Here is Chapter Twenty of my book five in the Drachma series. In this chapter we're back at Barncuddy's Ale House, with its magic and its potent ale.
Chapter Twenty
As they stepped into Barncuddy’s, the atmosphere of the inn felt to Charlie like a comforting quilt. His senses were instantly put at ease. As they sat and talked the warmth and conviviality of the inn, and the ale, the bread, and the conversation all made his heartache so much more bearable.
“You know,” he said, turning to the others, “this reminds me so much of a place back home. Not so much in its appearance, but in its atmosphere. And this beer! Wow, I mean it could be from the same stock. I got to tell you, that beer I only had a couple of times. It was named Carlisle’s Brew, and it was this Irish Pub, called The Three Knights Inn…”
“Would you then be surprised,” Craycroft broke in, “to know that this establishment was once called the Three Knights Inn? Ho, Master Barncuddy! Would you do us the pleasure to come over?”
The portly innkeeper sauntered over, as Craycroft rose. “Master Barncuddy, if I were to tell you that our good friend, Master Charles has come from the same place as Master Robert, and he has some news to share… Master Charles, if you could tell Master Barncuddy what you just told us…”
Fed by the warmth of the Inn and its company, Charlie began telling his tale of taking Lonnie to the Three Knights Inn, and how he had ordered the Carlisle’s Brew, and how it had so transported his guest, and how that had led to their meeting with the earl of Shepperton, and how that then led to his being present at Janie’s side as she died, and ultimately his own departure with Falma. Barncuddy stood by awed at what this man was telling him. It was altogether too much to absorb.
Then, at the prodding of his companions, Charlie spoke of what he found on the isle, and how that led him to where he was now. His drawing of Shepperton Castle next made its rounds again, and eventually into the hands of Barncuddy.
“Ah, but ye’ll have to let me sit down here,” said the innkeeper, “fer I’ve ne’er seen anything like this drawing. An’ ye say it was made by a lady who had ne’er seen Shepperton, yet somehow she knew that ye’d be acomin’ here. Well, I see all this talkin’ of magic and mysteries beyond me ken, but I do say that it calls fer some o’ me best…Ho, Marcy! Could ye bring a round o’ me good stuff to this table? Fer it’s truly needed is it not?”
A few minutes later, from the kitchen came young Marcy, bearing a load of pewter jugs filled with a bubbly brown liquid. She set down her load, and then curtsied, and quickly retreated to the kitchen. Charlie looked down at his jug and inhaled the aroma. He then closed his eyes, and for a fleeting moment caught a glimpse of a group of friends sitting at a table, not unlike the one where he now sat, and the group included the earl of Shepperton, Carol, Chris Lewinsky, Amanda, and Lonnie! As the image faded, he sensed a deep dread, which made his heart ache, but he could not name it.
“What is it, Master Charles?” asked Derrymoor. “Your appearance of a sudden suggests the drink is not worthy.”
“Oh, Sir Derrymoor, this drink is heavenly, but its aroma very briefly transported me to another place (back home I believe), and there sat a group of people I knew, and whose aura suggested… I don’t know… that there was malevolence of some kind, something evil among the gathered folk.”
“That would indeed be worrisome,” said Tom. “Hmm, it does make me wonder – nay, that could not be true. I shall have to consult with Drachma about the matter. But for now, enjoy your Carlisle’s Brew!”
“I do know what we need here,” said Barncuddy. “Music! And I shall see to it, me friends. Ho, there, young Mortimer, could ye but see if our good minstrel be about? Let him know I’ve a special gathering fer him.” And with that, Barncuddy got up, and plodded back toward the kitchen.
“Tell me, Charles,” Craycroft said, “about the earl of Shepperton. You now say that he is alive and appears well. That would indeed be good news to Master Robert, for his decision to stay here among us was greatly dependent upon the earl’s state of health. And it would, I am quite certain, be most excellent news to him. Would that you could see him, good sir.”
“Where is this Master Robert? For I was told that I do need to see his woman, someone named Judy, and I was given some medication for her, which apparently she needs.”
“Indeed,” said Tom quizzically, “what would that be for?”
“That I don’t know. But what I do know is that she’s pregnant, and likely to go into labor, and she would be needing this injectable medicine, which I was given by Lonnie back home. But hell, I’m no doctor, and I don’t really know anything about pregnancy, and mothers, and their babies, and their needs.”
“And yet you say,” answered Tom, “and very accurately I might add, that Lady Judy is indeed pregnant, soon to deliver, and with one of our finest midwives in attendance. She is, at this moment on the interior of the island, at a place called Castle Kearney. And Master Robert is also on the interior of the island, but at another place. It would seem that you and I need to go to Castle Kearney then, for you have, in your possession something which has been deemed necessary for the Lady Judy, through the powers that be. And so, Master Charles, can you ride?”
“You mean on a horse?” asked Charlie. “I believe, if my childhood memories serve me correctly, that is one thing I was able to do. But it would have to be a rather tame horse, ‘cause that’s all I’ve ridden on.”
“And I shall send two of my men with ye,” added Derrymoor. “For the information you bring is most valuable to me as well.”
“Very well, then, I shall see to it that you shall be set up with a mare who is easy to ride, and I believe that we should leave first thing in the morning.”
“And I agree,” said Derrymoor.
“If you all say so,” said Charlie, all the while thinking of what his newest adventure had already opened in front of him. All the strange and unexpected sights, sounds, smells he had encountered, as well as the people in this place of intense need and magic.
As the evening wore on, with Charlie’s mind wandering through his situation, and all the implications of his current state, and which definitely included the effects of the brown ale, he began to get drowsy, and just as he was about to doze off, there came a raucous clattering from the doorway. As they all turned to the entryway, Barncuddy hurried over, and helped hold the door for the persons entering.
“Me good minstrel! Ye do come – I take that ye’ve got ye a couple o’ yer comrades wi’ ye.”
“I tell ye, this had better be somethin’ of import. Ye’re so right, fer I was just acomin’ over to have a pint, when I was met by these two lads. One o’ them said he came from Barncuddy, and his message was that Barncuddy needed my services, as there was yet another person from Master Robert’s place, and he felt it right that I should play fer the gatherin’. And then this other lad comes along and asks Mortimer if he knows the whereabouts o’ Tom. And Mortimer tells him that young Tom is with Craycroft, the earl o’ Derrymoor, and the man from Robert’s place. And with Craycroft, Derrymoor, Tom and this new stranger, I agreed that it would be fittin’ indeed to welcome the stranger with some music.
“But then this other lad, name o’ Darnell, tells me that he’s got a message of some import from Drachma to give to Tom. Says it came by the pigeons, and arrived by way o’ Fancyneck Flyer himself, so Drachma meant it to be hand-delivered to Tom right away. And so, I told him to come along, fer that be where we were all aheadin’.”
“Well, I’ll be, Willie,” said Barncuddy, “and ye two lads, why don’t ye all come on to the table toward the back. I’ll introduce ye to the man, name o’ Charles. And while ye’re gettin’ acquainted I’ll see to it that we bring ye some o’ our finest fer yer drinkin’ pleasure.”
And he took them toward the table in the back of the inn, where he introduced Charlie to Willie. Then Willie took up his Clarsach, and began tuning its strings, as Darnell took his pigeon message to Tom. Meanwhile, Barncuddy signaled to Marcy to bring Willie something to drink.
Tom studied the small cylinder briefly, noting that it was from Drachma, and the cylinder was one kept for the most important messages. He frowned as he opened the cylinder, then taking out a small, slender knife, he took out its message. He read it silently, and he handed it to Craycroft without a word. Craycroft’s visage darkened as he read the brief note. His eye closed briefly, and he then handed it to Charlie, and spoke.
“Here, Master Charles, I assume that you are able to read. I would appreciate your thoughts on this matter.”
Charlie swallowed some of the Carlisle’s Brew, as he took the note from Craycroft. Written on the small scar of paper were the words, written plainly, with a leftward slant.
To Tom
Be aware! It would appear that Master LeGace
now shares our knowledge of the folding of time,
and he means to use that knowledge against us.
Remember the Mortuis Concentis, as it may become
essential in the near future.
I am not long for this world – it shall be Ye above all.
Drachma
Charlie studied the small note and noticed that the paper was identical to other messages he had seen from Drachma. But as to what this message was trying to convey, he was clueless. However, his sense was that underlying the message was an intense feeling of foreboding, with a definite warning for him as well as Tom, which he understood only in part.
“Well, Master Charles, what make you of this message? I do know that you are rather familiar with its sender, is that not true?”
“Why yes, Master Craycroft, I am. Even though I have not met this Drachma fellow in person, I am at least familiar with some of his methods. It is definitely from him - I even recognize his writing. But as to what he is actually warning Tom about, I have no knowledge, except that it does appear to carry a note of foreboding and has something directly to do with how and why I came here. And you know what? I keep thinking that if Falma were here, he’d be able to help us.”
“Remarkably perceptive, no?” Craycroft’s words were directed toward Tom.
“Indeed, and I too would value Falma’s astute wisdom.” Then Tom turned toward Charlie, “if it all comes about, I shall see that you get to Castle Kearney safely, then I must seek out Drachma. As this note indicates, it might be the very last time he would be available to me.”
“In truth,” said Craycoft, “There be forces at work, only some of which we can name, others, which are more fearsome yet, which I do see working against us, but only as shadows among the trees. I believe that, between the earl and me, we would be able to take care of those we can see clearly, but I shall have to rely upon you to enter into said realm of shadows on our behalf…”
Their discourse fell silent, as Willie began playing a tune, which Charlie recognized immediately, but could not name. All sat back on their chairs, as the minstrel took the tune, and wove it through variations, each more complex than the last. Charlie soon found his somnolence even more difficult to resist, and he settled back and drifted off to places unknown and unseen. He was in the forest again, with the sound of running water, and she was there, at the edge of the stream. He approached her. She looked up and smiled.
“Charlie, my dear one, now you will become as one who has found true purpose, and whose power will be there when we need it. Go now. Your fate does call. When you see Alexandra, you will truly know.”
She took his face in her hands and kissed his cheek.
“Master Charles, Master Charles! Come now, we must take ye to your room fer the night.” It was Mortimer gently rousing Charlie from his slumber.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, I guess I drifted off to sleep.” He could see Craycroft, Tom, the earl, Willie and the others, but he could still smell Janie. And his cheek burned ever so slightly. “Well, lead the way, young man, and I’ll follow.”
He got up, unsteadily, and with Mortimer’s help, headed out of the inn, toward the castle. As they made their way, Mortimer told him that he would be staying in a room of the castle for the night, and that he would need to be ready to ride in the morning. They arrived, and went up the stairs, to a room reserved for royalty, with rich drapes and fine rugs about, and a four-poster bed. Mortimer helped him out of his coat, and his outer clothes. Then before he drifted off again to sleep, Mortimer told him that he would be sleeping outside, and to call if he needed anything at all.
Then Charlie slept the sleep of one truly exhausted - dreamless and profound.
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