Moomins 'The Girl With No Name' Part 5
Soon a week had passed and everything went smoothly in Moomin Valley. Nonam was part of the family, helping Moomin Mama in the kitchen, tending to the flower beds and sewing with Snork Maiden. She played in their games and was gracious enough to listen to their theories about her origin. Despite the haunting look in her eyes, the girl was much brighter and generally happier looking. Already with a week of fine cooking she had begun to fill out and looked much rosier. Moomin had learned she was the sort of person who would speak when she thought it proper too but was generally quiet and content in her own company. She would often wander by herself or visit Snufkin, who would sit with her in silence by the river. Moomin often felt as if Nonam was better a friend to Snufkin than he was, for Moomin was talkative and not at all mysterious and quiet. At times from his bedroom window, Moomin would see Nonam in the garden with Moomin Mama, her eyes fixed upon the woods in the distance. As the days went on paranoia and jealously grew in Moomin and he was consumed with a feeling of hate toward the mysterious girl.
One bright morning both Moomin and Nonam ate breakfast whilst Moomin Papa read the newspaper and Moomin Mama started making preparations for lunch. Moomin glowered at Nonam as he spooned gruel into his mouth. He had never despised anyone with such venom. He disliked everything about her. The way Snufkin seemed to prefer her company over his, her sweet and perfectly innocent demure, the way she was so clueless about everything. He wished she would just regain her memory and leave Moomin valley forever. Leave Moomin valley and leave Snufkin! Most of all however, he hated the fact he had to hate her as she was not at all easy to hate.
Luckily, however, these concentrated feelings were brushed aside as the gang of Snork Maiden, My and Sniff appeared at the kitchen door.
"We have a great game to play!" bellowed Little My, which gave the dozy Moomin Papa such a fright that he dropped his pipe.
"It is called 'princesses and dragons'." announced Snork Maiden who had put a fresh flower in her golden fringe. "What we will do is, Little My will be a dragon and me and Nonam will be princesses. Then you and Sniff will have to save us!"
"Do I have to be a Princess, Snork Maiden? I think one Princess would be enough." said Nonam who was looking particularly bored at the prospect of this game as she handed her dirty plate to Moomin Mama.
"Of course." bossed Snork Maiden "You are after all a real Princess, so we can be sisters."
Nonam didn't argue as she had learnt that with Snork Maiden nothing would come of it. Soon they found themselves out in the greenery of the meadows. The sky was blue and the fluffy clouds were being sped across it because of the high wind. Little My and Nonam's skirts fluttered in the wind and Snork Maiden's beautiful yellow fringe was moving so beautifully that Moomin was mesmerised by it. They had found a great rock which was to be Nonam and Snork Maiden's castle. Both of them sat upon it, Snork Maiden playing her part beautifully as a heart broken and lonesome princess. Nonam on the other hand wasn't much up to romantic acting and was soon found daydreaming. Little My was running around the rock roaring as loudly as she could. If Sniff or Moomin tried to save the princesses, she would race after them and try to catch them. Both Sniff and Moomin had found swords (A.K.A. sticks) and were waving them around in the most knightly fashion. All was set, or so they thought.
"Wait!" cried Snork Maiden just as the game had begun and already Sniff was being harassed by the draconic little My. "We don't have a sorcerer! Who shall we play without a sorcerer?"
"Do we have to have one?" asked Sniff as he tried to get a Little My off his leg.
"Of course!" said Snork Maiden, folding her arms "We can't play without an evil sorcerer to vex us Princesses."
Moomin had forgotten the meaning of 'vex' but he was pretty sure that if a sorcerer wasn't supplied soon, Snork Maiden would be very much vexed and perhaps vexing them. Soon his eyes met with the distant house, the little bridge and the tent by the stream. He could see a little figure sitting on the bridge and although the wind made it difficult to hear, he was sure someone was playing a harmonica.
"Snufkin!" shouted Moomin to the group "Snufkin could be the sorcerer, I'll go get him."
Moomin ran off leaving Snork Maiden murmuring something about 'my hero' while Nonam continued her day dream and Sniff was attempting to escape Little My. After much huffing and puffing, Moomin soon reached the bridge, finding Snufkin sitting on it, deeply engrossed by song. Moomin waited a while as he tried to catch his breath and Snufkin, aware of the presence of his friend, soon stopped playing and greeted him.
"Hello Moomin."
"Snufkin! We need you to play an evil sorcerer in our game of 'princesses and dragons'."
"Princesses and dragons?" questioned Snufkin who seemed very amused by the suggestion.
"Yes." puffed Moomin "Snork Maiden is determined to have a sorcerer."
"Let me show you this first." smiled Snufkin as he placed his harmonica on his lap and from his pocket took out a glittering object. It was golden and round and Moomin soon recognised it.
"The compass from the ship wreck!"
"Yes." smiled Snufkin "I tried to fix it. I thought it might help Nonam to remember." He passed it over to Moomin who began to examine it "Problem is it only points to North. It won't point in any other direction."
Moomin looked it over. It truly was a beautiful compass, with beautiful patterns of flowers engraved into it. He later thought it was a little strange than an item made for the sea had earthly things on it. At the time, however, he was simply taken away by the beauty of it. He very reluctantly passed it back to Snufkin who put it into his pocket, along with the harmonica.
"It is beautiful." mused Moomin.
"Yes." Snufkin agreed, sliding off the wooden railing on to the bridge. "I will give it to Nonam but only when I think it is the right time."
For a moment Moomin gave his friend a very peculiar stare which didn't go unnoticed. Both of them seemed uncomfortable. Moomin was feeling the green monster rise up inside him whilst Snufkin was sensing it.
"It will hopefully help her remember." quickly added Snufkin.
Still, they both kept looking at each other in the same way before they were interrupted.
"Hey!" waved Nonam as she ran over the green and on to the bridge. Brushing back her wild, dark hair she both gave them a small but meaningfully irritated smile. Snufkin smiled back. Moomin looked at both of them, from Snufkin to Nonam, back and forth. Snufkin's gave a small flicker of surprise when he saw Moomin looked particularly reserved and concentrated.
"Snork Maiden told me, to tell you, to 'hurry up'." sighed Nonam whose eyes were wandering off yet again into daydream, concentrated on the woods in the distance.
Snufkin gave a little nod "Alright, we better go then." He looked back over to Moomin.
Moomin nodded as well and rushed off. Both a little surprised, Snufkin and Nonam followed, soon catching up with him, running either side of him. Moomin was frowning, determined to run away but he wasn't quite able to manage it as both Nonam and Snufkin had longer legs than him. Nonam, who hadn't quite picked up on things was off into daydream again and completely uninterested in anything but running. Snufkin's eyes, however, were fixed on Moomin and looked as if he was just wizening up to something.
In no time at all they reached the 'castle'. Both Sniff and Little My were lying on the grass, looking up at the clouds. Snork Maiden was sitting on the rock, her arms folded looking perfectly irritable. When she saw them, however, she immediately brightened up, stood up and clapped her hands.
"Hooray! They are here." she beamed as she clasped her hands together.
Little My shot up and Sniff lazily sat up and grabbed his 'sword'. Getting up he flicked one of his ears and said "We have been waiting forever."
"And ever." added in Little My who looked ready to breath fire and fly.
"Sorry." replied Snufkin simply who was still looking at the sulking Moomin. For a moment he looked concerned, a little hurt himself before deciding to focus his attention on the game. "What does a sorcerer do?" He was addressing Snork Maiden.
"Well…" Smiled the princess.
In no time at all the game was all set up and everyone was playing their part well. Both Nonam and Snork Maiden were sitting on the 'castle' with crowns of flowers on their heads. Snork Maiden had her hands clasped looking perfectly neat and romantic. Nonam on the other hand seemed far more interested in watching butterflies than trying to be royalty. Snufkin stood up behind them trying to look as menacing as he could, which basically had little to no effect. Little My was running the castle round in circles, shouting "RAWR" very loudly. Both Sniff and Moomin (who seemed in a better mood now) were holding their swords and trying to look very brave and knightly.
"You will never save the princesses." announced Snufkin the sorcerer "I will keep them here forever and make them my beautiful servants."
"Oh my on no!" lamented Snork Maiden "Someone please save us!"
Nonam said nothing. She was watching a cloud roll by.
"Nonam… you are supposed to be frightened!" Snork maiden said a little annoyed.
"Hmm? Oh, yes, save us!" shouted Nonam so unconvincingly that Snork Maiden rolled her brown eyes. Snufkin and Sniff seemed to find this very amusing.
"If you dare to save them my horrible dragon with devour you!" Shouted Snufkin to which Little My obliged with a snapping of her jaws.
"We will save the princesses!" announced Moomin waving his sword and looking very brave "We shall conquer you o' evil sorcerer!"
"We will kill your dragon too." added Sniff simply.
"Yes. We will kill the dragon."
With this Snufkin gave out such a powerful maniacal laugh that Snork Maiden almost fainted. Nonam was so shocked being pulled out her daydreams by the noise that she gave out a small 'eep' and rolled off the castle. She soon got back on though, much to everyone's amusement including Snork Maiden, who was finding herself to be the 'perfect princess' out of the two. The fact she was better than someone who was suspected to be a princess made her positively glow. Everyone was in a fit of giggles except Nonam who was looking very shaken.
"Well" coughed Snufkin to rid himself of laughter "We will see about that when you battle my dragon!"
With this both Sniff and Moomin raised their swords and ran towards the castle. They were soon reared off course when they found themselves chased by a small, angry and terrifying dragon. Both of them were rushing round in loops, trying to escape the wrath of the biting dragon. Snufkin couldn't stop smiling at the scene, Nonam was fighting with laughter and Snork Maiden was giggling. When Sniff tripped up on his tail, he was quickly captured by the dragon who jumped on his belly and snapped "I got choo!" Sniff flailed around like a fish out of water.
Moomin took this opportunity to run toward the castle. Climbing it and throwing Snork Maiden behind him (had Nonam not been so busy tying her laces she might have joined Snork Maiden) as a means of protection, he pointed his sword, arms length at Snufkin. However, Snufkin also had a stick, his magical staff and was ready to duel. Once finished tying her laces, Nonam stood up and decided that the most dramatic means to finish the game was for her to be Snufkin's prisoner. With this, she decided to stand behind Snufkin and wail "Oh save me!"
"Let the Princess Nonam be free!" Moomin bravely said with Snork Maiden trying to look as shocked and romantically engrossed as possible.
"She is my prisoner!" Snufkin finished this with a maniacal laugh which caused Nonam to almost fall off the castle again.
"Can I eat him now?" Little My asked as she jumped up and down on the poor demented Sniff's stomach.
"No you can not!" glowered Sniff who was trying to wriggle free of the dragon's vice like grip on him.
For a moment both Snufkin and Moomin stared at each other, completely at a loss of what to do next. Both their sticks were at arms length, supposedly ready for duel although none of them had expected it would come to that. Snork Maiden seemed to pick up on the confusion, looking back and forth at them whilst keeping her clasped hands close to her chest.
"That was a nice game." Nonam said "Why don't we go to the woods?"
"That is a good idea." Snufkin agreed lowering his stick. He turned to look at Nonam who was pointing to the woodland in the distance, looking surprisingly attentive. "We can go together."
Suddenly, there was a clash of sticks as Moomin brought down his stick hard upon Snufkin's. Moomin's eyes were alight with anger and yet again he raised the stick for another blow. Snufkin, who was clearly taken aback, did all his best to prevent the stick from striking again… SMACK. The sticks met in the air and both of them looked at each other. Moomin's face full of dislike. Snufkin's full of confusion and hurt. For a final time Moomin raised his stick high and shouted with anger. This time, however, Snufkin wasn't quick enough. The green hat flew into the air as Snufkin fell off the rock.
"Moomin!" whispered Snork maiden whilst Moomin looked down upon his beaten opponent. He was breathing heavily, his eyes full of hate and then full of pity as he saw Snufkin hold his own head in pain. This was soon cancelled out when Nonam fell to Snufkin's side and tried to comfort him.
For a moment Snufkin and Moomin looked at each other. Snufkin's eyes spoke 'why?'. Moomin's said nothing.
Moomin marched away, ignoring the others. He wanted to get quickly away, far away. Anywhere.