Mysterious Castle

By DuannaLee Petersen

Ready to escape the bustling city life in Sacramento, California, Dr. Bob Bannard travels with his family to view some acreage for sale, over the Sierra Nevadas on the east side of Lake Tahoe. Wandering about to amuse themselves while their parents talk with the realtor, the three teens happen upon a castle hidden in one of the many castle-like rock formations in the area southwest of Virginia City. Although the concealed drawbridge is up, they have hopes of getting inside IF they can convince their father to buy the property. The solitude of the hilltop location and the distance from civilization is exactly what the Bannards want.
The teens secretly explore the castle after they figure out how to release the drawbridge. Brittani, the eldest sibling, encounters an invisible male presence, a ghost? She discovers some of the mysteries of the castle, such as powerful protective amulets, tapestries that can show the future, and paintings that can be entered as portals to the past and future for adventures in Europe. Their escapades include time-travel throughout England, dragons, knights, battles and rescues, and interaction with Camelot's royalty long forgotten by the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: DuannaLee Petersen
• Release date: Jul 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310177255

DuannaLee Petersen

DuannaLee Petersen (pronounced DOO-ahna-Lee) AKA DuannaLee Petersen-Griffin and DuannaLee Post, Dee to friends and family, was born at home in the rural Mother Lode Country of California's Sierra Nevada range. Her own love-at-first-sight romance with a brief engagement and long-term marriage (twice) was the inspiration for some of her novels. Dee feels most at home in the rural Mother Lode gold-rush country of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. She delights in being a mother of two and grandmother of three. An adventurous spirit, descended on all eight lines from pioneering great-grandparents who emigrated from Europe, she has herself twice moved to distant states without a job or a home lined up in order to carve out a new life. Besides her family, Dee's interests lie in family history, church service, outdoor and water-oriented family activities, creative writing, portrait painting, various types of needle-work, reading, and animals (having a small horse ranch for about a decade). She's a NAUI scuba diver and ARRL amateur (ham) radio operator. She served on Sheriff’s Search and Rescue teams in California and in Washington and as an officer of a historical commission in Texas. A retired business professional and corporate officer, Dee now finds time to persue writing novels. She is affiliated with Brazos Writers and several internet writers groups. Dee now lives in South Dakota with her husband.

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Mysterious Castle

DuannaLee Petersen

Copyright

© 2014 Mysterious Castle by Duanna Lee Petersen

[AKA: DuannaLee Petersen-Griffin]

All rights reserved.

This book is a fictional creation. Characters, names, incidents and events are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any names of persons, places, organizations, and locations, whether modern-day or historic, are fictionally used with creative license. Any similarity to actual modern-day people or events is coincidental.

CHAPTER 1 – Hidden Castle

"Aren't we there yet?" Lissa whines, brushing aside her ash blonde bangs from her pale blue eyes.

That doesn't help, Mom warns her thirteen-year-old daughter, a mirror image of herself at that age.

Eddy complains, again, "This is so boring." Towering over other fifteen-year-old boys, his large frame and muscular build may appear much older, but his behavior declares his age.

Brit counters, "Well, at least you can play music on your iPhone, little brother. She loves taunting Eddy. I have no reception out here. I was talking to Shane and the call got dropped―he was in the middle of telling me about a really bad car accident by Cal Expo. We're so far out, we probably can't even get satellite TV."

It is a beautiful spring day, with mild temperatures and gentle breezes, a good day for a family excursion. Their brand new Acura MDX winds up the mountain roads easily enough, having all-wheel drive. The Bannards left Sacramento early this morning to head east up I-80 to Reno, then south. Following the GPS map and written instructions from a realtor, it appears they are close. No doubt about it, this is a long drive for the family to be stuck together in a small space like this, no matter how comfortable the car.

"What grade are you in, Brit? Satellite coverage is worldwide, remember? How could there not be any? Can't you all watch a movie?" Dad growls.

Eddy interjects a quick retaliatory jab, saying, Little as she is, she looks like a freshman.

Glaring at her brother, Brit replies, "I just graduated, Dad, remember? No service providers, what about that? And nobody wants to see the same movies over again."

Mom asks her husband, Bob, could we stop for a couple of minutes? I need to stretch my legs. This area is beautiful. I love mountains and trees. It's so secluded here, especially with all these trees along this narrow road. Would you mind?

Dad replies, As soon as I find a wide enough area that a car could pass by us.

Lissa perks up and, pointing at the hill walling the road beside them, exclaims, Look at those rocks! Don't they remind you of something, like a castle in a fairytale?

You mean like how you saw fairytale castles all over Bryce Canyon, or miniature space-age cities at Mono Lake?

"Well, snap, you saw boys everywhere, Brit."

"They were real."

Challenging his sisters, Eddy asks, Remember when Brit saw a huge chess piece?

Brit looks offended, then grins and laughs, triggering a case of the giggles for all.

Mom looks the formations over. They do look like castles, don't they! Then she quizzically asks, Where are we, dear? Are you sure this is Nevada? I thought it was all desert.

We're close to Virginia City.

Brit is horrified. "Nevada? I thought the property was in California. I wondered why we went into Reno."

No, it is close to California, on the eastside of Lake Tahoe. The realtor said it is a three-hour drive, about 180 miles either way, north or south of the lake. We'll loop back home on the south side. It's a much prettier drive.

Yeah, that's a good idea, but look, we're so far out you've lost GPS, Dad.

Thanks, Eddy. I would never have known, Dad says, tapping his pointer finger on the blank GPS screen.

See, satellite doesn't work here, Dad, quips Brit proudly.

This looks like a good place to stop for that stretch your mother suggested. I'm glad the drought is over. It's nice and green here. Dad pulls off the one-lane winding dirt road into a pleasantly shaded area with sweet smelling manzanita brush alongside. Glad to be standing, stretching while turning a full circle, the five of them look around. Let me try calling the realtor to let her know where we are.

Do you know where we are, Dad? And what cell service are you planning to use? My phone has no bars.

Good points, Brit. I have OnStar in the car.

"Thanks, Dad, but will OnStar work out here? Why would you want to buy land out here in the middle of nowhere? It's so far from everything. It takes forever to get anywhere."

"For now. That's what I like best about it, Brittani. I own a helicopter, so I can go anywhere. The realtor said there was a good place for a landing pad."

"So we'll be out and away from life and other people? But you, a pilot, can go anywhere, anytime, while we're stuck, bored out of our minds."

We are just looking right now.

Dad, how much farther? asks Lissa impatiently, trying not to whine.

Let's get back on the road. I think we're pretty close now. I'll call the realtor.

Good. I'm getting sick of the car.

"That's better than you getting carsick again, Betsy," her brother teases.

"Don't call me that! Ever. That's an old lady's name, Ed-bird."

I'll just call you Bessie, like a cow. Moooo.

Mom! Please make Eddy stop.

Yes, dear, please make Eddy stop, Dad begs, but the smile undid his ploy of sincerity. Oh, look. That must be the realtor. It has the agency's name on the car.

Yes, we can just follow her! Lissa is excited, the inference being that they are very close. Dad knows otherwise.

The realtor stops her Smart car up ahead. They collectively sigh, relieved. Are they that close? Finally? Eddy wisecracks, That's a car? It looks like an oversized toy.

Hi, everyone! Dr. Bannard, I'm Brenda. Can I get a lift in your SUV so I don't have to walk the rest of the way? I'm not sure I'm up to that or that you have the time. I'm sorry to have to ask that of you. My SUV had a flat, so I got stuck with the company's city car. The road gets pretty narrow and rugged up ahead.

At the site, Brenda seems only interested in expounding all the selling points of the God-forsaken bit of earth. Eddy is sure that anywhere would be more interesting than listening to her go on and on. He hopes for a reprieve, asking, Dad, can we just look around a bit?

Sure, if the three of you stick together and stay close by. Watch for rattlesnakes!

Great! Thanks. He quickly wanders off, allowing the girls to follow.

Come on, Brit. Let's see what's over here, he calls back, heading off into a heavily treed area.

This is nice, pretty. It is cool here. Lots of oaks. Butterflies flit by, along with several very small bright blue birds nesting in nearby trees. Sunlight flickers down through small gaps in the overhead tree foliage. Dry leaves and twigs crunch under their feet.

Cool? That's so outdated, Brit, he scoffs.

Eddy, she says as though reprimanding a small child, I meant cool as in the temperature. Derp.

Lissa joins in, It's nice in here. I like it. Do you think there are bears around here?

Eddy is really into danger, at least in video games and movies. That would be so cool!

Brit laughs. Cool, huh? Isn't that outdated?

It's an oldie but goody. Keeping the lead with his back to his sisters, he picks up his pace.

Only if you're the one saying it?

Of course, Brit.

They wander around on a barely visible deer trail that meanders though the densely wooded hilltop. Soon they spot sparkling water, a brook or a pool perhaps, under a canopy of live-oak branches, with mossy rocks stacked to make a wall on the far side. Eddy halts, and they follow his lead. Look at that, Eddy points. Do you think the Indians did that?

You are so politically IN-correct, teases Brit, only half serious.

So what? Let's check it out!

They walk along the water's edge, admiring the white waterlilies floating along the edges. With a sweeping look around, Brit sighs, This is beautiful here.

Lissa squeals, Look! A castle!

You're always seeing derpy castles, Lissa―everywhere we go, Eddy retorts.

Brit gasps, closing her eyes before looking again. Although covered with moss, vines and ferns, the surface looks like stacked stone blocks with tiny slits here and there, as well as a large darkened area that appears to be moss-covered wood opposite where there is a low spot in the wall edging the water. A narrow drawbridge? On the far side of the bridge, it molds into the hillside which extends out into a heavily treed area, thick with both oaks and pines. Atop, there are tall but scrawny round-topped ponderosa pines growing as though it were simply a hill. It does look like a castle, a real castle.

Eddy follows their gazes, leaving him speechless. He edges closer, shakes his head a tad, squints a bit, and takes a step back. Whoa! Can that rock formation be a castle? A real castle? I think it is. I didn't see it at first. Look! That must be a drawbridge. His excitement grows as he investigates. "I wonder how we let it down. I want to get inside! We've got to live here! This is too cool! Let's go make sure Mom and Dad buy this place."

The kids make a pact to keep the castle their secret. They run back to where their parents are patiently listening to the upbeat but long-winded realtor. Isn't this view breathtaking? See down there, you can just make out the roof line of your neighbor's barn. I hear they're nice folks.

You haven't met them?

No, sir. I couldn't figure out how to get to their house from here.

That makes for good neighbor relations, he says flatly, not wanting to reveal to her that he likes that fact.

Dad! We love it here.

Dad gives Eddy a silencing look, skillfully using his icy gray eyes to relay his thoughts to his son, who is so much like him in body and mind, including his tendencies toward math and science. Eddy knows that means talking like that works against his haggling, but Lissa hasn't caught onto that yet.

Mom, I like it here.

Mom, now shorter than all of her children, looks up to speak to her youngest, yet tallest daughter. Good, let's take a walk while your father talks with Brenda. She leads them away, then whispers, Don't show so much interest or Brenda may not be so easy to work with. She wants to make as big of a commission as she can.

What's a commission? asks Lissa. Eddy and Brit roll their eyes.

That is how much she makes by selling the house. She gets a percentage of the selling price. If she thinks we really want it, she'll try to make us pay more.

We have to pay her?

Yes, Lissa. That's how she makes money selling property. Both the seller and the buyer usually pay the realtor.

Usually? Not always?

That's right. It is negotiable. Do you know what that means?

Yes. That's what Dad is doing right now? Negotiating?

That's right.

Can I have a horse here?

You want a horse?

I like horses.

Horses need a lot of care. It's hard work. If you have a horse, that hard work is your responsibility.

Oh. Maybe I want a horse. I want to know about the work part first.

Good idea. Thoughtful for a moment, she asks her eldest, How bad was that accident at Cal Expo, Brit? We would have been right there for the State Fair if your father hadn't made this appointment with the realtor.

It was super bad, Mom. Some dude in a big pickup, the really big dually-type crew-cab, deliberately went down the wrong way on the freeway's off ramp, hitting everybody head on, and he killed a whole bunch of people headed for Cal Expo. Shane said they think it was a kamikaze-style suicide. Then I lost the call.

Oh, I would have taken the freeways to Cal Expo to avoid all the side-street traffic congestion for the fair now that everyone else tries to bypass the freeway traffic. I'm glad we missed that, Mom says solemnly.

Brit comforts her, saying, Maybe we'd have gotten through before it happened. But I know you. . . if the traffic got tied up like that, you'd have found another way to escape it and snake around to get to the State Fair anyway.

Or go back home, Eddy adds. She hates traffic tie-ups so much, she'd just leave. So we'd have missed the fair anyway, not that I care. I think it's kind of boring without a bunch of friends to hang out with at the Midway, and the concert tonight is for old folks, some ancient singer.

They amble back to the SUV. Dr. Bannard is shaking his head while he speaks to the realtor.

Brenda suggests, Shall we go back to my office in Reno to discuss it?

The children have been cooped up for hours. I don't think it's a good idea to bring them with us, Bob.

Right. Let's get a hotel room for them at 'Circus Circus' first. They can stay busy enough there if I give them enough spending money.

All right.

The kids spent hours that seemed like mere minutes playing arcade games and watching overhead circus acts. When Eddy expresses a desire to eat, Lissa claps her hands. Finally! I thought you'd forgotten all about your stomach, Ed-bird, and everybody knows it would take a miracle for that to ever happen! Can I have pizza?

Pizza? You can get pizza anytime. Maybe we could try something healthier? Like an all-you-can-eat salad bar?

On a diet again, sis? complains Eddy. "I'm sorry, but I'm tired of your nuts-and-twigs meals. I want something filling that lasts for more than two minutes, like triple cheeseburgers with bacon and cheese, and onion rings, and a chocolate shake, for starters."

I guess Chinese food is out, then, Brit replies with a grin while twisting her long golden locks around her fingers.

Right. This calls for a real treat with good food. Their father surprises them from behind.

Dad! they cry out together.

Brit cautiously asks, Does this mean you bought it?

Sure does. Got it dirt cheap, too. I acted like it was too remote, too hard to get to, too hard to build on.

Is it? she asks.

For most folks, yeah. But not for me. He grins.

Brit counters, But still it would cost you more to do it because it's so remote, right?

Absolutely right. Most people would consider the costs and walk away. The difference is that I have options available that most folks don't. Instead of trucking in materials and having to widen roads to accommodate those trucks, I can fly the materials in with my helicopter.

All of it? asks Eddie.

Enough to make a difference.

Brit's curiosity about the castle soars, especially wondering why it wasn't mentioned by the realtor. Perhaps nobody knows that it's there. What's the story with it, Dad? Why hasn't anyone built there already?

It was part of a larger ranch. The folks around here called it the Ponderosa. The owner died and his family has been splitting it into parcels and selling them off.

Eddy can't seem to grasp hold of the name. Like ponderosa pine trees? They're so ugly. Why would anybody name a ranch that?

Maybe they liked the name, derp, retorts Lissa.

Well, son, it's called that in jest, after the huge ranch in the TV western series Bonanza. The Ponderosa was located between Lake Tahoe and Virginia City, and in the series the Cartwright family named it after the trees in the area.

Really? Lissa is awed.

Yeah. You can still see the reruns on the internet, or on some cable TV channels even. It was real popular back in the sixties.

That was way before you were born, so how do you know that? challenges Eddie.

A bit, not way. I've seen the reruns.

Oh.

Lissa perks up, Can we name it the Ponderosa then?

If we want to, pumpkin.

Brit, on the other hand, is indignant, "Well, I don't want to. I think the name should be elegant, classy, you know. I think we can do better than naming it after an ugly tree, if it needs a name at all."

We'd be naming it after a ranch on TV, derp. Eddy couldn’t resist another jab.

"We don't have to decide now, children. Dad, where's Mom?"

In the room freshening up for dinner, Brittani. We should all do the same. Now is good.

Eddy makes an overly dramatic bow, sweeping his arm in the direction they need to go, and gallantly says, After you.

The girls chuckle, while accepting the lead.

CHAPTER 2 – Exploring the Castle

Deciding on the design of the house is easy for Nikki Bannard, but the others all have their own ideas. I love the trees and isolation, she states, then explaining that she wants the house along the tree line where the trees are thickest and growing more abundantly, as there are trees everywhere on the hill. With the house cut into the hillside, the bedrooms will be naturally insulated in a basement area for cooler summers and warmer winters, being protected from the harsher elements. She lists only a few other must-haves, such as solar energy, a black saltwater swimming pool, a fireproof stone exterior, and a bank of no-glare windows facing west to enjoy the view of the snowcaps on the nearby Crystal Range mountains, the part of the Sierra Nevadas surrounding the famous Lake Tahoe. As long as she gets what she wants, the others can help with the design.

Dad also gives his input. I'll install a high-tech security system and emergency exits. We can all add our own touches inside, but as for the outside, I don't want it to stand out. I agree that we should have a natural stone exterior that blends into the environment, not marring the beauty of the hillside nor drawing unwanted attention.

What kind of unwanted attention, Dad?

Well, Eddy, let's say some druggies are looking for an easy score to support their habit. What would a big extravagant house on a secluded hill say to them?

Lissa answers, That's easy. Choose us.

Won't the chopper do that? Say 'Here we are!'? asks Brit.

Dad agrees. Right. So we need to keep it inconspicuous. We'll even plant some more trees. Maybe add a Camo paint job on the chopper?

Mom speaks up, Well, if we have the house cut into the hilltop back near the tree line like I want, it won't scream out. I'd also like a natural looking tile roof so that it blends in. We could have a beautiful view from the ground story. It would be cooler in the summer with the bedrooms in a basement below the main house. We wouldn't really need a second story aboveground, would we?

No windows, Mom? Seriously? No windows? asks Eddy.

I can live with that, Brit says, glaring at her brother, No windows, no Peeping Toms.

I told ya I was sorry. I didn't know those guys were such jerks.

They are. I'm just glad I put on a bathrobe when I got out of the shower and saw them before I took it off!

Mom asks, When did this happen?

About two weeks ago. Remember when he had those jokers over?

Yes. They ate everything in the house. I had to go to the store so I could fix dinner!

Potheads, Mom. They had the munchies. Apologetically, Eddy adds, But honest, I didn't know until I caught them smoking a joint.

"Choose your friends better,