The Sceptre of Samnos

Ilandia Part 8

     "You won't be looking for a job," said his father, Derek Gown, the half empty teacup carefully placed on the mantelpiece beside him. "Local gossip has it that the army's looking for another military wizard to replace a chap who went off on a quest or something a few months ago. The pay is great. You'd be one of the top men in town."

     "Well, er, I can't settle down just yet," said Thomas, raising his voice over the sound of Jerry telling his mother and his aunt all about his homeland. "There's something I've got to do first."

     He then told him all about the threat from the Shadow and their quest for the Sceptre of Samnos. "You mean you're leaving again right away?" asked his mother in surprised disappointment, cutting off Jerry in mid flow.

     "Not right away," said Thomas. "We need some information first, and the only person we can think of who might be able to give it to us...” He paused, knowing how his next words would be received. He took a deep breath and decided to just say it. “The only person we can think of to ask is Allis, the old woman in the woods."

     "The Mad Woman!" said his father sternly. "No! I absolutely forbid it. I'm surprised you can even consider such a thing! You know the stories about her, you know what she is! You can get whatever information you need from the great library in Tatria, or go back to that library in the University you're always writing about. There's plenty of places you can get good, reliable information."

     "Excuse me, sir," said Shaun, "but we already know that the information we need can't be found in Tatria's library. The great wizard Zebulon, whose knowledge, wisdom and resources far surpassed our own, has already researched there, as well as every other library and sage this side of the Great Lake, without finding the answer. Allis is our only hope. We have no alternative but to ask her."

     "There's always an alternative," Derek told Thomas adamantly. "Have you forgotten what happened to Eric Persson?" He turned to repeat the story to the others. "He was convinced there was buried treasure hidden somewhere in the mirklands surrounding lake Takal and went to see the Mad Woman, thinking she'd know where it was and tell him, in return for a share. He were never seen again."

     "We don't know he was killed by her," pointed out Thomas. "For all we know he found the treasure and went off to live in luxury in Tatria."

     "But you've heard the stories..."

     "They're probably just that, just stories  Besides, for every bad story there's a good story  What about, what was his name? Jake? The one who wanted to know whether his sister was still alive..."

     "The man who came home looking twenty years older, his hair as grey as a grandfather? Or do you mean the man who was six feet tall when he left and came back with a spine so badly curved he couldn't raise his head higher than his shoulders?"

     Thomas sighed and put a weary hand over his eyes. "I know it'll be dangerous, but I really do believe we have to do this. If Diana's right, if it's the will of Caroli that we do this..."

     Derek turned a venomous gaze on the young cleric, hating her for the ideas she'd put into his sons head. "If Caroli wants someone to throw his young life away, let Her find someone else. Let one of Her own worshippers do it."

     "I will," replied Diana calmly. "I must go where My Lady leads me, but I don't ask anyone to go with me. If all we need is information then it only needs one of us to get it. There's no need for anyone else to take the risk."

     Shaun and Matthew immediately declared their intention to accompany her, as did Lirenna and Jerry, and Thomas assured them that he wouldn't let them go without him, looking at his father as he said it. "I know you don't want anything bad to happen to me," he said, putting a hand on his arm, "But even if she really is as bad as they say, we still have to see her. It's that important."