But Nathan shook his head. “They aren’t real living insects,” he said. “Look, they’re just pretend ones. But they’ll taste good and fill up the whooshabouts, more than usual too I expect.”
Watching the sudden appearance of the whooshabouts was a pleasure for everybody. They were long streaks of bright green, with huge black crests on their heads. Their tails were long, and these wagged frantically as they leapt to catch the insects.. Their tongues were long and coiled like an iguana’s, so they were able to dart up and eat while the tiny insects were on the wing.
“Like lizards,” Peter said, watching closely. “I bet they’re hungry too.”
“But we will wait until evening,” said Wuz firmly. “We want the party to go on all night.”
They had all talked for so long and with such curiosity and interest, that no one noticed as the sunset. The volcano turned the sky almost scarlet and golden and bright orange practically all day long, so the setting sun did not look any different until the deep shadows started to streak over the hills, and behind the glare, the stars could be seen like tiny diamonds. Tonight there was no blue star, only silver.
“Right,” said Wuz, flying straight up into the evening breezes, “time to set the feast. I have invited everyone, even the rabbits and whooshabout although I don’t think they’ll come.”
“And the snakes?” laughed Poppy.
“No, not them,” said Wuz. “But everyone else. So come and join the fun.”
Gradually, in small groups, they came out from the trees, the undergrowth, the rocks and caves, and even from the streams. At first every creature peeped cautiously around, for they weren’t used to humans, and didn’t trust them. But when they saw some happily eating, resting, and chattering, all the others came happily to join in the party. Soon the hills were covered in cheerful crowds. Mostly both the dragons and the wolves kept within their own groups, but sometimes they mixed for they had become friends.
The food, all magical and produced by the Knife of Clarr, was glorious. Whatever anyone wanted to eat most of all, that was exactly what they found on the plate coming towards them. Some ate big dinners, especially the wolves, but some only ate cake, for that was what had been so rare for many years.
Richard III, Henry V and Henry VIII were all delighted to taste the foods they had never seen before like chips, ice cream, roast potatoes and mash, then tomatoes, roast turkey, pumpkins, chocolate cake and big mugs of steaming tea and coffee. Even Henry VIII, who ate most of all amongst the people, was complimentary about the food. “Never had so good. Will tell the palace cook,” he said, “must say dragons cook better.”
Nathan didn’t bother to tell him that every tiny bite of food was magic and not cooked by anyone at all. Indeed, he was so proud of his knife, and had never realised how much it could magically produce.
Poppy was stuffing down her third slice of lemon cheesecake and raspberry ice cream, when Peter got out his lute from his deep inside pocket and began to play. At first he played only small pieces, humorous songs and simple tunes. But then he began to play all the wonderful music he had composed himself, and last of all he played the song he knew the wolves and dragons loved.
Few of the wolves had turned into their wolf-man or woman side, since then they would not be able to talk. So now they all raised their three heads and opened their mouths wide as they began to sing. Most had beautiful, deep rich voices, and Peter almost cried as he heard the same words he had loved before, and immediately written the music.
“The land of our birth is dying,
But breathes as yet undead.
The blown ashes float sighing,
But the blood of our wounds boils red.
The land that we love
Holds the life that we love,
But the land that we love is dying.
The land that we love
Holds the life that we love,
But our brothers die, crying.”
“I find this so sad,” said Peter softly. “It is a beautiful song, but I’d sooner play happy tunes.”
“Then what about our special dinner song?” said Wuz. “Listen.
“Feast, feast,
Time to carve up the beast.
Eat, eat,
We’ll guzzle down that meat.
Drink, drink,
All finished we think.”
Everybody clapped, raised their cups, and laughed. But it was Richard who surprised them next, for he looked up smiling, and said, “I have always loved music and admire the skills of others who play instruments and sing. May I offer my own memory of a song I loved when I was younger. Perhaps,” he grinned, “I should say, when I was alive.”
And with a nod to Peter who played along, knowing the tunes of the time, Richard sang,
“The armed man should be feared,
Everyone, it has been proclaimed
That each man should arm himself
With a coat of iron mail.
The armed man should be feared.”
“That’s the warrior’s song,” cried Peter, “one of my favourites when you were sovereign, my liege.” The tune he had played had been bright and fast, and he had stamped his feet to make the sound of the drum, so many had joined in with him and clapped their hands in rhythm.
Richard had thoroughly enjoyed this, and was bright-eyed, but now he sat, saying, “But I fear I should leave soon. I am out of my place and time. We were brought by mistake, and should leave by choice, even though I have so much enjoyed my strange visit.”
“And I want my palace and my servants back,” said Henry VIII.
“I can return you,” said Hermes, looking up from a bowl of grass soup and oats. “Each of you back to London during the years of your reign.”
“I can think of nothing better than to return riding on a goose,” smiled Richard.
“There’s something else you could do, Hermes,” said Poppy looking excited. “Bring back Alfie and Alice with you from the Bishopsgate house.”
“And John from his father’s boat, or the house if he’s back home yet, or maybe just Portsmouth,” said Sam.
“I shall indeed, my illustrious lords,” Hermes said. “But the illustrious kings, going to a different year, each one, I must take separately. His Majesty King Henry VIII first, I think.”
“I should always be first,” said Henry, and scrambled up, holding his bad leg, and looking doubtfully at Hermes. But eventually, since there was clearly nothing else to do, he walked behind, did a hop and a jump and landed on Hermes’ back. He sneezed a few times, having feathers tickle his nose, settled as comfortably as he could, grabbed Hermes’ neck, and off they flew. It was not long afterwards when Hermes returned with Alice. She climbed off and ran to embrace Poppy. “What fun,” she said. “Look, I have a wonderful new dress, and now I’m in Sparkan for the first time. What colours. What a glorious feast.”
Henry V left next, and Hermes returned with Alfie. Then finally Richard III swung his leg over Hermes’s back, tucked both feet behind the great white wings, and waved goodbye. “I must thank you all for such wonderful experiences,” he said. “I wish it might be possible to visit again one day.” And off they flew into the darkening sky, the milky swirl of stars, and the glowing ashes of the volcano. Everyone waved goodbye.
Then finally Hermes brought back John, and the party got started all over again, with dancing, singing, drinking and eating. Even Hermes had a waddling dance with Poppy as Peter played the lute, and the wolves sang their favourite songs.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
They arrived back in Lashtang the next day, having sleepily climbed down the ladder, still tired from the night before. The ladder understood and kept quiet while twining juicy grape vines around the steps. John grabbed a few grapes of various colours (the ladder included some green ones with yellow spots) as he passed, but when they all reached the bottom and fell off into Lashtang, they were all too dopey to do anything but curl up on the grass, which was soft and warm, and have a snooz
e.
And so it was that a strange young man bent over them, calling softly, “Are you alright, friends?”
Too deeply asleep to wake properly, Nathan said, “Mmm. Fine. Tired, but fine.” And closed his eyes again.
He heard nothing when the young man looked up, saying softly, “This is the true Empole. How wonderful. I must tell the others.”
Still curled and dreaming happily, not one realised what was going on around them. Poppy was dreaming of Wuz dancing with a lava wolf, Alice was dreaming of dancing with Alfie, and Alfie, snoring just a tiny bit, was dreaming of winning great battles beside Richard III and Henry V. Nathan and Sam were both dreaming of scrambled eggs for breakfast, Peter was dreaming of learning more songs on his lute, John dreamed of great sea voyages, and even Hermes was dreaming of flying past the clouds and seeing wonderful lands below.
Alice woke first, sat up with a squeak, and shook Poppy beside her. “Quick. Wake up,” she said.
Poppy, John and Alfie woke up with a start, and sat up in a hurry. John woke Nathan. “Nat. I reckons yer gotta get up, and quick.”
The others all opened their eyes and stared around. What seemed like a hundred complete strangers sat in a great silent circle around them, patiently waiting and gazing, arms crossed, comfortably on the grass. But as soon as they saw the sleepers wake, they all began to clap and cheer. There were many young men and some older men, women of all ages, and even some young children. Everyone was dressed in the Lashtang fashion, but some of their clothes looked rather old and tight, as if they had grown out of them. One white-haired old lady scrambled up, rushed over to Nathan, put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.
Nathan was startled, but the old woman said, “My illustrious mpole, you have achieved a great thing and saved us all. You have truly cut the Eternal Chain.”
Grinning and nodding, Nathan asked, “Are you the people of the plains? Have you really changed back into the people you really are?”
“Oh yes indeed,” called a young man. “And all thanks to you, my lord.”
“There are some folk still changing,” said a little girl. “I’m waiting for my mum. I turned into a baby rabbit, but my mum turned into an owl and my dad turned into a fish, so we had to separate. I haven’t seen them for years and I’m frightened my mum might have eaten my dad, or flown away forever.”
Poppy went over to comfort her, and almost immediately heard a call from above. Sitting in a large mimosa tree and surrounded by fluffy little yellow flowers, at a very large owl, its huge golden eyes staring down. “I feel myself changing,” said the owl. “I feel an itch and an ache. But no, I never ate your father. I hope he’s changing too.”
The owl came down from the tree and sat on the grass next to her daughter. The beautiful mottled feathers were spotted with yellow fluff, so the owl stretched her wings, preening and flapping, and then settling down. Everyone watched, fascinated as she began to grow, first rising to the height of a woman, and then swelling into her wide shoulders. Yet she was still an owl, and seemed confused as her eyes grew smaller and began to blink over and over.
Then with a quick scratch of her beak to her breast feathers, she turned around three times, and kicked out with real woman’s two strong legs. Still having wings instead of arms, she could not embrace her daughter, but her daughter embraced her, kissing the top of her feathered head. The owl changed again, her face clearing as very gradually the downy feathers faded away, the beak disappeared with a pop, and the woman’s kind and smiling face appeared once again. Now she was entirely herself except for no arms or hands, and two large wings instead. “I could have one last fly around,” she said, but at the same moment the brown and white feathers all shrank until the wings were tiny, and then outgrew her arms and her hands, waving at her daughter and running to kiss her.
“I hope your father comes soon,” she said.
They were all standing now, discovering old friends and thanking Nathan for having saved them. There were still many creatures changing, especially the crickets, beetles, flies, wasps and butterflies. The very tiny creatures seemed to find it harder to change back, and it seemed strange when one teeny little red spider turned into a huge strong man with hands the size of a puppy, who said he had been a Smith until he was made into a spider, when all he could do was weave webs, which he found very boring.
It seemed rather strange when a man streaming water walked slowly up from the river bank, water pouring from his head and dripping right through his clothes. “Where’s my wonderful wife Marigold?” he asked, gulping backwater. “And my dear little Lavender?”
“Here, here,” cried the woman and her daughter, who had been the owl and the rabbit. And they all ran together, enormously happy and excited.
They all stayed for some time as the groups got larger and larger, happier and happier, and more and more excited. At first many of them had not really believed their horrible trapped lives had gone forever, and they expected to be turned back any minute. But after some time when clearly no one was becoming an insect again, they started dancing, and Peter obligingly began to play the lute, and only happy tunes.
Finally Nathan stood in the middle, raised his hands, and called, “All you wonderful people, I need to tell you something.” And they all quietened down and listened. “Yes, I have cut the Eternal Chain, and I don’t think Yaark will ever be able to change you again, for the chain is different. “
Then, waiting for the chatter and clapping to die down first, Nathan continued, “But, although you wonderful people of the plains, fields and marshes have all suffered for many years, and been sadly treated, there are others who have also been made to suffer, and have lost everything. The people of Peganda have also been attacked by Yaark. Just a few weeks ago, the entire city has been destroyed. Not a single home or other building has been left standing. It is a desperate necessity to rebuild.
“Many of you also need new homes, new possessions and new clothes. We are a united people, and I beg you all to help each other. If you can travel to Peganda and help build new homes, so those people will come here and help you in every way. There will be much to do. No one can be paid, for few have money of any kind. But my family the rightful rulers of our beautiful land, will be able to help you all. We have money if that is needed, but more importantly we will help build, we will help feed you all, we will protect you from the Hazletts and from Yaark, and we will lead and give guidance. None of us are too proud to cook a meal, nor to carry a sack of bricks. So, can we all make the decisions we need, and set out to help as much as we can. I and my friends will travel to Peganda before the end of this day.”
He was cheered again, clapped and embraced. “No one will be criticised for making their own choices,” Nathan continued. “We know you all need to help yourselves. But please also help others, and they will take their share at helping you. Now, this afternoon I am leaving for Peganda with my friends. If anyone wishes to come with me, I will be most pleased. And I promise no one will go hungry and no one will be expected to sleep out in the rain.”
“What rain?” demanded Poppy.
“Don’t be awkward,” said Nathan. “And come on. Let’s get home to the cottage first, tell mum and dad and Granny we’re fine, and then off to Peganda.”
“Right, I shall call the Sky Train,” said Hermes, hopping up.
The cottage sat in the smiling sunshine as always, snuggled within its pretty garden, little archways of climbing plants, grassy lawns and garden benches. Nathan called out, and everyone trooped in expecting to be greeted with a brief welcome, and hopefully one of Granny’s cakes.
But that wasn’t what happened at all. In the middle of the living room stood a friendly young man with his hands in his pockets and a big smile on his face. “So don’t you know who I am?” he was asking.
Bayldon, sitting on the main couch, shook his head. “Not sure where you came from,” he said, frowning.
The man looked at Granny instead. “My illustrious Lady Altabe
lla,” he said. “Even you don’t know me?”
Then Granny leapt up with a squeak, “Ferdinand,” she cried. “It’s you, really you, my dear little Ferdinand. This is amazing, and I’m thrilled to meet the real person. So Nathan has cut the Eternal Chain, and that has created the miracle that we all hoped.”
“I only hope it has worked for everyone else as well,” said Ferdinand. “And I’m hoping my wife won’t be a scorpion anymore.”
Knowing he had once been a boat builder, they had all expected Ferdinand to be rough, strong and muscled. Instead, he was an elegant you man, and handsome with a pair of bright brown eyes, thick brown hair, and a wide smiling mouth.
Nathan, Poppy and all the others behind ran in with beaming smiles. “Yes, yes,” Nathan cried. “They’ve all turned back. We’ve been talking to hundreds of our people, not insects or little animals anymore.”
“Humph,” said Ferdinand scratching his chin, “I rather liked living in your pocket, my illustrious lady. I shall miss it.”
“You won’t miss constantly being suffocated by flour,” laughed Granny, “but I shall miss you very much indeed,” and she hugged Ferdinand before hurrying over to hug Nathan and Poppy. “Come in, everyone. I shall bake three cakes and a mango tart with custard.”
Meanwhile Messina and Bayldon were hugging Nathan and Poppy, Zakmeister was hugging Sam, Sherdam was hugging Alice and Peter, while Alfie and John stood aside, a little embarrassed and not wanting to be hugged.
“But tis good to be here again,” John said, grinning widely. “I bin sailing, look, got me face and arms all brown from the sun. Tis mighty exciting at sea.”
“And pirates can be so nice,” said Peter.
“And Brigands,” added Sam.
“And we have made very good friends with three kings,” shouted Poppy, half way out to the kitchen to see what Granny was cooking.
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