The Name's Oliver - Ben Oliver. Ch. 159: Duty vs Ethics, Pt. II

[chetanhaobijam]

*shivering* Can't take this cliffhanger. Hoping the best for Oliver. Looking forward for next chapter.

[Schipperke]

Thank you very much for the comments!  And thank you also for not revealing your deductions/guesses/speculations as to what might be in the haunted chamber.  Your patience is about to be rewarded ... 

[Schipperke]

Lost!, Part XIV

Diary Entry

I stared at the contents of the tiny locked room in amazement.  “Please – tell me more of this!” I demanded of the abbot.

“It goes back to when the monasteries were all being closed,” he said. 



“Our monastery had always supported itself by making nectar, but the nectar-making process was slow and very laborious in those days.  As I said, the Queen enjoyed our life fruit nectar, but we weren't able to supply it in the required quantities, so the King planned to shut down this monastery along with all the others.  Then a man appeared, a stranger from far away.  He said he would help us and in return, we must always work to keep good alive in this benighted kingdom with evil rulers.  He brought us the nectar machines you saw.  The new machines enabled us to increase our production significantly, and the old King decided to spare the monastery.”



“The man who brought the nectar machines – tell me about him!  Describe him!” I implored.

“An elderly man yet strangely youthful in spirit,” the abbot said.  “He wore unusual grey coloured clothes and had a striped cravat tied around his neck.”  He added thoughtfully, “That man had the purest aura I have ever seen.”

Aura?

“Yes, everyone has an aura – it is a manifestation of the person's spiritual energy,” explained the abbot.  “I have always had the ability to see auras.  Everyone's aura is a mixture of colours, because we are all a mix of good and evil, in different proportions of course.  But there was no trace of evil in that man.  His aura was completely pure.”  He studied me.  “Something about you reminds me of him very strongly, which is why I decided to break my promise and show you this chamber.”

“That man is my father,” I said simply.  We both looked at the time machine my father had left in the little chamber.  I suspected the innocent-looking pink rabbit might be the source of some of the sounds that had helped to convince the young monks that the chamber was haunted.



“And this machine,” I said with great relief, “is what I need in order to be able to travel back to my homeland.”



“I'll take Princess Elaine with me – it will be hard for her to adjust to the change, but at least she'll be safe from Mordred.”

[RaiaDraconis]

Oh wow! Mr. Payne saves the day, even if he isn't there in the flesh. What a clever plot device!

[Jade]

I haven't been commenting as much as usual, but I really enjoy this new installment!

I feel like Princess Elaine is hiding something... but what?

[Magz from Oz]

I guessed the chamber had a time machine, but not that Mr Payne was involved (although I should have because he moves around via a time machine).  Totally awesome update Schipp.   

[chetanhaobijam]

Yay!! Mr. Payne surely saves the day. Can't wait for the next chapter and more Ben adventures.

[Playalot]

Awesome update. I got the time machine... but didn't guess Mr Payne 

[simaholic^]

I also guessed a time machine, but didn't think of Mr Payne.

[Swirl-Girl]

Its been a while since I was on, and I'm glad to be back, I was expecting Mr. Payne to pull Benny Boy out at the last second.

[Schipperke]

Thank you very much for the comments, everyone!

It's interesting that pretty much everyone knew there was going to be a time machine behind the locked door.  What else could it have been, right?  But was Swirl-Girl the only one who expected Mr Payne to be involved?  If so, I'm rather glad, because perhaps the plot line wasn't totally obvious.

Its been a while since I was on, and I'm glad to be back, I was expecting Mr. Payne to pull Benny Boy out at the last second.

Yes, and you were right!  Nice to see you again, Swirl-Girl. 

I feel like Princess Elaine is hiding something... but what?

Now, I wonder where you got that idea?  Reading my notes, were you?    Just kidding.  But your comment is a very nice lead-in to the next chapter, coming right up.

[Schipperke]

Lost!, Part XV

As we saw last time, Ben plans to take Princess Elaine with him back to present-day Monte Vista.  He has it all worked out.  But as the poet tells us, “The best-laid schemes o' mice and men gang aft agley” (Robert Burns, 1785).  Ben doesn't know it, but his plans are about to go agley.  In case you hadn't noticed, Princess Elaine is a fairly strong-willed person, with a mind of her own.  Definitely not the sort to sit passively waiting for a man to tell her what to do.  Let's see what she's been up to while Ben's been talking to the abbot.  We won't be able to hear what's being said, but I think the screenshots will tell their own story.

Princess Elaine discussing gardening with one of the young monks -



I wonder what they're talking about here?



... and here



Now what?





Well!  I think those last two pictures leave no doubt as to what Princess Elaine and the young monk have been doing while Ben and the abbot have been in the cellar.  The question is, what's going on here?  After all, Princess Elaine is still engaged to King Mordred.  And one doesn't usually think of monks getting into romantic clinches with every female they meet – isn't there something about a vow of chastity? 

Fortunately, I see Ben and the abbot approaching so now maybe we'll get some answers.

Diary Entry

The sun had set while the abbot and I had been talking.  I felt sorry for Princess Elaine, waiting out here for me to arrange our escape.  She was counting on me, and I wouldn't let her down.  “Good news!” I said as I hurried over to her.  “The abbot has arranged transport for us back to my homeland.  We'll be safe there!  But we must hurry -”



“I'm not going,” Princess Elaine interrupted.

Not going?  But Mordred and his soldiers would be here any minute!  “Come, there's no time to lose,” I said to her.

She smiled at me, and there was something different in her expression – happiness?  “Meet Arthur,” she said gesturing toward the young monk who couldn't take his eyes off her.



“Arthur was the groundskeeper on my father's estate.  I was fond of him, but there was no question of anything more than that – after all, he was little more than a servant, and I was the King's daughter.”

Arthur spoke:  “I always loved her, even though I couldn't tell her so.  When her father said she would have to marry Mordred, I was sick at heart because Mordred's evil nature is legendary.  I followed her here, resolved to be on hand if she ever needed me.”

Princess Elaine took up the story again.  “It was like a miracle arriving here and seeing Arthur again!  When I saw him, the class-bound nonsense fell away and I suddenly realized I loved him.”

“That's all very well,” I said, “but Mordred is still looking for you!”  I wondered if there was room in the time machine for three.

“He's looking for Princess Elaine,” she said.  “He won't be looking for Elaine, the wife of a peasant farmer named Arthur.”

The abbot spoke at this point.  “If you are determined to marry, we can help you to escape to the neighbouring kingdom where you should be safer.”

And so Princess Elaine renounced her royal birth and became plain Elaine.  I shook her hand and wished them both happiness.

[Swirl-Girl]

Well then.

[RaiaDraconis]

Poor Ben must have a hidden unlucky trait or something. He seems to have the worst luck with women...but hey, good for Elaine, right? Now Ben just has to get out of there!

Sent from my C6916 using Tapatalk

[chetanhaobijam]

Good for Elaine, but bad luck for Ben, he will get a companion while travelling to Present. Anyway, the problem is solved. Can't wait to see him land on present. Besides Tomba has been eagerly waiting for his call.