As it’s Halloween, I thought I’d post an extract from my newest book which deals with different worlds.
It is given to few people to be able to cross the threshold between the human world and the faerie one. It needs a sponsor and on this occasion Robin Japes took that part, albeit not with the utmost enthusiasm.
On the part of the voyager, it requires an open, brave and humble heart. Yvonne had all of these qualities in good measure.
Daisy was open, brave and keen on adventure - she did not, however, have a humble heart. Yet on this day, at this hour, something told her, perhaps it was Bella although Daisy never heard her, something whispered that she must at least try to be humble. Life had taught her she sometimes needed to pretend to be things she was not. Therefore, with fake humble heart, she approached the threshold.
As Yvonne had warned, this was a liminal space, a boundary between the human and the faerie worlds.
As Daisy stepped into it, all noise was quietened, all motion slowed. Each step she took was slow and heavy, the pace one has in dreams when monsters are in pursuit. The air shimmered, images blurred and all smells faded. The air felt heavier, almost firm as it if were part wind, part earth. Daisy touched it curiously, it had the feel of jelly but without the moisture, soft and yielding. It drifted away at her touch; slow, silent and serene before coalescing once more.
And then the scent of jasmine and honeysuckle swept over her and she heard a distant sound of bells and songs. For the briefest moment, the air seemed to cling to her, to hold her fast and then, pushing forward with determination, she broke free. She had passed the threshold into Faerie-land.
To her astonishment, it looked almost identical to the human one she left behind. The trees were the same, Greenway Manor sat amongst its lawns, the sheep still browsed and the birds still sang.
And yet.
There was something different about it, impossible to catch or describe, as fleeting as the first stirrings of love.
‘It looks almost the same,’ she said.
‘In many ways it is,’ Yvonne said. ‘Two realms so alike but very different.’
Daisy shook her head. ‘That doesn’t make sense.’
Yvonne considered for a moment. ‘Tell me, do you know any twins?’
Daisy nodded. ‘Two old ladies who live above the butchers.’
‘Are they identical?’
‘They look completely alike...’ She paused.
‘And?’ Yvonne pressed.
‘They don’t act the same,’ Daisy said. ‘One is a kind old soul, always giving sweets to children, patting dogs and sighing over the mangiest cats. The other is a right old misery. She’d sooner scowl at you than smile and once, when a little boy cheeked her, she pulled his hair.’
‘So the two ladies look the same but don’t act it.’ Yvonne flung her arms wide. ‘It’s the same with the human and faerie realms. They look as similar to one another as the two old twins do. But, despite this, they are different.’
‘They seem about the same to me.’
‘Perhaps it’s because you’re not familiar with this place.’ She turned to Robin. ‘Can we go to Wells? Then Daisy will be able to see the differences, however subtle.’
He nodded and gave a long, low whistle. In moments, a coach and four came galloping along the drive towards them. ‘But what about seeing Warts?’ he asked. ‘That’s the whole purpose of crossing over.’
‘Is he in Wells?’
‘Thirty miles away, near Taunton.’
‘But I want to go to Wells,’ Daisy said. ‘Can’t you send for your uncle?’
Robin looked uneasy at the request. ‘I doubt he will come. He can be cantankerous.’
Yvonne touched his hand. ‘Send a message saying that Yvonne Bottarelli is in Wells and asking for him. He’ll come.’
Robin looked at her in surprise.
Daisy gave a giggle. ‘Is he your sweetheart?’
Robin scoffed at the idea but Yvonne gave an enigmatic smile and said nothing.
The coach travelled the road to Wells at breakneck speed. When it neared the cathedral it took a sharp turn, raced across the green, dodged through the humans unseen and headed for the narrow archway leading to the Vicars’ Close.
‘The coach is too wide,’ Daisy cried. ‘We won’t get through.’
But it was a faerie coach and, without slowing down, it slipped through unharmed and stopped outside the Makepiece house.
‘I thought we were goners,’ Daisy said, jumping from the coach in relief. She headed to the gate and suddenly pointed in excitement. ‘The bit next door isn’t boarded up. Is that where you live Mr Japes?’
‘It is,’ he said with a smile. ‘And we also use where the humans live. I like the additional space.’
‘But don’t you bang into them? Into me when I lived there?’
‘The house exists in both realms but we dwell in one, as do the humans.’
Daisy shook her head and sighed. ‘That is too confusing.’
‘Which is why I didn’t want you to cross the threshold.’
He gave a sharp whistle and a swallow skimmed towards him. ‘I’d like you to go to Hestercombe,’ he told it, ‘and ask Warts to come here immediately.’
The swallow shook its wings in agitation at the request.
‘There’s nothing to worry about,’ Robin said. ‘Tell him that Yvonne Bottarelli is expecting him.’
The swallow flew close to Yvonne, gave her a good look, chattered nervously, swept heaven-wards and headed west.
‘When will Warts get here?’ Yvonne asked.
‘If he uses his fastest steed, it could be a couple of hours.’
‘That will give us plenty of time to see the children then,’ Daisy said.
Robin pointed. ‘And here they come.’
School had finished for the day and the children hurried down the street, the girls chattering happily, Bert marching morosely beside them, kicking a bottle all the while.
‘They look a bit hazy,’ Daisy said, ‘like they’re walking in mist.’
‘That’s because they’re in the human world and we’re in the faerie one,’ Robin said. ‘We can glimpse them across the threshold but not clearly.’
The children reached the gate and walked past them without as much as a glance. Daisy looked upset at this and Yvonne put her fingers to her lips. ‘They can’t see us,’ she whispered, ‘but there’s a slight chance they might hear us.’
Precisely at that moment Grace turned and stared in their direction, a puzzled look on her face. Then she murmured, ‘Don’t be silly, Gracie,’ and followed the others into the house.
Bert slammed the gate shut and leaned against it. ‘What you doing bringing them across the threshold?’ he demanded of Robin. He peered more intently and his face lit up. ‘Daisy Drake as ever was. My sweetheart.’
He pursed his lips and stretched up to kiss her.
‘Don’t you dare,’ she snapped.
He leapt back in amazement. ‘A human shouldn’t be able to speak to me across the boundary. Which realm is she in, Robin, faerie or human?’
‘At present, she’s in the faerie one, Gramfer. But I think she may still have half a foot in the human.’
‘But that’s impossible. Unless she’s fay.’
‘I’ve no idea,’ Robin said with a shrug. ‘Warts might know.’
Gramfer looked around anxiously. ‘Is he here?
‘I’ve sent for him. Whether he’ll come or not is another matter.’
‘I don’t want to spend time with this horrible little gnome,’ Daisy said, jerking a thumb at Gramfer. ‘Can we go into your house?’
Robin led them into the kitchen and Daisy looked around in amazement. ‘It’s not like the Makepiece’s.’
‘Try and catch it unawares,’ Robin said. ‘Squint at it.’
She looked doubtful but followed his suggestion. ‘There’s my range,’ she cried, pointing in delight. Her excitement vanished. ‘Now it’s gone again.’