Heading Back

[not_his_pa]

When they returned from the festival and found Carlotta, William had a hard time sleeping. Early the next morning, when the sun was barely up, he went walking to the mound in case anyone else had come through. In the morning light he sees a gray shape in the snow and walks slowly forward saying, "Oh Beaut, where is she?"

If Miss Barlow sent Beaut away then whatever's happening is even worse than before and as he's able to calm Beaut, William buries his head in his mane and sheds a few tears. This wasn't supposed to happen, not to Milliways, not to everyone there.

Comments

[gotland_npc]

There is less snow, however, than there was when William arrived; he has been here for almost a month. The children are out, and their cheerful voices as they play hide-and-seek ring out a counterpoint in the background.

[not_his_pa]

Beaut whinnies and that plus the voices in the distance pull William back to where he is now.

Slowly he starts to lead Beaut down to the farm, wiping his face as he doesn't want anyone to know he was crying.

[gotland_npc]

The children stop their game and come towards him, curious.

"You found a horse in the hills!" Athalwin says. "It's beautiful!"

[not_his_pa]

"His name's Beaut and he belongs to a lady from Milliways. I need to get him rubbed down as he's scared,"

That chore will keep him busy and tomorrow he'll go look for a door again.

[gotland_npc]

"Can I help with him?" Athalwin offers.

[not_his_pa]

"You can go see if there's an open stall and lay down some hay for him,"

William's taking his time walking Beaut down as it gives him time to collect himself. There was a door, so that means there probably will be one again unless Beaut just escaped and Milliways isn't there anymore.

[gotland_npc]

Adalgoth is by the stables, brushing one of the mares.

"That is a beautiful horse," he says, turning. "He should have come sooner, or all that business with Värmod would not have been needed."

[not_his_pa]

"Yes, he is, sir. His name's Beaut and he belongs to a lady from Milliways. If he's here things must be bad,"

Inside the empty stall, he starts checking Beaut for injuries and thankfully all he finds are small scratches and starts brushing him. There will be another door and he'll be able to give Beaut back healthy and beautiful to Miss Barlow.

[gotland_npc]

"Even worse than when Carlotta came?" Adalgoth says.

He looks very grim for a moment. It is as if Teja was dying on him again, inch by inch, with every new piece of bad news.

[not_his_pa]

"I don't know just that she wouldn't let him go unless it was too late,"

But she did and now Beaut's here.

[gotland_npc]

"Too late."

For a moment, Adalgoth looks as unhappy as William probably feels.

[not_his_pa]

William's not sure he can talk without crying so he focuses on brushing and brushes Beaut.

[gotland_npc]

"I must fetch another brush," Adalgoth says, and vanishes into another small building.

[not_his_pa]

He doesn't mind that Adalgoth leaves and soon Beaut is clean and well brushed. Soon he'll have to go back in and explain what's happened to everyone else but he doesn't want to.

He looks for chores to do around the stables until he's too hungry to ignore it.

[gotland_npc]

After a while Adalgoth returns, trying to look calm and not as if he had spilled tears. "We must go in now," he says.

[not_his_pa]

William nods and follows him in. The explanation is hard as another horse seems to promise less hope.

Over the next few days, William keeps returning to the mound as he exercises Les and Beaut. He doesn't even try to explain it, but he can't give up hope, it hurts too much.

During the night, Myrrh has been sleeping on his bed and hiding any tears he sheds.

[gotland_npc]

One morning, Agilulf comes by with tiny kittens in a small basket, asking if any here would foster one, as their younger mother cat has had a big litter, and only can raise four kittens yet.

[not_his_pa]

He hadn't meant to say yes, but the orange kitten had climbed into his lap and fallen asleep.

It didn't feel right to move it and this might be his home now, "What should I name him?"

[gotland_npc]

"He looks like our Isis, when she was little," Gotho says, "so why not call him Horus, after the son of that goddess, in the myths of the south-lands?"

[not_his_pa]

"Horus? I guess,"

It's not a name he would choose but it seems to fit and Myrrh comes out from his pocket to snuggle Horus.

[gotland_npc]

"He is cute," Hilde says. "You know he's a he because he has little harbls, right?"

"Hilde!" Liuta says, disapproving.

"That's what Alaric said about the puppies the other day!" she protests.

[not_his_pa]

William laughs and reaches out to ruffle Hilde's hair, "Yeah, he does."

[gotland_npc]

"You must still feed him milk, he is that little," Agilulf says. "I am glad one of them has found a new home with you, though. You will make each other happy."

[not_his_pa]

"I'll do that. I'm good at takin' care of those that need it. Been doin' it for my brother all our lives,"

Myrrh leans up and bats at his chest which helps him to swallow down the lump in his throat.

[gotland_npc]

"I must be on my way," Agilulf says, "the others will need placing as well. Värmod's brother took one, but there are still two left. But I know who to call on."

Adalgoth walks with him, talking amiably, back to his horse, to see him off as is polite.

[not_his_pa]

As William is becatted, he doesn't join them and pets Myrrh and Horus, who are investigating each other and him.

[ostro_goth]

Myrrh is licking the little one's ears, happy to have found a new friend who's littler than she is.

[not_his_pa]

They're wonderful cats and William smiles, he'll figure out a way to give Horus a home somehow.

[gotland_npc]

There is not much milk yet at this time of year, but there is enough to spare so the little kitten can be fed.

Cats are treasured, and everybody finds little Horus quite charming, even jumpy Kitty, and lazy Ferdinand by the hearth-fire.

[not_his_pa]

Caring for Horus and Beaut is a good way for William to keep even busier and constantly push down his worries.

He's only allowing himself to go check for a door every other day, because it hurts too much when it isn't there.

[gotland_npc]

Little Athalwin comes with him whenever he is allowed to, because he likes both William and the horses. As far as he is concerned, William could just stay. What with everybody and Carlotta and her baby being around, one more William can't make much of a difference in food, but a lot of difference in fun! He's never mean, like Alaric and Witichis can be.

[not_his_pa]

It's nice to have Athalwin around, he reminds William a lot of Mark when he was smaller and Bill when he came in as a little boy.

On the days when he rides out to the burial mound, Athalwin rides in front of him and the two cats either sneak rides in his pockets or are held by Athalwin.

On a day when it feels like Spring is starting to be a reality, there's a shimmering look of another place on the mound.

William slows the horses as he doesn't want to scare off the possible door.

[gotland_npc]

"Oh, look at that!" Athalwin breathes. "Is that what the king's afterlife looks like?"

[not_his_pa]

"Yeah, it is. Don't go too close just yet," The sky is clearly blue again but it looks like a battle took place.

"I'm goin' to go on through so you need to go down and tell everyone I'm leavin'."

He hugs Athalwin before helping him down to the ground.

[gotland_npc]

"Would that mean the king is well and Adalgoth can stop bawling when he thinks nobody is seeing it?" Athalwin asks, looking up at William.

Taking an Important Message to everybody is almost as good as getting to keep William.

Only almost.

"Would you come back to visit us again? You're our friend!"

[not_his_pa]

"I think it does and I'd like to. Now I need to go and see how things are in Milliways,"

He's afraid that the door will disappear but it's never easy to say goodbye so he smiles at Athalwin as he slowly starts through the door.

[gotland_npc]

Athalwin watches with big, fascinated eyes.

[not_his_pa]

First William passes through on Les and then Beaut behind him before the hole closes up and there's only the burial mound once more.