Midnight Wonders

5.6.2. Time Frozen in a Glass

Round-The-Royal-Roots was larger than By-The-Well, at least by appearances. It certainly was more crowded; there were people out and about, slipping in and out of buildings and crossing each other on the streets. It was more like where Luc had found himself when he had first entered Under-The-Green-Hill, just without the market and the crowd and noise that came with it.

"Any specific tourist sites?" Luc asked Kay.

"We don't have tourists," said Kay.

"Yes, you do. I am one."

"You're from here." It was still strange to hear that said so casually, though Luc had said it enough times, as much in his head as aloud, that he should have been used to it by then.

"And I'm touring the area."

"Then every site is a tourist site."

"You know, you're right. Will you show me everywhere, then?"

Kay rolled his eyes at Luc, but he didn't refuse. And he really did show Luc everywhere. They rode past the buildings, and Kay named each one and what it was for and whether it was any good or not. The facilities of Under-The-Green-Hill seemed more...normal than Luc had expected. He didn't know what he had expected. There were, of course, restaurants and lodgings. Little shops for treats and trinkets, clothes and coffee. Then there were larger, open places: parks and playgrounds. A large garden. And, of course, houses. Like little dollhouses; they were small and homey. Colorful doors, like in By-The-Well. Luc wondered what charm it would add to his neighborhood outside if one could stand and look down the street and see so many different colored doors. It might make things a little less monotonous.

Kay had them stop for a snack break, so Luc ate the hazelnuts that were still in his pocket and didn't seem to have aged or bruised at all in there, and Kay found him water. Luc finished and looked around at the village they seemed to have already exhausted exploration of.

"Can we go outside?" said Luc. Before Kay could say that they were already outside, or that Luc was supposed to be waiting to go outside, he clarified, "Out of town. Out into the...the grass. The fields. The hills."

"Why?"

"I don't know," said Luc, because he didn't. "I just want to."

Kay shrugged. Luc thought he was going to be picky again and say that he had agreed to take Luc to the village and not beyond, but he just continued on in silence. And it wasn't as if Luc was going to do anything else, but he followed.

"How do hills fit inside hills?" Luc wondered aloud as the village melted away around them and the empty green came into view in the distance.

"You're still wondering such things?" said Kay, glancing at him.

"Curiosity is a perpetual trait." Except it wasn't, really, because it could be killed. But if one let it be, it would grow forever. "Well, everyone has wanted to know how the world works since the beginning of time. But we don't know all the answers outside either."

Kay was silent for a moment. Luc tried to think of something more to say. But what if Kay preferred the silence? He certainly took his time in it. It hadn't occurred to Luc how quickly things happened outside. How a conversation could be so brief and condensed into ten minutes because no one had the time to sit there and engage in conversation with a person who took two minutes to formulate a reply. Thinking was always supposed to be quick, outside.

"Why keep asking when you can wonder, then?" Kay finally said.

"It's called sharing your thoughts," said Luc. "Collaborating. Participating." Sometimes he had a hard time getting certain students to do that. And oftentimes he wondered if it was truly necessary himself. Sometimes he just liked to sit and listen too. "Tell me about something you know, then."