Chapter Ninety-One: In which I describe the beginning of my strange adventure

Well my friends, the last two weeks have been some of the most bizarre weeks of my life, and I hardly know where to begin. Lady M would say, “Begin at the beginning,” bee editedso that is what I will do. I know she wrote a post to you last week so you know that I shifted into the form of a buzzard, flew to the Windermere airfield, and then shifted into the form of a bee. I was able to fly through a door when some humans were delivering food to the facility, just as Lord Iagan did when he visited the same place a few months ago. I found myself in the kitchen and waited there until all the coming and going ended. I learned that though humans brought food to the facility, they did not enter the living spaces at all.

After the humans were gone, dragons came into the kitchen and began unpacking the boxes and preparing food. It was remarkable to see so many young dragons of so many kinds in one place. I even saw a Welsh Red Dragon, and could not help wondering how her poor family members were faring, not knowing where she was.

I flew out of the kitchen and began exploring the facility. I saw the rooms Lord Iagan described in his report, including the library, sitting room, the labs, and the bedrooms. I also found a music room and an exercise facility, where a pair of British Greens were practicing downward facing dog pose. Apparently they were learning yoga!

Later on I listened in when the dragons all sat down to eat together, and heard about the projects that they were working on. They seemed excited about what they were doing and not once did a single one of them mention their homes, their clans, or their families. I began to think that Meister must have found a way to make them forget their former lives. If they forgot who they really were, they would be content with their life and willing to do what they were asked to do.

Before the meal concluded I found one of the listening devices that Lord Iagan had put in place and told those who were listening, including Lady M, that all was well. I would explore the place some more and be on the watch when Meister arrived the following day.

I spent the night sleeping on one of the bookshelves in the library and managed to get something to eat in the kitchen before any of the young dragons were up. Then I watched them go about their day and was once again struck by how happy and at ease they seemed to be. It was distressing because I knew how much their families wanted them back and how worried they were.

I was reading some documents that one of the young dragons was working on in one of the labs when I heard a tone sound and then a voice announced that the “Master” had arrived. Immediately the atmosphere in the facility changed. The air was full of excitement and the twittering of voices, and I watched as the dragons left their work in the lab and made their way to the large sitting room. I followed with care and found a place to hide in a ceiling light fixture.

At first I could not see anything because the dragons were crowded around Meister, but eventually they dispersed and I was able to see the man for the first time. He wore is hair long, just to his shoulders, and it was a silvery blond color. From my high vantage point I could see that his face was lean and that he was tall and thin. He moved with grace and had a polished voice that gave me no hint of where he came from as it had no accent and was rather flat. I had never heard a voice like that and for some reason it made me shiver.

The young dragons eagerly told Meister how they were getting along with their various projects and he listened attentively, asking good questions and thus showing that he understood the science behind their work. The more he spoke the clearer it became that he was a very intelligent and knowledgeable man. He was kind to the young dragons and they all seemed very fond of him, wanting to please him.

Eventually Meister took his leave of the dragons, telling them that he was tired and needed to rest for a while. I very carefully followed him as he made his way to his private quarters. The day before I had tried to find a way into his living area but could not do so. On this occasion I barely managed to follow him inside by landing on his back as he tapped the security key pad and then opened the door. I quickly flew to the top of a picture frame and sat there watching as he took off his jacket, turned on his computer, and poured himself a glass of water.

He sat in the chair in front of the computer and was checking his email when a phone rang. He turned his head and looked at the phone, which was sitting on a table right below the picture I was sitting on. He stood and then, for the first time, I was able to see his face properly as I was only just slightly higher than his eye level. I saw his eyes and I felt as if the air had been knocked out of me. I knew those eyes. I remembered them because I had seen them before.