by A V Awenna
Chapter 19. Walking the Walk
‘Hello! Did you manage to get some sleep?’ Owina entered the storeroom where Demi-Lee was rummaging through a pile of clothes which had been left at the Lodge by previous visitors.
‘A bit,’ Demi said. ‘My body’s given up trying to remember what time it is – here or back home.’
Owina made a sympathetic noise. ‘Why don’t you try this one?’ she said, holding up a deep red jacket, with a hood and peplum.
‘That one? It’s a bit... – I dunno,’ Demi said, ‘I wouldn’t wear it around Newport, put it that way.’
‘It’s thick and warm, which you’ll need later on,’ Owina said. ‘It’s still winter out there, and you’ll probably have to cross a few mountains. No-one’s going to be judging your style today.’
Owina helped Demi on with the jacket, which fitted well. The hood was trimmed with some off-white fluffy stuff which was neither fur nor nylon, but seemed to be made from plant fibres. The cuffs were trimmed with the same stuff, and inside them she found pieces she could use as fingerless mittens. It fastened with weird magnetic buttons up the front. Owina did up all the buttons to check they worked, and Demi felt she would get cooked inside, it was so warm.
‘It’s got good pockets, too,’ Owina said, unbuttoning the front. ‘Are you going to take this one?’
‘I guess so,’ Demi said. ‘Although I feel like Mrs Santa in it.’
‘Okay, put this in the inside pocket,’ Owina handed over the Gadget she’d shown Demi earlier. ‘I’ve programmed it to help you as much as possible today. Keep it in the pocket ’til you’re out of sight of Annwn. Now, let’s find you some boots – those trainers are wrecked.’
A few minutes later, as Owina was showing Demi how to adjust the fastenings on a pair of warm, waterproof boots with grippy soles, Blackbird entered the shadowy room. Demi was about to ask him where he’d got to, and why on Earth he thought it was okay to leave her on her own in this weird world, when she saw the bruises on his face and his swollen lips and eyes. Her anger switched from Blackbird to whoever had hurt him. ‘Oh my God!’ she gasped, ‘Your face! What happened?’
‘Elves beat me. Don’t worry, it’s healing,’ he said.
‘I’ll kill them,’ Demi fumed.
‘Don’t. We don’t do that here. It’s done and cannot be undone.’
‘Are you just going to let them get away with it?’ Demi said.
‘The best way to beat them is for you to Walk the Walk and succeed,’ Blackbird said. ‘I see you have another supporter.’
‘This is Owina. She’s from my world, I think. She’s been helping me out.’
Blackbird made a strange gesture, partway between a bow and a curtsey, crossing one foot behind the other and dipping his head. Owina returned the gesture. Blackbird introduced himself, although Demi could tell Owina had already guessed who he was. Being a wingless fairy was a dead giveaway.
‘It’s an honour to meet you,’ Owina said, and her face showed she meant it. ‘I hadn’t realised you had returned from exile. And is Demi here your Little Friend?’
Before Blackbird could answer, Demi said, ‘I wish people would stop calling me that. It makes me feel about six years old.’
‘It’s actually a great honour,’ Owina replied, ‘It just translates a little oddly.’
‘She was six years old when I met her,’ Blackbird said, smiling. ‘It seems I made a good choice. Thank you for helping her. I have heard of you, too, Owina. Maybe we could work together and pool our knowledge.’
‘That would be wonderful,’ Owina replied. ‘I’ve learnt a lot from the healers here, but it’s always good to get a new perspective.’
Another fairy entered the room, and informed Demi that her MegaMeal had arrived.’
‘Awesome,’ Demi said, a huge grin on her face. ‘Burger for breakfast. About time.’
The fairy led them out of the Healers’ Lodge to the square outside. There were some benches up against the city walls, and a Burg-A-World bag had been left on one of them. Whoever had delivered it had left. The food was cold, but that was okay – soggy chips and lukewarm burger were nothing new to Demi. Owina had seen plenty of burgers before, but Blackbird was intrigued, and sounded slightly horrified as he asked, ‘What is that?’
‘A hamburger,’ she replied, before taking a bite.
He looked puzzled.
‘Made from beef,’ Demi explained, her mouth full.
Still puzzled.
‘It comes from a cow,’ Demi said.
‘Which end?’ he asked.
‘This is the closest I’ve seen to real food since I got here,’ Demi-Lee snapped, before taking another bite. Blackbird peered into the bag and pointed at the chips. ‘What were those when they were alive?’
‘They’re just chopped up potatoes. Vegetables that grow in the ground. Look, we wash them first, and cook them in really hot oil. Not everyone lives on twigs and flowers, you know!’ She was starting to wish she had gone somewhere else to eat, but it was too late now. After eating half the burger she took the giraffalump from its box and showed it to Blackbird. ‘These are dead rare, you know,’ she said, but he just took the colourful box and tore it into strips, and rolled up the strips to make beads. By the time Demi had finished her meal he had made two long necklaces, one for each of them.
The snow-capped mountains were dazzling in the early sunlight, although Annwn town in its valley was still in shadow. The mountains looked even bigger now Demi knew she’d have to walk over them. How long was this Walk supposed to take? Pefryn flew down to join them, the copper bangle that had originally belonged to Tom around her tiny wrist.
Soon the city gates opened, and a few elves came through in little chariots pulled by fairies. Although it seemed they’d come for the spectacle, they didn’t bother coming over to talk to Demi.
A few minutes later Tefyn walked through, followed Rusty, who was carrying Tom Gently. Tom looked like an old-fashioned teenager, rather than the old man Demi had known. It seemed that he’d hatched looking how Rusty remembered him from their first meeting in the 1940’s. Rusty explained that Tom would grow to human height over the next few weeks, and Tom chipped in – in a tiny squeaky voice – that he hoped to mature a bit in his appearance too. Tefyn stood nearby, looking awkward. Demi realised he was trying to ignore Pefryn, due to her place as Nothing. She wondered why, and saw that Hafren was approaching on his ridiculous throne. Hafren was in no hurry to come over, taking his time, stopping to greet other elves along the way.
Rusty gave Demi-Lee a gourd with a shoulder-strap. ‘This is my own special draught,’ he told her, ‘It will help keep you going. Drink it sparingly.’ She slipped it over her shoulder, and waited for Hafren to arrive.
Eventually he reached the place where Demi stood, and ordered the fairies carrying him to halt.
Demi knew Hafren was trying to intimidate her by the way he looked her up and down, but she tried not to let him get to her, scratching her head and tucking her hair behind her ears as if she wasn’t bothered. Finally he indicated to one of his followers that they should pass something to Demi. It was a small cylinder, but hexagonal rather than circular in cross-section. It looked as though it was made from wood and brass, but when Demi took it in her hands she realised it was made from something hard and smooth, like ceramic, but light and warm like plastic.
‘This is your Guide,’ Hafren said. ‘As you Walk the Walk you will pass through realms of air, water, earth and fire. The Guide will direct and instruct you in each. To approach the first realm, you must cross that mountain pass up there.’ He pointed, and Demi had to fight to stop her jaw dropping. It was miles away, and so high up – far, far above the treeline in deep snow. ‘Should you complete the challenges’ and the way he pronounced ‘should’ suggested he thought it was a very long shot, ‘Should you complete the challenges you will earn the Prize. Return with it before nightfall, a
nd you will have earned the Citizenship of Annwn. Ordinarily,’ Hafren continued, ‘the citizen-elect Walking the Walk would choose a fairy from their household staff to act as support. However, as your family are not citizens and you have no staff, the point is moot where you are concerned.’
There were murmurs from the crowd. Demi-Lee’s youth and inexperience already counted against her, and now she was to be denied assistance?
‘Could one of my fairies accompany her?’ a middle aged female elf offered. ‘I wouldn’t mind.’
‘No,’ Hafren declared. ‘Only a full citizen can employ staff. And this person certainly does not qualify as a citizen.’
‘Are you saying that nobody can help this child?’ Tefyn asked.
‘Nothing and nobody. Those are the rules. I studied them this morning’
‘Then so be it. Nothing and Nobody may assist her.’ Demi was starting to get irritated by Tefyn’s lack of guts. What did Pefryn see in this wimp?
Pefryn gave Blackbird Tom’s copper bangle, and Blackbird approached Demi with it. She suspected a trick was being played on Hafren, so played along when Blackbird approached her with it, and made as if to fasten it about her wrist.
‘I’ll take that’, Hafren leaned forward and snatched it from Blackbird’s hand. His sneer grew even deeper as he inspected it. ‘An interesting spell – but against the rules, I’m afraid.’ Distractedly, Hafren fastened the bangle about his own wrist. Demi suppressed a smile. Got you she thought.
Blackbird offered Demi an apple instead. She realised it was all she’d get to eat for the rest of the day. Putting the apple in her pocket, she began to walk.