Glaring, Gardiner asked: "You dare suggest I have done nothing? You dare suggest there have never been pythonesses and mages in Ireland?"
"I do!" returned Colman, staying seated as he stared at his mentor. "What is this driven by? From some rivalry with John Dee? Were you envious that he was a greater alchemist than yourself and Bloody Bess' advisor? Maybe it is not just John Dee! Is it his collaborator Edward Kelley as well? Who else? Henry Percy of Northumberland, the Wizard Earl himself? Walter Raleigh, yet another practices alchemy? What about John Dee's son Arthur? Where does this desire to defend Ireland from pythonesses and mages come from? Where does the desire to defend it from the Walking People come from? What harm have they ever done? All they do is travel through the isle, making and selling ornaments, jewellery and horse harness. What harm is that? The Walking People are real, but they are no danger and I wish to God there were pythonesses in Ireland!"
"What?" roared Gardiner, walking forward until he was completely towering over his pupil. "Why would you dare wish a thing?"
"If there truly were women who could conjure up spirits, I would ask one of them to conjure up the spirits of my parents." Answered Colman. "I have questions I wish I could ask them things I wish I could tell them. You yourself lost your parents to the Tudor conquest. Do you not also wish you could speak with them again, Master Gardiner?"
All rage left Gardiner and he could not naught but nod and place a hand upon his pupil's shoulder. He did not say anything, he merely looked down upon the boy understandingly. Yes, he too wished he could speak with his parents again.