Thomas' Adventures in Hiddlesgard

They journeyed onward with renewed purpose. The tone not as light hearted as it had been. Tom's paced had quickened and his face set in firm determination. Ever since the last encounter with Loki he had decided he was even more determined that Loki would not win. He had now threatened Wendy and that to Tom was unacceptable.

They made such good time that they made the boundary of Williamsburg by late afternoon.

Wiiliamsburg was different to Freddietown. It felt older to Tom. Again there were cottages, but fewer of them, more quaint. White, with dark timber frames. Roses grew up around doorways. The roads were completely dirt, no sign of any modern surfaces.

Tom found the going difficult at times. The mud caked his boots. Occasionally he would become stuck and struggled to pull a boot free from the mud. Wendy would flutter past him giggling. Then turn flutter back and tap him on the nose as if it was a game of tag. Tom started to tire of the game after she had done it the twentieth time!

"Wendy sweetheart, please, you are not helping the situation" he sighed.

Wendy giggled and chirped back at him.

"Well your mood certainly seems to have improved" he said as his boot 'splooped' out of the mud and squelched back into it again.

"I am exhausted, any sign of firmer ground?" he asked Wendy. He waved his arms trying to keep his balance.

It was obvious the rain had made it as far as Williamsburg but there was no sign of the devastation like that which had been caused at Freddietown.

"I am ecstatically happy that you find this all so amusing" he said sarcastically.

Wendy giggled again, then let out a shriek of dismay as she saw Tom wobble and then lose his balance, tumbling head first into the mud. He landed with a grand splat!

Wendy dashed over to where Tom had stood and fluttered wildly above where he now lay, face down.

He tried to heave himself free and managed to roll sideways out of the quagmire. He tried to wipe the mud from his face. He cleared most of it off. He looked a mess. 

Once she saw he was ok, Wendy could not help herself. She broke out into a round of the giggles and laughed so much she began to cough. Tom looked so funny covered in mud.

"Oh ho ho ho. You are a great help aren't you!" he said wiping as much mud as he could from his chin.

"I have no change of clothes you know. I look a mess and I am covered in stinky mud. Delightful."

Wendy had stopped laughing and fluttered over to Tom. She gently wiped mud from around his eyes with her whiskers. And then wiped his forehead. She chirped a quiet 'sorry' and looked into his eyes.

Tom could not help but smile. He could not be mad with Wendy.

They both had a little chuckle, then Tom tried to get to his feet. It wasn't easy. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts that ended in a round of giggles from the pair, Tom managed to get to his feet.

He searched for some firmer ground and spotted a patch of grass further along the road which did not look as bad as where he was currently standing. He made for that.

Gradually the road became firmer under foot and walking became easier. They had reached the town of Williamsburg.

There seemed to be only the one road through the centre of the town. Either side of the high street stood Timber-framed white buldings. Tom Spotted a tea shop, an apothecary, and an ironmongers. For a small town the roadway was busy with traffic. Horses and carts trundled up and down the the length of it. There were people too going about their daily duties. Tom did feel very self-conscious. Everyone was dressed in their finest and here was Tom caked in mud from head to toe. He smiled nervously at them as they passed by him. Confused looks on their faces.The strange thing Tom noticed is that there were quite a few ladies wandering around in long dresses and bonnets. It reminded him of period drama he'd watched on the television. He stopped dead and smiled. Another memory. Just then to his left two women paused smiled and wandered quickly over to him, their faces flushed with barely concealed excitement. 

Tom felt slightly uncomfortable and averted his gaze,  not sure if he should smile in return or try and move away quickly without causing offence.

It was too late. They were upon him.

"Oh it is you isn't it Master William?" said the older looking of the two women.

"Though I am sure we should not call you Master William now."

Her smile faded slightly at the sight of the mud covered Tom. She frowned a little which made Tom squirm a bit more.

"I was just saying to Martha here, I am sure that is Master William returned to us."

"I recognise your eyes, you look so different. And yes there is his smile too."

Tom now had a bashful tiny grin on his face. He felt awkward and a little embarrassed. He felt he needed to say something.

"Um, ladies.." He started to say

"Oh Master William it is you. It is so good to see you again.  But alas what has befallen you? And you are missing your hat. Did you lose during the storm the other night, such a fractious night."

Tom absentmindedly raised a hand to his head, searching for a hat, but found nothing. He looked back at the two ladies and smiled weakly.

"Alas I fear I have" he replied. He opened his eyes wide. Why did he reply in such a manner? These were not his normal spoken words.

"Your father is well? We have not seem him for a while here in Williamsburg." 

"Father is well and is currently residing at an acquaintance of his in London. I have made a brief return to Williamsburg. Ladies please forgive my current state of dress, I fear I lost my balance and ended up in this current condition"

Tom found himself saying unfamiliar words that would not have been spoken by him.

He stopped, confused and unnerved, what was happening to him? He suddenly didn't feel that well. 

Wendy had noticed the change in Tom and fluttered by his head. She chirped quietly looking into his eyes. 

Something was wrong, very wrong. They should not have stopped here. She should not have brought Tom here. This place... Tom was changing, she was loosing him.

"Why master William there is no need to apologise on your part. It is unfortunate that you have had to endure so horrifying an experience" replied the younger woman.

Tom could see they were staring at him. Concern showing on their faces.

Tom quite unaccustomed to such attention smiled awkwardly and nodded to the ladies. He had to mind his manners and remain polite and gentlemanly. But his head began to swim, he smiled weakly at the ladies, then felt his legs buckle beneath him.

"Oh! Oh! Master William whatever is the matter!" exclaimed Martha. She looked around for help. It would not be the done thing for a lady to approach a gentleman even if he was in distress.

The ladies shouted out to Bill the blacksmith to come to Tom's aid.

Bill rushed over and knelt next to Tom.

"Bill please could you escort Master William to our cottage. He has taken a rather nasty turn and he needs to rest somewhere whilst someone needs to fetch Doctor Smythe."

"Come along then Master William, let's get you somewhere more comfortable" he eased an arm under Tom and lifted him to his feet and gently walked him towards the nearest cottage. 

Wendy started to follow but was shoo-ed away by 
Miss Martha.

"Off with you you little beast!" 

"Master William does not need you to get in the way of his recovery."

Wendy growled and tried to follow Tom, again she was challenged by Miss Martha.

"I said go away!" 

Wendy tried a third time to get past Miss Martha, but instead suddenly found herself caught in a net. She struggled hard against the net but only succeeded in restricting her movement further. She snapped and growled. A familiar voice then spoke to her.

"Hello my pretty, it's been a while hasn't it?" 

Wendy knew that voice anywhere and she growled. A deep, low growl.

It was Steve.

She whimpered and looked on helplessly as Tom was carried into the cottage. She let out one final scream of anguish.

A dazed and confused Tom straightened up and sunk his boots into to ground, trying to stand firm. Bill tugged hard at him, trying to move him forward.

Tom twisted in his vice-like grip and tried to look back at Wendy.

He extended one arm, stretching and reaching back towards Wendy. He had to get to her. He had to save Wendy!

"Wendy" he mumbled weakly. He squirmed against Bill's grip.

"Let me go" he said, feeling his energy slip further away. "Please...Wendy...no..."

He twisted and turned trying to break free but he was too weak. His head swam, his legs no longer had any strength in them.

With one final heave Bill lifted Tom clean off the ground and carried him inside.

Tom cried out one final time for Wendy, then was gone.

"Will you not visit for tea soon? We have missed your presence in Williamsburg." the ladies enquired politely, looking directly at Steve.

 "Poor William he just doesn't to be himself today." exclaimed Miss Martha.

"You simply must come round for tea" Miss Martha turned back looking at Steve.

"Alas ladies my duties take me elsewhere. Now I have this pretty little thing, I must leave Williamsburg. Perhaps I may have the pleasure of calling on you in the not too distant future."

With that Steve raised his cap slightly in polite farewell and walked slowly away from the ladies, holding tight his prize.

Wendy sobbed, if Tom stayed here, she would lose Tom. Tom would no longer exist. The longer he was in this place the worse it would be. He had been in Hiddlesgard far too long already. Williamsburg was having an effect on him too soon. Lines were beginning to blur.

Loki new what would happen to Tom, that's why he tried to delay him. The longer Tom remained in Hiddlesgard the easier it would be to become part of Hiddlesgard and lose his real self. Tom was different, Tom was special.Although Hiddlesgard was part of him, he was not part of Hiddlesgard.

Loki would hold power over him. While he was still Tom he would be a threat to Loki and his dominance over all things. He could win Loki's game, but now time was running out and Wendy was trapped again and Tom was in Williamsburg...alone...