Chapter Fourteen
Charlie Stephens was hopelessly lost. He had stepped out from the deep woods into a field of tall grass. He stopped and caught his breath. Falma had left him some time back in the woods and had instructed him to continue to walk up the hill, and out of the forest, and then to go towards the sea. By the light of the moon, however, he could only guess where the sea lay. Behind him were the forest and the mountains, and he guessed that the sea was somewhere to the front, but he couldn’t see that far. A blanket of fog had covered the ground ahead. There seemed to be some lights within the distant fog, perhaps some sort of village, but there was no path or road of any sort to follow.
And so, he just stumbled forward toward the lights in the distance. And as he walked, he became enshrouded in the fog. It became too thick to see even his feet, but he could still make out the lights in the distance, and so he slowly and carefully went on. And he walked on for another hour, not daring to stop or to slow down. Finally, as he stumbled once more, he found himself on a roadway. This was easier going, as he could follow the ruts in the road, and so he walked along, a little faster, and up ahead he could now make out that there were indeed lights from houses. But off to his left, and down a steep hill, he could see a brighter light, but this was flickering, as if something was on fire. He stopped, and carefully went down the slope toward the burning building.
As he got down to the small shed, he noted the heat it put out was tremendous. He looked around, and saw no one else around, which he thought strange. He looked again and noticed that he stood very close to the ocean. He could hear the ocean, and he believed he could just make out the water’s edge.
So, what am I doing here, wherever here is? I’ve made it to the ocean, just as Falma instructed. And here I am with some kind of burning shed, with no one about. And there are no instructions here.
Then at the edge of his vision, he saw something moving. It was at the opening to the shed. He stared in horror for a moment, then, not thinking he rushed toward the burning hut. There at the bottom of the small doorway, was a child, trying desperately to escape the inferno. Despite the intensity of the fire, Charlie bent over, grasped the child, and pulled him to freedom. He dragged the somnolent boy away, toward the ocean. His clothes and hair were singed, but he was not otherwise severely burned, but what was apparent was the large stain of blood on his abdomen.
“I… I thank ye…sire.” The boy was weekly able to say, before lapsing into unconsciousness.
Oh, terrific, thought Charlie. Now what do I do? Where am I supposed to take this kid? And heaven knows if they’ve got hospitals here. OK, Falma, what have you got me into now?
Charlie looked around, but in the night, with the fog, he couldn’t see much. But staying down here was not going to accomplish anything. He looked at the young boy, and noticed, that even in the faint light of the moon, the boy had been wounded, had been stabbed in the abdomen. But he was alive, and somehow, that mattered – mattered very much. He couldn’t decide what to do, but eventually decided to try to take the boy up toward the village. He reached down, and picked up the sleeping boy, and then walked up the steep slope toward the lights of the village. The way had been hard enough before, but now, walking uphill, carrying the dead weight of the unconscious youth, in the immense darkness, was so much more than he had ever done in his usually sedentary existence. He found that he could only make it for a few minutes, before stopping to rest.
They finally made it up to the roadway, with the lights of some village ahead. He stopped again, before going on. The way was now a bit easier. As they got closer, the youth began to rouse in his arms. Charlie stopped again, and breathlessly asked the boy, “Can you tell me where I should take you, son?”
The youth stirred, and he tried to say something. Charlie leaned in closer to his face, and he said, “Try again. I’m not from here. Tell me where to take you.”
“The girl,” uttered the boy, “the girl said… take me to the inn… said they… would know.”
“The girl – do you know her name?” Charlie did not know why he even asked.
“Aye. She said… her name… was Maggie.”
“Ah, Tom, do come in,” said Craycroft, His face registered a mixture of anxiety and relief. “It is so good to see you. And please take a seat. There is much we need to discuss.”
Along with Craycroft in the dining room, were Kerlin, Cayman, Rust and the earl of Derrymoor. They had just eaten their early breakfast, and all looked toward Tom with eager anticipation.
“Indeed, and I have much to report, as I am certain you do as well.” He picked a chair next to Derrymoor and sat down. All the eyes in the room were looking at him with eagerness. “My friends I am so glad to see you here and am so grateful for the presence of our esteemed earl among us now. Before I begin, though, I must ask of you what has happened. I was appraised of some activity by the birds, but I fear that my knowledge is very incomplete.”
“As you say, my son,” began Craycroft. “And might I say that it did grieve me to send you as I did by necessity, to the whim of forces over which none here have any control. And I am grateful for your presence once again among us. As to what has happened, let me begin by showing you the note which I received in the middle of the night from none other than our Master LeGace. And if it means anything, it was pinned to the door with this.” Craycroft slid the knife over to Tom, who looked at it with care.
“It is one of Tierney’s, no?”
“It is, Tom.”
“Then I believe that we should have a little talk with our blacksmith… Now, let me see the note that you received.”
Rust handed him the piece of paper. Tom took the paper, and as he read it, his face turned dark. He then put down the paper. He said nothing for a moment. He swallowed, but still said nothing, as all looked at him.
Eventually, he spoke. “My friends, this would appear to be an open declaration of war!” His fists were clenched. “I believe we can treat it as nothing less. Now Master LeGace has an armed force of many men, either here upon the island, or close by. And I would surmise that, in addition to our men, the earl of Derrymoor has himself brought men with him.”
“Aye, that is true, Tom,” answered the earl. “I have with me fifty of my finest fighters. I knew that I should be needing them, though I had no idea of what this scoundrel had in mind. And now that I know some of what he plans, it makes me ill at ease to realize just what we are up against. It is now his evil nature is so boldly apparent in this note. Now let me ask Craycroft, just when it was that you did receive this note?”
“The night before last,” Craycroft replied.
“Then we have but four days to truly plan something, for I would like to have to have everything we have planned in place at least one day before… May I see the note, Tom?”
Tom slid the note over to the earl. He looked it over. He then said, “true to form, he believes that he is playing against an inferior class of persons, based upon our care and concern for those close to us, and those under our care. He believes, that since he cares naught for anyone else, he may make the rules, which we will then by our antiquated sense of obligation, obey.”
“As you say,” said Rust, “the man has given us no indication that he cares a whit for anyone else. Nor does he say in his note, that even if we were to abide by his demands, that he would turn over Melchior and Lisa to us unharmed.”
“I fear you are correct, good councilor,” said Tom. “And that is precisely why I have been sent to the winds of time, in this most extreme case. And that is why I do return with much to tell.” He paused, but then continued. “But, pray tell, what else do you know, and what else have you heard which might help us make sense of our troubled times?”
Rust continued. “As to the Council, I did take them this note, and to a man they thought as you did, that this was an act of treachery, and of war. Councilors Genet and Fitzgibbon in particular said that they would get word to their own houses, and to see if any of their men and horses could be made ready for the coming conflict. And they both swore an oath that they would do whatever they could to protect Lord Craycroft, and our island.”
“That is most welcome news, indeed,” said Craycroft, “yet it does little, I fear, to alleviate our immediate threat. But of that, I also suspect that our Master LeGace, though he does not care for the lives of anyone else, nevertheless, sees at the very least that he maintains a strategic advantage over us by keeping the hope afloat that our persons yet live.”
“True, true,” said Derrymoor. “And I know something of this man, and his ways. As long as he sees that his game plan is being taken seriously, he would be unlikely to kill Melchior or Lisa. So, that makes it even more imperative that we find out, as soon as we are able, the whereabouts of his prisoners.”
“And I would assume that you have some thoughts on that matter…”
Derrymoor nodded.
“Well, good,” continued Craycroft. “But now, I do believe it might be wise to let young Tom in on new developments, especially after having had our dinner last evening, and with our guests, and what they have to tell us. Would you enlighten us all, then, Kerlin, as to what we have learned, and from whom?”
“Of course, m’lord.” Kerlin spoke, “Now it happens that we have two visitors come to us from Scotland, both are alchemists, and both upon hearing of our academy, decided to come and be students. And they both came here by way of Killiburn, where their ship landed, and being very observant souls, were able to provide us with important details of just what was developing with Guarneri and Patronis…”
“Oh, excellent!” said Tom. “I had wondered about them myself.”
“Well, it would appear that the two of them were on hand when Count Gregorio landed with his ship, also in Killiburn. And though they were originally working with LeGace, have now joined up with Gregorio in his plans, whatever they might be.”
“I shall tell you more anon,” indicated Tom, “but, pray, do continue with your observations.”
“Well, Tom,” Craycroft continued, “it seems we should also tell you about Jeremy, Rowan and Allen of Burridge.”
“My word, that’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time…”
“Nor I. But it seems that this old man, who acted all those years ago as the eyes and ears for your grandfather, became the one who did become the same for our own Rowan and Jeremy. For I had sent them to spy for our troops on Dunnigan’s Isle in pursuit of Melchior and Lisa. As it turns, he was the last of our own to see the two of them, as he was savagely beaten, and before he did swoon, he did see them taken from the hunting hut on the isle. And he does believe that they have been taken to one of Master LeGace’s ships. Now Rowan and Jeremy did bring the old man back to us, injured yet alive. And I shall take you to see the old man when we are done here. He is in the clinic, resting his wounds.”
“Aye, I would fancy that. For it seems the old man might be able to tell us even more of what we need to know.”
“But now, pray tell, young man,” Rust spoke, “what have ye been doing these days? For it seems that much of what we shall need you do bring from across the breach of time. Is that not so? And are ye able to tell of Master Robert and his pregnant bride?”
“Most assuredly, Councilor. For it is an adventure I have undertaken, unlike any before. What I am able to say is that Master Robert is presently well, accompanied by Hermes and Kevin, but has been captured by the remnant of Gregorio’s men. And they were headed down the mountain towards Killiburn. And they be pursued by none other than Master Fausto, and some of my men. In addition, I should add, within the company of the men is none other than Lady Marilyn Gilsen, the wife from the other age of Master Robert.”
At this a hush fell on the room, as if everyone had just swallowed something hard. All eyes turned toward the young man in disbelief.
Craycroft broke the silence. “Oh, and can you tell us, son, how this all came about? I had heard that this Lady Marilyn was now among us, but to be in the rough company of your forest guard, on a mission as perilous as this?”
A slight smile broke across Tom’s face.
“Well, my friends, t’would now appear to be the time to tell you of my traversing across the fabric of time, and to tell you of two rather remarkable persons I have brought across, with the aid of none other than Master Falma. Are ye ready for the tale?” Tom looked around the room and noticed the eye all on him. He then began his story.
He told them of how he initially went through the fabric of time, to visit, and on the way, came upon Falma. Initially, he had just observed the doings of Marilyn and Charlie, and noted the close-knit bond between them, and also noticed the strain of their relationship, related to Marilyn’s conviction that she had more to do with Robert, somewhere in Shepperton. And he told them of her personality, much like a willow tree, that would bend with the winds of misfortune, but which, at its core was unbreakable. And he told them of the earl of Shepperton, yes, very much alive, and now married to one of the women who nursed him back to health, and whose health had been guarded by Falma, through the ministrations of Marilyn Gilsen and Charles Stephens.
He went on to tell of Charlie’s relationship with Janie and Earl, the parents of Joshua, who had been cared for over the years by Master Robert, and how Falma had appointed Janie to be the voice across the chasm of time, as she herself was to be leaving the world due to illness. And he also explained how Janie’s life became the force by which Marilyn and Charlie Stephens would come across the great chasm. And lastly, he explained that a girl named Amanda, who bore the same physical relationship to Alexandra as Joshua bore to himself, had chosen the same role herself for the return of Marilyn and Charlie, if it should come to that.
“Now, Tom,” said Craycroft, “it would seem to me that you have, indeed, been playing with the hands of fate. And if I recall, those hands do not do what is our bidding, but rather we often do theirs, unknowingly.”
“Aye, you are right, m’lord. But you did not become knowledgeable by happenstance. Rather, it would appear that you have been reading. Am I right?”
“So it would seem, my son…”
“Lord Craycroft!” The voice came from the doorway. “M’lord, you are needed at once in the Sick Bay!”
“All right, page. Now Tom, and Sir Derrymoor, why do you not come with me to Sick Bay. I do have the feeling that your presence may, in fact, be vital.”
As they left, Craycroft stooped over and got his walking cane and his colorless, shapeless hat, and then led them out through the hallway, and down the winding stairway.
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