‘Yes, perhaps Ihad better go with you.’ replied Featherdown.
‘No. This isdruid business. If you see smoke, come running.’ said Quab with agrin and left.
Quab was alittle anxious as he returned to his sanctuary. He had improved thewards and now it excluded any person or creature with a lawfulalignment just in case one wanted to make trouble.
He passedthrough the wards at the front entrance and continued on to hiscottage. He saw a white haired male Newman in druid attire sittingon the ground in the sun smoking a pipe. He couldn’t see who it wasas the person’s back was facing towards him.
‘Hello Quab.’said the Newman. ‘It’s been a long time.’
Quab stopped.‘You’re dead. I saw you cremated … it must be thirty years or moreago.’
‘Yes. Iremember it well. I was a sad day for all, including me when Ileft. I spent nearly two hundred years of my life here. I helpedmake it the paradise it is today. This is my real home. It’s greatto be back.’
Quab hurriedaround in front of the Newman to see his face.
‘Is it reallyyou master? I thought you died.’
‘Yes it isreally me. I did die. The Lady had more work for me to do andallowed the Inter-World Druid Council to resurrect me to act as anadvocate for Mudrun on the Council. I had a name change and I havebeen bound to a chair ever since then and I have hated every minuteof it but someone had to do it I guess.’
‘Why are youhere now then?’ Quab asked.
‘It has been myjob on the Council to keep a watch over Mudrun. Several druids hereare Council agents, spies if you like. They have never met me butsend regular reports on what is happening here. The latest reporthas troubled me so I am here to find out for myself what ishappening. Your name is prominent in all the recent reports. Itseems they believe you are in league with an Agent of Chaos. Tellme about it.’ instructed the old Newman.
Quab washesitant. He was unsure whether to be excited to see his old druidmaster or afraid of some imposter. He had seen him die. Perhaps itwas some sick joke of the High Druid to get him to talk. He neededproof as to who the person really was.
‘I want proofof who you are. Tell me something that only you and I wouldknow.’
‘He He.’chuckled Safronius. ‘I guess it is wise to take precautions. Iremember when I taught you how to shape change to an eagle and youwere too scared to fly. I had to literally drag you to a cliff andthrow you off to make you fly then you loved it but were too scaredto land. You ended up landing in the water off the beach. Isuggested maybe you should fly around as a duck or pelican ratherthan an eagle. You even did that for a while until you wereattacked by an eagle then finally decided to fly as one.’
Quab flushed atthe memory. It was one of his more embarrassing life experiences.Safronius continued with another couple of Quab’s gaffs and finallyaccepted that this was his old mentor. He went into his cottage andreturned with two wooden mugs and a small cask of well-aged mead hehad been saving for a special occasion.
They talkedwell into the night at first about old times remembering manyhumorous and poignant moments. Safronius talked about his job withthe Council. He told Quab that he was present when the Yithdelegation had gone to Panmagica nearly twenty-five years ago, topresent a case to claim the world. He said the case was sound, butunacceptable to the Panmagicans, as they had significant financialinterests in Mudrun.
He didn’texpand on what the interests were, but Quab had the feeling that heknew. It was a poorly held secret that Panmagica had farms thatgrew some type of drugs on Mudrun. These were exported though thecommercial gateway in Twin Towers. That was the main reason for thecustom’s houses. It was to keep Mudrun’s most profitable export asecret.
Safronius askedQuab what he thought of the new High Druid. Quab was scathing. TheNewman was an idiot, a trouble maker, an egotist. He was the causeof much dissent amongst the Mudrun druids. Many also feared him.Curiously Safronius seemed pleased.
‘I will let youin on a council secret. The Council agrees with you. He wasnominated as a Council member about the same time as I was. TheYith nominated him, however, no one has ever been able to verifyhis nomination by talking to those that nominated him. They seem tohave disappeared. He quickly developed an interest in Mudrun andnominated a number of young druids to work here. A couple of yearsago he lobbied to get a post here and was successful.’
‘After cominghere he quickly established ambitions to become the High Druid ofMudrun. He contacted all the young druids that he had placed hereand through them developed a power base. He was recently successfulin becoming High Druid and since then a large number of chaoticevents had taken place.’
‘Let me getthis straight. You think the new High Druid is involved somehow inthe strange events happening?’ asked Quab.
‘What aboutAquitain, the one everyone seems to think is an Agent of Chaos andthe cause of a lot of the problems?’
‘I’m undecidedwhether he is an Agent of Chaos as yet.’ stated Safronius. ‘He maybe just a convenient scapegoat. However, I could be wrong.’
‘What do youthink Quab?’
Quab wasastounded.
‘I think thatyou’re right. I have had a lot to do with Aquitain and I can’t seehim as an Agent of Chaos. He is an honest guy. He’s the type youwould expect to be a hero. He’s powerful, courageous and simply notthe type to be an Agent of Chaos. In fact he doesn’t believe he’san Agent of Chaos and I believe him.’
‘You’re sure?’asked Safronius.
‘Yes I’m sure.’replied Quab.
‘Well Aquitainhas been mentioned in reports as well. He has a rather unique name.When his name was first mentioned I took the liberty to ask peoplewhat they thought of the name. Most said it sounded like a name
