Sam/Archie/Mykal- sitting in House Weaver awaiting "escort". Several attempts made to gain information, some with more success than others.
Finnbar (The Fisher) is now King, House Roc is currently being squished by enemy houses. blah, blah
Next day the group is fomally introduced to the Duke of House Weaver, leave-taking speeches are given, and our escort shows up. Margali Crane, Lorant (The Traveller), Hell-maids with mounts, Chaos Lords, and more Barimans. The party is told that out of deference to our known physical distress at being transported by Logrus, we should make our own way to the Courts. The Escort is to provide safety along the way.
Pleading the need to report, permission is obtained for ONE member to be escorted out of the interference zone. Mykal is chosen and is escorted by Lorant, who he recognizes from an earlier run-in. Mykal pulls the trump of "the Royal Trump Artist" (his mother) and acts like the trump is harder than it is. While requesting assistance from the other end to strengthen the contact, he allows Flora to look through his eyes at the situation, and mentally brings her up to speed, while verbally reporting on the House Weaver reception, and the difficulties traversing the Dancing Mountains. He is advised to continue, with caution.
Suspecting that they are being used, but seeing no alternative, the party complies, with Sam leading the chaosians through every hell-world she can think of. Kind of a Hell-Walk, with the worlds as close to useless as she can make them. The group does notice that the *escort* rotates, with each shadow getting one or two representatives, and more trumped in from somewhere.
Finally arriving at the Courts the party is swiftly brought before the King, with no chance to clean up. The Royal Hall is Huge, probably overcompensating for something, or perhaps to "impress" visitors. The King is smugly grateful (got hundreds of shadows for free), and seems willing to enter into political discorse with Amber. The greetings from the Queen are delivered, and a response is written and accepted for return to Amber.
Group brings up the status of House Roc, and discusses the possible usefulness of their house both to Chaos and Amber. the King agrees to intercede in the *dispute* currently going. Also the party brings up the fact that certain family members are missing still, possibly on this side of the dancing mountains. And asks of any news, recieving no useful information, except the suspicion of the Kings knowledge of thier state of Debodiement. (he looks at some heads on spikes around the room, and Mykal pulls up pattern to look at the skulls, this is met with restrained hostility, go figure, and he is ordered to stop. Having gained no information on the skulls anyway he drops the focus) More discussion is persued, with limited or no information gained, and finally the meeting is ended. The King *allows* the party to Trump back to Amber, NOW. The trump interference is lifted, and trump contact enhanced instead. Mykal pulls Flora's card and makes contact, starts passing through everyone. As the last to leave, Mykal glances up at the Barimans hidden up on balconies (were still blocking trump), and points to them threateningly..pats his Shortsword and says "Justice" (the King is amused by this and chuckles), Mykal then departs with a last bow to the King.
Back in Amber the Ladies of the group express interest in getting clean..something to do with alot of time spent in swamps. Debriefing the Queen occurs in the baths (she is Rebman and is not hung up on casual nudity). Having a Long soak, the party describes the trip and their suspicions. Along with the fact that two of the King of Chaos's siblings are exiled and living on the Amber side of the Dancing Mountains. They are brought back up to speed on happenings in Amber also, with Julian and Corwin off scouting on Bleys.
A bit later Mykal uses the Black Keep trumps to determine that it has been ruined, looks like a massive earthquake. He then uses Mirelle's Trump to spy on her, and watches her to find a spot he can trump to, after hours he finally gets enough on her Automobile and the garage it sits in to begin making a trump.
Sam goes to visit with her mother, (Corwin went and got her in shadow) and they spend time together talking and shopping and dancing later. They go and tour Archie's ship, and Archie is introduced to (?).
