Chapter 4 -- an Old Friend
Nigel awoke with the impression that his foot was on fire. On further reflection, it occurred to him that, if his foot had actually been on fire, it probably would have felt better than it actually did. He had slept on it wrong, he realized, and the woman lying facedown on top of him was not helping matters. He smiled and chuckled softly. Sydney stirred slightly, but slept on. Not wanting to wake her, he did not move.
"This I could get used to..." Nigel muttered quietly.
"Mmm... Me, too." Sydney yawned and opened her eyes slightly. "What time is it, Nigel?"
"Can't see my watch, Syd. You're on my arm."
"Mmm... Do I have to move?" Sydney closed her eyes again and buried her face in his chest.
"Well, you don't have to, Syd, but if you could shift your left leg about three inches to the right I'd be grateful..."
"Hurting?" she asked without moving her head. She moved her leg. "Poor Nigel. Is it very bad?"
Nigel fought the urge to giggle as she talked into his chest. He ran one hand through her hair as he spoke. "Well, it's not very nice, certainly... I'm afraid that I left my pain-pills in my desk."
"Oops... Maybe you can get something else from Brenna."
"Would that involve getting up?" Nigel asked languidly.
"Probably."
"Then forget it. I'll suffer."
Sydney laughed softly.
"Uh, Syd... That really tickles..."
Sydney looked up, startled. "You're ticklish?" she asked, grinning.
Nigel shrugged nervously. "Just a... tad."
Sydney's smile widened. "Where?" she breathed in his ear.
Nigel twitched his head away from her mouth. "There, for one..."
"This is promising..." She grinned at him. "You're one of those guys who's ticklish all over, aren't you, Nigel?" She laughed triumphantly as the nervous expression returned to his face. "Ah-ha!"
Nigel laughed softly. "Syd, I'd appreciate it if we could keep that just between you and I, okay?"
"Damn, and I was going to send a memo to all the department heads..." She shook her head and rolled off of him.
Nigel grinned and put his hands behind his head. "Sleep well?"
"Probably better than you..." she yawned. "You should have rolled me off if you were uncomfortable."
"I was perfectly comfortable until I woke up."
She laughed and shook her head. "Need help getting up?"
He shook his head. "No, but if you could just hand me my crutches..."
Sydney nodded and picked them up. "So..." she began, then trailed off.
Nigel grinned. "Small talk just isn't easy in a situation like this, is it?"
She shook her head. "No, it isn't... Um let's get dressed, then find Audra, I guess..."
Nigel nodded and picked up his pants. "That sounds like a good plan."
There was a tap on the door. "Come in..." Sydney called.
Brenna looked in. "Just getting up?" she asked.
Sydney nodded. "Long night."
Brenna glanced around the hut, noticed that one of the beds had not been slept in, and shrugged. "Audra would like you to join us for breakfast once you've dressed. I'll be waiting outside." She left the hut.
"Breakfast..." Nigel nodded. "Now that sounds like a good plan, Syd."
She nodded and picked up her clothes, vanishing into the back room. "So, you come up with any theories as to how we ended up here yet?" she called as she changed.
"Nothing solid yet..." Nigel replied, pulling his pants on. "I'm assuming that we were... summoned here somehow, but otherwise I'm not really sure." He pulled off the nightshirt and picked up his own shirt. He held it against his chest as Sydney reentered the main room. "Warn a guy! I might have been..." he trailed off, blushing.
Sydney grinned and turned her back. "Sorry, Nigel."
Shaking his head in embarrassment, he pulled on his shirt. "Sorry, Syd. I'm just..."
"Tense." Sydney nodded and sat down on the bed next to him as he buttoned. "Me, too, Nigel. Don't worry, though. We'll get through this. We've been in worse spots."
He nodded and sighed. "I know, Syd. This is just so totally..."
"Strange..." Sydney supplied quietly.
He nodded. "Strange. Nothing we've been through has even come close to making this seem anything other than completely surreal." He sighed. "Syd, we're in very serious trouble here."
She slid an arm around his shoulder. "I know, Nigel." She sighed and nodded. "But it's like you told me in Turkey... There's nothing in the world that we can't take on."
He smiled and blushed faintly. "You and me, Syd."
She grinned and climbed to her feet, then helped Nigel up. "So, shall we go see what the world has to throw at us today?"
He grinned and nodded, following her to the door. "Can't be any worse than what it had to throw at us yesterday..." he observed quietly.
***
"Thank you for a wonderful breakfast..." Sydney told Audra quietly as Brenna quietly removed their plates from the table.
Audra nodded. "Well, it was no feast, but my Brenna is a fine cook." She poured more tea for Sydney and Nigel. "We have much to discuss, I think."
"You can say that again..." Nigel muttered.
"How is your foot, Nigel Bailey?" Audra asked him gently.
"Better now, thanks. That tea of yours has quite a kick to it."
She smiled and nodded. "I am pleased that it has helped."
Brenna leaned over Audra and muttered. "Going out now, my Lady."
Audra nodded. "Have a lovely day, child."
Brenna nodded and left, not even acknowledging Nigel or Sydney.
Audra smiled and shook her head indulgently. "Forgive her. Although she would never admit it, she is a shy child."
"Shy..." Nigel repeated, shaking his head.
"You perhaps caught her on a bad day yesterday."
"Yeah, like we were having a swell day..." Nigel grumbled.
"Nigel..." Sydney warned softly.
He sighed. "Sorry, Syd."
Sydney nodded and patted his shoulder gently, then turned her attention to Audra. "Can you tell us how we came to be here?"
"As I said yesterday, you were obviously summoned from your own world."
"How?" Nigel asked. "And if not by you, by whom?"
She considered this for a moment. "It's hard to say. There are few in the region who possess the sort of power that is required to bring two people from the other world." She closed her eyes for a moment. Opening them, she fixed the two with a steady, contemplative stare. "To answer your question, there is another which must first be answered. To know the answer to one is, likely, to know the answer to the other."
"What's the question?" Sydney asked quietly.
"Not who, daughter, but why..." Audra whispered.
Sydney nodded thoughtfully. "Good point. I hadn't even thought about that before. If we were called here..."
"It was for a reason..." Nigel finished, frowning thoughtfully. "What does anyone need with two Relic Hunters in a place like this?"
It was Audra who answered him. "What does one need with Relic Hunters anywhere?"
Sydney sighed and nodded. "Any missing relics of value around here?"
"To my knowledge, no." Audra shook her head. "But then, I am wise, not all-knowing." She smiled faintly. "Not even the Goddess is all knowing."
"What name do you worship her by?" Nigel asked abruptly.
Audra looked up, surprised by the question. "She has many names, but, in truth, the name by which She is worshiped is not so important as that She is worshiped."
Sydney glanced at Nigel, knowing what he was getting at. "Cerridwyn? Bridgit?"
Audra looked up curiously. "Those names are from the old world, but, yes, they are still used on occasion."
Nigel took a deep breath. "I need to talk to Bridgit."
Audra stared at him in shock. "Have you taken leave of your senses?" she demanded. "Our Lady does not come on command like some dog. She is the Goddess! She comes and She goes as she will..." Audra shook her head, dumbfounded by the request.
"Nigel and Bridgit go way back..." Sydney explained quietly. "And we were hoping that she could help us sort this out..."
Audra considered this for a moment, eyeing Sydney thoughtfully. When she spoke, her voice was gentle. "I would not know how to go about calling Her here... If you wish to see Her, pray. This is the only sure method of communicating with Her."
Nigel nodded, smiling. "Interesting that neither of us thought of that, Syd. Let us pray..."
She shrugged and shook her head. "Hey, she's your friend. You pray."
Nigel shrugged and nodded. "Okay, I will."
Audra stared at the two uncertainly. "I will take you to Her sacred space."
Nigel smiled and nodded. "Thank you. I appreciate it."
She rose and led them from the hut. The village was more crowded today than it had been yesterday evening, and people stopped to stare at Audra and her guests.
"Would it be possible for me to talk to some of the citizens of this village?" Sydney asked as they left the path and started towards a small copse of trees in the distance. It would be a wonderful opportunity to learn.
Audra nodded. "I am certain that can be arranged, yes."
Sydney nodded. "Good. I can do that while Nigel is doing his thing."
"That's a good idea, Syd." Nigel told her. "Especially since I very well may end up spending all day here for nothing."
Audra led them silently to the clearing formed by the hollow stand of trees, a perfect circle of grass ringed by standing stones. "I'll send Brenna for you this evening..." she told Nigel quietly.
"Good luck, Nigel..." Sydney muttered, not sure what else to say under the circumstances.
He nodded. "Thanks, Syd. Have fun. Learn lots." He waved as they left, then sighed and looked around.
Praying was not exactly his strong-suit, especially praying to ancient gods. Admittedly he knew the forms and ceremonies for invoking dozens of them, but none seemed dreadfully appropriate in Bridgit's case. Hell, it was still hard to think of the woman as a god at all. It took him almost a half an hour to compose himself into an appropriately prayerful state of mind, and, even so, he had no real idea what to say.
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and began uncertainly. "Um, Bridgit... I'm not sure if you can really hear me, but, um... if you can, I kind of need to talk to you."
"Now that has got to be the most interesting invocation I've ever heard..." a low voice said merrily.
Nigel spun in the direction of the voice, startled. A teen-aged girl with black hair, freckles, and amazing green eyes regarded him with a wicked grin. "Hey, Nigel..." She winked and giggled at his shocked look.
"Um, hello, Bridgit." He smiled slightly.
She pouted at him. "You wanted my Mother aspect, didn't you?" she asked, referring to the red-headed woman who Nigel had been friends with. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot.
"Well, I do know her better..." Nigel temporized.
"Oh, you're just pissed that I snuck up on you. We're all the same chick, you know."
Nigel blinked in surprise. 'Pissed' and 'chick'? Definitely two words that he had never expected to hear from a goddess. "Just a bit startled."
"Sorry, man." She shrugged. "It's good to see you again."
He smiled and nodded. "You, too, Bridgit." After a brief pause, he asked, "Um, why aren't you in one of your other aspects?"
She shrugged. "Because the people around here like my Maiden aspect best. Playing to my audience, man."
Nigel nodded slowly, amazed by how much like a teenager Bridgit's Maiden aspect could be.
She grinned, reading his expression. "I know, I know... Triple Goddesses are confusing. You ought to try being one some time."
Nigel smiled faintly.
"So, what brings you to Avalon, exactly?" she asked conversationally.
"Um, I was hoping you could answer that, actually."
"Wasn't me. Have you talked to Audra?"
"She claims it wasn't her."
"Hmm... Strange. You here alone? Syd with you?"
Nigel nodded. "She's back at the village now, talking to people. Trying to figure out what happened."
"Hmm." Bridgit frowned thoughtfully.
"You honestly don't know how we got here?" Nigel asked, surprised.
She shook her head. "I'm not all-knowing. Just... mostly-knowing. No priestess can part the veil between the worlds without my knowing about it, which probably makes it a sorceress. What's she want with you two anyway?"
"Syd assumes that she wants us to go after some relic or other."
"Fair assumption, I guess. But if she wants my cauldron, you can tell her to go scratch."
"Can you send us back?" Nigel asked gently.
She sighed and shook her head.
"No?" Nigel demanded, shocked.
She shrugged defensively. "Sorry, man. You figure out who brought you here, and I've got a shot, but, deity or not, I'm bound by certain rules."
"Yeah, we've been over that..." Nigel muttered, shaking his head. "Let me talk to Red."
"You were so much more cool as a kid, Nigel..." she muttered, shaking her head. "You used to think I was the most beautiful, wise woman alive."
"I was five..." Nigel pointed out.
"That's right." She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "Well, I still think you're pretty cute." Winking, she stepped behind him and smacked him lightly on the butt.
Nigel spun to face her again, startled. "Bridgit!" he protested.
A thirty-something red-head regarded him with a maternal smile. "Yes, Nigel?" Her green eyes twinkled, but her bearing and voice were a thousand times more serious than those of her younger self.
"Why did you do that?" he asked, frowning.
"Because teenagers are impetuous." She shrugged. "Sorry, my friend."
"It's good to see you again." Nigel smiled.
She smiled and nodded. "You're looking well, Nigel. We've been keeping an eye on you, you know. I must say that all of us greatly approved your actions in Turkey. Especially Aphrodite. I haven't seen her that amused in centuries."
"I was an ass in Turkey, Bridgit..." Nigel told her gently.
"If you say so, Nigel." She smiled benignly. "Still, it's nice to see and Sydney making a go of it."
Nigel scowled. "In accordance with some divine plan, no doubt?"
She regarded him curiously for a moment. "Ah, I see. You're afraid that you don't have any choice in the matter. Pawn, I believe was the word running through your mind last night." She shook her head faintly. "It doesn't work like that, Nigel. You're both human. That means you both have free will. You loved Professor Fox well before I reentered your life, and I dare say she loved you as well."
Nigel sighed. "I'm sorry, Bridgit. I am just..."
"Very much on edge. I understand. You feel as if you have completely lost what little control you have over your life."
Nigel nodded, not even a little surprised that Bridgit knew this.
"Hear me, my child, when I tell you that you are as in-control now as you ever have been."
"Is that meant to be comforting?" Nigel asked sadly.
She shook her head. "It's merely the truth. You can not control the world around you, no matter how much you might wish to. The only thing Nigel Bailey can control is Nigel Bailey." She patted his shoulder gently. "Sit down. I want to look at your foot."
Nigel nodded and sat down in the cool grass. "It occurs to me that I never did thank you for saving Sydney's life."
Bridgit shrugged absently. "You did in your own way." She sat down before him and pulled his foot into her lap, gently peeling away the cast. "I am only sorry that you had to suffer so to bring it about."
"It was worth it..." Nigel told her gently.
Bridgit smiled up at him. "I knew there was a reason I liked you, my child." She examined his foot thoughtfully.
Nigel watched curiously as she slid her cool hands over the no-longer bruised skin. "That's odd. It was a real mess yesterday."
Bridgit nodded. "Brenna's doing. The bones remain broken, but I think that can be taken care of. Is it painful?"
"Only pins and needles now. It was horrible when I woke up this morning."
"Yes, having a grown woman sleep with most of her weight on your leg will do that..." Bridgit muttered dryly.
Nigel stared and sputtered, searching for an appropriate response.
Bridgit smiled and shook her head. "Teasing, Nigel."
Nigel nodded somewhat defensively. "I knew that..."
Bridgit smiled and shook her head. "Of course you did, my child. Lay back." She wrapped both hands around his ankle and waited for him to comply.
Shrugging, Nigel leaned back, watching her curiously. "What are you doing?"
"Making amends. I'm a healer, remember?"
"Of course..." Nigel nodded. He propped himself up on his elbows, trying to see what she was doing. "So, what are you--" his words were cut off as a searing heat ripped through his ankle. "Ah!" he shouted, trying to pull his foot away.
"Almost done..." Bridgit told him calmly. "Stop squirming."
The pain was horrendous, and the audible sound of bones cracking and popping was not helping. Underneath, there was another sensation, strangely soothing. Nigel was not entirely sure whether this was the most painful experience of his life, or the most pleasant. Shocked, he suddenly realized that it was both as Bridgit released his ankle. She climbed to her feet and offered him her hand.
"What did you just do?" Nigel gasped, staring up at her.
"I fixed your foot. Give me your hand."
Nigel slowly gave her his hand and allowed her to help him to his feet. He gingerly took a few steps, then stared down at his foot in surprise. "My God..."
Bridgit chuckled softly. "Have a religious conversion whilst I wasn't looking?"
"Bridgit, this is... thank you!" Nigel threw his arms around her.
"You are welcome, Nigel. Shall we take a walk?"
Nigel smiled and nodded. "That sounds like a great idea." Humming and half-skipping on his newly-repaired ankle, Nigel followed Bridgit from the grove.
"Any pain?" Bridgit asked as they walked.
"None at all. It feels a little weak when I come down on it wrong, but otherwise it's just fine. Wonderful, even."
Bridgit nodded. "Well, the weakness I am afraid I can do nothing about, but you should not suffer any more pain."
"Thank you, Bridgit."
She smiled and nodded. "That is what friends are for."
They walked in silence for a few more minutes, making a wide loop around the village. "So, you really can't send us home?" Nigel asked finally.
She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Nigel. Without knowing who did this, there is very little that I can do. You find the offender, and I will do everything in my power to get you home."
Nigel sighed and nodded. "Any idea how to go about finding the person who brought us here?"
She shook her head again. "Unfortunately, there are many, many people who use magic without my approval or knowledge."
"You're the source of all magic in the world, and you don't know everyone who uses it?" Nigel asked uncertainly.
She nodded. "In the beginning, it was easier. All magic came from me, everyone was happy. Ultimately, things changed. People started to exploit the magic in the land, in their own bodies... Magic is everywhere, Nigel. It's what makes the crops grow and it is what makes a baby's laughter such an enchanting sound. Magic is what makes life beautiful." She paused. "The problem with your world, Nigel, is that, too much, the magic is ignored. Because of that, life is less beautiful than it should be."
"Magic is not always a beautiful thing, Bridgit."
"Magic and love are always beautiful..." she told him firmly. "It is only that people sometimes twist them into mockeries of themselves. Then they become ugly." She sighed and slid an arm around his shoulder. "I will get you home, Nigel."
He sighed and nodded. "I know, Bridgit. Want to go say hello to Syd?"
She nodded. "Yes. I confess that I have been eager to see her again. She seemed rather distracted when last we parted."
"Gee, I wonder why..." Nigel muttered softly as they turned towards the village.
