The Third Saga

Part Five

As Oggin drew a bit closer to the little group he could make out the individual members of the assembly more clearly. Ted The Postman was still bent forward, postman’s hat in hand, bowing toward the Shed Master in a faintly silly way. The Shed Master himself cut a very imposing figure, he was at least seven feet tall with long, shoulder length white hair and a white beard. His red robe, pinched in at the waist by a white tasselled rope, was heavily embroidered with strange symbols and Oggin noticed he had a gold cap sitting on the back of his head. In his left hand he held his Staff of Office, a six foot polished wooden pole, marked off in thumb widths and topped with gold square. As far as Oggin could make out, the Shed Master was silent and wasn’t even looking at poor Ted, he seemed to be disinterestedly gazing into the distance, at nothing at all.

To the Shed Master’s left was a diminutive little man. He looked to be quite old and was dressed in all brown, grubby, woollen clothes. He stood with bent knees and a pronounced stoop and his dirty grey hair was long and very greasy looking. In fact, Oggin thought, he looked altogether ‘greasy’ and unctuous. He was constantly rubbing his hands together, as if he was washing them, in a very obsequious, slimy manner. Oggin decided to take an instant dislike to him, as he thought it would save time later.

Some fifteen or so feet behind this trio was a small girl. She was dressed in dark green tights and tunic and a shock of jet black hair framed her smiling, cherubic face. On her left shoulder was perched a small Owl, which, for all the world, seemed to be whispering in her ear. Oggin recognised it as an Athene Owl, a very rare bird in Oggland. To the Girl’s right, a small brown Fawn rested its head against her waist as she slowly stroked its head. Oggin guessed this was Taly, Nitta the Cutter’s new apprentice, although what she had to do with this ‘merry band’ he couldn’t fathom.

As Oggin reached the post pole, Ted caught sight of him and suddenly stood up, pointed to Oggin and announced,

“This, your masterness…this is Oggin the Ogg…the man who you have come to see your worshipness…he is here…now…”

The Shed Master slowly turned his head toward Oggin and inclined it, in the merest gentle nod of acknowledgement. Immediately, the small man scurried past Ted the Postman, almost knocking him over and stopped in front of Oggin. Now furiously rubbing his hands, he spoke with a Walland ‘sing song’ accent.

“Mister Oggin…I y’am Titus Morley of Walland…’umble apprentice to Giles Belann of Westex…The Shed Masster Gener’al…”

Oggin’s dislike of the man grew a little greater.

“I yam requir’ed to remine’ yew that the Shed Masster Gener’al iss ure to oo’versee the e’rec’shun off a build’n on you’are behaff…an’ as such you’are requir’ed to uner’take cert’ann responsa’billitys…..These are has foll’ows…”

At this point, The Shed Master lifted his ornate Staff of Office and poked Titus Morley very firmly in the rump and finally spoke.

“Titus boy…will you’n ever shut yer cakey yap fur a min’it an’ let I’da speak….”

Oggin at once recognised the soft Westex drawl and a smile played across his face. Titus Morley stooped even lower and put one hand over his mouth like a scolded child. Oggin wasn’t sure if this was a demonstration of obligation or to stifle a cry of pain. Either way, his smile broadened at the sight.

“So…you’m be Oggin of Ogg…I has bin told much of ee…me ’ansum…you’m got some fitty frien’s in them knockers an’ pisky’s…ain’t ya…loike yon maid…”

He inclined his head in the direction of Taly, who had moved closer to the trio. The Fawn had moved behind her, just peeping around her legs and the Owl was watching intently, with wide unblinking eyes. She spoke.

“I’s glad ta see ee Masster Belann…an’ I bids ee welcome fer sure…was yer travels proper loike…?”

“Indeed they was young’un…indeed they was…This weren’t zacktly where I was a’spectin to be today…but t’is roite a’nuff fer I…”

Oggin noted that Tally also spoke with the soft Westex drawl and seemed to treat The Shed Master almost as an equal, a fact that was giving Titus Morley almost silent apoplexy.

“Well I’s guessin’ you’m be a bit addled a’fer the journey…so if’n you’m follows me I’ll tak’ ee to yer lodgin’s at Bob Weaver’s ‘ouse…”

“Lead on young’un…Titus…git yer ‘and off yer fizzogg an’ look sharp or I’ll swap ‘ee fer a dinky…see if I don’t…”

Oggin watched as the odd trio set off for Bob Weaver’s cottage, Taly and The Shed Master walked side by side and seemed in deep conversation and the stooped figure of Titus Morley scurried along behind. Oggin noticed that the little man seemed incapable of walking in a straight line and zig-zagged to and fro behind them. Walking at twice the speed and covering twice the distance in the process.

It struck Oggin that no plans had been made as far as the actual building of his extension was concerned but he knew that if the Stone Woman was behind all this it was much safer to just let things happen. Anything else would be a waste of time and effort. He turned to find Ted the Postman still standing, cap in hand, watching open mouthed, as the others wandered off across the green.

“Close your mouth Ted…unless you’re catching flies…”

Ted turned to Oggin and put his cap on his head, trying to regain some composure.

“They is a weird bunch Oggin….that Titus bloke was a right bloody ball ache…you’d think he was running the bloody village to listen to him…and that bloody Shed Master fella…he was too high and mighty to speak a bloody word!”

Oggin nodded his tacit agreement but kept his council, not wishing to give Ted further encouragement.

“Well Ted, I’m going to toddle off home for a brew…I’ll leave you to your work…You never know, there might be a message for The Mammie eh...?”

With a wink and a cheesy grin at the now blushing Postman, Oggin set off home to see what the Stone Woman and her friends had delivered and where the hell they’d left it.