CHAPTER 11
Ongoing outside he found that the wind had dropped and the snow was only falling lightly and he could just make out some houses a little way down the hill.
As he made his way, he took time to stop and listened outside each one, this way he was able to know just who was inside.
He made his way past most of them and had nearly reached the sea when he found himself outside a small Cottage, attached to it was a large timber shed. His thoughts told him that a strong but gentleman sat half asleep in front of a good fire, there was also a dog. The dog had already sensed his presents and had become alert, his head was raised and his ears were up even though Wizzo on his floating approach had not made a sound.
Wizzo could smell horses, and going over to the shed, he took a quick look inside. There were carpenters tools neatly set out on a bench, above the bench chisels hung neatly in a rack, timber was stacked neatly to one side. Some he could see was in the process of seasoning. A rowing boat three quarters completed sat on a cradle in the center. The shavings from the work on it had been swept neatly into a pile. There was also a flat cart with red spokes in the wheels and a stable with a sturdy looking horse in it that whinnied when their eyes met. On hearing his footsteps a dog started to bark from inside the Cottage, It wasn't a vicious bark but a friendly welcoming sound. As he was closing the shed door he heard the man say to his dog, is there a friend out there Angus, soon the door opened and out bounded a black and white collie dog.
“Who goes there?” Called out a strong Scottish voice, the collie bounded through the snow and up to Wizzo.
“You are a good boy letting your master know that somebody is here;” said Wizzo stroking the friendly animal. The dog sat down looking up at him, his wagging tail furiously sweeping the snow, Wizzo then looked up to see a broad shouldered kilted Scotsman filling the doorway of the Cottage.
“A lady I know is in need of a carpenter and I am new in this area, would you be such a man?” said Wizzo still patting the friendly dog.
“I mun” came the short abrupt reply that seemed to rumble up from somewhere deep inside this large man, Wizzo walked over to him escorted by the friendly dog.
Archie being the man’s name was thirty eight years old, six feet tall and had on him a magnificent red beard, his mop of red hair reaching down and laying carelessly on his broad shoulders. His face had a rugged friendly look about it with eyes of grey metal that looked long and hard at him. Then he looked down at his dog who was now sitting beside Wizzo still wagging his tail.
“ Ma wee doggy seems to think that we should be making ya welcome stranger, I canna think where ya may have come from for I duna ken your face, anyway you’d best come inside.” Unblocking the door he allowed Wizzo to pass.
“Thank you.” On entering Wizzo placed his staff just inside the door. The room was neat and tidy with a table in the center with four handmade chairs placed around it and another two handmade wooden arm chairs faced the large fire. In the corner by the fire stood a sword and shield that looked as if they had both been well used. (It was not a good time in Scotland with the English trying to subdue it.) A well-made sideboard sat in front of the window with candleholders sitting one at each end and an empty vase in the middle; there was also an empty vase in the middle of the waxed table. The Cottage smelt good and felt good, like a home thought Wizzo. Having introduced themselves, they sat down in the stiff backed armchairs. He explained to Archie about the new resident that now occupied the shack just up the hill, and exactly what had to be done to fix the place up.
“Nay body goes near that wee hovel Mr. Burn Bright. If I might be saying so Sir she has ya fooled, she’s an old Witch, and one that we could be well rid of, make no mistake about it.”
“The old Witch has died Archie, the lady that occupies it now is Mary Mac Gentle, she’s not well off, but has the means to pay you for your labor. I might also add that she has no way of knowing the cost of it so I would expect you to treat her with all fairness. You might also know of somebody in this town that has some expertise with the making of garments, simple garments I mean. Mary is a healer, a simple woman and has no need of fastidious things, I’ll come up there with you if you wish and introduce you to her.”
“You're saying that she’s a healer Mr. Burn Bright?”
“And a good one to;” Whilst saying this, Wizzo had noticed see some redness around the Archie's back, “l couldn’t help but notice that you seem to be having some trouble with your back!”
“I It’s killing me!” he said putting his hands on his back and stretching, “ooooh!” Wizzo stood up and beckoned Archie to do the same; Archie didn’t understand Wizzo’s intentions so he stubbornly sat there.
“Stand up Archie I may be able to do something about your back for you!” Archie reluctantly stood up. Wizzo went round behind him and placed his right hand on the small of the big man’s back, Archie felt a warmth flowing though him and then it slowly cooled down, Wizzo took his hand away then went back to his chair and sat down.
“How does that feel now my friend;” he asked, Archie was twisting his back this way and that and then bending down slowly as if waiting for the pain to hit him he touched his toes, he straightened up with a surprised look on his face.
“That’s canny, what did ya do! I felt this warmth all around ma back and now there’s nay pain!” He twisted his strong body every which way, and then with a surprised look at Wizzo exclaimed. “It’s gone!”
“I am a healer too Archie, you will have no more trouble with your back, Mary has not yet learnt to do that but in time she will:” Archie sat down, the hardness mostly gone from his eyes.
“Ya say that old Witch is nay there anymore?” Archie’s was still looking at Wizzo with some doubt.
“No she’s not Archie, a fine and gentle lady lives there now, and she is a good friend of mine.” Wizzo sat and thought for a short while. He felt that this big Highlander as yet didn’t believe what he was saying, so he decided that it was necessary to convince him.
“Archie, do you believe in Witches?”
“What mun would not” was his reply.
Wizzo nodded his head as if in understanding, then he paused for a while as if thinking seriously about something, he leaned towards Archie and asked.
“Do you then believe in Fairies Archie?”
“Are ya daft mun, course there’s wee Fairies!” Archie was looking at him as though he must be the dumbest man in the world. Wizzo waited for a short time.
“What about Wizards Archie, do you think that there could be such a thing?” Archie had a puzzled look on his face, he had heard of them, but he had never seen one, he sat there and thought about it. Wizzo noted that he was indeed a thoughtful man and was inclined not to say anything until having given the question some considerable investigation, at last he said
“If there’s Witches and wee Fairies, there’d have to be Wizards wouldn’t there? When I was a lad, I seen a wee fairy, and there’s nay doubt in ma mind, nor that of the rest of the folk around hear that the old woman who lives in the wee tumble down shack was a Witch.” Archie then paused in thought,. “I! There’d have to be Wizard’s.” Wizzo sat back in his chair; he had been listening with interest to this well thought out explanation.
“I must apologize for all these questions my friend, but you still seemed to have some doubt about Mrs. Mac Gentle and I thought that there was a need to further explain myself to you;” there was a short pause.
“Well go on mun, explain yourself!” Wizzo smiled at him, he thought that the smile would be necessary under the circumstances.
“I am somewhat of a Wizard myself Archie, the old woman up in the shack is the same old woman except for the fact that she is no longer a Witch. It is in my mind that someone of a devious nature had put a spell on her; she was indeed possessed, I know this because the only desire she had in her mind was to catch a Fairy, not for herself mind, but for someone else. Witches don’t usually live in such conditions Archie, some are ful
l of mischief as you possibly know, most are healers and follow the laws of nature keeping themselves to themselves and quietly going about their business and are normally quite able to take care of themselves. On entering the hovel the first thing that I noticed was that she was not in any way taking good care of herself, also her actions on my entering were somewhat extraordinary. I’m happy to say that a Witch is no match for a Wizard Archie, especially a Witch that has been possessed. They become very single minded in their ways and only think of the task at hand. You’ve maybe heard that the clergy of the church are able to drive out demons?”
“I, mun I’ve heard of such things.”
“Well Archie that’s what I did, no more or no less than that, she is now no longer what she was. I have also taken from her mind the fact that she was ever a Witch. ----- There is one important thing that I need to know from you. Do you remember anybody that has visited her in the past five years or so, someone from outside the town, a stranger perhaps?” Archie thought about what he had been told for some time, he had to admit that it all sounded much like a wee Fairy tale to him. He believed himself to be a strong minded sort of fellow and yet there was something about this man, Wizzo interrupted his thoughts.
“I see that you are still not convinced Archie;” Wizzo held up his hand, his staff that he had left just inside the door came floating over to him. Archie didn’t know whether to just sit there or take off as fast as his strong hairy Highland legs would carry him; he found his hand reaching down for the dirk that he carried in the top of his sock.
“You have no need to fear me Archie, I will do you no harm, but I do need to know if there is someone who goes to see her?” There was silence, both sat there looking at each other, Wizzo realized that he could have made a mistake about this fellow and maybe should have mesmerized him because Archie’s steel like eyes were now looking directly at him in a hard and menacing way.
“Tell me something Archie, do you feel that your mind is clear; that you are indeed thinking for yourself, with no interference from me?” again there was silence. Archie came to the conclusion that if this man was a Wizard as he seemed to be, he would be quite able to put things into his mind, he had heard of such things happening, the word mesmerize came to him so he asked the question.
“Could you mesmerize me if you wanted too, that’s the right word I’m thinking?”
“I could Archie, but by doing that it would not serve either of us. I really need you to remember all that takes place here and have no doubt in your mind that all is as it should be, you see Archie I am here to protect my dear friends the Fairies. ----- I’ve succeeded in getting rid of the Witch for them, now I need to know who it was that made her that way, also I need you to look after her as I cannot be here all the time to do so. Wizzo paused. “If you won’t do it then I must find somebody else because she will die otherwise and I cannot allow that to happen no matter what she was or may have been before.” Wizzo could see that Archie had almost made up his mind, “what shall it be my friend, do you wish to see the Fairies safe or not, that is the question?” Archie thought about that and then finally making up his mind replied.
“There’s a wee dumpy fellow that comes on the supply ship, every six months, I’d be thinking that he’d be the only one I know that goes to see her”.
“On what date is the supply ship due back Archie?”
“It comes in the last week of April and then again at the same time in August, if all goes well and the weather permits.”
“So it isn’t always on time?”
“Normally yes, but if the weather is extremely bad there could be a wee delay.”
“Thank you my friend, now then, can I rely on you to go up there once a week and see that she is well.”
“ Ay mun.”
“I will see to it so that she has the necessary monies and will be able to pay you for bringing her food and fixing up the things that need doing? ---- Now then, this is most important, if for some reason I’m not here and this wee dumpy fellow arrives, do not attempt to interfere with him in anyway.” Wizzo looked over at Archie’s Sword and Shield. “As skilled as you may be with them Archie, against a Sorcerer they would be useless, he will simply brush them aside, and if for some reason I don’t get here in time to stop him, don’t for any reason go up to see her after he’s been, do I make myself clear Archie!”
“I mun I’ll do as ya say for I know nowt about these things;”
Archie sat for a short while clearly thinking about something, Wizzo knew what it was but waited for him to ask.
“There’s one wee thing that I’d like to ask of ya Mr. Burn Bright,” he became hesitant and looked a little foolish.
“Ask away my friend, what is it you want of me?”
“You say there’s wee Fairies about here?”
“That’s correct Archie, and you say that you’ve seen one before when you were a lad?”
“I’ up in the hills. I’d fallen and twisted ma ankle and was shedding a wee tear or two with the pain of it;” he then almost apologized for his youthful tears. “Remember I was only a wee lad Mr. Burn Bright. Well it was then that I noticed her, she was hovering a few feet away from me. I sat back and put ma wee foot out and she came down and settled on it, she made the pain go away, I didn’t say anything ta the we thing, I didna even think ta thank her, and then she just up and flew away. I should have thanked the wee thing, should I not?”
“You probably thanked her in your mind Archie and she would have known that.” Wizzo thought for a moment. “They sleep mostly through the winter, when I come back in April I’ll ask them if they will see you, it may well be that the one you have already met will readily agree to such a meeting if only for you to thank her.”
“Orch away with ya Mr. Burn Bright, she’d nay remember, I was just a wee lad.”
“Even though you’ve grown up she will know and remember you as clear as if it were yesterday Archie.”
“I’ve been doing a bit o thinking and what with one thing and another and with you being a Wizard it would be wise of me to go along with what you’re asking of me.” Archie stood up. “So I’ll just go and get my measuring stick from the workshop and we’ll be off up to see this lady of yours.” Wrapping a tartan cloak around himself they both went outside with the dog following them. Archie getting what he would need from his shed, then with his kilt swinging and his great hairy highland legs treating the deep snow with contempt they set of up the hill.
The snow was deep in places but at least it had stopped. Wizzo could have glided across the top of it but was pretending to make it look as if he was struggling just a little for the benefit of this big Scotsman, who he didn’t want to frighten any more than was necessary.
On their arrival at the little shack Wizzo knocked on the door and called out.
“Can we come in Mary?”
“Please do;” came the reply, Wizzo entered first with the still reluctant Archie and Angus hesitating at the door and peering in from outside. Wizzo introduced them.
“His name’s Archie Mary, come in my good man, you can’t measure anything from out there, he looked at Angus, how is the dog with cats?” Archie had his eyes fixed firmly on Mary who was sitting on a stool beside the fire with fur ball in her lap.
“It’s good of you to come at such short notice Archie;” she said looking at him, “won’t you come in;” he told Angus to stay and stepped inside, took his cap off and stood there fidgeting with it nervously.
“He remembers the old Witch that used to live here Mary, the one that died, maybe I didn’t tell you about her?”
“I don’t think you did;” she said with a vacant look on her face. Wizzo turned to Archie.
“Close what’s left of the door my friend and come round by the fire and warm yourself.” Archie feeling a little bit more comfortable after seeing the change that had taken place in the old Witch closed the door and went over to join them, rubbing his hands together vigorously to warm them in front of t
he fire.
“I must apologize but I must leave you two to sort things out. I have a long journey ahead of me and if I don’t leave now it will get to dark to travel. Again I apologize, but I will come back in the late spring to see how you’re doing Mary. In the meantime I think that this fine fellow here will take good care of you and introduce you to all the rest of the people in this good town, they have no healer, so they will appreciate that.”
He walked over to Archie and shook his hand. “Thank you Archie, Mary’s not had much to do with the outside world, she is a healer and has spent most of her life learning her craft. I now leave her in your good hands, look after her my friend.” Before leaving he glanced at the book that was now on the floor beside Mary, he pointed his staff at it and cast a spell so that it would never leave this dwelling and would resist all efforts by anybody who tried to remove it. With that he turned and walked out into the snow, he stopped and thought for a moment then went back inside.
“Mary, if a small dumpy man comes to see you, and he’s not from this town, you must think of the name ‘Wizzo.’ I would ask you also to remember the name ‘Wizzo’ Archie. Having fixed this into both their minds he went back outside, then wrapping his cloak around himself he disappeared.