In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 25 – My Dearest Magpie - where Magpie and Lucas get some shocking news about Farfalla.

Music: Nightbridge by Cannelle (www.cannellemusic.com)

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TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions with the support of Whimsical Productions and Collected Sounds presents: Episode 25 of The Skylark Bell.  I am your host Melissa Oliveri.  

In the last chapter of our story, Magpie and Lucas learned more about Farfalla and her connection to Mrs. Starling, but there are still many questions to be answered.

In today’s episode we continue our adventure with Chapter 25 – My Dearest Magpie - where Magpie and Lucas get some shocking news.

So get settle in… grab a blanket, and a warm drink… and let’s get started.

It’s late morning and Magpie is meeting Lucas at the bottom of his driveway. 

“I can’t wait to bring this photo to Farfalla!,” says Magpie, bounding with energy despite the lack of sleep. She still can’t believe everything that happened the night before; from trekking through the house at Meadow Lane, to finding and ringing the Skylark Bell, to then learning about the friendship between Farfalla and Grandma Starling…

“I hope it brings her peace,” he says quietly, grasping Magpie’s hand.  She smiles up at him and they start walking. They head straight to the diner, figuring Farfalla should just be finishing up her breakfast around this time, but upon entering they find her usual booth completely empty.

“Has Farfalla left already?” Magpie asks the young waitress scurrying by.  The young woman stops in her tracks, a strange look washing over her face.

“Let me get the owner, stay right there,” she says, nervously.  Lucas and Magpie give one another a puzzled look.  

A moment later, a petite, well-dressed woman walks toward them, a somber look on her face.  “Hi, Ms. Kestrel,” says Lucas.

She gives Lucas a small nod before stating, “I am told you are looking for Farfalla.”

“Yes, we were wondering if she’s already been by today,” says Magpie, trying to ignore the mounting sense of dread she is feeling.

“I truly regret that you are finding out this way, but Farfalla passed away last night. I became worried when she didn’t come for her usual breakfast this morning, so I sent my husband to check on her.  He found her in her chair, like she was having the most restful nap, a green shawl on her knees…”  The woman’s voice trails off.

“But... but I…” begins Magpie.  The lump in her throat prevents her from saying anything more as tears of sadness and confusion spill down her cheeks.  She just spoke with Farfalla yesterday, in this very diner!

“I’m so sorry, Magpie,” says Lucas, pulling her into his embrace.

“Did you say Magpie?” asks Mrs. Kestrel, “I have something for you!”  She hurries into the back office and returns with a small package.  “This box was on Farfalla’s dining room table with an envelope on it that said ‘For Magpie’, I believe these things are for you,” she says, somberly handing her the items before quietly walking away.

Lucas and Magpie carry the package across the street to the gardens at the library and sit in the grass staring at it for a moment. Magpie inhales deeply before carefully opening the envelope addressed to her.  Inside, scrawled in impecable cursive handwriting, is a letter from Farfalla.

My dearest Magpie,

How Lucky I am to have finally laid eyes upon you.  I had a vision last night, I know my time has finally come.  Such a strange expression, my time has come… as if this time belongs to me.            

Before I go, there are things you must know…

There was never any harm meant to the people of this town when Meadow Lane was silenced. Perhaps a shattered heart that couldn’t bear to hear a joyous sound willed it to be silent, but that heart was not mine. Regardless, that silence spread further than anyone could ever have imagined, and that is regrettable.

I trust that I provided you instructions on what you must do. If I recall correctly, we were both successful. I hope I was also able to tell you about our family, Meadow Lane, the Skylark Bell… and Marius, but perhaps there wasn’t time for all that. There will be, don’t worry.

It is marvelous to watch Lucas, I have seen him grow from a scared little boy by the side of the road into a marvelous young man.  I see the way he looks at you, the way someone special looked at me all those years ago. Cherish that feeling, help it grow, like the orchard and the flowers at Meadow Lane.  The forest, the land and the house all belong to you now, the deed is in the package I have left for you.  

I have also included a letter from Charlotte Carnifex that my sister Paloma had kept, and my personal notebook.  I believe you will find these items to be of great interest.

Wherever you may end up, fill your life with joy, love, and the sound of laughter, and music. The sound of a thousand birds, and the sound of one ringing bell, then everything will find its way in time.

 With love,

Farfalla

Magpie carefully folds the letter, tucks it back into its envelope, and opens the package.  As promised, she finds the deed to Meadow Lane, a notebook, and some old, yellowing letters with foreign stamps.  Magpie pulls out the notebook and gasps. 

“Magpie, what is it?” Asks Lucas.  

The worn, fragile sketchbook is bound in blue leather, with a gold hummingbird etched on the cover. “I have a sketchbook just liked this!” Says Magpie, stunned. Had Farfalla sent Magpie a matching notebook as a birthday gift all that time ago - long before Magpie and her mother had any inkling they would be moving to Pocket? And if so, how did she know where to send it? Had she known who they were and where they lived all this time? Why hadn’t she reached out before?

Magpie lets the questions swirl in her mind for a moment, then opens the notebook   Inside, she sees a series of sketches and notes, very similar to her own, dating back decades. Between the pages she finds a photograph of Marius, similar to the one hanging on the wall in Lucas’ kitchen, but in much better condition.  She stares at it for a moment, once again noting the uncanny resemblance to Lucas.  Tucking the photo back into the notebook, she picks up the stack of letters, flipping through them gently.  One, in particular, catches her attention.  It is post-marked much later than the others and is in a smaller envelope.  Magpie opens the envelope and unfolds the letter; unlike the others, it is not dated and the handwriting is far messier, like its author was hurried or had a shaking hand. Magpie begins to read out loud:

Paloma,

This is of the utmost importance. I am very ill, and fear I do not have much time left. There is a property on a remote island in North West Scotland, in a small village called Pocaid, that has been in my husband Edward’s family for centuries.  It should have been passed down to our son, James, but sadly that day never came.  I have left instructions and the necessary paperwork with our counsel in Edinburgh. Please pass this information along to his daughter Elizabeth, whom I will never have had the joy of meeting – one of the greatest regrets of my life.

I must rest now.  

With all my love, all my hopes, and all my best wishes; I bid you farwell

Charlotte

“This is incredible!” says Magpie, her mind reeling as she folds up the letter.  “First Meadow Lane, and now a centuries-old property in Scotland?!”

“Looks like you’ve got some traveling to do!” says Lucas playfully.  “Just promise me you’ll come back,” he adds, his voice taking on a more serious tone as he looks her in the eye.

“I wouldn’t ever want to go anywhere without my tour guide,” she says, winking at him.  They sit quietly for a moment and Magpie thinks about the first time Lucas walked with her into town.  It has only been a few months but it feels like a lifetime ago. Time could be weird like that sometimes.

Magpie peers into the empty box and is about to place all the items back inside when a glint of metal catches her eye.  At the bottom of the box is a house key with a small tag attached that reads ‘Home’.  Magpie fishes it out and holds it in her palm for a moment.  She leans her head on Lucas’ shoulder as they sit in silence, watching the birds flutter through the garden. He pulls away just enough to lay a gentle kiss on her cheek before standing and reaching down to grab her hands and help her up.  She takes one last long look at the garden before turning back to Lucas.  “We should go to her house and pack up her things.” She says.  He nods and they gather their things before walking solemnly down the cross-street toward the tiny house surrounded by blackberry bushes.

Thank you so much for listening.  Join me next week as we pursue our adventure and read Chapter 26 of Meadow Lane and the Skylark Bell - Legacy – where Magpie and Lucas discover the final piece of the puzzle as they gather Farfalla’s things.

Before I go, I’d like to thank Phaeton Starling Publishing for this fantastically eerie story, and Cannelle Elanion for composing equally fantastic and eerie music for this podcast. If you are enjoying this story, please consider leaving a rating or a review. Either one, or both, are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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