A Peculiar Time in 1944 - A Millard Fanfic (Miss Peregrine's Home) #wattys2020

Chapter 71

"It's also possible that the moon is made of cheese. It's just not bloody likely." {Enoch O'Connor, pg 346 book 2}

"You must come inside at once, it isn't safe out here." Miss Wren told them before turning and hobbling down the tunnel. They all followed obediently, like ducklings after their mother, such was the power of an ymbryne over peculiar children, the very presence of one had an immediate effect.

When their path tilted upward they ended up in what must have been the main lobby of the building except it was covered in ice except for the tunnel they walked through. A hundred hollows could spend a week hacking at that ice and they would not get to them. They followed Miss Wren through the tunnel which wove through the frozen halls and rooms until it ended at a staircase. It was about the only thing free of ice and a young girl stood at the bottom step. She had long hair parted down the middle that fell to her hips and small round glasses she was constantly adjusting.

"Althea!" Miss Wren cried, "You mustn't wander off like that while the passage is open, anything at all might wander in here!"

"Yes, mistress." Althea replied then cocked her head. "Who are they mistress?"

"These are Miss Peregrine's wards. The ones I was telling you about."

"Have they brought any food with them? Or medicine? Or anything useful at all." Aurora took offense to the girls roundabout way of calling them all useless, especially after everything they'd endured because of their peculiarities. But before she could dispute it Miss Wren spoke up.

"No more questions until you've closed up. Quick now!"

"Yes mistress." Althea said before heading down the tunnel which they'd come, dragging her hands along the walls as she went.

"Apologies for that." Miss Wren said, "Althea doesn't mean to be obstinate, she's just naturally mulish. But she keeps the wolves at bay, and we badly need her. We'll wait here until she returns." The ymbryne lowered herself to the steps very slowly looking quite frail.

"Miss Wren, how did you know who we are? We never said." Emma spoke up.

"It's an ymbryne's business to know. I have watchers in the trees from here to the Irish Sea, and besides, you're famous! There's only one ymbryne who's wards were able to slip the corrupted's grasp complete and entire, and that's Miss Peregrine. But I've no idea how you made it this far without being captured – or how in peculiardom you found me."

"A boy at the carnival directed us here." Enoch said.

"One of our lookouts." Miss Wren nodded, "But how did you find him?"

"One of your pigeons."

"But how did you know about my pigeons? Much less catch one?"

Then Millard stepped forward, Miss Wren not seeming surprised by a floating coat, "I deduced your birds' location from the Tales of the Peculiar, but we first heard of them in your mountaintop menagerie, from a pretentious dog."

Every answer they gave the ymbryne seemed to have more questions, so they made it easy and retold their entire tale all the way from raising the Augusta.

"We've traveled a long way across dangerous country." Emma said, "all to find someone who could help Miss Peregrine. We were quite hoping that person would be you, Miss Wren."

"Counting on it, really." Millard added. It took Miss Wren a few moments to find her voice and when she spoke it was choked with emotion.

"Oh you brave, wonderful children. You're miracles, every one of you. Any ymbryne would be lucky to call you her wards. I was so sorry to hear about what happened to your Miss Peregrine. I didn't know her well, but I promise you we'll get her back. She and all our sisters."