Blue Fire and Ice (36 page)

‘Of course I have! I just told you I came here with two of them!’ Brian was becoming irritated.

Kevin placed a wedge of cheese on his own plate. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. Muddles don’t exist. They’re only an old fairy tale!’

Brian was getting angry. He picked up the jar of pickle and gave the lid a good twist. It flew off the jar and across the table. Kevin caught it neatly in mid-air and placed it on the table. Glaring at Kevin, Brian snatched the spoon from the table and jabbed it into the jar. He dropped a large spoonful on his plate.

‘I am not being ridiculous,’ he said. ‘I have met many Muddles. There’s … there’s a pirate who talks funny – and a magician who can’t do card tricks. And there’s a musician, but he can’t play anything yet; and a ballerina, who can only dance with her eyes closed, and a fire officer who hears voices and … and … one who makes coffee and cinnamon biscuits; and there’s a bear, and a puppy and a penguin and … and … a goat who eats trousers … and … and … and – they all throw sticks!’

‘The bear, the puppy, the penguin and the goat, too?’ asked Kevin innocently. He had quite forgotten himself, becoming intrigued by the strange characters Brian rattled off. Then he remembered himself. ‘Oh, this is too silly!’ He took an angry bite of his cheese.

Brian did the same. The texture was excellent, firm but with just the right crumbliness, and very tasty.

‘Hmmm. The cheese is very good,’ he said. ‘Nicely matured and sharp.’ He nibbled a small piece of bread. ‘Fresh bread! It’s delicious!’ Brian exclaimed, and he meant it from the bottom of his heart.

‘Thank you. I made it this morning,’ said Kevin, proudly. Amelia had never once complimented him on his cooking. He pointed to a small square of rocks in the corner, the cracks neatly mortared. ‘See, I made a stone oven. The top lifts off and the fire is underneath.’

Brian was impressed. ‘That’s very clever. I’ll bet even Copper and Dot would be impressed.’ He gave Kevin an apologetic smile. ‘Let’s start again. My name’s Brian.’

‘I’m Kevin.’

‘Pleased to meet you, Kevin,’ said Brian very graciously. ‘Now, I’ll tell you about myself, and then you tell me about yourself, OK?’

Kevin nodded.

‘Well,’ started Brian, ‘I come from Beadledom – from the town of Beadleburg, in fact – and I am the official Factotum of Beadledom. And Special Envoy.’

It was Kevin’s turn to look startled. ‘A Factotum?’ he asked a little nervously. ‘What’s a Factotum?’

Brian explained what a Factotum was and all the things he did. Well, not all, for he didn’t want to confuse Kevin. But he told enough so that Kevin got the idea.

Kevin was relieved but still puzzled. ‘They let you do all that?’ he asked incredulously. ‘If you do all that, what do the Factors do?’

‘I’m not sure,’ admitted Brian. ‘Because I don’t know what a Factor is. I’ve never heard of one before. Is it like a Factotum?’

Well, Factors – or Benefactors, to give them their full name – run everything. They make decisions, organise – everything. We work for the Factors. Some, like me, belong to only one Factor.’

‘Like a slave?’ Brian asked hesitantly.

‘No! Of course not!’ Kevin was quite indignant. ‘That would be dreadful. No, we’re paid. I’m Amelia’s assistant and I’m very fortunate.’

‘So, what exactly do you do?’

‘Whatever I’m told. One never argues with a Factor.’

To Brian that sounded pretty much like a slave.

‘And this Amelia – she’s your Factor?’

‘Yes. She’s more difficult than most.’ Kevin paused for a brief reflection. ‘Well, she’s more difficult than any.’

‘The land you come from – The Place – where is it?’

‘Oh, it’s very far away. Over the sea to the north. We came on a small ship.’

‘”We”? How many of you came?’

‘Just two. Just Amelia and me.’

Brian became very wary. ‘Um … Does Amelia have a long dark cloak with a hood?’

‘Yes,’ said Kevin. ‘She wears it all the time.’

‘Does she have bright red hair?’

‘Yes!’ said Kevin. ‘Then you do know her?’

‘We bumped into one another, but I haven’t been introduced to her,’ said Brian honestly. He looked at Kevin guardedly. ‘May I ask you something?’

‘Yes, OK.’

‘What are you doing here?’

‘My job,’ said Kevin. His tone became impassive and without emotion again. ‘I look after my Factor. I do what she tells me to do.’

‘And what does she tell you to do?’

‘All the things an assistant is supposed to do. Cook, and clean, and keep the fire going and, and … wait.’

‘Wait for what?’

‘For her. She goes away for an awfully long time sometimes. Weeks. I just wait and keep the cave clean.’ Sadness entered his eyes. ‘It gets very lonely.’

‘And what is she doing here?’

‘I don’t know.’ Kevin sounded slightly surprised at the question. ‘She didn’t tell me.’ He paused, his eyes on his plate, then said in a small voice, ‘She never tells me anything. In fact, she never even speaks to me, except to tell me what to do. And even then she sounds angry as if I should just know what to do.’

Brian began to feel sorry for Kevin, but he was still suspicious – and slightly nervous. ‘And where is Amelia now?’

‘Out,’ said Kevin. ‘She left early this morning.’

‘Amelia’s not a Beadle, is she?’

Kevin’s eyes went wide. ‘Of course not! She’s a Myrmidot! Imagine a Beadle being a Factor!’

Brian worried about the camp, left unguarded. ‘Do you know which way she went?’

‘No, she just put some things in her pack and left.’

‘The way I came in?’

‘No, the other tunnel.’

‘Where does that tunnel lead?’

Kevin shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I’ve never been in any of them. She told me I mustn’t ever go into any of the tunnels. She said if I did, I would die. She told me that the Guardian would kill me.’ He paused. Understanding and regret filled his face. ‘She lied to me, didn’t she? You came through the tunnel and nothing happened to you.’

‘I think she did,’ Brian answered quietly. He felt sorry for Kevin.

Kevin nibbled at his bread and cheese. ‘Tell me about Beadledom,’ he finally said.

Brian told him all about the Land; about Beadledom; about Muddlemarsh and Myrmidia. He described the country and the people of the Land. And he told Kevin of the blue fire and why they had come to the High Mountains.

Only crumbs were left on their plates when he finished. Kevin sat in his chair, looking intently at Brian.

‘You think the woman is Amelia,’ he said quietly.

Brian nodded. ‘Yes,’ he said.

‘She’s a Factor. If she’s responsible, she has her reasons.’

‘Whatever they are, it doesn’t excuse what she did. She has to be stopped, Kevin.’

Brian took out his watch and flipped open the lid.

‘I have to get back to the camp. The others will be back any time now and they’ll be worried. It took me hours to come through the tunnel.’ He put his watch back in his pocket and stood.

Kevin rose from his chair as well and stopped in front of Brian.

‘I’m sorry, Brian, but I can’t let you go,’ he said. ‘Amelia wouldn’t like it.’

Brian looked at Kevin with astonishment. He hesitated, unsure of what was happening. Then he drew himself up and faced Kevin.

‘I’m going, Kevin,’ he said quietly. ‘Please get out of my way.’

Brian took a step towards the alcove. Kevin threw himself at Brian, and they both staggered backwards. Brian felt the chair against the back of his knees. His legs buckled and he fell, Kevin’s arms wrapped around his own.

Brian’s head hit the floor and for a moment he lay still, stunned by the blow. Quickly, Kevin sat astride Brian’s stomach, then tried to pin Brian’s arms to the floor with his knees. Brian’s right arm avoided Kevin’s knee and pushed at Kevin’s chest. Kevin grabbed Brian’s arm with both hands and tried to put it back onto the floor. As he did, Brian wriggled his other arm free. With both hands, he hit Kevin hard in the middle of his chest. Kevin fell sideways, slipping off Brian’s stomach. Brian shoved Kevin again, sending him rolling against the table leg. The leg buckled and the table collapsed; plates, mugs and cutlery showered down on Kevin.

Brian scrambled to his feet. He turned and started for the alcove. Kevin rose from the debris and launched himself at Brian. The two Beadles struggled, pushing and pulling each other around the kitchen. Plates crashed from the ledge; the kettle tumbled from the stove; tins and cartons were swept from the shelf.

Then a pair of strong hands grabbed Brian’s shoulders and he felt himself lifted in the air and roughly flung aside. He hit the stone floor with a heavy thud and lay for a few moments, gasping for air. When he got his breath back, he rolled over and sat up. And looked straight into Amelia’s cold, dark, grey eyes.

Brian tried to stand but Amelia placed a foot on his chest and pushed him back to the floor. She stood over him, her foot still pressing on his chest.

‘You were at the river,’ she said. Her voice was as dark as her eyes. It had a low, menacing coldness that terrified Brian. He nodded.

She glared at Kevin. ‘What has he told you?’ she demanded.

‘Everything!’ cried Brian, defiantly.

She pushed Brian hard with her foot, as if she meant to crush him. She turned back to Kevin. She didn’t need to speak for him to know what she expected.

Kevin didn’t hesitate. In a flat, toneless voice he answered, ‘About Beadledom, about the Muddles, about the Myrmidots, about the blue fires and why they are here.’

Amelia looked at Brian. There was anger in her eyes now, but, worse than that, Brian saw contempt. She reached down and grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands and hauled him upright. His feet dangled just above the floor. Amelia turned on her heel and strode to the alcove, dragging Brian with one hand.

‘Clean it up!’ she ordered Kevin. She reached the alcove, Brian’s feet scraping along the stone.

‘Amelia, what are you going to do to …?’ Kevin’s voice was hesitant, afraid, and he never had a chance to finish. Amelia whirled around and cut him off before he could finish.

‘What?’ she screamed. ‘What did you say? What business is it of yours what I do! Your only business is to do what I tell you to do!’

She came close to Kevin, towering over him. He hung his head, unable to bear her anger. Her voice dropped and became deep and menacing.

‘Do you want to find another Factor to work for? Someone else to pay you so you don’t starve and have to live on the streets or in the woods? Is that what you want, Kevin? Because if that’s what you want you can start looking for another Factor right now.’

She grabbed Kevin’s hair and jerked his head up to face her. ‘But I doubt you’ll find one around here! And you’ll have quite a job getting back to The Place without me to take you!’

Kevin tried to back away but she hung onto his hair. He nodded as well as he could and answered in a small, contrite voice, ‘I’ll clean up, Amelia. I’m sorry.’

Amelia glared at Kevin for a few seconds and gave him a contemptuous shove. Kevin staggered back and then, without a word, he started to clean up the wreckage from his fight with Brian. She watched, wanting Kevin to feel the humiliation of his surrender and the completeness of her power over him.

Brian kicked her. She felt the toe of his boot hit the middle of her shin. Her grip relaxed as she winced in pain and Brian struggled to free himself. Amelia tightened the fingers of her left hand, then with her right she hit Brian a cruel blow on the side of his head. Brian’s head rocked back. He felt a sharp pain, then nothing. His unconscious body hung limply in Amelia’s hand.

Without a further word, Amelia dragged Brian’s body through the alcove and into the black tunnel.

Kevin could sense tears filling his eyes. He felt anger, fear and confusion. Ever since he could remember, he had been taught to be obedient. There was a natural order in life and Beadles served while Factors made the world what it was. It had seemed just and right to him. He had thought himself lucky to have been accepted as an assistant to a Factor. Few Beadles had the opportunity and most ended up as labourers, cleaners, shop assistants or junior clerks in small, dark offices filled with mildew and ledgers and creaky filing cabinets.

He had worked for Amelia for nearly ten years and it had never occurred to him to question his Factor. He knew she was different from other Factors, that most shunned her and found her opinions objectionable. And he knew that she despised the other Factors and had little to do with any of them. It was a lonely existence, for she kept to herself and kept Kevin close by. Yet, as people of The Place often said, ‘Factors know, Beadles do,’ and that was the way of the world.

But, Kevin also knew in his heart that Amelia had done something wrong. It couldn’t be what Brian said, but there was something. She had never laid a hand on him before. It just wasn’t done. ‘It’s none of my business if she is doing something wrong,’ he told himself. ‘I just do my job.’ But somehow, that didn’t feel enough for Kevin.

He was angry at Brian, too. He had made fun of Kevin, almost making him believe his silly story. The land of which Brian spoke had to be a lie. There couldn’t be a place where Beadles lived without Factors, and made decisions, and weren’t drudges and clerks. Well, not all of them, anyway. And that ridiculous nonsense about Muddles. Kevin should have known that none of it was true and Brian was just trying to make a fool of him. Brian deserved whatever punishment Amelia planned for him. Muddles, indeed!

A shadow from the outer doorway flowed across the room. Kevin glanced over, surprised – and then froze in shock. There, standing in the doorway, eyes blazing with anger, was the most fearsome creature he had ever seen. It took one look at Kevin and roared.

Now Kevin had never had much to do with bears. In fact, he’d never actually seen a real one before. But, like most people, he had read about them and seen pictures of them and he felt reasonably sure that he knew what a bear looked like. And he was reasonably sure that none of them were supposed to look like the one that stood a few paces away from him.

It was a large, brown bear. At least, the head and neck were brown. Its forelegs and body were very different. They were a light tawny colour and Kevin could have sworn that they would have looked much better on a lion. And he was absolutely sure that its hindquarters could only have looked at home on a donkey.