The original Hilda books were written by Luke Pearson and the animated series was produced by Silvergate Media and Mercury Filmworks and is released exclusively on Netflix. Blah. Blah. Blah. Enjoy.
Chapter 4
Deep within the labyrinthian halls of the Witches' Tower, Hazel and her two associates, Penelope and Elenore, were on the prowl. It had been a good twenty minutes since the mob had split up to cover more ground, and so far no one had seen hide nor hair of their quarry. But was she discouraged? Heavens no. Hazel had been the first one to find the little girl, and she knew in her heart that is was her destiny to find this child again, adopt her and love her forever.
That is, if a certain someone would kindly shut up.
"Do you think I'll be a good mother, Ellie?" Penelope asked her wife nervously.
"I'm sure you'll make a wonderful mother, dearest." Replied Elenore reassuringly.
"But what if she doesn't like my cooking? I mean, I only know about three hundred recipes by heart."
"Oh, she'll simply adore your cooking, sweetheart. Everyone does."
"But what if we never find her? I mean, it's been so long, she's probably already escaped by now."
"Impossible. The Tower is on lockdown. All the exists are sealed until someone catches that little girl, and that someone's gonna be us."
"And how can you be so sure?"
"Because no one in all the world deserves to be a mother more than you, my sweet little Sugar Plum."
"Oh Poopsie~ You always know just what to saw~"
And with that, the larger witch began to vigorously smooch her wife's face; much to Hazel's revulsion.
"Excuse me." The bird-nosed witch interjected. "But can we please stay on topic. Or are you trying to flush the girl out by making her want to vomit?"
"Hey, don't get snippy with me, buzzard beak." Elenore shot back. "Don't take it out on us just because you're still single and alone."
"I wouldn't be alone right now if your wife hadn't opened her big fat mouth." Hazel spat venomously. "Honestly, the first child to come down here unchaperoned in three years and she has to alert the whole blasted tower. Tell me, Penelope, were you born this stupid or was it something you had to work on?"
"That does it!" Elenore roared as she descended on the big-nosed witch with her right fist raised. "You insult her one more time and you'll need your jaw wired shut!"
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." Hazel said nervously. "I'm just a little on edge. We all are, but let's not lose our heads. So everybody just stay calm and remember what's at stake here."
"Yes, motherhood and a child's love~" Penelope said dreamily. "Is there anything in this universe even half as wonderful?"
"Not from what I've been told." Hazel chimed in, allowing herself to relax a bit. "Every witch dreams of being a mother. To have a little darling of your own to love and to love you back."
"I heard that the instant a child hugs you for the first time, your whole body feels a warm marshmallow." Added Elenore with an uncharacteristic blush.
"Hugs nothing." Penelope jumped in again. "I heard that when a witch gets a child to kiss them on the cheek, they never know unhappiness again for the rest of their life."
All three of them sighed dreamily before their 'leader' regained her composure.
"Well, that's enough daydreaming for now. Come on, we'll never catch her by standing around talking about it." Hazel said, snapping the others out of their daze. "And don't forget our pact. No matter which of us catches her, we all share her equally."
"Um… I'm still not clear on how that works." Said Penelope confusedly.
"I'll explain it to you after we catch the girl. Now come on."
And with that, the three witches resumed their hunt.
XXX
Not too far away, in another section of the Tower, a familiar blue-haired girl was hiding behind one of the many ornate statues that lined the hall.
In her short eleven years on this Earth, young Hilda had gone on many harrowing adventures. She'd faced trolls, ghosts, nightmare spirits, a kraken, a mad scientist and even a giant black dog, but somehow this was worse. This time she wasn't up against a monster who wanted to eat her or a villain with some sinister plot, but instead she was on the run from a bunch of crazy ladies who wanted to kidnap her and keep her like some kind of doll. For the first time in a very long time, Hilda didn't feel like an adventurer, or a hero or anything grand or romantic like that. No, in that moment, she felt just like what she really was; a little girl, alone and afraid in a big, scary world.
And as she sat there in a fetal position, doing her best to remain quiet and out of sight, she thought back on how she'd gotten into such a predicament in the first place. Why had she come down into the Witches' Tower? To get Kaisa in trouble with Tildy? And why did she want to get Kaisa in trouble? Because she'd yelled at her and locked her in a room. And why had the Librarian done that? Because Hilda had called her a bad word. And why had Hilda done that? Because she was terrified by the prosect of the Librarian marrying her mother. And why was that? Honestly, she wasn't even sure anymore.
All she knew was that she was alone in an underground labyrinth, all of the exists were magically sealed, and she was exactly one bad decision away from being captured and imprisoned for the rest of her life by a bunch of crazy witches who want her to be their daughter. Well, she didn't want to be their daughter, and she didn't want any of them to be her mother. She already had a mother. The best mother in the whole world. One that loved her as a person and not just as a possession or a pet. One that she'd do just about anything to see again.
As her thoughts continued to dwell on her mother, Hilda remembered the last thing she'd said to her.
I just can't be around you right now.
Why had she said that? Why had she been so mean? She could only imagine how those eight simple words must have torn her up inside. And now, unless she did something spectacularly clever, Hilda was going to spend the rest of her life as some witch's dress up doll, and her Mum would spend the rest of hers thinking her own daughter didn't love her.
Just the thought of that was enough to make the young girl weep and sniffle uncontrollably. Had she been in the right state of mind, she would've realized how much noise she was making and how likely it was that someone might hear her. But she wasn't, so she didn't. And therefore, what came next can be laid solely at her feet.
A few seconds later, the familiar purplish glow of a magic wand peeked from around the corner, blinding Hilda with its radiance. Then came a voice that called out her name.
"Hilda!"
And for a moment, she thought this was the end. But then the light started to fade and she was suddenly greeted by a familiar face.
"K-K-Kaisa?" she said weakly; tears still rolling down her cheeks.
"Oh, thank Heaven." The Librarian replied, breathing a sigh of relief. "I was so worried about you. What are you doing down here?"
"I… I was… hic…" Hilda stammered, hiccupping a little from all the crying. "I was looking for… for Tildy."
"Tildy? Whatever for?"
"I was… hic… hic… I was trying to get you in trouble." Hilda admitted. "I thought if I… hic… told Tildy about all the stuff you did… hic… then she'd make you stay away from Mum."
"Oh, Hilda…"
"But I don't care about that anymore!" she wailed ruefully, pausing for a moment as she was hit by an especially aggressive hiccupping fit. "I just want to go home!"
As she went into another pitiful bout of sobbing, sniffling and hiccupping, Hilda felt someone put their arms around her and pull her into a warm, comforting embrace. She looked up and, unsurprisingly, she saw Kaisa looking down at her with gentle eyes and a warm smile. Then, seemingly from out of nowhere, the Librarian produced a handkerchief and used it to wipe the tears and mucus from the young girl's face.
"There, there, little one." Kaisa said sweetly as she soothingly stroked Hilda's hair. "Everything's going to be alright."
"Please… hic… please don't let them take me." Hilda pleaded pitifully. "I just want my Mum. My real Mum. Hic…Hic…"
"It's okay, Hilda. I'm going to get you out of here. It's just going to be a little bit of a hassle." The Librarian explained in the most reassuring tone she could manage. "With the doors sealed, the only way out is to go back the way we came. We'll have to retrace our steps and go the long way back into the Library."
"But there's witches everywhere! They'll see us!"
"Hilda, please!" the Librarian said, clearly trying to calm her down while also making her aware of the urgency of their situation. "I swear to you, on my life, that I will get you home to your mother, but you're going to have to do exactly what I say. Can you do that for me?"
Hilda sniffled a little before answering.
"Yes, Ma'am."
XXX
Despite the brave front she'd put up for Hilda's sake, Kaisa was feeling pretty uneasy about this whole thing. Granted, she knew the laws of the Tower well, but so did the other witches, and more importantly, they were willing to use any loophole they could to bend the laws to their advantage. So if she was going to pull this off, she would have to put on a convincing act.
After consoling her young charge to a point where she finally stopped crying, the Librarian put her plan into motion. With Hilda's consent, she picked up the little girl and cradled her in her arms like a mother would her own child. Then, as instructed, she closed her eyes and pretended to fall asleep. After that, Kaisa began to slowly walk back the way she came while humming an old Scandinavian lullaby her own mother used to sing to her when she was little; which both added to the illusion she was going for and helped to steady her nerves.
Up until this point they'd been lucky. They hadn't run into any other witches, so there'd been no need to put on any kind of bluff, but that was about to change. In the distance, Kaisa could see the entrance to the innermost part of the Tower. Once they made it across that bridge, it was just a short walk down one last hall until they reached the last of the secret rooms. Once they were in there, Hilda would officially be back in the Library and out of danger.
The only problem was getting across the bridge. Kaisa knew the other witches wouldn't give up so easily; not after waiting all this time. In all likelihood, everyone interested in claiming Hilda had probably staked out a position on the bridge with the intent to ambush her should she try to escape. She couldn't see any of them, but she knew they were there; hidden by invisibility spells or some other cheap trick.
With just inches to go before they were on the bridge and out in the open, Kaisa's confidence began to wane. Suddenly, she wasn't so sure she could pull it off. These witches were sharp and crafty. Easily blinded by their emotions, sure, but far from stupid. Just one wrong move and she'd lose Hilda, and by extension Johanna, forever. And just the thought of that was enough to make her blood run cold.
However, just as she was about to crack under the pressure, Kaisa felt something shift in her arms. It was Hilda, naturally. For one reason or another, the little girl had readjusted herself, and now her head was resting gently against the Librarian's bosom. And she was smiling. She was one bad decision away from ending up a witch's keepsake and the little darling was smiling. As if she hadn't a care in the world.
Well, that certainly did the trick. If Hilda had that much faith in her, then Kaisa knew she couldn't miss. So with newfound confidence, the Librarian marched proudly onto the bridge without fear. And as she stepped out into the light of the central chamber, she began to hum her lullaby even louder, so that everyone could hear her.
One by one, the other witches decloaked themselves as the Librarian walked past them. Some were driven to tears. Others just a stunned silence. The rest all glared at her enviously and muttered to themselves.
"Oh great, the Librarian caught her first."
"It's not fair. It's just not fair."
"Lousy slut."
"She's still young enough to get a husband. She doesn't need a child."
But of course, Kaisa just ignored them and continued to play her part.
Up ahead she saw two witches she knew only in passing; Penelope and Elenore. The former of whom was sobbing uncontrollably while the latter tried to console her.
"There, there, it's okay, sweetheart." Said the dark-skinned witch soothingly. "There'll be other chances."
"No there won't." the plump witch replied pitifully. "That was the first child down here in over three years and I blew it. Just like I do everything else. Now I'll never get to be a mother!"
Clearly unable to stand seeing her wife in such a state, Elenore sprang up to block the Librarian's path.
"Can I help you with something?" Kaisa asked casually, in spite of herself.
"Yeah, you can hand over that little girl." The dark-skinned witch said venomously.
"You mean my new daughter?"
"Don't give me that jazz. We saw her first."
"That may be true, but I caught her first. And according to the Committee of Three, that's all that matters."
"What are you even doing down here? Aren't you supposed to be upstairs minding your books?"
"If you must know, I was here on official business. But even if I wasn't, I'm still a witch, so I have a right to be down here as much as you do."
"But you don't live down here. You get to live on the surface and be around children every day. You don't need one like we do."
"No one forced you to move down here, and no one's forcing you to stay either. And just for your information, I have the same needs as any other witch, but unlike you, I don't have a wife to keep me company."
"Look, I promised Penelope I'd make her a mother today, and your interference is upsetting her."
"The way I see it, it's your own fault for getting her hopes up."
"Why you smug little…"
"Ellie, that's enough!" Penelope shouted from the sidelines just as her wife was about to pounce. "Just let her go."
"But… But Sugar Plum, I was only trying to keep my promise."
"I know, but she's right. She caught the girl fair and square, and you acting like a brute won't change anything."
"But Penelope…"
"Elenore Elizabeth Spellbinder! If you hit her and that little girl gets hurt I'll never speak to you again for the rest of my life!"
Obviously knowing when she'd been beaten, the dark-skinned witch backed off, cast one last scornful glare Kaisa's way, and then let her pass.
Believing that the worst was behind them, the Librarian continued to march confidently across the bridge; humming her lullaby like her own personal anthem. However, just as she was about to reach the other side, another familiar face got in her way.
"Hello there, dearie." Hazel said gregariously. "Permit me to be the first to congratulate you on your newfound motherhood."
"Much appreciated." Kaisa replied politely. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to take this little one home. She's had too much excitement for one day."
"Yes, yes, of course. I won't keep you. However, I would like to point out that I did in fact find her first, and were it not for outside forces I would've caught her first too."
"Maybe so, but you didn't. I did. So Hilda is my daughter now."
"Ew… You're really going to call her that?"
"Why wouldn't I? It's her name."
"Yes, but it's such an ugly name. Totally unbefitting such an adorable little angel. Now Daphne, that's sounds much more appropriate."
"My mother's name was Hilda." Kaisa said with an icy glare.
"Oh… well, obviously I didn't know that." Hazel replied awkwardly. "But regardless, my point remains the same. I would've had that girl if Elenore and her stupid blimp of a wife hadn't butted in. So that means I'm intitled to at least half of her, and I'm not letting you pass until we make some kind of deal."
"You want a deal? Okay, here it is. Get out of my way in the next two seconds and I won't rip that stupid wig off in front of everyone."
"Pfft. I don't know what you're talking about. This is my natural hair."
"One."
"Okay, okay, you win." Hazel said anxiously as she stepped out of Kaisa's way, but not before muttering one final jab. "With an attitude like yours, it's no wonder you're still single."
And with that, the Librarian took those last few steps off the bridge and into the final hallway to freedom. As she walked, she heard some kind of altercation happening on the bridge; apparently Elenore had heard Hazel's 'blimp' comment and had taken offense. Not that Kaisa cared about any of that. To be honest, she was just relieved to be away from those crazy old birds.
In the distance, she could see the bookcase that led back into the library. Within minutes their ordeal would be over. She looked down at the 'sleeping' child in her arms and smiled as she whispered,
"We're almost there, little one."
In response, Hilda nuzzled up against her bosom and whispered back,
"Thank you."
End Notes:
Only about two to three chapters left. I hope you're all enjoying the story so far.
With that said, thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next one.
Peace.
