Haddon Hall

Figgy stared at the door with disbelief. Now loud voices could be heard in the corridor. Shortly the door opened and Peveril walked in. He had the Torque in his hand and looking at Figgy said "Where did you get this?"

"It's a long story." Figgy said "And you would never believe it anyway." and she turned her head away.

Peveril looked at her thoughtfully for a moment and said "Come, both of you take a seat by the fire." and went himself to a heavy chair and looked into the flames. He held the Torque in his hand on his knee.

Tom and Figgy took chairs opposite and noticed Peveril's much changed manner.

Finally Peveril looked at them and broke the silence saying "So where do you really come from... or should I say when..."

Tom and Figgy exchanged a questioning glance, but neither shook their head to say 'no'.

"2012" replied Figgy suddenly, deciding to be open with Peveril. To her and Tom's surprize, Peveril just nodded, as if he was used to getting visitors such as they. But it was nerve wracking waiting to hear Peveril's response, as their fate depended on it.

"I have not seen or heard of you before." said Peveril.

Tom was undecided what to say to Peveril. He knew the importance of secrecy, but also had to find out if Peveril was friend or foe. Finally he said. "We are very new to the household community, and were sent back by Queen Boudica."

Peveril straightened up hearing this. "And what proof do you have?".

Figgy responded "Well as you can perhaps see, I have Manners Blood and am therefore close to the house. I also carry the Three Talisman's by the permission of the Queen. Tom too has long blood ties to the affairs of this place."

"And some Wolf Blood too, I am told." said Peveril.

"Yes." replied Tom. "But it was only after coming to this house that it took on physical form."

"Then you can not control it yet?" said Peveril, seeming a little alarmed.

"No." said Tom. "Except that it seems to happen when I am in moon-light or get very angry."

"Well then, I think I have no choice but to believe you, considering all this evidence. Nor do I see lying in your eyes. You must forgive the rough act in public, and my questioning, for few can know or be trusted here. But then tell me the news from your time and if Boudica has sent any message."

"The news, I am afraid, is nearly all bad." said Figgy sadly.

"It usually is... It usually is..." commented Peveril with a sigh.

'So why are you feuding with the Manners family?, I said, 'When did all this start?.
'We are having trouble with Harry Manners who was born in the Elizabethan period, I said 'he seems to be able to travel at will and cause havoc where ever he goes, in our time he is called Janoc, he's got himself an army of sorts, into antique theft, Tom here was hired by Harry Manners, lets call him Our Harry, to root out his gang and report back. Our Harry seems to be a nice chap caught up in his ancestors shenanigans'.
'I have had personal dealings with Janoc, said Peveril sadly, 'while I was away in the Holy Land he captured this house with a band of ruffians and set about taking the place to bits, he was looking for something, probably talismans like the one you own'. He passed me the torque.
'Thanks, I said, 'I thought we would be stuck here forever'.
'So when you came back' said Tom, 'How did you oust him?.
'Oh it was a long and bloody struggle', said Peveril, 'No local men would come near the place, said it was haunted by beasts and ghosts, ridiculous, I thought, until I went down to the crypt my father had built'.
'I had to hire merceneries, we starved them out and they retreated over the hill to Manners Hall. Ever since we have been at war, he wants to get back in at all costs, and now I know why, time is fluid in this house, has been for a thousand years, its always the same Janoc in any time'.
But in our time, its becoming unstable, I said, the talismans are unpredictable and there are terrible storms, I saw one, it was scary, I think he's upset the balance, we need to stop him'.

"I will aid you as well as I can, but I must say that will not be much materially. You can see I have enough on my hands here." said Peveril

"Yes we can see that." said Figgy

"Theres something I don't undertstand about this Janoc" said Tom. "How can he be in both times at once ?"

"He can't." said Peveril flatly. "At least not as far as time travel has been explained to me."

"Then he must be shuttling back and forth." mused Figgy. "Which may be something we can use against him."

"Yes." agreed Tom nodding. "It does not look like we two can mount much of a direct attack anyway."

"But I wonder..." began Figgy, "...if we may first be some aid to you Lord Peveril? Though I don't know how"

Peveril looked up at that, and was silent a moment. He then gave a smile and said "I don't know how yet either, but I am a poor strategist if I can't come up with a good use for a Time Master and a Man-Wolf!"

The Portrait.

Peveril got up from his seat and swayed slightly holding his side. I noticed his face had an ashen pallor and beads of sweat were dripping down his neck. he had a fever for sure.
I got up and went to him, motioning Tom to help him stand. 'He is sick', I said to Tom, 'A fever, maybe he has a wound?
'yes I was stuck by one of Manners arrows a few days back', he said, 'Tis naught'.
He didnt look well at all and I dashed out of the room to find some serving person to help. A man was loitering outside. 'Your master is sick', I said, 'fetch the physician'.
'There aint no physic in these parts', he said, 'he copped for it last Winter and we only got Mistress Litton half a witch she be but handy with the saw', he laughed a gummy laugh and I shuddered at the mention of the saw.
'Well fetch her' I shouted 'and bring boiling water and clean cloths'.
Mistress Litton arrived and surveyed Peveril with concern, she clearly thought matters were serious. I thought he must have septicemia or some infection to the wound.
'Theres no hope for him without antibiotics', I said dismayed. I really wanted to help the poor man.
Peveril was supported to his chamber by some men, they were silent and grave, they thought he was a dead man walking.
'If its antibiotics he needs then we must go back to our time, said Tom, 'or we can make penicilin'.
'Is it possible!' I said.
'Oh yes its easy enough to make, said Tom. 'I will show Mistress Litton how, you just need some wet bread in a sack, leave it for about three days and the mould formed can be made into a kind of penicilin tea, tastes disgusting but it can save your life'.
'well lets do it', I said, 'We dont have time to mess about, we may not end up home for ages'.
Tom explained how to make the mould and how to extract the tea, by chance there was already mouldy bread in the scullery, and we set too trying to save Lord Peveril.

The next few days went by in a anxious and weary way, Peverils fever didnt break until the fifth day, and he was very weak and spent with the struggle to survive, but survive he did.
Mistress Litton never left his side, never seemed to sleep and ate even less, she watched over his burning form seemingly tireless and calm. I noticed that her eyes never left him, her whole concentration was on him, I think she loved him.
'Well there's the next Lady Peveril', I said to Tom one evening, 'When he wakes he will see her for the first time I think'.
Litton, Litton!, of course!, how could I have missed the name?, with all the worry and drama of the illness it had not dawned on me that this could be the ancestor of Lady Litton from five hundred years later. Of course it was. I told Tom my idea, and he just laughed. 'I wondered when it would sink in', he said 'It took you long enough!
I blushed red, 'well sometimes I get distracted', I said, feeling a fool.

Haddon Hall

Tom and Figgy were now released from house arrest and accepted in the household, having helped heal Lord Peveril. Many rumors swirled about the newcomers and in particular Figgys startling resemblence to Lady Litton. About half the rumors were evil, about sorcery and spies and betrayal. The rest of the rumors were better, about long lost relatives and allies coming to aid, but equally wild and untrue.

One afternoon Tom and Figgy were eating alone in the chambers assigned to them. To make communication and guarding easier, Tom and Figgy had decided to take advantage of the better of the rumors and had assumed the pretense that they were married, and that Figgy was a cousin of Lady Litton. It would take a week for Peveril to get totally back on his feet again, and Tom had wanted to plan some course of action. They had had this discussion before however and always ran into the problem of what was safe to do, as far as intervening in the past.

"Helping Peveril should be safe." said Figgy. "I mean we do know from history he survived as Lord. So it's not so much intervening as preventing Janoc from doing so. We can't let Janoc take over the castle."

"That makes sense." said Tom nodding. "But I wonder what Janoc is even doing it for? He has Haddon Hall already in our time. Why is he coming back to gain control now? What will he gain?"

"Perhaps he wants to speed things up. If he gains control now, and holds it, he will have had 1000 years to gain wealth and power by our time." replied Figgy.

"The man is mad!" said Tom shaking his head.

"I am not sure if he is insane, but he is ruthlessly determined and could do mad things." said Figgy, who had spent a little unpleasent time with Janoc, in his Lord Harry guise.

"Well then, he must not win Peveril Castle." said Tom, as if he had finally made up his mind.

"Can you help?" asked Figgy.

"Only with your help." said Tom.

"What do you mean?" Figgy asked.

"There isn't really time or the technology here to modernize their defenses or weaponry. So we will have to do some time traveling ourselves... a shopping trip you might say." replied Tom.

"I see. I think I am strong enough for it, but still don't have control over where, or should I say when we go to." said Figgy

"Perhaps the Lady Litton can show you ?" suggested Tom. "Like Peveril was going to show me how to control changing to Wolf form."

"I can ask. " said Figgy, but inside she dreaded doing more time traveling.

Tom then went to work scribbling out his 'shopping list'. He finished it in just a few minutes and pushed the paper over to Figgy to read.

whoopie cushion? Flamethrowers a good idea though. We need biscuits too. chocolate chip, i'll get the choccy bikkies You can get the other stuff, I dont think Marks and Spencers have a Weapons of Mass Destruction department.

More great pics Mrs Figg. Was going to suggest starting a separate thread, but Orwell beat you with his artwork thingy

typical Orwell irritatingly precipitous

Haddon Hall

Tom laughed at the expression on Figgy's face as she read the list.

"Kidding." Tom said. "Just Kidding. Though I would have liked to have put the Whoopie Cushion under Odo's pompous seat."

Figgy chuckled. "Well you had me going there..."

"Actually we have to be carefull not to bring anything back that might leave a trace, or would draw too much attention." said Tom. "We can't do anything that will draw in the interest of other Lords or the King. The power and secrets of the house have to remain secret or World War I will have started in the Middle ages, and still be going in our time. I think that is why Janoc has not used any advanced technology here either. He can't let anyone find out about this place until he is totally in control and protected. But he, or we might use some things sparingly, that might be confused with other things or attibuted to superstitions."

"Like what?" asked Figgy.

"Well like powerfull fireworks." replied Tom. " If you or I pretended to be a great wizard we could chuck some Cherry bombs or Colored smoke bombs. The idea is to frighten them off. I doubt Janocs attacking is historic, and does risk altering time. Anyone who dies in a battle changes the future. If he knocks over a wall with a battering ram, it will change the structure of the castle. Something like that might be the timequakes we were feeling in our time. So we don't want to kill anyone if at all possible. Just disperse them."

"And you could turn into a Wolf." added Figgy.

"Yes, if I can learn how to control it." Tom agreed. "Haha, that leaves you to be the sorceress!" he added laughing.

"Oh great..." Figgy moaned.

I had a strange dream that night, I dreamt I was floating over the hill of haddon Hall, it was as clear as if I was really there, the colours were saturated and I could see every blade of grass, every leaf, every cloud shadow moving over the sunlit pastures below my feet. I could move at will so I imagined myself swooping like a bird over the House, over the gardens. I angled myself so that I flew head first my arms outstretched on either side, I could feel the rush of air between my fingers, the various perfumes filling my senses as I passed like a ghost, rose lavender box fir laurel rosemary lily lily rose.,

I woke with a start, I didnt know where I was, for a moment disorientated, gradually my surroundings seeped back into place, I was not at home safe in my bed, I was in an alien bed which was hard and uncomfortable, little more than a rush filled mattress covered with furs, I was in an alien time, a place of danger and sudden death. I wanted more than anything in the world to go back to my own home and my ordinary existance. I knew that there were many people that would have loved to travel in time and experience the things I had seen, but like all adventures sometimes it was better to remember them fondly afterwards rather than to actually be in the midst of one.
I didnt want to leave Tom and Peveril in this state of flux either, there were things to be done and it was better for everyone if I just knuckled under and saw this through. I would surely be glad I did? The time storms were a worry, we had not experienced any while we were here, but who could say what was happening back in the 21st century.

I felt I had coasted a bit, I didnt much like the last bits I wrote, its good to shake things up a bit to get the energy flowing. I would like to see your dream section too, that is weird we both thought of it.

(Hmm.. might not be able to finish, but will at least start it.)

Haddon Hall

Later that night, Tom was in a fitfull sleep. He had trouble sleeping in strange surroundings at first, and having to sleep on some weeds on the floor didn't help. But sleep had finally come, and he dreamed.

He was in a dungeon. People were coming out of a hole in the wall, one after another. It looked like they were fleeing something. Tom was furiously straigtening out paper clips, and arming them as they emerged. He was worried the paperclips would be ridiculus weapons, but it was all he had....

He was alone in a dark corridor. Torches spaced far apart made little islands of light. It was the crypt. The skeletons in rotting armor lie in rows on either side. They were awake, but only turned their heads to watch him with empty sockets and move their teethy jaws up and down. Then he was in the crypt's central room alone and was looking at Boudicas tomb. He was tired, and wanted to lay down next to it and sleep. Someone was chipping at her tomb with a hammer and chisel. He got up in alarm and anger. He saw a man with hateful eyes staring at him. Tom started to run at him, fists raised, but he became bogged down, he could barely move his legs. The man went back to his chipping.

He was outside in the woods. It was dusk and a motion caught his eye. It was a grey wolf standing at a distance. Tom froze, and it began to edge closer slowly, moving its body from side to side. Tom had to climb a tree and looked about frantically for a low enough branch. He saw one at last and ran to it, leaping up and just making it up as the wolf snapped at his legs. The wolf began circling the tree.

Haddon Hall

Other wolves gathered and sat and waited. Tom fell from his branch because he had turned into a wolf and lost his grip. He landed with a thud in their midst. They surrounded him growling with fierce eyes and expressions. Tom just stood there. They were running now, in a rough line through the woods. It was daytime, and the pack was excited for they were chasing something. Tom saw a deer running in the distance and predicted it's path better. Peeling off from the pack he ran swiftly in great strides and leaps over obstacles. He was closest now to the deer and with a last leap grabbed a hind leg in his jaws. They both went down in a tumble and the pack overtook them and finished the work. Tom slunk off to lie down by himself. A large wolf came and told distainfully "you will never make a wolf". Later another wolf approached, but it was different, a female. It dropped a large root it had dug up in front of him and then curled up to sleep with her back against his. The warmth felt good and Tom looked to see if any wolves would come. They were all busy with the carcass. He closed his eyes to rest.

Shots. Shots echoing through the woods and close. Men had come. Hunters. He saw one raising his gun to shoot. The man didn't see Tom yet and Tom felt anger swell up in him like a volcano errupting. Tom leaped at the mans neck, and the man turned his head in fear, but too late. Tom looked for another man to attack.

That evening as he lay again by himself, several wolves brought him roots and other eatible leaves. Later the large wolf came an sat before him. The large wolf said, "You are a hunter, but not a killer. Why should we allow you to be a wolf? You could not survive on just plants in winter."

"I don't need to be a full wolf." answered Tom. "I only need some of your skills. In return I will use my own skills to protect you in my waking world."

The large wolf got up and walked away slowly. The dream ended.

I read this last bit and had a little cry, I miss you Turembar.

Did I miss something? Has Turembar gone somewhere?

yeah I think he's gone. It makes me sadder than I have been for a long time.

We must entice him back somehow. As you know, I plan to catch up on Haddon Hall (after nightshift). Maybe a glowing review will reinspire both of you. I did like the early bits - and plan to catch up. I also have to catch up on The Needlehole Mysteries. Time! Time! But there's so little of it!

cool!