Blood Red Road

by Moira Young

  There’s a great carved basin with jets of water sprayin way up into the sky. There’s flower an vegetable beds laid out in fancy patterns, an a grove of fruit trees.

  Lots of people movin about. Tonton mainly, in their long black robes and body armor, but some slaves dressed in their white tunics.

  See the stables? says Ike. Off to the right?

  I focus the long-looker on the low stableyard next to the house. Got ’em, I says.

  An the irrigation system? he says.

  Runnin all across the fields, raised above the bushes on long legs, there’s what looks like troughs with silvery streams of water runnin through ’em. They’re all joined up together.

  That’s what you call them troughs? I says.

  Right, says Jack. Keeps the bushes watered with a steady drip. Chaal bushes like it damp but you gotta be careful. Too much water kills ’em off real quick.

  You don’t say, I says.

  I do say, he says. Now that plan you wanted? Gather round everybody. Me an Ike got a couple of ideas.

  The afternoon drags on. Then it’s early evenin. The rainbow shine of the Palace slowly dims as the sun’s power fades. But it’ll be light fer hours still. The longest day of the year. The longest day of my life.

  There still ain’t no sign of Nero. No Maev. No Free Hawks.

  I never bin so twitchy. We all take turns watchin what’s goin on down below. But when it ain’t my turn, I cain’t settle. If I flop onto the ground, I jump right up agin. I drive everybody mad by askin ’em how long they think we bin there. I comb all the tangles outta Hermes’ mane with my fingers an check his teeth till he gits fed up an gives me a sharp nip. I twang my bowstring till Ash barks at me to stop or she’ll strangle me with it.

  Nero should of bin back long before now, I says to Emmi.

  You said that a million times already, she says.

  Somethin’s happened to him. I know it. It ain’t like him.

  You said that a million times too, she says. He’s fine. He’s on his way.

  What if somethin happened to Maev? I says. She said there was trouble on the western road. What if … I mean, she could of got herself killed? Happens all the time.

  Maev ain’t dead, says Emmi. She’ll come, like she said she would. The Hawks’ll be here, Saba.

  You don’t know that. What if they don’t come? I don’t think they’re gonna come. We’re gonna hafta do this all on our own. Let’s jest do it now. C’mon, let’s go. Let’s move! What’re we waitin fer?

  Gimme strength! says Ash, as Ike groans, Tommo sighs an Jack lays back with his eyes closed an hums a little tune.

  Epona’s on looker duty. Saba, she says, we all agreed that we hafta wait till dark. Ain’t nuthin can happen till then.

  Epona. Always calm, always patient. Nuthin like I first thought she was.

  Right, I says, yeah … wait till dark. I know, I know but … ohmigawd, Epona, I’m gonna go mad with all this waitin around. I just wanna see him. Make sure he’s all right.

  I know you do, she says. Be patient, Saba. Wait till dark.

  Darkness is gatherin. Purple an black streak the sky. Clouds drift over the midsummer moon. The moon we bin chasin fer so long.

  A cloudy night, says Jack. That’s good.

  Then.

  A high pitched noise wails across the valley, cuttin through the air. The workers lift their heads an start to move outta the fields. They all head towards what look like some long bunkhouses in the distance. Now I can see they’re chained together at the ankle, six of ’em all together.

  Quittin time fer the Children of Light, says Ike.

  Can you believe he calls ’em that? says Jack. His Children of Light. Fond memories, eh Ike?

  No, he says.

  The slaves clear outta the fields an head fer bunkhouses off to the left. A group of Tonton head fer a big open space in the middle of the fields.

  Jack’s on long-looker watch. Well well, he says. At last. This is startin to look innerestin.

  Jack an me crouch on the edge of the ridge. We pass the looker back an forth. We got a clear view of the whole valley, but all the action’s goin on between the Palace an the open space in the middle of the chaal fields.

  Big horse-drawn wagons is rollin between there an the Palace.

  First the Tonton build a big platform in the open space. Then they put together a higher platform at the back of it, with a long set of stairs goin up to it. They bring a massive chair from the Palace an use a pulley an ropes to winch it up to the higher platform. The chair’s golden. With fancy carvin an studded all over with shiny stones.

  Jack says, Anybody sittin on that chair would have a fine view of proceedins below.

  D’you think they’re gonna go ahead with the ceremony anyways? I says. Even though Pinch is dead?

  It looks that way, he says.

  The Tonton wheel in two sets of stairs, one on each side of the big platform. Then they disappear back to the Palace an it all goes quiet fer a bit.

  Ike, Ash an Epona’s gone off with Emmi an Tommo, takin Hermes with ’em. They’re gittin the first bit of our plan unnerway.

  Me an Jack got nuthin to do but wait. An wait some more.

  It’s that strange time on the longest day of the year when it’s late enough to be dark but there’s still some last streaks of light. Dark clouds scud across the sky. The wind’s on the rise.

  I look up at the moon. Must be a hour or so to midnight, I says.

  Almost midsummer’s eve, says Jack.

  I shiver. Then I say what’s bin growin on me all day. They ain’t gonna come, I says. Are they?

  I don’t think we should count on ’em, he says.

  It’s okay, I says. We can do this.

  Another wagon’s rollin down the path from the stables to the platform. The Tonton leap down. They start unloadin it an carryin stuff onto the platform. Heavy bags of sand. Armloads of wood.

  They don’t look to be carryin no weapons, I says. That’s strange. An I thought you said there was dog patrols.

  They obviously ain’t expectin trouble tonight, says Jack. But there’ll be some of ’em armed. At the very least, the King’s bodyguards.

  There’s a rustle. It’s Ike an Epona. They’re back. They crouch down beside us. Ike’s grin flashes white in the gloom.

  Emmi an Tommo on their way to the meetin place? I says.

  Yeah, says Ike. They got off fine. They’ll wait fer us at the tire dump an hour’s ride north of here.

  Was Emmi okay on Hermes? She still ain’t so good on a horse. Did you—

  She’s fine, Saba, says Ike. Don’t worry.

  Yer sure they know what they gotta do? I says.

  I made Emmi repeat it three times, says Epona. They wait fer us at the dump. They stay outta sight. If we ain’t there by dawn, they take a big loop to the east an make their way to Darktrees. They know to give Hermes his head.

  An Ash? says Jack. She’s at the stables?

  Nearby, says Epona. Well outta sight. They won’t have no idea she’s there. She’ll have the horses ready an waitin fer us. Can I take a look what’s goin on down there?

  I hand her the long-looker. She trains it on the platform.

  What’s that they’re puttin in the middle? Ike says, squintin.

  They’re spreadin out a circle of sand in the middle of the big platform, she says. Looks like they’re makin a sandpit. An they’re settin up a post in the middle of the circle.

  What, you mean like a fence post? says Jack.

  Kinda, she says. But bigger. Taller. I wonder what that’s fer.

  Let me see, he says. She hands him the looker. He stares fer a long moment, then lowers it. He looks at me direct when he says, The post’s about the right size to tie a man to. An a sandpit’s useful if you wanna make sure a fire don’t spread.

  The bottom falls outta my stummick. My breath starts to come fast. No, I says. No … they wouldn’t do … Jack, you don’t think they’d … burn him. They ain’t g
onna burn him, are they?

  No, he says, they ain’t. We won’t let ’em. They won’t hurt Lugh, I promise you. He takes my hands in his, holds ’em tight. Now … listen to me, listen. Are you listenin?

  Yeah, I says, yeah.

  Yer gonna stay calm, he says. An yer gonna trust me. Yer gonna trust all of us. Me an Ike an Ash an Epona. Tommo an Emmi too. We all know what the plan is. This don’t change nuthin. We all know what we gotta do. We’ll go over it now, okay?

  Okay, I says.

  Okay, he says. Emmi an Tommo’s on their way to the meetin point right now. They’re outta harm’s way. Once it’s all clear over at the stables, Ash is gonna git six horses ready to go. You an Ike’s gonna snatch Lugh. Then we all meet up at the stables an take off. Epona, you say agin what yer job is.

  While Saba an Ike’s gittin Lugh, Epona says, you an me is gonna be … creatin a diversion.

  That’s right, says Jack.

  Hey, Ike says. Looks like this party’s really startin to kick off.

  There’s bin the sound of drumbeats driftin up while we bin talkin. The noise grows louder an louder, with more an more drums joinin in. They’re bein played by Tonton in their black robes. Bone flutes start to shrill. There’s fires lit in big buckets scattered all over the open space.

  Slaves in white tunics, unchained now, spill outta the bunkhouses an stream across to the open space. Men, women an even a few children. In front of the platform, they start to dance wildly, swayin an spinnin an leapin high over the fire-buckets. The growin throb of the drumbeats fills the night.

  The Tonton drummers start to chant an the slaves join in. No words. Sounds from deep in their throats. The Tonton sway an twirl. The slaves leap an spin.

  There’s movement around the Palace. Torches light the path from the house down to the fields.

  Epona’s still got the looker. She holds it to her eyes. Somethin’s happenin, she says. Then she sucks in a breath. Ohmigawd, she whispers. Ohmigawd. I don’t believe it.

  What? I says. What is it?

  She shakes her head as she hands me the looker. Her eyes is wide.

  Like she’s jest seen a ghost.

  I train the looker on the Palace.

  Vicar Pinch stands on the steps.

  My heart slams to a stop. Then it starts racin. It cain’t be, I says. He’s dead!

  What? says Jack. You don’t mean Pinch? The King’s alive?

  Yeah, I says. But I seen him. He was dead. I swear he was dead.

  The devil ain’t so easy to kill, says Ike.

  Pinch is dressed all in gold. Short puffy britches, stockins an high heeled shoes. Over top of it all, he wears a splendrous golden robe trimmed with white fur. The robe sweeps down to the floor an trails behind him. It’s crusted with sparklin stones, bits of lookin glass an shimmer discs. He’s got white hair today. Long curls reach down past his shoulders. Tower high above his forehead.

  His face is painted gold too. Some kinda paint with sparkles in it. He poses with his walkin stick at the top of the steps. The torchlight plays on him. He shines in the darkness, like the sun come down to earth. The Sun King.

  Suddenly I notice that he’s favorin his left leg.

  I crouch down, peer unner the landboat.

  Vicar Pinch lies on the ground. His right leg splays out at a strange angle.

  He’s hurt his leg, I says. Must of happened when the landboat flipped over on him.

  Four boy slaves lift the ends of his robe. Then two of the biggest Tonton come an lift him carefully. They carry him down the steps an hand him into a sparklin golden car chariot that’s waitin there. The boys arrange his robes. Then six Tonton pick the chariot up by the handles an start down the torchlit path towards the chaal fields.

  I track ’em with the looker as they head fer the open space where the platform is. Pinch’s chariot squeezes through the heavin crowd of slaves, still chantin an dancin. They reach up their hands, frantic to touch him. The Tonton carriers kick an shove people away. They carry the chariot up the stairs onto the platform an set it down in the middle.

  Then they lift him out. His shimmerin robes billow in the night wind. They carry him up the steps to the smaller platform, an sit him on the golden chair. Then the Tonton take his chariot an leave.

  I’m startin to git that feelin agin. The jumpy feelin, deep in my gut, that means somethin big’s about to happen. I don’t know ezzackly what it is, but I’m gonna be ready fer it. I used to git it before I went into the Cage.

  It’s the red hot. It’s on the rise.

  Let’s git down there, I says.

  We keep low. Me an Jack an Ike an Epona run between the rows of chaal bushes. We duck unner the irrigation troughs. We reach the edge of the open space.

  We crouch down behind the chaal bushes. They’re so thick with leaf that they give us good cover. The slaves seem to be in a frenzy. They leap over the firebuckets. They dance an chant an spin. The drums vibrate inside me. The stomp of feet shakes the ground. The flutes squeal. The sweet smell of burnin chaal leaf fills the air.

  Vicar Pinch sits in his golden chair. DeMalo stands to one side of him. There’s another Tonton on his other side. Pinch is holdin somethin in his hand that looks like a big horn. He lifts it in front of his mouth. I see his lips movin, like he’s sayin somethin, but there’s too much noise with the drums an chantin.

  DeMalo whips a shooter out from inside his robe. Shoots it into the air. Three times. The shots crack through the air with a little flash.

  It’s such a shock that everythin stops. Jest like that. The drums, the dancin, the chantin.

  That ain’t no bolt shooter! I whisper to Jack.

  It’s a firestick, says Jack. Stay outta its way, whatever you do.

  The slaves face the platform, pantin fer breath. Their faces an bodies shine with sweat by the firelight an their eyes gleam, all wildlookin. Pinch speaks into the horn.

  Children of Light! he cries. Behold your King!

  His voice rings out through the valley.

  The slaves roar, punchin their fists into the air.

  Your King is all powerful! All wise! All merciful!

  With each thing he says, they roar in reply.

  He is the fountain of life! The source of plenty! The earth herself bows to his will!

  He’s crazy, says Epona.

  Crazy like a fox, says Ike.

  Children of Light! Pinch cries. Tonight! In this place! On this midsummer eve! Our mother sun, high in the sky, reaches the height of her powers. And tonight! The life force of the Winter-born Prince reaches its peak! The sun! The moon! Their power is your King’s power! Tonight that power shall be one! They will be joined by fire! And your King will be born again!

  He throws his arms out wide. The slaves go wild.

  Look! hisses Epona. Over at the Palace!

  I jam the looker to my eyes.

  A group of Tonton move down the steps an start down the path. They march along, two by two. The first four light the way with torches. The next four carry a man on their shoulders, laid out flat. The torchlight glints on a long gold plait.

  It’s Lugh.

  It’s him, I whisper. It’s Lugh. He’s alive.

  An suddenly the tears come. I bin holdin it in so long. I bin lookin fer him so long.

  Jack pulls me into his arms. Holds my face into his shoulder. My body shakes with silent sobs. Shhh, he says. Not now. This ain’t the time. Stop it, Saba.

  I lift my head. I was afeared he was dead, I says. I never said so, but—

  I know, Jack says, I know. But he’s alive an we’re gonna git him outta here right now. All right?

  I take in a couple of deep breaths. Push away from him. Wipe my eyes.

  Sorry, I says. Yeah. All right.

  Okay, everybody, says Jack, this is it. I’ll take the looker now. If me an Epona’s gonna create a diversion, we’ll need to git the timin jest right.

  As I hand it to him, he squeezes my hand. Good luck, everybody, he says. Make the
most of any chance you git, but be careful. See you at the stables.

  Let’s git these bastards, says Ike.

  Jack an Epona peel away to the left.

  Me an Ike go right. We’re headed in the direction of the Palace. We duck along the rows of chaal bushes at top speed, keepin outta sight. We stop where the chaal fields end an the gardens of the Palace begin. We crouch down behind the bushes at the side of the path. They’re gonna hafta go right past us to git to the platform.

  The Tonton party carryin Lugh is skirtin around the fountain. They start to march along the path, through the middle of the gardens, two by two. Four torch bearers at the front. Four carryin Lugh. Six bringin up the rear. They march to the beat of the drums. An they chant as they march. The same chant as the crowd of slaves.

  The two Tonton at the very back of the group lag behind the rest a bit.

  Those’re our boys, says Ike.

  The Tonton’s in the orchard now. We watch as the torches bob along. They’ll be with us in a minute or so. Ready? I whisper.

  Ready, Ike says.

  We crouch down low. We each slide a length of nettlecord rope outta our pockets.

  The four torchbearers march past. Their boots shake the ground. Their chants fill the air. Strange words I ain’t never heard before. Their robes brush aginst the bushes. I can feel the warmth of their bodies. I can smell ’em.

  The next four march past. The ones carryin Lugh. I jest catch a glimpse of him. His eyes is closed. He moves his head from side to side, restless. My heart turns over. Looks like they drugged him.

  Here come the last six Tonton.

  We wait. I count ’em off in my head.

  Two, four.

  A pause.

  Then the last two Tonton come past.

  Me an Ike slip onto the path behind ’em. We move without a sound.

  My heart’s bangin so hard in my chest, it feels like it’s gonna smash right through my ribs. I finger the rope in my hands.

  Ike gives me the nod. We throw our ropes over the Tontons’ heads. Yank it tight around their throats an drag ’em offa the path into the bushes. They’re so surprised that they come without a fight.

  Ike lifts his bolt shooter high. One, two—he coshes ’em on the head with the butt. They’re out cold. The best place to git up to mischief, says Ike, is in a noisy crowd.