Chapter 97: The Priory of Sion
After returning to the castle, William joined his mother and Tina in the garden for a while to chat. Tina, the little imp, latched onto William's arm and refused to let go. When he tried to gently remove her, Tina pretended to cry, tugging on his sleeve and following him around pitifully. William was completely wrapped around her little finger.
His mother, Lina, simply shook her head. Finally, unable to stand their antics, she shooed William away.
William could hardly handle Tina's enthusiastic affection. He'd been without female companionship for months, and her constant clinging was getting to him. When his mother sent him away, he was secretly relieved and practically fled.
Back in the study, William turned on his computer and searched for Jacques Saunière of the Louvre. After finding the museum's phone number, William placed a call. After being transferred a few times, he finally reached Jacques Saunière.
"Hello, this is Jacques Saunière," said an older man's voice on the other end of the line.
William spoke directly into the phone, "We are the guardians of the God of Light, the defenders of truth. May sanctity and faith be with us."
Jacques Saunière on the other end immediately asked, "Who are you? How do you know that phrase?"
William replied, "Mr. Jacques Saunière, my name is William Cavendish. My grandfather, Henry Cavendish, left a message for me to find you."
"What? Cavendish? You are from the Cavendish family?" Saunière's tone was suddenly anxious and excited.
"Yes, Mr. Saunière. My grandfather, Henry Cavendish, left a message ten years ago that I only found yesterday. My name is William Cavendish. You should be able to find information about me in the newspapers or online," William explained.
"Alright, give me half an hour. I will call you back," Jacques Saunière said. He didn't immediately trust William, but hearing that he could be found in the news gave him a way to verify his identity.
William hung up and sat silently at his desk, wondering what kind of secret could be so important that the Cavendish family had guarded it for thousands of years.
Half an hour later, his phone rang. When he answered, he heard Jacques Saunière say, "I cannot be certain that you are William Cavendish, but I can meet you in France. It must be today; I don't have much time."
"If you are truly of the Cavendish family, then we welcome your return. We have been without your family's strength for too long. William, please come see me. We have been waiting for the Cavendish family to return for a very, very long time."
"After ten years, I have finally awaited the return of your family. William, I have something to show you and many things to tell you. This was also Henry's wish. Meet me at two p.m. this afternoon at the Monica Café, just outside the Louvre. I'll be waiting for you." He hung up immediately after.
William stared at his phone in confusion. What did all that mean? Was his family the only armed force this organization had? If so, they were in a precarious position.
He wondered whether he should go. The whole thing felt strange. What did Saunière mean by 'I don't have much time'? Was he dying?
*Damn it,* William thought. He had just returned and was looking forward to some downtime, but now this had landed in his lap. After a moment's thought, he decided to go. His curiosity had been piqued. It wasn't a long trip from Oxford to Paris; a few hours' drive would be enough.
William checked the equipment in his storage space, then went down to the armory in the shooting range to grab ten stun grenades, smoke bombs, and other gear. He found his mother and told her he had to go to France for a bit and wouldn't be back for lunch.
This earned him a ten-minute lecture from his mother, Lina, and little Tina. They complained that he was always leaving as soon as he got back, never spending enough time at home with them, and was always busy with things outside.
William was only allowed to leave after promising to take them shopping three times. As he walked out of the castle, he wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. *Just you wait, Tina,* he muttered to himself. *When I get back, I'll get you back for this.*
He drove a Land Rover out of the castle and went directly to the Oxford railway station, where he boarded the Eurostar to France. The distance from Oxford to Paris was about 500 kilometers, so taking the train was faster than driving the whole way.
He made good time and arrived at the Monica Café outside the Louvre at half-past one in the afternoon. William had seen a photo of Jacques Saunière online, and seeing that the man hadn't arrived yet, he chose a table, ordered lunch, and ate while he waited.
What William didn't know was that Jacques Saunière was already there, sitting at an open-air table at a café across the street. He had seen William get out of the taxi but didn't immediately go over to meet him. Instead, he sat and observed the surroundings, checking to see if anyone was following William or if he was truly alone.
After William finished his lunch and the time neared two o'clock, Jacques Saunière finally felt at ease and crossed the street to the Monica Café.
William's seat faced the entrance, so he saw Jacques Saunière the moment he walked in. William stood and waved him over. After a waiter delivered Saunière's coffee and left, Saunière spoke. "I never expected to see one of Henry's descendants again. I thought I would go my entire life without ever meeting another Cavendish."
William remained silent, still not fully understanding why Henry had sent him to find Jacques Saunière.
Saunière saw that William wasn't speaking and didn't seem displeased. Instead, he smiled faintly and asked, "What did Henry teach you?"
William replied perfunctorily, "Everything he knew."
Jacques Saunière stared into William's eyes for a long moment. Seeing that they were clear and bright, he nodded happily.
"Very good, very good. I am glad you followed Henry's instructions to return to our great family. Honestly, without the power of the Cavendish line, there are many things that are difficult to resolve. Your return couldn't have come at a better time. William, I read about you in the papers. You are quite impressive. Thank you for coming to see me. Allow me to introduce myself formally. My name is Jacques Saunière, Grand Master of the Priory of Sion."
William was stunned. He had heard of the Priory of Sion, the secret society that counted Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, and Victor Hugo among its members. Was this possible? Was this the legendary organization, and was his family connected to it?
Seeing William's disbelief, Jacques Saunière explained, "You must know that the ancestors of the Cavendish family were Knights Templar."
William nodded.
"After the Templars were subjected to a large-scale slaughter," Saunière continued, "your family in England remained largely unaffected. From that time on, your family became the martial guardians for our Priory of Sion. The greatest secret of the Priory was entrusted to your care. Ten years ago, before his death, Henry placed the secret data and this ring in my custody. Now, it is time to return them to you, William."
Jacques Saunière took out a gold signet ring engraved with a fleur-de-lis and a coat of arms. William took it and slid it onto the little finger of his left hand. It was a perfect fit.
Saunière glanced at his watch and then said, "I have some arrangements to make. Tonight, at eight o'clock, I will take you to a location in England, to the hallowed hall your family has guarded for generations. A few people will be there to participate in your initiation ceremony. Once the ceremony is complete, you will be an elder of our Priory of Sion and a Guardian Knight of the Knights Templar. Congratulations, Sir William."
*A knight in this day and age?* William thought incredulously. *Knights aren't just some honorary title. If things go wrong, you can get yourself killed. I don't have the time or energy to play along with you people.*
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