The Founders Four

No Smoke Without Fire

"What's going on, father?" Rowena asked, as she entered the entrance hall the following morning.

He had just been speaking to the leader of a large group of knights that stood outside. She hated the thought of war and tried to think of something - anything - else that could be their purpose.

"Nothing for you to worry about, my dear," he said simply.

"But I saw lots of knights outside. We're not going to war, are we?" She asked warily.

"The business of war is not something for young women to be concerned with, any women for that matter," he added matter-of-factly.

He hastily left the hall, leaving Rowena feeling both angry and anxious.

*

"Now Salazar," Benedick said, as he slipped his helmet onto his head. "I shouldn't be gone for long so business as usual, okay?"

"But where are you going?" He asked.

"I just have a little problem to take care of, nothing for you to worry about. I'll be back before you know it!"

With that he left, before Salazar could ask him anymore questions. He marched along the corridor and was soon outside, walking up towards the knights, who waited for him obediently on their horses. He smiled in triumph and closed down his metal visor.

"I believe you've all been briefed on what's going on?" He said. There was a murmur of ascent. "Good, then let's go. Remember - everyone is to die, no one is to see us! Got it?"

"Yes, Sir!" They replied definitely.

He smiled again, very much liking being in control of such a destructive force. Once he'd clambered up onto his horse at the front of the group they were off, storming through the peasant streets. He very much enjoyed watching them dart out of the way or else pull their children out of the way before they were flattened. Every one of them looked up at the knights in fear and awe, wondering what could possibly be going on.

*

Godric sat, staring out of the drawing room window miserably. He wondered how on earth he could have let this happen. He jumped at a noise behind him but relaxed again when he saw that it was only Helga.

"Good morning," he said half-heartedly.

"Is it?"

Godric stared. He was so used to her bubbly attitude. Where had it gone?

"What?" She said, noticing him looking at her as she sat down next to him.

"Well, why isn't it a good morning for you?" He asked, intrigued.

"Because..." She began, biting her lip anxiously.

"Come on," he urged. "What's wrong?"

"I'm worried, Godric," she said quietly.

"About what?" He prompted, wishing desperately that she'd elaborate.

"Well, did you know that Mrs. Lynch is a soothsayer?" She said seriously.

"No...why?"

"She told me something - something bad. She saw something terrible happening to the castle. To us."

Godric stared for a moment, unsure if he'd heard right.

"How?"

"She can see the future; today she used her crystal ball and my tea leaves."

"You mean to tell me you actually believe in that kind of thing?" Godric asked, looking sceptical. "You shouldn't. Predicting the future can't be good, it'll ruin how you see life."

"But she's good at what she does! She's predicted things before and they've come true!"

"Pure luck!" He said simply. "I could predict that it'll rain tomorrow and the chances are that it probably would. It's just coincidence."

"I don't think it was this time," Helga continued persistently. "She said something dark was coming and I could tell she meant it! You weren't there!"

"What exactly IS coming then?" He demanded.

"Well, I don't know," she mumbled. "When I asked her exactly what, the vision had gone."

"Oh, how convenient," Godric muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Fine! Don't believe me!" She snapped, storming from the room.

Godric considered going after her but felt that it'd be wiser to let her calm down first.

*

"Salazar!" Rowena called in surprise, as she saw her friend crossing her path down the corridor ahead.

"Hello, Rowena," he smiled, hugging her as she ran up to him. He glanced around nervously in case the king was close by but the castle seemed rather empty.

"Did you see them?" She asked eagerly, her eyes shining with worry.

"The knights?" He replied. "I certainly did."

"What's going on?"

"I wish I knew."

Rowena beckoned him into an empty room to their right and closed the door behind them.

"I fear the worst," she said, looking scared. "I'm worried that my father is going to start a war."

"Well, fear not," Salazar said darkly. "There weren't enough to start a battle there."

"Then what on earth could be going on?" She squeaked, her voice growing high-pitched. "You don't think they've been sent on a witch hunt, do you?" She said hysterically, sounding quite petrified.

"No," Salazar said at once, trying his best to reassure her. "Your father would have involved the peasants."

"I suppose," she nodded. "To do his dirty work!"

"I'm sure there's nothing to be concerned about," he smiled, not feeling too confident about this himself. He had a horrible feeling that something dark was going on but he just wished he knew what.

*

Benedick and the king's knights had been travelling for a number of days and it was almost sunset. They were tired, along with the horses, but the king had ordered them to get there as soon as possible. He wanted Hufflepuff taken care of.

"There it is!" Benedick said triumphantly as they reached the crest of a hill and could see the castle just beyond a barrier of trees in the distance.

He stood, grinning maliciously as he waited for the knights to catch up, where they lined up side by side on the hill next to him.

"It shouldn't be too easy to take down!" Benedick told them. "Just let the flames do the work. Just make sure every Hufflepuff within that castle is disposed of. The king said something about a boy too. He's in his teens so make sure you get rid of him as well!"

The knights grunted to show that they understood and they began marching towards the castle, the hooves of the horses pounding menacingly against the frosty grass.

*

Godric walked upstairs and paused as he reached Helga's bedroom door, hoping she wasn't as upset as she'd been earlier. He knocked three times on the door and waited.

"Who is it?" She called.

"Er...it's me, Godric," he replied uncertainly.

"Go away!"

Godric's heart dropped at this but, feeling he had to apologise, he opened the door anyway, gingerly looking around the edge of it.

"I said go away!" She said, turning away from the dressing table she was sitting at and scowling at him.

"I know," he said, closing the door behind him. "But I had to come and talk to you."

"What about?" She demanded.

"Look, I'm sorry about earlier. I guess I'm just sceptical but I didn't see why you should have to worry about something that might not be true."

"I can understand but you didn't trust me when I told you about it," she said quietly, staring at the floor.

"I know and I'm sorry," he said, perching himself on the windowsill and staring down at her. "I shouldn't have snapped at you."

Helga looked up at him and stared, as though she was trying to read him like a book.

"Of course it should be me feeling empathy for you," she said matter-of-factly.

"What do you mean?" He asked, looking puzzled.

"You've lost someone you love," she said simply.

"Love? I don't think it was love."

"You may not think it because it all hurts so much but deep down you KNOW whether it is or not."

He stared for a moment and then smiled.

"And how do you know all this?"

"Well, it all makes sense, doesn't it?" She urged. "Think about it. When you love someone so much they're all you think about," she said. "You find yourself worrying about them, you wonder what they're doing every moment of the day...your heart skips when you hear their name and you smile when you think about them."

Godric thought for a moment and then smiled.

"See," Helga laughed, looking highly amused.

"You're too smart for your own good!" He grinned.

"So you admit it's love then?" She giggled, as Godric looked out of the window.

"Oh no!"

"Don't lie!" She said.

"We have to get out of here!" He said, his expression one of pure panic. "Come on," he urged, getting to his feet.

"What are you talking about?" Helga demanded, looking concerned.

"We just have to go," he said quickly, trying to make her follow him from the room.

"What do they want?" She said, looking petrified as she glanced out of the window.

The knights were storming towards the castle with flaming torches, looking extremely menacing.

"I don't know," he said. "Helga!"

He was by the door, waiting for her to follow him but she still stood by the window, transfixed by the sight below them.

"Why do they have torches?" She whimpered.

"HELGA!" He roared.

He gave up trying to make her follow him and, instead, rushed over to her and grabbed her arm, dragging her from the room. She hurried after him and they thundered along the hallways. Godric knew they had to get out through the back of the castle but just hoped the knights weren't surrounding it.

"Wait!" Helga shouted suddenly, as they jumped the last few steps into the entrance hall.

"What are you doing?" Godric snarled, as she pulled back and caused him to stumble.

"What about my father? We have to warn him!"

"He's bound to know already!" Godric insisted.

"But - "

"Look," he said, placing a hand on each shoulder and looking at her with reassuring eyes. "He'll be fine, I promise but he'd want you to be safe, wouldn't he?"

She slowly nodded and then followed Godric down a flight of steps and along the corridors by the kitchens.

*

"What - what is the meaning of this?" Lord Hufflepuff roared as he stood in the doorway of his castle, looking down upon the knights.

"Ah, Lord Hufflepuff!" Benedick called merrily. He grinned maliciously but no one could see it beneath his visor. "It is a pleasure."

"I demand that you answer my question!" He said angrily, eying the flaming torches warily.

"The king of England sent us," Benedick replied simply. "He wishes us to demote you."

Hufflepuff stared for a moment, looking bewildered.

"What do you mean, demote me?"

*

"Quick, Helga!" Godric said, as they hurried down the steps from the back of the castle.

"Where are we going to hide?" She asked breathlessly as she continued to run alongside Godric, who kept a constant hold of her hand; he would let nothing happen to her.

"We're not hiding," he replied, looking around to check that the coast was clear.

"Then what...are we...going to do?" She panted.

"Er..." he said, looking around for inspiration; he hadn't really thought about it. "This way!" He said, pulling her towards the stables at the back of the castle.

"Why?"

"We're going to ride away from here, of course!" He answered, running as fast as his legs would allow.

They shot across the grass and Godric just about managed to dart behind a tall oak tree before they were spotted by a knight that had just appeared on a white horse around the edge of the castle.

"Ow!" Helga moaned.

Godric hurriedly clamped a hand over her mouth and pressed himself right up against the tree. It appeared she'd just fallen over due to the speed they'd stopped at.

"Okay, he's gone," Godric hissed, looking around for one last check. "Let's go!"

They immediately dashed through the tall grass, hoping against hope that no one would spot them. Godric felt a great sense of relief wash over him as they reached the stables and glanced nervously back at the castle before looking for a horse that could run extremely fast.

"What about everyone up at the castle?" Helga asked, staring up at it anxiously.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," he said, not too sure he believed his own words. "Perfect," he muttered, as he found the tall black stallion he'd been looking for.

"But that's my father's," Helga said worriedly. "He's the only one that horse lets ride him!"

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Godric insisted. "Besides, we'll need something that'll get us away from here fast."

Godric hastily moved into the stall next to the horse and slowly hoisted himself up onto its back, trying his best not to alarm him. He jumped in fright as the horse dashed forwards, clopping across the stable yard. Helga jumped out of the way, looking fearful.

"See, he's fine," Godric said, his voice shaking slightly as he tried to stop it from shaking its head about too much. "Come on, we have to go now!"

Helga stared up, looking very reluctant.

"Helga!"

"Alright!" She said, grabbing hold of his outstretched arm so that he could pull her up behind him. She grabbed hold of him tightly and gasped as the horse shot forwards and they galloped towards the trees at the edge of the valley.

*

"I'm sure an intelligent man like you can work it out for yourself," Benedick laughed.

"How dare you!" Hufflepuff snarled, turning red in the face.

Two of the knights that flanked Benedick dismounted their horses at this point.

"I demand that you leave my lands at once!"

"I'm sorry but I can't do that," Benedick said simply, maintaining his cheery tone, as though what he were about to do was a pleasure.

"Who are you to demote me!" He spat.

"Benedick Greyson," he replied slowly. "Lock him in!" He commanded to the knights.

"What are you - How dare you!" He growled, as two of the guards grabbed hold of his arms and forced him back into the entrance hall. "Get your hands off me!" They threw him backwards so that he tumbled to the stone floor.

"I'm sorry about this," Benedick simpered, not meaning it one bit. "No hard feelings?" He laughed, just before the knights slammed the doors shut and barricaded them. "I want this whole place blazing - get to it!"

The knights immediately obeyed and galloped around the castle, throwing their flaming torches through the windows so that almost every room soon caught fire. The smell of burning material and wood was soon heavy in the air and Benedick just grinned evilly as he heard the screeches from within and Hufflepuff hammering on the door and yelling as the flames engulfed him. As the sun finally spilled blood red on the horizon line thick clouds of black smoke rose upwards, the stone crumbling as the flames destroyed what had been such a happy home only hours before.

*
As Godric and Helga finally reached the trees they both jumped down from the horse, Godric pulling it and Helga into the cover of the trees.

"Look!" Helga cried, pointing at the castle.

The flames were becoming so high it looked as though they were on the brink of scorching the heavens.

Godric could do nothing but stare in horror. He scanned the landscape desperately, hoping to see a sign of more horses fleeing the scene but there were none.

"They'll all be okay, won't they?" Helga asked, her eyes swimming with tears.

He didn't answer, not having the heart to crush her hopes.

"No!" She screamed, as she continued to watch the flames engulf her home.

"Helga, no!" Godric said, as she tried to run back towards it, hardly able to speak due to a large lump in his throat.

"We have to help them!" She sobbed, her cries causing Godric to feel like doing the same.

"We can't. Your father would have wanted you to be safe," he stammered, blinking away tears.

She cried loudly, the tears streaming down her face and dripping from her chin. Godric pulled her towards him and held her close, not that this would be much comfort. He didn't know how he just sat there with Helga for all that time as he watched the castle blaze on. He wanted nothing more than to run over and stop it all. He either stayed there because he knew he had to protect Helga or he just didn't have the courage.

*

Hours later the fire had gone out and the knights wandered about through the wreckage, just to check for the bodies. A shout rung out through the air and Helga looked up from Godric's shoulder, where she'd been crying all this time. There was the distant sound of galloping.

"Have they gone?" She asked.

"Yes," Godric replied, looking over at the sorry state that used to be their home, which was only just visible through the darkness that had fallen.

"I want to go over," she said defiantly.

Godric thought of arguing and that it would be very dangerous but they both climbed up onto the horse again and rode across the grass, the areas closer to the castle extremely scorched. Helga dropped down from the horse's back and Godric watched her, his heart aching, as she ran over to the edge of the wreckage, looking around hopelessly. He got off the horse and walked towards her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It's gone," she muttered. "Everything's gone...my family...my home...everything!"

"I know," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

"Why? It's not your fault. It was those knights!"

"Yes!" Godric spat. "And if I ever find out who they are, they'll be sorry!" He said. "I promise you I'll get revenge, Helga!"

She looked up at him and then sighed, looking lost and alone.

"Look," she said, trampling through the rocks and burnt wood. "This must be the only thing that's survived. It's a little crumpled but isn't burnt."

"What is it?" Godric asked, squinting to see what it was as she brought it back. "Hey, the hat you bought me," he said, looking bewildered.

Silence fell again as they both looked around. Luckily it seemed that the bodies were hidden by the rubble so that Helga wouldn't see them; he didn't want that to happen.

"What do we do now, Godric?" Helga asked, sounding very scared.

"Well, we can't stay here, can we?"

She nodded in agreement, looking as though she was on the brink of tears again.

"We have to leave."

"But where will we go? We have nowhere to live!"

"We'll find somewhere but we'll have to lie low for a while. Come on," he said, after a short pause. "Let's go."

He got back on the horse and she followed, sobbing quietly. Godric took one last look at the place he'd loved for so many years and what it was reduced to before he rode off into the night, Helga clinging onto him tightly.