The Children of When (Complete)

Chapter 24 - Tyranius at the Fey Academy

Tyranius was furious! He stepped out of the carriage in front of the Fey Academy and surveyed his surroundings in disgust. He had expected to find the place burned to the ground, but there was no evidence of fire damage that he could see. What had gone wrong this time?

Although he hadn't been here in years, the place looked exactly the same as the last time he'd visited the pathetic little hovel. A pretentious, curved stone pathway swept up each side of the entrance, meeting in the centre at the front door. He sniggered, as he imagined the panic and mayhem going on behind that door right now. He had deliberately not informed anyone he was coming, expecting to arrive in the aftermath of a devastating fire to console the survivors.

The door opened, revealing Madame Persimmons with a welcoming smile plastered on her face. Tyranius knew it was fake; they had shared a mutual dislike for years. He forced a matching smile onto the withered old face of the Elder Guardian, and stepped forward in greeting.

"Tyranius, what a pleasant surprise. It's been years! What brings you all the way to Fey Academy?" Her false welcome made him nauseous.

"Madame Persimmons, how lovely to see you," Tyranius gushed, as he took her hand. "I decided on the spur of the moment that a visit was long overdue. You do such an excellent job here of preparing these children for their new lives, I wanted to express my gratitude in person." Did a flicker of something flash in her eyes? Hatred? Suspicion? Fear?

She waved her arm for him to enter. "Well, please come in. You must be exhausted from your long trip. I've arranged to have refreshments brought to my office."

They walked to her office in silence, Tyranius revelling in the nervous tension in the air. He loved that he inspired fear and anxiety in the people he ruled. It reinforced his sense of power.

Madame Persimmons moved behind her desk, gesturing towards one of the big comfy chairs in front of it.

"I won't stay long, Madame. I have other pressing engagements to attend to in the area," he lied smoothly. "I fear I have been lax in my duties, leaving so long between visits. What's it been, five years?"

"Closer to seven, I believe."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... that long? My, how time flies. So, everything is ticking along nicely here I presume? I so rarely receive reports of problems here at Fey Academy. It is a credit to you, and your staff, that the place runs so smoothly." He definitely saw a twinge of unease this time.

"Actually, there was a small fire in the first-year dorms last night. Fortunately, it was contained well before it was able to cause any major problems. We have yet to trace its origin." She reeked of suspicion. Interesting!

"Goodness, that was indeed fortunate. I hope no-one was hurt in the process?" He tried not to show more than a passing interest.

She smiled stiffly. "Fortunately, no. Apart from some of the children suffering from smoke inhalation, everyone is fine."

"Excellent news." He leaned back in the comfy chair and crossed his legs. "I was thinking, while I'm here it would be nice to meet some of the newer students, see how they're settling in. Perhaps the three students who arrived on the same day last week? I don't think I've ever heard of three students arriving on the same day."

He grudgingly admired her poise. She was good! He probably wouldn't have noticed the flicker of fear in her eyes if he hadn't been looking for it.

When she didn't respond immediately, he uncrossed his legs and leaned towards her. "Is there a problem?"

Madame Persimmons jumped to her feet. "Of course not. I'll ask Dominic to bring them immediately."

She hurried to the door, opening and closing it quietly behind her. He chuckled, thoroughly enjoying her discomfort. She had been a thorn in his side for years, always asking questions about things that were none of her business. He wasn't sure why he'd asked to meet the children. Maybe he'd suggest they come back to Ellissidil for a little holiday. He chuckled again at the reaction he would get to that statement.

The door behind him opened, and Madame Persimmons crossed the room. She walked stiffly towards her desk, and sat down. He could see the beads of sweat gathered above the frown on her forehead.

She looked him straight in the eye. "I'm afraid we have a problem. The three children never turned up for class this morning. No-one seems to have any idea where they are."

"I see," Tyranius said mildly, his mind racing with possibilities. "And when were they last seen?"

"I saw them after the fire last night, but no-one seems to have seen them since."

"Well, I'm afraid this reflects badly on you, Madame Persimmons. Your position as headmistress makes you personally responsible for the safety and well-being of your students. Your negligence in this matter cannot go unpunished. I am removing you from the position of headmistress of the Fey Academy, and you will need to return to Ellissidil with me today." He was so enjoying this!

"Of course." She calmly stood up, and moved from behind her desk. "Do you have someone in mind to fill the position? I'll need to inform the rest of the staff about what's happening."

"Hmm, perhaps the history teacher, what's his name? Ah yes, Mr Kafoops, could step in and take on the role temporarily. Perhaps he will be able to find the missing students."

Madame Persimmons nodded her head. "Of course. I'll inform Dominic immediately and grab a few things. Would ten minutes be permissible?" Her calm acceptance was starting to grate on his nerves.

"I shall be waiting in the carriage. Ten minutes, not a second more Madame Persimmons." He bowed his head slightly, turned and let himself out.

He walked towards his carriage with a satisfied smile. He may have lost the children temporarily, but he finally had a justifiable reason for removing the old witch from the Fey Academy, and replacing her with someone loyal to himself.

As for the missing children, it shouldn't take long to find some weak-minded fool who was prepared to tell him where they were. Then he'd track them down, and dispose of them once and for all.

All things considered, it had turned out to be a very productive day.