The Bergfolks’ Village

From the skin of these little men, a faint light radiated. Percolating through their red coats and blue caps, they glowed amongst the shadows. Well, it wasn’t too much to prevent them from stumbling in the prevailing semi-darkness. Their webbed feet weren’t the most practical ones.

     The travellers were already about to reach the entrance of the village when Gretel began to tug in repeated jolts at the sorcerer’s coat.

“Wait!”

“Mmm?”

     Stopping, he turned his gaze towards the little fairy. The latter then slid down his arm like down a hill, landing in the palm of his hand.

     Soon, the little fairy turned around to address him a softened expression. She extended her arms to seize with both her hands the flower wreath she was still wearing. Though some had been untied in the confusion – also because of a lack of sufficient know-how – it was still in a commendable state. More commendable than the state of some people’s survival instinct…

“I was wondering when you would decide yourself to take of that… thing.” Henox remarked. “It was too large for you, anyway.”

“It’s normal. I didn’t really made it for me.”

     He raised an eyebrow.

     She got closer to his wrist. Without a word. Kneeling near it.

     Undoing the fastener of the flower wreath, Gretel wrapped it then around his wrist. Knotting the thin twine which kept it tied.

“I wanted to thank you for having already come that far with me.” She raised her head to look at the sorcerer. “I like very much travelling with you, sir Henox. You’re not always good at behaving, but you are kind. I like you!”

     Casting him a beaming smile.

     He said nothing.

“And, with that, whatever happens you can always be sure that you didn’t imagine our journey.”

     Henox opened his mouth. Changed his mind.

“What’s with you, all of a sudden?” He asked instead.

“Nothing.” She lied.

     Though her gaze couldn’t lie. It was also the reason why she closed her eyes, offering him a last smile before straightening up.

***

In the streets, numerous stalls in addition of the stores. These abounded in items so that the merchants often didn’t have another choice than to stack them upon each other. Here, wrought iron animals. There, gardening tools.

    Moving about, constantly. These little men. Gretel cast them curious glances. They didn’t even reach the sorcerer’s waist. Their presence didn’t seem to concern them. It teemed, it discussed with passion. Two men leant over a parchment.

“It would be better to add a handle, there!” One of the dwarfs said in a gnarled voice.

“No, not at all!” The other protested, chasing away the idea with a hand gesture. “It would spoil the constellations painted there. Not a disgraceful handle amongst my stars!”

“The practical side! The practical side!”

“Noo. The harmony.”

“And what if the handle was in stars shape?”

“Ooh!!” The dwarf brushed his silver, thick beard. “This, it is an idea!! Let’s go make this bathtub quickly!”

     And the two of them dashing off.

     Gretel followed them with her eyes before noticing a jewellery store. Henox slowed his pace.

     Small bells jingled.

“Hoooh!” The little fairy marvelled, glancing at the merchandise so prolific that there was little place left for the customers. “You can find anything in this village! That’s incredible!!”

“The inhabitants are known for their hands gifted with an inexhaustible inventiveness. Their countless knowledge makes them jacks of all trades. They become in turn goldsmiths, blacksmiths, astronomers or even gardeners. Nature’s language holds no secrets for the Bergfolks.”

     Enclosing one of the stalls, Henox grabbed a silver chain at which hung a lapis-lazuli. The rim was engraved with numerous ships, their sails inflated by wind.

“These erudite dwarfs also become mages, and infused with magic a great number of their creations.”

“You have an eye, sir.”

     A stunted voice had raised, a figure until then hidden by the jewels enclosed. Her goose legs were almost concealed by the frilly apron she wore upon a dress of the simplest kind.

     Once close enough, she gestured at him to give her the pendant.

     When Henox did so, she delicately pressed the stone in between her thumb and index finger so she could rotate the ships-carved rim.

     She put the jewel in the palm of her hand when a starry sky was projected all around them.

     Gretel widened her eyes, half-opening her mouth.

     Countless stars. She recognised some the sorcerer had shown her during their nocturnal observations.

“Here are the locations of each of the stars classified by my husband.” The jeweller explained.

“A… a map of the stars?” Gretel whispered.

     Never had she thought a map could be that beautiful.

     Brushing one of the shapes circled with light, curvilinear letters appeared under the villager’s fingers. Indicating its name.

     The sorcerer’s gaze was even captivated for a moment.

“A quite nice object, indeed.”

“I can give you a reasonable price for it.”

“To be honest, we’re not here to buy.”

“Ohh.” She said, disappointed.

“Do you have a jewel giving wings?” The fairy asked with curiosity.

“Wings?”

     Turning around, Gretel showed then the remaining of her torn wing.

“Mahh, mahh…” She said, empathising. A hand against her cheek. My poor child.”

     She seemed to take a few moments to think.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have such a thing.”

“All right. Never mind.” Gretel said. “We’ll keep lo-”

“That said, I know who could sew it back for you.”

     The little fairy fell silent. She didn’t move.

“Really? Can you tell us more?” Henox asked.

“But of course. You see, at the top of the mountain in which one’s hollow the village is located, lives an elf with fairy’s hands. She spends her life sewing, twining. She could take care of that little one, doubtlessly.”

     A track that seemed far more promising than anything they had been able to find so far. Considering this piece of information the sorcerer was thoughtful, brushing his chin between his fingers.

“And… do you know what we should bring her so that she considers our request?” Henox asked.

     A smile appeared on her features. She nodded repeatedly. Here was a youngster who knew well the ways of this world.

“The Loireag is fond of puddings. But not just any kind. Dusk Puddings.”

“Puddings?” Gretel said greedily.

“Yes.” The Bergfolk answered after chuckling. “I think there are some left in a certain pastry shop…”

     While she was writing down the name of the latter, Henox stepped closer to the pendant she had laid. His gaze lingered on it before adding.

“Still, there’s a significant amount of merchandise. Here, as at other stores. Does the village lack buyers?”

“Oh no, no. It’s not that. Simply, our craftsmen had never been so motivated.”

“That’s surprising.”

“You think? Yet that is how it is. Until now, they have spent more time philosophising over the best possible creations. They began a first, a second one… Though what is the use of hurrying when you have the eternity before you? Then their projects had accumulated, gathering dust… You often have the spark to begin but not the one to continue. It’s only since Kishar announced the end that they’ve finally gotten their hands dirty, these old squirrels. They feel oh so light, like kids.”

“And that is now, as the end approaches, that they’re getting to it?” Henox held back a snigger. “Their inventions won’t even have the time to be used.”

“Mmm…” She smiled. “But what counts is that they do finish their projects. What a shame it would be not to leverage their talents while they still can do so. Now they don’t care about it to be perfect, simply about it to be. Inventors are like this, you know. Whimsical, grumbling. They wait until the last moment to show their genius.”

“They like danger a bit too much.” Gretel noted.

     Whilst the jeweller reached out the piece of paper to the sorcerer, the latter pointed at the necklace.

“I will take this as well.”

     A smile answered him.

***

The store was built in the shape of a giant cupcake, the whipped cream remarkably well executed. The silver tiles generously twisted. Even the sound of the small bells wasn’t the same from one shop to another.

“I am truly sorry…” The baker began, quite embarrassed. “The recipe had been lost for a few decades now. It is our last copy. It won’t be possible for me to give it to you.”

     While the sorcerer talked with the Bergfolk in charge of the store, the little fairy had enclosed to a glass dome, her eyes dazzling.

“Hoooooooh.”