The Primal Pattern's page

Random stood, raising his hand for silence, and the crowd slowly hushed. For a moment, the ruler of Amber looked out across the great oval table, observing all those who had come from across the far reaches of reality to answer his call. His face betrayed several different emotions; pride, relief, satisfaction, and perhaps...perhaps a hint of fear.

His voice rose. "Ladies and gentlemen, Amber thanks you for your presence this day. We bid you all welcome, but if you will forgive us, we will not stand on ceremony today."

He gestured to the walls around them. "We stand today in the heart of Substance, one of the foundations for creation as we know it. But the modern Age is different."

He pointed to the empty chair at the other end of the hall, where the multicolored banner of Chaos rested. "We know now of our brothers in the Courts; and make no mistake," he continued, raising his voice over the sudden murmurs, "They are our brothers. We are not alike in many ways, but over the years since the Patternfall, we have come to know one another. Since those times, there has grown, if not exactly an alliance, at least a mutual respect between our peoples."

"But this is not news to most of you." His face grew grim. "What may be is this - the road to Chaos is gone."

He allowed the room a moment to hear that information. "Yes. The Black Road, the line that led to the Courts and our only landmark on the way to that other end of Reality, has vanished. And what does this mean for the allies of Amber?"

Looking around, he said, "Reality is missing once of its anchors. We know that some of you have seen it; the way to Amber, the established paths through Shadow, they have become difficult to travel. Every day, Shadow itself becomes stranger, more difficult to pass and more inhospitable to those who try. Indeed, today's meeting may not have been possible without the concerted effort of myself and the help of some others of our court."

He drew in a breath, then released it. "And we do not know why."

From somewhere just outside the chamber, there was the tone of a great bell. The sound reverberated through the hall, cutting through the chatter and signalling to all it was time to formally begin the conference. Attendants emerged to show the people to their seats.

It seemed seats had been pre-arranged, set in loose factions, often signified by the personal sigils rendered in cloth heraldry draped across the high-backed chairs. The group from the lush southern Golden Circle, dressed in their loose and flowing robes, took their place with some quiet discussion amongst themselves. Their counterparts from the harsher north sat across from them with a burst of boisterous laughter, their furs and leathers somewhat out of place in the grand surroundings of the palace.

Also present was a contingent from Rebma, although Queen Moire herself had not come all the way from her undersea kingdom. In her stead, Llewella sat at the center of their group, her proud bearing belied by the deep sadness in her eyes.

There were several empty chairs as well, each marked by the symbols and colors laid across them. Many were set for powers too great too ignore but were unlikely to attend, such as the half dozen chairs set directly across from Random for the Lords of Chaos, or the black and silver rose at the King's right, or the chair draped with a golden stair set precisely in the middle.

The largest contingent was made up of the Lords and Ladies of Amber, and at their head sat the King. Nobles from across the city and its lands could be found, ahead of them only the royal family itself...and a few others. Placed together near the children of Oberon was a small but conspicuous group. The Lady Marjana, Roy MacArran, Chaney Grimson, Eztil-tlatia-totl, and James of Faiella-Bionin found themselves seated together. There had been murmurings before, but now there was a distinct sharpness to those noises as the small group found themselves subjected to sharp scrutiny.

Random let Chaney go, returning his bow with a tilt of his head, and raised an eyebrow to Marjana. "Family connection, is it? Hm." Looking her up and down briefly, he nods. "Can't say I'm terribly surprised to hear that; but as you say, perhaps another moment might be better to discuss this further."

He straightened up and his voice raised slightly, turning more formal. "Amber is pleased to accept your service, Lady Marjana. You are welcome in her embrace."

The crowd stirred again at the King's formal acknowledgement of the newcomer. Some in the throng eyed Marjana more thoroughly. Whatever anonymity she may have possessed, it was surely gone now.

There were several attendees waiting patiently for their turn to speak with King Random, but at the Warden's arrival, he waved them aside. He beckoned Chaney forward, an easy smile on his face. "Chaney. Good to see you here. I'd thought your duties in Arden might keep you away today." Benedict nodded in agreement, his gaze elsewhere.

As Marjana boldly made her way up, the King eyed her curiously for a moment. "Milady...Marjana, was it? I don't believe we have had the pleasure, yet."

A few yards away, Caine stood up from his chair with a casual air, moving over to the table where Gerard still stood, taking up a plate of tidbits and beginning a conversation. Gerard blinked, seeming surprised, and threw a glance over at the newcomers, then turned back to his brother and replied. Caine rolled his eyes, but continued the back and forth.

The room stirred, council members and their guests all murmuring. The Sheriff and deputy, announced in tandem with an unknown? Interesting, the room seemed to say.

Llewella eyed James coldly for a moment, then acknowledged his nod with a slight tilt of her neck. In full Rebman regalia, she was clearly not in the best of moods.

Throughout the chamber, most of the cliques remained stable, a few member shifting back and forth as conversations shifted. Clearly, though, attention in the room had shifted slightly to see what the newly arrived Princes would do.

The Council of Amber was finally coming to order. They gathered in the hall, some with full entourages, others standing aloof, and all of them people of notable prestige and considerable power. Each new arrival was announced to the room, each new name and title another indication of the importance of this conference and its attendees. Yet even among this crowd, there were some who commanded instant attention - The Royal Family of Amber. Descendants of Oberon, masters of the Pattern, Shadow walkers, all of them figures of such raw presence that their very existence presence resonated throughout Shadow to create other legends. Every time a new Prince or Princess was announced, an ominous stir ran through the room, and nearly everyone there turned to give the new arrival their due appraisal.

Random, King of Amber and steward of the Jewel of Judgment, waited near his chair at the great oval table's head, greeting new arrivals as they were brought to him. Seated silently in his place at the King's left hand the great Master of Arms, Benedict of the Silver Arm, kept an impassive gaze sweeping the room, ever watchful. At the King's right there stood a conspicuously empty chair, draped with black trimmed in silver and styled in the center with a silver rose.

Other living legends walked the room, of course. Julian waited sullenly in the shadows by the pillars along the chamber's sides, eyeing the empty chair by the King with resentment. Hulking Gerard stood ensconced near the table of food, offering earnest platitudes to whoever inquired. In a corner, Merlin and Fiona watched the room with equal knowing smirks, exchanging quips and observations. Llewella stood with the contingent from Rebma, pointedly ignoring her siblings to a degree that made her attention obvious. Caine sat in his chair a few spaces down from the King, a bemused expression on his pirate's face. Florimel hovered near Benedict and Gerard at turns, her nervous gaze flitting back and forth.

Yet they were not the only true children of Amber. Others were announced as well; some already known to the court, some only making their arrival now, but all would get their chance to prove their mettle before the day was out.

Not so long ago, the true realm of Amber faced a new challenge to its eternal power. While that adventure continues to play out, there are many stories still to be told about the early days of this era...

A year had passed in Amber since the First Call went out.

The ruler of Amber in this age, King Random the First, sent his agents throughout Shadow to find the wayward children of Amber and bid them to come to her aid. Throughout the infinity of Shadow they went, hunting for those few pillars of reality that brought the shade planes into focus.

Some were found in mere days, others weeks or months, and very likely many more escaped the scout's notice entirely, but they came. One by one, the sons and daughters of Amber returned to the fold, and each of them brought with them their singular talents and knowledge. Each of them, another sliver of the puzzle that was Shadow, and each of them another soldier in the war that none of them yet knew was coming.

Random met them all as they arrived, surveying his family and his subjects alike, and his heart was warmed. Once, the King had been a carefree soul, though a gadabout with little importance in the grand scheme; and those who thought so had been right. Since the Unicorn had chosen him to wear the crown, though, Random had proven them all wrong, proving a just, fair, and powerful leader worthy to succeed great Oberon. He would be the first to admit, however, that the crown was a burden he would gladly set down.

Today, though, that burden seemed to sit a little lighter on his brow, as for the first time in known memory, a Council of Amber was to meet. All the members of the royal family that could be found, nobles and representatives from across the Golden Circle, all sitting around one table to discuss the fate of the realm.

"One way or another," he thought, "this will be a day to remember."

Amber.

And now she calls her children home.