Gwarcheidial Book 1

by Frederick Fuller

CHAPTER 9

  Shealther had followed them back in, and what he heard next completely banished the thought of sleep from his mind.

  “Athermine have you told your mother that you are safe and well?”

  Athermine who had been laying on Sophie’s lump quickly sat up and answered.

  “How would I do such a thing, she would be gone!” She couldn’t bring herself to say that her mother would be dead.

  “Why would you think that?” asked Shealther who now had a puzzled look on her face.

  “I was too close to Peewee when he was cursed, I’m cursed also, isn’t that right Pee Wee?” Peewee just nodded his head in sad agreement. “It meant that I would live forever with Peewee while all else died around us.”

  “That’s what we thought little one, we thought that if Dragons die so should Athermine have died, but you kept on living, I was so grateful for that.”

  “Didn’t the Dragons tell you that Fairies don’t die?” Asked Shealther now even more surprised.

  “Why would they tell me that?” There was excitement in her voice. Shealther flew over to her.

  “Because it happens to be true Athermine! Fairies live forever!”

  “My mother still lives, she really does, and my father?”

  “Of course they do!” Shealther hid her other thoughts, she didn’t want to tell her that her mother might have died because of her great loss. Athermine had started to spin around. It took a little while until Shealther was able to stop her, after that they all sat very quietly for some time waiting for her to calm down.

  “But I don’t know where she is,” she said sadly.

  “What was her name?” Asked Shealther, there was a long pause and then Athermine started to cry.

  “You don’t remember do you,” exclaimed Shealther, you really don’t remember. Crying even more, Athermine shook her head.

  “I remember; you told me about your Mother and your Father!” said Peewee. Nobody appeared to be listening to him; they were all concerned about Athermine.

  Wizzo said. “She has been through a trying time since she first came here Shealther, and as you know when Fairies get to weak their memory is the first thing to suffer.

  “But I remember!” said Pee Wee, “her Mother’s name was Cathra and your father’s name was,” he scratched his head, “ Macthran! That was it, Cathra and Macthran!” he said excitedly looking round, “I’m sure of it!” Athermine started to spin round again.

  “Scottish Fairies,” Shealther said this with a note of sadness. She knew that they were very close and very clannish, and what she had first thought about Athermine’s mother could well be right because she hadn’t heard of the Macthrans and for a Fairy queen not to know of another established clan of Fairies was not possible. The only reason that it might be possible was that they weren’t an established clan. “You must call out to her Athermine and tell her that you are well.” Athermine didn’t answer, she was spinning around too fast. Shealther tried to control her but finally she disappeared. They didn’t have to wait long before she reappeared and helped by Shealther she managed to calm down.

  “How do I do that?” she said trying desperately to control herself.

  Shealther said thoughtfully.

  “There will be snow on the ground in the highlands so they will all be sleeping and it might also be snowing. Also with it being so far away they may not hear you,” she looked at Wizzo. Wizzo went over to the window and looked out.

  “We will try in the morning, the sun’s gone down now and there’s very little chance that they will hear us, and even if they do I’m sure that under the circumstances they won’t travel at night. There is a great risk involved in that especially if the weathers not good where they are.” He thought for a moment. “We’ll go outside the shield an hour after first light. That would be the best time, for even Fairies that are sleeping stir in the morning when the warmth of the sun comes on them, don’t you agree Shealther?”

  “That would indeed be the best time.” Shealther replied.

  “What is snow?” asked Athermine looking at Peewee for an answer.

  “I never told you about snow did I, --- well now let me see if I can remember. Snow floats down from the sky, it’s white and fluffy and it’s very cold, I’ve seen it, children play in it, even their mothers and fathers play in it sometimes, but it’s very cold,” Peewee made as if to shiver.”

  “A good explanation Peewee,” Wizzo stretched out his arms and yawned, “we have to be up at sunrise so now I’m off to my bed, I bid you all a good night. You get a good night’s sleep Athermine, you will need all your strength tomorrow little one.” With that they all went to their beds, leaving the Fairies to curl themselves up on Sophie’s lump.

  In the morning Wizzo was disturbed by Peewee who came scampering on to his bed, he opened his sleepy eyes only to realize that the sun was not yet up.

  “The sun’s not up yet Peewee, is there a problem?”

  “No problem Wizzo, but by the time you get dressed and we have some of that special gruel of yours, the sun will be up, wont it?”

  “I suppose it will Pee Wee, is Athermine awake?”

  “She’s been awake most of the night; you didn’t expect her to sleep did you?” Wizzo got dressed groomed his beard and made his way down stairs.

  It wasn’t long before he had prepared the gruel and they were all sat comfortably in front of the warm fire.

  Athermine and the other Fairies were sitting on Sophie’s lump which by now had increased in size. It had started to kick even before the sun came up in the morning as if trying to wake her up, it never failed of course. Sophie would eat at least two plates of his special gruel every morning along with the potion, so when he had finished his he went out and brought back another one for her.

  Peewee had been right the sun was just starting to show itself and shed what warmth it could over the land.

  “Come on Wizzo the suns awake!” cried Peewee jumping up and pointing out the window.

  “Not in Scotland it isn’t Pee Wee.”

  “Why not?” said Peewee looking puzzled.

  “It takes longer to reach there, it’s further north, it will take at least another half an hour or more.”

  “How long is half an hour Wizzo?” Asked Athermine.

  “Do you see the big hand on the time piece behind you Athermine?” she turned and looked at the clock. There was doubt coming from her mind so he went round the back of Sophie’s chair and pointed to the hand on the clock.

  “It is now on the star sign of Libra which means that it is seven in the morning, when that big hand gets half way between Libra and Scorpio which is this one hear,” he was now pointing to the sign of Libra. “That’s when the sun will be showing its face in Scotland.”

  “Do you think that they will wake up when we call them asked Athermine?” Without taking her eyes off the clock.

  “If they don’t Athermine, I’ll go there myself, find them and wake them up.”

  “You would do that for me Wizzo?” Knowing that she hadn’t acknowledged him since coming here, she now wondered why he would grant her such a wish.

  “Of course if it is your wish little one.” She flew up and kissed him on the nose, and then drifted back from him a little.

  “ I acknowledge you Gwarcheidial and I apologize for not doing it before;” she looked at Shealther wondering if she had done the right thing. Shealther was pleased and showed it because she knew that there was now an unbreakable bond between these two. That’s what happens when a Fairy acknowledges you, they usually do this by simply showing themselves, but the spoken word makes the bond much stronger. Peewee intentionally interfered.

  “Will it take a long time he asked? “

  Wizzo knew that Peewee was thinking of how much time he would have left to be with his Athermine, he knew in his heart that if she found her mother she would go with her and he’d never see her again, or not as often as he would like.

  “Finding them
might be a problem if they are all asleep, but it shouldn’t take too long Pee Wee.”

  “Wouldn’t Shealther know where they are?”

  “Shealther has lived under the strong shield of the manor for too long Peewee, I doubt after all this time whether she would know. She didn’t even know Athermine’s name, I think that she needs to spend some time in contact with others of her kind, she is getting hesitant in her thoughts and in her actions, I think that what is happening now is just what she needs. In the springtime I’ll take her out with me and then she can cast her mind around and contact all her sisters, friends that she has had no contact with for far too long.

  “You are mistaken Wizzo, I am able to converse with all my sisters at any time and always have been able to. What I don’t understand is that I have never even heard of this Scottish clan and I don’t know the name of their Queen, -- so under the circumstances it causes me some concern.”

  Athermine was now standing watching the timepiece, urging it to go faster! The trouble with that was, as Wizzo knew, when a Fairy wanted something to happen it usually did, so he had to intervene

  “Athermine try not to urge the clock to go faster, it won’t make any difference, time is time it cannot be changed.” He was worried about the effect that her thoughts would be having on the accuracy of the time peace.

  “I’m sorry Wizzo; I didn’t know that I would be able to influence it in any way.”

  “That’s all right little one; as you said you have a lot to learn.”

  “It all my fault!” Said Peewee. “I am the fault of everything. If I hadn’t drank that other Giants blood this would all never have happened. I told the village people that it wasn’t a good thing to do but they insisted on it, I only did what they asked of me. I should have been stronger in my mind then all this would never have happened, it’s all my fault!” Athermine flew over and kissed him on the nose.

  “It was the Wizards fault, he should have been more careful with his magic,” she said to him softly, trying to console him, “none of it was your fault Peewee, none of it at all.”

  “Athermine’s right Peewee.” said Wizzo. “It wasn’t your fault, you were only looking after your people, and anyway how were you to know that this particular Giants blood would not mix with yours, it was also the custom at that time, the faults not yours, don’t blame yourself.”

  “I’ve always blamed myself, that I should be the cause of so much unhappiness. There’s been many a time that I wished I were dead and that Athermine could have returned home to her loving people, you have no idea how much she missed them and how many tears she shed. It was a hundred years before she stopped crying, it breaks my heart to think of it, it was all my fault, he was sobbing, I would give my life to see it undone.”

  “Before the day is out Peewee, it will be undone, but I don’t know if those that have the knowing of it will return you to your former size,” said Wizzo. Athermine was spinning round because by this time the hand on the time piece had travelled the half-hour.

  “Come let us not dwell on these things, it is time,” said Wizzo as he picked up Peewee.

  “Can I come?” said Sophie, “please let me; I’m strong enough to walk down there?”

  “Come then Sophie, but you can’t walk all the way down to the main gates, I’ll carry you.” He put his arm around her, so with Peewee under one arm and Sophie in the other, they all went out to the gate where they found Shealther waiting with the gate already open. Wizzo looked up at the blue sky.

  “Its’ a good day for this Shealther.” Sophie noticed that he always spoke her name softly and with great affection, she didn’t have much time to think about this because they were soon outside and the gates closing quietly behind them.

  “There is one thing that I must do before we start,” said Wizzo. He turned to Peewee, what was your name when you were a Giant little fellow, what did your people call you?”

  Peewee looked at him in a puzzled way.

  “Yawlder was my name.” Wizzo removed the hood from his head; setting his feet apart he raised his arms, his right hand holding his staff, he then called out in a loud voice.

  “It shall be recorded in the Great Book that Peewee, (also in times past named Yawlder the giant) shares no blame in the matter concerning the taking of Athermine from her parents some nine hundred years ago, and she being trapped in the shield put there by an unknown but great Wizard for the protection of the remaining Dragons. I also command and state that his people not knowing that the blood of the two Giants would not mix and the drinking of it by the victor at that time was the custom and they forced Yawlder to follow this. This being much against his will and caused him to change from one who was fine and victorious, to one that had in the end by the will of the people to be shrunken. I command that it shall so be written and put into the minds of all those that it concerns, so it has been spoken and written, so shall it be!” This was accompanied by a huge clap of thunder that sounded directly over their heads, then rolled away into the distance. Wizzo lowered his arms and bowed his head. “So it is done for all to know.” Athermine came to him and kissed him on the nose repeatedly almost making his toes curl up. Normally one kiss from a Fairy was enough to make your hair stand on end, to be repeatedly kissed had such an effect on him that he was now floating about as if in a daze, after a short while he managed to calm himself down.

  “Thank you Wizzo, thank you so much” she said spinning around Peewee.”

  “I feel free, after all this time the shackles have been taken from me, my mind feels free, you have granted a great wish for me my friend, but what can I do for you in return.”

  “You owe me nothing my little friend. I have simply righted a wrong, something that should have been done a long time ago. It is we that owe you a great deal for looking after Athermine. You have been life and comfort to her, without you and with her great loss she may well have faded away and been lost forever. If it were not for some Wizards whose interest in gold outweigh their sense of right and wrong this tragedy would never have happened.” He turned to Shealther, “Now then Shealther, how should we go about this, I don’t think that Athermine knows how to do it?”

  “You should do it Gwarcheidial,” she used his correct name. “Even those that have the knowing of it, and as far away as they are will hear you.” He turned to Athermine who was now standing nervously on Peewee’s shoulder.

  “Do you agree Athermine?”

  “Please Wizzo if you would!” she was trying to control herself but still kept spinning around.

  “Before I do Athermine I will place a strong shield around you, then if you get too excited you won’t spin off to goodness knows where and maybe because of your lack of experience can’t find your way back. I must ask for your permission to do this as the shield will be close to you, knowing it must be foremost in your mind so as not to cause you any harm, ---- Shealther what are your thoughts on this matter?”

  “Athermine will not come to any harm as long as she keeps it in her mind that she cannot go far and that the shield has been put there for her safety, all will be well.”

  He raised his hands and chanting a spell placed a strong shield around her. Even when this was done he had the feeling that she would be overwhelmed with emotion and then completely losing control of herself the shield would not hold, he realized that he would have to do something about that but for now it would have to do.

  He turned to face the north, set his feet apart, raised his arms, his staff now held in both hands forming a bridge, in doing this the Fairies that he was trying to contact could use it to come from one place to another and would not get lost. He knew that at this time of year it could well be snowing up in the highlands, and Fairies can lose their way in the snow, snow was the only weather that they had any problem with, for some reason it seemed to have an effect on their sense of direction.

  Thinking that he had now accounted for every eventuality he called out with his voice and his mind putting his ver
y heart and soul into it.

  “I call upon the Fairies of the Macthran clan to wake up from their winters sleep, I Gwarcheidial the Wizard, keeper of the great book have a message for Cathra the loving mother and Macthran the loving Father of Athermine who was lost but has now been found, “do—you---hear---me.” His call was met with complete silence, it was as if the very trees were standing still and listening for an answer, even the wind had ceased its murmuring. There would not be a Fairy in the whole world that was awake that would not have heard the message that was so loud and clear. But still there was only silence. They waited for some time hoping to hear, see, or sense something but nothing happened, there was only complete and utter silence.

  “I have a thought Shealther, they will of course know that it is a Wizard that calls out to them, Scottish Fairies are very careful, maybe it would be wise for you to also add your voice and your name to this message. I know that you don’t know of this clan, I just hope that from somewhere in their past they still remember you.” Shealther faced to the north.

  “I am Shealther, Queen of your sisters at the great manor, hear us Cathra and Macthran parents of the lost child Athermine; we beseech you, wake up from your winter sleep and hear us.” Only silence answered their call, even the morning song of the birds had stopped, there was no sound at all, it seemed that the whole world was silent, waiting, knowing and understanding the importance of the moment.

  Wizzo felt the presents of others; he looked around then pointed!

  “In the trees over there, do you see them?” Athermine was spinning round in ever-larger circles above Peewee’s head; they could all see fairies hiding in amongst the branches of the trees. Wizzo realized that the strong shield that he had placed around her wasn’t holding, he rushed forward trapping her under his cloak replacing one shield with another, he now had this incredible sensation going through him. He called out to the Fairies who had left the trees and were now cautiously venturing closer, Shealther went out to greet them.

  Wizzo felt the need to get inside the forest shield so he turned quickly towards the gates.

  “Open the gates Gate Men, we all wish to come in.” Meanwhile Shealther was beckoning them forward, talking to them in a reassuring way.

  “Please come inside, you will all be safe in here!” They were reluctant to enter, one of them had come forward and was hovering in front of Wizzo, she was going this way and that trying to look inside his cloak, he slowly walked back inside the Gates with Shealther, the other Fairies reluctantly following. Once inside the Gates so as not to frighten the newcomers closed very slowly.

  “What should I do Shealther?” Wizzo asked.

  “She is Athermine’s mother let her inside your cloak Gwarcheidial!” He didn’t know whether or not this was a good idea, due to the incredible feelings that he was already experiencing, but he did as she asked.

  Wizzo put the hood of the cloak over his head and spoke to Athermine.

  “Athermine don’t come out or we will have to come and find you, I’m going to let your mother in” carefully he opened his cloak and let Cathra inside. His feet immediately left the ground and then spinning round he took off towards the sky. He tried to control it but the incredible feelings that were flowing though him sent his mind spinning. It wasn’t long before he found himself being pressed up against his own shield that he had placed over the forest, his cloak was protecting him but what if he was driven in amongst the great oak trees, Fairies could pass through trees, he could not! He remained stationary pressed up against the shield fighting for control of his mind. He managed to release the shield and then immediately took off into the sky, one hundred miles this way, two hundred miles that way, up and down and all the time spinning around, slowly he was able to gain some control and found himself hovering over he didn’t know where.

  He looked around, being careful not to let his mind wander too far in its thoughts or he would lose control again, the sea was not far away on his left, there was a small fishing village down below him. Next to it just down along the coast was another small town with a ship builders yard in it, ha! I know where we are he thought, that’s the English coast and that’s Folkestone down there, he also understood why his mind was so clear, he had lost the two Fairies, with all that spinning and being hurled one way and then another his cloak must have opened and they had fallen out.

  He directed his mind to finding them, he could hear the sound that they were making, it was a high pitched buzzing noise so he concentrated on that. Floating motionless in the sky he listened intently, there it was and the next moment he was with them. They were just a blur in the sky and still holding on to each other, he went up and quickly wrapped his cloak around them, and even more quickly he thought about the Cottage.

  “Come my little ones it’s time to go home.”

  He found himself outside it’s gate and that incredible feeling was passing through him again, as he was spinning he looked around for the Fairies, he caught glimpses of those in the garden and could see that Shealther and the Scottish Fairies weren’t there, still spinning he went down to where the main gates had been and found them all still gathered together wondering where he had gone. When Shealther saw him she called out.

  “Where have you been?”

  “I lost them Shealther; they somehow got out!” and then before he could say anything else, a very commanding voice said.

  “Where are they?” it was the Queen of these Fairies.

  “They’re in my cloak, I managed to find them so they’re both safe,” Shealther flew up to him and kissed him repeatedly on the nose.

  “You took a great risk in doing what you did Wizzo!”

  When he had calmed down after all the kissing and with his feet now firmly planted back on the ground, although he still wasn’t quite sure that it was the ground that he felt under them.

  “You asked me to do it Shealther.”

  “And you did it without question, even knowing the danger to yourself. I should not have asked such a thing of you, we could have lost you.” Bethermere who was the Queen of these Scottish Fairies was watching and listening, her eyes going from one to the other, she began to understand and see the great bond that existed between these two. She had never been given the knowledge that most queens received and had found it too difficult to communicate with others of her kind so she was finding it difficult to hear their thoughts, but she wasn’t silly by any means and knew what these two shared.

  “Let's all go back to the safety of the Cottage,” he said. When they were all inside the gate he sat himself down on Hardheads newly planted grass that was doing its utmost to grow at this time of the year, “this could take some time Shealther.”

  “Can’t you slip your cloak off and lay it on the grass and keep them both in there for the time being or until they calm down?” she said.

  “I could do, but if they get out, the shield over the Cottage wouldn’t be strong enough to keep them in, and I can’t make it stronger until I release them --- so I will just have to sit here for a while and hope that I will know when they calm down enough because I’m not looking forward to the time when and if Cathra stops spinning and gets frightened from being inside my cloak.” Shealther laughed.

  “You! The great Gwarcheidial, Frightened, I have never known such a thing, and would you not be prepared to suffer a little for this wonderful moment in time.”

  “Suffer a little maybe but they can’t hear us while they’re inside my cloak and this Fairy doesn’t know what is going on out here, and I know Fairies!”

  “Gwarcheidial do I understand that to be your name?” said Bethermere.

  “I am honored to be the one that you refer to” he replied.

  “I am Bethermere, Queen of those that you see around me and we are the ones who are honored, we bow to you great Wizard!” Wizzo had never been bowed to before.

  “It is their custom,” said Shealther seeing the surprised look on his face.

  “I bid you welcome
Queen Bethermere, and to all those that are with you, to them I also say welcome,” Bethermere turned to Sophie, looking at her bulge.

  “And you must be Sophie the bearer of the Dragon Queen!”

  Wizzo sat bolt upright.

  “The what! Queen did you say?” He sat there on the grass with his mouth open.

  “Oh dear was it a secret, have I said something wrong?”

  “It was a secret Bethermere, but it was time that he knew about one of the tasks he would be asked to do.”

  “I’m afraid we don’t keep secrets from each other, our winters are too long and would cause too much hardship, I hope you don’t mind Shealther?”

  “No I don’t mind, we have kept it from him long enough, it is a delight to see the surprised look on his face, tis a game we play and this one has been played well.” Wizzo almost shouted.

  “What’s all this about a Dragon Queen! Tell me now! No more secrets Shealther!” she smiled disarmingly at him.

  “The Dragons are in need of a Queen, someone to represent them, and be their guardian. They are also in need of somewhere to live, other than inside their shield that grows weak and has now served its purpose. The shield weakens them as it did Athermine, it is a most powerful shield and those that have the knowing of it agree with them and say that there are places on the earth where they would be hidden from all human contact and could live in peace with their surroundings. To achieve this they feel that somebody who has been trained and is accustomed to a life style such as yours Gwarcheidial would suit them well.”

  “What about my apprentice who I must train for the task that lies ahead?”

  “He will come in good time my friend; there is no need for concern.”

  Sophie who had been using Alice as somewhat of a support for some time had been on her feet for too long and was by now starting to feel the strain of it straightened up.

  “It’s a girl! I always wanted a girl, are ya sure?”

  “O yes we’re sure Sophie;” said Shealther

  “She’s gunna be a Wizard then?” asked Sophie.

  “Not really Sophie, she will be the Queen of the Dragons, when she is old enough and skilled in the arts, her first task will be to find them a safe place to live and her second task will be that she should be able to protect them.” Shealther looked at Wizzo.

  “So I must ask you Gwarcheidial, do you accept this added task?” He was thinking about all the problems he would have trying to train a girl in the mystical arts, for one thing it had never been done before, and there was also his lack of knowledge regarding the ladies and their special needs. That reminded him of the promise that he had made to Sophie that as soon as she was well enough they would see to all these things, it seemed that a lady could not survive without them. Then of course their all-important anatomy, there’s a great deal of difference between the male and the female form, Shealther broke into his thoughts.

  “The Dragons know that they will be forever in your debt if you do this for them,” she said smiling knowing that this was somewhat of a bribe. The Dragons knew that he had never been able to wake them or bring them out of their long sleep that other Wizards had put them in sometime in the past for their own safety, such as those on the top of the Manor gate posts, Shealther also knew this.

  “Will I be able to bring them forth Shealther, those on the gates I mean?”

  “They are not for you to bring forth Gwarcheidial they are simply carved from stone and shall remain so.” Sophie wanted to hear everything that was said but she was getting so very tired, she excused herself and accompanied by Alice went back inside the Cottage.

  “I know where there is something that may be of interest to you Great Wizard!” said Queen Bethermere, changing the subject because she knew that Shealther was keeping a secret.

  “And what may I ask is that? It seems that as soon as I'm promised something, it is taken away by those who think that it is their business to keep all manner of secrets from me; I'm not a happy Wizard at all. I mean look at me, I’m sitting here holding, on to two Fairies in case they fly away, I even risk my life and yet it still seems that secrets are to be kept from me, I don’t know that I should put up with being treated in this manner.” He sighed a long sigh and at the same time shrugging his shoulders. “But none the less I shall open my ears to the one who does not keep very important things from me. What is it you have to tell me kind and generous lady, who I might add is to become my dearest and closest friend? Shealther still playing the game now looked terribly sad.

  “I cannot take you there now, but if you are going to have something to do with releasing the Dragons from their shield, you will need to know where the book is hidden that we think holds the spell. The great Wizard Ellthran put it there, he went on his way over nine hundred years ago, it was he that cast the spell for the Dragons, and it was he that hid his book of spells under the same shield. At this time of year we know that the valley will be deep in snow, and because of that the entrance will be hidden, also you will not be able to read the script that’s written on the rocks above the entrance to it, you will just have to be patient and wait until the snow melts.”

  “He put writings in a book you say dear sweet lady?”

  “As far as we know he did;” she said smiling at him but at the same time watching Shealther out of the corner of her eye.

  “And it is still there, dear sweet adorable lady?” she could see that Wizzo still wanted to play the game.

  “As far as is known it is still there, my dearest friend, I think that we are the only ones who know about it and we haven’t been able to gain entrance to the secret place to this day.” Wizzo clapped his hands together.

  “We’ll go in search of it near the end of spring and I will find his book of spells, I’m good at this sort of thing, am I not Shealther?”

  “I’m not speaking to you, and anyway, are you not according to Bethermere a great Wizard? And are not supposedly great Wizards able to do simple things?” Shealther then tossed her flowing golden hair back with a flick of her beautiful head; she knew that this always had an enormous effect on him, she was facing away from him but secretly she was watching him with her mind. It had the desired effect, she felt his heart beat faster, inwardly she breathed a sigh, he still loves me, and I will wait for him. She hid these thoughts from him, but she could not hide them from Bethermere who she knew was listening and watching.

  “I’m not interested in your secrets any more Shealther, I now have something more important to think about, possibly another book to add to my collection, fly away if you wish ---- I care not, I will take on this task and Queen Bethermere my dearest friend will help me.” Grinning to himself, and behaving like a schoolboy knowing that Shealther would want to know about everything that was happening, he then pulled the hood over his head to shield his thoughts from her and snuggled down in his cloak. Ha! He thought to himself, now I have her. Their little game was interrupted by Athermine who he felt was trying to tell him something from inside his cloak, carefully opening up the neck he asked.

  “Are you calm enough for me to let you out?”

  “You can let us out now Wizzo” she said.

  “Cathra hold on to Athermine, when I open my cloak and let the light in, there’s no telling what she will do.”

  “All right, I am holding on to her!” he opened his cloak slowly and as soon as the light hit Athermine she started to spin taking her mother round with her, Wizzo looked at Shealther for guidance.

  “Close your cloak quickly;” he did so. Now they were trapped inside again, but at least they were getting less excited and he felt that they were getting weaker, the amount of energy that had been flowing from them and going through him had made him feel as if he was a hundred years younger.

  “You called me Wizzo again Shealther, I like that.”

  “I apologies for my lack of manners she said with a touch of mischief in her voice, anyway I must leave you --- I have more important things to do than play gam
es with a Great Wizard called Wizzo.”

  “I think that you’re forgetting something Shealther, what about Peewee?”

  “It is not his time yet! Athermine has things that she must sort out in her mind before such a decision is made, when her task is finished and she has her freedom, who knows what she will want.” Queen Bethermere interrupted any thoughts they he might have had on the subject.

  “Athermine will return with us and to her mother, she has much to learn, there for I say that she must return when her task is finished, no decisions other than that will be made for her regarding her future!”

  It was now Shealther’s turn to say something.

  “You are her Queen Bethermere and she is subject to your rule, we will abide by your decision, one thing that Athermine has learned and that is to be strong willed as you have seen, I only hope that she will herself abide by your decision.”

  “I will banish her if she does not!”

  Wizzo who had removed the hood from his head now replaced it; he didn’t want this Fairy Queen listening to his inner most thoughts. He didn’t care much for her, and yet he knew that in her own mind she thought that she was doing the right thing for Athermine, but to be put so bluntly and seemingly without feeling meant that she did not trust them to do her bidding or Athermine for that matter. He had been watching Shealther, who had also been taken aback by the haughtiness of this Scottish Queen.

  “We understand your feeling and your concerns dear friend; we will try and persuade Athermine to return to you.” He said.

  “I would indeed appreciate your help in this matter Wizzo, if I may call you that ---- and don’t forget, you will need my help in that other matter!”

  Now he understood what was in her mind, he had suspected it, but didn’t know that a Fairy Queen would think in such a way, it must be a hard life up in the highlands, hard indeed he thought.

  “I must go now, I will make my own way back (Wizzo!)” said Shealther playfully with her nose in the air

  He sat there on the grass not knowing quite what to do; he didn’t like the thought of her going back on her own.

  “I’ll release them Shealther and take you back.”

  “I appreciate your concern Wizzo but I’ll be all right,” she flew towards the Cottage gate that was now opening, and then she was gone.

  “You love her do you not?” said Bethermere?

  “I do indeed, but I’m just an old Wizard and who knows what an old Wizard wants or doesn’t want.”

  “She knows and feels your love.”

  “She has never chosen another to share her life with, and she has never had the pleasure of a child in her arms. I think it possible that she became their Queen when she was too young and has born that responsibility ever since, there were only a few of them then.” He smiled. “Now there are thousands and they are all protected under the shield at the manor. I don’t understand why it is that you have never been in touch with Shealther or myself, didn’t you know that as well as being the keeper of the great book my other task is that I’m the guardian of all Fairies?” With this exciting news Bethermere started to spin round, it had been hundreds of years since she had felt any excitement at all mainly because of Cathra’s loss, they all thought that a witch or a Sorcerer had taken her.

  “I didn’t know that Fairies had a guardian or that there was some kind of great book.” Wizzo couldn’t understand this so he shielded his thoughts from her. It just didn’t make any sense at all to him, there could only be one reason for it and that was that Bethermere had never been ordained a Queen, she had never had that knowledge passed on to her from another Queen, he wondered why. Shealther hadn’t mentioned it or even hinted at it, being a Queen herself she must have known, he decided to be careful and approach this delicate matter in a different way, so he asked.

  Are you and your people not shielded in anyway Bethermere?

  “No we’re not, I noted your surprise and Shealther’s at the way in which I conduct myself, we live a different life, sometimes it’s not as easy as we would wish, there are those that would seek to destroy us. There are many black Witches in the highlands and have been for centuries, but now there is one in particular, she has made herself known by trying to catch us whenever she can, she seemed to become obsessed with this thought some fifteen years ago and seeks to do nothing else, so we have to be careful and look after each other, that’s why I must return as soon as possible.”

  “I understand Bethermere; I will make sure that Cathra and Athermine return safely to you, if you wish to leave now you can do so knowing that you leave them in good hands, it would also be wise for you to go before the light fades.”

  “We thank you Wizzo, I will ask you again if I may call you that? It seems that your friends do.”

  “I will count on you as a friend Bethermere and the name seems to fit me well, I will see you in the late spring and if the witch becomes too much of a problem you need only call my name and I will come.”

  “We thank you kind Wizard, it’s a pity that we didn’t know that we had a Guardian long ago, we could have lived as Fairies should, free with no sense of fear and with only love in our hearts, this constant fear drains us of our energy, you see here only those that felt strong enough to help Cathra, she being particularly weak and still suffering from her loss all those years ago.” She turned to Elthra who was close by and was about to ask her something.

  You have no need to ask Bethermere, we will do all that is necessary to care for them both.

  “I thank you, said Bethermere. I apologies for even thinking that I would need to ask such a thing of you.”

  Wizzo entered the conversation.

  “Bethermere your situation is not of your making, or to your liking, you have only to call my name and I will come to you, whether it is tomorrow or as arranged in late spring. Now I respectfully suggest that you be on your way, the gate will open for you and I therefore bid you and your sisters a good and safe journey,” he stood up. “I’ll take these two inside, close the drapes, put out the candles, and then perhaps they will calm down enough for me to let them out.”

  “It seems we both have important things to attend to.” said Bethermere “I will see you late in the spring or before that if deemed necessary my good friend,” with that she called on her sisters, again the gate opening at their approach and the next moment they were gone. Wizzo set his feet apart, raised his staff and in the old language restored the shield over the forest. He then went inside, closed the drapes, put out the candles, sat in his chair then slowly opened his cloak, they were on his chest curled up together, asleep, they had completely and utterly exhausted themselves.

  Peewee looked up from the floor and whispered.

  “That’s love Wizzo, that’s love. I will never know such a love as that, all my kind have gone, and even if they were here the spell cannot be changed.” Wizzo said nothing but at the same time knowing that if he could understand what was written over the cave entrance he may be able to do something for this little fellow, he looked at Sophie who understandably was deep in thought. Alice had gone into the scullery and from the sound of it was washing up some pots, he sighed, all is well. With that in his mind and after such a seemingly long day he closed his eyes, his chine dropped down onto his chest and he went to sleep.

  Later, and not wanting to disturb the two Fairies sleeping on Wizzo’s chest, Sophie and Alice crept off to bed. Pee Wee made himself comfortable in Sophie’s chair so that he could watch his beloved Athermine, until he too went sadly off to sleep.

  In his dreams he was all alone searching for her everywhere, up in the mountains and down in the valleys of Scotland, he frantically ran and ran and no matter how hard or where he looked he couldn’t find her. Wizzo also had a restless night; Peewee’s dreams were so strong that he was aware of them; he could see the little fellow running around in his mind and could feel his desperation.