The Tessellation Saga. Book Two. 'The One'

by D. J. Ridgway

  Gath began to sing again, this time with a different note, a different song and Thurl gurgled as he lay dying with his dark red blood pumping out across the ivy surrounding the king. Gath stared in eerie fascination as the plants began to shrink where the spelled blood touched them, they shrivelled and died leaving the dark, blood stained earth exposed, the living ivy shied away, as if the blood were tainted somehow. The plants circled the spelled blood and the drained body without touching it as they reached for Gath once more, leaving the tainted earth and the body alone, like an island in a green and yellow sea.

  Still afraid, Gath fell back, his hands behind him and crablike he scuttled away from the encroaching ivy until he was far enough back to turn and stand. He ran then, jumping the ditch and reaching his horse, mounted fast. When he turned back to look, the ivy was retreating toward the forest leaving Thurl’s body now empty of blood exposed and alone. As he watched, the body began to move, with dread in his heart Gath watched as the ground beneath the body undulated and shifted, giving the corpse a semblance of life as it moved away from the reaches of the forest and it’s magic. As it reached the ditch, it stopped and Thurl gently rolled over the edge and down where it became lost amidst the cold bracken and dead teasels. A shower of blood soaked earth followed it down. The forest had cleaned itself of the contaminating effects of Gath’s blood magic.

  Gath had no thought for Thurl, whom he had killed to save his own life or of the young trouper who had just disappeared. Their horses were gone too; they were on the wrong side of the ditch! The thought crowded his mind and his brain screamed for explanation.

  ‘Gideon.’ Gath said aloud, ‘Gideon, Gideon…clever, clever little boy...,’ he said as he turned his horse to walk away back toward the Village.

  As Gath passed the cottage of the legerdemain Sonal, he leant to one side of the horse and threw up. The tension of the morning, almost losing his life after so long and to a child and a child of his own loins, it made him feel sick. He passed the tiny white cottage now glistening clean and bright in the winter sunshine, no sign of the fire that had ravaged it only hours ago. Gath scowled at the cottage as he realised that while the fire had been fierce and the cloak had seemed hot, the flames had not burnt him and there had been no smoke. I saw the fire in the ether, Gath told himself again, angry now he knew Gideon had somehow tricked him. Rising high in his stirrups, he turned once more to face the forest, shaking his fist.

  ‘Gideon, I will get you yet, you are mine do you hear, mine...’ he shouted to the tree-filled skyline, before pulling his horse’s reins roughly and walking back toward the village.

  Toby Hollins watched anxiously as Gath re-entered the village and glanced at the camp, he had prepared everything as instructed.

  ‘Toby, prepare to move the camp again tomorrow, we head north.’ Gath dismounted from his horse and threw the reins toward Toby, hesitating as he moved up the short steps to the door. ‘See to the beast Toby and find yourself a new uniform, I find I am in need of another commanding officer.’ Surprised but delighted Toby answered with a smile.

  ‘Thank you sire, May I tell me men…,’ Toby hardened at the power the words commanded ‘my men,’ he said again adding, ‘where in t’ north we be ‘eading,’ he finished.

  ‘We head to the Bleak Toby,’ Gath returned forcefully. ‘We head to the Bleak...’ now Gideon seems to have come fully into his power that is where the power will draw him, he still needs to learn control I am certain of it… ‘And I intend to be waiting!’ Gath finished his thought aloud, adding, ‘to give him all that I am…,’ then with a smile on his face, he walked up the steps. He had no doubts Gideon’s was to be his next host body and with his power so amplified opening a gateway would be all the easier. He reached the top of the stairs and turned around, his glance light housing the remains of the village that was now his camp. The dull white canvas of the bell tents, the animals corralled in the distance and ready to feed the army on its journey north, the sounds and smells of men and their women followers going about the business of setting up a new encampment amidst the ruins of the once thriving village. He had seen it all before so many, many times over the years; over the countless lives he had spent, whilst waiting to beget a daughter. All this bored him now, he was ready to go home, to seek his revenge, further off he could see the great forest where he had almost lost his life and in the ether, he could see the magic that he was somehow barred from using and unable to feel. Look after your body for me my son, he thought, and come after me soon, I begin to grow impatient.

  Taking one last look at the distant forest, he turned back to the inn once more and entered where a meal, a hot bath, a bed and Darnel were waiting for him.

  Chapter 25

  Frustration

  On and on the small company walked, Gideon’s father had at first, recognised the pathways the wolf took but before long even he had no idea whereabouts in the great forest they actually were. Soon the trail narrowed even more, talking, which had been difficult at first because of the fast pace the wolf was setting now became impossible as the group walked in single file, sometimes bending low in order to pass overhanging trees. The trail they were following was an animal track made by the wolf himself as he travelled between his home and Jed’s cottage over the many years he had lived there. Around lunchtime the wolf stopped in a small natural clearing, he turned back to face in the direction they had travelled and twisted his head to one side as if listening. Instinctively Varan and Sonal reached for one another.

  ‘The danger for the moment is past,’ Blue said before he turned and resumed his journey.

  ‘Wait!’ called Rhoàld, as the elder twins made to follow the wolf, ‘what did the wolf say,’ he insisted, angry at the presumption that the rest of the party did not need to know.

  ‘The danger is past,’ Varan offered, apologising for not passing the message on and turned once more to follow the wolf.

  ‘What did ‘e say?’ Young Jed asked, entering the clearing last and as the wolf was moving away, ‘What did yer say?’ He said again as Varan turned, Varan repeated his statement.

  ‘Then we can go back, May, we can go and rescue the fam’ly,’ the young man said smiling broadly at his sister, Mayan and Gideon nodded their heads in agreement.

  Young Jed had done a lot of thinking since the party had left Gideon’s home. Forced to walk alone with no opportunity to talk his problems through he had been his own prosecuting council. He felt drained and completely exhausted. Over the last few months, he had had his illusions of a soldier’s honour shattered by his king, had met Lemba and fallen in love, had contracted severe pneumonia, been stung to death by poisonous ants and then literally brought back from the dead. He condemned himself bitterly for his attack on Gideon and then for offering love and protection to his beloved Lemba, only to abandon her, twice. In addition, he had left his family in the hands of slavers with his elder brother Jackie broken and bleeding and even after reuniting with Lemba he realised he had not spent two minutes alone with her since leaving Devilly. No one would tell him what was going on and here he was following blindly after a talking wolf, even iffen I ‘ave known Blue all me life! He thought.

  ‘I’m going back,’ he said again turning around, Mayan and Gideon as unsure as Jed as to what was happening turned to follow him back the way they had come. The rest of the company halted. Within seconds a blur of silver streaked past them all barring the way, Blue stood on the narrow trail in front of the retreating youngsters with his hackles high and his teeth bared, he seemed taller somehow, his growl low and threatening.

  ‘Me fam’ly Blue…’ Jed said angrily, ‘me fam’ly ‘r’ ‘eld ‘ostage an’ I’ve gotta ‘elp get ‘em out,’ he shouted, rage building in his heart. Mayan burst into tears of frustration as young Jed put his hands to his head trying not to let loose the tears of anger that threatened him. Inching slowly forward, stiff legged and still growling Blue’s hackles bristled slightly, giving the effect of extra height. He looked longer too
with his tail held out vertically and slightly curled toward the back, his muzzle, which was normally roundish and very fluffy now looked as long and thin as the rest of his body and with his ears pointed forward stiffly, it just added to the frightening effect. Blue forced the three dissenters back into the small clearing and unnoticed by the party, the forest trail behind Blue slowly disappeared as the trees and branches cleaved together. The way back was now lost to them. Jed felt his head buzzing as the wolf stared hard at him.

  ‘HOW?’ Young Jed heard through the anger and the fuzziness that seemed to engulf him, not wondering how he was able to hear the wolf.

  ‘I’ve got me wages...,’ Jed answered and he thought of the AWOL notice he had seen outside the pub. He felt suddenly helpless and sank to his knees as he realised any wages due to him would have been confiscated, he had nothing.

  ‘I, I’ve… not got a penny… not a brass…Gid!’ He said in despair and the burning in his throat eased as the tears finally fell. Blue, his growling stopped hooked his nose under Jed’s arm, offering comfort and love. Gideon placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder and looked meaningfully around the assembled group. This is all my fault… all of it, he thought, his heart breaking for Jed’s distress.

  ‘Gath wants me,’ he said finally, his anger at the king building. ‘Iffen I go ter ‘im in exchange fer the village folk, ‘e’ll let ‘em go,’ he added. Cries of horror rippled through the party.

  ‘No, Gideon, you still don’t understand…,’ began Rhoàld as he shook his head sadly.

  ‘Then make me unnerstand!’ Gideon said loudly, interrupting Rhoàld; suddenly his own anger was bubbling to the surface threateningly. ‘Tell me what’s goin’ on; tell me why ‘e wants me, who I am…, what I am?’ He finished quietly as he sank to the ground beside young Jed his anger gone as quickly as it had appeared. With tears still wet on his face young Jed echoed his brother’s thoughts.

  ‘What’s goin’ on Varan, yer been promisin’ ter tell me fer weeks an’ always sommat stops yer. Me fam’ly are in more danger now than they ever were an’ I’m not movin’ till I know, an’ don’t just say it’s sommat ter do with Gid, coz that much we ‘ave already figured out.’ Jed, still angry but now composed, looked at Varan for explanation and Varan in turn, looked at Gideon’s father as if for help.

  ‘Don’t yer be lookin’ at me,’ said Jed, Gideon’s father, as he played with his small beard, adding ‘I wanna know mesel’…, think on this,’ he added. ‘Me boy turns inter a magician under me nose… e’ can’t leave his ‘ome in case ‘e explodes and kills folk iffen he gets angry an’ ter get ‘im back, king Gath is prepared ter beat up on me folks an’ enslave an ‘ole village… I wanna know what’s goin’ on too, coz d’yer know as ‘ow stoopid this all sounds, an’ iffen I hadn’t seed those dead bodies mesel’ I may not ‘ave believed it!’

  Lemba sat to one side watching as the glade erupted with angry questions and half-hearted explanations. She had not had a chance to communicate with young Jed properly for days and she was feeling lost and alone, even Rhoàld had stopped trying to talk to her in the finger-speak he had been attempting to learn during their travels. She picked at her hair braid as the company argued and jumped visibly when the wolf suddenly howled, loudly, causing an awkward silence to descend once more. Varan and Sonal held hands as Blue looked toward them.

  ‘We will have reached our destination by this afternoon, most of our answers will be found there. Please, follow me until then, sit now though and rest for a while.’ Sonal said, translating Blues mind-sent comments. Blue turned his back on the small group of people and moved off taking the trail once more.

  ‘Well Sonal, did Blue say anythin’ else?’ Gideon’s father asked as the wolf walked away.

  ‘No, just for us to be patient and follow him a little longer,’ Sonal answered wearily as he sat down on the ground against the base of a tree. ‘We need to rest here a while.’ He added to the rest of the emotionally drawn group.

  The preceding months had been hard for them all; from Mayan, coping as she had, with both the attempted rape and Toby’s successful attack, to Gideon finding out the circumstances of his birth and knowing his incestuous natural father wanted his blood. Each and every member of the party was tired, all of them worried about the fate of the villagers and all knowing that somehow Gideon was at the heart of it.

  ‘Gideon, Jed…’ Gideon’s father said quietly, ‘we ‘ave followed Blue this far an’ like I said, ‘e’s never steered me wrong in me ‘ole life, yer would’ve died along with yer ma Gid, iffen ‘e hadn’t made me follow ‘im inter the wood. Come on boy, we can trust ‘im,’ he said as he helped Gideon to his feet. ‘Jed lad,’ he said addressing the boy who had been named for him and holding out his hand to help him rise. ‘…we’ll get ‘em back Jed, we jus’ need time ter figure it all out.’ He added, thinking of Dotty, Jayse and his parents who had put themselves in the way of danger for the people of the village knowing they would try to save them, all of them. Young Jed stood and faced the older man.

  ‘I’ll not be waiting fer ever Jed but I’ll give Blue ‘is time,’ he said as he moved on up the path slowly following along behind the wolf, only this time as they walked the path behind the group continued to close quietly and unnoticed, as if it had never been.

  The sun had begun to sink when they stopped again, the food rations exhausted and the water nearly gone, Blue finally led them into another glade, only this time the clearing was larger.

  The ground was covered in small spring crocus flowers, alive with colour, white, gold and purple blossoms grew in clumps around the edges of the open space with huge trees growing tall and strong in an almost circular fashion. The spreading canopy of green leaves and brown branches far above their heads joined and melded, leaving a lattice-like effect showing a clear blue sky, directly over the centre of the glade, albeit darkening slightly as the sun went down. Beneath their feet pink, yellow, purple and white primroses spread like a carpet, bursts of colour, jewels amidst the greenery that covered the floor in abundance. The sprigs of green and yellow ivy fought in competition for space to grow, to stretch their tendrils toward the light and warmth as forsythia bushes full of tiny yellow trumpet like flowers grew tall and wide between the trees. Blood red berries filled the holly trees and even more vibrant yellow, in the laburnum trees as they dripped their golden flower heads over the scene. The air felt warmer too and the atmosphere somehow felt hopeful.

  Gideon had never seen such vivid growth or colour and guessed the other members of his party felt the same way as they all remained quiet and staring, absorbing every detail, shade and hue imaginable. The sweet heady fragrance was like a drug, calming and soothing and the group’s recent altercation, was for the moment forgotten. Blue sat quietly on the edge of the glade, after a while, he walked in a small circle as if he was in front of Jed’s fire back in the cottage, he finally lay down amidst the flowers sighing, his huge head resting on his paws and his eyes firmly fixed on Gideon.

  ‘Where are we?’ Mayan asked, in awe at the beauty and colour around her. ‘Did…, did we miss the winter festival…?’ She asked hesitantly as she sat on an ivy-covered log under a tree and stared at the growth of both spring and summer flowers. There is so much ivy…, Lemba thought as she looked at the trees around the clearing, ivy, for fertility, good luck and for aiding prophecy if used correctly, helps headaches and cramps too…, she thought, hearing her mother and stepsister, Dotty behind the words. Dotty would have loved this place, Lemba’s thoughts continued as she looked at the various trees and shrubs that would not normally be seen growing in harmony together. The tall thin leaved Ash tree, usually used for bow making because of its strong and flexible nature, the leaves of the tree often used by the gifted in soft down pillows to induce prophetic dreaming, then water infused with ash leaves was useful in warding off illness. She could see Poplar trees, some old with rough deeply fissured lines of black diamonds in the bark in places that broke up the smooth gre
en and grey skin of its youth. Some stretched so tall toward the heavens that she could not see just how tall they actually were; again, the wood of which would often be the base used for arrows, spears and shields. The most surprising thing was that one was flowering, showing its spring twigs covered in a soft white fur and budded catkins sprouting from their short stalks like many fingers trying to catch the wind next to the flowering Poplar, a smaller version in its spring clothes of leaves. Each leaf different in size and shape spirally arranged by nature herself, some circular, some triangular and as the breeze caught them the tree seemed to wobble as if it was showing off its twinkling new dress. By autumn, Lemba knew the leaves would turn to a bright yellow and gold catching the sun and dancing just the same way its spring clothes did, as well as warn of bad weather to come when it turned its leaves. We must be by a river, Lemba thought, knowing the majestic trees usually grew near water, she heard her mother again, talking to the innocent children she and her sister had once been.

  ‘The Poplar offers hope and optimism, the ‘Journey’ often takes us on painful and difficult pathways, the poplar will offer strength and the will to succeed.’ Lemba continued to be amazed at the variety and season of the various bushes and trees in or near the glade, each one offering something, the Hawthorn with its brown shallow scaly-ridged bark, its twigs used for curing depression and to protect travellers from misfortune. Now she looked, she could see Hawthorn everywhere, again like the Poplar each in its various stages and seasons of growth, it seemed to ring the outer paths of the clearing like a hedge, protecting all within its circumference.

  The slender and attractive Rowan tree, its silvery-brown bark and creamy-white clusters of spring flowers standing tall and proud next to its sister already covered in the brilliant scarlet of its autumn berries, Lemba remembered the surprise she had felt when her mother had sliced a berry from the Rowan in two, a perfect pentagram revealed in all its glory.