Chapter 7
The fire blazed in the centre of the group of tainted fae that were dancing and cavorting to the weird music that was being played by a trio of tall, thin musicians who appeared to be using their own bodies as instruments. The resultant noise could hardly be called music and grated on the ears of the three boys that were tied to a tree just outside the circle of their captors.
Up close the King’s Huntsmen were strange insect-like creatures. Their eyes were round and black, darting around to catch every movement around them. Their bones looked sharp and jutted up against the skin in places while their black armour seemed to be part of their bodies. The noises they made were strange chittering shrieks that hurt the ears and sent shivers down the boys’ backs.
Billy had a bruise on his cheek where his father had struck him but Michael and James had been unharmed if handled a little roughly as they had been bundled into the net and then carried to this camp site. This was where the king obviously had made his own little court and as his followers provided entertainment for him he sat brooding on his throne on the other side of the fire.
Michael could tell even from this distance that it was Billy that held his attention and the sick feeling in his stomach told him that his fae friend was in a lot of danger if the King decided to punish him.
It was bad enough that the king had went through their bags tipping everything out into an untidy heap. Michael had gasped aloud when the little wooden box had come bouncing out of the bag to roll down the pile. The King had picked it up and seemed to admire the beauty of the box, running his long nailed fingers over it before opening it.
Michael had felt like crying when he had taken the bottle out of the box and peered at it curiously before tossing it into the undergrowth dismissively before admiring the box once more.
The King had taken the box back to his throne while leaving the rest of their belongings to the attention of his followers who fought over every tiny thing as if it was the greatest treasure they had ever seen. Michael didn’t think he would ever forget the bloody knives and the hammers that had left five of them dead only for the bodies to be hauled away and thrown on the fire. Looking at James’ tear stained face he knew his friend would never forget either. He could only pray that the bottle of Dragon Tears hadn’t smashed and that they could somehow escape from their predicament.
Michael turned to his other side where Billy was tied and spoke quietly to the guardian. “Can you get free?” he asked him hopefully.
It was a moment before Billy could answer. Michael could tell by the way he glared at his father and the tension that fairly vibrated off him that Billy was very angry. It was debateable who was the more dangerous at the moment.
“Not with my Father watching,” Billy finally replied. “His eyes are constantly on me. If we try to escape he’ll notice straight away.”
“What can we do?” Michael asked in despair, “We have to get to the Tree! That is if the bottle of Dragon Tears hasn’t broken.” He sighed and slumped against the ropes, their tightness making sure he barely moved.
Billy was silent for a moment and then spoke quietly to both of them, craning his neck round so he could look at James as well. “I’m going to distract them. You two try and get free while their attention is on me.”
Michael looked at him in alarm. “Don’t be stupid! Your father has already beaten you! If you anger him further he might kill you!”
Billy shrugged as much as he was able to in the ropes, “My father would never kill me. He takes too much pleasure in torturing me to spoil his fun like that.” He caught the horrified expressions on the other two boys’ faces and smiled, “Don’t worry, I can handle it. The important thing is you get away and get to the Tree. Nothing else matters. Do you understand?”
Michael swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry, and said, “We understand but …” he paused for a moment, chewing his lip, “There must be some other way.”
“No, there’s not,” Billy sighed and Michael could tell that underneath his bravado Billy was scared too, “While my father and his pets are having fun with me they’ll ignore you. Get ready.”
Before Michael or James could say anything Billy started taunting his father, grinning all the while he threw insults and jibes. The King’s huntsmen shrieked and howled as he spoke but even they wouldn’t dare lay a hand on the King’s own son without his permission. The King’s face twisted into a mask of pure fury and all of a sudden Billy was yanked by invisible hands out of the ropes.
Billy flew through the air to land heavily in front of his father who stood up long enough to kick his son in the side before seating himself again and gesturing for two of his huntsmen to pick Billy up.
It took a while for Michael and James to notice how slack the ropes had become without Billy there, so caught up in watching as Billy was tossed around like a child’s toy while the huntsmen’s malicious laughter filled the air. It was only when a noise from behind them distracted them from the horrific sight in front they realised the ropes could no longer restrain them.
Turning his head slowly Michael couldn’t see anything but then a face appeared in the bushes looking fearfully towards the Huntsmen as they enjoyed the spectacle of Billy being at the mercy of his father. The face disappeared for a moment and then appeared a little closer to them, still looking terrified but determined all the same.
“Are you the humans here for the Tree?” it whispered as loudly as it dared.
“Yes,” Michael whispered then turned quickly to James, “Keep a look out in case someone notices!” He turned back to the face peering out of the bushes. “Can you help us?”
The large green eyes seemed to widen even more and it bit its lip with indecision before nodding jerkily. When it began to creep slowly out of the bushes Michael stopped it.
“No,” he told their would-be rescuer, “we can get out of the ropes but we need a bottle the King threw into the bushes over there. It’s very important!”
Another face appeared beside the first one, with the same small cat-like features and large green eyes. This one seemed less afraid and held up the bottle of Dragon Tears with a grin. Michael sighed in relief when he saw it was unharmed as he had feared and turned to smile at James.
His brief moment of relief was cut short when a cry went up from the Huntsmen and they turned towards where the two boys were against the tree. Out of the corner of his eye Michael could see that the faces had disappeared before the Huntsmen descended on them and dragged them out of the loose ropes to bring them to the King.
The two boys struggled but the tainted fae were strong and their hands had a vice like grip on their arms and ankles as they were hoisted over the top of the baying crowd to be dumped on the ground beside Billy.
Billy’s face was bloody and his tunic was torn where claw marks could be seen on his skin, blood seeping into the cloth. James helped him sit up while Michael got shakily to his feet, wincing at the pain in his hip where he had landed. He pulled himself up to his full height and tried to look as confident as he could despite feeling very scared.
This close to the King he could see him clearly and swallowed nervously as the black eyes watched him like a spider watches an unusual bug caught in its web. The King’s long fingers drummed on the armrest of his throne while his other hand lay possessively on the wooden box he had taken from Michael’s pack.
Michael smoothed his shirt as best he could and lifted his chin before speaking. “How dare you treat us this way! I demand that you let us go immediately!”
The Huntsmen laughed loudly and shouted insults until the King held up his hand and there was instant silence. He rubbed his pointed chin as he stared at Michael with a strange gleam in his eye.
“Why are you human children in my forest?” the King finally asked in his strangely clicking voice.
Michael couldn’t help being reminded of a giant beetle when he heard that voice but he managed to stay calm even though his mouth had suddenly gone dry. “I’m here to help my mother.�
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“Your mother,” the King repeated, “Why is your mother in my forest?” The King paused for a moment as a thought came to him and he smiled in understanding. “Poor child, searching for a dead mother.”
Michael’s throat constricted as the King spoke and he could feel his anger growing but before he could speak a voice behind him interrupted.
“Speaking of mothers,” Billy said cheerfully as he got to his feet with James’ help, “Where’s mine?” He looked around as if trying to find her. “Did she not want you around? Does she not love you any more?” He glanced with a pitying look at his father before laughing nastily.
The King shot to his feet and took a step towards Billy, his arm upraised but before the blow could land a rock suddenly struck the King on the chest making him stagger back in surprise. The air was suddenly filled with small rocks and stones that were being thrown from all around them.
The Huntsmen shrieked in pain and anger while the King ducked behind his throne, bellowing orders. They scattered to find shelter from the pelting rocks and Billy took that opportunity to grab Michael and James by the arms and drag them away.
They ran into the bushes and scrambled up a small incline before running as fast as they could along a narrow path until Billy turned into the trees followed closely by the two human boys. They ran for a few moments more before Billy stopped and leant against a tree, pressing a hand to his ribs and gasping.
“We can’t keep running,” Michael said, “You’re injured and it does no good if they catch us again!”
Before Billy could reply a small group of fae appeared from behind the tree and Michael recognised the two in front as the faces from the bushes. They beckoned the boys to follow and with the sounds of the King’s Huntsmen ringing through the forest they had no choice but to go with them.
The small fae led them quickly through a maze of pathways and bushes before suddenly disappearing into the roots of a large tree stump. Pausing only for a moment Billy followed then James and Michael while a few of the small fae remained at the opening of what appeared to be a tunnel leading to a small cave under the ground.
“We’ll be safe here,” the fae from the bushes told them, “They’ve never found us here and the taint doesn’t seem to affect us under here either.”
“Togan,” Billy said quietly, “You risked a lot to help us. Especially against my father.”
Togan shrugged and smiled gently, “What does it matter now? If these human children can heal the Tree then everything should be returned to what it was – including the Guardians.”
“If it can be healed,” Billy said with a sigh.
“Wait! The bottle! Where is …” Michael looked around at the small fae who were so similar in appearance he couldn’t really tell them apart. Only when a small grinning face appeared in front of him did he heave a sigh of relief and gratefully took the bottle from the fae’s hand.
“Thank you!”
Togan stepped forward and put a hand on the other fae’s shoulder. “Mutah here has been keeping it safe ever since he found it. We knew of its importance even if the King didn’t!” The two fae looked at each other with a proud smile and Michael couldn’t help but smile too.
“We need to go,” James said urgently, “The sooner we get to the Tree, the sooner we can go home.”
“Right,” Michael replied and then hesitated as he looked at Billy who was sitting on a cushion holding his ribs. “Billy, I think you should stay here. You’re injured already and if we’re caught again your father might …”
“I’ll be fine,” Billy reassured them, “Besides, you can’t go out there just now or you will be caught again. We need time to let everything die down; a few hours should do it. By then I should be fine.”
“But …”
“Thank you for your concern,” Billy said with a smile, “but we fae heal a lot faster than you humans! Rest just now, we’ll get going soon.” With that he lay back against the cushions behind him and closed his eyes.
The Spirit Tree Page 7