The Founders Four

The Parting Of The Ways

The next morning dawned brightly outside but Salazar had been awake long before the horizon had been tinged yellow. He was questioning whether or not he'd done the right thing in signing his powers away to Benedick. On the other hand, this school meant everything to him and today was the day that he and his friends would part company for some time. There was one thing he had to do before he left, though.

He stole down the rickety staircase of Alexis's cottage as quietly as he could and dashed outside, carefully opening the door to the outside barn. This was where Hubert kept the plans for the school and Salazar located them almost immediately, rolled up neatly atop the workbench. He unrolled them and glanced over the parchment floor by floor. After a minute or two he soon noticed something rather peculiar - additions had been made, this was clear from the fresh ink scrawled over the top of the basic sketches. There was more than just one addition, though. Had Benedick been right? Had his friends really gone behind his back? He hastily snatched up a pencil that lay nearby and had barely touched the parchment when he jumped in shock.

"What are you doing?" Hubert demanded.

He must have crept into the barn without Salazar noticing. He hastily dropped the pencil and tried to look inconspicuous.

"I was just - "

"Were you drawing on the plans?" He demanded, looking highly vexed by this.

"No, I..." Salazar didn't really see the point in denying it now. "I just wanted to add something."

"Only I do that," he said, beginning to tidy his workbench. "If you wanted something adding you only needed to ask."

"And what about the others?" He prompted.

"Sorry?"

"The plans look a little different since the last time I saw them," he commented.

"That's because the other founders wanted to add a few things," he shrugged, opening a window to let some fresh air in. "Just a few last-minute additions, that's all."

"No one told me!" He snapped, becoming angry.

"I expect they just forgot," he said dismissively.

Salazar glared at him in annoyance as he continued to bustle about the room. It was quite clear he didn't like other people crowding his workshop.

"I thought I might add something," he said finally.

"I think the plans are getting a little too complex, if I'm honest with you," he replied awkwardly.

"So the others are allowed a trademark but not me?"

"Of course not, Salazar," he insisted. "We just have no more room above ground within these plans."

"Then I shall have my sector below ground. Below the castle. Can you do that?"

"Indeed," he nodded. "How far down were you thinking?"

"Deep," he muttered, not actually having given it all that much thought. He knew that, in a strange way, he just wanted something like this to himself simply because the others had something. "I want a hidden lair. How deep could you make it?"

"Very. The castle lies upon a large hill so it could be hidden deep beneath the actual structure, just as long as it doesn't lie too close to the underground lakes."

"Good," Salazar smiled.

"And what is the purpose of this sector?" Hubert asked, pencil at the ready.

"It has none," he said simply. "Just...make it true to me," he said casually. "And can we keep this between us?"

"If we must," he nodded, looking a little confused.

Salazar smiled in a satisfied sort of way and left Hubert to finalise the plans.

*

A few hours later a sorry sight met all of the founders, who'd congregated outside the Hog's Head, in the form of three horse-drawn carriages. Their belongings had been packed atop the relevant carriages and they were all set to go. Alexis was standing at the edge of the small crowd of people, looking rather tearful.

"It won't be forever," Godric assured her, placing a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Oh, I know, I know," she sniffed, waving a hand dismissively. "I just want you all to be safe. You must send me an owl at least once every fortnight and update me on your progress!"

"We will!" Helga assured her, beaming excitedly.

"Oh..." She said, forcing a smile but looking anxiously upon her happy face. "I worry about you most of all, my dear."

"Why?"

"You are the youngest," Godric replied, feeling rather protective towards her, like a brother would. "And to do this alone."

"I won't be alone," she chuckled. "I'll have Samuel with me," she pointed out, indicating the coach driver that would accompany her.

"Yes," Alexis muttered. "But still..."

"I'll be fine. I've changed since I was last in Ireland. I doubt I'll be recognised."

"But do you think potential witches and wizards will want to come to the school?" Rowena asked uncertainly.

"Why wouldn't they?" Arthur boomed, looking proud of them all.

"But they may fear to come here. After the terror my father has struck amongst our kind, it wouldn't be surprising."

"We'll find willing students, don't you worry!" Godric smiled, hugging her.

"We should set off soon, Miss!" Helga's driver called. "We can't miss the boat!"

She nodded in understanding and turned back to the others.

"Well, I suppose I'll see you soon!" She said, forcing a smile but trying hard to mask her sadness that she would be leaving them for such a long time. "I'll miss you all!"

"Just be careful!" Godric told her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"You too. I know what you're like!" She chuckled.

"Don't worry, I'll keep him in check," Rowena assured her. "Oh, Helga, I will miss you!" She breathed, also hugging her.

"Goodbye, Salazar," she smiled. "Goodbye all of you!" She cried, beaming around at the members of the village that had come to wave them off.

They all watched her clamber up into her coach. She was still beaming with excitement as the coach pulled away from the crowd but Godric knew she would be nervous.

"Salazar," Godric smiled, approaching him. "I wish you the best of luck in England, I know it won't be easy."

"A good job I'm going there, isn't it?" He said coldly. "You would surely wind up dead, my friend."

Godric stared at him in shock, as though certain he'd misheard.

"Is something wrong?" He asked quietly. "Are you having second thoughts about this school?"

"I suppose you'd like it if I were," he grunted. "Easier with three founders than four?"

"Salazar - what are you talking about?" He demanded, looking utterly perplexed.

He paused, unable to reply.

"Last night," he said finally. "You and the others were together. Look over the plans, did you?" He could tell by the sheepish expression upon Godric's face that the answer was yes. "Change anything?"

"We...there were a few small alterations, aye," he nodded. "I'm sorry, Salazar. We didn't mean to exclude you like that. We assumed you were busy."

"Did you?" He spat.

"Yes!" He assured him, eyes wide with honesty. "Salazar, you think us treacherous? You think we are excluding you on purpose, trying to push you out?"

"I don't know," he said quietly. "Perhaps you're thinking it."

"Never! You are my friend, a good friend. I think of you as a brother and I thought you'd think the same of me."

"I did."

"And what is it that has changed?" He asked angrily, forcefully keeping his voice down so that no one else overheard this dispute; it would certainly make for many awkward questions.

"I believe you have," he said coldly.

"And I think it is you that has changed!" He retorted. "I don't know what's brought all this on - "

"Mistrust," Salazar said simply.

"On your part, perhaps, but it is all in your head!" He hissed. "What the four of us plan to do here is enormous, what we plan to achieve..." He muttered. "It's enough to make people think things that aren't necessarily true but I don't want any of us to fight over it!" He snapped. "I don't believe anything is worth such a friendship!"

"You think us all the best of friends then?" He asked calmly, continuing to stare out at the hillsides as Godric spoke to him.

"Aye, I do!" He nodded. "Salazar, none of us would ever plot against you and I hope you'd never plot against us."

"Now you think me the treacherous one?" He demanded, fixing him with that cold stare of his.

"I didn't say that!" He sighed. "Look, we cannot sever ties because of this. We're already outcasts. All we have left are our own kind." Salazar wore a funny little expression, for he was the only one within their four that wasn't an outcast. Maybe Benedick had been right about them. "Promise me this will not ruin the plans we've put in place? Promise me that, when we all return, the idea of our school will still be strong, like our friendship?" He asked seriously, holding out a determined hand.

Salazar stared sideways at it for a moment but then, after a little consideration, he took it, shaking it firmly. Godric nodded, forcing a smile.

"Salazar!" He spun around as he heard Belle call him. "We're ready to leave!"

He looked over at the carriage, where Belle stood. His uncle Arthur was seated within, staring impatiently out of the window. They would take him home on their way down to the capital city.

"Well, I must be off," Salazar said promptly, fastening his cloak around his shoulders. "Thank you for all your hospitality," he said, nodding in Alexis's direction. "Farewell, Rowena. Do be careful."

"I will," she assured him.

"Godric," he said forcefully, glancing swiftly in his direction.

Godric said nothing. He watched silently as Salazar's carriage pulled away. He hated even thinking it but there was something about Salazar's behaviour that was making Godric distrust him somewhat. Was the secret of their school safe?

"Godric, is something the matter?" Rowena asked softly.

"No, my love, not at all," he assured her.

Rowena could tell something was wrong, though, and continuously tried to catch his eye all the time they were saying their goodbyes.

"Goodbye, Alexis," Godric said. "I'll never forget what you did for us all."

"Oh, don't be silly, lad!" She chuckled, her eyes shining with tears. "Speaking as though you'll never return! You'll soon return."

"That I shall!" He nodded. "With students by the hundreds!"

"Oh...but we may not have room for that amount - " Hubert began to say.

"I was joking," he laughed.

"Oh...good," he said, looking somewhat relieved.

"Off you go then!" Alexis urged. "You'll want to get across the boarders before nightfall."

Godric and Rowena took heed to her words and climbed aboard their carriage. They were soon far from the village and had nothing but rolling hills and mountainsides surrounding them.

"Godric," Rowena said quietly, staring at him with utmost concern on her face. "I know something is bothering you. Please tell me what it is."

Godric hesitated but knew there was no point denying it, as she could read him like a book.

"It's Salazar," he explained. "I'm concerned. He seems to think that we're plotting against him but I fear that he may be plotting against us." Rowena nodded in understanding and looked down awkwardly at her hands, which she was wringing together anxiously. "Rowena?" He urged, when she said nothing in reply.

"I heard," she nodded, still not giving him eye contact.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Oh, Godric," she sighed. "I should have told you sooner."

"Told me what?" He demanded, becoming increasingly worried.

"I saw that man of Salazar's," she explained. "Benedick. He was in the village last night!"

"No, you must be mistaken," he said, shaking his head. "Why would he come all the way from London?"

"I don't know but it was him, Godric, I'm certain!"

Godric stared at her and knew she would never lie. He just didn't want to believe it. This suggested that Salazar was indeed plotting something. Why else would Benedick suddenly show up? What was more, why would Salazar keep his visit a secret?

"Godric, you don't think Salazar would turn us in, do you?"

"No, of course not," he assured her, after an awkward pause.

It was just a shame he wasn't certain of his own words.