CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT

The morning after Vanessa's abdication, all anybeast could talk about was the mysterious note Urthblood had sent and the equally mysterious circumstances surrounding the reascension of Geoff to the Abbot's chair.

This rampant speculation was hardly damped by the fact that somebeast had framed the infamatory letter and hung it in Great Hall from the empty brackets for Martin's sword, for all to see.

And dangling below it, a second, smaller paw-scrawled sign in bold lettering clearly spelled out what at least one Abbey resident thought of the dispatch, its two word a simple indictment: "Urthblood's Folly."

Clewiston, when he was able to get Vanessa alone for a moment after breakfast, almost accused, "Your pawwork, I take it?"

The twice-former Abbess put on her best innocent look. "Now why would you think that, Colonel?"

"Well, apart from the minor detail that you were the last one seen in possession of that parchment, can't see anybeast else 'round here possessing the temerity to throw it all in our faces like this."

"Ooo, temerity! Good word there! You must have excelled at hare school."

"Abbess ... marm, this is serious! Why would you want to undercut yourself like that?"

"Because I'm not. Even if we could count on Arlyn and Geoff and Elmwood and Mina to remain discreet about the content of the message you forced me to read aloud, how many of the Long Patrol heard it as well? How many read it before you called last evening's council? For that matter, where's the copy you said you made before presenting Urthblood's original message publicly? Tongues will wag; there's no way we could have kept it secret. Any attempt to do so would only have given it the kind of power Urthblood wanted it to have. And we can't have that, can we?"

"Mebbe so, but still, calling attention to it like that almost seems to be invitin' exactly the kind of scrutiny I'd think you'd want to avoid. At the very least, it might leave some here questionin' whether there's any truth to it after all."

"Good. Maybe they should be questioning everything about me, and everything about Urthblood too. Maybe that's exactly what we need more of around here. The truth will out, Colonel, just as Maura said last night, and in spite of my little masquerade, I'm confident I can withstand having my words and deeds held up to the full light of day. Can the same be said for Urthblood? And if we do shine a light on him, and expose him for all he really is, will we be able to tolerate him after that?"

"Hrmph. Said by the mouse who sent the whole bloomin' Abbey to sleep so she could have a word with me in private ... "

Elsewhere in Great Hall, Trelayne breakfasted with Geoff at the head table. Two concerns occupied the marten's mind, both of which he voiced now.

"Are you sure you're feeling all right, Abbot? That must have been fairly traumatic, falling on that sculpture and having it shatter to send some of the fragments into your chest like that."

"No more traumatic than having Captain Saugus crash down on top of me so unexpectedly. But Metellus and Arlyn examined me closely, and declared me fit to attend last evening's council. They're just minor cuts, nothing serious. I'm sure they've already started to heal."

"I do hope so. I'm not sure if it's reached your attention, but I've heard somebeasts speculating this morning that your little mishap yesterday may have been foretold."

Geoff's cup of elderberry cordial paused halfway to his lips as he fixed the glassmaker with an intent gaze. "Oh?"

"Yes, yes. Apparently that supposedly prophetic ratmaid, shortly before she was taken away by the Gawtrybe, said something to you, and pointed at your chest. What did you make of that incident, and do you believe she could have been prophesying what befell you yesterday?"

Geoff was quick to dismiss this theory. "Oh, I doubt it. While I don't doubt Latura did indeed possess some genuine gift in that area - for if not, why would Lord Urthblood have sought her so aggressively? - on that occasion she seemed more to be displaying a distinct lack of social graces than anything. She drew her paw straight across my breast as if ... well, as if crossing me off, telling me I didn't matter anymore, and then said she wasn't going to speak with me anymore. Now that I think about it, that was the evening before Vanessa came back to us as Abbess, so maybe Latura had glimpsed my demotion, and that was her own peculiar way of conveying it. But, as unexpected as that all was, fate has twisted once again to replace me in the Abbot's chair once more. So, if that was truly what Latura had glimpsed, it proved to be just a temporary state of affairs."

"Ah, yes, well, congratulations on that again, Abbot. That whole thing strikes me as most strange, with the note to Lady Mina which may not have been meant for her at all, and the Abbess stepping down in light of such allegations hanging over her. But it does rather bring things nicely full circle where I am concerned, doesn't it? You were Abbot when I arrived at Redwall for my very first time, and you were restored to that position during what may prove my final visit here. Almost I am tempted to try to picture some way to visually represent that recursive happenstance, and see if I can express it in sculpture form. It would have to be an abstract piece, of course ... "

"Yes, of course," Geoff agreed, not entirely sure he knew what Trelayne was talking about. "The use of our facilities here are yours, for as long and as much as you like. And, not to impose upon your good graces, but I would encourage you to attempt another figurine of me, if you're still of a mind to produce one. Who knows? Maybe the third time will be the charm! I promise not to fall on it next time!"

"Haha, yes, of course I shall endeavor to replace it a second time. I did promise you such, and I do not weasel out of my promises, even if we martens happen to be weasel relatives. And since we've still not arranged for any Gawtrybe to escort me back to Salamandastron, I might be here for some days to come, so there will be ample opportunity to fire up the kiln again and take another stab at your sculpture. Also, another chance to work with Kyslith will be welcome as well. I'm just glad you're feeling no ill effects from yesterday, Abbot. To hear some of the Abbeybeasts talk, they seemed worried that the ratmaid's premonition might have concerned something far more dire than a change of the Abbotship, or a few surface cuts below the fur."

"Hmm. Funny how nobeast has confided such concerns to me, since I'm the one that premonition was supposedly about."

"Well, Abbot, it would be a rather awkward subject to broach, you must admit ... "

Out on the lawns, enjoying a slightly later breakfast than those indoors, Mina sat with Tolar and his swordfoxes, just as she had the previous morning - except that now, instead of her usual self-assurance, she displayed reservation and an almost wounded uncertainty. Such was her unease that she'd barely touched her food. Looking imploringly at the vulpine chieftain, she asked, "What do you think it all means, Tolar?"

"It means, Lady - and it pains me to voice such an opinion, even though the evidence leaves no other conclusion - that Lord Urthblood is no longer a friend of Redwall's, if indeed he ever was."

She seemed half-affronted, even as she also accepted this statement as expected. "Explain." Her tone suggested she sought less a defense from the fox than an articulation of his reasoning, to see how it compared to her own.

"The message Captain Saugus delivered yesterday can be one of only two things: true, or untrue. If true, then he has subverted Redwall's very leadership, seizing control of a revered former Abbess to direct events here according to his will. If false, then it constitutes an attack against that very same leadership. Either way, it is the act of neither a friend or ally of this Abbey."

Mina stared morosely at her paws. "And hence, 'Urthblood's Folly.'"

"Any confirmation yet on who hung that sign?"

"It had to've been the Abbess, although she's not admitting it - and, in case you hadn't noticed, she's become very good at deflecting questions she cares not to answer."

"How sure are we that the message was genuine? That it did in fact come from Lord Urthblood, and not some other source?"

"Aside from the fact that it was delivered by a trusted and longstanding owl captain of his forces? I've examined the note closely, and the pawscript seems indeed to be that of His Lordship. Ever since losing his right paw to Urthfist, the cadence of his quill stroke has borne a very distinctive quality, and I feel it would be exceedingly difficult for anybeast else to replicate the subtleties of his writing to that degree."

"Having examined the parchment myself earlier this morning, Lady, I'm afraid I am forced to agree. It is from Lord Urthblood. Which begs the question: If sending such a dispatch would reveal ill intent toward Redwall, no matter which way it was interpreted, why would he so flagrantly and blatantly expose such motivations? What, for that matter, even are his motivations here? It seems unlike him. I cannot help but feel something fundamental has changed, for him to judge that whatever he might gain by the sending of that message would outweigh the damage done here. And frankly, I cannot imagine what that would be."

"Perhaps something to do with the Purge?"

"I would not think so, Lady. If it were merely that, I'm sure he would have found some other way to achieve ... well, whatever he thought to achieve here. The Redwallers now call it 'Urthblood's Folly,' but I am not so sure that's what it was; that badger is too full of strategies, not to mention powers of prophecy, to miscalculate on a scale like this ... to take an action which could so easily result in his being caught in a lie. If he now stands revealed as hostile to Redwall - or to Redwall's leadership - I cannot help but wonder whether that somehow fits into his overall plan."

Mina regarded Tolar for a long time. "Such lines of thought make my head hurt. No matter what happens or how we view it, we will always be left wondering whether it turned out as Lord Urthblood intended. But I do know that in this case he used me. And that leaves me feeling very confused in my allegiances at the moment."

"Yes, Lady, he used you ... unless that message was not a ruse, and Saugus truly was meant to deliver it to you, and nobeast else."

She stared at him hard. "Do you suppose it could ... but no. That would mean the Abbess would have to be ... no, I don't believe it. She refuted the evidence and discredited Saugus too thoroughly at the council last night. She even had Colonel Clewiston believing her by the time she was finished."

"And yet she stepped down anyway."

"Because she suspects doubts might remain - the kind of doubts I'm seeing in the very conversation we're having now. Why, Tolar, do you have reason to suspect otherwise?"

He took his time in answering. "Something happened during that council yesterday. I was sitting out here with Mona discussing what was going on - she'd just been sent outside after being questioned by the Abbess - when suddenly I seemed to nod off for a moment. At least I assumed it was only a moment, but when I snapped out of it, I found Mona sitting on the opposite side of me from where she'd been an instant before, so she'd clearly had time to get up and move. But more to the point, she seemed unsettled and disturbed in a way she'd not been before. It almost seemed that she experienced something during those few heartbeats when my eyes were closed, something that left her shaken."

"Well, what did she say when you asked her about it?"

"Only two words."

"Which were?"

Tolar hesitated again. "The Abbess."

"The Abbess?"

"Yes. And beyond that she would say no more, not even when I pressed. And you'll notice she is not with me here this morning. Something occupies her thoughts, and she seeks solitude to dwell upon them in her own way."

"Hmmm." Mina fell silent for a stretch. "Hmmm." Then she fell silent some more. "It's a pity I'll be leaving with you when you return to Foxguard. I'm starting to think it might be better if I remained here to keep an eye on the Abbess."

"You'll still have your chance for that, at least for a little while yet. Remember, I'll be going with Grayfoot to his tavern first to deliver the Realms there and help him get set up with those. I expect we'll be staying overnight, so we'll not be back here until sometime tomorrow. If there are any ... irregularities ... to uncover regarding the Abbess - or if she should try to convey something to you confidentially - you'll have that much time to work with."

"And if that time turns out to be insufficient?"

"Then there was likely nothing to it after all, and nothing to be uncovered."

Across the grounds Vanessa, finally having extricated herself from the hovering Clewiston, emerged from the main Abbey building only to be accosted by another Redwaller seeking to speak with her alone - although for this one, she put on a far more welcoming face.

"Abbess, may I ask you, please, if - "

"Yes, Metellus, I did have a little heart-to-heart with Mona yesterday, as you asked, and I found the encounter rather eye-opening. You are most correct that something about her has changed, and not for the better, I fear. It's not malicious, but I fear it could be dangerous nonetheless, or at least lead to undesirable outcomes. It's like something deep within her has shifted, leaving her inwardly wounded and questioning and adrift of the soul. I could not tell exactly what it was, and she was not about to tell me herself, but I suspect she is only too aware of this change within her, and that is why she does not want you to come visit her at Foxguard any more. And, to be honest, I don't want you going there either, at least not for now. Not until you are fully welcome there again, and Mona is in an improved state of mind to properly receive and teach you."

"Do you think it's the Gawtrybe, Abbess? And this Purge? Do you think this whole thing has left her despondent?"

"It can't have helped, of course. But no, I don't see that as the primary cause. You asked me to examine her as a personal favor, so I owe you the truth now. And I see her present melancholy as deeper and more fundamental than anything to do with the wider events of these lands. Its root is from very much inside her, and nobeast else. After that I can only speculate, and I'm not sure I'm comfortable doing that. Not yet."

"Do you think she'll get better?"

"I ... don't know. I suspect it is something she'll have to work out on her own. Some things can only be fixed from within, over time, and there's nothing any other creature can do, no matter how much they want to help. Such is it with Mona now. In the meantime, I'll be more than happy to assist Arlyn in your education. It's the least I can do. Now, if you'll pardon me, I do believe my ears are burning."

"Excuse me, Abbess?" Metellus said, looking confused.

"Somebeasts are talking about me, and coming to some very wrong conclusions. I need to go insert myself into their conversation before they lead themselves completely astray!"

Metellus gave her a playful smirk. "This morning, Abbess, I'd be very surprised if anybeast at Redwall isn't talking about you!"

Up on the west walltop, staking out a solitary place of her own apart from the Abbey lookouts, Mona stood imprisoned by her own tumultuous reverie, thoughts tumbling through her overworked mind and colliding randomly, sparking constant new avenues of introspection. And if the other creatures there surmised from her lost and yet paradoxically intense gaze not to intrude upon her, such cautions were lost on the Sparra chief, who now came lopsidedly flapping down to alight on the battlements alongside her.

"Good day, Madam Mona. I trust this morning finds all well with you?"

"I am not unwell, thank you for asking."

"I see you gazing westward. Does Salamandastron draw your thoughts toward it?"

"Much occupies my thoughts these days, good Highwing."

"Ah. And I can well guess what at least one of those things must be. Little did I imagine that, when I asked you yesterday to examine Vanessa, so much would transpire from one morning to the next. Glad I am that her owl accuser stands discredited and disgraced even as he continues to enjoy the benefits of our Infirmary, but still I must wonder what to make of it all. What would impel Lord Urthblood to engage in such character assassination against our Abbess?"

"Perhaps he knows something about her the rest of us don't."

An uncharacteristic, unbirdlike pause. "Do you know something about her the rest of us don't?"

Mona turned to fully face the sparrow. "I did as you asked, good Highwing. I examined the Abbess to the very extent of my abilities. And I can tell you only that there is nothing I can do or suggest in her regard. She is beyond me."

"I ... was hoping for something more than that, to be honest. Can you share no insight into the manner of her change, or what brought it about, and what is to be done about it?"

"Nothing is to be done. Not by me or, I suspect, by anybeast else. My expertise lies in one area, and she dwells in another. I have no advice or counsel to give ... except perhaps to stay as far from her as you possibly can."

"Madam, that's ... what would lead you to say such a thing?"

"Something I wish to keep to myself. And if you don't already know yourself, then you were not meant to know."

"That's ... Is there something more you can tell?"

"No." Mona looked away from Highwing, returning her gaze to the Western Plains and the distant mountains beyond. "No, there isn't."

Back down on the lawns, Vanessa sauntered up to Tolar, Mina and the swordfoxes, spread out this morning not quite so close to the rat encampment as the morning before. They all showed surprise at her approach, although on this day there was perhaps nowhere in Redwall she could have gone without generating surprise.

"Good morning, Abbess," Mina greeted her guardedly. "I trust you're feeling well today?"

"Splendid, Lady, and thank you for asking. Retirement must agree with me, because I have never felt better. I should try it more often." Turning to Tolar, she said, "I assume you still intend to travel with Grayfoot to his tavern today to oversee the disbursement of the Realms to his establishment?"

"Not all the Realms, Abbess; some will be returning with us to Foxguard, now that you've thoroughly vetoed distributing any from here at Redwall. Unless you suppose Geoff might reconsider the matter, now that he's fully Abbot again?"

Vanessa smiled and shook her head. "No, I'm afraid that's already been decided. By the Long Patrol if nobeast else; you saw the Colonel's reaction to them yesterday, and I expect that would be the result if you left any stockpiles of them with us. You'd likely find them flung all over Mossflower, littering the woods. And since we wouldn't want anybeast getting hit by flying Realms, you'll have to remove them from our premises, for safety's sake if nothing else."

"Those bunnies are getting too big for their garters, if that's the case," Mina criticized. "Determining Abbey monetary policy, and placing Redwall's Abbess under arrest ... "

"Oh, you can hardly blame them for that," Vanessa said airily, failing or choosing not to acknowledge Mina's intently probing gaze. "Given the content of the letter that 'accidentally' found its way into their paws, what else were they to think? One might fault them for overzealously jumping to a rash conclusion and then acting on it somewhat presumptuously, but otherwise they conducted themselves just as one might expect and hope dedicated Abbey defenders would act."

"That seems a rather forgiving and magnanimous attitude, considering they cost you your position as Abbess."

"Urthblood cost me that, Lady. And what I bear him is far more than a grudge over my position within Redwall." Looking once more to Tolar, Vanessa said, "In any event, I wished to inform you that I intend to accompany you down to Grayfoot's Tavern. I've never been there, you know, and I don't get out nearly as much as I should. The chance to stretch my legs and take in a brief change of scenery will do me good, I think."

Tolar and Mina exchanged glances, hardly succeeding in hiding that Vanessa's unexpected announcement stood at odds with their own plans so recently hatched. "We'd ... be happy to have you along, of course," the swordfox said. "I'm just surprised that you would want to."

"Oh, I don't know why it should. Grayfoot and his family are wonderful folk, and we're always sad to see them go. Percy is practically one of us, a fine playmate to our leverets. This will give me a little more time with them."

"What of your Infirmary duties?" Mina challenged. "I understood you'd be taking charge there, and helping Metellus with his training."

"They'll manage fine without me for a day or two. Weren't you just saying, Sword, that you only plan to stay at Grayfoot's overnight, and return here on the morrow?"

"I ... was. To Lady Mina, well before you joined us."

Vanessa flicked at an ear with one paw. "It's that mouse hearing of mine. Glad to know these big flaps are useful for something! Never know what I'll pick up, and from how far away. So, it's settled. I'll see you and your foxes over at the main gate when you're ready to leave. Until then ... "

As Vanessa strolled away, leaving them to themselves as abruptly as she'd come upon them, Tolar remarked to Mina, "Well, Lady, as much as we both would have liked you to have this chance to observe the Abbess in my absence, it looks like she has other plans."