As mentioned elsewhere, Folly invites Robin to the family jam session. If Robin shows any interest in music -- or in socializing, drinking, or meeting cute musicians (since she is, after all, showing signs of re-acquainting herself with her inner Girl) -- Folly will also invite her out pub-hopping. Folly seems genuinely interested in helping Robin feel at home.

* * *

Robin produces a small mouth instrument rather like an ocarina. She reveals herself as quite practiced in its use, if innocent of actual musical theory. She plays by ear. Hers. Which seems to have a high tolerance for the high shrieking notes the instrument can produce, though her style incorporates sudden drops into rounder, richer tones. It is not the instrument, and she is not the cousin, for anchoring the rhythm of a piece. Her characteristic style skitters about like birdsong.     Whether it reminds the listener more of a thrush or a catbird is a matter of taste.

When Robin starts playing her birdsong-like tunes, Ossian will stop playing his flute, and close his eyes, listening. Then he smiles, picks up his flute again, and starts making answering bird calls, matching Robin's.

At the end of one of the family jam sessions, Ossian asks Robin: "I like that eh... ocarina of yours. Where did you get it?  May I have a try?"

Robin considers.  "Shake the spit out first," she says, and hands it over.

Ossian gives Robin a slightly disgusted look, but does as she says.

[Robin]  [Imagine the disgusted look he'd give if he *didn't* shake the spit out first...]

[Ossian] He just doesn't like to be reminded of the ugliness of the world.

It looks like an ocarina but, as mentioned, is richly-grained and polished hardwood rather than terra cotta.  "I made it."

Ossian tries a few tones. "This is exquisite. I like the tone... and your playing style." Ossian seems sincere.

Robin is warily pleased.

He examines the instrument closely: "Is it hard to learn how to make them?"

Robin admits, "I can't say. My father taught me. I've never seen anyone else try to know if it was hard or easy."

Ossian smiles "I guess it was easy for you, then?

"The hard part is making sure there are no seams."

As Ossian examines it, he can see that the Ocarina appears, improbably, to have been carved of a single piece of wood rather than two pieces (or more) joined together.

"Would you like to teach me how to make one?"

Aha! says Robin's face to the clueful.

Ossian smiles and shakes his head.

"Sometime maybe," says Robin's voice to Ossian. "Now tell me about your own instrument there. Where does *it* come from?"

"My flute?" Ossian has a small wooden flute; its sound is somewhat piercing if you don't play carefully. You can still see the shape of the branch it was carved from. "It was carved by a very good friend of mine last time I was there.
            "In her shadow, I mean." Ossian adds with a sad look on his face. "I don't know if she has survived this turmoil in the Shadows."

* * *

Robin takes Folly up on pub-hopping invitations. Every now and then she looks around, expecting her father to appear and drag her off, but it (presumably) doesn't happen.
            "I could never understand paying for booze," she says, contemplating one particular glass of tan liquid, "but it's starting to make sense to me."
            Robin explains that among the rangers a great variety of homemade stuff was to be had; indeed, *she would have said,* enough for every possible taste.  Little, she says, knocking back another swallow, did she know.
            As for meeting cute musicians, Robin seems interested but apprehensive. Finally she confesses in frustration.
            "I don't know if you have this problem, Folly, but I find that when I'm with a" (slight hesitation, Folly will know she almost says, 'boy') "man, I have to be... careful. Physically, I mean. Not *breeding* careful. I mean so I don't hurt them."
            he takes a swig. Tonight being musicians night, it's from a wineskin.
            "I don't *like* being careful."

Folly nods sympathetically. "It's a different kind of hurt that I'm usually guarding against, but I know what you mean." (Robin may have noticed that Folly is among the least-tough of her cousins.)
            After a moment's thought, she says, "Maybe we should find you a nice bagpiper. They're bound to have a higher-than-average pain threshold, right?"
            [And no one minds if you break one.... ]
            Folly engages in a chummy sort of flirtation [uh, that's 'chummy' in the "friend" sense, not in the "fish bait" sense] with her musician friends, but it's pretty clear she's not physically intimate with any of them.

* * *

Vere treats Robin as though her sudden appearance in Amber were no surprise at all. She receives the same polite regard that he gives all of his cousins, although he does not seek her out nor initiate any conversations with her.

Robin, having plenty to occupy her time, takes Vere's indifference in stride, though she certainly notices it.

Depending upon how perceptive she is, she may or may not notice that he treats his other female cousins in exactly the same manner....

* * *

Martin seems to feel somewhat responsible for Robin, and makes sure he is at her disposal for the first few days she is in Amber, until she becomes accustomed to the routine at the castle and learns a bit about the city.  As mentioned elsewhere, he introduces her to Vialle the first night, and to other family members as the opportunity arises, e.g., at meals including family dinners.

Robin is curious about Martin and is interested in sussing him out during the early days. After that, other interests beckon. She'll ask Brita and Folly about him. He tends to get a little longfaced now and then, just like her father...

Martin is happy to answer general questions about himself or anything else. The short version of his story is that he was born and raised in Rebma, walked the Pattern there, messed around in Shadow for a while, nearly got murdered by Brand, and ended up working for Oberon. He ended up back in Amber when the war started, and ... here he is.
            More details are available on request, as are answers to other questions Robin might be considering asking him.
            Folly, it turns out, considers Martin one of her best friends. Perhaps as a result, she's a bit guarded when talking about him, like she's afraid of accidentally betraying a confidence. Martin is, she says, a very private person. If Robin has specific questions about him, though, Folly will do her best to answer them.
            Vialle, as the chatelaine, arranges for a permanent room and some clothes for Robin. If Robin seems interested in fashion, Vialle refers her to Lady Solace, Lucas' wife (who is in the early to middle stages of a difficult pregnancy), her female cousins, particularly Paige, and Felicity, Lady Hardwind, whom the cousins all call Aunt Felicity.

Robin is interested in fashion, less as an art than as a craft. *Plumage.* Her eye for her own appearance is appraising rather than besotted. She does have her limits. [Anything that would call to mind Auden's "Fantastic grow the evening gowns" from "The Fall of Rome" meets with rejection.] She likes daring lines and is okay with puffy sleeves, though she also likes clothes that will hide a weapon and convert into something in which one can run with a couple of quick tears.

[GMs] [No butt bows.]

Probably Robin's best bet for clothing assistance is Paige.
            Dressmakers in the city will certainly vie for Robin's attention. If she accepts any of the invitations that come her way (the Royal family gets a fair number), she will find that she is something of a trendsetter.
        Cambina seems not particularly interested in Robin, since she can't put her to work immediately and she has no obvious spooky metaphysical interests about her. Gerard is pleased to have a relatively happy soul in the castle for a change, and is pleased to visit with Robin when she wishes to keep him company.

Robin will spend time with Gerard, because she recalls that he was closer with her father than most of his other siblings. She'll also make time to ask Vialle what it's been like in Amber/Arden since the late unpleasantness, and also, well, who the hell is she anyway. [*Politely.*]

Martin will have explained that much. She's his father's wife. (In exactly those words, too, no shilly-shallying with this "stepmother" business.) She also seems to be acting as chatelaine in the absence of Gerard's daughter Solange.
            Vialle hasn't really spent much time in Arden. In Amber, she has a circle of lady friends, including the girl cousins, from whom she hears much of the city. She shares stories of the Sundering, tales of the hardships in its immediate aftermath, and rumors and gossip. Despite her blindness, she has a small collection of books, which she encourages Robin to read. (Several of them are the notorious Ladies' Guides, mentioned elsewhere.)
            Gerard enjoys company and cardplaying. He is happy to ooh and ahh over new clothes, although Robin thinks he misses oohing and ahhing over his own daughter. He spends a fair amount of time on the Regenting business, although he seems to let the cousins do most of the actual footwork. He does take some time to explain aspects of various business of Amber to Robin in an effort to see if there is anything besides Arden that might interest her. He also tires far more easily than Robin might expect, and Robin concludes it's the pain and the medication he's on.
            How are Brita and Robin dividing up the leadership of the Rangers? What are they doing about what each of them perceives as the problems the Rangers have?

Robin is oddly unhurried about getting back to Arden. She makes some effort to meet her cousins, she attends family meals, asks questions and takes an interest in her room. It's only when Gerard and Brita start sending Don't You Have Somewhere to Go messages that she bestirs herself to leave, for all that, beforehand, she talks freely about how she "will be" helping out with the rangers. She even begins, it develops, something of a wardrobe.
        Your sensitive or cynical sorts might conclude that Robin is acting just like a poor relation gratified to have finally come into her birthright. But when Gerard makes it clear that she's on the verge of overstaying her welcome, she departs quite smartly.

Brita is likely to send "don't you have somewhere to be?" signals before Gerard, I think. [Monica?]

Actually, no, Brita would let Robin come back to Arden at her own pace. Brita would send missives to Robin to keep her informed, using a variety of Ranger messengers and instructing them to deliver their messages to Robin directly (and get their responses directly from her). She wants to ensure that the Rangers don't start to question that any directives coming from Robin truly came from Robin. Brita will make sure to dictate her messages to Robin (at least those concerning Ranger business) in the presence of others as well.
            Messages tend to be along the lines of: "Cousin, Some progress is being made on marking the path that Bay's patrol took when they were lost."
            "Cousin, Do you have any suggestions for the Rangers to prevent the loss of patrols?"
            "Cousin, Training of the recruits continues. We are setting up Post #8 at the old hunting lodge farther into Arden [see the map] in order to set up another message relay point. Do you have any suggestions for speeding up message delivery from remote patrols? Maybe we can incorporate bird messengers since Kina was helpful in finding the lost patrol."
            [OOC - yes, I know Kina didn't find the patrol, but her getting 'lost' indicated something to Martin and Brita...]
            The missives will have details about what is going on to keep Robin up to speed. Brita never says anything directly about Robin coming to Arden. She will add personal notes that say things like:
            "Hope you are enjoying visiting with the cousins. It is nice to have family about. Speaking of family, I have a brother!"

That note causes some eyerolling, though not at Brita - at *brothers.*

"I suppose you have met Conner. I was thrilled when he came to visit. We had much to catch up on."

[*Has* Robin met Conner?]

Conner arrives in Amber several weeks after Robin does. I expect Robin meets him before Brita does.

* * *

Well then ladies, shall Conner encounter you on one one of your bar-hopping expeditions? If so kindly set the stage, and let's get to know each other.
            One evening while Conner is kicking back with a pint at a local pub, three musicians walk in and start setting up in the corner. A few minutes later, Folly enters, with Robin in tow.

"Conner!" Folly says enthusiastically when she catches sight of her cousin. "Are you here for the music, too?"

Conner smiles back. "Hello, Folly. Robin." He nods his head in greeting to them both. "I wasn't originally but I am now." He smiles. "Please come and join me."

Folly is happy to do so. She orders a pint and brings it to his table, taking the seat across from him.
            "We should be in for a real treat tonight," she says, glancing at the musicians.  "Verge is kind of an ornery old coot, but he's a damn good fiddler, and a walking encyclopedia of folk music. I'm glad to see he's finally hooked up with someone who can keep up with him."

"I've missed fiddle music." Conner smiles. "Strings don't work well underwater."

"That's gotta' be a weird way to live," Folly replies. "So how come you picked Rebma, anyway? Or did someone else pick it for you?"

"I like fresh seafood."

"Me, too, but I don't need to live with it before I eat it," Folly says with a lopsided grin.

Conner chuckles. "Seriously though, that is where the Diplomatic Corps placed me and I was glad of the assignment. It is not the most desirable position because of the living conditions but it is one of the most important and prestigious."

"How long were you there?" Folly asks. "I take it you knew Vialle before she came to Amber."
"I have been in Rebma since before Random's one year imprisonment there."  Conner nods. "I got to know them during that time."

[OOC: Random didn't stay for the whole year, though, right? I thought his assassination attempt on Eric occurred just a few months after he arrived in Rebma.]

Folly takes a moment to stare into her beer, as though this subject is suddenly making her uncomfortable.  When she looks up again, though, she's all smiles. "That would be, what, over a decade, then? Was that enough time to make it feel like a second home?"

"Not really." Conner shakes his head no. "Too many Rebmans view Amber as a threat at worst and annoyance at best for it to ever feel like a home of any number." Conner sips from his tankard. "What of you? Where was home before your purple locks graced Amber?" He smiles.

Folly takes a sip from her beer before answering, "Far, far away from here. A big city by the sea, like Amber, but warm, and full of things you can't get here. Motorbikes and fries. Electronics and democracy. My band."  She smiles, a little sadly. "I miss it. As far as I'm concerned, it still is home -- even if it doesn't exist anymore."

"The Shadow storms wash all clean." He nods grimly. "It may still be out there you know. Or a place so much like it you'd never know it was different."

"I'd know," Folly says glumly. It occurs to Conner that what she really misses are the people there, rather than just the place itself.

Conner sighs, knowing he can't argue with that. "We'll just have to have hope."  He smiles and impulsively reaches out a hand to squeeze the back of hers.

Folly smiles back in gratitude for the kind gesture and hooks her thumb around his to return the squeeze.

"In the meantime, Amber's not such a bad place to be, I guess. I kind of like having all this family around, which is a new thing for me -- I mean the having family and the liking it. Back home it was just me and my folks, whom I didn't especially get along with, plus a grandmother who died before I was ten and a couple of distant cousins that I met maybe two or three times. It's nice to have so many cool cousins who'll play music and go drinking with me." She smiles warmly at her companions.

"I find myself pleasantly surprised by this crop of cousins too." Conner smiles back. "As I was incognito, I never got to interact with the family much, except for Gerard and Caine in the Navy. They were always aloof figures I heard news about. It's nice to just be with some."

"I'll drink to that," Folly says -- and does. Then she asks, "So you were born somewhere else, then? Or does your mum just hide her pregnancies really well?"

Conner chuckles. "I was conceived and born in shadow."

"What sort of a place?" Folly asks. "What was your childhood like?"

"Like I was in a boarding school of one student." Conner replies. "With Mother alternating between stern headmaster and motherly matron. It was a pleasant place. Da Vinci style arts and sciences. Spent equal time in libraries and labs as I did among woods and herbs. All in all, a decent place to learn and grow."

"Sounds both better and worse than my boarding school of hundreds of students," Folly says. "That much individual attention was probably quite nice -- but I'm sure I had a much easier time breaking curfew than you did, especially once I got booted off campus." She flashes a sheepish grin.

* * *

Robin finally gets the hint. She tells Folly they need a big, big night out. The next day, bouncing painfully through flashes of searing fire - oh, that's dappled sunlight through the trees - she rides out into the forest, politely suggesting to the birds in their languages that they should either shut up or go sing somewhere else.

At length she reaches Brita's command center and hears the Brita Plan.

"I can do that," she says to Brita's suggestion that Brita actually continue to run the rangers while Robin rides off by herself for awhile. "A shame we don't have those cards like father had of his brothers and sisters - then we could keep in touch."