Chapter 97: The Priory of Sion

Back at the castle, William spent some time walking in the garden with his mother, Lina, and Tina. Tina clung tightly to William's arm and refused to let go. Whenever William tried to free his arm, Tina would pretend to cry, clinging to his sleeve with a pitiful look. William, helpless against her persistence, eventually gave in.

His mother, Lina, watched them with a shake of her head. Unable to bear their display any longer, she shooed William away.

Relieved to escape Tina's overwhelming affection, William, who hadn't had any intimate encounters for months, found the intensity a bit much. Grateful for his mother's intervention, he gladly took the opportunity to leave.

Back in his study, William turned on his computer and began searching for Jacques Saunière at the Louvre. After finding the Louvre's phone number, he called and eventually got through to Saunière.

"Hello, this is Jacques Saunière. Who is this?" A voice of an older man answered the call.

William spoke directly, "We are the Guardians of the Light, defenders of the truth. Sanctity and faith are with us, and the Knights Templar shall endure."

There was a pause on the other end before Saunière replied, "Who are you, and how do you know this phrase?"

"Mr. Saunière, my name is William Devonshire. My grandfather, Henry Winston Devonshire, left me a message to find you," William explained.

"What? Devonshire? You are from the Devonshire family?" Saunière's voice was urgent and excited.

"Yes, Mr. Saunière. My grandfather, Henry Winston Devonshire, left a message for me ten years ago. I found it only yesterday. You can find information about me in the newspapers or online," William said.

"Okay, give me half an hour. I will call you back," Saunière responded, not immediately believing William. He wanted to verify William's identity first.

After hanging up, William sat at his desk, pondering what secret could be so important that the Devonshire family had guarded it for over a thousand years, willing to act as executioners to protect it.

Half an hour later, William's phone rang. He answered, and Saunière's voice came through, "I don't know if you really are William Devonshire, but I can meet you in France, and it has to be today. My time is running out."

"If you are from the Devonshire family, we welcome you back. We have been without power for too long. William, come see me. We have waited too long for your family's return. I have something to show you, and much to tell you. This is what Henry wanted. Meet me at the Monique Café outside the Louvre at 2 PM today," Saunière said, then hung up.

Confused, William stared at his phone. What did all this mean? Did this organization have no other armed forces apart from his family? If so, they were certainly lax in their operations.

Debating whether to go or not, William felt uneasy about the situation. What did Saunière mean by "running out of time"? Was he dying? Damn it, William thought. Just as he wanted some peace, trouble found him. Curiosity piqued, he decided to go. It didn't take long to drive from Oxford to Paris.

After checking his gear in his storage space, William headed downstairs to the armory in the shooting range. He took ten grenades, flashbangs, smoke bombs, and other equipment. Ready to go, he found his mother and Tina having tea and told them he had to go to France for some business and wouldn't be back for lunch.

This sparked a protest from both Lina and Tina, who scolded him for leaving so soon after returning home. They accused him of always prioritizing work over spending time with them.

It took William promising three shopping trips to appease them. Wiping sweat from his brow as he left the castle, he muttered about how women could be terrifying when they nag. Tina, emboldened by her mother's support, had also become quite unruly. "Just wait until I get back," he thought. "I'll show you who's in charge."

Driving his Land Rover, William headed to the Oxford train station to catch the Eurostar to France. With over 500 kilometers to cover, driving wouldn't be quick enough.

Rushing, he finally arrived at the Monique Café outside the Louvre just past 1 PM. William, who had seen Saunière's photo online, noticed he wasn't there yet. He ordered lunch and waited.

Unbeknownst to William, Saunière had actually arrived a bit earlier and was sitting in the outdoor seating area across from the café. He had spotted William getting out of a taxi but chose to observe from a distance, ensuring William was not followed and verifying he was alone.

Once William finished his lunch and it was close to 2 PM, Saunière, satisfied with the safety of the situation, approached the café.

William, who was seated in a spot with a clear view of the entrance, immediately recognized Saunière as he walked in. He stood up and waved. After shaking hands, Saunière ordered a coffee. When the waiter left, he spoke, "I never thought I would see Henry's descendant. I thought I would never meet anyone from the Devonshire family again in my lifetime."

William remained silent, still puzzled about why Henry had sent him to Saunière.

Noticing William's silence, Saunière smiled and asked, "What did Henry teach you?"

William replied evasively, "Everything he knew."

Saunière studied William's eyes for a moment, and seeing their clear and sincere gaze, he nodded in approval.

"Very good. I am pleased you followed Henry's instructions and returned to our family. Frankly, without the strength of the Devonshires, we have struggled these past ten years. When we encountered difficult situations, there was no one to handle them. Now that you're here, it's a relief. William, I read about you in the papers. You've done well. I am grateful you came to see me. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Jacques Saunière, Grand Master of the Priory of Sion."

William was stunned. He had heard of the Priory of Sion, a legendary organization associated with figures like Da Vinci, Newton, and Hugo. How could this be real, and what was its connection to the Devonshires?

Seeing William's confusion, Saunière explained, "You should know that the Devonshire family are descendants of the Knights Templar."

William nodded.

Saunière continued, "After the mass slaughter of the Templars, your family, being English, were not as affected. From then on, your family has been the last guardians of the Priory of Sion. The greatest secret of the Priory has been in your family's care. Ten years ago, Henry entrusted me with the location of the secret documents and this ring. It's time I return them to you, William."

Saunière handed William a gold ring engraved with the fleur-de-lis. William slipped it onto the little finger of his left hand, finding it a perfect fit.

Checking his watch, Saunière said, "I have some arrangements to make, but after work at 8 PM, I'll take you to England, to the archive your family has guarded for generations. We'll also notify some people to attend your induction ceremony. Once that's done, you will be a member of the Priory of Sion and a Knight Protector of the Templar Order. Congratulations, Sir William."

"Knights in this day and age?" William thought. "What nonsense. Just another way to get free labor. If there are no benefits, they can deal with it themselves. I don't have the time or energy to entertain this."

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