AGELESS CAMPAIGN, Episode II, Part VI.

[Silver Moon]

Abby chuckled. "Yes, New Orleans is barely part of America. 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.

"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.

 

[orchid blossom]

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."

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.

 

[Silver Moon]

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 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" "

 

[orchid blossom]

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.

 

[Silver Moon]

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."

 

[orchid blossom]

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."

 

[Silver Moon]

"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."

 

[orchid blossom]

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 no where to go.

You certainly don't lack opportunities, no matter what happens."

 

[Silver Moon]

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."

 

[orchid blossom]

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."

"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."