A/N I just wanted to say a big thank you to the readers and reviewers of this fanfiction so far! I've enjoyed your comments and critiques, and it's wonderful connecting with other Sep Heap fans. I hope this next chapter doesn't make you all too angry! -Bluejay

Disclaimer: Septimus Heap's world belongs to Angie Sage.

Marcia let him sleep in the next morning. By the time he opened his eyes, his room was flooded with light. A stab of panic pulled rushed into him as he imagined how angry Marcia would be with him for sleeping through his Magyk alarm and missing his lesson. But then he remembered how old he was and fell back onto his pillows with an immense sigh of relief. Sometimes being old had its benefits.

For a moment, he stared up at the stars twinkling on his Magykal ceiling. He had become obsessed with reading the night sky when it was introduced during his Apprenticeship, and for his birthday that year, Marcia had cast a spell on his ceiling to Reflect where the stars and planets were at the moment. It was a beautiful piece of Magyk, and he had missed these moments of lying peacefully in his comfortable bed and watching the sky dance slowly across his ceiling.

However, his own laziness eventually got the better of him, and he dragged himself out of his rooms and into the empty kitchen. A note with Marcia's trademark elegant-but-scribbled-at-the-same-time cursive was pinned to the cupboard, and Septimus squinted at it as he made himself a bowl of porridge.

Good morning, Septimus,

I will be in conferences and doing rounds until 4. Please make yourself at home for as long as you wish. I am looking forward to seeing you again soon.

Love,

Marcia

Septimus smiled. She was obviously happy to have him back. When he had been her Apprentice, her notes had always ended with, stay out of trouble.

When he had finished eating, the dishes happily floated back into the kitchen to be cleaned up, glad that this visiting Wizard had much more patience than their normal user. Septimus shook out his cloak and fastened it around his throat as he gazed speculatively at the mirror outside of Marcia's rooms.

"Back, please," he instructed. The mirror perked up. This Wizard was nice. No nasty percentages or snapped orders. It momentarily forgot its order in its eagerness to please and Septimus frowned as he found himself staring at a very handsome and buff young man with a mop of straw-colored hair and a shimmering green cloak falling over his huge arms.

"Um. I just need to see the back and make sure it's not ruined from the journey," he said uncertainly. Superhero Septimus winked out of the frame and the sight of his normal-looking back came into view. The dark silk was spotless and wrinkle-free. He smiled and said,

"That's better, thanks."

Septimus turned away and took a deep breath as he stared at the inside of Marcia's square front door. He really wouldn't have minded staying in Wizard Tower for the day. Maybe he could clean the library for old times sake, read a few books, then have dinner with Marcia when she returned. But he knew he had his duties and his family. What was he worried about, after all? The only reason he'd had a strange visit last time was because it had been one of the biggest and most hectic celebrations of his family's lifetime- the marriage of the Queen. This time would be different, it had to be.

And so, clinging with determination to that thought, he forced himself forward, and left the rooms of the ExtraOrdinary Wizard.

It was a beautiful winter day. The sky was clear blue without a single wisp of white, and the cold sun glittered off of the fresh layer of snow that lined Wizard Way. Septimus walked quickly, unsure of why he didn't want anyone he knew to see and recognize him. He thought he heard a few whispers in his wake, but he didn't pause his gait, and soon he was standing outside the Palace.

An unfamiliar platoon of uniformed guards were organized smartly outside the main entrance. When Septimus approached the doors, an officer stepped forward and stared at him stonily.

"Your name, sir?" he said in a rather clipped and unfriendly voice. Septimus scowled. He'd gotten a warmer welcome when he'd first visited old King Hull.

"Septimus Heap. I am here to visit with my sister, the Queen," he said politely, lapsing back into his court talk.

"Very good, my lord. Is the Queen expecting you?" the guard said, with a fractional amount of warmth entering his voice.

"No, she is not," Septimus said, just as coldly.

"Very good, my lord. Welcome to the Palace," he said, raising his hand for another guard to approach. "Escort Mr. Heap to Her Majesty's receiving room."

The young guard bowed his head and nodded for Septimus to follow. The broad doors to the Palace swung open as they approached, and Septimus raised a brow. Beetle certainly had cleaned up the place. The inside of the Palace shimmered and sparkled at every turn. The marble pillars looked absolutely frigid, and the gold trimming along the floor and ceiling positively glowed. The cold floor was covered in an enormous oriental carpet that could have rivaled Marcia's treasured Chinese rug.

"If you would please follow me, my lord," the guard's voice echoed over to him, and Septimus saw that he had made his way to the magnificent staircase leading to the Queen's rooms. Septimus shook himself and allowed himself to be led to the receiving room. Another group of richly decorated guards stood outside the Queen's chambers, and Septimus' escort whispered into the ear of a man waiting there. They spoke quietly for a moment, then the guard withdrew and waved for Septimus to follow him into the throne room.

"The Honorable Viscount Bernard Flincher, representing His Lordship..."

A deep voice was ringing throughout the large room, announcing the names of those who had come to see the Queen. Septimus wondered for a moment at the absurdity of it. There used to be a day when he would simple meet Jenna on Wizard Way and they would gallivant their way through the city. Now he was left to wait in line as various lords and ladies presented themselves to the Queen.

"Her Ladyship Lily McClaire of Goshen Manor."

Septimus glanced around the room, scanning the sea of unfamiliar faces. What on earth had happened to the friendly and informal Palace of Jenna Heap, the caring and spirited girl-Queen who had stolen the hearts of the Castle? He missed that place, and he had a feeling that very soon, he was going to find himself missing that girl.

"His Lordship Septimus Heap, warrior and defender of King Hull the Sixth of Massalia, and the seventh son of Silas Heap, father to the Queen."

And so it was with a face twisted unceremoniously with annoyance that Septimus Heap found himself presented to Her Royal Highness Jenna Heap, Sovereign Ruler of the air he breathed and the ground beneath his feet.

"Septimus!" she exclaimed, rising from her magnificent throne and stepping gracefully down the steps toward him. She held out her hand for him to kiss, and rolling his eyes, he took it and gallantly brushed his lips over her white knuckles. He had spent the last three years in King Hull's service- he could play this game.

"Welcome to the Palace," she said in a voice loud enough for the room to hear. "I am eager to hear of all that has occurred since last we met."

"I am honored by your interest, my Queen. It would be my pleasure to share with you all that you wish to hear," Septimus said, inclining his head slightly. At one time, her eyes would have twinkled in amusement as they teased each other with pompous talk. But today, she looked very comfortable in the role of a lovely and delicate monarch, draped in flowing billows of silk and velvet. Her violet eyes glittered, but not with amusement at a shared joke. She meant every meaningless flowery word, and even though she looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her before, he suddenly could not bear to look at her anymore. He let go of her hand and glanced around the room. Beetle was nowhere in sight, but he did spot a few familiar faces from around the castle. Neither of his parents were present and he asked after them.

"Our parents will be in the nursery," Jenna replied with a smile. "Your escort will lead you there now. We must celebrate your return. Tomorrow for dinner, perhaps? I will send messages to the rest of our family and the Palace will host a meal in your honor."

"Very good, your Majesty," Septimus said, and then he was being led away and Jenna was greeting her next visitor. Once the heavily decorated door was shut, Septimus leaned against it and groaned, ignoring both the silver flowers jabbing into him and the protesting guards. Well, that had gone worse than even he had imagined.

But now that he thought hard about it, things had never truly gone back to normal after he had told her about his plans to leave the Castle and study in Massalia. Jenna had been extremely upset and refused to speak to him, claiming he was betraying her by leaving. Marcia and his parents had told him she would come around, and he thought she had. However, it would seem something had truly broken when he had chosen to leave the Castle. And now, perhaps it was too late to mend.

"My lord, please, the metalwork is very delicate and I must ask you to not lean against-"

"Oh, buzz off," Septimus snapped, pulling himself up and stalking down the hall toward the nursery.

"Wait- I need to escort-" the guard called, rushing after him.

"Buzz OFF!" Septimus shouted, his voice echoing loudly off of the high ceiling. He heard the explosion of anger in his voice and hated it. He hated it because he knew it was a mask for the sadness welling up inside of him.

Sarah Heap's reaction to her youngest son's return did not disappoint. She leapt from her seat and pulled him into a tight embrace, refusing to let him go even when Silas protested that he wanted a turn at some point, too. Sarah eventually let go, but reached up and began patting Septimus' cheek.

"Don't ever stay away for so long again, do you hear?" Sarah said tearfully. "Two years without a word from you, just that same letter from the King about your being away on duty- you could have written at least once to let us know you were all right!"

"No, I couldn't, Mum, I was stuck in another world and time," Septimus said with a sigh. Sarah gasped, but suddenly pulled away at the sound of her grandson crying,

"Grandmama, Grandmama."

Poor abandoned Oliver was standing behind her, waving his stubby little arms and pouting.

Sarah immediately sat down and pulled him into her lap and Silas stepped forward to hug his son.

"Welcome back," he said, beaming. "When did you arrive?"

"Last night," Septimus replied, studying his aging father. Silas was now in his mid fifties, and he actually looked it. His hair was a straggly mop of grey, and his face was lined with the wrinkles from seven sons and one daughter.

"Did you? How was Marcia?" Silas said with a knowing smile, and Septimus startled. His father looked amused, and Septimus felt his cheeks beginning to warm, knowing he'd been caught.

"It was late when I finally made it to the Castle- I didn't want to make a big fuss-"

"I'm not blaming you, Septimus," Silas said, shaking his head. "We know how it is."

"We know she's only gotten worse since you've left, that's what," Sarah retorted, irritated that her son had only arrived a minute ago and already the conversation had turned to Marcia Overstrand. "She's been simply impossible ever since she got Simon's tutor to give her that awful potion-"

"Not now, Sarah," Silas said tiredly. "Septimus, why don't you have a late lunch with us and Oliver? Unless you have other plans."

Septimus had just eaten breakfast, but he didn't have other plans, and very soon he found himself sitting with his parents at a long dining table, listening to Sarah go on about life in the Palace and how his various brothers were getting on. Septimus stirred aimlessly at his steaming bowl of barley soup and wished Silas would say something, but his father was concentrating on his lunch and grandson with the expression of a man pretending to listen. Finally, Septimus pushed away his bowl of now-cold soup and, interrupting Sarah's rambling tale about when Nicko bought his first houseboat, said,

"Is Jenna upset with me?"

Silas looked up in surprise at the sound of his voice and Sarah looked startled, then sad. She hated it when her children weren't getting along.

"Of course not, dear, what makes you think so?" she said comfortingly, finally showing a glimmer of the woman who Septimus had come over the years to love as his mother.

"You know Jenna never understood why you left the Castle in the first place," Silas said. "And she also didn't understand why you stayed away when you were finished at the university."

"But I told her over and over again about King Hull sending me to the sorcerers in the Eastern Plains-"

"She understood WHERE you went, Septimus. She just didn't understand WHY," Silas said with an uncharacteristic touch of harshness. "And to be honest, we weren't sure either."

"Why?" Septimus said faintly. "To learn more about other types of Magyk, of course. And Jenna of all people should have understood why- she's the one increasing trade and sending ambassadors all over- by the time Marcia retires, the Castle is going to NEED an ExtraOrdinary Wizard who can talk to all of these people pouring in-"

"But she needs you here, Septimus," Sarah said firmly. "We all do."

"I'm here now," he replied, forcing himself to not snap at his mother. "And she should have known I would come back."

"No, she didn't, in fact, she thought you were going to stay away and continue going around having your childish adventures while she sat in the Palace trying to run this Queendom without your help," Sarah said, in a tone that betrayed her opinion that she thought the Queen was right.

"Childish?" Septimus said, his green eyes flashing. "Is that what she thinks of me?"

Silas glanced at Septimus' wounded expression and said quickly, "Now, Sarah, I'm sure she was happy for him-"

"Are you?" Septimus said bitterly, rising and tossing his napkin onto his chair. Neither of his parents answered.