Chapter 45

Author's Note: More reposted chapters yay! Thank you once again to Ziliverina for reviewing all the chapters. When you made the comment about Basta sweeping the streets, I pictured him with a broom lol. To everyone who reviews I really appreciate it. I'm glad you guys (Sky, Patches of the Fallen) are happy about Pie and Nico. I love them too! Enjoy guys!

"Come on," Basta said eagerly, taking hold of her hand, "It's outside."

Dafne allowed herself to be pulled along but as they were nearing the door, a thought crossed her mind. She tugged on her arm to bring him to a halt.

"Basta, have you seen Silvio today?"

She was still worried about the boy. Her search for him had been interrupted. Carlo had said something about him washing his car. That was where he should be but was he there?

"Silvio?" Basta said, looking impatient, probably thinking why was this question so important that they'd had to stop. They weren't even outside yet, "Yes. Why?"

"Where was he?" she asked.

"Where he's supposed to be," Basta told her, "Washing cars. Mind you, he didn't look to happy about it when I saw him. But there's nothing fun about that job is there."

Dafne felt a wave of relief. Here was the confirmation to put her mind at ease.

"Why did you want to know?" Basta asked, "Didn't he tell you what he was doing," he shook his head, "You're not his mother you know. You don't need to keep tabs on him everywhere he goes. You never ask where I'm going."

"That's because I don't want to know," Dafne said, which was the truth but she usually kept it to herself. It came out of her mouth too quickly to stop it.

Basta didn't seem offended. He probably didn't want her asking anyway. It got him into less trouble if it was something she didn't agree with.

"Fair enough," he said with a smile, "but I think you'll be pleased to find out what I was doing today."

"Is that right," Dafne said, "Tell me."

Basta shook his head,

"No that's the surprise," he said, "And you're not going to find out unless you stop asking pointless questions and let me take you."

So she did. She let him lead her. Once they were out of the house, he made her close her eyes. But he didn't prove too attentive a guide while she was blind. He allowed her to trip on a rock and she went toppling forwards, a scary feeling when one couldn't see and it happened so suddenly. Luckily he had hold of her arm and steadied her before she hit the ground. He apologised sheepishly. When he insisted she shut her eyes again, she refused, still shaken.

"No. I don't trust you. There are bigger rocks around here than that one. And vines. Snakes too. You might let me tread on one of them."

But he persisted,

"That's not going to happen. As for rocks, I caught you didn't I? But I'll be more careful this time. It's only for a little while longer."

In the end she gave in because he refused to go on any further unless she didn't. He was much more attentive this time, attentive to the point he seemed to point out every single rock, dangerous or not, which lay ahead.

"There's a rock. There's a rock. There's a rock. There's a vine to your left but you don't have to worry about it, it's nowhere near you..."

"Basta," she said exasperatedly, "If it's not a potential hazard, I don't need to know."

"Don't take that tone with me," Basta growled back, "I'm just trying to guide you as safely as possible."

"It would safer if I could see," she retorted, sighing, "How much longer? You said a while. It feels like we've been walking for half an hour."

"It hasn't been that long," Basta said, "Stop exaggerating. Anyway it's just a little further."

"So another half hour then?"

"Just shut up will you," he began grumbling under breath, "Try to do something nice and it always goes wrong..."

He was too preoccupied muttering to himself to notice a vine that, unlike the previous one, lay in her direct path. Her foot hooked under it and she went flying again with a cry.

"Sorry. I'm really sorry," he said hurriedly as he pulled her upright again. She brushed his arm off, glaring as his apology continued, "Sorry..."

"Is this the surprise? That you're trying to kill me," Dafne interrupted sarcastically. Then she noticed the sting in her ankle. She flexed her foot gingerly, wincing in pain.

"Is your foot hurt?" Basta asked her, his voice full of concern. He looked quite guilty too as he should be.

"I think I've twisted my ankle a little."

"We should probably head back then," Basta said though he sounded a little disappointed, "Put some ice on it."

Dafne nodded, attempting a step in home's direction. She flinched at the pain but kept going. She wasn't sure how far away the house was but she would just have to grit her teeth and endure it.

"Stop," Basta told her so sternly that she froze, "You don't want to make it worse. Do you want to end up with a permanent limp like Cockerell?"

Despite the pain, Dafne laughed,

"It's only a twisted ankle."

"I don't care. It's obvious that it's too painful for you walk on."

"Well how else am I going to get home? Fly?"

Basta had a less fantastical suggestion.

"I'll just have to carry you."

Dafne regarded him uncertainly,

"Are you sure that's a good idea. I mean I am... bigger than you."

"You're not big," Basta said in a reassuring voice, "There's barely anything of you. That's Mortola's fault, not giving you enough to eat."

"I don't mean bigger in that way," Dafne said, "I mean that I'm... taller."

She knew he was sensitive about his height but surely a shorter person would have difficulty carrying a taller person.

"You're not that much taller," Basta came over and compared their height with his hand, frowning slightly. She was obviously taller than he had estimated, not that he admitted it, "No, not by much. So I can't see the problem."

He turned to face his back to her with the expectation she clamber on. When she didn't, Basta spun back around,

"Come on. Stop wasting time," he said impatiently, "The sooner you get on, the sooner I can take you home and treat your foot."

"But..." Dafne began.

"But what?" Basta narrowed his eyes, "Oh I get it. You think I'm not strong enough. You think I'm not strong enough to carry you."

"No I don't," Dafne said, eyes flicking around uneasily, "I don't think..."

"Yes you do! You think I'm so weak I can't carry a skinny girl like you!"

"No I don't! And stop yelling at me. I'm injured."

"Get on my back and I will stop yelling at you, Miss Injured!"

He whirled back around and with a sigh of reluctance Dafne put her arms around his neck and hoisted herself off the ground.

"See?" he said, grabbing hold of her legs, locking her into place, "I told you it would be no problem."

She detected a slight strain in his voice to contradict this. His back was also bent under her weight. But she said nothing. He would only get angry at her. She was on now, feeling rather awkward as if she were riding on a pony that was a size too small.

God I hope nobody sees us, she thought embarrassedly.

But there was no one around. They were no longer in Capricorn's village but somewhere in the forest surrounding it. What could Basta have possibly had waiting for her in the wilderness? She had no idea and was rather disappointed that she wouldn't be finding out. He had said it was close, how close she wondered, enough that he could take her there first.

"Basta?" she said.

He only grunted. Was it getting too much for him already? They hadn't gotten very far.

"Do you think you could take me to the surprise instead?"

Basta halted, breathing a little heavily. It made her want to jump off. She had never felt so self-consciously heavy.

"But your foot. We need to get you home."

"But the surprise is closer," she insisted, "I can rest there," she didn't add you can too, "My foot might feel a bit better then and I can walk home."

He considered this and agreed.

"Alright," he said as he spun them back around, "It would be shame to come all this way and not have you see it. But you have to close your eyes."

She did. She had nothing to fear from what lay on the ground while he was carrying her.

"Keep them shut," he told her as he came to a stop a few moments later. He let go of her legs and bent down until her feet hit the forest floor. He then disengaged her arms from around his neck and drew away, leaving her standing there alone and blind.

"Can I open them now?" she pleaded. She didn't like not being able to see, it made her feel vulnerable, especially in unfamiliar surroundings.

She heard him chuckle, probably at the sight of her with her eyes screwed shut. He was somewhere to the right of her but she couldn't tell how close. If she swung her arm in that direction, would she be able to hit him. The embarrassment of finding nothing by air stopped her from doing so. She didn't want to amuse him further.

"Basta," she growled reproachfully instead.

That did the trick.

"Yes. Open them now."

As soon as she did, she found herself face to face with a massive tree trunk. He had positioned her so close its proximity startled her and she staggered back. But then she noticed the markings on it. No ordinary markings, not natural scars in the bark. Letters carved into the wood. Letters forming two words, one under the other. Two names.

BASTA

DAFNE

She stared at the names with astonishment as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. She blinked her eyes rapidly, as if having her eyes closed for such an extended period meant they were playing tricks on her. But the engravings didn't vanish and she reached out almost cautiously, fingers landing on the D of her own name. The surface was rough and prickly. As she caressed it, her fingers became coated with wood dust.

She was aware her heart was beating fast, fast with excitement. He had done this. He had carved their names together on a tree. She marvelled at the accuracy too. He had only written his name for the first time yesterday. It had been crude and shaky. But this, obviously accomplished by his knife, looked far less amateur. Small wonder he did find carving easier than writing with a pen. It involved an instrument he had much more experience with.

"Surprise," she heard Basta say as she went to trace the other letters.

She turned to look at him, her expression still incredulous.

He had his head slightly cocked to one side, smiling at her almost shyly.

"Well what do you think?" he asked, sounding a little nervous.

She opened her mouth but words didn't follow. If he had meant to surprise, he had succeeded to the point of rendering her speechless.

When she finally recovered her voice, she rushed ahead without deciding how to best express her delight and amazement.

As a result, what came out was an indecisive nonsensical garble:

"It's... really... I...you..."

She trailed off with a self-conscious laugh, embarrassed by her lack of eloquence.

She must look so foolish, blabbering on like that. She expected that any moment he would start laughing at her.

But Basta didn't find it amusing. He misinterpreted her response entirely.

"Can you not read it?" he said disappointedly, eyes shifting critically to his handiwork, "It looked so similar to how you wrote it. I was so sure. I checked it and checked it. I wouldn't have shown you otherwise. I practiced on a dozen trees and none of them turned out half as good," he turned back to her almost miserably, "It's our names."

Words may have failed her but Dafne's lips didn't. They broke into a big reassuring smile.

"I know that," she said, words flowing easily now too, "I can read it perfectly. You just surprised me so much I couldn't get the words out."

"Oh," Basta said, looking infinitely relieved, "So you do like it then."

Dafne pressed her hand against the three, feeling the imprint of the letters on her palm.

"Yes. Very much. I think it's very romantic. I'd come over and kiss you but..." she nodded down at her ankle, "I can't really walk at the moment."

Basta didn't need prompting. He wasn't about to miss the opportunity to have her kiss him. He hurried over to her so she could fulfil the desire.

"Romantic you said," he said after she had done so, there was no denying the pleasure in his face, "That's what I was aiming for. Though at the back of my mind, I was a little worried you going to get upset at me for hurting a tree."

"No. Only if it was an Ent," Dafne said, watching the tree a moment as if it might spring to life. It didn't and she laughed.

Basta looked at her in confusion.

"Ent?"

Dafne laughed again.

"Never mind. They're just creatures from a book. They look like trees but they can talk and move around."

"Oh tree-men," Basta nodded in understanding, "We had those in my world."

"Really?" Dafne said with fascination, "What were they like?"

Basta snorted,

"Dangerous," he replied, "Just like every other creature you found in the forests."

"Like what?"

"Wolves, bears, Night-Mares, fire-elves, Black Bogles, Trows, Redcaps..."

"Night-Mares?" Dafne said, choosing to enquire about those first. She wanted to know about all the creatures. They sounded so wonderfully exotic and mysterious except for wolves and bears. Those she was familiar with.

But Basta shook his head grimly,

"No. Trust me you don't want to know about them. They're as bad as White Ladies."

Basta brought out his rabbit's foot and rubbed it between his fingers, looking a little anxious. These creatures were a world away but still inspired fear in him. Dafne decided not to press him even though she was terribly curious.

"You're probably right," she said instead, "I'm going to sit down for a while. It hurts too much standing."

Basta put away his rabbit's foot.

"Then why didn't you sit down sooner," he scolded her.

Dafne shrugged sheepishly.

Basta settled himself down at the foot of the tree, resting his back against it. He held his hand out to her.

"Come on. Sit with me."

Dafne took his hand and he pulled her, gently enough, down in front of him. She sat with her back against him, wedged comfortably enough between his knees, with her legs spread out before her.

"So what should we do while we wait?" she asked as he put his arms around her as if trying to draw her even closer to him if that was even possible.

"You could tell me a story," Basta said, resting his cheek in the crook of her neck, "You haven't done that in a while."

She turned her head to meet his gaze,

"A story?"

He nodded,

"Yes. One where the hero is a bit wicked and the girl doesn't like him at first but she eventually falls in love with him. Do you know a story like that?"

Besides ours, Dafne thought, smiling. But there was one which popped into her head.

"I believe I do."

"Let's hear it then," Basta said interestedly.

"There once was a dark God called Hades and he ruled over the underworld where the dead spent their afterlife..."

As soon as she mentioned death, Dafne felt Basta shifting about behind her, perhaps he wanted to pull out his rabbit's foot but couldn't because she was in the way.

"But Hades wasn't an evil God. This was the kingdom he had been given by his brother Zeus who was king of all the Gods. He had no choice and he despaired for he found it dark and lonely..."

Behind her Basta's squirming had stilled, curiosity overcoming fear.

"He decided he wanted a wife to make his existence brighter. So he went to the surface in his flying chariot to look for one. He came across a field of flowers and saw a young goddess playing there. Her name was Persephone. Her mother was Demeter, goddess of the harvest. Hades immediately fell deeply in love with her. He abducted Persephone and brought her back to the underworld to be his bride..."

"He kidnapped her," Basta interrupted a tad uneasily. This part paralleled their own story.

Dafne nodded,

"Yes. He didn't consider how frightened he made Persephone, carting her away down into the dark and gloomy underworld, away from the sunlight and flowers. All he could think about was himself, how much he wanted to make her his wife right then and there. But Persephone didn't want to be his wife. Hades scared her and she didn't like the underworld. She longed to return home. Hades couldn't change her mind even though he treated her kindly and offered her everything he thought might please her – jewels and gowns and... books."

Dafne couldn't help adding that slight deviation.

"But Persephone wanted none of those things. She wept constantly from homesickness. It made Hades' heart sore to see someone he loved so unhappy but he refused to let her go. Meanwhile Demeter was frantic with worry over her daughter's disappearance. She searched the entire world for Persephone to no avail. She was so preoccupied that all the crops which needed her blessing to grow died and many people went hungry. Eventually the sun god Helios, who had happened to witness Persephone's abduction revealed what he had seen to Demeter. Demeter went to Zeus and demanded he make Hades release her daughter. Zeus, seeing the suffering of his mortal subjects, bowed to her wish and sent his messenger Hermes to retrieve the girl.

However Hades had a trick up his sleeve. It was a rule that if a person consumed any food down in the underworld they would be bound there for eternity. Knowing this, he presented Persephone with a pomegranate. By now the goddess was hungry and ignorant of this rule. So she ate the pomegranate seeds, not knowing what it would mean for her. When she learned the truth, she broke down in despair. Hades felt guilty and sad. He had wanted a wife to make him happy. But how could he be happy when his wife was so unhappy. So Hades bended the rule, allowing Persephone to return to the surface with Hermes for half a year on the proviso she must return to him. The goddess was elated to be able to leave and agreed to his condition. While she was gone, Hades missed her greatly and worried that she might break her promise, preferring to stay where she was.

But to his joy, Persephone did end up returning to him, even admitting she had even missed him a little. However she was still sad to have to leave the world above. Hades realised that it would be wrong to keep her away from the world she loved. So he decided that henceforth his wife should continue spending half the year with him and the other half above. Persephone was thrilled, eventually she grew to love her husband as she got to know him better and she was no longer sad because she could still visit her mother. When she did, the people were blessed with good harvests because Demeter was so happy to see her. But Persephone always returned to man she loved. To share his life in dark and death-filled place where he had once been so lonely but would never be lonely again."

Basta kept silent after she finished the story. Pressed against him, she could feel his heart beating rapidly.

"Well what do you think?" she asked.

"I think that's the best story I ever heard," he said a soft awed voice.

Dafne smiled,

"I'm glad you liked it."

He nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear and kissing her cheek.

"Very much. In fact, you should tell it again to us tonight. Silvio is sure to like it as much as I did," he glanced around, "Speaking of Silvio we should start to head back. It's going to get dark soon. How's your foot?"

Dafne glanced down at it. The pain had dulled so much she could barely feel it.

"It should be fine," she said, getting up and putting her weight on it just to be sure. The pain worsened slightly but it was by no means unbearable, "You don't need to carry me back."

"Thank God," she heard Basta mumble as he rose, stretching.

"What did you say?" she asked him sweetly.

"I said that's good," Basta lied, "Come on then," he held out his hand to her. He didn't have to carry her but he wanted to hold her hand. She gladly accepted, interlocking her fingers with his, "I bet Silvio is going to be waiting for us on the doorstop like the stray he is. Along with that stupid cat..."

But Basta was wrong. Neither Silvio nor Ignacio were there when they got back to the house. In their place, there were two more undesirable individuals waiting for them.

Cockerell and Flatnose.

Cockerell was leaning against Basta's door while Flatnose was peering in through the window. As soon as Basta saw them, his expression hardened with displeasure.

"What are you two idiots doing hanging around my house?" he demanded, dropping Dafne's hand in his distraction.

Cockerell grinned at him. Dafne took this as a bad sign.

"Hey Basta, we need to check inside your house."

Basta narrowed his eyes threateningly,

"Is that so?" he growled in a low menacing voice, "What the hell for?"

"For that runt you think is your apprentice," Cockerell informed him with a pleasant sneer, "And the maid he's absconded with. Snatched her right out of Capricorn's back yard."

Cockerell cackled at the look of disbelief on both their faces.

"Didn't know that did you? I thought you knew everything going on in this place," he rubbed his hands together in eagerness, "Come on then, open up so we can see if this is where they're hiding."

To be continued...