The Courts Of Chaos tcoa-5 Read online

  “It does not seem too likely in the foreseeable future,” I said.

  “Good,” he replied. “This is the one thing I did not want to do.”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “I want to walk the Pattern in Amber as Mother did and gain power over Shadow, so that I might walk there and see strange sights and do different things. Do you think I might?”

  I took another sip and I passed him the wine.

  “It is quite possible,” I said, “that Amber no longer exists. It all depends on whether your grandfather succeeded in something he attempted — and he is no longer around to tell us what happened. However, one way or the other, there is a Pattern. If we live through this demon storm, I promise you that I will find you a Pattern, instruct you and see you walking it.”

  “Thanks,” he said. “Now will you tell me of your journey here?”

  “Later,” I told him. “What did they tell you of me?”

  He looked away.

  “I was taught to dislike many of the things about Amber,” he finally said. Then, after a pause: “You, I was taught to respect, as my father. But I was reminded that you were of the party of the enemy.”

  Another pause. “I remember that time on patrol, when you had come to this place and I found you, after your fight with Kwan. My feelings were mixed. You had just slain someone I had known, yet — I had to admire the stance you took. I saw my face in your own. It was strange. I wanted to know you better.”

  The sky had rotated completely and the darkness was now above us, the colors passing over the Courts. The steady advance of the flashing stormfront was emphasized by this. I leaned forward and reached for my boots, began pulling them on. Soon it would be time to begin our retreat.

  “We will have to continue our conversation on your home ground,” I said. “It is about time to fly the storm.”

  He turned and considered the elements, then looked back out over the abyss.

  “I can summon a filmy if you wish.”

  “One of those drifting bridges such as you rode on the day we met?”

  “Yes,” he answered. “They are most convenient. I —”

  There had been a shout from the direction of my assembled relatives. Nothing threatening seemed to be about when I regarded them. So I got to my feet and took a few steps toward them. Merlin rising to follow me.

  Then I saw her. A white form, pawing air it seemed, and rising out of the abyss. Her front hoofs finally struck its brink, and she came forward and then stood still, regarding us all: our Unicorn.

  Chapter 13

  For a moment, my aches and my fatigue fell away. I felt a tiny twinge of something like hope as I considered the dainty white form which stood before us. A part of me wanted to rush forward, but something much stronger kept me motionless, waiting.

  How long we stood thus, I could not tell. Below, on the slopes, the troops had been readying themselves for travel. The prisoners had been bound, horses loaded, equipment secured. But this vast army in the process of march, ordering its gear had suddenly halted. It was not natural that they should have become aware so quickly, but every head that I could see was turned in this direction, toward the Unicorn on the brink, limned against that wild sky.

  I was suddenly aware that the wind at my back had grown still, though the thunder continued to rumble and explode and the lightning flares threw dancing shadows before me.

  I thought of the other time I had seen the Unicorn — at the recovery of the Shadow-Caine’s body, the day I had lost a fight with Gerard. I thought of the stories I had heard… Could she really help us?

  The Unicorn took a step forward and halted.

  She was such a lovely thing that somehow I was heartened just by looking upon her. It was a kind of aching feeling that she aroused, though; hers was a beauty of the sort to be taken in small doses. And I could somehow sense the unnatural intelligence within that snowy head. I wanted very badly to touch her, but knew that I could not.

  She cast her gaze all about. Her eyes lighted upon me, and I would have looked away if I had been able. This was not possible, however, and I returned that gaze in which I read an understanding beyond my own. It was as if she knew everything about me, and in this instant had comprehended all of my recent trials — seeing, understanding, possibly sympathizing. For a moment, I felt that I saw something of pity and a strong love reflected there — and perhaps a touch of humor.

  Then her head turned and the gaze was broken. I sighed involuntarily. At that moment, in the lightning’s glare, I thought I caught a glimpse of something shining at the side of her neck.

  She advanced another step, and now she was looking upon the crowd of my kinsmen toward which I had been moving. She lowered her head and made a small whickering noise. She tapped at the earth with her right front hoof.

  I felt Merlin at my side. I thought upon things I would be losing if it all ended here.

  She took several dancing steps forward. She tossed her head and lowered it. It seemed that she did not like the notion of approaching so large a group of people.

  At her next step, I saw the glitter again, and more. A tiny spark of red shone through her fur farther down on her neck. She was wearing the Jewel of Judgment. How she had retrieved it, I had no idea. And it did not matter. If she would just deliver it, I felt that I could break the storm — or at least shield us from this section of it until it had passed.

  But that one glance had been enough. She paid me no more heed. Slowly, carefully, as if ready to bolt at the slightest disturbance, she advanced upon the spot where Julian, Random, Bleys, Fiona, Llewella, Benedict and several nobles stood.

  I should have realized then what was occurring, but I did not. I simply watched the sleek beast’s movements as she picked her way forward, passing about the periphery of the group.

  She halted once again and lowered her head. Then she shook her mane and dropped to her front knees. The Jewel of Judgment hung suspended from her twisted, golden horn. The tip of her horn was almost touching the person before whom she knelt.

  Suddenly, in my mind’s eye, I saw our father’s face in the heavens, and his words came back to me: “With my passing, the problem of the succession will be upon you… I have no choice but to leave this on the horn of the Unicorn.”

  A murmur moved through the group, as I realized this same thought must be occurring to the others. The Unicem did not stir at this disturbance, however, but remained a soft, white statue, not even seeming to breathe.

  Slowly, Random reached forward and removed the Jewel from her horn. His whisper, carried to me.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  Julian unsheathed his blade and placed it at Random’s feet as he knelt. Then Bleys and Benedict and Caine, Fiona and Llewella. I went and joined them. So did my son.

  Random stood silent for a long while. Then, “I accept your allegiance,” he said. “Now get up, all of you.” As we did, the Unicorn turned and bolted. She raced down the slope and was out of sight in a matter of moments.

  “I had never expected anything like this to happen,” Random said, still holding the Jewel at eye level. “Corwin, can you take this thing and stop that storm?”

  “It is yours now,” I said, “and I do not know how extensive the disturbance is. It occurs to me that in my present condition I might not be able to hold up long enough to keep us all safe. I think it is going to have to be your first regal act.”

  “Then you are going to have to show me how to work it. I thought we needed a Pattern to perform the attunement.”

  “I think not. Brand indicated that a person who was already attuned could attune another. I have given it some thought since then, and I believe I know how to go about it. Let’s get off to one side somewhere.”

  “Okay. Come on.”

  Already, something new had come into his voice and posture. The sudden role had begun working its change immediately, it seemed. I wondered what sort of king and queen he and Vialle would become. Too much. My mind
felt disassociated. Too much had happened too recently. I could not contain all of the latest events in one big piece of thinking. I just wanted to crawl off somewhere and sleep around the clock. Instead, I followed him to a place where a small cooking fire still smoldered.

  He poked at the fire and tossed a handful of sticks onto it. Then he seated himself close to it and nodded to me. I went over and sat down beside him.

  “About this king business,” he said. “What am I going to do, Corwin? It caught me totally unprepared.”

  “Do? Probably a very good job,” I replied.

  “Do you think there were many hard feelings?”

  “If there were, they did not show,” I said. “You were a good choice, Random. So much has happened recently… Dad sheltered us actually, maybe more than was good for us. The throne is obviously no plum. You have a lot of hard work ahead of you. I think the others have come to realize this.”

  “And yourself?”

  “I wanted it only because Eric did. I did not realize it at the time, but it is true. It was the winning counter in a game we had been playing across the years. The end of a vendetta, really. And I would have killed him for it. I am glad now that he found another way to die. We were more alike than we were different, he and I. I did not realize that until much later either. But after his death, I kept finding reasons for not taking the throne. Finally, it dawned on me that it was not really what I wanted. No. You are welcome to it. Rule well, brother. I am sure that you will.”

  “If Amber still exists,” he said after a time, “I will try. Come, let us be about this business with the Jewel. That storm is getting uncomfortably near.”

  I nodded and took the stone from his fingers. I held it by its chain with the fire behind it. The light came through; its insides seemed clear.

  “Lean closer and stare into the Jewel with me,” I directed.

  He did this, and while we both regarded the stone, I told him, “Think of the Pattern,” and I commenced thinking of it myself, trying to summon to mind its loops and swirls, its palely glowing lines.

  I seemed to detect a slight flaw near to the stone’s center. I considered it as I thought upon the twistings, the turns, the Veils… I imagined the current which swept through me every time I essayed that complex way. The imperfection in the stone grew more distinct.

  I lay my will upon it, summoning it into fullness, clarity. A familiar feeling came over me as this occurred. It was that which had taken me on the day I had attuned myself to the Jewel. I only hoped that I was strong enough now to go through the experience once again.

  I reached out and clasped Random by the shoulder.

  “What do you see?” I asked him.

  “Something like the Pattern,” he said, “only it seems to be three dimensional. It lies at the bottom of a red sea…”

  “Come with me then,” I said. “We must go to it.”

  Again, that feeling of movement, drifting at first, then falling with increasing velocity toward the never fully seen sinuosities of the Pattern within the Jewel. I willed us ahead, feeling my brother’s presence beside me, and the ruby glow which surrounded us darkened, becoming the blackness of a clean right sky. This special Pattern grew with each thudding heartbeat. Somehow, the process seemed easier than it had before — perhaps because I was already attuned.

  Feeling Random beside me, I drew him along as that familiar shape grew and its starting point became apparent. As we were moved in that direction, I once again tried to encompass the totality of this Pattern and was lost once more in what seemed its extra-dimensional convolutions. Great curves and spirals and knotted-seeming traceries wound before us. The sense of awe I had felt earlier swept over me, and from somewhere nearby I was aware of this in Random, also.

  We progressed to the section of the beginning and were swept into it. There was a shimmering brightness all about us flashed through with sparks as we were woven into the matrix of light. This time, my mind was entirely absorbed by the process and Paris seemed far away…

  A subconscious memory reminded me of the more difficult sections, and here I employed my desire — my will, if you like — to hurry us along the dazzling route, recklessly drawing strength from Random to accelerate the process.

  It was as if we negotiated the luminous interior of an enormous and elaborately convoluted seashell. Only our passage was soundless, and we ourselves disembodied points of sentience.

  Our velocity seemed to increase constantly, as did a mental aching I did not recall from the previous traversal of the design. Perhaps it was related to my fatigue, to my efforts to hurry things so. We crashed through the barriers; we were surrounded by steady, flowing walls of brightness. I felt myself growing faint, dizzy, now. But I could not afford the luxury of unconsciousness, nor could I permit us to move more slowly with the storm as near as I remembered it. Again, regretfully, I drew strength from Random — this time just to keep us in the game. We sped ahead.

  This time, I did not experience the tingling, fiery sensation of somehow being shaped. It must have been an effect of my attunement. My previous passage through it might have rendered me some small immunity in this regard.

  After a timeless interval, it seemed that I felt Random falter. Perhaps I represented too great a drain upon his energies. I began to wonder whether I would leave him with sufficient strength to manipulate the storm if I leaned upon him any further. I resolved not to draw upon his resources any more than I already had. We were well along the way. He should be able to continue without me, if it came to that. I would simply have to hang on as best I could now. Better for me to be lost here than both of us.

  We swept on, my sense rebelling, the dizziness recurring. I set my will to our progress and forced everything else from my mind. It seemed we were nearing the terminus when a darkening began which I knew was not a part of the experience. I fought down panic.

  It was no good. I felt myself slipping away. So close! I was certain we were almost finished. It would be so easy to —

  Everything swam away from me. My last sensation was a knowledge of Random’s concern.

  It was flickering orange and red between my feet. Was I trapped in some astral hell? I continued to stare as my mind slowly cleared. The light was surrounded by darkness and…

  There were voices, familiar…

  Things cleared. I was lying on my back, feet toward a campfire.

  “It is all right, Corwin. It is all right.”

  It was Fiona who had spoken. I turned my head. She was seated on the ground above me.

  “Random…?” I said.

  “He is all right, also.”

  “Father.”

  Merlin was seated off to the right.

  “What happened?”

  “Random bore you back,” Fiona said.

  “Did the attunement work?”

  “He thinks so.”

  I struggled to sit up. She tried to push me back, but I sat up anyway.

  “Where is he?” She gestured with her eyes.

  I looked and I saw Random. He was standing with his back to us about thirty meters away, on a shelf of rock, facing the storm. It was very close now, and a wind whipped his garments. Lightning trails crissed and crossed before him. The thunder boomed almost constantly.

  “How long has he been there?” I asked.

  “Only a few minutes,” Fiona replied.

  “That is how long it has been since our return?”

  “No,” she said. “You have been out for a fairly long while. Random talked with the others first, then ordered a troop withdrawal. Benedict has taken them all to the black road. They are crossing over.”

  I turned my head.

  There was movement along the black road, a dark column heading out toward the citadel. Gossamer strands drifted between us; there were a few sparks at the far end, about the nighted hulk. Overhead, the sky had completely reversed itself, with us beneath the darkened half. Again, I felt that strange feeling of having been here long, long ago, to
see that this, rather than Amber, was the true center of creation. I grasped after the ghost of a memory. It vanished. I searched the lightning-shot gloom about me.

  “All of them — gone?” I said to her. “You, me. Merlin, Random — we’re the only ones left here?”

  “Yes,” Fiona said. “Do you wish to follow them now?”

  I shook my head.

  “I am staying here with Random.”

  “I knew you would say that.”

  I got to my feet as she did. So did Merlin. She clapped her hands and a white horse came ambling up to her.

  “You have no further need for my ministrations,” she said. “So I will go and join the others in the Courts of Chaos. There are horses for you tethered by those rocks.”

  She gestured.

  “Are you coming. Merlin?”

  “I will stay with my father, and the king.”

  “So be it. I hope to see you there soon.”

  “Thanks, Fi,” I said.

  I helped her to mount and watched her ride off.

  I went over and sat down by the fire again. I watched Random, Who stood unmoving, facing the storm.

  “There are plenty of rations and wine,” Merlin said. “May I fetch you some?”

  “Good idea.”

  The storm was so close that I could have walked down to it in a couple of minutes. I could not tell yet whether Random’s efforts were having any effect. I sighed heavily and let my mind drift.

  Over. One way or another, all of my efforts since Greenwood were over. No need for revenge any longer. No. We had an intact Pattern, maybe even two. The cause of all our troubles. Brand, was dead. Any residue of my curse was bound to be wiped out by the massive convulsions sweeping through Shadow. And I had done my best to make up for it. I had found a friend in my father and come to terms with him as himself before his death. We had a new king, with the apparent blessing of the Unicorn, and we had pledged him our loyalty. It seemed sincere to me. I was reconciled with my entire family. I felt that I had done my duty. Nothing drove me now. I had run out of causes and was as close as I might ever be to peace. With all this behind me, I felt that if I had to die now, it was all right. I would not protest quite so loudly as I would have at any other time.