Liquid Diamond (27 page)

Going into his shack, the old man returned with two sets of shackles and fitted Natalia and Catalyst with a set each.

“
You can put down the musket now, boy,” said the old man to his son.

“
Look, children, it's nothing personal, but I simply can't let either of you go. The threat of Ananias, Elves or even the Basajaunak finding us is too great, not to mention the people of Kyopelivuori and any others that might call this world home,” said the old man shaking his head at whatever it was that he was talking about.

Confused by what was going on, Natalia spoke up.

“
First of all, what's going on here? Let's start with that!” demanded Natalia, hoping she could gather enough information and talk them into letting Catalyst and her go.

“
Simplest explanation –
my little girl is lonely and wanted some friends,” said the old man sitting back down and wondering what he would do with them now.

With a look of
“What are you talking about”
screaming across her face, Natalia stood there, staring at the old man.

Seeing the need for a better answer, coupled with his sympathy for their plight, the old man started to fill in the gaps.

“
You see my daughter is very skilled at tracking and trapping almost any creature this swamp holds. It seems that she lured you here, even though she knows she's not supposed to do that!” said the old man as he scolded his little girl one more time for bringing Natalia and Catalyst to their home.

“
Lured us?” said Catalyst as he looked at Natalia.

Tired of the game with the old man and hoping to find out exactly what was going on, Natalia took a deep breath.

“
Can you just start from the beginning and tell us why you won't let us go?” asked Natalia calmly and yet clearly annoyed.

“
You’re not from around here are you?” asked the old man, taking a better look at Natalia and the clothes she was wearing.

“
I'm from Earth,” replied Natalia.

“
Well in a manner of speaking so are we. We're Human anyway and since you’re going to be with us for quite some time you may as well know why. Maybe it'll make the adjustment easier for all of us,” said the old man.

“
My father and mother came to this world a long time ago with about fifty other settlers, hoping to build a new life for themselves. From what I remember growing up here, everything went fine for a long time. My parents and the others built a quiet and decent life for all of us. Then one day a few of the men went for supplies and only one returned. He brought news that a war had broken out between Humanity’s greed and the people of this world. By the time we found out Humans were a wanted species, innocent or not it didn't matter, everyone agreed that leaving their life here wasn't going to happen but no longer could we have anything to do with the world that surrounded us. So living solely off the land and meeting a few times a year to trade what we had, we've managed to keep our life and our homes. So you can see the danger in letting you go. Somehow, some way, someone would find out and then come hunting us,” said the old man as best he could, hoping his seclusion hadn't made it too hard for them to understand his words.

“
Well, I’m sorry to tell you but we've been sent by the King of Kyopelivuori to retrieve the locking crystals and diamond ring for the portal, which by the way is now liquid. If we don't show up he'll surely send out his guards to search for us and if not us, then the crystals themselves. Since I can promise you he does not trust Humans, he'll turn this place upside down looking for me, believing I betrayed him,” said Natalia. She was pointing out the fact that she was Human and was there, however unintentional it was, by the King’s orders.

“
Ever heard of the Krusnik?” asked Catalyst, as though everyone knew.

“
No, can't say I have,” replied the old man, waving his hand through the air to remind Catalyst of their seclusion.

“
Well you can trust me on this, she's my mother and there isn't anyone strong enough to stand in her way. She will cross through this land turning everything upside down looking for us. Your desire to remain unnoticed will mean absolutely nothing to her,” said Catalyst, hoping the old man would get it.

“
Someone stole the crystals?” asked the old man.

“
Yes, and what's worse is the King believes the one that did it is Human. That's why he sent me to clean up the mess of my fellow Humans,” replied Natalia firmly.

“
Well then count yourselves lucky, because if there's war between the beings of this world and Humankind, the two of you couldn't be safer than with us. We've been hiding in this wilderness for more than two hundred years and never, not even once, have we been found or even seen. At least until today,” said the old man, instantly relieving his guilt as he went from captor to saviour in his own mind.

#

The Elf had had enough time to heal his sore, sore bones from his fall from Pepper’s overlook. Looking for a way to get back into Pepper’s home, he was lucky enough to find the children’s fresh tracks leading away from the treetop village. Once again, the Elf set off after his prey.

Reaching the edge of the swamp, where Natalia’s and Catalyst’s tracks disappeared into the water, the Elf stood smelling the air for a trace of Natalia’s ten-year-old little girl perfume, but the scent from her coat and neck had long since dissipated in the stench of the swamp.

Staring hard at the sooty bottom of the swamp, the Elf found no trace of a single footprint. Only after ten minutes did the Elf realize the oily residue that floated across the top of the water was from the perfume that clung to Natalia’s coat. Following that along, the Elf continued to track his prey.

#

“
Since you’re both shackled and can't run off, you may as well help out. Now I know who it was that sent you and why it's time to rip down this shack and move on,” said the old man.

Giving the old man a dirty look, neither Natalia nor Catalyst would move from where they stood.

“
I know it's hard now, but in a few years you won't even care about today or how you’re feeling right now. This place, this way of life...it changes you,” said the old ·man softly as he looked at Natalia, trying to offer some hope for tomorrow. Then he walked away to give them a few minutes’ peace.

“
Look, Natalia, I don't like it any more than you do, but for now let's just go along with them. When we can, we'll escape,” said Catalyst whispering into her ear.

With a sour look on her face and saying not a single word, Natalia started to help rip down the shack with Catalyst.

With the heat of the sun beating down on her, along with the sweat from all her work, the smell of Natalia’s perfume was pungent.

“
Phew!” sniffed Catalyst, now realizing exactly who and what was responsible for the smell.

“
What are you sniffing at, Catalyst?” said Natalia, not liking how close he was when he sniffed the air around her.

“
I think I know how the Elf's been able to track us so easily. Your perfume –
it's been leaving its smell behind us everywhere we've gone,” said Catalyst, standing behind her sniffing at her coat.

“
I don't smell anything,” said Natalia, sniffing the air around her.

“
Trust me, with your sweat and body heat from the sun and all the work, I can smell it easily. Sorry, Natalia, I have to do this,” said Catalyst ripping the collar from Natalia’s coat.

“
What are you doing, Catalyst? This is the only coat I own and now it's ruined,” cried Natalia.

“
If I can smell your perfume from this, then so can others. And if we can leave a trail behind us, should anyone come looking for us they might be able to follow it,” whispered Catalyst.

“
Even Bailey? Because you know we never found him and I'm sure he's still out there!” said Natalia, reminding Catalyst as rudely as she could without bringing attention to what he was doing.

“
I hope not, but what else can we do? Sure we'll get away when we can but we need to try everything,” replied Catalyst, shoving the collar into his pocket and indicating the musket with a glance.

By the end of the day, completely exhausted, Natalia and Catalyst had helped dissassemble the shack and pack it aboard the most horrendous looking wagon-cart anyone had ever seen.

Seeing the look on Natalia’s face, as she couldn't take her eyes off the monstrosity, the old man walked over to her.

“
It goes through water, over rough terrain and it's powered by my very own Horrabbull,” said the old man proudly as he pointed to the belt at the back of his waggart that would turn the wheels as the Horrabbull walked on it.

“
You own one of those catastrophes?” asked Natalia in disbelief.

“
Own one? I breed them,” replied the old man.

“
You breed them? How on Earth could you?” asked Natalia.

“
We're not on Earth, that's how. It's something in the water or grass, maybe the grains, I don't know for sure. All I know is the creatures of this world can mate successfully,” replied the old man.

Natalia had no idea of what to say. It was all too frustrating.

“
So what do you think?” asked the old man, trying to make her feel included.

“
Well that explains the Hybrids. And this looks like a hearse, a treadmill and a wagon were in a horrible wreck,” replied Natalia mockingly.

With the old man distracted by Natalia, Catalyst sat down on the back of the waggart, took the collar and shoved half of it into his shoe, leaving the other half to drag along the ground in hopes of leaving a very noticeable trail.

Soon enough the Horrabbull was on its belt and Natalia was leaning against Catalyst, chained to the waggart. Petal, the old man and his son drove them on through the swampy water and bog to their new patch of land.

“
Do you hear the way the old man talks?” He hardly makes sense,” whispered Natalia.

“
Seclusion, Natalia. It'll do that. He probably hasn't had a real conversation in months,” replied Catalyst as they both listened to the sound of wheels turning, lulling them off to sleep.

Rising to the morning sun and looking around him, Natalia was nowhere to be seen.

“
Natalia, Natalia!” yelled Catalyst.

“
Screaming won't do you any good!” snapped the old man jokingly as he walked out from the half-built shack with a bowl of food in his hands for Catalyst.

“
Eat this, then we could use your help putting this shack back together,” said the old man as kindly as he could.

“
Where's Natalia? Where's my bag?” demanded Catalyst.

“
Natalia's off gathering roots with Petal, and your bag minus your rope dart and Atropos Styx is right over there,” replied the old man, nodding his head to where the bag sat.

“
Look you can get as angry as you like, but this is your home now and that won't change. As I said yesterday, it's nothing personal – you’re just too much of a risk to let go. But I promise you'll be treated as well as one of my own children,” said the old man, leaving Catalyst to sit, eat and think.

Returning sometime later with her shackles still on, Natalia and Petal put their roots and greens on the table as Catalyst signalled to Natalia.

“
Where have you been?” asked Catalyst as though she had cooperated more than she should have.

“
Until we get away from here, we still need to eat, so I went to gather food with Petal. I have no idea where we are and Petal is no help, she doesn't know anything,” replied Natalia.

“
Well that helps now, doesn't it?” stated Catalyst as he sat chained to the waggart.

“
Catalyst, if you would calm down a bit he would let you off this waggon and maybe then you could take a look around and find out where we are. And help me find away for us to escape, because as long as you’re chained to this thing I am on my own,” said Natalia with all the common sense she could muster to remind him of where they were and what was going on.

With a deep breath and his anger in check, Catalyst sat back and relaxed, waiting for the old man to notice.

The glare of the sun and its reflection off the swamp water meant the Elf had to strain his one eye hard as he followed the oil from Natalia’s perfume to the very spot of her battle with Catalyst and then to where the hermit’s shack had stood the day before.

The scent of Natalia’s perfume was all over the ground and with footprints coming and going in every direction, leading nowhere, the Elf seethed with rage once again.

Walking around and around the patch of ground and scouring the water it was only after two full passes did the Elf realize that although barely visible in the floating scum left in their wake, there were wheel tracks leading away from the now barren hill. “Making friends I see,” thought the Elf, hoping.

Not being sure if Natalia and Catalyst had left with their new friends, the Elf had little choice but to follow the only tracks leading away from nothing.