First of all: sorry for the delay! I have not abandoned the ff, do not worry!
I thank you for following me here, and I hope that the story is to your liking!
Do not waste any more time and I'll leave you to the chapter: good reading!
Chapter 10 - "Let's go!"
(Negi's Group)
"In Byzantium? You mean the Turkish city? "Negi asked, puzzled.
"Yes, though perhaps you know it yet as Constantinople. So you want to travel that far?" Confirmed the Welsh wizard.
"Exactly." Said proud Kotaro, by the side of his friend "Now we should be able to travel without problems, right?"
"Certainly, sir Kotaro. I wondered merely the goal, since it is very distant and difficult to reach, all the more so by a group of only maidens and children, no offense. The journey is almost three months on horseback, finding a passage by sea in Venice, or almost twice as much if not more." Marcus said, simply.
"S-six months?" The young teacher asked, shocked, accompanied by the incredulous stares of his students.
Chisame was bleached, while Chao looked like a statue.
"W-well... there is no choice: we will go!" Negi sighed after a moment "We can not stay here forever."
"Good! It will mean that will accompany you! My conscience will never allow me to let children depart for such a trip without the protection or guidance of a grown man." Marcus replied cheerful, clapping his hands loudly
"In this way I can see the city and some old friends! What a great opportunity! Come on, now go to rest: the dawn is close and you have not slept a wink."
The boys felt reborn after a few hours of rest in a few minutes they were ready to go.
No one had particular luggage: basically they had ended up in the past only with what they were wearing, at that time inside the shoulder bags that the magicians of the inn had given them.
Wrapped in their warm cloaks, they left the shelter.
The village was quiet. Probably the massacre of that night would be discovered only upon awakening.
With a few words and some long embrace, the Welsh wizards separated by adventurers who, accompanied by the faint first light of dawn, left.
The village soon disappeared from their sight, and was replaced by green landscapes and tangles of vegetation.
The group chatted animatedly of the most diverse subjects: Chisame and Chachamaru were immersed in a heated debate about computers, Ako asked embarrassed to William of that new world, Kotaro and Setsuna were arguing about martial arts, while Chao, Negi and Marcus reflected on the stages of the journey.
Eva was looking around quiet, with a sunny smile on his face.
"So..." the man was saying "I would recommend to set off to London, once arrived in Cardiff. There, we will embark for Calais. Once landed, if we are in the grace of God, we will find a passage to Venice or at least some mounts."
"Damn... this is really a long trip!" Negi said thoughtfully "And to do that it will really take so long?"
"Unfortunately, yes, sir Negi. But you have nothing to worry about! The days pass quickly while you are traveling, especially if in company!" the man said with a reassuring smile.
"If you do not mind me asking, I would like to ask why you have opted for a so... 'extravagant' goal. It is not thing of every day leave in search of the holy places."
"We need its magic power to operate the object that brought us here, ne!" Chao said.
"So we can go home!"
"I see... I warn you now. Many secrets are kept in that city, some much bigger than you and me. Ancient secrets and powerful than ever, and I repeat, never they should be revealed. Enough that you stay away, and no one will ride dangers though. So do not worry. But now we think about more cheerful things! William, my boy! Come here!" he called truncating the speech.
"I think it's time for you to become a magician!"
Towards evening they arrived in sight of Cardiff.
It was definitely smaller than Negi remembered: it was a town of no more than a few thousand souls, with wooden houses and a small ring of walls to protect it. A small fortress towered from the town center.
For most of the day, Negi and Marcus had explained to William and girls interested ,namely Ako and Chao, the basics of magic.
During the lunch break, the man had distributed to all a small magic wand and he invited them to try out some simple enchantment.
While the students of Mahora tried in vain to use magic, Negi was astonished not a little, as after a few minutes both William and Eva had succeeded on the exercise.
Still reflecting on their extraordinary affinity with magic and tired of the long walk Negi, followed by the group, entered the city in search of an inn.
On the way there was a flurry of men in armor, despite the late hour, probably soldiers.
"Hmm... The situation becomes complicated, if the call of the war has come this far." Marcus said "It will not be at all easy to cross Flanders and France, with the ongoing conflict. And unfortunately that will not even be easy to find a ship."
"On this I think you're wrong, good man! If you look for a ship for France, and have enough money, I set sail tomorrow morning!" said a voice behind them.
It belonged to a stocky, bearded man, dressed in brightly colored clothes.
"Good evening, foreigners! My name is Clive Sealand and by chance I happened to ear your conversation... and, as I have already said, if you are looking for a passage to Calais, I'm the man that suits you! Two shillings for every soul who comes aboard, and in five days you will be in the land of Eat-frogs!" he said, holding out his hand.
The adventurers looked at each other in amazement.
After a few moments of reflection, Marcus shook the man's hand.
"We embrace your proposal, and thank you very much. I am Marcus Holyway, this is my wife... " he said putting his arm around the shoulders of Chisame "And these are our children. Be polite: say hello to the gentleman."
Chisame had taken on a bright red shade, and was opening and closing her mouth to say something, while Negi, Eva and Kotaro, displaced, stammered a greeting.
"They instead..." continued the magician satisfied, indicating the remaining girls and William "are the ladies of companionship of my wife and my firstborn."
Hiding as best they could their expression of surprise, the girls greeted with an uncertain bow.
"Ladies of companionship? Then you have to be a Lord! What a modest that you are not saying it immediately! Do not worry: I can keep my mouth shut." he asserted with a wink.
"So, see you tomorrow at dawn. Search down at the harbor for the 'Horsea'!" and he walked away!
"Y-y-y-your wife?" Chisame hissed furious, as Clive was out of earshot.
"I-i-I would be your wife? And these brats..." she pointed to the three kids "...and this blond boy..." addressing to William "...OUR children?!"
The girl did not know whether to be more embarrassed or angry.
"There, there ... Chisame calm down!" Chao said with a smile, patting her on the back.
"You're not as bad as a couple, even though I thought it was Asuna the one who liked older men!"
If a look could kill, the one the inventor received would have incinerated her.
Chuckling, Marcus interjected.
"I apologize, Mademoiselle. Unfortunately I have been forced to improvise, and nothing came to my mind to explain the presence of such a group. I chose you for your more noble behavior, but there was no malicious intent, I can assure you."
"That is, there is an inn! Come on... The mast... Little Eva is falling asleep on her feet..." interrupted politely Chachamaru.
The ship was supposed to be originally designed as merchant vessel, but the captain had evidently found more lucrative the profit derived from the transport of soldiers.
Together with the group a substantial group of warriors embarked, some with a horse at his side.
All were made to stay in the hold, large albeit now crammed.
The second day of the trip, during which Chao had discovered to suffer from a strong seasickness, they glimpsed the land of the old continent.
"First stop! Brittany! "Cried Clive, from his position on the bridge.
They docked in a small harbor, where all the soldiers went down, ready to do battle.
The fourth day they stop again, to replenish food and water.
When finally they went down to Calais, Chao was reduced worse than a rag.
"And we should make us how many days on these things, to get to Istanbul?" she sobbed.
"I pass... rather I walk... " ended up reaching for the umpteenth time her hand to the mouth.
"Be strong, Miss! From now and for quite a while we will be firmly on the ground!" Marcus tried to cheer her up.
Calais was a town of modest size, with stone walls and a small fortress on a hill at the edge of the village.
Incessant comings and goings of people flowed through the main streets, where some street vendor trying to sell off a few rags or dried fruits.
People had dull eyes, skinny and serious faces and traveled mostly in silence. At each corner were stationed squads of armed guards and nervous-looking.
"What a gloomy atmosphere..." Negi said in a low voice.
"Is war." Marcus replied "A plague that afflicts these places for too many years, by this time."
"Now, please do not speak except in French, as long as we are not alone. Although the city is under the crown of England, not too many people have a liking to our arrogant king."
Everyone nodded in silence.
Leaving the port, the Welshman led them through that parody of the market, from the point of view of the girls, until just outside the walls.
Here they found a small shabby stable. A lopsided sign hanging with a single support intact.
"Hmm." mused Marcus observing what he had left in the pouch.
"Yes, I think we can afford some steeds, even though I can not define them proud." he said finally observing the emaciated nags that could be seen from the entrance.
A man, to hear voices coming from outside, came out of the stable. He could have been about forty, if not more so: it was thin and pale, his hair already beginning to turn gray.
The two adults began to speak in a tight French, which even Negi and Chao, who knew a few words, were able to understand anything.
In the end, with a sigh, Marcus slipped off by the a large golden coin pouch and thrust it into the man's hand, which looked at it in wonder.
While he was still intent on admiring it, motioned to his buyer to enter.
After a few minutes the Welshman came out of the stable holding the reins of ten saddled horses, and motioned to the boys to leave.
When they were far enough apart, the man said annoyed.
"Tsk! To me these mounts absolutely not worth a whole pound! Anyway..." he sighed "Come troop! In the saddle! We'd better do some more miles before the sun goes down. "
That said, he rode on the back of one of the horses.
"Erhm..." called his attention Ako "S-sorry Mr. Marcus... but we, here... we do not know... ride."
"And I must tell you that, this mount also seems sooo waving..." said Chao suspiciously, with one hand pressed on her stomach.
The other girls were limited to observe the animals with air intimidated, while the boys and Eva climbed nimbly in the rump to their horses.
Patiently, the magician dismounted and explained to them the basics of horsemanship, the commands to be given vocally and those with the reins.
Just as he was happy with the results, remounted and made them leave.
The landscape was mostly austere and bare, abandoned fields and a few houses ruined.
To pass the time, Negi decided to resume classes of magic previously interrupted, with the help of Marcus.
Together proved to be a good couple of teachers, and the girls seemed to understand most of the topics.
After yet another successful spell of Evangeline, even for beginners, all complimented with her.
"Good, Eva!" Negi smiled.
"And to you other good as well! I have an idea to make these 'lessons' a little more interesting: admitted that Mr. Marcus would agree, we will try to satisfy one desire for that person who will be demonstrated as the best apprentice, upon our arrival. Of course, within the limits of our abilities! This, William, also applies to you."
Seeing the boy's indecision in share in that wacky race Marcus interjected.
"Yes, you find me in full agreement! Come on William! You do not want you to be overtaken by maidens even younger than you?" he prompted the boy.
His answer was covered by an enthusiastic "Yes!" of the girls, some more, some less, excited about the idea of the new game.
(Eva's Group)
Eva felt a shake to her shoulder.
"Eva! Are you there? "Was Asuna.
The girl shook her head, and remembered where she was, what had just happened.
Something damp wet her chin: as she wiped, discovered that it was drool.
"Are you okay?" Mana asked, approaching while reloading the weapons.
"You are there stunned since you've seen the image of the professor. And you seemed really happy..." she added with a mischievous smile.
"You were so cute!" Remarked Konoka, who had just finished treating the other "you seemed a gracious little angel!"
"S-Shut up, you others!" Eva shouted blushing "The fact is that I remembered... of something. I was traveling... with a group that I met at the time... that was THAT group! The one I can not remember the faces! But now I'm sure! Most of them were girls! And there was a man who was with us... Marcus was called... yes! I remember him!" she mused aloud.
A moment of silence, then she seemed to remember something else.
"We were coming here! In Byzantium, that is... in Istanbul."
"I don't find it very useful... at least do you remember what you should do once you arrive?" Kaede said.
"Excuse me if my memories of SIX HUNDRED years ago are a bit confused..." the vampire replied acid.
"so... we had to... ah! That's it! We had to take advantage of the magic of the sacred point of this town for... for... Damn! I can not remember!"she said angrily stomping her foot.
"Sacred ... point? As the world tree at Mahora?" Asuna asked opening her eyes wide.
"Yes" Takamichi said "Here in Istanbul there's another one. To be exact, is the plateau under the Basilica of Hagia..." he opened his eyes as he explained, his voice lower and lower "Sofia..." he murmured, dropping his cigarette lighted short before.
"Of course!" he pulled a big slap on his face.
"He also left a message in case you had not been there!" he said, turning to Evangeline.
The girls looked at him interdicted, then one by one seemed to realize, and their expressions changed in utter amazement.
Only Ku Fei continued to observe Takamichi quizzically.
"The Cassiopeia" they cried in chorus.
"Stop, stop, stop!" Eve interrupted, raising her hands-
"Do you mean that they are in Europe in the fourteenth century? You must be joking! And what they would do in there? ".
"I do not really know! Perhaps the clock is broken... Look, it's all wrecked!" Asuna said, shaking the carcass of Cassiopeia.
"So that E-Evangeline written inside... m-might be you?"Nodoka suggested timidly.
"Do not be ridiculous! I would remember, right?" Exclaimed the girl, accompanied with a laugh, and then freeze in the act of the same for a while.
"DAMN BRAT!" She cried suddenly furious, startling her companions "How I get my hands on him he has ceased to live! I'll break his neck! How he dared..." she began to rant shaking her fists.
Seeing how all were staring at her, she stopped to explain.
"He must have put a spell on me to cancel my memories, but I'm sure he has done something wrong! Only in this way would make sense faces clouded or fleeting memories! If only he had not infused much power as I think, at this time the effect would be gone! Exactly how that incapable of his father!"
"But why would he do that?" Asuna asked, confused.
"Evidently he believed there were valid reasons. You also know ,girls, that Negi would never take such a decision lightly." Takamichi said, observing Eva stealthily
"Especially knowing on who he did it."
"Wait! So we absolutely must recover Chachazero! Negi said he has assigned to her the information to get them back! Come on! Out does not seem to be any more!" Asuna exclaimed.
-End Chapter-