by Kit Berry
‘Obviously she’s still too young, but it won’t be that long till her Rite of Adulthood, will it? She’s thirteen, I was told, nearly fourteen, so just a couple of years. By the look of her she’s going to be a real juicy little plum. So you see, Yul, if you go blabbing to anybody about today, I shall make absolutely sure that it’s me that Rosie gets for her Rite. I’d come back especially, even if I was away at university. I’d enjoy showing your little sister what it’s all about. Do you understand? Nod your head.’
Yul nodded violently.
‘And are you going to tell anyone about this beating? Shake your head.’
Yul shook as much as he was able against the tree. Buzz smiled.
‘Good. I’m pleased we’ve got that one cleared up. Now, I’m going to start, lads, and we’ll take it in turns.’
‘How many shall we give him?’
‘No idea! As much as he can take. I’ve never done this before so I don’t know how long you can keep going. But it’s got to be a bloody good thrashing, no half measures.’
‘So we don’t have to be careful about marking him after all?’
‘No. Looking at the state of him, this won’t be the first time, so nobody’s going to be too bothered if he gets another beating, are they? His father will probably thank us.’
‘How hard shall we slice him, Buzz?’
‘As hard as you can. Watch me, boys. Like this!’
9
Sylvie sat bolt upright on the grass.
‘Mum, I want to go up to the Stone Circle!’
Miranda was almost asleep, dozing in the heat after lunch. She was feeling happy as Magus had chatted to them earlier and said how beautiful she looked in her white May dress with flowers in her hair. She smiled dreamily at the thought of him. Even with slightly green skin he was still divine.
‘Now, Mum! I’ve got to go right now!’
Sylvie jumped up.
‘What’s the rush, darling? We’re meant to be resting, ready for this afternoon.’
‘I’m going, Mum. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine on my own.’
‘No, I’ll come too. I could do with a walk after all that food. You go on ahead if you’re so desperate to see the stones and I’ll follow. See you up there.’
Buzz was panting slightly, perspiration beading his upper lip and brow even in the shade of the woods.
‘That’s no good, it’s completely split! Here, use mine instead for the next one. Birch is definitely the best.’
He felt exhilarated, pulsing with power. The woods were very quiet in the hot afternoon sun, silent but for the insistent clear call of a cuckoo. Yul was acutely aware of the roughness of the oak bark against his cheek and front, focusing on that small hurt rather than the searing pain that raged across his back.
Sylvie ran up the Long Walk under the shade of the overhanging beeches, the lime-green soft-haired leaves unnoticed in her haste. She reached the top and entered the Stone Circle. It was peaceful up here, the heat quite overpowering as it shimmered off the stones. But something wasn’t right. She noticed the old man sprawled against a stone and raced over to him; his deep snoring told her he was breathing and only asleep. She darted around the stones, listening and looking, all senses alert. She knew something was very wrong.
Then she heard it – faint laughter and an exultant shout. She ran into the wood towards the sound and saw movement. Green figures crowded around a tree, capering with glee. She saw the largest of them step back, take a run up, and slice viciously at the tree with a long stick. She heard a swishing crack and a howl of triumph from the group. Then she saw what was tied to the tree.
‘Stop! Stop, STOP!’
It came out as a scream as she crashed through the bluebells and hart’s tongues to reach the dreadful scene.
‘Sylvie! What are you doing here?’
‘What are you doing? How could you? Oh no!’
She gaped in horror at the exposed back and the dark weals slashed across it. She recognised the tousled mop of curls even though Yul’s face was hidden by hair and the gag.
‘Now, Sylvie, it’s not quite what it seems …’ began Buzz.
‘No,’ Fennel continued quickly, ‘you wouldn’t understand as an Outsider, but this is a Beltane custom. It’s part of the rituals for the festival.’
‘I don’t believe you!’ cried Sylvie. The five youths frowned down at her, all of them red in the face. She glared fiercely back at them. ‘I’m going to ask Magus if this is a Beltane custom. And you can all come with me.’
‘You’re joking! Look, little miss nosey, if you think …’
‘Untie him now!’ shouted Sylvie, anger overcoming her natural timidity. ‘Right now! And the gag! Yul, are you alright?’
‘Ah, she knows his name,’ mocked Buzz, recovering his composure quickly.
‘Of course I know his name. He’s been digging my garden all month as a punishment,’ Sylvie replied icily. ‘Come on, untie him and we’re going to see Magus. I can’t believe he’d allow this. You’re all sick!’
The gag had come off and Yul swallowed hard, trying to moisten his throat. The rope binding his wrists was eventually unknotted and he uncurled his stiff arms from around the trunk, trying to straighten up. He staggered, as much from shock as from the pain that lacerated his back, but managed to stand upright.
‘I’m fine,’ he said, shakily. ‘No problem.’
His legs were trembling so much that he sat down quickly and made a great show of rubbing his badly chafed wrists. His hands were white from lack of circulation and he tried to flex them, wincing as the blood started to flow again.
‘Sylvie, I think you’ll find that Yul won’t want you to tell Magus. Isn’t that right, Yul?’ said Buzz, prodding him hard in the ribs with his boot. Yul looked up at them all through his dark hair, his mouth bitter. He nodded silently.
‘Yul?’ Sylvie asked incredulously.
‘Yes. It’s a private matter and I don’t want him to know. You mustn’t tell him.’
‘So if you don’t mind, Sylvie, we’ll go back to the Village now. We don’t want to miss the tug o’ war. Do we, lads?’
They chorused their agreement and trooped off, laughing loudly.
‘See you at the games, Yul, old mate,’ Buzz called over his shoulder. ‘If you’re still up to it!’
Sylvie sat down beside Yul. She waited silently, remembering the emotional aftermath following a session at the hands of a gang. The feelings of frustration, anger and helplessness, and the apparent futility of trying to get an adult to intervene.
‘We’d best be getting back to the Village for the games,’ Yul said at last, his voice almost normal.
‘Do you feel up to it? I don’t think you—’
‘That bastard’s not going to stop me! He’ll love it if I don’t go. I’m going to take part if it’s the last thing I do,’ Yul replied fiercely.
‘But you’re injured!’
‘It’s okay, really. I’ve had worse than that.’
‘Let me see. Turn around a minute.’
He swivelled about and she winced at the sight of the thick red weals that slashed across his brown back. She felt a strange urge to lean forward and kiss the soft skin at the base of his neck between his shoulder blades. Instead she traced one of the purple-red ridges with a gentle finger.
‘The skin’s not broken,’ she said.
‘Makes a change,’ he muttered.
‘So who’s done this to you before?’
‘My father.’
‘Does Magus know?’
He laughed sharply at this.
‘What difference would that make? It’s not against the laws to beat your son. He’s never seen fit to stop my father. In fact, Magus has it in for me as well. See this scar?’ He pointed to the pale pink line across his dark cheek. ‘That’s from him.’
‘From Magus?’
She stared at him in disbelief and he sighed bitterly.
‘It doesn’t matter, Sylvie, if you believe me or not.
It’s the truth. You don’t know the half of it.’
‘But Magus isn’t cruel! He’d never hurt you, surely? Or let your father beat you. Magus is a kind man, a gentle man.’
‘You don’t know him at all. You’ve only seen one side of him. There’s another side, a darker side.’
Sylvie gazed at him in consternation, wanting to believe him but finding it impossible to reconcile the gentleness she’d experienced at Magus’ hands with what Yul told her now. She felt Yul trembling, his arms hugging his knees, trying to hide the tell-tale signs of trauma as the reaction set in. His distress was genuine, but this was Buzz’s doing, not Magus’.
‘I’ve only seen Magus being kind. I just can’t believe he’d treat one of his people so badly. He seems such a wonderful man. He rescued me from the most awful life, and he’s healed me with the Earth Magic.’
‘I know. I saw him do it.’
‘Did you? Oh …’
‘I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to. I know he’s been very kind and gentle with you. He’s not cruel to everyone, I admit. But he really hates me.’
‘But why? What have you done to deserve this?’
‘I don’t know! I can’t …’
His voice cracked and he took a shuddering breath, struggling to control himself. He would not cry in front of Sylvie. She longed to hug him but knew that would be the worst thing possible right now.
‘Come on then,’ she said briskly, jumping to her feet. She picked up his green jerkin and tossed it to him. ‘Better put this on or they’ll all see what’s happened. I still think you should tell Magus what Buzz did, but …’
He pulled the jerkin over his head, flinching with pain. He stopped as she spoke, his face half out of the neck hole.
‘Sylvie, promise me you won’t tell Magus. Please!’
‘Well okay, if you really—’
‘Seriously. Don’t think you’ll let him know anyway because it’s the right thing to do. I can’t tell you what would happen if you did, but it’s not me who’ll suffer, it’s someone else. And I would kill Buzz rather than allow that. Promise me!’
She looked into his smoky grey eyes, so full of distress. Her heart cried out to him but she kept her face impassive.
‘I promise.’
‘Thank you. And thank you for stopping them. You were very brave to stand up to them. They’d have done a lot worse if you hadn’t arrived. They were still only getting started and Buzz was really enjoying himself.’
They made their way out of the woods towards the Circle and the bright sunlight.
‘Why was Buzz having a go at you anyway? Was it because of Holly? She said yesterday that you and Buzz had been fighting over her.’
She was surprised to find that the words stuck in her throat. But Yul laughed harshly at this.
‘I’d never fight anyone over Holly! She just likes to imagine everyone’s interested in her, and it’s certainly not the reason that Buzz has it in for me.’
‘So why did he do this today?”
‘It’s been going on for years, for as long as I can remember. He’s a bully and he sees me as his punch-bag. He’s just using Holly as an excuse to pick a fight with me. I told her back at the Equinox what I thought of Buzz and I expect she’s been stirring it up again.’
Sylvie nodded, recognising that perhaps Holly liked to place herself at the centre of things.
‘How come you were up here?’ he asked. ‘Everyone else is in the Village having fun.’
She shook her head.
‘I really don’t know. I felt—’
‘Sylvie!! There you are! Where on earth have you been?’
Miranda came marching towards them, red-cheeked. She glared at her daughter and glared even harder at Yul, who looked down guiltily.
‘What’s been going on? If you’ve even touched my daughter—’
‘No, Mum! For goodness’ sake! I found Yul in the woods.’
Sylvie was horribly embarrassed at her mother’s intimations. How could she be so stupid and insensitive?
‘Beltane Blessings, Ma’am,’ mumbled Yul. ‘I’ll be off to the games now.’
He loped off down the Long Walk and Sylvie turned furiously on her mother.
‘How could you, Mum? I’ll never forgive you for embarrassing me like that!’
‘Hold on a minute, miss! You dragged me up here and then you disappeared. I couldn’t find you and I was worried sick. The old man over there hadn’t seen you at all. Then you come wandering out of the woods with that boy, who we both know is a trouble-maker and a nasty piece of work—’
‘No he isn’t!’ Sylvie almost screamed at her. ‘How dare you say such things! You don’t know anything!’
‘Sylvie, calm down and listen! You know what Magus told us about him. You know—’
‘I know Magus has told us a load of rubbish and lies! Magus has it in for poor Yul, and he—’
‘Sylvie! That’s enough, thank you! I will not have you speaking against Magus. It’s thanks to him that we’re here and that you’re still alive. Have you already forgotten what our lives were like before Stonewylde?’
‘No, but—’
‘And what about that beautiful ceremony last night? Magus is a wonderful man and that boy has twisted the truth around if he’s told you otherwise. I know who I believe and it’s not that Village boy.’
‘Yes, well I know who I believe, and it is that “Village boy”! God, have you heard yourself, Mum? You sound like one of those stuck-up Hallfolk.’
‘Well we are Hallfolk now. And not stuck up. It’s just the natural order of things here. Magus told me that Yul’s a trouble-maker. Magus said he’s cunning and sly.’
‘Oh, Magus said, Magus said. I’m sick of you parroting what Magus said just because you fancy him!’
Back in Woodland Cottage Sylvie still wasn’t talking to Miranda when the evening dance started in the Great Barn. Miranda had abandoned attempts to patch up their argument, and given up expecting an apology. She ignored her daughter whom she wanted very much to slap. Instead Miranda concentrated on making herself lovely for the evening ahead. Her long red hair gleamed in a silky flow down her back; her green-grey eyes sparkled. She was still a young woman and for once was going to put herself first. If Sylvie wanted to sulk and spoil the evening, that was her choice and her problem.
‘Are you coming to the dance then? Because I’m leaving now,’ said Miranda to Sylvie’s back. Sylvie shrugged. She desperately wanted to go but couldn’t give in.
‘Fine, well have a nice evening at home. See you later.’
Sylvie spun round and glared at her.
‘So you’re going to leave me here alone?’
‘Yes I am. You’re always saying you want more space. And if you’re old enough to have flouncy little adolescent tantrums then you’re also old enough to stay here by yourself.’
‘But I want to come!’ wailed Sylvie.
‘Then for goodness’ sake snap out of it!’ said Miranda in exasperation. ‘Brush your hair, wash your face and let’s go!’
‘But I haven’t got changed!’
‘It doesn’t matter, Sylvie. Most people will still be wearing their white May clothes I expect. Just come on, please, so we don’t miss too much of it.’
The dance was in full swing when they arrived. Everyone was merry and hot from stomping around the Great Barn. People had spilled on to the Green as it was so warm and the food and drink had been set up outside, leaving more space inside for dancing. Sylvie scanned the crowds for a glimpse of Yul but he was nowhere to be seen. She saw Buzz and his gang and breathed a sigh of relief. At least they weren’t tormenting Yul in some dark corner. Buzz caught sight of her and waved.
‘Hey, Sylvie, come over here and join us!’
She shook her head.
‘Come on! Or do you want me to come and get you?’
Reluctantly she went over to join the group clustered around Buzz. Holly was with them, and some older Hallfolk girls too. They looked tired
and a little irritable.
‘You’ll dance with me, won’t you Sylvie?’ boomed Buzz. He was flushed and excited, his blond hair damp and blue eyes bright. She shook her head again.
‘Oh yes you will. Come on!’
He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the mad scrum of dancers.
‘I hope you’ve seen sense about that business this afternoon.’
‘If you mean am I going to tell Magus, the answer’s no. But only because Yul doesn’t want me to.’
‘Good girl. Because if you did it would be ten times worse for him, you know.’
She shook her head in disgust.
‘Oh Sylvie, lighten up. You’re new here, you don’t understand our ways. What you saw today was nothing. It’s a tougher world here, people get hurt sometimes but Yul can take it. These Village kids are very resilient, believe me. Yul beats his brothers all the time.’
‘I doubt it. He wouldn’t do that.’
‘Don’t go soft on him, I warn you. Hallfolk don’t fall for Villagers. It just isn’t done. Yeah, you can have a bit of fun with them, but never anything serious. If I find out you’re keen on him I’ll tell Magus. He doesn’t think much of Yul anyway, and if you give him an excuse he’ll really lay into him.’
‘It’s so unfair!’
‘Not really. Just the way of the world. Now come and dance with me and look as if you’re enjoying it, please. Every other girl here would jump at the chance!’
‘I can’t see why,’ Sylvie muttered to herself, but knew from the jealous looks thrown her way, as he took her hands in his, that he was right.
Much later Sylvie went outside onto the Green to cool down. She stood near the encircling trees gazing up at the starry heavens and plump yellow moon, now almost full. She’d had an enjoyable evening chatting to a few girls who’d befriended her and dancing with different partners, but was still anxious to see Yul. Miranda was dancing with Magus. She’d never seen her mother so animated and excited, and had mixed emotions about this. She didn’t want Miranda to get hurt and that seemed inevitable. The community was too small for Miranda to hide herself away if it all went wrong. Sylvie was very wary of the whole thing, especially now she knew Magus wasn’t quite what he appeared to be.
