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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 6983606" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter 116,  "On to France" ,  September 12, 1882, 12:30 PM. Inside the airship, Abby said to Meren, "I'm not sure if I should congratulate you or say I'm sorry. Paris is a beautiful city, but still a city. I hope you'll be comfortable there. I have no doubt you're pleased to serve the Pharaoh."   Meren replies, "Last week I watched the King's sheep for a living. Today I am the Queen's chief representative to a major foreign power. How could I not be pleased? And yes, Paris may be a city, but I am certain that I will be able to find forests and gardens within a day's journey for times when I need to become reacquainted with nature." "If you're pleased, then I'm pleased," Abby said and smiled. "The French countryside will hold all sorts of new discoveries for you.  If you'll excuse me, I want to find out how long the trip is likely to take."  She approached Cal at the pilot's station of the zeppelin. "Any idea how long this trip will be? I'd like to know how long I'll be able to pass out for."   He says, "Go and sleep, we won't be reaching Paris until well after nightfall, and there won't be very much to look at along this trip except for the sea.""Thank you. I don't even know how long it's been. I think two whole days? I'm sure you'll wake me if you need anything."  Abby walked toward the back of the small chamber, spread out a cloak on the floor and improved a pillow from the hood, and was asleep in moments. Meren wakes Abby, saying "We are descending on the City of Light. It is now 9:00PM."  Abby sat up and rubbed her eyes, blinking a few times. "Thank you, Meren. It must have been a quiet trip, or I was just that tired. I can't even remember dreaming." The Druidess offered her a hand to help her rise, and Abby took it. "I must be a mess, but I feel so much better." She pulled a tie from her pocket and pulled her hair back simply, then moved to look out the window. Paris, the City of Lights, is indeed 500 feet below them. Abby had been here before, but never from this elevation above. The main boulevards are well lit, as are thousands of buildings below. They are low enough to see hundreds of horse-drawn carriages moving along the main roadways and thousands of pedestrians out and about the town. She sees that Callum is descending in the direction of the seine River, and more specifically, towards the Louvre Museum and Palace.   She stood for a few moments silently admiring the view, then walked over to Cal. "It's gorgeous down there. What's your plan after we land? And are we landing near the Louvre?" Lowering his voice Callum replies, "Yes. While the others were sleeping Meren advised me to not bring them back to their mansion. Apparently she and her crew left it quite a mess and she was unsure of their reaction to what they would find. So I needed to think of another place to drop them off.   During the reign of Napoleon III over 12,000 pieces of artwork were acquired and given to the Louvre. Those acquisitions were primarily made through the work of his wife Maria Eugenia and his advisor Victor Duruy, so this is a place where those two will be welcomed. And the timing is perfect, the museum is just now closing to the public for the day but the administrators will still be present." Abby says, "It sounds like a sound plan to me, although I might have liked to see just how Meren's group left their mansion.  You're going to need some sleep before we go back to Egypt. Any ideas on how to manage that? It's not as if a dirigible randomly parked outside a Paris hotel would go unnoticed."   He says, "I actually know a place around twenty miles east of here where it would be safe. We'll let these French see us sail off to the south and I'll then detour to that location. I have one of Dr. Jeckyl's elixirs that will require me to only sleep for an hour or so for a full-night's rest. I can do that during our ride back into the city." Abby says, "I could have used that potion over the last couple days. I can't say I regret getting to actually sleep for hours, though. And since I have no idea how to fly this thing, I'm glad you have it."    He says, "It is not on my person, it is at our destination east of Paris, so I would not have had it to provide to you. As for flying this, I will teach you on our way back to Egypt."Abby says, "Miss West will be disappointed when we get back so quickly. I don't think she heard anything but Go To Paris."  Still keeping his voice down to not be overheard by the other passengers he says, "I never said we will get back quickly. I do not believe that Queen Neferka needed the airship back immediately, just that she wanted it back. I can telegraph her when we're back in the city to let her know of our delay. And as for Miss West, I will be showing and telling you of some things that are for your eyes only, not hers."Abby answers, "Well, well. I'm not sure if that's a promise or a threat. I suspect a bit of both. I'll look forward to it anyway," she answered, just as quietly. "I should go spend a few moments with my spell book. There's no reason to think we're in any danger at this point, but it doesn't hurt to make sure I'm prepared."   He says, "Good idea. We will be secured on the ground in around fifteen minutes. It might not be a bad idea for you to remind our guests that you are also a wizard. Just don't let them see any spells inside your book, we're best to have them guessing that you may be more powerful than you are." "I'll take a little extra time about it. It is quite rude to peek in another's spellbook, but I'll get my back to the wall anyway." Abby moved back over to where she had slept and sat down leaning against the wall. Although her power wasn't great, it was still comforting to add her few spells back to her bag of tricks after being without them. Abby stays in concentration as the dirigible descends and the passengers then disembark. Meren accompanies the seven French to the museum entrance and they are soon admitted inside.  Callum wastes no time in quickly ascending and putting the city of Paris behind then as they make their way southward at the airship's maximum speed. Once the city lights are receded into the distance he makes a sharp left turn and they proceed in a northeasterly direction.  She took what felt like her first, real, free, deep breath in days. No foreign dignitaries, no strangers, no associates who she now trusted but still didn't know.  "I think I've forgotten what it felt like to be relaxed," she said lightly.   He smiles and says, "And you can stay relaxed. We'll soon be safe. Another ten minutes and we will be at "Terre de la Reine Marie", the English translation being "Land of Queen Mary". How much do you know of the time that my ancestor Mary Stuart, also known as Mary Queen of Scots?  She lived here in France and served briefly as her Queen." Abby says, "Very little. Only that she married the Dauphin, but he died only about six months later and she returned to Scotland."  Callum replies,  "Actually, their marriage was a little bit longer than that, and she served seventeen months as the Queen of France after her husband became King Francis II. During her French reign Elizabeth became the Queen of England, although many felt that Mary's claim was stronger.   That was when much of the very the worst fighting over Clerical Magic and Wizard Magic took place. From the time of Mary's engagement to the French prince at age five she lived here in France and embraced Wizard magics whereas Elizabeth was a staunch supporter of Clerical Magics. Mary's interest in wizardry was no small thing, she was very well versed in it, which is what led to her eventual execution for treason. While Mary served as the French Queen she conducted extensive research on magic. Paris is one of the two-dozen-or-so places on the globe where the strongest ley-lines for Wizard Magic and Earth Magic intersect, providing the greatest base of operation. But Mary discovered something even more interesting in a location twenty miles east of the city, along the Wizard Magic ley-line. It is a spot where Earth Magics came up from the earth's core, essentially a magical well, and at that exact spot the intensity of the overlap of magical energies dwarf that of Paris.So she used her influence as Queen to purchase the 4,800 acres of land surrounding the well. It was mostly farmlands so nobody was particularly concerned. It has remained in the hands of the Stuart family since that time. Mary's son King James IV of Scotland, who became King James I of England, brought peace by embracing Clerical magic and had little interest in the French property, nor did most of the descendants. I, however, have a strong interest in it and am the current landholder here." Abby says, "So no one knows about this well? How could it be that well-kept a secret?"  He replies, "We have kept it secret. Nobody has ventured onto the land since Mary purchased it other than tenant farmers and others of our employ. The main thing that keeps it secret is Paris itself, as that is where the lines intersect, so nobody thinks to look along just a single line."Abby asks, "How did the land fall to you, instead of your father? And where did your interest in this land come from?"  He replies, "You misunderstand. I do not own the land, I hold it for the Stuart Family.  Landholder is the family title for the senior Stuart in residence who manages the property.  While King Frances allowed his wife Mary to take ownership he had great concerns about any future pro-clerical magic Scotsmen or Englishman having a foothold so close to Paris. So the deed has many provisions, the main ones being that until Scotland, or England while it rules Scotland, freely embrace and support wizard magics the land cannot be sold or any soldiers quartered on it. Otherwise King James would have done so.I became the Landholder after my aunt Baronese, my father's sister, passed the job onto me. Two of the three managers that were under her employ still run things in my absence. Until now my British spy associates used one of the mock-farmhouses as their French base, but now that my cover has been blown I will be discharged from the clandestine services and they have to find somewhere else."Abby asks, "And are you sorry? To be discharged from the service, I mean."   He smiles and says, "Yes and no. The work was fun and interesting, but did not really fit my personality. I am not worried about my employment prospects. As you know, I have had excellent training in the field of archaeology. I am also now acquainted with the ruler of Egypt, who will have need of archaeologists, and all of the ones who visited there in the past century also stole from her land so I doubt she will allow any of them back."They are now flying over primarily farmlands and he lowers the elevation of the dirigible to a mere 100 feet above the ground. Callum removes a metal object from his inside coat pocket. It is around an inch thick, three inches tall and ten inches wide. The front side has colored gems attached while the back has a quartet of buttons. He punches in a sequence of buttons and them places the object on the front window of the dirigible, casting a minor spell that glues the object in place. A series of colored lights then radiate from the object, some longer and some shorter. Turning to Abby he says, "We are approaching the Stuart lands. I'm just letting them know that it is me here, otherwise we risk them shooting the dirigible out of the sky."   "Oh sure, tell me I'm safe then tell me I could be shot out of the sky," she laughed.In a more serious voice she asks, "Is there anything I should know about how I need to behave here?"  He says, "Not really, my managers have already heard about you. Just be yourself, and if anybody questions an American being here in a pro-magic place just tell them you're from New Orleans."  Abby chuckled. "Yes, New Orleans is barely part of America".Around two miles ahead is a small two-story rectangular stone castle. From there a colored light signal comprised of a short blue light followed by a pair of long green lights blinks out. Callum says, "Good, they received my message." He pushes a new sequence of buttons and a different light signal blinks out. He tells Abby "I'm letting them know where I plan to land and for them to send the carriage. We'll go from there back into Paris."   Abby says. "As for your managers, I'm not sure I'm comfortable with my sudden fame."    He replies, "Nothing sudden, I've been talking about you for years."She says, "Since I'm only lightly acquainted with Paris, I'll just have to trust you to take me somewhere nice."   He says, "That should not be a problem."   They head a little more northward, away from the castle and towards a farm around a half-mile north of it. As he starts to land near a large barn several people come out of an adjacent farmhouse and gather near the barn. He lands, saying, "I had better exit first."  Callum steps out and begins barking orders in French, instructing them on how to start deflating the balloon compartments. He tells them to only release enough air so that it would be able to fit inside the barn. He then orders another man to get everything currently inside the central barn either pulled out or moved to the sides. Cal left the dirigible and began giving out orders, and Abby was suddenly nervous. In the last few days she'd been angry at this man, thrilled to see him again, terrified for his life, and uncertain what his sudden reappearance in her life meant, or how she felt about it. But at this moment, she knew only one thing. She wanted these people to like her.  Lacking a mirror or anything else to fix herself up with, Abby pulled the tie out of her hair and cast a quick Prestidigitation to arrange it, then made sure her dress was sitting correctly and unwrinkled, and waited for Cal to invite her to debark. Cal calls her outside. He says, "One of the more powerful wizards will cast a temporary reduction spell to move it through the barn door, it will then expand to fill the interior. We are rather isolated out here but it still would have been visible for miles on the outside if left fully inflated, and I do not want to have to release any more air than necessary in the event that we need to re-inflate it quickly again."  All of the people he ordered about are busy working and he does not introduce her to anyone. he says, "Come with me inside the farmhouse, I need to retrieve that elixer I spoke." They enter the building, and the rooms appear exactly as one would expect a farmhouse to look. An older man with a white beard and mustache, wearing denim overalls over a plaid cotton shirt approaches. Callum says, "Charles, please see to it that Meagan is summoned to help move the balloon into the barn." The man replies is a thin Scottish accent with a hint of French "Is it ours to keep?" Cal says, "No, it belongs to the Queen of Egypt, but it would be helpful to have it fully examined while we temporarily have it so that it can be duplicated." The man Charles shows some apprehension regarding Abigail and Cal says, "This is Abigail Marsters, I have no secrets from her. Abigail, my cousin, Charles Beauclerk VI" " The name clicked in Abby's mind. This man was likely a descendant of the Dukes of St. Albans, if he wasn't the current Duke himself. Instead of a friendly American handshake, Abby executed a neat curtsey, accompanied by a playful smile. "It is my pleasure," she said.  Callum gives a smile which shows that he noticed the glimmer of recognition in the name, so decides to confirm her thoughts saying, "And by all rights Charles should be Landholder. He is just as much a direct descendant of Mary Stuart as I am, even more so as he is a generation closer to her." Charles says, "Yes, but through Charles II's illegitimate son. You bear the Stuart name, as does your Aunt who preceded you here." "That means nothing to me," Callum replies. "But is does to the French," states Charles, "The Land of Queen Mary should be held by a Stuart in name as well lineage." Callum turns to Abigail and says, "The truth is he just doesn't want the job." Charles says, "There is that as well, I find being the second-in-command better fits my personality. Better that I be the friend of those working our land, and save the times of having to be the disciplinarian to be in your name rather than my own." Abby smiled. "You're lucky to be able to forge the best path for you. I've had the same blessing. Which is what led me here. Perhaps I need to question some of my life choices," she teased, looking over at Cal. "You seem comfortable with your authority here, Cal. I never pictured you this way, although it shouldn't surprise me."  He laughs, "It's easy authority, Charles does all the work for me. And our two main occupations here, agriculture and magic, each have their own chief manager as well, who report to Charles." Looking back towards Charles he says, "My other occupation may be changing. I became exposed on my mission and suspect that Campion Bond has already drawn up my discharge papers." "So you will have more time to spend here?" Charles asks.  Callum says, "I am not sure, but probably at least during the summers. I have a job possibility back in Egypt, which would be a far better place to spend the winters than Scotland or northern France, nor do I think our tenants would want me at the Stuart property on the French Rivera during the months that they vacation there." Glancing briefly towards Abby he says, "My future in uncertain." Despite all attempts to control it, Abby felt heat climbing up the back of her neck and into her cheeks. "I think you're taking your discharge as too much of a given. Chances are you're right, but with everything that happened in Egypt, the information might have nowhere to go. You certainly don't lack opportunities, no matter what happens."  Callum says, "Yes, but the only future I am concerned with now is a night on the town in Paris with you Abby." Charles says, "And I need to go find cousin Meagan." The older man heads out of the farmhouse. Callum says, "I need to retrieve that elixir from my room. You may accompany me if you wish, I was serious about having no secrets from you." She says, "Of course I will. Otherwise I'd just have to stay down here and snoop in the cupboards.  Too bad you won't have ladies clothes up there. I'm certainly looking respectable, but I'm not dressed for a night on the town."   He says, "My cousin Meagan may have something that will fit you. We'll ask her when she arrives. "He leads her upstairs to a second floor room that has what looks like a simple single-key lock on the door but actually takes him casting a spell to reveal a quartet of locks, each with their own key in a proper sequence. He opens the door to a relatively simple room only ten-feet square in size. It is furnished with a twin-sized bed covered by a quilt bearing the Stuart family crest, a bookcase filled with books, a large mirror above a dresser. But the item that immediately catches Abigail's attention is a framed photograph on the wall, 12 inches high by 10 inches wide, of Miss Abigail Marsters taken years earlier when they had worked together on their first dig. Abby's heart thumped. It wasn't the kind of formal picture a man would be expected to have of a woman. She had obviously been intent on her work, tools in hand delicately brushing soil away from whatever she had been unearthing at the time. "Cal..." she paused, not sure how or if she should go on. "You never told me... When you left I thought I was never going to see you again. You didn't give me a reason to think I would. But you... You've talked about me to the people here, for years. You have this," she said, gesturing to the picture. All the pain of their sudden separation came back and tears sprang to her eyes, although they didn't fall. "I had no idea how much you... It would have been nice to know. Although maybe, then, you didn't even know. We weren't together very long."   He says, "Abby, all I can say is that I am sorry. I myself did not realize my true feelings towards you until long after we separated. Between my responsibilities to the House of Stuart and to Queen Victoria through her Torchwood team of clandestine operatives, I never had the opportunity to contact you. No, that's not really true, I was afraid to contact you."He says, "At heart I am a coward." He gestures around the room and says, "This is not the home of the Lordholder. I have an elaborate room in Mary Stuart's Castle, where my Great-Grandfather Charles Edward Stuart, the infamous Bonnie Prince Charlie, stayed during his exile here in France. That has all the proper furnishings, but nothing personal of mine, like that photograph. It is only in this room, where I have stayed when my Torchwood associates are here in France at this farmhouse, that I have let my true self be known. I have only spoken of you to those here that I feel closest to, my three managers, my chief wizard's wife, and my cousin Meagan." She moved over to him and took his hands. "What are you afraid of, Cal? What have you been running from?" He says, "My past, my family, I don't know. Both my boss, Campion Bond, and my father Sir Randolph Henry Stuart, said that you were an unnecessary distraction to my work. But over the years I have come to question that. It is here in this farmhouse that I first became comfortable with myself and my feelings, and I do not believe that it was mere coincidence that we were drawn back together in Zakazik."Abby smiled ruefully, "So, you're human then. We're all afraid that we're on the wrong track, or that we passed the one thing that would make us happy by.  You have to decide what you want your life to be. It sounds like both your father and you boss want you to focus on your work. Of course they do, it's their interest. What do YOU want? And how can someone, whether she was me or someone else, fit into that life? Your responsibilities as a Stuart can certainly be performed with a Lady at your side. Better perhaps. Your work as an agent not so much. They were always going to clash at some point, and you were going to have to make a choice.  Whether Aphrodite had a hand in this, or whether it was just likely with my new employment that were going to bump into each at some point, I can't say. I'm just busy being glad it happened."   He replies, "And I am as well. What do I want? Right now, to take you to Paris and have some fun." </blockquote>

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