Matilda, Child of Fire

HMV: Seeking El Dorado

7 HMV: Seeking El Dorado

"Sammen kan vi klare alt"

Translation: "Together we can do everything" –Stina Talling, song "BlimE (Mer Enn God Nok)"

10 am Week 3, Auditorium, University of Oslo Faculty of Medicine, Klaus Torgårds vei 3, 0372 Oslo, Norway

Her hands trembled as she held her notes and walked slowly to the podium, having heard her name called. "I present to you, Dr. Macy Valensi, eminent American researcher, here to discuss her medical anthropological research on Hypnos!" Dr. Jakob Henrik had eagerly announced to the crowd of medical students sitting in the auditorium.

"You'll do great!" Harry mouthed as he waited in the wings, much like he had back in 1941 when he was Jimmy Westwell to the ever-beguiling Darcy Valensi.

Macy sported a sky-blue sheath column V-neck knee-length dress with cascading ruffles. She had reviewed her outfits the night before, trying to figure out what would be considered work-appropriate in a different country, hoping to avert an accidental faux pas or international incident of a similar regard. She couldn't help but cringe remembering the time when Harry had brought home chrysanthemums to present to a French mutual friend, not knowing it symbolized funerals in their culture. Whoops.

As of late, Macy and Harry had settled into a sort of routine, cuddling together hours before the sun rose, then slowly waking up in a rather languorous, lascivious fashion, dressing, and proceeding downstairs into Restaurant Teatro, where breakfast was provided for free in an intimate, darkened navy/raspberry-blue interior with long, color-coordinating navy-hued scalloped velveteen booths. The adjoining walls were decorated with gold-framed art; one was of a rather somber man in a suit, tie, and bowler hat (the bottom-right painting); the top-right piece displayed a serene ocean (or lake) scene, with a piece of lush, mountainous land jutting out in the background.

The largest artwork of all was in the black circular center frame, depicting hybridized butter-yellow roses with streaks of pink in its interior folds, in a vase that sat upon a realistic-appearing silken blue tablecloth, which of course matched the hotel restaurant's walls and seating booth impeccably.

10:40 am, Auditorium, University of Oslo Faculty of Medicine, Klaus Torgårds vei 3, 0372 Oslo, Norway

Macy completed her lecture, and the students applauded. She looked around, somewhat dazed. She always had the odd ability to zone out when giving a presentation, especially since Hypnos was a topic she knew so intimately. The only thing she asked of Jakob and Sofie was that there be an online Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) session instead of a detailed half-hour-long Q&A session, due to her and Harry having a mild scheduling conflict (she didn't specifically mention searching for a century-old witch aloud, for fear people would point them in the general direction of the nearest mental asylum).

11 am, Outside University of Oslo Faculty of Medicine, Klaus Torgårds vei 3, 0372 Oslo, Norway

"Darling," Harry said, smoothing away stray strands of Macy's curls, and kissing her squarely on the lips, "you did an excellent job."

"Oh why thank you, Mr. Valensi," she all but purred, enjoying the feel of her husband's muscular arms embracing her for those precious, beautiful minutes before the search began once more. Harry made as though to remove his suit jacket, revealing his cropped shirt sleeves, and Macy gasped, pulling him aside and clutching his suit tightly toward him.

"Macy, what on earth are you doing?"

"Preventing you from making an ass of yourself—" Macy began, pointing to a large purpled spot on his bare porcelain-hued arm, an unmistakable hickey. A visible reminder of the past evening's passionate ardor.