332. The First Key: Moonwort in Moonlight

332. The First Key: Moonwort in Moonlight

Moonlight. The Richearth Plantation. The garden where Richearth creates new flowers. My uncles Richearth and Gentlerain, my oldest first cousins the Blue Twins,  two of my youngest first cousins, namely Azuline and Esmeraldo, my niece Neferclari and I, Heather, and, of course,  Beau, who is always in my mind no matter where he is physically. We are all standing in a circle, and within it, lying on the dark green under the lunar beams grass, the three silver coffers Nick of Time’s daughters allowed us to steal from them. And also, tiny but terribly powerful, a fern with a frond that has leaflets like crescent moons and a sprig loaded with bunches of round spore cases that some call grapes.

“I don’t know if this is going to work, because the moonwort I grow here I myself modified to better. Where in both worlds can we find old-fashioned moonwort if mine won’t serve?” asked Uncle Rich.

“I may have some in my garden,” I, Heather, said. “But it is never easy to find. It’s such a small fern.”

We were trying to open the coffers and we had been told the key that would open the first of these was moonwort, but  only under the light of a waning moon. Nothing else would do the job. Luckily, the Apple Island Moon goes through all its phases every Monday night. Several times. Dizzying, but tonight convenient. 

“Well, we won’t know if the new-fangled moonwort will work if we don’t try it,” said Gentlerain.

But before we could…

“What is the meaning of this?” cried Branna, rising from the shadows in a silver nightgown. “Why are you out here in the middle of the night, Richie, and with these children yet?”

“And with my brother Gentlerain!” nodded Richearth. “ Who is a prude of the first water, isn’t that so, Gentie? I am not with a ladyfriend. That is clear, isn’t it? What problem is there then?”

“Good…good evening, Gentlerain,” said Branna. “I…I didn’t mean… anything like what Richie is suggesting. I feared there might have been some kind of an … an accident. How is…Mabel?”

“Mabel is used to her husband getting up in the middle of the night and vanishing into the darkness until breakfast. And nobody ever accuses him of being a…a…well, whatever! At least not lately.”

“Mabel is fine,”said Gentlerain. “I often have business that can only be done late at night. That is what we have here now. I’m sorry if we´ve startled you.”

“Mabel is an astronomer and she is always awake at night. Spying on the stars and on me. Not that I mind. I’m flattered. But you ought to understand we have business out here, Mabel. For once. Not always, like you do. And don’t say you never leave the house but just climb onto the roof.”

“I…all I will say is, I don’t want to bother you, but why are you being so mysterious, if I may ask?”

“Now is when Gentie will tell you he is trying to help a woman who was an old friend of mine. Don’t let that upset you either! It’s impossible for there not to be any old ladyfriends of mine. I’ve been around for centuries.”

“Actually, we are trying to find Henny Parry’s long lost brother. He was the sweetheart of a woman who has been ailing since he disappeared. My daughters had something to do with all this, so I feel I should find Umbrian Parry,” said Gentlerain.

“Plus he is curious and wants to know where Umbrian hides so well. You don’t know these people because they are from centuries before you, Branna,” said Richearth.

“I know Henny Parry. Can I help?”

“You can let us get on with what we are doing before it gets to be dawn and the moon hides, love,” said Richearth.

“Get on with it, Daddyman!” encouraged the Blue Twins. They were a little impatient, because they were not too happy to have to be always present in case they were needed while their father tried to find Umbrian.

“I don’t see any keyhole or escutcheon or keyway or anything  on these boxes. They seem to be made in one solid block. I hope just touching this first one with a sprig of moonwort will do the job. I’ll dig it up whole, roots and all. I don’t want to harm it,” said Gentlerain.

“Nothing will happen to it. I’m here. I can raise the dead. I’ll see to the plant.”

Gentlerain knelt on the grass and very softly began to loosen the fern from the earth. When he had, he asked, “Shall I touch the box with the tip of this or with the roots?”

“Pass the roots over where the keyhole should have been,” said Richearth, “but make sure the moon is shining on that.”

Gentie touched the first box and it snapped open, just like any coffer might when opened with a more common key.

“And what have we here?” asked the Bluebell Twins, kneeling to take a peek within the box.

“An index card, I think. Richie, plant this plant back, will you?”

Uncle Rich did just that, not even taking the plant from his brother’s hands with his own. He simply made the little fern float back to its place. And there it stayed, looking as settled as if it had never left it.

“But what does the card say?” asked the twins.

“Thank you for stealing the coffers, Esmeraldo,” said Uncle Gentlerain.

“WHAT?” exclaimed the Bluebell twins.

“No, it doesn’t say that,” laughed Uncle Gentlerain, “I just remembered I hadn’t thanked Esmeraldo for lifting these boxes.”

“Anytime, good sir,” said Esmeraldo.

“I thought it was you,” said Richearth to his brother.

“Your boy got ahead of me.”

“There was no time left to hesitate,” said Gemmy.

“Indeed there wasn’t,” nodded Gentlerain.

“Well, don’t waste more time now,” said the twins. “Read that card! Out loud, Daddyman!”

Gentlerain drew out the card and gave it a glance.

“The only person I know and like who could read this card out loud is your Uncle Brightfire,” said Gentlerain to his daughters.

“WHAT?”exclaimed the twins.

And Richearth tore the card from his brother’s hand. 

“Oh! Oh, wow! Yes. Only Fufi could.”