Sunshine found them the following morning all gathered at the beach, next to the yacht that was waiting to ferry Daniel and Nemo across the ocean and into the next dreamworld.
Séraphin stood beside Hëna, wings tucked neatly behind his back. A squad of wingmen waited further back, with a carrier prepared for her. They would all fly towards the castle in the Northern Mountains as soon as the yacht with Daniel and Nemo on board had left the bay.
Nemo, now in his human form, looked anxiously towards the path leading out of the forest for any sign of movement. He’d sent word to Íro the previous night that he was leaving with Daniel and was afraid she might show up and cause a scene. To his great relief, as well as a little disappointment, the lovely Íro was nowhere to be seen.
As he and Hëna said their goodbyes, the former moon girl whispered in his ear.
‘Promise me you will look after him, Nemo. I’d like to see him again; I’d like to see both of you again.’
Nemo looked into her beautiful black eyes and answered.
‘I promise, Hëna. I will guard him with my own life and never lose sight of him. Wherever he goes, I’ll go. We will find Serena and bring her back home, safe and sound. You have my word.’
She thanked him and gave him another hug, before saying goodbye. Not too far from where they stood, Séraphin was making a similar promise to Daniel.
‘I will do everything in my power to make sure she returns home, my friend. I swear it on my life.’
‘Thank you, Séraphin; you are a good friend for doing this.’
‘You would do the same for me,’ Séraphin replied, never one to feel comfortable around compliments. They shook hands like two grown men who think hugs are for women and children, and then said goodbye wishing each other good luck.
Time had now come for Daniel and Hëna to say their own goodbyes. They’d both dreaded this moment and had put it off for as long as they could, but they knew it was unavoidable. This would be the first time they would be away from each other ever since they’d first met, and it wasn’t easy.
Having her in his arms one last time, Daniel suddenly had a dreadful feeling that he might never hold her again. Terrified, he felt like calling the whole thing off and not letting her out of his sight, and he almost did. But then, he looked into her beautiful eyes and as always found in them the courage and strength he needed to go through with this.
‘We’ll be together again, sooner than you think,’ she told him, once again being the braver one. He shook his head in agreement and answered, all the while trying desperately to steady his voice.
‘I know we will.’
They hugged and kissed one last time and then each joined their own travelling companion. The promises of reunion might have given them the strength to let go, but they did very little to lighten their hearts. Who knew what awaited them in the unknown places they were each heading towards? Who knew when or even if they would be back home and see each other again? All they had was hope, and they secretly prayed it was enough to keep them going on until they were done with their mission and Serena was back home where she belonged, where they all did.
‘I’m in the other world, aren’t I? My dad’s home world?’
The light shining in Serena’s eyes as she realised what was actually happening made her look just like she did the first time she’d visited Arba. This was unbelievable. After all this time hoping, wishing for something exciting to happen in her life, she found herself where she never thought she’d be, The Other World. All the times she had listened to her dad talk about it and all the stories about his time here had made Serena dream and fantasize about it for seasons on end. And now…
The boy standing before her continued to smile his silly smile, without actually replying to her.
‘But how did I get here?’ Serena finally thought to ask. ‘Does this mean I’m a Visitor, like my dad?’
‘Well, technically you’re a Dreamer,’ the boy finally spoke again. ‘Dreamers who travel from this world into yours, are called Visitors. Though I think in your case we might have to come up with a new term; Dreamers are usually people born in this world.’
‘What do you mean?’ Serena moved one step closer, intrigued.
‘How can I say this,’ the boy continued. ‘There’s never been anyone from your world, from any other world for that matter, visiting here. This is the first time ever something like this happens.’
‘Wait, there are other worlds out there?’
‘Of course there are. You didn’t think Endërland was the only dreamworld in existence, did you?’
‘I don’t know,’ Serena replied defensively. ‘I’ve only ever heard of this one and New Endërland, Sam's dreamworld. How many more are there?’
‘No one knows for sure, but there are many. Some of them are as big and as crowded as your Endërland, others are quite small, with fewer people living in them. There’s even some that are now abandoned and empty. People who used to live there have moved on to other places, or passed away. One thing is for sure though, no Dreamer has ever come out of a dreamworld; you’re the first.’
‘But why me? What does this mean?’
‘Well, I do have a theory, but you shouldn’t be concerned about that right now; you should enjoy yourself, get to know this world. And guess what, I’m your guide. I know everything you need to know about this place; after all, I’ve been around a bit.’
‘That’s right,’ Serena finally realised, ‘you’re that Freddie, the one who helped my dad when he first became a Vis…, I mean a Dreamer. I remember him talking about you. Aw, he would be so happy to know that you’re not dead. He always said it was one of his biggest regrets not knowing what really happened to you, in Sotira. What did happen to you in Sotira?’
In one fleeting moment she could swear she saw the boy wince as if in acute pain, but maybe she was mistaken. She didn’t know him well enough to read all his facial expressions, after all. Sure enough, when he answered, there was no sign that there was anything wrong.
‘Ah, there’s something I haven’t thought about in a long time. The fact of the matter is that I did what I was supposed to do with your dad and Sam, and when my job was done, I took my chance and made my exit. They did not need me anymore, so I left. I am sorry if Daniel has felt bad about it, but there was no other way.’
‘Really?’ Serena said sarcastically. ‘Isn’t there a better way to part ways with someone other than pretending to get killed? Like, I don’t know, saying “goodbye”, or something?’
‘Maybe,’ the boy answered, appearing flustered. ‘But that’s all in the past now. How is your dad, anyway?’
Serena dropped the matter and moved the conversation along.
‘He’s fine, thanks; he’s an amazing dad. He’s like my best friend; he spends a lot of time with me and has taught me everything I know. We travel a lot together; I’ve seen most of Endërland by now. It actually feels kind of weird to be here without him; I’ve never been anywhere on my own before.’
‘Well, this is your adventure, remember?’ the boy interjected, ‘and I’m sure Daniel would be happy to let you enjoy this experience, just like he did years ago. So, what do you say, are you ready to see The Other World?’
‘You bet I am. Lead the way, Fred; where to first?’
Freddie beamed at her and turned around, leading her towards the door out of the terrace.
‘First we get out of this building and find a coffee shop; I need my morning fix. This way.’ He walked halfway to the door and then stopped dead in his tracks. He seemed to remember something. Reaching inside his backpack he took out a pair of white sneakers, which he handed to Serena.
‘You’ll need these. I had a feeling you’d show up wearing nothing but your pyjamas. I don’t know if they’ll fit, but they’ll have to do for now. I’ll buy you some more stuff later today.’
Serena grabbed the shoes, and after a rather quick examination put them on her feet.
‘Thanks. They fit okay.?
??
‘That’s good,’ Freddie said. ‘Take this as well.’ He handed her a light blue cardigan, which she put on right away.
‘That feels much better,’ she smiled, rubbing her arms with her hands. ‘I didn’t even notice I was cold until now. Ok, I guess I’m good to go now.’ She was far from good to go, but Freddie did not say anything. She looked as if she had just gotten out of bed, which was actually true, and had put on the first thing she had gotten her hands on. She was sure to attract some stares when they actually ran into other people.
Following Freddie first down a short staircase and then inside a metallic box with mirrors on all sides, Serena jumped as the heavy doors closed behind them. She suddenly had a feeling that maybe she had trusted this stranger a bit too quickly. She turned to face him, fear and mistrust guiding her eyes, but that silly smile and the harmless look on his face put her mind at ease.
‘It’s called a lift, or elevator in a different part of this world,’ Freddie explained looking at her and misreading her expression. ‘It transports people up and down tall buildings like this one. We are going down right now.’
Sure enough the box moved, causing Serena to feel very light and her breath to get stuck in her chest for a slight moment. What followed was a pleasant sensation of movement, as if floating over the waves of the sea, holding on to the tail of a pair of mermaids. This was nice.
Only a short moment afterwards the box stopped moving and the doors opened to let in a boy and a girl seemingly younger than Serena. They gave her a quick puzzled look, but then turned around and ignored her. She noted with curiosity that they were holding hands and smiling fondly at each – other. As the doors closed and the box began to go down again, the boy threw his arm around the girl’s shoulder and drew her close to him. She put her own arm around his waist and they gave each other a quick kiss on the lips, before facing the doors again.
Behind them Serena kept watching, not without a sense of envy. Most of her friends back home had already found a partner; some of them had even moved on to build a life together and raise a family. Serena had had one or two suitors of her own recently, most notably Élios, Élena’s brother. A dashing young man, his curly blonde locks prettier than a girl’s, Serena thought he was alright. But she didn’t really feel like hanging out with him, not the least of all because it always had to be during the night, when he wasn’t up in the sky, illuminating and keeping the kingdom warm. But mostly it was because she just never really felt drawn to the guy.
She’d listen to her girlfriends go on and on about this guy or that guy, and she’d wonder why she never cared about anyone that way so far. Her mom would laugh and tell her that she was still so very young, and that when she’d meet the right guy, she would definitely know. But Serena didn’t want to feel like she was missing out on anything, or that she was unlike everyone else. If the other girls could fall in love at their age, so could she.
She often liked to think about what he would look like, the boy who would win her heart. She had an image in her head, only she could not see him very clearly and wouldn’t know how to describe him. All she knew was that he had beautiful kind eyes and a warm gaze, kinda like her dad’s. But that’s as far as she could go. For all she knew, he could look like anyone. Well, definitely not like this boy in front of her, desperately trying to resist not to lock lips with the girl in his arm. He had long and thin blondish hair, tied back in a single pony tail, and wore a leather jacket that seemed to be at least three sizes bigger. No, Serena was definitely not drawn to him.
She turned her attention to the only other male inside the metal box and immediately almost burst into laughter. That silly smile seemed to have been carved on the guy’s face. Either that or he was perpetually happy, in which case, good for him. Really though, someone must have told him at some point that it made him look goofy.
Repressing her laughter, Serena continued to look at him, without being too obvious. If she could ignore the silly smile, the guy wasn’t actually half bad looking. Despite the fact that he was supposed to be at least her dad’s age, he still looked like he was as young as her. The skin on his face was smooth and spotless, aside from a single small scar on his left cheek, just above his upper lip. A pair of perfectly shaped and full-bodied eyebrows complimented his hazel eyes, while his messed up wavy brown hair could clearly look much better with very little work. Or was that how they styled their hair in this world? If so, then they really needed to come up with something new.
Serena realised she was now staring, and she turned her face away just in time. Freddie looked towards her, the smile never leaving his face.
‘We’re almost there,’ he said and indeed, as soon as he finished speaking, the box stopped moving. The doors opened before them, announced by a loud ping. The couple before them got out first; she and Freddie followed. He led her through a big and shiny hall, some more stairs and then through a big revolving glass door, which finally let them out of the building.
Immediately Serena was hit with a wave of loud noises coming from all around her. She was definitely not in Endërland anymore. There were people moving in every direction, walking fast on foot, riding their bikes, or driving their cars. She was glad that she had paid attention to her dad’s stories about this world and the life he used to have here. Had he known she would come here at some point?
She followed Freddie along the sidewalk, keeping her eyes glued to the road.
‘They’re called cars,’ he said, noticing her fascination.
‘I know,’ she replied without taking her eyes off them, ‘my dad’s told me all about them. There’s so many.’
‘Yes, there are,’ he replied and then made a quick turn left, causing Serena to stop dead in her tracks and revert to catch up with him. ‘Here, a good Pret breakfast and coffee is just what we need.’
He led her inside the coffee shop and directed her to one of the few empty tables.
‘You sit here and wait for me, while I get us something to eat. Is there anything you prefer, or anything you don’t like?’
‘Umm, nope, I can eat anything really. Why don’t you surprise me?’
Freddie joined the long queue of people waiting to get their morning fix, while she sat there observing everything and everyone, still not daring to believe where she was. She couldn’t wait to tell her dad about this. If this was like her dad’s nightly trips to Endërland, she would find her way home as soon as she went back to sleep in the evening. And of course, she knew there also had to be a portal. Right then she remembered that she never checked to see if she had created a portal on the roof of that tall building when she had appeared. No matter; if needed, she was sure Freddie would take her back there another time.
Freddie returned soon, carrying a tray with a couple of chocolate croissants and two cups of coffee on it.
‘I got black coffee with some milk and sugar on the side; not sure what you drink back home, but I love coffee myself.’
‘We don’t have coffee in Endërland, but I’d love to try it. Thanks, Fred.’
‘Don’t mention it. Dig in.’
Serena did not wait to be told twice; the croissant was actually looking really appetizing. She’d tried chocolate croissants a couple of times whilst visiting her grandmother in Endër, and her mouth recalled the taste even before she brought it near her lips. When she finally took a bite, the soft but crunchy dough and the warm sweet chocolate filling, exploded with such taste and pleasure inside her mouth, that she could not help but moan with pleasure.
‘Yum, it’s got more chocolate inside,’ she opened her mouth while still chewing, causing bits of chocolate to drip down her lower lip. Freddie, who was sitting just opposite her, broke into a delightful laughter, which made him look even younger than he already did. Serena laughed too and proceeded to clean herself up.
‘I always do that. I swear my grandmother bakes these things for me on purpose. She loves to see me make a mess of myself with food.’
‘I
can see why,’ Freddie responded, ‘you look like a three-year-old.’
‘I do not,’ Serena snapped at him. ‘I’ll have you know that today is my nineteenth birthday; I believe that makes me an adult in this world. And what about you? How come you look so young even after all this time. I remember my dad saying that you were a young boy when he met you; how come you haven’t aged in all these years?’
‘Well, there’s a very simple explanation for that,’ Freddie said, smiling. ‘It’s my secret.’
‘Oh, come on. You have to tell me,’ Serena pushed.
‘Do I? I’ve only just met you; you can’t expect me to tell you all my personal secrets.’
‘Well, I’ve only just met you, but you don’t see me holding anything back. Gosh, you’re annoying,’ Serena exhaled, frustrated. She looked adorable just now.
Freddie laughed. Apparently he too thought she was adorable. Beautiful, too. Her long black hair was thick and healthy and it fell perfectly over her slight frame. The fringe almost covered her eyes, a brilliant and expressive emerald green that he’d rarely seen. They were striking. Her cheeks were a natural pink, with a perfect skin, but her lips were her best feature, beautifully curved, the bottom one slightly fuller than the top one.
‘You remind me so much of someone else, you know. She was just as curious and relentless as you; much cuter though,’ he teased, consciously deciding to stop admiring her looks.
Serena made a face at him, and decided to finish off her last bit of chocolate croissant.
‘I tell you what,’ Freddie surrendered, ‘let’s just say that a lot of things have happened since your dad and I last met. When we’ve gotten to know each other a bit better, if you’ll still want to know, I will tell you everything. Deal?’
‘Deal,’ Serena said with her mouth full again, chocolate dripping down her jaw as before. Freddie extended his napkin, not even trying to stifle his laughter.