"We seem to get on each others nerves." She says embarrassedly.

Ariadne looked perplexed for a moment,  and then smiled with a chuckle
"You mean that we have beliefs that are almost completely contradictory,  and it's hard to express them without offending the other person. "
She looked at Jade, smiling more warmly.
"I apologize if what I'm saying offends you, or seems blasphemous (though that kinda proves my point).  I never meant to attack you personally.   I just get upset when people seem to turn their brains off because of the supernatural. "

Ari shrugged
'I was talking with Jon about something similar.   We cousins are essentially random people thrown together from literally different worlds,  with even Lance and I having great differences between how we were raised.  So it's inevitable that we will occasionally rub each other the wrong way.   It's up to us to not let our differences come between us,  like the older generation apparently did."

She smiled sheepishly and opened her arms for a hug.
"Forgive me?"

Jade nodded quickly and hugged Ariadne.

"Of course." Jade smiles.

After a moment,  Ariadne released the hug, and held her cousin affectionately by the shoulders,  looking into her big, green eyes.
"I know we're all very different people,  and we'll occasionally bug the living hell out of each other with our eccentricities,  but please remember:  i will ALWAYS have your back. And i will ALWAYS be here if you ever need me.  No matter what "

Jade smiled, "I don't understand the back thing but I am here for you too. This is the best thing that has ever happened to me.  A nice big family. I wonder what we would have been like if we were sisters. Ballad, you and me. Were so different but if we grew up together we would understand each other more."

Ariadne released Jade's shoulders with a smile
"Maybe, but if we'd been raised together here in Amber we'd all be very different people,  too.  I'll admit that while i loved my life on Earth, i feel somewhat cheated that my mother, and all this, was taken from me.  Still, perhaps this will give us the perspective to not repeat the mistakes of our elders. '

"Even though I have my mom now, I miss her. She is so busy for the realm. She seems nice from the very short time I got to spend with her. I bet yours was pretty special too. I might get a bit over protective of her and well all of you my cousins too. Now that I have you all in my life I am worried about losing you, especially with these horrible Gray men out there."

Ariadne smiled


⁹"I feel the same way "

"I'm excited about tonight. Though I am hoping there are not a lot of people. I want to get used to being around nobles before I am thrown into hundreds of them."

Ariadne smiled and nodded thoughtfully.
"Honestly, we want to take them seriously, but not too seriously.  I'm not super famous on my world, but I've mingled with a few celebrities, and their egos can get out of control."

"Ha those celebrities' can't match the ego of a Princess of Amber !" Jade smiled and her green eyebrows rose and fell as she waggled them.

"Well ok, I don't really know what Earth celebrities' are like but I could give them a run for their coins !

Ariadne chuckled
"Most celebrities are okay, though you need at least some arrogance,  for the most part,  to be confident enough to perform in front of hundreds,  thousands,  or even millions of people.   But a few let it go to their heads,  and can be a bit insufferable. "

"How do you perform in front of millions ? you must have to sing really really loud."

Ariadne laughed,  though not unkindly
"Sorry, i keep forgetting about the differences in technology between here and Earth.    In my world,  there is technology that can broadcast a signal f9r thousands of miles in every direction.   And that signal can contain a recreated scene of someone acting. or singing,  or just about anything that you can imagine.    I'll be honest,  I'm not even sure i fully understand how it works,  since it's not my area, but it's very impressive.   But we can have someone's voice heard all over the world."

"Wow ok now that is pressure all over the world. I accept the challenge ! I will have to really learn a lot even with magic I don't think I could do that."

Ari grinned
"In some ways technology isn't as powerful or useful as magic,  but it definitely has its uses.  We have a worldwide connection that anyone can be part of, though it costs money to do so.  Perhaps that's something i can do someday is provide that service for all people in the world. "

"I am pretty sure you should be able to help your world with most anything you might wish. Im going to try and keep perfecting my art both singing and magic. Each world out there might have it's own kind of magic and my mother knows so much it will be a long time before I am even close. I think I want her to remain top witch though. I'm just happy with a lot of the things I can do and I think I will try to make singing my focus."

Nodding,  Ariadne smiled
"I don't think my world is ready to know about magic, or other worlds, but if i can bring enough money and influence into my world,  i should be able to make a difference. "

"Maybe you can become Queen or Empress of your own country and take care of your subjects there ? Or own a really, really big business and employ everyone !"

Ariadne chuckled
"My part of Earth doesn't do royalty.   We had a war many generations ago to keep our independence.   Our leaders are elected by the populace.   Which has its own flaws as a system, but it's less risky than a monarchy "

"The people chose their leaders ? Thats just insane see what happens without a Unicorn ?" Jade has a serious face but then cracks a smile after a little bit.

Ariadne laughed
"People can be fallible,  sure, but when we try to get everyone involved,  it's a better system, in my opinion,  than letting a magic horse decide for you.
She smiled warmly.
"I know you trust the Unicorn to 'know what's best' for Amber,  but we feel it's better to let people decide for themselves. "

"Do they have something like the Pattern on earth that tests the leaders worthiness and kills them if they are not fit for the role of leader ? Im just trying to understand, you used to have royalty right ? So what happened to them ?"

Ariadne smirked
"No  magic.    Just people,  in all their flawed brilliance.    We don't have a pattern,  just people telling us why we should elect them over other people.  It'snot a perfect system,  but we're not really ready to trust some strange magic to choose for us."
She shrugged
"Well, about 2 centuries ago, we were a colony of a monarchy,  but the colonists rebelled and became their own country.  And we  have been on our own ever since. "

"So your all bloody rebels !" She raises one of her eyebrows.

"At least that is what they would probably call you here. I really like uncle Random he has been good to us and seems to actually care about our welfare. You know in the past I am not entirely sure Oberon would have cared. Then there is Queen Vialle, she made that little Narwhal for me just because she knew I was homesick. I feel they are good people. I know you don't understand but when the unicorn picked Random to be king, all the other Princes acknowledged him. So as much as they wanted the throne for themselves they respected it's choice. So in a way it elected him. I really want to meet my other uncles and aunts, though I think I have met all my aunts. I really only saw Gerard it would have been nice to get a chance to actually talk with him for a bit."