Hilda: Book Of Dragons

By Paul Kater

Yes. Dragons.

They play a big role in this new book in the Hilda (and William) series. We'll find out what can happen with a certain book, we'll learn a surprise fact about King Walt and Queen Velma, and many characters you already know return to the party.

Enjoy reading the Book Of Dragons. It's going to be quite the journey!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paul Kater
• Release date: Oct 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370902361

Paul Kater

Paul Kater was born in the Netherlands in 1960. He quickly developed a feel for books and languages but ended up in the IT business despite that. Books and languages never ceased to fascinate him, so since 2003 he's been actively writing, encouraged by friends on the internet. The internet is the reason why most of his work is in English. A friend asking for writing help is why some of his writing is now also in Dutch. Paul currently lives in Cuijk, the Netherlands, with his books, possibly with cats, and the many characters he's developed in the past years, who claim he is a figment of their imagination.

Book preview

1. The situation

Hilda rose up on broomstick and looked down at the castle of King Walt. William and she hadn't been there for the longest time so it was time to pay the good king a visit. She had made that visit count. King Walt would need a long time to dig up three of his guards who were now stuck in the ground up to to their waist. They hadn't done anything to annoy the witch but she knew King Walt would appreciate this distraction. The guards were screaming as if they had been put on a stake. Hilda promised herself to come back soon and show them a few more tricks. The prolonged absence of the magicals had made the guards soft. That was not good and needed to be corrected.

Next time I won't come alone, she promised the men, even though they couldn't hear her. That was her intention because the surprise would be bigger that way.

The king himself was looking up at the witch and waved. He called out something but Hilda couldn't hear it. She'd find out next time. Now it was time to head back home and take stock of the situation. Because the situation had changed.

-=-=-

The wicked witch saw the familiar tower in the distance. It was the pump they had brought home from one of their trips. Not far from it stood the house. Her house. Well, since William had moved in it was their house but secretly Hilda still saw it as her house because she had lived here for quite a while longer than he had. And then there was the second house. That was part of the new situation, and Hilda had no idea how long that would last. The second house was made of regular wood. Its inhabitants would only be here temporarily so bothering the Squeamish for their special wood wouldn't make much sense.

Let's see how things are, she told a passing bird and started to descend. As she approached her house she noticed a strange broom leaning against the wall. Approaching the house she recognised the item even better. It belonged to her sister. Crappedy crap, what does she want today?

Talking voices bounced out of the open door. I am glad you're back, said the house. I feel very crowded.

"Since when is she here?"

Too long.

Hilda took a deep breath before going in.

Aunt Hilda! How was it? Can we come with you next time?

The wicked witch looked at William. Then she looked at Charisma. Hi, sister. Did Green throw you out? Hilda was surprised that her sister was still living together with the Green Man. She also thought it was about time that she and William met the guy because so far they had only heard of him. Finally she looked at Vasilissa and Valentina. Actually I was thinking about taking you both with me next time. The twins cheered at that as Grimalkin came walking along and jumped up to find a sleeping spot in Hilda's lap.

Hilda had hoped that she'd gotten used to the two girls being here after all this time. After dealing with their former teacher, Gunabella Gunabellador, they had lived with their aunt Baba Yaga for a while, but after some time Babs had complained they were interfering with her upbringing of Shevaughn. Somehow she had managed to convince that Hilda would be a good teacher for her nieces, and since the twins were inexplicably fond of Hilda and William there was no way of saying no without becoming rude. Hilda only had a problem with becoming rude when friends of hers were on the receiving end.

"No. Green didn't throw me out, Charisma commented then. She sounded very snippy because of Hilda's words. I just felt like visiting you and William. And I was curious how they were doing by now." The fact that Charisma didn't look at the twins and called them they instead told Hilda that her sister still didn't agree with the two being here. She and Charisma had gone through several heated discussions already, and there would probably be several more.

"They are doing well enough, Hilda said. Now tell me what I was interrupting. You were talking when I arrived." It had sounded like all of them had been talking at the same time to her.

"I simply informed them again that I think they shouldn't be here. There are so many people around who could do with some proper training and then you take two with an accent who come from wherever far away." Charisma was on her hobby-horse again.

At which I said that Vasilentina are here on probation, William said. They've been here for only a month and so far they've behaved.

"And how long will that probation take? Charisma got up and with her hands on her hips looked down at the wizard. She had to stand up for that as William was much taller than she was. A year? A decade?"

Cassie. Calm down and sit down. Have some tea or wine, said Hilda. They are our responsibility, not yours. The wicked witch sat down and poured herself some tea which William instantly changed into coffee for her. Thank you. As for the trip out, if anyone's interested-

I've heard enough. I'm going home. Charisma was clearly not interested. She rushed outside and the dissipation of magic spread by her anger told everyone she'd flown off.

She'll be back soon enough. Hilda was certain of that. As I said, the trip out was successful. King Walt enjoyed how I made a splash of water follow him through most of the garden. He's been gaining weight again so I made him run a little further than he could. Hilda smiled at the memory of the wet king. She explained how Walt at some point had stumbled over something (probably his own, tired feet) and then the splash had hit him. The twins wondered where Hilda had gotten that splash of water from. It came from the fountain, she explained. Then she told about how she had planted the guards. After the laughter had subdued she asked what the twins had been up to. After all, life wasn't all about laughing at kings and guards.

We've cleaned up our little house, the girls said. They glanced at William and uncertainty showed on their faces.

And? Hilda knew there was something they hadn't told yet.

You know... we saw how Aunt Baba had made her hut larger on the inside, one of the girls said.

I see. How bad was it? She looked at William who would probably give her a more accurate account of events.

It started with the roof coming down, he began. That and a lot of screaming. The girls were quick to state that they hadn't been prepared for the roof to fall on their heads while they tried to make the floor larger. "I really wonder what their former teacher taught them because they were very slow in getting their wands out to do any good. Let's just say they didn't get hurt. I took the roof away from them and then we had a look at the damage. The twins looked guilty and even ashamed. We didn't have to rebuild the entire extra house."

And my sister knows that?

Of course not. I'm quite aware of how opposed she is to us having the twins here. William shook his head. I suggest that Vasilissa and Valentina make dinner today. Outside. Like a barbecue. He wasn't certain that the girls would survive the kitchen, nor if the house would survive their streak of bad luck today. On that thought he added they should keep the fire far from both houses.

Thank you, said the house. Hilda was glad the girls didn't scream out in panic any more about the house talking. They didn't have any Squeamish where they were from, so the first encounter with the house had been very unnerving. They occasionally still flinched if the house would say something unannounced but that too would ease away.

I second your motion, William. And after dinner we'll have to do something about that wand technique. It's not that difficult. But first the girls were sent outside with a load of food items. After that they would go into the tricks of wands.

I'm glad you came in when you did. Cassie was on fire about them again. William sighed. "She insists that flower witches would be a good local replacement for them."

Let her think so. We know it's not the same. Hilda sipped her coffee, heated it up and sipped some more. I want to go to magic school tomorrow and see if we can enrol them into some classes there. That would get them out of our hair and house, and the change of company would be good for them.

William nodded. They had discussed that option a few times and decided to give the twins some time to get settled. The results were rather unsettling so they had come up with plan B, being magic school and Hepatia Strunk. He looked out the window to keep an eye on what the twins were doing. So far it didn't look dangerous, and they had chosen a spot well away from either house. It's strange being the ones to take care of them, he said. How do you feel about it now?

Hilda said she was getting used to the idea, but only slowly. It was good that this was only a temporary solution as well. The girls had appeared docile back at the house in Russia where the magicals had first met them, but the influence of Gunabella still shone through. That was also the reason Hilda and William had created the new house on their grounds; the girls kept trying to mess with this one. They invented doors leading nowhere, moved the stairs to strange places, and once they had actually concealed the entrance to the kitchen. All that was just kid stuff of course, but for magicals who had their habits and their work around here it was annoying at times.

Together they looked outside to see the girls busy with dinner preparations. Valentina is going to make something explode, Hilda remarked casually. Somehow they had worked out how to tell the girls apart, even when they were dressed similarly, which they usually were. She usually does when she thinks they're unsupervised.

William nodded. Together they waited. Kaboom. That didn't take long.

I wonder what she did this time. She had her back to us. Oh, look. A surprise. Hilda grinned. Valentina had moved to the side, revealing her sister whose face and clothes were black from the explosion. The magicals inside didn't need enhanced hearing to understand the yelling in part English and part Russian that went on between the sisters.

Should we go outside and prevent the need for intervention? William was already on his feet. Hilda told him to go ahead. She would join him a bit later. Sometimes a witch needed some time to herself, and the wicked witch needed that now.

William carefully approached the twins. He made sure at least one of them saw him so they would go easier on their explosive traits. That fear was unfounded because Vasilentina was still apologising for the black mess she had created and then deposited on her sister. What happened? the wizard asked casually. Casual was the best way to go.

She told me she could ignite the wood without a wand, Vasilissa complained, and I told her not to.

You didn't. You started saying something when I was already creating the magic to ignite the wood!

That's because lately you don't listen to me! You think you know everything and then you do whatever stupid stuff comes into your head as if you're... as if you're... William never found out what Vasilissa was going to say because suddenly the twins were rolling over the grass in a mass of cloaks, legs and flailing arms.

Not again. William popped up his wand and said a spell. It was a spell he had used a few times already. Well then, ladies, I shall leave you hanging here for a while. The girls had to be used to hanging in the air as if they were held by invisible, giant hands. They heard him, he knew that, even when they still tried to kick at each other. The wizard by now knew the right distance between them. Oh, yes. Almost forgot. He held out his two hands. Wands, please. As they had come over to live here, the girls had agreed to hand in their wands if either Hilda or William asked for that. Hilda then had put a spell on the wands to make those obey if their owners were a bit too occupied to listen. That had come in quite handy a few times already.

The twins hung in silence, angrily ignoring each other while William started the fire for dinner. That is how we do it. Simple, controlled, he told the girls. Ready to come down without going for each other's throat? They nodded so William put them on their feet again.

Can we have our wands back?

Why do you want your wands? We're making food, not magic.

Please?

William looked at the girls and pointed at the fire. That comes first. And while you're at it, can you explain why you're into all this fighting and disagreeing so much? When you moved here you were the best of friends but that's gotten worse rapidly. The wizard wanted to know because that would help in preventing the magical equivalent of a small war.

The twins started talking about how they liked being with Hilda and William and that they wanted to do the best they could. William ignored the fact that the two spoke in turn, starting and finishing each other's sentences. They had done that ever since they moved in with the couple. Then their explanation started to make no sense at all. We should be dedicated to the one who leads us, they said. There are too many magical people against us and we should revolt against those. We're very sorry for the trouble, we only want to do what's good for everyone but there are rules that need to be...

What's that gibberish? Hilda had sensed William's unease through the bond which had made her stop musing and go outside. As if her presence had a special effect on the two, they looked at her and said that dinner would be ready soon. They acted as if nothing had happened. Hilda frowned at that and it surprised William as well.

2. Ladies, we have to talk

After the food had been prepared (it's noteworthy to say that this happened harmoniously and without any incidents nor explosions) everyone sat near the dwindling fire. That was good food, said Hilda. What was it?

The twins giggled in harmony. It's called Okroshka. It's basically cold soup with raw vegetables like cucumbers, spring onions, boiled potatoes, with eggs, and a cooked meat. We used ham with kvass, topped with sour cream.

The witch nodded thoughtfully. Then she told the twins there were a few things wrong with their explanation. First of all the soup wasn't cold and secondly the vegetables weren't raw.

We know. We don't like cold soup so we made it hot. Vasilissa smiled as she patiently explained that the vegetables had had plenty of time to cook while they heated up the Okroshka.

"And what is that kvass you had in your hot cold soup? What followed was a long and complicated account of an ancient recipe which was used to make a fermented beverage which included one or more forms of wheat like barley. I see. It's beer."

"No, it's kvass." The two insisted it was different from beer. Hilda assumed they knew what they were talking about as they were from that far-away land. She slowly stroked the soft fur of Grim who had jumped onto lap. Obsi had found an equally safe haven with William. The cats were still reluctant to approach the twins although lately things had been better.

When do we get to see the king? Valentina asked. I'm looking forward to meeting him and his wife. What were their names again? Walt and Selma?

Velma. She's a nice person as long as she doesn't get drunk and wants to dance. It might be a few days before we can go there because I have somewhere to go first, said Hilda. So far she was keeping her plans to offload the girls to magic school a secret, and she wanted to go there soon. The girls were still adjusting and finding their own way under the guidance of the wicked witch and her wizard. Gunabella had messed them up badly, that much was clear, so keeping the news of school away from them was probably the best thing to do.

Velma. She sounds nice. Valentina looked dreamily at Hilda. Maybe I can marry a king some day and be queen. Queen Valentina.

Her name sounds nice, you mean. Vasilissa shook her head and then hugged her sister. You're always dreaming of kings.

So are you, said her sister.

No. I dream of princes. They are younger and have more time for their princess. Both twins looked dreamily now, no longer seeing Hilda or William.

When you're done dreaming there is something I would like to talk about. The wicked witch watched the faces of the twins, then decided against that. They still confused her, even though she now knew how to tell them apart. William, do you have any idea what's wrong with them?

I guess it's their age, the wizard offered. They look like they're in their twenties so they must be looking for love. Lots of girls their age do that. For a moment he hesitated. Didn't you?

Me? Hilda looked shocked as memories of a much younger version of her came back to her. A younger her and a young boy named Bidlow. Not when I was that age. After all she'd been much younger then. I'm probably different from most people.

I have never known you other than that, Hilda. William pulled her close and hugged her.

William... not in front of the children, she hissed and right after that she realised she sounded like her mother had done so long ago!

They're not ours, William reassured her, and they're busy watching something far away.

Awwww. That was so nice, seeing you two hug, Vasilentina promptly said, proving the wizard wrong. What is it you wanted to talk about, Aunt Hilda?

Your strange behaviour of just now. And the days before.

Her words were met by two faces who clearly didn't understand. What behaviour?

Like the fact I had to peel you off each other as you tried to beat each other up just now, William said. The reason that I took your wands away. Hastily the girls looked for their wands and found them missing. William handed the items back. Oh. The two looked a bit confused. That worried Hilda because she had heard them ask for their wands. How could they have forgotten that?

Are you girls certain you're fine? the wicked witch asked. There's something about you that I don't trust. Vasilissa asked why she felt that way because they had always been honest. Hilda explained that it was something in their behaviour. Something she and William noticed but the girls themselves apparently didn't. Hilda also wondered why Babs hadn't noticed that, but her bestest friend had probably spent more time with Shevaughn.

Do you feel strange? Valentina asked her sister.

No stranger than usual. And you?

Probably the same kind of strange you do. Or perhaps a little less. You've always been the stranger of the two of us.

Vasilissa frowned as she tried to work out if she should take this as a compliment or be offended. In the end she simply nodded and left it at that. We don't feel stranger than usual, the girl then reported to Hilda. What strangeness do you notice about us?

The magical couple explained about the unreasonable and sudden fights that had happened a few times already. Vasilentina immediately argued that they never did such a thing, but after William had pointed out the grass stains on their cloaks they all but lost their voice.

I have this odd feeling that Gunabella put some kind of spell on you and that's surfacing now. She wondered what their adversary might have done to the girls. Knowing Gunabella it was something tricky and nasty. That would make it hard to discover and even harder to remove.

You were telling me how much you liked being here, William said, and suddenly your tone changed. About being dedicated to the one who leads you... He was using the voice, to Hilda's surprise. That was something magicals should be immune from.

There are too many magical people against us and we should revolt against those. The two girls said the words simultaneously. There was something in their eyes that changed. Hilda saw it clearly. The brightness had left and now there was something like a dull void in them.

Crappedy crap, how did you know that?

I didn't. I just repeated what they said earlier.

And how do you get them back to themselves again? Hilda waved