REALM'S END (BOOK OF FEY 1) (23 page)

Understanding

Meanwhile Meredith woke with a start, hadn’t she heard the shutters banging? During the night she had woken and went to the child’s cradle and brought the babe in to sleep within her arms. The baby needed constant feeding, and even as exhausted as Meredith was, she like any mother would find the energy to feed her child. Carefully now, she rose up leaving the sleeping child on the pallet, she had conjured up. Tiptoeing she made her way around the sleeping forms, that were her sisters. She crossed the room and reached up to unlatch the shutter and saw that her arm had transformed into a dark wing again instead of her hand. Meredith shifted easily back into her human form, her brows creased as she considered this new dilemma, but this unnatural shifting of her human shape would have to wait. Unlatching the shutters, she pushed them open. The day was bright and the sun streamed in. She looked through the open window, but she could see no problem. Perhaps a bird had flown into the shutter, she turned her gaze downward and was surprised to find the grass under the window pressed flat and on a stump stood a pie tin tied up in a towel. The towel design was familiar to her. All the women embroidered their own patterns on their towels making them easy to reclaim at community gatherings. Meredith let her mind wonder for a moment, why would Coira MacDermot have been snooping at their window?  Something must have spooked her, for she had departed abruptly, leaving the pie behind.

Hurriedly pulling the shutters closed behind her she latched them shut as she turned towards her siblings. “Sisters wake up this instance,” Meredith said. Magically she lit a candle and the fireplace at the same time.

Hectain and Reval were slow to rouse. Reval sat up rubbing her eyes, “What’s wrong sister?”

“Trouble is coming. We’ve been spied upon.”

Hectain looked down at her feathered body and opening her beak she brought about the change, that shifted her back to human form. “What do you mean spied upon, sister?”

“A noise woke me, when I looked out the window I saw the grass is smashed down and a pie has been left sitting on a stump. It is covered with the neighbor’s tea towel.”

Reval shifted herself to human and stood surveying the room. “Wow that was quite a party last night wasn’t it? We all spontaneously shifted to crow, now that is some powerful magic sisters!”

The sisters all stopped to look down at Gwenth, who slept on though they were speaking quite loudly.

Meredith stepped to the bed and laid her hand on Gwenth’s forehead, it was cool to the touch and she seemed to be sleeping naturally. Gently she pulled back the cloth bandaging her badly torn side. There was no open wound at all. Just a small raised pucker was all that remained. Meredith gasped.

“What is it sister? Is the girl worse?”

“No, there is hardly a sign of the injury at all. It is completely healed over with barely a mark left behind. Come see for yourselves.”

Reval and Hectain made their way around the bed to Meredith’s side and stared at the puckered welt. The small mark was the only indication that there had ever been an injury.

“Well I think that explains what was going on last night, a near perfect healing. Imagine if it had been only our own magic, the girl would be alive but maimed, still. Strong stuff we hooked into last night,” Hectain said, as she moved away to tidy up the room. “I can’t imagine she would have even lived if she hadn’t had the feathered cape protecting her.”

“True sister. I’m glad I took the time to put it on her before she left.”

Reval smiled in agreement and then snapping her fingers she suddenly stood before the sisters smartly turned out in new leather britches, an open collared pearl white blouse lay crisp and clean over her amble bosom. A bright red cape of luxurious soft wool covered the entire outfit. The cape fell neatly; stopping at the top of her black calfskin boots. Reval while still heavyset, seemed very regal in her new wardrobe.

Meredith and Hectain gasped when they saw the transformation.

“Sister you can’t wear pants! Only men of this species can wear pants,” Meredith reminded.

“Lucky then I’m not of this species,” Reval laughed. “Sisters we all saw the power of the old magic last night. It used us to carry out its wishes. It took our poor worn down version of magic and used it to create a healing we could never have done, even banded together as we were. That says to me, that real, true magic, is still loose in the world and we need to go after it. Perhaps it’s not only this girl that is supposed to be on this adventure, maybe it’s for us too, and we have been too blind to see it. Maybe that’s the case, and if it is, I for one, want to be comfortable. I’ve been experimenting, and let me tell you both, pants are comfortable sisters! I’ve just about had enough of this bullying race of people! I will be wearing pants, of that much you two can be assured.”

Hectain and Meredith looked at one another as they listened to Reval speak. Had the magic that was loosed last night hurt their sister? Magic was a notoriously dangerous tool, and it had over the eons destroyed many a witch, sometimes even tearing them from their ability to reign in their fears.

“Sister, do you feel alright? Come and sit down by the fire and let me get you some tea,” Meredith said, as she picked up the baby and pulled her shift aside to allow it to nurse.

“Yes, sister, why don’t you sit down? I will straighten up the room, and you can rest before we eat,” Hectain said, as she worriedly looked at her sister.

Reval twitched her finger and the room was tidied, and hot food was laid out on a table set before the fire. “I know you’re both afraid I’ve lost my senses, afraid that the magic is out of control, or at the very least I am, so don’t bother denying it,” she said, as she walked over to where her sister’s stood and looked them both squarely in the eye.

Meredith was the first to look away. Moving over to the fire she filled a plate with scrambled eggs and roasted sausages and sat down to eat while the baby nursed.

“Sister,” Meredith laughed lightly. “We don’t think any such thing; we are just worried.  We were all over taxed by last night’s work.”

Reval came before the fire and taking up a plate she too filled it with a large portion, she turned to look back at Hectain before sitting herself on a stool that only appeared as she began to lower herself down. “Is it true Hectain, what Meredith says?”

Hectain swallowed hard, her mind raced ahead. Where was Reval going with this conversation? Had she been subverted by the old magic or had it found a weakness in her sibling? Hectain who usually oozed confidence felt her hands shaking as she picked up the last plate. The tallest of the three sisters, she bent over reaching for the spoon when suddenly she saw a glint in the spoon’s polished surface. Hectain turned to look over her shoulder and as she did she saw out of the corner of her eye a gleam in the corner of the room. Hectain set the plate down on the table, and walked over to the corner of the room. Looking up she could just make out a tiny glimmer. Hectain tried to conjure the thing from its nook amongst the rafters, but she found it would not budge. “Sisters come and see this.”

Reval and Meredith leapt up and crossed the room. Meredith stopped long enough to lay the sleeping child on the bed, next to Gwenth, before she hurriedly crossed the room to where Reval already stood next to Hectain.

“What do you make of that?” Hectain asked.

“I’ve no idea. Meredith do you know what it is?”

“No, I can think only perhaps it’s something James has stored within the rafters for safe keeping.”

Reval snapped her fingers and rose slowly up, stopping only when she came even with the shiny thing. The rafters were too dark. She pointed her right index finger toward the thing and speaking a magic word, a light began to brighten at the tip of her finger. “It looks like a bauble of some kind.” Reval cautiously reached out, for her intuition was clearly suggesting care be taken. “Whatever it is, it’s quite dirty. There must be an inch of dust on it,” she said, looking down at her sisters.

“Does it feel dangerous,” Hectain asked?

“Dangerous isn’t quite the word I would use, but it does feel magical, very magical in fact. It’s kind of curious really.”

Meredith watched, as Reval moved slowly closer to the small object. “What do you mean curious?”

“I mean,” said Reval, “It is magical and I sense it wants me to go away, but it’s not striking out at me at all.”

“Sister, before you go further in your examination, perhaps you should come back down.”

Reval looked down at the two sisters and considered the idea for a moment. “Yes perhaps I will. I think haste would not benefit us here sisters,” she said, allowing herself to drift gently to the floor.

Hectain let her gaze go from the rafters to her sister’s face. “Can you say it’s safe?”

Reval walked back across to the fire and took up her plate. “No, I can’t say it’s safe, but I can’t say its harmful either. It seemed familiar somehow, as if the flavor of its magic is familiar to me,” she said as she sat down and resumed eating.

Meredith stooped and gathered the sleeping child into her arms, and looked down upon the Gwenth’s face. “I wonder why she isn’t waking? Doesn’t that concern either of you,” she asked, turning towards the reclining sisters? “I mean shouldn’t she have woken by now?”

“Meredith, the girl’s fine, let’s focus on finding out what this magic is up there,” Reval said, pointing her knife towards the rafters.

Hectain chewed the bite of lamb as she considered all that had transpired since last night. “Did anyone else see a great rift in the boy’s world,” she asked?

“Yes I did.”

“Hmm, so did I.” Reval chewed thoughtfully.

“I thought so,” Hectain said.

“What are you getting at sister,” Meredith asked, as she crossed the room?

Hectain took another bite and chewed slowly. “I think perhaps we have located the magical thing which has kept us forgetting to look for it all these long months. I think it is the same thing that kept the building from being damaged too badly when the girl originally crossed the sea of time, and I think it may be the source of the old magic,” she said.

Meredith squirmed a little bit at that. “Oh my, we’ve forgotten all about the boy.” She turned and rushed from the room.

Saving James

Briok woke early. He scrabbled quietly across the floor on his knees and blew across the still warm embers quietly stoking up the fire. Then he cut himself a piece of the cold lamb pie and stood eating it by the fire, warming himself. His neck was stiff and sore from falling asleep against the wall last night. He mulled over the events of yesterday again and again, and yet none of it seemed to make much sense to him. He remembered the fear as Gwenth fought the bear and how great his need was that he broke through the
geas
placed upon him, which hid his wings. Now in his stocking feet, he made his way across the room and stood with his ear pressed hard against the sleeping room door. He listened intently, but there was only silence. He wanted to push the door open and find out how Gwenth was. It made him nervous that no one was awake at this late hour. They all should’ve been about their chores by now.

Briok heard a noise. He crept across the wooden floor to the shutters and peered out through a knot hole, suddenly a shadow passed by. Briok leapt back, his fear rising up enough to make him wish he hadn’t eaten the lamb pie. Why would anyone be at the back of the cottage? Briok turned back towards the sleeping room, half way across he stopped himself. He had shamed himself yesterday, letting Gwenth come to harm. Maybe it was better that he should follow the person, and find out what he could, and use the information to try and redeem himself with the humans.

Briok grabbed another slice of the lamb pie wrapped it quickly in a dishtowel and stowed it in the pocket of the pants Meredith had conjured for him, and then reached for a half filled skin of water that hung on a hook near the door. Easing the front door open he looked nervously about. Seeing no one, he slipped outside and pulled the door till he heard the latch click in place.

Careful not to impede his wings in any way, Briok slung the water skin over his shoulder.  He wasn’t sure the spell was still keeping his wings hidden any longer, he hoped so, but now was not the time to worry about whether he could be seen, he leapt into the air and his wings lifted him high into the clear morning sky. He rotated slowly until he had surveyed each of the paths away from the croft. Heading down the paths that led to town he could see a woman with her head bent low walking quickly towards the village. Briok zoomed after her, staying high enough that should she look-up, he doubted she would understand what she was seeing. He followed slowly along above her and as she came to the edge of the village, he flew higher still; in hopes of avoiding any prying eyes. He watched as she made her way through the dirt streets, and hovered overhead when she stopped in front of the only building of any size. He waited while she went inside. Finally after she did not come out, Briok flew like an arrow down to an open window, and stealthily climbed inside.

Getting his bearings, he crawled over to the railing that separated the upstairs galley from the downstairs area. Seated in a heavy oak chair, which stood on a raised platform at the back of the room, a well-appointed man sat listening carefully to the old woman’s tale. There, stood the old woman telling a story that made his blood run cold. As the woman’s story wore on, other people came and soon the room was packed and people overflowed out into the street. There was much debate between the people, some cursed and accused the woman of lying.  Others seem to be enjoying the story. Then there was a commotion and a great cry went up from outside. The well-dressed man and several others hurried out into the street. The old woman was helped down from where she stood, and she hurried after the men.

There looked to be no way for Briok to make his way to the front windows except by flying over the open galley. It felt too risky, so instead he climbed back out the way he had come in, and flitted up to the roof, where he inched his way across the slate to the front peak. To avoid being seen, he lay flat on his belly, against the roof, and there below him he saw his friend James, struggling against several of the citizens, man-handling him toward the entrance. Briok tried to calm himself, he could feel his anger rising up within his mind, and he wished he had completed his awakening so he could have unleashed a spell on the crowd that stood below him. Without the awakening there was no magic he could unleash upon the ignorant people below. Briok breathed slowly, deeply taking in as much air as his lungs would allow, until he regained his composure. He could do nothing, which would not bring more harm to James.

Briok watched as the men dragged James through the crowd, toward the building. He saw an old man hit James in the head with a stick and watched as James’ body slumped into unconsciousness.

Flitting to the window again, he slipped into the dark attic space of the gallery. Lying carefully with his ear to the floor boards, he listened as the men below made plans for tomorrow’s trial and as he waited, a plan began to form in his own mind. Finding a dark and dusty corner he slipped under a large horse hair blanket and began the long wait for nightfall. He sipped at the water bag sparingly. It would have to last out the day and he had no idea if James would need it, before the night was over. Briok dozed lightly; he would need all his strength, if his plan was to succeed.