Hilda - The Challenge

by Paul Kater

  William's hands moved from her shoulders to her face. "No, silly witch. We will work out something that will work for both of us."

  Hilda covered his hands with her own. "William, please, I don't feel-"

  That was all she could say before his lips prevented her lips from saying more. After a while she started tapping him on the shoulder, and he broke the kiss. "Man, are you trying to suffocate me?" The blue sparkles in her eyes told him that she meant something entirely else.

  "No. I couldn't.'

  "Can't you try?", she asked, reaching up and locking her fingers behind his neck. "You know... when we were shouting at each other before... I never felt something like that before. That I would have someone who loved me enough to scream at me. Nobody dares that."

  "Perhaps Babs does," William grinned as he lifted her up in his arms.

  "Babs is different," she grinned. Those were the last words that were spoken in the living room, as soon after that they were in the bedroom. They did not come out anymore that day, leaving it to the house to close up.

  33. Coffee

  The next morning William and Hilda both woke up hungry. Not eating the evening before proved to be a dumb idea. Arguing about who was going to make breakfast, they came down the stairs. In the end they were side by side in the kitchen and breakfast was done very quickly.

  Once at the table, William frowned at Hilda's teacup. "One of the fish is gazing at me again," he said.

  "The other one is keeping its eyes on me," Hilda reported from her side of the cup.

  "Any idea what they want?"

  Hilda shook her head. "I know what I want. Some of that coffee of your world."

  William nodded. "I could do with some of that too." A slight wrinkle travelled over his forehead. "You know... maybe... now I have this..." -his wand appeared in his hand- "...I might give it a try."

  "I like that idea. I would also like it if you try it first." She smiled her sweetest smile.

  "Okay."

  "Let me help you," she said. A cup of hot water appeared before William. "It is easier to transform something than to make it materialise."

  William grinned. He pointed his wand and thought of coffee. With cream. The liquid in the cup turned brown. Surprise on his face showed he had not really expected it to work. Carefully he took a sip. "Uhm... almost right."

  "What's wrong with it?" Hilda already reached out for the cup.

  "It looks like coffee. That's all." The stuff tasted like hot water.

  Hilda grinned. "That is a problem, you have to consider every aspect."

  "I'll try this again then..." William closed his eyes and let his mind drift back to the best coffee he had ever had. As he almost felt it in his mouth, he let his wand do the work. Seconds later the smell of coffee drifted up to his nose.

  "Oh!"

  The sound made him open his eyes. What he saw was Hilda holding the cup of coffee and smelling its contents, a blissful smile on her face.

  She sipped some and then her face was a picture of happiness. "You made coffee!" She snipped her fingers and made a second cup with hot water appear. "For you," she said, smiling.

  With a grin he repeated the process. This time it was easier, he found, and soon he too was enjoying some coffee. Real coffee.

  "Oh! Finished already!" Hilda stared at the cup. She put it down in front of William. "Will you make me more?", she asked, batting her eyes at him.

  He made her more coffee.

  After breakfast and a lot of coffee, Hilda sat at her crystal ball and alerted all available witches in the area about what had happened to Fidelma. They all were shocked about what was generally accepted as Lamador's behaviour, but not surprised. Everyone promised to keep a lookout for the missing girl.

  Without high hopes for the girl's return, Hilda turned to William who was at the table, reading a book. "Well, they know now. Some asked about you and me also. Urgh."

  "And what did you tell them to that?" William had a suspicion.

  "That it's none of their bloody business."

  The wizard in training nodded. That was Hilda on high defense and also giving away that there definitely was something about her and William. "I assumed so much," he said.

  "And what are you doing?", Hilda asked as she came over and leaned on his shoulder. "Oh, studying again. Good little wizard. Do you think you have time to come and do the rounds with me?"

  "I am sure I can find some time for that," William grinned.

  The flight around part of the kingdom was good. Nothing remarkable happened. They tried to find a few traces of Fidelma, but as they had nothing to start with, that was doomed to fail. They did try it though, as sometimes dumb luck could throw something in one's lap. Dumb luck, however, had a day off.

  As they were on their way home, Hilda said: "You know, I am almost getting some confidence in you becoming somewhat of a wizard."

  William almost dropped from his broom over this sudden and unexpected compliment from his witch. "Why thank you, sweetheart. I am glad that I am at least living up to the lower limits of your expectations."

  She gave him the look. "Normal words, William. Normal words will do. But yes, I am a bit proud of your progress." Hilda allowed herself to think that perhaps the challenge might not be the total loss she had originally thought it would be. With William's help, the way he was improving lately, they might even last longer than just the time it took to enter the labyrinth. She was scared to share that with William though. She was afraid that he would start to feel too confident. It also worried her that she was actually beginning to rely on him. She was the witch who had handled her life herself all the time, and now...

  "I really wish there were a library here," William sighed, after they had come home.

  "Oh?" Hilda pushed herself into his lap. "Am I becoming boring already?"

  William, his arms having a mind of their own and slipping around Hilda, shook his head. "No, you don't have to worry about that, sweetwitch. For now I am still tensing up when you jump around or so. You and boring do not go together."

  "Good. I have to know that. Tell me that every day." Hilda pressed her lips on his forehead. "So why the library?"

  "The labyrinth. Gurthreyn's labyrinth. It keeps bugging me that we know nothing about that place and the man who built it. Or designed it."

  "Oh. That again. Didn't I show you? It is a spooky place, one that transforms itself." A shiver ran down her back, and she was unable to catch it.

  William sensed it. "It must really be bad," he said as he pulled her closer for a moment.

  "Yes." Hilda struggled herself from his arms and got up again. She did not want him to know she felt vulnerable about that. Not more than he already did, anyway. She sat down on the other side of the table. "There is a library."

  William waited, his face showing what he hoped to be an invitation for her to go on.

  "It is in the castle of the king. We could go there and have a look around."

  "After asking him if it is okay, I assume?"

  "No," Hilda said. "After telling him we want to have a look around."

  "Oh." William was not used to that approach, but if it worked, why not?

  "You really believe that will do some good, don't you?" Hilda rested her head in her hands.

  "I do. I know about the power of knowledge in written things, when used in the proper way."

  She considered his words. "Right. I suggest we change into something impressive then, and pay Walt a visit."

  "Impressive stuff?" William wondered.

  Hilda looked William over. She had supplied him with an amazing outfit. It was dark blue, leaning towards black. Again there was silver on it, in patterns that were confusing when looked at too long. It consisted of a kind of tunic with a jerkin over it, both the same dark velvet, and a very fancy kind of baggy trousers. The jerkin stood out as it had no silver embroidery on it. Black kneehigh socks and black shoes with silver clasps completed the outfit. Over his arm he held the black hooded clo
ak.

  "Yes, you'll do just fine. How do I look?" Hilda turned around for him. She wore her favourite impressive bloodred dress that went up high to the neck. It had small white lacy frizzles around the neck. The dress looked as if it had a hoop at the bottom, or a stunning amount of petticoats. Her cloak was the same colour red.

  "You look breathtaking, Hilda. Really." William meant it. He could look at her for hours.

  "Shiny. Come on then, hop hop." She winked at him and walked to the opening door. Her broom came running after her, a trick William still had not yet mastered.

  The dressed-up man stared after her as he held out his hand and made his broom fly into it. "Impossible," he grinned. "I'll never figure her out."

  "Ohh!! He loves me!," he heard Hilda's voice chime as she picked up the feeling he had for her as it washed through him.

  "And does that in any way affect you?", William asked as he came outside.

  "Of course not," Hilda said, her nose in the air and her feet still on the ground. "I am the resident witch, remember?"

  He took the resident witch in his arms and kissed her, disabling the unaffectable part of her for the duration.

  "If you have messed up my dress, William, you will pay for it," she said when she was not affected anymore.

  He looked at her. "Keep your cool, sweetwitch, you look fine."

  She grinned. "Good. Come, we'll go see Walt. Maybe he has a bottle of wine for us."

  "Uhm? Does he supply you with goodies also?" William recalled the cart with groceries that had been delivered by the villagers.

  "No!! He is the king. He likes to give presents." Hilda flashed him a big smile. "His wine is so good, you wouldn't believe it. I sometimes drink it pure..." A blush appeared on her cheeks. "Come, hop, hop. Let's go and see the king about the wine -eh- the library."

  They mounted the brooms and gently lifed off, floating away towards the castle.

  Hilda did not feel like racing. Calmly they flew along, with her pointing out things in the area that she usually had no time for. "See the strange lump of stone over there? That used to be a fortress. I don't remember who built it, but I have heard it belonged to a very brave knight."

  There were rivers with beautoful names like Troubled River and Moon River that had legends attached to their origins. They passed over a forest with black trees which was aptly called the Black Forest, and that also had a long story dedicated to it. Hilda gave him the telegram-versions of each, as they did want to make it to the castle that day, but William enjoyed the stories.

  "I hope that someday you will have the time to tell me the stories the way they really are."

  "Maybe. I am not such a good story-teller," she said, shaking her hair back and making it fly in the wind. "Oh, there it is."

  William had already seen the highest tower of the castle appear behind the mountainous hilltop.

  34. Power of books

  Hilda threw William by landing in front of the castle gate, the official entrance. No harrassing guards, no screaming or flipping over walls. Instead of all the fun stuff, they walked to the guards, brooms bobbing behind them.

  "We would like to see the king," said Hilda.

  William had never heard her like that. He wondered what other surprises would be waiting for him.

  "You're kidding me, aren't you?", the guard asked.

  "No. We want to see the king, and if you don't find a way to announce us, we'll handle that ourselves. Suck an elf, the guards here aren't only out of shape, they also appear to be severely retarded." She pushed her way past the man with the partly iron outfit.

  William bit away a snort and followed Hilda without a word, leaving behind the guard who was trying to grasp what had just happened.

  Hilda had been to the castle many a time. She did not head for the main entrance of the large building, where another couple of tin men were standing, watching the two ominous figures approach. The witch turned into a small path that led along the side of the immense building and then put her broom against the wall. "You can leave it here, it will be safe."

  William saw her push open a small door, something that more appeared to be a servant's entrance than a door fit for a person of standing. It was however without a doubt that Hilda was flexible when it came to things like this.

  The door led them into a tiny room from where a door gave them passage into the castle.

  "Just follow me and look like you know what you're doing. Or put the hood over your head," said the witch.

  "And you?", he asked as he pulled at the hood.

  She grinned. "I know what I'm doing."

  They entered the castle, which was yet another new experience for William. The long hall with its polished marble on the floor and large and mostly ugly paintings on the wall; servants walking around minding their own business.

  William stopped and gazed at an extraordinarily hideous painting that showed nothing but black streaks and grey blots. Hilda joined him. "Fucking ugly, isn't it? Is made by one of the Repressionists. I really don't know why they waste paint on stuff like that. Come."

  They walked down the seemingly endless hall, to end up in another one. There was a staircase at the end of that one, which they ascended. William followed the witch to a set of double doors of insane height. She pushed them open and walked into an empty room.

  "Crap. He moved again. I hate it when he does that." Before William could even think a question, she turned to him. "Shush you. I still know what I am doing."

  "What are you doing here?" The voice belonged to a servant in a red coat, white trousers and a round face.

  "We are looking for the king." Hilda looked him up and down. "And you are going to take us to him."

  "Am I?" The servant obviously had different plans, but as he saw the wand appear in Hilda's hand, his priorities got reshuffled. "Of course I am. Please, if you will follow me, honourable witch..."

  The man in red and white led them down the stairs, back through the corridor they had come down from and then knocked on a door. "Ehm, sire, are you in there by chance?" With a stupid grin he looked at Hilda and the hooded man in the black cloak. "He sometimes isn't in there."

  "And I'm not now either," the voice of king Walt echoed through the hall as he came walking up to them. "Grimhilda, dear witch, welcome to the castle. And William the wizard, you too are most welcome here!"

  After this welcome Walt waved the helpful servant to follow him and then ushered the magical visitors into a cathedral-like space that he called the sitting room. The servant received the ungrateful order to quickly get some glasses of wine from the cabinet in the far wall.

  The three sat down in sumptuous chairs made from mahogany, on cushions made of white silk. The woodwork was craftfully carved, showing magnificent shapes of either exotic or fantasy-creatures. William hoped the latter.

  Then Walt asked to what he owed the visit of two such distinguished visitors.

  Hilda looked at William, allowing him to take the lead.

  William explained that he was interested in the labyrinth of Gurthreyn. "I have heard things about it," he told the king, "and I hope there are some things in writing about it in your library. In which case I also hope you will allow me to see them."

  Walt nodded. "Gurthreyn. Yes. I've heard of it. Nasty place, nasty place. Not too many people are fond of places like that."

  The servant arrived and brought the wine. He was only slighty out of breath; he seemed to be in good shape. No wine had spilled from the glasses either. After serving the king and the guests he retreated back to the corridor.

  The witch and the semi-wizard toasted to the king and sampled the wine. Hilda made sure she would be able to fly back on her own powers, of course. William noticed it and winked at her. The wine was, as Hilda had already said, fabulous.

  "Well now," Walt said. "The library. Of course, a wizard of fame like yourself, who knows an outstanding witch like Grimhilda, is welcome to peruse the royal library as long as you want. I am sorry that I canno
t offer you a librarian. Some mishap regarding the queen that caused him to leave my services. But if that is not a bother then I will call a servant to show you the books."

  "That would be no problem at all, sire," said William.

  "Good, good." Walt clapped his puffy hands and the servant appeared again.

  "Sire?"

  "Show these good people to the library, will you? And do give them a few bottles of wine. It must be dusty down there."

  "Very well, my king." The servant made a bow and waited.

  The 'good people' got up, glasses in hand, and thanked the king for his hospitality and cooperation. Then they followed the servant to the basement where the library was located.

  William was like a kid in a toy store. The number of ancient books, scrolls and manuscripts was enough to fill Hilda's house twice.

  "I will bring you some wine," the servant promised, and disappeared quickly.

  "He must have a problem with books," was Hilda's sharp observation. "So, sweet man, where do you want to start? Plenty of books, but without a librarian this is a little on the plentiful side, isn't it?"

  William savoured a sip of wine and then stole a kiss from Hilda, as they were alone in the library anyway. "Let's find out if the librarian understood his trade," he then said.

  "If there is a system in this," William groaned after several hours, "I don't even want to know how it's set up. The man's brain must have had much less consistency than that of an orangutan."

  On the table in front of him lay two scrolls, ancient things, that mentioned the labyrinth of Gurthreyn. Hilda had walked around the library lots of times and she was reaching the stage of terminally bored. William knew that it was time to hurry. "I wish I could take these with me," he sighed. "The writing is difficult to read."

  "Then take them. Walt won't miss them."

  "I can't. That's stealing."

  "We'll bring 'm back later, does that sound good? And otherwise you copy them." Hilda whisked her wand over the table and there were four scrolls. "See, simple. You really have to a lot learn, William. Now I really hope we can go home soon, I'm getting fed up here."