by Isobel Bird
The Wild Man began walking quickly, motioning for Cooper to do the same. Together they crept through the woods. Cooper could hear the sounds of the “dogs” getting closer. Then she heard a man’s voice call out, “Boar ahead, dogs. On the scent!”
That must be Herne, she thought excitedly. The voice sounded a lot like Spider’s. That would make sense. As the leader of the group, he would naturally want to be the star of the ritual. Part of her wanted to stop and wait for him to arrive. But another part was frightened at the sound of his voice. That part of her urged her to run away. That seemed like an odd response to her. Why would she want to run from Spider? But she did.
The sound of the hounds—which was how Cooper thought of the people pretending to be dogs—was coming closer and closer. She heard them running now, their feet crashing through the brush. She heard, too, Spider urging them on.
“Up ahead!” he shouted. “The boar, dogs. The boar is close by.”
What was all of this about a boar? Cooper didn’t understand, any more than she understood why the Wild Man was running away from Spider and the others and why she was following him. Shouldn’t they wait to join them? After all, wasn’t the point of her becoming a wild thing like the others so that she could join them in the hunt and become part of the group? She had covered her-self in mud, and now she was ready for the rest of the test. If it meant pretending to be a hound and chasing after some made-up magical boar, she was all set.
She herself felt like an animal. The mud on her body was beginning to itch a little, and the smell was growing stronger. But the pain in her bare feet reminded her that she was still a soft human and not totally a creature of the forest. Unlike them, she couldn’t run on all fours without feeling it in every step. She wished she hadn’t left her shoes behind, and she wanted to go back for them. She looked ahead to see where the Wild Man was, but he had disappeared in the falling night. She could see a vague shadow ahead of her, but that was all.
A moment later she heard the “dogs” running through the woods behind her and Spider calling, “There she is, hounds. The Midsummer boar is ours.”
The “dogs” let out yips of excitement, and Cooper heard the woods around her rustle as they crashed through the trees. What did Spider mean by saying the boar was theirs? There was no boar. Besides, she hadn’t even joined the game yet. It couldn’t possibly be over before she’d even had a chance to play.
Then a horrible thought came to her. I’m the Midsummer boar, she thought, suddenly understanding what was going on. Spider was pretending to be the hunter Herne. The others were pretending to be hounds hunting the Midsummer boar. And she was what they were hunting. She didn’t know why, and she didn’t know what it meant, but she knew it was the truth. She was being hunted by the pack of kids Bird had introduced her to. They weren’t waiting for her to join them, they were trying to catch her.
To make things worse, she was alone. The Wild Man had deserted her. Her next thought was that this, finally, was the test she’d been brought to this place to take. She really had become a creature of the forest, even if it was all pretend. For what purpose, she didn’t know. All she knew was that now she was being hunted by a pack of “dogs” that was almost upon her. Realizing it, she did what any wild pig would do—she turned and ran.
CHAPTER 10
Annie stood and followed Robin Hood. She couldn’t help but wonder how she’d become involved in the ritual in the first place. Had someone really selected her? If so, who? Was it someone from the Coven of the Green Wood, or someone from Crones’ Circle? Why would they pick her? These questions filled her head as she and Robin walked across the clearing and into the woods, following the departing Oak King.
In the woods, Annie saw that there was another tent set up. Like the one she’d found the king in, this one was made out of yellow and orange material. As they went inside, Annie reflected on the fact that whoever had staged the ceremony had gone through a lot of trouble.
Inside the tent, she found several other people. They sat the Oak King in a chair and began to do various things to him. Some washed his hands and face with water from a bowl. Others combed his hair and beard and tied them with yellow and red ribbons.
“What are we supposed to do?” Annie whispered to Robin.
“Wait until he commands us,” Robin said softly.
The attendants fussed over the king for a while, grooming him and bringing him new robes to put on. These were made of beautiful yellow satin embroidered all over with red and orange swirls that reminded Annie of suns. When he turned and stood before Annie and Robin he seemed to glow. He looked younger and stronger than he had all evening. Gazing at him, Annie couldn’t believe that anyone thought he would lose in a battle.
“My brother will be here shortly,” the king said. “I will not have time to speak with you again once things begin. I want to thank you both for your service to me—Robin during my reign, and you, little hedgehog, on this most important of nights.”
“It was my pleasure, my lord,” said Robin. “I look forward to serving you again upon your return.”
The Oak King turned to Annie. “I hope to see you again as well someday,” he said. “You have been most brave.”
“I haven’t done anything,” Annie said.
“But you have,” said the Oak King. “You allowed yourself to face a great fear. That is a very brave thing indeed.”
Annie knew that he was talking about the deaths of her parents. But she hadn’t faced that, and she certainly didn’t feel brave. Still, she didn’t want to contradict the king.
“Soon I will face my brother,” the king continued. “And I will die.”
“No,” Annie said suddenly. “Don’t say that.” She was surprised at her outburst, but as she stood looking at the faces of the king and Robin, both of whom were watching her with interest, she realized that she didn’t want the Oak King to die, even if it was just a game. He was so handsome and so kind. She didn’t want to think of him dead. It would remind her too much of her father and that sometimes she wanted more than anything for him to hold her again and tell her that everything was okay.
She was afraid she was going to start crying. She felt like a little kid, getting so upset about the death of someone she didn’t even know, especially when she knew he wasn’t really going to die. But she was upset nonetheless.
“Robin, leave us for a moment,” the Oak King said.
Robin bowed and exited the tent, taking with him the king’s attendants so that only the Oak King and Annie remained. When everyone was gone, the king walked over to Annie.
“You were selected for this task for a reason,” he said. “You have shown that you are more than prepared to do what needs to be done. I knew that when I offered you a chance to leave me and you chose to stay. But now the hardest part is almost here. Be brave, little hedgehog. There is much for you to learn if you are willing.”
Annie didn’t respond. There didn’t seem to be anything to say. The king was right—she’d come this far, now she would have to see the ritual through to the end, no matter how many bad memories it brought up or how much she didn’t want to do it. She would just have to keep telling herself that it wasn’t real.
“I can do it,” she said, as much to herself as to the king.
The tent flaps opened, and Robin poked his head in. “My lord,” he said. “The Holly King has arrived.”
The king looked at Annie. “You have been my squire all night,” he said. “I hope that you will be by my side now. Will you?”
Annie looked into his face. His eyes were shining. She thought about how he had held her when she’d been crying. It reminded her of the way her father had held her that night long ago when her life had changed—when everything had changed.
“Yes,” she said. “I will.”
The king smiled and gave her a hug. His arms circled her, and she felt him pull her close. For a moment she felt as if she were in her father’s arms again. Then he released her.
&n
bsp; “Walk ahead of me, little hedgehog,” the king said. “Perform this final duty with honor.”
Annie left the tent and walked back to the gathering place. When she entered the clearing ahead of the Oak King, she was amazed at how it had been transformed during the time they had been in the King’s tent. Gone was the table, and there were no signs that a party had taken place there only half an hour before. More torches had been added, and they burned with a magical brightness that made it seem almost like midday.
At the far end of the clearing, green-and-white banners fluttered from poles that had been stuck into the ground. Standing beneath them was a large man dressed in the same colors. Annie knew instantly that he was the Holly King. He looked a great deal like his brother, but his hair and beard were a deep auburn color instead of the gray of the Oak King’s. Standing beside him was a young girl in a green robe. She was wearing a wreath of holly leaves on her head, and four tiny candles burned at equal intervals around it.
“I see you made it,” the Holly King called out in a loud, jolly voice. Annie was surprised at how nice he sounded. For some reason she’d expected him to be mean.
“Indeed,” the Oak King bellowed back. “Have I ever missed one of our meetings?”
Both brothers laughed, filling the clearing with the sound of their voices. Maybe this won’t be so bad after all, Annie thought. They seemed to be in high spirits, and she hoped that she would be able to get herself into the mood of the game once it began.
Banners with the Oak King’s colors had been erected across from those of the Holly King. Robin stood beneath them, awaiting the king and Annie. When they walked over to him, he held out a large, gleaming sword.
“Your weapon, my lord,” he said to the king.
The Oak King took the sword and held it in his hands, testing the weight. A smile darted across his face as he swung it several times.
“You’ve kept it well,” he said to Robin. “I don’t suppose you’ve been practicing with it a bit?”
“Perhaps a bit,” Robin said mischievously.
“You will keep it safe for me until my return, I trust,” said the king.
“Perhaps your squire should keep it for you instead,” Robin replied, nodding at Annie.
The Oak King smiled. “My squire has more important duties than polishing swords,” he answered. “She will have much work to do while I am away.”
“Work?” Annie said. “What kind of work?”
“You’ll have to wait and find out,” the king said. “But now I need you to hold my crown.” He bent down so that Annie could remove the garland of oak leaves and acorns from his head. When she had taken it, the Oak King looked deep into her eyes and said, “Don’t fear for me.”
He stood and turned to face his brother, who was standing across the clearing with his own sword in his hands. “Are you ready, Brother?” he called.
“If you are ready, I am ready,” the Holly King answered.
The two men strode into the center of the clearing and stopped. The crowd of people formed a circle around them, closing them in. There was total silence as everyone waited to see what was going to happen next.
“It has been six months since you took from me the crown of winter and replaced it with the crown of spring,” the Holly King said. “Will you now accept my challenge as I avenge my defeat and reclaim what is mine?”
The Oak King stood tall and proud as he said, “I accept your challenge, Brother, as I have each time before this.”
The two brothers embraced one another, then stepped apart. At an invisible signal, each raised his sword and began to circle. They moved around one another in a slow dance, only their legs moving as they circled in the center of the ring. Annie watched them closely, wondering how often they’d had to practice the routine to get it right. The swords might not be real swords, but they certainly looked heavy and sharp. One wrong whack with one of them and someone could easily get hurt.
The Oak King was the first to strike, swinging his sword at his brother’s neck. Annie closed her eyes, afraid that the Holly King’s head was going to go flying. Then she remembered that it was all an act and she relaxed. Besides, the Holly King had deflected the swipe with his own sword and his brother’s sword had simply glanced off.
Once more the two kings circled one another, each waiting for an opportunity to attack the other. Their expressions were intense as they stared into one another’s eyes. Annie could feel the electricity in the summer air as she watched, the Oak King’s crown clutched in her fingers. Silently, she urged him on, wanting him to win. Even though everyone said that he had to lose, she didn’t believe it. She knew that he could do it.
Her wish seemed to be coming true when the Oak King leapt forward and landed a blow on his brother’s arm. Annie let out a little yelp as she saw it happen, unable to contain her excitement. But the next minute the Holly King had struck the Oak King in the side, and her king was backing away. Was he in pain? Was he hurt? Annie wanted to run out to help him.
He faltered but regained his stance, charging at the Holly King with his sword pointed at his chest. The Holly King charged in turn, and the two clashed together in the center of the clearing like two trains colliding. The air filled with the sound of metal on metal as their swords hit. Annie held her breath, wondering if either had been hurt. But when they separated she saw that they were both fine.
Then they began fighting in earnest, swinging at one another just like actors in a scene from a movie. The Holly King’s sword slashed across his brother’s robe, cutting it. Maybe those swords are sharper than they look, Annie thought as the Oak King brought his weapon up and neatly hooked his opponent’s forearm. But when no blood appeared Annie felt reassured that the swords were just props.
As the battle raged, she looked around at the faces of the people in the clearing. They all seemed very somber, not at all like the laughing, happy people who had been telling jokes and singing earlier in the evening. It was almost as if they were watching something very serious, and not a performance created for a Midsummer celebration. Even Robin, standing by her side and watching the kings fight, seemed to be lost in some kind of trance.
There was a sharp gasp from the crowd, and Annie looked up to see what had happened. The Oak King was on one knee, holding himself up with his sword. The Holly King was standing in front of him, his sword raised in the air. What had happened? Had the Oak King been struck? Annie couldn’t tell. She cursed herself for having turned her eyes away.
The Oak King looked up into his brother’s face. “And so it ends,” he said in a clear, strong voice.
“Yes,” the Holly King said. “Good-bye, Brother. Until we meet again.”
Annie knew then that the Oak King was going to lose, just as everyone had said he would. She knew that, for whatever reason, this was how the fight was supposed to end, but she still wasn’t able to accept it.
“No!” she cried, breaking the stillness in the clearing. “No. You have to fight. You have to win. I know you can do it. Get up.”
She began to run onto the field, to run to the Oak King and urge him to stand up again. But Robin grabbed her and held her back, his strong hands closing on her shoulders as she tried to break free.
“No,” she said again. Everyone was staring at her, but she didn’t care. She didn’t want the Oak King to lose.
The Holly King looked over at her, his dark eyes meeting hers. For a moment she thought that he was going to put down his sword and end the battle. He seemed to understand her pain, and she couldn’t believe that he would do anything to hurt the Oak King, even in a pretend fight.
But then he looked away and brought his sword down. Annie closed her eyes and screamed, not able to watch. When she opened them again a few moments later, the Oak King was stretched out on the ground. The Holly King’s attendant had run to his side, and he was leaning down so that she could place a crown of shiny green holly leaves and bright red berries on his head.
Annie broke free from
Robin’s grasp and ran to the fallen Oak King. She knelt by his side. There was no blood anywhere, no sign that anything had really happened except for a tear in the king’s robe. It really had all been a performance. She didn’t know why she’d let herself get so carried away. She felt stupid. But it had all felt so real for a moment.
She looked at the king’s face, with its peaceful smile and closed eyes. She knew he would open them when he felt her beside him. Then she could tell him how amazing it had been, how well he and the man playing the Holly King had performed their roles. She knelt there, looking down and waiting for him to come back to her.
“He’s gone, child,” the Holly King said, kneeling beside her. “He’s gone to await his time.”
“It’s okay,” Annie said to him. “You don’t have to keep pretending. You guys did a great job. I wish Kate and Cooper could have seen it.”
Robin joined them in kneeling beside the Oak King. “You did well,” he told Annie. “Now it is time for us to send him on his way.”
He helped her to stand up. But she still didn’t understand. Clearly, the Oak King wasn’t really dead. They wouldn’t let that happen. But he wasn’t moving. It was like he was asleep. What was going on? Why wasn’t he getting up? Robin pulled her to one side, where they stood with Maid Marian as the Holly King stood over his brother.
“The old magic has been fulfilled,” he cried out. “The Oak King is dead. Now is the time of the Holly King.”
The people around them cheered. Annie didn’t understand. Why were they cheering for the person who had killed their king? It didn’t make sense. They had eaten at the Oak King’s table. They’d sung songs about him. They’d laughed at the skit that made fun of the Holly King. But here they were, calling out the Holly King’s name. Even Marian and Robin were laughing and cheering.
“How can you?” she asked angrily. “How can you cheer for him?” She knew it was all make-believe, but it still upset her.
“Quiet,” Marian told her. “There is more.”
