Cantrell Chronicles
The Shaking of Foundations, a Cantrell Chronicles, Part One_ Chapter One The call came in the dead of night. Reaching an arm out from underneath the covers, Joseph groped for his cellphone on the ...
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Thank you. But sometimes, it's for the best. In many ways, since I had just written it up, much was still in my head. I have this habit of writing up the spine of the chapter and then adding bobbles along the way as I proof-read. Now worries, I have much of what I lost.
Welcome Home, Cantrell Chronicles, Chapter Two
Come the new day, Joseph began the business of resigning his post as director of the human school in The Province on Vulcan, and formally withdrawing Aaron, Joey and Brianna from school, securing their records for transfer. Since Erik had already graduated, his last task was to contact High Counselor, T’Lar, as she expected Brianna to return to the Temple upon her seventeenth birthday, so she could sit the time-honored Test, the K’Matra; which would be the final assessment of her control over her skills; how far she could project her thoughts, if she could truly Mindmeld with another, along with her ability to control her psychic impulses. These were crucial tests. Bree would be the very first human to do so.
T’Lar who had been amazingly accommodating to this human family, secured Joseph’s oath that he and his daughter would return upon Brianna’s seventeenth birthday. He obtained a realtor and listed the house for a quick sale. Within two weeks, the family was on their way back to Earth.
*~~*~~*~~*~~*
“I have to say, that was a rather pleasant, and short trip,” Louise said, rubbing her well-rounded belly, “I had shades of giving birth to a second child in space.”
“I told you two months was the norm,” Joseph said, looking at her suspiciously, wondering if he were missing a crucial signal. “Taking the family business ship, Freedom this time helped. It’s all about Hyper Space, you see. Ah, here’s our taxi craft.”
The Hovercraft resembled a stretch limousine with a shiny black surface with gold filagree over the wells. The center doors were adorned with a gold-framed Coat of Arms, with a deep blue background and two shiny broad swords crossed near the end of the sharp-looking blades. “Come along kids, our chariot awaits. Slide into the back two seats. I’m anxious to see what the old place looks like.”
*~~*~~*~~*~~*
“Hm,” Brianna said, “looks remarkable considering its age. When was it built again? Fifteen hundred-seventy-four?”
“Exactly seven hundred years ago, that’s right. Joe took care of it. He always felt that was his mission, after your Grandpa died. The lot always goes to the eldest son.” Turning in his seat toward his eldest son, Joseph looked at Aaron “That means you. I always told you there were perks to being the firstborn.”
“But it’s so big and cold looking.” The red-haired teen slumped into his seat looking as disinterested as any teen could.
“Solution,” Erik said, sitting in the opposite bench seat, “get married and have children. That should fill the ole place up in no time. I think it's beautiful.”
“Fine, then you take it. I don’t even know if I like kids.”
Joey shrugged, “No worries, I can just move in, wife, kids et al.”
Erik waved his hand under his nose, “Joey, if you don’t learn to bathe more often, I doubt you’ll even get married. Let alone get physically close enough to make babies.”
“What are you saying?” Joey said. “I may be fifteen, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get the obvious. I do plan on being a physician one day.” The vehicle stopped at the curb and the family debarked. Servants all dressed in their neatly pressed uniforms lined the stone steps all the way to the double-wooden doors. Two white-gloved male servants, dressed like butlers, but without the tails on their jacket, gathered up the family’s luggage and took it inside.
Upon reaching the porch, the doors swung inward. Following their parents, the Cantrell children all stepped into a large foyer. “Wow, look at this place, it’s like a moment out of time,” Erik said, eagerly crossing to the tall archway to his left. “Is this? Can’t be . . . a throne room? An actual throne room?” Coming up beside his second son, Joseph placed his hand on the youth’s broadened shoulders.
“That’s exactly what this is. I remember watching as your grandpa would hear the People’s Petitions. Sometimes, the job seemed interesting.” Walking back out again, Erik noticed another archway just to his right as he returned to the Grand Foyer, as he heard it referred to. “Another archway, now where do you suppose it leads? Shall we find out?” In a flash he darted through it and finding a set of stairs just beyond the opening, he descended. Must be to the dungeon, he supposed.
Halfway down the stairs, the automatic lights rolled back the darkness. To his right, in the far corner, was a magnificent grand piano with all kinds of carved adornment at the sides and back. “Dibs on the basement!” he hollered up the staircase.
“Come on, Erik, we want to finish the tour, and we don’t have all day.” Aaron once again behaving as a resentful older brother.
“Yes, we do,” Louise said, giving her firstborn the eye. “This is home.”
“I’m coming,” Erik said, reluctantly climbing upward, even though his fingers itched to tickle the ivories, if only for a moment.
Moving through the foyer stepping through another tall archway, they came into a large room furnished with two long tables, two servers and a bar. A delightful wallpaper covered the stone walls.
“Grand Hall,” Joseph said, as if making a mental note. “For entertaining dignitaries.”
“And here we find, a door. Anybody wish to guess what’s beyond it?” Pushing it open, Erik led the way inside. Again, automatic lights illuminated the room. “This place has been modernized without losing the Medieval charm. Good job, Uncle Joe.”
The kitchen had been gutted. All that remained was the burnt stove with black smudge markings on the walls above it. Joseph caught his breath, “Mr. Noel wasn’t kidding. I guess, Louise, you get the pleasure of designing the layout.”
“What’s that black stuff on the stones?” Joey said, pointing at it,
“First off,” Erik said, “those are bricks not stone. They don’t catch fire, hence the use of them in fireplaces. Hm,” he reached up and touched a smudge then rolled his forefinger against his thumb as if testing a theory. “Soot.”
“Spooky, you mean this is where Uncle Joe died?” Joey squealed, as he stepped away from the stove.
“It’s okay, he's not here,” Brianna said, utilizing her Psychic Abilities. “He was a steadfast Believer, and he has gone to his reward. This place is not haunted,” she told Joey in no uncertain terms.
“If you say so, but I’m not sleeping here.”
All for now. Thanks for reading!
It is great that the family have returned now to move into the Castle 🙂I hope that they settle in well. The architectural exterior design of the home is very great! The interior furnishing is lovely. The throne room looks very grand! Erik’s reaction to seeing the gold piano was very special ❤️
Thank you. I love it when the game gives pictures like that. It almost makes him appear cognizant of who he is and what he does (music).
It will be interesting to see how your story unfolds. Eric’s brothers seem different this time. It was nice to learn more about their Uncle Joe in the initial installment.
Thank you. Aaron has resented Erik almost Erik's entire life. I think he's just really insecure. I had time to show that when I originally started it last year. Aaron was a toddler and Erik an infant when the story began. So, I am attempting to show the sibling rivalry that exists. As for Joey, he's a loveable goofball.
Place looks grand 😊
Thank you. I toyed with building another castle, but this cold (which thankfully is nearly gone) made me too tired. So, I took the one I built for Erik's family, if you recall, and extended a wall from the living room to create the throne room and modified the dining room to give more room. I am rather pleased with it, myself.
Very regal looking home! And Erik found his happy place in the basement! 🙂
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