"Don't be dramatic, Marian, I'm not leaving the family, I'm just leaving the castle.  People leave the castle all the time, Erica and Cador are gone for months sometimes, nobody's broken.  You're not talking me out of it."

"Dramatic?  You mean like running off into shadow in a huff because I didn't get my own way?"

"That's great, Marian, really.  Keep insulting me, it's really making me want to rush into your arms right now."

Marian shakes her head, "Look Branwen.  You contacted me because you want me to try and make your actions more palatable to our parents in the hope that father won't get on his horse and bring you back tied hog-style over the rump of his horse.   I get it, you want be your own person.  But you're not giving me anything to work with here."

"I called you so that you could keep Mom from freaking out thinking I'm dead.  What is it you want me to tell you?"

"It that case, dear sister.  I'll tell our folks just that.  Is there anything else you'd like me to pass on?"

Branwen just blinkblinks for a moment, apparently momentarily at a loss for words.

"... no.  That's it."  She frowns, hesitantly cautious.

Marian smiles, "Be good, Branwen."  The jingle of the charms on Marian's bracelet herald a waved goodbye and the odd feeling of the trump connection beginning to close from the 'far' end (something Branwen may not be entirely familiar with) but giving her little sister time to say her goodbyes should she want to....

Clearly Branwen had more words planned, but instead just lets her end of the conversation stammer to an awkward close.  "Yeah, umm.  You too, Marian."

And the connection closes....

Marian had given Branwen more then enough time to change her mind and she was there, as always, should her little sister need to chat which, if Marian wasn't mistaken, was probably still the case even if the young woman seemed to want to be independent.  For now though, Marian would have a word with her father and would set time aside to keep tabs on her sister.   A little length to the family's apron strings was probably in order though she'd have her work cut out for her to convince her father of that fact.   Hopefully Branwen would appreciate the effort in time.

Concluding the brushing of her hair and dressing, Marian stands and leaves her rooms.   On her way to her father's study, one of the long-serving family servants (Marian prefers not to refer to them as such but that is their position even if they've earned more for there service) directs her to a small practice ground where Corwin is doing his morning exercises.  Gritting her teeth (as this is simply not something she'd have normally participated in or indeed enjoyed) she joined him.

After some time (and yes, she was breathless and more than just 'glowing') she takes a seat and wipes her face down.   "Dad....  We need to talk about Branwen."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:59, Wed 12 Sept 2018.

Corwin was at his exercises as usual this time of morning. Being Emperor didn't mean he got to go soft. If anything, it meant he trained harder now because he had something to protect. He was using Grayswandir today, practicing his swordplay. He'd never be Benedict's equal he knew, but he just had to be good enough to survive an engagement. It was with some surprise that he noticed his eldest joining him. Marian had been trained of course, all the kids had, but she'd never really taken to it like some of the others.

Still, it was good to see his girl put through her paces! When the exercise was done, he grabbed a towel and came to sit with her. "Nice to see you keeping up with your practice, honey. Now what's this about Branwen?"

Marian wasn't hesitant and had no qualms about bringing up this rather difficult topic with her father but she wanted to handle this delicately and so she took a moment to fold the towel before replying, "She contacted me.  She wanted me to let you guys know that she's taken herself off into shadow and that she'd be gone for some time."  She doesn't give Corwin time to interject and continues swiftly on, "She's blaming you."  She purses her lips this time.  "And she's being mule headed about it.   She's insisting that if we bring her home, that she'll just head off again."  She really wasn't going to remind her father of the conversation they'd had regarding Branwen's readiness to walk the Pattern (in private of course) though it is probably something that might sprint to mind at this point.

"She believes though that she's found a place we won't be able to find her."  She quirks her eyebrow, "May I suggest that you give her some time?   Allow her to stretch her legs a little.  Be her own woman and find herself."   And then knowing her father's protective side she adds, "And I promise to keep a close eye on her.  If I lose her, I'll tell you and we can both go and look for her.  And maybe once we've settled in, we can pay her a visit... incognito of course."

Corwin's eyes widened. One hand immediately clenched about the hilt of Grayswandir, as if he was about to rise and summon his knights to him. He checked the impulse but only just as Marian kept speaking. When she was done he let out a long, slow breath.

"Dammit!" He let out some curses in languages that weren't like any Marian knew, then sighed. "I was afraid of something like this. Dammit it all." He sighed. "She doesn't realize that wherever she's gotten off to, I can find her, right?" He fell silent for a few minutes. "You're sure you can keep track of her?"

"She's a young woman who has been given the keys to an plethora of experience - maybe a little too early - and who feels that her father and her family are now preventing her from experiencing this in full."   She purses her lips.  "Dad - you can't tell me that you didn't feel and act the same when you were her age."  She'd certainly heard some of his escapades so knows it to be true.

"I told her that you'd be able to find her.  And sure, we may be able to do just that, but she's stubborn.  She'll just try and try again until you're too busy to stop her.   Did you tell me that it is better the devil you know than the devil you don't?  I know where she is.  I can't promise I won't lose her - she is family after all - but I will keeps tabs on her and you've taught me well.  I should be able to overcome most methods of hiding in shadow.  And If I do lose her, I do promise to tell you."  She really can't promise much more but her father knows what she#s capable of so knows that her words aren't an idle boast.

Corwin sighed. "Alright. I won't tear Shadow apart to get her back. Yet. Keep an eye on her, Marian. But if she even looks like she's in danger, let me know immediately. I'm trusting this to you." He patted Marian on the shoulder. "And I'll think of some way to tell your mother. She's not going to be happy..."

"I don't mind speaking to Mum if you want.   It was my idea after all and she can't very well be angry with me for too long given I'm only the messenger."  She smiles, "And if she decides it's better to chase off after Branwen then you have an alibi and can apply judicious amounts of righteously anger to the charge without being accused of making the decision without Mum's input!"  Slightly teasing of course, but probably true.  Even at her relatively young age, Marian was far from a slouch when it came to the intrigues of court.

Some days later....

Having finished a letter she'd been writing, Marian paused.  For a while she'd confidently been able to keep tabs on her little sister but... the last time she'd checked on her there'd been a block of some sorts.

Giving her sister the benefit of the doubt given the effort she'd gone to to help her out, Marian had set her trumps aside and written a letter to a friend only that was done and the problem still remained.   Sighing, she once again considered her sister and using various techniques, attempted to reach out - only to be stymied at each attempt.

Considering her options she could simply travel to where she'd last seen Branwen and track her from there, but doing so without telling her father would... break the promise she'd made to him and so she stood, gathered her things, and went to find him....

"Dad...."  Her serious countenance will doubtlessly give him pause, "It's Branwen.   I believe she's travelled into a shadow blocking me from tracking her.  Why... when you let her have her time away, I do not know, but it's be remiss of me to not warn you.  I'm sorry."

Corwin had been consoling Lorraine when Marian arrived with the bad news. He looked at Marian, then he sighed. "I should have expected she'd do something like that. I'll..."

Lorraine interrupted. "Marian, you said she told you she was safe, didn't you?"

Marian's brow creases almost imperceptibly at Loraine's question but answers her mother without hesitation, shaking her head, "No.... She said that she was 'ok' and that she was 'taking a break from all this shit'.  She wanted me to tell you that she 'wasn't dead'."

Lorraine seemed stricken at the exact words, but then she slowly nodded. "I...it hurts to say it, but Branwen needs her space right now. I have no doubt you could find her and drag her home, but that might just destroy her, or this family. No. As long as she's alive there's still hope that she'll come back to us one day. So leave her be for now."

Marian pauses at that.  While she was briefly surprised, her parents had always been reasonable with her and why not with her siblings too.   "As you wish, Mother.   I can't say I'm overly pleased that she's chosen to isolate herself or indeed made the effort to find a shadow that limits our family's abilities, but that is another matter.   I am however surprised that she was able to find such a place as it is not simply Pattern the shadow is blocking.   She couldn't have used the Pattern to search for it and she has limited knowledge of the other abilities it is blocking - so by my reckoning she must have had help... and someone with some considerable skill.  So either it's one of you two or she's hooked up with someone outside the family."   She draws the line at calling her sister a possible traitress, but there's certainly a concern in her voice.

Corwin and Lorraine looked at each other, then Corwin sighed. "We'll look into it, Marian. I don't know if she's hooked up with anyone to do this or if she's just naturally a prodigy. Can you give us any details about where she contacted you from? We can at least investigate that shadow and see if there are any clues."

Marian nods, "I've only got a basic impression of it but I'll gather my thoughts and make a trump of it.  I suspect she called me from 'just outside' though I've no way to be sure.  But it's a starting point."

"Thank you dearest." She stood and hugged Marian, though her look of concern didn't fade. "Thank you for everything."

"That's ok.  I worry about her too.  I wish I could do more but while it is a shadow, I'd hate to destroy it in an attempt to contact her."