last of the sail. I threw a line to the man waiting on the dock to tie her off. I reflected that one good thing about belonging to the Royal of Amber was that there was always dock space available for you in the port.
Somewhat ruefully, I mentally added that it was one of the few benefits. Grabbing my canvas kitbag, I moved from the ketch to the jetty in one smooth motion. Leaving the docker to deal with my boat, I slung my bag over my right shoulder and strode off towards the city.
I knew my appearance was going to attract attention from the citizens of Amber. It always did. I had long ago learnt to ignore the stares I attracted. My light green hair, bound up in a single heavy plait that bounced against my back as I walked, and green tinged skin marked me as
a native of Rebma, who are rare enough in Amber to be worthy of attention in their own right.
My outfit, while it would not have attracted undue attention on any beach on shadow Earth, was risqu� by the standards of conservative Amber. I was dressed in a blue bikini with a white linen shirt over the top and a gauzy blue sari tied around my waist. On my feet were brown leather sandals. Hovering above my left shoulder bobbed a little crystal sphere that glowed with a warm golden light. From a silver chain around my neck depended a silver seahorse, my personal symbol.
I took the shortest route from the docks to the beach where Fiaella-bionin lay. Even this carried through more of the city than I cared to see. I'd always found the place to be smelly and noisy. To keep my mind of my surroundings, I pondered, not for the first time, the curious missive that had brought me home. A brief note from my mother, delivered to me by a bird of desire, stating that she had something to discuss with me which she did not trust to trump communication and asking me to return to Rebma at my earliest convenience. It had taken me some time to make my way back from shadow but now I was here and I wondered what it was Llewella had to tell me.
Eventually I cleared the edge of the city and made my way along the thankfully deserted beach. I felt much more comfortable out here where
the only sounds were the roar of the waves and the raucous cries of the gulls. At length I reached the inverted pyramid that marked the head of
Fiaella-bionin, the stairway to Rebma. With a sense of relief, I stripped off my shirt and bikini top and stuffed them into my kitbag. From inside the bag I pulled out a knife in a sheath. This was a dive knife I had acquired on shadow Earth. It had a titanium blade and a rubber grip and was one of my favorite weapons as it was specifically designed for use underwater. I strapped he sheath to my inner thigh. I undid the plait and shook my hair loose. Unbound my hair fell to my waist.
I started down the stairs. I know many people find descending
Fiaella-bionin to be a disconcerting experience but to me it is the most natural thing in the world. The familiar waters closed in over my head and I took my first breath underwater. My straight, very fine air floated out behind me. Fifty feet below the surface, I passed the first of the torches that lighted the way down the stairs. When I reached the base of the stairs and based through the alabaster arch marking the edge of Queen Moire's realm I experienced that welcome feeling which told me I had come home.
I made my through the streets of Rebma towards the palace. Several curious fish swam up to nuzzle at Bauble, my floating crystal sphere. Whenever they did, Bauble would pulse a brighter light and the fish would scatter.
I found myself smiling and suppressing a giggle. The guards at the palace gate recognized me and saluted as I passed. As I made my way to my rooms, I stopped a passing servant and asked to inform my mother that I had arrived and would be in my quarters. The serving girl nodded and took off to fulfill my request.
Entering my rooms, I was pleased to see nothing appeared to have been changed in my absence, not I really expected it to have. I put away the few things I carried with me in the kitbag, then changed out of the bikini bottom and sari into a pair of green-scaled trunks and a filmy skirt which concealed nothing but floated dramatically on the shifting currents. Something told this meeting with my mother would be a serious event, so I put on the formal jewellery; matching silver anklets and bracelets on each ankle and wrist, silver armbands on my upper arms and my seldom worn silver coronet with sapphires.
As I was examining the finished affect in the mirror, the serving girl entered and told me my mother and Queen Moir� would see me in the throne room. I made my way through the familiar corridors where I had played as a child. I entered the throne room through one of the rear entrances, usually reserved for the use of members of the royal family. My mother and Moir� were waiting for me, both of them dressed in typical Rebman garb. As I came in, Llewella crossed over to me, put her arms around me and kissed me lightly on the cheek. "Welcome home, daughter" she said softly. "You're looking well."
"Thank you, mother" I replied quietly "but I'm sure you didn't summon me all the way back to Rebma just to tell me that". "No" she admitted and then glanced over at Queen Moir�. Moir� rose from the throne and moved towards a group of chairs positioned for more intimate and more private conversation. Llewella gestured for me to join the Queen before placing one hand on my elbow and one hand on my back and guiding me in that direction.
"Sit down" she said as we arrived at the chairs. "I..." she began before glancing at Moir� and correcting herself,:...that is to say, we have some news to tell you. We did not know how you were going to take it, so we decided it was better to tell you face to face rather than over a trump. Besides, there is always the possibility of eavesdropping with a trump call, and with the current situation in Amber you never know who might be listening in". "Well, I'm here now, so go ahead" I replied, already sensing I would not like whatever it was they had to tell me. I drummed my fingers on the arm of the chair as I waited. Llewella and Moir� exchanged glances.
Moir� nodded slightly. Llewella took a deep breath then said "Vialle has married". I blinked at my mother in blank surprise. I understood the words she had just said but they made no sense to me. Vialle married? This was not possible. I had known Vialle since childhood. We were of a similar age and had both been raised in the palace. Vialle exact status was unclear, but she was generally regarded as a sort of ward of Queen Moir�. Somehow it had been natural for the two of us to be put together as playmates. One thing had always been clear. Vialle's impairment would make it impossible for her to find a husband. Generally this made her object of pity although I had never thought of her in this way. Or, at least, I didn't think I ever had.
"Married?" I repeated dumbly. My mother nodded. "I know how close the two of you are and I'm sure she would have wanted you to be here but there wasn't time..." I cut her off. "Married to whom?" I asked.
Llewella glanced over at Moir� again. This time it was the queen who spoke. "To Random" she declared, as if challenging me to make something of it.
This pronouncement hit me like a hammer blow to the stomach. I felt physically ill. Then I felt my temperature rising as nausea was replaced by anger. "Random?!" I all but screamed. "Is this some kind of sick joke?!" I started to rise but Llewella placed a hand against my chest to stop me. I slumped back into my chair and glared first at my mother and then at the queen. I took several deep breaths to regain my composure and then asked "And why, pray tell, would she marry Random?"
Moir� fixed me with a regal stare. "Because I told her to" she declared. I shook my head, not believing my ears. "Why?" I pleaded. "Why would you do that?" "I had my reasons" was her calm reply.
Again I flash the white heat of my fury wash over me. "But why?!" I howled again. "You, of all people! You know what he did to Morganthe..." I broke off as I realized what I was saying.
Moir� regarded me with an icy stare and I swear I felt the temperature of the water around me drop several degrees. I cringed as I realized the enormity of my mistake. "My apologies, your majesty" I murmured with what little composure I could manage. "I spoke in anger and without thinking.
You, of course, had your reasons for acting the way you did and it is not my place to question them. I beg your forgiveness." I sat with my head bowed for several minutes. When I raised my head enough to look at Moir�'s face, I could see she was regarding me with an expression that was no unkindly. I breathed a silent sigh of relief.
"That you are upset, Eilonwy, is understandable" Queen Moir� said.
"Indeed, this is one of the reasons we wished to tell you in person.
Know that this was not a decision I made lightly and know that I had my reasons for this decision. I hope that, in time, you may come to understand what those reasons were." I nodded and rose from my chair. My mother, evidently sensing I was now calm, removed her hand and allowed me to do so. "With your permission, your majesty, I will withdraw" I said with a bow. Without waiting for a response, a minor breach of protocol, I turned and headed towards the door. Behind me I heard Moir� begin to call to me and then Llewella saying �Let her go. I know my daughter. She just needs to think upon this". I silently cursed my mother for knowing me so well, but I also knew that she was right. I retreated to one of the secluded coral gardens outside the palace to brood and ponder what this change of circumstances meant for my friendship with Vialle.