Days had passed.
Amelia went back to her tasks as best she could without Alder's guidance. She would start her daily chores by approaching the shadow-choked glade as close as she dared, until the cold squeezed her heart and the tendrils whipped towards her. It was only from there that she could get a glimpse of Alder, obscured by the black tentacles of darkness that encased him. He seemed to sway slightly, despite no breeze penetrating the gloom.
Every day, Amelia would shout encouragement to the oak, and tell him that they were working on a plan to free him. Blue and Beige would follow her, and perch on a tree close by as she did this, twittering their own support. They would stay nearby during the day, and she supposed they slept close by at night, though she didn't know where.
After that, she would then go about her chores, half-heartedly keeping the paths and streams clear. Mending this and neatening that. It was all that she knew to do.
Chores done, the day would drag. Her lessons had had to be put aside since her teachers were gone. Lark and Briar had left to question the various inhabitants of the wood, hoping that there was some shred of information that would help. Amelia had begged to go with them, but they said that there were places they needed to go that would be too dangerous for Amelia to follow.
So she waited, tending to the wood as best she could. She felt her hope flagging.
She had thought to visit her friends in Eldertown, and perhaps restock her dwindling candy supply, but a sense of dread came over her as she approached the iron gate that marked the boundary of the wood. It felt almost as bad as when she got close to the shadowed glade. Even Whisper seemed to feel it, her glow turning to a pulsing, warning yellow as she bobbed in front of Amelia as if to stop her from leaving. It seemed that leaving the wood wasn't a good idea, either.
Amelia was flopped in the armchair, legs across one arm and head and arms dangling from the other. It was night, but she wasn't sleeping, just staring at the sprites dancing in the fireplace. The moon was clearly visible through the window she had left open, giving the room an eerie glow. More so than usual, since her potion incident.
She started when she heard a rap on the front door. She didn't even have time to answer before it opened, and Briar entered with Lark clinging to the goblin's shoulder. They looked bedraggled, sleep-deprived and exhausted.
"Hey! Welcome home! What did you find? Any news?" Amelia belted out as they entered. Briar waved her off as the little goblin plopped down on the rug in front of the fire, which obligingly perked up, warming and illuminating the room.
"We found rumors and half-remembered lore, caretaker, and are very tired. We sought out every spirit and creature we could find here in the wood and not all were friendly. But we have learned things of value. Time is of the essence, but a moment to rest would not go amiss." The musical tones the bird spoke in were hushed and strained. Her eyes looked like they were ready to shut at any moment, and only her pride kept her upright.
Briar was already snoring on the rug, sprawled out and limp.
"Ok, you two rest! I'll put the kettle on and get you guys something to eat!" Amelia declared, dashing into the kitchen.
The great brick oven was always warm and ready to cook on, so she filled the kettle, removed one of the iron lids from the stove, and placed the kettle on to boil. Whisper, who had been warming herself in her usual space on the top of the oven, lifted off and flew into the living room, inspecting the now sleeping bird and snoring goblin, before zipping back to her second favorite perch, Amelia's head.
"They must be knackered to fall asleep like that." Amelia observed to the wisp, using a hushed voice. "I better give them some time to sleep, they must need it."
She mixed up a sweet dough and put it in to bake, and rifled through her herb jars to make some energizing tea like Briar had taught her. Being very careful not to whistle as she worked. She had learned that lesson well and thoroughly.
Since the kettle was already on, she brewed herself some tea, then made sure everything was ready for when the pair in the living room woke.
The smell of the sweet rolls and bracing smell of the tea greeted the two as they woke, several hours later. Amelia had patiently waited, forcing herself to allow them to rest. Once she saw them stirring, she dished out the rolls, poured newly brewed tea, and brought the tray into the living room.
"Amazing! Thank you, Amelia! Just the thing to hit the spot!" said the goblin between slurps and chews.
Lark daintily drank from her mug and flicked a crumb from her beak with a talon.
"Yes, thank you! The rest was very welcome as well. Thanks for waiting, caretaker."
"No problem! But tell me, what did you find out?"
Lark settled down, leaning up against the warm mug of tea. She was tired but looked much more refreshed than when they had arrived.
"It is a confusing story. We learned nothing for certain, but have pieced together a little. Unfortunately, those who dwell in the wood are either too young or too recently arrived to know of the events personally, and all we have is hearsay and passed down stories."
"Too young? How old are you?" Amelia asked.
Lark cocked her eye at the girl.
"You know it is rude to ask a lady's age, do you not?" she huffed, good-naturedly. She didn't really mind.
"I do not know for sure how old I am, but I have outlived all my close kin and many of their descendants and their descendants descendants. As the singer for the wood, I have been graced with a long life for my species, but even that is short compared to human lifespans."
Amelia looked at Briar, who was still munching a pastry.
The goblin hastily swallowed, then said, "You were here when I arrived."
"But where were you before that? Were you in the wood?"
Briar shrugged, then looked at Lark.
"That is part of the complexity of what we learned. This whole hollow, which is the wood and everything bounded by the iron fence, is a special place between. Think of it as--hmm--sort of an antechamber or vestibule. This place overlaps both the mortal realm, and, let us say, other realms. The geography of the wood is, like the cottage, more complex than it seems."
"You said something about that after my potion accident. So we overlap with Whisper's world?"
"World is not the right word, but will suffice for now. And no, not just Whisper's world. It and many others." the bird looked to the wisp for confirmation, but Whisper was content to doze in Amelia's hair, stuffed with sweet roll and tea.
"There are many realms beyond the one mortals know. Some places, such as this wood, are closer in some sense to those other places. It is hard to describe, but the analogy holds of a vestibule or maybe a 'mud room'--a place between other places, that one passes through in transit. A place of transition and change, sometimes. Liminal. Neither here nor there."
"Right. Ok, I think I get what you're saying. You keep mentioning 'mortals'--do you mean humans?"
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"Mortals are those born of a realm who have not touched other realms. You would probably call them 'untouched by magic', but that is not exactly right either."
"Since 'immortal' means not dying, is this just the opposite?"
"As I said, it is not a perfect description. Those who have touched or been touched by other realms may still die, at least some of them. They simply differ from those who have not, in some ways."
"So when you started teaching me the song-magic, did I become immortal?"
The bird winced, the inexact nature of the language making the explanation very difficult.
"Again, that is not exactly right. In fact, I am certain you were realm touched before arriving here at the grove, although how I am not sure. Most likely some power passed through the bloodline from your grandmother."
Amelia looked shocked.
"Wait! Gran is immortal? Since when? I've never seen her do magic! And besides, I just call her Gran, we aren't actually related."
It was Lark and Briar that looked surprised at that announcement.
"Very interesting. I had assumed ... well, I suppose that is what one gets for assuming ..." Lark muttered, trailing off.
"Your grandmother is many things, but is with certainty not from this place." Amelia looked confused at the statement.
"That is to say, she comes from a realm other than the mortal one, but more detail I do not know. For now, let us say 'the mortal realm' for the plane you knew, and 'the wood' for here, where we are now, to perhaps avoid some confusion."
Amelia agreed, and Briar shrugged again since it didn't matter to her.
"So since I came from the 'mortal realm'" Amelia used air quotes, "How did I get 'realm-touched'?" air quotes again.
"Ah, we return to the crux of what we found. I had believed you related to the Great Guardian, she you name your grandmother. You say you are not, but perhaps that fits with what we have found."
The bird took another sip of her cooling tea, cleared her throat, then continued.
"Long ago, before even Alder was an acorn, there was a Great Guardian of this wood. I believe it to have been your Grandmother, but the information was inconclusive. In that time, a dying warrior arrived from a realm beyond, bearing a babe in arms along with an artifact of great power. The Great Guardian aided the warrior. Together they hid the artifact and placed strong wards and guards to protect and contain it. The warrior passed, leaving the child with the guardian."
Lark considered for a moment. "It is possible that you, Amelia, are descended from that child. We know that the Great Guardian left with it into the mortal realm. A new caretaker arrived soon afterwards. Each subsequent caretaker has been a mortal since then, and the Great Guardian has only visited briefly in passing."
"Uh-huh. So Gran is some sort of ancient magic super gran, and my ancestor was a fairie immigrant."
Briar snorted at the descriptions, almost spilling the last dregs of her tea.
"If that helps you to understand, then certainly, you may think that."
"Maybe Fern and I are related? Should I start talking like she does? Tea? Tea? Candy! Candy!" piped the girl, a huge smile on her face.
"No!" said Lark and Briar simultaneously.
Whisper perked up at the sound of her favorite word, but as no candy was on offer drifted off to her spot on the oven, where it was considerably quieter.
Lark continued, trying to ignore the interruption. "The cottage seems to have arrived around the time of the new caretaker, perhaps to act as an additional guardian. We know that Alder is the last of a ring of oaks that were all of an age, planted together. Since he is a guardian, we must assume that all of his kin were likewise, and placed to guard this item of power. He has never spoken of it, and might not even know the specifics himself."
"This artifact--is it like a magic ring that makes you invisible? Or a lamp that grants wishes?"
"We were unable to find further detail. But if it was brought and kept here, it must be too dangerous for both the mortal realm and those realms beyond. I doubt it is casual jewelry or a home utility."
"Any idea what happening to Alder? And why it started now?"
"Again, very little is known. If I must guess, something or someone tries to free the artifact from its place of holding. Alder is the last guardian to contain it. Whether it is an outside force or the artifact itself, I do not know. Regardless, for the time being, Alder holds firm. That might not last, however. We must aid him however we can."
"Of course! But how?"
"The most likely course of action is for you to contact the Great Guardian -- your grandmother. But it would be ill-advised for you to leave the wood at this time."
"Yeah, I tried earlier, and it was horrible. Whisper stopped me from getting to the gate, but I don't know if I could make it even if she didn't." Amelia shuddered at the memory of dread and chill she had experienced.
"I am glad you did not succeed at leaving. Your presence here seems to be helping, somehow. The cottage is the liveliest it has ever been. As well, I've never seen a wisp take to anyone as Whisper has to you. For some reason, you are integral to this situation, and leaving to the mortal realm would worsen it."
Amelia considered this for a moment, then had a sudden realization.
"You said 'leaving to the mortal realm' just now. Did you mean I can go to Fairyland?" she brightened up.
"Child, it is not Fairyland." said Lark. She wasn't physically capable of making air quotes, but they were very strongly implied. "But yes. To learn how to help Alder, we will need to venture beyond the lands you know."
"Field trip!" yelled Amelia. There was a rustle from the kitchen as Whisper buried herself under a tea towel to muffle the noise.
"Yes, as you say, we shall venture afield. There is an event that will happen soon, and a way will open to a realm beyond. Briar believes she knows where we might find aid and information. But it will cost us. We must prepare for the journey, and bring goods to barter with."
The goblin nodded in agreement.
"When the sprites dance under the night sky in a few nights, the stars will align, sort of thing. We can slip through and visit a place I know of."
"What sort of things do we need to bring? And what can we trade?"
"You and Briar will need travelling and camping things. I am not familiar with the need, but she assures me it is the case. Food for several days as well. Regarding trade items ..."
Here the bird paused and had the grace to look a little embarrassed. Briar looked smug. "It seems someone has created a potion of True Sight, or near enough. That should be a valuable commodity. Also, Briar assures me that some of her herbs, along with your preserves and the [untranslatable] berries might be sufficient."
"For Alder, it's worth it! We should start packing!" Amelia grabbed her rucksack from where it still hung on the back of the door.
"Patience! It is late, and we still have a few days to prepare before the way opens. Rest now, and in the morning we will start our preparations."
Briar took that as her cue and waved as she left via the front door. Lark bid Amelia and Whisper goodnight, then left as well.
Amelia gathered the tea things and placed them in the sink to wash in the morning. She plopped back in the armchair and willed herself to sleep, but her mind whirled.
"I can't wait until I talk to Gran next! So many questions!" she said to herself.
The fire dimmed down a bit as it did when she got ready to sleep, and she wrapped the duvet around herself.
As comfortable as she was, it was a long time before she drifted off.
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"No, child, you do not need a sword. Where would you get one if you needed one, anyways?"
"I dunno. I'm sure the cottage has one lying around if we asked nicely. It made the broom cupboard appear, and I think it made the back shed appear too, after I asked. They had loads of tools in 'em."
"That may be. But please do not ask for a sword. Weapons only attract attention, and cause more problems to the wielder, especially if you have no experience in using them."
"Yeah, ok. I'm taking the bill hook, though. The little one. Just in case we need to clear some brush for a camp or something."
"Fine. You seem facile with that tool, and it should not draw attention. Please avoid cutting anyone's anything off with it, though, alright?"
"Fine." Amelia didn't seem convinced but went along. Lark seemed to be a good teacher, so she might as well listen to her advice. She did suspect the bird was just jealous, not having the hands to wield a sword herself.
She had started assembling her travelling supplies right when she woke up that morning. She was so excited, she had even forgotten breakfast! That is until a grumpy orange-glowing Whisper started bumping into her forehead over and over. Amelia relented and heated up some of the pastries and some tea from the night before.
The armchair had been pushed back against the pantry door to clear the floor of the living room. Spread out on the rug was a mound of things Amelia was considering taking. Lark was overlooking the process. The bird didn't need to take anything with her, since she was perfectly happy foraging berries and insects on the go. Amelia, on the other hand, had picked out several of her tins of beans and the last of her remaining snacks. Bugs were not on her menu, thank you very much!
The spare clothes she was taking were rolled up to minimize space, and a wool blanket that had appeared in the shed had been rolled up next to them. The can opener, mugs, a knife, fork, and spoon, and some matches were laid out, and Amelia fetched the hook and placed it on the rug.
Several of the best jars of preserves had been pulled out and stacked, wrapped in some tea towels to keep them from breaking in transport. A double handful of the special berries had been placed in one of the spare jars, along with several dried and fresh sprigs of various herbs that Briar had brought in earlier.
She planned on baking some loaves right before they left, so they would be fresh. And some of her stock of tinned food would round out the load.
"Clothes, food, matches, tools. Blanket. Jam and herbs. Pack to carry everything. Anything else?"
"That should do, caretaker. Remember, you have to carry all of that. It will be a long walk."
Amelia blanched at the thought, but there wasn't much help for it. Perhaps not quite so many cans. Snacks were coming though. At worst, she and Whisper would just eat them if they got too heavy.
It was going to be a great adventure!