The Secret of Markree Castle: Lu & Lu, #2

By Bradley Charbonneau

 

The babysitter flaked and four young boys have pretty much free reign of a castle. "Wait, what?" they ask. Yes, they heard it right. While one of their dad is getting married, the boys are free to explore the castle.

 

"They're old enough to be responsible, aren't they?" one dad asked the other. Ah, we soon shall see what the boys discover as they explore the castle, make new friends and learn of the secret of the Markree Castle.

 

But what is the secret of the castle? What lurks behind all of those doors down in the cellar? Who's that scary old guy Killian? Is Alastar to be trusted?

 

You see, dear reader, I don't know yet. These four boys are the creative behind the story. In many ways, I'm just the messenger. The story and magic and secrets of the castle are up to them. It's a collaborative effort and we talk, we imagine, we have Skype calls with poor WiFi connections while two boys are getting ready for bed in San Francisco, California and the other two are having breakfast in a restaurant in their hometown of Beijing, China.

 

How is this going to work? How are two dads and four boys going to write a book together? Who knows! Has it been done before? Who knows! Who cares!

 

What's happening is that we're all working on a project together. The kids are digging deeper into their creative minds and their dads are learning sides of their kids that they didn't even know existed. What would your child answer to the question, "If you could have any magical power, what would it be?" Do you know what your child would answer? Of course not. But you might have an idea. Do you know what's fun? Ask your child and guess (quietly) what they might say. Then listen to what they say and see how it differs from what you thought they would say. The answer might surprise you.

 

That's how we're writing this book. It's a collaboration of these four boys and two dads (from different families). Three of us live in San Francisco and three of us live in Beijing. We're using shared online documents and Skype calls to communicate the story, the characters, and what's going to happen next.

 

This first book (available April 1, 2015 in honor of Li & Lu's first adventure, The Secret of Kite Hill) has turned into more of a story that we had imagined and it's going to make this book only the first part of a series with the four boys at the castle.

 

Oh, dear reader, I wish I could tell you what's going to happen in books two and three, but I don't know myself. We'll have to see what the boys come up with. But for now, enjoy The Secret of the Markree Castle and please leave us a note in the comments as to what you'd like to see in the upcoming books.

 

Thanks for visiting. We hope you enjoy The Secret of Markree Castle.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bradley Charbonneau
• Release date: Jun 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201396657

Bradley Charbonneau

The following is an excerpt from the foreword to Bradley's upcoming book "Every Single Day" (available Oct. 17, 2017). "He no longer resembled the mopey dejected "former writer" I'd known. He became unstoppable. A machine. It wasn't just about the writing, either. It was a deeper transformation. He became much more confident and bold. He was inspiring and even intimidating in some ways. He wasn't the same person anymore. He took risks and wrote books and closed his business and moved his family halfway across the world. He's done so many things I couldn't imagine "2012 Bradley" doing. That he couldn't imagine actually doing. I barely recognize my old friend these days, and I'm glad.  He realized his dream and became a professional writer. This book is only a small piece of the proof of that." -- John Muldoon, excerpted from the foreword to "Every Single Day"

Book preview

1

Wait, you want us to do what?

4 boys, 3 days, 1 castle. You do the math.

W ait, Dec interrupted and almost choked on his crumpet in his excitement, "You want us to do what ?"

Dec looked at Li to see what his reaction was. Li was beginning to understand what was about to happen and had a grin on his face that only spelled trouble. Well, trouble for others, not for them. For them, it meant adventure, no parents, and the who-knew-what-else.

So, Li continued as if at a bargaining table getting the full picture of what was about to happen. You said that the babysitter who was supposed to watch us for the next four days at the castle isn't here and you don't have anyone else to watch us?

Yep, that's about it, Dec's dad Rich said, trying to show that it was a good idea, acceptable, and was actually going to happen.

But you'll be around, Dec asked. You'll be in the castle, too, right?

Yes, we'll be around, but we have the parties and ceremonies and Em and I have tons of stuff to do, he paused. So we'll be around, but you'll be pretty much on your own.

Rich mustered up some more bravado and gave it his best dad-knows-best voice, You two older boys are now 11 and have earned the responsibility to be more independent. He paused, possibly prodding for confirmation. There was a silence and stillness in the castle so strong you could hear a gargoyle giggle. Rich cleared his throat, Right, boys?

Oh yeah, Dec said. Absolutely. His eyes were wild, like a rabid hyena.

Uh huh, Li mumbled, still sporting a mischievous grin, already plotting and planning.

Li? his dad Bradley lowered his head and stared into Li's eyes, shooting a glance of you can give a better answer than that.

I mean, yes, absolutely, Rich, he added as he gained his composure. We're 11. We're responsible, we're mature now. We're almost teenagers!

Yeah, Bradley said, That's reassuring.

Hey, what about us? We're 9. We're responsible, too! Dan said, Dec's brother.

"I'm so responsible, Lu said, Li's brother, the other 9-year old. He put his hand out in front of him teenage-girl-popstar style. So responsible."

Rich looked at Bradley, dad to dad, responsible parent to responsible parent. Their eyes locked, it was now or never, they had to decide if this was truly what they were going to do. Their four young boys sat patiently waiting at the table in an empty grand dining room of the castle, waiting to hear what the dads would say next, how this could possibly get any better or all go away as quickly as it came.

Without any words, Rich's eyes and face said to Bradley, This is probably the worst idea we've ever had. Through a little-known language that parents have to communicate without words and without kids understanding, Bradley looked back at Rich and although he meant to say, We're doomed. We'll probably go to jail. Is this even legal? Maybe it's OK because we're in Ireland? I need a drink. He actually said without any words at all and contrary to what he thought he should say, This is going to be so much fun.

Bradley tried to keep a straight face, but the situation was what it was and there was nothing they could do about it. What was done was done. Richard was getting married in a few days at the castle, the babysitter broke her leg, the castle was in the middle of rural Ireland with no babysitters to be had, and, hey, they had responsible boys anyway, right? They had talked it over at length, or at least as much as you can talk over something at length when you have to decide the fate of your sons in a morning and it was settled. The boys would have an adventure of it. It'll be great! They'll remember it forever! They'll become best of friends!

Bradley's poker face curled into a Mona Lisa smile that morphed into a low-grade chuckle and finally he started laughing. It was one of those delirious laughs you have when jet lagged or extremely tired and he couldn't help it or stop it--or care to. Rich, lighthearted adventurer soul that he was, smiled back and joined in the infectious laughter, although uncertain what they were laughing at.

What are you guys laughing at? Den asked.

But there was no need for words at this point. The desperate dads kept on laughing and didn't answer. Within seconds, the infection seeped into the mouths of the boys and, even with concerted efforts to no-way-do-what-their-dads-do, couldn't help it and giggled and laughed and started pushing each other around as young boys do who don't know what else to do.

A passing observer angel might look in and think that four boys and their dads were having a good laugh over a joke. A passing observer devil might think this was the beginning of a long, busy, and wild four days.

Still laughing, but knowing full well that something unknown was coming, that an adventure was afoot, but it might all go so, so wrong, Bradley managed to mouth a few words to Rich:

We're doomed.

2

Hot chocolate with marshmallows or bloody dagger gallows?

Nowhere to hide, everywhere to run.

The dads had to dash as the hotel staff had questions and the four boys were left alone in the grand dining room .

So, Dec started, Did our dads just say what I think they said?

You mean that we have no babysitter for the next four days and we have an entire castle to explore? his brother Dan answered, almost not believing what he was saying so saying it to believe it.

Dudes, Li chimed in with a hand outstretched, palm down, as his hair fell in front of his eyes to full serious effect. We have to be responsible. Li was a serious young boy or at least that was the show he liked to put on. When the other three boys glared at him, he couldn't help but let a slight smile crack.

What!? he yelled, annoyed but quietly enamored