#10 The realm of machines

The morning sky is the same, yet different. Another realm – it’s such a strange and uncanny feeling to be here. I’m further from home than I’ve ever been.

“Where to?” Hräsvelg asks me.

I can’t believe he’s still here, and yet, undeniably he is. He kept the fire going all night, then he got up early and brought back a freshly killed hare. He’s used to roughing it, that’s for sure. And I’m grateful, against my will.

“It’s another long flight. Then there’s a really big city. I’m here to find someone,” I explain.

“Who?” he wonders, casually – as he’s trying to draw it all out of me.

I’ve given up. Apparently he’s dead set on going with me. I just glare at his back for a long moment.

“The Queen of Ravnea hails from this realm. She’s asked that I take a letter to one of her friends…” I fish the letter out of the pouch to make sure I have the name right. “Linnea Rosenberg, Strålgatan 33 on Lilla Essingen… It’s an island in the city apparently,” I continue.

“Do you know the route?” Hräsvelg asks, and there’s curiosity in his voice. Perhaps he’s as excited as I am to discover another realm.

“Yes, the Queen carefully laid out the best route to travel. She warned me though. It’s a big city. And what more… They don’t have people with two bodies here – so we need to be careful about that.”

“What about eagles and ravens?” he responds.

“As far as I know they do have these birds, well, as animals obviously,” I admit. “In the realm of man people usually travel in some kind of machines. I guess we’ll see for ourselves,” I add.

I’ve been imagining all kinds of things, to be honest. But by the time we see our first ‘car’, it’s not half as impressive as I imagined. They’re dull-looking and small. Convenient if you don’t have wings, but otherwise nothing special. Odd, if nothing else.

The closer we get to the city the more machines we see. Smaller towns have been scattered on the way, but this city is big. Everywhere we look houses and buildings stretch into the horizon. People build everywhere, and hardly in harmony with nature. Many places look abused and ruined – and the trees are pushed back. I get a sad feeling inside – as if I can imagine why magic left this realm.

Hräsvelg and I continue – we’re both startled by the loud noises, flashing lights and whatnot – and quite disoriented. Finally, we fly a lot higher, just to spot the island Venla described to me. My keen eyes soon single it out and we head towards it. The street names are written on small white signs and attached to the buildings. The machines are everywhere – growling and honking. I’m about to collide with a large one filled with people. They stare and me, one points to me and say something. I indignantly take to the sky to calm my frantically beating heart. I’m surprised anyone wants to surround themselves with this turbulent craziness.

After flying back and forth, up and down, here and there, we at long last find Linnea’s building. Queen Venla told me it’s the third balcony on the corner, and so we land on the railing. At first I don’t see much inside, but then a woman enters from a connecting room. Her eyes sweeps over the balcony leisurely, then away – and then quickly returns. Rooted to the spot she stares at us – and until this moment I haven’t realised just how strange it apparently is seeing a raven and an eagle sitting next to one another. The woman, and I really hope this is Linnea, has now gotten over the initial shock and is moving slowly, slowly towards the window. Perhaps she’s afraid she’ll scare us away. If she only knew.

I jump to the floor and drop the pouch there, then return to the railing – waiting. The woman inside unlocks the balcony door, and eyes the pouch with some measure of surprise. She looks at me, then back at the pouch and hesitantly reaches for it. I hear when her fingers wrap around the envelope, then she digs it out and begins to read the address – her hands are shaking the whole time.

“F-f-from Venla?” she croaks, and her eyes brim with tears.

I can’t do this suspense act anymore, and morph into my elemental body. I need to be able to speak with her. Linnea shrieks and try to back-pedal inside, but end up on her rear.

“Sorry, not the introduction I’d hoped for,” I say apologetically, and grimace. “I’m Ást, a friend of Queen Venla’s.”

“Q-queen? A-are you fae? You’ve come to steal me away, haven’t you?” Linnea says, her eyes wide and suspicious. Her voice going from startled to defiant. There’s fire in her, which is good. For a moment I worried she’d act like a frightened critter.

“I’m not stealing anyone away. But if you wish to visit Queen Venla, then I’d be happy to take you to the kingdom of Ravnea,” I say, and I’m sure she can see on my face just how annoyed I am – which strangely seem to relax her. Well, that is, until Hräsvelg too morphs.

Feathers and lore,
There’s much, much more,

//Ást