Mirrorscape

by Mike Wilks

  ‘Yes, Uncle. Including his hidey-hole.’

  ‘And there was nothing else there? Nothing of mine?’

  ‘Only his scribble.’

  Adolfus Spute’s brow darkened for a moment. ‘You won’t go unrewarded. We’ll soon see if Half-Face has indeed been fabricating counterfeit pigments, as I’ve long suspected. There’s always been too much blue in that household for my liking. Even Blenk would have been stretched to afford that much. Then the monster and his silver hand will be packed away to end his days on Kig, and I will sit at the head of the Council table. Lord Spute! Everyone will be so grateful. There are great times ahead for you and me, dear boy, great times.’

  ‘And Smell, Uncle?’

  ‘After I retrieve my property, you can have him. You can do whatever you please with him. My gift. The first of many once I’m Lord-High-Master. The time is ripe for us to pay a little visit to Ambrosius, high-and-mighty, Blenk’s mansion, don’t you think? This is wonderful, simply wonderful!’

  The following day, Mel returned to scrubbing a floor that had acquired a great many more stains overnight. Groot caught his eye and smiled a triumphant smile.

  Mel edged towards Ludo. ‘He’s up to something.’

  ‘Not now. Can’t you see I’m busy?’

  What’s got into him? wondered Mel.

  Ludo said nothing else to Mel all day.

  Normally, the master would have visited the studio in the morning to inspect and comment on the work in progress, but he failed to show up. By the afternoon, the household rumour-mill was again in full swing.

  ‘The master’s unwell.’

  ‘Rubbish! He’s never had a day’s illness in his life.’

  ‘A friend of a friend saw him going into the House of Thrones. They said one of his pictures is falling to pieces.’

  ‘Piffle! There are no paintings better made than the master’s.’

  ‘He’s locked in his studio, working on a secret commission.’

  ‘Nonsense! In that case, why are the mistress and Dirk Tot also looking for him?’

  He still had not shown up by bedtime.

  Something’s wrong, thought Mel. Very wrong.

  Late that night, there came a fearful noise of pounding. ‘Open up! Open up in the name of the Fifth Mystery!’

  The commotion filled the courtyard and penetrated the dormitory, waking Mel. He got up and opened the window near his bed. The other apprentices crowded the windows that ran the length of the dormitory. He saw that Groot, Bunt and Jurgis were not among them. Ludo remained in his bed.

  ‘Ludo, wake up! There’s something going on down there.’

  Ludo appeared to sleep on.

  Mel watched from his window as two score men-at-arms carrying lanterns burst into the courtyard and surged towards the main door. Then Adolfus Spute, with Mumchance in tow, strode out of the tunnel.

  Minch, still in his nightshirt, emerged from the mansion and confronted the High-Bailiff. He attempted to block his way.

  Mel watched as Mumchance crept behind Minch and got down on all fours.

  ‘How dare you! You bucket of lard,’ screamed Adolfus Spute. ‘No one stands in the way of the Fifth Mystery. Especially not a flabby, offal-brained privy-licker. He pushed Minch, who fell over the crouching dwarf. Adolfus Spute strode into the mansion laughing.

  ‘Mel. Mel.’

  Mel looked round for the whispered voice.

  ‘Over here.’

  Wren’s hand was beckoning him from the crack of the door to the service passage. Mel looked at the other apprentices but they were too engrossed in the scene below to pay any attention. He crossed to the passage and briskly stepped inside, closing the door after him.

  ‘What’s going on?’

  ‘I don’t know. They’re ransacking the place,’ said Wren.

  ‘They’ve got a nerve. Is the master back yet? He’ll give them what for.’

  ‘No. No one’s seen him since yesterday. Dirk Tot will throw them out.’

  ‘You really think so?’ Mel chewed his fingernail. ‘What’s up with Ludo? He won’t talk to me.’

  ‘Perhaps he’s unwell.’

  ‘Perhaps.’

  ‘I think you’d better stay out of sight, Mel, till the High-Bailiff’s gone.’

  ‘You don’t need to tell me. I’ll hide in the clock.’

  ‘The sooner, the better. Come on, follow me.’ When they reached the door opposite the clock, Wren opened it a crack and quickly closed it again.

  ‘What?’ said Mel.

  ‘They’ve got Dirk Tot. He’s in chains. They’re taking him away.’

  ‘What!’ Mel stole a look. ‘Trying to, more like.’ Six burly men-at-arms had to restrain the giant as they bundled him down the stairs. Several more followed, carting away laboratory equipment and boxes full of illicit pigment. ‘Looks like they knew exactly where to go.’

  ‘Still think he’s one of them?’ asked Wren.

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘You don’t sound so certain.’

  That night, Mel slept in the clock, waking on the hour, every hour.

  In the morning the men of the Fifth Mystery had gone. Mel ventured from the clock, dressed and made his way up to the studio. Without anyone to tell them what to do, the apprentices stood around idle. All of them that is except for Mel, who was ordered to continue scrubbing, and Ludo, who said he was ill. He had taken to his bed and refused to talk to anyone.

  Soon the skylarking began as balls of paper were flung about the studio. This quickly escalated into dollops of paint. When this paint fight was in full sway, and Mel’s hopes of ever getting the floor clean were rapidly disappearing into infinity, Minch entered the studio, receiving a large glob of cadmium yellow full in the face. He wiped this from his eyes and pointed a fat finger at Mel. ‘You. To the mistress. Now!’ he ordered.

  Mel followed the angry, paint-stained servant up to the top of the mansion. It’s the monkey. I know it’s the monkey. I’m going to be punished for what happened to Albinus.

  Minch knocked on the door to the master’s private studio.

  ‘Yes?’

  Minch opened the door and ushered Mel in before departing. The mistress was sitting in a large upholstered chair with Albinus in her lap and her lady-in-waiting standing at her side. She was dressed in much more sober clothes than the last time he had seen her and she looked less frivolous and more noble, almost a different woman. Mel noticed that the master’s canvas had its face turned to the wall.

  ‘Mistress, if it’s about Albinus, I’m really sorry,’ gushed Mel.

  ‘What? No, it’s not about that. In fact, now that I’ve got used to him, I really rather like it. My husband made me a gift of some more. They’ve become quite the rage among my friends.’ Turning to her companion she said, ‘Thank you, Gerta. That will be all. You may leave us now.’

  When they were alone, the mistress sat studying the apprentice before she spoke. ‘My husband and Dirk Tot have been watching you for some time, Womper. They tell me that there’s more to you than meets the eye. Is that true?’

  Mel did not know what to answer.

  ‘They even think that you might know a secret. A secret that you shouldn’t know.’

  ‘I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mistress.’

  ‘Close-lipped, I like that. Your circumspection does you credit.’

  Mel waited.

  ‘My husband has vanished and I think that both you and I know where he might be.’

  No reaction.

  ‘Let’s stop beating around the bush, shall we? Do you or don’t you know about the Mirrorscape?’

  The mention of the word caught Mel off guard.

  ‘Ah, that’s better. I can see from your face that you do. Who else in this household knows?’

  There was no point in pretending any more. Mel told her.

  ‘Well, my husband has gone into the Mirrorscape and has not returned. I believe he is being held there against his will. It can be no coin
cidence that as soon as he’s out of Vlam Spute and his men ransack our mansion and arrest our steward. They would never have dared act that way if he was still here. My husband is one of the few people who is powerful enough to stand up to them. Ambrosius has been in the Mirrorscape for some time now. If he’s remained within the part he created, then he won’t get sick. But my fear is that he could be enticed further and become as vulnerable as anyone else. I must remain here and attempt to hold this household together and try to fend off that odious High-Bailiff, should he return. But you know about the Mirrorscape and you know how to follow your master. I want you to go in there and bring him back.’

  ‘Yes, Mistress. If that’s what’s necessary, then I’ll try and find him. But I’ll need some help. Can I take Ludo and Wren?’

  ‘You may. But before you and your friends get into this, there’s something you should know. Something that may change your mind.’ The mistress rose from her chair with a soft rustle of silk and went to the easel. She swung it around on its castors.

  Albinus uttered a terrified shriek and ran up the curtains.

  ‘What the ….’ Mel nearly choked. ‘It’s just not possible!’

  The canvas had changed utterly.

  The Temporal Labyrinth

  Mel was out of breath by the time he finally found Wren in the kitchen. On his way he had gone to the clock and tied his signal around the neck of the dragon for the Rainbow Rebels. He told Wren about his interview with the mistress.

  ‘So? Will you come?’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘I was hoping you’d say that. Without the master there’ll be no household and without a household there’ll be no job. I know how much you need it.’

  ‘There’s a more important reason than that.’

  ‘There is? What?’

  ‘Friendship, you dummy.’ Wren shook her head. ‘Let’s go and get Ludo.’

  ‘You think he’ll come?’

  As they approached Ludo’s bed, he saw them coming. He turned away and pulled his blanket over his head. ‘Go away. I’m not well.’

  ‘What’s wrong, Ludo?’ asked Wren as she sat on the edge of his bed. ‘This isn’t like you. Shall we ask to send for a doctor?’

  ‘Don’t need a doctor. Just go away.’

  ‘While you’ve been in bed, the whole place has gone to pot,’ said Mel. ‘Dirk Tot’s been arrested. They found his secret laboratory and masses of pigment that he’s been making. All the stuff I told you about.’

  ‘You know, I think it’s why he didn’t want you to see his secret garden,’ said Wren. ‘He was probably testing his own colours there.’

  ‘Yeah, and come to think of it, he must have been using it to top up the pigment Groot was stealing.’ Mel looked down at Ludo. ‘And the master’s vanished as well. He’s gone inside the Mirrorscape and he hasn’t come out.’

  Ludo groaned and pulled the blanket further over his head.

  ‘The mistress has asked Mel to find him and bring him back. I’m going too. If you were feeling better then we’d ask you to come with us,’ said Wren.

  ‘Leave me alone. Can’t you see I’m not well? I don’t want anything to do with the Mirrorscape any more. Or with you.’

  ‘But, Ludo ….’ pleaded Mel.

  Wren put her hand on Mel’s arm and shook her head. ‘We’re sorry to see you like this, Ludo, but we understand. We’ll see you when we get back.’

  ‘If we get back.’ Mel bit his lip. Stupid! Why did I say that?

  Wren shot him a withering look. ‘Goodbye, Ludo.’

  ‘Yeah, hope you’re feeling better soon.’ Mel rose and followed Wren towards the door. ‘You go and get any stuff you might need and I’ll meet you in the master’s studio.’

  After she had left, Mel opened his cupboard and removed the loose board to his cache. He thrust his arm into the space, searching for his sketch of the mirrormark, but it was not there. Has someone taken it? He thought about this for a moment. No one knew it was there. The chimes of the great clock echoed through the dormitory. He mentally shrugged. If it’s gone, it’s gone. I can’t worry about that now. He worked his arm deeper inside the narrow space and his hand closed on the tiny box. He drew it out and looked at it. Maybe I’m not coming back. I should take this with me. He tucked it inside his doublet next to his bodkin and hurried off to meet Wren.

  As soon as Mel had left, the door to the service passage opened with a creak and Groot stepped into the silent dormitory. He carried two bottles of the finest Vlamian wine. Having discovered the passages, it had not taken him long to find his way into the master’s wine cellar and he had since become a regular visitor. He had returned to the dormitory to hide his loot and had overheard the conversation. ‘What a touching little scene, Ludo. You know, it almost brought a tear to my eye.’

  ‘Go away, Groot. They were my best friends and now I can’t even look them in the eye. Leave me alone.’

  ‘Oh, I will. Very soon now. I’ve an appointment with my new friends here.’ He clinked the bottles together. ‘But there’s one more thing you’re going to do for me.’ He sat on the edge of Ludo’s bed, leant down and whispered into his ear.

  Mel was not the first to arrive in the master’s studio.

  ‘Green! How did you get here so quickly?’

  ‘The Mirrorscape might be dangerous but it’s quick. What’s up?’

  ‘Dirk Tot’s just been arrested. And no one’s seen the master since the day before yesterday. The mistress thinks he’s being held against his will inside the Mirrorscape.’

  ‘That’s really serious news. I’d best get back at once and warn my men. Bad luck always comes in threes.’

  ‘I’m going to look for him and bring him back.’

  ‘What, in there?’ Green looked at the master’s canvas. ‘All on your own?’

  ‘Not quite on his own.’ Wren entered the room.

  ‘The Mirrorscape’s no place for either of you,’ said Green. ‘But Mel will need all the help he can get.’

  ‘I can look after myself,’ said Wren. ‘I’ve scrounged us some food. I didn’t know how long we’ll be gone.’ She held up a small sack bulging with provisions.

  ‘Wren, this is Green.’

  ‘Nice to meet you, Wren. But it’s hello and goodbye, I’m afraid. I must hurry. We’ll meet again.’ He left by the door.

  ‘Mel!’ Wren gazed aghast at the canvas. ‘What’s happened?’

  Before, where the picture had been full of sunlight and bright, luminous colours, it now looked totally different. The blue sky had vanished, to be replaced by a leaden, overcast sky. Swirling shapes within them suggested screaming heads. The delicate trees had been either felled or blackened where they had been burnt. The corpses of many of the fabulous creatures lay about, dismembered, and more rotting bodies floated in the now filthy lake. Vultures with blood-matted feathers picked at the bloated carcasses. The island in the lake was empty. There was no sign of the half-human house that had formerly stood there, just an enormous crater. It was an awful transformation. The scene looked like the last place they would ever want to go, but it was their doorway into the Mirrorscape. They must follow the master.

  ‘How could that have happened?’ asked Wren. ‘Who’d do such a thing?’

  ‘I don’t know. Perhaps the person who stole my sketch of the mirrormark.’

  ‘It’s gone?’ Wren looked alarmed. ‘But how are we going to follow the master?’

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got it memorised. Now, I wonder if there’s anything here that might help us find him?’ Mel began searching the studio. He found a large leather satchel and placed some pencils into it. He added a small telescope with curious dials and knobs along its length, which he thought might come in useful. He picked up a leather-bound book.

  ‘What’s that?’

  ‘It’s the master’s sketchbook,’ said Mel, opening it.

  ‘Really? Let me see.’

  ‘It’s beautiful. I’ve never seen drawings as fine as these
.’ Mel traced the exquisite lines with his finger, imagining he was drawing them himself.

  ‘They’re drawings from his paintings – preparatory sketches.’

  ‘Are you sure? That means they’re drawings of the Mirrorscape. We should take this too.’

  ‘Well, there’s no putting it off any longer,’ said Wren. ‘We should get going.’

  ‘I’m coming too,’ said a voice.

  ‘Ludo!’ they both exclaimed.

  ‘What made you change your mind?’ asked Mel.

  ‘Oh, it was the thought of you two recounting your adventures after you get back and forever saying “You should have been there, Ludo”. Besides, with you two gone, there’s nothing left for me here. I’m sorry if I offended you.’ Ludo sounded cheerful enough, but he was avoiding eye contact.

  ‘Are you sure you’re feeling better?’ asked Wren.

  ‘Look, are we going or not?’

  ‘What’s got into you?’ said Mel. ‘First we couldn’t drag you into the Mirrorscape, then you can’t wait to go.’

  ‘We’re all going now. That’s what matters,’ said Wren.

  ‘All right, let’s do it. You OK, Wren?’

  ‘Not really. I’m scared.’

  ‘Me too,’ said Mel.

  ‘When you two are quite ready,’ complained Ludo.

  The three friends looked at the painting for a moment and linked arms. Mel took a deep breath and traced the mirrormark in the air. The surface of the painting shimmered and they vanished.

  ‘Come on, it’s gaining on us,’ shouted Adolfus Spute. ‘Surprising turn of speed for a building, don’t you think?’

  Mumchance blew an extended trill on his whistle.

  ‘I’ll thank you not to rub it in, you rancid manikin. My plan was perfect – perfect. We had Blenk nicely trapped inside that peculiar house of his while we arrested Half-Face. The last thing anyone could have expected was for that jumped-up bungalow to get up off his foundations and come after us like that.’

  Another blast.

  ‘Now what?’