Midnight Wonders

7.4.3. A Peculiar Sense of Familiarity

Falling was still disorienting as ever. The light of Under-The-Green-Hill was—not blinding as he had expected to be.

In fact, it was not bright at all.

The lights were...off. He hit the ground and looked up to see the lights still as dim and low as they'd been at Midsummer.

But how could that be? It was all over. It hadn't been seven years, had it? Time didn't pass like that in Under-The-Green-Hill. Did it?

There was no time to dwell. Luc looked down the familiar path, and he ran. There was no reason to walk. The market was still there, this time dull and lifeless without the light to catch upon the colored tents, the gossamer garments, the dripping fruits.

Luc ran to the nearest stall. "Excuse me," he said, before they could start heckling him with their sales. "Where is the Rowan?"

"That way," said the stall owner, pointing loosely before turning to another potential customer. Luc barely had time to thank him before he ran off in that general direction. Upon reaching another large crowd, he found another to ask, another to point him on the way, another to ask, another to point him on the way.

"Luc!" A hand caught his arm, and he jolted.

Minnie. "What are you—" he began, as she did. They both stopped.

Minnie's hair had inexplicably changed color. It was yellow now. At least, he thought so. It was hard to tell without the light. Everything looked gray.

"Where's Kay?" said Luc.

Minnie shrugged. "I haven't seen him since Midsummer." She paused, narrowing her eyes. "What are you doing here again? I thought you left."

"I did," said Luc, feeling breathless. "I'm back. I need—I need Kay."

"You need Kay or you need a knight?" said Minnie. "Because I can find you one but not the other."

Luc tried to sort out his racing thoughts. "Why are the lights still off?"

"What?"

"The lights. Weren't they supposed to turn back on?" Had truly so little time passed in Under-The-Green-Hill while months had gone by outside?

"Oh," said Minnie. She twiddled her thumbs. "Well. Maybe something went a little wrong."

"What do you mean, wrong?"

"Calm down," she said. Luc thought he was doing a very good job at staying calm considering the current situation.

"Please just show me where the tree is."

Minnie raised an eyebrow. "What do I get out of it?"

"Whatever you want."

"That's a little bold," she said. "What if I asked for—"

"Whatever you want," Luc said again, "and whatever I can give. Please."

Minnie scrunched up her face. Then she caved. "All right. But stop rushing! You're making me anxious. Time is not going to run out."

"No, because it's frozen," said Luc, "and it needs to start moving."

She looked confused at that, but didn't ask. "Come on, then."

Luc followed her. The noise around them faded as the market fell behind them. They hurried along a path through a sloping field that looked like it had come from outside. Luc felt that they'd barely been headed on the path before the familiar large tree came into view.

"That was fast," said Luc, remembering how long the journey with Kay had been. Though perhaps that had been because Kay hadn't been taking him to the right place.

"Or maybe you're just in a rush," said Minnie. She stopped in front of the Rowan tree and gestured to it with a flourish, as if Luc couldn't see it right there. "Here you are."

"Thank you," Luc said, out of breath already. "What do you want from me?"

"Hm..." Minnie considered. "I want one of the things you gave Kay."

"What?" For a moment, Luc couldn't think. Then he remembered. "Oh, you want a tie?"

"My house has enough tiles, I want one of the skinny scarves," said Minnie.

"It's called a tie," said Luc. "A necktie. But I don't have one on me right now."

"Oops," Minnie said, and shrugged. "Guess you're indebted to me!"

"Very well," Luc said, who really did not have the patience for this. "I'll bring you one later." He glanced at the tree. "So I just walk in?"

"It's open," she said. She paused. "Do you want me to wait for you while you're in there?"

He looked at the tree again. It looked different, somehow, than before. "No," he said. "No, don't wait. I'll find you later."

"You had better," she said. She hesitated. "See you."

"You too," he said, and he walked into the tree.