The CAP: The Return of LdyPegasus
by Bt
It was a dark and stormy night when LdyPegasus arrived at the gates of Deb U. Although
light shown from several windows in the dorms, signifying the presence of someone, the
storm kept the students inside and not even the hardiest of them noted the covered coach
as it entered the campus. Thunder drowned out the sounds of the iron shod wheels on the
slick cobblestones as the coach wound its way up the drive to the Chancellor’s
Mansion.
What had been planned as a short trip had stretched into several months as the almost
magical spell of forest and perfect weather had combined to keep the chancellor at her far
away vacation hide-a-way. Then of course, there’d been the foot injury which had
required a visit to a surgeon and that further extended her time away from Deb U.
As the coach stopped in from of the mansion she noticed with dismay that the building was
dark and appeared to be deserted. That was most unusual! She’d not sent notice to the
school in advance of her arrival since uncertain travel conditions and the inconvenience
of the injured foot made it almost impossible to predict when she would arrive.
After paying the coachman to place her baggage inside the door, LdyPegasus hobbled up the
steps leaning on a rather fancifully carved cane she had acquired in a quaint gift shop in
that far away place so dear to her heart.
“A light at the entrance is really not all that much to expect,” she grumbled to
herself as she enter the darkened foyer and promptly stubbed a toe on the “good
foot” against a box or parcel someone had carelessly left in the middle of the floor.
She found a candlestick on a small table and soon could see her surroundings. All manner
of boxes and crates, some empty some filled, stood about in the hallway. In the small
reception parlor just off the foyer she was shocked to see most of the furnishings either
missing or shoved into a pile as if someone was ready to haul them away. “Hmm, they
must be doing some redecorating in here. That’s why there is all this mess. Asty is
slipping, though, to allow this kind of shoddy work to be done here. I’ll have to
have a talk with her tomorrow.”
Too tired from her trip to investigate further, she made her way slowly up the stairs,
juggling candle and cane, and finally reached her suite on the second floor. The locking
mechanism, a gift from Hephaestus, turned smoothly as she placed her key in the lock and
the door swung open revealing the familiar, well love rooms. Glancing at the door as she
entered she saw a sign taped to the shiny varnished surface.
“Gone to Lost Wages for a Conference. Back sometime. *wg* Take care of things.”
and it was signed Asty.
“Oh, fine!” she said to herself. “They’re off having a great time and
I’m stuck here with all the work.”
Just then Peg heard the sound of the front door opening. Realizing that she hadn’t
locked it, she started out into the hall to investigate.
“Dagnabbit!” A male voice swore loudly, “Where is that candle. I know I
left it here somewhere!”
“Who is there!” Peg called out in her most authoritative voice while she leaned
on the ornate balustrade for balance and brandished her cane, which she rather hoped would
be mistaken for a sword in the flickering candlelight.
“Oh, it just me, silly Lambda I’m in the wrong place again.” A now
distinctly female voice replied. And then in a deeper more familiar male voice, softly
added, “Peg is that you? Gods am I glad to see you!” He called out bounding up
the stairs. “You’ll never believe what I’ve been though the past couple of
weeks.”
Peg back up quickly from the strange apparition which approached her. An extremely homely
woman with long, wet ,stringy blond hair, makeup smeared all over her face and a terribly
unattractive brown dress, apparently homemade, was speaking with chancellor
Omarsnake’s voice. “Stay away from me!” she ordered, waving the cane about
in an effort to both keep her balance and appear more intimidating.
“Peg, it’s me, Omar,” the blond replied and reaching up, pulled off the
dripping blond wig. “I’m in disguise, you see. I had to find out what they were
up to! The CAs and the students, I mean.” He placed a friendly arm around Pegs
shoulder and helped her into her suite. “Boy, have I got a lot to tell you!”
Peg just looked at her fellow chancellor and shaking her head, thought, “No matter
how long I’m away nothing ever really changes. I wonder what everyone is up to this
time.”
To be continued....
Bt
Posted on Sep 02 1999, 09:03 AM
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