Chapter 4
Evelyn slept soundly, her body stock still. She dreamed, the most wonderful dream. She dreamed of Papa, strumming the harp, singing softly. His voice was low, but loud, ringing in Evelyn’s ears like a dainty petal. Quietly, Ma crept in, and kissed her goodnight, her distinctive voice joining the song. They clasped hands for a second, then Ma disappeared. Evelyn let out a little yelp, but was soon soothed back into bed by her father. Anxiously, Evelyn would reach out, to make sure he was still there, and that he wasn’t going to go. Soon, the voice was faint, shifting away from her. He was blurring, his voice fading, then he had disappeared for ever.​

Evelyn woke with a start, and for a second, gawped at the nature around them. Something clicked, and she realised. They were between two trees, their enormous leaves sheltering them from the rain. It wasn’t the cosiest place in the world, Evelyn thought, trying to take her mind off the dream. Peaking through the thick leaves above them, was the sun. It shone brightly, and it temporarily took her mind off the strange dream. Evelyn blinked, rubbed her eyes, and tore her eyes away from the it. Arconia was perching on a branch, about to leap off to take flight, but froze. Sighing, Evelyn clambered up the tree, ready to wind Arconia. Taking her in her hands, Evelyn climbed down and wound her up. Arconia leaped off Evelyn’s hands, thinking she was on the branch. When she spotted Evelyn she cried: ”I saw him! I woke up when the clock chimed six, and he was there, looming in the shadows!”
”Who?” asked Evelyn, but every part of her body knew.
”Lord Goldfly!” chirruped Arconia. The she yelled, ”Get up lazy bones! We’ve got work waiting to be done!”

”Hmph,” groaned Robert. ”My dreams are always disturbed!” Yawning, he stretched out, then his eyes widened. He looked around them, then seemed to remember. His tiredness blown away, he fixed his eyes on Evelyn.
”I’m ready.”
Within a moment, Arconia was fluttering as fast as she could, winds flapping frantically. Robert and Evelyn followed, until it felt like their hearts would burst out of their skin. Eventually, they reached the Skyo Moor. There, above them they spotted a large sky ship, with a figure inside, and it was almost certainly Lord Goldfly. The gold thread was in his hands, but he seemed upset. He was holding it tight, storming around the airship, faint cries of fury echoing in the sky. A rope was dangling down, and Evelyn knew that that the ropes on sky ships were two miles long. It had just left the ground. Racing towards it, they summoned all their energy they possible could.
”Here we go….” panted Arconia.
They jumped.

Clinging onto the rope was by far the hardest bit in the plan. Arconia, being able to fly, soared upwards, like a bullet from a gun. She may have been small, but she was strong and sneaky. She pulled the rope up, using all the energy she could muster. When they got on board, unseen, they noticed Lord Goldfly had dropped the string and was fiddling with the controls. Robert snatched it, and they let out a sigh of relief. It was safe.

”Rascals, varmints, scoundrels, pocket-pinchers!” screamed Lord Goldfly, thumping towards them. His mouth was square, eyes small. He looked more like a pig than a human.
”Hold on!” yelled Evelyn, and took hold of the controls. Robert grabbed the nearest mast and clung on. Arconia simply fluttered up. Suddenly, the airship jolted to the left, jerking Lord Goldfly off the sky ship. Rapidly, the trio rushed towards the edge, and watched as Lord Goldfly crashed into the sea, near the bank. He was shaking his fist, and screaming insulting, and upsetting things. Evelyn and Robert turned away, leaving Arconia to fly in circles saying: ”We did it, we did it, we did it!” Over and over again.

A few minutes after the victory, a groan was heard from below the decks. Evelyn seemed to know who it was.
”Ma!” yelled Evelyn. She scrambled over the few barrels that lay deserted, rushed down to the cabins, then found her mother. She was bound up tightly, her smooth hair now wild. Evelyn severed at her ropes and they embraced.
”Finally.” murmured Elena. Though they didn’t embrace for long. The airship started swerving from left to right, and Elena said, ”I’d better go up.”

Evelyn and Robert stood silently, watching the world go by. Tiny houses were dotted across the grey road; it was as small as a grey ribbon. Green and brown was separated by pale green hedges, near the tops of trees the size of buttons. Robert turned to Evelyn and grinned. A few frail snowflakes drifted onto the deck. The winter wind brushed against their skin. Arconia put her wing over her face, and snoozed.