"Come Josephine, in my flying machine
Going up she goes, up she goes"
After walking a bit more, the maze was finally behind them, the walls of plant would reach as far as the eye can see, but the brothers could still see the Estate behind them also. Ahead, the landscape was a grove, looking like a wild orchard, there was a small path between the trees covered in grass and moss.
"We are out of the maze, but how are we reaching that Eliana now?"
"Lead the way brother o' mine! I trust your judgement!"
"You should follow your own direction one day, trust your own judgement, Greg, but for now you follow my way..."
"You are the pilgrim, you lead the way captain!"
"Ha, you still remember? I guess I'm indeed a pilgrim..."
"You are a person on its own journey"
"I wish I was home, I never ask to be put under this circunstances, Greg, hope this may be the last of our 'adventures'".
"Yea being far from home sucks, ugh this path is dirty"
While they were talking, Wirt and Gregory followed the trail covered in grass and moss, the path was clear though, so unlike the landscape they once found in the Unknown. The trees were straight up, many pinetrees, cyprusses, but also some fruit trees as well, soon they found a paving stone road unfinished.
"We must be getting somewhere! Let's keep on going, follow me Greg."
"Aye Aye, Captain!"
The forest would become more and less dense as they walked, and they could see squirrels, wild bears, not a sign of the civilized animals they found on the mansion though, but nothing to find too peculiar about, Wirt thought they must prefer living in more auspicious places, while he was thinking they reached a plaque that said MRS. WYATT FLYING MACHINES INC. IN 5 MILES.
"Yay, we are getting close, Greg!!! We'll be flying in the sky out of here and back to the mall!"
"Well I hope so, let's keep on going" How, Wirt thought, the wind would take them to the mall, to their home? This didn't make much sense, but also didn't make much sense the fact that they were in this place also, therefore he was ready to try the way of Mrs. Wyatt. After going those said 5 miles they reached a Home made in a Tudor Style, it was much much smaller than the giganticc manor of Mr. Synklisi, but any house would seem minuscule in comparison, so Greg, who was so excited seeing the Garden and all its surroundings, and Wirt, also observant of everything but with a much more concerned eye, walked to the door of the house. In it a plaque could be read CUSTOMERS, FEEL FREE TO KNOCK.
"Greg, stay close okay?" Said Wirt while standing in front of the door.
"Okay Wirt, this place is awesome! I think I can see the balloons from here!"
He knocked three times and from inside he could hear a woman going to the door. She soon opened it. She was a small woman, probably in her late 30's, dressing in a black dress and with a Pompadour style hairdress, her voice was strong and confident.
"Can I help you, sir?"
"You must be Eliana Wyatt, am I correct?"
"Eliana Wyatt from Wyatt Flying Machines Inc. Yes that would be me. Are you interested in my transportation devices?"
Wirt called Greg so he could stay next to him again, and he answered:
"Yes, Mrs. Wyatt, we are lost and we heard you could help us, we are interested in your devices."
"Lost you say? Well I do business in my office, is this young boy with you, if so, you both should follow me, there we can negociate".
They entered in the house, who was clearly the place where Eliana and her family lived, but was also a place for business, the place was quite a mess, dirt, smashed flowers, fruits and pieces of devices on the floor, the office was at the end of a long hallway, and it was a place filled with records and books, the prices for each device were in the wall, marked in a strong indigo color.
"Please sit down, I would offer some tea but we are short on staff these days, so forgive me."
"Don't worry Ma'm" Said Wirt, taking a seat. Greg was fascinated by that place, but he also took a sit and tried to stay quiet, he didn't know for sure if Eliana was a friend or a foe.
"So, are you brothers?"
"Yes we are"
"Hmm, I see" Said Eliana picking her round glasses and looking at a sheet of paper, "and you said you both were lost, correct?"
"Yes we are, you see, we are not from... well... here, We actually come from the mansion of Robaldo Synklisi..."
"I know Mr. Synklisi, he is a good sponsor, well keep on going"
"Yes, he sent us here, telling us you could help us go back home through the wind, we believe in him"
"I see, well let me tell you, the wind can help you indeed but the wind is not to be trusted! He can take you both to a place further away from where you come from! So, to wrap things up, you need one of my flying devices?"
"Yes, we do!"
"You come in a good time, I would say, the business go slow, we have some airships and some captains at your disposal, but, am I to understand you come from a foreign land?"
"I guess so?"
"So I'm assuming you don't have any gold coins to afford our services, then..."
"Oh no, the payment, we are supposed to pay right?"
"Young man, nothing in this world is for free, I could lend you one of my balloons, but that would mean potential loss of revenue for me, and given the way my business is going at the moment I wouldn't afford to do charity"
"Oh.. I see... Well, I do have money, but... it is from the place I come in"
"This is a problem, monsieur, I'm sorry, I would take your money, but it wouldn't value anything on these lands. The next exchange place is on the nearby city, but I doubt they'll have the correct value for your money."
"So, what will we do? Ma'm, we need to go home, please, there must be a way"
"And there is a way, don't worry. Look, I want to help you also. Look, I can't afford to just lend you one of my devices, as I told you, but we can make a trade. I will prepare airship no. 5, the "Benevolent" to your service, and Mr. Captain Toffeeshire will be available in it, but, I need a service in return, and that is, I need someone to clean the mess this house is, you see, I had to let the employees go for this month as I won't be able to afford them until things improve, this house is a mess, plus there's my nephew, Andrew, he is studying the art of gardening and he is staying in, he comes home and his shoes are dirty, you should clean the house and assist my nephew on his activities, that being done, you both will be good to go on the Benevolent."
The amount of activities Wirt and Gregory had to do, listening to Eliana talk, sound big and arduous, but also was received as a blessing for the both, who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford going back home.
"Thank you, Mrs. Wyatt, we should start our work right away."
"Also, I must warn you both: the weather is being unpredictable in this season. There is a lot of storms going on, my nephew even had his garden messed up by one of the rains, while in the clouds, keep this in mind, not even Captain Toffeeshire will be able to rescue any of you if the worst happens, be careful while there."
The boys looked terrified at each other while Mrs. Wyatt gave them this warning, a storm was the last thing anyone could wish for at that moment.
"But, first things first, let me show you the house and the cleasing material, and of course thank you for offering your support!"
The next hours, Eliana gave them a tour of the huge house, where Wirt and Gregory noticed how much there was to be done.
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