Between Dreaming and Awake (cont'd)
"How did I come to arrive in this place?" I asked the badger-person, because he seemed to know infinitely more about my current station than I. He looked up at me and smiled, and gestured that I should follow. Together, we three began to thread our way through the trees.
"I expect that the Lady of Birds sent you here. She has been missing from here for some time, and this is her home."
The golden-haired gentleman scoffed. "I don't believe she means to return. She wouldn't have left her own party. It was truly the most beautiful affair that the world has ever seen, and she just walked away! The insult!"
The badger-person shook his head. "The whole thing seems wrong. I do believe she means to return, and I believe she sent you here."
I listened to all this with fascination. "You mean Avialle?" I asked.
The gentleman nearly jumped out of his skin. "Quiet!" he exclaimed. Though he whispered, his voice held great intensity. "You never know who is listening!"
Utterly confused, I looked up to stare at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"
The badger-person looked no less concerned, but his words were a bit gentler. "We do not speak names so cavalier in this place," he replied. "The trees have ears and endless memory. I'm sure you understand."
I didn't, but I nodded yes anyway. There were many things about this place that I didn't understand, I only hoped that they would become clearer with time.
"At least I know now that my suspicions were correct," said the badger-person with a good-natured smile, though the golden-haired gentleman still glared. "It is then much more necessary to see you out of Hearts-Desire and into the next kingdom."
"What do you mean?"
"It isn't really important," said the badger-person.
He'd scarcely gotten the words out when the golden-haired gentleman interrupted. "Three witches are holed up in the White Castle and they'll want you dead, I'd expect."
This statement had a very predictable effect upon me. "What? Why?"
"He is waxing melodramatic," said the badger-person.
"They have stolen the home of our mutual friend," the gentleman replied.
"You mean Avi--?" I barely made it through half her name before they both shushed me again.
"They may send agents after you," admitted the badger-person. "It won't be a problem if we can make it to Merry-Chase before they know you're here."
"Unlikely," said the gentleman with a derisive laugh. "Methought I heard the chiming of a hunting-bell sound."
"Hunting-bell?" I cried.
The badger-person sent a significant look in his direction. "Hush," he said. "You heard nothing of the sort. You are trying to frighten him."
"I'm not frightened," I lied, as though this would belay the conversation, but they seemed not to even hear me, and continued to speak as though I were not present.
"He is not nearly frightened enough."
"I am only allowing you along with us because you know the quickest way. The last thing I need is for you to fill his head with paranoia."
"What is Merry-Chase?" I asked.
"Keeping information from him isn't going to help either," said the gentleman. "It's best that he is aware of the danger. You know what we are facing."
"Shut up!" I finally screamed. They both fell silent and looked at me, flabbergasted. "I mean. I'm sorry. It isn't that I don't appreciate what you're doing for me, but I don't understand what any of this is about. Or what it has to do with...her."
"I expect that the Lady of Birds sent you here. She has been missing from here for some time, and this is her home."
The golden-haired gentleman scoffed. "I don't believe she means to return. She wouldn't have left her own party. It was truly the most beautiful affair that the world has ever seen, and she just walked away! The insult!"
The badger-person shook his head. "The whole thing seems wrong. I do believe she means to return, and I believe she sent you here."
I listened to all this with fascination. "You mean Avialle?" I asked.
The gentleman nearly jumped out of his skin. "Quiet!" he exclaimed. Though he whispered, his voice held great intensity. "You never know who is listening!"
Utterly confused, I looked up to stare at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"
The badger-person looked no less concerned, but his words were a bit gentler. "We do not speak names so cavalier in this place," he replied. "The trees have ears and endless memory. I'm sure you understand."
I didn't, but I nodded yes anyway. There were many things about this place that I didn't understand, I only hoped that they would become clearer with time.
"At least I know now that my suspicions were correct," said the badger-person with a good-natured smile, though the golden-haired gentleman still glared. "It is then much more necessary to see you out of Hearts-Desire and into the next kingdom."
"What do you mean?"
"It isn't really important," said the badger-person.
He'd scarcely gotten the words out when the golden-haired gentleman interrupted. "Three witches are holed up in the White Castle and they'll want you dead, I'd expect."
This statement had a very predictable effect upon me. "What? Why?"
"He is waxing melodramatic," said the badger-person.
"They have stolen the home of our mutual friend," the gentleman replied.
"You mean Avi--?" I barely made it through half her name before they both shushed me again.
"They may send agents after you," admitted the badger-person. "It won't be a problem if we can make it to Merry-Chase before they know you're here."
"Unlikely," said the gentleman with a derisive laugh. "Methought I heard the chiming of a hunting-bell sound."
"Hunting-bell?" I cried.
The badger-person sent a significant look in his direction. "Hush," he said. "You heard nothing of the sort. You are trying to frighten him."
"I'm not frightened," I lied, as though this would belay the conversation, but they seemed not to even hear me, and continued to speak as though I were not present.
"He is not nearly frightened enough."
"I am only allowing you along with us because you know the quickest way. The last thing I need is for you to fill his head with paranoia."
"What is Merry-Chase?" I asked.
"Keeping information from him isn't going to help either," said the gentleman. "It's best that he is aware of the danger. You know what we are facing."
"Shut up!" I finally screamed. They both fell silent and looked at me, flabbergasted. "I mean. I'm sorry. It isn't that I don't appreciate what you're doing for me, but I don't understand what any of this is about. Or what it has to do with...her."