Here is the next chapter if you're following along. Depending on the response, I'll keep posting weekly for a while. Enjoy the reading!
Chapter Four
They didn’t talk as they ascended the stairway to Craycroft’s rooms. They knocked on the great ornate door, and then waited. Eventually the door opened up, and their liege lord appeared.
“M’lord, we just received this.”
Normally, any messages received could wait until morning, and would be delivered by one of the pages. So, the appearance of both Kerlin and Cayman, in the middle of the night signaled that this was no ordinary message. Craycroft’s head was throbbing, and he tried to make sense of his surroundings. It had been many months since he had been awakened in the middle of the night.
“Well, let me see what you have there,” Craycroft said. “Here… bring it over here to the lamp.”
In the dim light he was barely able make out the words of the ominous epistle.
“The message was pinned to the door of the constabulary with this,” said Cayman, as he produced yet another of the knives, obviously crafted by Tierney. “It was pinned to the door by one who ran away, and was lost in the folds of night.”
Craycroft’s face darkened as he became aware of what the note told them.
To Craycroft, Greetings!
This shall inform thee of what I expect.
We have thy man, Melchior,
as well as the lass, name of Lisa.
If thou wouldst wish to see thy
Alchemist and the lass alive,
Then thou hast but one week to reply.
One week from tomorrow you must reply.
Send thy reply as a statement to my courier
who shall be awaiting for thine own envoy
at the mansion.
Now here be my demands:
1) Your envoy shall be Kerlin
2) He shall come alone, and without any weapons
3) He shall have your authority to act
4) He shall bring with him thirty gold pieces, as token
5) He shall bring with him your statement of surrender, in which you do forfeit any and all control over the castle, the island, and the people living thereon.
6) Ye shall leave the island, never to return.
7) The persons left behind within the castle shall be instructed in the importance of obedience to their new master
Now I shall tell this to thee only once. If any of these conditions
are not met to my satisfaction, ye shall have two more bodies to
dispose of, forthwith.
Antoine LeGace, representing the Third Prefect of
The Order of Byzantium
For a while he said nothing. His insides roiled, and he could feel the bile rising in his throat.
“So, this is how he plans to play his next move, eh?” his words came out as a low growl. “If my own love for Melchior, and that innocent young lass…”
“D’you not think, m’lord,” interrupted Kerlin, “that is precisely why he played it this way? Your love for your people is well-known, not only throughout the isle, but also upon the mainland.”
“But that love is also true of the people of Shepperton, m’lord,” added Cayman. “The people of this isle would do anything for ye – anything!”
“Yet the people of Shepperton must not be told of this. For any action that the people take would, I fear, make things more dire.”
“As you say, m’lord,” said Kerlin. “But we must tell those left of our congress. And I trust, we must also tell Drachma and Tom.
“Well, I shall have to leave it to you both to gather any whom you deem must know, and to prepare to meet with me this coming morn – at half past eight bells. Also to get word to both Tom and Drachma.”
After Cayman and Kerlin left, to arrange the morning meeting, Craycroft summoned Aaron. It was obvious to him that any hope of sleep had now been shattered, so he sent Aaron after some food and drink. As the stillness of the predawn dark surrounded him, he went over to the window that looked out over the castle courtyard. He could dimly make out the shapes below. Anger welled up inside him so violent that he found himself shaking.
He thought over the last week, and what he had set in motion. Thinking back he found nothing that he had done which he would have done any differently. He was satisfied that he had done the right thing by sending Robert and his companions into the interior. And he was glad that he had sent Tom off into that realm of mystery. And yet he wondered if there was anything he could have done to thwart this latest threat.
He found himself inexplicably thinking about Diego Monteverde, and of little Alex. He had sought out some more information on this princely man, but the only thing he could come up with, besides his own conversations with Derrymoor was a letter he had received from the earl, in which he listed one D. Monteverde as among the line of their former monarch, Richard. And he was certain that Derrymoor had mentioned Diego as one in which he could place his trust.
Now I know full well that his appearance among us was no accident, he thought, and yet he comes to us mute, and weakened. And Alexandra… what a lass! Never since Cartho have I been so swayed by another’s aura. He reflected back on his encounter with the six-year-old. Brief as it was, it established for him what he had been worrying about for years. Who, among those eligible, could carry forth the tradition that had been handed down to me? And now, with Master Robert taking over my own duties as healer of the realm, could it be that we have now one among us capable of carrying this torch to future generations? And who, but a young lass?
It felt right, somehow, that this young lass was provided at this time to be the voice and translator for Diego Monteverde. And he trusted that Robert also would see it. But now… what of this new ploy by LeGace? He knew that he had no intention of quietly stepping down, and abdicating his responsibilities of governance. That was one title which he felt had been bestowed upon him by powers too sacred to relinquish without a true fight.
And yet, what of the fate of Melchior and Lisa? Per the note sent by LeGace, it was now up to him to decide the fate of these two persons. One of whom was of insurmountable importance to the realm and its future, and possibly the world. The other an innocent lass, was one who truly mattered to Craycroft, though he was unable to articulate just why she should matter so much.
And so he paced back and forth, in front of the dark window. The stillness of the night only aggravated his internal turmoil. Then Aaron appeared with a tray.
“Come, Aaron, and sit down here, and talk to me.”
“M’lord... What is it troubles ye? Thy countenance worries me.”
Craycroft sat down in his comfortable chair, and across the table from him sat Aaron.
“Well, Aaron, I fear that trouble has truly begun. But what I need from you is knowledge.”
“Knowledge?”
“Oh, aye. Knowledge from the streets – from the little people, if you will. What are they saying, and what do they fear? What rumors do circulate?”
Aaron hesitated, but he knew his liege lord well enough to know that the truth alone would serve.
“M’lord, the people are restless. There be talk of evil doings. That’s fer certain. Just last evenin’ I heard at table, that there be the king’s men about. And there be fear o’ another inquisition. And now with Melchior missin’ and happenin’s at the castle.”
“Ah, aye. And were any names mentioned?”
“Nay, none that I recall. But I did hear about somethin’ of a pair of men described…”
“Oh, and pray tell what was the description that you overheard?”
“Well, one was an older man, who spoke with an accent, as if from some other country. Dressed like a gentleman, he was. The other was somewhat younger, and not nearly as well dressed. Dressed as a servant, but who spoke like a man of learnin’, or so they said.”
Craycroft pondered what Aaron told him for a moment, then asked, “Now, Aaron, could you tell me who it was that were talking thus? And where was it that you overheard this bit of conversation?”
“I was eatin’ at Barncuddy’s, wi’ Mortimer an’ Tingley. We were sitting at our usual table in the back… you know that Barncuddy leaves us that table to the back, an’ he charges us nothin’. And we were just sittin’, eatin’, and mindin’ our business, when in walks this pair o’ travelers. And he sits them next to us, and he gives us his knowin’ wink.
“Anyway, we’re just sittin’ and listenin’, and what they talk about interests us, and so the two strangers join us, and we get to talkin’ – you know, about how lately there’s been evil doin’s about these parts. They listen with interest, and that’s when they let on about these two men. It was in the village o’ Killiburn where they saw these two. Now, mind ye it was a few days back…”
“So, m’lad, what you’re telling me is that these two men said or did something which made these two travelers believe that they were the king’s men?”
“Oh, aye, sire. They were talkin’ of King Henry, and how he might be interested in our doin’s on the isle.”
“Very interesting, m’lad. Now you heard this last evening? And I imagine that the two travelers are staying at Barncuddy’s, right?”
“Aye, m’lord. Stayin’ there fer several days, I understand.”
“Well then, Aaron, I have a task for you, come morning.”
Knight to bishop three, thought Craycroft, as Aaron left. It has the potential to work.
At half past five, Cayman rapped on Jeanne’s door. She was already awake, and came to the doorway. He brought the news that Craycroft was convening a meeting of the congress at half past eight, and told her that Freida would be by, with his own son, Manny.
“Will ye not come in? I was awake…”
“Me thanks, Jeanne. But I need to tell the others.”
“Well, then, go with God, my friend.”
Cayman bowed his head slightly, and was off.
At six in the morning little Falma played, unaware of Jeanne’s distress, which had become intolerable. First, it was Clarice, but now her own Melchior. It was too much, and she needed to speak with Craycroft, and speak with him alone, and before the meeting of the congress, or what was left of it.
Her insides ached, almost to the point of numbness. Her hands shook as she tried to feed her two-year-old, and her thoughts were a confused jumble.
Why? She thought. Why my dear husband? What had he done to anyone? He was no warrior, did not even carry a weapon. And now they’ve sent off Judy and Robert into the interior - sent off my best friend, whose own child is due any time. Oh, Craycroft, I hope you have some answers.
It was then that Frieda arrived with Sylvie in tow, and holding young Manny.
“Oh, Frieda! You have no idea how terribly I have longed to see you. Do come in.”
The two women hugged each other and cried. After the better part of a minute, they finally broke the embrace, and Frieda introduced Sylvie. They had just been to see Clarice, and checked on her. Now it was time to introduce Sylvie to her new environs.
Frieda explained Sylvie’s circumstances, and while so doing, Sylvie also broke down in tears. As they realized each other’s loss, somehow their own burdens lifted ever so slightly, enough that Frieda was able to introduce Sylvie to young Falma, who came to her immediately, and smiled as he was picked up. Jeanne then showed Sylvie about her little house, and where she would be staying, and where everything in the kitchen was. Jeanne knew that Craycroft was behind all this, and that increased her desire to speak with the man.
By now Manny and Falma were down, exploring in the way of two-year-old boys, blissfully unaware of the emotional state of the women.
“And now, Lady Jeanne,” said Frieda, “ye may be off, to meet with yer lord. Fer I know that’s what ye want, no?
“Oh, Frieda, there be times when all this seems such a burden, that I find meself longing fer the old days…”
“Oh, sister, of that I’m aware. But now, get ye hence. And leave yer little one t’ me an’ Sylvie.”
On the way across the courtyard, Jeanne was thinking of all that had occurred in her life, after that one fateful night four years ago, in the bitter winter of the year of fourteen ninety-two. How she had lost lady Felicia, and had become the assistant to Craycroft. And how that job had developed into something so unexpected – so powerful, so far-reaching, yet so humbling. And how she had developed such a bond with Judy that it tore at her to be away from her. And now, their little army of six had been seemingly cut to shreds. Where once they were invincible, with Craycroft, Judy, Robert, Tom and Melchior – now it seems that it was just Craycroft and she. And she was feeling all the more spent and weakened.
She arrived at the keep, and ascended the stairs. It was eerily quiet, as though her loneliness was itself the loudest thing in the castle. She knocked quietly at the door, and was greeted by Aaron.
“Oh, m’lady… ye come. The lord does await ye. Come in.”
Craycroft was up, and greeted her with a hug.
“Ah, Jeanne. Come, sit down here and tell me your burdens. For they must be great, indeed. Too great for words, I fear.”
Craycroft poured her some spiced cider as she sat.
“As ye must know, Craycroft, me own world has now been rent asunder. For a while there were the six of us. “Friends to the death” was how Robert said it. Yet now it would seem only the two of us are here. And now my heart is so heavy that it would seem about to come apart. I need to speak with thee, friend – for I truly have none other who does understand.”
“You are so right, Jeanne. “Tis true that our little group of six is now split into fragments, which leaves you and me. And it is also true that you bear the brunt of that burden. And I do know that sending Robert and Judy into the interior was particularly difficult for you. But now, with your own husband taken away by LeGace – that would be altogether too difficult to imagine…”
“Could ye, at the very least, tell me where he is? D’ye know anything?”
“As to where he is, that would not be too difficult to surmise. I do believe that he has been taken to Dunnigan’s Isle – most likely held prisoner in an old underground tannery. And t’would be my guess that the same tannery is being guarded by men loyal to LeGace. Believe me, we are preparing a careful assault upon said building.” Craycroft paused, then he pulled over the paper, handed it over to Jeanne. “But now I did receive this letter, and it does change how we see our situation. And it is the reason that I am calling for a meeting of our congress this morning, and of our Council for this afternoon.”
Jeanne looked at the paper, and as she read the words, she could feel herself give way to inarticulate rage, as black as tar. She didn’t notice that Aaron had come in with a message for Craycroft from the pigeons.
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