Yes, but that was him, Blade objected. Im different. Ive got lots of ideas but I dont want to try them out yet. I want to know the normal things first.
Fair enough, said Mara. I didnt share my ideas about micro-universes in those days. But you can surely understand the second reason Derk doesnt want you at the University. They really do nothing there these days that isnt going to help the tours. They havent time to look beyond. They probably dont dare to. And your father thinks, rightly or wrongly, that youll end up as miserable as he was, or that youll find yourself doing nothing but look after the tours like the rest of them. And that would break his heart, Blade.
Blade found himself wanting to say whole numbers of things everything from I do understand to But this is not his life, its mine! and could only manage, rather sulkily, Well, it turns out were both having to look after the tours anyway.
Before Mara could reply, Lydda cut in with, This Mr Chesney does he eat the same stuff as us? Hes from a different world, isnt he?
Mara sprang up. Oh yes. Im sure he does. That reminds me
Good, said Lydda. Im planning godlike snacks.
And I must get us organised, said Mara. Let me see therell be eighty-odd wizards, plus two people with Mr Chesney, and us. Blade, come and help me see if we can turn the dining room into a Great Hall. And theres your fathers clothes
From then on it was all a mighty bustle. Derk, for the most part, strode through it muttering There must be a way out! and doing all his usual things, like feeding and exercising the animals, turning the sprinkler on his coffee bushes, milking the Friendly Cows and checking his experiments, while everyone else raced about. Blade thought rather angrily that Dad seemed to have taken Shonas offer of help far too literally. Derk did not come near the house until Blade and Mara were trying to move the garden.
It was almost dark by then. Before that, Blade and Mara had tried to stretch the house out to make room for a Great Hall in the middle. Shona decided that they needed marble stairs, too, leading into the Hall, and sat on the ordinary wooden stairs making drawings of sculptured bannisters and sketches of the sort of clothes Derk should wear. But before the house was even half long enough, there were alarming creakings and crunchings from all over it. Kit roared a warning, and Don and Elda dashed indoors to say the middle of the roof was dipping downwards, spreading the tiles like scales on a fircone. At the same time, Lydda shrieked that the kitchen was falling in and Shona shouted that the new marble stairs were swaying. Blade and Mara had to prop the house up and think again.
Put everyone out on the terrace, Kit suggested, and make sure it doesnt rain. That way, the griffins can help hand round the food.
This was almost the only help Kit had offered, Blade thought morosely, and he knew it was only because Kit was far too big to be comfortable indoors these days. At least Don and Elda were helping in the kitchen. Or no, Blade knew he was being unfair to Kit really. After Blade and Mara had expanded the terrace into a large stone platform reaching halfway to the front gates, Kit got busy hauling all the tables and chairs in the house out there. Blades annoyance with Kit was because he knew the griffins were up to something. He had seen all five of them, even Lydda and Callette, who almost never, on principle, did anything Kit wanted gathered in a secretive cluster round Kit in the twilight. It made Blade feel hurt and left out. The griffins were, after all, his brothers and sisters. Most of the time, it worked like that. But there were times like this, and almost always under Kits leadership when the griffins shut the rest of them out. Blade hated it.
So much for family solidarity! he thought, and turned to help Mara to bend and push the shrubberies and all the flowerbeds into some kind of shape around the new, huge terrace. If we shunt the little forest up to this corner Mara said to him. No, even if we do, well have to straighten the drive. I know your father hates straight lines in a garden, but there simply isnt room.
Here Don backed out on to the terrace carrying one end of the piano stool, with
Shona attached to the other end of it, screaming, I said give it back! I need it to do my practice on!
Kit slammed down the kitchen table and gave voice like six out-of-tune bugles. LET HIM TAKE IT. WE NEED IT. YOU CAN PRACTISE AT COLLEGE.
No I cant! Im not going to college until this is over! I promised Dad! Shona shrilled.
Youre still going to give it here. Kit dropped to all fours, tail slashing, and advanced on Shona. Even on all fours, he towered over her.
You big bully, Shona said, not in the least impressed. Do you want me to poke you in the eye?
I think Id better break that up, Mara said.
But at that point Derk appeared, rushing across the acre of terrace to stare down at the twilit garden in horror. What do you think youre doing, woman?
Trying to make it fit what did you think? Mara said, while behind Derk, Kit and Shona hastily pretended to be having a friendly discussion.