Waiting For Sunrise - The Books Of Beginning AU

52. Loose Ends

Kate followed her sister, practically running through the dark hallways of the manor. Emma offered no explanation for her state of panic, and Kate couldn't find it in herself to ask; her mind was so wrapped up with the Countess's words, how their parents were prisoners, how the Dire Magnus was after their family, how their only hope was to retrieve the other two Books of Beginning. She knew she had to tell her siblings and Dr. Pym as soon as possible, but, she realized, as Emma grabbed her hand and tugged her towards a growing noise in the distance, that might not be possible. It seemed as though there was already something big going on.

They stopped at the familiar door. It was the entrance to the ballroom, the one where the Wibberlys had been forced to watch the Countess's ghostly illusion of a soiree. Emma squeezed her hand tighter.

"Are you ready?" 

Kate didn't have the chance to respond, for, at that moment, her sister pushed through the doors, shoulders squared up. Laughter and light overwhelmed her for a second, before she blinked and her eyes adjusted. It was a party, but not the Countess's upper-crust affair. Not even close. This was jovial, with folksy music playing, tables of food lining the room, and paper streamers in gold, green, pink, and white decorating the walls. People wandered about, socializing with each other, and children dashed around, playing games and giggling. 

"What's going on?" Kate questioned, but she received no answer. Her sister was scanning the room and the rest of the partygoers... They had spotted the two girls, and begun whispering. Within seconds, the whole room had fallen silent. 

Kate fidgeted uncomfortably at the feeling of so many eyes on her. "Emma, what is this?"

Her words were drowned out as a round of rousing applause commenced. Every single person in the room was clapping and cheering. It was slightly creepy.

"There you are! Welcome! Welcome!"

Dr. Pym, wearing the same tweed suit he'd been dressed in all those years ago, emerged from the crowd. He was beaming. "I'm so glad to see you both! Isn't this just marvelous?"

"Maybe," Kate said, "I don't exactly... What's even going on here?"

"Why, it's a party!" He cried in delight, even though that, at least, was obvious. He must have noticed she was not reassured, for he leaned down and said in a whisper, "have no fear. The Dire Magnus and his ilk cannot reach you tonight. I have seen to it."

She nodded absentmindedly, her attention devoted to the crush of people trying to come towards her and Emma. "Uh-huh, but-"

"It's okay Kate," called her brother's voice, "everything's alright!" He had pushed his way through the throng of people to come stand with his sisters and the wizard.

And, indeed, all the people seemed eager to do was shake Kate's hand enthusiastically, say thank you, and smile, smile so wide their cheeks must hurt. There were many men and women with tears in their eyes as they approached her, and those people clung to her hand with something like reverence, as if she were something holy they'd waited their entire lives to touch.

"Dr. Pym," she said, after drying the tears of a woman who'd embraced her fiercely, "what's happening?"

"This is the anniversary of Cambridge Falls being founded," he answered. "The hundred and fiftieth anniversary to be precise. That's a century and a half of this town enduring! It's truly quite impressive, and so I took it upon myself to host a party, and these folks that I've invited are all the fine people of the town. I've got a gramophone going, and a veritable feast for everyone to enjoy, though the decorations are a bit hasty, and goodness knows this house is a mess. Miss Sallow, talented woman as she is in many ways, refuses to clean properly. It's her most dismal trait as a housekeeper."