That which should not have been came unfortunately to the House of Genn.

As they ate they talked about what their next step should be. "We will have to go back around the house again and hope that it takes us back again to that time. When we entered the room with the book, you were able to free Unise. When we opened the kitchen we were eventually able to free Mercy. It could be that to free this family we need to unlock each room to undue this curse completely." Said Jarn.

Cass thought about it and it sounded logical. She nodded her head. "Even though I know her fate, I still wish to get to know Mercy and Unise as much as I can." Said Cass as she looked at Jarn's sword.

He followed her gaze and nodded. "If time is malleable in this place, like we saw when Stolfuss wiped up the ink that spilled in our time, maybe there is some way to manipulate time itself to keep this curse from ever happening in the first place." A light of hope sparked in her eyes he said this, and her face lit up.

"How though?" She said, the hope in her voice for an immediate solution to the curse was evident.

Jarn sighed, not wanting to let his wife down, but knowing he would. "I don't know Cass. I've never thought much about time except to notice its passage. The manipulation of it was a thought that never even entered my mind."

To his surprise her face didn't fall but she smiled at him. "You are a very deep thinker my love and I have seen you give amazing tactical advice to the Reeve while he was planning a battle. I know that given enough time and information you will be able to figure this out."

Jarn smiled despite himself and shook his head. "Your faith is unshakable my love, you always see a light no matter how dark the tunnel.

She blushed and reached out and took his hand. "Your strength is the foundation of that Faith my love. With you by my side, I feel like I can keep going."

They shared a long and meaningful kiss and then they retired to the sitting room and looked at the book as Stolfuss's hand kept penning words to the page of the book. They slept through the night and when they awoke.

They looked at the book and the writing still continued. "Does the man not sleep?" Jarn said in wonder.

"I hadn't even thought of that. I mean, we haven't been in the room for every minute since we entered this house, but I do not remember the writing stopping yet we have slept at least three times." Said Cass, worry beginning to come through her voice.

”Perhaps time itself moves differently in this room, or…”. He paused as he stared off for a moment looking around at the walls of the kitchen.

“Or what my love.” Cass said excitedly as she knew him well enough to know when he had reached a deep conclusion. He smiled at her and squeezed her hand.

“It may not just be the room Cass, but In the entire house itself. Perhaps in some way we are just thinly separated from Stolfuss and his time.”

Cass’s eyes lit up with excitement . “I wonder if we write in the book if he will also see our writing?”

Jarn smiled and shook his head. “You are as brilliant as you are beautiful. It is definitely worth a try.”

Jarn went over to the pedestal and lightly touched the quill with his fingers. He felt a slight twinge of power from it, but it did not seem harmful. He remembered his grandfather telling him how some items of power could be used by anyone, but others would cause disease and death to humans who had not been trained in controlling the power. He picked up the quill and dipped it in the ink. He could feel power coming from the ink as well. He set the quill on the next empty page and wrote in the book.

“Stolfass Magee, this is Jarn, My wife Cass and I had just met you and Master Genn and Mercy not less then a day hence. Do you remember us?”

The writing stopped in the middle of a word.

”Jarn? How can this be that you are writing in the same book as me but yet not here?

Jarn and Cass both took a step back from the pedestal. They had anticipated this, but neither had actually believed it would work.

After a moment or two Jarn shook his head and moved back to the book.

“We have more questions than answers Stolfass. We are currently, at least by our understanding, two hundred and fifty years in your future. We are in a grand mansion that bears the name of Genn on the front gate. We went around to the back of the house being chased by a monster yet when we reached the front again we found ourselves outside of the house of Crispen Genn that you are currently writing from. Is the Master there? He is great in knowledge and wisdom, perhaps he has some understanding of this?”

They watched his response appear, still amazed that they were talking with a man who could not be alive after two hundred and fifty years.

“Alas my friends My good Master Genn left shortly after you did. He was summoned to the High Master’s table and departed just after you left. Unise, please stay away from that book shelf…”.

There was a line dragged after the word shelf as if he got up suddenly. There was a clanging noise to their right as if something hit the shelf that was under the bay window. They watched it for a few moments but neither saw or heard anything else.

Motion caught Jarn’s eye and he turned back to the book.

“I apologize my friends, children love to get into places that they ought not to be. Are you able to come back to our time as you did before?”

Cass looked at Jarn. He looked back at her and shrugged.

“We will try to go back around the house as we did before. We will either see you in a few minutes or we will write again in this book.”

Jarn placed the quill back in its holder.

”May the High Master bless your journey my friends.”

Cass looked at Jarn in shock. “Did that really just happen? I know the old tales tell that before the Evisceration there were Items of Power that could destroy whole countries, but could be ones that actually pierce through the veil of Time?”

Jarn shook his head. “I am finding it as hard to believe as you are my love, but we have seen and heard the truth of this with our own senses and so has this Stolfuss Magee.”

Cass looked back at the book for a few moments and saw Stolfuss meticulously neat handwriting scrawling across the page expressing his experience with what just happened and recording questions for his master when he returns. She turned back to Jarn and nodded. “We must go then my love.”

Jarn smiled and nodded. He led the way out of the room with his sword drawn. He went quickly to the pantry and filled their small pouches with dried meat and dried fruit and the canteens with water then he led the way to the front door and opened it.

Outside the light was the same drab grey as one would find a lot on the Moor’s near the Reeve’s estates. The sky there was overcast and rainy more days out of the year than not. This sky was overcast and looked like rain, but they had yet to see any fall from this sky.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

They stood on the porch scrutinizing each bush, tree, and shrub for any form of danger. When they were finally satisfied that they were alone Cass placed one hand in Jarn’s back and one on the hem of her cloak. Jarn moved down the steps and then took the path to the left that they had taken before when chased by that creature.

They moved quickly but did not run. They turned the corner and headed down the side yard and did notice the light around them becoming less dull and grey. Through the back yard and up the other side the light intensified and by the time they got back to the front of the house the full light of the sun shown down upon them and they were standing again before the quaint country estate of Crispen Genn.

They saw Mercy playing with a doll on the ground nearby. She looked up and her eyes lit up as she saw them.

“Jarrn, Casss, you back. Wher you go? I wooked for you, but you not ther. Me was sad.”

Even knowing what she knew of the future, Mercy had taken up home in Cass’s heart and she could not ignore the chance to dote on the girl. Cass moved over and knelt down and opened her arms. “I’m so sorry Mercy. We didn’t mean to disappear, we had to go away for a little bit, but now we are back. Can you forgive us?”

The young girl looked at her for a few moments and then a huge smile split her face. She ran into Cass’s arms and hugged her tight. “I’s forgive yous Casss.”

“Thank you Mercy.” Cass replied as she stood and held the girl at her side. “Mercy, do you know where Stolfuss is?”

The girl nodded and pointed into the house.

”He in his stoodie.” She said.

Cass smiled as did Jarn. “Let’s go see what he is doing shall we?” Cass said rubbing the girl’s nose with her own. Jarn sheathed his sword and led the way inside. Inside Stolfuss was waiting for them.

“I know not how this is possible, but you are most welcome my friends. I see the young Mistress has at last found her lost companions.” He said with a smile.

They were led inside into his study where he shut the door. He went to sit down at a chair that set in front of the same pedestal that they had seen in their time, with the same book, quill and ink jar. Stolfuss saw them looking at it and nodded. “These items be the same as the ones you saw in the future?” He asked.

They both looked at him and nodded. “It is. So similar are they that there is no chance of them being copies.” Said Jarn.

Cass looked around the room and held out her hand towards the bay window. “This whole room is the same Master Magee. Even down to the trinkets and book titles underneath the bay window. It’s almost as if time doesn’t pass in this room, as the rest of the house is completely different in our time.” She said looking quite overwhelmed by what she just said.

Stolfuss nodded as if he had already concluded these truths. “Such effects of power are beyond my ability to understand. I nearly passed on when I saw your hand writing appear in the book I am writing on the exploits of my Master Crispen and his family.”

“You said the Master is not here right now, do you expect him back soon?” Jarn asked.

Stolfuss shook his head. “When the summons from the High Master is issued the Master himself never knows how long he will be gone. You are most welcome to stay here though until he returns per his last instructions to me regarding you both. I believe the young lady would be most pleased with that as well.”

Mercy looked at Stofuss from Cass’s shoulder and nodded her head vigorously. Cass looked at her and smiled.

“Well if the lady Mercy has decreed it then it must be.” Someone said from behind them.

They turned to see a woman whose age they could not tell. She had long, raven dark hair, and a very pretty and kindly face. She also looked very pregnant.

Stolfuss rose and bowed to her. When he straightened he motioned toward Jarn and Cass. “My lady Cristina, it is my great honor to introduce you the Squire Jarn and his wife the Lady Cass.”

Jarn bowed to her and Cass bent in a proper curtsy. “My Lady.” They both said in unison.

“Please rise good travelers, you will find solace here in the house of Genn.” She said in a tone that made them both feel like they were back in the warmth of the homes they grew up in.

They stood up and smiled. “Thank you My Lady, you are most generous." Said Cass.

As they ate that night Cass allowed Jarn to do most of the talking as he had the greatest knowledge of the lands they were claiming to be from. After the meal Cass spent a lot of time with Unise and Mercy, both girls took to her instantly. Jarn spent the rest of the night talking with Stolfuss. It was very late at night by the time they got to bed.

They passed four days this way. Cass spent a lot of time with Cristina and the girls, and Jarn learned a lot about the current time and the House of Genn from Stolfuss. Crispen Genn had yet to return from the High Master's Table.

On the morning of the fifth day things took a somewhat unhappy turn. Unise awoke with a fever and red blotches all over her body. Lady Cristina had mastery over the Power for healing, but she could not remove the affliction from her daughter. "I...I must go contact my husband. Please excuse me." Cristina said, the exhaustion evident in her voice. Cass kept tending to the girl as Jarn took Mercy out to another room.

As Cass and Jarn lay in bed after that very stress filled day Cass tried to find sleep but her worry for Unise kept her eyes wide open. It was as she lay there staring at the floor that she heard something below her.

"Jarn."

He looked up from the book he was reading. "Yes my love?"

"Listen." she waved him towards her.

When he got to her she placed her pointer finger to her lips and pointed below her. As he quieted himself he heard voices below.

"Welcome home Master Genn." Came Stolfuss's worried voice. "

"It is good to see you my friend. Has there been any change?"

"Nay Master, she seems to be in a delusion. The lady Cristina is certain that it is not a disease, but something else, she believes it to be somthing of the Power, but she has never seen anything like this before. She has had success with curing the pox that comes from use of the Power by the untrained, but she said this is different. She can remove this pox from Unise’s body, but the roots of it go deeper, deeper inside her."

"She had said as much to me when her voice came on the wind to me. I...I entreated the High Master's intervention with his chief steward, yet I was rebuffed and told he was not present and a time of his returning had not been given. I...I am at a loss Stolfuss. My daughter's health fails and I am powerless to stop it."

"Is there nothing that can be done my master?" Said the aged man.

There was a long pause. Then after what seemed a very long time Crispen Genn responded. "In the western steppes lies a mountain named Ferrisgowel, upon its slopes lies the Moondew flower. In a tale passed down from father to son within the house of Genn the location and the uses of this flower have been the secret of our house for more generations then are known. It is said the nectar of the flowers can create a serum that can cure any ill, even make the body stronger then any other human. It is said that the Power itself dwells within its petals."

"But my master, by the High Master's decree, we are not permitted to enter the western reaches, nor set foot on that mountain."

"I know Stolfuss, but it is my first born! My dear one, and the High Master is not to be found. I must go Solfuss, it....it is her only hope."

"You will be banished my Lord, the chair of the house of Genn will be removed from the High Master's table."

"I know Stolfuss but, there is no other way, what use is the stature of the House of Genn within the public eye if its future lies dying in an upper bedroom. I will leave on the morrow."

Cass looked at Jarn with tears running down her face. "Jarn, he's about to lose everything to save his daughter, is there nothing we can do?"

Jarn looked at the floor and then at her. "We are not healers Cass, but, we can offer to go with him, to be his guard on the journey. Perhaps, in the past, before we came, he failed and that was why the curse fell upon the House of Genn. If we are with him, lending our skills to his, perhaps this time he will succeed and the curse will be broken before it even starts."

Cass looked down at the floor for a long moment. Slowly she turned back to him. "Your words and reasoning are sound my husband, I will follow you Jarn, even into the western steppes."

"I will guard you with my life my dear..." He started to say taking her hand in his.

"We will both guard the Master's life so that Mercy and Unise will have a father in the future, and perhaps we can prevent the curse from coming unto them all." She said finishing his statement.

Jarn smiled and kissed her. As he drew back he looked intently into her eyes. "For the Master, and the house of Genn!" He said with great emotion.

"Let us dance!" She said with a broad smile on her face. The level of emotion welling up inside them drove them into a deep kiss.

The next day as Crispen Genn stepped out of the door, he saw Jarn and Cass there before him. "I am sorry to depart again my friends, but fear not, Cristina will look after your needs till I return."

"Master Genn, last night Cass and I swore the oath of blood to this house. We are bound now, from this day forward, to your service. Where you go we will follow and give the last drop of our blood to see you accomplish your quest and to see the light in Unise's eyes once more. Will you accept us, will you accept our oath to you and your house?"

Crispen looked as though he would refuse but as he looked at them his piercing eyes seeming to see right into their souls his demeanor changed and he nodded. "Very well my friends. I accept you and your oath. Come, into the western reaches we must journey and I fear it will be many sunsets until we see this house again."

He clasped them both on the shoulder and nodded to each as he passed by them. As he headed through the gate he turned and waved to his family that was standing in the doorway.

Jarn and Cass also turned and waved.

The trio then walked off into an unknown realm of which no tales have yet been told, except the one passed down within the House of Crispen Genn.