Feeling for the lever on the side of the wall as Detis had shown him, Hete located it and pulled. The door slid open sideways leaving Hete exposed to the inclement outside weather. Hesitating, he took a deep breath and telling himself that he could do this he slowly began to step out onto the wet and muddy surface below when the door resealed itself, snapping shut. Hit abruptly in the rump, Hete was propelled viciously forward and flopped unceremoniously face down in the mud.
Crying out in surprise, he sat up just as a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. He shut his eyes and covered his ears with his hands, trying not to hear the thunder, which he knew would quickly follow. He wished the storm would go away. It was a long walk to his uncle’s tree house and he didn’t think he was up to it tonight. But although the thought of returning to the castle for a meal and his warm bed was tempting, Detis’s scolding rang fresh in his mind. Cautiously standing up and dusting the mud from his uniform, he nervously looked around and then around again.
The forest seemed extremely quiet and this frightened Hete also. He had grown up here and knew his way around, but things just seemed a little out of the ordinary. “I’ll pretend the storm is not happening. I’m just going to ignore you,” he said, jumping when another bolt of lightning lit up the woodland. Yet the second he decided not think about the storm, he started to think about the great lisbits, giant lizards that roam the forest at night, looking to eat runaway Kievils. Taking shelter under a large branch and pushing himself against the tree, Hete began to wring his hands in distress.
“Oh how did I get myself into this mess? My parents always told me not to go into the forest at night. What should I do?”
Humming softly to take his mind off the storm and the other thing that he didn’t want to think about, Hete tried to concentrate on what needed to be done. “If I run all the way I’ll probably be safe,” he said softly. But on second thought, he reached down and picked up the stick beside his foot. The rain was still coming down heavily in patches between the trees. Luckily it washed a bit of the mud off his face, which made him appear somewhat more presentable.
Feeling the urgency of his mission, Hete dashed off and increased his pace. He looked about every so often for danger as he focused on the trail and the quickest way to his uncle’s den. The farther he got from the castle the more the storm seemed to dissipate and this improved his mood.
One more turn, he thought, as he veered around a bend. There he saw his uncle’s house nestled among the roots of a very old and large uppa tree. The windows were ablaze with light and seemed to welcome him. Knocking very confidently on the withered bark door, Hete stood at attention trying to seem business-like and professional. The door opened a crack and an enormous eye peered out.
“Who is it? Who would come to my door when such a storm is brewing?” demanded a worried voice. But before Hete had a chance to answer, he was recognized and the door swung open. “Hete, it’s you. Welcome, welcome, come in and out of the rain. Lete,” Uncle Tete called to his wife, “come quickly. Hete, our celebrity nephew, is here on very, very, important castle business. You better start calling our friends.”
Patting Hete on the back as he welcomed him in, Uncle Tete insisted on helping him remove his wet and mucky jacket that he hung on a crooked hook beside the door. Hete felt emotional when he looked about the room. Everything was exactly as he remembered it, cozy, warm and inviting. A fire crackled noisily in the hearth and Hete could see the remnants of tibby shells. His uncle had been roasting nuts.
Hete rubbed his stomach as he settled on the overstuffed and multi-colored patched couch. A cup of hot grub soup was thrust in his hands, and then his uncle leaned over. Almost nose to nose with Hete, Tete suspiciously whispered, “What is this important business to bring you out on a night like this?”
“Well, Uncle Tete, I...” began Hete, when he noticed someone looking in the window. “I think there’s someone outside, it looks like you have another visitor.”
Grunting, Uncle Tete jumped up and opened the door, letting two Kievils into the room. Hete didn’t recognize them and was perplexed as they stood at the entrance way staring at him. Ignoring them, Uncle Tete returned to his seat and leaned his ear towards Hete when there was another knock at the door. Again Uncle Tete jumped up and opened the door this time letting in seven other Kievils, two of them children. Uncle Tete gave no explanation to anyone and the new visitors just moved to stand beside the others who were watching Hete.
It was about this moment that Aunty Lete came into the room carrying dishes of food, which started a sudden flurry of activity. Uncle Tete now began organizing tables and chairs carting them into the living space. The door knocking kept occurring and more Kievils kept arriving. Soon Hete, the only one sitting on the couch, could not see his uncle or aunty because of the thirty or forty Kievils filling the small tree house.
Hete really didn’t understand what was going on. He only knew he had to talk with Uncle Tete and get back to the castle before Detis found out he was gone. Standing up on the wobbly coffee table to locate his uncle, Hete spotted him in the kitchen offering food and drinks to his guests. As Hete squeezed past Kievils to get to the kitchen area, he thought it was odd when most of them patted him on the back and said things like, “Such an important Kievil,” or “Amazing to meet you.”
It wasn’t easy, but finally he reached his destination. “Uncle Tete, I had no idea you were having a party tonight. I hope you have time to speak with me,” said Hete, pushing closer to the wall as some of the other Kievils leaned forward to listen.
“Nonsense, I always have time for an important Kievil like you,” replied Tete loudly. “I need to help your aunty for a few more minutes and then I’ll begin the introductions. Sit down Hete and enjoy some food,” he added with a welcoming smile as he turned back to his work.
Hete did as he was told and squeezed past the same Kievils to return to his seat. Alone on the couch again, he was quite aware that all the Kievils were watching him while they carried on seemingly normal conversations. He found it difficult to enjoy his soup with so many observers.
Out of the corner of his eye, Hete noticed a small male Kievil cautiously stepping out of the group and creeping slowly towards the sofa. Appearing exceedingly shy, the little Kievil stood about ten inches away and asked in a trembling voice, “Am I allowed to talk to you, Hete?”
“Me? Why would you have to ask?” questioned Hete, putting his now cold soup on the table.
“Because you’re famous and do very important castle work,” he answered, shuffling his feet. “I want to be just like you when I grow up.”
Hete was shocked. “I’m famous? Are you sure you mean me?” he asked, looking to see if there was someone else behind him.
“Bete, don’t disturb Hete, he needs to think about important castle business. You’re only allowed to look at him!” said the tot’s mother pulling him away. “I’m sorry about the interruption Hete,” she whispered, “It won’t happen again.”
“Mom, can I put mud on my face like Hete? I want to look just like him,” said Bete as his mother dragged him back to the group by the door.
“It is not mud, it is camouflage, Bete,” replied his mother shaking her head.
Bewildered and uncomfortable by what had been said, Hete did what all Kievils do when they are stressed, he returned to his food. The room was still filling up with more arriving Kievils and as much as they tried to give Hete space, they were being pushed closer and closer towards him. Now, Hete still alone on the couch was finding it difficult to breath. Other Kievils leaned over top of him every which way attempting to find a place to stand. Thinking it was going to be impossible to talk to his uncle tonight, Hete decided to write him a note.
As Hete stood, he saw his Uncle Tete coming towards him. “My guests welcome. I would like to personally thank all of you for not disturbing my very important nephew Hete, who has risked his life to come to discuss very, very im
portant castle business with me on this strange and stormy night. If you all would begin to line up, you can walk by him one by one and view this very important Kievil up close. If you need advice from my very important nephew, who is the only known Kievil to ever work in the castle, please let me know what it is, and I will ask him and get back to you tomorrow. The rates are posted at the door. Exact amounts owing are most appreciated. Please note there is an extra charge to shake hands. Thank you.”
Just as Tete had requested the Kievils began to happily line up, snaking in and about the room and out the doorway. Attempting to smile, Hete felt honored his uncle and aunty were proud of him but as the long line of Kievils began to move past him, he became more and more worried about the time and Detis’s wrath.