As it was, the gnomes started arriving very early for the meeting - mostly because the day was one of those radiant, shimmering with hope and the warmth of early sunshine Spring days - and also because the meeting seems an irresistible opportunity to have a picnic. Now picnics are an exceedingly special event in the lives of gnomes, you can picture the baskets and hampers, the extra cushions, etc, but what you probably don't know about it is that gnomes also like to include a nap after enjoying their picnics, hence why they all arrived so very early.
Hortensia and Archibold had brought extra of everything just in case, the thought of someone missing out on a delicious morsel was against all the gnomes codes of hospitality and thought of as down right mean. Everyone had tried to make something in an extra large portion size for their expected visitors and large cloths were being joined together to make a seating area for the two humans. Possibly because they felt more than a little nervous, the gnomes soon settled down to enjoy their picnics and to playing Toss The Hat and all the usual races and ball games.
Soon most of the pies and rolls, cakes and buns had been eaten, and the Sacred Clearing began to resound to the gentle sound of sleepy gnomes snuffling and snoring as they drifted into a collective and restorative afternoon nap. All that was except for Eleanora, Hector and Archimedes and Aunt Mildred and Uncle Humperdinck. They sat together quietly talking through their worries and proposals for the future of the forest.
'What we need to consider is that Harold is not the confident boy that so many of us remember, he has been much diminished by his life in the city.' Aunt Mildred spoke first, 'He has brought this situation to a head by trying to prove himself in a world that cares little for what comes after their actions have caused chaos'. Archimedes smiled at her, 'which is my we are here today, nothing is an accident and we have known for long that changes are happening in the deep music. We are all speeding up and humans are at last realising that they have responsibilities for more than themselves. Harold is simply a man of his age and if we can begin to trust that the music has a part for him to play as well....then something that is good for us all may yet prevail.'
Eleanora looked at Hector and then speaking gently said 'we have to go forward my Dear Mildred, there is no way back without causing harm which will condemn us all to dispersal, let us accept where we are today and welcome with courage what is ahead'.
The five Venerable Gnomes sat in silence and waited for the others to wake up, and rather nervously it has to be said, for their most important human guests to arrive.
The Old Lady and her son were walking through the wood together for the first time in several decades. Because she walked a little more slowly than Harold would normally have walked, the two of them started pointing out some of their favourite trees and sights along the way. Neither of them felt comfortable about mentioning that they were going to a meeting to discuss the future of the forest with the gnomes. They both knew that the other had seen and befriended the gnomes, yet neither felt comfortable discussing such an unbelievable reality with each other.
'I suppose that we are between the worlds', thought The Old Lady, 'perhaps we will have to always keep this secret'. Her son held her arm and they softly walked in companionable silence the final part of their journey. The forest seemed utterly still and suspended in anticipation as the two humans began to walk towards a future of strange possibilities and unknown outcomes.
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