Sage wandered through the open marketplace, the nearby crashing waves and the gulls' cries mixed with the chatter and calls from the bustling market. The vibrant colours of the busy stalls' and the people's clothing made it a fantastic display of creativity and inspiration. She couldn't understand how anyone at sea could not see this splashing colour on the shoreline … glancing over her shoulder, she took in the watery horizon where the sun was glowing in a waking display of bright orange splendour. It was early, and with the sunrise hitting the shore, there was no way that ships couldn't see the coast or this seaside village.

Sage took it all in, chatting with one or two stall owners and buying fruit and a beautiful candle that smelled like a rose garden. The crashing waves called to her, drawing her to the stone steps that acted as a pier to the basin of water, which served as a bay. The history of these shores was palpable. Sage could just see the pirates and smugglers of old using these shores in the dead of night, moving illegal goods of the day. Sighing, she took in the sparkling water, the smell of the ocean in the air, and the sounds of life around her. This was paradise; she could understand why people would kill to have this stretch of land, but there was more to it than birth rights and revenge, and she would find out. Smaller crafts were rowed in and dragged or carried onto the shore, filling the wide sandy beach in front of the shallow stairs with crafts of all sizes. In the deeper water of the bay, bigger ships anchored and used smaller crafts to move to shore, adding to the already large amount of smaller crafts utilising the sand. Shielding her eyes from the blazing sun, Sage scanned the horizon; apart from the ships using the deeper water, she couldn't see anything else. Many passing vessels should have used the strait between the rocky outcrop and the cove; if they were experienced seafarers, they would have known about it. Surely they could see it on the map ... or could they? To the left on the straight area of the shore, children played in the shallow water or built sandcastles; some chased each other in a game of catch or kicked a ball between themselves. A little further out, older children and adults swam away from and toward the shore, rising from the shallow water as they came closer to the shoreline, reminding Sage of horror movies her brother liked to watch. The scattering of towels, shoes and bags along the stone stairs spoke of the high level of trust that the items would still be there when required.

"Just to think the rest of the world used to be like this," she said, sighing, looking out at the ocean, and watching the crashing waves roll up the sand.

It was said that Stuart went fishing before dawn and was often back around this time, perhaps earlier or later; the time varied depending on who you spoke with. Chuckling, Sage mentally added that it was typical of a relaxed seaside village. It told her there was a timeframe in which he appeared. Looking further down the beach on the right, Sage wondered if there was any other entrance to the village from the ocean. Pirates and smugglers lived here, so there had to be more than one; she couldn't see them lining up to get onto the beach or enter a cave. It would have to be something she would need to look into.

"Like what you see?" Stuart's mellow voice asked from behind her, making her jump, "Apologies, I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Where did you come from?" Sage gasped, her hand resting on her chest as she concentrated on breathing evenly.

"Oh, a man must have his secrets," Stuart said, smiling, "so do you simply stand here watching the waves, or are you waiting for … or looking for someone?"

"I was looking for someone," Sage said, returning her gaze to the ocean, a small smile playing across her lips.

"Have you found the person?" Stuart asked, watching the crashing waves as he moved to stand next to her.

"He actually found me," Sage said, chuckling, "what do you think of that?"

"Huh, a resourceful and smart man," Stuart said, smiling, "so how could this person help you?"

"I have an appeal of sorts to make," Sage said, "on behalf of an extremely nervous and sensitive client."

"I see ... is this ... client in my wheelhouse though?" Stuart asked.

"I believe the client is," Sage said, smiling, "you see my client is looking for asylum and safety."

"Really?" Stuart narrowed his gaze on her, "I don't deal in smuggling."

"Oh no, it's not a person... you see," Sage glanced around to make sure they were alone, "it's nervous because it's sensitive ... knowledge that needs to be kept ... protected."

"I see, and does this knowledge seek this asylum for any particular purpose?" Stuart asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Most certainly, if this susceptible knowledge is found before required, it would be in grave danger. Therefore, the knowledge is looking for a safe place to stay and requires a mediator to find this required place where it will not be adjusted to become impure truth or completely terminated," Sage said, her lips twitching as they glanced at each other, "the sanctuary of this knowledge may be life-changing as well as dangerous to whoever has it under their protection but ultimately life-saving."

"Hmmm, have you had tea?" Stuart suddenly asked.

"Not yet," Sage said, looking at him with a slight frown, "why?"

"Would you like to join me for tea?" Stuart asked.

"Yes, I believe I would," Sage said, smiling as they turned in unison and walked toward the market.

"How sensitive is the knowledge seeking asylum?" Stuart asked. "Is it of a quivering nervousness where gentle calming is required, or is the disposition more severe?"

"Extremely nervous in disposition," Sage said, grinning at Stuart, "it will require an extraordinarily knowledgable and gentle hand. Can a place of refuge be found for it?

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"I think we can," Stuart whispered as they moved through the marketplace. He unlocked his front door and indicated for Sage to precede him. Glancing around, he took in the market area. His gaze clashed with the watchful gaze of Jeffery across the square. The man leant against a stone pillar with his arms crossed across his chest, glaring at them as though their actions were expected. Caution flared in Stuart's gut as he entered his home and closed and locked the front door.

Turning to Sage, Stuart frowned, "Is there a reason why Jeffery is staring at my front door from across the square? Do you think he suspects something?"

"Oh, I think Jeffery feels he knows more than he actually does," Sage said, "and the fact that he is there is not surprising." She followed Stuart through the house as he held out a device before him, turning from side to side as he went; Sage shook her head, "Is that necessary?"

"Always," Stuart said, "usually there is nothing, but I cannot take the chance, especially lately."

At the office door, Stuart paused, raised a finger to his lips, and pushed open the door, silently moving around the room. Satisfied, he waved Sage into the room, closing and locking the door.

"Why is it not surprising?" Stuart asked.

"What is?" Sage asked, confusion fluttering across her face.

"Jeffery," Stuart said as they moved toward the far corner where his desk sat with many filing cabinets.

"Oh, I've seen him lurking or leaving the garden often in the past few weeks," Sage said, shaking her head at Stuart's concerned expression, "he never breaks in and always leaves before dawn."

"You don't sleep at night?" Stuart asked.

"Not often," Sage said, surprising an expression on his face, "is that significant."

"More than you think," Stuart said, "now ... tell me about ... your client."

Sage chuckled, "Yes, I have that sensitive and fretful client who needs to be placed with someone who can be trusted to ensure that when the time is right, it will be presented to the world in the correct light and to the correct people ... should the need arise."

Stuart indicated a chair for Sage to sit on, "You found something while searching for knowledge on the legend of the house."

"Yes, for me to understand the legend of the house, or if there is one at all," Sage said, sighing, "I needed to understand the house's history and why I had this time frame put in place by my company."

Stuart nodded, "That is understandable," he said, pulling his chair closer to hers and continuing in a whisper, "Where has that search, or should I say research, taken you?"

"Down a rabbit hole I never expected to find," Sage said, "have you ever heard of the Magi's Coronet?"

Stuart stilled and stared unblinkingly at Sage before nodding curtly and clearing his throat, "Where did you hear about it?"

"I've been reading journals found in the library, and I have several documents regarding a certain event in history that involves the Magi's Coronet," Sage whispered, "Charlotte, her birthright and the possible reason for all of this happening all that time ago. What do you know?"

Stuart raised surprised eyes to Sage's waiting expression, "Why would I know anything?"

"Your reaction when I first said the name of the item that started this living horror movie," Sage whispered, "shall I start, and you add in when you can?"

"I don't know much, but I have heard of the item," Stuart said, "tell me what you know."

"I was digging into what I thought was the legend of the house but ended up finding documentation in various forms that centuries ago, there was a history and life-changing battle, and when the ruler of the time wished to award bravery in this battle, a name appeared on the list for vast selfless acts of bravery on many levels," Sage said, "however someone told the ruler of the day that the man who had supposedly done all these things really hadn't and gave the name of the man who actually had done these amazing deeds."

"Treachery and dishonour of the highest form," Stuart whispered, shaking his head, "let me guess, the man who wanted that acknowledgement didn't take kindly to the truth being discovered."

"Absolutely not," Sage said, "he was not an honourable man, nor was he generous. The history books have his name linked to many evil and horrendous moments that happened during his lifetime, and his offspring were no better. The bloodline was tainted with evil, hate and spite. For some reason, the women who were married into the family were polar opposites and tried to compensate to the point of madness for the treachery of their husbands."

"Those poor women," Stuart muttered, "carry on."

"The bloodline always had twins, an identical pigeon pair, except for two occasions that both babies were males," Sage said, smiling as Stuart's gaze became calculating, "once was around the time of the battle, which apparently went on for many years," Sage said, "and the other ..." Sage inhaled, exhaled and looked at Stuart, ".... forty years ago."

"What does that mean? How does that tie in with Charlotte and the cove?" Stuart asked.

"When the Magi's Coronet was presented to the correct man, it was recorded that he awarded land to his eldest daughter and the family birthright that went along with the land," Sage said, "records show that a marriage between that eldest daughter and the youngest son, who history portrays as honourable, of the man who tried to steal everything the Magi's Coronet came with."

"Oh my ..." Stuart hissed, " ... I can almost see where this is going."

Sage grinned, "The father of the younger son was not aware that his son had married his hated rival's eldest daughter with the knowledge of her father, nor did he know she had been gifted a rich ship to sail to the lands bestowed on her taking her new family out of his reach, power and influence. The ship's inventory shows one of the items on that ship to be the Magi's Coronet."

"Charlotte and her husband," Stuart breathed, "but history says their ship was wrecked."

Sage shook her head, "No when they arrived here, there was a storm much like we had in my first week here. The shoreline couldn't be seen, and the ship ran aground."

"That is how they were all able to get to shore with most of their possessions," Stuart said, "they were close to shore anyway. But why say it was wrecked?"

"Since a second storm rolled in a few weeks after the salvage mission and was more brutal than the first, the ship was indeed wrecked and, if what I've read is correct, is still there today."

"Wow," Stuart whispered, lost in thought, "but how does that tie in with everything that happened afterwards?"

"Charlotte was the eldest daughter of the man who was correctly rewarded," Sage said, "the younger son she married was from the family of the man who wanted the Magi's Coronet, the man who placed his name on the list for that reward for things he had not done."

Stuart stared blankly, "So his sister was the elder."

Sage shook her head, "That was the first time two male twins were born to the line."

"The elder brother," Stuart murmured, "oh, the plot thickens."