Wardens of Avalon Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Bailey York

1.          “Shame.” Marshall said with his hands on his hips as he looked down at the decapitated Chimera.

2.          “It was trying to kill us.” I said putting the sword back in the scabbard on my belt.

3.          “It is an animal.” Marshall said. “Someone brought it here, forcing into a habitat it did not know.” I threw my hands up. “That Chimera was scared and lashing out. I probably sensed your magic and came after you.”

4.          “I supposed that's possibly.” I accepted. “But let’s can that for the previews statement.” I turned to him. “Someone brought a Greek beast to the swamps of Alabama. Why?”

5.          “I don't know.” Marshall shrugged. “You’re the Investigator.”

6.          I pinched my chin. It made me feel more 'investigatory'.

7.          “First thought? Someone was trying to kill us.” I said lowering my hand. “But that doesn’t feel right. Perhaps to throw us off.” I said. “Waist our time tracking this while whoever has the Q.B. Continues on whatever they are up to.”

8.          Marshall looked at me

9.          “Bailey, please, never refer to the Questing-beast as “the Q.B.” ever again.”

10.          “Yeah, that was a bad idea.”

11.          “There is also option three.” he said.

12.          “Which is?” I asked pinching my chin again.

13.          “That the disappearance and this have nothing to do with each other.” Marshall stated. I looked dead at him

14.          “Two mythical beast being transported to America?” I asked. “How likely is that?”

15.          “We don't know if it's here.” He said, “Even if it was only dropped off a year ago, it could be long gone by now.” He laughed. “Scratch that. It likely is long gone by now. We aren't looking for a needle in a hay stack. We're looking for the needle to the compass which will point us to the hay stack.” I drilled my eyes at him.

16.          “Do you want to give up?” I asked.

17.          “No.” he scratched his forehead. “I'm just realizing how hopeless this mission is.” He covered his face and screamed into his hands. Once he was done he dropped his hands to his side and looked to the sky. “Where do we go from here?”

18.          “Don't know.” I said.  Matching his eyes. A large bird flew overhead casing a feathered shadow past us as it flew between us and the sun. Marshall sighed like there was a weight on his chest.

19.          “Back to the books I suppose.” His eyes hit the ground. “Is it that way back?” He asked pointing with his thumb behind us.

20.          “Yeah, I think so.” I answered. I kept my eyes on the sky. Something felt off, like I was missing something but I could not put my finger on what. That's the worst thing about knowing that you don't know. That sentence may seem a bit circular, because it is, but it's still true. Knowing your missing something is the worst. Even more so when it's your job to put things together.

21.          I clicked my tongue in hopes of drumming it up and Marshall made his way back. I followed shortly. If only to make sure that he didn't get eaten by a gator. That looks bad on a mission debrief.

22.          Reginald followed me closely and stayed by me for the whole way back. I once or twice felt his tail slap my leg.

23.          As we reached the dirt road the buss would be coming by, my phone range.

24.          “Yes.” I answered. “Bailey York.”

25.          “Agent York, you need to get back here.” Said an old man's voice, filled with gravel, wisdom and deep concern “Linda just ran into my room and isn't saying what happened. She keeps saying something about “Scary Faerie”.”

26.          “Who is this? Is she okay?” I asked quickly.

27.          “I'm Master Plantagenet, Linda's Mentor.” the voice said. “Linda is unhurt.”

28.          “What is it?” Marshall asked.

29.          “Linda just ran into her teachers scared half to death.” I returned my attention to the phone. “What did you do?”

30.          “I gave her three Valerian root pills for her nerves.” Plantagenet said. “She went down like a champ.”

31.          “I bet. I only take two and it drops me.” I said.

32.          “This is not Linda's first Panic attack.” He said. “History has made it clear two doesn’t do the trick. She is not a cheap drunk.” He paused to chuckle and then got himself back on track. “Once she was calm, I thought it best to call you. What is going on? I thought this was just a search and retrieval mission”

33.          “A Sidhe is the prime suspect in this disappearance.” I said. A part of me considered that technically I should not have told him that. The other part of me felt he needed an explanation. A third part leaned in the corner and was saying “You said it, don't worry over spelled milk.”

34.          “Are you sure?” Plantagenet asked with a lilt of both worry and fascination.

35.          “No, it hasn't been as straight forward as that.” I looked around, “I'll be there as fast as I can.”

36.          “Be careful, Agent York.” He said concerned.

37.          “I try.” I answered. “But careful isn't in my commission.” I pulled a whistle from one of my coat pockets. “Take care of her. Put some wards up of you can until I get there.”

38.          “If I can?” He scoffed. “York, I was perfecting wards while you were struggling with three syllable words.”

39.          “Just get ready for something big.” I said. “If she made it to you I doubt he's still around but it's better to be safe.”

40.          “Sure.” Plantagenet agreed. “Sidhe are not people to scoff at.”

41.          “I'll be by shortly.” I said. The thought that I was going to have it enter Sanctuary proper made my stomach pre-twist. “Whatever you chose to put up should be easy to for you to pull down.”

42.          “Okay.” He said. “See you soon.”

43.          I looked to Marshall and saw him looking directly at me and the phone.

44.          “Be there soon.” I said. “Bye.” I lowered the phone and ended the call. As I did that I lifted the whistle to my lips and blew a short blast of three notes.

45.          A few second later I heard the rumble. Down the dirt road came a white and black cruiser motorcycle without a rider. On the side of the gas tank was the outline of a pair of cute wings with black feathers.

46.          “You know, having the glamor is a bit redundant if it doesn’t have a rider.” Marshall said. “It won't draw any less attention than a winged horse.”

47.          “You underestimate the obliviousness of modern society.” I laughed at I took the closed face helmet from the handle bars and put it on. “Sufficiently ridiculous Magic is indistinguishable from science. It will get looks, but people will just assume that it's some remote controlled thing with a balancing gyroscope.”

48.          “What do you think is going through their minds when you start to fly?” He asked. I hopped on and petted the glamoured Pegasus. The motorcycle revved.

49.          “That they need to find a new dealer.” I answered glibly.

50.          Then I rode off into the mid-day sun. Needless to say, I was glad for the tinting on the face mask.



51.          Have you ever been in a crowded place that echoed? The sound of a hundred voices reverberating off of stone walls and floors leading to a deafening sound. A constant roar that makes any single voice nearly indistinguishable unless they are shouting from the diaphragm. That was what sanctuary was like in the Wardens sense if you added a punch to the gut and the most nauseating smell you can imagine into it. Thousands of years of spells, monsters and magic presence has stained the place in a way that could only be cleaned with a bulldozer.

52.          For this reason, those who are high scoring in the Sense are highly discouraged from joining the watchmen. It's often said in a “don't you think your talents would be better used elsewhere?” sort of tone but there was a somewhat well-known truth. Most people with more than a four will want to hurl the moment they enter the doors. You can acclimate but it takes some time.

53.          For someone like me, it was practically unbearable to enter Sanctuary Proper. I don't tend to go unless I really have to. Hannah has even stopped asking for me to visit after she saw me run to her bathroom and blow chunks. We tend to meet in the courtyard in between.

54.          I held back the heaving as I charged through the ivory halls of Sanctuary but no amount of concentration can hold back sweat. I felt the damp puddles under my arms as I knocked on Plantagenet's room.

55.          “Who is it?” he asked weary.

56.          “Agent Bailey York.” I huffed from the amount of stairs I had just climbed. Stairs without railing. Why wouldn't the stairs have railing? “You called me”

57.          I felt a magic signature come to the door. Mortal and old but not a lightweight. I could feel a small preparation of magic as the door jostle and a 'pop' sort of sensation as the Ward dropped. I swallowed a dry heave.

58.          “Thank you for coming.” He said as He opened the door. He was a stout black man with big hands of arthritic knuckles. His shoulders weren't broad but they had a weight to them and they matched a tightly packed barrel of a gut.

59.          “How is she?' I asked standing outside the door.

60.          “She is awake and a little sleepy, but she seems calm.” he said standing aside. I stood for a moment and nothing was said until he broke. “Given my profession, I make it a habit of not offering invitations.” he said. I nodded to him and walked through the door.

61.          Linda sat in a chair at a small table with a cup of a hot dark liquid I assumed was coffee in his hand.

62.          “Are you alright? What happened?” I asked rapidly. Linda put and hand to her forehead and thought.

Linda Yeoman

1.          York stood in the doorway as Plantagenet did his normal routine of vetting visitors.

2.          “Never had a vampire make it past my threshold and I'm not starting now.” He said to me once. Old men have to have an eccentricity or two I suppose. York seemed to be taking it well by the times he came through.

3.          “Are you alright?” He asked right off the bat. “What happened?”

4.          My head was still muddled from the nap I had been verbally forced to take. The Caffeine was half helping but things were still fuzzy.

5.          “I.” I tried to start. “I woke up and found someone was in my room. I.” I rubbed my head. “I think he was a Fae.”

6.          “Little Fae or...” Bailey asked gesturing to height.

7.          “I think it was a Sidhe.” I answered before he could finish. “Big ears and long nose, kinda off colour skin.”

8.          “Did he say why he was there?” York asked as he slowly and calmly pulled up a chair and sat across from me.

9.          “I... I don't know.” I sighed. “He seemed there for me.” I looked up. “I don't think he meant to hurt me.”

10.          “Then why?” York asked calmly. He had woven his finger together and placed them visible on the table, forcing a leaned in posture.

11.          'You have awoken sleeping things. Accomplished feats by raw accident that would trouble most with great focus.' I remember him saying 'and by these things, gained my highest attention.'

12.          That scared me. The attentions off a Fae were not good to have, be them Seelie or Unseelie. After all the effort I make to be unseen and helpful, a being of magic says I have his attention.

13.          'You're dangerous, girl, and the sweetest thing is you don't even know it.'

14.          He, a Sidhe, thought I was dangerous. How? Why? What could I have done to get this?

15.          How could I tell York this? He was an Inquisitor. The magnifying glass symbol on his pocket shown like a search light in my eyes.

16.          “I don't know.” I lower my head. “He never said.” I looked to the small discoloured patch of carpet.

17.          “Linda.” York spoke softly. “Are you sure? You don't have to be afraid.”

18.          'I will show you how to never be afraid again.' the Sidhe had said. I believed him but didn't trust it would be without cost. Now here I was, afraid and still not knowing the cost.

19.          Still, something about York, about this man some called Bailey, made me want to talk. Made me feel like he was on my side.

20.          “I...” I started. I wanted to talk, but words weren't coming. I was trying but all I got was “I...” every few seconds. I felt trapped behind my tongue.

21.          “Would you feel better talking to Magester Plantagenet about this?” He asked. “If you feel uncomfortable, I can leave.” He paused.

22.          “No.” I finally was able to say something. “It's just...” and moments later locked behind my lips again.

23.          Bailey Nodded. He stood. With a few twists of his shoulders he took his long coat off. Silently, He folded the long black coat, making special note to cover the Inquisitor symbol on the pocket. Then he took a few steps over to Plantagenet's wardrobe

24.          “May I.” He asked softly.

25.          Plantagenet got a confused look on his face but nodded. York opened it and pulled out on the Plantagenet's white robes and slipped it over his head. It didn't fit right. Short in length and oversized in the gut. He popped the hood over his head and then sat back down.

26.          “Are you more comfortable now?” He asked, his tone as sincere and concerned as I could imagine.

27.          “Maybe.” I said. “Not really. You still smell like a warden.” I said.

28.          He lifted his eye brows and shrugged.

29.          “Well, I tried.” he stood and began to tug it off.

30.          “No.” I stopped him. “It helps a little.” Bailey sat back down. We sat for a while as I tried to consolidate what happened.

31.          'He thinks I'm dangerous to the Wardens and wants me to kill you all.' was not a good opening. I sat taking in as deep a breath as I could, filling my lungs so far past capacity that my breath demanded I stop taking air. Then I let it all out.

32.          “He offered to help me.” I exhaled.

33.          “How?” York asked. Magester Plantagenet looked like he was about to ask the same

34.          “I’m not sure.” I answered. York nodded like he believed me. “He said that I got his attention.”

35.          “How?” York asked again, weaving his fingers again.

36.          “Through summoning Lupis I think.” I tilted my head. “He said something about 'awakening sleeping things' and 'accomplishing things by accident that most could not by concentration'.”  I paused. “There were no specifics.”

37.          “I could see summoning a Lord of the Dark forest as an accomplishment. But awakening?” Master Plantagenet asked with a huff. York looked to him as he talked “I can't say that I would see it called that by any stretch I can imagine.”

38.          York turned back to me.

39.          “Has there been something else you have done that might have gained his attention?” York asked.

40.          'The spirits of forgotten knowledge' I thought. I was about to bring them up when I thought about what the Spirit said. If I told about them, two spirits would disappear, one for York and one for Plantagenet. On top of the deaths, I expect The Magester would likely want to meet the Spirit and ask very painful questions.

41.          “Yes. I believe I have.” I answered, trying to as vague as possible. They waited for more, which was not coming.

42.          “Well? What as it?” Plantagenet grew impatient.

43.          “I'm afraid I can't say.” I told him plainly. “Not for my own safety mind you. It for the wellbeing and safety of an ally who I expect will be valuable in the future.” I returned my eyes to York, who, while sitting in a tight posture, was quiet and patient. “If you want to double check my discretion, talk to Beast-master Martial. I believe he will confirm the need for tight lips”.

44.          York nodded slowly.

45.          “Okay.” He thinned his lips. “I will do that.”  He looked at me. “Not that I don't believe you but I run on a 'trust but verify' system when it comes to these things.” He stood up and reach into his pocket. He produced a sizable phone and scrolled through numbers. He tapped the screen. A dial tone and a few rings later, Martial answered

46.          York explained what had gone on in a brief synopsis before asking about what he referred to as

47.          “Something else that Linda won't talk about and thinks you will agree with her.”

48.          “Yeah?” Martial said in a muffled buzz from over speakerphone. Marshall thought. “Oh! Yes, that.” He breathed in. “Yeah, York, that can't be talked about.”

49.          “Can you give me anything?” he asked, the slightest tone of pleading in his voice. “Something I can put in a report.”

50.          “We found evidence of...” He paused. “A resource. This resource is by its nature...” He paused. “Correction, Maybe by its nature...” he paused again for some time. “Lord, 'hazardous' isn't the word. 'Difficult' is incorrect.” he sighed over the phone. “My words, they fail me.”

51.          “Fragile?” I suggested.

52.          “Fragile might work. The resource maybe fragile when it comes to what can and cannot be said about it. It is my professional opinion, as a Beast-master, that Linda and I be the only ones who know any more about this. The life and wellbeing of a, as of my knowledge, harmless life form is dependent on Linda and my ability to keep secrets.”

53.          “Wow.” York sat back with eyes wide. He looked at me. I looked at Master Plantagenet who was fidgeting where he stood. I had known him for a while. Knowing he didn't know something was not something he handled well.

54.          “The life Form in question, may or may not be of a nature that dies if someone learns of its existence or the existence of its very species.” I said as carefully as I could. “Martial and I had to take drastic measures to reduce the damage done by our own knowledge.”

55.          “I believe we have already likely said too much.” Marshall said. “But I'm on Linda side with this one. I plan to go so far as to not include any reference to it at all from my official and unofficial logs from this mission.”

56.          “Okay.” York nodded. “Are you on your way back yet?” York asked.

57.          “The buss hasn't shown up yet.”

58.          “Did you call it?” York asked. Marshall sighed.

59.          “I thought you had.”

60.          They went back and forth for a brief bit on the responsibilities of called for transport.

61.          “Just hang up and let me call it.” Marshall said.

62.          “Alright.” York answered. He tapped the screen and the phone beeped to end the call.

63.          “So.” York paused. “You have gotten the attention of a Sidhe.” York slouched back. “And we still have no clue where the Questing beast might have gone.” He rested his head on his chest for a moment. “Isn't that just peachy.” he scratched his head. “I supposed I need to report the sighting.” He sighed

64.          I sat with my hands folded together. My palms felt wet and warm. Plantagenet had begun to fidget again sweating things on the ground with his foot.

65.          “I'll need to think about how to write that one.” York looked at me briefly. “So there not heat on you.”

66.          Plantagenet and I let out breaths we didn't know we were holding.

67.          “How do you think it got into your room?” He asked walking back to the wardrobe and putting the white robe back.

68.          “Fae aren't like Vampires and spirits, Agent York.” Master Plantagenet said. “They are far more physical and solid then that. They do not require and invitation to enter a home. They don't even really need a door.”

69.          “Vampires aren't solid?” York asked with a scrunched forehead.

70.          “A Vampire is a spirit of Lust and Gluttony that has possessed a corpse.” Plantagenet said. “The Body may enter but the moment it passes the threshold, the spirit must exit the body or risk destroying itself.” York walked over and donned hid black long coat.

71.          “So Fae can just waltzed in.”

72.          “They built this place. This was their home before it was ours.” Plantagenet laughed. “Even if they needed permission for entering a place, they wouldn't need it here. Frankly, I'm surprised they don't do it more often.”

73.          “It's because it be suicide.” York said snapping the lapel. “He or she would have every wardens available crashing down on them the moment we sensed their presence.”

74.          “You young forget how powerful the Fae are.” Plantagenet shook his head. “It took the whole force of the hundred founder families as well as the backing of some of the Seelie to take the Citadel and that was when they were weakened already. The Wardens who came for the Fae would find it a far less cut and dry fight then they think.”

75.          “Do you know how they were weakened?” York asked. “I keep hearing, “The Unseelie had been weakened' but I can't find how.”

76.          “It doesn't matter.” Plantagenet said. “You won.”

77.          “Ah, yes. Forget the means as long has you have your ends.” he said. “Never was a fan.”

78.          Give the means that the wardens might turn to for some of their ends, nether was I.