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Happy St Patrick's Day. Enjoy the one day of the year when the whole world is Irish.

Balance of Power--Chapter Six

Started by Evie, September 02, 2015, 08:57:48 PM

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Evie

Previous chapter:  http://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,1568.0.html


Chapter Six

Just after noon
The Camberian Council chamber
Somewhere in the Rhendall Mountains
December 17, 2021


Alicia Coris came through the Portal exactly ten minutes after turning in her report to the Chief of the Anti-Terrorism Bureau. Still silently fuming over that encounter, she took a moment to take a deep breath. Immediately, her danger sense tingled, and she paused on the Portal square to center herself and assess the situation.

There was a faint whiff of something acrid smelling that she caught in that moment.  Before she could identify the odor, she noticed a pale green fog beginning to seep into the vestibule from underneath the closed doors to the Council chamber.

O sweet Saint Camber, preserve us! Alicia sternly suppressed her first instinct to throw open those doors and rescue her friends.  No, she would only succumb to the same fate as theirs if she did that. But what could she do?  One idea occurred to her, and she made another Portal jump to someone she believed might be able to help.




Just after noon
The Royal Hospital of Rhemuth
Emergency Department Portal
Rhemuth
December 17, 2021


"Sweetheart, you nearly scared the crap outta me!"  Healer Dr Karim Al-Sayid yelped as Alicia suddenly appeared on the hospital Portal square nearly on top of him. "You know this Portal is restricted to emergency use, Alicia!  Are you dealing with a life-threatening emergency?"

"Yes," she retorted, cutting his rant short.  "I need gas masks and . . . and what's the antidote to this?  She Mind-Shared the memory of her entry into the Council Chamber's vestibule with her flatmate.

"I . . . ." He frowned as he analyzed the images and remembered odor that Alicia shared with him. "I think that's acrinious gas, isn't it? Who the flying hell has got their hands on acrinious gas?  And where is this place?" As he spoke, he strode over to one of the hospital's Green Line phones. "We're going to need to call more Healers in on this.  And Anti-Terrorism needs to be involved as well. We're certainly not equipped to deal with acrinious gas!" He turned back to face Alicia.  "We'll need that Portal signature."

She hesitated.  Yes, she was sworn by an oath of blood and power never to reveal the secrets of the Council Chamber, yet obviously their location had already been compromised, and in one of the most violent of ways. Surely the oath would not be binding now, with the lives of the entire Council at stake?  Alicia knew what she had to do, and yet she feared what future repercussions the revelation might bring if she were to respond with complete honesty. What conspiracy theories might spring up if humans were to become aware of a centuries-old secret Deryni organization in their midst? For that matter, how would Deryni society deal with having their suspicions of the Council's existence indisputably confirmed?

"It's . . . a private conference venue. I'll share the Portal signature with you on the condition that you will not share the exact location with anyone but another Deryni Healer. As for calling in Anti-Terrorism . . . . " She frantically searched her phone contacts for a particular number. "I'll see if I can get Patrick Adams in on this.  Not only is he Deryni, he'll want to be there anyway; his mother-in-law is likely one of the victims."




Just after noon
The Camberian Council chamber
Somewhere in the Rhendall Mountains
December 17, 2021


Peter Astari choked on the noxious fumes emanating from the bottle thrown into the midst of the assembled Councilors.  As Maureen began to slump to the ground beside him, he barely managed to catch her, using what little remaining strength he had to haul her upright.  Most of the green fog seemed to be dropping over the edge of the table almost like some slow, gaseous waterfall. That meant whatever the toxic gas was, it was heavier than air.  Good.  That gave Peter an idea.

Half falling onto the tabletop, he flailed out to slap the bottle across the table. It fell, shattering on the stone floor below. The green clouds rose, their ascent growing alarmingly faster as the rest of the gas was released from its confinement.  Wondering if he'd done the right thing or had simply delayed the inevitable--or had he sped it up instead?--he pushed Maureen onto the table.  Father Devlin, struggling upright, saw what was happening as well and began to tug at James, who was closest, hoisting him high enough to fall face-down upon the table. He reached for Elspeth then, but she was too far away.  Dropping to his knees, he began to crawl towards her, every breath feeling like an inhalation of fire now. Beyond Elspeth he could dimly make out Violet's form, lying prone on the floor, impossibly distant. But Maureen's hand appeared now, fishing for Violet from somewhere above the table, and a moment later Peter reached down, his fingertips just managing to brush her sleeve before falling limp. Devlin concentrated on reaching the closer woman. Saint Jorian, help us in our time of need!

From seemingly nowhere James appeared, revived enough for the moment to assist, and together the two men struggled to lift Elspeth's head higher before collapsing into dreamless oblivion.



Ten minutes later
The Royal Hospital of Rhemuth
Emergency Department Portal
Rhemuth
December 17, 2021


Detective Inspector Adams nearly stumbled off the Emergency Department Portal square several minutes later, hauling a large hand cart. He tossed gas masks to Alicia, Karim, and two other Healers. "Be glad the Chief was nowhere near the equipment supply this morning; as it is, I'm going to have my arse handed back to me if he ever finds out I requisitioned this haul."

"And by 'requisitioned' we mean 'borrowed without asking'?" Alicia inquired as she wordlessly exchanged the unique psychic signature of their destination Portal with him. "Do any of us have any complaints about DI Adams breaking the rules for once?"

"Certainly not me," Karim said, stepping onto the large Emergency Department Portal, giving the adjustment strap on his gas mask one last tug. "If your Chief asks, Adams, I know nothing."

"I hate to ask, Alicia, but is the infiltrator likely to still be on the premises of this location we'll be headed to?" Patrick's expression was grim. "This could go pretty damn badly for all of us if I'm escorting unarmed civilians into an target site that isn't properly secured."

She looked alarmed as she considered that thought, then shook her head. "I doubt it, not that I exactly stuck around to find out! But we've hardly any other choice, now do we?"

He shook his head. "Unless you know of some other way to approach the target site, then no, we don't.  All right then, let's get started.  Healers, please step off the Portal square; I'll let you know if  it's safe to come in. Alicia, you bring me in first, just to make sure I actually end up at the right location, then jump back here. I'll check the premises, get the atmospheric decontamination started, then come back here to give you the all-clear to come in."  He gave them all a warning look.  "If I don't return within five minutes,don't try any stupid heroics!"




Early afternoon
The Camberian Council chamber
Somewhere in the Rhendall Mountains
December 17, 2021


The steady thrum of the air filtering equipment echoed off the walls of the Council Chamber as the Healers worked in silence, securing oxygen masks onto their unconscious patients' faces, injecting them with a neutralizing agent for the merasha that the equipment had detected in the noxious fumes that filled the chamber, and lifting them onto stretchers before wheeling them to the Portal. Alicia stood guard at the Portal entrance, looking stricken as one by one she saw her colleagues being wheeled onto the Portal square only to disappear in order to clear the square for the next patient and attending Healer. Patrick had gone on a brief reconnaissance of the chamber below once Alicia belatedly remembered to inform him of its existence, although he had swiftly returned to announce that the premises were clear of intruders.

Soon, all of the Councilors had been evacuated. Patrick and Alicia alone remained behind to gather the remaining equipment from the room.  While the Council Chamber air was not yet fully cleared of the contaminant, it would naturally dissipate on its own within a day or two; sooner, if the underground chambers' ventilation system cycled fresher air in from the outside, as Patrick was certain it must do somehow, despite there being no visible ventilation system ducts.  An underground chamber used as a regular meeting place must get fresh air in from somewhere, after all, or it would have become a tomb centuries before. What remained would be a green acrinium residue which would need to be scrubbed off every exposed surface thoroughly, preferably by people wearing hazmat suits, before he could declare the chamber safe for use again.  But that would be a worry for another day. For now, he had to get the equipment decontaminated and returned to equipment storage before the Chief discovered it was gone.




Meanwhile, just after noon
The undercroft
Tre-Arilan
December 17, 2021


Alisandra double-checked her memory of the Portal signature she had stolen from Tom's mind before making the jump to the new location, holding Tom closely almost as if shielding herself with his body. In a sense she was; she was not entirely sure how what size of a space she would be arriving into, and if her body were to inadvertently brush up against wards--well, if Tom was to serve as her unwilling escort and living key into Lord Arilan's demesne, she definitely wanted him to enter the warded area first!

It took a moment to get her bearings in the new location. The chamber was mostly dark, with only subdued lighting coming from an adjoining room.  She blinked her eyes, adjusting to the near-darkness.  So far, so good.




Moments later
Upstairs
Tre-Arilan
December 17, 2021


"Your Grace?" Carbury's voice was the merest hint of a whisper. "I don't wish to alarm you, but our Portal's alert sensors have just been triggered, and I believe we have an intruder. I have already notified Her Majesty's armsmen. If I could trouble you to join them in Her Majesty's room, I shall go downstairs to investigate at once."

Morgan Haldane was out of his chair at once. "Better yet, I'll go with you."

Carbury gave him a concerned look. "There may be a bit of a disturbance. Are you certain Your Grace is quite up to it?"

Morgan favored him with a grim smile. "Oh, I assure you, should it come to that, 'My Grace' is quite looking forward to causing someone a bit of disturbance!"




The undercroft
Tre-Arilan


Alisandra tentatively started to push Tom's body forward. This was the moment of truth. She knew the wards were set to grant Tom free access to the computer room. What was beyond that area was anyone's guess, for apparently Tom had never been inside the actual residence, just the great house's undercroft area, but she would cross that hurdle when she came to it. At the very least, she should take a few minutes to scout out this area and report back to Malcolm about what she'd discovered.

With her mind linked with Tom's, she ought to be able to fool this Portal with the illusion that Tom was escorting her through the wards rather than the other way around. At least the trick had worked with the other Portal, although each one tended to be set differently, so she couldn't be absolutely certain she'd be as fortunate this time around. Still, it was quite likely things would go off without a hitch.

Tom's body came into contact with the wards. Nothing happened. She pushed him through, her arm still wrapped around his waist. It was only when the front of her own body came into contact with the wall of energy that she was abruptly brought up short.




The undercroft
Tre-Arilan
Seconds later


"This," said Carbury, "is where the fun begins."
 
Bright spotlights shone directly into the Transfer Portal niche. From some unseen area within the wards emanated a hissing sound.

"His lordship might have made a few modifications to the original Portal design," Carbury explained to Morgan Haldane with a smug smile.




The brighter side of Hell
Tre-Arilan


Alisandra found herself blinded by brilliant light as pain pulsated through her entire being. The wards! she managed to think somewhat coherently as her body attempted to jerk away from the walls of energy, but Tom's body refused to move back with her. As she convulsed, she became aware of a fine mist squirting down from the ceiling onto her contorted face. Her eyes widened as she recognized the smell and taste of the merasha spray.




On the outside, looking in
Tre-Arilan


Morgan started forward, snatching Tom Whitfield out of Alisandra's grasp.  Tom, no longer under Alisandra's control, slumped in Morgan's arms.  The duke lay the fallen Deryni gently on the ground, then started forward again, menace in his eyes, but Carbury stopped him.

"One minute, Your Grace. Let's wait a few more moments to be sure there's enough merasha in her system, then she'll need a thorough rinse, won't she? We wouldn't want to leave any merasha in the Portal area, after all, if Lord Arilan will be returning home by that route." He walked over to a control panel on the wall, tapping a fingertip lightly beside a lit button for a few seconds before pressing it.  A torrent of water spilled down, drenching the warded area's occupant and partially reviving her for just a moment, although the water caused the energies from the wards to course through her, knocking her out cold again.

"Damn." Carbury waved a hand and muttered a phrase under his breath to disperse the ward. A flow of water gushed towards him and Morgan, only to be diverted into cracks between the flooring stones.  "His lordship and I gave considerable thought to the drainage issue and had underground drains installed accordingly, but unfortunately we neglected to consider the possibility of inadvertently electrocuting my lord's uninvited guests. One of the downsides to having a residence as secure as Tre-Arilan is that we have been rather lacking in test subjects. I do hope our visitor can be revived; I am certain Lord Arilan will want to question her."

Morgan gave Carbury a long, considering look.  "All of these . . . modifications, were they your idea, or Lord Arilan's?"

Carbury inclined his head modestly. "Well, his lordship had the necessary expertise in security systems to implement the improvements, but I may have suggested certain of the more . . . innovative details."

Morgan smiled broadly. "I don't suppose it would be possible for me to hire you away from Lord Arilan?"

"I'm afraid not, Your Grace. However, I am certain his lordship would be most amenable to a consultancy arrangement."




Early afternoon
The Royal Hospital of Rhemuth
Emergency Department Portal
Rhemuth
December 17, 2021


Peter Astari struggled to sit upright on the hospital gurney in the Emergency Department Portal room.  His attending Healer tried to calm him, but he stared around frantically.  "No, not a hospital!" he protested. "We can't be admitted; just give us a few minutes and we'll leave . . . ."

"Sir, please lie down. I'm afraid you're not in any shape right now . . . ." The Healer slipped the oxygen mask back over Peter's nose and mouth as the patient gasped for breath.  "Lie still, sir!"

On another gurney nearby, James Arilan managed to force a whispered explanation despite the searing pain in his  throat and lungs, "He's right, Karim. If we're admitted here, there will be required reports to fill out, won't there? With a chemical attack involved, Anti-Terrorism would need to be informed. We need to avoid that at any cost."

Alicia eyes widened as the implications dawned on her. She turned a beseeching look at her flatmate.  "Oh, Karim, I didn't think of that!  Is there any way we can get around having any of this in the official record?"

"Are you all barking mad?!" the Healer replied in a stifled bellow. "I could lose my license over this if the Chief of Medicine finds out!"

"Then let's not have him find out," Maureen suggested quietly between coughs.  "Can't you just Heal us and let us slip quietly out the back?

"You'd still need follow-up medical care," the third Healer, a pretty young woman with the label Dr O'Flynn over her breast pocket, reminded the stricken Councilors. "Where would we transfer you to?  We'd still be facing the same issues."

"What about Tre-Arilan?" Elspeth croaked hoarsely. "It's a huge bloody mansion with all the amenities, isn't it? You could discharge us there for care. It's large enough to hold us, surely, and at least there's a doctor there already."

Healer Dr Karim Al-Sayid gave his friend Lord Arilan a puzzled look. "You have a resident physician at Tre-Arilan, or was Carbury an Army medic before he entered service?"

James closed his eyes and bit back a strangled curse.




Early afternoon
Tre-Arilan
The undercroft
December 17, 2021


"I've seen to Mr Whitfield, Your Grace. At the moment he is safely resting in one of the guest suites. I have taken the precaution of taking a very close look at the psychic damage, but it does not appear that his assailant planted anything within his mind that would make him subject to her further control. Although the damage she left behind is quite problematic, I think once the drugs are out of his system there is some hope of him making at least a partial recovery." Carbury's lips thinned. "Although I am no Healer. Perhaps his prognosis would be improved if someone with greater experience with psychic injuries were to take over his care? I will admit to some unease about keeping him here, all things considered, despite being fairly certain he would not be a threat." He gave a meaningful glance upwards before continuing. "I should very much hate to be mistaken."

"Yes, I agree," Morgan said. "For the same reason, I'd rather not have this"--he prodded the unconscious intruder with the toe of his boot--"remain here, although if Lord Arilan wishes to have a hand in her questioning, I would certainly be glad to bring him to Coroth at some later time. Thank you for your hospitality, Carbury, but I need to check in at home for a few hours at the very least, before my staff starts to panic. I'm sure they've seen yesterday's broadcast, but if I don't show up in the flesh soon, that will be of little reassurance."  He smiled.  "Fortunately Coroth Castle still has a working dungeon, although it's been quite a while since it has served its original purpose. Once I'm certain our unwanted guest is secured, I'll return to check in with Lord Arilan and see how everything else is faring." Another glance upward communicated his meaning.  If the woman lying bound at his feet was able to hear anything in her present state and did not already know of the Queen's presence at Tre-Arilan, she certainly was not about to hear that news from him. "If you have not managed to arrange for Mr Whitfield's transfer into a Healer's care by the time I get back, I might be able to offer a few discreet strings to pull."

Hoisting Alisandra over his shoulder, he stepped towards the Transfer Portal, stopping just at the outside edge of the Portal square to look back over his shoulder at Carbury. "You're certain you've rinsed away all of the merasha?"

Carbury opened his mouth to assure the Duke of Corwyn that the Portal was now safe for use, but the twinkle in Morgan's eyes clued him in that he was being teased.  The corners of his mouth twitched into a shadow of a smile.  "If I've managed to miss a spot, Your Grace, I am certain you shall be the first to know."



Not long afterward
Tre-Arilan
The undercroft


Lord James Arilan was the first of the six patients to arrive through the Transfer Portal that afternoon, since he drew a firm line at sharing his home Portal signature with "half the frigging hospital," as he quietly groused to Father Devlin when no one else was listening. Instead, he brought Karim through first so that, while the Healer remained standing on the Portal square, Carbury could adjust the wards to grant him temporary access to leave and return through the wards with the other injured Deryni.  After Karim completed the second and third such jumps back and forth magically hauling Father Devlin and Lady Maureen through what modern physicists had come to refer to as t-space, the lord of the manor relented enough to allow Karim to share the Portal signature with one of the other Healers. Healer Heather O'Flynn came through next, wheeling a frail-looking Violet in, waiting within the wards while Carbury made similar adjustments for the second Healer to come and go. She returned shortly thereafter for Elspeth, and then for Peter Astari, with Karim bringing through Alicia Coris last, because she refused to be separated from the other Councillors and insisted on helping to care for them.

As the other patients were being brought through, Carbury drew James aside to inform him of what had occurred in his absence. Thus, as Heather continued the work of Healing the Councillors gathered in the undercroft, Carbury and James headed up the hidden staircase with Karim, Carbury to prepare rooms for their unscheduled new arrivals and James to lead Karim to the room where Tom Whitfield lay under the watchful eye of Her Majesty's junior armsman, Michael.




Late afternoon
Coroth Castle
A dungeon cell
December 17, 2021


"Where am I?!"  The prisoner's expression was suffused with fear.

Morgan Haldane looked up from the dagger he was idly toying with, returning it to its wrist sheath as he stood to walk closer to the warded area.  "You are not in any position to ask me questions.  You will, however, answer mine." He peered down at the reclining figure before him, inserting a steely note of Truth-Say command in his voice. "Who are you?"

She cowered back against the wall. "Caroline Alisandra Sheraton-Whitfield. Why am I being held here?  What sort of madman are you?" There was not a single hint of guile in her reply.

He studied her for a long moment, his features impassive. Well, bloody hell!



Next chapter:  http://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,1573.0.html
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

Jerusha

Oh well done! Well done! *claps hands in delight*

One must assume a trigger was set in Aiisandra in case of capture - I expected it might be a death trigger, but a return to her former "self" is more intriguing. 

Looking forward to the next chapter!
From ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggity beasties and things that go bump in the night...good Lord deliver us!

 -- Old English Litany

Shiral

Wow, well EVERYONE is ending up at Tre Arilan.  :o Not exactly a jolly Christmas Party though, as I'm betting that gas leaves a nasty residue. Alicia was as present minded and capable as I suspected she would be.   Very glad for Tom's sake that the wards freed him from Alisandra's grasp.  And that Mrs. Nasty is now experiencing the pleasures of the Duke of Corwyn's dungeon. I'm guessing they won't be easy to escape from. Carbury's sure got his hands full with the whole Camberian Council. But now James can introduce his colleagues to Queen Sophia and explain the services they perform for her.  :D

Melissa
You can have a sound mind in a healthy body--Or you can be a nanonovelist!

DesertRose

Lady Alicia to the rescue!  YAY!

I'm particularly fond of the setting called "The brighter side of Hell."  :D
"If having a soul means being able to feel love, loyalty, and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans."

James Herriot (James Alfred "Alfie" Wight), when a human client asked him if animals have souls.  (I don't remember in which book the story originally appeared.)

revanne

Well I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of Carbury.

Good to see Morgan living up to his name- although I really did expect him to start reaching for various pieces of honed metal weaponry.

This story has more cliffhangers than a precipice walk.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
(Psalm 46 v1)

Demercia

A meeting of the CC some days hence.
"We assume that Elspeth's  family took her home to recover, she disappeared very soon after we arrived at Tre-Arilan".   Arilan and Morgan look shifty, those dungeons are coming in handy. 
The light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not.

Demercia

Glad I was right in my surmise about Alicia and Karim
The light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not.

Evie

Quote from: Jerusha on September 02, 2015, 09:23:29 PM
One must assume a trigger was set in Aiisandra in case of capture - I expected it might be a death trigger, but a return to her former "self" is more intriguing. 

Yes, Alisandra may have scored a big coup, but poor Caroline's not having the best of days. At least now that she's in the Duke of Corwyn's custody, he'll have a chance to discover what's really going on in that woman's mind. Well, either that or accidentally kill her in trying. On second thought, maybe he ought to bring an expert in . . . .

Quote from: Shiral on September 03, 2015, 12:30:41 AM
Wow, well EVERYONE is ending up at Tre Arilan.  :o Not exactly a jolly Christmas Party though, as I'm betting that gas leaves a nasty residue. Alicia was as present minded and capable as I suspected she would be.   Very glad for Tom's sake that the wards freed him from Alisandra's grasp.  And that Mrs. Nasty is now experiencing the pleasures of the Duke of Corwyn's dungeon. I'm guessing they won't be easy to escape from. Carbury's sure got his hands full with the whole Camberian Council. But now James can introduce his colleagues to Queen Sophia and explain the services they perform for her.  :D
Morgan and those Healers will all have their work cut out for them over the next few days, it would seem. And I don't think this is quite the way anyone on the CC had hoped to be introduced to their new Queen. LOL!

Quote from: DesertRose on September 03, 2015, 12:50:42 AM
I'm particularly fond of the setting called "The brighter side of Hell."  :D
Yes, that's one of my favorite timestamps ever.  I was very much in Caroline/Alisandra's head when I wrote it.  :D

Quote from: revanne on September 03, 2015, 02:35:02 AM
Good to see Morgan living up to his name- although I really did expect him to start reaching for various pieces of honed metal weaponry.
I'll do my best to put a sword in Morgan's hand someday, but I figured a mere day and a half after nearly crushing him to death under several tons of old castle probably wasn't the best time for him to show off his swashbuckling heroics. Besides, where was he to obtain one at such short notice. "Carbury, I say old man, I know we're pressed for time, but do you happen to have a sword handy?" "In the umbrella vase, sir."

Quote from: Demercia on September 03, 2015, 04:05:46 AM
A meeting of the CC some days hence.
"We assume that Elspeth's  family took her home to recover, she disappeared very soon after we arrived at Tre-Arilan".   Arilan and Morgan look shifty, those dungeons are coming in handy. 
Considering the alacrity with which Elspeth volunteered James' home for their treatment and recovery venue, I suspect she will have little objection to spending a day or two in the lap of luxury, at least as long as it's on someone else's expense. After all, it's not Dr Formacek's care she objects to, just the notion of "Her Majesty Sophia" meaning anything besides a bunch of outdated words. But if you've grown fond of my prickly youngster (I have a soft spot for her myself, despite frequent urges to shake her until her teeth rattle), she'll be getting a spotlight scene of her own in the next chapter.  And yes, it's fortunate Alicia knew how to get to Karim in a hurry. Acrinium gas poisoning is a bit too much for someone with only first response training to handle.
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

Shiral

Perhaps Sophia will be finding a distraction for her grief by exercising her medical knowledge to care for her host and his guests?

Elspeth:  Oh my gosh, you are THE Dr. Formacek? Er.....well, I didn't really mean that remark I might have made in your hearing about my feelings on royalty.....Your  uh, Majesty."

Sophia: (sweetly) "Lucky for you I made certain medical oaths when I earned my medical degree, isn't it? How's that nasty Acrinium Gas cough of yours doing?"
You can have a sound mind in a healthy body--Or you can be a nanonovelist!

revanne

Quote from: Demercia on September 03, 2015, 04:05:46 AM
A meeting of the CC some days hence.
"We assume that Elspeth's  family took her home to recover, she disappeared very soon after we arrived at Tre-Arilan".   Arilan and Morgan look shifty, those dungeons are coming in handy.

I take Demercia to mean that Morgan and Arilan take the opportunity to arrange alternative accommodation for Elspeth where she won't have to be annoyed by the immediate presence of her monarch.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
(Psalm 46 v1)

Evie

Quote from: revanne on September 03, 2015, 03:18:08 PM
Quote from: Demercia on September 03, 2015, 04:05:46 AM
A meeting of the CC some days hence.
"We assume that Elspeth's  family took her home to recover, she disappeared very soon after we arrived at Tre-Arilan".   Arilan and Morgan look shifty, those dungeons are coming in handy.

I take Demercia to mean that Morgan and Arilan take the opportunity to arrange alternative accommodation for Elspeth where she won't have to be annoyed by the immediate presence of her monarch.

LOL! Hopefully her behavior won't warrant anything quite that extreme, if the dungeons are meant to be the alternate accommodations in question.   ;D
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

NavaWazr

Read this last night on my phone and was able to sleep easier knowing that Carbury and Morgan were on the job. My first thought on the wards at Tre Arilan were... the booby traps the kid made in Home Alone.

Whew, so glad the rescue team arrived in time. Now, how will you bring the Dr Jen and the group from the hotel to Tre Arilan? And who is going back to the castle to find the Eye of Rom?

I feel like I've read an entire book and we aren't even a quarter through! Thank you so much for writing and for sharing the story.
I realized that I wanted to be Deryni, would have loved to be another niece of Uncle Azim, perhaps living on a Fianna vineyard.... but I'm a never wazzer

Evie

Quote from: NavaWazr on September 03, 2015, 09:38:04 PM
I feel like I've read an entire book and we aren't even a quarter through!

LOL!  That's OK, by about this point I felt like I'd written an entire book, and I wasn't even a quarter through! ;D  I was like, "Oh my gosh, all these loose threads! How am I going to resolve all of this?!" Have I mentioned before that I can't outline to save my life? I just set up the scenario and the characters act, react, and take things from there. At most, I have a few notes to myself jotted down at the bottom of the page to remind myself what loose threads are dangling, who might be in the best position to act on those, and various key points I need to be heading towards or wrapping up by the time I reach the climactic point of the story and the final wrap-up. By this chapter, I had enough characters and threads started that I was on the verge of hyperventilating! 
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

Laurna

Huzzah! Alicia to the rescue! Now, where did you tell us Alicia and Karim were flatmates, and is there more to this relationship that we have not touch on yet?

Tri-Arilan has become as popular as one of Peter's hotels. Perhaps Peter can contribute a full kitchen staff and maid service, (fully screened due to the privacy required of his guests.) Carbury is magnificent like Gordon from Bruce Wayne's manor.  He is the man behind the man who makes it all work, but at this point a will bet he could use some help.

One last thing, 21st century antidote for Meresha! Awesome! That should be in one of those small packets every Deryni should carry in their wallet. The same as they would carry an aspirin. I know a few seminary students from a earlier century who could use a dose of that. Package it and put it on that time portal you discovered a while back.

Love it Evie! Have a great DragonCon, but don't forget to come back and post the next chapter.
May your horses have wings and fly!

Evie

Quote from: Laurna on September 04, 2015, 04:27:36 AM
Huzzah! Alicia to the rescue! Now, where did you tell us Alicia and Karim were flatmates, and is there more to this relationship that we have not touch on yet?

I don't remember if that connection was mentioned before this chapter, although you will see more of that relationship in later chapters. Not their entire story, though; some of that may need to wait until a sequel.

QuoteTri-Arilan has become as popular as one of Peter's hotels. Perhaps Peter can contribute a full kitchen staff and maid service, (fully screened due to the privacy required of his guests.) Carbury is magnificent like Gordon from Bruce Wayne's manor.  He is the man behind the man who makes it all work, but at this point a will bet he could use some help.

I suspect that Carbury heads up a very discreet "downstairs" staff that, although fairly small, is quite adequate for present purposes, although they seem to have opted to remain invisible for this story. You know, like that great waiter or waitress who seems to magically know just when to turn up when you need a refill on your coffee, but otherwise remains discreetly in the background until needed again.  :)

QuoteOne last thing, 21st century antidote for Meresha! Awesome! That should be in one of those small packets every Deryni should carry in their wallet. The same as they would carry an aspirin. I know a few seminary students from a earlier century who could use a dose of that. Package it and put it on that time portal you discovered a while back.

It's probably one of those antidotes that is best administered by medical personnel, the dosage being dependent on how much merasha the patient has been exposed to, their body weight, and other factors.  And it might not work very well against high dosages of merasha, although for the small amounts that were dispersed along with the acrinious gas, it worked well enough to clear the merasha from the patients' bloodstream so the Healers could do the rest of their work without fear of merasha disruption affecting them through the Healing link.[/quote]

Quote
Love it Evie! Have a great DragonCon, but don't forget to come back and post the next chapter.

I'm planning on posting Chapter Seven on Monday night, after I get back from DragonCon. And the laptop is going with me, so if I get any free time in the evenings, I'll keep working on formatting the chapters for posting and maybe even get a bit of work done on the sequel.  :)
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!