[RiddleRose]: 298.Gold Dust - NaNoWriMo '07.Chapter ten

Chapter ten.

Wren wasn't sure whether he liked Livia or not. She seemed like she'd be nice, and she was definitely talented, but she did have this thing about following him around. Maybe he should tell her who Neil was. He had ruled out the idea of him having gotten her pregnant on the grounds that she hadn't recognized him, so that was a scene he would not get to witness. But it could still be an interesting scene. 

But Neil didn't seem to want to tell her who he was. He and Livia were getting along very well it seemed. Wren sat grumpily in his chair, and tried to nab Neil's whiskey. Neil, with the ease of long practice, nabbed it back before he had more than touched the glass. Wren grumpily got up and wandered around the room. He saw a plate of half eaten french fries on a table, so he grabbed it and wandered around moodily eating them.

He saw an empty table, so he sat down at it. His mood had gone from marvelous to foul in a snap. He sat there brooding, wondering how this karaoke party he had planned with Neil had gone so terribly wrong. It was all that damn girl's fault. If she hadn't decided to stalk him all day, he could have come with Neil, on their own, and they would have had a great time. 

The little girl sat down next to him abruptly. She was wearing her lovely little pink and yellow dress, and carrying her yellow and pink parasol. There was a pink bow in her perfectly curled golden hair. As always, she looked absolutely adorable. “Hey kid,” he said tiredly, “what are you doing here? This is no place for a kid like you.”
She looked a little confused, and a pretty frown made her forehead wrinkle. “A kid is a baby goat,” she said, “Have you been drinking? I am a girl, not a kid.”

“No, no, I haven't been drinking. But I don't know your name, so I have to call you something.”

“My name's Alessandra,” she said, “I'm named after my Grandmother. She's in heaven now, so my parents named me after her, so that her angel will watch over me. But I don't know if she will, because most people say that she was a crotchety old woman who never cared a bit about anyone! I don't think that's a very nice thing to say about someone who's an angel now, but I'm only a little girl, so perhaps I don't know. Mama says she was just a person who had been very unfortunate in her life, and had had lots of bad things happen to her. I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds a lot nicer. Mama's like an angel, but I hope she doesn't become one, because that would mean that she would have to go to heaven, and then she wouldn't live with us anymore. What's your name?”

Wren smiled slightly at this little speech. The kid was just adorable. “My name's Wren,” he said, “Do you have wrens where you come from?”

“Yes!” she said eagerly, “Papa says there used to be a heathen ceremony called the Hunting of the Wren, where they went out and tried to find a wren and kill it! They did it every year. Papa says that those people were heathens though, and that heathens all go to hell. Are you a heathen? My brother thinks heathens are rather exciting. He thinks church is boring.” 

She hesitated for a minute, then leaned close to him, and beckoned for him to lean closer so she could whisper in his ear, “I think church is boring too, but you mustn't tell mama and papa that! They'd be ever so put out with me. You see, I always sit just as still as I can, and I try to listen to Father Pelias, I really do, but he does go on! I have to play a game with myself to see how still I can be, or I'd fidget ever so much. I'd much rather be playing with my doll house, or dancing with my tutor,” she stopped being secretive here, “My tutor is ever so nice. He's only twenty three years old, and he teaches me piano, and dancing, and letters, and a little arithmetic, but I'm not very good at that. My governess doesn't like him, she says he's a radical rapscallion who chases the ladies too much. I'm not supposed to know she said that, but I overheard her telling him. But he just called her 'dear old Nan', and gave her a peck on the cheek, and she blushed right up to her hair! I don't know why she doesn't like him, he's ever so nice to her, and he always brings her little things from the market. She's about a million years old though, so maybe he tires her.”

She fell silent at last, and they sat there companionably for a little while. Wren had given up being surprised that she was there. He had decided that perhaps she was his inner child, and she only showed up when he needed her or something. She had certainly cheered him up now. He felt a great deal better.

Suddenly a small boy, perhaps ten, with dirty blonde hair, and a slingshot in his hand appeared next to Alessandra. She gave a cry of greeting, and Wren recognized the boy from his dream. He was Alessandra's brother. He let her give him a kiss on the cheek, but he was staring at Wren, and the look on his face was one of boyish hostility, “You trying to steal my sister?” he asked in his piping boy's voice.

Wren shook his head, and said, “No, of course not! I was just talking to her, and making sure no one else tried to steal her.”

The boy glared, “She doesn't need you! I protect her! Nobody's going to steal her while I'm around! So you can just stop doing that, all right? You hear me mister? You leave her alone!”

Wren held up his hands and said, “Whoa whoa there fellow. I'll leave her alone if she wants me to go away, but I'm not hurting her, and I'm not hurting you, and I'd appreciate it if you'd calm down a little. Now, I'm going to go back to my friends over there,” he pointed to Neil and Livia, “and you can come with me or not. Are you coming?”

The boy looked over to where Wren was pointing, and suddenly his whole manner changed, “You know Neil? That's Neil over there! You know him?”

Mystified, Wren nodded, “Yes, he's my best friend.”

The boy relaxed, “Oh well, then that's all right. Neil's a real sport. We know him. You must be alright if you know him. I'm Jamie by the way. I'm sorry I was rude before. What's your name?”

Alessandra tugged on his hand, “This is Wren Jamie, remember? I told you about him, but I didn't know his name then. You wouldn't let me tell you before, but he's been ever so kind to me. He's like Neil, you know what I mean.” she put her hand trustingly in Wren's, and smiled her gap toothed smile up at him, “Let's go see Neil! Do let's, I like him ever so much!”

Wren, still mystified, just shook his head, and wandered over to Neil and Livia, leading Alessandra and Jamie. Alessandra put up her parasol, but took it down again quickly, because there were too many people about.

When they got to the table, Neil gave a start, “Lessa, what are you doing here? Where's Jamie?” then, as Jamie appeared from behind Wren, Neil sighed with relief, and said, “Thank goodness. You know I've told you you mustn't go out without him Lessa.”

Alessandra clambered up onto the chair next to Neil, and Jamie stood behind her like a very small bodyguard. Then several things happened in quick succession. Wren realized that he hadn't been able to feel Lessa's hand in his when he had been walking over to Neil. Neil realized that Lessa had been holding Wren's hand, and both Neil and Wren realized that Livia was standing, looking at the two of them with something like fear on her face.

“You're both crazy,” she said, “You're talking to nothing. You're hallucinating. You're both on it, aren't you. And your names aren't Daniel and David. How could I have been so stupid! One of you, one of you nearly killed my father. And here I am practically on a date with you! What was I thinking!”

Wren and Neil exchanged mystified looks. Neil said, “Look, Livia, I won't deny that my name is not Daniel, but I quite honestly have no idea what you're talking about. I've never killed anyone in my entire life, and I hope I never have to. Also, you need to sit down and calm down, and tell us what this is about. Calmly. You're attracting attention.”

That got through to her. She sat down, but seemed disinclined to say anything else at the moment, so Neil turned to Wren instead. His face twisted, and Wren couldn't tell what he was thinking, emotions seemed to be chasing each other across his face so quickly. “Wren,” he hissed, “Wren, don't look at me funny. Don't judge me. I might be going insane. But. But maybe not. Look, can you see the person I'm pointing at?” he pointed directly at Alessandra.

“Of course,” said Wren, “That's Alessandra. I have no idea who she is, or where she came from, but of course I can see her. She's right there.” Neil still looked a little frantic, so Wren went on, “She's playing with her parasol. It's pink and yellow, and it matches her dress. She's got golden hair, and her brother is standing behind her. He's quite the little guardian, is Jamie-” but he stopped, because Neil had grasped his arm and shaken it. 

“Wren,” he said hoarsely, “Wren, do you know what this means? It means I'm not insane. I thought I was insane, but I'm not the only one who can see them! This is the best day ever!”