24.Homeward Bound

Homeward bound.

We took our time, pausing often and moving slowly and thoughtfully.

As we walked through a stretch of cool, green kelp forest on a level but narrow path, Starry asked me what I thought Kew's punishment should be. 

"I think he will deeply regret his theft of the crystal." I said. "He probably had some childish ideas about how marvelous he was--you know--the chosen one syndrome. His failure to cure his friend's incurable old age may actually help him understand his true place in life. What do you think?"

"About punishment?" Starry said, "Well I think he should be punished some way--not dismissal from the monastery or jail or bread and water sort of punishment--but maybe have his library visiting privilege removed for a month or so or have to wash dishes for a while or something like that. 

"Young Kew might even become an adept himself some day--at least he has the courage to act on his beliefs along with his youthful enthusiasm and ignorance."

"And we were all young once, weren't we, my friend?" I said. "In a way I am glad we didn't have to go down to the village and question people and nab some villainous thief--the usual cops and robbers routine. Kew was a surprise to me--though my hunch was a little bit right--the Blue Star had never left the monastery--but at least Kew was trying to do something good."

"And we had some very interesting experience too." Starry quietly said. "Would you like to stay at the monastery, Constable? As a friar I mean?"

"Never even thought about it." I replied. "No I think I am useful in my own way out in the world. I like my life."

"Me too." Starry said. "Though I did like the peacefulness and the music and even the good food! I am pretty content with my own simple starfishy life."

...

23. Departure

 Breakfast was served from eight to nine o'clock and was not a formal affair.

Each  monk came, ate and left as he liked and there was no ceremony or order to be observed.

Starry and I ate together. Master Walter came up to us as we sat.

 "Friar Crab and Starfish," he said quietly, "you have heard the surprising news. You may wish to leave the monastery soon or you may stay for a period of retreat if you like."

"What will happen to Friar Kew?" I asked.

"We have a standing committee which takes care of infractions of the rule. It is their task to make such decisions. To me it seems that Friar Kew's motives were mixed--a truly altruistic desire to help his old friend and a selfish wish to perform a miraculous cure using the Blue Star, but I am only one member of the committee and it has yet to meet. I will inform you of our decision when it is made."

"Starry and I have been discussing what we should do, and we have decided to leave soon--right after breakfast, if you approve."

"You may leave whenever you like without parting formalities. Please take the robes with you as mementos of your stay here. I will ask the kitchen staff to prepare some traveling rations for you to carry. We are grateful for your help--though the mystery rather solved itself--your presence here and your willingness to come to our aid was very helpful to me personally and I will not forget it. If we can ever be of assistance to you, you can be sure we will do what we can.

"I will be involved with duties regarding Friar Crispus for the rest of the day, so I will not be present to bid you farewell. So let me say now, thanks and farewell."

Starry and I saw Friars Montague, Lophius and Fugu separately at different times during the breakfast hour and very quietly said our goodbyes to each of them.

Shortly after breakfast then, we picked up the food Master Walters had had prepared for our journey and left Moonlight Monastery on its cliff behind us.

We did not see Friar Kew again.

...

22. A Death

A firm knock on my door woke me from a sound sleep. I threw  on my robe and went to the door. When I opened it I could just recognize Friar Montague in the darkness of the shadowy hallway.

"Is it time for lauds?" I asked sleepily, gathering my thoughts. 

"Not yet, but soon." he said, "You might as well stay up and come on down to the chapel. I have some news. Friar Crispus died a few hours ago and the Blue Star Crystal has been returned."

"What? How?" I managed to say.

"It is our custom to have a few of the closest friends stay with a dying brother and I had been called as one of them when it became clear that Friar Crispus was failing. 

Young Friar Kew was also there. He had been rather close to Crispus in spite of their great difference in age and had often played chess and talked to the old monk by the hour.

"When Crispus' spirit had left his body, Friar Kew handed me the Blue Star. He had it in his pocket.

"Kew told me he thought HE could heal Crispus if he only had the crystal so he took it after the service for the villagers last Sunday and has been carrying it in his pocket ever since. He said he didn't think we adepts were trying hard enough to cure Crispus but he...

"Anyway--that's where the crystal was and that's who took it and why. I thought you would like to know. Lauds will be in about half an hour."

"Thank you, Friar Montague." I managed to say before he turned away and disappeared down the hallway into the very early morning darkness.

"Well,  I'll be..." I whispered to myself. 

A sorcerer's apprentice. 

Couldn't wait for the years necessary to develop the skills to use the crystal. 

Typical youth--and I thought of the eager mistakes of my own younger days.

You can't cure old age and the spirit inevitably must leave even a healthy body some day. No one lives forever.

I got ready and went to the chapel for lauds.

 

...

21.The Gist of It

Again, I was a little early for the service. 

I chose a seat on a back bench where I could see everything. 

Before long the monks began to arrive. They filed in in their usual silent and orderly way and sat apparently wherever they liked. No one spoke.

I recognized Starry among them, but in his robe he was practically indistinguishable from the rest.

The service was brief: a song, a poem or prayer recited by Friar Montague in the musical ancient Dolphinian language, a short period of  silent meditation--then all  joined in the the old familiar closing hymn which was almost a lullaby.  Then, slowly and silently,  we moved out of the chapel, the monks to their cells and Starry and I to our guest quarters walking together silently until we arrived at the door to my room when Starry spoke: "Did you learn anything, Constable?"

"Only that this monastery is a very big place and that the moonlight is very bright in the garden. What did Master Walter talk about at the Chapter meeting?"

"Oh, about the Blue Star Crystal still being missing. 

"He talked about the importance of the Blue Star to the healing work of this monastery and how it holds the stored mana vibrations of generations of adepts--energy which can be directed and focused by those who have learned how to use it through years of patient study, practice and experience.

"He did not talk for very long and I didn't understand it all--but that's the gist of it."

...

20. Prowling

Seven-oh-five. The Chapter meeting was in progress as scheduled but I was outside the meeting room--prowling is the only word I can use--the monastery.

I visited the refectory and the kitchen first.

I had a hunch about this case--that someone from the outside was not only responsible for the theft of the blue star crystal, but was still in hiding somewhere INSIDE the monastery.

And in my experience, cases were often solved by hunches--so, the kitchen visit.

If there was anyone besides the monks here,  they would get hungry and the kitchen and the kitchen cupboards and cooling closets were where the food was kept. 

It felt strange being in the kitchen alone because there was always some activity here, but I was quite alone. Silent. Nothing moving.

I went through the darkened hallways. Nothing stirring--to the garden door, and went out into the garden. 

The garden was walled and quite large. There was a wide variety of seaweed and kelp growing here. Some I recognized and some, probably medicinal plants, were unknown to me.

Moonlight Monastery was certainly a good name for this place because though the sea was fairly deep here, the light was bright enough for a good look around. Again nothing.

 I realized there were hundreds of good hiding places in this monastery--the bell tower, the music rooms, empty guest rooms, cellars and even a crypt.

Well, I didn't have time to explore it all, but I used my eyes and ears as well as I could for as long as I could--then I suspected the Chapter meeting was coming to an end--so I went to the chapel to join the others for the last service of the day.

I had discovered nothing.

  

...

19. Quiet Conversation

After the discussion with Master Walter, Starry and I walked together back to our rooms.

Before we parted at the door to my room, I quietly spoke to him.

"I would like you to attend the Chapter meeting without me, Starry. I plan to take a quick look around the monastery while everyone is at the meeting, but I also want to know what Master Walter says--so please be ready to report to me the subject of his talk.

"Right-o, Constable. Shall I expect you to come to my room after the meeting?"

"No. Expect me to come after Compline, the last canonical service of the monk's day--which I expect will take place at the usual time-- eight o'clock-- in the chapel. I want to attend that service."

"Me too." Starry said, "So I'll see you there and we can return to our rooms together to share information."

...

18. First Meal

Starry and I arrived before six o'clock in the refectory for the evening meal. Friar Kew, who was also there early,  showed us to our places.

When he came in, Master Walter acknowledged us with a smile and a nod but said nothing.

The monks, filing into the refectory in silence,  took their assigned spots at the trestle style tables which were laid out in a large u-shaped pattern. Each stood behind his chair and waited until Master Walter, who stood behind his chair in the center of the top tables of the pattern, said a short prayer.

Then we all sat silently waiting to be served by other monks taking their turns with the duties of the kitchen.

When Master Walter gave another signal, everyone began eating. A monk who stood behind us on a raised platform started reading from an uplifting  book. There was no private conversation at all.

The food was vegetarian, simple and tasted very good to me.

When Master Walter was finished, he rose and stood behind his chair again and everyone did the same. He pronounced another short prayer and the monks  filed silently out of the room, but he touched my sleeve and made a gesture that he would like to speak to me. 

When the room was empty except for Master Walter, Starry and myself he quietly said, "I have heard about the formation of your larger committee-- an excellent idea and I wish you good progress. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Starry or I may be absent from your Chapter meeting this evening and, with your permission, we may leave the monastery tomorrow morning for a short visit to the village with Friar Montague."

"You have my permission. Good luck."

 

...