Anna’s story continues…
Day 66: The sound of the spell ended.
The sound of the spell ended. There was some movement upstairs. There were footsteps hurrying too and fro across the floor. ‘Packing,’ she thought.
Her wait was not long. ‘So either he didn’t bring much with him, or he is only packing light and having the rest sent on,’ she decided as he returned to the parlor. His butler placed a suitcase beside the door.
“The car will be here momentarily, sir,” The butler told him.
“Thank you Haversham, excellent as always,” Christopher said. He smiled at Anna. “We shall be on our way very shortly.”
“Excellent,” Anna replied. Christopher resumed his seat and once again took up his tea. He sipped and made a face at the now cold cup. He placed it back down and before he could reach for anything else the bell sounded at the front door. Haversham opened it and had a brief conversation with the man on the other side of the door.
Haversham walked over. “Sir, Miss, your car has arrived.”
Anna stood and picked up her bag, slinging the strap over her head. Haversham handed Christopher’s suitcase to the driver and she and Christopher followed the driver back to the car. The car was large, shiny and black. It was polished to a high gloss and reminded her of the government vehicles she saw whisking her father off to his official meetings. The last one she saw picked up her family and took them to their trial.
Anna shook the thought away and climbed into the back, keeping her bag with her. She did not want to be separated from it. Christopher’s suitcase went into the trunk and he climbed into the car with her. He made certain to give her plenty of space. The driver got behind the wheel and soon they were driving towards the city gates. While Anna didn’t see the extra protections over the city that she saw when she had her full shielding on she certainly felt them as they drove through and Anna shivered.
Christopher chuckled. “Now you see why I offered you a ride back to the capitol,” Christopher said. “You would never have made it through the modified city shields on your own.”
“I see,” Anna said. “They do feel modified from those I felt upon my arrival,”
“I worked on the modifications myself,” he said proudly. “No one could have gotten in or out of the city without my permission. I’m quite pleased with how they turned out. I’d tell you the details, but I’m afraid that isn’t allowed.”
“It’s a state secret then?” Anna asked.
“Well there is always the possibility that you might decide you don’t want to go back to the capitol and there would I be?”
“Everyone seems quite insistent that I return to the capitol,” Anna said. “It seems strange.”
“It was your home, why shouldn’t you return?”
“There is no reason I shouldn’t now that I am cleared of charges, but I can’t see why it should be imperative that I do so. After all, everyone got along quite well without me while I was gone. I don’t understand why anyone cares where I am now that I no longer have fugitive status.”
“Ah,” Christopher said. “That I am afraid I can’t tell you either. Most of it is above my pay grade. Marcus would have to explain it.”
“And where is Marcus,” Anna asked.
Ten til Midnight 