The Children of When (Complete)

Chapter 8: Dominic the Dwarf

Belle's head was spinning from what Madame Persimmons had just told them, and the most amazing part was that no-one had even mentioned her different skin colour. Maybe it wasn't going to be an issue, in a world where 'normal' wasn't so easily defined. Beside her, Leah and Raff were busy debating what would be the coolest Gifts to develop. Belle was happy to sit and listen to their chatter, basking in the newfound knowledge she wasn't considered a 'freak' here in Florisia.

The door behind them opened, and into the room stepped the strangest little man Belle had ever seen. He was about the height of her ten-year-old foster-sister; with a long, frizzy, red beard dominating what little could be seen of his lined ruddy face. His stocky little body rocked from side-to-side as he walked towards where they sat staring. The deep-set, blue-grey eyes peeking out from above his beard met her own, and a smile creased what little she could see of his face.

"Good mornin' young'uns," he greeted them in a gruff, cheerful voice. "I be Dominic the Dwarf, and I be seein' from th' looks on y're faces y've not seen th' likes o' me before," he chuckled. Belle dropped her eyes to her lap, horrified she had been looking at him the way others had looked at her all her life.

"I'm s-s-so sorry," she stammered. "I didn't mean to be rude. It's just..."

Dominic's eyes softened, and he waved away her apology. "Ah, don't y' be worryin y'rself about it. I be used to th' stares from new young'uns like y'rselves. Now, if y' be ready to come with me, I'll be givin y's a quick look around, and then take y' to y'r rooms, so y's can settle in."

"Absolutely," Raff said, finally finding his voice and jumping to his feet. "Let's go!"

Belle looked at Leah and they both smiled, rolling their eyes at Raff's eagerness. Dominic led the way out of the room, and turned towards a huge set of double, timber doors to their left. The outline of a tree had been intricately carved into each door, their branches bending towards each other to meet where the doors joined. Dominic stopped and turned towards them before opening the doors.

"Err, a word o' warnin afore we be goin out there. If y' thought th' likes o' me were strange, best y' prepare y'rselves for a few more surprises. Mornin classes 've just ended, 'nd there'll be more'n a few kids around." He winked at them and pushed open the doors. As the carved trees parted, it created the illusion of them opening their arms in welcome to the wonderland beyond.

Belle stood rooted to the spot. Dominic wasn't joking. It was the most amazing sight she'd ever seen.

"Woah," she breathed softly. "It's beautiful." Leah nudged her, and she quickly stepped out of the way as two students, deep in conversation, hurried by.

In the centre of the grounds, the sun glinted off the surface of a sparkling lake. Suspended above the water were three small islands, shaped like ice-cream cones. It looked like a giant hand had reached into the ground, pulled out the large plots of earth, and thrown them into the air, the roots left dangling below them. Water cascaded off the edges of each island, creating circular ripples where it entered the otherwise smooth lake. Belle laughed as a gentle breeze carrying droplets of water caressed her face. She licked her lips, the taste clean and sweet.

The edges of the lake nudged up against a blanket of soft green grass. Belle had an overwhelming urge to take off her shoes and run across its velvety softness. Later, she promised herself, tearing her eyes away so they could continue to drink in the sensory feast laid out before them.

And then there were the students. Children of varying age, size, shape and colour were coming and going from a brightly coloured, horseshoe shaped building surrounding the lake. The tiled pathway seemed to change colour, depending on where you were, separating the grassy area from the building and veering off at intervals to mark the entrance to a doorway.

Most of the students were in various stages of transformation. Belle had no idea what physical traits belonged with what race, but she was intrigued by the group coming out of a doorway close by, their silvery hair pulled back to reveal pointy tipped ears. Unconsciously, she reached up and touched the top of her own ears, wondering if that would happen to her. Further up, a young girl burst out of one of the buildings. Wings sprouted from her back as she lifted into the air, where she hovered, looking back towards the doorway from which she'd emerged.

"Hey, no fair," another girl yelled, as she raced out of the same doorway. "No flying, or I'm not playing anymore."

The girl with the wings floated back down and Belle watched the wings shrink, and vanish, inside her back.

The girl was shaking her head and holding her hands out to the sides innocently. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I didn't mean to. Sometimes the wings just come out whether I like it or not. I really need to talk to Miss Poppycock about it." She threw her arm around her friend's shoulders and they walked off laughing.

"Did you see that?" Leah whispered

"How cool was that?" Raff said, as he moved closer to the girls.

"Hehehe," Dominic chuckled. "I knew y'd be impressed with th' sights o' th' school. Now, the bright coloured buildin' here be th' dorms. This first door be leadin' to th' first-year rooms, which be where y'll be stayin."

They stepped out of the sunlight into a large airy room filled with overstuffed, comfy-looking lounges. Along the wall to the left was a bookshelf bulging with books, writing paper, paints and random drawing implements. Lace curtains fluttered in the breeze coming from the large window on the other side of the room, and Belle caught a glimpse of the same meadow they'd viewed from Madame Persimmons' office.

They followed Dominic through a door to the right and found themselves in a long passageway. Dominic was counting softly as they walked past the first few doors, then paused and seemed to make up his mind.

"Belle, this be y'r room. Leah's room be next door and Raff be in th' room across th' hall."

Belle thanked Dominic for all his help, and then smiled at the sight of Leah and Raff standing behind Dub, winking and mouthing the words 'see you in a minute'.

Chuckling, she opened the door and stepped into her room. And suddenly her past came rushing back to slap her in the face. She slumped back against the closed door, sliding to the floor devastated. She was standing in her old room from Naissance, the one she'd hoped never to see again.

How is it here? She felt sick; the joy of the last few hours instantly obliterated by the memories the room evoked. A loud whoop of joy came from the direction of Leah's room. At least someone sounded happy with what they'd found.

It was all exactly the same as it had been that morning when she'd left - the threadbare cover on the bed, the places on the grey walls where the paint was peeling off, and the single change of clothes hanging in the cupboard.

And then Leah was knocking on the door against her back. Belle's face burned at the idea of letting anyone see the squalor she'd lived in. She'd always hated being pitied, and had foolishly thought all that was behind her. Drawing a ragged breath, she stood and opened the door.