The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure - By Storm Constantine Page 0,95

Mima and Flick were putting the pony into one of the empty stables. ‘Mima, Mima, who’s this?’ it demanded. To Flick, the child looked very much like he’d imagined a Wraeththu harling would look: neither male nor female, but something of both. As it should be. It appeared to be around four or five years old, with the somewhat exotic look of the Kakkahaar in the catlike eyes and golden skin.

‘Leelee, this is Flick,’ Mima said, ‘a friend of my brother’s.’ She pulled the harling back against her, who leaned against her legs, staring up at Flick in unconcealed curiosity.

Ulaume had come out of the house and his expression was hostile. ‘A visitor,’ he said, ‘how nice.’

‘Behave,’ Mima said, ‘be friendly. Flick is from Saltrock.’

‘The home of fine upstanding hara,’ Ulaume said. ‘The ones who transformed your brother into a little pillar of piety.’

‘Flick wants to talk to you,’ Mima said, wondering how long it would take for Ulaume’s fur to stop standing on end. He was so much like a cat sometimes. How much ritual spitting and hissing, and occasional swipes would there be, before he settled down to purring and curling up to exchange licks, or whatever it was they did?

‘We don’t get many visitors,’ Mima said to Flick, ‘and look what that has done for some of our manners.’

‘It’s OK,’ Flick said. ‘I don’t care about manners. Could use a drink though.’

‘Come in,’ Ulaume said spitefully and marched back into the house, slamming the door behind him.

‘Lormy is so rude!’ said the harling.

‘It’s territory, kitten,’ Mima said, ‘that’s all it is.’

Destiny had brought Flick to Casa Ricardo and there had been a dysfunctional family waiting there for him. From the minute he stepped into the house, Flick knew there was work to be done and that his fingers were itching to do it. This was not a home. It was makeshift, unkempt and unloved, although it was clear that cursory attempts at comforts had been made. But it was a far cry from the amenities of Saltrock. He had come here to give Mima the information about Pellaz, and this he did at once, but there was more than that. Mima told him about Lileem, while Ulaume remained stubbornly silent on the matter. There were questions that needed answers. Orien had directed Flick to come here. Was it simply to help these people? Flick did not tell any of them about his visions, not at first. He must wait and see. Lileem was perhaps part of the future he had been brought here to witness.

That first night, after dinner, which Flick had cooked for them, Mima said, ‘What are you going to do now, Flick? Where will you go?’

‘I don’t know,’ Flick replied. ‘I need to think about it. I wonder if I might stay here with you for a time.’

Ulaume made a noise of annoyance and left the table. He slammed the kitchen door as he left the house.

‘Don’t mind him,’ Mima said. ‘He’ll come around.’

‘Perhaps I shouldn’t stay,’ Flick said.

‘No, do stay!’ Lileem cried. ‘Please, please, please!’

Mima wiped bread around the gravy on her plate, then consumed it with relish. ‘I, for one, look forward to more of this! How about a deal? You cook for us, we let you stay.’

‘Yes!’ Lileem yelled.

‘I’ll more than cook,’ Flick said. ‘Believe me, I’m adept at housekeeping and at fixing the plumbing.’

Mima laughed. ‘Wonderful. I’ve decided I like you, Flick from Saltrock.’

He inclined his head. ‘Likewise, Mima Cevarro.’

‘Sorry I beat you up earlier.’

‘Forgiven.’

For some months, the house consumed Flick’s attention. He worked on the water heating system, which was similar to the one Seel had constructed for the house in Saltrock. He repaired the roof and replaced broken windows with glass from the dwellings down the hill. With Lileem’s and Mima’s help, he cleared rooms and reorganised furniture, so that they could have proper bedrooms and a living room, as well as the kitchen. He said that when four individuals lived together, they needed more than one comfortable room, so that they could get away from one another sometimes. This was an offering to Ulaume, although if he realised it he did not show it and certainly wasn’t grateful. They also had a proper dining room, that they had yet to use, but envisaged would be suitable for birthday celebrations and such like.

Flick took Mima and Lileem out into the fields and beyond to round up what remained of the old farm stock: a few goats, sheep and