Bonjour
and bienvenue!
I am Marissa
de Revaille-Barimen, Countess of Alma Falls, and daughter of Prince Bleys of
Amber. I bid you welcome to my humble
home, and pray that you find your rest while in my company, and leave only
goodwill behind…
"Her arms were folded
in such a way as to show sardonic defiance, while still accentuating her very
feminine attributes. Her chiseled
features and green eyes, framed by a mane of fiery red hair, revealed little
about her thoughts except a strong sense of self-confidence. Her clothing included renaissance, form
fitting trousers, high black boots and a low-cut, blouse-sleeved shirt; my mind
filled with images of the THREE MUSKETEERS, though Dumas had never imagined
anyone like this...
"A silvered, filigreed
sabre swung at her left hip, and a basket-hilted main-gauche at her right,
beside an inlaid pair of black dueling gloves.
An intricately wrought platinum ring rode on her right hand."
There are
great expectations when one is the daughter of Prince Bleys. He is a living legend. With the exception of Prince Benedict (who
is everyone’s master) and possibly Prince Corwin, he is undoubtedly the best
swordsman in Amber. No mean feat, that. He is also highly skilled in the arts of
magick and trump, and knows lore beyond even these fairly standard abilities.
Often, I fear
that I fail to meet those expectations; I know that I have never exceeded
them. Still, my father is rarely less
than effulgent in his praise. Small
comfort, as he is equally complimentary to all he knows, including those I
consider to have less skill and potential than myself. He is a courteous man, my father…though at
times I question where the demarcation between courtesy and honesty might begin
to blur.
“Her skill with the blade
was truly impressive; the filigreed sabre flashed as though with a life of its
own, and the light refracting off its surface was almost prismatic in effect,
giving it an oddly shifting appearance as she dueled, appearing first to be one
sword, then four, then two, then twenty-two.
If her skill with the sword was not sufficient to inspire awe, that
skill compounded with the blade’s virtual pyrotechnics certainly was…”
I am only
newly come to Amber, at least for any extended visit. I have been here thrice before – the first time to walk the
Pattern -- but my father and my Aunt Fiona introduced me to only a few of my
relatives on these visits. There is a
constant game of one-upmanship in Amber, particularly among the royal
family. Somehow, the children of the
elders are valuable pieces in this match, and therefore actively protected.
Or perhaps we
are but pawns, although, as even the novice at chess must know, even the lowly
pawn can checkmate a king…
Marissa’s Cousins:
Prince
Cadmael, Son of King Random
Princess
Casandra, Daughter of King Eric (deceased)
Ford,
Baron of Freeport and Son of Prince Caine
Garth,
Earl of Albion and Son of Prince Julian
Princess
Giselle, Daughter of Princess Dierdre (deceased)
Kirin,
Vicomte of Dainville and Son of Prince Benedict
Prince
Martin, Son of King Random (NPC)
Victor,
Baron of the Garden District and Son of Princess Florimel
