Faun and Games (12 page)

"What I want to do is find a spirit for the clog tree, so it won't fade.

I have to do it within a month.
 
I don't know anything about this Ptero

place.
 
Why should I go there?"

She considered.
 
"As it happens, I am one of the very few folk in Xanth

who do know something about Ptero.
 
Not a lot; nobody knows a lot about

it.
 
But some, because on occasion I have delivered daydreams there.

It's a very strange place."

"That explains why you are supposed to be the guide.
 
But what about

me?"

"All I can think of is that the spirit you are looking for is there."

"There are people there?"

She laughed, and little HA HA's went out from her image.
 
When the

demoness had made such laughter, it had been derisive; Imbri's laughter

was friendly.
 
"There are more folk there than anyone can count."

Forrest found this confusing.
 
"How can there be more?
 
Any person who

exists can be counted."

"That's the thing.
 
Not all of them exist."

"Now I'm really confused!
 
How can there be people who don't exist?"

"It's hard to explain.
 
Ptero is where all the folk who ever lived in

Xanth stay, and all the folk who ever will live in Xanth, and all the

folk who ever might live in Xanth.
 
So there are a lot of folk there.

But what's really strange is the way they live.
 
They-do you know

anything about quantum mechanics?"

"Huh?"

"I guess not.
 
It's a concept I picked up from the mind of a former

Mundane scientist.
 
His dreams were really weird!
 
I think Ptero is a

quantum world.
 
That is, nothing is certain there; everything exists in

all its possible states at once.
 
It's only when the folk there visit

regular Xanth that things start making some sort of sense, for a while."

Forrest shook his head.
 
"I don't want to go there.
 
I just want to find

a faun for the tree."

"But maybe that faun is there."

A glimmer began to form.
 
"A faun for the clog tree?"

"Since all the folk who ever might exist in Xanth are on Ptero, your

faun could be there.
 
Then you could bring him to the tree."

The glimmer expanded.
 
"I think I am beginning to make some dim sense of

the Good Magician's attitude.
 
I don't need his Answer; I just need to

go to Ptero and fetch that faun myself."

"That must be it," she agreed.
 
"And I must guide you there, and through

Ptero too, as well as I am able."

"Can you get me through it and back home within a month?"

"I can do whatever you wish.
 
But you must decide how long your search

is.
 
I don't know how long it will take to find him.
 
I have delivered

daydreams there, but I don't know the actual landscape.
 
I may not be

much help, though I will try my best."

Forrest nodded.
 
"I'm sure you will help a lot.
 
At least I won't be

blundering there alone." Then he thought of something else.
 
"This is

your Service.
 
What was your Question to the Good Magician?"

She smiled wistfully.
 
"I was foaled as a night mare in 897, and became

a day mare in 1067.
 
I wasn't the best night mare; I was too tender

hearted.
 
It has been better as a day mare, because at least I bring

pleasure to dreamers instead of horror, but I'm still not quite

satisfied.
 
Now I would like to gallop in some other pasture.
 
The Good

Magician will find me that pasture, after I have completed my Service."

Forrest was impressed.
 
"You are as old as I am!
 
You were foaled the

very year I adopted a sandalwood seedling and became a responsible

creature.
 
You were a night mare for a hundred and seventy years, and a

day mare for thirty years.
 
So you are two hundred years old."

"Yes.
 
I don't mean to complain, but it does get dull after a while.

Maybe I'm just a misfit."

"Well, I hope the Good Magician has a good new pasture in mind for you."

"I'm sure he does.
 
Let's find your faun."

"Let's find my faun," he agreed, feeling better.
 
"Where is Ptero?"

"At Castle Roogna."

"This strange land with uncountable folk is at the human capital?"

"In its fashion."

"Oh, you mean that's where the magic is to reach Ptero?"

"That is where the access is.
 
Humfrey will have to give you a spell to

cross to Ptero."

"Then I had better wake up and get that spell.
 
I don't want to waste

any time."

"I will be with you.
 
Just clear a little place for me in your mind when

you want to talk to me."

"I will.
 
Thanks."

He opened his eyes.
 
There was the cell, the same as before, but now it

didn't seem so dingy.
 
"Wira?"

In a moment he heard her light footsteps approaching.
 
"Have you

finished talking with Imbri?"

"Yes, for now.
 
I need the spell to-"

"Here it is.
 
The Good Magician said to give it to you when you asked

for it." She held out a tiny stoppered bottle.

"How do I use it?"

"Imbri knows.
 
Just keep it safe.
 
You may need it to depart Ptero, too.

"I'll keep it safe," he agreed, putting the spell into his knapsack.

"Would you like something to eat?" Wira asked.
 
"I'm sure the Designated

Wife will be glad to fix you something before you go."

Designated Wife?
 
Forrest decided not to inquire.
 
"Thank you, no.

Chlorine gave me a dough nut, and I haven't been hungry since."

"They do stick to your ribs," Wira agreed.
 
"Then I will show you out.

She led him to the front gate.
 
This was now completely clear; there was

no wall and no set of tracks.
 
The drawbridge was down, and the moat was

calm, with no sign of fire.
 
It was evident that the Good Magician could

change his castle around at will.
 
"Thank you," he told her.

"I wish you good success," Wira replied, with a rather pleasant smile

that lacked any trace of the mischief of the demonesses.
 
Then she

looked embarrassed.
 
"Oh, I almost forgot: here is your lost sandal."

She held it out.

"But that had become reverse wood!
 
How did you-?"

"The Good Magician has ways.
 
It Is a good sandal; he thought you would

need it."

Not half as much as he needed a good Answer.
 
But he stifled that

remark.
 
"Thank you," he said, taking the sandal and putting it in his

knapsack.
 
Now he had a complete reserve pair, again.

"And this," she said, holding out a piece of paper.

He took it and looked at it, but it had indecipherable scribblings. "I

can't read this."

"The Good Magician scribbled it in his very own handwriting," she said,

as if that were a special thing.
 
"I'm sure he had excellent reason.

Keep it with you; it may become useful when its time comes."

What could he do?
 
He thanked her, and tucked the paper into his

knapsack.

Forrest set out for Castle Roogna.
 
It was not a difficult trek, because

he was on a magic path that was supposed to lead right to it.
 
The funny

thing was that again it was morning, though there had been no night, so

that he should be able to reach it by evening.

He wondered about that, so he tried asking Mare Imbri.
 
He closed his

eyes briefly as he walked, making a place for her to appear.
 
"Are you

there, Imbri?" he asked silently.

"Always, as long as this Service lasts," she agreed, appearing as the

black haired woman.
 
Now he saw that she rather resembled her mare form,

in a pleasant way, with white socks on her feet and black gloves on her

hands.
 
Her dress was black too.

"I have noticed that it's always morning when I start walking, though I

am sure a couple of days should have passed since I left my tree.
 
Is

there some magic operating?"

Imbri considered.
 
"Share your recent memories with me.
 
Maybe I can see

what is happening."

One hoof tripped, and he had to open his eyes.
 
He lost the image of

her.
 
This was awkward, walking with his eyes closed.
 
So he stopped.

"First-is it possible to see you without closing my eyes?"

Her voice came in his head.
 
"Yes, if you can concentrate.
 
Reserve a

space about five paces ahead of you, and to the side, or wherever you

want, so it doesn't interfere with your view of the path.
 
Think of me

being there."

He concentrated, and after some effort managed to see a fuzzy region.

"That's it," Imbri said.
 
"Just keep working on it as you walk, and I

will clarify."

He did, and she did.
 
After a while he was even able to see her as a

human sized person walking beside him.
 
"Can anyone else see you?"