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Chapter 8: The Curse II
🕑 Added 2024-07-31 20:40:26 +0000 UTCChapter 8: The Curse
II
It took some time for Howard to master his emotions once more by which point an impatient librarian entered the reading room with heavy steps. He took one look at the young Phillips, spun on his heels and walked out quietly. The mention of a curse roused my curiosity and I was burning to know more. My knees bounced up and down as I continued to console the child, impatiently waiting for him to say more. Eventually, he did.
“I shouldn’t have said that,” he choked out between sobs. “My family keeps it a secret.” he said, pleading for me to stay quiet with his expression.
“It’s okay, you can tell me anything,” I said, my excitement made what was supposed to be a supportive comment sound sinister. “I’m only a kid the same as you, and if I said anything I don’t have a high enough position for anyone to be compelled to believe me.” Again he looked me up and down through watering eyes, this time my state of dress worked to my advantage as he relented.
“Fine, I need to tell someone, I can’t keep it inside. Besides, everyone in town knows the phillips’ are cursed - it’s impossible to hide.” he rationalised to himself before spilling the beans. “You know about my family of course,” he began without giving him time to contradict, “anyway about twenty years ago someone claiming to be a Wizard came to town. The only problem was his magic seemed not to exist. He sold fake potions and suddenly many of the women became pregnant. Rodent repelling charms failed and half the town’s grain was eaten overnight. The Church bell, which had cracked, he claimed to have fixed only for the two halves to fall on a happy couple as they were getting married. After the last, the people dragged him in front of my grandfather. Normally the sentence for fraud would be forced labour, even though the infernights insist those who commit fraud are punished on the eighth circle of hell and have lobbied for the sentence to be more servier. Two people had died in this case so after hearing the defence my grandfather was forced to sentence the man to death, that’s when everything went wrong.”
Just then he was interrupted by another librarian entering the room, he maintained his composure as he walked towards us - the first bookworm in tow. He came up to us, looked at the boy dressed in red and bowed.
“Excuse me young master Phillips but the library has closed,” he said in a courteous voice.
“I see,” Howard replied in a clear tone. Nothing in his voice revealed he had been crying but his puffy red eyes were fooling no one. He then proceeded to follow the librarian out of the building. I remained two steps behind, the receptionist seemed startled to see me in the company of such an esteemed guest but since I was clearly tolerated he didn’t say a thing.
When we got out into the brisk night air there was a hansom waiting for my new friend, it was emblazoned with some kind of family crest and he had clearly been expected. He invited me in, much to the chagrin of the driver, and asked me to come to his house for dinner. I accepted readily, eager to learn more of this curse. When we were safely in the privacy of the cab, and the horse had begun to move, he continued his tale with some little prompting.
“Where was I…” he began, staring at the ceiling in thought.
“This fake Wizard had just been sentenced to death.” I provided.
“Yep, that was it.” he confirmed, returning his attention to me. “The so-called Wizard railed against his constraints when he was handed down his sentence. He shouted and strained, but when the guard started to drag him away he turned deathly still and a dark shadow seemed to overcome him, at least that’s what my father said. The courtroom fell silent, the accused’s eyes rolled up and he spoke in a voice far deeper than his own, ‘I place a curse upon you!’ he declared, pointing to my grandfather, ‘none of the men in your family shall live long past 35, those you are older than this will die within the week.’ he announced before going limp and being dragged from the courtroom, the gentry was abuzz. Of course it was brushed aside as the threats of a doomed man but the next morning people began to fear. When the guards went to the Wizard’s cell he was missing and my grandfather was found dead in his bed, seemingly of natural causes. My father had a dozen brothers, some of which were over 35 and in the next week they all died. The first died in a rockfall when he was inspecting a quarry the family owned. The second was a fan of the arts and would often participate in plays. One night the fake swords had been replaced with real ones and he bled to death in front of Dommoc’s upper crust. And so it went on, whenever the head of the family past 35 it wouldn’t take long for them to die in some accident.” Howard paused here, struggling to say the next words. “My father and his twin brother are the last two left of his generation.” he choked, “my uncle was born one side of midnight and my father the other. It’s my uncle’s birthday tomorrow, and my father’s the day after and the last three deaths have been on their birthdays and I don’t know what to do and my fathers going to die!” he bleated, breaking back into sobs. I wrapped an arm around him in an attempt to get him to shut up while my mind was busy breaking down the conditions of this curse.
“I have a few theories.” I began tentatively. Howard Phillips perked up at this.
“You do?” he asked, a mix of hope and suspicion in his voice. In response I used the Flame spell and a clever bit of mana manipulation to create a small dragon out of fire in the shape of my master’s old friend. It flapped around Howard’s head, at my direction, before settling on one of his golden buttons and curling up for a nap.
“I’m a Wizard Harry, sorry, Howard.” I said in explanation. Young master Phillips was flabbergasted. His jaw hung open as he stared at the tiny figure as it turned to smoke.
“I’m sorry, I thought an apprentice like you would be…” he trailed off, indicating my sea stained black robes.
“I’ve been at sea for a while.” I said, evading the unspoken question. “That doesn’t matter, I’m a Wizard so I might be able to help you.”
“Sorry, I’d completely lost track; what do you think it could be?” he asked with much more confidence in my abilities.
“Well, a curse that can kill multiple people has to be a powerful one, the sort only a great sorcerer might cast or…” I began.
“Or what?” Howard questioned, cutting in before I could finish.
“Or they are someone with an incredibly deep grudge against your family. You said this ‘Wizard’ that came to town twenty years ago was an outsider?” I asked.
“From what I’ve heard no one recognised him.” Howard confirmed.
“Well to have a grudge strong enough to power a curse like this, assuming he is no great-mage, your family would have had to do something truly horrible to him. Killed his whole family or something on that level.” I explained. Howard sunk at the news.
“I know I’m biassed, but our family has no enemies and I believe we’re well liked by the populus.”
“But you’re in a position of power?” I asked to confirm. Howard looked at me strangely again before something seemed to click in his mind.
“If you spent a long time at sea you must have come quite the distance. The Phillips family are the lords of this town and are of fairly high standing in the kingdom. We were an offshoot of the Ghibellines and after they fell…”
“But you are in a position of power.” I stated, cutting him off as I wasn’t interested in the politics.
“Yes,” he replied, startled by my interruption but not offended.
“So it is conceivable that some decision your family made could have unforeseen consequences.”
“I suppose,”he allowed.
“Then I would like to see a record of any official decisions made around twenty years ago. New polises, noble decrees, firing of staff, it could be anything. If I know what powers this curse, it will be a lot easier to break.”
“Most of those records are public and we could have found them in the library but there are also copies at home and I think I could convince my mother to let you see them… or we could just sneak into the library at home.” Howard replied after thinking it over.
“Your mother?” I asked.
“Mother is in charge of the house, and besides father will be out late taking care of his affairs.” Howard said with a crack in his voice. At that moment the carriage retarded to a stop and the door was opened by a footman dressed in black with hints of red, evidently the family’s colour. His face, placid and stoic, broke for a moment upon seeing me in the hansom but he quickly regained his composure. Young master Phillips noticed however.
“This is Osseus,” he announced, “and he is my guest.” he said, emphasising the last word. This seemed to reassure the servant somewhat as he offered a hand to help me to the ground. I ignored him, spun to the side, and jumped onto the pebble driveway. I looked up at a square mansion, large enough to contain the library I had just visited four times over.
I was led into the house along with Howard. I could see a look of annoyance pass over the footman’s face every time I was even an inch in front of the Phillips family sion. So I made a game of moving behind and infront of the boy every couple of steps in the hopes the unpleasant man would keel over from apoplexy.
Sadly I was only able to make a vein bulge on his forehead by the time we came to the dining room doors. Howard had caught on to what I was doing and had joined in on the game, stifling a laugh every time the man looked round.
Our guild opened the large doors for us, and while his face was beat red, when I was the first to step through the door his expression didn’t change and he didn’t make a sound.
The dining room was a sight to behold, filled with intricate carvings and a long table as the centrepiece beneath the chandelier. The giant floor to ceiling windows overlooked Dommoc and could see right out to the sea.
The people sitting at the table, mostly well dressed women of all ages but all humans, wore a variety of expressions upon seeing me.
Howard took the lead once more, to shield me from his family's scrutiny.
“This is Osseus. My guest and an apprentice Wizard.” he announced, his gaze focused on the oldest woman sitting near the head of the family table. The head and its right hand were empty, evidently meant for the absent head of the family and his twin brother.
The elderly woman, maybe in her 70s or 80s took a moment to examine me then nodded. At this signal the other women no longer stared at me but acted as if I was expected.
“Howard, you're late.” another woman chastised gently.
“I’m sorry mother, I lost track of time. It was nice for you to wait for me.” he replied politely and with a bow. He then walked over to what was evidently his seat, in the time it took for him to reach it a whole new place had been set next to his and a seat pulled back for me to sit in. The family ignored the help as they bustled in with platters full of food.
We were seated near the foot of the table with others of our age. Howard appeared to be the oldest of his siblings and cousins and sat closest to the head. We sat in silence until the appetiser was served and the most senior woman had taken her first bite, then the room broke into noise. Apparently it was the signal to talk and everyone began their conversations at once.
All the kids wanted desperately for me to demonstrate some magic but I kept having to explain it was rude to do so at the dinner table. Eventually, however, I couldn't say no to their adorable faces for long and instead of asking someone to pass the salt I used Wind Breath to move it to my hand.
I had worried that I would appear ungrateful for not eating the food but the little scamps around me were constantly trying to steal from my plate, I only had to turn away for a moment and my plate was clean.
Truth be told I enjoyed the meal and I was laughing by the end of it. Despite the dire position the family found itself in, all of them loved to tell jokes and to my surprise the older women were by far the best at it. The matriarch had me splitting at the sides with one joke she told about a sailor and a cat.
Once dessert was finished the table went quiet once more and bowed their heads. The woman close to the head of the table said a prayer and when she was done everyone got up and started to leave.
Howard took me by the hand and led me to his mother, stopping her before she retired to the sitting room with the other women of her age.
“Mum, can Osseus stay the night.” he asked, gripping my hand tightly.
“Dear, I’m sure his family is waiting for him.” she said in a sweet tone.
“I have no family.” I replied, honestly.
“A master then?” she asked with concern etched on her porcelain features.
“My master is dead.” I explained. Howard gasped at this and looked at me.
“Do you have anyone in this town?” she asked, truly worried.
“No, my ship sank a few days ago.” I said, letting her think that was an explanation.
“You poor thing,” she cooed, “It’s decided then, you're to stay here until we can find you a new master.” I tried to say something but she wouldn’t hear it. “It’s the least we can do for a friend of Howie’s.” she said, ruffling my hair, “we were beginning to worry he’d never make any, our family being somewhat outcasts at the moment.”
“Mum.” Howie complained but was ignored as she took him up in an impromptu hug.
I was then led by the same footman as before to a guest room. I found, to my surprise, a set of black silk pyjamas laid out on the bed complete with a nightcap and a new silver-rimmed pair of spectacles that matched my prescription exactly. I was left wondering who exactly had the magical powers in this house.
Once I had put on the new clothes, stored all my belongings in the black velvet spatial bag, and placed it under the hat for safe keeping a knock came at my door. I opened it to find Howard standing there impatiently. He was wearing similar pyjamas to myself except his had red with golden buttons and trim where as mine were all black.
“Come on, we don’t have much time. It’s my uncle's birthday tomorrow.” he reminded me, “let's get to our library quickly.” and without another word he led me with agitation down twisting corridors and up and down several sets of stairs.
We came to a room piled three stories high with bookshelves, he flicked a switch and mana stones illuminated the entire room. He ignored my gawking and led us to one corner.
“The records from twenty years ago should be here.” he said, picking out one ledger and handing me a book to read through. I nodded solemnly and got to work.
