Episode 10 - Chapter 57

 Mum was getting quite worked up and upset by her realisation.

“I know this is important to you both,” she said, addressing Fiona and Raven, “But just because something can happen here, that doesn't mean it has to. We're getting on a bit now,” she glanced at me, “And we certainly don't need all these strange people coming and going.”

Raven started to reply, but mum obviously hadn't finished yet. “Nothing against you, Mister Raven,” she continued, a bit nervous I thought, “You were very polite and helpful when all this started, but I have to say these other so-called Agents of the Forest have been less than ideal guests.”

Her eyes were darting round the room as she spoke, looking at me, Fiona, dad, Raven, even Strauss. In fact she seemed to be looking anywhere but at Oak.

So of course it was Oak who spoke first. “Then maybe,” he said ominously, “It is time for you to consider moving house.”

Episode 10 - Chapter 56

 It took me a while to cotton on to what Fiona was actually talking about. My husband was being as useless as ever: staring into space with that stupid glazed expression on his face, obviously not paying any attention whatsoever. When I first noticed him, it did make me marvel at how quickly we can adapt to even the most bizarre situations and experiences. All of the weird goings on, these strange creatures coming and going. Not just Raven, and he was certainly strange enough, but Oak and Rose, that rainbow assassin, cats that looked like people, the whole shebang. And now there we were, all crowded into our living room along with heavens knows what type of creatures Raven had summoned, all being lectured by our daughter-in-law.

I'd just started to wonder what had happened to those two cats when the penny finally dropped and I understood what Fiona was saying.

“Just a moment,” I said, feeling the cold shock of comprehension ripple through me, “You're talking about the future of out house, our home, aren't you?”

Episode 10 - Chapter 55

 She was speaking for quite a long time, in the end. To be honest, once she'd got past the initial idea of Forest and Weave cooperating she started to lose me. There was a lot of talk about “real world interfaces” and “orientation” and whatnot. After a while I just stopped paying attention. She obviously knows what she's talking about, I thought, let her get on with it.

Funnily enough, I assumed we....by which I mean our home really, were out of danger. Fiona was going to save us, or so I believed, and that was that. I didn't give it another thought. Foolish really, when I think about it.

Instead, I became fascinated by the face of the Nomad. It was just there, one wall of our living room taken over by a giant silver face. It didn't speak, or interact with anybody else in the room at all. You'd have taken it for a sculpture of some kind, albeit a particularly odd one, if it hadn't blinked every few minutes. I really wanted to go and touch it, provoke some kind of response, but I resisted the temptation. In fact I just stood there, minding my P's and Q's, waiting to see what happened next.

Episode 10 - Chapter 54

 Once I'd heard his voice I couldn't stop hearing the Angel, and he didn't seem inclined to stay quiet and let Fiona do the talking. His voice was quiet, feint even, for me but I got the impression it was much louder for her. “Should you tell them about this,” or “Don't forget to mention that,” hundreds of ideas flooding into the air. I couldn't keep track of what it was saying, it was like an excited child listing all the sweets in a sweet shop.

Fiona was doing a marvellous job of just talking over the top of it all. Occasionally she'd lose track of what she was saying, having to stop and back track or snapping at the Angel for silence, but slowly she managed to lay out his suggestions for future cooperation between the Forest and the Weave.

Episode 10 - Chapter 53

 “So then,” Fiona continued, once more addressing the room, “As I was saying, the Peacock Angel knows there are dangers in the Weave, dangers that spill out into the Warp. The last century proves that.” She paused again, distracted.

I found myself wondering what it was she could hear, what words were being whispered in her ear.

“No, no,” she said quietly in reply to her unseen conversationalist, “We can discuss that later. Any mention of renegade nightmares right now will just confuse things.”

“What did you just say?” I asked without thinking, “Renegade what?”

Fiona looked frustrated, took a deep breath ready to reply.

“Not now mum,” Robert said before she could utter a word, “We'll explain everything later.”

“The Angel believes now is the time for a new approach to these problems,” Fiona said loudly, almost as if she was rushing to get the words out. “He believes the Forest should cooperate with those in the Weave who are ….sympathetic to its' aims. For the first time, this place makes that possible.”

Episode 10 - Chapter 52

 “What?” Robert asked, obviously startled.

“What?” I inquired, “What is it son?”

“You didn't hear that?” he asked again, looking round the room.

“Hear what?” Mary wanted to know. I was about to ask him more when Fiona interrupted.

“No,” she said, “They didn't. That's a voice only you and I can hear.” She paused, listening, then added “Oh yes, and your brother as well, I suppose.”

Well we all had questions after that, all three of us speaking at once. Fiona responded by raising her hand to silence us.

“I was born here,” she said, “The two of you grew up here. It's something to do with young, pliable minds being more open...no...receptive. Yes, that's it.” She paused again, listening. “I'll try and explain it to you properly later,” she continued, “ Now hush, there's important business to attend to, and I suspect not much time left in which to do it.”

Episode 10 - Chapter 51

 “Another entity?” Mary exclaimed, obviously shocked. “What other entity? What's it talking about?” I could tell she was starting to get worked up about it.

Fiona obviously thought the same thing. She reached out to place a calming hand on Mary's shoulder. “It's okay,” she said, “There's nobody else here.”

“Then what's he talking about?” Mary demanded, “What other entity?”

“They mean the Angel,” Fiona told her, adding quickly “He's not here....but he can....talk to me. In fact, he wont shut up, which is starting to get on my nerves somewhat.”

We heard the sound of a throat clearing impatiently, followed by an expectant silence. Fiona looked round, patted Mary gently on the arm while mouthing the words “Don't worry,” and smiling reassuringly.

“My lords,” she said loudly, “As you have just heard, there is no other creature here. But, due to the nature of this place, the Peacock Angel can speak directly to myself, and to my husband, should he choose to listen.”

“Can he?” I asked, feeling more surprised than ever.

Somewhere behind me, very feint but also clear as day, an almost familiar voice said “But of course.”