Chapter Seven
When Jenna Heap awoke the morning after she and Septimus had had their first fight, she had a splitting headache. She was also feeling rather queasy. She glanced across the room at the bed where Septimus had lain the past few nights while Snorri and Cliff had been staying there. Even in the dim light of early morning, Jenna could tell the bed was empty. Jenna felt her heart sink in her chest.
"Sep?" she whispered. There was no response. "Sep!"
'This isn't possible.' Jenna told herself sternly, 'Sep wouldn't leave you, he's just gone to get a glass of water or something.' Even though Jenna told herself these words, she couldn't quite believe them. The one morning Septimus had left their bedroom early, he had left her a note. There was no note today. Jenna knew she wouldn't be able to sleep anymore, not if she didn't know where Septimus was. Perhaps he was angry with her. He probably was. Why couldn't he understand that she hadn't intended to get pregnant? She hadn't wanted this either. She had hoped that at least Septimus would support her. Apparently not.
Jenna figured that everyone else in the cottage was still asleep, but she decided to go downstairs and look for Septimus. He wouldn't have left the cottage. Would he have? Jenna ran to the door and opened it. A gust of cold wind rushed inside, startling her. She looked outside. There was no sign of Septimus. Jenna ended up spending very much of the early morning hours searching for Septimus. She was becoming more and more nervous. What is he had left her? How horrific would that be? She had never even dared to imagine that Septimus would do a thing like that. All of a sudden, Jenna found something that answered her questions.
It was the note she had been searching for. Jenna had left her boots near the door the day before and Septimus had left the note in her boot. Jenna eagerly picked it up, half relieved that Septimus had bothered to let her know where he was, and half afraid of the letter would say. Tentatively, she began to read. What she read in Septimus's letter confirmed her fears. He had left her! It was true. In his letter, he had stated that he was returning to the Castle to visit Marcia. This made Jenna certain that Septimus wanted to get away from her, and it was hard to take.
Jenna knew that Aunt Zelda would be awake in thirty minutes, but Jenna didn't intend on being there to greet her. Quickly, she left Aunt Zelda a note, which said that she and Septimus had returned to the Castle together. After that, she packed up her few belongings and proceeded to walk the Queen's Way, just as Septimus probably had a few hours earlier. Septimus could now walk the Queen's Way even when Jenna was not with him. He was one of the few people who could do this. The ghosts of the Queen's before Jenna had accepted Septimus.
Jenna knew things were not going to be easy for the next year or so, but she was going to make it through. She didn't know how, but she'd survive and hopefully, emerge as Queen. She could only hope. Silently, she left the cottage.
Sarah Heap, unlike her daughter, was having an all together more happy morning. She couldn't be more thrilled to have Simon back. Not only had she gotten Simon, but she had also gotten to meet her two grandsons. Simon had come with his wife, Lucy, and their twin children who were barely two. Lucy had outgrown her pudginess in the last few years, and she had emerged as a lovely fresh looking girl. Simon told his mother what had happened after her and Lucy had run away. Shortly after they had left, Lucy and Simon had eloped in a small town filled with an assortment of farmers. Of course, the village had been so small that everyone in town had come to the wedding, even though they didn't even know Lucy and Simon. After the wedding, things had quieted down. Simon had actually rented a small house about twenty miles from where he had been married, and that is where he and Lucy had remained for the last few years.
It took a moment for Sarah to soak all of this information in. It was all very simple really. She had missed her son's wedding and the births of her grandsons just because Silas hadn't let Simon marry Lucy. Sarah was getting really, really tired of Silas. As Sarah looked at Lucy, she couldn't see anything that horrible about her. In fact, Lucy was attractive in many ways. Today, her striking scarlet colored hair was pulled back into a neat twist and her red dress was very becoming. At twenty-seven years old, Lucy now no longer looked like the adolescent she had resembled a few years back. In a word, she seemed elegant, regal. At first, Sarah couldn't figure out why. Then, it dawned on her. Lucy's clothes were a little on the expensive side. Simon must have come into money. But how? Sarah didn't exactly know how to ask a question like that.
"Mum," Simon said, snapping Sarah back from her thoughts. "I came here to ask you a question. I found out from one of my..comrades here in the Castle that you were staying in the Forest because you had a fall out with Dad. I don't blame you a bit. He's not exactly the easiest person to get along with. Of course, I wanted to see you very badly, I haven't seen you in three years, but I came here for another reason as well."
Sarah wasn't entirely sure she liked the sound of that. "What is it, Simon? What did you come for? Please, don't leave, not yet. I want you to stay with me, I'm sick of losing you."
"Mum, relax, I'm not going anywhere! I promise you that. I attend to remain in the Castle for a long while. That's part of the reason I've come to you. I need your support. I am going to claim my rightful place."
"What do you mean 'rightful place'" asked Sarah, a little suspicious.
"Mum, I'm gonna be the next ExtraOrdinary Wizard. Marcia isn't half the leader I would be. I need you to support me in whatever I will have to do to get the position. Will you do that?"
Sarah paused. She now saw where Simon was going with this. He still wanted to be ExtraOrdinary Wizard, even after all this time. What did Simon mean 'support me in what ever I will have to do?' Sarah knew that Septimus had practically been promised the position of ExtraOrdinary Wizard, but Sarah didn't dare mention that. She knew how Simon felt about Septimus.
When Sarah didn't answer, Simon spoke again. "Mum, I have been working on this plan of mine for a really long time. Nothing will happen, nobody will get hurt, unless you count Marcia, which I don't really. I won't even hurt my pest of a brother. Listen, I have a few comrades, well, quite a few comrades who are helping me achieve my goal. I have been planning this for the past few years. I just don't wanna give up on my dream. Mum, don't you remember when you used to tell me to follow my dreams? I'm doing that now. Please, support me."
Sarah was a bit overwhelmed. "What do you mean, you've been planning this? Simon, I don't know if this a good idea. I know Marcia isn't the best person on the planet, but that doesn't give you the right to harm her. What do you mean 'comrades?' What are you talking about? Lucy, has he really been planning this? Oh my goodness. I haven't even been able to hold my grandsons yet, and already I'm under pressure."
Simon sighed. This was not going according to plan. "Mum, I have men who are depending on me. No matter what you say, I have to go through with my plan. They're paying me, Mum, they think I'm their leader. I'm not going to let them down. I'll be the best ExtraOrdinary they've ever heard of."
"Simon!" wailed Sarah, "You just can't do this! What is your plan? Why won't you tell me? I'm your mother, for God's sake! I can't trust you, Simon. You do all these stupid things! I just don't believe you sometimes! You've got men paying you to lead them? Who are these men?"
"Mostly the ex followers of DomDaniel." Lucy replied, before Simon could stop her. Simon put his head in his hands, now his mother would never listen to him. But Lucy continued as if she hadn't noticed. "I'm proud of Simon." Lucy continued, haughtily, "Those men were all looking for a new leader and the found one, right Si?"
Simon reluctantly agreed. "Right Luce." He knew his chances of getting Sarah on his side now were practically zero.
He was right. Sarah looked horrified. "Simon, if you are really going to bring those men into the Castle walls, I will make sure you are arrested, I don't care if you are my son or not. If you put so much as one person's life at stake, you will pay."
"How mother? How could you make me pay? You can't keep me under control. I'm a man. Why can't you make head or tail of that?"
"Because you don't act like a man, Simon! I thought you were over this darke stuff. All the rest of my children have grown up. All but you, and now you have children. You don't deserve them."
Lucy gasped, utterly insulted. Simon had heard enough. "That's it, come on, Luce, get the boys and let's go. She obviously doesn't understand this. I don't know why I ever thought she would. I'm not going anywhere, Mum, and before long, this whole sorry city will be on its knees in front me."
"Simon, please, don't do anything crazy. Don't challenge Marcia. She'll kill you." Without meaning to, Sarah had just delivered the most insulting comment Simon had head all day.
"How dare you?" he raged. "My magykal strengths are every bit as powerful as Marcia Overstrand's! I ought to kill you here for saying that!"
Sarah was suddenly frightened. "Simon," she murmured, "I'm your mother."
Then, as if nothing had occurred, Simon regained his cool. "Come on, Lucy, let's go." That was all he said. The twins had been sleeping in Lucy's lap. Lucy gently woke them and handed one to Simon. With that, they left.
As soon as Simon had shut the door, Sarah began to sob. She knew Galen would be home from the market soon, but she didn't know what she would tell her. Sarah didn't really believe Simon had the heart to actually harm anyone, he was just an ambitious, immature young man. But, then again, Sarah usually saw the best in Simon because he was her son. He was becoming quite agitated. She decided in the end not tell anyone she had even seen Simon. He would probably not return anyway. Simon had always been all talk and no action for the most part. As the morning wore on, Sarah became more and more positive that Simon had been bluffing. That thought made her content until she thought of her grandsons, who she would most likely never get to know, and she became sad all over again.
At around 1:00 in the afternoon, Simon Heap was meeting with his "deputy." Sarah was wrong to think Simon was bluffing. He did indeed have an army of over five hundred of DomDaniel's old followers. His deputy was Merrin Meredith. Over the last few years, Simon and Merrin had begun to see each other as equals. Merrin had grown up a lot and even, though he was not magykally talented, he had become very clever. Simon had promised to let Merrin have the role of Supreme Custodian once he became ExtraOrdinary Wizard. Simon intended to run things exactly as DomDaniel had. He had lied to his mother, many people would have to die for Simon's plan to work. He spent the afternoon planning his next move.
Meanwhile, Septimus had just arrived at Marcia's door in the Wizard Tower. He knocked quietly and the door opened for him. As he stepped inside, he called out, "Marcia, are you here?"
"Septimus?" came the excited reply, "Septimus, is that you?"
"Yes, I'm here."
"Oh I was beginning to wonder if you would ever come to visit. I'm so very glad you've stopped by. Well, don't just stand there! Come and sit down. Oh what have you got on your feet, Septimus? Your boots look horrible." Marcia tutted. Septimus smiled. His boots did look pretty terrible. The marshes hadn't done much for them. All of a sudden, Septimus noticed something ver odd about Marcia. She seemed different to him.
"Marcia, have you done anything to your appearance you seem so.." Septimus trailed off. He didn't like the way Marcia was looking at him. It was the kind of look she had always given him when he was in some kind of trouble. But Septimus realized what was different. Marcia looked like she was Simon's age! In that moment, he forgot all of his worries about Jenna. He recognized what Marcia had done, it was so like her. "You've been to see Marcellus." He laughed.
"No, I haven't," Marcia snapped defensively. "Why would I do a stupid thing like that?"
"Because you wanted to look younger. And you do, you look gorgeous. I just can't believe you did that." Marcia blushed in spite of herself. She was proud that Septimus liked the way she looked.
"Of course," Septimus continued, "I'm glad you're on decent terms with Marcellus now. He's really kind, isn't he?"
Marcia remembered how wonderful Marcellus had been to her, but she wasn't about to admit that to Septimus. "All right I did go and see him, I guess you're too clever for me." She smiled fondly, and then continued. "He's okay, don't think we're seeing each other all the time."
"Oh I wouldn't." Septimus replied innocently. He could tell that Marcia had enjoyed Marcellus's company and he was glad. He had always hoped they would connect in some way. They were alike in more ways than they knew. Even though he was stressed and bothered, Marcia always managed to make him happy. He knew he had made the right decision by coming to see her. Although he couldn't help but wonder what would happen when she knew about the Jenna thing. He shivered at the thought of her cold disapproval, He didn't know if he would be able to take it.
At the same time, Silas was dreading Marcia's disapproval as well. He had just had another dream about her. This one had been about a ball they had attended when they were very young and very in love. Silas was tired of these dreams. They always seemed so real to him. He dreaded awaking from them because they felt so wonderful. He silently cursed his twenty year old self for letting her go. It had been his biggest mistake. He had a bad feeling that there was no way Marcia would ever take him back now. But Silas still had one more thing to try, and he was determined to make it work.
Jenna had arrived in the Castle that morning, but she had no idea where to go now. She wasn't ready to face Sarah, but she didn't want to return to Silas either. She only knew one other place she could try. And so, Jenna made her way to visit the one person who she knew would never turn her away: Beetle.
