Cast of Characters
For those of us who call Barnstable home, clues can sometimes be difficult to gatherâŚand even tougher to comprehend!
It all begins with me Dylan, previously full-time Storyteller Extraordinaire and part-time thorn in the side for the former Duke of Arlington Green and his family. Due to the threat of impending invasion of Arlington Green by an army of mercenary soldiers massing along our border under the employ of the Earl of Thornsbury, through an extraordinary set of circumstances, I was named Commander of the forces set to take the field and protect our homes and families. Soundly defeating Thornsburyâs Mercenary Legion at the Battle of Dylanâs Hill, my rewardâŚonce it was determined that I would indeed survive my many woundsâŚwas to be named as Earl over the lands vacated by Thornsburyâs demise. Assuming the responsibility of rebuilding the lives and homes of the people who had lived under the old Earlâs yoke is a daunting task which I still am not certain I can handle successfully, yet I must be doing something right as the newly renamed town of Barnstable is painstakingly rising from the ashes of despair.
Naturally, I could not have even begun this task without the help and assistance of some very remarkable people; especially the most precious gift which I could have ever received in my life. I am, of course, referring to my âbetter halfâ; the young, talented, and most beautiful Robyn, Lady of Barnstable. Beautiful in form as well as spirit, with golden hair that shines in the sun, the former winner of the Festival of Music due to her singing and instrumental abilities has her hands full both in supporting me and my efforts as well as keeping me in line. It only remains a short matter of time to discern which job involves the most work!
Should Robyn ever require any advice on how to accomplish such impossible tasks, she can always rely upon the experience of our housekeeper Nanny Kaye, who has joined us here at Barnstable from her previous position at Arlington Green. Having helped raise the Duke and Duchessâs two sons Tre and Brandon, she has extensive knowledge of how to deal with children. When one day I happened to ask Robyn why Kaye had been so insistent on joining us here at Barnstable when we donât have any children, Robyn had just given a small laugh and replied, âWe may notâŚbut I do!â
If you should happen to meet my Aide and good friend Lefty Wright, I suggest that you smile. I donât think making one of the most dangerous men in The Kingdom angry with you would be very wise! Formerly of The Kingâs Own Regiment of The Royal Army and appointed as my bodyguard prior to the battle of Dylanâs Hill where he saved my life more than once, we have both grown to appreciate the value of the otherâŚeven if neither of us is willing to acknowledge that fact. He still calls me âSirâ to this day as he knows it bothers me no end. I do find it enjoyable to discover new ways to retaliate, however.
His seaman brother, Ship Wright, has also come to call Barnstable home. Shipâs first responsibility was to repair the completely missing bow section of our newly purchased vessel âThe Good Luck Charleyâ. His second responsibility is to see to it that I never take the helm of the ship again, as it was I who nearly sank the vessel originally after running it into a dock! As resourceful as his brother Lefty, we are very fortunate to have him as the driving force of our fledgling shipping business.
At least Ship doesnât call me âSirâ all the time.
He calls me âCaptainâ instead!
Barclay Charles, former Royal Army Officer and actual architect of the defense of Arlington Green, retired from active service due to his wounds suffered during the battle and has taken on the role of architect of the new town of Barnstable. As he is extremely adept at organizing, he is in charge of planning and building the new community here for the wounded and injured veterans of that battle as well as the survivors of the remnants of the village of Thornsbury. He truly is a marvel who continues to achieve the impossibleâŚwhich is a good thing as that is precisely what I am constantly requiring him to do.
As we still have many wounded veterans of the âThornsbury Aggressionâ as well as those townspeople who suffered under the yoke of the previous Earl, a Master Healer of some sort was required to oversee the effort to meet their recurring needs. The strange thing is that I did not have to go look for one; he found us! Yes, the day after we arrived at our new home, a rather dubious Lefty announced the arrival of a physician who declared that he had been informed to come to Barnstable. When I asked this Healer who had informed him of our need, he cryptically answered âthe futureâ. A quick trip to the recovery area for the wounded and sick revealed how he did indeed have great skills and abilities in healing as well as organizing the barbers and nurses present. So what if Leo Aquarius claims that he can see the future; maybe he can tell me when I finally pay back The King the money I owe him still.
In order for us to survive long enough to do the people of our new home some actual good, it became imperative that we find someone other than Lefty to prepare our mealsâŚfast! Tâwas indeed an occasion to be celebrated the day Barclay pulled up to our Manor home with a rather large fellow seated next to him on his wagon. Robyn and I were introduced to Mr. Bull Chutney, previous cook for The Kingâs Own Regiment and former acquaintance and friend of Lefty Wright during their days serving in that Regiment. As one cannot hold a man responsible for the company he used to keep, Bull became our full-time cook on the spot. His flair for preparing a fantastic meal has proven to be thoroughly appreciatedâŚcanât say the same about the stories he and Lefty share at the dinner table, though!
Both Robyn and I are as determined as was The Duke to create a school here for the children of the town. Unfortunately, being the Earl and Lady of Barnstable will most definitely keep us occupied a great deal of the time. In spite of having so much structural re-building to do, we felt it necessary to start positive programs for our villagers immediately; so even though she may be without a schoolroom as yet, we have brought in a most charming young lady to handle my old duties of âSchool Administratorâ. Young Christine Waltham comes to us highly recommended as she does an amazing job of working with children and excels as a dancing teacher. Naive regarding many of the ways of the world, we refer to her as âLittle Sisterâ and woe to the young man who even attempts to further her education regarding such matters! At the dinner table, she sits across from Dr Aquarius who is constantly trying to teach her things that she has absolutely no interest in.
Quite the intrepid group of future treasure hunters donât you think?
