Corisande: Cousins And Promises

Alexius and Harri were feeling the wear of the day as they made their way into Castle Amber. The climb had been easy, but on top of a day of riding for one and cleaning for the other, their muscles weren't very happy. Wolf was the only one unaffected.



Coming up the grand stairway, Crispin's smile lit up as he spied his quarry. "There he is! And with someone new... Come on!" Freshly invigored, he dashed off, quickly catching up and throwing an arm around Alexius's shoulder.

"Hey! Just the cousin I wanted to see!" Crispin looked over at Harri, his gold skin and flame red hair a stark contrast to Alexius's. "Hi, new person!"

Harri blinked slightly at the onslaught, and laid a gently estraining hand on Wolf's shoulder.

"Hello ... erm ... old person?" she asked, but her lips had curved into a smile.

"I'm Angharad of New Avalon," she offered. "Corwin's daughter."

She did not look much like a princess now, for she was wearing a rather bedraggled riding habit which was stained with mud, most of her light brown hair was windblown and tangled, and there was a smudge on her cheek.

"And this is Wolf," she added with simple pride.

Wolf interposed himself between Cub and the newcomers, shielding his tired charge as he bestowed a watchful eye upon them. His head was carefully held beneath Cub's hand, and he leaned against her hip as they stopped moving.

Alexius laughs as he sees the twins.

Time to make introductions.

"Harri, these are the infamous twins, Cori and Crispin. Bleys' children." His smile belies the infamous label he bestows on them, clearly being jocular.

"Guys, this is our cousin Angharad, but everyone calls her Harri. And this is her companion, Wolf. Treat him seriously, and he will treat you the same."

"So just why were you looking for me *this* time?" Alexius asks with a smile.

"We have a little favor to ask of you..." Crispin spun so that he was walking backwards in front of Alexius, facing him. "But trust me, it's so worth it. All you have to do is tell us what happened in court today."

Cori's dress was also a bit trail-worn. It might have passed muster for company in the morning, but she'd obviously had a hard workout or a hard ride of her own since then. She had come in about a half-step behind her twin, and was sort of sidling down the hall alongside him, ensuring that he didn't bump into anything.

Cori nodded to Harri when Alexius introduced her, but said nothing. She started to offer her hand to the wolf to let it learn her scent, but hesitated, looking to Harri to see if it was all right.

"Please, call me Harri," said Harri to Corisande. "And yes, Wolf won't hurt you if you let him sent you. Not while I'm here - as long as you don't do anything threatening like pull a knife on me."

Her eyes were friendly, like her tone, but also appraising, with a directness to her look and manner that suggested a no-nonsense approach to a life which included wolven companions (well, one of them).

"Cori ... is that short for anything?" she asked. "Like I'm Angharad, but everyone calls me Harri?"

Alexius regards Crispin with mock wariness. "And what will be the exchange this time? And I thought you two already owed me over my sudden memory loss concerning that scale model trebuchet and Flora's garden."

He grins.

Wolf's attention turned to the Girl. His regard seemed frankly assessing as he moved from Cub's side in order to sit before the Girl, watching her, and waiting.

Cori gave Alexius the wide grin that the twins often got when they'd done something particularly clever. To Harri, she said "Corisande. Don't ask me what Father was thinking. I only ever hear my full name when I'm in trouble."

She extended her hand the rest of the way to Wolf.

Her gaze moved back to Alexius. "What we've got this time will more than pay you back for the trebuchet incident." She lowered her voice. "We've been exploring."

It had been Crispin's idea, so it was his tale to tell. Cori let him continue.

Wolf sniffed at the Girl's hand, absorbing her scent into his memory as his muzzle tickled her skin. He snorted, then licked her to say he was done before moving back to Cub's side.

"And we've brought souvenirs to prove it..." Crispin pulled something off of his belt, sheilding the sight of it from anyone but his cousins with his body. It was a dagger, the hilt an enamelled and jeweled red, twisted into the form of a dragon's head. The candlelight hit the tip of the blade, and an oily red shimmer flashed and churned, like smoke caught just under the metal's skin.

Harri looked at it and gave a faint shiver.

"What is that thing?" she asked.

A hand went, almost instinctively, to Wolf's ruff.

"Promise you won't tell, first," Cori cut in before Crispin could answer. "Either one of you."

Then she looked at Wolf. "You too," she said, looking the creature straight in the eye.

Wolf stared back and whuffed in a dry tone.

"All right. I promise." Alexius couldn't keep his eyes off of the beautifully evil looking weapon. He bit his lip.

"Wolf won't tell," said Harri, with a little tremour in her voice - a mixture, it seemed, of fear and excitement. "And I won't either - I promise!"

Crispin took a step to the side, pulling his sister with him, making thier line a circle of four (with a wolf). He leaned into the center of the gathering, his eyes shining as he held out the dagger for Alexius to take.

"We've just spent the morning at Uncle Brand's Mansion."

Cori's eyes were shining and she flushed slightly as Crispin spoke to Harri and Alexius. "It was great," she said, "books and trophies and all kinds of things!"

To Harri, she added, "I'm sure there'll be something you'd like in our haul, too."

Then, to Alexius, "Father thinks we spent all day at court. We've got to have a report at dinner. So what happened?"

"I came," said Harri simply - and then she grinned. "And Father, and Wolf. You'll meet Father at dinner - oh, Alexius - we're going to be so late - and I don't even know where my room is yet!"

Alexius takes the dagger.

"Well, let's be" he tries to think of the word "pedantic, for a moment."

" The day started off dull, even more dull than normal. However, The Court was soon abuzz with anticipation, when Corwin's messenger arrived. Apparently, Corwin had sent the messenger ahead of him to announce to a bemused Random that he and his daughter were coming and would arrive late in the day." Alexius says. "Word from this messenger was that the trip was made at the behest of a Nameday gift for." he smiled at Harri "the young princess."

"That should satisfy your dad's questions." Alexius says.

"Now, as for you, Harri." he smiles to her. "I was actually engaged in working on your quarters some today. They are joined to your father's."

"Cousins." he smiled to Cori and Crispin. "You two are reckless, daring and entirely too bold. And that's why I like you two. Give my regards to Uncle Bleys, of course."

"There's likely going to be a full formal dinner at some point. I know Dad will love to subject Corwin to one, and so he'll likely invite everyone he can. So at worst, we'll see you then."

"Come on Harri, let's get you changed for dinner. I believe there is a special gift you still have to put on."

Cori took a dagger with a lovely pommelstone of pearlescent green off her belt and offered it to Harri.

"Happy Nameday," she said with a smile.

Then she turned to Crispin. "If we don't beat feet, we'll miss dinner too."

Harri took the dagger witha a gasp of pleasure.

"Oh thank you!" she said. "It's lovely!

"But do you really have to go? Couldn't you send a message that you're staying to dinner? We've only just met - and I want to hear all about your exploration!"

She looked at Alexius. "Unless Amber isn't like New Avalon. When anyone turns up there, we can always fit them in for dinner - we're so pleased to see visitors!"

She grinned at Cori. "I can lend you something to wear - Father made sure I would have plenty of clothes!"

"Well." Alexius grins. "Dad'll have a few conniptions, but he won't turn them away. After all." he smiles to the Twins. "if he did, It'll just make Uncle Bleys think he'd do a better job warming the ol' seat."

"Besides, Mom won't mind, and if I can't change his mind, she can."

He turned to Corisande and Crispin. "So what say, you two? You'd REALLY have something to talk about with your Dad, and your little, um, exploration will be the better hidden for it."

Cori's smile fell away as Alexius spoke of her father. She looked to her brother to see what he thought of the plan.

He was considering it, pursing his lips in that way that meant he was weighing the possible outcomes, and trying to predict the variable mess of outcomes that was their father. "I think... I think that works. We can even spend the night here!" His face brightens. "More time to fill you guys in! And, of course..." His hand dipped into his jacket, and he pulled out a thin rope of gold, the dark eye of a rounded sapphire weighing it down. He held it out to Harri. "Welcome our new cousin."

"Oh my word!" said Harri, her eyes widening. "Thank you all ... so much! I shall see if I can wear this with Alexius's torque - for I am pledged to wear that tonight!" She smiles at Alexius - no less than Wolf, she has priorities.

"Now - where should we go? And should we try and make sure Cori and Crispin aren't seen just yet?"

"There's more than one way in and out of the Castle." Alexius says with a smile. "Some of them aren't even watched that much." he adds with mischevious grin. "The kitchen has a seperate entrance, and there is a small entrance near where the smithy is located. Ventilation and such, you know."

"So we certainly could sneak into the Castle proper."

He regards Crispin's little gift to Harri and grins. "I think she can wear both, or on alternate days at the very least."

He looks for Crispin to Cori, to Wolf and Harri. "What do you think?"

"Wear Crispin's tomorrow," Cori suggested practically. "There's less to explain that way." She sounded as if she had a lot of experience figuring out what to explain or not.

"But yes, I think this is a good plan. Or if we just come in with the two of you, and say we met you while you were out, we may not need to cover much at all. Is that feasible?" Again, the redhead looked to her brother. "Or would that be too easy to catch out on?" Her gaze came back to Alexius and Harri.

"I don't think so," said Harri. "We went up into the woods, and then to see the start of the steps to Tir. And we saw spectacular views - sunset, you know. I suppose we could have met you there?"

She decided to say nothing about what else happened on the hillside.

"Perfect!" Crispin grabbed his sister's hand, pressing it into Harri's. "Then we don't need to sneak in again... We all came in together! You girls go get changed. Lex, you have something for me to change into? We brought court clothes, but they got mashed up in the saddlebags."