The Passage

“I am not afraid, Sir.” She projected. “I know you would never intentionally harm any of us.”
“Most perceptive of you.” Her great grandfather responded in her head. “I also know you’ve given a gift similar to the one I was given. A wise choice.”
“Thank you, Sir.” She responded with her mind. “And I now know how. Not only does your gift link both you and Ma’am, but all of us for having been born from her line.”
“May I ask you to keep my confidence? My gift has been useful to maintain order and discipline between the houses.” Her great grandfather replied in her head.
“I say for now that I can, but it may be necessary later to inform a select few.” She responded with her mind.
“I know who the two others would be.” Her great grandfather replied in her head. “I would say they would keep your confidence if you ask them.” Just then her cousin entered discreetly.
“Forgive me for intruding, Mistress.” Her cousin spoke almost startling her and breaking the connection with her great grandfather.
“You have something to report?” she asked.
“Yes, Mistress.” Her cousin reported. “We’ve located a crypt inside the walls of the west wing.”
“A most important find. Has anything been touched?” she commanded softly.

“No, Ma’am. I have a guard posted at the entrance.” Her cousin responded. She noticed her cousin had not named who was guarding the entrance to the crypt.
“Please show us.” She responded, and rose from the table. She excused herself as her driver and her sister did the same. She kissed her husband on the cheek and fled from the breakfast nook. Her driver and her sister followed close behind her as their cousin led the way towards the crypt hidden in the west wing.
“Mistress?” her cousin asked respectfully. “Who is Jonathan Swift?”
“He was a very famous author, Cousin.” She replied. “Why do you ask?”
“Its because a manuscript was found with a body inside the crypt, Mistress.” Her cousin answered her. They arrived at the entrance to the crypt, making need for continuance of the conversation unnecessary. She found Lady Robyn standing guard at the entrance to the crypt.
“Stand aside. Let us pass.” Her cousin stated. Lady Robyn did not move. “I said…”
“Lady Robyn, I know who is buried here.” She interrupted her cousin. “Please allow me the honor to escort you to your father. Lady Robyn dropped her weapon and burst into tears.
“Please forgive me,” Lady Robyn wept. “For showing such weakness while on duty.”

“Lady Robyn,” she spoke softly. “I do not think there is one among us who would do the same in your place. You do not show weakness, but humility.” Her driver stood guard as the group entered the crypt. Inside stood a single simple wooden coffin on top of three very ornate chests. On the floor of the crypt lay a skeleton dressed in black robes. The robes denoted station of Master at Arms, the second highest station of the Black house. The coffin bore the Family’s Sanctuary crest, denoting it as the coffin of a family gentleman. Lady Robyn continued to weep. She remembered from her family history lessons. It was shortly after Lady Robyn’s disappearance, that her father’s body had been exhumed and buried with full family honors. Lady Robyn’s mother had chosen to be sealed in the crypt with her husband, thusly relinquishing her station to her own sister, Lady Robyn’s Aunt. After that, any record as to the crypt’s location had been erased from any documents or books, out of respect for Lady Robyn’s father. It had been Lady Robyn’s Mother who had decreed the location forever remain secret from the other houses, thusly keeping the chests upon which Lady Robyn’s Father’s coffin rested from tearing the Family apart. She dropped to her knees and softly spoke an incantation.

“Hear me. I am the Grand Duchess of Brougham and head of the family. Rise and tell me your secrets. Rise and greet your daughter who returns to you. Rise Kashkilla, Master at Arms.” She incanted in Latin. A swirling mist enveloped them. The skeleton on the floor rose upright, and began to take shape and form. Kashkilla had arisen. The remainder of her party also fell to their knees, except Lady Robyn.
“Who wakes me from my slumber!” Kashkilla’s form spoke.
“Mother, It is I, Robyn. I’ve come back.” Lady Robyn spoke, standing barely a pace from her mother’s ghost. The form of Kashkilla regarded Lady Robyn. A clearly visible smile formed.
“How long I’ve waited for you to return to us. I needed to know you were safe before I joined your father.” Kashkilla’s ghost spoke. “He no longer has to wait.”
“Mother, through wisdom of others I have been granted a second chance. This time to choose a suitor more wisely before I give myself in marriage.” Lady Robyn spoke.
“And by whose wisdom is this possible?” Kashkilla asked.

“By My Wisdom, Kashkilla.” She spoke as she stood. Her clothes had been replaced with the same robes she’d seen only in the portrait of the Grand Duchess, robes very similar to Kashkilla’s except that her’s were the most brilliant white. Her robes seemed to radiate light more brightly than the torches on the walls of the crypt.
“My Pardons, Mistress.” Kashkilla’s ghost responded. “With your permission I will join my husband and leave my daughter to your continued wisdom. The Black house pledges it’s continued allegiance. May my daughter earn the right to lead her house.”
“Kashkilla,” she spoke softly in Latin. “Tell me the resting place of the Family’s sacred texts.”
“Alas, I have not the knowledge you seek,” Kashkilla’s ghost responded as her form began to slowly fade. “Only the Master, who’s born by swift wings, knows.” As Kashkilla’s form faded, the skeleton returned to the crypt’s floor once again.

“Leave me.” She commanded. The others all retreated from the crypt immediately. With the power of the sorcery she possessed, she conjured a second casket and levitated Kashkilla’s remains into the silk lined coffin. She sealed the coffin and drew the outline of the family crest upon the lid. The Family Coat of Arms burned itself into the rich wood of the coffin’s lid in the darkest black. Lady Kashkilla’s name richly scripted itself under the Family Coat of Arms. She used the same witchcraft to levitate the original coffin and lay both coffins, side by side, within the center of the crypt chamber.
“Rest now, No one will disturb you from your slumber. Watch over us, as you smile down upon us.” She spoke softly in Latin. The three chests rose slightly from the floor and followed her from the crypt. She met the others outside the crypt’s entrance. The chests slowly sank back to the floor outside the crypt as the entrance resealed itself.
“Hence forth,” She stated. “Everyone will know who is buried on the other side of this wall. I have spoken and it shall be done.”
“Yes, Mistress.” The other women all replied.
“Mistress?” Her cousin asked. “What are we to do with the chests?”
“Guard them for now, until it is decided where they will be taken. And they are not to be opened unless I command it.” Her command triggered a containment charm upon the chests.
“It shall be done, Mistress.” Her cousin smartly replied. Her cousin immediately called for guards to be posted around the chests.
“Lady Robyn, “ she said quietly. “I expect my cousin will have to ensure you are groomed for a high station, should you wish to earn it.
“It will be my pleasure to ensure the Black house has it’s rightful heir as Master at Arms.” Her cousin replied.
“I beg your pardon, Mistress,” Her driver spoke aloud. “But Lady Robyn will have to first choose herself a suitable husband.”
“I can’t agree more.” She stated. She departed with her sister and her driver close behind, leaving the black house to guard the chests. She looked back to see her cousin and Lady Robyn absorbed in quiet conversation climbing the stairs into the west wing.

“We have much to do this morning.” She finally spoke as they rounded the corner leading them towards the Library doors.
“A penny for your thoughts?” her sister asked. She had been deeply absorbed in thought about Kashkilla’s clue. The three women finally entered the library and were able to seclude themselves.
“I’ve been piecing together the clues to the location of the sacred texts.” She finally spoke as she seated herself.
“What sacred texts?” her sister asked. “The library index has no mention of any texts. Any books of importance are all listed.” She pondered her sister’s comments.
“Is there a reference to any texts stored in the sanctuary?” she asked her sister.
“Now that you mention it, there is.” Her sister responded. Her bosom swelled with pride with the knowledge her sister had been indeed busy, compiling the information stored in the library, and hidden elsewhere within the grounds.
“Tell me where.” She softly spoke.
“There is a collection of books which were originally stored in the library, but were relocated to the men’s sanctuary several generations ago. The indexes mention they are books of great importance which were once part of the main collection stored here.” Her sister replied readily.
“Where exactly were they stored?” she asked.
“In the bookcase adjacent to the east wall.” Her sister replied. She walked over to the bookcase her sister had mentioned and scanned the bookcase’s titles. Another copy of Jonathan Swift’s work was on the shelf. This intrigued her immensely. She reached for the book and withdrew it from the shelf. What was inside the cover astounded her completely.
“Catherine, you have to see this.” She spoke as her driver had already approached her. The volume cover indicated it was anything but what it actually was. She held one of the Grand Duchess’ spell books.
“Sorry, Mistress.” Her driver spoke. “Why would someone keep a completely empty book?”
“What do you see?” she asked, handing her driver the book.
“The pages are completely blank, Mistress.” Her driver replied. She knew full well that the book was filled with richly scripted handwriting.
“That is odd.” Her sister mentioned, having looked over her driver’s shoulder to inspect the book as well. She quickly drew a conclusion.
“This book is enchanted.” She announced. “I can see what is written in it, but neither of you can.”
“It must only allow certain people to look at what is written.” Her sister announced.
“It must be.” She spoke softly. “But why only me?”
“The only way to know is for you to read it and find out.” Her driver responded.
“You’re right, but now is not the time.” She spoke. “We have the remaining texts to find.”
“But what if this book contains a clue to the other books whereabouts.” Her sister mentioned. She knew her sister was right, but she really wanted to solve Kashkilla’s clue first.
“Consider your sister’s wisdom, Darling.” Her husband’s voice spoke suddenly in her head.

“James, do you know something I do not?” she projected. She heard no reply from her husband. In fact she could not feel his presence.
“I know how you are able to hide from me, James.” She projected firmly, focusing her projection towards the north tower. She felt her husband’s presence within the sanctuary.
“How did you do that?” she heard her husband’s voice reply in her head. She smiled silently to herself. She sat in the chair facing the great book and cleansed her mind of thought. She focused on only the book she held in her hand, everything else seemed to fade from her. She completely closed herself off from everything around her. Only the book remained. She opened the book and miraculously the book fell open to the page containing a charm for opening doors and gates.
“Curious.” She spoke aloud. She read the entire passage for her sister and her driver to hear. “What do you think?”
“I think we might have need of this.” Her sister spoke softly. She noticed that when she remained completely calm, she was able to block out anyone who might try and invade her thoughts. She remembered one of the things she had spoken earlier to her husband.
“Feeling frisky, Darling?” She projected while concentrating firmly.
“Now who’s hiding from who?” her husband’s voiced echoed inside her head. She increased her projection to her husband and found she could see and hear everything her husband was seeing, through the connection. She shared this revelation with her driver and her sister.
“An interesting discovery, Sis.” Her sister spoke.
“What do you think would happen if we joined with you?” her driver asked. Suddenly the book she held in her hands flipped to another page. This book held a warning about the power of projection. She read the passage aloud while maintaining the connection to her husband. She continued to see and hear what her husband was seeing.
“It’s stated here that multiple connections of projection while maintaining a single strong connection with another builds a stronger link, but at a price. The danger exists that the link may remain open to the joining parties after the originator closes their connection. Thusly, it is conceivable that the original link could mask the originators true location.” She spoke softly aloud. Her sister realized the merit of this discovery immediately.

“Do you remember how our cousin and her fiancé could not remember what had happened at the Hotel?” Her sister asked excitedly.
“We were there, of course we remember.” Her driver replied. Her driver and herself suddenly realized the implication.
“That’s how our cousin was coerced.” Her sister concluded. She slowly began receding her projection to her husband. She closed her projection and found she felt a little lightheaded.
“I won’t be trying that again anytime soon.” She spoke quietly. She felt fine, but a little tired. “Another clue for a different riddle. I still want to concentrate on finding the remainder of the texts.”
“What did you see and hear from your husband?” her sister asked.
“Just the men’s sanctuary.” She replied. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Are you alright?” her husband’s voice echoed in her mind.
“Can you give me a minute please, James?” she politely projected back to her husband. She heard no response. She concentrated on the book once more and the book flipped back to the original passage about doors and gates. She read the passage aloud to her driver and her sister.
“Reveal what is hidden.” Her driver stated in Latin. The bookcase adjacent to the east wall slowly shuddered and crept forward from the wall. A second bookcase was hidden behind it. This bookcase stood completely empty except for a single piece of parchment.
“Be it known that for the safety of the entire family, the texts originally contained on these shelves shall be dispersed to several locations, and their locations shall remain forever secret to all but the heirs to the White House.” Her sister spoke. The parchment instantly dissolved into ashes.
“Ferule, Join me please.” She projected. A familiar faint green glow began in the library’s loft as Ferule appeared.
“Yes, Mistress.” Ferule quietly replied to her.
“Ferule, Kashkilla informed me this morning that the master born of swift wings has knowledge I seek.” she spoke softly.
“Yes, Mistress.” Ferule replied. “That is true.”
“Tell me the resting place of the Family’s sacred texts.” she spoke softly in Latin.
“How long I’ve waited to be told to reveal that secret.” Ferule spoke proudly.
“By measure of three, the texts were divided. The black house given one measure, the men’s sanctuary given the second measure, and the white house hid the third measure. Each measure shall reveal a clue to the next measure.” Ferule responded in Latin. Immediately, she knew what the first measure was, and that she’d been within a few feet of them, barely an hour before.