Someone Else's Kingdom, BOOK II - Scene XLII

Grandpa Taxilian and Grandma Mayleen were in the kitchen. It was another blustery day in the rainy kingdom, but most of the harvest had now been gathered. Some still lay rotten in the sodden fields, but given the terrible weather and the lack of farmhands they felt they'd done as best they could. It hadn't helped that since returning from his sojourn Luteeay had been nowhere to be seen. He rarely helped on the farm at the best of times, but this year even his aging frame would've been a handy boon. Contrariwise, Elgiva had been a blessing. Slowly but surely adapting to her newfound life, in a way that surprised everyone given first impressions. A palace nursemaid from the royal household in Patina, half-lost and overwrought when she first turned up at the door - and almost as aged as Luteeay himself. Yet now she was a hardy babushka. Picking turnips. Untroubled by the biting wind.

As Taxilian looked out through the little square kitchen window, Mayleen sat and sipped her tea. The prospect outside grim. The brown fields and greying sky offering a dismal picture. Now, with the harvest finished, thoughts were turning back to the wider world. The war, and, of course, the missing young'uns. Who, for all they knew, were somewhere off in the far Northern Kingdom. Hopefully safe.

"They'll be fine," reassured Mayleen, noting the obvious concern of Taxilian, though she too had similar doubts. The thought that something terrible might happen to Box, Goola or Julen a recurring dread. Though she tried her best to hide any outward appearance of it. As she said the hopeful words Elgiva stepped into the kitchen, fully wrapped up and ready to head out into the drizzle. Hiding her own worries about the princess Liofia.

"I'll come with you," noted Taxilian, not for the first time, as he realised how intent she was on going.

"No, it's fine," she answered briskly, "I need something to do. He must be up to something. If I don't come back, then you can come looking for me."

She then braced herself to open the door, much to Taxilian's disapproval, and headed out into the rain. The heavy specks instantly berating her exposed face the minute she hit the cold. She gripped her coat tightly to her chin and hunched over as she headed down the path. Taxilian watched from the window as she bustled onwards. Her elderly frame slowly shrinking in relation to the wooden frame. She then stepped across the muddy field. Her boots feeling the suction of the cloggy wet ground with every purposeful stride.

She pressed on to the end of the long field. Far beyond the sight of the rain-washed window. Then down the hard mud path that clung along the thorny hedgerow, slightly drier for its sparse shelter. The prickling branches occasionally reaching out and snagging her clothes. Then, she ambled over the little stony bridge that hopped the now flooding beck. The grassy banks half drowned by the heavy, rushing torrent that surged beneath the rain. Then through yet more fields and down more winding paths that led along more prickling hedgerows. Until, finally, she reached Luteeay's little hovel of a home. She struggled briefly with the iron gate then hurried down the path and to his door. She knocked, but the knock went unheard amidst the cacophony of animal noises. Chickens squawking and birds chirping and little dogs barking. She knocked again, this time louder: still no answer. She stood and waited a few moments, trying to shield herself from the rain beneath the tiny shelter of the door frame. Huddling against the wooden door as if the building was a tilted umbrella. Finally, impatient, she grabbed the handle and pushed the door. It flung open with a rattle. The noisy kitchen was empty of humans, but through the squawking racket she could hear the equally noisy discord of human clanking. She headed across the kitchen and into the next room, to find Luteeay working busily. The scene a veritable artist's workshop; of potions and strange devices. Still he remained oblivious to her presence. She tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around startled.

"What are you doing?" she asked, hen-like, but intrigued.

"I'm busy," came the hurried reply. His focus remaining fully on his work, as he inspected whatever it was he was inspecting.

"I can see that. What are you busy doing is the question. What's going on here?"

"The shell is broken, so I need to be busy. That's all you need to know."

Elgiva, now fully confused, felt a tad put out. "I've travelled through a torrent to be here. We've been wondering where you've been. People are concerned."

"I can't explain what I'm doing, I'm sorry. Perhaps one day, but right now that's all I can say. I have important work to do, and I need to be getting on with it."

He uttered all this without looking once at Elgiva, his eyes entirely on the task.

"But we haven't seen you for weeks."

"I know, but it is what it is. I need to get crack on."

Elgiva headed back into the kitchen and stood in silence for a moment. Feeling the need to do something she then rummaged around the cupboards and draws. Finding the kettle she then lit the little stove and started boiling some tea. She sat down, grateful at least to rest her legs, but nevertheless flummoxed by Luteeay's odd behaviour. The soaked landscape outside certainly wasn't inviting, but she instantly felt like heading straight back to the farm to tell Taxilian and Mayleen about the blunt reception she'd received - hoping they could make more sense of it than she could. As the tea slowly boiled she calmed her thoughts though. She took off her cloak and hung it over the chair by the stove to dry, then took some tea through to Luteeay, who was still completely fixated on his endeavours.

As she put the cup down he looked glad of the refreshment, but said nothing.

"Do we have any news about the little chicks?" asked Elgiva, this time in a softer tone. "Taxilian and Mayleen are worried sick ..as am I."

Luteeay reached for the tea and finally stopped his work.

"The most recent I've heard is that they were heading for the Western Isles by boat," his tired words echoing her worry. "They might be safer there than the Northern Kingdom, for now, though that probably won't be the case for long. There are no kytalyks in the Western Isles too, so the line is dead."

"At least they're safe for the time being," answered Elgiva gratefully, pleased that Luteeay had somewhat returned to civility. "I'll let Taxilian and Mayleen know when I get back."

She then sat down and looked around the strange room, trying to make sense of what lay before her.

"Before I go though I'll make you a good meal and tidy this house."