The Persephane Pendrake Chronicles_One_the Cimaruta

by Lady Ellen

  “Can’t say too much just yet, my dear, I have much research to do to figure out where it is and plan my journey to obtain it. I feel I must not be clouded by others’ input. I’ll fill you in as need be, don’t worry. But let’s just say this, if this item doesn’t pan out, well, at least it we’ll be able to make stew for the multitudes!” whispered Melanthios, chuckling.

  Darn and blast again thought Benson, he was sure she was about to spill the ol’ proverbial beans.

  As the Shape-Shifter walked closer to Melanthios, she flickered her eyes quickly up to the window well, and back again. Benson’s little heart took a leap and he edged himself back into the shadows. The Shape-Shifter attempted to see where Melanthios was marking a particular page with her finger, but she pulled her finger from the book and walked to the doorway.

  “There are other records I must confer with, we will meet later in the day, my clever beauty,” said Melanthios and she left the room.

  The Shape-Shifter shuffled herself over to the right side of the room where a long wooden table stood under a large ornate mirror. She admired herself for a few minutes, looking into the mirror and disturbingly around the room, even to the window several times. Benson was getting quite jittery at her constant glances toward his hiding place. WHAT was she doing?

  To the Shape-Shifter’s left, on the table stood a large vase of flowers, some of which Benson did not recognize, including the branch she pulled from the grouping. There were several clusters of delicate yellow flowers blossoming along its length. She turned and sashayed over to the window, seemingly engrossed in studying the flowers. She stood and looked outside. Swiftly, her left hoof went up the wall and grabbed a torch from its sconce, she touched the blooms with the flame. White smoke emanated immediately from the flowers, filling the window well. Only then did Benson notice that the Shape-Shifter blocked her nose and mouth with a silken cloth she must have taken from the table.

  Benson’s head spun; he lost his grip on the stone and spiralled to the window sill in a dead faint.

  The Shape-Shifter tossed the burning branch out the window and scooped up the unconscious Benson.

  “We are not strangers, Benson, and I don’t know what you heard of Melanthios’ plans before I awoke, but you are not taking them back to Persy and Thaddeus, so I know who I am going to thrill by offering you as a tasty ssssssssssnack,” she hissed.

  The Shape-Shifter clomp-padded out of the room and down the circular stairs to the dungeons below. There she listened for the one other distinctive gait in the castle which belonged to her arachnid friend.

  “Tash, where are you?” she called, “I have a lovely treat for you.”

  “Vat? I am havink a vonderful zleep and you disturb me. Vat do you have?” demanded Natasha the Nasty, drowsily.

  The Shape-Shifter dropped the comatose Benson into one of Tash’s fore claws. Tash’s conglomerate of eyes enlarged suddenly in surprise. “Vat have you done to heem?” she asked.

  “Oleander smoke. His heart will completely stop in minutes. Happy munching! He was eavesdropping on Melanthios...I don’t know what he heard, but I don’t want it getting back to those meddling young Magicals and Laurel.” With that slight explanation, the Shape-Shifter turned, pivoted on her tail and schlepped back up the stairs to Melanthios’ garret to resume her sleep.

  Tash carefully took Benson and started to push on his thorax to keep his heart going, which was where Oleander did its most deadly damage.

  “You don’t know eet,” Tash murmured, “but your friends, zey get my loveliness out of ze Rose Arbour, and I ‘ave many, many reezons to help you. Beleef dis!”

  She used the rest of her legs to launch herself out of the dungeons and up to the front door, but not before she grabbed another branch of Oleander from a vase in the entrance hall.

  She scurried to the edge of the forest where she climbed the first large tree and from there could swing via her web from tree to tree to reach Laurel’s meadow. She then scuttled over the meadow at great speed to get to the manor. There she left Benson on the porch with the Oleander.

  “I hope zey get it,” she sighed and rapped with her front legs on the door. She slipped into Laurel’s garden to watch the aftermath of her efforts.

  Persy answered the knock and looked around for a second wondering what or who made the sound. Then she glanced down and gasped in horror.

  “BENSON! Grandmother! Hurry! Thad. Help!” she screamed. Persy swooped down and picked Benson up, terrified of not finding any thoracic movement. She gently put her index finger on his little chest and felt a very faint motion. Tears escaped down her cheeks and her heart thumped like a bass drum in a marching band. Laurel arrived.

  “What’s happened, dear?” she asked as she rushed to Persy’s side. Thaddeus, within seconds, was at her other side. They stared down at the supine dragonfly, then Laurel noticed the branch.

  “No. Oleander.” she cried. She thought for a few moments.

  “Someone, I believe has left us a life-saving message. Persy, run and get your green Crystal Seed. Thaddeus, I need the homeopathics, a clean bowl and the pure water in the covered green jug on the counter. Now.” ordered Laurel.

  Persy just avoided a head on collision with P-C as he lumbered out to the porch to see what all the kafuffle was about. She careened off to the right and up the stairs to her room to retrieve the Crystal.

  “What’s going on?” P-C asked in all innocence.

  “It’s Benson,” said Thaddeus, quite shortly.

  “He’s really hurt. Please P-C, get the green jug of water for me and bring it to Laurel. I’ll get the rest.”

  They both whisked back through the front door to the kitchen, gathering the things Laurel asked for. All three of them land simultaneously back on the porch ready to follow their next instructions.

  Laurel grabbed the homeopathics and in a blur, selected the Aconite as if on auto-pilot and sprinkled a little over Benson to address the shock. About fifty percent of his eyes re-focus in a few seconds and he moaned, weakly.

  “Oy...anyone get the number of the bus that hit me?” he sighed in one long expiration.

  “Persy,” said Laurel “Take the bowl and put the Crystal in it. Cover it with the water and then I think we’ll use the homeopathic of Oleander to antidote this.”

  “Wait, Grandmother,” said Persy. “Remedies often work better when they are ‘like’ the original substance, not the exact one, right? Benson, does it hurt to move?” she asked him gently.

  “Gawd’s ‘struth, it does, a packet. When I move at all I get ‘orrible chest pain and up the left side of me,” he whispered.

  “Your legs. Can you move them at all? Do they feel paralyzed or like stone?” asked Persy again.

  “Nope, nope, nope, not t’all,” he breathed out.

  “Ok, Grandmother, it’s not really Oleander. It’s a lot more like Foxglove or Digitalis. That’s the remedy, I think,” said Persy.

  Laurel beamed down at her granddaughter. “Yes, Persephane, I believe you’re right Put it in the bowl.”

  Persy added the homeopathic Digitalis to the bowl with the healing Crystal and water, and then dripped the solution into Benson’s mouth, and a few drops on his chest.

  Within minutes, Benson rolled over and started to slowly beat his wings. He wasn’t about to fly any marathons, but he was alive.

  “Cripes, Benson! What have you been up to?” demanded Persy.

  Benson stumbled through a recap of his day’s adventures including everything he witnessed at Melanthios’ and a clear description of the Shape-Shifter. He remembered nothing of Tash, and so had no idea of how he got home.

  The description of the Shape-Shifter evoked a piece of a fleeting memory for Persy, but she was far too worried about Benson to dwell on it.

  P-C ventured forward to speak to Benson, who was sitting comfortably on Persy’s knee, his wings humming quietly, but solidly. He was coming back to his old self.

  “Benson, I...I...I...just wanted you
to know, that I was terrified for you, and th-th-that I’m SO pleased you’re better,” he said shyly.

  Benson eyed the dragon up and down, not confident he could trust this display of concern, but decided in the end that it was sincere.

  “Fanx, awfully, P-C, ‘ppreciate that.”

  Laurel stood and said, “Right, I think we need a good breakfast and just be with Benson. Persy, take him in and lay him on a cushion in the drawing room so he can relax by its fire, P-C you stay with Persy. Thaddeus, please take the bowl, jug and homeopathics inside. I just want to gather a few vegetables for dinner later on.”

  Persy and P-C took Benson in and Thaddeus followed with all the healing clobber.

  Laurel looked over the garden very carefully. Something was there and it had a touch--just a shade of The Dark about it. She stepped off the porch and went to pick some cucumbers, tomatoes and beans. As she rustled through the patch, she swore her ears caught more noise than she was personally making. Then she noticed a shadow at the edge of the garden which disappeared as quickly as it made itself known. Laurel stopped and pondered. Yes, it was all falling into place. There’s deception at Bodesnoir, and Melanthios’ next magical objective, she thought confidently, were becoming obvious to her.

  Rockmanor Again

  The next morning dawned with a more typical Bellaryan cloud cover.

  At breakfast, Laurel kicked the discussion off with, “I think there is one thing you should remember and that’s the fact that Melanthios will more than likely send some agent into your time to keep watch on you three. She’s going to know you’ve gone back by the absence of your energies. You probably won’t recognize the being, but keep your radar on, Persephane, for dark vibrations. You can’t afford to let your guard down - ever.”

  “Oy.” exclaimed Benson. “I sure ‘ope it ain’t that red and black scaly thing that I ran into at Bodesnoir. She, it, whatever, has absolutely no second thoughts about bumping anyone off. Someone should tell Warner Brothers that ‘Terminator 6’ is alive and well and living in 1669.”

  Another memory flicker came over Persy when Benson mentioned the Shape-Shifter, but again she was too mentally occupied with going home and having to keep feelers out for Melanthios’ watchdogs.

  “Okay, the main thing here is to get Angelica’s help in finding the Cimaruta’s location inside Bodesnoir, so we can return and get it back,” Thaddeus said. “I’m sure there is some combination of magic, spells, charms or potions, which will get us in and out. We just have to figure it out.”

  “While you’re gone, I’ll be looking in my Book of Shadows and other sources from the ancients for useful magical tools to use to devise our counter attack. As along as Angelica can help us as to where to look, we have a fighting chance,” Laurel added.

  They started to walk to the portal for the Time-Linx. Benson flew on his own, feeling stronger again, after a few tasty garden bugs and P-C lumbered behind, humming to himself.

  Now, Persy understood the rock formation she noticed on their arrival.

  “Just stand right before the rocks there,” Laurel pointed to the moss covered formation. “I’ll help you cross to the Munz dimension then, when you’re all together, start chanting ‘Totus Temporis’ over and over and you’ll be swept into the Time-Linx portal. Remember to focus on ‘Rockmanor waterfalls, on the day you left’ to wind up in the right portal and the correct time frame.”

  The three travellers proceeded to the middle rock, Benson inside Persy’s pocket. Laurel waved her wand. “Transversus.” Persy and Thaddeus reformed, joined hands and repeated ‘Totus Temporis’ in chorus. Within milliseconds, winds blew up around them and the vibrancy of the meadow withered behind the growing shimmering of the Time-Linx. As the brightness of the light strengthened, so did the winds. Thaddeus and Persy linked arms, chiming together ‘Totus Temporis’, concentrating on Persy’s Rockmanor.

  Abruptly, it all stopped, like slamming on the brakes in a close-call car accident. The gentle and welcome drone of nearby waterfalls, told Persy they’d at least arrived at the right portal, hopefully, in the right time.

  Persy led Thaddeus out of the falls to the riverbank and they started up the path to her house.

  Benson poked his head out of Persy’s pocket saying, “Crikey, Perse, don’t think I’ll ever get used to that ride!”

  She grinned, replying, “Yeah, it’s a bit of a rush. I know we’re completely safe, but it does take some getting used to.”

  “Who’s that?” asked Thaddeus, pointing down the pathway. Persy looked at him. He didn’t remember his time here as the bear cub.

  “Mom. Dad.” screamed Persy, breaking into a sprint, causing Benson to tumble out of her pocket and take flight.

  “Oy, Perse! Warn a guy, would ‘cha,” Benson grumbled as he buzzed over to Angelica.

  Persy and her parents embraced, while Thaddeus walked up to them, cautiously, eyes on the ground. He looked awkward and hesitant. Robert noticed that right away.

  “Hello, there. You must be Thaddeus,” said Robert, offering his hand in greeting. “Angelica picked you lot up in Silent Speak as you Time-Linxed. I’m Robert, Persy’s Dad. Glad to have you with us.”

  “Ah... Hi,” stammered Thaddeus. “Pleased to meet you, too.” He reached out to shake Robert’s hand as Angelica swooped down.

  “Too formal for me,” said Angelica, bending down and wrapping her arms around Thaddeus, causing Benson to topple off her shoulder. “Hugs are where I’m at.”

  “Heeelllooo people…rapid changes in body placement are dangerous to my health,” complained Benson, zipping off to light on a nearby shrub.

  They turned towards him and burst out laughing. “Sorry, Benson,” giggled Persy.

  “Yes, my apologies too, Benson,” grinned Angelica giving him a mock curtsy.

  “Humph!” Benson grunted. “The idea.” But he flew over and settled back on Persy’s shoulder.

  Robert stepped up, putting one arm on Angelica’s shoulder and one on Persy’s. “Well, what do you say, Thaddeus, let’s get those lovely gals back to the house so we can catch up on your adventures. Angelica tuned into some of it, but we would love to hear the full account.”

  They continued the walk back home, chattering. The kids assured Angelica that yes, they are quite well. They settled on the back porch; Persy, Thaddeus and Benson gushing about their times in 1669. Just like Laurel, Angelica and Robert had to meld together the rapid flood of outbursts from the three adventurers.

  “I did pick up some extreme negative energy around you the night of the Hand of Glory, so used my crystal ball to look in,” advised Angelica. “It was all over by the time I checked, and I knew my Mother was on top of things, so didn’t come over. I also suspected she’d send you home, as you were going to need help locating the Cimaruta within Bodesnoir before you go back.”

  “Mom,” said Persy with a very worried look on her face. “I’m SO sorry for losing the Cimaruta. I know you trusted me with it and I just feel so guilty that almost right away, I lost it.”

  “Oh, Persephane, darling. “There was absolutely nothing you could have done. Although your powers are growing all the time, you’re no match for a well-performed Hand of Glory spell without warning. I’m not disappointed in you in the least. In fact, I’m very proud of you all for finding the key for Fawna and impressing Randy and Delecta. Well done.”

  Persy felt the heat crawl up her neck and into her cheeks, in spite of herself and Thaddeus looked in the other direction. Benson however, beamed like a headlight on a dark country road. No false modesty, there.

  Robert got up and strode over to take the cover off the BBQ, breaking the awkwardness.

  “I think some yummy 21st century burgs and dogs are in order...what ‘cha all think?” he said, smiling and whistling softly to himself. The tension broke, Persy and Thaddeus shouted, “Yeah” and smacked each other’s hand in mid air. Robert went into the kitchen and came back with a platter of food to barbecue.

  “Ok,” An
gelica urged, “C’mon help me throw a salad together, Persy.’ Persy jumped up to go help...but Benson beat her to the punch this time, slyly taking his clue from Angelica that motion was inevitable on Persy’s part, he soared up to the railing on the porch to watch the cooking fiasco (his opinion...after all - cow on a bun is not yummy...no, no, no...loved his people, but had to question their gastronomic choices.)

  Thaddeus slowly crept over to watch Robert turn on the propane as he started to prepare the grill.

  “Hmmm,” Thaddeus commented. “Saw one of those when I Time-Linxed to sometime in the late 1960’s, but in the bottom were little black coals or something and they poured this stinky liquid over them. Boy, when they threw a match into that ‘Poof’. Major explosion. Made me laugh, but I think lots of people lost their eyebrows with those things.”

  Robert chuckled. “Yes, that’s the kind we had when I was a kid. Mom would never let us light it--Dad always had to do it. Pretty scary, really. The liquid was a starter of sorts, made from petroleum, and yes, it WAS dangerous. These are fuelled by propane. Food tastes as good, but more contained and safe.”

  “Ah. I see,” said Thaddeus as he watched Robert heat up the grill, brushing residues from previous BBQ’s off. “I guess I’ll go help Persy,” and he disappeared into the house.

  Robert continued brushing the grill, letting his gaze shift to the gardens and the robust show of roses Angelica nurtured. He was enjoying the quiet spell and the warmth on the front of his chest from the BBQ. Even though it was June, the evenings could be cool in Muskoka.

  Suddenly, there was a distinctly cold mass of air passing behind him. Noticeable enough to make him swiftly turn his head to see what was going on. A chipmunk scampered across the porch and onto the grass, nothing out of the ordinary for this part of the country.

  Well, Bobbie-boy. Must be getting old, imagination running amok like that. He shrugged off the sensation and returned his attention to cooking dinner.

  Angelica and the kids came out with a tablecloth and dishes to lay the picnic table, then returned to the kitchen and brought out salad, drinks and condiments for the BBQ. Robert had finished and placed a platter of cooked meats on the table. They ate with gusto, all feeling relaxed, being in each other’s company.