Author Topic: The Lady of the Lake: Epilogue (Completed)  (Read 61095 times)

Offline Banana Bender

  • Llama Wrangler
  • **
  • Posts: 64
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 30 - Love Changes Everything
« Reply #165 on: April 28, 2014, 03:31:03 AM »
I had a feeling that Lance would choose to travel with the Doctor. Truly, it is in his blood--and who knows, he could do a world of good. :)

You conjure up an interesting thought Magz, how would Lance give a dalek an icy blast?  He be fried first!

But yipes, what a way to end a chapter! I'm curious to see how this will play into things...

Excellent, as always!

Agree 100%.

Offline VioletG

  • Llama Wrangler
  • **
  • Posts: 98
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 30 - Love Changes Everything
« Reply #166 on: April 28, 2014, 12:34:51 PM »
Yay, I'm so happy for an update to this story. That ending was quite a shock, I don't think her family can postpone a visit to Morgana any longer.



Registered members do not see ads on this Forum. Register here.

Offline Shewolf13

  • Queen of the Dragons
  • Watcher
  • ******
  • Posts: 3759
  • Wolf or Jessi is fine ^^
    • Wolfie's Writings
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 30 - Love Changes Everything
« Reply #167 on: April 28, 2014, 06:14:18 PM »
Ack!  What an update!  I'm on the edge of my seat for what happens next!

Offline Magz from Oz

  • Watcher
  • ******
  • Posts: 1537
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 30 - Love Changes Everything
« Reply #168 on: May 16, 2014, 01:34:11 AM »
Lady of the Lake:  Chapter 31 – The Calm Before the Storm




SUNSET VALLEY BREAKING NEWS

Deadly Hospital Explosion

Continued from Page 1

Hospital spokesperson, Dr Geoffrey Landgraab, confirmed that Mr Ian Bowler, a hospital employee, received the full force of the explosive blast while Ms Morgana Wolff received injuries from flying debris.  Ms Wolff’s condition is listed as critical.  Three other staff members received non-life-threatening injuries and were released after a period of observation.

A spokesperson for the Amalgamated Nurses Union, Madison VanWatson, stated that the likelihood of this type of incident happening had been a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’.  Ms VanWatson said it was outrageous that the hospital administration routinely delayed replacing aging or malfunctioning equipment and that the backlog maintenance on some essential domestic equipment stretched back years.  Ms VanWatson claimed that the second floor autoclave had been cited in the annual Occupational Health and Safety audit as being dangerously faulty and needed immediate replacement.  Ms VanWatson alleged that the hospital administration knew of the dangerous state of the equipment but preferred to allocate funding to the more financially lucrative diagnostic equipment. 

Dr Landgraab declined to comment on Ms VanWatson’s allegations, preferring to wait until the in-house investigation results and the OSHA’s findings are available.  Dr Landgraab expressed his sincere condolences to Mr Bowler’s family and advised that all affected personnel will receive trauma counselling. 


FLASHBACK TO YESTERDAY


Ring Ring

Hello Galeas, this is Thornton Wolff.



Hello Thornton, how are you?

I’m well.  Galeas, I’m actually calling you because I understand your parents are away on holidays and I don’t know how to contact them.  Something terrible has happened.  Morgana has been severely injured in an explosion at the hospital.  She’s in surgery now. 

How badly is she hurt?

Her condition is listed as critical.  Dr Landgraab advised me to notify her family...

[Pause]

Galeas...

[Pause]

Galeas... are you there?



I’m here Thornton.  Morgana is a strong lady and I know she wants to be with you more than anything, so she won’t give up easily.  I will notify our family and we’ll come to Sunset Valley.

Thanks Galeas.  I’m going to be camping here in the hospital waiting room til she’s out of danger or.... no... I’m not going to think about that. 

It’s best to stay positive Thornton. 

I’m trying to.  Galeas, there isn’t a lot of room at Wolff Manor, as you know, but you’re all welcome to stay at the house.



Thanks for the offer of accommodation but your house isn’t exactly child proof.    You focus on what you’ve got to do to help Morgana through this and I’ll be in touch.

Okay.  Thanks Galeas.  And by the way, congratulations on your selection as a Local Council Member in Roaring Heights.

Thanks Thornton. 

I’ve got to go back but I’ll call you the minute I know more.  Goodbye.



Good bye Thornton.  I’ll be in touch.

Thirty minutes later Galeas receives another phone call but not from the number he expected.



Galeas, it’s Connor Frio.  How are you?

Truthfully Connor, I’m really busy right now.  Can I call you back?

Actually Galeas, I know why you’re busy.  I just wanted to tell you before you see it in print; that I’ve been assigned to cover the story of the explosion at the hospital. 

Okay Connor.  Thanks for the heads up.  I’m sorry I can’t chat.  You will appreciate that I need to make arrangements.

In truth Galeas, that why I’ve called.  I knew you all would be coming here as soon as I discovered that Morgana was among the injured.  So Blair and I have arranged a holding deposit to lease the building next to hers, the Condor Museum Lofts.  You’ll probably remember that Blair lives right across the road from the hospital.  We thought of that building because of its proximity to the hospital but it is also the only vacant accommodation suitable for your large family and more so as rentals will soon be in short supply once the OSHA investigators and other journalists arrive in town.

Thanks Connor.  I appreciate your help.  I’ve a flight to catch.

Galeas, I can meet your plane if you like? 

[Pause]

Galeas, I’m your friend first, reporter second.  The big news will be the OSHA investigation and that’s what I intend to be the focus of my articles.  But I can tell you the whole town is concerned about Morgana, so there will be daily media attention at the hospital. 



[Pause]

Honestly Galeas, would you be giving your friends who are trying to help you this much grief if I hadn’t been a journalist?



Sorry Connor, I know I can trust you.  Okay I’m on the 4:30 flight arriving from Roaring Heights.  I’ll meet you at the front of the Duty Free shop and we can check out the place you’ve leased before the family arrives tomorrow.

Sure thing Galeas, see you then.

Bye

Later that afternoon Connor looked around the small airport waiting for Galeas at their meeting place and was surprised to see a famous face.



Anja Svard, the supermodel from Aurora Skies who had dropped off the media radar several years ago, was standing near a stack of luggage.  He wondered who was going to score the story of the supermodel being in town.  He guessed probably Fiona McIrish or Victoria Andrews.  Their editor often gave the women fluff pieces even though they were both talented investigative reporters.  Still, Connor thought, he wouldn’t have minded interviewing her.  Anja was reputed to be intelligent as well as beautiful.  Connor dragged his thoughts back to his friend and why he was really at the airport as he saw Galeas appraoch.

“Hey Galeas, good to see you,” said Connor greeting his old friend.  “I’m sorry you’re not returning to Sunset Valley under happier circumstances.”

Galeas looked pensively at his friend.  He hadn’t been in City Hall long before he found that journalists could be deceitful – conducting supposedly friendly interviews but printing false and misleading statements and even outright lies.  Then Galeas remembered the late nights he and Connor spent studying together in the uni library and how Connor’s insightful comments often helped him when he was struggling with the subject matter.  Galeas knew his assignments and presentations were more balanced thanks to Connor’s perceptive opinions.



Galeas decided to put the awful experiences of the Roaring Heights press pack behind him and take his friend at face value.  Galeas shook Connor’s outstretched hand.  “Thank you for making these arrangements for me Connor.  I know you’re the press and everything but I’m really glad I can count on you as a friend.  I truly appreciate the effort you’ve gone to for my family.”

Connor had sensed his friend’s reluctance to agree to his help and was inwardly disappointed to find his intuition hadn’t been wrong.  “Thanks Galeas, I want to assure you that I will respect your family’s privacy.  Moreover, if you give me an exclusive on Morgana, I can keep the rest of the legitimate press at bay, but you know I have no sway over the paparazzi.”

Galeas grimaced at the mention of those annoying photographers.  “Thanks for the offer.  I think Thornton might want to keep the press informed of Morgana’s condition but I will mention your suggestion.”

Connor thought about his friend’s careful words and wondered what experience had turned his relaxed friend into such a circumspect person. 



Galeas travelled light so stowing his gear in Connor’s pickup was quick.  Driving along, Connor tried to make light conversation.  “You know, I’ve kept an eye on Morgana since I graduated and came back here.”  Connor glanced at his friend noting Galeas’ frown.  “I haven’t interviewed her if that’s what you’re thinking.  I mean that I’ve met her at the occasional party or in the library or the park, so we catch up. 



Morgana reads me your mum’s emails just like she did while we were at uni.  She told me all about Lance going off with The Doctor and she shared some of your mum’s postcards from Isla Paradiso and the lengths Ginny went to in search of a shark tooth.  Sometimes I think we keep each other sane.” 



Connor again glanced across at his friend’s closed face.  “You know, I really missed getting all the news about your amazing family when you went to Roaring Heights.  You’ve been out of touch so long.  I suppose you’ve heard that Blair got engaged.”



“No I didn’t.  Who to?”

“Stiles McGraw.  He is the muso who shares their apartment.”

“The guy in the plaid shirt?”

“Yeah, that one.”

“Does that mean you’re nursing a broken heart?”

“Not exactly broken, but still pretty battered,” Connor sighed.  “I don’t know what she sees in him.”

“Maybe he wasn’t so slow to tell her how he felt.  Remember that Michael Jackson song Blair liked to play?”

She’s Out of My Life?”

“Maybe she was dropping hints that you weren’t picking up on.”

“Maybe I wasn’t the one she was directing the hints to.  Besides, when did you become an expert on love?”



“I’m not an expert by any stretch of the imagination.  I actually haven’t figured out the whole love thing yet, so I really should just shut up.”

“So you’re still footloose and fancy free?”

“Let’s just say, I haven’t met anyone I want to get serious with yet.”

“So is marriage still on your radar?”

“Definitely!  Maybe I’m too fussy?”

“That depends.  What are you looking for?”

“Someone who cares about people, and hopefully someone who is well read, good company and reasonably smart.  But I think I’ll settle for someone who’s willing to put up with a crazy guy with a God complex who wants to save the world.”  Galeas grinned.

Connor was delighted to observe Galeas grin.  Connor had hoped that his disclosures would help put their friendship back on track.  “You know, I didn’t imply that that was necessarily a bad thing when I said that.” Connor looked enquiringly at his friend. 



“Thanks for your vote of confidence.  It didn’t take long for my reality check to bounce, did it?” Galeas acknowledged ruefully.  “I don’t think I fit into Roaring Heights.  It’s so different from home.  I feel like a square peg in a round hole.  No... make that a Celtic peg in an Art Deco hole. ”

“Apart from the glorious Art Deco architecture, what’s Roaring Heights like?”



“Promise what I say will never see print?”

“You have my solemn oath.”  Connor said feeling vexed that an obviously bad press experience had happened to his best friend.

“Roaring Heights is an ostentatious city filled with pompous people with stars in their eyes.  No one cares one iota about anyone else unless they can further their celebrity status or career.  I can count on the fingers of one hand the genuinely nice people in the whole town.  I hate it.”

Connor digested his friend’s outburst for a moment.  “You know we could use you here in Sunset Valley.  Tamara Donner and Tori Kimura got married and are concentrating on increasing their families.  There’s no one left in City Hall to keep Vita Alto in check.  I think she might be behind some of the problems the hospital faced with funding.  Geoffrey Landgraab wanted to tell me something but wasn’t going to talk to me in front of witnesses.  I’m meeting him in the library tomorrow night.”



“Great.  Incidentally, do you think I would fit in here in Sunset Valley?”

“Well Morgana did, so you won’t be alone or without some family and old friends.  And if you are still the compassionate guy who just wants to make fair and prudent public policy that I met at uni, then this is where you’re needed.  What was it The Doctor said, ‘The TARDIS didn’t always take him where he wanted to go but where he needed to be?’  Well we really need a politician like you here.”

“I’ll think about it,” replied Galeas as the car stopped in front of the Condor Museum Lofts.

After a brief look around the Condor Museum Lofts Galeas said he would take it.  He made a list of furniture he needed to hire for the twins, like cots, high chairs and a potty.  Connor volunteered to hire the furniture so Galeas could go over to the hospital.




Galeas hadn’t heard another word from his brother-in-law since their earlier phone call, so as he walked into the hospital, Galeas had no idea what he would encounter.


Where there is love - there is life. -- Mahatma Gandhi

My Stories:
1. Duty Calls
2. Duty Calls Sequel: Islands of Sunset Valley
3. The Lady of the Lake
4. The Secret Time Traveler

Offline RaiaDraconis

  • Crazy Rat Lady
  • Watcher
  • ******
  • Posts: 1959
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 31 - The Calm Before the Storm
« Reply #169 on: May 16, 2014, 08:29:36 AM »
I always knew I liked Connor. :) But why do big have a bad feeling that Galeas is going to find something dastardly going on?

Intensely riveting as always! You have an amazing way to keep us at the very edges of our seats!

Offline Shewolf13

  • Queen of the Dragons
  • Watcher
  • ******
  • Posts: 3759
  • Wolf or Jessi is fine ^^
    • Wolfie's Writings
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 31 - The Calm Before the Storm
« Reply #170 on: May 16, 2014, 10:19:00 AM »
I always knew I liked Connor. :) But why do big have a bad feeling that Galeas is going to find something dastardly going on?

Intensely riveting as always! You have an amazing way to keep us at the very edges of our seats!

I'll say!  Wow, this is very intense!

Offline Magz from Oz

  • Watcher
  • ******
  • Posts: 1537
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 31 - The Calm Before the Storm
« Reply #171 on: May 27, 2014, 10:34:19 PM »
Hello dear readers.

My next few chapters are very wordy and have significantly less screenshots as I don't have the mods to produce them.  Is a 2,760 word chapter too much?  I'm looking for a logical break point but not finding one.  How should I approach this?
Where there is love - there is life. -- Mahatma Gandhi

My Stories:
1. Duty Calls
2. Duty Calls Sequel: Islands of Sunset Valley
3. The Lady of the Lake
4. The Secret Time Traveler



Registered members do not see ads on this Forum. Register here.

Offline Shewolf13

  • Queen of the Dragons
  • Watcher
  • ******
  • Posts: 3759
  • Wolf or Jessi is fine ^^
    • Wolfie's Writings
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 31 - The Calm Before the Storm
« Reply #172 on: May 27, 2014, 10:39:50 PM »
I, for one, have no issue with more words ^^  Screenshots are nice, but they aren't essential.  Though, if you are looking for something for screenshots, have you tried Pose Player?

Offline RaiaDraconis

  • Crazy Rat Lady
  • Watcher
  • ******
  • Posts: 1959
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 31 - The Calm Before the Storm
« Reply #173 on: May 27, 2014, 10:42:06 PM »
Pose Player definitely is a nice tool to use. ;)

But I for one would not mind more words--especially in your writing style!

Offline Magz from Oz

  • Watcher
  • ******
  • Posts: 1537
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 31 - The Calm Before the Storm
« Reply #174 on: May 27, 2014, 10:46:26 PM »
Thanks Shewolf.  I've tried to install the mods but somehow I just stuff it up.  I can't actually install anything from that site so I wondered if it's just for US users but I'm not really computer savvy so it's probably just me.   :'(

Thanks Raia, you are so kind.
Where there is love - there is life. -- Mahatma Gandhi

My Stories:
1. Duty Calls
2. Duty Calls Sequel: Islands of Sunset Valley
3. The Lady of the Lake
4. The Secret Time Traveler

Offline Shewolf13

  • Queen of the Dragons
  • Watcher
  • ******
  • Posts: 3759
  • Wolf or Jessi is fine ^^
    • Wolfie's Writings
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 31 - The Calm Before the Storm
« Reply #175 on: May 27, 2014, 10:51:49 PM »
I know the feeling, exactly.  It took me a long time to actually do things correctly.  I can try to help walk ya through it, if you'd like.  Do you use mods at all?

Offline Magz from Oz

  • Watcher
  • ******
  • Posts: 1537
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 31 - The Calm Before the Storm
« Reply #176 on: June 02, 2014, 08:34:01 AM »
Lady of the Lake:  Chapter 32 – A Hospital Crisis or Two

Galeas asked at the reception desk for directions to the waiting room where Thornton Wolff was waiting.  Expecting only that he needed to show some ID and explain that he wanted to wait with Thornton Wolff for news of his sister’s surgery, Galeas wasn’t prepared for the third degree he received from the receptionist, the myriad of forms he was asked to complete or being frisked by two Security Guards.  By contrast the airport security had been a piece of cake.  Galeas was asked to surrender the contents of his pockets, his cell phone, and his watch.  He was then handed a plastic card with a magnetic strip and escorted to a lift by yet another security guard.

Although treated with politeness by the security guard, Galeas found out it was pointless to ask him any questions as he received no response from the security guard.  The lift descended to what Galeas estimated to be about eight floors below ground level.  He could feel the slight positive pressure of the filtered air as the security guard escorted him along pristine white unadorned corridors.  For an unknown reason Galeas found himself counting the number of doors he passed. 



Another security guard was waiting outside the twelfth door.  Galeas’ security guard swiped his card and opened the doors into a waiting lounge in which the only person was a visibly distressed Thornton Wolff.  Galeas paused for a moment, mentally preparing himself for what he expected would be a trying time, but when he turned to his escort he found both security guards were gone. 



Galeas was more disconcerted at Thornton’s state of anxiety than the rigmarole of getting to the waiting room.  Truthfully, Galeas hadn’t particularly liked Thornton.  Although Thornton could be charming, Galeas had long considered his brother-in-law to be too slick and somewhat shallow. 

“Hello Thornton.  Any news?”



Thornton looked up with grey eyes dark with angst.  “Hello Galeas.  No... no news yet... but she’s been in surgery now for six hours.  All Dr Landgraab said was that Morgana had severe trauma to the brain.  An old friend of mine, Dr Jolina, is assisting with the surgery.  I haven’t heard a peep out of anyone since I signed the consent forms.  But six hours Galeas; that can’t be good!”

Galeas noted Thornton’s tired appearance and nervous gesturing and hoping to conceal his own apprehension at that news, tried to comfort his brother-in-law.  “Well brain surgery is delicate and I’d rather they take 20 hours than rush it and mess it up.” 

“You’re right... I know you’re right... I agree... absolutely... but I just wish I knew what was happening.  I feel so helpless, so... so... useless just sitting here doing nothing.” 



Galeas knew there was absolutely nothing either of them could do to change the outcome of the surgery.  They had to trust the experience, dedication and skill of the surgery team.  Not wanting to focus on things he couldn’t control, Galeas asked Thornton about the hospital and the peculiarity of the surgery suite being so far underground.



“Oh that was because some years ago, a meteor struck the Science Facility and everyone there was killed.  After that, City Hall commissioned a Critical Infrastructure Audit for the town’s essential services.  The Audit found most of the hospital’s superstructure was too old to withstand a similar sized meteor strike so City Hall decided the best answer was not to build a new hospital on a greenfield site, but to build under the existing hospital when future expansion was needed.  The hospital administration of that time wanted to expand.  Vita Alto had such grand plans and got City Hall to fast track the new diagnostic rooms and surgical suite here to position the hospital to be the preeminent hospital in the region.”



“That sounds like a massive exercise.  Excavation under an existing structure must have been hideously expensive not to mention disruptive to patient care,” said Galeas.

“It was.  There was the standard state and federal government grants, but that wasn’t enough for the project.  We had the usual fundraising but in the end, the hospital was green lit for listing on the stock exchange.  I was one of the team that put together the prospectus.  Most of the people in the town took up parcels of shares but the majority went to two institutional investors.”

“It seems remarkable to get institutional investors for a small town hospital.”

“It was, but Vita Alto and Nancy Landgraab put aside their differences to really sell the potential of this hospital.  Everything was fine until 18 months ago when the one of the institutional investors decided to sell their stock.  Most of the town’s people volunteered to buy what additional shares they could afford but there was still a large block of shares which were sold to an unknown entity.  Then the other big institutional investor needed to sell six months ago and their shares were bought by the same unknown entity.  Nancy Landgraab wrote to the SEC Registry to get the details but even with the extensive Landgraab resources, we really don’t know who owns that stock.  The shares are held in a very obscure shelf company whose ownership structure is too complicated to figure out.” 

“Is that legitimate?”



“Well the SEC can’t find anything illegal so until we can prove otherwise, we’re powerless.  For some unknown reasons the criminal element over at the Outstanding Citizen’s Warehouse Corp has acquired the proxy voting right of that block of shares and rumours abound that they actually are the new majority shareholder.  Regardless, they dismissed the previous Board and the new Board of Directors implemented a whole swathe of price increases that the hospital really can’t cope with.  As a result, throughput is diminishing, which has led to reduced income.  So combine that with the Board salaries that are now astronomical, dividends to the shareholders are a pittance.” 

Thornton looked back at the clock and sighed but continued his narrative.  “The majority shareholder will only sell their shares as a block and are asking §26 million, which equates to about §520 per share which is ridiculous and unrealistic.  The security guards you met are here to try to keep the criminal element from openly accessing critical parts of the hospital because they scare away the potential patients we need to keep the hospital afloat.  But they just waltz in and out the front door as if they practically owned the place.”



“Which they might,” pointed out Galeas.

“Yes unfortunately, as majority shareholder, they technically might.”

“How much did you pay per share in the initial float?”

“§20 per share which was reasonable for about a 6% return.”

“Quite reasonable.  What does the SEC say about the value they’ve put on the shares?

“There’s nothing they can do because the shares aren’t being sold via the stock exchange.  It’s a private treaty offer only!  Nobody I know can afford to pay that sort of money.”  Thornton looked back at the clock and slumped heavily in his chair. 

“What about the Altos.  I heard they were fairly wealthy?”

“They are or were.  Nick Alto was the ousted Chairman.  That’s why we don’t think the Altos are involved with this mob.  Everybody in this town has just about every spare cent they had invested in this hospital including the Altos.  At least we’ve got control of 49% of the voting stock but unfortunately they’ve got the majority 51%.  With the explosion and the OSHA investigation, even the marginal profits will fall and the hospital will produce losses not profits.  Many townies won’t be able to afford to retain their shares and will probably sell.  In the articles for the company float, any shareholder with 60% of the stock could authorise a new share issue.”  Thornton looked thoroughly defeated.  “We could lose this hospital to those crooks.”  With that said, Thornton slumped in his chair running his fingers through his usually neatly combed hair.



Galeas felt it unwise to engage him in further conversation and walked over to the bookcases.  “Do you want a book Thornton?  Books can while away the hours.”

“I tried earlier but I read the first paragraph about 40 times and I still couldn’t tell you which book I had been reading.”

Galeas shrugged and selected a book to read but as the hours ticked slowly away, he became restless.  Thornton was already pacing up and down.  Watching Thornton, Galeas thought about the hospital’s problems and how Morgana had loved this little valley and its people.  He wondered if there was anything he could do.  His parents were comfortably off but not rich to the tune of §26 million.  There had to be a town planning or government issue that could circumvent the crooks taking control the whole hospital.  But unless he lived in the town, he was as powerless as Thornton.  Galeas wanted to go back outside to phone Connor but found the swipe card he been given would not allow the lift to move.  He went back to Thornton.

“The security swipe card I was given doesn’t operate the lift.  How do you go outside?”

“That’s not a security swipe card.  That’s a credit card.  You need it to buy coffee or snacks from the vending machine.  If you want to go outside, you need to call security and they will escort you, but again, it will cost you.”



Galeas decided to conserve his money.  Finally, after many long hours, just when Galeas had begun to think Thornton wasn’t going to last the distance, the waiting room doors opened.  A doctor approached them with tiredness etched on every angle of his face.  Reaching out the doctor shook Thornton’s nervous hands.



“Thornton, we believe the surgery to be successful.  Morgana has come through it remarkably well.  She’s on life support but she’s such a fighter.  We’ll keep her in an induced coma until the swelling goes down.  I won’t lie to you.  It was a particularly difficult surgery to repair quite extensive damage to the brain.  We can’t even begin to speculate how she’ll be until she comes round.  I don’t want you to see her just yet.  If you see her through the window, you’ll be unnecessarily alarmed by the machines and bandages.  Go home Thornton.  Get some sleep.  Dr Jolina will stay with her through what’s left of the night.”



The doctor turned to Galeas.  “Hello, I’m Dr Geoffrey Landgraab.  You must be Galeas, Morgana’s brother.  She has told me so much about you and your family, that I feel I know you well.  I’m sorry you had to return to Sunset Valley under such circumstances, but ultimately, I hope your visit will be a happy one.  Morgana is getting the very best of care, I can assure you.  As well as her surgeon, I’m also Morgana’s boss.  She means a lot to all of us here at the Sacred Spleen and we’re doing everything we can for her.” 



“Thank you Dr Landgraab.  My parents and sisters are joining me here tomorrow...”  Galeas looked at the clock and frowned.  “Hmm... make that later today.  How soon will we be able to see Morgana?”

“I’ve put a no visitor order on the ICU for the next 24 hours.  We can’t risk Morgana getting any infection so we need to ensure the least possible contamination of that whole intensive care area.  Perhaps you should take Thornton home and see that he eats something and gets some rest.  I don’t think he’s in great shape.  I’ll take you two back to reception.”

“Thank you Dr Landgraab.” Galeas said propelling a dazed Thornton by the arm.

As they made their way out of the hospital, Galeas pondered whether Thornton’s genuinely distressed state was for more for Morgana’s condition or his potential lost fortune in hospital shares.

Dr Landgraab hummed to himself as he left the hospital in the early hours of the morning.  There was just something reassuring about being around Galeas duGaunnes.  Because of his name, Geoffrey assumed Galeas was part French, like himself, but he also felt like he’d known the man all his life.  Especially as the name Gaunnes was irrevocably entwined with his own family.  But that was his family’s secret, unknown even to Nancy.  But perhaps that’s the reason Geoffrey had always felt so protective of Morgana and why he’d come to regard her almost like the little sister he’d often wished he had.



Galeas reminded him of someone he knew; but racking his tired brain, Geoffrey could not recall who.  On arriving home, he checked his personal email account and found the news he’d been waiting for from his older brother Aeron.  Firstly, Geoffrey was finally an uncle and secondly, their father had authorised Geoffrey’s proposal to investigate the shady dealings at the Sacred Spleen Hospital. 



Drawing a bath to soak his tired muscles, Geoffrey pondered the two pieces of news but the birth of his nephew pleased him the most.  He almost laughed aloud as he remembered his brother’s vocal rebellion of their father’s insistence that he must carry on the family tradition which dated back to the dark ages.  When Aeron stayed single well into his 30’s he was sent to France to visit their grandfather and came back a changed man.  Aeron gave up his decadent lifestyle, took over the family business and married a lovely girl.  Now the pride in his voice as Aeron announced the birth of his son, Aeron Elyan Almandy, the 48th, was unmistakable.

Geoffrey had a sudden revelation.  That’s who Galeas duGaunnes reminded him of: a face from one of the old paintings in his ancestral home in France.  Although centuries old, the paintings had been painstakingly restored about a year before their great-grandfather died.  Geoffrey was only about Malcolm’s age when Aeron and he accompanied their father to France for the funeral of their great-grandfather. 

Although far older and less ostentatious than the nearby Champs les Sims Castle, the Manor House at West Almandy had been his family’s pile since about 537AD (by the old Julian calendar).  The Manor House had secret passages and hidden underground cellars which were exciting for the two young boys to explore.  Although the Manor House had been rebuilt and restored several times over the centuries, it had remained essentially the same design.  But with each rebuild, new underground chambers had been added and old long-lost ones rediscovered.

In one of the secret underground chambers were many paintings and artefacts kept in the same climate controlled enclosures as the art works in the Louvre in Paris.  In addition to the usual family portraits, the Almandy collection depicted many famous historical events, including the two world wars, the Napoleonic wars, the French revolution, the Battle of Hastings but to name a few.  But the most incredible were those paintings said to be the mythical Battle of Camlann, the final battle of Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table. 

If one believed the family history, those very paintings were commissioned by the first Aeron of Almandy in 537AD.  They supposedly depicted the actual events of Camelot’s last days.  In another chamber were the artworks and artefacts removed from the Castle of Gaunnes before it was ransacked by the Frankish army, and front and centre had been a large painting depicting Sir Galahad leading the quest for the Holy Grail flanked by his cousin, Sir Bors the Younger and Sir Perceval and surrounded by the ladies of the court of Camelot.  While not believing every word of the family legend, the paintings had ignited in Geoffrey a lifelong interest with the Arthurian legends.  But it was that painting to which Galeas bore the most startling resemblance to Sir Galahad.  Geoffrey knew every inch of that painting and could visualise every brushstroke.  He knew he was not mistaken, the likeness was uncanny.



Geoffrey Landgraab shook his head at his imaginings.  He would sound insane if he said to anyone that he had met the replica of Sir Galahad.  Geoffrey reasoned it was just his exhausted brain that was making that leap of logic.  Although, he reasoned, he was not so tired that he didn’t recall that when Morgana Wolff had discovered his Arthurian fascination, she had admitted to her boss that her parents shared his love of medieval things.  Morgana had reminisced about her childhood filled with medieval fairs, elves, witches and dragons. 



As he climbed into bed beside a sleeping Nancy, Geoffrey was saddened that he may never hear those reminisces again because Morgana’s medial temporal lobe had been so badly injured, that he had to remove some of the tissue.  How Morgana’s memory would be affected, was as yet unknown, but Geoffrey knew that it would be nothing short of a miracle if she didn’t have irreversible retrograde amnesia.

That night Geoffrey dreamt about Morgana’s family as he imagined them with Galeas and Lance transformed into Sir Galahad and Sir Lancelot coming to the aid of the injured fairy, Morgan le Fay... 
Where there is love - there is life. -- Mahatma Gandhi

My Stories:
1. Duty Calls
2. Duty Calls Sequel: Islands of Sunset Valley
3. The Lady of the Lake
4. The Secret Time Traveler

Offline RaiaDraconis

  • Crazy Rat Lady
  • Watcher
  • ******
  • Posts: 1959
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 32 - A Hospital Crisis or Two
« Reply #177 on: June 02, 2014, 09:07:20 AM »
Oh wow...now that was a little twist that I didn't expect! How will Geoffrey play into this, I wonder...

I'm with Galeas on this one. What exactly is behind Thornton's concern...? Something tells me that something is seriously not right.

Sent from my C6916 using Tapatalk


Offline Shewolf13

  • Queen of the Dragons
  • Watcher
  • ******
  • Posts: 3759
  • Wolf or Jessi is fine ^^
    • Wolfie's Writings
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 32 - A Hospital Crisis or Two
« Reply #178 on: June 02, 2014, 11:14:51 AM »
 :o  Whoa!  What an intriguing twist!  I can't wait to find out what's really going on!  Also... love the foreshadowing of the dream hehehe

Offline MarianT

  • Global Moderator
  • Watcher
  • ******
  • Posts: 6998
  • Everything in life is here to drive you crazy. R.T
Re: The Lady of the Lake: Chapter 32 - A Hospital Crisis or Two
« Reply #179 on: June 02, 2014, 03:03:51 PM »
Catching up on this -- I hope Morgana comes through okay. And Magz, I don't mind if there's more text than screenshots, even though you do have lovely settings. Your hospital has the feel of every hospital I've ever been in.
When the Zombies Come(Completed)--100 Nooboos Nabbed




Enjoy writing stories? Please check the Rules for Stories before posting.