A Circle Of Crows

by Brynn Chapman

  The queen's reputation for ruthlessness was legend, her favorite public gathering ceremonies usually involved a guillotine.

  Dennehy lowered his eyes. “Get out of here, before I decide I would prefer the beheading."

  Nathaniel shut the door, took Mari's hand and led her quickly down the corridor .

  They walked in silence for five minutes till they reached the queen's outer chambers, where he stopped and turned her to face him.

  "Are you alright?” Nathaniel asked, pain and fear all over his face.

  "Yes, I am fine. Thank you so much.” She rested her forehead against his chest.

  He gently stroked the back of her head, and then abruptly took her shoulders to face him again.

  "You are truly a fine man, and faithful friend to Colin and myself."

  Nathaniel nodded. “Find me if you need me while the expedition is gone."

  He turned and walked down the corridor quickly. Mari tried to straighten her dress and was arranging her disheveled undergarments when she heard, “Mari! Where are you? You are late."

  Queen Ivana approached with her dressing robe still on.

  Chapter 20

  Marisol woke from a dream—a dream about Colin. He was safe and home and holding her with his arms around her waist while protectively covering her abdomen with his slender hands. Tears were all over her pillow. She was suddenly taken with a wave of nausea and she vomited into a bucket beside her bed. She was certain of her pregnancy now. It had been three weeks since Colin's departure and their union. Suddenly overcome with fear as the nausea abated, she knew it was imperative for the rebellion to hide her pregnancy lest the child be taken from her arms the moment of its birth and ... she shivered at the thought.

  "I will not think about it. They will have to kill me first."

  And so they shall, said the voice in her head. And they will use the child to capture and destroy its father as well. And with him will die the hope of all of your people. Colin had been right to refuse her advances.

  She quickly got out of bed, paying little mind to the cold. Scooping up the bucket, she took it outside. She quickly began to walk down the path to the woods and the lake. She dumped the contents into the weeds and stooped to wash it out.

  She started back up the path, fully intending to begin her day, when she was struck with a loneliness so raw and powerful, she sank to her knees and gave in as her body slumped to the ground. She clutched at her middle, fully aware that the only thing remaining of her love may be growing inside her.

  She walked back down to the covered wagon, which was still there from the night of their union, and crawled inside it. She got onto the cot and pulled the heavy, scratchy blanket over herself. Her tears continued, silently now. She closed her eyes and prayed for guidance, then drifted off to sleep.

  Marisol opened her eyes sometime later to sounds coming from the water outside.

  She shifted the hangings so she could peer into the sunlight. What she saw amazed her ... three women, all dressed like men in trousers, were emerging from the lake's depths.

  "Outlanders,” she murmured to herself. “This will be the first time anyone other than a child has come through the portal."

  She hesitated as they might be hostile and was torn over what course to take. The decision was made for her, however, when one of them spied her and pointed her out to her traveling companions.

  "You there! Can you help us?” called one of the taller ones with auburn hair.

  Marisol crawled out of the wagon and waited for them to wade out of the dank pond water. She was perplexed at what such fine-looking ladies—gentlefolk, she would estimate by their manner—were doing dressed like men and out of their own world alone with not one male companion.

  "I like them already,” Marisol whispered to herself.

  "Hello,” spoke Raena directly, “Could you tell us where we are?"

  "You are in The Briar Woods of the Northern Province of Sheol, under the rule of Queen Ivana Von Tratenberg."

  The three women exchanged wary glances as their uneasiness grew, all aware that their current location may be one they had never heard nor read of previously.

  Unable to contain herself with civil formalities, Rachael blurted out, “Please, my daughter is missing. We believe she may have entered this place through the lake as we did. Have you seen any children in your village you didn't recognize?"

  Marisol gazed at Rachael keenly and stared into her eyes for a moment, then said, “I know your daughter, her name is Morgana. I know she is yours since she looks just like you and her disposition is the same as well."

  Raena felt her sister begin to tremble beside her, though she was inches away.

  "Dear God,” cried Rachael. “Where is she? Can you take me to her?"

  Marisol's face fell. “Come and sit in the wagon with me. We have about an hour till I will be missed, that should at least be enough time to explain the circumstances of this age."

  As they all settled themselves around her, Marisol began to speak. She told them the story of the fall of her world, the discovery of the portals, the coming of the fiery beast and all of the destruction and mayhem that ensued.

  She explained the sacrifices of children and how none were to be found in any of their lands, as a result of the fear of conception with certain doom to the new lives. She told them of Colin and his family's organization of the resistance to oust the monarchy and defeat the beast if possible. And of the fate of Morgana, that she had left approximately two days ago on the heels of Colin's reconnaissance mission, which had departed three weeks ago to prepare for the new sacrifices. When she had finished, all three sat speechless, gaping open-mouthed at her.

  "Have you come looking for your child as well?” Marisol inquired of Bella.

  "Me, no. I don't have any children. Why do you ask?"

  "The small, blond one who Morgana has at her side constantly, resembles you. I thought perhaps they had fallen together."

  "Fallen?” requested Raena.

  "Yes, that is what we call the traveling from one world to another."

  "How can we catch that expedition? Can you show us the way?” demanded Rachael.

  Instinctively, Marisol's hand fluttered to her middle. “No, I cannot take you. But perhaps I can find one in the rebellion who can. I will talk to a few of those loyal who have stayed behind and see what we can do. You will need horses, weapons, and supplies."

  "How long will that take?” demanded Rachael as she stood up and began to pace.

  "Stay here, I will return as soon as I can. I will take care of my daily responsibilities in the castle and make my way over to the armory, where many of those loyal are laboring."

  She gingerly crawled out of the wagon and hurried up the path.

  * * * *

  Morgana looked out of the wagon flaps toward the huge, looming mountain in the distance. She could see smoke drifting in the air, surrounding the mountain with a black halo and shivered violently. She pulled Eva closer to her as the tiny child slept with her head on Morgana's lap. Wondering what would become of them, she was also concerned with their fate inside those caves at the foot of the mountainside. Tears slid silently down her cheeks, already red and chafed from the cold. Morgana started as she heard hooves approach near the wagon she was in, and she strained to overhear the conversation taking place outside.

  "Sir, you have arrived. I thought I was to be in command of this expedition,” said Colin, as Commander Dennehy trotted up to him on his appaloosa mount.

  "Her Majesty has been concerned of late. The doorways to the Outlands have been acting queerly and out of time with the lunar cycles, so her guard has been aroused. She sent me, of course, to assure that all would go smoothly with the sacrifices. I would ask you for the keys now that I have come to assume command. Your steadfastness is appreciated."

  Colin withdrew a tarnished ring of fifty or more keys, which he then handed to the commander.

  Sacrifices. The word rung in Morgana's mind
like a bell signaling the beginning of a funeral procession. Surely this could not be their fate; she looked around the wagon at the shivering, sleeping children. Some of them were barely toddlers. In her heart, however, she knew it was so ... her time as a captive had made her cognizant that this world she was in was a savage one, where only the cunning or brawny would survive. She must get away, and Eva was coming with her. She looked at the other children and whispered, “And I will take as many of them with me as I can."

  Morgana tried to make herself more comfortable, and stretched out to touch as many of the children near her as she could, but sleep refused to come. Her anxiety over when the wagons would resume their ascent to Mount Morte’ kept her eyes open and alert till dawn was visible through the wagon flaps.

  * * * *

  Rachael grew anxious as they awaited Marisol's return. She had not been seen since her departure early in the morning, and they had been forced to hide several times during the day as various people could be heard passing by in the surrounding wood.

  "We are sitting ducks here. For all we know, she's coming back with a band of soldiers to arrest us, and then what will happen to Morgana?” asked Rachael vehemently. The inability to act with her daughter so close was no longer tolerable to her.

  "I agree,” said Bella, her blond head nodding, “we ought to take our chances and be on our way. If we stay here, we are bound to be caught."

  "Let's give her one more hour. If she doesn't arrive, I agree, we should depart.” Raena's sisters looked mutinous as she uttered these words.

  Rachael furiously turned her back on them and stared at the path which Marisol had strode up hours before.

  The hour passed slowly, each second seemingly endless to Rachael in her tortured state. She imagined Morgana struggling against her abductors and screaming for help, with none coming. Tears began to freely flow from her eyes, and hung on her dark lashes before they splattered her still damp shirt. With her face set, she removed the hunting knife from her belt and began to strap it to her boot with a piece of twine she retrieved from the wagon.

  Hoofbeats could be heard approaching. Then the crackling of brush as horses sauntered down the path. All three women rose now, poised for confrontation or flight.

  Marisol stood at the wagon opening with a tall, red-haired man. They began to crawl through, and as the flaps were parted, Raena could see there were four horses tethered to a tree.

  Marisol broke the silence. “This is Nathaniel, one of my husband's vigilant soldiers who is loyal to our cause. He has volunteered to help you find the expedition, the location of which is secret—only men who have gone on previous missions are aware of where the mountain is located."

  "I am honored to be of service.” His voice was low like thunder, but his face was oddly placid.

  "Thank you so much, but we must depart now. Every moment we delay ... I cannot wait a moment longer without taking some action!” Rachael said as loudly as she dared.

  "Of course,” said Nathaniel, already rising, “let us go and mount."

  As they were mounting the horses, Marisol pulled on Nathaniel's arm to have a moment.

  "Nathaniel, please tell Colin...” But her voice faltered and faded. What could she say?

  He gripped her shoulders tightly, and his eyes were fixed on hers. “You know him, Mari. He will prevail, and then return to us and restore order to this chaos."

  As Nathaniel mounted his chestnut mare, Marisol added hastily, “Search me out the moment you return."

  "Of course.” He touched the brim of his hat.

  Marisol stood till the horses exited the clearing to the north, and all that was left was the sound of trees rustling in the early morning air. She wondered if this would be the end, or the beginning.

  Chapter 21

  Sam lay awake in his bed. It had been one night since he had found the note in the Autumn Room. He ran his hand over his unshaven face while he walked over to the window and stared up at the inn.

  If the women were gone for any amount of time, people would start to talk about their whereabouts. He needed to come up with a story ... He would say they had gone for awhile to visit their great-aunt in Pennsylvania, to try and regroup after Morgana's disappearance.

  Upon finding Bella's note, he had gotten on the internet and read everything he could possibly find about lunar cycles and folklore. Unfortunately, very little information was of any help, except when the next full moon would be. He had been able to decipher that the previous night's moon was a blue moon, meaning it was the second full moon in a period of thirty days. He decided he would check the charts to see when the next blue moon would occur.

  He could not believe how silent the inn had become. He had wanted to stay there in the Autumn Room, but the dead silence had proved too much for him. Their own house, where he was surrounded with Bella's belongings, was much more comforting to him. Plus, there was the matter of the dog. Solomon refused to go into the Autumn Room and would pace and whine continuously when he was on the second floor. There was the opposite in Chloe, Morgana's dog, who refused to leave the room, except to go outside twice a day.

  Sam shook his head and thought for sure this must all be a dream and he would wake up with his wife lying beside him in bed.

  Tap, tap, tap.

  Sam looked to locate the sound. He could not find anything out of place in the bedroom.

  Tap. Tap. Tap. It was louder this time.

  Solomon growled low and menacingly with his teeth bared, which Sam had never seen this gentle animal do before.

  The dog was looking toward the kitchen with his hackles raised.

  Sam reached under his bed and grabbed his shotgun, then strode toward the kitchen.

  Tap. Tap. Tap.

  At the kitchen window sat a magpie, staring at him unblinkingly. In its beak dangled an apricot ribbon. The very color Morgana had been wearing in her ponytail the night she disappeared.

  The bird took flight and Sam raced out onto the stoop to try and catch it.

  It was nowhere in sight. He wrestled the dog back inside and to his bedroom.

  Sam lay down on the bed and invited the dog to join him. Soon, he was gently snoring but the dog was watchful, staring out the window till the rising of the sun.

  Sam awoke to the dog's whining. Uncertainty filled him and he was unclear as to whether the events of the previous night had been a dream, or reality.

  "Get that rabbit, boy,” he mumbled to the dog, as his forepaws twitched with the dream he was having.

  Sam walked to the kitchen and sat down at the table. A book Bella had been reading a few days ago sat spine up on the table, marking her place where she had left off.

  He wondered as he sat waiting for the coffee to brew, how he was supposed to act normally and go about his day? He knew he would never be whole again without his wife.

  As the aroma of coffee filled the kitchen, his loneliness for his wife was a sharp ache in his chest.

  Walking to the front door to retrieve the morning paper, he opened it to see a beautiful apricot ribbon lying on top of the newspaper on the front porch. He sat down on the stoop and ran it through his rough hands, over and over.

  Chapter 22

  The party approached the foothills of the mountain. Jagged crags and sharp fragments of rock littered the ground all along the face of the cliff, while black smoke billowed from the top of it.

  Morgana peered outside. She was becoming desperate. She now fully understood the fate of all the children she had grown fond of over the time she was with them. Glancing around the wagon counting them, she tried to calculate how many children had been brought here to suffer this fate. She was having trouble thinking clearly; panic was taking hold. She began to feel as if her thoughts were a spinning wheel spewing its threads in all directions. Breaking out into a cold sweat, she was becoming dizzy and her heart was racing. She distractedly wondered if this was what her mother had called a panic attack; something Morgana had watched her mother experience for y
ears after the death of her father. Unwillingly, she recalled an image of her mother sitting on the window bench at the inn late at night, watching the snow fall onto the road outside. Her mother was eerily still in an attempt not to awaken the then five year old Morgana.

  Morgana heard horses approaching and she shushed Eva to be silent as the officers congregated outside their wagon entrance.

  "Captain, I have never gained access to any of the chambers within the mountain. As we will be ready to commence shortly, I thought it wise we discuss the procedures."

  "Yes, McCullough, by tomorrow at nightfall, this will be behind us,” replied the captain grimly.

  "You mean till six more months pass,” and as the captain eyed him curiously, he hastily added, “sir."

  Captain Dennehy strode over toward a patch of evergreens, clustered together and bent from the heavy windstorms. With both hands, he leaned on a massive rock, and as he did, it moved to the side, just enough for a person to enter, albeit sideways.

  "Follow me, Colin. I'll instruct you in the procedure,” he said, beckoning for Colin to follow.

  Colin walked toward the evergreens, and as the captain's back turned, he fingered his wedding ring, now around his neck on a chain. He thought of Marisol, sleeping soundly when he left the wagon, and how he had adjusted the coarse blankets over her before slipping into the night.

  As they shimmied into the crevasse, Colin saw it opened into a narrow hallway. Captain Dennehy removed a torch from the wall and lit it with flint rocks he extracted from his pocket. They began to walk slowly down the passageway, when Colin was struck by the stench emanating from in front of them. As they progressed, he ascertained it smelled of smoke, decay and sulfur. The smell tunneled its way into his unconsciousness and suddenly, his head was filled with visions of his burning home and family.

  He clenched his jaw in determination and resisted the impulse to kill the captain without mercy, just as the man would show none to the small beings outside.

  They reached an open chamber with two tunnels on either side. In the center of the room, Colin spied five rows of shackles and manacles, with ten sets in each row. As he walked, he felt a rustling movement around his feet. Bones littered the floor; tiny skulls and extremity fragments were everywhere. Colin shuddered and resisted the urge to regurgitate. He walked toward the manacles to feign interest in them in case the captain had been watching him.