The Journey Home

[lochinvar]

As they walked, Jo asked, “What were you and the doctor talking about?”

“Ah, yes…the good doctor. Well, he seems to think that finding King Arcon alive would solve all of the kingdom’s troubles.”

“So do I,” stated Jo emphatically, with a toss of her head. “I know they’re still alive, I just know it! And we have to go find them. They’re hurt, or dying, or—“

Loch stopped and turned Jo to face him with his hands on her arms. Catching her eyes, he spoke softly as always, but the intensity of his conviction burned like a torch.

“Jo, please, listen to me. Arcon and Moon were two of my oldest and dearest friends. No one misses them more than I do. No one wishes that things were different more than I wish it. But the world doesn’t work on wishing, or on ‘feelings’ or ‘knowings’. If there’s anything that twenty years of fighting has taught me, it’s the supreme indifference the world has toward any single one of the creatures living in it.”

“I’ve seen terrible things, tragic things. I’ve had friends disappear, never to be found. I’ve watched widows and mothers pine for months, or even years, trying to hold on to some vain shred of hope when all reason said there was no hope. I’ve been party to more bootless searches and fruitless vigils than I’d care to count. None of it made any difference. Sooner or later one has to face facts, and sooner is better than later. I’ve seen it; I know.”

“The odds against them surviving the fall and the river are astronomical. They are gone, do you understand? Gone. And no matter how many people leave their homes and jobs to search, no matter how many months they spend at it, they’ll only find remains...if they’re lucky, and the animals haven’t gotten there first.”

“And what do you think all this talk about surviving and search parties will do to Zelda? She’s already had to watch her husband die; would you have her re-live that every time this search party or that search party returns empty-handed? Each new expedition brings new hope, and each failure will be like watching him go over that cliff all over again. I know; I’ve seen it happen again and again. Is that what you want? I don’t, and I don’t think you do, either.”

“We all want to believe that they’re out there, alive, somewhere, but wishing and wanting don’t change things. If they did, Ellen would still be alive and I’d be rocking my infant daughter right now.”

“I can’t support this talk of search parties, both for Zelda’s sake and for Arconia’s. The more time and energy we waste on this, the less there is available to plan for the coming troubles. And mark me, there’ll be trouble in plenty if Zelda doesn’t do something to settle the succession, and quickly.”

“The von Schmects can be dealt with,” and here he dropped one hand to his dirk, meaningfully. “Not legally, but it can be done, though I couldn’t show my face in this country again. And if they were the only threat, I’d do it gladly as a parting gift to Zelda.”

“But it would be a useless and empty gesture, because there will be someone else in line right behind the Schmects, and another behind that one, and then here’s Muu at the tail end of the line, waiting to sweep up the scraps that are left when all the fighting is over. I can’t allow that to happen if I can at all prevent it.”

“If you want to honor Arcon, then help me convince Zelda to convene a council to decide the succession, instead of talking about galloping off into the countryside on some wild rabbit hunt after two people who, much as I loved them, will never be found alive.”

[Iwant2bafencer]

"You say that one feeling, or knowing wont do any good. So what about two. ."

Loch and Jo jumped as Rosaline came around the corner.

"or three or hundreds? Loch I hear where you're coming from, I've seen a lot of that to, but think about it Jo, Willow, myself the whole kindgom for the matter, and especially Queen Zelda have faith that Arcon is still alive."

She paused looking from one friends face to the other.

"Yes, it hurts if a search party comes back empty handed, and yes, it might open closed wounds, but I think it would hurt even more. If we left them out there perhaps at sea, not knowing for Sure. If they really and truly are gone!"
"I respect Queen Zelda, love her dearly, and would never do anything to harm her, but Loch if you think about it. We didn't finish our search entirely. We still could search the closer islands out there."

She sighed getting no reaction from Lochinvar.

"Jo you gave Lady Willow the medalion right?"

Jo nodded "Yes, out in the gardens."

"Good, let us give her time to look into the matter, and see if anything comes out of it."

"If Willow finds nothing at all, then I will drop the idea of a second search party. Never to bring it up again, unless the Queen speaks of it."

Loch started to interupt, but Rosaline cut him off.
"BUT, if she finds even a Hint that Moon, and Arcon are still out there then I'm going. If I go alone then I go alone, but I promise you now I will go."

"It has the ring of fairness to it Loch." Jo replied.

"So,. .what do you say?" Rosaline asked holding out her hand.

[lochinvar]

Loch looked from one to the other: Jo hopeful, Rosaline defiant, with her hand thrust forward like a weapon. Ah, the young…

He knew how seductive it was to believe that if you just wanted something strongly enough, it would be true. And in truth, they were mirroring his own desires. He, too, wanted to go running off to search for his friends, no matter how long it took.

But there were crops to get in, and debts to pay, and a throne to guard. Life still went on, and couldn’t be ignored just because they refused to accept what reason told him.

Had he grown that cynical, he wondered? When had he given up on the concept of hope?

Probably when Ellen died, he thought; there had been so little to hope for, after that. He turned his gaze back to Jo. Things had changed there, too. Hope had blossomed from the dead ground, against all expectation. Could there not be some place for hope, then, in this other…?

But first things had to be tended to first.

“I will make you a counter-offer," he said slowly. "If you both promise to help me now to secure Zelda’s agreement on making some provision for the succession, then I promise to fully support whatever you wish to do in this other matter, regardless of whatever the Lady Willow finds or doesn’t find. Are we agreed?”

Rosaline considered for a moment, then nodded; Loch took her hand, sealing the bargain.

[Zelda]

The Queen was in her chambers brooding when the three of them walked in. They could see she was not herself. Her usually bright eyes were dull, her skin had a palness to it that appeared unnatural. Her long hair, for which bards had sung songs about for years, hung lank and stringy down her back. The red rim to her eyes suggested that she had been crying again, and a damp kercheif clutched in her hand confirmed this fact.

None of them knew where to begin. It was obvious Zelda didnt really want visitors, but this issue of the sucession had to be settled.

[Willow]

Willow was growing more and more frustrated. She was attempting to do what she had been asked to do: find out if Moon was still alive. She was using the medallion to try to "scry" and see if it could tell her where Moon is. Holding the medallion over a map of the surrounding lands, Willow was hoping that it would show Moon's location. Nothing was happening. Growing more and more frustrated, Willow threw the medallion across the room, screaming out in frustration. Then, she began throwing the maps, and anything and everything she could reach, screaming all the while. Everyone within hearing began running towards her room.

[DamedEscrime]

Jo pondered Loch's offer. She wanted so much to agree with him, but she already knew how he felt about the lost ones. Could he change his mind in such a short time? She looked into his beuatiful blue eyes. He had never given cause to not trust his word.
"Very well then, you promise to help form a new search party as soon as this is settled?" she asked cocking her head to one side.

"Aye, I do, but I will specify when and how long the journey shall be," he responded.

"Then I shall do whatever I can to aid you in the queen's business," she promised sticking out her hand as she had seen Rosaline do.

Loch took it, gave one firm shake and pulled her close bending to whisper something in her ear that Rosaline could not hear, but made Jo blush. Then he straightened himself and released her hand.
Jo did not move away immediately but stood near and smiled.

"Alright now, let's go. There is business to attend to."

[ 11-24-2001: Message edited by: DamedEscrime ]</p>

[DamedEscrime]

"I see," said Rathmussen. "So you would like for old Rath and bones to fix you up a concoction to break up these two?"

Nani nodded her head and looked expectanly at the old gypsy.

"It will cost you, my girl. Do you think you can stand the price?"

"I will pay whatever you ask so lang as my Jo is safe from that, that rogue,"

Rathmussen made little circles with her thumb and first two fingers, cocked her head and grew closer to Nani. "It's not gold I want, you know. I need something better than that. You see I have no one to care for me in my old age. I wouldn't want her for long. How many years can an old toad have?"

Nani saw where this was going and cringed. "No, you can't mean that you would want Jo, here with you? There must be something else you would want."

"No," Rathmussen said quickly. "I know what I need and it is a young one to see to my needs. I cannot keep up with things here. That is my price, Nani. I give you what you need to be rid of Lochinvar and you bring Jo to me. By the time I have perished she will still be young enough to breed and will have learned a trade for herself. And as you have said yourself, if she takes up with this fellow, you may never see her again. This way she will always be near and you can see her whenever you want."

Nani thought about it a moment. How bad could it be? Jo would still be near and Lochinvar would have no power over her. But then no one really knows how bad it is to make a deal with the devil until it is done.

Rathmussen could see that Nani was torn with indecision so she decided to sweeten the pot. "I tell you what, dear. I will make a condition for you. I will place a limit on how long Jo will be with me. How a bout three years? Now, that's not too long is it? And I will see to it that at the end of this time she will be in the possession of a very handsome dowery. Every young prince from every known kingdom shall want her. She will have her pick. And they will not be rogues."

Hmmm, a prince for Jo? This idea appealed to Nani. All sensibility left her. "Yes! I will do it. Jo will be yours for a period of three years and then we shall plan her wedding."

"Good! It is a deal then!" she spit in her palm and held it out for Nani to shake. Nani raised her eyebrows, but did likewise. And they shook on it.

As Rathmussen held a bit too tight to Nani's hand she added, "You do know, of course, that if Lochinvar proves to be her true love there will be hell to pay."

Nani swallowed hard. "This is the best thing for her. I know it."

[Lord Tellurine]

As darkness began to fall over Arconia a meeting was taking place in the back room of the Bitter End; the room that smelled a bit like cabbage, although cabbage had never been served there. The room was set up so that most of the chairs were situated into rows with an aisle down the middle of them. At the front of the room was a small platform, which had a podium, and several more chairs along the back of the platform against the wall.

Assembled at the meeting was a hodge-podge of Arconian elite, merchants, farmers, castle servants, and a daft prince.

Meekal the Daft was sitting in the third row (the last row) with Wooden Bob, who didn’t want to be at any meeting, but was dragged there by Meekal.

Sitting on the platform was Dr. Julius Abernathy, Latenight, Schoolmaster Henry Olsen, Friar Laurence O’Malley, and a man not very used to public speaking, or even being in front of crowd: Captain Johann Smithe.

Johann Smithe was a seafaring man who had spent many years of his life aboard his famed ship: The Leaking Bucket. He started his career with great promise: He had discovered many islands, opened new trading routes, and mapped more of the sea then any other man. Then one day, as the sun was rising over the never-ending horizon, he found himself on deck, alone with his thoughts and his morning mug of ale, when he saw the a great sea serpent, which he quickly named: Larry. Later, when he was sober, he changed it to Mightor, the Ship Swallower. Of course, nobody believed a word of it so he spent the rest of his career, every waking hour, trying to find and capture the beast. Neither he nor anyone else ever saw the creature again. Upon retirement he moored his ship and penned an autobiography of his quest, which was required reading in Schoolmaster Olsen’s school where Olsen frequently lectured to the class that Mightor “represented evil to Captain Smithe.” Smithe has refuted that often, telling Olsen, “That’s not true! He only represents my big chance to make front cover of the Arconia Inquirer.”

The only other person in the room worth mentioning was Ophelia Roenseller, who was a part-time waitress at the Bitter End and was asked to take down what was said at the meeting, so it could be posted for all Arconians to read. And here it is:

Dr. Abernathy: Can we come to order please? Ladies and gentlemen, can we please come to order?

Ophelia: If people have come to order, I’ll need to get my order pad. By the way, we’re out of pickles.

Dr. Abernathy: Ophelia, will you please be quiet! Your services as a waitress will not be needed. All I want you to do is write down everything that is said.

Ophelia: Yes, Dr. Abernathy.

Dr. Abernathy: Wait a minute… Are you writing THIS down?

Ophelia: Yes, sir.

Dr. Abernathy: You don’t need to - never mind… We’ll edit it later. Ladies and gentlemen, if you’ll take your seats we’ll get started. Thank you.

Friar O’Malley: I was told there was going to be pie at this meeting.

Dr. Abernathy: There was never any mention of refreshments. I’m sorry. Now, the reason for calling this meeting… As you know King Arcon is missing and feared dead.

Crowd: Murmur… murmur…

Meekal the Daft: So is Lady Moon!

Dr. Abernathy: …As is Lady Moon… yes. Well, the Queen believes that he is still alive! Unfortunately, Queen Zelda is beset with troubles, as the legality of her rule is in question!

Crowd: Murmur… Murmur…

Dr. Abernathy: Ophelia, you do NOT need to write, “murmur.” Anyway, to discuss more about the Queen’s problems I have invited Latenight, the royal legal counsel to speak.

Latenight: Thank you, Dr. Abernathy. And thank you, Ophelia, for doing such a fine job writing all this down… Perhaps later I can help you proof read it?

Dr. Abernathy: Sir Latenight? What about the Queen?

Latenight: She doesn’t need anything proof read.

Dr. Abernathy: You were supposed to fill us in on the difficulties facing our Queen.

Latenight: Right. Sorry. Arconia has always had a male ruler. Whenever one died there was always another to take his place. This time is different. King Arcon is the last of his line and has no heirs. Record-keeping the way it is, finding someone who is a descendant of one of King Arcon’s ancestors would be futile, and let’s face it… Who knows who we might end up with.

Schoolmaster Olsen: Whom.

Latenight: Excuse me?

Schoolmaster Olsen: Who knows WHOM we might end up with.

Latenight: Exactly my point! It could be someone with the irritating habit of interrupting people as they speak.

Schoolmaster Olsen: That’s the kind of sass that gave you a “D” in citizenship.

Dr. Abernathy: Henry, please!

Schoolmaster Olsen: Sorry, Julius.

Latenight: As I was saying… The wolves are circling the throne of Arconia and if we want our peaceful kingdom to remain the way we like it, then we can’t sit idly by and watch it be taken!

Crowd: (Polite applause)

Dr. Abernathy: Thank you, Latenight.

Latenight: My pleasure, Dr. Abernathy. You come by the boat later, Ophelia, and it will be YOUR pleasure.

Dr. Abernathy: Moving right along… It is imperative that if King Arcon still lives, that he is found.

Meekal the Daft: And Lady Moon!

Dr. Abernathy: Yes… And to a lesser extent, Lady Moon.

Wooden Bob: And my glass!

Dr. Abernathy: It’s under your chair.

Friar O’Malley: And the pie!

Dr. Abernathy: ANYWAY, a search party has already combed the river that King Arcon fell into.

Meekal the Daft: And Lady Moon!

Dr. Abernathy: And Lady Moon…

Meekal the Daft: And Zarcon!

Dr. Abernathy: I don’t give a flying stethoscope about Zarcon! Besides, he was found dead! Anyway, since they were not found along the river that means there is a strong possibility that he… that THEY… could have floated out to sea. It’s at this time I would like to introduce Captain Johann Smithe.

Crowd: (Polite applause)

Capt. Smithe: If there be anyone out there in that sea, then I be the one who can find ‘em!

Unknown voice from crowd: Just like you found that sea serpent?

Capt. Smithe: All right, who said that? Who’s the wise guy?

Dr. Abernathy: Never mind that, Capt Smithe. What do you suggest we do?

Capt Smithe: We set sail and we look for them!

Dr. Abernathy: Exactly! Everyone, the Queen and her court are too busy keeping the kingdom together, so it is up to us, the citizens of Arconia! We are looking for some volunteers to sail the seas in search of our King!

(Long excruciating silence)

Friar O’Malley: Will there be pie?

[Zelda]

Tellurine PLEASE warn me of any up coming comedy!!! I nearly wet myself in the computer rooms with that last post!!!

[Swordsman]

ALL HAIL LORD TELLURINE, LORD AND MASTER OF ARCONIAN COMEDY!!

YES!! Man, you are AWESOME!! You know, if Smithe happens to stop by on the opposite shore at some point, there may be four weary warriors in need of a ride back eventually.

[Iwant2bafencer]

Yes yes, well done my evil lord!
Uh Swordsman, exactly how far along is 'eventually?'

-------------------
Carpe Diem

[Fencing Angel]

i think that hes even out done mango with that one... and Space.. and someothers who arn't worth mentioning..

And another question?? must i really stop laughting now?

[Lord Tellurine]

The first one to hear Willow’s screaming was young Harold Wesley, a kitchen servant employed in the castle kitchen. Once a timid and scared boy, the events of the last few weeks had changed him. First he came face-to-face with prisoners in the castle tower and then he told off the Von Schmects, the oldest and richest family in Arconia. Now he craved adventure wherever he could find it. Hearing Willow’s screaming as it shattered the usual calm of the castle halls was just the opportunity he had been looking for.

In an instant he was at Willow’s door. In another instant he had the door thrown open revealing the mess that the pregnant sorceress-in-training had made. In the instant after that Willow stopped her carrying-on, turned to face the young boy and asked, “Who are you?”

“Harold Wesley,” he said as calmly as anyone could do after running down a hall and throwing open a door. “I work in the kitchen.”

Willow did not want her tantrum interrupted by a mere boy. Gone were the days when the Queen would be banging on the door wondering if everything was all right. I guess she has more important matters on her mind, Willow thought. “Well, then aren’t you needed in the kitchen then?” she said in a cold, ungrateful manner.

“No, miss,” answered Harold as his eyes scanned the wrecked room. “Kitchen duties have been light lately.” He snickered. “Especially since Brother Emmanuel left.”

For the first time Willow’s countenance changed from the anger of being interrupted to one of surprise. “Brother Emmanuel left?” Brother Emmanuel had been an uninvited guest of Arconia since he had arrived from Schoolcraftia running an errand for Willow many months prior. His stay in Arconia had been characterized by meddling, getting in the way, and keeping the kitchen staff working overtime. For him to suddenly leave meant trouble. “When did he leave?” she asked the boy.

“He left this morning. Never saw Nani look happier. Of course that was after she filled his order of a dozen sandwiches for his trip.”

Willow asked her next question carefully, because she wasn’t sure she wanted the answered, “Did he say where he was going?”

“To Schoolcraftia,” he said, confirming Willow’s fears.

Brother Emmanuel going to Schoolcraftia meant one thing: He was off to tell the King and Queen of Princess Buffy’s death. A death Willow was not entirely sure was true. Buffy had to alive! She just had to! If only she had proof! But now in the eyes of the royal family in Schoolcraftia, Willow was a failure. She had been entrusted with Princess Buffy’s safety and she had failed. She sank to the floor and began to cry.

This made Harold Wesley uncomfortable. “Can I get you anything… from the kitchen?” he asked timidly.

Willow decided to take Harold up on his offer, if only to get rid of him for a while. Through the sniffles she said, “Bring me some hot tea and a plate of muck.”

Harold face brightened. “Of course. I’ll bring you hot tea… but what else was it that you wanted?”

Willow looked up at Harold. A tear fell down her left cheek. She said slowly, trying to remember, “I don’t know.”

[latenight]

Very well done!

[lochinvar]

“Okay, I agree with you. I don’t want to, but I see your point. The question is: Who?”

Zelda looked questioningly at the other three. They had been talking – almost arguing – for almost an hour about the succession.

Before Loch could find a delicate way to broach the subject, Rosaline had leaped in first in her characteristically roundabout way – meaning she had attacked it as if it were a fortress to be stormed.

Taken aback, Zelda had at first adamantly refused to consider it. But Loch had weighed in on the side of Rosaline, and Jo had added her support when needed, and they had eventually brought the queen around.

It wasn’t that she didn’t see the merit in their presentations, it was just that she didn’t want to think about it just then. To plan for the succession was tantamount to admitting that Arcon would not be coming back, and that was a road she did not wish to travel yet, if ever.

But as Loch had pointed out, the von Schmechts were waiting like jackals around a carcass. “And there are others behind them, if they should fail. We can’t wait; they certainly won’t. The old saying is as true now as it ever was: ‘It is better to have and not need than to need and not have.’ If we put plans in place, and they never come to pass, no harm is done; if we don’t, and they are needed, we will be taken by surprise when we can least afford it. Please, my lady, you must think of your people. Civil war would destroy everything you and Arcon have built, maybe for generations to come.”

Now they had come to the crux of the problem: Who could, or would, succeed?

“The von Schmechts have the strongest traditional claim; his family has the closest links to the old king. How can we dispute it?”

Loch took a deep breath and suggested the thought that had been circling in his mind since the von Schmechts had departed. “Your Majesty, I hesitate to ask, but…have you ever considered…adopting?”

[ 11-26-2001: Message edited by: lochinvar ]</p>

[lochinvar]

The three women looked at Lochinvar as if he had suddenly sprouted a tail and two more arms.

“Adopt?” Zelda finally forced out. “You mean, a child? A baby?”

Loch smiled, bemused by a vision of this fierce warrior-woman coddling an infant to her breast with one arm while brandishing a sword with the other.

Appealing as the image was, he shook his head and the vision dissipated. “No, not necessarily. Of course, if that’s what you want, I’m sure you’d make a fine mother…but that’s not what I had in mind.”

“I mean adopting a young lad – or maybe not so young – as your legal heir, and then getting the Barons to acknowledge him as your successor. You could convene a general council and have them all pledge their fealty publicly. Nobody loves the von Schmechts, and if they’re the only alternative, I’m certain you could count on the support of the larger landholders. Angford, Roffman, Brenwyk – I know those three would back you, and the smaller ones would fall into line with some cajoling and ear-twisting.”

“The von Schmechts would be handed a fait accompli; they’d be powerless in the face of a united opposition. They wouldn’t like it, but there’s nothing they could do about it. And stability would be assured.”

The three women simply looked at him, stunned by the idea. Finally Rosaline burst out, “You can’t be serious! It would never work…would it?” Here she looked at Zelda, uncertainly.

After another moment, the queen replied distantly, “It just might…”

[ 11-26-2001: Message edited by: lochinvar ]</p>

[lochinvar]

Zelda groped behind her for a chair, and sat down. Adopt a son…

The three women in the room were all young and strong, in the prime of child-bearing years, yet none of them had ever seriously contemplated being a mother until this moment. Oh, they had dandled babies and played games with young children as all girls like to do, but those were other people’s children; the thought of suddenly having a child of one’s own, springing forth full-grown like Athena from the forehead of Zeus, was more than a little daunting. Each grappled with this strange new notion from her own perspective, trying to imagine the implications, both personal and political, of such a bold act.

After long moments of silence, Zelda looked up at Loch. “But…who? Who would I adopt?”

“Ah, well, I can’t answer that. You would have to decide on someone, if you choose to do this. Surely you can think of someone you know or have heard about who would be of proper character to rule justly, and strong enough to hold the throne against the von Schmechts and others of their ilk.” “

And,” he added, raising his hand forstallingly, “before you mention it – I can see the little wheels turning in your head! – it can’t be me. Much as I might enjoy calling you ‘mommy’, and having you tuck me in with milk and cookies and read me bedtime stories, the Barons don’t know me and would never accept me. It would have to be someone they know, preferably one of their own, and not a penniless adventurer from your obscure past.”

“Nor do I believe I would be inclined to accept, even if you offered - I have, I hope…other plans.” He caught Jo’s eye; she colored and suddenly found something very absorbin in the pattern on the floor.

[Willow]

As the boy left her room, Willow began to talk to herself. "Why on earth would I order muck to eat? Who could eat it? Is it a product of being pregnant? Or something else?" Sighing, she slumped down against the wall, tears sliding out of her eyes. She wanted to sleep. Sleep and return to that pleasant time when she was growing up as friend and lady in waiting to Princess Buffy of Schoolcraftia. Return to when she and Nicholas were children and he would chase her through the royal gardens. Return to a time when she didn't know that her birth mother had had her throat slit by her evil magician of a father. A time when she didn't have his blood on her hands. A time when she wasn't blamed for causing the death of her best friend. Willow escaped into merciful sleep.

[lochinvar]

Zelda poured herself a goblet of wine, and gulped it. “I…I don’t know…it seems so odd…”

Loch started moving toward the door, catching Jo’s eye and beckoning as he did so. “My lady, think on it. I know it’s sudden, but I believe it might be the only way. Get Sir Latenight busy researching; put that legal mind to use. Find a way to make it work. In the meanwhile, we’ve to organize another search to try to find your errant husband.”

“You need an heir, or the von Schmechts will have it all. And this is the only way for you to get one.”

He paused in the doorway. “Unless, of course, you’d prefer to do it the old-fashioned way,” he said, his eyes glinting mischievously. “They say my father’s side of the family was pretty potent. I’m sure we could arrange something…”

Zelda’s eye