Timothy H. Cook's Blog, page 4

Center Game, Heir of Drachma, Book Two, Chapter Twelve

 Chapter Twelve

 

 

 

 

Charlie Stephens pulled his blue Nissan wagon into the familiar driveway on Elliot Avenue, and he and Lonnie Chavez stepped out into the early evening. They ascended the steps, and Charlie knocked on the heavy oak door.

 

“Oh, my! What brings you both here today?” Carol said with delight. The two women hugged, and then Carol gave Charlie a kiss on the cheek. “Well, come on in… Oh, Earl, come out and see who’s come to visit!”

 

From his study the earl emerged and came toward the entryway. His face displayed a mixture of delight and something else as well, something akin to resignation.

 

“Alonza Chavez – my, it has been quite some time. But, come, m’lady, you are most welcome. And Charles, I would surmise that you are not come purely in friendship, but rather the look upon your countenance suggests that you have serious things you wish to discuss. Am I right?”

 

“You’re right, Earl.” Charlie knew he could hide nothing from his mysterious friend. “I’m afraid that I need your help.”

 

The earl smiled, but his look was such that Lonnie picked up right away that this was going to be an evening unlike anything like she had ever experienced.

 

“Well, then, my friends, come back to my parlor, and we shall see what I might do for you.”

 

“Tell me, Charles, you did not find any more of that rapturous brew of Barncuddy’s did you?” said the earl as they entered. A subtle smile appeared briefly on his face, and then faded again.

 

“No Earl, I’m afraid that the poor bartender said that was his last, and he didn’t know if he could get any more…”

 

“Oh, Charlie, don’t say that! Earl, here he gave me a taste of heaven, and now he tells me that he can’t get any more.

 

“Aye, m’lady. It would seem to be the truth. Now, why don’t you and Charles sit down in these chairs, and Carol and I shall sit down as well, and then we shall see what Master Charles has in store for us this evening.”

 

This room, unlike his office, was bright, with tall windows, which let in what was left of the sunlight. There were stuffed chairs, set about for conversation, and the bookshelves were lined with a vast array of reading material. Before sitting down, Charlie reached into his jacket and pulled out his notebook, which he opened to the drawing, and he handed it to the earl.

 

“Before we begin, I would like your opinion on this drawing, which I just got today from Janie Crabtree.”

 

As he looked down at the drawing, the earl’s eyes widened, then closed tightly. He said nothing for a while, then he uttered in a voice raw with emotion, “As you must know, Master Charles, before I came to your place and time that I was not a believer in magic. And the world of ethereal things had little place in my thinking. But now, what may I say? You have brought me a taste of my old time and place, and now this… this rendition of my old castle… And you say that you got this from someone who has neither seen nor ever set foot in Shepperton?”

 

“That’s right, Earl. At the very least, not with earthly eyes or feet.”

 

“Well, then, my good friend, why do you not tell me about your latest quest and concerns? And tell us everything, no matter how trivial.”

 

“Well, Okay, Earl…” And Charlie told them of his day, beginning with his session at home, and the mysterious voice, which seemed to come from the forest. At his telling of this, he thought he saw a look of recognition on the earl. And he told them of Janie and Earl Crabtree, and how it appeared that Janie was weakening, but she had experienced some rather peculiar and vivid dreams. And how she drew him the picture. And he went on to explain what happened in her dreams, and the names she mentioned, including Judy, Dr. Gilsen, Antoine LeGace, Alex, Melchior, Lisa, Diego, Diane, Maggie, Drachma, and Tom; and the nameless band of soldiers, who had taken Bob and the others captive. And next he went on to describe what Janie had told him of Drachma and Felicia, and how they had been the parents of Maggie, and how Maggie had been the mother of Tom. And then he told of Josh’s mysterious relationship to Tom, across the centuries.

 

At this point the earl interrupted, and said, “Now, I know of some of the people of which the lady Janie talked. However, her telling of the relations of Drachma, Felicia, Maggie and Tom – that I thought only I knew. There is no way, other than by the truth, that she would have known any of that.”

 

“And what does amaze me,” Lonnie put in, “is the connection between Janie’s son, Josh, and this fellow, Tom, from your world.”

 

“Indeed,” said the earl, “but tell me, what did she ask or expect of you, Charles?”

 

“So… you discerned that as well, did you?”

 

“Aye, my friend. But before you answer, let me tell a little of my own knowledge in this matter. Do you remember the suit of clothes from my own time, which I hung in my study?”

 

Charlie nodded.

 

“Well, for reasons even I cannot explain, I took a notion to try on the clothes, and as I did so, there came a feeling over me which I am unable to explain. One of longing, of great and powerful longing, as well as a sense of extreme repose. Then I heard the voice, as you put it, of the forest itself, which said that one who is to come to my house was to go back to Shepperton, armed with just his knowledge and his skill, which shall be sufficient. And that it shall be soon. And I should prepare him with knowledge of things that he would need.”

 

“Whoa, Earl,” said Lonnie, “so you’re also saying, that this newly found friend of mine, will be sent on this most mysterious journey…”

 

“Oh, aye, m’lady. And it would seem fortuitous that you chose to accompany him here this evening. For you, then, shall be part of something great as well.”

 

“Well, I’ve never been anything more than a nurse.” She looked at Carol, who smiled secretly. “Just what do you mean when you say that I’m going to be part of something great? Now, Charlie, is this what you’ve been priming me for – with all your talk of mysteries of the past and disappearances from our time? And with Janie now dying of cancer, and that amazing brew, and all this with Amanda?”

 

“Amanda?” Carol interceded. “Do you mean the orphan girl with leukemia?

 

“Oh, yes,” said Lonnie, “she, too plays into this whole scheme.”

 

“Well then,” Carol continued. “It sounds like you owe us an explanation.”

 

“Why, Charlie,” said Lonnie, “you begin… Okay? And I’ll fill ‘em in.”

 

“All right, then. After I left Janie and Earl’s, I headed over to the hospital. And while I was waiting to see Lonnie, I saw this young girl, who introduced herself as Amanda, in the fifth grade, and who, as she calmly told me, has cancer of the bone marrow - which has now come back. And she knew me, though she didn’t say how. But she also knows Janie, and she even recognized the drawing I showed you as being something which Janie had made, and… get this… she identified it as Shepperton Castle. And then she said that I’d be going there, and this was meant for me to find my way. Next she told me to tell Alex that they would meet again.”

 

“Again, I must say,” commented the earl, “that my prior life which was filled with regal and mostly political happenings… that is, before being thrust upon your world, would not have prepared me for anything such as this.”

 

“You’re telling me!” Charlie looked down at the floor, and he shook his head. “This whole business has really shaken my world. How, just four years ago, I was a hard-bitten TV investigative reporter, chasing down what I assumed to be some tale of greed and lust. And now, here I am, embroiled in the middle of some even greater tale, which crosses the oceans of both time and space, and involves political intrigue and magic the likes of which would make for some terrific fodder for TV. A game whose rules are unknown to me, and, I suspect to you as well.”

 

“Aye, to me, too. But before I proceed to tell you what you must know for your inevitable journey, what can you tell me of this young lass, Amanda?”

 

“Oh, she’s a girl unlike any I’ve ever met.” Lonnie said. “She is an orphan who I’ve had the pleasure of caring for… for the past three years at least. She’s extremely bright, and very literate, but more than that, she can read people, and their motivations. Yet, as I was telling Charlie, here, she was extremely shy around men. Then here she was, wrapping poor Charlie around her little finger…”

 

“Might I ask, what does she look like?”

 

“Oh, Earl, you know, we’ve seen her at church,” spoke up Carol. “She’s the one who sits in the front, with the Sisters. And she made it a point to talk to us after mass. And she’s the one who noticed that you weren’t from around here. And told you not to worry… I’m quite sure you remember. When you asked what she meant, she looked at you, and said, “the time is not yet.””

 

“Most certainly I remember. That is why I asked about her appearance.”

 

“What she looks like, Earl,” continued Lonnie, “is beautiful, but not a beauty that I can easily describe. She looks young, but her eyes, a pale blue, belong on a woman of ageless essence. Her beauty is one that you feel as you get close to her, rather than see from a distance.”

 

“Indeed, that description would be most fitting, for it is both beauty and wisdom itself which flow outward from her. Do you not agree, Charles?”

 

“Well, yes, I did notice her beauty, but what got to me more than anything else, was she was so absolutely certain of things – things that she would have had no way of verifying. And yet, it would seem that what she told us really was the truth. And if that’s how you would define wisdom, then I would agree.”

 

“Aye, that would be how I would define wisdom, as possessing knowledge which does come from some inner acquaintance with truth. Very rare indeed, but in one so young, ‘twould be but one other in my experience who possessed such. That would be Tom, of which the lady Janie spoke, and with whom I had but a passing acquaintance myself. He is one whose wisdom shone forth, even though he was but a page in my castle, back when I knew him. Since then, of course, his importance has become apparent to the good persons of Shepperton. And, it would seem that my old friend, Craycroft has seen to it that young Tom and his grandfather now have their means of connecting across the centuries when the occasion warrants.

 

“And that brings me to you, and your present circumstances…”

 

There was an uneasy hush in that room. Charlie looked about him, as if someone had moved at the edge of his vision.

 

“Nay, my friend, ye cannot see him as such, but know that he is here, and he shall become apparent to you when he needs you.”

 

“You mean Falma?” Charlie asked, not certain how his name came up.

 

“Aye, that is precisely whom I do mean. And that is just the person who shall accompany you on your journey, much as he accompanied your friend Marilyn on her own journey.”

 

“You… you spoke with Falma?”

 

“Nay, not exactly – he did speak with me, in my own dreams, if I may call them that. But I never did speak to him. And he told me of their need for you.”

 

“Their… need for… me?”

 

“Verily.”

 

“And did he say anything at all about why they need me? And whether I’ll see Marilyn again?”

 

At his mention of her name, Lonnie became pale, and then she looked down at the floor. Carol noticed, but it was lost on Charlie. Carol reached over and touched Lonnie on the arm. Lonnie gripped Carol’s hand, as Carol mouthed the words, “I know.”

 

Meanwhile, the earl continued, “He did not say in what capacity they did need you, only that you shall carry with you everything that you should need. And nay, he did not mention Marilyn. But he did mention the lady Judy, and that her need was indeed great.”

 

At the mention of Judy’s name, Charlie reached into his jacket pocket, and felt the syringe and the medicinal vials Lonnie had given him. They felt somehow foreign in his pocket, and yet he could feel a strange power emanating from the inanimate objects. He tried to remember what Lonnie had told him as she handed him the objects, bound together within their plastic wrap.

 

“Now, Earl,” continued Charlie, “you mentioned that there were things I needed to know before embarking on this trip to the unknown. I assume that there are things in Shepperton that I might just need to have some knowledge about – you know, where the hidden powers might reside and such.” He took his notebook and began to make notes.

 

“And that would precisely be where you shall be sent, this much I know to be true.” The earl then spoke cautiously, as if to not disturb the same hidden powers. “What you must understand is something of the precarious nature of the balance of power which does exist in Shepperton.” He then went on to explain how the pots of Shepperton became their most important source of income for the island, and how that led to the relatively calm (though somewhat tenuous) agreement with the English king. “But now, with King Henry upon the throne, those agreements made with my grandfather and father could be thrown out, and it would seem that King Henry is making his presence felt in Shepperton. And if you talk with any of the residents of Shepperton, I would not mention the king of England, as if his name alone might bring about yet another inquest. And I found that, searching your books of English history, I can find nothing of Shepperton, nor its pots, and that would suggest to me that my beloved island, as well as its important history have been suppressed.”

 

“And even in my own background,” Carol said, “as I grew up not far away from your beloved island, there was never mention of Shepperton, nor its pots, nor any action whatever by the king of England. Also, when I look at maps of the area between Scotland and Ireland, there, where Shepperton should be, there is nothing at all but water. And yet, you’re here – you and your amazing history. This is truly a mystery, and one in which it would appear that you, Mr. Charlie Stephens, are going to be thrust into.”

 

“Well, so it would seem. But surely there is more that the earl of Shepperton needs to tell me, no?”

“Aye, but of course. There is the person of Antoine LeGace. How he first came to be on our island is not well known or described, but he was involved in some criminal activities, and he then left our island for a number of years. And yet we heard rumors of his activities in Ireland. It was said that he had become quite high up in the ranks of an organization called the Court of Byzantium, which, though powerful, was a secret organization. It has been that he became their major procurer of lands, and that he was ruthless in his ambitions, and cared not a whit for the niceties of legal proceedings. And yet, it seems, Shepperton was something that he always sought to obtain. Either to obtain, or to destroy. I do not know the truth of this, but it is said that his motivation might be as much for revenge as anything else in his pursuit of Shepperton.”

 

“Revenge?” asked Charlie. “That sounds a bit petty, if you ask me. For someone with such lofty ambitions, what would revenge have to do with his motivation?”

 

“I might just say, Master Charles, that, when you get to Shepperton, that you seek out a man named Kerlin…”

 

“Now there’s a new name… Now, let me get the spelling right, now that’s C-U-R-L…”

 

“Nay, Charles. The spelling is K-E-R-L-I-N. And he is the present leader of the defense of the isle, and he works for Craycroft, my great friend and former physician.”

 

“Now there’s another name that sounds like you’re going to have to give me some more of an explanation for.”

 

“And that is precisely what I intend to do.” And for the next hour, the earl filled Charlie in on who Craycroft was, how he came to power, and who his allies were, and that these included Councilor Rust, Jeanne, Councilor Genet, and Melchior. And he told him of what Falma, Carlo Vincente, Drachma and most especially Kerlin had done, and what it all meant to Shepperton, his beloved island. Charlie took copious notes in his little notebook.

 

Before he left with Lonnie, though, the earl requested that he come over and show him the picture which Janie had made, and he pointed out the landmarks of the castle, as well as the distant hills, including Croftus Knob, so faithfully rendered.

 

“So now, Master Charles, do you feel better acquainted with the doings and beings of Shepperton?”

 

“I do, but you know, I don’t feel that I’m ever well enough equipped for anything I’ve ever done – and this is no exception.”

 

“As I told Craycroft, when he expressed similar reservations about ruling – that was why I trusted him to rule. And I shall tell you that if you felt confident in your task, then I would not trust your judgment.”

 

“Well, then thanks, I guess.”

 

The evening had turned to night, as Lonnie and Charlie left. As they were stepping out into the night, Carol whispered in Charlie’s ear, “Charlie, dear – now you’ve got three women and one girl who love you. Please take care.”

 

 

 

 

 

Inside the car, there was a heavy stillness, which spoke of tension between the occupants. Eventually, Charlie could not take it any longer, and he blurted out, “All right, Lonnie, I can’t stand this silence. What have I done or said?”

 

“Oh, Charlie!” exclaimed Lonnie. “If I just had Amanda’s sense of the truth. But no, I’ve got to depend on others to fill me in. If you think back on what you were saying when you and Earl were talking, you just kind of asked if you might see Marilyn again… Well that just really took me by surprise. Now, I know that you and she have shared considerable history, and I’ve just recently blundered into that history. But Charlie, you have become a very dear friend to me, in a very short amount of time – and well, I’m sorry, but when you mentioned Marilyn, it was like ripping at my insides.

 

“Perhaps I’ve misunderstood your intentions all this time, but here you’ve taken me to dinner, and not just any dinner, but one filled with beautiful magic – the magic of the music, and that absolutely glorious ale. And besides that, you’ve let me into this life of yours, which has also enchanted me. But now, with you going away on your journey - it’s like this whole thing is just some dreaming, and I’ve just awakened, and… and… am I making any sense at all?”

 

“Look, Lonnie, you must realize that, even though I may be somewhat adept as a TV reporter, in the rest of life I’m exceedingly clumsy, and I really have no idea what opinion people have of me. For years it just didn’t matter. But let me tell you that whatever is going to happen to me, I need someone here who knows the score. Someone I can count on, and I do believe I’ve found that someone in you. And I’ll tell you that what may have started as a fact-finding mission, has become so much more.”

 

“Forgive me, Charlie. This idea of whirlwind romance has been playing around in my mind, and it’s been kind of harassing me. And now I find that the object of my affection is being sent off on some quixotic adventure, and he’s going to meet up with interesting people in some far-away land. And there he’s likely as well to run into his own object of affection, who, it turns out is the former wife of our beloved Dr. Gilsen, who in turn has married my former best friend, who is now pregnant, and in danger! And what am I supposed to do all this time, and with this information, here in the twentieth century?” 

 

Charlie noticed that Lonnie was crying. The tears were running down her face. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. With an aching familiarity, he turned the handkerchief over to Lonnie.

 

“Lonnie, I don’t know what to say, because I don’t even know the rules of this new game I’m to be playing. I don’t know who I can trust, I don’t know where actually I’ll be going, or even whether I’ll be in the right place at the right time. And all these political doings – I’m no politician, I’m no fighter, and I’m going to be arriving in something of a real mess. I mean, I do not even have any skills – at least you’ve got nursing skills! Why didn’t ‘they’ pick you for heaven’s sake?”

 

“Ah, my friends,” the voice came from the back seat. Lonnie whirled to look, as Charlie slowed to a stop. His remembrance of Carlo Vincente in the same seat came back to him now, with fresh vigor. “Fear not. For you have both been chosen.”

 

Here now was Falma, in the flesh, sitting in the back seat of his blue Nissan wagon. The old man smelled of the forest, and his voice sounded like the ancient woods.

 

“M’lady, Alonza, be not troubled, for your tasks shall become apparent in time. And Master Charles, you shall accompany me yet this evening. But first we must go to the house of Janie and Earl, for she has something for thee.”

 

“Just wait a minute,” said Lonnie, “You were not in here when we got into the car. Of that I am quite certain, for being a nurse in a downtown hospital for all these many years, I always check the back seat of a car when I get into one in the evening. And now, here you are – can you possibly explain that?”

 

“For you, I shall try. I was, in fact, within this vehicle when you got in, though you could not see me, nor hear me. But tell me, my dear lady, was there nothing that told you of another presence within?”

 

“If you mean the smell, well, yes. There was a faint essence of something, like walking in some tall, old woods. I noticed it, but now it’s much more pronounced.”

 

“And I assume that it is not a smell usually associated with the inside of vehicles.”

 

“Ah, no… But I’m not used to people just popping up in the back seat of the car I’m riding in either.”

 

“And I’m quite certain that neither are you comfortable with persons like me. What I can tell you is that before I go, I shall take care that you are informed of what you need to know, and what you need to do. But for the moment, you both need to get to the house of Janie and Earl.”

 

As he was saying this, Lonnie couldn’t help but think, who is this guy really? And what is he, some sort of ghost? Now what is he expecting of me? But she said nothing.

 

Charlie turned and asked, “You’re telling us we need to go to Janie and Earl’s. Does that mean that Janie’s… dying?” He could barely get the words out.

 

“Aye, Charles. I am sorry, but it does, and she has something to give you, as she said.”

 

“Well, then let’s get on our way.” Charlie drove a bit faster than necessary, and wound his way through the evening traffic, and came to Winterstone Drive. What struck Charlie as he and Lonnie got out of the car was the absolute stillness of the evening. There was not even a breeze. He listened, and the only thing he could hear was his own footsteps. Lonnie had asked if Falma was coming in, but he declined.

 

“No, I shall not come in now. For I believe that she needs to see you both, and not me at this time.”

 

As they walked up to the steps, Lonnie said in a whisper, “Even for a ghost, I think he’s a bit weird.”

 

“Oh, just you wait – it’s going to get really strange, for me and for you, too. Now, how long has it been since you’ve seen Janie?”

 

“It’s been about a week – that’s when she decided to go on hospice.”

 

“Well, prepare yourself…”

 

Charlie rang the doorbell, and Earl came to the door. The look on his face expressed a combination of weariness, and relief.

 

“Oh, it’s so good of you to come, Charlie and Lonnie. I had no way of getting hold of you, but Janie assured me that you would be notified. And here you are… Well, come on back to the bedroom. She’s expecting you.”

 

Inside the bedroom was Janie, lying in the middle of the bed, and looking gaunt, but peaceful. Seeing her in bed, with her obvious marked deterioration, caught Lonnie off guard. She had seen many people die, but this cut too close to home. 

 

Seeing the two of them walk in brought a smile from Janie. “My friend, it’s so good of you to come,” she said, weakly. “Come here and let me hug you.”

 

Lonnie couldn’t hold it back, and openly wept, as she went over to the bed and hugged her friend. “Oh, Janie!” was all she could say.

 

“It’s all right, Lonnie. This may seem like a cruel joke, but really… Not many folks at the end of their journey… Can answer the question of what their life… What their life has been all about. And I can answer that question… with confidence. Can you tell she’s here?”

 

“Who?” Asked Lonnie. 

 

“The girl, at the foot of my bed. Her name is Maggie.”

 

“No, I see no one.”

 

But Charlie looked. Though he could see no one, he could sense her presence.

 

“Dear Charlie, come here. As I told you… I’ve got something for you… for your journey.”

 

Charlie came to her side and knelt at the edge of her bed. He too was weeping.

 

“Oh, my dear Charlie, come closer.” She wiped the tears from his cheek. She then reached over to the bedside table, and picked up a tiny chain, with a pendant, which she handed to Charlie. On the pendant was a small scrimshaw carving of a ship, exquisitely detailed. On the back of the pendant was carved the word ‘Derrymoor’.

 

Janie explained, “When Josh was first brought to my nursery… as a sick and seemingly orphaned baby… One evening, as I picked him up to feed him… There it was in his bassinet. I never found out who left it there, nor why… until just recently. And I’ll leave it to you to discover what it means. For I know… it has something to do with Shepperton, as you too will discover. And all these years, I just kept the necklace. I guess I hoped that someday I’d figure it out.”

 

“Can you not tell me more?” asked Charlie.

 

“No, I can’t.” Then she took his face in her hands, and she kissed his cheek. And as she settled back down, she was pale, lifeless, and gone. Charlie looked to the foot of her bed, and noticed the slightest rustling, and noticed the aroma of the deep forest, wafting from open window.

 

Earl walked in, along with the hospice nurse. When Earl saw his wife, he rushed over to her bedside. He held her lifeless body, as he too wept openly. Trembling, he eventually turned toward Charlie, and noticed the little broach, which Charlie clutched in his sweaty palm. He then noticed the faint odor emanating from the open window. He closed his eyes, and he said through his tears, “It’s good… Charlie… that she was able to give you the… broach. I know that you’ll find… what it’s for. At long last she can be at peace… with her Josh.”

 

The hospice nurse, named Brenda, was someone well known to Lonnie, and it was she who had been with Josh as he lay dying in the ICU. That experience had turned her from an iron-willed ICU nurse toward the seemingly gentler approach of hospice care. But now she was here with Josh’s mother, who had just died, and the irony clutched her own heart. Through her own tears, though, she could just make out the fleeting forms of Janie and Maggie, as they were quickly fading with the breeze.

 

“So, she told you, too, of Maggie, did she?” Lonnie asked her friend.

 

Brenda nodded, but said nothing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Half an hour later, as Charlie and Lonnie left the home of Janie and Earl, they left Brenda to clean up the details, and to call the funeral home. Lonnie had her arm around Charlie, who was unable to speak. He looked down at the little pendant, which glistened in the light from a street lamp. He had been trying to figure out what was happening to him but was not successful. He managed to reach into his jacket, and pulled out his car key, which he handed to Lonnie. She bent her head, and kissed him on the cheek, and then she just watched as Falma took Charlie by the arm, as the two of them walked into the woods behind the house. There seemed to be no path, but there was the smell of the ancient forest, and newly turned earth.

 

 

 

Center Game, Heir of Drachma, Book Two, Chapter Eleven

Here is the next chapter in the continuing saga of Shepperton, Drachma and the rest. As usual, I would appreciate any feedback you might have!

  

Chapter Eleven

 

 

 

The man was not amused. What he saw in front of him was nothing but useless drivel.

 

“But, Master LeGace, I did as ye directed. ’twas not my fault that they dinna’ find the token. For I tell ye, they but left, an’ headed out the way they came in.”

 

“Well, then, be gone! You are no more use to me now.”

 

The urchin slinked out of the room quietly and disappeared into the shadows. In the room, LeGace turned his attention to the window, and signaled to the man outside, who then sped off to do his master’s bidding. 

 

What does it matter?  Thought LeGace.  He is not one whom anyone shall miss. Not even Craycroft, who now has much weightier matters to consider.

 

Then LeGace went back to eating his meal and drinking his ale. It was fifteen minutes later when the man came back and sat down at the table.

 

“Have you done it?” LeGace asked. The man nodded. “And did you bring back the monies?”

 

Leonardo reached into his tunic and brought out the small sack and laid it on the table. LeGace picked it up, took out a couple of copper coins and handed them over to Leonardo, who pocketed them.

 

“And I assume that you left no trace of your presence…”

 

“Nay, sire. And his body shall not be found for at least a week.”

 

“What have you found about our two visitors?”

 

“From the urchin I discovered that they have gone to the castle. They are staying at the Ale House, at least for the present time. They are from Scotland and are alchemists there. They come as students, to learn at the Academy in the castle.”

 

“To learn, eh?” LeGace pondered this for a moment. “And what do they plan to do with their knowledge that they gain here?”

 

“From what the lad said, they plan to take their new-found knowledge back to Scotland, and they plan on beginning their own academy – perhaps to train more physicians.”

 

“Well, Leonardo, you know that we cannot allow that to happen, and you also know why not.” LeGace looked at Leonardo.

 

“Most assuredly, Sire.” Leonardo swallowed. “Nor can we let this knowledge get into the hands of the king’s men. And that would include Master Patronis.”

 

“Aye, precisely. And so, you know where you need to go, and whom to seek out. You may use the aid of Boniface and Servius as you see fit.”

 

“So be it, Sire. And I shall report back to ye Friday, next.”

 

“Aye. And you know the place?” Leonardo nodded in acknowledgment. “Then I shall see you there. Now, be gone, and make certain that you have left no traces.”

 

As Leonardo left the small inn, he looked around to make certain that there were no eyes darting in the late evening shadows. Then he looked up the street, and went up, keeping in the shadows himself. When he got halfway to the turn, he stole a glance down the road to the left, and he could see down to the water, and off to the right the small shed which was now blazing. He kept telling himself that it was just something he had to do, as part of his term of service to the prefect. But the more he tried to tell himself that the life of that urchin didn’t matter, the more it nagged at what was left of his conscience. And so, he just walked on toward his destination, and left the village behind.

 

 

 

 

 

Bob and Hermes were shown into the tent, which served as Count Gregorio’s command center. There were two guards at the doorway into the tent. As Bob ducked his head to get inside, he noticed one of the guards smirked in a most disdainful way. He tried to ignore it, but it just got under his skin. Inside, he found the old count seated comfortably on some cushions, and now out of his armored breastplate. Hermes looked around uncomfortably, taking in the rather opulent furnishings.

 

In a corner of the tent sat Kevin. He appeared calm, but very aware of his surroundings, and his own present state. He nodded acknowledgment as Bob and Hermes came in.

 

“Why you not tell – just what is it troubles you?” asked the old man, surprisingly affable, in his own environment. 

 

“Sir, I must ask you, have you drunk of this water?” Bob handed the now empty water jug to Gregorio. “And if so, for how long, and how many of your men have also drunk of this water?”

 

“This water…” the old man looked startled. “Why ask you if I have had this water? We have no wine with us, so we have had this water.”

 

“Well, Sir, that water is poisoned. And I say that on good authority…” Bob heard the sound of the whippoorwill. He was startled by the sound but tried not to show it.

 

“Poisoned?” The old man’s face contorted into a grimace. “How know you that it is…poisoned?”

 

“By the sickly sweet smell. And I know where you got that water – it came from a certain creek, one called the Creek of the Dead.” 

 

Gregorio sniffed at the water jug, and he noted the slight off-sweet odor. “It does smell… as you say, slightly sweet. But none who have taken this water have been ill.”

 

“It’s probably too early – I wouldn’t expect to see the symptoms this early.”

 

“Sim…tums. What means this word?”

 

The guard burst in quite suddenly. His look was one of urgency. He spoke to Gregorio in a language unknown to Bob, but his meaning was quite understandable, as he pointed to the outside and continued to babble on. Then two more guards came running in, and Bob and Hermes were whisked off with the count. They were quickly put on horses, and the small band hurried away from their encampment, down the mountain. There were the three guards, along with Count Gregorio, Kevin, Bob and Hermes, hurrying down the mountainside.

 

Watching from his place in the forest, the commotion was noticed by a small gray-haired man. When he saw the small band head down the forest trail, he got back on his small black horse, and headed the way they went. He looked back over his shoulder and realized that he would in no way want to be part of the mayhem, which Drachma’s men had just inflicted on the unsuspecting men guarding their captives.

 

I suppose that I shall have to tell Master Guarneri about all of this when I get back down. He thought about what he had just witnessed.  But first I need to see where this band be going. I suspect that they’ll be going to the ship.

 

Samuel followed the small, fleeing band at a safe distance. He saw that they took the most direct route down the side of the mountain. He thought to himself as he followed, Now, of the mighty band o’ warriors, ye have left only a handful, and Drachma’s men have captured or killed the rest.

 

 

 

 

“Is…is it safe to talk now?” Lisa whispered to Melchior.

 

“Aye, m’lass, I do believe it is.” He answered. “But I wouldna’ say too much. Just, if you but need anything, then tell me, and I shall try to explain it to the men.”

 

Just where they were, he could not tell, but that they were on some sort of boat seemed obvious. They had been brought the whole way blindfolded. Now by the time and the smells, he had guessed they had gone through the channel back toward Shepperton, and probably to the northeast side of the island. He could definitely smell the eel fisheries, not too far away.

 

When the men had taken off their blindfolds the two were again in semidarkness, below deck on a seagoing vessel. They had each been given a small loaf of bread and told where there was water. It was in a large vat, and did smell, but as thirsty as they were, they both drank gratefully. And for the longest while, neither one said anything, until Lisa spoke.

 

“It…it’s just I miss me mum so much.”

 

“Oh, Lassie…What might I say t’ye?” Melchior’s voice cracked as he spoke. Thoughts of his own Jeanne and young Falma shot through his mind. “Perhaps it would be better if… if we didna’ think on such matters.”

 

“Then, may I but hold ye, fer a time?”

 

“But of course, Lassie, of course ye may.”

 

So, Lisa held on to Melchior, as she would hold her own rag doll, quietly, desperately. Melchior could sense her vulnerability. And that made his own circumstance that much more precarious. Not knowing was making him even more uncomfortable. He had no way to communicate at all with anyone beyond his captors, and he knew that was an option too fraught with peril. And so, he gently held on to the frail waif, until sleep engulfed her.

 

 

 

 

 

“Oh, Tom! It’s you, indeed,” said Marilyn with relief and surprise. “How long have you been here?”

 

Tom was surveying the scene before him and noted with some satisfaction that the bloodshed had been minimal, and that the men, who had been taken prisoner, had been rounded up, and were being brought back to him. At the head of the group came Fausto and Justinian, with the others acting as escorts.

 

“Long enough to see that Drachma’s men have, indeed, done their work admirably.”

 

“But Bob… he’s not among the men, is he?”

 

“Nay, m’lady. And when Fausto and Justinian return, I shall send you off, with Fausto, in search for him. But remember what I told you, of not speaking with Master Robert directly.”

 

“Yes, I remember, but could you explain just what happened, and what led up to all this? I’d really like to know just how Bob got tangled up in this mess out here in the forest. What he’s doing and all, and why he became a prisoner, and whose prisoner he became.”

 

“You do ask much, m’lady. And I think it meet that I should explain things to not only you, but also to Justinian, Stefano and Fausto, before you go off in search of Master Robert. But, because I do believe that some haste is warranted, I shall have to tell you some, but not all of what I have come to know of our current situation. Do you think that fair?”

 

Marilyn studied young Tom and could detect nothing insincere in him. “All right, I’ll buy that. But you’re going to have to tell us what we’re going to need to know. Your world has its own peculiar rules and expectations, doesn’t it? And here I am, a woman of the twentieth century trying to navigate in your fifteenth century environment.”

 

“That would be only fair, my good woman. Indeed, here come Fausto and Justinian. Come let us greet them, and then we may discuss what you ask, as well as what you seek.”

Center Game, Heir of Drachma, Book Two - Chapter Ten

 Here is the next chapter of my (so far) unreleased book in the Drachma series, This one takes back to our protagonist, with his loyal aides, and sets up for what is to come.

Chapter Ten

 

 

              

Craycroft sipped his cider, and he looked toward the distance. His eyes burned fiercely, but his face was otherwise placid.

 

“What is it, m’lord?” Asked Kerlin. “Your countenance suggests that you have had a new thought on the matter.”

 

“That I do, Kerlin. Do you know where young Tom is right now?”

 

“Nay, m’lord. I know not.”

 

“Well, by his latest dispatch, he is seeking out persons from Master Robert’s century. And I do not know what special talents these persons may possess. Neither do I know in what capacity he plans to use them. Do you sense my dilemma?”

 

“It would seem to me that you are unsure of whether to tell the congress of this…”

 

“Precisely! Normally, I would not hesitate to tell the congress anything, yet in this circumstance, with all that is happening, and with these threats to our peace, it would seem better to me if it remained between us for the present.”

 

“Very well. Now you say that you know not whom Tom plans to use from this other time. But tell me, do you have any inkling at all? Would they be warriors, or another healer?”

 

“Nay, Kerlin. Neither a warrior nor healer, but what I did hear mention from Tom is the possibility that Master Robert’s wife from that time is one…”

 

“His wife? Ah, me. I could see only disaster arising from that.”

 

A subtle hint of a smile appeared ever so briefly on Craycroft’s face.

 

“Well, that is but one possibility – but assuredly, I know not.”

 

“I was just wondering in what capacity could young Tom even think that Master Robert’s wife would be of use. There are dangers that she would be facing of which she would not even be aware. And she cannot fight…”

 

“Nay, you are correct. Tell me, what do you know of Fausto?”

 

“Fausto, m’lord? He is one of three brothers of the Forest Guard. He is a giant, and a truly one of the very best fighters of the Guard. Now his brothers, Stefano and Justinian are truly wise in the ways of the forest. But why ask you of them?”

 

In answer, Craycroft took a small piece of paper, which was curled up on the table, and handed it to Kerlin. Kerlin knew that the paper represented communication, presumably from Tom. He read the small note.

 

                                       The Lady Marilyn is now among us.

                                       Fausto of the Guard shall be her

                                       companion and guide. More to tell shortly.

                                       Also we may be receiving another, Charles Stephens -

                                       So beware.

 

“Kerlin, does he not sound more and more like his grandfather? I have noticed of late that his gaze seems far off, and it is as if he hears voices from a realm closed off to us.”

 

Kerlin looked at Craycroft silently for a moment before speaking. “Aye. That I have noticed as well. And that note, from the pigeons I would presume, is very telling in what it says, but even more in what it implies.”

 

“Agreed. I do hope that young Tom shall be here soon, but it was I who sent him out to seek Drachma’s counsel. And so, it should not be too much of a surprise that he is sifting through the winds of time. My only hope is that he does understand the extreme nature of our present discontent and danger.

 

“Well, here comes a page, now. Tell me, lad, are they gathered?”

 

“Aye, m’lord, they are here.”

 

“Come, Kerlin. Let us face even our friends with this most odious news.”

 

“Of course, m’lord. And I shan’t say a word of Tom’s efforts.”

 

Craycroft nodded. Then the two of them, with the young page leading the way, left the drawing room, and walked on down the massive corridor to the meeting hall.

 

From the look on their faces, it was obvious that the persons in the room knew that something evil was afoot. Seated around the table were Councilor Rust, Captain Proust, Jeanne and Cayman. 

 

“M’lord, Craycroft,” began Cayman, “I know that you have called this meeting in haste. And, to these present that would imply that you have foul news for us. But let me tell you, if I might, that whatever news you might have for us, I also bring news of a slightly more hopeful nature.” Cayman handed him a small piece of paper.

 

After studying it, he asked, “I assume that you did just receive this?”

 

“Oh, aye, m’lord. Nigh unto five minutes ago.”

 

“Why, thank you, Cayman. And you are right, the news I have for all of you is not good at all.” Craycroft pulled from his case the letter which he passed around the table. They took turns reading the note and handing it to the next person. When it got to Jeanne, she immediately handed it back to Craycroft. All their eyes were turned to her, and anxiously waited for her to say something. She was silent for a moment, and then from her lips came a torrent of words very unlike the lady they knew.

 

“If any in this room do believe that I shall remain passive in this time of turmoil, then I shall prove them so wrong! This vile snake has caused me to be away from my dear friend, the lady Judy, at a time when she needs me the most. And then to have my own dear Clarice injured! And now my own husband taken away from me in such terrible fashion – this is too much evil for me to stand quietly by. And now this letter, what it asks, we simply cannot abide.”

 

“But Lady,” said Councilor Rust, “we must at the very least, discuss just how we might attack this scoundrel’s ploy. I do remember him well, as does Master Kerlin. He is not one who cares a whit for others, except that they serve his own purposes. And I fear that Melchior does know this as well.”

 

“That he does, m’lady,” added Kerlin. “Now, I would suggest that we all hear what Lord Craycroft knows, and what he has done so far.”

 

“You are well aware of the evil depths of which Master LeGace is capable. And, in particular, you know of his most recent treachery, which is spelled out in this note.” He reached down and picked up the paper, which he plucked up, and crumpled in his hand. “And let me tell you of what I have done thus far. When I heard that Melchior had been abducted, I did send a party in search of him and the lass. This was, of course before receiving this note. The party was sent to Dunnigan’s Isle, toward which his boat was seen leaving. I did send a party of fifty men, and thus far I have heard nothing from them. But, as they do have pigeons, I believe that I shall be hearing if anything does come of their search.

 

“Also, you may not know, but I did send word of our plight to our benefactor, the earl of Derrymoor. And now I have here in my possession a communication indicating his imminent arrival. He should arrive this evening, and we shall provide horses and accommodations for him. And I shall assign Kerlin and Cayman the duties of arranging his welcome.”

 

“Does he say, m’lord, how many there shall be coming ashore?” Kerlin asked.

 

Craycroft hand the note to Kerlin. “Aye, that he does. He comes with fifty men.”

 

“It is terrible that Diane and Eustace are away, eh Cayman?” Jeanne couldn’t help noting. “I do recall that Lord Derrymoor does know of this fiend whom we seek.”

 

“Aye, that he does.” Craycroft continued. “In fact, his knowledge of this particular fiend surpasses even that of Melchior. So, what I am telling you is that even though our situation does appear dire, this guest is one whose knowledge and proven fortitude should provide most useful at this time.

 

“What say you, Captain Proust? I would assume that we do have the horses to spare within our stables?”

 

“Aye, m’lord, and any armaments which they might need as well. We have been carefully stocking our supplies for this sort of eventuality. And we shall have room for all the men in our barracks.”

 

“That is good. And Rust, might I ask of you to speak with the council about these matters? I shall try to be available, but who is to know if I am able to be in attendance.”

 

“Certainly, m’lord. I shall convene the council yet today. And I shall explain what I may of this situation. Might I have that note, to share with the councilors?”

 

Craycroft took the note, now a crumpled ball, and handed it to Rust, saying nothing. Rust straightened out the note, read it again, and then spat out the words, “If you think that the Council will oblige, then you are most sorely deluded. We have no intention…”

 

The was a knock on the door, and it was announced that Mortimer, Aaron and two strangers were there, seeking Master Craycroft’s attention.

 

“Well, then,” replied Craycroft, “If it is Aaron, then I do believe we should let him in. He may well have something important for us to know.”

 

The two youths were let in and following them at a respectful distance came Clifton and Enoch.

 

Craycroft welcomed the boys and the two men, and then asked the youths to introduce their companions, and to tell why they had brought them here.

 

“Why, m’lord, this be Clifton, and also Enoch. They be stayin’ at Barncuddy’s Ale House. Though they be strangers to our castle, they do bring some news that ye might have interest in.”

 

“So be it, my young page. Now, my name is Craycroft, and it is I who rule this isle, with the blessing of the king of England, and the earl of Derrymoor. And about this table we have some of Shepperton’s finest. And who might ye be, and why might ye be here?”

 

Before they could answer, Rust commented, “Now you said your name be Enoch. And it seems that I know your name and face. Might we have been students together at some time in the past? Perhaps at Cambridge - so many years ago?”

 

“Oh, aye. Ye be Master Rust, no?”

 

“Aye, indeed.”

 

The two men then told of their quest, as well as their own backgrounds, to which Rust and Craycroft listened intently. But then they explained their brief stay in Killiburn, and how they listened in on the plotting of the two men, and their doings with the ship’s captain.

 

“Now, could this captain have been an Italian?” questioned Kerlin.

 

“Oh, aye, there be no doubt in my mind,” answered Clifton, “for I know that ship was either Portuguese or Italian, and the captain’s accent was clearly Italian.”

 

“Did you get his name?” Craycroft asked. “Could it have been Gregorio?”

 

“Nay, that I didna’ obtain. But what I can tell ye is that one of the two men did converse with him in another tongue, which could well have been Italian.”

 

“Well, it fits. I am certain that one of the men was certainly Guarneri, and who his companion would be - that is most assuredly Patronis. But that still leaves us no answer as to the whereabouts of our enemy, LeGace.”

 

“True, m’lord.” Kerlin added. “But it does provide us information about Gregorio. Now, if you could but provide us with some knowledge of where Count Gregorio was going…”

 

“If it please this august body, I would say that this ship’s captain, Count Gregorio, was going, not toward this castle, but into the forest, and the mountain, at the insistence of this other, whom you called Guarneri.”

 

“That is most interesting,” noted Craycroft, “and particularly since Master Robert and his entourage are now somewhere in that same vicinity. It is enough that I would wonder about Guarneri’s knowledge, and his plans.”

 

After a moment of silence, during which all were thinking their own disparate thoughts, Craycroft stood up, and he addressed the assemblage.

 

“My friends, in this hour of most special urgency, it would seem to me only fitting that these two men would appear on our doorstep, and bring us news both timely and pertinent, and that we should reward their most observant efforts. In that regard, I should ask Aaron and Mortimer to talk to Master Barncuddy, and to make certain that he knows that their tab for food and lodging is to go to our bursar for as long as it takes to find more suitable quarters. And please also show them our institute of learning and extend to them my personal invitation to attend any classes that they wish – once Master Robert and Master Melchior are returned among us. And be certain that they are made most welcome at our table this evening.”

 

Enoch and Clifton were so stunned by this show of generosity that each was rendered speechless. But they did bow their heads in recognition as they were led out the door by the two pages.

 

“As for the rest of you, Rust, you know what to do with the Council.” Rust silently acknowledged, as he stood up to leave, the note in his hand. “Cayman and Proust, I am quite certain that you shall make everything ready for Derrymoor’s arrival. And you shall bring him hence, no matter the time.”

 

“Aye, m’lord, and I shall be watching for any more messages,” said Cayman, as he stood with Captain Proust to leave.

 

“But now, Jeanne, I would ask that you accompany Kerlin and me to my quarters. There is much that we need to discuss.”

 

Her countenance had changed during the course of the previous meeting. What replaced the absent and forlorn look was replaced by one of rigid steel. “Very well,” she answered, “let us do more than discuss these matters.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Nine, Center Game, Heir of Drachma, Book Two

Chapter Nine

 

 

 

The implausibility again caught Marilyn Gilsen off guard. Here she was, in this foreign land, in this medieval time. And now she had just witnessed her long-lost husband, a prisoner, who had just come out of the hut where he had been held, to attend to a young man who had fallen down in what appeared to be a seizure… And there was the woman who took the youth’s head in her lap… who was she? And what with that large jug of water, which Bob had just poured out? And now he had been led away, God knows where. She didn’t know what to think about it. Who were these others, who all seemed to be playing some role in this drama? She had not been able to hear any of it, but what she saw convinced her that her Bob was still a physician to the core.

 

 “What is it, m’lady?” asked Fausto. “Ye do appear to have questions…”

 

They had gotten off their horses, and had been watching what was ahead of them, what they could see in the dimness.

 

 “Many, I’m afraid, Fausto. Where have they taken Bob? And what are they going to do to him? And what are we supposed to do for him or the others? And what about that young man who just had a seizure?”

 

 “A seizure? D’ye mean the fit the lad had? Well, m’lady, ‘twould appear that your husband did attend to the lad’s needs, and now has been taken toward the leader of this capturing party. But might I say that he was not led away in chains, nor with any force. Methinks that it might have been he, himself, wantin’ to go.”

 

 “Precisely, Fausto. Despite the fact that he was a prisoner, there seemed to be calmness in his demeanor, as if he was just doing his “doctor thing.”

 

“His doctor thing?”

 

“Oh, yes,” explained Marilyn, “His actions there – out of his element, but still consistent with his years of training. He’s still the healer, whom I got to know over time. I’ve had years to observe. See, I got to know him before he ever became a doctor, but there was always something in him, something which the years of medical training brought out and hardened into what you can still see.”

 

“If ye say so, m’lady.”

 

Fausto heard something and held up his hand. Marilyn was going to say something, but noticed the look in his eye, and listened. At first there was nothing, but then she heard it too. From behind them came the sound of horses. Then she could see, in the enveloping darkness, the arrival of many mounted men. The men dismounted and came up to where the three brothers and Marilyn stood. Fausto greeted his comrades with a grim smile, and then went over to the leader and explained in a low whisper what had happened.

 

After discussing their strategy, Fausto came back to Marilyn, and told her that she would stay back, as he and his men carried out their rescue. And he told her that Stefano would stay back with her and would protect her with his life.

 

Marilyn swallowed hard, and then asked “But, but… Bob. Do you know where he’s gone?” Marilyn asked.

 

“Aye, that we do,” said Fausto. “These men saw him, and his companions.”

 

“Well, I won’t look… I can’t.”

 

“Nay, m’lady, nor should ye. Stefano shall guard ye well.”

 

The guardsmen began to mount up. Some of them went with Justinian, and began to disappear into the woods, to the left. The others stood their ground and waited. Stefano took Marilyn back into the sheltering trees. And then the waiting began. All seemed silent ahead. As darkness fell, one could make out the light from within the hut, through its one window.

 

And then it came. The sound of the whippoorwill. It came from beyond the little hut. The guards about the hut paid no attention, but at the sound, Fausto and his men drew their swords and moved toward the little building. They left their horses behind and made almost no sound in their advance.

 

Marilyn turned away from what was ahead. She honestly did not want to see what this silent army would be doing to the men guarding their captives. She could hear from her distance the sounds of scuffling, and the clash of swords, and even that made her insides roil. She sat down and put her hands over her ears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inside the hut Eustace was lying down, with his head on his mother’s lap. As his consciousness began to clear, he recognized the aching in his muscles and the throbbing in his temples as the telltale signs of another seizure. Judy was kneeling at Diane’s side, and was gently rubbing his head. Standing by were Chauncey, Gilbert and Stoneheft, who had brought Eustace back inside, and carefully laid him down within the hut. Concern began to vanish as the youth regained his alertness. Then they heard it. From outside their enclosure came the sound of a whippoorwill. Immediately Stoneheft leapt for the door and signaled the other two to come over. Judy heard and understood its meaning, but she seemed to freeze.

 

“Bob! Where have they taken Bob?” Her voice came out as a hoarse half whisper.

 

Chauncey’s voice penetrated her alarm. “Lady, Judy, he shall be safe. He is with Hermes.”

 

“Hermes? What do you mean?”

 

“Trust me, I do know that Hermes is the avowed caretaker of your husband. He shall not fail!”

 

It was then that the hut was swarmed by the rush of men, with swords drawn and grim faces. And before anyone had time to consider what to do next, they were herded outside, and off into the forest.

 

 

 

 

 

  

Center Game, Heir of Drachma, Book Two - Chapter Eight

Here, for your enjoyment is the next chapter of Center Game, Heir of Drachma, Book Two. This is Chapter Eight. In this chapter we bring in some characters who are to become important as the story moves along. Enjoy!

Chapter Eight

 

 

 

“There, ye see it! There, down the hill.” Rowan’s hoarse whisper carried to the men behind him.

 

“Aye, without doubt. That be the place,” answered Simeon, who was the leader of this group. “Yet it looks strangely deserted. I would expect more men about.”

 

“Perhaps they are all inside,” suggested Jeremy. “Just how many could there be? And we have forty able and armed men.”

 

“Aye, we do,” said Simeon, “but still, I am not at ease. I would but like one or two outside – ones whom we could capture, if ye know what I mean… But we shall have to be very careful not to alert anyone inside.”

 

Simeon gathered his men, and told them they would split into two teams, and approach the hut from both sides, going around from the back. Then, as dusk fell, he would give the signal, and they would attack, with Simeon and two others, as well as the two youths going for the door to the cave. He made sure that specific instructions were to be carried out by certain guardsmen. Next the group split up, and each group headed down indirectly toward the hut. Each man watched as the sun set, and with the ever growing darkness, awaited the signal of attack.

 

From his hidden vantage point, Simeon watched carefully, and noticed the complete lack of activity about the hut. As the sun had set, and they had the element of surprise, as well as the cover of darkness working for them, he whistled the sound of a whippoorwill, and as one the two parties converged on the hut. Finding no one outside, he then, along with a dozen warriors, burst into the hut, and on the inside, they found but a solitary old man. He was tied to one of the posts and had obviously been beaten about the head. He was still alive, though and called out to the men in anguish. Still sensing that there was still the possibility of urgency elsewhere, Simeon had a few of his men untie the old man, while he took Jeremy and Rowan, and three others toward the entryway to the cave.

 

Finding the entryway dark and steep, he and his companions crept down carefully. As they entered the dank underground room, he called out “Melchior! Lisa!” but was met with his own echo and the quiet stench of the place. Simeon noticed one of the torches was still burning, and he had one of the men bring it down to the center of the room. They looked about, and could see only the upturned wine barrel, and no other furniture. They then noticed the water jug, and the single cup. Simeon then knelt down, and felt with his hand, and noticed the floor was damp by the cup. He then went over to the wine barrel, and looked down, to notice that, in the sawdust, someone had scratched out the letters MELC.

 

“Well, me lads, ‘twould appear that this room was used by our Melchior and Lisa, and I would say that they have been taken away today.”

 

“Aye, and I should think that they were taken quite suddenly,” noted Jeremy. “Perhaps the man up in the house could tell us somethin’.”

 

“As ye say, laddie. Then we’ll go back and speak with him.”

 

When they got up the stairs, they found the old man had been untied, and was sitting in one of the rough chairs upstairs. Seeing the man brought a flood of memories to Simeon.

 

“Well, lads, this be Allen…Allen o’ Burridge, none other!”

 

“I am he, Master Simeon, me ol’ friend.” Despite his wounds, there appeared a sparkle of grateful recognition in his old eyes. “Tell me, how long has it been?”

 

“More years than I care to recall. What has happened t’ ye? Last I recall ye were still acting as carpenter in Clannach, but that was a mere ruse, was it not?”

 

“Oh, aye, that it were, me good sir. Fer it ‘twas merely what I did to keep bread on me table. As ye know, fer years I was a watchman fer Drachma. An’ fer all those years none knew o’ me. That is exceptin’ his own men.”

 

Rowan and Jeremy came closer to the man, for here was someone who knew of the lost years. Those years before the earl’s death, and before the arrival of Robert and Judy, and before Tom and Eustace’s rising up.

 

“Well, me good man,” continued Simeon, “ye shall have to accompany us, if ye’re able. And ye shall have to tell of those years. But now, d’ye need anything? Ye’ve been beaten about the head, and left here, tied to this post. Are ye hurt anywhere else?”

 

“Nay, Master Simeon, the men who had me held captive left in haste, when the one in charge came in an’ told the men t’ take their two prisoners anon. And hurry they did. But before I did swoon from their beating, I could see the two prisoners, though faintly. One I could tell was Master Melchior, but the other was but a young lassie. And the men just left out the door as I did swoon. Now, that’s the last I remember, afore ye came in.”

 

“Ah, Allen, I’m so sorry…” answered Simeon, genuinely grieved. “Me men shall take care o’ ye, and shall bind up yer wounds, and shall feed ye. And then after I seek out which way they went, I shall come back t’ ye, and we shall talk some more. Now Jeremy here, and Rowan can take care o’ ye, with an armed guard about the place. Now, I’ll take me men, and see what we can find o’ these men. But, before I go, I must ask ye, was Antoine LeGace among the men?”

 

“Ah, Simeon, he was among these men! I hadn’t heard that vile name in years. But I only seen ‘im briefly afore they beat me.”

 

“Well enough, me old friend. Now I know I must come back and talk t’ ye. But fer now, I shall leave ye in the hands o’ these fine lads. And rest assured that I shall also post an armed guard outside.” Then, turning to Jeremy, said, “And so, m’lads, ye’ve got a most important charge with ye here. Take care o’ the old fellow. And be certain, that anything he tells ye, ye can believe. The name o’ Allen o’ Burridge is one that’s revered among us.”

 

Simeon strode over to his men and set up assignments. Next he went outside, and began his inspection of the grounds, and within five minutes, was gone. But as he said, he left armed guards, and one bowman back at the building. 

 

 

 

 

After cleaning up the painful wounds on Allen’s head, Rowan and Jeremy got their charge some water, some bread, dried fruits and some dried venison. The old man took their offering thankfully, and quietly ate his fill. After a few minutes the old man sat back in his chair. As he sat there, the two youths came closer, and Rowan timidly asked, “Master Allen, it seems that ye’ve been a watchman fer Drachma. And we ourselves are now similarly employed by Lord Craycroft.”

 

“Aye, so I gathered, laddie. I’ve had the pleasure o’er the years to be the eyes and ears fer Drachma in me village, an’ beyond. And so it was, that four years ago, I was there t’ welcome Master Robert, as he came upon this isle.”

 

“Ye were there when Master Robert came?” Rowan was astonished. “What can ye tell us of his arrival? And what of his craft… was it magical?”

 

The old man laughed at that. “Ah, m’laddie, if ye’d a been there! Nay, it was no magic craft. Y’see, the first time I spied Master Robert… here he was, brought in by a party of hunters, like some big game they’d just killed. He was all tied up and was not conscious. Now, mind ye, I’d already been warned by Drachma t’ be expectin’ some magical healer from another time. And what I saw hardly fit that description. Now the hunters said that this stranger had gotten up, but had not been able t’ say anythin’, and he but swooned. And ‘twas good fortune that they’d brought ‘im to me.”

 

Allen paused as he took a swallow of water. And then he looked at his two companions as if he was sharing some secret for the first time.

 

“Anyways, whilst the hunters went in search of the forest guardsmen, I just waited, and when he came around, I made polite conversation with him, but then when he mentioned the name of Drachma, I knew right then and there that he was the one fer certain. After that I just kept t’meself, and I ne’er let on.

 

“And t’ this day, I’ve just been keepin’ up on the happenin’s wi’ Master Robert, and his lady, an’ wi’ Master Craycroft.” Allen paused before speaking again, and it was with a note of cold warning. “What I’ll tell ye lads is that this LeGace fellow is not one t’ be reckoned with any too lightly. I tell ye, and this comes from one who has seen his share o’ evil men, that Antoine LeGace is the face o’ the devil here among us. So, be careful, and if ye can avoid him, ye’d be much the better. Now, have ye seen him?”

 

Jeremy answered, “Oh, aye, we have. And we’ve been keepin’ an eye on ‘im. That’s why we were sent on this mission.”

 

“Well, that be fine an’ good, me lads. But if ye think ye’ll be catchin’ ‘im unawares, then I’d be thinkin’ again. Now, we must be gettin’ back t’yer boat afore ‘e finds out. Don’t ye think?”

 

“But what of Simeon, and the men?” asked Rowan.

 

“Ah, me laddies, if ye only knew, Master LeGace has a hundred or more men in these woods, so I’d say that ye’d a better chance on a boat than in these woods agin’ that foe. And don’t ye think that we owe it to Master Craycroft to tell him. Also, I believe the safest route fer ye would t’ git back t’ yer boats.”

 

The consternation on their faces was evident – so much so that Allen had to tell them that he knew a way down to the boats, which not even the men of LeGace knew. After a brief discussion with the men guarding the house, it was decided that the safety of Allen did warrant his escape from the island by boat. And though he thanked them for offering assistance, Allen declined, and told them that he knew of a safe, and well-hidden passage down to the boats, and that the company of Jeremy and Rowan was all he could risk. The guards then agreed to tell Simeon of what happened.

 

But the way that Allen had in mind took the youths by surprise. He led them back down into the underground room. He took the one torch that was there and led them back into the dark and smelly recesses of the odd room. There, on the floor was what appeared to be an apparatus for drying pelts. Beneath it, though, was a carefully crafted connection to the subfloor below. With the help of the two youths, Allen had it open. Shining his torch into the passageway, he indicated the way down. He told them that he would go first, and they were to follow, but to be certain that the apparatus was back in place before they went on.

 

Jeremy and Rowan did as instructed and the old passageway below the room opened up before them.

 

“This way, lads,” said Allen. “Me years as a carpenter were not without benefit. Fer ‘twas I who crafted this old escape route. And it were fer Drachma that I did it, too. Now that be a story fer another time. Now, come on, but careful o’ yer heads.

 

The three of them wound their way through the underground cavern for what seemed like an hour or more. Then Allen put up his hand in a signal. Up ahead they could see some light.

 

“Now, lads,” whispered Allen, “this cavern come out through some brush and tall grass, and some large rocks up ahead. I don’t expect anyone t’ be guardin’ this region, but I shall go out ’n see, an’ if the way be safe then I’ll come back an’ tell ye. Now, just wait ye here…”

 

Jeremy and Rowan waited and held the torch, as the old man crept forward, then out of view. A soft moonlight flooded the small exit. In the silence, they could hear the sound of the ocean off in the distance.

 

Then Allen’s silhouette could be seen ahead, and he said, “The way is safe, lads. Ye may come out, an’ I’ll show ye the rest o’ the way to the boat docks.”

 

As they came out of the tunnel, Jeremy looked back, and could see how this particular tunnel would be safe from any prying eyes. A more inconspicuous underground passageway would be hard to design. He stored that bit of information away for possible future use.

 

For the next half mile, they followed a nearby deer trail, to where the island jutted out to the sea. Allen pointed ahead, and said in a half whisper, “around yonder bend be the south boat dock. It should be guarded by some o’ Simeon’s men. But I should be as quiet as possible fer now, an’ then we’ll see.”

 

The two nodded their understanding. They crept quietly ahead and could see the men guarding the boats. Jeremy and Rowan both recognized the men but were met with drawn swords.

 

“Well, Jeremy and Rowan! We thought we’d heard someone creepin’ up on us... but this man, with ye … we know ‘im not. Now, ye’ll have to explain yerselves.”

 

“Now, Marcus, just put down yer weapons,” answered Jeremy. “This man was but a prisoner in the hut up yonder, and he had been beaten about the head an’ neck. And besides, he was barely even conscious when we arrived. His name be Allen o’ Burridge. You might have heard o’ him.”

 

“This… this be Allen o’ Burridge?”

 

“Oh, aye, that be me, indeed.” The old man’s eyes twinkled. “And I’ll tell ye lads, that this old man needs t’ lie down in one o’ thy boats, an’ get back to Shepperton.”

 

 

 

 

 

  

Center Game, Heir of Drachma, Book Two - Chapter Seven

 Here is my next chapter in the developing saga of the Books of Drachma. As before, if you have any comments, either constructive or otherwise, I'd be delighted to hear them!

Chapter Seven

 

 

 

 

After walking all day through the mountainous forestland, tied together with his companions, and with nothing to eat and drink, the thought of actually stopping for the night seemed to Bob Gilsen a forgotten dream. So, when he heard the voice of Gregorio telling them that the shelter ahead was going to be their destination, he breathed a prayer of thanks. The prisoners were led into an abandoned stone building, and they were untied. They were informed that they might converse, and they were free to wander within the building, but that there would be guards set about, and they could not wander out of their enclosure without permission.

 

Looking about the pathetic hovel they were thrust into, the prisoners seemed too tired to make any complaint. Seeing no furniture of any kind, Bob eased his aching frame down to the mud floor of the shack, next to Judy.

 

“How are you holding up, dear?” he asked.

 

“A sight better than you, by the looks of things. Here, let me hold you.” Judy noted that Bob was looking rather peaked. He visibly relaxed in her arms, as he closed his eyes, and let his mind give in to her touch. “Maybe Hermes could, at the very least, ask for some water from the guards.”

 

“M’lady, of course. Eustace and I shall see what we may get to drink and to eat… for all here.”

 

As Hermes and Eustace made their way to the door of the enclosure, the remainder of the prisoners clustered around Bob and Judy. There was so much that they all needed to talk about, but with Kevin still held outside, they were limited in what they could plan.

 

Stoneheft looked at the diverse group of prisoners, and, in a hushed voice addressed them.

 

“Now, as ye were walkin’ and ridin’ earlier today,” he said, “some of ye may have heard what appeared to be the call o’ the whippoorwill coming out of the forest.”

 

Judy’s face lit up in response.

 

“To us, of the Forest Guard, that was signal – from others of our brotherhood – that we have been seen, and that we should not try to escape, nor to make our captors in any way wary. So, what I ask of all ye is that ye just do just that until the rescue attempt is made.”

 

“When shall it be?” asked Diane. “Is there any way of knowing?”

 

“Nay. There be no way of knowin’, though I tell ye be as natural as your condition allows. And believe me when I tell ye, it shall be a right bloody mess outside these walls. But now, I would hush, and not let on that ye’ve heard these things from me – and believe me, Kevin also heard the signal, and knows of its import.”

 

Chauncey and Gilbert looked at one another, then they got up, and went over to Stoneheft, and the three of them quietly conferred. Meanwhile, Diane went to Judy and asked quietly how she was feeling. She felt with her hands, and laid her head on Judy’s abdomen, and listened intently, and she looked down at Judy’s ankles, noticing the puffiness.

 

“Thus far the child does appear to be havin’ a healthy heartbeat. But mind ye, lady, to be takin’ care and rest as ye may. I do fear that your babe has dropped, and ye may be getting’ somewhat uncomfortable.” 

 

“Well, you’re right about the baby dropping, Diane. I felt that on the ride. But I don’t feel any contractions yet. But the fact that she dropped could mean that I could go into labor at any time.”

 

Diane sat back up, then said, “aye, m’lady that it does… I fear that it is out of our hands. Ye couldst labor at any time, but I would guess that ye’ll be deliverin’ within a fortnight at the most, and it could even happen within a day.”

 

As Diane was saying this, Bob was starting to get pale. As the most educated physician in the realm, he nevertheless felt acutely out of his element. All his obstetrical training stopped in medical school, and he recalled that he had delivered perhaps twenty babies in that time – years (or centuries) ago. And now here he was with his spouse, who was truly about to deliver at any time, and whose own obstetrical experience was even more current than his. Yet he was now here, and completely unable to procure the services of anyone except this midwife, with no formal training, but who had assisted with the birth of who knew how many babies? 

 

Judy had sensed his acute anxiety, and she turned to him, and laid her hand on his shoulder, then said, “Now, Bob, I know that you’re worried. But believe me that your worry isn’t going to change a thing. This child is going to come into this world regardless of whether you’ve got an obstetrician here or not. And so, you’ve just got to trust Diane. Even though you’ve studied for all those years, Diane has also had years of practical experience in helping women in labor. And besides that, I need you more as my coach and companion than as my doctor.”

 

Somehow, what Judy said did not ease his discomfort. He realized full well what a pickle he had gotten them in, and knowing that all this was going to happen, regardless of what they decided, seemed to make his discomfort even more acute. He began to second-guess the decisions that had been made. He thought of his home within the castle, and he thought about the book he had been writing, and he thought of Melchior and his newest discovery.

 

Then his thoughts came back to Judy, and her circumstances, and how her pregnancy had at first been such a surprise. After all, it was he who was apparently sterile, according to the fertility expert “back home.” That episode of mumps as a young child had left him unable to produce sperm, and so he had resigned himself to the fact that he could never have children of his own. So, when Judy missed a couple of periods, the thought of her being pregnant was the farthest thing from his mind, though not hers. As the months went along, and it became obvious that she was, in fact, pregnant with his child, Judy blossomed with unexpected energy. For a while they told no one but Jeanne and Melchior of her condition, and how their dinners together became their weekly celebration of new life. And now, with Judy and Jeanne able to share the secret joys of motherhood and impending motherhood together, he looked back on those months as the happiest of his time so far in Shepperton.

 

And Judy came to realize as well that this pregnancy was truly special. And she became so convinced that it was a girl she was carrying, that she wouldn’t even consider boys’ names. And she had it so firmly wrapped in her mind that she and Jeanne would often speak of her little angel. And so, it was decided that the girl would be named either Maggie or Angelica. And the final decision would be made when they saw her.

 

But now, here – in this old stone building, out in the forest of nowhere – it seemed too much like a heavy dose of reality was weighing down on Bob and Judy.

 

“I know what you’re saying is true, Judy. And I would be a fool to not admit that I’m worried, very worried. Out here, away from even what the castle could provide in the way of security, we’re just the two of us with our little group of friends. And we’re now prisoners, in the hands of some tyrant with an agenda that he only knows.”

 

“If you think about it, my dear,” answered Judy, “how is that any different from what we have already been through? We have, since we first got here, always been at the mercy of someone more powerful. And in reality, it’s been us two together, who have been buffeted. You see, it’s not that we’re especially adept or strong. Rather, it’s been the knowledge that we brought with us which makes us stand out. And yet our knowledge from our own time has not made us powerful. Not in this realm.”

 

“Ironic isn’t it, Judy? If anything, it has made us less powerful, or so we think. In our world, back in the twentieth century, we thought nothing of traveling, nothing of leaving our homes behind. We could, it seems, always go back. And when I first got here, that was my assumption, too, that I would be able to just go back. It took me quite some time to realize that I was not in charge of where I was, how I got here or why. And in reality, it was the knowledge that I brought with me which kept me here.”

 

“And so it has been,” said Judy, “with me as well…”

 

“Master Robert! Come hence.” It was Hermes’ voice coming from the door. “It be Eustace… he’s havin’ a fit!”

 

Bob leapt up and ran to the doorway. There, on the ground was Eustace, in the throes of a seizure. The men standing guard were looking down on the scene but stood back in fear. Bob immediately went down on his knees and checked to make sure that the young man had not injured himself. Next, he reached down and made certain that his airway was open, and that if he had bitten his tongue, that blood was not filling his mouth. Seeing his mother coming toward them, Bob said to her, “He’s having another seizure, Diane. It looks as if he’ll be all right, though. Could you get me a clean rag?”

 

Diane reached into her bodice and pulled out a handkerchief, which she quickly handed to Bob. Bob took the small cloth and gently wiped the sides of the youth’s mouth, and next he took it and fit it inside his cheek, where the mix of blood and spittle collected on the cloth. The young man’s seizing began to ease up, and his breathing became more regular. Diane took his head in her lap, and then began caressing his face with her hands.

 

Meanwhile, their guards began to recover their wits, and closed ranks about the small scene in the doorway. One of them spoke to Bob, saying, “What happened? Why this boy do this?”

 

Bob thought about it for just a second, then with sudden intuition, turned to the guard and said, “What this young fellow had is called a seizure. It is, in his case caused by being forced to walk for hours with nothing to drink or to eat.”

 

The guard peered down at the scene with a puzzled look upon his face. But somehow, he recognized Bob’s authority in this matter. He quickly spoke something to another guard in a language not understood by anyone there. The other man ran off, and soon came back with a jug of water, and another sack, which he handed to Bob. Bob took the sack of food, and the jug of water, and stood up. As he walked back into the hut, he noticed the sickly sweet smell of the water. He brought it up to his nose – there was no doubt about that smell.  The Creek of the Dead! With a groan, he handed the sack of food to Hermes. He next took the jug of water and poured it out onto the ground, and then he turned on his heels and headed back to the door.

 

By the door he turned to one of the guards, and asked, “This water, where did you get it? And who has drunk of it? This water is poisoned!”

 

Looking startled, the guard answered, “We have all drunk of that water. Whence it came – I know not.” Then he took Bob by the arm and led him toward Count Gregorio. Hermes followed close behind.

 

 

 

 

 

On board his newly outfitted ship, which he had named the Tremaine, after his former ill-fated three-master from his first voyage to Shepperton, the earl of Derrymoor stood at the railing with Titus and looked toward the northwest. The sun was just rising in the east.

 

“I believe that be Shepperton, Titus. And I do believe that we shall make landfall by this evening. I cannot help but believe that much may have happened since we got the letters.”

 

“Oh, aye, that be Shepperton, without a doubt. And with this fair wind we should easily make land by evening. Would ye want me to send our pigeon? At least to let them know that we arrive?”

 

“Aye, that be me thinking, precisely. The fewer surprises at this time, the better.” The earl went quickly below, and, while Titus procured the pigeon, fetched a small piece of paper, and on it he wrote:

 

Craycroft,

We come, this evening. Have everything prepared.

I come with fifty men, all seasoned warriors.

Much to tell, and to hear.

Your friend,

Derrymoor

 

Next, he rolled the paper into a tiny roll, and slipped it into the small container attached to the pigeon’s left foot. Then the two men ascended the stairs to the deck. With a word of encouragement, the earl of Derrymoor then let the bird loose, and they watched as the pigeon flew about the ship for a couple of turns, then headed toward Shepperton Island.

 

Satisfied that they had done what they could, the earl turned toward Titus and said, “Well, I’ll tell ye, me man. If my prior experience counts for something, I do believe that we should be prepared for anything. And that nothing shall turn out the way we could expect.”

 

 

Center Game, Heir of Drachma, Book Two - Chapter Six

Here is Chapter Six of Center Game, Heir of Drachma, Book Two. It is a chapter which sets the scene  and introduces characters for much of what is to come in this installment. I would be curious to see what you think.
Chapter Six


Charlie Stephens was not one for waiting. And here he was in in the cluttered little waiting room, in the cancer center attached to Memorial Hospital. He had glanced through the outdated magazines and helped himself to yet another cup of what came out of the pot. He was told that it was coffee, but he couldn’t be sure. Eventually, the coffee did what it always did to him, and so he asked the small gray-haired lady behind the desk the directions to the men’s room.
On his way to the rest room, he noticed a child of about ten years of age, pale, hairless and thin, but strikingly beautiful, being wheeled out of one of the rooms, with an IV in her arm. She looked directly at him and smiled. He smiled back at her.
“Hey, you’re Charlie Stephens, aren’t you?” she asked.
“Well, yes… that’s me.” He answered cautiously.
“My name’s Amanda, and I’m in the fifth grade. And I’ve got leukemia. Do you know anything about leukemia?”
“Why, no, not really.” He spoke guardedly.
“It’s a cancer of the bone marrow – that’s where the cells of the blood are made. And I’ve had it since I was in the third grade. But now they say that mine has come back. That’s why I’m here, and not in school. So they can get some more of my bone marrow, and send it off to get tested. Then they can decide what kind of chemotherapy to give me. They all hope it will work, but I’m not so sure.”
Charlie found himself astonished by this girl. There was her matter of fact telling him, a perfect stranger, about her illness. As if he had every right to know. And there was her striking pale beauty. He looked down at her big, dark eyes, and he swallowed the lump in his throat. He tried to say something but found he couldn’t say a word. So he knelt down by her wheelchair, and he reached into his coat pocket, and pulled out his notebook. He opened it to the picture Janie had drawn of the castle. He showed it to Amanda. 
Eventually, finding his voice, he said, “This was made just today by a woman who also comes here. Isn’t it marvelous?”
She took it into her thin hands, and studied it for a few seconds, then said, “Janie, I know – this is Shepperton Castle, and it’s meant for you to find your way. And when you get there, please tell Alex that we’ll meet again.”
“You… you know about Shepperton? And Alex?” He looked at the attendant who had been pushing her wheelchair, who just smiled. And he looked around, seeing no one else. “And where are your parents?”
“In heaven,” she said in her matter of fact sort of way. “They both died when I was in kindergarten.”
By now Charlie’s emotions were raw. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” was all he could think to say.
“It’s OK. It took a while to get over it. But the folks at St. Olaf’s have been good to me.” Then she took his hand in her two, and looking directly into his eyes, said, “But, Charlie – you be certain to tell Alex what I said. For you’re going to do something more important than you’ve ever done on TV.” Then she reached over and took his neck and kissed him on the cheek, exactly where he had been kissed earlier. His notebook fell to the floor, but he didn’t notice, as his eyes were overflowing.
“So, Charlie, I see you’ve met our little Amanda.” It was Lonnie, who had come down the hall, and noticed the scene. She stooped down, and picked up Charlie’s notebook, and, while handing it back noticed the drawing. “Now, Amanda, you know that Charlie was here, waiting for me, and you’ve gone off and stolen his affection.” She said this with a wink, and then she quickly hugged the little girl.
“Oh, Lonnie, I had no idea that he was waiting to see you. But I had to warn him…”
“Warn him of what, my angel?”
“Oh, Lonnie, I had to tell him where he’s going. It’s all in his notebook.”
With a most puzzled look, Lonnie asked, “Where he’s going? Like you know about this…?”
Amanda nodded. The look of her beautiful face told Lonnie that she wasn’t joking.
“All right, then.” She changed the subject. “I know that you can’t leave the hospital right now. You want us to pick you up something to eat. Charlie was just about to take me out, weren’t you, Charlie?”
Charlie had straightened back up and was dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief. He nodded, in answer.
“Where are you taking her, Charlie?” Asked Amanda.
“And where would you like us to go? What would you like?” Charlie had his voice back. “What would you like more than anything in the world?”
“Chinese!” Answered Amanda. “What I’d really like would be some Egg Foo Yung!”
“Then that’s where we’ll go. I know a great little spot not far from here. And I’ll be certain to bring you back some Egg Foo Yung, with your own fortune cookie, my little lady.”




In the back of the Peking House sat Lonnie and Charlie. They had just ordered, and up until now, their conversation had just been superficial. But then Charlie turned to Lonnie and said, “All right, now you’ve got to tell me about this little, bitty force of nature called Amanda, who just succeeded in tearing my world to shreds. And then after that, I’ll tell you about my day so far. And then, I’ll tell you why I called you in the first place.”
“All right, Charlie. You’ve got it. And to tell you the truth, I’ve never seen Amanda so smitten with a guy. She’s one of the orphan students at St. Olaf’s. Apparently, she was brought there some years ago after her parents died. Now, I don’t know this for certain, but apparently her father had mental problems, and kind of came and went from their home. But one day, he apparently snapped, and he killed Amada’s mother, then he turned the gun on himself. Anyway, when Amanda’s day care didn’t hear from her mother, they called the cops. And when the cops got to the apartment with Amanda – well you can imagine.
“Anyway, her mother had always been a parishioner at St. Olaf’s, and so the Sisters of the Poor decided that they should bring her up as one of their own. She was always regarded as special – a child of extremely high intelligence, but something more. She was diagnosed with AML (that’s acute myelogenous leukemia) a couple of years back. She went through her treatments like a little trooper. She did have a complete remission but has been followed by our pediatric hematology folks regularly. But just these past few months, she has developed new findings which suggest that her leukemia has come back with a vengeance, and so far has not shown signs of responding to the additional chemo treatments. And all of us are just devastated. 
“Now, Amanda has always been very stoic, but also, she has been outgoing with the women she has been around. But around men, she has always been somewhat more shy and just a bit distant. And that’s why I was so surprised at her interaction with you.”
“Hmm.” Muttered Charlie. “And can you tell me if she has had any interaction with Janie?”
“I can’t really say for certain, but the adult and pediatric patients don’t typically mix, and they’ve got different places in the cancer center that they go. Now, mind you, I don’t know for sure, but what I can say is that neither one has mentioned the other…”
“Very strange indeed.” Charlie thought for a moment, then spoke again, “It’s just that she seemed to know Janie.”
Their soup arrived. And as the waitress laid down their bowls, Charlie told the waitress about Amanda, and how she would like some Egg Foo Yung to go, and with a fortune cookie. When she left, Lonnie asked Charlie to elaborate. In answer, Charlie reached into his jacket pocket, and pulled out his tattered notebook, and turned to the page with Janie’s drawing, which he handed across the table to Lonnie. She looked at it, at the very careful lines, and the incredible detail.
“My goodness, Charlie, I really didn’t know you were an artist as well as a skilled TV reporter. This is a remarkable little drawing.”
“That isn’t mine, and that’s the point. It was drawn just this morning by Janie. I showed it to Amanda, I don’t know why. And she immediately identified it as coming from Janie. And she said it was Shepperton Castle. Further, she noted that it was meant for me to find my way.”
“Now, wait just a minute, Mr. Ace Reporter… Just what are you trying to tell me? You’re not going away, too… No, Charlie, that would be just too much. I think that you’d better back up just a bit here and tell me what happened with Janie.”
“All right. Just this morning I was trying to put all these weird things that have happened in my life into something that made some sense. How this whole thing got started four years ago, when Dr. Gilsen and Judy Morrison went missing. And then all these other things happened, and now, with the disappearance of Marilyn. None of it made any real sense – not to me, anyhow. Well I decided to go investigate in my own intrepid way (after all, it was what I promised Marilyn that I would do), and I decided to start out with Janie. But as I was about to call her, the strangest thing happened…. or at least I believe it happened… When I picked up the phone, it was if I were suddenly in an ancient forest, with its sounds and smells, and out of the forest there came this voice which said, “That which you seek is great, but your search even greater”. Now, I had to sit down right away, and gather my thoughts, before I actually called Janie.”
“Oh, do go on, Charlie, for once again you’ve captivated me, and swept me off my feet! And why do I get the feeling that this whole thing is going to get even more confusing?”
Charlie smiled sheepishly. He then proceeded to tell her about his visit with Janie, and how she had made her little drawing for him, and how she had chosen him to go to Shepperton. He also told her of Janie’s revelations, and how this person called Drachma seemed to have all the answers, but also how Drachma had insinuated himself into their lives here in the twentieth century. 
“Yeah, I’m beginning to see. And now it’s come down to you, hasn’t it? You of the skeptical and curious disposition, huh?”
“I guess it has. But let me ask you a question. Do you have any idea what I could do for Judy? You see, Janie implied that Judy was in some trouble – off in this other time and place, without any prenatal care, or any of the sophisticated diagnostic things that pregnant women have nowadays. As an ER nurse all those years, what do you think we could do to treat any complications of pregnancy? Now here I am sounding like I even know things which I don’t.”
“I’ll tell you, Charlie, there are only a few life-threatening complications of pregnancy which made us worry in the ER. The first one is preeclampsia or eclampsia, and I can’t even imagine that you’d be able to treat or even diagnose any such a condition in the fifteenth century – I mean, how would you even diagnose hypertension without a blood pressure cuff? And that is the common thread of those two ailments. And next would be the complications related to physical positioning of the baby and the umbilical cord. These could be diagnosed I suppose, but what would you do about them? I couldn’t even imagine the risks of attempting to do a c-section without anesthesia.
“But I’ll tell you what. There is a complication of childbirth that even you could do something about.”
“Me?” Charlie became somewhat pale. “Oh, I couldn’t even be in a room where a woman is delivering a baby.”
“Do you mean you couldn’t – or that you wouldn’t want to be? Two very different things.”
After a moment of silence, Charlie said, “I guess what I mean is I’ve never been, and the thought makes me squeamish.”
“Well, then, after we deliver this fine meal to our little Amanda, I would ask that you accompany me to the ER, and I’ll equip you with something to take to my old friend, Judy, in her time of need.
“But now, I’ve got to ask you. When you go, and you come back (and for now I’m going to believe that you will), what will you do with all that information?”
“By all that information – do you mean what really happened to Dr. Gilsen, to Judy Morrison, and to Marilyn?”
“Uh huh. That’s exactly what I mean.” There was both a question and a challenge in her eyes.
“To tell the truth, I’ve got to say that until today I thought that I’d prepare some kind of TV special – you know, a last send-off, because I can’t see me doing this much longer. But also ‘til today, I thought that I’d have no first-hand experience to draw on. But now I’m not sure at all. Because I’m not sure of several things. The first is that I’m going at all. I mean look at the reality of things – how would you expect anyone to believe that he’s going to another time? I know that Janie believes I’m going, and Amanda does, and now apparently you do. But do I? I don’t really know. And the other thing is, if I do go, no one but you has indicated that I’m coming back. From my standpoint it looks like a one-way ticket. I mean, look at Dr. Gilsen, Judy and now Marilyn – they’re all gone, and none of them are back, are they? I mean, it’s kind of like a criminal on death row, with his execution date set – does he really believe that he is going to die, even with all the evidence?”
“Oh, Charlie.” Lonnie’s voice came out as a sigh. “Until I got to know Janie, I was also a skeptical, hard-nosed woman. But Janie has changed my world view in ways that really matter. And you, too…”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. I’m sure that you haven’t forgotten our first meeting. And it was you who transported me to places and times unknown. Yes, it was you, the hard-bitten, skeptical TV reporter. You found that soft place in my heart, which I had shut off from the experiences that truly mattered. So, yes, I truly believe that you are going, and I really believe that you are coming back.”
The waitress came back with their check, their fortune cookies and their to-go order. Charlie looked inside and saw a fortune cookie, along with the Egg Foo Yung inside. He then handed their two fortune cookies to Lonnie, and said, “Here, you choose.” Lonnie took one of the fortune cookies, and broke it open.
“Well, now, I’m curious to see what your fortune says,” he smiled.
Lonnie looked at her fortune, and immediately choked up. Charlie reached over and picked up the sliver of paper. On it were the words, “It shall be as you say.”
“All right, now I don’t usually believe in fortune cookies, but this is too much. And did you notice the handwriting?”
Charlie looked down again at the small piece of paper and was struck like a lightning bolt by the fact that he recognized the script, noticed that it was handwritten in ink, with that now familiar slant to the left.
“My God, this can’t be!” He breathed. “I do recognize this handwriting – it is Drachma’s own!”
“Well, then, my friend, it seems as if we need to look at your fortune as well.”
Charlie opened his own fortune cookie and took out the slip of paper. He peered at it, and the slightest smile appeared on his face as he read, “It shall be soon. Be ready.” Yet there was something else. The paper of both fortune cookies was different from the usual stuff. The paper was slightly beige in color, and stiffer than normal, and there were slight irregularities of the border.
“Here, let me try this,” he said. And he took the two pieces of paper, and was able to fit them, one on top of the other, so that the irregularities matched. “So now we know that this is no coincidence.”
“No, Charlie – this is… certainly no coincidence.”




The drive back to Memorial Hospital was marked by silence. But it was not the silence of a lovers’ quarrel, but rather it was the silence of two persons who had just experienced a shared encounter with the numinous.
After parking, they both got out, and Lonnie said, “Well, I don’t know about you, but that experience was a bit too close for comfort. I just hope that today’s not got any more surprises in it. Let’s get this up to our little angel on the fourth floor.”
Charlie silently agreed, and they walked up to the cancer center, and took the elevator to the fourth floor. Lonnie led the way down the hall to room 427, where they were met by the cheerfully smiling Amanda.
“Oh, goody!” She beamed. “The food isn’t bad here, but you’ve just made my day. Oh, thank you so much!”
“So glad we could make your day a little brighter.” Lonnie smiled. “Eat up while it’s still somewhat warm.”
And so, they both watched for a while, as Amanda happily devoured her Chinese meal. After she had eaten, and Charlie and Lonnie were about to take their leave, Amanda stopped them with a word. She wanted them to wait, while she opened her fortune cookie. Lonnie and Charlie looked at each other. Their own apprehension was evident.
“What’s the matter, you two? Don’t you want to know what my fortune cookie says?”
“Amanda, please go ahead and open your cookie,” said Charlie, “and then we’ll explain.”
“OK, then – here goes!” 
As Lonnie and Charlie watched, Amanda broke open her fortune cookie, and very carefully slid out the small piece of paper. Charlie immediately noted its color as being the same beige color as the previous two. On her paper there were four words, written in the same hand as Lonnie’s. The words were “You also are precious.”
“So, even across the chasm of time, Drachma knows.” Lonnie’s voice, though quiet, was commanding. “And you still have your paper, and here’s mine. Let’s see if they were from the same sheet.”
On her tray, they very carefully put down the three small bits of paper, and the irregularities fit, so there was no doubt that they came from the same unusual paper, with Lonnie’s on top, then Charlie’s in the middle, and Amanda’s on the bottom.
“So, you guys played some kind of trick with my fortune cookie, huh?”
“Oh, no,” said Charlie. “It wasn’t us who played any tricks, but I do believe I’m getting to know the one who did. And his tricks, if you can call them that, have to be taken quite seriously. And they’re getting scary.”
With an intuition that was beyond her years, Amanda noted, “Oh, Charlie, don’t be scared, for it even says that you too are precious.”
“But mine didn’t say that.”
“Yes, but just think about it for a second, ‘cause mine said that I was also precious, and that tells me that someone else is precious too.”





As they left the cancer center, and walked to the Emergency Room, Charlie and Lonnie were quiet again. It seemed to Charlie that his world had shifted, and what was once stable footing, had become treacherous. He no longer trusted his own instincts, but what else did he have? If he couldn’t trust his instincts as an investigative reporter, just what and who was out there to believe in?
“If you don’t mind me asking you, Charlie, just what is it you’re going to do after we go to the ER?”
“No, I don’t mind a bit. I figure I’d go pay a visit to my friend, the earl of Shepperton. After all, it’s his old domain that I appear to be walking into. And I was going to go see him and Carol anyway, as part of my investigation. But it now looks as if I’ve got even more reason to do so.”
“I don’t mean to intrude, but could you use some company? After all, we do seem to be in this whole mystical thing together. And I’d also like to see my old friend Carol. It’s been some time since I’ve seen her.”
“Are you sure you want to? It’s me who is apparently going…”
“And it’s me who’s staying back here. And don’t you think it appropriate that I get a chance to see this earl, and get some of the lowdown on what you’re walking into? You know, Charlie, in the very brief time that I’ve gotten to know you, you’ve managed to get over, under and through my defenses. And doggone it, Charlie, I’ve come to care about you.”
And just like that, Charlie realized the answer to his previous question of whom he could believe.
“Well, then, Alonza, I would be honored by your presence, and I am certain that the earl and Carol would also welcome you, too.”
“Why, thank you.”
When they arrived at the ER, Lonnie had him stay in the waiting room, while she went back into her old environment. Charlie sat, and contemplated his shifting world. And he thought, with some trepidation about just what he was now stepping into.
When Lonnie came back, she found Charlie deep in contemplation, slumped over in his chair, with his head in his hands. She let him alone for the moment. As he regained his focus, she smiled at her friend, who looked suddenly quite fragile.
“Here, Charlie,” she said. “This is what you’re taking with you to Shepperton, with Judy to guide you.”
“What’s in the bag?”
“Just come on. I’ll explain it as we go to the earl’s house.”

Center Game, Heir of Drachma, Book Two - Chapter Five

Here, for you reading pleasure, is Chapter Five of Center Game, Heir of Drachma, Book Two. I would be curious to hear what you think.

Chapter Five


The village of Killiburn lies on an outcropping of land by the sea. From the south it is sheltered by the hills, but to the north lies the grey expanse of the channel, as far as one could see. And what the two men were looking at was out in the water, a hundred yards to the northeast - one of the three-masted ships used by Italians and Portuguese for their commercial voyages. They could occasionally make out the few sailors left on board, the majority of the men, having made up the landing party, had left two days ago.
“So, it would seem, Master Guarneri, that your own plans have superseded those of Master LeGace, no?” The younger of the two men asked. “For the present time, at least, you might have the upper hand.”
“Not really, Emile,” he answered warily, “for we know not what effect LeGace’s plans shall have. I know this much – that he has captured some prisoners. And I also know what he intends to do in the larger picture. But I do not know if what we have put in motion shall succeed. Now you are fairly certain of the information you gave me. And your own aims, as well as my own designs do appear to lie along the same line. But we are relying on an irascible scoundrel. I do not trust his judgment, nor his own control over his temper.”
“You do know him better than I, but still, it would seem to me that he stands a reasonable chance of intercepting the party. And if he does, then your own plans would most certainly succeed, no?”
“Aye. I do believe they would. But do not underestimate the Forest Guard, which patrol the forest lanes. And also, Drachma’s own little army, which works hand-in-glove with the Forest Guard.”
“Oh, I was unaware that Drachma had his own army…”
“Indeed, he does, and they are hand-picked warriors, the likes of which have controlled his own private estates.”
 “Oh? Could you please explain? For this is one aspect of your planning that you have not elucidated to me.”
“Well, let me explain.” Guarneri turned around, then he pointed to the southern hills. “You see, off in the distance toward Croftus Knob. All the forested lands in the island’s interior are considered to be the original earl’s lands. And they are now considered owned by Craycroft, through a relationship that Craycroft has established with the earl of Derrymoor. Apparently, this serves the king’s own needs, and he does not usually bother with the issues of land ownership – that is, as long as he still has his own supply of Shepperton pots.”
“Aye, of that much I am aware. For I do know something of the king’s own concerns.”
“Now to be perfectly honest, I would say that the management of the island’s interior is nothing to be trifled with, and I, myself have never had occasion to go into the forest, preferring to stay along the coastal areas. But I have studied maps of the interior, and do know of its various routes, and its byways toward the villages. For it was necessary to know this in my previous profession.”
“Ah, as overseer of the production of the pots, no?”
“Aye.” Guarneri paused. Then he continued. “Well, I did get to know of certain individuals who became familiar with the byways of the interior, and among them was the older fellow whom you met the other day.”
“Aye, the fellow named Samuel…”
“Now, back in the days of yore, Samuel worked for me, as an informer, so I could be certain of the production details. Now I am quite sure that Samuel was not particularly honest, but honest enough that I could report on a monthly basis to my own Master Vincente on the continuous supply of raw material for our own potters. And it seems that everyone was reasonably happy with the results. And what this meant to me was that I did not need to go into the interior. A place that I abhor…”
“Oh, and why is that?”
“The interior forest is a place of ancient mystery and of legend. A place of forbidding forces, of wolves and of wild men – not a place for the civilized to tread.”
“I see,” said Patronis. Then a thought occurred to him. “But you hesitated not to send Count Gregorio into those same forests.”
“Nay, I did not hesitate to send him and his armed men into the interior. For you see, whatever they may accomplish or not – either way, we are most assured of success.” 
“Ah, I see. And just how certain are you of all this?”
“Certain enough.” Guarneri replied. “And with Samuel to report back to me, I do believe that we shall prevail.”
A look of doubt clouded the younger man’s face, as he spoke, “Master Guarneri, here is where I do become uncertain – am I missing something?”
“Let me see if I might make it clearer for you. Now, if Count Gregorio seizes the party, and brings them back to his ship, then we reap the benefits of telling him about the bounty he now has to trade for his desires. And, further, you have the benefit of knowledge to tell the king’s men of this count’s treachery. And I believe, as do you, that it would be unlikely that King Henry would let an Italian count steal away his source of precious pottery. And I would then be most assuredly seen favorably by the king, and be appointed charge over the potters’ guild.”
“But what if the count is unsuccessful – what then?”
“Now consider…if the count is either not successful in finding the party, or if he should find the party and be subsequently routed by the Forest Guard. What then?  Who should be the first to know, but we two, thanks to our little informer, who would be following the group at a safe distance. He would then return to us with the news. Whereupon we would be in position to institute our secondary plan.”
“Which would put us indirectly into the enemy’s hands…”
“Ah, but with an advantage that would yield ultimate victory. Think on that!”
“Oh, aye.”
The two men turned and headed back to the village, and to the home of Samuel.





With a sense of high purpose, Aaron and Mortimer walked into Barncuddy’s Ale House. While Craycroft, Kerlin, Cayman and the others would be in their grim meeting, Craycroft had told Aaron that his own task was all the more important.  And Aaron knew and understood perfectly. Mortimer, still very new to this whole business of being a page to their liege lord, was along both to learn and to offer moral support.
“Well, now if it isn’t me little friends, Aaron and Mortimer,” Barncuddy greeted the youthful pair. “Could ye tell me, lads, what it is that brings ye here this fine mornin’?”
“We be comin’ in on assignment for Lord Craycroft,” answered Aaron. 
“On assignment, is it? What kind? Let me guess – ye’d like to talk with the two gentlemen from last evenin’ wouldn’t ye?”
“Umm, aye. We would like that indeed, Master Barncuddy. Now, would that be possible?”
“Indeed, I do believe it would. Now if ye but wait here, I do believe that I shall be able to get the men down to talk.”
With that said, Barncuddy went up the stairs, and came down again leading two men, who recognized Aaron, and smiled.
“Ah, me friend, Aaron – come sit down. Master Barncuddy tells me that ye’d like some more information, is it?” It was the bigger of the two men, one named Clifton, who spoke.
“Oh, that’d be right, sire.  And thank ye.” Said Aaron, very politely, as he and Mortimer sat down quickly.
“Well, lads, now who is this ye be servin’?” asked the smaller, darker man, named Enoch. “Fer it would’na be meet to just talk to the wind, now d’ye think?”
“Oh, but sire, I… that is, we be workin’ fer Lord Craycroft himself, and he does ask fer yer presence at table this very evenin’.” Answered Aaron.
“Very well, lads,” said Clifton, without pretense. “Tell us what it is you want from us. And pray, tell your master that we shall be more than happy to dine with him today.”
“Well, ye know we were here last evenin’ and ye got to talkin’ o’ those two men ye said were some o’ the king’s men? Why that got Lord Craycroft quite interested. And he asked that Mortimer and I go and talk wi’ ye this mornin’.”
“Fine, then, m’lads. We’ll talk, and ye could then tell Master Craycroft.” Clifton stretched, and made himself comfortable. Aaron and Mortimer both pulled their chairs closer and leaned over to hear. “Now, lads, this tale goes back a ways. We had been travelin’ from Scotland, and we landed on the other side o’ yer island, and we were told that a Councilor Rust lived and worked somewhere within the island’s main castle. We know that he was a man of true virtue, and he knows things of importance, and that he’s also a man of true learnin’. Now tell me, that’d be true, eh?”
“Aye. That certainly be true, sire. Ye be right about that.”
“Well, anyway, we come from Edinburgh, from one o’ the schools there, It’s one called Prince Rupert’s School for Young Men. Anyway, we heard about yer own academy, and that it was there that true learnin’ took place. Now mind ye, we’re both alchemists, and we both teach at this school. But it came to us that there was upon yer isle, one teacher of some renown, a Master Robert, who teaches with some authority. This also is true, no?”
“Oh, Aye. That’d be true indeed.”
“Well, ye see, Master Rust is known to me partner, here, from prior years at Cambridge.”
“Oh, aye, indeed,” said Enoch, “though I don’t know if he’d be rememberin’ me – it’s been so many years back. But that’d be somethin’ to go on. Anyway, we got permission to come here, from the headmaster, and to try to bring back some o’ this knowledge, and we may stay fer the better part of the year, before goin’ back. And I was thinkin’ that me own ties to Councilor Rust just might get us places with the academy…”
“As students or teachers?” asked Mortimer.
That brought out a lighthearted chuckle from the two men.
Clifton then said, “Why, as students, lads. We come to learn – for if it is true what they say, then we have more to learn from this place, which we may then take back with us to Edinburgh. But that’s just why we be comin’ here. And you ‘d be askin’ about what we observed in Killiburn, now wouldn’t ye?”
“Oh, aye, sirs. But we could take ye to meet with Councilor Rust when we be done here.” Aaron added. “We both know where his place is, e’en though right now he’s certain to be meetin’ wi’ Lord Craycroft in his chambers.”
“That’d be right, fer I just brought him o’er to the keep,” put in Mortimer.
“Aye, so anyway,” said Aaron, bringing them back on track, “Ye were in Killiburn, on the way here, and ye saw these two men…”
“Aye, that be right, Laddie. But ere the two men, there was the ship.”
“The ship?”
“Oh, aye, the three-masted ship. A number of heavily armed men came off that ship. And these two men took an instant interest in the doings of the men, and spent some time talking with the leaders of the men aboard the ship. They then arranged for mounts for the landin’ party and saw to their departure. It was quite apparent that the older of the two men at the least was quite familiar with the doings on your island.”
“Oh, my!” said Aaron. “The ship and its landing party would suggest that count Gregorio has already landed. And can ye tell me, is he headed in this direction?”
“Nay, lads. And that be somethin’ of interest. For, ye see, the party was sent into the interior of the island – toward your great mountain.”
“Toward Croftus Knob, eh?” Suddenly, it became apparent to Aaron what this all meant. “We must tell Craycoft! Come with us, good sirs. While I do know that he is now meetin’ with persons who share his concerns about Shepperton Isle, I also know that what you have to say he would want to hear. And he should like to hear it now.”
“If ye say so, m’lad.” Said Clifton. “Then we should go, as ye say.”

Center Game, Heir of Drachma, Book Two, Chapter Four

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.

Heir of Drachma, Center Game, Book Two - Chapter Three

Here is the third chapter of Center Game - for your reading pleasure!



Chapter Three

Up ahead, toward the right, at the edge of his vision, Kevin could see it now. Every so often, as the forest cleared, he could see beyond their own path towards the higher point ahead. And he knew. He could see the ragged troupe behind was tiring, but he was afraid to ask his captors for rest. Now if they could hold out long enough to make the next ridge, he thought that they might stand a chance.
Kevin recalled that time, over four years ago now, when he and his guards had been dispatched to pick up, and bring to the castle “a healer, with magic.” And when he saw Master Robert there, in the guards’ quarters in Killiburn, what an unlikely person he seemed to be, to be carrying so much magic. And yet – now with years’ worth of observation – he discovered that what was assumed to be magic was more a combination of knowledge and skill. How he had truly defeated Councilor Reordan using tools that he believed everyone had at their disposal. And was it not that very knowledge which had made him such a target now?
It seemed strange to him that in an effort to protect Robert from capture by those who sought him, to now be taken prisoner by this most unlikely foe. Count Gregorio, it seems, did just happen upon their little party innocently sleeping in the forest. And now they were prisoners in the hands of one who truly had no knowledge of their worth. Gregorio didn’t even know of Master Robert, nor what he meant to the people of the island. 
And he thought of the Lady Judy, and how Robert must be fretting. She was great with child, and he could not tell how soon it would be before she would deliver. He prayed that it would not be anytime soon. He was sure that Master Robert could handle any needs that Judy might have, and yet, here she was among this ragged band of ruffians, away from the castle and all the comforts that would provide. At the very least, she had Diane with her, someone who also had helped many of the castle’s women in the birth of children. And also, there was the injured prince, Diego, among the men, who seemed to be tiring especially, and yet he kept walking along, and not lagging behind. It seemed that the young men who were surrounding him were keeping him going, yet there was a pained look upon his face, which worsened every time he would look back toward the walkers.
And, too, what was he to think of Gilbert? Was he truly changed, or was that a mere ruse? Also Chauncey. He had been told that the man had special talents, which he could put to use. But how, and against whom?
Thinking these random thoughts, he was suddenly startled to hear from the forest behind him the call of a whippoorwill. He knew that signal! It was the sign from nearby Forest Guards, letting them know that he and his group had been seen, and to remain alert. He looked toward Gregorio and his men and noticed that they were oblivious to the signal. Then he turned his attention to his fellow guardsmen, and all kept their own focus forward, yet he could tell that it was a signal that they had recognized. So, he continued on, encouraged. 



Within the cart, Judy was startled by the cry of a whippoorwill.  Suddenly alert and attentive, she looked about her with anticipation. She remembered that signal from years ago, recalling that she had been a prisoner with Falma, and the same signal had indicated the presence of Drachma’s men, and eventual release. She looked about her in the cart and noted that her companions had not reacted to the bird call.
“Diane,” she said quietly, “that bird call… did you notice it? That was the sound of the Forest Guard, indicating their presence.”
“Nay, Judy, I did not pay attention. D’ye mean that the Forest Guard know of our capture?”
“Yes! That’s precisely what this means. It means that we are not alone. I have no idea when they’ll strike, but mark my words, there will be a rescue attempt, perhaps when we stop for the night.”
“My poor Diego!” exclaimed Alex, suddenly. “Look…he is so tired, and this walk has been so hard fo’ him.”
They all looked out toward the men, and they could see the stern expressions of those who walked behind, and they could tell that Diego was tiring. His gait was getting more unsteady as he walked along within the group. Despite assistance from those in front and behind, his ability to keep up with the group was about done. Seeing this, Alex leaped out of the cart and ran back to her man.
“Diego!” she cried out, “Here, put your bad arm on me. Now, just walk. Along this way…”
Sensing some disturbance to the rear, Gregorio gave the signal to stop, and he turned his mount backwards, and he came to where Alex was now helping Diego.
“Whattsa matta’ this man?” He demanded.
Bob took it upon himself to answer. “The man has been seriously injured and is tiring.”
“Injured? My men no injure him. What you mean, injured?”
It was Alex who spoke up, “Ye canna’ see his injury… it’s inside. But he’ll be aw’right again. ‘e just needs rest.”
Gregorio was perplexed. He had never even noticed this little girl before. Who was she? And why was she speaking for this man?  And why was he dressed in finery fit for a prince?
He summoned Kevin over, and asked him, “Who this man, and this girl? And why they say he injured?”
Kevin answered guardedly. “Your excellency, this man is but new to us. He comes to us as a survivor of a shipwreck. He is mostly unable to talk with us. For reasons we do not understand, this young girl, who rescued him from the sea, can talk with him, and speaks for him…”
“He… no talk?”
“Nay, sire.”
“What you think we do with him?”
Kevin began to respond, but Alex answered, “Oh, sir, he should ride in the cart! He shall be aw’right if he but rides. I shall make it sure.”
“Cara mia,” said Gregorio, “What is this child, this girl? And why she is here?”
In answer, Alex looked up at the count, and she smiled directly up at him. If she had been some sturdy man-at-arms, he would have known how to deal with that threat, but here was a small, six-year-old girl, who, with just that look, and that smile was able to penetrate his armor and immobilize him. He could do nothing but smile back and capitulate.
“Very well… he may ride in cart with you. Now, make it so!”
After initially speaking, Bob had just watched, as this fearless girl had effectively neutralized the threat posed by his captor. And he realized just what his dreams were telling him about how she was to be the one.



From the shelter of the forest, forty paces back Fausto and his brothers, with Marilyn Gilsen, had been watching intently as this little drama had enfolded. Too far back to hear what was said, they were nevertheless close enough to see what effect young Alex had upon the nobleman in charge of the operation.
“Never have I seen anything like that!” Said Fausto, in a most intense whisper. “That wee lass was so fearless. I wonder who she is. And also, the men…”
Marilyn had been stunned into horrified silence by the sight of the prisoners… and there was Bob! She had thought she was ready to see him. But out here, in the wild forest of Shepperton, tied up as a prisoner, and looking years older, such that she had a hard time recognizing him. But his distinctive gait gave him away. His hair was longer and hung in careless grey strands about his head. And he had grown a beard. He was wearing clothes that she could not recognize, but it was still Bob, and it was all she could do to hold herself back, and not get off her horse and run to him. But she knew as well that this was not the time. And whatever she could do for him it was not to be – not yet.
And so, she watched. Mute, but fascinated, as the injured nobleman was roughly put in the cart, which then pulled out and led the way for the prisoners to follow on foot. They all watched for another couple of minutes, then headed of in the direction of the cluster of men.
“I take it from your reaction that master Robert was among the prisoners, no?” Asked Fausto, when he felt it safe to talk.
“Oh, there’s no way that I was prepared to see him this way, as a prisoner,” she replied. “This was not the Robert Gilsen I remember. Not the stalwart doctor, out among his patients in the world of medicine. Not the unshakably confident cardiologist, whom patients and other doctors trusted with their own medical care. Oh, and I worry about what Tom told me. He said that I could only interact through others, and not directly with Bob.”
“Is that so?
“Oh, yes. He said that I could see Bob and Judy, but they could not interact with me. And that whatever interaction I would have with either of them would be through a girl named Alex (and I believe you just saw her), and some nobleman named Diego – and I wonder…”
Fausto answered her tacit question. “I do believe that the man whom they put in the cart is likely that man. And I believe that we shall find out soon enough. For now, though let us follow the prisoners at a safe distance until the others join us.”
“How many are there going to be? And when do you expect them?”
Stefano answered Marilyn’s question. “There might be as many as twelve, but you see the three of us count for five fighting men each.” He said with no pretense or boasting. “And with the looks of that party, I do believe it shall be sufficient.”
“He…he sp…speaks truth, m…ma…madam,” Justinian added.