Castle Planner's Journal: 1000 Years

     “Hi Maple!” Wolcott greeted her.

     “Well hello Wolcott!” Maple saw the familiar face and lit up. She quickly wiped her paws on her apron, but the apron was so thoroughly caked in flour that it was barely effective. She went to give him a big warm hug. “What brings you lot down here?” she asked.

     “We are looking to solve a riddle!” Kayla quickly answered, already looking around the room for anything that could be a clue.

     “Yes! All we have to go on is ‘The secret sauce of the kings favourite’” Lisha explained.

     “Oh! Well that’s easy.” Maple beckoned them to follow.

     Morris and Boris looked at eachother. Neither expected it to be that easy.

     Maple led them all over to the larder, where she started to explain. “Kings Favorite is an easy sandwich to make, but you need to get just the right blend of berries and spices. The hard part is getting the filling to ever so slightly ferment so that it brings out the flavour in just the right way.” Maple showed them a large glass jar of a strange brown jelly like paste.

     “Wait, the king's favourite is a sandwich? I was expecting us to have to do some historical research on this!” Wolcott was as incredulous as Morris and Boris.

     “Oh yes. It’s an old old old recipe. My mentor taught it to me, and it took forever to get it right. I think Skarl isn't particularly fond of it because of all my failed attempts in my younger days. But we still make it. Lazlo the Chamberlain is particularly ravenous for it, actually.” Maple explained.

     “Hmm. This is helpful, but also not an answer to the riddle.” Wolcott thought out loud.

     “What would your answer be?” Maple was confused.

     “We don't know. Morris, don't touch that.” Lisha replied, as Morris was about to dip his finger into the jar to snag a taste.

     “What about the recipe?” Kayla asked, curious as to what the concoction contained.

     “Oh, well that’s easy.” Maple asked for a little notebook, which Lisha was happy to oblige. “It’s a simple blend of Salt, Islandberry, gooseberry, and some nutmeg to taste, and balance out the fermentation process.” She wrote down the recipe as she spoke.

     “SIGN!” Wolcott was quick to point out.

     “What now?” Maple asked.

     “That might be the answer we are looking for!” Boris explained. “Let's go try it!” he was anxious to check.

     “Thanks Maple!” Wolcott thanked the Ogrin before they all quickly left the kitchen almost as fast as they had appeared.

     “Silly kids.” Maple put her paws on her hips as she watched them disappear.

     It hadn't even been an hour since they had left the library before they came back to solve the next riddle. By now it was late at night, but they returned to Gaius still making architectural drawings at his desk. He watched as they all came in to test their next answer.

     “Back already?” He called out from across the room.

     “Yes! We think the next answer is sign!” Morris replied as they all crowded around Lisha’s desk.

     “That was fast...” He muttered.

     It didn't take her long to calculate the next clue. Lisha recorded the results of her calculations into her notebook in her desk.

     “BETWIXT THE PATH TO THE GLADE AND THE ROAD FROM COGHAMLET TO THE ROYAL GROUNDS” She revealed.

     “What could this mean?” Kayla puzzled over the new clue.

     Gaius wandered over. “Allright kiddos. Pack it up. It's time to go to bed!” He reminded them, gesturing to clear out.

     “But we aren’t tired!” Lisha protested.

     “Yeah, I usually don't go to bed for at least another 2 hours!” Kayla was used to working late into the night.

     “Yes, you four might not go to sleep, but I want my apprentice to be well rested and responsible.” He gave Wolcott a knowing look. Wolcott didn't have much of a choice.”

     “Awww. Yeah I should sleep. We can solve it tomorrow. It’s the weekend, so we should have plenty of time!” Wolcott knew he shouldn’t ignore Gaius.

     “Yeah. lets resume tomorrow” Lisha admitted that it was indeed late.

     The group of friends all decided that they would meet back in the library tomorrow morning after breakfast to pick up where they left off. As they left, Gaius didn’t heed his own advice, and stayed up late in the library. He took a look over their notes, and was rather impressed with how much progress that Lisha and her friends had made solving all these riddles.

          As Lisha rushed to finish breakfast, her brother looked over at her trying to shovel the oats in her mouth as fast as possible.

     “I know you are always ready to work in the library, but I've never seen you this furious for oats!” He teased her. “Trying to get back to that puzzle?”

     “Yeah. we got sent to bed under the risk of curfew last night by your boyfriend.” Lisha pouted a little as a joke to rub it in. “But I gotta race to figure out this next clue!.”

     “Surely there’s not a rush?” Jeran asked, hoping to calm his seemingly agitated sister.

     “The thirst for knowledge doesn't wait! Why should I?” She said, shoving the last of her meal in her mouth, and then dashing off to return the bowl.

     It wasn't long before Lisha had assembled books about Illusens Glade, Coghamlet, and The Royal Grounds. Thru just simple research, she found that Coghamlet had since been shortened to Cogham, a farming town not far away, and that King Hagan had used the Royal Hunting Grounds to found the kingdom of Brightvale.

     All of this information was new to her, but a pleasant surprise. This surely would give important insight to what the riddle was referring to 1000 years ago! But now to find out how. The young Aisha spread a map out on the research table. It had been made by the finest scholars in Brightvale, so she knew she could count on its accuracy.

     Her finger traced a path along the page. First along the road from Meridell Castle to Illusen’s Glade. It was a path she knew pretty well, having taken it a few times herself when she was trying to learn how to best wield the magic of her Rod of Supernova with visits to the faeries in Illusens Glade. Once she had mentally marked the road, she started looking for the best path that led to Cogham from Brightvale. She had to spend a few minutes figuring out which road actually lead to where she wanted to go, since it was not a path she had ever taken.

     Right as she found a line that intersected as the clue described, she was interrupted by a knock. Expecting it to be Wolcott, she excitedly called out “I think I’ve already found our next destination! It’s a bit of a tr- Oh!” She turned around and saw that it was in fact a familiar blue Acara, rather than the Ogrin she was expecting. It was Roberta!

     “Hello there little Lisha!” She said in a calming tone. “I’m just here to return a book before I leave Meridell for some errands as I return to Brightvale!” She held up the borrowed book on the history of trade with the islands south of the Meridellian Peninsula.

     “Oh, you are leaving already? It feels like you just got here!” Lisha said, taking the book from her to reshelf.

     “Oh, I was always only planning on being here for a week. I have a few more diplomatic visits to make before I head home. I need to pay Illusen a visit as well!” Roberta explained.

     “Illusen? Are you leaving soon?” Lisha’s ears all perked up.

     “In an hour. That’s why I had to return the book!”

     “Oh, would you mind if I tagged along? I have an important research... ‘mission’ along that way!” Lisha begged Roberta to accompany her on the trip. It wasn't a difficult or dangerous trip, but it was always best to travel with a companion, at least for good company.

     “I suppose so. Just let your brother know you are leaving. I’m sure he will want to know something like that. “ Roberta smiled. “Meet me at the castle gates in an hour!” She called as she bid Lisha goodbye.

     Lisha raced to finish up the last minute librarian tasks she needed to do before heading out. She was glad that she was always so studiously on top of her responsibilities, that it didn't take more than a few minutes. She carefully closed and locked the library door in her absence, with a little sign to announce the temporary closure of the library.

     That afternoon, Wolcott finally managed to wrap up learning about the careful weaving process of recaning chairs a little early. He used the free time to check up on Lisha’s progress on the riddle. He whistled down the hallway, but stopped short once he noticed that the door was closed, and that Lisha was gone. The note explained that Lisha was gone to Illusens glade.

     “Huh... Maybe she found something!” Wolcott let himself into the library, despite it being closed, under the pretense that he was just going to grab something from Gaius’s desk, which also lived in the library. He started looking to see if Lisha had left a clue out on her desk. As he was scanning over her desk, His boss, Gaius walked into the library.

     “Oh. There you are Wolcott. What are you doing? The library is closed now.” Gaius reminded him.

     Wolcott was so focused in his search that he had been started by the sudden voice. “O-oh! Nothing!” He was nervous.

     Gaius gave him a suspicious look. “You should respect Lisha’s privacy, and not go through her desk while she isn't here.”

     “Oh yes. I'm only seeing if she left a clue as to the next puzzle. I’m terribly curious about it.” He said, putting her papers back in the order he had found them.

     Gaius narrowed his eyes, and looked Wolcott over for a moment before finally coming to a conclusion. “I don’t want you wasting more time on that silly treasure hunt. It’s taking up too much of your free time. You used to spend that time practicing your drafting skills.”

     Wolcott was confused at first by the request, but then was gutted. “What? But we are so close to the end! There's only one more clue before it's finally all translated! It's historical research!”

     “Which isn’t your job. Your job is to learn architecture and maintenance of this historic building. Leave it to the librarian.” Gaius was firm.

     “But I have seen you run off on solving little puzzles and going on small adventures. Why can’t I?” Wolcott was starting to get heated as he argued.

     Gaius didn't have an immediate response. “Yes, but I have to think about how to best cultivate you as a Castle Planner. It’s not an easy job and there's much for you to learn. Once you know it all, then you can decide when it's appropriate to go off on an adventure. Like I said: Leave it to Lisha. “

     “Fine! But that's so unfair!” Wolcott shouted as he stormed off, relenting to his mentor’s wishes. He knew he wasn't in a position to argue. He did value his apprenticeship more than the curiosity of a puzzle, but he certainly seethed with his perceived injustice.

     Gaius plopped down on the stool by his desk. He slumped over, trying to answer the racing questions in his head. Was he doing the right thing?

     As Roberta and Lisha trekked across the sun-dappled dirt road, Lisha was anxiously comparing her surroundings with the map she was carrying. She continuously compared landmarks and turns in the road with her map to keep an exact track on how much longer it would take to get to the intersection.

     “Lisha, No need to bury yourself in the map! Let yourself enjoy the journey, not the destination! Enjoy the day! Connect with nature”

     Lisha reluctantly folded the map, but did not put it away. She looked around the forest and took a moment to try and admire the serene landscape, but it didn't take long before a Petpetpet flew into her face. After a minute of trying to wipe any traces of insects off her, and Roberta laughing, they finally came across the sign indicating the intersection. As soon as Roberta pointed this out, Lisha stopped worrying about invasive insects, and ran over to the sign to read it out.

     ‘Hark! Speed be upon ye traveler. North Illusen’s Glade. South Meridell, West Cogham, East Brightvale’ She read out loud.

     “Ah hah!” Lisha started to quickly write down the findings. She was sure she had found her answer.

     “What did you find?” Roberta asked, trying to decipher her notes.

     “Speed! That must be the next clue.” She said confidently.

     “What makes you so sure?” She asked, catching up to Lisha, who had started confidently walking away from the sign, and towards their destination at Illusen’s Glade.

     “The letter S! Each riddle’s key word has all started with the letter S. That’s what the sign says!” Lisha clapped her notebook closed, concluding her thought.

     “Well! That’s that then!” Roberta seemed satisfied that Lisha was satisfied.

     It didn't take but a minute before Lisha grew impatient enough to attempt to decode her message with the new information. It was a struggle but she started doing math while walking. Roberta giggled as Lisha kept veering off the path as her mind was elsewhere, trying to do three things at once.

     To be continued…