by Amy Wilson
I can’t help but grin as I look back at her. ‘Well, if you’re there, then I’m there with you. Let’s go with it for now?’
She nods, and I turn to concentrate on making sure the path of ice is going in the right direction. As the shore gets closer I can make out the figures of those gathered there: the Earl, his towering figure never still as he gesticulates to those gathered before him; the Lady, who sits on the edge of the shore, her feet still in the lake; the dozens of fay creatures gathered between them. As I watch they’re joined by two more figures, Boreas and the Queen, her pink hair lit by the globes. A shiver runs over me at the idea of facing them.
‘Where is Jack?’ demands Mother Earth crossly.
‘He might not . . . He doesn’t really want to . . . uh . . .’
My pace falters, the ice cracking beneath my feet as all my doubts threaten to overwhelm me. It should be reassuring that Mother Earth is with us but there are so many on the shore, and if my own father won’t speak up for me, why should anybody else? What if I’m just leading us all into more danger?
‘Doesn’t want to come and face his enemies, eh? Always been more for sulking and hiding, that one,’ Mother Earth says.
Mallory squawks behind me as a layer of water begins to wash over the narrow trail, soaking our feet. I close my eyes in a desperate attempt to get it back under control, and then someone grabs my free hand, a squall of ice hitting me in the face.
‘Come, little Owl,’ says a familiar voice, thick with humour. ‘You cannot falter here!’
The lake freezes around us with a creaking sound and I open my eyes to see my father standing before me at the start of an incredible, still-developing bridge that sweeps up in front of us and leads to the far shore. Jack’s eyes twinkle with laughter as I stare, gobsmacked, at the shimmering ice structure. Slim white pillars stretch skyward, cutting into the night sky, and pale spirals wink between them, catching starlight and reflecting it down on to a glasslike walkway.
‘You came back,’ I manage feebly.
‘I did – though the journey was a little more hair-raising than usual. You need to practise your spells!’
‘Jokul, it’s about time,’ breaks in Mother Earth. ‘What have you been doing?’
‘The wrong things . . .’ he says blithely, bowing to her and pulling on my hand, leading me forward. ‘As ever.’
Mother Earth grunts as she and the others follow us on to the bridge. ‘I suggest you start to work on that. There’s not only yourself to worry about now, is there?’ She looks at me with a wicked gleam in her eye.
‘I didn’t think it was possible for me,’ he says in a tight voice.
‘You thought the rest of the world would evolve without you? You are as changed as any creature; I did not cast you in stone, Jokul.’
‘No,’ he says, lowering his eyes for an instant. ‘I see that. And I’m here now, though I’m afraid I’ve revealed us . . . The Lady can always feel my touch. Somehow, little Owl, your own touch had gone by her unnoticed.’
‘She is more careful than you,’ says Mother Earth caustically. ‘A little less ostentatious . . .’ She gestures at the bridge as the walkway continues to unfold before us with ever more intricate details: prisms glinting beneath the surface, slender vines curling around the pillars. ‘And more gentle, too, when she’s not half crazed. Perhaps you can learn from each other, if we get through this . . .’
‘If?’ I ask, my voice wobbling.
‘They are many. We are few.’
‘But you’re . . . you’re Mother Earth!’
‘We’ll see,’ she says.
I catch Alberic’s eye as I look back at her. His jaw is tight with strain, and he’s hardly said a word since we’ve been back, but he does look far better than he did before, so I suppose I should just be grateful for that. He winks as I stare at him but there’s no humour in it, only a steely determination. He’s about to face down his father for the first time, and even with Jack and Mother Earth on our side he looks like he wishes the world would just swallow him up instead.
I turn back to Jack as the Lady begins to shout in the distance, as the strange figures all turn to look at us.
‘Look what you’ve got us all into, little Owl,’ Jack says, not looking at me. ‘At least your boy has come through unscathed . . .’ His voice is full of energy, his footsteps brisk along the ice.
He’s looking forward to this fight.
‘I’ll leave you all to it, then,’ Mother Earth says as we come within clear view of the shore, which is bustling with activity. ‘You’ll have to fight for yourselves, you know.’
‘Why?’ asks Mallory.
‘I cannot be here to fight all your battles; there are many things that call for my attention,’ she says. ‘I’ll be watching, don’t you worry. And I’ll back you up if the need is dire; it is better if you can do this yourselves.’
‘Come, then,’ says Jack. ‘We can face down the Earl, can we not, Alberic? Are you sure you stand on the right side of this? Can you do it?’
‘Let’s just get on with it,’ says Alberic in a strained voice.
‘So, so,’ says Jack. ‘Time for action.’
I’m still watching Mother Earth as she changes. Her figure seems to fold into shadow; that buzz in the air around her becomes deafening for just a split second, before the shadow unfurls once more, quickly revealing the shape of an owl. White wings spread as she lifts into the air, powerful muscles contracting as she rises, higher and higher.
‘Owl!’ Mallory says. ‘What are you doing?’
I turn to her, to find them all watching me. ‘What? Didn’t you see . . .’
‘See what?’ asks Jack. ‘Focus now, little Owl. We will need to work together here.’ He peers around me. ‘She’s gone already. Well, we must make the best of it, yes?’
I nod, dry-mouthed, looking from one to the other of them. Quizzical faces peer back at me; none of them saw her turn into an owl. Does anyone know that’s her other form? Was it she who rescued me from the Green Man when I came to court the first time? Was it she who defended me against the wolves? Is she the one who comforted my mother; who knew that I would exist before anyone else did? Was she the one who spoke to me in my room, calling on me to reveal the truth about the Earl’s manipulations?
‘Jokul!’ Boreas’ booming voice comes, interrupting my thoughts as he blows a blizzard of snow on to the bridge. ‘We can all see you. Now, come and explain yourself to this ridiculous flapping Earl; he can hardly contain himself!’
The globe-like lights that lend their glow to the court are actually some kind of mushroom, I’ve worked out. I’ve worked it out because I’ve been staring resolutely at them for the last ten minutes. They’re very beautiful, in an alien sort of way.
I think I should probably be doing something, only I’m not sure what. I’m standing between Mallory and Alberic in the shadow of the Green Man; we’ve been put here while debate rages on what to do with us. Jack is passionate as he argues on our behalf, defending himself and the ‘human stain’ he has brought with him. He seems reluctant to call out the Earl on his part in creating all this trouble, but I think he’s enjoying the thrust and parry of hot, hard words. My eyes keep flicking to Alberic as I listen, and every so often I open my mouth to speak to him, to say I’m sorry, to let him know how grateful I am for everything, but he’s silent and dark-eyed, watching with an intensity that I don’t dare to interrupt. He won’t want to hear it, anyway. He risked his life to save mine, and I nearly killed him for it. What can I possibly say after that?
Boreas is standing with Jack, his large form reverberating with power, a bubbling flurry of activity all around him. He was the one to welcome us as we sidled on to the shore.
‘Ahh, little one,’ he whispered with a wink at me, as he pulled me forward on to solid ground, his huge hands dwarfing mine. ‘I am glad to see you. Now, come, let’s sort this out. I don’t care for all this mithering; it gets in the way of the game.’
I lo
oked nervously at the hordes of fay creatures clustered in the trees, their excited chatter making the air ring, then the Earl stepped up, towering over all of us, his skin shining in the pale light. He has Alberic’s colouring, and his facial features aren’t all that dissimilar, but there’s a coldness, a cruelty there that I’ve never seen on Alberic’s face. I couldn’t help but look at Alberic as his father folded his arms, glaring down at us. I could see the movement in his neck as he swallowed, the throb of the pulse in his temple as he forced himself to meet the Earl’s eyes.
‘Father,’ he said in a cool voice that belied the tense curl of his fists.
The Earl’s hard eyes widened for a second before he turned his glare to Jack.
‘What do you do here, Jack?’ he asked. ‘The court’s decision was final, at least for this season. You have no place here. And that you have descended upon us with this . . . this collection of little monsters is beyond what I’d have expected, even from you!’
‘Are you not delighted that I have broken the rules?’ Jack demanded. ‘Surely this plays perfectly into your character assassination of me. This has been a long time coming, has it not?’
The Earl paled as Jack hinted at what he knew, but before either of them could continue, the Lady called out, her voice clear and firm.
‘We are in court, this is not the place for idle threats and accusations,’ she said. ‘Come, Jack. Leave your companions and let us deal with this properly.’
‘My companions have their own voices,’ Jack said coolly.
‘And perhaps they will be heard. There are questions that only you can answer, however, and those are the most pressing . . .’
‘We need to go and tell them the truth!’ I say now, watching as the argument rages backwards and forwards, never seeming to get anywhere. The Queen of May is clearly on the Earl’s side, her soft features twisted into something dreadful with the malice she has for Jack. Their battle is eternal, I realize as I watch them. Every year, the same thing, as she tries to break through winter with spring’s new life. I pull away from the others as the conversation gets more heated, the Earl towering over my father, but the Green Man whips a branch around my waist before I can get any further.
‘Stop that!’ I shout. ‘Let me go!’
‘Child, calm yourself,’ he says in his deep, gentle voice. I look up into his gnarled face and see endless patience there; who knows what it would take to change his mind about anything?
‘They’re just fighting. They’re not changing anything!’ I cry.
‘And how will you change their minds?’
‘I’ll tell the truth,’ I say, gritting my teeth and staring him in the eye.
‘Very well,’ he says with laughter in his voice, ‘but first you must get away from me . . .’
‘The Earl did this,’ I tell him desperately. ‘He sent my mother to Jack. He arranged all of it!’
‘So you say!’ the Green Man says, genuine surprise on his face as he looks back to the bickering figures. ‘I suppose he was seeking his revenge . . .’
‘Revenge for what?’ Alberic asks now. ‘Why is he so mad at Jack?’
‘They fell out,’ the Green Man replies, his leaves rustling as he shrugs. ‘The Earl of October wanted his power to last until midwinter – said it was only fair that he have his season uninterrupted by Jack’s play. Jack said winter has no such rules. He said the Earl’s very name spoke of his limitations – Earl only for October, only for one month. The Earl was furious, accused Jack of meddling with his season. Jack got more and more wild – bringing frosts as early as September, even, and late, too, so that he was treading on the Queen of May’s toes. She is the real power behind the Earl, you know,’ he muses, watching them as if he’s forgotten we’re there. ‘I suppose they orchestrated this little outrage together.’
‘And that’s it?’ I interrupt, a bit stung at being referred to as a ‘little outrage’. ‘That’s what this is all about?’
‘What else is there?’ he asks, his gaze returning to me. ‘When you exist only for one reason, and another interferes with that, there is no more powerful incentive for rage.’
‘We have to help,’ I whisper to Alberic and Mallory, while the Green Man’s attention is once more drawn to the argument going on in the clearing by the lake. ‘Jack’s outnumbered, isn’t he?’
Alberic shrugs, his expression stony. ‘The Lady won’t intervene for him; she never does. The Queen of May and the Earl against Jack and Boreas . . . Not sure who’d win that.’
‘But all the . . . all the sprites and the goblins are on the Earl’s side. Can’t you see?’ We peer out at the gathering from the Green Man’s branches. ‘They think Jack’s working against nature’s harmony, or something.’
‘He kind of does do that,’ Alberic says.
‘But isn’t that the point? Nature isn’t all daisies and rainbows, is it?’
‘No, it isn’t,’ says Mallory. ‘There’s danger, unpredictability . . . That’s what makes it what it is.’ Alberic looks down at her, surprised. ‘What?’ she demands hotly. ‘Just because I’m a human stain doesn’t mean I don’t care about it. I’m as much a part of the world as you are, y’know.’ She sticks her chin out and Alberic grins, shaking his head.
‘Anyway,’ I say. ‘The fact is that the Earl cheated when he tried to get Jack removed. He’s planned this for years. We should be calling him out on that.’
Before I can say anything else, Alberic strides out of the Green Man’s shelter, summoning a fierce wind that tosses branches and leaves out of his way. I grab Mallory and follow him as he heads straight for the court, hardly hearing the surprised bellow behind us.
‘Boy, get back to your hiding place!’ roars the Earl when he sees Alberic approaching. ‘I will deal with you later!’ He moves towards Alberic but Jack steps smoothly between them, pushing Alberic protectively behind him with one arm.
‘What are you afraid of now, Sorbus?’ he asks, humour still in his voice. ‘What scandal has your son got up his sleeve?’
‘Ridiculous!’ blusters the Earl, his mottled skin darkening, long limbs restless with agitation. The Queen of May stands strong by his side. Her green eyes are fierce as she glances from Jack to Alberic, and then to Mallory and me, and the goblins show their teeth, but there’s instant confusion among the sprites and the fairies. They draw away from the Earl, talking in low whispers among themselves. From what I can make out, the Earl’s attitude towards Alberic is as troubling for them as it is for me.
‘Is it ridiculous, Father?’ Alberic says in a low voice, his eyes finally meeting the Earl’s. ‘Do you really think I’d stand here against you without good reason?’
‘Reason?’ The Earl chokes. ‘You have very little of reason, boy; your mother saw to that. She was too weak for this world, and you are touched by the same madness!’
He knows, I realize. He knows that we have got to the bottom of it. He knows that if he allows us to speak, if he allows the court to really hear us, he’s the one who will be in disgrace.
‘Just say it,’ I whisper, edging up to Alberic, sliding my fingers between his, a huge surge of relief rushing through me when he clenches my hand tight and takes a deep breath.
‘You are in league with her! Has she turned you further?’ the Earl snarls, coming closer. I catch a whiff of his scent: warm and copper-bright but, beneath it, the reek of decay. The Queen of May stares at me and I flinch. Her eyes are wide and they take in every part of me, seem to see everything I am; everything I ever might be. They’re formidable together, his rage and her quiet determination steering everything. Alberic takes his hand from mine and stands straighter, but it’s as though we’re caught in their spell; neither of us can say what we had intended.
‘You did this!’ chimes Mallory’s voice. She takes a step forward, tiny before the Earl yet so fearless. My heart races and I will myself to move, to stand by her, but I cannot move a muscle. The Queen’s gaze has me trapped.
Mallory folds her arms in
a gesture I recognize well. She’s not going to back down now. I’ve never been so proud, or so terrified for her. The Earl looms over her, his face a picture of shock and indignation, and the whole court waits, listening, mesmerized by the stand-off between them.
‘You sent Owl’s mother to Jack, by giving your power to the spell she cast. You had them create Owl – all so you could discredit Jack, so that you could send him away!’
Nothing moves. Not even the pale mushroom globes seem to flicker as Mallory’s words ricochet through the court. It’s as though she’s set off an explosion: a silent, deadly bomb that has rocked the very core of this reality for a split second.
‘No!’ breathes the Lady finally. She has been silent throughout, watching it all with a luminous grace that seemed completely impenetrable. That, now, is gone. Her fists clench with fury as she looks from Mallory to the Earl and sees the flicker of truth in his eyes, before he has time to gather himself. The Queen of May smoothly steps away from him, as if she had nothing to do with it all, as the owl glides in to land on the Lady’s shoulder, and I find I can move once more.
I race to Mallory, putting my arm through hers, standing with her against the towering rage I see building in the Earl’s every breath. He looks around at the gathered crowd, which has moved away from him, almost on instinct. He is careful not to look in the direction of the Queen of May and I wonder what hold she has over him, and whether he’ll take the heat for it all. I know she played a part in it.
Jack and Boreas come to stand beside Mallory and me, and the Earl is alone now before us.
‘What is this?’ he demands, hot panic in his voice. ‘Alberic!’
‘Yes?’ Alberic breaks through us to stand in front of his father.
‘What madness have you been spreading? I should have left you in that hovel. I should have left you to die with your deranged mother. I should never have acknowledged you, given you shelter here, given you a place as my son!’ Spittle flies as he rants, desperation clinging to every syllable. ‘This is lies! Why would I seek to create more of your kind, twisted by the weaknesses of humanity? Why would I give the power of the elements to a human child? What is this that you have cooked up between you? Is it Jack’s doing? Did he conspire to have you lie before me?’
