Chapter Twenty Eight
That night everyone who could make it in the Land celebrated at the Castle. Even the Baroness joined in a little. Matthew drank lots of dark beer with the encouragement of Curt and Tobias; even old Johan was there. Matthew also danced a lot with Hannah - Walter keeping a watch over both of them. Matthew decided that this was not going to be the last party he attended, as he took in all the strange sounds and sights and enjoyed being drunk with his new friends – and girlfriend! he reminded himself. The rest of the night went in a blur of pleasure.
As did the next couple of days, during which time, Hannah and Matthew were inseparable. They visited all Hannah’s favourite (and private) places in the Land, and Matthew felt too happy – with his first girlfriend. They always left early and returned late with Walter chastising them a little for this.
Then on the second night, Tobias and Curt took them all on a tour of the local taverns, where Matthew discovered what it was like to feel a hero – a very drunk one at that. He also experienced what it felt to be viewed positively by young, attractive girls who no longer giggled at him but laughed with him. This, he noticed, Hannah did not like very much.
Then on the third morning, Matthew woke up next to Hannah in her bedroom back at the farm. He just about remembered getting back from the last tavern on her grandfather’s wagon. Matthew had been very drunk. It had been a crazy night, one which he knew he would never forget. But for some reason he had a sinking feeling in his stomach, as he looked around him and could see the Spear on the floor with his two bags of magic tools.
Hannah then kissed him and got up. He watched her while she got dressed - his first woman; it really was unbelievable. He then got up himself and followed her down into the kitchen where Walter was making some food.
‘Sit down, you two youngsters, and eat some lunch. A soldier has been here today. The Baroness wants to see you, Matthew,’ said Walter looking a little sad. ‘She says she wants to say goodbye.’
‘Goodbye!’ exclaimed Hannah as she looked at Matthew. ‘He’s only been here for a short time.’
Matthew looked at her, also confused. Now he knew why he had felt down this morning; it wasn’t just a hangover. ‘I’ll see her after lunch, I’m sure there’s some misunderstanding’ he said.
But Hannah would not stop. ‘You cannot return,’ she said. ‘I feel something bad will happen to you if you do. It doesn’t matter about your world at the moment and you can return there anytime.’
Matthew tried to comfort her without success. But she continued to plead with him to stay while they ate their food. Then after having a wash, and getting ready, he left with Hannah to go to the Castle on the grandfather’s wagon.
They did not speak much on the way there. Hannah was in a sulk; Matthew was still suffering with his hangover and thinking of the reasons why he had to go home so suddenly, though he knew his parents would be missing him – as he was them. Sometime later they went through the Castle gates with the soldiers more welcoming than before. Hannah stayed with her grandfather in the courtyard while Matthew entered the Castle - she was too upset to join him.
A servant took him to the Baroness. He attempted a bow but she said ‘After what you’ve done, you of all people do not have to bow here, Matthew.’
‘Come here,’ she continued and hugged him. ‘Thank you a hundred times for saving me and our Land. You will always be remembered here.’
‘What am I just a piece of history?’ Matthew asked.
‘No, not just that, although that is no bad thing. But you will have to return to your own world as soon as possible. You cannot stay here forever. For one thing you have a family in your world. For another thing, you were brought here by magic, which means that you are not as we are. If you stayed here you would quickly diminish until you died. This is because the magic which keeps you here is losing its power all the time.
That necklace you wear with the leather bag has protected you from the worst of this, but it will not last forever,’ she finished. Matthew remembered Martha giving this to him on his second day in the Land.
But he was still uncertain about one thing. ‘I don’t understand. Your family came here from my world and they obviously did not diminish.’
‘It was only my ancestor, Baron Von Hugel, who was of your world, and he did not stay here, and merely visited from time to time, which cost him dearly in magic. I’m sorry, Matthew, but you must return and the sooner the better for your health and Hannah.’
‘Yes, we’ve become quite close. I don’t want to hurt her,’ he said, though he was very hurt himself; it seemed that his life had not completely changed for the better.
‘She’ll get over it in time. It isn’t many girls who’ve had a hero as their boyfriend,’ she said.
‘Yes, I suppose you’re right. Anyway, I’m sorry about your father and I’m glad you are now in power. In the short time I’ve known you I have realised that you are a very nice person and I know from my limited experience in my world that there are not many like that,’ said Matthew ‘But before I go I would like to say goodbye to Martha. She helped me a lot and I think it’s only right.’
‘Yes, of course, I hope we will see more of her around the Castle now. Please tell her that,’ said the Baroness.
‘Thank you, I will,’ said Matthew. ‘Goodbye, Baroness. I’ve learnt a lot here.’
‘Isn’t there anything else?’ asked the Baroness.
‘Er, oh here’s the Spear,’ he said.
‘No, no, no. You must return that where you got it. I was thinking more of the magic tools you were given. They shouldn’t really be used in your world, which long ago forgot about such things.’
‘But how am I to return the Spear without them?’ asked Matthew
‘Oh, I’m sure you’ll think of something,’ the Baroness said as she took the magic items from him.
Matthew then rejoined Hannah and her grandfather and returned to the farm. Curt and Tobias were waiting, both with hangovers as bad as him, thought Matthew. ‘Sorry to see you go, lad,’ said Curt. ‘We could have used someone with your bravery and guile here.’
‘Yes. Sorry to have doubted you as well, Matthew,’ said Tobias. They and Johan then said they were proud to have known him and wished him well for the future. Matthew shook their hands and that of Walter, who also gave him a surprising hug. ‘Goodbye, young stranger, Matthew. Please also forgive an old man for his doubts; it seems Martha is wise after all.’
Matthew and Hannah then left to see Martha. They got there late afternoon. Martha was in her usual place by the fire. ‘I’m afraid, Hannah, that Matthew has to leave us, otherwise he will be dead within two weeks,’ she said without any greeting. Matthew then surprisingly felt a little better about going back, for he knew now he really did have no choice.
‘Ok, I knew that,’ said Hannah matter of factly. It’s just that I don’t like it.’
‘I just came to thank you and say goodbye,’ said Matthew ‘But I suppose you already knew that.’
‘Nevertheless, the thought was a good one,’ said Martha. ‘But it is us who must thank you. Without you, the Baron would still be oppressing us. You have helped to give us our freedom. But in doing this we have also given you something, I think. You came here uncertain of who you are and of the world around you. But now I think you understand these things better.’
‘One thing I have learnt,’ said Matthew ‘is that it is difficult to say goodbye.’ He looked at Hannah.
‘Well, there are some bad things we all have accept sometimes,’ Martha said.
Martha then beckoned them over to the table, where she got them both a drink. Hans the cat came over to Matthew and he stroked him. They talked about how the Land would be better with the Baroness. Martha then said, ‘I don’t want to seem unwelcoming but you had better leave soon. You are both tired and it will be dark soon.’
Hannah and Matthew both got up. Martha then hugged him. She also looked him in the eye. ‘Yes, you certainl
y have changed, Matthew.’
‘Thanks for all your help. I will always wear this in memory of you,’ he said feeling the necklace she had given him for protection when he had first met her.
‘It will provide some protection even in your world – another reason to keep it on,’ said Martha. ‘The final thing I will say to you is: beware of the red wagon.’
Matthew decided it was pointless trying to work out what she meant for now and decided he would think about it later. He merely gave her a look of goodbye and then gave Hans a final stroke. Hannah then hugged Martha and they left for the Clearing.
On the way back they took their time, holding hands and kissing and reminiscing about all that had happened to them. Then just as it was getting dark Hannah slowed down at what Matthew realised was the spot where he had first met her.
‘I can’t go any further,’ she said. ‘The closer we get to the Clearing the more upset I become.’
Matthew hugged her, ‘Oh, Hannah. It’s not necessarily the end. The Baroness’ ancestor Baron Von Hugel used to return to the Land,’ he said but did not really believe this. The Baron knew magic but Matthew did not.
‘No, this is the end. You are the first and last man I will love,’ she said. ‘Martha told me this. She thinks I have the “gift” and so she will teach me all her knowledge. This helps a little. But I’m still upset by you going.’
‘I feel the same,’ said Matthew. ‘But we both know I have to leave. I will always think of you.’
She then took her dagger out and cut a lock of her hair, which she tied around Matthew’s necklace. ‘You can now think of me as well as Martha,’ she said in tears.
It was getting darker now and so Matthew finally kissed a crying Hannah and left to go to the Clearing. He looked back a couple of times to see if Hannah was still there. But she had gone. He was very sad and felt tearful himself.
He then tried to cheer himself up by reflecting on how much he had changed since he had first walked on this track all those days ago. Then he was confused and unsure of himself, thinking too much about the wrong things. He remembered how he had been scared about being on his own in Vienna, which was why he had worn his hoodie, to look tougher. He laughed a little to himself at this - after all the danger and violence he had gone through. Now he was more sure about what life was all about and his part in it and wanted to make the most of it. Yes, he was upset about leaving Hannah but he finally accepted there was nothing he could do about it – another lesson, he thought.
He then thought about his parents and how it would be good to see them again. They would definitely be worried about him now – he must have been gone for 24 hours or more. But then he thought that it seems as though their bringing me to Vienna did have the desired effect, after all, with half a smile on his face.
Eventually, he reached the path leading to the Clearing and then an hour later reached the Clearing itself. He then went to the Oak Tree and faced the Clearing for the last time and imagined being back at the Kunsthistorisches.
Chapter Twenty Nine
Matthew found himself back at the Kunsthistorishes. He checked the time: it was 5.57 p.m. He had been gone for nearly eight hours again. He walked out of the gallery and then down the stairs to the exit. When he got outside, he put his hood up and headed to the Hofburg; he wanted to return the Spear as soon as possible without, hopefully, being seen or recognised. It was dark, cold, and a little windy.
He approached the front of the Hofburg; there were not many people around. Matthew’s plan was to post the Spear through the letterbox of the door to the entrance. As he got nearer to it, he became more cautious but got the Spear from his rucksack at the same time. Then when he was in front of the entrance, he had a final look around him to ensure no one was around, and put the Spear though the letterbox of the door. He then quickly walked away, feeling nervous but relieved that he had managed to return it.
‘Halt! Halt!’ he suddenly heard a couple of voices say behind him. He felt a cold wave of fear flow through his body, which some adrenalin then added to. He knew he had two choices: to give himself up or to run. He chose the latter and launched into a sprint.
‘Halt! Halt!’ he heard again behind him but this time with some footsteps as well. He continued to run, trying to work out where he was in relation to his hotel. They mustn’t catch me, he thought, not after all I’ve been through. He then saw the Ringstrasse ahead and knew he had to cross it. But there was a lot of traffic on it. His pursuers seemed to be catching up with him and he was almost out of breath. But the traffic now seemed to have some gaps in it. Matthew ran into to it.
He dodged two cars who hooted loudly at him. He was nearly on the other side.
But just as he reached the pavement on the other side, there was one car he could not dodge. It was going faster than the others, probably above the speed limit.
Time slowed down for Matthew, as he remembered what Martha had finally said to him. He saw then felt the red station wagon hit him. He fell unconscious...
Matthew woke up and looked around him. At first it was all a blur but then he saw that he was in a hospital bed. He could not remember how he got here. He then saw his parents alongside his bed. They were talking to each other, not looking at him. He could make out some of what they were saying. ‘What happened at the museum?...We should never have brought him here.’ They were very upset, with his mother crying.
Matthew felt for his necklace but it was not there. He looked around for it and then noticed some other people in the room, a doctor, some nurses, as well as...a priest. Bloody Hell, what’s going on? he asked himself, as he fell back into unconsciousness.
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