Custody Discussions
May 2008
Family funerals can often get emotional, but I don't normally expect it to be my father, and my friend, to be responsible for the trouble. Still, Ian hadn't been coping with learning about his dead sister Melanie; and while I hadn't exactly taken her son's death well, Andrés's reaction on learning of his possible parentage was even more negative.
I do wish to Hell that someone had been slightly more subtle about how to tell either of them.
By the time I'd calmed Andrés down, Dieter had gone, along with the party he had brought with him from Germania. At least I'd finally met Uwe, who I'd known about for some while, and he seemed a nice enough young man - for a lawyer. Friends with my brother Artur, by the look of it. Blaine's existence, however, caught me flatfooted. I'd thought my grandfather had been being decent when he'd brought Soren to live with us, but learning that my little boy had a younger twin had been something of a kick in the balls.
Still, seven sons. That takes some getting used to, especially given the mythological connotations.
Of course, the funeral was followed almost immediately by Ian's bombshell: his public vote of no confidence in his father, and renunciation of this place in the Amber succession, which in turn led to the change in my own position. And suddenly I was spending my days in Amber, running the Harbour, which I quickly realised I knew precious little about; learning just how inferior my generation was considered by certain members of Ian's; and knowing I had to take steps to defend myself if, God help us, anything happened to Bleys. And to top it all, I was spending my evenings back at home in Kent, with my little boy, and coping with my personal life going off in a completely unexpected direction.
Still, at least, with the Harbour - and with seeing to my own defences - there were information and skills I could learn, so I settled down one evening with Dave, my predecessor as Harbourmaster, and picked his brains on the former subject. He was very helpful, and by the end I decided to take his advice and head off into fast time and get some hands on experience. The trouble was, having just had Soren come into my life, I was loathe to then go away and leave him for possibly years on end.
The easy solution, of course, was to take him with me. The harder part of that, though, was that that would mean he and Blaine would end up at least five years apart in age, unless I went crawling to my other grandfather, to see if he would be willing to let me take my younger boy with me on my travels. After all, trying to explain to Soren at the funeral why the other little boy who looked just like him couldn't come home with us had been difficult. If they met again, and Soren was twice his brother's age, that would be far worse.
It was evening, and I'd made sure Soren was safely tucked up, before heading up to my own room in Wittersham House to give him a call. He answered quickly.
"Good evening, Wolfgang."
"May we talk?"
"Please...join me," he answered, and offered his hand.
I took it and stepped through into what I guessed were his private quarters on Germania. There was a strange mix of understated luxury and 'fuck-off' power in the way the lounge I arrived in was furnished. Dieter, himself, was standing near the fireplace, his other hand resting on the back of a comfortable looking wood and leather armchair.
"Schnapps?"
"Thank you," I answered and he poured two glasses, then indicated for me to sit.
"So what brings you to my door, child of my child?"
"I want to talk about Blaine."
"I had a feeling you would. In fact, I'm surprised it's taken you this long. But then, I imagine your father's recent actions, and the fallout thereof, have rather occupied your mind since the funeral."
"That's a fair assessment."
"Has he told you why he did it yet?"
"He's given me his reasons, and I have sympathy with some of them. I'm not sure I would have taken the same course of action he did, if I had been in his place."
"Which of course you now are," he pointed out.
"After a fashion."
"You're Crown Prince in all but name."
"The 'all but name' bit is an important distinction. Especially, I suspect, in the eyes of those who don't take me seriously because I'm a generation further down from Oberon."
"More fool them," he answered, with a shrug, "What's your view on your new status?"
"I agreed to do it. However, to be honest, I don't rate my chances of actually enforcing my rights if it came to it, unless I can get some serious heavyweights on my side. So I consider myself a caretaker, until Ian and Bleys make their peace."
"Do you think they will?"
"From the way the announcement was phrased, I think the King hopes they will. But we'll see. Ian can be stubborn."
"Something I've been aware of for rather longer than you have, I suspect."
"True enough," I answered. I paused for a moment to take a drink before continuing, "But that isn't why I'm here."
"As you mentioned at the outset."
"Why didn't you tell me Soren had a twin?"
"I don't have to answer to you for my actions, Oberführer Ulrich," he answered, the use of my rank acting as a polite warning of how far I could - or couldn't - push this conversation.
"I understand that, Herr Führer," I answered, replying in kind, "but then, with respect, why bring him to the funeral? If you hadn't, I wouldn't have known to ask the question."
"As you know, I rarely do anything without a reason," he continued, as he watched me watching him, "but if I don't feel inclined to share my motivations with you, then I have every right to keep my own counsel."
"Of course," I acknowledged, with a slight nod.
"Call it a whim, if you have to have an explanation."
"Not something I associate with you, sir."
"And yet some might say that your continued existence is as a result of my whim."
"You went to an awful lot of trouble back at the Castle if was nothing more than that," I replied, quietly.
He met my eyes, and we regarded each other for a few moments, before he shrugged and leaned back in his chair, regarding me over steepled fingers.
"When Geran asked me to attend the funeral, he told me that it was a chance for both the House of Brand and the House of Bleys to come together and mourn the passing of a young man who bridged the divide between us," he replied, finally, "Much like you, Artur and your children. It therefore seemed appropriate that they should all be there."
I watched as he downed the glass of schnapps in front of him and poured himself another, accepting a top-up when it was offered.
"I hadn't realised until the service that they had found your aunt's remains, though," he continued.
"Ian went looking for them when he learned about her."
"I'm impressed that he succeeded."
"He can be very resourceful."
"I know that well enough, too...I assume it was some kind of location ritual?"
"Yes, although don't ask me to explain what he did, especially given that as far as I could tell, he was working from nothing except the fact that he shared Bleys's blood with her: I just helped in the background. Gave him additional energy when he needed it."
"Your father has become a formidable ritual magician since he walked onto the stage in Amber. Much better than in the earlier years of our acquaintance. And annoyed as I am to admit it, probably better than I am. Still, I am glad she was found. She deserved better than she got from our bastard uncle."
"Amen to that," I said, raising my glass - a gesture which he mirrored.
"So, what do you want, Wolfgang?" he said, finally.
"I need to take a trip to fast time, to help me do my job properly in Amber. I intend to take Soren with me, and I was hoping that you might consent to allow Blaine to come as well."
"How long are you planning to be away?"
"It could be up to five years."
"And why do you want me to let Blaine go with you?"
"I'd like them to get to know each other. The bond between twins is supposed to be a strong one, and comes back to the heart of Ian's problems with Bleys. He and John were separated at birth, and Ian deeply resents not having had the chance to grow up with his brother. I don't want that to happen to Soren and Blaine."
"Tell me, Wolfgang. If Ian and John had grown up together, where do you think you would be now? Would you have ever developed the strong relationship with your father that you currently enjoy? Would you have even left Germany?"
"As far as leaving Germany is concerned, that was prompted by your actions in Bucharest and afterwards," I countered, "I didn't even know who he was back then, and you must have known that that, and yet you punished me for not arresting him, because you were angry with him."
I looked up and met his gaze, and in return, I saw anger flashing in his eyes. I caught my breath as I realised I'd gone too far, especially given my weak bargaining position with regard to Soren and Blaine. But then he broke the eye contact and shrugged.
"Touché, child of my child, touché."
"To answer your question, though. I'm savvy enough to accept that somehow he knew there was something missing in his life, and that when he and I met, I filled the gap. However, there are also the past life links between us, which bind us as tightly as those of our blood. Possibly more so. Once circumstances threw us together."
"You're probably right," he conceded, after a moment, "Such close karmic links are unusual. To see them twice in one bloodline is fascinating."
"You mean Armand and Artur?"
"Yes. Although given the chain of seventh sons in Ian's bloodline - his father, him, Artur and your Blaine, so one in each generation - perhaps it shouldn't be that much of a shock."
I looked at him, surprised at that comment, as when I mentally tried to calculate my relatives, while I could get to seven for Bleys with a stretch - the exact place Caine fell in the birth order being the stretch - and I sure as Hell couldn't think of six of my own siblings before Artur."
"Are you sure?" I asked, curious.
"Trust me, Wolfgang. That isn't something I'd mistake," he answered, with a shrug, "however, to return to Armand and Artur. Like you and your father, their past life experiences are as important to who and what they are, and what they could be, as their present incarnations. They've been friends, brothers and occasionally lovers across many lifetimes...although at least neither of them appear to have the latter weakness this time around."
"You seem surprisingly well informed about other people's past lives," I commented.
"Within my own family, perhaps," he answered, his tone matter of fact, "although as it happens, I knew them both last time around. The archaeologist, and the dashing cavalry officer. You can probably guess which was which."
"Armand doesn't strike me as the archaeologist type."
"No indeed."
"What happened to them...last time."
"They had surprisingly mixed fortunes. One forfeited his honour, and ended up committing suicide, cold and alone on a French mountainside. The other died in his bed at the age of 72. As I recall, he was engaged in vigorous exercise at the time."
"Would I have known them?"
"You would have been too young to know Artur's prior incarnation, although your step-father certainly did. He was a fool with regard to who he chose to sleep with, and compounded that by not being subtle about it, so that eventually, even Himmler wouldn't protect him."
His tone was conversational enough, but I took his comment as the warning I suspected I was.
"You probably met Armand's though," he continued, "he was RFSS during your first career with the SS. He died in 1978."
Christ, that meant that back then, my son was Kasimir Ritter's boss. That was hard to reconcile with the bright, easy-going young man he is now. Although I suppose he is Dieter's poster boy, and apparently happy to be so.
"That was a bloody quick reincarnation..."
"Some of them are," he answered, "your mother being a case in point, as I've told you before. However, you no doubt want to get back to the subject at hand. Which, as I understand it, boils down to the fact that you want to spend some time in fast time, and wish to take both Soren and Blaine with you.
"Yes, sir."
"What guarantee do I have that you won't poison his mind against me? Against Germania?"
"Have I ever done anything of the kind?"
"Not since you and I were reconciled, true," he conceded, "and I am well aware that at times that has caused friction between you and your father. Will he be involved in this?"
"No. This is something I'm doing for my own benefit."
"Who else are you planning to take on this little expedition?"
"Sylvia Dane, Soren's tutor, so that she can make sure his Tenterden education is kept up in tandem with anything he might learn on the world I've chosen."
"Anyone else?"
His tone was conversational enough, but I suspected what underlay that question, too.
"Not unless you agree to let me take Blaine," I replied, promptly.
"I will concede that it would be convenient if he was a little less...young. Six year-olds aren't really much use. Eleven year-olds, however...I will agree, but with conditions..."
"Sir?"
"I will also provide a tutor, who will make sure that the boys are schooled in the history of both Germania and the GGR, and that they are not subjected to too many...inappropriate influences. You will keep that tutor fully in the loop with what you and the boys are doing, and I reserve the right to order them home - all three of them - if, at any point, the tutor believes that you are going against my wishes."
I downed my schnapps while I considered his proposal. On the face of it, it seemed quite straightforward, given that I had no intention of doing anything which might count as an 'inappropriate influence'. On the other hand, five years was a long time, and the place I was considering going was somewhere between Amber and Germania/Tenterden, as far as tech and social niceties were concerned, which meant I couldn't guarantee what would happen. Still, it worth the risk to let them at least spend a few years together?
"I accept your conditions, Herr Führer."
"When are you intending to leave?"
"As soon as I can. The quicker I go, the quicker I can be back."
"I will arrange for Blaine and his tutor to join you the day after tomorrow, after they have been fully briefed."
"Thank you, Grandfather."
"How will Ms Dane take being on another world?"
"She's a practical woman, with a surprisingly open mind. That's why I hired her. I knew that hanging around Ian and I was never going to be straightforward, and was very careful with who I chose."
"So be it, Wolfgang," he said, downing his glass and standing up, "I will speak to you the day after tomorrow."
I got to my feet, saluted, and then shuffled out my card of Carmichael, and took myself home.
The following morning, I set about making arrangements for the trip, and helping Soren to pack. Sylvia was somewhat surprised when she saw some of the things going into the steamer trunk I'd bought for the purpose (five years needed slightly more than roll-on cabin baggage) but she took my advice on what to take and not to take, and eventually began viewing the whole procedure as a character building exercise.
That evening, I Shadow-walked the world I had pre-scouted as my home for the next few years, and confirmed our accommodation, the boys' education, and my employment, although at times I found myself wondering if Dieter would reconsider his decision. Then, once everything was organised, and I'd been installed for a couple of weeks, I called Carmichael and brought Soren, Sylvia and our assorting luggage through. I decided to leave Ava in Kent, as she would probably be happier in the countryside, than I the equivalent of late-1700s London.
Allowing for time flows, Dieter contacted me pretty much on schedule. Blaine came through first, to be met by an eager Soren: I'd told him the other little boy from the funeral was coming, and he was looking forward to making a new friend. Being largely home schooled since he'd come to live with me meant that he didn't see a lot of children his own age. He was followed by a female Ahnenerbe captain, who looked to be somewhere in her early-thirties, and was exactly the kind of Aryan beauty I would have expected my grandfather to send. No doubt she had orders with regard to myself, as well as the boys. As we shook hands, I felt there was something half familiar about her - something I should recognise - but I couldn't pin it down.
"Oberführer Ulrich, I presume?" she said, crisply, as I broke the link, "Hauptsturmführer Katharine Heisel, Berlin Lebensborn Centre teaching staff. Herr Führer has assigned me to this project."
"I'm pleased to meet you, Hauptsturmführer Heisel," I answered, "this is Blaine's brother, Soren, and his tutor, Ms Sylvia Dane."
"Fraulein Dane," she said, turning to the older woman and offering her hand. Sylvia masked whatever disapproval she may or may not have felt at being presented by a uniformed SS officer, and accepted the hand in good grace. And thus began our stay on the late-1700s style world of Bowring.
It was a pretty unremarkable place, but in part I'd selected it because of that. In multiversal terms, it was located somewhere in the "Nelson Line", as I've heard that tech-band called, and magic was functional, if rare. However, my main criteria had been the speed it was running to Tenterden and Amber - something I could influence further, at least to a degree, thanks to my lessons with Fiona. It also provided decent schooling for the boys, as it had institutions of the prestige of Eton, Harrow, or the top schools in Germany, and any deficiencies in their curriculum, as well as maintaining their bi-lingual English-German upbringing, could be dealt with by Sylvia and Katharine.
More to the point, I could be reasonably confident that no-one was going to come and stab me in the guts just for the Hell of it. I'd had enough painful trips into Shadow recently to last a lifetime.
We soon settled into a routine. I usually worked six days a week, initially on the manual side of dock work, but later, as I became more experienced, in the admin and general running of the place. We made a plausible little family to the outside world, with Katharine playing the part of the boys' mother, and Sylvia the formidable governess. The prevailing attitude towards women - which was pretty standard for the late-1700s - frustrated the Hell out of a modern woman like Katharine, but she at least managed to find a part-time position at a small, forward-thinking merchant bank, which stopped her going stir crazy. The ability to generate extra cash if needed, by the judicious use of the Pattern, also helped things along and gave us a comfortable lifestyle, which was robust enough that not too many people questioned anything about us.
After some initial awkwardness, Katharine and Sylvia ended up getting on disturbingly well, and the boys got used to both each other and us. Having twin sons was tiring, but at least I wasn't a single parent any more, even if Katharine's and my 'marriage' was only for show, and as time passed, she came to care for them as more than just an assignment, which was something of a relief.
If anything, Blaine was brighter than Soren, and while magic wasn't common on Bowring, I became sure that both of them would have a knack for it once they were back somewhere where they could be taught properly. Blaine especially. In the meantime, I kept an eye on them, so they didn't try anything rash, the way I had in my youth.
During our stay, I came to trust Sylvia as both a friend and someone I could rely on. The relationship between Katharine and myself was slightly more complicated, given that I knew damned well that she was working for Dieter. We settled for something between professional and personal, with a mutual willingness to scratch each other's itches from time to time. After all, she was a pretty woman, and I've never spent as long as five years celibate in all of my adult life. Moreover, the added benefit was that a physical relationship supported our family 'legend'. However, I at least tried to make a conscious effort not to go home with more children than I went to Bowring with.
We has been there for about five years - pretty close to my initial estimate - and the boys were rising eleven, when I decided that I had learned enough to have a decent chance at making a go of things back in Amber. I talked it over with the others, and we began putting our affairs in order. It's amazing how much stuff five people can gather in five years, especially when two of them are children, and sorting out what to keep and what to sell took a surprisingly long time. However, eventually everything was set, and I dug out my Trump deck, which had been gathering dust in my desk drawer, and called Carmichael.
"Good to hear from you, Master Wolf," he said, as he recognised me, "I trust this means that your endeavours are successfully concluded?"
"It does. Time to come home."
"Very good, sir."
I transferred control of the link to Katharine, who knew something of how Trumps worked, and began to bring stuff through. Fifteen minutes later, the five of us, our things and Carmichael were standing in the Wittersham House ballroom, and Ava was sitting on my steamer trunk, regarding me balefully for abandoning her, even if it was only for a few days for her.
"Hello, Carmichael," Soren said, formally. And then he broke and hugged the older man.
"Welcome home, Master Soren," he answered, with a rare smile, and tousled my son's hair affectionately.
"How long since we left?" I asked, as I picked up the little cat to apologise to her. She went boneless up my arm immediately, started to purr, and I considered myself forgiven.
"About a week."
"Okay, so slightly longer than I'd planned, but not too bad. Any crises in my absence?"
"Relatively crisis free."
"Where's Ian?"
"He's in Munich...the Mistress will be coming to join us here in the next couple of days."
"That's a change of plan isn't it?"
I was surprised. Marina had been adamant that the twins should be born in the GGR, but obviously something had happened to change that in my absence. Hopefully it wasn't bad news that had prompted it.
"I'm not party to the details, but I'm sure he will talk to you once he's back."
"We should be going, Wolf," Katharine said, looking at me with perhaps a trace of regret.
"So soon?" I asked, realising I was disappointed. After all, we'd been with each other - after a fashion at least - for five years, and it was odd to be reminded that the arrangement was as much business as pleasure.
"Orders," she answered, with an apologetic smile.
"I understand. I've enjoyed...working with you."
"And I you. Perhaps we'll see each other again."
"I'd like that," I replied, realising it was true.
She paused for a moment, and then kissed me goodbye, then turned to Sylvia.
"Another time perhaps?"
"Look after him, won't you?" Sylvia answered, looking down at Blaine, who was sullenly staying his goodbyes to Soren. Obviously he wasn't ready to go home yet.
"If I have the opportunity," Katharine answered, before ordering, "Blaine, with me."
He and Soren hugged, and then he came over to me and we did the same.
"Goodbye, Papa," he said, quietly, "will I see you soon?"
"I'll try," I answered, and he nodded solemnly.
I was going to miss him, and hoped that once Dieter had seen that he had come home safe and uncorrupted, we might be able to come up with some other arrangement which would perhaps let him spend some of his time on Tenterden. Five minutes later they were gone, and I was left in the ballroom with Carmichael and the cat. Sylvia and Soren had headed upstairs to their rooms, and Christopher (Carmichael's son) had followed them with our luggage.
"Are you okay, sir?" he asked, quietly.
"Why the Hell can't things be simple?" I answered, wishing not for the first time that I wasn't caught between Ian and Dieter.
"They're simpler than they were," he said, gently, "at least your father and your grandfather are on speaking terms. Maybe there's some comfort in that."
"I hope so," I answered, suddenly gripped with the feeling that I needed to have some time to myself. I put Ava down onto the floor, then looked back at Carmichael, "I'll be back this evening if anyone wants me."
"Very good sir," he answered, and I headed back to Lancaster Gate to get the bike, and took a long, fast ride up the M1.
Dieter called me that evening, once I was back in Kent, which I suppose shouldn't have surprised me.
"Welcome home, Wolfgang," he said, as I opened the Trump contact, "would you care to join me?"
He offered his hand, and short of polite way to say no, I did as I was bid. He brought me through to the same room where we had met before. At least he didn't seem pissed off with me, so hopefully Blaine's ideological condition had passed muster.
"How was your trip?" he asked, pouring us both a drink, and then indicating for us to sit in the same armchairs we had before. At least I wasn't standing to attention in front of the Führer's desk, so I took this as a good sign.
"Productive."
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
"I certainly feel better equipped to do the job."
"I'm glad to hear it. How did Soren and Blaine get on?"
"They were as thick as thieves. once they got used to each other. We kept them out of mischief as much as we could, but they're both bright boys, and once they get their heads together, they can be a handful. And I had to keep an eye on them from an arcane point of view, to make sure nothing untoward happened. Blaine especially, but I guess that was to be expected."
"And Hauptsturmführer Heisel?"
"We got on well, I think. I like her."
"And enjoyed each other's company I trust?"
It was a very Dieter question, and I wasn't at all sure it was any of his business to ask. However, given that I wanted a favour from him, I settled for nodding in acknowledgement.
"You know," he mused aloud, "you could do worse than come to a more permanent arrangement with Katherine Heisel. After all, you've been living that life with her for the past five years."
"I'm not sure I want to marry again just yet," I answered, "and if I did, it wouldn't be to a mortal."
"Whoever said she was mortal?" he asked downing his schnapps and pouring himself another. But then, on his usual form, I suppose that wasn't a surprise. As far as I could tell every woman he'd arranged to cross my path over the years had been from one end of the multiverse or the other.
"Touché."
"What happens now, Wolfgang?" he asked, after watching me in silence for a few minutes.
"In what regard?"
"You're presumably going to be in Amber much more in the future. What are your plans for Soren?"
"He's going to need to go to a proper, modern school. While we were away they got used to the school routine, and more to the point, other children, and going back to private tutoring won't do him any good."
"And have you made arrangements?"
"I've organised a boarding place for him at Tonbridge School. He'll be there during the weeks, but I'm planning to see him regularly at weekends. And..."
I broke off, trying to decide how to phrase my next question. He looked at me in silence over those steepled fingers again, waiting for me to continue.
"...and I was wondering if there might be any likelihood of Blaine visiting Tenterden those weekends."
"If I agree to that, then I would want something in return."
"You'd like Soren to spend time on Germania," I guessed, and he nodded in confirmation.
"During the holidays. You would, of course, be welcome to visit with him. Which in turn might give you the opportunity to get to know your estate and the people on it."
"I have an estate?"
"Of course you do," he answered, his tone suggesting he thought I was an idiot for needing to ask, and I cursed inwardly at my slip-up, "You were appointed Landgraf von Geslau, remember?"
"I hadn't realised that had come with any actual land."
"Four hundred acres, a number of tenant farmers and a small schloss. You should visit, Wolfgang...soon."
"I will make a point of doing so, Grandfather."
"Good. Then you can bring Soren with you, and I will agree to let Blaine stay while you're there."
"And the weekends?"
"One per month on Tenterden initially, and we'll see how that goes. I trust that's acceptable."
What could I say other than yes? It was as good a deal as I was likely to get, so I nodded my head in agreement.
"Good. And if keep your nose clean, steer clear of scandal and do a good job in Amber, I may be willing to consider a more permanent arrangement. Am I clear, Oberführer Ulrich?"
"Crystal, Herr Führer," I answered.
"Excellent. Then there is just one more thing I wish to discuss with you."
"Sir?"
"I have recently become aware of an error in the GGR Lebensborn records, which I'm afraid concerns you...or rather, one of your sons."
I was surprised at the admission, but waited for him to continue, rather than interrupt his train of thought.
"How much has Ian told you about the raid my father conducted on the Berlin Centre in the late-1960s?"
"Not a lot. Brand grabbed three or four children for his own reasons and took them elsewhere. 'Sir Chad' and Tommy, who you brought to the funeral, are the two I know about."
"And that is where the error is," he answered, "two of your sons were taken in that raid. I thought it was those two, but apparently I was wrong."
"How?" I asked, surprised that he would be admitting an error in something as important as the Lebensborn records.
"I recently had cause to recheck the blood samples the Ahnenerbe had on file for those missing children, and have come to the conclusion that while Chad is who I thought he was, Thomas is not. The samples of him and another boy Theodor, who was born the same year, 1966, and admitted to the Centre at around the same time, had been mislabelled - either by accident when they were admitted to the Centre, or by design when my father raided it."
"Is it common to take blood samples from children?"
"Back then? No, it was only done for High Bloods, and those samples were preserved under somewhat basic conditions. Now, however, yes it's common practice, both for children within the system in the GGR, and also for all Lebensborn children and military officers on Germania, as you may remember from the coup."
"Something Rumpel knew and did something about."
"A mistake I don't intend to repeat, I assure you. Security in that regard has been improved."
"Presumably that means you also have reference samples for both Armand and Artur?"
"And those were correctly identified."
"I'm more worried about the potential for an arcane connection."
"Neither of them are my enemies, nor do I expect them to become so. You have no need to fear on that score."
His tone was conversational enough, but his expression had a coldness to it that warned me not to push that any further.
"So where is Theodor?"
"That, child of my child, is a very interesting question. And unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you."
"So I have another son, who could basically be anywhere in the multiverse?"
"Yes."
"I'm getting pretty good at finding things with the Pattern, but that's going to challenge even my investigative skills."
"I understand that...however, I'm willing to give you part of the mislabelled sample as a reference, and from there I'm sure you can use it creatively."
He crossed to his desk, and pulled out a small package, then came back to the fireplace and handed it to me.
"If you'll forgive me asking..." I began, cautiously.
"Why haven't I used it to find him?" he asked, anticipating my question, "I haven't had the time since I learned of the error, and neither do I expect to have in the near future. However, your father's actions at Kaylen's funeral served to remind me that his family is not a point on which he is entirely rational."
"And then Ian had his mid-life crisis, which threw everything else up into the air."
"Quite."
"Are you disappointed? That your daughter is no longer married to the Crown Prince of Amber?"
"Perhaps a little. But on balance, it's not as if his status has changed greatly, that aside - although the wisdom or otherwise of his decision will only become apparent as time passes. However, perhaps more beneficial, from my point of view, is the potential position it has placed you in, Wolfgang. After all, you and I have a much more long-standing civilised relationship. With him, I'm still unsure if our newfound bonhomie will ultimately revert to type."
"He's pragmatic. Having got past the hurdle of talking to you - and working with you - at all, I suspect he'll continue to respect your new status quo."
"In that, you are a better judge than I am," he said with a shrug, then indicated the package once more, "I would appreciate knowing what you learn."
"I'll make sure you're kept in the loop."
"Excellent," he said with a smile,
"When does Soren start at school?"
"September. However, hopefully they will be able to stay with each other a little through the summer. Just bear in mind that Ian is planning to run this place fast for a bit - to catch its seasons up with Amber."
"Then perhaps I will let Blaine stay with you, this summer at least. I will be in touch concerning arrangements."
"Thank you."
"And tell me. What would your opinion of Katharine Heisel continuing to act as his...tutor on his visits to Tenterden."
"As long as she doesn't piss Ian off, I don't see a problem."
"That's not what I meant, Wolfgang."
"As long as such an agreement doesn't count as anything more binding than it was on Bowring."
"Did you not find her attractive?"
"I found her very attractive, and I hope she didn't find me too unpleasant to live with."
"On the contrary. She has expressed a desire to remain in touch with you. Hence my question."
"As I said earlier. I'm not looking to marry again anytime soon."
"Who can predict what will happen in the way of relationships ...nein? And after all, since our...reconciliation, you've always known where your duty lay"
"As you say, Grandfather."
"Good. In which case, I think our business is concluded. My regards to your father when you see him. And ask one of him and my daughter to get in touch...I worry."
"I'll give them your message," I answered, getting to my feet.
"I'm sure you will, Wolfgang," he answered, smoothly, also standing.
"Thank you for your time, Herr Führer," I said, with a nod, and then shuffled out Carmichael's Trump. I saluted my grandfather just before the contact firmed, and then stepped through to Tenterden once more, holding the package he'd given me carefully in my other hand. I had a son to find.