true prince of Amber-as our three dead brothers had done ages ago, I suddenly recalled. He would pay it, mocking them the while, laughing though his mouth was filled with the blood of his body, and as he died he would pronounce an irrevocable curse which would come to pass. I, too, had this power, I suddenly knew, and I would use it if circumstances required its use.
“The thing I would ask,” she said, “is for my brother Corwin, who is also brother to the Lady LIewella, who dwells here with you. I believe that he has never given you offense...”
“That is true. But why does he not speak for himself?”
“That is a part of the problem, Lady. He cannot, for he does, not know what to ask. Much of his memory has departed, from an accident which occurred when he dwelled among Shadows. It is to restore his remembrance that we have come here, to bring back his recollection of the old days, that he might oppose Eric in Amber.”
“Continue,” said the woman on the throne, regarding me through the shadows of her lashes on her eyes.
“In a place in this building,” she said, “there is a room where few would go. In that room,” she continued, “upon the floor, traced in fiery outline, there lies a duplicate of the thing we call the Pattern. Only a son or daughter of Amber's late liege may walk this Pattern and live; and it gives to such a person a power over Shadow.” Here Moire blinked several times, and I speculated as to the number of her subjects she had sent upon that path, to gain some control of this power for Rebma. Of course, she had fai!ed. “To walk the Pattern,” Deirdre went on, “should, we feel, restore to Corwin his memory of himself as a prince of Amber. He cannot go to Amber to do it, and this is the only place I know where it is duplicated, other than Tir-na Nog'th, where of course we may not go at this time.”
Moire turned her gaze upon my sister, swept it over Random, returned it to me.
“Is Corwin willing to essay this thing?” she asked.
I bowed.
“Willing, m'lady,” I said, and she smiled then.
“Very well, you have my permission. I can guarantee you no guarantees of safety beyond my realm, however.”
“As to that, your majesty,” said Deirdre, “we expect no boons, but will take care of it ourselves upon our departure.”
“Save for Random,” she said, “who will be quite safe.”
“What mean you?” asked Deirdre, for Random would not. of course, speak for himself under the circumstances.
“Surely you recall, she said, “that one time Prince Random came into my realm as a friend, and did thereafter depart in haste with my daughter Morganthe.”
“I have heard this said. Lady Moire, but I am not aware of the truth or the baseness of the tale.”
“It is true,” said Moire, “and a month thereafter was she returned to me. Her suicide came some months after the birth of her son Martin. What have you to say to that, Prince Random?”
“Nothing,” said Random.
“When Martin came of age,” said Moire, “because he was of the blood of Amber, he determined to walk the Pattern. He is the only one of my people to have succeeded. Thereafter, he walked in Shadow and I have not seen him since. What have you to say to that, Lord Random?”
“Nothing,” Random replied.
“Therefore, I wilI punish thee,” Moire continued. “You shall marry the woman of my choice and remain with her in my realm for a year's time, or you will forfeit your life. What say you to that, Random?”
Random said nothing, but he nodded abruptly.
She stuck her scepter upon the arm of her tarquoise throne.
“Very well,” she said. “So be it”
And so it was.
We repaired to the chambers she had granted us, there to refresh ourselves. Subsequently she appeared at the door of my own,
“Hail, Moire,” I said.
“Lord Corwin of Amber,” she told me, “often have I wished to meet thee.”
“And I thee,” I lied.
“Your exploits are legend.”
“Thank you, but I barely recall the high points.”
“May I enter here?”
“Certainly,” and I stegped aside.
She moved into the well-appointed suite she had granted me, She seated herself upon the edge of the orange couch.
“When would you like to essay the Pattern?”
“As soon as possible,” I told her.
She considered this, then said, “Where have you been, among Shadows?”
“Very far from here,” I said, “in a place that I learned to love.”
“It is strange that a lord of Amber should have this capacity.”
“What capacity?”
“To love,” she replied.
“Perhaps I chose the wrong word.”
“I doubt it,” she said, “for the ballads of Corwin do touch upon the strings of the heart.”
“The lady is kind.”
“But not wrong,” she replied.
“I'll give you a ballad one day.”
“What did you do when you dwelled in Shadow?”
“It occurs to me that I was a professional soldier, madam. I fought for whoever would pay me. Also. I composed the words and music to many popular songs.”
“Both these things occur to me as logical and natural.”
“Pray tell me. what of my brother Random?”
“He will marry with a girl among my subjects who is named Vialle. She is blind and has no wooers among our kind.”
“Are you certain,” said I, “that you do the best thing for her?”
“She will obtain good status In this manner,” said Moire, “though he depart after a year and never return. For whatever else may be said of him, be is a prince of Amber.”
“What if she comes to love him?”
“Could anyone really do this thing?”
“In my way, I love him, as a brother.”
“Then this is the first time a son of Amber has ever said such a thing, and I attribute it to your poetic temperament.”
“Whatever,” said I, “be very sure that it is the best thing for the girl.”
“I have considered it,” she told me, “and I am certain. She will recover from whatever pain he inflicts, and after his departure she will be a great lady of my court.”
“So may it be,” I said, and looked away, feeling a sadness come over me-for the girl, of course.
“What may I say to you?” I said. “Perhaps you do a good thing. I hope so.” And I took her hand and kissed it.
“You. Lord Corwin, are the only prince of Amber I might support,” she told me. “save possibly for Benedict. He is gone these twelve years and ten, however, and Lir knows where his bones may lie. Pity.”
“I did not knew this,” I said. “My memory is so screwed up. Please bear with me. I shall miss Benedict, an' he be dead. He was my Master of Arms and taught me of all weapons. But he was gentle.”
“As are you, Corwin,” she told me, taking my band and drawing me toward her.
“No, not really,” I replied, as I seated myself on the couch at her side. Then she said, “We've much time till we dine.” Then she leaned against me with the front of her shoulder which was soft.
“When do we eat?” I asked.
