Then without warning, Aazi let out a loud scream. Polly, confused by the sudden noise, quickly turned around to see what the commotion was about.
“Quick, Polly, head for the shore!” cried Aazi, full of fear as he saw the fins of two large sharks heading right in their direction.
Polly immediately broke into laughter and shouted back, “Aazi, don’t worry, it’s only Biscuit and Bouncer. They’ve come along to see what all the excitement is about. Here, Bouncer,” she cried, using her hand to splash the water as a way of communicating to the shark to come over.
Bouncer obliged and swiftly moved through the water towards Polly. “There, there,” said Polly, giving him a pat on the nose followed by a kiss. “Yes, these poor darlings have spent their lives being hated and feared, yet here in Piadora they are just as lovable as every other creature. They particularly love to join in anytime there’s a bit of larking around.” Aazi now looked really confused, so Polly swam over to him to reassure him further. “Look, Aazi, in Piadora there are no predators, so consequently the whole of nature lives in total peace and harmony. I promise.” Aazi still didn’t seem to understand and stared at Polly with a look of complete incredulity plastered all over his face.
“Aazi, when I first arrived here, I saw lions lying down with lambs, and I even rolled in the grass with a huge golden lion named Lucy. She didn’t hurt me at all. She just licked my face with her long pink tongue and playfully prodded me with her enormous padded paws. There is nothing here in Piadora that will ever harm you, believe me.” Aazi broke into a relaxed smile.
“Come on, Aazi, let’s go back to the beach. Tell you what; I’ll race you. Let’s see if you’re as fast a swimmer as you are a runner. On your mark, get set, go!”
There were to be no winners or losers that day as they raced against each other, hoping to be the first out of the water. As their feet touched the warm, silky soft sand, they both collapsed into a heap on the sand in laughter.
Finally, Hodgekiss, escorted by angelic beings, returned to the water’s edge only to find them still happily talking away.
“Polly, it is time for young Aazi to get dressed for the banquet, for it is his turn to receive his crown. And then after the banquet, Aazi, I thought we might fulfill a couple of your secret dreams.”
“Which ones?” Aazi delightedly cried.
“Well now, have you not always wished to swim up a waterfall?” Hodgekiss asked with an amused smile.
Aazi’s face lit up, and he broke into a grin. If he were honest, he was a little shocked that this well-kept secret had finally been revealed, but he was also very excited at the prospect of fulfilling one of his secret dreams.
“I don’t suppose there is any chance of getting to ride on the back of a tyrannosaurus rex or a brontosaurus?” Aazi rather cheekily asked.
“That can be arranged,” Hodgekiss replied. “And didn’t you also dream of entering another universe to create a new star?”
Aazi’s eyes now widened, and upon finding himself absolutely speechless, he could only nod in answer to the question.
“Well, how about creating a whole new constellation while we’re at it? What are you waiting for? You’ll have plenty of time to fulfill those dreams and still have time for a few more before tonight’s banquet. Raphael will accompany you, for he’s a bit of a whiz kid when it comes to such things.”
Hodgekiss smiled and then turned to address Polly, inviting her to attend the evening banquet if she wished. Polly was given no choice in the matter, for Aazi tugged hard on her arm and begged her to say yes.
“You must come, and you must sit next to me,” he cried.
Polly happily agreed, although she did promise herself that this time around she wouldn’t eat so much.
It would be many hours later before the sumptuous banquet was over. Aazi felt overwhelmed by the awesome jewel-encrusted crown he was awarded and kept taking it off his head to admire it further.
“Polly, it’s just so incredible to be able to see the different colors,” he cried. “I just feel completely overcome by having swam up a waterfall and created new stars. Never in my whole life have I felt this happy.”
“I feel exactly the same,” said Polly as she watched him toy with his crown.
Eventually Hodgekiss came over to speak to the pair of them. He told Polly that he needed one final moment alone with her. Aazi was then asked if he would mind going with Gabriel, for he had many things he wished to show the young men. They both agreed, but not before giving each other a lingering hug as they said their good-byes. Polly reluctantly released Aazi from her firm grip, but not before turning to face Hodgekiss.
“We will see each other again, won’t we?” she anxiously asked. Hodgekiss nodded.
“Thank you,” said Polly, instantly showing great relief. “For having found Aazi again it would be awful if this turned out to be our last good-bye.”
Polly then allowed Hodgekiss to escort her out of the banqueting hall and back toward the gardens they had previously walked through, though on this occasion they walked in perfect silence. For some reason Polly was reluctant to chatter on, for she had a slight feeling of unease, although she didn’t know why. Eventually Hodgekiss turned to look her fully in the eyes and spoke, “Polly, it is time for you to return to the castle.”
“Oh, please don’t send me back there!” she pleaded.
“Oh, my young maiden, it’s important for you to understand that it really is necessary for you to go back,” he gently said.
“But why can’t I stay here? Have I done or said anything wrong?” she pitifully cried. “Oh, Hodgekiss, please let me stay. Don’t send me back to the orphanage, or I will surely die!” she begged.
Hodgekiss stood firm, still gazing into her eyes. He then took hold of her hand and, without saying a word, led her through the gates of Piadora. They continued to walk through forests and valleys until they reached the summit of Piadora. Hodgekiss then stopped in his tracks and turned to look down at her, flames of love and compassion pouring from him as he fixed his gaze on her. “Polly, please look down as far as your eye can see.”
Polly obeyed and was surprised to discover that she could clearly see the whole of the town in which she lived. Her eyes moved farther up until they settled on the castle, and she wept.
“Why on earth would you send me back there?” she cried, feeling utterly distraught at such a prospect. Hodgekiss remained silent. Suddenly her eyes caught hold of the two Justins standing beside their Mini with the bonnet open and smoke billowing out.
“Oh dear, they’re in big trouble again,” Polly ruefully commented.
“Yes, they certainly are,” replied Hodgekiss. “But don’t worry, Justin Kase has enough tools with him to open a car mechanic shop,” he said with a warm smile. “At the end of the day, that is
his problem.”
“What do you mean?” Polly asked with great surprise.
“Well, Polly, he has such a hard time relying on anyone else; sadly, he lacks trust. Remember his disagreement with Sir Eggmond when he refused to leave his backpack at base camp?”
Polly remembered. How could she forget?
“Polly, consider what happened to the two of them simply because they refused to listen to the wisdom of someone older and wiser than themselves.”
“Yes, but in all fairness, there were times when even I thought Sir Eggmond very unreasonable, and many more times that I actually became convinced that the man was quite off his rocker! Is it any wonder they chose to abandon ship and make their own way up the mountain?” Polly retorted, eager to defend both boys’ actions.
“The point is, Polly, that both you and Aazi chose to put all natural reason and logic behind and follow your heart, even though you were both fearful and way out of your depth. Both boys, on the other hand, chose not to. They believed in themselves and in their way of doing things, and as you saw for yourself it ended in disaster.”
Polly had little choice but to agree with all he said as
she thought back to their tragedy on the mountain.
“So he will never make it here, until he leaves all his baggage behind and begins to trust others much more than he does. Self-reliance might look good, but when it prevents us from making the right choices, it becomes harmful. We were, after all, made with a deep need to trust and rely on others. Anyway Polly, you will have plenty of opportunities to meet those two loveable lads again. Right now, though, please cast you eyes over in this direction,” he said, pointing to the west.
Polly followed his outstretched hand, stopping when she came to a whitewashed farmhouse. Through an open window she could clearly see a young girl lying on her bed, weeping and crying. Polly had no idea what her problem was. A few minutes later, and through yet another window, Polly could see a woman with her head buried in her hands as she sat at the kitchen table. Another window revealed a man standing over a fireplace holding a letter, pain and great despair etched on his face. As she moved from house to house, Polly began to realize that many of the town’s residents were in trouble and suffering in silence as they struggled with their private pain. She began to feel their hurt.
“Polly, you only feel the tiniest measure of their pain, but I feel it all. I feel and care for each and every person out there, especially those wracked with pain and in immense suffering. The orphans and the widows, as well as the single mothers and desperate fathers, well, they hold a very special place in my heart. But come now, what else can you see?”
Suddenly Polly let out a shriek, “Oh my goodness, I can see James! He’s obviously come in search of me. Oh good gracious, Hodgekiss, can you see what I can see? Oh my goodness! It’s Soogara and Vanaspi with those two terrifying hounds. James doesn’t realize it, but he’s about to fall into the spider’s web. Hodgekiss, do something, please do something quick!”
“No, Polly. You do something!”
“Don’t be daft, Hodgekiss! What on earth can I do?” she cried.
“That’s for you alone to work out, Polly, for until the day the final conflict takes place with good and evil meeting up to do battle, then and only then will I interfere in the plans of man. Until that day comes, man is left to make his own choices. I tell you with a mixture of both sadness and joy that when that day finally comes, the very earth will quake and the heavens will tremble. The battle will be greater than any other that has ever taken place before. Their noise will be as the rumbling of chariots, like the roar of a fire sweeping over a field as they move forward to do battle with evil. And though evil has long prevailed, for the first time in history the enemy will become racked with great fear. Yes, I do believe that their hearts will fail them and their faces will grow pale as they witness my forces swarming forward like locusts, equipped with the fiercest determination to win. Those that stand for truth and freedom are quietly and confidently preparing themselves for this day of reckoning. And if you draw in a little closer, Polly, you will clearly see that all over the land there are thousands of lit candles sitting on window ledges. These people are your friends, even though you have never met them. All you need to do is show them your signet ring, and to your surprise you will discover that they too wear the same ring as yours. Yes, these people are your friends, and they will help you in any way they are able. You will find these special people in every land that your foot touches. For their commission is to help others find the secret pathway to Piadora and prepare themselves for this last mighty battle. Only after this battle has been fought and won will there finally be peace between all men. So, young Polly, you are more than free to stay here in Piadora, for the choice is entirely yours. If you do stay, you will experience nothing but happiness way beyond your wildest dreams, and Thomas will no doubt be very delighted. However, if you go back, then it will be to more pain and more uncertainty, and probably more ridicule and humiliation.”
Polly remained silent, totally agonized as she reluctantly weighed up the two very limited choices. That is, if they could be called choices; after all, she was no martyr! She hated pain and despair as well as all the other loathsome, negative emotions she struggled to control. She found herself temporarily at a complete loss for words, and who could blame her? After all, what sort of choice was that? To stay and live a life of abundance with every dream in her young heart fulfilled, or go back to a life filled with shame and misery. And, I hasten to add, she would also go back to being permanently hungry! Was Hodgekiss asking the impossible? Polly’s eyes welled up with tears, for in her heart she knew the answer.
“Take your time, Polly,” said Hodgekiss gently as he gave her hand a reassuring and comforting squeeze.
Polly took in a deep breath. “All right, Hodgekiss, I will go back.”
“Polly, that’s wonderful news! For now you truly know who your people are. They are the poor and brokenhearted, the crushed in spirit, and the dispossessed. They are the lame and the weary, the orphan and the widow; whether black or white, rich or poor, they come from every walk of life.” Polly quietly nodded. “Oh, and Polly, I will let you in on a little secret: these are my people, too! But before you go and change back into your everyday clothes, which, I hasten to add, Mrs. O’Brien has not only washed and ironed, but sewn up a few odd holes, I want to show you one final thing. Take a look over to your right. Now look closer. Can you see the Copper Kettle tearoom?”
“Yes, yes, I can see it,” Polly anxiously replied. “But wait, what on earth is going on? I can see a man in white overalls standing at the top of a ladder. He’s taken down the old sign, and with his paint pot he’s painting a new sign in big gold lettering.” Polly paused. “Hodgekiss, I do believe the new sign says Polly’s Pantry. Oh, my goodness! How can this be? Where are the Greedols? And do they know about this?” Polly cried as she turned to Hodgekiss, looking for a suitable explanation.
“Look, Polly, there will be no problem, for they are at present cruising around the Greek Islands.”
“Yes, but hang on there, Hodgekiss. Every winter they close down the tearoom to go on a long cruise. They’ve done it every year for as long as I’ve known them. So what will happen if they come back to discover that the name has been changed in their absence?”
“Well, let’s just say that this time their ticket is one way,” Hodgekiss replied, the sides of his lips curling into a faint smile as he spoke.
“Oh right,” said Polly as she suddenly caught hold of what he was trying to get at. She smiled. “Well, Hodgekiss, if I’m honest, I don’t think those two will really be missed.”
Hodgekiss agreed fully with Polly’s assessment. “Polly, at present you are too young to own a tearoom. Your job is to attend school and try your best to work hard and leave school with plenty of exams. But the tearoom is yours, and until you are of an age where you can take over, it will be run by guardians of my choice. Their names are Mr. and Mrs. Kindlyside.”
Polly laughed at their name. “I like the name. It sounds very nice,” she said.
“Yes, I’m rather partial to their name, too, for their hearts are indeed as kind as their name, and these precious friends of mine have been commissioned to give you all the help and advice you need, oh, as well as nice cups of tea,” said Hodgekiss, breaking into a warm smile. “But Polly, allow me to give you one final and small word of warning! When you eventually inherit the tearoom, you must remember to use it for the benefit of others as well. You must seek to leave out food for my ragamuffin friends.”
“That goes without saying,” Polly responded with great enthusiasm.
“Then come, my young princess, for it is time for you to get out of your glad rags and back into your old clothes.”
Chapter 40
TIME TO GO HOME
POLLY SOON FOUND herself back at the Princesses’ School of Training. She asked to be left alone as she parted with her ball gown, replacing it with her dress and smock top. She momentarily held on to the gold ballet shoes, caressing them with her fingers before replacing them with the cheap shoes that she hated with a passion. Finally, she disp
ensed with the jewelry and her precious tiara.
As Polly sat on a chair and wistfully gazed at her tiara, there was a gentle knock on the door.
“Come in,” she called out loud as she stood up from her chair. Mrs. O’Brien closed the door gently behind her and then quietly walked over to where Polly was now standing and sweetly placed her arms around her to give the young girl an almighty hug. Polly could no longer control the deep sadness that leaving Piadora was causing, and she openly wept on dear Mrs. O’Brien’s shoulder.
“There, there, Polly. I know. I fully understand…” she said as she comforted the young maiden. “Remember, my dear, that crying is good for the soul, and it washes the face nicely, too,” she said, pulling away so that she could look Polly directly in the eye. “Polly, I know this is the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make. But I can tell you, hand on heart, that it is the right one, and that’s what makes you the beautiful princess that you really are,” she said, giving Polly a kind smile as she gently and lovingly ran her fingers through Polly’s hair. “Beauty really is an inner thing, Polly, nothing to do with the clothes you are wearing or the style of your hair. Trust me when I say that real beauty comes from the heart and permeates throughout the whole body, giving you a glow and radiance that cannot be bought for any princely sum. So go back to that dark and evil castle and shine forth like a beacon, for the darkness cannot stand light, and light is definitely the more powerful of both elements.”
“Yes, but the castle is the darkest place I have ever known, and I can feel nothing but despair at the thought of going back there,” said Polly rather tearfully.
“Polly, close your eyes and think of a room in pitch darkness, a room so very dark that you cannot even see past the end of your nose. Now light a small candle. There, see what I mean? The flicker of a small, insignificant candle will instantaneously light up a room, and suddenly you are able to see clearly. You, my young princess, are like a candle in the darkness, and as you go back to your difficult, mundane life, know that you are being watched over and protected,” she said, giving Polly’s hand a tight squeeze.
Polly Brown Page 72