The Passage

“Have the chests brought to the library immediately.” She commanded to her sister. Her sister departed the library with out questioning her.
“Are you ready to explore that trail we found the other day?” she asked her driver.
“You know I am.” Her driver replied. “Shall I summon the others to join us?”
“Not just yet. I do however have a task for Gran.” She softly replied. “Have Gran join us here.”
“I will find her and bring her your request.” Her driver departed the library to summon her grandmother to the library. She continued to ponder the clues already collected.
“You are doing far more than even I expected, my dear.” Her great grandmother’s voice softly spoke from behind her. Startled, she turned and faced her great grandmother.
“Ma’am?” she asked politely. “What have I done that is so unexpected?”
“You have managed to solve far more, of the location of the lost texts, than those before you, who have worn the white robes.” Her great grandmother quietly spoke. She noticed the bookcase against the east wall quietly hide the passage her great grandmother had emerged from.
“Ma’am,” She softly spoke. “Why is it so important that these texts be found now?”
“The Family will have need for them soon.” Her great grandmother replied. “The curse not only affected us, but also kept us from those who share the same knowledge and power as the curse denied from us. There are some who would see us return to being cursed, as the Family once wielded a great influence for which we had no equals.”
“Is this why I feel as though the walls have eyes, Ma’am?” she politely asked.
“It is, my dear.” Her great grandmother replied quietly.
“Ferule, Please open the bookcase for Ma’am.” She softly commanded. “I suspect that the presence of you both may raise too many questions.”

“I shall be nearby if you require my services, Mistress.” Ferule answered smartly. She noticed the bookcase reopen as Ferule escorted her great grandmother from the library. The bookcase silently closed moments before her cousin led a small procession from the hallway into the library. Her sister quietly supervised the delivery of the chests before dismissing her cousin’s work party. She stood and approached the chests as her grandmother arrived. Her driver seated herself next to the great book and waited impatiently as though the presence of the chests in the library was somehow dangerous.
“Gran, do you have any knowledge of these chests?” she asked politely.
“I do, Ma’am.” Her grandmother spoke to her. “I am relieved that you were able to find them so quickly.”
“If I am correct, then you have a task to return the contents of these chests to their proper place.” She replied in a softly commanding tone.
“It will be my pleasure and duty to see that it is done.” Her grandmother proudly replied.
“You may begin” she spoke aloud. The commanding sound of her voice reversed the previous containment spell she had cast upon the chests, as they each opened to reveal several layers of neatly stacked volumes.
“They will once again be in their proper place, before the day is over.” Her grandmother replied.
“Summon the others, we have work to do.” She discretely whispered to her driver. “We’ll meet inside the chapel this afternoon.”
“I shall see that it is done. Do you wish to have the old study rooms reopened and made ready for use?” her driver asked.
“Yes, Have them made ready for use, but done discretely.” She whispered to her driver as they both quietly slipped from the library, leaving her sister and her grandmother to their respective tasks. The Grand Duchess’ spell book seemed to struggle to open within her hand.
“Catherine, we will need some privacy to consider our next task.” She projected to her driver.

“I’ve already taken the liberty of ensuring the chapel doors are unlocked for us.” Her driver projected back to her. Even her driver noticed her hand trembling slightly as though the spell book struggled to reveal another secret. The two women approached the chapel doors with an eagerness the sanctity of the chapel would provide. They both silently entered the chapel and the spell book leapt open in her hands. The spell book swiftly opened to reveal a containment spell. She realized the spell could also be used to create an area similar to the men’s sanctuary, but for their own use.
“Hide us from others.” She spoke in Latin. Suddenly she felt very safe and that she was no longer being watched.
“Do you feel a little strange at the moment?” her driver projected to her.
“I do, Do you feel as though we are truly alone?” she replied with her mind.
“Yes, but somehow different.” Her driver mentioned. The door to the chapel suddenly opened and Lady Robyn entered with Lady Erin.
“I just saw them enter a moment ago. I heard Ma’am’s voice saying something in Latin.” Lady Erin spoke. Both of them stood barely two feet from Lady Robyn and Lady Erin.
“I will know how they do that…” Lady Robyn began to speak.
“Reversion.” She quietly spoke. The containment charm dispersed and the two of them became visible to Lady Robyn and Lady Erin.
“What? How?” Lady Erin sputtered.
“There is much you will learn, but for now you must not speak of it. Understand?” she quietly spoke.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Both Lady Robyn and Lady Erin replied.

“We will need all of you here this afternoon.” Her driver spoke to them. “See that you all arrive discretely.”
“This afternoon, Yes Mistress.” Both Lady Robyn and Lady Erin responded. Lady Robyn immediately departed. She sensed Lady Erin’s hesitation.
“You have a question, Lady Erin?” she asked.
“Yes, Ma’am. I know your line is directly descended from my aunt, Lady Susanna. And that both our lines are directly descended from Lady Kashkilla. What I wish to ask is…” Lady Erin stated.
“Why did I choose you to fill the vacant position in the Green House?” she responded.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Lady Erin responded.
“Have you met my mother, Lady Erin?” she asked.
“No, Ma’am.” Lady Erin spoke.
“The resemblance between you and my mother is nothing short of remarkable.” She stated. “If not for the fact that your aunt was once head of the Green House, my sister would not have chosen you.” The look in Lady Erin’s eyes showed her disbelief.
“I am sorry, Ma’am.” Lady Erin responded. “I had my doubts about my sponsorship into the Green House, but now I know why I was chosen for what was once your position.
“If you hurry, you will find members of the Green House in the library, fulfilling a very important task.” She spoke softly.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Lady Erin responded. “I will be of help where I can and be here this afternoon.” Lady Erin departed the chapel silently.
“How did you know she would ask you a question?” her driver asked.
“I just knew it.” She responded. “Don’t ask me how I knew it, I just did.”
“I do know that your guests were all before Ma’am’s time…” her driver began.
“And our gentleman can not possibly know their thoughts; hence their involvement in our task today will enable us to keep some things a secret.” She finished.
“Prying eyes may not be able to follow us.” Her driver mentioned.
“I fear that there are others who would follow us instead.” She spoke softly.

“I too feel their presence.” Her driver replied. The spell book she held, once again flew open, once again to the containment charm. She pondered the effects a reversal of this charm might have if it was cast toward someone they did not know, but could possibly feel their presence. She conjured the containment spell as a reversal and cast it into the confines of the chapel.
“Show yourself!” she commanded. A lone figure shimmered slightly as though trying to counter the spell she had cast. “I know you are here. If you mean no harm to us, then you will not have to fear us.” The lone figure appeared between the rows of pews a few feet away from them. The figure stood before them with a long hooded robe fluttering gently.
“Forgive my intrusion, Mistress.” A young man’s voice softly spoke to them. “I have been sent to observe, not to interfere with your Family.”
“What is your name, Sir, and why are you here?” her driver politely asked.

“To tell you my name would place your family at too great a risk.” The hooded figure spoke. “But I can only tell you that I am here to keep your family safe until you are ready to rejoin us.”
“Sir, I understand that there are some who are, as we are,” she stated. “Who would wish us not to return to our rightful place amongst those who are also witches and wizards?”
“They are afraid, Mistress.” The hooded figure stated. “One Family in particular wishes that your Family’s curse was not broken.”
“Why would they be afraid of us?” she asked.
“They hold your Family’s chair on the governing counsel.” The hooded figure replied. “I will reveal more to you, once your Family is ready to be represented on the Counsel. I can not tell you anything more.” She sensed a familiarity with the hooded figure’s voice. She knew she had met the young man standing before her in hooded robes before, but tried in vain to remember. Then she smiled widely. She quickly looked to her driver.
“It’s Eric!” she projected to her driver. “I don’t know how I know this, but perhaps we can use this to our advantage.”
“Follow my lead.” Her driver projected back to her.
“Your brother will wish to see you before you depart.” Her driver casually stated.
“James hasn’t seen you since you left for university.” She quipped.
“I had hoped you would not recognize who I was.” Eric stated as he dropped his hood from his head. “You must never tell anyone I was here, even James.”
“Too late, Eric.” She stated. “James already knows.” It was true; her husband did in fact know his brother was in the hall.
“He can not possibly know. I was careful to conceal myself from him before I entered the hall.” Her brother-in-law stated.
“He knows what I know.” She stated. “A special wedding gift I gave him.” She felt her ring twinge slightly and knew her husband was close by.
“There you are!” her husband’s voice greeted the three of them. The resemblance between her husband and her brother-in-law always made her smile. She could tell who was who with her eyes closed. She closed the short distance and gave her brother-in-law a huge hug.
“You’ll be please to know, you’re going to be an uncle.” Her husband proudly stated, while shaking hands with Eric.
“Is this true?” her brother-in-law asked her.
“It is.” She replied.
“This is most grievous.” Her brother-in-law stated. “You will all be in great danger if the Family is not ready before she is born.”
“Eric, why would we all be in danger?” her husband asked.
“Because the prophesy states that the heir’s daughter will alone govern the counsel.” Her brother-in-law reported. “One of your daughters is destined to govern the counsel, a prophesy that one particular Family will do anything in it’s power to stop from happening.”

“Eric,” she asked. “Was your family sworn to protect and watch over us in the event the curse was broken?”
“Yes, I was chosen to observe.” Her brother-in-law stated. “To watch over you in particular, that no harm came to you. But I was not to interfere.”
“You have kept your vow.” She replied. “I don’t know how I knew, but I knew that this chapel was a safe place for you to reveal yourself to us.” Her ring glowed brightly and her finger felt especially warm.
“Ferule, Show yourself.” She softly spoke.
“Forgive me Mistress.” Ferule spoke quietly. “I sense great danger approaching.”
“Ferule! Transport us to your sanctuary, NOW!” she commanded. She immediately felt as though wind whipped her face. She suddenly felt her feet leave the ground, and felt the others bump against her. The sound of shoes on a stone floor brought her back to her senses. The five of them were in a stone chamber with no door or windows.
“LUMOS!” she commanded. Torches on the wall immediately sprang to life, illuminating the stone chamber.
“You are most definitely a powerful sorceress.” Her brother-in-law spoke. “But you all have so much to learn in so little time.”
“Keep watch and don’t be a stranger.” Her husband spoke to her brother-in-law.
“I may not be able to return with out being followed.” Her brother-in-law spoke. “I will return if I have important news.” Eric vanished, having transported himself from the stone chamber.
“Ferule, is it safe to return to the hall?” she asked.

“Yes, Mistress.” Ferule responded. “What ever was approaching was looking for your brother, Sir.”
“James, do you know where your brother will be?” her driver asked.
“Yes, I know where he will be.” Her husband replied to her driver.
“Then go to him and find out as much as you can. Have him return you to here.” She spoke quickly. “Ferule will come and bring you back to the hall.”
“A wise choice mistress.” Ferule stated. Ferule transported them back to the great hall. She sensed a presence close by, but decided not to alarm anyone. Her driver departed to make arrangements for a car to take her husband off the estate grounds.
“James, be careful, and hurry back only if you know it is safe.” She spoke to her husband.
“I will not be long.” Her husband replied before kissing her. Her husband departed for the waiting car. Her driver returned to her side.
“Dangerous times ahead.” She whispered to her driver.
“I sense it too.” Her driver stated. She felt the spell book quivering in her hands. She let go of the book and found it open to a projection spell so complex she wondered if it was mathematically possible.
“Help me with this.” She asked her driver. Together the two of them deciphered the entire spell. Suddenly she realized it’s importance. She conjured the entire spell as though reciting it entirely from memory.
“Teach me all you know, Ma’am.” She spoke aloud. She felt a complete wave of euphoria overtake her. She was suddenly connected to the Grand Duchess’ spirit. Everything she knew came flooding into her. She felt the knowledge of the Family witchcraft fill her completely. She felt the bond between herself and every single family member. The power flowed within her. She sank to the floor and passed out.