Shasta Summer

by Teresa Geering

  “Oh, my lovely, you look so beautiful you almost bring me to tears.”

  Rushing over to May, Shasta pulled her into an embrace.

  “Please don’t be upset, May. I’m so pleased that you like how I look. If only Merlin were here to see me.”

  Suddenly the faeries surrounding her began to titter in amusement.

  “Enough, faeries,” ordered Abelia, clapping her hands in the form of dismissal, anxious not to spoil the surprise. “Leave us.”

  “Yes, your majesty,” they said.

  Abelia, a woman of few words said, “Shasta, my dear, you will make any man proud of you but now is the time to go back to the cottage.”

  “You are right, Abelia. Come, Shasta, let us return,” said May.

  Chapter 14

  May and Shasta were back in the garden. Having drunk from the well, they were now normal size.

  “Every year on Shasta Day, I perform a ritual to Nertha [Mother Earth] for good crops and harvests for the villagers,” said May.

  “Does it work for flowers as well, Aunt?” Shasta asked.

  “Oh yes, my dear, that’s why I perform the ritual in my garden, but it is for the good of all,” she said. “As soon as I take this phone call I will do it.”

  No sooner had the words left May’s mouth, than the phone began to ring.

  How strange, thought Shasta, she hadn’t thought about her parents at all, and they would be the only ones to phone May. Most villagers had phones but they didn’t seem to bother with them much as they saw each other almost daily.

  As this thought entered her head, she heard her aunt say. “Hello, Iris, how are things with you and George in Holland? Oh, dear, I’m sorry to hear that. Yes, she’s sitting in the garden. I‘ll go and get her for you.”

  Hearing this, Shasta came in and took the phone from her aunt.

  “Hello, Mother,” she said. “How are you and father coping in Holland?”

  “Summer, is that you? No it can’t be, you sound so different. Can you please put my daughter on the phone? George there is someone on the phone saying she’s Summer and she sounds nothing like her. Whatever is my sister playing at? What has she done to my little girl? Will you please put my daughter on the phone? George, why did you suggest leaving our only daughter with my eccentric sister? You should have known better.”

  This all came from her mother in one breath. Shasta didn’t know whether to laugh or be exasperated.

  She decided that she would pretend to be one of her aunt’s friends playing a joke. Wait… this was Shasta the village of magic. She could change her voice back to Summer’s. Her mother wouldn’t be any the wiser.

  So she said, “Hello, Mummy, did you like my impression of a grown-up?”

  “Hello, Summer darling, you really frightened me. I wasn’t sure what had happened to you. Are you all right there with Aunt May?”

  “Yes, thank you. We’re getting on very well. We shop in the village and I am learning the names of the flowers. Daddy will be very proud of me, I think.”

  “Summer, things are quite terrible out here and your father and I would like to stay on for a while. Would that be alright with you? Please tell me if it isn’t, won’t you?”

  Shasta found it difficult to contain her excitement. The thought of staying on in Shasta was a joy beyond belief.

  “I really don’t mind, Mummy, there’s plenty for me to do here. Have you asked Aunt May yet?”

  “Yes. She doesn’t mind at all. I will phone you again soon, then. Bye, darling.”

  “Bye, Mummy,” said Shasta.

  Shasta was beside herself with glee. She couldn’t believe her luck. Extra time in Shasta with Aunt May and her beloved Merlin who still hadn’t returned, although she had felt his presence about.

  “Oh, Aunt May, I feel sorry for my parents and their problems in Holland but it will be wonderful to have more time in Shasta,” She said.

  “It was meant to be, my mistress. Come, let's talk to Nertha, but first we will cleanse our hands.” said May.

  So going to the sink they both washed their hands thoroughly, Shasta taking care not to spoil her dress. With Shasta beside her, May lifted her arms up to the skies and spoke the incantation of the ritual to Nertha.

  Bowing her head she stood for a moment or two, and then said, “Well, my lovely, I will now change into my clothes for the fair and we’ll walk to the village.”

  “Oh yes,” said Shasta.

  “I’ll wait here on the swing seat for you.”

  As Shasta sat waiting for May, she began to feel quite guilty because she hadn’t missed her parents. She loved them both dearly, although her mother had some funny ways at times. She now knew that she belonged here with May and Merlin. ‘Beloved Merlin, I wonder where you are. Yet I don’t feel any harm has become you....” Strange, she thought, I sound like my history books at school.

  Somehow she didn’t feel she would be going back to school next term, or ever again for that matter.

  Chapter 15

  May had changed into the dress she planned to wear and was now making a decision as to whether to wear her hair loose or in her usual plait. She decided to ask Shasta’s opinion. As she walked through to the garden, she was aware of Shasta being deep in thought. Well, everything would be resolved over the next two days, she thought to herself.

  “Shasta, can I please ask your…”

  “.....Why, Aunt, you look absolutely beautiful,” said Shasta stopping May in mid sentence. “That colour and style really looks wonderful on you. All of the men will be longing to dance with you.”

  “Well thank you for your confidence in me,” May said. “I came out to ask if you think I should wear my hair loose or in my usual plait.”

  “Oh, Aunt, can I do your hair for you, please? We can weave some flowers into it as well.”

  May just laughed, caught up in her enthusiasm. “Lets go back to my bedroom,” she said, “and you can style it in front of the mirror.”

  May sat down in front of the mirror while Shasta loosened her aunt's plait. The hair seemed to almost reach the ground. Shasta had expected it to be heavy in texture, but instead it was light and silky smooth. On a whim she decided to do it exactly the same as her own. Instead of having two plaits coiled in the nape of the neck, she made several. The style made her aunt look even younger. The finishing touch would be to weave flowers into it, but what to choose and what colours? Her aunt’s dress was maroon velvet cut very deep at the back and front and edged with fine fur. The sleeves were gathered just above the elbows and fell away to be edged with cream lace. The waist of the dress fell into a v-shape from the hips and flowed to her feet. On her feet were soft maroon slippers with a small heel the same as Shasta’s.

  Impulsively she tried out her powers. She imagined purple and red fuchsias in her aunts’ hair, woven in and around the neck. Instantly the flowers appeared but didn’t look right. I have it, thought Shasta. She had remembered a cream coloured fuchsia in her aunt’s garden. The outer petals were edged with pale lilac, while the inner petals were pale cream like marshmallow, the stamens a very pale red colour. Instantly the whole effect was changed. Showing the hair from all angles with the use of mirrors and looking at her aunt’s face, she knew she had achieved the desired effect.

  May just sat looking at herself. In her mind she was remembering her own youth and how she felt. Who knows what will happen in the next two days, she thought, with a little bit of excitement. Giving herself a mental ticking off for being a silly old woman and not acting her age, she thanked Shasta for all the effort, and now they must get to the village. The villagers would not start anything until Shasta’s arrival.

  As they approached the village green, the sight that met her overwhelmed Shasta. Everyone seemed to be dressed in different styles and costumes. Some of the men wore smocks and breeches. The smocks almost came to their knees and the breeches were tied at the knees or ankles. They had black hats on their heads with wide brims. Others wore doublets with embr
oidered shirts underneath, and tights. The maidens wore either a frock with an apron on top, or shawls instead of aprons. On their head they wore either a white mobcap or straw hats which were covered in flowers. This, explained May, was quite normal. It allowed people to let their imagination explore different eras just for the day, or two days in this case. As she moved to the centre of the green, there was a reverential hush. Many of the men once again tugged at their forelocks and the women bobbed down. Some were afraid to look at Shasta; she seemed to be transformed. Her magnificent clothes were totally worthy of her status. She put her hand out to each of them as she passed by, feeling very close to all of them.

  Turning round she held her arms aloft as before. “People of Shasta, once again this day is upon us. There is food in abundance, ale to be drunk by the barrel, sports games to be played by the energetic, and music to be danced to. So, Morris dancers, take up the ribbons of the tree and start the dancing.”

  As Shasta said this, the six Morris dancers bedecked in white, and with flowers and ribbons attached to their hats, began to dance. The intricate pattern of the coloured ribbons around the may tree were gradually being woven into a long plait until they reached the bottom. Other Morris dancers in groups of six, with bells on their shoes, did traditional dances with wooden staves which were knocked together at regular intervals. At a far corner of the green, two roasting spits were set up to roast the bulls and rams. Some of the children were chasing a pig around trying to catch it, mostly for the fun of it and not as a means of sustenance. Others walked about peddling their wares.

  “Buy my pretty ribbons, my friends, and give to your wives and lady loves,” they chorused.

  The music was infectious and maidens and young men were dancing to the many fiddles being played. Girls with garlands in their hair were being treated to ribbons to hang from them, a sign of undying love from the men. Another part of the green was set aside for sporting fixtures. Men were stripped to the waist wrestling each other while maidens raced up and down the green for prizes, knowing that occasionally the prize was just a kiss from a stranger, causing much ribald laughter. Out of harm's way, men were throwing javelins, casting stones and running the sack race, mostly falling over but righting themselves again much to the fun of the onlookers cheering them on. Children were encouraged to take their chances on the greasy pole, knocking their opponent off with a feather pillow. As the evening got cooler, the giant bonfire would be lit to ensure warmth for all who wanted it.

  Shasta watched all this and was encouraged to join in the games and judge the winners of others. Good naturedly she made the best of it all by dancing with some of the men and ensuring that May joined in also. On one occasion, laughingly, she insisted that her aunt accepted a love token of a ribbon from a rather handsome local man who had set his cap on her. May was secretly flattered by this but kept him at a distance.

  Even though she was enjoying herself, Shasta felt lonely. She had hoped Merlin would turn up at the cottage just to let her know that he was around, but since he had disappeared no one had seen him.

  Chapter 16

  Merlin had been watching Shasta and May from just inside the guest toadstool. If he stood to the side of the entrance, he was hidden from view but still able to see what was going on. He had seen Shasta leave the kingdom with the faeries. She had looked so beautiful; he just wanted to touch her face and tell her so. At the same time, he was frightened and overwhelmed by her beauty. What chance would he have, he wondered, full of self-doubt. It had taken every bit of his will power not to reveal himself to her. He also sought her approval of his human form. How would she react, he wondered. Would he be pleasing to her eye? He hadn’t seen what he looked like and he hoped Shasta would love him as much now as she did in their previous life.

  With all these thoughts going through his mind, he was still reluctant to leave the safety of the kingdom for fear of rejection from Shasta. Perhaps he had misunderstood her feelings for him when he was a cat.

  Abelia sat on her lavender throne watching the faeries at their work around the kingdom. After the excitement of Merlin becoming human and hiding him while they were dressing Shasta, things had gone back to normal and everything seemed very quiet now. Her two princesses, Jasmine and Day Lilly, sat on either side of her while Evening Primrose bossed the other faeries about as usual. None of them really minded as they were happy to serve the Queen through her. Abelia had told them on one occasion when she wasn’t around that she was all bark with no bite which encouraged the faeries to view her quite differently.

  They all had different jobs according to their rank in the kingdom. Some had to ensure there was enough pollen for the bees to collect for their honey. Others had to ensure that all the flowers had enough sun shining on them so they could grow healthily. Occasionally a fern had to be gently pulled up and planted elsewhere, or pushed aside, to let the early rays of the morning sun through. Silkworms and spiders had to have enough room to do their spinning. The silk from the worms was sometimes used by the faeries to lie over the delicate flowers at night to keep them warm if need be. As the gentle night rain fell on the silk it, gave the impression of many shimmering prisms. Other faeries had to ensure that money was left under children’s pillows when their milk teeth had fallen out.

  As Abelia sat watching, her thoughts turned to Merlin. Glancing at him sitting amidst the moss and bark on the ground, she couldn’t understand why he was looking so sad. He should be ecstatic with happiness. Using her powers to read his mind, she soon realised his problem. He was unsure of Shasta’s feelings for him. She was very much in love with Merlin but he needed a lot of convincing. He was such a handsome man all of the maidens would be interested in him.

  Bending over to Jasmine, Abelia asked her to bring Merlin to her.

  “Yes, your Majesty,” she said.

  Going over to Merlin she invited him to come and talk with the Queen.

  “Very well, Jasmine,” he said.

  Following Jasmine he walked over and bent on one knee to Abelia, at the same time taking off his cap and bowing his head in an exaggerated fashion.

  “I see you are as cheeky as ever, young Merlin. If you wish to pay homage to me, please do it in the time honoured fashion and not this flamboyant style you have adopted of late,” she said trying to keep the humour from her voice.

  “Please forgive me, your Majesty, I meant no disrespect.” With that he bowed to Abelia as decorum dictated.

  “That’s better, Merlin,” she admonished.

  “Princesses Jasmine and Day Lily, will you please leave us? I wish to talk to Merlin alone.”

  “Yes, your Majesty,” they said and, rising, they walked off to a discreet distance away.

  “Merlin, it seems to me you have the troubles of everyone on your shoulders. I thought you were happy to be human again,” she said gently.

  “Oh, Abelia, I’m so happy to be human again and for everything you have done for me. I’m just so frightened that when I see Shasta she will be disappointed in how I look as a human.”

  “Any maiden with a sane mind would be excited by the way you look, Merlin.”

  Instantly, she regretted letting her thoughts escape through her mouth. She was the Queen and above such things. It was too late, though. Slowly a smile spread around Merlin’s mouth, he raised one eyebrow questioningly and his eyes began to sparkle.

  “So you think I’m a fine catch, my Queen,” he said.

  “Merlin, remember your place,” she said but her statement lacked the usual authority. “I would strongly suggest you go to the fair and claim Shasta. She loved you in her past life, I‘m sure her feelings will not have changed in this one.”

  Rising to his feet, Merlin took off his cap and made a broad sweep of the ground with it, bowing low as he did so. Then he left to join the villagers at the fair.

  As Merlin left, Abelia felt that everything around her suddenly seemed quite empty.

  “Oh well,” she said half to herself.

 
Clapping her hands she summoned her princesses back to enable them to report how the day was progressing.

  Chapter 17

  Merlin left the faery kingdom with a light heart. The sun was setting as he walked towards the village and he whistled to himself contentedly. Nearing the green he began to get caught up in the enthusiasm of all the activities. Close by men were wrestling.

  “Would you care to take on the winner, young sir?” called out one man in a smock and breeches.

  “I don’t think so, thank you,” Merlin replied with a laugh.

  Many of the maidens approached him shyly but, although friendly, he was uninterested. As a peddler went by selling his wares, Merlin purchased a blue and white ribbon which he intended to present to Shasta as a love token.

  “Good luck, sir, I’m sure the young lady will be only too pleased to accept it”.

  “I hope you’re right,” he said with an earnest expression.

  Merlin decided to walk over to the far edge of the green and watch for Shasta from there. Maybe he would see May also. As it was getting dark, it was more difficult to see.

  May sensed that Merlin was here but couldn’t see him yet. She had finally broken free from the man who had given her the love token ribbon. Given different circumstances, she may well have been interested, but her first priority was to watch over Shasta and look out for Merlin.

  He was here, she could feel it in her bones, but where?

  Many of the villagers had settled round the giant bonfire. It was always lit on Shasta Day to confer health and prosperity on the community. Children lay comfortably up against their mothers whilst the men sang quietly, lulling the children to the land of dreams. Others were eating and drinking whilst at the same time enjoying the fierce heat of the fire.