by K T Durham
A brown-haired lady in a smart black suit stood behind the counter, one penciled eyebrow raised questioningly. The small gold nameplate on her blazer read Maud.
“Hello. How may I help you?” Maud asked brusquely, annoyed that the first person to come in was a little girl with wild-looking black hair wearing wet boots and a shabby coat. She plastered a smile on her heavily made-up face, in case the munchkin was the spoiled daughter of filthy rich parents. She had to be careful not to offend these brats. Just last week, a haughty thirteen-year-old had come into the store with her noisy friends, showing off their long, slim legs. That blonde-haired brat had demanded to look at every diamond bracelet available. “It’s a birthday present from my parents,” she had said with a smirk, speaking to Maud as if she owned the shop. Maud had badly wanted to slap the snotty look off her face. She pursed her lips at the memory.
Elly hesitated. She was on the verge of asking whether Tiffany herself was there, but instinct restrained her; one look at Maud’s cardboard expression made her realize it was probably best to get straight to the point. “Hello,” she said timidly. “I am sorry to bother you, but… umm, do you happen to sell any blue amber?”
Maud stared at her silently. Great, she’s probably one of those hippy sorts looking for those earth stones. Stifling a sigh, she spoke slowly, as though talking to a much younger child. “No, dear, we sell precious jewels. See?” She pointed to an array of sparkling rings encased in a glass cabinet. “We sell diamonds, not cheap gemstones like topaz or amber. I haven’t even heard of blue amber.”
Elly’s heart sank. To make things worse, she was feeling weak in the knees from hunger. Before she could think twice, she blurted out, “I’m sorry, but do you sell any food?” Then she instantly regretted it.
Maud’s expression turned even darker. “We’re not a shelter or a charity, young lady,” she said coldly. “You don’t get served breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
Elly blushed hotly. “I’m sorry for wasting your time, madam. Thank you.” She turned on her heel and quickly walked out.
Elly sighed when she was standing out in the cold again.
Better luck next time, Ellanor.
I don’t know how many times I’ll need to try, Greymore. I didn’t like the way she spoke to me. She wasn’t very kind.
You need to develop a thick skin, Ellanor. You will come across people like that. The important thing is that you don’t become unpleasant like them.
Elly continued walking in the direction of Westminster Abbey, her head filled with thoughts of home and whether she would ever succeed in repairing the portal. She couldn’t stop thinking about Mama’s sweet cakes and all those plump juicy fruits and leafy green vegetables back home.
She kept on charging ahead, her mind so preoccupied that she did not realize how much time had gone by. Suddenly, she looked up and there it was: Westminster Abbey. She gazed up at the behemoth structure that towered majestically above her. Lily was right; it was beautiful and grand, fit for even the royal elves of the old days.
Once she stepped inside, she marvelled at the hushed, vaulted, glorious space. She stood bathed in the tinted sunlight that streamed through the luxuriantly coloured stained-glass windows and offered up a silent prayer to Freya, wishing with all her heart that she could go home soon.
Walking around, she saw a number of statues that were called “effigies”. She halted in front of one that looked especially forlorn: a carved wooden figure of a stern-faced, bearded man. She bent down and started to read the inscription on the plaque.
“That’s King Henry VII,” said a voice matter-of-factly. Startled, Elly looked up. Standing behind her was a young boy. He was thin, with very fair skin smattered with freckles, and a head of shiny red hair that looked long overdue for a cut. There was something owl-like about him; his large blue eyes blinked at her from behind round tortoiseshell glasses, his head tilted slightly to one side. Elly noticed that he made peculiar movements with his right hand when he talked, as though he were a ventriloquist with an invisible hand puppet. He gripped a bottle of water in his left hand. Elly noticed that the skin on his hands and wrists looked awfully chapped, covered in bright pink scratches.
Elly had read a lot about the history of the English monarchy, especially the infamous King Henry VIII and his six wives (several of whom he beheaded). She wasn’t familiar with King Henry VII, though. She smiled at the boy, who continued to stare at the effigy.
“Hello, I’m Elly. What is your name?”
The boy did not answer. Instead, he continued to speak in a flat, matter-of-fact voice. “Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland after he seized the crown on August 22 in 1485, when he defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was King of England until his death on April 21 in 1509. He was considered a good king, as he was successful in restoring power and stability of the English monarchy after the civil wars known as the War of the Roses. He was succeeded by his younger son, the notorious Henry VIII, father of Queen Elizabeth I, who was an avid fan of the playwright William Shakespeare.” He paused to take a sip from his water bottle.
Elly frowned. Why wasn’t he looking at her? It was as though he wasn’t really talking to her; more like he was talking at her, like he was reciting from a script. She smiled. “You know so much about this place! What else can you tell me?” For some reason, she liked him. There was something inexplicably warm and safe about this boy.
He looked up at the ceiling. “Westminster Abbey is a large Gothic church, the first church in England built in the Norman Romanesque style. To the west is the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation for every King and Queen since William the Conqueror in 1066, and the burial site for those monarchs. It used to be a cathedral, from 1540 to 1550.” He paused again to sip from his water bottle.
Then a voice rang out. “Teddy! I told you not to wander off!” Elly turned and saw a tall, slender girl striding towards them. She was very pretty, with long, strawberry blonde hair, light blue eyes, and a very fair complexion, with a sprinkling of freckles on her cheekbones. Her frown melted into a smile the moment she realised her little brother was talking to the girl next to him.
“Oh, hello,” she said brightly to Elly. “I’m Maddy, and this is Teddy, my little brother.”
Elly smiled shyly. “Hello, Maddy. I’m Elly. Very pleased to meet you.”
Then she turned to the boy. “Hello, Teddy,” she said.
He started counting on his fingers. “One, two, three, four…” he was saying softly, looking around.
Maddy smiled and rolled her eyes. “Please don’t mind him, Elly. He loves visiting cathedrals, and he’s sort of obsessed with historical facts. He knows how many effigies there are in this place, and he’s trying to get to every single one of them.”
She glanced at her watch. “We better get going; otherwise we’ll be here all day. He just loves spouting facts—our little walking encyclopaedia.” She playfully ruffled his hair. He wandered off to some other effigy.
Maddy leaned towards Elly and whispered, “Teddy has autism, you see. But he’s harmless. He’s really sweet when you get to know him.” She winked. “I think he likes you. He wouldn’t talk to just anybody.”
Elly blushed. “He must be very clever, and he seems very gentle.” But what does “autism” mean? She had never come across this word in the books she had read.
Greymore broke into her thoughts. According to the dictionary, autism is a developmental disorder in humans that is characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviour, all starting before a child is three years old. This means that the child will not be able to communicate or interact normally. Children with autism may like to play by themselves or not talk.
Elly nodded slowly. Autism isn’t something that affects elves. She turned to Maddy and smiled. “Perhaps Teddy can be my tour g
uide!” she joked.
Maddy laughed. “You’re right about that! He could be just as good as any tour guide, minus the tacky sense of humour.”
She smiled and looked at Elly more closely. “Would you like to join us as we explore this place? Only if you’d like, of course. Are you with your family here?” She thought that Elly looked rather alone, and there was something a little outlandish about her. Maybe it was her exotic green eyes. She must have grown up abroad, which would explain her strange way of speaking.
Elly shook her head. “No, I am by myself for now. My parents are not in town. But,” she added hurriedly, noticing Maddy’s look of surprise, “I’m fine, because my guardian takes care of me. I’ve been exploring the city by myself.”
Maddy’s eyes widened. “Really! That is so cool. My parents would never let me walk around town alone, especially my mum; she’s such a control freak. You’re so lucky! Whenever my mum goes on one of her business trips, she always gets my grandma to keep an eye on me like a hawk. It drives me crazy!”
Elly smiled, but sighed inwardly. Back home in Evergreen City, she always felt safe, especially with protectors and guards keeping an eye on the cross points. But now things might be different, with the goblin infiltrator on the loose. Home as she knew it might not be so safe anymore. Her parents weren’t here to stop her from doing anything dangerous.
But how she wished they were, if it meant she could see them again.
A shout broke into her thoughts. A tall red-haired man with a camera slung over his neck was walking towards them, looking flustered. “There you are!” he exclaimed. “Honestly, Maddy, don’t disappear on me like that again. You guys almost gave me a heart attack.”
Then he noticed Elly. “And who do we have here?” he asked with a smile. Up close, Elly realized the man must be the father; Teddy was the spitting image of him.
Maddy giggled and encircled her father’s arm with her own. “Daddy, this is Teddy’s new friend, Elly. I guess he’s like any typical boy when it comes to girls: he likes them pretty, too.”
Maddy’s dad clucked his tongue. “That’s my boy!”
He beamed at Elly. “Teddy’s found a friend, eh? Well, if you’re Teddy’s friend, then you’re my friend, too!”
Elly smiled. There was something very warm and safe about him, too.
“It is so nice to meet you, Mr…”
“I’m Andrew O’Brien, but just call me Andy! None of that formal mister or sir business. I’m still way too youthful for that,” he joked with a laugh, draping an arm around his daughter’s shoulders.
“We just moved here from Manchester. I’ve been really busy with work, but I wanted to spend some time with my munchkins this weekend exploring Oxford and more of London. It’s a pretty incredible city. But I’ve had just about enough of museums!” Then he paused and looked at her curiously. “Are you from around here, Elly?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m visiting London for the first time.”
“Ahh! And where are you visiting from, if you don’t mind my asking?”
Elly swallowed nervously. “I’m, umm, from the Aland Islands in Finland.”
His eyes lit up. “How lovely! I went to Finland once as a little boy. Did you know, some linguists and philologists believe that Finnish is one of the most complicated languages to learn?” He grinned. “I guess that must explain why you’ve mastered English so beautifully.”
Elly blushed. Andy laughed. “Well, since we’re a bunch of tourists, we better stick together!”
Then he turned to Teddy, who was wandering back over to them. “Teddy loves collecting all sorts of historical facts, and he especially loves going into big old buildings like this one.”
He glanced at his watch. “Look at the time! We should go for lunch in about one hour. Let’s go explore the rest of this place, kids! Chop-chop!”
Maddy piped up. “Elly’s joining us, Daddy. She’s going about all by her lonesome. Let’s keep her company, okay? Besides, Teddy likes her.”
Andy frowned and looked at Elly. “Of course, you’re more than welcome to join us, honey. But what about your parents? Are you sure you can just go off with us like that?”
Elly repeated what she’d told Maddy. But Andy did not seem to think there was anything “cool” about her exploring the city by herself. In fact, he looked very worried.
Elly, I have a piece of paper with a number on it. Give it to Mr O’Brien, it will put his mind at ease.
Indeed, Andy felt uneasy knowing that a girl as young as his daughter could be left exploring a big city like London all alone. Poor dear. I better keep an eye on her and make sure she’s safe if her parents are so irresponsible, he thought.
He watched as Elly opened up a little book strapped to her belt, and was surprised when she handed him a scrap piece of paper. “This is Mr Greymore’s number, in case you want to talk to him,” she said, trying to look nonchalant.
He took the paper from her, looking slightly relieved. “That’s a good idea, I might just give him a call to let him know you’re with us,” he said, tucking the piece of paper into his jacket pocket.
Suddenly, Teddy was standing next to Elly. He took her hand. “Come,” he said. Andy and his daughter exchanged amused looks.
“See, I told you he likes you,” Maddy whispered. “He’s been a bit moody since our parents got divorced, but you seem to have lifted his spirits.”
Divorce? Elly puckered her brow, stumped by yet another word she had not come across in her readings before. Once again, Greymore broke into her thoughts. A divorce happens after a husband and wife decide not to live together anymore and that they no longer want to be legally married to each other, due to various reasons, one of which is because they believe they no longer love each other.
Elly was baffled. She could not imagine her parents divorcing. They were soulmates. In fact, a soulmate was destined for every elf. It was only a matter of time before soulmates found each other, and only death could separate them. There was no such thing as divorce back in her world.
Elly often wondered who her soulmate could be. Kaelan flashed across her mind, and she shook her head quickly. Who was she kidding? He probably had his sights set on some pretty girl back home, perhaps someone like Darrius.
As they walked together, Andy took countless photos with his big black camera. They took another flight of stairs down, passing several antiquated wooden chairs on display. One looked rather grand, like a throne of sorts, placed on a raised modern pedestal. Teddy commented, “King Edward’s Chair is the throne on which English and British sovereigns were seated when they got crowned. The chair has been used at every coronation since 1308. It is now highly protected.”
Maddy sighed. “I’m surprised he hasn’t started telling you about all the famous dead people entombed here!”
Andy chuckled and ruffled his son’s hair. “That’s right! Why don’t you tell Elly who some of these people are?”
Teddy didn’t miss a beat. “Apart from many of the past monarchs of England, many famous poets, writers, and musicians were also buried here, such as Geoffrey Chaucer. Scientists such as Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin are buried here, too. William Wilberforce, the man who abolished slavery in the United Kingdom, was buried close to his friend, the former prime minister, William Pitt…”
He recited a long list of names that Elly soon lost track of.
By the time they walked out of Westminster Abbey, it was almost two o’clock, and the sky was a dreary grey, cold and wet.
“Let’s go grab a late lunch near Trafalgar Square, my munchkins! From there we can take a stroll to Leicester Square. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving!” Andy announced cheerfully.
Maddy whooped while Teddy walked ahead without waiting for them. Elly hadn’t eaten anything since the early morning, and she was close to keeling over.
Elly went
on a train for the first time. The London underground railway, also known as the Tube, looked like a very complicated tangle of colourful lines on the map that Lily had given her. She learned from Teddy that London is the world’s most visited city; is home to eight million people, where more than three hundred languages are spoken; and has the oldest underground railway network in the world.
“The Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed many parts of the city. I am scared of fire,” Teddy said flatly, looking down at his shoes.
Maddy leaned towards Elly. “When he was younger, he burned his hand on the kitchen stove. It left a scar,” she said in a low voice.
Once they arrived at Charing Cross Station, Andy led them up a flight of steps to ground level, where Elly caught the delicious aroma of fruits and vegetables mingled with less appealing smells. She wrinkled her nose as several passing red double-decker buses and black cabs spouted fumes. As they approached Trafalgar Square, they sat down at a bistro tucked inside a massive bookshop.
“Books… another of Teddy’s great loves,” Maddy said. “I’m not so into reading myself, but I don’t mind listening to the music CDs over there while Teddy burrows into those books.”
Andy ordered a variety of dishes to share: a large pepperoni pizza, a big plate of spaghetti bolognaise, a large garden salad, and fish and chips.
When Andy noticed that Elly was only taking small bites from the salad, he frowned. “Elly, don’t you eat meat?”
She blushed and shook her head apologetically. Andy wagged a finger at her in mock reproach. “Honey, you should have told us! You’ll starve eating only lettuce and cherry tomatoes!”
He signalled a waiter over and ordered a large fruit salad, half a dozen blueberry muffins, and several thick slices of toast slathered with strawberry jam. Elly’s mouth watered when the scrumptious-looking food arrived, and she tried very hard not to wolf it down.
