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Shasta Summer

Page 8

by Teresa Geering


  May saw Shasta in the distance, still looking as beautiful as when they arrived. She was talking to a group of farmers.

  As May went to approach her, a voice in her ear said, “Hello, May, how are you?” May span round with excitement and almost lost her footing as she saw Merlin before her.

  The vision she had seen in Faery Cove was as nothing compared to the real thing. Merlin looked so much more handsome in the flesh, more refined and distinguished than in his previous human life. Oh, my dearest Merlin, thought May, you look wonderful.

  Seeing his concerned face, May said out loud, “Fear not, Merlin, all will be well, I promise you.”

  Merlin’s face relaxed slightly. “Where is Shasta, my mistress? I can’t wait any longer.”

  “Over yonder,” May said using the olde words which seemed to fit the occasion. Merlin looked to where she pointed and his heart lifted. Shasta stood talking to a group of local villagers. As he moved towards them, the crowd parted. With some of them it was simply out of recognition and with others it was out of awe. The conversation around Shasta stopped suddenly and she was at a loss as to why. They had been talking about the harvest that had just been brought in. One by one they drifted away. For a moment she didn’t understand and was about to say so.

  “Oh my beloved Shasta, my mistress, you are so beautiful, I feel my heart will burst with love.”

  Shasta stood still, unable to move. The voices in her head were telling her it was Merlin and that he was human, but sometimes she found it hard to come to terms with the gift of clairvoyance. Plucking up courage, she turned round and almost swooned. Merlin took two steps backwards and, doffing his cap, he swept it to the ground and bowed to his mistress. In kind, Shasta did a deep curtsey. Merlin’s dark blue costume complimented Shasta’ sky-blue dress and it was agreed they made a handsome couple. Standing upright, he replaced his hat and took hold of both of her hands in his. Gently kissing each one in turn, he pulled her towards him and finally kissed her mouth. As her looked into her eyes, he read there all he wanted to know.

  All around them the villagers stood in awe. Those that knew the story of Merlin and Shasta explained in hushed whispers to those who weren’t sure of all the details. Everywhere the sound of “Ah” could be heard. With understanding, they were left alone; after all it was two hundred years ago that Shasta had last met him in human form. Shasta looked at Merlin with longing, unable to believe how incredibly handsome he was, while Merlin looked at Shasta and couldn’t believe her extraordinary beauty. May watched from afar with tears in her eyes.

  At last, my mistress, she thought to herself, you have what you wanted most. Don’t let him go, for it’s in your hands to change history, choose wisely for the happiness of all.

  May went and sat by the fire, suddenly feeling very alone.

  “So there you are, May,” said a voice close by.

  “I have been looking everywhere for you. Shall we take a quiet walk?”

  It was the handsome local man she had met earlier.

  “Why not?” she said,

  “First, though, tell me your name,” she asked.

  “Erasmus,” he said with a secretive smile.

  “I like that name very much. Yes, it is a beautiful evening and the rain has just started to fall, why not?” said May.

  “I love to walk in the rain,” said Erasmus. “It’s very refreshing, don’t you think?”

  “I agree,” said May with a hint of laughter and, fingering the love ribbon he had given her, she linked her arm in his.

  Chapter 18

  As they walked slowly away from the villagers, Merlin declared his love for Shasta by giving her the blue and white ribbon he had purchased earlier. He threaded it into the plaited coil at the nape of her neck. As with a lovers knot, their own love was sealed forever. Holding both her hands in front of him, he had never been so happy and told Shasta so while she declared her love for him. Her only concern was how long he would be human but she was reluctant to mention this to him. At the same time Merlin was asking himself the same question.

  As they walked to the edge of the village green by the field, they noticed some hayricks. At various intervals, couples were dotted about in lovers’ embraces.

  In mutual agreement Shasta and Merlin decided to sit down. In reverence to Shasta, the other couples moved away one by one, leaving them on their own. Wrapped in each other’s arms, and emotionally exhausted, they fell asleep.

  The following morning, as Shasta awoke, she felt a heavy weight on her waist. With excitement she realised it was Merlin’s arm. So she hadn’t dreamt it after all. She lay still prolonging the moment for as long as possible. Merlin was experiencing a similar dream, firstly that he was human and secondly that he had his arm around his beloved mistress, Shasta. Opening his eyes he savoured her beauty, with the realisation that it wasn’t a dream after all. As he did this Shasta opened her eyes and they just absorbed one another.

  “Oh, my beautiful Shasta, let this moment never pass,” he said to her.

  “I have never stopped loving you, Merlin”.

  “My Shasta, your beauty has spanned two lifetimes,” he said as tears welled in his eyes.

  “Please don’t cry, my beloved. This is a happy moment for both of us.”

  Sitting up, she suddenly became serious. “I have to ensure that you will always stay in human form,” she said. “I need to ask Abelia’s advice, Merlin. Can you bear to be parted from me while I do this?”

  “I don’t wish to be parted from you for one minute, but I will go back to May’s cottage and wait for you”.

  Kissing both of her upturned palms, he bid her a temporary farewell and made his way back to the cottage, instantly feeling lonely. Shasta sat quietly for a moment trying to collect her thoughts. He was so handsome her heart pounded in her chest. Could it really be three lifetimes ago that she had last touched him as a human? It seemed almost impossible to take in. She needed to see Abelia straightaway. As she thought it, she was suddenly in the faery kingdom. Taken by surprise, and still wearing the same clothes, she was reduced in size again, her clothes shrinking in the same proportion.

  She stood before Abelia and the princesses Jasmine and Day Lily.

  “Shasta, my dear, how can I help you?”

  “Abelia, I have to be sure that Merlin will never change from human form again to ensure our continued happiness,” she said. “But I am unsure what to do.”

  “My dear Shasta, this is your village and you seem to have forgotten that you have the power to change the past and the present as you see fit.”

  “Yes, of course, why do I keep forgetting that? I’m just not used to it yet, Abelia, and I’m so frightened of losing Merlin again. I will do anything to keep him human. I will take a walk and think about what must be done.”

  “Very well, my dear, but remember I have no power to change anything. That is your prerogative alone but I will be here if you need advice,” she said.

  Shasta paced endlessly, wondering what to do for the best. This power was all new to her. She understood that it could only be used for the good of all and that she must use it wisely. Dealing with an affair of the heart, was that using it wisely, she questioned herself. Suddenly a complete calm came over her. “Of course, why didn’t I think of that before?”

  Rushing back to Abelia, she needed to confirm her own doubts as to whether it was possible.

  Abelia had been sitting patiently waiting for Shasta, knowing she would in time come to the right decision. Finally that moment had arrived and Shasta came rushing towards her, tripping over the hem of her dress in her haste. Righting herself, she threw herself at Abelia’s feet.

  “Oh, Abelia,” she said in excitement, “I have the solution to the problem.”

  “And you wish me to confirm if it is possible,” said Abelia.

  “Abelia, you knew what I was thinking,” Shasta said.

  “Of course, my dear, that is why I am Queen of the faeries, and everything will come to pass
providing the intention is good.”

  Shasta immediately thought of Merlin and May and the cottage, and she was back in the garden. As she walked towards the swing seat, she saw Merlin and May deep in conversation. He was so handsome. At that moment Merlin caught sight of her. He was instantly up and at her side.

  “My beloved Shasta, I’ve missed you.”

  “It was only a couple of hours, Merlin.”

  “Two hours too long,” he said.

  May stood to go inside, believing she wasn’t needed at this moment.

  “No, May, please stay as this concerns you too,” Shasta said, observing that May’s face seemed very radiant. Then she noticed the love token of ribbons in May's hair, but decided not to comment.

  “You have made a decision then, my mistress?” asked May, a bit concerned.

  “Yes,” she said. “I will tell you on the way to the village. I think it’s time we started to enjoy the last day of the fair.”

  As the three of them walked through the front gate of the cottage, Shasta walked in the middle and linked her arms through Merlin’s on the right and May's on the left. Strolling towards the village green, Shasta revealed her plan which was completely possible as she was Shasta in every sense of the word. As they neared the green, the villagers were already enjoying themselves. A bull was being roasted on one of the spits and a ram on the other. Children were running everywhere and laughing, and stopping to look shyly at Shasta as she walked past with Merlin. May, on the pretext of leaving them alone together, walked off to see if she could see her friend Erasmus from the night before. She hoped that he would notice that she now wore the love token in her hair. Thinking about what Shasta had told her, she now felt more relaxed. Yes, she thought to herself, that would be the safest way to right the wrong in their young lives. Suddenly she heard raised voices and a cheer. Looking to the middle of the green, she could see the beginning of a procession. Hurrying over to join in, she watched an arbour of flowers being held aloft by four men, two supporting the front and two at the back. It was being held over Shasta and Merlin. This was an old tradition performed by the villagers to recognise Shasta as their own Queen. Merlin, enjoying himself immensely, had hold of Shasta’s right hand, with his other hand on his hip as if ready to dance the minuet. In this fashion they walked in honour around the edge of the green, protected from the sun by the arbour of flowers carried by the bearers. As they passed by the groups of people, there was much cheering and laughing. Having reached their starting point they broke free of the arbour. The music from the fiddles began and Merlin bowed low to Shasta to ask for the pleasure of dancing with her. Curtseying low, she agreed. As they danced together, the villagers watched in appreciation, marvelling at how well they suited one another. They all quietly agreed it would be a tragedy if Merlin were ever to revert to being a cat again. As May looked on at them dancing, she was aware of someone behind her.

  “They dance well, the young couple. Should we show them how it should be done, May?”

  As May turned to say she thought she was getting too old to dance and cavort about, she was swept up by Erasmus to dance alongside Merlin and Shasta. After a few moments the other villagers joined in. The dancing went on for a couple of hours with couples joining in and then dropping out for food or refreshment as the mood took them.

  May and Erasmus stayed dancing for almost as long as Merlin and Shasta, but eventually May had to concede defeat due to thirst and fatigue, even though she was content to be held indefinitely by Erasmus. This feeling of love in the air was infectious, she thought to herself. As the sun began to set and the bonfire was lit once more, Shasta raised her hands for silence.

  “People of Shasta,” she said, “we have had two days of festivities. Many love trysts have been made and kept.”

  As she said this she looked in May’s direction and felt happiness in her heart for May and Erasmus.

  “I now have to right a wrong, which happened many years ago. I know that I will be successful because it is for the good of all the village of Shasta, and also for me.” With this her face softened as she looked towards Merlin. “The festivities should go on until the bewitching hour and then you should return to your homes.”

  With this she dropped her hands to her side and walked towards Merlin. With a brief look at May and Erasmus, she joined hands with Merlin and they began to blend with the night sky, leaving a thin trail of smoke where they had been. Shasta and Merlin were now in their past with whatever it might bring forth.

  Chapter 19

  May had started to walk back towards her cottage with Erasmus, but now stopped to consult him. What was her sister going to say, she wondered?

  Iris and George had left their only daughter, Summer, who was merely eight and three-quarters, in her charge. In three weeks she had not only turned the child’s hair from red to blonde, which admittedly had been for her own good, but she had also changed her into a mature young woman, and she had introduced her to a faery Queen who lived in a cove at the bottom of her garden.

  On top of all this, May had to explain that not only was she not Summer Backer as she thought herself to be, but Shasta of Shasta village where she was now living. In a previous life she had fallen in love with a young man, who had become a cat and come to live with May in this life, waiting for Shasta to return. Shasta had fallen in love with him over again, even though he was still a cat. He had returned to human form and now Shasta and he had gone back in time to right the wrong and ensure that he stayed human in this life.

  “No wonder my sister calls me eccentric,” she said out loud to Erasmus. “I do believe I might be.”

  Erasmus just smiled, linked arms with May and they carried on walking.

  Book 2:

  Shasta Village

  Chapter 20

  The present

  “Are you drunk, May?”

  “Certainly not, Iris, I’ve never been drunk in my life. Well, except when you married George and that was only because I felt sorry for him.”

  George started to laugh but choked on the sweet he had been eating.

  In her early forties, and older than his wife, his sister-in-law was really comical at times. Iris continued with her tirade ignoring their derision.

  “I leave our daughter in your charge, May, for three weeks while George and I are in Holland on business and now you tell me she is no longer here at the cottage, that she is now called Shasta and that she has fallen in love with a cat that was originally a boy she met in a previous life. On top of all that, she has now apparently gone back two hundred years to her past life with him to right a wrong and, if I understood you correctly, you have faeries living in the bottom of your garden. You tell me this is a magical village, but I was right, May, you really are eccentric and I said so to George when we left Summer here. Yes, Summer! The name we christened her with. George, don’t just sit there, do something, anything! I’m going to have an attack of the vapours.”

  As usual, her husband had sat calmly and quietly listening to his wife’s outrage, but taking in all May was saying.

  “Iris, this is the twenty-first century and women do not have attacks of the vapours anymore, they go to see analysts. As I have no intention of paying for one, just sit and listen to what May is saying, even though I agree it is a shock,” George replied.

  “Iris, can I get you a cup of camomile tea to help calm you,” asked May.

  “No, I’ll have a cup of Earl Grey in a bone china cup, if you please, May. I’m in shock and George said so.”

  “What can I get you, George?”

  “Anything will be fine, thank you, May,” he said.

  May left them in the sitting room of her cottage discussing the news she had just imparted. Passing the two bedrooms and the bathroom, she made her way into the kitchen. How she missed Merlin and her mistress, Shasta. Yes she could visit Faery Cove for company, but it wasn’t the same as having them around.

  Oh well, she thought, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy expl
aining to my sister. She is so highly strung these days. It must be the pressure of the problems within the garden centre.

  George Backer owned two garden centres, one in England and one in Holland. The Dutch one was run by Henney, their manager. In a phone call from Henney, George had learnt that their centre had been vandalised and the Dutch Police had charged no-one as yet. They had been there for three weeks while their daughter had been staying with May.

  “Are you making that tea, May?” called her sister from the sitting room.

  “I’m just coming.”

  “Right,” thought May, “I’ll have camomile tea, Earl Grey for Iris, and George can have Indian.”

  As she imagined the tea in her mind, it appeared before her on the table. Putting it on a tray, she carried it back into the sitting room. She may be getting a bit long in the tooth but her powers were still there.

  Iris started on her tea straightaway.

  “Excellent cup of tea, May. How is yours, George?” Iris asked

  “May always makes a smashing cup of tea.”

  He and May had something of a soft spot for one another.

  “I feel better already,” said Iris.

  She was starting to relax now into the back of the large chintz-covered sofa which stood to the side of the open fireplace. George sat opposite her in the other matching two-seater settee, while May favoured her rocking chair piled with cushions. Set out this way, it made for easy conversations.

  There had been a beautiful evening sunset but May had now drawn the heavy chintz curtains across the windows as the night had drawn in. When Merlin and Shasta were here, they mostly left the curtains open to enjoy the moonlight. It wasn’t cold enough to light a fire yet as it was only September but there was a cosy atmosphere, if she said so herself.

 

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