Adventures In Otok Chapter 5

From the gate running directly through the middle of the courtyard to the steps ascending the huge double wooden door entrance to the palace was a red and brown brick cobblestone walk lined with silver pine shrubs that grew but a foot tall and were just blooming with bright red berries. Teddy wondered if they were edible. Closer to the stairs was a half-moon circlet in which were parked four ornate, gilded coaches each attended by a Black squirrel coachman. The coaches were pulled by shaggy, long-haired miniature golden palomino ponies.

The coachmen who had been talking quietly stopped and looked at Teddy and their eyes popped wide open and then the stood to attention and bowed dramatically. Teddy respectfully returned the bow and began the long climb up the steps to the palace doors.

Teddy counted the steps. Thirty-nine in all and that inspired a vague notion about something he had once read or heard but just then it would not come to mind.

There no guards at the door but before he could knock, unable to lift the large, heavy brass lions head knocker hanging on a hinge, the double doors opened wing on wing and standing there was; Can you guess? Yup. The Jester, who was now clad in a footman’s livery but announced himself as The Butler and ordered Teddy in rather issuing an invitation. “The Majestrate will interview you at his convenience. In the meantime, I will escort you to an anter-room where you may wait for his presence.”

“Really.” Said Teddy in a somewhat disobedient tone then continued in a like manner. “I will not wait. If you Majestrate will not see me now I will leave, and he can come to me at my convenience.” Then Teddy began to turn away.

“Hold yer ‘orses there Boyhuman.” A huge voice rumbled from above. Teddy looked in the appropriate direction which guided his eyes to the height of a case of curving stairs.

“Well now. There humans like me here after all.” He said almost accusingly.

“OH, oh” The Jester cringed.

“You are quite mistaken Skyfall. Though my kind makes look like you Skyfallers we are not as such. We are born here in Otok and we are named Hawmen, or more crudely by lesser folk, Haweaters.”

“I take it you are the Majestrate.” Teddy responded indifferent to the Hawman’s claim, and added, “Maybe so but you look human to me, but that no never minds to me. What really matters is what you can tell me about how I came to this ridiculous place and why.”

“Aren’t you the haughty young’ un.” Challenged the Majestrate. “But before we continue exchanging insults and slanders, we should at least exchange names. I shall go first. My name is Jasper Hawthorn. Magistrate of Southport Harbour and Earle of Otok.”

“Theodor Wayward and apparently I am a Skyfaller and from what I gather we Skyfallers hold some place of authority and respect in Otok, especially myself it seems since my Uncle, on my mother’s side is a hero of some note. I prefer Teddy.”

“Ah yes. I have read of his feats and indeed it appears he saved us from a very horrible horror that once terrorized Otok, but that was seven hundred years ago and…”

“My Lordy Majestrate. One should on occasion stop flapping one's lips and be advised that we have allowed that terror of the past creep into our little patch of Terrafirma again. Our vigil was slack and a tear in the fabric of cozy comfort has been torn.”

“Yobo Mojo Jester. You speak rubbish. There is no sign of the old terror. People are exaggerating the recent calamities. The world is not under the Big Cloud.” The Majestrate snarled authoritatively.

“Then how do you explain those Gales of November coming in mid-October. Only the Beast, can cause that catastrophe.”

“What beast. The Gales of November are natural winds, most raging on Lake Superior.” Teddy interjected abruptly and a little condescendingly.

“What is Lake Superior?” Examined the Majestrate.

“Ah My Lord. Jack Halo told us all about it when he described Mundanie Land from where the Skyfallers hail. We call it the Westernmost Sea.

“Pshaw. The Sasquatch of Tolsy Otok protect us in the west. The Terror could not get past them certainly.”

“My Lordy. You are either playing dunce or you are a dunce. The Terror does not dwell in any particular place in Erf…” The Jester was admonishing when Teddy, now a little more than agitatedly frustrated with the ridiculousness of the situation blurted out.

“For bother sake. Stop your bickering and answer my question.”

“What question Skyfall. Aren’t you entities supposed to have all the answers?” Replied the Majestrate indignantly. “If it weren’t for Skyfallers there would be no terror. It was you thugs who brought it through the Fobiddlyscape in the first place.”

“My Lordy. You are speaking falsely. It was the greed of our forebearers that let in the terror.” Reminded the Jester.

“Lies. All Lies. We did no such things.” Bellowed Jasper Hawthorn so loud it nearly shook the rafters and certainly startled every other occupant in the palace.

“Maybe I should go and let you good folks deal with your own problems. All I want to do is to get home.” Teddy said quietly and turned to leave.

“Wait. Skyfall. I do not know what came over me. I was not myself. Do stay and dine with me and we shall discuss this matter like civilized Hawmen, er, Skyfall.

I shall not discuss their dinner time for it was taken mostly in quiet contemplations and polite chatter about nothing at alls' and consisted of the usual morsels any dinner table might sport with ample products of the Hawberry family. And I might add the meal was not a hastened affair, in fact, it went on for the best part of three hours, as was the custom of Otok, especially when there were guests and extra-especially when a Skyfaller was a guest and related to The One Who Saved Us. Which was Uncle Busker who was named Jack Halo in the land of Otok who owns a story of his own to be told in all due time?