Episode 15 Part 3
The moon rose that night and the party commenced in the great hall. As instructed Wrolf and Jack were to remain with the horses and Matthew's servants. The collection room was full of guests. They were well dressed and the emperor stood by awaiting them, mainly Diana.
The emperor was swayed by her presence that he invited her to talk to him. Before that, he apologised to them for his outburst back on the bird-racing field. He then giggled flamboyantly, deciding they should forget about it. He showed Diana his most prized collection. Matthew kept it under control much to Argus's relief.
"You're doing a good job," he praised.
"Thank you," Matthew appreciated the compliment. "This was why I lied to her at first about mating. Having blood rage and possessiveness over a mate makes one a very beastly man,"
"Don't call yourself that," Argus wished he didn't call himself that. "Diana wouldn't have married you otherwise. Tell me how you both met,"
"It was the book of life. It was what drew me to her and her sister,"
"The sister she spoke to back in the time-plain at the temple sit," he figured out quickly. "What is her sister like?"
"She has ice abilities. She can sense things. She's like no creature we have ever seen," he said in wonder. "Leaving her was so painful for Diana,"
"So she is no vampire, witch, daemon or human,"
Matthew shook his head. "I am hoping that the Book of Life can give us answers to who she is and why species are declining in the present,"
"When you both claim that book, do not let it fall into the wrong hands," he warned.
Matthew tried to speak again but hostile words rang through their eardrums. Argus detected the sinister hatred burning behind the syllables. The emperor had figured out Diana's ruse'. The name 'charlatan' made Argus's fingers curl up. But then he noticed something enchanting happening. A metal snake around Rudolf's goblet turned colourful. It came to life.
He turned pale as a ghost. The defiant Diana took the snake off the glass cup and glared unafraid at him. "I am no charlatan,"
The emperor was frightening. "Whatever it is…" he breathed, scared and feebly. "Whatever you want, name it,"
"Show me the book,"
The petrified emperor led the group of four into his office. Gallowglass and Argus glanced at each other carefully and wondered what they had missed during their earlier break-in. Rudolf approached his shelves. He pushed. A tunnel lay ahead, dark with little brazier light. Escorted by some guards, they followed him down some stairs into a giant stone room with moonlight stretching in through a grated hall in the ceiling.
A scared man huddled against the wall, clutching an object with velvet red.
"This is absurd! Kelly is an Englishman. And under the queen's protection!" snapped Mathew, incredulously at what he was seeing.
Diana approached him. "Give me the book,"
Edward shook his head. He refused to let go of what was in his possessions. Diana flicked her hands and instantly a force of wind flew through everyone's hair. The book was whooshed out of the prisoner's hands. It fell onto its spine, falling open. As it did, the three vampires and witches heard loud screams coming from the book. It flipped over its pages. A tree of magical energy sprouted from the dusty white sheets. Diana eyed it intently as two circles, separately gold and blue emerged beside it. The sun and the moon. The pages flicked over and two dragons, one red and one blue appeared.
Rudolf observed her with wonder. "Take Kelly. I have found something much more precious,"
The guards drew their swords and grabbed Diana. The apparitions above the book disappeared.
"Diana!" screamed Matthew. He and Argus came to her aid and fought them off. During the skirmish, Kelly crawled off, his hands still chained to the wall and grabbed the book.
"The book!" Argus cried out. "The book!"
The panicking Edward ripped at its pages. "Stop! Screaming!"
"No!" Diana screamed, rushing forward. "Give it here!" by the time Edward had pulled out the three pages, her fist met his face and she pulled the book from his fretted fingers. It was time to go.
"Stop them!" commanded Rudolf. Argus pushed him to the ground. Then in a blur, he grabbed Kelly and wrapped his loose chains around his hands behind his back. They dashed back up the tunnel back into the office. Matthew quickly shut the secret door behind them. Guards chased after them. They fled the castle and after bursting through the wooden gates, Gallowglass jammed them shut with a spear over the lock. Pierre awaited them with the horses ready. But Francoise and the boys weren't there.
Argus feared for Wrolf. "Where are the boys?"
"Francoise has gone ahead with them. They're about a mile ahead of us,"
"Then let's go now," said Diana. She handed Matthew the book. He smelt it. He shuddered.
"This book, it's made from the skin of creatures. The ink is written in our blood. The pages are bound together by our hair. And the papers are made from our skin. This is more like the book of Death,"
"Matthew! We have to go now!" begged Argus. He had shoved Wrolf onto a horse and made sure he was secure. "Come on!"
With no choice, they mounted their horses and they galloped across the fields, getting as far away as possible from Bohemia. They managed to regroup with Francoise and the boys at a town not too far away. Matthew and Diana hugged Jack tightly and Argus embraced Wrolf tightly. The boys were brought to tears seeing them safe and sound.
Argus knew the best routes to take across Europe to avoid being pursued. Days passed and with a petrified prisoner, two young friends playing together almost every morning and a terrifying book…it became a rather entertaining journey. Matthew hoped they hadn't messed too much with history. He knew that at some point they had to ensure Kelly was kept prisoner again as it was how history was meant to play out.
They arrived at the region just outside Brittany. This was the final time, present-day Matthew and his mate would ever see Argus. Argus was so heartbroken that Wrolf would have to say goodbye to his dear friend Jack. As he allowed them to play one last time in the nearby meadow, he stood on a hilltop, biding his final words of this part of Matthew and Diana's time adventure. "I guess this is goodbye then," he lamented.
"It is," replied Matthew sadly.
"I'm glad to have met you, Argus," Diana said proudly.
"When you both return to your time, tell Thomas of me," he implored.
They nodded. "Write a letter for him," implored Matthew. "Leave the words he needs to move forward,"
"I already have. I pray that he will find love again with someone just as worthy as me,"
"There will be no one worthier than you," lamented his father-in-law.
"Here," Argus pulled his talisman off his neck and placed it around Diana's neck. "Thomas gave this to you so you must hold onto it,"
"I will give it back to him when we return. And I'll tell him everything," Diana promised.
"I think Thomas meant for you to have it. This was his message to me as Ysabeau's ring was to Phillipe. Don't ever lose it,"
Diana nodded. Then she pulled Argus into a warm embrace, shedding a tear. "I'm so glad we met you,"
Argus sniffled a little. "Me too,"
She pulled back and a heartbroken Matthew approached quickly, scooping him into his arms again, engulfing him with his love. "I'm glad to have seen you one last time. I just wish Tom was here,"
Argus held him tightly. "Even if Phillipe and I…are not there, we'll always be watching over you. My love will always be with Thomas even when I'm not with him,"
"I am proud that you married my son. I have always been proud to call you my son," As he held his son-in-law, Matthew remembered everything from the beginning. How Thomas confessed to him his feelings for Argus, how their anxious greeting turned into a joyful welcome, how the conflict between their families stood no chance in destroying their happiness.
Wrolf and Jack were too busy giggling with the stories they told each other that they didn't realise the three grownups approaching them. Wrolf turned his head and he saw that Argus looked a little tearful. And so did Matthew. "It's time to say goodbye Wrolf," he said solemnly.
Wrolf looked at Jack. "Bye Jackie,"
"Bye Wrolfie," Jack gifted his friend a tight hug, returning.
The three adults watched remorsefully. They knew they would never see them again. Wrolf was hoisted onto the horse in front of Argus and Jack sat in front of Matthew. Argus on his steed perceived the new Matthew and his mate one final time. "I will always remember you two," he vowed. Matthew smiled back. "And I'm proud you've been and will be the father I never had. Take care of him, Diana,"
"Thank you," sniffled Diana. "You make the most of your life with Thomas,"
They stood still for one final moment. Then the couple pulled on their reins and steered them west. They galloped into the distance. Argus watched them as they disappear into the darkness of the foggy forest. He felt a great dent forming in his heart but something more powerful fluttering in his chest.
"So what now?" Wrolf asked Argus.
Argus stared down at him. "We're going back to Thomas. I want you to be our son,"
Wrolf was taken to tears. "Really?"
Argus smiled and Wrolf embraced him. Holding him tight, he steered his horse in a different direction and they rode into the distance. Argus would speak of nothing that had happened these last few weeks to his beloved, or anyone. His fate would come and he would face it. And Thomas would always be at the centre of his heart and thoughts.
And that's the last chapter of this episode. So sorry for taking long. I've been so busy with other things including university but it's here now. I'll make sure to have the next chapter ready within two weeks' time. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. See you all soon. Thank you so much for your support. Bye for now.