A Change In The Weather

Chapter 31: The summoning

29 January, 2008 – 1:30 pm

Godfrey savoured a sip of brandy from the cut glass goblet, and placed it on the oak table next to the ivory flute. The remaining members of the Fiery Brand kept to the shadows towards the rear of the room, away from the windows.

The butler entered the study quietly, and gave a polite cough.

‘The guests are waiting for you, sir.’

‘Ah, yes,’ replied Godfrey smiling. ‘See to it that they are given drinks; brandy, cocktails, canapés, cigars etc. Make sure they are taken care of.’

He waved a hand in a vague gesture.

‘Also, very important: see to it that the fire in the Great Hall is stoked, and hot. We don’t want anyone catching their death of cold do we?’

‘No, sir. I’ll see to it immediately,’ said the butler.

‘Oh, Edgar. One more thing; would you kindly inform the guests that the party will be starting at eight thirty precisely, and not seven thirty?’ he said, slipping the ivory flute into his jacket pocket. ‘I have something I need to take care of first. Pass on my sincerest apologies to the guests.’

‘As you wish, sir,’ Edgar said with a nod, and turned to walk back in the direction of the Great Hall, his footsteps echoing neatly down the hallway.

Godfrey pulled the flute out and cradled it in his hand.

‘It’s time.’

Gideon gave a laugh.

‘Do you realise that the last time we saw this was two thousand years ago?’

Godfrey turned and walked purposefully in the opposition direction to Edgar along the corridor to the west wing, flanked by his shadows; Gideon, Augustus and Ichabod.

‘Indeed’

* * * *

Eliza backed away from the skylight as the four figures passed by below.

‘One of those was the one who came to the cottage looking for Torfang,’ said Eliza, bitterly.

‘Really?’ replied Thomas, shoving his face against the pane to catch a glimpse of them.

‘Yes.’ she hissed.

Scarlet grabbed Thomas’ collar and yanked him back.

Eliza’s face was screwed-up in disgust

‘Those four men were the Fiery Brand.’ she said, flapping her wings with frustration.

‘Quickly, open the window! We need to get inside and follow them.’

‘Let me try,’ suggested Thomas, pushing past Scarlet.

He positioned himself in front of the window and tried to force it slightly.

To his total and utter surprise it opened without a sound, so he quickly hid his astonishment and instead kept a straight face.

He looked at Scarlet and smiled smugly.

‘You didn’t mean to do that, did you?’ she said.

* * * *

Eliza fluttered down into the building, followed by Scarlet and Thomas who used the levitonite rings to touch down silently on the cold flagstone floor with gently bumps.

Carefully, they followed the four figures along the corridor, hiding in alcoves and doorways as they went, until at last, the four figures reached a door.

Eliza watched as one of them took out a large key and used it to unlock the door. It creaked open and the four figures descended into the darkness, closing the door behind them, and with it, the strange moaning sounds that ushered up from below.

Eliza flew silently to the door, and waited there for Scarlet and Thomas to catch up.

‘So what’s the plan now?’ whispered Scarlet.

‘Shh! I can still hear them walking down the steps.’ replied Eliza, listening intently at the door with her new acute hearing.

‘Is this such a good idea?’ asked Scarlet, shivering. ‘I mean, where the hell is Hillary and Tobias?’ she said, glancing down the corridor.

‘We know the ivory flute’s been taken, and the chances are it’s once of these. We need to get down there and steal it back.’

* * * *

At the bottom of the steps, the corridor ran for about two hundred metres in a north easterly direction away from Winterton Hall.

Eventually, the steps began to rise again, and the four figures exited close to the stone circle called the Eleven Hags.

The Fiery Brand took up positions around the circle.

Augustus looked at his watch and tapped it.

‘It’s nearly 8 o’clock,’ he said.

Godfrey took out the Ivory Flute and held it up to his mouth and blew. It made a low, soft, mournful sound that carried on the night air - a sound that he hadn’t heard for over one and a half millennia. He recognised it immediately of-course because it was this same flute that he carried when he was Remus - the commander of the Fiery Brand of Talistay – the most feared, respected and loved of the Dragon Knights; the personal protectors of King Artus and Queen Isolde.

He lowered the flute and waited.

‘Nothing!’ hissed Gideon.

Godfrey raised it to his lips. But, before he had a chance to, a large owl swooped down low from out of the night sky and plucked the flute from his grasp.

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