Vere smiles at Avis.  "Come, sister," he says, before stepping off the ledge and sinking into the water after Solange and Robin.

Avis reaches up and takes his hand.  "I assume this works for people as well as gods?" she asks, then slips into the warm waters.  The water feels odd in everyone's lungs, but refrains from drowning anyone.
            Avis swims downwards.   "The altar is this way."  Her voice sounds hollow, as if she were talking in a tunnel or cave.

Robin does not entirely escape the 'yeah, I know' eyeroll.  But the Priestess' statement doesn't really bother her that much.  After all, if anyone was feeling more... tense under the circumstances than her, it'd be Avis.  Weeeellll, not *more* tense, but probably close.
            The girl stays near Vere, her best option in case of a breakdown, and ties to avoid thinking about the dark pull of the altar (or more properly, that which is under it) that they swim toward.
            "Ve.... urp.  Vere?"  Robin has a little trouble with the water-breathing-talking situation but gets it under contraol pretty quickly.  "..."  She tilts her head and thinks more about what she was going to say.  "Army?  Through here?" is what she ends up with.   Not judging, just curious.

Vere hums quietly for a moment, judging the way sound echoes in the sumberged temple, then answers Robin.  "It seems logical to me that walking downstairs underwater should provide a shortcut through shadow to the stairs from Paris to Rebma, or to a similar shadow very near Rebma.  Whether Huon took this route I do not know, but I cannot consider it coincidence that he altered the nature of the temple to be so much closer to Rebman reality."

Solange swims near Vere and Robin, listening to their conversation as she follows Avis. She remains silent.

"I see the logic of it - though I'm still not sure it was Huon who did the altering or carved the word...  It's just... this place is in the center of the... Hole, you know?  I wouldn't recommend shadow-walking through hereeee.... Hmmmmm."  Robin's eyes narrow as she remembers her impressions coming into Mothersport/Ladystown.

A particularly large slab of rock has fallen directly across the altar, half crushing it and blocking the entrance to the tomb.
                Vere thinks he's seen a slab of rock shaped like that before.

"The rock that held us trapped?" Vere muses aloud, gazing at it as he lands on the floor of the temple near the altar.  "How interesting, that it fell just here."

(OOC - Is it, in fact, the choir screen?)

He looks up, judging the position of the transept, and the likelihood that the stone would have fallen just here, on its own.

Solange gazes around with interest.

Robin shakes her head sadly.  "It's different every time I see it, Love.  I've... given up on guessing how or why."

Things were still in motion when last Vere was here, and it's remotely possible that one of the larger blocks fell here, but he remembers no such blockage.  It would be quite a coincidence if the rock fell just where it did by accident.  The choir screen itself is off to the side, mockingly peaceful.

Vere frowns, walking across the floor of the temple.  "Did Huon deliberately block the way down?" he muses aloud.  "It seems unlikely that this would have fallen just so."  He walks around the stone, judging whether there would be enough room to squeeze around it and onto the stairs leading below the floor.

There is no chance to get down without moving the ruins of the altar, which are under the big flat rock.

Solange moves off to the side and walks around the perimeter of the temple.

Due to the darkness of the underwater temple, Solange can easily walk out of sight of the others.  The temple is mostly empty, but there are large rocks from the fallen roof and a large metal choir screen, several stories tall strewn across the nave.  It might be the case that they were blasted away from the crossing, where the others are looking at a single large rock.

Robin watches Vere, though part of her is very aware of Solange and Avis' positions as well.  "Love?" she says in a small voice.  "Please... maybe Huon isn't the only active Force in play within this place."

Avis is mostly standing there, looking stunned.

Solange pauses a moment to gaze at the choir screen, then continues her walk.

Solange looks back from the choir screen and  the image of Vere standing by a broken rock lying across her broken Father springs unbidden to her mind.  Then the current swirls and Robin moves slightly and the uncanny resemblance is only that again.

She takes a deep breath, involuntarily shuddering. After another smaller breath, Solange's mind is calm enough again and she opens it up in case there are other visions, wondering if what she saw was a sending of sort, or just her own mind making connections.

Vere nods at Robin's words, although he still looks abstracted.  "In any event," he says.  "This answers the question of whether we should risk going further down or not.  It shall not happen."  He turns then to face Robin.  "I am sorry," he says, "I had hoped there was a chance your ocarina might still be below.  I very much wished to find it for you."

Robin has started to smile as Vere announces that they will not be going down the stairs.  The glee rebuilding in her that - yet again - she is on this side of the stones.  The fact that she is still under dark waters somewhat... dampens her enthuisiasm, but it *is* there.
                "Oh, Vere." She whispers, her wonder and affection lighting her eyes.  Warmth flows through her and she throws herself at Vere, intending to snatch him into a bone-crunching embrace.  The girl softly croons for a moment before switching to words.  "Love you, love you wonderful man.  I Hear you.  I *will* miss the ocarina, oui.  But I would far, far rather have you at my side, safe and unsorrowing than any mere thing."

Vere catches her in his arms and returns her embrace.

Robin pulls back to look up at him with glowing eyes.  "And this will give me a chance to make a new instrument.  One for the Song I am now.  Instead of what I was.  Yes?"  She tiltls her head to the side as she gazes at the marvel that has been added to her life.

"Indeed, my love," he answers her with a smile.  "For the Song that we are."

The 'we are' brings a little wriggle of happiness through Robin, Her eyes crinkle into sparkling half-circles and she kisses him again quickly.  She never, ever wants to assume Vere's place in her life - that way she can always be delighted when he confirms it.

Avis looks up at Vere.  "Can't you move it?"  She asks.

"Most likely," Vere answers.  He regards the stone for a moment, then adds, "Between us, with appropriate levers, then, yes, I believe so.  But I do not think it wise to do so.  Robin may well be correct, other forces may have been at work."  He tightens his arm about her for a moment.  "The city continues to sink, Avis.  Nothing we do here will stop that.  From the moment Vianis dared to imprison Robin beneath this temple, the city was doomed, and the temple with it.  The heart of your new realm must be somewhere else."

Robin nods, confirming that.  The girl fluffs sadly.  She tried to warn Vianis - twice!  It wasn't her intention to drown this city.  Jovian's neither, she's willing to bet.  But there the cost of the big footsteps, the big Voices is.  Stuff happens.

Avis nods, and swallows.

He looks back down at Robin.  "May I have the deck, my love?  It may perhaps aid in some small way in what I do."

"Absolutely," she says, taking out the leather pouch.  "Anything else I can do to help?"  Even though she's talking to Vere, her eyes move off into the Shadows making sure that the very quiet Solange is okay.

Solange is still for a moment, but then starts walking the perimeter again.

Vere takes the cards from her.  "Simply concentrate on your desire to have Ysabeau answer us," he says.  He looks to Avis, then off to the shadows where Solange stands.  "All of you, concentrate upon that."

Solange turns and makes her way inward toward the small group, stopping a few paces away. She focuses her intent upon her mother, visualizing Brennan's sketch of her.

Robin nods.  Her lips press together, betraying her apprehension but she's game.  She does as Vere request.  Though Robin may have mixed feelings about the whole mother... thing, she does want to know.  And thus, to have Ysabeau answer.

He closes his eyes and stands silently for a few minutes, holding the cards in his hand.  Then he  begins to sing.  He has judged the acoustic properties of the submerged temple to a nicety, and his voice carries through the water and echoes off the walls, almost sounding as though an unseen chorus was singing along with him.

"The Goddess hangs her mantle green
On every blooming tree,
And spreads her sheet o' flowers white
Out o'er the grassy lea.

"She purifies the crystal streams,
And clears the azure skies:
But nought can save the city doomed
That 'neath the ocean lies.

"The dreadful war gives way to peace
As morning wakes to lark;
But thee, the Queen of a' the Isles,
Must lie in deepest dark.

"This world thy noble mother bore,
Where happy ye hae been;
Full lightly rose ye in the morn,
As blythe lay down at e'en:

"A living sov'reign of the land,
And many a mem'ry there;
And sweetest that ye left behind,
The daughter that ye bare.

"We call ye now, my noble Aunt
To rise from rest below;
To let thy daughter know thy will
And speak a' what ye know.

"The babe ye bore in blood is here,
The cards that Dworkin made;
Gathered in thy resting place,
We come to seek thy aid.

"Come, we pray thee, Ysabeau,
Come, we pray thee all;
Princess, Mother, Warrior, Queen,
Now answer to our call."

Holy SH!T!  It takes all of what little ability she has to focus to keep Robin on task with the 'wanting Ysabeau to answer us' part of the program.  Otherwise, awe would just... overwhelm her.  Her Beloved is just sooooo good!

Solange feels her heart start to race and her breathing quicken in anticipation. She clenches her fists as she summons her deep-buried feelings of loss and sorrow. They rise in her, ghost-like, as Vere sings.

A silence descends after Vere's song ends and the last echo has faded.  It lasts a long moment, and just before it becomes unbearable, it's broken.  A tiny sound, like someone humming the tune that Vere had just sung.  It comes from below, as do footsteps.
            A figure rises from where the altar was, under the block.  She steps through it as if it wasn't there.  She doesn't seem to see anything, but she's humming the song.  She glows, and her facial features are indistinct.
            She stops suddenly, and looks down at the smashed altar under the stone.  "What has happened here?  What did this to my brother?"  It's not clear who she is addressing.

"The stone over the altar is a shadow of the one that struck Gerard," Solange says to Vere and Robin, though her eyes are on Ysabeau. "I saw the connection a moment ago when I was walking and looked this way."

"Oh." Robin says in a small voice.  Her eyes are fixed on the figure by the altar.

Vere nods in response to Solange.  "Indeed," he says.  "I should have seen that myself."  He steps forward.  "There was war between Chaos and Amber, mine Aunt," he says.  "Oberon gave his life to save the Pattern.  My father, your brother, was injured when an earthquake brought down one of the towers of Amber Castle."

Robin has no words, she just doesn't.  Other than the low heartfelt curse that slips unarware past her lips.

"Oberon I hated and am pleased he is dead.  More pleased that he is not dead here where I would have to suffer his ghost in my place.  Be wise, ghost-talking nephew, and do not raise him, for he may not settle again.  I am not surprised that he let his castle fall on the best of his children."
            "Priestess, remember.  What is good for them is not always good for the Children of Dana."

Avis bows.  Her eyes are wide.

Robin's lips part and the words are echoing in the water, almost before she knew she was going to speak.  "What *is* good for them?"
            The girl seems surprised by the concern in her own voice – she was pretty sure that she was too tied up with craziness, guilt-trips and violence to think like that.

Vere smiles at Robin's words, and looks at her with pride and love.

Solange is just watching.

"They tell me a thousand times an hour, from their hearts.  Such is the nature of the godhead.  And I must balance their wanting and their knowledge and wisdom, only one of which is infinite."
            "Priestess Avis, what is good for the Children of the Goddess Danu?"

Avis recites, as if a schoolgirl.  "To do the will of our goddesses.  To shepherd the souls of her peoples to the ways of righteousness and to live as the Goddesses lead us, as revealed to her Lady High Priestess."

Ysabeau nods.

One of Robin's brows starts to rise skeptically, but she attempts to retrain her face into diplomatic neutrality.  Successfully?  Well, diplomacy is not her strong suit.

"What of Vianis?" Vere asks.  "The Lady's Chancellor, who claims the Goddess spoke with her, and told her the Lady did not follow the Goddess' will?  Does she lie, or did she misinterpret?”

Ysabeau rises to her full height and looks down from the block at Vere. Her tone becomes harsher.  "And what right have you, child of Amber and Danu, to presume to know the will of the Goddess or the heart of another? You do not give your heart to either world, and so your soul has not grown fully.  If you wish to know the will of the Goddess, I stand before you. Speak, and then hear the word."

Vere looks up at her calmly, showing no change in expression at her tone.  "I freely admit neither world holds my whole heart, though each has a place within it.  My heart belongs to your daughter, and to no other.  She is here to learn of her mother, and I am here, with my sister the Lady to Be, to learn the will of the Goddess.  Speak, and we listen."

Said daughter's eyes are narrow and snapping with angry green sparks.  Her shourlders are hunched as she mantles,  Stupid ghost/goddess. Getting snotty with Vere in her presence - *that's* a good plan.
            So far, though, Robin's managing to keep the snarl off of her face and her hands free of her weapons.  After all, this is Vere's play.  And hopefully, she can manage to remember that this time around.

Solange walks up beside Robin and lays a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. She squeezes and whispers in her sister's ear, "I feel bristly too. But we'll keep each other calm and get through this together."

Robin trembles a little under Solange's hand, but she takes a deep breath, swallows and nods.  A quick smile of gratitude darts across her face as her eyes glance over to Solange.  She really doesn't want to screw up another of Vere's negotiations.

"And you?" says Ysabeau, turning to Solange and Robin. "Would you hear the word and will of the living godhead and pierce the veil that separates the sacred from the profane?"

Avis, nearby, nods raptly.

First comes the 'you've got to be kidding' face and Robin 's lips part to deliver a great steaming heap of sarcastic.  But then she thhhiiiinnnnkkks about why she's here and manages to get out a sincere - if casual - "Sure."

Vere waits quietly and calmly, saying nothing.

Solange opens her mouth to point out, "Living? But you're dead. And what's this talk of sacred and profane? We're not your subjects. We're your _daughters_." But she pauses before speaking, clearly considering the possible repercussions. "Sure," she echoes Robin, though the response is more clipped than casual.

The ghost opens her mouth, and small currents in the water are visible through her head.  "Then hear the will of Danu, mother of the mother of Gods, who led her children to safety from the destruction of the land of youth.    The land turns a bitter face to the goddess and will devour her children from spite.  The serpent awakens, and when it has swollowed its tail fully, there will be none left to serve the living godhead.”
            She looks at Solange and Robin, or perhaps through them.  "To save the Children of Danu, you must lead them elsewhere.  The wars of my forefathers have once again made them need refuge."

Vere's eyes close momentarily, and an expression of pain crosses his face.  "I had hoped..." he murmurs, then falls silent.

"Me too, Love.  Me too."  Robin agrees sadly as she reaches out to gather up his hand.
            The girl is quiet for a moment, then a short sharp curse errupts from her.  "Damm!t!  I'm not sure I'm ready to give up.  Evacuate, yessir.  Damn good idea.  I'd kinda like as low a body-count as possible.  But I still wanna see if there's something I can do for the land.  How about you guys?"
            What Robin is *not* saying is how she feels about farcical aquatic ceremonies determining her destiny or how disturbed she is by the serpent reference given her current Draconic concerns.

Solange stays quiet but smiles at Robin encouragingly.

Ysabeau begins to descend the stairs, through the rock.

"No words for your offspring," Vere murmurs quietly.  It is not quite a question.

Solange turns her head and addresses her dead mother's shade. "I really just wanted to know why--why you went through with it."

Robin’s green eyes dance toward the descending ghost dismissively.  Then she turns her gaze to her sister.  Returning the earlier favor, Robin puts her hand on Solange’s shoulder, offering strength and support.

Ysabeau stops.  "Daughters?"  She looks closely at each of them.  "Is your sister in the Isles as well?"  She seems distressed at the thought.  It's more emotion than she's shown since she came up the stairs.

"Sister?" Solange repeats incredulously. "You bore three?" She glances quickly at Robin to see if this is news to her as well.

"I did.  Of my lovers, only Iron Eye had the heart to raise a daughter of the blood.  But I was called back here despite my wishes."

It’s news to Robin alright.  Her hand tightens on Solange’s shoulder a bit in surprise.  And her eyes go blank as all sorts of things juggle and race around inside her head.  But she quickly refocuses on the world around her with a wry tick to her mouth.

Vere frowns thoughtfully, then glances at Avis, before returning his attention to Ysabeau's ghost.

Avis is staring at Solange.

Avis is the least of Solange's concerns right now. Emboldened by Ysabeau directly answering her question, Solange repeats her earlier one that had been ignored. "Why did you do it? Why did you choose to bear me when you knew you were going to die in the labor? It makes no sense. You were needed here."

Vere remains silent and expressionless, watching and listening to the exchange between the ghost and her daughters.

Robin stays where she is, quiet, backing Solange.  Her mouth ticks again as she hears the burden in her... little sister’s voice.  Of all the things Robin is or is learning to be, this one might be the hardest.  But she’s going to do her best to be the big sister.  And not screw up this moment with her own passions.

Ysabeau looks cross.  "I didn't die, I'm dispersed.  Eventually you do what the godhead wants.  It's why you should leave, now, and not come back."

"You *are* the godhead, d@mmit!" Solange shouts, emotions previously held at a simmer uncontrollably boiling over. "Gerard told me that you died. But if you didn't die as you claim, then that means you left." She points an accusing finger at Ysabeau's shade. "You *left*!"

A thoughtful look crosses Vere's face, but he holds his silence.

Whereas a grin crosses Robin's face and her green eyes begin to twinkle, despite the whole under-water thing.  Okay, *now* she can believe that they're sisters.  She squeeze Solange’s shoulder to let her know that Robin’s got one question before the knives come out – otherwise big sis is ready to go.

Ysabeau narrows her eyes.  "You don't understand this place, what it does to us, what it makes us, gives us, and binds us to.  I took you away from here so you wouldn't be trapped like me.  Even now it is an effort to tell you the truth and not to embrace you and bring you to me and break you to the godhead.  I resist, but barely.  I tell you a second time go, and leave this sad place to its fate."

The thoughtful expression on Vere's face gave way to a momentary look of grim determination, followed almost immediately by a flat expressionless stare at Ysabeau.

Solange narrows her eyes right back at Ysabeau. "You're right--I don't understand. You're an Amberite. We create our own destiny. We don't succumb to others. Others succumb to us."

A half-smile ticks Robin's lips.  Though she shares her sister's arrog... confidence, she has also had her clock cleaned enough not to argue the point.  Otherwise, the girl finds the conversation... fascinating.  (Though her one question is still in abeyance.)

Ysabeau looks at Robin, or perhaps through her.  "It's subtle and powerful, the godhead.  It will offer you bargains, things that are hard to refuse. And if you stay, it will grow on you to the point where you cannot leave it behind, and yet you cannot be here either, and that is intolerable.
            "Leave now, while your sense of you, so beautifully clear in your statement, is still intact.  I have told you three times."

Solange gives up, having nothing more to say to her dead mother's shade. She follows Ysabeau's gaze and casts her eyes to Robin.

Vere nods his head slightly at Ysabeau's words, and he looks at Robin as well.

Robin's mouth ticks again at Ysabeau's through-seeing of her.  That's been happening too much lately.  What a pane!  Robin snorts at her own interior pun.  But boy, does she understand the 'things that are hard to refurse.'  A wince sweeps across her face at that memory.  The girl is nodding though still skeptical at the mention of three when she notices that Solange is looking at her as well.  Whoops!  Keep up with the patrol, Robin!
            She nods to Solange, thanking her for the opportunity.  Then turns to the ghost.  "Who are our fathers... please?"  There were probably some other things that could have been said around that, but given the circumstances, Robin's not segueing well at all.

Ysabeau looks cooly down on Robin.  "They were no one of moment, just tools of the godhead.  Will you leave if I tell you more?"

Robin nods her understanding, but shrugs one shoulder nonchalantly at the question.  She figures there's going to be a major pow-wow after this.  One that doesn't involve Goddess-ridden ghosts.  She'll decide then on the whole go-stay issue.

Vere's eyes narrow slightly.  He stares through the ghost of Ysabeau as though he no longer sees her.

"So that's what we are too, Robin and I? Tools for the damned godhead?" Solange's voice rises to a shout. "Did you even blink when you lay with our fathers?"

"Escaped tools." Robin's voice is laced with darkness.  "And if her deal was like mine, sis, she was probably crying not blinking."

Solange glances at her sister sharply, not understanding.

Ysabeau looks at Robin.  "Eventually, the green corruption will find your price, will find what it can offer you to bend you to its will.  If you care for it, it will eat you.  It is a hungry godhead."

"I get that.  But I'm not gonna be Daeon.  And I'm not gonna bear Daeon."  Robin's voice is sulky with stubborness.  But there's real fear lurking in the back of her eyes.

Solange passes a hand over her face and turns away.

"She asked their names," Vere says in a flat emotionless voice.  "Answer that, mine Aunt, and they shall depart."

"Solange." Robin murmurs in concern, turning away from the ghost to try and hug her sister.  "I-I'm sorry.  I keep making it about me. And you just want... I"m sorry."

"I'm not upset at you," she replies, hugging Robin back. "It's just..." She trails off and shudders. "I'm done here. Let me know when you're ready to go."
            Solange leaves the group and walks off toward the periphery of the temple, losing herself in the murky darkness.

Ysabeau starts walking down the stairs, singing to herself.

"He-ey!  What about the names? He asked nicely."  Robin looks up in confusion, back toward the singing ghost.  A moue furrows across her forehead and a frown lines her lips.  She doesn't like it when people are disrespectful of her man.

Vere pays no attention at all to Ysabeau, instead turning to Robin and silently taking her in his arms.

"Vere?" Robin's voice is quiet as she snuggles into him.  "I-I don't understand.  I didn't stab anyone and it still seems all f*cked up." She's generally confused and kind of bewildered.

Vere holds her tightly and says quietly, "Because, my love, it appears that your mother's social skills were far less well developed than your own."

“Wow.”  Robin murmurs quietly, impressed.  “Weeeelll, if everyone’s going to be quiet, disturbed and unhappy, can we do that up in the air and light?  Please?”  She looks up at her wonderful man.

"An excellent suggestion," Vere answers.  He looks over to where his foster-sister stands in the shadows.  "Solange, shall we adjurn to the surface?  We can discuss how quickly you return to Father once we are back on Martin's boat."  He smiles slightly.  "Consider, on the way, if you wish to depart immediately, or if you would rather wait a few hours, and then sail Lord Worth and his ship and crew back to Amber, or Xanadu."

Solange surfaces out of the shadows, her arms crossed tightly. "Seeing Papa would be wonderful," she replies simply, a small smile tweaking the corner of her mouth before her expression turns somber once again. "Let's go topside."

"Avis, my sister," Vere says, without letting go of Robin.  "I believe we have learned all that we may learn.  Let us depart this place."  He releases Robin then, and takes one of her hands.  "Back to the light," he says to Robin with a smile.  And he pushes off from the floor of the temple and begins swimming towards the surface, still holding Robin's hand.

Robin swims up beside her beloved.  The prospect of being out of this place and once again on the wrong side of the stones cheers her immensely.  As does the approaching air and light.

Solange takes one last look around, never expecting to come back, then pushes off to follow Robin and Vere.

Avis nods and kicks up again.  Shortly all four of them are at the surface, near the window ledge where they left the boat. .