REALM'S END (BOOK OF FEY 1)

by Jules Hancock

  “No wait, first I want to know about the fairy,” Reval said, cutting in.

  Meredith reached over and took Gwenth by the hand and led her over to the table, pulled out a chair and motioned to Gwenth, “Sit down child; I have lamb and potatoes ready. You need to eat and then you can tell us about what you have come home for.” Meredith snapped her fingers, and a plate of hot food appeared upon the table in front of Gwenth.

  Gwenth gasped. “So you are a witch!”

  Meredith snapped her fingers again and two more plates appeared. Each of these clay plates was piled up high with her sisters’ favorite foods. “It’s true I am a witch, as are my sisters. We came to help you make your way back to save the world that’s in trouble,” she said. Meredith sat down across from the young girl, the nursing babe asleep in her arms.

  Reval and Hectain took the other seats, tired and hungry themselves from the long energy draining birth they were happy to quietly dig into the good food. By the full plates it was obvious Meredith didn’t want them talking too much.

  “Did you kill my mother, is that why you came here?”

  Meredith’s mouth fell open in disbelief. “Is that what you think, that we would stoop to killing your mother, in order to make you go back in time?”

  “Well didn’t you?” Gwenth stood up knocking over the chair as she shouted across the table.

  Meredith shook her head, “We would never do such a thing, not even to one who clearly hates us so much. No Gwenth, I never even met your father till last year when he needed help.”

  Gwenth closely watched Meredith’s face. She wanted nothing more than to catch Meredith in a lie. Her friend Dembys was telling her that Meredith was telling the truth, and even without the crystal’s input it was clear to Gwenth that Meredith was telling the truth. Mechanically, Gwenth reached down and picked up the chair and sat back down. “Dembys is the food safe to eat?” Hearing in her mind that it was indeed fine, she took up her fork and knife and began to cut the roast lamb into bite size pieces.

  Meredith sat rocking the sleeping babe, silently watching as the young woman ate her meal. Her stomach churned with anxiety as she remembered how poorly she had treated Gwenth. She wish she had been stronger and more understanding before, it might have made things easier for both of them now.

  Gwenth speared another bite of meat and chewed it letting the meal strengthen her. She noticed the meat was tender and tasted of some herb that blended well with the lamb. “When did you learn to cook this fine, or is this more magic?”

  Meredith shook her head, “No it’s not magic Gwenth. I’m not sure myself about the cooking, it just seemed to happen. So far my cooking has continued to improve.”

  Reval abruptly stopped shoveling large of bites into her mouth at this point. “Sister it’s truly amazing that you cook so well,” she continued to chew as she spoke. “Can I get a little more of the pudding, please?”

  Meredith laughed, and wiggled her fingers, refilling Reval’s plate. “Thank you dear sister, but don’t ask for thirds, because I will need to feed both the Fey and James when they arrive,” she said.

  Meredith turned back to look at Gwenth and took a deep breath. “We believe your mother was a witch, Gwenth, and meant to teach you about your magic, but she died. So we came to help prepare you for your task.”

  Gwenth stopped with her fork mid-way to her plate. “How dare you say such an evil thing about my mother,” she said. Gwenth’s anger suddenly raged out of control, and she flung the sharp knife across the table aiming at Meredith’s face.

  Meredith easily stopped the fork with nothing more than a thought, and turned it about and sent it toward Gwenth’s plate. “First off, witches aren’t all the evil things, you think my dear. They are no worse or better than any other group of people. They can be strong and good, or weak and vengeful, just like your own people. People are just afraid of what they don’t understand. Secondly,” Meredith said, as she stood and carried the child to the carved cradle that rested near the fireplace. “I understand your fear, but you can’t deny much longer that you are a witch, without destroying all that you love.”

  Gwenth stared at Meredith and her two sisters. “Of course you would say you aren’t evil. That is how the devil and his evil minion work.”

  Meredith leaned down and tucked the babe snugly into the carved cradle, before she turned back to Gwenth. “I know you are just repeating what you’ve been told but my sister’s and I have nothing more to do with the devil, than you or this wee baby does,” she said, as she walked back to the table. “Gwenth, we are just a different tribe of people, just like you and like your Fey friend are different races. Meredith pulled the chair back and sat down again, “Please understand there used to be many different tribes of people. Tribes you have never known, nor can scarcely begin to imagine lived in the world; many of those races have passed on now. Each race brought its own gifts, its unique magic into the world. When those races died out sometimes the magic died with them, but sometimes the magic was left to continue on in this world. Witches have continued to survive since the very beginning. Sometimes we are few, sometimes many. You’re right, my sisters and I are witches but we are also descended from a different line of magic as well, a stronger line of magic and one that has protected our people and your people for a very long time.” Meredith rose from the table and stared hard at Gwenth, who sat staring up at her step-mother, her meal all but forgotten. “Do you really think those poor women that are being hung all over Scotland are witches? If they were witches don’t you think they could avoid being found out or even if they were found out, don’t you think if they were really witches they would just escape? Humankind has gotten it wrong, Gwenth,” Meredith said exasperatedly. “Your people Gwenth are using the word witch to get rid of anyone that isn’t liked, anyone in the way. That is where the real evil lies! Gwenth you were born to save the Fey race. It was always, and only you, that can do this fearsome task, and if you have come home without having saved the world, it may all end. You and your friend may end with it. Understand?”

  Gwenth looked from one face to the other. “Why should I believe anything you say? You were mean to me, horrible to me, and now you are being nice. Why?”

  Meredith sighed, she’d known it would come, and now it had. Pulling the chair out, she sat down, her heart heavy with shame. Across the table Gwenth stared angrily at her. “I am sorry child, it is my first time stepping into human form and I have handled it badly. I thought you were just being a brat. I didn’t understand that in many ways, humans are different. I couldn’t understand that you were not even aware of your magic. I thought you were just spoiled.” Meredith splayed her hands out in front of her reaching across the table towards Gwenth. “I am truly sorry.”

  Reval and Hectain laid their forks down and turned towards their sister. “Sister, please don’t blame yourself. You did better than most. It is a difficult assignment,” they said simultaneously.

  Gwenth’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean by, first time being human?”

  Meredith heard the fear in Gwenth’s voice. She wanted to help the girl, but was afraid that the times had so ingrained the girl with fear, that knowing the truth would be too much for her. What choice did she have? Oh if only the Gods could help now. The girl could not fail.

  Gwenth cocked her head slightly as if listening to a far off voice. “Dembys says that I should forgive and trust you. She says you are of the Corvine clan. She says that word means people of the crow. Is that true, are you really a crow? That would mean what Briok said earlier was true.”

  Meredith felt herself instantly relax. “Yes Dembys is right. We are all of the crow clan. Would you like to see or would that it be too much for you? I no wish to scare you further.”

  Gwenth chewed her bite solemnly, and considered the news for a moment. “Yes, show me. After where I’ve just come from, thinking of you as a crow would be easier than as a witch.”

  Meredith stood up pushing her chair back a
nd snapped her fingers. Meredith vanished, in her place stood a large crow.

  Hectain waved her fingers, and she and Reval both transformed instantly into their crow forms.

  “Will the baby be able to do that to?”

  The three sisters once again took their human shape and sat back down.

  Hectain walked over to the cradle and lifted the sleeping child up and returned to the table. “The truth is we don’t know yet, every child is different, parts of each parent make the baby unique. There is no way to guess which parent the child will take after. We will have to wait to see,” she said. She gently settled the sleeping child into the crook of her arm, as she sat down.

  “So what about my dad, did you hex him?”

  Meredith sighed again. “No of course not; I came to help you find your way and then over time your father and I fell in love.”

  “Does he know?”

  “No he doesn’t know and it hasn’t been easy to hide your disappearance from him all this time either.”

  “It’s only been two days.”

  “No, it hasn’t been two days here; it’s been nine months to the day.”

  “Nine months, but that’s not possible!”

  Reval laughed her round features growing more animated. “You aren’t kidding girl. We had to spell half the countryside to get them all to forget you.”

  Meredith gave Reval a cold look. “We did have to put a spell on the countryside and it has taken its toll on my health. Between the spell and the baby, life has been pretty hard around here since you left. You aren’t staying though are you?”

  It was Gwenth’s turn to blush with embarrassment. “No we aren’t staying. We just had to go someplace safe for a little while and Dembys thought we should come here. We must return right away, as soon as Briok is back I should think.”

  Hectain and Reval looked from Meredith to the girl. “Does this mean you haven’t figured out your magic child or that you haven’t saved the Realm yet,” Reval asked?

  Gwenth hung her head. “Briok’s people have a wise woman, Sephoria. She said the same thing that I have great magic, but I haven’t figured out what magic that might be, yet. To be honest I’m afraid to even try. I don’t want to be a horrible witch,” she said, fleeing the table.

  Meredith rose up and followed Gwenth, and pulled the girl close in an embrace. “Child, ask your friend Dembys if being a witch means you need to be horrible? My three sisters and I are good people, we are not horrible. We don’t abuse our power, nor do we eat the souls of sleeping children,” she said, as she gently stoked the young woman’s hair.

  Gwenth let the angry tears slide down her cheeks. Inside her mind she heard Dembys speak gently of their love for the girl, and of the rightness of being true to herself. She heard Dembys say that the sisters were pure of heart and that the one called Meredith loved Gwenth’s father very much. Dembys told her they were a perfect match. Pushing herself away from Meredith, she held Meredith at arm’s length, while she looked hard at the raven haired woman. “Alright, I trust Dembys and the Dembys trusts you three,” she said.

  Meredith could see that the girl had grown, and not just in height, though that was obvious as well. She came easily up past Meredith’s shoulder now, another indication that time seemed to be unraveling. Meredith took the girl’s hand and led her back to the table. “Sisters, I believe we must do something drastic to help Gwenth gain hold of her magic powers. Look closely, she has grown though in that world only two days have passed.”

  Reval and Hectain looked at the girl. It was obvious she had grown. “That’s not right. She should be younger still,” Reval said.

  Gwenth stood staring at the three women. Suddenly she remembered the piece of metal her mother kept shined up in her trunk. She pulled loose of Meredith and ran into her father’s bedroom. Falling to her knees, she opened the wooden trunk and rummaged around till she found the metal wrapped in an old piece of muslin. She quickly brought it back out and stood near the fire so that she might look into its smooth surface. She lifted the polished piece up, but staring back at her was a stranger. Her baby fat had all but melted away leaving behind sculpted cheek bones. Her skin was clear and bright. Somehow even her eyes which had always been to large, now lay just right on either side of her aquiline nose. “How did this happen?”

  Hectain looked at the young woman who stood before her. “It is part of the problem, part of the reason you’ve been called to go to that place. Time has gone erratic, in the Realm and here as well,” she said shrugging. “Even we don’t know enough, much of our records were destroyed and with them most of the story of the witch who saves this world. It’s clear in the story, time is in trouble and the God of time has gone missing. The only one who can help is a young red haired girl.”

  “Sisters.” Meredith turned towards the door as it opened. Both the man and the fairy froze where they stood.

  “That was close.”

  “What did you do to them?” Gwenth wailed, as she ran across the room to her father.

  “Stop that right now. We only need to decide a few things and then I will release the spell. Do you want our help to find your magic, or do you want to return to the place and try to find it on your own? Quick girl, decide.”

  Gwenth anxiously looked from her father and Briok back to the three sisters.

  “Yes of course I want your help. I have to try and save Briok’s world if I can, but why do I have to say right now, and why did you have to put a spell on them?”

  “Gwenth, don’t be daft. We can’t stand here discussing magic, in front of your father” Reval said, as she forced her great portly body to waddle over to where the girl stood. Reval put her arm around the young woman’s shoulder. “Come now, they are fine as they are, we will let them out in another few moments and they won’t even know they were under. Come sit down, we need to make a plan, and we still need to find something for you to wear,” she said pointing at Gwenth’s body covering. “I don’t care to explain the feathers to your father, just now.” Reval said, squeezing the girl in hug before she led Gwenth back to the table.

  Unmasked

  The inner circle of council members had called a meeting within the Great Rowan’s private chamber. Almost everyone had that had arrived had already sipped the sacred water, so as to be able to communicate more freely with the Rowan. Sephoria and Lindel were sitting together, their voices purposely kept low as they talked together.

  Lisl arrived, flying in just as the meeting was starting. She’d been setting up Briok’s awakening ceremony at their home and had until a few moments ago been unaware that Briok was missing at all. Their tree had shared the terrible news with her, and let her know that the Rowan had requested her presence, at the meeting, even though she was not on the council. She found the Rowan’s chamber overrun with angry council members, all trying to speak over one another. The Rowan asked several times for all to quiet down and show respect, but no sooner had they agreed then then the arguing would break out again.

  “Silence,” Sephoria shouted, as she was helped to her feet by two young fairy women. “Have you no respect, or for that matter, no shame? Your behavior is pitiful, so I suggest you all sit down and shut up,” her craggy voice carried throughout the chamber.

  So surprised that Sephoria would or could raise her voice, the rest of the council were chagrined as they took their seats.

  “Good, thank you,” she said softly. “Now if we might start with a prayer before we start the meeting it might help us to focus our concerns.” Sephoria bowed her head and spoke quietly thanking the Gods for their home and for the good people of the Realm.

  Finally the others slowly came to their senses and bowed their heads. They listened as she asked for guidance, and they affirmed that asking with their own prayers.

  Sephoria finished and turned towards the council. “Why don’t we start with hearing the story from Soder and Balt, if no one has any objections, that is?” Sephoria took the time to turn from councilor to c
ouncilor and then to the Rowan herself, no one disagreed and so she sat down and turned her face towards the two members.

  Soder and Balt stood up, Soder’s head hung sheepishly low. There was things to tell that would not please the council at all, and he didn’t want to be the one to tell them.

  Lindel stood and turning towards the two tribe members, he addressed them formally. “Please tell us of what Ricter spoke to you about this morning?”

  Balt cleared his throat and bowed first to the Rowan and then to the council. “Ricter came to me and Soder as we were talking near the stone wall this morning. He said that the red haired girl had escaped and was on the loose. At first we thought he was joshing us, but then he became so angry well…you know how Ricter can be, so of course, we believed him. We wanted to raise the general alarm, but he commanded that we not. He said that the Rowan and the inner council had decided that we must quietly capture her and keep it from the others so as to not frighten them.”

  “Do you know where Ricter is now?”

  Soder and Balt looked at each other and then to the council. “We don’t know, he slipped off after we came back from the journeying cave,” Soder said.

  “Is that where you came across Pit,” Lindel asked?

  Soder shook his head, “Yes, he was sitting in the warming sands. He said his body ached so much, he’d gone down there to avail himself of the sands healing energy.”

  “Alright so you found Pit in the cavern,” Sephoria’s voice broke in. “The elders have heard that magic was used to gain entrance. Is that true?”

  Balt swallowed hard, and sheepishly looked over at the elderly Sephoria. “Yes, it’s true.”

  “Why would you need magic to enter the cavern? Is it not always open to all travelers,” asked council leader Dentsen?

  “When we arrived it was sealed. Ricter told us the red haired girl was within and that we must break in,” Soder said.