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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goddess FallenAngel" data-source="post: 1667840" data-attributes="member: 11434">Flora and Bleys sit across from each other, pouring over a set of documents. Flora seems a little agitated, but Bleys is calm and contemplative. "Aunt Flora, Uncle Bleys." I give a slight bow to each, then speak to Bleys again. "I have come upon a matter of great urgency.""Ah. Well, I have no wish to intrude - and there are other administrative matters to attend to before the state visit. And I think this is as good a time to temporarily adjourn our discussions as any." Flora looks at Bleys somewhat askance - there is an hint that they have disagreed on some point. "Please excuse me, Killashandra - I would not intrude on your meeting." She rises gracefully and prepares to leave, studying my somewhat disheveled condition in a note of maternal disapproval.I shake my head and gesture towards the chair. "If you would be so kind as to stay, I feel you would be interested in the news I bring as well. I do apologize for interrupting your conference in lieu of the visitation tomorrow, but I wish to discuss this matter with all due haste. I will not take much of your time."Flora hesitates, then smiles and reseats herself. Bleys leans back away from his desk, shuffling papers into order and placing a book atop the stack. "Please, sit." He gestures at the other chair before the desk. The emerald and ruby on his right hand glint with the gesture.I step forward and sit, palming the burned Trump from my pocket as I did so. "I have contacted Corwin. Briefly." Flora smiles nervously, but Bleys only raises an eyebrow and smiles with his customary charm. "Have you, now? And what were the results of this contact?"I could tell that they did not fully believe me. I laid the remnant of the Trump upon the desk. "This. And..." I draw Greyswandir and lay it crosswise on his desk, my hand still upon the hilt. "...this."Bleys' sharp intake of breath when he sees Greyswandir speaks of his startlement, as does Flora's gasp as she raises a hand to her mouth. I did not miss how Bleys' hand dropped to his own blade when I drew. Still watching me with caution, he picks up the Trump and examines it while Flora watches me with wide eyes. Laying it back down, he gestures at Greyswandir. "May I?..."I shook my head. "You may examine it, but I will not let it out of my sight - not until I discover who is behind these disappearances. It is my belief that Corwin has fallen into their clutches as well; I do not know if he is even still alive. As I do not know who or what is behind this...." I let myself trail off. I must be very upset, a small voice in my mind noted. I am being very transparent at the moment.Bleys only nodded, having regained his composure. "Very well." He examines the blade as best he can, not touching it, nor asking me to release it. Finally, he sits back in his chair, to all appearances deep in thought. I sheath Greyswandir and rest my hand upon the pommel.Flora clasps her hands in her lap. "I can't think of Corwin, too, falling to such a fate..." I ignore her continuing murmurs, concentrating on subsuming the pain of my headache and my burn. I am startled out of my trance by Bleys."If you will excuse me, Killashandra, I must think upon this." He touches the Trump with his left hand, sapphire glinting. "I will keep this."I nod. "As it please you, Uncle. I will take my leave." I stand and bow to Flora. "Aunt." I leave the study, shutting the door behind me. I don't look back.Glancing at my hand once more, I head toward the infirmary. There was no sense waiting - the sooner I can get my sword hand in shape, the safer I would be.I purposefully head out to the infirmary, which is attached to the barracks for the Castle Guard. The physician on duty, a kind young man named Huntington, dresses the burn quickly after applying a soothing ointment. He seems to notice my disrupted concentration and prepares a soothing herbal tea, which both calms my nerves and greatly ameliorates the headache."You'd best not engage in any combat today, as the burned skin is still delicate and could tear if stressed. Otherwise from that, milady, you appear in excellent health. Thank you for allowing me to assist you, but there are other patients I must attend to again. I beg your leave, milady." With that, he picks up a satchel of medicines and moves quickly to one of the private rooms. I thank him for his time as he heads away.It is now early in the afternoon. As I contemplate what to do for the rest of the day, I recall that Greyswandir has a very distinctive hilt as well as blade. I cursed myself ruefully as my thinking finally clears enough for me to realize the ramifications of being seen carrying Greyswandir. It will not be well for me to be seen carrying it around so openly. Indeed, I had little idea if anyone noticed it on the way to the infirmary, as I was concentrating on the route and the speed with which I could get there. It is unlikely that it was seen and identified - but not impossible, I fear.As I stand to leave the infirmary, a strange man enters at a brisk pace. He is dressed in an unfamiliar style of attire - it seems formal, but the pieces are much more distinct than in other styles of dress. The shoulder pads are thick and stitched on top of the shoulder, for instance. He has a katana at his right and a wakizashi at his left. He moves quickly and quietly, which is quite the feat for someone garbed as he is and armed as he is. I’ve seen him once or twice before, but.... I cannot place him immediately. He appears to be headed for one of the private rooms and not the one that the physician had entered. His expression is one of duty and concern.I lean my arm over the hilt, attempting to conceal it in-between my arm and body with a casual gesture. I angle my body away from him and nod to him in acknowledgement as I leave the room, my expression brooding and showing no interest in conversation. I head for my suite, trying to take back hallways and avoid people on the way. I think I will spend the rest of the day in my room - quite enough excitement today as it is. The question remains: what to do with Greyswandir?...</blockquote>

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