by Kit Berry
8
The Stone Circle was very different the following morning in the grey, pre-dawn chill. The great stones rose from a wispy mist that swirled above the beaten earth inside the Circle. There were many people present, though nothing compared to the previous night when the whole community had filled the arena. The great bonfire had died down to a smouldering white-hot pile of ash. People lay curled up and sound asleep in their cloaks, as close to the heat as they dared. Sylvie glanced around. Of Magus and Rowan there was no sign, but Clip was there and directed others to awaken the sleepers. Sylvie shivered in the cold half-light and edged closer to the bonfire, spreading her hands to the radiant heat.
‘Blessings, Sylvie,’ said Clip, spotting her as he prodded curled-up bodies with his staff. ‘A Bright Beltane to you.’
‘And to you,’ she smiled. ‘Isn’t it freezing?’
‘You’ll get used to it,’ he said. ‘Just wait till the Winter Solstice sunrise – now that is cold! Is Miranda not with you?’
‘No, I left her fast asleep in her warm bed. Magus said she didn’t need to come to this ceremony.’
‘It’s good then that you came. Brave of you.’
‘Magus wanted me here for the sunrise. He’s going to give me more Earth energy.’
‘Is he now?’ mused Clip. ‘That is a surprise. And tell me, did you enjoy your welcoming ceremony last night?’
‘Oh yes!’ exclaimed Sylvie. ‘It was wonderful! The most magical, incredible … Thank you so much, Clip, for making it special. And for allowing us to join your community and be part of Stonewylde. I can’t tell you what this all means to me …’
He smiled and patted her shoulder.
‘It’s a pleasure. I’m as delighted as Sol that you’ve decided to join us permanently. And now I must make sure the mead’s ready.’
‘Where’s Magus?’
‘He should be coming out of the woods any time now. Sunrise is about ten minutes off. Look – here they come.’
The Green Man and May Queen had appeared through a gap in the stones, somewhat dishevelled after their night in the woods. Rowan’s head-dress had gone. There were smears of green paint on her face and she huddled inside a long green cloak. Magus put his arm around her and helped her over to the Altar Stone. She looked exhausted and leaned into him, resting her tousled head against his chest. He sat her down gently on one of the thrones from the night before and nodded across to Clip, standing by the May Sister. On top of this special aligned stone, decorated with a radiant sun, was a brazier. This was where the Bel Fire would be lit. Clip gave a wave of affirmation and Magus climbed up onto the Altar Stone, magnificent as the Green Man and not seeming tired at all. He turned to face the May Sister and stood silent and still whilst the drums started to beat a rhythm, soft but insistent as the sky became lighter.
Yul stood with the group of woodsmen clustered under the Bel Fire next to Clip. It was always the woodsmen’s job not only to build the fires, but also to light them. They’d stacked enough chopped wood around the back of the stone to keep the brazier burning all day through to sunset. Greenbough had divided them into shifts to tend the fire, and Yul had been given first shift, which was why he was now present. He was pleased because now he’d be free for the rest of the day to join in the sports and games.
He’d seen Sylvie’s arrival with a leap of the heart, not having expected her to attend this early ceremony. The whole event now took on a deeper significance and he glowed with pleasure at her presence. She looked pinched and cold in the grey light. Her cloak was wrapped tightly around her with the hood pulled forward, almost hiding her face. Only a long skein of hair, spilling like silver silk down the front of her cloak, gave away her identity. No other girl had hair quite like it.
She stood slightly apart from everyone as her mother wasn’t there, he noted, and neither were any Hallfolk girls of her own age. But then Buzz appeared from the other side of the smouldering bonfire where he must have been asleep, and made his way over to Sylvie. Yul watched as the big youth stood beside her, making some comment which caused her to smile up at him and allowed the hood to fall back from her face. Yul felt resentment boiling inside him. He couldn’t stand next to her to chat, but that bastard Buzz could. Where was the girl he’d been with all night? Surely he should still be with her and not Sylvie?
The drums picked up the pace and Greenbough mounted the ladder leaning against the far side of the May Sister. He was getting old but still liked to light the Bel Fire himself; after so many years’ service it was his privilege. Magus had begun to chant, his deep voice echoing in the misty Circle and bouncing off the tall stones. Sylvie shivered at the sheer poetry of it, and then Clip gave a cry. Just as the first beam of sunlight blazed around the edge of the stone, Greenbough flicked the lighter and there was a fizz of green flame in the brazier.
The small kindling caught and flickered with orange tongues. The golden light streaming around the stone fell onto the Green Man on the Altar Stone, and Sylvie gasped. She saw him grow; his head-dress and costume shimmer. His green face glowed, the brilliant shaft of sunlight etching the shadows in his eye sockets and under his cheekbones. He looked inhuman in that instant; not Magus at all but the Spirit of Beltane. He raised his arms out wide, chanting powerfully, and then the sun blasted him as it cleared the stone altogether, mingling with the crackling flames in the brazier but rendering them invisible in its magnificence.
The Green Man closed his eyes as the dazzling light washed his face, his body shuddering slightly. Sylvie blinked. He was so radiant it was impossible to stare at him. Yet she could’ve sworn he was actually giving out light himself, a strange green brightness that glimmered around him. It must surely be a trick of the light, she thought; a reflection of the rising sun on the green pigment. The drumming had reached a crescendo and now began to slow and quieten. A choir of men took up the Green Man’s chant and he fell silent, standing perfectly still with his arms outstretched as the sunlight poured over him. Sylvie swallowed and found her mouth was dry. Buzz, still by her side, glanced at her and whispered something, but she couldn’t hear and didn’t want to turn her attention to him. She moved away slightly, transfixed by the glorious green figure on the Altar Stone.
Yul too watched in wonder. He’d never seen the Beltane sunrise from the Stone Circle before, as no children were usually present for this ceremony. Much as he resented Magus, Yul found himself moved by the sheer splendour. He was awestruck by the power swirling around the Green Man, visible to his eyes if not Sylvie’s. He felt the spirals within the Circle and how they coiled by the Altar Stone. He saw the green energy emanating from the Earth and fusing with the sun’s pure spectrum of light. As this new force pierced the figure on the stone, his heart lifted with elation at the magic of such natural alchemy. Magus was truly blessed. He glanced across at Sylvie and saw rapture on her face too as she gazed up at the shimmering Green Man.
Once the whole Circle was bathed in golden light, Magus bowed and stepped down from the stone. Goblets of mead were passed around and when everyone had one, the Green Man took the hand of his May Queen. He toasted the Bel Fire blazing on top of the May Sister.
‘Bright blessings at Beltane!’ he said. ‘May the magic of the Green Man be with you all, at this festival and throughout the year.’
‘Bright blessings at Beltane!’ everyone chorused and drank the golden mead. It wasn’t the fiery brew used in the communion, but nevertheless Sylvie felt its strength as it hit her empty stomach. She noticed Buzz manoeuvring himself towards her once more and edged away to stand next to Clip. Then she spotted Yul on the outer edge of the throng, his eyes fixed on her. She felt her cheeks flush, wondering how long he’d been watching her. She hadn’t realised he was here. He raised his empty goblet to her in a silent toast and she nodded back with a small smile. Then he turned and next minute she saw him climbing the ladder to the brazier and feeding more small branches into its maw. He was so agile; she couldn’t imagine Buzz climbing up there with
such speed and fluidity.
An old-fashioned carriage arrived in the Circle, decorated with boughs of greenery and white blossom and pulled by a beautiful horse of purest white. Sylvie watched as Magus led his stumbling Queen over towards it, his arm around her shoulders supporting her. She said something to him and he stroked her cheek tenderly, smoothing the tangled hair as he answered her. He bent to kiss her forehead and then helped her into the carriage, tucking her cloak in around her and shutting the door. Her pale face peered out from the shadowy interior as the carriage pulled away and Magus turned to face the people.
‘Down to the Great Barn for a hearty breakfast, folks!’ he said with a smile. ‘I’ll be joining you in a while.’
People began to move towards the Long Walk, talking together companionably. Buzz came over to Sylvie and beamed at her.
‘Will you walk down with me, Sylvie?’ he asked.
‘I think …’
‘She’s staying up here with me, Buzz,’ said Magus, clapping the young man on the back. ‘She’ll be down later.’
The Circle was almost empty now with just a few Villagers staying behind to tidy up. A couple of woodsmen poked at the remnants of the bonfire, pushing half-burnt branches towards the centre where they’d be consumed. Yul helped them as his Bel Fire was stoked for a while. An old woman cleared the flat stones of the remains of cake from the night before, sweeping the crumbs into a flaxen bag and picking up any larger pieces from the ground. Two men loaded the nearly empty barrels of mead and chest of goblets onto a waiting cart. Sylvie watched all this activity in trepidation, unexpectedly fearful now that the moment had come.
Magus turned to her and smiled.
‘Don’t be scared,’ he said softly. ‘It won’t hurt, you know. But I must be careful not to give you too much. Take care you don’t touch me as I release it.’
She nodded and stared up at him nervously, her eyes enormous in her face. She trusted him completely. And yet it was strange to be standing in a stone circle with a bright green man covered in leaves, about to be doused with magic. She grinned suddenly at the incongruity of the situation and Magus smiled back, white teeth flashing in his green face.
‘I do like your sense of humour, Sylvie,’ he said. ‘This is a really serious and solemn occasion but you’re right, it does have some bizarre aspects.’
‘How do you always seem to know what I’m thinking?’ she asked.
‘I don’t. But I’m very in tune with you and sometimes I pick up on it. Just a vague impression of your feelings, not specific thoughts. Come over here behind the Altar Stone, away from all these Villagers. I could send them away but they’d only have to come back later, so just ignore them. They won’t be aware of anything.’
He was wrong there. Yul watched them covertly but intently, wondering what on earth was going on. He edged away from the bonfire and discreetly climbed the ladder propped against the May Sister. Peering over the top through the dancing flames of the Bel Fire he could see them perfectly but knew they wouldn’t notice him. He watched as Magus led Sylvie around the flat stone and stood facing her. She seemed so tiny compared to him. He spoke and she nodded, raising her arms out before her, palms down, fingers outstretched. Magus too raised his arms to form an arch with hers, their fingertips not quite touching. They stood for a second like this.
‘Do you feel the Earth Magic?’ murmured Magus. ‘Keep very still and just feel.’
There was nothing for a moment, and then she sensed a crackling around him. She concentrated hard and saw the air all about him quivering, like summer heat on a tarmac road. Her eyes widened and he smiled.
‘Good, you’ve found it. I’m alive with it, Sylvie. It’s very, very powerful right now so be careful. I’m opening up and loosening it a little. Normally I keep it locked tight within me. I want you to gently feel it with your fingertips. Don’t touch me, remember. Just let your fingertips sense the energy.’
She felt a burning itch in her fingers, an effervescence of sensation as she picked up the aura around him. She nodded and stared up at him, recoiling slightly from the black fire that blazed in his dark eyes.
‘Now draw a little of the energy into yourself. Just a little or it will overwhelm you. Take it, Sylvie. Take what I give you now and be whole, healthy and healed.’
Holding his gaze she gingerly pulled at the force-field around him and felt her fingertips begin to throb. He heard her sharp intake of breath and saw something in her eyes flinch as his power entered her. He felt her tentatively drawing energy from him, her soul sipping at his magic. He smiled radiantly, his eyes dazzling black.
Yul gasped as he realised what was happening. The same thing he’d witnessed in the woods back in March! Only this time Magus was almost exploding with Earth Magic. Beltane is a powerful festival and he’d only minutes before received the energy himself. Watching them through the crackling flames of the Bel Fire, Yul couldn’t be sure exactly, but it seemed as if the green magic was flowing from Magus’ fingertips and into Sylvie’s. The aura around the great man shimmered like a bubble blown into the wind, its edges and definitions ever-changing. Sylvie now glowed slightly, the green radiance strange around her. She’s quicksilver, not Earth Magic, Yul thought to himself. She doesn’t need this. It’s too much, with the full moon tomorrow.
But then the green began to fade and as Yul watched, the aura drew itself back into the Green Man’s body. They both lowered their arms and Sylvie nodded as Magus said something to her. She looked fine – brimming with joy, it seemed. To his surprise, Yul discovered a knot of resentment inside him. He didn’t like the idea of Magus healing her. He didn’t want her to share the man’s magic when she had so much of her own. He watched as they walked together out of the Stone Circle and into the Long Walk. Angrily he jammed a log into the brazier and leapt off the ladder onto the soft earth. Maybe after this Sylvie wouldn’t be moondancing tomorrow night at all. And then she wouldn’t need him to take care of her.
Magus and Sylvie walked in comfortable silence for a while. She stared up at the overhead tunnel of new beech leaves interlacing above them, the bright blue sky visible and vivid against the brilliant green. She felt more alive than ever before in her life. The Green Man smiled down at her.
‘Thank you,’ she said.
‘You’re welcome. All the Outside World has gone from you now. You belong to Stonewylde.’
‘Good.’
She grinned up at him, almost skipping beside his long strides.
‘You have the most amazing gift.’
‘It’s not mine. It’s the gift of the Earth Goddess and she’s chosen to bestow it upon me. I realise how honoured I am.’
‘Do you heal many people?’
‘None at all. I don’t believe that’s why the Earth Magic is given to me. I keep it for myself because without it I couldn’t run Stonewylde effectively. It gives me the energy I need to lead the community.’
‘So why did you heal me then?’
‘Because you’re very special and I didn’t like to see you suffering. You’ve been ravaged by all the poisons and toxins they’ve forced into you. Your body’s been damaged, and I don’t like to see beauty violated. You’d have recovered anyway living here. I simply speeded up the process.’
‘I feel as if I could fly!’
‘Maybe you could! Sometimes I feel like that myself. I’ve learnt how to control the energy now, but I remember as a young man when it first came to me how I wasted it. I let it flood out of me at every opportunity. But not now. I’m careful now, like a dragon guarding its hoard.’
‘You certainly don’t look tired, even though you’ve been awake all night. Poor Rowan looked so exhausted.’
‘She’ll be asleep now,’ he said. ‘I’ll give her another hour or so, then she must come down to the Village for the festival.’
‘Did you have a nice time last night?’
He shot her a quick glance and his lips twitched with amusement.
‘Very nice, thank you.�
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‘It must be fun staying up in the woods all night. A bit creepy though, I’d have thought.’
‘Creepy? No, not at all! The woods are beautiful at night-time, especially at Beltane.’
‘Rowan looked such a mess! What happened to her head-dress?’
‘It’s left under a tree as a sort of shrine.’
‘Oh, I see. Has she gone home now?’
‘No, she’s at the Hall. Actually, she was a little upset that I didn’t stay with her. It’s the custom for me to ride in the carriage with the May Queen and look after her at the Hall, especially if she’s a Villager. Rowan couldn’t understand why I needed to stay behind here this morning. But Cherry’s looking after her, running the bath and putting her to bed, so she’ll be fine.’
‘I hope so. I wouldn’t want to have spoiled it for her.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll make it up to her. She’s probably better off enjoying the luxury on her own.’
‘Oh yes! She’d be so embarrassed if you were around. That’s okay then.’
He shook his head and chuckled.
‘Sylvie, you are so sweet. You and I must have a talk at some point about the reality of Stonewylde and all that we do here. But not yet. And here’s your turning for the cottage. See you later on down in the Village. Wish Miranda a Bright Beltane from me.’
*
‘I hope I can take part in this next year,’ said Sylvie, as she and Miranda sat watching the Maypole Dance on the Village Green later that morning. She longed to join the girls who skipped and weaved around the great decorated pole, long hair and white dresses flying, smiles on their faces.
