Rowena,
It's not working! It's been two years and we haven't come up with anything better. Bedowyr is so ill. Have you been to see him? I'm at my wit's end! I've tried to keep those here under control. They don't listen!
For Merlin's sake I haven't even had time to look at my garden! You know that's the only thing I enjoy anymore.
Not that I mind the work. I quite enjoy it. But why can't they listen! I'm making prefect sense, and using all of the wonderfully logical arguments you've given me. But to no avail.
If only we could teach them!
I hope you're having more luck than I.
Helga.
Rowena put down the letter from Helga. She really was quite a formidable young woman. Rowena could almost see her scribbling this letter. If only the girl would think thing through!
She let out a deep sigh.
"Something wrong Ro?"
"No Richard." She answered with a smile. "Come here and feel you child move."
He smiled and obeyed. Every time Rowena saw her husband she made a mental note to thank her sister for pushing them together. That until she had gotten pregnant. then she spent hours complain about how horrid Mairead had been to trick her into this.
As if sensing her thoughts (another thing that now annoyed her greatly) Richard asked, "Anything wrong, love?"
"Helga wrote me." She waved the parchment in front of his face. "She's not having an easy time, poor thing." She turned her face down to reread the letter.
"Is Ulric trying to get her to marry him?" He asked.
"Oh I'm sure. But that isn't what's troubling her." Rowena said. There was something important here. She was missing it.
Richard chuckled. "Poor lad. Though I'm not sure if he want to marry her because her loves her or because he still feel's guilty."
"That's Helga's problem as well. Are we having dinner tonight with Godric and Mairead?" She asked.
"You made the plans, love. We're meant to be there soon though." He said with his smile still in place.
"Then we'd better leave now. You may have to just role me part way."
"You're not going to yell at your sister again are you?" He asked, trying not to laugh.
"Of course I am! But I want to get their opinions in this too." She said brandishing the letter again.
Mairead handed Helga's letter to Godric. "Well we're not having any more luck. Poor girl is practically on her own though."
"You were telling her what to say? No wonder she's having problems." Godric said.
Rowena shot him a withering look. "Mairead I'm missing something here." She said pointing to the letter. "Something important."
There was a soft knock at the door. "Da," A girl slightly younger than Helga, with Godric's curly blond hair and Mairead's ice blue eyes called into the room. "Salazar is here."
"Thank you Anya." Godric said with a smile. "Send him in."
A few moment's later Salazar came into the room, closely followed by his son, Garth. The boy was a copy of his father, only at the age of twenty.
"Salazar, Garth, welcome."
"Thank you Godric." Salazar said. "Well, you're a somber lot."
"I got a letter from Helga." Rowena supplied as if that explained everything.
"Helga! I suppose she'd huffing and puffing again." Garth said with venom. It was Helga who had kept Garth from attending any of the meetings of power. She was starting to annoy him.
"Actually I think she's on to something this time." Rowena said, trying to ignore him. "If only we could teach them." She read out loud. "I wonder if we could." She then got very excited. "You know I think we could. We could teach our kind! There's too many of us who don't know the spells to protect themselves. A..a...whatdoyoucall it?"
"School?" Godric said. "You want to form a school?"
"Come on Godric, where's that famous sense of adventure?" Salazar said. "You know, think she might actually be on to something."
"To think it would come from Helga." Garth mumbled.
"A school." Godric said. "I wonder if we could pull it off."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile....
"Ulric, could you hand me that thingy?" Helga said motioning with her hands at table littered with various objects.
"This?" He said picking up a pensive. She could never remember the name of the powerful object and knew it annoyed him when she called it a memory bowl.
"That's it. I've had an awful day! In fact I've had enough of this! I'm going to Scotland." She said putting her wand to her temple and pulling a way the silvery memory of today. "They don't listen and I can't teach them anything! And I swear, if one more of those men calls me little lady I'll scream. Don't they realize I have more power in my little finger than they have in total! I can't stand it anymore. If only they would..."
But what ever they should do was cut off when Ulric kissed her firmly on the lips.
"What was that for?" she whispered.
"Because I couldn't think of another way to get you to stop talking." He answered.
She kissed him now. It was a kiss that could melt ice in winter. She wanted him so much. The smell of his skin, the soft waves of his black hair. His strong hands pressing against her back or in her hair. He was like sun in the darkness. Helga felt very hot.
After a moment Ulric pulled away. "Helga, I'm not Robin, and I'll never be."
A sadness touched her eyes, but then she smile. "I never wanted you to be Rob. That was all in your head. I'm not blind Ulric, nor made for stone." She took his big hand in hers. "I could only take you being so good to me for so long before I fell hopelessly in love with you."
To Ulric, big man that he was, this little wisp of a woman could change the world. Little did he know she was already working on doing just that.
He smiled at her. "You wanted to go somewhere, I believe."
"Yes." She said. They disappeared together.
"Anya!" Helga called to the grand house Godric had built for his family. She knew Anya or Mairead would come to the entrance hall to great the new guests. Helga rather missed her girlhood friend and was hoping Anya would come. She did quickly.
Helga remembered playing here as a child after the grand house had been built. She, Ulric, and Robin were inseparable in those early days. But Anya had always been there too and at some point the little group split into girls and boys.
Anya was like a sister to Helga, who had no surviving siblings. Helga had to stop herself from remembering that Anya was almost her sister.
"Helga!" The familiar voice called. "And Ulric!" She ran over and gave them each a big hug. "Thank the gods. I've been going out of my mind with boredom! And Garth is here, yuck!"
Helga laughed at her friend. She was still so much a child. Helga hoped nothing happened to make her grow up any more quickly then necessary.
"Oh lovely! I suppose he's trying to run with the wolves again?" Helga asked as Anya giggled.
"You always could see though him." Anya said taking her arm and walking into the house.
"I'm not blinded by his flattery like some." Helga cast an accusing eye in Ulric's direction.
"What? The man's my friend and one of the few I've got left." He said defensively.
"Hmmm, we'll see how good a friend his is." Helga said. "We'll see."
Anya lead them to the Main Hall were everyone was at supper. "I guess I really didn't think before coming, or I would have realized what time it was." Helga said.
Ulric's stomach grumbled loudly. The two girls looked at him. He blushed and said, "I had an idea it was suppertime."
Helga smiled at him brightly, "I'm sure you did."
Anya watching them mumbled something that sounded like, "Finally!"
"What, An?" Helga asked.
"Nothing." The younger girl smiled. "Here we go!" She opened the doors and when in followed by her two companions.
"Helga! Ulric! What are you doing here?" Godric bellowed with a bright smile.
Helga laughed. It had been too long since she had been here. "I got too frustrate to spend another minute in Whales. We seem to missing a gathering here though."
"No," Mairead said. "It's just a day of unexpected guests." She smiled warmly.
Mariad's smile always made Helga miss her own mother all the more.
"Come and join us!" Rowena said.
"Rowena! You're huge!" Helga said.
"Very tactful, love." Ulric whispered to her. It was the first time he called her that and she turned bright pink.
Rowena, Mairead and Anya exchanged knowing looks as the two new comers sat down.
Helga and Ulric sat between Godric and Mairead's children. Helga chatted away with Anya while Ulric was at a loss about what to say to nine year old Rhys. It also hurt a it to look at the lad. He looked so much like Robin.
Ulric let his mind wander back to those far away days. Godric and Mairead had practically adopted him when his father turned him out after his mother died. She had been a witch but his father never knew that until after Ulric had been born. Helga's grandfather would come to speak to Godric over some serious matter, usually the suspicious deaths. Sometime one or more of her cousins would come, but as the old man was Helga's guardian she was never far out of his sight. And Salazar would turn up with Garth. They all played together. The rivalry between Garth and Helga was infamous. Ulric remember laughing with Rob about it.
And now here he sat, next to a boy who was like his own brother, unable to think of what to say other than I killed your real brother. It's all my fault. And now I'm trying to take the woman he loved.
"Are you alright, Ulric?" Rhys asked. "You look kind of funny."
Ulric tried to smile. "Fine, lad. Tell me some of your adventures I've missed since my last visit."
Rhys smile and launched into tales of escape and pranks and childhood mischief. Ulric smile at the boy and thought that he could be Rob telling tales of their youth.
Helga heard Rhys' question to Ulric. She looked at him to make sure he really was alright. She knew that look on his face. Guilt. She sighed, They were going to have to talk about Robin again later.
"Oh, your cousin's here." Anya said, bringing Helga back to the present.
"Which one?"
"Benowyc." Anya said turning slightly pink.
"Ben! I haven't seen him in ages! Why is he here?" She said.
"He, er, was out riding and had a fall. Da found him. The elves are tending him now. Don't look at me like that, Hel. you know I'm not responsible for them coming to work at our home."
"Are talking about those elves!?" Mairead yelled. "Damn things have completely over run my kitchen. I can't get in here to cook or anything."
Anya leaned over and whispered, "But if they weren't there she'd complain she was always in the kitchen."
Helga tried not to laugh. Then she said, "I just can't help feeling like you're taking advantage of them Godric."
"Helga, my dear girl, those poor little elves wouldn't have anywhere to go without my hospitality." Godric said. "They work for their room and board and protection. It's a fair deal, and more then their own kin would give them. There are what, nine different kinds of elves? And not one would help the littlest of their bunch."
"You're a saint among men." Salazar said coldly.
Rowena watched the scene. It was good to have Helga back. Ulric too, but it was Helga who usually made everything fit. The girl was a natural peacemaker, something that was needed more and more around Godric and Salazar. Their little spats usually made for interesting debates though.
Rowena, however, was beginning to feel more and more useless. She desperately wanted to bring up the topic of a school again. She was already working out the logistics in her mind. The could convert the old Roman fort above Hogsmeade. She and Godric could supervise the constriction, Mairead would want no part of that. Salazar might be talked into helping as well, if she could pull her old friend away from his creatures. That man just had a bazaar attraction to monsters.
Helga might be difficult. She spent so much time in Whales now. But her support would be important. Despite what she may think, the young woman was the most important witch in Southern Britannia, maybe all of Britannia now that Rowena had spent the past two years in virtual obscurity.
Helga and Salazar were also the key to getting the king to grant then the land needed.
"Rowena, what are you plotting?" Helga called.
"Plotting, dear, what ever do you mean?" Rowena answered.
"I know that look." The younger woman said. "It's the same look you got when you were deciding how best to do something. Usually torment me into practicing my magic harder."
"Helga, did I help you a lot in your studies?" She asked.
"Help? I worked everyday just to prove to you that I wasn't some fool child. I owe what I know today to you and your pushing me and Granda and his patients with teaching me."
"Helga what if we formed a school? A place where we could teach people would be invaluable." Rowena said.
"Where?" Helga asked.
"Well, I was thinking here in Hogsmeade." Rowena said.
"You've really been putting some thought into this." Godric said. "Haven't you?"
"Wait you mean you want me to leave Whales?" Helga nearly screamed. "And come back here?!"
"I'm sorry, Hel. I should have realized you've built a life there." Rowena began to apologize but Helga put up her hand to stop her.
"I am so in on this! Getting away from my father's fool cousins and teaching magic. My dearest Rowena, you are a the smartest person alive." Helga said with a smile.
"You two won't be able to do this on your own." Salazar said.
"It's a shame to. We could use a place like that." Godric added.
"So help us!" Helga said.
"Really! You didn't think we could do this without you two, did you?" Rowena.
"Oh? And what will we teach?" Godric said.
"Well, Godric, your could transfigure anything. Salazar knows more about magical creatures and hexes and curse than anyone. Helga could charm her way out of anything. She got broomsticks to fly, didn't she? Not to mention she knows every method of Divinations know to man."
"And a few that aren't!" Helga smiled. "And Rowena could brew any potion! Why between the four of us we know almost every form of magic on earth! We could do it. It'll be hard, but what a challenge!"
"You are already determined to do this aren't you?" Salazar said. "Well, it could be fun. Think all the people we could influence."
"Think of all the good we could do. Think of all the lives we could save!" Helga said.
"Well Godric?" Rowena asked.
He poked at his mutton leg in front of him. Then he looked at his children and his wife. Mairead smiled at him. She would support what ever decision he made. They would need his help, he knew, but they could do this without him.
"The three of you really don't need me. I'm not really the teaching type." Godric said.
"You taught me quite a lot." Ulric said quietly. "You taught me strength and courage and how to use my own wits and skills. You are a great teacher, Godric."
"Ulric is right, Godric." Salazar said. "You're just as qualified as any of us. More so than Helga, whose never taught anyone."
"Hey!" The young woman in question responded.
Ignoring her, Salazar continued. "Godric, we need your help in this. You are still a highly respected man. Your words carry weight but your presence is more important. We do need you."
"Your are the one with the kings ear, Salazar. But I'll do it. Like Helga said, between the four of us, how could it fail?"
It's not working! It's been two years and we haven't come up with anything better. Bedowyr is so ill. Have you been to see him? I'm at my wit's end! I've tried to keep those here under control. They don't listen!
For Merlin's sake I haven't even had time to look at my garden! You know that's the only thing I enjoy anymore.
Not that I mind the work. I quite enjoy it. But why can't they listen! I'm making prefect sense, and using all of the wonderfully logical arguments you've given me. But to no avail.
If only we could teach them!
I hope you're having more luck than I.
Helga.
Rowena put down the letter from Helga. She really was quite a formidable young woman. Rowena could almost see her scribbling this letter. If only the girl would think thing through!
She let out a deep sigh.
"Something wrong Ro?"
"No Richard." She answered with a smile. "Come here and feel you child move."
He smiled and obeyed. Every time Rowena saw her husband she made a mental note to thank her sister for pushing them together. That until she had gotten pregnant. then she spent hours complain about how horrid Mairead had been to trick her into this.
As if sensing her thoughts (another thing that now annoyed her greatly) Richard asked, "Anything wrong, love?"
"Helga wrote me." She waved the parchment in front of his face. "She's not having an easy time, poor thing." She turned her face down to reread the letter.
"Is Ulric trying to get her to marry him?" He asked.
"Oh I'm sure. But that isn't what's troubling her." Rowena said. There was something important here. She was missing it.
Richard chuckled. "Poor lad. Though I'm not sure if he want to marry her because her loves her or because he still feel's guilty."
"That's Helga's problem as well. Are we having dinner tonight with Godric and Mairead?" She asked.
"You made the plans, love. We're meant to be there soon though." He said with his smile still in place.
"Then we'd better leave now. You may have to just role me part way."
"You're not going to yell at your sister again are you?" He asked, trying not to laugh.
"Of course I am! But I want to get their opinions in this too." She said brandishing the letter again.
Mairead handed Helga's letter to Godric. "Well we're not having any more luck. Poor girl is practically on her own though."
"You were telling her what to say? No wonder she's having problems." Godric said.
Rowena shot him a withering look. "Mairead I'm missing something here." She said pointing to the letter. "Something important."
There was a soft knock at the door. "Da," A girl slightly younger than Helga, with Godric's curly blond hair and Mairead's ice blue eyes called into the room. "Salazar is here."
"Thank you Anya." Godric said with a smile. "Send him in."
A few moment's later Salazar came into the room, closely followed by his son, Garth. The boy was a copy of his father, only at the age of twenty.
"Salazar, Garth, welcome."
"Thank you Godric." Salazar said. "Well, you're a somber lot."
"I got a letter from Helga." Rowena supplied as if that explained everything.
"Helga! I suppose she'd huffing and puffing again." Garth said with venom. It was Helga who had kept Garth from attending any of the meetings of power. She was starting to annoy him.
"Actually I think she's on to something this time." Rowena said, trying to ignore him. "If only we could teach them." She read out loud. "I wonder if we could." She then got very excited. "You know I think we could. We could teach our kind! There's too many of us who don't know the spells to protect themselves. A..a...whatdoyoucall it?"
"School?" Godric said. "You want to form a school?"
"Come on Godric, where's that famous sense of adventure?" Salazar said. "You know, think she might actually be on to something."
"To think it would come from Helga." Garth mumbled.
"A school." Godric said. "I wonder if we could pull it off."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile....
"Ulric, could you hand me that thingy?" Helga said motioning with her hands at table littered with various objects.
"This?" He said picking up a pensive. She could never remember the name of the powerful object and knew it annoyed him when she called it a memory bowl.
"That's it. I've had an awful day! In fact I've had enough of this! I'm going to Scotland." She said putting her wand to her temple and pulling a way the silvery memory of today. "They don't listen and I can't teach them anything! And I swear, if one more of those men calls me little lady I'll scream. Don't they realize I have more power in my little finger than they have in total! I can't stand it anymore. If only they would..."
But what ever they should do was cut off when Ulric kissed her firmly on the lips.
"What was that for?" she whispered.
"Because I couldn't think of another way to get you to stop talking." He answered.
She kissed him now. It was a kiss that could melt ice in winter. She wanted him so much. The smell of his skin, the soft waves of his black hair. His strong hands pressing against her back or in her hair. He was like sun in the darkness. Helga felt very hot.
After a moment Ulric pulled away. "Helga, I'm not Robin, and I'll never be."
A sadness touched her eyes, but then she smile. "I never wanted you to be Rob. That was all in your head. I'm not blind Ulric, nor made for stone." She took his big hand in hers. "I could only take you being so good to me for so long before I fell hopelessly in love with you."
To Ulric, big man that he was, this little wisp of a woman could change the world. Little did he know she was already working on doing just that.
He smiled at her. "You wanted to go somewhere, I believe."
"Yes." She said. They disappeared together.
"Anya!" Helga called to the grand house Godric had built for his family. She knew Anya or Mairead would come to the entrance hall to great the new guests. Helga rather missed her girlhood friend and was hoping Anya would come. She did quickly.
Helga remembered playing here as a child after the grand house had been built. She, Ulric, and Robin were inseparable in those early days. But Anya had always been there too and at some point the little group split into girls and boys.
Anya was like a sister to Helga, who had no surviving siblings. Helga had to stop herself from remembering that Anya was almost her sister.
"Helga!" The familiar voice called. "And Ulric!" She ran over and gave them each a big hug. "Thank the gods. I've been going out of my mind with boredom! And Garth is here, yuck!"
Helga laughed at her friend. She was still so much a child. Helga hoped nothing happened to make her grow up any more quickly then necessary.
"Oh lovely! I suppose he's trying to run with the wolves again?" Helga asked as Anya giggled.
"You always could see though him." Anya said taking her arm and walking into the house.
"I'm not blinded by his flattery like some." Helga cast an accusing eye in Ulric's direction.
"What? The man's my friend and one of the few I've got left." He said defensively.
"Hmmm, we'll see how good a friend his is." Helga said. "We'll see."
Anya lead them to the Main Hall were everyone was at supper. "I guess I really didn't think before coming, or I would have realized what time it was." Helga said.
Ulric's stomach grumbled loudly. The two girls looked at him. He blushed and said, "I had an idea it was suppertime."
Helga smiled at him brightly, "I'm sure you did."
Anya watching them mumbled something that sounded like, "Finally!"
"What, An?" Helga asked.
"Nothing." The younger girl smiled. "Here we go!" She opened the doors and when in followed by her two companions.
"Helga! Ulric! What are you doing here?" Godric bellowed with a bright smile.
Helga laughed. It had been too long since she had been here. "I got too frustrate to spend another minute in Whales. We seem to missing a gathering here though."
"No," Mairead said. "It's just a day of unexpected guests." She smiled warmly.
Mariad's smile always made Helga miss her own mother all the more.
"Come and join us!" Rowena said.
"Rowena! You're huge!" Helga said.
"Very tactful, love." Ulric whispered to her. It was the first time he called her that and she turned bright pink.
Rowena, Mairead and Anya exchanged knowing looks as the two new comers sat down.
Helga and Ulric sat between Godric and Mairead's children. Helga chatted away with Anya while Ulric was at a loss about what to say to nine year old Rhys. It also hurt a it to look at the lad. He looked so much like Robin.
Ulric let his mind wander back to those far away days. Godric and Mairead had practically adopted him when his father turned him out after his mother died. She had been a witch but his father never knew that until after Ulric had been born. Helga's grandfather would come to speak to Godric over some serious matter, usually the suspicious deaths. Sometime one or more of her cousins would come, but as the old man was Helga's guardian she was never far out of his sight. And Salazar would turn up with Garth. They all played together. The rivalry between Garth and Helga was infamous. Ulric remember laughing with Rob about it.
And now here he sat, next to a boy who was like his own brother, unable to think of what to say other than I killed your real brother. It's all my fault. And now I'm trying to take the woman he loved.
"Are you alright, Ulric?" Rhys asked. "You look kind of funny."
Ulric tried to smile. "Fine, lad. Tell me some of your adventures I've missed since my last visit."
Rhys smile and launched into tales of escape and pranks and childhood mischief. Ulric smile at the boy and thought that he could be Rob telling tales of their youth.
Helga heard Rhys' question to Ulric. She looked at him to make sure he really was alright. She knew that look on his face. Guilt. She sighed, They were going to have to talk about Robin again later.
"Oh, your cousin's here." Anya said, bringing Helga back to the present.
"Which one?"
"Benowyc." Anya said turning slightly pink.
"Ben! I haven't seen him in ages! Why is he here?" She said.
"He, er, was out riding and had a fall. Da found him. The elves are tending him now. Don't look at me like that, Hel. you know I'm not responsible for them coming to work at our home."
"Are talking about those elves!?" Mairead yelled. "Damn things have completely over run my kitchen. I can't get in here to cook or anything."
Anya leaned over and whispered, "But if they weren't there she'd complain she was always in the kitchen."
Helga tried not to laugh. Then she said, "I just can't help feeling like you're taking advantage of them Godric."
"Helga, my dear girl, those poor little elves wouldn't have anywhere to go without my hospitality." Godric said. "They work for their room and board and protection. It's a fair deal, and more then their own kin would give them. There are what, nine different kinds of elves? And not one would help the littlest of their bunch."
"You're a saint among men." Salazar said coldly.
Rowena watched the scene. It was good to have Helga back. Ulric too, but it was Helga who usually made everything fit. The girl was a natural peacemaker, something that was needed more and more around Godric and Salazar. Their little spats usually made for interesting debates though.
Rowena, however, was beginning to feel more and more useless. She desperately wanted to bring up the topic of a school again. She was already working out the logistics in her mind. The could convert the old Roman fort above Hogsmeade. She and Godric could supervise the constriction, Mairead would want no part of that. Salazar might be talked into helping as well, if she could pull her old friend away from his creatures. That man just had a bazaar attraction to monsters.
Helga might be difficult. She spent so much time in Whales now. But her support would be important. Despite what she may think, the young woman was the most important witch in Southern Britannia, maybe all of Britannia now that Rowena had spent the past two years in virtual obscurity.
Helga and Salazar were also the key to getting the king to grant then the land needed.
"Rowena, what are you plotting?" Helga called.
"Plotting, dear, what ever do you mean?" Rowena answered.
"I know that look." The younger woman said. "It's the same look you got when you were deciding how best to do something. Usually torment me into practicing my magic harder."
"Helga, did I help you a lot in your studies?" She asked.
"Help? I worked everyday just to prove to you that I wasn't some fool child. I owe what I know today to you and your pushing me and Granda and his patients with teaching me."
"Helga what if we formed a school? A place where we could teach people would be invaluable." Rowena said.
"Where?" Helga asked.
"Well, I was thinking here in Hogsmeade." Rowena said.
"You've really been putting some thought into this." Godric said. "Haven't you?"
"Wait you mean you want me to leave Whales?" Helga nearly screamed. "And come back here?!"
"I'm sorry, Hel. I should have realized you've built a life there." Rowena began to apologize but Helga put up her hand to stop her.
"I am so in on this! Getting away from my father's fool cousins and teaching magic. My dearest Rowena, you are a the smartest person alive." Helga said with a smile.
"You two won't be able to do this on your own." Salazar said.
"It's a shame to. We could use a place like that." Godric added.
"So help us!" Helga said.
"Really! You didn't think we could do this without you two, did you?" Rowena.
"Oh? And what will we teach?" Godric said.
"Well, Godric, your could transfigure anything. Salazar knows more about magical creatures and hexes and curse than anyone. Helga could charm her way out of anything. She got broomsticks to fly, didn't she? Not to mention she knows every method of Divinations know to man."
"And a few that aren't!" Helga smiled. "And Rowena could brew any potion! Why between the four of us we know almost every form of magic on earth! We could do it. It'll be hard, but what a challenge!"
"You are already determined to do this aren't you?" Salazar said. "Well, it could be fun. Think all the people we could influence."
"Think of all the good we could do. Think of all the lives we could save!" Helga said.
"Well Godric?" Rowena asked.
He poked at his mutton leg in front of him. Then he looked at his children and his wife. Mairead smiled at him. She would support what ever decision he made. They would need his help, he knew, but they could do this without him.
"The three of you really don't need me. I'm not really the teaching type." Godric said.
"You taught me quite a lot." Ulric said quietly. "You taught me strength and courage and how to use my own wits and skills. You are a great teacher, Godric."
"Ulric is right, Godric." Salazar said. "You're just as qualified as any of us. More so than Helga, whose never taught anyone."
"Hey!" The young woman in question responded.
Ignoring her, Salazar continued. "Godric, we need your help in this. You are still a highly respected man. Your words carry weight but your presence is more important. We do need you."
"Your are the one with the kings ear, Salazar. But I'll do it. Like Helga said, between the four of us, how could it fail?"
