A knock resounding on the door woke him up. Benedict blinked awake, not sure if he had heard the knock...after all, it was early in the morning, and he hadn't gotten his thoughts calmed enough to sleep until at least one... There is was again, coming rather urgently. Ben roused himself from his bed, threw on a robe, and padded quietly to the door calling irritibly, "Who in the hell is it?"
"Captain Gamellon, new Captain of the Royal Guard. Sir."
Captain Gamellon? he thought, momentarily befuddled, before he remembered Gregory's untimely demise. Strange that he'd forget that, but then he had been having this dream about Jess, and... Blinking again, Benedict waited several moments until his head cleared of fog from sleep. Then he opened the door.
The Captain stepped quickly in, along with two greenish looking Amberites dressed in Royal Guard attire, with two more standing outside the door, closing it. It's serious, Ben noted, Could it be Eric's done something stupid again? Wouldn't doubt it.. Still, the warrior stood back by his couch, within arm's reach of one of the weapons that hung on the walls. Better to be safe than sorry.
"What do you need, Captain?" he asked tersely.
"Sir, since the Head of the Council of Nobles is outside of the Castle, as are all other advisors and political officials, I now come to you, as eldest son of Oberon." It really was serious. They should have gone to Father. Instantly, all of Benedict's senses snapped awake. He was alert and ready for anything, even though his mind started conconting the most horrible things imaginable.
"What is the reason...?" He moderated his tone to only curiosness, instead of anxiety. No sense in letting the worry show. The Captain motioned for Ben to lean closer, which Benedict promptly rewarded with a look. Paranoid, he thought idly, but finally gave into the Captain's wishes. He leaned close, wary of the taller gent.
The Captain leaned forward, whispering in Ben's ear. "Uhmm....hmm..." he looked around quickly, a tad paranoidish. "The King and the former King have been kidnapped." It was said in a rushed tone, and if Ben would have been paying attention more closely to the man's emotional state, he would have realized that the Captain was worried too. But, no, ever suspicious, Ben recalled that House Gamellon had held Amber before Dworkin routed them soundly, then recruited them. A perfect time for a coup, with the castle practically deserted, and all the family in one place...
"When? Do you have details?" Terse questioning was all he could restrain himself to, some of the emotions boiling to the top.
"A few minutes ago, maybe as long as twenty. It happened between our last roaming patrol and the most recent. Come though, it isn't safe in here." Benedict's suspicion was tripled. Wanting the eldest, and most skilled in war, to come with him?
Benedict shook off the suggestion for the moment, pressing on instead, "Who else knows so far?"
"Any further information shall wait till we are in a secure location....these rooms aren't safe." A perfect excuse, valid, but if this was what he suspected... Ah, well, he'd just have to chance it. What's life without a little risk anyway?
Ben straightened up, "Let me get dressed.." Without waiting for a further reply, he moved to his bedchamber, throwing on comfortable and durable clothes, vaguely Amberish style. He buckled on his sword, pulled on his boots, and rejoins the Captain in probably less than five minutes, all told. Of course, normally it wouldn't have taken so long, but his mind raced on what could have happened, and distracted him. Plus, he made sure he was fully ready for an attack on his person, shoving a dagger down his boot, and making sure it was not readily seen.
"I hope you dress faster on the field of battle. Now come this way." Ha, ha, Ben thought dourly, Hilarious. Gamellon spun on his heels, one man flanking him, the other waiting for Ben to step out of the room before following. The two on the outside did a similar move, one taking lead, other taking rear after all four exit.
Benedict followed along blithely. When passing rooms, though, he stopped and got the Captain's attention, glancing towards Eric's & Corwin's rooms. "What about the others?"
"Eric's an exile and Corwin's an idiot...adopted cousin of mine or not. You're the eldest, you come first. Now come, this is now six minutes you've wasted." The Captain kept walking. Benedict ground his teeth, both admiring and despising the Captain's accurate summation. Took a brave man to speak to a Prince like that, not that Ben ever cared for his title. He spent his time discerning the destination of this trip. The Captain led the group off to a wall, where he flicked a hidden switch. The wall opened up, and they entered, traveling the backroutes to Oberon's sitting room. One of the guard flicked another switch, after closing the passageway they had just been through, and opened up another secret tunnel beside, and a touch behind, the fireplace. They entered in silence, moving swiftly in the dark.
The tunnel ended in an all black room, light seeping from the very walls, giving off a dim glow which was quite easy to see by...when compared to the blackness they had just traveled through. The Captain seated himself at a small wooden table in the middle of the room, and indicated for Ben to take the other stool. The four guards took positions in the four corners.
Benedict shook his head, waving off the offer of a seat. He was too hyped to sit down. "I prefer to stand...and I assume this is a secure place?"
"Did you know it was here?" Benedict could hear the sarcasm in the Captain's voice, and merely shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he really didn't care. This whole situation made his hackles raise.
"Now...what other details do you have?" Ben asked, wanting to get to the matter at hand.
"FIrst, I'd appreciate it if you'd sit down. And also, quit pumping me for information...I'll give it in time...but don't forget you're one of the prime suspects Prince Benedict." Benedict almost blinked in surprise at that--he had quite honestly forgotten--but managed to change the slip into a frown, "If it was your father and grandfathre who were kidnapped, wouldn't you want details?" He declined to sit again, and instead started to pace, working himself up unconsciously.
"Prince Benedict. Sit Down." The commanding voice was hard to resist, so well-trained was Ben. Sounded like one of his old instructors, actually. Managing to sound impatient, he asked, "Can't we just get on with this?" He stopped pacing, turning to face the good Captain.
"Of course we can. As soon as you sit down, so you're at a disadvantage to attack in case you do turn out to be a guilty party...unless you'd prefer us to treat you as guilty until proven innocent."
He had him there. Ben sat.
"Thank you Prince Benedict. Now, It took six minutes to get you into the chambers, another four to walk here, and another three to get you to sit down, so, somewhere between 15 and 35 minutes ago, your father and grandfather were kidnapped, taken from their meeting room located beside the family library. Since today is the day of mourning, and tomorrow begins the weekend, Oberon cancelled all government business, so no one is in the castle save the guard, the staff, and the family. As such, you are, according to the Guard's Procedure, and because of your friendship with the previous captain, the first to be contacted in emergencies such as these.
"Details are sketchy at best, With the two greenish men behind you having been the exterior door guards to the meeting room. The wandering patrol found them both laid out. For now, they know nothing. We'll probe them later more thoroughly." A resounding gulp was heard from both. Ben didn't blame them, but he hoped that it didn't stretch as far as out and out torture. Probably not, but some methods of...rediscovering memories were extremely painful. "We've yet to have time to conduct a thorough search through the castle. Or rather, I've yet to get the results of the search. No trumps yet though, so nothing major has been discovered. We'll handle the major work of the investigation. Fortunetly, no one is expected to meet with the King till sunday's sermon for the Unicorn. We have till then. Until then, and in case nothing is found, a political decision must be handled, as far as leading this kingdom." He paused for a brief moment. "That is why we've alerted you."
He nodded, calming a little as he listened. "I know this is a rather redundant question, but have you tried Trumping the King and grandfather?" He paused for an answer, expecting 'yes, but to no avail'.
"Once again, I know not. Matters are being handled by the detective staff of the Guard, I simply assigned tasks and came to get you."
He nodded again, saying, "And this political decision..." He let it drop there, as he already knew damn well what it is. "The King hadn't named an Heir, far as I know." Inside, he was seething at the choices laid out to him. I don't want to be regent, or the Unicorn forbid, King! I don't want to deal with the damn nobles...I didn't want any of this? Another, colder, part of his mind spoke up then, Who else is going to make the decisions? Eric the Exile? Corwin? Or perhaps Gerard or Julian? Yes, yes, that would be a fine choice, wouldn't it? Julian, the King that never spoke? Maybe one of the girls...Llewella could certainly handle it, but could you trust her, with her ties to Rebma? Would she truly act in Amber's best interests? He clenched his jaw, striving off those thoughts.
"In that you are correct. The concern is that one, or more, of the noble houses, guild leaders, or even ambassadors from another shadow, might use this time of confusion to step in. Especially as divided and muddled as your bloods are. In fact...." The Captain then glazed off, obviously recieving a Trump call.
Ben waited, using the time to calm himself again, trying to think things out thoroughly. He seized on an option, and nearly sighed in relief. Paulette. Of course. Random's mother and the Queen. He could drop this in her lap...and then organize a search to find Father...yes, that was much better...
"Fuck.....Paulette has been taken."
Damn! thought Benedict, that sinking feeling in his stomach from last night returning.
"Her guards were found decapitated."
"There goes the first option."
Don't I know it, Benedict thought sourly. And then there's Random too...how's he going to deal with this? On the anniversary of his sister's--his full sister--death, his mother, father, and grandfather all vanish. Kidnapped.
"If the guards are still there, make sure that there's a guard by Random...with me being removed for the moment, he's another ... target." Some noble might get it in their bright mind that he's the next King...one never knows...
"For now, we'll keep this quiet from the rest of the family...and lock it down from the outside world. I've got to get back to work. But you'll have to decide your course of action with them. We'll help you all whatever way we can...just don't interfere too much. I doubt Random's a target...he's still detoxing.
He nodded, shrugging, "Depends on...detoxing?" That threw him for a loop...so much so that he changed subjects in the middle of a sentence, something he hadn't done in a couple decades.
"You really have been removed from the family haven't you. Random's been gone the past year...rumors from the serving staff was that he spent most of it drunk as hell working past the loss of his sister. He's still not there. Don't forget...you have breakfast with the rest of your siblings in two hours. I suggest you have something worked out by then." The Captain stood quickly, saluted, and waited for Ben. Have something worked out? Ben nearly laughed his head off right there, sensing his mental hinges loosening slightly. Have something worked out? Are you nuts? Not only do I not know my family, obviousy, I know them well enough to predict any sort of cohesion will last exactly a moment. And then...scattered to the wind. He rose, biting down on the laugh welling up in his throat. Ben made his way out the passage, followed by the contingent.
He went back to his rooms, the guard leaving him after he reached there safely. He showered quickly, changed, and shaved. Might as well get used to being presentable.. he sighed, washing his face of lather. A silly thought struck him then...what about Jess? He wouldn't be able to go back and get her anytime soon, that's for sure, not with this mess. His heart clenched, hand upon the door to the hallway. Have to give her up...god damn whoever did this... With that, he steeled himself, and strode quickly to the kitchen.
There, he chatted with the help while surreptitiously checking for any sorts of poisons. Everything seemed fine, so he had his breakfast, an omelet, complete with peppers and tomatoes, with a heavy lay of tabasco sauce. Somewhere along the line, he had picked up a taste for strong-flavoured food, and it stuck with him, everywhere he went. Upon finishing that, he grabbed a seat in the dining room, on the left side of the table, halfway down from Oberon's chair. A servant brought him a strong cup of tea--just the way I like it...they remembered--and he waited for his siblings to arrive, wondering what in the hell to tell them.
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