Modern Magick

The Road to Farringale: 11

'Farringale,' I repeated.

'Yes,' said Baron Alban.

'Mythical, mysteriously abandoned, long-lost seat of the Troll Court for hundreds of years Farringale?'

'That's the one.'

'The unfindable version, or is there some other Farringale that's still marked on a map somewhere?'

'Why don't you let me worry about how to find it, while you worry about how to get in?'

'All right. Be right back.' I slid past him and made for the door.

'Uh, Ves?' he called. 'Where are you going?'

'I'm going to ask Milady.'

'What? Why! She will only say no.'

'You don't know that for sure.'

'No,' said Milady.

I'd given it my best shot, honest. I had begun with a polite enquiry after her health, paired with my usual curtsey, and opened the discussion with: 'It emerges that our excellent Baron Ambassador suspects a close connection between the afflicted Enclaves and Farr—'

'No,' said Milady.

'—Farringale, and seeks an opportunity to investigate the precise causes of its demise in a more direct fashion—'

'No.'

'—in hopes of uncovering some new, hitherto unsuspected information which might enable us to save Baile Monaidh and Darrowdale and—'

'No.'

'—any others that might come under similar afflictions in the future, or even to—'

'No!'

'—to learn enough to avert such calamities from ever occurring again at all. '

'Vesper! I do not know how many times you require me to repeat the same word before you find yourself able to comprehend it.'

'But why! The Baron's theory is sound and his cause is more than just—'

'The reasons he saw fit to present to you, and to me, are just, but I suspect the Baron of harbouring a few other ideas.'

'If he draws some other benefit out of the venture while also resolving an emergency which threatens the life of many of his people, I see no cause for complaint.'

'His theory might be sound, or it might be hogwash. There are reasons aplenty to avoid Farringale. Why do you think it was closed in the first place?'

'If it is sound, much may be accomplished. If it is not, we will have learned something.'

'And the risks?'

'Baron Alban is prepared to face them, and he has already secured two keys—'

'The keepers of those keys cannot have been any more delighted with this plan than I am, so I am moved to question just by what means his lordship secured them.'

'That is his own affair. I did not ask.'

Milady sighed, its manifestation a soft puff of glittering light. 'Vesper. I understand your point of view, truly, and I applaud your passion. But consider. The risks involved in opening Farringale are not necessarily limited to those holding the keys. We do not know what may come forth, were those doors opened, and therefore we cannot consider ourselves prepared to deal with the consequences.'