Tight Trouser Never Won Fair Angel

Chapter Ten (You'll Catch More Fairies With A Meadow Of Honeybees)

Madame Tracy knows what's up.

-/-

Aziraphale was not entirely certain how long he sat on that path feeling sorry for himself, but the reader will likely be relieved to know that it was only about ten minutes of his allotted time gone before a figure came over to him, a human woman, who touched his shoulder in warning before kneeling before him.

"There you are, Master Fairy," she said, not-unkindly. "You're of no good to your little lad like this- come along, let's get some tea in you-"

And without much trouble at all, she brought him to his feet and guided him down the path, which opened out into a meadow filled with an entire color spectrum of flowers and fat, contented honeybees and a picturesque cottage in the middle. He stopped short, frowning, and turned around- he could have sworn that a moment ago they were surrounded by enormous redwoods, but the meadow was bordered by oaks and birch and the like, not a redwood in sight.

"Now you're getting it," the woman said, and led him to the cottage. "Now, come along, come inside- let's get you some tea and then sort you out. You'll need to be on your way soon, if you want to find your little boy."

By the time the woman set tea in front of him, Aziraphale was back to himself and feeling rather silly over his previous behavior. It would be difficult reaching the center of the labyrinth from the wall in such a short time; it would be impossible if he wasn't even trying.

"Thank you, my dear," he said, taking a sip of the tea. It was a bit sweeter than he liked, but the warmth was reassuring. "How may I address you?"

"Oh, everyone around here calls me Madame Tracy, or just Madame. No need to ask who you are- the labyrinth has been talking about you nonstop since you came here."

Aziraphale gave an alarmed start at that- "It has?"

"Course. It's been awhile since Master Crowley played his little Game, you know- of course you're gonna be a source of gossip."

"I suppose." Aziraphale sipped his tea, and the sweetness burned the back of his throat the same way the question did, and he said, "Madame, if you'll pardon my asking-"

"You want to know what a hag like me is doing in a goblin city," she finished for him.

"I would hardly call you a hag," he said, affronted. "But there is a trend among the humans one finds in a Fae realm and, well..." He fidgeted with his teacup. "Nuns, and old soldiers, and..."

"Old Jezebels?" she said sweetly, and batted her eyes at him before taking on a more serious tone. "I don't really know that it's that complicated. I needed somewhere to go, and I knew there was a goblin city at the back of the alley near my home, so I went there and asked if I could stay. He said I was welcome as long as I didn't bother him. And then built this cottage for me, said he wanted me to keep an eye on the bees for him." She shrugged. "So I did. It's not a bad life- the bees pretty much tend themselves, and I go out with the nuns sometimes if I get the itch to be around humans."

And that was another thing that gave Aziraphale pause for thought- he'd never known a Fae realm where the humans were free to come and go as they liked. Most Fae rulers worked very hard to ensure that their pet humans would never even want to leave-

-ah, but that was it, wasn't it? Crowley didn't treat them like pets. Rather, at the very most, employees, people hired to help him look after his labyrinth. (Which seemed strange in itself, the realm was an extension of the Fae's thoughts, why would it need tending?)

Aziraphale looked around him while he sipped his tea and Madame Tracy chattered about her most recent adventure with the nuns. His eyes landed on the bundles of dried plants hanging from the ceiling, carefully cut and preserved fruits and vegetables and herbs to always be on hand when she needed them- he doubted there was a such thing as winter here in the goblin city but at this point it wouldn't surprise him.

She must eat the food here, then, but if she did, would she be able to come and go so easily? A human who ate the food of the Fae would only by some miracle be able to bring themselves to leave, would then spend the entirety of their life trying to return. But- not so, here? How?

But all of this was irrelevant. There would be time for questions later. For now, Aziraphale set his empty teacup down. "My dear, I do apologize, but I must take my leave now. My godson is still in your master's power, and I must save him."

"Course," she said, standing and accompanying him to the door. "You needn't worry so much- just trust the labyrinth. It'll guide you right to where you need to go, and when you need to get there. Go on-"

And shooed him out onto the trail that passed through the meadow. He made his way down it, eyes drawn to the flowers- so many, and so varied, and so truly, completely random. This, he was slowly beginning to realize, was not a Fae realm as he was accustomed to.

He'd reached the border of the trees, and stepped through the arched entryway that would lead into the dark forest. This time, he was wholly unsurprised to find himself in a lane that passed through a grove of fruit trees, rather than the story-book fairy-forest that guarded the meadow.

He turned around, just to see. The lane stretched on behind him, curving gently away.

Ah. So he was at the mercy of the labyrinth, then.

Five hours.

He started walking.

-/-