I was free!
Honest and truly this time. After an eternity of madness, and struggling with my insane brother, this was no mental game of his, no deception, no falsehood. I'd had more than enough of those while in that icy prison. Like a hero out of a story, my nephew Jayson had helped get me out of that world Brand and I had fallen to.
Sand's Son! Why Brand had painted a trump of him, or even knew he existed...I wasn't quite clear on it all yet. But, 24 hours removed from that place, I could be allowed some relaxation time to think, reflect remember and ask questions, couldn't I?
And this was an interesting place to do that. Brother Corwin's Pattern flourishing wonderfully. No ill effects from walking the shadow of it, in that lovely version of Paris. Brandeigh will no doubt love to tour it with Percy, once she gets the chance. I'm sure neither Corwin nor his apparently intelligent Pattern will mind my son and prospective daughter in law to be to walk it and explore his worlds.
Ah, yes, those two. When had she seduced my son, anyways? If I knew my Percy, he probably grieved my loss for years before giving in to her advances. Burned her way into his heart like a slow candle flame, I imagine. How far we have come from Dad's edicts against any of the blood having relations with any other.
King Random! What a concept! Still, Amber must be prospering, even to the point of Sand sending her son on a journey to it, when I contacted him, out of desperation and sheer lluck. Even more unlike Dad, with blind, sweet Vialle as his queen, too. It must be a wonderful and interesting place, now.
Not that this little place...Arcadia, Corwin called it, isn't equally as well, Pattern aside. A version of ME...constructed from the Pattern...other ghosts too...a lovely house. All those years on Earth must have truly changed him, to do such things, find such pursuits. And a whole new set of worlds to explore, as well!
But, things aren't so rosy, with that lunatic on the loose. But, never dull...always a spotlight to shine in. Many, many children of my brothers and sisters...all likely hearing tales of poor lost Deirdre, fallen into the Abyss and lost forever.
Well, I will have to change that, won't I. Perhaps after some food, and talk with Corwin, I'll feel up to returning to the center of it all. Back to Amber.
First though, I have to find my axe...