Shasta Summer

by Teresa Geering

  She will have sole charge of me during this time, and because my skin burns very easily in the sun she will change my hair to blonde.

  Aunt May will then explain to me about Shasta village being named after me and, because of the magical qualities of Shasta, I will age to a young woman within a matter of weeks. She will also tell me that she has faeries at the bottom of her garden and invite me to visit Abelia, the faery queen. Both May and Abelia will tell me about my past life, which is in fact the life I am now living at the moment with you and Merlin. Everything I do in this life will affect my new life in the future. I realise it must be hard for you to understand May. To come back to this lifetime is possibly fraught with danger for me because I am trying to change the future, but I was prepared to take that risk to save Merlin’s life.”

  May instantly became fearful for Merlin, and the anguish showed on her face.

  “I don’t understand, mistress. Why is Merlin’s life in danger?”

  “I also learnt that I will have another suitor for my hand in marriage and, because of my love for Merlin, I will reject him. In a jealous rage he will kill Merlin or mutilate him in some way, and that is why I have to come back in time to try to rearrange things,” said Shasta. “My problem is I don’t know who he is yet. It may be Seth, of course, but I have to be sure first,” she said wistfully. “I promised Merlin that I would prepare some bait for him and meet him for nuncheon. Please don’t relate any of this to him, May, until I am sure” begged Shasta.

  “Of course not, mistress, but I am fearful for his life, as you are,” she said.

  Leaving May to think about everything she had been told, Shasta went back to her caravan and prepared nuncheon for her and Merlin. When it was ready, she walked the well-trodden path used by the labourers to the fields.

  As she reached the cross stile gate, Shasta balanced her basket on the top and leant on it. She watched the labourers in the distance using their pitchforks with practised expertise. Seeing Merlin on top of a hayrick, she laughed to herself as he started to clown around, much to the amusement of the other workers. This was a side of Merlin that so far she hadn’t seen much of, and she enjoyed watching him, knowing that he wasn’t aware of it.

  Eventually he jumped down off of the hayrick. Shasta climbed the gate and walked towards him, calling his name as she did so. At first he didn’t hear her but, on the second time, he turned. Seeing Shasta, he ran towards her and lifted her into the air, swinging her around until she was as breathless as him.

  “Merlin, please put me down. You’re making me dizzy,” she said, laughing happily.

  As Merlin lowered her to the ground, he took the basket from her hand and they walked towards one of the hayricks to eat.

  Eventually the other field hands stopped their work and joined them, telling Shasta of the antics that Merlin got up to to keep them amused. This endeared her to Merlin all the more. It firmed her resolve to make sure that she saved Merlin before anything happened to him. Obviously he was very popular with the local field hands and she felt comforted by this. If necessary she felt that she could call on them for help.

  When they had finished eating, Shasta lay back and enjoyed the heat of the sun on her face. Merlin sat watching her once again, unable to believe how lucky he was to have her. Many of the local men had stated the same thing to him during one of his infrequent visits to the local tavern. Mostly they spoke of Shasta with reverence.

  Unbeknown to Merlin, Seth in one of his drunken stupors had also spoken of Shasta, but in a very derogatory fashion, which had been frowned upon by all that had heard him. He had been bragging about her visit to his cottage, deliberately taking away the innocence of the visit, and intimating that he intended to ask Shasta to walk out with him at the next opportunity he had.

  Reluctant to disturb her, but needing to restart his work, Merlin bent over Shasta and gently kissed her. Her eyes flew open and she kissed him back.

  “I have to restart work, mistress,” he said with reluctance.

  Sighing deeply at the thought of leaving him again, she rose to her feet. Kissing him farewell she watched as he joined the other workers. With a final wave she picked up the basket and began to make her way back to her caravan, deciding that she would join May in her garden if she were there.

  Chapter 31

  May was sitting in her swing seat by the back door of the cottage. She had eaten her lunch and was beginning to feel slightly lonely.

  She had started to get used to Shasta joining her for lunch. Sometimes, for a change, they had lunch in the village by the green, then slowly walked back together arm-in-arm. She would just have to get used to the idea that she would probably be doing more things on her own now. She was very happy for them both but the news Shasta had shared with her had disturbed her greatly. Her natural instinct was to protect Merlin but there was only so much that she could do.

  She rose from the swing seat, stretching her body as she did so, and slowly walked down through the garden. As always the flowers gave her so much pleasure. She could happily spend all day just admiring them and making up her potions for the local villagers depending on their requirements. Her knowledge had come from an old woman that had lived on the edge of the forest in a caravan not dissimilar to Shasta’s. She had come across the woman quite by chance and had stopped to pass the time of day with her. They had exchanged ideas about various herbs and mushrooms and, putting their ideas together, they had come up with cures for many ailments.

  As she passed the sweet peas and honeysuckle she inhaled their heady intoxicating perfume. The beautiful red roses also demanded her attention and, holding their blooms in her hand, she praised each one. They in turn lowered their heads in shyness of her praise as she released them.

  Unconsciously she had made her way towards the wishing well. Perhaps Abelia was drawing her near and maybe it was time that Shasta visited her in this lifetime. As all these thoughts passed through her mind, she heard Shasta calling out to her.

  “I’m here, mistress” she called back and made her way to the cottage, deliberately walking on some herbs growing at ground level to release their aroma.

  Reaching Shasta, she took in the contented look on her face. It gave her such pleasure to see her and Merlin so happy and in love.

  “I think, mistress Shasta, that I have never seen you happier than at this moment.”

  “Oh, May, I have never felt happier. I’m so pleased that I decided to come to this village. Fate was certainly on my side. I didn’t know it at the time, but now of course I know that it was meant to be.”

  Chapter 32

  Erasmus sat alone as usual in his cottage. It was sparsely furnished but there was sufficient for his needs. He didn’t make a habit of encouraging visitors, preferring to remain alone with his thoughts.

  He stood quietly in front of his book of spells which was normally invisible to any unexpected prying eyes. By waving his hand over the table, the book appeared.

  Having lived many lifetimes, (he gave up counting long ago how many there were), he had used his spell book many times. Through the years, he had perfected the art of mentally transporting his body and thoughts at will to any era of time.

  He gave a satisfied throaty cackle and thought about his recent misdemeanours. He had used his spells to vandalise the garden centre belonging to May's brother-in-law. That had been the easiest of all and it had also brought Shasta to May. Yes, he could have brought her there anyway by mere thoughts, but that was only half the fun.

  He had this lifetime to fill and there were many years still ahead of him, so why do good deeds when he could meddle in others' lives to his own advantage? If he was honest, his powers made things too easy for him. Sometimes he preferred to act just like any other mortal.

  When Shasta and May had been limited in their powers, this had been his doing. No problem for him at all, when he only had to block or close their channel of thoughts. It was so easy to plant an idea to his advantage and play with their minds.
Unbeknown to them, he was completely in control as and when it suited him.

  Abelia was more of a problem as he had realised what she was capable of when he visited the faery kingdom. Several times he had tentatively tested his powers on her but on most occasions she had proven to be stronger. This didn’t bother him too much, however, because the ultimate outcome had already been planned and meticulously worked out.

  Vengeance would be his without a doubt.

  May had become very useful to him, and a means to an end. During all his lives, he had mostly steered clear of women, only using them for his own ends. May was different, though, and he had become quite fond of her. He had given her a love token for her hair which she wore consistently. He would try to ensure that she didn’t get hurt but, if necessary, she would have to be sacrificed to achieve his goal.

  Merlin was wary of him, of course, and he knew that. Fortunately his present body bore no resemblance to Merlin’s old master in his previous life. Erasmus in that life time as his master had ensured that the spell went wrong and Merlin had stayed a cat, but he had paid dearly for it.

  Erasmus had then begun his plans, knowing that it would perhaps take a couple of hundred years to achieve his goal, but his quarry was worth it, and what was a couple of hundred years when he could gain the sweetest prize of all for all eternity?

  Chapter 33

  The present

  George had woken very early and turned to look at his wife who was still sleeping. She was lying on her back with one arm thrown above her head, her hair entangled around it as if she had been playing with it during her dreams.

  He was still very much in love with her even though she exasperated him at times. Since being in Shasta she had mellowed beyond recognition and, in a way, was becoming more like May every day. Instead of wearing her hair neatly pinned up, she had taken to wearing it in a plait in the style of May and it suited her face. Here in Shasta it had grown at a remarkable rate.

  In need of a drink, he gradually eased himself towards the edge of the bed. Iris turned towards him and threw her arm across his chest possessively. Waiting a couple of seconds until he was sure she was still asleep, he gradually removed it and slid out of the bed.

  Quietly he gathered up his dressing gown, which he put on, and made his way to the kitchen. Yes, he could very easily have just wished for a drink and it would have appeared, but sometimes it was still nice to do things the old fashioned way, except that May didn’t possess a kettle. As he passed her bedroom on the way to the kitchen he could see her lying in her bed still asleep, which was rather unusual.

  He sat at the table and decided to give in to laziness by thinking of a cup of steaming coffee and instantly it was there in front of him.

  As he sipped the steaming brew, he watched the sun starting to rise whilst enjoying the early dawn chorus. In the distance he thought he saw someone that looked remarkably like Erasmus. Assuming it was the light playing tricks, he put the thought to one side. Erasmus couldn’t get into the garden without coming through the gate, and if he had he would have heard him. Looking again he was convinced that someone was there so, opening the door, he began to walk through the garden. As he got closer, the shape began to disappear. Although he knew that many strange things happened in Shasta, he was reluctant to believe that someone was capable of materialising out of nothing and dematerialising again in this day and age. At first he was startled and just stared as if in a dream. Then reality took over and he began to believe that probably it was all his imagination anyway. As he turned round towards the kitchen, he heard a very soft cackling sound behind him. Momentarily he hesitated, but rather than turn round, he quickened his step toward the kitchen. He decided against mentioning the experience to May or Iris. There would be no point in frightening them because his mind was playing tricks, and he convinced himself that it was.

  Whistling to himself for reassurance, he returned to the kitchen.

  Erasmus, in his state of invisibility, smiled to himself. He loved playing mind games and, with that thought, he transported himself instantly back to his cottage.

  George returned to the kitchen table and carried on with his coffee as if nothing had happened. By now the sun had completely risen and shafts of sunlight could be seen through the trees in the distance of May's garden. It was the start of another beautiful day in Shasta.

  “Good morning, George dear, what a beautiful morning.” Iris put her arms round her husband’s neck lovingly.

  “Good morning, Iris. I didn’t hear you come up behind me” he said.

  “You seemed to be miles away. are you all right?” she asked softly.

  “Yes, I’m fine, Iris. I was just enjoying the beautiful morning.”

  Iris sat down beside him and imagined a cup of Earl Grey tea and it appeared. Placing her hands round the cup to warm them, she began to sip the hot liquid.

  “May seems to be having a long lay in this morning. She’s still asleep which is unusual for her. She is always such an early riser. Perhaps all the early mornings have caught up with her finally. Would you care for some toast, George? I’m having some”

  “Yes, please, Iris. Two slices, please.”

  For Iris the novelty of magic still hadn’t worn off. As they sat eating their breakfast, May appeared at the kitchen door. Still in a dressing gown, she sat at the table alongside them, mumbling a sleepy good morning. A cup of coffee appeared in front of her along with a slice of toast and marmalade.

  “I was having the strangest dream,” she said as she sipped the hot coffee. “I dreamt that Erasmus was in the garden calling to me but I couldn’t wake up to answer him. Each time I tried to open my eyes he seemed to disappear in a puff of smoke.”

  George choked on his coffee. So what was going on here exactly, he wondered. It seemed that May had experienced in a dream what he had seen in the garden. Maybe he didn’t imagine it after all. Oh Lord, he thought again, what is going on?

  He choked again because Iris was thumping him on the back.

  “Are you alright, George?” she asked.

  “I will be, woman, if you stop thumping my back.”

  “Sorry, George, I thought it would help,” she said

  George decided to hold his own counsel until he could speak to May without Iris being there. Something felt very wrong; maybe his first impression of Erasmus had been correct after all. Still he wouldn’t make any hasty judgements and upset May. He was far too fond of her.

  “Perhaps later this morning we could walk to the village?” inquired Iris.

  “Then tonight we could go to Faery Cove and meet Abelia,” said May

  “I think that’s a lovely idea, May,” said George. He had already told Iris about Faery Cove and Abelia. Amazingly she had again taken it in her stride, surprising him yet further with her adaptability.

  They walked at a leisurely pace to the village, and then passed the time quenching their thirst and talking to the local villagers who had got used to them being with May. Some of the locals made requests of May for potions. Previously made orders were also passed out. Iris was fascinated by this and asked if she could help with the next batch of potions to be made up, which May readily agreed to. George could occupy himself in the garden.

  May and Iris spent an enjoyable afternoon making up the villagers' requests. Iris having a natural aptitude for it, timidly suggested ideas to May which she agreed to try. As her confidence grew, Iris began to experiment with her own ideas, including an aphrodisiac for George which amused May immensely. She rather liked her ‘new’ sister. Iris would include the aphrodisiac in his evening meal which tonight they decided to cook in the ‘old fashioned’ conventional way, with maybe a little bit of magic just to speed things up. Chicken and potatoes were decided upon, and neither of them particularly wanted to peel the potatoes.

  As they sat at the kitchen table they talked over old times from their childhood which bonded them together more closely. George had been told to stay in the garden until the meal was read
y and had been bribed by Iris with a concessionary beer, much to his delight.

  As the meal was divided into portions, Iris added the aphrodisiac to George's meal while May kept watch for him.

  Calling George in from the garden, the three sat down to enjoy the meal. Finishing every last morsel on his plate, George concurred it was the best meal he had tasted so far in Shasta. Iris and May just smiled conspiratorially.

  They rested in the garden for a while as the evening drew to a close and gentle rain began to fall. As usual the flowers raised their heads and drank greedily. Iris and George still marvelled at the way they could sit in a shower of rain and not get wet.

  “I think it’s time to visit Faery Cove” said May quietly. “Are you ready?”

  “Definitely,” said Iris.

  Rising, they made their way by the moonlight to the gate at the far end of the garden. May gave them instructions about drinking from the cup attached to the well. Allowing them to drink first, she was able to witness first hand their experience of shrinking in size. Quickly she joined them, explaining that they were still in her garden but obviously everything seemed different to their diminished size. Iris grabbed George’s hand for comfort and reassurance as they slowly followed May. Just in the distance was a ring of light which seemed to be swaying about. May walking slightly ahead and called to Princess Evening Primrose, explaining that finally she had brought her sister, Iris, and brother-in-law, George, to visit Abelia.

  Probably for the first time in their lives, George and Iris were speechless. This was the stuff of pure fantasy and, if truth be known, they were enjoying the experience. The faeries walked in their splendour in front of them, carrying their lanterns lit by tiny glow worms to light the way to the faery kingdom.