The Golden Acorn Chapter 5.

Chapter Five.

 

Calizone's Cottage.

         

Inga and Babbin continued along the forest road. The deeper they went, the more the trees leaned over the track, their branches knitting together overhead. It grew gloomier and gloomier.

“This is not nice,” murmured Inga.

Babbin did not reply.

By late afternoon it was too dark to travel safely. Fortunately, as Walter had said, a small clearing lay beside the road. A stream trickled through it, and there was enough grass for their horse. They stopped for the night.

It was not pleasant. The trees leaned so close that they hid the sky entirely; there was no moonlight, no starlight, only darkness. As Walter had warned, they dared not light a fire. Supper was a cold piece of bread and cheese washed down with water from the stream.

Very early the next morning, they hitched up the horse and set off again.

The forest road was narrower than the King’s Road, but still well kept. After a few miles they met a lone traveller. He pulled his donkey aside to let them pass.

Inga stopped beside him.

“Excuse me,” she said. “We are looking for the Witch’s cottage. Do you know where it is?”

The man looked startled and quickly hid the parcel he was carrying.

“I—well—yes,” he stammered. “Not that I’ve ever been there, of course. But everyone who lives near the forest knows where she is, if only so they can avoid her.”

Inga nodded.

“Can you direct us?”

“Yes. Keep going for about a mile. Then there’s a very narrow path on your left. That leads to the cottage. It should be just wide enough for your cart.”

“You don’t happen to know if Calizone is at home?” asked Inga.

“Sorry,” said the man. “But if she is, there’ll be smoke from her chimney. Or so I’m told.”

“Thank you,” said Inga.

The man hesitated.

“You know… she’s not very friendly. She doesn’t like visitors.”

“We have to see her,” said Inga.

“Well, I warned you,” he muttered, and rode away without looking back.

“I wonder what he was doing visiting her,” Inga said to Babbin.

Babbin did not answer. He simply poured the chain from hand to hand.

The man’s directions were correct. Soon Inga found the narrow path. She drove carefully along it. After a mile or so, a flock of rooks burst into the air, cawing loudly.

“No one is going to sneak up on her,” Inga thought.

Around the next bend, they saw the cottage. A black horse was tied to the railing outside.

“That looks like the horse you shoed for her,” said Inga. “And there’s smoke from the chimney.”

Babbin nodded.

Inga climbed down and walked up the path, her heart thudding. She knocked on the door.

It opened at once.

“Yes?” snapped the woman who stood there. “Well? Don’t just stand there. This seems to be my day for visitors who can’t speak. At least you haven’t got a braying donkey like the last caller.”

The woman looked exactly like the Witch who had visited Babbin at the smithy.

Inga took a deep breath.

“You put a spell on my husband, and we’ve come to ask you to take it off. Please.”

The Witch frowned.

“I haven’t put a spell on anyone for a very long time.”

Inga swallowed but continued.

“You did when you asked him to make the suit of armour.”

The Witch shook her head.

“I have never asked anyone to make armour for me.”

“But I saw you,” protested Inga.

“This is puzzling,” said the woman. “You had better come inside and explain.”

When Inga hesitated, the Witch smiled, surprisingly kindly.

“Do not worry. I am intrigued. You are quite safe.”

Then the smile faded.

“For the moment.”

Inga followed her inside.

“Sit down and explain,” ordered the Witch.

Inga told her everything, finishing with, “Now he just sits and plays with the chain from the acorn.”

The Witch shook her head.

“This answers a few questions. I am Calizone, and I swear I have never been to your town. The Witch you met was Magalan. She must have disguised herself as me. No wonder we couldn’t find her. The King’s description was wrong.”

Calizone stood and paced the kitchen.

“The King sent messengers everywhere asking for information about the Black Knight. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“We couldn’t,” said Inga. “We couldn’t talk about the Knight, even to each other. Only when Babbin’s heart stopped beating could we speak.”

Calizone nodded.

“A simple spell. It would break once the Knight was destroyed.”

Inga’s heart lurched.

“Destroyed?”

“Yes. Prince Rogan defeated him about ten days ago.”

“That’s when Babbin’s heart stopped,” cried Inga. She stood. “I must find Prince Rogan and ask him about the acorn.”

“He is easy enough to find,” said Calizone. “But let me examine your husband first.”

“He’s on our cart,” said Inga. She hesitated. “If you could cure him… I noticed your horse needs new shoes. When he was well, Babbin was the best blacksmith in the kingdom. He could shoe your horse.”

Calizone sniffed.

“He would have to be good. My horse does not take kindly to strangers.”

“And your saddle has seen better days,” Inga added. “My father is the finest leather worker there is. He would be honoured to make you a new one.”

“Everyone thinks it is an honour to make things for me,” said Calizone.

“And my father makes the softest riding gloves,” Inga pressed on. “I used to draw around the ladies’ hands so he could make perfect fits. I could do that for you too.”

“Enough,” said Calizone. “I will look at this man of yours. Lead the way.”

Babbin was still sitting on the cart. He got down when Inga told him to and stood before Calizone. She ran her hands over his chest and frowned.

“There are two spells here,” she said. “One is weak and wearing out. Did he ask for something?”

“Yes,” said Inga. “He wanted to make small things, like the acorn. She said it was an easy spell.”

Calizone nodded.

“Magalan gave him that, but she added something. He would have to give her whatever she asked for.”

Inga nodded.

“He wouldn’t have given her the acorn otherwise.”

Then a thought struck her. “If that spell wears out… will he lose the ability to make things?”

“No,” said Calizone. “Once learned, the skill stays.”

“And the other spell? Can you take it off?”

“That is the problem,” said Calizone. “That spell is the only thing keeping him alive, and it too is weakening. If I remove it, Magalan will know.”

Inga began to cry.

“What can I do?”

“Magalan needed him alive, or the acorn would have been useless as the heart of the Black Knight,” said Calizone. “All spells have a way out. What exactly did she say when she cast it?”

“He could have it back when his heart stopped beating and then began to beat again, and he gave it away again,” said Inga.

“Hmmm,” said Calizone. “I’m not sure what she meant, but you must hope it starts beating soon. He does not have much time.”

“Then I must find Prince Rogan,” said Inga, “and ask if he found the acorn when he defeated the Black Knight.”