by Helen Fields
She explained that the various families in Manitu, of which the Vilya were just one, had long since stopped warring for power and agreed that each family in turn would rule for a five year period. The oldest child of the matriarch would take the throne. The Vilya's descendant would be next in turn and in just a few weeks the coronation was due to take place. I was only half listening and feeling increasingly desperate to see my mother.
'I'm sorry, Ellette, all I want to do is see Anousk. I understand that things here are complicated at the moment but Perun told me she's dying. How much time do I have?' Ellette's head shot up from where she was poking at the burning wood.
'It was Perun? He came to find you? That makes sense. If the Vilya cannot take the throne then it passes to the Perelesnyk. You are in more danger than I thought. We have to get you back to your own place, there's no time to explain all this.' James stood up immediately and nodded his head. I stayed right where I was.
'When you've both stopped making decisions for me there are some things I need to know and I'm going nowhere until I have answers.'
‘Mother is not dying any more than you or I. Perun used your worst fear to manipulate you and he did it well.’ Ellette was terse with me and I didn’t like it.
‘How do I know you’re not just saying that to get rid of me? The only way to settle this is for me to see her myself. Why should I trust you any more than I trust Perun?’
Ellette's anger made her face glower a deep red and I could feel her energy filling the cave. 'There's more at stake here than just your happiness, sister; other lives hang in the balance. This isn't some childhood fantasy. If Anousk knew you were here she would ask you to go as quickly and quietly as possible. You need to do as I say.'
I faced her full on, my own emotions running just as high as hers. 'And you need to get out of my way. If you won't help me then I'll find someone who will. I don't care what Perun's agenda is, I've had everything I ever believed in stripped from me. I have no idea who or even what I am. Don't tell me what's at stake.’ A noise outside the cave broke the moment. James pushed me to the floor and Ellette flung herself into the shadows of the cave wall. There was silence for several seconds as we waited for whoever was out there to show themselves. I felt the unbalancing sense of premonition as James reached out to pull a burning bough from the fire. I grabbed the nearest heavy rock and felt sweat pouring down my back.
With a scream, a figure came hurling into the cave and towards Ellette. James thrust the burning branch towards the oncoming body as Ellette rushed forward to intercept. She knocked the branch from James' hand as the flying body landed on top of her.
'Ellette, I found you. You were hiding and I found you first. Mother is looking for you.' The young woman, rounder in body than the other petite females I'd seen earlier, lay on top of Ellette, hugging her.
Ellette was breathless and shaking with relief and surprise. 'It's alright Zora, you found me, well done. Let me up, angel.' The woman moved so that Ellette could sit up. As she did so she noticed James and me. Evidently the extraordinary senses of the Vilya did not extend to her. She turned around to look at us in the light and as she did so my brain finally processed who she was. Her face, lit by the most brilliant smile, had the tell-tale almond shaped eyes, small chin, and flattened nose typical of Down's syndrome. Zora had kept her human name. Adela would have been pleased to know that her child was alive and thriving. This was the final proof of my parentage. She walked over to me and raised her hands to my face.
'Why are you crying?' she asked. I put my hands to my cheeks and brushed away tears I hadn't realised were there. 'You're too pretty to cry. I'm Zora. I don't know you. What's your name?'
I choked back my tears and smiled at the guileless woman-child before me. 'Hello Zora, I'm Eve,' I said. 'You're much prettier than me. We're just visiting. Is it nice here?'
I scanned her face for any sign that she might know who I was but there was only joy. 'Oh yes, we live in the forest. Mother says it’s beautiful because I light it up when I smile. I think she's being silly.' She turned to Ellette, distracted by the thought. 'Is she being silly Ellette? She laughs when she says it.'
Ellette walked over and stroked Zora's hair, very gently, as one would handle a tiny animal. 'No, my darling Zora, mother's quite right. She laughs when she says it because you make her so happy.' Ellette kissed her on the cheek and stood with one arm around her waist.
Zora remembered me again and came to whisper in my ear. It was still loud enough for us all to hear but she thought she was quiet and we maintained the illusion with her. Her innocence was so disarming that I could do nothing but smile at her.
'The man next to you is very sad inside,' she said. 'You should hug him and make him happy.' I looked at James and then back at Zora. I too whispered so I didn't give the game away.
'That's my friend James. Don't worry Zora, he's not sad. We just need to find a way home.' She looked at me as if I were a very small child who had misunderstood.
'He's not sad because he wants to get home, you silly thing. He's sad because he's been cursed.' James didn't move a muscle but his body was tense. I reached out instinctively and took his hand in mine. As I did so Ellette put her arms around Zora and pulled her face round to emphasise her point.
'You should go back and tell mother that you won, you found me first. But you'll lose the game if you tell her about Eve and James, my love, so you must promise not to tell.'
'I don't want to lose the game. I'll go back to her straight away, Ellette, I promise.' She kissed my blood sister and was as excited as a five year old on Christmas morning. How lovely it must be to live in a world where you can be made content so easily. For a moment I envied the simplicity of emotion that kept her protected from reality. She took my hand as she went to leave. 'I dreamed of you once. Whatever you decide, it's all right.' She kissed my cheek with a hard hug, stood on tiptoe to peck at James's mouth as she passed by and then raced from the cave before either of us could speak again.
'You knew her,' Ellette said. I nodded. 'Then you know you were changed with her as a baby. You were mother's first born daughter. She owed a great debt to the human woman Adela and agreed to take Zora so that she could keep her healthier for longer in our world. She paid a terrible price for doing so and was never allowed to cross into your world to find you.'
The image of my mother being separated from me without even knowing if I was alive or dead all these years was unbearable. 'Then let me see her, Ellette, before I have to go back.' Ellette turned away. There was a long silence.
'If you go to her, if you touch her here in our world, the touch reverses the change. You were sacrificed as a changeling to repay a debt to a human. If you have any physical contact with mother and take your place in our family again you will push Zora out of our world and back into yours, irreversibly. It would devastate mother, to think of Zora out there in such a cruel place, without us to protect her. Zora would be driven crazy. You've seen her. She could never understand what was happening. You will destroy two lives to make your own complete. I am truly sorry, I can feel what a heavy burden you carry, but I will not let you near our mother. Please try to understand.'
'I don't understand, I can't. Why was I given away? How could she have loved me and sent me away? There must be some way of making this right. I promise not to touch her, I only want to be near her, just for one minute. Ellette, please?'
'And force her to send you away again, without so much as holding you? Neither of you would have the strength for that and your emotions are too wild to risk it. She would be forced to choose between one child in agony and another who could never protect herself. There is no right or wrong here, it is about causing the least harm. Perun brought you here to prevent Zora's ascension to the throne. The Perelesnyk deny that she has a right to rule, not being of our blood. If they manage to displace Zora and you refuse to take the throne in her place then they will reign as the next family in line. Only they could be so devious. They must h
ave moved the very planets to lead you here. I'm sorry for what they've done but I won't let you or Zora be hurt any more. You must go back Eve, it is the only way to stop this destruction.'
‘But how could Zora rule, anyway? As extraordinary and sweet as she is, she has the mind of a child. She won't be able to understand the decisions she’ll have to make.'
'She makes decisions by following her heart. There are worse ways to rule than that. She is the purest of us all and she has to be kept safe. Perun will do whatever it takes to take power.’
'You know what? You're just as bad as Perun. He was using me for his own ends and now you want me to leave for yours. Does no-one care about me?' I smashed a fist into the wall of the cave and a violent gust of wind behind me hit my back like a whip.
Ellette took a step closer, her voice placating. 'Calm yourself sister or your anger will alert our enemies to your presence.' I looked out into the night and knew exactly what I wanted.
'Your enemies, Ellette, not mine.' I turned before she or James could register what I was doing and jumped out of the cave onto the path. It was as black as pitch beyond the firelight and I stumbled over rocks and roots as I found my way into the cover of the trees. I could hear their voices calling after me, pleading with me to return but I hadn’t the will to listen. It felt as if a knife were being twisted in my guts. I ran as far and as fast as my legs could carry me until I saw light through the trees once more and slowed down. It wasn't right that I shouldn't even set eyes upon her. I’d travelled so far to find her, there was no way I could go home without having some tiny memory to show for it. I crept through the undergrowth as silently as I could manage to watch more closely. When I was nearly at the clearing I stopped and hunkered behind a tree. Without warning a hand went around my mouth and pulled me backwards. I should have known that James wouldn't be far behind me. He seemed to have an uncanny knack of knowing where I was. I forced my body round ready to protest and choked back a scream of surprise when I saw Perun’s face. He pulled me towards him and kissed me roughly on the mouth, leering as if he were drunk.
'I knew you would come eventually. Follow me, you must meet some of your people. They have waited a long time for your repatriation.' He took my hand and led me into the centre of the circle. This was not the gathering where we’d found Ellette but I recognised the Perelesnyk, all of whom had the curious perfect features of Perun, unlined and unmarked. James had called him an incubus and since then I hadn't had time to ask any more about it. I recalled the kiss on the train that was the catalyst for this whole chain of events and knew with certainty that none of it was coincidence. Still, these people were welcoming me back, accepting me as one of their own. Whatever their agenda, at least I'd been afforded the dignity of recognition. In the centre of a group of young men and women sat a female, holding court. She rose to her feet as I approached and a hush settled over the crowd. She stared at me for some time and then slowly raised a hand towards me. I stared at the outstretched hand and began to sink to my knees in a gesture of humility. In a heartbeat the woman had stepped forward, grabbed my hand with her own and pulled me back to my feet. I felt a moment of fear quickly replaced by surprise as the night air was filled with shouting and cheering from the crowd.
‘Eve, we feared you had been lost to Manitu forever. Welcome home, child. Let me see you properly.’ She stepped back and looked deep into my eyes. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The woman held my face between her hands and raised her voice above the cheering. ‘Eve has returned. We were told she was beyond our reach and yet here she is. Perun, you were right, she has retained her true nature even after all those years in the human world. Tonight we celebrate, welcome Eve back to her rightful home, and tomorrow we undo the brutal sacrifice that was made and return her to her proper place.’ She held my hand aloft and the crowd became frenzied. I felt an uneasy exhilaration at the response of the crowd and yet I too was smiling and gripping hard to the woman’s hand. Right or wrong, someone wanted me; someone felt that I had been cheated from my life exactly as I felt cheated. That one bit of empathy was worth putting aside my scepticism to bask in the warmth of being wanted.
The woman gently let my arm back to my side but did not release my hand. With the speech over, the crowd began celebrating in earnest, carousing, singing and dancing as Perun walked over to me. The woman smiled at him and put her free hand on his shoulder.
‘Perun has not eaten or slept, he was so worried for you. He feared you were being poisoned against us. I am so glad you found your way to him. You and he have a bond. Do you feel it Eve? You must have done, to be drawn here to us.’ I wasn’t sure where this was going. I had stumbled into the middle of the Perelesnyk by accident, not through some mysterious bond. I nodded, smiling, and then realised I didn’t even know her name.
‘Forgive me,’ I stuttered. ‘I don’t know what I should call you. Please don’t be offended.’
‘Do not let me hear you apologise again, not for anything. Here, in Manitu, you were born to be a ruler. After the cruelty, the injustice you suffered, you should never have to apologise to any of us. I am Mandalina, matriarch of the Perelesnyk. I am honoured to finally reach out and hold you in my arms. Now come, it must have exhausted you to get here. You need to eat and drink. Tomorrow we will take you to the Council of Families and repatriate you with your mother. For tonight, Perun will keep you safe. You two can have all the time in the world together now.’ She leant to kiss my cheek and Perun slipped his arm around my waist as she disappeared into the night. I felt the odd sensation of both warmth and a chill when he touched me. He led me to where platters of food were laid out in the grass and the chance to regain some strength was welcome.
‘So you made your way home. I hadn’t expected you to be able to find us alone. Tell me about your journey.’ Perun’s fingers worried at the bark of a branch, slicing off tiny shards with his long finger nails and I realised he had been taken by surprise at my appearance. The gesture made me cautious and when I gave him a brief version of the last few hours I omitted any mention of James or Ellette. Perun put his food aside and leant closer to me when he spoke again. ‘So you saw or spoke to no-one? It must have been frightening for you, not knowing where you were.’
‘There were hunters running through the wood. I hid when I saw them but it showed me the pathway. I walked for an hour or so and then saw the camp.’ His concern about what company I’d kept made me nervous for James, although I was sure he’d be safe enough with Ellette guarding him for the night. ‘Tell me what will happen tomorrow. What’s the Council of Families? I would love to be able to go and see my mother straight away.’
Perun held his hand out to pull me to my feet. ‘Come, you need some rest. We will give you shelter here tonight and take you to see your mother tomorrow. It can be dangerous out there in the full dark, even for us. If it were safe we would have taken you to your own family already.’ He took me to a tent made from huge leaves hanging across interwoven branches. Inside, the floor was a bed of moss and a tiny candle provided light. ‘Put your questions aside until the morning. We are your friends Eve. It was me that brought you back, remember? You can trust me.’ I had my back to Perun and was admiring the structure of the canopy when Perun brushed up against my back, sliding his hands over my hips. His touch sent chills up my spine. I don’t know if it was my heightened senses or wariness at being amongst strangers but I was hit by a sense of foreboding like looking over the edge of a perilously high cliff. Perun was wrapped up in his own thoughts and unaware of the fact that I was frozen motionless.
‘When you have stood before the Council and taken your rightful place in Manitu, perhaps then you and I will have the chance to know each other better. Our families can be bonded in a way that will bring peace. You and I are the future, Eve. The bond that brought you to me can only get stronger. Now sleep. I shall come for you in the morning.’ He kissed me once on the nape of my neck and it was all I could do not to shiver. I said goodnight quietly without
turning around, knowing that my face would betray me, and he slipped out of the tent oblivious.
I sat on the soft floor, legs shaking and a wave of nausea overwhelming me. I put my head in my hands and took a few deep breaths, desperate to fall asleep and dim the voices screeching inside my head but that would be the worst thing I could do. There was so much I didn’t know and I had limited time to make some serious decisions. On the one hand I had an opportunity to meet my true family, find my proper place and answer all the questions burning me up inside. The Perelesnyk, who had accepted me unconditionally, were willing to make it all happen and yet they left me cold. Perun reminded me of a crocodile. When he touched me it was like being swallowed whole. I knew that Ellette would urge me to think of Zora and it was dreadful that what I did could devastate the lives of others but no-one, no-one at all, was thinking about me. I was the one who was sent to strangers to be raised. Surely I should be entitled to some sort of restitution. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I blew out the candle and sat quietly, listening to what was happening outside. There was no noise nearby so I pulled back the leaves a little to see out. The foliage shielded the ground from moonlight giving me the cover to creep out unnoticed. The revellers had quietened from earlier. I found a safe place against a tree and waited for my eyes to adjust to the blackness. I could hear raised voices in the distance, two men and the softer tones of a woman, Mandalina, I thought, in another tent. I slipped off my shoes and stepped as silently as I could to listen.
I made sure there was no light behind to cast my shadow against the tent wall and ducked down low.