Donnie spent the day most alone, when Mae arrived to find her sister wasn't there that afternoon she left again, taking a basket of fresh bread with her. Not for the first time Donnie was feeling remarkably lost. His attempts to speak to Lily had failed spectacularly and he didn't have anywhere to belong here. He liked the witchfather and his apprentices but he hadn't known them long enough to be close with them. If he were being honest with himself he just felt like he was getting in the way really. He'd been practising barriers with them, although the witchfather didn't seem to notice and if he did wasn't acknowledging it. It was all incredibly frustrating and he felt useless and helpless. It wasn't entirely dissimilar he felt when he was on those barren rocks in the cloud sea. In a way, he had lost his family for a second time.
Like it or not family was what the guild had been to him. They raised him, the others there were the kids he grew up with like brothers. In the dorms nobody had parents and having friends outside the guild was a rarity. As stifling as the guild had been he didn't know how to have any other kind of life and although he was out it seemed almost as if he was living his life through Vern and Shae rather than finding his own. Now they weren't here he was just sat twiddling his thumbs.
While he sat staring at his hands with a feeling of melancholy settling over him he heard the bells. The ringing was discordant and filled him with dread. He got up and headed to the edge of the barrier. From the rooftops, he could see the crowd headed towards the guild and without thinking he found himself hurrying towards the guild. He could hate the place and the Masters, he could hate people like Johnny but in that towering building were his friends. People he genuinely cared about. Despite knowing the guild prided itself on being a fortress and place of safety Donnie had realised one thing, it wasn't as safe as the Halves. He made the teleporting jump and found himself outside a weak and spluttering barrier. People were throwing stones and whenever the barrier faltered the projectiles were tumbling through. It wouldn't be long until they felt brave enough to just walk right into it. Donnie could already tell it wouldn't be able to keep people out. He slipped in carefully, making sure nobody was following him and found an area that was reasonably hidden away. In the corridors around him, apprentices rushed frantically. As he put the barrier up, he couldn't help but wonder what exactly the Master's were doing.
At that precise moment, they were bickering amongst themselves, as if the threat to the guild didn't exist. It took a few minutes for anyone to notice the new barrier and when they did the bickering settled down.
" Ah, One of the lads was careful in his studies then I suppose. Good Good." Master Knobbs nodded enthusiastically. The ruckus that was caused by all these issues of defence and no specialist Master had completely died down. Which was no bad thing in his book. Maybe they could just appoint whatever lad was making this new barrier. Once the mess was over he would suggest that. It could be a little reward for the lad. A promotion, a better room and the use of the master's bathhouse. How could the lad possibly refuse that offer eh?
He just had to find out who the lad was before any of the other Masters. Take him under his wing, make him grateful so to speak. Knobbs knew he wasn't the only one thinking along those lines. Having another member of the council always ready to have your back was a wonderful thing in some of the more raucous meetings. Barriers could be rather useful for protecting oneself or one's friends against the half-eaten sausage rolls that would so often come hurtling through the air. Knobbs wished they would throw untouched ones, it would make catching them worthwhile. The door opened and shut so quietly that it shouldn't have made an impact, but all discussion halted the second it clicked shut.
Prebble revelled in the silence. The instant control of the room gave him quite the power rush, he kept the little. thrill away from his expression though, if it ever got the better of him then the respect would be gone and his power over them wouldn't have quite the same bite. Behind him were three young men. Two of his apprentices and a rather panicked looking lad with a fine layer of dark stubble on his head and blue eyes. He wasn't struggling much but looked like he was concentrating on something. If anyone had been half as observant as Prebble they would have noticed the barrier quiver ad the young man was pushed into the room. He gave his apprentices a disapproving glare, causing them to shrink back into the corridor. Currently, the young lad was the only thing keeping the witchhunt out.
Stoat stood up, recognising his former apprentice in an instant. His face was red and his eyes practically bulged from their sockets. If it weren't for Prebble standing with his hand calmly resting on the boy's shoulder Stoat would have given Donnie a thrashing. Donnie was trying very hard not to lose focus, which wasn't an easy task with Master Prebble's fingers digging into his shoulder.
" I discovered him hiding in an empty classroom. I do believe he was the missing lad from the other day." Prebble smiled, his grip on Donnie loosened slightly.
" What's that got to do with anything, can't you see we're under siege!" Knobbs said in a sudden and not particularly intelligent outburst. Had he not spent the last hour fighting the other Masters he probably wouldn't have had anywhere near enough bravery to confront Prebble. Some of the others even mumbled in agreement. For all of 30 seconds, Knobbs felt on top of the world.
The 30 seconds came to an abrupt end when he looked Prebble in the eye. Just like that, he felt like a child in class who'd just realised he'd made a mistake while reading out loud in front of the whole class.
" I thought you all might like to protect him, keep him safe from harm. He's the one who is producing the barrier." He smiled at Donnie who had found a very interesting looking stain on the tiles and was completely fixated on looking at nothing else. Like, say, Master Prebble, who terrified anyone with a lick of sense or Master Stoat who he knew was less than happy to see him. The floor was a much safer bet, perhaps it would open up beneath him and swallow him whole. He felt very much like a mouse that had been caught by a particularly sadistic cat.
" Rescuing a lady in distress and now coming back to us, despite knowing he could be in trouble if he did. All do he could keep people safe. Very commendable efforts. Don't you think everyone?" There was something about the way that Prebble said trouble that made Donnie wish that he'd never returned to the guild. If the witchhunt got in Donnie wondered how long it would be before he became the first casualty.
There was a rumble of agreement from everyone except Stoat who was trying to glare Donnie into a pile of dust. It wasn't working. Although Donnie might have been grateful to be a dust pile at that particular moment. Knobbs nodded in approval.
" Suppose we can't be too 'arsh on the lad for trying to save a lady eh? Nothing quite like being a hot-blooded young man. Came back when it counted, all that matter now." He slapped Donnie on the back jovially, having crossed the room with a surprising turn of speed. His plans might not work quite as well now Prebble had sunk his fangs into the boy. He still had his chance.
" Oi Spiffer ol' chap. You pull up a chair for er..." He looked at Donnie who had phased completely out of reality by this point.
" Donnie. I believe" Prebble supplied, still smiling that cold, almost reptilian smile of his.
" Yes pull up a chair for Donnie here, and um someone, oh you yes you girl in the doorway go get the lad some tea or something." For a few moments, Knobbs wondered if the temperature in the room had dropped somewhat as he manoeuvred Donnie to the chair.
Once Donnie had been sat down Knobbs leaned into Prebble with an attempt at a conspiratorial whisper. " You didn't no anything to the lad, did you? He seems a bit off. Not gone funny in the head has he?" Prebble was rather pleased he didn't flinch as he was engulfed in the foul breath terminating for his colleague.
" No need to be concerned. I'm sure the lad is just concentrating." Prebble replied while wondering what would come first, his need to breathe or his colleague's departure. He did so hope it was the latter. Prebble was finding Knobbs behaviour particularly unpleasant today, not that he had any particular fondness for the man, but he was practically salivating over Donnie. Without a doubt, Knobbs wanted to use the young wizard in some form of power play. A tool to one-up the other wizards. Prebble wondered how long it would take them to realise the barrier was being maintained through wild magic, just like the witchfathers. He sighed, they probably never would. The old boys were remarkably dense. Must have something to do with spending their entire lives in the guild. Most never so much as left the city.
The young woman returned with the tea and her metallic eyes looked as if they were going to murder Knobbs. Perhaps he should let her. Knobbs gravitated towards Abigial and as she set the tray down he could see Knobbs going for a very fatal and incredibly stupid move. He was trying to touch her butt. Abigail had noticed and much to Prebble relief Abigail dodged deftly and swiftly moved to his side. He was relieved he would only have to have words with his most loathsome of colleagues rather than handle the alternative route of Abigail having broken several of Knobbs fingers. Not that the fool wouldn't have earned it.
" Master Knobbs... You should probably be aware that Miss Primm here is employed through special license as my personal secretary in the department of secret arts." Knobbs edged away and gave the young woman a much warier look.
" You might wish to know that she is also close friends with several of the serving staff and her friends are my friends. They get special discounts and everything. Isn't that right?" He turned to Abigail. Knobbs face was going from its usually reddish-pink to a much paler complexion.
" Indeed it is Master Prebble." Abigail smiled and suddenly Knobbs was making excuses to leave and had migrated to the furthest corner of the room.
" If he tries something like that again I won't be quite so subtle," Abigail stated her eyes surveying the room.
" I wouldn't expect you to. I assume you wanted to talk to me about work." Prebble answered. His eyes were following Stoat who clearly wasn't thrilled with Donnie's return.
" Yes. Just letting you know that as per our contract with the guild all remembers of the department are now enlisted as guards. All other duties are postponed and no new requests are being taken. refunds are being handed to those whose jobs have been cancelled." Abigail tried not to smile as she noticed Prebble's face twitch slightly.
He hated losing money.