his father. Then again, perhaps they could help...
"Merlin." It was his mother, in her chaosian form, who greeted him almost too casually, "I was wondering where you've been all this time."
"With father and the King." Merlin's abrupt reply didn't seem to faze her and catching her thought, the young man immediately continued, "I recognized Random on behalf of our House."
"Merlin, do you even realize the rammifications of your actions?" There it was again, that honey-sweet tone of hers. "You are falling into the same trap as I did once with Corw-"
"By the Serpent, shut up!" Merlin cut her off, "I'm not a child anymore. Whatever consequences there will be, they will be mine. And those consequences might die, before I retu-." Merlin bit his lip.
"Return?"
"Yes." Merlin shut his mouth, sensing the Logrus around him even while being in a trump contact. "Goodbye, mother," Merlin tried to break the trump contact, when he felt her image become even more clearer. "What are y-"
"Keeping you safe." Dara smiled, showing her fangs as her son struggled to break free.
Meanwhile, Corwin grew more irritated by the second as he saw his son have his trump contact. The prince glanced at his feverish little brother, preyed his broken hand from under Random's tight grip, jogged towards the bottles, and proceeded to walk back to Random with them.
The prince paused mid-way his return, as he saw the Jewel glow as bright as the sun and seemed to bathe his little brother in blood. But that was not all. As Corwin began to increase his pace, he noted something slither towards Random's neck. With a cry, Corwin sought for his dagger and threw it towards the snake that was mere seconds away from suffocating his brother.
The little thing squealed as the dagger barely missed him, and as it slithered around the weapon, it grew. And grew even bigger, till it rose above Corwins head.
Corwin drew Grayswandir - a mere toothpick compared to the Serpent's fangs - and the Pattern engraved upon the blade began to glow. So much so that the Serpent had coil away, and Corwin rapidly moved in-between Random and the Serpent.
"You are too late. The crownless king is broken. The Jewel is mine by conquest. And dont bother," The Serpent caught Corwins look to his still frozen son. "Merlin is... preoccupied at the moment."
"all the better," Corwin darkly chuckled, "Then we dont need to pretend any civility to one another."
" My rage is not meant for you, but it will be if you keep standing between me and your... king."
"For someone who claims to have won, you sure take your sweet time to threaten me." Corwin reached into the Jewel as he spoke and winced at the dominant Logrus. And yet...
SNAP!
The serpent only tasted air, as a laughing Corwin danced away. "Your reaction speaks louder than words. You tried to murder my little brother,-" The light in Corwins eyes vanished, "- both in mind and in body. You just tried to kill me. Random and I must be quite the threat. I almost feel flattered." Corwin spat out as if the Serpent were nothing more than a bug beneath his boot.
The Serpent hissed enraged at Corwins mockery and lunged at him. He'd have two meals instead of one, today.
-()-
He was SO close! Inside the Jewel, the Serpent had wrapped himself around the king and he raged. Random's hold was slipping. It was a matter of seconds before the eye would be hi- He paused, sensing a shimmer of cold at the very edge. But it were so faint, the Serpent thought it was his own imagination.
But there it was again. And a third time, peeling away layer after layer...The Serpent growled, realizing he had to be quick. If he could not have his eye, then he would take Random's broken mind as a very meagre consolidation price.
Just when the Serpent ripped Random's sanity apart and proceeded to hurl him into the depths of the Logrus, the Unicorn burst through. The Logrus turned stagnant where the king fell, catching and leaving him to recover, while the two primal beings fought for a second time that day.
It was like someone dumped him into ice cold water. Random jolted awake and immediately closed his eyes when he saw the Logrus. He remembered his soul being ripped to pieces as small as molecules, he remembered being molded like dough, remade by mere stitches and needles, and the cycle repeated. The king shivered and did not dare to move, fearing his body to fall apart if he did.
Again, a bucket of water. This time, Random's eyes remained open - no longer were he held together by stitches and needles. Everything was solid, as it should be. Slowly, the king heaved himself up and looked ahead.
Gone were the Serpent and Unicorn, whom were fighting elsewhere - and gone was the Pattern within the Jewel. How could he return, if there was no Pattern to take him out of here?
-()-
Corwin had completely surrendered to Grayswandir, and its song drummed like it had never before in his ears as they danced around one another.
Throw the sword.
the prince obeyed, and the sword was hurled towards the wide-open mouth of the Serpent, who screamed when the sword cut through his left fang like lightening.
Misli, gammi gra'dil", Corwin muttered the same spell he had used on Stryggwaldir, and like the demon, the Serpent jumped a little as it slithered away.
-()-
How had Dworkin done it? Pensive, the King looked at the coiling Logrus, How had he used the Jewel, how had he tamed the Logrus, to create the Pattern in the first place, all the way below Kolvir? He'd have - Random took a deep breath. Dworkin would have to make the Pattern within the Jewel first, before projecting it outward. Random staggered back, grimacing. But he had no other choice. It was certain death if he stayed - and not so certain, but still a likely death, if he tried.
The king looked at his own feet, took a deep breath and began to visualize the Pattern before him. Immediately, the Logrus around him began to glow, came towards him like he were a magnet, and it settled under his feet. It wriggled as if trying to escape. As he walked, Random could feel a familiar, increasing resistance from the writching Logrus. But Random smiled - he, like all his siblings, had done this trail numerous times. He could do it again.
One can ever walk the same path twice. Like Dworkin and Corwin before him, Random began to mold and shape the Logrus by his own desire. But while the Unicorn held the Serpent's mind at bay, Random could still feel his influence upon the still incomplete Pattern. If he merely settled the Logrus it would not hold after he left the Jewel. He would have to leave something permanently-
Off course. The Veils.
The king stopped and he thought of Rebma, the woman the begotten with child, the one whom he had married. He remembered the scent and the breeze of the salt sea air, held the memory tight and fixed a wriggling Logrus upon that place.
Yes, memories began to return, much like Corwin, and they were remade with a new light.
The Serpent had began to realize what Random was doing - and wrestling the Logrus into submission took considerably more effort than the last time. But eventually, Random managed to place his playing cards into the ground, solidifying the second veil and continued on walking.
Now, the Serpent was a wounded animal into a corner and more dangerous than ever – even from that distance, Random could feel its venom spraying upon his back and arms, felt the ground shake to try and make him lose his balance.
Drums, now. Oh he'd sold that drumset to search for Brand, Random regretted. They had been new. The smell of freshly cut wood reached Random's nose, reminding him of those newly made drumsticks, and of Arden.
The king struggled to keep the memory in one hand, and simultaneously force the Logrus with his other. The other veils had already spend much of him and the king felt his strength rapidly dwindling.
A tentacle of the Logrus shot out, lashing Random's arm like a whip, and the king howled. Through his pain, the king's grip upon the the memory loosened..
NO!
With a roar, the king dove upon the Logrus and began to wrestle it down. He could hold it, but with nothing to keep the Logrus settled, he could not leave this spot either. The king spat out a few colorful words when he heard the Serpent laughing.
One could slay him easily now. The Serpent pretended to lunge at Random, and when the Unicorn bought his trick, The Serpent rapidly switched his goals.
SNAP! Her horn snapped off, and rolled away.
SNAP! his teeth found her neck.
Shit. Random's eyes widened when he saw the Serpent advance, til lhe found something tick his boot.
Her Horn.
Random and the Serpent looked upon the little thing, glanced at one another and lunged at it. With a cry, the king managed to grab it first, nearly slipped as he turned around and ran like he never had before.
The king thought of her Horn, of Amber, and he laughed. Amber was a color on itself too, among the people of Shadow Earth, and the Unicorn's horn had that very color! Random thought of it - the Horn, Amber, the color - and slammed it upon the Logrus.
The Serpent shrieked from the pain and rage when the re-made Pattern burst to life. It coiled to face his tail, becoming an ourobos once more, and vanished out of the Jewel entirely to lick his wounds.
No more. He could no more. Random sagged in the center of the Pattern, unable move or think. The young king didn't even look up when he heard something come towards him - he didn't care.
Slowly, the Unicorn's head came into his view - her horn broken, her neck gushing with blood - and proceeded to give the little man a nudge with one of her hooves.
Immediately, the red world of the Jewel vanished - for the first time in what seemed an eternity, the young king could feel the wind on his face, the air go through his lungs, and solid ground underneath him.
-()-
neither Corwin or Merlin saw any notable outwardly change to the burning king. But he was breathing still, and so the two kept on changing the blankets on his face and arms, until-
Corwin's breath stocked when Random's grip loosened. "Random? Random!" The prince shot up, ran towards the campfire and ripped the jewel out of the embers.
Its light was dying.
Corwin sagged on the ground, considering to hurl the gem into the abyss and damn the unicorn who had borne it back, and cost him another brother. Instead, his mind's eye only saw Eric.
He'd mentally prepared himself when he was getting to Eric's death in his tale. But now, unguarded as he was, long-lost memories returned, bitter-sweet memories that he had buried underneath his hatred and strive for the throne. Corwin's lips trembled, and the prince shut his eyes to keep the tears from falling. He remembered more than just Flora's green dress on that particular night, now. They'd returned from Weirmonken, and he, Eric and Deirdre had gotten so drunk at one point that-
She was gone, too.
Corwin choked on the growing realization, and his eyes, previously only moist, could no longer see from the tears that were leaving. Forgetting his own son as his witness, Corwin shook and cried till long after he had lost his voice and tears.
Merlin had stayed by Random – for a moment, the younger man feared the worst, when he saw the king was gasping, but then saw his chest rise and fall, strong and deep. The red haze left his eyes and they closed, his body relaxed, and Merlin sighed in relief when he heard the king slightly snore. He wanted to run to his father, to tell him the good news - but he was completely lost in his grief now, and the young man wanted to leave him to it, till he had found his strength again.
A hand upon his shoulder made Corwin gasp and turn to his left, to see Merlin seated by his side. How long had he-? The prince turned his eyes once more to the campfire in front of him.
The jewel was as cold as the embers. And Random was not moving.
"He has fallen asleep." Merlin quietly answered his father's unspoken question.
"Ah." It was as if the world were lifted from his shoulders, and that was all Corwin could say for a while. Snacking for a cigarette, Corwin took out two and offered one to Merlin, who grimaced and shook his head. Alright, his loss. Corwin shrugged and lit his own. "So…" Corwin began as he breathed out the smoke, "Where did we leave off?"
The younger man took in the bags that surrounded his father's eyes and shifted. "I can wait a little while longer-" Merlin's sentence became a coughing fit when an irritated Corwin blew the smoke into his face.
"I am not that old yet to need an afternoon nap, boy."
"I wasn't saying-" Another coughing spell came over Merlin, and Corwin clapped on his back several times.
"I could read it as clear as day upon your face."
"Heavens of Chaos, how can you even like that stuff?!"
"Why does someone like sex and alcohol?" Corwin shrugged, "Now, do I have to begin all the way back at Greenwood hospital or-?"
"Ehh… I believe you had just come to the part where you were bleeding out in your house on Shadow earth."
The older prince nodded, "Yes… Yes, that's right." Keeping his eyes on his brother, Corwin continued and finished his tale to his son. The conversation didn't stop there – more questions came from both sides, about their lives at their respective sides of Chaos and Order, about little anekdotes and friends,... untill Corwin's eyes began to drop.
"I'll take first watch, father."
Corwin merely nodded, lowered his back upon the ground and fell asleep the moment he closed his eyes.
It was almost noon - or at least it felt as noon, to Corwin's internal clock - when Random began to stir. Corwin had already eaten, and silently gave the remains to his brother, who devoured the meal like a starving man. He didn't ask how his little brother felt – his eyes were of a man who had gone through Hell and back.
As he was nearing the end of his meal, the king looked from Corwin to his son next to him, swallowed his final bite down with a gulp of wine and offered his slightly trembling hand to the young man, "You must be Merlin."
"Yes, your majesty." Merlin replied as they shook hands. His mouth twitched for a moment, as if he wanted to continue.
Random's tired smile vanished, "Don't address me like that," The king pointed his finger at him as he murmured, "It makes me feel as old as your grandfather." The words came out harsher than he had intended them to be. Merlin's mask cracked with hesitation and Random added, "Luckily for you, I don't have his bite. So, shoot." Random watched Corwin's son with expectation.
"Erhm…"
The king's eyes were twinkling. "Kid, your father and I can practically see you bursting out of your skin to say something. So, go ahead."
"Well…" Merlin slowly began, "I've briefly spoken with father about it. He has promised to take me to Amber and let me walk its Pattern, so I can explore the Shadows he has spoken so much about…" Merlin's response was a completely bewildered, mute king and the young man swallowed, "If, that is alright for you… sir."
Still no response.
Becoming increasingly more unsure, the young man gave a questioning look to his father.
"Don't look at me, son." Corwin raised his hands in innocence and as he let them drop, the older brother began to intensively stare at Random, "I ain't the king around here."
He'd never had anyone ask his permission before. "Oh right. That's me." The younger brother let out an awkward chuckle and rubbed his neck, "I mean, off course I know it's me-" You are the king. Random stopped mid-sentence, let all emotion vanish on his face and scrutinized a flabbergasted Merlin.
The entire change had taken one second, Corwin shook his head in amazement as he watched his brother, and it stayed as unsettling as the first time he'd witnessed it.
"You have my permission." Random broke the tension as well as his mask and chuckled when Merlin let out a sigh of relief, "I told you before, I don't bite," The king reminded him while playfully clapping his arm, two, three times. "Now!" The king jumped on his feet and clapped his hands together. "Merlin, can you go to Benedict with one of those- ah… what's their name again?"
"Flimsy's,"
"Yes, those. Tell him the storm has lifted," Random tapped his chin and added as an afterthought, "Oh! And tell him he has to bring another bottle of wine!" Once Merlin were far and occupied enough with his spell, the king muttered to Corwin, "He's a good kid."
"I sense a 'but' coming up."
Random returned an annoyed glare to his older brother. He'd not wanted to discuss it here and now, but- "Alright, fine. Your son made quite the statement today by pledging his fealty to me. I didn't ask nor expected him to do so, but…" Random shuffled with his boot into the rubble, sighing.
"He's as interested in the throne as I." Corwin sharply replied.
"If I thought he were, would I have given him my permission to walk the Pattern?" Random retaliated just as sharp, before continuing in a softer tone, "For my part, your kid can stand and go where-ever he wants in Shadow. Heck, I'd even recommend him a few." Random's smile dwindled. "No, I fear the Courts will think I forced his pledge, one way or another, and I fear they will not allow Merlin go his merry way."
"That's his problem to solve, not yours." Corwin closed the conversation of his son by stomping his cigarette on the ground and clapped on Random's shoulder, "Amber alone will grant you enough concerns… So let us get you settled on that throne before you get cold feet." The prince then walked towards the cold campfire and offered the jewel to the king, who was just busy ruffling through the cards. "Here you go, your majesty," Corwin gloated.
Random clenched his jaw at Corwin's tone, his tone so similar to the Serpent's. "banishing you will be my first decree." Blast it, where was Gérards card?!
"Don't bother. I'll go willingly."
"….I was joking."
"I wasn't." Corwin once again tried to get Random to take the jewel by showing it to him. And once again, his younger brother was busy with the cards. "I want to get to know my son better," Corwin quietly explained.
"Then what better way than to do so in Amber? Merlin says he wants to walk the Pattern and I've been planning to give you that regency-" The king's eyes twinkled, pleased as he was with his own solution.
"No," The older prince flatly replied, "If I were to come to Amber now… I've done the job, alright? I would see you make mistakes and I'd want to rectify it. In a crisis, I would have a quicker, better response ready than you-"
"Wow, Great confidence boost."
Corwin ignored Random's sarcastic comment and rambled on. "And you'd say 'yes' and nod, because it's the better way than you would have thought off or would have taken. And slowly but surely, the people will look at me instead of you. You who fade to the background, nothing more than a figurehead, while I remain trapped in the day-to-day kingly pezah…." Finally, Corwin could see some discomfort rise in Random's eyes, "Will anything have truly changed?" For the third time, Corwin offered Random the jewel, and proceeded to walk away when Random accepted and put it around his neck.
"I didn't give you my permission to leave!"
"I beg you pardon, oh great king." The older brother turned around and gave a sweeping bow, only to be met with an unamused Random as he straightened his back.
"You… aren't going to make me do the regency, are you?"
Random whistled. "now there is an idea." When Corwin began to groan, Random sniggered. "Truly a tempting idea, dear brother, but no!" The king showed Gérard's trump, "You said you'd get me seated on that damn chair…"
"That I did," Laughing, Corwin returned a final time to Random's side.