The Bird Woman

Author's Note: Ever heard the horror film director, Rod 'Zombie', fulminate? It was in my mind when I was writing the artist geezer later in the chapter at the Cathedral.

As was her custom, Elysia stayed to watch over Leif for the following night. Helga and Jo were asleep in the guest rooms. The moonlight bathed the room in a silvery glow. Leif's hair gleamed like gold on the pillow. Sometimes he would miss his biological mother – or the terrible brigands who had killed her would return to haunt his nightmares. In these circumstances, Elysia would hug him when he woke up and assure him that she was there for him now.

Leif shifted in his sleep and whimpered. He was dreaming of the murderer, covered in blood and missing his knife arm, robed in garments soaked in brine, rising again from the sea. Elysia had thrown both the murderer and Hakan into the waves – they deserved no resting place. Leif's biological mother was entombed in a marble vault in the cellar. Elysia stroked Leif's cheek and smoothed his hair. She hummed a soothing melody. Before dawn she had to close the curtains. She wanted to be there to be there to hug Leif when he awoke, to bid him good morning. She would feel his slender arms around her and hear his piping voice telling her he loved her...

A few days later the four of them were at tea together. Elysia sat at the head of the table in her oaken chair, carved almost like a throne. She was resplendent in one of her elaborate dresses. Her sleek black hair gleamed in the lamplight. Leif sat in a high legged chair by her side and Helga and Jo were further down the table. "You've surpassed yourself this time Jo," Elysia said. "How you've learned so much about cooking in just a mortal lifetime is a very interesting question."

"Are you sure you don't want any trifle Mummy?" asked Leif.

"I wish I could have some dearest," said Elysia with a somewhat sad smile. Out of considerations of delicacy she had already eaten her own meal somewhere in private and was now merely sitting at the head of the table while the humans ate theirs.

"So I hear that there is a mural going to be painted at the Cathedral tomorrow morning," said Helga, making a stab at the subject that was on all their minds.

"It would be perfect if I took Leif," said Jo. "I would like to feel I'm earning my keep around here." She had taken Leif into the gardens during the daylight, but those were the only times when Elysia had not been with him. The vampire had still not allowed him out of the grounds unless she accompanied him. Being naturally astute, Jo had guessed that Elysia was putting off the question of his going out on day trips, even though that had been the whole point of her hiring Jo in the first place. Elysia gazed at Jo saying nothing. Her black eyes always held that timeless look – of one forever trapped outside the normal passage of time...

"I think Jo would do well at it," said Helga in a quavering voice.

"Do you Helga?" said Elysia impassively.

"Can I mum? I'd like to," said Leif.

Elysia took a deep breath and then smiled and stroked his golden hair. "Of course sweetheart," she said. "Tomorrow morning. And I'll be waiting here until you get back."

The next day, Leif, Helga and Jo proceeded along the cobbled streets to St Paul's Cathedral. The sun was high in the sky. When it came down to it, Elysia had become agitated by the idea of being separated from Leif, even for a few hours. She interviewed the three of them separately before they left and when it came to interviewing Leif, kept telling him to be back soon and then took a while kissing and hugging him goodbye. It was probable that she would just be pacing round the Inner Sanctum while they were away.

"It's interesting how St Paul's Cathedral is now a mish-mash of architectures from different eras," said Helga. "Just imagine, if it had been burned down in a Great Fire that destroyed much of London, it might have been completely redesigned by a master architect. It would not be called a "loathsome Golgotha" of a building as it is now.

"Really Helga, what kind of dystopian timeline would that happen in?" Asked Jo, her eyes twinkling.

"And what year?" asked Leif. "Would everything be built better than before if that happened?"

"I don't know dear," said Helga. "I doubt anyone would want the city redesigned. They'd want it back the same run down way it always was. People are so inert."

St Paul's cathedral was indeed an interesting sight. Parts dated back over a thousand years, but extensions and annexes had been added on in later centuries. They approached the timeworn cathedral steps, having to slow down for Helga who found toiling up them quite tiring. "Look, the bird woman," said Leif. "Look Helga that's the bird woman still here, like you said."

The bird woman was an elderly lady who sold bird seed so that visitors could feed the pigeons. She called "Feed the birds! Tuppence a bag!" Over and over again.

"She says that a lot," said Helga. "It is a little unnerving."

Leif looked through the purse Elysia had given him. "Hmm did mummy put anything smaller than a sovereign in here?" he wondered.

"I have tuppence," said Helga. "Maybe... hold on... Do I have the ha'pennies?"

"Now you remind me of my old mummy," said Leif.

They fed the pigeons, the clumsy grey birds tottered around and scrabbled, flapping ineffectually to grab the seed. When they went into the cathedral, they heard an artist announcing the construction of a new mural.

"I'm painting a mural of angels," said the artist. "And if anyone notices any other aspect of the cathedral first, then that would show we have real problems with the mural."

Jo peered at the artist in perplexity.

"Does anyone have a child who actually looks like an angel," said the artist, in a somewhat disparaging tone. A woman with a little red headed girl came forward.

"No kid with red hair should even bother auditioning," said the artist. "I said a child that looks like an angel!"

"You don't know a treasure when you see one," shouted the woman, storming away and taking her daughter by the hand.

"Hey! He's perfect. At least he looks angelic," said the artist pointing to Leif. "He could be the subject for the mural. It doesn't take long."

"And I know a way that will make the job go quicker," said Jo brightly.

"Whatever Miss," said the artist. "So boy... do you want some candy to eat while I paint, I bet you could eat a lot of candy without needing to pretend."

"He's not to take sweets from strange men," said Helga firmly. "His mother was very firm on that point. She'd be in the mood to eat someone alive if they broke that rule."

"Right whatever, sit on the stool boy," said the artist.

"Complete it quickly," said Jo. She snapped her fingers and the artist glared and set to work. The likeness of Leif was captured in a surprisingly short time, no more than a few minutes. "I'm betting it's your best work ever," said Jo.

"Don't get smart with me Miss," said the artist. "Alright boy, you've done good. I don't often get such a worthwhile model."

"Wouldn't it be great if we could go there? To where angels are from I mean?" said Jo.

She snapped her fingers. Suddenly, it seemed they were high in the clear blue sky, surrounded by fluffy white clouds, the air cool and light and crisp. "So this is what the daytime sky is like," said Leif. "The Night sky only has moonlight when you fly up there."

The artist had gone white. "What on Earth! Put me down, get us back," he said, his voice trembling. Jo snapped her fingers and they were back in the cathedral. "That never happened," said the artist his voice trembling. "Alright, Miss, Madam, angel, thank you for your time."

"I'm glad that didn't take too long," said Helga. "I wouldn't want to give Elysia unnecessary cause for worry, really I wouldn't!"

"We can go and see me in the mural this evening probably," said Leif. "How much do you fly Jo? Mummy could fly quite far I think."

Jo knelt down to be on eye level with Leif. "I can go to many places Leif," she said smiling. "How about if we go for a little treat in the tea shop?"

"I don't know about that," said Helga. "You heard how specific Elysia was when she told us what Leif could and couldn't eat."

"Yes, I was impressed," said Jo. "She's clearly quite the epicure - for a vampire."

"Ssh!" Said Helga nervously, looking around.

"Gingerbread is not off limits," said Jo cheerfully.

"No, gingerbread is not off limits!" agreed Leif.

"Well then, let's get a treat," said Jo.