A Holiday Tale
A Chronicle for Changeling: The Dreaming
Chapter 1, Turn 21 Summary

(Dinner with the Baron)

Keighvyn's ears perk up at this. "Ventures? Do you mind if I ask what 'ventures' would be delayed?"

"Tonso Animation's owned by Avalon," Chris replies. "Some of my work is being used for their big new cartoon. You've probably heard about it. 'Super-Powered Changing Warriors.'" Chris rolls her eyes at the name. "Anyway, some of my AI work is being used in the animation process."

With a quiet chuckle, "Great, your working on those thing? Right up there with Power Rangers. What exactly is it that your AI is supposed to do? I mean, why go through the expense of developing artificial intelligence, when they could just use a much less complicated program to sift through stuff. I heard it was doing the animation, but is it suppose to do the writing also?"

Kevin, who has been silent up until now, breaks in with, "Hey... this is about five warriors who fight evil with magic powers, right? Do you think it has something to do with the prophecy?" He narrows his eyes. "After all, it sounds a lot like the quest, in some ways." Then he shrugs. "Or maybe I've just been reading too many fantasy novels..."

The trio then exits the restaurant and heads to their respective homes for the evening.

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(Dinner at the Gremarye Institute)

While the sidhe and Tess have dinner with the Baron, the rest of the group gathers together in the Greymarye Institute's large dining hall for a late dinner themselves. Nutiket's chimerical wounds have been tended by the Institute's nurse, and the food was both plentiful and good, as it usually is at the Institute. (Sometimes, for inexplicable reasons, Dr. Rowan insists on serving the students absolutely horrible puddings and boiled beef in the worst traditions of the English boarding schools. This usually lasts for several days during which he goes about calling everyone Mr. Copperfield and threatening to give them a 'solid thrashing with my birch cane here!'. Of course, he never actually canes anyone, and the students almost don't mind the food because his antics are so amusing).

Rajabal, sitting contentedly on Jubair's shoulder with the tail of his last chimerical mouse still from his beak starts to hoot, "Hoarrrmffgh..." clack-clack swallow. "Ahem. Hooooot. Ah, that's better. Now, with everyone rested and such. What's next? I know our nocker lady here is still working on the Compass, but perhaps that can wait a night? Do you not still need to arrange passage on the Saint Mary?"

Mianderr looks around the table, "So do we have to buy boarding passes or work for our trip?" Andy then drifts off, "I wonder if you can get sea sick on the seas of the dreaming? Or if we can meet pirates?" Andy then leans over the table to grab another piece of bread and begins spreading butter over it.

"Remember that we're in the Dreaming, so anything will be possible," Jubair

replies. "We'll need to be ready for pretty much anything." Jubair strokes Rajabal before continuing. "I think it was Tess that might have been handling the ship passage, but I'll cover it if she hasn't yet. I must admit I'm looking forward to the trip - I've been in the Near Dreaming on occasion but I get the feeling that this trip will take us deeper than that."

"I am most certainly looking forward to it, myself." adds Nutiket as he twirls some linguine onto his fork. "I've never been into the Dreaming before, and pirates would be an exciting diversion. So who do we see about this passage, anyway?" he asks before he puts the pasta into his mouth.

Mianderr looks over to Nutiket while using his bread to soak up some spaghetti sauce, "Pirates? Cool, I always wanted to see someone walk the plank, though I would also like to walk it myself someday that has to be one of the most exciting happenings in a life."

Bugge slurps up a strand, and adds "I think it would be to watch you get close to the edge, and then freak out, and run back in." with a wry smile. "Myself, I'd want to swing on a boarding rope, just like when I play treehouse-pirates. Or maybe we could have lifeboat races. Yeah! That would be the best!"

"Personally," says Nutiket with a look of Relish in his eyes, "I would like to fight the Captain in a duel. And maybe his First Officer, too. And the Quartermaster. Maybe even all at the same time!" he says with gusto. Blinking back to the present, however, he snags a meatball with his fork and adds "So where is the Saint Mary, anyway? And who did you guys say her Captain was?"

Andy turns to Nutiket. "I did a rather remarkable paper on the Saint Mary once." Pausing briefly to take a gulp of his cherry Pepsi, he continues, "Several exist, the closest would be the awesome and perfect model I made in woodworking about a year ago, the second would be the one docked and ready to sale on the Olentangy River. Dueling the captain would be an exceptional show since I hear he is part of the ship. Isn't that right Jubair?"

"That may well be," replies Juabir as he sets down his Coke. "However, if the Captain is the one sailing the ship for us I don't think we want to annoy him too much. I wouldn't know for certain, since I'm not from around here."

Nutiket rolls hie eyes. "I meant duel the PIRATES, not the captain of the St. Mary." he sighs and shakes his head. "Captain is part of the ship. Right. Does any non-pooka want to tell me who the captain is?"

"Alright, alright, you called our bluff" confesses Bugge, "The captain himself is a pooka, who changes into a piece of the ships equipment, when he's around someone he doesn't want to speak to."

Andy gives Nutiket a hurt look, "Well as a non-pooka, I can honestly tell you that the captain isn't like you and me and I can also tell you that the Nocker that made the ship is named Christopher after the sailor that first sailed it." Andy then proceeds to gulp down some cherry Pepsi after a fit of choking because he was eating his pasta too fast.

Nutiket grimaces as he sees his face. "Sorry. I didn't mean to be insulting. It is just that a captain being part of a ship does sound a little incredulous. So what is the captain, then? A boat chimera?"

Andy smiles, "No sweat happens all the time you know. I guess since your not familiar a lot with our culture you wouldn't know that having captains as part of ships is a regular happening and all. Though I am not exactly sure how it works, I am under the impression that the captain isn't a chimera but something else. I wish I would of paid more attention in seemings 101." Andy proceeds to stretch, "Any body know what time it is?"

Jubair blinks, then shrugs his shoulders. "Don't worry. We can ask Tess tomorrow. Personally I'd love a look around the ship, see what it's like."

Nutiket blinks furiously, looking back and forth between the Pooka, and groans. "God, and I thought I was confused before..."

At the other end of the table Brighteyes smiles and asks Sylvana, "Do you have a boyfriend?" Brighteyes glances at Sebastian meaningfully.

Andy watches the exchange between Brighteyes and Sylvana while leaning on the table and scooping more pasta and sauce on to his plate after which he sits back down and scoops some cheese on top.

Sylvana munches pleasantly, looking up and swallowing when addressed. "Ah, furgin' no. Don't I wish though. And no, he's not mine, if that's what you're wonderin'. I got my eyes elsewhere." She looks at Sebastian "Oh, bugmugger... not that you're not cute... umm... I'd better look at these umm... plans..." She smiles a broad smile, and starts doodling on a blank piece of notebook paper on her lap.

Sebastian looks up at the two ladies with a mouthful, his eyebrows raised in a "deer-in-the-headlights" look. He swallows, choking a little as the mouthful settles down. "Umm... *cough*... I mean, thanks, I think. Both of you..."

"A bashful satyr." Rajabal hoots, "Whhooo'd have thought?"

Nutiket hides one of his rare grins behind a hand at this exchange.

Looking between Sebastian and Sylvana with a crooked grin Andy says, "Well since boarding of the St. Mary is already taken care of I was wondering how the compass is coming about and can we see how it after dinner? Pleasse?"

Sylvana looks at the pooka, glancing up from her notebook. "You too, huh? Well, I suppose I could fit you into my schedule. No funny business, you hear? And no bragging to your little friends about how the pretty girl took you to see her tools, you got it?" She grins at Andy.

Andy holds up his left hand with fingers crossed in a semi-boy scoutish look, "Scouts Honor! No funny business."

"It's the right hand." says Nutiket.

Coming around from his shock, Sebastian glances at Sylvana and Andy. "Yes, umm... yes. Come on down to the workshop. Bring friends to. Everyone can come down after dinner, if you're so inclined."

Bugge seizes this opportunity, with Andy distracted, he grins evilly, and hurls a meatball across the table, to lightly hit him in the head. After which, Bugge dives under the table, giggling madly.

"Argh! Who did that?" a small amount of playful anger showing in his voice as he uses his napkin to clean himself off. "Kids, what can you do?" Andy states as he continues to talk to Sylvana. While talking to Sylvana Andy begins looking and visible searching over the table for something.

Sylvana and Sebastian show off the new treasure while the others ooh and ahh appropriately. then the party breaks up for the evening.

Time: Evening Friday, 28 August 1998
Current Weather: Sunny Expected Weather: Thunderstorms

******************

The next evening the group returns to Herbium Castellum. Though a sudden storm front is coming, threatening rain and thunder, a small pavilion is set up on the patio behind the Palm Room. Nevers flit about the gardens and Japanese lanterns hang from the trees. The Ameriflora fountain is in full spray, illuminated by lights from underneath so that it appears to be a tower of cascading liquid light.

The oathmates are escorted from the parking lot by a pair of Rose Guard. They find a trio of large seats set within the pavilion and facing outwards. The Countess, the Baron, and Sir Gwalchamai each sit within. Standing about them are a pair of the baron's sidhe guards, and half a dozen of the Rose Guard.

Otherwise only the Countess' advisors, Hecataeus and Tobias, Dr. Rowan, Jubair's Uncle Iain, and the sluagh Mr. Tweed are present. And, standing apart, Dr. Schmidt, the ancient, twisted nocker who accompanied the Baron to court the last time.

Bugge strikes his best-behaving pose, and straightens his tie. Other than that he doesn't even fidget.

While the others stand respectfully off to one side, Keighvyn leads Kelia to stand in front of the trio.

Keighvyn bows to the trio and says formally, "Your Excellency, Lord Lorewick, Sir Gwalchamai - I present to you the Lady Kelia. I, Sir Keighvyn ap Scathach, stand as her mentor, and now bring her to the Fior-righ." He then steps back to stand with the rest of the questers, though he waits just long enough to whisper, "Good luck," to Kelia.

"Welcome, Lady Kelia." The Countess' next words become a chant, "By the Flower of Youth, by the Tree of life, I call upon the Dreaming. Bring Justice, Bring Knowledge, I call upon the Dreaming." The air shimmers for a moment as the Countess brings the power of the Dreaming down onto the Fior-righ. "Lady Kelia, you are present to complete your Fior-righ. The Dreaming shall reveal your House and History thereby."

The Baron then speaks. "Your challenge is simple. You must face your mentor, Sir Keighvyn ap Scathach, in a duel. You may choose the weapons and conditions of the duel. You may, before setting the weapons and conditions of the duel, ask three questions of anyone present and they must answer truthfully, and to the fullest extent of their knowledge. Sir Keighvyn, on your honor you must do your best to defeat Lady Kelia."

At the baron's words, Keighvyn's eyes go wide. One hand slips down to touch the moonstone in the pommel of his sword, almost as if for comfort; then, as if noticing what he's doing, he takes his hand away.

Nutiket glares angrily at the Baron every time his gaze crosses the arrogant noble. Otherwise, however, he nods respectful encouragement to Kelia.

Andy watches the events are transpiring with a confused look and suddenly gulps in air, after noticing that he had been holding his breath. He then whispers to no one specific, "So who do we cheer for?"

"For Kelia" replies Nutiket in a low, rumbling voice that sounds like a storm cloud trying to whisper. "This is her day."

Tess lays her hand gently on Mianderr's shoulder. "Shhhh," she says, her eyes catching all of the kid's. With a quick shake of her head, she motions for all of them to be still.

Sir Gwalchamai then says, "The Fior-righ now begins."

"Can this duel," Kelia asks the Baron, "be a purely intellectual one?"

"Yes." the Baron answers.

"Are there any limitations on the tools used in this challenge?" Kelia asks.

"Within reason, no. We cannot, for example, be expected to provide a pair of F-15 fighter jets for you two to dogfight in." The Baron answers.

"Oh, that's a disappointment," Kelia replies to the Baron, flashing her best smile at him. She turns to Keighvyn and asks sweetly, "Sir Keighvyn, what sort of experience do you have with computers, specifically in the area of information retrieval?"

Keighvyn thinks on this for a moment, then returns, "Milady, I think I can safely say I have some experience with computers," and then he offers a small smile, "though certainly not as much as I understand you do."

"Excuse me, Sir Keighvyn," Kelia says with an apologetic air that somehow seems insincere, "but I asked you what sort of experience, not if you had experience."

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