‘By the journey, that was all the eggs we ‘ad, now the girls’ won’t be getting any breakfast neither, not till I can get ter me stores anyroad,’ he said crossly looking at the company in the room.
“Journey’s Gates!’ what was that…?’ Sonal asked, after Varan hurriedly extended his apologies to Jed. Jed still cross began to clear up the mess, Blue hadn’t moved, he sat still, staring intently at the brothers before turning to Jed once more. Jed looked at the wolf.
‘Blue, I can’t go with yer jus’ now.’ Jed said aloud unthinkingly, Varan nudged his brother.
‘I believe they are communicating.’ Varan sent through the ether, Sonal nodded and tentatively Varan reached out his hand and touched his brother once more.
‘….OW,’ they heard the noise vibrating in their heads loud and clear, Varan looked to his brother then to Jed.
‘How long has the wolf been able to talk to you Jed?’ He asked quietly. Jed looked up from where he was clearing up the last of the mess.
‘Oh blow, I was ‘hopin’ yer ‘adn’t ‘eard me, it jus’ kinda slipped out, coz I was cross like.’ Jed said by way of explanation.
‘How long Jed…?’ Sonal repeated. Jed, embarrassed at having been found out was about to refuse to answer when Blue placed his furry head under his large hand.
‘EXPLAIN’ he heard and Jed smiled.
‘Well it’s like this see, I first ‘eard ‘im when I were a kid, younger even then than Gid is now…’ Jed replied his reluctance easing. ‘E’s a special wolf, special.’ Jed added, ‘always ‘as been.’ The wolf turned his head toward Varan and slowly advanced, confused, Sonal watched as the wolf took his brother’s hand between its teeth and gently dragged Varan back toward him before releasing the hand and letting it fall onto Sonal’s shoulder. Not liking the slimy feel of the saliva coating his skin Varan lifted his hand to wipe it. Immediately the wolf growled loudly startling everyone in the room just as Gideon and young Jed rushed into the parlour slamming the door behind them, still wet from their water fight.
‘I think Blue wants you to put your hand back on me,’ stated Sonal with a smile at the wolf. ‘You do boy, don’t you?’ Sonal asked the wolf as he took hold of Varan himself.
‘IT’S A BIT OF SALIVA FOR JOURNEY’S SAKE, IT’LL WASH OFF!’ Shouted Blue crossly, sounding for the entire world as if he were scolding a schoolchild. In total shock, Varan flopped down beside his brother on the bench. Both men burst into nervous laughter, Sonal, recovering first reached once more for his brother’s arm but before he touched it, he smiled at the wolf apologetically.
‘Blue, can I ask that you don’t shout, your voice is really deafening…’ Sonal smiled again.
‘I have to shout for Jed to hear me, my apologies young man.’ Blue said as the older twins linked a forearm. Both Sonal and Varan had such looks of incredulity on their faces the others drew nearer in wonder.
‘Jed, Gideon, Blue is talking to us…’ Sonal said a grin exploding across his face.
‘Hey, Blue can yer talk ter us too?’ Mayan called from her place beside the fire where Rhoàld was in the process of plaiting the girls’ now dry hair.
‘How?’ Sonal asked, looking at the blue-eyed wolf once more.
‘I will explain,’ replied the wolf his voice now cultured and refined, instead of loud and aggressive. ‘I will explain all, but not here and not now, Gath’s men are attempting to enter the forest and if they gain entry they will come this way, we do have a little time as the forest will help us but we must go… NOW!’
Sonal looked at his brother and nodded, Varan dropped his brothers arm and moved away to start collecting his belongings together, leaving Sonal to explain. Sonal looked first at his friend and then at the assembled company, his face changing from happy relaxed surprise, to worry and consternation.
‘Well,’ said his friend, closely.
‘What’s goin’ on?’ Gideon asked.
‘We ‘eard Blue, growlin’,’ said Jed adding, ‘can ‘e really talk?’ His question went unanswered.
‘It’s the soldiers,’ Sonal explained to everyone who would listen, ‘they’ve followed us and are here, attempting to enter the forest. Blue says we must go, now.’ Gideon’s father smiled at the wolf and stroked his head lovingly.
‘If Blue says it’s so, then tis so,’ he said, adding ‘‘e’s never been wrong yet,’ he turned immediately to douse the fire and becoming business like he began issuing orders.
‘Gid go open the pens, Rhoàld ‘elp ‘im would yer, Jed set out some ‘ay fer the ‘orses ‘case they come back, ladies find some warm clothes ‘n’ blankets an’ get some grub stored in a bag. Gid, go find me ‘mergency pack too. I gotta task o’ me own ter do. You two,’ Jed said, looking fast at Sonal and Varan, ‘talk ter Blue, find out where we be goin’, coz I know pretty much all o’ this forest an’ iffen the soldiers can find their way ‘ere, they can find us anywhere.’ With that, Jed pulled on his topcoat and walked out of the cottage. Twenty minutes later the company was ready to move on again as Gideon’s father placed the final stone on the top of the newest cairn, that of Gideon’s real mother, Lydia, the king’s daughter.
Chapter 24
Gath Reaches Green Home
Gath stood with two of his men at the edge of the forest, from the time they left Devilly they had travelled quickly and stopped only once they arrived at the village but although pleased at the progress they had made he was feeling very uncomfortable. He had felt this way ever since his party had crossed the village boundary and it was worse now the forest was before him. It looked and felt oppressive and he knew his men could feel it too even though they were not of the blood. In the full light of day, he intended to enter the dark green world before him and capture his son but for now, he just wanted to see the forest he had heard so much about for himself and to gain an insight into the lie of the land.
Since leaving the slavers, Gath had had Toby by his side and he had been very willing to share information about Gideon, the village and the forest. He also explained that Gideon’s home was deep within the forest’s leafy borders with a man he called father and he had eagerly regaled the strange tales he had grown up alongside and it amused him to think Toby was scared, more scared of the forest than he was of his king.
Dawn had not been far off as they stopped and Gath ordered camp to be set up on the village green. Leaving Toby in charge of making the inn ready for his own personal use Gath, Colonel Thurl and a young recruit headed out of the village toward the dense woodland ahead.
‘On up the lane sire,’ Toby had said, ‘past Sonal’s cottage. Can’t miss it…,’ he added as he finished his directions.
The three men had walked their horses in eerie silence in the pre-dawn light and before long, they had reached the cottage, just as Toby had described. Going inside, Gath walked around the house feeling very unwelcome, almost as if he were intruding, which he was. He came across a legerdemain’s elaborate costume cloak in a box stored underneath one of the beds, its bright corner stuck out as if it had been hurriedly and not to carefully put away. Smiling to himself, he fingered the fabric and remembered seeing costumes like this before many times; years ago, he had scoured the country for magic users, inviting all to see him at Devilly. Some had been the magic users they claimed to be and he had relished the harvesting of their ancient blood, albeit much diluted but others were just quick, ordinary citizens with the ability to do sleight of hand. Sonal, he thought, recalling the name Toby had given him and for some reason the name rang bells in his head. Suddenly he remembered, once before he had heard the name Sonal, coupled with a tale of such amazing ability that he had been sure this Sonal was of the blood. He had had Rhoàld send an invitation to the magician to perform for him and although accepted, the legerdemain had never turned up. I believe it was only a few years after Lydia disappeared, the king’s thoughts continued.
The cloak, clutched tightly in his hands grew hot, so hot it burst into flame in front of his eyes and Gath dro
pped it on the bed watching as the flames took hold, spreading across the counterpane quickly and eagerly and eating up the beautiful fabric. The hot burning body of gas echoed the bright gaudy colours hungrily with yellow spikes and red feathers of flame that licked at the wooden bedposts and stretched for the draperies hanging at the window. Gath watched dispassionately as the room began to blacken, though he moved slowly back away from the radiated heat. He watched the fire grow, its devotion to colour and detail fascinated him, each tiny flame that licked and caressed the very fabric of the room, like a lover leaving no flesh un-kissed. He stepped back once more as the fire spread again, a ball of orange flame growing like an orchestral symphony reaching toward a finale. It spoke to him of beauty and passion.
‘Sire,’ called Thurl as he dragged the king from the burning rooms and out of the house, Gath stood in the lane beside the fence watching as the house burnt, its timbers glowing white hot as the flames leapt into the pre-dawn sky. The horses snorted and reared in fear as the flames grew ever more ferocious, ever more savage.
Gath laughed as the house burnt; he was exhilarated, the fire made him feel alive. Reluctantly he turned his back on the flames and taking his frightened horse by the reins walked toward the forest once more.
‘Come Thurl,’ he said, his hand petting his horse’s neck, his touch calmed the skittish animal and gently he led the horse toward the trees.
Standing now before the forest Gath smiled. He tied the horse to a small bush out on the fringes of the wood and jumped over a ditch that seemed to run for miles along the edge of the trees. The wet earth smelt of loam and pine and he could smell freshly washed leaves in the air and with a feeling of pressure building in front of him, he laughed aloud.
‘Sire?’ Thurl called as he handed the reins of his horse to the young recruit; carefully he crossed the ditch, to stand a little way behind the king.
‘Can’t you feel the magic Thurl?’ Laughed Gath, as he walked nearer the dense trees, he squatted down pushing his fingers deep into the soft soil. It’s warm, the soil is warm! Gath thought in surprise as he reached for the ether.
‘Colonel…,’ called the young trouper as he tied the horses loosely together. ‘Colonel, I need a piss...’ Thurl turned and scowled at the use of rough language in front of the king but he nodded toward the trees and the young man walked quietly away for some privacy. The officer looked back to the king as he squatted on a loamy verge before the forest and he sat upon the dead trunk of a felled tree, his back resting against an upright branch, he closed his eyes and waited quietly.
Finishing his business, the young soldier did up his trews and made his way back to where he had left his colonel and his king slowly, he liked the brooding forest it reminded him of the home he had not seen for such a long time. As he clambered over a pile of broken logs and dried grasses, he inadvertently disturbed the home of a hibernating family of hedgehogs. He picked up the branch he had dislodged in order to replace it and protect the tiny spiky creatures from the cold and the winter chill but as he handled the wood he realised it was a fine dry piece of oak. Exactly what I need for my new bow, he thought and with a second look at the now exposed hedgehog family, the soldier sighed.
‘Sorry boys and girls, my need is greater than yours,’ he said as he threw a handful of dry twigs over the family in exchange for the protection of the dry clean length of hardwood. He saw the King, still in the same position as when he had left him, squatting in a, quite undignified fashion for a king, he thought, with his fingers buried up to the knuckles in the surprisingly soft earth and he could see Colonel Thurl sitting against a fallen log fast asleep. He grinned; deciding to take advantage of his unlooked for good luck and sat down against the bole of a tree on the edge of the forest. Removing the quiver and arrows from his back, he laid them beside his bow on the forest floor, in an attempt to make himself more comfortable as he inspected his piece of wood. Smiling again, he stroked the old bow with his fingertips as it lay in the ivy, remembering how his father had made it for him when he had joined the army, cutting and cleaning the green wood before removing the skin and soaking the length of pine in boiling water.
‘Help’s the bow to bend boy,’ he remembered his father saying as if it were yesterday and he had watched as his father tied the wood over a fire, steaming it gently for hours until it was dry and pliable. Yes, it had been a good bow but the soldier knew that the centre of the bow was becoming thin with age and use.
The excellent find of the yard long piece of dry oak would make a wonderful replacement. He held the wood up against the dawn sky attempting to find the natural curve of its lines and congratulated himself again as he realised just how fine the length was, not a sign of greyness or cracking and completely free of knots, twists or whorls. Finding the line the young soldier took his knife from his belt and began to shave the wood carefully, allowing its natural curvature to guide him. As he shaved, he heard the wind blowing gently through the treetops and the birds beginning to sing their morning chorus, he closed his eyes for a moment to allow the beauty of the forest morning to ease his homesickness.
Resting his head back against the bole of the tree, he felt warm and safe; he inhaled the fresh clean air deeply and smelt the winter jasmine; he smiled again remembering how much his mother liked the jasmine that grew so abundantly around their front door at home. As he sat deep in his thoughts and dreams he failed to notice the ivy around the tree begin to grow, slowly, so slowly it moved around the young soldier’s ankles. Like a thick blanket, it moved up his legs and began to cover him as the piece of oak dropped from his fingers, landing beside the fallen knife. The young soldier thought he should get up but he was so comfortable and so sleepy.
‘Just a few minutes more mama,’ he whispered and his heartbeat slowed and finally stopped as the thick vines of white winter jasmine absorbed him completely, taking back a life for the lives of the tiny but not inconsequential hedgehog family that would never wake again.
Gath, with his eyes closed stared hard into the ether, around and behind him, he could see and feel the lines of life, powerful earth magic spreading out and flowing like vast rivers. Such power in this place, no wonder I could never feel my son before, he thought as he followed the spreading pulsating lines like veins carrying the fluid of life throughout one huge body. Gath felt the giant orange glow that was the burning building disrupting the symphony of light, strange, he thought, that the fire should show, here in the ether. He passed on, feeling Thurl sleeping near him and the power of the jasmine as it enthralled the young soldier at the edge of the forest. He found he could not read the forest itself, it was, it seemed, to be barring him in some way so he tried harder sending his soul deeper and deeper into the ether. The warm soil held him, enticing and beguiling, he had never felt this way, so calm, so peaceful. The forest before him seemed to be promising him more, he wanted to see; he wanted to gain entry through the magical barrier thrown up before him.
Thurl, sitting away from the king atop a log snored loudly, his chin dropped onto his chest making him gag and he awoke, yawning widely. He noticed the sun was now high in the sky and wondered how long he had been asleep, he had been having such a nice dream and he had felt so warm. As he stood to stretch, he glanced over toward where his king was still crouched upon the ground. To his horror Thurl noticed the forest seemed to have grown, Gath seemed to be right on the edge now whereas before he was sure the forest had been a few feet away, quite a few feet away.
‘Sire,’ Thurl called, as he attempted to step forward, his feet catching among the strands of bright-variegated ivy, the yellows and whites in amongst the dark green of the leaves giving an impression of a living tapestry of colour. He fell to the ground and as he tried to sit up, he noticed the ivy twist around his ankle on its own, a shiver ran down his spine, he could no longer free his leg by pulling, it seemed to Thurl as fast as he freed one leg the other became ensnared. Afraid for his life and with Toby’s tales of the forest horrors fresh in his mind he
grabbed for his knife and frantically began to cut himself loose, the sharp blade sliced through the soft leaves and wiry vines easily and as he became free, he called out to the king once more.
Gath still deeply entranced by the power of the earth magic heard someone call, do they want me, he thought absently, no, I’ll stay here, his mind answered for him.
Unexpectedly, rough hands were shaking him, pulling at him and someone was shouting at him, calling his name. He dragged himself out of the ether, opened his bleary eyes and tried to focus on the owner of the voice as he attempted to lift his hands from the soft loamy soil. Startled and suddenly wide-awake, he realised he could not move his hands or his legs, the ivy seemed to have grown around him holding him in its vice like grip. Gath began to sing but his singsong mumbling had no effect, he could enter the magic quite easily but could not use it, somehow he was unable to access it, just as he was unable to access the power the forest so obviously contained. Thurl was shouting, crying out, telling the king to pull himself away, he was slicing the ivy fast and furiously with his knife and slowly Gath’s hand was free and he was frightened as never before.
‘Quickly man, the knife...’ Gath demanded, holding his one free hand out for the knife. The magic would not work for him but he knew what would.
As Thurl came close to his king, his hands pulling at the vines surrounding his king’s ankles, Gath plunged the knife into his neck. Hindered by the handle of the knife Thurl could not turn his head, his blood began pumping and in an abstract fashion he noticed the vines around him turning a thick dark red and he saw the green and yellow ivy as it slowly rose up to meet him. The colours began to merge and gradually the world around him became dark as finally, he lay still.
The Tessellation Saga. Book Two. 'The One' Page 18
