Free Hilda - The Challenge by Paul Kater Page B

William, as if she was examining him, seeing him for
the first time. It felt to the subject under scrutiny as if Hilda
was going over him even more thoroughly than Babs had done. "Nah,
I'll keep him for now," was her conclusion.
    William's heart took heart and resumed full
responsibility for life again.
    "I am teaching him to fly a broom," Hilda
giggled then. "We were out doing the rounds this morning. And he
keeps himself well on a broom." She had to give Baba Yaga the full
account of how they had scared the shit out of the shepherds, to
which the Russian witch treated William to a deafening and
bloodchilling cackle again. It did not bother Hilda one bit, as her
being a witch rendered her immune to the impact of it, contrary to
what it did to ordinaries.
    After she had calmed down, Baba Yaga looked
at William. "You are probably not aware of the compliment she gave
you just now, about keeping yourself on the broom, Willaim. Take it
from me, you can't get much better from her than that."
    Hilda seemed to ignore the entire remark. "So
you see, I got a bit upset and that got me a guest in the
house."
    Baba Yaga nodded.
    "And there is more to be upset about." Hilda
told about the disappearance of Gerdundula and the visit of a giant
Lamador in the garden there.
    "Ouch. That is definitely worrying, Hilda,"
Baba Yaga agreed. "If he sends out his Grizbles like that. And you
floored one?", she asked William.
    He showed his red and partly skinless
knuckles. "Yes. Still bear the medals for it."
    Baba Yaga looked at Hilda. "And you let him
walk around with that? After he caught the thing?"
    Hilda looked guilty. "Yes," she admitted.
    "Tsk tsk tsk..."
    "Alright... give me your hand," Hilda said to
William.
    She did not need a wand. She murmured
something, blew over his knuckles and the skin was healed, the red
streaks were gone, as was the pain. "There. Good as new." She
stared at the hand a while longer before she let go of it. Then she
looked at the visiting witch again. "So Lamador is heavily on the
prowl. He is taking witches out, probably to boost himself. And
I'm- not very happy with that," she changed the ending of her
words.
    The ugly witch made the teapot go round for
refills as she was thinking about everything that Hilda and William
had told her.
    "Hmmm..." After a while: "Yeah...", combined
with some nodding of her head.
    William looked at Hilda, his face all
questions. She shook her head and and gestured him to remain
silent.
    Babs nodded again. "I think the solution is
quite simple, Hilly baby. You asked for help and you cast magic.
Then William came. So you got your help in that form. There must be
something he can do, or that he knows that can help you."
    A true unbeliever, Hilda stared at the other
woman. "Please, Babs, go kid someone else and not me. I mean..."
She took William's hand and held it up. "Is he going to whack
Lamador in the face and decide the challenge that way for me?" She
put the man's hand on the table again, forgetting to take hers off
it. "I don't think so."
    William stared at the small fine hand that
calmly rested on his as Hilda kept talking with Baba Yaga.
    Babs noticed it too, but did not make a
remark about it. "I don't think that will be the way, Hilda.
There's a fine challenge for you two, before the big one. Has
Lamador already called a date and a place? No? Good, then you still
have at least three moons to figure it out. And I am serious about
that, Hilda. And that goes for you as well, William. Work on this.
It must be worth it."
    "You know that I value your opinion, Babs,"
Hilda said.
    "Yes. That is why I came. You're not coming
to get it, you're too bloody stubborn for that, so I thought I'd
come by and shove it up your ass. As well as have a look at your
mystery-man."
    That triggered Hilda to quickly pull back her
hand. "Yeah, that's you. Curious as a witch."
    Baba Yaga and Hilda laughed again. William
had seen it coming this time, and had his ears covered.
    Babs then magicked up a very